Transmogrified Tiger

If you get Wilkerson, then go after Bradley and Abreu If you get 2 of the 3, then you can use Murton to help get you the third.

Bring back Willie.

Unclear if Bowden would be interested in Patterson. That's like saying it's unclear if Dusty Baker enjoys toothpicks.

It's really not that complicated. To score as many runs as possible, get as much OBP as possible, and get as much SLG as possible. The more players you have that are able to contribute OBP and SLG, as opposed to just one or the other, the more OBP and SLG you end up with overall. We've had the SLG, we need some OBP. I'm not saying Gathright's the answer, I just don't understand the glorification of some (Greenberg for one) while crucifying Gathright when there isn't a clear difference in production. Again, Career Minor League IsoP Greenberg: .135 Gathright: .045

Are you applying this same critique when asked about Ronny Cedeno? It doesn't sound a whole lot different that his offensive scouting report. Career Minor League IsoP Cedeno: .112 Gathright: .045

What do you have against Gathright? He's fast as lightning, but has no patience and no power. His OBP in the minors ranges from 360 - 419 (360 was his first season). I don't see that as a lack of patience. And who cares about the power? We've had enough of that the past few years and it has gotten us nowhere. Power does not equal home runs. Gathright hits singles, it's all he does. His epic lack of power is a huge detriment to his value. Also, his OBP is highly dependent on his batting average. Gathright's not going to hit .330 at the major league level.

Read that aloud.

Steve Spurrier is going to laugh when he sees Mizzou's defense on tape. And OU got jobbed out of the Alamo Bowl. Nebraska sucks.

Easy on the hyperbole M&P. I don't want Burnett either, but he's still produced well.

Mark Shapiro is very good.

Going back to the week after the Minnesota game, the Bears are averaging one offensive TD per game, and are 7-0 in that span. They're like the White Sox.

ERA by Catcher: Molina: 3.39 (111 games) Mahoney: 3.56 (21 games) Diaz: 3.76 (30 games) It doesn't look like it to me. Considering that LAST YR (2005) was his FIRST full season as the Cards starter, and still adjusting to certain pitchers, pitches...I say that is dang fine. And he is expected to get better. Why else do you think the Cards let Matheny go? Because they feel...Molina is Matheny with a better offensive game. Those numbers don't mean anything in evaluating those catchers, it was just proving this statement wrong: "You saw how the pitching staff, went through a rough stretch when Molina was out." Molina's a good defensive catcher, I'm not going to contest that. However, it bothers me when people throw out stuff like "best game callers", especially when he hasn't played more than a season of major league baseball.

ERA by Catcher: Molina: 3.39 (111 games) Mahoney: 3.56 (21 games) Diaz: 3.76 (30 games) It doesn't look like it to me. Hey, I thought catcher's ERA was a BS stat. It sure was with some here when Barrett's defensive deficiencies were being pointed out. He said that the Cardinals pitchers struggled when Molina was hurt. CERA is the easiest way to show what the pitchers' performance was. The problem is when you take that and say that Mahoney isn't that much worse defensively than Diaz. It's one thing to use it to prove a fact(that the Cardinal pitchers didn't really struggle without Diaz), it's another to use as an evaluation of a catcher.

I agree, but won't Dunn make between 8-10 mil this year? If there are no takers for Griffey, then will they be forced to move Dunn? I thought the same thing, but someone a while back felt that 10 million was way more than he'd get in arbitration. I guess it's closer to 8, but that's still a lot for Cincy. 8 million would nearly double what he made last year. Think 6.5 as a likely target.

Well you're in luck, since Walker's been a leadoff man more than any other spot in his career. 285 games to be exact, with better offensive production than say, Rafael Furcal.

Williams, Pinto/Nolasco/Marmol, Moore for Lugo and Gomes. No Huff please. If we're having Murton in LF, we can't take gambles on RF production.

Why do you say that? Would he really be that horrible for one year? Lofton's OBP has been just as good, if not better, than Furcal's, even in the past few years. He had his best season (OBP-wise) last year since 1999. I don't think he's an amazing player or even a great option, but if we could trade for an Adam Dunn or Manny Ramirez to go along with Lofton, I'd be very happy with that. Lofton was very very very very very very lucky with balls in play this year. He's not going to have a BABIP 60 points higher than he's had the last 3-5 years or so again. In short, his production is about to fall off a cliff. I'd rather have Pierre, if that tells you anything. I completely agree. I dont expect anything near that production. I would, however, expect at least a .340 or so OBP. That would be a decent improvement over last years production with very minimal cost and no player cost. .340 is probably represents the high end of the spectrum. Well he hasn't posted an OBP lower than .340 since 2001 and that was his only season below .340 in his career. I feel it to be a very realistic expectation. He's 39 next year, and he relies on his speed to help him get hits. He was very fortunate last year that he was able to get a .360 BABIP. Next year he should regress at least to his previous norms, which hovered around .300 BABIP. So at best, you're looking at a .275/.335 line, and that's assuming he doesn't decline from those numbers from being two years older and a player dependent on skills that diminish quickest. For that production, we might as well stick Hairston in CF.

Mahoney. Him too. It's too late/early.

Why do you say that? Would he really be that horrible for one year? Lofton's OBP has been just as good, if not better, than Furcal's, even in the past few years. He had his best season (OBP-wise) last year since 1999. I don't think he's an amazing player or even a great option, but if we could trade for an Adam Dunn or Manny Ramirez to go along with Lofton, I'd be very happy with that. Lofton was very very very very very very lucky with balls in play this year. He's not going to have a BABIP 60 points higher than he's had the last 3-5 years or so again. In short, his production is about to fall off a cliff. I'd rather have Pierre, if that tells you anything. I completely agree. I dont expect anything near that production. I would, however, expect at least a .340 or so OBP. That would be a decent improvement over last years production with very minimal cost and no player cost. .340 is probably represents the high end of the spectrum.

The second sentence of the article says "As of late Saturday afternoon", I think it's safe to say that it's before the Furcal announcement.

ERA by Catcher: Molina: 3.39 (111 games) Mahoney: 3.56 (21 games) Diaz: 3.76 (30 games) It doesn't look like it to me.

Why do you say that? Would he really be that horrible for one year? Lofton's OBP has been just as good, if not better, than Furcal's, even in the past few years. He had his best season (OBP-wise) last year since 1999. I don't think he's an amazing player or even a great option, but if we could trade for an Adam Dunn or Manny Ramirez to go along with Lofton, I'd be very happy with that. Lofton was very very very very very very lucky with balls in play this year. He's not going to have a BABIP 60 points higher than he's had the last 3-5 years or so again. In short, his production is about to fall off a cliff. I'd rather have Pierre, if that tells you anything.

How is Yadier Molina, he of the 146 career games behind the plate, a superior "game caller"?

Please, no Lofton. PLEASE

OU to the Independence Bowl? How are they not in the Alamo Bowl, and who is if they aren't? My understanding was: BCS: Texas Cotton: Texas Tech Alamo: Oklahoma Holiday: Probably Nebraska Indepence/Houston/Fort Worth/Champs Sports: Free for all between Colorado, ISU, Mizzou, and Kansas