CaliforniaRaisin

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070227/capt.azmg20702272113.cubs_spring_baseball_azmg207.jpg Dempster

Kerry looks angry, Lilly and Hill look...surprised? Confused? Constipated?

AWESOME:

Dammit, Luke Babbitt picked Ohio State over UCLA (and Nevada-Reno). I guess we're now looking at Drew Gordon for 08.

So you're saying Schmidt lied? Shocking.

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070226/capt.azmg20502262314.cubs_spring_baseball_azmg205.jpg Santo in Mesa

At this point though, if he's actually pitching, it's hard to maintain the "there's something wrong" idea. There doesn't seem to be much of a secret going on. We're not hearing that he's being held out and we don't know why. He's not in an undisclosed location. His past history is troublesome, no doubt. But as long as he's pitching, I can't help but think that the "June at the earliest" timeframe is just not very likely. If he doesn't feel good after his first start, skips his next and gets some weird schedule, all bets are off. But Prior pitching at this point is completely different than past seasons. There's pitching and then there's pitching. Yes, it's early and I may be wrong but I don't think that I am. IMO you'll see a difference from what you expect from Mark Prior and he'll be a shell of what he once was and he won't have that extra umph he once had. The June is a target date so the Cubs will be able to decide on how to fix their rotation and the time they will give Prior to regain himself. Has Bruce commented on how he has thrown yet? Bruce has, so have Will Carroll and independent bloggers. All said he looked impressive. You can judge next Monday, Cuse. But I think your specific concern (not ready till June) isn't valid, because it assumes he's quite a few steps behind the other pitchers.

I like news like this! Keep that deep rotation competition going! Great news in regards to Gallagher, other reports from AZ had Gallagher as not looking too great. To be fair to those other reports, they were based on Gallagher's first day or two in the big league camp. I'm sure as he got his feet wet, he started doing his thing.

I dont know where that comment came from. I don't think anyone has blindly defended him. The only times I see people really defend his moves is when people jump to the conclusion that he should be fired. I think he's done a wonderful job turning this team around and making us into a perenial playoff team. I think Skiles should play Tyrus Thomas more, but that has nothing to do with Paxson. Paxson has assembled a pretty solid team that can compete in the present and still have a very bright future. I'm pleased with the job he's done so far. It isn't hard to assemble a perianial playoff team, especially in the east. I'm still convinced he doesn't understand the concept of inside scoring. To be fair, he hasn't had many chances at inside scoring in drafts (and as I remember, you wanted Brandon Roy over Tyrus Thomas - TT is much more of an inside presence). There are reasons to criticize Paxson - but I think your way of comparing him to other Chicago GMs based on championship game appearances isn't that great. Also, we don't truly know exactly what Jerry West and the Grizzlies were asking for Gasol, I have no problem in not parting with a combo of Deng and another valuable player on the team as some rumors indicated. Paxson has done a commendable job building up a young team from nothing, he has certainly made a few mistakes but which GM doesn't?

GOOZ GOOZ GOOZ! :D

While this certainly is good news, the bad news is I can't listen to games on Monday because of work. :(

There were hints that Samardzija might even start at AA. I think most of us were surprised at the talk that he was ticketed to Daytona over Peoria. It looks like the Cubs will be aggressive with Samardzija. Gallagher should get promoted quickly (and there is a chance he could start off at Iowa).

Yeah, I don't like my IF and am banking on Kemp getting a lot of PT in my OF (but Lee and Vlad are nice). I do like my rotation even without a #1 starter, but I really don't have one strength.

I would take him off now or you will lose him. Ok, done. I can't believe how fast Lester is back to pitching.

I didn't even bother posting it. I saw old guy bunting in a Cards uni and had to post it.

this picture is such an accurate metaphor for the usefulness of small-ball since the end of the dead-ball era. The Cardinals fan husband tells me that this is George Kissel, who a quick search reveals is 96 years old and has been with the Cards as a minor league coach and hitting instructor for 66 years. Evidently Branch Rickey brought him on board and he's been around ever since. Kind of like the coaching version of Yosh. :) The caption reads:

And the young guys who were at Mesa and the Dominican last year (hey, I'm optimistic).

I put Jon Lester on the IR for now, but it's beginning to sound like he's doing real well and will start in the minors. I guess I'll have to take him off real soon. :?

They're going to post it on their website sometime this coming week. In Ask BA last week, Jim Callis noted that Tyler Colvin and Sean Gallagher were close to making the list. Obviously Felix Pie and Donnie Veal made the list, Jeff Samardzija probably made it too.

98navigator, I don't know when you started posting but you're pretty active and I haven't noticed you before the past week or so. Just wanted to say welcome to the board and thanks for the links. I tend to be lazy looking for them.

Maybe KU can slip into a 1 seed. Wiscy has lost twice this week. UNC loses again... As long as we're in Sacramento/San Jose, I don't care what the other 1-seeds are. :) I gotta agree, Texas A&M has to be ahead of KU right now. I really like them, they remind me of a Howland-coached UCLA team.

IIRC, isn't that the stance they pretty much took all of last year? Yes.

Yeah, I would have been interested in trading for Conor too.

Rice Owls IP H R ER BB SO AB BF ----------------------------------------------- Joe Savery.......... 5.0 5 1 1 2 4 18 22 On the season: 15 IP, 4 GS, 2 ER, 11 H, 12 K/4 BB, 1.20 ERA, 1.00 WHIP

Wow, UNC lost to Maryland.