Steve Stone

I wanted to comment about this earlier but couldn't find time.

The feud between Steven Stone and Dusty Baker/Players is amusing and shows how shallow this team has been this year. I was aware of Alou crying about Steve Stone but wasn't aware of this one.

The feud escalated July 22 when outfielder Moises Alou referred to Stone and Chip Caray as "too negative." Baker defended Alou the next day. The controversy flared anew Aug. 27 when pitcher Kent Mercker called the press box during a game to complain about Caray and Stone praising Houston pitcher Roy Oswalt during a Cubs loss.

Middle of a pennant race and a player calls during a game? Let me guess its the press box to blame for our team's struggle this season. They can't handle two middle age guys who just tell it the way it is. No wonder this team flopped last year in the playoffs when the pressure was on to win 1 game out of 4 to get to the World Series. The poll on the website shows the fans are behind Steve Stone all the way. 91% say keep him him overall, and 4% say can him.

Stone has been upset at Baker for allowing Mercker to berate him on the team charter and at the team hotel without fear of recrimination.

Baker lost control of this team and failed as a manager. No player should ever be allowed to do that, but under Dusty's ship it has been ok to act like an idiot and lose. Those things get in the way of winning.

Let me just get one thing straight. Dusty Baker may be a popular manager to most Cubs fans but he isnt more popular than Steve Stone. It sounds kind of stupid taking the side of a broadcaster over a manager. But I dont think one Cubs fan would have a problem if Steve Stone was the manager of the Chicago Cubs. Many of us have grown up on his broadcasting and know he is a extremly smart man when it comes to strategy in the game. If push came to shove and one or the other had to go, Cubs fans would kick Dusty Baker out on the first bus out of town.

Simply amazing what this team concentrates on and gets fired up for in the middle of a pennant race.