BigbadB

Ages? He was drafted in June of 2002. He is getting up there in age, but I don't think he should consider hanging up the cleats quite yet.

Nic Jackson will have an incredible spring and win a back up OF job.

Belisle can't throw strikes. 2-0 way off the plate to Murton. Looking good to get at least one here.

uh oh

Trade Walker so Neifi can play everyday. :drunken:

Where's the Lance Armstrong button?

I like Folk Implosion. Good band!

It's a fair enough assessment, but one that I don't agree with. Is Tim operating this site at a loss financially? Breaking even? There really aren't all that many NSBB members paying for premium services, and if the ads go away due to lack of hits, what happens to NSBB if Tim gets tired of losing money? What if you or I had not yet been introduced to NSBB? Would we wish to be turned away because the site was comfortable with the membership where it's at? Even today, many people are still purchasing their first computers. True blue Cub fans who may or may not have things to add to this site. I enjoy reading VancetheCubFan's opinions about everything Cubs. He was a late arrival to this site. It's further proof that one didn't need to be in the click when this site formed to be able to offer something in return for their presence. No disrespect to any late arrivals that are not mentioned. NSBB, IMO, is still in the infancy stages. It's just now starting to bloom. I don't think it's anywhere close to what it can still become. And that's because this place has dedicated enough people that will go above and beyond their membership to make it a better place. Right now, we are getting attention from broadcasters, minor leaguers, sports journalists to name a few. 3 years ago, we got none of this. 1 year ago, we got very little of this. Now, we get a lot. We could eventually see daily interviews from players, management and ownership of these organizations and others. Let the moderators separate the diamonds from the poop. And let more and more fans experience a whole new way to enjoy or parish in all that is Cubs. That's the way I see it anyway.

I'm sure Baker sits Murton, even though he's playing outstanding, because Murton is making the veteran players look bad by outperforming them. Therefore, the less Murton plays, the less the veteran's look bad. :wink:

Mitre for Marte? Hmm.

"Dusty to Arizona?" Personally, that's not far enough. But, I'd trade Dusty, Neifi and Macias to Arizona for a bag of desert sand.

Is he a free agent or are you talking about some kind of trade. Is the BOB a hitters or pitchers park? Gonzo has been better on the road the past few years. But he's also been slipping significantly and inconsistent in the health department. I wouldn't expect much more than a .270/.370/.460 kind of line from him next year, at the most. And that's with no idea how many games he can play. He's pretty much useless in the field as well. And like I said he better not be the big acquisition the Cubs get. I'm talking about a trade. I wouldn't give up much to get him, or pay much to have him (meaning he wouldn't be a Cub, which is fine with me). And the BOB is a hitter's park, IIRC. I would expect a line slightly below that for Gonzalez. I'd rate him similar to Cliff Floyd. Nice secondary OF acquisition. Health issues, useless on D.... but should give you a .360 OBP and some power. The BOB is at the 2nd highest altitude of all major league parks. They also have light air for baseballs to carry. Definitely a hitter's park.

I want him gone and it has nothing to do with the color of his skin. It's the decision to put horrible hitters at the top of the order day after day that I want him gone. If he put together line ups that made sense and used GOOD judgment with strategy, I wouldn't be calling for his removal, regardless of the color of his skin.

Ah, gotcha. Now, if what Raisin is reporting is accurate, forget I said anything.

I think he's their version of Nic Jackson. Probably too late for Scott with all the other names blocking him and the lost year.

Floundering? The D'Rays have won 32 games since the ASB. The Cubs have won 28. Just saying. And the Cubs are where in the standings? Just saying. The Rays have the 4th worst record in baseball, 8 1/2 games behind Baltimore within their division.

I think that's a loaded question. Does management care about the fans? Darned if you do and darned if you don't, I guess. Bring them up now and watch the team continue to flounder for the remainder of the season and appease the fans, or save the service time for a year when they can actually compete for a division title and appease the fans? I suppose the answer can only come from management themselves. But, small market teams can't operate like large market teams. That's a fact.

They're an organization that has a smaller team salary than the combined earnings of Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez make this year. They will probably always be that way. Why bring up young talent for one month of service time in a season that they have absolutely no snowballs chance of doing anything other than finishing last in the division? Why risk one of these guys having a career ending injury in a meaningless game? Why knock off a year of service time? They have some pretty good talent coming up, as well as some really good talent already on the team. It's not a huge stretch to think they might be able to compete in a few years. Cleveland is doing it now. Oakland has been doing it for years. By waiting until spring to bring these guys up, Tampa doesn't end up with Kazmir, Cantu, Gomes, Upton and Young all becoming free agents at practically the same time. I think it's a good call.

Tampa would never be able to afford to keep them after their free agent years anyway, so I don't see what part short memories would play in all of this. The likelihood is that they will be traded for prospects at the deadline in their free agent year.

Are the D'Backs still sending Clayton out there everyday instead of Santos?

I think it was the right call. They aren't going anywhere this year.

Just speaking the facts. Fact for the night of 9/12/05, the two guys hitting at the top of the order for the Cubs have lower OBP's than the guy who's hitting 7th's AVG. But, what do I know? :P

I thought the same thing. But, the Cubs made sure Rusch's value was at an all time low at the trade deadline, therefore reducing his value to "unwanted".

Is this an attempt at humor? I don't see it as an attempt at humor. Rusch was very effective last year as a starter, and was pretty effective this year until Baker started jerking him around. In April, Rusch was used exclusively as a reliever, and he excelled with a 2.03 ERA. In May, he started 6 games and posted a 2.48 ERA. In 2 more starts in June, he got his ERA down to 2.07. Then, he had 3 Greg Maddux-like games and was removed from the rotation. His ERA was still only 3.13 at that time. He then gave up runs in 5 straight relief appearances. Once he got on track with his new job description, he got his ERA back under 4.00. Inserted back as a starter, it took him awhile to get back on track. If he had been left alone to start all year, I don't see why it would be unreasonable to think that he could post a 3.50 ERA and win close to 15 games. Maddux has a chance to win 15 this year with a 4.40 ERA. I think most of Rusch's struggles this year stem from being bounced back and forth between the pen and the rotation. Well then if it wasn't an attempt at humor it ranks up there with one of the biggest stretches in the history of sports debate. I don't think Rusch stood a chance of winning 15. But to say he could have easily won 15 is absurd. Somehow, one of the crappiest regular pitchers of the past 10 years is going to "easily" accomplish something that no other Cubs pitcher this year will easily accomplish? Yeah right. Rusch is a swingman. He's good for the occasional 5 IP 2-3 ER outing, sprinkled with some disaster starts and great outings. But by and large he's going to be a 4.50 ERA pitcher who will be lucky to win 10 games. If there is one thing Rusch's 2004 taught me about his ability is he could be good if used properly, and one of the aspects of using him properly is not starting him every 5th day for 6 months. He was a good starter for about a month last year, then started to blow up frequently. Rusch moved to the pen and did alright in the swingman role, before finishing up as a starter again. This year he was a starter by May, did fine for about a month and a half, then once again blew up. Rusch has proven time and time again that he's not a good full season starter. He's no short reliever either, because his stuff is so mediocre. Let's stop pretending Rusch is some hero. He's a 6th starter, nothing more. Like a backup QB on a struggling team, brief flashes of quality play tends to warp the viewers opinion of what his ability would be over the course of an entire season. Well, I did miss the "easily" part of his statement. But, worse pitchers have won 15 in a season. I was only defending that Rusch could potentially win 15 in a season if he was left in to start everyday. Maddux, in a year where he looks more like Rusch than the Maddux of old, could reach 15 wins with a sub 4.40 ERA.

Is this an attempt at humor? I don't see it as an attempt at humor. Rusch was very effective last year as a starter, and was pretty effective this year until Baker started jerking him around. In April, Rusch was used exclusively as a reliever, and he excelled with a 2.03 ERA. In May, he started 6 games and posted a 2.48 ERA. In 2 more starts in June, he got his ERA down to 2.07. Then, he had 3 Greg Maddux-like games and was removed from the rotation. His ERA was still only 3.13 at that time. He then gave up runs in 5 straight relief appearances. Once he got on track with his new job description, he got his ERA back under 4.00. Inserted back as a starter, it took him awhile to get back on track. If he had been left alone to start all year, I don't see why it would be unreasonable to think that he could post a 3.50 ERA and win close to 15 games. Maddux has a chance to win 15 this year with a 4.40 ERA. I think most of Rusch's struggles this year stem from being bounced back and forth between the pen and the rotation.