Firebarn David Ross

[Eli]

I don't hate David Ross, but I do hate that the Cubs think they need him over Welington Castillo.

And I know it's temporary (at least I hope), but they've currently got a four-man bench with two of those guys being catchers. Between that and the pitcher hitting 8th, they're getting into some really weird late-game situations.

[Quality Start Machine]

I'm warming up some David Ross hate, if only because I know somehow Ryan Dempster is involved in all this.

[SKO]

I don't hate David Ross, but I do hate that the Cubs think they need him over Welington Castillo.

And I know it's temporary (at least I hope), but they've currently got a four-man bench with two of those guys being catchers. Between that and the pitcher hitting 8th, they're getting into some really weird late-game situations.

And one of those bench guys being Mendy, who has been about as close to worthless as you can get at the plate this year. Even Valaika's career .238/.282/.351 would be more useful on the bench right now.

You and RV talked about it on Twitter yesterday, but it's definitely worth noting that for as entertaining and much improved as this team is, there's still some glaring holes. Fortunately they seem capable of being filled fairly easily internally. Upgrade Herrerra for Russell, replace Mendy with La Stella, Grimm/Ramirez in for Jackson/Schlitter. Until those moves happen though, there's gonna be some firebarnin'

[Powdered Toast Man]

I don't hate David Ross, but I do hate that the Cubs think they need him over Welington Castillo.

And I know it's temporary (at least I hope), but they've currently got a four-man bench with two of those guys being catchers. Between that and the pitcher hitting 8th, they're getting into some really weird late-game situations.

And one of those bench guys being Mendy, who has been about as close to worthless as you can get at the plate this year. Even Valaika's career .238/.282/.351 would be more useful on the bench right now.

You and RV talked about it on Twitter yesterday, but it's definitely worth noting that for as entertaining and much improved as this team is, there's still some glaring holes. Fortunately they seem capable of being filled fairly easily internally. Upgrade Herrerra for Russell, replace Mendy with La Stella, Grimm/Ramirez in for Jackson/Schlitter. Until those moves happen though, there's gonna be some firebarnin'

I hate Edwin Jackson more than anybody on this roster, really. But I can't hate his 4 scoreless, walkless innings so far.

[Quality Start Machine]

I don't hate David Ross, but I do hate that the Cubs think they need him over Welington Castillo.

And I know it's temporary (at least I hope), but they've currently got a four-man bench with two of those guys being catchers. Between that and the pitcher hitting 8th, they're getting into some really weird late-game situations.

And one of those bench guys being Mendy, who has been about as close to worthless as you can get at the plate this year. Even Valaika's career .238/.282/.351 would be more useful on the bench right now.

You and RV talked about it on Twitter yesterday, but it's definitely worth noting that for as entertaining and much improved as this team is, there's still some glaring holes. Fortunately they seem capable of being filled fairly easily internally. Upgrade Herrerra for Russell, replace Mendy with La Stella, Grimm/Ramirez in for Jackson/Schlitter. Until those moves happen though, there's gonna be some firebarnin'

I hate Edwin Jackson more than anybody on this roster, really. But I can't hate his 4 scoreless, walkless innings so far.

I can't hate anybody who takes mopup innings away from somebody you might actually need in a crucial situation. and crucial situations and Edwin Jackson still should never intersect.

[R-V]

I don't hate David Ross, but I do hate that the Cubs think they need him over Welington Castillo.

And I know it's temporary (at least I hope), but they've currently got a four-man bench with two of those guys being catchers. Between that and the pitcher hitting 8th, they're getting into some really weird late-game situations.

And one of those bench guys being Mendy, who has been about as close to worthless as you can get at the plate this year. Even Valaika's career .238/.282/.351 would be more useful on the bench right now.

You and RV talked about it on Twitter yesterday, but it's definitely worth noting that for as entertaining and much improved as this team is, there's still some glaring holes. Fortunately they seem capable of being filled fairly easily internally. Upgrade Herrerra for Russell, replace Mendy with La Stella, Grimm/Ramirez in for Jackson/Schlitter. Until those moves happen though, there's gonna be some firebarnin'

I hate Edwin Jackson more than anybody on this roster, really. But I can't hate his 4 scoreless, walkless innings so far.

Yeah, until Grimm & Ramirez are back, I see no problem with giving Jackson a shot in that 6th inning role that Schlitter's been peeing all over with his butt. He can't do much worse and there's a chance (granted, it's an almost zero chance) that he becomes a competent reliever.

The bullpen issues have also been magnified because the starters are giving up a ridiculous BABIP of .349, compared to .308 last year (only the Indians starters are worse). That will surely/hopefully come back to earth as the season goes on, which will allow the starters to go deeper into games, which will also serve to remove the Schlitters and Jacksons from the equation.

[Yeti]

I'm warming up some David Ross hate, if only because I know somehow Ryan Dempster is involved in all this.

Dempster begat Hendricks. Randall Delgado, in the mean time, is a 7th inning reliever

[SKO]

I'm warming up some David Ross hate, if only because I know somehow Ryan Dempster is involved in all this.

Dempster begat Hendricks. Randall Delgado, in the mean time, is a 7th inning reliever

And not a very good one. Dempster's unicycling asshattery or whatever netted the Cubs a much better return.

[PenFoe]

I still hate David Ross plenty, but that walk against Cashner in the 3rd yesterday was a hell of an AB.

Granted, it just led to Lester having to come up with 2 outs and bases loaded where he struck out and maybe Ross should get a fucking hit every now and then.

But still, pretty decent AB.

[Tonker]

I still hate David Ross plenty, but that walk against Cashner in the 3rd yesterday was a hell of an AB.

Granted, it just led to Lester having to come up with 2 outs and bases loaded where he struck out and maybe Ross should get a fucking hit every now and then.

But still, pretty decent AB.

Twice in two days, actually.  He's just a working man trying to earn an honest living, you know?

[SKO]

We're commending a guy batting in front of the pitcher for getting pitched around so they can get an easy out from the pitcher. This is where we're at. Yeah, totally useful and not firebarnable player this guy is. He can draw walks when pitchers are obviously going to give him nothing to try and hit. Wonderful.

[PenFoe]

We're commending a guy batting in front of the pitcher for getting pitched around so they can get an easy out from the pitcher. This is where we're at. Yeah, totally useful and not firebarnable player this guy is. He can draw walks when pitchers are obviously going to give him nothing to try and hit. Wonderful.

Cashner was trying to get him out on Sunday, for sure. 

He fouled off like 8 solid pitches.

[Powdered Toast Man]

We're commending a guy batting in front of the pitcher for getting pitched around so they can get an easy out from the pitcher. This is where we're at. Yeah, totally useful and not firebarnable player this guy is. He can draw walks when pitchers are obviously going to give him nothing to try and hit. Wonderful.

That was about an 11 or 12 pitch AB in which Cashner was definitely trying to get him out. You're wrong on this one, bud.

[Saul Goodman]

He managed to not fuck up in the 11th.

Yay?

WHAT DOES HE HAVE TO DO TO PROVE HIMSELF, FOR GOD'S SAKE?

As far as I can tell, he must give back his entire salary and roster spot, issue an apology for having had the gall to accept such an offer, and permanently wander off into some cornfield in Iowa never to be heard from again. But he deserves far worse.

OK.

I just fucking love this. How many baseball players have we hated on this website? With the noted exception of Milton Bradley, how many of them seem to have been actual terrible human beings? Aren't most of them just bad baseball players? Shouldn't most of them have been people we expected to be bad baseball players? Why is David Ross the first guy to get the "well golly gee mister he sure didn't MEAN to be put on the roster and suck, would you have turned down the contract?" treatment?

That argument would apply to Aaron Miles, Neifi, and nearly every other bad baseball player the Cubs have had. So either get on board with hating David Ross for being bad at his job, or never hate another player on this board again, because this whole "well shit it ain't his fault he's on the roster" business is weak ass shit.

I think it's more about how painfully hard you're trying to make this happen than anything about David Ross.

[SKO]

He managed to not fuck up in the 11th.

Yay?

WHAT DOES HE HAVE TO DO TO PROVE HIMSELF, FOR GOD'S SAKE?

As far as I can tell, he must give back his entire salary and roster spot, issue an apology for having had the gall to accept such an offer, and permanently wander off into some cornfield in Iowa never to be heard from again. But he deserves far worse.

OK.

I just fucking love this. How many baseball players have we hated on this website? With the noted exception of Milton Bradley, how many of them seem to have been actual terrible human beings? Aren't most of them just bad baseball players? Shouldn't most of them have been people we expected to be bad baseball players? Why is David Ross the first guy to get the "well golly gee mister he sure didn't MEAN to be put on the roster and suck, would you have turned down the contract?" treatment?

That argument would apply to Aaron Miles, Neifi, and nearly every other bad baseball player the Cubs have had. So either get on board with hating David Ross for being bad at his job, or never hate another player on this board again, because this whole "well shit it ain't his fault he's on the roster" business is weak ass shit.

I think it's more about how painfully hard you're trying to make this happen than anything about David Ross.

Well if anyone would know about trying painfully hard, it's definitely you