Wainwright is perfect through 4

[ruby23]

<!--quoteo(post=58992:date=Aug 20 2009, 07:14 AM:name=Ace)-->QUOTE (Ace @ Aug 20 2009, 07:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=58988:date=Aug 20 2009, 08:03 AM:name=ruby23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ruby23 @ Aug 20 2009, 08:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=58983:date=Aug 20 2009, 06:40 AM:name=Runnys)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Runnys @ Aug 20 2009, 06:40 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=58970:date=Aug 19 2009, 11:21 PM:name=vegascub)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (vegascub @ Aug 19 2009, 11:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Cliff Lee took a no-hitter into the sixth for Philly. He's only 4-0 with a 0.82 ERA and two complete games since the trade. Wish we had a guy like that.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Starting pitching has been the least of the Cubs problems.
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Really? Every starting pitcher not named Randy Wells has been on the DL.
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Yeah, but even we had a Cliff Lee, we'd just lose his games 1-0. Or 2-1 when the bullpen blows it.
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Don't you think the deficienies of the bullpen can be attributed(atleast partially) to absolutely no stability in the rotation though also? I do, especially the middle and long relief roles.

[Runnys]

<!--quoteo(post=58997:date=Aug 20 2009, 07:50 AM:name=ruby23)-->QUOTE (ruby23 @ Aug 20 2009, 07:50 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=58992:date=Aug 20 2009, 07:14 AM:name=Ace)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ace @ Aug 20 2009, 07:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=58988:date=Aug 20 2009, 08:03 AM:name=ruby23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ruby23 @ Aug 20 2009, 08:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=58983:date=Aug 20 2009, 06:40 AM:name=Runnys)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Runnys @ Aug 20 2009, 06:40 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=58970:date=Aug 19 2009, 11:21 PM:name=vegascub)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (vegascub @ Aug 19 2009, 11:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Cliff Lee took a no-hitter into the sixth for Philly. He's only 4-0 with a 0.82 ERA and two complete games since the trade. Wish we had a guy like that.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Starting pitching has been the least of the Cubs problems.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Really? Every starting pitcher not named Randy Wells has been on the DL.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Yeah, but even we had a Cliff Lee, we'd just lose his games 1-0. Or 2-1 when the bullpen blows it.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Don't you think the deficienies of the bullpen can be attributed(atleast partially) to absolutely no stability in the rotation though also? I do, especially the middle and long relief roles.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


I guess what I was saying is that are starting pitching has performed well enough for this team to be doing much better than they are. However, the bullpen has been horrible. Plus, the middle and long relief roles haven't been near as big a problem as our late inning bullpen which wouldn't have changed if our starters were completely healthy. Lou was going to trot Marmol and Gregg out there everytime the situation warranted it.

Again, starting pitching is not a big problem, the complete lack of hitting aside from Lee and Ramirez is the problem.

[kbwsb]

The hitting is the reason for our demise this year. Injuries have taken a toll, as they do to every team, and our bench has not been able to pick up the slack. Last year, we led the NL in offense (runs scored, OBP), and this year, we're something like 10th or 12th in the league.
That's the difference.

[jeffy]

<!--quoteo(post=59126:date=Aug 20 2009, 04:56 PM:name=KBwsb)-->QUOTE (KBwsb @ Aug 20 2009, 04:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->The hitting is the reason for our demise this year. Injuries have taken a toll, as they do to every team, and our bench has not been able to pick up the slack. Last year, we led the NL in offense (runs scored, OBP), and this year, we're something like 10th or 12th in the league.
That's the difference.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

This is true. If we had more runs to work with, then the pitching flaws would be far less glaring.

[Butcher]

We're getting decent production from:

- 3B (for less than half the year)
- 1B
- CF
- RF (I know -- less than expected, but he's been an OBP machine)
- SS

We are getting jack shit from:

- LF
- 2B
- C

If you look at last season, we were getting above-average to very good production from pretty much *every* position. And we were getting an All-Star performance from catcher. Soto was such a stud last season -- we've really missed his bat.

[ruby23]

There's been injuries to:

C
LF
CF
RF
3B
4 SP

I think it's easy to say health has been the team's biggest problem.

[1060Ivy]

The Cubs offense has been consistently underperforming expectations but what's scary is how good the Cardinals starting pitching has been so far this season. The Cardinals team ERA (3.75) ranks 4th in the MLB and their WHIP ranks (1.31) ranks 3rd. Cubs team ERA (3.92) ranks fifth and WHIP (1.34) ranks 6th.

Other than Carpenter was there a starting pitcher in the Cardinals rotation that you expected to perform to this level back in April?

[Butcher]

<!--quoteo(post=59139:date=Aug 20 2009, 05:51 PM:name=1060Ivy)-->QUOTE (1060Ivy @ Aug 20 2009, 05:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->The Cubs offense has been consistently underperforming expectations but what's scary is how good the Cardinals starting pitching has been so far this season. The Cardinals team ERA (3.75) ranks 4th in the MLB and their WHIP ranks (1.31) ranks 3rd. Cubs team ERA (3.92) ranks fifth and WHIP (1.34) ranks 6th.

Other than Carpenter was there a starting pitcher in the Cardinals rotation that you expected to perform to this level back in April?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I was expecting Wainwright to be really good. I was expecting Carpenter to pitch OK for a while, then hit the DL for the rest of the season. Nobody expected Joel Fucking Pinero to pitch like Walter Johnson.