UMFan83

I feel like last year we found a way to win a game like this more often than not. Let's see what we do here.

Everyday its something new. People said the Cubs clubhouse was too bland last year. Well it's been spiced up this year. No doubt if the team was winning, stories like this would be blown over. But then again things like this might be contributing to our performances.

I seriously think that every season that I'm confident that one of my teams will make the playoffs, they fall on their faces and don't. Examples include the 2004 Cubs, the 07-08 Bulls, the 07 Bears. I didn't feel confident that the 08 Cubs, 06-07 Bulls or 06 Bears would make the playoffs for various reasons, but then I got cocky after playoff appearances and this is where it led me. That said, I still think this team has a great shot at the playoffs, but can't deny that we seem to be snakebit this year with injuries, down years, controversies, etc.

How so? Have we given them a chance to play with the entire team there? Also, who the heck could we sell? Lilly is the only player I can think of, and Hendry would find a way to get nothing of value from the trade. The team is fine, we have a lot of issues but we still have enough talent to compete all year.

Randy Wells: 1st start: 5 IP 0 ER. Leaves with a 2.0 lead. Cubs lose 3-2, Randy Wells gets a ND 2nd start: 7IP 0 ER. Leaves with a 4-0 lead. Cubs give up 4 runs in the 9th but win 5-4. Wells gets a ND. 3rd start: 7 IP 3 ER. Leaves trailing 3-1. Cubs lose 3-1, Wells gets a LOSS. 4th start: 7 IP 2 ER. Leaves trailing 2-0. Cubs lose 2-1, Wells gets a LOSS. 5th start: 7 IP 1 ER. Leaves with a 5-1 lead. Bullpen blows the game with 2 more runs in the 8th and 2 ERs in the 9th. Wells gets a ND.

Walking Lee to have a lefty face Reed Johnson. Nice

What kind of closer quality pitchers are out there for the Cubs to look at in July? Please don't say Kerry Wood.

Probably because he's behind in the count to almost every hitter he faces.

He still served up a meatball to a all power no discipline hitter, regardless of whether the inning should have been over. Seriously, a player like Francoeur should never be able to beat you with the game on the line.

marmol should go halfsies. Well Gregg blew this one plus the 4 run lead he inherited in Wells' start vs. the Astros.

6 ER in 32 IP over the span of 5 starts for a 1.69 ERA, and his record is 0-2

Poor Wells.

Nope. His control has been the only thing that jumps out at me as being different than the last 2 seasons. His H/9 and HR/9 are similar, but his BB/9 has jumped from 4.5 in 07 and 4.2 in 08 to 8.2 in 09. He isn't any more hittable, and based on the numbers he still has the same stuff (his K/9 is slightly lower than last years...11.7 to 10.6), its just a matter of finding the strike zone consistently. Who knows if its an arm slot issue or a release point issue or a mental issue, etc.

?

Says more about the team than Lee, but Derrek's point has been taken. He's not a corpse just yet. Yup. I'm not saying Lee is a superstar, or even 07 Lee, but despite 95% of Cubs fans giving up on him, he is still 2nd on the team in HRs, 3rd in RBIs, and 3rd amongst regulars in BA.

Lee up to .255/.330/.441/.771 for the year

Free Hoffpauir! Oh wait, the board isn't giving up on Lee anymore are they? Lee has the second most HRs on the team.

My guess is that Wells leaves after 8, Gregg gives up 4 runs in the 9th to tie the game, and the Cubs win in the 10th while Wells is once against denied a W.

*applause*

Weird, the MLB Network feed of WGN is about 1 second ahead of the actual WGN feed on WGNHD

not a free agent signing. jeff blauser and steve beuchele are definitely on my list. Steve Buechele was traded to the Cubs by Pittsburgh

Just throwing a few nominees out there Jeff Blauser Neifi Perez Howard Johnson

I think it's a very complex issue involving a desire to get more left handed and economic limitations to start with. Ideally, Hendry didn't want to replace 1/3 of the roster, but it had to happen to reach his goal of getting more left handed. Not saying I agree with it, but the offseason was more than Hendry deciding that the team needed an overhaul. All I know is that the Cubs went from one of the best hitting teams against right handers last year to middle of the pack this year. 3 games against the Dodgers wasn't a good enough sample to prove that we needed to overhaul the team in order to get more lefties in there. Yet at the same time, its hard to believe that the 2008 team would have been able to repeat their numbers in 2009. Part of the reason the Cubs are struggling this year is because Lee, Soto and now Soriano have been struggling with the bat, while Theriot is doing ok, but not hitting as consistency as he did last year. Also, Ramirez has been hurt a majority of the year. These are things that probably would have happened no matter what moves were made. I think Hendry's biggest mistake was destroying the bullpen, but I'm pretty sure that Lou had an influence in that. Players like Wuertz and Eyre were never going to get a fair shake with the Cubs because the manager simply didn't favor them. I'm rambling but those are my thoughts on the topic.

Haha, they are all chains to some extent, however some of them are smaller chains that don't make it to Cali.

LOL @ Cotts