Blueheart05

My goodness, this inning should have been over LONG ago!

Walker is brutal!

So says 670 The Score. Things can change very quickly in a season... Edit: Now it's on the Sox website.

According to Cubs.com there will be no gutting of this team by the deadline:

Haha, me too.

The latest news is that Prior has a strained left oblique.

LOL, this is great news. Prior has a strained left oblique. They should have brought up someone and sat Rusch!!!

Per Cubs. com and The Score 670. Rusch is now listed as today's probable starter...

Uh oh, it looks like Prior has been scratched from this start and Glendon Rusch is going today instead! Cubs.com has Rusch's picture in today's probables...

Wow, is this the shortest Game Thread in history? Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win!

I have to agree with the idea that Dusty isn't playing for the team. If they do something dumb or are ineffective it's on the players. Dusty is responsible for strategic blunders however. That's just BS. The things they do that are dumb and ineffective are a direct result of the manager. It's not like these things happen every once in a while. The mistakes they make are repetitive. Repetitive mistakes are the manger's fault. I am sick and tired I hearing that crap. This is a terrible baseball team BECAUSE Dusty is the manager. It's not BS. The majority of the stupid plays have been committed by veteran players that shouldn't need a manager to hold their hand. This team isn't going to improve JUST BECAUSE THERE'S IS A NEW MANAGER. Are you kidding me. This team would improve a great deal if Neifi freaking Perez wasn't hitting in the 2 hole 3 days a week platooning with Todd Walker or subing for Cedeno on a double switch. This team would improve a great deal if the manager didn't feel the need to "run to the hot hand" out of the bullpen and let the closer sit on the bench 4 out of every 7 days. This team would improve if Glendon freaking Rusch had a seat next to Dick Pole on the bench and never saw the field again. And most importantly, Tthis team would improve if veteran ballpalyers lost playing time becuase they didn't hustle out of the box on a double or missed the cut of man for the sixth freaking time in a month. I cannot believe you are defending a manager of a 90 million dollar team on its way to losing a hundered games. It's beyond obsurd. One last thing, the 2003 Marlins improved a great deal when Torborg was shown the door and Mckeon was put in charge. He got rid of the likes of Todd Hollandswort, yes that Todd Hollandswort and crappy starters and went with young kids. Low and behold they had the best record in baseball after he took over. Baker can only play the guys on the 25 man roster. Glendon Rusch was given a 2 year extension by the GM and slated to pitch in the rotation because the GM didn't correctly address the pitching problems. I can't believe that this situation is all Baker's fault. For every McKeon success there are more failures (and that team had its fair share of veteran players). There's nothing wrong with playing young guys but expecting to win with guys who are fresh out of AA and AAA is unrealistic for the most part especially in high pressure markets. The Braves seem to get away with it but few other teams have had that success. The bottom line is, the 2006 Chicago Cubs were flawed before the first pitch was thrown. The manager is responsible for his fair share of mistakes but there is plenty of blame to go around (namely, the GM and individual players).

I have to agree with the idea that Dusty isn't playing for the team. If they do something dumb or are ineffective it's on the players. Dusty is responsible for strategic blunders however. That's just BS. The things they do that are dumb and ineffective are a direct result of the manager. It's not like these things happen every once in a while. The mistakes they make are repetitive. Repetitive mistakes are the manger's fault. I am sick and tired I hearing that crap. This is a terrible baseball team BECAUSE Dusty is the manager. It's not BS. The majority of the stupid plays have been committed by veteran players that shouldn't need a manager to hold their hand. This team isn't going to improve JUST BECAUSE THERE'S IS A NEW MANAGER. And these stupid plays have been made by a variety of different veteran players over a number of years. It's not just 1 or 2 guys, it's a lot of them. Why don't other teams have the same problem? I don't know why the manager is the only one in the hot seat when this team was ill conceived. Hendry is to blame for personnel of the field. People keep using Bobby Cox-like analogies of benching players for a lack of hustle but the truth is, he has only done that with young players (not veterans). If a GM acquires a veteran player with a reputation for being lazy there's only so much a manager can do (short of constantly be at odds with the player and or refusing to use him; which ultimately hurts the team if the player has a key role). I'm not being a Dusty apologist but these players are making themselves look bad with their poor play. There's only so much someone can do from the dugout. A change of managers without corresponding personnel changes isn't going to provide improvement.

I have to agree with the idea that Dusty isn't playing for the team. If they do something dumb or are ineffective it's on the players. Dusty is responsible for strategic blunders however. That's just BS. The things they do that are dumb and ineffective are a direct result of the manager. It's not like these things happen every once in a while. The mistakes they make are repetitive. Repetitive mistakes are the manger's fault. I am sick and tired I hearing that crap. This is a terrible baseball team BECAUSE Dusty is the manager. It's not BS. The majority of the stupid plays have been committed by veteran players that shouldn't need a manager to hold their hand. This team isn't going to improve JUST BECAUSE THERE'S A NEW MANAGER.

Followup question, then (not specifically for you): If Dusty's bad strategy is the problem, why do most of the posters here keep suggesting managers known for the same type of strategic blunders? Some people just want a change because the current situation isn't working...

I have to agree with the idea that Dusty isn't playing for the team. If they do something dumb or are ineffective it's on the players. Dusty is responsible for strategic blunders however. What happens when everything they do is either dumb or ineffective? There's the old saying " you can't fire 25 guys..." So the manager becomes the fall guy. I don't agree with a lot of Dusty's moves but I don't excuse the poor play of this team (both individually and collectively). A number of players are underachieving in key situations.

I have to agree with the idea that Dusty isn't playing for the team. If they do something dumb or are ineffective it's on the players. Dusty is responsible for strategic blunders however.

IF he hadn't been loafing out of the box he might have made it. Instead, he assumed the HR and went into his trot until he got around 1B.

Are you kidding me? Aramis is ALWAYS doing that crap! :evil:

Would it be worth sending him back down to Triple A to regain his confidence? Or see if he can fight through it? His defense has improved quite a bit though and it's the best on the team. I say let him stay up and work through it; there's no way to learn how to hit ML pitching except for staying in the majors. He's proved he can hit AAA pitching so there isn't much for him to prove there. I'm not so sure. I think DLee's is the best.

My God, I'm tired of Murton beating the ball into the ground.

Oh Man

nope

If anything, it WAS close. It looked like his foot dragged the corner of the bag.

BS!

Not really. Novoa will likely pitch a couple of innings tonight.