Outshined_One

Stats like ERA+ and OPS+ are simple. The higher over 100 a player is, the better he is. It's another one of those useful stats that compare players' performances to other players in their era. So, a 120 ERA+ would make Wade Miller a well-above average pitcher compared to his peers.

They'll probably want money and a prospect. I really can't think of anyone on that team or in their system who'd be worth Jock and would be useful to the Cubs. McLouth and Duffy are trash.

I was at the game tonight. Some thoughts... -Rudy Gay, once an uber-prospect, didn't start and basically loafed the entire time he played. He was constantly out of position under the basket and basically spent most of his downtime either with his hands on his hips or his knees, meaning he might have conditioning or injury issues. He also was making eyes with one of the Luvabulls, including on one play where he took his eyes off the rim to check on the woman. -Pau Gasol is an oddity. He gets some nice touch on his shots, but avoids the inside like the plague. On a particularly sweet play, Tyrus Thomas managed to block one of his shots, despite the height disadvantage. He reminds me a bit of Dirk Nowitzki, only without the killer instinct. -The game was a laugher by the second quarter. My buddy and I were hoping for the Bulls to get 100 points by the third quarter, but it was not meant to be. We still got free Big Macs, though. :D -I don't think the Grizzlies can do anything right. No one on that team really gives a crap. Errant passes went flying into the crowd, they have bad ball-handlers, and I think they didn't even really have a game plan. It was like one of those AYSO games for six year olds where all the little kids flock to the ball and there's no rhyme or reason to any of it. -Despite being without Wallace and Nocioni, the Bulls looked pretty solid out there. Deng, Hinrich, and Gordon have good chemistry with each other. PJ Brown is solid underneath and didn't have much trouble with anyone down there (neither did Sweetney, hilariously enough). Thomas is definitely an exciting player, but he needs to keep his focus and not make stupid mistakes. Skiles was chewing him out for two particularly dumb fouls tonight, which was fun to watch. Sefolosha is a star in the making. He has such a natural way of moving and hitting his shots that it's eye-opening. Once he gets consistent, he'll be a force. Fun game tonight! Bears tomorrow!!!! :D

I see more Jacque Jones in him than Luis Gonzalez.

If we're assuming health, I think he'll put up an ERA+ somewhere between 120 and 125 with a WHIP around 1.30. He's got the goods to be an effective pitcher when healthy. Having him around for 180 IP next season would be a HUGE boost. However, I'd be leery of making that assumption. This is the rotation as things look now: Z Hill Lilly Marquis ? Granted, Miller could beat out all of the other candidates in spring training, but I have a feeling that guys like Marshall and Guzman are going to put up a fight. Moreover, if by some miracle, Prior's ready to go at some point next season, he's going to have to boot someone out of there. This depends on Hill's own performance, as he still can be sent down without being exposed to waivers, but if he's pitching up to expectations, he's going nowhere. Someone could get injured and make this moot, but I'd rather not go that particular route. Plus, there's the fact that Miller hasn't gone over 100 IP since 2003. His four highest IPs in his career are 212, 187.1, 164.2, and 105. If he's healthy, great! But, we'll see if that happens.

Have we figured out what the heck caused Jerome Williams to fall off the map like he did last season?

That's pretty darn impressive. I enjoy the fact that Zambrano has gone out of his way to help out some of the young pitchers, such as how he took Guzman under his wing and this. A guy like Zambrano is worth his weight in gold. :lol:

Funny how the Pittsburgh drug trials happened a little over 20 years ago and incredibly few people have said anything about them during this whole steroid pandemonium.

On the bright side, now Bonds has something else in common with Willie Mays and Hank Aaron!

Maybe he'll be like Jimi Hendrix, where he'll drop over and toxicology exams will show that he was on every single illegal drug out there, from PCP to Dimethyltryptamine.

Whew. That game got way too close at the end.

Greg Oden's slowly perfecting his own version of the Tim Duncan Surly Face. Dick Vitale needs to be muzzled.

Shelden Williams Sam Cassell Detlef Schremp

Not necessarily. This happens a lot with top draft picks. They negotiate in an invite to spring training the following year. Huh, no kidding. Never knew that. Thanks! Also, I predict Colvin ends next season in Daytona.

Colvin's getting fast-tracked.

Go Badgers!

This is what's known as being an attention whore. Nicely done, jackass.

Homer Bailey

Yes they might. What can you do? Go to the game and hope for a different outcome. :D

As the most powerful man in the country has shown us, nepotism can work wonders.

Just because I can: http://www.imagedonkey.com/out.php/i432_shockeyshocked.gif

The only way the Colts could play better is if Manning didn't throw 3 picks. That was their only flaw today. Their WRs had a few stupid drops. The Chiefs were also really stupid for not passing when the Colts basically stacked their entire team in the box. Both teams were poorly coached, to boot. There's a reason why Tony Dungy has one road win in the playoffs in his career.

There's something I've wondered about for those of you in the know. A lot of times, in evaluating potential draft picks, there are a number of concerns for certain players coming out because people wonder how well they will be able to transition from metal bats to wood bats. Some draft picks flop and various people will blame the fact that these picks did not handle the transition from wood to metal. Now, I've never played high school or college baseball. I've handled both kinds of bats and I know the differences between them. However, I've always wondered whether there is something to that transition that can hold back otherwise talented baseball players or if instead scouts and other people focus too much on it. Have there been studies done on the matter? What do you guys think?

Didn't some psychopathic writer claim that Minky was such a great defensive first baseman that he could also play...SECOND BASE?!?!!?!!!!

What has two thumbs and a ticket to next weekend's Bears playoff game? *Points to self* THIS GUY!