BEEP....BEEP.....BEEP. the sound of a truck backing up alerts us to potential danger but the chicago management meat wagon will only bring us pleasure once it's fully loaded with the bosses of certain professional teams. this is a town full of incompetent leaders, whether it be managers, coaches or GM's and the time has come for chicago fans to stick their heads out the window and yell at the top of their lungs, "you suck! now get out of town!"
VINNIE DEL NEGRO will climb on the truck first as his death watch gained big time momentum the last two nights as the bulls lost to a hapless one win new jersey team AT HOME tuesday night and then got annihilated by 35 points in atlanta just 24 hours later. vinnie is a nice guy but he did the right thing putting his house up for sale last week. look for the bulls to make a switch soon because the playoff picture is getting very cloudy.
LOVIE SMITH should be next but the mccaskey family is not known for paying off contracts which means lovie will probably get one more year UNLESS hall of fame coaches BILL COWHER or MIKE SHANAHAN are serious about getting back on the sidelines. lovie has proven once again that hiring friends is a bad proposition and trying to be the defensive coordinator as well as head coach has been a dismal failure in an attempt to feed his ego.
offensive coordinator RON TURNER is already in a body bag and is already being eaten by maggots. i have no idea why this guy keeps getting recycled because he fails EVERY PLACE he coaches, college or pro. lovie should be fired just because he hired turner.
general manager JERRY ANGELO is tied at the hip with lovie. they deserve each other and seats next to each other on the wagon. angelo couldn't have a successful draft if he had the first ten picks. just godawful at his job.
too harsh, you say? read on.
DENIS HAMLET was recently jettisoned after just two years by the chicago fire soccer team after leading the team to consecutive conference finals. again.....CONSECUTIVE CONFERENCE FINALS and he gets the boot. now there's an organization that won't accept failure.
LOU PINIELLA is on his retirement tour but the cubs shouldn't waste a year watching lou get rocking chairs and gold watches as he travels throughout the league. RYNE SANDBERG should be here NOW so he can set his standards at the same time a new owner gets his feet wet. having a lame duck coach on a team that already lacks discipline is a huge mistake. once again, the inmates will run the asylum.
i have recently documented the dismal performance of JIM HENDRY. slide down and make room for jim, please.
OZZIE GUILLEN will be on the hot seat if the south siders don't get a fast start in 2010. he's loaded with pitching in a division that is very winnable and his 'mad man' act will quickly wear very thin with a slow start.
the only chicago administrators not holding tickets to the cadaver express are sox gm KENNY WILLIAMS and blackhawk gm STAN BOWMAN along with coach JOEL QUENVILLE of the first place blackhawks.
i realize it's the season of giving so how about GIVING the fans a break and fill that wagon?
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
JIM HENDRY NEEDS TO GO
my dislike for the cubs organization is well known but general manager jim hendry is a buffoon and needs to replaced ASAP by the new owners because gross incompetence cannot be rewarded or tolerated if you truly want to win a world series. i'm sure some of the cub faithful are already rolling their eyes because i'm picking on hendry but please read on.
last year, boo-boo lou told hendry he needed three things to become a contender for a world championship. 1) a closer to replace kerry wood and 2) a left handed hitter and 3) outfield help.
and here is how the magic man performed:
signed KEVIN GREGG to be the closer. he proceeds to blow SEVEN saves and has an e.r.a. of 4.7, which was a run and a half higher than the year before with the marlins. he is replaced as the closer in august and was released by the cubs today when he was not offered a contract.
signed speedy JOEY GATHRIGHT to play the outfield. he hits .214 and only lasts 5 weeks before being traded to baltimore for RYAN FREEL, who hits .143 and is also released seven weeks later.
snatches free agent AARON MILES and gives him five million for two years and because of this spectacular move, he immediately trades second baseman MARK DEROSA to the indians and hands the job to miles. how'd this work out? miles hits .174 before being benched in may and only appears in 74 games while derosa is eventually traded again, this time to the cardinals where he plays six different positions and is a mainstay for the division winners.
oh, it gets better. hendry dumps JASON MARQUIS and his 11 wins for LUIS VIZCAINO. marquis promptly wins 15 games for the playoff bound rockies and vizcaino is released after 6 weeks. ugly.
he trades 2 players for pitcher AARON HEILMAN who goes 4-4 and never starts a game and never closes a game. heilman was traded to arizona 2 weeks ago. IS ANYONE NOTICING A PATTERN????
and finally the cherry on the cake, MILTON BRADLEY. enough said on this THIRTY MILLION DOLLAR mistake. so let's review hendry's performance:
only aaron miles and milton bradley remain on the roster. hendry traded 2 players and five prospects for basically nothing. bradley is almost out the door and the cubs will eat a good portion of the remaining 20 million and miles will be the backup infielder for 2.5 a year.
NOTHING! the man accomplished NOTHING! how can he keep his job?
last year, boo-boo lou told hendry he needed three things to become a contender for a world championship. 1) a closer to replace kerry wood and 2) a left handed hitter and 3) outfield help.
and here is how the magic man performed:
signed KEVIN GREGG to be the closer. he proceeds to blow SEVEN saves and has an e.r.a. of 4.7, which was a run and a half higher than the year before with the marlins. he is replaced as the closer in august and was released by the cubs today when he was not offered a contract.
signed speedy JOEY GATHRIGHT to play the outfield. he hits .214 and only lasts 5 weeks before being traded to baltimore for RYAN FREEL, who hits .143 and is also released seven weeks later.
snatches free agent AARON MILES and gives him five million for two years and because of this spectacular move, he immediately trades second baseman MARK DEROSA to the indians and hands the job to miles. how'd this work out? miles hits .174 before being benched in may and only appears in 74 games while derosa is eventually traded again, this time to the cardinals where he plays six different positions and is a mainstay for the division winners.
oh, it gets better. hendry dumps JASON MARQUIS and his 11 wins for LUIS VIZCAINO. marquis promptly wins 15 games for the playoff bound rockies and vizcaino is released after 6 weeks. ugly.
he trades 2 players for pitcher AARON HEILMAN who goes 4-4 and never starts a game and never closes a game. heilman was traded to arizona 2 weeks ago. IS ANYONE NOTICING A PATTERN????
and finally the cherry on the cake, MILTON BRADLEY. enough said on this THIRTY MILLION DOLLAR mistake. so let's review hendry's performance:
only aaron miles and milton bradley remain on the roster. hendry traded 2 players and five prospects for basically nothing. bradley is almost out the door and the cubs will eat a good portion of the remaining 20 million and miles will be the backup infielder for 2.5 a year.
NOTHING! the man accomplished NOTHING! how can he keep his job?
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
THINGS ON MY MIND PART 2
i really think we need to get out of iraq and surrounding countries. now.
i really want to buy a home in the phoenix area with a partner. or two. interested?
i feel bad for the employees in las vegas. 35% layoffs and leading the nation in foreclosures. bad.
nephew rick is finishing up his bachelor's degree. good for him.
i know 7 people who hav filed bankruptcy in the last two years. bad.
you should take in a blackhawk game. very exciting.
buying a sports jersey for a kid is very exciting for xmas.
surprising an adult with a jersey for xmas is even better.
tickets to any game is ALWAYS a great xmas present.
i still hate the cubs.
being a bug man is cool. everyone is happy to see you. i think.
two of the nephews are moving to florida. good for uncle dan. that gives me california & florida. now i need a nephew to move to vegas.
i'm done. i hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season.
i really want to buy a home in the phoenix area with a partner. or two. interested?
i feel bad for the employees in las vegas. 35% layoffs and leading the nation in foreclosures. bad.
nephew rick is finishing up his bachelor's degree. good for him.
i know 7 people who hav filed bankruptcy in the last two years. bad.
you should take in a blackhawk game. very exciting.
buying a sports jersey for a kid is very exciting for xmas.
surprising an adult with a jersey for xmas is even better.
tickets to any game is ALWAYS a great xmas present.
i still hate the cubs.
being a bug man is cool. everyone is happy to see you. i think.
two of the nephews are moving to florida. good for uncle dan. that gives me california & florida. now i need a nephew to move to vegas.
i'm done. i hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season.
THINGS ON MY MIND PART 1
every once in a while, i like to turn the gunny sack upside down and shake out all the thoughts, opinions and ideas clogging my brain. i figured just before the holiday season is a good time to do that. so here goes:
in my LIFETIME, there have been just two female politicians who have scared the crap out of me. the first one was illinois senator carol mosley braun and the second is sarah palin. i watched the oprah interview and followed that with 20/20 and that woman made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. DANGER, will robinson!
is jay cutler of the bears a fraud? did we sell the farm for a guy who will never see the playoffs?
i'm thinking 18 years will be the sentence for rod blagojevich.
i hope disgraced governor george ryan has to serve his full sentence. the willis children were burned to death because of his misdeeds as secretary of state. screw him.
but in all fairness, he should receive his pension for the time he served in government before becoming secretary of state. his wife did nothing wrong.
does tom ricketts of the cubs come off as petty by putting up those billboards in left field rather than working with the owner of the waveland avenue building?
am i the only one who thinks 42 yr. old omar vizquel is a good pick-up by the white sox?
oprah is leaving. i don't care.
teachers are still the most underpaid and unappreciated professionals.
i think i would have been a good prosecutor.......... and an even better judge.
mayor daley can be mayor as long as he wants.
not too many things scare me but cancer does.
i still miss my friend bruce every day.
bruce's daughter still pisses me off.
i've got six pretty good nephews.
i always have fun when i dine with pete & jim.
alcohol is a very powerful controlling drug and does far more damage than good.
i glad i quit smoking.
my brother in law roy is a good guy.
patti whyte johnson still makes me laugh.
it was fun to catch a fish this year in arkansas. never did that before.
northlake was a great place to grow up.
more coming in part two.
in my LIFETIME, there have been just two female politicians who have scared the crap out of me. the first one was illinois senator carol mosley braun and the second is sarah palin. i watched the oprah interview and followed that with 20/20 and that woman made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. DANGER, will robinson!
is jay cutler of the bears a fraud? did we sell the farm for a guy who will never see the playoffs?
i'm thinking 18 years will be the sentence for rod blagojevich.
i hope disgraced governor george ryan has to serve his full sentence. the willis children were burned to death because of his misdeeds as secretary of state. screw him.
but in all fairness, he should receive his pension for the time he served in government before becoming secretary of state. his wife did nothing wrong.
does tom ricketts of the cubs come off as petty by putting up those billboards in left field rather than working with the owner of the waveland avenue building?
am i the only one who thinks 42 yr. old omar vizquel is a good pick-up by the white sox?
oprah is leaving. i don't care.
teachers are still the most underpaid and unappreciated professionals.
i think i would have been a good prosecutor.......... and an even better judge.
mayor daley can be mayor as long as he wants.
not too many things scare me but cancer does.
i still miss my friend bruce every day.
bruce's daughter still pisses me off.
i've got six pretty good nephews.
i always have fun when i dine with pete & jim.
alcohol is a very powerful controlling drug and does far more damage than good.
i glad i quit smoking.
my brother in law roy is a good guy.
patti whyte johnson still makes me laugh.
it was fun to catch a fish this year in arkansas. never did that before.
northlake was a great place to grow up.
more coming in part two.
Monday, November 9, 2009
BCS FOOTBALL REMEDY
what is all the fuss about a playoff? it seems simple to me.
take 7 major conference champs and then add 9 wild card teams from conferences or independents that play challenging schedules and you have 16 teams AND america's attention.
no one gets in if they have more than 2 losses or if they play in a traditionally weak conference like the sun belt, mid-american, western athletic or conference usa. if those teams want 'in the loop' then they'll have to switch to one of the major conferences and prove they belong and climb the mountain week by week like everyone else.
this year it might be FLORIDA, TEXAS, TCU, CINCINNATI, GEORGIA TECH, OHIO STATE & OREGON as the 7 champs. then add IOWA, ALABAMA, PITTSBURGH, MIAMI (FL), HOUSTON, ARIZONA, PENN STATE, LSU & WISCONSIN. utah & west virginia would also be candidates.
you seed the 16 and have then it's 4 games to the championship with the playoffs starting the second Saturday of December with the big game played somewhere around new year's day. it would generate tremendous interest and while it might mean the demise of about ten bowl games currently played (there are 34 scheduled this year!) but the less sucessful ones come & go on a regular basis anyway. no less than 9 bowls have gone the way of the dinosaur over the last 20 years so that would just be business as usual. i guarantee the playoff would guarantee sellouts all over the country
15 bowls sites would be used up for the big boy playoffs and then schools like akron, northern illinois, boise, nevada and the like could fill in whatever bowls that are left and remember there would also be twenty teams from the big boy circuit who had just 3 losses so you could set up all sorts of david/goliath showdowns. WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE? bring it on!
take 7 major conference champs and then add 9 wild card teams from conferences or independents that play challenging schedules and you have 16 teams AND america's attention.
no one gets in if they have more than 2 losses or if they play in a traditionally weak conference like the sun belt, mid-american, western athletic or conference usa. if those teams want 'in the loop' then they'll have to switch to one of the major conferences and prove they belong and climb the mountain week by week like everyone else.
this year it might be FLORIDA, TEXAS, TCU, CINCINNATI, GEORGIA TECH, OHIO STATE & OREGON as the 7 champs. then add IOWA, ALABAMA, PITTSBURGH, MIAMI (FL), HOUSTON, ARIZONA, PENN STATE, LSU & WISCONSIN. utah & west virginia would also be candidates.
you seed the 16 and have then it's 4 games to the championship with the playoffs starting the second Saturday of December with the big game played somewhere around new year's day. it would generate tremendous interest and while it might mean the demise of about ten bowl games currently played (there are 34 scheduled this year!) but the less sucessful ones come & go on a regular basis anyway. no less than 9 bowls have gone the way of the dinosaur over the last 20 years so that would just be business as usual. i guarantee the playoff would guarantee sellouts all over the country
15 bowls sites would be used up for the big boy playoffs and then schools like akron, northern illinois, boise, nevada and the like could fill in whatever bowls that are left and remember there would also be twenty teams from the big boy circuit who had just 3 losses so you could set up all sorts of david/goliath showdowns. WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE? bring it on!
Saturday, November 7, 2009
while channel surfing on one of our many rainy days in october, i came across a studio show being hosted by bob costas on the MLB network with special guests don larsen and yogi berra. i stopped to watch for a while because yogi is always good for a story or two about baseball but i soon discovered that this was indeed my lucky day.
the purpose of the studio show was to introduce a recently discovered kinescope of game 5 of the 1956 world series between the yankees and the brooklyn dodgers which showed the game in it's entirety. if you don't know already, game 5 was the perfect game pitched by journeyman larsen which broke a 2-2 series tie and steam rolled the yankees to their sixth title in the last eight years. think yankee fans are obnoxious now?
i settled in and watched every pitch and realized how much baseball has changed over the years. the uniforms were baggy and made of wool. there was no fist pumping by the players or any other forms of hot-dogging so prevalent today. if you got knocked down by a fastball, it was just business. you got up, dusted yourself off and got back in the batter's box.i did a little research and found the minimum salary in 1956 was $4,000 a year (yes, four thousand-you read it right). there was no free agency and when you signed with a team, it was for life unless THEY wanted you gone. almost all of the players worked full-time jobs in the off season just to make ends meet and 'training' was limited to the month of march in florida.
while watching the game.....the men wore suits & ties to the games and women wore dresses. foul balls were required to be thrown back as they were used for batting practice the next day. cigarette and cigar smoking was abundant in the stands. hot dogs were a dime and a beer was a quarter, plus it was given to you in a cold glass bottle. imagine that today.
the game itself was a classic. on top of the nail biting performance 2-0 win by larsen, it featured a total of 12 players who would be elected to the hall of fame plus both managers and one coach from each side. the pedigree for the game gets even better as both owners are in the hall of fame as well as both television announcers who shared time broadcasting the game, with yankee voice mel allen getting the first 4 1/2 innings and vin scully getting the remainder for the dodgers. radio announcer bob wolff is also enshrined in the broadcast wing of the hall.
larsen? well, he pitched 14 years in the big leagues and he only led the league once in any category....and that was 21 LOSSES in a single season. for his career, he pitched for eight teams and lost ten more games than he won and the only way he gets into the hall is to buy a ticket. but for one sun drenched afternoon in October of 1956, he was the best in the business.
the purpose of the studio show was to introduce a recently discovered kinescope of game 5 of the 1956 world series between the yankees and the brooklyn dodgers which showed the game in it's entirety. if you don't know already, game 5 was the perfect game pitched by journeyman larsen which broke a 2-2 series tie and steam rolled the yankees to their sixth title in the last eight years. think yankee fans are obnoxious now?
i settled in and watched every pitch and realized how much baseball has changed over the years. the uniforms were baggy and made of wool. there was no fist pumping by the players or any other forms of hot-dogging so prevalent today. if you got knocked down by a fastball, it was just business. you got up, dusted yourself off and got back in the batter's box.i did a little research and found the minimum salary in 1956 was $4,000 a year (yes, four thousand-you read it right). there was no free agency and when you signed with a team, it was for life unless THEY wanted you gone. almost all of the players worked full-time jobs in the off season just to make ends meet and 'training' was limited to the month of march in florida.
while watching the game.....the men wore suits & ties to the games and women wore dresses. foul balls were required to be thrown back as they were used for batting practice the next day. cigarette and cigar smoking was abundant in the stands. hot dogs were a dime and a beer was a quarter, plus it was given to you in a cold glass bottle. imagine that today.
the game itself was a classic. on top of the nail biting performance 2-0 win by larsen, it featured a total of 12 players who would be elected to the hall of fame plus both managers and one coach from each side. the pedigree for the game gets even better as both owners are in the hall of fame as well as both television announcers who shared time broadcasting the game, with yankee voice mel allen getting the first 4 1/2 innings and vin scully getting the remainder for the dodgers. radio announcer bob wolff is also enshrined in the broadcast wing of the hall.
larsen? well, he pitched 14 years in the big leagues and he only led the league once in any category....and that was 21 LOSSES in a single season. for his career, he pitched for eight teams and lost ten more games than he won and the only way he gets into the hall is to buy a ticket. but for one sun drenched afternoon in October of 1956, he was the best in the business.
Monday, October 5, 2009
THE WHITE SOX NEED TO:
1) look for a solid fifth starter. peavy, buerhle, danks & floyd have them loaded for bear in 2010.
2) trade bobby jenks. he had a good run but your stopper needs to be lights out.
3) move alexie ramirez to center field and gordon beckham to shortstop. ramirez is too inconsistent at short but has the speed to play center where thinking is minimal and closing speed very important. beckham is simply a superstar in the making.
4) think very hard about trading either paul konerko or a.j. pierzynski. i absolutely love both of them and the way they play the game BUT both will be 34 when next season rolls around and although both stay in great shape and almost never miss a game, the sox have the same problem the cubs do with derrek lee. don't let them grow old on your team. both have great trade value.
5) find a third baseman. how about konerko to the angels for chone figgins?
6) a dilemma in the outfield. dye's a goner and pods a free agent. was quentin a one time wonder? the outfield need to get better defensively so do you sign pods as a DH and use him as a leadoff man? pods is a definite liability on defense but he sure can hit. will your outfield be quentin, ramirez & rios? if quentin is gone, will it be wise, ramirez and rios? or do you simply keep quentin in left, rios in center and mark kotsay in right with dewayne wise as your late inning defensive specialist? this is the type of problem that GM kenny williams thrives on. he'll figure it out.
7) say good-bye to dye, scott linebrink, ramon castro, tony pena & josh fields. sometimes you just have the wrong pieces to the puzzle.
synopsis: the white sox are ready to make the big move and 2010 should find them in the playoffs if they stay healthy. they will have the best starting rotation in the american league and if they can tighten up their defense, they should play deep into october. a legitimate closer is a concern. rios should be better playing from day one.
2) trade bobby jenks. he had a good run but your stopper needs to be lights out.
3) move alexie ramirez to center field and gordon beckham to shortstop. ramirez is too inconsistent at short but has the speed to play center where thinking is minimal and closing speed very important. beckham is simply a superstar in the making.
4) think very hard about trading either paul konerko or a.j. pierzynski. i absolutely love both of them and the way they play the game BUT both will be 34 when next season rolls around and although both stay in great shape and almost never miss a game, the sox have the same problem the cubs do with derrek lee. don't let them grow old on your team. both have great trade value.
5) find a third baseman. how about konerko to the angels for chone figgins?
6) a dilemma in the outfield. dye's a goner and pods a free agent. was quentin a one time wonder? the outfield need to get better defensively so do you sign pods as a DH and use him as a leadoff man? pods is a definite liability on defense but he sure can hit. will your outfield be quentin, ramirez & rios? if quentin is gone, will it be wise, ramirez and rios? or do you simply keep quentin in left, rios in center and mark kotsay in right with dewayne wise as your late inning defensive specialist? this is the type of problem that GM kenny williams thrives on. he'll figure it out.
7) say good-bye to dye, scott linebrink, ramon castro, tony pena & josh fields. sometimes you just have the wrong pieces to the puzzle.
synopsis: the white sox are ready to make the big move and 2010 should find them in the playoffs if they stay healthy. they will have the best starting rotation in the american league and if they can tighten up their defense, they should play deep into october. a legitimate closer is a concern. rios should be better playing from day one.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
THE CUBS NEED TO:
the cubs need to realize that the window of opportunity has closed. boo-boo lou thinks they only need to tweak the roster and be 'right there' next year but i submit his dementia has gathered speed and he is no longer in touch with reality. the cubs really need to:
1) not make the mistake of 'burying the hatchet' and bringing milton bradley back. remember, that's 20 million dollars you're giving away if you cut him but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet.
2) trade either aramis ramirez OR derrek lee. quit your screaming and read on. lee is 34 and has maximum value right now with ramirez being 31 and playing only two full years of the last six due to nagging injuries. they are BOTH .285 career hitters. trade one and get some value.
3) if you don't trade lee or ramirez, then trade jeff fox to an american league team. he has NO VALUE to the cubs if there's no position available and he's too good of a hitter to sit on the bench and take up a roster spot.
3A) soriano is the same as fox but he has 72 million GUARANTEED over the next four years and the cubs would have to eat at least half of that to trade him. add that to the bradley salary and you're closing in on SIXTY MILLION just to get rid of players!
4) put shipping tags on kevin gregg, bradley, mike fontenot, aaron miles and rich harden. you don't need garbage like this.
5) make zambrano participate in an off season training program and lose 25 pounds. this guy has become a caricature of himself. 90 million dollars for a guy who's never won more than 14 games? ridiculous. if he comes into camp without losing the weight, deal him IMMEDIATELY to let the rest of the roster know that you mean business. another case of possibly biting the bullet but you have to excise the cancers if they don't repond to treatment.
6) REALIZE that your off-season goals are second base and an outfielder. ANY outfielder who can play the position without falling down and still hit .270. second baseman brian roberts is still available in baltimore.
7) be prepared to make an early move with the catching position if soto or gets off to a slow start. remember that he bounced around the minors for a few years and never hit more than nine homers or had more than 48 rbi when SUDDENLY in 2007, he explodes for 26 & 109 and hits .353, 80 points over his average. amazing. then he wins rookie of the year in 2008 with 23 & 86 & .285. incredible. then he tests positive for dope in the off-season and promptly divebombs down to .215 with just 11 homers & 45 rbi. hmmmmmmmmmm. any red flags flying in your head?
synopsis: i could type for days on the cub ills but i think you get the picture. they had their chances over the last three seasons but now it's time to back up the truck and build for the future. it takes guts to trade popular players and establish discipline but there is NOTHING WORSE than falling in love with your roster and making players untouchable, then watching them grow old on the job as you ponder the players you could have gotten in a deal two years earlier. bite the bullet and make some moves so you can resurface as legitimate contenders in a couple of years. or pay a very large price. (white sox need to:) coming soon
1) not make the mistake of 'burying the hatchet' and bringing milton bradley back. remember, that's 20 million dollars you're giving away if you cut him but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet.
2) trade either aramis ramirez OR derrek lee. quit your screaming and read on. lee is 34 and has maximum value right now with ramirez being 31 and playing only two full years of the last six due to nagging injuries. they are BOTH .285 career hitters. trade one and get some value.
3) if you don't trade lee or ramirez, then trade jeff fox to an american league team. he has NO VALUE to the cubs if there's no position available and he's too good of a hitter to sit on the bench and take up a roster spot.
3A) soriano is the same as fox but he has 72 million GUARANTEED over the next four years and the cubs would have to eat at least half of that to trade him. add that to the bradley salary and you're closing in on SIXTY MILLION just to get rid of players!
4) put shipping tags on kevin gregg, bradley, mike fontenot, aaron miles and rich harden. you don't need garbage like this.
5) make zambrano participate in an off season training program and lose 25 pounds. this guy has become a caricature of himself. 90 million dollars for a guy who's never won more than 14 games? ridiculous. if he comes into camp without losing the weight, deal him IMMEDIATELY to let the rest of the roster know that you mean business. another case of possibly biting the bullet but you have to excise the cancers if they don't repond to treatment.
6) REALIZE that your off-season goals are second base and an outfielder. ANY outfielder who can play the position without falling down and still hit .270. second baseman brian roberts is still available in baltimore.
7) be prepared to make an early move with the catching position if soto or gets off to a slow start. remember that he bounced around the minors for a few years and never hit more than nine homers or had more than 48 rbi when SUDDENLY in 2007, he explodes for 26 & 109 and hits .353, 80 points over his average. amazing. then he wins rookie of the year in 2008 with 23 & 86 & .285. incredible. then he tests positive for dope in the off-season and promptly divebombs down to .215 with just 11 homers & 45 rbi. hmmmmmmmmmm. any red flags flying in your head?
synopsis: i could type for days on the cub ills but i think you get the picture. they had their chances over the last three seasons but now it's time to back up the truck and build for the future. it takes guts to trade popular players and establish discipline but there is NOTHING WORSE than falling in love with your roster and making players untouchable, then watching them grow old on the job as you ponder the players you could have gotten in a deal two years earlier. bite the bullet and make some moves so you can resurface as legitimate contenders in a couple of years. or pay a very large price. (white sox need to:) coming soon
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
2009 CHICAGO BASEBALL AWARDS
the chicago all-star team and also winners of various awards.
1B..DERREK LEE a class guy regaining form. konerko was steady but lee was better.
2B..CHRIS GETZ adjusted well to the majors. do the cubs have a second baseman?
SS..RYAN THERIOT very close but shaky start for ramirez cost him.
3B..GORDON BECKHAM switched postions and excelled. aramis a non-factor this season.
C..A.J. PIERZYNSKI a runaway. soto an embarrassment on & off the field.
OF..SCOTT PODSEDNIK is obvious with .303 and only 2 errors plus 5 assists but the other two spots create a problem. dye went down in flames and quentin might be a one season wonder. on the other side of town, none of the regulars are over .257 but at least KOSKE FUKEDOME can catch & throw. BUT THE THIRD SPOT...? i'm giving it to my friend CHARLIE BREIT for his long suffering support of the cubs.
chicago rookie of the year..BECKHAM
chicago mvp.. LEE
pitcher of the year..MARK BUERHLE a perfecto gives him the nod over ted lilly.
gm of the year.. KENNY WILLIAMS is heads above jim hendry who should be unemployed.
manager of the year...OZZIE GUILLEN got the most out his club while lou got the least.
bust of the year..as i predicted in january..ta dah! MILTON 'it's your fault, not mine" BRADLEY.
1B..DERREK LEE a class guy regaining form. konerko was steady but lee was better.
2B..CHRIS GETZ adjusted well to the majors. do the cubs have a second baseman?
SS..RYAN THERIOT very close but shaky start for ramirez cost him.
3B..GORDON BECKHAM switched postions and excelled. aramis a non-factor this season.
C..A.J. PIERZYNSKI a runaway. soto an embarrassment on & off the field.
OF..SCOTT PODSEDNIK is obvious with .303 and only 2 errors plus 5 assists but the other two spots create a problem. dye went down in flames and quentin might be a one season wonder. on the other side of town, none of the regulars are over .257 but at least KOSKE FUKEDOME can catch & throw. BUT THE THIRD SPOT...? i'm giving it to my friend CHARLIE BREIT for his long suffering support of the cubs.
chicago rookie of the year..BECKHAM
chicago mvp.. LEE
pitcher of the year..MARK BUERHLE a perfecto gives him the nod over ted lilly.
gm of the year.. KENNY WILLIAMS is heads above jim hendry who should be unemployed.
manager of the year...OZZIE GUILLEN got the most out his club while lou got the least.
bust of the year..as i predicted in january..ta dah! MILTON 'it's your fault, not mine" BRADLEY.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
A LITTLE OF EVERYTHING-CATCHING UP
just emptying a gunny sack of thoughts.........................
was this the worst summer for movies ever?
has anyone seen carrie fisher lately? well, let me tell you that princess leila has been hanging out at the all-you-can-eat buffet.......a lot. wow.
are the cubs the biggest disappointment in MLB for 2009?
the nfc north could have 3 playoff teams.....but don't bet on it.
the packers look like the real deal and aaron rodgers is a stud.
is the bears secondary as bad as i think it is?
why was macauley caulkin invited to michael jackson's memorial on 9/3? is he the father of michael's children? or a former victim of the pop star pedophile?
i hope that scumbag hillbilly falls flat on his egomaniacal face up in minnesota.
does liz taylor hang out at the same buffet as carrie fisher?
i'm a much better cook than most women.
if jake peavy is healthy, the white sox have enough muscle to return to the world series in 2010.
how much weight will geovany soto gain during the off season?
how many of the current 25 man roster will be there opening day 2010 for the cubs? i say at least 8 will be gone.
is there a classier guy than derrek lee?
is there anyone else with class on the north side? ok, maybe theriot & fontenot but that's it.
tell me you don't want to slap carlos zambrano. if he mentions playing in denver one more time, just ship him out and let the rockies deal with him.
how about zambrano & fukedome for troy tulowitzki? theriot to center & troy at shortstop. that makes you good up the middle for 10 years. naw, makes to much sense.
does jim thome return to the south side?
did the white sox bullpen suck as much as i think?
time to trade bobby jenks. a closer has to be dominant, not just good.
keep jermaine. trade quentin for a third baseman and let pods go. beckham to ss and ramirez to center. and then line up for world series tickets.
i like the bears at 10-6. and not winning the division.
does michelle obama have a set of guns or what?
oprah is the most self-serving celebrity i know.
whoopi goldberg & ellen degeneres..........i just don't get their celebrity status. limited talent.
how can paula abdul turn down 15 million to work on american idol? file under 'idiot'.
will george bush be remembered as one of the 5 worst presidents?
thats it for now. enjoy the rest of our nice fall weather!
was this the worst summer for movies ever?
has anyone seen carrie fisher lately? well, let me tell you that princess leila has been hanging out at the all-you-can-eat buffet.......a lot. wow.
are the cubs the biggest disappointment in MLB for 2009?
the nfc north could have 3 playoff teams.....but don't bet on it.
the packers look like the real deal and aaron rodgers is a stud.
is the bears secondary as bad as i think it is?
why was macauley caulkin invited to michael jackson's memorial on 9/3? is he the father of michael's children? or a former victim of the pop star pedophile?
i hope that scumbag hillbilly falls flat on his egomaniacal face up in minnesota.
does liz taylor hang out at the same buffet as carrie fisher?
i'm a much better cook than most women.
if jake peavy is healthy, the white sox have enough muscle to return to the world series in 2010.
how much weight will geovany soto gain during the off season?
how many of the current 25 man roster will be there opening day 2010 for the cubs? i say at least 8 will be gone.
is there a classier guy than derrek lee?
is there anyone else with class on the north side? ok, maybe theriot & fontenot but that's it.
tell me you don't want to slap carlos zambrano. if he mentions playing in denver one more time, just ship him out and let the rockies deal with him.
how about zambrano & fukedome for troy tulowitzki? theriot to center & troy at shortstop. that makes you good up the middle for 10 years. naw, makes to much sense.
does jim thome return to the south side?
did the white sox bullpen suck as much as i think?
time to trade bobby jenks. a closer has to be dominant, not just good.
keep jermaine. trade quentin for a third baseman and let pods go. beckham to ss and ramirez to center. and then line up for world series tickets.
i like the bears at 10-6. and not winning the division.
does michelle obama have a set of guns or what?
oprah is the most self-serving celebrity i know.
whoopi goldberg & ellen degeneres..........i just don't get their celebrity status. limited talent.
how can paula abdul turn down 15 million to work on american idol? file under 'idiot'.
will george bush be remembered as one of the 5 worst presidents?
thats it for now. enjoy the rest of our nice fall weather!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
THE HOUSE OF CARDS FINALLY FALLS
every year i get an almost macabre kick out of watching the cubs fail and their fans wallow in the disappointment that i'm sure will continue to follow them for the rest of my time on earth.
i've spoken and written many times about the nauseating sense of entitlement displayed by cub fans year after year ("it's our turn") and their pre-school pep songs (go, cubs, go) and their ridiculous attire, from blinking lights on their floppy hats to turtle neck dickeys, not to mention that obnoxious "W" flag that has now been transferred to items of clothing, bumper stickers and even table cloths. most cub fans have no idea that the "w" is to be displayed when they win and nowhere in sight when they lose. but i digress.
the last two years have been very difficult for me as the cubs actually navigated the regular season successfully and amplified the fan giddiness as they headed into the playoffs with delusions of grandeur and visions of world series trophys dancing in their heads. it was no fun during the regular season for me as they climbed the mini-mountain and captured their division and i had to listen to all the huzzahs that emanated from wrigleyville as the faithful made their travel plans to los angeles, phoenix and points beyond for the post season wipeout that was sure to occur. after all, they were heavily favored both years.
i even heard fans talking about risking the $75 cancellation fee as they booked multiple flights into american league cities the last ten days of october for the series but thankfully, the cubs have never even sniffed late october and the drought that has now spanned two centuries has produced incredible chokes, collapses and fan disappointment.
this year the cubs were favored by everyone from las vegas to new york to make or win the world series. they were loaded for bear and nothing could derail this express train to october and the central division crown was a 'gimme.'. but the collapse i was waiting for finally happened the past couple of weeks as, following an august disaster, the team has erupted in a firestorm of finger pointing, racial accusations, choking and fan displeasure. how sweet was it that i saw hundreds of empty seats the other night against the nationals as the fans realize that once again, it's over ....and this time, it's going to be over for a long, long time.
bad contracts, bad players, no chemistry, no guts and way too many holes in the lineup have doomed this team and the new owner has no chance to be successful unless he eats about $200 million in contracts and even then, he will have to start from scratch and he'll have no money left. i suggest cub fans take a close look at the ownership history of pittsburgh and kansas city because that's where it's going.
couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of people.
i've spoken and written many times about the nauseating sense of entitlement displayed by cub fans year after year ("it's our turn") and their pre-school pep songs (go, cubs, go) and their ridiculous attire, from blinking lights on their floppy hats to turtle neck dickeys, not to mention that obnoxious "W" flag that has now been transferred to items of clothing, bumper stickers and even table cloths. most cub fans have no idea that the "w" is to be displayed when they win and nowhere in sight when they lose. but i digress.
the last two years have been very difficult for me as the cubs actually navigated the regular season successfully and amplified the fan giddiness as they headed into the playoffs with delusions of grandeur and visions of world series trophys dancing in their heads. it was no fun during the regular season for me as they climbed the mini-mountain and captured their division and i had to listen to all the huzzahs that emanated from wrigleyville as the faithful made their travel plans to los angeles, phoenix and points beyond for the post season wipeout that was sure to occur. after all, they were heavily favored both years.
i even heard fans talking about risking the $75 cancellation fee as they booked multiple flights into american league cities the last ten days of october for the series but thankfully, the cubs have never even sniffed late october and the drought that has now spanned two centuries has produced incredible chokes, collapses and fan disappointment.
this year the cubs were favored by everyone from las vegas to new york to make or win the world series. they were loaded for bear and nothing could derail this express train to october and the central division crown was a 'gimme.'. but the collapse i was waiting for finally happened the past couple of weeks as, following an august disaster, the team has erupted in a firestorm of finger pointing, racial accusations, choking and fan displeasure. how sweet was it that i saw hundreds of empty seats the other night against the nationals as the fans realize that once again, it's over ....and this time, it's going to be over for a long, long time.
bad contracts, bad players, no chemistry, no guts and way too many holes in the lineup have doomed this team and the new owner has no chance to be successful unless he eats about $200 million in contracts and even then, he will have to start from scratch and he'll have no money left. i suggest cub fans take a close look at the ownership history of pittsburgh and kansas city because that's where it's going.
couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of people.
Monday, August 24, 2009
CUB FANS ATTACK (and are beaten down)
it's almost a guarantee that you get angry e-mail responses when you pronounce the cubs d.o.a. and after reading them, my response is always based on facts and figures, not smarmy north side emotion.
why is it all cub fans have a second helping of the kool-aid they first tasted in spring training? i can understand the first cup of enthusiasm but there is no reason to drink the second because it has to be sour by now. really bitter.
here are the facts, cub fans. if you don't understand them, please contact someone who understands the game to explain it to you. there are many of those people about eight miles south of wrigley field.
the cubs are behind 4 teams for the wild card and 8 games behind the cardinals in the central division who have carpenter, wainwright, pinero and now smoltz. add that to the league mvp and 4 more regulars hitting around .300 AND maybe the best closer in the national league and you are looking at a HUGE mountain to climb. "but we still have time" lamented one cub fan.
oh really? well, if the cards go 18-18, the cubs need 29-11 to tie. when's the last time the cubs played .725 winning baseball? we ALL know the answer to that.
the cubs have no emotion, no integrity, a shattered locker room that is begging to be cleaned out and a manager who has lost the team for a variety of reasons. i had one fan contact me and his plaintif wail was "wait until mid-september and then we'll check the standings." trust me, there's no reason to wait three more weeks. it's over.
but just for fun, let's set the cardinal magic number at 18 wins starting today and we'll see if i'm right. the cardinals have 21 remaining home games where they've played .600 ball ALL YEAR. ring up 13 wins and that leaves them needing just 5 road wins and they play 12 of their 15 road games against the likes of pittsburgh, cincinnati, houston and milwaukee. p.s. the cardinals also play .545 winning baseball on the road. and remember the final poison cookie to go with your kool-aid. for every extra game the cards win over 18, so must the cubs.
the only thing i can guarantee right now about the cubs is that they will be asking their season ticket holders for playoff money any day now.........
why is it all cub fans have a second helping of the kool-aid they first tasted in spring training? i can understand the first cup of enthusiasm but there is no reason to drink the second because it has to be sour by now. really bitter.
here are the facts, cub fans. if you don't understand them, please contact someone who understands the game to explain it to you. there are many of those people about eight miles south of wrigley field.
the cubs are behind 4 teams for the wild card and 8 games behind the cardinals in the central division who have carpenter, wainwright, pinero and now smoltz. add that to the league mvp and 4 more regulars hitting around .300 AND maybe the best closer in the national league and you are looking at a HUGE mountain to climb. "but we still have time" lamented one cub fan.
oh really? well, if the cards go 18-18, the cubs need 29-11 to tie. when's the last time the cubs played .725 winning baseball? we ALL know the answer to that.
the cubs have no emotion, no integrity, a shattered locker room that is begging to be cleaned out and a manager who has lost the team for a variety of reasons. i had one fan contact me and his plaintif wail was "wait until mid-september and then we'll check the standings." trust me, there's no reason to wait three more weeks. it's over.
but just for fun, let's set the cardinal magic number at 18 wins starting today and we'll see if i'm right. the cardinals have 21 remaining home games where they've played .600 ball ALL YEAR. ring up 13 wins and that leaves them needing just 5 road wins and they play 12 of their 15 road games against the likes of pittsburgh, cincinnati, houston and milwaukee. p.s. the cardinals also play .545 winning baseball on the road. and remember the final poison cookie to go with your kool-aid. for every extra game the cards win over 18, so must the cubs.
the only thing i can guarantee right now about the cubs is that they will be asking their season ticket holders for playoff money any day now.........
Sunday, August 23, 2009
CUBS WELCOME NEW OWNER BY SAYING GOOD-BYE TO 2009
i really don't know what to say. they were the odds-on favorites to walk away with the central division and then they make a GREAT trade but ONCE AGAIN, the only thing this jerkoff team is going to win is 'underachievers of the year.'
tom ricketts has purchased a stagnant and mediocre team that over the last two weeks has taken itself out of the running for both the central division AND the wild card by simply going thru the motions while boo-boo lou struggles to stay aware and awake thru the 5th inning. mr. ricketts, i wish you well because anyone who spends 845 million for this steaming piece of crap is going to need a little luck. a few suggestions:
1) obviously, money is not an issue at the current time and it will help your sanity immensely by ridding the ball club of ALFONSO 'don't try and coach me' SORIANO, MILTON ' i'll do it my way, thank you' BRADLEY, KOSUKE 'i never saw a pitch i didn't like' FUKEDOME, CARLOS 'why would i want to get in shape' ZAMBRANO and LOU 'wake me when it's over' PINIELLA. yes, it will cost a lot but you have no chance of winning with these morons on the roster. then have JIM HENDRY drive lou to the airport and join him down at the florida retirement home. the last productive moves he made were in 2003 when he hoodwinked the pirates but he has been in suspended animation since that year.
2) clean up that urine smelling ball park. update the bathrooms and get some decent food in the park. while a supposed landmark, it truly is an embarrassment to organized sports and the city of chicago. or better yet, just knock it down and build a new stadium out in the suburbs. cubs fans have nothing better to do than wait anyhow. it's their strong point.
3) back up the truck and start from scratch. get rid of the dope smoking overweight catcher, the 4-eyed 'closer' from florida, the set-up man whose strong point is making faces on the mound and the third basemen who NEVER shows up when you need him. this will purge urine park of 8 malcontents and 2 inept administrators and give you a chance to bring up the jake foxes and sam fulds of the world who play because they love the game. you may not win the big one with them but what have you won to date anyway? at least the fans would get their money's worth and you would have players that give 100%....everyday. what a concept.
now cub fans, it's time to turn your attention to the bears and jay cutler. that team has a chance to make some noise and stay in contention the entire year. so put away your turtleneck dickeys and your obnoxious 'W' flags and let mr. ricketts clean house as he should. R.I.P. 2009
tom ricketts has purchased a stagnant and mediocre team that over the last two weeks has taken itself out of the running for both the central division AND the wild card by simply going thru the motions while boo-boo lou struggles to stay aware and awake thru the 5th inning. mr. ricketts, i wish you well because anyone who spends 845 million for this steaming piece of crap is going to need a little luck. a few suggestions:
1) obviously, money is not an issue at the current time and it will help your sanity immensely by ridding the ball club of ALFONSO 'don't try and coach me' SORIANO, MILTON ' i'll do it my way, thank you' BRADLEY, KOSUKE 'i never saw a pitch i didn't like' FUKEDOME, CARLOS 'why would i want to get in shape' ZAMBRANO and LOU 'wake me when it's over' PINIELLA. yes, it will cost a lot but you have no chance of winning with these morons on the roster. then have JIM HENDRY drive lou to the airport and join him down at the florida retirement home. the last productive moves he made were in 2003 when he hoodwinked the pirates but he has been in suspended animation since that year.
2) clean up that urine smelling ball park. update the bathrooms and get some decent food in the park. while a supposed landmark, it truly is an embarrassment to organized sports and the city of chicago. or better yet, just knock it down and build a new stadium out in the suburbs. cubs fans have nothing better to do than wait anyhow. it's their strong point.
3) back up the truck and start from scratch. get rid of the dope smoking overweight catcher, the 4-eyed 'closer' from florida, the set-up man whose strong point is making faces on the mound and the third basemen who NEVER shows up when you need him. this will purge urine park of 8 malcontents and 2 inept administrators and give you a chance to bring up the jake foxes and sam fulds of the world who play because they love the game. you may not win the big one with them but what have you won to date anyway? at least the fans would get their money's worth and you would have players that give 100%....everyday. what a concept.
now cub fans, it's time to turn your attention to the bears and jay cutler. that team has a chance to make some noise and stay in contention the entire year. so put away your turtleneck dickeys and your obnoxious 'W' flags and let mr. ricketts clean house as he should. R.I.P. 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
LOU SINKS TO NEW LEVEL AS HE SLEEPS AWAY # 8
boo-boo lou punched his ticket out of town last night by giving away his eighth game this season when he ignored, or slept thru, 'managing 101' by not having a left-hander warmed up in the bullpen in the eighth inning of a 2-2 game.
REMEMBER two weeks ago when i wrote the cubs had taken control of the division when they obtained not one, but TWO left-handers and their bullpen was now a strong point?
well, idiot lou apparently forgot the phillies had THREE left-handers coming up in the 8th inning and let the incredibly incompetent right-handed carlos marmol face all of them before finally realizing that it was time to warm up a left hander. too late. marmol walks three batters and eventually forces in a run which negates milton bradley's 9th inning heroics and the cubs give one away in the 12th inning, 4-3.
LOU SHOULD BE FIRED AND BENCH COACH ALAN TRAMMEL SHOULD ALSO BE WHACKED FOR NOT WAKING LOU UP IN TIME AND LARRY ROTHSCHILD SHOULD BE DELETED BECAUSE HE KEEPS TELLING LOU THAT MARMOL IS OK.
how can you continue to root for this team?
REMEMBER two weeks ago when i wrote the cubs had taken control of the division when they obtained not one, but TWO left-handers and their bullpen was now a strong point?
well, idiot lou apparently forgot the phillies had THREE left-handers coming up in the 8th inning and let the incredibly incompetent right-handed carlos marmol face all of them before finally realizing that it was time to warm up a left hander. too late. marmol walks three batters and eventually forces in a run which negates milton bradley's 9th inning heroics and the cubs give one away in the 12th inning, 4-3.
LOU SHOULD BE FIRED AND BENCH COACH ALAN TRAMMEL SHOULD ALSO BE WHACKED FOR NOT WAKING LOU UP IN TIME AND LARRY ROTHSCHILD SHOULD BE DELETED BECAUSE HE KEEPS TELLING LOU THAT MARMOL IS OK.
how can you continue to root for this team?
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
LOU GETS #7 IN JUST TWO PITCHES!
BOO-BOO LOU lost his 7th game sunday night and it will take you more time to read these seven lines of type than it did for the cubs to lose in the 9th inning.
LOU! the average closer throws 12 pitches. when your closer throws 38 pitches on saturday, you DON'T USE HIM ON SUNDAY!
remember this equation.....dead arm = 2 pitches = 2 home runs = game over.
they're in a dog fight for the division title and his decisions have now cost the cubs seven games.
alan trammel, anyone?
LOU! the average closer throws 12 pitches. when your closer throws 38 pitches on saturday, you DON'T USE HIM ON SUNDAY!
remember this equation.....dead arm = 2 pitches = 2 home runs = game over.
they're in a dog fight for the division title and his decisions have now cost the cubs seven games.
alan trammel, anyone?
Friday, July 31, 2009
WHITE SOX TRADE THIS YEAR FOR 2010
the chicago white sox finally got the pitcher they wanted in jake peavey but at the same time conceded the central division title to the detroit tigers. why? well, the tigers also made a big trade but the pitcher they got is healthy and ready to go right now while peavy still needs at least a month before he's ready and in the meantime, the sox have just 4 pitchers with the toughest part of their schedule happening RIGHT NOW.
don't get me wrong. i LOVE the trade because peavy is the real deal whose just short of a hundred victories at the age of 28 and he's averaged 15 wins a year while playing mostly for really bad padre teams that averaged 85 losses a year for the past seven seasons.
but regarding this season, the sox have screwed themselves in order to be the odds-on favorite next year. relying on 58-year old jose contreras and the grossly overweight bartolo colon to bring you to the winner's circle this year is pure folly and the south siders traded away any possible pitching help for this year in order to obtain peavy.
so the die has been cast for next year when the core of their rotation will be mark buerhle, john danks, gavin floyd and jake peavy. colon will just be a bad memory so if you can plug in a decent 5th starter along with the strongest bullpen in baseball.........you can start making plans to spend part of october on the south side.
i hope i'm wrong about this year but unless the sox go to a three man rotation, it looks like a third place finish.
don't get me wrong. i LOVE the trade because peavy is the real deal whose just short of a hundred victories at the age of 28 and he's averaged 15 wins a year while playing mostly for really bad padre teams that averaged 85 losses a year for the past seven seasons.
but regarding this season, the sox have screwed themselves in order to be the odds-on favorite next year. relying on 58-year old jose contreras and the grossly overweight bartolo colon to bring you to the winner's circle this year is pure folly and the south siders traded away any possible pitching help for this year in order to obtain peavy.
so the die has been cast for next year when the core of their rotation will be mark buerhle, john danks, gavin floyd and jake peavy. colon will just be a bad memory so if you can plug in a decent 5th starter along with the strongest bullpen in baseball.........you can start making plans to spend part of october on the south side.
i hope i'm wrong about this year but unless the sox go to a three man rotation, it looks like a third place finish.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
CUBS AWAKE JUST IN TIME
just three weeks ago, i told you that the window of opportunity on the north side was closing rapidly and the season was slipping away and with a roster filled with malcontents and journeymen, the cubs were simply playing out the string. that proclamation was made right at the all-star break as they were spiraling out of playoff contention. it was a done deal.
not so fast, retired fat cop.
the cubs suddenly wake up with bradley & soriano raising their averages 30 points while the pitching becomes the strong point of the team with kevin gregg closing the deal again and again, as good closers do. the starters were overwhelming for the most part as the ball club won 11 of 14 during the past two weeks.
but they still had a glaring weakness in the bullpen because sean marshall was the only lefty and being overworked because of it. but what do they do just before the trade deadline??? they make a deal that puts them over the top and clinches the central division for the third consecutive season by plucking the bones of the pittsburgh pirates like a vulture in the desert, getting not one but TWO lefthanded pitchers and giving up basically zero in return.
are they a perfect team?? absolutely not. they're still a jeckyll and hyde offensive team although mr. hyde has appeared almost every night the last two weeks and the cubs have averaged almost SEVEN RUNS PER GAME!
so now they have starting pitching, a closer, the possibilities of three lefties with major league experience in the bullpen and an exploding offense. hmmmmmmmmm.
do cub fans get excited now? or is it a mirage like so many seasons past? i say they are now the real deal in the central division. stay tuned.
not so fast, retired fat cop.
the cubs suddenly wake up with bradley & soriano raising their averages 30 points while the pitching becomes the strong point of the team with kevin gregg closing the deal again and again, as good closers do. the starters were overwhelming for the most part as the ball club won 11 of 14 during the past two weeks.
but they still had a glaring weakness in the bullpen because sean marshall was the only lefty and being overworked because of it. but what do they do just before the trade deadline??? they make a deal that puts them over the top and clinches the central division for the third consecutive season by plucking the bones of the pittsburgh pirates like a vulture in the desert, getting not one but TWO lefthanded pitchers and giving up basically zero in return.
are they a perfect team?? absolutely not. they're still a jeckyll and hyde offensive team although mr. hyde has appeared almost every night the last two weeks and the cubs have averaged almost SEVEN RUNS PER GAME!
so now they have starting pitching, a closer, the possibilities of three lefties with major league experience in the bullpen and an exploding offense. hmmmmmmmmm.
do cub fans get excited now? or is it a mirage like so many seasons past? i say they are now the real deal in the central division. stay tuned.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
CUBS' WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY ALMOST CLOSED
in what has been the most disappointing season in recent memory, the chicago cubs have about an inch of space left on a window of opportunity that was wide open just two years ago.
following a 'mail it in' weekend against the cardinals, the cubs find themselves 3 1/2 games behind the redbirds at the all-star break and trailing FIVE other teams for the 2009 wild card slot. this team has been a first half disaster, rivaling only the mets and indians for biggest disappointments of 2009. a quick review of the team:
two un-coachable players in soriano & bradley, with no trade contracts that extend for 2 and 5 more years, respectively. nice job, jim hendry.
they have the dumbest manager in the major leagues. mark my word.....if the cubs hire bob brenly as the manager, they will be in the world series within three years.
a substance abusing catcher in geovany soto who only leads the league in calorie intake.
a shortstop named ryan theriot who has no range and is better suited for second base.
a third baseman named aramis ramirez who will struggle the rest of the year and his average will drop like the stock market as the season continues.
to the best of my knowledge, there has never been a sucessful team without a solid second baseman and if you think mike fontenot (.230) aaron miles (.203) or andres blanco (.222) can lead you to the promised land, then i have swamp land in florida for sale. anyone missing mark derosa?
an outfielder from the pacific rim whose average has dropped 80 points in six weeks. at least this year, the league wasn't embarrassed by him being named an all-star.
and a bunch of journeymen reserves who will be out of baseball in five years.
one class guy in derek lee.
the pitching is abysmal other than ted lilly and pleasant surprise randy wells. carlos zambrano has been exposed like a pervert in the park and carlos marmol is yesterday's news. kevin gregg is the cubs' answer to billy koch.
the good news for cub fans? summer camp for the chicago bears opens in two weeks and then you can put away the turtleneck dickeys and "W" flags & t-shirts and start cheering for the orange & blue. at least you'll have some chance for success with the monsters of the midway but there is no chance of that on the north side.
following a 'mail it in' weekend against the cardinals, the cubs find themselves 3 1/2 games behind the redbirds at the all-star break and trailing FIVE other teams for the 2009 wild card slot. this team has been a first half disaster, rivaling only the mets and indians for biggest disappointments of 2009. a quick review of the team:
two un-coachable players in soriano & bradley, with no trade contracts that extend for 2 and 5 more years, respectively. nice job, jim hendry.
they have the dumbest manager in the major leagues. mark my word.....if the cubs hire bob brenly as the manager, they will be in the world series within three years.
a substance abusing catcher in geovany soto who only leads the league in calorie intake.
a shortstop named ryan theriot who has no range and is better suited for second base.
a third baseman named aramis ramirez who will struggle the rest of the year and his average will drop like the stock market as the season continues.
to the best of my knowledge, there has never been a sucessful team without a solid second baseman and if you think mike fontenot (.230) aaron miles (.203) or andres blanco (.222) can lead you to the promised land, then i have swamp land in florida for sale. anyone missing mark derosa?
an outfielder from the pacific rim whose average has dropped 80 points in six weeks. at least this year, the league wasn't embarrassed by him being named an all-star.
and a bunch of journeymen reserves who will be out of baseball in five years.
one class guy in derek lee.
the pitching is abysmal other than ted lilly and pleasant surprise randy wells. carlos zambrano has been exposed like a pervert in the park and carlos marmol is yesterday's news. kevin gregg is the cubs' answer to billy koch.
the good news for cub fans? summer camp for the chicago bears opens in two weeks and then you can put away the turtleneck dickeys and "W" flags & t-shirts and start cheering for the orange & blue. at least you'll have some chance for success with the monsters of the midway but there is no chance of that on the north side.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
BOO-BOO LOU NOTCHES #6 IN LOSS TO SOX
lou piniella rang up another one on saturday by sleeping thru the most strategic point of the game in the fifth inning. obviously exhausted by his dust-up with milton bradley the day before, boo-boo lou had no clue as he let an exhausted ryan dempster, who had already thrown 100 pitches in less than five innings, face left handed hitting a.j. pierzynski with the bases loaded and two out.
the result? aj singles in two runs and the cubs eventually lose by one.
now let me introduce you to sean marshall, the only left hander in the cub bullpen. all marshall did the day before was induce aj to hit into a one pitch bases loaded double play which saved the game for the struggling north siders. was marshall even warmed up? noooooooooooooo. lou must have been 'saving him' like zambrano in the 2007 playoffs. how'd that work out for you, boo-boo?
lou did awake in time for the for the ninth inning and brought in marshall and guess what 2 outs he got? that's right. left-handed hitters aj & jim thome.
this guy is brutal and i'm happy to finally hear rumblings from the media that it may be time for boo-boo to head to florida......permanently.
the result? aj singles in two runs and the cubs eventually lose by one.
now let me introduce you to sean marshall, the only left hander in the cub bullpen. all marshall did the day before was induce aj to hit into a one pitch bases loaded double play which saved the game for the struggling north siders. was marshall even warmed up? noooooooooooooo. lou must have been 'saving him' like zambrano in the 2007 playoffs. how'd that work out for you, boo-boo?
lou did awake in time for the for the ninth inning and brought in marshall and guess what 2 outs he got? that's right. left-handed hitters aj & jim thome.
this guy is brutal and i'm happy to finally hear rumblings from the media that it may be time for boo-boo to head to florida......permanently.
Friday, June 26, 2009
MICHAEL JACKSON
in 1984, i was a five year veteran of the police department and lucky enough to be asked to work security at comiskey park where michael jackson was performing three concerts in mid-october. the bulk of the security people were off duty chicago officers and most of them opted to 'work' the upper deck where the chances of a problem were almost non-existent. as a matter of fact, the night i worked there was ONE arrest out of the capacity crowd of 45,000 and that was for trying to sell a counterfeit ticket OUTSIDE the park. very tame.
after the senior guys grabbed the upper deck, i was asked by the director of security what my preference was regarding location of my post for the evening. after some discussion, i was assigned the third base dugout area and my assignment was to keep people from rushing the stage set up at second base. for the record, i was perfect in my assignment.
but the real thrill of the night was watching michael jackson perform from 125 feet away on a cold october evening. at that time, he was 26 years old and already had nine gold records as well as the largest selling album of all time, "Thriller," in 1982. sales on that disc have been verified at forty million but may be as high as 100 million. no one else has ever come close.
the best part was that i got paid to lean against the white sox dugout and watch jackson perform every hit from motown thru his pop years, 'ben' to billie jean' and 'beat it.' totally mesmerized for two hours. he was the best while he was on stage but you can't ignore the total package, which includes his personal life.
his personal life was a mess and long ago i felt that he should be in prison. but we don't live in a perfect world and money definitely talks (just ask robert blake or o.j. the first time). when you combine his pedophilia with the whitening of his skin. multiple nose jobs and weird interviews, there is only one conclusion. freak. a total disaster off stage.
but the spotlight of celebrity shined so bright that people dismissed his prior actions and accepted his foibles as part of his superstardom. his upcming london concerts would have grossed a half billion dollars. with a B. he was weird, strange, offbeat, freaky and just plain strange. but he was the greatest i ever saw in concert. i will miss his music.
after the senior guys grabbed the upper deck, i was asked by the director of security what my preference was regarding location of my post for the evening. after some discussion, i was assigned the third base dugout area and my assignment was to keep people from rushing the stage set up at second base. for the record, i was perfect in my assignment.
but the real thrill of the night was watching michael jackson perform from 125 feet away on a cold october evening. at that time, he was 26 years old and already had nine gold records as well as the largest selling album of all time, "Thriller," in 1982. sales on that disc have been verified at forty million but may be as high as 100 million. no one else has ever come close.
the best part was that i got paid to lean against the white sox dugout and watch jackson perform every hit from motown thru his pop years, 'ben' to billie jean' and 'beat it.' totally mesmerized for two hours. he was the best while he was on stage but you can't ignore the total package, which includes his personal life.
his personal life was a mess and long ago i felt that he should be in prison. but we don't live in a perfect world and money definitely talks (just ask robert blake or o.j. the first time). when you combine his pedophilia with the whitening of his skin. multiple nose jobs and weird interviews, there is only one conclusion. freak. a total disaster off stage.
but the spotlight of celebrity shined so bright that people dismissed his prior actions and accepted his foibles as part of his superstardom. his upcming london concerts would have grossed a half billion dollars. with a B. he was weird, strange, offbeat, freaky and just plain strange. but he was the greatest i ever saw in concert. i will miss his music.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
STEROID SOLUTION
over the last couple of months, we've all heard more steroid stories involving a-rod, manny, pablo ozuna and sergio mitre and their subsequent 50 game suspensions and most recently sammy sosa, but instead of decreasing with long suspensions, the problem continues to fester for major league baseball and for that matter, all areas of sports.
turns out jose canseco was dead on with his allegations and while i understand his motives were financial rather than moral, i can still remember his reaction on '60 minutes' when asked if he feared legal action from the players named in his first book. canseco stared into the camera and stated "there isn't a player mentioned in my book who would dare to file a lawsuit against me and risk being under oath at a deposition. i can guarantee there will be no lawsuits from the players." that's when i was convinced that MLB was in deep trouble. (canseco was right--there were no lawsuits filed)
but the solution is right in front of bud selig's face. total amnesty. simple and to the point. players who have used performance enhancing drugs would have 30 days to file a sworn affadavit with MLB in which they admit their former drug usage. they wouldn't have to name their suppliers or the people who injected them or the person who introduced them to the drug in the first place. those players would then receive total amnesty from MLB and their names would be forwarded to the HALL OF FAME so in the event they were enshrined, their spot in the hall would be duly noted with an asterisk that signified they were an admitted user of performance enhancing drugs during their career.
i can hear you now. veit, what kind of b.s. is that? total amnesty with no punishment? no way!
ah, but here's the rub. effective opening day, 2010, the ZERO TOLERANCE policy goes into effect. ANY player testing positive is banned from baseball. period. good-bye. adios. sayanora.
if you test positive at my local township highway department at ANY TIME, you are immediately terminated. done. finished. severed. all the employees receive this information on their 'hire day' and sign off on a document that they understand the consequences. simple. cut & dried. pack your bags and leave.
second chance? no. ZERO tolerance. feel free to try and catch on with the northern league or the joliet jackhammers or go to japan or cuba but you are done with MLB. you knew the risk and still decided to roll the dice. you lose.
harsh? you bet. unforgiving? yep. but america is tired of being lied to and having cheaters win awards and championships. you don't like it? then quit baseball and go get a job at the local warehouse. can't wait to see your reaction when they have a surprise urine test for all the guys on the loading dock.
how about the sosas and mcgwires and other retired players? another day ...another blog.
turns out jose canseco was dead on with his allegations and while i understand his motives were financial rather than moral, i can still remember his reaction on '60 minutes' when asked if he feared legal action from the players named in his first book. canseco stared into the camera and stated "there isn't a player mentioned in my book who would dare to file a lawsuit against me and risk being under oath at a deposition. i can guarantee there will be no lawsuits from the players." that's when i was convinced that MLB was in deep trouble. (canseco was right--there were no lawsuits filed)
but the solution is right in front of bud selig's face. total amnesty. simple and to the point. players who have used performance enhancing drugs would have 30 days to file a sworn affadavit with MLB in which they admit their former drug usage. they wouldn't have to name their suppliers or the people who injected them or the person who introduced them to the drug in the first place. those players would then receive total amnesty from MLB and their names would be forwarded to the HALL OF FAME so in the event they were enshrined, their spot in the hall would be duly noted with an asterisk that signified they were an admitted user of performance enhancing drugs during their career.
i can hear you now. veit, what kind of b.s. is that? total amnesty with no punishment? no way!
ah, but here's the rub. effective opening day, 2010, the ZERO TOLERANCE policy goes into effect. ANY player testing positive is banned from baseball. period. good-bye. adios. sayanora.
if you test positive at my local township highway department at ANY TIME, you are immediately terminated. done. finished. severed. all the employees receive this information on their 'hire day' and sign off on a document that they understand the consequences. simple. cut & dried. pack your bags and leave.
second chance? no. ZERO tolerance. feel free to try and catch on with the northern league or the joliet jackhammers or go to japan or cuba but you are done with MLB. you knew the risk and still decided to roll the dice. you lose.
harsh? you bet. unforgiving? yep. but america is tired of being lied to and having cheaters win awards and championships. you don't like it? then quit baseball and go get a job at the local warehouse. can't wait to see your reaction when they have a surprise urine test for all the guys on the loading dock.
how about the sosas and mcgwires and other retired players? another day ...another blog.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
BRADLEY PUNCHES TICKET OUT OF TOWN
milton bradley, the thirty million dollar bust, guaranteed his seat on the 'one way express' out of town by taking a cavalier attitude towards the fans after making consecutive inning defensive blunders and a base running mistake during a 7-4 loss to the minnesota twins.
bradley dropped a fly ball, which happens to the best of them (of which bradley is not), and then committed a little league mistake an inning later by throwing a ball into the stands with only two outs. those two gems were amplified by his 'baseball 101' running mistake in the 6th when he tried to advance from second on a grounder to third.
his comment to the fans? "sue me." the obnoxious miscreant acknowledged that both he and the fans have high expectations but that "i've made much worse mistakes than today." oh, good.
a couple of seasons back, a very nice guy named jacque jones fanned the ire of cub fans when he started slow and displayed less than awesome defensive skills. despite the fact that his bat came alive and he was very productive most of the season, the fans rode him mercilessly until he was given his walking papers. bradley, bereft of jones' public relation skills, has basically told the fans to kiss his behind and to get over it. i can't wait to see how this plays out with the bleacher folks.
bradley is toast and will be heading back to the american league as soon as the cubs find a sucker desperate for offensive help. the cubs will sell the package by saying that chicago was a 'bad fit' for poor milton and he simply needs a change of scenery.
i hate to say i told you so but.......
bradley dropped a fly ball, which happens to the best of them (of which bradley is not), and then committed a little league mistake an inning later by throwing a ball into the stands with only two outs. those two gems were amplified by his 'baseball 101' running mistake in the 6th when he tried to advance from second on a grounder to third.
his comment to the fans? "sue me." the obnoxious miscreant acknowledged that both he and the fans have high expectations but that "i've made much worse mistakes than today." oh, good.
a couple of seasons back, a very nice guy named jacque jones fanned the ire of cub fans when he started slow and displayed less than awesome defensive skills. despite the fact that his bat came alive and he was very productive most of the season, the fans rode him mercilessly until he was given his walking papers. bradley, bereft of jones' public relation skills, has basically told the fans to kiss his behind and to get over it. i can't wait to see how this plays out with the bleacher folks.
bradley is toast and will be heading back to the american league as soon as the cubs find a sucker desperate for offensive help. the cubs will sell the package by saying that chicago was a 'bad fit' for poor milton and he simply needs a change of scenery.
i hate to say i told you so but.......
Thursday, June 11, 2009
IS RICKEY HENDERSON THE BEST EVER?
twenty five years. a quarter of a century. incredibly, that's how long rickey henderson played major league baseball and he played it at such a high level that his first ballot opportunity into the HALL OF FAME brought him the second highest vote percentage in the history of baseball, being named on 511 of 539 ballots for an overwhelming 94.8 percent, trailing only tom seaver, who was named on 98.8 percent of the ballots.
is he the greatest ever? well, if you're talking about likeability, the answer is a resounding 'no' because rickey alienated the press, media, teammates and the fans with his egotism, third person references and his general frostiness towards the general public.
but my oh my, what a career.
without argument, rickey was the greatest leadoff man to ever play the game. a career batting average of .279 was amplified by his incredible on-base percentage of .401. think about that.
for every 10 at bats, rickey reached base four times. when you factor in 2190 walks coupled with over FOURTEEN HUNDRED stolen bases, 510 doubles and 66 triples, you can see the effect rickey had on the opposition. he also cracked 297 home runs and led off a game 81 times with a dinger as he displayed speed and strength to burn.
he led the league 12 times in stolen bases, was a 10 time all star, selected as the 1990 MVP and scored just shy of 2300 runs while winning two world series titles. absolutely staggering statistics which make rickey one of the five best of ALL TIME, if not the best. and he did this for twenty five years.
by the way....baseball was rickey's second best sport. he was a TWO TIME high scholl all-american running back at oakland tech and had 57 scholarship offers before he decided to pursue baseball.
rickey, welcome to the HALL OF FAME. a well deserved honor.
is he the greatest ever? well, if you're talking about likeability, the answer is a resounding 'no' because rickey alienated the press, media, teammates and the fans with his egotism, third person references and his general frostiness towards the general public.
but my oh my, what a career.
without argument, rickey was the greatest leadoff man to ever play the game. a career batting average of .279 was amplified by his incredible on-base percentage of .401. think about that.
for every 10 at bats, rickey reached base four times. when you factor in 2190 walks coupled with over FOURTEEN HUNDRED stolen bases, 510 doubles and 66 triples, you can see the effect rickey had on the opposition. he also cracked 297 home runs and led off a game 81 times with a dinger as he displayed speed and strength to burn.
he led the league 12 times in stolen bases, was a 10 time all star, selected as the 1990 MVP and scored just shy of 2300 runs while winning two world series titles. absolutely staggering statistics which make rickey one of the five best of ALL TIME, if not the best. and he did this for twenty five years.
by the way....baseball was rickey's second best sport. he was a TWO TIME high scholl all-american running back at oakland tech and had 57 scholarship offers before he decided to pursue baseball.
rickey, welcome to the HALL OF FAME. a well deserved honor.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
BOO-BOO LOU NOTCHES LOSS NUMBER 5!!
lou piniella is one step closer to the unemployment office after his absolutely BONE HEADED DECISION cost the cubs a 12 inning loss in atlanta tuesday night, bringing his total of managerial losses for the 2009 season to five as the cubs gagged it up to the braves, 6-5.
in the tenth inning, boo-boo lou actually made the proper decision by intentionally walking future hall of famer chipper jones with first base open and the winning run in scoring position, a statistically sound baseball move which worked out just fine when garret anderson grounded out to end the inning.
BUT in the 12th, the worst in-game manager in major league baseball was exposed again as he chose to PITCH to chipper jones in basically the same situation. with a man on second and only one out, rather than walk him and set up a potential force or inning ending double play, boo-boo lou chose to challenge jones (the leading hitter on the team) who promptly won the game with a hard base hit. what makes his decision even worse is that the next hitter due up was having a terrible night with an 0-4 performance to that point.
lou piniella is a functional illiterate whose mental faculties are constantly being challenged by the stresses of the game. he is no longer able to function at the high level needed to compete for league championships and needs to disappear. this is his FIFTH LOSS of the year and when you only have a .500 ball club, each victory is worth it's weight in gold.
i don't know if cub fans deserve better but the players certainly do. say goodbye, boo-boo.
in the tenth inning, boo-boo lou actually made the proper decision by intentionally walking future hall of famer chipper jones with first base open and the winning run in scoring position, a statistically sound baseball move which worked out just fine when garret anderson grounded out to end the inning.
BUT in the 12th, the worst in-game manager in major league baseball was exposed again as he chose to PITCH to chipper jones in basically the same situation. with a man on second and only one out, rather than walk him and set up a potential force or inning ending double play, boo-boo lou chose to challenge jones (the leading hitter on the team) who promptly won the game with a hard base hit. what makes his decision even worse is that the next hitter due up was having a terrible night with an 0-4 performance to that point.
lou piniella is a functional illiterate whose mental faculties are constantly being challenged by the stresses of the game. he is no longer able to function at the high level needed to compete for league championships and needs to disappear. this is his FIFTH LOSS of the year and when you only have a .500 ball club, each victory is worth it's weight in gold.
i don't know if cub fans deserve better but the players certainly do. say goodbye, boo-boo.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
A LITTLE CUBS MATH
SHORT & SWEET....RIGHT TO THE POINT.
as the north siders finish the month of may, consider these numbers, flub fans.
the overwhelming favorite to reach the world series is ONE game over .500 as we approach the 1/3 mark with relation to games played.
the flubs are currently behind four teams in the wild card race.
the only thing they appear to do with consistency is get hurt.
ramirez gone until august, lee over the hill and with a bad back, soto still fighting the bad shoulder, harden with his recurring bad back, soriano's knee getting worse every day and a bench that is now among the worst in the national league.
and the stat that should make you start to whistle past the graveyard......the boys in blue are 13-18 when playing teams that are .500 or better. and they haven't played the phillies or mets yet. honey, pass the cyanide.
as the north siders finish the month of may, consider these numbers, flub fans.
the overwhelming favorite to reach the world series is ONE game over .500 as we approach the 1/3 mark with relation to games played.
the flubs are currently behind four teams in the wild card race.
the only thing they appear to do with consistency is get hurt.
ramirez gone until august, lee over the hill and with a bad back, soto still fighting the bad shoulder, harden with his recurring bad back, soriano's knee getting worse every day and a bench that is now among the worst in the national league.
and the stat that should make you start to whistle past the graveyard......the boys in blue are 13-18 when playing teams that are .500 or better. and they haven't played the phillies or mets yet. honey, pass the cyanide.
Friday, May 29, 2009
PROBLEMS FOR NEW OWNERS??
everyone in cub world breathed a sigh of relief back in january when the chicago based ricketts family was announced as the 'winner' in the sweepstakes to buy the sad sack north siders for a mere 900 million dollars. the asking price would be met by the billionaire family with no problem and the pressure of being 'unsettled' was now off the ball club and they could just concentrate on baseball. (like members of the cub roster read the financials....or even read).
but wait jusssssssssssssst a minute. it seems that the family has run into a bit of a stumbling block and is currently unable to raise the funds from the three institutions they were banking on to bankroll this exercise in futility. seems that something like the current economic disaster we're living in has thrown out the anchor and the lenders are less than eager to finance a virtual 'titanic' in the money world.
save your screams, cub fans. "we're worth a billion" "everyone wants to buy us" "we sell out every game" doesn't mean squat in a world dependent on EXPANDING your sources of revenue and that my friends, is what dooms any owner of the cubs.
where do you expand? how do you increase revenue? and before the bellicose north side drunks start proclaiming "just raise ticket prices" and "increase commercial rates," that ship has sailed long ago. raising advertising rates when you're already the highest in town is a recipe for disaster today and wouldn't necessarily benefit the cubs directly as WGN is not part of the tribune sale of the cubs and i think you saw what happen when the yankees tried screwing their fans with $2500 seats.....the fans screwed back and just flat out refused to buy them.
MARK CUBAN, the owner that everyone wanted said it best. "it's a losing proposition to buy the cubs and makes absolutey no sense business wise. why is that?? well, the park is ancient and has high maintenance costs. there is no room to expand because wrigley has landmark status and you can't change the structural integrity and still maintain that status which helps the cubs tax wise. the interior of wrigley is a joke and there is no more room for skyboxes, clubs, restaurants.....all the things you need in today's ownership world. the white sox did it right when they built a new stadium which gives them numerous opportunities to maximize and continue to grow. but if you buy the cubs, you better be ready to lose money every year because they will never make money in their current location."
now friends, that wasn't me talking but cub lover mark cuban. this is a situation that will rectify itself in time as far as new ownership but don't expect seashells & balloons when the new owners take over because they will constantly be strapped for cash. NOTHING will change with this team. nothing unless they tear the park down. remember where you read that.
but wait jusssssssssssssst a minute. it seems that the family has run into a bit of a stumbling block and is currently unable to raise the funds from the three institutions they were banking on to bankroll this exercise in futility. seems that something like the current economic disaster we're living in has thrown out the anchor and the lenders are less than eager to finance a virtual 'titanic' in the money world.
save your screams, cub fans. "we're worth a billion" "everyone wants to buy us" "we sell out every game" doesn't mean squat in a world dependent on EXPANDING your sources of revenue and that my friends, is what dooms any owner of the cubs.
where do you expand? how do you increase revenue? and before the bellicose north side drunks start proclaiming "just raise ticket prices" and "increase commercial rates," that ship has sailed long ago. raising advertising rates when you're already the highest in town is a recipe for disaster today and wouldn't necessarily benefit the cubs directly as WGN is not part of the tribune sale of the cubs and i think you saw what happen when the yankees tried screwing their fans with $2500 seats.....the fans screwed back and just flat out refused to buy them.
MARK CUBAN, the owner that everyone wanted said it best. "it's a losing proposition to buy the cubs and makes absolutey no sense business wise. why is that?? well, the park is ancient and has high maintenance costs. there is no room to expand because wrigley has landmark status and you can't change the structural integrity and still maintain that status which helps the cubs tax wise. the interior of wrigley is a joke and there is no more room for skyboxes, clubs, restaurants.....all the things you need in today's ownership world. the white sox did it right when they built a new stadium which gives them numerous opportunities to maximize and continue to grow. but if you buy the cubs, you better be ready to lose money every year because they will never make money in their current location."
now friends, that wasn't me talking but cub lover mark cuban. this is a situation that will rectify itself in time as far as new ownership but don't expect seashells & balloons when the new owners take over because they will constantly be strapped for cash. NOTHING will change with this team. nothing unless they tear the park down. remember where you read that.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND THOUGHTS
a quarter of the way thru the schedule:
anyone worried that the cubs are one game under .500?
does the hair on the back of your neck stand up whenever neal cotts makes an appearance?
milton bradley says the umps are out to get him. will they also please take his .188 batting average?
soto at .202, fontenot at .208, bradley at .188. scary.
jose contreras for cotts? just a thought
alexie ramirez....sophomore slump or just a slow start?
what's REALLY wrong with carlos quentin's foot?
josh field hitting .217 with 2 homers and 14 rbi. joe crede? .240 8 & 21 you decide.
white sox in perfect position....to finish fourth.
jim thome...why do they insist on throwing him knee high fastballs? can't hit anything else.
bobby jenks has, without question, the stupidest looking baseball hat in the american league.
good to see brian anderson hitting well because his leather has always been great.
allan iverson for chauncey billips? piston GM joe dumars is still banging his head against the wall.
love him or hate him.....john daly was a class act wishing good luck to phil & amy mickleson by wearing pink.
i see where lou piniella hasn't learned his lesson. used zambrano as a pinch hitter again monday night.
fukedome not available for pinch hitting duties?
NASCAR...........so what if it rains? let them keep driving. fans are there for the crashes so bad weather can only help. cancelling the race makes no sense to me.
hawks have climbed as far as they can but all good things must come to an end.
i don't know if it was legal or not but the hit on marty havlat? wow.
a final true story: a few years ago, i was golfing with a woman who hit a shot into the water. in keeping with relaxed rules, we drove to the point where her ball entered the water. i threw a ball down and said
" you're shooting 3." she stared at me and said "why?" i explained the basic rule of 'one in and one out' so now you're shooting your third shot. her reply? "but i never took the ball out of the water so it's only 'one in.'
can't argue with that kind of logic. she made par on that hole. really a true story.
ENJOY THE WEEK!
anyone worried that the cubs are one game under .500?
does the hair on the back of your neck stand up whenever neal cotts makes an appearance?
milton bradley says the umps are out to get him. will they also please take his .188 batting average?
soto at .202, fontenot at .208, bradley at .188. scary.
jose contreras for cotts? just a thought
alexie ramirez....sophomore slump or just a slow start?
what's REALLY wrong with carlos quentin's foot?
josh field hitting .217 with 2 homers and 14 rbi. joe crede? .240 8 & 21 you decide.
white sox in perfect position....to finish fourth.
jim thome...why do they insist on throwing him knee high fastballs? can't hit anything else.
bobby jenks has, without question, the stupidest looking baseball hat in the american league.
good to see brian anderson hitting well because his leather has always been great.
allan iverson for chauncey billips? piston GM joe dumars is still banging his head against the wall.
love him or hate him.....john daly was a class act wishing good luck to phil & amy mickleson by wearing pink.
i see where lou piniella hasn't learned his lesson. used zambrano as a pinch hitter again monday night.
fukedome not available for pinch hitting duties?
NASCAR...........so what if it rains? let them keep driving. fans are there for the crashes so bad weather can only help. cancelling the race makes no sense to me.
hawks have climbed as far as they can but all good things must come to an end.
i don't know if it was legal or not but the hit on marty havlat? wow.
a final true story: a few years ago, i was golfing with a woman who hit a shot into the water. in keeping with relaxed rules, we drove to the point where her ball entered the water. i threw a ball down and said
" you're shooting 3." she stared at me and said "why?" i explained the basic rule of 'one in and one out' so now you're shooting your third shot. her reply? "but i never took the ball out of the water so it's only 'one in.'
can't argue with that kind of logic. she made par on that hole. really a true story.
ENJOY THE WEEK!
Monday, May 11, 2009
BOO-BOO LOU NOTCHES 4th LOSS
LOU PINIELLA, the worst in-game manager in baseball today, hoisted his fourth "L" flag this season in a 3-2 loss in milwaukee on friday by avoiding both his set up man and closer while holding a one run lead in the eighth inning ON THE ROAD.
boo-boo lou's reasoning of "well, you can't pitch them every day" is pure crap when you look at how he has mis-used the combo over the last week. TWICE since may 2nd, boo-boo lou used the marmol/gregg combo when the cubs had FIVE RUN LEADS IN THE EIGHTH INNING rather than using mop up guys like heilman, patton, cotts, etc., so they can get in some work as well as resting the combo.
boo-boo lou has no idea how to handle his bullpen and dime to a dollar says he doesn't even know all of their names. he is constantly exposing his lack of baseball intelligence and strategy as he slips further into senility.
"can't pitch them every day" is absolutely correct, lou. but you can avoid that situation by properly handling your bullpen. or better yet, stay asleep and let bench coach alan trammel handle it. he'll wake you when the game is over. or maybe after the season.
boo-boo lou's reasoning of "well, you can't pitch them every day" is pure crap when you look at how he has mis-used the combo over the last week. TWICE since may 2nd, boo-boo lou used the marmol/gregg combo when the cubs had FIVE RUN LEADS IN THE EIGHTH INNING rather than using mop up guys like heilman, patton, cotts, etc., so they can get in some work as well as resting the combo.
boo-boo lou has no idea how to handle his bullpen and dime to a dollar says he doesn't even know all of their names. he is constantly exposing his lack of baseball intelligence and strategy as he slips further into senility.
"can't pitch them every day" is absolutely correct, lou. but you can avoid that situation by properly handling your bullpen. or better yet, stay asleep and let bench coach alan trammel handle it. he'll wake you when the game is over. or maybe after the season.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
CUB FANS CAN NOW RELAX
every season cub fans work very hard at compiling a strong list of excuses as to why the ball club once again failed to be successful but this year the list has pretty much written itself and can now be published.
why print it so early? because it will give the north siders time to memorize it and smoothly slip them into conversation rather than turning all red faced and grabbing a wrinkled piece of paper from their back pocket and blurting out something like "oh yeah??? well, our players weren't used to the new field sod this year" which was an actual one that i heard last december while discussing all the playoff errors. so here it is:
why print it so early? because it will give the north siders time to memorize it and smoothly slip them into conversation rather than turning all red faced and grabbing a wrinkled piece of paper from their back pocket and blurting out something like "oh yeah??? well, our players weren't used to the new field sod this year" which was an actual one that i heard last december while discussing all the playoff errors. so here it is:
TOP REASONS FOR 2009 CUBS FAILURE
(* denotes the excuse was used in previous years)
15) lou doesn't understand how to use the bullpen *
14) i warned you about hoffpauir's defense
13) lee's back & neck problems cost us on offense and defense
12) signing bradley was bad for the clubhouse
11) soto's shoulder was hurt all year
10) owner's money problem was a distraction to the players *
9) worst in-game manager in the game today *
8) jeff samardjia let us down
7) derrek lee still not recovered from broken wrist *
6) trading mark derosa was a mistake and we need him in the clubhouse
5) kerry wood is a warrior and we need him in the clubhouse *
4) joey gathright never got a chance
3) ryan freel says he has a voice in his head and named 'it' farney
2) aramis never got back on track after his injury *
1) i told you Z would get hurt screwing around on offense *
now don't despair if your favorite excuse didn't make the top fifteen because this list can be updated at any time and it's just a matter of time before ALL THE EXCUSES are available for memory commitment. i guarantee the list will double in size before very long.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
LOU BLOWS ANOTHER
question one on your manager's test:
your ball club has won four in a row and starting to show signs of coming out of a three week offensive slump by averaging 7 runs a game against the first place florida marlins. you're scheduled to face the reigning cy young winner with a chance to end your home stand on fire. do you:
your ball club has won four in a row and starting to show signs of coming out of a three week offensive slump by averaging 7 runs a game against the first place florida marlins. you're scheduled to face the reigning cy young winner with a chance to end your home stand on fire. do you:
a) play the 'on fire' lineup
b) make some small adjustments
c) bench FIVE STARTERS
if you answered anything but a or b, please sign up immediately for the lou piniella fan club.
lou lost his third game of the year by playing a lineup that would probably finish third in AAA. starting luminaries such as joey gathright, bobby scales (?) and aaron miles (all hitting under .200) doomed the cubs against tim lincecum and further amplified the fact that piniella is suffering the early stages of dementia amd is no longer qualified to run a major league team.
lou's reason for the minor league lineup? "the cold & the travel have been tough on us." WHAT? lou, you played AT HOME the night before and the weather was the best yesterday, with the game time temperature a very mild 56 degrees. WHAT THE HELL IS THIS GUY TALKING ABOUT?
he's now personally been responsible for 3 losses in the first 26 games and this problem will only get worse as the long season marches on and the stress further confuses this doddering fool. rest one guy if you want. maybe two if he has a negative history with lincecum...but five??
the media has been giving this buffoon a pass for a couple of years but it's time for lou to be held accountable. remember, this is the same guy who benched ted lilly and reed johnson in last years playoffs, despite being the best pitcher and offensive threat the second half of the season.
the time to 'move lou' is NOW before he hallucinates the cubs out of the playoffs.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
THE SAY HEY KID
when i was a kid, my favorite team was the white sox but my favorite player was WILLIE MAYS, who i feel was not just the greatest outfielder ever but the greatest player EVER. i just heard that willie's health is not the best and i guess that's expected as you approach eighty but it caused me to reflect on his career and his statistics with the giants which i committed to memory long ago. i have always excluded his two disastrous
season with the mets when he was suffering from brett favre disease at the end of his career.
over twenty years with the giants, he averaged .304 with 3178 hits, 646 home runs, 1856 rbi and 1376 walks and a slugging % of .570.
for the mathematically challenged, that breaks down to a yearly average of:
season with the mets when he was suffering from brett favre disease at the end of his career.
over twenty years with the giants, he averaged .304 with 3178 hits, 646 home runs, 1856 rbi and 1376 walks and a slugging % of .570.
for the mathematically challenged, that breaks down to a yearly average of:
158 hits
32 home runs
92 rbi
16 stolen bases
68 walks
no too shabby, huh? imagine getting that type of production from your #3 hitter for TWENTY YEARS! when you toss in a rookie of the year award, two MVP trophys, four world series and twelve gold gloves, i think you get the idea of how great he was........oh, did i forget to mention that he made the all-star team 22 years in a row while averaging 141 games a year when they only played 154 games a season. with only eight teams in each league, you faced the best of the best day in and day out. pitchers like koufax, drysdale, law, spahn, burdette, purkey, buhl, podres, erskine, newcombe, ellsworth, haddix and a dozen more that i've forgotten.
if you get the chance, check out willie's stats and when you realize that he played throughout the 50's & 60's, known as the golden era of baseball, you'll realize what a treasure he was to the game of baseball.
stay well, willie.
Monday, May 4, 2009
THOUGHTS FROM A LONG WEEKEND
MY PERSONAL THANKS TO JOCKEY CALVIN BOREL for having the skill & guts to shoot the gap on two seperate occasions in the derby which is the only way MINE THAT BIRD was going to win that race. you have a micro second to make your decision and he was 'spot on' both times and rode the rail all the way to the bank.
THE CHICAGO BULLS gave us two weeks worth of fun & frustration and now face some decisions. john paxson is stepping aside (which is the deal they made with him back when all those rumors were flying in february) and the new gm has to decide on ben gordon and whether or not to trade a handful of players for dwayne wade. imagine rose running the floor for wade and defenses having to play honest.
the refusal of LOU PINIELLA to take control of the team and specifically CARLOS ZAMBRANO, has now jeopardized the cub season. face it, Z is a overgrown (and overweight) kid who needed to be reigned in long ago and having your pitcher running from first to third, letting him bat when he's done pitching or laying down a bunt other than a sacrifice is incompetence at it's highest level. Z has underachieved his entire career but he's the best the cubs have. or had.
THE WHITE SOX are convincing me every day that my prediction of a fourth place finish is right on the money. no 4th or 5th pitcher accelerates the fire when danks or floyd struggle.
finally, THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS are the new darlings of chicago with full houses and post season success bringing them well deserved headlines. an upset of vancouver might set up a showdown with detroit. sweet.
THE CHICAGO BULLS gave us two weeks worth of fun & frustration and now face some decisions. john paxson is stepping aside (which is the deal they made with him back when all those rumors were flying in february) and the new gm has to decide on ben gordon and whether or not to trade a handful of players for dwayne wade. imagine rose running the floor for wade and defenses having to play honest.
the refusal of LOU PINIELLA to take control of the team and specifically CARLOS ZAMBRANO, has now jeopardized the cub season. face it, Z is a overgrown (and overweight) kid who needed to be reigned in long ago and having your pitcher running from first to third, letting him bat when he's done pitching or laying down a bunt other than a sacrifice is incompetence at it's highest level. Z has underachieved his entire career but he's the best the cubs have. or had.
THE WHITE SOX are convincing me every day that my prediction of a fourth place finish is right on the money. no 4th or 5th pitcher accelerates the fire when danks or floyd struggle.
finally, THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS are the new darlings of chicago with full houses and post season success bringing them well deserved headlines. an upset of vancouver might set up a showdown with detroit. sweet.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
ONE FOR THE AGES
being older than dirt, i've watched a lot of basketball games both in person and on the tube and to be perfectly honest, most of them have little or no suspense when you reach the final minutes of the game. but thursday night, the CHICAGO BULLS and BOSTON CELTICS played a game for the ages, an 'instant classic' that will be replayed on espn for decades to come.
as previously posted, the bulls appeared to be headed down heartbreak road once again as they let not one, but two double digit leads disappear and when the world champs caught them with an incredible 17-0 run late in the 4th quarter, i could hear taps playing in the background as the celtics led by 8 with three and a half to play. i headed to the kitchen so i could take out my frustrations by crunching a crisp apple and ride the exercise bike at the same time. very healthy and good for my heart. watching the bulls is not.
the bulls finally woke from their stupor and drew to within 3 before the incredible ray allen stretched it to a five point lead with 90 seconds left. and then it was time for the brad miller show, he of the re-arranged teeth from game five.
miller cans a three and hits a driving layup while tony allen (not ray) misses two layups to allow the bulls a chance to win it. after a full timeout, i was sure the bulls would drive the middle to draw a foul or score the layup. but jerkwad ben "hooray for me" gordon dribbles the ball to the far side of the court and forces up a twenty-five footer....overtime. i then calmly hit a six footer with my apple core directly into the garbage can and wondered what gordon's problem was. i'm up to 2 miles and feeling good.
as we head to overtime, i quickly head to the kitchen and grab a second apple as the celtics take an early lead but the bulls quickly go up 4 despite derrick rose turning the ball over twice. i pedal harder to encourage the toros but paul pierce is automatic from the free throw line to regain the lead for the bad guys but john salmons cans a leaning jumper to tie it. the bonus is that jerkwad ben gordon has fouled out and pierce actually misses a shot. i bank the second core off the fridge for another score as we head to double overtime and my miles are at 4. i'm cookin'.
down to a couple of bananas, i bring both to the bike and john salmons gets me happy as he scores 7 points in two minutes and we lead by three when ray allen, who scored like a hundred points in the game, finally made a mistake. oh, he still made the shot from the corner but his toe was on the line so we still led by one and when MY MAN BRAD made two free throws to give us a 3 point lead with just 17 seconds left, i was lance armstrong in his prime as i passed 5 miles, sweating like an oinker but loving the bulls. silly me. allen makes up for the boo-boo with a coffin corner trey and the bulls play soccer during the last 8 seconds and we go to o.t. number three. i'm down to my last piece of fruit, a nasty looking banana but i need nourishment as i pass 7 miles.
fatigue is now a factor for everyone and even i struggle as my pedaling slows to a crawl while watching the extended version of 'the agony and the ecstasy,' also known as triple overtime. each side scores five points before bad shooting bogs down both teams which gives joakim noah, of all people, a chance to be a hero and i nearly fall off the exercise bike when he picks off a pass and throws down the sledge hammer while fouling out paul pierce. yowsa!!!!!!!!!!! victory is ours, right? right?
oh, please.........not again.
heinrich misses a crucial free throw and the brown banana flies out of the peel when i squeeze kirk's neck but i pedal 25 mph when rondo rebounds his own miss to cut it to one. burning calories is a good thing. one point leads aren't.
captain kirk makes me dial 9-1-1 as he misses a layup and gives the celtics yet another chance but rookie of the year derrick rose makes a block and is awarded 2 free throws when he is assaulted with just 4 seconds left. but it is very difficult to shoot free throws with one hand on your throat and he tanks both to give the celtics one more chance. finally it ends when rondo's fifty footer falls harmlessly and the bulls and i are exhausted and we all head to the showers. a total time of 45 minutes brought me 8 miles
closer to nowhere but maybe the bulls grew up. maybe. i will go out on a limb and predict the bulls win game 7 in boston because fatigue will be a huge factor with the older celtics. bulls 98-94 saturday night.
as previously posted, the bulls appeared to be headed down heartbreak road once again as they let not one, but two double digit leads disappear and when the world champs caught them with an incredible 17-0 run late in the 4th quarter, i could hear taps playing in the background as the celtics led by 8 with three and a half to play. i headed to the kitchen so i could take out my frustrations by crunching a crisp apple and ride the exercise bike at the same time. very healthy and good for my heart. watching the bulls is not.
the bulls finally woke from their stupor and drew to within 3 before the incredible ray allen stretched it to a five point lead with 90 seconds left. and then it was time for the brad miller show, he of the re-arranged teeth from game five.
miller cans a three and hits a driving layup while tony allen (not ray) misses two layups to allow the bulls a chance to win it. after a full timeout, i was sure the bulls would drive the middle to draw a foul or score the layup. but jerkwad ben "hooray for me" gordon dribbles the ball to the far side of the court and forces up a twenty-five footer....overtime. i then calmly hit a six footer with my apple core directly into the garbage can and wondered what gordon's problem was. i'm up to 2 miles and feeling good.
as we head to overtime, i quickly head to the kitchen and grab a second apple as the celtics take an early lead but the bulls quickly go up 4 despite derrick rose turning the ball over twice. i pedal harder to encourage the toros but paul pierce is automatic from the free throw line to regain the lead for the bad guys but john salmons cans a leaning jumper to tie it. the bonus is that jerkwad ben gordon has fouled out and pierce actually misses a shot. i bank the second core off the fridge for another score as we head to double overtime and my miles are at 4. i'm cookin'.
down to a couple of bananas, i bring both to the bike and john salmons gets me happy as he scores 7 points in two minutes and we lead by three when ray allen, who scored like a hundred points in the game, finally made a mistake. oh, he still made the shot from the corner but his toe was on the line so we still led by one and when MY MAN BRAD made two free throws to give us a 3 point lead with just 17 seconds left, i was lance armstrong in his prime as i passed 5 miles, sweating like an oinker but loving the bulls. silly me. allen makes up for the boo-boo with a coffin corner trey and the bulls play soccer during the last 8 seconds and we go to o.t. number three. i'm down to my last piece of fruit, a nasty looking banana but i need nourishment as i pass 7 miles.
fatigue is now a factor for everyone and even i struggle as my pedaling slows to a crawl while watching the extended version of 'the agony and the ecstasy,' also known as triple overtime. each side scores five points before bad shooting bogs down both teams which gives joakim noah, of all people, a chance to be a hero and i nearly fall off the exercise bike when he picks off a pass and throws down the sledge hammer while fouling out paul pierce. yowsa!!!!!!!!!!! victory is ours, right? right?
oh, please.........not again.
heinrich misses a crucial free throw and the brown banana flies out of the peel when i squeeze kirk's neck but i pedal 25 mph when rondo rebounds his own miss to cut it to one. burning calories is a good thing. one point leads aren't.
captain kirk makes me dial 9-1-1 as he misses a layup and gives the celtics yet another chance but rookie of the year derrick rose makes a block and is awarded 2 free throws when he is assaulted with just 4 seconds left. but it is very difficult to shoot free throws with one hand on your throat and he tanks both to give the celtics one more chance. finally it ends when rondo's fifty footer falls harmlessly and the bulls and i are exhausted and we all head to the showers. a total time of 45 minutes brought me 8 miles
closer to nowhere but maybe the bulls grew up. maybe. i will go out on a limb and predict the bulls win game 7 in boston because fatigue will be a huge factor with the older celtics. bulls 98-94 saturday night.
WHAT TEAM IS THIS?
and now they come out in the third quarter and play just like the first. now they're up by 7 with 12 minutes to go. i still don't believe. which team shows up for the final stanza?
WHAT ARE THE BULLS THINKING??
the bulls run the celtics out of the gym in the first quarter and lead by 13. the bulls pass, drive and kick out for open shots and then, for some unknown reason, they resort to jump shots and when they go cold.....the celtics say 'ok, thanks' and tie the game with 3 minutes left in the second
quarter. incredible. you live and die with the jump shot.
they shut out rondo but let ray allen get 29 FIRST HALF POINTS. pierce is rested but the celtics have foul trouble with their big men so unless the bulls start driving the paint, this one is over. 109-102 celtics.
quarter. incredible. you live and die with the jump shot.
they shut out rondo but let ray allen get 29 FIRST HALF POINTS. pierce is rested but the celtics have foul trouble with their big men so unless the bulls start driving the paint, this one is over. 109-102 celtics.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
PROBLEM AT WRIGLEY?
something is amiss on the north side. all of the bravado displayed by the turtleneck-wearing fandom over the winter has quietly and quickly disappeared and i think i know the reason...........injuries. that's right, boo-boos. dings. owees. but isn't it a little early for players to be banged up?
i submit to you........geovany soto and his sore shoulder. cubs say it's fine but his .119 average and a swing that looks like my sisters belies that statement.
how about derek lee, the only first baseman in baseball with no home run power? never been the same since the broken wrist and now we hear about a disc problem in his neck. hmmmmmmmmmm.....a neck problem and a .209 average. coincidence?
let's head to the mound and carlos marmol, who a year ago was 'lights out' 95% of the time. but this knee thing is not good and the cubs once again are hiding something because this guy looks like garbage.
milton bradley? a psychopath who will be in prison shortly after retiring from the game has a sore groin. or is it a shoulder? maybe a knee? a .109 average says maybe all three!
mix these in with a few other averages like .125, .238 and .184 from the bench and you're starting to mix a recipe for a 2009 disaster. a 10-10 start is hardly what the cubs expected and losing soto and marmol for an extended period could be a huge problem. they should thank the good lord they play in a crappy division where 85 wins takes the title.
i submit to you........geovany soto and his sore shoulder. cubs say it's fine but his .119 average and a swing that looks like my sisters belies that statement.
how about derek lee, the only first baseman in baseball with no home run power? never been the same since the broken wrist and now we hear about a disc problem in his neck. hmmmmmmmmmm.....a neck problem and a .209 average. coincidence?
let's head to the mound and carlos marmol, who a year ago was 'lights out' 95% of the time. but this knee thing is not good and the cubs once again are hiding something because this guy looks like garbage.
milton bradley? a psychopath who will be in prison shortly after retiring from the game has a sore groin. or is it a shoulder? maybe a knee? a .109 average says maybe all three!
mix these in with a few other averages like .125, .238 and .184 from the bench and you're starting to mix a recipe for a 2009 disaster. a 10-10 start is hardly what the cubs expected and losing soto and marmol for an extended period could be a huge problem. they should thank the good lord they play in a crappy division where 85 wins takes the title.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
THE BULLS GAG IT UP
the true heart of the baby bulls was never more exposed than it was tuesday night as they puked away an 11 point lead in the 4th quarter, made every imaginable mistake, lost their composure and for all practical purposes, gave this series to the celtics. when a series is tied 2-2, the winner of game 5 wins the deries about 85% of the time so the bulls are backed against the proverbial wall as they need to win two in a row against the defending world champs.
ben gordon proved once again that he has ZERO basketball acumen as he shoots the ball with 16 seconds remaining when the bulls were playing for the last shot and the fact that he made that ridiculous shot is immaterial because they could have held for all but ONE SECOND and shot for the win. but gordon has no clue other than shooting the rock.
as much as the young blackhawks (14 players under 25) showed poise against calgary and drove in the dagger on the road, the bulls proved once again that they don't belong. they're a nice team with two missing pieces.
ben gordon proved once again that he has ZERO basketball acumen as he shoots the ball with 16 seconds remaining when the bulls were playing for the last shot and the fact that he made that ridiculous shot is immaterial because they could have held for all but ONE SECOND and shot for the win. but gordon has no clue other than shooting the rock.
as much as the young blackhawks (14 players under 25) showed poise against calgary and drove in the dagger on the road, the bulls proved once again that they don't belong. they're a nice team with two missing pieces.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
celtics too old or bulls too young?
this series has been mind bending no matter what side you're rooting for as all but one game has gone down to the wire and sunday's game was an instant classic with rajon rondo, ray allen, derrick rose and ben gordon performing at a level that was mesmerizing from the 4th quarter on.
allen once again proved he is the true 'ice man' as he buried a trey in the closing seconds for the second time in three games, lifting the celtics into the first overtime. then it was time for ben gordon as he hit an impossible trey to force a second o.t.
and those two weren't even the best players for their respective teams today! rose & rondo put on a show for the ages with scintillating moves and never ending acrobatic drives to the hoop. what can they do for an encore? well, the sequel is coming soon to the boston garden where the bulls have played very well and came close to sweeping the opening two games.
was last week's celtic spanking an indication the defending champs can turn it on whenever they want? or was it a case of the young bulls being too nervous to handle the driver's seat the first time they sat in it? stay tuned because the winner of game 5 should advance to the second round.
allen once again proved he is the true 'ice man' as he buried a trey in the closing seconds for the second time in three games, lifting the celtics into the first overtime. then it was time for ben gordon as he hit an impossible trey to force a second o.t.
and those two weren't even the best players for their respective teams today! rose & rondo put on a show for the ages with scintillating moves and never ending acrobatic drives to the hoop. what can they do for an encore? well, the sequel is coming soon to the boston garden where the bulls have played very well and came close to sweeping the opening two games.
was last week's celtic spanking an indication the defending champs can turn it on whenever they want? or was it a case of the young bulls being too nervous to handle the driver's seat the first time they sat in it? stay tuned because the winner of game 5 should advance to the second round.
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