C.C.

UGH. Is Bochy any better? Everything I've read about Bochy hasn't been rosey either.

GROTA chime in with a interview from a Padres blog: http://www.goatriders.org/archives/2006/10/chicago_cubs_manager_bruce_bochy.html Alrighty then....

What? He had a 3.59 ERA (126 ERA+), 1.26 WHIP, 7.59 K/9, 2.25 K/BB, and a .238/.310/.379/.687 line against. Last year, meaning 2005, not this year, meaning 2006. 94 ERA+. The knock against Soriano is he's performing in a contract year, and is usually not as good as he was this year. Why doesn't Schmidt get same criticism? He's got a much longer track record of underperforming his career year stats. He's got injury issues, and pitchers, in general, are far bigger risks than hitters. If people want to stay away from Soriano due to the risk involved in overpaying, the exact same issues arise when discussing Schmidt. Who in the FA pitching market would you target? Zito? Padilla? Another? Or would you rather try and trade for some pitching? Schmidt scares me for his injury history and the fact that he is getting old. If he were in his 20s still I might be more inclined to take a chance. I'd target Soriano, Padilla, and knock on the door of Weaver. Zito and Schimdt are going to cost a ton! Schimdt is a gamble because of health and Zito is not an elite pitcher in the ML.

I just can't get past this Blurb from earlier in this thread:

Anyone here catch enough of the Padres games to get a feel for Bochy? Kind of scares me a bit if Padres fans aren't fond of him. Does he appreciate OBP?

'Tis so. There's still a lot that needs to happen before there's a deal, but he's clearly the Cubs' guy. Bruce, any idea when the deal could get done?

Driving cars is far more deadly, and for many, small planes are as much a necessity as a car. If you are joking about a death like that immediately after hearing it, you are a pathetic jdiot. Did I say I was joking about it! Did I post that! You're the idiot who blindy can't see any other way but your own. Expand your mind a bit will ya! Everyone is different and everyone deals with death in their own way. Excuse me? Calling me an idiot? You wrote about radio people joking about it, you wrote about "everybody" joking about it. It's hard to tell whether or not you were joking about it, but it's clear you have no problem with people that were. I do have a problem with them and have no problem calling them idiots. I never said anything about you. As long as were clear on that. I see that I used the word "you", and can see why you might think I was calling you an idiot, but I wasn't. I was meaning the general "you", as in, if you are the type of person whose first instinct is to play learning to fly on the radio after hearing of this incident, then you are an idiot in my mind". Apologize for the confusion. My bad. Not a problem. Everyone has a opinion on the matter and not everyone has to like it.

Driving cars is far more deadly, and for many, small planes are as much a necessity as a car. If you are joking about a death like that immediately after hearing it, you are a pathetic jdiot. Did I say I was joking about it! Did I post that! You're the idiot who blindy can't see any other way but your own. Expand your mind a bit will ya! Everyone is different and everyone deals with death in their own way. Excuse me? Calling me an idiot? You wrote about radio people joking about it, you wrote about "everybody" joking about it. It's hard to tell whether or not you were joking about it, but it's clear you have no problem with people that were. I do have a problem with them and have no problem calling them idiots. I never said anything about you. As long as were clear on that.

Driving cars is far more deadly, and for many, small planes are as much a necessity as a car. If you are joking about a death like that immediately after hearing it, you are a pathetic jdiot. Did I say I was joking about it! Did I post that! You're the idiot who blindy can't see any other way but your own. Expand your mind a bit will ya! Everyone is different and everyone deals with death in their own way.

Everyone was making fun of it. The guys on AM 1000 Mac, Jurko, and Harry were playing "Learning to fly" on their station. It's sad but the circumstances are ripe for this kind of joking. For me it's the chances you take when flying small planes. He knew the danger and he died because of it. Sad but it what it is.... Who cares if he knew the dangers. Do you say the same thing about people who die in car accidents? They are far more dangerous than small planes. This isn't ripe for that sort of joking. And everybody wasn't making fun of it, just the idiots. It all depends how you deal with death. Everyone's different, to call people idiots is a little too much. Comparing driving a car to flying a single engine plane is nonsense. One is a necessity in life and the other is pleasure.

Very true, but unless they get players the improvement will be very minor...

This is why I said the Sox were a joke earlier. If you were going to pick one baseball team to have a 7-Eleven tie in, it would've been them. Truth is stranger than fiction. :ranton: The whole Sox-fan theme with the fans committing crimes is a bit over the top IMO. Most of those Sox fans like the other teams in the city that Cubs fans do. I just think it's pretty funny how people say that Sox fans "rob convenience stores" and yet during basketball season, the Bulls have a phrase saying "Welcome to the United Center, home of the world's greatest fans!" I guess those people stealing beer in a convenience store and "beating their wives" are great fans in the winter, but not in the summer. I understand hating the Sox for the crosstown reason, but to criticize a fanbase on a pointless stereotype which bashes Chicagoans as a whole, is unncessary. :rantoff: Then you must not know many Sox fans because the ones I know sterotype Cubs fans as "[expletive]'s" or "go to baseball games among the gays. "Or "Cubs fans don't watch the games." Sorry I don't feel the least bit sorry for the sterotypical way Sox fans are portrayed. For me it never gets old and always good for a laugh.

Everyone was making fun of it. The guys on AM 1000 Mac, Jurko, and Harry were playing "Learning to fly" on their station. It's sad but the circumstances are ripe for this kind of joking. For me it's the chances you take when flying small planes. He knew the danger and he died because of it. Sad but it what it is....

They are and I was so pissed when they got Wainwright to be the coach. Now I'm eating crow big time. He's a good coach and the kids really listen to him. Plus he can recruit! It's good to see DePaul on the upswing again.

DePaul looking pretty good in the Big East. A young team who should get better this year. DePaul also got 2 top 40 recruits for next year and are in the running for the #3 prospect (on rivals) Rose. I am a Michigan and DePaul fan. It's really hard to be a Michigan fan after they started out 16-4 and ended up not making the tourney. I am not looking forward to another Michigan disapointment. DePaul did very well recruiting this summer. If they top it off with Rose they will be a team to watch next year. I see Katz ranked Depaul # 37 in the sizzling 50. Which is pretty cool...I can't wait until they start.

DePaul looking pretty good in the Big East. A young team who should get better this year.

I didn't see a windfall from the bud-lite bleachers or the expansion of the bleachers in general.

The game itself has not been changed. It's ridiculous to suggest it has. They don't require 7 outs or 11 strikes. The game is the same, the start time changed. Big deal. Why does there have to be a benefit to fans to justify any change? It's not like it's harmful in any way. I agree. While the fans aren't beneifted, I don't see them harmed in anyway. Teams already have differing start times. The Cubs start afternoon games at 1:20. Some teams start them at 5 minutes after the hour, others 10, some fifteen. If someone wants to offer them money to make it 11 minutes after the hour, so be it. I don't see where this is a big deal at all. Sure we may not like sponsorships. We might think it affects the purity of the game. This doesn't bother me one bit. Yeah but teams don't name their starting time after a sponser. I guess to each his own. But I don't see the problem if they do. Start times aren't sacred. I'd rather start times be named for sponsors than stadium names. This is no worse, and actually better, than the Cubs renaming the bleachers, the Bud Light bleachers. I'd rather have the Cubs start night games at 7:11 than to have those dumbass chairs painted in the dugout to sell furniture. So, yea...to each his own. You don't see a problem with it, but you then you go on to say that those dumbass chairs painted in the dugout to sell furniture. So that bothers you and the 7:11 thing doesn't. I think we have to agree the Cubs gotta be the least team that takes advantage of advertisements.

The game itself has not been changed. It's ridiculous to suggest it has. They don't require 7 outs or 11 strikes. The game is the same, the start time changed. Big deal. Why does there have to be a benefit to fans to justify any change? It's not like it's harmful in any way. I agree. While the fans aren't beneifted, I don't see them harmed in anyway. Teams already have differing start times. The Cubs start afternoon games at 1:20. Some teams start them at 5 minutes after the hour, others 10, some fifteen. If someone wants to offer them money to make it 11 minutes after the hour, so be it. I don't see where this is a big deal at all. Sure we may not like sponsorships. We might think it affects the purity of the game. This doesn't bother me one bit. Yeah but teams don't name their starting time after a sponser. I guess to each his own.

This ranks right up there with putting the Spider-Man movie decals on the bases. Ridiculous. :roll: I think it's actually quite different, and not the least bit ridiculous. It's clever. Movie decals on the bases is in your face obnoxious. This is subtle and unique. What's so clever about it?

The game itself has not been changed. It's ridiculous to suggest it has. They don't require 7 outs or 11 strikes. The game is the same, the start time changed. Big deal. Why does there have to be a benefit to fans to justify any change? It's not like it's harmful in any way. I know what you say, but I still think it feels added on, cheap, and tacky.

That's what I call selling out. So bad...

I'd rather have him sign ARAM before anything...

can you post a link? I never read or heard that Pads shot down Hendry request.

If they expand their payroll and make the right moves in a under nourished NL, they have a shot next year.... Yeah right!