vance_the_cubs_fan

Front page is looking good. Like the visual aids to the right side!

Unfortunately, I have no control over the scheduling. I'm teaching at two separate schools now, so that means I have to have my free period in the middle of the day to travel between the schools. Well.... I didn't say it was YOUR poor planning !! Seriously, that sounds like a killer. How did that come to pass ? They redistrubuted the gifted teachers and most of us ended up travelling. It's not as bad as it seems. The other school is only about a mile or mile and 1/2 away from the one I'm usually at. Today, it was a five minute drive. Because I travel, it gets me out of duty and afternoon faculty meetings. I also can get lunch off campus while I'm traveling.

I'll consider it. You're not the first to make the request! Sounds good. Just let me know.

Tim, how about a pitcher and postion player of the year? I'd be willing to front the extra $100 to provide both awards.

Sounds like poor planning to me. :wink: Unfortunately, I have no control over the scheduling. I'm teaching at two separate schools now, so that means I have to have my free period in the middle of the day to travel between the schools.

I'm not either. With my job, I make my own schedule and I used to plan my day around the Cubs. Now, I have absolutely no desire to watch them play. Thanks Dusty! I'd only be able to catch the last few innings anyway. I no longer have the last period of the day free to watch the Cubs this year.

I'm not going to even watch this game.

We're too far out of it to worry about scoreboard watching. We've dropped our last two series. I know it's hard to accept, but this team is going no where.

I'd like to offer the following up for consideration. Eric Patterson, Ryan Harvey, Luis Montanez, and Sean Gallagher.

This league was a lot of fun last year, even if I was eliminated in week three. :oops:

If they trade for Giles, they'd still have to re-sign him at the end of the year. He'd only be a rental for the remainder of the season.

Baker had very little to do with the success of the Cubs his first season. Every year since, this club has slipped bit by bit. So you hold him accountable for this year, but refuse to give him credit for his success? Face it, Hendry let him down bad at the beginning of the season. He replaced Sosa and Alou with Hollandsworth and Burnitz. He replaced Matt Clement with nobody. He made the bullpen worse (if that was possible) and he left the bench a disaster. But yes, keep telling yourself it is all Dusty's fault. Hendry is the one who should get the axe. I'm not saying Hendry is blameless, but before you say Hendry set Dusty up for failure, I suggest you get the facts straight. Hendry took the 2003 team and greatly improved it. While the 2005 team took a hit from 2004, it's still better than the assembly of talent in 2003. Look at the changes from 2003 to 2004 that happened on Hendry's watch: He replaced Karros/Simon/Choi with Lee. He replaced Oleary on the bench with Hollandsworth. He replaced a 1/2 season of Lenny Harris/ Jose Hernandez with Ramirez. He replaced Damien Miller with Barrett. He replaced a poor set-up man with Hawkins. He replaced Guthrie with Mercker. He replaced Shawn Estes with Maddux. With all that new talent, the best Dusty could manage is one more win in 2004 than 2003 and a complete and utter collapse. I've said it before, with contracts signed before the 2004 season, the drop off from 2004 to 2005 was inevitable. Do I think some blame belongs to Hendry? Surely. But it is Dusty's leadership who has squandered away much of the chances of this team for the past two seasons. I hold Hendry mostly responsible for letting Dusty remain at the helm.

Owner/GM of Rickey's Reefers announced today that the team has made a name change. Due to the popularity of wide receiver Joe Horn, the team is now known as "Around the Joe Horn".

Yes, just think. If he plays a rookie and he does well, then people will expect him to actually let said rookie win a job in the spring. Dusty doesn't want to have to answer those questions in the spring when he starts retread vet over young guy with 50-75 September AB's, so he solves such a problem by not playing them in the fall either.

Around the Joe Horn http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nfl/seattle/hasselbackSea_185x250.jpg QB-Matt Hasselbeck http://www.footblog.com/mt-static/images/priest_holmes.jpg RB1- Priest Holmes http://www.theunionleader.com/doclib/photos/2005/january/103dillon.jpg RB2- Corey Dillon http://images.usatoday.com/sports/nfl/_photos/2003-12-14-inside-saints.jpg WR1- Joe Horn http://www.nflgoddess.com/images2004/w7_larry_fitzgerald.jpg WR2- Larry Fitgerald http://peninsulaclarion.com/images/102703/BARBER.jpg FL- Tiki Barber http://www.nfl.com/u/nfl/photos/nfl1790_lower.jpg TE- Antonio Gates Def-Dallas Cowboys http://media.scout.com/Media/Image/18/189118.jpg K-Rian Lindell http://images.nfl.com/insider/images/LaveranuesColes_GregBanner_145x200.jpg Bench- Lavernues Coles WR http://www.americaonthemove.org/images/032805_01.jpg Bench- Deion Branch- WR http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/vance_the_cubs_fan/bledsoewk3.jpg Bench- Drew Bledsoe http://images.nfl.com/photos/img6903850.jpg Bench- T.J. Duckett RB http://www.sptimes.com/2002/12/22/photos/sp-bux.jpg Bench- Jerome "The Bus" Bettis [/img]

God, I want Dusty gone so badly.

Ryan, thanks again for taking our questions. How did it feel to win the homerun derby at the MWL all-star game? Do you ever hit a ball and think, "wow...I hit that one really far" ? Finally, do you have any unusual superstitions or pregame rituals?

That site is excellent. I can't wait until I have more time to peruse its contents.

My guess is that he'll draw some interest but won't viewed in the upper echelon of closers. I think he'll get somewhere in the neighborhood of a 3 year deal at 3-4 million a year.

Ricky's Reefers select WR Lavernues Coles and WR Deion Branch

I think it would be rather easy to acquire Manny if we so desired. The Red Sox would love to be rid of that contract. For what they're paying Manny they could sign Burnett and Giles and still have some left over.

Should I wait until he repicks or continue with the draft?

I put my name on the list just for the hell of it. If I ever move to where the in-laws live, I might be interested in having a season ticket. Last I checked, I was like 3021 on the waiting list. I think I'll have a while to wait.

Last year, can't recall the actual game Morris threw at Lee twice. The first was way up and in and the second was behind him. It was pretty clear the intent of the pitches.

Throwing at a guy's head is a good defense? It's a ball. Four of them puts the batter on first base (if you don't end the guy's career, first). Is that what you want? If Morris hadn't quickly hit the dirt, the pitch would have shattered his face. I don't care if you're Nolan Ryan, Kerry Wood, or a 12 year old........... you don't throw at a guy's head under any circumstances. There's a difference in throwing up and in on a bunt and when I guy is just standing in the box. Often when the pitch is thrown up and in on a bunt attempt, the hitter will react by pulling the bat up and popping the ball up. Sure if he takes the pitch it's a ball and that might not be the best defense, but if it discourages the hitter from squaring around again, then it has been an effective pitch. Furthermore, it may mentally affect the hitter casuing him to square late on the next attempt and therefore not get the bunt down properly. So, yes, up and in on a bunt is good if not the best strategy. When I played and squared early (I was called on to bunt lots because I pretty much sucked at the plate), I expected one up and in. Most of the times, it didn't happen which I appreciated because it made getting a good bunt down much easier, but when it did happen...it usually resulted in my popping out to the catcher because when seeing the ball head that way I'd instictively bring up the bat to block the pitch. I would get pissed, but not at the pitcher.