SouthSideRyan

I just think he feels that the whole world thinks they never paid attention to it in the past. I know, I know, the evidence suggests they didn't, and I've told him that. Things started to change, though in a serious way during the organization meetings in the fall of '06 (wow, after Dusty was gone!), when they really started to acknowledge the importance of OBP. What worries me is I've yet to hear a good thing about Wasserstrom. He has no background in stats, moving to his current job from the media relations department. Maybe he's grown into the job along with the organization, but I fear his work includes way too much small sample size/fluke splits rather than helpful stats.

Jason Marquis has negative trade value at this point. Murton and the Hoff don't have a lot themselves.

On the surface I don't really like any part of that trade for you. I like Pence better than Jackson, Weaver better than Olsen, and Butler better than Murphy.

Hendry's actually done this a few times, though not necessarily as free agent signings. He targeted Richard Lewis (former high round pick 2nd maybe?) from the Braves when he dealt Juan Cruz. He picked up Scott Moore (8th overall pick) in the Farnsworth deal. Kyler Burke(1st round) and Bowen(2nd) in the Barrett trade. Koyie Hill, Jason Anderson, Jerome Williams, David Aardsma, Adam Harben, and so on.

I read something that said he was kicked out of a bunch of schools, yet only committed "minor" indiscretions like slashing car tires, graffiti and putting a dead rat on a teachers desk. Okay, so he didn't rape anybody, good for him, but that's some serious signs of one screwed up prick. That was in high school. He had NO incidents at KSU. Starting to think he's grown up quite a bit. Who doesn't screw around like that in high school? It's better than the alternative of gangs, drugs, booze etc..... He's never gotten in trouble with the law. He was a practical joker. As Frank Martin said, if those are the only issues you have to deal with with a kid, then I'll take those kind of issues ANY time. How long was he in KSU? Who doesn't screw around like that in high school? Most people. Graffiti isn't much of anything, but slashing tires, dead rats in teacher's desks, and getting kicked out of multiple schools? Those are not practical jokes. That's a prick with no regard for other humans. Give that person millions of dollars and you are most likely going to see more problems. I'd say spray-painting a teacher's car window is pretty bad. I love how it goes from writing with magic marker on a teachers car window to now spray painting it? Hilarious. It was said he grafittied his teacher's car, it's what I assumed it was. I love how Frank Martin is the character witness and someone to be listened to about anything. And I think Beasley's gonna be a really good pro, and don't think Rose is the slam dunk choice many are saying it should be. But enough with the excuse making, I know it's your school and all, but Beasley was a punk in high school. It wasn't boys being boys, that's not normal behavior.

And what an important fact that is! It's important to know he was encouraged to throw 400 pitches per start.

Quentin's a good player, he's not this good. He's outhitting what he did in the minors while playing in hitter-friendly parks.

I read something that said he was kicked out of a bunch of schools, yet only committed "minor" indiscretions like slashing car tires, graffiti and putting a dead rat on a teachers desk. Okay, so he didn't rape anybody, good for him, but that's some serious signs of one screwed up prick. That was in high school. He had NO incidents at KSU. Starting to think he's grown up quite a bit. Who doesn't screw around like that in high school? It's better than the alternative of gangs, drugs, booze etc..... He's never gotten in trouble with the law. He was a practical joker. As Frank Martin said, if those are the only issues you have to deal with with a kid, then I'll take those kind of issues ANY time. How long was he in KSU? Who doesn't screw around like that in high school? Most people. Graffiti isn't much of anything, but slashing tires, dead rats in teacher's desks, and getting kicked out of multiple schools? Those are not practical jokes. That's a prick with no regard for other humans. Give that person millions of dollars and you are most likely going to see more problems. I'd say spray-painting a teacher's car window is pretty bad.

What's keeping Crawford?

Give this post a standing ovation until your hands bleed. After his 10AB-small-sample-size-batting-rampage he went 5/25 with 11 K's until he was sent down. He struck out 4/6 AB's immediately following this 10AB-batting-rampage-miracle-turnaround. =D> spread out over how much time? 2.5 years.

He did not, did he? I guess it wasn't as bad as I rememberred. "I remember my old general manager Al Campanis telling me that a player doesn't reach his peak until he's somewhere between 32 or 36 [years old] and beyond"

maddux, glavine, and johnson are 100% 1st ballot no question. the other 3 probably get in a year or 2 later. though it's a crime if any of them (with the possible exception of schilling) don't make it right away. I don't see how Glavine ranks ahead of the others. He's not in Maddux's or the Unit's class. i agree. but 300 wins = first ballot in the minds of sportswriters. 300 wins = auto-induction, it doesn't = first ballot.

I'd sit him.

Add him to the rolodex. You should too if Illinois is returning to the Rose Bowl. ... Maybe Elton could keep me out of jail this time.

Add him to the rolodex.

Maybe not for peak, but Maddux has a whole lot of innings on Pedro to keep him in the career conversation.

Haha, F + some underscores = Slippery Slope.

I love Eric Gordon's athleticism and burst, but I don't think he's much of a basketball player right now. He has as much upside as Rose in my estimation, but is far more raw. I think he'll take years longer to be a major contributor than Rose will. Granted, I never really saw him early on when he wasn't shooting 37% from the field. But that's precisely why I question his ability to contribute early on. i think that everyone knows that i like gordon, despite being an illini fan. but i was being a little facetious. though i think gordon will have a long and fruitful nba career and will be a lottery pick. Ah, so that's what that is. I do know some people that are crazy high on Gordon, though, so you never know. Are people really still crazy high on Gordon? Has he been having good workouts, or have those not even started yet? I'm not sold on him as an impact player. Didn't he really fizzle during the second half of the season? I remember him being extremely well thought of during the first half of the season, but maybe the firing of Sampson effected him. Yeah Gordon definitely lost some luster down the stretch. It started before the Sampson "resigning". I dunno, Gordon was good at penetrating, but he didn't seem like a great finisher, and his outside shot was iffy. I'd almost view him as a bit of a project because I really don't think he grew much as a player this past season. The potential he had coming out of high school is still there(which probably would have made him a top 3 pick in '07 if he was allowed to declare.) but others who've developed further in the past year have soared past him.

I guessed that much O____ F_____ MFing Truth?

???

I love Eric Gordon's athleticism and burst, but I don't think he's much of a basketball player right now. He has as much upside as Rose in my estimation, but is far more raw. I think he'll take years longer to be a major contributor than Rose will. Granted, I never really saw him early on when he wasn't shooting 37% from the field. But that's precisely why I question his ability to contribute early on. i think that everyone knows that i like gordon, despite being an illini fan. but i was being a little facetious. though i think gordon will have a long and fruitful nba career and will be a lottery pick. Ah, so that's what that is. I do know some people that are crazy high on Gordon, though, so you never know. Are people really still crazy high on Gordon? Has he been having good workouts, or have those not even started yet? I'm not sold on him as an impact player.

Bob Gibson gave up 1.45 runs per 9 innings in a league that gave up 3.43 runs per game. And that was Gibson's only other-worldly season. Pedro gave up 1.82 runs per 9 innings in a league that gave up 5.3 runs per game. Beyond that, Pedro would have 5 other seasons better than Gibson's 2nd best. Bob Gibson can't touch Pedro on 1 year peak, 3 year peak, 5 year peak, effin career. Pedro's awesome.

I love Eric Gordon's athleticism and burst, but I don't think he's much of a basketball player right now. He has as much upside as Rose in my estimation, but is far more raw. I think he'll take years longer to be a major contributor than Rose will. Granted, I never really saw him early on when he wasn't shooting 37% from the field. But that's precisely why I question his ability to contribute early on. Yeah, who's name are people gonna know in 10 years? Eric Gordon, the multiple time all star or Derrick Rose, the benchwarmer?

Vance totally sponsored it now so he can have the sponsorship the second Edmonds is released.

If you're playing blackjack and hit on an 18, and draw a 3 for 21, that doesn't make it a smart decision. It was an extremely poor decision that happened to work out splendidly despite your stupidity. Smart decisions sometimes turn out badly, and bad decisions sometimes turn out well. The Cubs taking, and keeping, Hamilton, would've been in the latter category. That's ridiculous. How would it have been a dumb decision for the Cubs to take Hamilton? Maybe not dumb, more pointless.