IST: Philadelphia Phillies (1-2) at Chicago Cubs (1-2)

[SilenceS]

Shut out twice in 5 games! lol!

 

[Mr. Cub]

We are so bad to watch right now. Just like last year. When the pitching was good, the offense is nowhere to be seen and vice versa.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Nice article here about Sandberg. I have to wonder if the Cubs fortune would be even slightly different, if he had been chosen to manage the Cubs.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/26626355-419/ryne-sandberg-sure-would-look-good-managing-cubs.html

 

[CSF77]

We are so bad to watch right now. Just like last year. When the pitching was good, the offense is nowhere to be seen and vice versa.

They got 10 hits and 0 runs.

rugg left 6 men on base. 3 in scoring position. He started the spring hot and cooled his jets the last 2 weeks of it.

Again I would play the hot hand.

The whole L/R match up is mindless and is not working.

What is happening:

Bonifico has worked as a lead off.

Castro is heating up in the 2 hole

Valbuena has gotten on base

Rizzo has hit LH pitching. He had 2 hits.

Schierholtz has hit

Lake has hit.

Not worked

Sweeney, Rugg and Kalish. Olt outside of a HR. Barney is auto out.

They need to work a every day line up with who works and filter in a bat here and there to try to get that person hitting.

Lake, Schierholtz, Valbuena should be playing every day until their production proves other wise

Good line up:
Boni
Castro
Valbuena
Rizzo
Lake
Schierholtz
(Floater spot)
Castillo

Just move Boni and Valbuena around to get the bench going.

I wouldn't go by L/R. If a guy goes 1-23 well they need someone in there who can hit.

I see this a continuing problem this year. These hitters are not proven and most are not contact hitters.

 

[SilenceS]

Nelson Cruz would have looked nice batting 4th in this lineup

 

[nwfisch]

I don't get the game on tv... I assume this was Castro and not Rizzo right?

You just made an ass out of u and me.

It was Rizzo.

 

[CSF77]

Nelson Cruz would have looked nice batting 4th in this lineup

Na. I would rather have a full time OF of Lake, Bonifacio and Schierholtz. For the investment it is a good return.

The problem is starting Barney at 2B as always. I don't see this fixed until Baez gets past the super 2 window.

Until then it is just who it trending.

 

[beckdawg]

I dont know, if the dont start winning at some point in the next two seasons. Theo may not be here and it may not be his decision.

I don't think so and frankly I think it would be a mistake. Ownership had to realize the situation they were putting Theo in given that they were apparently going to force down their payroll $20-30 mil. I honestly feel like he will be given time until their first wave of prospects come up. If they are flat out crap then I think the talks will begin but it seems pretty clear the ownership knows the plan the front office is using.

I worry about the stability of the front office. If Ricketts throw Theo and co out after this year or next and bring someone else in then I think it says a lot about the naivety of them as owners. I'm not saying you give them an eternity but given the approach taken 5 years seems the bare minimum in terms of when you should expect and possibly more. Reason for 5 years is because that's probably the first wave of all their draft picks hitting the majors or those that will anyways. Perhaps Almora will make it sooner but the lower draft picks might take that long. I worry if you throw them out prior to that point a new front office may not view their players the same way and you may throw away guys who you've spent time developing because they don't fit the new front office's style.

 

[X]

#OverreactionSaturday

 

[chibears55]

I dont know, if the dont start winning at some point in the next two seasons. Theo may not be here and it may not be his decision.

I dont think its winning that would concern Ricketts, it would have to be seeing a core of these kids performing at the major league level in the next 2 yrs..

Epstein and hoyer not being judge by on field performance in their 5 yrs because the Ricketts arent allowing them to spend to put a winning team out there..
It gonna be year 6-10 of their regime when their gonna be expected to have a winning product on the field.

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[CSF77]

They are not going to toss them out. They wanted this to be a rebuild and knew it would take time. Winning now was not the goal. Lowering payroll and creating a cheaper avenue of getting talent was the goal always.

We saw this trend when they drafted Baez and Vogelbach. This was the goal before hiring Theo. it just went full speed after the change over.


It is going to take time. That 5 year contract was to get the farm strong and running.

If the system has not produced any impact players in 5 years then I would pull the plug on it.

Think about it. We are on year 3. If Baez busts and Bryant comes up next spring and busts......well...

If the jumbo gets passed this year and goes up next then I see them in it for the long haul. If it falls through all bets are off. Daddy may say screw it let someone else deal with it and see this stock sell end up making Tommy a minority holder and some one else to run the ship. Daddy can give a f*** about baseball. I don't bieve daddy funds a move out of the cash cow. He would sell majority first and let the new group make that call.

Things should get interesting if the blocks to revenue continue. A 500 mil over haul in no small deal even for a billionaire.

 

[JosMin]

Another lineup shakeup. Almost game time, folks. Go Cubs Go!

Bonerfacio 2B
Kalish LF
H to the Rizzo 1B
Shitholtz RF
Valboner 3B
Castro SS
Sweeney's Big Weenie CF
Baker Baker Cookie Maker C
Villanueva P

 

[nwfisch]

Another pathetic showing from fans at Wrigley today.

 

[chibears55]

Another pathetic showing from fans at Wrigley today.

But it WF, fans will go there no matter what...

dont see much on the rooftop either..prob family n friends

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[chibears55]

Another lineup shakeup. Almost game time, folks. Go Cubs Go!

Bonerfacio 2B
Kalish LF
H to the Rizzo 1B
Shitholtz RF
Valboner 3B
Castro SS
Sweeney's Big Weenie CF
Baker Baker Cookie Maker C
Villanueva P

What bugs me so far is not playing Lake and Olt everyday.



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[JosMin]

Three-bagger for Kalish!!!!!!! Plates Bonifacio and the Cubs are up 1-0!

 

[JosMin]

Nice AB by Rizzo. Kept his hand back and worked the count to force Burnett's second walk of the day. Men on first and third with no outs.

 

[chibears55]

Three-bagger for Kalish!!!!!!! Plates Bonifacio and the Cubs are up 1-0!

Need to put crooked numbers on Board

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[JosMin]

Schierholtz with a sac fly to deep left. No play for Brown. Rizzo up to second and Kalish scores the second run of the first inning!

2-0 Good Guys.

 

[JosMin]

Really making Burnett work. Castro blistered one into left for a double. Rizzo scores to push the lead to 3-0!

That was a great piece of hitting by Castro.