Hairyducked Idiot

We're so spoiled. I'm already mini-raging because I assume MILB.tv doesn't have split screen so I'll have to choose between Baez and everyone else.

Part of me wants to think it's just a crazy conspiracy theory that they are picking the right with the rooftops in order to delay because they can't afford the renovations. But dang if they don't keep acting exactly like they would act if that were the case.

Slightly less game-thready thoughts on the opening series. I am so sick of talking about close losses and RISP variance and all that jazz. I want so badly to win the next two with Wood and Samardzija at home against the stupid Phillies, just so we can enjoy a brief moment in the over .500 sun. We're still pretty much in the same spot with Olt: The batting eye is amazing. The power is legit, his swing creates some nice loft that's going that is going to send a lot of fly balls to the outfield. If we're lucky, like today, a good percentage of them will end up over the fence. But his swing-and-miss is Brettjacksonian, and could still prevent him from being a useful MLB player. Junior Lake has all of Olt's whiffiness without the loft to create consistent power and also with stupid TOOTBLANs. If he isn't an elite defensive outfielder (and by tools he might be), I don't see an MLB future for him. I remain a heavy James Russell skeptic, but the rest of the pen gave us a glimpse of what we hope can happen with our pile of interesting, youngish hard throwers. Veras will be fine for what he is, a slightly-above-average reliever who happens to be closing. Outside of a couple of PAs today against Wandy (a mediocre lefty), Castro has picked up right where he left off last year, looking completely lost when trying to select which pitches to swing at and which not to. Not drawing any long-term conclusions, of course, he might look locked in tomorrow and stay hot for a month. Hammel looks like the perfect Bosio special: Solid stuff, throws strikes but needs help keeping the ball down just a bit more often.

Well, it's been four years since "Nobody knows where the puck is ... it's in the back of the net!" and it still feels pretty darn good.

Our two best pitchers the next two days, at home, against the Phillies. 3-2 would be nice, plz.

It's funny...the two most "proven" guys are the ones I feel the least good about. Replace Russell with Rosscup, trade Veras, add Vizcaino. Dominate.

It's been 165 games um, they all sucked last year. So we could be writing off the entire starting lineup in the first month with that thinking. Done.

Like 90% of "ZOMG guys, no chance of nine, better hurry up and get it official through 5" games go the distance.

Franchise-saving win streak incoming

Thanks for the free out.

Lake's going to have a .400 BABIP and still not be a valuable player.

Your worst nightmare.

It's been 165 games

I got a pleading IM from a guy I know at work this morning begging that we dump Castro, and that he's the worst SS he's ever seen. There's a non-zero chance that dumping him today to anyone who picks up his contract would turn out good for us.

Runners at 2nd and 3rd, hard ground ball single up the middle, Bonifacio's throw from CF had no shot, and the cutoff guy was kinda slow getting into position and it hit the mound and went out of reach of the catcher, allowing the tying run to advance to 2nd. But no harm.

James Russell is the worst.

That kid was the absolute limit of how old you can be and still bring a glove to the game. If he makes that catch a year later, it's weird.

So if we win this game, we've got Wood and Samardzija coming up at home against the crummy Phillies and maybe we can have just a brief moment of happiness.

literally every said that everywhere

I'm going to go watch the Youtube videos of Kane's OT and 17 seconds again, because I don't believe anyone who says they'd rather have a bunch of playoff losses than one championship.

Hey look we have a positive run differential.

Which is meaningless, because you can't know that.

Never a doubt. Even before he hit it.

I like Mike Olt, he hits home runs for the Cubs.

MIKE OLT!