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* Without a doubt, this has to be one of the worst Chicago baseball seasons in a very long time. Yesterday’s pummeling of the White Sox made me physically ill. Cub fans have probably been ill all year.
* The Question: Now what?
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 7:02 am
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are you ready for football???
both the nfl and college season should be very interesting…
Comment by bored now Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 7:09 am
Fire everyone involved
Comment by tubbfan Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 7:17 am
In the Cubs case, is to early to say “wait till the next century”???
Comment by South of I-80 Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 7:32 am
Bust out the Urlacher jersey.
Comment by anon Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 7:53 am
Go Bears!
Comment by PublicServant Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 7:54 am
Become Cardinal fans like most Illinoisians south of I-80…….
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 7:56 am
Come on over to the Cardinal camp and enjoy baseball again!!
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 7:57 am
Term Limits
Comment by WazUP Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 8:11 am
Forensic Audit
Comment by Leroy Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 8:21 am
As the curse of the Billy Goat spreads throughout Chicago Rich Miller begins to mix his potion to combat the encroaching menace.
Comment by Springfield Skeptic Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 8:23 am
Fire sale on the south-side.
Go Packers!!
Comment by blueeyegolfer Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 8:26 am
This is when the Cubs start showing the play we all wished they would’ve shown at the beginning of the year.
4 in a row??? They may never lose again!
Oh, QOTD…Now what?? FOOTBALL. America’s Game.
Comment by PaGo Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 8:38 am
Speak for yourself Rich, the Cubs are on a roll. They won four straight for the first time all year, sweeping a team on the road that could win the division, and now that it no longer matters, Soriano is starting to hit the ball again. Quade’s team apparently only plays well in August and September. I expect a strong 5th place finish.
Just kidding. Yes, it’s been one long stomach ache of a season. Misery loving company and all, it’s nice to have the Sox fans with us down in the gutter.
Go Bears.
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 8:40 am
Cubbies have won 4 in a row. Picked up some games on 1st place this last week. I’m feeling pretty stoked. I’m feeling a ‘Major League’ type comeback coming on!
Comment by So. ILL Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 8:43 am
Watch NASCAR, There is always a winner there.
Comment by Plutocrat03 Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 8:52 am
Check out bowling.
Comment by zatoichi Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 8:57 am
I’m a Cardinals fan.
Comment by Jechislo Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 9:07 am
My hope is that Ozzie goes off to the newly-named (and, uhh, newly-stadium-ed?) Miami Marlins in the offseason, as that has so often been written about. I think Reinsdorf is beginning to turn on his manager, as Hawk has been criticizing Ozzie of late, and that only happens when JR think it’s time for someone to go.
As for the GM, I used to like Kenny Williams in that role. But his moves in the last few years have mostly just made the team worse, not better. It doesn’t help that the organization he is in charge of now has maybe the worst minor league system in all of baseball. There’s one decent hitter in Dayan Viciedo who is sitting in AAA awaiting a call-up, and one promising reliever not far off from the big leagues in Addison Reed. After that, there might not be one player who has a long career in the major leagues. That’s simply inexcusable. Many fans I have seen call for Rick Hahn to replace KW, or at least kick KW upstairs to team President and have Hahn move up to GM, as the Bulls did with John Paxson and Gar Forman. But I don’t think that would really solve anything, and a outsider is needed to completely overhaul this tired group of players.
With bad, completely immovable contracts in place for the next few years in Dunn, Rios & Peavy, I’m not optimistic.
Comment by aaron singer Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 9:21 am
As a baseball fan, I’m happy Milwaukee and Pittsburgh are in contention (Milwaukee could end up in the World Series). But as a Cubs fan, I simply can’t watch. Hopefully, Ricketts will hire a new GM - someone who will have the sense to bring in Ryno as the Cubs’ manager.
On a brighter note, Derrick Rose is the real deal and the Bulls should be very good this year. Oh…wait…never mind.
Comment by Edge of the 14th Ward Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 9:29 am
I agree Rich that this is one of the most frustrating White Sox seasons ever. I still can’t figure out why they don’t bring up Dayan Viciedo. Not that he would carry us to win the division but we could sure use another bat in the lineup.
Comment by Stones Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 9:29 am
This New York Times story on Adam Dunn signing — featured on yesterday’s NYT front page — is absolutely devastating. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/03/sports/baseball/dunn-a-mighty-free-agent-has-struck-out-with-the-white-sox.html No one to blame for this one but the great Kenny Williams.
Comment by adolfo Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 9:30 am
Rich,
Don’t worry. Adam Dunn will start hitting the very next game and propel the Sox to a miracle finish. And Blago will be found innocent on appeal.
Comment by downstate hack Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 9:35 am
Go Reds!
Comment by Ghost Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 9:41 am
Mayor Emanuel has set up a website to take suggestions from the city’s baseball fans. He will review those suggestions, make the tough decisions, and do it all in an open and transparent manner.
And I almost forgot — he plans to replace Ozzie Guillen with UNO’s Juan Rangel.
Comment by The End Is Near Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 9:49 am
My son starts fall baseball in a couple weeks. Better games and better hitting. Little Ghost hit 0.617 in the Spring.
Comment by Ghost of John Brown Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 9:51 am
At least you’ll have the Bulls to root for in a few months.
Comment by Captain Angrypants Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 9:52 am
NIU football…
Comment by OneMan Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 9:54 am
People are also tired of seeing these overpaid, so-called ‘professionals’ bomb while we’re forced to shell out over a hundred bucks per person to watch a game, including parking and refreshments. Attendance is down in both parks. The Sox and the Cubs need to get serious about putting together quality teams with managers who whine less and demand more from their players. Cubs should have went with Ryne Sandberg.
Comment by Wensicia Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 9:55 am
Sorry Ghost but after dropping two of three to the Astros (REALLY?!?!) I’m losing my faith in the Reds to pull it off.
Comment by Bluefish Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 9:57 am
C-Crying
U-Until
B-Blackhawks
S-Season
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 10:05 am
Root for Chicago’s athletic juggernaut, the Windy City Rollers. (And drink heavily knowing Rios and Dun are signed through 2014.)
Comment by Boone Logan Square Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 10:05 am
Joel Osteen arranged this terrible season so Sox fans would come out to his Night of Hope at the Cell.
Comment by Boone Logan Square Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 10:07 am
Wensicia, I’d love to go to a game with you. For $100 you can get a pretty good seat and plenty of beer to go with it. The last Sox game I went to my ticket cost $42 and I spent $2.25 to ride the red line to the stadium. Given your $100 per person per game budget I would have $55.75 left over. At $7.50 a beer I could buy seven of them and still have enough money left to stumble to the L for my ride home.
Comment by Gallery Sitter Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 10:13 am
Seeing how many Cub fans there are out there it is clear how Democrats keep getting re-elected in IL.
Too many people that are all heart and no brains!
Comment by the Patriot Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 10:13 am
Bears and Blackhawks look fairly promising this year. Time to engage the more barbaric side of the sports brain.
Comment by A.B. Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 10:15 am
Now what? Liquor. Chocolate. Tequila. Loud music. Dancing. Anything to distract from what will only get worse cause Twinkies are looming.
Comment by amalia Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 10:15 am
==At least you’ll have the Bulls to root for in a few months. ==
Sorry to break it to you Captain, but this work stoppage is far more serious than the NFL’s…
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/ba-sp-nba-bar-association-0704-20110803,0,5328856.story
Comment by Jimmy CrackCorn Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 10:16 am
Hey, it is going to be perfect after the White Sox host a tribute to former Mayor Daley at the Cell. Then the spirit of Arnold Rothstein can fix the pennant race and the Sox will win out.
Comment by Esquire Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 10:22 am
I’m with amalia.
Comment by Cheryl44 Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 10:27 am
Hunting season is right around the corner.
– MrJM
Comment by MrJM Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 10:32 am
For immediate release:
Today the (insert team) hired former Governor Rod Blagojevich as their new spokesperson to put a “positive spin” on the season. When contacted, Rod said …
Comment by Retired Non-Union Guy Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 10:33 am
The Cubs have won 3 in a row, they will make a push for the NL Central Penant and get withing 15 of .500.
Bears, Hawks Wolves, NCAA Football season.
Comment by Wumpus Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 10:35 am
We found the tribute to Mayor Daley truly moving….especially the 12 passenger golf cart…we think that caused them to spot the Yanks a 13 spot.
Hey speaking of free agents how about that Lance Berkman
Since Bears still don’t have any full size receivers —- just short and extra short — we would not get too excited.
Hockey — too confusing.
NBA — ah now there is a chance!
Capt Fax is spot on it sux to be a bb fan in Windy.
Comment by CircularFiringSquad Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 10:35 am
The real frustrating part for BOTH teams is just how similiar they are (outside of their records): they are both in weak divisions dying to be taken, they have extremely high payrolls, and they don’t have much at all in the minor league cubbard.
The Sox have traded many prospects over the years to pursue another ring and the Cubs can’t develop a minor leaguer to save their lives (Starlin Castro is a pure talent they lucked into).
Chairman Reinsdorf most likely will continue to want both Ozzie and Kenny, but I’m beginning to think a clean break and fresh start is needed at both positions. You can’t be expensive and bad; that is a cardinal sin in pro sports.
The Cubs very obviously need to can everyone associated with their team management, but who knows if Mike McCaskey, I mean Tom Ricketts, has the will to do that. He still seems very “Aw shucks” about the whole experience of ownership and smitten with Kenney and Hendry. No matter what they do though, they will still be terrible for at least two years. At the very least. Although $40+ million comes off the books this year, there are no good free agents beyond Albert & Prince and I don’t see either one of them in Wrigley next year. Look for both Pena and Ramirez to return because there aren’t any other options(ugh. feeling ill just thinking about it.) So basically we are stuck in Baseball Hell…..perpetual mediocrity at best for the next several years.
On the upside, I have long promised to throw a giant party the day after the World Series ends in 2015; that is the day Alfonso Soriano’s, Adam Dunn’s, and Alex Rios’s contracts expire! Huzzah!
I wonder why Cubs and Sox fans even bother with the rivalry anymore.
Comment by Ace Laredo Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 10:51 am
No team with 3 former Cubs has won a world series. Brewers current roster has 3 (Jerry Hairston, LaTroy Hawkins, & Casey McGehee.) Pirates also have 3 (Ronny Cedeno, Kevin Hart, Derreck Lee.) Rich, it’s too bad your pale hose aren’t in contention. Looks like a good year for the American League.
Comment by The Third Ex Cub Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 11:07 am
@Cheryl44….dance and drinks party!
Comment by amalia Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 11:11 am
@Jimmy CrackCorn: That was snark.
Comment by Captain Angrypants Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 11:19 am
Reviewing photos and videos of Sir Paul’s command performance at Wrigley. The fireworks during “Live and Let Die” were reminiscent of, but far surpassing, Steve Dahl’s Disco Demolition event at Comiskey on July 12, 1979.
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 11:21 am
Y’all can forget the football season as well. Look north, my friends. Alot of folks from Illinois are. I see many Green and Gold flags hanging from homes in my town. Do you know how many Bears flags I see when I travel to Wisconsin. ZERO.
As far as baseball is concerned, I have 3 words for you - Kane County Cougars. Friendly park/players, lower cost, better baseball. And, no, I don’t work for them.
Comment by dupage dan Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 11:21 am
==Hunting season is right around the corner.
– MrJM ==
That’s an extreme way to treat this underperforming White Sox team.
Comment by Boone Logan Square Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 11:58 am
Quade’s record in games he was ejected is 3-2. He’s been ejected 5 times this season. And of those games the Cubs are .600
I think Quade needs to get ejected every game from here on out to lead us to the promised land.
April 30, 2011- W
June 14, 2011- W
July 2, 2011- L
July 30,2011- L
August 3, 2011- W
Comment by JBilla Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 12:06 pm
White Sox fans feel their team’s performance is like a nasty lingering cold-something they want to kick and should be able but just can’t. For cubs fans we feel more like we have (and I will be culturally sensitive here for readers who have actually had these diseases) an illness we’ve been living with for a long time but which has gotten even worse this year and looks like it won’t get better for a long time.
thank god for football.
Comment by shore Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 12:12 pm
If I remember correctly, when I was younger, players got sent down to triple-a when they were slumping. Is it payroll that keeps struggling players in the big’s? Players like Dunn, Rios and others should be working out their slumps in the minors. I would call up prospects–anything but “stars” severely underperforming.
Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 12:13 pm
Support a real baseball team… GO CARDS!!!
Comment by Ryan from Carrollton Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 12:20 pm
More time for politics.
Comment by Cincinnatus Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 12:21 pm
The Sox lingered in the pennant race, or is that malingered, for a long time with several gaping holes in the lineup and without a single front line player having a great year. Only Konerko was a constant and his injury was like a heartectomy.
Comment by overcooked Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 12:24 pm
Boy, the Cubs fans here are delusional.
Comment by Aaron Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 12:54 pm
This shows what the pundits know. We were told that the Sox had a lock on the division and would likely make it to the World Series. Time for Ozzie to go and some fresh ideas.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 12:56 pm
NIU got some votes in the pre-season poll, Go Huskies! Now that is something to look forward to.
Comment by OneMan Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 1:02 pm
New sport - what will Jack Franks do? His Springfield house is on the market…
Comment by Thoughts... Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 1:08 pm
===His Springfield house is on the market… ===
He’s buying another place here.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 1:31 pm
- The Third Ex Cub - Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 11:07 am:
No team with 3 former Cubs has won a world series.
~~~~~~
2010 Giants: Todd Wellemeyer, Mike Fontenot, Mark DeRosa
2008 Phillies: Jamie Moyer, Scott Eyre, Matt Stairs
Want more??
Comment by Stu Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 1:39 pm
Third Ex Cub
“No team with 3 former Cubs has won a world series. ”
That’s simply not true. Lots of teams with 3 or more ex-Cubs have won the series, including the Phillies in 2009. All Royko said was that having 3 or more ex-Flubs makes the team the overwhelming odds-on favor to lose, and the more heavily favored the team is otherwise, the even more likely they’d lose.
Comment by What planet is he from again? Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 1:41 pm
I don’t see how Kenny survives, although Reinsdorf is known for his loyalty. We have Dunn, Rios and Peavy for years with $10M+ contracts per year. Not only is this year bad, the near future doesn’t look good, but at least they have good starting pitching.
Comment by Jim Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 2:26 pm
@dupage dan — I second that emotion. Cougars games are affordable and lots of fun. And as a Cubs fan, I don’t seem much difference in the level of play…
And if Cubs fans want to know just how miserable they should feel — there’s an app for that. http://www.appolicious.com/sports/apps/409048-chicago-fan-misery-discover-motion-llc/developer_notes
Comment by soccermom Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 2:35 pm
Cubs Fans - there’s plenty of room under the Cardinals tent whenever you’re ready to come in from the rain. I know you’ve become comfortable in your enduring misery but give it a try. You might like not having to carry a century of burden around all the time.
Comment by Hawkeye Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 2:44 pm
I’ve heard that you should build baseball teams from the middle. Soto, Barney, Castro and Byrd are a nice start. I’d rather watch a team on the rise than the aging underachievers on this team. So, “Wait till next year” is the lullaby I sing myself to sleep with.
Mostly, I’m an NFL fan, and the threat of a non-season, coupled with a dreadful baseball season, makes me that much more primed for the fall. Lovie’s Bears have overachieved more times than I can count. I have real worries about the O-Line and the aging secondary, but that’s the way I felt last year, and the Bears almost made it to the Super Bowl.
Go Bears!
Comment by Quizzical Thursday, Aug 4, 11 @ 8:47 pm
Just intuition, but unless the Sox make the playoffs, I think Reinsdorf will toss both Kenny and Ozzie.
The Dunn deal would get any GM fired. Ozzie and his goofy family have a file thick as the yellow pages to get fired (although Ozzie is a great manager).
Reinsdorf always brings people back, but, after a while, he’s not scared to cast people off.
But it would be tough to fire the GM and manager who brought the only World Series to Chicago in a combined 200 years of baseball.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 12:07 am
I have been served. Thanks Stu and Planet for correcting me. Nice catch.
Comment by The Third Ex Cub Friday, Aug 5, 11 @ 8:51 am