***2005 Cubs Thread***

[poster]

Re: ***2005 Cubs Thread***

Every team has one or two streaks a year. I still think they are a .500 team. And once D.Lee cools down they're toast. BTW did you notice Rusch's pitch count last night? HELLO, you're up 5-0 Dusty!

Ya it was high for him. They need him badly so it was a big stretch to extend him. If you're pen cant hold a 5 run lead go home now!

[poster]

Re: ***2005 Cubs Thread***

Well the Cubs are now tied for the Wild Card which is good. Their situational hitting has greatly improved. No more homer or nothing bs during this hot streak. As much as I have bashed Dusty he had a team meeting and explained to them that they gotta be patient and work the pitcher and they are listening. That is good. Why couldnt he have said this earlier or even to every player individually?


They still need to make some trades at the deadline. I guess that is their way of doing things instead of making moves in the offseason. Another good thing is Felix Pie is tearing up double A and looks to be our future leadoff man CF. He is looking like a more polished 5 tool player unlike CP.

[Jistic]

Re: ***2005 Cubs Thread***

Well the Cubs are now tied for the Wild Card which is good

Don't let 'em get your hopes up.

[bryan_05]

Re: ***2005 Cubs Thread***

Don't let 'em get your hopes up.

WHY are you always so negative?!????!!?? We are Cubs fans, the slightest bit of hope is awesome. Go away.

[poster]

Re: ***2005 Cubs Thread***

Don't let 'em get your hopes up.

I know bro, after what we get put through I am careful but I really see changes during this streak. The starting pitching is awesome and their situational hitting is very much improved. They score without hitting homers which is nice. Another thing Stonie said this week is that they have 38 games remaining in the divison with teams under .500. No other wild card contender has more than 22 I believe. So again the schedule is in their favor like last year. If they get through this brutal June schedule at or above .500 they can make a run. Help is needed though.

[bryan_05]

Re: ***2005 Cubs Thread***

I know bro, after what we get put through I am careful but I really see changes during this streak. The starting pitching is awesome and their situational hitting is very much improved. They score without hitting homers which is nice. Another thing Stonie said this week is that they have 38 games remaining in the divison with teams under .500. No other wild card contender has more than 22 I believe. So again the schedule is in their favor like last year. If they get through this brutal June schedule at or above .500 they can make a run. Help is needed though.

Cubs are wildcard leaders by themselves today!!!! GOOOO CUBBBBIES!

[Jistic]

Re: ***2005 Cubs Thread***

I know bro, after what we get put through I am careful but I really see changes during this streak. The starting pitching is awesome and their situational hitting is very much improved. They score without hitting homers which is nice. Another thing Stonie said this week is that they have 38 games remaining in the divison with teams under .500. No other wild card contender has more than 22 I believe. So again the schedule is in their favor like last year. If they get through this brutal June schedule at or above .500 they can make a run. Help is needed though.

I think they AGAIN lead the league in solo homers. I know all of Patterson's are solo.

Historically what the Cubs will do next is tank their home stand. This is what usually happens. D. Lee is gonna have to have a Bonds like year for them to continue this. IF...and it's a HUGE if they have a great home stand...then maybe you'll see something. But usually they come home after a nice trip like this and then go 3-6 at home, score about 1-2 runs a game and start griping about the media again. We'll see....

[fugazi]

Re: ***2005 Cubs Thread***

Hopefully, things can turn around now.
We are currently, by winning%, the wild card team, and certainly within striking distance of StL.
By "striking" I mean, if the Cubs get better, adn the Cards suffer more injuries....

Nonetheless, it looks like things might be getting better.
Ramirez seems to have pulled his cabeza out of his pendejo.

I would like to see Ben Grieve a bit more. Dubois is not doing horribly, but Grieve has 5 walks in 12 ABs (!). I think a patient presence like this in the line-up more frequently will do some good. It is not that all the Cubs hitters are impatient, but we know ARAM, Patterson, adn Burnitz are K artists....Grieve might really have found a niche on this team, kinda a Mark Grace role in the offense, without the great average. He is batting like 270.

[Jistic]

Re: ***2005 Cubs Thread***

I think they AGAIN lead the league in solo homers. I know all of Patterson's are solo.

Historically what the Cubs will do next is tank their home stand. This is what usually happens. D. Lee is gonna have to have a Bonds like year for them to continue this. IF...and it's a HUGE if they have a great home stand...then maybe you'll see something. But usually they come home after a nice trip like this and then go 3-6 at home, score about 1-2 runs a game and start griping about the media again. We'll see....

Well I wasn't too far off. They went 4-5. And they might have found another starter in Mitre. But they still can't hit consistently. Can we please give up on the Corey Patterson experiment and call it now: BUST!

[DrDoom77]

Re: ***2005 Cubs Thread***

Well I wasn't too far off. They went 4-5. And they might have found another starter in Mitre. But they still can't hit consistently. Can we please give up on the Corey Patterson experiment and call it now: BUST!

The pitching's been a lot more of a problem than the hitting, of late. It's hard to win when you're giving up 5-8 runs every game, and when even your supposed "ace" gives up 6 runs. Not that it was a surprise, given that I don't think Zambrano's ever pitched in a big game and given up less than 5 runs. The guy can't handle adrenaline. But in general, both the starting and bullpen pitching's been wildly inconsistent. You're in a bad way when you're actually looking forward to Mitre's starts. Their hitting's actually been ok, now that Ramirez has started hitting and Burnitz/Hollandsworth/Barrett are moderately hot.

I predicted in early April that the Cubs would have a .500 record this year, and not even their recent hot streak dissuaded me from believing that, because I knew they were playing over their heads. The Cubs we've seen over the past week or so are the REAL Cubs, sadly.

And regarding Patterson, I really think he'd be decent if he could ever learn to lay off the first few pitches...but by now, I don't think that's gonna happen. Time to trade him (hopefully not for Preston Wilson) and watch him become a star with another team.

[Jistic]

Re: ***2005 Cubs Thread***

I know some die hards got excited about the West coast trip...I hope they've come back to reality now. Can't wait for Kerry Wood and his 6 ERA to come back!

[poster]

Re: ***2005 Cubs Thread***

If they get through the month at .500, their schedule is a joke thereafter and they will have no excuses not to win the WC.

[glucklich]

Re: ***2005 Cubs Thread***

If they get through the month at .500, their schedule is a joke thereafter and they will have no excuses not to win the WC.

Theyll always have excuses as long as Dusty's there...maybe this year it will be Mark Giangrecos fault.

[Jistic]

Re: ***2005 Cubs Thread***

If they get through the month at .500, their schedule is a joke thereafter and they will have no excuses not to win the WC.

Now I hear they're interested in Austin Kearns? He has 51 K's in 50 games? .....Yep, perfect Cub.

[DrDoom77]

Re: ***2005 Cubs Thread***

Theyll always have excuses as long as Dusty's there...maybe this year it will be Mark Giangrecos fault.

I really don't mind Baker. He has way too much of a proven regular season track record to take the abuse that he has this year, especially when you consider how the Cubs were rarely in the playoff race at all before his arrival. Granted, he may not be the best game manager out there, and thus not a great postseason manager, but it's hard to argue with his regular season team records.

I know people always question his decisions, but you can nitpick anything if you try. Let his record speak for itself.