I've got nothing

As far as I'm concerned, baseball season is over. Fuck it. I don't care who wins between the Yankees and whoever else is in it. I'm busy with work, and baseball seems a waste of my time.

That said, the Twins - Tigers game 163 was perhaps the best baseball game I've ever seen in my life. Period. Too bad the Twins had to go play the Yankees.

Yes, I'm a pissed off Cub fan. I'm cooling my heals and waiting to see what happens in the off season. Or whether it will be another off off season.

I'm hearing Bradley to the Tigers for Jeremy Bonderman. Thoughts on that? I'm all over it. Fuck me, I'd trade him to the Tigers for an old Bill Freehan jersey.

I've been busy being busy, and I try not to post trash...so I hope you understand my "leave of absence." Someday, I'll again have something worthy or witty to post, and when I do, I hope someone is here to read it.

Or not.

Sherm

Spilt Milk

I will not cry over Milkit. Okay, maybe some tears of joy. Good riddance to the ingrate fuck. Glad to see that Hendry had the balls to suspend him. I hope that they have the balls to give him the boot next year, too. I don't want him on the team.

I just saw another pinch hit at bat from Aaron Miles. He couldn't hit his weight at fantasy camp.

I don't think I can make the thing in Arizona. Wish I could, but I don't think it's gonna happen.

more later. maybe. js

Is it fair to compare?

Sometimes it isn't -- but it can be fun. I have decided to stop comparing Adam Dunn's numbers this year with Milton Bradley's. It isn't fair. For one, it's ridiculously lopsided, but also unfair to Milton to compare his numbers with someone who is producing, so I thought to myself...who is doing well? And then Derrek Lee popped to mind. DLee is having a terrific year -- everyone agrees, right? He's been the offensive star of the team. Hitting homers, driving in runs, doing it all. So...

Let's compare Lee to Adam Dunn this year. For fun. Guess what? Dunn's having a better year. As good as Lee has been, and he's been good...Dunn has been better, offensively, in 2009. More homers and rbi's -- but the stat guys will tell us that those are deceiving and flawed data and will point to OBP, SLG, and OPS -- all of which Dunn has better numbers. Lee has the higher average and less K's. Dunn wins every other category, including many more walks (102 to 61.) I know it's meaningless...but fun to imagine those two back to back in the lineup this year. What could have been. Of course, with a good final twenty games or so...Milton could still get to 40 rbi's. Milkit's had a very offensive year, it just hasn't been at the plate.

Here's one for you guys to ponder. Adam Dunn -- and for the record, I'm NOT a big fan of Adam Dunn, or at least I wasn't until last off season when I thought he could/should have become a Cub -- his numbers are not that far off Ryan Howard's. In many ways, these two guys are similar -- yet Howard gets talked about like the second coming and Dunn doesn't get talked about. Howard has a shorter career to go on, but his numbers are better than Dunn's...but not off the board better...slightly better. This year, Dunn has the better numbers. I'm saying that they are similar...that's all.

When this guy said he'd take a one year deal to play in Chicago -- why wouldn't Hendry have jumped on that? Anyone who will take one year is a good bet to put up numbers in this day and age because their next contract depends on it. He's on his way to ANOTHER 40/100 year...as we knew he would. Fuck me.

Here's what I propose for the offseason. May post more on this later on the View...depending on time. Two things we need to do:

1. Trade with the Mets. A big one. We get Jose Reyes and whatever else they throw in. They get Ryan Theriot, Mike Fontenot, Sean Marshall and some arm or two from the minors. I haven't really thought through the details -- whatever we have to do to get Reyes. He's going to be available. The Mets have said that they don't think they can keep both him and Wright, and that Wright is untouchable.

2. Sign Chone Figgins as a free agent and put him at 2b. No competition at the position. He's the guy.

Now we start 2010 with a one - two batting order punch of Reyes and Figgins. That's 100 stolen bases right there. Probably 240 runs scored. Improved D up the middle. It's what we need to get to the next level.

More later. Or not.

Sherm

Damn Cubbies

In what could be a modern day version of Damn Yankees, the Cubs new owner should sell his soul to the devil in exchange for a world series win. I've given it a great deal of thought, and I'm okay with it. It's worth it.

More on this later...or not.

Hey, I just used stats to rebut a comment on the view. Watch -- they are going to say that MY stats aren't good stats. They have better stats. I used old unreliables like batting average (gasp. How dare I? I mean, who uses batting average to determine hitting prowess? What's that, you say? Everyone? What's that you say? That's what they use to determine the "Batting champion?" Really? There's no big trophy for BABIP leader?)

Wait for it. Wait for it...

Beating the dead horse

Adam Dunn is hitting .288 with 32 homers and 88 rbis. Since those stats don't mean ANYTHING, how's this? 92 walks, .420 OBP and OPS of 1.003 -- on the worst fucking team in all of baseball.

Meanwhile, Milkit Badly went 0 for 4 tonight to drop his average to fuck. He has 61 walks. He has less rbis than Dunn HAS homers. His unbelievably awesome baseball idol man OBP is .392. His OPS is .787. He has less homers than Ryan Theriot, I think. Or it's close. Either way.

Just sayin'

Sam Fuld made a great catch tonight to rob Manny of what would have been a homer. Didn't matter though, since the mighty Cubbies were shut down. One hit. Wells gives up 2 unearned and takes the loss. I wonder who he fantasizes about being traded to.

I think Soriano should be hitting leadoff. For Peoria.

More later. Or not.

JS

C-Loser

Kevin Gregg is not a closer. When the word is used in reference to him, it means C (see) Loser.

What the fuck is wrong with this team? I mean besides Kevin Gregg, Milkit Badly and a host of horrible baseball...

AAron Miles? Are you kidding me? He shouldn't be in the major leagues, much less starting for the Cubs. He shouldn't even be on the bench. He's the best we can trot out there in Theriot's absence? Good God.

DLee has quietly put together a nice season. Good for him. Worthy of a corner infielder at the plate, and his defense -- albeit a step slower -- is still excellent.

Fukudome is having a decent year. That said, he's paid way too much for decent, and I think he's a below average (at best) centerfielder.

Soriano has been terrible. Only five more years of that, Cub fans.

Bradley, despite what we read elsewhere, has been an enormous failure so far. 31 rbi's. Are you kidding me? That's middle infield production, not corner outfield. Meanwhile, all the OTHER free agents continue to rake. Abreu, Ibanez and the one I never mention...Adam Dunn.

Soto -- sophomore jinx or stupid fat stoner? Either way, he stinks this year.

No complaint about the way Theriot has played. He's hard not to like, and for the most part he produces. They should work with him on cutting down his swing in situations, though, that call for contact. He still tries to yank the ball at times and that's not his strength.

Fontenot? Very disappointing.

Reed Johnson. Is he still on the team?

Jake Fox -- has been very impressive, all things considered -- even his defense, which we were told outright stinks...has been pretty good. I look for both him and Hoffpauir to have excellent "rest of their careers" once traded away.

Why didn't we go get Heath Bell at the deadline? Or Sherill? Does Lou really think this bullpen can get us into the playoffs? I don't. More reason that I say it's time to fire the entire coaching staff on this team.

Kevin Gregg couldn't close at fantasy camp. On Cubs.com it says that maybe he's tipping his pitches. I think they meant he's tipping his pitch. That BP fastball he throws to everybody. Blanks? Who the fuck is Blanks? This guy gives up homers to more no names than anyone I've ever seen.

Fuck.

Ryan Franklin got his 30th save last night for the Cardinals. Ryan Fucking Franklin. This guy was a really shitty starter for the Mariners. Like 5 - 16 shitty. And then StL makes his a closer and he's light out. I wonder. If Franklin were the Cub closer and Gregg the Card closer...would Gregg have 30 saves and Franklin suck? Probably. Because Dave Duncan is the best pitching coach in baseball and Larry Rothschild is a toilet duck.

Fuck.

I had such high hopes for this season and they have so totally fucked it up. First with dismantling what was a pretty good team, and then acquiring a shitbox like Bradley and then Gregg and then just sucking along playing shit baseball. I have to say that this has been one of the least enjoyable baseball seasons I have ever had.

I said it on the View and I say it again. Blow it up. Fuck the contracts. Blow it the fuck up and start over. I'd rather watch a losing team that is rebuilding with good, young talent than watch these guys lose.

More later? I doubt it.

JS

Hats Off

Hats off to our very own BadMojo Man...aka Cap'n Obvious for his stunning victory in the inaugural King of the Castle contest at the View. With a brilliant satire on the acquisition of Milton Bradley. Lampooning at it's finest. If you haven't read it, please do so.

Once again the bullpen gives me a heart palpitation. Fuck. I agree with those who say that Marmol needs a week or two at AAA. Whatever it takes for him to find the strike zone.

I was reading that the Nationals are going to be making some trades...trying to build for the future, and that one thing they seek is a second baseman. I'd give them Fontenot and some pitching for Adam Dunn. Right now. Dunn and some pitching. Whoever. Gone. Throw in some other losers. Oh, and Bradley. He'd do well in Washington DC, with all the other entitled bad attitudes.

I have work to do, but I wanted to congratulate db on the major win. Enjoy the prize. (there is no prize.)

js

Coffee is for Closers

Fuck Gregg. Fuck him. A lot. No coffee for him. Smitty, cut him off.

That may have been the worst weekend of relief pitching for a single individual in history. We could have won all three. Should have won two. Won one. And that was lucky. Easily could have lost them all thanks to our crack bullpen. Maybe "crack smoking" bullpen is more appropriate. Absolute garbage from both Gregg and Marmol.

Even as the team begins to hit a little better -- you can't win if you can't close.

What a frustrating team this is.

Props to Cap'n for a brilliant "King of the Castle" piece on the View.

More later. Or not.

JS

The big trade

Okay. Big deal. We got a couple of lefties for Hart and nobody. I think Grabow helps this year, somewhat, and I think Gorzelanny has a lot of promise. He did win 14 for an exceptionally shitty Pirate team in 07. Plus when he's on the team, it gives us four pitchers with the letter Z in their name -- which might lead the league in that category. Or not. Dave would know.

We also have four players whose last name could also be a first name. That may or may not lead the league. Dave would know. Five if you count Ted Lilly, although I don't know anyone named Lilly with the extra "l".

I wonder if Adam Dunn is available? The Nats are out of it. Probably not.

Nice to see back to back boxcars -- can't remember the last time we scored runs like that. Even Milkit had back to back one rbi games, which for him is a floodgate of run production.

Now that the Red Sox has been forever tainted with steroid scandal, I am shocked. Who would have thought that David Ortiz -- after being released by the Twins -- was juicing when he magically starting hitting 40 bombs a year? Stunned, I am. And I thought it was extra time in the cage. He did it right, though. He gained 140 pounds so you wouldn't notice the extraordinary size of his melon.

I say let them all juice. Let pitchers doctor the ball, too. What the fuck? Why not?

And I propose a newer "winner take all" rule for baseball. You negotiate your contract. Whatever it is. Fine. But then it gets broken down to a "per game" salary. And that is how you are paid. After the game -- just like in the old days. The owner comes in and hands you a check. Unless the team loses, in which case they get nothing. Only the winners get paid. Maybe then we'd see some better baseball. More intense, anyhow.

Whatever. Now I'm just rambling. See what happens when I blog with nothing particular in mind?

Sherm

Yesterday

First of all, I wrote a long fucking rant yesterday and then it didn't post properly or save. So I said, "fuck it" and went back to work. You can't recreate it the way it was the first time. Plus, I didn't want to.

Here's a point I want to make though. In the midst of all the giddiness...yes, the Cubs are back in the hunt. Half a game back. Playing better. Still. Check this out:

> Milkit Badly: hitting .250 with 7 homers and 25 rbi's.

> Mark DeRosa: hitting .263 with 19 homers and 60 rbi's.

> Adam Dunn: hitting .279 with 26 homers and 74 rbi's.

What's that, Dave? Average and homers and rbi's don't tell the story? How's this?

> Milkit Badly: OBP of .385 and OPS of .766

> Mark DeRosa: OBP of .332 and OPS of .807

> Adam Dunn: OBP of .409 and OPS of .969

But we needed to be more left handed. Wait. Dunn is left handed.

Ergo, I can't fucking figure out this last postseason at all. Not at all. Those...the dealing of DeRosa (have you noticed our NONPRODUCTION at 2b this year?) and the non-acquisition of Dunn (in favor of the Badly signing) make absolutely no sense.

I get selling Marquis. I get trading Wuertz and some of the other deals. Not those. Not a bit.

What a different team this would be. I'll say we'd be 6 games up right now with those two all year...even with our injury issues. Maybe more.

Oh, by the way...the Phillies picked up Cliff Lee for nothing. Not that we were in the hunt for a starter, but a Cy Young level lefty might not have hurt.

Oh, by the fucking way...the Giants got Freddie Sanchez for a prospect. (See lack of production from 2b comment earlier if you don't know why this pisses me off.) And Sanchez hits about .600 in Wrigley, doesn't he? Or does it just seem that way?

Where is Jim Hendry in all this? Are his hands that tied by the ownership issue that he can't make any deals? If so, we're fucked. Again. What's next? Halladay to the Cardinals? Ichiro to the Brewers?

Fuck.

More later. Much later. Or not.

JS

All Star Break Rant

Fuck the All Star break. I hate it. I'm glad that every Cub got to rest.

I'm glad that the American League won -- especially if the World Series ends up being the Cubs and the Angels and if it goes seven games -- because then I can see four games in person in AnaAngeles. Or Los Anaheim. Whatever. Maybe I can even get to Wrigley for one. That'd be good. I would not hate that.

I did not watch the game, because I did not give a shit.

Here's a question for you guys. I may have an opportunity to throw out the first pitch at a Pirate Game in August (against the Cardinals) -- one of the companies I work with made a donation and bought a shitload of seats for this game...so we are in the running (with 14 others) to be drawn for this "honor." If drawn, they said they'd let me do it. I'm perhaps the only one who could get the ball to all the way to the catcher. Whatever. I'm 50 now. Maybe not.

Here's the question: If selected -- do I wear a Cub jersey and hat?

Sherm

Tired of Soriano

I am completely tired of this guy's act. I didn't see tonight's game, but I "watched" it on my phone while at the airport -- you know what I mean...pitch by pitch. Here's what I "saw" and it thoroughly pissed me off. Two singles to start the bottom of the second for the Cubs. Soriano fucking whiffs, because that's what he does when it matters. Fontenot flies out. I assume this could have been a sac fly had Sorryass moved the runners over. Hill singles. Should be two runs right there. 2, not one. Oh, by the way...and then we don't lose 2 - 1. Maybe we still lose. But not 2 - 1.

I don't know the repercussions, and I'm too tired to look them up -- but DFA the turd and let Sam Fuld be our everyday left fielder. I don't care about the money. We're throwing it away anyhow.

In fact, jetsam Soriano and Bradley and let Hoffpauir and Fox and Fuld play...a lot. Save a fortune. Here's my thinking -- I would like the Cubs more if they did that. Like is purely subjective, so don't throw any fucking stats at me, but I'd like this team more without Bradley and Soriano on it. I'm sorry if that makes me a bad Cub fan, but that's how I feel. I can't stand either of those guys and it pisses me off as a long time Cub fan to have to suffer them at all...much less suffer through their shitty seasons. There. I said it. I want players on the team that I can like.

And I don't like those two. Not a bit.

More later. Or not.

Sherm

I figured it out

This is a non baseball post...but you may want to read it anyway. Or forward it to Rush Limbaugh. Or Sean Hannity. Because, well, it's genius, and it solves all of our problems. Ready?

I read an article the other day in a money magazine that says that the Federal Gov't is watching what's happening in California like a sideshow. It said what a bad idea that is due to the tremendous amount of manufacturing still done in this state, the tech industries here...blah blah blah. You get the idea. That's when it hit me.

We have this deficit, right? So here's what we do. Sell Northern California to the Chinese. It solves multiple problems. It brings the Chinese manufacturing closer and saves us billions of dollars on ocean freight and duties, thus sparking the economy. It gives jobs to the heavily unemployed population of the state and the illegal population. It balances the budget, especially California's. Imagine the low cost manufacturing right here on this continent.

Negatives? None. The people of Northern California are communists already...so it's a perfect fit. Plus the food is good.

Looking for precedent? Napolean sold Louisiana to pay off debts, didn't he? The Russians sold us Alaska -- same reason. People sell land to pay debt all the time. Governments do, too. Look it up.

So, there you have it. The answer to all our economic problems.

Happy Independence Day to all.

God Bless what's left of America.

Sherm

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to Mark DeCarlo. Don't forget to send him an email and let him know we are all thinking of him on his special day.

Happy Birthday to the 25th anniversary of the Sandberg game -- I wonder if Bruce Sutter sends Ryno a card? Probably not. I loved that game best of all.

Happy Birthday to my Dad --who would have been 86 today. Gone two years now. It seems longer...there is so much he's missed in just two years.

Sherm

It's about damn time

Finally. Gerald Perry is a Cub memory. Von Joshua might turn out to be a good batting coach. I hope so.

I was looking at the box scores this morning, and at a glance I think we are the only team in baseball that doesn't have a .300 hitter anywhere in the lineup. Pretty odd, considering the payroll.

Got to like the Twins. Low payroll. Small market. Always in contention. Why can't we ever have a Joe Mauer on our team? We end up with guys like AAron Miles. I don't get it. And now that ownership is all fucked up...who knows when we'll make the moves that need to be made?

My thinking? I don't believe that this lineup can be "tweaked" into success. I think we need wholesale and dramatic changes to get the offense going. We have a fine starting staff -- one of the best. Hard for them to win if we can't score, however. Time to shake it up. Big time.

Funny -- anyone remember when it was rumored that the Cubs were considering Raul Ibanez? In retrospect, I change my opinion. Can I do that? He's having a decent year for the Phillies (decent = fucking unbelievable.)

We better not lose a game to the White Sox.

More later. Or not.

Sherm

The Milkman Stinketh

Did you see Milkit Badly's line tonight?

O for 6 with TEN runners left on base. TEN. Ten fucking runners left on base. But the statistics say he's good, so I'll just keep it to myself. I bet Albert Pujols hasn't left ten runners on base this season. Holy crap. Ten. On base. Wow.

Nice to see Lilly get some run support. Now we need to do that for Wells so that he can get that elusive first major league win. Speaking of Wells -- doesn't he look a lot like Jeremy Sisto? (From Law & Order.) I think so. Google Sisto. You'll see.

Ten LOB. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

He's gotta be gripping by now. Live wire like that...I bet he's ready to explode. Time for a Milkit Meltdown Pool. It's a lot like Bossie Bingo, but shittier.

Anyhoo...it's 3:31a here in Philadelphia and I have an early meeting, so thanks to the miracle that is delayed air travel, let's see, I should be getting up...um...now. That won't work, so I'll get a couple hours and inject some caffeine when I waken.

Glad Soto got a few hits. Maybe Hank White called and offered some encouragement.

Ten LOB. Wow.

More later? Probably not.

JS

Offense? What offense?

Pathetic. Hard to believe that we took two of the three games this weekend -- thankfully the pitching is still pretty good. With the exception of Carlos Marmol, who is beginning his annual pre-summer meltdown. Fortunately for us, he typically rebounds with a great second half...so we'll wait. Guzman is getting better each time out, and may be the guy out of the pen in whom I have the most confidence. His outing yesterday makes me think that he could close.

Few managers consistently mismanage their bench as does Lou. He'll use everyone available in the 10th inning (practically) and then have nothing left when he needs it. Almost ran out of pitchers. Did run out of hitters and position players. What if we'd gone 18 like they did in Arizona? Thank God we were up against Dusty -- no way to lose a battle of wits with him.

I am impressed with Andres Blanco. Teach him to hit, and he could be a solid 2b. Oh wait, that requires Gerald Perry to actually do something. Never mind. Plus he adds another name to the lineup that ends with the "o" sound.

I'd rather see Doc Ravage at third than Mike Fontenot. Period. Too bad Doc hits righty. Lou wants to be more left handed. Sorry Doc. You coulda been a contenda.

I've been hammering DLee for a few months now, so it's only fair to say this -- his defense yesterday may have saved the game. He made several terrific plays -- most of which went unnoticed; all of which mattered.

Len and Bob missed Theriot's "pause" in the baseline to distract Gonzalez from that ground ball in the 12th -- too bad we couldn't get the run home. It was wholly intentional...and good thinking.

Randy Wells may have a long and productive baseball career and never win a game. It could happen.

Hope you all have a great week.

More later. Or not.

JS

You kidding me?

Braves get Nate McLouth for nobody, nobody and nobody? You fucking kidding me? This kid can hit, field, and run -- bats LEFT HANDED...remember when that was what we needed more than anything in the world? He's what? 24?

I think I'm going to vomit.

Eric Milton Bradley

First of all...Saturday's was a beautiful game. Dempster was back to his 2008 form, timely hitting and a 7 - 0 pasting of Dodger Blew. Bradley even had three hits (none of good swings, but hey, sometimes it takes a few like that to get things going.) Reed Johnson was clutch and even Mike Fontenot had a couple of nice extra base hits -- off a lefty; even though I don't understand why he starts against lefties and he proved why he shouldn't on Sunday night.

Then Sunday it all blows up, and it's 5 - 0 before I really get comfortable on the couch. Did Piniella really tell Marshall BEFORE the start that he was going back to the bullpen after this? What a moron. I think Lou's days of good judgment are over.

More good at bats from Reed Johnson...and no one else could figure out Eric Milton. Umm, everyone? He throws a 74 mph hanging curve -- first pitch -- to everybody. Guys? It's okay to talk amongst yourselves. Even if Gerald Perry never says anything to anyone.

Soto looks just awful at the plate. Either he's injured or last year was a monstrous fluke.

Lee has hit his way back into the .240's and Soriano has missed his way down into the .240's.

I like this Blanco's glove -- he should play 2b everyday until he proves he can't hit. Great range and slick fielder and can spell Theriot at short every now and again, too. We're carrying three first basemen --which is retarded. Time to trade one of them (it won't be Lee) and get something we need in return. Fox and Hoffpauir need to play in the AL, anyway. The problem is that Hendry doesn't appear to have any clue what we need.

A split with the Dodgers? It's okay. Not great, but could have been worse.

I gotta go...more later. Or not.

js

derfwad.com

Jake Fox -- fair and balanced -- goes one for one...this with a seventeen game hit streak in the minors coming in. Nice job, Jake. He's batting a thousand. Is that too small a sample size to call him the greatest hitter who ever lived? Perhaps. He should get the start today against Randy Wolf.

What is up with Juan Pierre? Hitting over .400 since the Manny suspension. I call for a blood test.

When Carlos Zambrano grows up he might be a good baseball player. Until then? He's an ass. Right or wrong...it doesn't help to meltdown like that. If he has to miss a start with a suspension? Even more stupid. Now who's going to pinch hit in key situations? Ted Lilly?

I'm too busy today to comment on derfwad.com -- maybe tomorrow. Or not.

js