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* Let’s talk baseball, shall we?
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 2:29 am
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If the Sox win the WS it’s worth any move they made. But hated to see Nick Madrigal go.
Comment by Eire 17 Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 6:14 am
Excited about the Sox, less excited at the possibility of not being able to see a playoff or WS game because of Johnny Nonvaccinated.
Our record against +.500 teams is concerning though. Just need a few good streaks at the right time.
Comment by Swampy Corn Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 7:36 am
As a life long Cubs fan, what the Rickets are doing isn’t baseball. It’s business.
Comment by Bruce( no not him) Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 8:13 am
Seven total batters in the game and Ross gets ejected for arguing balls and strikes… That zone was equally bad for the Rockies. Frustration is on full tilt.
Comment by oifredleg Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 8:36 am
The Cubs better make the turnaround pretty quick or there’s a real chance they could lose some of the base. Sounds like there’s some hard feelings among the Big 3 and definitely harder feelings among the fans. When you see ’small market’ teams like San Diego and others busting payroll and look around at Ricketsville, you have to ask why not here. Folks don’t like the Ricketts, they’ve just tolerated them to this point because of ‘16.
Now, can we talk about how no one was going to want Chafin on a rental? Anyone?
Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 8:39 am
=As a life long Cubs fan=
There is a cure you know, it can be at 35th and Shields.
Waiting anxiously for Louis Robert to return. When he gets back along with Eloy (do cubs fans remember him?) and Yaz it will have the effect of a mega blockbuster trade.
I am ok with the Madrigal trade, he was young but and got on base but limited defensively and no pop in his bat.
Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 8:42 am
The contrast between the ball club on the Southside and the corporation that masquerades as a ball club at the Clark and Addison HQ is becoming more glaring, and not speaking only to the product on the field.
The lead the White Sox enjoy could slow some rest for players and pitchers and could very well set a pacing for peaking come October, with little fear of the dog days that are here draining the mental and physical tank
Wonder if Ross looks at the clubhouse he now “enjoys” and wonders how he got so lucky and not Sandberg who could very well be sitting where Ross sits figuring out a lineup card far different than most imagined.
When Ross’ record get to 40+ games below .500 as a skipper, maybe the luster of managing this ball club for a “fan favorite” could turn into a major career regret.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 8:44 am
I also hated to see the White Sox trade Nick Madrigal. In todays era of free swingers and lots of strikeouts it is rare to have a player make contact the way Madrigal did. That being said he missed parts of his first two seasons with injuries so time will tell if he wins batting titles or is injury prone.
So I am wondering how Cubs fans are going to feel about paying one of the highest ticket prices in MLB, the high prices for the “premium” club suites, the Marquee Network, the hotel, etc. when the team on the field is horrible or mediocre at best.
If you’re going to charge people a lot of money for the Wrigley/Cubs “experience” you better have at least an entertaining team on the field. I do not see the Cubs being at minimum entertaining/minimally competitive for at least several years.
Comment by Big Jer Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 8:56 am
I’m not sure why Cubs fans are only now realizing what the intention was going into this season. The writing was on the wall with the Darvish trade and what constitutes the starting staff. I suspect that they were caught a bit by surprise by the strong seasons that were had by a few members of the bullpen. But that only served to allow them to net a few more prospects which was always the plan this year. As far as the departed players go? Judge them on what they’re doing this season not your memories of 2016. Heck look at their performance over multiple seasons since then. Collectively the numbers are somewhat pedestrian. The writing has been on the wall for sometime now. The Sox made similar mistakes following their WS win and look how long it took them to get back.
Comment by Pundent Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 9:17 am
Life-long Cubs fan here. When you have players whose contracts are expiring, you can either work to re-sign them (which the Cubs did), trade them, or keep them on the team until September and receive nothing.
Now, we’ll never know for sure the full story, right now it’s a “he said, she said”, with Hoyer and co. claiming they tried very hard to sign “the guys” and “the guys” claiming they wanted to sign but didn’t get a good offer made.
The reality is, the Cubs have been falling off slowly but surely since the 2016 peak. Our rotation is atrocious without prime Arrieta and Lester.
I’m sad to see “the guys” go, but it was the only path forward. For now, I’ll cheer for the Sox to go all the way, outside of the Crosstown Classic of course.
Comment by CubsFan16 Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 9:22 am
One last thing…don’t forget these are the same Cubs that could only muster one run against the Marlins in the wild card game last year. Time to build back better…
Comment by CubsFan16 Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 9:23 am
Cubs are the new Marlins, with the late season player selloff.
Comment by Confederate Railroad Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 9:25 am
I agree as a Cub fan with posters who figured out the ownership/management gave up on them before spring training. The latest trades only follow the same pattern. The guys they dumped before spring training are having good to great seasons. The talent on this team seemed more intent on swinging for solo homers or striking out instead of driving in runners on second with no one out. I know the game has changed from when I played it during the last millenium, but three strike outs with a runner on second? Bring up some hungry rookies and those in the minors and start changing some of those dynamics.
Comment by Louis G Atsaves Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 9:48 am
How long has it been since both the Cardinals and Cubs have missed the playoffs? 2010 — and again this year. Go Sox.
Comment by up2now Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 9:52 am
= There is a cure you know, it can be at 35th and Shields. =
Funny you mention it. I had a reservation there but found the management had given it to TLR without so much as a phone call. Oh well.
Comment by Dirty Red Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 9:55 am
Jon Lester’s debut for the Cardinals last night didn’t turn out so well for the Redbirds, fueling sarcastic suggestions that Lester is still getting even with St. Louis.
Comment by west wing Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 9:58 am
ABC sports last night ran a Bulls story on Derozan trade and then some stuff from Bears training camp before getting to the baseball game a Chicago first place team played. I think their priorities are misplaced.
Comment by Original Rambler Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 10:10 am
We all know the Cards are the better overall team. Second best franchise in baseball history.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 10:17 am
I can’t remember if it was the News-Gazette or the Tribune, but last week one of them did a table with the Cubs lineup from 2016 with where those players are today. Made me sad to see all the guys that are elsewhere.
(And Javy deserved better than the Mets.)
Comment by Lynn S. Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 10:18 am
Every good Cubs team in my lifetime, and there haven’t been too many, has had one key thing in common: a lead off hitter who could get on base and maybe steal second from time to time. Bobby Denier. Jerome Walton. Brain McRae, Kenny Lofton, Dexter Fowler.
They let Fowler go and never replaced him. And the team has underachieved since. They almost ruined a few hitters by forcing them into the leadoff spot that they didn’t have the skills to succeed in. It’s been as obvious as the Ricketts greed that this hole in the lineup needed to be filled. And yet they chose to ignore it.
That’s so Cub.
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 10:29 am
As a Cardinal fan I can tell they cut ties with Fowler at EXACTLY the right time. He was worthless with Cards and his presence caused them to part with several good prospects. His contract was only slightly less odious than Cecil’s and Carpenter’s extension.
Comment by Captain Obvious Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 11:21 am
so hilarious seeing Baez with the Mets, the Cubs darkest foe. glad I’m not a Cubs fan as the Ricketts family and what they do with their money is more worrisome than what they do with the team.
Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 11:27 am
Sox haven;t come close to approaching their best play yet, imagine when they do in next month.
Comment by truthteller Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 11:34 am
Quite watching the Cubs for now. May or may not tune in for the World Series.
We did take the grandkids (12 & 10) to the Sliders game last Saturday, and they had a blast.
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 11:38 am
Theo Epstein was the brains behind the 2016 Cubs…Hoyer is only doing what Ricketts tells him to do. Yeah, baseball is a business, but be careful not to turn off the fan base. AND I can’t sell my tix for CHC vs CWS for Saturday. If I was a season ticket holder, I’d demand recompense.
No5 looking forward to another miserable Bears team either.
Comment by Loop Lady Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 12:37 pm
I see Sox just announced schedule for next year. Are the Cubs going to bother?
Comment by DuPage Saint Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 12:38 pm
I’m enjoying the Sox season very much. I was not in favor of bring LaRussa back but I have to admit he has handled the pitching staff very well, along with Ethan Katz.
They gave a spot start to a reliever on Sunday, used 5 pitchers and won the game. With Monday off the starting rotation got two extra days rest. Cease looked very good in Tuesday’s game.
Madrigal is likely to have a bright future, but trading for this year was the right choice.
Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 2:15 pm
questions were many about the Sox manager this year. Cubs, not a peep. what now? LaRussa firing on all cylinders, Ross had what was supposedly a bunch of talent and they fell flat. So what about management changes?
Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 2:35 pm
Ended up at the last Sliders game with the 12 yo grandson tonight because his coach had free tickets for all the players and families.
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Aug 4, 21 @ 8:51 pm