Cubs blow it in the ninth, lose 4-3 to Reds

Mark my words - Cubs will miss the playoffs.

Disgusted wrote:

I am a Sox fan. I do not understand the Cubs fans on this site. What place are you in? The Cubs are in the playoffs. No team in the history of baseball has gone 162-0. What is your problem?

I'm still pretty happy with the season. The cushion for the playoffs is nice, the Cubs currently have a winning record against the Cards, Brewers, Mets, Dodgers, and Diamondbacks (its not just the Pirates the Cubs are beating), so out of all the teams they are scheduled to play and might meet in the playoffs, they have only struggled against the Stros, Phils, and Rays.

Hopefully this rivalry series against the Cards will wake them up. Also, there are a lot of teams at the top scuffling right now, these are the dog days, and not just for the Cubs.

Curley wrote:

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Better yet, sign K-Rod who is a free agent!! Wood makes me the most nervous. He always seems to be in trouble. You cannot keep doing that especially in the playoffs.

Whoa.. Would Marmol + K-Rod make a lethal combo or what? I like your thinking!

Aaron M Ward wrote:

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You are right. Sports are so serious that people who are not constantly complaining about The Cubs (who are still the best team in the NL, by the way) are nothing but complacent losers who are far too focused on being passionate about trivial issues like health, family, work, and friendship. Anyone who is not making non-stop negative comments about the Cubs should be sent to a remote colony to live like a leper. It makes me sick that there are people who have the audacity to say "oh well, they still have a solid team" and go about enjoying the day instead of becoming enraged and feeling a strong sense of entitlement to be provided with winning baseball every day. When will people grow up and become adult enough to complain about baseball! For shame!

Aaron my man. Again you hit it right on the nose. Tomorrow I give my two-week's notice at work and dedicate myself to demanding that the Cubs fill every emptiness in my life with championship-style baseball. Your insight and wake-up call has shifted the team's success from "something that would be great" to the cornerstone of my being. Though family and friends and gainful employ are nice, I finally have a sense of purpose. I am in your debt. Go Cubs or feel my wrath!

Dying Cubs Fan Last Request.....it was playing on my itunes when I saw that they lost again....I really hope they get this out of their system sooner than later....poor steve goodman and all the angles rooting upstairs (there are 100 years of them up there!!!)

Jasper wrote:

Hey Lou, call Ozzie Guillen... he may some advice for you on how to coach out of losing streaks and not give lame answers in post-game shows like "we got out-played today, fellas." You were hired to light a fire. Compared to the fires Guillen has lit this year (taking a predicted fourth place team to first), you could use the insight. That is, if you care to win. Haven't been convinced of it yet.

Lou did elicit and receive advice from Ozzie. He just couldn't understand him.

All you "trade Wood!" mouthbreathers are idiots. The guy has 28 saves, this with nearly a month off the field due to injuries. And he'd have had 29 after today if it weren't for amateur fielding behind him. But since he didn't strike out every batter he faced today, you dillsmokers want to trade him. That's why you all work for Burger King instead of managing a professional baseball team.

Aaron M Ward wrote:

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If you watch enough Angel games, you would see that K-Rod gets in a lot of dicey situations as well. When Wood has his command he is a solid closer. Every since struggling at the beginning of the season he has been at least decent. Just has to cut down those walks. It took a bit of bad luck with the bloop and the funny hop for Kerry to lose the game tonight as well, so those walks really became compounded, but I guess if he doesn't walk those guys the bloop and bad hop are non issues. Oh well, let go get those dirty birds.

Being in LA I've watched my share of angels games and I've seen K-Rod get roughed up before (doesn't happen often), but the one defining characteristic between K-Rod and Wood is the intensity and composure of K-Rod. When Wood gets himself in a bind he sweats buckets and completely loses his cool. K-Rod is a lot better at keeping it together in tough spots, as is Marmol (usually).

Almost makes ya wonder if Marmol and Wood should flip flop come playoff time. Wood just seems like too much of a liability. I love the guy, he has great stuff, but seeing him sweat it out like that really concerns me.

gocubsgo2008 wrote:

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Whoa.. Would Marmol + K-Rod make a lethal combo or what? I like your thinking!

That would be pretty deadly. However, K-Rod would come at top dollar, and if the new ownership (whomever they may be) wants to drop some dough on pitching, I would suggest shelling out the extra cash for that big hard-throwing lefty playing about 90 miles to the north.

That is my X-Mas wish Santa Cuban!

Dulcinea wrote:

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Aaron my man. Again you hit it right on the nose. Tomorrow I give my two-week's notice at work and dedicate myself to demanding that the Cubs fill every emptiness in my life with championship-style baseball. Your insight and wake-up call has shifted the team's success from "something that would be great" to the cornerstone of my being. Though family and friends and gainful employ are nice, I finally have a sense of purpose. I am in your debt. Go Cubs or feel my wrath!

haha! nice ;-)

So what about the guy on here the other day shooting off his mouth that the Cubs were going to "fatten up" on the Reds? Where are you now, big mouth? What a joke you are. What a way to embarrass all those idiotic Scrubs fans in Cincy--thank you Kerry!

Brewers will win this division.

gocubsgo2008 wrote:

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Being in LA I've watched my share of angels games and I've seen K-Rod get roughed up before (doesn't happen often), but the one defining characteristic between K-Rod and Wood is the intensity and composure of K-Rod. When Wood gets himself in a bind he sweats buckets and completely loses his cool. K-Rod is a lot better at keeping it together in tough spots, as is Marmol (usually).
Almost makes ya wonder if Marmol and Wood should flip flop come playoff time. Wood just seems like too much of a liability. I love the guy, he has great stuff, but seeing him sweat it out like that really concerns me.

Fair enough. Maybe even someday Jeff S as a setup guy and Carlos as the closer? Or will Jeff S be battling for a starting spot? Anyhow, on a separate note, with the overall struggling and the health worries in the starting rotation, Marquis has really really stepped it up. Its awesome to see that he is capable of being relied upon and that he can finish a year off strong. Lower ERA than Lilly now, whoduvthunk it??

Mercy....The keystone cops would have been proud of that meltdown comedy. Watching Kerry Wood choke on the pressure would be funnier, except for the fact, you realize that's who is supposed to be a closer capable of leading a team through the playoffs. You'd still have to believe the Cubs have a lead large enough to hold onto at least a wild card berth, but obviously pressure will eat this group alive.

One thing to Pinella. I'm pretty sure part of your pay is to be man enough to talk with the press. If Hendry was man enough, he'd fine you. If you can't handle the pressure of Chicago Pinella, my suggestion would be to move on. Obviously your team is starting to feed off your inabilities to deal with the pressure.

Otherwise, just a sorry meltdown against a team that mocked the Cubs right out of town. And for Wood, try directing your frustrations to getting hitters out, instead of barking at an opposing hitter that just schooled you into a crushing loss.

Man, the Cubs look like one tired team. Two days off in the next 8 should help there. However, given that a playoff spot is pretty much clinched, and given that 100 wins is now out of the picture, Lou should try giving the regulars a bit more rest. I know that he's been trying, but....

As for Corey, wow! 10 bunt singles. That's quite a few in only 300 ABs. Man, if only he could have done that as a Cub: he's OBP would have been great, right?

Oh: it's 0.24 now.

Aaron M Ward wrote:

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That would be pretty deadly. However, K-Rod would come at top dollar, and if the new ownership (whomever they may be) wants to drop some dough on pitching, I would suggest shelling out the extra cash for that big hard-throwing lefty playing about 90 miles to the north.
That is my X-Mas wish Santa Cuban!

What good is another starter if his efforts get wasted by the bullpen (see CC's game 2 nights ago).

We added Harden only to have 3 of his first 4 starts blown by the bullpen. I'd rather we shell out for solid closer than another starter. For much of this season our starters had the best ERA in the NL.

Mr M wrote:

So what about the guy on here the other day shooting off his mouth that the Cubs were going to "fatten up" on the Reds? Where are you now, big mouth? What a joke you are. What a way to embarrass all those idiotic Scrubs fans in Cincy--thank you Kerry!
Brewers will win this division.

Here I am. How's it going buddy?

Yeah, the Brewers have really been strong lately. Great showing today by the Crew. If the terror of the Brewers winning does come about, that would force the Cubs to perhaps play a series against the Crew without the Cubs having home field advantage, and the Cubs have only won 4 out of 4 in Milwaukee this year! Yikes, I'm pretty worried.

i dont care who it is...wood, alou, cedeno, prior. it is always the same result. cubs lose. but wood sucks.

Mr M wrote:

So what about the guy on here the other day shooting off his mouth that the Cubs were going to "fatten up" on the Reds? Where are you now, big mouth? What a joke you are. What a way to embarrass all those idiotic Scrubs fans in Cincy--thank you Kerry!
Brewers will win this division.

He's probably the same guy who said that the Cubs could play .500 ball and the Phillies could only lose 2 games for them to catch the Cubs. However he didn't look at the reverse angle of this equation. If the Cubs just win 2 of their remaining games then all the Phillies have to do is play .500 ball to beat them. Heh Heh.

Aaron M Ward wrote:

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Fair enough. Maybe even someday Jeff S as a setup guy and Carlos as the closer? Or will Jeff S be battling for a starting spot? Anyhow, on a separate note, with the overall struggling and the health worries in the starting rotation, Marquis has really really stepped it up. Its awesome to see that he is capable of being relied upon and that he can finish a year off strong. Lower ERA than Lilly now, whoduvthunk it??

The ironic thing about Lily is he seems to get roughed up the most by his lefty brethren.

Lily's issues might be related to his pitch selection, which is workable. He has been lethal vs righties, and to have a lefty that can dominate righties is rare indeed. There are only 2 NL pitchers with more K's than him this year.

The baseball are just setting up the cubs fans for the eventual heartbreak. Who'll will it be? Soriano messing up an outfield play? Dempster? Kerry Wood? Howrey? Neal Cotts?
Ramirez? Derrick Lee? Who'll will it be? Who will be the goat? Stay tuned for the rest of the story. But you've been warned.