srbin84

Right, because that's exactly what I meant to imply. After a very strong outting from Prior last night, I expected to come here and read positive things about it. Instead, I read three pages of mainly negative posts about the situation. One of the best pitchers in baseball is either ready or almost ready to join our rotation... that's a big deal and something to get excited about, especially considering that the Cubs haven't given us a whole lot to get excited about this year. I just expected a more positive attitude I guess. Well, he had one good season and has pitched like a No. 3/4 starter since then, when he pitches. I don't think a lot of people are expecting to get one of the best pitchers in baseball. In what world is Prior's 3.67 ERA (quoting you) of 2005 the stuff of a 3/4 starter (without even mentioning the fact that he pitched more half the season after taking a line drive to the elbow)? In the starts he has made the last two years, his ERA is 3.80. I can't see how that is any better than a No. 3. Because if every team had 2 starters that were better, his ERA would have to be ranked in the 60-90 range. It's much better than that. He was 30th last year and would have tied for 34th (with Dontrelle) in 2004 had he pitched enough innings to qualify. He'd be the No. 2 on the D-Rays, maybe even the ace of the Royals. He'll probably even be our No. 2 if can put up a 3.80 ERA. It was implied that I was talking about on a good team, not a last place one.

I wouldn't mind getting Ron Gardenhire if he becomes available.

Looks like one was a line drive single to right. Nope. One yesterday, one the day before.

Right, because that's exactly what I meant to imply. After a very strong outting from Prior last night, I expected to come here and read positive things about it. Instead, I read three pages of mainly negative posts about the situation. One of the best pitchers in baseball is either ready or almost ready to join our rotation... that's a big deal and something to get excited about, especially considering that the Cubs haven't given us a whole lot to get excited about this year. I just expected a more positive attitude I guess. Well, he had one good season and has pitched like a No. 3/4 starter since then, when he pitches. I don't think a lot of people are expecting to get one of the best pitchers in baseball. In what world is Prior's 3.67 ERA (quoting you) of 2005 the stuff of a 3/4 starter (without even mentioning the fact that he pitched more half the season after taking a line drive to the elbow)? In the starts he has made the last two years, his ERA is 3.80. I can't see how that is any better than a No. 3.

Right, because that's exactly what I meant to imply. After a very strong outting from Prior last night, I expected to come here and read positive things about it. Instead, I read three pages of mainly negative posts about the situation. One of the best pitchers in baseball is either ready or almost ready to join our rotation... that's a big deal and something to get excited about, especially considering that the Cubs haven't given us a whole lot to get excited about this year. I just expected a more positive attitude I guess. Well, he had one good season and has pitched like a No. 3/4 starter since then, when he pitches. I don't think a lot of people are expecting to get one of the best pitchers in baseball.

Prior: 2004 ERA: 4.02 2005 ERA: 3.67 Add to that a loss in velocity, and who knows what he will do. I hope he does well, but I don't see any factual basis for thinking he will. A lot of people don't like Zito because he's put up numbers like Prior has the last two years since he won the Cy Young, but the only difference I see between the two is that Zito never misses a start and is doing it in the AL.

I waited all year to use my #1 waiver status. Some questioned why I waited for him, but I feel good about it now i used mine on hamels. i think he'll have more value for the rest of the year (once he gets off the DL..bleh). weaver is likely to be sent down when colon returns, right? he'll end up taking his brother's place eventually, but there's still a bit of time before that happens. Hamel's has already been back for a little while now; all he had was a shoulder strain.

I don't hate Prior, but I don't think he'll ever be able to stay healhty or recapture his 2003 form again, so that is why I want him out.

Rotoworld spot on as usual.

Guys like Patterson legitimize the phrase "speed kills".

2 more infield singles for Patterson.

I'd trade Howry and Eyre to the Cards for Reyes.

I'd want Zito first and foremost, then if you could get Soriano and either Schmidt or Mulder without compromising a long term deal for Z, I think even if the Cubs did nothing else, they'd be a contender next year. I'm afraid Zito will be nothing more than an overpaid BP pitcher in this division. With Wrigley, the new Busch, the Juicebox, and GAB, you have 4 homer friendly parks to left field. Instead of his slow-big benders dying on the track in places like Oakland and Safeco, they'll be several rows deep in these parks. Getting Zito would be a HUGE mistake IMO. I agree that he might give up some extra homers on the road, but I think he would be a pretty good pitching at Wrigley. Capuano is doing alright. We also have a lot of good lefty hitters in our division too, so that would help neutralize the park factor. I look back to what Rusch did in 2004 and 2005 and think Zito would do a little better than that, probably an ERA in the mid to high 3's.

It was the last sentence's philosophy that made Corey so bad with the Cubs. Not to mention the fact that he really wasn't that good at it. According to BK, he was at least over .600 at it.

It was the last sentence's philosophy that made Corey so bad with the Cubs. If he gets 9 hits in 12 attempts, why wouldn't he get at least 5 in another 12?

wrong. Take out those bunt hits and his batting average on bunt hit attempts, and you have a bad season, even giving him the couple hits he would have likely got in place. It would also be bad if you replaced most of his 16 XBH with a few extra bunts or slap-hit singles. Laying down a few bunts is a part of Corey's game, and is one of the few things he's always done well. What he's been less consistent with has been what he does when he swings the bat, and so far in Baltimore he's doing a better job of that than he was in his time with the Cubs. Only slightly then. We'll go with your 9 for 12. Patterson's numbers when he is not attempting to bunt for a hit: 166 AB .253 BA .307 OBP .440 SLG

wrong. Take out those bunt hits and his batting average on bunt hit attempts, and you have a bad season, even giving him the couple hits he would have likely got in place.

The fact is that bunting is the most important part of Corey's success, with speed coming in a close second. These are also things the Cubs worked extensively on with him when he was here. Quite frankly, he should be bunting twice as much as he is.

Exactly. You can't assume that every bunt attempt would have been an out if he was swinging away instead. I didn't, I gave him the batting average he had in his 165 or so regular ABs, which is 3 hits, 7 less. That's reasonable.

Shotgun

I know, and that's because this drops a bomb on part of the Patterson arguments, of which we are on opposing sides.

No one ever had a problem with Corey bunting, as long as it was in conjunction with what the O's are doing with him now, not as some attempt to mold him into the "prototypical leadoff hitter". And you can't simply remove his bunt hits in a vacuum and say he'd be crap without them, not that anyone doesn't want him to bunt anyways. Fine, his batting average in non bunt hit attempts is about .250, so out of 13 ABs, that's a trade of 10 for 3. That comes out to a .247 batting average and .320 OBP, and you would have to take away some of the steals and runs of course.

Well, the Cubs worked with him on getting bunt singles (with Vince Coleman and others), and if it wasn't for those 10 hits (and it was at worst 10 for 13 in attempts), his batting average and OBP would be in the toliet.

I don't know where that guy got his number, but I count 10, which is still a lot. That's why I find it so ironic people blast the Cubs coaches so much for his failure when he has turned out to be exactly the kind of player they were trying to mold him into.

Z has an arm like Clemens, and I don't think he'll have the surgery Clemens had early on. Z is a very tough competitor and has the body and arm strength to back it up.