treebird

EVERYONE JUST STOP REPLYING TO THIS IF WE ALL IGNORE IT, IT WON'T MATTER http://images.wikia.com/simpsons/images/6/61/Just-Dont-Look.jpg

Philly's payroll was fairly flat through the era of Gillick's tenure when the team became a dominant force. It didn't skyrocket until after they won a world series when the higher ups chose capitalize on a resurgent fan base by telling them they weren't going to pull an Arizona and fall apart. Winning a world series doesn't make you a great GM. Being well over .500 every year and winning 90+ with regularity sure does. Kenny Williams has barely outperformed Jim Hendry but he got lucky with one title to sooth the masses and his boss. Other guys were pump and dump GMs but that is an entirely different scenario. So Brian Cashman and Theo Epstein are the only "great" GM's in baseball? When you think about it, there's so much variance in how talent translates to wins. And there's so much variance in how talent develops. And it's nearly a perfect information system with the pervasiveness of stats and scouting. Maybe there's just not a lot a GM can do to break themselves from the pack these days? ?

the cubs have a bad record because they players that have played this year haven't hit very well or pitched very well or defended very well. it's not because they don't do little things, it's because they don't do big things. a good manager can't roll in and say HEY EVERYBODY RUN FASTER and then everyone does it and we play .600 ball.

i know what this team lacks and i don't mince words and i have the fire to manage. can i be the manager?

i really like him. i'm not saying i think he should replace brenly, but i will say that i am somewhat tiring of his gimmicks and that campbell has been something of a breath of fresh air. anyone else?

soriano already gets hurt all the time. if he'd prefer to not run into a brick wall repeatedly, i think that's probably a good decision.

KARMA

if you google "jack mckeon suit" (without the quotes), this thread is the first result.

i'm really tempted to shop out the sign and graphic and shop in the backroom casting couch behind him

he's going to feel pretty stupid when his son is out of organized baseball in 18 months. on the other hand, he's probably used to that feeling by now. i agree with the sentiment of the others. hopefully he dies in the fire.

there's a real limit to how interesting a board can be if our only goal is to civilly disagree with morons. if rational minds aren't going to differ, then who cares if the board dies? we smart people already know everything we need to know and should just enjoy baseball alone. i disagree with the premise that we non-morons all think basically the same, though. i think there's a lot to be learned from fellow smart people. the goal, then, should be to encourage smart people to join in an effort to further the discussion. i can think of two ways to do this that have nothing to do with how good the cubs are (which is important, as tim has unfortunately little control over that aspect): ONE let people make fun of morons. show them they are wrong and embarrass them. either get them to leave or hammer them in humorous ways such that smart non-members see the fun and want to join. TWO ban morons. show smart people that they'll need to be cool to stay, but run a good enough board that they'll have incentive to do so. we got rid of cubbiebum, so i guess we've chosen option two. if that's the case, fine by me. finish the job.

I don't think Cousins was trying to injure Posey, but I definitely think he made up his mind to blow him up as soon as it was apparent there was going to be a play. I just don't that's appropriate. And the way he hit him was excessive, even if the catcher had the plate blocked, which he didn't. it's an awful lot to ask of a runner to analyze the play at the last moment and decide whether or not to run into the catcher, ESPECIALLY given how common it is for catchers to block the plate without the ball. Maybe, but it's not a lot to ask not make drilling the catcher options A and B, and not to leave your feet and hit him in a manner that gets NFL players in trouble. There are collisions at the plate all the time, but not many have gotten the reaction this one has and not just because a great young player was hurt. Posey himself said he gave Cousins a lane and he thinks he had other options. At no point did Posey have the plate blocked. It's one thing to lay a heavy shoulder into the catcher when he is blocking the plate and quite another to aim away from the plate to spear the guy. if you don't like it, make a rule. the only reason people are talking about this at all is because a famous player got hurt. if his ankle doesn't get caught under him, everyone just says "oh man this kid is so tough" and it's on web gems or something if he makes an out. otherwise it's just nothing.

I don't think Cousins was trying to injure Posey, but I definitely think he made up his mind to blow him up as soon as it was apparent there was going to be a play. I just don't that's appropriate. And the way he hit him was excessive, even if the catcher had the plate blocked, which he didn't. it's an awful lot to ask of a runner to analyze the play at the last moment and decide whether or not to run into the catcher, ESPECIALLY given how common it is for catchers to block the plate without the ball.

That would have more to do with the frequency with which he hits at Citi Field, though, rather than be indicative of a downward trend in 3B offense. well, he has a .908 OPS at citi field this year. ops+ doesn't care what his splits are

this guy here is dead

i guess it's cheaper, but putting that billboard up in siberia is really going to limit its impact

Am I crazy or doesn't Berkman hit lefty most of the time? Has he dropped switch hitting and I didn't notice it? The only strictly right handed option Hendry had this offseason was Konerko and he wasn't really an option at all. Derrek Lee says hello A lot of people do. It's polite. not when i'm wearing a cape

i'm pretty sure you won't be able to get into the game if you try to use tickets you printed yourself, stupid

i'm basically a basketball agnostic, but i have really come to hate the celtics. i think it's likely the combination of ssr and how detestable most of their team is. it's weird though, i was pretty anti-lebron after last summer, but watching the game tonight, i realized immediately that i was pulling for the heat without question.

8.2

somebody delete this thread, this guy is terrible

<3

pujols isn't going to sign here when he realizes he has to hit 75hr for us to go .500

This may have happened in beertown, but in reality, the facts of the case as they are widely recognized are that MSU didn't offer Cecil cash. Cecil asked MSU for cash, and they turned him down......Thus Auburn paid Cecil, amirite? you should have been a notre dame fan in fairness, notre dame fans have to put up with way, way worse than just paying players.

Randall Cobb -WR Kentucky The Browns are lucky to have Cobb fall into their laps. Cobb is a smallish receiver with good speed who is fearless going over the middle. He will be a great addition to the Browns new West Coast offense. Also gives the Browns an extra return man should Cribbs get banged up.