Series Recap
Game & Series Recap: Brewers 3, Cubs 2 -- so close! (2 games to 1)
The Milton Bradley saga continues! After Jim Hendry suspended him for the remainder of the '09 campaign, there was some talk that the union would contest it. But then - then! - the Cubs decided not to withhold the $400,000 Bradley would have been set to lose, and so Milton and the union have accepted it without complaint.
At the same time, M.B. issued an apology to the team and fans. I think that if he was sincere in his sorrow, then he would indeed admit he does not deserve the $400k still owed to him. I and a lot of Cub fans would have respect for the man if he actually ask Jim to keep the money that he has not earned. Or better yet -- if he was a smart worker, he would take that remaining cash and donate it to a couple of major charities (perhaps even Cubs Care) as a way of winning over the fans.
No matter what, Bradley needs to start the healing if he means to play in Chicago next year, and cheap words will not get it done. A gesture like a $400k donation, and perhaps seeking psychiatric help, would go a very long way.
Anyway, back to the subject at hand -- the Cubs failed to sweep Milwaukee, although it wasn't due to the better effort of Jeff Samardzija. The Shark shocked me by pitching 5 innings, allowing 5 hits, 1 walk, striking out 3, and allowing 3 runs off of 2 homers. He also hit a homer himself, although his offensive stroke was about all the Cubs had tonight.
Thus, the Cubs failed to sweep. Still, they're only 4 wins away from finishing at .500. It's gonna hai!
Game & Series Recap: Cubs 8 Pirates 5 (3 games to 0)
Here's a sad fact for you -- the last time Carlos Zambrano won a game, Kevin Gregg was still the closer for the Cubs.
Since then, Gregg completely imploded (although some Cub fans probably wish he'd do us a favor and explode his way right off the team), Milton Bradley went totally insane (as did some of our readers), and the Cubs fell from contention. Still, Chicago managed to sweep the Pirates, which is about as surprising as rain on a cloudy day.
It all happened primarily thanks to a Cubs offense that combined for 13 hits and 7 walks, including multi-hit days from 5 different players. In particular, Micah Hoffpauir had a too-little, too-late performance to remember: he hit his 9th double and 10th homerun of the season while drawing 2 walks to boot. After the game, Cub players were scouting nearby town houses with the hopes of moving into Pittsburgh permanently so they could tee off daily on the crappy Pirates pitchers.
Carlos, meanwhile, gave the Cubs 6 innings, allowing 5 hits, 3 walks, and 2 runs while striking out 8. Naturally the bullpen held strong, except for one Kevin Gregg who served up a 3 run homer to Ronny Effing Cedeno. Hey, Gregg, when you're giving up homeruns to that jaggoff, it's over.
The Cubs are off tomorrow before traveling back to Chicago where they get to take on the mediocre Reds. Can you believe that Dusty still has a job there?
Current Record: 71-67
Position in the NL Central: 2nd place, 11.5 games out
Best Possible Record: 95-67
Worst Possible Record: 71-91
Record needed to win 90: 19-5
On Pace For: 83-79
Game & Series Recap: Mets 4, Cubs 2 (1 game to 2)
Randy Wells didn't have his best stuff ever today, as he surrendered 7 hits in 6 innings and 95 pitches, but he was effective enough that he should have gotten the job done. Instead, the Mets appeared to rub the belly of the Cubs offense, which promptly rolled over and continued its slumber.
Of course, Kevin Gregg did his best to continue the ruination of his season -- nay, his career -- by getting slapped around in the 7th, putting it out of reach. More than the departure of DeRosa, or the acquisition of Crazy Milton Bradley, Gregg's trade from Florida to Chicago has to be Jim Hendry's biggest blunder of this past off season. I regret ever having defended that ball-tossing turd.
The one good thing from today's game: Geovany Soto, his season long since wasted (much like he himself is in the off season), collected two hits, both doubles, and was responsible for driving in both Cub runs.
So, the Cubs are out of New York, off to play the Pirates, and we can only wish them the best of luck. Not that it'll help -- this team needs more than luck to win baseball games.
Current Record: 68-67
Position in the NL Central: 2nd place, 11.5 games out
Best Possible Record: 95-67
Worst Possible Record: 68-94
Record needed to win 90: 22-5
On Pace For: 82-80
Game & Series Recap: Cubs 2, Astros 0 (2 games to 1)
Nobody predicted it at the time, but Ted Lilly is perhaps the best free agent pitcher signing the Cubs have ever made and last night he continued his domination of the Houston Astros. Lilly -- who, last I heard, is going to have shoulder surgery this off seasson -- pitched 8 innings, allowing only 4 hits, walking none and striking out 5. He improves to 10-8 on the year, and has a chance of getting his ERA below 3.00 before the year's over. In the 9th, Carlos Marmol held the lead for his 8th save of the year, causing one Goat Reader to remark that he's been a great closer this year and might be able to do the job next season without trouble. I hate to be the bringer of bad news, though, but Marmol's outing last night was hardly great and he's only been closer for a couple of weeks. Even Kevin Gregg -- who proved to be a dud -- looked good for a couple of months before devolving into a rancid pile of dung. At one point last night Marmol had surrendered 1 walk and 1 hit with 2 outs needed and the heart of the Astros lineup in front of him. That's not exactly a ringing endorsement for the job next year in my opinion. It's probably not surprising that the Cubs won last night, but considering that they faced the inept Felipe Paulino, maybe we should continue to feel annoyed -- not concerned, there's no point -- by the offensive bumblings of the team. The only 2 runs came from a Derrek Lee homerun, his 27th of the year. With about a month of play remaining, he needs 10 RBI to hit 100 for the second time of his career. All told, it was hardly a dominating series win but with the ridiculously weak schedule remaining the Cubs have a chance to play a very good September and finish with a respectable -- if not pointless -- winning record. 
Position in the NL Central: 2nd place, 10.5 games out
Best Possible Record: 98-64
Worst Possible Record: 67-95
Record needed to win 90: 23-6
On Pace For: 83-79
Game and Series Recap: Cubs 1, Mets 4 (2 to 1) -- Oh no! We suck again!
Unsurprisingly, the Cubs were shut down by another crappy fringe starter today. Also, Carlos Zambrano got rocked. All in all, a great day for Cubs fans!
It's not usually easy to get double digit strikeouts in a game as a starting pitcher, but somehow Nelson Figueroa managed to do it today. He must have been pitching against a really bad offense. Honestly, how did this guy make it to the eighth inning?!
Milton Bradley is creeping even closer to the .270 mark; he went 1-for-2 in today's game. And Derrek Lee somehow managed to leave three men on base despite going 2-for-4. That kind of year, I guess.
As for the pitching, it sounds like Carlos is not quite right yet. When you give up 11 hits in less than four innings, there's something you're not doing correctly. From the stuff I read after the fact, it sounded like it was a mechanical issue, with Carlos opening up his shoulder for too long, or maybe too soon, or something. Anyway, I wouldn't really worry about it as a long term thing, but it'd be nice if he could remember proper pitching mechanics sometime soon.
The Cubs ended up winning the series this weekend, which is nice--but it seemed like they were trying their best to lose it. Pat Misch and Nelson Figueroa combined to allow just two runs in 14 innings, for Christ's sakes.
And now the Cubs are ten back. Rest easy, Kurt--things really are that bad!
Current Record: 65-63
Position in the NL Central: 2nd place, 10 whole games out
Best Possible Record: 99-63 (hahahaha)
Worst Possible Record: 65-97
Record needed to win 90: 25-9 (hahahahahaha)
On Pace For: suck
Game & Series Recap - Nationals 5, Cubs 4 (1 game to 2)
The Cubs managed to score 4 unanswered runs yesterday, but it was too little, too late as the Nationals had already run up 5 against Randy Wells.
I'm too lazy to look, but it's a fair guess that Wells has probably never thrown so many innings in his career. Then again, he's in his mid 20's and while endurance/conditioning might be an issue, his arm should be able to handle the load. Nevertheless, the last month of the season will be interesting if only because he might be getting gassed out. But at least the Cubs bullpen managed to pitch 2.2 innings of scoreless baseball. Small victories, folks. That's what we're left with.
Offensively, the Cubs saw homeruns from Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee, the two of whom were responsible for 5 of the team's 6 hits. Kosuke Fukudome, Alfonso Soriano, and yes, Milton Bradley combined to go 0 for 13.
Speaking of Bradley, since he's a hot topic of debate these days...
When he signed with the Cubs last winter, like a lot of fans I was supportive of the idea. I was impressed with his offensive production in Texas, and knowing full-well that he'd struggle to ever play at 100% for a full season I believed that he would give the Cubs more offense in the time he was healthy than any other option on the market. And yes, I knew that he was volatile and fragile, but my argument was that if he started the year out well then the fans would never turn on him and it would be a good situation.
Of course, he started the year something like 1 for his first 23. But even before then, the story-hungry press had already written plenty about whether or not Bradley would be able to handle the fans in Chicago. It's kind of like if you started a new job and from the first day there were people in the office reminding you not to lose your temper when the paper jams. You could be a very well-constructed individual, and yet, after a few months the steady warnings to not lose your temper when the paper jams, you might be inclined to do just that. It's called a self-fulfilling prophecy, and the media made this an issue long before it was one. I like a lot of the guys who cover the Cubs clubhouse, but they need to owe up and acknowledge that while they didn't build the car they certainly turned the ignition.
Anyway, all of that said, Milton Bradley is a prick. He is a giant, turgid dildo (and I would love to be quoted saying that in a venue he might read -- c'mon, Paul Sullivan, Bruce Miles, don't let me down). He is, quite frankly, a chip-on-his-shoulder idiot.
Milton, sir, the fans have booed you and treated you with hostility because you have sucked. It has nothing to do with the color of your skin or where you come from. I speak as a person whose all-time favorite player is Andre Dawson, whose first baseball jerseys were those of Ernie Banks and Sammy Sosa, whose current favorite pitcher is the tempromental Carlos Zambrano, whose wife would probably leave him for smooth-looking Derrek Lee. I don't think you're an asshole because you're black. I think you're an asshole because you're an asshole.
Like Todd Hundley before you, and Will Ohman after Todd Hundley, and yes, like LaTroy Hawkins and Jacque Jones, you are an excuse-making jackass who has come nowhere near earning the contract you've signed. And like Hawkins and Jones, you would rather play the race card than acknowledge that we can't stand you because you are a miserable person.
As somebody who supported Bradley and defended his signing, I recognized at the time that this could be an issue but I was hopeful his play would prevent that from happening. I was wrong. And if I should happen to find myself in the right field bleachers anytime over the next two seasons where Milton remains a Cub, so long as he continues to complain, pity himself, and cast off the blame, I will boo the ever loving shit out of him. He will be the first Cub I have ever actively booed at a game, and he has earned it.
Game & Series Recap - Cubs 3, Dodgers 1 (1 game to 3)
Still, Ryan Dempster managed to stop the slide, as he pitched 7 solid innings of 3-hit, 1 walk ball, surrendering only 1 run (unearned). He was successfully relieved by John Grabow and Carlos Marmol, who sealed the deal. Marmol pitched a flawless, 2 strikeout 9th inning for the save, but I would respectfully suggest that we maybe give him a few chances to eat ass before he becomes the deserved, defacto closer for 2010. Offensively the Cubs collected 12 hits and 2 walks, including a dominating 4 for 4 day from Jake Fox. Fox now has 9 homeruns in his rookie season, and like Hoffpauir before him has earned the right to be a part of the team's roster next year. But before we get too excited about his future as a Cub All Star, let's not forget that he's already 27, he's defensively inept everywhere, and like Hoffpauir I'm not sold on him having as successful a follow-up year. Still, just for kicks I think the Cubs should send him to Winter Ball and ask him to learn how to play second base. At this point, why not? Anyway, the Cubs have off today before returning home to Wrigley Field where they'll host the Nationals. They have 40 more games remaining, including 32 games against teams currently under .500. Their remaing 8 games against good teams include 1 against the 63-61 White Sox, 3 against the Cardinals, and 4 against the Giants. I'm not suggesting at this point that they can pull a miracle out of their asses and win their way into wild card supremacy, but with a schedule like that the Cubs would have to absolutely blow to not finish the year with a winning season.
Earlier this morning I did a guest spot on Jon Miller's show on KXNO 1460 in Iowa. He asked me if I was ready to throw in the towel on the season, and my response was "in baseball anything can happen, but I don't think a Cubs playoff appearance is high up on the probability list this season." The problem -- well, one big problem -- has been their total inability to defeat good teams. The Dodgers are an example of that -- Los Angeles took 3 of 4 from the Cubs, whose offense evaporated this past weekend.
Position in the NL Central: 2nd place, 8 games out
Best Possible Record: 102-60
Worst Possible Record: 62-100
Record needed to win 90: 28-12
On Pace For: 82-80
Game and Series Recap: Cubs 7, Padres 1 (1-2) -- Wait, they won?
What if I told you that my team has a pitcher with a 1.64 ERA, a WHIP of 0.77, and 55 strikeouts in 44 innings, to go along with just 14 walks? Is that something you would be interested in?
Ladies and gentlemen, gimme somma' dat Post All-Star Break Rich Harden!
Showing up just in time to earn himself a few extra million bucks as he heads toward the free agent market, Rich has been on fire in the second half of the season. Is it too little too late? Maybe kinda sorta, but I'll take it while we've got him.
Speaking of awesome Post All-Star splits, allow me to present Exhibit B: with a .367 batting average, .406 on-base, and .617 slugging, ladies and gentlemen, Jeffy B. Baker!
(Having said that, anyone wanna guess which of those two gets overpaid by the Cubs in negotiating an extension?)
With last night's game, the Cubs save some face as they depart from the home of Ron Burgundy and head straight for Mannywood. Now that the Cubs have saved themselves from a sweep, it's about time I dispense with the standard "impact of one game" speech.
Usually when the Cubs end up on the losing side of a 1-2 three-gamer, I talk about how different Cub fans would feel this morning if things were just a tinge different--specifically, what might have been if the Cubs went 2-1 instead of 1-2. We'd have a series win on our hands, and we wouldn't mind that one "L" given the two wins.
However, at this point in the season, every game is pretty damn huge. We're six back in our division, and five back in the Wild Card. These "one game" differences are really starting to add up.
And now we're headed to Dodgertown. This should be fun!
Current Record: 61-57
Position in the NL Central: 2nd place, 6.0 games back of the Cardinals
Magic Number: 51 (thanks to cubsmagicnumber.com)
Best Possible Record: 105-57
Worst Possible Record: 61-101
Record needed to win 90: 29-15
On Pace For: 85-78
Series Recap: Cubs beat Pirates 2 games to 0 -- Cheap Sweep
And so it came to pass that, in the face of a small window of rain, the Cubs were denied their chance to sweep the lowly Pirates at home. Chances are this game will get made up at the tail end of the season in October, assuming the Cubs need it. But considering that they had to fly to San Diego yesterday for a late game tonight, it's probably not hard to understand why the game was cancelled quickly. Either that or the multi-million dollar draining system they built last year is working out about as often as Carlos Zambrano. (Aw, snap) Rob wrote an article yesterday lambasting the Cubs for their lazy, willy-nilly attitude. I say to you: fantastic. A team that isn't hungry is a team that's not anxious. Perhaps this newly loose -- and fattened -- team can sloth their way uncouthly through the playoffs should they get there. Still, I remain reminded about the '02 version of Moises Alou, who signed his fat contract, came to Chicago, sucked golf balls through garden hoses, and then returned in '03 and '04 to deliever two seasons of mass-production unlike anything we'd seen from left field in decades. As for the Cubs themselves, and my current outlook on the season, I remain where I was a week ago -- for that matter, where I've been all season long. But because I really don't want to alienate anybody on either side, let's see if we can agree on the following statement: If the Cubs fail to reach the playoffs -- or if they fail to win in the playoffs should they get there -- it will not be because they are the Cubs with their 101 year burden. It will be because they are either poorly assembled, poorly motivated, or poorly managed -- or perhaps a poor combination of the three. I have no qualms with anybody who thinks that the Cubs cannot reach or win in the post season based on their play in 2009. However I have serious problems with anybody who thinks that they cannot reach or win because they're the effing Cubs. That attitude needs to be chased away with pitchforks and torches. That's a Cardinals-fan attitude, expressed at games solely to bust our balls. Believing it is stupid, and wrong, and nihilistic. Believing the Cubs can't rattle off 20 wins in a row in a September Surge because they're the Cubs is idiotic. Believing they can't win 20 straight because they suck this year, however, is far easier for me to understand and possibly even agree with.
Game Recap: Cubs 1, Phillies 6 -- Enough already.
The Cubs suck, blah blah blah.
Cliff Lee went eight innings for the Phils, we only scored once. Lame.
Ryan Dempster went seven innings, got hit with a crooked number in the 4th, gave up a couple bombs. That sucked.
Hey, Jeff Baker is hitting .275 all of a sudden! That's cool!
Geovany Soto has been worthless. You nailed that one, Rob. I'm sorry we ever doubted you.
Justin Berg looked great, huh? Ninth rookie pitcher the Cubs have used this year. That's great.
Mike Fontenot is hitting .229 this year.
K, that's all I wanna say. Bring on the Pirates.
Kurt
The Cubs got swept at home by the Phillies. Yay?
Much as the toughest part of the minor league manager's job is cutting players who just can't hack it, the hardest part of a Cubs blogger's job is writing about the team when they suck serious ass. In that sense, the last couple of seasons have been a blessing, almost making up for 2005 and 2006. But while nobody - and I mean nobody - expected much from the '06 Cubs, we obviously had some high hopes for this team.
They have responded so far by crapping in our Cheerios. This leaves us with a bit of a conundrum. After all, many of these under-performing players are aging, expensive, and quite possibly untradeable. On top of that, the Cubs still aren't sold -- and we haven't heard about the sale in weeks -- and for so long as the team lingers in limbo we are stuck with Jim Hendry helming and Lou Piniella managing. Except everybody loves Lou, so it's only half a problem.
Well, my friends, it doesn't get much worse-feeling than this. I invite you all, then, to consider this season a bust. Let your feelings of despair out. Overturn a car. Throw baseballs at rare seagulls. And when it's over, make your way back to the team and pick a player, any player. From here on until October, root for that guy, cheer for him whenever he does well, and if he ends the season with a good performance between now and then consider it a small consolation.
But, hey, stop freaking out about the Cubs. If you know the season is done for, you shouldn't be upset anymore when they lose. It's as simple as that.
