The Cubs put rookie starter Chris Rusin on the mound last night, and he didn’t look as good as he did his first time out. He gave up five runs on eight hits while recording only one out. Rusin started the parade of 7 rookie pitchers to take the mound for the Cubs, and we almost had another Joe Mather sighting on the mound. At this point, you can tell Dale Sveum is over it.
“You could have double switched and got two innings out of somebody,” he said. “The only good thing about losing on the road is that you only have to go eight innings. The game was never super out of hand. You never know, but Lendy (Castillo) would have probably been in the game if it was a week ago.”
Castillo ended up being the only rookie reliever the Cubs didn’t use out of their bullpen.
“Even though we gave up a lot of runs, the bullpen gave it up but they didn’t give up too many pitches,” Sveum said. “That was probably the bright spot of the day.”
At least they didn’t throw too many pitches! Rafael Dolis reappeared from his exile in Iowa. He gave up two home runs in one inning, but Dale’s looking at the bright side.
“Hopefully that builds on something because when he left he was having trouble,” Sveum said. “Hopefully he has confidence. The velocity was good again but the location and the movement still wasn’t there. But at least he threw strikes.”
I wonder if Dale bought everyone sodas after the game.
You might be thinking the Cubs have used a lot of players this year. You’d be right.
After just one at-bat in a Chicago Cubs uniform, Anthony Recker is already setting franchise records.
Recker, acquired in a recent trade with the Oakland Athletics, became the 52nd player used by the Cubs this season, setting a team mark. Jaye Chapman was the 51st player when he made his big-league debut in the second inning.
The Cubs have also used 20 rookies this season with 11 of them making their major league debut.
I’m guessing if any of us showed up to the stadium in a credible outfit, we might just have a chance at playing.
“I’m guessing if any of us showed up to the stadium in a credible outfit, we might just have a chance at playing.”
see gravedigger, you should wear a Cubs t shirt, you could be a big league pitcher
I feel a Cubs promotion coming on! “Be a Cubs for A Day!” When you buy a ticket to see the Cubs play at Wrigley, you will be entered into a lottery, the winner of whom will be issued a Cubs uniform, pair of shoes, and a glove, and escorted to the Cubs bullpen. There, the lucky fan will become close friends with the Cubs pitching coach and bullpen catcher. The climax to this one-of-a -kind fan prize, is when YOU take the mound for the Cubs and pitch against a real major league team!
I think the Cubs could make a fortune on this…
And the sad part is the team might actually play better.
Just for the heck of it, I was looking at the MLB standings today because I was in complete shock over the fact that the Orioles were tied for first place. Anyway, while looking at the standing I saw something else that I was stunned by…the Cubs have only 17 wins on the road this year. I knew they were bad…but 17 wins? Yikes! On the flip side, they have a .500 record at home, which is quite amazing too.
Oh…and the Cubs are only 22.5 games back of the wild card leaders right now.
So we cant do crap on the road. How do you fix that?
Get better players.
52 Players used? Isn’t that how many players are allowed on an NFL team? Oh boy I’m guessing 105 losses.
I read today we were on course for 110 losses
And I feel my $200 O/U bet slipping away. That would have bought a good amount of beer.
I think you should buy $300 in beer and get the hell out of dodge before collections comes calling.
they’ve already got the $200. I was just counting on getting that and another $200 back.
Buy booze anyways it’s good for your soul.
I’m looking at their record and their schedule…unfortunately, I don’t see any way possible this team doesn’t lose 100 games now.
At least we aren’t the astros. I don’t see any way possible that they won’t lose 110 games.
When was the last time 2 teams in the same division lost 100 games?
And to answer my question…
it was 2002 AL Central. The Royals were 62-100 and the Tigers were 55-106.
You are a teacher and a scholar.
Gordon Wittenmeyer was on the Score this morning, and he, Mully, and Hanley were quite harsh in their assessment of Theo and Jed thus far.
The main bone of contention: Theo and Jed don’t care of this team loses 104 games, but the people who shell out $$$ for season tickets every year DO.
The question: Wittenmeyer pointed out that a ton of money came off the books this year and that a ton is coming off the books next year. Is it possible to get some big-name free-agents to make this team competitive without interfering with the rebuilding process?
Discuss.
“Interfere with the rebuilding process”?
Someone PLEASE INTERFERE with this process!
I think it is to the point that the Cubs must renovate Wrigley before they can effectively bring in big-name free-agents that would actually help the team win. The truth is, the only players that want to play in Chicago are Soriano types that want to play for the Cubs just to play for the Cubs…not to necessarily help the Cubs win.
Save the money to help pay for the renovations. Let’s say that Cubs could budget for $140 million in player salaries in 2013…but they only spend $100 million…that’s $40 million that they could instantly reinvest in improving the player facilities during the next couple years. In 5 or 6 years they could pay for the city/state part of the renovation.
Then they could compete for a championship in 2043.
It is irresponsible to judge what Jed and Theo have done until 2014.
And the season ticket holders be damned. There are 100,000 people on the waiting list.
I think that they need to make just one significant free agent signing to boost moral for the team and to show the fans that the FO does care about winning now. I do not feel that Theo/Jed want to tolerate another losing season in 2013 while waiting for the youngsters in Boise to come up. I’m pretty sure that they know what they are up against with Chicago fans and they do not want to spend another season answering questions about when are we going to win. Theo is not shy to make an impact signing, he made plenty of them in Boston. He may have learned from some mistakes in Boston and will be more careful with future signings but I feel strongly that he will make an impact signing sometime during the winter that will make Cubs fans pleased.
Theo never did a full blown rebuild like this in Boston. I don’t think you can use that as a measurement of what he will do this winter.
Besides…what impact free agent is going to be available out there really would benefit the Cubs? Only 2 real impact FAs are going to be available…Josh Hamilton and Zack Greinke.
Hamilton will be 32 when he signs and will be in his mid-30′s by the time the Cubs are competitive. Greinke could potentially be a good signing as he’ll still be in his 20s, but I get the feeling the Angels are going to go all out to re-sign him.
So tell me, what free agent is out there that will have a major impact on this team and also will not by 34 years old or older by the time the Cubs are competitive?
You sign free agents to put a team over the top, not to build around. If you try building around free agents, you end up with an old team that might make the playoffs one season and be a vast disappointment the rest. We’ve played that game before and it sucks more of the time than it doesn’t suck.
My apologies, I didn’t necessarily mean that they would pick up an impact free agent but could acquire something through a trade. You sir are correct I don’t really see any FA that would entice this front office. Aside from Hamilton who is on the downside of his career. If it was me in the FO I wouldn’t mind taking a stab at Hamilton even at his age I would say that he has many more impact years to come IMO but that’s why I’m not a GM.
I’m sure you have probably already seen this but John over at Cubs Den posted this list of possible bargain free agents that will be available and could fit the mold the brass has put in place.
http://www.chicagonow.com/cubs-den/2012/09/looking-ahead-at-some-possible-bargain-2013-free-agents-starting-pitchers/
That’s fine and all…but this all started as a discussion about a significant FA signing. All those guys are really more in the Paul Maholm/David DeJesus area…and I would expect the Cubs to sign one or two players like that. In the end…they aren’t very significant, and players like those would have a 50% chance of being traded before the end of the season.
Jeez Julie see what you did there? Now Doc is all up my rear end. No Vaseline, no smooth talking. I’m gonna have a martini now and wallow in shame.
It may be ‘unfair’. I don’t see a ‘resposibility’ angle to this.Especially from the ‘hands-tied-behind-their-back’ fan perspective.
it worries me when I agree with you
You should be worried.
my worries about anything that would be considered a “significant” free agent signing is that it would also be a long term, high dollar signing for a player that, in the best case, going to have a couple good years before starting a downslide in their careers
thats part of what got us into a place where we are hoping to not have 100 loses
I believe the Brewers will finish ahead of the Pirates by the end of the season. And the Pirates will once again fail to have a winning record.
This is going to be our game thread tonight, kids. I just don’t have the time or the energy to come up with a new one tonight.
You know,the Cubs could do what movie theaters did during the Depression. The theaters had bingo nights, gave out dishes,jewelry tied into the films they were showing,and had raffles. The Cubs could do giveaways every day,(good ones) or have raffles for non-baseball prizes to award those fans who have bought tickets already, and who don’t look forward to watching them lose…
I’ll put in a good word to Theo for you.
1 last comment on last nights game. 5 pitchers in the 1st 5 innings.Is that a record?
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…..O well…GO CUBS!
Again 5-0 in the 3rd leaves the Cubs down again. Voltron gives up 2 more homers. weeeeeeeeeeee
Are you guys enjoying this game as much as I am?!?
Fall down a well, Volstad.
Except when he’s pitching against Washington
Ahhh 2 homers by LaRoche and 2 by Bryce Harper so far. I think I just shat myself laughing.
Bryce Harper- TheJustin Beiber of baseball…
I can tell when yet another homer is coming because I hear the horn through my window seconds before it comes on TV
The cubs are throwing batting practice.
I’m pretty sure batting practice pitchers get more players out than these guys do.
Damn, this team is terrible. And for some reason, it surprises me every, single time.