bukie

wtf? Someone who is watching please explain this. Not watching, but sounds like Theriot broke for second, and Fukudome broke for home as soon as the catcher threw to second.

Close...

Somewhere, on an Astros board, somebody is bitching about giving runs right back after scoring.

Here. Any day of the week. Yeah. It always should be applauded when a crappy pitcher gives back 2 runs after we scored 4. What the hell is wrong with you people?? Yeah, perspective is for pussies.

Hey, somebody found a worse idea than trading for Teahen. If Ross came cheap enough, a .925 OPS against lefties isn't bad at all. There would be a roster crunch when Reed returned, but he'll be back close to roster expansion, which would make it a non-issue. The last thing the Cubs need at this point is another Reed Johnson. Fukudome slugs less against lefties, but his OBP is comparable to career averages. Fukudome is what he is, an above average defensive OF that gets on base at a good rate. Very similar to Bradley at this point. Fukudome and Bradley don't need to be replaced for the team to succeed, they need to be at the top of the order instead of guys like Johnson and Theriot.

Hey, somebody found a worse idea than trading for Teahen.

The truth of the matter is the Pirates' organization has to be run differently from the Cubs' organization. They can't afford to keep players long-term with the hopes of adding on later. They have to know they'll have a minimum of inexpensive contributions at the major league level before they can even consider being in "buyer" territory. At the end of the last regime in Pittsburgh, both the major league squad and the minor league system were abysmal. Prior to that point, trades weren't made to improve the system, they were made primarily to dump salary. Here's the way I see the three trades mentioned, from Pittsburgh's perspective: - Aramis Ramirez - People easily forget how bad Aramis was for the Pirates in 2002. In fact, there was an article out there somewhere indicating that Ramirez's 2002 was the worst statistical year ever for a cleanup hitter. Yes, he was playing hurt, but management wasn't willing to let that go, with what they were paying him. As a result, Aramis was very disinterested in playing for Pittsburgh and gave little effort. That, combined with the injury and the cost, was more than enough to convince Pittsburgh to dump him for what at the time were considered to be decent to good Cubs prospects (Hill, Bruback) and a stopgap 3B (Hernandez). - Jason Bay - Bay was a year away from free agency, and the Pirates were more than a year away from contention. Rather than get nothing for him, they got what many considered to be a good package of prospects from the Red Sox. - Nyjer Morgan - Really, the Nyjer Morgan trade was likely a case of selling high on a productive OF to improve the system. The real question here is why Washington did the deal.

Only took 3 games for the Brewers to discover that the Nats pitching is really bad.

I think that'd be about the same, if not better with Soto starting. Well I figured it wouldn't be that good just with losing Soto's bat for Hill's. Although Soto hasn't been that great but still better than Koyie at the plate. I don't really care if he can hit out of a paper bag if we're 42-23 with him starting. You're a fool to not look up from the spreadsheet and see that Koyie is making a difference in games in other ways than his bat. Correlation does not equal causation. It's that same kind of thinking that made people think Dusty Baker was a good manager because the Giants improved by 31 games in his first season.

I guess it was Reed's turn this week. At least Lou will be more inclined to use Fukudome in the leadoff spot against righties.

Seems like an odd thing to say an inning after he walked and scored.

At least he's not walking guys...

Dempster is like a 5-inning version of 2008 Bob Howry tonight. No wonder Lou can't help but keep him in there.

Mark Buehrle currently perfect through 4 2/3, 2 outs shy of the major league record for consecutive batters retired.

Still have lefties on the bench in Fontenot and Blanco...

That's it, Lou, just keep putting in hitters with good eyes.

If he can get a hit, he won't have to.

Well, he's certainly not paid to make pitchers throw him strikes, so him taking what's given to him is perfectly fine in my book.

Well sure, but how is he in situations where the pitcher changes mid-AB? :)

And it only gets tougher for Stl with Billingsley and Kershaw going, and not Randy Wolf Yes, Wolf has been absolutely terrible this year...

So, all this time it was Hawkins that was going nuclear this inning?

Hill is pitcher bad right now.

I mean, I guess I could have understood it had there been a runner on first and Lou wanted to stay out of the double play. But Johnson's already on second so Theriot's not going to ground into a DP. It is all about getting Johnson to third with Lee up and one out where basically any kind of contact ties up the game. Which is, in essence, playing for one run in the first inning with the top of the order up.

I mean, I guess I could have understood it had there been a runner on first and Lou wanted to stay out of the double play. But Johnson's already on second so Theriot's not going to ground into a DP. At this rate, Theriot may have to sac bunt again this inning.

Cueto can't get anybody out right now, except for the free one.