I hate watching bad baseball under normal circumstances. But every now and then, you see a team that crosses over into "fun bad" territory. By "fun bad" I mean they are just so bad you can't take your eyes off them. The entertainment value is just too good.
I think the Cubs finally had that crossover moment Friday at Wrigley Field. Cincinnati scored nine runs in the top of the seventh inning on its way to a 12-0 victory. But it wasn't just that the Reds scored nine in an inning -- that stuff happens every now and then -- it was how they scored that was so damn funny.
Here's the play-by-play for that inning, Cubbie miscues in bold:
Top 7th: Cincinnati
- J. Gomes walked
- J. Bruce walked, J. Gomes to second
- R. Hernandez safe at first on second baseman M. Fontenot's fielding error, J. Gomes to third, J. Bruce to second
- D. Stubbs struck out swinging
- B. Arroyo walked, J. Gomes scored, J. Bruce to third, R. Hernandez to second
- B. Schlitter relieved R. Dempster
- B. Phillips walked, J. Bruce scored, R. Hernandez to third, B. Arroyo to second
- O. Cabrera popped out to shallow left
- R. Hernandez scored, B. Arroyo to third, B. Phillips to second on passed ball
- J. Votto intentionally walked
- S. Rolen singled to shallow center, B. Arroyo scored, B. Phillips to third, J. Votto to second
- J. Gomes doubled to deep center, J. Votto and S. Rolen scored
- J. Bruce walked
- B. Howry relieved B. Schlitter
- R. Hernandez doubled to deep left, J. Gomes and J. Bruce scored
- D. Stubbs flied out to right
9 runs, 3 hits, 1 errors
9 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 6 walks and a passed ball. Two runs scored on bases-loaded walks, another run scored on a passed ball. Cincinnati had three runs home before it got its first base hit of the inning.
It's been a long time since I've seen a team have a defensive inning this bad. It was such a train wreck, I couldn't stop watching.
When does this end?
When does Lou his job?
Better yet, when is this site ever going to call for the manager's firing?
How much more can Tom Ricketts take? To me, not firing Lou is saying things are going to be the same. It's just a new owner with the same old-boss mentality.
I have been campaigning for Terry Bevington to manage this team for awhile. I can tell you the Cubs would be a better team under him than Lou. You wouldn't see this display today.
One of the reasons why I love lurking at WSI is reading Fenway's posts. Best poster at that board of all the posters, and one of my few favorite people at that board along with Lip Man I.
The guy provides great insights. I find it funny most posters complain about him when he post stuff, but then again, those folks over there are quite an insensitive bunch as I experienced posting at that board over the years.
Anyway, Fenway gets it right again. He post a poll on who's the worst team in baseball, and he gave his answer. Honestly, how he is wrong on Da Cubs? Talk about the Orioles, Pirates and other teams, but those teams are rebuilding and taking their lumps. Losing for them is to be expected, and they will be rewarded with another top pick.
You are seeing a veteran team in da Cubs playing terrible baseball for a year and a half. This team can't hit, field or pitch. I don't see any of their young players. I don't see anything from the manager anymore. The general manager is clueless. The team president has no clue what a baseball is. You got a new owner who is in that safari trip when he should be evaluating the Cubs. You got an organization that has problems going back to the minor leagues, and that's why I question why Ryne Sandberg would be qualifed for the job.
How does anyone not make a case for Da Cubs?