javy knows my name

Like I said, Sox fans

Hmm, DSL means something quite a bit different to me. And it has nothing to do with the interwebs, either.

You mean you don't wish to start a rumor that the Rangers are fielding offers for Josh Hamilton? Good move :thumbsup:

This is great for you. I reserve my right and the rights of others to hate the Sox, if only because they hate us. However, I have a better reason - the meathead fans I went to college with. Insinuating that it's petty or immature or whatever to root against a team that isn't playing us at the time is on a par with Sully's "meatball Edmonds haters" foolishness. Posts like these really tend to stifle friendly debate.

This is a cool idea that I wouldn't do because I believe Marshall and Gallagher can stick in a traditional 5-man major league rotation. Given that the coaches don't seem to agree with me, I think this is the next-best way to maximize each one's contribution to the team, despite a an inevitable decline in trade value for each "mini-starter"

And Cedeno has a .289 OBP in 774 at-bats. People tend improve after a year at the majors because they can spend the offseason studying film and adjust accordingly. Theriot is probably slightly better than the .357 OBP (which BTW Lee's is .367). Plus .357 is one of the best career OBP's on the team. And Cedeno is certainly better than the .289 he has although probably not as high as Theriot's because he's not as patient. I think it's about time people stop being stubborn, admit they were wrong (all of us are one point or another), and start cheering for him without having the thought in the back of the head slightly hoping he does bad. Huh? He may see less P/PA but his pitch selection appears to be much better and their walk rates are almost identical.

He's not great but his .973 fielding percentage is .011 higher than Cedeno's and is in the middle of the pact for starting SS (16th among players who have played at least 30 games at SS). He's nothing to look at but he's not horrendous either. He also beats his former Cardinal twin Eckstein by a wide margin. I think Soriano would be a better shortstop than David Eckstein.

http://www.encircling.us/photoplog/file.php?n=1648&w=l

That schmuck has nasty stuff, IIRC. But no matter. Mega Cubs get it done

He is just desperate for some media attention. And he'll get all he wants in NY. Stupid ESPN

No, it's really not

Considering teams could just wait a year and sign him without giving up prospects, I'm not sure I agree with that. Yep. A rental of Santana (albeit attached to a long-term deal) commanded less than that, IMO

I read the bold and immediately thought whaaaaaa??? They don't have a rookie in their rotation, and surely they aren't replacing one of their starters right now... What Steve was TRYING to say is that this is the 7th Cardinals rookie (position or pitcher) to make their debut this season. Way to just completely butcher the facts Steve. Maybe he uses "pitcher" to refer to any player the way some people use "Coke" to mean any soda. :DI've never heard anyone do this, ever.

I just threw up on my keyboard

I think "many" is an overstatement. I projected them to mid-80s when their pythagorean record is 27-30, which shows I expect some improvement. But to get to 90 wins from where they are now, they'd have to play at a .581 winning percentage. Their Pyth% this season is .473, and over the past two seasons is .502. To get to .581 from that, they'd have to take a quantum leap forward. And that's just to get to 90 wins, which right now is on the very bottom end of the Cubs' likely projection. They have two young bats that make people drool, and a couple more that are above average for their position. And they have an ace pitcher who can't stay healthy. Is that enough to lead a team to 90 wins? They don't really have anything else. Their bullpen is bad. Their defense is really bad. They have a few pitching prospects, but big whoop, so does every other team in the majors. Brewers fans I read right now are basing their hopes on two things: The Cubs' turnaround last season and the fact that they lost their No. 2 pitcher and they believe we haven't lost anything. And their high point last season, June 23rd, here was the two teams' run differentials: Brewers: +29, Cubs: +22. The two teams had been almost identical, but a combination of good and bad luck had put them 8.5 games ahead of the Cubs. Luck caught up and the Cubs pulled ahead. This season, the run differentials are Cubs +92, Brewers -14. Did you steal that from John Kruk? That analysis is Baseball Tonight-esque. Really? I kind of liked it

It is not 2002. Take advantage of Volquez and his high IP count while his socket still has an arm in it. Pedro probably isn't finishing the season

Which part of the offense will be learning how to pitch this year?

I'd guess he has around 16-22 RBIWGs (Runs batted in with glove). I'm making this a new stat

http://www.norris.northwestern.edu/image/BJ_Novak_web.jpg

Haha, thanks, but I don't think my wife would approve. Just tell her it's a gift for all the games on NSBB you've won. She'll understand. Pictures or it's not a gift

It is frustrating, but I welcome a .750 OBP-driven OPS from him with open arms

Where have you been, yo?

I'd guess he has around 16-22 RBIWGs

Interesting note: The two teams with the best records in baseball (Cubs 36-21 and Rays 35-22) have played the least amount of road games as any other team so far this season (23 each). Both these teams are about to embark on long stretches on the road (Cubs 23 of 32 and Rays 15 of 24). This should be a great test for both these clubs. And as a Sox fan, do you believe the Cubs can sustain their success of the road?

Only a true Cubs fan would word a sentence like this. It warms my heart.