7/29-D'backs(Vasquez) at Cubs (Prior) 1:20 CT, WGN

[Cubzfan64]

The nice thing about it too was that it was 2 walks that made that possible - how often does that happen with this team!!!!

[E.J.]

I'm way late and didn't get to see much of the inning, but I got to see what matters most. Way to go Aram!!! I also see that there were 2 walks in the inning. Amazing what those will do for you.

[Blueheart05]

I'm glad to see they won, but why does it have to be such an adventure lately?

 

Does it really matter as long as they win? I understand your point, dont get me wrong but if you look around at the teams in the NL that have won some big games lately it seems a lot of teams are pulling games out in their last at bat. Whatever it takes to win.

[Coach C]

My goodness that was huge.

 

I'll also say that it was a pretty well managed game by Dusty once it started. I can't say I disagreed with any of his moves (off the top of my head), including leaving Prior in there.

 

I would pretty much agree to that. Just glad that things bounced towards our way in the 9th. A win is a win, close tight game, or a blow-out. I'll just take it.

[ManCrushOnNomar]

OMG MACAIS DID THE WALKER SAFE SLIDE!

I saw that too and just about lost it!

 

WOW this feels good to win like this.

[UMFan83]

Never underestimate my gut feelings!!!! I get them rarely, but in all honesty they've been right over 75% of the time :-)

 

Way to pull it out guys - big win!

 

Dusty is that you??

[JGalt73]

Do the Cubs have something against letting a starting pitcher get a win? Last 4 wins went a reliever...

[rickrolled]

Wow, things were looking pretty bleak. It's an ugly win, again, but I'll take it. JH needs to get us a bat though. This offense has looked pretty awful lately.

[Omar]

CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!

[UMFan83]

Dusty makes a lot of stupid mistakes, but his decisions in the ninth will go unnoticed. Such as pinch-running for Walker and leaving Macias (I hate Macias, but I give the devil his due) in the game. His speed scored the run.

 

Good job by Barrett. I usually rip him because he has some poor at-bats with runners in scoring position (like yesterday), but he came through. Maybe this game can give them some adrenaline to get through the next two games before an off-day. Let's root against the Nats and Astros.

 

I'm not going to be one of those people that finds reasons to hate on people. I will agree, Dusty made good choices there. Good move to bring in Ronnie to run. At first I was a little confused about bringing in Barrett instead of Aramis, but I guess Barrett has more speed to leg out a potential DP, so that was a good move too. Good job Dusty! Now play smart every game plz

[Mark_R]

My conversation with CT was awesome regarding the end of the game.

 

WTG US!

[Weltazar]

Some nice clutch hitting there!! In fact other than yesterdays game the Cubs have been playing some really good baseball overall. With the wildcard in reach this game, this series is very big! Go Cubs!!!

[abuck1220]

doesn't it always seem like the cubs pull out miracles when baker is at his worst strategy-wise?

 

Yes.

 

Example: Zambrano hitting for himself in Houston.

 

or like in florida when he ph hollandsworth for murton (holla k'ed), let wood bat (wood got out), then hairston doubled and walker homered.

[LoneStarCubFan]

Please feel free to hammer me. I deserve it.

 

I now promise for the remainder of the season to count to 10 and repeat the words "Serenity Now" five times before I post anything during a game.

[abuck1220]

My goodness that was huge.

 

I'll also say that it was a pretty well managed game by Dusty once it started. I can't say I disagreed with any of his moves (off the top of my head), including leaving Prior in there.

 

you were a fan of the sac bunt and run to set things up for macias?

[Cubzfan64]

Never underestimate my gut feelings!!!! I get them rarely, but in all honesty they've been right over 75% of the time :-)

 

Way to pull it out guys - big win!

 

Dusty is that you??

 

Personally I take offense to being compared with Baker :-P

 

NO - I am referring to my "Nostradamus like" prediction from page 30....

 

My wife calls me a terrible pessimist, and I know I generally look at things from a negative standpoint most of the time, but.......

 

I have this weird good feeling about how the game is going to end - I have a feeling we're gonna pull this out in the 9th.

 

I'm really not kidding you all - about a half dozen times a year I get this "calm" type feeling while I'm watching a game and I'll just KNOW that it's going to end with a win. I've been keeping track for a few years and it's up around 83% of the time (ok, sue me - I like statistics :-P). It doesn't happen often, but when it does it's almost always right.

[bukie]

I'm not going to tell anyone to relax, but try to remember that the season isn't made or broken on one game. It's a long season, and often times the perception is if the Cubs can't keep up with a team over the course of a week, they can't do so over the course of a season. It's not even really the time to be overly concerned about other teams. If the Cubs don't play well, then no amount of horrid play by other teams will facilitate the Cubs making the playoffs.

 

At this point, it's all about the Cubs playing well consistently. They haven't played great over the last 5 games, but they've played decent enough to take 3 of 5. Doing that over the course of the rest of the season would put them at 36-23 over the rest of the year, and they'd finish with 89 wins. Enough to win the wildcard? Who knows, but enough to put them in contention. Can they and have they played better? Sure they have.

 

However, I stand by my July 7 assertion that they need a winning July to be serious contenders for the playoffs.

[brfahey]

Great win, but it doesn't mean the offense doesn't stink most of the time. Four runs in two games. WE are lucky to have won the one game. The secret was we never got a man to third in the ninth.

 

We need a confident situational hitter. it's pretty bad when one of the top two orthree hitters on the team in terms of confidence is a guy who was in Double-A a month ago.

[otis89]

Did you meant to make this a new topic, or did you just click the wrong button?

[badger1679666666]

Wow this thread went from mass suicide/lions eating their own to

 

http://i.cnn.net/cnn/2003/US/Southwest/07/08/offbeat.editor.fired/vert.caddyshack.jpg

 

"Everybody's gonna get laid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

[Cubzfan64]

I'm not going to tell anyone to relax, but try to remember that the season isn't made or broken on one game. It's a long season, and often times the perception is if the Cubs can't keep up with a team over the course of a week, they can't do so over the course of a season. It's not even really the time to be overly concerned about other teams. If the Cubs don't play well, then no amount of horrid play by other teams will facilitate the Cubs making the playoffs.

 

At this point, it's all about the Cubs playing well consistently. They haven't played great over the last 5 games, but they've played decent enough to take 3 of 5. Doing that over the course of the rest of the season would put them at 36-23 over the rest of the year, and they'd finish with 89 wins. Enough to win the wildcard? Who knows, but enough to put them in contention. Can they and have they played better? Sure they have.

 

However, I stand by my July 7 assertion that they need a winning July to be serious contenders for the playoffs.

 

The word above is the one that concerns me the most and has for over 2 years now. This offense is generally not built to be consistent - it's just not. If Hendry does nothing to improve that aspect of the team in the last 1/3 of the season, then I hate to say it, but it will be mostly luck as to where we end up at the end of the season. The team is generally an all or nothing type of offense and when all cylinders are firing it's awesome, but when they aren't we get lots of solo HR's and don't generate enough runs to win close games.

 

I'm eager to see what if anything happens by Sunday night.

[Jon]

My goodness that was huge.

 

I'll also say that it was a pretty well managed game by Dusty once it started. I can't say I disagreed with any of his moves (off the top of my head), including leaving Prior in there.

 

you were a fan of the sac bunt and run to set things up for macias?

I hate small ball, yes, but I didn't mind it as much as the usual sac bunt (especially since I had faith that Murton could actually get it down, but that's a minor point). Macias seems to be making more consistent contact as of late.

[bukie]

I'm not going to tell anyone to relax, but try to remember that the season isn't made or broken on one game. It's a long season, and often times the perception is if the Cubs can't keep up with a team over the course of a week, they can't do so over the course of a season. It's not even really the time to be overly concerned about other teams. If the Cubs don't play well, then no amount of horrid play by other teams will facilitate the Cubs making the playoffs.

 

At this point, it's all about the Cubs playing well consistently. They haven't played great over the last 5 games, but they've played decent enough to take 3 of 5. Doing that over the course of the rest of the season would put them at 36-23 over the rest of the year, and they'd finish with 89 wins. Enough to win the wildcard? Who knows, but enough to put them in contention. Can they and have they played better? Sure they have.

 

However, I stand by my July 7 assertion that they need a winning July to be serious contenders for the playoffs.

 

The word above is the one that concerns me the most and has for over 2 years now. This offense is generally not built to be consistent - it's just not. If Hendry does nothing to improve that aspect of the team in the last 1/3 of the season, then I hate to say it, but it will be mostly luck as to where we end up at the end of the season. The team is generally an all or nothing type of offense and when all cylinders are firing it's awesome, but when they aren't we get lots of solo HR's and don't generate enough runs to win close games.

 

I'm eager to see what if anything happens by Sunday night.

 

Actually, I like the offense, hate the offensive approach. 1B, 2B, 3B, C, and RF are above average offensive positions on the team, and SS/LF could be adequately covered within the system if someone let them. If the Cubs need anything, it's a CF. Not sure where Greenberg fits in there, and I'd really prefer not seeing Pie up until he can learn better pitch selection (which I believe to be an organizational issue...maybe the Cubs can trade him to Oakland/Boston, and then reacquire him when OBP is overpriced :) ). Beyond that, it's all about how the team approaches offensive production, and how Baker puts the offense in order, hopefully in a position to succeed.

 

And that, really, is my biggest issue with Baker. He does a poor job of putting the team in the best position to succeed, instead attempting to enforce his hunches and get his stamp on the team. The pitching is poorly handled (especially the pen...does anyone have a defined role outside of Dempster?), and the lineup rarely makes logical sense.

[Jon]

http://www.jonmdavis.net/cubs/july292005.mp3

[Balsa]

Wow. Shows me for turning off the TV after the 8th inning. :shock:

 

What would be REALLY REALLY good for confidence level tomorrow would be a HUGE blowout by the Cubs. I'm talking the Cubs score 7+ runs. That would really cement them.