UMFan83

I remember when the Cubs did this in like I want to say 1995. The players play for an inning, and its usually a bunch of minor leaguers after that. The starting pitcher is usually the long reliever or a AAA pitcher. It sucks to use an off day on this though. The last one that was on was actually broadcast on WGN, maybe this one will. HoJo went yard This is the HOF websites recap of the game: They also played in 1988:

I remember when the Cubs did this in like I want to say 1995. The players play for an inning, and its usually a bunch of minor leaguers after that. The starting pitcher is usually the long reliever or a AAA pitcher. It sucks to use an off day on this though. The last one that was on was actually broadcast on WGN, maybe this one will. Last year Tomo Ohka started (on his throwing day) for the Rangers and Scott Williamson started for the Orioles.

I am finally on the side of people who are saying "forget the Orioles, lets just move along" Lets somehow find a way to get Greene for SS, and whether or not we do,lets call it an offseason. Soriano Fukudome Lee Ramirez Greene DeRosa Soto Pie/Byrd/CF

Now Rosenthal is implying the deal is on hold or perhaps off. http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7726024/Source:-M's-deal-for-Bedard-on-hold

Sometime in June 2008: Reporter: Andy, you made a lot of big moves in the offseason and they appear to be paying off. Yesterday Adam Jones went 4-5 with 2 HRs in a big win over the Yankees. While the team still has away to go before contending, you have to be pleased with trading Erik Bedard, Bri- MacPhail: No I didn't. Reporter: What? MacPhail: No trades we're made, what are you talking about? Reporter: .....Bedard you traded him to the Mariners for a package of yo- MacPhail: No I didn't, he's right over there Reporter: Mr. MacPhail, thats Melvin Mora......Anyways, Adam Jones has continued to rake at the big league level, hitting .289 with 13 home runs so far this season. Andy, how much of that is attributed to your coaching staff getting him prepared for the major league level? MacPhail: I really don't think I should be talking about other team's prospects. Look when Seattle comes to town next week we'll discuss him. Reporter: ........... Ronny Cedeno (walking by): Eyyyy, Mr. MacPhail, we need to talk about my playing time. MacPhail: Your playing time? Son, your quite a batboy, but you need to be a little older before you can get some game action (chuckles). Now go help Mr. Roberts over there with his B-12 injections.

I wonder if he coached baseball799456947

Oh man, you're leaving? We didn't even get to use VORP and EqA yet

LOVE THIS. If you guys were smart you would read it more carefully where I put "since it shows what kind of player they are." HR's and SB's are comparable depending on the player. For instance Greene is a power hitter thus he hit around 28 HR's and had around 4 stolen bases. Theriot is a speedy guy meaning he hit around 4 HR's and has about 28 SB's. See how they are comparable. I'm not saying I would take 28 SB's over 28 HR's, but im saying thats the type of player they are. Greene has a good amount of HR's for the type of hitter he his, and Theriot has a good amount of SB's for the type of player he is. Why is it ok to say that HR's and SLG matter but OBP and SB's dont??? Who the ____ decides that that is more important in baseball? I completely disagree. I think OBP is just as important as stuff like SLG. I think batting average is just as important as stuff like HR's. It's ridiculous to say it is not! The overwhelming majority of people on this board will agree that OBP is a very important statistic. Batting average is not. While I understand the point you are trying to make when comparing SB and HR, they just aren't comparable. A home run equals a run, whereas a stolen base does not, thus making home runs much more valuable than steals. SLG > OBP (slightly) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>BA>SB Flip OBP and SLG. The fact is there is basically little to no marginal difference in Greene vs Theriot's OBP. The difference in their slugging with Greene in Wrigley would be huge. In fact, I'd go out on a limb and say that Green's IsoP as a cub would be 2.5 times Theriot's. I could have sworn that I've read that SLG is marginally (theres that word again) more important than OBP in statistical analysis. I thought that was a critique against using OPS as a comparative tool. Nope, you got it flipped. And its more than marginal. Whoops, must have killed those brain cells with too much alcohol this weekend ;)

we're not really saying HRs are worth a lot. We're saying that OBP is worth a lot. and we're also comparing the two extremes, Yes, as long as Jones is hitting his 40 HRs not like last year id take him over Ichiro, who really isnt much more than below average defensively. Ichiro is below average defensively? What?!! Are you kidding me? You would take jones' .220 avg and 40 HR over Ichiro's .350 avg. and 40 SB? Show me a year Jones hit .220 with 40 HR.

LOVE THIS. If you guys were smart you would read it more carefully where I put "since it shows what kind of player they are." HR's and SB's are comparable depending on the player. For instance Greene is a power hitter thus he hit around 28 HR's and had around 4 stolen bases. Theriot is a speedy guy meaning he hit around 4 HR's and has about 28 SB's. See how they are comparable. I'm not saying I would take 28 SB's over 28 HR's, but im saying thats the type of player they are. Greene has a good amount of HR's for the type of hitter he his, and Theriot has a good amount of SB's for the type of player he is. Why is it ok to say that HR's and SLG matter but OBP and SB's dont??? Who the ____ decides that that is more important in baseball? I completely disagree. I think OBP is just as important as stuff like SLG. I think batting average is just as important as stuff like HR's. It's ridiculous to say it is not! The overwhelming majority of people on this board will agree that OBP is a very important statistic. Batting average is not. While I understand the point you are trying to make when comparing SB and HR, they just aren't comparable. A home run equals a run, whereas a stolen base does not, thus making home runs much more valuable than steals. SLG > OBP (slightly) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>BA>SB Flip OBP and SLG. The fact is there is basically little to no marginal difference in Greene vs Theriot's OBP. The difference in their slugging with Greene in Wrigley would be huge. In fact, I'd go out on a limb and say that Green's IsoP as a cub would be 2.5 times Theriot's. I could have sworn that I've read that SLG is marginally (theres that word again) more important than OBP in statistical analysis. I thought that was a critique against using OPS as a comparative tool.

Ahh, I was wondering why his responses were so slow. I was hoping that he was spending time registering an account at Baseball Prospectus.

LOVE THIS. If you guys were smart you would read it more carefully where I put "since it shows what kind of player they are." HR's and SB's are comparable depending on the player. For instance Greene is a power hitter thus he hit around 28 HR's and had around 4 stolen bases. Theriot is a speedy guy meaning he hit around 4 HR's and has about 28 SB's. See how they are comparable. I'm not saying I would take 28 SB's over 28 HR's, but im saying thats the type of player they are. Greene has a good amount of HR's for the type of hitter he his, and Theriot has a good amount of SB's for the type of player he is. Why is it ok to say that HR's and SLG matter but OBP and SB's dont??? Who the ____ decides that that is more important in baseball? I completely disagree. I think OBP is just as important as stuff like SLG. I think batting average is just as important as stuff like HR's. It's ridiculous to say it is not! The overwhelming majority of people on this board will agree that OBP is a very important statistic. Batting average is not. While I understand the point you are trying to make when comparing SB and HR, they just aren't comparable. A home run equals a run, whereas a stolen base does not, thus making home runs much more valuable than steals. SLG > OBP (slightly) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>BA>SB

LOVE THIS. If you guys were smart you would read it more carefully where I put "since it shows what kind of player they are." HR's and SB's are comparable depending on the player. For instance Greene is a power hitter thus he hit around 28 HR's and had around 4 stolen bases. Theriot is a speedy guy meaning he hit around 4 HR's and has about 28 SB's. See how they are comparable. I'm not saying I would take 28 SB's over 28 HR's, but im saying thats the type of player they are. Greene has a good amount of HR's for the type of hitter he his, and Theriot has a good amount of SB's for the type of player he is. Why is it ok to say that HR's and SLG matter but OBP and SB's dont??? Who the f*ck decides that that is more important in baseball? I completely disagree. I think OBP is just as important as stuff like SLG. I think batting average is just as important as stuff like HR's. It's ridiculous to say it is not! Oh no...

The idea isn't to keep those four. The idea is to use those four in a trade that would be more of an upgrade than from Lofton "up" to Figgins... Theriot up to any real shortstop is a much larger improvement than Figgins would be over Lofton, if he is one at all. Let me guess, you think Khalil Greene over Theriot is more of an upgrade than Figgins over Lofton?? Cuz there arent any other shortstops out there that are available. And Greene is awful! Yes, Greene over Theriot is a much bigger upgrade than Figgins over Lofton. Much bigger. I'd pull some stats to prove it, but you probably saw all four players on TV a few times. How could I argue against that? I'll save you the time!!!! Greene vs. Theriot BA- .254 vs. .266 (hmmmm) OBP- .291 vs. .326 (hmmmm) BB- 32 vs. 49 K- 128 vs. 50 (ouch) SB- 4 vs. 28 (comparable to the HR's since it shows what kind of player they are) HR- 27 vs. 3 (this is the only thing Greene is that much better than Theriot)... power #s In my opinion I would rather have Greene than Theriot. But based on numbers Greene is god awful. An OBP less than .300!!!!! Are you kidding me? Yes Greene plays good defense and hits for more power. But Theriot isnt that type of player. There is no way Greene is more of an upgrade over Theriot than Figgins is over Lofton. Now look at this http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/stats/parkfactor Look at where Petco Park is on that list. Last by a fairly large margin. Now look at Wrigley Field. It is number 2. One of those players plays at Petco, one plays a Wrigley. Now look at this: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/splits?playerId=5797 Look at Greene's home road splits. Home: .216/.258/.412/.690 (291 AB) Away: .288/.322/.519/.841 (320 AB) This point has been made 1,000 times. You don't have to agree with it, but I'd rather have a SS that has an over .800 OPS and plays good defense then Theriot.

No one is saying that they want GMJ here. And yes LAA would pick up some of the salary for sure if it happened. But in my mind it seems more likely that we get him then Figgins, if there is in fact trade discussions with the Angels.

If Figgins is such an amazing utility guy, why can't he play SS?

Very good point. I think that may be where we are headed. I just don't see the Angels need/desire to part with Figgins with the leftover parts the Cubs have after a Roberts trade. Matthews Jr is someone the Angels actually want to part with.

If you consider Felix to be somewhere between 25-50 before he graduated off prospect lists, he'd be definitely be behind Wood, Prior, Patterson and Cruz (before age-gate). Those 4 were generally considered top-10-in-all-of-baseball prospects at some point and time (and Wood and Prior were top 3). Pie is probably relative to guys like Choi and Zambrano, and ahead of guys like Guzman and Kieschnick. This is based on these players' prospect status when they were in the high minors/last year considered as prospects and just my opinion. And my solid knowledge of Cubs prospects only goes back to the mid-90s. Great, that really puts it into perspective for me. Thanks. I was under the assumption that he was a step below Wood and Prior, but around the level of Patterson and Cruz, but I guess my memory of those days is hazy.

I think Hendry would be satisfying his own desires while appeasing those who aren't particularly fond of Hendry's desires. Hendry wants a speedy line up that plays good defense without having to count on any unknowns. I think he believes this is a win now situation, which I happen to agree with the latter part. I guess that makes sense. But his benefit in this is to save his job, not necessarily prepare his team for the long term future. Personally I think he should be looking at players that can SLG a little higher, but your point about keeping solid defense (probably the most underrated part of the teams playoff run last year) makes sense.

You're right: http://www.aolcdn.com/aolr/david-eckstein-mvp-trophy-400a-103006.jpg

If Geo doesn't hit more than 10 HRs, I'm gonna be disappointed. I would say I'd expect 10-15 HRs. I know that goes against some projections, but I am trying not to set my expectations on Soto too high.

Is it just me or does Figgins seem like overkill and unnecessary? Yes hes super utility, and yes he has a slightly above average OBP (last year being the abberation) and yes he can run, but it seems like we have a lot of these guys on the team. I am not projecting much more then 10 HRs from the following players in our lineup Roberts (if traded) Pie DeRosa Soto Theriot Fukudome might give us 15-20. Seems like we need a bit more SLG in the lineup, not another speedy guy with no power. I know Hendry is obsessed with MIs that are fast and can hit lefty but still

OK assuming that statement is true....why do you think he is given a lot of pitches to hit? Probably because they know he is impatient and will likely ground the pitch to SS.

But he didn't and that's been proven. He wasn't a power hitter so he didn't have a good slugging percentage. He wasn't a leadoff hitter so he didn't post a high OBP. We've established he takes no pitches at all. So what in the world is your argument here? I'm saying he has a good eye at the plate. Way better than Cedeno's. And one stat can prove that. Theriot has just about the same amount of walks as strikeouts. That is very rare at the ML level. Only a handfull can do that. Besides guys like Bonds, Helton and Pujols who have 10x more Walks than Strikeouts, it seems to be that most major leaguers have like double the strikeouts. Cedeno has 5x as many strikeouts as walks, and that is an understatement. Juan Pierres BB/K ratios: 0.90 0.85 0.92 1.29 1.57 Does this mean Pierre is or ever was a patient hitter?

That's selling the level of play across the Pacific short. http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=1330 Clay also addresses the size of Japanese ballparks in that article. Also, wasn't Fukudome's home park one of the most pitcher friendly parks in the entire country?