Sammy Sofa

Challenge that isht.

A great point was made on Cubs postgame the other day where if you look back through the Diamondbacks in 2001, all the teams tha have won the WS from 2001 and on had significant stretches of wretched baseball in September. Not that that it's some kind of model or guarentee, but it shows that a team as good as the Cubs swooning this badly now is not unheard of and not the end of the world.

"Blowing resources" implies that Roberts is a bad player and that anyone would have been able to predict that the Cubs would have been able to trade for Harden like they did AND that DeRosa would have a career year. No, it doesn't. The rumored offer was Gallagher/Veal/Ceda/Cedeno and one other (can't remember who...Patterson?) Trading your top 3 pitching prospects plus 2 others for a minimal upgrade at a position that doesn't need it is a waste of resources, especially when you consider that those parts would be needed later on to upgrade positions that actually need upgrading. Of course we didn't know we'd be able to get Harden, but I think it was pretty much understood around here that we needed another frontline starter and trading 5 guys for Roberts would hurt our chances of getting that done at any point during the season. The deal never got quite that hot. The original deal that people liked was Gallagher/Murton/Patterson. In December, when most of the discussion of the deal took place, the deal was Gallagher/Cedeno/Marshall. People were mostly ok with this deal, but not quite as happy as the first one. Then, it morphed into Gallagher/Cedeno/Murton/Veal,or sometimes instead Gallagher/Cedeno/Murton/Patterson. Those 2 deals received at best lukewarm support from the board. Some jumped ship then, and others stayed in but said absolutely no more. I remember the thought of 5 players, and Orioles fans wanting that, but I don't think there was a lot of serious consideration on this board for a deal of 5. As for the frontline starter, I don't think the need was as apparent as you make it sound during the offseason. Most people thought that Hill would make another step up and be that #2 starter. Lilly was fine as #3, Marquis is ok as a #4, and people thought one of Lieber/Dempster/Marshall could fill the #5 slot. The pitching was considered to be in a lot better of shape than the offense. It wasn't until the hot start by the offense and Hill blowing up for suddenly the need to shift very quickly to a frontline starter. You're being way too rational for this thread.

"Blowing resources" implies that Roberts is a bad player and that anyone would have been able to predict that the Cubs would have been able to trade for Harden like they did AND that DeRosa would have a career year. And most people here thought the Orioles were expecting/asking for way too much for Roberts even when they just waned to see the deal done.

bhogg's game threads are the best. I wish to see more of them. Therefore, the Cubs must win. Simple.

MERCIFUL WEATHER GODS, SPARE US!

Good Lord, bring on the rain.

Oooooogly defense thus far.

That was just the first, my hysterical little darlings. Unclench a little.

Holy crap! Only 3 batters, but Bronson is looking fillllllllllthy.

I think moving him around the lineup at this point is too drastic a change. Give him more days off to rest him with a combo of Aramis, Geo and Hoff hitting 3-5.

I've got a really good feeling about this game. I think the off day came at the perfect time and the team is gonna go into this looking for blood and beat the everloving [expletive] out the Reds.

September starts on the 5th this year. Cubs...

Not being used against lefties, who own him.

Please stop quoting the obvious trolls.

Bad calls are one thing, but he clearly got Cedeno across the name on his jersey with Ronnie's hand more than a foot from the plate. I can't believe they're trying to spin this as a questionable call.

Is Bob blind? He clearly swiped Ronnie across his name.

I swear, some of you get off on this team doing poorly.

Pretty much.

Do we have a reason to not trust them right now? What is the point in being so deceptive or flat out lying? Odds are if they aren't sure or don't know, they aren't sure or don't know.

Yes, Lou, use your extensive medical training to diagnose what is wrong and explain it to the rest of us. STOP HOLDING BACK, OLD MAN.

Probably Hart and Marshall. Definitely not Hart, he hasn't thrown more than 2 innings in a long time. Nuts. I thought he was worked back as a starter when he was last sent down.

Probably Hart and Marshall.

Can we aready callback to the classic of giving him and Howry knives and saying they each slept with each other's wives? That was stellar.

Teams already go crazy when they have a walkoff win. That's apparently "OK."