Archive for the ‘Cubs’ Category
What?
Posted by hankscorpio on August 3, 2007
This post, I don’t care for so much. Sure as a Cubs fan I don’t like seeing them criticized; but mostly I don’t like it because its a piss poor argument. The idea that the Brewers are some how a more authentic team because they don’t have big name free agents, is at best a joke.
Claim One: The Cubs are a collection of big name free agents assembled to win at any cost.
Analysis: Bullshit. Three starting pitchers (Zambrano, Hill, and Marshall) all came up through the farm system. As did most of the bullpen, of the 12 pitchers the Cubs carry 7 are farm grown; and none classify as big name acquisitions. Theriot, Fontenot, Cedeno, Pagan, and Murton are all fielders who came through the farm system, and most of the rest were acquired by trade; years ago. Ramirez has spent 5 of 7 complete season in the Majors as a Cub.
Yeah, they’ve picked up free agents, who hasn’t? Are you telling me that Ted Lilly is different then picking up Craig Counsell? That Mark DeRosa is better know then Damian Miller (yes, the Brewers have players who didn’t come up through their farm system OMG!!!!!!) Yes, they picked up Soriano, that’s what you’re supposed to do, go out identify the best players available and get them. Equating picking up one superstar in Soriano with the Yankees buying Clemens, and A-Rod, and Giambi, and… just don’t hold water.
Claim Two: The Brewers have better chemistry.
Analysis: Bullshit since June 19th. That’s the day the Cubs traded Barrett, and they started their hot streak. They play well together and shots of the bench show guys who seem to enjoy playing on the same team.
The Brewers? Nothing says togetherness like getting in a fight with the manager.
I can handle homerism, but Jesus at least think it through first. How can you claim a team has better chemistry the same week they have a fight after the game? For that matter how can you claim they have better chemistry when they’re 3-7 in the last 10? When they’ve blown what was a very sizable lead? The Cubs winning this is no sure shot; but let’s not turn the Brewers into the MLB version of Hoosiers.
Addendum: Can the author say that the Brewers have always been homegrown? Free agency has been around a long time, what was the make up of these two team 5, 10 or 15 years ago? Would the facts support his argument?
Curt Flood himself has been dead for 10 years now, free agency is probably older then a good percentage of the readers of this blog; the Brewers may symbolize the past but its an idealized past, one that may not even be true.
Posted in Cubs | 12 Comments »
