2010 Chicago Cubs Season

[Iowanic]

Ok, let's get it out in the open....
We really sucked today.

[The Uncoach]

The Cubs are hanging in there with mostly good pitching and a bit of timely hitting. You can't expect to have a team really rolling offensively when both D Lee and A Ram are under the Mendoza line. That will change. It's early and they are only 3 under .500.

[Mild Sauce]

As rough as it's been, they're still within 4.5 games of the Cardinals after the first game of the second month and 3 of the wild card. While it's too early to be getting too caught up in games behind, it's a number that's in reasonable distance at almost any point in the season. They have been hitting better in the last week and a half or so, but it's still really inconsistent. They're 10th in the league in runs scored and tied for 17th in the league in runs given up. Given that the bullpen has improved since Zambrano went in there (rather it's him or not, but he hasn't been bad by any means), the real problem just looks like the inconsistency of the offense. I'm starting to see more and more encouraging signs from them though, and this is something that may be able to be fixed by the end of the month.

Right now my biggest worry is with Lee and Ramirez, but then again, Lee normally gets off to slow starts, and Ramirez has been making much better contact over the last 2 weeks or so, he's just hitting the ball at the wrong spots now (I've seen at least 5 times over the last 2 weeks that he's got great contact and has just hit it to the wrong place, and I haven't caught every at bat in any way). While I'm not happy with how things have gone at this point, I still haven't given up hope.

[Ubiquitous]

Since the Mets series the Cubs are 6-3 and except for one blowout win for the Diamonbacks the Cubs have been putting up lopsided numbers against the opposition. When you score 5,7, 11, 12 runs a game and your starters only give up 1 or 2 runs then pretty much any bullpen with any kind of combination of players is going to look good. Take a look at the last 3 games. In those 3 games the starters have not looked good but the offense put up a ton of runs so they have won 2 of those 3 games. Carlos should have been and should be right now starting and throwing multiple innings.

[Ubiquitous]

When Soriano is hot he is hot. Let's hope he stays hot for a couple of months.

[Iowanic]

The offense in firing on all cylinders today; 7-0 thru 4. Is it just me or has Sori finally learned it's a good thing to swing at your pitch, and not the pitchers?
Talk about a late bloomer!

[Iowanic]

My goodness! Did that play at third stink or what! It wasn't even close!!!

[The Uncoach]

As much as I like Soriano and would love to see him succeed, I don't see that happening. The Cubs are better off with Colvin and Nady, IMHO.

OK. So hopefully when the season is over, I'm eating crow with that statement. Soriano is looking really good right now. At least it is taking the stress off until Ramirez gets his bat rolling.

[Mild Sauce]

I really hope that it is the Rudy effect coming in, and I hope that it comes into play for Lee and Ramirez as well.

[Ace Venom]

I really hope that it is the Rudy effect coming in, and I hope that it comes into play for Lee and Ramirez as well.

I read that Lee and Ramirez refuse to work with Rudy.

Oh yeah. What another embarassing loss.

[Shawon-o-Meter]

Stresses me out to lose back to back games to a team that doesn't try to field a winning team.

[Iowanic]

We were playing the pirates. Not the mets.

[The Uncoach]

I read that Lee and Ramirez refuse to work with Rudy.

Would you happen to have a link?

[Ace Venom]

Would you happen to have a link?

I should have clarified. I read someone's claim that they refuse to work with Rudy. I don't know how true it is. Now Derrek Lee has gone on record to say that hitting coaches are overrated after Gerald Perry was fired last season. I can't imagine they'd be too proud to ask for help given their slumps, but I don't know.

[Ubiquitous]

Supposedly Starlin Casto has been called up.