vance_the_cubs_fan

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It now appears that Piazza's suitors are the Phillies and Padres. Link

subscriber Link Wow. The Jays could really contend next year. They'll be good, no doubt. But not good enough to overcome Bos/Ny They'll be the best third place team in baseball. I would not be surprised to see the Blue Jays pass the Red Sox this year. Really? Based on what (serious question)? Right now, the Red Sox have no good answer at SS or CF. Their rotation of Schilling,Beckett, Wells, Clement, and Arroyo looks great, but has more injury and performance questions than the Cubs. It could be very good, or it could end up middle of the pack. Also, will Foulke or Timlin or who close games? They have a great heart of the order, but there's some serious questions about the team.

I thought it was how Baker used him that you couldn't stand. :wink: The heat of the moment does not help one's sense of proper perspective. :D One last, funny story about it, though. My now-wife thought his name was pronounced Knifey, and thus he became her favorite player. She was very dissapointed it was actually Neigh-fee, and promptly went back to complaining about the fact I spend so much time watching the Cubs and talking about them on NSBB. Here's hoping that we both get a life someday !! :wink: Fred, if it hasn't happened by now, I don't think there's much hope for us. :)

subscriber Link Wow. The Jays could really contend next year. They'll be good, no doubt. But not good enough to overcome Bos/Ny They'll be the best third place team in baseball. I would not be surprised to see the Blue Jays pass the Red Sox this year.

No. The grand slam game was Sun 24 July 05. I was at that game and what a glorious moment it was.

Thanks for the idea of 66%. You have a link to the study on that or a source? Not that we don't believe you, but I'd like to see the data. I'm glad you're getting lots of PM's. I've gotten plenty too. If these people like your ideas so much, maybe they should join the discussion. We don't bite. Love Mother Earth, Vance

Anaheim couldn't sign him until after May 1st since they didn't offer him arbitration. It's likely down to Dodgers and Blue Jays and neither of those teams are going to give him six million. If Anaheim gets another catcher, it will Piazza who will be more of a DH than catcher. ah. some of these sports show in LA suck. they're acting like anaheim can resign molina any time they want. Any time after May 1. I've learned that a lot of sports radio guys don't know their collective butt cracks from one large hole in the ground.

Care to share? Especially regarding your assumptions about other posters. I'm gald you're so in tune to the inner workings of what's going on in Frank McCourt's mind. Depodesta got fired becuase he failed to get the Dodgers in the playoffs and over the years, Tommy Lasorda has received McCourt's ear. Depo was never a favorite of the "old-school" Lasorda, and after it was percieved Depo snubbed Hershiser, whom he didn't want to hire, Lasorda convinced McCourt that Depodesta was the problem. Please look through my posts and find when I even mention SB%. I have, but it's probably less than 1% of my posts. I've always held to the 70% effiency rate which is as close you the 66 you state as the 75% you're accusing me of. And I've been pretty clear on my dislike for Dusty. In fact, if you'd read my posts from last summer, I even stated that I was in favor of the Baker hire, and continually wanted to believe that he was in fact a manager I could support. But the evidence continued to mount that Dusty was not someone that I believe is a good manager. I'm too tired of this argument to go into all those reasons, but it's a whole lot more than "walks clog the bases..." Once again you attempt to make a baseless claim and paint this board and its posters with a broad brush. The fact that we've had these discussions numerous times is proof enough that we don't all agree. And even withing groups that seem more likely to agree than not, we have some disagreements over some of the finer nuances. For example, I was in favor of Kenny Lofton at the beginning of the offseason while TT, using evidence supported by BABIP, was not. While we were both inclined to use stats, we had differing interpretations of the data and valued various data differently. Being different without much evidence other than my kids play ball and I coach doesn't impress me either. No one is licking anyone's boots, unless you're referring to your liking of Neifi and Dusty's. Not having any stats to support your claim doesn't impress much either. Neither does knowing where your children attended school. No one said you were angry. If you'd develop some reading comprehension, you'd see my term "slanderous" referred to how you characterized our lack of integrity of using our numbers, not the fact you disagreed with us. Let me share an analogy. As a teacher, I evaluate students daily. Someone may disagree with my philosophy regarding evaluation or even the metrics I use to assign grades. Doing that is criticism. But if you claim I choose my metrics in order to assign certain grades to students I like and others to those I don't, then that challenges my integrity and is slanderous. That's what you did in the post in which I used that word. I think someone is full of BS, and it isn't me. Allah rocks, Vance

Anaheim couldn't sign him until after May 1st since they didn't offer him arbitration. It's likely down to Dodgers and Blue Jays and neither of those teams are going to give him six million. If Anaheim gets another catcher, it will Piazza who will be more of a DH than catcher.

I'm thinking the Mets won't have interest considering they already traded Loduca. If Molina would accept a 3.5 million one-year deal, the Blue Jays would be in the running.

Benji Molina still remains unsigned, and has hinted he'll sit this year out if no one meets his 6 million dollar price tag. I did find this note from Rosenthal's collumn pretty humorous. It's looking more and more likel Molina is the last kid standing after a game of musical chairs.

Once again you make assumptions that have no basis in fact. You make an assumption about by confidence, which is not supported by anything than your own deluded ideas. I'm glad you think I write cool stuff sometimes. I don't know what you mean by being stuck in a rut. I think you're now reaching to make a point. You don't have a lot to support your statements, so now you're attempting to belittle those who disagree with you by claiming we cherry pick our stats, are one dimensional, don't have confidence, or are not "great" people. Can I assume since you've come here to "cry" that we aren't looking at the big picture as you call it, that you fall short of "greatness" as well? BTW, I laugh at myself all the time. I often encourage others to laugh with me. To make such a comment further shows you know nothing about me. Why don't you stick to the facts of our arguments rather than trying to expose our personalities or motives in making the arguments. By the way, how would you prefer I use my talent? Maybe I should use it to show 8th graders how to pass a state writing test. Oh, I already do that. If you've been around athletics as much as you claim, you should know what happens when you assume. As it is, you've made a lot of assumptions lately with little facts to back any of them up. Worship Vishnu, Vance

I don't know, I kinda liked his answer to this:

The only person from Maxim that I would lend much credence to is the guy who takes the pictures.

This quote is so full of sanctimonious bullcrap, I don't even know where to begin. It may not be addressed to me, but I'm tackling it. Those of us who don't consider Perez a greta talent do more than look at his OBP. The Perez thread was full of such examples, but those who disagree prefer to overlook them because then they wouldn't have this crap to throw around. Secondly, our evaluations of Baker are based on a lot more than his "walks clog the bases," comment. There are numerous reasons many of us would like him gone, and that comment is more anecdotal to those reasons than the reason itself. But trying to sum our case up with that surely makes you look intelligent. (Not that some paragraphs or correct grammar couldn't help there as well.) Finally, it's quite insulting that you suppose (or accuse) that TT or anyone is just looking for metrics to support our supposed way of thinking. That's slanderous at worst and presumtuous at best. It could be that we have honestly approached the metrics giving our philospohies, experience, and predispositions and logically come to our conlcusions. Since none of that equals what you think, you attempt to accuse of us of faulty methods or integrity in regards to research. That's ridiculous. Love from Baal, Vance

Apparently, according to Rosenthal, the Nationals and Sosa's reps are meeting again tonight, but no deal is imminent. Link

269/404/601 48 HR.

Difference is you haven't made the playoffs before you sold off your team. You're more like the Pirates. You do have a point. "Now she don't even know my name, but I think she likes me just the same," Vance

Great answers! Thanks Len!

I feel like the Flordia Marlins.

What is there to disagree with? If you state that Williams is better than Maddux for the 2006 rotation, you are projecting improvement for Williams, not basing it on current levels of production. Maddux's numbers last year were better (particularly in the stats that matter most for pitchers), and unless Williams improves his control, they project to be better this year also. You're also mistaken regarding a gradual decline with Maddux. Maddux's 2003 was a sharp decline from career norms, but he has almost completely leveled off at that declined value. In fact, his 2005 numbers are nearly identical to 2003, except 2003 hid an extra 10 unearned runs that represents the difference in his ERA. He actually allowed fewer runs per inning in 2005 than in 2003. Maddux's pitching style isn't such that he should start declining again. I see no reason for it, and other pitchers of his style have proven in the past that they can plateua production into their early 40s. Maddux finished 2005 with a 4.24 ERA and an ERA+ of 101. Williams finished 2005 with a 4.26 ERA with an ERA+ of 100. So, while saying Williams will be better than Maddux is slightly projecting, not by much. He was nearly Maddux's equal in 2005 and considering Maddux will be 40 and Williams 24, I don't think it's a stretch to say Williams will be better next season. "Watch out boy, she'll chew you up." Vance

My guess is Angels oe Rangers. "I want you to want me. I need you to need me. I'd love you to love me. I'm beggin' you to beg me." Vance

Buster Olney is reporting that the Oakland A's and Frank Thomas are closing in on a one-year deal. Link Good move by the A's in my opinion. "Tell me your troubles and doubts, give me everything inside and out," Vance

We know that they have listened to offers in the past. I doubt they are currently, but it doesn't mean you can't ask. The Reds need pitching. Surely, they'd like a Prior or Zambrano for Dunn, but they aren't getting that. Now, if they can get the pitching that they think will make them significantly better by trading Kearns or Griffey, they should do that. The big question is what is their plan? Will they attempt to contend this year? Surely the new owner may want to make a splash, but I don't see him being able to acquire enough pitching to make a difference. Dunn is also about to get expensive which will hinder their ability to sign free agent pitchers. As has been shown, even unproven starters can get 8-10 million for 3-4 years. If the Reds hire someone who can convince ownership that the best plan is to build for 2-3 years down the road, they might decide trading Dunn for pieces that will more likely help them then would be more prudent. I'm not sure the Reds consider Dunn the face of the franchise. He certainly should be, but when I peruse boards such as RedsZone, there seems to be a mix of those who absolutely love him and those who malign him. I think with the pitchers in the Cubs system, the Cubs might could move the conversation along. They would likely have to give up three pitchers along with another prospect in the Harvey or Dopirak mold. The deal still might not get done, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to pursue it. "I know you'll miss me blind," Vance