Jehrico

This is improbable, Lilly makes good money, thus he can't be moved from the rotation. His 9.something ERA is why we pay him the big bucks! #-o Who makes what doesn't make a difference to Lou. This isn't Dusty. Yes, but it is Jim Hendry And Jim Hendry, by all accounts, has never been the type of GM to micromanage his managers in game decisions like some.

Pujols?

Hill's only had one bad start, and that was only one bad inning as he recovered decently after that. His first start qualified as a quality start. 6IP, 4 hits, 3BBs, 4Ks, 2 R. Talk of removing him from the rotation before Marquis or Lilly is completely and totally asinine, unless you're only talking about it because you think Hill is one of those guys that performs better when he thinks he's pitching to keep his job. edit: I didn't miss the sarcasm either, I'm only replying to the word "also," which implies Hill has had two bad starts.

Couldn't somebody who is willing to spend a lot of money for good seats be considered die-hard? I don't see why camping out overnight gives somebody more right to seats. Everybody likes to pick on the "the suits" and "corporate seats", but my experience has been that most of the people getting these seats are very big fans. Whether they are the CEO, or a receptionist who got the unused tickets at 6:15, the people who end up going are typically very much interested in the game. Go on stubhub.com and see how many of those guys with ties are selling their tickets well above face value. It would be fairer if they were available for anyone to buy at face value. How many of those guys in t shirts are selling their tickets above face value? You've got people on this site every year in the ticket thread talking about buying tickets so they can sell them. Mizzou was doing it with playoff tickets last year for God's sake. And that justifies it because.... The system is wrong. I don't blame any one individual who is simply doing what the system allows, like everyone else. It's frustrating when you have to pay hundreds for the better tickets through a scapler just because you a) can't afford season tickets, or b) haven't been on the waiting list long enough to get them, or c) don't have the corporate contacts.

Vlad's body is beginning to fail him. I don't like his prospects 3-4 years from now at all. I won't argue with anyone who doesn't like his age...but I don't think the statement that his body is beginning to fail him is justified at all. Only in 2003 did he play in less than 140 games since becoming a regular player. 2006 is the only other year he played under 150 games. The only time he's missed any kind of extended period was in 2003, when he missed 50 games. That's all. His K numbers are still in line with career norms, so he's still seeing the ball well. His 2006 was down slightly, when he posted a career worse OPS+ of 138, but he rebounded to just under 150 last year. His range factors have always been slightly above or below league averages, I don't see a drop off there. I don't buy that Vlad is in decline and his body is failing him. I'd be happy as could be if Soriano could keep pace with him. I'd much rather Hendry opened up the purse strings and made the splash a couple of years earlier and have taken him instead.

Couldn't somebody who is willing to spend a lot of money for good seats be considered die-hard? I don't see why camping out overnight gives somebody more right to seats. Everybody likes to pick on the "the suits" and "corporate seats", but my experience has been that most of the people getting these seats are very big fans. Whether they are the CEO, or a receptionist who got the unused tickets at 6:15, the people who end up going are typically very much interested in the game. Go on stubhub.com and see how many of those guys with ties are selling their tickets well above face value. It would be fairer if they were available for anyone to buy at face value.

Most pitchers on all teams...in other words, most pitchers in baseball? Are you trying to say that most pitchers in baseball have arm problems? Look at Duncan's track record with the Cardinals. How many guys were outstanding for them for more than a couple of years without developing arm problems? Morris is the only one I can think of.

I'd have to go with Peavy, or maybe Utley. Vlad would be in the conversation, I'm surprised his name never comes up any more...his down years are worth an OPS of around .950, and he's averaged 150 games the last four years. I think he's got another good 4-5 years left in him, and is not overpriced at $15 mil at all. Victor Martinez is another guy I'd have to think hard about. And of course, you can't have this conversation without starting your considerations with the already mentioned ARod and Pujols.

I'd be all for this rule if those prime seats were given to the hard core fans who camp out the night before tickets go on sale in order to get good tickets instead of people who bought off of scalpers, scalping websites (stubhub), people with corporate ties, or rich guys with season tickets. Die-hard, but otherwise average fans are the ones getting the short end of this stick unfortunately. Agreed with the others on not having sympathy for the guy trying to get 10 autographs for his little brother.

This thinking sounds familiar. This post looks familiar.

Duncan has a way of squeezing one or two great seasons out of mediocre pitchers. However, their arm usually falls off sometime between the 2nd and 3rd season underneath of him. Name one guy who has had extended success under Duncan that didn't end up with major arm problems. Matt Morris is the only one that I can think of off of the top of my head that was good and lasted more than a couple of years under Duncan.

If Dempster has another solid outing, maybe we can package him and Theriot/Cedeno for Renteria instead? Or maybe sub Marshall or Gallagher instead of Dempster? They'd get someone who could start or fill any spot in the pen, which would be a boon to their pitching staff. Of course, being a glass is half full kind of guy that you need to be as a Cubs fan, I'm waiting for Marquis to post a decent first couple of months like he's known for, then see him get sent off for Renteria before he pulls his second half implosion.

Even though we didn't actually draft him doesn't mean we weren't in the position to do so. If Hendry and his scouting department would have been able to see the possibilities for Hamilton, we wouldn't be playing Felix Pie and Reed freaking Johnson in CF right now. Soriano Fukudome Lee Ramirez Hamilton DeRosa Soto Theriot Am I the only one who does not have a problem with a 75/25 platoon between Pie and Johnson (assuming that's what the platoon averages out to when all is said and done) in CF?

a better player for about $2.5M less? Agreed. If this is a Theriot vs Izturis discussion, then it's going to be a very short discussion. If it's playing a crappy SS when there's a better inhouse option, that might be more valid. Other than sailing the throw over DLee's head yesterday, Cedeno hasn't looked lost like he had last year. Not that I'd be ready to hand him the job, but he's not looking like a deer caught in the headlights, which is big for him.

Has anyone seen any projections on how long until Eyre is ready to come back?

Luis Salazar: That's Razalas backwards.

Jeff Blauser: Sandberg had more talent in his pinky-nail...

Shawon Dunston: Give him one more year...

That's what gets me. It's not on his ring finger or pinkie, just those three. Usually if you get sweat on your hand from wiping your head or whatever, it gets on all five fingers. Usually if you get rosin in your hand from the bag, you get it on all five fingers. Me's a thinkin' he's a cheatin'. #-o

It's pretty rare for guys on teams that finish below .400 to win the MVP or Cy Young, regardless of how good they might be. :lol:

uhh...John Maine isn't that good. Blasphemy!

Everyone knows that Z is a horse and he gets stronger and better as the year goes on. The last couple of years, the main thing keeping him out of that race has been his slow starts. If he only gets better this year as the season goes on like he always has in the past, I think this could truly be a memorable season for him. Considering his start, I don't see how he couldn't be in everyone's top three for early Cy Young picks.

Or other teams habitually keeping 6 spots open on their 40 man rosters just in case we come calling.

The Cubs game would have been blacked out for everyone on EI today because all games before 6 pm are blacked out on Saturdays. Thanks for the answer. Is it just me, or are blackout rules just getting dumber and dumber?

Made the world a better place. Didn't he cure cancer and defeat religious extremism in this game?