burnt out cubbie fan

It doesn't mean anything, it's just something. :)

Can someone explain the meaning of the role talk?

http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/five-teams-had-strong-presence-at-jose-abreu-showcases/

Mayoral bets on sporting events are so stupid. Pander to the meatballs.

This is the case for any player outside of pre-arbitration players. Higher value = more expensive...not sure what is needed to be discussed there. Also not sure why this would be an issue when they reach the majors, 3 years down the line yes but they are locked in for the first 3 years.

Semantics, you can't trade an entire 40 man roster overnight and they were looking to maximize value anyways. They did trade 16 players in 2+ years and they received a large percentage of their top prospects either directly via the trades or via their positioning in the draft and with their international free agent bonus pool they had available because they tanked. Those are the players that are hopefully going to lead this team back to being successful.

Why so you say LB? Granted Anderson and Williams are one year deals, but we're deeper than we've been in years, including with youth. Definitely agree on DL and CB though. You can always use LB bodies though. Special teams takes up a few and given the body type that Emery covets, big fast freaks, LB is easy to take. Also, Briggs is 33 this season. I wouldn't be surprised if he's not on the Bears next season, and would be surprised if he is on the Bears in 2015. They may be deep today, but that depth is easily eroded. We'll it depends on what you feel about Greene and Bostic probably. I think you could probably pencil in Bostic to start next year and Greene by 2015. So you probably phaseout the vets slowly and if you drafted well you have at least 2/3 of your corps lined up for 2015, and maybe all 3 if Briggs is still playing at an acceptable level. It's impossible to keep depth with injuries and such, so I would never shy away from almost any position, but I don't look at LB and think, wow that's a position that has trouble in 2014, whereas I do see that with CB and DL. Part of that is position replacement value too. It's just easier to get by with replacement level FA at LB than at DL or DB. I'd even put a couple offensive positions ahead of LB like WR(we're basically using 3 right now) or interior line (notably C) . Looking at the LB depth it's a spot I'm reinforcing in later rounds and UDFA, not top 3, unless the talents just too good to pass up. I see their needs being DE, CB, DT, speed WR, G/C but the draft is a long ways away. As far as the game, this should be a very interesting one. If the Lions can keep from being stupid I fear they could match up well against the Bears outside of the fact that their corners are still subpar. All about the line play in this one.

The last two pages made my brain convulse. Thanks, imb!.

This That might be a bit excessive.

They left out Bickell and Seabrook,

I think it is better to not develop them and then release them after 5 years in the system.

The only reason I am thinking about watching is I want to see how Pirri, Hayes ect look.

http://blackhawks.nhl.com/v2/ext/GameNotes/GameNotes_130917.pdf Game notes for the game today, the game tonight will be broadcast on wgnradio.com and then the games this Thursday and Friday will be on CSN and WGN 720.

So what you are saying is he still has a chance. *fingers crossed*

Yay? Whoever is quoted there is not very good at counting. They were tied for third. Tied for second, actually. Odd to mention 3 lowest grades when there were 2 grades and 4 players. That's what I meant.

No, that's what he and Hill projected out be as prospects before showing they were not capable of that. Hill was a 3 pitch pitcher with an average to below average fastball and a below average change. He was never viewed as a top of the rotation guy as a ceiling, more like 3-4 if everything worked out. Marshall was similar with a slightly better fastball and ceiling. Really, because people(media not fans) were picking him to win the Cy Young his rookie year and having that type of talent. http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2007/3/5/11735/47786 sounds like a 5 to me.... So other than that one blog in the preseason who else in the "media" we're calling him a Cy Young type pitcher? That guy sounds like he was thinking ohh a lefty with a crazy curve and no other pitches, oh I know he is going to be Barry Zito!

Yay? Whoever is quoted there is not very good at counting.

but i heard he was a non-factor and got run over by a QB I do not believe he has had the type of impact he used to have, and PFF grades are hardly indisputable data points. He also doesn't have a dominant defensive line in front of him, Urlacher next to him, and a defense that funnels plays to him anymore.

No, that's what he and Hill projected out be as prospects before showing they were not capable of that. Hill was a 3 pitch pitcher with an average to below average fastball and a below average change. He was never viewed as a top of the rotation guy as a ceiling, more like 3-4 if everything worked out. Marshall was similar with a slightly better fastball and ceiling.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130916&content_id=60459426&c_id= http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130916&content_id=60387430&c_id= Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo all prospect teams, both had Vogelbach and Callis had Baez.

You stop it with your fancy empirical data.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/notebook/_/page/2013_nhlrank_goaltenders/goaltenders

LOVE IT. long was also the first guy to get to bennett after the td. i really hope kyle is a guy we have around and love for a long time. He was drafted in the first round as a project as a guard, he better be both of those things or he is a bust.

Ah ha Blind Melon you so funny NBC.

What is with the cubs and Zubaz? The other day their ground crew was in them and they have a Zubaz day upcoming. They get a deal to promote them or something?