CUBZ99

Lou is a major league professional manager; he shouldn't be needlessly tossing players under the bus under the guise of "accountability" and simultaniously absolving himself of accountability. This needlessly "tossing players under the bus" is widely overblown. Its similar to the Cubs' players crying over Steve Stone's comments in the TV booth. There is a difference between telling the truth about what is going on, and throwing someone under the bus.

Baker never called out these guys and that didn't make a lick of difference. Now we have Lou calling out these guys and that doesn't seem to make a difference either. I think the roster has a lot of knuckleheads. The sooner we get rid of the extra weight, the better off we are going to be. If Z has any value left, trade him, I don't see him turning it around any time soon either. For many players on the team, they are used to Dusty's laid back approach to managing. I can also see alot of the veterans getting very upset about losing playing time to younger players. List of possibly unhappy players: Izturis -- expected to start and is losing a lot of playing time to Theriot. Floyd -- Supposedly he thought he would be an everyday OF Murton -- Hasn't gotten much playing time this year. Jones -- See Floyd and Murton DeRosa -- Was told he had a starting job and has actually had to earn it. Bullpen -- Lou has given younger players (Guzman, Marmol) the chance to get innings at the expense of some of the veterans. So there could be quite a few players that don't like Lou. For the most part, who cares. It is finally refreshing to see a manager that isn't afraid to bench a one-time gold glove SS because of performance, and not worry about the money they are paying him. I would rather the manager be concerned about winning than making everyone in the clubhouse happy.

I think Neifi is suffering from the Jeremy Giambi effect. :^o

I'm sorry, but those players are gone. It appears that way. Have HR's gone way down in general this year?

Jeremy Giambi effect. Google it. If you want to make excuses for Murton, based on playing time then you have to consider that same variable for all of the OF'ers on the current roster. Wow, just imagine how good Floyd would be if he played everyday. Or, think about Jacque Jones repeating his season last year, if only they let him start in RF every game again. You do realize that these are not 'facts', right? These are perceptions, abstracts that you have created in your mind that really have little evidence to support them beyond your insistence that they do, in fact, exist. Next you're going to tell me that he doesn't have 'intangibles', or he isn't 'clutch'. Now your concerned about what are facts? I thought you were arguing the "Jeremy Giambi" effect. What part of his .697 OPS, does not show that he has no power? If you don't think Matt Murton has made too many mental mistakes or that he been a terrible defender this year, you are either: 1. His brother/sister (or other relative); or 2. Haven't watched a game on TV this year (which is understandable with the way they are playing); or 3. Just started watching baseball this year and don't understand what is the widely accepted useage of the term "mental mistakes". For someone hung up on definitions, your definition nof "pretty decent" is extremely broad. A .697 OPS from a RF/LF is not "pretty decent." Murton ranks 58th this year in NL OF OPS. Murton is not even adequate with that OPS.

That's what I was thinking. I haven't seen anything anywhere about this, other than his blog. I won't hold my breath, because even if this does happen, there's no guarantee that Lou is going to start Pie everyday like he should be. And why would someone who has a blog get "inside information" before Bruce Miles or other writters that cover the Cubs? My guess is that Bruce won't comment on it until its official.

Amen. There is plenty of blame to pass around.

Haha, didn't the Angels win with Erstad playing first? Didn't the Giants play against them with all sorts of placeholders in the lineup? Doesn't Kevin Millar have a ring? I could go on and on. Don't bother... silly, ignorant perceptions are blind to reason and, *gasp*, displayable evidence. They probably just shrug off anything you say anyway. Just like displayable evidence that lack of regular playing time has an effect on a player's performance? Murton gets a pass by many, simply because he is a likeable guy. I laid out some displayable facts as to why Murton shouldn't be starting for the Cubs. 1. Makes too many mental mistakes 2. Terrible defender 3. No Power You choose to argue about my statement about playing on a playoff caliber team and ignore the rest. Just because bad players have played a role on a playoff team in the past doesn't make it acceptable to be complacent with the current starting lineup.

What a completely idiotic post. Being a playoff contender does not hinge on a single corner OF spot. Its exactly that type of loser attitude that keeps the Cubs from competing under the current regime. You are right Murton, alone, doesn't stop the Cubs from being a playoff contender, but the Cubs have shown a pattern of putting other similar players to Murton in the lineup on a daily basis. Murton is the type of young player that should get playing time on low budget team that can't afford to do any better. He is not an acceptable starter on a team with a $115M budget.

The Cubs would be 50-0 and on their way to a World Series sweep. Joe would have had Izturis leading off, batting .500+.

Murton is not a starting OF on a playoff caliber team. He makes way too many mistakes, can't play defense and can't hit for power.

So who left the 40 man so Hill could be called up?

Look again. Barrett shoved him first. Z is pushed back and then joins in the fight. It's pretty clear. You must be watching another clip, because it was clear Z swung first.

I realize that a thread like this is designed to create controversy, and get attention but its not like his .829 OPS prior to today or his .340 OBP is that terrible.

No pitchers from Peoria?

Box score has Koerber starting for Daytona tonight.

The hot dog vendor on Cubs.com just verified this information.

So continue on arguing that the tow druck driver and stalled car owner have a right to be sued, but you will continue to make fools of yourselves. you really don't get it, do you? There is nothing really to get. You are in the minority. Pretty much 99% of baseball fans agree bringing the tow truck driver and stalled car owner to court is assinine. But carry on. Like it or not, we have an easily accessible legal system. The problem I see with determining negligence or liability based on media and police reports up to this point, is simple --- we don't know all of the facts. I worked for a firm defending insurance cases like this and similar cases were brought against the insurance company. There were generally two outcomes: 1. There were either more facts to justify the law suit or 2. The plaintiff lost. Let the system work.

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070526&content_id=1987957&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc Stupid just stupid. Barret is not a very bright baseball guy. so...did he see the sign or did he go on his own? he's saying both. He was saying he saw the sign from the catcher. (So he was positive another breaking ball was coming.) ](*,) Barrett should not be attempting to steal third base in any game, let alone a close one.

I stopped watching games 2 weeks ago. This year is just a repeat from last year. The Cubs could have Earl Weaver managing and still lose with the crap that Hendry put together. Hendry has got to go. Sad thing is that it will take a few years to repair the mess that he has created.

if hancock wasn't drunk and the tow truck driver/driver was negligent, would you be ok with suing them? Perhaps, but I see no negligence in this circumstance. well, if a guy on the internet who read a couple articles about it doesn't see any negligence then why even have a trial? im sure abuck12345 is an experienced lawyer on the other hand, right? since you want to be a dick about it, i graduated from law school two weeks ago. LOL In other words...you have no experience at all. Congrats on your graduation ABuck. Good luck on the BAR.

I don't know why everyone is so concerned. The move back to the rotation worked for Smoltz and the Braves. :lol: :lol:

Fontenot is not even on the 40 man roster is he? Wonder who would be off the 40 man to make room?

I'm telling you, it's a Georgia thing. Corey didn't care, Farnsworth cared about partying it up, now Murton. Better watch out for EPatt. Barrett will stop caring pretty soon as well. You may be on to something. There used to be a day, when Barrett would punch an opposing player in the face if the Cubs were losing. So far this year he is not playing with that passion.

To the contrary, most of the people arguing that Hendry is a bad GM back up their arguments pretty well. The people arguing Hendry is a good GM are doing so based upon excuses and a few good moves that he makes. Other GM's in baseball deal with the exact types of issues Hendry has had to deal with through his tenure. As any executive would attest to, you take the good and the bad. In baseball it comes down to winning and losing. Hendry's record speaks for itself.