When will the Cubs offense fully awaken in the 2nd half?

Question

The Cubs were just shut out by the D-Backs. Rich Harden ALMOST threw a no-hitter until he allowed a Home Run.

The Cubs have been struggling offensively ever since the 2nd half started. The 9 runs against the Astros are the only time in the 2nd half the Cubs offense has shined.The cubs are now 1-4 since the 2nd half started.

Answer 1

saturday, gotta give sori some time to get used to major league pitching again hehehehe

Answer 2

This problem did not begin when the second half started. You should note that the Cubs began a road trip after the All-Star break. I think the real question is, "When will the Cubs start to score runs on the road?"

The Cubs have scored 6.29 runs in home games and 4.20 runs in road games. Their pitching has been very consistent, but that is a huge discrepancy in offense. The Cubs' hitters are simply not playing well on the road. That should be a serious concern for Cubs fans who, ironically, voted Kosuke Fukudome on to the All-Star team. Of course, it is ironic because the Cubs -- a team that plays far worse on the road than they do at home -- could have potentially lost home field advantage in the World Series when the NL lost the All-Star game. But it is also ironic for the fact that Fukudome is a remarkably terrible hitter in road games (.611 OPS), while Pat Burrell is a remarkably good one (1.182 OPS).

Answer 3

Well, unfortunately for Harden there is no such stat as "almost a no-hitter".  The Cubbies are living true to their name (Completely Useless by September). Just didn't expect it out of the gate in the second half.

Hope you enjoyed it while it lasted, Cubbie fans.

Answer 4

I think when Soriano comes back it will help a lot. I'm not saying Soriano carries the team, but when one of your big bats is out, it changes things. Not only did it take a player out of the lineup, it also put players in more uncomfortable roles (Theriot doesn't usually lead off. DeRosa usually starts at 2nd, not left, etc..) so I think once players get back into their normal, everyday roles it should help some.

Answer 5

I sure the heck hope they will get their Offense going ASAP because they are playing or I should say Batting very poorly.

And, if they give up 1st Place to the Brewers or Cards, and fall into 3rd Place,.....the CUBS could find themselves in a world-of-hurt because despite the CUBS having a better record right now, the Brewers and Cards are playing way better ball, and, the CUBS can't afford to be "streaky", inconsistent, or continue to play poorly on the road.

This is the best I have seen the CUBS do as far as record W-Ls goes, this early and holding the lead this long, but, with 2 Full months plus to play, despite excellent Pitching,.......they are beginning to look sorry at the plate.

And, if the Big Boppers like Lee and Ramirez can't hit in the clutch, and we can't get guys on base and the Sluggers get them home,......then we are going to have a miserable August.

I have seen better Cubs teams over my 40 years as a Fan, and, I don't like the fact that we are not stealing base, or stealing 3rd, doing hit-and-runs,..........double-steals,...... the aggressive things that a good ball club should do.

If they can't count on the 8 Batters other than the Pitcher to get the job done,.......then, they can easily find themselves 17 games under .500 as easily as they are 17 games above .500 right now.

Also;.....it's pretty sad that when the Cubs scored 1 run the other night against Houston, it was via a HR by Carlos Zambrano.

And then with Harden,.....he has arrived and done what we hoped he would do and has got c**p for Run Support.

Piniella better get off his Butt and the Batting Coach Perry better get these guys hitting the ball because the Cubs are making poor and otherwise average Pitchers look like Aces,.....and, as I have said in other postings, I don't see any fire in the Bellies of the CUBS and no leadership.

They better get their minds right,........and do it NOW because Milwaukee and St. Louis could give a d**n if the Cubs go another 100 years without a W.S. Championship,........and I wouldn't blame them.

If the Cubs are in 1st Place now,they had better seize the moment, because no one is going to hand them a Division Playoff slot, and, just as they choked in 03' when they could have gone to the W.S. despite these being different guys on the CUBS now, they better prove they are the best team in the NL before this great 1st half start becomes a distant memory.

We need Clutch Hitting,......and we need to make things happen (we meaning the CUBS),.....because as of now, they look like some sorry "A" league players still 5 years from the Major Leagues.

They have given away too many games already despite having the best record in the NL, and, had they held off teams and not given games away with idiotic play already,......the should easily be 26-30 games above .500 instead of 17 and on the verge of handing their lead away to the Brewers or Cards!

I love the CUBS, but, if they showed half the passion us Die-Hard CUBS Fans show right now, they would be doing much better.

Someone on that team better take a leader-ship role and get everyone elses heads out of their Anal Cavities!

***ADDED***

The CUBS Have gotten worse on the Road also BEFORE the All-Star Break, and, this began with the sweep by the remarkable Tampa Bay Rays.

@TB - 6/17 to 6/19    0-3

@CHW - 6/27 to 6/29   0-3

@SF - 6/30 to 7/3   2-2

@STL - 7/4 to 7/6   2-1

@HOU - 7/18 to 7/20   1-2

@ AZ - 7/21 to 7/23   ? -1

_______________________

5 Wins vs. 12 Losses

28 Runs Scored in the 12 Losses or Average of 2.3 Runs Per Game when they have a 5.25 Runs Per Game Average for their entire games played this year.

Answer 6

i fully believe their offense will get it together when soriano gets back. he came up with just about every big hit (he leads the cubs in game winning RBI and has missed half the season) and the offense could certainly use a spark.

Answer 7

It wont,   if you have been a cubs fan in the past then you should now their numbers always suck in the second half of the season.  

Good luck being in third place.

GO CARDS

Answer 8

no later than Thursday

Answer 9

Obviously, they can pull it off, otherwise they wouldn't have scored those nine runs against the 'Stros.  I think it may involve putting their backs up against the wall and watching them come through...they don't seem to have a whole lot of confidence in themselves right now.  The injuries to Soriano and Wood and the fact that Kosuke has become a human ceiling fan at the plate haven't helped.

If they can pull off a big come-from-behind win against somebody or get into position where Marmol can come in and just mow down three hitters in a row in the 9th, they'll get their mojo back.  Besides, it may be good that the Brewers and the Birds are playing each other right now...let 'em beat up on each other for a few days.

Answer 10

I think the problem is is that the Cubs had a lot more home games in the 1st half but now they are getting a lot more road games. They let the Cardinals and the Brewers close in on them if they lose tommorow and the next day and either the Cards or the Brewers win both those days they will be in serious trouble. If the Cardinals get a big lead on them there might be a chance that they can stretch it out for the Cubs in the series coming up soon between them. Either way the Cubs are digging themselves a hole that is getting bigger and bigger and if they don't close it up they'll probably lose the 1st place and might even be put in 3rd place.

Answer 11

It NEVER will!

Mwuhahahahahahahahahahaha!!!

Answer 12

Soriano doesn't get much credit but in the 47 games he has missed the cubs are 25-22 (.532 win %) and 33-19 with him a (.635 win %). They just seem more potent with him playing.

I say he plays LF Wednesday and the Cubs begin to tear up the NL then.