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If it makes you feel better I make the same complaint about The Dark Knight. #3 on the IMDB Top 250 my ass!

Zambrano's not been doing stellar lately either. And Carlos isn't posting a 1.30+ WHIP with a sub-3.00 ERA either.

I'm just reporting the hype as I experienced it before the posting. He was literally billed as the greatest pitcher on earth with 8 pitches he could throw for strikes at any time he wanted. I mean, heck, go back and look at mlbtraderumors.com archives if you don't believe me. This stuff was out there, and in more places than just that. He was literally called the best pitcher on the planet by many different sources. And I'm saying he is nowhere near that. He had like the 24th best WHIP in the AL. Out of 41 AL starters who had at least 160 IP Matsuzaka had the 35th best strikeout to walk ratio, worse than Nate Robertson, Brian Bannister, Vicente Padilla, etc. Matsuzaka had a worse FIP than Kevin Millwood. Matsuzaka also had the 4th best run support in baseball.

your "aren't worth much" comment. but i give up- value isn't what market dictates, it's just what's in your personal preferences. you know more about marketing than advertising executives. a likely top 3 cy young finisher didn't just have a good season. life is just a mirage. A top 3 finisher in the Cy? What does that prove? I explained my point about Matsuzaka clearly enough. He won't get top 3 anyway, he doesn't have anywhere close to the innings. I seriously thought we all knew better on here than to ignore WHIP to ERA correlation, or FIP. You're ignoring FIP. This is like having to explain to people why Russ Ortiz isn't as great as you think back in the day with Atlanta. Aaron Rowand as a prospect doesn't strike me as similar to Pie as a prospect.

I didn't like Fukudome in the offseason either. I've tried to explain my dislike of Matsuzaka to you and you legitimately don't understand, so I don't see why we should even bother to go there. I'm not a fan of pitchers who post high WHIPs and low ERAs. I wasn't a Russ Ortiz fan. I wasn't a Washburn fan in 2005. Generally, a WHIP over 1.30 simply does not impress me. It's the same with Matsuzaka, I'm actually surprised his FIP is only 4.11, I would've thought 4.30 or something like that, he just walks a barrage of hitters and doesn't stay in the game very long.

What is the question? I didn't want either of those guys.

Look, Pierre and GMJ got ABs on their teams. GMJ got nearly 400 ABs. It's not like they aren't doing anything. But every day starter, I think you're chasing bad decisions with more bad decisions. It's not like Pie is exceptional or anything. There's a lot of players who fit into his type of mold who have failed in the majors and aren't worth much.

Same thing the Dodgers are doing with Pierre and the Angels are doing with GMJ. Accept you made a mistake and pick your spots.

Matsuzaka was good this year in the same way Jarrod Washburn was in 2005. He had a 1.32 WHIP, his FIP is 4.11, his BABIP is way too low and his runners LOB is too high. He averages, like what, 5 innings a start? Here's another guy people can't see past. He's just not that good. Colossal reach?

No, it's become ridiculously en vogue to exaggerate. It just doesn't happen the way people think it does. I don't think you can conclude anything convincingly one way or another financially. You just don't know, it's speculation. Kenji Johjima's first year he had a .783 OPS. Better than Fukudome's. Tad Iguchi had a .780 OPS his first year. Better than Fukudome. Iwamura had a .770 OPS his first year. Better than Fukudome. Now, are these players getting better or worse since their first year?

Everybody exaggerates that effect. But that has no bearing on how bad he is as a hitter. I almost did, when you consider how hyped Matsuzaka was. He was supposed to have 8 pitches he could throw for strikes at any time he wanted, plus a reverse slider and a gyroball and whatever else you want, and he's simple not that good. I don't care if people think signing Tad Iguchi suddenly means every citizen of Japan has to send your team a check for $10,000, there are actually yes, quite a large number of people in Japan who don't give a crap in baseball or if they do they don't give a crap about every player who comes over to the U.S. In any event, I'm interested in good players. Why don't we sign some nobody from China and gain a billion new fans in that event? I This is kind of off the point. Guys with G/F ratios as high as Fukudome's either strike out less and subsequently hit for higher averages, or at least they steal a crap ton of bases. He just brings nothing to the table, I've already said it, but I'll say it again, he doesn't have a Brian Giles eye at the plate, he has a Ben Grieve eye at the plate.

Uh, yeah, yeah he does suck. And people were not expecting too much. Most people expected an .815 OPS guy. Why on earth would you give him such a contract if that simple expectation is too high? He didn't "hit a wall" in the second half. It's funny how people bitched and moaned about Jeromy Burnitz in 2005 and Fukudome couldn't even do that. Fukudome simply has a terrible approach and a swing that does not generate power. What does he even bring to the table? He has patience, but it's Ben Grieve sit-on-your-ass-and-take-called-strikes-and-swing-at-crap patience. Guys who strike out as much as Fukudome does and have his crappy Isolated Power usually steal an assload of bases. Or hit for a higher average. Or DO SOMETHING. How many players in the majors struck out 100 times, stole fewer than 15 bases, hit lower than .270, and hit less than 11 home runs? I don't have the extensive list in front of me but just on quick search I count two, Fukudome and good 'ol Jack Hannahan. Sorry, everyone's entitled to their opinion, but I'm not buying into this "He'll be better because he's Japanese" delusion. Iwamura is a similarly crappy hitter as well, let's face reality here. Iguchi is getting worse, not better. Kaz Matsui was never very good. Kenji Johjima has flatlined. The latest crop of Japanese hitters suck, that's what I see. In fact, they seem to start out okay and get worse, so where is the optimism? I've been saying it for months now, Fukudome is like the anti-Theriot on here, I've never seen people bend over backwards so far to justify such crap. And the crappier he hits, the supposedly better his defense gets. It's not just second half. Here, let me bold this. Since May 1, Fukudome has been a .695 OPS hitter. SINCE MAY FIRST. You know, I'm actually getting angry writing this stuff. I'm sorry, I'm actually GALLED that we're still trying to bail this guy out. You know what? It's not worth my time. I'll just come back when people start actually looking reality in the face, because this is a joke. Our .695 OPS right fielder who just "hit a wall" in the second half. You've got to be kidding me. Enough is enough.

Fukudome sucks. I pointed out to you how your translations were flawed and not every one matched up during the offseason last year, and to be honest you've always been overly glowing with your praise of Japanese players. You have a blind spot there, Mephistopheles. Matsuzaka is not all he's billed to be either. You're the main proponent of "ERA means nothing," take a look at him as a pitcher. Sorry. I'm not drinking the sake anymore on your Japanese wonderboys anymore. Didn't you once say a $200 million posting fee for Yu Darvish would be a great investment? You go too far. Just looking at Fukudome's swing is painful. It's not going to get much better. Personally, I think this team is ready to take a nosedive like the 2004 Mariners. The 2003 Mariners won 93 games and went to the playoffs. I think we're looking at less of a fall-off, but comparable in terms of expectations. Since May 1st Derrek Lee was essentially a .740 OPS hitter. He can be our version of Bret Boone.

Let me put it this way: what you've been seeing lately is not what you'd see once he has his money in hand and a Cubs uniform on. I would want to be on the hook for 4/100 for the guy.

Let the Cubs use regular bats and make the other team use whiffle ball bats.

Believe Part 2 bracelets

I don't think Pedroia is a good comparison for Fontenot's best case scenario. Pedroia's main feature to me is his ability to make contact, something that he's much, much better at than Fontenot. I'm not even actually convinced Pedroia is as good as he appears to me. It vaguely reminds me of Placido Polanco's 2007, and especially, at least to me, it begs comparison to Mark Loretta's 2004. I'd also like to see what Pedroia's home/road splits look like next year. For Fontenot I think I like a slower, lefthanded Marcus Giles 2004-2005 comparison better as best case scenario.

Yeah, that's not what I said. The Cubs choked. I said that, but you must have missed it. I know, reading is tough. But irregardless of that, the playoffs are pretty much a crapshoot. The 2005 Astros, 2006 Cards and 2007 Rockies can tell you. No one said the Cubs aren't flawed. But to say they are bottom feeders who were exposed isn't accurate. They were pretty clearly the best team in the NL all year. They are in need of tweaking, but to act as if they are incapable of winning without overhaul is absurd. Or spare me the "reading is tough" nonsense already. Thank you for your internet posturing, I'm rightly impressed. God forbid you disagree with someone without some sort of stupid dig. Here's a note for you: anyone who uses "irregardless" is a fool. There. Am I the tough guy now? Now aside from the posturing, I disagree because you continue to act like it's mostly chance, fate, whimsy, and the Cubs are just helplessly swept away by it, that this doesn't prove this bunch isn't going to get it done, and are probably not going to be improved one year older. That such a Cub explanation. "It's a crapshoot where we're always getting the crap, oh well." Okay, I'll say it again (for the third time in this thread): The Cubs choked. They sucked. They were flat out bad. That fact and the idea that the playoffs are a crapshoot can be (and are as far as my point goes) mutually exclusive. One did not have to do with the other this time, but it does not disprove the notion. Not once did I say the Cubs sweep was caused by fate or whimsy. Not once. Yet you continue to act as if I did. And yes, irregardless is irregular, but I didn't miss an entire statement. If you try to condescend to me while ignoring what I actually said, then we have a problem. The Cubs were the best team in the NL during the regular season (beating many good teams, not just the Pirates, mind you), but failed to show up for the NLDS in any capacity. You can't throw a line out there like "I know reading is tough" and then accuse me of being the condescending one. I didn't say a thing about you personally before that line. The problem is, the impression that the "playoffs are a crapshoot" crowd are giving off is a level of comfort with losing that is difficult for me to understood, and a willingness to roll the dice with this same squad that has gone 0-6 in the postseason yet another year, I can't fathom that.

The Cubs choked on this one for sure, but the playoffs are a crapshoot. To insinuate that the Cubs got into the playoffs by bottom feeding is patently ludicrous. This year's squad was quantifiably better than last year's in multiple regards. What happened is that the Cubs totally abandoned what made them successful all season, and played the worst defense I have ever seen for a few innings. The Dodgers hardly obliterated the Cubs. The Cubs did a fine job of that themselves. I'll put money down that come the end of 2009, the Cubs are Central Division champs again, with as good a shot as they had this year. What happens after that is anybody's guess. Pretty much. No reason why they can't dominate the division again. This playoff team isn't the same team we saw during the season. We played like crap, but give credit to the Dodgers. They pitched really well, played good Defense, and got timely hitting. No excuses - They outplayed and outclassed us. It was a special team and season that came to a tragic - if not shocking end. I don't think anyone could've of predicted a 3 and out, no matter who we played. Only the Cubs...Seriously! "Wait til next year"! Meh! Oh, so we're playing the game where we kiss the ass of the other team again? I remember that last year. "Oh, gotta to hand it to that Livan Hernandez posting a 1.50 ERA against us, he's a savvy postseason performer!" Give me a break. This happens every year too. Over congratulating the winning team. It's like nobody expects the team to do anything a team better than the Pirates. "Well, what are you going to do? *shrug* They're a good team." Yeah, it's a real shame we don't get to play those crap teams in the playoffs. Whose kissing ass? Just stating the obvious. You're right, the Dodgers are fantastic, the Diamondbacks were fantastic last year, let's tip our cap to everyone. Livan Hernandez is unbeatable and James Loney really is just that damn good. Yea, that's what exactly I said. Look dude, I know you're pissed and every Cub fan is just as pissed. This is the worst playoff Cubs team I've seen, but taking pot shots at other posters isn't going to make you feel any better. Go back and read the topic. I didn't make any personal attacks on anyone before the posturing began.

The Cubs choked on this one for sure, but the playoffs are a crapshoot. To insinuate that the Cubs got into the playoffs by bottom feeding is patently ludicrous. This year's squad was quantifiably better than last year's in multiple regards. What happened is that the Cubs totally abandoned what made them successful all season, and played the worst defense I have ever seen for a few innings. The Dodgers hardly obliterated the Cubs. The Cubs did a fine job of that themselves. I'll put money down that come the end of 2009, the Cubs are Central Division champs again, with as good a shot as they had this year. What happens after that is anybody's guess. Pretty much. No reason why they can't dominate the division again. This playoff team isn't the same team we saw during the season. We played like crap, but give credit to the Dodgers. They pitched really well, played good Defense, and got timely hitting. No excuses - They outplayed and outclassed us. It was a special team and season that came to a tragic - if not shocking end. I don't think anyone could've of predicted a 3 and out, no matter who we played. Only the Cubs...Seriously! "Wait til next year"! Meh! Oh, so we're playing the game where we kiss the ass of the other team again? I remember that last year. "Oh, gotta to hand it to that Livan Hernandez posting a 1.50 ERA against us, he's a savvy postseason performer!" Give me a break. This happens every year too. Over congratulating the winning team. It's like nobody expects the team to do anything a team better than the Pirates. "Well, what are you going to do? *shrug* They're a good team." Yeah, it's a real shame we don't get to play those crap teams in the playoffs. Whose kissing ass? Just stating the obvious. You're right, the Dodgers are fantastic, the Diamondbacks were fantastic last year, let's tip our cap to everyone. Livan Hernandez is unbeatable and James Loney really is just that damn good.

Yeah, that's not what I said. The Cubs choked. I said that, but you must have missed it. I know, reading is tough. But irregardless of that, the playoffs are pretty much a crapshoot. The 2005 Astros, 2006 Cards and 2007 Rockies can tell you. No one said the Cubs aren't flawed. But to say they are bottom feeders who were exposed isn't accurate. They were pretty clearly the best team in the NL all year. They are in need of tweaking, but to act as if they are incapable of winning without overhaul is absurd. Or spare me the "reading is tough" nonsense already. Thank you for your internet posturing, I'm rightly impressed. God forbid you disagree with someone without some sort of stupid dig. Here's a note for you: anyone who uses "irregardless" is a fool. There. Am I the tough guy now? Now aside from the posturing, I disagree because you continue to act like it's mostly chance, fate, whimsy, and the Cubs are just helplessly swept away by it, that this doesn't prove this bunch isn't going to get it done, and are probably not going to be improved one year older. That such a Cub explanation. "It's a crapshoot where we're always getting the crap, oh well."

The Cubs choked on this one for sure, but the playoffs are a crapshoot. To insinuate that the Cubs got into the playoffs by bottom feeding is patently ludicrous. This year's squad was quantifiably better than last year's in multiple regards. What happened is that the Cubs totally abandoned what made them successful all season, and played the worst defense I have ever seen for a few innings. The Dodgers hardly obliterated the Cubs. The Cubs did a fine job of that themselves. I'll put money down that come the end of 2009, the Cubs are Central Division champs again, with as good a shot as they had this year. What happens after that is anybody's guess. Pretty much. No reason why they can't dominate the division again. This playoff team isn't the same team we saw during the season. We played like crap, but give credit to the Dodgers. They pitched really well, played good Defense, and got timely hitting. No excuses - They outplayed and outclassed us. It was a special team and season that came to a tragic - if not shocking end. I don't think anyone could've of predicted a 3 and out, no matter who we played. Only the Cubs...Seriously! "Wait til next year"! Meh! Oh, so we're playing the game where we kiss the ass of the other team again? I remember that last year. "Oh, gotta to hand it to that Livan Hernandez posting a 1.50 ERA against us, he's a savvy postseason performer!" Give me a break. This happens every year too. Over congratulating the winning team. It's like nobody expects the team to do anything a team better than the Pirates. "Well, what are you going to do? *shrug* They're a good team." Yeah, it's a real shame we don't get to play those crap teams in the playoffs.

Right, because these six games are all a crapshoot and there's just gosh darn nothin' you can do about it.

Oh well, keep runnin' the same bunch out there, that'll fix everything, tell yourself it's a crapshoot next year too... if they make it.

Does it make better sense than "hey the playoffs are a crapshoot dude keep sending the same bunch out there to get their ass kicked but at least we beat up the Pirates real good?" I call it realism, but you can call it what you like. Lee looks like a .760 OPS first baseman to me. Fukudome just plain sucks. I don't think it's cynicism to say that in 2009 DeRosa will not be an .857 OPS guy, Edmonds a .937 OPS guy, etc. Maybe Dempster could post a sub 3 ERA again. I don't like where Zambrano is trending though. He's not maturing, he's getting more emotional immature all the time. I haven't seen Rich Harden's velocity lately, he's been babied and he's still a 5 inning pitcher, he's getting swings and misses on his split-fingered, yeah, but this was a guy who was clocked at 100 mph just last year. The Rich Harden we've been seeing lately isn't that great. And Soriano can put up all of his good numbers against mistakes and bad pitching and have a 1.000 OPS and in the postseason, you know what will happen? He will swing through outside breaking balls he can't reach time and time and time and time and time and time again. Pedro Martinez made him look like a clown with that strategy in 2003 and 5 years later he has learned nothing except how to make every pitcher look like Pedro Martinez 2003.