IGT Cubs @ Reds: May 16, 17

[X]

Theres NO GUY LOVE this team. They only care about them selves

:yep:

No "Chocolate Bear/Vanilla Bear" love that we've seen make other famous partners work well together...

 

[zack54attack]

**** this team.. **** them.

 

[X]

**** this team.. **** them.

ay yup. I honestly don't remember ever feeling better about life in general when I turned a Cubs game off. I'm the eternal optimist, and I'm just real close to giving up. Call it fair-weather, call it poor-sportsmanship, call it realism...whatever you like...they're just really, really tough to stomach right now.

 

[cubsneedmiracle]

This team will not contend in 2011.

They do too many stupid things and at this point it seems Quade has no control.

 

[poodski]

5 Step Program....

First to go has to be Soriano....been playing left field for 5 years and still plays it like he was never out there before plus he is without a doubt the absolute dumbest hitter in MLB...not the worst, just the dumbest. Eat the fucking contract and get his ass out of town.

A few things. One Soriano is slugging over .500, It's nearly 100 points higher than any other starter.

His wOBA is tied for second on the team with Castro and only one basis point behind Barney. He has actually been a net positive to this team despite what you may think. Is he worth his contract? Of course not, but just cutting him because he is "the absolute dumbest hitter in MLB" is absurd. He isn't hurting the team, and there is no way you can find anyone to take even half his contract. Cutting Soriano makes the team much worse because then not only are you paying him to not play for us you are paying someone else to play for us who most likely isn't any better or if they are they aren't much better. Its not like the Cubs have a stud LF'er sitting in AAA.

Number 2 is Ramirez...he's been in decline for 3 years now.

Yeah I agree with this one, but lets hope he finds some of this power. I mean he still had an IsoP of 211 last year so there is still hope.

Number 3 is Zambrano...obvious reasons, he's an idiot plus he's lost 5 MPH off his fastball.

Idiot? Yes

Lost 5 MPH off his fastball? No. It's sitting .7 MPH behind last year, and only 2.5 MPH off his fastball during his peak.

Number 4 is the worst hitter in baseball. How is Koyie Hill still in Major League Baseball?

Koyie has 34 PA. I don't really think he is the problem, nor can he be the problem when he never plays. Plus have you seen Castillo? He's actually worse still. Koyie sucks, I will give you that, but he is far far far down the list on problems on this team.

Number 5 is collective....launch the manager, the GM and the whole coaching staff. You bring in a GM that wants to build a team instead of a steady diet of patchwork veterans, a manager that wants to teach basic baseball fundementals plus knows how to handle a pitching staff and a coaching staff thats willing to do extra time with the kids.

It doesnt happen overnight. This team was built to win in a window and it did. Two division championships, but now the team is in a rebuild phase. The Cubs are going to be good in the next couple years. Little more age and a few pieces and they will be just fine. I think 2012-2013 this team will be competing again.

 

[Diehardfan]

"He isn't hurting the team, and there is no way you can find anyone to take even half his contract. "

He's a butcher in LF, has the arm strength of a 10 yr old, an OBP less than a lot OFs BA, can't run anymore, doesn't hustle and is currently taking a lineup spot that could be used for either Jackson or Colvin ONLY because he makes so much money.

"cutting him because he is "the absolute dumbest hitter in MLB" is absurd"

Why is it absurd? He cant do anything but hit and he's not very good at that. Ever wonder why ticket
prices are so high? Its because of mopes like Soriano...most high priced players attract fans, Soriano has them upchucking in the restrooms. He hurts this team in more ways than you think.

"Koyie sucks, I will give you that, but he is far far far down the list on problems on this team."

True, but he's another stiff taking a roster spot besides Soto gets hurt all the time and they're quick to run his tired old ass out there when Soto goes down. Castillo looked fine last season, not so much this year but he needs more time and he wont get it with Hill around.


"It doesnt happen overnight."

Yeah, you're right. Its only been 100+ years.......

 

[poodski]

He's a butcher in LF, has the arm strength of a 10 yr old, an OBP less than most OFs BA, can't run anymore, doesn't hustle and is currently taking a lineup spot that could be used for either Jackson or Colvin ONLY because he makes so much money.

But Colvin and Jackson aren't as good as Soriano. Is he taking their spot? I suppose, but he is also taking the spot of Jason Dubois if you want to go down that road. Soriano is definitely the best LF'er in our organization.

True, but he's another stiff taking a roster spot besides Soto gets hurt all the time and they're quick to run his tired old ass out there when Soto goes down. Castillo looked fine last season, not so much this year but he needs more time and he wont get it with Hill around.

Castillo is 24. Why bring him up when he hasn't exactly lit the world on fire with his bat since 2008. Sure he looked great in 21 PA last year, but lets not get carried away. I would much rather Castillo play the year in AAA rather than play only 3 games in the majors since the start of the year.

Yeah, you're right. Its only been 100+ years.......

Ricketts has owned the Cubs for 100 years? Hendry has been GM for 100 years? We are two full seasons removed from winning back to back division titles. Only the Phillies have won more divisional titles in the NL since 2006.

We have just been part of the best stretch of Cubs baseball since WW2. It could be a lot worse.

 

[Diehardfan]

"We are two full seasons removed from winning back to back division titles. Only the Phillies have won more divisional titles in the NL since 2006."

Wow, you must really bleed Cubby blue. Division titles....the Blackhawks used to win them regularly, the Bulls won them yearly in the 90s, the Bears won one last year. Its not like it used to be in baseball, two teams winning the pennant. Its more like the other sports now and making the playoffs doesnt mean squat unless you win it all. The Bulls made their name by winning championships, not divisions. Same with the Hawks, White Sox and Bears...there's an old saying "Second place is the first loser". That's a concept that the Cubs can't quite seem to grasp.

 

[poodski]

Wow, you must really bleed Cubby blue. Division titles....the Blackhawks used to win them regularly, the Bulls won them yearly in the 90s, the Bears won one last year. Its not like it used to be in baseball, two teams winning the pennant. Its more like the other sports now and making the playoffs doesnt mean squat unless you win it all. The Bulls made their name by winning championships, not divisions. Same with the Hawks, White Sox and Bears...there's an old saying "Second place is the first loser". That's a concept that the Cubs can't quite seem to grasp.

No I just realize that the playoffs are an extreme crap shoot. The best team just doesn't win very often.

2010: 5th most wins beat team with 8th most.
2009: Most wins beat 5th most wins
2008: 5th most beat 3rd most
2007: Most over 6th most
2006: 13th most over 4th most
2005: 2nd most over 8th most
2004: 3rd most over most
2003: 7th most over most
2002: 4th most over 7th most
2001: 6th most over 3rd most

I mean as many teams have won the WS having the 5th best record or worse that have been in the top 4. Same percentage make the WS as well.

The A's were the best team in baseball from 2000-2006 and never won the WS. All you can ask is the Cubs do well and the Cubs have done that for a good portion of recent memory. It was 100 years since the Cubs won back to back division titles. It's not nearly as bad as some fans think it is. Would it be nice to have won a WS in 2003-2007-2008? Absolutely, but its not like this is your fathers Cubs.

 

[Diehardfan]

No I just realize that the playoffs are an extreme crap shoot. The best team just doesn't win very often.

2010: 5th most wins beat team with 8th most.
2009: Most wins beat 5th most wins
2008: 5th most beat 3rd most
2007: Most over 6th most
2006: 13th most over 4th most
2005: 2nd most over 8th most
2004: 3rd most over most
2003: 7th most over most
2002: 4th most over 7th most
2001: 6th most over 3rd most

I mean as many teams have won the WS having the 5th best record or worse that have been in the top 4. Same percentage make the WS as well.

The A's were the best team in baseball from 2000-2006 and never won the WS. All you can ask is the Cubs do well and the Cubs have done that for a good portion of recent memory. It was 100 years since the Cubs won back to back division titles. It's not nearly as bad as some fans think it is. Would it be nice to have won a WS in 2003-2007-2008? Absolutely, but its not like this is your fathers Cubs.

Let's just say we agree to disagree. You believe in Ricketts and his family as owners and Hendry as GM. I just don't see it. I think Ricketts is in over his head or he would have had some sort of plan in place before he shelled out all that money...seems he's only interested in the ballpark. Hendry doesnt build teams, he patches them...hence, the 3 years stuck in mediocrity.

Ok, big year in 2008...you dont dump in 2009 but after 2009 he should have been purging the deadwood that had built up. Does he start going young? Nope, he gets out his pen and starts signing stiffs like Fukudome, Bradley, Miles, Grabow, Nady...plus others that I thankfully have forgotten. His drafting? Well, Castro and Barney look like winners plus Soto and Marmol are good players but what else does he have show for 9 years of GMing. Patterson and Pie were going to be the next big things on the northside...supposedly 5 tool players that couldnt make contact. Busts....much like the GM IMOP.

Only time will tell, I guess. You think the arrow is pointing up for this team, Im just not seeing it.

 

[poodski]

I agree with a lot of what you are saying. I don't really believe in ricketts at least not yet but I am willing to give him some time.

As far as hendry its more that he just isn't as bad as most people say he is. He's done some good things.

It's just mostly that some people act like we are the Pirates or something and we aren't.