SouthSideRyan

Mr. Henry's Wild Ride

Hey, I've actually been there! It sucks.

He hasn't hit well lately but this is his 3rd straight game with an XBH and 4th in 5 games. Did he ever get into better shape since showing up in the spring so overweight? Yes. The ball would've had to knock the LF unconscious in order for ST Reggie to get a triple.

You knock up one chick, pay for her arbortion, and force your buddy to marry her to shut her up, and all a sudden people don't trust you.

When was that initiated? Spring training. This guy gives me ridiculous odds every year. I think '09 was the only year I've lost to him.

WE'VE MADE A TERRIBLE MISTAKE

I've got Cubs + 10 versus White Sox for total wins, so EVERY GAME COUNTS

No, but I hate Ike Davis.

Don't say shitty around him.

Of those 15, the guys who were in the majors at 21 are: Peralta: who was terrible over a half season, had one great season before this year. Beltran: who had a cup of coffee with similar numbers to Castro when adjusting for the sillyball era, and didn't become CARLOS BELTRAN until his age 24 season Reyes: Who was terrible in a half season following a half season at age 20 that was slightly better than Castro's. Is having his best season by far at age 28. McCann: Who was slightly worse than Castro, followed by a huge year at 22, back to his age 21 levels at 23, before settling in as an all-star at 24. Ortiz: Who was similar in a cup of coffee, improved in the next year's half season, missed time to injury, bounced around the same #s until he found the needle in Boston at age 27. Upton: Took a big leap in his age 21 season after debuting at 19. Regressed some at 22, busted out bigger this year at 23. Upton's the only one who was clearly ahead of Castro's career arc at the time, with a few of these guys having similar slash lines with a little in my-head run environment adjustment (i.e. low walks, middling power) Eyeballing those 15, how many do you think would be projected for a better career arc than Castro through their age 21 seasons (strictly hitting)? Upton, Tex, Gordon, and Helton is all I'm seeing off the top of my head.

The Angels wouldn't trade Cron for Castro and Garza. PTBNL Wouldn't work, they have to be named within 6 months

It was a sidenote, not a supporting point.

Arguing that Hendry should stay vs. arguing that the Cardinals are set up better than us going forward are 2 different things. I just noticed Cots has Wainwright's options as vested for his top 5 finish in CYA in 2010, so he is there for better or worse. I don't get your argument that the Cubs are losing more valuable pieces that must be replaced via FA than the Cardinals. The Cardinals have Pujols, Berkman, and Carpenter as FAs. The Cubs have Carlos Pena, John Grabow, and Kerry Wood.

Also important to note, if this is the new run environment going forward, a .900 OPS is really freakin good. 9 guy in the NL have a .900 or better OPS right now. All but 2 are playing Corner OF or 1B. (Kemp and Victorino being the others)

Improved patience and improved power stroke, it's not rocket surgery

He's 21. I'd be more surprised if he never OPSes .900 than if he does.

They'll also have lost Pujols. Right, but they'll still have Holliday and Wainwright, along with productive cheap players like Jaime Garcia, Jay and Frese and elite prospects in Shelby Miller and that other guy whose name I can't remember offhand. We have Starlin Castro and Brett Jackson. That's pretty much it. Carlos Martinez? He's in high A ball and has 120 professional innings under his belt. Wainwright is coming back from TJS, and he's still not a guarantee to even come back.

They'll also have lost Pujols.

Anybody see Brendan Ryan's infield triple? http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110802&content_id=22683814&vkey=news_sea&c_id=sea

Because the longtime GM put them in a terrible hole, and a new direction would mean becoming good?

you just became murder suspect #1 I don't totally get it, but I think I like it.

YESSSSSSSSSSSS

Imagine what he said about Garwilly.

Does it really matter which Ortiz it is? It could be David Ortiz for all I care. He doesn't deserve to have his name remembered. PS, which Ortiz was the one that pitched against the Cubs in the 2003 NLDS? I think it was Russ right? Ramon Ortiz Mike Hampton Aging Greg Maddux Were the 3 pitchers they threw at us in that series. No wonder we somehow won. Well, it's not like any of those guys were bad that year, and the Braves had like the best offense in baseball. ETA: I don't remember Karros hitting 2 HRs in a game at all that series. Yeah they had an awesome offense indeed. Look at their normal starting 8 by OPS+ 169 - Javy Lopez (1.065) 165 - Gary Sheffield (1.023) 137 - Chipper Jones (.920) 136 - Marcus Giles (.917) 117 - Andruw Jones (.851) 105 - Rafael Furcal (.794) 97 - Vinny Castilla (.771) 95 - Robert Fick (.753) The pitching though reminds me of the 07-08 Cubs in that, while they didn't have an ace quality pitcher, they had a lot of above average starters, 4 of them hovering between 3.75-4.00 ERA. They could be gotten to and they were to an extent. Love that 1B was their worst offensive position. Their rotation that year was the reason it was so stupid to pitch Ortiz and Hampton on short rest in 4 and 5 rather than throwing Ramirez in game 4.

Does it really matter which Ortiz it is? It could be David Ortiz for all I care. He doesn't deserve to have his name remembered. PS, which Ortiz was the one that pitched against the Cubs in the 2003 NLDS? I think it was Russ right? Ramon Ortiz Mike Hampton Aging Greg Maddux Were the 3 pitchers they threw at us in that series. No wonder we somehow won. Well, it's not like any of those guys were bad that year, and the Braves had like the best offense in baseball. ETA: I don't remember Karros hitting 2 HRs in a game at all that series.