USSoccer

You cannot seriously tell me that you think Ramirez' start is anything but a slow start. You think he's "The" problem with our team?

Lee's absence has greatly affected the way teams pitch to Ramirez. He gets very few good pitches to hit, and that's contributed to his slow start.

He has been hitting his share of line drives. They've just found defenders.

And it would be just like the current regime to trade a player at his lowest value. I can't think of many occassions where we've sold high...

He's going to begin to heat up very soon. California should be good to him. I'll bet by the time we're done with this trip, his BA will be about 60 points higher.

I don't care if he walks out to the mound and gives Brad Lidge a big hug. I don't care for Pujols, and I won't care for him. And the fact that he'd pick Brad Lidge 1st in forming a team speaks very highly of his baseball IQ... :^o

They win tonight. Book it.

But what are the odds that Hendry has swung that deal? With Casey out, I'm thinking not too likely. If Wilson was still sitting behind Casey, it could be more likely. The Pirates would be open to moving Wilson. His contract is up after this year, and he isn't likely to be retained. The Pirates likely have little delusions of contention, so he's the perfect player to be moved. The main questions for the Pirates would be who will man first until Casey returns and whether they can get more value by waiting and dealing him at the deadline. I think the answers to those questions are the very reasons why Wilson won't be on his way here. I'd be willing to bet this "RH bat" we're looking at is a terrible player who has MLB experience.

But what are the odds that Hendry has swung that deal?

If you wanted to entertain offers for Zambrano (and I stress that I would not do this unless you're getting a top 10 player in the league back), you'd be pretty silly to do it now, since his value isn't at it's highest.

I forgot how much Tim disliked Alou... :D

Just unreal how bad they are right now.

I have to think the Cubs are getting pretty frustrated with Prior as well, which is why they've not really talked about his rehab much. Maybe after the debacle of the last injury, Prior asked the Cubs not to talk to the media about this one? IIRC Hendry made a comment last season after Prior left the mound in the 1st or 2nd along the lines of "he needs to pitch, and there's nothing wrong with him". There's at least proof of the Cubs' irritation of him. There's no proof that Prior asked then to say quiet.

Why do people feel it necessary to constanty question Prior's manhood? No one here knows how much pain he is in, or his workout regim, or how sick he was over the winter, or anything about his character. I am as frustrated as anyone that he seems to be unable to pitch, but I believe if he were able to he'd be out there. This is the smae kid who threw 200+ innings in 2003 and the same one who didn't back down to Bonds. I don't think he has the willingness to push himself through anything. I don't believe for a second that a strained shoulder and an illness in January should be enough to keep him out this long. I wish we could go back in time and draft Tex. Prior is a very good talent, but he has to actually pitch in order to be of any use to this team. Maybe he pitched too much in 2002 and 2003 and we are seeing the after affects? I'm not saying it is so but as long as we can make wild speculation on what is ailing Prior this should not be out of bounds either. If the injury is beyond Prior's control, asking him to suck it up is like asking Derrek Lee to suck it up and play first. But more to the point, what does it matter that he wasn't sitting on the bench last night? That's what seems to have everyone's painties in a bunch here. I personally don't care if he wasn't on the bench. It makes no difference to me. I'd rather he be getting ready to come back than sitting in the dugout. I can see overuse in 2003 affecting 2004. I cannot see it having a 3 year effect, especially considering he's not pitched a lot since 2003. It's something else at this point.

I have to think the Cubs are getting pretty frustrated with Prior as well, which is why they've not really talked about his rehab much.

Why do people feel it necessary to constanty question Prior's manhood? No one here knows how much pain he is in, or his workout regim, or how sick he was over the winter, or anything about his character. I am as frustrated as anyone that he seems to be unable to pitch, but I believe if he were able to he'd be out there. This is the smae kid who threw 200+ innings in 2003 and the same one who didn't back down to Bonds. I don't think he has the willingness to push himself through anything. I don't believe for a second that a strained shoulder and an illness in January should be enough to keep him out this long. I wish we could go back in time and draft Tex. Prior is a very good talent, but he has to actually pitch in order to be of any use to this team.

Jon, I'm not slamming the Cubs. I'm questioning Prior and questioning why 2 relatively minor things have sidelined him and set him back 5 months. There's no reason a shoulder strain and a flu like virus should be worse to come back from than shoulder surgery and a knee surgery. He should be back pitching, he should have been pitching a long time ago. He's not. I don't think any of it is the Cubs' fault, because I think they're probably as frustrated as anyone.

I was wrong. Flu and a strained shoulder set him back 5 months.

Maddux accomplishes what Neifi cannot do more than twice a season.

Other than the diagnosis they gave? The updates on him have been pretty regular and he shouldn't be more than two weeks behind Wood, if that. I don't buy it. I'm sorry, Jon, but giving updates on a non-injury related delayed rehab isn't going to get me to cut Prior any slack. 3 years now he's been delayed out of the gate, and all 3 times for mystery issues. What mysteries? The 2004 elbow/achilles thing, the 2005 whatever it was (i still can't remember) and the 2006 flu he got in January that set him back 5 months somehow. When does a pattern become a pattern? It's insane. Like I said, at least with Kerry he goes out and pitches unless he needs to be operated on.

watch him hit a GS...

I'd rather take a double than a walk. Well, yeah :D

Barrett HR's, Jones called out for running out of the basepaths...

Other than the diagnosis they gave? The updates on him have been pretty regular and he shouldn't be more than two weeks behind Wood, if that. I don't buy it. I'm sorry, Jon, but giving updates on a non-injury related delayed rehab isn't going to get me to cut Prior any slack. 3 years now he's been delayed out of the gate, and all 3 times for mystery issues.

Why can't ARam realize he's being pitched around nearly every AB?