Pinktermite

Oh, one other thing, the third triad here is that the Cubs lost b/c of losing DLEE... And remember, I didn't say Juan was great, he's just better than most. And probably not worth the money we'd pay to retain him. I just want people to get off the guy's back that's all.

I agree that the actual manager is less important than who is on the roster, who wouldn't? Sparky Anderson had a great quote about that, about the media asking why they thought he suddenly got stupid during a particularly bad stretch the Tigers were in at the time. Hendry should have been fired, too. If he does any more asinine things like depending on injured pitchers and he hires a manager that isn't a little more aggressive with crappy play, then he deserves his fate. The difference between managers is miniscule unless your name is Leyland or LaRussa. And am I the only one on here that observes all the negativity? Nobody seems to like any decision that the Cubs make. For God's sake, Andy MacPhail is gone!!! That's a great victory for us and with Baker being gone, there's a real chance to turn things around. And I still have trouble understanding why a guy that got 204 hits is somehow bad for a team that never had a good lead off man? Is he the best? No. Is he as bad as most of you guys think? No. I'm tired of all the complaining...Juan Pierre hustles, which is more than you can say for most of these guys. And so does Jacque...I think we should get off these guys backs. The Cubs sucked because of their pitching and bad fundamentals...not because of those two guys... Ok, I feel better now.

Okay, Professor...however, there are years where there is statistical sig. aren't there? I mean, a .700 vs. a .400 something? In some years there appears to be something like that...

Check out this: http://www.thecubdom.com/features/wrigleyfieldnightgames.html So a .521 night winning percentage at home vs. a .512 during the day. Perhaps a difference of only a few games...but nonetheless a difference. So why the discrepancies in certain years?

What is the day vs. night record for the cubs? Not just this year, but since 1988? It's not just waking up and going to bed in time...there's more to it than that, including a little too much partying perhaps? But it is there...

The Cubs don't have a similarly bad record at night because the affect IS EXACTLY that, commulative...it adds up. The teams that come in here, like I said...it's a novelty and a change of pace. And whoever mentioned that "back in the day" everyone played day games...that's exactly right!! Everyone did it back then...now, the cubs are the only team doing it, and it shows. Remember, I didn't say that the cubs SUCK because of this, it only makes things worse. And believe it, that anyone who has worked nights (any shift that ends past midnight), which I did for years...it clearly DOES have a bad commulative affect. You eat worse, don't feel like exercising...etc etc...so when the cubs play lots of night games, followed by day games (or at least more than the opposition)...then it affects them adversely. If one assumes the cubs players are in just as good a shape physically speaking as the other teams, then there is no choice but to assume that it does affect their play. Their record in day vs. night games proves that, and has for a long time...at least for the last few years. Compare this to the Rockies...they haven't been able to win for years because of the thin air up in colorado. There's less THEY can do about THAT then there is the cubs being able to do something about playing during the day. Again, if we had better players, the affect would be less, but nonetheless it would be there.

Correction: they should add more and more NIGHT games... Oops... Manager was watching...I was flustered by having to work during the day :)

I VEHEMENTLY agree with jjgman on this one. All you guys who think that playing day games and losing is an excuse...it is NOT an excuse. It's correct (obviously), that the cubs have a mostly lousy team. However, these problems are exacerbated by playing in the daytime...cold weather or hot...after long night games and having to get up early the next day. True, they are paid millions, but the proof is in the pudding. Their home record is worse during the day than it is at night. They should add more and more day games, regardless whether it's an excuse or not. I don't hear the cubs COMPLAINING about the cold weather...there's too many people on here that use sarcasm as a way of arguing their point. I still haven't seen what their overall day time vs. night record is...and I'm too lame with a computer to figure that out...I would guess that it's significantly better at night. Hitters hit better during the day...but pitchers PITCH better at night...and that's why they would win. They'd still be under .500 by virtue of their team, but their record would be better. Walker was not making excuses, in my opinion...and he's not the first one, but the next in a LONG LINE of people who've said that playing 50 day games a year or more hurts them. Visiting teams aren't taken aback by playing in the daytime because it's a NOVELTY, and not a disadvantage. The team sucks...but clearly they'd be better if they played day games only on sundays...and some saturdays when FOX has them on TV. Now, ridicule me...please...I don't get enough of that at work :)

Walker's not the first one to say this. Given their home day record, I'd say it's time the cubs play day games on sundays only like the rest of the league. What is the cubs record in day games over the years? Anyone know?

Can someone please remind me why we can't trade Walker? What happened to his power? It's not like we could use him for the stretch run or something like that. Trade him...start over. Trade Maddux...start over. Trade anyone (except DLee and Z and Aram)... Why not? They suck anyway, maybe they'll get something in return that will surprise us all.

I don't see why the Cubs would hire a OBP valuing manager when Hendry doesn't believe in aquiring OBP players. I think we're going to end up with Jimmy Williams, as sad as that may be. I see people say this all the time on here. Just what is DLee and Aram? These guys have good OBP's, at least in good years they do. JJ has a decent OBP. So does Barrett. To make that argument that Jim doesn't value that statistic is lukewarm (though not a weak one). I just think it's unfair to criticize everything the guy does. He wants to win just as bad as we do. Someone help me here?

Neifi is on this team because he must have pictures of Dusty with a goat or something...Glendon? Who knows...maybe the food consumption budget wasn't met this year. Actually, those two year contracts are a bitch aren't they? Damn...

Dusty will be replaced with someone from the current Cub system, the new guy won't come until next year. That's how I see it. No big splashes, nothing we can't predict, just same old humdrum stuff...I'm sick of humdrum from these guys.

I doubt Jim is trying to talk Dusty into returning. He might be dumb, but he's NOT stupid. I don't think...

we shouldn't extend Pierre's butt, or any other part of his anatomy, including his checking account. Though I reserve the right to change my mind should he keep playing well. And I'm sick of coddling these pitchers. They should pitch, every day, and I don't think 100-110 pitches per outing is such a bad thing. How many did Marshall throw Wed?

No other team is going to trade any of those players you guys mentioned for Z. Can we stay on the topic of realistic trade possibilities? Trading Carlos is smart, obviously, if you get Pujols for him, but that's not going to happen...and that's my point. Trade Z and it's one step forward, two steps back. I shudder when I think of Hendry doing that, and he won't, because as much as we criticize the guy, he's not stupid.

Trading Carlos would be a top ten dumbest decision of all time for the Cubs, and I don't see how trading him for ANY number of prospects. No way. Trade Maddux, trade Barrett, trade JJ, trade anyone but Aram, DLee, and Carlos... Will someone explain to me why this would be smart baseball? The Cubs do enough dumb crap without trading their only reliable pitcher. Maybe it's me, maybe I'm the dumb one (don't ask ex wife that question)

Why is Dusty the only one that doesn't see that? ArggggghhhH!!!!!

Come on, Hendry never sells high! When was the last time he did something like that? He'll give his butt an extension before he does that.

Hard to disagree with anything in that article. Though I was surprised to find out that he's not the only manager that tinkers with his lineup

you know they won't trade pierre, he's playing too well these days. I agree, they should work all these rookies in and see which ones pack the gear to serve in our beloved Corps.

Some of you guys will complain no matter who Hendry chooses. Sometimes I feel like I'm talking to my ex wife on here. Name three managers you guys could live with. I bet you guys can't do it...

They won one game for crying out loud. They will lose 3 of 4 to the Brewers and Baker will go home wondering if he has a job or not. 104 losses is a real possibility for this team unless they grow a pair and start playing with a little heart, which would come from a manager that demands something from his players and criticizes them when they need it. Winning this weekend only gives baker more leash.

Wait a second, on the one hand some of you say that Leyland does best with stacked teams that have talent, and he does poorly when his teams have no talent (aka fire sale in Florida). So I take it he makes NO difference whatsoever in how his team does???!!!!! On the other hand, alot of you guys say that Baker needs to go because he's a poor manager. But wait, I thought you said that it matters the talent that he has to manage with? Well, one could argue that Baker has some pretty damn good talent on this team, and they suck. So which is it? The manager matters or the manager doesn't matter? It looks to me like the Tigers are mostly the same team as they were last year...and they are playing a helluva lot better and don't seem to be slowing down any at all!! So I stick to my previous argument that a fiery manager gets more out of his team than a California surfer boy like Johnnie B. Baker does complaining that things are "just not going our way".

Rusch is the NL's head chef for all star week.