2015: The Back To The Future Season

[Eli]

Crane Kenney and Co. deserve every bit of shit thrown their way. No one is saying Wrigley didn't need renovations, but to act like the Cubs haven't botched these renovations in every embarrassing way possible is fucking stupid

Hard to argue with this.

[Chuck to Chuck]

Crane Kenney and Co. deserve every bit of shit thrown their way. No one is saying Wrigley didn't need renovations, but to act like the Cubs haven't botched these renovations in every embarrassing way possible is fucking stupid

Hard to argue with this.

I'm at a dinner this Friday where Ricketts is speaking. Wonder if he'll take questions?

[SKO]

Crane Kenney and Co. deserve every bit of shit thrown their way. No one is saying Wrigley didn't need renovations, but to act like the Cubs haven't botched these renovations in every embarrassing way possible is fucking stupid

Hard to argue with this.

I will side with the Cubs against the rooftops, because fuck them, but season ticket holders not being able to sit in bleachers that were supposed to be finished have a right to be a little angry, although most of us will trade that for Al being unhappy, sure. Fans moaning that the team couldn't figure out a solution to something as simple as temporary fucking bathrooms have the right to complain. It's a joke.

[Quality Start Machine]

Everyone just calm down. Brett at Bleacher Nation brought it to my attention that there are still 161 (!) games left this year! Who knew?

I look forward to opening day so much every year and forget the 90 things that suck about it.

1) Early season Wrigley is a cruel mistress
2) Meatballs and columnists overreacting
3) Bloggers competing to be the first one to make fun/yell at people for overreacting
4) The stupid awful day after where there is no game that allows horrible opinions on both sides to cook for an extra 36 hours of stupid.
5) Some asshole who is going to misunderstand hyperbole and point out that I still have like 85 things left to list

At least we have Deadspin's crusade against Wrigley renovations to enjoy.

Crane Kenney and Co. deserve every bit of shit thrown their way. No one is saying Wrigley didn't need renovations, but to act like the Cubs haven't botched these renovations in every embarrassing way possible is fucking stupid

Yes, but some day we will look back on even this and laugh.

[Saul Goodman]

Crane Kenney and Co. deserve every bit of shit thrown their way. No one is saying Wrigley didn't need renovations, but to act like the Cubs haven't botched these renovations in every embarrassing way possible is fucking stupid

Hard to argue with this.

I will side with the Cubs against the rooftops, because fuck them, but season ticket holders not being able to sit in bleachers that were supposed to be finished have a right to be a little angry, although most of us will trade that for Al being unhappy, sure. Fans moaning that the team couldn't figure out a solution to something as simple as temporary fucking bathrooms have the right to complain. It's a joke.

I love how the dream team of Crane and Todd is apparently in charge of the construction.  Winter weather can delay construction projects in Chicago?  Two bathrooms isn't enough for a stadium?  Who could have guessed!

[CBStew]

I enjoyed the game, if not the outcome.  Good to see baseball back.  

I look forward to seeing Soler develop.  His first 3 AB's again Wainwright were neat to watch, even if he had nothing to show for it.  He fell behind 1-2 the first time up and managed to roll one the other way to move the runner to third with 1 out his first time up.  And in his second at-bat, he battled, and saw a good number of pitches before going down on strikes and sure enough, his third time up, he seemed to have sized up Wainwright when he hit a humpback liner that Holliday made one of his famous circus-like penis catches on.  Soler's play in RF was uneven--beginning with the bobbled ball on his first chance.  Also, Castro and Alcantara need to do a better job of knocking down shitty throws on stolen base attempts.  Twice yesterday a SB attempt turned into two bases.  Tommy La Stella made two nice plays at 2nd, Olt looked good on a play at third.  Olt also had 1 decent at-bat and got hosed on 3-2 pitch (or Wainwright just threw a perfect pitch, take your pick).

Not worried about the offense.  Wainwright's a top pitcher who didn't give in on any of those RISPs and the Cub hitters are of course still pretty green.  IT GETS BETTER.

And that strike zone was garbage. For both teams, and it was fairly inconsistent. Soler's first K especially was a direct result of him having to chase a pitch he probably would have laid off of were it not for Rizzo being rung up on a pitch in that same location.

The idiot Curt Schilling kept on apologizing for the umpire's strike zone saying that he was being consistent when it was clear that the umpire didn't have a clue and seemed to be calling balls and strikes just to appear to be impartial with his judgment.

[SKO]

I enjoyed the game, if not the outcome.  Good to see baseball back.  

I look forward to seeing Soler develop.  His first 3 AB's again Wainwright were neat to watch, even if he had nothing to show for it.  He fell behind 1-2 the first time up and managed to roll one the other way to move the runner to third with 1 out his first time up.  And in his second at-bat, he battled, and saw a good number of pitches before going down on strikes and sure enough, his third time up, he seemed to have sized up Wainwright when he hit a humpback liner that Holliday made one of his famous circus-like penis catches on.  Soler's play in RF was uneven--beginning with the bobbled ball on his first chance.  Also, Castro and Alcantara need to do a better job of knocking down shitty throws on stolen base attempts.  Twice yesterday a SB attempt turned into two bases.  Tommy La Stella made two nice plays at 2nd, Olt looked good on a play at third.  Olt also had 1 decent at-bat and got hosed on 3-2 pitch (or Wainwright just threw a perfect pitch, take your pick).

Not worried about the offense.  Wainwright's a top pitcher who didn't give in on any of those RISPs and the Cub hitters are of course still pretty green.  IT GETS BETTER.

And that strike zone was garbage. For both teams, and it was fairly inconsistent. Soler's first K especially was a direct result of him having to chase a pitch he probably would have laid off of were it not for Rizzo being rung up on a pitch in that same location.

The idiot Curt Schilling kept on apologizing for the umpire's strike zone saying that he was being consistent when it was clear that the umpire didn't have a clue and seemed to be calling balls and strikes just to appear to be impartial with his judgment.

The only thing that appeared to be consistent was that "6 inches outside the middle of the plate" was a strike. Everything else was choose your adventure

[CT III]

I enjoyed the game, if not the outcome.  Good to see baseball back.  

I look forward to seeing Soler develop.  His first 3 AB's again Wainwright were neat to watch, even if he had nothing to show for it.  He fell behind 1-2 the first time up and managed to roll one the other way to move the runner to third with 1 out his first time up.  And in his second at-bat, he battled, and saw a good number of pitches before going down on strikes and sure enough, his third time up, he seemed to have sized up Wainwright when he hit a humpback liner that Holliday made one of his famous circus-like penis catches on.  Soler's play in RF was uneven--beginning with the bobbled ball on his first chance.  Also, Castro and Alcantara need to do a better job of knocking down shitty throws on stolen base attempts.  Twice yesterday a SB attempt turned into two bases.  Tommy La Stella made two nice plays at 2nd, Olt looked good on a play at third.  Olt also had 1 decent at-bat and got hosed on 3-2 pitch (or Wainwright just threw a perfect pitch, take your pick).

Not worried about the offense.  Wainwright's a top pitcher who didn't give in on any of those RISPs and the Cub hitters are of course still pretty green.  IT GETS BETTER.

And that strike zone was garbage. For both teams, and it was fairly inconsistent. Soler's first K especially was a direct result of him having to chase a pitch he probably would have laid off of were it not for Rizzo being rung up on a pitch in that same location.

The idiot Curt Schilling kept on apologizing for the umpire's strike zone saying that he was being consistent when it was clear that the umpire didn't have a clue and seemed to be calling balls and strikes just to appear to be impartial with his judgment.

The only thing that appeared to be consistent was that "6 inches outside the middle of the plate" was a strike. Everything else was choose your adventure

And much the Choose Your Own Adventure books themselves, something that was intended to be light and fun was instead dark and horrifying.

[Powdered Toast Man]

I hate when my team plays the first day or night of the MLB season...the next day is so...empty.

[SKO]

This bullpen is filthy.

[InternetApex]

Miguel Montero is the balls by the way. I love listening to him talk about the pitchers.

[Tonker]

Miguel Montero is the balls by the way. I love listening to him talk about the pitchers.

I was just thinking this.  He speaks well, seems like an intelligent bloke.

[Saul Goodman]

2015 Chicago Cubs: Not Completely Hatable.

It's a start.

[Quality Start Machine]

Miguel Montero is the balls by the way. I love listening to him talk about the pitchers.

I was just thinking this.  He speaks well, seems like an intelligent bloke.

With him and Hank White joining forces, the pitch calling this season should be stellar.

[Bonk]

So WGN games aren't on WGN outside of Chicago anymore?

I get the baseball package so it doesn't matter much to me anyway, but was that an MLB thing a la the NHL or was that the Cubs' decision?