USSoccer

Would you rather have Hollandsworthless or Sosa in right this year? I think not. Boy, that's a choice between bad and worse....

Bologna. They got rid of all the malcontents... Don't you mean baloney?

I think that at the ASB there was a large discussion about what it would take for us to contend in the WC, and I *think* the consensus was that the Cubs would need 2 long winning streaks and no losing streaks longer than 3 games. We're currently, as you stated, 1-9 in our last 10, including 7 straight losses. I think that our chances of coming back and legitimately contending are....remote.

So using our logic, then Kerry Wood and Mark Prior should be immune from further criticism from you if they shut it down due to arm/shoulder/any other pain, right? The hustle thing is getting way overblown. If the team weren't in the midst of a free-fall, many of these things people are complaining about wouldn t matter. No one would care, no one would notice, but since the team sucks right now, people are projecting whatever they want onto the players. I have no doubt the players are trying. However, it isn't translating into wins. It doesn't mean they don't care, it doesn't mean they aren't trying, and "hustling" more isn't likely to get them out of this streak. There's no secret formula to winning baseball: Good pitching, consistent hitting and a little luck. Right now the Cubs have none of these things, and that's why they're not losing. Not because the players "look" like they aren't trying. The only reason it looks like that is because they aren't winning, and not the other way around.

:roll:

An 0-16 streak will only set him back as long as Baker's in charge. I recall a certain HOF 2B that started 1-23..... I'm sure a lot of guys who never made it for long had a 1-23 stretch. Did DuBois have one of those? For the record, Murton looks good. I just want to see what he does over a couple hundred at bats versus both lefties and righties. With Burnitz looking awful, I hope Murton gets a shot in the St. Louis series. Time to put him in the deep end of the pool. Oh, trust me, I'm not saying that just because Ryno weathered a bad start that Murton can. Dubois, I'm sure, had a long streak like that. However, given where we are in the standings, now is the perfect time to see exactly what kind of player Murton could be, especially considering that there's no clear cut alternative that's better..

Analyzing a situation doesn't mean you take cheap shots when not warranted, and it also means that you think critically, not be critical. Thinking critically, you would say that Aramis is playing through pain and thus shouldn't be expected to run flat out to 1B on a ground ball to third. His bat is more important that making it a close play, given the risk. Critical thinking tells you that Murton has command of the zone, and thus could be a valuable ML player, and at the very least is the best option in the OF right now when put against Holla and Macias. Critical thinking tells you that it's stupid to call up a guy who's missed 9 weeks with a bad ankle injury just for the sake of it. Critical thinking. Not just criticism. I realize that one makes for better talk radio, but I'm tired of people taking Stone's word for gospel. It's not, and it's seeming more and more obvious that he has a big axe to grind with this organization. Excellent post and very well said. His bitterness isn't hidden by his claims of objectivity. Please show me Bruce Levine's career MLB stats. Thank you. The vitriol is getting a little thick in here. LOL @ the critical thinking reference. Critical thinking means not jumping to conclusions about Murton either way. I agree, but, thinking critically about Murton tells you that, even if he hits .200 against RHP, his #'s against LHP and overall plate discipline would be a much better option than Hollandsworth or Macias were last week. And as far as Bruce Levine's MLB stats, Jerome Holtzman, Bruce Miles, Jayson Stark, Peter Gammons, George Ofman, and countless others beg to differ with the assertion that you have to be a former MLB player to be an effective analyst. And Joe Morgan, Steve Lyons, Bobby Valentine, Tim MacArver, and countless others serve as excellent examples of why former athletes are lousy analysts.

An 0-16 streak will only set him back as long as Baker's in charge. I recall a certain HOF 2B that started 1-23.....

I've drawn mine too, but unfortunately we will get to hear how it's injuries and unsupportive fans who are to blame. The more ridiculous this gets, however, the more likely that Baker AND Hendry are gone. There were very real rumblings from the Trib Tower mid season when things were going bad. By and large, Baker and Hendry got healthy within a couple games of the WC race and have since plummetted. The suits aren't going to be happy with the bottom line at all. The Cubs have regressed while the payroll has increased and Baker and Hendry have gotten about everything they wanted. It is beginning to be a glaring embarrassment for the corporation. I can't believe that Hendry is on completely solid footing. I tend to think there's a bigger rift between Hendry and Baker than is widely believed. I would wager money that, if this continues for about 3-4 more games, Baker would be gone, and the payroll slashed to about $75-85m for 2006, with Hendry given a stern "last chance" mandate.

Lou has a stronger fetish for veterans than Dusty does. Oh God no...not Lou Pinellia. half eaten breakfast>Dusty>>>>Lou. Translated: I'd rather have a half eaten breakfast manage the Cubs than Baker, but Pinellia is possibly the only manager I would consider to be worse than Baker.

Sadly, I know if I were there, I'd be booing heartily.

whew, Corey only flew out....

Dang, ARam just didn't get enough on that one....

Mrs. Griffey. Steve Kline

Can you spell an without the d? :P man, you edited it before i caught it...

Can you spell an without the d? :P

Pretty positive, but there were some muffled boos after that K. Yeah, I heard a smattering of boos after the K.

69

I hope he just owns him. Leasing is a silly and foolish thing to do. It's just not as cost effective as ownership, unless you're very wealthy.

he's definetly scuffling right now...

Why would any real playoff contender want Burnitz? Most of us didn't want him last spring. Bunt hit for Patterson. Now Henry "Hank" Blanco up. I like Blanco. left handed power bat off the bench...Boston, White Sox, St Louis and Houston all could use him....i'm not saying we'd get anything useful for him, but clearing the spot in RF would be worth the trade...

Good start for Corey. Hopefully the Wrigley fans let him know it was a good start.

What are the odds that Burnitz is moved in a waiver deal before August 31st?

good start...

Well, he said Dusty would try to kinda mix in the corner guys depending on the LH/RH matchups...which means Murton will probably just keep playing only against lefties. Thanks, didn't quite catch it all, just heard him mention Matt. Not to be the Devil's advocate, but I don't see Murton getting a lot of AB's with Lawton/CPatt/Burnitz around. Nor I, unless we try and trade Burnitz or Lawton through waivers (which is not a terrible idea, IMO.)