Stat I heard on the radio yesterday. When the Cubs starters go 6+ innings, the Cubs are 23-18. When they don't, they are 9-30. Doesn't surprise me. We've been spoiled with a lot of good years of pitching under Rothschild.

God dammit I hate this ****ing team.

Hendry has his head so far up his arse...makes me sick. Informing the media that there will be no fire sale and that we have guys on this team who are part of the future. Granted, who knows if he is just saying this. But damn, I wish he had a little more fire to him - someone who wore his emotions a little more. Show that you CARE about your ballclub. Stop blaming everything on injuries. The issue is that we have a surplus of veteran players who are past their prime. We clearly have no pitching depth in our farm system which is clear as day now. Injuries happen, and we have to be able to bring in legit replacements. Wells and Cashner go down and we have NO ONE who can step in and at least keep us in games. Dempster is finally below the 5.00 ERA mark. Big Z has been all over the place, but more good than bad IMO. Garza has pitched like a 3. We have no team power, no team speed, our team defense is terrible and we look dead out on the field. And you're going to tell me no big changes need to be made? C'mon Jim, get with it. This team needs to rebuild so deparately - luckily we are a major market team that will have some room to spend next offseason. That being said, I don't want Hendry controlling the funds he will have access to next offseason. He has done nothing to show any aptitude to building and SUSTAINING a winning franchise. These little blips of winning seasons followed by seasons of despair need to stop. Please Jim, get rid of the fat on this team and get a fresh start this offseason - there is a lot of fat, btw.

quote:

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God dammit, I hate this ****ing team

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RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE. LOUD NOISES!

Kind of a weird day to drop that message when we just beat Lincecum.

We need to shop Dempster and get some youth. I would think he will draw most interest than Z because he has better chemistry with teams.

That's 9 of 12 starts since the end of April that were solid, quality starts for Ryan. Good for him.

I wonder if it is the fact that we don't have team speed or that Quade doesn't like small ball.

What a game today! First game I've been able to watch from start to finish in 3 weeks and it's a game with a 9th inning homer, and a 13th inning comeback! Nice!

GEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

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Kind of a weird day to drop that message when we just beat Lincecum.

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First of all, we didn't beat Lincecum. Second of all, check the timestamp. That was posted right after Marmol predictably blew another save and wasted a ****ing gem by Dempster.

I knew when it was posted. Let me rephrase... we won in Lincecum's start, which is plenty awesome for me.

Anyone else still watching?

Positive- Starlin Castro is an All Star.
Negative- Lost to the Nationals today on a walkoff wild pitch by Marmol in the 10th. Woody was pretty brutal today too. Had trouble finding the strike zone.

lol....yeah, I'm still here - but let's say I'm looking over my shoulder for something more interesting

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If this team could keep some sort of consistency, they could at least compete for the division. But when ARam and Pena are hitting Woody and Marmol are blowing it. It's pretty disgusting.

I hope the recent surge from ARam and Pena allow them to be more coveted in the market this trade season. Although I actually do like Pena because he seems to be having fun out there and playing hard. I just don't know if I like him for $10M/year. I'd think about keeping him around for something like $6-8M/year for maybe the next 2 more seasons and allow some of the young kids to share some time.

With Flaherty, DJ and even Vitters, they could have some young kids step up into those corner spots. At least let's hope so. I'd really like to see Flaherty get moved up to Iowa - don't know what else he needs to do to get the bump IMO.

Yeah, some in Cubs management including Hendry have talked about how the Cubs aren't sellers and that they still have a shot. Even if they did have a shot there's no way this team could compete in the postseason. I really do think the timing is right to start disbanding this team. The longer they wait the longer we will have to wait for a team to contend. Get rid of most of the big names, bring in the young guns and give them a year or two to get their feet on the ground (about the same time Quade will be at the helm).

We are definitely turning it around. Kept 3 straight games within a run, what a great series to get swept.

How can anyone with half a brain, much less management, think this team is worth a dog crap? We got swept by the ASTROS AT HOME this season. Good god.

Were not only terrible, but are the most boring team i've ever seen. I can barely watch games this year. When is football season?

Hold on chief, we've got one game left before we can officially pronounces ourselves swept.

Haha. Thanks. I forget the days sometimes with my crazy shift work.

Pish posh, to every Cub fan here it should be Cubs first, Aggies second, work third.

Getting back to seriousness...I've been wondering about the rash of injuries. It sure seems like the injuries they've had this season are too many to be called bad luck. Is there a point in time where the training staff should be looked at?

Talk amongst yourselves.

That's a very valid point... especially considering the types of injuries that has occurred. These 2-3 week mild pulls of every muscle ever thought of in the human body.

Let's just rid ourselves of the entire staff.

Picked up some Cubs Old Style baseball bat beer bottles while I was in Chicago this week. Also picked up the new Pat Hughes book on Ron Santo and some other assorted crap with the Cubs (and Bulls, Bears, & Blackhawks) logos on it.

How's the book? Pat's been pumping it a lot on the radio.

Did you guys see the beautiful play to get Presley out at home in the bottom of the 1st. Great throw by Dome. Great block and tag by Hill at home. And a great job by Peña to get in the line of the throw, decoy the catch and keep the runner at first.

My thoughts in the staff...I'm not normally wild about cutting a staff after one season. I'm not particularly wild about our staff. My opinion is that the Cubs biggest downfall this season (among many) has been their starting pitching. Quade didnt have a lot of problems with that at the end of last season. I feel as though Quade and Riggins really don't have a lot of experience in that regard. I say that due to simple things such as leaving pitchers in too long and also the fact that when they can't take the pitchers out whe they're struggling no one comes out to the mound for a visit. Just my thoughts on that.

What are yall's thoughts on Koyie Hill? He has his moments here and there but I'd like to see Castillo at some point more regularly

Haven't had a chance to open the book yet.

I think I've made my thoughts on Hill quite clear. I think I'm his most vocal detractor on here.

I missed the dempster blowup but Baseball Tonight's about to show it

Brett Jackson and Ryan Flaherty getting the promotion to AAA

Thanks Marmol. Way to screw up a great start to the second half.

Marmol is broken.

Yep Marshall with the save. Marmol's a very good pitcher with possibly the best stuff in the league, but at his best his control keeps him from being an elite pitcher and something is wrong with him right now. Hope he gets it straightened out.

I heard on the radio yesterday that the Cubs haven't won 3 games in a row all season.

Marmol no longer has "the best stuff in the league" - his velocity is down and all he throws now are sliders. He has a good one, but if the hitters are sitting on it, they will pound it. He'd be much more effective working in his 94-95 fastball he used to have.

From the rumor mill:

ARam has said he would use his no-trade clause for any deal.

Phil Rogers is reporting that the yanks are interested in Fonzi

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Five Cubs most likely on contenders' radar
July, 16, 2011

By Bruce Levine
Chicago Cubs general manager Jim Hendry should be a busy man, fielding calls on some of his more desirable players, as the trading deadline quickly approaches on July 31.

Here’s a list of players who are most likely to be sought after by contending teams.

Aramis Ramirez
Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesAramis Ramirez hit a three-run homer in the Cubs' loss to the Marlins on Saturday.
Aramis Ramirez: There is lots of interest in the 33-year-old first baseman. The Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland Indians are his most likely suitors. This weekend, one of the Tigers’ top scouts is watching the Cubs, and in particular, Ramirez. The Tigers have had interest in Ramirez for six weeks. The Yankees have had at least one scout watching the Cubs for at least three series in a row. With the tenuous state of Alex Rodriguez’s return from knee injury, an insurance policy like Ramirez makes a lot of sense for the Yanks.

Contrary to what has been widely reported about Ramirez’s contract, there is not an option year that kicks in if he’s traded. Here’s the thumbnail sketch of Ramirez’s contract. He has roughly $7 million left in salary for 2011. He, as well as the Cubs, hold an option for 2012 at $16 million dollars. If the team doesn’t exercise its option, Ramirez is owed $2 million as a buyout. If he’s traded to another team, Ramirez receives a $1 million relocation bonus.

Ramirez has been on record that he won’t waive the no-trade clause in his contract, however, there are rumblings that he may change his mind and accept a deal to a Midwest or East Coast team around the time his family returns to the Dominican Republic on Aug. 10. The Cubs also have to decide if they want to hold onto their top RBI man or consider working an extension due to the fact that there are very few run-producing third baseman at the major league level.

Kosuke ***udome: ***udome has been a decent leadoff man for the Cubs this season before a recent slump has taken down both his average and his on-base percentage. Until early July, the 33-year-old outfielder had a batting average close to .300 and an on-base percentage over .400. Every contending team will be looking for left-handed hitting and ***udome is an ideal platoon player.

The Cubs still owe ***udome almost $6 million. He is a free agent after this season. It appears that the Cubs would eat some of ***udome’s contract if they got a decent prospect in return. ***udome is in the last year of a four-year, $48-million contract. He has a limited no-trade clause to a handful of teams.

Marlon Byrd: This baseball overachiever could help any number of teams as a starter or a super utility outfielder. Byrd will bring a lot of positive energy and hustle with him wherever he goes. The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies have scouted Byrd extensively. Both teams have a need for a right-handed-hitting outfielder.

Byrd has roughly $2 million left on his 2011 contract and is owed $6 million in 2012. Although Byrd will be an attractive player for anumber of teams, the Cubs may hesitate to move him knowing that Alfonso Soriano’s days as a starting outfielder may be coming to an end and that ***udome’s contract is expiring. Some veteran presence will be needed to guide Brett Jackson and Tyler Colvin in 2012 when they try to establish themselves as regular outfielders.

Carlos Pena: The Cubs’ power-hitting first baseman would be a big help for a young contending team like the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are looking to boost their offense. The short porch at PNC park would be an inviting target for this pull hitter. The intangibles that Pena brings to a team -- like his positive approach as a teammate and his playoff and World Series experience in Tampa -- must be considered.

Even if Pena is traded, the Cubs could pursue him again when he becomes a free agent this fall. Pena is still owed roughly $4.5 million dollars of his $10-million deal.

John Grabow: An unstable knee has prevented the Cubs veteran bullpen pitcher from being the reliever he once was. That said, Grabow can still get lefties out and multiple teams, including the Yankees, are hungry for bullpen help. Grabow threw three straight scoreless innings before giving up three runs in Pittsburgh on July 10.

The Cubs owe Grabow roughly $2 million for the rest of his 2011 contract. He is a free agent after this season.

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/5511/five-cubs-most-likely-on-contenders-radar

[This message has been edited by bluestainedivy (edited 7/18/2011 3:39p).]

Cubs didn't lose yesterday!!!!!

Didn't lose today, either.

Another day without a loss.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOO

GD SAMRDZIJA!

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!!! Finally a 3-game winning streak.