17 Seconds

Just to be fair, Fukudome went .241/.340/.355 after April. From May 15th on, he went .231/.334/.344, etc. Of course these are arbitrary starting points, but the point is that he was bad for more than the last 3 months. His OBP just hung around for the first 3 months because it took pitchers awhile to realize they could just attack him and he wouldn't really hurt them

Huh? That makes no sense. Rick Wilkins was never going to be the Mike Piazza and was never even close being the prospect that Prior was. Stop comparing Prior as a prospect to Rick Wilkins. That's just dumb. Wilkins just had a good season. Nobody expected him to have it. People expected things from Prior. Is Evan Longoria just like Rick Wilkins too? Last offseason did you say Cole Hamels was just like Rick Wilkins? Ryan Braun? I don't care about who is likeable. That gets you nowhere. I care about who is good. Mark Prior was very very good. His monster 2003 wasn't a fluke. Not only was it not a fluke, but he did it at an extremely young age. I like that. I don't care if he is mean to old people or kicks dogs. I want to win. We're supposed to be okay watching a young superstar starting pitcher uinder our control fall apart because he might not have seemed nice sometimes? Give me a break. This isn't the Disney Channel, these are athletes. If you don't like athletes with attitudes then you probably shouldn't be watching sports. Oh, and bringing up steroids is pretty ridiculous, and is an example of maybe the most tragic result of the steroid era. Now we have to conastantly deal with baseless accusations because maybe one or two signs point to a guy possible having juiced. Every out of nowhere season is "oh...steroids". Every time a player starts getting hurt... "he was a juice". Everytime a guy develops power... "he's a roider". Let me ask you, are you a Geovany Soto fan? If you're saying you didn't like Prior because he might have juiced, then you can't really like Soto. I'm not saying Soto is juicing(because I don't think he is), but there are just as many signs that Soto roided up if you want to go there. Really you don't have any remotely legit evidence to even suggest that Prior was ons teroids. What do yuou have? He started getting injured, and that he had big calves? You'd better be careful for condemning people for tony thingsl ike that. It's a slippery slope. Really neither of us have any idea if Prior was on steroids and there is certainly no evidence whatsoever. To suggest that we should be okay with the way he turned out because you THINK he MIGHT have POSSIBLY taken steroids is crazy.

yeah it's not like he would have been a perennial cy young candidate or anything if he stayed healthy. dude only had one good season! it's not like he was a high draft pick who dominated everywhere and had a monster season at an extremely young age. who cares though. he was surly to the media

same reaction here. fangraphs has burrell's last two seasons valued at $20.4M just 5 million more than willie harris

The sneeze analogy perfectly illustrates what I've been trying to explain. People sneeze all the darn time, and nothing comes of it. Just like as dextermorgan has explained, professional baseball players step awkwardly on their leg all the darn time, and nothing comes of it. So if throwing your back out sneezing is a freak injury (since you've sneezed countless times with no injury occurring), then by the same logic, tearing your ACL stepping awkwardly is also a freak injury (since you've stepped awkwardly countless times with no injury occurring). Except people almost never get hurt sneezing. That's why it's a freak injury. People get hurt by twisting their legs. You're leaving out that very huge difference. Also, I'd say that there's a pretty big difference between a sneeze and a twisting of your leg. One is a natural thing that the body does by itself. The other is something that your body is put through due to a mistake. By your logic, every time a guy suffers a new injury (while doing something he's done hundreds of times before) that he hasn't suffered before, it's a freak injury. I don't see how you find the logic in that. Basically you're saying that freak injuries happen all the time, which pretty much goes against what the definition of what a freak injury is. "Oh Bradley just sprained his MCL while running the bases. He's never done that before. Just a freak injury!" "Oh Bradley just tore his quad while running after a ball in the outfield. He's never done that before. Just a freak injury!" "Oh Bradley just aggravated a muscle in his wrist while taking batting practice. He's never done that before. Just a freak injury!" I think you get the idea.

You guys really should never listen to what Kaplan says. The guy knows nothing and I'm pretty sure he just makes things up.

Hendry and Towers did nothing but talk for weeks about this deal. Hendry knows what Towers wants. Hendry generally keeps trade talks close to the vest. This time around there gonna be quite about it. Makes sense the good Bruce hasn't heard anything. Once Marquis is officially gone , and the new owner is in place. I am a firm believer that Peavy will be a Cub and those three pitchers we got for Derosa will play a role one way or another. Bruce never said he hasn't heard anything. He said they haven't been talking Peavy. If he hadn't heard anything, he'd say he didn't know. Of course one or more of those pitchers could end up being involved in a Peavy trade, but even if they are, I highly doubt that that had anything to do with the trade. He would have made that trade whether he was after Peavy or not. If one or more end up being useful in that trade, great. I highlly doubt Hendry made the trade in planning for a Peavy trade.

There is no way that 100 games of Bradley is worth 10 million.

I should have specified those 3 pitchers as pieces to the Peavy trade. But those were the pieces that might have been missing the first time around. But there was nothing missing. Towers set a package of ewhat he would trade Peavy for, and hendry declined it. Why are we acting like 3 mediocre-to-below-average pitching prospects were what's missing, when he could have gotten just as much, if not more, than that for DeRosa in the first place? The reason we didn't get Peavy is not because hendry didn't have the pieces, it's because Towers was asking too much, even WITH DeRosa involing a 3rd or even 4th team. Nothing has changed there. I think people really want the DeRosa trade to be part of it ansd they're trying to talk themsleves into it. When you put all the pieces together, it just doesn't sound very likely at all.

Lol. I believe it. I can see it happening actually. Why else trade DeRo for 3 scrub pitchers we have no use for? I think it was more than just a salary dump. Those three alone for Peavy? Really? Those three plus something. Otherwise you're inferring that Peavy is equal to DeRosa's value. I think those three pitchers fit the "young pitching" requirement set by Towers, but you'd still need Pie and Cedeno and/or Marshall at the very least. Pie and Cedeno? More like Vitters, Pie, and Cedeno. Why are we forgetting that the reason Jim walked away in the first place was because Towers demands were so high? The 3 prospects we got for DeRosa are mediocre. Were any of them even top 15 prospects in their system? Towers wants good pithcing prospects. Not mediocre relief pitching prospects. If it was true that the trade would have been something like Vitters, Pie (to somebody else), Marshall, Guzman, and DeRosa (to somebody else), then how is a package of Pie/Cedeno/Stevens/Gaub/Archer is uddenly going to be a good starting point?

Lol. I believe it. I can see it happening actually. Why else trade DeRo for 3 scrub pitchers we have no use for? I think it was more than just a salary dump. You pretty much answered your own question. If anything, the DeRosa trade probably makes a Peavy trade less likely, since we now can't deal him for something the Padres would actually want. Bruce Miles said they haven't been having conversations about Peavy, and if that's true then it's pretty obvious the DeRosa trade had nothing to do with it. Well, it was already obvious, not it's just more obvious.

When are we going to get some good news this off season? I hope by using the word "obtain" you mean acquire by trade because I really don't see any affordable starting pitchers that would be an upgrade over Marshall. It's not necessarily about being an upgrade over Marshall, it's about allowing him to be in the bullpen and back up Harden. Plus I think there are a couple options through FA that are better than Marshall. Besides Sheets and Lowe? The way that Hendry had to dump Marquis and DeRosa in order to afford Bradley, I don't think the Cubs will have enough money to sign either one. How do we know he didn't dump payroll so he could ass Bradley and a starting pitcher? Oliver Perez could come cheap and I don't think he would be a terrible option at a reasonable price. I know he's doesn't sound exciting, but if he comes cheap he'd allow us to use Marshall in the pen and as backup for Harden. Perez is not great, but he's been above average the past 2 season and would provide more depth that is needed. Again though, I'd only consider him if he was really cheap, which I think he will be.

He said his buying of the team would have no affect on Peavy

The things is, even is you think his defense makes him worth that much, that doesn't mean what his actual monetary value is, since nobody pays that much for defense. It's not really okay to spend 15.3 million for defense when you can get it for much cheaper. That's why i think those numbers are kind of nonsense. Value is dictated by the market. Nobody pays 15 mil for defense. You don't have to.

When are we going to get some good news this off season? I hope by using the word "obtain" you mean acquire by trade because I really don't see any affordable starting pitchers that would be an upgrade over Marshall. It's not necessarily about being an upgrade over Marshall, it's about allowing him to be in the bullpen and back up Harden. Plus I think there are a couple options through FA that are better than Marshall.

The better Bruce posted this in the Aurilia thread

How about Pie's numbers ? .275/.323/.434 13 HR 60 RBI and 19 SB Also, Fan Graphs has Bradley's production in '08 being worth $16.9 mil. And yes, of course these numbers are sscewed due to Bradley hitting in a big hitters parking while DHing full-time. He could still reach these numbers, though. I really think we shouldn't put any stock into that fangraphs stat. It seems like all their numbers are extremely inflated. I mean, they had Willie Harris being worth 15.4 mil Last year. Yeah his defense is excellent, but c'mon. Point taken. Just sharing the info. No I know... I'm just sayin

Is hendry pretty much done after Bradley/Marquis? Is another SP after the ownership situation is resolved unrealistic? The Peavy thing, from what I've been told, probably can't happen until the ownership situation is resolved. However, Hendry will try to add a starting pitcher not named Peavy before spring training opens. So are you saying that Peavy is no longer an option, or are you saying that until the ownership situation is resolved, Hendry will try to find someone else for SP? Peavy is not an option for now. The ownership situation will have to be resolved first. Hendry has had no serious talks with SD lately, but he will continue keeping an eye on the situation. Until then, I fully expect the Cubs to obtain another starting pitcher. Any chance you could give us names that are being considered, or at least if they would be acquired through free agency or trades? I'd love to hear that Sheets is at least being considered.

How about Pie's numbers ? .275/.323/.434 13 HR 60 RBI and 19 SB Also, Fan Graphs has Bradley's production in '08 being worth $16.9 mil. And yes, of course these numbers are sscewed due to Bradley hitting in a big hitters parking while DHing full-time. He could still reach these numbers, though. I really think we shouldn't put any stock into that fangraphs stat. It seems like all their numbers are extremely inflated. I mean, they had Willie Harris being worth 15.4 mil Last year. Yeah his defense is excellent, but c'mon.

I give the edge to basketball because of March Madness has opposed to the bowl season. Not just the dumb BCS in general, but the fact that they wait so long to have the bowl games after the regular season ends. I find it incredibly anti-climactic. Plus I don't think there's any sporting event as exciting as March Madness.

Keep in mind that until last year, he had played absically his entire career in big time pitchers' parks, so his home run numbers are kind of skewed Really I see him as being the type of hitter as Aramis was in 2008. I'm not saying he'll be as good, I'm just saying I think that's the type of player he is at his point. Good but not great average, good but not great power, but a really good on base guy. Nothing wrong with that

Is hendry pretty much done after Bradley/Marquis? Is another SP after the ownership situation is resolved unrealistic? The Peavy thing, from what I've been told, probably can't happen until the ownership situation is resolved. However, Hendry will try to add a starting pitcher not named Peavy before spring training opens. Ben Sheets? Having Sheets and Harden on the same team would be like...well, you know. It would be like...awesome. I agree, for the week or so, that be some freak occurance that they both end up healthy at the same time. Freak occurance? It's not like Sheets only pitches 80 innings a year or something. He's only slightly less durable than AJ Burnett. If we had to pay true value for him, then no, I wouldn't do it. But all inidications this offseason are that he's going to come really cheap and will get no more than like 2 guaranteed years, maybe 3. I'd be all over that. Not a lot of risk there.

I'd say at the price is it sounds like Sheets is probably going to come at right now, 130 innings of him would still be worth it.

Is hendry pretty much done after Bradley/Marquis? Is another SP after the ownership situation is resolved unrealistic? The Peavy thing, from what I've been told, probably can't happen until the ownership situation is resolved. However, Hendry will try to add a starting pitcher not named Peavy before spring training opens. I doubt that Lowe will be affordable, especially since hes reportedly seeking 16 mil/year. Is there anyone else left who could be even considered an upgrade over Marquis? Why not just give Marshall the last spot and give Rich Hill a look see as a loogy? Because Rich Hill is still a complete mess? The odds of Hill suddenly figuring it out for 2008 don't seem very good right now. I think the idea of getting another starter is to not only allow Marshall to relieve, but to allow him to be backup for Harden when he goes down, which is basically a lock. I'd say it's about depth more than anything. I don't think we can plan anything around Hill being good in any kind of role next season. If he suddently does find it again, great, but it will be like a bonus.

Is hendry pretty much done after Bradley/Marquis? Is another SP after the ownership situation is resolved unrealistic?