Paul Daugherty: Cubbies Fans

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Cubbies Fans

Many, many e-mails from too-smart fans in Chicago who just know the Reds won't win w/D. Baker. Here's a question: What do Cubs fans know about winning? Do we need to review the record? Yes, I think we do: No WS since 1945. No world title since, what, 1908? Go ahead, Cubbie Fan, tell me all about winning.

Cubs tried to buy themselves a winner this year... earmarked $300 mil for the project... won the worst division in baseball and were swept in the playoffs... Baker gave CubFan a whiff of success and suddenly, CF is an expert. HaHa.

27 Comments:

at 9:30 AM

Anonymous said...

Getting advice on winning from Cubs fans is like getting advice on winning from Browns fans.

Or Benga...

I'm coming around on Baker. Not that I was ever in the hater camp, but I was a keep-Mackanin guy. Have to admit - there might be something to the "established name" phenomenon when it comes to leadership in the manager's spot. I believe him when he says he's been contacted by players around MLB who have an interest in coming here now that he's in charge. Mackanin didn't bring that to the table.

This stuff about Dusty-ruined-Wood-and-Prior is nonsense. They were strikeout pitchers. By definition they were supposed to have high pitch counts - that's what strikeout pitchers do, throw a lot of pitches. Takes at least three pitches to strike a guy out. And if you're going to blame Baker for that, half the blame has to go the Cubs front office for calling them up so young in the first place. Aside from the fact that it's ridiculous to assign blame to anyone for injuries in the first place.

Then again, if it happened, someone has to be blamed, right?

at 9:33 AM

Anonymous said...

own3d. right on, doc.

at 9:33 AM

Anonymous said...

wow. wow. a little defensive and sensitive are we, paul?

no cubs fans are claiming to know so much about winning as you assert. they are merely giving their opinion on a manager they watched day to day for four straight years. seems to make sense that they may have a valid take on baker - to those us of without our rose-colored lenses on. anyway, you'll see for yourself.

and of course, no one knows winning more than reds fans , as evidenced by the last decade. and no one knows as much as you, paul. no one. we should not even try to engage in a friendly dialogue with you. you're just too smart for us.

at 9:33 AM

Anonymous said...

Cubs fans know very little about winning and most of those fans don't know much about baseball. The "Cubs" became a cool team with WGN go national in the early 80's with cable broadcasts, Harry Carey,
Ferris' Day Off,
and all those yuppy types moving into Lincoln Park. Being a Cubs fan is considered a "cool" thing, but that does not equate to being a smart fan.

at 9:35 AM

JerBear said...

That was pretty funny Paul. You put them Cubs fans in their place!

I think Pinella is a good manager, but it's funny how the media gave him so much credit because of his tirade in April and May which apparently turned around the Cubs.

But when you sign Alfonso Soriano, Ted Lilly, and Jason Marquis in the offseason, and add that to Derek Lee, Aramis Ramirez and Zambrano shouldn't you win the division? especially a terribly division?

I remember watching that series in September vs. the Reds and thinking are the Cubs really any better then the Reds?

I'd be very surprised to see the Cubbies win the division again next year. But, I think I'll be surprised by whoever wins the NL Central next year.

at 9:56 AM

Anonymous said...

Soooooorrrrrry, Paul. Clearly, Reds fans - and you - know all about winning, and no one else does. So, obviously you'll love Dusty! He'll be great. He'll bring a couple championships to Cincinnati. He's the perfect guy for the job. You're lucky to have him!

at 10:18 AM

Anonymous said...

I guess finishing 5th in the worst division in baseball is better than winning it.

at 10:29 AM

Anonymous said...

But us Cubs fans know about losing, P.D.....and we know that Dusty is a great enabler for that.

at 11:21 AM

Phill said...

Dusty enables losing? Only two times did the Giants in his 10 years there did they come in lower than 2nd place.

The Cubs are the best in the NL Central this year but they are the best in baseball in another catagory....choking.

at 11:29 AM

Anonymous said...

Hopefully we can win a fourth World Series in my lifetime, before they get their first in 100 years.
For a big market team with the resources they have to fail with such regularity is beyond comprehension. If the Reds hadnt won since 1908 despite similar resources, Id probably be a babbling idiot too.

at 1:08 PM

bodacio said...

Funny that the original point was completely ignored.

Cubs fans: If you're going to write Mr. Daugherty about winning and losing, please take a close look at the history of your franchise and understand how ridiculous you must sound.

Reds fans: You have been a terrible franchise for the past 12 years(blew it in '99). Historically, you are a better team than the Cubs, but finishing at the bottom of a lousy division year after year eventually diminishes that Big Red Machine clout.

Kind of like Afghanistan and Uganda arguing over who has the better human right record. Priceless!

Objectivity, how 'bout it?

at 2:20 PM

Anonymous said...

Putting on a Cubbies uniform automatically makes you a loser. It’s not Dusty's fault the team is destine to lose. It had nothing to do with Dusty. He got them closer to the world series than their previous 26 Managers.

at 7:13 PM

Anonymous said...

Great stat 2:20 anon, if it's true?!
"Dusty did better than the previous 26 Cubs managers" - to extrapolate, we can assume he'll do better than McKeon, even the Main Spark.

We've hit the jackpot folks!!!

at 8:37 PM

Anonymous said...

Cubs Fans live at the bottom of the baseball cesspool.....

at 9:04 PM

Anonymous said...

Hey what does a dirty kitchen floor and a cubs playoff team have in common? They both get sewpt!

at 9:05 PM

Anonymous said...

Hey what does a dirty kitchen floor and a cubs playoff team have in common? They both get swept!

at 8:06 AM

Anonymous said...

What does a mama bear on the pill have in common with the world series?

No Cubs.

-Harry Caray

at 9:32 AM

Anonymous said...

ANON 7:13,
my stat is true, and you misquoted me. I said "He got them CLOSER to the world series than their previous 26 Managers." I did not say he did better. And the stat is true, since 1945 (the last time the Cubs were in the World Series) they have had 26 Managers between then and when they hired Dusty, not counting interim for less than half a season. Since then they lost the NLCS in 1989 4 games to 1. In 1984 they were 15 outs away from going to the world series, but ended up loosing the series 3 games to 2 and in 2003 they were five outs away from going to the world series, thus Dusty did get them closer to the world series than their previous 26 managers.

at 2:21 PM

Anonymous said...

anon 9:32 - I wasn't disparaging your stat - just thought it was amazing but I see you had the data to back it up.
However, if he got them "closer to the World Series", isn't that the same as "better than"? Sure it wasn't an exact quote but didn't intend it to be and you're splitting hairs.
Anyway, good stat/data.

Do you really think he'll do well here?

at 3:40 PM

Anonymous said...

Thank you Paul for exposing these Cubs fans along with the below writer lining it up so well stating that Cubs fans are just looking to be cool versus understanding the game. I prefer to call Cub Fans “Novelty Nubs.” Regardless if they are right or wrong about Baker everyone knows what time it is with them.

These are the same fools that I had to sit next to during my years as a season ticket holder in Wrigley as they worshiped Senor Steroid in right field. Sosa makes Dunn look like a gold glover, do you think they ever got on Sosa NOT. The Novelty Nubs empower (as Baker did too) the players to act unprofessional such as this punk Zambrano who seems to better fit the NFL or NBA with his lack of sportsmanship. Alou pouting, Wood throwing fits and just the lack of a fundamental baseball environment. I can tell you Reds fans will not tolerate, leave alone praise, players/teams like this even if we are consistently losing. Did I forget Tanner oh I mean Lilly chucking his glove down when they jacked him out of the park during their latest sweeping. Bush Leaguers.

But hey how cool do we look in our Cubbie Blue driving Daddy’s SUV around Lincoln Park with a Chocolate Lab in the back. Maybe we can get seats behind home plate so we can talk on our cell phones and wave the entire game.

at 8:30 PM

Anonymous said...

Paul - Your argument is specious. Just becasue the Cubs haven't won a title doesn't make their fans less (or more) knowledgeable than fans of franchises who have won titles.

But to follow your logic, Reds fans can give up on the foreseeable future since Dusty Baker, despite his numerous years as manager, has never won a World Series. That's right - Never. So he can't possibly know what it's like to win since he has no winning tradition.

And please, none of this Manager of the Year crap that means nothing. It's World Series Championships or nothing. And with Dusty, it's been nothing.

at 6:56 AM

Paul Daugherty said...

hey, 830... Great logic. Cubs are 0-for-99 years and counting. Next year's the centennial! Cubs are nothing. Yes?

at 12:18 PM

Anonymous said...

Now you're just trying to help sell management's decision about Baker.

I didn't realize that was a journalist's job.

at 2:11 PM

Anonymous said...

I am a White Sox and Reds fan living in Chicago. Saw all 4 years of Dusty ball. Baker is a great enabler with an endless list of excuses for the players failures. Thats why they love him and will flock to play in Cincinnati.

He keeps the batteries changed in their boom boxes and their cars washed.

at 6:01 PM

Anonymous said...

The Cubs should have doubled down with that 300 Million payroll and fielded 2 teams, one could play in the day and the other at night.
300 Million and that Cubbie team won a very weak NLC.

at 6:18 PM

Anonymous said...

Ok - I am a Browns fan - and I am not a big baseball fan. But it seems to me that Paul D brought in the race card early just because some fans think Baker will make a lousy manager. Therefore he feels obligated to point out that its just racisim rearing it's ugly head. But lets take a poll - who would you want to manage the Reds - if you ask me I'd be pursing Joe Morgan - and I think most of Cincinnati would agree with me. True - he might not be available or even want the job - but I think that kills the idea that racism is running rampant in the hearts of Reds fans. Since Joe isn't coming to manage Cincinnati - lets call him up and find out what he thinks of Dusty ? He will give an honest opinion - and then we can make an informed decision without playing the race card -
ps: just for the record - I hope he does well
fotodave

at 11:04 PM

Phill said...

Anon 12:18....

I didn't realize that having an opinion and expressing it in your blog was not allowed for journalists.

Who needs to be sold on what management did? Honestly the only people still whining about Baker at this point is idiots and people from Chicago...which I guess could go hand in hand.

Baker has been crucified over Prior and Wood.

What about Ron Gardenhire and how young stud Francisco Liriano blew out his arm?

What about Terry Francona and Clay Bucholz? "We need to protect his arm, he's a young guy he won't pitch anymore" Then they pitch him again and he blows out.

How is it these guys aren't getting hammered not even HALF of what Baker got? Is it because they weren't managing a team in one of the whiniest cities?

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Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Cubbies Fans

27 Comments: