soccer10k

All Star balloting starts today. This year we need to help Vance out so he doesn't have to do all the work. http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060427&content_id=1421253&vkey=allstar2006&fext=.jsp

Our first 3 hitters get on base and we only get 1 run out of it.

Choi is absolutely not worth trading for.

I have a good feeling about today.

As for the Cabrera/Willis debate, I would take Cabrera hands down.

Neither one of them impress me as a player who would do well as a Cub - certainly not to justify the expense. But if Hendry had to spend too much money on a FORMER Marlin, I wish he had opened the checkbook wide for Luis Castillo. I don't think the Cubs would have needed Pierre in that case (if they do now), and for the amount Hendry overpaid for Pierre and that puzzling JJ signing, getting Castillo instead would have been well worth the extra dough. The biggest problem would be how to kick Neifury to the curb - $2 mil for 2 years was one heck of an insurance policy for a Cub middle IF. JMO. I know, no way in H-E-double hockey stix the Cubs are able to trade for him... Actually, that's one deal I might consider giving the Twinkies a second shot at Prior for. You'd trade Prior for Castillo? Castillo had a much better 2005 than Pierre, with a .391 OBP and a.765 OPS, and at least the last few years sure seems like a better leadoff option than SlapNasty. That said, we already have Walker at second/first, and trading Prior for Castillo is a terrible, awful, no-good, very bad idea. The last time I checked Luis Castillo is a second baseman. Didn't we have a debate over who should play second base in the offseason? What good would it do us to bring Castillo in? To have 2B be even more crowded? We aren't trading Walker that's for sure. Then when Lee comes back, somebody would have to go to the bench. All around bad idea.

There is absolutely no reason to get him. What will we do when Lee get's back? He should never be used as a pinch hitter. We wouldn't put him in as a defensive replacement. The guy is useless. Absolutely not on Doug.

I think there is somebody from this board that went to one of the Cubs-Cardinals games in Wrigley and said they saw Walker hanging out with the Cardinals. I'm not sure though.

I think somebody already said it, but I love beating the Cardinals.

That might have to do with the fact that they all blow. Seriously, a playoff season might end up being very very bad for the Cubs. Dusty needs to be shown the door quickly. Preferably replaced for a guy who doesn't say gems like "base clogging" and "neifi saved us" I know you don't like Dusty, but saying a playoff appearance for the Cubs is bad is just stupid. I know what you are saying that you don't want Dusty to stay. But if Dusty comes close to the playoffs I think he'll be resigned. If he has a repeat of last year then he won't, but if we come within a couple games of the playoffs, especially with Lee out for 2+ months, then he'll get a new contract.

Corey Patterson went 3 for 4 with 2 RBI's and a walk (his first of the year) today to raise his average from .156 to .222. He's also has 1 HR and 6 RBI's this year with a .243 OBP and .333 SLG.

The Royals insult was hilarious. Gotta love it.

Even more fearless prediction: The wind is blowing out to right and Pierre goes deep. Pierre: 9 career HR in 3493 AB's for a ratio of 388 AB per HR Cedeno: 1 career HR in 145 AB's for a ratio of 145 AB per HR It should be noted that Pierre has gone deep at least once (high of 3 in 2004) in all 5 of his full big league seasons.

Agreed. Awesome video. Not so awesome music after "We Will Rock You."

That ARod video is absolutely classic.

Rusch will get an extra day of rest and start on Saturday, presumably to avoid throwing Greg off his normal routine while he is pitching like this. Hopefully Maddux will start the series off well.

Are you willing to stay there for an entire day longer for a chance to rub it in the Brewers fans' faces after we win at Wrigley? Vance, best start to the game thread of 2006 by far and you stole my political joke re: Bush. Maybe hes going to watch game 3 of the Bucks/Pistons series. Or maybe he's so overjoyed that Brett Favre is coming back that he has to go up and celebrate with his fellow Packers fans. Woo-hoo Brett Favre came back. Are all you Packers fans ready for another 5-11 season where Farve throws 25 picks? Cause that's what's going to happen.

Did Rusch get pushed back or skipped? I remember another thread talking about how Rusch was going to make his normally scheduled start Friday and Maddux would go on Saturday. Anyone know what happened? For the record I'm not complaining Maddux is starting, I'm just wondering why.

An argument I was making before DLee went down. I remember you making a case at some point before the DLee injury. I think I made a point immediately after while the game was still going on and many people wanted to kill me.

NL West: 86 NL East: 92 NL Central: 96 Wild Card: 91

As he said when he started the thread, not having an injury thread didn't do any good. So why not have one.

It's a good sign because it shows that they can win with minimal hits. Most days, their bullpen will be strong enough to hold off the opposition. I agree. We'll have our days when we hit. It also shows that our pitching has been stellar with the exception of Williamson's appearance today.

Agreed. I was pleased with Guzman's outing. If he pitched yesterday, that homerun would have just been a long fly ball out. And Novoa looked surprisingly good.

No offense but I don't think Dusty threw the pitches. That was Williamson. Did he make an ill advised double switch? Maybe. But Williamson gave up the runs.

Topped out at 89 mph. I think, but I may have missed a few pitches. I saw one of his fastballs at 85. That's right, he didn't even hit 90.