javy knows my name

So I take it you've watched approximately zero hours of him playing defense over the last couple of seasons. Never thought I'd see the day. Mojo busting out a "watch the games" argument :lol: Zing! Heh, that wasn't how I meant it, but man, I'm kinda busted. That said, Aramis' defensive numbers show that he's nothing to scoff at as a 3Ber...I have no idea if B was kidding or not. It's hard to tell with a comment like that and him having a Theriot sig pic. I was this close to qualifying it with some stats but decided it was too much work. As a fellow game-watcher, though, even when Aramis struggled defensively it seemed it was always due to his range and never due to a weak (or even inaccurate) arm. EDIT: Maybe if he won a few Gold Gloves like Jeter it would convince everyone that he is "all-around awesome." Just a thought.

I'm about 99% sure I've already seen something like that.

So I take it you've watched approximately zero hours of him playing defense over the last couple of seasons. Never thought I'd see the day. Mojo busting out a "watch the games" argument :lol:

I had forgotten he was an MU grad. Makes him that much more awesome.

i thought he said that he was going to be in town doing the DePaul game but he'd be at Opening Day. I could have misheard though DePaul game? On March 31st? Thats the weekend of the Sweet 16/Elite 8 IIRC. i guess i misheard then. when was the last time Musberger did baseball for ESPN? I know i'm in the minority, but i really like Musberger, especially for college football I like him as well. I think Musberger/Herbstreit is one of the best announcing tandems in any sport, aside from Dickie V and Dan Shullman.

Remember, when this is over, that you invited this response. -------- -In 2007, the league average for SB attempts in the NL was 130. -In 2007, the Chicago Cubs attempted to steal a base 119 times. Not a huge difference, but clearly below league average. Now, one could assume that the amount of sb a team attempts is largely a function of how fast their players run. But don't fall in this trap, lest you want to get laughed at by Dusty Baker-managed baseball teams. You see, a team can attempt to steal a lot of bases because they have some players who are specifically good at it. Hello New York Metropolitans. Other teams can attempt to steal lots of bases because they think, in general, that it is a good thing to try to do a lot. Some teams do this even though they are obviously bad at it. There's Dusty again. Now, you may also notice that the success rate of stealing bases by the Chicago Cubs (72%), like their amount of attempts, is below league average (74%). Me, the method actor that I am, decided that in order to fulfill my facade of false-intelligence, put on my thinking cap. I thought to myself, "what could these two sets of numbers possibly have to do with each other?" Accidentally, I came up with the conclusion that one informs the other. I was like, "maybe, that rascal Lou realizes that his team isn't very good at one thing, so he's instructing his team to do that thing less". I know, a stretch considering his lack of success as a baseball manager. Then, in what was almost a blinding explosion of rational, sensible thought on my part, I thought of something else: Lou Piniella was born in 1943. I see that you have trouble processing information so I'll put it bluntly: he's old. When I think about old people, my first thought is most definitely not "jesus, I wish those old geezers would just make up their mind and stick to it instead of waffling all the GD time." So, if Lou Piniella has shown himself willing to "manage" the amount of times his team does something based on its relative success rate, and sans any traumatic head injuries over the off-season, I'm thinking maybe he's going to stick to that. Yes, regardless of what he says to some dumb stiff. -------- Now, back to the guy from Wisconsin's Cleveland. You're very clearly trolling my posts, not out of something I say specifically (which I actually wouldn't mind, it's flattering), but just because you don't like "me". "blah blah blah you're an arrogant jerk stop pointing out how dumb some of the things people say on here are blah blah blah." Great, I've heard it. But unless you'd actually like to consider contributing something of value, I suggest you keep your mouth shut (keyboard... less typed...) to avoid one of these dust-ups again. First of all, you give yourself too much credit. This was not a personal attack on you, but about this leap of faith you took in what seemed to be an arrogant manner: My suspicions were proved correct by your last post. As for Piniella being old as a rationale for these shrewd mind-games, I don't buy it. I think he's losing it a bit and I could see him regressing a bit to old-timey bs that he may have done in the past, which would include running himself into outs. As for the personal stuff (which you have triggered), are you trying to fill the void left by nice Meph? If so, you are doing a hell of a job! Oh and please, please spare me any more of your "dust-ups" because I don't think my weak brain can abide another one.

Oh, I was just kidding about the Dusty pic. I figured I'd do it before somebody else did. Please direct me to the latest DeuceBaseman pile-on. I would greatly appreciate it.

And FTH is this, exactly?

Why? Was Lou joking? He's said equally dumb things in the past and never went through with them. He's attempting to play mind games, to get the opposing managers and pitchers to worry about whether or not whoever is on second is going to steal. My thought exactly. With all the head fakes he made last year, you'd think people would have learned his schtick by now. Damn, I wish I were as smart as the two of you think you are...

+1million Anonymity goes a long way to making someone a jerk jamie, your name isn't on that post, you must have forgotten to sign it The fact that you are readily able to know my name goes to prove that I am in fact not anonymous nor am I attempting to hide my name. If the contrary were true, i could very easily have never given my name on this website +1million -2million love, Jonas P. Quadworth Salk III Another obligatory Roast pile-on. I've had my chuckle for the day - good night.

Safe, but sort of interesting. Zambrano likely won't be the best pitcher on his own team (even with batting factored in), so I put his chances at a Cy Young at around 10%. What the heck, lets see the AL when you have time.

Looks like Kyle Kendrick, but wow. I must say I still hate Brett Myers but that was pretty damn funny. Welcome to the board.

I'm still really not worried about the Dbacks

And Krivsky's much better?

I don't think they ever started, given that he's black and all

While I understand the inclusion of Farnsworth as a guy who never reached his potential, I'm still more incredulous about him than Sammy. If we are talking "fiery" and "passionate about the game" no one really tops the balls-out approach he brought. Not condoning brawls and the like but if I had to pick one it would be his asskicking of Paul Wilson a few years ago. To say that he "dogged" anything while with the Cubs is simply untrue. Another great example of shoddy Chicago sportswriting.

In what sick and twisted world is Comerica an "awesome ballpark?" It's only a slight improvement over Pro Player, and IIRC, has a deeper left field! Factor in AL pitching and I don't think Cabrera is likely to improve.

Not getting Roberts in ST might be the best thing for the Cubs. I'd really like to see what Sean G. can bring to the table. If he's as good as his pops says (increase in velocity, better control of secondary) he may be an important piece for the 2008 Cubs to hang on to. I really have little faith in Lieber, Marquis, or Dempster. Maybe in a few months Roberts won't look so attractive to the Cubs. This, down to every word. I'd like to see Sean get a shot this season and give Hendry to opportunity to fall in love with him. Right now, it's anyone's guess as to Sean's big-league value and while it could be as high now as it will ever be, it's worth the slight gamble on temporarily losing out on a Roberts trade.

I'd question the necessity or even utility or an "every down back" in today's NFL anyway. With Benson in tow, someone who can burn and catch some passes would be a great complement to him. And with the depth of RBs in this draft, the Bears might not even need to use a 1st or even 2nd rounder to get a quality player that fits that description. That's my problem is that Jones would have to be a 1st rounder, even if they did trade down. The more I think about, the more I think the Bears getting a RB wouldn't be a bad idea. I'd take the BPA regardless of most positions, probably in every round this year, especially if the Bears can add an OT in free agency. Jonathan Stewart over Felix Jones, easily. If Stewart is available at 14 (and I think it's more likely to be the case than for Jones because he got more exposure) the Bears need to take him and grad an OL in the second round. There is still a good chance of finding a franchise guy there, imo. If Stewart is gone, trade down and grab an Otah or something in the late first and wait on a good value pick. IMO, once you get past Mendenhall, the skill/upside difference isn't that great up to about Mike Hart. Jamal Charles, Ray Rice, Tashard Choice, etc would all be excellent choices for the Bears in the second or third rounds. Not sold on Slaton; I'd put him below Hart on my board.

:shock: You rang? well, you do suck... BANNED.

Just have to add that this was the best way possible to waste 40 mins in the middle of my day. I LOVED the guy's comment about Meph being condescending to him. Meph is rarely so gentle in the first post of most of his threads! And seriously who educates these people? Mixing up your and you're are, unfortunately, pretty common even among people my age, but there/they're/their? Give me a break!

Put the Cubs in front of the Brewers, and that's the one.

I don't know what this is, but if the Sox win 80 games this year, I'll poop myself.

Agreed. I don't see how it's possible to not get into the Madness.

Moving Marquis is going to be harder than you think, even if he does repeat last year's first half. The Orioles or Jays come to mind if they trade away Bedard and Burnett, respectively, but Marquis makes like $9 mil next year. Regardless, I think Gallagher needs to come up with the big club at the ASB because, like Pie, he doesn't have much room to improve at the AAA level. I don't care if he sticks in the rotation at first or not; he needs big-league time. I am really confident that we get rid of Dempster before we break camp this year, and if he's rotation-bound, it's addition by subtraction. I don't think we pick up Lieber unless Hendry is more or less determined to shop him. Lieber at the 5 slot on opening day. I will remain optimistic that we move Marquis by the ASB, because blind optimism is what gets me through every season, but the smart money says he stays put sucks up 9 mil next year. EDIT: Forgot my rotation! Z, Lilly, Marquis, Hill, Lieber - not my first choice order-wise, but what I'm pretty sure Lou will do, in order to mix up the lefties.