Cubs @ Astros 4/7/09

[Lance]

<!--quoteo(post=28506:date=Apr 7 2009, 11:38 PM:name=Clapp)-->QUOTE (Clapp @ Apr 7 2009, 11:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=28503:date=Apr 7 2009, 09:34 PM:name=Lance)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Lance @ Apr 7 2009, 09:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=28502:date=Apr 7 2009, 11:31 PM:name=Clapp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Clapp @ Apr 7 2009, 11:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=28498:date=Apr 7 2009, 09:30 PM:name=Lance)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Lance @ Apr 7 2009, 09:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I hate those fuckers and their announcers. Fuck them. And fuck everyone who thinks that 162 games doesn't matter.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Huh?
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Sorry Clapp--but you are at the head of that class. Talking about not pitching Harden until September or July, or whatever. The regular season is not a given. This game sucked.
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Of course it's not a "given" and the players know that, and that's why I know we'll be absolutely fine. We're in a beyond shitty division with a loaded team. We're 1 -1 on the road to start the year. I expected us to go 1-2 in this series and probably 2-4 on the week. I watch every single game and care, I'm just not going to let a regular season win or less make my day like I used to. I feel better right now than about any Cubs loss in my lifetime. It's a nice change.

And I don't want to pitch Harden til then because he hasn't been himself, I don't want an 85% Harden when we're good enough to win without him, and he's the best pitcher in baseball when he's himself. What have we won in the last 100 years? Jackshit. Harden's the type of pitcher than can carry you himself, but he's struggled to be able to stay out there for more than 10 or straight starts in a row.
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Rick Sutcliffe in 1984 was the best pitcher I've ever seen. He carried that team. They absolutely would not have won the division without him going 16-1. I'll grant you that it's much different now with 3 divisions, the playoff changes, etc. And I'll also grant that I'm bitching because of this game--but I don't see any sanity in letting Harden not pitch until mid season.