[pete_b]

The Cubbies are at home for the next six games. The Braves are coming to town after just getting off taking two out of three from the Padres. But first there is a well needed day off I guess for travel. The Cubs play the Braves coming up this weekend.

[MJHMarc]

I would have to pick the Braves for this series. Andruw Jones had two homers last night and I think he will have a great series against the Cubs.

Maddux pitched horrible:6IP, 6ER last night and I don't see him making an appearance in this series.

What is the latest news with the Cubs' injuries? How long until the mighty Derrek Lee returns?

[ThePundit]

Right now, the Cubs are just a joke. Even Greg Maddux has been getting the heck kicked out of him. How much more of this can Dusty take?

[pete_b]

For the first game in this absolutely unimportant series, the ball for the Cubs goes to Zambrano who in his ten starts is 3-2 with a 3.53 era. On the other side is Hudson who in his ten starts is 4-3 with a 3.95 era. I have to agree with Pundit. There is no reason at all that I can think of why the Cubs should even win one game in this series.

[pete_b]

As expected, the Cubs lost to the Braves by a score of 6-5. But they actually should have one this one. The Cubs rocked Hudson for four runs on eight hits and scored one off the bullpen. The Cubs Zambrano and bullpen company held them to three runs until Ryan blown save Dempster gave up three in the ninth.

For the Cubs is the shaky Marshall who hasn't had a good outing in a while. For Atlanta is Ramirez who only has one start this season and only three innings at that. The Cubs have a shot...as long as they aren't winning in the ninth and have to give it to Dempster.

[ThePundit]

No such think as "should have" in pro sports. Good teams win. Crummy teams "should have" won.

[legend]

Goodbye Dusty, goodbye. Time for him to hit the road. No manager in recent memory has been so well considered, while actually having won nothing. He blew the World Series to the Angels, and then presided over the Cubs- Marlins fiasco. Maddux will be lucky to win 10 games after his 5-0 start, and the Cubs should move out of town, now that the White Sox have taken it over. hard to believe that this team will be playing second fiddle in the Windy City, for years to come now. The Goat says "Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad Break, Cubbies!"

[ThePundit]

Is it really Dusty's fault? No Wood, no Prior, and now no Lee? I don't think Joe McCarthy and Miller Huggins would be doing any better with this team. Also, when Baker was with SF, no matter how little talent they had, they were always competetive. He could manage my team - if I had one.

[legend]

The NL West is always competitive. When he lost that 5-0 game in Game Six against the Angels, that did it for me.

[pete_b]

Five losses in a row for the Cubs after Marshall who should be in minors, actually had a pretty decent outing. Marshall only gave up two runs in six innings but scoring runs for the Cubs offense is like trying to lay golden eggs. Today for the Cubs is a rookie by the name of Ryu who is going up against Smoltz who is on a major role.

By the way, the game is under way and the Cubs are losing 7-4. In the blink of an eye, the Cubs are 13.5 games out of first. ARRRRGH!!!!!

[Lefty Noob]

Pete, where do you stand on the whole Dusty Baker issue? Would you keep him or can him?

[pete_b]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Pete, where do you stand on the whole Dusty Baker issue? Would you keep him or can him?

Lefty, The answer to this question lies deep in my philosophy that states that most of the blame should go to the man in charge. Dusty, even though he is the coach, is not the man in charge. You can't get blood from a stone. The Cubs management are the ones to blame. Yes, some blame should be placed on Dusty for the Cubs losses, but not MUCH more heavily than any other player. I say he stays just as much as Greg Maddux should stay who has been slumpin of late as well. Besides where else are the Cubs gonna find a manager with Dusty's potential and experience.

[pete_b]

The Cubs have lost the last six in a row and are fourteen games out of first place. In the Cubs loss to the Braves yesterday, the Cubbies rocked Smoltz for eight runs on ten hits in six innings. They got four more off the bullpen. This one-run loss adds to the Cub's streak of losing close games. But you know an F is an F there really is no such things as a F minus.

[Lefty Noob]

I agree with you, Pete. The bottom line is -- and as a Cubs fan, you may not necessarily want to hear this, but -- its time that the team parted ways with some of their injury prone pitchers. Wood and Prior, in particular. These two guys are always overhyped, which leads to the fans and the media thinking that the franchise has a better shot of succeeding than it actually does, because we all know neither one will make it ever through a full season. The Lee injury just compounds things this year. Cubs management needs to make their #1 priority going out and getting a talented and DURABLE pitcher who they can pair with Maddux and who can eat up some innings.