Only the Cubs can stop the Cubs
The ninth inning is a horror show, where does Happ rank among all Cubs with 1,000 games played, and Crane should not be allowed to speak
Given the fact that the Cubs' "toughest schedule in baseball in April"[1] seems to really be the toughest schedule in baseball. The fact that they are 7-5 and in first place is a great sign.
Unlike NFL strength of schedule, which is also determined by last year's record, but often is hilariously wrong because some teams who were good last year suck this year and vice versa. ↩︎
But the fact that they should be 9-3 and aren't because instead of ponying up to pay the loser tax to lure Tanner Scott away from signing with the Dodgers, or working out a trade for the Padres' Robert Suarez, the Cubs traded for Dave Smith's older brother, you have to worry already that this is a trend that's just going to keep repeating.
And, every time you start to think they could just flip him and Porter Hodge, Porter struts out of the bullpen and throws the ball all over the backstop.
God help us if the Cubs have to turn to Jerry Merryweather or Brad Keller to consistently close out the ninth inning. But, if they keep bringing Caleb Thielbar in to pitch in the seventh few leads will make it that far.
Yesterday's collapse was aided by 40 year old Justin Turner not being able to catch a throw from second. I have no problem with Turner playing some first base. I lived through the Frank Schwindel and Trey Mancini Eras, I know what truly inept first base play looks like, and compared to those two, Turner is Mark Grace.
But it was an interesting choice by Craig Counsell that led to it. In the eighth he pinch hit Michael Busch for third baseman Matt Shaw. So, in the ninth he could have had Busch play first and Turner move across the diamond to play third, he could have had Busch play first and double switched the great Gage Tater Workman in to third, or, he could have done what he did and have Tater take over at third and burn Busch. (Biblical reference.) It certainly appears that Counsell went with that flawed plan because he didn't want Tater inserted into the cleanup spot in case the Cubs needed to score in the ninth (which they did.) In 12 games, Tater has batted three times (and he's only struck out twice!), and it sure seems like Craig would be fine if he didn't add on to that.
The Cardinals are bad, the Brewers can't pitch, the Reds and Pirates are Redsing and Piratsing like normal.
Who poses the biggest threat to the Cubs in the Central? The Cubs. If they get drunk, fall down and get hurt they might lose.
The Cubs celebrated what apparently is a milestone on Saturday. The only thing that Ian Happ playing his 1,000th game means to me is that it's been more than 1,000 games since the Cubs won a World Series.
Yeah, we've been subjected to a millenary of games now of Captain Hairplugs, many of them in left field.
He is the 32nd Cub to play that many games for the Cubs. It's tragically more games than Derrek Lee (924), Andre Dawson (867), Kris Bryant (833), Luis Valbuena (347) and Brian Dayett (143).
The Cubs have had some great players play a shitload of games for them. The top five in games played are all Hall of Famers (Ernie Banks, Cap Anson, Billy Williams, Ryne Sandberg, and Ron Santo). The remaining guys in the top 10 are all at least Utility Tunnel of Famers (Phil Cavarretta, Stan Hack, Gabby Hartnett, Mark Grace and Sammy Sosa), and Gabby's in the real Hall, too.
Would it be petty of me to just declare that Happ is the 32nd best player to ever play 1,000 or more games for the Cubs. Yes, it would be.
But I don't think it's wrong by all that much.
Let's figure it out!
