Greg Maddux, the Puppet Master

[ChuckD]

Great move. This almost totally makes up for the time they let him sign with Atlanta on the heels of a Cy Young campaign. I fucking love this team. Always thinking of me, Joe Sports Fan. Can't wait til they introduce this blockbuster signing at the Cubs Convention. Epic.

If they really wanted to make me happy, they'd bring back Mark DeRosa to do something. I mean, the guy can play five positions; how hard can Mark O'Neil's job be?

[R-V]

Dave Duncan can eat a ham & chode Hot Pocket. Greg is the master.

Had a chance to talk baseball with reliever Jeff Stevens this morning, too. He had Greg Maddux standing behind him yesterday in the cage as he threw. He said in the past, he might throw 10 fastballs in a row or 10 sliders in a row. He said Maddux told him, "You don't pitch that way in a game," and to mix it up while he was throwing.

Maddux has been hard at work here, helping pitching coach Larry Rothschild. Also this morning, Maddux was sitting in the clubhouse with catching prospect Steve Clevenger, pointing out how to best pick up pitchers' arm slots. Good stuff. The kids ought to listen.

[MAD]

Dave Duncan can eat a ham & chode Hot Pocket. Greg is the master.

Had a chance to talk baseball with reliever Jeff Stevens this morning, too. He had Greg Maddux standing behind him yesterday in the cage as he threw. He said in the past, he might throw 10 fastballs in a row or 10 sliders in a row. He said Maddux told him, "You don't pitch that way in a game," and to mix it up while he was throwing.

Maddux has been hard at work here, helping pitching coach Larry Rothschild. Also this morning, Maddux was sitting in the clubhouse with catching prospect Steve Clevenger, pointing out how to best pick up pitchers' arm slots. Good stuff. The kids ought to listen.

Dear gord,

I don't aks for much.  But after 7 years, 4 managers and countless crushed hopes and dreams out of our pitching staff, will you please send a bus to run over Larry Rothschild once and for all?

Appreciate it.

Mike

[BH]

Dave Duncan can eat a ham & chode Hot Pocket. Greg is the master.

Had a chance to talk baseball with reliever Jeff Stevens this morning, too. He had Greg Maddux standing behind him yesterday in the cage as he threw. He said in the past, he might throw 10 fastballs in a row or 10 sliders in a row. He said Maddux told him, "You don't pitch that way in a game," and to mix it up while he was throwing.

Maddux has been hard at work here, helping pitching coach Larry Rothschild. Also this morning, Maddux was sitting in the clubhouse with catching prospect Steve Clevenger, pointing out how to best pick up pitchers' arm slots. Good stuff. The kids ought to listen.

Dear gord,

I don't aks for much.  But after 7 years, 4 managers and countless crushed hopes and dreams out of our pitching staff, will you please send a bus to run over Larry Rothschild once and for all?

Appreciate it.

Mike

Shouldn't this tip be common sense to Larry? Or our pitchers? I know Maddux is a genius and all, but this should't be considered sage advice.

[Slaky]

Dave Duncan can eat a ham & chode Hot Pocket. Greg is the master.

Had a chance to talk baseball with reliever Jeff Stevens this morning, too. He had Greg Maddux standing behind him yesterday in the cage as he threw. He said in the past, he might throw 10 fastballs in a row or 10 sliders in a row. He said Maddux told him, "You don't pitch that way in a game," and to mix it up while he was throwing.

Maddux has been hard at work here, helping pitching coach Larry Rothschild. Also this morning, Maddux was sitting in the clubhouse with catching prospect Steve Clevenger, pointing out how to best pick up pitchers' arm slots. Good stuff. The kids ought to listen.

Dear gord,

I don't aks for much.  But after 7 years, 4 managers and countless crushed hopes and dreams out of our pitching staff, will you please send a bus to run over Larry Rothschild once and for all?

Appreciate it.

Mike

The Cubs team pitching ranks over the years by ERA:

2009 - 5th
2008 - 3rd
2007 - 2nd
2006 - 14th
2005 - 9th
2004 - 3rd
2003 - 3rd

I realize ERA probably isn't the best indicator of how well a team pitches but the angst over Rothschild is misplaced. I've felt this way for a while now. He's been at least partially responsible for some excellent staffs.

[CBStew]

My admiration for Greg Maddux takes a back seat to no one else's fawning.  However.  All he did with Mr. Stevens is to tell him to intersperse different kinds of pitches when practicing rather than to throw the same pitch over and over.  If the pitcher wasn't already doing that it indicates that that pitcher has a lot more to learn.

[Eli]

I realize ERA probably isn't the best indicator of how well a team pitches but the angst over Rothschild is misplaced. I've felt this way for a while now. He's been at least partially responsible for some excellent staffs.

Agreed.  I don't have a problem with Rothschild, and I don't see why anyone would.

[MAD]

I realize ERA probably isn't the best indicator of how well a team pitches but the angst over Rothschild is misplaced. I've felt this way for a while now. He's been at least partially responsible for some excellent staffs.

Agreed.  I don't have a problem with Rothschild, and I don't see why anyone would.

He's just kind of there.  Overrated, mostly.  Plus, I like by beer cold, my homosexuals flaming, and my RAGE irrational.

[Slaky]

I realize ERA probably isn't the best indicator of how well a team pitches but the angst over Rothschild is misplaced. I've felt this way for a while now. He's been at least partially responsible for some excellent staffs.

Agreed.  I don't have a problem with Rothschild, and I don't see why anyone would.

He's just kind of there.  Overrated, mostly.  Plus, I like by beer cold, my homosexuals flaming, and my RAGE irrational.

I'm as irrational as anyone. You saw my Theriot post earlier this week, I assume. Just throwing out some defense for Larry. I have a friend who was screaming that Larry should be eviscerated in public late last season. When I tried to reason with him that last year had almost nothing to do with the failures of Larry Rothschild as an individual it didn't have any effect and left me in a foul mood. I think that's probably got a lot to do with it.

[Jon]

I don't want to live in a world where I have to justify hating anyone. You know who tried to limit hate to approved channels? Hitler, that's who.

[BH]

I realize ERA probably isn't the best indicator of how well a team pitches but the angst over Rothschild is misplaced. I've felt this way for a while now. He's been at least partially responsible for some excellent staffs.

Agreed.  I don't have a problem with Rothschild, and I don't see why anyone would.

He's just kind of there.  Overrated, mostly.  Plus, I like by beer cold, my homosexuals flaming, and my RAGE irrational.

I'm as irrational as anyone. You saw my Theriot post earlier this week, I assume. Just throwing out some defense for Larry. I have a friend who was screaming that Larry should be eviscerated in public late last season. When I tried to reason with him that last year had almost nothing to do with the failures of Larry Rothschild as an individual it didn't have any effect and left me in a foul mood. I think that's probably got a lot to do with it.

I hate Larry Rothschild for thinking he could "fix" jason marquis.

Think other people hate Rothschild because of the Prior/Wood towel throwing, constant injury seasons, but not sure how much of this can be blamed on Larry.

I'm sure Huey has a sweet nickname for Larry though, I kinda wanna hear it.

[Slaky]

I realize ERA probably isn't the best indicator of how well a team pitches but the angst over Rothschild is misplaced. I've felt this way for a while now. He's been at least partially responsible for some excellent staffs.

Agreed.  I don't have a problem with Rothschild, and I don't see why anyone would.

He's just kind of there.  Overrated, mostly.  Plus, I like by beer cold, my homosexuals flaming, and my RAGE irrational.

I'm as irrational as anyone. You saw my Theriot post earlier this week, I assume. Just throwing out some defense for Larry. I have a friend who was screaming that Larry should be eviscerated in public late last season. When I tried to reason with him that last year had almost nothing to do with the failures of Larry Rothschild as an individual it didn't have any effect and left me in a foul mood. I think that's probably got a lot to do with it.

I hate Larry Rothschild for thinking he could "fix" jason marquis.

He probably should have just let him do his own thing.

[MAD]

I realize ERA probably isn't the best indicator of how well a team pitches but the angst over Rothschild is misplaced. I've felt this way for a while now. He's been at least partially responsible for some excellent staffs.

Agreed.  I don't have a problem with Rothschild, and I don't see why anyone would.

He's just kind of there.  Overrated, mostly.  Plus, I like by beer cold, my homosexuals flaming, and my RAGE irrational.

I'm as irrational as anyone. You saw my Theriot post earlier this week, I assume. Just throwing out some defense for Larry. I have a friend who was screaming that Larry should be eviscerated in public late last season. When I tried to reason with him that last year had almost nothing to do with the failures of Larry Rothschild as an individual it didn't have any effect and left me in a foul mood. I think that's probably got a lot to do with it.

I hate Larry Rothschild for thinking he could "fix" jason marquis.

Think other people hate Rothschild because of the Prior/Wood towel throwing, constant injury seasons, but not sure how much of this can be blamed on Larry.

I'm sure Huey has a sweet nickname for Larry though, I kinda wanna hear it.

Larry Garbanzo Beanz.

[Jon]

I realize ERA probably isn't the best indicator of how well a team pitches but the angst over Rothschild is misplaced. I've felt this way for a while now. He's been at least partially responsible for some excellent staffs.

Agreed.  I don't have a problem with Rothschild, and I don't see why anyone would.

He's just kind of there.  Overrated, mostly.  Plus, I like by beer cold, my homosexuals flaming, and my RAGE irrational.

I'm as irrational as anyone. You saw my Theriot post earlier this week, I assume. Just throwing out some defense for Larry. I have a friend who was screaming that Larry should be eviscerated in public late last season. When I tried to reason with him that last year had almost nothing to do with the failures of Larry Rothschild as an individual it didn't have any effect and left me in a foul mood. I think that's probably got a lot to do with it.

I hate Larry Rothschild for thinking he could "fix" jason marquis.

Think other people hate Rothschild because of the Prior/Wood towel throwing, constant injury seasons, but not sure how much of this can be blamed on Larry.

I'm sure Huey has a sweet nickname for Larry though, I kinda wanna hear it.

Larry Garbanzo Beanz.

I don't know who I hate more: you for typing that, or me for laughing at it.


Wait. You. I definitely hate you more.

[Slaky]

I realize ERA probably isn't the best indicator of how well a team pitches but the angst over Rothschild is misplaced. I've felt this way for a while now. He's been at least partially responsible for some excellent staffs.

Agreed.  I don't have a problem with Rothschild, and I don't see why anyone would.

He's just kind of there.  Overrated, mostly.  Plus, I like by beer cold, my homosexuals flaming, and my RAGE irrational.

I'm as irrational as anyone. You saw my Theriot post earlier this week, I assume. Just throwing out some defense for Larry. I have a friend who was screaming that Larry should be eviscerated in public late last season. When I tried to reason with him that last year had almost nothing to do with the failures of Larry Rothschild as an individual it didn't have any effect and left me in a foul mood. I think that's probably got a lot to do with it.

I hate Larry Rothschild for thinking he could "fix" jason marquis.

Think other people hate Rothschild because of the Prior/Wood towel throwing, constant injury seasons, but not sure how much of this can be blamed on Larry.

I'm sure Huey has a sweet nickname for Larry though, I kinda wanna hear it.

Larry Garbanzo Beanz.

I don't know who I hate more: you for typing that, or me for laughing at it.


Wait. You. I definitely hate you more.

The 'z' at the end of beanz is what really does it for me.