Time is running out

[goonys evil twin]

6 games left in June

16 games left until the All Star Break

 

The Cubs are 10-11 in June right now. They are 2 back of the wild card, 9 back of the Cardinals. We have to stop pretending that it's an insult to talk about the WC. Champions have come through the playoffs as the wild card.

 

 

I'm hopiong for a minimum of 9-7 before the ASG. 10-6 though should be a goal, while 12-4 would be fantastic.

 

This is the way I'd throw out the pitchers, keeping in mind that I want Zambrano to get a little extra rest, and that Hill has shown he can get a start.

 

Mitre @CWS

Maddux @CWS

Prior @CWS

 

Williams MIL

Hill MIL

Wood MIL

Maddux WAS

Prior WAS

Zambrano WAS

Williams @ATL

Wood @ATL

Maddux @ ATL

Prior @ATL

Zambrano @FLA

Williams @FLA

Wood @FLA

 

Wood and Prior get 3 starts to get on track. Zambrano gets 10 days between starts, let him regather his strength and hopefully heal from whatever may or may not be bothering him. Hill gets a showcase start perhaps for trade purposes, or to give Hendry the confidence to trade somebody else.

[Backtobanks]

We had better be talking about the Wild Card because there is no way we're going to catch the Cards. We can and must play better but the Cards have shown over the last 1 1/2 years that they don't go into a prolonged slump. What does it tell you when we lost ground to the Cards while Rolen was on the DL.

[Flames24Rulz]

i dont think its early or bad to talk about the WC either. Were 2 games back of the WC as we get Prior back on Sunday and Wood back on probably Wednesday. I still like our chances. I do think Rusch will be back in the pen when they both come back and deservedly so. He hasn't pitched good at all the last few starts and is the odd man out IMO. This weekend is a big series...if we can take 2 of 3 from the Sox, it could push our team over the top. Then again we all thought that would happen when we went 6-1 on the west coast trip...

[ZZ Thorn]

WS teams win games like today. A big loss....

 

Still, .500 for June, all things considered, is just good enough to keep us afloat. This is the hardest part of our schedule and we have a ton of games with the Cards, so we really control our own destiny.

[Butterscup1679666578]

I said to myself and my friends if we could play .500 ball in June and stay within 7 games, we would be in good shape consider the toughness of our schedule and the relatively not-so-toughness of StL's.

[JC]

This team is crap right now.

 

It consistantly loses games it should win. It plays handicapped with a 12 man pitching staff. The manager doesn't understand (AT ALL) the importance of having high on-base guys in front of the most potent bat in the league. Few players have the ability or can recognize when adjustments are needed.

 

Celebrating this mediocrity is a joke. I refuse to "be happy" that the Cubs are a .500 team in late June. Sure, I recognize that the Wild Card is still within grasp, but that is a more difficult goal than many here give it credit for. Other teams will get better and don't have the warts that management is blinded to on this squad. (Not to mention that the sheer number of teams fighting for that WC spot is significant.)

 

No, I can't sit back and look at this from a half-full glass perspective. Doing so gives management a free pass on some of the objectively idiotic decisions that have been made time and again to date. The Cubs certainly can still make a run at the WC, but lets make sure that we don't forget that this team shouldn't be in this position in the first place. Management's unwillingness, or inability, to make timely changes in the face of clear evidence to do so is staggering and ought not be swept under the rug.

[Dr. Cub]

While I agree with you wholeheartedly about Hill, Z, and the gang, I just don't see this team being better than mediocre with this bullpen and outfield. As much as I despise the lack of OBP in the 1 and 2 holes (especially with much better options on the team), the lack of OF production and the atrocious bullpen (60.1 IP, 38 ER, 5.69 ERA in June) will keep this team from consistantly winning ballgames. This team truly is mediocre, and the real traveshamockery of it is that it shouldn't be with as much great talent as they have. I have to believe that some intellgent managing, and a few key moves in the bullpen and OF are what is keeping this team from being a true contender.

[JC]

traveshamockery

 

Consider it stolen.

[dalgreen]

I'm as frustrated as almost everyone else, however, weren't we having this same kind of conversation this time last year? Had we not choked, we would've been in the playoffs last year, and honestly, it's not that big of a difference between winning the division and being a wild card. Whoop-tie-do we won't have game 5 at home in the NLDS. This team is playing like crap. Despite the ridiculous decision by Baker not to put better OBP guys in front of our 3-4-5 hitters, we are still scoring runs. Our bullpen now has a total of 15 losses on the season, that's not acceptable. Yet we knew going into the season the bullpen was going to be mediocre at best and terrible at worst. Our starting pitching this year has been below expectations, as well. The good news I see is that we might have more resources to make moves than the other teams come trading deadline.

[CubinNY]

The end of May I said that June would be the tale of the tape for the Cubs. Well, the way I see it this team is not going to make it. Or is it? If Wood and Prior come back strong it gives them a fighting chance for the WC. But I really don't have much faith in the offense or the middle inning guys. The Farnshworth trade was bade in retrospect. Anyway, I hope the Cubs don't trade away some pretty good prospects for the likes of Kotsey, Wilson, or Floyd. B/c I don't think the team is good enough.

[CuseCubFan69]

I'm as frustrated as almost everyone else, however, weren't we having this same kind of conversation this time last year? Had we not choked, we would've been in the playoffs last year, and honestly, it's not that big of a difference between winning the division and being a wild card. Whoop-tie-do we won't have game 5 at home in the NLDS. This team is playing like crap. Despite the ridiculous decision by Baker not to put better OBP guys in front of our 3-4-5 hitters, we are still scoring runs. Our bullpen now has a total of 15 losses on the season, that's not acceptable. Yet we knew going into the season the bullpen was going to be mediocre at best and terrible at worst. Our starting pitching this year has been below expectations, as well. The good news I see is that we might have more resources to make moves than the other teams come trading deadline.

 

Dal....these games like yesterday are winnable games and if the Cubs win those it makes the playoffs that much more attainable and they wouldn't have to worry about choking if they take these types of games. Hendry has waited for the pitchers to come back and since Prior is going on Sunday and Wood on Wednesday we'll see if that gamble payed off.

 

You're right that the Cubs have a lot of recources and that is a luxury, especially when they are competing with the Yanks for a player.

[BleedCubbieBlue81]

I'm frustrated, but optimistic. We've been playing absolutely horrible at times, and we are still near the top of the wild card race (2 games out). We've managed to stay afloat despite losing our starting shortstop (who has won batting titles in the past), and two of our Cy Young caliber pitchers. We've won with guys like John Koronka on the mound. Lets take a look at the positives we have going for us. For one, nobody is going to run away with the wild card this year. There is no shame in not winning the division, as long as you're in the playoffs. (Although that race is far from over) And once you're in the playoffs, everyone starts from zero. Derrek Lee is having a better year than any Cub I can remember... ever. And that includes the Sosa years when he was crushing the ball, and hitting for a high average. Burnitz, while not lighting up the scoreboard, is having a pretty steady year. Aramis is starting to heat up. And if last year is any indication, his ceiling will be incredibly high. That's a one-two punch I would not want to pitch to (Lee and Aram). We're getting Mark Prior back this weekend. While he may not be 100%, he'll still be effective. I'll take an 80% Prior over three quarters of the rest of the league. Kerry Wood will soon be back, and hopefully back to the Wood of old. Those two are two of our leaders. Maddux is still Greg Maddux. He will be out there every game giving us solid innings... I could go on and on. Two weeks ago, we were all on top of the world when the Cubs got themselves back on track. This is a rough stretch, but you know they will snap out of it. I just hope it's not too late when they do.

[goonys evil twin]

Update time.

 

Well, when I started this thread the Cubs had 6 games left in June, they finished 4-2 in those games. You can't complain. Now it comes down to the 10 games before the all star break. 6-4 and they reach the conservative goal of going 10-6 over the 2.5 weeks leading into the break. That would leave them at 46-41 going into the second half, and probably no worse than 2-3 games out of the wild card.

 

However, I'm really hoping for 7-3. With the aces pitching well, there's no reason they can't pull that off.

[JC]

Update time.

 

Well, when I started this thread the Cubs had 6 games left in June, they finished 4-2 in those games. You can't complain. Now it comes down to the 10 games before the all star break. 6-4 and they reach the conservative goal of going 10-6 over the 2.5 weeks leading into the break. That would leave them at 46-41 going into the second half, and probably no worse than 2-3 games out of the wild card.

 

However, I'm really hoping for 7-3. With the aces pitching well, there's no reason they can't pull that off.

 

Try 3-7.

 

You and your bright ideas...