But here are some real statistics:

34-18 in one-run games
13-1 in extra innings
12-22 in blowout games (5+ run difference)

Well, it's official. Cubs fans officially hate the Cubs. Apparently we are no longer able to handle a tight race.

[quote="Tequila Cowboy"]Well, it's official. Cubs fans officially hate the Cubs. Apparently we are no longer able to handle a tight race.[/quot

Oh, just stop it TC. I was at last night's game and nobody was lighting themselves on fire. That said, Baez and Rizzo need to start hitting again.

Pretty funny that Rizzo wore his uniform on the trip to DC for today's make-up game.

Mr. B wrote:

Tequila Cowboy wrote:Well, it's official. Cubs fans officially hate the Cubs. Apparently we are no longer able to handle a tight race.[/quot

Oh, just stop it TC. I was at last night's game and nobody was lighting themselves on fire. That said, Baez and Rizzo need to start hitting again.

Pretty funny that Rizzo wore his uniform on the trip to DC for today's make-up game.

They're going crazy in all the groups I'm in. Several people quit the main group, lot's of calls to fire Maddon and these are not meatball groups either.

Tequila Cowboy wrote:Well, it's official. Cubs fans officially hate the Cubs. Apparently we are no longer able to handle a tight race.

I'm usually the one trying to talk people off the ledge, but the Cubs have played like hot garbage for long stretches in the second half, an a lot of the roster is out or banged up.

Also, Maddon is making tons of terrible managerial decisions, both with lineups and bullpen management

Joe Maddon injures the Cubs' reliever by having him bat with the bases loaded. If it's not one thing it's another this year. I've been a Maddon fan/defender, but I think he's been managing while drunk this year

Zip City wrote:Joe Maddon injures the Cubs' reliever by having him bat with the bases loaded. If it's not one thing it's another this year. I've been a Maddon fan/defender, but I think he's been managing while drunk this year

I objected to that when it happened myself, in fact most of us on a game thread did, but it's hard to blame an injury on the manager. It was a bad call and proved out as an even worse one.

Tequila Cowboy wrote:

Zip City wrote:Joe Maddon injures the Cubs' reliever by having him bat with the bases loaded. If it's not one thing it's another this year. I've been a Maddon fan/defender, but I think he's been managing while drunk this year

I objected to that when it happened myself, in fact most of us on a game thread did, but it's hard to blame an injury on the manager. It was a bad call and proved out as an even worse one.

You can blame him for bad managing. Strop had already pitched more than an inning, there was just 1 out, and Strop was put in a position he isn't paid to be in. A pinch hitter may have helped scored at least one run, which makes the save easier for whomever replaces Strop in the bottom of the inning. It was just an indefensible decision

Mr. B wrote:

Tequila Cowboy wrote:Well, it's official. Cubs fans officially hate the Cubs. Apparently we are no longer able to handle a tight race.[/quot

Oh, just stop it TC. I was at last night's game and nobody was lighting themselves on fire. That said, Baez and Rizzo need to start hitting again.

Pretty funny that Rizzo wore his uniform on the trip to DC for today's make-up game.

I haven't seen or heard anybody at the games "hating the Cubs" either. In fact the tighter than expected race in the Central has made the ballpark equally if not more electric in August and September than last year. I haven't gotten the panic sentiment at all. I feel like I have been down at Wrigley enough this year to have a pretty good finger on the pulse too.

People on Cubs message boards are just people on Cubs message boards. It would seem to me that the great majority are people that have either too much time on their hands or are irrationally obsessive in whatever topic they are following. It's also impersonal in which you can say whatever you want, without real world recourse. They should spend that time either getting laid more or at least putting forth the effort. (I'm trolling now fellas )

I'm not making a blanket statement that Joe isn't a good manager. He is an upper echelon manager in the MLB and his consistency speaks for itself. With that said, I hated the decision in real time yesterday to put a bat in Strop's hands with a one run lead, the bases loaded and one out. His pitch count was already at 21. Exceeding that would certainly remove any chance of an appearance the following day, while minimizing your chance of scoring a run.
With Brandon Morrow still ailing/rehabing/etc, the one position that you couldn't lose going into a playoff run was seemingly your closer. And the second worst scenario happened yesterday with Strop coming up lame running to first. The worst case would obviously have been for that to happen and lose that game.

All certainly isn't lost. They will at the very least finish as a playoff team for the 4th year in a row which is very difficult thing to do . (See the highly talented Nationals) Without an elite back end of that bullpen available, I'm afraid that it's highly probable that they will exit quickly. It's baseball and crazier things have happened.

Yeah, I don’t dismiss Cubs groups in the Internet as easily as others. Yes, the meatballs always get excited but when smart, intelligent groups like Cubs Den go negative it’s noticeable. I questioned the Strop move when it happened too. Joe made a mistake, he’s human after all, but all in all I think this has been his best year managing. The Cubs could easily be the Nationals right now. The guy you signed to be your #1 pitcher gave you one decent game and then was hurt, you best player going into the season in Kris Bryant lost two months, Jason Heyward who has been a clutch hitter all year long missed 6 weeks in three different stunts, your closer has been out since July and your All Star catcher has been bad and the team is still on track to win 95-96 games. Now Morrow will be back next weekend and we’ll see what he’s got. I still think this team plays the Braves in the NLCS and goes to the WS. Then we’ll see.

While I know homers aren't everything, it seems inexcusable that a team with Rizzo, Bryant, Schwarber and Baez is in the bottom half of the MLB in homers this season. I've seen a lot blame place on Chilli Davis, whose approach as hitting coach is about flattening out swings and hitting line drives, negating the power of a lot of the hitters

Zip City wrote:While I know homers aren't everything, it seems inexcusable that a team with Rizzo, Bryant, Schwarber and Baez is in the bottom half of the MLB in homers this season. I've seen a lot blame place on Chilli Davis, whose approach as hitting coach is about flattening out swings and hitting line drives, negating the power of a lot of the hitters

That was a conscious choice on the part of the FO and frankly it may have been an overcorrection from the launch angle approach of John Mallee. After all the lack of HR was the reason Chili Davis was let go in Boston. I like how he's helped some of the hitters, but it's hurt others. I think they probably need to get a new hitting coach that falls somewhere in the middle.

Tequila Cowboy wrote:

Zip City wrote:While I know homers aren't everything, it seems inexcusable that a team with Rizzo, Bryant, Schwarber and Baez is in the bottom half of the MLB in homers this season. I've seen a lot blame place on Chilli Davis, whose approach as hitting coach is about flattening out swings and hitting line drives, negating the power of a lot of the hitters

That was a conscious choice on the part of the FO and frankly it may have been an overcorrection from the launch angle approach of John Mallee. After all the lack of HR was the reason Chili Davis was let go in Boston. I like how he's helped some of the hitters, but it's hurt others. I think they probably need to get a new hitting coach that falls somewhere in the middle.

I've been unimpressed with both Hickey and Davis

I'm watching the Cardinals and the Giants this afternoon.
Top 8, Cards lead 7-2. Giants have runners on first and second with one out and Hunter Pence tags up from second on a routine fly ball to center field. He was safe at third....barely.
My high school baseball coach would have pistol whipped me for taking that chance. Hunter Pence has been in the league ten years.

Will Bryce Harper and Manny Machado Do $800M NBA-Style Free-Agency Team-Up?

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/279 ... =editorial

I approve of this article

Ok TC, i think i am ready to join a few of them Cubs forums you have mentioned. Its been a tough few days.

Mr. B wrote:Ok TC, i think i am ready to join a few of them Cubs forums you have mentioned. Its been a tough few days.

It's rough everywhere. Cubs Den is as balanced as any but there are ledge walkers even there. Hell, I think I'm among them. I turned the game off in disgust. I'm not mad necessarily, but I am confused. How does this happen?

Tequila Cowboy wrote:

Mr. B wrote:Ok TC, i think i am ready to join a few of them Cubs forums you have mentioned. Its been a tough few days.

It's rough everywhere. Cubs Den is as balanced as any but there are ledge walkers even there. Hell, I think I'm among them. I turned the game off in disgust. I'm not mad necessarily, but I am confused. How does this happen?

Hey, at least there’s no fighting in the bleachers

Tequila Cowboy wrote:

Mr. B wrote:Ok TC, i think i am ready to join a few of them Cubs forums you have mentioned. Its been a tough few days.

It's rough everywhere. Cubs Den is as balanced as any but there are ledge walkers even there. Hell, I think I'm among them. I turned the game off in disgust. I'm not mad necessarily, but I am confused. How does this happen?

A brutal couple of games for sure. I still believe they can turn it around, but they are running out of time.

I had to check to make sure. The Cubs have the best record in the NL. Count your blessings. All I have left to hope for is the Giants knocking the Fodgers out of the playoffs.

The White Sox have both a Hamilton and a Burr in their bullpen

Something something pitching duel

whatwouldcooleydo? wrote:The most consistent hitter over a 5-year period in MLB history

And he did it again this season!!!

whatwouldcooleydo? wrote:

whatwouldcooleydo? wrote:The most consistent hitter over a 5-year period in MLB history

And he did it again this season!!!

It's 4 straight, not 5

https://www.baseball-reference.com/play ... kh01.shtml

Zip City wrote:

whatwouldcooleydo? wrote:

whatwouldcooleydo? wrote:The most consistent hitter over a 5-year period in MLB history

And he did it again this season!!!

It's 4 straight, not 5

https://www.baseball-reference.com/play ... kh01.shtml

The 538 piece says over a 5-year period, not 5 straight

LBRod wrote:I had to check to make sure. The Cubs have the best record in the NL. Count your blessings. All I have left to hope for is the Giants knocking the Fodgers out of the playoffs.

I was wrong. Cub fans were rightfully worried.

While I'm happy with the Yankees winning tonight I'm not as optimistic about success vs Boston as some on the radio are. The last time these teams played in games that mattered to both teams, the Yanks got swept. Those last 3 games in Boston meant nothing to the Sox. I think the Yanks have a chance but I'm hardly comfortable about their prospects.

LBRod wrote:

LBRod wrote:I had to check to make sure. The Cubs have the best record in the NL. Count your blessings. All I have left to hope for is the Giants knocking the Fodgers out of the playoffs.

I was wrong. Cub fans were rightfully worried.

As Theo said yesterday at some point the offense broke. I contemplated sitting the playoffs out but I can't do that. Shit it wasn't long ago that I always had to find other teams to root for in October. Go Braves! Go Red Sox!

Tequila Cowboy wrote:

LBRod wrote:

LBRod wrote:I had to check to make sure. The Cubs have the best record in the NL. Count your blessings. All I have left to hope for is the Giants knocking the Fodgers out of the playoffs.

I was wrong. Cub fans were rightfully worried.

As Theo said yesterday at some point the offense broke. I contemplated sitting the playoffs out but I can't do that. Shit it wasn't long ago that I always had to find other teams to root for in October. Go Braves! Go Red Sox!

Chili Davis is a terrible hitting coach and should be fired yesterday

Aaron Boone, Rothschild and Cashman

Okay I still don't understand how to post a pic here but long story short, fucking nerds ruining baseball with their graphs and pie charts. Severino has been shit since the break, the figurehead in the dugout needs to tell the geeksquad that's really in charge how to make baseball decisions.