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wade

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  1. I'm sure most saw the highlight last night where A-Rod and Jeter bumped into each other and A-Rod dropped a pop up. After the muff, Jeter glared at A-Rod and then the highlight was over. I didn't see the game and I'm wondering what happened next, if any of you saw it live. Neither went for the ball, which was still live, by the way. If no one has any insight I guess I'll have to wait for the 30 minute ESPN special on the feud which will surely be on in an hour or two. :D
  2. I would just like to say that I think I made a good point there. Why do my posts kill threads? :titanic:
  3. It would be incredible to get Andruw Jones if the talent going back was minimal. The team should be able to absorb that salary, and it's only for another year anyway.
  4. It's funny you say that. I've followed the Tigers my whole life and they are pretty much the team Hendry wants. The Tiger team OBP is not great. They don't like to walk a lot. Their batting average is pretty high and the OBP they do have is driven by that average. The Tigers pitching is awesome, best ERA in baseball right now, and their defense is pretty solid (Brandon Inge, horrible hitter for a 3rd baseman, has a fine glove). This, to me, is Hendry's dream team. All I can do is hope the Tigers keep it up and the Cubs can find that type of success with the same plan for the next couple of years. That's just it, when has our pitching been great? When have we combined great pitching with great defense? I wouldn't have a problem with a free-swinging team, as long as the team swings at strikes vs. b.s. breaking balls in the dirt or eight inches outside or fastballs eye-high. Our pitching was great in 2003. I truly believe that the Tiger model is the model he bases his moves on. They obviously haven't worked yet and I don't believe he'll change.
  5. It's funny you say that. I've followed the Tigers my whole life and they are pretty much the team Hendry wants. The Tiger team OBP is not great. They don't like to walk a lot. Their batting average is pretty high and the OBP they do have is driven by that average. The Tigers pitching is awesome, best ERA in baseball right now, and their defense is pretty solid (Brandon Inge, horrible hitter for a 3rd baseman, has a fine glove). This, to me, is Hendry's dream team. All I can do is hope the Tigers keep it up and the Cubs can find that type of success with the same plan for the next couple of years. I don't want that to happen. If the Tigers win and Hendry feels more faith in his plan, he'll just keep going on the wrong route. That's just an inefficient way to build a team. Hitting for average is just way too unpredictable, while relying so heavily on pitching has already cost the Cubs big time. I want the Tigers to keep it up because I like them, not because I want Hendry to follow their plan, he's already on it. I think I was confusing before the way I stated it. In my previous post I pointed out what I think they're doing and why I didn't like it. I'd rather they build with more OBP players, but I do not believe they will. I think Hendry has his plan and I can only hope now that they somehow win with his plan. At this point I don't see any way he deviates.
  6. It's funny you say that. I've followed the Tigers my whole life and they are pretty much the team Hendry wants. The Tiger team OBP is not great. They don't like to walk a lot. Their batting average is pretty high and the OBP they do have is driven by that average. The Tigers pitching is awesome, best ERA in baseball right now, and their defense is pretty solid (Brandon Inge, horrible hitter for a 3rd baseman, has a fine glove). This, to me, is Hendry's dream team. All I can do is hope the Tigers keep it up and the Cubs can find that type of success with the same plan for the next couple of years.
  7. I got into a lengthy discussion with a Brewer/ White Sox fan friend of mine a couple of weeks ago. His contention was that there was no plan at all. I argued many of the points made here so far that there is a plan- They want athletes. They value toolsy / versatile players who can play more than one position and play it well. They want the pitching to be studly. Starters and relievers. Injuries have killed them with starters, but the bullpen was obviously the top priority this past off-season (bunch of money to Dempster, Howry, Eyre). The search for a 'prototypical leadoff man' was second, and a lefty outfielder third. Those who differ in the philosophy of putting a good baseball team together would have looked for OBP for the outfield. To me, it seems they look for guys that sort of slot into the standard for their position- slick gloved middle infielders, who cares if they hit. Lefty swinging outfielder with pop, who cares how much he's on base. Leadoff hitters who steal bases, no matter how low their OBP.
  8. Agreed. And don't forget one of the best OBP guys on that team was none other than Sarge himself. Hard to believe a guy would hold an opposite viewpoint as a coach from what worked very well for him as a player. Joe Morgan is the same way, isn't he? It's strange.
  9. In regards to my last post, in 2004 Jones was HBP 10 times, whereas his previous high was 5. In 2005 he had 12 IBB, whereas his previous high was 4. Although 5-8 extra times on base due to anything but a hit or error shouldn't inflate your OBP too much, in Jones' case it does. His OBP historically is so close to his BA that those slight increases those two years gave him a much larger difference in BA to OBP than he had ever had before. A difference we're not seeing this year because he's not been IBB'd or hit much.
  10. Not to change the topic, but isn't it incredible that his average increased this year 31 and 36 points from his previous two seasons, yet his OBP remained the same as '04 and dropped from last year? 14 walks on the season, which is obviously pathetic. I think there was speculation that the only reason his walks were up in '04 and '05 was an increase in intentional walks issued to him given the Twins lack of hitting around him.
  11. Man, I hope the optimistic people are right. I hope this turns out well for the ball club, I just don't see how it can. If Cedeno's not playing second base in 2007, it'll probably be because Neifi is.
  12. Not unless the current people do some serious soul searching and say, "You know what? The way we're doing things just isn't working, and it leads only to hit-and-miss results." That hasn't happened yet. Do you think we are likely to see Pierre signed to a 3 year deal? He certainly fits the mold. And, on that same note, do you think the Cubs would look to deal Barrett and go for a defensive minded catcher? Thanks in advance.
  13. I was thinking there had been talk of it but that he ended up not playing there.
  14. They ought to ban your sig. :club: Seconded.
  15. I'm really surprised that they didn't make a move. Banking on Wells and Willy Mo, I guess.
  16. I'm now waiting for Pierre to get a three year deal. Pierre and Cesar bat one and two next year, I just don't know where Neifi / Cedeno bat - 8th?
  17. I now absolutely believe Barrett will be traded in the off-season. He's no great shakes defensively and the direction the Cubs are moving does not seem likely to deviate. I absolutely beleive you don't absolutely beleive that. With a MI of cedeno/izturis players like Barret, Lee, and Ramirez will be sorely needed. I now beleive JH will go after Carlos Lee and a SP in the offseason. . But I do believe it! Have we not read numerous rumblings about Barrett's defensive woes? I used to think the Cubs didn't have much of a plan at all, but I now firmly believe (I may be wrong, but I believe this) that the plan is to get guys that play good defense and don't strike out. Just think of all the slap hitting defensive-wiz fast guys you could get for Michael Barrett.
  18. I now absolutely believe Barrett will be traded in the off-season. He's no great shakes defensively and the direction the Cubs are moving does not seem likely to deviate.
  19. Now there's at least one member who might take that as a compliment, but I think most of those who differ with jmajew are pretty much red-blooded capitalists (not that communists don't have red blood too). As such, we have an aversion to over-spending for under-production. capitalism is actually much more inefficient than communism. if you lived in a commune, your basic living expenses for one year would be around $10,000. Would we have HD TV? :D
  20. I was wondering why the board "blew up". Now I wish I was still not getting in.
  21. And now I hear on ESPN that Trot Nixon is hurt. Boston will do something today.
  22. isn't the meathook raking since his return? He is. I think they could still use another person. These talks about Soriano to the Tigers don't make sense to me as far as what they'd have to give up compared to them being something like 95% likely to make the playoffs without him. I think they just need a tweak or two, and Walker would be one. Polanco hasn't been any good for them at the plate either. You don't like his .680 ish OPS? :D
  23. That is terrific. "Do you have your shirt on?" LOL What does that even mean?
  24. isn't the meathook raking since his return? He is. I think they could still use another person. These talks about Soriano to the Tigers don't make sense to me as far as what they'd have to give up compared to them being something like 95% likely to make the playoffs without him. I think they just need a tweak or two, and Walker would be one.
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