NorthsideAvenger

I think you're falsely correlating low K totals with patience. As you said, his walk totals were never anything great. There are tons of hitters that aren't patient that barely strike out, i.e. our (s)crappy leadoff man. On the other hand, some of the most patient hitters have very high strikeout totals (i.e. Dunn). They almost go hand in hand. If you're taking a lot of pitches, you're also taking more strikes. I said "reasonably", I didn't say he was great....but "the dude" did still had an OBP near over .350 10 times in his career, therefore he was semi-patient.

Aww...."The Replacements" reference....Nice.

You MAKE Francouer make the throw. He hasn't earn the respect to hold runners. You bet on him making a bad throw more times then not, till he proves he's a threat from RF. Until then, the decision to send Barrett, was an alright move to me.

That is the second ball he has CRUSHED in the last two innings. How the heck did the Braves hit 8 homeruns today? God.....Aram has had some pretty harsh luck today. If he gets one more at-bat, I believe he wins it. (hopefully, the Cubs don't need another at-bat from ARam, but nonetheless)

I am hoping they show some creativity in losing today. What giving up 8 homeruns, and hitting none isn't creative enough?

Does anybody over in the White Sox ever think about what they say, before the say it? Kenny Williams just proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is an idiot. Sure, Kenny...MLB could have suspended MB the day after the INCIDENT, but MB would have still appeal the decision, which means...Barrett would have still play the game, your friggin, mental midget. Apparently, Williams believes in the "he's guilty because he is a Cub, so he shouldn't get an appeal" theory. Anybody else think....that the White Sox won the WS DESPITE Kenny Williams? I don't see Williams saying that Barrett shouldn't get an appeal. Am I missing something? I think he's just saying that it's unfortunate that Barrett attacked one of his players, and still gets an opportunity to beat them the next time that they play. K-town, I highlight the point, not to insult you, but you did miss the point. The highlighted point, KW insinuate that Barrett should have been "unconditionally suspended" without a chance to appeal the decision. It's would like a first time shoplifer, being sentence to 5 yrs in prison, without the possibility of parole.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/b/bakerdu01.shtml Does anybody else find it weird that Baker had a decent eye during his career (over. 350 OBP 7 time, and 3 other seasons' near .350 OBP)? I mean this is a "dude", who never struck out more the 89 times during any one season in career, and never walked more then 72 times in a season? This dude, was reasonably "patient" as a hitter? What happen between his playing days, and his managing days? :-k 762 926 (Dusty's career BB:K ratio as a hitter)

In other words, a raw college player! ...as opposed to a raw high schooler. Hmmmmmmmmmmm... Yeah, because RAW high schools players the Cubs have taken recently, have definately been productivet..... :roll: Have about the Cubs try a different apprach. What O_O and I are implying is that it doesn't matter if it is a raw HS or a raw college player. We'd prefer to take a polished hitter however old he is. You can prefer all you want my friend but the tools will take a toolsy player. Instead of coaches, we should start hiring mechanics to use all the tools we've got. Instead of a freakin' basketball team we should start a repair shop. And MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, the Cubs should forfeit every pick they have, until they get coaches who can actually coach? See, I can over-the-top too. Look, I prefer production over tools. But hey....if you like tools....I got a hammer to sell ya?

I wonder how safe Baker's job will be if the Cubs lose another 8-10 games in a row?

I hope the media keeps the pressure on Baker and Hendry. I hope it gets so hot, the Baker doesn't even think about taking the extension, and just leaves.

If there is ONE thing the Cubs can do perfectly, is that they KNOW how to build a sinking ship. Ok Hendry,, you can go down with this pathetic team of useless losers. I hope the heat gets so HOT, that Baker can't wait to leave Chicago.

You would think....that if that trend continue....that changes would be made....but wait...this is the Cubs....NM... ------ My "rock bottom" would be to run out of beer before a Cubs game is "officially" over. Haven't happen yet....knock on wood...sorry Kerry.

I don't think Baker is capable of this. He lets the highs get too high and the lows too low. Flipping the "game ball" to Russ Ortiz in Game 7 of the World Series tipped me off to this. this is weird to me, i know (please dont ask) Russ Ortiz through my sister and bro-in-law, they guy (Ortiz) LOVES dusty. My bro-in-law is a huge supporter of what Ortiz has to say.. and hates Leo Mezzone and my bro-in-law is a huge Billy Beane fan...add that up and make 2+2=4. Why does he hate Leo Mazzone? Ortiz hates Leo because he felt he got too much credit for pitching success in Atlanta, and feels he (leo) gets an incredible amount of production out of pitchers but ultimately burns them out shortly...in essance produce now and get lost kinda attitude... Yet, almost no one talks about the number of arms that were wrecked under he and Cox. Getting back to yesterday's game, even with the crappy lineup, we scored five runs and had a lead for the closer. You can still hate Baker without totally blaming him for every loss. You know what...let's blame the crew who WERE going to put up the "white W". I mean...come on....you can't just jinx the Cubs while the game is still going. I mean...hasn't Baker blame those guys yet?

I agree with your point that Hendry/MacPhail seem to have a limited # of people they deal with, but you're underselling most of those players. Guthrie was rather good with us, and Tapani was pretty much on his career averages, which is good considering we were the last team he played with. Coomer was as good with us as he was his career, Jones really hasn't been much worse here than he has the rest of his career, nor had Miller. Lawton was here for about 90 ABs, Merced even less. Ojeda was worthless no matter where he was, and Aguilera was far too old. Conclusion, yes, MacPhail/Hendry should get a little more creative and try to stop trading with the same 3 guys, but the results of what came from the Twins is not the reason that they should. Guthrie was "merely average" between his two stints in Chicago. (an era in the high 4.8 in his first stint, and a low 2 in his 2nd stint). He was less sucky then most relievers the Cubs have had. Tapani was "meh" with his time with the Cubs(especially considering he was making $6 mill from the Cubs), but I do remember him hitting a grand slam against Pitts. ..261/.316/.390 so you consider this "good?" Maybe on the 2006 Cubs, (did I just say that? :( )but no Coomer wasn't "good" for the Cubs. Coomer's "high" came in 1996. Otherwise...Coomer was another "cheap mistake". As I said...I thought Miller was solid for the Cubs, but looking at his numbers...omigod. His tenure with the Cubs, was by far his worst season as a starter. He's "defense" saves him, but he was crap offensively in 2003. I'm not suggesting that the Twins "castoffs" who end up in Chicago is the main reason why the Cubs blow....no....I was just surprise at HOW many former Twins have been on the Cubs, within the last 5-8 yrs. There's like 3-4 teams that the Cubs like doing business with....and if the Cubs are going to do anything in the next_____years...they are going to have to "think outside the box."

Are you CRAZY? None of those players were used as rarely as Dempster has been used in the last 25+ games. No closer would be consistant with inconsistant playing time. Come on, Dempster's been in 11 of the last 25 games. That's very nearly every other game. Let's go easy on the hyperbole.... what do you say ? 04/30 - 05/26 IP H R ER BB K HR PC BB/9 K/9 HR/9 WHIP ERA Dempster 10.7 11 9 8 5 11 1 159 4.22 9.28 0.84 1.50 6.75 Eyre 12.3 6 3 3 5 16 2 205 3.65 11.68 1.46 0.89 2.19 Howry 10.0 9 4 4 2 6 2 155 1.80 5.40 1.80 1.10 3.60 Ohman 12.0 9 2 2 3 12 1 185 2.25 9.00 0.75 1.00 1.50 Rusch 10.7 10 6 5 5 8 0 196 4.22 6.75 0.00 1.41 4.22 Williamson 10.7 6 2 2 6 9 0 164 5.06 7.59 0.00 1.13 1.69 Wuertz 1.0 3 2 2 2 1 0 46 18.00 9.00 0.00 5.00 18.00 Novoa 10.7 13 10 7 7 7 2 229 5.91 5.91 1.69 1.88 5.91 Ryu 1.0 1 1 1 2 2 0 27 18.00 18.00 0.00 3.00 9.00 Maybe a "tired arm" then. But I refused to believe that Dempster is done, until he proves he can't do anymore. And I refused to believe this is nothing more then a slump right now. People needs to stop the "hyperbole" of Dempster being the next in the line of "failed closers." Dempster took the heat, for blowing the game, he knew it, and he didn't run from it (unlike Hawkins/Alf) and I respect him for it. He WILL return to formed, and people will be jumping right back on the Dempster bandwagon. (yes, I refused to spell it "the other way.")

Rick Aguilera (was crappy in his time in Chi) Ron Coomer (was he ever good?) LaTroy Hawkins (was good in HIS role, just not as a closer) Jacque Jones (heh) Matt Lawton (steroid, eh?) Mark Guthrie (come on?) Damien Miller (decent pick up at the time) Todd Walker (best former Twin to play for the Cubs) Orlando Merced (Was solid when he was in Chi) Kevin Tapani (blows raspberries) Augie Ojeda (Cubs, then Twins, then Cubs.... :-k ) Don't know if anybody realizes this or not....the Cubs have a love-affair with traded with Baltimore, Florida...but they have an equally disturbing love affair, with former crappy Twins players..... So that is the problem with the Cubs....is that they "limit" their possibilites for improvement to a handful of teams. :roll: Apparently, these players were good enough for the Cubs, but players like_______--declared your favorite free agent who the Cubs didn't sign--weren't good enough for the Cubs. It's both surprising/not surprise to find what kind of info you can find about your team, when they start developing a new trend of suckiness.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?playerId=3993 You DO realize this is the first time in his career that Soriano has put an OPS over .900 in his career. And in his career he has only three yrs above .850. So yeah, I stand behind my statement that Soriano is "mediocre."

Does anybody over in the White Sox ever think about what they say, before the say it? Kenny Williams just proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is an idiot. Sure, Kenny...MLB could have suspended MB the day after the INCIDENT, but MB would have still appeal the decision, which means...Barrett would have still play the game, your friggin, mental midget. Apparently, Williams believes in the "he's guilty because he is a Cub, so he shouldn't get an appeal" theory. Anybody else think....that the White Sox won the WS DESPITE Kenny Williams?

Prolly when they fall to 30 games under .500 and finally admit to themselves....that the season is over.

Whole thread.....:lol: =D> to everybody....who haven't lost their sense of humor.

Yes because, fourth place is alot better then 5th place. Soriano WOULD NOT have made a difference. This ORGANIZATION needs to get into the 21st century, and developed PLAYERS who can play the game, instead of signing mediocre smashers.

Methinks...the Cubs have been Stephen Hyde's "stash" a little too hawd....

And losing The difference is...the Royals made no secret of their desire to be crappy. The Cubs gave their fans "fool's hope" on the season.

Are you CRAZY? None of those players were used as rarely as Dempster has been used in the last 25+ games. No closer would be consistant with inconsistant playing time.

Fair!!?? It's bull. Rodgers got 20 for attacking 2 cameramen and it was reduced to 13 on appeal. 13 for a SP is like 2-3 starts. 10 for a catcher is like 7-8-9 games!!! Yeah, fair. He got 10, he can probably get it reduced to about 8. MB was completely in the wrong here. It was fun to watch, but he was dead wrong. No other Cubs got suspended or fined (although Hendry and Baker should have both been fined for their negligent treatment of one of their own players who actually stuck up for his teammate), Anderson got a nice chunk of time, and Cora got hit as well. The ONLY reason why MB was wrong, was because there were children in the stadium. Otherwise...you are NEVER wrong when you slug a thug like AJP.