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I posted this in BD too, but where does it say that CPatt is leading off?

Did I miss the part where it says CPatt will be leading off?

Vitters: I have to be a little skeptical about somebody being able to make such a claim as a weight transfer being a fraction of a second early. And that's an incredibly disappointing report on Vitters. Doesn't seem that odd that Law would be able to tell if a hitter transfers their weight less than a full second before what he perceives to be the optimal time.

Not to mention Aaron Hill!

I could have shut out that Tigers team for 7 2/3. Brad Ausmus led off for the Tigers in 2000? And I thought EY was bad.

I know everyone says that lineup order has little effect on a team's record, and I generally agree. But, as with most general statements, there are limits (batting Corey and Neifi 1/2 a couple years ago jumps to mind). Similarly, it's going to take a lot to convince me that Theriot bat 1st rather than 8th isn't going to hurt this team. Disclaimer: I'm not overreacting. I know it's still pre-season and this is just some guy making predictions. But I don't think his projected lineup is completely unbelievable either.

It's pretty amazing how everybody just assumes he's been horrible, especially in comparison with other commissioners. There's quite a gulf between assuming someone is horrible and saying they're the best ever.

Richard Justice has said (written) some very stupid things in his time.

5x5, roto, Y! public (1250 IP limit) supposedly "winners" league. Was autodraft, but I stumbled upon the draft after R2 and nabbed Tulo (4 SS had gone including Jeter right when I got there). Some idiot drafted V Martinez & Russel Martin in the first 2 rounds, which seems a bit much to me, so I grabbed Soto a round or 2 earlier than I would have liked since C went early. C - Soto 1B - Swisher 2B - Utley 3B - Braun SS - Tulo OF - C Young OF - Kemp OF - Fukudome Others (one will be Util): Youk, J Upton, Burrell, Bourn, A Cabrera SP - Hamels SP - Haren RP - Wagner RP - Capps P - Dice K P - Harden P - Broxton BN - Maddux I have a lot of HR and RBI potential, esp when I decide to use Burrell. I'll struggle w/ SB, but I think I will be middle of the pack. There are a handful of guys available that I'm considering adding, including Kuroda and Lyon. I think Lyon is currently AZ's closer, but not sure how tight a grip he has on that job. He'd boost my saves up to middle of the road, but I don't know that they're worth dropping one of these other guys. Considering dropping Maddux (or someone else) for Kuroda. I really like my SP, but there's obvious injury risk with Hamels and Harden esp. I'm thinking having 2 reliable SP on the bench would be a good idea, but not sure which extra OF to drop. I like Upton & Bourn as SB threats in case it turns out that adding 10-20 will net me several points in the league. Also considered trying to swap either Youk or Swisher or another OF for SP or a 1B. Thoughts?

Or maybe your standards are lower then mine. Because any GM who wants to win, and does whatever takes (not necessarily meaning stupid trades, signings) to win, and does this consistantly, is in my book, a good GM. Maybe your not use to the idea of a GM who wants to win, because Hendry definately does want to win. Hendry does get his fair share of blame, but it's not because he isn't trying. I honestly believe people on this board, underrate Hendry as a GM. Wait, my standards are lower? I think our GM, who despite a huge payroll and years on the job with this team, can't put a consistent winner together is bad. You think our GM is good b/c he wants to win and tries to win. And you think winning 90 games in the worst division in baseball with a payroll clearly higher than the competition is good performance? And my standards are lower? Are you serious? This isn't junior high. Wanting to win and trying to win don't get you any points. I don't know of any GMs that want to lose. Some may make really stupid moves, but they still want to win - so that makes them all good? We certainly have some good players. But Hendry has done a terrible job of compiling a team. This team in this division should win 90 games in a down year and 100 or more in a good year.

He's tried to win, thus, he's a good GM? He's brought in some talent, thus, he's a good GM? We have very different standards, apparently.

Aramis Ramirez and Kenny Lofton for Jose Hernandez, Bobby Hill, and Matt Bruback Todd Hundley and Chad Hermanson for Eric Karros and Mark Grudzielanek That is all. Couldn't agree more. Hendry's steals have worked out far better long term for him than his busts have bit him in the long run. I couldn't disagree more. Since Hendry became GM: The Tribune has upped Cubs payroll from 70m to 110m+ The farm system has gone from one of the top farm systems to the bottom and back to the middle of the pack Cubs record since 2003 is 407-403 while playing in arguably the worst division in baseball during that span. My expectations are a bit higher than yours, I guess. It's been said before, but Hendry is an average at best GM. You can certainly have a worse GM. Also, the clubs record since 2003 doesn't really rest solely on Hendry. What if Prior and Wood are healthy those years? What if DLee doesn't break his wrist? There's a bunch of factors that go into the teams record and it's unfair to cast all the blame on Hendry's trades. He's average. Nothing more and nothing less. He may be average for GMs in the league right now, but he's still bad at his job. Though I do agree that team record during tenure is a pretty shoddy way of judging a GM. It's a factor, but there are so many others that are ignored (case in point - look at what DD has done in Detroit and the team record during his tenure, esp before last season). If you're looking at team record, finding a trend, if any, makes more sense than just the record overall. And if the trend can be explained by things outside his control, that should be considered (though I'm not sure Hendry escapes blame for what happened to Prior & Wood - he hired Dusty and didn't do much to stop what Dusty did to those guys in '03 - though people disagree on whether that resulted in injury or not).

I'm hot blooded, check in and see! I've got a fever of a hundred and three! C'mon baby do you do more than dance? I'm hot blooded, hot blooded! Hot blooded? Don't you mean "Don't Fear the Reaper"

I agree w/ cheapseats. Can you strike a deal w/ another team to move an OF for another SP?

it's an "unearned" trip to first base It's as much earned as a hit by pitch. Craig Biggio disagrees (ETA: by which I mean, his OBP drops about 15 points if you take out all those HBP).

it's been updated on the league home page. 7:00 EDT next Tuesday, March 11, I think.

True, but what happens if Renteria craps out in 2008, and the Cubs decide his option isn't worth picking up, what then? You would have traded a valuable young arm for a 1 yr rental. Not a good deal. You need protection in case the deal doesn't work out in your favor. Of course, I believe the O's should send a prospect to the Cubs in the Roberts deal, if they are pushing Jay Payton on us. That goes without saying. Now who's making assumptions? Zip City. RedFlash posed a hypothetical (and a legit one). Zip City took "I don't want to trade Marmol for Renteria" and made it "trading Marmol for Renteria makes the Cubs worse." Two different things. That said, I'd trade Marmol for Renteria in a heartbeat.

Score one for Wrigley23 with Baseball Prospectus on his side. However, I see a changing of the guard in regards to the conventional or prototypical lead off hitter. I think the biggest reason Soriano only had 70 RBI in 2007 had more to do with how pathetic the bottom of the order actually was. Ignoring for a moment that Soriano missed nearly a months worth of games, he was hitting behind the pitcher, Bowen, Koyie Hill, Henry Blanco, Cesar Izturis among others. Cubs 2007 #7 hitters: .321 OBP Cubs 2007 #8 hitters: .294 OBP Cubs 2007 #9 hitters: .227 OBP The Cubs (if they get Roberts) should have a much better bench with DeRosa, Murton, Ward and Cintron to improve the PH role in the 9 spot, and if they have Theriot hitting 8th all year, there should be improvement in that spot as well. Also, a full season of Soto and continued development of Pie and I think Soriano drives in over 100 runs while also scoring well over 100 runs. That's a pretty good problem to have for your lead off hitter if you also have Roberts, Lee, Ramirez, Fukudome, Soto and Pie in your line up regularly. Add in DeRosa grabbing some starts at SS and I think you have a great offensive line up on those days. Jimmy Rollins isn't exactly an OBP machine. Neither is Chris Young or Curtis Granderson. Put good hitters all the way through the line up and I don't really think it matters all that much where people hit. I thought the reason Soriano had so few RBI is because he's a choke artist. Isn't that the point several posters (Derwood, dexter morgan come to mind) have been railing about in this thread? He can't hit with guys on base, ergo, he should bat lead off. So if we have better OBPs at the end of our order, it's only going to mean Soriano's numbers will go down b/c he'll be up with guys on base more often and thus, choke more often. Note - that's a really tough argument to make. I don't know how people are making it b/c it sounds like complete junk to me.

STOP TALKING ABOUT ROBERTS. A) He's not on this team and probably will never be. B) Even if ROberts was on this team, it's irrelevent. This is about getting the most out of Soriano, not getting the most out of a "position" that doesn't exist. "Hey, we just gave a guy a ridiculous 136 million dollar contract, what should we do with him?" "Hey I know, let's play him where he performs the worst!" The bolded part is fantastic. Not only do you command people to stop posting about certain topics (seriously, how many of your posts on the last dozen or so pages instruct people not to post something), but the guy you want him to stop discussing is the topic of this friggin thread.

Meph - would your rankings change for a keeper league?

No - this isn't the same league that you quote above. I commish'd that one.

Not just you.

Actually, African Americans would still be possessions in this country. Conventional wisdom is frequently wrong. Tragically so, sometimes.

You are NSBB's best fluffer... aww, you're so sweet... be my valentine? http://i.emode.com/tests/candyheart/images/mine_s.gif

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-080213-chicago-cubs-baltimore-orioles-trade,1,4126403.story That was sooo last page. You probably would have noticed it without all this fluff... You are NSBB's best fluffer...