Soul

I don't really understand it either. I always liked Corey. He was the poster boy, if only for his awful approach, which management encouraged for years, and when they finally decided to try something different they tried preaching nonsense like more bunting. The warning signs were quite clear with him for years, guys like Rob Neyer repeatedly talked about how unlikely it would be for him to develop. But I still held out hope. I really don't get the booing. I understand booing a poorly performing team, or a jerk opponent, or even a very good opponent that kills your team. But booing Corey seems rather pointless. I don't see the point in booing guys like Neifi either. Jacque Jones is a little different, since he made the foolish mistake of whining about fans from the opening week. But I still wouldn't boo him. People shouldn't be booing Corey. They should be booing this club, which doesn't have a clue how to develop a young hitter.

I beg to differ. http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e144/ohefdubs/gifs/output.gif Hey, I like that clip of Lilly. If you're going to get beat in the playoffs, freak out over it. And if you're going to freak out over it, do it right on the mound in front of a national audience.

Why do all of the positions you take have to be demeaning to anyone that doesn't think the same way? Now, extending your logic... Let's expand rosters to 35 guys and put entirely different teams out there for offense and defense. That way, we can sign Barry Bonds to hit and get Chris Walker back to play left for him. Theriot can stay at SS, but we can see Hoffpauir or Fox hit for that position instead. Wouldn't that be much more fun? Just find nine guys who can hit and nine guys who can field. Much more exciting. Why all these requirements for players who can excel at everything? They're too damn hard to find. Great post, IMO.

Hehe. Yeah, payroll would not be among my top concerns with Guzman. Witnessing him pitch well for an extended period without some part of his arm going to hell would be.

There's a gaping hole in this thread. You've got to give him full marks for persistence.

Got that right. ](*,) :rotfl:

I wonder if he'll ever come back. I wouldn't mind seeing it, but it seems like he just can't get going.

I wouldn't mind seeing the Dusty post-game, but I don't know if Comcast is going to show it.

It's a rant because you said a variation of the same thing about 10 times. We get it, you're not happy that Z was still in there but there's no need to keep repeating it over and over. As far as the Z question, you answered your own question with the bolded - it's a routine. And as far as PAP, my basic knowledge of them tells me that they don't start until you go over 100 pitches and, I believe, it's ((# of pitches) - 100) ^3. Z threw 101 pitches which would add up to a whopping 1 PAP. It's not that big of a deal. I'm being told that it's better to let Zambrano throw over 100 pitches because he's used to it and that makes no sense to me at all. There's a long list of reasons why he shouldn't have been out there and just how risky the decision was is completely irrelevant. Piniella is managing a roster of 25 guys and not a video game. He shouldn't be making these kinds of decisions. Honestly, you're making about as little sense to me as I've ever seen from you. Are you sure this is Jon? Get Jon on the keyboard :) I can't figure out why in the world this is worth complaining about. The whole thing is an extra-super-duper, reach-for-something-to-be-upset-about-in-a-Cub-blowout.....situation. Lee is still in there. Why not complain about that? He COULD stub a toe. Come on Jon.

Z had plenty of fun tonight and if he would have been pulled after the 6th, he would have been leaving after a relatively quick inning of work. Instead, he left on a down note, giving up a single and two doubles. Even if he had thrown a perfect 7th, he wouldn't have finished in more of a groove than if he had left after 6. Getting one reliever two innings and another one an inning of work would have been a good idea. As I said, there are three long relievers on the team who have barely seen the mound the last week. As I said, they'll see the mound soon enough. Getting long relievers an inning of work might be a good idea, but it's not nearly as good an idea as allowing your starter to do what he usually does. Z left on a down note? You're reaching. Did you see him in the dugout by chance?

Hart almost got in on the hit parade. That would've been fun.

All I'm trying to figure out is why you continue to rant about this. Z threw 101 pitches which, as was pointed out, he's done plenty of times before. It's not like Lou left him in to throw 120. And as for the running, Z could get hurt doing anything. He could trip and fall down the dugout steps, so should the Cubs hire somebody to carry him down the steps? It's not that big of a deal. How is it a rant. Taking 100% unnecessary risk is incredibly stupid. We'd all be better off not doing it. Managing baseball teams is no different. Sure, you can take a ride in your car with no seatbelt on and you're 99% sure to arrive at your destination unscathed. That 1% of the time, though, you might just wind up dead because you didn't want to wear your damn seatbelt. Maybe it's because I play poker... *shrug* Let's say you're right. Let's say Lou left him in so Z could have some fun. There's value in that, too. Especially for a guy like Z. And that value overrides your 1% chance he might get hurt, which is probably the same % chance of him getting hurt on the way to the ballpark. I'm just guessing, but I think Lou left him in so Z could pitch a good, long start in a groove. And I think that's helpful to Z as well. And it's certainly more helpful than getting every long reliever on the staff an inning of work, when they'll likely get innings coming up over the next couple days anyway.

We have two long relievers and the bullpen is well rested. There was no reason why Zambrano should have gone over 100 pitches. Nonsense. Z's been going over 100 pitches his entire career regularly. It's never hurt him then, and it isn't likely to now. He's been abused his entire career, as well. When there's no reason to have Z throw over 100 pitches, why would you keep him out there? What can possibly be gained from it? Why wouldn't you keep him out there? You're inventing this phantom "danger" and freaking out over it. Why? This is what Z does. Personally, I'm glad to see him get the work. It's not like he threw 140 pitches. It's 103. Well within career norms. Z performs at this level just fine.

We have two long relievers and the bullpen is well rested. There was no reason why Zambrano should have gone over 100 pitches. Nonsense. Z's been going over 100 pitches his entire career regularly. It's never hurt him then, and it isn't likely to now.

103 pitches is not going to hurt Z in the slightest bit. Our BP, on the other hand, desperately needed this rest.

I know it's 10 to 1, but that is just simply NOT a strike.

Well I'll be damned. I take cash or check.

Well, the inevitable Dusty racism has been replaced with the inevitable Soriano injury. See, there's the twist.

I definitely don't want him to. He'll wind up on the DL for weeks, we've already seen that.

It doesn't take this long to look at MRI's. What, are they waiting to notify Sori's family that he has 6 months to live?

I don't know who you're talking to but I didn't once consider this as "helping" Pie by benching him. I'm suggesting benching him because he isn't hitting the baseball and Reed Johnson is. The manager's job is to put players in a position to succeed and give the Cubs the best chance to win every day - that would be Reed Johnson. The manager's job is to put the players on the field that would give the Cubs the best chance to win more games overall. Short term fixes to sacrifice long-term development is not the way to do that. Pie has no more he can learn in AAA. He adjusted to and mastered that league. He needs time to adjust to the major leagues, and the Cubs need time to evaluate him in their long-term plans. Neither is accomplished by benching Pie or sending him down. Pie has initially struggled for a few months at every stage of development. Once he adjusts, he's been a phenominal player, on all levels. The important thing right now is to not have a knee-jerk panic reaction and stunt his development even more just to get a below average offensive performance from CF for a month instead of a poor one. It could even be argued that his defensive value over Johnson makes up most of the offensive difference. The whole problem I have with it is what you just eluded to: you don't have this significantly better option to go to. You're getting only marginal, short term extra offensive production in Reed. It's really not that much more. And in return, you guarantee that Pie won't be productive in the 2nd half, so you're basically saying it's going to be Johnson all year unless a trade is made. You're locking yourself into the production of Johnson, essentially. Doesn't seem wise to me, but what do I know.

Bring up Murton. I don't see how Matt Murton isn't a flat-out better player than Soriano at the moment. Both are butchers in the field, but at least with Murt you won't get the flailing at junk all day long. Sori's not going to be productive until the Summer anyway. He's not going to be out that long, I don't think. He'll still be able to have his hot streak in June/July/August. No big deal. And if had to judge, I'd say this injury was almost certainly the result of not warming up for the game correctly. 1st inning, chilly April night -- injury happens on a non-stressful play. For $130 million I would think that buys you a player who at least prepares for the game correctly. Jesus.

I was kidding when I called you racist. I'm sorry, I guess I shoulda made it more obvious. I thought the "dude" would tip it off. Anti-racist sympathizer!!

The same reason they had such an easy ride to 16-0, they play in the pathetic AFC East. When the Bears went to the Super Bowl in 2006, they had the easiest schedule in the league that year I believe even though they had the first or second best record in the NFC the year before. The NFC Central/North was just plain terrible. But remember, although the Patriots have the easiest schedule based on last season's record, many teams improve from season to season which could mean they have a much tough schedule than was originally thought. Yeah, this just makes me that much more glad that the Giants stuck it to them though. Just doesn't seem right that a Super Bowl club should have such an easy ride the next season. Bears really didn't -- the schedule was tougher last year for us, with the resulting extra losses.

It makes the game more boring. I've always thought that, and I always will. AL baseball is simply more boring. And it's largely because of the DH.