Ha Ha!! Cubs Shutout Cards!

I was late to yesterday's game because of (thank god) some work, and missed the first run that the Cubs scored in the first inning, which turned out to actually be the winning run, because the Cubs shutout the first place Cardinals!  Wrigley was packed with them crimson clad corn holes yesterday and I made a joke to a Cardinals fan wearing a World Series 2011 Champions patch on his sleeve, saying to him, "We don't see the word 'World Series' in Wrigley too often", and the jerk said, "And I hope you never do...".    I was being generous with the guy, making a self deprecating joke, and he had to still be a jag off about it.  Then we got to talking a little bit, and he was nice enough after that, but you could tell he was uncomfortable being nice to me.  Afterall, I was wearing Cubbie Blue.  But who cares?  We're all fans of the game, and it's not that big a deal.  He had such a hard time overcoming his jerky Cardinal nature, but managed to mumble out a conversation for an inning or two.  He left promptly after the game without saying good bye, even though we had been chatting seconds earlier as Kevin Gregg escaped some 9th inning trouble notching his 16th save, and preserving the shutout.

So many destitute Cardinals' fans in the cheap seats....they are so poor.  Losers....

So who's not a loser?  I am incredibly happy to report that Starlin Castro went 3-4, and Anthony Rizzo went 2-3 yesterday.  I am also elated to share with you that yesterday's winning pitcher, Edwin "don't call it a comeback" Jackson, pitched 7 innings of 3 hit, shutout, ball, with 5 K's and 0 walks.  These are the longest contracts on the team, and unless they are traded or injured, we are gonna be seeing this trio for a while.  Let's hope we see more of yesterday and not more of yestermonth.  Castro specifically seems to be on the upswing.  The Cubs scoreboard copy editors are certainly supportive...check out these scoreboard blurbs about Starlin from the last 2 nights....they're spinning the positives....

Multi hit efforts 4 of his last 13 games....ummm...that means a low batting average....

Reached base 66 of his last 89 games.....huh?  That's not good....

These are weird stats that barely matter, but I think it's nice of the Cubs to try and positively spin Starlin's crappy season so far.  Does he even read those things?  

Speaking of spinning positives, this guy, who I call "Coon Skin Cap Man", might have the most creatively shaped mullet in Chicago.  Jeff Samardkfjbgerg44r4r, take note.  This could be you in 30 years....

Seriously, what is going on here.....but at least I know he's not racist, because I saw him help a black kid.  What a guy!

In other, "awesome guys at the game watching the Cubs shut out the hated Cardinals" news....

Hooked my self up with what I call "Double leaners"  I'm leaning on the fence and a railing simultaneously....jealous?  I'm also old enough to drink beer, and have been for 18 years now, unlike these sorry underage saps who got caught with 2 beers and subsequently kicked out....

Where do all the confiscated 8$ beers go?  Mmmmmm....confiscated beer....

These kids weren't even college age, but let's face it, the drinking age should be 16, and the driving age 21.  They got it all backwards.  You also shouldn't be allowed to vote after age 65 either, because there's a good possibility you'll die soon, and we will all be stuck with who you picked.  That's some Son Ranto logic right there....learn it.

Well unfortunately, I don't have a ticket to today's Cowboy Hat giveaway.  Tix didn't get below 40$ on the Stubhub, and Wrigley sold out all the cheapies to destitute Cardinals fans.  

But today.....

The Cardinals Joe Kelly, who not only has two first names, one of which is a girls name, (loser), is 0-3 with a 4.15 ERA, and he goes against Carlos "the artist formerly known as mustache" Villanueva.  2-4, 3.63.  My opinion is that we should sweep the Cardinals.  That would rock.  In fact, lets not allow a single run the whole series.  That would be killer.

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Cubs Avoid Sweep; Make a Drunk Guy Happy

Sunday was one of the nicest days of the year so far.  Not too hot, not too cold.  So in need of a little exercise before the Cubs game, or "sweating it out", because of my gluttonous last few months, I hopped on my bike and cruised down Lake Michigan.  If you've never checked out the path next to the lake, the scenery is breathtaking, and the lake is nice too.  Hordes of bikini clad girls crowd the shoreline, causing in my case, at least a few near miss accidents.  It's unfortunately amateur day as far as biking goes, and joggers, walkers, strollers, along with novice bike renters all share the same path, and all think they should stay to the left because they are the fastest thing going.  They're not.  They're only in the way.

Not a bad way to start a game day!

I had the wind to my back, on the way back North to Wrigleyville, and a grumble in my stomach, so I sped on over to one of my pre game haunts, "The Salt & Pepper"diner on Clark, just south of Wrigley, and ordered a 4$ Bloody Mary...or two...and a Tuna Melt.  It was especially delicious after an hour long ride.  This is the best deal going if you ask me.  20$ got me all this food and 2 big old bloody's.

After a quick trip to 711 on Addison and Sheffield to buy some smokes, I entered the stadium through the main gate, but unhappy with my Terrace Reserved Seat behind a pole, I ventured over to section 242, the fence leaning sun seats over in right field.  By far my favorite seats in the park when the temperature is under 80 degrees anyway.  God Bless America and the National Anthem were sung passably, but annoyingly by a young woman who probably thinks she's better than she is, judging by her horrible choices of modal trills and vocal ornaments.  Plus, I really hate the singing of God Bless America.  That is some American taliban noise right there.  God likes us better, so bless us.  Terrible sentiment, especially for an atheist like me.  You be the judge...

Hit the seats, not my seats, but my favorite seats, and proceded to watch the Cubs be no hit through 5 innings.  That's the third time in a row that the Cubs have gone once through the order without a single hit.  Edwin Jackson, our so far bust of a free agent signing, pitched well though, keeping the Cubs in the game the entire time.  I went through a couple of beers, and decided by the 5th it was time for soemthing harder, so I hit the Capt. Morgans Club and ordered a 16$ double shot of Johnny Red.  This is what I call Credit Card drinking, as I was outta cash, but not out of lust for liquor.  And when I came back to the seats in the bottom of the 6th, feeling significantly better than before, the Cubs actually staged a 1 run rally (yes, 1 run is called a rally in Cub Land) with a Soriano sac fly, tying the game, still without the benefit of a hit. Until finally, Dionner Navarro broke up the "no no" a batter later with a basehit.  These events convinced me that I should drink more whiskey at the ball game.  It's good luck.

It was now time for the stretch, and Mr Randy Hundley ingloriously did the honors.  I think Randy is part chicken, because he certainly laid an egg.

Amazingly, he actually sings better than Ernie Banks....

But Bad singing must have lit a fire under the Cubs butt, because in the bottom of the 7th, after a couple of singles by Sweeney and Barney, Cody Ransom came up and hit a 3 run homer!  Cubs lead 4-1!

Alright!  Off to the 8th, where Carlos "no lead is safe" Marmol, actually went 1-2-3! He struck out 2 as well.  This is something Carlos Marmol does not do very often.  He usually walks the lead off hitter, or hits him and we all say "Here we go again!". But not this time.  He was lights out.  The crowd was actually stunned into silence by his performance.  More of that please Carlos.  But let's not be fooled into resigning him please.....

Kevin Gregg had a bit of a rough time of it in the bottom of the 9th, giving up a single and a double, but no one scored because of a caught stealing and the Cubs win!  So we sang....and I was happy for once.



The Cubs avoided the sweep by Pittsburgh and now take on Cincy for a four game set....Starlin Castro went 0-4 and is now batting .243.  Just thought I'd throw that in there for good measure.

Tonights a night game. 7:05. Scott Feldman 5-4, 2.84 vs. Homer Baily 3-4, 3.84.  According to the starters ERA's, we win by one run.....and I'll be there!

I'll rap at you again tomorrow, but in the meantime....http://www.sonranto.com, and here's hot dog man....

I Knew the Cubs Would Lose, But Still....

I guess Dale Sveum didn't get the memo from Rahm Emmanuel, that the people of the city of Chicago don't want to watch Carlos Marmol pitch anymore.  His 3 walk appearance in yesterday's 8-4 loss to the D'Backs, didn't decide the game, but it was a typically ugly outing for the beleaguered reliever, and the smattering of fans that braved the unseasonably cold weather at Wrigley Sunday, made clear their feelings to Mr. Marmol.  Boooooo!  They Said....Boooo!!!!  Now I've written about booing before.  I am a boo-er as well, but I reserve my booing for lack of effort, or concentration, and the players of opposing teams.  People my people.  Do you want the Cubs to win or not?  Marmol is out there trying his best.  He wants to succeed!  The last people to stand in his way should be the Cubs' fans!  The next time he pitches....oh god...please no....the fans should stand in support for Marmol.  Cheer him.  Help him to do better this time.  Just my two cents.

You ready for more bad news?  Edwin Jackson the Cubs big off season signing has been a bust so far.  Not only is he 1-8 with a 6.29 ERA, but the Cubs are paying Jackson a lot of money for the next 4 years to basically be a mediocre number 5 starter, and unfortunately, I'm not surprised.  When the Cubs signed Jackson, I looked up his stats immediately and was not impressed.  Jackson has 7 full seasons in the majors as a starter, and has a sub 4 ERA in only two of those seasons.  He's also a journeyman who has played on 8 different teams in his 10 years in and out of the majors.  It really makes you wonder about a guy when so many teams have let him go.  So what did Theo and Jed see in him?  Well, whatever they saw, it ain't there now.  Check out this chart I found on the interwebs....

Yes, this one man, who plays every 5 days takes up 12.2% of the payroll.  At least Soriano, who pretty much takes the rest of it, plays everyday.  I hope things even out for Jackson.  He seems like a nice guy.  Just one decent outing could spark things in a better direction, but so far....it's been pretty ugly.  Jackson himself said yesterday, after the game "This is probably one of the most frustrating seasons I've been through,"  We know Edwin.  We know.  Welcome to the Chicago Cubs.  Hey, at least he got a hit and an RBI yesterday, which is more than I can say for Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo, the cornerstones of the 2015 World Champion Chicago Cubs.  To be fair, Rizzo did walk twice.

I have a question.  Why are there so many damned lefty hitters on this team.  There are currently 6 on the Cubs active roster, and it seems as if we are facing a lefty opponent pitcher every third day.  Don't you think other teams look at our roster and try to make certain they face the Cubs with a lefty?  The Cubs are 23rd out of 30 teams in batting average against lefty's and 13th against righty's.  I think most of the problem stems from micro-managing the game in the first place.  Lefty hitters don't even get to practice against left handed pitchers.  If they didn't over specialize, maybe lefty hitters could learn to hit lefty pitching better.  For example, DeJesus sucks against lefty's possibly because he doesn't face them too often.  In only 28 at bats against lefty's this year, he's batting .179, but against righty's, he's .297.  So, instead, yesterday, because the Cubs don't have 3 right handed outfielders, Julio Borbon played, who's batting a slightly better .222 aginst lefty's, and he drops an easy fly ball, leading to at least 2 unearned runs.  Took a couple of screen shots of Borbon's Bor-boner.

I Got It!!

I Got It?

I lost it......

Speaking of defense.  We still have "missers" instead of "catchers".  Did you know that Welington Castillo, or "Beef Castle", as he is known to many has the most errors of any catcher in the major leagues?  Navarro, our backup doesn't look much better back there.  Dropped third strikes are his thing.  The Cubs lead the league in Wild Pitches, and are 8th in passed balls.  In general, the Cubs are the second worst fielding team in the majors.  Here's a couple of shots of Navarro taking one off the face mask yesterday.

It has not been a stellar year for the Cubs behind the plate, but at least these guys can hit!  Castillo has a higher batting average than Castro and Rizzo, and Navarro, who doesn't even play everyday, has twice as many homers as Castro, and is tied with Soriano with 6.  

Well, today's an off day.  Thank god.  It might sound crazy, stupid, or both, but the Cubs are off to Anaheim to play two games against the Angels, have another off day on Thursday, only to return home to Wrigley on Friday to play the Pirates.  What the hell kind of scheduling is that?  

New podcast coming soon.  In the meantime....check out my awesome Sveum video!

http://www.sonranto.com

Cubs Lose the Old Fashioned Way

Well, that was ugly, but also quite familiar.  Carlos Marmol walked 3 and gave up a Grand Slam in the 8th inning and the Cubs lost.  Marmol, who sucked in equal fashion earlier in the season, had actually been pretty decent lately.  His ERA had gotten to under 4, he started striking out opposing hitters again, and the boo birds were leaving him alone.  But what's that mathy theory that about reversion to the mean?   I was always the new kid in school because we moved a lot, and  I tried to hang with the cool kids, and it would work for a day or two, but I always ended up hanging with the nerds again.  Well, Marmol, you're sitting back at the nerdy lunch table again.  You are who you are.  I've noticed the pitches much better when the Cubs are losing and he doesn't have a tie or a lead to hold.  Also, I think even little leaguers could hit his fastball, and he can't throw his formerly wicked slider for strikes.  If I were Sveum or Theo, I'd have gotten rid of him long ago, but he's making almost 10 million this year, so I bet we are stuck watching him all year.  Cubs brass has already written off this season anyway, and the lack of fans in the stands shows that most of us feel the same way.  Think it's just time to resign ourselves to the fact that Marmol will be really terrible sometime, and we just have to watch it.  Slow motion train wreck.

Speaking of train wrecks.  I am in NYC right now finalizing my divorce and playing gigs with my band Bad Teenage Moustache, but I was free last night and went to watch this ball game at Kelly's sports Bar on 1st and A in the East Village.  If you Google Cubs Bar NYC, Kelly's comes up first in the search results, and I've gone there on and off for 3 or 4 years when I lived here.  So, with the delayed start, and the hockey game on, I sat drinking 3 dollar PBR's and shots of well whiskey, waiting for the game to start.  It never did.  The Yankees/ Red Sox and Fox preempted the Cubs game, and except for some illegal internet feeds, there was no way to watch this game.  MLB, your blackouts suck.  I should be able to pay to watch a Cubs game on my Ipad or Iphone while I'm in Chicago.  And Fox should allow the other games they aren't showing in the region to be viewed on another Channel.  There are 99999999 channels, and you can't put the game on one of them?! I'm trying to watch your program Fox!  And you won't even let me!  Ridiculous!  Like many things in this country, it makes no sense and is likely the result of greedy bastards.  At least I didn't have to watch the loss live....

On a final note, Dale Sveum's an idiot.  He was ejected in the second inning last night over a blown call at first base.  Why does anyone argue these safe/out calls and get themselves ejected?  Never once have I seen an umpire overturn his call.  NEVER!!! So what's the point Dale?  Were you just ready for a beer after that long rain delay? I've often hypothesized that managers go out and argue in order to light a fire under the team. Manufactured Drama.  But it doesn't work. And Dale Sveums bad at it.  He barely looked angry at all when Joe west threw him out.  So Sveum must have said something bad about Wests mom or his tuna breath.   The way West threw him out was hilarious too.  That tight black Umpire jacket and chest protector doesn't allow West to lift his arms very high so he kinda looked like an Oompah Loompah as he threw Sveum out.

But seriously Sveum, all you accomplished was not being the manager for the evening.  If you're gonna argue, go out there and pull a Piniella and throw a base or something.  Kick dirt on an umpires shoe.  Let's see some theater!  Arguing is pointlessly futile.

In case anyone cares, the Cubs ended up losing 12-4 yesterday, and the twitterverse hashtag of bullpenisterrible was in effect.  Love it!  Bull penis terrible.  Hilare...... Marmol and Zach Putnam, the new mullet in the Cubs pen, each gave up 4 in what was through 7, a close and winnable game.

Well, we still have a chance to win this series today, but it's not bloody likely, because lefty phenom Patrick Corbin 8-0, 1.71 goes up against Edwin Jackson 1-7, 6.11.  Um yeah....not bloody likely....

Check out these pics from Kelly's Sports Bar!  Place is mad cool!  And the soonly expiring podcast!

http://www.sonranto.com

Cubs Swept in Pittsburgh; But I Won!

Well, at least I won 42$ at video roulette at Rivers Casino after the ballgame.  But unfortunately, I seem to be the only entity associated with the Cubs, who has anything to do with the word "win".  It was a stormy Thursday afternoon in Pittsburgh, and with Edwin Jackson showing early in the game that he didn't have his best stuff, getting tagged for 2 runs in each of the first two innings, the rains came as a Cub rally killer with 2 outs, 1 in and 2 on in the 4th.  Ending both Jackson's day and my afternoon sobriety.  Even though I said I wasn't going to drink at this one, a two hour rain delay in a stadium where you can't smoke has a way of changing these self made promises.  The game continued, and our bullpen was lights out!  Unfortunately, the lights were also out on the Cubs bats.  Millionaire Cubs such as Anthony "Fo Shizzo" Rizzo went 0-13 in the series, Soriano 3-12, Castro 3-13, and overall the Cubs  failed to score runs.  So either the Pirates are really good, or the Cubs are terrible.  You pick.

The best thing about yesterday's game was sitting in the left field, where I had a great view of Soriano's butt.  I like Soriano, he engages the hecklers in aloof and confusing ways, he dances to the opposing batters walk up music, and he likes to watch the replays of him and his fellow teammates on the video screen in left field.  Here he is getting ready for nothing to happen.

After the rain delay, I correctly predicted that people were going to be inebriated at the resumption of the game.  I was right.  A Pirate fan who looked like actor Paul Giamatti when he played "Pig Vomit" in the Howard Stern movie, began to heckle Soriano as soon as he took the field in the 5th.  This man was  not as funny as he thought he was, and was told repeatedly by the staff to sit down and be quiet.  I  retaliated Son Ranto style and heckled Pig Vomit by yelling to Soriano in spanish.  "Los fanaticos son gordos y pelados!"  Translated, "the fans are fat and bald".  Which they are.  I include myself in this as well.  The Pirates are very serious about their fans conduct, and lay out rules before the game about swearing and fighting, as to socially engineer their fans into acting respectfully.  Judging by the mustachioed gentlemen spitting his Skoal laden chaw onto the floor as he topped the escalator, I would say these rule reminders  are probably justified around these parts.  But overall, everyone was very nice to me.  Mostly because I'm a Cub fan and they feel bad for me.  But the long suffering Pirate fans deserve a decent ball club after over 20 seasons of losing baseball.  I hope Pig Vomit and Skoal man get their championship.  They deserve it before they die of some horrible disease in 5 or 6 years.  

Speaking of dying of a horrible disease!  When entering the ballpark yesterday, I saw paramedics wheeling a wheezing man, clutching his chest.  He was apparently dying of a heart attack, but there didn't seem to be much urgency in the step of the paramedics.  Judging by the food options at the stadium, this is probably just a work a day event for these guys.  Note to self, don't have a heart attack at PNC park.   It probably wasn't the best idea to eat this pulled pork pierogi sandwich.  In fact, the invention of a pulled pork pierogi sandwich was also not the best idea.  

It's as delicious as it looks.  Whatever that means to you....

All in all, Pittsburghs a great town!  There are lots of gays.  IE good food, and cool shops.  My cousin took me to her friend Stu's Zombie store, House of the Dead.  Check it out if your in Pitt.  Stu's awesome and knows a ton about the history of Zombies in Pittsburgh. We saw an Oompah band playing 80's songs and danced on the tables.  The Casino is walking distance to the ballpark and you can park there for free.  Did I mention I won 42$?! I went to Banjo night at the Elks lodge and drank 6$ pitchers of beer AND I could smoke in my hotel room!  Something that never happens anymore.  Ever.  So, thanks Pittsburgh! I had a great time even though the Cubs didnt......

Off to Cincinnati now.  Lets hope we don't get swept again.  But I have a bad feeling.  Tonight, we've got Scott Feldman against the Reds Bronson Arroyo.  We shall see.  Go Cubbies!

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Oh!  And look at these purty picthahs!

Cubs Win! Jackson Wins!

What can you say about a team that's stinks one day, and then looks great the next?  That is the roller coaster the Chicago Cubs have us all on this year, but hey, I'll take a win where I can get it!  Edwin Jackson got his first win of this season, giving up 2 runs in 5.1 innings, while hitting a double driving in two, and eventually scoring a run as well.  All together the Cubs scored 8 runs on 12 hits and committed 0 errors, and they did it against a pitcher, Steven Strasburg, who is apparently the next Nolan Ryan incarnate.  However, Strasburg, who did strike out 7 in 5 innings, does certainly seem hittable, as the Cubs lit him up for 4 runs in 5 innings.  In fact, over the course of the game, every starting Cub player reached base in one way or another, and Welington Castillo was the only Cub to not have a hit, but he scored two runs and reached on two errors.  It was nice to see the line moving, and to watch the Cubs put up 4 spots in back to back innings.   Further good news had the Cubs bullpen, Camp and Rondon pitch shut out baseball for the final 3.2 innings, while Rondon didn't give up a hit or walk in a 2 inning relief appearance.  If only every day could be so incredible!

This 2013 Cubs team has got me going bi-polar.  Some days, I truly see the future structure that Theo and the gang are trying to build, and other days, it just looks like a big hole in the ground.  Baseball is like that, streaky and inconsistent.  Even the best teams lose 60 games, and the best hitters hail 2 out of 3 times.  It really all comes down to performing under pressure, playing the game fundamentally correctly, and being smart and timely in your approach to playing as a team.  The cubs are inconsistent at best in these endeavors, but when they do fire on all cylinders, such as yesterdays ball game, it truly looks like the skies the limit for these guys!

So which Chicago Cubs team will show up today in Washington DC?  The lovable losers?  Or the future stars?

The Cubs are pitching Chinstrap Scott Feldman 3-3, 2.70 vs.  Gio Gonzales 3-2, 4.97.  Should be a good game and being that it is my birthday today, they'd better hop to, I'm looking at you Soriano, and give me a win.

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Go Cubbies!

We Got Marmoled!

We were Marmoled once again yesterday at the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field.  What can you say about a pitcher who gives up 2 walks, hits a batter, and doesn't record a single out?  The Cubs were leading 4-2, when Marmol strode to the mound in his former inning of glory, the 8th.  He then proceded to singlehandedly lose the game for the Cubs with a performance that can only be described as horrific.  Now, I admit I am a boo-er, but I reserve my booing for opposing teams, umpires, and lack of effort on behalf of the Cubs.  I never saw the point in booing your own player who is obviously not sucking on purpose.  We want him to perform well the next time right?  What if a bunch of people came to your job and booed you as you tried to organize a spread sheet?  What if when you walked to work in the morning, people yelled "You Suck!".  I doubt any of us have the capacity to perform well under these circumstances,  So why do we expect it from our ballplayers?  I'm familiar with the counter argument.  "Hey!  These guys get paid millions of dollars to play a kids game, they can handle a little booing."  I certainly don't know what it's like to be a millionaire, but I do know that having more or less money doesn't make you any less human.  So fans, as much as I'd like to boo Marmol, we shouldn't, because unless the Cubs find someone stupid enough to take him, he's our guy.  Now Dale Sveum on the other hand should be booed, and booed heartily.

Since taking the helm in Chicago, Mr Sveum has presided over talented players that have performed incredibly poorly.  This is a young Cubs team with a relatively young and inexperienced manager in Sveum.  Mr. Sveum has had success as a coach for other teams, winning it all with the Red Sox in 2004, and taking the Brewers to the playoffs as interim manager in 2008.  However, his only full year as manager was last year, 2012, and the Cubs lost 101 games for one of the worst finishes in team history.  The Cubs lost 103 games in 1962 and 1966.  So please tell me Wonderboy Epstein, and Mr. "My Family is named after a disease" Ricketts, what sense does it make to have an inexperienced manager, training inexperienced players?  Oh yeah, maybe because we have an inexperienced owner, and a one hit wonder from Boston running the show!  Theo did win a World Championship for the Red Sox 2 years after taking the helm, but he's not magic!  That team was already built for the most part when he took the helm.  That Red Sox team was about the right mix of guys and chemistry.  The superstars were already there.  Pedro Martinez.  Manny Ramirez.  Johnny Damon.  As far as I can tell, David Ortiz was probably Theo's best signing ever, and that was 10 years ago! But Big Papi and Theo didn't win the World Series.  The Red Sox did, with a mix of young blood, future Hall of Famers, and wily veterans.  Can you name one Chicago Cub today who you imagine will be in the Hall of Fame someday?  We can hope for guys like Rizzo and Castro to keep hitting, but they are by no means dominant players at this point in their career.  So the Red Sox get Big Papi and who do we get?  Scott Fucking Hairston who's batting .108 and pretty much only plays against leftys.  What else has the boy genius Epstein done?   DeJesus?  Edwin 0-4 Jackson?  Who?!?  Nobody.  That's who.  The Chicago Cubs have no great players.  None.  Who do you blame?

How about Tom Ricketts?  The typical rich fuck who thinks he can just hire some sniveling, privileged, silver spoon sucking wonderkid, and put together a championship.  Did anyone see Spiderman on Broadway?  It sucks.  U2 Wrote the music, Julie Taymore, a Tony Award winning director, conceived of the script, and It became a case of the Emporer wears no clothes.  All these talented, famous people couldn't bring themselves to tell each other that their ideas were not cohesive, and they had no real plot for their characters to live through.   They just assumed it was going to work because of their past successes.  So the producers threw millions of dollars at the production which was quite spectacular with the Green Goblin and Spiderman performing aerial stunts over the audience.  But it was all just bells and whistles.  The music sounded like U2's B sides, and was completely untheatrical.  While the conceived plot was virtually non existant and difficult to follow.  The producers kept throwing good money after bad, until Taymore was finally canned.  I see Tommy Ricketts doing the same thing.  Throwing money around on scoreboards to advertise at us, and hotels so his family can remain in the top 1 percent of the 1 percent and basically live off the Cubs forever.  I agree with most of the changes he's proposed,  But when are we going to see a fucking team on the field capable of winning?  I for one am frustrated as hell about it.  Ricketts is like one of those spiderman producers who just bought a bunch of nothing and keeps trying to sell it to us.  Hell.  I keep buying it.  I've only missed 3 home games this year.  But that also gives me the right to complain about it!

So where does the blame lie?  Booooooooo!  Tom Ricketts!  Boooooooooo! Theo Epstein!!!  Boooooooooo!  Dale Sveum!!!!!

But leave poor Carlos Marmol alone.  He can't help that he sucks now.

Well...I gotta go....game time in an hour, and I'll be there....ready to Booooooooooooooo........