burnt out cubbie fan

Djaxx so far: EPatt grounds out 6-3 Greenberg strikes out McGehee singles between the first and second basemen Craig pops a curve into short left field for a base hit - nice little piece of hitting Sing Ks looking on a fastball at the knees and on the outside corner after taking a really close pitch for a ball the pitch before

For those of you that want it, this is the video link to the game: http://pointers.audiovideoweb.com/asxfiles-live/ny60winlive7010.asx The audio is from the jacksonville crew though. :(

Just so you know, he said that he doesn't have a cutter and those reports that he was working on were false.

The Cubs won more games with Barrett in 04 than they did in 03 when they didn't make the playoffs. Winning player is a contrived notion that can only be defined after the fact. Would Derek Jeter be a winning player if he was drafted by Tampa? That kind of talk just clouds the facts. Luis Sojo has multiple World Series, and because of that many NYers consider him a "real winner". But the fact is both Jeter and Sojo won because they were on great teams. Guys like Barrett take up roster spots on every single world series winning team. Mark Bellhorn was considered by many to be a stupid ballplayer with no instincts or real position. He ended up playing a crucial role on the Red Sox. Juan Encarnacion is no baseball genius, and he's got a terrible approach at the plate, yet Florida won with him. No, Barrett isn't ideal. But he's no worse for this team than 15 other guys. The Cubs can win with MB catching 130 games a year. I'd be fine with upgrading defensively at catcher and taking a hit offensively. However, the only way you do that is by substantially improving the offense elsewhere. They already need multiple offensive upgrades even with MB on the team. If they downgrade the offense from C that just adds another need to the list. I'd prefer to not make things more difficult than they already are. They won more games but finished twenty games out of first and imploded in the wild card race, with Houston winning it after Barrett woke them up by placing a personal feud with Oswalt above the team. That game was the beginning of the beginning for Houston. None of the other guys youmentioned is a catcher. I don't think the importance of that position can be overstated. With the exception of pitcher, the ctahcer is the most involved player on the field. Cathcing affects pitching. Can you state that the Cubs pitching has improved since Barrett took over? And I happen to think Luis Sojo is a winning player. he got the game winning hit in 2000 World Series Game 5. 15 other guys on the Cubs don't catch. We have got to get stronger there defensively or we will continue to struggle. So it's Barrett's fault that the Cardinals having been amazing the last two years? It's also Michael's fault that Wood and Prior have missed significant chunks of time each or the last two years and Clement missed parts of the last month and a half of the season last year? I do think that the pitching has gotten worse but that is not Michael's fault, it's Jim Hendry's.

But then we would lose Macias' versatility and Neifi's outstanding offense that he had for the month of April and half of May!

I don't want Blanco being the everyday catcher either. As to moving Barrett to the outfield, he already is below average defensively at his position (catcher). My point is I would rather have a below average defensive outfielder than catcher. As to his offense as an outfielder I agree that he might be considered less than average. maybe a platoon (with Burnitz?). The overriding point is that the Cubs have to get better defensively and catcher is a good place to start. First of all, we better have a better player in right next year than Burnitz. Secondly, it seems pretty silly to me to move one of the best offensive catchers in the league to a position that he barely if ever played in his professional career so he can be in a platoon. I know that Michael has above average speed for a catcher but he would have horrible range in the outfield and I think he would be a butcher out there.

The problem is that when you move him his value gets decreased significantly. He is one of the best hitting catchers in the game but if you move him to 3rd (we already have a pretty good one of those) or one of the corner outfield spots he is slightly below average offensively. Then you add on the fact that he would probably be below average on the field as well. One thing I can tell you for sure is that I would rather have him in the starting lineup every day over Hank White.

Jackson is probably 10-15 times the player/prospect Murton is. Now tahts an exageration, but Murton was a year older and playing at a level lower for the majority of the year posting 342/403/498 with 17 doubles and 8 HR in 313 ABs with 29 BB and 42 Ks. Jackson hit 354/457/553 with 38 doubles and 8 HR in 333 ABs with 69 BB and 32 Ks. Thats significantly better than Murton. Consider the age, level, and the fact taht this year has been an anomoly for Murton and just the norm for Jackson. I assume you are referring to their power potential but havent really realized it as "same player", but I assure you, they are not. Umm...Connor has WAY more power potential than Matt. Matt figures to be in the 20-25 homer area if he hits his ceiling while Connor can be a 40+ homer kind of guy in the future.

That hasn't even happened yet.

It was absolutely crushed. I knew it was gone as soon as it went off the bat.

Nevermind that...

20 bucks says Milton tosses a shutout.

I didn't think that he threw that hard. (hitting 95)

Ahh, that is definately a fitting nickname.

AD? And yeah, he is pretty much your entire offense.

You should totally do that. AP may be out for the game against UCLA on Saturday. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2160772

I have a question about Alberto Garcia. He looked really good when I saw him earlier in the year before got injured. I was actually most impressed with him out of the players on the field other than Gallagher. (Patterson and Harvey were on the DL at that time) First of all, how is his recovery going? Do you know where the organization plans to start him out next year? What did you think of his play earlier in the year? Were you as impressed with him as I was?

I'd say it was two things both equally as important: lack of clutch, timely hits and blow saves. The team has 21 blown saves on the year...11 were in the first half and two of those were against Clinton who did make the playoffs. They also had a bunch of injuries. I'm sure that didn't help matters.

If Hendry could pull off a trade for Carlos without giving up Felix he would make me so happy.

Booing Dusty and Co. in the middle of winter? Save your energy and enjoy the convention... Let him boo. Why not express your displeasure for the team's choices in a forum when you're boos can be heard? The convention isn't just about blowing sunshine up each other's rears for 3 days. Ha, I have been to the conventions before and already have a room at the Hilton lined up. I just find it almost annoying when a dozen or so fans constantly boo the whole entire time. There are plenty of times to boo during the season...Enjoy the 3 day weekend and have some fun! And if fun to you is blowing smoke up someone elses rear...good for you. I won't be booing all weekend. I'll only be booing when Dusty comes around. And I doubt there will only be a dozen or so people doing so for Dusty. He has rubbed a lot of people the wrong way this year.

=D>

I've just stopped caring now. Dusty has completely eliminated any sort of urge I once had to watch major leauge baseball. All I can say is that I can't wait for the Cubs convention so I can boo him at every single session.

If only they could figure out how to play in front of a stadium that is completely filled with their fans...

Here is another interesting article on the attendance at Pringles Park. I was kind of surprised that the attendance was that low during the playoffs. Maybe some of the members from Jackson can send him some ideas. http://cubs.scout.com/2/437532.html

By the way, how did you hear about this UK? I trust you and all but I am just curious.