Thursday, September 30, 2004

Too Funny

I picked this up from one of the posters on the Cub Reporter.

By Brennan: All the world can be reduced to Simpsons references, and Dusty's pinch-hitting choices are no exception:

Darryl Strawberry: You're pinch-hitting for me?

C. Montgomery Burns: Yes, you see you're a left-hander and so is the pitcher. If I send up a right-handed batter it's called 'playing the percentages.' It's what smart managers do to win ballgames.

Strawberry: But I hit nine home runs today.

Burns: You should be very proud of yourself. Sit down.


I think we can apply that to Dusty Baker's general handling of the team.

Hell Just Froze Over

I have been a Cubs fan for a long time, but this season is probably the first time I was honestly in pain watching a Cubs team play. In the losing years, it sucked but it was kind of expected. Now that we are expected to win and we play like losers it hurts. So the season started off with all the hope and desire to win. By time the season is over my interest level will have gone from 100% to nearly 0%.

The Cubs collapse against the Cardinals began that downfall and the West coast road trip to San Fran, LA, and San Diego pretty much put the nail in the coffin for me. I clinged to the belief that we would still probably make the playoffs. Even that looks iffy at best now.

Now that A-gonz is gone the next player on the team that moves to the #1 position for me of most hated Cubs players is Farnsworth. I was hoping his kicking of a industrial fan would end his season. But now they want to make him a closer.

After blowing two straight saves—the latest in a 4-3, 12-inning loss to Cincinnati on Wednesday—LaTroy Hawkins may be out as the Cubs' closer and Kyle Farnsworth may be in.

"We'll address that when we get to it the next time," manager Dusty Baker said. "Farnsworth has been throwing the ball well.

It always ends badly with Farnsworth one way or another. Every time he has been made a closer it has been a disaster. But you have to hand it to Dusty Baker, 3 games left in the season, lets make a change!

Baker said he's not averse to making late-season changes, simply because the Cubs are in a do-or-die situation.

"You leave your feelings and ego at the door," he said. "It's everybody for the cause."


I really don't understand why Baker is undermining his players confidence. Hawkins has a couple bad outings and it's time to replace him with the mental midget Farnsworth? Its not like Hawkins has been stinking up the place the last two months. 2.31 ERA in August, 2.30 ERA in September.

But hey we have 3 games left and are 1 game back in the Wild Card. We can still win 89 games if we play as good as we have the last 6 games. Then we can pat our selves on the back and say, "Yay! Back to back winning seasons! Awesome!" Forgive me if I say, "I don't give a f***, and not good enough."

Monday, September 27, 2004

Getting In The Way of Winning

I was kind of surprised when I heard those words coming from Mike Sciosca the manager of the Angels on the suspension of Jose Guillen for the remainder of the season. What did Guillen do? Attack a fan with a baseball bat?

Guillen walked off the field as the A's changed pitchers, tossed his helmet toward the side of the dugout Scioscia was standing in and walked to the opposite side of the dugout before entering. He slammed his glove against the wall.


Wait a minute we have had guys bumping umpires, kicking cooling fans, throwing hissy fits on the mound and our manager and organization didn't do squat.

"We had to do something with Jose," he said. "This is about the organization, not one guy. Bill wanted to be loud and clear with the message. It was an issue getting in the way of winning."


Getting in the way of winning huh? I think I expressed those same sentiments when Zambrano and Wood were acting like nuts. While I wouldn't of advocated a season suspension at that time the organization should of stood up and made it clear that it was a serious problem getting in the way of winning. I have to admire what the Angels did becase they sent the message loud and clear no one is untouchable, no one is above the team. Want to act stupid? We will send you home to think about your actions. And the price Guillen could pay is extreme.

Anaheim said he was being suspended without pay and the suspension would continue into the postseason if the Angels qualify for the playoffs.


Dusty pats our guys on the ass and says the fan's are the problem or that these guys have passion! Nothing wrong with there actions on the field according to Baker. I have always believed that is wrong, Mike Sciosca understands that those problems hurt teams. Maybe thats why Sciosca is a World Champion and Baker isn't. Good managers keep the team concept.

Do you think Guillen gets the message now?

How many think Zambrano, Farnsworth, or Wood learned anything?





Monday, September 20, 2004

Destroyed

Oh last week I mentioned the on going investigation on whether the documents used by CBS news were forgies or not and to see how this whole tale would end.

Well CBS is fessing up, finally admitting the documents are fake after nearly every expery in the country told them this glaring little fact. Bill Burkett a long time anti-Bush basher/hater has been outed as CBS new's source of the documents. CBS will be addressing this on the CBS evening news, in which I am sure Dan Rather is deeply upset about.

"We made a mistake in judgment, and for that I am sorry," he said. "It was an error that was made, however, in good faith and in the spirit of trying to carry on a CBS News tradition of investigative reporting without fear or favoritism."


I know when people are blowing smoke up my ass. And that is what Dan Rather tried to do to the entire American public.

Compare for yourself. I am no document expert but I called bullsh*t as soon as I saw the side by side comparision. Yet people with decades of experience in journalism and investigative reporting didn't see the obvious mistakes. When your so blinded by the hatred of Bush you will believe anything. And CBS saw something too good to be true, and ran with it.

Saying you were duped by Burkett is not your get out of jail free card. Nothing short of Dan Rather being fired or resigning along with a major reshuffling of CBS news is demanded in this situation. They didn't investigate a damn thing, they tried there best to make the lie work.

Oh yeah a Cubs related point. Still not impressed with our winning 8 out of 10 games. Beating the Expo's, Milwaukee, and the Reds is nothing to write home about. Like I said we will still probably make the playoff's, but we will be bounced in the first round. I want to see this team start beating actual playoff teams. We havent seen that in a very long time.

Sunday, September 12, 2004

The Cubs are Done.

Stick a fork in them. They don't deserve to win the Wild Card.

I have been busy with some of my college classes the last 2 weeks, especially my humanities class which we are studying the Iliad. If you seen the movie Troy, thats about 1/100th of what went on in the whole grand epic of the thing. But still it consumes a hell of a lot of time to critically read it and understand the translation.

In the meantime I was hoping the Cubs would show some signs of life, any signs of life after the hurricane washed out our series in Florida. Expos took 2 of 3 from us, and now, right on cue, the Marlins have taken 2 of 3 from us. Way to put up a fight Cubbies. Dusty Baker in his infinite wisdom is juggling the lineup. And when he juggles the lineup we put up zero's on the scoreboard. I thought maybe after the Nomar trade we would have a set lineup from that point on. I have come to the conclusion that his constant fiddling with the lineup is a major reason why this team can't find a groove. Now that rosters have been expanded it gives Baker a better excuse to play the crap players (Not the rookies, the crusty old veterans that suck) more.

They haven't played consistent baseball for 140 games. What makes you think they will figure it out in 20 more games? The honeymoon is over Dusty Baker........win now, or else your gone next. One more year till he is fired, mark my words.

Friday, September 10, 2004

The End is Near?

The Cubs are playing like a bunch of joker's. But there is a new struggle to watch in the coming days.

Dan Rather fighting for his job. It's not everyday you get to see a major network news anchor fall before your very eyes. But this could be a historic event.

If you have no idea what I am talking about head to Instapundit.com and follow the story.

It's going to be one hell of a fight. May the truth be exposed!

Wednesday, September 01, 2004

The Record

No I am not talking about Barry Bonds chase for the All-Time HR mark. I am talking about Ichiro Suzuki's chase to have the most hits in a season.

Suzuki got three hits to finish with 56 in August, the most in a month by a major leaguer since 1936, and the Seattle Mariners rallied past the Toronto Blue Jays 7-5 Tuesday night for their season-high fifth straight victory.
The last player to get so many hits in a month was Cleveland's Roy Weatherly in July 1936.

"Of course I know him," Suzuki joked. "Who is that?"

Suzuki, chasing George Sisler's major league record for hits in a season, finished 3-for-5 and has 212 hits. Sisler got 257 hits for the St. Louis Browns in 1920.


What is equally amazing are Ichiro's monthly batting averages. After starting off slow in April he has been on fire. Actually that word doesn't even describe the way Ichiro has been hitting since April.

April - .255 BA
May - .400 BA
June - .274 BA
July - .432 BA
August - .463 BA

Three months with batting averages over .400? Are freaking kidding me? Just an amazing player having a great season.