WOW - Are They Bad!

The Cubbies suffered yet another 1-run loss - this time 1-0 in just another pathetic offensive display.  That makes them a staggering 14-30 in 1-run games...that's just insane!  The opposing Padres scored the lone run of the game on yet another questionable defensive play and I'm not even talking about the two errors the MLB's worst defensive team made tonight. With the bases loaded and one out, a grounder was hit to Xavier Nady who double-clutched and ended up feeding Randy Wells to get a force out at first allowing the only run of the game to score.  OK - so you're probably thinking, well, one run isn't going to win this game and while you'd be wrong in this case, that certainly isn't all that strange as you definitely want to be sure not to give up a big inning at that point of the game.  BUT, my problem is more with the total indecision by Nady...he didn't seem to know whether he wanted to go home, try to turn a DP, or take the play himself at 1st base. What exactly do these guys practice? The defense has been, well, indefensible ALL season long so what are the Cubs doing about it? Just like with everything else, they just stand pat and do nothing! Have they fired a single coach? Hired anyone else to help out with the D? Nope! They just stand by and watch as this season that started with such promise with a new owner (one of us;.an actual Cub fan!) continues to simply unravel right before our eyes.

The Cubs remain on pace to surpass 3 million idiots fans (myself included several times - splitting partial season tickets) passing through the turnstiles at the quite friendly (at least to the out-of-town visiting teams) confines - the Cubs are now 27-34 at home this season. Add that to their even worse 23-36 road record and they are now incredibly 20 games under .500 at 50-70. There are only 5 teams in the entire MLB that have worse records and Cleveland is just 1/2 game behind the Cubs. I mean, we're talking about perennial doormats that don't spend any money like the Orioles and Pirates, but the Cubs' record is even worse than other doormats like the Nats and Royals this year so they've really outdone themselves this time and with no key injuries to blame like they did last year with Aramis missing significant time. Nope, this year is all about underachieving despite what Lou is saying about the rookies being given the "opportunity of a lifetime" and "none of them want to step up". I know he is really calling out his GM for the lousy pitching staff he was given to manage this year, but really...this is the way to handle that...by calling out some kids that shouldn't be here anyway? What a total JERK!

It isn't even that the Cubs stink or the way they are losing some of these games (although they have been quite imaginative in that arena) that bothers me most of all...it's actually the way the organization (and I use that term very loosely as organized they are not!) is handling it. They're in the midst of going 4-15 over their last 19 games and what do they do? They serve caviar for the pregame meal just because they took 2-of-3 from the hated Cardinals. Now I'm always happy to beat the Cardinals, but caviar?!? Are you serious?!? What's next - $1000 bonuses for taking a walk? I guess we know where at least some of the revenue from the highest ticket prices in MLB are going, huh?

Again, no firings at all of any of the management! They sent Aramis down to Iowa for a few days with his "injury" (otherwise known as horrific slump) and they sent Zambrano to anger management...but what about the knuckleheads supposedly in charge of this mess? Managers are getting fired left and right; GMs too! How low do the Cubs have to go before ANYONE gets fired? I harp on this a lot and I'm sorry, but I just don't get it...how does a guy spending $145 million for a team in 5th place 20 games below .500 NOT get fired? What about the manager? Lou was asked today after his guys went 0-for-7 with RISP if they were a little anxious...picture the typical Lou grimace and then "Hmmm...I don't know...maybe". Were you there watching the game Lou? Jon Garland is just like Ryan Dempster...a lot of soft stuff and hardly any real strikes...he counts on the hitters' impatience to swing at the change-up or slider in the dirt to get guys out...he did that to perfection against a terrible team struggling to do anything right. You would think the prized pitching coach Rudy Jamarillo would whisper into someone's ear in the dugout - "hey, let's take a couple pitches in your next AB and see how that works". Nope - guys were up there free swinging like usual all the way to the end. Garland's line says 7 IP, 4 hits, 0 runs, 3 Ks, and 3 BBs on only 91 pitches. That's a line Dempster would be very proud of...too bad Garland was in the other dugout tonight.

Not that the guy on the mound for the Cubs was the problem tonight.  His line was very similar - 7 IP, 3 hits, 1 run, 6 Ks, 3 BBs but on 122 pitches. How does one guy need 30 more pitches to allow 3 fewer hits with the same number of walks? Patience...working the count...oh ya, and 3 DPs (the Cubs turned one). Had Nady been more decisive (heck, I tell my 8-year olds on my daughter's team to "know what you're going to do with the ball if it is hit to you") back in the first inning, it could have been a DP and extra innings in a scoreless tie. The defense continues to hurt the Cubs!

Let's get back to the rookies and this supposed awesome pitching coach the Cubs have had seemingly forever. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but it seems that when rookies come in, they seem to start like gangbusters and then start to fall-off the longer they're here. Is that the Cubs pitching coach? That is, the longer he works with these kids, the worse they get? Just for another example, lets look at Jeff Samardzija...he was nearly lights out when he first came up:
2008 - 26 games, 2.28 ERA (debut on 7/25/08)
2009 - 20 games, 7.53 ERA (first game 4/23/09)
2010 - 4 games, 18.90 ERA (first game 4/5/10) but 10-2 for AAA Iowa Cubs

Message to Tom Ricketts:

IT IS TIME TO START OVER! 

Lou Piniella is gone (he can go at any time as far as I'm concerned), Larry Rothschild, Jim Hendry and Crane Kenney MUST be next. Feel free to start wielding the ax anytime!