2019 Cubs = 2004 Cubs

Rory Sparrow

Well-known member
Joined:
Aug 14, 2010
Posts:
4,850
Liked Posts:
3,735
I loved the Maddon-era Cubs. Seemed like a nice group of players, their World Series postseason was loaded with dramatic moments. You could even rationalize the whole Arroldis Chapman thing because he got it done on the field. But it has run its course and this year's Cubs have moved alongside the 2004 team as Most Unlikable Cubs Team Ever.

Maddon = managed to somehow lose credibility when winning a WS, just a cartoonish oaf now...like an intellectual Pinella waiting to be retired. Watching him go out and argue with umpires over something mundane is always cringe-worthy. Seems to fire his coaching staff every year. Very strange.

Schwarber = latest eruption over a correct call sums up everything nicely. Sick of all the excuses.

Bryant = starting to look like the batter-version of Mark Prior

Rizzo = has a franchise player ever been so overrated? Perhaps post-injury Derrick Rose?

Chatwood = nope

Darvish = was the de facto replacement for hugely popular Arrieta...love the recent rumors that Darvish wasn't hurt last year. Get this guy out of here.

CJ Edwards = will spend the rest of his career unsuccessfully trying to find the plate, in between balk calls

Heyward = even a Ruthian month won't justify the contract. Somehow forgot how to field this year, too.

Almora = will he ever be a +WAR player?

Happ = back to the minors? Really?

Quintana = sad when people think White Sox "won the trade" even though their guys are just getting to the majors

Ricketts family = I thought it was funny that Rahm went out of his way to blast them. Out of money, too, despite ticket prices.

Epstein = went from "wonder boy" to "Sandy Alderson clone" with his sliminess. Chapman, Murphy, Addison Russell. His free agent signings have been horrendous.

Russell = such a black eye

Morrow = imagine signing a 32-year old reliever with injury problems, and he gets injured! Bonus points to Maddon for not following the script
 

Budwick

New member
Joined:
Apr 14, 2019
Posts:
17
Liked Posts:
0
The 2004 Cubs won 89 games, and you are comparing this team to that team? Besides, the 2004 team was plenty likable. They were 1-1/2 games up in the wild card on Sept. 24th, until the very final week of the season where they lost 7 out of 9 games and were eliminated from the playoffs. This year's team will be eliminated much earlier than that
 
Last edited:

Rory Sparrow

Well-known member
Joined:
Aug 14, 2010
Posts:
4,850
Liked Posts:
3,735
The 2004 Cubs won 89 games, and you are comparing this team to that team? Besides, the 2004 team was plenty likable, until the very final week of the season where they lost nearly every game and were eliminated from the playoffs. This year's team will be eliminated much earlier than that


Yeah, Kent Mercker calling the WGN press booth to bitch at Steve Stone seems plenty likable.
 

Budwick

New member
Joined:
Apr 14, 2019
Posts:
17
Liked Posts:
0
Yeah, Kent Mercker calling the WGN press booth to bitch at Steve Stone seems plenty likable.
Kent Mercker was easily one of the less popular members of the team anyway. He was merely a reliever. He hardly spoke for the rest of the team. No, their late season collapse is what made them unpopular
 

Rory Sparrow

Well-known member
Joined:
Aug 14, 2010
Posts:
4,850
Liked Posts:
3,735
Kent Mercker was easily one of the less popular members of the team anyway. He was merely a reliever. He hardly spoke for the rest of the team. No, their late season collapse is what made them unpopular

No, they were a most unlikable bunch the entire year. The late-season collapse was just icing on the cake, since all they did was bitch about everything during the year. Barrett fought with all the pitchers. Zambrano fought with everyone. Mercker fought with the radio booth. Dusty fought with the media. Farnsworth was drunk. Garciaparra was a huge disappointment. Alou always mad. Sosa highly annoying. LaTroy Hawkins blamed everyone else. Mark Prior fell off.

So much not to like.
 

Budwick

New member
Joined:
Apr 14, 2019
Posts:
17
Liked Posts:
0
No, they were a most unlikable bunch the entire year. The late-season collapse was just icing on the cake, since all they did was bitch about everything during the year. Barrett fought with all the pitchers. Zambrano fought with everyone. Mercker fought with the radio booth. Dusty fought with the media. Farnsworth was drunk. Garciaparra was a huge disappointment. Alou always mad. Sosa highly annoying. LaTroy Hawkins blamed everyone else. Mark Prior fell off.

So much not to like.
Garciaparra wasn't a huge disappointment until the 2005 season. As for the rest, the Cubs won consistently and were always at or near the top of the wild card race for the entire year. That alone still made them popular enough. And they were still riding high from the vibes of the 2003 season. The fans can overlook certain attitude problems as long as they are in constant contention. Then, the final week happened, and their name was mud. In contrast, let's see this years team be 1-1/2 games up in the wild card in the final 9 games of the season. And super bust acquisitions like Darvish, Chatwood, and Morrow make 2004 look like a dream team
 
Last edited:

Chief Walking Stick

Heeeh heeeeh he said POLES
Donator
Joined:
May 12, 2010
Posts:
45,532
Liked Posts:
29,533
No, they were a most unlikable bunch the entire year. The late-season collapse was just icing on the cake, since all they did was bitch about everything during the year. Barrett fought with all the pitchers. Zambrano fought with everyone. Mercker fought with the radio booth. Dusty fought with the media. Farnsworth was drunk. Garciaparra was a huge disappointment. Alou always mad. Sosa highly annoying. LaTroy Hawkins blamed everyone else. Mark Prior fell off.

So much not to like.

Neifi Perez was the only bright spot I remember from that year lol.
 

zack54attack

Bears
Staff member
Donator
CCS Hall of Fame '19
Joined:
Apr 16, 2010
Posts:
18,635
Liked Posts:
7,648
Location:
Forest Park
My favorite teams
  1. Chicago Cubs
  1. Chicago Fire
  1. Chicago Bulls
  1. Chicago Bears
  1. Chicago Blackhawks
  1. North Carolina Tar Heels
I'm not worried about Bryant. Barely 3 weeks into the season. If he's struggling like this in June/July, then yes I'd be worried.
 

CSF77

Well-known member
Joined:
Apr 16, 2013
Posts:
17,955
Liked Posts:
2,775
Location:
San Diego
Maddon = managed to somehow lose credibility when winning a WS, just a cartoonish oaf now...like an intellectual Pinella waiting to be retired

So Lou came in 2007. Not sure how this relates to your main point.



I'll give my input. You are off

2004 the brought in Maddux. They did not retain the 1B tandem that produced late season 2003.

If anything injury was the downfall of 2004. Prior and Wood were lost and caused the downfall.

They went with Patterson at CF. Now this feels like 2017 not 19 by turning over your lead off hitter.

So let's play the let's see what happens game.
 

CSF77

Well-known member
Joined:
Apr 16, 2013
Posts:
17,955
Liked Posts:
2,775
Location:
San Diego
Think they traded for Garcipara also. Theo won by freeing up resourse
 

Rory Sparrow

Well-known member
Joined:
Aug 14, 2010
Posts:
4,850
Liked Posts:
3,735
So Lou came in 2007. Not sure how this relates to your main point.

I also referenced Derrick Rose in my Rizzo comments. Was Derrick Rose on the 2004 Cubs? I'm not sure why/how you interpreted that my comments about the individuals were supposed to be comparisons to 2004 Cubs players.

I'll give my input. You are off

I am shocked.
 

Diehardfan

Well-known member
Joined:
Jun 10, 2010
Posts:
9,233
Liked Posts:
6,640
Location:
Western Burbs
My favorite teams
  1. Chicago Cubs
  1. Chicago Bulls
  1. Chicago Bears
  1. Chicago Blackhawks
That Maddon ejection thread was such a barn burner that you had to try again, huh? LOL @ trolling a sports forum....nice life.
 

CSF77

Well-known member
Joined:
Apr 16, 2013
Posts:
17,955
Liked Posts:
2,775
Location:
San Diego
I also referenced Derrick Rose in my Rizzo comments. Was Derrick Rose on the 2004 Cubs? I'm not sure why/how you interpreted that my comments about the individuals were supposed to be comparisons to 2004 Cubs players.



I am shocked.

If you are going to troll try to use actual factual information for a compelling arguement. You pulled a turd out of your arce smeared it around just for attention.
 

Parade_Rain

CCS Donator
Donator
Joined:
Aug 23, 2012
Posts:
9,995
Liked Posts:
3,630
My favorite teams
  1. Chicago Cubs
  1. Chicago Bulls
  1. Chicago Bears
  1. Illinois Fighting Illini
I loved the Maddon-era Cubs. Seemed like a nice group of players, their World Series postseason was loaded with dramatic moments. You could even rationalize the whole Arroldis Chapman thing because he got it done on the field. But it has run its course and this year's Cubs have moved alongside the 2004 team as Most Unlikable Cubs Team Ever.

Maddon = managed to somehow lose credibility when winning a WS, just a cartoonish oaf now...like an intellectual Pinella waiting to be retired. Watching him go out and argue with umpires over something mundane is always cringe-worthy. Seems to fire his coaching staff every year. Very strange.

Schwarber = latest eruption over a correct call sums up everything nicely. Sick of all the excuses.

Bryant = starting to look like the batter-version of Mark Prior

Rizzo = has a franchise player ever been so overrated? Perhaps post-injury Derrick Rose?

Chatwood = nope

Darvish = was the de facto replacement for hugely popular Arrieta...love the recent rumors that Darvish wasn't hurt last year. Get this guy out of here.

CJ Edwards = will spend the rest of his career unsuccessfully trying to find the plate, in between balk calls

Heyward = even a Ruthian month won't justify the contract. Somehow forgot how to field this year, too.

Almora = will he ever be a +WAR player?

Happ = back to the minors? Really?

Quintana = sad when people think White Sox "won the trade" even though their guys are just getting to the majors

Ricketts family = I thought it was funny that Rahm went out of his way to blast them. Out of money, too, despite ticket prices.

Epstein = went from "wonder boy" to "Sandy Alderson clone" with his sliminess. Chapman, Murphy, Addison Russell. His free agent signings have been horrendous.

Russell = such a black eye

Morrow = imagine signing a 32-year old reliever with injury problems, and he gets injured! Bonus points to Maddon for not following the script
I would agree with quite a bit of this. I tried to warn people that Epstein was not great at FA signings. He has been quite poor in that regard with Chicago. Zobrist worked out. Who else? Probably should have kept Bosio as the pitching coach, too.
 

Icculus

The Great and Knowledgeable
Joined:
Jul 30, 2011
Posts:
3,968
Liked Posts:
2,984
Location:
Germany
My favorite teams
  1. Chicago White Sox
  1. Chicago Bulls
  1. Chicago Bears
  1. Army Black Knights
I would agree with quite a bit of this. I tried to warn people that Epstein was not great at FA signings. He has been quite poor in that regard with Chicago. Zobrist worked out. Who else? Probably should have kept Bosio as the pitching coach, too.

Lester for one
 

Rory Sparrow

Well-known member
Joined:
Aug 14, 2010
Posts:
4,850
Liked Posts:
3,735
If you are going to troll try to use actual factual information for a compelling arguement. You pulled a turd out of your arce smeared it around just for attention.

Great post!

So you honestly think that I am saying Derrick Rose played for the 2004? Again, I'm not sure why/how you interpreted that my comments about the individuals were supposed to be comparisons to 2004 Cubs players. I've already told you that I wasn't making comparisons to individual 2004 players, and you still don't get it, so there is not much hope.
 
Last edited:

CSF77

Well-known member
Joined:
Apr 16, 2013
Posts:
17,955
Liked Posts:
2,775
Location:
San Diego
Great post!

So you honestly think that I am saying Derrick Rose played for the 2004? Again, I'm not sure why/how you interpreted that my comments about the individuals were supposed to be comparisons to 2004 Cubs players. I've already told you that I wasn't making comparisons to individual 2004 players, and you still don't get it, so there is not much hope.

If you want to compare situations at least make them valid.

1. 2004 has little resemblance to 2019. It was closer to 2017. They chose to move on from their CF.

2. 2019 they were pay roll blocked. More like what Zell did to Jim Hendry in 2009. Hendry wrecked the team Theo retained.

3. Compare Theo now to Theo Boston is fair. He has made the same errors

That is healthy discussion.
 

Top