Editor's Pick It's The Cubs Picthing Staff and Not Much Else
by Godfrey Logan, August 03, 2009

It's The Cubs Picthing Staff and Not Much Else

Written by Godfrey Logan, Monday August 03 2009 playerpress.com

The Cubs have one of the best pitching staffs in baseball some of the best hitters in baseball but they're far too inconsistent. Then there is the bullpen. Since Jim Hendry has been the General Manager of the Cubs since 2003 he has put a lot of work into solidifying it and has not been able to do it. He's had closer after closer come in and blow save after save.

Who can forget a couple of years ago when former close Ryan Dempster came in with a five run lead against the mets and gives up the game winning runs. Now he's kick ass as a starter. We've had the bullpen blow saves in both losses in the three games series against the Marlins a series the Cubs could have swept. WIth the game tied at two in game one the bullpen gives up three runs to give the game to the Marlins. In game two with the Cubs leading eight to five Kevin Gregg a former Marlin gives up the game tying runs to let the Marlins back into it. If not for the red hot Derrick Lee hitting a homerun in the top of the tenth inning to give the Cubs back the lead who knows how that game would have turned out. If the Cubs make the playoffs this year some of us will be surprised with their inconsistencies at the plate and in the bullpen. Not to mention the need to try to get Milton Bradley to hit from the left side where most of us have given up on that experimentWho can forget a couple of years ago when former close Ryan Dempster came in with a five run lead against the mets and gives up the game winning runs. Now he's kick ass as a starter. We've had the bullpen blow saves in both losses in the three games series against the Marlins a series the Cubs could have swept. WIth the game tied at two in game one the bullpen gives up three runs to give the game to the Marlins. In game two with the Cubs leading eight to five Kevin Gregg a former Marlin gives up the game tying runs to let the Marlins back into it. If not for the red hot Derrick Lee hitting a homerun in the top of the tenth inning to give the Cubs back the lead who knows how that game would have turned out. If the Cubs make the playoffs this year some of us will be surprised with their inconsistencies at the plate and in the bullpen. Not to mention the need to try to get Milton Bradley to hit from the left side where most of us have given up on that experiment. If he can get us more runs on the right side let him do it. Don't give me the story that we got him to be a switch hitter and be a force from the left side. We gave up a great hitter in Mark Derosa for this guy? If he' s not going to hit from the left side let him bat righty and say we made a mistake in signing him. This team is not built to win a world series now when the Dodgers and Phillies are all world right now. I'm not going to say they'll get swept in a three game series but it doesn't help when your closer blows saves in back to back games giving up the game tying and winning homeruns to consecutive hitters.