USSoccer

That quote makes no sense. Is Piniella saying he gave up and just let Floyd manage that inning?

If the Angels were stupid enough to trade Jones for Aybar, I'd do that deal in a nanosecond.

Is this the 8th or 9th game this year where the ump had a bad strikezone? I can think of 2 instances off the top of my head where the umps had bad strike zones this season... but I'm not saying that should be any excuse. Players NEED to adjust to the bad zones. Somebody complains about the zone every game. Miller should get no credit for another supposed bad zone. He's a formerly decent pitcher whose career has been derailed by injury. By all accounts he's trying as hard as he can, working his butt off and giving it his all, but he's just not major league caliber. The Cubs can't afford that type of pitching performance. That's the most important point. The Cubs aren't good enough to deal with Wade Miller peforming below replacement level.

A 0 GRIT factor is unacceptable to any championship team. He should be cut immediately for his lack of zork.

Isn't that pretty much guaranteeing a fine or suspension? Should a major league manager be carrying out vendettas for his fanbase and openly saying he's going to instigate something with another team because a guy hit a home run and hopped? Sammy rubbed it in pretty good and it was a meaningless homer. I would think it was pretty lame if a similar thing happened to the Cubs. See, I didn't see it happen, and I haven't seen a clip. Did he just hop more than usual, or did he walk down the baseline or something? He hopped and then kind extended his arms like he was an airplane as he ran to first base. It wasn't that big of a deal but I can understand why it would upset the White Sox. Eh. That's pretty weak. Sounds like he got excited that he belted a 3 run home run after the fans were all over him. If he didn't do anything to show up the other team, there's not much justification for post game rantings.

Isn't that pretty much guaranteeing a fine or suspension? Should a major league manager be carrying out vendettas for his fanbase and openly saying he's going to instigate something with another team because a guy hit a home run and hopped? Sammy rubbed it in pretty good and it was a meaningless homer. I would think it was pretty lame if a similar thing happened to the Cubs. See, I didn't see it happen, and I haven't seen a clip. Did he just hop more than usual, or did he walk down the baseline or something?

Isn't that pretty much guaranteeing a fine or suspension? Should a major league manager be carrying out vendettas for his fanbase and openly saying he's going to instigate something with another team because a guy hit a home run and hopped?

It's hard to disagree on Cedeno. He doesn't belong on any team that seriously expects to contend, even as a 25th man. Fontenot would bring more value to the plate and wouldn't hurt them with the glove, and he's just as cheap. Ohman is a LOOGY. It sucks that he gave up the winning run, but he's not supposed to be used for anything more than one guy at a time. Given his track record, it's too early to be jettisoning him. :priest:

Oh christ. :evil: If Guzman isn't starting in 10 days at the ML level, this is just another example of Hendry having no ability to properly manage the 25 man roster.

Captain 40ft Curveball. This should be fun.

Stupid broken GameDay. Is anyone here doing PBP?

Yeah. He was good last year, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt so far this season. It's way too early to just give away a tradable asset. I'm sure after a few more innings Ohman will look better.

Unless they're going to have him start a couple times during his mandatory 10 day stay in Iowa so he's ready to take Miller's spot, I don't like the move. He did nothing to deserve being optioned.

Nothing official yet but Santo just said he heard it may be a pitcher. My guess is Ohman. Guzman or Cotts would be more likely. Ohman woulnd't clear waivers

So all things considered, this is a pretty important start for the Cubs. If Miller is bad again, it's going to be time for Piniella to seriously consider binning the Wade Miller Experiment. BTW, who got sent down/DL'd for Pie?

I think it's disturbing Aramis is still out.

There's no "I" in his game. The "E" is for Effort.

What's his GRIT factor? His isoHustle? His HEART percentage? Those are the only numbers by which one can evaluate a Darin Erstad.

and apparently you think the answer is manliness. No, more like - preparedness! Pitchers today, don't prepare like they did in the 60's and 70's when they threw more innings, had less rest, more double headers, 4 man rotations and threw more pitches. Prior has come up lame in 4 straight spring trainings, after 5 months of rest and time to PREPARE. Does anybody else wonder, what the hell does this guy do in the offseason??? Pitchers in the 60's and 70's had a higher mound, faced weaker hitters much more often, could throw inside to hitters who weren't as quick and didn't have armor on, didn't have to face power hitters like today, who may or may not be on performance enhancing drugs, had bigger ballparks with which to pitch in, and didn't throw as hard or with as much tourque. But yeah, man, they were TOUGHER.

Great. Wrist problems for our best hitter.

Ok, let's assume your are correct. Prior was signficantly damaged by the 2003 season. I think we would agree the damage was significant, because he has failed to make it out of 4 straight spring trainings and has had several trips to the DL. Now, I know a little about sportsmedicine, because I have been in that field for 15 years, and I know what diagnostic tests and orthopaedic dr's are capable of finding. If Prior had something going on, that was significant enouph to cause his past 4 years of history, it is incredibly unlikely, he would have had a clean structural bill of health from numerous MRI's and many different physicians, time and time again. That's why I don't believe in the lingering effect of 03 abuse theory. Anything causing him so much trouble, is not going undectable for this long. You're assuming the abuse ended in 2003. If it's easier to ignore logic and evidence and cling to knee jerk conclusions about players being soft/babies/whatever, fine. However, that won't change the fact that Dusty Baker irresponsibly used Prior and Wood in 2003 to the point it damaged them for the long term.

It's not the amount of innings, but the amount of pitches. In 2003, Prior ranked third in Pitcher Abuse Points. Want to know who was first? That's right, Kerry Wood! And that was through September. It doesn't include Prior's post season starts that further put strain on his arm. You can read about pitcher abuse points here. So, it's much more than innings pitched. It's the way those innings were accumulated and the amount of pitches in those innings. Ok, let's go down that path. He has basically had one year when he pitched several games of 100+ pitches. Do you recall him going into the offseason in 03 with any significant injury? He pitched in October with no problem, and then had 5 months to rest. There was not a single event in which he blew out his arm, nor has any dr or diagnostic exam found anything structurally wrong, so where is the damage? If he was damaged by 03, why haven't they found anything of any significance over the last few years? There have been many pitchers who have had similar loads that Prior and Wood (for only one season) and did not fold up like a cardboard box. Wood, is a different story, his mechanics have caused big time issues, and he has caused damage over time. Prior, is another deal, and I don't buy 03 ruined him, and if it somehow did, he doesn't have the physical capability to hold up as a starter. Guess who threw the second most innings in professional baseball in 2003, despite it being his first full major league season? Guess who threw the most innings in professional baseball in 2003, including 147 in a game in May? Seriously, your argument is just wrong on so many levels. If you want to ignore mountains of evidence that Mark Prior and Kerry Wood were broken beyond repair in 2003, knock yourself out.

The five best rappers in the world are Dylan, Dylan, Dylan, Dylan and Dylan. He spits hot fire.

Ill Mitch.