wade

That's the spirit!

Spoken like a true Buckeye!

O.K. This is the thread where we talk about the greatness that is the Tigers. They were my favorite team for a long time, since I was born in Michigan and lived there for the first 10 years of my life. Then, I married a girl from Chicago, and Sammy hit homers, the Cubs started winning, Wrigley Field seduced me, and the Cubs took over as my favorite team. Come to think of it, this site had a little to do as well. Anyway, here is where I welcome all aboard the Motor City Kitty Train. There are several reasons you should hop on and I'll list them in no particular order.... 1. The Cubs suck. 2. The Tigers are in the White Sox division. Clearly this is justification for hopping on the bandwagon. 3. Justin Verlander is crazy good. I listen to the games on Gameday Audio because my stupid cable provider pulled MLB Extra Innings off the shelf and I have yet to see Verlander pitch. He is extremely effective, even though he doesn't strike out a ton of batters with his up to 99 mph cheese. I can't figure out why this is, but Tiger broadcasters did say the other night that he hasn't been throwing his knuckle curve yet. Knuckle curve? Jeezum Criminy. Rookie Of The Year, thy name is Justin. 4. The Cubs suck. 5. We can watch Magglio Ordonez and think, "man, what if the Cubs took him up on all that talk a year and a half ago about playing on the north side?" Yeah, I know, he missed a bunch of games last year and saw a decrease in power, but how good would that guy look in right, right now? 6. Jim Leyland is the only guy that you can see smoking on T.V. since the X-Files went off the air. 7. The Tigers are winning even though they are dang near as stubborn about taking walks as the Cubs. 8. The Cubs suck. 9. Jeremy Bonderman is crazy good, too. How many guys do they have under 25 that are effective starters in the A.L.? How many have been hurt? See how much better fun is, than misery? 10. You've always thought the guy with the screenname "wade" was super-cool and you only wished he would post more. Now's your chance to get on board with his "other" team.

that wasn't this team. that team had derrek lee and a good maddux. this team has crap and carlos zambrano. and michael barrett. Not for long.

On the radio last night Pat and Ron at one point mentioned that Wood's fastball was topping out at about 90. The hits just keep on comin'.

...that he can draw a walk on a 2-2 count. I was watching the Reds pregame on Foxsports a few minutes ago and they showed a pitch sequence from last night's game. After getting down 0-2, Dunn worked the count even. On the next pitch, a ball that filled the count, Dunn tossed his bat and trotted to first. I had just flipped to the channel and from what I gathered, no one caught the mistake during the game and he got the base on balls.

What do you mean by "manufacture runs?" I can't tell if that was a sarcastic question or not It's not a sarcastic question. I'm with you about the lack of OBP. But it sounds like you're in favor of "manufacturing runs" instead of "Weaver-ball." Players with high OBP are usually also players who hit a lot of homeruns. It sounds to me like you want to have high OBP without relying on homeruns. That would be hard to do. Players in the top 40 in OBP last year with fewer than 15 homers: Luis Castillo, Placido Polanco, Sean Casey, Joe Mauer, and Bill Mueller. I really don't know how we could field a high-OBP team that "manufactured runs" without relying on power. Power = Pitches out of the Strike Zone = More Walks = Less Outs/More Baserunners = More runs Basically a proven formula. [sarcasm] But I thought walks were bad? [/sarcasm] I almost can't believe that some of you say Dusty thinks walks are bad, I'd like to see some evidence to this. In no way is adding a baserunner and avoiding an out a bad thing, ever. (ok we might get into some stuff with a pitcher comingup, but c'mon now) Dusty has been quoted about walks and this article has the most famous ones- http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=2669 from the article- AFTERNOON CONSTITUTIONAL (A.K.A., THE DUSTY BAKER QUOTE EXTRAVAGANZA BEGINS) "I think walks are overrated unless you can run... If you get a walk and put the pitcher in a stretch, that helps. But the guy who walks and can't run, most of the time they're clogging up the bases for somebody who can run." --Dusty Baker, Cubs manager (Chicago Daily Herald) "Who's been the champions the last seven, eight years? ...Have you ever heard the Yankees talk about on-base percentage and walks? Walks help. But you ain't going to walk across the plate. You're going to hit across the plate. That's the school I come from." --Baker "It's called hitting, and it ain't called walking. Do you ever see the top 10 walking? You see top 10 batting average. A lot of those top 10 do walk. But the name of the game is to hit." --Baker This is why people think Baker doesn't think walking is a great thing.

This surely complicates things if the Cubs are to go into fire sale mode. Unless Maddux wants to finish the year with a contender, get another shot at a world series.

That reminds me off a golf quote for putts that are short of the hole- "Never up, never in." That's like the Cub offense.

Agree with the above. He can't take the cast off and start hitting the next day. He will likely need to stretch and strengthen the forearm for at least a few days, I would imagine, before even hitting off a tee. Rushing back and causing permanent damage would be awful. Especially since there likely won't even be a season to save at that point.

This nicely sums up how I feel. Good post.

Just reported. So, who starts in Hill's spot next time around? Rusch?

Kind of makes you think about that prospect's accusation about how Hendry treated him. Not to say Jim did ruin his career, but he comes across as a decent guy in most interviews, but it's coming out that he's much more of a jerk we might have thought. Which may affect more aspects of his job than we realize. If he's a jerk, it can affect all manner of negotiations. Could be why Neifi and Rusch were so expensive.

Bruce would stomp a mud hole in 'em if they did. :D

Time to send Sullivan off to Steve Stone land. Can't have these people criticizing the team. I guess Marriotti gets a pass from Cub managemnet because he doesn't work for the Trib?

They had a soundbite on Mike and Mike (ESPN) this morning and Ozzie was asked what he thought about interleague play and facing the Cubs. They played the bite and he said- "/bleep/ the Cubs. I don't care about the Cubs. I'd rather play the Tigers, they are in our division." The point of this is yes, he still drops the F-bombs. He talks about the Cubs, but it seems to be when he's asked about the Cubs. Kind of like he is with Magglio. And finally, is it hard to believe he doesn't like the Cubs? It's hard for me to like them right now. Ozzie Guillen, the coarse voice of reason. :evil:

I'm wondering if he can beat his career low OPS+ of 40 for KC in 2002. He did that in over 550 PAs. Mendoza averaged 41 for his career, but never had 400 PA in any one season. Mendoza never had Dusty for a coach.

I think it means you stood up once in the first place, then after that, you fall down and stand up 8 times, bringing your total falls to 8 and total stands to 9. But if that happens, you're just a klutz. If you were knocked down 8 times you are probably weak. Dwyane Wade is not weak!

Here's why I'm patient with Aramis and not with the other two- Aramis' last two years- .318/.373/.578/.951 .302/.358/.568/.926 That's average/OBP/SLG/OPS Here is Jones, same time period, averages .254/.315/.427/.742 .264/.301/.472/.773 And Pierre .326/.374/.407/.781 .276/.326/.354/.680 Simply put, I have more faith that Ramirez will return to numbers much like he has put up the past couple of years, incidentally when he was reaching his prime, where he is now. Conversely, Jones is really not far from where he has been the past couple of years, when he was leaving his prime. I don't expect him to get significantly better than he is now. Pierre I still hold out hope for, but he is killing the team right now. Anyway, these numbers are why I think most people assume Ramirez will break out of this slump.

It is really a superb article. Paul Sullivan has a similar article today where he examines the Cub management strategy and signings this past off-season, but misses the mark by criticizing the Cubs for not signing Furcal on one hand while pointing out his terrible hitting and fielding so far for the Dodgers on the other. In that article the author seemingly counters his own points by citing alternate options that aren't any good either. The Miles article is just a nice summation of all the problems that lay in the organizational philosophy. I.E., bidding against themselves for Rusch and Perez, committing 3 years to a player who is apparently on a severe decline (Jones) and undervaluing OBP in general.

The Padres. :D

Neifi's about as quick as Ron Coomer. What do you mean? Those toothpick legs can pick em up and put em down. Those toothpick legs are being relied on to carry a gargantuan cranium about. I'm not kidding, that boy's head's like Sputnik. Sputnik reference :lol: Actually, "So, I Married An Axe Murderer" reference! And an awsome one at that! I'm not kidding...that boy's heed is like a mellon on a toothpick...its spherical, but quite pointy in parts. Cubs....Win!.......NOW!

Neifi's about as quick as Ron Coomer. What do you mean? Those toothpick legs can pick em up and put em down. Those toothpick legs are being relied on to carry a gargantuan cranium about. I'm not kidding, that boy's head's like Sputnik. Sputnik reference :lol: Actually, "So, I Married An Axe Murderer" reference!

They may start the game with three straight bunts. You know, just to get a run across early.

Me too.