SB Nation User Blog: ryno HOF 2005

Paul Sullivan tells fans to avoid all things Cubs-including BCB!

ryno HOF 2005 — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:28:45 -0000

Today's Cubs mailbag posted this question:

Did we get the wrong egomaniac when we got Soriano? Seems like we might have been better served putting our money on Manny Ramirez. Then again, he would have been a Cub, so...

Paul gives his 9 things Cubs fans should do to forget this season. Including avoiding all blogs and such.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-081008-chicago-cubs-ask-paul-sullivan,0,2398598.story

This team was different than other current playoff teams

ryno HOF 2005 — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 02:50:07 -0000

Sure the Cubs won 97 games this season. Awesome team efforts all the way! Maybe that is the problem with this club. Sounds strange but look at it this way. The Cubs only had 1 regular starter this season with a .300+ AVG (Theriot). No Cubs player hit 30 homers. Only 1 player had 100+ RBI's (Ramirez). The offense showed great patience all season. The most walks in years from any Cubs team (maybe Dusty was on to something). Nah! Walks are good for the team but you have to have some real threat in the lineup to drive those free passes home. Only Aramis was the hitter pitchers feared. Mr. Clutch would come through in the late innnings. The team was less patient in the NLDS and Aramis (among others) slumped. Lee hit fine but doesn't posses the power he once displayed. No one could come through with a big hit.

No pitcher on this staff won more than 17 games (Dempster and Lilly). Pitching wasn't the problem. Howry never pitched in the NLDS. The Cubs had the pitching to carry the team far into October but the bottom line is this:

Good pitching will stop average hitting. That is what brought the Cubs demise in the NLDS.

An open letter to Sweet Lou

ryno HOF 2005 — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:19:52 -0000

Dear Lou,

Well, the Cubs have played two games so far in the 2008 NLDS and have not fared quite like everyone hoped for. Game 1 was lost due to the home ace that couldn't find or adjust to the strike zone and a lack of offense. Game 2 showcased a defense that looked more like a little league game that a MLB playoff and a lack of offense. If the Cubs could score more runs, maybe, things would be different. There are a couple of glaring problems that must be addressed before Game 3 (yea right!) or for next season.

1) Soriano is NOT A LEADOFF MAN!!!

All of us Cubs fans are sick and tired of watching him flail away at sliders and breaking balls down and away. IMHO, Soriano is no different than Sammy Sosa before his great seasons when he began to show more patience at the plate. Hitting Soriano leadoff with a weaker batter in the two hole gives him no protection. Pitchers would much rather pitch around him or watch him swing at everything pitched to him from the same zip code. He must be dropped down in the order to get more production from him. I know he will whine like a baby when he is told this but as a manager, it is your job to get the best you can from your players. Soriano is a POWER HITTER with speed (when healthy). No other team in the majors has a 30 home run player hitting #1! He hit 29 homers this season and only drove in 75 runs. A player of his caliber should easily drive in over 100 runs every season. His talent is being wasted in the leadoff spot. He should be hitting in the three hole. Aramis would give him the protection he needs. He will start seeing better pitches to hit and his stats will soar! Ryan Theriot would be a good leadoff man. He hits around .300 and will take a walk and can steal bases.

2) D Lee no longer a #3.

Lee after the wrist injury is a shell of his former self. I like him as a player but he has declined and should not be hitting that high up in the order. Lee lead the team hitting into double plays this season and has killed many a Cub rallies. His power has escaped him and his strike outs have climbed as well. He should also be lowered in the order to the 6 or 7 spot or traded all together. That would make room for Soriano to hit here.

3) Fukudome should not start.

His second half slump has also hurt the offense. I understand he is a $12 million dollar player but if you are having trouble hitting, you should not be starting everyday in the playoffs! He looks lost at the plate anymore. His strikeouts are also up and seems to have lost the patience he shined with in the first half. He is pressing and should be a defensive replacement or pinch hitter at best.

4) Theriot and DeRosa

As mentioned before Theriot should hit in the leadoff spot. DeRosa would be a great #2 hitter. You could hit and run with this combination. DeRosa is a good contact hitter that puts the ball in play and when both Theriot and DeRosa gets on base... Soriano would benefit. No manager would want to load the bases for Aramis and Soriano would see some good pitches to drive.

The pitching should be fine and would probably settle down if the Cubs could get some runs across the board. This would be a good line up to try:

1) Theriot

2) DeRosa

3) Soriano

4) Ramirez

5) Soto

6) Lee

7) Edmonds

8) Fontenot or Reed Johnson (depends if DeRosa 2nd or right)

Here's hoping for a three game sweep of the Dodgers and a trip to the NLCS!

RYNO HOF 2005

Geovany Soto...the next Ivan Rodriguez?

ryno HOF 2005 — Tue, 20 May 2008 21:37:57 -0000

Geovany Soto has been a thrill to watch so far this season. More and more I watch him play, I keep thinking of Ivan Rodriguez. I am wondering what the BCB'ers think of him and his chances of becoming the next superstar backstop in the MLB. He tore up minor league pitching in AAA and has been off to a hot start in his rookie season. Vote Geovany Soto for your starting catcher in this years all-star game!

Poll

Geovany Soto...the next I-Rod?

Yes!

85 votes

No!

20 votes

Only time will tell!

80 votes

185 votes | Poll has closed

CubWorld.com vs. Wrigleyville.com

ryno HOF 2005 — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 19:25:42 -0000

Which is a better site to buy from? My wife wants a Theriot jersey and I did a search at both places. They cost the same but the jersey they have pictured at Cub World, it just doesn't look authentic. The name Theriot looks to small vs. the one at Wrigleyville. Please help!

Thanks
Cubs fan in Peoria

Colangelo confirms interest in Cubs

ryno HOF 2005 — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 21:17:36 -0000

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-061122cubscolangelo,1,2392951.story? coll=cs-home-headlines

As of right now, the Tribune still insists the Cubs are not for sale. It does seem quite obvious that they are raising the value of the team in hopes of making a huge profit. I still would rather have a Mark Cuban type buy the Cubs. Then again, beggars can't be choosers. Whoever ends up with our favorite team, let's hope and pray a World Series championship comes our way!

Jody! Jody! Jody!

ryno HOF 2005 — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 23:30:48 -0000

From the Peoria Journal Star:

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/083106/CHI_BAQT3UUF.077.shtml

Former catchers seem to make good managers. Jody was a fan favorite and a favorite of Harry Caray back in the 80's. Might be worth a shot to replace Dusty. It would be kinda cool to have Jody as manager, Ryno or Gracie as hitting coach, Mad Dog as pitching coach.

Do I see a pattern here?

ryno HOF 2005 — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 22:41:52 -0000

First, no extention for Dusty Baker. Second, Len and Bob (the former manager) critique Baker's moves. Third, the Cubs make ammends with former Cub and current color man for the D-Backs, Mark Grace. Gracie has been invited to the 2007 Cubs Convention. Hmmmm. Baker out, Brenly manages and Grace takes over the color job?