Red-Hot Reds
The Cubs tonight run into the hottest team in baseball here in Cincinnati. The Reds haven't lost since that 8-3 defeat to the Cubs at Wrigley over a week ago. So, for the second time on this trip, the Cubs will play a first place team in their division. The Reds shaved all 5 G off in the standings in the last 8 days, going into tonight tied with St. Louis.
Couple of keys tonight...1) keep Bronson Arroyo in the park! The Reds righthander has already homered twice off tonight's Cubs starter Glendon Rusch... 2) keep the rest of the Reds in the park as well. This isn't so easy, but what Glendon can do to help himself is limit the walks. Ken Griffey Jr. did not play Wednesday because of a tight left quad, so it's possible he'll be limited again tonight...and 3) get some early runs. The Cubs did that Monday night in Houston, but over the last two games, we've seen just one run on ten hits.
We hope to have a Kerry Wood update for you tonight. Also, Mark Prior pitches for AA West Tenn tonight as he continues his minor league rehab assignment. I know, I know, too much injury news...but we just report what's going on. Believe me, I look forward as much as you do to NOT have to keep giving health updates.
Time to break the WGN losing streak.
Len
Comments
When are you going to cut loose and say what clowns these flubs really are?
Posted by: Len | June 8, 2006 1:45 PM
Jim Hendry should have known better then to bank on Wood and Prior for this season. His gamble has backfired big time and the Cubs are in this predicament because of it. Giving Hendry a contract extension early this season was also a huge mistake. Mark Cuban loses money on the Mavs, who are in the NBA Finals, and the Tribune Company continues to roll in the cash with a second to last place team. Time to sell the Cubs to Cuban so we can experience an environment of ownership willing to do whatever it takes to win. Winning is not high on the Tribune Company's priority list, its all about the bottom line.
Posted by: Brad | June 8, 2006 2:53 PM
could WGN be the cubs jink?
Posted by: bill | June 8, 2006 3:36 PM
We go out and get Nevin for power and then sit him on the bench...This is the kind of crap that Cub fans can expect from this organisation..I can't take much more
Posted by: george a pope | June 8, 2006 4:56 PM
ok WHERE IS NEVIN???DID WE TRADE HIM TO SIT THE BENCH FOR OVER 10 MIL A YEAR??????as far as i know great american ballpark and the reds is a slugfest,wouldnt it make sense to put your power in there,huh DUSTY???i know we are not paying his full salary but still yet he is a expensive power hitter and should be in todays game.oh thats right brunson is right-handed....WHO CARES,we still need some power,this trade is useless unless we use him.this just goes to show management doesnt have a clue.murton is struggling and nevin has played left before.need i say more,c,mon!!!!
Posted by: leo s. | June 8, 2006 7:01 PM
Can SOMEONE PLEASE explain to me why we traded for a guy to give us some "POP" and in two of the most HITTER FRIENDLY parks in the league, he's SITTING ON THE BENCH?????? And could we PLEASE see NO MORE of Glendon Rusch?????? This guy is WELL PAST the sell-by date. This team is getting HARDER and HARDER to watch. Oh where oh where has my Pepto gone???????
Posted by: Lenny C | June 8, 2006 7:52 PM
I think the Cubs' brass should take a page out of Artie Moreno's book in Anaheim.... let's call the Cubs the KANSAS CITY CUBS OF TAMPA BAY!!!!!
It's CATCHY and it's getting TRUER and TRUER by the game.
Posted by: Lenny C | June 8, 2006 7:57 PM
I made a comment a few weeks ago and I was trying to remain optimistic about the Cubs season. I guess I was wrong. I have been out of scholl for ten years and haven't played baseball since third grade and I coould hit and/or pitch better than the Cubs right now with the exception of Carlos Zambrano. Come on, PLEASE!!
Tell them to get it in gear or kiss another wasted baseball season goodbye.
Posted by: Ricky | June 8, 2006 8:50 PM
I couldn't agree more with George a pope. We trade for NEVIN and he SITS. Play the guy, and let's see if he can help our terrible offense.
Posted by: mac | June 9, 2006 4:27 AM
Can the trib company please Sell the team. We beg of you. You will make money off the deal. SELL TO MARK CUBAN!!!! This crap has to stop! We need a real owner. Not some company that doesn't give a crap. Please play nevin .I don't get baker. Sign B.B. for manager next year. I have been saying this since last year.
Posted by: Jason 311 | June 9, 2006 8:00 AM
I like the idea of Nevin playing more, but the lineup needs a total makeover. If the leadoff man can't get on base you are not going to get positive results. I don't have the answer, but it seems that winning teams are built around their stadiums. Hendry may need to keep that in mind with his acquisitions during his extension years.
Posted by: Bill | June 9, 2006 8:01 AM
Do you know it's against the law to omit comments or are you chicken squeez. Afraid that the Wrigley Management or Chicago Tribune cannot take the heat.
Posted by: Joe W | June 9, 2006 8:29 AM
Well, Len, I watched the game last night. I never saw a team look as unhappy to play baseball as the Cubs. Novoa was sweating and freaking out like he was going to have a root canal or something. What is with these guys?
I envision a sign held up at Wrigley:
We've
Got
Nothing
I know it's not really funny.
Posted by: James Miller | June 9, 2006 9:43 AM
Hey Len,
Your absolutely right, we need to just stay in these games and get runs early. We can't be having what happend..Thursday, I think it was! How do you not score a SINGLE run!! It's starting to make me crazy! Marshall gives you the best start of his career and you cant hit fir him, but meanwhile when a pitcher gives up say 3 runs, the cubs can hit. I DONT GET IT!
LETS TURN IT AROUND!!!!!!! GO CUBS!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Mike | June 9, 2006 9:56 PM
Let's summarize this season:
Wood: 4 starts, Prior: 0 starts. The starters have been mostly inconsistent. Lee goes down and Pierre is a bust. And a manager in Dusty Baker who, for some god awful reason, continues to sit Barrett when he's going to have to serve a 10-game suspension sooner or later and this squad pretty lacking in consistent offensive output.
And speaking of offensive output, talk about something that has, much like a complete lack of fundamentals, plagued Baker's years in Chicago.
So, what do we have to show for the Cubs & Tribune's attempts to get this team back on the right track? Womack, Nevin, an extension for Hendry, and a lot more suffering from the Tribune's ownership of the Cubs.
Sell the Cubs to Mark Cuban, sell 'em to Ernie Banks. Just sell the team to somebody who cares about something other than the bottom line.
Posted by: Craig J. Ries | June 10, 2006 12:29 AM
Hey Bob and Len ! Just TELL the truth for a change and call this stinking ball club what it is - BAD.Now the biggest challenge of the season will be the battle with the Pirates for who is WORST.
Posted by: Elmo | June 10, 2006 3:18 AM