This morning's blog is brought to you by the optimistic Sherm. There are two, you know. Sherms, I mean. The optimistic one, who is usually not allowed anywhere near the computer or the blog, and the other, cynical, skeptical Sherm. The one who does most of the talking and typing. Skeptical Sherm is getting coffee, so I thought I'd jump in and opine.
Yippee for us! We have a nice lead in the division and it's almost September. In my lifetime, I cannot remember being 29 games over .500. Ever. Wow. What a great season! It is so much fun to win games and listen to the Wrigley crowd sing. We are the toast of the national league! I can't even remember 1969, 1984, 1989 or even 2003. Distant, unrecallable memories of days past. It's all about now, baby, and we're gonna do it! I can feel it! The 2008 World Champs! Now that has a nice ring to it! What a team! Harden is great. Solid at every position. Best pitching staff ever assembled! What curse? This is it!
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Don't listen to him. He's a moron. He's been stuffed back down into that place where raging optimists belong. The dark. Anyway, on with today's REAL rant.
Sure, it's nice to have a lead at this point. It beats the alternative. But there are no guarantees in
baseball. We have a very tough September -- much tougher than the teams looking up at us, and we still need to keep winning.
Here's a thought. From now on, with a run on first and no outs or one out? DLee should start sacrificing. He's the human double play. He's ground more balls than Chef Boyardee. And no one says this...but he's pressing big time. Guy jumps out of his cleats for any first pitch fastball with runners on base, regardless of location. Thus, pulls outside pitches right to the shortstop. DP. Here's a short note to DLee. Feel free to pass it on. Other hitters go the opposite way (that means hitting the ball to right, Smitty) to bust out of a slump. Earth to Derrek. You're in a slump, and have been since about early June.
You must score runs to win games. Racking up nine total against the Reds? Awful. Despite winning two of three. That should have been a sweep. With our pitching the last three games, there is no excuse at all for that not being a sweep. And sure, the company line is "Cubs win another series." Great. STILL SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SWEEP. Michael Phelps didn't "win the series" -- he won every race. No excuses. I'm still pissed for Ted Lilly.
Fukudome continues to play most every day, proving that the Japanese have something on Lou. Probably a massage parlor incident from his playing days or something. No reason that Stinkodome plays every day otherwise. Meanwhile, Fontenot...recently our hottest hitter, is allowed to sit on the bench and go cold. If you've been paying attention? You'd know that Fontenot, when allowed some regular at bats? ALWAYS gets hot and hits.
I'm still worried about the DBacks. Something about Brandon Webb and Dan Haren twice each in a short series. Toss in a Randy Johnson game or two, and they will be tough to beat. Especially if we are in our pitching only mode.
We're still short a power bat in the middle of the lineup. Not going to happen now, unless Micah Hoffpauir is the guy after the callups. And where will he play? Not first. Sally Lee is there. Right? Pictures, remember?
Okay, maybe I am obsessed with our flaws, and maybe it isn't fair. Tough shit. That's what I do.
Speaking of flaws. Have you seen Smitty's blog? Olympic updates? What the fuck is that? Guy is AWOL for two months and comes back with that?
Well, it's Friday morning, and getting late already, so I have work to do. Spam doesn't just send itself.
best to cb
Sherm (the cynical, skeptical, "been hurt too many times by the fucking team" one)
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5 comments:
Good morning Cybill.
Optimistic Sherm does need a dose of reality. In 1969 I was 11 most of the summer. Mornings were playing baseball, 1-4 watch the Cubs, Play more baseball in the evenings. I could ride my bike all over town with out the fear of harm from strangers (imagined) or priests (real) filling my head. Rams horn handlebars, dual baskets in the rear for bats, gloves, and the seasonal football.
I kept a log in my room of every Cub game, who pitched, W/L score, standings... And 1969 I remember well. When school started, that was only the second worst thing that ruined the summer. I suppose someone who was in his late teenage years in '69 might have other reasons not to remember the year.
1984 was my first year of medical school. In the big class rooms we had a dozen or so large TV's hanging from the ceiling. In early October there was an abnormally large congregation of students around one of them in the rear that was magically tuned to Baseball. 2 home wins....then the weekend.
Cynical Sherm needs to look at all of the nice things the Japanese have given us.... VCR's, Raw fish (good for ER doctors mostly) , Geisha's, and outfield defense.
DP Lee is largely a product of having runners on at a higher clip then any other team in baseball. Most 3 hole hitters would ground out to short with the bases empty.
A cynic or a cock eyed (watch it) optimist would both wonder just what a week old Olympic update has to do with a Cub blog site. I suppose about as much as the price of tea in China. Maybe a piece on the 8 year olds with 16 year old Chinese passports would be a good addition.
I'll take Derrek Lee for $400, Alex.
The answer is "put the runners in motion every once in a while, for Christ's sake!"
What is "how to cut down on the number of double fucking plays?"
Yes. You control the board.
It should be noted that on consecutive at bats in Florida DP Lee did not hit it to a DP with runners on first.
He grounded to short with 2 outs each time.
Perhaps having him only bat with2 outs would solve the DP dilemma.
yeah...that's it. Just bad luck to always be at bat with runners on base and less than two outs.
Quit swearing.
Too many F's!
May you find XLax in your chocolate milk
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