ragirag

This is not an "I told you so thread". This is simply a restatement of what I said earlier in the year, a prediction I made in late April that I was lambasted on. I'm not allowed to stick by that prediction/gut feeling? I'm not allowed to call out a hitter who 'seems' to be falling into the same pattern as last season, albeit a little quicker this season? It seems that people on this board are a little to sensitive lately, which I understand given the team right now. But for some people to be calling for me to be banned because of a post like this is completely absurd. Right now, Hendry doesn't know what to do - as evidenced by the Perry firing. Sure, Von J deserved the promotion, but did Perry really deserve to be fired? If this team wasn't getting the absolute OUTSTANDING starting pitching they've been getting all season, who knows where the Cubs would be right now. The hitting is atrocious. Another argument about the 'hitting' of this team is that they'll start to come around - but on the flip side, can we really expect the starting pitching to continue to pitch like they have? Will Lilly really continue to be the sub 3 ERA pitcher he's been? Surely Randy Wells won't. Sure the hitting will probably come around, but the pitching is likely to tail off as well. Will we stay competitive in the WEAK NL Central - probably. I can see 85-87 wins winning the Central. So to say this team is an 80 win team, isn't that far off.. Most on the board say 90 at best. What's wrong with my opinion, and stating my opinion, that this 'could' be an 80 win team? And those who are calling for me to be banned, why should I be banned for a thread such as this? I just don't get it.

Still think he's not falling into the same pattern as last season? I've been saying it since late April/early may - this is an 80 win team. No depth, injury prone, and a shoddy bullpen.

This team, in its current state, is not good. I'd replace "bad" with underperforming. There will be some regression (up) by the offense, the starting rotation will be fine, but it definitely needs bullpen help. I think it's absolutely insane to think this team is going anywhere this season. I said a month and a half ago, this team was a 75-80 win team. Aramis is not going to come back and mash the ball. The bullpen is horrible, Wells will not pitch like this all season, Soriano sucks, Theriot is coming back to earth, and so is Fuku. Soto is proving with every game that last season was an abberation and not the norm, Bradley sucks when he's on the field (which isn't very often). Zambrano is now deciding he doesn't need to catch the team flight, after getting suspended for 6 games, Piniella keeps making boneheaded decisions, we have gaping holes at this current time at 2nd, 3rd, catcher, RF, and the ENTIRE bullpen. The list goes on and on. It's June - two months into the season. When do you finally sit back and say - "this team sucks"?? Now is the time to say that. I'll say it when players are producing to their career norms or normal trajectories, the offense still sucks at creating runs and the pitching staff still sucks at preventing runs. The bullpen was a question mark coming into the season, and it has taken a worse turn than expected. It is legitimately terrible. I'm not ready to say that about the offense quite yet, and I'm definitely not ready to say that about the rotation. Given the injuries and underperformances thus far, the fact that the team is still at .500 leaves me with plenty of reason to believe it will remain in contention, individual maddening losses notwithstanding. But as I said, changes need to be made for the bullpen for this team to not finish middle of the pack. This team is 1-19, or something like that, when scoring under 4 runs. How does a team win, that CANNOT win the close pitching favored game? The offense is terrible right now. If you think Aramis is going to come back and mash the ball after a 4-6 week layoff from seperating his shoulder, then you are sadly mistaken. What do you have to base Soto's numbers off of? The one year in the minors and one season in the majors where be played well? Look up his numbers from August through October last season - I bet they weren't anything to write home about. Fontenot has done nothing in the majors. What makes you think he'll suddently find it? Fuku started like this last season, and started to tail off right around now. I see the same pattern developing. Soriano - If he doesn't hit a homer, he's striking out.. Theriot is slumping pretty bad right now. Lee has picked it up a bit lately (thus being the only real bright spot on the team, outside of Wells). The bullpen is in shambles. The starting rotation is our only real bright spot right now, and how lomg do you think it'll hold that way? How long do you think it'll be before Zambrano combusts, wait - that's already happened. How long till Harden sees the DL - wait - that's also already happened. How long till Dempster proves 2008 was an off (by off I mean good) year, which isn't the norm? I mean c'mon! how long do you continue to make excuses for EVERYONE who is slumping?

This team, in its current state, is not good. I'd replace "bad" with underperforming. There will be some regression (up) by the offense, the starting rotation will be fine, but it definitely needs bullpen help. I think it's absolutely insane to think this team is going anywhere this season. I said a month and a half ago, this team was a 75-80 win team. Aramis is not going to come back and mash the ball. The bullpen is horrible, Wells will not pitch like this all season, Soriano sucks, Theriot is coming back to earth, and so is Fuku. Soto is proving with every game that last season was an abberation and not the norm, Bradley sucks when he's on the field (which isn't very often). Zambrano is now deciding he doesn't need to catch the team flight, after getting suspended for 6 games, Piniella keeps making boneheaded decisions, we have gaping holes at this current time at 2nd, 3rd, catcher, RF, and the ENTIRE bullpen. The list goes on and on. It's June - two months into the season. When do you finally sit back and say - "this team sucks"?? Now is the time to say that.

WTF? Two jacks tonight? What gives all the sudden? Is the wind blowing out tonight (at work, not watching the game). 5 on the season already? Wow...

Check out the ESPN Box Score for today's game.. It currently shows: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E CHC (14-12) 4 0 0 4 4 0 HOU (11-15) 0 -1 0 -1 3 1 In Progress Bottom of 3rd I had no idea you could score -1 runs in baseball.. Nice.

Wishful thinking. Bradley has played in 15 of 22 games Lee has played in 20 of 22 games Soriano in 22 of 22 Soto in 17 of 22 Aram in 13 of 22 and Fuku in 20 of 22. How is that 'we have only had our horses in 2 or 3 games at the beginning of the year'? And if the pitching keeps giving up 8-10 runs a game, we WILL NOT be alright. The team is downright awful right now, and it's not going to improve that much when the only player who has lost significant playing time to injury returns in Aram. You're ignoring the numerous ice cold starts a lot of guys with great proven track records have experienced. Lee may well be falling off, but ARam and Bradley are almost guaranteed to be far better than they have been and Soto and Fontenot are likely to be better than they have been. Even DLee is highly likely to improve - though I'm not sure how much. The pitching is a concern and if Dempster doesn't revert back to last year, we're in a bit of trouble there. But Z, Harden and Lilly are still a very strong top three and Marshall looked great last night. And one last thing - Who says Bradley, Aram, Soriano, etc are going to stay off the injury report? And ignoring the ice cole starts of other players, then how do you ignore the hot start Fuku had last season, only to fall off the face of the earth? You might say he figured it out. In reply to that, you can argue regression towards Dlee, Soto, etc... I am worried

How is the projected starting 8 running out there, going to fix the bullpen or the starting pitching? Answer that, and I'll leave it be...

Wishful thinking. Bradley has played in 15 of 22 games Lee has played in 20 of 22 games Soriano in 22 of 22 Soto in 17 of 22 Aram in 13 of 22 and Fuku in 20 of 22. How is that 'we have only had our horses in 2 or 3 games at the beginning of the year'? And if the pitching keeps giving up 8-10 runs a game, we WILL NOT be alright. The team is downright awful right now, and it's not going to improve that much when the only player who has lost significant playing time to injury returns in Aram.

All you naysayers who 'are not worried' about this team, and getting proven wrong. Another smashing opening to another Cubs game. Well on our way to being rocked again, at home. I'm telling ya - 75-80 wins, tops. (If I am wrong, I will gladly eat some crow - but I don't see it happening)..

Everyone keeps saying "we're not this bad"... What does everyone have to base that theory on? Nothing. Our bullpen is horrendous. Marmol - Another 2 walks tonight. Gregg, Heilman, and Guzman - atrocious. The offense SUCKS! Over their past 10 games, they have scored a whopping 38 runs, or 3.8 a game (keep in mind there were two games where they scored 10 and 11). This team is simply not good. They overachieved last season, and this year they are underachieving. I'd say we are an 80-85 win ballclub as we stand right now - a far cry from the 'best team in the NL' or the 'Team to beat in the NL' as everyone has stated. If the bullpen doesn't improve, then we'll be lucky to win 75 games.

Is it time to worry about the offense yet? Only 1 run in the past 2.5 games. Only 2 walks in the past 2.5 games. 15 k's in the past 2.5 games. We are only averaging just over 4 runs a game? I thought we were supposed to have the best offense in the league this year? Yeah, I know it's only the 15th game of the season for us, but when do you start to worry? DLee looks as if he'll never rebound Bradley looks as if he'll never see the field Fontenot's spring looks like an abberation Soto is in a sophmore slump and who knows if he'll pull out and Miles, well if we keep having to rely on him as an injury sub - god help us. When is it time to really start to worry?

Anyone but me find it strange that Dusty left Harang in for 114 pitches in a cold rain in NY on opening day?!?!

Heck, I'd like to see Lou throw out the line-up for game 3 as: 1. Fontenot 2. DLee 3. Soto 4. Aram 5. Derosa 6. Soriano 7. Edmonds 8. Theriot

What did Aramis get ejected for?

Papelbon - 1.61 ERA, 75 K/15 walks, .77 WHIP Dempster - 3.88 ERA, 48K/27 walks, 1.28 WHIP. But hey, at least his performance in situations arbitrarily defined by a meaningless statistic is only marginally worse than Papelbons! (Also, let's not mention the two tie games he entered and singlehandedly let get out of reach) I can't believe how comfortable people are with Ryan closing out games. I'm not arguing his numbers. I don't feel he is the best closer on the team, and when he's off, he is REALLY off, and allows more then just 1 run.. He allows the game to get into an unmanageable lead. Is that his fault? Yes. You're closer should in no way allow 5 hits, and 4 runs in one inning. but it happens. even to great ones. the best hitter on your baseball team shouldn't go 0-4, but that happens too. everyone has a bad game. I get where you guys are going with this, but it doesn't make me any more comfortable. Maybe he is our best closer, maybe I am just not happy with the offense and when we get down by more then 3 I panic? Who knows. I still don't think the Cubs have what it takes to hang in there for a playoff run this season.. I just see them fading over these final few weeks.

Papelbon - 1.61 ERA, 75 K/15 walks, .77 WHIP Dempster - 3.88 ERA, 48K/27 walks, 1.28 WHIP. But hey, at least his performance in situations arbitrarily defined by a meaningless statistic is only marginally worse than Papelbons! (Also, let's not mention the two tie games he entered and singlehandedly let get out of reach) I can't believe how comfortable people are with Ryan closing out games. I'm not arguing his numbers. I don't feel he is the best closer on the team, and when he's off, he is REALLY off, and allows more then just 1 run.. He allows the game to get into an unmanageable lead. Is that his fault? Yes. You're closer should in no way allow 5 hits, and 4 runs in one inning.

If that's the case, then you are having a hard time trusting the pitching too then? No? youre missing the point like a fool who falls out of a boat at sea and misses the water. Nice.. If you feel you need your offense to score 6 or more runs a night to give your team a chance to win, then that's pretty sad. If that's the case, you don't trust your pitching.

If that's the case, then you are having a hard time trusting the pitching too then? No?

In that time, how long was he on the DL? In how many appearances did he NOT blow a save?

I agree, but if the offense scores 4 and the opposition scores 3, and we are in the 9th inning, whose job is it to get those last three outs? Dempster...... And with that, I am not very comfortable.... Are you?

You're actually telling me you are comfortable with Dempster coming into the game with a 1 run lead in the 9th inning? Marmol is the closer of the future, why not put him in these situations now?

Dempster should not be closing out games for this team. I am completely disgusted with today's outcome. A day to finally full a little further ahead of the Cards and Brewers, and this happens. Absolutely horrible. Hand the reigns over to Marmol and do it NOW! For the lousy Brewers to be tied with us, and to have played as lousy as they have over the past few months, is crazy. And for the SORRY Cardinals to only be a game and a half out, with no Carpenter, and a rotation of Looper - Wainwright - Reyes - Kip Freaking Wells - and whatever other sack of crap they can find at the sewage facility, is horrendous. Blow this team up this offseason. The Cubs suck. Just sucks it only took me until September to admit it. The Cubs WILL NOT make the playoffs in 2007. If they do, I'll gladly eat crow.

Will he sign today? Any news?

Cubs will be back in first place by at least two games by the end of Sunday. The Cubs will sweep Cincinnati, and win two of 4 against St. Louis. Milwaukee will be swept by St. Louis.. Mark it down... After Sunday, the NL Central will look like this: 1. Cubs 2. Milwaukee 2GB 3. St. Louis