Friday was the first time the Hank White Fan Club was in attendance to see Hank in action. He didn’t get any run in the game on Thursday, but he started against the Phillies. You really can tell why he’s such a good catcher. He’s as wide as he is tall. I also remember Greg Maddux finally spilling the beans as to why he usually used a “personal” catcher not named Javy Lopez when he was in Atlanta. Greg’s earth-shattering revelation? Javy took too long to throw the ball back between pitches. Hank’s quick. It might be the only thing he does fast. But the ball is on it’s way back to the pitcher immediately upon it’s safe arrival at home plate. It’s almost like you throw the ball into a half-pipe and it just rolls around and comes right back. Good pitchers, guys like Maddux and Carlos and the Franchise get into a rythm and like to stay in it. Getting the ball back that fast has to help.
Hank took the collar…again, at the plate. He’s abysmal with a bat in his hands. He’s like Gabor Bako only more colorful. Or maybe just more colored. But he can catch, so that’s something. Right?
The Bulls’ season ended about an hour and a half after we got home on Friday. So apparently, I got to see the bad part of game six. You can blame it on Kirk Hinrich getting his layup blocked, or on Duhon turning the wrong way on an inbounds’ pass, but the reality is that the Bulls got beaten by a better team. When you’re clinging to a lead against a better team, if anything goes wrong it snowballs. At full strength, I’ll take the Bulls over the Wiz every day. Without Eddy and Luol? I left the playoffs with an even truer realization of just how much the Bulls got out of their talents this year. I can’t imagine how they could have actually done more with what they had. It was an incredibly fun season to watch. You actually got to see them grow up. It’ll never be like this for this group again. Next year they’ll have expectations, and some of the innocence will inevitably be gone. But this is a good team, full of good guys. They’ll get better, and with intelligent, modest and demanding guys like John Paxson and Scott Skiles making the decisions, it’s hard to believe they won’t continue to enjoy more and more success.
Carlos got tired of losing. I’m sure everybody else is, too, but at least Carlos did something about it.
See, Dusty’s popular, after all! And after that hideous report in yesterday’s paper about the Cubs’ trying to trade for Jeff Conine, a more lucid report says that left field is Jason Dubois’. Finally. We know he’s going to hit. He’s never not hit at any level. And Dusty only clung onto Holly for a month. For Dusty, this is progress.
Ryan Dempster’s fired up about being the new closer. I hope he does well. But I don’t see it. And the Ice Man gets a start? What? Guh.
Groucho with an excellent look at what waits for the Bulls.
Groucho with today’s column about how Big Chief Triangle would be the perfect guy for the Rockets. He also lists available “big guards” for the Bulls to pursue. Bobby Simmons would be perfect. He’s big, he plays good defense and while he can score on occasion, he won’t hog the ball. Plus, he’s been away from DePaul long enough to have actually learned how to play.
Phil Rogers is still a complete dumbass. Though he does suggest that Kerry Wood never start again for the Cubs. If the Cubs are going to give up on him, and honestly, if you took an objective look at him, you’d consider it, they need to throw him in the bullpen, tell him to break out the slurve again and go like hell. If he breaks down again, or can’t throw a strike, then see if you can get a team desperate for box office (the Astros or Rangers?) to take him.
Mariotti puts down the doughnut to put the heat on Jim Hendry. And Hendry deserves some heat, though Jay just throws everything at him because Jay’s either too lazy to figure things out, or too dumb (he’s both.) Jay won’t admit he applauded the Nomar signing, especially since it was so “low risk” at one year and $8 million. The contract served it’s purpose. Nomar’s a gimp now and not on the Cubs long-term payroll. Jay also rips him for not getting more for Sammy, when getting anything for him was a miracle. But where Jay’s right is that if you’re going to win with Carlos and Prior you need to get moving before they do. And, Hendry left the bullpen embarrassingly thin, again, this year.
Ken Rosenthal says that a GM says that the Cubs look sad. Well, they’re losing. What are they supposed to be doing, cartwheels?
America’s finest news source on what Amtrak is doing to get better.
Please let me appologize for penning today’s Dose under the pseudomyn of Andy Dolan. All that I forget to add about my personal experiences was when the tomato fell out of the fly in my pants.
Did I say that out loud?
Hey, if you’re going to call me a dumbass at least feature me as the Dumbass du jour
I don’t understand the complete turning on Kerry — it’s fairly dramatic; read some of Andy’s columns from 12 to 18 months ago for the breadth of the change. He’s hurt, guys. Pitchers get hurt all the time. If you don’t believe me, take a look at how often Prior’s been hurt. Is it his turn for the sexist comments next time? (Re: the tone of some of those comments — Mia Hamm sees a gynecologist and gets cramps and I’m sure she could kick each and every one of your asses.) He’s hurt because he throws a baseball harder than 99.9999% of the universe could dream of throwing it, and because (let’s say it again) pitchers get hurt all the time. Ironmen like Maddux and Clemens are the freaks. Lieber was out for a year and a half. I think we’d take him now. Jason Schmidt’s been hurt a lot (and was a late bloomer). I don’t think anyone would turn him away. Are you all really ready to trash Kerry’s career and send him off to the Rangers? If he goes there, with that infield, odds are he’ll win a world series a lot sooner than the Cubs do.
Oh, don’t sell yourself short, Yellon, I never get tired of reading about your no-job friends and the latest Jewish holiday. Such fun.
We’re paying Krissy Wood’s vagina $12MM/year, I think we have a right to turn on him. And people wanted to bitch about Sosa? At least he played most days. We’re paying Krissy and Mr. Hamm over $20MM to keep the DL nice and warm. Sweet.
If you don’t understand the turning on Kerry, then you don’t watch him pitch.
What’s happened is that the masses have finally realized that he’s just a mediocre pitcher. The guy that struck out 20 7 years ago is gone and is not coming back. He’s not a 20 game winner. He’s not even a 7 inning pitcher.
And every year we get our hopes up for a title run because of his potential. Now that we see that the potential is no longer there, we want guys who give us a good chance to win.
Kerry is no longer one of those guys.
We’re tired of losing. If you aren’t part of the solution, you are part of the problem. Kerry is not the solution, ergo….
They had a good point about sexism, though — there are plenty of women that could easily kick your ass, El Tribune Shareholder. It’s ridiculous to say that because Kerry Wood can’t hack it right now, that he has a vagina. There are plenty of women (yes, with vaginas) that are more bad-ass than Wood, and probably resent the inference of being compared to him.
Chuck,
It would be one thing if Wood’s 20-strikeout performance was just a flash in the pan, and that he doesn’t have the ability to be a stud. He’s been a stud — at times. The potential is still there, but I question whether Kerry Wood cares to harness the potential.
Yeah, he’s hurt, but his throwing mechanics have never been great, and he never changed his mechanics after Tommy John surgery.
He shows little interest in economizing his pitches. Even stubborn Carlos Zambrano has shown the ability to do that at times.
I won’t question Kerry Wood’s manhood, but he’s at a definite crossroads in his career. Where does he want to be in three years: starting for the team of his choice, starting for a team that will have him, closing for the team of his choice, spending his days in the Tampa Bay bullpen as a middle-reliever, or throwing for Duluth-Superior in hopes of getting a spring training invite from the Kansas City Royals?
Mia, come over here and show me your vagina, then I’ll let you know if I’ll let you kick my ass or not. If you promise to wear thigh-high stiletto boots and bring a riding crop, I’ll probably let you bash me around some. But that vagina sees some action. I like your little boobs too.
Teej:
I don’t question Kerry’s desire. I question his willingness to adapt and be coached.
“I’m Kerry F’n Wood! Send me letters and tell me how to pitch, all you armchair idiots out there.”
“Everyone wants to win, but not everyone is willing to prepare to win.”
– Bob Knight
Wood wants to win, but as you said, he’s unwilling to adapt and be coached. Ultimately, if you’re unwilling to do what it takes to succeed, you can want to succeed, but it won’t make any difference.
It’s good to see one of you actually goes to the games rather than sit in front of a computer all day.
There’s been a huge change though in the past 12 to 18 months. We were under the illusion that his 2003 playoff performance was a sign that he was becoming a pitcher, even with the Game 7 debacle included. But last year before he got hurt there were warnings that he was the same, old, Kerry, and you throw three more injuries on top of that and you’d have to be a dope to be optimistic about his future as a starter.
It is likely that his physical problems are the reason he’s so inconsistent. It could very well be that the reason his mechanics change so much from start to start is because he’s compensating for a sore back or a sore shoulder or both from start to start. But does it matter if his health causes the inconsistency or his inconsistency causes the bad health?
So what if he never becomes a 17 or 20 game winner? There’s plenty of value in having a 14 (or God forbid more) winner who eats up innings and scares the bejeezus out of the guys in the batter’s box. But he’s not even that right now.
As Jim Hendry’s boss, I’d like to remind him that we don’t really care if Kerry starts or finishes, as long as he does one or the other and starts to justify the big paychecks we’re writing to him.
You were at Wrigley on Friday, Andy? Why didn’t you call me? Some of my lady friends want to have some words with you.
I caught a foul ball with one hand while standing up and holding my phone with other hand at the game on Saturday. It was actually pretty cool.
What’s worse: a cell-phone loving prick, or the idiot who puts ketchup on his hot dog?
Screw you TJ, I like ketchup, onions and extra kraut on my dogs and brats, so there.
Haven’t been to Wrigley for a few years now, do they still have those tasty BBQ burgers? Loved those.
This was a really good Dose.
Ketchup on a hot dog? Unless you’re 8 years old there’s just no excuse. Try real, live tomatos my friend.
Amen about the Kerry or should I say Mrs. Wood bashing. Every bit of it should be and is justified. This guy’s good days are past him. How many more surgeries for the back, arm, or elbow would it take to cure him. A lot of it is mental and his willingness to be taught the right way to pitch are Kerry’s problems.
Dolan, what luck last week to see two of the most horrific finishes this year. My fiancee and I are actually heading up to Wrigley for Wednesday’s game. It will be her first time to step into the friendly confines, which haven’t been too jolly lately. But anyway, our seats are in section 425. I’ve never been in the upper deck and was wondering if they’re pretty good seats? Then Thursday night we’ll be heading to U.S. Stingular Ballpark for some Sammy Sosa bashing. Our seats are perfect for that as we will be seating in rightfield.
Well bottoms up to our new closer of the month, the Dumpster. The next couple days should be interesting assuming we’ll be in a position to close a game out. I was really hoping to see Sweaty Joe though. He’ll be back here soon and we’ll be the ones sweating when he takes the mound.
Looking forward to seeing the Franchise go for a win Wednesday. If anything else, at least we get to see Hank White in person. What an honor!
Baker Basher
P.S. If you’re at the game on Wednesday and you see a madman screaming loudly at Dusty in section 425, that’s me. FDF=Fuck Dusty Forever
Here’s another dumb question for Baker Basher: what’s the point of making Fuck Dusty Forever into an anagram if you’re just going to spell the whole thing out after you use it?
El Tribuno! As appealing as that sounds, maybe you should find someone that isn’t completely out of your league and famous to show you HER vagina first.
“A lot of it is mental and his willingness to be taught the right way to pitch are Kerry’s problems.”
Baker Basher, with his part-time gig as my psychiatrist, would know EXACTLY what my problems are and all about my mentality, obviously.
Polygamy, gay marriage, living in sin, births out of wedlock, polyamory, mass divorce are less of a threat to me than Baker Basher’s imminent nuptials.
Baker Basher can sign into me using Baker Basher as a username and using what the first thing he’d do upon taking over as GM as the Cubs as his password.
And lookee here, he has his very own blog!
bakerbasher.blogspot.com
Uh, yeah, all of those things are going to hurt the oh-so-sacred bond of marriage so much. I mean, it’s so sacred right now that only 50% of the morans that get hitched split up in the end!
Calm down, divorce rate. To start with, I mentioned you as a threat. No. 2, I was making a joke — get it, a joke? Wasn’t trying to make a major political statement.
Hey season ticket holder guy, some of us have jobs you know. By the way, thanks for helping to pay Woody’s doctor bills.
For those of you who would like to make a political statement…
And, if you see an empty seat next to him, I’m at Murphy’s.
Are you the cute one, Basher’s Fiancee? I can get you a job, you know.
Dude, I’ve been so busy thinking of how we’ll win with Leicester on the mound that I accidentally called myself Baker Basher in the last post.
But fiancee of Basher, we could get a nice job for you. Unless you’re a slumpbuster.
Anybody need tickets?
Don’t worry, he won’t last long. This is a, cough-cough… a family ballpark.
“Her first time at the friendly confines”. Mrs. Baker Basher, I’ll show you a good time at the friendly confines. Just ask Cindy!
The title and accompanying picture of this dose crack me up. Good job, Andy.
Somebody need me to break up a marriage. I’m cool with it. Just gotta get my meds.
Hmm, maybe I’ll book a quick trip to Chicago during my offday Thursday and show Basher’s fiancee “my” Chicago.
It’ll be great!
I am the reason Mrs. Baker Basher has no pain.
Hawk, now that your retina he gone, I’m the only hawk left.
You’re just “ex-hawk with he gone retina”.
Hollandsworth in LF and batting 8th tonight. So much for Dubois’ shot.
you wanted me outta town, now you’re paying
Why am I being sold on the cubs web shop?
Who needs you, Ramon? We got me!
I’m utility bro and you are not.
Heck, I’m 6 times better than the lesser and 94 times better than macias.
I thought I recognized you Season Ticket Holder.
Who cares? I’ll play ANYTHING, mang! You and Macias can’t reeeeally play 3b, anyway.
Until Walker returns, this is the lineup I would like to see…
Hairston, 2B
Perez/Cedeno every once in a while, SS
Lee, 1B
Ramirez, 3B
Burnitz/Hollandsworth every once in a while, RF
Dubois, LF
Patterson, CF
Barrett/Blanco every once in a while, C
After Walker’s return, do we keep Hairston leading off but playing shortstop in order to keep a decent leadoff guy in the lineup? Or do we play him in left and put Dubois on the bench? Or do we keep Neifi! in the lineup and have either him or Walker lead off? Or, does Dusty do the dumbest (but most likely) move and move Patterson back to leadoff, hit Walker second, and Perez eighth?
BC….I have scored a measly 11 runs this year despite my OBP. That’s less than any of the regulars except Hollandsworth and Barrett. So does it REALLY matter if I lead off or not? There’s no way I get benched for Neifi on Dusty’s watch, and no way I should be playing over Walker. So back to the bench I go.
Does anybody know why I even exist?
We’re not in season, my friend, and not too certain about that garden party in your bun in any event.
Dutch Daulton would kill me in a race.
Mmmmm … pancakes
Had him all the way.
I don’t like following the team when I loathe the manager and half the players. I just cringe and wait for more dumb shit every game. This is not fung, mang. And I have to listen to my asswipe Sox neighbor prance around like a girl as well? Sox in first, Cubs floundering, this dickwad is more excited than Michael Jackson at a Cub Scout convention. It sucks, man.
When do the Bears open camp?
Real men don’t eat ketchup on their dogs, pussy. Put a tomato on it faggot and tough it out. Better yet, you fuckin’ pansy… just skin the rat and throw a slice of tomato on it. No need for all that processing of the roadkill before you eat it.
For all of your collective Hendry bashers, I love
all the young arms in farm system, consequently I
felt no need to give any of them up over the winter
for a closer…I felt so good about them I gave away
Clement…I love these guys, Angel, Mitre, Brownly,
etc. etc…we’re the best…Say what?
Why is it the 1st round picks we keep turn out to be zeroes (eg, Patterson and Brownlie and Montanez and Harvey), and the 1st round picks we give up on turn out to be stars elsewhere (eg, Garland and Willis and Sisco)?
Prior is the only one that worked out, and he doesn’t really count, he was so freakishly good already.
Of course, assbag Mariotti decides to trot out his “oh, if only Willis and Garland and Lieber and Clement” column today, so now I feel a little dirty. But still pissed and confused.
Andy: I wasn’t a first rounder.
Ryan: I’m a zero? I know my back hurts right now. But I’m 19 and I can rake.
Um, a good start to my season does not make me a star, the Indians, Royals, and Tigers won’t be this bad forever, will they?
We’re just waiting for you to come back to earth. Then we’ll pass you. Again.
I was an 8th round pick. So I had that going for me. Which is nice.
Also, you always were a fast starter. Not to mention that when hitters begin to re-time you, you begin to get hit hard. Just look at your career stats Fernando, er, I mean Dontrelle.
“It was fun being out in the bullpen, but I was glad for Zambrano because I didn’t really want to come in and give up his run,” Dempster said. “He might have tried to lynch me as I tried to get out of here. When he struck out the last guy, I probably had as much of an adrenaline run as if I was doing it.”
hey, what’s up guys?
I think there is only one round to the Baseball Draft.
I only throw 87, but there’s still hope for me. Even though my name is friggin Bouncin Bobby Brownlie.
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