UMFan83

Jim Hendry must be devastated. That was his BFF in the game.

I sat 7 rows from home plate at today's quasi game, on tickets I bought off stubhub for $35 (I think face value is $80). The best part is that since the game is canceled, I can get a full refund (I think). If for some reason, I can't I can still return them to StubHub for my money back which means I got to say my goodbyes to Wrigley for the winter, and sat in the best seats I've ever sat for a Cubs game for free.

I'll be sitting in Sec 24 Row 7. Only cost me $20 ($80 face). Only conditions I would goto game.

I agree that team was awful. But I don't think any team should be bad enough to win only 43 games with a grinding every day 162 game season. Meaning I feel like a combo of luck + catching people on their off days should have been enough to win more than 43 games. The fact that when their legacy and pride was at stake they managed to win 5 of their last 6 games, including 3 of 4 over their division's champs (albeit playing meaningless games) shows me the team was capable of more. I realize it's an unpopular argument, and I accept that I could be completely wrong in my argument as I didn't watch any Tigers games that season, nor do I know anything about how Alan Trammel manages, it's just what I've always thought. Basically I don't want to advocate elevating him to manager when Lou leaves unless no other options are available. Some people might just be better as assistant coaches (Tex Winter, Rod Marinelli, etc)

I know not all of it was his fault (or maybe most of it), but Alan Trammel did preside over the second worst baseball team in modern baseball history....

I think it also has to do with: A) Urlacher being out for the year, downgrading the defense in our minds B) Both of our wins are of the "could have gone either way" variety, and were both aided by multiple missed FGs by the opponent's kicker. Then again, I really don't know if the people that do these power rankings even spend more than 15 seconds evaluating each team.

Swept in a double header to the Pirates by a combined score of 12-2. Where's your pride guys? I'd like Lou to put out the A lineup one more time this year. I mean I know we have nothing to play for, but that doesn't mean you have to forfeit the games.

GraBLOW

More power rankings, SI.com has the Bears at 16, the worst of the 2-1 teams. SI of course is the same publication (but not same writer) that predicted the Bears to make the Super Bowl a month ago.

Hopefully he predicts that the Cubs win the World Series next year.

????

Maybe we'll score a run in the nightcap.... Anyone tried to goto any of the games this series? I am trying to see if I'd have better luck screwing over a scalper or just buying tickets for dirt cheap on StubHub. The cheapest I've seen is $35 for Club Box seats 9 rows behind the visitors dugout. I figure it's a good chance to say goodbye to the 2009 Cubs and summer all in one swoop, because as much as I've moved on from this years Cubs, I will miss them a ton over the dreary winter.

Or maybe that's his excuse. "I didn't throw anything at her. I was throwing something against the wall about 50 feet away from her and it ended up hitting her" *cues tape of Yankees days*

Damn, I didn't even realize it was 4-0. So much for Lilly's ERA finishing the year under 3.

First completely meaningless Cubs game since October 1, 2006. No playoffs to get ready for, not clinching still to take care of. Just meaningless baseball. A doubleheader sweep would give us 84 wins and put us in good position to finish with more wins than the 07 playoff team.

Cool thing to see....4 of the 5 Cubs starters (the ones that got the majority of starts) will end the year with an ERA under 4. The only one that has one over 4 is Harden with a 4.09. It's too bad he couldn't have 1 more start to get his ERA under 4. BTW, this is the second time in 3 years that this has happened (also happened in 2007)

If I could change only 2 things about scheduling and rules in the MLB, here are my choices: 1. Only 1 series a year against interleague rivals. First of all it helps reduce the schedule inequalities from within the division (i.e. no 6 Cards-Royals games while we play the Sox). Also, it will definitely increase interest, 6 games is way too much and completely takes the novelty factor away from it. Finally, it will guarantee bragging rights for one side. How stupid is it to hype up this battle for Chicago, and then it ends 3-3 half the years (which is likely with each team taking 2 of 3 at home and 1 of 3 on the road). I know the MLB would argue against this because its a guaranteed sellout for many of these cities that might not normally get sellouts, but still there's gotta be a better way. 2. Division series' will be 7 games. I think a lot about how different 2007 and 2008 would be if LDS series were 7 games instead of 5. I feel like a lot of the reason we got swept was the pressure of a short series. We lost game 1 and all the sudden we acted like our backs were to the wall. A 7 game series makes each game slightly less important, allowing teams to relax and play baseball. Plus I think it definitely reduces the crapshoot factor of the playoffs. People always say that the playoffs are a crapshoot, IMO that's incorrect. THE FIRST ROUND is the crapshoot. Sure there are counter examples of a team getting hot and coasting into the World Series, but those happen in every sport (Arizona Cardinals, Warriors, etc). Most of the time, once you get to the 7 game LCS, the better team tends to win more often. To prove my point, look no further than the Cubs the last 2 seasons. In 2007, they faced a rather crummy DBacks team that had an extremely lucky season (proven by their Pythagorean record). They went out and shellshocked the Cubs in 3 games, and then went to the LCS and got smoked by the Rockies in 4 games. Then the next year the Cubs faced the 83 win Dodgers and choked again in 3 games. Next they went to the LCS and faced the Phillies, and not even Manny Ramirez could help them as they lost in 5 games. I'm not saying this because I feel like it hurt the Cubs the last couple of years (heck we semi benefited from it in 2003). It just makes more sense all around. I realize that adding 2 more games to the first round might mess up the schedule a bit, but I'm sure theres a way to get it done and not play November baseball. Get it done.

Well 102 years now officially. Get to work Jim. Also, anyone notice how Jason Marquis went on another second half collapse, today's start excluded?

Our elimination number from Colorado is 1 right?

Apparently we're still middle of the road according to most power rankings. ESPN has us at 14. Only SF and Dallas are lower than us among the 2-1 teams. Makes me wonder if Minnesota would be ranked 14th and the Bears 5th if we had started out the season 3-0 against @ Cleveland, @ Detroit, vs. SF instead of 2-1 @ Green Bay, vs. Pittsburgh, @ Seattle. The Packers are ranked 10th of course, which is understandable since they beat the Bears (unless you would say the Bears beat themselves), but I'd like to see what their record would be if they played our schedule. The good news is they will. Since our two non-common opponent conferences are the NFC South and East, we should all have pretty similar schedules. The Vikings non-common opponents are Carolina (who is better than an 0-3 team) and NYG, Bears have Philly and Atlanta (imo the hardest of the 3 teams), and GB has TB (ok theres a freebie) and Dallas.

Did you guys see Peter King named Brandon McGowin one of his 2 defensive players of the week for his play with the Pats? Figures.

Yeah people complain about stripping the ball when it backfires and they score a TD they shouldn't, but it's praised when they get the strip and it turns into a TD like it did later in the game. I don't know which side is better to be on.

The thing that's awesome about the last 2 wins is that they are common opponents for our NFC North rivals. We were able to beat the Steelers and the Seahawks, but will the Packers and Vikings? Maybe but those are 2 formidable opponents, especially because Seattle will likely get healthy by the time they play both of them. Meanwhile, the Vikings have already gotten their free wins over Cleveland and the first Detroit game, and the Packers have already gotten their free win over St. Louis. We still get to play those 3. The Bears managed to play 3 tough opponents, and still remain only 1 game behind the leader.

A noon game! Bears win 31-17

LOL, the moderator asked reporters if there was any other questions for Cutler, and he snapped back "Nope, thanks" and walked off the set.