IGT Opening Series: Pirates @ Cubs

[Gunzaan]

While he didn't pick up the win, I will take Garza's stat line for my fantasy team! Him and Starlin Castro have been win-win 3 games in. Go Cubs! <for fantasy purposes only!>

 

[bleacherbum54]

Only 3 games but very similar problems as last year. Offense cant make good contact with runners on base. 2nd and 3rd NO outs and cant score...1st and 3rd 1 out dont score...those come back to bite you. Seems the Cubs just cant make a qualitity out. They all think they need 3 run HR..

this +1000 we just play bad baseball and they better fix it.

 

[bobferg]

They weren't well hit. I am not a fan of garza but was very happy with his performance today.

IT WAS THE PIRATES without their best player.

That is a glorified minor league team.

 

[Captain Obvious]

Cubs don't have a 3-hole hitter...we have a lead off man, about 6 guys that could bat 5 thru 7, and often times our #8 hitter should hit BEHIND the pitcher.

Pena, Ramirez, Soto. There are 3 3-hole hitters.

Kosuke
Castro
Aramis
Pena
Byrd
Soto
Sori
2B

You can't bat Soto that low. He's easily a top 5 player, therefore he should be in our top 5 spots.

depressing loss right there. But Castro was a beast

Such a beast. Especially that part where he lost the game for us.

No way they let Byrd sit for $10M over 2 years.

He would be a beast of a 4th OFer. A BEAST.

The earliest Jackson will see the majors is a September callup IMO

Byrd is pretty average, but there's no way they're gonna bench him until he really starts to suck

Don't hit bench him. But don't him fucking 3rd.

Thats on Quade not Byrd lol. You cant get mad at him and want to cut him because the manager doesnt use him right.

Can we cut the manager?

Boys, I'm pretty sure the point is, our offense isn't very good, and neither are our starters...and today, our bullpen wasn't either...

At least our defense wa......he did what? Nevermind.

Our starters aren't good? What?

It was a career year.

Hustle doesn't equal performance though.

He was great last year but I would like to trade him when he has value.

That's just it though. It wasn't even his best year. In fact, the last 3 years he was better than he was last year with the bat. He got a lot of that value from a career high UZR, which I think it more as a result of a fluke than anything.

I agree he shouldn't be hitting 3rd, but I'm saying, you can't trade guys b/c they had a career year...they have to build with him. Not around him by any means, but he has to be a piece of the puzzle. He's the best all-around outfielder we have

How does a 33 year old average OFer have to be a piece of the puzzle? I think that Fukudome is a better all around OFer than Byrd, but there is a positional difference.

IT WAS THE PIRATES without their best player.

That is a glorified minor league team.

You really don't understand this at all, do you?

Now for my thoughts on the game....


I hate Quade. A lot. Barney? 2nd? Are you FUCKING KIDDING?! Byrd needs to stop hitting 3rd and I've been saying that since Friday and will continue to say it. Plus, why was Kosuke not in the game? You take out Soriano and put in Reed Johnson for defense, then Reed a RHH is facing a RHP. WTF? If you put Kosuke in, he's got the LH/RH advantage. Plus, it's not like it's the start of the season... ya know when Kosuke is a fucking beast. Quade is really not off to a good start at all. We better win tomorrow, I'll be in attendance.

As for the line up:

Fuke/Baker
Casblow
Pena
Ramirez
Soto
Soriano
Byrd
Colvin/Barney
P

That's what we should be looking at, although I wouldn't cry if Soto was hitting 3rd, since ya know he was our best hitter last year.

When Barney is in the game, I really wish we would hit him 9th. I really do, but that's probably not going to happen.

 

[Jntg4]

Pena, Ramirez, Soto. There are 3 3-hole hitters.



You can't bat Soto that low. He's easily a top 5 player, therefore he should be in our top 5 spots.



Such a beast. Especially that part where he lost the game for us.



He would be a beast of a 4th OFer. A BEAST.



Don't hit bench him. But don't him fucking 3rd.



Can we cut the manager?



Our starters aren't good? What?


That's just it though. It wasn't even his best year. In fact, the last 3 years he was better than he was last year with the bat. He got a lot of that value from a career high UZR, which I think it more as a result of a fluke than anything.



How does a 33 year old average OFer have to be a piece of the puzzle? I think that Fukudome is a better all around OFer than Byrd, but there is a positional difference.



You really don't understand this at all, do you?

Now for my thoughts on the game....


I hate Quade. A lot. Barney? 2nd? Are you FUCKING KIDDING?! Byrd needs to stop hitting 3rd and I've been saying that since Friday and will continue to say it. Plus, why was Kosuke not in the game? You take out Soriano and put in Reed Johnson for defense, then Reed a RHH is facing a RHP. WTF? If you put Kosuke in, he's got the LH/RH advantage. Plus, it's not like it's the start of the season... ya know when Kosuke is a fucking beast. Quade is really not off to a good start at all. We better win tomorrow, I'll be in attendance.

As for the line up:

Fuke/Baker
Casblow
Pena
Ramirez
Soto
Soriano
Byrd
Colvin/Barney
P

That's what we should be looking at, although I wouldn't cry if Soto was hitting 3rd, since ya know he was our best hitter last year.

When Barney is in the game, I really wish we would hit him 9th. I really do, but that's probably not going to happen.

Casblow? WTF? That stands out to me as dumb. He made a mistake, but also helped create the runs to give us the lead in the first place. Can't believe you are jumping on the kid this early in the season and his career.

 

[Captain Obvious]

Casblow? WTF? That stands out to me as dumb. He made a mistake, but also helped create the runs to give us the lead in the first place. Can't believe you are jumping on the kid this early in the season and his career.

You sure get awfully defensive of him. Great, he got us in the position for him to blow the game. Great. That is fan-fucking-tastic. Chill out though. Forreal.

 

[nwfisch]

There was a time when Marlon Byrd was the best offensive player the Cubs had, and the only All-Star selection they had. Byrd has earned the right here to hit 3rd, especially the way they left Lee and Ramirez in 3/4 the last 2 years.

However, I'm frustrated with the lack of accountability Quade has on his players so far. I thought Quade would begin to hold players accountable (ie Castro Ramirez, Soriano etc.) However, it seems to have disappeared early this season. He shouldn't be benching Byrd like some people are on here asking for; but when players don't produce, take them out and put them on the bench.

I don't see any reason why Blake Dewitt CAN'T start.

 

[bobferg]

You really don't understand this at all, do you?

Because giving up 12 hits to the hopeless offensively challenged Buccos is a good thing?

You are right, I don't understand that at all.

 

[nwfisch]

You sure get awfully defensive of him. Great, he got us in the position for him to blow the game. Great. That is fan-fucking-tastic. Chill out though. Forreal.

Castro did make a mistake, but if you're not going to respect the best player on your team, there is something wrong with you.

Castro made 1 mistake, but he did hit two triples today too, and made some nice defensive plays already on the season.

Castro is the future of the Cubs, and people better get used to it or else.

 

[nwfisch]

Because giving up 12 hits to the hopeless offensively challenged Buccos is a good thing?

You are right, I don't understand that at all.

I agree with you that 12 hits is not good to give up.

But, they were SINGLESSINGLES At least no ball left the yard today, which was the biggest concern with the acquisition of Garza. He set a career high in strikeouts, and broke Cub records today.

There were reasons why the Cubs lost today, and it wasn't because of Matt Garza's 12 singles allowed.

It was because the offense failed to produce with runners on 2nd and 3rd with ZERO outs.

It's because Marmol allowed 2 runs when he's supposed to shut the door. It's because Castro was trying to do too much in the 9th inning.

It's because Byrd grounded into a DP to end the game.

:cubs:

 

[Captain Obvious]

There was a time when Marlon Byrd was the best offensive player the Cubs had, and the only All-Star selection they had. Byrd has earned the right here to hit 3rd, especially the way they left Lee and Ramirez in 3/4 the last 2 years.

However, I'm frustrated with the lack of accountability Quade has on his players so far. I thought Quade would begin to hold players accountable (ie Castro Ramirez, Soriano etc.) However, it seems to have disappeared early this season. He shouldn't be benching Byrd like some people are on here asking for; but when players don't produce, take them out and put them on the bench.

I don't see any reason why Blake Dewitt CAN'T start.

Byrd has never been the best offensive player the Cubs have had. Ever. All-Star selection? Great? Doesn't = performance.

How has he earned the right to hit 3rd? Tell me!

You're right he shouldn't bench Byrd but there is absolutely NO reason Byrd should be hitting 3rd. Soriano would be a better 3 hitter.

Blake DeWitt should be starting. Barney sucks so much dick. DeWitt sucks slightly less.

Because giving up 12 hits to the hopeless offensively challenged Buccos is a good thing?

You are right, I don't understand that at all.

They were ALL singles. Only like 2 of them were hit hard. He was just unlucky. BABIP.

Castro did make a mistake, but if you're not going to respect the best player on your team, there is something wrong with you.

Castro made 1 mistake, but he did hit two triples today too, and made some nice defensive plays already on the season.

Castro is the future of the Cubs, and people better get used to it or else.

Respect? lolololololololol. He isn't even the best player on the team... SMH.

That 1 mistake happen to cost the team the game. No big deal, right?

 

[nwfisch]

Byrd has never been the best offensive player the Cubs have had. Ever. All-Star selection? Great? Doesn't = performance.

How has he earned the right to hit 3rd? Tell me!

You're right he shouldn't bench Byrd but there is absolutely NO reason Byrd should be hitting 3rd. Soriano would be a better 3 hitter.

Blake DeWitt should be starting. Barney sucks so much dick. DeWitt sucks slightly less.



They were ALL singles. Only like 2 of them were hit hard. He was just unlucky. BABIP.



Respect? lolololololololol. He isn't even the best player on the team... SMH.

That 1 mistake happen to cost the team the game. No big deal, right?

Who is the best player on the Cubs right now?

No big deal, since there are 159 more games left to be played.

 

[Captain Obvious]

Who is the best player on the Cubs right now?

No big deal, since there are 159 more games left to be played.

Soto. He's a fucking beast.

 

[nwfisch]

Soto. He's a fucking beast.

I'm sure he'll have his annual DL stint coming soon. :tiptoe:

 

[Captain Obvious]

I'm sure he'll have his annual DL stint coming soon. :tiptoe:

Okay? He's still the best player on the team...

 

[DewsSox79]

Okay? He's still the best player on the team...

when soto is the best player on the team, you got problems.

and stop with the "unlucky" shit, just as bad as jntg say "almost" gotta hit.

 

[Capt. Serious]

Soto. He's a fucking beast.

No he isn't.

 

[DewsSox79]

Soto. He's a fucking beast.

how is he a beast? you are using that word in very loose terms.

Let me guess, he had a .393 OBP 1 year in 105 games. or his lofty 3.2 WAR? gonzo,pujols,fielder, miggy, hamilton......those are beasts

soto is just a big fish in a small pond on the cubs.

 

[bleacherbum54]

when soto is the best player on the team, you got problems.

and stop with the "unlucky" shit, just as bad as jntg say "almost" gotta hit.

Soto isnt the best player on the ball club and is isnt a "beast". But we certinly dont have an offense like the Soxs. We have issues that need to be sorted out luckliy we have time to fix the issues but im not too optimistic for this season. But in a few years after the Ricketts has time to make an impact i feel a optimistic we will bulid a good ball club.

 

[HeavyD]

Soto isnt the best player on the ball club and is isnt a "beast". But we certinly dont have an offense like the Soxs. We have issues that need to be sorted out luckliy we have time to fix the issues but im not too optimistic for this season. But in a few years after the Ricketts has time to make an impact i feel a optimistic we will bulid a good ball club.

We have a good offense regardless, in time the offense will step up, in my mind though we are doing pretty well. Its just a matter of time indeed.

thanked cuz you know we got time and you will be one of the few site members rooting with me for the Pacers to beat the bulls in the first round of the nba playoffs.