ConstableRabbit

Bradley and Lee aren't HR hitters and we'll have Gathright, Miles, Theriot, Bako, Johnson playing prominent roles on the team. that's about the last thing i'm worried about. I honestly don't think Gathright and Bako will be playing prominent roles.

No, stepping on your leg funny and tearing your ACL as a result is freaky. If he had rolled his ankle or something as a result of stepping on his leg funny, it wouldn't be a freak injury. It would be a reasonable one. When Bradley makes a dive in Right Field and strains his oblique for the first time ever, it's not a freak injury because people have strained stuff while diving before. Furthermore, it's not unreasonable to believe that someone could strain their oblique when reaching for a ball or diving. What if Bradley landed hard on after a dive and ruptured his spleen? Would that not be a freak injury? Because I've seen baseball players land hard many times, and no one has ever ruptured their spleen as a result. In fact, my grandma...

Yes, and that pressure has probably happened millions of times to thousands of players. Only one time did someone tear their ACL from it: Bradley. It's one in a million and might never happen ever again: to anyone. That's why it's a "freak" injury. Just because Bradley has been on the DL for an eye contusion, strained oblique, strained quad, broken finger, etc. many times in his career doesn't mean that he's more likely to tear his ACL in an awkward way than other players. There are two types of freak injury, imo: 1. Getting put into a situation that would cause anyone to get injured, but a situation that is not likely to happen. (Furcal running into Lee, Line drive off Prior's elbow) 2. Getting put into a situation that happens frequently and would seemingly not hurt anyone, and getting hurt from it. (Bradley's fall). Not that many players get dragged by their managers, but the actual fall itself. Players who get hurt in a freak accident should not be considered "injury prone". Likewise, when an injury prone player such as Bradley gets a freak injury, you can't just chalk it up to occurring because he's injury prone. If I were a betting man, I'd wager that Bradley doesn't get severely hurt doing a normal activity. I'd guess if he were to get hurt next season it would be due to not stretching or pulling something.

The reason he went nuts on the ump was, supposedly (his coach confirmed it, IIRC), the ump made some racist comments. That doesn't necessarily justify anything, but it's a whole lot more understandable than him just thinking it was a bad call. I believe he tore his ACL as his coach was restraining him. Just a freak injury. You can't really call that a freak injury when it happens to a guy who is always hurt. It's just another example of how fragile he is. Line drive off of Prior's elbow was just another example of how fragile he is? I hope you don't really think that's a good comparison, because that's pretty bad. When you get a line drive off your elbow, you expect to get hurt. That's not being fragile. Did you see the Bradley injury? He barely even got his leg twisted or anything. The vast majority of the time, that does not result in a torn ACL.... unless you're really fragile. My grandma took a worse look fall than that a couple weeks ago and she didn't tear anything I mean, come on. Comparing a line drive off the elbow to a harmless looking fall resulting in a torn ACL is pretty ridiculous. How many times does a line drive off the elbow in that same spot result in a fracture? How many time does a fall like Bradley's result in a torn ACL? I wasn't making a comparison, just pointing out ridiculous your generalization was. A more ridiculous comparison was you insinuating that your grandma is less fragile than Bradley because she didn't tear her ACL when she fell. (A fall that was worse than Bradley's!) Yes, the guy has spent a lot of time on the DL, but that doesn't mean he can't be involved in a freak injury or accident.

The reason he went nuts on the ump was, supposedly (his coach confirmed it, IIRC), the ump made some racist comments. That doesn't necessarily justify anything, but it's a whole lot more understandable than him just thinking it was a bad call. I believe he tore his ACL as his coach was restraining him. Just a freak injury. You can't really call that a freak injury when it happens to a guy who is always hurt. It's just another example of how fragile he is. Line drive off of Prior's elbow was just another example of how fragile he is?

In our system I'd take that bet. I don't see us having a guy who we can call up hit 290 get on base at a 330 rate and have OPS in the 700s while getting 300-400 AB's if he has to down on the farm right now. Yes some some scrub might be able to do that for a week or whatever. I think thats the point though people look at Miles numbers and say well there not that great or average. But people need to factor in the AB's he gets, if the guy is only getting 200 AB's he's probably alot better hitter. Miles would be a bad everyday player, but is a good bench player who can be part of a platoon and start for you at times. I don't see how paying 2.2m for him next year is that much overpaying. Especially when other simliar players just signed simliar contracts. I'm not sure I'd bet on Miles getting on base at a .330 rate with an OPS in the .700s either, considering he's had five chances to cross those thresholds and only done it once. Maybe not as a full-time 3rd baseman or 2nd baseman, but as an infielder playing against LHP I think he'll put up at least those numbers.

In our system?

No, I'm not. I'm reacting to the silly overreaction that the Cubs are "in trouble" because they've marginally reduced their chances of winning the Central, and marginally reduced their chances of winning the World Series. Again, I'm not justifying any one of the moves they've made this offseason. The signing of Miles -- particularly because I suspect he will play every day while Fontenot again languishes -- is particularly egregious. I don't think the bolded is what will happen, but we shall see. Anyway, I agree with your point entirely. Hell, you could probably argue that the Cubs chances of winning the central going into 2009 are better than they were going into 2008. At this point, they're decreased from what they would have been had we not made these moves, I guess, but I think that's a pointless argument to make when there are still more moves to be made. It matters now, but it probably won't mean a whole hell of a lot come April. Or even next week. I think it's pointless to assume other good moves will be made to make this team better. The only thing we know is what the team looks like today, and it looks worse than it was last year. You really need to look at the offseason as a process. Of course the team is worse off at this particular juncture (the extent to which it is is of course debatable), but I don't think Hendry would downgrade if it meant he didn't have other plans. He's not as stupid as you think. There is still a lot of time left to make moves and I think looking at it day-by-day isn't the best strategy. A better idea would be to wait until Spring Training to pass judgment.

What are you expecting from Fukudome next season?

Not even close. It's going to take a very good bat to replace the dropoff from DeRosa to Aaron Miles. If Hermida plays at the highest level I could realistically hope for he might make up that difference. I'd feel a lot better if Adam Dunn were being brought in. The dropoff is most likely going to be from DeRosa to Fontenot. I don't think Miles will start over Mike. And I don't think the dropoff between DeRosa and Fontenot next year is that huge. Miles will play, though, and he'll likely be bad in those at bats he gets. There will also be the at bats Hoffpauir, Reed and Gathright get that DeRosa would have gotten. You've also got the opportunity cost of no longer having DeRosa around if Fontenot struggles. I don't think it'll be that bad if he's playing against LHP. He and Fontenot wouldn't make a bad platoon, which I think would be the greatest extent of Miles getting starting time.

Not even close. It's going to take a very good bat to replace the dropoff from DeRosa to Aaron Miles. If Hermida plays at the highest level I could realistically hope for he might make up that difference. I'd feel a lot better if Adam Dunn were being brought in. The dropoff is most likely going to be from DeRosa to Fontenot. I don't think Miles will start over Mike. And I don't think the dropoff between DeRosa and Fontenot next year is that huge.

In many ways, yes, but I think it's worth noting that they led the big10 in sacks this season. They only sacked Daniel once or twice, but the pressure was there and he had to scramble a lot.

yeah so throwing them to the ground is a perfectly reasonable solution and we don't know she was pregnant in that video He never said throwing a pregnant woman to the ground would be a justifiable "punishment" for her being in a "club" type bar.

Don't act like if you didn't have the money you wouldn't spend it to get the players you wanted to win with. Steinbrenner has money and he's a fan who wants to win now, so he's doing all he can to win.

Are draft picks based on records or on who makes the playoffs? Playoffs, right?

Stay warm! I'll be in a #22 FORTE thong.

I'm going tomorrow and I'm pumped.

I will probably have a heart attack if we make it.

Iowa finished strong, beating up on Minnesota and squeaking by Penn State, but I don't think that means that they finished "much stronger". Iowa lost to Illinois in the month of November. Yes, Northwestern lost a close game to Indiana (which they should NOT have lost), but lost Bacher and Sutton (starting Qb and RB, respectively) to injury during the game. They also beat Iowa on the road and have won their last 4 games with their 3rd string RB and a backup QB for a win at Minnesota. By bowl time, they should have Sutton back.

...and the fact that MSU and Northwestern both beat Iowa?

Northwestern and Mizzou in the Alamo bowl: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/chi081207-northwestern-bowl,0,7250767.story I'm disappointed that a team we beat on the road and that has a worse record has leapfrogged us, but that's the name of the game. This wouldn't have happened if we just took care of business against an awful Indiana team. In any case, it should be a fun game and an absolute shootout.

Maddux is my favorite player of all time. But Pedro is the best pitcher in the last 20 years. Certainly when he was on the mound. Greg might have him beat in total value because of durability, I guess. Pedro has a strong argument for best pitcher ever for when he was on the mound, though. I agree. It's the longevity/consistency vs. "peak" argument.

Penn State, Northwestern, Minnesota, and Iowa have all improved drastically.

Northwestern 49, Depaul 27 with 8:31 left. We're holding Depaul to 21% shooting. NIT or bust!

Worst GM ever, or is something else going on?