CuseCubFan69

Just curious, what are the Japanese rules for illegal drugs in baseball? Is their policy tougher or easier than MLB?

The AL overall looks so much tougher than the NL. Because of that the Mariners should send Ichiro to the Cubs to assure themselves of a top 3 pick.

I'd like to see those numbers too. If the Cubs have an abundant of starters due to the young guys stepping up I think the June 15th deadline might be an interesting time for the transactions thread.

I wonder if Lovie laughed or cried at the Bears "fair" offer.

Things have certainly changed for that division eh? It seemed like just a few years ago winning 85 games would take that division now that number might get you 4th.

Poor Prior would have made close to this amount too if he were healthy.

I wonder what the fans that bought #21 are going to wear to the game, will they continue to wear the 21's or something else? Personally the number thing isn't that big of a deal to me. I'm not into numbers even being retired to be honest and I think way too many teams retire numbers of players that don't really deserve to have retired. And put me down as rooting for Marquis to do well.

How about after every home run he gives up instead?

I believe I heard that Hank said he will be there. Plus, IMO Hank has too much class not to go especially after all the crap he went through to break it.

He's got to be a free agent in 2008, correct?

I look forward to listening to them talkng about who the Yanks or Red Sox are going to draft for 85% of the show. I suppose beggers shouldn't be choosers.

That probably depends on who is playing CF and whether they would go with a 5 or 6 man bench. I'm assuming a 5 man bench. If Soriano plays CF, I don't think they need Pagan. You can just shift Jones over to CF when Soriano needs a rest. In a pinch, Theriot can probably fill in out there. Ya, probably. I just think Hendry is the type of guy that would want a defensive type OF guy on the team. Granted, Pagan is anything but, but he has speed and that kind of thing is attractive to Hendry IMO. Of course it's really up to Lou. I think it's going to be very interesting on what the Cubs do with this 25 man roster.

Thanks!

Who's DJ?

I didn't realize that you also had Theriot on the 25 man. You didn't see this? Why would I, you didn't highlight it for me! #-o No Pagan, eh? I doubt that the Cubs would go without a backup CF, that is if they don't think Jones could do it.

I didn't realize that you also had Theriot on the 25 man.

Where?

Who do you have backing up Izturis?

I think Rivera said he didn't want to just coach the defense and then Jerry made his move towards Phillips. Hey, maybe Coach P will be the head guy on D! If anyone is promoted from within to DC, it will be Bowles. I wouldn't know like you would, I was just rooting for Coach P. Who was the D guy in 2006?

I think there are two kinds of closers: Good ones and guys who have good seasons. Good ones are guys like Rivera, Gagne, Smoltz (also an outstanding starter), Wagner... Guys who have good "seasons" are guys like Dempster, Kolb, Tim Worrell (Giants). The trick is realizing when you have a good pitcher and when you have caught lightning in a bottle. I still think Dempster will be a good closer. Not great, but good. Only if he manages to never face a left-handed batter for the rest of his career. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/splits?playerId=3845 Left-handed batters average about 200 points better in OPS against Dempster than right-handed batters. Dempster should be used when the opposing team has 3 RH batters coming up. He'd be perfect against the Cubs, for example. Sometimes that's a mental thing for a pitcher. It may not be in this case but it goes with being too careful and then falling behind in the count. I'm curious on his strike/ball ratio righty/lefty wise. I guess it's possible that not getting out lefties is a mental thing, but it's been a constant problem for half a decade. My guess is that he needs to add a pitch that's effective against lefties, so the cause of his problems is stuff. Either way, though, the Cubs shouldn't be sending him out against left-handed batters. I'd like to think that having Ohman, Eyre, and Cotts means that the powers that be recognize that Dempster should be used as a ROOGY and pulled against lefties, but I doubt it. Possible. I have a lot more faith in Lou when it comes to using the pen correctly than I ever did Dusty. How much of that is based on your actual observations of Lou, and how much of it is based on the fact that Lou isn't Dusty? Both. I thought Dusty was horrible when it came to the pen and from what I've seen from Lou I like.

I think Rivera said he didn't want to just coach the defense and then Jerry made his move towards Phillips. Hey, maybe Coach P will be the head guy on D!

I think there are two kinds of closers: Good ones and guys who have good seasons. Good ones are guys like Rivera, Gagne, Smoltz (also an outstanding starter), Wagner... Guys who have good "seasons" are guys like Dempster, Kolb, Tim Worrell (Giants). The trick is realizing when you have a good pitcher and when you have caught lightning in a bottle. I still think Dempster will be a good closer. Not great, but good. Only if he manages to never face a left-handed batter for the rest of his career. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/splits?playerId=3845 Left-handed batters average about 200 points better in OPS against Dempster than right-handed batters. Dempster should be used when the opposing team has 3 RH batters coming up. He'd be perfect against the Cubs, for example. Sometimes that's a mental thing for a pitcher. It may not be in this case but it goes with being too careful and then falling behind in the count. I'm curious on his strike/ball ratio righty/lefty wise. I guess it's possible that not getting out lefties is a mental thing, but it's been a constant problem for half a decade. My guess is that he needs to add a pitch that's effective against lefties, so the cause of his problems is stuff. Either way, though, the Cubs shouldn't be sending him out against left-handed batters. I'd like to think that having Ohman, Eyre, and Cotts means that the powers that be recognize that Dempster should be used as a ROOGY and pulled against lefties, but I doubt it. Possible. I have a lot more faith in Lou when it comes to using the pen correctly than I ever did Dusty.

They always seem a little bias towards Duke. I remember when Vitale just started and was doing mostly BE games. Paulus's kid brother played football against our school this year. He's a pretty good QB but kind of a jerk. We have this huge sign that says you have to take your spikes off before entering the school and his teammates took the time to do so. He of course doesn't think this pertains to him and walks in with his cleats on and falls. He gets up swearing with a ton of little kids around and screaming he's going to sue the school if he got hurt. Real nice kid, bright too.

Well you could still be in Idaho! 68+ games isn't bad I guess for me and it might even creep into 80 or so if things go well and they are on against the Mets and Braves.

Kolb can throw in the upper 90's. I think the problem was thats what he was trying to do everytime he pitched. He should have stayed with his 90-93mph fastball with movement. I thought Kolb was a sinker ball type pitcher?