Soul

I'm not sure how one comes to that conclusion. It's not as if he did nothing in the majors. He looked really good at times. He had a 2 week slump, and they didn't allow him to work through that. Yes, this. And it's not as if they flew him to the majors. He was in his second season of AAA and hit nearly .400 for a 1.000+ OPS in around 150 PA's. That's cool. I'll take the lone-wolf opinion on this. I think it's madness to say he was just in a temporary slump. He regressed badly from what I saw, it didn't look like, say, Derek Lee when he has a funk. He looked completely lost at the plate to me many times. Overmatched. I know his AAA numbers. While impressive, I don't see how prior AAA numbers mean he's ready for the majors when he just got bitch-slapped up here. He needed help, more than just getting beat up by more major leaguers in the hopes that he'll pull out of it. He's 22, a kid, and he was getting completely owned by the big boys. I was happy to have him getting instruction from the big league hitting coach rather than being sent out to be slaughtered every day and repeat bad habits. If that's not going to happen, then the next best thing is to have him re-tool in the minors for a spell. In short, I'm completely, totally, and in all other ways on board with Lou on this one. I just don't see it the same as all of you.

Again, you are terribly, terribly wrong. Again, no, I'm not. I agree with TT here. Pie came up and, no, he didnt fail. He hit very well when he first came up, plus his patience was much better. However, he went into a 2-week-or-so slump and then we stopped playing him. He's young, yes. But he's learned all that he can learn in AAA as, if i recall correctly, he was tearing it up down there before we brought him up. He just needs to see ML pitching every day and he'll work himself out of his slump. Well, just for the record, and so people don't get the wrong idea, I'm not saying Pie's a fail-URE, just that he's not ready yet.

Again, you are terribly, terribly wrong. Again, no, I'm not.

I don't get what you're trying to say. Yes, we've known CF was in doubt all year. I believe consensus was to let Jacque play there and hope for the best. That's been a disaster as he's been worse than most thought. Point is, we don't have an option in the organization that will work and we haven't all year. The consensus was also that we leave Pie down -- we pressed him into service, and he quite predicatbly failed. He's 22, and doesn't know how to hit yet. Jones is 32, and fading fast. Barring a trade, there's not going to be a white horse to ride in and save the day in '07 for CF. We knew this, so why all the handwringing now about a decision to put Pie down for more development and play Jones? There's no savior here; other parts of the ballclub will just need to pick up the slack.

Don't worry, Woody'll save us.

baseball games And who in his place would win them? That's what I don't think you are comprehending here. Do you really think Pie's going to do this? There's far less chance of that than Jones putting up better numbers, IMO. I disagree. There might be a better chance, but at best it's slight. I'm not railing on the transaction. I'm pointing out that it's a gamble to expect Jones to improve and some people are pretending it's not. I guess if you're expecting it to happen then yeah you might be in for an unpleasant suprise. We've been hoping for a CF transaction since the winter meetings and it hasn't happened. I like to think most of us went into this season knowing CF would likely be an issue, but maybe not.

If he signs an extension with the Yankees, or is traded and signs an extension, then possibly. But if he opts out, and the Rangers money goes away, I think it's less likely. If you signed ARod to a 5/150 extension while he's on his current deal, you'd actually be paying much less than $30m per year, due to Texas taking on $21m. LOL, yeah Texas is still paying for him. Ouch.

I don't know his baseball philosophy. What I do know is he wants to win more than he wants to breathe. You can bet your balls he'll surround himself with an array of smart baseball people including sabermetricians. I find it difficult to believe he wouldn't make sabermetricians a part of his organization, but I also have never heard him speak about how he would run a baseball franchise if given the opportunity

baseball games And who in his place would win them? That's what I don't think you are comprehending here. Do you really think Pie's going to do this? There's far less chance of that than Jones putting up better numbers, IMO.

You know this? If you don't see it has a gamble, that is, Jones reversing course and suddenly producing for the next three months, well, I'd like to be on the other end of every transaction you make the rest of your life. Nice. You're getting on me for flaws of logic when you're counting on production from a prospect who has never produced, then calling it a 'gamble' to play Jones based on that assumption? Come back to the dugout from left field, goony. The inning's over. Counting on production from a prospect? I'm calling it a gamble to count on Jones to bounce back. Some people assume it'll happen. Think of it this way: what will we lose if he doesn't bounce back?

You know this? If you don't see it has a gamble, that is, Jones reversing course and suddenly producing for the next three months, well, I'd like to be on the other end of every transaction you make the rest of your life. Nice. You're getting on me for flaws of logic when you're counting on production from a prospect who has never produced, then calling it a 'gamble' to play Jones based on that assumption? Come back to the dugout from left field, goony. The inning's over.

Good point. What if Cuban puts together the best offer from Zell's perspective?

Because mediocre players routinely disappear quickly in their 30's. Think Troy O'Leary who was very similar to Jones and out of the league by 33. Another br.com comparable is Mel Hall, done at 31. Remember Jeff Blauser? Mediocre career highlighted by a resurgent age 31 season, which was followed by a disastrous 32 and 33 season before he was gone. He's not good and past his prime, assuming this has been a fluke is a big gamble. Man I hate to defend Jones but I'm just not buying it. Two players off the top of my head that compare to Jones are Shannon Stewart and Tori Hunter. Hunter is 31 and Stewart is 33. Both are having very solid years. I just don't think there's this magic age number where players just fall off a cliff. It's a slow, sometimes steady decline and after Jones numbers last year there's no way he's at the end of his career. The problem is you think it's magic. It's not magic, it's nature. The thing is, Jacque has already fallen off a cliff. It's not like he's playing well and I'm predicting he will fall. He has already fallen. Assuming he'll bounce back is foolish. Hoping he'll bounce back? Fine. But to pretend it's not a gamble is just ridiculous. It happens all the time. Mediocre players disappear rather quickly in their 30's. Some may stick around to cash their checks, but that's about it. Jones could 800 OPS the rest of the season and carry that into 2008. But it's a significant gamble. Guys who generally don't hit for average, strike out a lot and don't draw walks don't exactly have long shelf lives. How's it a gamble, goony? We already know we'd get nothing with Pie, for sure. A gamble implies there's something we would have had, but lost by playing Jones. What exactly is that? Pie sucks at the plate and 100% will continue to at least through this year. Pie's a future prospect, hoping he will somehow produce this year is more problematic than hoping Jones will. Unless you're talking about a trade or something...

Again, who other than Reinsdorf is going to oppose it? Is it MLB owners or just NL ones? It's all MLB ones. The only three I can think of who wouldn't support his bid would be Angelos, Glass and Reinsdorf. I understand Reinsdorf, and can MAYBE understand Glass, but why would Angelos care? Is Chicago infringing on Baltimore's territory like the Nats are? Because Angelos and Reinsdorf share the same brain. Aren't those the two idiots that brought us the work stoppage? Yes, IIRC the Sox were in first place at the time. Didn't matter to Reinsdorf. I wouldn't underestimate Reinsdorf's ability to sway 1/4 of the owners to vote against Cuban because he thinks it would be in the best interests of the White Sox. Also, who do you think Selig would rather have at league meetings - an old friend like Canning or a Maverick like Cuban? Apparently Selig is going to retire after his contract ends -- I heard him reiterate it again with Dan Patrick a couple days ago. So, if that's true, then I don't think he should care who is at the winter meetings. I think it's questionable whether Reinsdorf can sway 1/4 of the owners. Yes he has clout but if he does campaign against Cuban I can see the other owners smelling sour grapes on him real quick. They aren't idiots.

The latest Gasol trade was confirmed to be nothing but a stupid rumor, so let's take that off the table right now. As for KG, I'm not willing to gut this entire team for him. And I don't think it would help, either, to remove both Deng & Gordon for KG. Also of note, every other team in the league knows how close we are. None of them are going to just hand us a top inside scorer (i.e. superstar) without demanding the rest of our team in return. The best thing we can do in the absence of a lucky FA trade with a stupid team is to develop an inside scorer ourselves. We've got developing players -- I suggest we develop them. Blaming Pax for not wanting to gut our entire club for an aging veteran? I'll not take part in that.

God, the jokes if the Cubs lose with an owner named "Ricketts"

What the heck? Did they let everyone pee on the ground or something?

Nice. If we could stay within a game of the Crew, our last 6 games match up very, very well to what the Brewers will have to do.

I shall carry the torch for Cuban ownership until the very last! I dare you MLB to shoot him down. DARE YOU, I SAY!!! Cuban baby! 8-) :P :twisted: :shock:

It's been awhile now and no link. Not sure this is really true :cry:

I do not yet see anything. Hopefully soon.

This has to mean Hill is heading back down, right?

There's no way 3 teams are interested in Izturis... Oh wait, they forgot to mention it's 3 MiLB teams. That makes sense now.

In this market that's going to be the price. Either pay up, or go another direction.

Soriano, Pie, Griffey.... That's a mighty fine defensive outfield. I'd probably go for that.