3/19ST Cubs (ss) Vs. Mariners (ss)/Cubs @ Brewers 3:05 CT

[CubinNY]

 

I don't really care about the rest of the argument. I think PECOTA does a generally solid job of projecting hitters -- including rookies.

I think the correlation to actual performance is around .6 or .7 for any given year. That is pretty solid, but not outstanding.

 

What is up with Sean G?

[98navigator]

LOL, the interviewing on the Brewers network is funny. I know it's all relative but they are talking about "all the money" they spent an how it signals a Win Now mode... A lot of PR hype

 

Well, if spending money is all it takes, the Cubs have the division wrapped up!

[PrimeTime]

Depressing article

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070319&content_id=1850409&vkey=spt2007news&fext=.jsp

 

I am honestly finished with them..Im sick of the drama in the everyday life of Wood and Prior trying to make it back..They had all damn offseason and we still have to wait.. and wait.. and more " setbacks" ..Trade them for anything, I am sick of hearing about them already.

[98navigator]

Sean Marshall is making his Cactus League debut

 

leadoff single

[karenmac]

Sean Marshall now in for the cubs in Maryvale

[98navigator]

Weeks strikes out

 

1 down, runner at 1b

[TruffleShuffle]

I still don't know why we threw money at DeRosa...I wouldv'e loved to have The Riot the everyday second baseman.

 

Probably because the last time the Cubs made somebody a starter after watching him have an anomolously good previous year, they got to watch Ronny Cedeno play a full year as one of the worst hitters in baseball.

 

It's not like Derosa has a long pedigree of success either, though.

 

he's been an adequate major league second baseman for most of the past seven years. Ryan Theriot has been an average minor league hitter for most of his career.

[CubColtPacer]

Against Seattle, the Cubs add 3 more in the 4th on 4 more hits. It is 14-4 Cubs after 4 now, and some of the backups are coming in (Walker in for Soriano, McGehee in for Ramirez).

[karenmac]

it's hysterical to hear the Milwaukee announcers talk - "Sheets is looking great" - only we were at the game yesterday and he looked *horrible*. And they really shouldn't be talking about our pitchers unless they know what they're talking about. Ugh.

[98navigator]

Depressing article

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070319&content_id=1850409&vkey=spt2007news&fext=.jsp

 

I am honestly finished with them..Im sick of the drama in the everyday life of Wood and Prior trying to make it back..They had all damn offseason and we still have to wait.. and wait.. and more " setbacks" ..Trade them for anything, I am sick of hearing about them already.

 

LOL, I hear ya... I can't get too upset because the team is prepared to play without them. Letting them stay in AZ may be best for the team (and them). No distractions

[98navigator]

BTW, Marshall ended the inning by inducing a DP.

 

Cedeno & Tomas Perez pop out

 

2 down

[PrimeTime]

Depressing article

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070319&content_id=1850409&vkey=spt2007news&fext=.jsp

 

I am honestly finished with them..Im sick of the drama in the everyday life of Wood and Prior trying to make it back..They had all damn offseason and we still have to wait.. and wait.. and more " setbacks" ..Trade them for anything, I am sick of hearing about them already.

 

LOL, I hear ya... I can't get too upset because the team is prepared to play without them. Letting them stay in AZ may be best for the team (and them). No distractions

 

 

I dont know about Wood, But I really think Prior was on some performance enhancing drugs a couple years back..He was dominant throwing 95-97 MPH..Then they started testing and he had to get off it and now his body is so weak and brittle like alot of other drug users that have all the injuries.He cant even hit 90 MPH anymore.His tree trunk legs have shrunk alot.This is just my opinion..

[98navigator]

Soto strikes out to end the inning

 

10-4 Cubs

[Omar]

I know both games have a good chunk of innings left, but it looks pretty good to me for a win.. and a push above .500..

 

I'm out.

[TruffleShuffle]

btw, DeRosa isn't a great, established starter, so if Theriot or Patterson prove they are good enough to start, they'll be starting before DeRosa's contract is up. If/when that happens, he'll go back to being a utility player, a role in which he can still earn his contract and be valuable.

[Omar]

btw, DeRosa isn't a great, established starter, so if Theriot or Patterson prove they are good enough to start, they'll be starting before DeRosa's contract is up. If/when that happens, he'll go back to being a utility player, a role in which he can still earn his contract and be valuable.

 

Hasnt he been sick a lot lately?

 

I doubt Patterson will get the starting job this early. If Pie doesnt, then Patterson doesnt.

[CubColtPacer]

btw, DeRosa isn't a great, established starter, so if Theriot or Patterson prove they are good enough to start, they'll be starting before DeRosa's contract is up. If/when that happens, he'll go back to being a utility player, a role in which he can still earn his contract and be valuable.

 

I would agree, and I think that's a big reason why they chose DeRosa over some of the other 2B available. He gives you options to be able to let the development of somebody like Patterson proceed naturally, and then DeRosa still has value even when the time may come when Patterson (or Theriot) would beat him out for the starting job. That's a nice thing to have coming into the next couple years.

[98navigator]

Depressing article

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070319&content_id=1850409&vkey=spt2007news&fext=.jsp

 

I am honestly finished with them..Im sick of the drama in the everyday life of Wood and Prior trying to make it back..They had all damn offseason and we still have to wait.. and wait.. and more " setbacks" ..Trade them for anything, I am sick of hearing about them already.

 

LOL, I hear ya... I can't get too upset because the team is prepared to play without them. Letting them stay in AZ may be best for the team (and them). No distractions

 

 

I dont know about Wood, But I really think Prior was on some performance enhancing drugs a couple years back..He was dominant throwing 95-97 MPH..Then they started testing and he had to get off it and now his body is so weak and brittle like alot of other drug users that have all the injuries.He cant even hit 90 MPH anymore.His tree trunk legs have shrunk alot.This is just my opinion..

 

I don't think Prior ever threw much over 94mph. Don't forget that Prior has had real injuries. I think the collision with Giles and the arm fracture (specifically) screwed up his mechanics and helped to cause the achilles injury...

 

I actually believe Prior now that he says he's healthy (but I think he has a mental block on letting it loose because he's been injured so much recently).

 

I really don't think either did steroids or any other performance enhancing drug.

[Brian]

btw, DeRosa isn't a great, established starter, so if Theriot or Patterson prove they are good enough to start, they'll be starting before DeRosa's contract is up. If/when that happens, he'll go back to being a utility player, a role in which he can still earn his contract and be valuable.

 

Hasnt he been sick a lot lately?

 

I doubt Patterson will get the starting job this early. If Pie doesnt, then Patterson doesnt.

 

Patterson will (hopefully) earn it some time over the life of Derosa's contract (3 years).

[98navigator]

Eric Patterson isn't good enough defensively to unseat anyone at 2B. He needs to work on his glve game.

[CubColtPacer]

Howry did a good job in his outing today. 1 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball with only 1 H allowed. Middle of 5, still 14-4 Cubs over Seattle.

[98navigator]

14-4 in Mesa

[98navigator]

Ryan O'Malley pitching

[TruffleShuffle]

Eric Patterson isn't good enough defensively to unseat anyone at 2B. He needs to work on his glve game.

 

I wasn't saying right now, I was saying down the road. DeRosa will be the starter at the beginning of this season, and probably for most of this season, as long as he plays OK. Next year, I'd expect there to be more of a chance for Patterson or Theriot to earn the job, unless DeRosa really has a big year.

[Laura]

What is up with Sean G?

 

I thought it was a good outing for him (I missed his first inning). His fastball was consistently in the low-nineties (92-93) and had good movement. He threw mainly fastball-changeup and worked quickly. I didn't see him snap off his curve (did anyone else?). He set down the first 6 hitters in order. He gave up a run in the 3rd off a single and double. He came out for the 4th, but BB'd Fielder on 4 pitches, then coughed up a HR to Bill Hall before getting pulled. It was the second time through the lineup and he may have been getting gassed at that point. They had Rapada warming up when he started the inning.

 

He faced mainly Brewers regulars and the announcers said it was the 3rd time he'd pitched against Milwaukee in ST (the other time was vs the Angels, I think). The announcers also said he was 'nursing a sore shoulder' (implying more than normal soreness) but I don't know if that's accurate.

 

It's nice to see Marshall pitching again.