Stu
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Everything posted by Stu
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Anyone remember the summer of '77? That was a pretty good Cubs team that got out of the gate fast. Herman Franks was manager, Bittner, Ontiveros, Mitterwald, Cardenal, De Jesus, Trillo, et. all. I remember Sutter emerged that year as an absolutely filthy closer. Remember the organ playing the Alka Selzter relief song when he came in from the bullpen. that team looked like it had a chance, and then of course Sutter got hurt and the team fell apart. Still, it finished 500 that year, which was quite an accomplishment. That summer I was on the couch all summer with a broken leg I'd suffered whilst sliding into second in Little League. We got cable that year, and I got to see virtually every Cubs game as back then WGN broadcasted like 160 games a year.
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I really find it hard to blame the Cubs if that's true. Especialaly since a similar record might preclude any of us regular joes from getting a regular $40,000 a year job in the first place.
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Nah, McClellan was a good detail-oriented planner and organizer, but wasn't bold enough to follow through on anything. Dusty is plenty bold, but a lousy planner who is unwilling or unable to keep track of multiple details. He's probably more of a John Bell Hood. I'm thinking we got more of a Ulysses S. Grant. Relies about exclusively on reputation while putting unqualified parties in positions of power. That describes Grant as president. As a general his chief attribute was that he was aggressive. As Lincoln said of him, when others were clamoring for Grant to be sacked because of his rough edges: "That man fights."
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Especially considering Sut was bragging about how much research they do before each game.
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Speaking of which, would someone please remind them they stink so they can start losing already?
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The "vacant eyes" comment in his book was over the top and unnecessary, IMO. But Mesa needs to be a man and let his stupid grudge go too. I mean how dumb is it to publicly announce that you are going to bean Vizquel everytime you face him. Almost as dumb as the umpiring crew for not knowing the history there.
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Interesting lineup. Pretty much what I expected, not bad considering the options Dusty has. Not a whole lot of power in that lineup, let's hope they can just get on base and drive each other in. I kind of like that lineup, given the situation. Some nice speed and contact in there. Essentially we trade DLee's bat for Hairy's -- not a good trade but Hairy does add some things to the mix. It's not a total disaster.
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Couple of others: That quartet of Gary Woods, Sut, and I forget who else, recording that song. Hilarious. Hary and his Cub fan, Bud man video. that classic double header sweep of the Mets at Wrigley. During the victory celebration in Pittsburgh, Harry is puffing on that cigar and he throws it down and yanks the Bud out of Stoney's hand and starts chugging it. Lee Smith, when getting doused with champagne: "Oh man, not in the 'fro!" I think too that was the year that a ball bounced crazily off of someone to turn into a game ending double play and Harry shouts: "The Good Lord wants the Cubs to win!" Classic.
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Are you talking about that triple he hit at Wrigley against the Pirates? I think he came home then on a throwing error and flipped off the Pirates bench or one of the players, am I right?
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there's been alot of chitty chat since the collission about how wrist injuries can be complicated and linger on and on. I think we need to distinguish between the wrist injuries those discussions seemed to be about and Lee's wrist injury. in a way, we are fortunate because this is "only" a bone break. those type of complications which everyone fears seem to occur more when there are problems with the ligaments. I'm not a doctor, but this injury is not that complicated, and I'm confident Lee will come back from this just fine, it's only a matter of when. I wonder too how badly it was broken. I'm no doctor, but if it were more of a crack then a massive break it would seem that would make a huge difference. Furcal isn't exactly a Mack truck. I would love to get a more detailed medical report.
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Sorry to start another D. Lee thread, but the injury thread kind of went down hill about 30 pages in. I wanted some people's feedback: Anyone remember the Penguin's wrist injuries when he was with the Cubs. It seems like he was never the same after that. Is there a danger of that happening to D. Lee?
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Okay, I'll be the one to say it first: with all the nail-biting about Lee, Acosta's DEATH puts things into perspective. The pitching staff back then was fun to watch. But I disagree with you on two points: (1) Baylor was IMO more to blame - he got Acosta out of there after 2001 as a desperate move to save his own hide, and (2) I remember Flash flushing away more games than saving. Maybe so. I don't have the stats to back everything up. But IIRC, the Cubs were dominant in pitching that year and were in first or near the top till late August, when the pitchers started faltering. I recall Flash being pretty good. I remember Farns giving up a killer hr down in Miami that just about sealed the Cubs' fate. I don't disagree with you ire Baylor, but if you recall, Oscar was fired from the Rangers in mid-season for similary personality conflicts, so there was something more there than meets the eye. It was always such a strange thing because it just seemed the guy knew how to teach pitchers, but apparently he rubbed some people the wrong way. Didn't he have major issues with Zambrano as well? I loved Oscar, because he made the Cubs pitching staff into a tough mean ornery bunch. A bunch of guys with attitudes like Bob Gibson and Don Drysdale.
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That is sad. I think it is no coincidence that Cubs pitchers did some of their best work under him. He turned Liebs into a 20-game winner. Kerry loved the man, as well. Farnsworth had his best year under Oscar's tutelage IIRC. It's a shame he never could work out the people skills side to stay in the show. He certainly had the knowledge to be a great pitching coach, at least from the results. That Cubs team was lights out after the 6th inning. Farns 7th, Fassero 8th and Flash for the save in the 9th.
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Didn't see this discussed much, but I really was impressed by Marshall. The line wasn't that great, but it is misleading. He got squeezed on the low strike in the 1st inning which directly contributed to that HR from Rolen. If he starts getting that low strike called, and they were strikes, he could be a very effective pitcher for the Cubs. The kid throws strikes, keeps the ball down and has a great makeup. Kind of reminds me of when Greg Maddux first came up. I'm not saying Marshall will have a career like Maddog, but I can't remember too many Cubs pitchers with that kind of makeup. Juan Cruz perhaps when he first came up, before the wheels fell off for him.
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Exactly. Maddux is smart enough to pitch to the conditions.
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I do. Which is why I think someone who may know a social psychologist should get an opinion. Nothing personal, I just don't trust your opinion on this. My problem with the chemistry argument is that probably the two best baseball teams I've seen in my lifetime: the As of the early '70s and the Big Red Machine were both known to have chemistry issues. In fact I've read over the years about how there was a lot of animosity on those teams. But they were just dominant.
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It's very difficult to win a libel case if you are a public figure. The standard is much higher than if you or I sued for libel. Not saying Bonds is innocent, because it sure seems he is guilty, but just because he is not suing for libel doesn't necessarily say so much.
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Check out the transition in this ESPN article on the game: "Clemens was randomly chosen for a drug test after the game, ESPN has learned. The outcome was a stunner, especially considering the offensive firepower on the Americans' roster even without Derrek Lee and Johnny Damon, sidelined with sore left shoulders?" I read "drug test" and the next sentence is "the outcome was a stunner.." Kind of freaked me out until I realized the writer had switched back to talking about the game.
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That was hysterical. As soon as she ran out there, I told my father in law, "Can you imagine being a translater for one of those arguments." I can just see: "El dice que tu estas ciego" "Well, he says you're a jerk.... " and on an on. She was throwing in all the body language as well. I was cracking up. It was yet another wonderful bizzare moment in the most memorable baseball game I have ever attended.
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Not sure if anyone watched the Cuba-Puerto Rico game last night, but it was high drama. Rain, beanballs, home runs, ejections, political overtones, a Willis Reed moment by Carlos Delgado -- the game lasted 4 hours. I was there and it was a joy to watch the Cuban team play, even though they beat my team. For those of you who are not sold on the WBC, you should have been in San Juan. Hiram Bithorn stadium was the loudest, most electric atmosphere I have ever witnesses, and my experience includes Who concerts. Cuba is a really fun team to watch -- they hit and run, they work the count, the don't make errors, the move the runners over, hit the cutoff men, run the bases intelligently and it seems like their pitchers rarely hit 90 on the gun. I am rooting for them to win it all -- I know it's a long shot, but there is something so nice about a team full of young guys playing for $65 a month beating major leagers. Most of Cuba's roster is made up of kids 19-23 or so. I highly recommend you watch the DR-Cuba game on Saturday.
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Z's a bit wild tonight against Puerrto Rico and threw a fair amount of pitches in the first inning. But in the 2nd, his stuff was absolutely illegal. He had some sick movement on his pitches.
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Ha ha. Completely off topic, but I just saw Moises get nailed bad at 2nd, while stupidly trying to stretch a long single into a double against Puerto Rico. The DR is down 6 in the 7th inning and Beltre was on deck. Not a brilliant base-running move by Moises. Deja Vu.
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Since my college thesis was on Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, and Joe Jackson and how they coped with life in industrial northern cities having come from the rural south... I would love to read that. Any chance you could email a copy of it? Or do you have it posted anywhere? I am a baseball history freak.
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Juan Gonzalez a potential Cub?
Stu replied to ittoxx's topic in MLB Draft, International Signings, Amateur Baseball
Sounds like he's got the right attitude at least (translation mine): "You have be realistic. They aren't going to make big offers for players such as us (speaking of himself and Sammy, parentheses mine) We have to accept the realiity that the market for us is not what it was before because of our ages." Unlike Sammy though, Igor probably needs the money because of all the alimony he's paying to different women. It seems like every week he comes up in the headlines in a different mess with a different woman. Still, it could be a nice signing if he shows flashes of Igor in his prime. -
http://thebaseballcube.com/players/A/brian-adams.shtml I thought he died after the summer of 69. Wow, that was bad... Dude's got a fastball that cuts like a knife.