bobbyd20

Yup. I forgot Maddux was up next. It's still inexcusable

The leadoff hitter for the cubs this inning will line a gapper into left center that would have scored jones from second. I've seen this episode a million times

Until Dusty pulls someone's butt out of the game for repeated boneheaded manuevers, you can expect them to continue to happen. They've been happening for four years and rarely is a player held accountable for his stupidity.

After reading this article, I'm ticked off at my father for forcing me to learn to throw right-handed as a little tyke even though I was a natural lefty. I'd quit my job tomorrow to throw BP for the rest of the summer. Although, I'd probably get fired when I attempted to share my opinions with Dusty. I don't think my patience at the plate (don't get yourself out on the pitcher's pitch early in the count) would go over too well with that coaching staff.

The last time I can remember Dusty getting thrown out of a game was during April of '04 when he screwed up a double switch. The Cubs then batted out of order. At that point, Dusty blew his top and was thrown out of the game.

Neifi doesn't get booed as much for two reasons. One, no one in their right mind (except Dusty) ever has any expectations for him. And two, since he swings at the first pitch so often, the fans can't get prepared to boo him for his inevitable first pitch ground out to second base.

The pitch Neifi swung at was definitely not a strike. Someone like Perez should be up there trying to force the new pitcher that just came into the ballgame to get the ball over the plate. Our overall baseball IQ, except for a select few players (Maddux and Lee come to mind right away) is very poor.

I guess my only point was that I've seen Dusty apply the double switch incorrectly in the past and felt like he did it again yesterday. It took him two switches (one between the top and bottom half of the sixth and one during the bottom of the sixth) to get the batting order in place. I think yesterday was a great day to get everyone on the bench an at-bat. I have absolutely no problem at all with that. I just don't like seeing Dusty completely waste a substitution in doing so (and that's what I felt he did with the situation I originally brought up). If this were the first time I've seen Baker make a questionable double switch, I would have let it slide. But this type of stuff has happened time and time again during his 3+ years in Chicago. This isn't a complicated concept and I would think that a major league manager or at least some member of the coaching staff should be able to properly pull off a double switch. These things shouldn't be happening in the big leagues. And to me, whether the score is 2-1 or 12-5, playing the game the right way is the most important thing. In my mind, this was not an example of playing the game the right way.

Actually, I'll start by giving Dusty credit for throwing out the proper lineup yesterday. Hopefully, he'll stick with it for the better part of the season... But, once again he showed his incompetence by incorrectly executing the double switch during the sixth inning. In the fifth, he took out Zambrano (9 hitter, due up 4th in the following inning) and replaced Jones (made the last out of the prior inning) with Pagan. Good move. Along comes the sixth innning and the Cubs bat around to get to the pitchers spot (now batting in the fifth spot)...Neifi pinch hits. Fine and good...other than Neifi being our #2 option off the bench. Here's where Dusty screwed up. Cedano ended the inning with a popout. Now Dusty if he wanted to keep the pitchers spot last should have let Neifi take over at short and put the new pitcher in Cedano's spot. Dusty in all of his infinite wisdom leaves Neifi in the game, but at 2nd for Walker...I know that Neifi is better defensively than Walker, but Dusty failed to realize that Walker was coming up third in the next inning and he'd just put the pitcher in that spot in the order... Luckily for Dusty, the pitcher he put in couldn't get out of the sixth inning and he had a second chance to fix his mistake...and realizing he was wrong, he put Hairston in put the pitcher in Cedano's spot. He could have done this without removing Walker. Don't we have anyone on the coaching staff that can figure these things out without wasting a player?

I heard talk on the radio today that some in the media feel Wood is out of shape and carrying extra weight this spring training. I haven't got to see him yet and was just curious if people on this board could weigh-in with their thoughts?

This is not meant to be a slam toward Jeter because he's a heck of a player and I'd love to have him playing SS on the northside, but the idea that he is a great post-season player and A-Rod is a bum in the post-season is nothing but a myth. Both players have great offensive numbers during the playoffs. Jeter - .307 BA, .378 OBP, .463 SLG A-Rod - .305 BA, .401 OBP, .534 SLG It seems that the idea of A-Rod not playing well in the playoffs has been repeated so many times that people believe it. The numbers just don't back up that notion.

Nomar at $6 million looks like a bargain when compared to Neifi and his $2.5 million per contract.

That was a wild finish. I remember deciding to go out and get drunk to celebrate. As for my first Cubs game, all I remember is that we were driving home and they announced on the radio that the Cubs had acquired Rick Sutcliffe from the Cleveland Indians right at the trade deadline. It turned out to be a pretty important day.

From the ESPN article, The versatile infielder started 130 games at shortstop and 19 at second base last season. No wonder why we finished behind the Milwaukee Brewers. To make matters worse, not only did Neifi start 149 games, he batted in the 1 or 2 spot 382 times (67% of his total at-bats). At least he proved how valuable he was to the Cubs by getting on base at a .298 clip last season.

This organization makes me sick...I have no idea why I continue to support such a poorly run outfit...maybe I'm the stupid one?

Honestly, what member of this coaching staff has done anything to warrant being kept around? Besides make a lot of money and plenty of excuses.

Bruce, Could you get me Hendry's number? There are a couple of questions that I have been wanting to ask him. Thanks. Sincerely, Most of Wrigleyville

12 guys in baseball with a .400+ OBP percentage and we keep hitting Murton 6th or 7th so that Neifi and Macias can hit 1 and 2. Neifi and Macias have the 10th and 13th best OBP on our own team. Makes a lot of sense to me. Will someone please explain to Dusty the importance of getting people on-base at the top of the lineup? Maybe someone from the media should call Dusty out and see what the heck he is thinking?

Given the Cubs patience at the plate, Maddux's fast working style and the fact that it's a late season game between two teams out of the playoff race, I see this being one of the fastest games of the season if both pitchers are having a good night.

They could have pretty much called this the all-injured team... Nomar Rolen Schilling Wood Gagne Foulke All spent lots of time on the DL this season. In my eyes, being hurt is much different than not performing.

They could have cracked .500 if they'd had someone else filling out the lineup card everyday...even with the injuries

i'm starting to think that Hendry needs to be sent out of town on the same flight as Dusty for allowing this madness to continue Would anybody with connections to the Tribune execs let them know that I am willing to volunteer my services to help pack up boxes at Dusty's house and drive him to his next location if the moving expenses are a sticking point in the negotiations to get rid of Baker.

i'll add Dempster (starter - beginning of the season), Rusch (relief instead of 5th starter while Wood and Prior were down), Walker (6 hole), Macias (#1 pinch hitter), Slumping Burnitz in the 4 spot with a red-hot Ramirez in the 5th spot, etc, etc, etc...these are more than enough reasons for me to have concluded that Baker doesn't know how to fill out a lineup card or use his pitching staff. For these misuses alone, Baker should be gone...and we haven't even touched on all of the excuses or the poor fundamental play.

how about Greg Maddux as player/manager? I'm positive he can fill out a lineup card better than Dusty.

couldn't have said it better myself