badnews

This is the dumbest contract a player has ever signed probably, even dumber than Tim Wakefield's. I'd like to see the Cubs dupe a future star into signing a contract like this. He'll be making $6 million when he could be making $16 million, $11 million when he could be making $19 million, what a madman. When he's 28 and has a .880 OPS he can feel great about how he's making less than 7th inning relievers when he could've been making $10 million a year more. Honestly though, I think you guys are to quick to crown them as most talented. We've seen this before with predictions that the Dodgers would be winning World Serieses with a 1-5of Edwin Jackson/Greg Miller/Scott Elbert/Chad Billingsley/Jonathan Figueroa, with Joel Guzman, Andy LaRoche, Delwyn Young, Blake DeWitt, Franklin Gutierrez, and Chen all as All-Star position players. Or remember the Angels infield of the future of Jeff Mathis, Casey Kotchman, Howie Kendrick, Brandon Wood, and Dallas McPherson? Maybe nobody remembers but that was thought of as absolutely sick. I don't think they're going to get 80 wins this year. I don't like Matt Garza, I think they may be overworking Scott Kazmir (why did he average so many pitches a start last year?), and David Price isn't an instant stud, look at Andrew Miller, I have real doubts about him and he was better billed than Price. Considering that Boston and the Yankees are pouring buckets of money into their farm systems as well, and the Blue Jays are solid, I just don't see this happening. I don't see a playoff run in 2009 either, but we'll see. Remember, even with Kazmir and Shields last year they still had the worst team ERA by far. They're making improvements and kicking the ass of many teams trying to build through the farm, but I don't see a great team 2008-9. I wouldn't be surprised to see McGee as some badass Ryan-like closer but he's the only pitcher I'm totally sold on.

Jacque Jones was acquired by Dave Dombrowski and Crisp would be acquired by Jim Hendry. Hiyo!

Someone explain why Crisp is worth like ten times in trade value what Jacque Jones was? Crisp has been mediocre for longer than Jacque, costs more (right?), and Jacque did play a mean CF last season.

The G/F ratio does it for me.

Amen. I get a little bummed out at some of the guys we're reduced to discussing.

I don't enjoy such things. I don't see what pleasure there is to be derived from it. I could go so far as to say it would be like enjoying wondering what color pen a manager is going to use to fill out the lineup. Most of the time the manager tries to go with the pitcher, but if the pitcher craps out too much, then he goes with the reliever eventually. At least that is what happens in 95% of the games I've watched. I'm not exactly on the edge of my seat like: "Oooooh! Is the pitcher going to make it to the end of the inning? I can't bear to look!" This happens like once every 100 games I watch. Even so, why should I care? Again, we're talking about routine moves that people are over-glamorizing. I know. Seeing a pinch hitter is an amazing sight, like seeing a bald eagle in a 500 year old old growth western hemlock. Most of which rarely happens in the ways you say, or happens in other ways in the AL as well. I don't know. Call me crazy but I don't derive that much joy from petty, routine decisions. I don't understand the thinking of those who do either. Do you guys get bursts of orgasmic pleasure from seeing a double switch? Do you jump out of your chair, elbow your buddy and shout "Holy CRAP. Did you just see that double switch? UN-****-INGBELIEVABLE." I don't understand this worship of the double switch that makes people *loathe* the AL. Here's what else I don't care for: - The obnoxious elitism that is pervasive among those who like the NL better. Like Mr. Arena Football. "I likes my locomotives steam-powered, my cigarettes filterless, my coffee black, and my baseball without DHes." Most of it is just reactionary. "The AL rules are bad because that's not the way things have always been." Reactionary. - Misuse of the term "chess match." In a chess match, each move requires a countermove. In many of the situations describe, there is no corresponding countermove that needs to be made. So what's a chess match that has no moves in response to other moves? Simple. That's not a chess match. - I don't like pitchers getting injured doing what isn't their primary job. I don't like guys like Russ Ortiz making a career out of walking guys until he got to the pitcher and got out of a jam. I like how the AL doesn't leave as big of a dead zone for pitchers to relax in like the NL. And yeah, I like seeing lumbering oxes get to hit. Which, according to the elitists, is against The Bible and Jesus and makes you a Philistine.

Well, you could've actually read my post instead of just quoting and grasping around for something to lash out again, but what are you going to do. It wasn't much of a hassle to post that. Most posts on message boards are simply "My opinion is better than yours." So you have both pointed out the obvious while ignoring several statements of mine that were clearly not in that category. I can understand that you disagree but you're just kicking dirt around, not even talking baseball.

I don't think I was being demeaning. Look at some of the responses to my posts. Now that is demeaning. "Extending my logic" like that is kind of a cheat. I can just reply as such: let's all go back to the 1883 or what have you version of baseball. That's the only "real" form. Otherwise it's just like pro wrestling. You get the drift. Anything updated from 19th century baseball = fake baseball. It's BS because... you say so? Only you have the One True Vision for baseball? Hmm. And that is endlessly fascinating stuff. The Rangers-Blue Jays extra innings game I watched was more entertaining than that. Had to bring in some personal jab into this, eh? Falling back on that old crutch? Well, if it's not 19th century pure baseball to me than it's just Arena League crap to me as well. Hell, it also became more Arena League when they lowered the mound and such. That argument isn't going to work. It's too easily turned back upon you. Frank Thomas? Huh. Except that's a lie and a myth. What chess match? Most of you just make this all up with moves that aren't interesting, diverting, or anything more than utterly routine. The chess match aspect that doesn't actually exist anywhere but in people's imaginations? Ah yes, that double switch, that's like watching Deep Blue vs. Kasparov, I'm just stunned at the amount of strategy going on there.

I like the DH, and I find most arguments against it to be pretty reactionary nonsense. A lot of times you see people get misty eyed and talk all about that superior NL "strategy." And then someone comes up with a complete load of crap example. Like: "Your pitcher is throwing a no-hitter in a 0-0 game and comes up with the bases loaded and 1 out in the 8th inning, what do you do?" And I'm thinking to myself "What is this crap? How often in the history of baseball has this happened?" The DH-phobes like to think two things. One, that their reasoning is logical and not emotional, and two, NL baseball is more "pure" than AL baseball when both things are not true. Hey, let's go back to the 1883 version of baseball, that's more "pure." Most pitching changes are utterly routine. The idea that there is some kind of grand chess match of strategy going on in the NL sounds like advertising copy to me. Furthermore, yes, I'd rather watch David Ortiz, Travis Hafner, and so forth, hit without the penalty of watching them have to play defense than to see Doug Davis go 0-43. Micah Owings is swell and all but the novelty factor wears off. In short, the idea that the NL is some grand showcase of strategy is one of the biggest myths that still exists in baseball. When you get right down to the "strategy" that these people wax poetic about, it is usually pretty boring and mundane things. "Whoa! The pitcher used to bat 9th, now that spot is #2! This **** is totally blowing my mind! Now that is STRATERGY."

Is it just me, or does everything written about Ascanio sound like fairly outrageous hyperbole? For a guy who has put up generally unimpressive numbers and was, what, like The Braves' 25th best prospect even after the Teixeira trade, I think the words "filthy" and "electric" have been badly overused with this guy. He sounds like a combinationf of Joba Chamberlain and J. J. Putz for crying out loud.

Justin Berg is like the crap version of Justin Masterson. On the plus side Tennessee did well against McGee, considering.

Unfortunately that's kind of boring to me. I don't know. Watching the future Mark Hendricksons, Brian Tallets, and Dave Borkowskis develop just isn't a lot of fun.

I just noticed Tim Alderson is already with the Giants' High A affiliate. Now Brian Sabean may be on his way to putting us to shame. The horror!

He will make a delightful trade chip in a less-than-great "Go for It" trade this summer. So far it's been him and to a lesser extent Tony Thomas and the rest has been depressing box score watching. Vitters - I look forward to at least three more years of people saying "Give him a chance, he's young." My first choice, considering we couldn't afford Porcello, was Wieters, and let that "problem" resolve itself when the time comes. The 2007 1st round though, kind of odd, like the second after they were made picks made ten earlier than the higher ones looked better.

Rundle was one of the three best high school outfielders chosen by Baseball America preseason, along with Travis Snider. Then the season happened.

Can anyone think of examples of B-/C+ type prospects or worse who became above average major leaguers in the past 6 years or so? Not crap prospects but guys who you maybe see as outside the top 4 prospects of an average strength farm system. I'm thinking of guys like John Maine Shaun Marcum Kevin Youkilis Andre Ethier Jhonny Peralta Fausto Carmona

Let's try this again in 3 months. See you then!

Chase Utley is overrated. He's half a decade older than Cabrera so throw that in the dumpster. He plays in a hitter's park than makes Aaron Rowand look good and his home/road splits have reflected this. Chase Utley plays in Miguel Cabrera's stadium he's putting up Dan Uggla numbers. Actually I'm just trying to stir the pot because I don't like it when everyone piles on like that and 5 people in a row kiss that much ass on a player.

That's going to be a red ass beatdown. 6 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 0 R, O ER, 13 strikeouts, the five guys who actually put the ball in play will be given bonuses.

Yeah right. He'll be, what, 31 when he's a free agent? So who is going to pay $15 million a year for defense, a career high 15 home runs, not much of a stolen base game, and so forth? I think you can expect a .775 OPS and good defense out of him in a typical year but that's about it, not worth $15 million year, not even worth $12 million a year in my book.

I think it would be stupid to applaud Steve Bartman. What is he, a Nobel Peace Prize Winner? Give me a break. I save my applause for people who actually deserve it. What did Steve Bartman do to deserve applause? Nothing. He got a bit of a hard time for a while, big deal, so do a lot of people. Applauding Bartman would be like applauding Elián González. I think the only people who think applauding Bartman is a good idea are those who are wildly desperate to try and convince fans of other teams that we're not still plagued by it or something. My advice is to not give a crap what they say either way. I know, let's erect a statue of him next to Ernie Banks just to double-triple-show for 100% sure that we're over him. Let's sign him to a 10 year/$200 million contract to further convince people. Let's elect him mayor of Chicago. Just to really, truly, positively, no doubt over it. And if that doesn't convince people, let's all let him have a night with the wife of every man in Chicago. That should really do it. Or eat free at every restaurant. Because let's face it. Steve Bartman is a hero, and what happened to him is a national tragedy. Okay, you guys do all that, and while you're at cut the kid you bullied on the playground in 3rd grade a blank check. I think I'll live in the real world where we don't give people applause for no good reason.

How are they any good? Here is my explanation, everyone but Haltz look Anyway, don't the Cardinals have some crazy record in the last whatever games Wellemeyer has started or something? They really do decently for having a lot of trash. They've got to come way down to earth... right? I mean, not even .500 down to earth, but below that.

You know your farm system may be in trouble when the daily minor league report includes just about nobody worth a damn. But at least now I am updated on the doings of Ashwood, Muyco, Reynolds, Downs, Marquez Smith, Holliman.

Glut of 3b? One guy everyone on here treats like a meaningful player but I don't see it at all is Josh Lansford. Is he part of this "glut?" I noticed Jarrod Parker was on the Diamondbacks' Low A roster. I have more faith in the way Byrnes runs things than Hendry.

Like the numbers from Thomas, don't like that he's DHing.