Soul

fleeting moments. fleeting moments.... Given how dominant he was the last 5 starts last year makes me think it was more than just a fleeting moment. I suppose we have no choice but to hope that's the case.

fleeting moments. fleeting moments....

Never called him washed up. I'm just prepared to adjust my assessment of his ability down a notch

He had a compression fracture in his pitching elbow. Maybe that had an impact on his pitching. He's certainly not pitching as well as he has in the past (2003). He's also still usually able to make adjustments within a game, but the first inning of games has just killed him recently. I'm willing to consider causes. Whether he gets a pass from you for any reason is obviously up to you. Yeah, now you're just making excuses. If he's not healthy enough to pitch, then he shouldn't pitch. It's been plenty of time since that injury. If he's not over it by now, he never will be. I consider causes too. Want to know what 'causes' Mark to give up runs? Lack of pitch variety. All the rationalization in the world can't manufacture a third pitch out of thin air. so what was his third pitch in 2003??? It was a great pitch. One that is incredibly difficult to hit. They call it the "league-hasn't-adjusted-to-you-yet" ball. Nasty, nasty stuff.

He had a compression fracture in his pitching elbow. Maybe that had an impact on his pitching. He's certainly not pitching as well as he has in the past (2003). He's also still usually able to make adjustments within a game, but the first inning of games has just killed him recently. I'm willing to consider causes. Whether he gets a pass from you for any reason is obviously up to you. Yeah, now you're just making excuses. If he's not healthy enough to pitch, then he shouldn't pitch. It's been plenty of time since that injury. If he's not over it by now, he never will be. I consider causes too. Want to know what 'causes' Mark to give up runs? Lack of pitch variety. All the rationalization in the world can't manufacture a third pitch out of thin air.

I don't understand the mentality that says if a guy isn't healthy the whole year, he gets a pass on poor performance. I'm sorry, but that just doesn't work for me. Players play partial seasons all the time and do well. It seems only Cub players come back from injury and forget how to play baseball until the following year's spring training (when they likely get hurt again and start the cycle all over again).

At the same point you decide, "Dusty Baker must not be allowed to manage another Chicago Cubs baseball game."

When we go to analyze the offense in the offseason, September's stats should be thrown out. I know we're playing better now, but if the games don't count then neither should the stats. It irks me to see players who don't contribute until it's too late, and it bothers me further when people make an analysis based on stats that mean less in terms of contribution to the pennant race than spring training.

It does feel good to have the shoe on the other foot for a change 8)

Soooooo true.

Thanks, that made me feel better :wink: You're coasting to the playoffs. Not going to get alot of sympathy from us losers :wink:

Of course. Ahhhh, but where was he when we needed him?

Seriously, can we please cut Corey now? Cut him, release him, designate him for assignment----anything to end his career as a Cub. There's no question he would rather not take another at bat as a Cub. And frankly I don't care to see him take another at bat as a Cub. End it already. It's over.

If common, every-day fans realized Dusty's incompetence months & months ago, and now respected baseball writers are starting to finally break their silence and call Dusty what he is, then I have a question for you all: What does it say about Hendry & MacPhail that they still don't realize it? The problems go higher than Dusty. Firing Dusty would be a good first move. How many of you, fully knowing that Hendry & MacPhail can't see the truth, have total confidence in the Cubs' ability to bring in a solid replacement? I know I don't. If they can't realize how bad Dusty is when the whole world knows it, then how are they going to recognize a *good* manager when they see one?

What most of us tend to forget, 2003 was supposed to be a "rebuilding" year for the Cubs too. It was, IIRC, year 2 in their 4-5 year plan to rebuild into a consistent contender. No one predicted ST. Louis and Houston would have sub-par season and the Cubs would sneak in on the shoulders of what ended up being a terrific pitching staff. The Cubs ended up making moves late that year which helped them into the playoff but were not quite enough to get them to the WS. And the moves they made disrupted their rebuilding plan. I still content 2003 was the year the Cubs should have realized was their year and moves should have been made late in the year to insure a WS title. Happy & satisfied. These two words....they do not mean the same thing. Can Beane be "happy" in light of the position of his ballclub given the fact that he had to unload so much talent? Sure. Satisfied with just playing and not winning the World Series? That's the way of the loser---and I highly doubt a guy like Beane is satisfied just to put a team out there. As for the Cubs' rebuilding plan: how is it working out now that we are completing year 4 of the plan? Not too good. Something's not right, and I'll tell you what it is. We've been on a rebuilding plan for 100 years. Every time we complete another 5 year rebuilding cycle, we still stink and everyone just accepts that a new plan is in place. It's time to reject that philosophy of losing and the acceptance of losing. I fully expect the Cubs to win the World Series next year. If they don't, then they have failed and failed miserably. And that's the bottom line. Win or find new jobs. No rebuilding cycles. No "plans" to delay the ire of fans and fool those who don't know better. Win now. After 100 years, we have a right to expect to win and win immediately.

Soul in February: "Worst outfield in the league + shaky bullpen = 3rd place" My God, how could I have been so far off? My formula was inexcusably bad. Now I know, it should have read: "Worst outfield + shaky BP + no good closer until June + Woody, Prior injured + Nomar made of glass + Remmy junk + Dusty junk = 5th or 6th place" I beg your forgiveness. Honest---I won't let it happen again.

Atta-way Cubbies!! Pad those stats now that the games mean nothing!! Whooooohoooo! :roll:

I'll always love him too. I wish it didn't end the way that it did, but nothing can change that now.

Getting ready for a push in '06 should be foremost in the minds of everyone in the Cubs' organization. It's hard to say if that's the case and they're just paying lip service to this year, or if they really believe it is wise to not think about '06 now. I would imagine this offseason, unlike last year's, we will know rather quickly how serious this ballclub is about winning. There should be some money to spend from the get-go.

Though 2 winning seasons in a row was nice, it's still far short of my own expectations and therefore not up to par. The only thing I realize about the Cubs and baseball as a whole is, there is only 1 team who should feel "satisfied" at the end of the season. Everyone else should be upset. Anything less is setting the bar too low---something this ballclub has done far, far too often in my 3+ decades as a Cub fan. The truth is, if you didn't win the World Series you didn't get the job done. We have therefore failed as an organization for nearly 100 years. I can not, will not, and nobody can make me, be satisfied under those circumstances.

What makes the Sosa deal look better every day? With Sosa we would have dropped to 5th place a couple weeks ago instead of potentially tomorrow? :-s Either way, we're paying the salary this year---either way, it's off the books come October. And either way, this season is a trainwreck. I see little difference nor much advantage that was created by that deal.

Let me just say this about lefty pitchers pitching to lefty hitters: If you are going to pitch like a coward and throw nothing but sweeping junk that ends up way off the outside corner, that's just fine. But if you miss inside like Francis just did, you get exactly what you deserve. Nice homer Burny 8)

Very nice. Good pitch. Cubs Win. =D>

Well. To beat the Cards, you usually have to beat Albert somewhere along the line.

Cardinals are where they are for a reason. Gotta be honest. Big trouble here.