jjgman21

Tressel abstained from voting. BRILLIANT move to not give the No. 2 team bulletin board material in the event it wouldn't have been the No. 2 team Tressel voted for. Ingenious really. he's a brilliant coach. the idea of Tressel at a school that gets the talent OSU does is a scary proposition. they'll be in the running for the NC almoste every year for years to come.

didn't hurt the Houston Astros of the mid 90's. Cubs hitters were significantly better v. righthanders last year anyway. hitting lefties was a big problem, a fact that more left handed hitters would not address.

If I remember correctly, the Cubs scored more runs per game without Lofton than with him in 2003. Kenny Lofton does not guarantee the Cubs a playoff spot in 2004. you're kidding with this analysis, right? even if you recall correctly, what you imply is rather absurd. of course the Cubs would have been better with Lofton's OBP at the top of the order instead of CPatts. it doesn't guaranty a playoff spot, but it sure as hell makes their chances better. Patterson had a .317 obp as a leadoff hitter (245 abs) and .310 in the two hole (196 abs). I think keeping Patterson was the right move at the time but he was used incorrectly. even so, to imply Lofton's superior obp at the top of the order would have been no help is rather absurd and contrary to other analysis you've given here in the past. being on base those few extra times very well could have made the difference in three games, and that was all it would have taken to get into the playoffs.

for Soriano's contract he should clean out urinals and not complain if asked to and IMO it's a complete waste to have him leading off. Well you aren't in charge. This isn't MLB: The Show 06. It is how it is and it should be thought of arround those terms. yes, bend over backwards and let the player control the decisions. now that's the way to run an organization. I seem to recall that bit the Cubs in the ass very recently. these public statements by Hendry about what his plans are, ie. Soriano in the outfield and leading off, DeRosa being his starting secondbaseman, Izturis being his guy at short, etc. should all be taken with more grains of salt than I just spread on my sidewalks and driveway.

for Soriano's contract he should clean out urinals and not complain if asked to and IMO it's a complete waste to have him leading off.

Trot Nixon is also discussed in the article. one day Bruce explicitly says Nixon has not been mentioned in Cub circles, a couple days later he is lobbying for him in his article. what's your motivation here Bruce? do you think your articles may influence Hendry or are you just trying to float fodder for discussion?? Why on earth would we want Nixon? He hasn't done anything that someone like Matt Murton hasn't done, and Murton is 1/20th cost and 7 years younger. Some decent kid from the system could do the same thing Trot could do. I think it's tied into the rumor that Jones will be dealt, the 'need' for a lefty bat and other nuances needed to round out this team. he'd be looked at as probably a fourth outfielder. I disagree that some kid from the system could step in and do what he does. not the Cubs farm system anyway.

do I get any credit for being two weeks ahead of Hardball Times?

I don't think it would be that big of a stretch, considering he's 39. he'll probably decline in terms of average, but old legs won't prevent him from drawing a walk every 9 times he steps to the plate like he's done forever.

I can only answer to one of those, but I'd say Yes. ;) Indeed. But I don't want Hendry to spend unwisely. It may be too late with Fonzie already here. I disagree. it is very wise to look that far into the future. as I mentioned to you in another thread where you predicted the Cubs to be a .500 team should they add Lilly, nobody ever goes into October with the same team they went into April with. that is the primary reason I think it silly to build an alledged 'World Series' team in December. going into the season with a weakness or two, but with full intention of addressing those weaknesses, is not a bad thing. give it a couple months to see exactly where your weaknesses are or where injuries may occur, then make a deal or two to become the complete team we would all like to go into the season with. what is dumb is trying to address every weakness on the club in a bad market. give it a few more months for everything to shake out.

Trot Nixon is also discussed in the article. one day Bruce explicitly says Nixon has not been mentioned in Cub circles, a couple days later he is lobbying for him in his article. what's your motivation here Bruce? do you think your articles may influence Hendry or are you just trying to float fodder for discussion??

this is a fantastic idea but makes too much sense for the Cubs to do it. cap it off with signing Lugo, and it's pretty much the best offense in the NL. I proposed this in a thread in Baseball Discussions just yesterday.

ah, so they would get to Mike Hart quickly before they bounce off of him. that's it. I'm done. you sir, are absurd. I'm being realistic but you have the top 3 teams in the Big 10 as good as the NFL. I haven't seen or read a thing from you about an honest evaluation of the top 3 Big 10 teams other than they are the best or better than the Big East. nonsense. I've stated my position on these three teams many times over these past few weeks, so you need not put words into my mouth. what I have said is OSU is clearly the best team in the country and Michigan is exactly where they should be, right there with USC and now that USC lost they should be considered slightly ahead of them. that isn't just me. that is what all the official polls say, that is what all the computer polls say, that is what all the fan polls say. and maybe, just maybe that's what the imaginary good old boys say. I have said many many many many many times on this board that my alma mater, University of Wisconsin, is over ranked and doesn't deserve to be where they are, although I love where they are because they are an example of how screwed up the poll system and BCS is. I have never claimed they are better than Louisville, although I think they would beat Rutgers handily, have a rough time with WV because their D is more geared toward the pass, but still win because their size on the O-line would just dominate the skinny assed front seven of WV. you keep trying to turn this into me defending the Big 10. it is not. it is about me trying to make you realize, as many others have attemped, that the Big East sucks and is a notch behind the power conferences. but you keep using these pathetic tactics in these arguments. debate this straight up for once instead of arguing like Ann freakin Coulter. edit for this - one more comment on my alma mater, they played Michigan tougher than anyone other than the best team in the country and were outplaying Michigan until the zebras decided to give the game to Michigan about halfway through the second quarter. if you think ND is where they should be, and compare how ND and UW faired against UM, you might say UW is right where they belong.

sign Lofton, move Soriano back to second, platoon DeRosa and Jones in right.

I agree with whoever said he has better range than most people think or give him credit for. I think Murton has gotten his rep as bad defensively for looking awkward trying to catch balls that other leftfielders would have looked good on as they trotted over to pick the ball up off the ground. add to that a couple of misadventures in the well, where nobody but Billy Williams has mastered playing, and there you have an undeserved reputation as a bad defensive player.

I thought he was who the Cubs should get for Maddux if they didn't get a prospect.

just assembel an all loogie bullpen and we'll be set.

ah, so they would get to Mike Hart quickly before they bounce off of him. that's it. I'm done. you sir, are absurd.

It's funny. I could change the word "East" to "Ten" and the statement would still be true. great. now you too. mmmk. no it would not. name me the Big East equivalents of Minnesota, Indiana, and Iowa. you cannot. why do you guys keep this up? it's really the silliest sustained argument in favor of an untennable position I can remember in all my time on this board. Yeah, I don't get that either. Ohio St. and Michigan are both really good, Wisconsin is good (that's three BCS teams right there). Are South Florida, Cincy, and Pittsburgh better than Penn St., Purdue, and Minnesota? I don't think so. I take it you win every bet you make since you always know what teams are better? God, UConn which finished in last....last beat Indiana in Indiana. Talk about not getting it. I don't quite understand what you're getting at -- that UConn is a better overall team than Indiana? UConn lost to Syracuse (and I'm sure you're well aware of that team's talents). And Syracuse finished in last, btw. After Ohio St, Michigan, and Wisconsin, I don't think the Big 10 is "crap". The Big East after Louisville, Rutgers, and West Virginia may not necessarily be crap, but I think that the Big 10 has much stronger teams. I mean, I think Wisconsin could beat anyone in the Big East, and they're the Big 10's 3rd team. (You could look at rankings alone) I'm giving up now. he keeps coming back to seven degrees from Kevin Bacon and waiving it as a flag of uncontrovertableness and whining that noone can prove anything so they shouldn't form an opinion that the Big East sucks. lamest, most absurd argument I've ever been in. I am dumber for having engaged in it.

It's funny. I could change the word "East" to "Ten" and the statement would still be true. great. now you too. mmmk. no it would not. name me the Big East equivalents of Minnesota, Indiana, and Iowa. you cannot. why do you guys keep this up? it's really the silliest sustained argument in favor of an untennable position I can remember in all my time on this board. I watch a lot of college football and I used to scout teams for the Varsity HS team and look for weaknesses and strengths. Honestly, if I didn't feel so strongly about the subject I wouldn't debate it so hard. 2 years ago I would agree with you. Last year the Big East was a competitive conference but not one of the top ones. This year they can compete with any conference in the country bar none but reputations preceed actual production in college football. then I guess the operative words are "used to." your powers of observation must have taken a hit over the years. I just watched WVU-Rutgers and I watched parts of Rutgers-Louisville and I saw Rutgers-Cincinnati. the level of play is far below that of the power conferences. those 200 pound linebackers for WVU trying to stop the Rutgers running back in a goal line situation is all you really need to know about the conference. I never and let me say never said WV had a good defense and I also said at the beginning of the year that Louisville was the Best team in the big East. Opps, sorry, using more facts. You just keep on the rambling assumptions....carry on. your use of facts is selective and often misleading, and always circular, so your attempt at sarcasm falls a little short. in fact, you really don't give any "facts" here other than what you claim you have said. I would love it if regurgitating things I said previously was all I needed to do to persuade. I guess it got us into a war in Iraq, but it's not going to persuade anyone here. so you admit the second best team in the conference is incomplete and these teams don't play at the same level as the power conferences, but for some flimsy reason are going to keep up this nonsense that the Big East is just as good as the power conferences? whatever man. I think this post proves your previous post as a bunch of BS. you don't really believe what you are saying or at a minimum know on a not too deep level that you are in fact full of crap.

I guess I'm confused on how you think Miami and Kansas St are horrible teams? They have amoung the top 15 records over the last 15 years. I just told you that I am not going to let you get away with selective facts. KState 05 5-6 04 4-7 03 11-4 02 11-2 and in which of those years was KState scheduled? Schedules are made years in advance. Whoops sorry, I was using facts again. nice try, but I didn't ask you how things usually are done. I asked you when this game was actually scheduled. two years ago Louisville was scheduled to play Memphis, UAB, Southern Miss, and Houston this year, but it didn't exactly happen now did it. doesn't really matter though. play some teams that are good the year that you actually play them, and maybe you'll get some respect.

It's funny. I could change the word "East" to "Ten" and the statement would still be true. great. now you too. mmmk. no it would not. name me the Big East equivalents of Minnesota, Indiana, and Iowa. you cannot. why do you guys keep this up? it's really the silliest sustained argument in favor of an untennable position I can remember in all my time on this board. I watch a lot of college football and I used to scout teams for the Varsity HS team and look for weaknesses and strengths. Honestly, if I didn't feel so strongly about the subject I wouldn't debate it so hard. 2 years ago I would agree with you. Last year the Big East was a competitive conference but not one of the top ones. This year they can compete with any conference in the country bar none but reputations preceed actual production in college football. then I guess the operative words are "used to." your powers of observation must have taken a hit over the years. I just watched WVU-Rutgers and I watched parts of Rutgers-Louisville and I saw Rutgers-Cincinnati. the level of play is far below that of the power conferences. those 200 pound linebackers for WVU trying to stop the Rutgers running back in a goal line situation is all you really need to know about the conference.

I guess I'm confused on how you think Miami and Kansas St are horrible teams? They have amoung the top 15 records over the last 15 years. I just told you that I am not going to let you get away with selective facts. KState 05 5-6 04 4-7 03 11-4 02 11-2 and in which of those years was KState scheduled? edit - your framing is also a bunch of BS. Soul's larger point is all the teams need to schedule tougher opponents to get respect. the entire conference needs to schedule tougher opponents to get respect. you are trying to make it seem like the entire conference should be respected because of wins over a down and out Miami team and a crappy KState and Kentucky team. btw, you just made a bold statement about the matchups. c'mon. pick the winners. show us just how insane you are when it comes to this subject.

It's funny. I could change the word "East" to "Ten" and the statement would still be true. great. now you too. mmmk. no it would not. name me the Big East equivalents of Minnesota, Indiana, and Iowa. you cannot. why do you guys keep this up? it's really the silliest sustained argument in favor of an untennable position I can remember in all my time on this board.

then how are you watching the Big East?

How did Georgia do against WV last year, I forgot? they edged them by 3. damn, you're righ Cuse. I take it all back, the Big East is awesome. if only Georgia wasn't the third or fourth best team in the SEC last year that happened to get into a BCS bowl, you might have a point. how'd WVU do the year before? oh, they got crushed. and the year before? oh, they got crushed. and the year before? oh, didn't make a bowl game. and the year before? oh, didn't make a bowl game. and the year before? hey, a big win against Ole Miss. the year before? oh, didn't make a bowl game. nice feather in your cap with that Georgia win, but I have too much time on my hand for your selective facts to have much impact in this debate.