BigbadB

Maybe the Cubs should invest in guys who take 6 or 7 pitches per at bat. Those guys tend to be better hitters. They'd also help get to the bullpen much sooner in games when the opposing pitcher is on. Who on the Cubs takes the most pitches? Their best hitter, Derrek Lee. Coincidence?

That's why they are called professionals. :wink: Of course, that word should probably be used loosely when speaking of players on the Cub roster.

I don't have a problem with it when it happens occasionally. But, each time you make an out on that "pitcher's pitch", you gave up on any opportunity to be on the receiving end of a "mistake pitch" that you could have driven out of the ball park. You know, the slider that hung, the fastball that didn't have any movement. The inside fastball that ended up right down broadway, etc... And if you can actually work a count into your favor, the increased chances that you can guess accurately what will be thrown next.

Absolutely. You are the opposing pitcher. You're facing the Cubs and they are famous for getting out of innings in under 10 pitches. What are you throwing up there on the first pitch? I'm throwing a pitcher's pitch. I'm throwing something up there that they can't drive. What did pitchers do on the first pitch when Ryne Sandberg was at the plate? A lot of them grooved one in there. They knew he wouldn't swing at it no matter how good it looked. And if the Cubs hitting style is something you approve of, do you believe it's only a fluke that they are in last place in nearly every offensive category? Boston is a patient team. Cincinnati is a patient team. They score runs at will. They win games they probably don't deserve to win because the offense carries them. Is Boston or Cincinnati's offense a horrible thing? Cincinnati has given up just as many runs as the Cubs, yet they've nearly outscored the Cubs by 100 runs. Who is where in the standings? As good as the White Sox pitching was last year, they didn't just sit on their hands going into 2006. They went out and improved their OBP and SLG. And they look like an even better team this year. They are well balanced this year. The Cubs? Yeah, their balanced too. But, not in a good way. They have bad pitching and bad hitting.

That isn't always the case. Some at bats the most hittable pitch you see will be the first one. The argument I'm making is that swinging at the first pitch and getting out is not a wasted at bat. If you hit a hard ground ball to the shortstop is that a wasted at bat? I'm sure not every team in baseball knows all the Cubs hitting tendencies as much as we all do. However, one only has to look at the stats for these guys to see that they are aggressive. So, you are the opposing pitcher and you're facing the Cubs. What are you tossing up there on the first pitch against a team that loves to swing at the first pitch?

I like that you brought this up. What do the 2005 White Sox and the 2003 Cubs have in common? What REALLY got both teams to the playoffs? Pitching? YES! I'd bet that most of the other 10-20% teams that finish in the bottom 10 teams in OBP all had pretty decent pitching. That, or they played in a really horrible division (Padres last year for example). I suppose if you wanted to gamble your entire season on your pitching being healthy, you could do that. But, wouldn't it be a much better idea to build a strong pitching staff, and build a respectable offense as well. Oh, and maybe even provide some depth in case injuries pop up. And then while we're at it, find a manager who won't bat the worst possible options at the top of the batting order. These are just some of the keys to building a successful baseball team. By ignoring OBP, depth and someone who has a clue about how to fill out a line up card, when your only strength (pitching) all goes on the DL, you may not end up being the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked. Instead, you may still have a competitive team that might stay in the thick of the race until the pitching is all healthy and ready to dominate. As it stands, it wouldn't matter if Christy Mathewson, Sandy Koufax, Cy Young and Roger Clemens were starting every game with this Cub team, because most of the guys that the Cubs employed to swing the bat aren't any better hitters than the pitching staff.

The Cubs have zero patience at the plate. Today's opposing pitcher threw 86 pitches in 7 innings. That's 12 pitches per inning. For a whole game, that's 110 pitches. Go through the box scores of all the games they play and you will see this trend. Carlos Zambrano averages 111 pitches for 7 innings. The Cub hitters are told to be aggressive, and they sure are. They don't draw walks, they make outs on the first pitch they see, and they are one of the worst hitting teams in the entire MLB. I don't think it's all that coincidental that they are horrible at the plate. It's a very poor philosophy that hasn't produced decent offensive results in the entire tenure of this management team.

Seems more logical. Or were they just as eager to get rid of LoDuca, Delgado, Castillo, Beckett, etc... because they weren't any good either. :D

oh no you didn't :lol: I think I am too young for that picture reference...or too clueless about 80's rock ballad bands(?) That would be Rikki Rocket from Poison. :P

I would love to see what would happen if they pitched underhand to Pierre.

Jimmy Rollins is having a good day as well.

Yeah, he keeps this up and I'll have my 2nd win in 3 weeks. :shock:

Who needs Rickie Weeks? Dan Uggla today= 2-5, 2 HR's, 5 RBI, 2 runs, 8 TB, 1 KO and 14.75 points Can you say All Star Game? :D

I like that the top power hitter hits #3. However, I also like when guys who hit 1st and 2nd get on base better than just a .300 rate.

I'm not big on Wang (there's just no good way to say that). That looks like two waiver wire guys for one of the better keepers in the game to me. QS for me so far this week with Wang. 7 IP, 1 run against the Red Sox. He has as many points as Weeks by himself. Craig Monroe also has nearly as many points as Weeks. My 2nd baseman has 30 more points than Weeks (Uggla). What exactly are you expecting for your reserve 2b? I guess I don't view him as a reserve 2B as much as a star in waiting. Would you up your offer for Lopez, who doesn't have the pedigree but has more points? I don't really think I can. Weeks might be good eventually (if he learns how to catch the ball :D ). After looking at Uggla's numbers, neither is an upgrade over what I already have. And I really don't have much in regards to upgrades in the OF. I'm not giving up Griffey for what may end up being a reserve 2b. And Wang and Madson are the only two starting pitchers I would consider trading right now. We probably just aren't a good match at this point.

I'm not big on Wang (there's just no good way to say that). That looks like two waiver wire guys for one of the better keepers in the game to me. QS for me so far this week with Wang. 7 IP, 1 run against the Red Sox. He has as many points as Weeks by himself. Craig Monroe also has nearly as many points as Weeks. My 2nd baseman has 30 more points than Weeks (Uggla). What exactly are you expecting for your reserve 2b?

Well, you could obviously use an OF and a P. How about Wang and Monroe for Weeks?

But, you're also taking what is being said out of context. It would have been fine with most if Jones sat last night against a lefty and then played today against the righty. To do it backwards is just plain stupid (assuming that he's just getting a day off and isn't actually hurt).

Wow. Just wow!

At his age, my guess is napping. That's just wrong.

I like that lineup. It makes sense. Which is why it will never happen with Dusty managing. :cry: True. More annoying fun facts...... Cubs lead off hitters have drawn a total of 13 walks. Cubs #2 hitters have drawn a total of 8 walks. That's a total of 21 walks from the guys who are supposed to set up the most productive run producers on the team. No, not for June and not for May. For the entire season. How easily accessible is this information? I had no trouble. How important is this information? I think it's extremely significant. Why doesn't the management team of the Chicago Cubs know or care about this stuff? I have no idea. The one stat I can't seem to find is how many GIDP's the #2 spot in the order has hit into. I'd be real interested to know this. Where's Fred when you need him?

Heh, don't forget Juan Cruz and his ailing shoulder is headed for the DL.

New fun stat: The Cubs are an 0-4 out of the 2 hole in the 6/7/06 game from having an OBP below .300 in both of the top 2 spots in the line up. As of yesterday's game, the Cubs have played more than 1/3 of the 2006 season. OBP's in the top spots in the order: Lead off= .289 #2 spot= .300 Derrek Lee sure has a lot to look forward to when he gets back. Why this organization is so stubborn to recognize this pattern as a huge reason their average run production is near dead last in the league is absolutely beyond me. Being a lead off hitter is not a right. It's something you earn. Pierre has done nothing to earn that spot. Put Murton at the top of the order and stick Walker 2nd. Let Jones, Barrett and Ramirez make up the 3/4/5 spots. Murton Walker Ramirez Jones Barrett Nevin Cedeno Pierre Just do it! At least with this line up, opposing pitchers will be forced to stop pitching underhand to the top of the order hitters, since they couldn't do any damage if it was set up on a T.

Nicely done! :D

And do you believe all these runs that have scored lately is due to the lead off hitters? The top 2 spots in the order make up less than 1/5 of all the runs scored since the start of the Atlanta series. Pierre has been 14-46 with 2 walks in that span. He's scored 5 runs in that span. 5 runs out of 62 is less than 1/12th of the runs. There's only 9 spots in the order, and the top of the order sees the most at bats. I see a problem. The #2 hitters are 11-44 in that span. They've scored 6 times of the 62 runs scored. Less than 1/10th of all the runs scored. So, in that 10 game span, the top two hitters in the line up have gone 25-90 with 4 walks. What's that come to? A .308 OBP. .308 isn't good enough to bat 8th, IMO. Yet, the Cubs proudly display their combined .308 right at the top of the order for everyone to see. We'll have to agree to disagree about Womack and Pierre.