LoneStarCubFan

The White Sox outdrew the Cubs as recently as 1995. What makes you think that such a thing won't happen again? It might not happen next year, but if the Sox continue to put a winning product on the field and the Cubs continue to lose, the Sox could be the dominant team ten years from now if not five. The Sox play in a bigger park. They should outdraw the Cubs EVERY year but they don't. "Outdraw" doesn't equal "more popular". Chicago is a Cubs town. Always has been always will be. As someone pointed out the Mets didn't "lose" New York because they never "had" it.

The sad thing I agree 100% with you. How egomaniacal must you be to drag not only a team of 25 ballplayers who want to win, but a legion of fans into the proverbial gutter just so you can leave town on your terms? But the question is, who replaces Dusty on an interim basis? During yesterday's pre-game, Santo was discussing the future with Chris Speier. Speier has managerial aspirations. Might not be the worst choice in the world. But if Dusty dares Hendry to fire him I think Hendry will do just that. So, in a way, it'd be a win for the Cubs. I'm guessing Lou Piniella's name will come up when Baker gets canned.

My reaction to the thread title was "sucking on what?" Mine too.

If this team continues to struggle and Baker doesn't have his extension by the end of the month I wouldn't be surprised to see Dusty grease the skids for his own exit. In other words, he'll dare Hendry to fire him.

First, I'd clean house on the coaching staff. If Lou Piniella won't take the job, bring up the I-Cub staff for the rest of the year. Everyone on the 25-man with the exception of: Murton Cedeno Dempster Barrett Zambrano Marshall would be available in a trade. As far as short term solutions, I'd probably do the following: DFA Bynum. Send Restovich down Call up Theriot Call up Pie Nail Neifi's worthless ass to the bench until I can dump him Run the following line-up out there every day until Lee comes back: Pierre (where else can he hit?) Walker Murton Ramirez Barrett Pie Cedeno Theriot Bench Jones Mabry Hairston Neifi Blanco When Lee comes back, eat Neifi's contract and release him. Rotation Zambrano Maddux Marshall Hill Guzman Bullpen Ohman Rusch Novoa Williamson Howry Eyre Dempster When Wood comes back, Hill goes down. When Prior comes back, Guzman goes down IF Miller comes back, Rusch goes away

Yeah, but if we pick up Millar he and Mabry could platoon at first. It'd be perfect!

Bruce is dead nuts on about Hendry but Baker cannot be absolved of his culpability in this mess. I mentioned this in another thread but for three plus years now this has consistently been the dumbest team in baseball. I don't care how crappy your roster is, it's up to the manager to get the team to play the game the right way. Dusty has failed at every turn in that regard. To put it another way, it is what it is. Dusty's a lousy manager and his coaches are lousy coaches. If Hendry is going to blow the whole thing up he needs to clean house with the coaching staff. Don't give Dusty a Get Out of Jail Free card because of Lee's injury.

I can't believe I'm about to type this but how soon until we get Pagan back?

Buster's wrong about one thing. The Cubs will never lose Chicago to the White Sox. Never happen. I won't be shocked to see Baker get fired. As a matter of fact I wouldn't be surprised to see Baker grease the skids for his own departure if Hendry doesn't extend him by the end of the month. My guess is that if Dusty doesn't have a new contract by June 1 he'll start dropping hints about getting a deal done thru the media and whining about the hand he's been dealt by all the injuries this season. Daring Hendry to extend him or let him go. At that point it's up to Jim to decide what to do.

So when Wood comes back do you think Dusty will have him play first base and move Walker back to second or will he leave Walker at first and have Wood play second? And where will he hit in the order?

I'll say Williamson because Dusty won't be smart enough to put a lefty in to face Bonds. Doug Dascenzo will give up 714.

This team is starting to look like it's playing to get the manager fired. In other words, the last week looks a lot like 2002. As has been pointed out in at least one paper this weekend, in addition to not swinging the bats this team is not playing smart baseball. Slumps happen. They're part of the game. But there is no excuse for poor fielding or continued mental mistakes. Hendry, as Bruce pointed out today, shoulders a tremendous amount of blame for putting this roster together. However, Dusty cannot be absolved for this mess. For three plus seasons now this team has been one of the dumber teams in baseball when it comes to running the bases, recognizing signs and playing smart defensively. I don't care how lousy the roster is. It's up to the manager to get the players to play the game the way it is supposed to be played. Dusty has failed in a galactically tremendous way in this area. Three plus years of this isn't a coincidence. In short, it is what it is. Dusty's a lousy manager and his coaches are lousy coaches. Hendry, unfortunately, isn't going anywhere now that he's been extended. But in addition to shaking up the roster he needs to pull the trigger on the manager and entire coaching staff as well. Giving Dusty a Get Out of Jail Free card due to Lee's injury and Prior and Wood's usual preseason problems is the wrong thing to do.

No. Freakin. Way.

Every team is built around just a few players. Good teams overcome injuries. That said, these guys couldn't score if they walked into a women's prison with a briefcase full of pardons.

Yep.

5-7, I believe. Yeah, 5-7 is correct. Does that include the game he was injured in? They came back and won after he got hurt.

I thought the question was going to be "When Bonds Ties and Passes Ruth...Which Cubs Pitcher Will Be The Victims?" My guess: Rusch Ohman

Hill goes eight innings, gives up three hits, walks one, Arizona scores an unearned run on a throwing error by Neifi. Meanwhile, Cruz walks seven, strikes out two, hits two guys, balks once, gives up 12 hits in eight innings. But the Cubs hit into five double plays and strand 16 guys on base in a 1-0 loss in Cruz's last start before he is demoted to AAA.

Why would you trade for a guy hitting around the Mendoza line?

The thing I noticed last night is that they seem to be hitting the ball well but right at people. When you're in a slump, that's what happens. Sooner or later balls are going to start to drop. And it would help if somebody would drop Neifi off a bridge into the Chicago River. The level of suck he has achieved is breath-taking.

I was stunned when I saw that too. Of course they plummeted to third at .281 after last night behind Colorado and San Francisco. However, the Cubs are DFL when it comes to RISP with two outs. They have a .176 average. Funny thing though, No. 15 is Cincinnati at .179 and No. 1 is Pittsburgh at .295.

Hey, they could all be right... :D

With all the revisionist history going on I thought I was reading the transcript of a Politburo meeting for a minute. Chip was brutal. Absolutely freakin' brutal. The only way I'd take him back was if Hendry was then going to flip him to the D'Backs with Brenly for Brenneman and Grace. I'd love to have those two calling Cubs games.

Ronnie sounds like he'd like to jump out of the booth right now.

He already walked once today. Barrett's the least of our concern when it comes to approach. Amen.