Outshined_One

Box Scores Iowa won 7-3 Box Score CF F. Pie 2/3, BB, R, 2B (21), CS (10), PO (1B) LF L. Montanez 2/4, R, RBI, 2B (10) 2B M. Fontenot 2/3, BB, 3 R, RBI, 2 2B (28), K, E (11, fielding) DH M. Restovich 2/4, R, RBI 1B M. Hoffpauir 2/4, 2 RBI 3B C. McGehee 0/4, K RF B. Coats 3/4, R, 2 RBI, 2B (16), HR (6), K C G. Soto 0/4, 2 K SP A. Guzman 1 scoreless, 2 H, 1/0 K/BB, 1-1 GO-FO (Called up? Injury? Who knows?) RP W. Chavez 5 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1/4 K/BB, 4-10 GO-FO RP D. Aardsma 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1/0 K/BB, 1-1 GO-FO West Tenn lost 6-4 Box Score CF C. Walker 3/5, R, 2B (18), 3B (9), E (3, fielding) 2B E. Patterson 1/4, BB, RBI, SB (37), CS (10) 3B S. Moore 1/4, BB 1B B. Sing 1/5, 3 K RF M. Negron 0/4, BB, R, K LF R. Lewis 2/5, R, K, SB (13) C J. Fox 2/4, BB, R, 3 RBI, 2B (5), HR (4) PH B. Dopirak 0/1 SP JR Mathes 7 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 3/2 K/BB, HR, 12-6 GO-FO RP L. Holdzkom 1 scoreless, 2 H, WP, 3-0 GO-FO Daytona lost 6-2 Box Score 2B N. Spears 0/3, R, HBP SS J. Simokaitis 3/4, R, CS (7) 1B M. Craig 0/2, BB, R RF R. Harvey 0/4, 2 K SP M. Holliman 5.2 IP, 13 H, 4 ER, 4/1 K/BB, HR, 9-4 GO-FO Peoria won 6-2 Box Score CF D. Gregg 1/5, Assist (2B) 2B R. Malone 2/5, R, K, E (6, fielding) LF J. Valdez 3/5, R, E (8, throw) 1B R. Norwood 1/4, BB, 2 R SS R. Chirinos 3/4, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2B (27), 3B (2), E (10, fielding) DH A. Garcia 1/3, BB, RBI RF Y. Carter 1/4, 3 K C M. Reed 1/4, 2 RBI, 2 K SP S. Taylor 9 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 6/0 K/BB, 12-8 GO-FO Boise with an off day. Mesa lost 8-6 Box Score CF W. Inoa 0/5, R, 3 K LF C. Andersen 2/4, R, HBP DH C. Gilbert 0/4, BB, 2 RBI 3B M. Gonzalez 2/5, RBI SS F. Tirado 0/4, K, E (4, fielding) 1B L. Murphy 1/4, R, K 2B C. Valentin 0/4, 2 K SP K. Holden .2 IP, 1 H, 5 ER (2 inherited), 1/5 K/BB, 1-0 GO-FO RP J. Renshaw 3.1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2/0 K/BB, WP, Balk, 7-1 GO-FO RP J. Ceda 2 scoreless, 1 H, 4/1 K/BB, 0-2 GO-FO RP G. Cuevas Novas 2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4/1 K/BB OVERALL: 2-3

Agreed in full! I hope this quiets his doubters. He needed an outing like this.

Anyone else ready for Carlos Quentin to run roughshod over this team tonight?

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?

Nope, he was never rostered to my knowledge. Wasn't Fontenot on the roster when he came over in the Sosa trade? I could swear he and Crouthers were on the Orioles' 40 man roster.

Wow, I didn't realize how badly Bobby Crosby was doing until I looked up his stats. Woof.

While I understand the sentiment, there are a few things that make me inclined to disagree with it. For one, with Greg Maddux gone and Kerry Wood likely to become a FA, the team has a noticeable shortage of starting pitchers. Zambrano and Prior, as of right now, are the only two guys guaranteed to be in next year's rotation. We already know about Prior's inability to stay healthy at the start of the season, so it's anyone's guess if he will be able to start the whole year in 2007. That leaves three (and potentially four) rotation spots open. Thankfully for the Cubs, they have a number of in-house options in Carlos Marmol, Sean Marshall, Rich Hill, and JK Ryu. I doubt the team will give serious consideration to guys like Sean Gallagher (needs to adjust to AA, pitch against top competition in AAA), Donald Veal (pitching really well in High A, but needs to prove himself in AA and AAA), Chris Shaver (pitching well in AA, but as a soft-tossing lefty, he has to prove himself at every level), Ryan O'Malley (John Koronka Lite, from my understanding), Randy Wells (still has to adjust to AAA, seems like a bullpen candidate), and Juan Mateo (seems destined for a bullpen role, just got called up). Perhaps later in the 2007 season this may change, but for now, we have to work with what will likely happen in Spring Training. Now, while it seems all but certain that Hendry will acquire at least one starting pitcher in the offseason, that still leaves a number of spots open for the aforementioned guys. I am quite excited for them as they mature...but there are problems with each that concerns me. Marshall and Ryu both have injury histories that are problematic. Hill has yet to show he can consistently get guys out at this level. Marmol needs to hone his control. The list goes on with each. None of these guys are can't miss prospects. While Guzman also falls under that category, this is a case where quantity is most welcome. We all know Guzman could end up being an ace-caliber starting pitcher if he stays healthy. He has better stuff than those four and is a much more exciting pitching prospect. If he finishes up the season without any injury concerns, it could well be possible that he has overcome that hump. If that is the case, I want him starting on this team next season. Secondly, we've seen the bullpen transition work out really well for a lot of highly-touted prospects. Papelbon and K-Rod are both good examples of it. However, I don't think the bullpen and closer are areas of concern for the Cubs. While Dempster has had his struggles, Eyre and Howry have shown they can close out games. Aardsma is promising, as is Wuertz. Will Ohman is a terrific LOOGY and should only be used as such. The Cubs also have a few guys in the minors who could serve the team well in a bullpen role next season. If this is not an area of concern next season, why make Guzman into a reliever if he can prove that he's capable of starting? Right now, I think the 2007 Cubs will need starting pitching much more than relievers. That's why I think Guzman should stay as a starter for as long as humanly possible.

Nope; extreme flyball pitcher.

Box Scores Iowa won 9-3 Box Score CF F. Pie 3/4, BB, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2B (20), HR (10), K RF L. Montanez 2/4, BB, K 2B M. Fontenot 1/5, R, RBI, K 1B M. Hoffpauir 0/5, R, K 3B B. Coats 1/5, 2 R, SB (14) C J. Reyes 2/3, BB, 2 R, RBI SP JK Ryu 7 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 6/2 K/BB, HR, 4-10 GO-FO West Tenn won 4-3 Box Score CF C. Walker 1/3, BB, R, 2B (17), SB (36) 2B/RF R. Lewis 1/3, SB (12) 3B S. Moore 1/3, BB, RBI, 2B (23) 1B B. Dopirak 1/3, 2 K PH M. Negron 0/1 2B E. Patterson 1/1, R, RBI, HR (7) SP F. Baez 6 IP, 9 H, 3 ER, 4/1 K/BB, HR, 4-9 GO-FO RP T. Atlee 1 perfect, 2-1 GO-FO Daytona lost 5-4 Box Score SS J. Mota 0/4, BB 1B M.Craig 2/5, R, 2B (30), 2 K RF R. Harvey 4/5, R, RBI, 2B (19), K C J. Muyco 1/4 SP R. Bicondoa 6 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 6/0 K/BB, HR, HBP, 8-4 GO-FO, E (1, fielding) RP A. Mendez 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2/1 K/BB, 1-2 GO-FO Peoria won 5-3 Box Score CF D. Gregg 3/3, 3B (1), CS (16) LF J. Valdez 2/4, R, 2B (21) 1B R. Norwood 1/4, R, 2B (20), K SS R. Chirinos 1/3, BB, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR (7), E (9, fielding) 2B A. Garcia 0/4, RBI RF Y. Carter 1/3, R, RBI, HR (10), 2 K, E (4, fielding) SP M. Atkins 5 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 8/0 K/BB, 0-6 GO-FO RP S. Avery 1 scoreless, 2 H, 1/0 K/BB, 0-2 GO-FO Boise won 11-2 Box Score CF M. Camp 0/4, BB, CS (6), PO (1B) C M. Mercedes 4/5, 2 R LF T. Colvin 0/2, 3 BB, 2 R, RBI, K 3B J. Lansford 1/2, 3 BB, R, RBI, 2B (5) 1B R. Canzler 2/4, BB, R, 4 RBI, 2B (13), K RF A. Joseph 1/5, R, RBI, HR (3), 3 K 2B S. Clevenger 1/5, R, RBI DH DJ Lewis 1/2, BB, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR (4) SS P. Lopez 2/5, R, RBI, 2 K, E (1, throw) SP K. Kopach 4 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1/3 K/BB, 2 WP, 8-2 GO-FO RP A. Maestri 3 perfect, 2/0 K/BB, 4-3 GO-FO Mesa lost 3-2 in the 10th Box Score 3B V. Heredia 0/5, 2 K, SB (19), PO (2B) 2B L. Rosario 1/4, BB, 2 K CF D. Rundle 0/4, HBP C C. Perez 1/4, 2B (3), K, PB (4) LF C. Gilbert 1/3, RBI, 2B (4), HBP RF C. Andersen 1/4, R, E (3, fielding) SS C. Valentin 0/3 PH/SS F. Tirado 0/1 SP M. Phelps 2 hitless/scoreless, 2/3 K/BB, 1-2 GO-FO, HBP RP D. Walters 1.1 scoreless, 2 H, 2/0 K/BB, WP, 1-1 GO-FO RP T. Parker 4.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 4/1 K/BB, 6-4 GO-FO RP O. Bernard 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2/1 K/BB, HBP, 2-1 GO-FO, WP OVERALL: 4-2

Heat index is supposed to hit 115 degrees tomorrow. Hooray.

Quoted For Truth. Sometimes appears as Q4T and Q40.

They've got a couple of people in the Sabr Society on that board; can't remember if Steel is one of them or not. There are some really good posters over there, imo.

Gammons and Neyer have their share of moments.

Just double checking, you're saying that you'd want the career .300/.350 guy over the career .280/.350 guy coming into a new season? Yep Sounds good. We'll disagree, in that case.

My answer is comparable to that for both of those guys. I didn't want three years for either because of how greatly relievers fluctuate from year to year. Also, Howry underwent elbow surgery (Tommy John I think) in 2003 and didn't return from it until late June 2004. He has enough of an injury history to make me concerned about his long term health.

Im loving this. Your telling me you wouldnt sign Howry or Eyre? For the reason they have had arm injuries in the past? Would you have signed Remlinger to a three year deal with his shoulder injury?

Is it Howry or Eyre who's had the arm/shoulder problems? I can never remember...

Just double checking, you're saying that you'd want the career .300/.350 guy over the career .280/.350 guy coming into a new season?

I'm happy to have their services and hope they will continue to produce like this during their time on the Cubs. That said, the fact remains that Hendry outbid himself with both of them.

The Jim Thome and Vazquez trades upped their payroll a nice amount. The Astros moved ahead of the Cubs when they signed Clemens and acquired Huff. They were #1 in the NL for a period of time, although I'm unsure if the Dodgers have moved ahead of them with their recent acquisitions. Ditto the Mets.

I believe, and I may be wrong, but didnt several teams offer more money, and years for Howry and Eyre. As I recall, both Howry and Eyre were surprised at the number of years and contract figures they got from the Cubs. Neither was expecting those kinds of contracts. I could be mistaken in remembering this and other teams could have thrown comparable contracts at them, but I've seen this particular point brought up often enough by different people to make me believe I'm remembering it correctly.

Here's a crazy idea Dopirak in September! If his bat continues to come around it aint a bad idea at all. Not going to happen. He's still not fully recovered from his broken leg and has yet to get his power numbers back on track. Also, oddly enough, his numbers so far indicate that his plate discipline hasn't improved very much from last year's debacle in Daytona.

This is the same GM who signed Glendon Rusch and Neifi Perez to multiyear deals, outbid himself this past offseason for guys like Eyre, Howry, and Jones, and was put over a barrel in the Juan Pierre trade because he figured this team desperately needed a stereotypical speedy leadoff hitter despite already having two guys on the team in Murton and Walker who were more than capable of filling that spot. Needless to say, all of the good will and faith I had in him after the Lee, Ramirez, and Nomar trades has been used up completely.

It's hard to examine this particular number in a vacuum because it's really hard to find players who match up equally in other departments, such as defense, power, speed, etc. It's not like I can have Juan Pierre A and Juan Pierre B along with test numbers and whatnot. Heading into a new season, if I had a choice between two hitters who matched up exactly except they had career averages of .280/.350 and .300/.350, I'd be inclined to go with the .280/.350 guy because his plate discipline skills are much better and easier to predict than a guy who has to rely more on BABIP, Line Drive %, and so on to create his production. It's much more likely that the .300/.350 hitter will have his numbers fluctuate than the .280/.350 guy.

I'm not accusing you of anything; I'm clarifying something you're saying. No one on this board ever posted that the Maddux for LaRoche rumor would happen, to my knowledge. Jim Hendry said himself that the Cubs could have had a package of highly regarded prospects for Maddux. Considering he came out and actually said it on the game tonight, I'm inclined to believe him.