UMFan83

It's hilarious how we are out hitting them 9-2 and yet here we are in extras.

This would suck if I got emotionally reinvested in this game only to lose in like the 15th inning or something.

as soon as scouting reports come out on them they quickly realize that they had .750 ops's in the minors

Can Fukudome just play every day? How does it make any sense to have another lefty, one that has maybe a third of the hitting talent that Koskue has, platoon with him. This team is messed up in so many ways, they don't even have the organizational depth to give us a replacement level RH hitter.

I love how the wind is blowing way in yet the Cubs are coming out there hacking for a solo home run. What a horrible approach. Soriano is so bad it boggles my mind how he could ever be a competent enough baseball player to deserve even half the money he makes.

Is there any reliever in baseball like Marmol. I never remember seeing a pitcher who is so unhittable and yet so amazingly wild. He's gotta be closing in on some BB by a relief pitcher record.

A run scored on 3 walks and a hbp. What a team.

If we have to lose I'd love for it to be on a bases loaded bb

Holy he'll what was that?

Looks like we get bad Marmol

I'll always remember the 1.5-2 week period where we looked like the offense we all thought we were capable of.

Is it like a rule that Harden has to give up at least 1 HR every game, no matter how dominant he is? Lately his HR given up have been big ones with runners on.

Man the Cubs fail at offense.

Nice attempt at bunting Harden. Geez. When there is 2 strikes and the bunt would only give you a runner on 3rd with 2 outs, you should just swing away, especially with a not awful hitter like Harden.

You say that like he has maintained his Pro Bowl Caliber play despite much less than 100% participation in practice. I know he's hurt but I'd like to get Tommie Harris all the work he can get.

It's true, but if he admits he's hurt and refuses treatment, he looks like an idiot and the real story comes to light by now.

Do you not think that Brewers sweep propelled the Cubs to what they achieved in the last two months of 2008? Do you think the Cubs would have won the division by 8 games, or whatever it was, had they split the series? A team can have a huge series in July and August that can be just as meaningful, if not more, than a series played in September. You don't have to just limit your examples to September and the postseason. I think it helped ease the pressure that their magic number kept dwindling despite being swept. Again I'm apathetic to this argument. Next we'd have to start talking about pressure and how to define it etc etc etc. I already admitted that I exaggerated my point a bit in my OP. I don't know what else you want from me or why you care so strongly about this. After getting swept by Florida in 2007, the gutless, choking Cubs should have sucked against Cincinnati, right? Instead, they came out on Friday and blanked the Reds to win the division. What a bunch of chokers.

We could have had Hudson this off-season instead of Miles; why would u think we would go after him next season? That is a gross oversimplification... We weren't looking for a starting 2B this offseason. We were looking for a platoon partner / veteran backup for Fontenot... a player that the Cubs likely no longer feel capable of being an average starting 2B. Furthermore, at the time that we signed Miles, Hudson was still looking for a completely ridiculous multi-year contract. One can rest assured his contract demands will be more much reasonable this coming offseason after he was forced to take a hugely incentive-laden one year deal for very little. And that's to say nothing of the fact that the basis of this thread is to create our 2010 Cubs... not take a guess at what Hendry will do. Agreed. I didn't have a huge problem letting Fontenot get a shot at the starting 2B job. It was giving MIles 2/5 instead of getting some AAA filler that could have given similar stats that pissed me off.

He's Pat Kane, he shouldn't have to tip. Hell that cabbie shouldn't have even charged him for the privledge of having him in his taxi.

What a joke. In 2007, the Cubs were 33-39, 8.5 games out of first place on June 21. They proceeded to go 19-5 over the next month and were 2.5 games out on July 20 and were never more than 3 games back the rest of the way. Also in 2007, the Cubs are 73-71 and 1 game back on Sept. 11 after being in the lead or tied for the division lead for much of the last month. They proceed to go 10-2 over the next 12 games to open up a 3.5 game lead going into the final week of the season. In 2008, the Cubs watch a 5.5 game lead on July 12 disappear after going 3-7 in their next 10 games and are tied with the Brewers. It's the first time the Cubs haven't had sole possession of first place in two months. They respond by beating Florida in the final game of the series then go to Milwaukee and sweep the Brewers (beating Sabathia and Sheets) and don't trail by less than 3.5 the rest of the way. Your talking about April and stuff, not mid August. I will agree what I said was a little extreme though. Did you even read my post? Look at the middle example. You know, the one that starts on SEPTEMBER 11. Just admit you were wrong and that the Cubs have, in fact, played well at times with their backs up against the wall. And your Florida 07 example is crap. The Cubs were up 3.5 games going into the final week of the season. All they basically had to do was not go 0-6 and they were going to make the playoffs. Their backs weren't up against the wall, the Brewers' were. Calm down, it was hyperbole as 2 of your 3 examples were in May-July. They do have issues when things go wrong and the pressure is on...or else how do you explain the playoffs the last 2 years? The Florida example is exactly what I'm talking about. They just swept a series at Wrigley vs. the Pirates and were 3.5 games up in first place. They got hit in the face by Florida and suddenly everyone is talking about choking and pressure and they responded by getting swept. Good thing the Brewers were on their own freefall or they could have been in big trouble. I don't think we'll see eye to eye on this so let's drop it, cause I'm very apathetic about this argument.

We will win this game

What a joke. In 2007, the Cubs were 33-39, 8.5 games out of first place on June 21. They proceeded to go 19-5 over the next month and were 2.5 games out on July 20 and were never more than 3 games back the rest of the way. Also in 2007, the Cubs are 73-71 and 1 game back on Sept. 11 after being in the lead or tied for the division lead for much of the last month. They proceed to go 10-2 over the next 12 games to open up a 3.5 game lead going into the final week of the season. In 2008, the Cubs watch a 5.5 game lead on July 12 disappear after going 3-7 in their next 10 games and are tied with the Brewers. It's the first time the Cubs haven't had sole possession of first place in two months. They respond by beating Florida in the final game of the series then go to Milwaukee and sweep the Brewers (beating Sabathia and Sheets) and don't trail by less than 3.5 the rest of the way. Your talking about April and stuff, not mid August. I will agree what I said was a little extreme though.

Ahh...ESPN has Blanton. OK, well we hit well against Lee in June.

Yeah, the Phillies are going to be tough no matter what but this upcoming series is definitely up for grabs given the Phillies' struggles lately and since it's at home. Plus, we don't face Lee or Hamels in the series. We get a rusty Pedro who I don't think we'll have a problem with (although Moyer would be better), Happ and Blanton. I'm starting to get on the "We're going to take 2/3 from Philly" Bandwgn

Without Ramirez (uncertain period of time), do you really see this team getting out of its funk against the Phillies? It could happen. We play a lot better at home, and if you haven't noticed, the Phillies have been slumping lately. They have won only 3 of their last 11 games and are coming off getting swept by Florida, and before that lost 3/4 to San Francisco.