KingCubsFan

At least Kerry Wood wasn't there.

That would have been perfect. I wonder if that big piece of land at Halsted and Clybourn where they've been advertising a mixed use community for about 7 years is available.

Since taking over, only seven teams have averaged more wins per season than the White Sox. He's not that bad.

Hasn't he? The amount of money spent on combined baseball operations has appeared to be steadily dropping since he took over. I guess nobody really knows, but making Theo one of the highest (if not the highest) paid executives in the game, significantly expanding baseball operations staff, renovating Wrigley facilities, securing a new spring training facility, paying $35+ million on international free agents doesn't scream "cheap" to me. Theo got about $4 million/year. All those baseball operations staff might add up to about the same, maybe a smidge more. They haven't begun the renovations yet, outside of some money-making opportunities. The new spring training facility is not being paid for by the Cubs, and the IFAs were being counted in the MLB payroll. Add it all up, and we're still about $30 million short in the total baseball operations budget from its peak. Sorry, meant the Dominican facility, not the Spring Training facility. Regardless, $30 million in free agents isn't making this team competitive.

Hasn't he? The amount of money spent on combined baseball operations has appeared to be steadily dropping since he took over. I guess nobody really knows, but making Theo one of the highest (if not the highest) paid executives in the game, significantly expanding baseball operations staff, renovating Wrigley facilities, securing a new spring training facility, paying $35+ million on international free agents doesn't scream "cheap" to me.

Plus, you can save another $5 million or so when you trade 40% of your rotation at the deadline (Garza and FA). So we might be able to get that down under $65 million. We'd have a good chance at the No. 1 overall pick and the Wrigley renovations would be almost completely paid for. I mean, it sucks and it's an awful plan, but I wouldn't put it past them. Why are you so obsessed with the payroll figure? It's not like Ricketts has shown an unwillingness to spend money.

Is Rodon worth tanking for?

Although Baez has shown flashes, has there ever been a prospect who, at the time he was drafted, scouts and writers said he'd eventually have to move off a position and he DIDN'T move off that position? I think it's only a matter of time, and given the gaping hole at third base I'm OK with it.

Since next year is a lost year anyways, I think they give him most of the year to see if he can figure things out. That will have given him almost a full season of working with the major league coaching staff. At that point, if the K's are still too high, and he's putting up a mid-.600 OPS, I think they'll look elsewhere (and bring in the Ryan Sweeney type you mentioned). If you have a guy like that on the bench all year, I think the temptation is just too much for a manager to put that guy in on a regular basis.

I can't see anything more than a one year deal at his age.

Is he going to be in the bullpen? He hasn't pitched in a game since Aug. 28.

So yeah, I guess Moore and Cutler aren't exactly chums. Despite both being Vandy guys. I think this has gone far enough, and Moore should put down the keyboard, or otherwise shut up. I think everyone now understands: he doesn't like Jay Cutler. His agent needs to step in. At this point, he's talked himself out of a future job (I believe this is the last year of his contract) and Bears CB don't tend to have great careers after they leave.

I thought he already did for some reason. Also, who is Stephen Perakslis?

If it starts crumbling, Ricketts will absolutely move it. And Rahm will be left with a useless landmark and a neighborhood that would be severely harmed economically.

I think Kelly is going to get them back to their glory days. If he can build the offense that he had at Cincinnati than look out. I kind of think that will happen too, Goulson doesn't look bad and he's young too. The playcalling is questionable at times, but the one thing he's done differently from previous ND coaches is really focus on having high-end talent on both sides of the line. That was the difference last night (especially considering the secondary continues to get weaker).

Which is precisely my point. After the first round, the draft is just about loading up on a bunch of long-shots. You get 19 lottery tickets in rounds 2-20. Losing your second-round pick just means you only get 18 lottery tickets. I'm not saying a 2nd-rounder is no better than a 20th rounder, but he's a lot closer to a 5th-rounder than he is a first-rounder. I really don't care about losing a second-round pick because even though that sounds really high, and in a league like the NFL it's really important, in MLB that's just the first of many poo-flingings. I think it's even less than the first round. More like the first 10 or so picks followed by lottery tickets.

With a guy like Amaya, it's hard to really put a number on his tools, because he's so young and nothing really stands out. When a player is that young, I feel like the only thing you can put an accurate number on is the standout tools (i.e. Sano's 70-80 power).

Yeah I think you're right. I forgot that was the Katrina season.

I feel like I really want to be, and then the whole world is telling me not to be. Reminds me of my feeling going into the NFCCG in the 2006 season. The Bears were favored in that game.

5 sacks in the last 5 games that Cutler played last year. How many pressures? How many times did Cutler throw it away? How many times was he on the run? Just looking at the stats, Cutler's completion percentages were terrible in those games outside of Minnesota. Saying Cutler was only sacked 5 times doesn't mean the line played well. Cutler is one of the most athletic and mobile QB's in the league. After that montrosity that was the Monday Night game against Detroit, I doubt they suddenly became good. Having to waste an extra blocker on Jared Allen every play because Webb can't do his job doesn't mean the line is good. There's a lot more that goes into good line play than just avoiding sacks. It's tough to judge though too because Cutler didn't have the WR's. Was his completion percentage bad because he's throwing to bad WR's? Because Roy Williams is dropping passes at the numbers? After that Detroit game is when they took Martz aside and said "Get your head of your ass and protect Cutler." I really think with the right scheme this group can be adequate. They'll never be great, but with the other weapons we have, I think they can get by. Most teams in the league probably waste an extra blocker on Jared Allen. All good points. And I agree that, with the right system, they may be adequate in a lot of games. But I think at this point it's a stretch to say they're anything more than that right now.

5 sacks in the last 5 games that Cutler played last year. How many pressures? How many times did Cutler throw it away? How many times was he on the run? Just looking at the stats, Cutler's completion percentages were terrible in those games outside of Minnesota. Saying Cutler was only sacked 5 times doesn't mean the line played well. Cutler is one of the most athletic and mobile QB's in the league. After that montrosity that was the Monday Night game against Detroit, I doubt they suddenly became good. Having to waste an extra blocker on Jared Allen every play because Webb can't do his job doesn't mean the line is good. There's a lot more that goes into good line play than just avoiding sacks.

Absolutely nothing, eh? So they would've gotten the pressure they got in the first 5-6 plays on every snap of the game? Not every snap but a lot of snaps. The Bears' line has been horrible for years. It's not the 5-6 plays before Freeney went out that leads people to believe the line is bad, it's the years of ineptitude and lack of talent before those 5-6 plays. Until they can prove themselves over the course of several weeks and a variety of opponents, there's no reason to think they're anything more than bad.

How does anyone know that? Have you watched the game? Have you ever watched Rees?

How does anyone know that?

Who is "etc."?