Chicago Cubs don't have that 'This is the Year!' look

[Tony]

to bad we have so much money tied up to Soriano and Bradley. I really liked the energy that Sam Fuld brought to the team. I think Jake fox is going to be a good player.

I would love to see some more of our farm system come up and challenged these overpaid babies to play, because that is what the Cubs have become. Sad reality is that too much money is tied to these player. Once we get the sale taken care of maybe we could do like the Bluejays and just start dropping people. Ask the Ricketts or the Utays if they would bail us out for the amount of Soriano and Bradley's contract. I would be up for that.

[Camus]

It looked like the Cubs had it last year, but alas, more despair. I'm not sure that after half a season, anyone can say it looks like they don't have it this year.

Yes, Jim Hendry is not really very good at his job, as evidenced by his terrible signing of Bradley and the absurd deal for Soriano, But the season is still only half over, and regular season wins don't really translate to the postseason, do they there Rick?

Rick Morrissey is one of the reasons the Tribune is filing for bankruptcy. How a major metropolitan daily can pay a no talent hack to write this drivel is beyond me.

[Karl Spackler]

Rick, just a couple of weeks ago yo were telling us not to worry, that the Cubs would be just fine.

Now you put together an amateur article telling us that the Cubs just don't have it this year.

Don't you have any concept of credibility?

The Cubs have not had "it" since 1984. This is not newsworthy.

[steve]

Cards win 3 of 4 this weekend....end of season for Cubs. This has not been the year and there will not be a year unless major changes occur within management and mentality of manager. Yet, for many teams, when you are less than 5 games out at this point how can you not think it could be your year? How about Cincinnati...still possible for them Part of the joy of baseball...with the way this division is going it could still feel like it is "the year" well into August....too bad the delusion must continue

[Antru Zel]

Leading the team in Cub occurrences is Jim Hendry who took the team several measures backward with a terrible offseason.

[Antru Zel]

Was the first Cub occurrence the difficulty finalizing the sale?

[Art]

3 out of 4 this weekend or bust. Is it going to happen? Probably not. If this team loses 3 out of 4 that means a 5.5 game deficit. That means they can't come out after the all-star break flat, if they fall 3 or 4 games further behind in the first week or 2 after the break then you're talking a possible 8-9 game deficit. Kiss the division goodbye if that happens.

[Frank_S]

Bruno wrote:

Sorry,one more thing.For a City known for its broad shoulders that post victory song has to be the gayest song in history.I think a new song should be in order for the second half. Any suggestions?How about "It's The End Of The World As We Know It" by R.E.M.?

Is this supposed to be irony or sarcasm? You can hate the song if you like, but the composer was a heterosexual Cub fan and the song you propose to take its place was written by a gay man from Georgia.

[Eric]

Nothing like a little optimism going into a huge series this weekend against the Cards this weekend! Nice going, Rick. Way to help the team build a little confidence. You doom and gloom columnists are part of the reason this team always puts so much pressure on itself and winds up choking. You should be working at McDonalds, you clown.
How about, instead of dwelling on the negatives, writing about the positives, like the fact that the starting pitching has been nothing short of outstanding? Or that Heilman has been awesome in middle relief over the last month or so? Or the fact that Lee and Fox have been tearing the cover off the ball lately? No, that wouldn't be a "scoop." Gee, let's bury the Cubs when they're only 3.5 out!

[Michael]

The Cardinals have had just as many, if not more, injuries this year than the Cubs. Glaus (2008 - .270, 99 RBI and 27 HR, only 7 errors @ 3rd base) hasn't had an at bat. Both backup third basemen were hurt and not able to take Glaus' place. Former Cy Young winner Carpenter missed five weeks with an abdominal strain. Starting pitcher Kyle Lohse has been gone for five weeks. Starting shortstop Khalil Greene is doing his second stint on the DL for his mental issues. They acquired Mark DeRosa, and he almost immediately went on the DL. Their number one utility infielder, and now starting shortstop, Brendan Ryan, has been on the DL. Starting outfielder and 2008 Silver Slugger award winner Ryan Ludwick (.299, 37 HR, 113 RBI) has been on the DL. Starting outfielder Rick Ankiel has been on the DL.

[R-man]

For 2008 the Cubs were #5 in the league for batting average and low ERA. 2009 finds them in the same position for ERA but 4th worst for hitting.

Since this team makes ordinary pitchers look like a cross between Sandy Kolfax and a young Dwight Gooden, no sense going to the playoffs where the pitching gets better.

[Coach Killer]

This team has the starting pitching to win it all but there are just too many holes elsewhere to expect a big finish this year. Everytime they win a couple someone gets hurt or the lineup gets filled out with too many automatic outs and they score one run.

The other problem is that guys that have helped them win a few games recently (Fox, Fuld, etc.) can't stay on the field long enough to make a difference because the guys making 8-10 million have to play to justify their salary. And unfortunately the big bucks guys are mostly having terrible seasons this year which goes a long way in explaining why the team is last in the league in runs scored.

[Jason]

Way to just now figure that out, Rick. The rest of us figured it out a while back.

[Adam]

Like the closing Rick. After all this team's been through over the past few years, maybe it's a good thing if we start writing this team off! Maybe lower the bar a bit.

[thesaddestofposs iblewords]

Rick and Phil are taking turns writing the same doom and gloom about the cubs (only difference is that Phil always lists the cub salaries for some reason) - going neg on the cubs is fashionable while watching all your buddies get laid off and your newspaper go in the toilet. Might as well rip on the cubs again. There is still a chance that this could be a fun summer with a few moves - but writing a constructive article would be too much work - but no matter what its always a fun summer at Wrigley.

[Jeffery58]

Start the fire sale, please!

[Chi boy stuck in Jersey]

Steveswishersstick wrote:

<quoted text>
No different than all the teams but one a year....we just have been doing it longer.

Well, that and the fact that flubs fans are the only fans of any team in exsistance that actually had to justify their teams horrible record by calling them, "lovable losers" and actually embracing it. We suck and we love it! Woohoo! Wait until next year and we will loose again. Woohoo! Go flubbies.

I am die hard Sox fan, but would LOVE to see the flubs actually win a WS, just so they could stop being such a god awful, unbearable, embarrassment.

[Tom Cruise]

Note to Cubs fans:YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH !!!

[Ben]

Who remember 1908, can somebody here name a player from that team?

[Rod from Tennessee]

Actually Morrisey, i think you are wrong. I think the majority of Cub fans do think the exact way you do. I know that i sure do. It's a curse being a Cub fan. Most people realize this. I've cursed my dead father, God rest his soul, on numerous occasions for making a Cub fan out of me. So when things like Dempster breaking his toe foolishly occur, although i really don't see that as any great loss actually, i just figure it's par for the course. It's the usual. The playoff years are what's unusual. And since they end up so terribly, i often wonder if it's not the best way, to just get the misery over early.