04/17 St Louis (Walters) @ Cubs (Zambrano) 1:20,WGNTV,XM183

[cubswin2009]

Lou is so going Patton, Vizciano, Cotts here

[cubswin2009]

Not jumping to conclusions, but name one 2B that could be out there in July just in case....

Brian Roberts!

[Sammys Boombox]

I'm sorry. This team isn't winning 80 games this year the way they're playing.

 

The pitching and lack of clutch hitting scares me.

There isn't any such thing as clutch hitting. You either have hitting, or you don't.

 

I disagree. Some guys can handle the situation and others can't. Look at Soriano's numbers with men on compared to nobody on. I'm not saying it proves my argument, but I think it shows evidence toward my argument.

 

 

The relief pitching should probably scare you, but it is what it is and it's what we knew it was coming in. At least we have Marmol.

 

Not a whole lot about this offense should scare you, aside from maybe Derrek Lee having further regressed. We get runners on. We will score lots of runs.

 

Oh, I'm scared about the bullpen. It's just that I wasn't expecting a whole lot out of the middle innings this year. I was expecting a lot more from the SP and offense. The season is still young though.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Not jumping to conclusions, but name one 2B that could be out there in July just in case....

 

Ronnie Belliard

Mark DeRosa

[David]

 

 

No your're right you should make silly assumptions that the Cubs are in the top of the league after 9.5 games simply based on last year. It goes both ways, Im not making an assumption either way you are.

 

Or I can make evaluations based on the players on the team, their histories, and stuff like that. Whether or not they wind up performing the best is a completely different subject.

 

There is a team right now that is intrinsically the best in the NL and one that's the worst and a whole bunch in between. It means something and I'm pretty sure we're allowed to attempt to figure it out.

Edited April 17, 2009 by David

[Little Slide Rooter]

2 innings left. Hopefully our pen can keep it where it is.

[cubswin2009]

2 innings left. Hopefully our pen can keep it where it is.

Don't hold your breath

[abuck1220]

I'm sorry. This team isn't winning 80 games this year the way they're playing.

 

The pitching and lack of clutch hitting scares me.

There isn't any such thing as clutch hitting. You either have hitting, or you don't.

 

I disagree. Some guys can handle the situation and others can't. Look at Soriano's numbers with men on compared to nobody on. I'm not saying it proves my argument, but I think it shows evidence toward my argument.

 

soriano's OPS from 2006-2008 with runners on: .884

soriano's OPS from 2006-2008 with no one on: .902

 

CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE. CASE CLOSED.

[cubswin2009]

Where the [expletive] was that?

[PrimeTime]

I can still cant get over how idiotic not resigning Kerry Wood is.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm sorry. This team isn't winning 80 games this year the way they're playing.

 

The pitching and lack of clutch hitting scares me.

There isn't any such thing as clutch hitting. You either have hitting, or you don't.

 

I disagree. Some guys can handle the situation and others can't. Look at Soriano's numbers with men on compared to nobody on. I'm not saying it proves my argument, but I think it shows evidence toward my argument.

 

soriano's OPS from 2006-2008 with runners on: .884

soriano's OPS from 2006-2008 with no one on: .902

 

CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE. CASE CLOSED.

 

You've convinced me.

[Mephistopheles]

Another Cards fan here...I was surprised by Soto but not mad. Ludwick was a second round draft pick who just had bad luck with injuries. Very talented player.

 

Would you be pissed if Hoffpauir hit 37 home runs this year?

 

Because that would be the same situation as Ludwick.

 

No not mad but Ludwick was a second round pick with a lot of promise. I do not believe Hoffpauir was drafted in the first 10 rounds. All this points out is he was highly rearded and not some undrafted player...Barden was highly touted before he had the hernia issues as well. The Cards have been good about looking at players that others have neglegted to care about. Ludwick had a great year in the minors before the Cards got him.

 

But come on. Nothing in this description suggests that Ludwick would become the hitter he's become. It could have been projected that he'd hit like 08 Ankiel or maybe a little better than that, but the level he's on right now comes completely out of nowhere.

 

You are right. My only point was he had talent early on that we are seeing today. In no way am I saying I knew he would be this good.

 

For what it's worth, Micah's and Ludwicks raw power grades have always been about the same. Ludwick had more athleticism and was a more polished overall hitter than Hoffpauir was. Either way before 2007 Ludwick had a .750 or so OPS the two years prior in AAA as a 26 and 27 year old. Prior to 2008 Micah had a .850 or so OPS in AAA as a 26 and 27 year old.

 

In his age 28 season Ludwick had an OPS of about 850 between AAA and MLB. In his age 28 season Hoffpauir had an OPS over 1100 in AAA and over 900 in limited MLB experience.

 

In his age 29 season Ludwick was on the Cardinal Juice and had a .966 OPS in the majors with 37 homers. Ludwick had previously never had an OPS over .900 for a full season (combined in a season between any level). In his age 29 year season what will Micah do?

 

Really it's nearly an identical story if Micah hits like Ludwick did. It's not hard to see the parallels.

[Soul]

What the heck is with this expression Ankiel puts on his face when he hits?

[David]

At least there's two outs.

[cubswin2009]

Yay bullpen

[Little Slide Rooter]

Because that would be the same situation as Ludwick.

 

No not mad but Ludwick was a second round pick with a lot of promise. I do not believe Hoffpauir was drafted in the first 10 rounds. All this points out is he was highly rearded and not some undrafted player...Barden was highly touted before he had the hernia issues as well. The Cards have been good about looking at players that others have neglegted to care about. Ludwick had a great year in the minors before the Cards got him.

 

But come on. Nothing in this description suggests that Ludwick would become the hitter he's become. It could have been projected that he'd hit like 08 Ankiel or maybe a little better than that, but the level he's on right now comes completely out of nowhere.

 

You are right. My only point was he had talent early on that we are seeing today. In no way am I saying I knew he would be this good.

 

For what it's worth, Micah's and Ludwicks raw power grades have always been about the same. Ludwick had more athleticism and was a more polished overall hitter than Hoffpauir was. Either way before 2007 Ludwick had a .750 or so OPS the two years prior in AAA as a 26 and 27 year old. Prior to 2008 Micah had a .850 or so OPS in AAA as a 26 and 27 year old.

 

In his age 28 season Ludwick had an OPS of about 850 between AAA and MLB. In his age 28 season Hoffpauir had an OPS over 1100 in AAA and over 900 in limited MLB experience.

 

In his age 29 season Ludwick was on the Cardinal Juice and had a .966 OPS in the majors with 37 homers. Ludwick had previously never had an OPS over .900 for a full season (combined in a season between any level). In his age 29 year season what will Micah do?

 

Really it's nearly an identical story if Micah hits like Ludwick did. It's not hard to see the parallels.

 

The difference being that Micah doesnt have an everyday spot on his teram, whereas Ludwick did.

[B]

Lou is so going Patton, Vizciano, Cotts here

that's just for 1 hitter.

[Soul]

Please don't give up the 2 out run here.

[Mephistopheles]

The difference being that Micah doesnt have an everyday spot on his teram, whereas Ludwick did.

 

The conversation started when I said that if Micah hit 37 HRs this year it'd be the same thing as what Ludwick did. I'm not sure if you saw the beginning of the conversation or not.

[anabiono]

heilman!

 

thank you for the false hope

[David]

Inning over. Let's get some more this inning.

[killthegoat06]

Come on... let's take this friggin game

[Little Slide Rooter]

The difference being that Micah doesnt have an everyday spot on his teram, whereas Ludwick did.

 

The conversation started when I said that if Micah hit 37 HRs this year it'd be the same thing as what Ludwick did. I'm not sure if you saw the beginning of the conversation or not.

 

Just my old theory that if you take a minor league star like Hoff or Jake Fox and play them every day, eventually they'll become a serviceable major league player. Unforunately, with a team in contention, you dont have time to be patient, so they usually end up on the bench or back in the minors. I know the theory didnt quite pan out for Jason Dubis, but still.

[Soul]

The difference being that Micah doesnt have an everyday spot on his teram, whereas Ludwick did.

 

The conversation started when I said that if Micah hit 37 HRs this year it'd be the same thing as what Ludwick did. I'm not sure if you saw the beginning of the conversation or not.

 

Just my old theory that if you take a minor league star like Hoff or Jake Fox and play them every day, eventually they'll become a serviceable major league player. Unforunately, with a team in contention, you dont have time to be patient, so they usually end up on the bench or back in the minors. I know the theory didnt quite pan out for Jason Dubis, but still.

 

Did Jason really get that chance to fail for awhile in order to succeed later on?

[Little Slide Rooter]

I call we score 2, and Gregg coughs up 3 the next innign and the board is crashed by the influx of Marmol for closer posts.