Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Mmmmm...pendulums
And the pendulum has swung to a bad place.
The Cubs, after losing 3 straight and winning 4 straight, have now lost five straight. Yikes. I know that I'm not the only one who got excited when the three aces (plus one) were reunited. It seemed that the Cubs should never lose. After all, how many runs could we posibly give up with this caliber of pitching.
It turns out we were all asking the wrong question.
The question should have been: How many runs can we possibly score with this lineup. The starting pitching has not struggled in the last week, but the margin of error has been nil, and the losses have begun to pile up.
Not good times.
But things are going to change soon. There is no reason that the Cubs offense should be this bad. They should score a few runs at some point. It just happens to be the case that everyone is struggling at once....something that happens all too often. Tonight the Cubs have Maddux going again a pitcher with a 6+ era, just like yesterday (except the Maddux part). I can't say I'm optimistic.
The encouraging sign was the presence of a resonable top-of-the-lineup. Hairston and Walker and Lee, oh my! (yes, I did just say that. No, I'm not proud). But it seems like that surge of intellegence must end, as the Patterson exile is apparently over. Hairston excelled in the leadoff roll for two whole game, but Patterson can't be stopped, he can only hope to be contained. With that in mind, how about this lineup (it'll never happen).
Hairston LF
Walker 2B
Lee 1B
Burnitz RF
Ramirez 3B
Barrett C
Neifi! SS
Patterson CF
Pitcher P
Looks good to me, although Holly will never sit, and maybe shouldn't. So I give you an alternate lineup, which will also never happen, but incorporates all of Dusty's favorites.
Walker 2B
Holly LF
Lee 1B
Burnitz RF
Ramirez 3B
Barrett C
Neifi! SS
Patterson CF
Pitcher P
Notice a trend? Ah yes, the OBP twins are anchoring the bottom of the lineup, right where they belong. Will this ever happen? No. Patterson and Neifi! are too speedy/scrappy...one will be in the 1 or 2 slot no matter what.
These, however, are all just suggestions. I've given up on trying to make any predictions.
The Cubs, after losing 3 straight and winning 4 straight, have now lost five straight. Yikes. I know that I'm not the only one who got excited when the three aces (plus one) were reunited. It seemed that the Cubs should never lose. After all, how many runs could we posibly give up with this caliber of pitching.
It turns out we were all asking the wrong question.
The question should have been: How many runs can we possibly score with this lineup. The starting pitching has not struggled in the last week, but the margin of error has been nil, and the losses have begun to pile up.
Not good times.
But things are going to change soon. There is no reason that the Cubs offense should be this bad. They should score a few runs at some point. It just happens to be the case that everyone is struggling at once....something that happens all too often. Tonight the Cubs have Maddux going again a pitcher with a 6+ era, just like yesterday (except the Maddux part). I can't say I'm optimistic.
The encouraging sign was the presence of a resonable top-of-the-lineup. Hairston and Walker and Lee, oh my! (yes, I did just say that. No, I'm not proud). But it seems like that surge of intellegence must end, as the Patterson exile is apparently over. Hairston excelled in the leadoff roll for two whole game, but Patterson can't be stopped, he can only hope to be contained. With that in mind, how about this lineup (it'll never happen).
Hairston LF
Walker 2B
Lee 1B
Burnitz RF
Ramirez 3B
Barrett C
Neifi! SS
Patterson CF
Pitcher P
Looks good to me, although Holly will never sit, and maybe shouldn't. So I give you an alternate lineup, which will also never happen, but incorporates all of Dusty's favorites.
Walker 2B
Holly LF
Lee 1B
Burnitz RF
Ramirez 3B
Barrett C
Neifi! SS
Patterson CF
Pitcher P
Notice a trend? Ah yes, the OBP twins are anchoring the bottom of the lineup, right where they belong. Will this ever happen? No. Patterson and Neifi! are too speedy/scrappy...one will be in the 1 or 2 slot no matter what.
These, however, are all just suggestions. I've given up on trying to make any predictions.
# posted by Jason @ 6:51 AM 
