Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full) 

28 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, and twelve players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors. 

Last updated 3-26-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 15
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
Alexander Canario
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

OPTIONED: 12 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Ben Brown, P 
Alexander Canario, OF 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Keegan Thompson, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 
Hayden Wesneski, P 

 



 

Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

NLDS Game 2 Recap: Cubs 3, Dodgers 10

Booted

W - Billingsley (1-0)

L - Zambrano (0-1)

Box Score, Photos

Things to Take from This Game

1. Alex Gonzalez Redux

Second inning with Ethier on first, the dodgers put on a hit and run.  Loney hits the ball to shortstop.  But with Theriot covering the bag, he's out of position, can't make the barehand stop of the chopper.  Ruled a hit.  Correctly. Two batters later, DeWitt hits a potential inning-ending double-play ball right at DeRosa, but it pops out of his glove, and everyone's safe with a run scoring on the play.  Lee makes an error on the next play, a chopper right at him hit by Blake, loading the bases.  A Furcal bunt and a Martin bases-clearing double to the left-center Gap, and the Cubs found themselves down 5-0 going into the bottom of the second. A particular shame as Z had looked really focused, sharp, pitching quickly, with an awesome fastball, only to have his defense betray him and then give up a legit double.

  • Ramirez also made a lame error a couple innings later.  No damage was done, save to our pride. 
  • And Theriot gives the Cubs infield the Defensive Anti-Cycle, an error by each infielder, when he throws one away in the ninth.

2.  Manny Ramirez Redux

Manny hit a gargantuan home run.  He's good. 

3. Ah, screwit.

Cotts and Marmol struggled, the Cubs got through 2/9ths of a 9-run comeback in the bottom of the ninth, other things probably happened to.

 

The "we have not yet begun to fight!" "No, really...  we haven't yet begun to fight...." details, below.

Game Recap

Pregame

  • Stockton still going on about crowd enthusiasm.  Gyeh.
  • Another cool night, wind blowing in

Inning 1 - Top

  • Fastball low for ball one to start the game.  Fastball at 91 on the outside for a strike, and then another, 1-2 count.  Z pitching very, very quickly to start
  • Swinging bunt, Z with a nice bare-handed play to get him at first
  •  94 fastball fouled off behind the plate to start martin.
  • Martin pop flies out to Fukudome in shallow right
  • Gun reads 97 on first pitch to Manny.  Foul
  • 93 on the inside corner, Manny not happy with it.  Crowd roaring.  They booed Manny when he came up to the plate.
  • Z blows a 95 mph fastball, up and outside, past Manny. Who knows what happens in ten minutes, even, but can't overstate that Z looks poised and focused so far.

Inning 1 - Bottom

  •  Soriano lines a slider over the middle of the plate for a single into left.
  • Low fastball to Theriot, just barely short-hops martin.  Tries for the backhand, and it skips away just a bit.  Soriano takes second.
  • Theriot swings through a high fastball that missed its spot by about two feet, 1-2 count.
  • Theriot flails at a slider, strike three.  Ball gets away, no advance from Soriano.
  • Nice breaking pitch from Billingsly to start Lee with a called strike
  • 0-2 swinging at a low outside fastball.
  • News Flash:  Billingsly has really good stuff.
  • The TBS broadcast crew declares this a Key Moment In The Game.
    • No, it's not.
  • Martin sets up in on a 2-2 count, ball misses over the plate, confusing the ump who calls it a ball.
  • Lee waves at a sharp slider, K's.
  • Ramirez swings through a fastball outside, strike one.
  • Martin with a nice stop on a slider in the dirt
  • Works the count to 3-2.
  • Crowd on its feet.
  • Ramirez flies to medium-deep center.  Nuts.

Inning 2 - Top

  •  0-2 to start Ethier.
  • Z is throwing his next pitch right at every 9-10 seconds after receiving the ball from Soto
  • Ethier lines a 2-2 into right for a single.
  • Ethier runs, Loney chops one right to where Theriot was before going over to cover.  Theriot turns back for it, tries for the barehand, it slips away.  Runners at 1 and 3.  Z jumps and twists in some frustration at the misfortune
  • Z throwing a lot of strikes, Kemp swings and fouls off first pitch.  Strike fastball on inside corner, 0-2.
  • Crowd to its feet
  • supposed to be fastball outside, it sails up and in on kemp, just misses his jersey.
  • FAstball just a bit too low and outside, 2-2 count. Would have been nice to have.
  • Strike three called on Kemp.  Huge strikeout.  looks like a slider  One out
  • DeWitt hits a sharp grounder right at DeRosa.  DeRosa goes to one knee, the ball goes into his glove and pops back out.  He lunges for it, does a backhand shovel to Theriot, but the pass is wide of the bag.  Everybody safe, run scores, runners at 1 and 2.  From an inning-ending DP to a chance to at least get the force at second to absolutely nothing.  1-0 dodgers
  • And now Blake bounces one to Lee, and the ball bounces up on lee a bit, and the ball bounces off him.  A second consecutive error.  Bases loaded.  Z trying to stay composed.  Rothschild comes out to calm Z down.  Crowd booing the defense at first, now standing up to cheer on Z.
  • 0-2 on Billingsly  Strike three swinging on a 95 fastball.  two outs.  Crowd chanting "Z Z Z!"
  • Furcal pushes a bunt to shallow second base.  DeRosa runs in for the bare-hand play, but it's too late. Safe at first.  Run scores. perfect positioning by Furcal. 2-0 dodgers
  • 2-0 on Martin.  Now to 3-1.  Martin lines one that splits the left-center gap.  All three runs score.  Double.  5-0 Dodgers
  • Z now overthrowing a bit.  97 high and outside to Manny.  96 mph blown past him, swinging.  1-2 count.
  • Called three on the outside corner.  Inning over.

Inning 2 - Bottom

  •  DeRosa bounces out to Blake.
  • Edmonds with a slow roller to short.  Blake cuts it off and throws him out
  • Credit to parachatters for pointing it out, Billingsly is pitching away, away, away to the Cubs righties.  Soto K's swinging at an outside fastball.
  • That was quick.

 

Inning 3 - Top

  •  Ethier pops to DeRosa, right next to second base bag
  • 3-0 on Loney.  3-1.   Lines a shot to center, carries more than Edmonds thinks, but adjusts to make the stretching catch.
  • Kemp Ks swinging through a fastball.  Nice to see a good bounce-back from Z

 

Inning 3 - Bottom

  • ferocious slider by billingsly, Fukudome swings and misses for 1-2.  And another swing and miss for strike three. Crowd not happy.
  •  Z walks!  Go offense.
  • And 2-0 to Soriano.  Honeycutt to the mound.
  • and winds up flying out to right.
  • Theriot with a sharp grounder right to Furcal, goes for the force at second.  Inning over

Inning 4 - Top

  • DeWitt flies to Edmonds
  • and Blake grounds to Ramirez.  Poor Z.  He really has had it going, other than the Martin double...
  •  a quick 0-2 on Billingsly.  Credit to the fans, they're still cheering on Z.
  • Wow.  Billingsly bounces one to Ramirez, who backs up on it.  You know what happens when Ramirez backs up on a bouncer.
  • Furcal with a liner just in front of Soriano, runners at 1 and 2
  • Crowd chanting "let's go Z! let's go Z!"
  • On a strike call to Martin, Soto's throw back to Martin slips out of his hand, and bounces out to Z who fields it, makes sure the runners don't go anywhere.  Soto goes to get the Resin bag.
  • Martin swings through a fastball ending the inning.  Z still looks great

Inning 4 - Bottom

  •  Lee with a sharp liner in front of Manny for a single.
  • Ramirez rolls out to Furcal, who starts the 6-4-3 with the force at second.  Lee sticks his right hand way up in the air, as DeWitt sidearms the throw to keep Lee's slide low.  The throw goes right into Lee's outstretched fingers.  Ramirez safe at first, no interference called.  Never seen that before.  Lee seems to be fine.
  • DeRosa with a bouncer to Furcal, this time a very easy 6-4-3.  Inning over.

Inning 5 - Top

  •  Dear God.  Manny hits a moon shot to center off of Zambrano.  It lands on the roofing above the green area in straight-away center, with a thunk.  Fastball that catches the inner third of the plate.
  • Ethier walks.
  • 2-0 on Loney.  Pops out to Ramirez
  • Kemp rolls into a nicely turned 4-6-3

Inning 5 - Bottom

  •  Edmonds flies to the warning track in left-center.  Manny catches it right at the ivy.
  • Soto grounds out to third.
  • 3-2 on Fukudome, watches a called fastball strike on the outside corner.  Inning over.

Inning 6 - Top

  •  DeRosa makes a nice play on a DeWitt grounder.  4-3
  • Ron Darling, I think it was, asked Lou if this was a chance to get the bench in the game.  Wow.
  • Fastball runs in on Blake, hitting him.
  • Billingsly bunts, Z fields, bobbles, fires to second.  Blake clearly is safe.  I mean, clearly.  He's called out.
  • Furcal pops to Soriano

Inning 6 - Bottom

  •  Z chops one out to Blake, nice charging backhanded stop, 5-3.
  • Soriano K's swinging
  • Theriot grounds to DeWitt.  Knocks it down, easy 4-3.

Inning 7 - Top

  •  Z still pitching, 0-2 on Martin.  Martin K's looking
  • Z vs Manny again.  A walk, not much drama
  • Lou comes out for Z. Nice ovation for Z as he leaves the game, Cotts in
  • Z on the bench,  holding his head in his hands, and with a towel draped over it.
  • Cotts goes 3-0 on Ethier.  Walks on five pitches
  • and 2-0 on Loney, Rothschild visits.
  • Loney rolls to DeRosa, can't quite turn the 4-6-3.  Out at second, runners at 1 and 3, two outs.
  • Kemp slices one inside the right field line, bouncing off the padding (with a nice if irrelevant play on it by Fukudome) for a double.  Runner scores, 2nd and 3rd.  7-0 dodgers
  • DeWitt pops to DeRosa, inning over.  More booing.

Inning 7 - Bottom

  •  Lee flies out to deep right.
  • Ramirez K's swinging.  Billingsly cruising.
  • DeRosa lines a double high off the right-field Ivy.  First extra-base hit for the Cubs.
  • Edmonds hits a high arcing double off the top of the left-center ivy.  Kemp made a leap for it into the ivy, I thought he was going to make a spectacular catch.  Lots of ivy come falling to the ground, as does the ball.  Run scores, 7-1 dodgers
  • Soto grounds a single through the left-side hole, Edmonds holds at third.  first and third, two outs.
  • Cory Wade in for Billingsly. 
  • Fukudome bounces to Furcal, gets the force at second base.  Inning over.

Inning 8 - Top

  •  Marmol in for Cotts
  • Blake rolls a single through the left-side hole.
  • Bit of a nifty play as Angel Berroa pinch hits forWade, bunt rolls one out to Lee wide of first base.  He shovels to first, where Marmol is racing to cover and DeRosa already is there.  DeRosa grabs it, just beating Berroa.  Blake to second
  • Furcal singles to right, and uncharacteristically, Fukudome Jacque Joneses one to the plate.  Blake slides around the tag.  8-1 dodgers.
  • Martin K's looking
  • Manny bloops one into shallow right-center.  Edmonds makes a nice diving effort for it, comes up short, lands awkwardly on his right wrist and elbow.  Stays in the game.  Furcal scores, 9-1 dodgers
  • Ethier K's swinging on a full count.

Inning 8 - Bottom

  •  Fontenot in to hit for Marmol
  • and rolls to DeWitt
  • Soriano with a one-hopper to Blake.  5-3.
  • And Theriot with another pedestrian 5-3.

Inning 9 - Top

  •  Wood in
  • Loney flies to Fukudome
  • Kemp flies out just short of the warning track in center.
  • Pierre hits for Wade.  Hot smash to Theriot, Ball pops out of his glove.  Picks it up, poor throw to first, hops away from Lee, for an error.  Each infielder now has made an error.  Pierre to second.
  • Blake rolls a single up the middle, just left of the bag.  Pierre scores. 10-1 dodgers
  • Berroa with a single through the left side hole, Blake to second.
  • Furcal pops to Fukudome, mercifully ending the Cubs defensive effort for the night.

Inning 9 - Bottom

  •  Saito in. 
  • Lee lines a one-hop double into the left-center ivy.  Ground Rule Double.
  • Ramirez lines one through the left-side hole.  First and Third.
  • DeRosa lines one that lands just a fraction of an inch foul of the left-field line.  Announcers think it had to have caught at least a blade of foul-line white-colored grass.  Nuts.
  • Ramirez to second uncontested
  • DeRosaLines one to right-center.  Kemp misjudges it a bit, it gets over his head for a double.  Two runs score.  Ramirez almost runs past Lee on the way.  10-3 Cubs.  DeRosa keeps going to right-center with good results.
  • Pie hits for Edmonds.  Have to assume that he's feeling the effects of that dive.
  • Broxton in to face Pie. This just isn't fair.
  • Well I'll be hornswaggled.  Pie walks.  Runners on 1 and 2
  • Ball one to Soto.  Still no one out.  Still down 7, though.
  • Soto rips one to the second baseman, but Berroa makes a nice leap for it (Berroa stayed in on a double-switch, forgot to mention that) for the out.  Runners scamper back to the bags. 
  • Fukudome K's looking, third K tonight, crowd boos.
  • Ward pinch-hits for Wood
  • 3-1 on Ward.  Crowd standing, but also sort of quiet.
  • 3-2 on Ward, a fastball low and inside gets called strike three to end the gme.  Ward was pretty surprised and upset.  Rightfully so.

 

Parachat Recap

Pregame

  • Following the debate
  • Gravity is a gay jewish conspiracy
  • VPILFS
  • Snow on mars
  •  

Inning 1

  • Who are you praying to?
    • Cozad the Goat King
    • Siva
    • Me 
  • Excited about Z's start
  • ok, time to switch over to the debate during the commercials
  • More debate/cubs attention division.  Fun night of chatter with so much good stuff going on.
  • Following the game, complaining about TBS announcers.  Commercial!  Over to the debate
  • NUCULAR!!!!!

Inning 2

  •  Pretty intensely following the game.  Parachat gets serious for the post-season? egads.
  • People who could field better than our second inning defense
  • Parachat has an aneurysm.
  • Despair. 
  • Booze-smuggling mules.
  • Worst post-season:  this one or last one?
    • wow, tough question
  • Continuing our VP Debate Drinking Game

Inning 3

  • Regaining our sensibilities 
  • Feeling bad for Z
  • Debating the egregiousness of the different defensive mistakes
  • Palin's "diversity."
  • Playoff history
  • Nukular Mavericks
  • More and more Palin talk.
  • Crazy Martha
  • Abstinence

Inning 4

  •  More Palin
  • and more Nukular.
  • AND MORE BOBOS!!!!!
  • Nukular attacks against the Mexican Moose
  • more bemoaning of the Cubs' "defense"
  • welcoming new parachatters.  Always glad to have people join us!
  • "Cubs are pretty Uggla tonight" - Nohit 
  • BOBOS!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Should the Cubs try a human sacrifice to get back into the series?
    • yes.
  • The weird Lee play at second.
  • The Morneau Contract

Inning 5

  • something involving a circle jerk website and Chad.  I really don't want to know, and if I'd read parachat any more closely at this point, my eyes would have bled.
  • If Scrooge McDuck owned the cubs.
  • Comparing Manny to Cholera.
  • Cubs ask for a bailout from Paulson.
  • Admiring my awesome Manny/Cholera comparison.  Damn, I'm smooth
  • Donuts.  We are informed that this is some sort of pornographic term, but either no one knows exactly what for, or is willing to say.
  • "Tony Gwynn makes Steve Urkel look like Gary Sheffield" - Logan

Inning 6

  •  Q: What did Sarah Palin say when she opened a box of Cheerios?  A: "Look!  Donut seeds." - Ryno
  • The donut discussion gets graphic, and weird, and graphically weird
  • The horridly inaccurate but pro-cub call at second base.
  • Volcano Tacos
  • Chad's suicide watch
  • Oh wow.
  • What counts as sex?
  • Which would you rather have:  Your preferred presidential candidate win, or the Cubs win the WS?

Inning 7

  •  James Fenimore Cooper rules parachat.
  • Comparing the Cubs to late-80s Michael Jackson.
  • and with Johann's mom.
  • Cruel Santo death jokes
  • Showbiz Pizza
  • Molestation.  Also not funny.
  • Skeeball
  • again, nice to see so many long-lost faces in parachat
  • Just what we need to complete a long and painful night: an esoteric music discussion!
  • Viagra.
  •  Parachat rules of discussion
  • Rectal Prolapse
  • Shrinkage
  • Pinch-hit for Fukudome here?
    • yes

Inning 8

  • Kellie Pickler vs. Sarah Palin
  • Things we wish would befall the Dodgers
  • Fukudome vs. Jacque Jones
  • Self-Mutilation
    • I prefer Other-Mutilation, personally.
  • Fukudome's dreadlocks
  • Read Tomorrow's BCB Headlines, Tonight:  "Don't Panic."

Inning 9

  • No one feels as if they've been slapped in the face by a giant penis
  • Boxing Mr. T.
  • Dissecting Fukudome
  • Cholera.
  • "They could cut off my balls right now and I wouldn't feel it" - RobG
  • Wood's future in a Cubs uniform.
  • What we'll do if the Cubs score 9 or more in the bottom of the ninth.
  • A Bartman lookalike?
  • Racist Carlos returns.
Tags

Comments

While I was watching the game, I was eating some pretty nasty nachos...all those errors I guess I didn't realize what I was eating...and now I'm Strangely Constipated

[ ]

In reply to by Jeff_Pico

I vote Johnson simply because this team needs an injection of energy. We do have a daunting task in front of us, but I do like our chances. Harden V. Kuroda should be a big edge to us as long as we dont defeat ourselves, Lilly in Game 4 will have a tough matchup with Lowe, but he has been our best pitcher in the last month and Dodger Stadium is tailored made for his strengths. In Game 5 it would likely be a Zambrano-Billngsley rematch and if Z does not have to get 7 outs in an inning we have a good chance. I would say our odds are about 33%, but I think were more capable of doing it than Milwaukee or the Angels and White Sox if they lose tomorrow.

I was in class so I was following mlb.com on my phone. Here's what I saw: Cubs 0 Dodgers 0 Cubs 0 Dodgers 1 Cubs 0 Dodgers 2 Cubs 0 Dodgers 5 Low Battery. Low Battery. New Text Message from friend "What the hell, Lee can't field a ground ball?" Phone dies...mercifully. This team can suck a fuck. Choke-ass motherfuckers. I fucking hate this. What a waste of a fucking season. Can't they at least make it fucking interesting?! It's fucking embarrassing. Fuck. Bobos.

I must admit that I am incredibly unimpressed with Lou in both of our Playoff appearances last year and this year. Most certainly the primary reason that the cubs are on the verge of elimination this year -- and that they have looked lifeless against LA and last year against Arizona comes down to player performance. That and perhaps a team this year who peaked with the bats too early and who have two pitchers with possible health issues (and a shaky closer). But as a far bigger believer in momentum and manager influence than many on this list I gotta say that both years Lou made CRITICAL management errors in Game One of short series: - Last year of course was pulling Z to save him for a possible 2nd appearance in the series. - this year failing to recognize that Dempster was in meltdown mode despite obvious control issues as early as the 3rd inning and certainly by 4 and 2/3 innings where he had walked SEVEN. Both mismanagement decisions are essentially the same mistake. FAILING TO TAKE GAME ONE OF A SHORT SERIES serious enough. For those of you who are statistically minded the numbers pretty much say it all. In the NLDS short series if you win game one you have a 86% chance of winning the series and advancing. SOOOOOOO given that in a sense winning the first game IS winning the series. Think of it as an elimination game: Does it make sense that in 2007 Lou would pull his ace Zambrano so early against Arizona while he was in dominant form? Does it make sense that he would leave Dempster in after 7 walks in 4 2/3 innings with a 2 run cushion and with the bases loaded with walks in the current inning? I personally don't think so. Add to all this the amount of pressure the Chicago Cubs face as a franchise. The incredible expections and the delicate nature of any player in those circumstances. I am sure I will hear the usual chorus of people saying that managers don't matter and that the players play the game. But think of it this way. If Lou plays game one both years like it is the 7th game of the world series (leaving Z in in 2007, pulling a embarassingly wild Dempster out in 2008), momentum could have swung in the Cubs favor and player performances could have been dramatically different. DeRosa gave us a fighting chance, but Lou didn't correctly gauge the confidence game or the gravity of a Game One victory for the second year in a row. If he is lucky enough to have another game one in future years I hope he fights for it and makes better decisions.

I thought 03 was bad...at least in 03 they won the series vs the Braves and put up a fight until the last 10 innings vs the Marlins. Its really worse than the Buffalo Bills...at least the Bills won lots of playoff games to get to the Super Bowl. I'm definitely in venting mode here. Screw these choking jokers! And win the damn series too!

Keep venting fellas, we all need it. At the start of each day though, we Cubs fans are still the most hopeful and optimistic bunch of sumbitches. GO CUBS!

In LA on Saturday. If the Cubs are going to lose, I'm going to do something I've never done at a baseball game. Leave early. If the Cubs win... I'll be back on Sunday and we'll do it again. I don't expect the Cubs to win this series but I keep the faith. Even though they haven't looked this way, clearly, the Cubs are the better team. 3 game winning streak? We can only hope and if they do it, I'll be witness to history in the two big games in LA. Go Cubs!

well the one thing that the Cubs have going for them is that choking isn't gonna happen in LA because the incredible pressure of the Wrigley fans won't be an issue, LA is pretty mellow stadium, and it's a pitchers park. They might fall asleep or play uninspired (I think they'll play hard myself) but I don't think you'll see absurd nerves like Dempster in game one and the infield defense in game two. You could also argue that our two most effective pitchers of late are going to pitch too. Lilly has been lights out lately and Harden is basically an automatic 5-6 innings with 1 earned run. And we'll have a scrappier lineup without Fuk in right field. There is still reason for hope. It's a little hard: but here's to hope!

strangely confident? I'll admit I was, too. But, at this point it's become "how can the cubs lose this game?" it's cubbery, everywhere. it makes me sad. really, really unbelievably sad.

I'm going to hold my head up about this today because I have to. First of all, I need to keep things in perspective; I don't live in a mud hut in Gonaives, I haven't lost my life savings (yet). Secondly, I work amid a throng of Sox fans, and if anybody gives it to me they're gonna get it right back... ...even if I am heartsick. I was endlessly impressed with this team during the season for its depth, strength, and resilience. The bright glare of media attention, with its flip "so, are you losers gonna do it this year? Lose a game? Back to reality, losers!" attitude, seems to have sapped those things mightily, or at least that's what I tell myself as endlessly seems to be ending. Please, Harden: come through. And for the love of God, hitters: remember that staggering weakly after low-outside pitches is what you don't do, haven't done, must not do.

Two home games, Dempster and Z starting. Combined score 17-5. Four errors in one game. Sarah Palin played better than the Cubs last night. Has the home team ever had a -12 run differential in the first 2 home games of an NLDS? Inconceivable. At least I got to bed at a decent hour. With Harden and Lilly going, I do think they have a good shot to win the next 2. Fukudome shouldn't bat again this year. This has been obvious to eveyone else in the league for quite some time When the Cubs had a flicker of hope in the 7th - 2 on, 2 out -- Fukudome was due up. Torre goes to his bullpen, but brings in a RH pitcher to keep Fukudome in the game. He hits one of his patented limp grounders (which was better than his 3 K's). He will be an issue for the next 3 years. Aye Carumba.

I am so sick of wasting so much time in my life watching the cubs. 162 games on tv, on radio, in person, game-day, mobile phone, text messages. 162 games of constant obsession, constant over analyzing. Every year I get pissed and swear them off and then every year some off season move pulls me back in. I AM SICK OF IT. There is some other thing happening... 1. Alex Gonzalez (highest fielding pct in the NL) - boots the DP. 2. Two dominating pitchers suddenly lose it in the NLCS 3. Sudden lifeless offense against the d-backs 4. All infielders make an error?!?!?!?!?! WTF? 5. Guy who wins 14 home games or whatever can't find the plate?!?! 6. The most patient offense in the league suddenly is hacking? Are you kidding me? So we look at these series and we look at stats and we say Cubs have better Defense, better Offense and almost as good pitching, we should win this in 4 or 5. BUT... we fail to mention all those stats mean absolutely nothing to the Cubs. They are all out the window. There is another force here. The Chi or something. I was there game 1, the Chi was all off. F Lou, it wasn't a corporate crowd, it was YOU. It was the CUBS! There is no inner peace. No swagger, only the weight of a lot of aching cub fan hearts. And I don't care what people say or the players play down, it does matter. Its hard to win games on pins and needles. I am just so sick of it. p.s. D Lee is done. We need a bonafide superstar in the middle. Bat him 6th or trade him.

[ ]

In reply to by big_lowitzki

Again...stats mean nothing to this team. Just do the litmus test...look at him and tell me does he feel like a #3? If I was pitching to Lee.. Pitch 1: Fast ball down the pipe - Called Strike Pitch 2: Slider away - Swinging Strike Pitch 3: Fast ball away - Ball Pitch 4: Slider away - Strikeout your #3 can not be that easy to strikeout. He is a #6 hitter, not a #3. Double plays, strikeouts, non-clutch hits. Look at Manny and Pujols. Every at bat is quality. With Lee, about 1/3 of his at bats are quality.

[ ]

In reply to by Bigz

A couple of things... First, if he is so easy to strike out, why doesn't he strike out every time? Second, there are some that would say that your third hitter in your lineup should actually be your 4th or 5th best hitter. Third, what are "non-clutch" hits? Fourth, Theriot grounds into double plays at a higher rate than Lee, and ARam isn't far behind. And did you know that Pujols has more double plays over the last two years than DLee does?

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In reply to by Bigz

I really like Lee and would hope to see him go but the guy is not a #3 hitter. Dropping him to 6th or 7th would be fine. But I'd rather switch horses than watch him do what he did in the 3 this year again next season. What a collosial let down this has been. I know every one has there bullshit story but I have an 86 year old grandfather that's rooted for these fuckers for decades. Obviously his days are short and I thought several times this season how cool it would be for him to see the Cubs do it. He probably doesn't give a shit but I was hoping it for him any way. That's life. Chump ass fuckers. (not fair, I know but I don't give a shit at the moment)

And then Samwise says to Frodo: "I know, it's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the Great Stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were, and sometime you didn't want to know the end because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end it is only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come and when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going because they were holding on to something. That there is some good in this world, Mr. Frodo and it's worth fighting for

Dear Cubs, Please prove me wrong. It looks really bad. Where is the mental tenacity? 97 wins and then this? Every team is tired and injured at this point. Before Saturday's game, watch a tape of the 2004 Boston Red Sox who were looking done. Focus (even you Fonzie). Prove me wrong PLEASE. Upcoming 2009 Cubs promotions: -Official MLB licensed Cubs chokers necklaces -Depends diaper day-special cubbie blue color (Available only at home post season games) look out Frank Caliendo!

Another absolutely atrocious game, with plenty of blame to spread around. As I've said before, seen this movie wayyy too many times before - when DLee suddenly turns into Leon Durham, you know it's beyond surreal.

BTW, Lee cried after the playoff - ending loss last year - so he obviously cares a great deal, perhaps even too much, given that he's had many other more important things to worry about in his life recently. I don't blame any individual player for these losses - it's a total, team - wide effort we're seeing here.

"I've had as much patience with him as anybody I've ever managed. We've given him a little rest. We've played him, we've moved him around in the lineup with the thought that, well, this will get him going, this will get him going, this will get him going. ... It has been a struggle for this young man. I feel for him. He's a good young man and he plays hard. He wants to do well."
Obviously, Piniella felt under no pressure to play Fukudome. It was all about DeRosa's calf, even before he injured it (slightly). Red meat, Rob.

Someone needs to tell this club that pitches 6-8" off the plate are NOT STRIKES. Tom Glavine is watching this from some bar somewhere, cackling evilly.

I blame everyone who voted for the "I'd rather play the Dodgers" option in the poll. I voted for the Mets. The only way for a lost team to win is for it to play another lost team. So I blame all of you, the Cubs, Wrigley Fans, Lou Piniella, Jim Hendry, talent scouts, Michael Barrett, Japan, Jose Macias, the fact that I was watching the game on Wednesday, the fact that I wasn't watching the game on Thursday, getting Mustard on my Zambrano jersey, not Steve Bartman, Rex Grossman, VP debates, DP Lee, dashed Angel Guzman dreams, Ryan Themildaltercation, and full-fledged motherfucking cubbery. I forget how much I hate being a Cubs fan at this team of year every fucking year. I would love a comeback, but it's the Cubs, I don't expect shit. I've been telling myself that I don't expect anything this year, but I realize now that I was lying to myself. Come on Cubs, lose with a blaze of cubbery, but give me ONE FUCKING WIN to enjoy!

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Javier Assad started the Lo-A game (Myrtle Beach versus Stockton) on the Cubs backfields on Wednesday as his final Spring Training tune-up. He was supposed to throw five innings / 75 pitches. However, I was at the minor league road games at Fitch so I didn't see Assad pitch. 

  • crunch (view)

    cards put j.young on waivers.

    they really tried to make it happen this spring, but he put up a crazy bad slash of .081/.244/.108 in 45PA.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Seconded!!!

  • crunch (view)

    another awesome spring of pitching reports.  thanks a lot, appreciated.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Here are the Cubs pitchers reports from Tuesday afternoon's Cardinals - Cubs game art Sloan Park in Mesa:

    SHOTA IMANAGA
    FB: 90-92 
    CUT: 87-89 
    SL: 82-83 
    SPLIT: 81-84
    CV: 73-74 
    COMMENT: Worked three innings plus two batters in the fourth... allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits (six singles and two doubles) walked one, and struck out six (four swinging), with a 1/2 GO/AO... he threw 73 pitches (52 strikes - 10 swing & miss - 19 foul balls)... surrendered one run in the top of the 1st on a one-out double off Cody Bellinger's glove in deep straight-away CF followed one out later by two consecutive two-out bloop singles, allowed two runs (one earned) in the 2nd after retiring the first two hitters (first batter had a nine-pitch AB with four consecutive two-strike foul balls before being retired 3 -U) on a two-out infield single (weak throw on the run by Nico Hoerner), a hard-contact line drive RBI double down the RF line, and an E-1 (missed catch) by Imanaga on what should been an inning-ending 3-1 GO, gave up another run in the 3rd on a two-out walk on a 3-2 pitch and an RBI double to LF, and two consecutive singles leading off the top of the 4th before being relieved (runners were ultimately left stranded)... threw 18 pitches in the 1st inning (14 strikes - two swing & miss, one on FB and the other on a SL - four foul balls), 24 pitches in the 2nd inning (17 strikes - three swing & miss, one on FB, two SPLIT - six foul balls), 19 pitches in the 3rd inning (13 strikes - seven swing & miss, three on SL, two on SPLIT, one on FB - three foul balls), and 12 pitches without retiring a batter in the top of the 4th (8 strikes - no swing & miss - four foul balls)... Imanaga throws a lot of pitches per inning, but it's not because he doesn't throw strikes...  if anything, he throws too many strikes (he threw 70% strikes on Tuesday)... while he gets a ton of swing & miss (and strikeouts), he also induces a lot of foul balls because he doesn't try to make hitters chase his pitches by throwing them out of the strike zone... rather, he uses his very diverse pitch mix to get swing & miss (and lots of foul balls as well)... he also is a fly ball pitcher who will give up more than his share of HR during the course of the season...   
     
    JOE NAHAS
    FB: 90-92 
    SL: 83-85 
    CV: 80-81 
    COMMENT: Was called up from the Hi-A South Bend group at Minor League Camp for the day... relieved Imanaga with runners at first and second and no outs in the top of the 4th, and after an E-2 catcher's interference committed by Miguel Amaya loaded he bases, Nahas struck out the side (one swinging & two looking)... threw 16 pitches (11 strikes - two swinging)...   

    YENCY ALMONTE
    FB: 89-92 
    CH: 86 
    SL: 79 
    COMMENT: Threw an eight-pitch 5th (five strikes - no swing & miss), with a 5-3 GO for the first out and an inning-ending 4-6-3 DP after a one-out single... command was a bit off but he worked through it...   

    FRANKIE SCALZO JR
    FB: 94-95
    CH: 88 
    SL: 83
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and worked the 6th inning... got the first outs easily (a P-5 and a 4-3 GO) on just three pitches, before allowing three consecutive two-out hard-contact hits (a double and two singles), with the third hit on pitch # 9 resulting in a runner being thrown out at the plate by RF Christian Franklin for the third out of the inning... 

    MICHAEL ARIAS
    FB: 94-96
    CH: 87-89
    SL: 82-83
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and allowed a hard-contact double on the third pitch of the 7th inning (a 96 MPH FB), and the runner came around to score on a 4-3 GO and a WP... gave up two other loud contact outs (an L-7 and an F-9)... threw 18 pitches (only 10 strikes - only one swing & miss)... stuff is electric but still very raw and he continues to have difficulty commanding it, and while he has the repertoire of a SP, he throws too many pitches-per-inning to be a SP and not enough strikes to be a closer... he is most definitely still a work-in-progress...   

    ZAC LEIGH: 
    FB: 93-94 
    CH: 89 
    SL: 81-83 
    CV: 78
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and tossed a 1-2-3 8th (4-3 GO, K-swinging on a sweeper, K-looking on another sweeper)... threw 14 pitches (11 strikes - one swing & miss - eight foul balls)... kept pumping pitches into the strike zone but had difficulty putting hitters away (ergo a ton of foul balls)... FB velo is nowhere near the 96-98 MPH it was a couple of years ago when he was a Top 30 prospect, but his secondaries are better...   

    JOSE ROMERO:  
    FB: 93-95
    SL: 82-84
    COMMENT: Was called up from the Hi-A South Bend group at Minor League Camp for the day and worked the 9th (14 pitches - only six strikes- no swing & miss) and allowed a solo HR after two near-HR fly outs to the warning track, before getting a 3-1 GO to end the inning... it was like batting practice when he wasn't throwing pitches out of the strike zone...

  • crunch (view)

    pablo sandoval played 3rd and got a couple ABs (strikeout, single!) in the OAK@SF "exhibition"

    mlb officially authenticated the ball of the single he hit.  nice.

    he's in surprisingly good shape considering his poor body condition in his last playing seasons.  he's not lean, but he looks healthier.  good for him.

  • crunch (view)

    dbacks are signing j.montgomery to a 1/25m with a vesting 20m player option.

    i dunno when the ink officially dries, but i believe if he signs once the season begins he can't be offered a QO...and i'm not sure if that thing with SD/LAD in korea was the season beginning, either.

  • crunch (view)

    sut says imanaga getting the home opener at wrigley (game 4 of the season).

  • crunch (view)

    cubs rolling out the who's who of "who the hell is this guy?" in the last spring game.

  • videographer (view)

    AZ Phil, speaking of Jordan Wicks having better command when he tires a bit, I remember reading about Dennis Lamp 40 years ago and his sinker that was better after 3 or 4 innings when he would tire a bit and get more sink with a little less speed on the pitch.  The key for Lamp was getting to the 4th inning.