Of Course It's Not Your Fault

Paul Sullivan' article in the Trib today featured to VERY different takes on the Cubs offensive woes of late.

D-Lee:
"Let's not blow it out of proportion," Lee said. "It's two games. Carpenter is the nastiest pitcher I've faced all year. No excuses. We're professionals. We've got to score, but just don't blow it out of proportion."

Milton Bradley:
"I'm the main culprit," Bradley said. "I'm having terrible at-bats. Just not doing anything, not even hitting the ball out of the infield."

For all the bad press Milton gets for his temper and crazy behavior at least he has the cajones to step up and put the blame on himself instead of trying to make his suckiness about the media. Maybe Derrek should spend more time in the batting cage and less time worrying about what the media thinks of his performance.

I've had it with this dude.

Bring on Micah (or Fox).

Go Cubs.

Cubs Continue to Win, Bore My Pants Off

I turned on the game yesterday when it was 1-1 and watched as the Cubs proceeded to treat the woeful Padres like a red-headed step child. Three changes and six runs later, I flipped the channel never to return.

My bad.

It was a beautiful day at the ballpark, and the Cubs were on their way to a sweep. I should have been dancing around high-fiving my imaginary friends. I wasn't. In fact, I couldn't have cared less.

What in the hell is going on? Have I grown so accustomed to them winning that it has become tiresome to watch? Doubtful. Are the Padres so bad that I didn't feel the last three victories were that big of a deal? Possibly. Is this team lacking a personality or players that are fun to watch? Bingo.

Don't get me wrong. There are some great players on this team, and I am excited that they are playing well, but I'm not really as emotionally invested as I normally am. With Mr. Clutch on the DL and Mr. Never Bunt For a Hit Ever Again nursing a bad hammie, I am hard-pressed to think of a guy on this team that pumps me up on a daily basis. Think about it. Outside of the Bobby "Story Soon to Be a Major Motion Picture" Scales and the suddenly home-run happy Theriot, this team is pretty boring.

Sure Soriano is killing the ball, but do his ABs really have that electricity or buzz that make them must-see TV? Not really.

Milton Bradley may be finally turning it around, but his plate appearances are like watching paint dry. A buddy of mine recently joked that he had yet to see Milton swing. He wasn't that far off. The man takes a TON of pitches. I realize that its because he has a good eye, but it is still mind-numbing to watch sometimes.

And...(pausing).

See, I can't even come up with anything remotely interesting to say about anyone else.

Without Z and Aramis, this is just a team of hard-working guys who get the job done. Nothing flashy, nothing highlight-worthy. Just good, honest, BORE ME TO TEARS baseball.

Yes, I am aware that I am looking a gift horse DIRECTLY in the mouth. Yes, I understand that I will be singing a different tune when the Cubs are mired in a seven-game losing streak and I am ready to sell my first born for a win. I get it. Really I do. It's just winning is so damn...uneventful.

Go (YAWN) Cubs.

Spring Training Extras: Big Three Finale

Last but certainly not least...



First of 39 games begins shortly. Let's get it on.

Go Cubs.

Cubs Spring Training: Day Five Pictures

Good to see Santo and Sutcliffe at the park today.



Go Cubs.

And It Begins...

The Bloggers and Drinkers have reported to Mesa.

Off to drink some beer and make fun of the WNBA.

Quick thought. While having a beverage at the airport Chili's, I was trying to think of who I was excited to see this week. Other than Milton Bradley (and Bobby Scales), I've got nothing. I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing.

Quicker thought. I'm glad there will be a fence between me and So Taguchi. Dude better watch his back. Just saying.

Go Cubs.

Yes We Can.

Go Cubs.

All Aboard!

FINALLY.

According to ESPN, the Cubs have inked everyone's favorite mental patient, Milton Bradley, to a 3-year, 30 million dollar deal. As you are probably well aware, I am a HUGE fan of this deal.

The Countdown to the Meltdown (trademark pending) begins in 3, 2, 1...

Wonder if I can write off a $200 Bradley jersey as a "business expense."

Go Cubs!

All I Want For Christmas.

Since the Cubs were outbid for the services of the ancient Raul Ibanez and they were unwilling to trade all of their players to get Peavy, all attention now shifts to one of my favorite players...

Milton Obelle Bradley.

I have always been a fan of his and not just because he's always one heckle away from going postal. The Cubs are in desperate need of an OF who can do the "little things" like hit, field and run. MOB can do all three pretty well.

And while he has a short fuse and enjoys throwing projectiles into the stands, I think he could actually be a good addition to the Cubs clubhouse. We have too many good guys on this team. Guys like Lee and DeRo are great about saying the right thing to the media. They smile and laugh. They talk about how "lucky they are to play a game for a living." The one thing they aren't good at is getting angry. Forget players only meetings and all that BS. The Cubs need a guy who has no problem sulking after a bad loss. They need a guy who curses at the media once in awhile. They need a guy who is just loopy enough to whip a bat at someones head if he feels he let the team down. That guy is Milton Bradley.

Not sold yet? Let me break it down then.

The Good:

In 123 games in 2008, MOB put up some nice numbers.

78 R, 22 HR, 77 RBI, 80 BB, .321 AVG, .436 OBP, .563 SLG and .999 OPS.

2008 Rankings:
1st in AL in OBP
1st in AL in OPS
4th in AL in SLG
3rd in AL in BA
10th in AL in BB.

Imagine those numbers in the Cubs already potent lineup. Did I mention he's a switch-hitter who can play all three outfield spots?

The Bad:

He’s what some baseball experts refer to as "a tad injury-prone."

19-Sep-08 Missed 2 games (left wrist injury).
12-Sep-08 Missed 2 games (wrist injury).
18-Aug-08 Missed 2 games (illness).
10-Aug-08 Missed 5 games (strained left quadriceps).
04-Aug-08 Missed 5 games (quadricep injury).
12-Jul-08 Missed 1 game (left knee injury).
24-Jun-08 Missed 1 game (strained left quadriceps).
20-Jun-08 Missed 2 games (quadricep injury).
31-May-08 Missed 1 game (dizziness).
16-May-08 Missed 2 games (right shoulder injury).
02-May-08 Missed 1 game (hamstring).
21-Sep-07 Missed 12 games (right oblique muscle strain).
08-Aug-07 Missed 4 games (hamstring).
07-Jul-07 Missed 8 games (oblique injury).
20-Jun-07 Missed 16 games (calf injury).
30-May-07 Missed 14 games (hamstring).
19-May-07 Missed 4 games (hamstring).
11-May-07 Missed 15 games (hamstring).
01-Sep-06 Missed 1 game (ankle injury).
14-Jul-06 Missed 20 games (shoulder injury).
06-Jun-06 Missed 36 games (right knee injury).
02-Oct-05 Missed 38 games (Torn left Patella Tendon).
23-Jul-05 Missed 47 games (finger injury).
13-Aug-04 Missed 1 game (hamstring).
01-Jun-04 Missed 2 games (ankle injury).
04-May-04 Missed 3 games (ankle injury).
29-Aug-03 Missed 46 games (back injury).
08-May-03 Missed 12 games (strained right hamstring).
30-Aug-02 Missed 16 games (appendicitis).
04-Jun-02 Missed 29 games (eye Contusion).
17-Apr-02 Missed 4 games (right quadricep).

That's only 348 games missed in 7 seasons. Soriano's on pace to shatter that record, so MOB should fit right in.

The Crazy:

MOB can come slightly unglued at times.

24-Sep-07 Torn ACL, sidelined through end of season.

Bradley tore his ACL when manager Bud Black tackled him to keep him killing an ump.

To be fair, he WAS safe.

29-Sep-04 Suspended by the Dodgers for the remainder of the season.

A fan threw a plastic bottle at Bradley. Bradley threw the bottle back.

MOB is not now or never will be a fan of littering.

30-Jun-04 Missed 4 games (suspension).

Bradley threw a bag of balls onto the field following an ejection.

Again, in the interest of full disclosure, the pitch WAS a ball.

I have always been a fan of adding a little crazy to the mix, so signing MOB seems like a no-brainer to me. I know it's been mentioned before, but ask yourself this simple question:

What happened when the Bulls signed Rodman?

Obviously, MOB is not even in the Worm's league when it comes nut-job behavior and Karl Malone (to my knowledge) doesn't play baseball, so it's not a perfect analogy, but you know what I mean. Adding a couple sprinkles of loony tunes to the mix can take a team from simply above average to championship-caliber.

If nothing else, MOB will make them fun to watch again.

Go Cubs.