CubLogger

Cluster f***k in the OF

2007-08-26T12:44:00.000-07:00

With the rosters about to expand and Sori about to return, this cub fan is worried.
I'm still in shock regarding the lineup deceisions Loupa made against the giants.
If you're going to have murton up, you need to play him every night. Screw the matchup implications, he has proven that when he gets to start every night, he can find his rhythm.
Jake Fox had all of one good game in his stint with the big boys and aside from two nice HR's, i dont' trust Daryl Ward to man anything that doesn't involve the clubhouse food spread.

So what happens when Sori gets back. Clearly we will have too many outfielders. I know that the prevailing theory is that bench guys need to start every once in a while, but my theory is that sometimes, bench guys need to be just that, Bench guys. THey need to get used to that role as much as the starters need to get used to their roles. How is murton supposed to get into a rhythm if he's on the bench every other night, or 2 out of every 3 nights?

Floyd, Monroe, Ward are experienced enough to be quite valuable pinch hitters.
Godenot, Pie, Ronny late inning defensive and pinch running substitutions.
And let derosa be the guy who gives the "real starters" a break.

Me and My Bro

2007-07-18T11:41:00.001-07:00

Nothing new to report, just trying to get this piture onto my blog. But i swear i just heard bob brenley say that you dont lose much defensively if you rest DLee and Aram on the same day. I'm intrigued as to how drunk the gerbil spinning the wheel in his brain really is today. This pic was taken 2 summers ago waiting for the L. i cannot for the life of me remember who they were playing that day but i do remember it was hot as ballz and I think they won

The Kendall trade Day 1

2007-07-18T10:51:00.000-07:00

Pretty unimpressive for the following reasons
1.Kendall known for patience at plate and vs. zito, NO CUB walked, but kendall definitely didnt
2. chance for put out at home and he fumbled the ball
3. 2 wild pitches though the Marmol one was absolutely ridiculous
4. Kendall also known for ability to "frame" pitches well, yet the Cub pitchers received virtually no Borderline strike calls . (the ump was being pretty stingy but still)

I know one game is not a good sampling, and i still like the trade in principal, lets hope he got his opening day jitters out.

Ken Griffey + DLEe equals World Serees

2007-07-16T16:56:00.000-07:00

Yes, i know i mispelled that, but it was for the sake of rhyming
Like shakespeare never had weird spellings for crap
So, with all this talk of Griffey having to be traded and the lack of a "true" centerfielder, why would the cubs NOT go after Jr?? They've got some talent to trade away and they also have Jock. ooh, sick burn on jock.

I love this cubs team and I wish that Cliff were less fragile than Sammy J. was in "unbreakable" but whatev. Keep Darryl Ward, Pagan, Cliff and Derosa platooning in RF/off bench and get Jr. bat him 5th and take home the trophy.

ps. am i the only one who thinks it would be mildly entertaining to see Sammy back in RF for the pennant run? How bout calling of the the rangers, and getting Lofton and Sammy for i dunno, Wood. They are almost just that dumb.

Long Live the Lillyhammer

2007-04-05T23:40:00.000-07:00

Me and some folk were talking about this yesterday
"Lillyhammer" has got to be ted lilly's nickname

Thoughts on first series. Z- still a had case Bullpen- still shaky, Marquis and Lillyhammer- worth the money, Uncle lou- jury still out

Lets get our hitters going in Milwaukee

I'm Back With Polls

2007-04-03T01:46:00.000-07:00

Hehe, its funny cause it Says Polls.

Anyways, Cublogger is back in business. with a renewed sense of energy

Put up some new polls and a theory on Z's performance. Hope you all read

Call me a sinic but...Big Z is a Baby!

2007-04-03T01:27:00.000-07:00

Big Z is a baby.
Am i the only one who saw today's performance coming? The cubs need to sign this head-case before he lays another egg. To put it bluntly, Z sucked today because of his contract negotiations. Having extended the deadline with hopes of a quick settlement, Z went into today's game trying win himself some more money. In trying to make one last "impression" on the cubs brass, he pushed, over-worked and flat out sucked out there today.

Not to say that if he had been signed it would have been any better, or even if they hadn't extended the deadline. Z shouldn't be the opening day starter because he's too emtional and too immature with his whole approach.

He abandoned all thoughts of giving up fewer walks as soon as he got on that mound and tried to earn himself another. 5 million

The cubs better sign him soon, before he "throws" another game.

Jacque for a Pitcher

2006-12-17T12:18:00.000-08:00

Is there anyone out there who thinks we couldnt' get a number 3 or 4 starter for Jacque Jones.

I think we're fine at the corners without him. I really like Mamu and the cubs need to keep him in the lineup. He actually knows what a Ball looks like

We have enough power, we do NOT have enough OBP guys yet. Unless you can get jacque to play center field

Somebody Must GO!!!

2006-05-14T22:37:00.000-07:00

I know this is reactionary, and I know that there are people out there who are going to disagree
but I'm sorry, someone has got to be fired.

I don't care who, I need to see something different. I just saw the pitch count total from today's 9-0 reaming and I almost vomitted.

How can dusty not impose a "you must take at least one pitch rule"

So I don't care who it is, but its gotta be soon. If steinbrenner's team was ever this bad mid-may, do you think that The Pitching Coach, Manager, hitting Coach and GM would all still have their jobs.

I can think of multiple reasons why each of them should be fired, and really wouldn't mind if we got rid of the lot, and started all over. Worked for the Marlins three years ago and the astros 2 years ago.

Fire Jim Hendry

2006-04-12T08:58:00.000-07:00

How did he NOT see this coming??? How can anyone let a whole season rest on the assumption that Wood and Prior would be healthy?? He already knew that wood would be "pre-damaged" goods coming off of surgery and has he actually met Mark Prior? the man who more and more resembles Samuel Jackson's character in Unbreakable.

There were so many available starters last offseason, that to not have signed just one of them, should go down as one of the worst "non-moves" ever.

So here we are with Jerome Williams and Glendon Rusch being forced to give up their perma-seats at the clubhouse food table, and start 40% of the games.

The cubs have younger options and they need to use them now, because their older

options should have reached their expiration date. But hey, how could anyone have forseen this problem??

In the Cubs version of this movie, we know who Sam Jackson's Character would be, so would Mad Dog be Bruce Willis?

Cockiness? Callousness? Crapiness!

2006-04-11T17:40:00.000-07:00

So, after a huge, uplifting and momentum swinging series vs. St. Louis, the cubs come out and lay not just an egg, an egg would have been too perfect....

Rusch seen here sniffing the crap residue
left on his hands

.....they laid a big fat turd on wrigley field today against at best a mediocre team and mediocre pitcher.

So, were they cocky, did they take start taking the division for granted?

The main problem obviously was Michelin Man Glendon Rusch. The 2nd problem is that when the wind is blowing out, the cubs don't even attempt small ball. Do they know that walks and singles are just as good with the wind blowing out? Notice the cubs netted exactly ZERO walks.

So, the moral of the story, the cubs need to play solid baseball regardless of the weather, and the cubs need to call up Hill or Guzman BEFORE rusch's next start!!!

I Found Missy Stark!!!

2006-04-11T09:26:00.000-07:00

Rachel Nichols, you've been bumped to #2.
How sad a day it was when the sultry sexy blonde, Melissa Stark, stopped gracing the MNFscreens,

Nichols, still holding strong at #2

Well, blame it on vacation, but while watching MSNBC, I found myself thinking "DAMN she's hot!"
and then, wait a minute, those lips, that hair, its Missy!!!

Warm up the Tivo, i'm back in love!!!

Missy, once lost, now found.

Random Ramblings

2006-04-10T16:54:00.000-07:00

I hate off days, but today's was just made the best off day ever with the announcement that DLee has finally been signed. Hazaaa.... seriously, I'm extatic.

In a Cubs.com article, Hairston is already starting to bemoan the 2nd base situation. You had to see that coming. Although I can't stand Neifi starting, he has more bench value than hairston because he can play more positions and switch-hits.

I'm not so much worried about the situation turning ugly, but it could turn into a waste of resources when we could possibly package hairston or walker along with Hill/Guzman for a solid #2** starter. (**Insert poop joke here) I hate these seasons where its "Wait for Prior and Wood" and then they come back for like two combined starts, go back on the shelf and we've lost any possible trading positioning we had earlier in the season. I still don't trust Williams or Williamson, so get another starter, have Rusch be the swing man, and option the Williamsonses to the grounds crew.

Anyways, I'm going to raise a glass to Hendry and DLee and worry about tomorrow tomorrow.

WTF is taking so long

2006-04-09T07:50:00.000-07:00

Now, maybe now, that Hendry has been given his contract, dude can concentrate on locking down one of the best players in the game?? Is anyone else becoming more and more skeptical about how close they really are. I mean, how can you be "very close/ wrapping up lose ends" for a month?

Seriously, how was this not finished last november?? The Cubs need to get their heads out of their collective asses and give him whatever he wants RIGHT NOW. because you know, if he plays out this season, his stock will be so high that the cubs might not be able (cough) willing to keep him.

Lets face it, its not like this is a Franchise known for making the smart move early and saving themselves trouble/money. (see greg maddux circa 1990, matt clement).

So Please, Chicago "Braintrust". (and I'm using that term very liberally) Give the man the extra whatever that he wants so we can all sleep a little better tonight.

ps. anyone else thinking that a 3 way deal involving Prior for Zito is not looking so bad right now?

Murton needs a nickname.

2006-04-03T14:38:00.000-07:00

We have ARam, Dlee, Big Z, Mad Dog....but Matt Murton is a mouthful and I have a feeling we're going to be saying/typing it a lot this year. Here's a few I had in mind.
Feel Free to make suggestions.

"he's not Holly"
"the anti Burnitz"
"Mean Matt Murton"
"Matty"
"Double M"

this one I actually like the best, it came from a dude named Brick, from online conversation today.

"MaMu"

No More Neifi?!?!?!?!

2006-04-03T13:35:00.000-07:00

Call Me a Neifi hater. Go ahead, do it. And congrats to him for getting an RBI single. Lets just hope that Dusty remembers that a lot of "dudes" got RBI's today.

I'm fine with Neifi on the bench. He switch hits. Can play many positions, and has good AB's almost every time up. But he needs to stay on the bench. How comforting was it to see the youngsters for the Cubbies coming through. Pagan, Murton and Cedeno all made great contributions.

Lets just hope that today's game wasn't just an "experiment" for dusty and we keep seeing the young guys get a chance, and hit some hit and runs.

If I were Sean Marshal....

2006-03-31T06:08:00.000-08:00

I would get a restraining order against Larry Rothschild and Mark O'Neal.
Lets just hope we don't see any articles about Roth "working on his mechanics" any time soon.
Honestly, if I were Andy McPhail, i'd probably Co-Sign that restraining order App.
Do you think the cubs ought to have a Manual that they give to all rookies upon enering their club house

1. Don't chat online with Z
2. Don't sit in Recliners
3. Don't take Mechanics advice from anyone but your AA coach
4. Don't go into training room without a Mask covering your mouth and bubble-wrap covering your body
4.5 Memorize the Chad Fox story and try to avoid repeating it. Especially the part about signing with the cubs.
5. Don't Pee at theUrinal next to Moises Alou
6. Don't accept any sort of Vitamins from Sammy.

(yes, I know the last two aren't Cubs anymore, but I think its just good sound advice nonetheless)

Question Marks Hurt My Brain

2006-03-20T14:27:00.000-08:00

I'm a Cub fan, and always will be. Hence the constant bitching, moaning, and frequent ulcers. I've never followed another baseball team, ever. So here's my question, do all fans of all teams go through this feeling of hopelessness, despair and anxiety in the middle of march? or is this just a Hendry, Dusty, Rothschild, Mark O'Neal created problem.

Really, i'm dying to know. The question marks are too many to count, but here's just a few. and just for kicks, I'll put in parenthases who I think is to blame. (Unlike the Bush administration, I LOVE TO PLAY THE BLAME GAME)

Who will be the 5th starter? (Hendry, Dusty, Roth.)
Why didn't the cubs sign another starter over the offseason, or look for one quickly now? (Hendry)
Who will be the every day 2b? (Hendry, Dusty)
How long will it be until Wood and Prior are off the DL? (Roth./ O'neal)
Why is Larry Rothschild still the Pitching coach..... See Chad Fox, Mark Prior, Kerry Wood, Carlos Zambrano's "Internet Elbow" etc? (Dusty, Hendry)
Why does it sound and feel like Murton and Cedeno will lose way too much playing time to Mabry and Neifi? (Dusty, Hendry)

The most glaring problem I'm beginning to see is Rothschiled as a pitching coach. Clearly his "programs" and "workouts" are doing way more harm than good. At some point, Hendry and Macphail have to realize that this guy is killing their investments. If I sucked as much at my job at Rothschild does at keeping pitchers healthy, I would have been fired ummm. maybe the 2nd or third time Prior visited the DL.

Mechanically Challenged

2006-03-14T19:33:00.000-08:00

He Has Perfect Mechanics!!!! He'll NEVER BE injured because of his Perfect Mechanics!!! He's the best thing since sliced bread and sliced cheese combined!
This is what we heard throughout Mark Prior's first 1.5 years on the cubs. Video of him with all that fancy equipment at USC. Well, after the hubbub of his first year, and after many (cough) "tune-ups", Mechanic Boy is back in the shop once again. This time with a sore shoulder

I don't know who to blame, I don't know how this could have been avoided, but if I were a "pitching coach" , or "manager" trying to find a new job, I definitley wouldn't want Larry Rothschild's or Dusty's resume especially in regards to:

1. How to avoid pitching injuries
2. How to rehab injured pitchers. (hint Do Not Use Chad Fox as Reference)
3. How to avoid walks (as a pitching staff)
4. How to put a batting order together
5. How to put a bullpen together.
6. How to have good fielding pitchers.
7. How to have a fundementally sound team
8. When to take pitchers out of games
9. When to calm a pitcher down after an idiot fan simutaneously screws 25 baseball players and millions of other fans.

But Look on the bright side, when prior "comes back" in June, it will be like trading for an all- star, without giving anyone up.

I'm now going to vomit.

A pre-emptive strike

2006-03-13T18:12:00.000-08:00

So I was wrong about yesterdays WBC classic. Turns out it was on ESPN2 and I'm an idiot. Or, it turns out that I'm just a very Clairevoyant. Tonight: USA vs Korea, Played at 10ET, tape delayed and shown on espn 2 at 1AM Et.

I rest my case. So, In case you missed it the first time around:

This was written on Sundayd During St. Patty's Day Training.
The WBC, much maligned, much criticized has actually won over a couple of synics, myself nearly included. Imagine if we could only actually watch the games!!

In a media culture where ripping NBC's Olympic Covereage is so easy, even Dubyah could do it, ESPN had the chance to offer a better alternative, but has dropped the ball.
Not that it's ESPN's fault that this thing is taking place during March Madness, blame Bud for that, but ESPN played into that criticizm by choosing to tape delay these games, even though most of them are being played in a US timezone.

How cool would it have been if this afternoon, I could have flipped between the ACC Champ Game, and USA vs. Japan. I, like a growing number of americans have gladly embraced my TiVO or DVR. If I wanted to watch the damn thing at 8PM tonite, I could have chosen to do that. (and my way, I don't have to watch the commercials)

Just as with the Olympics, in this internet, cell phone crazed world, it is far too easy to know the score of these games as they're happening. and believe me, Baseball is one of the WORST games to watch when you already know the outcome. Sports Center is going to show you the best parts anyway, might as well watch Family Guy. So, to the sports divisions of all the Major Networks and ESPN, I join the people in saying: PUT AN END TO TAPE DELAYING GAMES!!!

Umm, My Bad??

2006-03-12T21:53:00.000-08:00

Please disregard the last post, though I thought it had some good moments, I clearly
1. Was a little "altered" when I wrote that last post.
2. need to know how to work my TV better
3. Wish I had ESPN2HD

WBC= Olympic Sized Poor Planning

2006-03-12T14:07:00.000-08:00

The WBC, much maligned, much criticized has actually won over a couple of synics, myself nearly included. Imagine if we could only actually watch the games!!

In a media culture where ripping NBC's Olympic Covereage is so easy, even Dubyah could do it, ESPN had the chance to offer a better alternative, but has dropped the ball.
Not that it's ESPN's fault that this thing is taking place during March Madness, blame Bud for that, but ESPN played into that criticizm by choosing to tape delay these games, even though most of them are being played in a US timezone.

How cool would it have been if this afternoon, I could have flipped between the ACC Champ Game, and USA vs. Japan. I, like a growing number of americans have gladly embraced my TiVO or DVR. If I wanted to watch the damn thing at 8PM tonite, I could have chosen to do that. (and my way, I don't have to watch the commercials)

Just as with the Olympics, in this internet, cell phone crazed world, it is far too easy to know the score of these games as they're happening. and believe me, Baseball is one of the WORST games to watch when you already know the outcome. Sports Center is going to show you the best parts anyway, might as well watch Family Guy. So, to the sports divisions of all the Major Networks and ESPN, I join the people in saying: PUT AN END TO TAPE DELAYING GAMES!!!

Viva Viva La Mexico

2006-03-09T14:50:00.000-08:00

I thought the WBC thing was kinda cool, seeing all of those stars on the same field. blah blah blah
But hey, if the US has the chance of being eliminated and thus Barrett and Lee can return home un harmed, well then, I'm painting myself Green Red and White and heading to the local Taqueria. Now we just need to hope that Venezuela doesn't get too far.

On second thought, maybe keeping these players away from the dusty, larry, o'neal and the rest of the M*A*S*H*-North Side Unit, is what's best for these guys.

Anyone else wondering why Neifi didn't get invited to play in this thing?

Too Soon For Cedeno

2006-03-02T21:22:00.000-08:00

For the purpose of me playing devil's advocate, and the fact that we are talking about the Cubs, I'm wondering if I'm the only cub fan out there who's just a bit worried about ronny cedeno being handed the starting SS job?

Please don't get me wrong. I'm not one of the crazy Neifi fans who are on Dusty Baker's cool-aid mailing list. I want Cedeno to succeed, and the cubs need him to succeed, or at least not flop. But given their recent track record in regards to grooming young position players to be successful Major Leagurs, I'm not sure I trust the Cubs enough to think that they actually know what they're doing.

Let's look at the most recent example: K Man K Pat - need I say more. But before him, and again, my mind is a bit "spotty", I go back to Dwight Smith, Jerome Walton and then Mark Grace before I can think of young cubs position player, brought up through the organization, that has had any success at the Big League level. Now again, as it states at the top of my blog, I'm hardly ever right. I could be forgetting some huge name, and I don't keep a track record of all the A Ball players that got traded as players to be named later and then turned out to be superstars. (Cough... Dontrelle Willis) So someone PLEASE set me straight, send me a comment with a name that proves I'm not a complete burnout...

Okay, so back to Cedeno. The cubs have now had two off-seasons since the first nomar half-season ended with a thud. Since then, at least 4 quality, big name, short stops have switched teams, and been difference makers, (Cabrera, Eckstein, Renteria-who's been moved twice, and Furcal) and even more recently, Tejada was complaining about his situation, sort of, i guess, or whatever. I'm not really sure what was going on there, but it was fun to dream.
Side note- anyone remember that the cubs could have just as easily gotten Cabrera instead of Nomar in that '04 deal, and paid less for him- How DID the Red SOx do that year?

And I like Cedeno's bat, but I'm not a fan of his defense. (threw the ball into the dirt costing a run on wed.)And I dont' mind Murton as much because the outfield is a little less defense-crucial, and because of the Dusty/ Neifi Brokeback-esque love fest, Cedeno got about half as much playing time as Murton, (or Rex Grossman, or Tim Thomas, pick your sport)

So I pose just this one question: Which would you rather have. An untested rookie starting with Neifi as his backup.
Or Cedeno as the Back-up infield guy, learning from one of the best in the league in Tejada, and Neifi Reuniting with Kkorey and Sammy in Baltimore.

But Like I said, its February, what the hell else am I gonna do but think of this crap?
Here's to hoping I'm wrong, and the Cubs "brain-trust" knows exactly what its doing.

If Carrie Muskat Were Sitting right here

2006-02-27T21:21:00.000-08:00

It's hard to say what I'd do.......I have only two questions.... How did she get this job? and who deals his drugs? cause I want that number

Why do people even email her? its not like she's going to say anything that hendry or dusty wouldn't say. Hell, i'd rather have a dusty mailbag, at least then we'd have to translate some of his
"it is what it is"'s. or "you can't teach fundementals". Why even have a mailbag if you're going to have such rousing q & a's as:

If Matt Murton can provide a 20-homer season and Jacque Jones adds 30, will the Cubs have enough power to lead the National League in home runs?
-- Nick R., Maryville, Tenn.

The Cubs would rather lead the National League in wins, pitching and defense than home runs.

That's her answer to THAT question? Yes, I know its a stupid question, but that answer doesn't even come close to answering a similar question. Had the reader just said "enough power", would she have answered it the same way? Dude wanted to know if the Cubs are content with what they have power-wise. Is she so chicken- sh*t about offending dusty or hendry, that she she has to call the writer on some f**ing technicality instead of discussing a real concern like a real person.

Why don't the cubs just hire Bush's bitch McClellan, even he gives less assinine answers. I know I'm just complaining about nothing right now, but its February, what the hell else do we have to do. Cubs.Com should ditch The Mailbag before Carrie Muskat's brain turns to total mush. (have I mentioned I hate february?) Here's to hoping Carrie Muskat and Joe Buck elope to alaka just before Russia tries to reclaim it. cause you know that's gonna happen soon.