8-3: Cubs (Williams) @ Phillies (Tejeda) 6:05 CT, CSN+, 720

[reggiemiller rules]

I dont see how you can blame the Barrett play on Dusty, you can blame the lack of fundamentals on him. But that is an instinct play by Barrett, there is nothing Dusty could have done.

[badger1679666666]

That was ridiculous. Dusty has got to go.

 

The players lack of fundamental execution lost the game. I hate dusty as well, but it's pretty tired to either have fans blame the umps or dusty for every bonehead little league play we make.

[Illini Iceman]

Isn't there some way we can blame this on Neifi or Macias instead?

 

If Neifi had gone 4 for 4 instead of 2 for 4 the Cubs would have won!

 

If loser Macias had hit a grand slam the Cubs would have won!

 

It never should have come down to Barrett's play if those two weren't dragging down this team!!!

[Balsa]

That was ridiculous. Dusty has got to go.

 

Oh come on now. The players lost this game. All of you blame Dusty for making excuses. Well, Dusty is your excuse. This game was lost by a lack of FUNDAMENTAL baseball. Rundowns, Pitchers moving to first, turning double plays, patience at the plate, NOT swinging at the high fastball, taking walks by a pitcher who has given up almost a walk per inning.

[Cubzfan64]

I dont see how you can blame the Barrett play on Dusty, you can blame the lack of fundamentals on him. But that is an instinct play by Barrett, there is nothing Dusty could have done.

 

I'm not even sure you can blame the lack of fundamentals on Dusty this time. The fact as someone else pointed out earlier is that these guys are all major league ballplayers and they KNOW how to play fundamental baseball - the problem was too many of them didn't execute it tonight. I don't think that's Baker's fault.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Heh, I didn't see the play, but the Michael Barrett trashing is a little extreme. He's one of the top offensive catchers in the game, and I think that catchers take too much credit/blame for pitch calling because the coaches do a good deal of it. Barrett is one of the least of our problems, despite whatever fundamental mistake he made tonight.

[ConstableRabbit]

You know... Blanco has been really hot since changing his number to 24. I don't know if it's just the fact that he's played sparingly or what, but I really wouldn't mind seeing him start more games, especially after Barrett's complete meltdown tonite. I wasn't even angry, I was just looking at the tv thinking, "what the f$%&$?"

It seems like we've been experiencing enough of Barrett's defensive fiascos. I say we give Blanco a shot.

[Coach C]

That was ridiculous. Dusty has got to go.

 

Oh come on now. The players lost this game. All of you blame Dusty for making excuses. Well, Dusty is your excuse. This game was lost by a lack of FUNDAMENTAL baseball. Rundowns, Pitchers moving to first, turning double plays, patience at the plate, NOT swinging at the high fastball, taking walks by a pitcher who has given up almost a walk per inning.

 

I agree that the players lost this game. However, who is responsible for coaching the funadmentals?

[abuck1220]

wow, was THAT a fundamental disaster. has a big league team ever played so poorly fundamentally over the course of one game? three times the pitcher failed to cover first, a botched defense of a sac bunt, and then the last play. i guess when dusty says he always has a strong fundamental team, it's just one of those things that people believe because he says it a lot.

 

barrett seems to tense up quite a bit in situations like that. remember when he threw the ball away on that crazy play in cincy?

[Balsa]

You think Dusty is out there hitting them ground balls? :roll: Edited August 4, 2005 by Balsa

[badger1679666666]

That was ridiculous. Dusty has got to go.

 

Oh come on now. The players lost this game. All of you blame Dusty for making excuses. Well, Dusty is your excuse. This game was lost by a lack of FUNDAMENTAL baseball. Rundowns, Pitchers moving to first, turning double plays, patience at the plate, NOT swinging at the high fastball, taking walks by a pitcher who has given up almost a walk per inning.

 

I agree that the players lost this game. However, who is responsible for coaching the funadmentals?

 

the fundamentals in this game? Their little league coaches.

[dalgreen]

It sure would be nice if we could find ways to score 5 runs. I hate the Williams made two critical mistakes giving the Phils two runs. Otherwise, we probably win the game tonight. But then again it took a bloop double just to get us to tie it. Am I the only one that thinks Derrek Lee is playing hurt?

 

Back to Barrett. For a catcher, I think he's one of the least baseball savvy guys that I've seen. I still can't believe how defensively his at-bats are when he's up with runners in scoring position. We aren't a good enough team to make up for many stupid mistakes. I would've liked to have seen Wuertz try and work out of that jam. Plus, we probably missed hearing the biggest "boo" in sports if Barrett would've just held onto the ball. The Philly crowd would've forgotten about the good season Burrell has had and would've lit him up.

[JGalt73]

Barret is in the top 3 for offensive catchers in the NL and top 8 in the ML. Was this a HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE PLAY - yes. Should Barrett now be benched for Blanco - no.

[Cubzfan64]

That was ridiculous. Dusty has got to go.

 

Oh come on now. The players lost this game. All of you blame Dusty for making excuses. Well, Dusty is your excuse. This game was lost by a lack of FUNDAMENTAL baseball. Rundowns, Pitchers moving to first, turning double plays, patience at the plate, NOT swinging at the high fastball, taking walks by a pitcher who has given up almost a walk per inning.

 

I agree that the players lost this game. However, who is responsible for coaching the funadmentals?

 

Of course the coaching staff is, but all you CAN do is coach, then it's up to the players to execute. If these were minor league ballplayers it might be a different story, but there's honestly no excuse whatsoever for major leaguers to have made the mistakes they made tonight - no amount of coaching is going to change that - perhaps too many of our guys just aren't good at playing fundamental baseball????

[badger1679666666]

It sure would be nice if we could find ways to score 5 runs. I hate the Williams made two critical mistakes giving the Phils two runs. Otherwise, we probably win the game tonight. But then again it took a bloop double just to get us to tie it. Am I the only one that thinks Derrek Lee is playing hurt?

 

Back to Barrett. For a catcher, I think he's one of the least baseball savvy guys that I've seen. I still can't believe how defensively his at-bats are when he's up with runners in scoring position. We aren't a good enough team to make up for many stupid mistakes. I would've liked to have seen Wuertz try and work out of that jam. Plus, we probably missed hearing the biggest "boo" in sports if Barrett would've just held onto the ball. The Philly crowd would've forgotten about the good season Burrell has had and would've lit him up.

 

You were already proven wrong about Barrett with RISP. You're going to continue to look foolish?

[Illini Iceman]

Barret is in the top 3 for offensive catchers in the NL and top 8 in the ML. Was this a HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE PLAY - yes. Should Barrett now be benched for Blanco - no.

 

If Murton had been catching he would have caught strike three cleanly then made a snap throw to third to double off Rollins. Dusty is just too stupid to use his players correctly.

[Hornbuckle]

Wow.

 

Just a bit of nit-picking, but...

 

I've seen a few people mention stepping on home plate to complete the out, but Burrell was automatically out since first base was occupied, no?

 

I wasn't able to see the play and haven't seen the replay yet, so maybe I'm missing something, but stepping on home is a moot point if I'm not mistaken.

[Garwilly]

Wow.

 

Just a bit of nit-picking, but...

 

I've seen a few people mention stepping on home plate to complete the out, but Burrell was automatically out since first base was occupied, no?

 

I wasn't able to see the play and haven't seen the replay yet, so maybe I'm missing something, but stepping on home is a moot point if I'm not mistaken.

 

You are cirrect Burrell was out. no matter what.

 

THere was no force.

[USSoccer]

Wow.

 

Just a bit of nit-picking, but...

 

I've seen a few people mention stepping on home plate to complete the out, but Burrell was automatically out since first base was occupied, no?

 

I wasn't able to see the play and haven't seen the replay yet, so maybe I'm missing something, but stepping on home is a moot point if I'm not mistaken.

 

No matter how the rule reads, Barrett was foolish to even throw it to 3rd. And then the throw was bad. And he threw it to 3rd too early...plus, he didn't catch strike 4. There's no way that should have been droppped. It was a fastball. Not a slider.

[Balsa]

I don't see how you can label Barrett a "defensive batter". When it really mattered, with the bases loaded and none out, he was too offensive, swinging at 3 out of 4 pitches and striking out at pitches that were nowhere near the plate.

[Mark_R]

barrett seems to tense up quite a bit in situations like that. remember when he threw the ball away on that crazy play in cincy?

 

All I ever hear here is that there is no such thing as a "clutch" player. Does Barrett have the gall to go against the masses!?

 

I absolutely agree Abuck, this was a total mental meltdown at the end of the game that is COMPLETELY INEXCUSABLE for a major league player.

 

Let alone the rest of your post that I forgot to quote which hits this nonsense tonight right on the head.

 

Terrible terrible "effort". This could be evidence that the team has quit on its inept doofus for a manager.

[WindyCity]

I suppose everyone defending Dusty has a good explanation for Remlinger pitching against Rollins (career 4 for 7 against Rem) and a bunch of left handers?

[USSoccer]

Heh, I didn't see the play, but the Michael Barrett trashing is a little extreme. He's one of the top offensive catchers in the game, and I think that catchers take too much credit/blame for pitch calling because the coaches do a good deal of it. Barrett is one of the least of our problems, despite whatever fundamental mistake he made tonight.

 

I don't know...if we had even league average production from LF and CF, I wouldn't care if Blanco was the everyday catcher. Barrett seems to be missing something that most successful catchers have. He's good offensively, but poor defensively, and he doesn't seem to take command of the IF like he should.

 

I'm not pining for Miller/Bako, but unless Barrett shows improvement through next year, I wouldn't keep him around.

[dalgreen]

Bad coaching? Give me a break. These guys have been playing baseball almost all of their lives. It's not like they've never been told to cover first base or gone over other basic fundamentals.

 

I'm curious when people who do little but criticize Perez, Macias, Baker, Hollandsworth, etc. will take notice that we have a $3 million catcher who is hardly earning his money. He is one of the few guys I know who hits defensively with men in scoring position. Hey, Barrett, How about yelling, "Get over!", when the ball is hit to the right side. You hear Matheny do it all the time with the Giants. I gave Barrett the benefit of the doubt for far too long. I now see why Felipe Alou said Barrett would never be a major league catcher when he was in Montreal.

 

He's hitting .342 with RISP, so I don't see your point there.

 

Seriously, he made a bad mistake, but you're overreacting.

 

Overreacting? I've been saying this for almost two years. Yeah, he has a .342 avg. with RISP. I'd like a break down on that, because he's 1 for his last 4, I believe (the one being the hit against AZ). Were his hits when the game was on the line or to bring the game closer? All I know is from here on out, watch his at-bats with RISP. And see how many times he gets himself down in the count when it's the pitcher who should have the pressure on him. I'm not one who goes off on guys unnecessarily after a loss, we all know it's too many on here for that, but I've been consistent in my dislike for Barrett and his $3 million/year contract.

[Balsa]

I suppose everyone defending Dusty has a good explanation for Remlinger pitching against Rollins (career 4 for 7 against Rem) and a bunch of left handers?

So if we're not accusing Dusty of being a moron we're defending him?

 

:?