At least one team has their number (going back to last October)….and we’re not at the halfway point.
No, that’s not the Windy City skyline.
Viva 1969! Just kidding…
Stir the pot, my frendts!
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Fire Ryan Poles | Fire Matt Eberflus 
July 2, 2016 at 6:56 pm
On all the other blogs, and on Facebook, are the “Kiddy Cubbies” fans who say three times, “I believe in fairies.” This team has serious weaknesses that got disguised over the first two months and a half. Now that those weaknesses are being exposed, all I hear now is “Stop panicking, we’ll be alright.” “We still have the best record in baseball!” “Arrieta will figure it out.” Baulderdash! This team has no bullpen, an offense that relies solely on the homerun or the big inning, a defense that is porous, and now the starting pitching is coming back to earth. They can’t beat the Giants, the Mets, the Nationals, the Cardinals, or the Dodgers. All teams they will have to beat in the playoffs. Maddon can’t seem to make up his mind on who to play where, and when to bring in who to pitch when! I sound like Abbot and Costello! They still could make the playoffs, but I won’t be surprised if they don’t. And if they do, they are one-and-done. Lot of work still needs to be done with this team before they can be considered a legitimate contender.
July 2, 2016 at 7:01 pm
Oh, I almost forgot, our “ace” is on the mound tonight and the Cubs are already behind 2-0 in the second inning! And guess what, it was a 2-run home run. What a shock! Hey Genre, still what to pay Arrieta the big bucks?
July 2, 2016 at 7:41 pm
Probably why he’s sucking. Folding under pressure as we get closer to that big payday. Kind of like he folded once we got closer to the WS last year.
July 2, 2016 at 9:05 pm
ernie, I’m against paying ANYBODY the kind of money Arrieta-Boras is demanding. I agree with what you posted…but I still think Maddon is a great manager, based on the 1.5 season sample…nobody expected the Cubs to be where they are so quickly. Maddon isn’t the type of manager who’s going to sit still for long….especially when he doesn’t have all the pieces he needs to win a pennant, much less a WS. I never believed that the starting pitchers would maintain their red-hot start…and they haven’t, it’s official.
July 2, 2016 at 9:15 pm
Arrieta tonite…108 pitches, 66 of them strikes.
Not good. Perhaps he should focus more on his game and less on the hype (SI Body Issue, his agent Bore-ass’s salary demands…etc.)?
(btw, is Arrieta going to hit in the All Star home-run derby? Inquiring sheeple want to know! baaaaah baaaaaaaah baaaaaaah)
July 3, 2016 at 11:16 am
If Arrieta has half a fucking brain he’ll forget about the goddamn Home Run Derby bullshit. And a big “FUCK YOU SHITHEAD” goes out to Madison Bum-gardener for that retarded idea.
Fucking moron.
July 3, 2016 at 1:34 pm
Yeah…this team is rattled by the Mets. They don’t respond to pressure well…at all.
July 3, 2016 at 1:44 pm
And why are we calling up all of these prospects? Jeimer Candelario…why? Maddon is more concerned about making sure everyone gets to play everyday because they’re calling up all these players who should be playing everyday in the minors. Now we have a catcher (Contreras) playing LF, a 3B playing RF (Bryant), and this Candelario guy playing 3B while Almora (one of our better prospects) and Russell sit on the bench. The lack of consistent playing time and defensive positioning is going to hurt momentum and kill our defense.
July 3, 2016 at 2:34 pm
Wow…a FUKING beat down.
July 3, 2016 at 2:37 pm
Yeah, courtesy of our $155 million dollar man.
My head hurts.
July 3, 2016 at 3:34 pm
About fucking time that miserable shitfest in New York FINALLY ended.
July 3, 2016 at 3:42 pm
Deja Vu.
The Cubbies have returned.
What now, Theo?
July 3, 2016 at 3:55 pm
“Yeah, courtesy of our $155 million dollar man.” I knew my man, Chucky, would get around to pointing out the elephant in the room taking a big fat dump! Genre, you and I think alike! No one deserves the outrageous salaries these players are making these days. Lester is just one huge example. But, the owners are offering it, the players are taking it, and the fans pay it in huge ticket prices and cable subscription prices.
We all know the season’s not over by a long shot, but Maddon, with all due respect to my friend Genre, seems to be simply throwing darts at a board hoping one of them will hit the center. That’s not how it works, and he should know that. I don’t know what his strategy could be, but it isn’t working. Right now the Cubs have no “ace,” and an “ace” is what they need.
July 3, 2016 at 3:58 pm
And, Pie, your two comments above are very insightful and very informative. Thanks
July 3, 2016 at 4:16 pm
“Neil” from “Chicago Cubs Online” wrote this, “Cubs will have to use different scouts for the Mets moving forward. Game plan against this team is not working. The amount of damage by barely Major League hitters is pathetic and embarrassing.”
I never played baseball – basketball was my game – but for those of you who did, does this make sense to you? Is there something to his suggestion that poor scouting is contributing to their miserable performance against the Mets? Does scouting mean that much in baseball?
July 3, 2016 at 5:02 pm
“Neil” doesn’t know his ass from hole in the ground.
Thanks for the kind words Ernie. Today Lester was more like an elephant in some mighty big headlights. Miserable bag of fuck. I knew that contract was bad. Just remember, this is the same outfit that gave Edwin Jackoff $55 million. They were also the same geniuses who brought back Kevin FUCKING Gregg just to suck even more.
Oh, wait a minute. That plan actually worked.
July 3, 2016 at 5:38 pm
No love for our $184 million man, Jason Heyward? Why Cubs felt they needed him is beyond me. We have a farm system loaded with hitters. Just look at Heyward’s numbers from his previous six seasons. I understand his numbers are worse than normal, but even his best numbers from his first six seasons aren’t impressive. He’s just a left-handed bat who scores high on WAR, even though he has limited power and doesn’t excel at anything.
I’ve come up with a theory on why Maddon has spent the past few weeks looking as though he’s just throwing darts (as Ernie previously mentioned). Since they already have some injuries (including Soler and Fowler) and had a huge lead in the NLC, maybe Epstein is calling up prospects as a way to showcase them before the trade deadline? Only thing I can think of. If it’s not that, then Maddon is getting too fancy and just needs to stick with a core group of guys.
I agree about needing another SP. Arrieta needs to re-focus, never know what you’re getting with Lester, Hammel usually has a second-half collapse, Hendricks can’t pitch outside Wrigley, and Lackey…meh. Don’t trust him in October as a key guy. The Cubs demoted Adam Warren so he could stretch out and become part of a 6-man rotation. Warren had a 4.56 ERA as a middle reliever so not expecting miracles here…
July 3, 2016 at 5:42 pm
And I’d agree with Chucky about Neil. That’s not a scouting issue. It’s a player/management issue. Weak psyche. Big cause of concern if they face the Mets, Giants, or possibly even the Nats in the postseason. Wouldn’t it be like the Cubs to lose a NLDS to a Dusty Baker wild-card team… ugh.
July 3, 2016 at 10:13 pm
The HORROR!
July 4, 2016 at 12:29 pm
Don’t count the Cardinal out, either…it’s too early. The Cubs are clearly not “the best team in baseball” and other good teams are now smelling blood.
ernie, your comment on Maddon doesn’t offend me…right now it appears that “the plan” is in jeopardy.
July 4, 2016 at 4:32 pm
http://m.mlb.com/video/v893566183/cinchc-bryant-catches-flyout-collides-with-almora
This is what I’m talking about with the defensive positioning. Once again, Kris Bryant playing a different position (LF) because Candelario apparently can’t play anywhere other than 3rd. Team that up with a young CF (Almora) and you have a recipe for disaster because of the inexperience and lack of chemistry between the outfielders.
Fortunately, Bryant only suffered a leg contusion here. I understand Maddon likes versatility. That doesn’t mean every player should get treated like a Neifi Perez super-utilityman. Rizzo and Bryant need to stay on the corners where they belong.
July 4, 2016 at 9:07 pm
Thanks for the comments guys, makes a lot of sense. Oh, and the Cubs get to play the Reds for a few games. That should help, at least until they have to play the Rangers and Mets after the All Star break.
July 5, 2016 at 10:14 pm
Another fucking bullpen meltdown. And Lackey appears to have caught whatever Arrieta and Lester have…..
July 6, 2016 at 11:48 am
Pie, your theory on showcasing prospects makes sense….if that’s what they’re doing, I hope it pays off. Reinforcements are needed.
July 6, 2016 at 4:03 pm
…as the bullpen continues to shit the bed.
July 6, 2016 at 4:05 pm
Forget what I said about the Reds above, they’re now more powerful than the Cubs! 2 out of 3 in Wrigley! How about that Cubbie fans? What was that? They’ll get it together after the All-Star break? Not to worry? Sure, sure, that will happen. That will happen just like when the Kardashians give all their money to the Little Sisters of the Poor and live lives of poverty in Bangladesh!
What’s that you say? Wait until next year? Yep, that’s more like the Cubs we know and love.
July 6, 2016 at 4:14 pm
Hold the phone, gang! This just in from Neil at CCO:
“Just a reminder, the Cubs are in first place with a 9 game lead in the division.”
Oh, I feel so much better now. Especially since I said the exact same thing to all my friends on August 14, 1969! Deja Vu, Neil. Genre, keep that clock ticking!
July 6, 2016 at 4:21 pm
tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…
July 6, 2016 at 4:22 pm
tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…tick tock…
July 6, 2016 at 4:23 pm
Dear Neil: baaaaahhh! baaaaahhhhh!! baaaaaahhh!!!
July 6, 2016 at 4:38 pm
From Facebook post: “If you dont know, the season is over Cub fans. Issues are much deeper than the bullpen. No ability to hit in the clutch or manufacture runs against top pitching. Starter ERA was a product of BABIP luck and are falling rapidly back to earth. As good as the Cubs were early, they’ll be equally as bad this second half. Consider 25 wins the rest of the way a success.”
I’ve been watching baseball too long to give a thumbs up to this. However, this being the Cubs, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if they did only win 25 games the rest of the way. Horrendous bullpen, starting pitching that can no longer get past the fifth inning, and an offense that can’t manufacture runs, is a losing team. Period!
July 7, 2016 at 2:06 pm
“They can’t beat the Giants, the Mets, the Nationals, the Cardinals, or the Dodgers.”
They are 1-2 against the Giants, 0-4 against the Mets, 5-2 against the Nationals, 4-5 against the Cardinals, and 3-1 against the Dodgers. In total, that’s 13-14 against those teams. I don’t think just under .500 qualifies as “can’t beat”. Also, the team that made the WS last year had a regular season record against teams above .500 of 28-38, so we can maybe dispatch the notion that a good record against good teams is a predictor of postseason success. Also, the Mets lost 7 games (no wins) to the Cubs last year in the regular season, and that meant a lot in the playoffs, didn’t it?
” Now we have a catcher (Contreras) playing LF, a 3B playing RF (Bryant), and this Candelario guy playing 3B while Almora (one of our better prospects) and Russell sit on the bench. The lack of consistent playing time and defensive positioning is going to hurt momentum and kill our defense.”
The defensive versatility is probably a big reason that their injuries are not hurting them as bad as they should be.
“Oh, I feel so much better now. Especially since I said the exact same thing to all my friends on August 14, 1969!”
And how does the collapse of a team almost 50 years ago factor in to this year’s team?
“I’ve been watching baseball too long to give a thumbs up to this. However, this being the Cubs, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if they did only win 25 games the rest of the way. Horrendous bullpen, starting pitching that can no longer get past the fifth inning, and an offense that can’t manufacture runs, is a losing team. Period!”
25 more wins for the rest of the season? A mediocre stretch of baseball and all of a sudden you guys jump off the ledge? I mean, jesus fucking Christ. I should assume this is typical for you guys, but man this shit is dumb.
This has been a frustrating stretch, but you’re using this to predict how good this team is. When they were beating the shit out of everyone, did you guys assume they’d keep that pace and win 120 games? No, you didn’t. However, when they go through a rough patch, you all of a sudden decide *that’s* the real team.
Get a fucking clue
July 7, 2016 at 3:24 pm
Ha ha ha…welcome back, Yeti!
I don’t really believe that things are as dire as ernie seems to. And given all the injuries, I’m pretty happy where things stand at this time…and, yes I do remember the Cubs beating the shit out of the Mets last season…until the NL Championship. Baseball is funny that way, and not just for the Cubs.
One question: do you at least agree with me that the bullpen is a cause for concern? I expect moves are being discussed…
July 7, 2016 at 3:29 pm
Yes, the bullpen is a concern, but they’re clearly attempting to remedy that. Grimm has struggled, which hurt their 7-8-9 set up.
They signed 2 old dudes to see if they have anything left. The first one blew and they got rid of him. In about 10 days, the other one (Nathan) will be eligible to come back. They’ll see how he does and if he sucks, they’ll go hard at a reliever or 2 at the deadline. If he’s good, they’ll probably still seek to add a reliever but it doesn’t have to be a top of the line guy.
July 7, 2016 at 4:49 pm
At least Kevin FUCKING Gregg isn’t there to piss me and every sane Cub fan off.
July 7, 2016 at 6:29 pm
“And how does the collapse of a team almost 50 years ago factor in to this year’s team?”
I am glad you asked:
1969: August 16, up 9 games. Oct. 1 down 9 games.
1984: Up 2-0 in NLCS. Tied 2-2 after four games. Leading 3-0 in game five bottom of sixth with Cy Young Sutcliffe on the mound. He gives up 2 in sixth, and 4 in seventh, Cubs lose.
2003: Up 3-2 in NLCs against Marlins. Leading 3-0 in the top of the eighth with one out. Lose 8-3, lose next day.
2007: Swept.
2008: Swept.
2015: Swept.
Don’t tell me that the fact that this team has gone 109 years without a WS championship, and 71 years without a pennant doesn’t get into their heads. Every player on that team, and in that organization, knows the history of this pathetic franchise. Don’t tell me that when the game is on the line, and they have just 2 or 3 outs to advance to the World Series, or win the WS, that they’re not thinking about that!
I’ve watched enough sports, and have played enough sports, to know that the mental is a definite part of the game. In the 70’s the Rams could never get past the Vikings in the NFL championship. Playing in the cold got into their heads.
I’m not saying the Cubs will never get past it, but to do so is going to take a very very mentally tough ballclub – like the 2004 Red Sox who came back from a 0-3 deficit to the Yankees. I don’t see this club as mentally tough. They can’t even make up a deficit against the lowly Reds!
They do not possess mental toughness. That’s the crucial aspect of this thing you have never grasped.
July 7, 2016 at 6:38 pm
Kevin FUCKING Gregg…(I almost threw up in my mouth).
July 7, 2016 at 6:59 pm
Sorry Genre. I didn’t mean to get you sick. And Ernie, VERY well said my frendt! And well thought out too. My compliments, sir.
July 7, 2016 at 9:56 pm
Thanks Chucky my friend. Today’s game is a prime example of what I was talking about. Cubs trail the awful Braves 2-0 in the fourth. In their half of the fourth they had two on with none out. Did they get at least one run? No! They got nothing!
Now, they could still win the game, obviously, but that is what I meant by lacking mental toughness. When I see this team come back from a 0-7 hole in the seventh inning and end up winning the game in the ninth, or move a runner around the basebaths to score on a walk, a sacrifice, a stolen base, and a sac fly; then you’ve got something. And when you have a closer who comes in and walks the bases full with no outs, and still keeps the other team from scoring; then you’ve got something!
In my fifty years of watching this team, I have yet to see a Cub team do those sorts of things on a consistent basis. When they do, that’s when the “curse” will be over! Then it won’t matter if they have the best record in baseball, win the division by 11 games, or barely squeak into the Wild Card, they will have the mental toughness to overcome anything. I want to hear about the Cubs what they used to say about the Yankess; “You have to drive a stake through their heart, or they will come back to bite you!”
July 7, 2016 at 10:11 pm
Oh, so the 2004 Red Sox never lost a regular season game to an inferior team, or in your words, Ernie, “make up a deficit against the lowly (insert shitty 2004 team)”?
July 8, 2016 at 12:19 am
“Oh, so the 2004 Red Sox never lost a regular season game to an inferior team,”
Sorry, Dude, but your not worth responding to. You’re hopeless.
July 8, 2016 at 5:47 am
Another blown save.
Another extra inning loss.
July 8, 2016 at 4:42 pm
The lack of a solid bullpen is really pissing me off…bordering on truly PATHETIC.
Keep stirring the pot, my frendts.
July 8, 2016 at 4:44 pm
This is completely unrelated to the recent Cubs shitfest…but I’m looking forward to reading Fro’s take on the Bulls’ recent moves.
July 8, 2016 at 7:24 pm
Yea genre. I’m not a Bulls fan but I like seeing what he has to say about the team. I’ve been checking every day to see what he has to say about Rondo, then Wade, and even the Durant situation. Guessing he’s busy from July 4 weekend.
July 8, 2016 at 9:23 pm
Another dud from Arrieta.
July 8, 2016 at 9:35 pm
Probably thinking too much about that goddamned home run derby on Monday night Pie.
July 8, 2016 at 9:42 pm
Cubs are soft. They get a little pressure and they fold. Been doing it for 108 years. Nothing new.
July 9, 2016 at 1:31 pm
Yeah, but at least the bullpen is………serviceable!!!!
My head hurts.
July 9, 2016 at 6:59 pm
Hey Chucky, how much are we paying Lester to mess his diapers every fifth day? $200 mill. $300 mill.? I keep forgetting. Go ahead, bro, taze me!
July 9, 2016 at 7:13 pm
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha…..it’s deja vu all over again….wheeeee!
July 9, 2016 at 9:44 pm
Ernie, this is from spotrac.com.
Jon Lester signed a 6 year / $155,000,000 contract with the Chicago Cubs, including a $30,000,000 signing bonus, $155,000,000 guaranteed, and an annual average salary of $25,833,333. In 2016, Lester will earn a base salary of $20,000,000. Lester has a cap hit of $25,000,000.
And he isn’t a free agent until 2021.
Year Age Base Salary Signing Bonus Total Salary
2015 31 $15,000,000 $5,000,000 $20,000,000
2016 32 $20,000,000 $5,000,000 $25,000,000
2017 33 $20,000,000 $5,000,000 $25,000,000
2018 34 $22,500,000 $5,000,000 $27,500,000
2019 35 $22,500,000 $5,000,000 $27,500,000
2020 36 $15,000,000 $5,000,000 $20,000,000
2021 37 $25,000,000 $25,000,000
Contract Notes:
•2021 Option includes a $10M buyout
•2021 vests with 200 IP in 2020, or 400 IP between 2019-20
•Full No trade clause
•Signing Bonus: $15M in 2015, $3M from 2016-20
Who in the goddamn hell thought that this worthless bag of fuck was worth this much fucking money? He needs his own pet catcher, he came over from the AL so he can’t hit worth a fuck, AND HE CAN’T EVEN THROW TO FIRST FUCKING BASE!!!!!!! And because of that goddamned no trade clause we can’t unload this fucking shitstain.
But what the hell, he’s serviceable, Riiiiiight? If he had an ounce of integrity he’d return a shitload of that money back to the Shlubs.
July 9, 2016 at 9:58 pm
Okay. Maddon has lost his mind.
Adam Warren just started a game this past Wednesday. Why the hell does he come in just three days later? And he goes 64 pitches? Add on the fact that Warren just transitioned from bullpen to starter…and you see what happens. Warren has pitched like shit this year so why would anyone think he’d play well on short rest after his first start.
Maddon has gotten too smart for his own good. Keep things simple and don’t worry about every player playing multiple positions and featuring multiple batting order spots every week.
It’s not just about the NLC. They can’t let San Francisco get too far ahead of them. Washington is right there too.
At least they’re slumping at the best possible time. Guess we’ll see if they get back on track.
July 9, 2016 at 11:40 pm
Chucky, you are right again my friend. Who pulled the trigger on that horrendous contract? They should be fired immediately. They just saddled this guy for the next seven years when two, or at the most three, would have been enough. Unbelievable!
Pie, absolutely! Maddon is making moves that seem like he’s just guessing now. It’s like he’s forgotten how to manage.
Even in Cubville, this season could turn out to be the worst I have seen in my fifty years of watching this team. Even worse than the Jim Marshall years, or Leo’s first year managing. 1966, the year Leo famously said, “This is not an eighth place ballclub,” and the team promptly finished last!
And the clock keeps ticking, Genre!
July 9, 2016 at 11:49 pm
ernie….indeed it does!
You guys all make good points…my head hurts, too. Good night.
July 10, 2016 at 9:31 am
Strange, it seems kind of quiet on the sheeple front. Hope stays that way.
July 10, 2016 at 1:44 pm
http://www.sheep.com/sounds/baalots1.wav
July 10, 2016 at 2:53 pm
That’s genre. That was just like being in Wrigley.
July 10, 2016 at 3:55 pm
Hey, now that was more like it. 6-5 Cubs over their rivals the Pirates in a game they really needed after losing five in a row in “Cub-fashion.” Here’s what I liked:
1) They came from behind. They almost never do that.
2) The offense has really woken up.
3) Strop, Edwards, and Rondon showed up big time! 0 hits, 0 runs, and, most importantly, 0 walks.
4) Rondon looked like a “shut-down” closer today.
Look, everyone on this site knows I’m the biggest skeptic of all when it comes to this team. But, I give credit when credit is due.
This was a huge game for this team going into the break, and they overcame the pressure. If they can harness some of what they did today over the second half, I like their chances.
Good Job!
July 10, 2016 at 7:20 pm
Great post, Ernie…saved me some time. I know it’s only one game, but this was an important one. Much better way to head into the break.
July 11, 2016 at 4:26 pm
“1) They came from behind. They almost never do that.”
They have had comeback wins in about 1/3rd of their games:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/play-index/inning_summary.cgi?year=2016&team_id=CHC
And this team has blown so many teams out that they haven’t needed to come back very often.
July 11, 2016 at 5:32 pm
I’m assuming Ernie is talking about their inability to come from behind around the start of Inning No. 6 (4-23) as opposed to the number you’re citing at the start of Inning No. 3 (8-15).
But if we take Inning No. 3 as a starting point for comeback wins, then the Cubs are worse than the three teams I checked (Giants, Nationals, Dodgers). Giants and Dodgers by a pretty wide margin.
So he does have a logical point. The Cubs are solid in extra inning games, especially ones that last beyond Inning No. 12
July 11, 2016 at 5:40 pm
Or maybe I’m reading it wrong. I’m only seeing eight come-from-behind victories. Eight isn’t 1/3 of 53 (wins) or 88 (total games).
July 11, 2016 at 6:17 pm
Okay…I see where it’s randomly listed on the page now in the middle of nowhere. According to their data, it adds up to 17 with 1 comeback win. But there numbers are far worse than Giants (29, 7 walkoff wins), Dodgers (27, 5 walkoff wins), Nationals (25, 5 walkoff wins). Hell, even the Reds (18, 4 walkoff wins) and Braves (17, 2 walkoff wins) have comparable comeback numbers to CHC.
Cubs win a lot of lopsided games. But they lose a lot of close games. It’s something they’ll hopefully get better at once they’re more battle-tested heading into the pennant races.