Soul

Why is he not great? Because he doesn't fit the mold of a great GM? Help me out here. 99 wins. World Series run. Swept the World Series champs. Tons of moves in the offseason that have panned out. How is he *NOT* great? The facts would seem to be against you.... What has he done that was so great? His team winning a bunch of games doesnt make him a great gm. Oh, he's only put together the best team in the American league. In my book, that counts for something. If winning a bunch of games doesn't make you a great GM, then what does? That's kind of the whole point.

If it happens that the White Sox are the winners of the first World Series in Chicago in nearly a century, just be sure you place the blame squarely where it belongs. Don't blame the Sox, who hired a *GREAT* general manager who continually makes solid moves to bring in quality players every year. Don't blame the Sox, who have a minor league system that is actually producing a few players for their major league squad, INCLUDING position players. Blame our Cubs. The team that really doesn't care about winning anyway. The team that would rather put it's energy into creative ways of expanding Wrigley Field and opening up more "ticket agencies" so they can rape the Chicago public out of more cash than actually put a winning product on the field. Blame the Cubs. And then try to be happy for your city, who finally has a winner after nearly 100 years. Afterwards, be sure to DEMAND better from our organization by refusing to buy tickets & merchandise until a winner is placed on the field. I don't think I agree with a single word of this post. Yeah, most Cub fans can't bring themselves to accept how our organization has betrayed the trust the fans have placed in it. The truth is undeniable. The White Sox have made the moves, brought in & developed the players, and are now on solid ground for a World Series run. The Cubs have not, and are not close to the Series. You may not like it. God knows, I sure don't. I'm pretty mad about it. But it is true. And then, to watch them tear up Wrigley and probably raise ticket prices once again when they should be worried about putting together a winner. It makes me sick. It should make everyone here sick. Ken Williams is not a *GREAT* General Manager. The only reason the White Sox are in the playoffs is because they got ridiculous pitching performances for a portion of the season. The claim that they've somehow been more successful in developing players is absurd. Who's homegrown on their team? Buehrle, Garland, Crede, Rowand, McCarthy and some bullpen arms? How is that miles ahead of Wood, Prior, Zambrano, Patterson, Murton, Cedeno, and some bullpen arms? Both teams used their system to bring in players. Then of course there's the always enjoyable rhetoric that the Trib doesn't care about winning. They've put up the payroll necessary, and that's all they can be held accountable for. Wow, that's alot of sour grapes about Kenny Williams man. Look at the way he has pieced together a ballclub that fits Guillen's mold. His homegrown players have actually panned out and are contributing. His free agent acquisitions have been marvelous. Uribe. Iguchi. Pierzynski. Dye. You are seriously going to compare Crede and Rowand to Patterson (the biggest crash-and-burn failure in recent memory) and two September callups? :shock: That's borderline ridiculous. As for the pitchers: may be a wash. But you are ignoring the lack of position talent coming from our minor league system for......oh....the last 20 YEARS. No sir. Kenny Williams has been amazing. Maybe Hendry has it in him to be a great GM too. Hey man, I don't know. But calling Kenny Williams less than stellar after what he has accomplished on far less money than the Cubs sounds like nothing more than sour grapes to me.

Why is he not great? Because he doesn't fit the mold of a great GM? Help me out here. 99 wins. World Series run. Swept the World Series champs. Tons of moves in the offseason that have panned out. How is he *NOT* great? The facts would seem to be against you....

The 84 series, I was a young pup, but I remember my grandfather going on a profanity laced warpath that day. Something along the lines of losing a big money bet. Then the 2003 series, well, I went on a profanity laced tirade, that's for sure. In 2003, I went on a profanity-lace tirade as well. I think I destroyed some furniture too. It's kind of hazy :) But, on a positive note, I knew we would lose game 7 after the game 6 fiasco, so I put some cash on the Marlins (Cubs were favored) and came away with a goodly amount of extra spending money. :wink: First rule of betting: bet your head, not your heart.

If it happens that the White Sox are the winners of the first World Series in Chicago in nearly a century, just be sure you place the blame squarely where it belongs. Don't blame the Sox, who hired a *GREAT* general manager who continually makes solid moves to bring in quality players every year. Don't blame the Sox, who have a minor league system that is actually producing a few players for their major league squad, INCLUDING position players. Blame our Cubs. The team that really doesn't care about winning anyway. The team that would rather put it's energy into creative ways of expanding Wrigley Field and opening up more "ticket agencies" so they can rape the Chicago public out of more cash than actually put a winning product on the field. Blame the Cubs. And then try to be happy for your city, who finally has a winner after nearly 100 years. Afterwards, be sure to DEMAND better from our organization by refusing to buy tickets & merchandise until a winner is placed on the field. I don't think I agree with a single word of this post. Yeah, most Cub fans can't bring themselves to accept how our organization has betrayed the trust the fans have placed in it. The truth is undeniable. The White Sox have made the moves, brought in & developed the players, and are now on solid ground for a World Series run. The Cubs have not, and are not close to the Series. You may not like it. God knows, I sure don't. I'm pretty mad about it. But it is true. And then, to watch them tear up Wrigley and probably raise ticket prices once again when they should be worried about putting together a winner. It makes me sick. It should make everyone here sick.

After all these "improvements" are done, don't you people realize it isn't Wrigley anymore? Why don't they just tear down the whole park and build a modern facility? Just watching games on TV with the new brick wall in back of home plate: THAT'S NOT WRIGLEY ANYMORE. Build a new park and keep the old scoreboard and home-plate-entrance sign. No difference from what is happening now.

If it happens that the White Sox are the winners of the first World Series in Chicago in nearly a century, just be sure you place the blame squarely where it belongs. Don't blame the Sox, who hired a *GREAT* general manager who continually makes solid moves to bring in quality players every year. Don't blame the Sox, who have a minor league system that is actually producing a few players for their major league squad, INCLUDING position players. Blame our Cubs. The team that really doesn't care about winning anyway. The team that would rather put it's energy into creative ways of expanding Wrigley Field and opening up more "ticket agencies" so they can rape the Chicago public out of more cash than actually put a winning product on the field. Blame the Cubs. And then try to be happy for your city, who finally has a winner after nearly 100 years. Afterwards, be sure to DEMAND better from our organization by refusing to buy tickets & merchandise until a winner is placed on the field.

Easiest World Series to figure out EVER, and just about the furthest thing from a Cub nightmare that you can have in a season where your most hated rival makes the World Series. Root for the White Sox. Hands down. Yeah, their fans are obnoxious and we'd never hear the end of it from them, but think about it: do we ever hear the end of it from them *anyway*??????? Plus, they're Bear fans don't forget that. It's still Chicago, we're still the biggest city in the country that the East and West coast media buffons ignore, and we still as a CITY deserve much better than what we have seen from our baseball teams over the past 100 years. White Sox all the way. Send the Cards home in shame just like the BoSox did last year. Most illuminating comment about the White Sox, a 99-win ballclub who have basically torn up the league ALL SEASON with the exception of a slip in August/early September: Chris Berman, during today's game, "Well, America----meet the White Sox!!" It's early October and America finally gets to "meet the White Sox?!?" Huh? :shock: If that doesn't tell you of the DELIBERATE, SYSTEMATIC refusal to acknowledge Chicago that goes on in the national media then nothing ever will.

Yeah, I do care. As much as most White Sox fans are insufferable buffoons, I never hated the Sox franchise or it's players, and I think it's high time Chicago received representation in the World Series, even if it isn't the Cubs. Plus, a White Sox trip to the World Series will make the Cubs look 2nd rate, which is exactly the kind of pressure that is needed to get something done about the lack of effort on our team and lack of good players coming into this organization. Hey---if you fans won't buck up and put pressure on the organization (and you DON'T), then it has to come from somewhere or we will never, ever win a World Series. That's just the bare bones truth.

The facts are simple and irrefutable. The Cubs do not have a successful track record of developing good young position players in the minors. Our minor league system from top to bottom has shown a lack of competence in developing the players we do have, as well as bringing in guys who are capable of developing. And until it is fixed, we will not be successful long-term unless we can somehow manage to put together a team through free-agency and trades at the major league level. Other teams have done this successfully so it can work (Yanks, BoSox, Cards). But it's like trying to run a marathon with an injured leg: sure, you can still make it the distance, but wouldn't you rather be pumping on all cylinders?

You know the most disappointing thing about Dusty Baker? We never got to see all those interviews Joe Carter would have done if he had just hung on as color man for a year or two longer.

Let's just make some good moves this offseason, be a healthy team for once, and make the playoffs in 2006 8) Wow, life is so simple from my easy-chair! :P

Most people would be canned and/or jailed if they pulled up with illegal substances in their bodies. End of story, end of life. If they tried to say "somebody slipped them to me in my brownies" it would take a little longer: jail time would occur *after* everyone got through rolling on the floor in laughter. But with ballplayers, they get unlimited chances to break the law and all they get is a little slap on the wrist as they plan to write a multi-million dollar best selling book that tells half the story. Anyone feeling sorry for Raffy? God, I hope not. The guy can cry in his bottle of Dom as he is chauffered to his mansion by his exclusive staff of handmaidens. Poor baby. I don't see anyone taking away all that cash he cheated to make. As Dennis Leary says, "THAT would be more refreshing." There are dozens of other ballplayers out there who cheated just as badly as Raffy. You can count on that. I hope they nail them all, but I'm realistic enough to understand most of them will probably never be totally caught. Thank God Raffy was.

Ask Dusty and Hendry. I think the Black Cat has their tongue :P

How is it possible to go from 2 innings away from a World Series to worthless ballclub in the space of less than 2 years?

Dusty is intent on destroying our weekend. Other teams recognize bad management and make changes. The Cubs refuse to accept it and ride out a bad season rather than attempt to improve. I hate the way this team is run. Your average hot dog stand owner could do it better.

Can we play all the rest of our games today? The quicker this season gets over the better.

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.