impaler_240

This is one of 3 series' that are huge for the Twins (others are Yankees and Red Sox). I was fortunate enough to go to one of the Red Sox games in Minneapolis. The Twins play with passion, and have been my favorite AL team for quite some time. 8) I will not be able to watch any TV this weekend though, as my fiance is moving in Saturday and I will be playing golf and travelling tomorrow.

seriously, do you think the Cardinals would just keep right on rolling without Pujols? hard to maintain with a hole concerning the likes of a Lee or Pujols. Those guys are amazing talents and the absence is gonna be felt.

I can't believe I'm going to defend Dusty and the rest of Cubs management but the people on this board and others would have had a heart attack and probably would have burned Wrigley to the ground if the Cubs had shut Prior down in September with the division title within sight. Everyone would have been screaming for their heads. We can't have it both ways. 2003 is in the past and now we're paying the piper. Such is life. I didn't say shut him down, did I? I have noticed a lot of people like to put words into your mouth on the internets. :lol:

I really want to go see a game at Pittsburg's new ballpark. :P

I'll blame Dusty for some things, but I don't know if I can go as far and say he and/or Rothschild hurt Prior. Starting in 2003, when Dusty took over here are Prior's Innings pitched and pitchers per game. 2003: 211 113 2004: 119 98 2005 167 104 Those number aren't that crazy. If Prior can't throw 100 pitchers per game without getting hurt it isn't going to matter who is managing the club. Wood's numbers look like this 2003: 211 110 2004: 140 101 2005: 66 88 My point is I don't think it is ALL Dusty/Rothschild's fault. These two guys seem to be extremely brittle. Wood has more of an injury history than Prior so he is a little easier to figure out. Not sure what the deal is with Prior, sure he threw 200+ innings in 2003, but most elite pitchers will throw 200+ innings in a year. Average number of pitches per start doesn't tell the whole story, I'm afraid. It has a lot to do with how many pitches they're being run out there for in certain starts. Just look at the PAP data. In 2003, Prior made 30 starts. Of those 30, 20 were 110 pitches or more. Of those 20, 9 of them were more than 122 pitches. Wood made 32 starts and also had 20 starts over 110 pitches, 8 of those over 122, and 1 of them over 133. Livan Hernandez, widely regarded as the most abused pitcher in baseball because of his "rubber arm," made 17 CAT3+ starts in 2003 (and finished 3rd in PAP - 1-5 was Vazquez, Wood, Livan, Prior, Redman, with Zambrano sitting at 11th). Average pitch counts can be helpful, but to say Dusty and Rothschild aren't highly responsible for Wood and Prior's troubles is ignoring the truth. How come Vazquez, Livan, and Redman have all pitched a lot since then? They aren't injured. But their managers abused them, how can that be? http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/images/capblog/2005/03/03/goat.jpg It's nice that you've learned how to insert pictures into your posts, but scapegoating is hardly the right answer here. Wood, Prior, and Z have been some of the most abused pitchers in baseball going back to 2003. So far, they've been lucky with Zambrano. sorry, it was meant to be a joke. :cry: I am one of the first that will agree that Dusty abuses his staff. :wink:

I think if he grows a mustache like Maddux in the 80s he'd rehabilitate faster. 8)

I'll blame Dusty for some things, but I don't know if I can go as far and say he and/or Rothschild hurt Prior. Starting in 2003, when Dusty took over here are Prior's Innings pitched and pitchers per game. 2003: 211 113 2004: 119 98 2005 167 104 Those number aren't that crazy. If Prior can't throw 100 pitchers per game without getting hurt it isn't going to matter who is managing the club. Wood's numbers look like this 2003: 211 110 2004: 140 101 2005: 66 88 My point is I don't think it is ALL Dusty/Rothschild's fault. These two guys seem to be extremely brittle. Wood has more of an injury history than Prior so he is a little easier to figure out. Not sure what the deal is with Prior, sure he threw 200+ innings in 2003, but most elite pitchers will throw 200+ innings in a year. Average number of pitches per start doesn't tell the whole story, I'm afraid. It has a lot to do with how many pitches they're being run out there for in certain starts. Just look at the PAP data. In 2003, Prior made 30 starts. Of those 30, 20 were 110 pitches or more. Of those 20, 9 of them were more than 122 pitches. Wood made 32 starts and also had 20 starts over 110 pitches, 8 of those over 122, and 1 of them over 133. Livan Hernandez, widely regarded as the most abused pitcher in baseball because of his "rubber arm," made 17 CAT3+ starts in 2003 (and finished 3rd in PAP - 1-5 was Vazquez, Wood, Livan, Prior, Redman, with Zambrano sitting at 11th). Average pitch counts can be helpful, but to say Dusty and Rothschild aren't highly responsible for Wood and Prior's troubles is ignoring the truth. How come Vazquez, Livan, and Redman have all pitched a lot since then? They aren't injured. But their managers abused them, how can that be? http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/images/capblog/2005/03/03/goat.jpg

I'll blame Dusty for some things, but I don't know if I can go as far and say he and/or Rothschild hurt Prior. Starting in 2003, when Dusty took over here are Prior's Innings pitched and pitchers per game. 2003: 211 113 2004: 119 98 2005 167 104 Those number aren't that crazy. If Prior can't throw 100 pitchers per game without getting hurt it isn't going to matter who is managing the club. Wood's numbers look like this 2003: 211 110 2004: 140 101 2005: 66 88 My point is I don't think it is ALL Dusty/Rothschild's fault. These two guys seem to be extremely brittle. Wood has more of an injury history than Prior so he is a little easier to figure out. Not sure what the deal is with Prior, sure he threw 200+ innings in 2003, but most elite pitchers will throw 200+ innings in a year. Average number of pitches per start doesn't tell the whole story, I'm afraid. It has a lot to do with how many pitches they're being run out there for in certain starts. Just look at the PAP data. In 2003, Prior made 30 starts. Of those 30, 20 were 110 pitches or more. Of those 20, 9 of them were more than 122 pitches. Wood made 32 starts and also had 20 starts over 110 pitches, 8 of those over 122, and 1 of them over 133. Livan Hernandez, widely regarded as the most abused pitcher in baseball because of his "rubber arm," made 17 CAT3+ starts in 2003 (and finished 3rd in PAP - 1-5 was Vazquez, Wood, Livan, Prior, Redman, with Zambrano sitting at 11th). Average pitch counts can be helpful, but to say Dusty and Rothschild aren't highly responsible for Wood and Prior's troubles is ignoring the truth. How come Vazquez, Livan, and Redman have all pitched a lot since then? They aren't injured.

That is a good movie. I was glad to see Batman Begins go back to the roots of the story (comics) and the original movie. 8)

Why don't you look at some of those other stats, compare them to other pitchers, and then tell me Kerry Wood only had 1 good game? I think a lot of his hype is based solely on that one game. Sure he had some good outings in his career (even Rusch has the occasional good day), but I don't think he is the elite MLB pitcher that his salary suggests. Wait. Remind me when Rusch dominated one of the hottest hitting teams in the majors twice in the playoffs again? I think I missed it. I never said Rusch dominated anything, did I? :? I simply said that he occasionally has a good outing. That may be subject to debate this season though. :lol:

Apparently comparing him to anyone is irrelevant. There is no crying in baseball. 8) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/graphics/campaigns/madonna/leaguetimeline.jpg

Kerry didn't get his contract this year so comparing him to those guys is irrelevant. Years go by, salaries go up...inflation I guess.

Why don't you look at some of those other stats, compare them to other pitchers, and then tell me Kerry Wood only had 1 good game? I think a lot of his hype is based solely on that one game. Sure he had some good outings in his career (even Rusch has the occasional good day), but I don't think he is the elite MLB pitcher that his salary suggests.

I know he got hurt after only a few weeks, but they were winning games when he was healthy. 8)

He's nowhere near the most overpaid when healthy. Injuries were not a concern when the contract was signed, so they should have no bearing on the argument now. You're a fool to believe he's only had 1 good game, and to simply call it a "good" game is ignorant. It was the most dominating pitching performance in the history of baseball (someone else can provide the link). Plus you want to penalize him for being on horrible teams and not getting a high enough number in a stat that's basically worthless in evaluating a pitcher? Give me a break. I wouldn't say accumulating wins as a pitcher is "worthless", but then again we are Cubs fans here so what do we expect. :lol: Part of your evaluation of him, as a pitcher, was using his number of wins. That is a worthless stat when evaluating a pitcher. I think wins are a valuable stat...maybe not all-inclusive when evaluating overall performance, but valuable nonetheless. If you disagree then that's your M.O. :wink:

they only lost by 14 the game I went to at Wrigley this year. :cry:

He's nowhere near the most overpaid when healthy. Injuries were not a concern when the contract was signed, so they should have no bearing on the argument now. You're a fool to believe he's only had 1 good game, and to simply call it a "good" game is ignorant. It was the most dominating pitching performance in the history of baseball (someone else can provide the link). Plus you want to penalize him for being on horrible teams and not getting a high enough number in a stat that's basically worthless in evaluating a pitcher? Give me a break. I wouldn't say accumulating wins as a pitcher is "worthless", but then again we are Cubs fans here so what do we expect. :lol:

It hasn't translated into a high number of wins for Z either. Are you saying he's overrated too? I didn't say Wood is over-rated, just overpaid based on results he has provided.

Wood is the most overpaid player in baseball. He had one good game his rookie year and now he is among the highest paid players in the sport. To his defense, he does have one of the best Opp BA in major league history, but it hasn't translated to accumulating Ws. :x

ZING! :lol: Good one!

Z should run for president in 2008.

agreed... :x

This made me LMAO... not just on the internet, but REALLY! :lol:

If I am at home and inside, I still watch. I can't help it. The Cubs are like cocaine to me. :oops:

I think more cowbell is the only thing that can save teh season. http://70.85.169.212/3547/80/emo/zombiecowbell2.gif