Your 2011 Chicago Cubs

[fugazi]

sonofabitch...can ANYONE, A N Y O N E in this organization PITCH?

a bit later:

holy cow...what a comeback. I turned off gamecast at the wrong time...or maybe it got better because I stopped watching?

[fugazi]

The solution for Pena may be to move him up to 3rd for a couple of weeks...that way, hitting behind Castro and Barney or Fukudome he should get more pitches to hit when they are on base.

Regardless, our staff is giving up runs and putting men on base like crazy.

[BleacherBum2310]

Yeah, I thought the Strength of the Cubs this year would be their SP.. But boy I was dead wrong.

I've always said I thought Pena would struggle the 1st month of the year and when the weather gets warmer he would heat up.. But I dunno.

But I guess the + is The Cubs aren't the only team in the division that is struggling.

[fugazi]

they have guys producing offensively in big ways...but they aren't winning. It is either an inability to get guys in or pitching or both.

With Castro, Barney, and Fukudome hitting like they are, with Ramirez swinging well enough, there should be more wins.

but, yeah...this is how the season is going to go....why am i even posting? lol

[fugazi]

The cubs have a bit of a quandry...there really is NO ONE that can be trusted to fill the middle of the order.

There is Soriano...we can talk about numbers all we want...anyone who has watched him throughout his career is well aware that he cannot be trusted in the middle save for when he is hot, and even then it is a gamble.

There are the "on-base guys"....Fukudome, Barney, and Castro...none are typical for middle of the order work, but might be the team's best bet there.

There are the "middle of the order guys"...and they all kinda suck right now, save for Ramirez's hitting for average.

And there is Marlon Byrd...whatever...

And there is Soto, who is being abused in the 8 hole...he shouldn't be hitting in front of the pitcher. Batting him 8th shows a lack of creativity. When he has consistently been in the 6-7 spot, he has produced. I wouldn't mind him having a chance at the 4-5 spot.

Baker is a wild card here, and might as well be hitting in the middle at this point.

And they are abusing Colvin, too...I'm not sure what the Pena signing was supposed to accomplish. It has made it impossible to play Colvin, unless either Fukudome or Pena or Byrd sits. And that hasn't happened often. Sure, Colvin is struggling...but why just let some kid who has shown potential rot on your bench? Put his *** in the game or send him down so he can work on his game. Good grief, this organization....

[BleacherBum2310]

Quote: Originally Posted by fugazi

And they are abusing Colvin, too...I'm not sure what the Pena signing was supposed to accomplish. It has made it impossible to play Colvin, unless either Fukudome or Pena or Byrd sits. And that hasn't happened often. Sure, Colvin is struggling...but why just let some kid who has shown potential rot on your bench? Put his *** in the game or send him down so he can work on his game. Good grief, this organization....

I think Quade's doing the Right thing. Cubs are Hitting very well. 2nd In the NL in Average BTW. It's their RISP that is really poor. Pena Is struggling but will break out eventually. And Fukodome and Baker are hitting well over .300

Baker at first didn't play much but when he got Opportunities he took advantage of them. Colvin didn't do that and is Hitting well below .200 so that's why he's relegated to the Bench. I'm not worried about the offense/ I'm more worried about the SP. It's nice to see Garza have 3 Quality outing in a row but Besides him it's very Suspect. I think they just need to be about .500 until they get their Normal 5 man Rotation back and go From there.

BTW anyone know when Cashner/Wells are set to return?

[wrigleyville33]

Awesome win for the Cubs tonight! It was great to see some 2 out hitting by Geo and Dewitt in the ninth. As far as Colvin goes, he needs to be playing every day. I loved him last year, but I think the Cubs should send him down for the sake of playing time. There just isn't room for him on the big league roster right now. Last year, you could say he was better than Fukudome and Soriano, but this year both are hitting.

[fugazi]

exactly...he is rotting, and certainlt not learning just from taking BP