Pitching matchup
St. Louis: Matt Morris 10-6, 4.20
Cubs: Glendon Rusch 5-1, 3.77
Lineups
Cardinals
Tony Womack, 2b
Edgar Renteria, ss
Albie Pujols, Sr., 1b
Scott Rolen, 3b
Lassie, cf
Reggie Sanders, rf
Mike Matheny, c
So Taguchi, cf
Matt Morris, p
Cubs
Todd Walker, 2b
Corey Patterson, cf
Sammy Sosa, rf
Moises Alou, lf
Derrek Lee, 1b
E-ramis Ramirez, 3b
Michael Barrett, c
Alex Gonzalez, ss
Glendon Rusch, p
I complain so much that MLB allows us to have an extra center fielder.
I play center and Edmond play center. He like stand behind me. He kisses me on the strikes and I kiss him on the balls.
Morris doesn’t make it out of the 3rd Inning today.
2 straight days without Macias, Martinez or Bako in the lineup.
We are coming
i’d rather watch the simulated game then another cardinal win…
According to MLB it looks like I’m a postage stamp.
get ready
Strike Zone for Cubs pitching is very very small.. To all of the Cubs Opponents the strike zone if we ever they trhow the ball.
I do not like this.
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=2666
What a novel concept?
Seriously, if Prior was going to pitch today anyway (simulated game) why not have him start?
I’ll never understand that.
Rusch just plunked Rolen. He ought to at least buzz Lassie.
In Glendon’s defense I’m so big its easier to not hit me.
Uh, oh, Rusch is doing that weird "drop down" sidearm toss to lefties. It’s going to be 4-0 pretty quick.
No! You’re supposed to pitch Edmonds up in the zone. That way if you miss he hits it 500 feet.
I see that the Cubs have already hit a guy. This should be fun. I’d say by the 6th inning Dusty will be trying to climb into the Cards dugout to get The Genius.
"And a nice job by Rush."
One inning, one run. Nice job?
1-2-3 is a nice job.
no bare feet….
what does that sign say?
no fighting…
WHAT A RUSCH!
I must have caught something from Sammy…
Morris can’t even do us a favor and HIT Patterson.
Then, he’d be on base.
Now he’ll probably whiff.
You jinxed me, Mike.
Why can’t we even touch a pitcher the first time through the lineup?
I know a lot of people here are more precoccupied with stupd frivolities like beanball wars, but I’m pissed that we lose all the time. Patterson sucks. He should have been digging in at home plate after the warning. It wasn’t as if Morris could back him off.
Another 1-2-3 inning, but go on rooting for frivilous beanball sideshows.
I’d jinx you if I had predicted an OPTIMAL, rather than PREDICTABLE outcome.
I wanted to get back and stand in right field buddy…Did anyone catch my terrific plays on Sunday?
Still throbbing 17 hours later.
Someone say throbbing?
How can they play Taguchi instead of me?
Am I on a pitch count? I’ll be done by the 4th inning!
Camera close ups of me make me appear to be 67 years old.
Like all of my managerial moves this is a 10 percenter, its only got a 10% chance of working, but if Taguchi gets 3 hits and scores 2 runs my genius will be reaffirmed. You could say that I’m the Jim Edmonds of managers.
Dear God, Andy, why bother? Save yourself some bandwidth, I’d much rather have the Dose free for a couple of extra weeks.
Time to trim the hedge, bitch!
2-1 Cubs.
Ummm, not to be rude and all, but when do I get to bat third?
Ooh, Aramis is in scoring position. I’m gonna send him on anything!
My vote is Ramirez 3rd and Lee 4th
Huh-Whhuuut?!!
Time to trim that mustache!
Guy in the fourth row!
Cubs 4, Cardinals 1
I have now given up 123 homers this year.
I’m the ace.
Matt Morris better not try hitting me.
The Cubs must be stealing signs again.
Good thing I used my "brushback" card in the first inning. The Cubs are claiming permanent residence right on home plate now.
Yeah, that was real smart, wasn’t it?
Dammit Barrett, how am I supposed to get Aramis thrown out at home when you do something like that.
Sloth…cut the Prozac in half. Lots of games to go, only two games out of the wild card and every team in the wild card race sucks.
There’s plenty of fun to be had at the ballpark, and it starts today.
Glendon Rusch just singled off the ivy. He’s speedy.
Sammy taught me the "single off the wall" bit.
I OWN Matt Morris
I’m in his sock, right now.
How about changing my nickname to "Meat."
Not to be all Chip-like, but it IS hot out. How about a Walker ding-dong so Rusch can trot?
1 out.
I’m sending Rusch.
Especially if the ball’s hit right at Edmonds or Sanders.
I’m lucky to be alive.
How in the world has Morris still thrown 12 fewer pitches than G-rush?
Can I get in this game. I’m starting to think that even I could get a hit.
Catch that, hotdog.
How’d you like the way I dribbled that one behind my back? Just mail me the Gold Glove!
Don’t worry.
I’ll cool off this rally.
Buddy.
The only fight at the Cubs version of me!
Matt Moran blows.
Well, so much for that AB.
Foolish me. Here I thought the Cubs would knock Morris to the ropes in the 3rd. Guess I have a problem with being premature… Like Lassie.
Higher than Walker’s, Sosa’s, and Alou’s.
Snap
Hey Chip, looks like the Berlin wall has a hole in it.
I’m enjoying this.
Remember kids:
If the Cubs manage to hold off the Deadbirds today, they will have a 9-10 record this season against them.
Not exactly setting the world on fire, but nothing for the Cards to crow about either.
I was ready for that PAT.
And the Cubs are in 7th Heaven…Tuesdays on the WB!
Did you see how hard Matt Morris was breathing when The Genius took him out? If anybody ought to be tired it’s the outfielders from chasing down his bombs.
I suppose when you have to breathe through your mouth, it’s easy to get winded.
I’m Mo’ Alou, bitch!
Mr. Ed, don’t worry. Dusty will send you in to kick the field goal against the St. Louis Genius not named Martz here in a second.
Andy RE# 62:
That’s Chip’s favorite glory-hole, Andy.
I’m pitching in the 2nd.
Is Alou Starting to heat back up?
It’s Paxil. Anyway, it’s nice to see, but they HAVE done this before, only to crawl back into their hole for weeks on end.
I took Prior deep in the simulated game today!
http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/chc/news/chc_news.jsp?ymd=20040720&content_id=804597&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp
Sloth, if you’re not going to enjoy the good stuff…why even bother?
I wasn’t kicking home plate, that’s how I count.
Albie, better hurry around the bases or Rolen’s gonna get it.
Hmm, maybe we want to pitch around Pujols next time?
I’ll just bean Grandpa Pujol’s next at bat
Yeah, Sloth, just lay back and try to enjoy it.
Eff you, Pujols.
I take that run BACK.
Hello there Cal
Why bother pitching around Pujols when we’re kicking the living hell out of the Cards?
Let him get a couple more meaningless HRs today if need be.
Yes, the Cardinals will collapse. Yes, they will.
Hey Sloth, biting a pillow helps. At least that’s what Kiko Calero says.
We’re averaging six runs a game since I came back!
Nomar who?
I think a name change may be appropriate.
Sloth,
Any more dour negativity, and you’re going to be arrested and charged with trolling.
Snap out of it! Or increase your sessions to 2 hours.
Hullo, folks. Chuck here. Just woke up from sleeping all day. The world must be going nuts without me spreading loans on it.
Looking forward to seeing what I write end up in a Dose.
Regardless if I send tit to Andy or not.
Wait…. 8-2? I must be having fever induced delusions.
Ah well, Sipowicz if doing well on channel 51.
I’m sure not making it a hard case for Hendry to replace me am I?
I can see the headline for tomorrow’s column: "Emotional Zambrano Triggers Offensive Outburst."
Our deal with Satan must not have included Tuesday day games. I’ll have to have our lawyer look over the fine print.
Jim Edmonds since his homer last night.
K
HBP
K
K
He’s red hot.
Take a close look at me. Have I been punching myself in the right eye? WTF?
i don’t like palin-drums. too big of a word for me
Walker gets $1 mildo for that? Give me the job next year for $250k
How do you "send tit"?
Hey Rolen…let me see that Gold Glove. I need to figure how out wide to make my mantle!
Put a hooker in a FedEx box, I guess.
I am asking you all to take a brief break from the gamecast to sign a petition calling for the immediate removal of Chip Caray.
Sorry, the link didn’t work it is:
http://www.petitiononline.com/gthcc/petition.html
or you can click my name.
Will the link be up around 4:30? I don’t think I can click it right now…
The petition only has two signatures, and one of them is mine
I guess since I publically announce that I suck, its okay
You knew I wasn’t gone forever, right?
At least I made contact…
Leadoff double, and the runner doesn’t score. Not so bad when you’ve got a lead, but yuck.
Everyone in the line up with the exception of myself and Sammy has a hit..Ouch!!
At least you’re not making 16 million, buddy.
I need to check on my deals I made with the Cardinals they should be running up soon.
Satan-I already wore that joke out. Anyone watching the game, do the Cards seem at all demoralized or anything? Or do they just appear to be blowing this game off?
#103
The point is not that you made conatct, Sam, but that you hit a flyball instead of a whiff/popout/swinging bunt, which is what you’ve normally been doing.
Oh, and even though you hit a fly, it was with a guy on second.
You and your self-promoting ass have become a giant sucking hole in the Cubs lineup. First move will be to take you out of your undeserved #3 hole. Then, next year, you’ll be doing your little pregame "charge’ out towards LEFT field.
Deal with it, 800-lb gorilla. This ain’t team anymore. It belongs to Aramis and the pitching rotaton. If you want to hang around for the ride, then accept your new role.
We are just happy to burn two games off the schedule, be done with the Cubs, and maintain a comfy 8 game lead.
Who says getting on base is hard?
Puh-leeeeze #110, you really think I’m happy with anything less than a win against the Cubs?
Sure, Genius, we all want to beat the Cubs and make you proud, but you would be happier with a beaned Cubs player in the 8th inning via Steve Kline than to come back and win a game you are going through the motions in.
I play Cardinal clean baseball, #113! I don’t know what you’re talking about.
You’re wrong. Kline will try to plunk a cub in the 5th.
It’s the Fifth Third Bank 5th inning, and Steve Kline is on to pitch to that tough lefty, Glendon Rusch.
I’ve got more hits than Sosa and Gonzalez combined.
And he got him out! I don’t mess, Hughes.
It’s too easy… The Cardinals broadcast (WGN keeps crashing here at work) outlined the charity calendar the Cardinals are doing. It’s the Cardinals and their pets and the radio guy said, "You can get the calendar by making a donation and you’ll be able to see the Cardinals with all their furry little pets…"
So many jokes… It’s the July 25th promotion giveaway.
http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/stl/schedule/promotions.jsp
Do you miss my faaaaaaancy defense now?
Hey Andy, am I a lemon? I want that award brought back.
Jezzzus, somebody write my ticket out of town.
I think your ticket will be punched soon enough
What happened?
Cubs win…Wheeee!
5 run lead cards are back in the game….when we trail by one we are out of it….
Here i come in a Card uniform.
Where’s John Mabry?
i luv rachel ray
Mr. Manager please come get me.
I am the future, dammit! I mean, I’ll learn not to walk people in the majors! You can’t do that in the stix.
Hey, that’s my job! Walking cards with the bases loaded.
Your membership is revoked, Dolan. Even we don’t believe in this team anymore.
Mr. Hendry,
I’ll be waiting on your call tonight. I should be home around 6PM.
Shoot me in the face!!!!
We need some relief in the pen for Chirst’s sake
You know, I am on the active roster.
And I didn’t throw that many pitches this morning….
How do you single to shortstop?
No. Alex, we won’t shoot you in the face because then you’d have no trade value. Right now we can at least get a pack of peanut M & M’s for you.
La la la la la…..
I’ve got it under control. Serenity now.
Kent Mercker? Any chance that we can recall Michael Wuertz?
See, I don’t let trade rumors affect me, I’m as bad as ever!
Should all 3 runners advance on one of me?
Thank god that’s over
You expect us to score again? HA!
I gotta take a load off.
This would be a great time for Sammy to wake up and actually get a hit…..*sigh*
Francis, i’ll be at Wednesday’s game & I’ll give you a ride back to Des Moines.
Where’s the Rachael Ray photo?
Todd Walker
1st pitch: Ball
2nd pitch: Ball
3rd pitch: Swinging Foul
Attaboy Walk. Way to live up to awesome OBP reputation.
I can’t believe that Jap caught that ball.
If I stand any farther from the plate, I’ll be in line for a beer at Bernie’s.
Is anybody else disgusted with Santo when he moans and bellyaches? I feel bad enough, I can’t stand that his "Awww, we’re not getting any breaks. Aww, it’s just not fair. AWWW"
How about getting angry, you friggin’ crybaby?
Here goes the lead.
….. *sigh*
Are we booing Sammy yet?
Mike D.:
I’ve been done with santo for a while. He was hired to help get him in the HoF. It’s not happening.
Get rid of him.
I’m telling you….
It’s now a one run lead
Mr. Hendry,
We are ready to come to Chicago just whenever.
What if we trade a prospect(s), Alex Gonzalez, Bako, and a no vote (to a team in DC) in exchange for Tejada, Julio and Ryan.
Good news! I’m going to bat at least one more time in this game.
I’m going for the cycle my next at bat. Maybe Sammy will dive and turn a single into a triple..
Does anyone wish I would step in front of The Red Line?
No problem, we can hit Kiko, right?
I guess is no, unfortunately and sadly enough.
looked pretty bad and I guess E-ramis thought it was a bit low?
Once again, not scoring a runner at second with nobody out is going to bite the Cubs in the butt.
Just watch.
BC, you may be right about this one, but now is NOT the time. Shut up. Please.
BC for gods sake the Cubs are currently winning a baseball game. And you roll out the Cardinals red carpet?? I’m not one for letting optimism get ahead of myself, but there just might be a shard of fucking hope that the Cardinals just might fail to score a run for the remaining 2 innings of this ballgame.
(of course if they do this looks pretty bad, eh!)
Well, how bad?
Boy was that bad timing, SD.
Game tied. Told you…
It looks REAL bad… in so many ways.
B.C., I know you were lying in wait all day to belabor your one-trick point, but walking guys with a huge lead has a lot more to do with it this time.
Oh for fuck’s sake.
B.C., do us all a favor and never post again.
Stat!
I’m not showing my face. I mean, I keep telling the worry warts to shut up. Hell, It’s funny to do that.
This team just doesn’t have it. I just keep ignoring everything. I might get Alex Ksaberg’s role!
Hendry really needs to make several moves NOW!!
fuck.
Well you gotta have a faith, a faith, a faith…
8 runs was enough! We got you the lead, then took the rest of the game off!
I’m a genius!
Are we the same guy?
I’m a dope.
I’ll carry this team the rest of the way
Where to Sammy? Retirement?
Hot day, wind blowing out.
Real Effing nice.
It’s more than a one-trick point. A lack of smart baseball, fundamentals, and execution kills a team with an inconsistent offense and a terrible bullpen.
Today is a replay of this game.
Why am I on the team?
I’m good.
Did I miss the 9th? When did the game end? I thought we stil had a chance to win this game.
How many times do you see it, the catcher throws a guy out stealing to end the inning, then leads off the next inning with a home run?
CBS Sportsline says I’m coming in, me of the 1.32 ERA. Who’s putting money down that I finish the year at this mark?
It might not be today..it might not be tomorrow..
Do I really have to pitch the 9th?
B.C.,
The terrible bullpen really can’t be emphasized enough. The team’s strength is supposed to be pitching. But Dusty Baker has no idea whether to be Jim Riggleman (with his ultra-strict pitch counts) or Dusty Baker (and let ’em throw 150 pitches if necessary), and when the bullpen comes in, no lead is safe.
The Cubs’ bullpen performed for most of 2001, and the team did well for most the year.
Borowski performed well throughout 2003 (and other relievers had nice stretches) and the starters generally made it through the 7th inning. The team did pretty well, from what I recall.
But this bullpen sucks.
Who bats for me?
Of course you do Latroy. All I’ve got down there is you and Remlinger. That other guy is out washing my car.
I will continue to eat 1.32 chocolate cream pies before bed every night.
You know things are bad when Macias is the best guy you have off the bench.
Always a great idea.
Macias the best guy off my bench? You’re close, but if that was crazy Julian up there you know I’d be using my trump card Tom Goodwin.
Hey! I’m on the bench!
Anemic Cub hits since the 3rd. Way to put away the opposition, boys!!!
ANOTHER single to shortstop? What the FUCK!
Here’s the thing with me:
I suck right now, but all of my acolytes–inlcuding Andy Dolan shame on his soul–defend me and call people dopes for having the temerity to suggest that my numbers justify my attitude/lousy defensive play/undisciplined hitting.
And then just when it looks like everyone’s beginning to wake up to my tired act, I’ll do something like jack a walkoff homer and things will go back to normal.
Like today. For the 4,476th time this year, I have failed to drive in a run in from second or third with fewer than two out. But when the games is tied in the ninth, with two outs and nobody on and an 0-2 count, some dope Redbird will make a mistake, and I’ll swing from my heels and hit it out. it will solve nothing, other than salavaging an ugly game that we shouldn’t have struggled to win anyway.
The Cubs will never win a championship with me on their team. ESPECIALLY now.
Yay!!!
2 Hits in one day. My value is going through the roof.
Surely Alex Gonzalez can play good defense, right?
WRONG…
Hmm, man on 1st, nobody out, Pujols is up and 4-4, time to bunt!
Game over.
Nice job guys!
Thanks for coming everybody!
A walkoff HR will win you a baseball game 100% of the time.
Yeah the RISP K’s are pretty not so great, but what can one do!
That’s seven homers I’ve given up this year.
Last year I gave up four.
All year.
Pitching in the Humpdome.
But go ahead and goof on Joe Borowski, you smug dumbf***ks.
Why are you guys worried? Todd and Corey are going to walk and then I’m going to jack a homerun to win it. Then I’m going to get one of those "special" tacos and a pepsi.
Just serve one up to Rolen.
Boy what a legitimate headache you’ve given me Albie.
None too happy about the current circumstances surrounding this particular baseball game at the moment!
The lack of execution is sickening.
Not getting Walker in and the Gonzalez error is one run the Cubs could have had and one run the Cardinals shouldn’t have had. Instead of a 10-8 game it should be 9-9 had this team executed even a little bit.
At least I didn’t let Rolen add to his league leading RBI total. Now our RBI guy, Am-Ram, has a chance to catch him for the league lead.
Can we pitch around Albert Pujols NOW?!?
Mr. Hendry, it’s a sellers market, so start selling.
By the way, I am the world’s best pitching coach.
Just ask Alex Fernandez.
I’m baaaaaaaaaack!
Why do I feel like I’m witnessing the Sandberg Game from the other side? Christ. Andy, anyway you can make us feel better about the Cubs now? I’m serious.
Hey Guys,
I think you should get a big cut out of me from my FHM spread and cover it in cut-out clothes. Then after each win you can rip a piece off. It seemed to work for the team in that movie Major League. Maybe it will work for you.
Cardinals are better than we are. Tought to say, but they are.
Uh, why the hell did I start my third inning of relief?
-t in tought
The day the baseball died.
Oh wait, CBS made an error. Just like the shortstop.
Hey, what’d I miss?
And yes, 179, I just love it when people post as me. Very clever.
Right now, we’re better than the Cubs.
Just a reminder. A 49-43 team (even if the chances are they’ll be 49-44 five minutes after this posts) is a lot better than one destined for 67 wins.
Just for those new to the Cubs, fanship beginning circa 2003.
I couldn’t get a ticket for today’s game, sorry.
Hey, another homer!
Yikes…
As for me making you feel better about the Cubs? You’re on your own. You can’t give up nine unanswered runs and feel good about it.
And yes, Dusty does look like he’s crying. For good reason.
I’m sure leaving LaTroy out there to continue to get pummelled is a good thing.
Let’s just hit somebody in the head.
CBS Sportsline just had Sanders being put out and had the Cubs due-up lineup for the bottom of the 9th.
Now Roger Cedeno is batting after a Reggie Sanders homerun? Don’t tell me..!?
Maybe nobody should come to wrigley for one day and the cubs can see what it is like to not have fan support. Fans don’t deserve another shitty year.
How did Reggie Sanders hit a home run with Rolen on 1st and Rolen not score?
8 home runs.
Why do the Cubs spend so much money every year on their bullpen?
I was asking this question when they signed LaTroy. Relivers are failed starters. The young Cub pitchers that have been talked about forever have just as much of a chance to succeed. as these overpaid stiffs. And if they don’t suceed, how much worse can they do than 8 homeruns before August?
I hope LaTroy gives up 10 more runs here. He’s a joke.
I got picked off second before the homer.
The guy doing the input for CBS is a moran.
Nice of the gay cowboy to show up, crawl through the evergreens for a coveted Reggie Sanders homer and then high five a mongoloid in a Rolen jersey. Now he’s being tossed. Maybe LaTroy could try that?
If this was an online EA game, you’d just hit reset before the results could be counted.
Rolen was picked off of second, although I’m not quite sure how he got there. Lots of mixed signals coming from me today!
Is Farnsworth out of options? If not, how about sending him a message and optioning him to West Tenn, Daytona or Boise? Send Frank Beltran down there to spend July and August with them!
This has happened twice now this season. I wonder if the driver of this car can even see what is going on in front of the windshield.
We just showed the wild card standings.
I’m almost surprised the Cardinals don’t have champagne on ice for after the game.
OK we say Molina just struck out. Does this equate to a 2 run homer?
Wow, that’s some bad turn of events. Like all of you, I chalked up the cruise-control victory for the Cubs hours ago, only to have a co-worker drop by my office just now extolling the virtues of Albert Pujols….
Sorry TJ, we are not going to pay the Farns over 1MM to pitch in the minors.
Hey, I didn’t walk anybody! I’m the pitching star of the game!
Don’t worry Steve the Sux fan, we’re coming after you, next.
Hey, what’s this brown stuff running down our leg?
Why is this so fucking popular among the majority of Cubs fans? On July 20?
Yes, LaTroy, it’s the umpire’s fault you gave up three runs.
Give me a break.
The Trib: You did pay about a million bucks NOT to put out a presentable paper yesterday.
The Farns would take Boise by storm! Think of all the prepubescent girls filling the stadium out there.
I’ve lost this team.
F&*^ the fates, mate.
It’ll be fun to listen to the hacks on ESPN say "Poo Holes" over and over tonight. Kruk and Harold Reynolds, especially.
fucking shit
I think the nicest part of LaTroy’s little exhibition was that his kid was right there in a bat boy jersey to see it happen.
Father of the year nomination for LaTroy.
These guys are embarssing all of us fans.
They suck and they blame the umps. LaTroy just got tossed. How embarassing. The Cubs can’t even lose with any dignity. They look like a bunch of fucking crybaby sore losers.
It’s a bad day when Kent Mercker is the pitching star.
I love when poeple (Chip) start saying that this team is suffering from pressure created by high expectations.
Trade this bunch of sad sack loser to the Yankees for a month. THAT’S high expectations.
Me and the nine-inch nail in my elbow are the real pitching stars today, BC.
I think there’s a good 20 percent of this team that just might be insane.
Is that a good thing?
Dusty gets father of the year, right with Jack Ryan.
It makes me sick to see him, like Ryan, use his son as a media shield.
As this team is playing right now, they are going to need a miracle to stay above .500 for the next couple weeks. They are playing awful and I don’t see how it can change.
My players never attacked the umps.
I will swing for the fences!
Or shock y’all by walking.
Shall I mercy kill this game with a double play?
Please just hit Sammy. Give our good hitters a chance. Welp too late.
Watch how hard I swing!
Darren would do a much better job of shielding if he could play shortstop and hit leadoff.
Dusty may be one or two steps away from putting that to practice.
Good thing Alou bats behind me or I’d think those were boos.
Not that I don’t deserve them.
I just keep looking at LaTroy’s kid over there being the bat boy. I thought it was bad the other night when Moises threw his helmet across home plate and his kid had to go get it. But how’d you like to watch your dad go nutty on national TV and he gets to leave work and you have to stay?
This is a dark day, and one the Cubs are not likely to recover from.
When does Bears’ training camp start?
Moises swings like I run.
In slow motion.
were in em next week….
Oh, gawd. We have to start hearing about this bunch of crackers soon!
Thanks for upping your dump value, Moises.
I think Andy gave up on last year.
Oh he of little faith.
please hit me!!!
Of course give us a little bit of hope, typical.
Ramirez, Lee, Prior, Wood, Zambrano.
Everyone else? Bids now welcome.
Screw you pussies, I’m winning this thing.
Please!!!
So you’re sayin’ there’s a chance!
Just out of curiosity, if a miracle happens and the Cubs tie this game, is there anybody left in the bullpen to pitch (other than Prior)?
Sorry, I mean " So you’re telling me there’s a chance? "
Game over.
Needed: 5-1
Got: 2-4
Result: 10 back
Analysis: Eliminated
We blow… and until we start playing better, it can be said.
Derrek Lee–I’m not in that. The Cubs have too many first basemen in the system to hang on to me if they’re selling guys off.
its been fun wasting time at work on this site all season….
i will be clicking the banner ads for one last time….
The lovie smith era begins….
You guys need a new messiah?
If I turn this around, I’m worth every freakin’ penny.
3-0. It’s time for a full slab.
Yes, just like the Cubs to give the Cardinals nine runs in the last four innings.
I would like the check please on the 2004 Chicago Cubs.
Bo Hart and $.050 for Mercker of Remlinger. Hecter Luna for Todd Hollandsworth. Done deal?
Hi, I’m your 2004 win total.
I believe the operation at 1060 W. Addison St., Chicago, has perpetuated a major fraud on millions of paying customers this year.
Tribune Co., the owner of the outfit d/b/a Chicago Cubs, is liable for this mess. I should demand they refund all paying customers and upgrade this team significantly.
Stick these in us, please.
I would hope it goes without saying that I need to be shut down until I have no pain for at least a couple days in a row.
Let’s see…Baker is in his 50’s, he had a scare with cancer, he’s grateful for every moment he has with his family.
His 5 year old son wants to sit on his lap after a game for a perfunctory TV interview, and you say he’s a shield.
Sounds like someone has lost touch with reality and has been listening to what has all the makings of a classic Dan Bernstein theory.
Baker has many flaws. Loving his son & letting the little kid spend as much time as possible with him is not one of them.
Nice to see more than a surplus of actual baseball fans at this site. Crying and blubbering at having a ballclub over .500 with more than a legitimate chance at a postseason.
I’m not saying this current pace isn’t awfully excruciating (it is), but for gods sake it seems as if the great majority of these fellows that frequent this site have no passion or enjoyment for the game of baseball. Not one day would most of you survive being an Expos or a Royals fan, but thankfully none of us have to do that as we’re Cubs fans, supposedly the best fans in the MLB.
I’m guessing the tenures of your fanship is a pretty limited and new one, as nobody seems to remember the horrors of 2002. Or even the 1990’s and 1980’s save a few years? The Cubs had 4 winning seasons out of 21 in a stretch ending in 2000. Despite that, there were still many avid Cubs fans and fans of baseball in general. We have two 88 win/.500+ seasons out of the last three, which is a far cry from what I’ve been subjected to for the majority of my lifespan.
Of course none of this helps the current situation. All I’m saying is that if the Cubs win 85 games and finish 2nd in the Central and miss the Wild Card, they will never hear the end of it. What would be a season of blessing to most teams would be complained about and covered in a shroud of unhappiness.
Yes, the 2004 Chicago Cubs have a load of expectations behind them, and therefore some say that there is due cause for this anger to flare up due to the disappointment felt by all Cubs fans. However, I’ll take anything I can get out of the Cubs, I’ve liked the team for quite awhile and I don’t suppose I’ll be shifting gears anytime soon.
Of course that’s just me, but what do I know? I’m just a baseball fan.
I don’t care what Darren Baker does as long as he doesn’t run out on the field.
What I do care about is Dusty Baker being a good manager. That’s a joke. Of course, being in a town that glorifies Mike Ditka for winning one Super Bowl when he should have probably won three helps Dusty out a ton criticism-wise.
SD,
This Cubs team isn’t just playing horribly despite being very talented, but they are being very unlikable doing it.
By the way, I have a headache that has been caused by excessive thinking. Therefore, I am going to shelf myself for a few months just to be sure I am all right, whether there’s anything wrong with me or not.
But I should be paid. It’s the Prior way, after all.
"I think Dusty’s a good manager"
BC — you give me a pass on being a crummy manager, I’ll give you a pass on being a crummy writer.
Deal?
Unfortunately, TJ’s awfully accurate about the unlikeable part.
Maybe we all need a short break to rest our sore (but 110% healthy) mentalities, to ensure that said mentalities remain "robust". I know I could use one.
I’d have to agree with SD. I need to not watch any games for a week or something. These losses ruin the rest of my day too often. Proof that I care, possibily too much. But I like what SD has to say. We want them to go all the way, but at some point it’s just baseball. As much as I pine for baseball season to start each year, if I’m not enjoying the season…that’s as sad as someone at one of those rallies supporting their favorite pop star Michael Jackson.
Let the Cardinals run away with the Central. Recent history dictates that the playoffs are kind to those who have kick and scratch until the last day of the season to get in them. Let the Cards run away (a la the Giants and Braves of last year) while the Cubbies battle for the Wild Card (a la the Marlins) and go into the post season in high gear.
Outside of last September, & 6 playoff wins, when was this team really all that damned good, anyway???
At least tix should be much easier to come by next year.
i’m back. this group of assclowns today was horrible. beltran, farnsworthless, and posse boy from gary-hawkins. i would disband the whole bullpen and i would do it right now. i would bring leicester, meat tray, and angel guzman up. trade hawkins, farnsworthless, and beltran for something in the bullpen. release mercker and remlinger(they are old *ucks anyway and worthless.
hopefully prior grows a pair so we could put rusch in the pen.
so you would have these guy in the pen-
rusch
meat tray
wellemeyer
leicester
angel guzman
whatever you get for farnsworthless, hawkins, and beltran
you get rid of gonzalez, moises, grud, bako, goodwin, macias, and oh sosa.
i think that about covers it.
one more thing. baker will be fired in 2 years. that sorry ass bastard has no control over his players and it really showed over these past 2 days. he will never win anything until he gets his fatass off that bench and does something which is called manage.
in closing, see you 2004 baseball season and bring on the 2004 football season.
309, from what we’ve seen the past two days, I have to say I think that my assessment was wrong.
Hey bullpen basher, that looks like the worst bullpen in the major leagues…especially since I am out with more shoulder problems.
After last Friday’s stellar effort by the Cubs offense, Jim Hendry was my guest leading off a scintillating edition of Sports Central. Rather than taking him to task for creating a one-dimensional offense, I chose to make love to him for 10 minutes — which I have basically done for the two years in which Jim has been in charge.
Tonight, Stone led-off the show, ripping the Cubs. So, naturally, I spent the remainder of the night ripping all things Cubs — Offense, Defense, Bullpen, Sosa, Management, Cubs Convention, Ronnie Woo Woo, etc.
I have no conviction, no personality, no backbone, no balls, and no original thoughts.
I am the biggest tool in Chicago. Not the biggest tool in Chicago *Broadcasting*, but the biggest tool in all of Chicago. In fact, make that Chicagoland, Illinois, Midwest, America, World, Universe, Solar Sytem, etc.
So tell me BC, what brilliant tactical move would you have made to save this game when only one loogy in your bullpen has the ability get anyone out?
Why in the world did I put Francis Beltran out there days after he blew Wood’s start in Milwaukee with 2 runners on when YOU KNOW he’s going to walk the first batter he faces? And why did I keep him in there for so damn long? Why do I find ways to blow games no matter? When I finally put out an offense capable of scoring runs, I send out a pitcher that can’t get the job done. Seriously, I’m a dumbass. Way to send a message to the team that even if they ARE finally scoring runs, their trusty manager will find a way to f it up.
Yeah, Dusty. How bad do YOU suck? Learn how to do your job, jagoff.
We should all "grow a pair." Reading this discussion, I realize we’re all a bunch of wusses. I admit, yesterday I was among the doom and gloomers, pissed at my team, tempted to never watch another game, pissed at my team. But here I am back at this site at 6 a.m. Wednesday. Face it, I love Cubs baseball–good or bad. We all need to have any balls at all. Re-reading this discussion (after some of yesterday’s disgust has worn off) is eye-opening. We’re all a bunch of cry babies. Good Lord. I admit, it’s hard to get much worse than yesterday’s loss, but there’s still two months of baseball season left that we should enjoy and our team needs us more than ever to get behind them if they any shot at a Wild Card. And I agree with Intrepid Reader #313 that the Cubs thrived last year having to chase from behind all year long. Let’s try to be optimistic, this is still better than the Mike-Morgan-is-our-ace years and the entire span of history starting with the Truman administration and ending with Reagan’ s second term. Things could be worse. Really, they can.
Hope to see all you penny-antes laying in the ruts behind the Cubs bandwagon as we reclaim our team and enjoy some contentious, competitive baseball the rest of the way. It might be ugly and it might be heartbreaking, but us true fans will watch it like a car wreck, whether the postseason is on the horizon or not.
With a little bit of luck, you johnny-come-latelys will shove off and not grace us life-longs with your handwringing and panty-twisting. Go be a casual Bulls fan if you want to keep hopping on and off a fan bandwagon. We could do without your deadweight and wet-blanket bawling.
Hey bullpen basher can we trade your ass for some other fan. You sound like a deadbird fan. How about you never look at this website again. I’m sure no one will miss your chicken shit attitude. When the Cubs come back this year, I don’t want to see your name or comments appear. Go hop on the Yankee bandwagon. Read #323 and take a lesson. That is a true fan.
We all need to get a grip. The game was the difference between an 8 and 10 game deficit. If they win, I guess that could have boosted their confidence or something. But they recovered after losing 5 in a row in late May, including that disastrous DH loss to the Pirates.
Every year a dark day arrives when I am confronted with the reality that the Cubs will not play in the World Series.
Last year, that day was Oct. 15.
My feeling is that this year’s "day" is near.
I came up today after all.
pray for me today….
rhymes with rain, but my favorite is:
Seles and Helling, and three days of shelling! TX Rangers 2001