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YOUR BALANCE
Cubs News and Notes: Kyle Hendricks update, Alzolay to start, La Stella the All-Star, more
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Cubs News and Notes: Kyle Hendricks update, Alzolay to start, La Stella the All-Star, more


Jun 23, 2019, 7:32 AM
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Cubs News and Notes: Kyle Hendricks update, Alzolay to start, La Stella the All-Star, more

Mets scored. A lot. Almost every inning. Cubs didn’t. Full Story »


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Re: Cubs News and Notes: Kyle Hendricks update, Alzolay to start, La Stella the All-Star, more


Jun 23, 2019, 10:10 AM
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Ken, I love you like a brother, but your continuous effort to link the Cubs awful play with the return of Addison Russell is bordering on insanity. It is like comparing the Cubs not winning a world series in 108 years to the invention of electricity.

Please stop it as it makes you look bad and is not based on one single shred of actual reality.

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Re: Cubs News and Notes: Kyle Hendricks update, Alzolay to start, La Stella the All-Star, more


Jun 23, 2019, 12:01 PM
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It's been a while since I've commented, generally because there hasn't been anything new to say, and it's still that way. Too little pitching and even less hitting at home. Come on guys you have a terrible road record and moving towards that road record at home. This just can't happen.

Two areas that have been consistent are mediocre starting pitching and atrocious bullpen pitching. You can't bring Kimbrel in to pitch in the 5th or 6th inning and that seems to be as far as the starters can go. Every game counts and if you can't win on the road then it's imperative you win at home. Of all the starters Quintana has been terrible, it don't know what's wrong but it needs corrected, however this has been his history over the years. I can hardly stomach what we gave up to get him.

A team should not have to go through a rebuilding process in five years especially with the age of most of our position players. Lately we've made many fundamental mental mistakes which at this level and pay grade should not happen. If anything requires rebuilding it would be the bullpen and the majority of the starters are getting up in age. Darvish hasn't pitched badly but he has got to start having a shutdown inning when we take the lead, that has got to be a mental issue. Lester has been giving up too many early inning runs and long counts even though he tends to settle in, but with the struggling offense sometimes we can't catch up and then lose.

I wish I could find more positives than negatives but right now I can't. We're struggling, which every team goes through. I don't see the desire or the fire to wing consistently like last month, maybe once the calendar changes to July we'll catch fire. We have a tough schedule ahead so there's no letting up now. For me with the Braves coming in four 4 games, today's game is a must win.

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Re: Cubs News and Notes: Kyle Hendricks update, Alzolay to start, La Stella the All-Star, more


Jun 23, 2019, 1:20 PM
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I completely agree with everything you've written.

Thanks for coming back and don't stay away too long.

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Re: Cubs News and Notes: Kyle Hendricks update, Alzolay to start, La Stella the All-Star, more


Jun 24, 2019, 12:08 AM
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Always liked that kid, Tommy LaStella. Too bad management didn't think he'd develop further in Chicago.

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Re: Cubs News and Notes: Kyle Hendricks update, Alzolay to start, La Stella the All-Star, more


Jun 24, 2019, 7:59 AM
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He had no place on the roster. Every position he plays the Cubs have better in front of him

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Re: Cubs News and Notes: Kyle Hendricks update, Alzolay to start, La Stella the All-Star, more


Jun 24, 2019, 8:06 AM
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Descalso and Zo are pretty much at the end of their respective careers while La Stella is batting .297 with 18 homers this season.

Obviously, it's easy to second guess now but La Stella is the much better player, younger, more versatile, and cheaper (1.3 mil) than Descalso's two-year FA deal (currently batting .186 with 2 homers with -0.9 war).

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Re: Cubs News and Notes: Kyle Hendricks update, Alzolay to start, La Stella the All-Star, more


Jun 24, 2019, 8:14 AM
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guy.jpg(61.4 K)

Cubs fans and LaStella

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Re: Cubs News and Notes: Kyle Hendricks update, Alzolay to start, La Stella the All-Star, more


Jun 24, 2019, 8:18 AM
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I could care less about La Stella... the stats are the stats about Descalso and La Stella.

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Re: Cubs News and Notes: Kyle Hendricks update, Alzolay to start, La Stella the All-Star, more


Jun 24, 2019, 9:41 AM
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I agree on Descalso and have already said so. LaStella has been light out for the Angels. Would he have done the same for the Cubs, we'll never know but it is unlikely because he wouldn't have played in half as many games. Once a guy is gone we have to get over it and move on.

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Re: Cubs News and Notes: Kyle Hendricks update, Alzolay to start, La Stella the All-Star, more


Jun 24, 2019, 9:51 AM
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Agreed. Nothing the Cubs can do now besides be patient and hope Descalso gets better. I doubt they will release him but we will see how it goes if he keeps getting worse.

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Re: Cubs News and Notes: Kyle Hendricks update, Alzolay to start, La Stella the All-Star, more


Jun 24, 2019, 12:05 PM
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The thing that sucks about the La Stella situation is something that has plagued the Cubs since Maddon took over. Maddon has always been a guy that likes to move people around and in and out of the lineup on a daily basis. Say what you want about that, but I have my feelings on that. La Stella was one of those players who when he signed with the Cubs back in 2015 was given the chance to be an every day player, or at the very least play more consistently. When he began to struggle it is as if Maddon gave up on him and instead of letting him figure it out sent him to the bench where he was great as a pinch hitter. Now given the chance to play everyday he is showing something. Had he stayed put this off season, would he be given the same chance here as he has been offered in Anaheim or would David Bote be more of the every day guy.

This is a common theme since Maddon took over where it looks like a player is lost at the plate, but then goes to a new team via trade and thrives. Two other names to bring up are Starlin Castro and Jorge Soler. Castro was always a great hitter, but lacked that elite defense you want in a contending team. Once traded to New York, not only did his power numbers take off, but his defense improved at second base also which is a position the CUbs had no room for him at the time.

Same thing can be said about Soler. When he was signed out of Cuba, Soler had all the potential in the world. However, it seemed as if he never could fully put it together in Chicago where had Schwarber not gotten hurt in 2016, where would he have played? Since being traded to the ROyals, those potential numbers have started to show as the Cubs dealt another young slugger hitting bat for someone no longer on the roster.

What are your thoughts on this? Is this more of unlucky coinscidences, or is it Maddon giving up on certain players too soon and then not letting them get back into a rhythm.

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Re: Cubs News and Notes: Kyle Hendricks update, Alzolay to start, La Stella the All-Star, more


Jun 24, 2019, 3:48 PM
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Hi Dustin.

A couple of key things regarding your question.

First, Maddon has nothing to do with guys being moved. Team Theo makes all those decisions and they could care less what Maddon thinks if they have a good trade in hand.

Second, the guys you mentioned were moved because there were better guys to replace them. It's great that they went on to have productive careers elsewhere but they were done with the Cubs and not going to ever be a part of the long range plans.

I will agree with you that Maddon is blinded by guys, both ways, good and bad. His playing Happ and sitting Almora is a classic example of missing the boat both ways.

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Re: Cubs News and Notes: Kyle Hendricks update, Alzolay to start, La Stella the All-Star, more


Jun 24, 2019, 4:39 PM
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Even look at certain situations this Here for example. We have had situations where we have 3 or 4 hitters that are single handedly carrying the team and then for some unknown reason they would be sitting for 2 or 3 games for somebody they can't hit a lick. Or you have a stretch where there's a couple players that are not hitting at all but yet they will continue to play trying to work themselves out of a slump. I am forever grateful that madden help the cubs win a World Series but the cubs need to move on from him pass this season. He manages the team like a high school or minor league team where it's not necessarily about favorites but more about development instead of focusing on winning more games. The cubs need a win 1st manager that has that mindset that's not going to sit people who are hitting well and is not going to play people that are playing poorly whether that's Joe Girard I or somebody else that's available next season remains to be seen but madden's way of managing is no longer the way to do things. Pardon the spelling issues I'm currently driving picking up my kids from school and no I am not texting I am voice texting

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Re: Cubs News and Notes: Kyle Hendricks update, Alzolay to start, La Stella the All-Star, more


Jun 24, 2019, 5:43 PM
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LOOK OUT!

100% agree with you regarding his sitting hot hitters.

It would not surprise me if he gets bounced at the all-star break unless the Cubs go on a 10 game winning streak and pull away in the central.

I feel like Theo and Jed have had just about enough of mediocre baseball.

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Re: Cubs News and Notes: Kyle Hendricks update, Alzolay to start, La Stella the All-Star, more


Jun 25, 2019, 7:47 AM
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Given that he did win a world series, I think the front office gives him the benefit of the doubt for that and let's him finish the season regardless.

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Replies: 15
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