Wheelimus

Just like to note that we matched what I thought we'd have to do against San Fran, and the Astros are on pace to do worse than I thought they'd do against the Brewers, assuming they don't get a sweep in their final series. And the Astros draw Dontrelle Willis tomorrow :lol: Hehe, damn, this is some good kool-aid....

Hehe, nah, just playing devils advocate. If the above were to happen, I fully believe it would be despite their manager and his toys, not because of. It would be because of guys like Cedeno and Murton stepping up, etc. I still feel that, without Dusty Baker, we're either leading the wild card or just a game or two back. He needs fired, and he needs fired now...

Call me nuts, but just think about the following We're 6 & a half games out We're 6-1 this month We have seven games left with the Astros, who lead the Wild Card. Of our remaining games, we have 3 against the Giants who are reeling, 3 against the Reds who we can, in theory, beat, as we are, in theory, more talented. 4 against the Cardinals who should be coasting and getting in playoff shape by that time. 3 against the Brewers who, again, we're better than in theory. And then 7 of our final 9 games are against the Astros, with a couple of (in theory) easy games against the Pirates sandwhiched in between. Now, lets look at what the competition has, their last 10 game records included The first thing that jumps out is, all the teams from the East are playing each other again and again over this last month (which, you know, duh). So it's not a huge stretch to assume they continue to beat each other up and the wild card doesn't come out of the East. So, it's pretty much us chasing the Astros when it comes down to it, and we play them 7 times. So lets break down the Astros (because if you catch them you catch everyone else by proxy, pretty much) schedule and how they've fared against those teams this year. So lets just take out the Cubs games, since we're drinking blue kool-aid and assuming the Cubs have just hit their stride, and are going to play above their results this season. Lets just base the Astros results against everyone else on their season average and recent trends... So, this has the Astros going 9-7 in every game except the ones they play us in. Lets look at the Cubs remaining schedule just like the Astros. So, this has the cubs going 12-3 Which puts ours and the Astros records at the following Cubs - 81-74 Astros - 84-71 3 games back 7 games against the the Astros, so in those 7 games, we'd have to go 5-2 to tie the Astros for the Wild Card. As noted above, both teams could in theory do better or worse than I noted. So...highly unlikely, but we still have a chance in the wild card :D

No way, you don't trade away your best players, we have a 100 million dollar payroll, we can keep our All-Stars. I want Lee signed to an extension this off-season...

Since both you mentioned are actually playing above their ability this season, I wish whoever "coached" Macias and Perez would "coach" Patterson. Or at least teach him to steal signs like Neifi does :lol:

Assuming the Yankees can't pry Damon away from the Red Sox, i'm pretty much expecting the Yanks to do something to get Patterson from us. Perhaps a 3 way deal?

Am I to assume there is no chance of Nomar playing left field next year? Or, extremely crazy thought, Ramirez playing left field and Nomar playing 3rd.?

Is there anything to stop him from retiring after the season, and just happen to change his mind once spring training rolls around?

What I'd like to see out of Greg Maddux is him sign for less money next year. He knows he isn't worth $9 million and I've never thought him a guy who gets a kick out of being extremely overpaid for his abilities. Probably a little insulting to him too. I'd love to see him sign a 1 year, $4.5 million contract with a few million in incentives, and a automatic vesting option to vest for the next year at the same rates. That frees up 3 to 4.5 million extra for a player next year, and gives Greg one last chance to prove he can bring it.

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?sport=MLB&id=5984 Any interest at all in giving him a spring training invite, or even just a low dollar contract (say, 1 year $1 million)? He's not even 30 yet and nobody has tried to put him in the bullpen. Nah, too much baggage :lol:

How about instead we move Maddux to the pen, make him the closer next year, and the pitching coach. Think about it, a hall of famer who can still go sitting in the pen, firing the guys up, telling them how to get their men out, and ready to go in himself as needed. And how about poor pitchers having to face Maddux after facing our fireballers? They'll be swinging before he lets go of the pitch :D

Michael Barrett is not this teams problem, whatsoever. He's the best offensive catcher in the NL, enough said. Unless you can convert him to play shortstop next year, lol, you leave him behind the plate. Sorry, but if the pitchers are failing it's because they're failing, saying it's the catchers fault is just making a scapegoat. Instead, how about we hire a really good former catcher to move out to wherever Barrett lives in the offseason, and work with him during the offseason on his game calling and such. You know, instead of throwing away an .850 OPS catcher....

Any indication how serious ARam's injury is? If ARam's done, please Mr. Hendry, pack it in, get everyone you can through waivers who won't be here next year, and try to get SOMETHING. Get the kids up here and playing...

Alright, which lady here solicited poor Lauren for prositution? Fess up! :lol:

Obviously, the person who should really be starting over Patterson is Hairston, but, this is how bad Corey has done this month, look at these lines Corey .222/.255/.356/.611 Macias .296/.310/.333/.643 No offense to Macias, he's playing as a better 25th man than I ever gave him credit for, but when Jose freaking Macias DESERVES playing time above you on the depth chart, you're being absolutely pathetic. So seriously, any start in center you don't give to Hairston, give it to Jose or anyone else. Let Corey get splinters....

You know, it's evil, but the best thing that could happen to this team would be for Damon and Clemens to go down, with it being found that Damon wasn't REALLY on the juice, he just took a bad supplement. That would hurt the 'Stros playoff run AND bring down Damon's contract demands next season. Hehe

If there were any chance of them letting Neifi go, they would have let the claiming them have him when they put him on waivers.

If Alou goes on waivers (and i'm sure i'll catch hell for the following) I claim him to keep him from going to Houston. His contract isn't all that bad for next year, and with the horrid free agent market, he'd be a fine 1 yeart stopgap until some of the young kids are really ready.

I think as a rule, you only claim people for two reasons. 1) to block another team from getting that player, but that doesn't happen much, I seem to remember someone getting really bitten by claiming Randy Myers years ago. 2) because it's someone you actually think the waiving team will let you just have. Really no other reason, if it's a good contract why would the waiving team let you have him, and if you really do want that player, as soon as he clears you can deal with the team who put him on waivers.

Wait a minute...it's the 9th and Matt Murton is still in the game. What's wrong with this picture??? :lol:

I have NEVER been happier that a game is on CSN Chicago and thus I don't get to see it.... Wow, just wow, what's it like watching a live action implosion?

Well, he's apparently playing hurt and has to take it easy less he really screw himself over. Of course, what needs to happen is a 15 day stint on the DL so he can heal, but that's REALLY giving up on the season. Which, at this point, whatever.

Of course Dusty wants to be fired, he gets his money next year and can still go work someplace else. More likely is management takes a more active role in telling him what to do, and if he doesn't like it he can QUIT, saving us the money. In fact, if I were Cubs management, I'd start forcing the issue now by dictating who plays...

I have a feeling Dusty will be back next year, but that things will be drastically different. I don't see us spending much money on the free agent market with how weak it is, so I think next year we operate on a 85 million or so payroll, and we force the majority of players to be younger. As in, I don't think Hollandsworth, Perez, or Macias come back next year, and I think they get replaced with kids from our system. I think our lineup next year is something like this (just in generic position order, i suck at batting lineups but at least I admit it!) C - Barrett 1B - DLee 2B - Walker 3B - ARAM SS - Cedeno (or Garciaparra if he takes a low guarantee contract, and he'll split time 70/30 or so with Cedeno) LF - Murton CF - Patterson RF - Lawton Which actually could be a decent lineup if it stays healthy and Cedeno and Murton pan out, and Corey bounces back. For the rotation, would be be a bit surprised to see a few big moves there, Penny or Burnett would be my first guesses, and probably mainly a bullpen of what we have now, plus whoever our yearly Dempster/Williamson contract is.

Who is this team, and what Nevada desert did they bury the old one in?