vance_the_cubs_fan

Pie isn't ready. Patterson hasn't proven he can hit well enough to be a relaible centerfielder, much less a corner outfielder. If that's our outfield in 2006, we'll be missing the playoffs again.

When Zambrano pitches, he should bat 6th.

I give it to the best pitcher. It's not called the MVP (most valuable pitcher).

You're right that if you're team doesn't score runs it doesn't matter if your pitcher gives up 1 or 6 runs, the end result is the same. However, that means nothing in the debate over who has been the better pitcher. The Cy Young award is an individual accomplishment, not an award to go to the pitcher whose team has been more successful. The World Series trophy is a team accomplishment, the Cy Young is not. I don't see how run-support should in any way disqualify or detract from Clemens getting the award. In fact, while I'm trying not to be demeaning, your argument above seems rather ridiculous. No one has argued that Carpenter hasn't been money for the Cardinals. He has. However, when looking at the numbers Clemens has been even more dominating for the Astros. The Astros as a team haven't taken advantage of his dominance, but I, in no way, think that should have any bearing on the Cy Young race.

This is beyond me. I haven't read the book in a while, but I don't remember any way to account for such an extreme example. If someone smarter would like to help, that'd be great. Otherwise, that question is going unanswered. Do you have the book? It's been out of print and I'm trying to get my hands on a copy.

Wins in April are just as important as wins in August. I look at how valuable the player was to his team. In April and May there were a number of times Lee carried the team. In fact, while I'm sure the Cardinals would have struggled without Pujols, had the Cubs not had Lee, we would have been selling off parts at the end of July.

I only find one post that says "evaluating a pitcher on Wins is just plain ignorant". That's attacking the argument, not you. Yeah that was me and I 100% stand by that statement. By ignorant I meant that evaluating a pitcher by wins is ignoring what actually goes into a win. In order to win a game, the offense actually has to score runs. Which the astros have not done this year for clemens. Top and bottom half of innings are played in baseball and the pitcher (other than of course when they come up to bat) only have control over half of the game. And even then they dont have full control, as they must rely on their defense at least some of the time. Thats why we like to use stats that a pitcher has more control over to evaluate them. I dont mean any of this in a condescending manner, I am just trying to justify the use of the term ignorant. Right. I don't disagree that wins don't tell the whole story. But the farther a pitcher goes into a game, the better chance he has of winning. So "ignorant" is a little harsh, in my opinion. I'll agree that the deeper a pitcher goes into games factors into the equation, but it's not like Clemens has done what he's done by pitching five innings and out. He's pitched six and seven innings in most of his starts and even eight in a few. His win totals are the result of some miniscule run support, not any lack of effort on his part. Finally, I think Clemens deserves this Cy Young because what he's done this year is likely the best pitching performance we've witnessed in the last 10-15 years at least, and maybe the last half century. It would be a shame if that weren't rewarded with a Cy Young. Is Clemens over-hyped? Maybe. I'm not a fan of Clemens. In fact, since I hate the Astros almost as much as I hate the Cardinals and I also hate the Yankees....Clemens has never been one of my favorites. You've made a rather compelling case that maybe Clemens shouldn't have received the Cy last season, but you've done nothing to make me believe he doesn't deserve it this season. Wins are a much over-rated stat to me. I won't say they are completely worthless, and at times they may reflect a pitcher's perseverance or willingness to hang around long enough to keep his team in a game, but I don't think Clemens can be knocked for having a low win total. He's just been a victim of some of the worst run support I've ever witnessed. Considering he hasn't had a start where he's given up more than three runs, not only do I find it amazing that he only has so few wins, I can't see how he's ended up with 4 losses!

I still think it's going to take 90 wins to get the wild card. Even with winning 5 of 7 from the Cardinals and Astros, the Cubs still must go 31-10 over the next 41 to get to 90. I just don't know how likely it is that we can play .750 ball for over a month.

I'm in as Tuna's Sandwich

If Lee still leads in 3/4 of the major categories, he should still win. As it is right now, it's gotten too close to call.

ChiCubsFan sent me a list of players and gave me the ok to draft for him. He selects Rudi Johnson, RB Bengals.

Ryan, thanks for taking the time to answer our questions. Welcome to NSBB. I want to begin by thanking you for signing a couple of autographs for me in ST 2004. I appreciate it. First question: It's rather a unique situation to have two top prospects in the same organization from the same high school. Even though you are at different levels, do you keep in touch with Brian Dopirak? Secondly, what area of your game are you trying to improve on the most? Third, who was your favorite player when you were a kid? What player or players do you seek to pattern your game after?

I would prefer if he were just named manager of the Chicago Cubs.

I'm picking Atlanta over Boston in the World Series.

I believe in finding quality backs early in the draft.

With the 11th pick, Ricky's Reefers draft Corey Dillon.

With the 10th pick, Ricky's Reefer's draft Priest Holmes.

They dont give you teachers internet access? My mom teaches and they've got free roam of anything pg-rated. We do have Internet access, but I'm an itenerant teacher this year, so I'm traveling between two schools. Also, at the beginning of the year, I'm usually so busy that I rarely have time to get online during the day.

Just checked in...nice game tonight.

I've started to work...so it will be the evenings when I'm on to make my picks... if my pick rolls around between 7-4, you'll have to wait.

I think it is true on most instances. However that phenomena is nothing new. It began while Greg was still a Brave around the time the league started using Questec. I also think the same thing happened with Glavine. There were also a number of other pitchers who lived along the corners that seemed to lose that benefit of the doubt on the corners.

Wow...I started this discussion to keep it out of the game threads. Due to my starting work again, I have just caught up with it. A few points. Carpenter is having a great year. No one is trying to diminish that. On the other hand, what Clemens is doing is simply remarkable. It's unheard of. He is simply dominating in nearly every game. I mentioned this earlier, but Clemens has had zero games where he has allowed over three runs! While Carpenter hasn't given up much lately, he has had starts where he allowed four or more runs. Over the last few months, Carpenter has been great. He's helped carry the Cardinals to best record in the league, but he still hasn't pitched as well as Clemens. Last I checked, the Cy Young should go to the pitcher who has pitched the best for the entire season. I can't see how anyone can doubt that is Clemens. I doubt anyone outside Cardinal-land does. Furthermore, the debate about whether Clemens should have won it last season is irrelevant to this discussion. Those points could have been raised last year. But if Clemens finishes with an ERA under 1.50 the Cy should be his unless Carp can get his under 2.00. There's still some baseball to be played, so we'll have to see what happens. But I've watched Clemens pitch this season, and I don't think that in my lifetime I've seen a more consistent and dominating performance. Calling out Clemens and saying he likes durability is the most assinine argument I've read thus far. It's not like he's consistently leaving after the fifth inning. Finally, let's leave the steroid argument out of this. There have been no eye-witness accounts of his using and no failed tests. Who's to say Carp didn't use steroids to help him recover from his injuries? Does that sound ridiculous? Of course it does, just like the accusation against Clemens reminds me of a drunk monkey throwing feces at the computer in an attempt to strengthen his argument. It's ludicrous. Final summation: When all the facts are considered, Clemens hands down deserves the Cy Young.

I have no idea who I'll have on my team, but I'm going to smoke you like Ricky on a blunt.

All hail the creator.

If Clemens finishes with his 1.32 ERA, that will be the lowest season ERA for a starter since Mordecai Brown in 1910. Does anyone fathom that? Even if his ERA rises 23 points, it will still be the lowest since Greg Maddux's 1.56 in 1994. What Clemens is doing is unheard of during the modern era. Wins or no wins, if Clemens isn't given the CY Young award if he finishes with a sub 1.50 ERA, something is seriously wrong.