gflore34

I understand you are frustrated that they added Kendall - I did want him either and would have preferred to give Soto a shot. I agree that we need another bat, hopefully in RF or at SS. However, I think that your statement implies that they have been lucky rather than good. I think this is unfair and untrue. You don't win as many games as they have since June 1 without playing good baseball. Everyone knows there is a bit of chance involved in all sports, but usually you have to do something well in addition to getting breaks. The Cubs have done plenty of that, IMO. Also, this notion that giving up a minor league middle reliever for a guy one year removed from a solid major league season (at least in terms of OBP) and who will cost only $900k is just disengenious. I have seen many folks - you included, IIRC - rail against Hendry for overvaluing middle relievers and not treating them like the fungible commodities they are. Assuming that is true - and I think it is - its a bit hypocritical for you to now blast him for giving up a AA reliever with one-half of a good season to his credit for Kendall. Now, if you look at it in the larger context - trading Barrett for Kendall - I agree it appears to be a loss. That said, Barrett may have worn out his welcome with the Cubs and the players - we will never know. What we do know is that we have not had many problems without him. I'd also note that Kendall is a rental, and Soto may therefore get his shot next season, or could be used to get something we really need - someone who can play RF or SS and hit. Seconded, the cost was nothing exorbitant and if Kendall returns to his career numbers for the last 2+ months - not an impossibility hell, didn't Neifi have a hot 2 months? An OPB of .367 out of the 2 spot (assuming Lou puts him there) with someone who knows the value of hitting behind base runners and setting the table for Lee and Ramirez? - I'll take it.

Me too, that incongruous blob (along with Ray King)...

Hey sorry to get off task here, but I see you live in Holland. Do you happen to know what dates the Tulip festival will be this year? I want to take my wife up there, she's never been. Maybe check out New Holland Brewery as well?

Why was Floyd replaced?

When you continue to fall behind hitters, even to a poor offense team like Washington, your going to get ripped at some point.

Looks like 2006 Marshall - falling behind nearly every hitter, issuing a lot of BB's - is starting to surface.

Just tuned in, Jones in CF? Pie and Pagan recent struggles notwithstanding there's no concievable reason to play Jones.

Hill had a K yesterday on what looked to be a change up of course, it could have been a rolling curve ball that effectively acted like a change up.

Unless it's clear violation of a League Rule there's no way in hell Selig should say squat about a Cubs trade. To me it seems far too convenient, that Mr. Selig (with his office in Milwaukee), former owner of the first place Brewers, would nix a Cubs deal. Moreover, given all the other crap Selig has allowed, see Roger Clemens, it seems far fetched he would disallow the Cubs from taking on revenue.

I'd file this under even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while category.

And Barrett was/is a crappy baseball player, beyond the offense, he has no other redeeming quality. Poor base runner, can't catch the ball, called a poor game, cannot throw anyone out, if Bowen hits .220 but, provides more complete baseball. He'll increase the Cubs' chances of playing better baseball and perhaps, winning baseball. wow, bad grammar and content. Thanks, didn't know all postings were subject to grammar checks, I'll have to keep that in mind.

And Barrett was/is a crappy baseball player, beyond the offense, he has no other redeeming quality. Poor base runner, can't catch the ball, called a poor game, cannot throw anyone out, if Bowen hits .220 but, provides more complete baseball. He'll increase the Cubs' chances of playing better baseball and perhaps, winning baseball.

Someone called in WGN or the score closely afterward. He said his friend read his lips. . The pitcher (young right?) said. . . Young - Are you alright? Lee - Yeah (and even I could clearly see that in the replay) Young - Then take your base you #*@*#*@. Lee - What!? (again you can see this in the replay) Young - began to repeat himself before the punch. Lee reacted to the fact he almost got hit in the face, and then this fatso pitcher EGGS him on after hitting him in his previously injured wrist? If MLB could know the whole story fatso would get 3 missed starts and lee would get a day. . . . . if they were fair. . Young is like 6'10-260, he's not fat. Also, I'm pretty sure that MLB does know the whole story. If there was a racist remark amongst Young' comments to Lee, he's fool and idiot - last time I checked he has several minority teammates.

your kidding right? I wasn't kidding, but I am prone to hyperbole. Still in my top 5 though. Man, its funny how different people take different games. This game didn't hurt me too much because I kinda saw this coming. The way the offense was hitting, it seemed all too unlikely that we'd score any runs. Anyways I can think of 5 worse losses in my mind, 10 probably. 4/10 vs. Houston - Home opener spoiled by Adam Everett's GW HR 4/13 vs. Cincinnati - Cubs take a 5-0 lead with Z on the hill when he implodes and gives up 6 runs in the 5th. Neither team scores the rest of the way. 4/17 vs. San Diego - Cubs lose in the 14th as the Cubs have several opportunities to score and don't. Pie throws out a runner at the plate in extras, but eventually the Padres score and win 4/22 vs. St Louis - Cubs tie the game on a miraculous 2 run single by DeRosa in the 9th with 2 outs and 2 strikes and then Dempster gives up a 3 run bomb to Pujols 5/12 vs. Philly - Cubs come back from 5-1 deficit with 6 in the 7th to take a 7-5 lead. The Cubs pen gives up 6 in return and the Cubs lose 11-7 5/17 vs. Mets - Cubs have a 5-1 lead entering the 9th and Dempster comes on just to get some extra practice, but gives up 5 runs and the Cubs lose. 5/25 vs. LA Dodgers - Cubs come back from a 5-0 defecit to take an 8-5 lead with 7 runs in the 7th. But then the bullpen implodes and gives up 4 runs in the 8th for a loss. 6/10 vs. Braves - Cubs, with Ted Lilly ejected in the 1st inning claw theirselves into a 4-2 lead. Dempster gives up 3 runs in the 8th and the Cubs lose. 6/12 vs. Mariners - Cubs tie up the game 3-3 in the 8th, and have the bases loaded with 0 outs and don't score. Mariners score 2 in the 13th and the Cubs lose. I'm also leaving out several one run losses that the bullpen gave up late leads in. Sorry, I'm not picking on you, I just kinda got off on a side tangent and wanted to figure out how many painful losses we've had. Just a pedestrian 4-5 in those above games and the Cubs are 3 out, two in loss column, I'm thinking an average BP would have been able to deliver 4 wins.

They are one of the best teams in the league against LHP, as somebody pointed out last week. They can't hit righties to save their life but are solid against the lefties. Thanks, I didn't look deeper than the statistics provided by WGN as the game aired - all I saw were sub .325 OBP's and low BA's.

The Cubs will reach .500 however, it probably won't be until the last week of the season i.e., when it doesn't matter. This MO of two steps forward one step back takes a long time to reflect any noteworthy results. By the way, I'm still trying to figure out how Padres scored 11 runs Sunday with one the worst lineups I've seen this year. One could argue that lineup had one legitimate hitter - Gonzales...

It just makes good baseball sense to take a pitch after a guy has issued a walk of course, Barrett has never been accused of having Baseball "Smarts".

I guess that's a kinder way of saying he can't hit, run the bases or throw the ball very well.

isn't that what we said about Weaver yesterday? 3 is a crooked number, of course, they followed with a lot of 0's - too bad each 0 didn't add another decimal place - in that case, it would have been a very large crooked number.

Capuano was DL'ed yesterday and I'm not so convinced the bubble isn't going to soon burst for Claudio Vargas, Suppan and Bush aren't exactly tearing up either - the Cubs could catch and pass these guys, stranger things have happened.

Wells' has been hit pretty hard away from PETCO Park - 2-3, 7.31 ERA, .367 BAA on the road, along with 1-1, 6.89 ERA, .323 during the day - basically, the Cubs should be able to put up some crooked numbers today.

The best features of yesterday' win was the Cubs finally did to the opposition what has been done to them all season. Fall behind, get the lead, carry it late into the game, bullpen can't throws strikes late in the game, someone comes up with a big hit after those free passes, how refreshing.

Whatta you know, Counsell can GIDP's occassionally. Just not ever against the Cubs...

Appears he can only handle pitches middle in and down, no wonder he's Mendoza line-ish.

Neifi Perez justed drew a BB!!!!!