erik316wttn

Usually it would be the bottom of the order. But I can live with those 4 guys. Although I still think we're not going to get 1, much less 2 off of Wagner.

Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope.

But Burnitz has the higher OBP. Bloop single Macias.

He shortened it, though. If you remember he used to almost corkscrew himself into the ground when he swung.

This team doesn't even look like it cares anymore. It's sad, really, how they've quit on Dusty for the 2nd year in a row now. What happened to the "master motivator?"

Let me guess, the throwing hand of the scheduled starters for Fri-Sat-Sun, for the Mets, are LH-RH-LH, right? That was sarcastically said, but seeing as how the Astros lead just continues to get bigger, I don't see the benefit of giving Nomar a day off RIGHT AFTER HE COMES BACK. But maybe that's just me. I understand "being cautious", but at some point a concession needs to be made - needing to do everything possible to keep Nomar healthy (only play him 3-4/6 or 4-5/7 games a week) or needing to do whatever it takes to try and catch Houston. Playing Neifi Perez 2-3 days a week ahead of a guy like (now healthy) Nomar is not how you play "winning baseball". But, as I always forget, there is the "Dusty Baker is manager" problem that can't be overlooked. All hope is lost. Dusty has a ridiculously hopeless man-crush on Neifi that will not go away.

Neifi is redundant with Nomar coming back. Cedeno can play all the positions that Neifi plays, therefore there is no need for him. Oh wait, I forgot Dusty is the manager. Silly me.

It's not Dusty's fault that Remmy didn't cover the bag. But it WILL be Dusty's fault if he doesn't make it very clear to Remmy and everyone in that clubhouse that if sloppy play like that happens again, the offending party will have a very light wallet and may find himself collecting splinters for a game or two.

But at least they keep it interesting. And look on the bright side.... there can't be too many more ways to lose, right?

Don't hold your breathe......DUDE. Dusty seems too laid-back for that. This team has quit on him. They look like they don't even care anymore. They're not covering bases, and they're making errors that first year little leaguers know not to make. It's hard to be optimistic about anything when the team doesnt look like they care.

That's what happens to the eternal optimist..... they get thier heart ripped out every year. I've stopped being optimistic and have just gone to "hopeful, but not expectant". It's far easier to take games like this that way.

And the Cubs find yet another new way to lose a game. Can't say I've ever seen that one before. But, at least they make losing interesting, don't they?

Just got in. What's the score?

Apples and Oranges really. But, I'll disagree. With whatever you want to say about taking steroids, the ultimate point was to win. There is never any potential to throw a game. When betting on your own team, there is that potential. That's why Shoeless Joe isn't in the HOF, and that's why Rose will never be either. Although they are certainly not the same things, I equate them both in my mind when I consider a person's character and being deserving of the HOF. I would never vote a person into the baseball HOF if I knew they had used steroids - ESPECIALLY someone who stood in front of millions of people and said they had never used them. I don't care that they may have used them to try to win - that's a terrible argument in my mind. It's cheating any way you stretch it, and it ruins the game imho. Personally I believe in my heart that the use of steroids in baseball has had a much much more detrimental affect on the sport than anything Pete Rose did while gambling. How many young kids who didn't use steroids never made it to the big leagues because of those who did? How many game results were affected by guys who were using steroids? How many championships, MVP's, batting titles, Cy Young awards etc... were affected because of the use of steroids? I just believe that if you're going to forgive someone who is a proven user and allow them into the HOF, you should forgive Pete Rose and allow him in as well. It will be up to the sportswriters to determine if Raffy is going to get into the hall and unlike any of the other sports, baseball has listed character as a determining factor as to whether or not a vote may be cast for someone. Pete Rose has been banned from baseball while Raffy has not and until the penalty for Steroids is a lifetime ban then players that are caught using, still have a chance to get in. Yup - I understand the difference between the two, and I do understand that it will be up to the sportswriters to make or not make the choice, I guess I'm just stating my personal opinion that I would find it hypocritical and it would personally taint the HOF in my eyes for someone who has been caught using steroids to be allowed in, while Pete Rose is not. Again, me personal opinion (and all these are personal opinions) is that neither one of them deserve to be in the HOF, I just think it would be wrong for one to get in while the other does not. As an aside - how is Madison these days? My wife and I both went to college there and if we had been able to find good paying jobs there in our fields of interest we'd still be there! We both LOVED the city and campus! Madison is good. Heading down to the Memorial Union Terrace for a few beers tonight in fact. When did you go to school here? I was a student for '89 to '94? *sigh* Memorial Union Terrace and a beer - there's nothing quite that good!! I went to the UW Steven's Point in 83-84 then transferred to the UW Madison where I graduated with a BS in chemistry in 86. My wife went there from 84-87 - I transferred to Madison because it got to the point eventually where I was skipping Thursday and Friday classes to road trip down to see her, then skipping Monday classes cause I didn't want to leave - seemed like I might as well just transfer :-). I lived in some apartments right off State Street for a couple years and then we moved out to the West side of town when I graduated. Since we got married, we've lived in Madison, Cottage Grove, Port Washington, Milwaukee, Champaign IL, Newman IL, Decatur IL and now a couple years ago moved to Londonderry, NH (about 40 miles N of Boston). We both miss Wisconsin plenty, but it's nice to have distance from family a bit too :-). After a bunch of years in IL, it's also very nice to move to a state that has hills, trees and water much like WI - IL was nothing but corn and beans as far as you could see :-(. Of all the college campuses I've seen, Madison's is by far the most fun and the nicest. Glad to say hi to a fellow Badger :-) That's why we Wisconsinites call Illinois people "flatlanders".

As it is with all teams who become successful. We need the vets here like Lee, Ramirez, Nomar and Walker (IMO, anyway, some people will probably disagree), and Barrett, but as far as Murton, Greenberg, Cedeno (as a backup and off-day giver to Nomar and Walker), Pie, etc go, they all should be given thier fair shot at success, even if it means passing on a vet. There really isn't much out there this year anyway except Giles, and I don't mind a 2006 opening day OF of Murton, Patterson/Greenberg, Pie. Give the kids a shot.

He could and someday will be a great pitching coach... See, I don't know. It's a weird thing. Has any really awesome superstar player been able to make the successful transition to a manager or pitching/hitting coach? I know a few have tried, but it always seems to be the guys who had a cup of coffee in the majors or the guys who were the backup players that make the best coaches/managers.

I wouldn't mind Griffey for Patterson and a few prospects, assuming the Reds eat a chunk of his deal.

If it came in May, how come we're just hearing about it now?

The NY Times wouldn't have printed it without a reliable source. They have a reputation to uphold. I was one of those people giving Raffy a POSSIBLE "benefit of the doubt" when he said he may have taken it and not realised it. Now I think he's full of crap. What, you don't believe he accidentally sat on that needle??? :D Well no. My basis came from an NHL player a few years ago who inadvertantly took Sudafed for a cold and got suspended under the substance abuse program because there apparently is something performance enhancing about Sudafed. I thought maybe he took a suppliment he didn't know was bad and maybe that's why it showed up. I'm an "innocent until proven guilty" kind of guy. But now if the Times is correct and this steroid wasn't in any suppliments, then it was taken intentionally and he's full of crap and I hate him.

The NY Times wouldn't have printed it without a reliable source. They have a reputation to uphold. I was one of those people giving Raffy a POSSIBLE "benefit of the doubt" when he said he may have taken it and not realised it. Now I think he's full of crap.

yeah, I think he quit, but then when he got off to that awful start (i released him on my fantasy team) he started taking them (again?).

K's are not the be-all-end-all. You can be effective getting grounders and pop-ups.

Yeah, well if that's true, Raffy is in a whole heap of trouble. "yeah, it was in something I took" Bullcrap, cheater.

Most people use liquor.

5 words, in no particular order. Is. Baker. Idiot. Dusty. An.