jersey cubs fan

Are you a high school baseball coach? Yes. And you believe that your background as a longtime high school baseball coach qualifies you as somebody who can accurately determine the level of mental focus of an elite level major league pitcher from moment to moment, given game conditions?

Are you a high school baseball coach?

As for the steroid issue. That little bogus list of names that included Prior and Wood seems to be doing its job. CNBC commentators were talking about big names taking a fall, like Clemens, Pettite and "the entire Cubs pitching staff." And for effect, the host repeated the line, "The Chicago Cubs pitching staff." It's a good thing we know for a fact that Prior did roids.

You're wrong. It means he's a piss poor ninny who should be dealt immediately. What kind of pansy has a higher ERA with guys on base? I'll tell you what kind, a documented steroid abuser. Funny how you revert to this type of a point when you can't prove me wrong. Prove you wrong? It was one of the dumbest things I've ever seen written on here, what is there to prove? A guy gets hit harder in games in which he doesn't perform well. Oh geez, I think we're onto something here. So I was right then. Unfreakingbelievable. Why don't you try proving yourself right instead of asking others to do it for you?

You're wrong. It means he's a piss poor ninny who should be dealt immediately. What kind of pansy has a higher ERA with guys on base? I'll tell you what kind, a documented steroid abuser. Funny how you revert to this type of a point when you can't prove me wrong. Prove you wrong? It was one of the dumbest things I've ever seen written on here, what is there to prove? A guy gets hit harder in games in which he doesn't perform well. Oh geez, I think we're onto something here.

Again, I use both but as I said, you're narrow minded and just see one thing. Honestly, I could care less what you think. Seriously, how can you possibly believe that thinking you see Prior fade away mentally when he is being hit can outweigh the facts that Prior has done fairly well when he gets into situations when guys get on? Show me your numbers after he gives up 4 or more runs...his line drive % numbers. Do you not see how ridiculous that request is? If a guy gives up 4 runs, he's having a bad game. If he's having a bad game, he probably doesn't have his best stuff, and when he doesn't have his best stuff, he's going to get hit more. Do you think all those times that Roger Clemens got absolutely rocked, and it's happened quite a few times over the years, it was because he was a mental midget? Is there a single pitcher in the game who hasn't had bad games where they give up lots of hits and 4+ runs?

You're wrong. It means he's a piss poor ninny who should be dealt immediately. What kind of pansy has a higher ERA with guys on base? I'll tell you what kind, a documented steroid abuser.

No one has LD% by split. And I have no idea why you'd want that anyway. To prove that once he starts to get hit, he gets lit up. I thought numbers told the whole story? Don't you think it's possible that most pitchers will have bad numbers in games when they have bad games?

Again, I use both but as I said, you're narrow minded and just see one thing. Honestly, I could care less what you think. Seriously, how can you possibly believe that thinking you see Prior fade away mentally when he is being hit can outweigh the facts that Prior has done fairly well when he gets into situations when guys get on?

great stuff, really. you think the reason his era with men on base is higher than his era with the bases empty is because...there's men on base?? that's like saying he gives up more grand slams when the bases are loaded than he does when the bases are empty or he gives up more stolen bases when there's guys on base. average against with men on base: .228 average against with the bases empty: .239 Numbers don't tell the whole story.

=D> I'm not on the 'roids. I'm just pointing out what is pretty easily possible, based on my own experience. I keep records and spreadsheets of my progress in weight, body fat %, # of reps, weight lifted, and strength gain because I'm just that way. I like to be able to quantify things. You're so vain.

How so? The Cubs had a mediocre closer last year and the bullpen was perfectly fine.

Banned, yes. There was no penalty policy on steroid use until after 2002, though. The problem was the lacking of testing, not the lack of being able to penalize.

I've pointed that out on numerous occasions but most people prefer the story that steroids used to be legal in baseball.

that's just a ridiculous statement. Sorry we can't put a number on it so you could understand it. well, sure, when you just pull stuff out of your ass, it's hard to put a number on it. Wouldn't that be number 2? What if you adjust for league and park factors?

but it was on the internet?

I think he probably did, I just also think it's meaningful that there is absolutely no evidence that says he did. I can't say it's stupid to think that maybe he didn't.

I've heard that Sosa spent more time in the gym than any other player. So what? Have you ever known a steroid user? That's much of the point of steroids. You're able to workout hard for long periods of time but recover quicker and make gains that you can't make naturally. As far as his diet and economics, do you guys not realize how many players have come from the Dominican, Venezuela, etc. and grew up dirt poor? Seriously if you want to continue to believe Sosa didn't use, that's your own thing. But those are two of the stupidest excuses I've ever heard. I've known plenty of steroids users. Knew a guy who ran a website selling them in the 90's. Drove around in brand new sports cars all the time and was arrested multiple times. Not sure what that has to do with anything. Not sure how those are two stupid excuses. In fact, I think the fact that there hasn't been one ounce of proof, he was a malnourished kid who finally got big after working out a lot is kind of meaningful. In the early 90's, most baseball people who I knew were adamentally against strength training. Of course, that was limited to high school coaches, a couple older guys who got drafted and a college player. But weight lifting of any kind was relatively new. The fact that a kid coming up in the 80's from the dominican put on muscle weight in the 90's really doesn't come close to proving anything.

Seems like if a team wanted to, they could make a claim that these players violated the "good character" clause that is inherent in all MLB contracts. Can't see how if those things occurred prior to their current contract. And with the current collective bargaining agreement including steroids testing and punishment, I doubt they would be able to go beyond that punishment and release a guy.

People want to believe that an AL pitchers numbers would look better in the NL because they'd be facing lesser hitters in the NL, and that NL hitters numbers would be worse in the AL because they'd be facing better pitchers. I don't think you can have it both ways. People go beyond overboard in bringing up differences in the AL and NL. The main difference in pitcher numbers is the presence of the DH. Mediocre AL hitters don't just come to the NL and flourish because it's the NL. The DH versus a pitcher is the biggest difference, as the top hitters in the NL absolutely equate to the top in the AL. Pujols, Cabrera, Holliday, etc stack up to ARod, Manny, Vlad, et al. However, you cannot argue the fact that NL pitchers as a group usually end up with lower ERAs and WHIPs than their AL conunterparts. Right, mostly because they have to face a DH instead of a pitcher. And while banged up guys have to take the day off in the NL, they can slide into DH in the AL.

I find it pretty amazing how people are able to look at photos of players and determine their weight, as well as how much they've gained or lost since the last time they've seen them.

It's kind of weird that nobody seems able to bust him. Seriously...we're talking about Sammy-freakin'-Sosa, and he he keeps making out like the Teflon Slugger. Indeed. He must have a iron clad supplier. Or he eliminated any potential witnesses. He's Keyzer Sosa.

Ironically, that pharse could be used to sum up Seligs entire tenure as commissioner. Very true. I know it's fun and all, but I just don't get the broad brushed bashing of Bud at every turn. People just love ripping authority figures I guess.

People want to believe that an AL pitchers numbers would look better in the NL because they'd be facing lesser hitters in the NL, and that NL hitters numbers would be worse in the AL because they'd be facing better pitchers. I don't think you can have it both ways. People go beyond overboard in bringing up differences in the AL and NL. The main difference in pitcher numbers is the presence of the DH. Mediocre AL hitters don't just come to the NL and flourish because it's the NL.

The comparison to Northern Ireland wasn't about saying they are equal, it was about saying it's difficult to forgive and forget the past, and move on. I don't see how anybody could have a problem with that.