jersey cubs fan

If you take out his 51 ABs in April where his OPS was .461, Pie has hit .309/.351/.495 for an .846 OPS. Since June 1, granted in only 55 ABs, his OPS is a fantastic .961. If the O's continue to hit him between Roberts and Adam Jones, he could end this season with some respectable numbers. Why would we take out the 51 ABs in April? To make a point? And indicate a trend. He's not just randomly taking out 51 ABs, he's taking out the first 51 ABs for a 24 year old player who has played better since April.

I predicted he'd be back after two-a-days ended. Maybe it will be a little later, but I still think he'll be there sometime this season.

That was an incredibly easy throw to make though. I'm fine with Hanie. I really don't see the need for a random veteran. Cutler is the one who is making or breaking this team. All hopes for 10, 11 wins are because of him, without him this team isn't a serious contender, and the backup doesn't really matter. But I like having a young guy with potential in that role.

Brady was out all year last year and Matt Cassell led the Pats to 11 wins. Yeah, but that was a 16 win team that got to play the two crappy western divisions. He led them to 5 fewer wins. A typical 10 win team that suffers such a decline would be considered to have had a disastrous season. What was the likelihood that the Patriots, with Brady, would have repeated a 16-win season? Maybe they would have, but age and regression likely played a part in the lesser number of wins. A QB with a 63.4 completion percentage, 21 TDs to 11 INTs and a QB rating of 89.4 isn't costing the team very many wins. The defense in 2008 dropped from 4th in yards allowed and 4th in points allowed to 8th and 10th respectively. The defense also had 8 key players (not all starters) over 30 years old - with 3 of them 35 or older. The 2007 defense was bound to regress and that likely cost them more wins than the move from Brady to Cassel - unless you think Brady was likely to repeat one of the greatest statistical years in the history of the NFL. They weren't going to win 16 again, but everything was in place for them to be absolutely fantastic last year. Cassell could not have stepped into a better situation to enjoy success. It's a very QB friendly offense with loads of talent around him, plus the division is mediocre and they were playing 2 really bad divisions.

i like this idea too, although i'm not sure how easy it would be to get a taker for dempster's contract. Agreed. It would be ideal, but I don't think it is too realistic what about trading Lilly? 1 year $12 million left with no-trade protection. We are still trying to win next year aren't we? Why in the world would you trade one of your top two starters? Trying to win next year and every year after. Lilly will be 34 and on his walk year. I don't think I'd want him back for his next contract, which means it could be wise to use his value as an asset by trading him. They'd have to be comfortable with whatever 5-6 starters they'd have in place outside of him. And really I don't see anything coming of it, but I would definitely be open to discussions.

But how many of our picks actually turn into something? How many of the top picks? At the very least, any 1st/2nd round pick should hold trade value in the first couple years of their professional career. Even if they never become big leaguers, they can be assets. The key is not offering them no-trade clauses. How many of our recent 1st/2nd rounders have we given no-trade clauses to? I know Samardzija, but outside of him, I don't know. I was just being sarcastic about the Samardzija thing. He wasn't even a 1st/2nd rounder but he was treated like one.

Brady was out all year last year and Matt Cassell led the Pats to 11 wins. Yeah, but that was a 16 win team that got to play the two crappy western divisions. He led them to 5 fewer wins. A typical 10 win team that suffers such a decline would be considered to have had a disastrous season.

I thought the coverage was bizarre. Deadspin ran with it hardcore because they are run by a Phillies fan who took personal offense to the matter. The week before they ran the story about the Phillies fans who killed another fan, and his first reaction was that it's unfair to talk about Philly fans the way people do, and then they went hardcore after this fan for throwing a beer. It happens a lot. It's a douche move, and I don't have any sympathy for the idiot, but the reaction was over the top, when compared to how people react to other things.

But how many of our picks actually turn into something? How many of the top picks? At the very least, any 1st/2nd round pick should hold trade value in the first couple years of their professional career. Even if they never become big leaguers, they can be assets. The key is not offering them no-trade clauses.

i like this idea too, although i'm not sure how easy it would be to get a taker for dempster's contract. Agreed. It would be ideal, but I don't think it is too realistic what about trading Lilly? 1 year $12 million left with no-trade protection. I'd definitely entertain offers. Not sure you'd get much for one year of a 34 year old non ace pitcher. But they probably have to do something to free up money and bringing in more talent to the organization.

He doesn't spend most of the season on the DL. You offer him arbitration. If he takes, great you have a solid pitcher who should give you a nice 140-150 innings if you take some precautions with how he is used. If he signs elsewhere, you get draft picks. I'd float the idea of a 1 year deal plus an option if he does throw 150+ innings next year. But I wouldn't have much, if any, interest in a bigger contract than that.

+1 Actually it's a bunch of BS. We're supposed to be happy with this team because they won the division 2 years in a row and are 2nd now? They've had one really good year in the Hendry era. One 90+ win season. They won the division with 85 wins the year before, a win by default more than accomplishment. They should be dominating this division every year with their incredible financial advantage over the competition, but their inefficient use of those resources is a waste. You have a manager whining about stupid stuff like needing left handers and a GM who is more than happy to waste money providing those unnecessarily specific demands. And the health excuse is a bunch of garbage. Rich Harden is going to be on the DL. We knew that before he was acquired, they acknowledge it when he was acquired. The fact that they decided to stop with the preventive measures of extra rest for him this year doesn't all of a sudden make it accepable to say, "oh geez this season would be great if Harden didn't surprise us and go on the DL." And Zambrano? He has an issue every season, plus he's a pitcher with a ton of innings on his arm the past several years, he is going to miss time. Bradley is an injury machine. Ramirez gets hurt every year. The team we have is fine? If fine is what you want, then be happy. But I think being a fan of a team, and wanting them to win a lot, would seem to be a good reason to want more than fine. Fine gets you 85 wins, which normally doesn't get you in the playoffs. Quit bitching about fans who actually want the team they root for to win lots of games. Because this team isn't and they will need improvements to do so.

This is one of the most bizarre stories I've ever seen. My initial thoughts were that I wasn't surprised that Kane would be such a douche. You can tell very easily why Toews was tagged as the captain and Kane was the marketing guys dream. But the more I'm reading the more sympathetic Kane appears in the story, which I guess is why publicists get paid. The taxi drivers attorney sounds like a moron. The drivers sounds like a scumbag, and there may not be a bigger group of shady characters than small town cabbies. In big fleets like NYC, you've got characters, but they don't get away with much considering how tightly the city monitors them. In smaller towns you are probably running a 75% chance of getting in a car with a drunk driver, sexual abuser and felon.

At this rate Olsen is either going to be Tony Gonzalez in his prime or a tremendous disappointment. As for the beginning of the offseason disappointment, obviously that was all pre-Cutler. It was pretty Babich being canned as well. Back then beat writers thought it was vital to resign John St. Clair, as if that was going to be the difference on offense. That all changed when they went out and got three new offensive linemen one of whom may be a shade below pro bowl caliber at this point, and Jay Cutler. Orton and these WR would be disappointing, Cutler as these receivers is a whole 'nother ballgame. I had no idea Jay would become available or the Bears would be poised to pounce. But since they have my feelings about this season are totally changed. I feared a 10 loss season now I'm expecting 10 wins, and hoping for 11-12. And I don't think that's the least bit crazy. The defense is no longer elite, but they should be good enough to allow a great QB to win them several games.

There's no way I don't pitch Rich Harden game 1 if he keeps pitching like he has his last 5 starts. If Harden is healthy and rested he's the best pitcher we have, and one of the best in baseball. I'd probably pitch him game 2. I don't want him in Game 1 because I don't want him pitching in Game 5 unless there's extra rest built in. Extra rest is built in to at least 3 of 4 if not all series. Yeah, so you don't need a 5th starter, but not really so your game 1 starter can have 5 days rest, right?

There's no way I don't pitch Rich Harden game 1 if he keeps pitching like he has his last 5 starts. If Harden is healthy and rested he's the best pitcher we have, and one of the best in baseball. The strikeouts have been there, but he's still giving up too many HRs and his BABIP looks a little lucky in that stretch. I'm still iffy on him being "back." He's shown more than enough to me to indicate he's back, and if they ever figure out how to give him some extra rest and not having him throwing every 5th day I think he'll be great again.

There's no way I don't pitch Rich Harden game 1 if he keeps pitching like he has his last 5 starts. If Harden is healthy and rested he's the best pitcher we have, and one of the best in baseball. I'd probably pitch him game 2. I don't want him in Game 1 because I don't want him pitching in Game 5 unless there's extra rest built in.

The Dodgers? The Cubs split a 4-game set with them (minus Manny).

Born: Feb 18, 1981 - Coffee, AL Alabama is certainly not a hispanic country. went to high school in puerto rico, plays outfield and presumably has 2 working legs, so that could be the Mets guy.

In his interview with Mulley and Hanley the other day, he guessed that he might have seen more 3-4 than 4-3. Did he guess if he received more marriage proposals from men or women?

Agreed. I think that's the best case scenario, not the worst. I didn't realize he was 39, he still looks like he is 18. So did Biggio at that age. There's something in the Houston water. So maybe the move to Flushing Meadows forced him to age 20 years in a hurry.

I'm all for it next season, at worst we get an upgrade over Heilman and he won't command a big contract coming off the arm troubles. Exactly. If he'd sign for a couple million tops we'd at worst have a decent reliever and at best have a cheap, really good closer. A 39 year old coming off TJS is not at worst a decent reliever.

They could, but given all the concern about the fatigue of bullpen arms, and that they are going into Colorado and a string of 17 straight games, I don't think they go back to 6 relievers.

I'd like to reserve the right to wait and see how the next 8 weeks turnout. I'd like to get Harden rest and be in position to start on 5-6 days rest in the playoffs. If Wells continues to get the results he's getting, I'd really like to keep him in there. If Lilly returns to form, I'd like him to start as well. If all those things happen, I'd probably put Dempster in the bullpen. But if Dempster looks stronger than either Lilly or Wells down the stretch, if Lilly's injury holds him back, if Wells falters, or if Harden falls apart, that could change.

Right on.