SouthSideRyan

Fine he copied what he thought won the world series the previous year. Unfortunately he's too stupid to realize what actually won. Good players.

Williams did a great job this offseason. This team is far superior to last year's team, but probably won't win 99 or the world series. Them's the breaks. This one has far more right to a title than last year's.

Didn't we just have this argument yesterday?

That's pretty telling, when a corner outfielder with a sub-.800 OPS is one of your more positive things so far. \ Yeah he shoulda said something about a sub 800 OPS being unacceptable from a corner OF. That would've went over much better.

Am I just a clown here to amuse Scott G.F.? Yeah funny. Like...ya know funny. No I don't know. You said it. You said I was funny, what the hell is so funny about me?

Am I just a clown here to amuse Scott G.F.?

Baseball is alla bout focus. right now the Cubs have no focus at all. If they focused on a new manager that hold them accountable I'm betting they would respond. The Cubs have the talent. What they need now is the focus. Maybe in the form of a loony manager. Goonie. I have heard rumors he'd like the Cubs job (Davie that is) Or they could "press" and still suck. Lloyd McClendon had my favorite manager argument of all time where he took the base and walked off the field with it. Shockingly, the Pirates still sucked.

He chose to go to Tampa. And he wasn't any better in Seattle than Dusty was in San Fran (and both men won because of the ability to pencil in all time greats every day - and neither reached the promised land despite all that talent). Everybody likes to talk about how smart it is to change the makeup of the team by changing the personality of the manager, but what proof do you have that it works? Philly was a moderately talented team that struggled under Francona, who was considered a soft excuse making players managers. So they brought in Bowa and still struggled. A lot of people just assume that ranting and raving and intensity will equal great success, I disagree. Larry Bowa brought alot of fire but not much people skill. He was why over the top. Lou Piniella isn't a raving loon. Nither is Davie Johnson. But do you think for one minute that Sammy Sosa would have considered leaving early if either those guy's were managing? I think we all know the answer. Dusty must go and be replaced by someone that holds his players accountable!! If you don't think Sammy was held accountable for his actions then I really don't know what to say. My point is he wouldn't have done it because he would have been held accountable!! With Dusty in that case he threw Sosa under the bus much to Sosa's suprize. So Sosa left early becasue he wouldn't be held accountable. But then he was. Did Rob Dibble fight Lou Piniella because he wouldn't be held accountable?

As laughable as arguing he's a good hire because of his record in Tampa? Cause that's what Scott's doing. So Piniella made 4 playoff appearances in 10 years? (Was actuall a 7 year span) So 4 times in 7 years. Yeah, I think the Cubs had a guy who did that before. His name was Dusty Baker.

Exactly. People still show up and nothing will change. If they start getting 15K people to show up at the games, believe me, things will change. myth. Cut the Tribunes gate revenues by 58% and see if things don't chance Ok, Trib's gate revenues are cut in half. What do you think will happen? The Trib will go against their stockholder's best interests and overspend on the baseball team? The Trib will sell the team at their lowest value? The Trib will decide that spending 100M a year for mediocrity was a bad idea, so they'll bring in a better GM?

Did I miss something? What did Piniella do with the D-Rays? Dusty > Piniella

Exactly. People still show up and nothing will change. If they start getting 15K people to show up at the games, believe me, things will change. myth.

What is Bobby Cox's record this year btw? Hint: 14-18, look familiar? Are you seriously arguing that the fact that Braves are 14-18 is indicative of Cox's managing abilities or style? If you are, please excuse me while I ignore your argument. And if you check, I believe you will find that the Braves had similar record at this time last year...the year when they won their 14th straight division title. Picking nits, but the Expos disagree.

Brenly made Johnson go seven innings in Game 6 when he knew there was a darn good chance he'd want to bring him out of the pen in Game 7. I know what you're saying though, seven innings doesn't sound so bad... Until you realize the DBacks were up 1-0 in the first inning, 4-0 in the second inning, 12-0 in the third inning, and 15-0 by the end of the 4th. Quoted for truth. Seriously, Brenly did everything he could to lose that series. The Randy Johnson thing was absurd. The fact that he was pitchng after the fifth was nuts. It was a miracle those guys did what they did. I can't think of a worse manager with a WS ring. I really can't. Lou Piniella. And mabye Tommy Lasorda.

How about last year's WS champs? Guillen called those guys out about once a week (and still does). It doesn't mean that it works in every situation. However, I think it would be a good thing for this Cubs team in light of their problems, which include bonehead baserunning mistakes and the like. How about the previous 7 years WS champs? Francona, McKeon, Scioscia, Brenly, and Torre are all much closer to Baker as they are to the blithering idiot on the south side.

Strangely enough, on the new morning show on ESPN 1000 radio, Sean Salisbury had Mike Ditka on as a guest, and he talked to Ditka for five minutes about whether Dusty Baker is a good manager or not. I can't wait to hear how Derrek Lee grades the Bears draft or what Todd Walker thinks the Bulls should do to improve the team in the offseason. ] Salisbury's a tool.

Fans will boo pretty loudly unless the Cubs look really good the next 2 games. Which they won't.

If everybody could keep citing the times where a manager calling out players in public helped and keep ignoring the times when it didn't, that'd be great. I'll go next. Don Baylor on Corey Patt...no wait.

I thought Alcantar kicked him in the stomach, not the face.

The next manager of the Cubs will be Brenly or Speier, and I have little problem with either.

That's pretty much the worst idea I've heard. If some White Sox clown is willing to give me his life savings for two tickets, I'd be foolish not to take it. Why would you be foolish to not take less than face for the tickets?

Doug Eddings and catcher's interference references are encouraged. As are Pierzynski's resemblence to Ben Seaver.

When they yell at you don't respond. Ignore every insult hurled at you, and when the Cubs score/hold the White Sox, stand up and clap as loud and obnoxiously as you can. If there's a big situatino for the Sox, let's say bases loaded, 1 out, and all the fans are on their feet so tehy could hit an inning ending double play, turn up the obnoxious clapping even more. If they were chanting said player's name, make sure to chant it loudly as the inning ends. Keep all your obnoxiousness towards the product on the field, none at the fans. It wouldn't hurt to have some friends with you for the end of the game, as it's going to be a lot of drunk people around, some doing nothing but looking for a fight.

These type of complaints always annoy me. Yes the team has been horrible, and it's quite likely that Dusty understands that. What do you want him to say. Coming out and saying we've played like **** does nothing for anybody.

More middle infielders and more speed. Less power. Sounds like a recipe for success.