Ballgame64

8 hits and a walk through 5 innings and only two runs. This is one of the most frustrating offensive teams I can remember.

Cairo, Hanigan and Janish...two walks and a single. Come on Garza, you have to be better than this.

The 10 game road trip to St. Louis, Cincinnati and Philadelphia should be a lot of fun. At this point, 3-7 is about the best you can hope for. But the only problem with the team is injuries, right Tom Ricketts? Was Kerry Wood injured when he walked the immortal JR Towles?

Even Fred has given up caring who strikes out :D

They made Myers throw 6 whole pitches in the 2nd inning. What a team!

Baseball has been played outdoors since it began. There is no such thing as a need for a retractable roof stadium. If we lived by comparison, we'd all still be in caves. When baseball became such a big business and expanded into late March and late October it sure did necessitate the need for these stadiums. As a fan, you would rather sit out in 40 degree, rainy weather? Not me. Baseball has changed with the times to try to make the game better. From buses to trains to airlines to charter flights. Rooms in the finest hotels. Smarter meal choices in the clubhouse. Better training facilities, better medical treatment, etc has all been upgraded to make the game better. In my opinion, playing the game in a controlled weather environment makes the game better as well.

I really don't understand this kind of sentiment. Yes, I want the Ricketts to do what needs to be done, but it's not like they've let these stellar FA classes get by them in the time they've owned the team. Unless you were expecting them to command the FO to start trading the farm or blow even more bloated contracts on mid-level FA then there hasn't been much to do right now to dramatically change this team. And Wrigley is a dump that's literally falling apart. It's a huge part of the investment for anyone that owns the team and it needs a ton of upgrades and work sooner rather than later. It is really simple to understand. You buy a team and you hire your people to run it. You don't allow the group that has failed to continue to fail. All that leads to is a disgruntled fan base. I think most fans would be a little more patient if Ricketts had cleaned house. At least there would be the appearance that losing will not be tolerated. While there would still be bad contracts on the books, at least the players would see that the era on no accountability is over. Would the results change? Who knows. As for Wrigley, you go about making your changes/updates without talking about it. Instead, Ricketts blabs on endlessly about keeping it for the next generation of Cub fans. I wonder if he realizes the only tradition at Wrigley Field is losing. Personally, I would be looking at options for new stadiums. This spring shows the need for a retractable roof stadium. I wouldn't want the weather having such an impact on games.

The fanbase is getting itchy. They got a taste of winning, and I don't think they're content with "same old Cubs" anymore. They want a championship, and I don't think the Cubs will draw 3 million a year anymore with a piss-poor product on the field. They might not "draw" 2 million if this keeps up. They will sell more than 2 million tickets but I think people will just eat the cost of the ticket and not waste their time watching a miserable team.

I am older than you and watched the teams of the 1970's. Those were awful teams but ownership showed very little interest in investing in the team to field a winner. But the point you make is right on the mark and I think is shared by most fans now. The problem as I see it is Tom Ricketts seems to be more worried about Wrigley Field than putting a winning product on the field. He thinks the park is the reason people come to the game because that is what he did. I can't believe that he, his siblings or any of his close advisors can't see the need for change. Of course, I would have fired everyone the day I took over if I were him because I would have spent the endless months of the sales process to line up a new front office.

You can hope for someone in the Ricketts family to hire a proven baseball man to run the entire organization. Meanwhile, more losses and more empty seats to come. Maybe Tommy boy will stop worrying about the Wrigley Field experience long enough to realize that fans really don't give a damn about the park they play in.

Meanwhile, in St. Louis a no name pitcher who started in the minors, mows down the Giants in the 9th for a Cardinals win. Now a 3 run homer. I have no real thought this team can turn it around, but if they hope to someone needs to lose their job tonight. Something has to be done shake up the team. Again, the players have to perform but like last May when there was no reason to keep Lou, there is absolutely no reason to allow Quade to manage another game.

You throw 95 mph and you work the outside corner against Michael Bourne instead of going inside. WTF are they thinking?

One single, five doubles and one triple for the Cubs hitters tonight. They are a very interesting offense, not necessarily good, but interesting. No drama Carlos. Let's have a simple 1, 2, 3 9th inning.

Walking Pena to get to Ramirez. Come on Aramis make them pay.

The kid comes through again with an extra base hit even. Ok Darwin, you made me look silly after an earlier negative post about you. Big Z can get the win. Nice job by him tonight.

Good job by Fukudome. Go ahead run on 3rd with one out and Barney coming up. Will Quade try a suicide squeeze? I'm hoping for a wild pitch!

So does Koyie Hill or DJ pinch hit here? Or does he let Fukudome hit.

Yet tonight, Pena has seen 2 pitches and made 2 outs. The first time was one thing, but to do it twice in a row was shocking. Then again, the first time was after a two out triple so some patience would have been nice to see.

I think we are witnessing the free fall of Darwin Barney. Like Theriot, the league knows he won't take a walk so throw it close and he will swing. Top of the order and the result is an 11 pitch inning. 69 pitches through 6 innings. How in the world did Rudy Jaramillo get a reputation as a good hitting instructor? Fire everyone now. Injuries or not, this team is a joke.

A team that struggles to knock in runners from 3rd base and less than 2 outs, yet the manager has the 7th hitter, who should be batting 8th, bunt the guy over to 3rd with one out. Of course that is followed by 2 strikeouts. Hey Mike, it is OK to let the 7th hitter swing away in a 1 run game in the 5th inning. At least give the guy one strike to try to get a hit. It is also OK to play for more than one run.

38 pitches through 3 innings for a 20 year old making his major league debut. Way to make him work guys. The mental approach of this team leaves a lot to be desired. Then again, aggressiveness is what Hendry and the front office wants, regardless of the outcome.

Big run to pick up at 3rd base and one out. Great speed by the kid! Can the bullpen hold the lead tonight? I post about Byrd's lack of production and he gives the Cubs the lead with a homer.

I am not a Reed Johnson fan but there is no reason he can't start a game or two for Byrd. Quade continues to put Byrd's name in the line-up when he isn't giving the team much offensively. Byrd has 8 rbis for the year and 3 came on one swing. He is hitting .217 with runners in scoring position and .176 with guys on 1st and 2nd. He might as well be another pitcher in the line-up. Hendry shot his mouth off about having to perform when they sent Colvin to AAA. Hey Jim, use the same criteria on your veterans. Let me guess, all you see is Byrd's batting average and figure Byrd is a great player.

Be careful they will come for you with torches and pitchforks next. please point me to the posts where people on nsbb are saying that things like defense and baserunning don't matter. Proof - many posters wanted Adam Dunn. How can you believe in defense if you wanted that guy? There are plenty of posters who didn't want Sandberg because of his quotes about playing the game the right way. They don't want to hear about hitting behind runners, bunting or shorting your swing with two strikes. All I know is it seems like everyday the Cubs failure to make consistent contact seems to cost them runs.

People scoffed at Ricketts when he sent the letter saying the team would be better fundamentally. The enlightened baseball minds don't like to hear things like that or playing the game the right way, but this team is proof there is still merit in those things.