Cubswin11

I am pretty sure most teams have a guy(s) in the booth to give advice on replays. Maybe sometimes coaches get to caught up in the game and have to make a split decision from their field level view that they don't really think about it or want to hear someone else's opinion.

Terrible punt, if the Vikings don't score here it could be over

Vikings should get decent field position here. WTF Payton? Brees' helmet barely passed the 1st down line and the ball was at his waist.

That's why you put up with the fumbles I guess.

TD, that play shouldn't even have to be reviewed

With all these fumbles today and overthrows by Favre and Brees I wonder if there is something with these balls. For games like these they get the commemorative balls with the teams names, date, location, etc. Sometimes they aren't worn down enough to be in playing condition.

Bad call, but most QB's probably get that call these days with all of the rules favoring them.

Call a [expletive] fair catch there Bush

Favre taking some big hits early

Early in the offseason we were rumored to have "interest," nothing more ever came out after the initial report so it was probably minimal/passing thought by Hendry at best.

I am assuming this will have to go to a review board, not that trades ever seem to get stuck there in such a process, to get approved given the disparity in money changing hands? Decent backup OF option to replace Beltran early in the year and they will have enough guys, once Beltran gets back, to get alright production in RF between Pagan/Francoeur/GMJ/Murhpy/FMART (if they call him up).

Harden put up a line of 4-3, 2.55 ERA, 12 GS , 67 IP, 1.119 WHIP, 11.8 SO/9 in the second half last year. We don't have anyone on the roster that is going to replace Harden (Gorzo, Silva, Samardzija, Marshall) that is capable of pitching that well over the course of a half a season On the flipside, Harden had a 5.47 ERA with a 1.541 WHIP and a 10.1 K/9 in the first half (seven more innings too). Most any of our starters can better those numbers significantly. Not the guys who are the top candidates to replace him. Carlos Silva career as a starter: 52-63, 4.90 ERA, 159 GS, 1.410 WHIP, 3.6 K/9 Jeff Samardzija career as starter MLB (sample size): 0-2, 10.80 ERA, 2 GS, 1.680 WHIP, 7.6 K/9 Jeff Samardzija overall MLB pitching stats (62 IP, 46 G): 2-3, 5.20 ERA, 1.604 WHIP, 6.6 K/9 Jeff Samardzija MILB career stats (71 of 77 games as a starter): 20-25, 4.28 ERA, 71 GS, 1.447 WHIP, 5.7 K/9 Tom Gorzelanny career as starter: 26-27, 4.78 ERA, 72 GS, 1.500 WHIP, 6.2 K/9 Silva and Gorzo yearly logs as starters: Silva (2009): 1-3, 8.48 ERA, 6 GS, 28.2 IP, 1.640 WHIP, 3.1 K/9 Silva (2008): 4-15, 6.46 ERA, 28 GS, 153 IP, 1.598 WHIP, 4.1 K/9 Silva (2007): 13-14, 4.19 ERA, 33 GS, 202 IP, 1.312 WHIP, 4 K/9 Silva (2006): 11-15, 6.13 ERA, 31 GS, 173.1 IP, 1.546 WHIP, 3.4 K/9 Silva (2005): 9-8, 3.44 ERA, 27 GS, 188.1 IP, 1.173 WHIP, 3.4 K/9 Silva (2004): 14-8, 4.21 ERA, 33 GS, 203 IP, 1.429 WHIP, 3.4 K/9 Gorzelanny (2009): 4-2, 5.40 ERA, 7 GS, 31.2 IP, 1.421 WHIP, 10.2 K/9 Gorzelanny (2008): 6-9, 6.66 ERA, 21 GS, 105.1 IP, 1.804 WHIP, 5.7 K/9 Gorzelanny (2007): 14-10, 3.88 ERA, 32 GS, 201.2 IP, 1.398 WHIP, 6 K/9 Gorzelanny (2006): 2-5, 3.79 ERA, 11 GS, 61.2 IP, 1.315 WHIP, 5.8 K/9 It seems odd to me that you wouldn't include Marshall in that group... If I were a betting man, I'd bet on Marshall starting more games next season than Silva. And the only way I think I would be wrong is if Silva somehow turns things around and actually deserves to be starting more games in which case, the Cubs would be doing okay. I think Marshall will end up in the bullpen to provide long relief work, emergency spot starts, and be another lefty option. Silva is going to start the season in the rotation most likely given his salary... Then probably a toss up between Gorzo and Shark for the #5 spot to replace Lilly. Marshall has had more success in the bullpen and looked pretty good last year coming out and I think he stays there.

Good point, I think most of us remember the dominant Harden and forget that he had been regressing. Harden put up a line of 4-3, 2.55 ERA, 12 GS , 67 IP, 1.119 WHIP, 11.8 SO/9 in the second half last year. We don't have anyone on the roster that is going to replace Harden (Gorzo, Silva, Samardzija, Marshall) that is capable of pitching that well over the course of a half a season On the flipside, Harden had a 5.47 ERA with a 1.541 WHIP and a 10.1 K/9 in the first half (seven more innings too). Most any of our starters can better those numbers significantly. Not the guys who are the top candidates to replace him. Carlos Silva career as a starter: 52-63, 4.90 ERA, 159 GS, 1.410 WHIP, 3.6 K/9 Jeff Samardzija career as starter MLB (sample size): 0-2, 10.80 ERA, 2 GS, 1.680 WHIP, 7.6 K/9 Jeff Samardzija overall MLB pitching stats (62 IP, 46 G): 2-3, 5.20 ERA, 1.604 WHIP, 6.6 K/9 Jeff Samardzija MILB career stats (71 of 77 games as a starter): 20-25, 4.28 ERA, 71 GS, 1.447 WHIP, 5.7 K/9 Tom Gorzelanny career as starter: 26-27, 4.78 ERA, 72 GS, 1.500 WHIP, 6.2 K/9 Silva and Gorzo yearly logs as starters: Silva (2009): 1-3, 8.48 ERA, 6 GS, 28.2 IP, 1.640 WHIP, 3.1 K/9 Silva (2008): 4-15, 6.46 ERA, 28 GS, 153 IP, 1.598 WHIP, 4.1 K/9 Silva (2007): 13-14, 4.19 ERA, 33 GS, 202 IP, 1.312 WHIP, 4 K/9 Silva (2006): 11-15, 6.13 ERA, 31 GS, 173.1 IP, 1.546 WHIP, 3.4 K/9 Silva (2005): 9-8, 3.44 ERA, 27 GS, 188.1 IP, 1.173 WHIP, 3.4 K/9 Silva (2004): 14-8, 4.21 ERA, 33 GS, 203 IP, 1.429 WHIP, 3.4 K/9 Gorzelanny (2009): 4-2, 5.40 ERA, 7 GS, 31.2 IP, 1.421 WHIP, 10.2 K/9 Gorzelanny (2008): 6-9, 6.66 ERA, 21 GS, 105.1 IP, 1.804 WHIP, 5.7 K/9 Gorzelanny (2007): 14-10, 3.88 ERA, 32 GS, 201.2 IP, 1.398 WHIP, 6 K/9 Gorzelanny (2006): 2-5, 3.79 ERA, 11 GS, 61.2 IP, 1.315 WHIP, 5.8 K/9

Harden put up a line of 4-3, 2.55 ERA, 12 GS , 67 IP, 1.119 WHIP, 11.8 SO/9 in the second half last year. We don't have anyone on the roster that is going to replace Harden (Gorzo, Silva, Samardzija, Marshall) that is capable of pitching that well over the course of a half a season In April Soriano OPS'd .955 and then he OPS'd .992 in August. So for over 25% of his AB's he was a .950+ OPS hitter. That doesn't mean that Soriano had a good year or that he is irreplaceable. That doesn't make sense and is a week argument. Half of Harden's season last year was very good not two random months throughout the season like you present with Soriano. I am not saying Harden is irreplaceable, just that the guys we are attempting to replace him with is going to make him more irreplaceable as none of them will be able to be as good as Harden was in the second half last year. I'm glad you see how weak of an argument it is to try to cherry pick stats or parts of a season to make a player look better. In regard to Harden last year it is just as easy to point out more than half of Harden's IP were at Wrigley Field where he had an ERA to the tune of 5.99. I am not saying Harden is this irreplaceable cog that will take the Cubs decades to find a replacement to. Take out the cherry picked numbers, 1st half/2nd half whatever, and Gorzo/Samardzija/Silva will have a hard time putting up the numbers Harden did last year in a full "bad" season. Like I stated before it's not that Harden is irreplaceable that makes his loss hurt (he certainly is replaceable) it's the pitchers we are attempting to replace him with that will give us an overall worse rotation next year without a significant addition.

I hope the Jets get throttled this weekend

Good point, I think most of us remember the dominant Harden and forget that he had been regressing. Harden put up a line of 4-3, 2.55 ERA, 12 GS , 67 IP, 1.119 WHIP, 11.8 SO/9 in the second half last year. We don't have anyone on the roster that is going to replace Harden (Gorzo, Silva, Samardzija, Marshall) that is capable of pitching that well over the course of a half a season In April Soriano OPS'd .955 and then he OPS'd .992 in August. So for over 25% of his AB's he was a .950+ OPS hitter. That doesn't mean that Soriano had a good year or that he is irreplaceable. That doesn't make sense and is a week argument. Half of Harden's season last year was very good not two random months throughout the season like you present with Soriano. I am not saying Harden is irreplaceable, just that the guys we are attempting to replace him with is going to make him more irreplaceable as none of them will be able to be as good as Harden was in the second half last year.

Good point, I think most of us remember the dominant Harden and forget that he had been regressing. Harden put up a line of 4-3, 2.55 ERA, 12 GS , 67 IP, 1.119 WHIP, 11.8 SO/9 in the second half last year. We don't have anyone on the roster that is going to replace Harden (Gorzo, Silva, Samardzija, Marshall) that is capable of pitching that well over the course of a half a season

Z, Sheets, 1 of Lilly/Dempster come October :cool:

you mean he is a great team Yeah if Lebron leaves next year and the Cavaliers make minimal changes to the rest of the team, they become an average eastern conference team. Take away Lebron and I think there isn't that big of a discrepancy between the talent the Nets have on their roster and what the Cavs have right now. Harris, Lopez, and CDR are all pretty solid NBA players, also figure in that there is a good chance they will get a top 3 pick and have a chance to get Wall, adding Lebron to that team would make them instant Eastern Conference contenders. If they drafted Wall they could trade Harris and get a decent return and they could still have some money to sign an mid-tier FA in the offseason someone in the Ray Allen, Joe Johnson, David Lee, Manu Ginobli, Carlos Boozer range (guys who won't be getting max contracts but still are pretty good).

The Royals are one of the dumbest [expletive] franchises in baseball. For 2010 they will be paying Guillen (12), Meche (12), Farnsworth (4.5), Betancourt (3), Kendall (2.25), Podsednik (1.75), and Ankiel (3.25) a total of $38.75 million.

Id very much like that as well, but unfortuantely, I think that no matter what he does in ST hes in the back of the line behind Gorz, Marshall, Shark, and Silva and will start the season in Iowa. What were Diamond's final winter league stats? There is no reason, given his past success/rankings, that he shouldn't be given the same opportunities as Samardzija, Gorzo, and Silva as they all have their flaws and various degrees of success in the majors over their careers (some good stretches and some horribly awful stretches). It would be a disservice to the team to not consider Thomas and other SP options for the #4/5 spots in ST as even the so call "frontrunners" in Gorzo, Shark, and Silva all certainly have their questions and spotty track records, at best, through their major league careers

Huh? What history do the Knicks have on a handful of other NBA teams? A .498 winning percentage Tied with the Hawks for 5th for most playoff appearances 10th in Division championships with 8. 2 NBA titles, less than the Pistons, Warriors, 76ers, Bulls, Spurs, Celtics, and Lakers Yeah but John Starks dunked over Jordan once. Outside of the fact that they play in the largest media market in the world and the media somehow feels it's a disservice to sports when NY teams are bad (and not only do they deserve the best players but everything about them is overblown), they are a very AVERAGE NBA franchise over the course of their history.

No team is set with a guy coming off surgery who is going to miss at least the first month of the season. And it remains to be seen if they are set with Randy Wells. He also lists 2 terrible pitchers and an inconsistent one battling for the 5th spot. A quality starter would not be an extravagance. This team wasn't good enough to win last year with Rich Harden on the team, now they have lost him, and added Carlos Freaking Silva, which means they are that much worse. Would Samaradzija even be being considered for the #5 spot if it wasn't for his ridiculously stupid contract? What has he ever done in the minors or MLB that warrants him being considered, aside form Hendry giving him a stupid [expletive] MLB contract out of college?

I've wondered that myself. If Sheets is demanding $10 million for one year and Bedard is willing to take less, I'd be more for Bedard myself. I've heard very little to nothing about Bedard this offseason. Who are his potential suitors and what kind of a contract is he looking for? I could be wrong, but I am pretty sure he won't be able to pitch until about half way through the season.

Pineiro has the told Mets he is going to sign elsewhere and it's probably going to be the Angels. This could mean the Mets might step up efforts to sign Sheets and might be the idiot team that offers the $16-20+ mil guaranteed to him. Hopefully they just decide to sign Garland or Washburn though.