C.C.

Our own players don't even know their own park...

DP! I'm calling it.

Here comes the fake rally!

That's the only time the Cubs are unpredictable. No one loses like us!

Alright...I'm guessing Cubs go 1,2,3 here on 13 pitches...

Gotta be just bad luck....

Cancel those World Series plans... YEAH, I know! Apparently Dr. Andrews repaired a couple of problems that were discovered. mostly dry rot and termite damage When can he resume towel drills?

How could something that severe have eluded all of the various non-surgical examinations and imaging he's already had? It's not like up until now he's only been seen by guys that stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night. Great point. If there was significant tissue damage, its highly unlikely it would have evaded all of the advanced diagnostic procedures that were completed. I am betting they discovered some typical irriatation, and they cleaned it up and that was it. There was some fraying of the labrum too. They're looking at him to begin throwing in January. So basically when I was ripped in a previous thread when I said that he had what Kerry Wood had in 2005, my critics were wrong. I'll repeat what I said then. Since he has better mechanics than Wood, he should be more than serviceable again. Matt Morris had the same thing. The question is whether the Cubs control him through 2008 or 2009. Heck, they might non-tender him this winter and his Cub career is over. Just curious...Why wasn't this done last year? Non-tendering him or the surgery? Surgery.

Good god I hope so...

It's wet out. That's my best guess...

How could something that severe have eluded all of the various non-surgical examinations and imaging he's already had? It's not like up until now he's only been seen by guys that stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night. Great point. If there was significant tissue damage, its highly unlikely it would have evaded all of the advanced diagnostic procedures that were completed. I am betting they discovered some typical irriatation, and they cleaned it up and that was it. There was some fraying of the labrum too. They're looking at him to begin throwing in January. So basically when I was ripped in a previous thread when I said that he had what Kerry Wood had in 2005, my critics were wrong. I'll repeat what I said then. Since he has better mechanics than Wood, he should be more than serviceable again. Matt Morris had the same thing. The question is whether the Cubs control him through 2008 or 2009. Heck, they might non-tender him this winter and his Cub career is over. Just curious...Why wasn't this done last year?

What I don't get is it seemed Lou was grooming Murton for that number 2 slot all Spring long. Who'd Murton piss off?

The Kansas City Royals spent all of Spring Training working on scoring with hitters in running position. Totally playing the game the wrong way. Scoring with runners in scoring position? What's that?

I'm with you, and they do play baseball the right way. I dream of a day when we play ball like that. Is this a joke? No, I think he's being serious, and I agree. The White Sox do play the game the right way. Their hitters use baseball bats and stand in a batters box, and swing the bats when the "pitcher" delivers a "pitch" into the hitting, or "strike" zone. Occasionally, one of these "pitches" is hit into play, and the White Sox then run in order around the bases. Also, when on defense, their fielders all use gloves, instead of carrying toaster ovens around like teams who don't play the right way. Exactly! And don't forget luck is always on their side! Dammit!

That's not right the 2005 Astro's were 9-13 in April of 2005.

I'm starting to lose my patience on Lou. It's unforgivable the fact that Theriot has sat two games while he keeps troting out Izturis and Jones consistently. We need a spark and Riot is the man for that. If it can come in the form of replacing Izturis, I'd hang on to the littlest hope I have left in me. And for the love of Jesus Christ, Murton better be in today in place of anyone else he's been 'stuck' behind. Theriot should be playing everyday until he proves otherwise.

Sportsline has us ranked number 28:

Personally, I have been actively following the Red Sox this season. Yes, I can try to do that but my heart isn't in to it.

Don Zimmer...Thread closed.

Well I guess that good news for 2008?

I predict! We lose the game on someone slipping and falling in a crucial play. On the Postive side...The game could be rained out.

Ignoring a talk show host is one thing. Ignoring a 7-12 start, last in a terrible division? Much different, indeed. I'm certainly not ignoring the bad start (which is now 7-13). I'm just being a little more pragmatic. As should a lot of other posters. No. We shouldn't. Yes we should. Why should we? What makes you think this is any different than the other hundred seasons of failure? I don't think anyone who's saying, "It's not over yet" believes that THIS IS THE SEASON! Its just really hard to write off the year when there are 142 games left. Does this team have issues? Absolutely. And they aren't being glossed over. But there is just too much baseball left to call it a season. Edit for typo. When isn't it too early?

Looks like last year.

I wouldn't be shocked about anything at this point.

Why are people so sure of this? They haven't hit for years, and the team is mostly the same. The Cubs have physically talented hitters, but they don't have many great hitters. Right now you have a CF who may actually be less productive than Pierre was last year, as well as a SS who may be less productive than last year's shortstops. 2B remains questionable, as DeRosa has surprised on the upside with the HRs, but has disappointed in the AVG/OBP department. Lee may have returned to his 2nd tier status as a 1B, without any power he's not elite. Jones had a career year last year after a slow start, and he's off to an even slower start this year, with no guarantee of duplicating those numbers. You've got a C platoon that is basically repeating what they did last year. With Soriano in LF, he'll have to improve a lot just to get to his career averages, never mind his 2006 peak season. And if he just repeats his career averages, he's barely better than last year's LF, and that's only due to a couple more HR's, he'll be a downgrade in OBP. So, even if you get guys who are currently underperforming to get back to their career norms, you could have a relatively weak offense. Bottom line is, we don't know that this team is going to hit. Many people assumed this offense was going to rock, especially announcer types who like the big names of Ramirez, Lee and Soriano. But the same flaws that led them to the back of the pack the past few years are still there: lack of walks, numerous black hole positions, reliance on veterans to repeat career years. They might hit, if guys start turning 180s and some people outperform expectations, but we don't know they will. Well said