SB Nation User Blog: N Oakley

Cubs: I can't quit you. Would you take an Antidote?

N Oakley — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:42:28 -0000

I guess the fact that I am posting this says more than I can type.

I decided Saturday Night/Sunday Morning to take a break and step away. This season was okay, tremendous regular season, horrible and painful post season.

The way this season ended was not acceptable, but was much better than any season ending before the all star break. I knew the Dodger matchup was brutal, I knew the Cubs whiffed against the D-Backs in 2007. I know Soriano and Ramirez feast on mediocre pitching and that great pitchers can shut them down.

Soriano's quote on the team being built for the marathon of the season and not a short series is right on. A team that can generate offense against the poor and mediocre pitching of the league and get lucky against the Sabathias and Hamels will have difficulty in the post season.

While I'm heartbroken, I will not "be back," as I am not leaving. I am a Cub fan and love baseball.

36+ hours later I am wondering how the team can be tweaked to add more clutch hitting and who the pitcher will be behind Z and Lilly next year? What can we get for Harden after we exercise the option?

I won't be on BCB daily for a while, but why would I? The Cubs are out and hot stove hasn't started, yet.

I leave with one question, if there was an antidote for this addiction, would you take it? I know I won’t.

Pre-Pre-Pre-Pre-Pre Game Thread 8/28

N Oakley — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:49:39 -0000

Too long between games, starting to shake.....

The official pre-game won't be up for a while and most of the Fanposts are directed to events and actions should this team..... (thinking of euphamism that won't equate to superstition) "keep winning series" and these random decending numbers. Looking for a place to discuss tonights game and the rest of the regular season.

The 9 game cupcake portion of the season is over and the Cubs now have to face contending teams.

I won't say I'm worried about the Phillies, but it's a talented lineup of true MLB players. I'm looking forward to seeing how the team performs against another team fighting for the playoffs (Yeah, I said the word, but note the context).

Play the GM (for the Cards)

N Oakley — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 22:32:57 -0000

Pujols and his agent and doctor confirm he has a "high grade" ligament tear in the elbow and he will probably need reconstructive elbow surgery in time.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3280426

With Carpenter and Mulder being question marks this year, and an infield of retreads, why wouldn't the Cards want him to get this over with and show up to ST next healthy and rehabbed?

Pujols says: "If it blows out it's going to blow out," "You can't control that." He said he didn't want to just have the arthroscopic surgery.

"It didn't make sense having the surgery and just clean it up, when cleaning it up it wasn't going to make it good," Pujols said. "I had to do something in the ligament."

If I was a Cardinal fan, and the guy (who is) in the office next to me agrees, why not just do it this year to make certain the franchise player is healthy when the team is re-tooled and the fan base has high expectations?

Thoughts from you other armchair GM's on the current biggest Cub killer out there?

Cornelius Clifford Floyd Sr.: 1950 - 2007

N Oakley — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 15:04:03 -0000

Cliff Floyd's father passed.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-hed_floyd_13aug13,0,1847955.story

My thoughts are with the family, I'm sure yours are too.

When somebody sees a link to the charity, please post the link here so that anyone that wishes may make a donation.

Reuters on Cub Sale

N Oakley — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 21:02:33 -0000

Not too much new information, but I hadn't seen:

*the fact of 15 credible parties and 25 more being researched.
*there was expectation of the deal to close by the end of 2007.
*Possible inclusion of Sportsnet Chicago.

Just thought everyone would be interested on a slow day.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070723/sp_nm/chicagocubs_dc_3;_ylt=AlrZ54fmDQyTkVbZeDvjwjcE1vAI

OT: Frank Thomas Hits 500th Home Run (HOF?)

N Oakley — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 21:00:15 -0000

With career numbers of

.303 Average
.423 OBP
.562 SLG
2320 Hits
500 HR
1614 RBI's
1436 Runs
32 Stolen Bases
2 MVP's

Has the former southsider put together a HOF Resume?

His numbers are better than some first basemen already inducted, but no leader in any statistical category.

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/hof/hofst1b.shtml

Putting aside the inherrent southside bias, what do you think?

I think 500 HR is not what it used to be and all the years at DH and these last few years as a hanger on/carpetbagger will keep him from being first ballot. I think he will eventually get in. Other thoughts on this day off?

Newsflash - Cubs Stink up 2002 Draft

N Oakley — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 19:47:48 -0000

Through the first part of the article, I'm thinking that securing Hill & Cherry is not too bad.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/draft2007/columns/story?columnist=law_keith&id=2892330&campaig n=rss&source=MLBHeadlines

Then he goes on to opine that the Cubs had the overall worst draft with "six extra picks that the Cubs had that year: three supplementals, plus one extra pick in the second, third and fourth rounds."

I guess it stands to reason that a team might be struggling if it can't pull more than one major league player out of that many picks five years later. Even worse is seeing all the talent that came from later rounds for other teams.

Gee, who was the director of scouting back then. Some old college guy?

Optimism or Pessimism/Buying or Selling

N Oakley — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 21:09:08 -0000

With the completion of the 100 Best Cubs of all time, diaries on the all time worst, rosters getting down toward 25, what is everyone's take on the upcoming year? I'm not looking for chants of "World Champs" or "They Suck," but reasons for whether you are buying or selling futures for the 2007 season.

I'll start - I think I'm buying. I expect the Cubs to contend for the division and at worst be in it until September. I like that Hendry went to ST with alternatives for Wood and Prior. I like that the teams seems to be taking walks and clogging the bases. These changes with a healthy Lee, Ramirez back, and the addition of Soriano have me much more positive than this point last year. This looks like a team with a future versus the roster of July/August/September last year.

Anyone want to weigh in?

Need Parental/Ethical Advice on Cardinal Little League Gear

N Oakley — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 19:31:49 -0000

A couple of facts:

My son was assigned to the Cardinals in his T-Ball League last year. The league went all out with MLB licensed shirts and hats so the gear is truly St. Louis Cardinal logos and stuff.
I dispise the Missouri Red Menace.
Every time my son sees the Hat, he talks about how much fun it was to be a Cardinal and wants to wear it. In public. In Chicago.
He has a multiple Hats and Shirts for the Bears and Cubs.
He views them as an extension of this little league experience, not allegiance to St. Louis.

Which brings me to the Question:

Is it okay for me to throw the Cardinal Gear out while he is at school?

I look forward to your votes and comments.

Poll

Can I Throw it Out?

Yes, Secretly without his knowing.

23 votes

Yes, But Only with His Involvement

16 votes

No, He has to make His Own Choices

18 votes

57 votes | Poll has closed