2006 Cubs Thread- It's Never or Now

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You know spring training is around the corner when there are headline about Kerry Wood missing the first two weeks of the season. I figure he will make a few starts in May, then be out until after the Allstar break.

― Earl Nash (earlnash), Friday, 17 February 2006 02:49 (nineteen years ago)

Oh yeah...I also read that Sammy Sosa is going to hang 'em up out of fear of failing even more on the field. It does seem funny how fast he has fell apart.

― Earl Nash (earlnash), Friday, 17 February 2006 02:52 (nineteen years ago)

The first of what will be many yuks at Neifi's expense in 2006 (and 2007, sigh):
http://www.progressiveboink.com/dugout/archive/dugout2-23-06.htm

― mattbot (mattbot), Friday, 24 February 2006 16:53 (nineteen years ago)

Virtual waiting room sucks.

― Jeff. (Jeff), Friday, 24 February 2006 16:54 (nineteen years ago)

Last year I used mulitple browsers (and multiple tabs in each browser) on two computers and got through twice. It required a lot of attention though.

― mattbot (mattbot), Friday, 24 February 2006 17:26 (nineteen years ago)

you can't use multiple browsers this year, whenever you click on the tickets icon it opens up in the existing java window.

blows hard. i have my sister in vermont working the out of state phone # while i rock the cell phone/desk phone combo. nothing but busy signal for 2 hrs 44 minutes.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Friday, 24 February 2006 18:45 (nineteen years ago)

I used about 30 tabs and it worked after 45 minutes, got tickets to the game I wanted.

― Jeff. (Jeff), Friday, 24 February 2006 19:53 (nineteen years ago)

why the fuck wouldn't it work for me?

i got two for a tuesday night game in june against houston.
i wanted that saturday in july against the mets.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Friday, 24 February 2006 20:09 (nineteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

Prior "felt something" in his right shoulder during his throwing session today and he's flying to san Diego to his doctor to have it checked out, from what I hear. i assume the arm will have to be amputated, considering the cubs' luck.

― gear (gear), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 23:51 (nineteen years ago)

i just bought tickets in the new dugout section. looks like i'm 3rd row behind the right hand batters box. average temperature for may 13th- 68 F. hopefully it won't rain on me.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 18:16 (nineteen years ago)

Angel Guzman, 2002's can't-miss prospect, is in the running for the 5th starter spot in spring training according to the Sun Times. Judging by the walk totals, he looks Cubs-ready.

Opening day starting five look to be Zambrano, Glendon Rusch, Maddux, Jerome Williams, Guzman/Hill.

― mattbot (mattbot), Tuesday, 21 March 2006 17:41 (nineteen years ago)

fergie jenkins is on standby for spot-starting duty.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Tuesday, 21 March 2006 17:54 (nineteen years ago)

He could probably give Maddux some tips on making a successful transition from MLB to slow pitch softball.

― mattbot (mattbot), Tuesday, 21 March 2006 22:56 (nineteen years ago)

From the Cubs' team health report on BP today:

Fun Glendon Rusch fact: His nickname is “Tits.”

― mattbot (mattbot), Wednesday, 22 March 2006 00:54 (nineteen years ago)

mattbot are you still in a2?

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Wednesday, 22 March 2006 14:34 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah but only for another month or so while I finish up school. Then I'm bouncing around for awhile and should end up in NYC sometime this summer.

― mattbot (mattbot), Thursday, 23 March 2006 00:53 (nineteen years ago)

Two years ago the Cubs had a pretty good offense that held together the beatup pitching staff until the final couple weeks of the season, then the whole thing fell apart in an UGLY conclusion. If they would have had a dependable closer they might have won a 100 games and would have coasted into the playoffs. The way that stretch run went down really killed me more than the playoff collapse against the Marlins. I pretty much grew to not liking the current Cubs and didn't want to look back at the wreckage until Baker and a house cleaning is done.

I did not pay as much attention last year. I could see from the off season changes they were not going to be improved. It probably made financial sense not to get involved in some lunatic free agent signings, either way the Cubs were not as good a club. Oh I still watched quite a few games and followed them in the press, but my heart was just not in it last year. They suprised me getting off to a hot start at the plate, but the injuries mounted and Derek Lee could only do so much.

I still do not see the Cubs as being that much better this year than last year. They could score a few more runs and the bullpen does have a bit more depth, but the starting staff with the injuries to Prior and Wood looks pretty ordinary now. I think if everything goes great for Rameriez, Lee and Pierre scoring and driving in runs, they might be in a playoff hunt, but it is going to take a lot of people having career years and either Prior and or Wood being able to combine into at least one decent starter. It is too much to ask, so I figure they are still around a .500 club. I don't think they will be a train wreck, but they won't catch the Cards.

The NL Central is going to be pretty competitive this year, as I think Milwaukee and Cinci to me look improved over last year. Houston is a bit harder to call, but they still should be solid. I think as long as the Cards can keep Chris Carpenter and their starting pitching healthy, they are still the team to beat.

― Earl Nash (earlnash), Thursday, 23 March 2006 04:09 (nineteen years ago)

George Bush is going to throw out the first pitch of the Cubs' opening day.

― Jeff. (Jeff), Saturday, 25 March 2006 19:48 (nineteen years ago)

I knew the injuries to Prior and Wood were bad, but I didn't think Hendry was that desperate.

― mattbot (mattbot), Sunday, 26 March 2006 01:37 (nineteen years ago)

George Bush is going to throw out the first pitch of the Cubs' opening day.

since the game is in cincinnati i think it's the reds' opening day.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Monday, 27 March 2006 15:16 (nineteen years ago)

pwnd

― Jimmy Mod: GRILL ENSPEKTOR (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Monday, 27 March 2006 17:33 (nineteen years ago)

Marquis Grissom announced his retirement today; Dusty scrambling to find someone else to steal ABs from Murton in LF this season.

― mattbot (mattbot), Tuesday, 28 March 2006 23:11 (nineteen years ago)

Prior and Wood to start the season on the DL.

― Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Wednesday, 29 March 2006 04:10 (nineteen years ago)

shocked, shocked!

― jonathan quayle higgins (j.q. higgins), Wednesday, 29 March 2006 13:33 (nineteen years ago)

The Cubs bunted four times yesterday, my favorite sequence being the back-to-back bunts in 9th, up five runs (Pierre reached on a blown call, Hairston reached on an error).

The Don Baylor flashbacks are occuring early and often.

― mattbot (mattbot), Tuesday, 4 April 2006 13:36 (nineteen years ago)

"I said, 'Hey, how ya doing, my name's Todd Walker.' He said, 'Hey, Tom, how are ya?' "
-- Cubs 2B Todd Walker on meeting President Bush before Monday's Opening Day game against Cincinnati.

― brianiast (briania), Tuesday, 4 April 2006 17:38 (nineteen years ago)

Sounds like Dusty told Bush all about him.

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060403/capt.ohcd10704031909.cubs_reds_bush_ohcd107.jpg

― mattbot (mattbot), Tuesday, 4 April 2006 23:21 (nineteen years ago)

^^^ The suicide squeeze? ^^^

― mattbot (mattbot), Tuesday, 4 April 2006 23:24 (nineteen years ago)

dear mr. walker,

i like stories. please tell me another one.

sincerely,

jonathan quayle higgins

― jonathan quayle higgins (j.q. higgins), Wednesday, 5 April 2006 00:14 (nineteen years ago)

bronson arroyo's 1st ab against the cubs? tater.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Wednesday, 5 April 2006 17:35 (nineteen years ago)

Your search - glendon rusch taco - did not match any documents.

Suggestions:
Make sure all words are spelled correctly.
Try different keywords.
Try more general keywords.
Try fewer keywords.

― mattbot (mattbot), Wednesday, 5 April 2006 17:45 (nineteen years ago)

Try "chalupa."

― David R. (popshots75`), Wednesday, 5 April 2006 17:52 (nineteen years ago)

http://images5.pictiger.com/images/ea/9b7bcca1f7dc39569ea86c56672482ea.jpg

― jinx hijinks (sanskrit), Thursday, 6 April 2006 17:10 (nineteen years ago)

fine. http://images5.pictiger.com/images/ea/9b7bcca1f7dc39569ea86c56672482ea.jpg

― jinx hijinks (sanskrit), Thursday, 6 April 2006 17:10 (nineteen years ago)

all that self-ownage for nothing.

― jinx hijinks (sanskrit), Thursday, 6 April 2006 17:13 (nineteen years ago)

http://img345.imageshack.us/img345/7223/shirt9fb.jpg

― jinx hijinks (sanskrit), Thursday, 6 April 2006 17:19 (nineteen years ago)

*giggles*

― Jimmy Mod: My theme is DEATH (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Thursday, 6 April 2006 17:21 (nineteen years ago)

The speculation on the over/under for # of games before Neifi's first start can end. He masterfully unclogged the bases in the 1st to allow Lee to trot around them unencumbered.

Total. Team. Player.

― mattbot (mattbot), Friday, 7 April 2006 17:40 (nineteen years ago)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neifi_P%C3%A9rez

― Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Friday, 7 April 2006 20:04 (nineteen years ago)

Tanyon Sturtze is Joe Torre's Neifi Perez.

― Jimmy Mod: My theme is DEATH (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Saturday, 8 April 2006 03:30 (nineteen years ago)

Cubs dorks rooting for KC in the bar I was at tonite:

you fucks will never taste a World Series, and I'm fucking BASKING in it. I can't describe how great it feels to root for the reigning champs. Fucktards.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Saturday, 8 April 2006 03:44 (nineteen years ago)

and, really, there can be no term to describe a Cub fan other than "dork"; i've seriously never met a Cub fan who was a clued-in, interesting sort of guy. The worst type of dork. All cool people are Sox fans in this town.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Saturday, 8 April 2006 03:46 (nineteen years ago)

Felicity is the only exception to this rool

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Saturday, 8 April 2006 03:46 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.strangecosmos.com/images/content/4319.jpg

― ojitarian (ojitarian), Sunday, 9 April 2006 21:56 (nineteen years ago)

i am a cubs fan ; (

― gear (gear), Sunday, 9 April 2006 23:52 (nineteen years ago)

Stormy, what's the deal with people like Mike Wilbon who grew up on the South Side but are Cubs fans? These have to be the worst types of fans in any sport. I've never lived in a city with competing teams in the same sport, so I don't really understand this kind of behaviour.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Monday, 10 April 2006 00:00 (nineteen years ago)

What's wrong with that? Should you automatically be a fan of your hometown/neighborhood team to the exclusion of others?

― Big Willy and the Twins (miloaukerman), Monday, 10 April 2006 00:12 (nineteen years ago)

Er, yes?

That's not to say that you can't be a fan of more than one team, but it seems lame to root for other teams while refusing to root for your home team.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Monday, 10 April 2006 00:24 (nineteen years ago)

I don't get that. So I was born ten minutes from Arlington Stadium, why would that make me a Rangers fan? To rephrase that, I understand why it could and would make someone fan, but I don't understand why it SHOULD.

― Big Willy and the Twins (miloaukerman), Monday, 10 April 2006 00:47 (nineteen years ago)

This check swing discussion can't end soon enough.

― mattbot (mattbot), Monday, 10 April 2006 01:34 (nineteen years ago)

Skipping 211 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/4448/jhje2.jpg

― mattbot (mattbot), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 17:23 (nineteen years ago)

Theirot with sacrifice bunts in both the 1st and the 3rd innings. Way to see what you've got, Dust.

― mattbot (mattbot), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 17:49 (nineteen years ago)

In honor of Barrett qualifying for the batting title (trails Freddy Sanchez .346-.326, about 7th) AND hitting a HR in today's 1-0 win, this preseason training story sure is a tickler now:

Three days a week Barrett ends his training day with an hour of martial arts. "I don't believe there's a place for fighting in baseball," he says, "but I want to be confident that if a situation arose, I could handle it... I wouldn't mind trying to be an ultimate fighter after my baseball career."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/players/02/28/workout0306/index.html

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 19:32 (nineteen years ago)

I wouldn't mind trying to be an ultimate fighter after my baseball career.

christ, just what chicago needs, another beefy frat boy who loves fisticuffs.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Thursday, 17 August 2006 12:36 (nineteen years ago)

http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/9093/772609227lmc1.gif

― mattbot (mattbot), Thursday, 17 August 2006 13:04 (nineteen years ago)

so how horrible is this team going to be next year after ramirez opts out of his contract and d.lee's wrist keeps his power #'s down?

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Thursday, 17 August 2006 19:02 (nineteen years ago)

Neifi's gone! I was up all night just weeping tears of joy.

― mattbot (mattbot), Monday, 21 August 2006 12:38 (nineteen years ago)

FREE(D) IZTURIS.

― c('°c) (Leee), Monday, 21 August 2006 15:21 (nineteen years ago)

i think the cubs will be better next year if only because neifi isn't getting more ABs

― gear (gear), Monday, 21 August 2006 16:08 (nineteen years ago)

YIKES
Izturis to the DL, apparently the Dodgers traded him knowing he was damaged goods.

― Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Tuesday, 22 August 2006 21:55 (nineteen years ago)

LOL ; (

― gear (gear), Tuesday, 22 August 2006 22:02 (nineteen years ago)

FIRE THAT FAT FUCK HENDRY NOW

― gear (gear), Tuesday, 22 August 2006 22:02 (nineteen years ago)

Can you do that?
(knowingly trade damaged goods)

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 22 August 2006 22:04 (nineteen years ago)

if info is withheld, no

― gear (gear), Tuesday, 22 August 2006 22:16 (nineteen years ago)

Well I mean, he was coming off a major injury, so I'm surprised that Hendry didn't conduct a thorough physical.

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Tuesday, 22 August 2006 22:33 (nineteen years ago)

he's a hands-on GM usually, i'm surprised too

― gear (gear), Tuesday, 22 August 2006 22:36 (nineteen years ago)

This team is getting better by the day!

― mattbot (mattbot), Tuesday, 22 August 2006 23:19 (nineteen years ago)

I'm assuming the guy I saw at Shea Tuesday in the "Cardinals take it in the Pujols" shirt was a classy Cubs fan?

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 24 August 2006 14:33 (nineteen years ago)

Why didn't you say hi to me?!

― mattbot (mattbot), Thursday, 24 August 2006 14:52 (nineteen years ago)

Can you do that?
(knowingly trade damaged goods)

Jays-White Sox! Mike Sirotka!! FUCK YOU KENNY WILLIAMS.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 24 August 2006 14:55 (nineteen years ago)

Oh right. That had been purged from my memory.

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Thursday, 24 August 2006 14:57 (nineteen years ago)

It's basically impossible to "prove" that a club knew a guy was injured before trading him, but if it didn't happen in the Sirotka case, it'll never happen. FUCK EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THAT TRADE.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 24 August 2006 15:11 (nineteen years ago)

OK, but it was kinda funny how David Wells went down mid-season with a crippling back injury and threatened to retire, which was basically his way of telling people that he didn't want to pitch in Chicago.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 24 August 2006 15:13 (nineteen years ago)

Dusty pulls out an old classic when asked about what the Cubs need to do to win next year:

Next year: Do the Cubs need to improve their on-base percentage next year? They currently rank last in the National League with a .318 OBP.
"On-base percentage is great if you can score runs and do something with that on-base percentage," Baker said. "Clogging up the bases isn't that great to me. The problem we have to address more than anything is the home run problem."

― mattbot (mattbot), Thursday, 24 August 2006 21:11 (nineteen years ago)

Derrek Lee is penciled in at 1B today.

― Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Monday, 28 August 2006 21:17 (nineteen years ago)

What's gonna happen with Nevin now that Lee's back?

― Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Wednesday, 30 August 2006 16:12 (nineteen years ago)

Michael Barrett out with an intrascrotal hematoma. Zambrano pulled in 2nd inning with lower back tightness. Laissez les mal temps roulez!

― mattbot (mattbot), Tuesday, 5 September 2006 01:24 (nineteen years ago)

Yeeeowww, Pierzynski's gotta have a(n anatomically correct) Barrett voodoo doll.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 5 September 2006 18:48 (nineteen years ago)

$95 million payroll and, as of today, the worst record in the National League. A 3-21 finish will make them the worst Cubs team of all time.

I wish I could perform like this at work and not lose my job :(

― mattbot (mattbot), Wednesday, 6 September 2006 17:44 (nineteen years ago)

three weeks pass...

So long Dusty!

― mattbot (mattbot), Monday, 2 October 2006 17:23 (nineteen years ago)

Every time I see this thread I think one thing:
A) Never.

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Monday, 2 October 2006 17:32 (nineteen years ago)

MacPhail resigned too!

― mattbot (mattbot), Monday, 2 October 2006 17:56 (nineteen years ago)

someone needs to fire hendry

― gear (gear), Monday, 2 October 2006 18:02 (nineteen years ago)

i blame dusty for a lot, sure, but it's tough to manage when hendry stocks the roster with slap hitting middle infielders

― gear (gear), Monday, 2 October 2006 18:03 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5k0xjuLGso

(warning: crummy song, but it's sort of funny. esp since it was made on may 26.)

― maura (maura), Monday, 9 October 2006 08:25 (nineteen years ago)

"Now Lou PinielLA is what you call a, ah praFESSional MANager. He's looking to get a, ah Alex RodRIGuez ahn put up some CROOKED NUMBERS."

Phillips: "Piniella wants to win."

― Andy_K (Andy_K), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 16:10 (nineteen years ago)

That's been the problem with Cubs managers the last 100 years, they haven't wanted to win. Looking forward to ring after ring with Sweet Lou and the injured two.

― mattbot (mattbot), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 16:19 (nineteen years ago)

they should've hired girardi.

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 16:21 (nineteen years ago)

Andy, who's that first quote attributed to?

― David R. (popshots75`), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 16:22 (nineteen years ago)

My newly developed Piniellabot.

― Andy_K (Andy_K), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 16:26 (nineteen years ago)

Phillips = direct quote, however

― Andy_K (Andy_K), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 16:31 (nineteen years ago)

YES, a place to send A-Rod to. I was telling people the prepster fans at Wrigley would eat him up even before the Cubs scooped up Piniella.

in other news, my autographed copy of http://www.heartlanddigsandfinds.com/store/graphics/Product_Graphics/Product_3277.jpg fails to appreciate in value.

― ▒█▄█ ▄▄▄ ▒█▄█ , Tuesday, 17 October 2006 19:09 (nineteen years ago)

classic link re Cubs on ESPN.com:

"Steve Phillips: Players needed"

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 19:23 (nineteen years ago)

I was gonna ask what happened to Bud's Must Interview Minorities for Managerial Openings rule, til I realized Piniella must qualify.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 16:07 (nineteen years ago)

I'd like a Chicagoan's opinion on this:

Sammy (Wrigleyville): Are the Cubs still relevant?

Nate Silver: One of the stories that got somewhat buried in the national media is that the White Sox did better TV ratings than the Cubs by a fairly wide margin. I think the Cubs have 2007 to remain relevant, but if somehow they manage to have a year that's been as disappointing as the last couple, I predict that you start to see a fair number of empty seats in Wrigley in 2008.

Is he talking about national or local TV ratings? It wouldn't surprise me if the Sox drew better on Sunday Night Baseball, but as for the local market, are Cubs fans really switching sides?

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Friday, 20 October 2006 16:55 (nineteen years ago)

i think there has definitely been some apathy regarding the cubs the past couple of years, and there were even empty seats in wrigley this past season. the general consensus from fans i know is the team is run incompetently, the pitchers are obviously not being taken care of*, and the lineup is top loaded with singles hitters who don't walk.

i didn't even bother to watch a single game after the initial post-derrek lee injury slide.

*i think this point has everything to do with the team, btw. there's always been talk that wood's delivery contributes to his injuries, but no one has bothered to push the issue with him obviously. and word is mark prior, for all his impeccable mechanics, doesn't take care of himself as well as he should. whatever the truth may be, there's some smoke there.

― gear (gear), Friday, 20 October 2006 17:01 (nineteen years ago)

four years pass...

didnt wanna spoil new Cubs thread w/ '06 revelation:

http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2011/2/22/2008549/dusty-baker-given-lovely-parting-gifts-as-cubs-manager

― kind of shrill and very self-righteous (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 22 February 2011 21:35 (fourteen years ago)

O_O

― old man yells at poop first thing in the morning (pixel farmer), Tuesday, 22 February 2011 21:39 (fourteen years ago)

Prior or Wood would be justified.

― reggaeton for the painfully alone (polyphonic), Tuesday, 22 February 2011 22:14 (fourteen years ago)

i was thinking wood b/c wasn't he the guy who smashed sosa's boombox with a baseball bat?

dark horse possibility: david aardsma, because of his family connections.

― omar little, Wednesday, 23 February 2011 16:13 (fourteen years ago)

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