vance_the_cubs_fan

Isn't that how the White Sox and Astros got to the post-season? Timely hitting? How does somebody go out and acquire timely hitting in the offseason? Houston and White Sox didn't make it to the playoffs off timely hitting, they made it on unbelievable pitching. They better not waste time, focus and money thinking they can magically solve the clutch dilemna. Just get production Jimbo, let the romanticists worry about the myths you have no control over. Timely hitting is aquired when you buy each player a Rolex, it's just that simple. If you hear Hendry say after a trade or signing: "He hit XXX with runners in scoring position" is your head going to explode? I just have this wierd feeling that it's coming soon to a park you love. probably. ugh, hendry might as well say that we need more dragons and elves on the roster. :lmao: We already have a gremlin.

Yes, that's it exactly. BTW, I was not comparing steroid using to being a rapist, because that is not a valid comparison. I was merely making a statement to illustrate how maniacal the Cardinal fans were about McGwire. I believe that statement too. The next day, the Post-Dispatch had a full page photo of McGuyver, uh, I mean McGwire in his follow-through after hitting his record-breaking home run on the front page. It was the front page, the whole front page, not the sports page, but the front page (you know where normally an article about a presidential impeachment hearing would be). It had St. Louis Post-Dispatch across the top, and then the picture all the way to the bottom, and across the bottom of the photo, in 1.5 inch red lettering was: JUBILATION! :shock: I was absolutely stunned. I guess I shouldn't have been. That paper is such a rag. It ranks beside the Sun-Times in terms of journalistic abuse. They just fed the frenzy though - it sold papers. I threw the paper away, but my wife picked it out of the dust bin, and said it might be worth some money some day. Good point. We still have it....I should scan it in and post it on this thread. Anyhoo, my point is that it is a game. The greatest game, IMO, but still just a game. The players are people, not gods. To make these things out to be more than that is completely out of touch with reality. Yet another example of out out of hand it was that summer. I wouldn't expect you to understand. You're not a Cardinal fan. That doesn't make Cardinal fans wrong. And if you want to read about the impeachment without turning the page, then I suggest you vacation somewhere besides St. Louis in the summertime. You're right, it IS a game, played by human beings. That's why this thread is a little bit absurd. McGwire has given millions of dollars to charity, brought alot of joy to St. Louis, been a great P.R. rep for St. Louis, speaks highly of the game and the fans of St. Louis, clearly loves his family and spending time with them............. and yet he should be booed because he "might have" tampered with the integrity of the game....... a GAME, mind you, by using steroids??? If it's just a game, why are you getting so worked up over our comments?

I'll pay someone 50 bucks to get me one of those bricks.

He didn't "imply Wood is hurt a lot". He said he gets hurt every year, comparing him to Angel Guzman. I fully admit Wood has been hurt a lot. But he hasn't been hurt every year, and he cannot be compared to Guzman. Angel is 23 now and we don't know anything more about him and his future now than we did when he was 19. Wood is an established major league starter. Sure he's been hurt a lot. But he still blows away Guzman in the reliability department. The talk of Wood to the pen has been dead for a month now. He's going to start next year. Guzman, who has less than 150 IP, combined, the past three years is nearing cut bait time. We know Wood can give you 30+ starts and 200+ IP with fantastic numbers, while on the other hand we don't even know if Guzman can throw 100 innings in back to back starts. Guzman has been on the 40-man for quite some time. Does he have to stick on the 25-man roster this year, or does he have options?

I guess I would be Jeromy Burnitz. I'm around everyday, but my contributions are dubious at best.

Unless Jabroni registered with another name, yes.

Maybe this is a situation where we can hope for a tie as occured in 1979 where Stargell and Hernandez tied for the MVP. Stargell played for the first place Pirates and Hernandez for the third place Cardinals. Of course when you look at the numbers, Dave Parker seemed to have better numbers than either Stargell or Hernandez. :shrug:

1983 gives us a decent case study. The Dodgers won the NL West with a 91-71 record. Pedro Guerrero hit 298/373/531 with 32 HR, 100 RBI and 116 RC. The Braves finished second in the NL West. Dale Murphy hit 302/393/540 with 36 Hr, 121 RBI, and 126 RC. Murphy had better numbers and won the MVP. Some might argue Guerrero's numbers were close enough and his team made the playoffs, but the voters rewarded the best player regardless of post season appearances. While Lee and Pujols are close, Lee still has the better numbers, even if it is slightly better. Go with the better numbers, and Lee is the MVP.

Consider that Dale Murphy won two MVPs for a very lack luster Braves team in the 1980's or Andre Dawson's MVP in 1987, and its clear that making the playoffs isn't a requirement for being considered "valuable." On the other hand, we'll find other MVP's that seem to have vaulted up the voting based on the performance of their teams. There is no historical precedent set with the MVP. Based on the stats, Lee is the most valuable player. Will he win? I don't think so. The national consensus seems to point toward Jones or Pujols. I don't agree with that either.

If you want to use historical perspective, then Pujols should definitely win. The fact is there really is no historical perspective. Alex Rodriquez and Andre Dawson won while playing for last place teams. Other players, however seem to have benefited from playing for play-off teams. Bonds won it last year and his team missed the playoffs. You can't simply apply a historical significance, because the voters have voted all over the map.

If people knew that one came from the White House, and the other one didn't, then they'd take the one that came from the White House. But playing for the Cards in intrincally no more valuable than playing for the Cubs. In fact, considering things like marketability, it might be more valuable to play for the Cubs.

But if you have a girlfriend, you don't put her down just because a stripper shows up in a cake. You have to figure out a way to keep your girlfriend around while still giving time to the stripper. Dude, you know what I'm talking about.

Go Fathers! Go Fathers! Go Fathers!

Contreras will revert to his Yankee form when he couldn't beat the Red Sox if a loss meant he was shipped back to Cuba.

Angels will win this series in four. They take game one today.

Well, the early exit of the White Sox begins at 3 PM. Former Cub Matt Clement will take on the Old Cuban Contreras. Fearless Prediction: Red Sox will score 9 runs en route to a 9-3 victory. Ozzie Guillen will use much profanity in a post game press conference and Mark Buerle will accuse the Red Sox of some form of cheating! Go Matty Clement!

When Dotel had his surgery, his agent was saying he'd be ready by Opening Day. Considering it was TJS, it could be June before he's ready. I haven't found any recent reports on his rehab at all.

Any answer I give you will simply open the door for you to call me a foolish blind homer. Why should I bother? That response sounds much like McGwire's response to the steroid questions... :-k

Thanks. Personally, if Dotel can regain some his form after surgery, a Dotel-Dempster backend of the pen with Ohman, Wuertz and Novoa for 6th-7th inning match-ups could be quite formidable. By the way, do you have any clue as to what we can expect in return for Patterson?

If I could see that and a Red Sox humiliation of the White Sox, my post-season dream would be complete.

Want his e-mail? Maybe you'll have better luck getting a response. I'm so tempted to ask you for that email.

I've never been a bigger fan of Jake Peavy than I am right now.

BTW Bruce, is there any chance Dotel could be on the radar as a set-up option?

Which Giles do you mean, Vance? I'd take either one!! I'm preferring Brian Giles, since we know all it will take is money. But if Marcus is available and it's a forgone conclusion that Walker is gone, I'd like him as well.

While I would do things a bit differently than what Bruce suggests, its a well-written piece. I'm still not sold on Furcal, but it seems every Chicago writer is anticipating that the Cubs will target him. If we can get Giles and Furcal, I'll be happy. If getting Furcal means no Giles, I'd like to pass on Furcal.