IST, Cubs @ Wrigley North Brewers

[Fred Garvin]

Funny thing is, the Cardinals are a real threat..and they are a real threat EVERY DAMN YEAR. But the Cubs? We have this window we have to win in...that is rapidly closing. To get "good" again we're gonna have to have some massive rebuild....AGAIN...while teams like the Cards will just keep on rolling year after year. They may not always win the division..but they are ALWAYS in the mix. It's hard to argue for Maddon to be fired when he's won more games than any other manager in the majors the last 5 years. But...his decisions this year have cost the Cubs dearly. The decision to bring in Strop instead of ANYBODY else cost the team AGAIN tonight. Kaplan is right about Strop...but Maddon is determined to lose this thing....like he did last year. It IS up to the players...but who got the players? The genius Theo...who's big offseason acquisitions were the .180 hitting Descalso and the pathetic Brad Brach. Thanks. I thank Theo for 2016...but whatever "genius" he had is gone. He is getting owned by every other decision maker in baseball. The Cubs will most likely be in 3rd place in a couple days. They have a worse road record than the friggin Marlins for gawds sake. And while we have hitters with good overall numbers....they don't get hits at the right time. We thought this team was gonna make a big 2nd half run...but they are faltering and folding like a cheap suit....while the Cards are exploding; and in a key stretch where Bryant said would decide the season, they come out and play like THIS tonight? Unbelievable.

 

[CSF77]

That loss IMO was because the O stalls against LHP. One thing that I was noticing was Caratani has smoked lefties and with 3 catchers there is no reason in hell that he should have been on the bench.

The notion of 3 catchers I will never under stand. If it is to get both bats out there great. But having 2 guys riding pine watching Contreras is a waste of a roster spot.

 

[CSF77]

Funny thing is, the Cardinals are a real threat..and they are a real threat EVERY DAMN YEAR. But the Cubs? We have this window we have to win in...that is rapidly closing. To get "good" again we're gonna have to have some massive rebuild....AGAIN...while teams like the Cards will just keep on rolling year after year. They may not always win the division..but they are ALWAYS in the mix. It's hard to argue for Maddon to be fired when he's won more games than any other manager in the majors the last 5 years. But...his decisions this year have cost the Cubs dearly. The decision to bring in Strop instead of ANYBODY else cost the team AGAIN tonight. Kaplan is right about Strop...but Maddon is determined to lose this thing....like he did last year. It IS up to the players...but who got the players? The genius Theo...who's big offseason acquisitions were the .180 hitting Descalso and the pathetic Brad Brach. Thanks. I thank Theo for 2016...but whatever "genius" he had is gone. He is getting owned by every other decision maker in baseball. The Cubs will most likely be in 3rd place in a couple days. They have a worse road record than the friggin Marlins for gawds sake. And while we have hitters with good overall numbers....they don't get hits at the right time. We thought this team was gonna make a big 2nd half run...but they are faltering and folding like a cheap suit....while the Cards are exploding; and in a key stretch where Bryant said would decide the season, they come out and play like THIS tonight? Unbelievable.

Wow. Ok you need to chill. Baseball is a sport. Not real life.

But Strop has been off this year. I really believe that it has to do with hitters going to launch angles which his 2 seem fall into and the spiked baseballs.

He was never this bad before.

 

[ijustposthere]

You would have not second guessed if Brach lost the game?

I was being facetious. I'm saying that Strop has been so bad that we might as well put Brach in to blow the game. At this point, anyone is a better option than Strop. He's either still hurt, or he's done. And honestly, as soon as he hit Braun on the first pitch, who expected any different of an outcome? Joe should've taken him out right there.

 

[JimJohnson]

Or you could have an original though instead of joining the pitch fork gang everytime they lose then run and hide when they win.

And your original thought is Cards will cool off and Cubs will get hot? Gee when have I heard that one before?

 

[Raskolnikov]

When Goldy gets hot, he is like the fucking core of the sun. Just an FYI, that is going to be a thing probably for remainder of season. Coal to gold requires extreme heat and pressure, that dude...gets real hot and always has been like that.

They have a nasty line-up and solid pitcher depth, but so do you. I'm having the time of my life listening to this fan anal implosion, but you need to relax or you won't make it through the next 8 game stretch.

Be glad you are in the race, be grateful you have the horses to compete in a tough division, and appreciate your top 5 manager...or you deserve the ass puckered failure you might witness.

I'll be laughing if you do.

 

[Fred Garvin]

And your original thought is Cards will cool off and Cubs will get hot? Gee when have I heard that one before?

Yeah...everybody was saying "ehhh. we're fine. Don't worry about the Brewers. We got this easy". Then what happened? I don't know what everybody expects to suddenly change these last 59 games. We have played 2/3rds of a season. It's not like it's still May...or even June. Bryant is a good hitter and I want him in my lineup...but in a year where we have a juiced baseball and balls are flying out everywhere....we need more power from him. Same with....Rizzo. And Schwarber? Oh my gawd. Maybe this lineup is not anywhere near as good as everyone thinks....and when you're in danger of 3rd place....and have the worst road record in the league....and start off this "season deciding" stretch like they did tonight? This team is in deep trouble.

 

[Fred Garvin]

When Goldy gets hot, he is like the fucking core of the sun. Just an FYI, that is going to be a thing probably for remainder of season. Coal to gold requires extreme heat and pressure, that dude...gets real hot and always has been like that.

They have a nasty line-up and solid pitcher depth, but so do you. I'm having the time of my life listening to this fan anal implosion, but you need to relax or you won't make it through the next 8 game stretch.

Be glad you are in the race, be grateful you have the horses to compete in a tough division, and appreciate your top 5 manager...or you deserve the ass puckered failure you might witness.

I'll be laughing if you do.

I guess you're a Cards fan? The same fanbase who gave death threats to Heyward when he dared not accept your contract? No fan base is more anal implosive than the Cardinals. It's all fun now..but you guys are insane psychopaths when things aren't going good.

 

[Ari Bear]

Hendricks should have pitched the 6th. Then you have Cishek and Kintzler for the 7th and 8th. Kimbrel could pitch more than an inning. Wick is more trustworthy than Strop right now. Hasn’t strop blown leads in like 4 straight appearances. In no circumstance should Strop have come in there. He’s made that blatantly obvious lately

This

 

[SilenceS]

Yeah...everybody was saying "ehhh. we're fine. Don't worry about the Brewers. We got this easy". Then what happened? I don't know what everybody expects to suddenly change these last 59 games. We have played 2/3rds of a season. It's not like it's still May...or even June. Bryant is a good hitter and I want him in my lineup...but in a year where we have a juiced baseball and balls are flying out everywhere....we need more power from him. Same with....Rizzo. And Schwarber? Oh my gawd. Maybe this lineup is not anywhere near as good as everyone thinks....and when you're in danger of 3rd place....and have the worst road record in the league....and start off this "season deciding" stretch like they did tonight? This team is in deep trouble.

You seem upset

 

[Ari Bear]

Plenty of blame to go around tonight. Pulling Hendricks early, the pen, the hitting, meaning the lack of. The Bote hr and Hendricks 5 inning shutout was they only thing that didn't suck.

 

[JimJohnson]

You seem upset

Passionate fans get upset when their team keeps blowing games the same way.

 

[SilenceS]

Passionate fans get upset when their team keeps blowing games the same way.

Thats called a meatball.

 

[JimJohnson]

Thats called a meatball.

No, a meatball is someone who spends a lot of time posting on a message board but doesn't care whether their team wins or loses.

 

[SilenceS]

No, a meatball is someone who spends a lot of time posting on a message board but doesn't care whether their team wins or loses.

You seem upset

 

[JimJohnson]

You seem upset

So do you

 

[PickSix]

Ok. Did everyone get some sleep and now recovered from yet again another kick in the nuts?
Let’s go get a W today to prove we are great.

 

[CSF77]

Ok. Did everyone get some sleep and now recovered from yet again another kick in the nuts?
Let’s go get a W today to prove we are great.

Lester vs their LH line up. Vs Anderson. RH

Cubs should wreck him. Cubs hurt RHP more than LHP. Having the 2nd pen lefty will help also.

IMO they should IL Strop. No reason to keep that Trainwreck chugging.

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

Anybody that still says "we'll be fine" or that fans are "overreacting"now...after what happened last season? Is just being a pathetic homer and need to go to some north side bar and get drunk with their Sandberg jersey on and just mumble "Cubs...Cubs....Cubs" over and over like the hopeless drunks they are. This team IS NOT fine. For gawds sake. Wake up. Never mind, I know that's too much too ask. Just keep drinking and mumbling your homer.........delusional nonsense.

I don't remember anyone here saying it's fine. If you're paying attention the weaknesses are obvious.

 

[MDB111™]

I couldn’t disagree more.
the bullpen has been struggling for a long time and Joe made a move that required a minimum of four bullpen pitchers and a minimum of four bullpen innings if the game doesn’t go extra innings

Hendrix had a shut out going and had thrown 90 pitches, not 110.

Joe chose to try and get all of those innings from the pen which simply has not been able to do it.

It would have been questionable had he PH with bases loaded. But with the bases empty?

No excuse for such a move.

Lead off a catcher fresh off the DL. Change your hottest hitter out of the spot where he is smoking hot.

I think Joe has done great, but can we admit he just flat out overthinks it way too often?

Ill never forget Maddon yanking him in the WS. Except we won that game.
Does Hendricks have a history of falling off a cliff after 5? Why is the Hendo leash so short?