Dirt Dog Sparly

Already being discussed in Discussions.

Prior K's Berkman. On a side note the Astros saw two 3-2 counts that inning. End of one 0-0 Go Cubs! Folks I am gone to do the family thing. Everyone have a great 4th and remember, freedom isnt free.

Prior walks Lamb

Prior k's Tavarez looking.

Biggio on first pitch LO to ARam

6-4 FC for the third out. I wasnt keeping count but I would say total pitches that inning under 10.

Lee singles to RC.

Pettite picked off Pierre. 1-3-6. Pierre broke to quick on Pettites first move.

Perez FO to warning track in LF. 1 away.

Pierre singled to R on first pitch. Go-Go Gene Clines.

The roof is closed today. Dosent that make the park play a little smaller?

If only we had some guy that could show them the benefit of not walking people. We could call that guy a pitching coach. Then maybe we could have another guy that could teach our hitters to not swing at bad pitches and take some those walks the other pitcher is offering. We could call that guy a hitting coach. (I thought about calling that guy a walking coach but Dusty would never stand for that.) ROFL Very good, walking coach :D

On the pregame show Dusty just said, " Yea it's unfortunate that we give up so many walks, because when they hit a homerun it is a multirun homerun." You would think that they would turn that around and think about that. :?

In all honesty I dont Hendry knows at this point. In all seriousness I feel that Hendry is still working with the college model in his head. These are the guys we want to sign... these are the guys we signed... what do we have to do to be successful with them? I think it also accounts for the lack of appreciation of stats and a reliance on old fashioned scouting. High School stats dont translate well in my experience for those first two years in college. Add in the level of competition and a stud at a small school may be player of the year and I dont want them anywhere around my team. A nasty hook and high 70's fastball dont a college pitcher make, especially when they expect a full ride for being player of the year and look like a younger right handed version of Glendon Rusch. I think this is the trap that Hendry has fallen into. He lacks a long range plan of focusing on this is what I want year in and year out and instead is willing to work with what he has and make the best out of it. Flexability for a GM is a good trait, dont get me wrong. I just dont feel that Hendry is flexable in the right way.

Heres to Neifi improving that mark today. Not a bad lineup for the park. Hopefully Pettite hangs a few on the first pitch and we can bash them over the Little League fence there in LF.

I was watching Mr. and Mrs. Smith with my wife. Sorry guys it wont happen again... :wink:

I will agree Blueheart on the agreeing to disagree. I would say that we do agree more than we disagree it is just the degrees of agreement . Thanks for a great discussion.

Please do if you can. It was very well done.

Just leave Dusty, please???

If a player is willing to go out and say those things, the manager has more problems that a player getting in his head. I think it says a lot about the player (and it isn't positive). IIRC, it was Williamson who fueled the rumor that the Cubs might try to trade him at the beginning of the season because he said he still wanted to close. I didn't think that was appropriate (just like today's comments). The guy has the ability to be a great pitcher but with his injury past and propensity for wildness he should just shut up... I agree with you on one level that players should play and not call out thier manager in public. However he isnt the onlyone and since it is more than him Baker has big problems in that clubhouse that arent going to be fixed if he stays. I'm sure there are some problems in the clubhouse right now but considering Williamson's comments at the beginning of the year (when the team was playing well) I think he's the type of guy with the potential to be a cancer. Why say the manager's playing favorites? It really disses both the manager and teammates. Also, why publically say you still want to close when you (should) know your role in the bullpen. The Cubs did him a favor by taking a chance on a guy coming off an injury. He should be using this opportunity to showcase his stuff instead of causing controversy. I dont agree completely. I want a guy to be so competitive that he wants to get back to closing. He said he told the Cubs that and thier answer was not what he had hoped. With all the rumors of problems and players speaking out over the last few weeks dropping things between the lines, I still say Baker has more problems than Williamson and Walker talking to the press about it. I don't think he should say it, no matter how competitive he is, because the team has a closer. Like I said, the Cubs picked him up off the scrap heap so allowing him to close wasn't on the agenda (especially with Dempster doing such a great job last year and in the early going this year). Also, Williamson hasn't exactly inspired confidence when he's pitched both because of his wildness and ability to get injured. Who knows if his arm can standup to pitching 4-5 times a week? I don't think he has much room to talk. It's also a cheap shot to start yapping about closing considering Dempster's recent struggles. It certainly doesn't symbolize support of a teammate (not to mention Howry and Eyre whom I'm sure he was also referring to in his "favorites" comment). Actually I hope every pitcher in that pen wants to close. I hope they all believe themselves such bada$$es that they can do it. It isnt disrespectful at all to say it. It is bad form to do it publicly. However doing it publicly shows that w/o a doubt Dusty has lost this team. The other stuff he is saying is common knowledge and further examples of the train wreck the Cubs have become.

Wooooo Cubs Win!!!! Contract extensions for everyone!!!

If a player is willing to go out and say those things, the manager has more problems that a player getting in his head. I think it says a lot about the player (and it isn't positive). IIRC, it was Williamson who fueled the rumor that the Cubs might try to trade him at the beginning of the season because he said he still wanted to close. I didn't think that was appropriate (just like today's comments). The guy has the ability to be a great pitcher but with his injury past and propensity for wildness he should just shut up... I agree with you on one level that players should play and not call out thier manager in public. However he isnt the onlyone and since it is more than him Baker has big problems in that clubhouse that arent going to be fixed if he stays. I'm sure there are some problems in the clubhouse right now but considering Williamson's comments at the beginning of the year (when the team was playing well) I think he's the type of guy with the potential to be a cancer. Why say the manager's playing favorites? It really disses both the manager and teammates. Also, why publically say you still want to close when you (should) know your role in the bullpen. The Cubs did him a favor by taking a chance on a guy coming off an injury. He should be using this opportunity to showcase his stuff instead of causing controversy. I dont agree completely. I want a guy to be so competitive that he wants to get back to closing. He said he told the Cubs that and thier answer was not what he had hoped. With all the rumors of problems and players speaking out over the last few weeks dropping things between the lines, I still say Baker has more problems than Williamson and Walker talking to the press about it. The short answer is that I believe Dusty has lost this team and the sooner he leaves, the better it is for all concerned.

If a player is willing to go out and say those things, the manager has more problems that a player getting in his head. I think it says a lot about the player (and it isn't positive). IIRC, it was Williamson who fueled the rumor that the Cubs might try to trade him at the beginning of the season because he said he still wanted to close. I didn't think that was appropriate (just like today's comments). The guy has the ability to be a great pitcher but with his injury past and propensity for wildness he should just shut up... I agree with you on one level that players should play and not call out thier manager in public. However he isnt the onlyone and since it is more than him Baker has big problems in that clubhouse that arent going to be fixed if he stays. I'm sure there are some problems in the clubhouse right now but considering Williamson's comments at the beginning of the year (when the team was playing well) I think he's the type of guy with the potential to be a cancer. Why say the manager's playing favorites? It really disses both the manager and teammates. Also, why publically say you still want to close when you (should) know your role in the bullpen. The Cubs did him a favor by taking a chance on a guy coming off an injury. He should be using this opportunity to showcase his stuff instead of causing controversy. I dont agree completely. I want a guy to be so competitive that he wants to get back to closing. He said he told the Cubs that and thier answer was not what he had hoped. With all the rumors of problems and players speaking out over the last few weeks dropping things between the lines, I still say Baker has more problems than Williamson and Walker talking to the press about it.

One pitch, two outs guys.

And save Bakers job.... :?