Question of the day
Tuesday, Jul 5, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* As you already know, the Flubs managed to eke out just one win in the latest three-game series against the White Sox. The team’s record is an abysmal 35-51. They can’t even put together three wins in a row…
As difficult as this is to believe, through July 4, the Cubs have still not won three games in a row this season. As the three-game winning streak drought germinated early in 2011, I researched to see if other Cubs teams have ever had this problem. I had to go all the way back to 1974 to find a Chicago Cubs team that did not win three straight until July 5. After losing to the Washington Nationals, the 1966 Cubs are the next Chicago team to have gone longer without a three-game winning streak… The 1966 Chicago Cubs did not attain a three-game winning streak until August 6!
Injuries and mental errors have plagued the team and goofy excuses abound…
Cubs closer Carlos Marmol didn’t blame his costly wild pitch in the 10th inning on having to rush into the game because of an injury, which he never had done before. Marcos Mateo left with an elbow injury after facing two batters.
But manager Mike Quade wonders if there might be a better way to prepare a reliever if the situation arises again.
‘‘These guys’ routine is to get ready in the bullpen and then come out and make their eight [warmup] pitches and pitch,’’ Quade said. ‘‘But [in cases of injuries], everyone always comes out and makes their pitches on the mound in front of 30,000 people. Do you have to do that? Someone told me today it’s a courtesy.
‘‘Well, if a guy’s more comfortable doing his thing [in the bullpen], I’d rather have him [do that] because of the urgency once you get on the mound and everybody’s watching.’’
* The Question: Just how bad is this Cub team?
- Gallery Sitter - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 12:18 pm:
They way they’re playing I don’t think they’ll have to worry about having to take warm up pitches in front of 30,000 much longer. 103 and counting.
- Ravenswood Right Winger/White Sox Fan - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 12:18 pm:
combination of young players+overpaid veterans who are over the hill+manager who admits screwing up+General Manager with track record of ineptitude+owners who are stuck with badly deteriorating ballpark=FAIL
Cubs went 66-96 in 2006, Dusty Baker’s last season. I sense a similar record in 2011.
- Vance Law's One Fan - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 12:24 pm:
Hopefully they will bad enough for the Ricketts family to realize that dramatic organizational change is needed. Being in my early 30s, I’d say they are pretty close to being as bad as the Cubs teams of the mid 1990’s. On the positve side, them being this bad also returns re-sale tickets to mid 1990s prices too.
- tubbfan - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 12:24 pm:
As a Cub fan, I fear the worst every year. Nevertheless, this is depressing.
- Baines 4 Prez - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 12:29 pm:
Just bad enough that, after scrapping everyone in the clubhouse & front offices, they get to call next season “Year 1.1!”
- Wumpus - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 12:31 pm:
Old bad players plus young bad players (save Barney and Castro) is not a good combination. How is Campana in the majors with an arm worse than pierre’s? I have a better arm than him…but I also have a better arm than Soriano, so that does not say much.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 12:34 pm:
These are the Cubs teams of my youth in the 70s — overpaid vets, overwhelmed youth, overmatched managers. Lots of home runs, yet not much scoring. Some good pitching, some clunkers.
But most of all, awful, awful defense, top to bottom.
Ivan DeJesus waving home Soto the other day did bring back memories of old Waving Wendell Kim. AJ looked shocked standing there with the ball, waiting for Soto to finally arrive at the plate.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 12:37 pm:
–but I also have a better arm than Soriano, so that does not say much.–
Actually, Soriano has a cannon. He is just not very interested in running after or catching balls.
- Easy - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 12:38 pm:
so bad that they will end the season the same place as the sox–watching the playoffs.
- Mobsters on Bio - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 12:46 pm:
Obviously bad enough for some Sox fan to care more about how bad they are rather than focus on the weaknesses/strengths of his own team.
- Judgment Day - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 12:46 pm:
Inferior on-the-field product for this year.
Farm System has a pretty fair (and improving) amount of talent at AA and lower levels, all the way through the just recently completed MLB draft. The farm system is where the hope is.
Jim Hendry, scouting director Tim Wilken, and Oneri Fletia, the Cubs’ director of player development have quietly been rebuilding the farm system, and it’s starting to show positive results.
The biggest thing is to get rid of some high priced current ML contracts, which certainly will happen over the next 2-3-4 years.
- hawksfan - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 12:49 pm:
If I can borrow from Charles Barkley “turrible”.
- RFR - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 12:51 pm:
I like Rod Blagojevich’s chances at sentencing better than I like the Cubs’ chances this year.
- shore - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 1:02 pm:
It’s more underachieving than bad. you have 3 legit major league starters in z, garza, and dempster any of which could make a starting rotation on any other team. you have 3 outfielders who might not play to potential in sori, byrd and fukodome, but have played solid baseball throughout their careers and you have an infield with 4 guys who have made all star teams (soto,pena,rami and now young starlin-the youngest all star in mlb history) and a 5th making a play for rookie of the year. the bullpen has 3 solid arms in marshall, wood, and marmol.
The record is bad and any team using washed up guys like ramon ortiz, danny davis, and rodrigo lopez is in trouble but if they get 500 baseball from the backend of the rotation they would be 3-4 games out right now (they are 8-26 in games started by the 4-5 starters) and have a strong group at double a likely to start next year.
It’s a bad record, but there are some strong assets and I’d rather be in a fluid national league than in an american league with 2 teams in new york and boston guaranteed to win 96 games each year with 10-15 current or former all stars, 4-5 current or former mvp candidates and 2-4 current or former cy young winners.
- View from the Cheap Seats - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 1:03 pm:
It’s horrifying watching the Cubs play. Let’s be clear though, Sox fans excited about how they are finally 500 isn’t too great either. Bottom line - both teams are beyond terrible.
- Old Shepherd - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 1:05 pm:
Quade said. “But [in cases of injuries], everyone always comes out and makes their pitches on the mound in front of 30,000 people.”
If they pitch at Busch Stadium, make that 40,000 people.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 1:06 pm:
===Bottom line - both teams are beyond terrible. ===
Not so. The Sox woefully underperformed until recently. They are now underperforming, but just barely. If that team ever manages to fire on all cylinders, it’s playoff time, especially considering the division. And if they overperform…
- Stones - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 1:14 pm:
Cubs are terrible. Not the worst Cub team I have ever seen but plenty bad. I figure them to finish about 67-95 this season.
- McLean Farmboy - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 1:15 pm:
The Cubs are so bad that even as a Cardinal’s fan I fell bad for them.
Worse still is that they have no hope. The Cubs will never improve until the powers that be in thier organization stop falling in love with the hard-throwing but fragile strikeout pitchers that are either on the highlight reel or the disabled list.
- BJG - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 1:17 pm:
I basically watch the Starlin Castro and Darwin Barney show… I don’t know how many more years of heartache I can take… They are bad. They aren’t super far from being a decent team, but injuries and excuses all year… ugh
- amalia - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 1:18 pm:
so bad that on Saturday the cheers for the White Sox seemed to drown out the Cubbies fans.
- Wensicia - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 1:24 pm:
I’ve been watching the Cubs for well over 40 years, there have been other bad years, but the last couple of years stick out more because of the whining and excuses made by players and the management. Of course, listening to Ozzie isn’t much better.
Just curious, the only way White Sox fans can hold up their team’s record as anything worthwhile is by comparing them to the Cubs’ current situation, right?
- He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 1:25 pm:
As a lifelong Cub fan, it’s getting harder and harder to keep the faith.
I think MLB should do like English soccer league if you are real bad you go down a division and they bring up the better team. Wouldn’t that be interesting?
- Edge of the 14th Ward - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 1:26 pm:
So bad that I’ve stopped caring about wins and losses, and have instead taken up the impossible task of correcting everyone who calls himself a “Cub fan.” Really? Are you only a fan of one player? Would anyone self-respecting supporter of the pale hose call himself a “Sock fan?”
- MrJM - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 1:26 pm:
• The Cubs are so bad, that Greek economists pity them.
• The Cubs are so bad, Newt Gingrich’s marriage counselor considers them hopeless.
• The Cubs are so bad, they couldn’t sell enough 8-for-the-price-of-1 tickets to trip their Groupon deal.
• The Cubs are so bad, Bright Start is considering adding stock in the team to its portfolio.
• The Cubs are so bad, the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans says, “Hasn’t that city suffered enough?”
• The Cubs are so bad, Cook County Republicans consider Cubs supporters impotent masochists.
• The Cubs are so bad, Rob Blagojevich offered his tickets to Richard Mell.
– MrJM
- Michelle Flaherty - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 1:34 pm:
They’re the Senate Republicans of the Central.
- Phineas J. Whoopee - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 1:38 pm:
Quade should be more concerned why his team let a guy steal 3rd without a play in a tied extra inning ballgame. Anyone can throw a bad pitch, but the previous play was the one which lost the game and that was caused by bad management.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 1:39 pm:
If you are beat by the “worst” team any out of three, what does that make you?
- Robert - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 1:39 pm:
The Cubs are so bad, Governor Quinn hasn’t changed his mind about their prospects.
The Cubs are so bad, Rahm Emanuel has offered Cubs management a choice “either sign Pujols in the offseason or I’ll make you cut your ticket prices”
The Cubs are so bad, Mike Madigan is regretting not gerrymandering their block into a republican district.
The Cubs are so bad, Adam Dunn snickers watching their highlights…okay, maybe not that bad.
- Michelle Flaherty - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 1:57 pm:
Maybe there’s a strategy here.
Keep this up and they might fit the legal definition of a public blight, which opens the door for TIF money.
- Jimmy CrackCorn - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 1:57 pm:
==Worse still is that they have no hope==
This coming from a Cardinals Fan? You better hope you win this year, because the future isn’t so bright in STL. Baseball America ranked your farm system at #24, and Pujols may be sporting a new jersey next year.
==The Cubs will never improve until the powers that be in thier organization stop falling in love with the hard-throwing but fragile strikeout pitchers that are either on the highlight reel or the disabled list.==
You mean like Wainright and Carpenter?
Back to the Cubs… $50 million dollars coming off the books after 2011. They were in “win-now” mode after the ’07 and ’08 playoff runs and failed miserably with that philosophy. They’ve hit bottom and now they are in rebuilding mode and I am cautiously optimistic about the next two seasons setting up a solid core for the future.
Cards and White Sox (#27 farm system in same BA report) fans may want to be weary of their teams constructed under a similar ‘win now’ philosophy, because this terrible Cubs team may be in your future.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 2:02 pm:
Anonymous, that was precious.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 2:07 pm:
Well said Jimmy.
This is the inevitable result of Jim Hendry’s delusional quest to win it all before the Tribune sold the team off. It’s just his luck that an Omaha family bought the team and remember Hendry’s run to the college world series with Creighton. Any other owner dumps Hendry by now, and here’s hoping the Ricketts family will bring in a new baseball guy soon (Steve Stone would be nice).
It’s always tough to be on a downward path, but I think we’re near the bottom. Until the stadium issue is resolved, and a new GM is in place, I don’t think we’ll see much better than triple A caliber ball at Wrigley, but if they can rebuild the farm system and save some dough, they’ll be back on better footing than they’ve been in my lifetime.
Wait til next year and maybe the year after.
PS: Too bad more Sox fans don’t buy tickets to the games. Kornerko should be in the All-Star game. That’s on you, Sox fans.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 2:14 pm:
Jimmy and 47, let’s not forget the role of our impeached governor in the Cubs “Win Now” mentality that has left us saddled with a huge and largely unproductive payroll.
Unlike other teams that prepare for a sale by dumping salaries, the Cubs added outrageous overpriced contracts — Soriano, Fukudome, that terrible closer whose name I can’t remember — in the hopes of winning the Series.
With that historic event, Zell with his media empire and his pals Big Jim and Blago could sell the state and the GA on the idea of the ISFA taking the liability and responsibility for Wrigley, making the team more attractive for sale.
- Wumpus - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 2:18 pm:
wordslinger, I am sorry you misinterpretted my intent. I know Soriano has a cannon. The reason he makes so many outfioeld assists is because his fielding is terrible.
I meant that although Wumpus’s arm is better than than Campanas, it is also better than Sorianos, so that was a bad comparison. That is like saying My porcshe is faster than a Aveo and a Honda Accord.
:)
- A.B. - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 2:31 pm:
They’ve already won more games than I was hoping.
- shore - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 3:21 pm:
47th if a boston or nyc player has a mildly decent season at a position you have to be superstar season to compete with that because of all the extra exposure they get in the national media and on espn.
Konerko should have more than 4 all star game appearances to show for his nearing 400 HR’s.
- Just Asking - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 3:45 pm:
Probably not as bad as they will be next year? As Steve Stone was documenting 4 or 5 years ago, this was inevitable.
- mokenavince - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 4:09 pm:
In my life time the Cub’s have been to 1 World Series,they lost. They form team around a left fielder with some snort in his bat. Surrounded by a couple sore armed pitchers,and a slick fielding
1st baseman, plus 6 other guys with a ton of potential. This formula nets them 2-3 million fans
a year. The White Sox MY GUYS! are lucky to draw 2
million. What ever they put in the beer or hot dogs, The Sox should find out what It is. Like them or not the Cub fans are some of the most loyal fan’s in baseball. I could never figure out why.
- Gallery Sitter - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 4:19 pm:
It’s like the old joke says…. What makes the Wrigley so beautiful? About 12 beers.
For some it’s fun to ironically root for the worst franchise in all of professional sports and make a shrine of a crumbling dump that smells like urine.
I’m glad. I don’t want those people at my ball park. The real fans are of course welcome any time.
- Blue Dog - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 4:52 pm:
Radio was invented……….Cub fans got to hear their team lose.
TV was invented……….Cub fans got to see their team lose.
Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Oklahoma and New Mexico were added to the Union.
The Titanic was built, set sail, sank, was discovered and became the subject of major motion pictures, the latter giving Cub fans hope that something that finishes on the bottom can come out on top.
This list can go on and on and on………….
- Retired Non-Union Guy - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 4:54 pm:
Bad enough I don’t even look at the box scores or standings … except to see how the wife’s team, the Red Sox, are doing.
And Rich, before you jump me for supporting another AL team, the wife lived in Boston for a lot of years before I met & married her … so they are her “home town” team.
- Damfunny - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 5:10 pm:
There are 30 teams in the Majors.
Cubs has lowest win percentage of all but 2, so that puts them in 28th place.
28th place out of 30?
- Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 5:13 pm:
The worst thing about their season is that they will have to follow Paul McCartney’s act with 25 home games.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 7:42 pm:
Typical Shore, blaming the liberal media because your guy is down in the polls.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 7:45 pm:
Just kidding Shore.
I even voted a couple of times for Konerko tonight. Kinda surprised Rich hasn’t posted the link to the voting yet…
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Jul 5, 11 @ 9:19 pm:
I guess I don’t understand the question. How bad are the Cubs this year?
Isn’t that like deciding if it is worse to get hit by a hurricane or a tsunami?
It is the Cubs. Naturally, they will suck.
- Esquire - Wednesday, Jul 6, 11 @ 1:06 am:
This is easily the worst Cubs team since the early 1980s. Does anyone remember the managerial regimes of Preston Gomez and Joey Amalfitano? That being said, it is worth noting that the White Sox barely eked out four wins against the miserable Cubs this season and the 1-0 victory at Wrigley was the product of a pair of phantom double plays that were absolute gifts as Beckham never came close to tagging the base on either play. It is wishful thinking to imagine that the White Sox are going anyplace unless the team starts winning consistently against the other teams in the AL Central Division. The Twinkies will beat up the Sox, as always.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jul 6, 11 @ 1:10 am:
“For some it’s fun to ironically root for the worst franchise in all of professional sports and make a shrine of a crumbling dump that smells like urine.”
@Gallery Sitter:
Before the State of Illinois bailed out the White Sox owners, your description fit Comiskey Park perfectly. When do the Sox beginning paying rent to the State?
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 6, 11 @ 1:11 am:
===your description fit Comiskey Park perfectly===
Nah. South Siders ain’t big on irony.