8/22 Cubs (Zambrano) vs. Atlanta (Hudson), 7:05pm ESPN/CSN

[ToupeeOnFire]

Without having even seen the play (I'm listening to Pat and Ron), I'm not mad at Spier because (1) there were two outs, and (2) Patterson was on deck. So, taking a chance was appropriate and good baseball strategy.

 

Wendell Kim consistently made the first out at home plate (and often when the Cubs trailed by several runs). There is simply never an excuse for that.

 

Quite simply, there is a HUGE distinction between an error in visual judgment (getting a guy thrown out by 20 feet in a situation that calls for aggressiveness) and an error in baseball knowledge (making the first out of an inning at home plate while down 3 runs). The first is good aggressive baseball and should be treated as such, regardless of outcome. The second is pure stupidity.

 

My problem with Kim and Cubs' management was the refusal to acknowledge the difference between the two errors -- and the insistence that the second error (pure stupidity) was simply good aggressive baseball. It's not.

 

Excellent point. Wendell would routinely send a guy with a no outs and the middle of the order on deck. But sending Barrett was both a visual and situational error. The ball was hit too hard, and no matter who is on deck, it doesn't pay to send one of the slowest players on the team. If it were Lawton or Patterson or Neifi (or even Lee), it's a different story, but not Barrett. It's not gross incompetence on the level of Wendell Kim, but it was a poor gamble.

[Derwood]

What was the crowd chanting last inning?

 

its not repeatable on here, thats for sure.

 

Thanks. Why were doing that?

 

Ah, crowds chanting swear words. Is there anything classier (especially with kids in attendance?)

 

i don't see any kids there.

 

Right, well I'm sure it's 18 and over night at Wrigley :roll:

[Derwood]

There were 3 pages of posts before this game started, meaning we're averaging a little over a page per inning. Lame.

 

Oh,and Larry owns us.

[otis89]

NO! :x

[CubsHawks25]

Gahd.

 

Kerry Wood sucks as much as the majority of the team does now.

 

 

Ok, not so much... but that HR makes that faint flushing sound I heard a couple days ago sound alot louder and alot closer now.

[Warren Brusstar]

Without having even seen the play (I'm listening to Pat and Ron), I'm not mad at Spier because (1) there were two outs, and (2) Patterson was on deck. So, taking a chance was appropriate and good baseball strategy.

 

Wendell Kim consistently made the first out at home plate (and often when the Cubs trailed by several runs). There is simply never an excuse for that.

 

Quite simply, there is a HUGE distinction between an error in visual judgment (getting a guy thrown out by 20 feet in a situation that calls for aggressiveness) and an error in baseball knowledge (making the first out of an inning at home plate while down 3 runs). The first is good aggressive baseball and should be treated as such, regardless of outcome. The second is pure stupidity.

 

My problem with Kim and Cubs' management was the refusal to acknowledge the difference between the two errors -- and the insistence that the second error (pure stupidity) was simply good aggressive baseball. It's not.

 

Excellent point. Wendell would routinely send a guy with a no outs and the middle of the order on deck. But sending Barrett was both a visual and situational error. The ball was hit too hard, and no matter who is on deck, it doesn't pay to send one of the slowest players on the team. If it were Lawton or Patterson or Neifi (or even Lee), it's a different story, but not Barrett. It's not gross incompetence on the level of Wendell Kim, but it was a poor gamble.

 

Again, I disagree about it being a situational error. With Patterson on deck and two outs, the odds of scoring the run was not very good. So, I am fine with the decision to send even a slow runner.

 

On the other hand, it might have been an egregious visual error. I didn't see the play, so I cannot really comment on that.

[sethuel1]

What was the crowd chanting last inning?

 

its not repeatable on here, thats for sure.

 

Thanks. Why were doing that?

 

Ah, crowds chanting swear words. Is there anything classier (especially with kids in attendance?)

 

i don't see any kids there.

 

Right, well I'm sure it's 18 and over night at Wrigley :roll:

 

You're right. I'm probably just drunk again.

[Warren Brusstar]

Without having even seen the play (I'm listening to Pat and Ron), I'm not mad at Spier because (1) there were two outs, and (2) Patterson was on deck. So, taking a chance was appropriate and good baseball strategy.

 

Wendell Kim consistently made the first out at home plate (and often when the Cubs trailed by several runs). There is simply never an excuse for that.

 

Quite simply, there is a HUGE distinction between an error in visual judgment (getting a guy thrown out by 20 feet in a situation that calls for aggressiveness) and an error in baseball knowledge (making the first out of an inning at home plate while down 3 runs). The first is good aggressive baseball and should be treated as such, regardless of outcome. The second is pure stupidity.

 

My problem with Kim and Cubs' management was the refusal to acknowledge the difference between the two errors -- and the insistence that the second error (pure stupidity) was simply good aggressive baseball. It's not.

 

Excellent point. Wendell would routinely send a guy with a no outs and the middle of the order on deck. But sending Barrett was both a visual and situational error. The ball was hit too hard, and no matter who is on deck, it doesn't pay to send one of the slowest players on the team. If it were Lawton or Patterson or Neifi (or even Lee), it's a different story, but not Barrett. It's not gross incompetence on the level of Wendell Kim, but it was a poor gamble.

 

Again, I disagree about it being a situational error. With Patterson on deck and two outs, the odds of scoring the run was not very good. So, I am fine with the decision to send even a slow runner.

 

On the other hand, it might have been an egregious visual error. I didn't see the play, so I cannot really comment on that.

[Laura]

There were 3 pages of posts before this game started, meaning we're averaging a little over a page per inning. Lame.

 

Oh,and Larry owns us.

 

People aren't as eager to chime in when the Cubs are losing a lot.

 

Had to happen sooner or later. Cubs needed to score more runs earlier.

[ToupeeOnFire]

Larry just ended the game.

 

I wonder if this will quell some of the Kerry for Kloser cries.

[Derwood]

Hey Wood, you trying to tell us you're ready for surgery?

[otis89]

PLEASE SCORE AT LEAST 3 RUNS. PLEASE.

[Derwood]

There were 3 pages of posts before this game started, meaning we're averaging a little over a page per inning. Lame.

 

Oh,and Larry owns us.

 

People aren't as eager to chime in when the Cubs are losing a lot.

 

Had to happen sooner or later. Cubs needed to score more runs earlier.

 

Yet another case of bases loaded, no outs, score 1 run earlier in the game coming back to bite us. It's like playing a broken record.

[CubsHawks25]

PLEASE SCORE AT LEAST 3 RUNS. PLEASE.

 

 

HA! That's like begging the sun to rise at midnight. Ain't gonna happen, buddy. But hopeful optimism never hurt most people.

[otis89]

Yes! Good start! ARam is one of two people I want up in this situation. Lee is the other.

[Flames24Rulz]

oh for an ARam Bomb...

[Warren Brusstar]

The silver lining on this that people may stop crying for Kerry to be the closer -- a potential waste of 140 quality innings (the difference between 210 and 70 innings)

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Who wants to see The Farns come in and try to close it out?

[otis89]

Crap. Oh, I thought that was a double play at first.

[Derwood]

Okay Jeromy, earn your pay.

[sethuel1]

got lucky there. He stayed on

[otis89]

Just pretend it's one of those games against San Fran at Wrigley, Jeromy.

[Warren Brusstar]

How does ARam have only 13 GIDP? It seems that he grounds into a double play just about every day.

[otis89]

How does ARam have only 13 GIDP? It seems that he grounds into a double play just about every day.

 

He actually has 14 unless the TBS announcers are wrong.

[Derwood]

How does ARam have only 13 GIDP? It seems that he grounds into a double play just about every day.

 

or hits a mile high pop fly to center.

 

Or both.