BudHouse

No wonder they make no sense when they can't understand the basics. Non-Save Appearances--11 Saves-16 Blown Saves -4 Save %-75%

Wow. He's worked 3 consecutive days at least twice. He has just 1 save in a 3+ run lead. And he has more IP than any closer in the league (exception for Torres, who became a closer less than 2 weeks ago). Lou is actually working him in non-save situations much more than necessary, given how many save situations we have. You just pull this stuff out of your ass, don't you? Do everyone a favor..watch the language. I know you think it's funny to be real brave to and say things like that, but it's not. I'm by no means a prude, but children read this and we need to be grown-ups. Out of Wood's 16 saves and 4 blown saves-11 are 1-2 run lead and 5 are 3+run leads. Those games are: April 3 Save #1 May 6-Save #5 May 15-Save #8 May 16-Save #9 June 3-Save #16 Now that we've settled that..please kerry on.

I'm old school. I think my closer should excel in 1-2 run games, but beef his stats up with 3+ run games.

Right here all along boys. Since they broadened the rules for a 'save', it makes it alot easier to qualify for one. Rather than have the tying run at least in the on deck circle, now you can have the bases loaded and the tying run is in the dugout. How many saves does Wood have with 3+ runs? But the rules are what they are. Lou has tried to manage Wood as best he can, resting him after 2 consecutive games because he still needs to be coddled. The offense has been so good that there haven't been that many 1-2 run games and Lou has to stick him in there just to get some work. That's a nice luxury to have. I must remind everyone that the season is only 1/3 over and if Lou had someone to replace Carlos Marmol's slot, he would be the closer not Wood. But I'm pleased with the way the team has played and if Wood stays the closer and we win the World Series-GREAT!!!!!!

No changes are needed here, Lou. . Our closer has 3 saves in one run games, with 4 BLOWN SAVES. That's pretty good in their minds. Aim low, you'll always be satisfied.

I think Bruce was soft on Hendry's failures in talent evaluation and bloated contracts. Was it really necessary to sign Marquis to a 3 year contract? Who exactly were we bidding against? Hendry's evaluation of Brownlie, both Pattersons, Johnson, etc.. Please explain Neifi, Jerome Williams, Chad Fox, etc... Didn't Hendry know that with the testing for steroids, that players would get smaller, HRs would drop and that OBP and taking pitches would be more important? Hendry has failed to develop not only a long range plan for the Cubs, but also a team philosophy. Each year it's another overhaul, a different direction and more frustration with the fans.

Nothing's changed..the guy is a choker. Right, Vance? Lou has babyed this guy by bringing him in with 3+ run leads to try to build his confidence and you would think he learned something. But when the game is on the line, he's too erratic and still throws far too many pitches. But please feel free Lou to continue to run him out there to appease many here.

everything about that is a load of crap. everything Care to prove me wrong? It's obvious your management skills need some brushing up on.

You have some kind of sick vendetta against a couple players on this team; it's pretty ridiculous. First of all, never at any point did anyone, not even Z, say that Zambrano was any kind of spokesman. A reporter heard we signed Edmonds - someone who Z has had 'problems' or whatever with in the past - and asked Zambrano his thoughts about it. He had nothing to say. No one is trying to say he speaks for the team and it's not like Z is going out and trying to be a spokesman. Secondly, how in the world do you know who the leaders of the team are? You just like Derrek Lee and think he's a good player - plus he seems like a nice guy, so he must be the one and only leader of this team, right? I'm not denying that Lee is any of those things, because from everything any of us can tell he is each and every one of them. But the point is, you have no idea what goes on behind closed doors. From the best that I can tell, at least from just watching the team warm up/take BP before the gates open - Z is if nothing else someone that everyone likes. When he walks up to a group they almost immediately change from just sitting there and stretching/talking to smiling and laughing. It looks, at least from an outsider looking in point of view, that he plays a leader role himself. Even if that role is only to keep everyone loose. Long story short - If you want to pick a couple guys to hate, I'd advise you to pick guys that don't seem to be genuinely nice and good at baseball on top of that. You'll have better luck getting your point across. Thanks for the personal attack, ace. But then you must have issues to burn. I don't hate Zambrano. He's just not your everyday leader. A leader on the field has to be an everyday player, who is not a rookie, plays infield and is one of your better players-so he can be there for meetings on the mound. That excludes Soto(rookie), Theriot and DeRosa. That leaves Rameriz and Lee. ARam is not a leader, not the right personality. So that leaves DLee. I consider previous 'leaders' Girardi, Grace, Sandberg.

When did Carlos become the spokesman for anything besides McDonald's? Isn't this the first season he hasn't acted like a baby? Has he matured? Looks like it to me, but he doesn't speak for the team. For someone who only goes every 5 days, he should just shut his yap and do his job. The leader of the team is Lee, no one else This is a low risk..high reward move. If Edmonds is done and Pie hits .400 in Iowa, then Edmonds will be out of here. I'm hoping that Pie makes it back because we have so much invested in him. But he's got to play and he wasn't doing that here. Come July when teams start to unload their roster, Hendry could have a better selection of OF. All you experts on Edmonds, assuming that you have met him away from the field, what is your chief complaint? I have heard he's a little aloof, stand-offish in the clubhouse. But that's what sportswriters say. The players seem to like him. Is this the Edmonds you met? On the field he's a hot dog, showboats and makes average plays look difficult. I heard similiar comments before the Bulls signed Dennis Rodman. We hated him, he was a tool, he's self-centered and will disrupt the chemistry of the Bulls. 3 Championship rings later..he's a hero. He also wore makeup, dyed his hair and had tattoos...OMG! If Edmonds helps this team win, that's all I want.

Not even close, IMO. You mean Edmonds isn't close to Jones and Griffey, right? Jones is easily one of the best CF ever. Edmonds was a great fielder, but not better than Andruw. Jones isn't even in the Top 15 of all-time CF. He couldn't carry the jock of players like Mays, Mantle, Cobb and Snider.

I have a friend who is part of a group that will bid on the Cubs. The 'Cubs books' have not been distributed yet, but he suspects they will have it by the end of May or first part of June. He says it will be broken down into three possible scenarios: Everything including Wrigley and 1/4 local Comcast, w/o Wrigley, w/o Comcast. The TRIB has just sent the 'book' to Bud Selig and his group of fine knuckleheads.

No way should Fox be up here(based on what success?) and Hill should be sent down immediately with him. Len and Bob keep saying it's a mental thing, not physical. Hill seems at times he doesn't get it and certainly isn't aggressive out there. I feel bad for Matt Murton because he can only play the corner spots and he just doesn't seem to have the power we'd hoped for. He may be better off somewhere else. The continuing saga for Felix Pie is also disappointing. Jeez, I wish he could put it all together and get the bat rolling. I admire Lou for sticking with him. One theory about Lou having Soriano continue to bat lead-off is that he's sending the subtle message to Hendry that we need a lead-off guy now(you promised Brian Roberts and didn't get it done) to win the WS. Lou will continue to stick him there until a better option arrives. Just a thought.

7 save opportunities and 3 blown saves is not a success. And the BIGGEST game of Wood's career, one game short of a World Series, he lost. Not good. Grossman was QB of the Bears in a Super Bowl, had numerous injuries and also took a hometown discount for one year. He also was 'awarded' the job, after another dubious competition, in which he was clearly outplayed in training camp. Both GMs don't want to admit that they made a mistake and continue to bring these guys back not based on production. Call it sentimentality or whatever, but they have blind spots on some players(Wood, Fox).

I thought you wanted Howry to close which surely would have been the best choice. No, no...see, he made a nice vague opinion where he listed Wood, Marmol, and Howry, and then didn't say which one he wanted, just not Wood. So now, he can claim that he really wanted Marmol all along...it's a nice CYA move. No need to CYA, I want the best closer for this team. If that is Wood, then do the job. But don't have some phony ST competition, ignore the results and put your boy in there. I hear the same thing from the Bears. "We're gonna have a real competition in training camp. The best one will win out. BLAH..BLAH..BLAH." Kerry Wood=Rex Grossman.

Been watching our 'closer' blow 3 saves in one month, the same number as Dempster did all of last year. And yet Dempster was "no good". Let's lower that bar a little more, shall we.

Smoltz started pitching in relief in 2001. Bobby Cox did the smart thing by letting him prove himself in middle relief and then close. For the first two months: 17-Games, 18.1-Innings, 1 Earned Run, 3-Saves, 0-Blown Saves and 5-Holds Sham Closer 13-Games, 14-Innings, 5.15 ERA, 4-Saves, 3-Blown Saves and 0-Holds

If it was "much more a 'save situation'" and the game was truly on the line, then Lou would have brought in his most trusted and most experienced closer. That's Wood, isn't it? No wait...

The 'sham' was the announcement by Lou and Hendry that the closer job was open in ST and the decision would be made based on their performances. Wood had a sore arm the week of the decision, but was given the job anyway. Don't you think it would have made sense to actually have him 'close' a couple of ST games to see how he would do? Seems logical to me.

Who didn't see this coming when Lou ignores Marmol's clearly better record and gives the closer job to someone who HAD NEVER CLOSED ONCE. This OJT is not something you do for a closer. 7 closing opportunities--3 blown saves. :-({|= Wood can't go 3 days in a row in any role and has never had good control- 3 HBP already. Lou better wise up and get Wood out of there.

3 runs in the 9th, while Marmol K's 3 out of 4. But then who didn't see this coming. Vance and Truffle see it now.

"Hit hard" "Mediocre effort" "luckless" Ringing endorsements if I've ever heard them. Full steam ahead, never mind the icebergs!

It was perfectly clear to me and many others here. Can't help it if you weren't paying attention like the rest of us. [-X [-X I simply want the Cubs to win the division, the league and the World Series this year, that's all. To put any hope on having Wood as the closer, given his history of DL stints and who knows how many games he wasn't or won't be available, is bad decision making. Again, he has ZERO saves in his career.

Last I heard, the Cubs were at least hopeful he'd pitch tomorrow. Where did you pull "Saturday at the earliest" from? Furthermore, how many of those 11 trips to the DL were for back-related issues? Lou said it in a post game interview. He doesn't even want Wood to sit on a bus for 2 hours for Friday's game. And Lou promised he would name his closer by the end of this week. So, if Lou is a man of his word, it will be Marmol or Howry. The other option is if they can't deal Marquis, he may have to move Dempster back to the pen. I don't think any of his 11 DL trips were back related, but he hasn't gone in two straight regular season games. Back to back weeks may be a stretch for him. Oh look..it's Sarah...wheeeeee.

Lou says he can't pitch until Saturday at the earliest. 11 trips to the DL indicates a history to me. Let me know when you see the light.