And today, there was finally an all-out brawl. This time, the Cubs got in a bench-clearing brawl with the Padres.
CHICAGO -- Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee swung at San Diego pitcher Chris Young after he was it by a pitch in the fourth inning Saturday, setting off a benches-clearing skirmish between the teams.
The two players were ejected, as were Padres pitcher Jake Peavy and Chicago hitting coach Gerald Perry.
Young hit Lee in the back of the upper left arm with the pitch, knocking him to the ground. Lee got up, walked by Young on the way to first, then said something to the 6-foot-, 260-pound right-hander.
After the pitcher apparently responded, Lee threw a punch that didn't land. Young tried to throw a punch back that missed. Then he and Lee tried to connect at the same time.
I don't know if it's because this season's gotten to them psychologically, but the '07 Cubs seem to be a lot more prone to violence. And this has all happened in the last 15 days! What happens next?
The Wisdom of Homsar: DaAaAa, these Easter pants are gettin' way too tight!
Derrek Lee and Chris Young gets their asses suspended for 5-10 games, I suspect.
I'm guessing that Lee was ill-disposed after a high hard one grazed his wrist, especially as he missed much of '06 with a wrist injury he's still trying to get fully back from. Cub announcers Kasper and Brenly made a rare decent point questioning why the plate ump was asleep at the switch talking to the Padres' catcher as Lee started walking to first, and the jawing started. Of course that's not gonna help either one of them with league discipline.
Hard to say if Lee would have felt/acted differently if we hadn't got hosed on back-to-back games against the Braves, maybe he didn't want Zambrano to feel obligated to retaliate?
First, they and the commissioner hosed the Cubs in 1984.
Second, Eric Show tried to kill Andre Dawson.
And now this!
As of 2/28/05: 101 pounds since December 7, 2004 OFFICIAL THREE-MONTH COUNT: 112 pounds on March 9, 2005 OFFICIAL SIX-MONTH COUNT: 142 pounds on June 8, 2005 OFFICIAL ONE YEAR COUNT: 187 pounds on December 7, 2005 As of 2/27/06: 202 pounds "I've lost a heavyweight" As of 7/31/06: 224 pounds
They weren't screwed in the NLCS per se, but it was quite a controversy at the time, and you could make a mild case that MLB had an incentive to see the Padres advance to the series. I suppose that up until September of '84, no one *really believed that the Cubs would ever make the playoffs...
Originally posted by answers.com, first source I could find As champions of the National League, the Padres had home-field advantage. But had the Chicago Cubs won the NLCS (which appeared likely after the Cubs took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series), the Tigers would have gained home-field advantage despite the fact the AL's Baltimore Orioles had it the season before. NBC was contractually obligated to show all midweek series games in prime time, something that would have been impossible at Wrigley Field, since the Cubs' venerable facility lacked lights at the time (they wouldn't install lights until four years later). Had the Cubs advanced to the Series, Detroit would have hosted Games 1, 2, 6 and 7 (on Tuesday and Wednesday nights), while the Cubs would have hosted Games 3, 4 and 5 (on Friday, Saturday and Sunday), with all three games in Chicago starting no later than 1:30 p.m. Central time.
Of course the ratings for Cubs/Tigers would have been so much better, losing one game out of prime time wouldn't have been so bad.
Speaking of that year, I'm convinced that (for me at least) even the Cubs winning a World Series won't compare to the joy of the '84 experience, that season just seemed to come out of nowhere.
Top 6 crushing Cubs losses ranked:
6. 2003 NLCS Game 5 - No problem, we want to win this in Wrigley Field anyway, baby! And after foolish Jack McKeon leaving Beckett in for the complete game, we don't have to worry about him anymore.
5. 1984 NLCS Game 3 - Cubs were blown out in the middle innings, although I was attending a wedding out of state, and wanted it wrapped up. Ended up sneaking what I could see of game 4 during the reception, and racing home for game 5 in time to see the Durham play, and them finish blowing it.
4. 2003 NLCS Game 7 - How disappointed can you get after you know your team blew the series last night? Despite coming back to take the lead in the early innings, you knew the hammer was coming, and there was nothing going to stop it.
3. 1984 NLCS Game 5 - How ironic is it that the Cubs trade away Bill Buckner in mid-season, and still end up losing a league championship series like this??
2. 1984 NLCS Game 4 - You knew you didn't want to let things get to a deciding 5th game, and letting their big guy finish you off just added to the "we're screwed" feeling.
1. 2003 NLCS Game 6 - Do I really need to explain this one??
Cubs catcher Michael Barrett was traded to the Padres on Wednesday, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.
It wasn't known immediately what the Cubs will receive in return for dealing their controversial catcher.
Good thing Michael didn't throw punches in this fight! It would've made this more akward.
So...a team with marginal hitting for the next couple of weeks with Ram out and D Lee sitting out five games, trades one of the positions they're theoretically above average hitting at and opts to go with their 3rd and 4th string players. Blanco may not be back for a long time, so they're just settling for way below hitting at catcher.
And why are the Padres getting another catcher who can't actually catch? I don't get this deal at all - one of the catchers has to be going back.
(I could not have been more wrong about this happening. Eddie may have to ban me for that one.)
Even without looking at who comes back (apparently the Padres' backup catcher, and an A-ball prospect), I have to give this thumbs up for no other reason than the Cubs need fewer players with bad baseball instincts. If people weren't convinced that Barrett had lost the confidence of the pitching staff before, I would think this clinches it.
But now don't you think Jones has to go soon if Ward and Ramirez are coming back to the roster? Isn't Angel Pagan more valuable to the club in a backup OF role even if you discount whatever off field problems a not-playing-regularly Jacque Jones might cause?
Originally posted by thecubsfan(I could not have been more wrong about this happening. Eddie may have to ban me for that one.)
Heck, no. If I could just get you to anti-predict the Cubs winning the division, you'd be on every day!
Does this set up another trade for a catcher?
As of 2/28/05: 101 pounds since December 7, 2004 OFFICIAL THREE-MONTH COUNT: 112 pounds on March 9, 2005 OFFICIAL SIX-MONTH COUNT: 142 pounds on June 8, 2005 OFFICIAL ONE YEAR COUNT: 187 pounds on December 7, 2005 As of 2/27/06: 202 pounds "I've lost a heavyweight" As of 7/31/06: 224 pounds
Originally posted by Eddie FamousDoes this set up another trade for a catcher?
I don't think so - the Catcher they got (Bowen, right) is ok, and the Kid (Hill) seems real good right now. Cubs seem on a huge youth program (Pie, Pagan, that second baseman who has been playing very well but whose name I cannot recall) right now.
You wanted the best, you got... Out of Context Quote of the Week.
"Yep....and was it really necessary having the woman keep glancing down at his penis?" (Kevintripod)
Originally posted by AWArulz
Originally posted by Eddie FamousDoes this set up another trade for a catcher?
I don't think so - the Catcher they got (Bowen, right) is ok, and the Kid (Hill) seems real good right now. Cubs seem on a huge youth program (Pie, Pagan, that second baseman who has been playing very well but whose name I cannot recall) right now.
I bet he means Fontenot. The league has caught up to Theriot, knocked him down, and stomped a mudhole.
the Kid (Hill)
See, this is what most people don't know - Koyie Hill is 28. If he was going to be anything more than a no-hit AAA catcher, he would shown it by now. There's a three dozen guys like him, and he was just lucky to be in the right organization at the right moment to get some major league service time.
I don't think the Cubs make another major catcher move this season; it'd require the Cubs to be closer to be worthwhile to make a move to improve, and it'd require a good hitting catcher being available. Both of those seem like longshots, so I figure they spend the summer seeing what they have in Bowen and Hill (and probably Soto - they'd risk having to cut Hill loose to do that, so it may be a while), watch to see if Jake Fox proves he's not just another converted third baseman, and look to see who's available at the end of the season. If Pudge doesn't resign with the Tigers, there will be a push to get him again.
Originally posted by thecubsfanSee, this is what most people don't know - Koyie Hill is 28.
It's a young 28 though.
Hill isn't a particularly good catcher either. He was used in the middle infield in spring training.
I still like Theriot better than Izuseless. Fontenot is a scrappy guy that could be Mickey Morandini, which wouldn't be bad.
I figured out who DeRosa reminds me of: Mark Bellhorn.
As of 2/28/05: 101 pounds since December 7, 2004 OFFICIAL THREE-MONTH COUNT: 112 pounds on March 9, 2005 OFFICIAL SIX-MONTH COUNT: 142 pounds on June 8, 2005 OFFICIAL ONE YEAR COUNT: 187 pounds on December 7, 2005 As of 2/27/06: 202 pounds "I've lost a heavyweight" As of 7/31/06: 224 pounds
Originally posted by thecubsfan... so I figure they spend the summer seeing what they have in Bowen and Hill (and probably Soto - they'd risk having to cut Hill loose to do that, so it may be a while), watch to see if Jake Fox proves he's not just another converted third baseman, and look to see who's available at the end of the season. If Pudge doesn't resign with the Tigers, there will be a push to get him again.
I haven't seen a word about the resale process starting, even if they are saying this is supposed to get wrapped up in '07 Q4.. my suspicion is that the owners (led by Reinsdorf) are going to manage to string along whoever they approve long enough to foul up any chance of the Cubs being a big player in this coming FA market.
In regards to Ryan blowing it against NY and Boston, it seemed like David Ortiz hit a walkoff against every closer in baseball last year, so there's no shame in that. Besides, Miguel Batista blew games against everyone, which was tons worse.
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