JC

I am a firm believer that bullpen success is, for the most part, contagious. That being said, the Cubs have not been able to put together strong, consistent bullpens in recent years. Hendry has made some rough decisions during that stretch. At the same time, bullpen usage patterns have been eratic, and I don't know how much oversight is given to the bullpen arms by Dusty, Pole, or Rothschild. Bottom line--it needs fixed and I don't have much confidence that this group (including Hendry) knows how to do it.

We never got near $10.65M worth of production from Remlinger.

In addition to Tejada, Tim, I would add that in my opinion Jeff Kent was a great signing for Houston and for LA based on his high OPS. Good point about Kent. He seemed like a good fit, as he has a track record w/ Dusty. I don't know that Kent was a big Baker fan. Remember, after Kent and Bonds got in that dugout scuffle, Baker seemed like he gave a pretty good shove to Kent when he was separating the two. I also remember Dusty yelling at Kent during/shortly after the episode, IIRC.

When you get right down to it, this is just another Rafael Pameiro boner by reason of performance enhancing substances.

If you come back this way Bruce, do you think anyone in the organization is sweating the Farnsworth/Mazzone union? With Sisco having established a pretty good year for a pretty bad team (despite his mind-numbing BB totals) in KC, Mercker as the only one doing a thing on a bad Cincy staff, and Farnsworth already having a solid season, do you sense any uneasiness with discussions concerning the pen by management?

Yea, but I think he's still being tested. THe teller is going to be Post "Knee" surgery Bonds. If he comes back and hits .240 with 16 Homers, then we KNOW he is juicing. Are players on the DL tested? I don't think they are. Players on the DL are subject to testing according to Jayson Stark. However, as of three weeks ago, Giant players were subjected twice to testing (not all of them get tested at the same time for some reason), and I thought that the report said that Bonds hadn't been at that time.

Of freaking course it would be a 2:00 start. I have to play golf on Sunday after a couple of partners asked me to join them for a tee time at 1:00. Crap. You can't seriously be considering missing the game to play golf? You can't seriously be suggesting I blow off my bosses? to quote arrested development....there's gotta be a better way to say that. anyway, this is weak. haven't you been one of the people harrassing me for missing an i-cub game or two? No, but that is an oversight on my part. I will certainly make the necessary revisions to my schedule.

Of freaking course it would be a 2:00 start. I have to play golf on Sunday after a couple of partners asked me to join them for a tee time at 1:00. Crap. You can't seriously be considering missing the game to play golf? You can't seriously be suggesting I blow off my bosses? I know. Just giving you a hard time. Oh, I figured as much. If I get an open wound, I'll call you over with to pour some salt in it.

Of freaking course it would be a 2:00 start. I have to play golf on Sunday after a couple of partners asked me to join them for a tee time at 1:00. Crap. You can't seriously be considering missing the game to play golf? You can't seriously be suggesting I blow off my bosses?

Of freaking course it would be a 2:00 start. I have to play golf on Sunday after a couple of partners asked me to join them for a tee time at 1:00. Crap.

no kidding, you'd think the sky is falling Yeah. Who'd have thought you'd run into despondence on a Cub board when things aren't going well for them. Kooky stuff. Yeah, who'd think people wouldn't have learned from being in basically the exact same position the last two years and having a chance to make the playoffs in the last week of the season. Who'd have thought people would not think the season is over, and the team has no heart when we're 2.5 back in the Wild Card with 2 months to go. Listen, I don't want this thread to get sidetracked, so this will be my last post on the subject. However, the fact is that different people react to thinks in different manners. Begrudging some posters for their pessimism and constantly pointing it out is as annoying as the pessimism itself. I excuse any poster that is disappointed in the season to date. It has been disappointing to see this team squander away scoring opportunities and save/hold situations from the pen. I don't think its terrible that some people think this team shouldn't be in this position in the first place. That is their right. And, that is the beauty of a message board; getting emotional responses from all different sorts. I get befuddled when people don't understand why posters get upset when the Cubs lose. Why not just sit back and wait for the Cubs to come back and enjoy seeing their emotions do a u-turn as they did today? In the end, we all want the Cubs to do well. Chastising posters for their reactions, or sarcasticly berating them because they either process things differently or have a different outlook, doesn't contribute anything, IMO.

Yes. Example: Zambrano hitting for himself in Houston.

Have you considered the possibility that A-Ram's quad is still hurting him and he is unavailable? That's my thought - I disagree with Dusty plenty, but I'm sure if Ramirez was good to pinch hit there he would have done it. Perhaps not. If its true that he is on deck, this is why people presume the worst with Dusty.

no kidding, you'd think the sky is falling Yeah. Who'd have thought you'd run into despondence on a Cub board when things aren't going well for them. Kooky stuff.

Hendry wouldn't do that.

Ty Cobb hates you now. Daisy pushers don't scare me.

I don't disagree. Awesome! Lets be friends forever! 8) No. You can't deal with the truth that Erstad is the dirtiest player to ever play the game. Ever.

I don't disagree.

Allow me to muddy the Soriano waters. In the other thread, Hoops talked about Soriano possibly pouting if put in LF. What if the deal comes with an understanding that he would play SS next year, or even this year a little bit? He came up as a SS, did he not? Just wanted to toss that out there...

You're not suggesting Manny ISN'T a distraction, are you? The argument whether the team can take on a distraction aside, I don't think there is anyway you can label Manny as anything other than a distraction. -Refusing to go in a game -Three requests for trades in four years -Controversey over being sick in NY, yet having dinner with Yankees Those are just off the top of my head. Manny is an enigma. I would welcome him on the team, but I also recognize him as a likely distraction. His WS MVP is a testament to his skill, not his ability to be a team player necessarily.

20 million dollar, I need my days off, Manny? I'll pass Career 1.007 OPS, first time since 98 not in top 7 in MLB, Manny? I'll accept. People are so picky. Who cares if he can run, catch, throw, asks out of a game.....he's an elite offensive force? I agree with your arguments, Raw. However, I can see no way that Manny is brought to the Cubs. Management spent an entire offseason cleaning out the "distractions" from the roster. Bringing Manny in would be an obvious about face for the organization. Manny is the embodiment of a distraction, and this organization has invested quite a bit of ridding the dugout of such characters.

How about Teixeira? No chance, of course, but =P~ .

You can't trade a guy on the DL anyway, can you?

About the same as landing Willie Mays Hayes at the trade deadline to play center field.

Brownlie with another strong relief outing. I wish he would let me off the hook and just suck all of the time.