NCCubFan

You can; you'd just be behind those with active streaks alive.

I think I have potentially an excellent pitching staff. Schilling (fully healthy again) and Martinez should put up big numbers. Burnett could have a big year if he doesn't miss any more time after starting the year on the DL. And the Cub fan in me is optimistic that Maddux will rebound in a big way after his offseason workouts. I also should get a lot of production out of my bullpen with Cordero and Ryan. Heilman is the wild card. He's starting out the season in the bullpen, but could move into the rotation if any of the Mets' starters struggle or get hurt. He may move back and forth, much like Jorge Sosa did for Atlanta last year. Offense is lacking (and I knew that would be the case going into the draft). I emphasized pitching with my keepers, and with only one pick in the first five rounds I wasn't going to pick up much in the draft. With my less than stellar offense I'm not going to predict a championship for my team this year (although I'd take it if things go crazy and it happens), but I don't expect another 0-13 start either. I went 4-5 in the last nine weeks last year (and at least a couple of those losses were weeks where I was in the top half of the league in scoring but had the bad luck of playing against that week's hottest team). I then finished second in the consolation tournament for non-playoff teams (8th overall) in the postseason. That may be more of an indication of what I'll do this year.

Predictatron is one of two contests on Baseball Prospectus's web site. You predict the number of games each team will win, adding up to 2430 wins total. You also predict the outcome of each postseason series. Everybody starts with 1,000 points. You lose one point for each game a team is off from your prediction (either over or under). You must also designate one lock for each league (a team you either predict to win 90 or more games, or to win 72 or fewer games). For your lock teams, you lose two points for each game you're off. You then win points back during the postseason. Two points for every team you correctly pick to make the playoffs (even if you're off in terms of division champion vs. wild card), four points for every team you correctly pick to advance to the LCS, eight points for every team you correctly pick to advance to the World Series, and 16 points for correctly picking the World Champion. First prize is $500 plus a framed, reproduced photo of Bud Selig with reproduced signature. In addition, the top ten contestants receive a one-year BP premium subscription. To enter you must be a BP subscriber, but their free basic subscription is good enough. And for those who like to participate in their Hacking Mass contest, according to their newsletter, that is supposed to be up sometime this weekend (which would mean later today).

Everybody's tied for first place.

Herb Sendek is leaving NC State to become head coach at Arizona State. This was mentioned between games on the CBS Final Four telecast.

NL WEST: Dodgers NL CENTRAL: Cubs NL EAST: Braves NL WILD CARD: Cardinals AL WEST: A's AL CENTRAL:Indians AL EAST: Yankees AL WILD CARD: Twins NLCS: Cubs over Braves ALCS: A's over Yankees World Series: Cubs over A's If it works out that way, I'm a genius. If not, these picks were just an April Fool's joke. :lol:

Neither; it was a touchdown with extra point and a safety. :D

This is one April Fool's joke I wish were true.

I actually knew Mark Patrick back in college in the late 70s (we lived on the same floor of the same residence hall at Ball State). He was later the sports anchor for the Indianapolis CBS television station for several years before getting into sports radio. I smell NSBB Q and A!!! Tell him there are several XM Subscribers :D Unfortunately I didn't know him very well and it's been over 25 years. Not what I'd call a current contact.

Brownell hired as coach by Wright State.

I actually knew Mark Patrick back in college in the late 70s (we lived on the same floor of the same residence hall at Ball State). He was later the sports anchor for the Indianapolis CBS television station for several years before getting into sports radio.

Very true. After all, it isn't that long ago (2002 and 2003) that he went two years without missing any starts. If all of his injuries have been corrected and reports about him working on changing his mechanics are true there's no reason he can't have another extended run of good health. It certainly isn't a given, but I don't think it would be that much of a surprise either.

Madson doesn't qualify as a minor leaguer. Once a player exceeds 200 at-bats (position player), 10 starts (starting pitcher), or 25 appearances (relief pitcher) in a single season, he no longer qualifies for you minor league roster unless he is sent to the minors by his major league team (I don't think rehabilitation assignments qualify). Madson exceeded that in both 2004 and 2005, and therefore wasn't qualified to be a minor leaguer even last year. It looks like that one slipped through the cracks.

That happened with me last year when I got Jhonny Peralta on waivers. His breakthrough helped me have a decent finish to the season after my 0-13 start. That in turn allowed me to trade Furcal for Conor Jackson and still have a solid shortstop.

I'm in as nccubbiefan2006.

It's been quite some time, but his wife has actually posted here a couple of times.

Ron Potesta confirmed it too, in the minor league forum.

I think the second team is very beatable. :D

I wouldn't; not with Furcal already on your team.

Or (in reference to one of our posters): BigbadBie. :lol:

Too bad Charlie Finley isn't still around. Bacon would have made the perfect pinch runner that Finley used to save one roster spot for (e.g. Herb Washington).

Actually they can't go bacck that far. They can backdate it until I believe the last five days of Spring Training, which would mean missing the first ten days of the season.

He's no Angel Pagan, either. :D

I traded the pick to Northside Baseball for A.J. Burnett and Chad Cordero (and Kyle Davies, who I subsequently released).Kyle has a 0.64 ERA in camp, too. I may wind up picking him back up in the draft. I like him, but when I subsequently traded for Martinez it seemed to me that using one of my keepers on him would give me excessive pitching at the expense of not keeping enough position players (I may have done that anyway). I'm counting on a couple of players carried over from my minor league roster (Murton and Mathis) to be ready to put up some good numbers. Hopefully McPherson can rebound too.

1. Ernie Banks 2. Ryne Sandberg 3. Ron Santo 4. Andre Dawson 5. Sammy Sosa (might have been higher if not for how it ended)