Sunday, April 29, 2007

Cubs, Cards mourn loss of Hancock

Twenty-three games into the season and the Cubs finally have their first sweep of the year. You'd think I'd be happier, but I definitely didn't want it to happen this way.

With the Cubs having won the first two of what was to be a three-game series, the team went to bed on Saturday thinking about Sunday's game. Now, they're not thinking about the game at all; they're mourning the death of pitcher Josh Hancock.

Hancock was killed early Sunday morning in St. Louis after his vehicle collided with a tow truck that was on the road attending a previous accident. Of course, I still remember a teary-eyed Joe Girardi walking on the field at Wrigley five years ago announcing that the game had been canceled due to the sudden passing of Darryl Kile.

The team remembered that too. Just three days ago, Hancock had overslept thinking that the game was later than it was. His worried teammates feared the worst and repeated called him until Hancock finally woke up on the "20th call". Now what they had feared has become a reality.

In 2002, the Cardinals lost five of the seven games following the death of Kile, but ultimately rebounded with a 97 wins and a division title. The Cubs lost 9 of their next 13 and finished with 69 victories.

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Ramirez fucks up 3-0 count; Zambrano doesn't care

I never expected Carlos Zambrano to stop caring...

Zambrano's been throwing his third best pitch, his slider over and over again. It cost him 26 pitches and four runs to through the first inning.

In the top of the first inning, Aramis Ramirez grounded into a double play ball on a 3-0 count and before the Francoeur homerun, Mark DeRosa decided to take one out at first, because he was too lazy to turn around and throw to second for the double play.

And now Floyd is trying to tie the game with a three-run homerun with the bases empty.

I'm surprised they even showed up to the park.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

If they don't care, then I sure as fuck don't

What the fuck was that?

Ronny Cedeno takes strike three to end the 14-inning game after every other Cub hitter swung at shit three feet over their heads. Lou Piniella doesn't like to play the guys in their right positions and so a pair of bullshit doubles past Theriot in right and Jones in left end up plating the deciding run.

I thought that nobody could be stupider than Dusty. While Lou hasn't reached the state of mental retardation as Baker, he's closely creeping up there. I understand that Lee made the final out of the 13th inning and I understand that Ward is your last position player, but you still don't take Derrek Lee out of the game. So what if Lee doesn't bat again? He brings so much to the game, his bat isn't the only asset.

And then Lou decides to run for Ward. Who was gonna play first base in the 15th, Lou? Jason Marquis?

Alfonso Soriano needs to stop acting like a pussy, everyone needs to stop swinging at shit over the heads and we need to stop losing games in which the opposing team strands 17 baserunners. I have no problem supporting and suffering with a losing team, but I do have a problem pouring out my emotions if the team itself doesn't give a shit.

It look me too long to figure that out last year, so I suppose I'll lucky that I'm realizing this now: the Cubs just don't give a shit. Ronny Cedeno and Aramis Ramirez didn't even look upset after the strikeout in the 14th and no one in the dugout so much as moved when Ward reached on the wind-blown double.

Will Ohman needs to go to Iowa, because he's bad. Wade Miller needs to go to Iowa, because he's bad. Ramirez, Cedeno, Jones, and Soriano also need to go to Iowa, so that they get a fucking wake-up call.

Give Walrond the fifth starter's job and call up Guzman. Murton, Pie and Coats can play the outfield and put Ryan Theriot at third base. They'll be bad, but they can't be any worse than the team as is right now. Atleast they'll try.

Until then, however, I'm done. I'm sick of this shit and I refuse to give a damn until things change. Again, let me make it clear that I'm not upset about the losing; I'm upset about the lack of effort.

Friday, April 13, 2007

Piniella can't make team care

After watching today's game against the Cincinnati Reds, I have recieved confirmation of something that I suspected for the entire first week of the season.

The effect of Dusty Baker has remained with the team, and even Lou Piniella can't make the team give a damn.

Whether it's Soriano being too lazy to return to first base on a pick off attempt or Will Ohman giving the other team two runs just for the hell of it, it's obvious that the team would rather sit on the bench and watch the game than actually play in it.

We're still trying to hit three-run homers with the bases empty, swinging for the fences with the wind blowing in, and the fundamentals of the game are not only okay to be ignored, but actually encouraged. The team as it is right now isn't winning and Lou needs to do something radical to get this team motivated. I've said all along that I will stand by a losing team, but I refuse to stand by a team that doesn't care.

Hmmm...I bet that the triple-A team would like to play in the major leagues. Certainly, they can't do any worse than the big club right now.

Sunday, April 1, 2007

Cubs, Zambrano real close to deal

An unconfirmed source reported that ace pitcher Carlos Zambrano is close to signing a five-year deal with the Cubs. Though currently under a one-year deal that would pay Zambrano $12.4 million, the new deal would take precedence.

Zambrano, who tied for the league lead in wins last year, had initially issued an Opening Day deadline for a long-term deal to be made. However, with Opening Day nearing closer and closer and the deal almost finalized, Zambrano has decided to give the team a few extra days.

Initially, it was believed that Zambrano wanted a deal similar to what Barry Zito earned this off-season: $126 million over seven years. Instead, his desire to work out a deal and stay with the Cubs have his agent and the team discussing a five-year deal worth around $80 million.

The pitching staff would be in trouble if Zambrano would leave the club after 2007, as that leaves Hill, Marquis, and Lilly on the team with a slim free-agent market for pitchers next off-season.