stitchface

yes, and perhaps even more significantly, the internet. I stopped following the Cubs when I left Chicago until I could follow them on-line.

what saved baseball? you, me and everyone else on this forum.

that game was at hawkeye, no?

We are so much improved its hilarious! Honestly, this year we won't do anything, but I WILL bet anyone money that next year this team makes the tourney. It will only be a one year thing, but these juniors are GOOD! Can't wait till we get a legit big man next year! What? Is Snyder making the basketball schedule now too? You could probably get to 20 wins! I'm just kidding ya! I have great respect for Mizzou and KSU!

If only this were true! :D

probably DJAXXFAN or Serena.... I would also ask him to sign up as a member as well. tim@northsidebaseball.com - though the deputies would work as well I'm sure.

welcome to life as a cub fan. I didn't even watch Game 7 and assumed they would be back in five or six years. Yea, 1984 really jaded me.

I don't see how there is less lateral movement than 3b. The 1b is moving laterally on virtually every play. Less on the arm I could see, but overall I think 1b is more physically challenging to play well.

After looking at the schedules I don't really care who wins, I just wish evil upon Cartier Martin and Richard Roby. you had to look at their records to know this was an irrelevant game? No, both have similar schedules going forward, so it doesn't matter to me which gets their 3rd B12 loss. My motivation in rooting for either team is for Mizzou to pass them in the standings. LOL! You're in big trouble if you're chasing those two powerhouses!

Agreed. If you are going to make millions a year to play a game, the least you can do to earn those millions is to pretend to care about the game enough to be ready to play. It's a shame that less talented players who do stay in shape 12/365 never see a major league roster. But, if you are going to beat them out of a job and sign that big contract, you owe it to your employer, the fans and those less talented players to show up to camp ready to play. Lee also plays the least demanding position. That's a big help. But I agree with your larger point. I'm not sure I agree with that - if you aren't flexible you can't play first - at least not like Lee does.

They played after the top of the 8th? I think I was buried in my beer for the rest of that game.

I think 4 isn't that terrible - the cubs need their starters to dominate or they're in trouble anyway. ie they need to be on that list of least used bullpens. I could see Wuertz, Williamson, and Ohman beating those numbers. Possbily also Novoa. I don't have a lot of confidence in Dusty but I think this pen comes together fairly naturally and could have some great roles.

The Cubs pen had an ERA of 4.24 last year, tied for 9th in the NL. A 4.00 ERA would've put them alone in 8th last year, between San Fran's 3.98 and Pittsburgh's 4.06. Another interesting note. Aside from the two big pitcher's parks(Washington and SD), the bullpens with the best ERA's pitched the fewest innings. That's not suprising, considering when you have a lot of IP from your pen, it's usually because your starters stink, and middle relief isn't ever good. break it down by month - perhaps the bullpens wore out?

Are you talking about Rusty Jones? I would love for the Cubs to get his non-union baseball equivalent. You couldn't go wrong with rusty and dusty.

After looking at the schedules I don't really care who wins, I just wish evil upon Cartier Martin and Richard Roby. you had to look at their records to know this was an irrelevant game?

That looks like a bullpen ERA around 4 - how is that so terrible? What was the bullpen ERA last year? Looks pretty optimistic on Williamson to me.

Some zero. Kendall started off excruciatingly slowly last year, most probably explained by the fact that it was his first ever experience of the American League and it took him a while to adjust, but from May 22nd onwards, Kendall put up a .358 OBP. Over the entire 2005 season, only two Cubs managed to beat that, and one of them hardly played. Here's an interesting fact: for his career, Kendall has a .382 on-base percentage, which is higher than the current career mark of absolutely every single player with more than a handful of at-bats that has spent time on the Cubs roster since Mark Grace left after 2000. I'm pretty sure too that at no stage over those five years has anyone of those players ever had an on-base percentage above .382 as well. Certainly, Jason Kendall has embarrassingly little power, and no speed whatsoever either, he's not that great a defensive catcher I don't think, and he's 31 and has spent an awful lot of time behind the plate, so you've got to be worried about his knees, and his contract is pretty ugly too, but at least the guy still seems to know how to hit for average and how to avoid outs. That's not to say that I would want him on the Cubs' roster, just that I wouldn't call him a zero. In other words, I think the A's have a solid lineup from top to bottom now. you're right, I forgot they had kendall!

my legs are far more impressive. aram is a great hitter.

This one drew a loud laugh, which doesn't happen very often with me and message board posts. :lol: :lol: :lol: particularly mine!

Heeeeeere's Neifi... .263/.295/.358 in 407 PA, 1.7 VORP Yikes, I'm less optimistic than BP when it comes to predicting Neifi's 2006 numbers. less optimistic? Meaning he'll have more ABs?

winner Dude, I just did a mini-essay on your username. I assume your reference is to the Spanish Restoration following the 1874 constitution? I believe Zambrano was called "Cacique" at one point (by Dusty or something). It was done as a tribute to him back when I joined. I really need to change it though. I've never really liked it that much. Yeah it means 'boss' in Spanish. But boss like mob-boss. They would run the territory and fix elections and in return were given lots of playoffs. Sounds good!

now? Or during the game? Or both?

you must be - there's an NBA discussion tainting the baseball areas of the board!

yea right (drugs cough cough). That Angels-A's rivalry is building nicely. Go A's!

I could see Piazza playing for the Italian, or David Aardsma for the Dutch, but how does one come to the conclusion that Dan Haren is even a possibility for the Dutch? 100% Irish Father, 100% Mexican mother, so how does Haren get on the roster of the Dutch? WBC is a joke. good decision danny i really think the whole thing should be nothing but angel, ranger, cardinal, and astro players No Angel players. It's always odd when your two favorite AL players are the Angels and the A's. huh?