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+--- Thread: And another chapter over (/thread-6224.html)
And another chapter over - Andy - 10-04-2009
2009 - disappointing.
Came into the season thinking we should walk into the post season. Ended the season wondering if they shouldn't blow up the team and start over. This had a lot of 2004 feel to it with the Media making all sorts of stories and the club house having an ugly feel to it. Along with a disappointing end to the season. I literally stopped caring almost a month ago. I don't remember a season, even ones in which the team was bad from start to finish, where I felt as unattached as this year.
Hopefully I get that tie, or bond, back with the Cubs next season.
And another chapter over - Ace - 10-04-2009
It was very hard to feel attached to this team for whatever reason, you're spot on Andy. I fear that next year won't be much better, as the personnel is likely to be nearly identical.
Winning cures all, though, I guess.
And another chapter over - rok - 10-04-2009
I'm trying to just go back to that place where I can just enjoy a ballgame and not get too worked up about it. Ever since 2003, I've been a nervous wreck. I dunno, maybe I needed a few crap seasons to put things in perspective and remember why I like this game in the first place. Winning is still priority #1, but I'd like to see the organization put a team together the right way so that we can have a more consistent product on the field year after year, and not this.
And another chapter over - Rappster - 10-04-2009
<!--quoteo(post=65224:date=Oct 4 2009, 08:13 AM:name=Ace)-->QUOTE (Ace @ Oct 4 2009, 08:13 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->It was very hard to feel attached to this team for whatever reason, you're spot on Andy. I fear that next year won't be much better, as the personnel is likely to be nearly identical.
Winning cures all, though, I guess.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Personnel the same...
Hardened fact, Ace?
And another chapter over - Ace - 10-04-2009
<!--quoteo(post=65237:date=Oct 4 2009, 12:22 PM:name=Rappster)-->QUOTE (Rappster @ Oct 4 2009, 12:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=65224:date=Oct 4 2009, 08:13 AM:name=Ace)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ace @ Oct 4 2009, 08:13 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->It was very hard to feel attached to this team for whatever reason, you're spot on Andy. I fear that next year won't be much better, as the personnel is likely to be nearly identical.
Winning cures all, though, I guess.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Personnel the same...
Hardened fact, Ace?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
No. Hence the words "likely" and "nearly."
And another chapter over - kbwsb - 10-04-2009
I see your point Rapp, but I think Ace is probably correct. We couldn't "blow up the team and start over" even if we really wanted to. We have a whole lot of massive contracts, from both ends of the spectrum (ie; Soriano's is massive, and he's completely untradeable. The Aramis contract is also huge, but you wouldn't want to trade him. It wouldn't make sense, since it's a good deal, and he's extremely productive.)
Thus, I see a whole lot of the same Cubs coming back in 2010.
And another chapter over - jstraw - 10-04-2009
<!--quoteo(post=65222:date=Oct 4 2009, 07:58 AM:name=Andy)-->QUOTE (Andy @ Oct 4 2009, 07:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->2009 - disappointing.
Came into the season thinking we should walk into the post season. Ended the season wondering if they shouldn't blow up the team and start over. This had a lot of 2004 feel to it with the Media making all sorts of stories and the club house having an ugly feel to it. Along with a disappointing end to the season. I literally stopped caring almost a month ago. I don't remember a season, even ones in which the team was bad from start to finish, where I felt as unattached as this year.
Hopefully I get that tie, or bond, back with the Cubs next season.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The ugly feel in the clubhouse was ONE GUY. If he's gone...IF we play healthy next year...even with the current middle infield and the old guys a year older...this team should STILL win the division in 2010...even if Gregg and Bradley were the only departures...and they won't be.
And another chapter over - kbwsb - 10-04-2009
A lot of the fun in the clubhouse in 2008 was because of DeRosa, Dempster, Soto and Fontenot.
I think '08 may have been unique: Dempster was having his Brady Anderson year, Soto was having his breakout year, and Fontentot had an OPS of .909 (instead of .677 this year).
All of those guys came WAY back down to earth this year, and DeRosa was inexplicably kicked in the balls and shipped out of town, so I don't think <i>all</i> of this year's negative clubhouse vibe was brought on by Bradley's weirdness.
Maybe Chone Figgens will bring his light-hearted personality to Wrigley; I think that would help, both on the field and in the clubhouse.
And another chapter over - Rappster - 10-04-2009
<!--quoteo(post=65239:date=Oct 4 2009, 11:44 AM:name=Ace)-->QUOTE (Ace @ Oct 4 2009, 11:44 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=65237:date=Oct 4 2009, 12:22 PM:name=Rappster)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rappster @ Oct 4 2009, 12:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=65224:date=Oct 4 2009, 08:13 AM:name=Ace)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ace @ Oct 4 2009, 08:13 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->It was very hard to feel attached to this team for whatever reason, you're spot on Andy. I fear that next year won't be much better, as the personnel is likely to be nearly identical.
Winning cures all, though, I guess.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Personnel the same...
Hardened fact, Ace?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
No. Hence the words "likely" and "nearly."
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
How about just saying it this way?
"We don't know what next year's team will look like, but I THINK it's going to look nearly identical to this year's."
Sell your position, Ace...don't equivocate.
And, Kabes...I don't want to blow up this team...I want some new pieces. And, I'd like the current pieces to stay healthy.
And another chapter over - Rappster - 10-04-2009
Fck.
And another chapter over - Kid - 10-04-2009
Per Wittenmyer's Twitter feed, Von Joshua will not return as hitting coach, but will instead go back to Iowa.
And another chapter over - Ace - 10-04-2009
<!--quoteo(post=65283:date=Oct 4 2009, 05:59 PM:name=Kid)-->QUOTE (Kid @ Oct 4 2009, 05:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Per Wittenmyer's Twitter feed, Von Joshua will not return as hitting coach, but will instead go back to Iowa.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
As the manager? That would be very interesting with respect to Sandberg. Presumably he comes up to Chicago as a bench coach, and then takes over in 2011?
And another chapter over - Kid - 10-04-2009
<!--quoteo(post=65284:date=Oct 4 2009, 06:04 PM:name=Ace)-->QUOTE (Ace @ Oct 4 2009, 06:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=65283:date=Oct 4 2009, 05:59 PM:name=Kid)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kid @ Oct 4 2009, 05:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Per Wittenmyer's Twitter feed, Von Joshua will not return as hitting coach, but will instead go back to Iowa.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
As the manager? That would be very interesting with respect to Sandberg. Presumably he comes up to Chicago as a bench coach, and then takes over in 2011?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Um. What? I never said as the manager. I'd presume as the hitting coach, which was his former role. And as far as I know there hasn't been any discussion of having Sandberg be anything but Tennessee's manager next year.
And another chapter over - Kid - 10-04-2009
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->The Cubs fired Von Joshua as hitting coach after Sunday's finale, offering him his old job as hitting coach at Triple-A Iowa.
Joshua, who replaced Gerald Perry as hitting coach on June 14, was gone from the clubhouse after the game and unavailable for comment.
"Basically I told him it wasn't anything that I was upset with him," general manager Jim Hendry said. "He didn't do anything wrong. But when you come up from the system in the middle of the year, if things don't make significant differences in improvement, then obviously in my opinion we need to do something different."
The Cubs could fill the opening with Double-A manager Ryne Sandberg, or minor league hitting coordinator Dave Keller, though Hendry declined to name names.
"When Von came up we were scuffling," he said. "And we never really made a lot of progress in some of the same areas we were deficient in the first half. And I told him that when he came here- that it was only for the end of the year."
Hendry said he promised Joshua he could have his old job back if it didn't work out. The Cubs entered the final game ranked sixth in NL hitting in the second half with a .265 average, and sixth in runs scored with 350. In the first half, they ranked 14th in average at .247 and 15th in runs scored at 355.
Derrek Lee said neither Perry not Joshua deserved any blame.
"I hate to say it, but a hitting coach is overrated," Lee said. "It's more of a mental thing. Gerald was a great guy. he always had positive things to say- and same with Von. They're always in your corner. But the bottom line is the best hitting coach is yourself. No one knows your swing like yourself. None of the blame should go to either of those two guys. We just struggled as a whole all year."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Link
And another chapter over - kbwsb - 10-04-2009
So Joshua is being demoted?
That's an odd decision; if they think he was lousy with the big-league club this year, they're gonna send him out to work with the kids?
Who knows; maybe he's just one of those guys who actually is more effective with younger players.
I wonder who our new hitting coach will be?