David

That Joey guy (not an O's insider, a guy with supposed Cubs contacts that recently started posting on OH) claims that the Cubs offer for Bedard and Roberts included Pie, Gallagher, Murton, and Hill (and more). I'm glad the M's are apparently offering a better package for Bedard, because exchanging Hill for Bedard in the rotation would've been a slightly better than lateral move, at best, and potentially worse.

Dear Lord, who cares how long a thread is? Especially when they end up inflated due to people poitnlessly commenting on how long the thread is? I feel bad for all the people who bravely come to these threads, even if multiple thread pages apparently crashes their computer or slashes their tires or gives them cancer. I've been thinking this but not saying it for a while now. Who really cares how long a thread is?

ib1000smartassresponsesaboutinsiders Thanks for the update, though, Rammy. Speculation is always fun, but fuel helps a lot. Just take this stuff for what it's worth (lawl).

Wrigley23, What is a better option that might be available that would provide an upgrade for us at SS? I'd be glad to have the type of guy (high OBP, mainly) you're looking for there if you can think of a viable option.

Or how about the fact that somehow he's projecting an indifference toward OBP on this, of all boards. It's like I'm in bizarro world.

Who on earth has said that getting on base doesn't matter? Seriously, find one person who has said this. I implore you. The thing is, you're 100% right in wanting this team to improve it's OBP. OBP is probably the most important basic stat, as it measure's how good a team is at not making outs. The problem is, you're still hanging on to other misguided old-school beliefs at the same time. Strikeouts are neither bad nor good when compared to other outs. Outs are bad, period. It doesn't matter what kind of out it is. Speed is, however, overrated (although not as much these days as it used to be). Again, some of the highest OBP guys in the majors are also going to be among the leaders in strikeouts. Patience and high K totals almost go hand in hand, because patient hitters naturally are going into deeper counts more often. You realize this, right? Some hitters that can hit for more power can make up for a lack of OBP somewhat because, to put it almost too simply, when they hit it, they're making it count by getting the bigger hits (2B's and HRs) more often than other guys do. The real problem with ours and many lineups is when you start lining up completely impotent bats who are good at making contact but don't get on base particularly well (don't take many walks) and can't hit for power. People naturally look to the more visible guys on the team and blame them for this team not scoring enough runs (and yes, I realize the big hitters had a bad three games in the playoffs), but the problem with this team last year was the offensive black holes at C, SS, and CF. The Ryan Theriots and Juan Pierres of the world are the problem.

Greene's OBP is Neifi-esqe, which is never a good thing. The Cubs have enough power guys in the lineup, it would be nice to compliment them with players that actually get on base. The reason we cite his road stats are because his home/road splits are huge and it makes perfect sense considering what type of park his home park is. His road OBP is not Neifi-esque. Over the past 3 years, it's a passable .328. You can live with that when the guy is a SS that plays very good defense and has a SLG of .500. It doesn't matter what "type" of hitter you want to label him or what role you want to give him. He'd be a massive improvement over Ryan Theriot and would result in us scoring more runs and giving up fewer runs. That's, after all, what we want, right?

I hate when K's and BB/K ratio (for hitters) are ever brought up to evaluate major league players (note - not directing this at you badnews, just in general). They have some value in evaluating younger guys in the lower minors and trying to figure out how those guys will adapt at higher levels where pitchers have more pitches and better stuff, but I could care less what kind of outs major league players are making, or how many they make compared to their walks. Seriously, what does it matter? Tell me about what they produce. I could care less that a guy strikes out 200 times a year if he's putting up a .950 OPS. If you're telling me you can get an .800+ OPS out of SS (especially when we presently have a guy who'll be lucky to crack .700, and plays weak defense at the position, to boot), I'll take it. Don't give a damn how he makes his outs.

You do realize that some of the highest OBP hitters are also among the highest in strikeout totals, right? They're not at all mutually exclusive. As for Greene, his OBP on the road isn't that bad and is mitigated by his SLG ability.

Yea, a lot of people on here say that. :roll:

Well, first, I think you mean "Antonetti". Second, he works for the Indians. Third... or maybe first, you're thinking of DePodesta. I must be missing some kind of joke here, and if so, I look pretty dumb in posting this, but I'm thinking he means Matt Antonelli, Pads 3B prospect.

A)Winning the World Series is a nearly a crapshoot based on the small sample size of the playoffs B)Baseball is a team sport. Bonds was one player on a 25 man roster. Pretty much 22 of the other players sucked hardcore. Stats do not GO INTO anyting!!! They are measures of outcomes. A "win" is a stat of the # of times a team finishes the game scoring more runs than allowing. Counting stats has nothing to do with being successful, it has to do with accumulating players that ultimately gets you as many wins as possible. If you believe that pitchers are disrupted by basestealers, so be it, but the proof shows otherwise. Just because something goes against common sense and intuitive thought doesnt always mean that its wrong. The key is to evalute the information and actually study it to prove your hypothesis. Sure, a pitcher is thinking about a basestealer when he is on base (unless hes a Padre), and the 2b/SS is shading to cover 2nd, and the catcher is getting in position for a quick release. No one is doubting that. However, you are making a gigantic leap of an assumption that all of those things materialize into an advantage for the batter. If you look at what actually happens you will find that it simply isn't true. I actually typed this all out and then realized that you had already posted it, so I deleted it.

What would be the point of trading him? I'd rather just keep him then... You'd rather just keep him than trade him in a package for Greene? Sorry...I meant to say if we didn't get Greene, I'd rather we just keep Murton then. Ah, gotcha. Makes sense now.

What would be the point of trading him? I'd rather just keep him then... You'd rather just keep him than trade him in a package for Greene?

It's sort of funny how the same metropolitan area has both the worst and best GM's in baseball.

I like it. On an unrelated note, it'd be nice if they could get that parking facility built once and for all.

Heh, I hadn't completely realized that the Lieber signing was another extension of Hendry's 2007-08 offseason fixation on player-handedness.

me too. there's not enough vindictive behavior out there. this is definitely something the FBI should be working on! i'd love to find a way to put everyone in jail that isn't me! Agreed.

Their rotation is horrific.

FJM mentioned this, I think. It was mentioned in the Rants thread. [expletive] would be an understatement.

I wonder if there's anything legit to that report beyond just taking the Rosenthal mention and tying the Cubs into it from that.

Bite your tongue.

Lame... They should've at least shopped Fuku to look like he was wearing a Cubs jersey.

Thanks. Would be cool to see that one if they have Fuku in uniform.

Any of the rest of the pics?