XZero771679666304

Gamedae made that look like a massive shot. Was it?

Gmeday makes it look like Z has no control at all. Is it really that bad?

Yeah, poor Nomar is looking like lightning in a bottle. :( Hopefully he can contribute something before the season is over. Either way, Cedeno needs to play so Jim knows what he has to work with at SS in the offseason.

And Brendan Harris.

Strange that the only player in the lineup who hasn't done jack tonight is Neifi....... :-k

What an AB by Cedeno.

Baker has been given the tools to get it done in the past two years, but unfortunately they were not the tools that he wanted. Ergo he has NOT used them so he has NOT gotten it done. Or....he DID use them and they failed (LaTroy Hawkins anyone)? I think LaTroy was MISused. He clearly wasn't a closer, and the Cubs tried it anyway. Off the top of my head: Mark Bellhorn- best as a leadoff hitter, Baker hit him 6th Lenny Harris- best as a bench player, Baker had him start Corey Patterson- not a leadoff hitter, Baker had him lead off Jerry Hairston- Best as a leadoff hitter, Baker used him there sparingly LaTroy Hawkins- Effective set up man, Baker used him as a closer Kyle Farnsworth- Effective if not used 3 days in a row, Baker ran him out there as often as possible Mike Remlinger- More effective against RH hitters, Baker used him as a loogy Neifi Perez- Career averages suggest he's bottom of the order material, Baker has him lead off Chad Fox- recovering from surgery must not be used too often, Baker pitched him 3 days in a row. Shawn Estes- generally ineffective, Baker continued to start him even as he got hit very very hard. With Fox, the third consecutive game was a blowout, Fox obviously didn't have anything, and Baker left him in for 29 pitches. It was disgusting to watch - you just knew what was going to happen. You wonder how many more games the Cubs might have won with Fox and Hawkins setting up Dempster from the get go. Of course, that's just one example of Baker's mismanaging.

no. for as bad as Wood has been, Zito has been worse the last few years Maybe Wood for Zito + Kotsay The A's wouldn't want Wood. They'd probably give us Zito for minor league talent because this is the last year of his contract and they want to get something for him before he walks. Maybe Hill, Mitre and others.

Being a good team is one thing, playing like one is another.

And I love him for it. His antics always entertain me. From hopping out of the batters box on a borderline inside pitch to his diving. Yeah, watching Jimmy dive for that and the subsequent antics was much more entertaining than watching Andruw or Torii coast underneath the same ball would have been. :P Do I envy his defense? Not a chance, as it is overrated. His offense, on the other hand....

Apparently, we aren't the only ones who notice Dusty has favorites. They've been takings shots at Dusty for weeks now. Some of them have been quite amusing.

Baker will have to fired or Macias and Perez will have to go for this to make sense. I am hoping it's the former.

It will be hard to evaluate until the dust settles.

and tell me how you know they'll waste away on the bench? this could be a precursor to dusty's firing, which would lead to young players actually having a chance to play. We'll see what happens, but how would this indicate Dusty being fired? If Baker was going out, Dubois would stay and both Macias and Perez would sit or be released. If that doesn't happen, this is almost like the opposite. Dubois wasn't performing. He got his shot for nearly a month and did nothing. I don't think Doobie had a future as a starter on the Cubs, regardless. I don't think he was ever given a full chance, which does nothing but hurt the Cubs and does a real disservice to Hendry. Not only do they not know what if he'll be able to contribute next year, they killed his trade value. That is true, but it's water under the bridge at this point. It's too late for Dubois, I think. If he could have succeeded, he was ruined by Dusty. I can't believe Hendry is foolish enough to repeat that.

I'd just have to believe if Dusty has been going against Jim's desire for this long, something would have already been done. That leads me to think that they're close to seeing eye to eye. I'm also quite worried as to what this will do to their (especially Murton's) trade value. I think that even had Jim wanted to can Dusty over philosophical differences before, he couldn't justify eating Dusty's contract while the team was still in contention, and with injuries as an excuse. Now the team is as healthy as they have been all year, and are playing the worst ball of Dusty's tenure. Now there is more impetus to can him.

Holla, Perez and Macias are good bench players, and Hendry knows that. What we need is a manager who keeps them there. Ifanything, I think releasing those three would be more of an indicator of Dusty staying than leaving. Either getting rid of baker or his toys makes sense. Doing both is pointless.

and tell me how you know they'll waste away on the bench? this could be a precursor to dusty's firing, which would lead to young players actually having a chance to play. We'll see what happens, but how would this indicate Dusty being fired? If Baker was going out, Dubois would stay and both Macias and Perez would sit or be released. If that doesn't happen, this is almost like the opposite. Dubois wasn't performing. He got his shot for nearly a month and did nothing. I don't think Doobie had a future as a starter on the Cubs, regardless.

If Hendry had a different way of doing things, they probably would have already been done. Neither Murton or Greenberg are going to be starting, I'd assume. This doesn't make any sense at all. I'll wait to hear what Jim says, but I sense disaster. I don't like this one bit. I'm with you. I hope I'm wrong but I see the kids getting hurt in this one. No way Hendry is that daft when it comes to player development...something is up, big time. He did it to Cedeno. Either both agreed that Ronny would sit on the bench or at the very minimum, he knew Dusty wasn't going to start him. But that doesn't matter. Just by calling him up hurt him. My feeling is that Hendry and Baker had some sort of agreement about Cedeno's playing time, and Dusty didn't stick to it. Reserving judgement at least until tomorrow is in order, IMO.

Yeah, like I said earlier Jim has to know Baker won't start them. Only Dusty's firing would clear the way for that. IF Baker is to be canned, you'd think Jim would do it in person. Perhaps he'd meet him in Miami..... .....I'm being overly optimistic. :cry:

I'm on.

Only getting rid of Perez and Macias would do that. Please let Baker be fired. Jim has to know Dusty won't play Greenberg and Murton. I'm keeping an eye out for a press conference notice.

To ride the bench? I don't like it. I only would if Dusty were gone.

All hell is about to break loose.

not gonna happen. dusty fought bringing in that lineup for how long, and when he finally tried it (on monday), the cubs rewarded him with a whopping no runs on about six hits. that gives him all the reason he needs to feel good about going with his imbicilic gut for another 10 [expletive] weeks. I say start the entire West Tennessee roster. How much worse can this bullcrap get?! I'm also starting to hate Macias. Every hit he gets, guarantees him a little more playing time later in the season. I am really starting to want the Cubs to keep losing until Baker gets fired. We're out of the race, so let's see the players who should play do so as much as possible for the remainder of the season. I actually think we would end up winning more games for it over the long haul, even this season.

I don't think Hendry trades Murton. Matt may end up being the only thing Jim has to show for the Nomar trade, and everything I've heard indicated Hendry is very high on him.