Rob

He also wanting a 4-5 year deal last offseason, coming off of wrist surgery. Now he was pretty much completely healthy this last year so he could still be asking for a 3-4 year deal as well. He's also a Type A free agent FWIW, even though we're pick #16, it is a protected pick. So we'd only lose the 2nd rounder.

amazingly well? he hits a bunch of singles 2009 vs RHP - .291/.344/.360 2008 vs RHP - .298/.355/.413 2006 vs RHP - .292/.339/.399 fontenot has a career OPS of like 35 points higher than inglett Say what you want, but for $500,000 a year, I would be very happy with those numbers for my left-handed #2 hitter against RHPs. Mike Fontenot might hit .236/.301/.377 again (last year's numbers) and get paid twice that. Or Fontenot could hit .302/.393/.518 versus righties like he did in 2008. And I don't know where you've gotten the idea that Inglett is a good defender, but he really isn't. Honestly, Fontenot is better than Baker too, their fluke years heading in opposite directions last year notwithstanding.

It's not about greed, it's just the way the system works. Players have absolutely no leverage whatsoever on their contracts for the first three years of major league service time and so are vastly underpaid compared to their market value. Hell, he's still being vastly underpaid compared to his market value. I agree he's WORTH the money he's asking for, based on production. But, if Theriot was an actual free agent this offseason, you think he would have commanded MUCH MORE than the 3.4 he's asking for? I'll give you the fact that at his age, he'd get a multi-year deal. Probably 3-4 years actually. But, with the market turn we've seen over the last couple of years, I doubt we'd see a team give him more than 3-4 mill per year honestly. That's hard to say. Pretty much everybody was signed before the downturn in contracts, signed a team-friendly long term contract to get some financial security, or is still under team control. The only FA SS who have signed recently have been Marco Scutaro (2 years/12.5 mil, 7.5 WAR over the last 3 years), Cristian Guzman (2 years/16 mil, 5.2 WAR), Edgar Renteria (2 years/18.5 mil, 6.1 WAR), and Rafael Furcal (3 years/30 mil, 6.6 WAR). Theriot has been worth 7.5 WAR in the last 3 years. That's not to say Theriot would get the same contract. It's worth noting that Coletti, Sabean, and Bowden are/were 3 of the dumbest GMs in the game. Then again, Theriot wouldn't have the same warts that all those guys have either... This is why Theriot still has trade value today as his 2010 season will be under market value whether he wins or loses the arb hearing. Given the expected bump next offseason, though, that value will be pretty much gone after this season is complete. Well, there's something to be said for getting a player who, at worst, would be getting a one year deal at market value. Still, I think we're in general agreement that we'd like to see Castro manning SS for us by the all-star break and Theriot getting moved to a team that had an injury and is desperate to overpay.

Nah, it comes down to that 12th man in the huddle. If not for that, it was an automatic run call for the next play and Longwell probably would have come through. Bingo Favre could have tucked it and run, picked up a few yards and gotten them back to where they likely would have been had they not had the penalty. He didn't have to try to force a throw like he did. But he wouldn't have had to make that questionable decision if it weren't for a significant mistake immediately prior. As the mistake that started the cascade of issues that lead to their defeat, you have to say the 12th man penalty was what the game really hinged on. As to the question of whether or not the time out call itself was a mistake, I have to think it wasn't. 50 yard field goals are still pretty long. I can understand the desire to use your 3rd down to try to improve your field position by a bit.

Nah, it comes down to that 12th man in the huddle. If not for that, it was an automatic run call for the next play and Longwell probably would have come through.

Money in the bank.

Who calls heads? Tails never fails, baby.

That doesn't really make up for the missed tackle earlier, but it's a good start on it.

Wooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No, that only happens on dinky 20-40 yard kicks. 50 yarders are no problem.

Weak

I thought Peterson was about to lose that one too.

Not real

He hasn't logged much time in the OF the last couple years, but what information we do have suggests he would be far better defensively out there than Dye or Gomes. i don't believe that a guy who was never a good fielder to begin with and hasn't played much of that position can do an adequate job out there as he moves into his mid 30s. branyan is about 40 lbs heavier than he was earlier in his career and hasn't played corner OF in almost 4 years. he'd be awful. I didn't say he wouldn't be awful. I just said that it's likely he's not as bad as Dye or Gomes... both of whom are far beyond awful.

The OF will be Reimold, Jones, Markakis. IF will be Tejada at 3B, Izturis at SS, Roberts at 2B, and Atkins at 1B with Wieters catching and Luke Scott getting the majority of starts at DH. That leaves Wigginton to be the main infield backup and Pie as the main OF backup.

Based on what I've observed on this board it seems to be that the best line up is to simply put your best hitter in terms of OPS first and then go down the list from there. I was debating the actual validity of that claim. Where do you get that? Nobody is saying that's the absolute best lineup. It's just used as an illustrative example in showing how current lineup structure is flawed... of particular note are over reliance on speed at the top, as well as batting subpar players #2 for want of a guy who can "handle the bat" and bunt. I posted this earlier in the thread.

If Castro wasn't on the 40 man roster, couldn't he been picked in the Rule 5 draft? Just curious because I thought you had to be off the 40 man roster in order to drafted in Rule 5. I don't know all the rules in Rule 5 so maybe someone can help me out here? Yeah I don't think he'll be called up till Sept. as well, but I can see if Blanco really struggles... Castro could be called up to be on the bench and slowly ease into the SS starting spot. Also wait to call him so we can have another year for arb. instead of him being a super-2. I think he will start in AA as well. Cubs AA team will be something to watch this year. I'm hoping to see at least 1 game this year early. Players are eligible for the Rule 5 if they're not on the 40 man and have been in the organization for more than a certain number of years. I believe it's 5 years for guys who signed at age 18 or under, 4 years for older guys.

Something tells me this is gonna be like when Joe Morgan ripped on Billy Beane for writing Moneyball about himself and all the made-up theories he had about what were in the book.

Each team has 162 games, so by definition you're going to have a last PA 162 times. 9 spots in the lineup. Average of 18 PA. Obviously, some spots (those with crappier players in them) are a bit more likely to be the last one in a game, but I still don't see much of an issue with rounding up 2 PA.

If memory serves, anything over $1 mil needs to go to MLB for approval. But they basically just rubber stamp everything that comes through.

He hasn't logged much time in the OF the last couple years, but what information we do have suggests he would be far better defensively out there than Dye or Gomes.

Generally speaking, each spot in the batting order comes up about 20 more times per season than the one behind it. Therefore, moving a guy who isn't one of your better hitters up in the order costs each person he leapfrogs about 20 PA. Do you really think micromanaging a few hit and runs and sac bunts with Theriot in the 2 spot is worth costing DLee, Aramis, Byrd, Soriano, and Soto about 20 PA each? I'll grant it's a little more complicated than that, obviously. There are real benefits to splitting up lefties who struggle against same side pitching. OBP should be valued a bit higher in a few spots, SLUG in others. And of course, speed does play a role in things (though ironically, it's more suited towards the bottom of your lineup where you're less likely to have guys able to slug you in from first base). But the general principle remains the same... if you want your lineup to do the most damage possible, you need to have the guys who do most of that damage coming to the plate as often as possible.

It's abysmal. Were he allowed in the field more often, you'd see him popping up on those "worst defenders" lists with Dunn, Hawpe, and Dye.

Baldelli also still has some upside that the others quite frankly don't. A good deal of his decline was related to that strange mitochondrial disorder... a problem that's more likely to be resolved than a complete lack of defensive ability. That's not to say he's a good bet to return to form, but his ceiling still remains.

Get out of my brain.