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Theriot has said repeatedly that he views himself as a shortstop and says that is his natural position.

I'm guessing any reports of a rift with the Cubs is based on Theriot's people not being willing to split the difference in the way that pretty much every other arbitration case has done. Yeah, it's that he reportedly won't budge from his asking price that's got the Cubs brass pissed off. All players ask for more than the club wants them to in arbitration, but most also will negotiate to middle ground. Theriot is reportedly not doing that.

it's not even close. in baseball, the odds of getting hurt while playing at full speed are relatively small - most pitchers just get hurt in long-term stuff and a lot of position players get hurt in random hamstring pulls or getting hit by a pitch. there's no contact so basically pitchers throw the same pitches at the same speeds that they do in "regular" games and hitters try to do the same things that they do in "regular" games. the scores of mlb all-star games are very similar to scores of other baseball games - some are high-scoring, some are low-scoring, but if you take the long-term average, it's very close to the average scoring in games. nfl, nba and nhl all star games are have very little of the contact and defensive commitment that characterize "normal" games in those sports, and scoring is far higher than in regular season games. I'll agree the ASG is better, but not to the extent that it's significantly better than the Pro Bowl. My point isn't so much to bash the ASG - because I watch and enjoy the ASG. Maybe it's just personal preference, but I don't see the huge difference in the quality of the games. You clearly really love NFL football, but I can't believe you're really making these arguments. I guess it's just personal preference. I don't really get that excited for any of the all-star games, so maybe that's clouding my judgement.

Wow, that's interesting . . .

Yes, but the critical difference is that you have far more of the "best" players opting out with the Pro Bowl than with the ASG. It's simply not the same thing. There's basically no point to the Pro Bowl because more often than not most of the truly best players in the NFL have nothing to do with it. That's where, I think, having the game before the Super Bowl is even worse. With the Pro Bowl before the Super Bowl, guys like Brees, Peyton, Clark, etc. who would play can't because they are in the Super Bowl. It's not like it was significantly different when played afterwards. Plus with basketball and baseball you at least have things like the home run derby or the slam dunk contest if the games aren't good. Football has nothing of the sort. Skills competitions would definitely help the Pro Bowl out. Like Spongeworthy said, have the kickers play HORSE or a fastest man competition and stuff like that and it would become more than just a lackluster game. And having Pro Bowlers from the Super Bowl teams would help the star power immensely most of the time, but you are correct that it would still be an exhibition game (like they all are).

it's not even close. in baseball, the odds of getting hurt while playing at full speed are relatively small - most pitchers just get hurt in long-term stuff and a lot of position players get hurt in random hamstring pulls or getting hit by a pitch. there's no contact so basically pitchers throw the same pitches at the same speeds that they do in "regular" games and hitters try to do the same things that they do in "regular" games. the scores of mlb all-star games are very similar to scores of other baseball games - some are high-scoring, some are low-scoring, but if you take the long-term average, it's very close to the average scoring in games. nfl, nba and nhl all star games are have very little of the contact and defensive commitment that characterize "normal" games in those sports, and scoring is far higher than in regular season games. I'll agree the ASG is better, but not to the extent that it's significantly better than the Pro Bowl. My point isn't so much to bash the ASG - because I watch and enjoy the ASG. Maybe it's just personal preference, but I don't see the huge difference in the quality of the games.

Yes, but the critical difference is that you have far more of the "best" players opting out with the Pro Bowl than with the ASG. It's simply not the same thing. There's basically no point to the Pro Bowl because more often than not most of the truly best players in the NFL have nothing to do with it. That's where, I think, having the game before the Super Bowl is even worse. With the Pro Bowl before the Super Bowl, guys like Brees, Peyton, Clark, etc. who would play can't because they are in the Super Bowl.

I dont think anyone ever really saw Reed as anything more than a platoon guy vs. lefties or a late inning defensive sub. there may not have been a lot on this board, there were a ton of stupid cubs fans wanting him to play against righties at several times during his cubs career. Reed Johnson had a lot of support from people I know to become an everyday player. During some of Kosuke's slumps, I recall some on the board wanting Reed to start everyday.

It's like a billion times worse. Roughly. At least. There's really no point to it existing. And the point to the MLB ASG is . . . ? Right now, unfortunately, it's to win home field advantage for your league in the WS. If we get ride of that it goes back to having no point except as an exhibtion. If they got rid of it altogether I wouldn't even blink with how bad it's gotten. The difference is in the nature of the games. Given the inherrent trauma of playing football there's simply no way to put it on where it isn't a joke. I agree and I already pointed out that the ASG actually has a point now since it means something. However, that has been forced onto it and the inherent nature of the game is a pointless exhibition - just like the Pro Bowl.

It's like a billion times worse. Roughly. At least. There's really no point to it existing. And the point to the MLB ASG is . . . ? Seeing the best baseball players play baseball. The Pro Bowl is seeing the best football players jog around, with little chance of ever seeing anything cool happen. Football is too complex and team oriented to throw an all-star team together for 3 days with no motivation play hard and expect anything entertaining. Baseball, as a series of individual events, is much more suited to just throwing people on a field to play and still see great plays. And yet, we still don't see that many great plays in the ASG. To me, it's not about seeing the occasional great play. It's about overall game quality, and neither game is all that good at that. The ASG is probably better, but not by that much. They're all exhibition games that don't (or shouldn't) be anything more than a time filler.

It's like a billion times worse. Roughly. At least. There's really no point to it existing. And the point to the MLB ASG is . . . ?

It's like a billion times worse. Roughly. Eh, I don't think so at all. Maybe the ASG is better now since they made it mean something, but it's still a game that most in it don't care about.

I don't see the hatred for the Pro Bowl. It's football - even if watered down - and no worse than the MLB All-Star game, I don't think. Please don't get hit much CJ.

Peyton's pissed that he has to be there. Hope Vince has a good game.

I'll watch.

With an old, injury prone team like we have, though, you need to feel comfortable with your bench players getting significant playing time. I don't feel that way with Dye. You thought the opposite of injury prone was a guy coming off his second TJS? My issue isn't that Dye would be injury prone. My issue is that Dye would be atrocious playing every day if one of our guys got hurt for an extended period. Since Nady's health checked out, he's a far, far better option if one of our old, injury prone everyday players gets hurt.

Right now, no, he isn't an NFL QB. From watching him for 4 years, however, against very good competition (not close to NFL competition, granted), I think he has the potential to be a pretty good quarterback. It'll take time because whoever takes him will have to rework his throwing motion, but he has the arm strength to make NFL throws. The accuracy should improve as the motion improves, but that's no guarantee. I've said since the start of the season that his best position in the NFL would be as an athlete type player, much like Kordell Stewart early in his career. He's athletic and pretty strong, and would only get stronger in an NFL weight/conditioning program. He'll never have elite speed, but working from the tight end/H-back/possession receiver spots, I think he can be successful. That said, I wouldn't consider him in the first round and, ideally, wouldn't take him until the 3rd. I think either the Jags will grab him, or he'll go to a team that doesn't have many needs that can afford to reach on a high-potential project.

With an old, injury prone team like we have, though, you need to feel comfortable with your bench players getting significant playing time. I don't feel that way with Dye.

Holy cow that was a great game! Alex Tyus just missed a go-ahead layup and what a shot by Scotty Hopson to win it! And Hopson got the game-winning rebound too! Great win.

We're doing our best to get Florida the win here.

Game's starting to really pick up and we're getting some momentum.

The Vols are starting to pick things up a bit.

Agreed. But, if he could have been had for 3 mill, I would have signed him, traded Theriot and used him as a stopgap until Castro is truly ready. I would rather have Theriot than Cabrera, even if their salary was the same. Trading Theriot also would be pretty pointless. since he's probably worth more to us than whatever we would get in return. I pretty much agree with all of this. Cabrera is likely to decline due to age, while Theriot at least has the chance to improve. Also, I just don't see him netting enough to warrant dealing him. If he did, I'd be interested. But I don't see it.

What exactly is it that would cause you to believe anything other than that we will be a mediocre team? Id rather we sucked than be mediocre at least then we'd have a better draft position. We aren't going to suck but we arent going to make the playoffs either so whats the point? I don't see why we absolutely can't make the playoffs. We need some good health from guys like Aramis and Z and rebounds from Soriano and Soto, but none of that is unreasonable or even unlikely. I see this team as having a wide range of possibilities. If injuries and lack of rebounds hit us, we could be mediocre to bad. But if the things I mentioned earlier happen, there's no reason this team can't win 90 games and win the division and compete for the World Series. It's a talented team with lots of questions. The answers to those questions will determine our year, I think.

Son of a. We're getting Minnesota-Ohio State. It's been a good game so far, even though we're not playing well at all. Gus has been awesome, though.