Chicago Cubs

[DMBZeppelin]

cubs go 100 years... roi dies.. and we will have a democrat in the oval office.. can life get anhy worse?
Yes, Palin could be VP.

[Sou1 So1di3r]

fuck

[Sou1 So1di3r]

Is Jimmy coming back for next year?

[Bron Yr Aur]

Soriano is a bigger problem then Fuk. Honestly if we could get rid of both and have next year be LF - M. Ramirez and RF - Vlad Guererro who's an FA as well. Then I'd be happy. But honestly Manny is going to decline fast, and be shit as well. Just a warning.

Actually, I don't know about that. Soriano helped us get to where we were in the regular season. He is just trash in the postseason. So, I don't think there's any harm in keeping Soriano. But if we make the playoffs next year, we just play somebody else instead. :lol

Who knows, maybe Fuk will actually work during the offseason to get better.

[cryfreedom4136]

cubs go 100 years... roi dies.. and we will have a democrat in the oval office.. can life get anhy worse?

I only see one bad thing in that list... oh and its going to be 101 years now, this was the 100th year

[Ev42]

cubs go 100 years... roi dies.. and we will have a democrat in the oval office.. can life get anhy worse?

i only see two bad things. Obama for the win.

[Ev42]

Yes, Palin could be VP.

:thumbsup:thumbsup

[Ev42]

Is Jimmy coming back for next year?

doubt it. i hope Pie can win the job.

[crashintonickdm]

we're sending these brewers home for you.

[devilandthelord]

Cubs.....


.... I hate you.

[DMBZeppelin]

we're sending these brewers home for you.
Thank you.
Cubs.....


.... I hate you.
Don't be a playa hatta.

[devilandthelord]

Does anybody else hope the White Sox actually win one today just so it doesn't make all Chicago baseball look feeble?

[DMBZeppelin]

Does anybody else hope the White Sox actually win one today just so it doesn't make all Chicago baseball look feeble?
Not with how their fans have acted this post season towards us.

[devilandthelord]

Not with how their fans have acted this post season towards us.

Well yeah, they're fans are almost all trashy douchebags, but just for some Chicago Pride.

[Ev42]

Does anybody else hope the White Sox actually win one today just so it doesn't make all Chicago baseball look feeble?

No! i'm a Cub fan not a chicago fan

[crashintonickdm]

cubs.

[devilandthelord]

No! i'm a Cub fan not a chicago fan

Eh, whatever ok.
Don't get me wrong I hate the Sox and moreso their fans.
Just what I was thinking today.

In other news, Alfonso Soriano just popped out again.

[Ev42]

Eh, whatever ok.
Don't get me wrong I hate the Sox and moreso their fans.
Just what I was thinking today.

In other news, Alfonso Soriano just popped out again.

i'm sure a lot of fans will root for the sox not me. just cuz a team is in chicago does not mean i root for them.

[devilandthelord]

i'm sure a lot of fans will root for the sox not me. just cuz a team is in chicago does not mean i root for them.

Yeah, I don't want them to win the WS again or anything.
I'm just saying, just get one win today, just to make Chicago baseball look a bit better.
Then lose! :lol

They can't do jack without Quentin anyway.

[Sou1 So1di3r]

doubt it. i hope Pie can win the job.

Jimmy was one of my favorite parts of this years team

[DMBZeppelin]

No! i'm a Cub fan not a chicago fan
This man gets it :thumbsup screw the tweeners.
Jimmy was one of my favorite parts of this years team
Why because he had a batting average comparable to Fuk? But he hit a few more dingers? Ya he had a moment here or there, but overall he was pretty horrible. Why is this over looked?

.235 AVG and 55 RBI's on the year.

.200 AVG in the post season this year

.241 AVG post all star break

.250 AVG in September

.250 AVG in close, late situations

Outside of June where he hit .319, his next best month was July where he hit .255. The guy got hot for a month, hit a few dingers, and made one or two nice plays. D-Lee did a lot more then this guy yet most of you were riding on him. So please explain to me why we want Edmonds who's another year older? Johnson/Pie in 09'.

[devilandthelord]

Yeah I agree with Zep about Edmonds.
He played well for a small period of time, but otherwise was just average to bad.
I hope Pie can remember how to hit all season and be our everyday CF.

[DMBZeppelin]

Yeah I agree with Zep about Edmonds.
He played well for a small period of time, but otherwise was just average to bad.
I hope Pie can remember how to hit all season and be our everyday CF.
Well as I've said many times. Last 15 games before getting sent down to AAA Pie hit .285. In September he hit .300 and in his only post season at bat. While the rest of the Cubs did shit, he drew a walk. I'm not sure what that means, but if he can hit at least .270-80 with his defense, arm, speed, and range. He's light years better then Edmonds and Johnson.

[devilandthelord]

Well as I've said many times. Last 15 games before getting sent down to AAA Pie hit .285. In September he hit .300 and in his only post season at bat. While the rest of the Cubs did shit, he drew a walk. I'm not sure what that means, but if he can hit at least .270-80 with his defense, arm, speed, and range. He's light years better then Edmonds and Johnson.

Well yah, that'd be great.
But there's no guarantee he won't come up and hit .220 next April.
Does he hit for much power? I honestly don't know.

[DMBZeppelin]

Well yah, that'd be great.
But there's no guarantee he won't come up and hit .220 next April.
Does he hit for much power? I honestly don't know.
He's got a little pop, but his bat has been hard to judge. Without a doubt he's a 5 tool talent player. See the problem with Pie is he's 23. Up until now, he's been young for every level he's been at. Also at every level he struggled horribly for a solid year before tearing it up.

So when he first got to AAA he was hitting like .200 then next year hit about .400. He struggled when he got sent back down, but that's because Lou made him learn a new swing. He worked on it, and now his bat seems to be back. That swing also seemed to be working during Sept callups.

But honestly Pie will probably have growing pains, but we need to let him have them. You can't go "Ok you sucked the first series, you're a defensive replacement now." like we did after the Brewers series this year. Just not going to work.

[neumdogg]

Dodgers!

[devilandthelord]

Dodgers!

Contract AIDS and die.

[clayj41]

Does anybody else hope the White Sox actually win one today just so it doesn't make all Chicago baseball look feeble?

Fuck the Sox. I'm hoping for a Rays-Phillies World Series.

[Sou1 So1di3r]

Dodgers Red Sox ftw.... just so there can be uber Manny controversy

[devilandthelord]

That would be pretty funny actually.
That's the only scenario in which I'd actually like to see the Dodgers win it.
Just to piss Boston off really badly while Manny hits like 6 HRs against their pitching.

MLB would certainly like it.
LA and Boston markets would be a heckuva lot more attractive to them than Philly and Tampa Bay. Hahaha

[clayj41]

Dodgers Red Sox ftw.... just so there can be uber Manny controversy

As interesting as that would be, there are two things in this world I would love to watch burn...Manny Ramirez and the city of Boston. Knowing that one would have to win in that scenario would make me sick.

[Bron Yr Aur]

So now what? Do we keep all of these guys and try to re-sign Wood and Dempster and try to do it all over again next year? I mean, I guess so. It'd be nice if Felix became really good really fast, or if Cedeno improved enough to be our starting SS, but the big concern is: Will the same thing happen for the third year in a row?

I think Mark DeRosa summed it up pretty well in his blog:

This one is way worse than last year's NLDS. I don't know why that is. Any time you get to the postseason, you have a chance to win a championship. It should feel the same but for me, this team was so special and I had so much fun for six, seven months and played on the best team in the National League. To perform the way we performed for three days is shocking.

This one will be a tough one to get over because you never know when we show up to Spring Training who is going to be there. Not everyone who's here will be there.

We want nothing more than to be on the team that gets it done. I would say almost to a man that's why guys come here. They want to be a part of the team that wins it for the city of Chicago and for the fans. For us to play so well for six months and to come out here and perform for three days the way we did is just terrible.

I mean, this has to be part of the problem. This tells me that they no doubt feel the pressure and get a bit caught up in the whole Chicago fervor for a World Series. Hopefully they've learned something this year...

[devilandthelord]

I don't what to tell you man.
All I know is I really don't want to think about the Cubs again for a good long while.
Maybe in March or April the sting of this will have worn off and I'll actually want to get as wrapped up in the Cubs as I was this year, but as of right now I don't think I can put myself through that 6 month grind of following them everyday and getting my hopes up so high. Cuz I really believe they'll just let me down again.

[UCFish]

I don't what to tell you man.
All I know is I really don't want to think about the Cubs again for a good long while.
Maybe in March or April the sting of this will have worn off and I'll actually want to get as wrapped up in the Cubs as I was this year, but as of right now I don't think I can put myself through that 6 month grind of following them everyday and getting my hopes up so high. Cuz I really believe they'll just let me down again.

Agreed. Would like baseball to just not be on tv.

Why the fuck do I have to move to LA and see dodger fans all the time. I will probably punch somebody

[thebestauntie]

Agreed. Would like baseball to just not be on tv.

Why the fuck do I have to move to LA and see dodger fans all the time. I will probably punch somebody
Is Jon alive, I forgot to check earlier. :lol

[VanHorneDog]

wow that teh suxs.

[Sou1 So1di3r]

I really hope Wood and Dempster come back.... I can't imagine Wood leaving the Cubs.... :(

[HolyCow]

Next year...

[Sou1 So1di3r]

I can't imagine anything except more success if the team stays similar to how it is now.

[gocubsgo3822]

i am on the rays bandwagon for all ofit... i decided to go watch the bears intead of going to a hospital becuase of this team....... I dont get it.. Do what Phil Rogers suggested and send Fukudoem to AAA.... he cant hit at this level right now.. It fucking orked with kaz matsui...

HBK

[gocubsgo3822]

BTW i believe we were up 2-) when clay made his mirraculous appearence. :evil


from al yellon founder and creator of bleed cubbie blue

"

And when I say "nothing", I mean it.

I am not opening comments on this post. Eventually, I will post a recap of this utter disaster, but it may take me a day or so. Until then, I want this post to stand alone on the front page as a monument to the worst performance I have seen in 45 years as a Cubs fan.

Good night.

[MPizzle06]

The attitude has to change on the part of the fans as well as on the part of the players. They kept saying that they didn't feel the pressure to succeed, but to me it was SO OBVIOUS that they were rattled. From swinging at complete shit pitches to making huge defensive blunders, this team just completely crumbled under the weight that is postseason baseball.

The whole "It's Gonna Happen" motif needs to go away. I'm sorry. I dream of a World series title on the North Side as much as every other life-long die-hard Cubs fan, but that mentality seems to be hurting our team, as well as our psyches. And hell, maybe that train of thought will slowly fade now that 100 years have passed, and, more importantly, we are making the playoffs a lot more consistently this decade. Once we actually make it past the NLDS, then sure, break out the signs and dive into the hope that we will get it done.

The truth is that we have a great club in the Cubs, some great young players that are only going to get better in Theriot, Soto, Marmol, Fontenot, Pie, etc., a great manager in Sweet Lou, and a front office that has finally been willing to spend and invest in a great team for the future. All signs are pointing towards long-term success, which will hopefully lead to a championship in the future.

If we re-sign the right guys and make a few acquisitions, there's no reason that we shouldn't make it a three-peat in the Central. The Brewers will most likely lose C.C. and Sheets to free agency which would likely damage their chances to challenge the Cubs. The Cards will always be a tough team, but I still see the Cubs being better in '09.

I'm just as guilty as everyone else for getting too wrapped up in the thought that "It's Gonna Happen", and that's just part of what it means to be a Cub fan. I just feel that this mentality has to change for us to finally get over that hump and win in the playoffs.

Go Cubs.

[darbini]

I hoped it was going to happen, it's just a shame that it didn't and with that kind of performance on the way out. Cubs.

[dmbman32]

"The Dark Knight" had a tagline that read like this:
-Welcome to a world without rules.

The 2009 Cubs tagline will read similar to that:
-Welcome to a world of a "pissed off" fanbase.

Not "heartbroken," not "sad," not "betrayed," but [I]pissed off.[I] Being at Game 1 & Game 2, I've never in my life seen a Cubs' crowd so angry before. After that grand slam in Game 1, the fans just threw in the towel and briefly showed hope for the first 2 innings in Game 2. Otherwise, they were furious. That's never happened before.

My old man always said about baseball: "Whatever you think is going to happen in baseball won't." And it's so true. You don't have a team win 97 games and coast to win their division with every piece of the puzzle seeming to be in order and get SWEPT in the 1st round by a team about 20 games worse during the regular season. Not only that, but lose because THEY are doing so many godawful things to hurt themselves (walks/errors). That just doesn't happen. But it did, and that's the way baseball goes. You put the Royals in a playoff spot, and they have as good of a chance as anybody. You basically need to have a hot few weeks in October and anything is possible.

In regards to the Cubs' season in review, let's look at the positives:
-Back to back Division champs/playoff berths since 1906-1908.
-Most regular season wins in God-knows how long.
-Tons of farm system guys performed this year (Theriot/Soto/Fontenot/Hoffpauir/Marmol/etc.)
-Most of the big guns will be back for next year
-Barring monster moves from other clubs, they'll probably win the division next year

So of course this will always be rememberd as a monster of a dissapointment, as it should. Because, maybe not the World Series, but they should have done SO much better. But it didn't happen. Baseball's a cruel game. But I think a ton of lessons were learned by this. If they get in the playoffs next year, I think they will remember this as a cautionary tale.

But we'll see....

[DMBZeppelin]

The truth is that we have a great club in the Cubs, some great young players that are only going to get better in Theriot, Soto, Marmol, Fontenot, Pie, etc., a great manager in Sweet Lou, and a front office that has finally been willing to spend and invest in a great team for the future. All signs are pointing towards long-term success, which will hopefully lead to a championship in the future.

If we re-sign the right guys and make a few acquisitions, there's no reason that we shouldn't make it a three-peat in the Central.
Problem is though, they spent but weren't investing in the future. They spent because Cubs winning = more Cubs would be worth on the market.

We have a shit load of back loaded contracts, and Cuban or whoever is going to have to deal with that. Are payroll was around $99 mil in 07, and with basically the same team it was around $120 this year. Harden is dirt cheap and Fuk didn't make that much this year before anyone says that.

But Soriano went from being a $8-9 million player to being about $13 this year. Starting next year he cost $18 mil a year till after the 2014 season. Fuk who only made $6 mil this year makes $11.5, $13, and $13.5 the next three seasons.

We have to resign Wood and Dempster long term. Hopefully we let Howry walk, but with the Trib's mind set of win now, spend now. They tried like hell to screw over the next owner. Who's going to have to spend a lot just to get the team, and renovate Wrigley. Then he's got to spend more on this team to get it better. Dunno, financially it's a horrible situation.

[ProudestAnt]

Good thing everyone got excited about LCS tickets, eh?

[bothedmbfan]

Fucking fucking fuck.

[devilandthelord]

I really hope Wood and Dempster come back.... I can't imagine Wood leaving the Cubs.... :(


He won't go anywhere unless management decides they don't want him.
He's a guy that loves playing here, appreciates the faith the team showed in him by staying with him through his injuries, and will be a Cub for life if he can.

Now Dempster I don't know about.
He may just go to whomever is the highest bidder but we'll see.

[Sou1 So1di3r]

Damn...


Cubs

[darbini]

Dempster earned himself a big contract with the year he just had, so the possibility of him going somewhere else is very real and understandable(not a Cub point of view but a financial one). Maybe Fukudome can take a pay cut and they can give it to Dempster:)

[devilandthelord]

Dempster earned himself a big contract with the year he just had, so the possibility of him going somewhere else is very real and understandable(not a Cub point of view but a financial one). Maybe Fukudome can take a pay cut and they can give it to Dempster:)

I fully support this!
Give Fukudome the veteran minimum and send him back to Japan. :lol

[Sou1 So1di3r]

I a fukudome shirt, headband, and 3 Cubs division champs things: the two shirts and a hoodie.


Wtf do I do now.. :(

The only thing I can wear anymore is my Soto shirt

[darbini]

Just to be clear, I support Fukudome remaining on the team, but just take a pay cut. I think his first season was a very promising one that withered away towards the end, but there may have been reasons for that. His average games played per season the previous 4 years was only 111 games a year, with only playing 81 in 2007(elbow surgery) and 92 in 2004. It's funny because on his 111th game he had 1 hit and was batting .282, but followed that up with 23 hits in his next 125 at bats down the stretch, batting a whopping .184!!!!! A whole 100pts less than what he was batting! He will be more comfortable next year and should be in better shape to last the whole 162 game schedule. The fans will reload and the Cubs will be back because next year is the year!!!!!!

[FSUant212]

I have no remorse. That's what you guys get for resting your starters so much, you can't get right back into a rhythm THAT fast! At least you didn't have another steve bartman disaster. Didn't you know after he was run out of chi-town, he was well taken care of in south florida!


Go Marlins 2009!

[DMBnick15]

I have no remorse. That's what you guys get for resting your starters so much, you can't get right back into a rhythm THAT fast! At least you didn't have another steve bartman disaster. Didn't you know after he was run out of chi-town, he was well taken care of in south florida!


Go Marlins 2009!

the marlins will not win another world series in the next 25 years.

[funksoul]

I have no remorse. That's what you guys get for resting your starters so much, you can't get right back into a rhythm THAT fast! At least you didn't have another steve bartman disaster. Didn't you know after he was run out of chi-town, he was well taken care of in south florida!


Go Marlins 2009!


Uhh...you've been out in the sun too long. Outside of the last day of the season it was business as normal for the most part.

Dempster was on a normal 4 day rest...he pitched the Friday before his game 1 Wednesday start and threw 80 pitches. He was the only starter who pitched poorly in my opinion. Zambrano and Harden were fairly effective relatively speaking. Can't win when you committ errors and you don't score runs.

[funksoul]

the marlins will not win another world series in the next 25 years.

and why do you say this?

[Bron Yr Aur]

I have no remorse. That's what you guys get for resting your starters so much, you can't get right back into a rhythm THAT fast! At least you didn't have another steve bartman disaster. Didn't you know after he was run out of chi-town, he was well taken care of in south florida!


Go Marlins 2009!

Dempster pitched in normal rest and had one of his worst starts. The most consistent pitcher on the team all season. Zambrano pitched well and it ain't his fault the defense fell apart. Harden needed extra rest because he was somewhat injured. And the pitchers only gave up 3 runs that night. The 2 errors plus Theriot's mistake in the 2nd inning of game 2 was worse than the Bartman play, because this one was 100% at the hands of the players.

Try to make an attempt to know what you're talking about next time.

[TheOtherside]

I a fukudome shirt, headband, and 3 Cubs division champs things: the two shirts and a hoodie.


Wtf do I do now.. :(

The only thing I can wear anymore is my Soto shirt

don't buy division champs crap. not only is it bad policy, you look like a dork wearing it.

[devilandthelord]

don't buy division champs crap. not only is it bad policy, you look like a dork wearing it.

:thumbsup
I would only buy a t-shirt if we won the WS.
Maybe winning the pennant, but probably not.

[clcfball11]

Been too sick to my stomach over this team to post very much post-series analysis, but here goes...

1) Like most of you, I agree that we have a very good young nucleus in our organization that is probably out-done only by the tampa bay rays. And, I believe with the above poster who said we should have an "NL Central 3-peat" in our future...but the thing is, i dont CARE about the NL Central...we could go 162-0 next year and i wouldnt be excited yet. The thing I'm pondering is, after watching THIS group of players play the worst baseball ive ever seen in my life after being the best team in the league all season, does this group if players have "it"? You can talk about their talent and youth and ability until youre blue in the face, but it doesnt matter if our supposed studs completely crumble when it matters (mainly, soriano and ramirez). These guys were a BIG part of our 97 wins this season. A-Ram was one of my favorite players all year, in fact, because of his newly found patience at the plate and knack for hitting incredible late-inning shots that sent wrigley into a frenzy on numerous occasions. But it simply DOESNT MATTER when he gets ONE HIT in 3 postseason games...everyone keeps saying "oh no, youve gotta credit the dodgers pitchers.." no, fuck that. we didnt face Cy Young and Nolan Ryan...the game 3 pitcher was fucking below .500 on the year playing in hands down the worst division in baseball. The way we crumbled under pressure is disgusting, and it ONLY happened because of OUR inability to do jackshit when it counts. It sure would be tough to justify moving soriano or ramirez, but shit...these guys need to either prove they can win a 5-game series under pressure, or we need to go out and find guys who can.



2)I'm sure this has been beat to death in here, but I dont feel like doing back-reading...the fact that Reed Johnson didn't see an inning in that series is some of the worst coaching/managing I've ever seen at the professional level in any sport. I'd like to see a statistic that shows the Cubs' record this season when Reed was in the line-up. I would bet a large chunk of change that it was better than when he wasn't.


3) For those of you looking for a team to get into and to take your focus away from the cubs, if you arent already, check out the blackhawks as they open their season this friday. This team not only has the BEST young talent in the NHL, but they have character. I can guarantee you that they won't falter when it counts either. The entire roster is full of talented, proven leaders and winners who all feed off eachother. And the average age is hands down the youngest in the NHL, including last year's rookie of the year (kane) and a 20-year old CAPTAIN (Toews). Hop on the bandwagon now before they become perennial stanley cup contenders.

[devilandthelord]

I think just to show how pissed we Cubs fans really are, we should stop going to games for a while.
See what they think when the stadium is half full or less.
I just feel like they deserve it.
Management would certainly take notice.
The players might not care, cuz they're still getting paid, but the owners and such would certainly care.
Suddenly their cash cow team, that has fans that go to the games no matter what and just get hammered and don't care who wins would be gone.
Then what would they do?

[crashintonickdm]

you should all rock dodger lids.

[jaking1185]

I think just to show how pissed we Cubs fans really are, we should stop going to games for a while.
See what they think when the stadium is half full or less.
I just feel like they deserve it.
Management would certainly take notice.
The players might not care, cuz they're still getting paid, but the owners and such would certainly care.
Suddenly their cash cow team, that has fans that go to the games no matter what and just get hammered and don't care who wins would be gone.
Then what would they do?

If they were like most owners, they'd blame the "antiquated" stadium and demand the city build them a new one to improve their revenue stream.

[devilandthelord]

If they were like most owners, they'd blame the "antiquated" stadium and demand the city build them a new one to improve their revenue stream.

That's probably true.
Cuz then if fans weren't coming, they'd turn on Wrigley and say its because its a dump and they need a new stadium.

[DMBZeppelin]

2)I'm sure this has been beat to death in here, but I dont feel like doing back-reading...the fact that Reed Johnson didn't see an inning in that series is some of the worst coaching/managing I've ever seen at the professional level in any sport. I'd like to see a statistic that shows the Cubs' record this season when Reed was in the line-up. I would bet a large chunk of change that it was better than when he wasn't.
:lol We didn't lose the NLDS because of Reed Johnson. Do I like him? Ya but he wasn't a super star or anything. You're right the Cubs record with Reed in the lineup is probably good, but you could say that about anyone. We won 97 games. I bet you with Fuk in the lineup we had a great record as well. Even after he sucked.

The reason he didn't play was because the Dodgers had power right handers. Lou tried to counteract that with a power hitting left hander in Edmonds. But when Lee who's .545 AVG leads the NL in the postseason has 0 RBI's and 2 runs. That tells me are 1 and 2 hitters did a HORRIBLE job of getting on base.

It also tells me the fact he was getting on base and scored himself twice means that guys behind him weren't getting him home. So Soriano (.071), Theriot (.273), Ramirez (.182), Edmonds (.200) and Soto (.182) are why we lost. Not Reed Johnson.

[Sou1 So1di3r]

Still, Reed should have played, for sure. I really like that guy.

[DMBZeppelin]

Still, Reed should have played, for sure. I really like that guy.
Ok, but he said him not playing was some of the worst managing he's ever seen. I mean c'mon.

[gocubsgo3822]

ths might be crazy but someone on bleed cubbie blue was talking about mahybe we could trade lee and sign dunn.. thought??? We are way too fucking right handed.. Or just sign Dunn.. Mayb trade Harden too....

[Sou1 So1di3r]

I want kevin yukolis, like right now. But its not gonna happen, but I want him.

I think we should keep harden, he is very promising.

[devilandthelord]

Just popped in to say Fuck the Cubs, cuz seeing the thread made me remember how angry I am at them.
Peace!

[DMBZeppelin]

ths might be crazy but someone on bleed cubbie blue was talking about mahybe we could trade lee and sign dunn.. thought??? We are way too fucking right handed.. Or just sign Dunn.. Mayb trade Harden too....
So trade our first basemen and sign an outfielder? Unless you want Dunn at 1B which is a HORRIBLE idea. Does the guy hit some homers? Ya usually hits 40 on the dot. But the guy only hits in the .230's. What happens in the playoffs when good pitchers aren't making mistakes? His batting average is going to get that much worse. So I'm not sure why anyone in their right mind would want him.

Why trade Harden? We got him dirt cheap. Only way I consider it is if we can't extend him in the offseason. He's a great pitcher, and I don't believe you build your rotation around him. But if you team up Zambrano with another ace. Then you have guys like Harden and Dempster (if he can do it again). Then you have a great rotation.

What could we get for Harden anways? Injury prone guy who's an FA after next season. Only person we should try to trade is Soriano before it's too late. Because sooner then later he will become untradable and we'll all hate him. He's not going to become a better left fielder with age. He can't hit good pitching. Once he gets older I doubt he hits bad pitching.

[bothedmbfan]

I'm not even thinking about the Cubs anymore. Now I'm thinking about the clever, and painful way Da Bears are going to disappoint me this year.

[rick8285]

I want Ellsbury!

[DMBZeppelin]

For Brian out loud

After sifting through the Cubs' mess, one thing is clear: They could've used Roberts

In the bitter end, the difference might have been Brian Roberts, after all.

Maybe he wouldn't have overcome the walks in Game 1 or the errors in Game 2, but the Cubs' woeful lack of playoff hitting comes down to two big deficiencies:

First, they have no left-handed hitters whom opponents respect. If you don't believe that, ask yourself how many pitches a Dodgers left-hander threw against the Cubs in seven regular-season and three postseason games. The answer: none.

The second one is even bigger. And of all people, Alfonso Soriano alluded to it after Saturday night's elimination when he suggested the Cubs aren't built to hit in the postseason. That starts with Soriano and his all-or-nothing traits as a leadoff hitter.

A team of talented hitters who can beat around enough of the National League pitching staffs over the course of six months to lead the league in runs can't succeed against the elite staffs that inevitably make up the playoff field without better balance and top-of-the-order table-setting ability. A little more speed in the lineup doesn't hurt, either, come October.

The Cubs knew it last winter. They fell short of addressing it as well as they would've liked because they missed on Kosuke Fukudome -- at least as a rookie -- and couldn't wrest Roberts away from Andy MacPhail and the Baltimore Orioles. (Not to mention manager Lou Piniella's pipe dream of getting switch hitter Chone Figgins from the Angels).

General manager Jim Hendry and his staff already have started the process of looking ahead, but that won't pick up much speed until organizational meetings starting Oct. 19 in Mesa, Ariz.

Until then, Hendry won't speculate on specific plans for next year. And the lead-up to the meetings serves another purpose of letting the shock -- and possible knee-jerk personnel reactions -- wash away before real decisions are made.

''You've got to let it go a little bit,'' he said.

After all, even if you wanted to, how would you move Soriano ($106 million and six years left on his contract) or Fukudome ($38 million and three) to open up corner outfield spots for a more classic leadoff hitter and more left-handed production?

And is the frustration over Chad Gaudin's late-night dumpster injury that hamstrung the middle of the bullpen over the final month worth jettisoning him before giving him a chance to do next season what he did during his first two months with the Cubs this summer?

And while the electric-stuff, extra-rest dichotomy that is pitcher Rich Harden creates a potential managing headache, picking up his $7 million contract option could be a major factor in the depth of the Cubs' top-end pitching talent next season.

These are all issues that have been at least vented internally in the wake of the Cubs' whiplash playoff loss, according to sources.
But for its October flaws, there's a lot to like about this team, and the window appears open wide for multiple runs at the playoffs.

''It's a hard team not to like,'' Hendry said. ''It's a team that hustled all year, a team that got off the mat when it had a few snags, a team that everybody contributes with a bench that Lou uses very well.

''We expected to be good this year, and we were very, very good. We just have to roll up our sleeves and get to work and keep plugging.''

With an eye toward turning a built-for-the-long-season success story into a playoff winner, the Cubs should turn their attention toward the following:

1. Making another all-out push for Roberts. With only one year left on his contract at $8 million, the switch-hitting leadoff hitter who scored 107 runs with a .378 on-base percentage this season might be available this time. Who knows with the Orioles? But the Baltimore second baseman is still the best answer for helping put the Cubs over the top -- and allowing Piniella the peace of mind to put Soriano into a more appropriate spot in the order with the least possible impact on Soriano's ego.

2. Setting the stage for Fukudome to enter spring training without a starting spot guaranteed. Have him bring a personal hitting coach from Japan, as has been discussed, if that will help. And if the bad habits persist through spring training, use Class AAA Iowa to try to get him right. Meanwhile, if Roberts is in the fold, give right field to Mark DeRosa or somebody Hendry brings in.

3. Going after a proven left-handed bat to go with the addition of somebody such as Roberts. The easiest target might be Raul Ibanez, a former Piniella player who might be a tough fit as a corner outfielder, depending on corresponding moves, but who's a great fit in any clubhouse. The Cubs almost got him in a deal this summer. Maybe now's the time.

4. Pushing for more pitching. You never can have enough. And if CC Sabathia is healthy after all those short-rest innings this summer and fall, and if he can be had as a free agent, give it an aggressive shot. Free agent Ryan Dempster should be brought back. And if the price tags start adding up too high, the Cubs can move or not bring back a few others to modify the rise in payroll.

5. Picking up Harden's contract option. It's about what he figures to make in arbitration if the option isn't exercised, and it affords the Cubs the flexibility of managing his immense talent against his health issues -- or shopping him as a valuable commodity if they're able to bring back Dempster and land Sabathia.
You know they may be right, Roberts would have gotten on ahead of Lee. Not to mention he probably turns the routine double play. We also know that Roberts can hit at Wrigley when he kicked our ass earlier this year.

[DMBZeppelin]

So going off of that, I think we do need to go get Brian Roberts. And do whatever we can to get Vladimir Alvino Guerrero and Carsten Charles Sabathia. Then figure out a way to dump Soriano.

You wind up with this:

1. (S) Roberts, 2B
2. (L) Pie, CF
3. (R) Lee, 1B
4. (R) Guerrero, RF
5. (R) Ramirez, 3B
6. (R) Soto, C
7. (L)Hoffpauir/(R) Johnson, LF
8. (R) Theriot, SS

Plus Fotenot is another lefty you mix into the lineup.

[bothedmbfan]

Jesus dude. Here I am, IMing you about my severly bruised ass and you're talkin Cubs shit?

Sheeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiittttt.

[Sou1 So1di3r]

So going off of that, I think we do need to go get Brian Roberts. And do whatever we can to get Vladimir Alvino Guerrero and Carsten Charles Sabathia. Then figure out a way to dump Soriano.

You wind up with this:

1. (S) Roberts, 2B
2. (L) Pie, CF
3. (R) Lee, 1B
4. (R) Guerrero, RF
5. (R) Ramirez, 3B
6. (R) Soto, C
7. (L)Hoffpauir/(R) Johnson, LF
8. (R) Theriot, SS

Plus Fotenot is another lefty you mix into the lineup.

No DeRo and no Edmounds? :thumbsdow

[chr35919]

You know they may be right, Roberts would have gotten on ahead of Lee. Not to mention he probably turns the routine double play. We also know that Roberts can hit at Wrigley when he kicked our ass earlier this year.
yeah, that's why you lost.:lol

[bigeyefish22]

THE MORNING MIX (Vol. 153)
Billy Goat Curse Edition
by Dan Barreiro
Editor's Note: Occasionally the Mix devolves into an old-fashioned column/rant on something that defies categorization into a simple countdown. Today is one of those days.


So, it's 1 o'clock Sunday morning, and I'm watching Cubbie analysts on a Chicago sports cable outfit attempting to explain the inexplicable: The Cubs are done. Again. Down and out near Beverly Hills -- after a post-season performance so unimaginably grotesque, so detached, so joyless, so devoid of professional at-bats by allegedly professional hitters (start with Soriano, go next to Ramirez), that it cannot simply be dismissed as another Cubbie Occurrence in this franchise's Hundred Years War with itself.

(Soriano actually had the gall, the audacity, the nerve after the game to tell Cubs fans to be patient. Cubs fans! Patient! After a hundred years! You can't make it up.)

So wretched it had been, so obvious the end had become after Games 1 and 2, that the Cubs' elimination didn't seem to hurt anymore. Seemed more like a mere formality. No need to agonize endlessly over what-ifs. No Bartman moments.

And then they played that new, surprisingly good Eddie Vedder ode to the Cubs -- "(Someday We'll Go) All the Way" to a series of highlights of the Cubs 2008 season, and they got me.

Got me right in the heart. Like it had fallen out of my chest and broken into little pieces.

And it wasn't the highlights of the team's ridiculously good 2008 regular-season performance, it was the shots of the Wrigley Field crowds, chanting, salaaming, singing that got me. It was knowing the heartbreak those poor suckers did not imagine -- or maybe knew all too well -- lurked, like the wicked Northwest wind in Chicago known as the Hawk, right around the corner.

Don't get me wrong here. I shed no tears for the Johnny Come Lately Cubs fan. I even understand the annoyance folks nationally have with this Cubbie phenomenon, in which a lot of folks pretend to be Cubs fans when they are really Event Fans and Excuse-to-Drink Fans and Excuse-to-Leer Fans and Excuse-to-be-at-the-Cool-Place-to-See-and-Be-Seen-Fans.

Bleep them. They're a dime-a-dozen, as authentic as a My-Space page.

Today, I feel bad for the aging Cubs fan who lowered her head towards the end of that Eddie Vedder highlight video, when they even included lowlights from the first two games of the NLDS series at Wrigley Field, by which point it already had become apparent to her and everybody else how 2008 would end for the North Siders.

I feel bad for her, for real Cubs fans, who don't have to be told who Adolfo Phillips, Kenny Hubbs and Paul Popovich were, what Ron Santo used to do on his way down the left-field line after games in '69, and what Dick Selma used to do from the bullpen during games in that same wonderfully tragic season.

I feel bad for the real Cubs fans who remember the time that smoky link grill caught in fire in the grandstand, remember the Cubs pitcher who used to hypnotize himself before starts, know why a rebel flag used to be raised in the left-field bleachers every time Randy Hundley came to the plate, and can still feel the fear and loathing when darkness would creep in by the sixth inning of the nightcap of a long holiday doubleheader.

I feel bad for the real Cubs fans who don't have to be told who that guy was who used to sit on the field behind home plate (about where that phony generated-for-TV virtual Ads box is located today), who with their dads regularly climbed the steps to the Wrigley Field grandstand -- to come face-to-face with that beautiful field and that old-fashioned scoreboard -- long before it was fashionable.

They are the ones who I feel for today, though I tell them -- and outside observers -- that no, this is not the worst of the worst. I know that because it is happening now, and we are at the 100 years mark, and the possibilities for a championship run never seemed more real, the temptation will be to say that this is the worst.

And it was bad. Did you see what Derek Lee did as he stood on second base in Game 3, after leading off the inning with a double? He brought one hand down on the other in an exaggerated clap, and seemed to snarl and plead in the direction of the Cubs dugout, as if to say: "Anybody else in there got a pulse? Anybody else alive? We're an inning away from complete and total failure. Can we stop embarrassing ourselves for at least an inning or two and put forth something like a reasonable accounting? Do we have any pride whatsoever? Or are we just a bunch of choking pigs soon to be added to the dust-heap of Cubbie history?"

Lee got his answer when Ramirez struck out swinging and Soto popped to short. And though Lee eventually did score, that was the extent of the comeback.

Still, this is not the worst. No, if you are old enough to remember, and even if you are not, 1969 was still worse. Think of it this way: That regular-season collapse -- 17 games lost in the standings over the last month-and-a-half -- was a slow, painful, death. I'll take four days of torture over six weeks of waterboarding any day.

Even 2003 was worse, because then Cubs fans at least could smell it: Five outs, five outs, at Wrigley Field from reaching the World Series. Before Bartman.

In the 2008 post-season, the Cubbies were so far removed from active participation that there was no smell. Which in its own way, is another kind of cruel for the true Cubs fan, who knows all the variations.

[gocubsgo3822]

zep that scenario is out of control

[FSUant212]

the marlins will not win another world series in the next 25 years.

We have 2 in ten years though, how many do you guys have in a century? Not to mention, for being as young as we are and making a pretty solid run at the wild card was impressive to say the least. Fuck the mets, fuck the cubs, and fuck the phillies.

Red Sox vs Dodgers, would be the best possible series for the sport of baseball. ratings will be back up and it will be avidly watched coast to coast.

Watch, next year everyone will be doin the fish!

Yeah, yeah, yeah!

[TapNorris]

We have 2 in ten years though, how many do you guys have in a century? Not to mention, for being as young as we are and making a pretty solid run at the wild card was impressive to say the least. Fuck the mets, fuck the cubs, and fuck the phillies.

Red Sox vs Dodgers, would be the best possible series for the sport of baseball. ratings will be back up and it will be avidly watched coast to coast.

Watch, next year everyone will be doin the fish!

Yeah, yeah, yeah!

That quote came from a Cardinals fan.

But this one is from a Cubs fan......Fuck the Marlins!!!!!!!!

[BustedStuff87]

So going off of that, I think we do need to go get Brian Roberts. And do whatever we can to get Vladimir Alvino Guerrero and Carsten Charles Sabathia. Then figure out a way to dump Soriano.

You wind up with this:

1. (S) Roberts, 2B
2. (L) Pie, CF
3. (R) Lee, 1B
4. (R) Guerrero, RF
5. (R) Ramirez, 3B
6. (R) Soto, C
7. (L)Hoffpauir/(R) Johnson, LF
8. (R) Theriot, SS

Plus Fotenot is another lefty you mix into the lineup.

If we had Vlad, Wrigley would be too easy for him. With the wind blowing out, we may see the first Homer to tag the scoreboard.

[DMBZeppelin]

No DeRo and no Edmounds? :thumbsdow
DeRo would play, but he'd be the super sub. Which was the plan if we had gotten Roberts. On any given day if someone has the day off (except center field, shortstop, and catcher) DeRosa is playing.

Edmonds sucks, I will go find the post I made about him. If you can respond to it with some kind of logic I can understand on keeping him. I will change my opinion on him.

[DMBZeppelin]

Why because he had a batting average comparable to Fuk? But he hit a few more dingers? Ya he had a moment here or there, but overall he was pretty horrible. Why is this over looked?

.235 AVG and 55 RBI's on the year.

.200 AVG in the post season this year

.241 AVG post all star break

.250 AVG in September

.250 AVG in close, late situations

Outside of June where he hit .319, his next best month was July where he hit .255. The guy got hot for a month, hit a few dingers, and made one or two nice plays. D-Lee did a lot more then this guy yet most of you were riding on him. So please explain to me why we want Edmonds who's another year older? Johnson/Pie in 09'.
Sou1 So1di3r please explain to me why you want Edmonds apart of the 09' team. Because I'd honestly like to see where you are coming from.

[DMBZeppelin]

zep that scenario is out of control
I know it is, and unlikely to happen. But it's the offseason. We need to figure out how to make this team better. I hope we make some moves and don't come back with the same team. This offense is the suck in the post season. The only offensive addition was Fukudome, and he looked great at first. But he wasn't much of a bat in the post season and it's like we never got him.

[Sou1 So1di3r]

DeRo would play, but he'd be the super sub. Which was the plan if we had gotten Roberts. On any given day if someone has the day off (except center field, shortstop, and catcher) DeRosa is playing.

Edmonds sucks, I will go find the post I made about him. If you can respond to it with some kind of logic I can understand on keeping him. I will change my opinion on him.

You are insane:eek

[86dmbal]

Been too sick to my stomach over this team to post very much post-series analysis, but here goes...

1) Like most of you, I agree that we have a very good young nucleus in our organization that is probably out-done only by the tampa bay rays. And, I believe with the above poster who said we should have an "NL Central 3-peat" in our future...but the thing is, i dont CARE about the NL Central...we could go 162-0 next year and i wouldnt be excited yet. The thing I'm pondering is, after watching THIS group of players play the worst baseball ive ever seen in my life after being the best team in the league all season, does this group if players have "it"? You can talk about their talent and youth and ability until youre blue in the face, but it doesnt matter if our supposed studs completely crumble when it matters (mainly, soriano and ramirez). These guys were a BIG part of our 97 wins this season. A-Ram was one of my favorite players all year, in fact, because of his newly found patience at the plate and knack for hitting incredible late-inning shots that sent wrigley into a frenzy on numerous occasions. But it simply DOESNT MATTER when he gets ONE HIT in 3 postseason games...everyone keeps saying "oh no, youve gotta credit the dodgers pitchers.." no, fuck that. we didnt face Cy Young and Nolan Ryan...the game 3 pitcher was fucking below .500 on the year playing in hands down the worst division in baseball. The way we crumbled under pressure is disgusting, and it ONLY happened because of OUR inability to do jackshit when it counts. It sure would be tough to justify moving soriano or ramirez, but shit...these guys need to either prove they can win a 5-game series under pressure, or we need to go out and find guys who can.



2)I'm sure this has been beat to death in here, but I dont feel like doing back-reading...the fact that Reed Johnson didn't see an inning in that series is some of the worst coaching/managing I've ever seen at the professional level in any sport. I'd like to see a statistic that shows the Cubs' record this season when Reed was in the line-up. I would bet a large chunk of change that it was better than when he wasn't.


3) For those of you looking for a team to get into and to take your focus away from the cubs, if you arent already, check out the blackhawks as they open their season this friday. This team not only has the BEST young talent in the NHL, but they have character. I can guarantee you that they won't falter when it counts either. The entire roster is full of talented, proven leaders and winners who all feed off eachother. And the average age is hands down the youngest in the NHL, including last year's rookie of the year (kane) and a 20-year old CAPTAIN (Toews). Hop on the bandwagon now before they become perennial stanley cup contenders.

Kuroda was that third game pitcher and he had pitched a 4-hit complete game shutout against you guys in the regular season. As surprised and shell-shocked some people are I'm not that surprised that our pitching performed the way it did. We were very underrated going into this series and we still aren't getting much respect after it. You guys did breakdown, but we also stepped it up to a level that even if you guys played at your regular season level we still would have had a good chance of coming out of this series as the victors, whehter it took 3, 4, or 5 games.

[DMBZeppelin]

You are insane:eek
Are you looking at those numbers in the quote? They are horrible. How can you think he's good :confused

[Sou1 So1di3r]

Well, he can get his bat swinging a little better I am sure, and he is one of the best centerfielders there is.

[DMBZeppelin]

Well, he can get his bat swinging a little better I am sure, and he is one of the best centerfielders there is.
His range is not what it once was, but ya he can make a nice catch if he can get to it. Only thing is, we have a better center fielder on our own roster. With better range, arm, and speed. And why are you sure he can get his bat going better? Because outside of June he wasn't able to. You expect him to get younger? Look what he's hit the last few years, it's not going to get better:

2005: .263
2006: .257
2007: .252
2008: .235

And he's going to turn 39 next June.

[crashintonickdm]

Cubs

[DMBZeppelin]

Marmol suffers minor injuries in car accident

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — Cubs reliever Carlos Marmol suffered minor injuries in a car accident early Tuesday in the Dominican Republic.

A truck hit a car carrying Marmol, a cousin and a friend in his hometown of Bonao near 2 a.m. The All-Star right-hander had just arrived in the Caribbean nation after the Cubs were swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the playoffs.

Marmol said in an e-mail to The Associated Press that the air bag deployed and he only suffered a cut and an ‘‘inflammation’’ of his forehead. ‘‘Out of precaution they did different studies on my body, and I don’t have any kind of serious injury,’’ he wrote.

A Cubs representative in the Dominican Republic, Jose Serra, said Marmol received seven stitches in his forehead but is otherwise healthy. Marmol pitched in 82 games this season, going 2-4 with a 2.68 ERA.
Well that's not good, but at least he's ok.

[Sou1 So1di3r]

Gotta be careful there....

[dmb@uvm]

The Daily Show just zinged you!

[bothedmbfan]

People still watch The Daily Show? Holy shit!

[Sou1 So1di3r]

The Daily Show just zinged you!

Brewers Suck.


I just zinged you!

[crashintonickdm]

its awesome to still see the cubs avatars. i hope you eventually do win something, id like to think most of you deserve it since you've stuck around for 101 years lmao.

[gocubsgo3822]

The elias rankings are slowly but surely coming out and dempster and kerry are both type a free agents... Lets take the 20 million we will pay them combined next year offer them arbritation and thats it tthey wont accept and take their four first round plus supplemental picks rebuild the farm system and sign Sabathia..... This is how to get sabathia. if they both agee to one year arbritation deals then we win becuase we assume hardly any risk. If not then we get four first rounders and enough free agent money to land Jaws...

[DMBZeppelin]

The elias rankings are slowly but surely coming out and dempster and kerry are both type a free agents... Lets take the 20 million we will pay them combined next year offer them arbritation and thats it tthey wont accept and take their four first round plus supplemental picks rebuild the farm system and sign Sabathia..... This is how to get sabathia. if they both agee to one year arbritation deals then we win becuase we assume hardly any risk. If not then we get four first rounders and enough free agent money to land Jaws...
I don't know if you know how arbitration works, but we can't offer that to Wood or Dempster. Arbitration is based off service time. It takes 6 years of service time to become a free agent. The final three years of that you're arbitration eligible.

The point of arbitration is that you still have a players rights, but they can get paid fairly. You offer them what you think is fair. If they don't except it. An unbiased third party called an arbitrator will listen to both parties. He sides with one person, and the player either gets what the club offered or what they wanted. So they would still get paid that years about what's fair and market value.

Dempster and Wood are no longer arbitration eligible and haven't been for a while. They are unrestricted free agents. Honestly we NEED Wood to come back. The middle part of that pen is sketchy. You do NOT wanted Marmol being the only guy you are sure about next year in that bullpen.

Dempster on the other hand had a hell of a season, but do you want to throw all that money at someone you're not sure if they can repeat the success? We have guys like Marshall, Shark, and Gaudin who can easily take a spot in the rotation.

[chr35919]

still can't believe the cubs blew it so badly

[ProudestAnt]

The elias rankings are slowly but surely coming out and dempster and kerry are both type a free agents... Lets take the 20 million we will pay them combined next year offer them arbritation and thats it tthey wont accept and take their four first round plus supplemental picks rebuild the farm system and sign Sabathia..... This is how to get sabathia. if they both agee to one year arbritation deals then we win becuase we assume hardly any risk. If not then we get four first rounders and enough free agent money to land Jaws... :lol :lol :lol What? I just read that whole thing and my reaction was :ugh

[Sou1 So1di3r]

Go Cubs?

[DMBZeppelin]

The elias rankings are slowly but surely coming out
When you say elias are you talking about the Elias Sports Bureau?

[boarderx5423]

The point of arbitration is that you still have a players rights, but they can get paid fairly. You offer them what you think is fair. If they don't except it. An unbiased third party called an arbitrator will listen to both parties. He sides with one person, and the player either gets what the club offered or what they wanted. So they would still get paid that years about what's fair and market value.
I'm almost positive that both the team and the players make offers. If they can't reach an agreement, a third party comes in, and based on how other comparable plays are getting paid, comes up with a number, which is almost always somewhere between the player's and the team's number. The third party doesn't side with one or the other.

[DMBZeppelin]

I'm almost positive that both the team and the players make offers. If they can't reach an agreement, a third party comes in, and based on how other comparable plays are getting paid, comes up with a number, which is almost always somewhere between the player's and the team's number. The third party doesn't side with one or the other.
You're right in that they both submit an offer. But wrong about what the arbitrator does. The abritator does pick sides, and the way you suggest would make more sense then the current MLB format. The only way you see a middle number is if a team and a player agree to terms and avoid arbitration.

[UCFish]

yep I agree with Trey and my bro.

[DMBZeppelin]

yep I agree with Trey and my bro.
Not sure who Trey is, but are you talking about what your bro just said about Sabathia, Dempster, and Wood? Because in no way did it make sense.

[UCFish]

boarder is trey.

Oh i was kidding about my brother.

He is crazy.

[boarderx5423]

You're right in that they both submit an offer. But wrong about what the arbitrator does. The abritator does pick sides, and the way you suggest would make more sense then the current MLB format. The only way you see a middle number is if a team and a player agree to terms and avoid arbitration.

Just looked it up and you're right. But I agree, the way I mentioned would make more sense.

[boarderx5423]

boarder is trey.

:wave

[DMBZeppelin]

boarder is trey.
Ah good to know, but he's wrong. I mean even though it's not a super reliable source check out wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_League_Baseball_transactions
In this process, the player and the team both submit a salary offer for a new contract; the arbitrator chooses one number or the other, whichever is thought to be most "fair" given comparable wages among players with similar ability and service time. Players thus rely on arbitration and free agency to increase their salaries.

[DMBZeppelin]

Just looked it up and you're right. But I agree, the way I mentioned would make more sense.
Not to mention your way would limit most arbitration cases all together. Because agents and clubs would be more willing to come to a compromise. So you wouldn't get a Ryan Howard case who held out for the $10 mil and actually won. Though obviously if a guy deserves it he should get his asking price, but it be nice if the arbitrator had that option of a middle ground.

[gocubsgo3822]

BTW i am correcrt about how the arbritrtartion process works. You can offer arbritation to any free agent player. If they choose not to accept and are signed depending on what type of class of free agent they are you will get the teams first round pick and a supplemental or just a supplemental. FOR FUCKING example. WHEN THE BREWERS SIGNED JASON KENDALL we got another SUPPLEMENTAL first round draft pick... I am no mathematician but he was in Ken Griffey Jr's Slugfest baseball game and that came out in 1998... Seeing as he left after 2007...

I am correct..

Off to disney world

[DMBZeppelin]

boarder is trey.

Oh i was kidding about my brother.

He is crazy.
Well normally your brother knows what he's talking about when he isn't post whoring. It's not that what he said was crazy, it's just that it's not possible. He also mentioned Elias which is a stats site, unless he meant something else. All in all it was the craziest post he's ever made in this thread.

[gocubsgo3822]

Eddie Bajek has his final Elias rankings for NL relievers. Type As: Ryan Dempster, Russ Springer, Juan Cruz, Doug Brocail, Brian Fuentes, Kerry Wood, and Jason Isringhausen. Type Bs: Joe Beimel, Jeremy Affeldt, Brian Shouse, Bob Howry, David Weathers, Trevor Hoffman, Eric Gagne, and Brandon Lyon. If one of these players is offered arbitration, turns it down, and signs elsewhere, his old team gets one or two draft picks.

suck it bitches

[gocubsgo3822]

BTW that was via MLB TRADE RUMORS pretty fucking reliable

[DMBZeppelin]

Eddie Bajek has his final Elias rankings for NL relievers. Type As: Ryan Dempster, Russ Springer, Juan Cruz, Doug Brocail, Brian Fuentes, Kerry Wood, and Jason Isringhausen. Type Bs: Joe Beimel, Jeremy Affeldt, Brian Shouse, Bob Howry, David Weathers, Trevor Hoffman, Eric Gagne, and Brandon Lyon. If one of these players is offered arbitration, turns it down, and signs elsewhere, his old team gets one or two draft picks.

suck it bitches
Ok you're less crazy then I thought. I know what you're talking about now. It's not the real kind of arbitration, it's more of just a qualifying offer of take it or leave it. It's not the normal we can negotiate it tatic. And of course we'll offer it to Dempster and Wood. Hopefully not Howry. The pick is cool and all, but I'd bet he take it.

Also who is Elias, and why do they get determine the rankings? The only one I know about is: http://www.esb.com/ and it's a stats site. Unless MLB hires them to determine that sort of thing.

[UCFish]

Have fun at Disney and with the parentals.

[DMBZeppelin]

Surgery possible for Harden

The team was not ruling out surgery for right-hander Rich Harden as they awaited results of exams by their medical staff before tonight's midnight deadline for exercising his $7 million club option for 2009.

Harden's health has been an issue since the Cubs acquired him in July, and his velocity waned significantly at the end of the season.

Barring unforeseen major damage, indications Tuesday were that the Cubs intended to exercise the option -- which was estimated to be Harden's approximate value should he go through the arbitration process instead -- even if doctors determine that Harden should have arthroscopic surgery.

Harden, who went 10-2 with a 2.07 ERA overall between Oakland and the Cubs this season, has been on the DL each of the last four seasons but never has had surgery on his arm.
I'd imagine we'll pick up the option. Hopefully he can be healthy for us next year. Thing I like about Harden is even when coming off an injury, he'll pitch amazingly well. As long as we don't build our rotation around him I'm fine with him being a question mark.

[DMBZeppelin]

REGULAR SEASON MEANS NOTHING TO THE CUBS
The Cubs were swept in the Division Series despite leading the National League with 97 regular-season wins. Since divisional play began in 1969, the team with the NL's best record was swept in the opening round of the postseason one other time. That was in 2001, when the Astros (93-69 during the regular season) lost to the Braves in the NLDS, three-games-to-none.
Chicago Cubs (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?id=16)


NINTH STRAIGHT POSTSEASON LOSS
The Cubs have lost their last nine postseason games, matching the longest current losing streak of its kind for any team. The Angels lost their ninth straight postseason game on Friday and Texas has lost its last nine in a row (from 1996 to 1999).
Chicago Cubs (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?id=16)


SORIANO STRUGGLES IN POSTSEASON
Alfonso Soriano (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=3993) made the final out of the Cubs' postseason to cap a 0-for-5 night and a 1-for-14 series after going 2-for-14 in last year's Division Series. Soriano's .107 career batting average for the Cubs in postseason play is the lowest for any player (minimum: 15 at-bats) since Andre Dawson, who batted .105 in 19 postseason at-bats for Chicago.
Chicago Cubs (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?id=16)

[TapNorris]

Seriously, has anyone looked at the first few pages of this thread? We should let this one die and then start up another. No reason the Cubs thread should have been started with posts like that.

[MPizzle06]

Seriously, has anyone looked at the first few pages of this thread? We should let this one die and then start up another. No reason the Cubs thread should have been started with posts like that.

I agree with this proposition :thumbsup

[devilandthelord]

Can we just stop talking about the Cubs?
Just for like a couple months or something.

[Sou1 So1di3r]

Harden is on board for 2009. It's on cubs.com

[MPizzle06]

Harden is on board for 2009. It's on cubs.com

:thumbsup:thumbsup

[davehead86]

Harden is on board for 2009. It's on cubs.com

Sweet, glad to hear. I unfortunatly cants bear to think about the Cubs anymore this year and have to just stick with the Bears who will also no doubt choke it up if they make it to the playoffs.

See yall sparingly until Spring Training starts again.

:BANG:BANG:lorraine:lorraine

[HolyCow]

I'm sick of reading about all these "Cubs" fans that are saying, "I'm through! I'm done!" and the guy selling his fanship on ebay.

Seriously, good riddance. I've been waiting for all the wagoners to jump ship. This year was nothing new (which is what makes it hurt so much). Get over it and look forward to spring training like the rest of us.

[DMBZeppelin]

Harden is on board for 2009. It's on cubs.com
Excellent excellent move by the Cubs. Now we don't have to worry about arbirtration and all that. I want Harden to have an enjoyable experiance here so he'll resign long term.

[DMBZeppelin]

Can we just stop talking about the Cubs?
Just for like a couple months or something.
No one is making you read this thread :confused
I'm sick of reading about all these "Cubs" fans that are saying, "I'm through! I'm done!" and the guy selling his fanship on ebay.

Seriously, good riddance. I've been waiting for all the wagoners to jump ship. This year was nothing new (which is what makes it hurt so much). Get over it and look forward to spring training like the rest of us.
:thumbsup I feel the exact same way. I mean I'll admit I wish I could quit the Cubs. It's just, that for better or worse I bleed Cubbie Blue. I'll be with them through thick and thin. I don't see the point of "leaving" the Cubs till things look good again.

But ya the one good thing that comes from these heartbreaks is the real fans stick around. There were so many 03' band wagoners it was sickening.

[Sou1 So1di3r]

No one is making you read this thread :confused

:thumbsup I feel the exact same way. I mean I'll admit I wish I could quit the Cubs. It's just, that for better or worse I bleed Cubbie Blue. I'll be with them through thick and thin. I don't see the point of "leaving" the Cubs till things look good again.

But ya the one good thing that comes from these heartbreaks is the real fans stick around. There were so many 03' band wagoners it was sickening.

In a way, I see what you guys are saying, and I kinda agree. Back the old straight up fans.

[DMBZeppelin]

In a way, I see what you guys are saying, and I kinda agree. Back the old straight up fans.
Yep, all the people who remember Mark Bellhorn and Shawn Estes.

[devilandthelord]

Yep, all the people who remember Mark Bellhorn and Shawn Estes.

Then he went to Boston and became Maaaark Bellhorn.

[DMBZeppelin]

Part of Scoop Jackson's article: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=jackson/081006&sportCat=mlb

These are what Cubs "Fans" are saying.
The ugliest breakup in sports just happened. And that "It's Gonna Happen" mantra has turned into an "It's Never Gonna Happen" belief and a "We Don't Give a $%&* If It Ever Happens" feeling.

Obscene gestures, followed by obscenities. So many obscenities. "I can't think of an obscene word that describes how obscene they played," another ex-fan said, after dropping an f-bomb.

Phone calls and e-mails poured in. One read: "Man, [expletive] the Cubs! Forever! I'm done with them! Sorry sons of [expletive]. Unless Mark Cuban buys them. That's the only way. … I hope the [expletive] Cubs burn in hell!"

Or, as lifelong-but-no-longer Cubs fan Andre Curry said, "They need players that can play in October, [expletive] April."

The best obscenity-free headline? In the Trib: "Making A Long Story Short." Oh, how fast the end came.
Here's that thing about the guy selling his loyalty on eBay.
Scot Moore, 30, a brokenhearted fan who grew up in Wheaton, is auctioning off his "Cubs Loyalty" on eBay, with all proceeds going to two theater companies in Minnesota, where he now lives.

The bid on Tuesday night: $455.

If a Cubs fan buys Moore's loyalty, he'll stick with the North Siders. But if a fan of another team wins, he promises to:

• • Burn all his Cubs gear on video, with a copy provided to the buyer.

• • Never watch or root for the Cubs again.

• • Buy gear of his new team and, "Whenever they come to play the Twins, I will show up to at least one game per series and scream like crazy for them."

"I will not apologize for this decision," he said. "It pains me to do, but it needs to be done."

A Braves fan was leading the bidding Tuesday. Moore, a customer service rep and actor, promises he won't relapse into Cubdom if another team wins because "I stick to my convictions . . . and it cheapens the auction."

[HolyCow]

Yep, all the people who remember Mark Bellhorn and Shawn Estes.
:lol
And Gary Gaetti and Jeff Blauser and Brant Brown and Matt Clement.

That's us. The real Cubbies.

[DMBZeppelin]

:lol
And Gary Gaetti and Jeff Blauser and Brant Brown and Matt Clement.

That's us. The real Cubbies.
And Clement another one who went to Boston. I remember when Clement was suppose to be our big #2 behind Wood till Prior emerged. And remember when we signed McGriff? I thought that would be good.

[devilandthelord]

Hahaha, McGriff!
I used to get so pissed at the CrimeDog.

[HolyCow]

And Clement another one who went to Boston. I remember when Clement was suppose to be our big #2 behind Wood till Prior emerged. And remember when we signed McGriff? I thought that would be good.
Yeah I remember how Wrigley would cut out little pieces of black cardboard and put it on their chin because of Clement's nasty goatee-thing.

And McGriff. Ha. Him Glenallen Hill and Henry Rodriguez... great acqusitions.

[devilandthelord]

This talking about old Cubs is much better than talking about the current Cubs.
Kind of fun and therapeutic to get away from this year.

[devilandthelord]

Yeah I remember how Wrigley would cut out little pieces of black cardboard and put it on their chin because of Clement's nasty goatee-thing.

I remember the day they had Matt Clement Goatee Day and everybody got these big fuzzy fake goatees.
That was a nice visual on TV. :lol

[HolyCow]

This talking about old Cubs is much better than talking about the current Cubs.
Kind of fun and therapeutic to get away from this year.
You know, I was thinking the same thing. It makes me kind of think, "Yeah, you know I am a fan and I always will be. No matter what. I remember watching Turk Wendell for crap sakes."

Also makes me apprciate the year we had in a way. Winning 97 and going out like we did produced a lot more fun memories than losing 97 and being pissed all summer and laughing at the team.

And does anyone else think in 10 years someone will type the name "Kosuke Fukodome" and we'll all bust out laughing? I do.

[devilandthelord]

Hahaha @ Kosuke.
You may be right.
As not only a huge Cubs fan, but a huge baseball fan, it was much better this summer to have my team be really good, even if they had an embarrassing exit in the playoffs.
Rather than to be bad all summer and have them be a joke.

[DMBZeppelin]

I remember the day they had Matt Clement Goatee Day and everybody got these big fuzzy fake goatees.
That was a nice visual on TV. :lol
Good ol' Abe Lincoln.
You know, I was thinking the same thing. It makes me kind of think, "Yeah, you know I am a fan and I always will be. No matter what. I remember watching Turk Wendell for crap sakes."

Also makes me apprciate the year we had in a way. Winning 97 and going out like we did produced a lot more fun memories than losing 97 and being pissed all summer and laughing at the team.

And does anyone else think in 10 years someone will type the name "Kosuke Fukodome" and we'll all bust out laughing? I do.
Ya it was a fun year, but it did suck because even if we didn't win the World Series. It felt like we had finally arrived. That all the years of losing were over. With the possibility of going to the playoffs ever year. Not having to wait 5-10 years between apperanced. So it just feels like if this team couldn't do it, what team can?

It's easier to accept the losing when I'm watching a Jeromy Burnitz in right or a Todd Hollandsworth in left. With guys like Ryan O'Malley being a feel good story. But teams like this just make you feel hopeless. Though in the end they're still our Cubbies.

[devilandthelord]

Good ol' Abe Lincoln.

Ya it was a fun year, but it did suck because even if we didn't win the World Series. It felt like we had finally arrived. That all the years of losing were over. With the possibility of going to the playoffs ever year. Not having to wait 5-10 years between apperanced. So it just feels like if this team couldn't do it, what team can?

It's easier to accept the losing when I'm watching a Jeromy Burnitz in right or a Todd Hollandsworth in left. With guys like Ryan O'Malley being a feel good story. But teams like this just make you feel hopeless. Though in the end they're still our Cubbies.

Thats exactly it. I felt like we had arrived too. Like it was our time and things were gonna fall into place.
I felt like we were too good for what happened to us this year to happen.
Yeah you didn't expect to win with guys like we used to have, so it didn't hurt that much.
But when we had a team like this year's that I thought was built to win the WS, it stings awful bad when they tank like they did.
Especially after being the best team in the league for much of the regular season.

[clcfball11]

Mel Rojas.

[DMBZeppelin]

Harden, who has battled arm problems throughout his career, was 5-1 with a 1.77 ERA in 12 starts with the Cubs.

He underwent an MRI arthrogram Tuesday that revealed no tears in his rotator cuff or labrum, general manager Jim Hendry said.

Hendry said Harden has been bothered by rotator tendinitis and some subtle instability in the shoulder. Harden will undergo an offseason conditioning and rehabilitation program to strengthen the shoulder and should be ready for the start of next season.

"If you told me today we are going to get 24, 25 good starts out of Rich next year and we're going to have to push him back or miss a start or two here or there, I'd do that in a heartbeat," Hendry said.
See I like how they're being realistic about how many games we'll get out of Harden. Between the Cubs and A's he started 25 games this year. So we'll need a Marshall type guy who can spot start a lot. Because that's 10-12 starts a year that Harden won't be making. Which is fine as long as you're prepared for it.

I think we should bitch slap Marquis so he'll go to the pen and make him that guy. If Dempster walks I want Marshall in the rotation.

[Ev42]

:lol
And Gary Gaetti and Jeff Blauser and Brant Brown and Matt Clement.

That's us. The real Cubbies.

everyone knows them.

I'am sick of the losing ways, but i will be back in Feb.

[Bron Yr Aur]

Excellent excellent move by the Cubs. Now we don't have to worry about arbirtration and all that. I want Harden to have an enjoyable experiance here so he'll resign long term.

Yeah....

But on the other hand...do we really want him long term if it's going to end up like....*gasp* Mark Prior?

[devilandthelord]

It seems to me, that even at this point in his career he's already surpassed Prior.

[Bron Yr Aur]

See I like how they're being realistic about how many games we'll get out of Harden. Between the Cubs and A's he started 25 games this year. So we'll need a Marshall type guy who can spot start a lot. Because that's 10-12 starts a year that Harden won't be making. Which is fine as long as you're prepared for it.

I think we should bitch slap Marquis so he'll go to the pen and make him that guy. If Dempster walks I want Marshall in the rotation.

If only we could get rid of Soriano. Then we could pay Dempster and get someone else who might not suck in the postseason like Soriano. Seriously, I do not want to see Dempster in another uniform. They gots to resign him. Excellent starting pitching is extremely hard to come by in this league. And with Dempster and Zambrano and Harden and Lilly and Marshall we have probably the best starting pitching in all of baseball.

PLEASE RE-SIGN DEMPSTER. GET RID OF SOMEBODY ELSE. JUST SIGN DEMPSTER!!!!!

[devilandthelord]

Would you like we trade Soriano?
There'd only be a few suitors who could take on that contract, and first they'd have to want him.

[BustedStuff87]

:lol
And Gary Gaetti and Jeff Blauser and Brant Brown and Matt Clement.

That's us. The real Cubbies.

How bout Damon Buford.

[DMBZeppelin]

Yeah....

But on the other hand...do we really want him long term if it's going to end up like....*gasp* Mark Prior?
It's not like he's going to command Sabathia money. Even when he doesn't have his best stuff, he still gives 5-7 innings of shutout baseball. At worst he gives up like 2 runs. You can't get that out of a lot of guys. Prior had his breakout year in 03', but was never the same trying to pitch hurt. Harden can.

[DMBZeppelin]

Oh and fun stats they were talking about on the Score. When Fukudome woke up May 5th, 2008 he was hitting .342 so far that season. It was the same day the issue of SI with him on the cover hit the stands.

He wound up going 0 for 4 that night against Cincinatti. By the end of the month he was hitting .296 or .293 I forget which. Regardless I thought that was funny. Not to mention they picked us to win it all this year, and we got swept.

During the 04' season we were on the cover as they picked us to win it. Prior and Wood broke down. Borowski got hurt, causing our elite setupman in Hawkins to get moved to the closer role where he sucked. We all know we collapsed down the stretch.

Now, I don't believe in the SI curse but you won't hear me complain if we never wind up on the cover again.

[DMBCubs25]

How bout Damon Buford.
Roosevelt Brown, Angel Echevaria, Julio Zuleta, Shawn Dunston??

[Tiduwho]

Oh Henry Rodriquez.

[HolyCow]

You know, I'm Mr. Positive here, but I'm thinking this could be spun as a good thing for the team. Obviously winning would've been better, don't get me wrong- but maybe this monumental collapse will help them next year.

I think we all can agree nerves and pressure played a big part in the meltdown. So next year if they are here, they won't have the same pressure because maybe fans won't be clamoring for this to be it and the players won't tighten up so much.

[darbini]

Shawn Dunston??

It's Shawon Dunston

[darbini]

The Cubs just need to accept the pressure that they are dealing with, every other team gets through it so why don't the Cubs? I think they try to not let it bother them, but by trying to not let it bother them they are screwing themselves and setting up for failure. Go Cubs!

[UCFish]

Doug Dascenzo FTW.

I have his autograph.

[Bron Yr Aur]

At this point I'm hopeful for next season. Just not as hopeful as I was this season. There was just something...magical about what happened this season. I like our chances of getting back to the playoffs...but, it's just such a long time to wait.

[saygdbye4134]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/So-which-Cub-flooded-the-visitor-s-dugout-at-Dod?urn=mlb,113546

at least they hit something.

[BustedStuff87]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/So-which-Cub-flooded-the-visitor-s-dugout-at-Dod?urn=mlb,113546

at least they hit something.

:thumbsup :haha :lol

But it also may be this, http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-09-cubs-damage-boxoct09,0,3151777.story

[DMBZeppelin]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/So-which-Cub-flooded-the-visitor-s-dugout-at-Dod?urn=mlb,113546

at least they hit something.
Ya I heard about that, apparently it's the 4th or 5th time this year someone has done that.

[HolyCow]

It's Shawon Dunston
All I know is he was no Neifi Perez. Hi-oh!

[DMBZeppelin]

All I know is he was no Neifi Perez. Hi-oh!
God I hated Neifi with a passion. They could have given Cedeno a lot of at bats in those pointless years. But no Neifi hit .400 or some ridiculous shit in April. Even though he was horrible the rest of the year they kept playing him.

[Sou1 So1di3r]

I wore my NLCentral Division Champs shirt yesterday. I felt weird.

[devilandthelord]

I wore my NLCentral Division Champs shirt yesterday. I felt weird.

I would've donated it to charity by now.

[bothedmbfan]

Ugandan children still probably think Da Bears won the SB.

[devilandthelord]

Ugandan children still probably think Da Bears won the SB.

And the Patriots went 19-0.

[HolyCow]

God I hated Neifi with a passion. They could have given Cedeno a lot of at bats in those pointless years. But no Neifi hit .400 or some ridiculous shit in April. Even though he was horrible the rest of the year they kept playing him.
I think you can directly link Dusty Baker's downfall to his love-fest with Neifi Perez. I'd see the lineup and just shake my head.

[Sou1 So1di3r]

Ugandan children still probably think Da Bears won the SB.

hahahahahah

[crashintonickdm]

ready for tonight?

wait, wrong thread.

[Sou1 So1di3r]

I hate you nick.

[jayman414]

Alright as much as I am a diehard cubs fan, the skit on SNL about the Cubs tonight with Bill Murrary asking the question was perfect. Hilarious

[Sou1 So1di3r]

Alright as much as I am a diehard cubs fan, the skit on SNL about the Cubs tonight with Bill Murrary asking the question was perfect. Hilarious

I just saw that. That was so great. I love Bill Murray.

[BustedStuff87]

Alright as much as I am a diehard cubs fan, the skit on SNL about the Cubs tonight with Bill Murrary asking the question was perfect. Hilarious

That was good. They could've also put Keenan Thompson's character talking about the economy with the Cubs. "There's the problem, now FIX IT!"

[crashintonickdm]

thats how you beat the dodgers, cubbies.

[UCFish]

Being at disneyland yesterday with everyone in their dodgers shit almost made me go crazy and start punching people.

[UCFish]

thats how you beat the dodgers, cubbies.

Really........

[Sou1 So1di3r]

I've always wondered, how did you become a Cubbie fan being from San Fran?

[UCFish]

I am from Chicago.

Actually time to update my location.

[Sou1 So1di3r]

Oh hahah so you don't even live in Cali?

[UCFish]

I do I moved yesterday though.

[Sou1 So1di3r]

Ohhh now I see what you mean about the dodgers.

[DMBZeppelin]

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/basketball/bulls/1213570,CST-SPT-bside10.article

Cuban: Economy has slowed Cubs deal

The credit crunch and the failing economy have put the brakes on the sale of the Cubs, said Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, one of the finalists to buy the team.

''Yeah, it's going to affect the deal structure,'' Cuban said Thursday at the United Center, where the Mavericks played the Bulls in an exhibition game. ''It's going to create a challenge. Anytime the cost of capital goes up, the cost of assets goes down, which is what you're seeing in the stock market. Honestly, they'd be crazy to do something now because it's not optimal for them and it's not optimal for the buyer. So there's not really a rush.

''In a market like this, when there's so much uncertainty and IBM and General Electric don't know how much they're going to pay on a loan, Mark Cuban doesn't know, either. Six months ago, you could say: 'Here's how much this debt is going to cost you. Here are the terms that are available. Yes or no?' Now you can't do that anymore. Even if we wanted to close the day after tomorrow, the banks might not be able to close. There's that uncertainty that gets involved. So that just changes the tenor of it.''

Cuban said he's content to let time take care of the purchase particulars of a deal some value at $1 billion or more. And he wouldn't hazard a guess as to when the sale would be finalized.

''I really didn't have an expectation,'' he said. ''It's a fluid process. There are a lot of pieces that need to be put together and a lot of elements. It's still moving forward, just not moving forward as quickly. I'm in no rush. There's no drop-dead date.

''As is typical, my offer was a lot more creative than most, so there were more moving pieces. Again, until there's more certainty in the financial market, then uncertainty is expected. So it's going to cost either me, [Sam Zell] or both of us money. So unless there's some pressing issue to sell it now, it doesn't make a lot of sense to do it.''

So Cuban will watch as Cubs CEO Crane Kenney and general manager Jim Hendry move to improve the team this winter.

''Nothing's going to change,'' Cuban said. ''They weren't asking everybody about whether they should opt in on Rich Harden. They're doing what they need to do. I just have my fan hat on, and they've done a good job so far. Sports are a crazy business. If there was a template, we'd all be champions, right? But there's one winner and 29 or 30 losers. That's the way it works.''
Friggin' Sam Zell, this is his fault for not getting this done in 2007, but he just had to try and sell Wrigley and the Cubs separately. This sell is going to take forever now. I'm not sure how much more money Zell and the Trib are going to let the Cubs spend. Because obviously this team needs money put into it.

[DMBZeppelin]

Wow we were under 3 hours away from going a full 24 without a post in this thread.

[DMBZeppelin]

eBay sale of Cubs fan's loyalty halted

Another Cubs curse?

The online auction site eBay (http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/economy-business-finance/ebay-incorporated-ORCRP004915.topic) yanked an auction on Wednesday in which a heartbroken Cubs fan offered to sell his team loyalty to the highest bidder, saying the listing violated the company's policies to sell only tangible items and to promote only charities it has vetted.

Minneapolis resident Scot Moore, 30, promised he would root for the winning bidder's favorite sports team — forever. And he said money from the winning bid would go to two Minneapolis theater companies that perform for low-income audiences.

Cromulent Shakespeare Co. and the new Prufrock Theatre are both funded by Springboard for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) non-profit. But eBay wasn't buying.

It violated policies," said Karen Bard, eBay's pop culture expert.

Moore's Cubs loyalty wasn't tangible enough to sell, Bard said. In addition, "the seller didn't have the proper documentation in the listing for how you list a charity."

Moore offered to show eBay the charity documentation for Springboard but hadn't heard back from the online auctioneer by Wednesday evening.

The Wheaton (http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/us/illinois/dupage-county/wheaton-PLGEO1001005011470000.topic) native hopes to relist his loyalty, perhaps in conjunction with "a fielder's mitt," and restart the bidding at $50. It was frustrating, he said, because bids had already reached $7,100.

"$7,200 would fund a whole season at Cromulent," Moore lamented. And who was buying?

"That $7,100 bid, that was a White Sox (http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/baseball/chicago-white-sox-ORSPT000167.topic) fan," he said. "I actually had not seen a bid yet from a Cubs fan."
That kind of sucks that they'd stop the sale since all proceeds went to charity.

[Sou1 So1di3r]

Watching the NLCS made me want to cry.