Sammy Sofa

Go root for the Pirates then, you fat meatball.

Of course they do, and why would you still want them to trade Garza? If they don't plan on opening the check book in the next year or 2, we almost have to trade Garza as long as he'd bring back 3 guys who could help in the next 2 years. Again, that's if they don't plan on spending. Yeah, if they don't plan on spending on good players, our best course of action is to trade away our good players. [expletive] Hahahahahah! Karma.

Of course they do, and why would you still want them to trade Garza?

For you mr stat guy. This years stats. If you even out the plate appearances, Dejesus has gotten on base 4.5 times more than Barney over 41 games. so 1.1 every 10 games? so you are just sure that he wont' fade at all, or barney won't improve. seriously you are looking at the future and you think 1.1 times on base in 10 games is a huge difference in stats? this is such a huge difference at this point that 1 game could bring them even. after his 0-2 start tonight..he now leads by 35 points...an 0-4 would bring him under .350. WHAT IN THE HOLY HELL ARE YOU DOING.

I "fully" read it just fine; it was a stupid post. LET'S GO TO THE BREAKDOWN: Stewart is sent out, regardless of performance (which, again, is .246 .338 .456 .795 this month), because the Cubs don't have a better option at 3B and because they brought him with the express purpose of targeting a once highly touted young player they can buy low on. The idea was to play him as much as possible to see if he could turn things around, yet you're seemingly saying he should be on a short leash...why, exactly? Same deal with DeJesus, except he was an older, useful player they could buy low on and hopefully he'd have a bounceback year and they can move him at some point for a nice return, plus he's not blocking anyone. Barney is, however, at a position where he starter isn't as clearly defined, and you have or had have more than one young player at that spot and the Cubs want to see what they can do. You're talking about Barney like he should have had it locked down, but why? Which is great, but DeJesus is a better all-around hitter and Campana's stats still count even if they come from lower in the lineup. Why do you think he HAS to be hitting first for the Cubs to get an idea of what he can do? This isn't an issue of DeJesus blocking the other guys. Right, so we can look at DeJesus' career numbers and get an idea as to whether last year was an off one or wheter he's capable of bouncing back. You mean "jumping" his OBP...back to his career level? Why the holy [expletive] would you think that wasn't likely? Playing 10+ years isn't some kind of Logan's Run-esque death sentence where a player's skills just all fall off of a cliff. Holy [expletive] [expletive]. Your standard for DeJesus is a [expletive] .444 OBP that he put up in his rookie season WHERE HE ONLY PLAYED IN 12 [expletive] GAMES? I'm sorry, but this is the epitome of why I said your post was stupid, because of stuff just like this. Your "proof" that he's doomed to decline this season is because he hasn't matched his .444 OBP from 10 PA his first season? How can you possibly not realize how awful that is? Here, here's his OBP average for the rest of his career up through last year: .356. He's at .360 right now, and he's only been below .350 twice, in 2009 and 2011 when he put up .347 and .323. So why do you think his current OBP is so unsustainable? DeJesus is 32. Again, they signed him on the cheap with the hope that he can bounce back and they can trade him. Barney is getting plenty of playing time. What are you even complaining about? I don't even...I don't...what? No, I'm not, because in no [expletive] sane universe is the Cubs' right fielder, David DeJesus, somehow taking away starts from their second baseman, Darwin Barney. Why are you looking at AB instead of PA? DAVID DEJESUS ISN'T BLOCKING TONY CAMPANA OR DARWIN BARNEY FROM STARTING. WHY THE HOLY [expletive] ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT HIM LIKE HE IS?

Again, it's not risk; it's a lock they'll make the money back and then some. The Cubs effectively getting a loan to fix the stadium isn't going to break the bank of the local economy; in the grand scheme of things it's not that much money. I really don't understand what you think the risk is; do you think the city's economy is going to collapse and this can save it? Do you think some critical service or program is going to be cut? You really don't think this presents a pretty clear cut budget to work around/with? They're not going to shut down train renovation or start closing after school programs because of this; its a matter of "OK, the Cubs get the money for this period of time, and then here's when we get it back and then some." It's not just blindly throwing money at a project and having no clue when it's coming back. This is basically as safe an investment of public funds as the city can do right now, and, quite frankly, they need more of.

Really? You don't understand how injuries work? You think he was "drummed out" of baseball instead? Yeah, there was a conspiracy to not sign Todd Walker...good call.

No, they're not. HEY, WHY NOT USE THIS YEAR'S STATS AND SEE THAT ONE GUY HAS NEARLY 40 POINTS OF OBP ON THE OTHER GUY. This is just...stupid. DeJesus is contributing and getting on base at a good clip like you want a guy at the top of the lineup to do. He has a history and a skillset that indicate he's a decent bet to continue his success or even continue to improve on his numbers from last year. I have no idea what you're complaining about with Stewart; he usually hits 6th or 7rh in the lineup, so are you really crying about him not hitting 8th instead? And why can't the Cubs see what Barney and Campana can do if they're not hitting at the top? What, do their numbers not count from lower in the lineup?

I loved his beard.

Why? Show me a team with a 4th string catcher who isn't terrible.

Time IS telling, and we can see reality. As pointed out, these are his numbers in May: .246 .338 .456 .795 Surely this will make you reconsider and... .......ohhhhhh. You're one of those.

I seriously want to know what got bleeped out there.

Shhhhhhhh. It's mostly a result of his BABIP and HR/FB coming back to earth as had to at some point. If you take this last stretch where he's struggled (12 games) here are his numbers: 44 AB's, 8 H, 2 HR, 8 BB, 13 K's .182/.308/.318, BAPIP of .207, K/PA: 25%, BB/PA: 15.4% The BB/K ratio is just fine and actually better than he has done on the season. He's had a couple series during that stretch where he has struggled with strikeouts, but a couple series where he has not as well. 2 HR's is fine for that stretch. The only really bad thing about his line over the last couple weeks is the lack of doubles. Shhhhhhhhhh.

NAILED IT.

Denied.

Shhhhhhhh.

Not that I'm arguing we should have called up Brenly or anything, but: Koyie Hill this season: .591 OPS in AA Mike Brenly this season: .561 OPS in AA In all honesty, I have no problem with this move. I'm not happy that Koyie is back, but for a stopgap who will only be around for a week or two and a team that isn't close to contending, the primary motivation should be giving up as little as possible in terms of assets. That's exactly what Hoyer did. Hill has a history of minor league numbers that Mike Brenly doesn't. This isn't a defense of Koyie Hill so much as it's a declaration of how horrible Mike Brenly is.

I think they didn't bother; that would have to be one hell of a bluff, and nobody would probably buy it, especially since the Ricketts were so vocal about wanting Wrigley and it's "importance" to the team back during the buying process.

He's pretty much to AA what Koyie Hill is to the big leagues. A backup catcher to keep around until his roster spot is needed for a better option. Stop it.

YESSSSSS.

They're not assuming all of the "risk," there's not really all that much risk given how much money Wrigley brings the city, and it makes the city more money down the line. Wrigley is a Chicago institution; hell, it's officially a historical landmark. The city is invested. Seriously, [expletive] the residents. The only reason they have nice homes and the clout to complain about the stadium is because of the stadium they're complaining about. If they had their way they wouldn't want any night games, any street closures or any construction/renovations.

You shouldn't be. He's got a .826 OPS so far in May now that his BABIP is actually getting back closer to normal (.268 this month after .207 in April). Yeah, this seems like a weird time to be complaining about Stewart.

Yeah, I brought this up in a recent game thread, but I'm not a fan of him hitting #3, either. Like it or not, I think players are playing to stereotypical expectations hitting #3, and I think being in that role plays to the worst aspects of Castro being a young, impatient hitter. He's so talented that he's still going to succeed to some degree, but I'd rather see him in a different spot where he's ideally not going to be overly and unecessarily aggressive.

Jenkins played nearly 10 full seasons (8 at the beginning of his career) with the Cubs and was good for 50 WAR. He won a CYA in 1971 and placed in the top 3 in three of his first 8 other seasons with the Cubs. Jenkins was a Cub for longer, and was better while he was. If you subtract his years with the Cubs, Fergie is not a HoF pitcher. Not nearly. Maddux was a first ballot HOFer, but he was that on the back of what he did in 11 years with the Braves, which is a [expletive] tragedy. Don't care; Maddux was still awesome and I look at the split as making up for horrible ownership basically casting him away.

I realize that is how the people who want to make this a story want to frame it for the uninformed, but the Cubs are not asking for government money. Last I checked amusement tax dollars are still government funds.