CP_414

True Story: After tonight's sausage race the Chorizo will not be seen until 2007. Rumor is he is being deported until he gets a green card.

I also heard them talking last night about an infielder and a name pitcher. Obviously Bell was the infielder. I wonder if they will make a move for Maddux after the Cubs game today. It's hard to imagine a team 7 games under .500 and 6.5 out of the Wild Card (and behind Florida and others) sees themselves as buyers, but why else would they pull the Bell trade?

The Yankees love Cano because he is the first productive hitter they have developed and not traded in a couple years (since Jeter?). I could see them sitting this one out. I would love to see the Cubs focus on a couple international players this offseason: Gurriel and the pitcher coming over from Asia this winter. Then add a high OBP guy like Trot Nixon and we have something going.

All other ballparks in that division are bottom half (Fish park is last), but RFK is actually #6, right behind Wrigley. How do those stats work? Is it skewed by the fact that Soriano is producing so much in spite of the size of the ballpark? Is it based on number of HR's hit in that park? If so, that says more about the home team than the park, doesn't it?

If a corner OF w/ an .835 is a Superstar, you can have all the Superstars you want. At 2B, that's good; for corner OF, it's nothing special. I want good baseball players, hype or not. Soriano's all hype. Thats a little over the top. Has he been overrated in the past? You bet. This year he is hitting almost .300, OBP over .360 and he is on his way to 40 HR's, 40 doubles, and 40 steals. I don't think it's fair to say he is "all hype" at this point. Will he do it again next year? I have no idea. He is doing it now though. Will he do it for the next 3 months? I don't have any idea about that either, but his career numbers suggest otherwise (esp if you put him back in the AL - the NL East isn't exactly full of dominant pitchers). If Soriano's 400 ABs this year make him a Superstar, that's just insane. His career numbers, esp w/ that .325 OBP, are nothing special. As I said in my post he has been overrated in his career. However, as much as I value OBP I realize a player can be productive with a sub-par OBP. I think it may be the most important stat in the game, but if you have great power you have a lot to add anyway. For his entire career Soriano has a 162 game seasonal average of 35 HR's/35 Steals/40 doubles, a .281 lifetime average and a .511 slugging percentage. His OBP is subpar at .325. That is the main reason why I have said he has been overrated in the past. This season, he is a superstar. Throughout his career he has been very productive offensively (not all hype). Soriano is a lock to get a contract over $10M next year. It will probably be closer to $13M than $10M. I'm not saying I want Hendry to give him that much, but I think you are downplaying the success he has had in his career.

I don't know what the answer to this is, but has there ever been a 50/40/40 season? On his current pace Soriano will hit 51 HR's/41 doubles/ and have 41 steals.

If a corner OF w/ an .835 is a Superstar, you can have all the Superstars you want. At 2B, that's good; for corner OF, it's nothing special. I want good baseball players, hype or not. Soriano's all hype. Thats a little over the top. Has he been overrated in the past? You bet. This year he is hitting almost .300, OBP over .360 and he is on his way to 40 HR's, 40 doubles, and 40 steals. I don't think it's fair to say he is "all hype" at this point. Will he do it again next year? I have no idea. He is doing it now though.

McCarthy is quite a price to pay, but you have to respect Kenny Williams for going for it.

Ugh. Isn't there a rule that he can't be called up for 10 days after being sent down?

On ESPN News they just said Lee was put on the DL today. It was during the fantasy baseball segment so I don't know if it was in real life or in their fantasy league. Anyone know if this is true?

it's not hitting the white sox should be concerned with... Yeah, plus where would they put him?? LF. Pods in CF. And then where does Brian Anderson go?? AAA That's real smart :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: They're going to mess up a young kid just to have another masher in the lineup. http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j99/CubsBullsBears/LMAO.gifhttp://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j99/CubsBullsBears/LMAO.gifhttp://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j99/CubsBullsBears/LMAO.gifhttp://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j99/CubsBullsBears/LMAO.gifhttp://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j99/CubsBullsBears/LMAO.gifhttp://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j99/CubsBullsBears/LMAO.gifhttp://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j99/CubsBullsBears/LMAO.gifhttp://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j99/CubsBullsBears/LMAO.gifhttp://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j99/CubsBullsBears/LMAO.gifhttp://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j99/CubsBullsBears/LMAO.gif He's hitting .205/.289/.327. He's pretty messed up as it is. The Sox are trying to win the World Series, if they can upgrade the CF spot they have to do it. If Andreson can't handle a demotion with those numbers he can't cut it anyway. Offense isn't there issue. It's pitching I don't disagree, but you improve where you can when you can. If they can replace Anderson with a capable hitter they would be crazy not to do it just because it would "mess him up." He's as messed up as he can be now.

it's not hitting the white sox should be concerned with... Yeah, plus where would they put him?? LF. Pods in CF. And then where does Brian Anderson go?? AAA That's real smart :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: They're going to mess up a young kid just to have another masher in the lineup. http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j99/CubsBullsBears/LMAO.gifhttp://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j99/CubsBullsBears/LMAO.gifhttp://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j99/CubsBullsBears/LMAO.gifhttp://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j99/CubsBullsBears/LMAO.gifhttp://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j99/CubsBullsBears/LMAO.gifhttp://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j99/CubsBullsBears/LMAO.gifhttp://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j99/CubsBullsBears/LMAO.gifhttp://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j99/CubsBullsBears/LMAO.gifhttp://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j99/CubsBullsBears/LMAO.gifhttp://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j99/CubsBullsBears/LMAO.gif He's hitting .205/.289/.327. He's pretty messed up as it is. The Sox are trying to win the World Series, if they can upgrade the CF spot they have to do it. If Andreson can't handle a demotion with those numbers he can't cut it anyway.

Because they are terrible, like I explained in the original post. I'm not expecting top flight stuff for Williamson, just not the garbage we ended up getting. If the roles were reversed and the Cubs were in contention and had just given up 2 of their top 20 prospects for a pitcher with equivalent numbers to Williamson people would be ripping Hendry. Hendry has been shopping Williamson for a while now and if there was a better deal out there I am sure he would have taken it. To assume a strong market exists for a middle reliever that has an era over 5.00 and a questionable elbow is quite a reach. Those guys are top 30 prospects because San Diego's system is a joke. They're terrible, and if we had given up players with their numbers and their careers to get a reliever for a pennant chase, everyone would've been plenty fine with it because no one would miss Todd Blackford and Carlos Perez. that system may be garbage Tiger but you'd have no idea... I hope I don't offend anyone, but this kind of response bothers me. Professional members of our forum are owed a level of respect for choosing to post here. They bring a perspective that regular fans like us don't have. (Bruce Miles being the best example). For that, I am very grateful, as I'm sure everyone on the board is. However, generally, these "professional" members refrain from any back and forth nitpicking or any direct negative comments to any posters. In my opinion, when they do this, as Nathan has here, they are, to me, just another poster here and the level of respect given to them as a result of their position goes out the window. If you make a comment like that, you have to back it up with some sort of baseball acumen, not just a high and mighty attitude of "I call play by play for the Chiefs and you don't". Just because someone watches a lot of baseball doesn't mean that they have any clue what attributes make a good baseball player, or what strategies contribute best to winning. As far as evidence of baseball acumen goes, I think TT has contributed a ton more good thoughts here than most posters. As I mentioned before, I am very grateful to have the play by play voice of the Chiefs with us on this forum...it's just that this last comment really rubbed me the wrong way.. I didn't mean to rub you the wrong way and I'm definitely not offended by what you post. I wasn't trying to get high and mighty at all. My only point to Tiger or anyone else is that you shouldn't call another system garbage when you haven't seen any of their players in person. If they are garbage, why are they 6-2 against us this season, the 2nd best team in the Midwest League???? I love how all the people here automatically call guys crap/garbage because of either their numbers or what other publications *cough* Baseball America *cough* say about them. Watch them in person first. Then form an opinion. That was my ONLY point. Santo has beaten us twice this season. I posted that and Tiger jumped all over me for it. Yes I've seen him. Yes he beat us. Thats it. I could not disagree more. Who among us has seen every team's minor league prospects play in person? Of course we rely on numbers and BA (who has seen far more than any of us). It seems foolish to me that we can't judge a player based on numbers and scouting reports. Also, Tiger called the San Diego system garbage, not jus the single A team. Being 6-2 against one team on one level doesn't make a system. The Cubs have a winning record against the Cardinals this year, but the Cubs are garbage. I never saw Jose Macias play before we got him, but based on his numbers and scouting reports I could tell he wasn't going to help us at all.

Good News!

it's not hitting the white sox should be concerned with... Yeah, plus where would they put him?? LF. Pods in CF.

Jayson Stark said on BBTN the Mets are considering sending Milledge to PHI for Abreu. Imagine adding Abreu to that lineup.

The '72 phillies won 59 games. Steve Carlton won 27. Thats impressive. Z better pick it up.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5800306?FSO1&ATT=HMA Gibbons sounds crazy.

I wonder what the record is for % of team wins by 1 pitcher in the modern era. Z has 10 of the Cubs 37 wins. No the modern era doesn't include the days when starters went 900+ innings per season.

That error would have gotten them out of the inning I believe. He should have thrown to second for the double play. They were even playing back for the double play. For some reason he threw home to get the runner and threw wide. At that time, the score was 3-0. Instead of inning over it bacame 4-3 Toronto after that inning. Yankees lose in 11. The New Yorkers won't be happy with A-Rod tonight.

The way Rodgers put it in that interview he made it sound like they want Either AND Broxton. That however would be crazy good, so I'll take either one of them or Kemp (who he also mentioned as a possibility).

Keep track of his Walks and Home runs too... He's basically playing defense-independent baseball. I think you guys are on to something - a new stat, we can call it DMAWBS (defense may as well be sleeping): DMAWBS = (BB + SO + HR) / PA Dunn eclipsed the 50% level in 2004: 51.2% So far this year he's on pace to do it again: 50.9% Compare with McGwire, who in '98 had a 56.8% DMAWBS, then a whopping 57.9% in 2000 and 55.5% in '01. Don't forget to include ground rule doubles. Ground-rule hits can't be included, b/c the defense still goes after the ball. They also go after home runs. Well if you're going to include ground-rule doubles, you should then exclude inside-the-park home runs. How do you measure for this?? Do they track ground-rule hits, and inside-the-park home runs?? I don't know if this is a real stat or not, but if it is they should exclude inside-the-park HR's where the defense makes a play on the ball. I have no idea if they keep track of that stuff.

Keep track of his Walks and Home runs too... He's basically playing defense-independent baseball. I think you guys are on to something - a new stat, we can call it DMAWBS (defense may as well be sleeping): DMAWBS = (BB + SO + HR) / PA Dunn eclipsed the 50% level in 2004: 51.2% So far this year he's on pace to do it again: 50.9% Compare with McGwire, who in '98 had a 56.8% DMAWBS, then a whopping 57.9% in 2000 and 55.5% in '01. Don't forget to include ground rule doubles. Ground-rule hits can't be included, b/c the defense still goes after the ball. They also go after home runs.

Phil Rodgers was just on the Score and he said the Cubs want a pitcher and an outfielder for Maddux. The name that keeps coming up is Either. He also talked about Broxton of the Dodgers system. Kemp and Izsturis also were discussed. Rodgers said he expects Todd Walker to be moved without getting much in return, but he did say there have been internal discussions and some in the front office want to offer him another 1 year deal. He thinks Pierre may be in the team's long-term plans. Take it for what it's worth...

um. no.