illiniguy

Maybe Soto was. He could have been, which is why I didn't say I was shocked that he has struggled. Although he has been pretty good after a horrible start.

The injury excuse really isn't that valid. Cubs have had their lineup for two games all year? Cards haven't had it together at all so far. Troy Glaus, a .270/.372/.483 hitter last season with 27 HR and 99 RBI, hasn't played all year. Of course, he's not Aramis Ramirez, but that's pretty significant production to take out of someone's lineup. Ryan Ludwick, an all-star a year ago, missed time with a pulled hamstring. Rick Ankiel, a 25 HR guy a year ago, missed time after nearly killing himself. He's recently admitted his shoulder is still sore from the collision, which has lead in part to his poor play. Chris Carpenter, their best pitcher, a former Cy Young winner, and someone who has a lower ERA than any of the Cubs' starters, missed significant time. They also missed time from another starter when Lohse went down. They even traded for an "impact" player, someone most Cubs fans wish they still had, and he got injured right away. Their big offseason acquisition is on the DL for the second time this season with a case of the crazies. None of this is to suggest that the Cardinals' injuries have been more devastating than the Cubs'. The point is, every team has had to deal with injuries. Blaming the current situation on that is putting on blinders. The fact is, thus far, the Cardinals' scrubs have outperformed the Cubs' scrubs. But to blame injuries, when you're getting beat by a team that has featured Joe Thurston, Brian Barden, Nick Stavinoha, Tyler Greene, Shane Robinson, Brad Thompson, PJ Walters and Todd Friggen Wellemeyer, is ridiculous. Especially when you look at who the Cubs have. With the payroll where it is, they shouldn't even be playing scrubs. At $140 million, there should be some depth. St. Louis' scrubs have outperformed Chicago's thus far. Doesn't mean it will continue in the 2nd half. Doesn't mean one team, the other, or both, won't get healthy in the 2nd half. But the injury excuse wears thin in this argument. Maybe, just maybe Ankiel and Ludwick were flukes last year? I know it's going to be hard to believe that a guy who didn't become a regular until he was 30 and a former pitcher aren't the most reliable to put up huge years. Also boo hoo on DeRosa. When we signed Bradley we totally expected a .230 average and 6 homers at the break. Also our big trade from last year, Rich Harden, sucks. While Kyle Lohse and Piniero have been good. I imagine that will keep up.

You're in front of us because of lineup has been together for two games all year. There solved that one. Oh and Pujols is careering, at least I hope he is or else he is gonna have one hell of a peak at some point.

Come on, really? You really need an explanation for how the baseball draft is a crapshoot? The draft is not a crapshoot when you are building from an organizational philosophy. Sure, it may be a crapshoot getting #1 and #2 on your list, but that in no way prevents you from selecting players who fit what you perceive is the best way to build a baseball team. Its structure is not a crapshoot in reality. A crapshoot would be putting names on pieces of paper, mixing them up in a bag and then having teams dig in. You know what you're right. We should have a draft philosophy of drafting onlygreat power hitters with great patience. I'm not sure why we didn't think of this before.

Like never ever pick a toolsy guy like Justin Upton when you could have a complete baseball player like Alex Gordon? Sure the Colvin picked sucked, but Hendry isn't really the guy to blame for that one. That would be Tim Wilken. Just looked at his minor league statistics and to say the pick sucked is an understatement, he's awful and quite probably will never even sniff a major league roster. Yep that's true. Hendry also drafter Soto in like the 10th round. I would say we are getting a little better than average from the 10th round.

Like never ever pick a toolsy guy like Justin Upton when you could have a complete baseball player like Alex Gordon? Sure the Colvin picked sucked, but Hendry isn't really the guy to blame for that one. That would be Tim Wilken. Bret Jackson fits the same profile Yep. But so did Nick Markakis and Alexis Rios.

Come on, really? You really need an explanation for how the baseball draft is a crapshoot?

Like never ever pick a toolsy guy like Justin Upton when you could have a complete baseball player like Alex Gordon? Sure the Colvin picked sucked, but Hendry isn't really the guy to blame for that one. That would be Tim Wilken.

Shh. Yes he is. At least tell the Yankees and Sox that.

I feel bad for Arnold about how his heart will break when the next GM after Hendry is worse. What is your evidence that the next GM will be a lock in terms of being inferior to Hendry? I'd take a GM who drafted baseball players instead of "toolsy" athletes like Tyler Colvin. The draft is a crapshoot.

I feel bad for Arnold about how his heart will break when the next GM after Hendry is worse. Either way you hire a new guy right now and he's not going to do well in time. We have some bad contracts. Might as well let Hendry ride out his guys.

He's 31. Damn, but still that isn't really at the age where you would expect a huge drop off. Anytime a ballplayer is in his 30s, there's a chance for a big dropoff. Maybe a small chance, but it happens. Of course, Ramirez was doing pretty well until he got hurt. But he's always had some injury issues. Yeah, I really don't worry about him though. He's still a good hitter. Soriano though..

Definitely. I just think the idea that this team is playing as everyone should have expected going into the year is funny as hell. It's only funny to you because you see the outlier 2008 season as the standard, which is a very warped perception of the baseball teams Jim Hendry builds. He still only has to build a better team than the other 6 in our division. He usually has done just that. So the benchmark is occasionally squeaking by a terrible division? I'd check Hendry's winning percentage if I were you...... Since 03 we have won 3 division titles. So that's what 3 in 6 years. I don't remember our history, but has anyone else this century been able to claim this? Oh and how many other GMs have built a team that won a playoff series for us?

He's 31. Damn, but still that isn't really at the age where you would expect a huge drop off.

Definitely. I just think the idea that this team is playing as everyone should have expected going into the year is funny as hell. It's only funny to you because you see the outlier 2008 season as the standard, which is a very warped perception of the baseball teams Jim Hendry builds. He still only has to build a better team than the other 6 in our division. He usually has done just that.

Definitely. I just think the idea that this team is playing as everyone should have expected going into the year is funny as hell. But there was a lot of concern that this team had some serious downside on offense, with all of our best hitters except for Soto being past their primes, and Soto being a catcher, which is always unpredictable. Isn't Ramirez 29?

Was it Hendrys fault today when we smoked balls right at them all day?

Two of those four teams were below NL average in run-scoring, though. True, but he built winning teams still. Maybe he needs some help with the offense, he does ok with pitching.

Absolutely astounding. Is it really? Take a look at the offensive stats since 2003 despite having a top MLB payroll. 2008 was a complete fluke. Accept that reality. You know we are one of like 4 teams to have 4 winning seasons since 03?

Amazingly ridiculous. He's right. We should always expect to win 50 games. That way we are always stoked.

Well, the crappy thing there is that he's at the extreme, extreme end of the bell curve, and the norms are a little different out there. Just like great players often step in and contribute at abnormally young ages (smacking the crap out of the ball at an alleged 21), they also tend to last longer. Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. What are the odds he's a Yankee or Red Sox soon?

eh, we weren't gonna win the carp game no matter what. We could be ok the rest of the series.

It really wouldn't, that's what I'm trying to say. Guys fall off the cliff all the time in baseball. We understand now that the most likely result is a guy staying about the same each year (plexiglass principle and all), but we seem to be underestimating the spread of possibilities. The bell curve is much wider than common expectations around here seem to think. Baseball players rarely follow a simple curve over their career. They break out big and they bust out big quite frequently. So when's Alby gonna fall off one?

We are one out away from the biggest comeback ever.

If he's not an outfielder, he's a DH, because his legs couldn't dream of holding up in the infield these days. I'm not arguing that.