bring stone back

I'll take Jones over Burnitz.

As I've posted in another thread already tonight, check back in October. I'm sure you won't hear many people bitching if the Cubs keep up the current pace, but many people see plenty of reasons why the Cubs will fall well off the pace they've set to this point. You see us as pessimists... I see us as realists. Time will tell which is more accurate. I'm not saying this is you, but there's a big difference between a realist and someone who bitches about how Pierre and Jones suck after 19 games. My personal favorite is the guy who bitched about Pierre getting the ball out of the infield because of one bad game. Forget the fact he was facing one of the best left handers in the game...that doesn't matter. im not talking about just tonight, im talking about all season. a .280 obp in the leadoff spot. I'm sick of it and it's pretty much not acceptable at all. Has he been facing DTrain every game this season? Nope, and he's been awful. And we've had 991 games to tell that Jacque Jones sucks. This isnt a sample size issue, he is really, actually bad. In Pierre we knew we were getting a guy coming off a down year, but could get on base, steal bases and bring an element this team hasn't had in quite some time....someone to put the defense on their heels because of pure speed and energy (see last night's error on Cabrera. You think he makes that error if anyone else is running home from 3rd)? In Jones we knew we were getting a better outfielder, a streaky player with the ability to help carry a team for a couple weeks and then disappear for a couple weeks. You take the good with the bad...why the shock? You don't think it's a little ridiculous to overreact after 19 games? Does Ramirez suck, too? I know...let's try and trade him. Nevermind, we probably can't because Hendry sucks, too, right?

The Neifi hating club is officially ridiculous...

Neifi is a bench player who brings a gold glove and flexibility to the middle infield positions yet still sucks? A LOT of MLB teams would take a gold glove middle infielder to serve in a backup role. yet he was somehow w/o a job until the cubs saved him (so he could save them in return, of course). I don't think the guy sucks. Everyone here seems to think he's horrible, but he offers great flexibility playing 3rd, short and 2nd, a left handed bat and a veteran presence. Compare Neifi to other backup middle infielders in baseball and I think he'd look pretty favorable. It's all relative....

As I've posted in another thread already tonight, check back in October. I'm sure you won't hear many people bitching if the Cubs keep up the current pace, but many people see plenty of reasons why the Cubs will fall well off the pace they've set to this point. You see us as pessimists... I see us as realists. Time will tell which is more accurate. I'm not saying this is you, but there's a big difference between a realist and someone who bitches about how Pierre and Jones suck after 19 games. My personal favorite is the guy who bitched about Pierre getting the ball out of the infield because of one bad game. Forget the fact he was facing one of the best left handers in the game...that doesn't matter.

With what?

Neifi is a bench player who brings a gold glove and flexibility to the middle infield positions yet still sucks? A LOT of MLB teams would take a gold glove middle infielder to serve in a backup role.

you're not the first person to make that observation and agree with you completely. The answer is they will not be satisfied. There is always something to bitch about (Juan Pierre, Jacque Jones, Neifi Perez, Jim Hendry, Baker, etc).

Jones hasn't whined at all. He said he hears it but tries to block it out. He also said that boos aren't going to make him play better or any worse. How is that whining?

First pitch swinging? Doesn't he know anything? Damn you, Jacque Jones!

Did you know Jimmy Rollins extended his hit streak to 35 games on Opening Day this year? It was a double I think. Good one....

he and eyre are supposedly out for a while Collision at first base in the field with Lee? Bring Wuertz back up? Oh, no.....

Just got home....someone please update me on what happened to Lee?

If I'm not mistaken, Wood had the same surgery Matt Morris did last year, right? He's 2-0 on the year, but anyone know how he's looked and where his velocity is at, etc. I remember Morris' last year with the Cards and you could tell the pop and velocity wasn't there.

moron is usually more effective. inside joke you aren't inside on, it appears Clearly not, I'm still just an "everyday player" and I'm not ready to compete with the "All-Stars." :wink:

whatever happened to Ramirez not overswinging because of his recent ass injury?

moron is usually more effective.

Murton was called up July 7th If you were a manager would you honestly insert a rookie who just jumped up from AA into the second spot in the lineup? More often than not, they need to prove themselves with some major league AB's first. If he was called up on July 7, that's one thing. How many games did he actually start?

So you were ok with Patterson, Macias, and Perez getting regular at bats in the first two spots in the order last year? Yes, considering the injuries to Nomar and Walker had a ripple effect through the entire lineup last year. If I recall, Dusty tried different lineups literally every other game last year trying to find the right mix. I think it was more a lack of options and not stupidity. He had options, such as putting Walker up there every game when he was healthy. Walker got 100 at-bats batting sixth last year. He could have given Murton and Cedeno more opportunities in either of the first two spots. Instead, Murton spent most of his time in the 6th, 7th, and 8th spots. There were options. Murton played what...the last 25-30 games of the year? By then the damage was done.

So you were ok with Patterson, Macias, and Perez getting regular at bats in the first two spots in the order last year? Yes, considering the injuries to Nomar and Walker had a ripple effect through the entire lineup last year. If I recall, Dusty tried different lineups literally every other game last year trying to find the right mix. I think it was more a lack of options and not stupidity.

How did he manage in those postseason appearances? Since 1993, Dusty Baker has MORE Manager of the Year Awards than Bobby Cox. That kinda puts that award in perspective, doesn't it. I think he's pretty damn good, the players love to play for him and has an impressive track record. I hope he stays. What impressive track record are you talking about? Is he good at betting on horses? Taking SF to the series, taking us 4 outs away while also having multiple postseason appearances, losing out to the Braves for the NL West title with a 103 win Giant team and losing out to the Cubs in a playoff play-in game is a pretty damn good track record.

How did he manage in those postseason appearances? Since 1993, Dusty Baker has MORE Manager of the Year Awards than Bobby Cox. That kinda puts that award in perspective, doesn't it. I wouldn't use Bobby Cox as your benchmark against Dusty when discussing postseason success and failures.

How did he manage in those postseason appearances? Since 1993, Dusty Baker has MORE Manager of the Year Awards than Bobby Cox. That kinda puts that award in perspective, doesn't it. I think he's pretty damn good, the players love to play for him and has an impressive track record. I hope he stays. I think many fans, and in this case many on this board, are far too critical of him. I am not a fan of firing a manager or making moves just for the sake of doing so.

Baker is a bad manager?? Based on what?? His multiple manager of the year awards and playoff appearances. baker IS a bad manager. he makes stupid decisions (in fairness to him, few this year). he has difficulty constructing lineups. he can't manage a pitching staff. he has a ridiculous veteran fetish. manager of the year awards don't mean a thing. that's like believing bobby abreu is actually a gold glover - it just isn't the case. and i wouldn't be measuring dusty based on playoff appearances. a [expletive] monkey could have managed the 2003 cubs into the playoffs, not to mention many of the giants teams with the best hitter in the history of baseball. We'll have to agree to disagree. I don't think his lineups are that bad. I do think he has a tendency to overuse pitchers at times, but the "veteran fetish" as you say is way overblown. As a manager, he's playing the percentages knowing what he has instead of huge question marks and inconsistency with no track record. He gave Murton and Cedeno every chance to start at their respective positions and they took it. Perhaps others have not.

No you don't. It's his job to make correct moves. You have never been commended at your work for doing a good job? You have either never done a good job or you have poor management.