Sammy Sofa

Then what would be the point? And yes, I would love to see them move Lilly, Fukudome, Lee and Zambrano.

How could anyone argue it wasn't a fluke? Please point out where people here have argued otherwise.

The Crew had some kind of indication. I'm not sure what it was, but they knew something. And you know this....how?

Why not? Grabow was overpaid, but this year is clearly beyond the pale in terms of how he usually pitches. There's a very good chance he's been pitching with an injury.

It's subjective, but I really don't understand when people try to explain when Lou "gave up" or "mailed it in." This is the same Lou that has been here the whole time. Remember in 2007 when he said he wants someone who can catch the damn ball? Remember in the 2nd game of 2007 when he walked to the mound and told Dempster (the closer at the time) its 30 degrees, we are up 3, throw strikes. I just don't see the same things from Lou. I don't expect to act like an idiot and get thrown out of games, but I expect more than "I don't know what to do". He doesn't have to throw players under the bus, but is it really that hard to separate Lee and Ramirez in the line-up? His big change to shake up the offense was to move the ice cold Marlon Byrd to the 2nd spot so he can make even more outs in a game? Maybe he hasn't mailed it in, but he sure isn't trying too hard to change the fortunes of this team from a line-up perspective. Talk about putting a bow on a pig; they just had an inning the other day where Lou went out to talk to the pitcher and the ump and then the next pitch thrown by the Cubs resulted in a DP. Whoopety-doo. And the "catch the damn ball" crap was just regurgitating the same single-minded focus that Hendry had at the time to "fix" the team that actually ignored everything else that was actually wrong so that they can just blame it on one "super problem" (catch the ball, lead off hitter, get more left handed, etc.). Lou is basically the same loopy, lazy guy he was when he got here. You expect more from a guy that never demonstrated his entire time he was here that he'd be an acceptable manager unless he had a team where their talent or performance that year could succeed in spite of managing.

It's subjective, but I really don't understand when people try to explain when Lou "gave up" or "mailed it in." This is the same Lou that has been here the whole time.

What exactly would dumping Crane Kenney have done to improve the team this year? So having someone above Jim Hendry who actually knows baseball isn't a good idea? Maybe having someone with the stones to fire the manager who admittingly says he doesn't know what to do? $4 million per year for the manager to act like he has given up. Maybe it wouldn't help improve the team this year, but keeping Kenney sure isn't helping. As a fan, all I see is the status quo and that is not good enough. If I was the head of a group trying to purchase a franchise, I would have a plan in place for changes the first day I had control of the team and improving bathrooms would not have been high on the list. A winning team is the best fan experience, the best marketing plan and the best way to grow revenues. Except it's difficult to field a winning team if one of the main avenues of revenue is a dump that's literally falling apart. Wrigley had to be and still has to be improved and renovated and its revenue streams need to be capitalized on (like through more advertising). The Ricketts don't have bottomless pockets. They need to ideally set in place what is necessary to provide them with the revenue stream which would allow them to to keep the Cubs' payroll high. Your shortsighted focus as to what you think should be their first priority would be an exceedingly foolish way to run a business that they just dropped a massive amount of money on. How do you propose they field a winning team if they don't focus right away on the areas that will bring them the money to do so?

I don't think Omar is who you think he is.

Over which OF? How 'bout the one who basically hasn't been hitting for 2 straight weeks or more? If it's just a spot start, fine, but it's not the best idea to push it further than that. Even with the slump Byrd is much more valuable out there because of his defense compared to Colvin.

If Cubs fans stop going to Wrigley, he'll have no choice. He has little choice this year. People aren't going to come out and spend more money just because he fires Hendry and/or Lou during the season. The actual team this year really can't be improved significantly unless the money is there or they're stupidly willing to start trading off their decent prospects.

Over which OF?

Something along those lines would be ideal. No reason to not keep the scoreboard as well.

Wrigley is a [expletive] dump. This is not news.

This really was amazing in its stupidity.

Jordan would have been "allowed" to do whatever he wanted with the Bulls. His separation from the organization is pretty much all based on his own doing and his own decisions. The Bulls treated their superstars just fine. They paid them a lot of money and built teams around them that enabled them to get 6 rings as Bulls and retired their numbers and treat them with reverence and celebration the few times when they show up for an event. It was Jordan's decision to end his career with another team as a player, not the Bulls, and they did bring Pippen back so he could finish his career with them. They then gave him a job with the organization but he left that to work for ABC, then he got caught up with the idea that he could keep playing. I don't see how you can really fault the Bulls with these guys.

No...it's been better. Soriano: G.O.A.T.

What was the other lackluster season? Yeah, I'm wondering that myself. Soriano was easily worth his contract and then in some in 2007 and 2008. 2007, yes. 2008, that's debatable. He played well, but not great, for 100 games. He was putting up comparable HR, RBI (better), OPS (4th best of his career) and SB numbers in almost 30 fewer games.

What was the other lackluster season? Yeah, I'm wondering that myself. Soriano was easily worth his contract and then in some in 2007 and 2008.

yes, so does that mean you think the Reds are gonna be MLB's best offense the rest of the year? Probably not, but I wouldn't necessarily be surprised if they hover close to the top the rest of the way.

Few teams are the team they are in the first month.

His 'stache is trash. Those quotes are pretty funny. Anyone have any idea where they're from?

I don't really think it's a sudden reversal. They've been saying they weren't going to move him, but that doesn't ensure they meant it. The bullpen hasn't been that good. Marmol and Marshall have solidified things when starters go 7 innings. But Grabow still sucks. And they went out and signed a completely worthless Howry. I'm not sure how the bullpen is any more solidified now. And there's no way of knowing how the next guy is going to do. The bullpen has been a question from day one and remains so. Cashner has been an obvious candidate to fill a role from day one. The Cubs were probably just looking for the right time. Now he's go a fair amount of 2010 inning, almost of which have been dominant. They need to win to save jobs, it's almost June and the team is still under .500. I'm not confused about the timing at all. It's been the obvious move. What I don't get is the supposed test of letting them relieve for a couple weeks in AAA and then sending them back to the rotation. Russell and Stevens have shown themselves to be very capable. I'm not saying they're locks to lights out, but the bullpen is clearly not as precarious as it was earlier in the season. Yes, you still have the x-factor of Lou, but we're stuck with that until the end of the season.

Jesus Christ. Do some people really think that nobody would be paying Soriano over $5 million a year if the Cubs didn't have him in his current contract?

Yeah, this is my line of thinking with this. I'm not opposed to the idea of Cashner in the bullpen at some point, but the timing as it's playing out right now just doesn't make much sense and seems very shortsighted.

He may not have the fastest fastball, but its still going to hurt when Casey catches it in his ribs when we play them in LA. Lilly might not be a Cub by then (hopefully).