Tom Ricketts finally speaks. Seems to contradict how Marquee/Score/Ross are ecstatic about the teams type of baseball playing 20 <.500.

"“I’ll be the first to acknowledge this is not the type of baseball Cubs fans deserve,” Ricketts said. “Our decision last year to move away from Cubs players who brought us a World Series title was tough, but we have a plan to return to championship contention by building the next great Cubs team around a young core of players augmented by free agent signings — and we’re making progress ….

“Our moves over the past year and at the trade deadline have put us in a position of strength in both player and financial currency. We plan to be very active again this offseason competing in the free agent market.”

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General Jim wears Fort Bragg down... to get it!

Those Cubs uniforms are fabulous (sans the hat).

CONEtreras with the moronic baserunning blunder.

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He is too busy denying the 2020 election results and trying to recreate January 6th.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

What was moronic about it? He twisted his ankle making a turn?

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Went way too far with the play right in front of him.

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2 steps is a step to far for you?

That is literally one of the dumbest opinions I have ever heard on this site.

He was taking a hard turn like you are taught. His ankle caught. It happens, but he did absolutely nothing wrong.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

How cool would it be to do some coke with Fergie Jenkins?

Anyone who said this game couldn't possibly live up to last years game were completely wrong. This game is awesome, what a wonderful setting and well-played game!

I really enjoyed the chat they had with Votto.

Just a really cool deal all around.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

The in-game interviews were pretty cool. Vitro got a lot more time but I’d have liked the Happ interview to go a little longer.

For a routine single to left it looks like he's way too far off the bag. Then panicked.

In the Sox threads we have complaints about players dogging it on the bases. Here we have complaints about guys going too hard. Oh well.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

yep.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Watch this if you don't want to sleep tonight

No one managed to hit a HR into the corn? Weak.

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This is arguably the worst sequel in the history of sequels.

It’s like they followed Godfather with Gotti.

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Caddyshack 2
Cubs Reds
Blues Brothers 2000

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Right. It's not about hustle. It's about stupidity. He had no chance to get to 3rd safely. It was right in front of him. Even if he didn't turn his ankle he would have been picked off. He wouldn't have gotten back to second.

Just a stupid play.

I actually think he faked the severity of the injury because he was embarrassed that he got picked off for such a stupid play.

I liked the uniforms too.

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Grandpa Rossy (151-182, 0-2 ps) playing the Matt Nagy rah-rah! Mr Positive caricature to the hilt. "These guys (6 mil $ avg) never take one thing for granted. Bust their butts. Try to win ballgames. (46-65 #6 worst W %).

Given it a rest you meatball. What the fuck else is he supposed to say day after day? What would you say day after day, press conference after press conference? "This team sucks and I can't wait untli they fire me?" They aren't playing horribly right now, the pitching has been acceptable for not having either a TOR guy nor their four best veteran relievers, and they're at least beating the teams that are at their level.

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

This is a little surprising from early July '22 considering all the hoopla.

. The Cubs now have four top 100 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline:

30. Brennen Davis, OF
69. Cristian Hernández, SS
80. Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF
99. Kevin Alcántara, OF

This stretch of Miami, Wash., Cinn., and Wash. has to be one of the softest in the MLB schedule (.275 last 10 games combined W %).

to me, ross sounds much more upbeat with his daily musings. i think he's been promised a few goodies by mngt. personally, i suppose i want them to stand pat this off-season - not a fan of any free agent P, nola's option will probably be picked up by the phillies and i'm sure de grom and the mets will come to an understanding. 2024 looks much, much better for pitching. i'd consider arenado, who has an opt-out..but, i think he will also stay with the cardinals.

i still believe 2024 will be the year the cubs target for competing for the division title. they have to be thinking they need upgrades at the the corners on the infield and definitely a #1 and a #2/3 starter. heyward is addition by subtraction - over $20 million opens up and suzuki is planted in RF. do the cubs get a SS and move hoerner to 2nd? will they resign contreras? add $20+ million per year and with the cubs current chintzy salaries they could easily afford an ohtani and a rafael devers, along with another #2/#3 SP.

MLB free agency is a mine field with so many big money tankers and sitting out with the tiniest of injuries common.Could you imagine 2 Heyward bad money guys on the future Cubs? Even some of the most productive big money FA guys are topping out 800 ops. The Heyward stench remnant will play a role in dictating future strategy I'm sure. The Cubs brain trust press conferences "we love our bum guys adulation" notwithstanding.

The Cubs tank rebuild is a bottom-of-the-barrel job Ross got pushed into. He's making nice dough being a trained seal to the press and piling up losses on his resume. I'm sure he's thrown in the towel at this stage and going through the motions for payday deposits.

it's amazin' how the Cubs beat up on bad teams, yet the White Sox, who are supposed to be in playoff contention, struggle with bad teams.

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I miss the old Waddle & Silvy pre Marquee Rick Sutcliffe interviews. He always was an exaggerating tall tale bag of wind. But he was a good baseball guy to visit shows with his signature unfiltered views. During games he's in love with every Cubs bums ceiling they drag off the scrapheap. He was way out there to start now being all is great, love these guys "marqueed" isn't a good fit for him.