Most disappointing Cub

Aramis Ramirez. Here is a guy who has shown he can really produce, but only when surrounded by other good hitters. Whent it is time to step up and be a leader when others are injured, he can't get the job done. Also, can he be any lazier on the bases? He just doesn't seem that interested out there.

Juan Pierre. Gotta love that .252 average and .297 on-base percentage.

Juan Pierre. Here was the answer to all the Cubs problems at leadoff. A player who's career OBP was .355. He has been a total bust in Chicago. He showed he could play when he only had 10,000 fans watching. Put 40,000 fans in the seat and he shivels up into a little ball and hides. It's time to wave Pierre "Goodbye" and time to bring up some "PIE".

Agreed. Ramirez has shown he's not the guy to turn to when things are going sour. Maybe that's why the Pirates had no use for him.

Dusty Baker I would have to say is by far the most disappointing CUB. All he does is make excuses for players to make mistakes. And when he's not doing that he is whining about having to play young players or injuries to his guys. Dusty get over your self and make way for Pinella or Bowa.

The whole team, all the way from the last guy to the manager & GM.

the cubs are a disgrace to the city of chicago

The fans. Why do the keep going to the park to watch tis circus.

Just as I have said all along. The players are a big part of the blame, but when you have this kind of melt-down, you have to look no further than leadership. Baker & Hendry are clueless. Decision making by Baker alone, has cost the Cubs 7-10 games. That makes the Cubs a 500 team. Hitting and Pitching coaching cannot be left out. The Cubs have been shut out more than anyone in baseball, a few of them at home. As for pitching, the Cubs lead the world in base on balls. Is the pitching coach even trying to show them where the plate is. Not avoiding the question, but if you want to lay blame, it is everywhere. Start at the top and work your way down. I can go back and show you 15 games that could have been won either by good managing or not walking batters at crucial times. 15 more wins would make the Cubs 44-34 right now. A first place team. They are that close. So long Cubs, your need a fork, because this season is done!

It can only be the twins Prior & Woods. Just a second they are doing exactly was we have been seeing from them in the past. The only thing that they do well is pick up the big pay check (and not producing. One would think that they would be ashamed for collecting wages under false pretensions.

Dusty Baker is the captain of the Cubs' sinking ship. His incessant whining about waiting for players to get healthy is like trying to rearrange deck chairs on the Titanic. Dusty's nothing but a proven mediocrity, and he's infected the Cubs with that mediocrity.

Blame the fans. they are the DUMMIES.40,000 people at every game-3 miiion every year,Who cares if they win or lose,they are making money,and thats the bottom line.

Aramis clearly needs to go back on the steroids.

It starts at the top. The Tribune Co. is the most disappointing thing related to the Cubs. As long as they make money, they don't care what kind of product is on the field. Mark Cuban, PLEASE BUY THE CUBS!

Dusty is the worst, Hendry is pretty close too. No fundamentals, no fire, messing up Murton by moving him around in the lineup, then taking him out. It's more than coincidence that players who leave our organization reach their potential.

My vote is for Hendry. The scumbag players he has on the Cubs this year gives us no chance. The list: Hairston(thank God he's gone). Get rid of Perez, Mabry, Novoa, Rusch, Baker, Blanco, Pierre.

Two runners in scoring position, 2 outs, Bottom of the ninth, down by 1 run and who walks up to the plate to strike fear into the hearts of the opposing team? Blanco, Perez, Mabry, Pierre... you get the picture. I've seen it over and over this year. These guys are an embarassment to Major League Baseball and the City of Chicago.

JIM HENDRY!!!!!!!!! What a disaster he is. God forbid the Cubs spend on top free agents. Nope. Let's sign a bunch of mediocre scraps (J. Jones, Burnitz, Womack (twice), Neifi!, Nevin, Wade Miller, etc.) I don't think the Cubs Management realizes how close they are to losing their status as Chicago's favorite baseball team. Sad.

A couple days ago in the S-T, they asked to e-mail our responses to this question. Here is what I sent:
The most disappointing Cub for 2006 is the same as 2004 and 2005. Mark Prior. Amazingly, every year, this guy isn't ready for the start of the season. Is he rehabbing from a surgery? No, but he always has some excuse not to pitch. One year it was because he wore flip flops in the off season. This year it was due to a cold he had. In December. Then his return was delayed because of a tummy ache. The fans who wanted to keep this guy over Miguel Tejada should be embarrassed. I don't deny Prior's talent. He has the talent to collect a paycheck in baseball for the next 15 years. But its his desire that will keep him from actually earning those checks.

Dusty Baker by far. This team needs a complete overhaul. Get rid of Dusty and replace him with Brenly. Trade Pierre and Jones in the outfield. Then, in the infield, trade Perez. For pitchers, trade Greg Maddux. Then this offseason, get rid of Wood and Prior.

It starts at the very top. The Tribune hired a small market minded man in Andy MacPhail, who in turn gave another small-market minded man the job as GM. Hendry won't make any move that can't be construed as bargain shopping. Sure, he's gotten decent players for basically nothing in Ramirez, Lee and Garciaparra (yeah, the same guy who's hitting .360 with 50 rbi), but if he had a chance to sign Albert Pujols for 6 years at 130 million, he'd pass - no matter how much of a guarantee Pujols is at the plate. He just can't bring himself to do it. The Tribune Co. could buy every other team in the National League, but the people in charge of spending the money simply don't know how to put a championship caliber baseball team together. Gamble on mediocre players and hope. That's been the Cubs mantra for 100 years. Shame on us as fans for allowing them to do it to us.

MacPhail has no guts, and Hendry has no heart. Everything else is meaningless.

Jim Hendry is to blame for bringing together this current bunch. These aren't mediocre big leaguers, they're just bad. Bringing in Womack and Nevin was beyond weak.

I have two, Gine Clines and Larry Rothchild. If they don't fire Dusty, they need to fire both of these guys

The Biggest disapointment for the cubs is dusty baker. how long can hendry sit here and watch his team losing while giving up 3 errors and making mental errors that some high school teams don't make. Even with barret, lee, prior back the cubs have yet to win.

Well, well, well. Everyone who posts blogs calling for the heads of those on the Cubs' payroll are the same fair weather fans that will be celebrating when the Cubs have a winning season. That is what you call fickle! You all should be ashamed of yourselves. I look forward to seeing your pretentious smiling faces chillin in Murphy's or the Cubby Bear when the Cubs have a winning season.

I look at the Cubs pitching injuries and the young arms they have - takes you right back to the pitching coach. I'd bag Rothschild and get a guy that knows how to coach pitchers. Might bag the trainer too - too many stud pitchers with muscle strains - either their technique is mechanically wrong or their on the juice.

everyone on theteam, except derrick lee--the rest have no desire, except to collect their million dollar paychecks.

Dusty Baker's shoes. Not high enough to let him see close calls at the Plate. Why wasn't he allowed to bring his shoe lifts and stilts with him, that he used to use when he brought the Giants to play in the Sinky Confines. For the sake of all that's right, would Andy and Jim loosen the purse strings, and buy Dusty a dugout Periscope so that he might be able to see the game.

Jim Hendry. Take a look at the South Side for pointers on how to be a good GM.

Has to be Aramis Ramirez - whenever he hits the ball - usually a popup - you want to scream "Don't watch the ball - RUN!!!!"

Jim Hendry. The Cubs have truly become America's (corporate) team. They are expensive, don't work, and get worse year by year... And the management team that put them together gets extensions and raises to reward their performance.

The most disappointing Cub this year BY FAR is Corey Patterson.

He was supposed to flop with Baltimore like Sammy Sosa did. Instead he's having a career year. He's cut his strikeouts way down (18% vs 25% career K:AB percentage) His .286 batting average is way up. And he leads the majors in stolen bases with 30. It's not surprising he's won the starting job in center field.

You did a great job of messing him up last year Dusty trying to turn him into Juan Pierre!

Nice trade Hendry! That bag of balls you got for Corey P just ran out.

What losers.

No Doubt it's Hendry who has shown no baseball sense. He keeps a manager who has disdain for the moneyball philosophies that allow even small market teams to wipe the floor with us. Baker is awful, and Hendry is his enabler.

Shoot, where do you start? A-Ram and Pierre are probably the most disappointing, with honorable mention to Jones and Dusty Baker.

Hendry has done made some nice moves in previous years, but if he thinks that the team as fielded is sufficient, then he's pathetic. If Dusty told Hendry that he can't win unless he has his horses and DLee in the lineup, then he's just as bad and needs to go.

As far as the field talent, today notwithstanding, Aramis Ramirez is a $500,000 ballplayer making ten times that. The best we can hope for out of Juan Pierre is that he doesn't scratch up center field waiting for Felix Pie to come in next year. But if Ronnie Cedeno is representative of what the farm system is teaching the young'uns, then Pie will be another Corey Patterson.

The sucker puncher.

The most disappointing Cub is the same every year, management. Do you have any idea of the number of fans that have been born AND died without ever having experienced the joy of having seen their Cubs play in, let alone WIN, a World Series because of the ineptness of Cub management? This is a pitiful situation that has no forseeable end in sight. The fans should really start staying away in droves until the situation is rectified. Of course, this would never happen because it's too trendy to go go to "The Friendly Confines".

For the love of GOD . END THE SEASON NOW AND SAVE US FROM THE PAIN !!! Hey Hendry . do us all a favor and fire Baker. trade Woods for a used T.V. release Jones. send Prior packing . between Woods & Prior you've waisted millons !! I hate the Sox . but they.re more fun to watch then the Cubs . also I would rather watch HGTV then the Cubs. Clean house Jimbo !! It's time

IN DUSTY WE BUSTY

The most disappointing player? Your players leave and become stars, the players you bring in become duds. Example Corey Patterson & Juan Pierre. And what did you expect of J. Jones? Its the whole stinking Cub experience, from the top down. It can,t develope its players & tears down good players when they come. The LOOSING ATTITUDE IS BONE DEEP!

This is from a Sox fan who is trying to be objective...Pierre, Ramirez,Wood, Prior,Perez,Barrett,Baker, the coaches, Murton, all the great young arms?, McPhail, Dempster, Williamson, Mabry have all underachieved...over half the team!

Cedeno,Jones,Walker, Marshall and Zambrano have been ok..

Only guys who have held up are Eyre and Howry and Jon McDonough..

BRING BACK SAMMY!!!! AT LEAST THE SEASON WOULD'NT BE AS BAD TO WATCH !!! WE WOULD BE MORE INTERESTED IN WATCHING AND WAITING FOR SAMMY TO DO OR SAY SOMETHING STUPID THAN WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS ON THE FIELD

By far the most disappointing and clueless Cub is Jim Hendry. This man is so far over his head that it is fatal to this team. He goes into this season knowing that Wood and Prior are constantly injured, so what does he do to reinforce the rotation? He signs Wade Miller! Broken down and ailing. He signs Jones for three years, who can barely make a throw to the infield on a fly let alone to home plate. He gives both Perez AND Rusch two year deals when no one else wanted them. He fills the roster with players off the scrap heap, on the downward spiral of their careers, and then can't seem to figure out why his team is one of the worst in baseball. And to top it all off, his undying love for Baker prevents him from pulling the plug and starting over. Extension or not, Hendry must go or we will all be suffering for at least two more years.

Jim Hendry dropped the ball on many levels. He's made good moves in the past, but this off-season was bad for one reason and one reason only - Wade Miller. You have two starters who are unreliable at best, and you sign a guy who already has issues. That's like buying a car with smoke pouring out of the tail pipe to drive to Texas on Vacation!
Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE (don't bother to deny it) was jumping for joy when Hendry signed JP. The fact that he didn't work out puts HIM on this list, not Hendry (at least not for that reason).
Dusty, Clines, and Rothschild need to be shown the door - and preferably one that leads into an empty elevator shaft. Dusty couldn't manage a Taco Bell (would someone please show him how to argue!! The umpire's shoes can't be THAT interesting...). Rothschild couldn't find flawed mechanics in a junkyard, and Clines - he's the biggest perp in that staff. He knows nothing except "Over the fence is good." I have never seen a team hit so many 360' outs in my life. You have a team that's built for first-third, station to station moving the guys over and scoring small ball, and Freddie Freakin' Bymun is trying to hit the long ball! There's a REASON he never hit one before. Because his hitting coach would bitch-slap him if he hit it in the air farther than just over the shortstop's head! Lee, Ramirez, Barret. That's your power. Everyone else, keep the ball on the freakin' ground and RUN. One last thing that Gene Clines did that is Un-freaking-forgivable. He messed with Matt Murton. "Oh gee son, you're a left fielder. You gotta hit home runs." Of course he probably said the same thing to bynum, but moving on.
Matt Murton was one of the best contact hitters in the game until I heard Brenly comment that Gene Clines was working with Murton on his swing. I just thought to myself, oh dear Jesus, why? Sure enough. Murton goes 0-22, and in now platooning with a first baseman.
There's so many more things that could be listed here, but I'm going to stop before I start getting gray hair.

Dusty and Pierre.... the cubs obviously have starting pitching woes.. but it all starts with the lead off man...and what's overwhelmingly obvious is Dusty's coaching ineptness in this matter...as much as I love Dusty, he's got to go due to lack of ability to teach, inspire, and motivate the team.. I truly believe that with the talent on this team that the sooner Dusty is sent packing the sooner the Cubs can make a run in this weak division.

For 47 years I have lived and died with the Cubs, foolishly thinking they could win a World Series. I have suffered through the White Sox actually winning a title. It does not matter what we Cub fans think, the powers that be know that Cub fans are suckers and just keep giving us garbage teams and we tolerate it. It is time to boycott the team until someone decides to give the fans what they deserve for all of their dedication.

Juan Pierre is terible. Aramis Ramirez is awful
and has he ever hustled out of the box.
My mother throws better than Jacque Jones.
Matt Murton is a Triple a player.
Why do the Cubs need six second basemen Mr. Hendry?

Dusty Baker needs to wake up.
Please never play Neifi Perez again.
What does Dick Pole do anyway.
Who the hell is Gene Clines.
Bye bye Mr.Rothschild.
Wrigley Field is way way overrated.
Lastly, after 25 years i have turned my back on that sorry excuse for an organization and now i am a Sox fan i will never spend money at wrigley again.

It is definitely the owner of the cubs the tribune company i was at the game yesterday and that draws the line i thought this was always going to be a cubs town but i guess not i think the trib must not no that the fans in this town or going with the winners not the lovable losers anymore because yesterday shows they r not lovable anymore. from a very disappointed cubs fan.

Has everyone overlooked Ryan Dempster? He has blown too many saves this year. 1-5 record? Pretty weak if you ask me.

Kerry Wood, Mark Prior, Dusty Baker and Jim Hendry. Wood can't stay healthy because he throws across the body instead of just pitching. Stone suggested Wood two options: make a change in his delivery or start selling used cars. Prior I don't know his issue, he is always injured. Prior and Wood are suposed to be taking the Cubs to October every autummn; with a World Series or two. Bakers shows no fire or emotion in the dugout. In 2004 he lost control of his clubhouse, when didn't put his foot down, by telling Mosious Alou and Kent Mercker to stop whining to the media about the umpires and Steve Stone and Chip Carray. Baker is the reason Stone and Carray are not its announcing games. Stone felt beytrayed by its management sticking to Baker in the Stone-Baker feud. Watching Cubs games aren't fun and execiting anymore because of Len Kasper and Bob Brenly. Stone was the reason to watch games, even when the Cubs' have bad years, because of his intelligence to the game. The Cubs reached their peak on "Bartman Night" in 2003; it was the beginning of the end of the Cubs re-emergence, not just missing out on the World Series. They were a closer(LaTroy Hawkings) away from returning to the playoffs, and from having a .500 plus season in 2005 (waiting until may to insert Ryan Demspter). Dempster hasn't had an oppourtinity to work on his struggles in games because the Cubs have been awful. Hendry's mistake was assuming Prior and Wood would be healthy and not signing A.J Burnett and Kevin Millwood. He knows Prior and Wood never stay healthy, just like in 2004, he knew the Cubs didn't have a competent closer. Wood has never been the same pitcher since Jim Riggleman started him in Game three in the 1998 N.L Divison Series against the Braves. We all knew the Cubs weren't going to win three straigt, if they had won game three and four, they would have to go back to Atlanta for game five. Riggleman ruined his arm - that reguired him to have Tommy John surgery - by having him start tht fateful game three. That may the start of Wood's downfall, if he dosen't come back to Cubs next season. It was the same season he had 20 K's against the Astros and won N.L rookie of the year.

The team chemistry gets my vote as biggest disapointment. These guys have failed all year to pick each other up in game situations. I guess you could blame Hendry for this mess, or Dusty, or Derek for not having sense enough to get out of the way of the oncoming Furcal, instead of straddling the bag attempting to make a catch of Eyre's pop fly throw. Whats the point? Everything they tried backfired on them. After a while the moves become panicky in the desperate search for a win. They sure found some novel ways to lose this year. Face it Cub fans. They're 'snakebit' this year. Whatever they try will just bite them in the butt. Maybe next year...........

The most dissapointing Cub this year is the Billy Goat because he isn't letting up on the almost 100 year drought. :)

The most disappointing Cub is that toothpick dullard Dusty Baker. A great guy, I'd love to have him as a neighbor, but a lousy manager. The other major duds are Pierre, Dumpster, Ramirez, the injury twins Prior and Wood, and just about everybody else. The team stinks. Hendry not only didn't deserve an extension he should be paying money back and doing community service! He and Baker have been a deadly duo!

The saps that continue to pack in the "Funky Confines", you are the reason that the team does not get improved! Why bother, you guys will come out to the park and pay your money anyway! Sheep! You fools, Ozzie was right, if the Sox played like the Scrubs, there would be two thousand people in the seats. True "fans" go to watch a game, watch a team play a game. Cub fans go to get hammered, where by the way, there is an activity happenning in the field. I'm sure if they were made the "Empty Confines", changes would be made!!

Dusty Baker may be an ok manager - but not for this team. The Cubs have always been exciting - except for Dusty's teams. Take away excitement and add in some boring players like Perez and Walker, sprinkle in a truly horrible pitching coach and you have losers that are no longer even lovable. Jim Hendry be a realist, not an idiot who is hanging onto a principle instead of seeing lackluster and unmotivated play THAT WARRANTS a change in manager. Even the 3rd base coach is boring (and wrong so often!)...where is "Wave em home Wendall" when you need him?

The most disappointing cub is the manager, pitching coach and hitting coach. baker, rothschild and clines have failed miserably over the years to get these athletes to perform to win games. Their are so many excuses for not winning given by these guys. Get rid of all of them now. Yes, it's interesting to see how Patterson, Matthews Jr and even Garciaparra are doing now that they are away from these guys.

I'm a die-hard Cubs fan. Pulse is weak, breath is shallow. Fading fast.
I don't even know why I bothered but I just read all these posts.
That's 10 min of my life I can't get back. But it's not as bad as the last 39 years spent rooting for the Cubs.
A little 'ol lady came up to me in my bank a few years back and asked me if I was a Cubs fan after seeing my hat. I replied 'yes'. She then showed me her Cubs keychain and said, 'I'm 75 and still waiting'. Sombody shoot me, please.
If I performed at my job the same way the Cubs organisation has in my lifetime I'd be fired within the 1st week(or day) on the job, every job.

Dusty's patented, "I just want my team back" speech has worn thin. In other words, he doesn't want to manage these guys, he wants some other guys. Dusty and his coaches have to go, without question. You need to look no further than Corey Patterson in Baltimore. There is no field discipline on this team. They make the same mistakes over and over and Dusty makes the same excuses for the mistakes. I've seen enough......this manager and his coaches couldn't manage a car wash. LAUNCH 'EM!!!

Management! It is their job to place the people capable of winning into position. We either are getting players that don't have enough talent, can't take instructions, or aren't getting the right instructions. If these conditions are true, then management hasn't done their job of putting the right people into the right position.

I'll admit to being a "recovering" Cub fan. With that said this team is pathetic. I do not think the Tribune Company has any interest in having this team win, and why should they, they have neglected the team, the park, and the fans who are stupid enough to buy the tickets from the Tribune owned scalpers. the only thing I can think of to do is instigate and participate in some "creative mayhem", If the Cubs are going to suck, you might as well have some fun, hell it worked for Bill Veck.

Some ideas include

1). For Sale Signs; put them up EVERYWHERE a WGN camera might see them, Offer the real estate at 1060 W. Addison For Sale, the Loyalty of Cub fanship, The Cihgago Tribune, or even the team itself.

2). Flyers for a 12 step recovery program/Motivational speaker type thing that will help any "deluded and addicited Cubs fan" to break the cycle of self-destruction and stop wasting their time watching one of the greatest frauds of a baseball team in history.

(as you can well understand, this is a step back in my "recovery")

Still trying to think of more without actually crossing the line where I could get prosecuted.

Forget the players, the Cubs have the sorriest excuse for a management in baseball. Andy MacFail is more concerned with winning sailing regattas than World Series; Hendry has proved that his trades in 2003 were a fluke, he's lazy and unimaginative. And Dusty is the most overrated manager in baseball; his on the field decisions are horrible and he doesn't even know what fundamental baseball is.

MacFail, Hendry and Baker are too busy playing CYA games and protecting each others' flanks to worry about the how the ball team does. Cubs fans must stop going to games and put some economic hurt on the Trib, that will get their attention.

The most dissapointing Cub is the Organization. Sure you can point fingers at many of the players, coaches or manager, but who put these people in place? The Tribune company that own the Cubs. Their main concern, like any corporation, is to maximize profit. They definetely have a handle on that by milking every cent possible from the Wrigley faithful. But we're not selling toothpaste here, the organization is trying to run a baseball club. Every other major league baseball team actually has an individual owner. The Cubs have corporate beancounters. This is a fundamental flaw. Other teams have an individual owner that doesn't try and support his other business pursuits WITH his ballclub. Actually most other owners have to support their baseball club FROM their other business pursuits. Very few teams generate as great an income stream from their baseball operations as the Cubs do, but because the Tribune company operates the Cubs as just another corporate division, good baseball people always take a backseat to marketing gurus. Andy McPhail was brought in as GM to work magic like he did with the low budget Minnesota Twins. Now you have to ask yourself, was the Tribune companies motivation to hire McPhail one that would bring the Cubs a World Championship or one that could put a contender on the field for cheap? I don't know the answer to that one, but it didn't take McPhail long to shift his allegience from baseball operations to towing the corporate line as president in his office high in the Tribune Tower. Anything short of the Tribune company selling the Cubs, will only bring more heartache and frustration to all of us fans who long for an owner that really is passionate about baseball and has a committment to developing a winning organization.

Alot of funny stuff, like the 06 Cubs. MIA from the list is Kenny Lofton who is having another good year here in LA. As a said in '03, Haney should have kept him and made Patterson the # 4 Outfielder in '04. That would have never crossed the minds of the Cubs/Taco Bell mismanagers since Kenny had opinions & voiced them. Anyone who does that doesn't stay with da corporate cubs. Instead, they put Corey in a position which maximized his potential to fail, he did, the fans tortured him and off he goes. I miss Steve & Skip (& Harry of course) but like Loften, they were not company men. This BLOG is not being monitored by the Tribune, is it ? I have relatives working there.

why is everyone railing on jones? 17-2b,15-hr,.340-obp,539-slg,.309-avg. j.p.,prior,wood not woods,and management take your pic. any one of those could be the biggest dissapointment

greg maddux.

frankly, I gave up on the Cubs after the '89 playoff debacle, and on MLB a few years later. Bud Selig and the greedy owners have destroyed the game, which should now be called " 'Roid Ball ".
any valid reason McGuire and Sammy ("Corky") Sosa shouldn't be stricken from the record books entirely? well, not a valid reason, but a reason... things like the "derby" of those two chasing Maris' record SELLS TICKETS.
the sport is TAINTED.
the Great American Past-time has sold out. what was once a sport is now nothing but a contest to see who can get away with the most cheating.
RIP, MLB.

What disappointment? 40,000 people a game, no real pressure to win, I'd say the CUbs are having another fine season.

Hendry/Baker
You can blame them both,it is such a joke to watch this joke day in and day out. I live close to St. Louis and everyday I have to hear from Cards fans about how bad the Cubs suck. I hate to say this but it is true. When the Cubs lost game 6 in 03, I stayed up all night. I had a feeling that night that It may be a long time before I would see the Cubs with that chance. I cannot understand how two people in charge of a team can make so many ERRORS! Hendry has made some of the worst signings in Cubs history. And Baker just stands in the Dugout with that damn toothpick. I hope & pray that my son does not come to my grave in 50 years to say "DAD, THE CUBS WILL DO IT NEXT YEAR"!

The fair weather fans jumping on the sox bandwagon. then when the sox go down they will be back. Why dont you choose a team to root for and stick with it. because you are a typical front runner fan.
Well the most disappointing player has to be Pierre or Aramis. Although both of them are improving. Another guy is Murton, he has like 3 rbi's since april.
But for those that say Jacque Jones is most dissapointing, you should take a look again. Yeah he has had some mistakes on base and missed the cut off man but he has had some big homers this season, and he has a .309 average, 15 homers and 44 rbi on a sucky team. What is with you people? Why do people throw stuff at the teams top hitter? Do I dare say is this racially motivated?
Dempster has been a big dissapointment. he has just fallen apart as of late.. this is very depressing.
Is it football season yet?

The Tribune. As long as they are making money, and it doesn't appear that they will ever stop since fans keep going, which I actually think is good. But as long as a corporation owns a team, there is no personal investment with the players and everything will be bottom line and making money, the Cubs will continue the way they are.

Well, really can't say who to pull out and burn at the stake...quit watching the Cubs at all this year and can say for the first time since I was 5 (I'm 50 now) that we haven't set foot in Wrigley Field at all this year or even turned on a Cubs game.

The "management" just isn't going to change anything until the fans stay away in droves and as this is the only message we can send them they may listen to, I decided to send it this year...I have the unexpected...(well, maybe not unexpected but certainly didn't think they would stink this badly) bonus of having saved a lot of time and money at the White Sox games...they aren't taking anything or anyone for granted and actaully still run a lot of good and cheap promotions...but really I'm just enjoying watching them play real baseball.

Hendry created this mess ..He must go now and have Dempster drive him !!!!

Dusty Baker. His mix and match lineup system continues to fail but he continues to do it. Bench Jacque Jones (hottest hitting cut) and Todd Walker (good hitter) for bums like Matt - let me hit into another double play - Murton and Niefi Perez. The ONLY time it ever worked was the 15-11 win over the Sox. Dusty outsmarts himself playing these BS matchup games. Just put your best players in the game and let them play. It's not that tough. I think Jim Hendry's done a great job. Juan Pierre is working out, and so is Jacque Jones. No one could have foreseen Wood and Prior being out all year or D-Lee having that freak injury. I wouldn't make any many changes offensively, but I would overhaul the pitching staff, keeping Zambrano, Howry and Eyre. Dumpster has got to go.

How about the entire starting line up? You know, the guys who cant get a hit with runner in scoring position? This team is terrible.

I really get a kick out of the White Sox fans getting on these posts and putting the blame on the Cubs fans for the Cubs poor performance. Yes, what a great example of loyalty you Sox fans all show by NOT going to watch your team and root them on when they are struggling. I hope some day the Cubs fans can develop this sense of bandwagon loyalty then WE can have a winner. Does convoluted logic ring a bell? Yeah, I understand about the Trib making money no matter what, but it is not the fault of the fans that want to root on the Cubs. You have a World Series team in the Sox and you still have to crawl through the gutter to rip on Cubs fans. How pathetic. Oh yeah, Aramis Ramirez.

Cub fans. They continue to make excuses for the team, continue to pack the stadium, and continue to feed the company that tortures them.

So many Cub fans claim that no one could have foreseen that Wood and Prior would be out so much this year. Thousands of people did exactly that, including many in the national press. That writing's been on the wall for a long time, and they are down to a one man starting rotation.

I have followed the CUBS since 1969. I agree wholehearted with the one who posted the flaw of having an organization own the ball club, such as the Tribune. But what is not heretofore mentioned is the sadly racist history of the Cubs regarding so-called minority talent. They picked Patterson over Lofton? Dating all the way back to Lou Brock even lighter blacks are revered more. And white guys - Wood, Pryor, they get all the brakes and respect. I am not saying the organization is racist, I am saying the organization leans toward racism in their talent selection. This is probably a flaw of the scouts. In a nutshell, if you fire Baker, Hendry, etc. turn the Cubs over to new management, if the scouts still work for them you will have the same result. Get someone who assesses talen correctly, like the White Sox GM. someone who doesn't treat the players who perform poorly any better. The Cubs dont seem to realize that the higher salary demands, higher ticket prices demand better performances that Nolan Ryan, Pete Rose, Santa, Kessinger, Banks, Williams, etc.
on the money these scrubs make, they could pay the college tuition of the entire 1969 CUBS with 6 all stars.

Just wait 'til Prior and wood return . . . or wait until I have "my guys": Dusty to the dustbin

How can anyone be disappointed in the Cubs? I mean, come on folks! Did we really, honestly think Our Team was actually going to DO something this year?

Let's face facts: Dusty Baker has failed as Manager. Jim Hendry has failed as GM (Jacque Jones?!?!). Each player has failed in one way or another. And perhaps more than anyone else, Andy MacPhail has been a failure of a president from Day One.

But most disappointing? About five years ago, I might have said MacPhail, who was supposed to be the savior after coming over from Minnesota. But now, I think you've got to be criminally insane to believe that the Cubs are going to do anything in any given year. Nothing good will ever come of this team until, as many have said, "fans" stop forking over their money to a loser team with losers stacking everywhere in the entire organization, from the front office to the poor unfortunate batboys.

Without a doubt, it's Dusty Baker. Remember in the NLCS of 2003 when he kept bringing in Dave Veres instead of other, more capable & not washed up STARTING PITCHERS like Matt Clement? That showed me that Baker had no heart, no sense of urgency and no savvy when it comes to decision making. He has shown over & over that he can not CLOSE!! He has no killer instinct to put an apponent away. He barely uses any arguments with umpires to gain an edge or show intensity. It's like he's afraid to be a bad example to his son. He never takes chances & seems to never even make any player accountable for lack of hustle or performance. He has repeatedly said that these are professional ball players & don't need to be inspired and they know how to play at this level. So I ask...."Why do they need a manager then?" Bye Bye

Dusty Baker is a dope. Ramirez has underachieved. Cub management has proved for YEARS they don't care. But the most dissappointing Cub is KERY WOOD. Whether it was is inability or reluctance to change his pitching mechanics, which have been under much critisism since HIGH SCHOOL, he will always be the poster child for "Unrealized Talent".

I am not disappointed with anyone in the cubs organization...just the opposite actually. How much is the Cubs payroll? How many wins do thay have? hahaha. Another entertaining season in Wrigley. Bring back Frank Castillo!

Almost certainly Mark Prior, who has (a) been sidelined for an extended period for no terribly clear reason; and then (b) been terrible in four starts.

I personally didn't expect much from Pierre, who demonstrated in Florida that he couldn't get on base, and that he has the worst arm in the NL. Kerry Wood can no longer disappoint me, in the sense that, given his two complete seasons in eight years, I no longer expect anything. Jones (who I honestly thought would suck) is seeing enough right-handed pitching to have good numbers. Murton and Cedeno both should be in AAA getting ready for MLB.

Ramirez is a solid player, likely to improve when anyone else around him in the order starts to hit.

Pathetic Cub fans who let Cub management abuse them year after year. Get your respect back filing a class action suit against the Tribune Company for having no intesntion of fielding a winning team...failure is their business strategy.

Larry Rothschild. How can you consistently pitch glendon rusch over marmol and guzman. at least they give you a chance to win. and good job watching over your two aces wood and prior; maybe you should do your job and keep up with them year round and set up a program so they dont start every april on the dl. you cant be a mlb pitching coach from march-sept, its a year round job. Cubs need to axe dusty and find a new pitching and hitting coach. spiers your mony at third!!

Way to go Dusty. Good lineup for Milwaukee. Don't think Jacque Jones and Phil Nevin could've gone 1-7 like your left-handed hitting studs, Murton and Pagan. This is like a football team that can't run the football losing by 3 scores in the 4th quarter and still trying to run the football.

Where to start? I for one am looking for the day when the Cubs finally let Baker go and bring in Sweet Lou Piniella to take over the helm. He brings a no non-sense attitude and does not shy away from accountability. Heck, bring back Jim Frey or Popeye, they'll probably do a better job than Baker right now. All Baker gives are tired excuses and empty proclamations. On his way out, he should take Rothschild and Clines with him. Surely there are better piching coaches out there than the pitching coach who has screwed up more pitchers than him. How about a hitting coach that can not improve situational hitting? This same crew has presided over a regressing team. I think Hendry tries to make the team better and is an uneviable position to have to listen to his manager with regards to off season moves that let Corey Patterson go. The team looked promising on paper when the season began...then the walking MASH unit of Wood and Prior took the air out of the sails before the season even started. Murton and Cedeno were both promising as the season started, but both are now shells of themselves with Murton trying to get his confidence back (I used to be impressed with Murton's knack for hitting with runners in scoring position but Baker seemed to have taken that out of him).
On the field, both Pierre and Ramirez have been disappointments. Pierre has issues getting on base (although his hitting is coming along) and Ramirez can not carry the team when asked to do so with Lee going down. Dempster has not been the shut down closer he was last year and the beginning of this year...what happened?
Bright spots: Lee, Zambrano, Eyre, Howry, Barrett, Marshall...Walker has proven to be a serviceable 2B and helped anchor 1B after Lee's injury.
I have been a Cubs fan for the last 22 years and will probably continue to be a Cubs fan...but I would be hard pressed to spend any more money to support the team if management does not put winning ahead of everything else.

Most disappointing Cub... Does it really matter? Don't get me wrong. I'm a Cub fan and I would love to see them win a championship. But I think it's not worth my time and energy to criticize anyone in their front office, coaches or the players because they’re not winning. There are lot more important things in life, like values and honesty. The real question is who is Chicago’s most disappointing sports figure? That would be Ozzie Guillen. And I think that we as community are surrendering our values and honesty by letting him off the hook just because he managed a championship team. P.S. I’m not gay

Mark Cuban.....put together an offer the Trib can't refuse.

There is no "curse", except the "curse" of corporate ownership.

1. Every day, and an occasional evening, Wrigley is filled to capacity, not with Cubs fans, but with Cubs Game Fans. These are people who have no passion for the team or the game itself, but they're people who enjoy an event. They would show up at the friendly confines to see a tractor pull or Jimmy Buffet concert just as regularly as they do for a baseball game.

2. Baker and his coaching staff.

3. Aramis Ramirez is a hot-dogging disaster. How can he continue to jog down the first base line and get burned on a dropped ball, or ball off the wall? I don't care how much power he has, if he can't do something simple like hustle after he makes contact, get rid of him.

4. Kerry Wood should never be allowed to put on a Cubs uniform again.

5. Mark Prior should never be allowed to put on a Cubs uniform again.

6. Jaques Jones should be able to release the ball, when throwing, in such a way that it travels more than 10 feet before it buries itself in the turf. At least he has started hitting.

I’ve seen a lot of baseball in my life. I’ve endured the “college of coaches,� Moe Thacker, the Lou Brock trade, a parade of 3rd basemen, having to listen to Ernie Banks talk, ownership that has no interest in baseball (Wrigley and Tribune Inc.), and an attitude that the Cubs were 2 announcers away from the post season. Now the Cubs want me to watch Perez, Dempster, Ramirez and Pierre and I don’t have to. I’m a grownup now and can afford to watch whoever I want and I prefer to watch teams that look like they want to win.

Sorry, but Aramis Ramirez did it again last night in Milwaukee. With the Cubs down 2-0, and no one on base, he hit a ball deep to the outfield and didn't RUN!!! He jogged to first before he turned it up when he realized it wasn't going out of the park.

This time all the broadcasters commented on it during the game, even Ron Santo, as he tried to sugarcoat his criticism.

Who starts out running slowly and then turns on the speed thereby turning an easy double into an out? There's no guarantee the other guys could've gotten him in to score but he destroyed their opportunity to try.

And who understands how Dusty Baker can be an apologist for such poor play by Ramirez? Okay, the writing is on the wall but...

What did Derrick Lee do when he hit a ball to the wall in the same game? He RAN!!!! He only slowed down as he pulled into second base with a double.

Chris Speier for interim manager!!

It's gotta be the Duster. What a bozo. Tell me why everytime Pierre leads an inning off with a double he has to sacrifice him to third. I doubt if Earl Weavee ever did that in his life. Get a hit and drive the guy in. As for fundamentals, this team is the absolute worst, base running, fielding, never taking pitches etc. and only the Duster can be held responsible for that.

Don't blame Ramirez for not running hard all the way to third! 270 feet is a long way. YOU try sprinting that distance some time. He was just saving his energy for his finishing kick between second and third.

First the stupid fans at over-rated Wrigley Field are to blame. What incentive do the Tribune Company have when they are sold out or nearly sold out every game. There is none. The Tribune Company is a bottom line organization. As long as they are making that much money on a sub-standard product, why should they shell out big dollars. So the fans need to quit whining, and start blaming themselves. Secondly, the general manager put that terrible team together. Dusty Baker is trying to do the best he can with minor league talent. How can you possibly fault the manager? Give the manager talent and he will win - this particular manager has won ever since he has been associated with MLB, as a playe and as a manager. So, stop under-appreciating the luck you have with DB being your manager and start putting the blame where it truly belong - the Tribune company, ignorant fans and the general manager.

I'm a depressed sox fan, I have waited 60 years for the attendance rivelry to turn in our favor but because of Dusty/Hendry/Mcphail doing such a good job we will always be number2 right?

Where do you start? Living in Arizona i get to see the finished product before it hits the streets. The Cubs are by far the most unfundamentally sound team in all of baseball. As a little leaguer you are taught to hit the cut-off man. But we have such weak arms in the outfield that we can't even get the ball to the cut-off man. The Tribune should be so ashamed of themselves for letting Andy and his sidekick Jimmy put a lousy product on the field, and tell the fans to be patient. Coming out of spring training my first thought was, this team is a train wreck, and one key player going down from finishing in last place. I saw Dick Pole riding his fat butt around in a golf cart most of the time, looking like he was thinking, i wonder what kind of lunch spread are we having? When you see guys being lazy in spring training you know it is a recipe for disaster. For the most part guys like Lee, Murton, Cedeno, JP, Barrett, were always working hard. Everyone else seemed to be on spring break! Dusty, im sorry you havent had all your horses, but neither has Joe Torre and he just continues to win. Why is that? Because everyone on that team knows Old George will spank some butts and will not allow his team to embarrass him and embarrass the city in no size shape or form. Whom do we have in our cupboard that will chop off a head or make someone an example just to show," hey if you think im joking you will be the next to go!" We are so nice and relaxed. Dusty when is the last time you just took one for the team and got yourself tossed just to let the guys know you have some fire under that seat of yours? Michael Barrett, God bless you, i thought when you punched A.J the season would turn around, guys would rally around one another. Nope, just went back to eating seeds and telling jokes. My 3 year old shook Kerry Woods hand before he went on his rehab, and i scolded him for potentially ruining his hand ,his elbow, or shoulder or whatever the hell is wrong with him. Is it time to blow up the team? Who do you put at second base, centerfield, rightfield, leftfield, and even thid base. As of right now, im lobbying for Ron Santo to come back and play third. He at least would give the effort, diving for balls, and running out anything, albeit he has two leg replacements. Its time to put a monster in the dugout that is going to start making these guys accountable, and someone in the front office to start making Andy and Jimmy accountable. Our team is a total train wreck! And now for those four favorite words that Cubs fans have held onto for 100 years," Wait until next year!" By the way who has the patent on that? Oh, i know, the Tribsters!

Ramirez is a loser.

As I feel strongly that a number of current denizens of the den have failed to meet expectations, it is the culture fostered by management that I find the most absurd and troubling. It is well-documented that Dusty fails to hold anyone on his roster or his staff accountable. However, I am tired of listening to Andy McPhail and Jim Hendry purport to take responsibility for questionable personnel decisions, rapidly growing costs absorbed by fans, and lackadasical play on the field. While I understand that all employees are required to toe the company line to a certain extent, it appears that the purpose of almost everything that eminates from the mouths of the elite is contradicted by their actions.

There is no single most dissapointing Cub player because it's a team sport and the team has failed as collective whole worse then possibly imagineable. We can go over the jokes that are Mark Prior, Kerry Wood, Aramis Ramerez, Corey Patterson (I dont care if they traded him already, he's still been as dissapointing as any Cub), Juan Peirre...So many bad Cub players, so little time. Trade them all , fire all the management, start from scratch, I'd rather watch an expansion team then this joke on the North Side. Funny thing is, they are having their worse seasons when the White Sox are having their best, how ironic. The whole smelly mess makes me sick.

Management: Baker, Hendry and McPhail. They do not care enough!! Not 1/10th as much as we THE FAN. Get the big broom and start with on field management, then up the ladder. No fundamentals means no wins. I am so disappointed that the better players are beginning not to care for THE TEAM. Maybe we should hire John Paxton, he knows its good to have a plan. Get the broom before the good young players are meesed up!!

he cubs are rudderless.They have a amanger who just sits in he dugout and hardly shows any emotion. The next to blame is Hendry as long as he doesnt get rid of Baker. Getting rid of Baker may not solve the problem, but any personnel changes they make while keeping Baker would be meaningless.

you people who put up this question and the people that replied negativly. imean sure the cubies are having a tough year but who cares is base ball and you cant be fair weather in chicago.i mean really are you gonna go cry to the white sox to solve all your problems all you people are horrible

Ramirez is a JOKE!! Did the magnificant dusty teach him how to run out of the batters box or is he just a fat JERK!!

It's a team game so all of them are disappointing...Time to bring up Felix Pie...Let 'em loose...I hope Kerry Wood gives up his ego and admits he's a middle reliever and pursues his comeback with that in mind...Anyway, none of these so called starters go more than 5 these days anyway so what's the difference...My one word description of this years North Siders??? PPPPpppppfffffffffftttttt!!!

Have a little faith, people.
IT AIN'T OVER 'TIL IT'S OVER.

While everyone blames whoever they want to blame, i'd like to note something Dusty was talking about a few days ago. There is more pressure on Cubs every game than on other teams during big series. Between the fans booing, throwing things and not having faith in the team, and the sportswriters always looking to drive the spike through the team hear further, it seems no wonder the team doesn't play to its potential. In todays paper it talks of Murton gettng 2 hits... but just HAS to point out he's not hitting up to expectation. Why not just praise him and leave the dagger in you belt. Later in the article they give the same treatment to Aramis by saying he did good today but look at the early season. A good game/play/at bat is reason for celebration, not a reason to bash the team further. The fans in Wrigley seem to have the same attitude.

Not trying to cover for bad play thus far, but please fans, give credit when it's due and support this team like they deserve.

Andy McFail. A dead fish stinks from the head. During McFail's eleven years at the helm the Cubs have been in the playoffs twice. That's two out of eleven. And don't forget the Cubs are in the top 5 for payroll. He's a disaster, and until he goes (preferably the team is sold)nothing else matters. This team will never win consistently under his leadership.

The team is in disarray.Blame it on the manager and who ever helps the management of the team .Murton doesnt sit himself on the bench.A rookie shouldnt be sitting on the bench..Play him or send him where he can play every day.Is Pierre getting an input into what he should do on the base in situations?.doesnt appear he is . Ramirez isnt going to dog it,if he cant get by with it. It was obvious Baker had lost control by how he let SOSA run circles around him.He must have no credibility since then and no authority. So maybe it's all Sosa's fault..And the relief core is chosen by some kind of magic formula that has NOTHING to do with success.Loyalty to players should go only so far.The team comes first as does winning. Cant Baker see that an alternative has to be found for Dempster?Try stuff!No imagination, constant whining,what kind of manager is that? Firing Baker wont make the team better necessarily right away but making any other changes and leaving Baker as manager would be a wasted effort .We'd just get more of what we've gotten.

Gotta be Juan Pierre, with Aramis Mr. Congeniality. I was really psyched to get Pierre - I wanted him more than Furcal. As ususal, we appear to have gotten a guy a year after he ran out of gas.
As for Aramas, could somone, anyone, oh, I don't know, a hitting coach, tell him to stop swinging for a homer on every pitch? Enough already...

Who is at fault for 2006 ? I think the following names are to blame.....

Pitchers: maddux, wood, prior, rusch, zambrano, marshall, guzman, hill, williams, ryu, dempster, williamson, howery, erye, wurtz, onhalm, noava....Outfielders: murton, pierre, jones, byrnum, pagen....Infieldes: lee, ramirez, cedeno, walker, womack, perez, maybry, nevin.....Catchers: barrett, blanco.....Coaching staff: baker, pole, rothchilds, matthews, speier, clines & trainers......Front Office: Mc phail, hendry, scouting staff, minor league staff.......Owners: TRIBUNE CO.

Forget the Cubs being own by someone else. Tribune Co. can start by getting baseball minded people to get a world series for the city, and then, keep on winning by getting more trophies....so many, that you will forget the names of banks, jenkins, madlock, buckner, sandberg and sosa.....they were losers....they never won anything. How many bloggers have sons ready to make their parents proud of winning the championship for the Chicago Cubs? Start teaching them baseball, and how to win and keep on winning.....and hope they get drafted by a scout from the Cubs who knows talent.

Cub fans ask for only one thing from the Tribune Co...........VICTORY !

Their are a few players worth keeping. Lee, Cedeno, Murton, Zambrano and Barret. But Baker should have been run outa town on the proverbial rail quite some time ago. The Cubs need to find a manager and coaching staff who can teach and heavily reinvest in the farm system. At the moment the Cubs are similar to Ringling Brothers....3 rings no waiting.

jim hendry is my pick just because cubs could of had sorino for jerome williams at the start of the season but hendry said we needed starting pitching so no deal williams starts two games gets bombed sent to minors to never be seen again and sorino just having a runner up mvp season !!!!!!! nice move jim

Whoever plays 2nd base. Hurry up and call up Eric Patterson to the big leagues so we can boo him and force him to be traded and then he can become an All-Star.

Get GM Dave Dombrowski in here NOW!

He took the expansion Florida Marlins and led them to a World Series title, and now he has taken the Detroit Tigers and made them the best team in baseball...

I think most are overlooking the obvious. Last few games now, the Cubs have had quality starts. And they have won 3 out of the last 4. A rookie pitcher has started over 30 times this season. Now what team has done that and had less than 50 losses in the first half of a season? There have been some underachievers in the hitting category in the first half of the season, especially when the top hitter got injured. This doesnt mean you scrap the whole team or get rid of the coaching staff. There are plenty of players on this team that many teams would love to have. How long has it been since we had such good power hitting from third base and first base. been a while. And Aramis is on pace for over 30 homers and 100 rbi's this season. Barrett has been awesome. Next season they have to get another one maybe 2 starters, and someone in left field that can throw someone out and be productive, depending on what Murton does the rest of the way. Also clear up 2nd base. I am glad a lot of you are not the gm or this team would never win.

I moved to Saint Louis from Chicago last year.Proud to be a Cubs fan.I've been a cubs fan for 24 years...Well guess what? no more..I Have had enough of the Cubbies..I would rather go for the Kansas City Royals...There payroll is a third of the cubs and only one game behind the cubbies..

The stupid fans whom keep filling up over-rated Wrigley Field, the Tribune Company for obvious reasons, Andy McPhail for not excercising leadership, Jim Hendry for putting together this pathetic excuse for a Major League baseball team. I do not blame the players in this instance for the Cubs' failure because the majority of the current players clearly are not Major League Talent. So, I do not blame them. I am sure they try, they just are not that talented and NO manager will make them so. Look at all the good teams that supposedly had "top of the line" managers. Lou Pinella? What did he do for Tampa Bay? Showalter? What did he do for Arizona and Texas? My point exactly. Talent win and the Cubs simply do not have any. It is actually criminal for the Cubs to play in a city the size of Chicago, sellout the stadium almost every game, and STILL be to cheap to put a quality product on the field. The Cubs fans have got to be the biggest suckers in the history of sport. It is almost comical that these people complain when they should actually stay away and DEMAND a winner. Finally, critizing Dusty Baker may give some a reason to vent. But in reality he probably should be fired for being dumb enough to take a dead end job like managing the Cubs. If he was smart and I know he is - he should cut his losses with this loser organization and its loser fans and go somewhere where the organization is committed to winning.

The stupid fans whom keep filling up over-rated Wrigley Field, the Tribune Company for obvious reasons, Andy McPhail for not excercising leadership, Jim Hendry for putting together this pathetic excuse for a Major League baseball team. I do not blame the players in this instance for the Cubs' failure because the majority of the current players clearly are not Major League Talent. So, I do not blame them. I am sure they try, they just are not that talented and NO manager will make them so. Look at all the good teams that supposedly had "top of the line" managers. Lou Pinella? What did he do for Tampa Bay? Showalter? What did he do for Arizona and Texas? My point exactly. Talent win and the Cubs simply do not have any. It is actually criminal for the Cubs to play in a city the size of Chicago, sellout the stadium almost every game, and STILL be to cheap to put a quality product on the field. The Cubs fans have got to be the biggest suckers in the history of sport. It is almost comical that these people complain when they should actually stay away and DEMAND a winner. Finally, critizing Dusty Baker may give some a reason to vent. But in reality he probably should be fired for being dumb enough to take a dead end job like managing the Cubs. If he was smart and I know he is - he should cut his losses with this loser organization and its loser fans and go somewhere where the organization is committed to winning.

Dusty Baker is not a life-long Cubs fan, so it is not entirely his fault, but his obliviousness to tradition ruined a strong team. He dismissed the curse, and then he dismissed the attitude of Chicago fans, who do not like to be told cold is hot and down is up. He babied and enabled his players, which, if done behind doors, might not be so bad, but he did it in public, which undermined his authority with fans and players. They needed their butts kicked and instead the fans got theirs kicked. The whole Cub organization mishandled the situation with Steve Stone, with Dusty and the players not realizing that Stone was, except for perhaps the resurrected Greg Maddux, by far the most popular Cub at the time. Baseball will never be what it was before it was ruined by the owners and unions and drugs, and I quit caring about it as a sport when the Cubs lost Maddux. I had a good ten years of my own obliviousness and then got sucked back in for the 2003 edition. Instead of the huge depression I suffered in '84, I laughed in '03, because I knew the joke was not only ON me--it WAS me. So, no hard feelings.

Dusty Baker is not the main reason the Cubs are in the tank. I am a sports fan and baseball ranks 3rd on my sports entertainment list behind Basketball and Football. Baseball is so boring I rather take long walks on the beach with my girlfriend, while she talks about our future than watch baseball. And if I choose to take in a game or watch the MLB playoffs, I have to ride with the southsiders. However you just have to be a sports fan to see that Jim Hendry and Cubs ownership is the reason for the teams losing ways. This team has been losing before Baker and it will continue to after Bakers. If you look at the will of Bulls and Sox ownership, Jerry wants to see his teams win. So he would do whatever it takes to win a title such as bring in the right GM and players to make it work. And if you hate that bit of truth because I used the Sox look at the Yankees, Dallas Mavs, Boston Red Sox, etc… those ownerships are going to maneuver and find a vehicle to return their teams to glory. Even when these teams go into a bit of a losing slum, it doesn’t last long because of management will to win. Yet when an poor managed organization gets lucky a find a superstar to carry their teams, that management continues to fail because it doesn’t have an idea how to win or need to win. In retrospect the Cubs had Sammy when Sammy was Sammy and couldn’t put a team around this guy to pull out a title. Moreover, the Timberwolves have KG and can’t build a serious team around this guy. Therefore Cubs fan you should get happy when the Cubs final fire Dusty, because you still have Cubs management.

The blame should be placed on Hendry and Baker. Certainly you can blame the players like Juan Pierre, but it is management who selects who will play on the team.

Baker should be fired due to his poor management of the pitching staff since 2003. I think it can be said that the plethora of arm problems that Prior has suffered stem from over use during that run.

Secondly, Hendry should be fired for making some stupid trades that put him in the Ed Lynch hall of fame. Trading Dontrelle Willis for Antonio Alfonseca and Matt Clement worked out to be a joke. Then he trades Koronka for Bynum. The last straw was over paying for a washed up center fielder Juan Pierre. Anyone with a brain could see that Pierre was dropping off each of the last three years. On top of it he is a free agent. Typical cubs, trading promising rookie pitching for a flub.

What a ridiculous question. I mean seriously, the most disappointing Cub? Let's go with another question instead, WHO IS THE MOST DISAPPOINTED CUB, because that is Ron Santo for sure.

Give it up...the Cubs are never going to win...they're the laughing stock of professional sports. The "lovable losers" if you will. Might as well be honest with yourselves...few go to the games to actually watch baseball.

The Tribune Co.is the biggest disappointment. I have been a cubs fan for 39 years. I brought three sons into this world and nurtured them to be Cub fans. My youngest son began crying when he watched Rameriez not do what he was taught in Tee-Ball, run down the line.He looked at me and asked me why the cubs always loose. I sat there dumfounded. I didn't know what to say to the little guy. The next day I bought him a Sox hat. He asked me why I would do such a thing after he has watched me live and breath Cubs baseball for all of his years. I told him it was too late for me and his older brothers but he should get out while he can. Today he is a happy little Sox fan and I'm happy for him.

Way to go Tribune Company... You have taken away something from me so I am taking away something from you...my son.

Who cares about the Cubs anymore? Go White Sox!!

Busty Baker because he rather fail with veterans that can't play (Neifi, Mabry)then give young players a chance. He mentions all the youth they have now but if it was all up to him he'll rather gone with the old players just like last year when Murton was doing good but baker send him back to the minors because he wanted a veteran playing. I'll have to admit this has been the one of the toughest years for the real Cub fans, so I'm glad that all the people that jumped on the band wagon in 03 are finally jumping off. True Cub fan in good times and bad times

Jim Hendry. Every decision he's made as not worked. Aramis, while struggling is still going to have good numbers on a bad team.

Its unfair to pick out the most disappointing Cub as long as Baker and his crew stay in charge. Baker's wrong for this team at this time. I hope the Press and the sports commentators hammer away at Cubs til Baker is gone. Im not giving up the Cubs ( theyre the only baseball team in town)but there's sure no point following the team the rest of the season til this manager is GONE!Lets give the fans some hope!We deserve better than this!

The Broke Back Pitchers... Kerry Wood and Mark Prior, who keep spraining their (insert your own anatomical description here), sometimes before even getting in a game. These guys make Glendon Rusch look healthy and Ismael Valdes tough for playing with his daunting blisters.

And, I'll take a hit for even caring or hoping for help from two players that should have been put on the " it would be good to see them do something, but don't count on it" list after last season, or was it the season before?

Hey pick one or pick them all. How can you ask which one is most diapponting. They are all diapponting. What a sorry orginization!!!

Glendon Rusch, for getting a contract, then showing up for training looking like he lived on pizza and beer all winter.

Derrick Lee, for getting his arm broken.

The front office, for years of stupid trades, spending some money on mediocrity, when they could spend a little more and get someone good, and letting Kent f'ing mercker run Steve Stone out of town

The Tribune Compnay is the most disappointing. Year after year the Cubs put out bad team after bad team. At what point do we say the organization is a mirror image of its head??

First, I thank you for letting us ancient Cub fans blog about this, helps my blood pressure. :)When we examine cause and effect, We have reached the correct cause of a thing, when you have come across the single most contributive factor. That is, given all these posts, what particular thing, if unchanged, would still make the CUBS losers. The CUB SCOUTS, people! Its the SCOUTS. Some say Dusty, some name the managers, players, some say all.Few say the Scouts.
What is a Scouts' job? To assess talent and the readiness of an athlete to perform at the level of the major leagues. Why are the Cub Scouts not fired? Who are they? Why dont you guys play a quick game with me. Everyone who reads this post, place a name on here that I perhaps forgot. Oh, let me give you a list of the guys the Scouts said were ready to play at the professional level, and the guys Hendry traded for. On our next post, we will mention the names of guys who were not ready who went elsewhere and dominated the major leagues. The names of those that were ready for the majors or were good trades for:
Hee Sop Choy
Corey Patterson
Ronnie Cedeno
Gary Matthews, Jr
Larry Biitner
Dave Rosello
Steve Ontiveros (hah, hah)
Steve Swisher
Ryan Theriot
Thad Bosley
Chad Walker
Juan Pierre
Glendon Rusch
Will Ohman
Todd Hollandsworth
George Mitterwald
Damian Berryhill
Gary Gaetti
Mark Prior (He was ready but scouts overrated him.) Same as his buddy Kerry Wood.
Felix Pie
Steve Trachsel
Henry Blanco
.. You get the idea..
See if you can add more.

Cubs mangement, they put together this team all the blame should go to them,but only will when Cubs fans stop blaming everyone else and look at the guys at the top they don't spend the money needed to be serious and win it all.

Dusty, how many games are you going to cost Greg Maddux? You are such a hypocrite. Why did Todd Walker not start as a left handed bat instead of a rookie against Roger Clemens. You stick with Dempster through all the blown saves yet you bench Walker when you need him the most. You are the most ridiculous manager I have ever seen. I can't wait until the Cubs get a good manager. P.S. Way to go "speed and defense" tonight. Great call.

And two days later, Theriot is sent down to the minors. Why this right-handed, .170 hitting rookie started instead of the left-handed, 3rd best hitter on the team, Todd Walker, against the right handed, Roger Clemens, I'll never know. Perhaps Todd was batting .150 on Wednesdays in July when the Sox and Tigers were in a series. Four years of this nonsense has led to a consistent and depressing decline. Please bring Steve "Stoney" Stone in to manage the Cubs!

Wow, just about all of them could have an arguement made for them:

- Ramirez, who looks like he's swinging a 44 ounce bat sometimes. Sure, his #'s now look decent, but when Lee went down, so did Aramis' production. He only starting hitting well recently.
- Rusch. I can't believe he hasn't gone on the DL with a sprained neck, from watching all of those rockets hit against him. I saw him going 12-10 this year.....
- Pierre. Look at the years where the Cubbies have made the playoffs - they all had good leadoff hitters. Dernier, Walton, Lofton, etc. That's what helps in this park, not the Kingman/Murcer/Moreland type guys. Pierre didn't set the table well enough.
- Wood & Prior. Let's face it, potential doesn't get wins. We've been handcuffed by their potential, so that most personnel decisions made are contingent on these two. Let's not be afraid to pull a Brock-for-Broglio trade again, who cares !!! I'd trade Wood to Texas for Mench, maybe give Prior 1 more chance and if not, ship him out as well; likely to Cal.
- Dusty. Again, I'm not a Dusty-basher, but I didn't see any enthusiasm or much hustle this year. True, the fundamentals needed improvement, but that happens on many ML teams. Too much doom-and-gloom from the 'leader'.
- MacPhail/Hendrey. Last but certainly not least, this team was shallow, relied too much on Wood & Prior, and not good defensively (Walker, Jones, Murton namely). What was the 'theme' of this team ? Did we have one ?

My thoughts.....

Chicago Cubs are an absolute disgrace to professional sports PERIOD
I call out to everyone to boycott wrigley field. Plain and simple, save your money. Why spend money & time on watching lazy uneducated millionaires embarass the great city of chicago? Baker, MacFail, Hendry, Wood, Prior lead the cast of clowns pretending to be a professional sports team.
Stop wasting money on this joke of a franchise. The Cubs will never win a world series. NEVER