Soul

It isn't that, it is the fact we like the chess match of the NL, where overall talent is important and the manager plays a hand in the games outcome, compared to the the AL that demands barely anything out of the manager and reduces one player to knowing only one skill. Most "chess match" decisions in baseball are 51/49 type decisions. There are very few, if any, game-changing decisions based on matchups. I haven't run the stats but I don't really care. I enjoy the "chess match" aspect, especially in the later innings, and I find AL baseball to be less enjoyable because it has less of it. And I'm too old to change ;)

It will only get worse if they call his bluff and he actually sits out of these practices. Chad's crazy enough to sit out and not get paid in order to get what he wants. That said, sadly acquiring Chad Johnson is not a Bears-type move. It would seem to be out of character for Angelo, agreed.

It's hard to let go but at some point we should think about getting something for Murton if he's never going to get an opportunity here.

What if it took Hester, for example?

Actually yeah, it was. GJ ralph

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?