7/7 Gm 1 Chicago (Prior 5-2) at Atlanta (Ramirez) 12:00 CST

[JGalt73]

I love baseball - everything about the game. For a while I've been thinking about what it's like to just watch a game. Just watch it. Remember that feeling? I have also been thinking maybe I should just sit back and watch the Cubs and enjoy the beauty of baseball. I wouldn't get caught up in the wins and loses...but then, I'd still have to watch this team, and I'm not sure this IS baseball.

[UMFan83]

I'm going to hit myself with a blunt object and slip into a coma where its September 27, 2003, Sammy is running into RF spraying champaign on the bleacher bums, and the Wrigley crowd is chanting "Go Cubs Go"

[JonnyRed]

Time to start planning for Bourbonnais and Bears' camp? This team is unwatchable right now. It's one thing to have the injuries, but they flat out aren't performing up to their capabilities right now, which is inexcusible.

[UMFan83]

Anyone starting to think 2003 was just a complete fluke? Prior's not that good, Wood's definitely not that good.

 

Prior is good, even the best fall down sometimes. Wood was better in 2003, injuries and changes in mechanics have led to him failing to reach his lofty expectations.

 

Fluke? No....but extremely lucky? Yes. Play that season 100 times, we make the playoffs maybe 25 times, we make it to the NLCS 10 times, we play game 7 3 times

I wasn't trying to say Prior's not good. I know he's good. I was just saying maybe he's not as good as what we saw in 2003. After the 2003 season there wasn't 1 person in baseball I would have traded Prior straight up for. Now there are many people I would trade him for. Including several pithcers.

 

Really? Care to make a list

 

Maybe I'm stubborn but there still isn't any player except maybe Pujols (ignoring salary) that I would trade Prior for.

[badger1679666666]

Honestly, I'd rather be the Milwaukee Brewers right now, at least they give their young players a shot. Ned Yost is 1000000000000000 times the manager Baker is. They are up and coming, do things the right way.

 

This is a piece of shi* cubs team, with no heart. Let's get some homegrown talent not making a ton of money that wants to win and play them for the rest of the year. See what we have. I'm ready to go postal on Baker and the rest of the bums.

[JonnyRed]

From Rob Neyer's chat (currently on ESPN.com):

 

Mike (Madison): Cubs losing 6-0 to Braves right now....possible 7 game skid. Are they done? What needs to be done to salvage a postseason run?

 

SportsNation Rob Neyer: (2:29 PM ET ) Insert fork. Remove fork. Begin thinking about 2006. . . Does anybody else get the distinct feeling that if Bobby Cox and Leo Mazzone were running the Cubs instead of the Braves, their records would be reversed? There's certainly no lack of talent on the Cubs' roster.

 

I have to agree. Dusty is killing us.

 

Dusty doesn't swing the bat or throw the ball...He is certainly deserving of his share of the blame, but how many two out runs have we given up in recent weeks or failed to come through with clutch hitting?

[dime]

I don't think the Cubs are following their manager anymore. Whether deserved or not, he's lost the team's ear.

 

It will be a long, painful second half unless the makeup of the team is changed or the manager is replaced.

 

The good news is that the All-Star break is the best time to do these things.

[Brian]

OMGZ!!!!!!!111 A HIT!!!!!!!!!11111111111

[Wheelimus]

Is it 4:20 yet because Prior is getting lit up

 

No, but it's going to take 4:20 to keep depression at bay once this day is over....

[Tracer Bullet]

From Rob Neyer's chat (currently on ESPN.com):

 

Mike (Madison): Cubs losing 6-0 to Braves right now....possible 7 game skid. Are they done? What needs to be done to salvage a postseason run?

 

SportsNation Rob Neyer: (2:29 PM ET ) Insert fork. Remove fork. Begin thinking about 2006. . . Does anybody else get the distinct feeling that if Bobby Cox and Leo Mazzone were running the Cubs instead of the Braves, their records would be reversed? There's certainly no lack of talent on the Cubs' roster.

 

I have to agree. Dusty is killing us.

 

Dusty doesn't swing the bat or throw the ball...He is certainly deserving of his share of the blame, but how many two out runs have we given up in recent weeks or failed to come through with clutch hitting?

 

You're right, he doesn't get all of the blame. But Dusty picks the guys that will swing the bat and throw the ball. Leaving Prior in there too long when he was getting knocked around in the 5th. Batting Perez 2nd. Using Macias as the first PH off the bench. Those are bad managerial decisions. It's more likely that players will get "clutch" hits when your best players are on the field, not Perez, Macias, etc.

[NorthsideAvenger]

Right now, I rather have a ROOT CANAL then watch the Cubs.

 

I rather do my taxes,

Listen to Kato Kaelin speak politics,

Filmed John Goodman doing a lapdance, (is that normal?)

Watch Glitter till my eyes bleed,

And listen to a duet of Snow/Vanilla Ice

 

Then watching the Cubs, right now. I love them, but ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

[cubweiser03]

Great. The 2nd game is on WGN. Now i have no excuses to not watch this sinking ship sink.

[nick23]

Anyone starting to think 2003 was just a complete fluke? Prior's not that good, Wood's definitely not that good.

 

Prior is good, even the best fall down sometimes. Wood was better in 2003, injuries and changes in mechanics have led to him failing to reach his lofty expectations.

 

Fluke? No....but extremely lucky? Yes. Play that season 100 times, we make the playoffs maybe 25 times, we make it to the NLCS 10 times, we play game 7 3 times

I wasn't trying to say Prior's not good. I know he's good. I was just saying maybe he's not as good as what we saw in 2003. After the 2003 season there wasn't 1 person in baseball I would have traded Prior straight up for. Now there are many people I would trade him for. Including several pithcers.

 

Really? Care to make a list

 

Maybe I'm stubborn but there still isn't any player except maybe Pujols (ignoring salary) that I would trade Prior for.

The fact that you say maybe Pujols shows your stubborn.

I'd say:

Peavy

Oswalt

Buehrle

Halladay

Tejada

Arod

Cabrera

That's just off the top of my head. I like Prior and think he's a great pitcher, but he's not the best player in the game like many of us thought 2 years ago.

[ltb]

Oswalt

Buehrle

 

LOL

 

you have GOT to be kidding me

[brfahey]

I said yesterday and I'll say it again. Someone needs to pay for this embarrasment with their job(s). Baker, hendry and MacPhail need to apologize to the fans and at least one roster move involving a position player needs to made. The losing is bad enough but the feeling there are no consequences for it is worse.

[nick23]

Oswalt

Buehrle

 

LOL

 

you have GOT to be kidding me

What's funny about those 2?

[nick23]

Oswalt

Buehrle

 

LOL

 

you have GOT to be kidding me

What's funny about those 2?

Actually Buehrle's stretching it. I'm just frustrated right now.

[ltb]

Oswalt

Buehrle

 

LOL

 

you have GOT to be kidding me

What's funny about those 2?

Actually Buehrle's stretching it. I'm just frustrated right now.

 

what??????

 

i would take buehrle over oswalt, despite the fact that i can't stand either of them. oswalt is overrated, imo.

 

i wouldn't even think about trading prior for either of them.

[dalgreen]

From Rob Neyer's chat (currently on ESPN.com):

 

Mike (Madison): Cubs losing 6-0 to Braves right now....possible 7 game skid. Are they done? What needs to be done to salvage a postseason run?

 

SportsNation Rob Neyer: (2:29 PM ET ) Insert fork. Remove fork. Begin thinking about 2006. . . Does anybody else get the distinct feeling that if Bobby Cox and Leo Mazzone were running the Cubs instead of the Braves, their records would be reversed? There's certainly no lack of talent on the Cubs' roster.

 

I have to agree. Dusty is killing us.

 

Dusty doesn't swing the bat or throw the ball...He is certainly deserving of his share of the blame, but how many two out runs have we given up in recent weeks or failed to come through with clutch hitting?

 

You're right, he doesn't get all of the blame. But Dusty picks the guys that will swing the bat and throw the ball. Leaving Prior in there too long when he was getting knocked around in the 5th. Batting Perez 2nd. Using Macias as the first PH off the bench. Those are bad managerial decisions. It's more likely that players will get "clutch" hits when your best players are on the field, not Perez, Macias, etc.

 

But this is the point I don't get. Who else should he have played today? Okay, you could argue Barrett, but he's like 4 for his last 50. And changing the order is something people suggest but I don't know how that would change anything significantly. If you hit Lee 8th, I don't think he'd go 0-4. Either you're a good hitter or you're not. We have three guys on this team who I consider quality hitters. That's it.

[muntjack]

That AB by Hairston was the best of the game by a cub. It perfectly illustrates why we will never be a great team under Dusty. AB's like that (even when they end in an out) are productive for SO MANY reasons, NONE of which Baker endorses.

 

Occasionally our first-pitch approach will be successful, but never consistently. Any pitcher (Davies, Colon, Eischen, Ramirez) can easily take advantage of it.

 

This is maddening.

[ltb]

We have three guys on this team who I consider quality hitters. That's it.

 

lee, ramirez, and who else? walker? just curious.

[YearofDaCubs]

OK, so Buerhle is having one good year and all of a sudden he is the best pitcher in baseball? Last year he had an era close to 4 and the year prior to that one he had one over 4.

[ltb]

OK, so Buerhle is having one good year and all of a sudden he is the best pitcher in baseball? Last year he had an era close to 4 and the year prior to that one he had one over 4.

 

he's been solid his whole career, and you can't really compare ERAs in the AL to those in the NL.

 

regardless, advocating trading prior for buehrle is ridiculous.

[YearofDaCubs]

OK, so Buerhle is having one good year and all of a sudden he is the best pitcher in baseball? Last year he had an era close to 4 and the year prior to that one he had one over 4.

 

he's been solid his whole career, and you can't really compare ERAs in the AL to those in the NL.

 

regardless, advocating trading prior for buehrle is ridiculous.

Solid , yes, no doubt but not the best in baseball.

[Brian]

Anybody think we have a good chance at a +bullpen next year...

 

Wuertz

Ohman

If Novoa can get himself figured out and continues pitching like he has been since coming back from Iowa

Aardsma maybe

Williamson

Jermaine Van Buren if he can convert his succes in the minors to the majors....