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XZero771679666304

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Everything posted by XZero771679666304

  1. XZero771679666304
    I'd buy Upton, Sanchez, McCarthy and ac ouple potential flips like Marcum and Blanton. I think we have proceed as if BJax is a bust, even if he's not. Other than that, I just don't see anything there worth investing in. Third base is a black hole, but I don't see much hope there on the market. We're set at 1B and SS, and unless Sori and DeJesus are dealt, at LF and RF. I'm not sold on Castillo, but again, there's nothing there at C in the FA pool. Really, there's nothing there at any position aside from OF, where it Bourn, Upton or a reclamation project like Sizemore, and SP, where it's Greinke, McCarthy, Sanchez and Jackson (who is somewhat volitile and represented by Boras, iirc). There's some young pitching and potentially a CF, but the other solutions just aren't there. There are some older guys likely to get multiyear deals that might make next year slightly more tolerable, but would be essentially worthless beyond.
  2. XZero771679666304
    Because the best of a shitty pool might not be that good? Or a good fit? Or even make sense except in that aquiring them might make some petulant kids feel better for five minutes, until they realize it didn't really help all that much? Again, no one is saying not to spend some money on some players, just that emptying the coffers just because the money is there isn't necessarily a good idea. Other than Upton and Sanchez or Greinke, what is there that begs to be bought? Certainly nothing that's turning the 2013 Cubs into contenders, or help beyond next year (unless it's spun off for more prospects).
  3. XZero771679666304
    Why does it have to be "with abandon"? That's just an unnecessary qualifier to justify the dumbass theory that the Cubs shouldn't acquire more players until some theoretical time in the future when they will be "ready to win". No one is saying no players should be acquired. But the implication from some seems to be that grabbing ancillary pieces on the FA market isn't enough, and that the FO needs to be pursuing the best FAs, regardless of fit, just because the money is there . That would be spending stupidly, and with abandon. I'm all in favor of pursuing guys who may help now and down the road (like Upton and Sanchez), I just don't suffer from an irrational desire to see money flung about to satiate a need to see the FO "try" and compete when it would just be pretense. And no doubt Jed & Theo will be active in the market, though it might not be to the degree some people would like to see (not pursuing the "best" players on the markey just because they're there).
  4. XZero771679666304
    The FA class 2 years away is always more interesting because the 2 years in between where half of them get locked up pre-FA hasn't happened yet. That fact doesn't make the upcoming class any less of a pile of [expletive].
  5. XZero771679666304
    on occasion. Although we may no longer be seeing situations where guys like Cabrera come available when they are actually studs (as opposed to previously listed used to be studs). But you don't build your team with the expectations that you can get some other team's stud later. I think there's a far better chance that some kind of answers will be found on the trade market over the next 18 months than on this piss poor FA class. Throwing money at whatever players are the best of a given FA class with abandon just because it's there and some petulant fans want to see the FO "try" is just stupid. There are a couple of guys who make some sense (like Upton, Sanchez and maybe Greinke), but they're not making the 2013 Cubs much better than the 2012 team. The 2013-14 class is definitely more interesting. And I think good young talent becomes available via trade more often than is being recognized, and I for one have no problem loading up the system so the FO has ammunition to strike when it does.
  6. XZero771679666304
    There's a JWebb nation? It consists of defensive linemen and linebackers. They're big fans.
  7. XZero771679666304
    Braun has been great, but he has had more help than Posey has. Ramirez has been good, Hart has been good and Weeks has really stepped it up in the second half. Posey has been good, but especially in the second half, which has been huge because of the loss of Cabrera.
  8. XZero771679666304
    Pretty much. Some people were predicting this for BJax well before this year. Kyle may be right with his points about Jackson, but he's hardly blazing a trail here.
  9. XZero771679666304
    Everything I said was dead on and has been proven out. The only goats I get are people who like having their goats gotten. Except the parts I said were hyperbole and you admitted were hyperbole.
  10. XZero771679666304
    Except Jackson isn't the Cubs' top prospect, nor has anyone denied that the strikeouts are a huge concern. Kyle, as he is wont to do, made a few rash and hyperbolic remarks earlier, which got everyone's goat. But things aren't looking too bright for BJax, I'm afraid. Unless there is some heretofore unnoticed mechanical flaw can be found, I'm not optimistic.
  11. XZero771679666304
    Of course it would be a gift victory. Don't you know, any time a team beats the Packers it's because the Packers beat themselves. There's no other explanation. It's not as if that team has any holes. They plan on sporting an historically bad pass defense and scrap the running game to test themselves for their inevitable super bowl run. That is unless they feel charitable enough to let another team win. You know, to keep the illusion of competitive balance up.
  12. XZero771679666304
    Yeah, that wasn't the best way to put that. The point I was trying to make was that Alex Smith isn't a guy you'd feel good about having to carry a team. If an opposing team was keying in on him, I wouldn't expect much. He's well into the bottom half of guys I'd want at QB if I needed the passing game to come up big. He's a game manager on a team that doesn't require anything more of him (not a lot unlike Trent Dilfer on the Big D/Jamal Lewis Ravens teams, but slightly better). As opposed to guys like Rodgers and Brady who can and have taken over games consistently when the rest of their team has been less than good. Hell, Rodgers is in that position practically every week: no running game, swiss cheese defense.
  13. XZero771679666304
    You're right, one game against a bad pass defense proves he's dominator. But you said he can't take over games. Okay, let me clarify it for you: he's not a guy who can be counted on to carry an offense. There are a lot of guys who have had great single game performances (or even a handful of them) who aren't great or even good QBs. That he did it once doesn't mean you can expect him to be able to in the future if needed. I think most people would agree that if the running game is taken away and the defense is giving up points, that team is in trouble 9 times out of 10. That's like saying... "Well if you keep Brady in check, you will beat the Patriots" Obviously. Does Tom Brady being great make their defense great? Alex Smith benefits from the other parts of the team being better than he is, bottom line. He's a game manager, not a dominant QB. One game doesn't change that.
  14. XZero771679666304
    You're right, one game against a bad pass defense proves he's dominator. But you said he can't take over games. Okay, let me clarify it for you: he's not a guy who can be counted on to carry an offense. There are a lot of guys who have had great single game performances (or even a handful of them) who aren't great or even good QBs. That he did it once doesn't mean you can expect him to be able to in the future if needed. I think most people would agree that if the running game is taken away and the defense is giving up points, that team is in trouble 9 times out of 10.
  15. XZero771679666304
    You're right, one game against a bad pass defense proves he's dominator.
  16. XZero771679666304
    They'll be a playoff team. I see 7, maybe 8 potential losses on the schedule, and I imagine they'll win at least a couple of those. 10-6 or 11-5, I'd guess. Worst case 9-7 or 8-8. That secondary is horrendous, though. It'll keep them from much (or any) postseason success unless something changes.
  17. XZero771679666304
    You have not watched Alex Smith lately, have you? He's become a competent game manager, but he's not striking fear into anyone's heart. He doesn't need to. Ask the Saints. He's not a QB who can take over a game. That's fine if the defense and Gore care clicking, but if they aren't and a good defense focuses on him and the passing game, it'll be an issue. Like I said, he's a competent game manager on a team with a good running game and great defense.
  18. XZero771679666304
    You have not watched Alex Smith lately, have you? He's become a competent game manager, but he's not striking fear into anyone's heart.
  19. XZero771679666304
    But they have to be, they're beating up on the Packers. None other than the best team in the NFL could do that.
  20. XZero771679666304
    Yeah, it wasn't long ago at all that the 49ers were the Patriots.
  21. XZero771679666304
    Yeah, those 49ers never win anything. He's like 12 years old, he probably doesn't remember.
  22. XZero771679666304
    Eh, Cutler won't get the time in the pocket Smith has gotten today He'll have enough. The fact he's Jay Cutler and not Alex Smith will also help.
  23. XZero771679666304
    Why do you always listen to the away broadcasters and bitch about them? 1. Len and Bob get boring, especially in a brutal season 2. Most of them suck Len and Bob are better than most, so I'd rather listen to them. But the Pirates' guys are really bad.
  24. XZero771679666304
    Castro with a triple
  25. XZero771679666304
    Rizzo with a HR to deep left center
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