vance_the_cubs_fan
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Everything posted by vance_the_cubs_fan
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After Sandberg's retirement, Sammy became my favorite player. He was the first player that my now 10-year old nephew could recognize. I still remember maybe 8 years ago when I showed my nephew who was maybe 2 yrs old the picture of me with Sosa, he responded..."It's Vance....with SAMMY!" I remember on my first ever trip to Wrigley that Sammy belted 2 homeruns. I returned two days later to watch him hit two more, one of which landed on the rooftop which used to have the little house on it. I remember the time Sammy waved to me from rightfield in the Astrodome as I cheered him amist a throng of heckling Astros fans. There are many more memories as well. Sammy was a phenomenal player from those years of 1998-2002. I will miss him. I wish it had ended better, but with his retirement comes closure. I can now pull out my Sosa jerseys that I had put away last year and wear them with pride to Cubs games. Sammy Sosa HOF Class of 2011.
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It took me about 30 mins to get through, and I was able to get six seats to the Sunday night Cubs Red Sox game.
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/vance_the_cubs_fan/meandsammy_small.jpg Rembering the good times with Sammy.
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Show Me Proof (the Spring Training Pictures thread)
vance_the_cubs_fan replied to moorecg's topic in Chicago Cubs Talk
Glendon must have heard the Cardinals signed Ponson and didn't want the Cards to corner the market on fat, out-of-shape pitchers. -
Astros Want Bagwell to Retire
vance_the_cubs_fan replied to vance_the_cubs_fan's topic in General Baseball Talk
If Bagwell can play, the Astros could be a considerably better offensive team. Defensively, if he can throw first to third than I'm all for him coming back. I'd love nothing more than for Bagwell to have a really solid year. He's a class act who you have to chear on. Berkman reports that he has extra mobility since the surgery so he should be able to do a decent job in left. My big concern is Wilson in center. He's much more suited to left with his knees. Regardless, I'm rooting for Bagwell through all of this. Who plays instead of Bagwell if he isn't back? When he did play last year he wasn't a very good offensive player, especially poor for a 1B. If Bagwell is back, the Astros likely run out this line-up: 2b Biggio CF Taveras LF Berkman 3b Ensberg RF Wilson 1b Bagwell SS Everett C Ausmus If Bagwell isn't able to play, Berkman shifts to first, and Lane moves in at left. -
I think I'll agree with Rozner's take and stay away from Tejada. I can't see the Orioles doing any less than Tejada + Bedard for Prior and Hill or Pie.
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Maybe he wanted to be on a better team. I think it was that he was looking for a 5 year deal at roughly 9 million a season that never arrived.
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It's a good deal for the Angels and it really makes Weaver look stupid for rejecting the Dodgers offer of arbitration. Had he accepted, he would have made more than 8.5 in a one year deal with the Dodgers.
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I think this is the end of the line for Sammy.
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Astros Want Bagwell to Retire
vance_the_cubs_fan replied to vance_the_cubs_fan's topic in General Baseball Talk
Works for me. -
Show Me Proof (the Spring Training Pictures thread)
vance_the_cubs_fan replied to moorecg's topic in Chicago Cubs Talk
Hey, same time that I will be there. Hey me too. I'm going to be down in AZ for my spring break to see my family March 10-19th. Turns out Bobby Howry and his family go to my parent's church. My dad and Howry's dad are now friends or something, so we're getting however much access Howry's dad can get us at Ho Ho Kam. Pretty cool. I'm not a big autograph memorabilia guy but I'm getting some stuff for some friends. Plus a friend of mine is coming with and he is a huge Cubs fan. Should be a good time. I'm an auto hound...hook a brotha up! -
Justice Finally (FKA- Reyes Vs. Ponson )
vance_the_cubs_fan replied to wolf stansson's topic in General Baseball Talk
fixed (pending Vance's approval) Not too bad. -
I don't think I was ever suggesting replacing Lee with Dunn. I was just suggesting that looking at their career stats and also factoring age, Dunn has been the better player. Lee is no doubt the better defensive player. He was the better all-around player last year, both offensively and defensively. However, Dunn's career numbers dwarf Lee's and Dunn is younger.
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Considering they gave Wilkerson, Sledge, and another minor leaguer for Soriano...my guess is they would want significantly more than Walker and Wellemeyer.
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Lee was much better in 2005, but for their careers, Dunn has looked better. Based on age, I would probably prefer Dunn as well.
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Enjoy the Arizona weather, Bruce. I know I did in 2004. Tell Todd he has lots of loyal fans that hope he remains a Cub.
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If all costs were equal, I'd probably agree with that statement. But considering the talent and money it would cost to get Soriano, I'll take the latter for now. I agree. Now if the Nationals are willing to trade Soriano for a player like Wellemeyer, sure, give me Soriano. If they want a top level player or prospect, I'll pass. We already have a decent secondbasemen and the upgrade isn't worth the cost.
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Of course any good player looks better on a good team. Take Arod for example. As a Ranger, I guess he didn't make much difference since they sucked, but he surely made a difference on the Yankees. We could say Lee wasn't a difference maker last year because the Cubs still lost. But that's ridiculous. Lee made a hell of a difference. Zambrano must not be a difference maker too by that requirement. Dunn is a difference maker regardless of whether he's on the Yankees or the Reds or the Royals. His difference may not be seen in the final results depending on his supporting cast, but if you replaced Dunn on the Reds with a replacement level player, I doubt the finish near first in runs scored. Win Shares, whether you like it or not, clearly demonstrated Dunn's value to the Reds. He led them with 28. The next highest player was Griffey at 22. Dunn contributed 2 more wins to the team than Griffey did. By saying that he wasn't a difference maker because the Reds didn't win means that there are no difference makers on teams under .500.
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Why can't we count the Red Sox? Bill James works for them, so wouldn't they be the best example of a team making use of his metrics? Disregard win shares and vorp, a simple stat such as OPS shows that Adam Dunn is a difference maker. He made enough of a difference that the Reds led the league in runs scored. He held up his part of making the difference, unfortunately for him the Reds pitching didn't hold up there end.
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Bruce writes another great article about what the Cubs face this spring. Link.
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:cheers:
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Vance, can explain how Win Shares are derived in complete detail? Thanks Rather than waste space here, I'd simply point you to the book titled Win Shares by James. There's a detailed explanation as well as the mathematical forumlae used in the book. I'll readily admit that my work with statistics would have never allowed me to come up with such a metric. I'm an ELA guy myself. On the other hand, it seems reliable to me. And I'm not really trying to argue whether it is or isn't, but I don't think anyone can say whether it has a place in baseball unless they understand it well enough to say why it doesn't. Part of the reason everyone loves batting average so much is because it is so easy to compute. This link gives a cursory explanation of the process.
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Furthermore, with Pierre as my number one hitter, I don't need a number two guy to be a bunter. If Pierre is really worth what we're paying him and what we paid to get him, he should be able to get second on his own if the number two hitter is patient. Walker is. Once Pierre is on second, the need to bunt him is reduced. Considering he should be able to move to third on a ball hit to the right side, I'd then prefer Walker just try to bat him in or get on base behind him for Lee and Ramirez. Which situation is better, one out and Pierre on third with Lee and Ramirez up...or no outs, Pierre and Walker on second and first respectively with Lee and Ramirez coming up. I'll take door number two, thank-you.
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You do know, or maybe you don't, that Beane had nothing to do with the creation of those stats? And why do they have no place in baseball? Can you explain to be what their faults are and why they are faulty metrics? Can you give me a more reliable one? Do you even know how reliable the ones you have attacked are? My guess is you don't like his "caluculator crap" because it's too complex for you to compute or understand. Since you can't comprehend it, you'd rather not be bothered with it.
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Astros Want Bagwell to Retire
vance_the_cubs_fan replied to vance_the_cubs_fan's topic in General Baseball Talk
If Bagwell can play, the Astros could be a considerably better offensive team. Defensively, if he can throw first to third than I'm all for him coming back. I'd love nothing more than for Bagwell to have a really solid year. He's a class act who you have to chear on. Berkman reports that he has extra mobility since the surgery so he should be able to do a decent job in left. My big concern is Wilson in center. He's much more suited to left with his knees. Regardless, I'm rooting for Bagwell through all of this. What if he can throw from first to third but it's a rainbow throw?