Do we really have a shot at Houston?

[Rusch33]

Honestly, do we got a shot at them?

 

They have a cake walk this month... while we got some tough teams..

[synergy]

no the season is over. start for 2006. houston is a better team.

[Sammy Who]

We have 10 head-to-head left w/ them, so yes we have a shot.

[Sammy Who]

We have 10 head-to-head left w/ them, so yes we have a shot. Also, I have to click every time to attach my sig. WHy can't the defualt option be to attach the sig?

[CubsHawks25]

no the season is over. start for 2006. houston is a better team.

 

Actually, Houston has a better PITCHING STAFF as a whole, at least the last month they have/do.

 

Their lineup leaves alot to be desired, even compared to ours. One thing they do do, however, is they play fundamental baseball. Something Dusty must not believe in, because our fundamental's have sucked total arse the last 2 years.

[Rusch33]

no the season is over. start for 2006. houston is a better team.

 

Actually, Houston has a better PITCHING STAFF as a whole, at least the last month they have/do.

 

Their lineup leaves alot to be desired, even compared to ours. One thing they do do, however, is they play fundamental baseball. Something Dusty must not believe in, because our fundamental's have sucked total arse the last 2 years.

 

 

I agree exactly with you.. that's what sets apart from being a playoff team every year is the damn fundamentals.

 

We can't bunt.. we can't hit and run.. we can't run bases..

[genghiskhan]

Depends upon the definition of "a shot". Houston has a better pitching staff, a five-game lead, and an easier schedule. Maybe the best answer is that there's a shot, but not a great one. Cubs would have to probably win at least seven of those ten games, split all the games they have remaining with the Cardinals, and hope for some breaks.

[CubfaninCA]

Go 7 & 3 vs. Houston and the Cubs pick up 4 games right??

 

The Cub starting pitching needs to pick up the slack.

[genghiskhan]

Go 7 & 3 vs. Houston and the Cubs pick up 4 games right??

 

The Cub starting pitching needs to pick up the slack.

 

Yes. I said that b/c the Astros remaining schedule is really easy. They have all those games against the Cubs, two games against the Cardinals on the 27th and 28th of September, and most of the rest of the season against the bad teams from the NL Central and West.

[Beer Kaese]

Since Lawton = no Murton, we are dead in the water.

 

Fire Dusty yesterday!!!

[Tracer Bullet]

Go 7 & 3 vs. Houston and the Cubs pick up 4 games right??

 

The Cub starting pitching needs to pick up the slack.

 

Yes. I said that b/c the Astros remaining schedule is really easy. They have all those games against the Cubs, two games against the Cardinals on the 27th and 28th of September, and most of the rest of the season against the bad teams from the NL Central and West.

 

If Houston struggles to beat the bad teams as much as the Cubs do, maybe we do have a shot.

[gflore34]

Early in the season we knew Houston wasn't as bad as they were playing, presently they're not as good as they're showing, they're going to come back down to earth. When they do, the Cubs will have a shot but, they bettter get their collective heads out their collective asses real soon.

[FallBall]

We are done. After last night's fiasco, any slight glimmer of hope we have is gone. Poor fundamentals, non-existant clutch hitting, and a manager that has no clue how to use his players - particularly the bullpen is just way too much to overcome.

 

Houston will win the wild card and I wouldn't be surprised if it is by double digits when it is all said and done.

 

Hopefully we have a Baker-less team that will be more exciting to watch next year.

 

On a side note - I really enjoy hearing Brenly call out Baker's idiotic managing on a daily basis. This tidbit after Baker brings Remlinger in to face the lefties at the top of the lineup last night.... "Of course we all know Remlinger fares much better against right handers than he does against left handers." It is almost worth tuning in to hear him call Baker out on a daily basis.

[badger1679666666]

Since Lawton = no Murton, we are dead in the water.

 

Fire Dusty yesterday!!!

 

Yes you're right, Murton is our savior, he would have taken us to the promise land single handedly.

 

Seriously, if you think that's our biggest problem, you got another thing coming.

[Catman61]

Go 7 & 3 vs. Houston and the Cubs pick up 4 games right??

 

The Cub starting pitching needs to pick up the slack.

 

Yes. I said that b/c the Astros remaining schedule is really easy. They have all those games against the Cubs, two games against the Cardinals on the 27th and 28th of September, and most of the rest of the season against the bad teams from the NL Central and West.

Hou/StL also have a 3 game series in HOU the 1st weekend in Sep.

[Backtobanks]

no the season is over. start for 2006. houston is a better team.

 

Actually, Houston has a better PITCHING STAFF as a whole, at least the last month they have/do.

 

Their lineup leaves alot to be desired, even compared to ours. One thing they do do, however, is they play fundamental baseball. Something Dusty must not believe in, because our fundamental's have sucked total arse the last 2 years.

 

 

I agree exactly with you.. that's what sets apart from being a playoff team every year is the damn fundamentals.

 

We can't bunt.. we can't hit and run.. we can't run bases..

 

To make a run at the WC, the Cubs have to have a streak of winning 8-9 in a row, or something like 17 out of 20. I've seen optimistic posters who wonder why other teams can do it and not the Cubs. I agree with you, the manager is a problem, no fundamentals (what you stated plus we can't cover 1B on a ball to the right side and we can't perform a simple rundown-- both taught in Little League), can't adjust to pitchers they haven't seen, can't play "small" ball, can't steal a base, can't have consistent efforts from hitters, bullpen, and starters, etc. Does anyone really think we can get on a long winning streak with Maddux, Hill, and Williams at the end of our rotation?

[Wheelimus]

In theory, yeah, we do. We're 5 back with 55 left, we could do it.

 

Realistically? Unless Wood/Nomar/Williamson provide a bigger spark than i'm expecting, doubtful. Our team is led by the baseball equivilant of Gomer Pyle. He'll run Williamson out there on consecutive days, who knows if the elbow will hold up. He'll probably overuse Wood from the pen, who knows if the ENTIRE FREAKING BODY will hold up. And Nomar, jeeze, who knows there.

 

I mean, if you suddenly took Dusty out and replaced him with a master of the game, then we'd have a real shot. But with Dusty, we're a .500 team.

[jiml60]

Early in the season we knew Houston wasn't as bad as they were playing, presently they're not as good as they're showing, they're going to come back down to earth. When they do, the Cubs will have a shot but, they bettter get their collective heads out their collective asses real soon.

 

You just can't expect this to happen season after season. We waited for the Cardinals to "come back down to earth" last year, it didn't happen until the World Series. Houston is playing good baseball, they're getting great pitching, some timely hitting and executing fundamental baseball. Why would anyone expect that to stop? Plus they have the experience of last season when they went on a run to come within a game of the World Series.

 

The Cubs, as presently constructed, are not capable of stringing together a long winning streak or two to make a serious run at the WC.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Early in the season we knew Houston wasn't as bad as they were playing, presently they're not as good as they're showing, they're going to come back down to earth. When they do, the Cubs will have a shot but, they bettter get their collective heads out their collective asses real soon.

 

You just can't expect this to happen season after season. We waited for the Cardinals to "come back down to earth" last year, it didn't happen until the World Series. Houston is playing good baseball, they're getting great pitching, some timely hitting and executing fundamental baseball. Why would anyone expect that to stop? Plus they have the experience of last season when they went on a run to come within a game of the World Series.

 

The Cubs, as presently constructed, are not capable of stringing together a long winning streak or two to make a serious run at the WC.

 

 

 

I expect it to stop because they are playing above their talent level right now. Also, what examples of fundamental baseball are the Astros executing? I don't understand why that phrase seemingly gets thrown in to describe a team any time they have a hot streak.

[LoneStarCubFan]

To make a run at the WC, the Cubs have to have a streak of winning 8-9 in a row, or something like 17 out of 20. I've seen optimistic posters who wonder why other teams can do it and not the Cubs. I agree with you, the manager is a problem, no fundamentals (what you stated plus we can't cover 1B on a ball to the right side and we can't perform a simple rundown-- both taught in Little League), can't adjust to pitchers they haven't seen, can't play "small" ball, can't steal a base, can't have consistent efforts from hitters, bullpen, and starters, etc. Does anyone really think we can get on a long winning streak with Maddux, Hill, and Williams at the end of our rotation?

 

This team is completely incapable of winning 8-9 in a row or running off a ridiculously long hot streak like Houston has for one simple reason. This team has no heart. None whatsoever.

 

When they are put in an adverse situation they will do something incredibly stupid to cost themselves the game the majority of the time. Generally their late inning wins have been the result of the opposing team finding a way to screw up to the point that there's no way the Cubs can fail. But when the other team doesn't help them out, they're cooked.

 

Their continued horrible approach against no-name slapdick pitchers they're seeing for the first time, their lack of any grasp of fundamental baseball, a manager who would rather use "his guys" in crucial situations in order to build their confidence instead of worrying about winning the damn game all assure this team will wallow in mediocrity while teams like the Cardinals and the Astros play with heart and professionalism run away with playoff spots that should belong to the Cubs.

 

I couldn't even get angry with the way the game ended last night because I knew it was over when Rollins doubled to start the inning. Good teams find a way to get that guy home. Mediocre teams find a way to help them. The Cubs are a mediocre team. I'm glad I'm going to be out of the country for a couple of weeks so I won't have to watch this disgrace of a ballclub.

[TrueBlueCubFan]

Early in the season we knew Houston wasn't as bad as they were playing, presently they're not as good as they're showing, they're going to come back down to earth. When they do, the Cubs will have a shot but, they bettter get their collective heads out their collective asses real soon.

 

You just can't expect this to happen season after season. We waited for the Cardinals to "come back down to earth" last year, it didn't happen until the World Series. Houston is playing good baseball, they're getting great pitching, some timely hitting and executing fundamental baseball. Why would anyone expect that to stop? Plus they have the experience of last season when they went on a run to come within a game of the World Series.

 

The Cubs, as presently constructed, are not capable of stringing together a long winning streak or two to make a serious run at the WC.

It will be slightly different with the additions of Williamson,Wood, Nomar & Lawton. It is possible they could string together a few winning streaks. Those 4 make this team better.

[neely crenshaw]

the cubs have a chance on paper there are not that far back, and are really only chasing houston- everyone is basically at the same spot(within a game or 2) but this is not a great/good team. they will hover around .500 and unless teams have a washington like implosion and the wild card is won with around 84-85 wins the cubs are not going to win it...that being said we are close enough that one solid move could get us over the hump.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

This team is completely incapable of winning 8-9 in a row or running off a ridiculously long hot streak like Houston has for one simple reason. This team has no heart. None whatsoever.

 

When they are put in an adverse situation they will do something incredibly stupid to cost themselves the game the majority of the time. Generally their late inning wins have been the result of the opposing team finding a way to screw up to the point that there's no way the Cubs can fail. But when the other team doesn't help them out, they're cooked.

 

That's an incredibly unfair statment to make. You can't just say a team has no heart because their close wins are because the other team screwed up. That's how the majority of close wins happen.

[jiml60]

Early in the season we knew Houston wasn't as bad as they were playing, presently they're not as good as they're showing, they're going to come back down to earth. When they do, the Cubs will have a shot but, they bettter get their collective heads out their collective asses real soon.

 

You just can't expect this to happen season after season. We waited for the Cardinals to "come back down to earth" last year, it didn't happen until the World Series. Houston is playing good baseball, they're getting great pitching, some timely hitting and executing fundamental baseball. Why would anyone expect that to stop? Plus they have the experience of last season when they went on a run to come within a game of the World Series.

 

The Cubs, as presently constructed, are not capable of stringing together a long winning streak or two to make a serious run at the WC.

 

 

 

I expect it to stop because they are playing above their talent level right now. Also, what examples of fundamental baseball are the Astros executing? I don't understand why that phrase seemingly gets thrown in to describe a team any time they have a hot streak.

 

The Cardinal pitchers were seemingly "pitching above their talent level" last season. We waited and waited for their staff to come back to earth, then we would pass them...never happened.

 

So why would the Astro's talent level cause them to start losing all of a sudden? They may not be as talented as this Cub team but they are supplementing it with hard work, fundamental baseball and yes, a little bit of luck. It happens in sports, the most talented teams don't always win, history is littered with teams that made the extra effort to overcome their deficiencies and beat the odds.

 

Houston has been playing well for about a month and a half, I hardly call that a hot streak. As for examples, find your own.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Early in the season we knew Houston wasn't as bad as they were playing, presently they're not as good as they're showing, they're going to come back down to earth. When they do, the Cubs will have a shot but, they bettter get their collective heads out their collective asses real soon.

 

You just can't expect this to happen season after season. We waited for the Cardinals to "come back down to earth" last year, it didn't happen until the World Series. Houston is playing good baseball, they're getting great pitching, some timely hitting and executing fundamental baseball. Why would anyone expect that to stop? Plus they have the experience of last season when they went on a run to come within a game of the World Series.

 

The Cubs, as presently constructed, are not capable of stringing together a long winning streak or two to make a serious run at the WC.

 

 

 

I expect it to stop because they are playing above their talent level right now. Also, what examples of fundamental baseball are the Astros executing? I don't understand why that phrase seemingly gets thrown in to describe a team any time they have a hot streak.

 

The Cardinal pitchers were seemingly "pitching above their talent level" last season. We waited and waited for their staff to come back to earth, then we would pass them...never happened.

 

So why would the Astro's talent level cause them to start losing all of a sudden? They may not be as talented as this Cub team but they are supplementing it with hard work, fundamental baseball and yes, a little bit of luck. It happens in sports, the most talented teams don't always win, history is littered with teams that made the extra effort to overcome their deficiencies and beat the odds.

 

Houston has been playing well for about a month and a half, I hardly call that a hot streak. As for examples, find your own.

 

It most certainly is a hot streak. You're the one who made the claim that they were playing fundamental baseball, with hard work. Where's the proof of that? I ask, because it seems like people just assume a cliche like fundamentals every time a team does well. It's certainly possible the Astros are playing great fundamental baseball, which I'm not exactly sure what it is to begin with. However, to simply assume something like that because they are winning isn't right IMO.