NCCubFan

If there were such a thing as a Hacking Mass Hall of Fame Ausmus and Podsednik would be first-ballot locks. They're perennial favorites at their positions.

We'll just have to beat it out of you then. :lol:

One error does not lose a playoff series. Tell Billy Buckner that, he'd appreciate it. And Leon Durham.

The Cubs once had their rookie league team in the same league as Bluefield (first in Wytheville, ViA, later in Huntington, WV) before changing to the Arizona League. I lived in Huntington for three years while the Cubs were there. That was before I got into minor league baseball that much, so I didn't go to see them play very often.

It's time again to assemble your dream team of the stiffest stiffs that somehow still get meaningful playing time. Baseball Prospectus' fantasy game is now open for business. For those not familiar with it, the objective is to assemble the worst team you can that includes players who still get meaningful major league playing time. Scoring is based on Exuded Stiff Points, Net (ESPN). For hitters the formula is (.800 - OPS) times plate appearances. For pitchers it is (ERA - 4.50) times innings pitched divided by 3. Low OPS and high ERA is good. Last year, our very own Ronny Cedeno had the highest ESPN in baseball (109), followed closely by Rockies shortstop Clint Barmes (108). Here is the link to the contest's home page. You must be a BP subscriber to participate, but the basic subscription is fine; you don't need the premium subscription. The winner receives $500 plus a signed, framed photograph reproduction of Bud $elig. Unfortunately it isn't possible to set up leagues for this contest, but we can simulate a league by having everyone post their team name and roster in this thread, then a few times throughout the year I'll ask everyone to check and post their scores and we can come up with league standings. You can change your roster until midnight Pacific time Friday, April 6, at which time rosters become frozen for the rest of the year (even if your stiffs get injured, sent to the minors, or, horror of all horrors, actually has a good year). My team is Neifi's Nobodies: C--Brad Ausmus 1B-Lance Niekro 2B-Aaron Miles 3B-Pedro Feliz SS-Adam Everett LF-Scott Podsednik CF-Willy Taveras RF-Lew Ford P--Jeff Weaver P--Russ Ortiz I was tempted to use Jason Marquis as one of my pitchers (he was a real Hacking Mass stud last year), but I just don't think he'll get the opportunity to accumulate a huge ESPN total this year. If he stinks as much as he'd need to in order to get a huge point total I think he'll be replaced by Prior or Guzman and therefore not get enough innings pitched to put up a huge total.

I know that feeling. I just enjoy going to minor league games, so I go sometimes even when a Cubs affiliate isn't playing. I live close enough to watch games at Carolina (AA Southern League) and Durham (AAA International League).

Oh, no; the season's ruined before it even begins. Yes, that's sarcasm.

You will be shot at dawn. Also, all starts exceeding 7 will not count. The offender should also be limited to 6 starts the next week as a sanction (similar to NCAA sanctions against schools that violate the rules). :D

Sanchez is probably going to begin the season on the DL.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/94/Fonzie.jpg

1. Number of Cubs wins, 2007 93 +50 2. Number of Cubs wins, Cardinals season series (16 games) 10 +100 3. Number of runs scored, 2007 850 +25 4. Number of runs allowed, 2007 800 0 5. Final Placement in the NL Central Division 1st +200 1. Number of DLee Home Runs 44 0 2. Number of Soriano Stolen Bases 42 0 3. Murton's Batting Average .306 +10 4. Aramis' RBIs 124 +10 5. Carlos Zambrano's Wins 19 +40 6. Jason Marquis' ERA 4.40 +50 7. Rich Hill's Ks 180 +50 8. Ted Lilly's Innings Pitched 210 +50 Bonus Questions I (30 points each) 1. Which will be higher: Z's batting average or Z's batting average against? Batting average against 0 2. Which will be higher: Aramis' HRs or Marquis' HRs allowed? Aramis' HRs +30 3. Which will be higher: Cesar's OBP or DLee's batting average? Lee's BA +30 4. Who will have more HRs: Barrett or Murton? Barrett +30 5. Who will have more wins: Hill or Lilly? Hill 0 6. Who will have a higher K/BB: Zambrano or Hill? Hill +30 Bonus II Questions (30 points each) 1. Most HRs: Lee 0 2. Highest OBP (min. 350 ABs): Lee +30 3. Lowest ERA (min. 150 IPs): Zambrano 0 4. Most saves: Dempster +30 The Annual Tiebreaker: Michael Barrett's OPS .895 off by .161 Total: 765

yeah but Z hustles. You have to pay extra for hustle. You also have to pay extra for the ability to catch the ball. And for the ability to drive in runs with your glove. :lol:

Actually it was 2 complete games last year, not 1 (although the second one was rain-shortened).

Yes. If I recall, that was because another pitcher was promoted from West Tenn to Iowa. That may have been one of the times an Iowa pitcher was called up to the Cubs as an injury replacement.

Brownlie, Blasko, Hagerty and Clanton from the same first round, for that matter. :| I'd forgotten about Clanton. Nothing like having compensatory picks, then having them all get ruined by injuries. :(

I don't see why they still couldn't be broadcast on WGN even without common ownership. After all, they were broadcast on WGN for many years before being bought by the Trib.

I cast a vote. I'll cast one from my work e-mail address tomorrow.

I would have drafted him had he been available, but someone always beat me (not surprising, since all the leagues I'm in are mainly Cub fans). In one of those leagues, to the surprise of probably nobody here, abuck has Hill. :D

Brownlie, Blasko, Hagerty, Johnson, what could have been. :cry: Hopefully Guzman, Veal, Gallagher, Smardz, et al. will make up for that.

This contest reminds me of last year, when the Chattanooga Lookouts' web site ran a poll for best mascot in the Southern League, and we stuffed the ballot box to ensure that Ribbee won in a landslide. Except their poll was legitimate and all of our votes were counted.

Mr. Fudd begs to differ. :lol:

He asked for his release, but I don't think he actually retired.

How many years has it been since Hill was an everyday shortstop? I believe it's been several, but he was listed as a shortstop in the transaction announcement I referred to, which is what made me wonder.

What about Bobby Hill? Someone posted in the minor league forum that he was re-signed within the past week or so (after peeviously being sent home for failing his physical due to a back injury), and he was listed as a shortstop.

My DL may be complete; Freddie Sanchez may begin the season on the DL. Imagine a DL that includes the 2006 NL batting champion, 2005 AL stolen base leader/2006 runner-up, and the player who finished 3rd in the 2006 AL Rookie of the Year voting (who would have won going away if not injured). Impressive.