Sammy Sofa

I'm just saying the stink (which seems to be mostly a matter of perception, no?) won't take long to go away once they get to where they look like they're headed. I realize there's going to be underperformance and busts. I feel like we are really well positioned for success even taking that into account. There's just so much talent that is so close. So much offensive ability in an era where that is really at a premium. How is the stink a matter of perception? They've punted multiple seasons and have been the worst team in baseball. The kids that pan out are likely going to have to go through periods of adjustment and growing pains and they're coming up at different times. Some people talk like it'll largely be like flipping a switch, but honestly, it would not be surprising at all to be under 77 wins again next season and then struggling to hover at .500 the season after that. They're obviously heavily lopsided in terms of offense, and we're seeing right now what happens with the whole "who gives a [expletive] about pitching approach." Relying on Bosio to just be magic and for them to land the big FA's, much less the right ones, when they've actually been pretty shitty with that for years now doesn't seem like a great recipe for sustained success. It's a very realistic proposition for it to take a while for it to click, and when it does for it be something well below the level of expectations some seem to have here.

Being set-up to become awesome and being awesome are very different. It's going to take a hell of a lot of winning to wash the stink off regardless. The stink will be washed off as soon as they're winning lots of games with a lineup full of 24 year olds, as far as I'm concerned. I'm pretty sure the bandwagon won't take long to form, either. What does bandwagoning have to do with anything? All it takes is something totally realistic like one flame out and one major injury from the core group for this suddenly to start looking a LOT shakier. It's hardly like this is set in stone, so maybe hold up when you're talking down to people like they're idiots for not being on board with this without any reservations. Everyone here wants it to work, but acting like it's a sure thing seems more than a tad premature.

The quote runs through my head basically every day here. For a couple of reasons, true, but it's still so apt.

If.

i could be misremembering, but i thought the implication was that benny was old and washed up now, relegated to only pinch-running and probably backup of duties. the play where he steals home is him harkening back to his glory days, both in his mlb career and at the sandlot. Yeah, I think you're right. I love how much he looks like Palmeiro.

Travis Wood's starts are far more heartbreaking than Jackson's.

Certain comments he's made in the past keep me from not believing it. I still think the money just wasn't there, though. Just kinda going "[expletive] it" and diving into that once it became obvious that the Ricketts have the business acumen of a chalk-white dog turd when it comes to running a baseball team in Chicago I can kinda deal with.

I am positive that you're wrong.

I tend to agree that the past three years has been more on Ricketts than Theo, but I don't completely rule out the idea that Theo saw an opportunity to do a complete ground-up rebuild and try his all home grown talent fantasy. I think I simply refuse to accept that because if it's true I'm going to have a rage-stroke and die.

Question: does Benny basically become Tony Campana? Doesn't he pitch run in that final scene? If so, is The Sandlot actually a heartbreaking drama?

EXCELLENT.

This year is the only year when that's been the case. Disagree.

They money thing is mostly on the Ricketts; I'm firmly convinced that Theo and co. were sold on the idea of an influx of resources based on the new signs and advertising and renovations and whatnot as part of the rebuild. All of that is, what, a good two years behind schedule? The whole baseball mogul theory is funny, but I just still can't believe that Tom Ricketts was all like, "hey, you can come here and have carte blanche to do WHATEVER just long as you don't spend any dollars. That cool, bro?"

http://ramblingrooby.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/ham.jpg That kid is now 35 and a scientologist. He was a Scientologist then, too.

I don't think the FO was expecting to be as tied up for as long as they have been financially, but at the same time they've pretty clearly chosen to not spend a lot of the money they do have available to them. There's a middle ground beyond it simply being voluntary or not.

It was heartbreaking that time he had to save Theo from being driven off in the back of that orphan truck.

I bet he went to the bathroom when they collected tickets Boxcar Ricketts. Scoff all you want; keeping everything he owns in a bindle makes his getaway from the daily Cubs loss all the easier.

I know I've said this a bunch of times, but there are only so many Pujols misses a team gets before they can't spend for a while. It just seems like many on this board -- I acknowledge it's bad to make such broad generalizations -- want every single big name free agent each season no matter the years or the price without thinking much of the overall picture. And then many times a few years later, it's like, damn, glad we didn't sign that guy. Well, some of us clamor for all of them because the Cubs are signing none of them. I don't actually want them to have ALL of those guys; again, it would be ideally indicative of them being willing and able to build up and strengthen a team through means other dumpster diving and from the ground up via internal development. Big spending, more trades, internal development...I want it all, baby. I WANT IT ALL.

http://jdsrockinsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/ohNO.jpg

I preferred his work with the Doobie Brothers.

Damn, if only Edwin Jackson weren't standing in the way of their obvious ability to win games and not be terrible at baseball.

Junior Lake is a Seinfeld character, too! He's what Kramer charmingly coined as a "terrible baseball player." *Slaps the bass*

Meanwhile Tom Ricketts totally sneaked into the hospital room and stole the guy's orange juice.

Plus he can drink the whole way home!

Thanks!