Yesterday we looked at the Cubs prospects ranked 11-20 and today we’ll look at the top 10. You can read about how they were doing a month ago if you’d like.
10) Alberto Cabrera, RHP, Grade C+: Another live arm that needs polish.
Cabrera was promoted to AAA Iowa because of injuries. He didn’t fare well in Tennessee and has done worse at Iowa. He’s struckout 44 and walked 38 in 61 innings while giving up 78 hits and 7 home runs. Batters have hit .324 against him at AAA. On the season he’s thrown 109.2 innings, allowed a million hits, walked 59 and struckout 78. Between AA and AAA, batters have hit .317 against him.
You’ve surely noticed a trend so far. Cubs pitching prospects no longer strike a lot of guys out, they have slightly better command, but not all that much better, and they’re easy to hit. Cabrera is just 22 so he’s got that going for him, but he’s going to have make significant improvements to be even a legitimate spot starter candidate in the future.
9) Austin Reed, RHP, Grade C+: Huge sleeper for 2011.
Unlike his brother Addison, Austin hasn’t taken to professional baseball with as much success. He was pretty good last year in limited innings in rookie ball, but has been less than impressive this year. In 39 innings at Boise he’s allowed 49 hits, walked 17 and struckout just 22. He does keep the ball on the ground and doesn’t turn 20 until the end of October so he’s got a long way to go yet. The lack of strikeouts is a major concern, but that appears to be an organizational flaw at this point.
Since I brought up Addison Reed, all he’s done is reach AAA in his first full professional season. He had college experience so he’s the older brother. Reed’s stats are ridiculous. In 90.2 innings he’s allowed just 53 hits. He’s struckout 134 batters and walked 17. If someone showed me these stats I’d say those were college stats. 134 to 17 strikeout to walk ratio!
8) Robinson Lopez, RHP, Grade C+: High-ceiling arm, needs refinement.
The Cubs acquired Lopez for Derrek Lee last season. He has a lot of potential, but so far that’s all it is. I’ll give you three guesses as to how difficult he is to hit, his command and his strikeouts. If you guess anything other than not difficult to hit, so-so command and poor strikeout rate you haven’t been reading along. He’s walked as many batters as he’s struckout (28) in 59.1 Low A innings. He’s allowed 71 hits, 7 of which left the yard.
In 211 professional innings, he’s allowed nearly a hit per inning (8.8), walked 3.9 per inning and hasn’t even struckout 6.3 batters per 9. Lopez just turned 20 and apparently has pretty decent stuff, but he’s not a top 10 prospect.
7) Josh Vitters, 3B, Grade B-. I expect this will be controversial but he really needs to get things going, and age-relative-to-league is just one factor among many.
I don’t know what else needs to be said about Josh Vitters at this point other than he’s somehow managed to walk less this seaosn than he did last year, which was actually a step up from previous seasons. Last year at AA he walked 13 times in 228 PA. This season it’s 15 in 366 PA.
If there’s anything to get excited about it’s that he doesn’t turn 22 until the end of the month. He’s still young and has been at AA for a full season now, but he has too many holes in his game. About 30% of his games played this year have been at 1st base so there’s little doubt that he’s going to have to make the switch full time at some point soon. As a first baseman, even his decent power isn’t enough to offset his horrible on-base skills. He’s a poor runner (7 CS, 4 SB this season, 18 SB, 13 CS in his career).
6) Reggie Golden, OF, Grade B-: Enormous potential but very raw.
One thing I wasn’t expecting to see with Golden, who doesn’t turn 20 until October, is the ability to take walks. His OBP this year at Boise is 100 points higher than his batting average. He’s taken 20 walks in 38 games, but he’s also struckout 41 times. His batting average is so low that his OBP is only .342. The legitimate power that he’s supposed to have hasn’t shown up yet. In 155 PA he only has 11 extra base hits (6 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR) so his slugging is below .400.
Some parts of his game have been disappointing so far, but the ability to draw walks has been impressive to me. I was not expecting that. He’s only 5-10, 210 pounds so I’m not sure how much power we can expect from him, but he apparently plays superb defense in RF. There’s reason to be optimistic with Golden, but also reason to be concerned.
Maybe someone in the top 10 will finally be having a good season.
5) Hayden Simpson, RHP, Grade B-: Could rank at the top next year if he does anything in the pros like he did in NCAA Division II.
After getting pounded in Low A, he was sent back to Rookie League where he’s continued to pitch poorly. I still get a laugh out Sickels’ comment about how good he could be if he was as good as he was in Division Fucking II.
Combined this year’s struckout 53, walked 36 and allowed 92 hits in 73 innings. Here’s what BA had to say about him when he was drafted last year:
Southern Arkansas coach Allen Gum found the most successful pitcher in school history literally right next door. Simpson, his next-door neighbor in Magnolia, Ark., has gone 35-2, 2.39 with 323 strikeouts in 271 innings in three seasons with the NCAA Division II Muleriders. Though he’s just 6 feet and 175 pounds, he has a strong lower half and a quick arm that delivers 91-93 mph fastballs that peak at 96. His fastball is fairly straight and he tends to pitch up in the zone, which could lead to difficulty with tougher competition. He has a pair of hard breaking pitches, an 82-83 mph slider and an 78-80 mph curve. He also has a changeup that he uses sparingly, and he commands his entire repertoire well. His velocity decreased a little toward the end of the season, and some scouts are wary of his size and the fact that he’s never ventured far from Magnolia. Nevertheless, his fastball could get him drafted as high as the fourth or fifth round.
I’m going to continue bolding that final sentence because it still boggles the mind that the Cubs drafted him in the 1st round. As shawndgoldman said at the time, even the average fantasy baseball player knows that if a player is going to be available later that you draft someone else.
4) Jay Jackson, RHP, Grade B: I still like him more than the numbers say I should.
His 119 strikeouts in 150+ innings last season didn’t drop him out of the top 5 for some reason, but surely 2011 will. In 104 innings, the Cbus 4th ranked prospect has allowed a hundred gazillion hits in 104 innings. Seriously, I’m pretty sure that’s what the 11.9 hits per 9 adds up to. He does have solid command as he’s walked only 3 per 9, but even his poor 6.8 K/9 rate last year has dropped to 5.6.
He turns 24 in October and will presumably be sent back to AAA next year. His numbers aren’t even good enough to be considered a decent relief prospect at this point.
Sooner or later someone in the top 10 will be having a good season. I swear.
3) Christopher Carpenter, RHP, Grade B: May end up in the pen, but he’s got plus stuff and I wouldn’t give up on him as a starter yet.
Let’s put it this way: the best Carpenter has been all season was in his 10 big league appearances. He threw 9.2 innings, allowed 12 hits, walked 7 and struckout 8. Between AA and AAA he’s thrown 41 innings, allowed 41 hits, 5 home runs, walked 26 and struckout just 34. In his minor league career he’s struckout just 7.7 per 9, walked slightly over 4 per 9 and allowed 8.3 hits per 9. Most of those innings have been as a starter so there’s reason to think he may be able to be a decent reliever, but his numbers this year in AA, AAA and MLB tell another story.
Now that we’re at the top ranked pitching prospect we’ll get good news.
2) Trey McNutt, RHP, Grade B+: Hard to believe this guy was a 32nd round pick. . .he’s got great stuff.
With just a month left in the minor league season, McNutt has thrown only 62 innings. They haven’t been any good either. He’s allowed 79 hits walked 23 and struckout only 39. It wouldn’t be fair to not mention the blister issues McNutt had early in the season or the collision, but at the same time, those numbers are just bad. Since being promoted to AA at the end of last season, he’s struckout only 6 per 9. As a 32nd round pick you can’t complain, but he’s not a top 5 prospect. Not in any decent minor league system anyway.
1) Brett Jackson, OF, Grade B+: Love the broad base of skills.
Jackson’s batting lines haven’t been as pretty as they were in the past. Since drafted in the 1st round in 2009 Jackson had been good for about a .300/.400/.500 batting line. The on-base percentage is still more than 100 points higher than the average, but the average has dropped significantly. He’s been on fire the past 10 games and overall this year between AA and AAA he’s hit .255/.370/.459. In his 19 games at AAA he’s hit .250/.358/.515. League average OBP in the PCL is .360, but Jackson got off to a rough start.
Over his last 10 he’s hit .314/.405/.686. Strikeouts have been the issue with Jackson and this year is no different. In 86 games (379 PA) he’s struckout 101 times. In AAA he’s struckout in 33% of his plate appearances, which is way too high.
All things considered, Jackson has had a solid season. He’s probably dropped a bit from what we were thinking he could be entering the season, but he’s still a very good CF prospect.
Hey, at least 1 of the top 10 has dropped considerably. I don’t know if you’ve been keeping count at home, but of the 20 we’ve covered, only 4 have been halfway decent (Welington Castillo 20th, Austin Kirk 17th, DJ LeMahieu 12th and Brett Jackson 1st). Since I’ve been writing about the Cubs and their prospects, there hasn’t been a more disappointing season than this one.
Their pitching prospects don’t strike enough batters out and only have so-so command. Most of them are hit pretty hard. Only a few of the hitting prospects have any on-base skills and at least two of those who do have serious strikeout issues. It’s easily the worst the Cubs farm system has been since I started writing about the Cubs back in 2003.
Tim Wilken has been around for 5 years now and we have almost nothing to show for it. The prospects worth watching either can’t strike enough batters out or they strikeout too often. I can’t think of a single pitching prospect in the top 20 who you’d consider a strikeout pitcher at this point in their careers. It would be OK if they had pinpoint control and kept the ball on the ground, but that’s not the case with most of them. How bad does the system have to get before Tim Wilken is replaced? Whatever it is, I’m pretty sure we’re there.
[quote name=dylanj]Antigua is ready for AA
Kirk is ready for Daytona
Wang is ready for Peoria
DeVoss is ready for Peoria as well[/quote]
dj is ready for wang
I’m also done with Tom Wilken. Everyone screams genius because of success with Toronto but frankly he’s done nothing here that’s been worthwhile, IMO
[quote name=Mish]I’m also done with Tom Wilken. Everyone screams genius because of success with Toronto but frankly he’s done nothing here that’s been worthwhile, IMO[/quote]That whole “best athlete” theory hasn’t worked out well. “Really good at baseball” might have been a better criterion.
[quote name=Mish]I’m also done with Tom Wilken. Everyone screams genius because of success with Toronto but frankly he’s done nothing here that’s been worthwhile, IMO[/quote]
Fuck you.
how much is wilken vs how much we have spent on the draft?
[quote name=Tim Wilken]Fuck you.[/quote]
Shut up TOM
Does anyone here use Apple TV?
[quote name=WaLi]Does anyone here use Apple TV?[/quote]
Never heard of it.
Does anyone have the Yellon standing and working on his iPhone layer handy to post?
It’s raining HRs in St Louis this afternoon
Some fun stuff here: http://www.cracked.com/photoplasty_235_b-movie-posters-classic-films/
Thank you.
^ Ha!
[quote name=Aisle424]
[/quote]
Who’s the couple in the middle?
This is awesome:
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=17585257&partnerId=aw-5024473707018645181-1122
[quote name=Rice Cube]Who’s the couple in the middle?[/quote]
Lou Montanez and his wife or girlfriend or baby mama or whatever she is.
[quote name=Aisle424]Lou Montanez and his wife or girlfriend or baby mama or whatever she is.[/quote]
Ah. May their days be filled with as much happiness as a AAA salary can provide.
[quote name=The Wreckard]This is awesome:
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=17585257&partnerId=aw-5024473707018645181-1122/quote
I enjoyed that play. He really took advantage of a bad cover and some stupidity on the part of the A’s. Had a small debate about whether Ryan should’ve been credited with a couple stolen bases or whether it would be considered base advancement on a fielder’s choice or defensive indifference. I think MLB.com said he just made it to third, but Yahoo’s play-by-play suggested defensive indifference. I doubt the A’s were truly indifferent about being pantsed though (dying laughing)
[quote name=WaLi]Does anyone here use Apple TV?[/quote]I do.
Saw a tweet that Ricketts is supposed to be having a press conference right about now, but I can’t find anything else about it, and nobody is talking baseball on ESPN1000 or the Score. Anybody know anything or is it bullshit?
[quote name=Aisle424]Saw a tweet that Ricketts is supposed to be having a press conference right about now, but I can’t find anything else about it, and nobody is talking baseball on ESPN1000 or the Score. Anybody know anything or is it bullshit?[/quote]
http://www.istomrickettshavingapressconferencerightnowandifsowhyisnobodycoveringit.com
how much of this is on Wilken and how much do people blame poor player development??
Besides the Simpson pick, I find it hard to fault him 100% given what the Cubs spent. from 07-09.
The one draft the Cubs spent a ton (2006) was abysmal. Huseby, Rundle, Anderson, Acosta never even made past low A.
It’s something about a charity event in Peoria, which is why only a dude from Peoria tweeted it.
[quote name=AB]how much of this is on Wilken and how much do people blame poor player development??
Besides the Simpson pick, I find it hard to fault him 100% given what the Cubs spent. from 07-09.
The one draft the Cubs spent a ton (2006) was abysmal. Huseby, Rundle, Anderson, Acosta never even made past low A.[/quote]Didn’t Wilken also go overslot for Colvin?
http://frankthetank.wordpress.com/2011/08/02/the-jump-to-conclusions-game-why-angry-aggies-arent-enough-to-move-texas-am-to-the-sec/
[quote name=Aisle424]It’s something about a charity event in Peoria, which is why only a dude from Peoria tweeted it.[/quote]Ricketts has finally found a group of people who he can fool.
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Didn’t Wilken also go overslot for Colvin?[/quote]
I was under the impression that he drafted Colvin for signability and also to save money to throw at Samardzija.
Prior got nailed by a line drive in fucking BP and is facing a DL stint. That guy has worse luck the the pilot of the Hindenburg.
[quote name=Rice Cube]I was under the impression that he drafted Colvin for signability and also to save money to throw at Samardzija.[/quote]So he fucked himself in order to further fuck himself.
[quote name=AB]how much of this is on Wilken and how much do people blame poor player development??
Besides the Simpson pick, I find it hard to fault him 100% given what the Cubs spent. from 07-09.
The one draft the Cubs spent a ton (2006) was abysmal. Huseby, Rundle, Anderson, Acosta never even made past low A.[/quote]The fact is, at some point, why wouldn’t the org think that something isn’t working and needs to be evaluated? Why does blindly plowing ahead with the current plan seem to be the only thing they can do? I have no idea whose fault the horrorshow that is the minors is, but the org should know, and they should address it. If you don’t want to make the hard decisions, hire someone who will.
I think they’re buying up Jim Hendry’s snake oil wholesale.
Why does this situation remind me so much of The Wire?
[quote name=josh]The fact is, at some point, why wouldn’t the org think that something isn’t working and needs to be evaluated? Why does blindly plowing ahead with the current plan seem to be the only thing they can do? I have no idea whose fault the horrorshow that is the minors is, but the org should know, and they should address it. If you don’t want to make the hard decisions, hire someone who will.[/quote]You have to recognize something to be a problem before you can move to rectify it. Every indication from the Cubs is that they see absolutely nothing wrong with their player development system, despite their pitchers and hitters displaying remarkably similar shortcomings, across all levels and draft classes.
[quote name=josh]I think they’re buying up Jim Hendry’s snake oil wholesale.
Why does this situation remind me so much of The Wire?[/quote]Because The Wire is nothing if not a thorough documenting of bureaucratic incompetence.
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Prior got nailed by a line drive in fucking BP and is facing a DL stint. That guy has worse luck the the pilot of the Hindenburg.[/quote]
Jeez…poor guy.
Mulligan ———-> Laid off by Sun Times
Mike Mulligan is out of a job and fucktards David Haugh and Paul Sackville-Sullivanses are still putting giant kindergarten pencil to paper every day. Fucking shame.
Speaking of Ricketts and slow moving decisions:
http://ivychat.blogspot.com/2011/08/let-history-be-guide.html
[quote name=WenningtonsGorillaCock]I do.[/quote]Do you like it? My wife wants to make our house an “apple” house unfortunately, so I was thinking of getting it for her birthday.
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Mulligan ———-> Laid off by Sun Times
Mike Mulligan is out of a job and fucktards David Haugh and Paul Sackville-Sullivanses are still putting giant kindergarten pencil to paper every day. Fucking shame.[/quote]
Wow.
Casey McGehee —> 3 HR
/why’d you trade him Hendry’d
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Mulligan ———-> Laid off by Sun Times
Mike Mulligan is out of a job and fucktards David Haugh and Paul Sackville-Sullivanses are still putting giant kindergarten pencil to paper every day. Fucking shame.[/quote]
[quote name=Aisle424]Wow.[/quote]They got Elliot Harris, too. Haugh will probably mark the occasion by writing something uninformed, limited in scope, and poorly argued.
[quote name=GW]http://frankthetank.wordpress.com/2011/08/02/the-jump-to-conclusions-game-why-angry-aggies-arent-enough-to-move-texas-am-to-the-sec/[/quote]
tl;dr Fuckin’ aggy…
[quote name=Rice Cube]Casey McGehee —> 3 HR
/why’d you trade him Hendry’d[/quote]Unfortunately for Case, he may not hit 20 HRs for the season.
Braylon Edwards —————————————-> SF
for a meeting
[quote name=Aisle424]Speaking of Ricketts and slow moving decisions:
http://ivychat.blogspot.com/2011/08/let-history-be-guide.html/quoteThat's not very promising.
We can’t blame Wilken 100% for the minor league system. I don’t think we could do that even if the club had spent money. Still, some blame falls on him. Even the guys the Cubs went overslot on haven’t panned out. The Cubs drafts since he took per have been horrible. Some of that is because they didn’t spend money, but some of it is his insistence on taking certain types of players.
[quote name=Dr. Aneus Taint]Braylon Edwards —————————————-> SF
for a meeting[/quote]He should try not to drop any footballs on the way over.
[quote name=mb21]We can’t blame Ricketts 100% for the minor league system. I don’t think we could do that even if the club had spent money. Still, some blame falls on him. Even the guys the Cubs went overslot on haven’t panned out. The Cubs drafts since he took per have been horrible. Some of that is because they didn’t spend money, but some of it is his insistence on taking certain types of players.[/quote]You mean Wilken?
Ryno said it best a few years back at ACB: the guy drafted Alex Rios once and has been trying to draft him again since then
[quote name=josh]Unfortunately for Case, he may not hit 20 HRs for the season.[/quote]
How far he’s fallen…
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/jon_heyman/08/03/chicago.cubs/index.html?eref=writers
two thoughts…
#1 is outta reach with that kind of inferiority
maybe the cubs should hire an outsider to tell them they stinks
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]You mean Wilken?
Ryno said it best a few years back at ACB: the guy drafted Alex Rios once and has been trying to draft him again since then[/quote]
This “Ryno” sounds brilliant.
[quote name=Snyds01]http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/jon_heyman/08/03/chicago.cubs/index.html?eref=writers
two thoughts…
#1 is outta reach with that kind of inferiority
maybe the cubs should hire an outsider to tell them they stinks[/quote]Why should we believe that an owner who hired Ari “Sample Size Warnings” Kaplan to be his “stats guy” would hire a consultant that would be anything other than a rubber stamp? Ricketts hires yes men. It’s why Kenny is here, and it’s why Hendry probably isn’t going anywhere, and it’s why Kaplan was hired to be ignored by Hendry.
[quote name=Dr. Aneus Taint]This “Ryno” sounds brilliant.[/quote]Yes, but he’s an unconscionable asshole.
Listening to LaRussa’s confrontation with the reporter. What a fucking red raging rectum. That guy is a shitnugget dangling from the ass hairs of humanity.
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Yes, but he’s an unconscionable asshole.[/quote]
Most people who are that intelligent are.
I fucking love Nyjer Morgan (dying laughing) (dying laughing) (dying laughing)
The video cannot be shown at the moment. Please try again later.
i cant understand how the team is ok with Sopoaga as the NT. If Franklin would have stayed for 2 years then do it. RJF better be ready to be a starting nose tackle
also- I think Aldon smith will have 10 sacks this year
More on Nyjer and his alter-ego: http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/birdland/article_8f75395a-bd2c-11e0-81fe-0019bb30f31a.html
Pure. Win.
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]You mean Wilken?
Ryno said it best a few years back at ACB: the guy drafted Alex Rios once and has been trying to draft him again since then[/quote]Yes, Wilken. Sorry.
[quote name=dylanj]also- I think Aldon smith will have 10 sacks this year[/quote]
That would be amazing. On a normal team, he’d be a nickel rusher to start the season. On SF, though, he might start in base packages. They said he’d be strong side OLB, so that will hinder him a bit.
[quote name=Snyds01]http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/jon_heyman/08/03/chicago.cubs/index.html?eref=writers
two thoughts…
#1 is outta reach with that kind of inferiority
maybe the cubs should hire an outsider to tell them they stinks[/quote]I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if the guy told the Cubs they were as bad as the Astros organization. They may have a few more players who reach the big leagues, but they don’t have a single impact talent in the minor leagues. Not one.
[quote name=Dr. Aneus Taint]That would be amazing. On a normal team, he’d be a nickel rusher to start the season. On SF, though, he might start in base packages. They said he’d be strong side OLB, so that will hinder him a bit.[/quote]
he’s been terrorizing the OL so far in practice.
The Brew Crew is bringing their closer, Axford in with a 5-run lead. He pitched yesterday. Why?
[quote name=dylanj]he’s been terrorizing the OL so far in practice.[/quote]Maybe that says more about the quality of the SF OL than it does about Smith. Defenders are always way ahead of the offenses in camp.
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Didn’t Wilken also go overslot for Colvin?[/quote]
yea I thought they drafted him so they could throw money at Samardzija and $1.5 million or something completely ridiculous lke that to Huseby.
A-Rod is being investigated by MLB for participating in underground poker games: http://aol.sportingnews.com/mlb/story/2011-08-03/mlb-probes-report-of-a-rods-poker-playing
[quote name=WaLi]Do you like it? My wife wants to make our house an “apple” house unfortunately, so I was thinking of getting it for her birthday.[/quote]I use it for AirPlay to stream music and videos from my computer and iPhone to my home theater. For that, it’s awesome. I also use it occasionally to stream Netflix shit. I think it does other stuff, but I don’t really care enough to figure it out (dying laughing)
BTW – I bought it refurbished through Apple and saved about $20 and have had no problems
[quote name=WaLi]Do you like it? My wife wants to make our house an “apple” house unfortunately, so I was thinking of getting it for her birthday.[/quote]oh and I didn’t realize it until I got it that it only has HDMI. Since my receiver is old, I had to do some creative wiring to get video to the TV and audio to the receiver, but that might not be a problem for you if you have equipment newer than 1998 like me (dying laughing)
[quote name=josh]The fact is, at some point, why wouldn’t the org think that something isn’t working and needs to be evaluated? Why does blindly plowing ahead with the current plan seem to be the only thing they can do? I have no idea whose fault the horrorshow that is the minors is, but the org should know, and they should address it. If you don’t want to make the hard decisions, hire someone who will.[/quote]
Not that I necessarily disagree, but it seems what alot of people are upset about in terms of plate approach and pitching strategy of Cubs prospects and such should be pinned more on Fleita.
[quote name=AB]Not that I necessarily disagree, but it seems what alot of people are upset about in terms of plate approach and pitching strategy of Cubs prospects and such should be pinned more on Fleita.[/quote]Yeah, it’s one thing to draft guys who are raw, and quite another to apparently do nothing to disabuse them of their bad habits.
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]That’s not very promising.[/quote]
.
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]You mean Wilken?
Ryno said it best a few years back at ACB: the guy drafted Alex Rios once and has been trying to draft him again since then[/quote]
They call it, “Krause-Traded-for-Pippen-Once Syndrome.”
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Yeah, it’s one thing to draft guys who are raw, and quite another to apparently do nothing to disabuse them of their bad habits.[/quote]There has to be more than one guy at fault here. And if there is only one guy at fault, then resources should be devoted to tracking him down and replacing him. I’m saying the consultant idea the Astros had is a good idea, but take it a step further, get some guys to evaluate the system from the ground up and look for weak points. Do to the farm system what you’d do to a team if you wanted to be in contention, replace the weak points.
Easier said than done, probably, but still…
[quote name=Aisle424]They call it, “Krause-Traded-for-Pippen-Once Syndrome.”[/quote]Did he draft Halladay as well?
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]More on Nyjer and his alter-ego: http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/birdland/article_8f75395a-bd2c-11e0-81fe-0019bb30f31a.html
Pure. Win.[/quote]Nyjer is definitely one of the more fun players to watch. Like Brian Wilson. The weird guys are more interesting.
[quote name=Aisle424].[/quote]“We’re taking a ‘wait-and-see’ approach to our ‘Let’s See What Happens’ strategy. So basically we’ll wait to see what happens with our wait-and-see on the let’s see what happens”
/Orwell’d
Mark Teixeria has homered from both sides of the plate in one game 12 times (MLB record) in his career
goodwin —- SF
Bubbles=====> Caught up with breaking bad
http://deadspin.com/5827459/
TLR is not a fan of Brewers fans.
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]“We’re taking a ‘wait-and-see’ approach to our ‘Let’s See What Happens’ strategy. So basically we’ll wait to see what happens with our wait-and-see on the let’s see what happens”
/Orwell’d[/quote]
http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=zapata001oli
a 19 year old CF prospect in AZL who walks more than he strikes out? Hendry better get rid of this guy ASAP
actually he just got promoted to Boise
bubbles====> watching “catching hell”
so now Boise has 4 of the 5 most patient hitters in the system. DeVoss, Holiman, Golden & Zapata.
Maybe Wilken is learning?
[quote name=bubblesdachimp]Bubbles=====> Caught up with breaking bad[/quote]
http://www.obstructedview.net/unobstructed-views/general/breaking-bad-open-house.html
[quote name=bubblesdachimp]bubbles====> watching “catching hell”[/quote]
I thought that didn’t come out for another month?
[quote name=Berselius]I thought that didn’t come out for another month?[/quote]
I just noticed it on my “on demand”
More from Kevin Capie in Peoria:
[quote name=bubblesdachimp]bubbles====> watching “catching hell”[/quote]My dad is interviewed in that movie
Translation: “Don’t blame us for how shitty the team is on the field now.”
i know ricketts is catching hell right now but if we sign as many people as we are rumored to then this will be the most expensive draft class since ive been a fan. And we did well in the latin american free agents as well. If Ricketts keeps that up then we will all be happy in the long run
Bang up job so far.
Devoss is intriguing to me..
[quote name=dylanj]i know ricketts is catching hell right now but if we sign as many people as we are rumored to then this will be the most expensive draft class since ive been a fan. And we did well in the latin american free agents as well. If Ricketts keeps that up then we will all be happy in the long run[/quote]
The drafting them is step one. They need to develop some of them into actual major leaguers and this farm system hasn’t done that well at all on the position player side, and lately not much better on the pitching side.
Since Prior and Zambrano, the pitchers of note are: Marmol and Marshall. Two relievers. Big fucking deal.
[quote name=Aisle424]
Since Prior and Zambrano, the pitchers of note are: Marmol and Marshall. Two relievers. Big fucking deal.[/quote]
It is a big deal. They’re untouchable!
Bubba Smith died?
[quote name=bubblesdachimp]Devoss is intriguing to me..[/quote]Going by scouting reports, he’s just a slap-hitting corner OF.
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Going by scouting reports, he’s just a slap-hitting corner OF.[/quote]
Unless he is a second basemen. hes fast as shit too
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]A-Rod is being investigated by MLB for participating in underground poker games: http://aol.sportingnews.com/mlb/story/2011-08-03/mlb-probes-report-of-a-rods-poker-playing/quoteWhat a douche. I hope he gets suspended for this, simply because it would be the most hilarious reason for a suspension since Manny’s female fertility drug episode.
[quote name=bubblesdachimp]Unless he is a second basemen. hes fast as shit too[/quote]If the Cubs are trying to develop him at 2B, fine. But all the scouting reports I read said he played mostly OF at Miami, and mostly in the corners. And his bat doesn’t play well really anywhere. He’s (dying laughing), or any other fast guy with no power that’s been along over the years. According to scouts, he’s fast, will take a walk, and play middling defense. Nothing there that really intrigues me.
[quote name=The Wreckard]What a douche. I hope he gets suspended for this, simply because it would be the most hilarious reason for a suspension since Manny’s female fertility drug episode.[/quote]Especially since MLB has warned him at least once to stop playing in these games. He’s a fucking idiot.
This is really depressing shit
RIP Bubba.
[quote name=bubblesdachimp]This is really depressing shit[/quote]It’s tough to think about how far this org has fallen since 2008.
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Especially since MLB has warned him at least once to stop playing in these games. He’s a fucking idiot.[/quote]
He’s an idiot, but I don’t care. If he’s not gambling on baseball, then what the hell do I care if he gambles on poker?
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]It’s tough to think about how far this org has fallen since 2008.[/quote]
Its hard to watch 2003.. it really fucking is
Miles with some interesting data on Garza’s pitch selection this year vs. last:
[quote name=Aisle424]He’s an idiot, but I don’t care. If he’s not gambling on baseball, then what the hell do I care if he gambles on poker?[/quote]I don’t care about the gambling per se, but when you’re doing it and MLB finds out and then graciously tells you to stop instead of immediately hammering you or outing you, and you keep on doing it, that’s fucking stupid. It’s the stupidity and the hubris of it that galls me. Otherwise, I could care less what A-Rod does when he’s not playing baseball or fucking women who look like male bodybuilders.
More from Miles
Are we sure Alex gonzalez gets the double play? I mean Miguel Cabrera wasnt 290 pounds then
[quote name=bubblesdachimp]Are we sure Alex gonzalez gets the double play? I mean Miguel Cabrera wasnt 290 pounds then[/quote]
I have been saying since that night that Alex Gonzalez was not turning that double play no matter how cleanly he fielded it. It was not the easiest chance and he was going to his right into the hole.
Wasn’t Grudzielanek the 2nd baseman? He wasn’t turning it that smoothly or with a cannon arm. Unless Cabrera was loafing it, there was no way.
I jsut watched the replay a few times. It seems that they had a chance since cabrera might have gotten slow out of the box.. But it was no way a guarantted double play..
Lets say Miguel gets to first.. There is than runner on first cubs up 1 with 2 outs?
[quote name=Aisle424]Wasn’t Grudzielanek the 2nd baseman? He wasn’t turning it that smoothly or with a cannon arm. Unless Cabrera was loafing it, there was no way.[/quote]
Yes he was the second basemen … Wow.. something really cool just happened in the documentary. SOmething i never realized till now
How much can Fleita do? Plate discipline and striking batters out are skills. If you draft players with poor discipline or poor strikeout potential then there’s not much that Fleita can do. Fleita has been around much longer than Wilken has and before Wilken we at least had pitching prospects who could strike batters out. The organization has never been very good at acquiring or developing players with on-base skills.
Get rid of Fleita too.
Go to 5:04
[quote name=bubblesdachimp]I jsut watched the replay a few times. It seems that they had a chance since cabrera might have gotten slow out of the box.. But it was no way a guarantted double play..
Lets say Miguel gets to first.. There is than runner on first cubs up 1 with 2 outs?[/quote]
He didn’t go as far to the right as I remember it from seeing it live, but I still say they weren’t turning a double play. Maybe they had a 20% chance.
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Going by scouting reports, he’s just a slap-hitting corner OF.[/quote]Yeah, I’m not sure what all the fuss is about him.
He does get on base so that’s one thing and may even be able to play a passable CF, but if he can’t do that what value does he have?He does play 2nd so that’s good, but e has no power.[quote name=mb21]How much can Fleita do? Plate discipline and striking batters out are skills. If you draft players with poor discipline or poor strikeout potential then there’s not much that Fleita can do. Fleita has been around much longer than Wilken has and before Wilken we at least had pitching prospects who could strike batters out. The organization has never been very good at acquiring or developing players with on-base skills.
Get rid of Fleita too.[/quote]+1
[quote name=Aisle424]He didn’t go as far to the right as I remember it from seeing it live, but I still say they weren’t turning a double play. Maybe they had a 20% chance.[/quote]
I think there is about a 50% chance.. If he gets it out of the glove cleanly there is a chance. The runner on first is pierre right? So maybe he takes out Grudz.. I rememberd it till 20 minutes ago as a guaranteed double play.
[quote name=mb21]How much can Fleita do? Plate discipline and striking batters out are skills. If you draft players with poor discipline or poor strikeout potential then there’s not much that Fleita can do. Fleita has been around much longer than Wilken has and before Wilken we at least had pitching prospects who could strike batters out. The organization has never been very good at acquiring or developing players with on-base skills.
Get rid of Fleita too.[/quote]Agree with all of this.
[quote name=mb21]Yeah, I’m not sure what all the fuss is about him. He does get on base so that’s one thing and may even be able to play a passable CF, but if he can’t do that what value does he have?[/quote]Yeah, one of the scouting reports I came across (BA?), noted that some teams were reticent to draft him because despite his profiling as a CF, Miami did not give him a lot of time in CF, but instead played him in the corners and MIF, which led to concerns about his defense.
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Miles with some interesting data on Garza’s pitch selection this year vs. last:[/quote]
has harry written anything on this? I don’t doubt there have been changes, but discrepancies that big scream “classification differences” to me.
[quote name=Aisle424]He’s an idiot, but I don’t care. If he’s not gambling on baseball, then what the hell do I care if he gambles on poker?[/quote]Exactly. I don’t care what he’s doing if it doesn’t have to do with baseball. Even when it has to do with baseball I only have a little bit of interest and that’s because I do root for the Yankees.
[quote name=bubblesdachimp]I think there is about a 50% chance.. If he gets it out of the glove cleanly there is a chance. The runner on first is (dying laughing) right? So maybe he takes out Grudz.. I rememberd it till 20 minutes ago as a guaranteed double play.[/quote]
It was Pudge. But that was a high chopped ball with a weird hop at the end. It’s probably why he flubbed it at all. I guess, I give too much credit to Cabrera for being able to beat it out, but he was something like 19 at the time and busting his ass all overthe place. I think he beats it out.
I remember when it was hit, “Damn. But at least we’ll get one…. WHAT THE FUCK!!!!”
[quote name=GW]has harry written anything on this? I don’t doubt there have been changes, but discrepancies that big scream “classification differences” to me.[/quote]Hmmm, I’m not sure, but I’ll shoot him a FB message and see what he thinks.
[quote name=Aisle424]It was Pudge. But that was a high chopped ball with a weird hop at the end. It’s probably why he flubbed it at all. I guess, I give too much credit to Cabrera for being able to beat it out, but he was something like 19 at the time and busting his ass all overthe place. I think he beats it out.
I remember when it was hit, “Damn. But at least we’ll get one…. WHAT THE FUCK!!!!”[/quote]
Were you there?
5 fucking M&M’s… IT makes me so upset
[quote name=mb21]Exactly. I don’t care what he’s doing if it doesn’t have to do with baseball. Even when it has to do with baseball I only have a little bit of interest and that’s because I do root for the Yankees.[/quote]
Gambling on baseball does threaten the integrity of the game, so I never cry too much about Pete Rose.
The argument is that he could lose millions and gamblers could offer to wipe out his debt if he threw a few games so they could clean up. But the thing about that is that this could happen to anyone who has any sort of problem with money. Some ballplayer could be taken to the cleaners by an ex-wife, they could be wiped out by a Madoff-type scam. Guys with shitloads of money can lose shitloads of money in any number of ways, so why single out the guy who likes to play poker?
If there was a legal problem, why isn’t he just arrested?
[quote name=bubblesdachimp]Were you there?
5 fucking M&M’s… IT makes me so upset[/quote]
Yes. Yes I was. The next night too. Now I’m depressed.
[quote name=Aisle424]Yes. Yes I was. The next night too. Now I’m depressed.[/quote]
Damn man… I cant imagine what that was like..
I remember sitting watching with my parents (i turned 18 on game 5) and my mom had an M&M for each out left.. I remember saying when there was 6 M&M’s left that it was over. She goes “its never over with this team. Its not over till the chocolates gone”
They never went away.. I drank so much that night and the next. Went to school reeking of booze. Everyone reeked. I have never seen so many depressed people.
Now let me go light myself on fire.
[quote name=Aisle424]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX8OwMeE2MQ
Go to 5:04[/quote]I’m kind of amazed at how much people concentrate on the Bartman “incident” when a million other things went wrong that inning.
[quote name=Aisle424]Gambling on baseball does threaten the integrity of the game, so I never cry too much about Pete Rose.
The argument is that he could lose millions and gamblers could offer to wipe out his debt if he threw a few games so they could clean up. But the thing about that is that this could happen to anyone who has any sort of problem with money. Some ballplayer could be taken to the cleaners by an ex-wife, they could be wiped out by a Madoff-type scam. Guys with shitloads of money can lose shitloads of money in any number of ways, so why single out the guy who likes to play poker?
If there was a legal problem, why isn’t he just arrested?[/quote]No one involved is being jailed, but I know the IRS is going after some them, notably
Mr. KotterGabe Kaplan. If A-Rod hasn’t been reporting his winnings, I imagine legal issues are not far off, in addition to any penalties accrued for defying Short-Sleeve Bud.Cubs had leads in every game but game 5.
Should have swept them. SHould have won game 1. Blew a 4 run lead..
[quote name=ACT]I’m kind of amazed at how much people concentrate on the Bartman “incident” when a million other things went wrong that inning.[/quote]
Sigh.
[quote name=ACT]I’m kind of amazed at how much people concentrate on the Bartman “incident” when a million other things went wrong that inning.[/quote]It’s pretty galling that people still have to be reminded of this simple fact.
[quote name=ACT]I’m kind of amazed at how much people concentrate on the Bartman “incident” when a million other things went wrong that inning.[/quote]
Because it only took 8 pitches after it happened for the lead to be gone. It happened that fast and everyone looked at that as the turning point. We were screaming for Baker to have Farnsworth up to start the 8th. Prior had 95 pitches entering the inning, after needlessly throwing something like 111 in his 1st game of the series.
Baker never came out of the dugout as shit fell apart. He never gathered everyone to calm everyone the fuck down and to slow down the Marlins’ momentum. It was like everybody involved with the game became stupid all at one time.
[quote name=GW]has harry written anything on this? I don’t doubt there have been changes, but discrepancies that big scream “classification differences” to me.[/quote]Considering that Garza said the Cubs were having him pitch differently I think there have been some changes. Not sure it’s as much as those numbers show.
[quote name=SDSJM]Sigh.[/quote]Fuck you.
[quote name=Aisle424]Gambling on baseball does threaten the integrity of the game, so I never cry too much about Pete Rose.
The argument is that he could lose millions and gamblers could offer to wipe out his debt if he threw a few games so they could clean up. But the thing about that is that this could happen to anyone who has any sort of problem with money. Some ballplayer could be taken to the cleaners by an ex-wife, they could be wiped out by a Madoff-type scam. Guys with shitloads of money can lose shitloads of money in any number of ways, so why single out the guy who likes to play poker?
If there was a legal problem, why isn’t he just arrested?[/quote]I’m all for banning those who gambled on baseball, but punishing those who gamble seems silly for the reasons you state.
[quote name=mb21]I’m all for banning those who gambled on baseball, but punishing those who gamble seems silly for the reasons you state.[/quote]But I think baseball prefers the players not gamble, based on the slippery-slope argument Aisle 424 uses. And they’d already told A-Rod as much. Think of it like the Weaver incident. The umpire doesn’t want the game to get out of hand, so after the Guillen HR, and the subsequent chatter, he warns Weaver. Weaver defies the warning, tosses it behind the next guy anyway. That’s pretty much what A-Rod did here.
Zeke DeVoss scouting report:
[quote name=mb21]Considering that Garza said the Cubs were having him pitch differently I think there have been some changes. Not sure it’s as much as those numbers show.[/quote]
yeah I agree, but since the cub internets have been blessed with harry pav (someone who I trust in handling data) it would be nice to hear it from him.
Moises Alou was a good player for the Cubs except that first year.
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]But I think baseball prefers the players not gamble, based on the slippery-slope argument Aisle 424 uses. And they’d already told A-Rod as much. Think of it like the Weaver incident. The umpire doesn’t want the game to get out of hand, so after the Guillen HR, and the subsequent chatter, he warns Weaver. Weaver defies the warning, tosses it behind the next guy anyway. That’s pretty much what A-Rod did here.[/quote]
The difference that I see is that what A-Rod did was on his own time. What Weaver did was on the field and umpires have control.
I look at this like we’re going to look at steroids and other PEDs in the near future. They will become legal as they become safer. Is MLB still going to ban their usage? If A-Rod gambled illegally this is a legal issue and not one baseball should be sticking their nose in. If he gambled legally then I don’t see why he doesn’t have the same rights as everyone else when away from the baseball field.
The point I’m making above is that A-Rod isn’t being threatened with suspension because he gambled. He’s being threatened with suspension because he defied an injunction from MLB.
[quote name=GW]yeah I agree, but since the cub internets have been blessed by harry pav (someone who I trust in handling data) it would be nice to hear it from him.[/quote]He said early on there had been no changes, which goes against what Garza publicly stated. I trust HP’s work, too, but not on this one. We have evidence from the pitcher himself that he made changes to the types of pitches he was throwing. Garza was pissed off and blaming that for his early failure. Either Matt Garza is retarded and has no idea what he used to throw and is currently throwing or HP is wrong. I’m going with the latter.
[quote name=mb21]He said early on there had been no changes, which goes against what Garza publicly stated. I trust HP’s work, too, but not on this one. We have evidence from the pitcher himself that he made changes to the types of pitches he was throwing. Garza was pissed off and blaming that for his early failure. Either Matt Garza is retarded and has no idea what he used to throw and is currently throwing or HP is wrong. I’m going with the latter.[/quote]
harry usually takes player interviews (and photographic evidence) seriously. i’d like to hear what he has to say. changing ballparks/leagues could really make a difference in classifications.
I’ve got a message in to Harry P. I’ll let you know when he replies.
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]I’ve got a message in to Harry P. I’ll let you know when he replies.[/quote]
thanks
Harry says, via FB, that Miles’ numbers are correct and that Garza has definitely altered his pitch mix.
[quote name=ACT]I’m kind of amazed at how much people concentrate on the Bartman “incident” when a million other things went wrong that inning.[/quote]Bill Buckner agrees.
[quote name=uncle dave]Bill Buckner agrees.[/quote]
Calvin Schiraldi, not so much (dying laughing)
[quote name=uncle dave]Bill Buckner agrees.[/quote]And Leon Durham.
The rumor floating around is Ozzie to FLA, TLR to ChWS at the end of the season. (dying laughing) I cannot think of a more perfect union than TLR and that fanbase.
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Harry says, via FB, that Miles’ numbers are correct and that Garza has definitely altered his pitch mix.[/quote]
interesting.
[quote name=Berselius]Calvin Schiraldi, not so much (dying laughing)[/quote]Al Nipper was the key to that deal, BTW.
Heyman has gotten into Al’s stash of Kool-Aid: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/jon_heyman/08/03/chicago.cubs/index.html
Nevermind that Cashner is the only injured player still gone of those injured and counted on.
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]The point I’m making above is that A-Rod isn’t being threatened with suspension because he gambled. He’s being threatened with suspension because he defied an injunction from MLB.[/quote]I agree he was stupid to do that, but why was he even given the injunction?
[quote name=GW]harry usually takes player interviews (and photographic evidence) seriously. i’d like to hear what he has to say. changing ballparks/leagues could really make a difference in classifications.[/quote]Which is one of the reasons why I don’t trust the classifications regardless of who does them. It’s also why I no longer talk about pfx other than to cite a player’s fastball velocity. That’s pretty hard to fuck up and I’m only trusting that something can accurately clock how fast a pitch is thrown.
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Heyman has gotten into Al’s stash of Kool-Aid: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/jon_heyman/08/03/chicago.cubs/index.html
Nevermind that Cashner is the only injured player still gone of those injured and counted on.[/quote]
Well, the point is that injuries were an impact this season. We know the team wasn’t headed to the playoffs even if they were healthy, which is the more important point than whether or not injuries fucked this team. This team was such that even if they stayed healthy it wasn’t playing in October without a ton of luck. You know that. I know that. Everybody knows that except the Cubs. It’s funny. (dying laughing)
[quote name=mb21]I agree he was stupid to do that, but why was he even given the injunction?[/quote]Because MLB was given a tip that he was participating in illegal gambling events and he was told to stop participating in illegal gambling events. And the Commissioner has broad leeway to act in the ebst interests of the game. From Rule 21 (which covers gambling):
In short, Bud could have hammered A-Rod as soon as he found out A-Rod was in on these games. He took mercy on a star, and asked him to stop. A-Rod chose to ignore that gesture and the injunction.
Cubs waste a leadoff double by Pena.
It’s a way of life.
The reason I don’t like Bartman being blamed is that I don’t think it was a certainty that Alou catches that. I’m not even sold that Bartman actually reached out over the field of play. I can’t tell from the angles whether or not he did. More importantly, Bartman did what any fan in his seat would have done.
[quote name=Rice Cube]Cubs waste a leadoff double by Pena.
It’s a way of life.[/quote]I believe that you might be the only one still watching the games around here.
[quote name=mb21]The reason I don’t like Bartman being blamed is that I don’t think it was a certainty that Alou catches that. I’m not even sold that Bartman actually reached out over the field of play. I can’t tell from the angles whether or not he did. More importantly, Bartman did what any fan in his seat would have done.[/quote]
There were several fans in that section who could be seen reaching for the ball. Bartman was just the unlucky SOB who actually caught it.
I heard he had to move to Florida because he became such a pariah in Chicago.
[quote name=uncle dave]I believe that you might be the only one still watching the games around here.[/quote]
Sometimes I watch, sometimes I’m just following on Gameday in between other stuff (dying laughing) Mostly I just assume they are losing and tune in around the 7th inning or so to see what happens.
Controversy requires people giving a shit.
But MO, why is that not in the best interest of the game? A lot of players do illegal shit and they aren’t given injunctions. I think baseball has taken the gambling bit too far. Everybody agrees it should be severely punished if betting on the game of baseball, but we can’t draw a connection between gambling on poker and baseball. Is it the illegal gambling? Greg Maddux is known to waste a lot of time in the casinos in Vegas. If what could affect the game of baseball is true with A-Rod it’s also true with Maddux and all the other players who go to Vegas to legally gamble.
MLB should turn over what they know to the feds and let them handle it.
[quote name=Rice Cube]There were several fans in that section who could be seen reaching for the ball. Bartman was just the unlucky SOB who actually caught it.[/quote](dying laughing) The guy behind him who also reaches is one of my high school teachers.
[quote name=mb21]The reason I don’t like Bartman being blamed is that I don’t think it was a certainty that Alou catches that. I’m not even sold that Bartman actually reached out over the field of play. I can’t tell from the angles whether or not he did. More importantly, Bartman did what any fan in his seat would have done.[/quote]That, and the general injustice of having thousands of people shit all over someone for something that’s ultimately not that important.
I agree in this case that A-Rod is an idiot, but if players don’t occasionally challenge what the commissioner tells them is acceptable then we’re in a much worse position than we are today. I’m not arguing that A-Rod isn’t an idiot. I’m arguing that baseball shouldn’t have any right to tell A-Rod what to do since it obviously has no right to tell players who legally gamble.
Geovany Soto didn’t get an injunction from MLB about marijuana and neither have the many other players who have used, TLR didn’t get an injunction for drinking and driving and so on. Clearly MLB doesn’t care about the legality of what players do. They’re using the illegality here as an excuse in my opinion because it’s the same thing as legally gambling.
Doesn’t feel right to me, MO.
[quote name=mb21]But MO, why is that not in the best interest of the game? A lot of players do illegal shit and they aren’t given injunctions. I think baseball has taken the gambling bit too far. Everybody agrees it should be severely punished if betting on the game of baseball, but we can’t draw a connection between gambling on poker and baseball. Is it the illegal gambling? Greg Maddux is known to waste a lot of time in the casinos in Vegas. If what could affect the game of baseball is true with A-Rod it’s also true with Maddux and all the other players who go to Vegas to legally gamble.
MLB should turn over what they know to the feds and let them handle it.[/quote]
I’m not sure where I land on this, but I believe that MLB has advanced the theory that it’s easier to get mixed up with folks who might have an interest in fixing games when you run up debts underground as opposed to in an actual casino. Frankly, I think that their attitude on gambling is colored more by their inability to take a slice of the action than anything (see also: fantasy baseball).
[quote name=mb21]But MO, why is that not in the best interest of the game? A lot of players do illegal shit and they aren’t given injunctions. I think baseball has taken the gambling bit too far. Everybody agrees it should be severely punished if betting on the game of baseball, but we can’t draw a connection between gambling on poker and baseball. Is it the illegal gambling? Greg Maddux is known to waste a lot of time in the casinos in Vegas. If what could affect the game of baseball is true with A-Rod it’s also true with Maddux and all the other players who go to Vegas to legally gamble.
MLB should turn over what they know to the feds and let them handle it.[/quote]It was gambling that was going on in hotel suites and bar backrooms in Hollywood. It was most certainly illegal. And Rule 21 prohibits players from consorting with gamblers. So what he was doing is both illegal and in violation MLB’s rules. And it went unpunished at first because Selig gave A-Rod a pass.
I agree that what these guys do on their own time should be their own business, but once they’re asked to stop doing something that the Commissioner considers dangerous to the game, they should, as signatory to the CBA and as a MLB player, stop engaging in that activity. To my knowledge, Maddux was never asked to stop going to Vegas, which would have been harsh, seeing as he lives there. But Alex Rodriguez was playing in backroom poker games with 100K buy-ins and with people who are A.) known gamblers, in some cases, pros and B.) now being prosecuted by the IRS for non-payment of taxes on their winnings in these games. The feds know. That’s how MLB found out that A-Rod was in defiance of the injunction.
[quote name=uncle dave]That, and the general injustice of having thousands of people shit all over someone for something that’s ultimately not that important.[/quote]Yep. As frustrating as it was to watch that game, the lasting memory for me is how Steve Bartman was and still is treated. I’ll remember that much more clearly than I’ll ever remember the other parts of that inning. All because he might have interfered with a ball that Alou might have caught and if caught might have led the Cubs to the World Series. Big deal.
[quote name=uncle dave]I’m not sure where I land on this, but I believe that MLB has advanced the theory that it’s easier to get mixed up with folks who might have an interest in fixing games when you run up debts underground as opposed to in an actual casino. Frankly, I think that their attitude on gambling is colored more by their inability to take a slice of the action than anything (see also: fantasy baseball).[/quote]Are we really sure Vegas is all that different though?
[quote name=mb21]Are we really sure Vegas is all that different though?[/quote]Nope.
[quote name=mb21]I agree in this case that A-Rod is an idiot, but if players don’t occasionally challenge what the commissioner tells them is acceptable then we’re in a much worse position than we are today. I’m not arguing that A-Rod isn’t an idiot. I’m arguing that baseball shouldn’t have any right to tell A-Rod what to do since it obviously has no right to tell players who legally gamble.
Geovany Soto didn’t get an injunction from MLB about marijuana and neither have the many other players who have used, TLR didn’t get an injunction for drinking and driving and so on. Clearly MLB doesn’t care about the legality of what players do. They’re using the illegality here as an excuse in my opinion because it’s the same thing as legally gambling.
Doesn’t feel right to me, MO.[/quote]I think you’re defending something that isn’t worth defending. I guarantee if Geo gets caught again, he’s goign to get punished. Same for TLR. A-Rod got caught, and was wanred to stop. He ignored that warning, where Geo and TLR apparently have not. And so he is being punished.
Let the feds handle this one because it just doesn’t bother me. I don’t find what A-Rod was supposedly doing any more dangerous to the game than playing poker in Vegas. I believe that neither are in any way dangerous to the game.
[quote name=mb21]Are we really sure Vegas is all that different though?[/quote]I think MLB thinks that. I also think they are dead wrong to do so.
[quote name=uncle dave]Nope.[/quote]It probably isn’t much different other than it’s legal thuggery as opposed to illegal.
[quote name=mb21]Let the feds handle this one because it just doesn’t bother me. I don’t find what A-Rod was supposedly doing any more dangerous to the game than playing poker in Vegas. I believe that neither are in any way dangerous to the game.[/quote]I agree, and I think MLB’s obvious double standard when it comes to gambling is highly problematic.
[quote name=mb21]Yep. As frustrating as it was to watch that game, the lasting memory for me is how Steve Bartman was and still is treated. I’ll remember that much more clearly than I’ll ever remember the other parts of that inning. All because he might have interfered with a ball that Alou might have caught and if caught might have led the Cubs to the World Series. Big deal.[/quote]
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]I think you’re defending something that isn’t worth defending. I guarantee if Geo gets caught again, he’s goign to get punished. Same for TLR. A-Rod got caught, and was wanred to stop. He ignored that warning, where Geo and TLR apparently have not. And so he is being punished.[/quote]I’m actually not defending it. I’m just stating why i don’t care and why I don’t think MLB should. Like steroids, I think this is a legal issue. And you know me, I think all of these guys are dumbasses so I’m not the least bit surprised that A-Rod acted like a dumbass.
[quote name=mb21]I’m actually not defending it. I’m just stating why i don’t care and why I don’t think MLB should. Like steroids, I think this is a legal issue. And you know me, I think all of these guys are dumbasses so I’m not the least bit surprised that A-Rod acted like a dumbass.[/quote]Oh, okay, I see. Well, part of it is a legal issue, but by the letter of the law, he’s also in violation of the league’s rules concerning gambling.
I also think that if A-Rod were to open up about how many players are involved in this type of thing (and given the type of games he was in on, he knows), I bet it would be shockingly widespread.
Just finished Catching Hell. What an incredibly depressin 1:41
I think for sure Moises catches that ball..
Wood Prior Zambrano Clement… I thought that 4 was indestructible..
I kind of understand why Zambrano and Aramis dont want to leave. To come that close and not get there. They might legit want to be there when the chapter is closed. Based on what a joke this team is that most likely will never happen. But if this team spends some money like in 07 you never know..
I thought after 06 there was no chance this team would compete again for a long time. This division is shitty enough that you never know. Then again we dont have the pitching to do it..
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]I agree, and I think MLB’s obvious double standard when it comes to gambling is highly problematic.[/quote]The problem is that they’d never get the CBA to agree to ban legal gambling. These guys have money and most of them undoubtedly like to spend a few weekends in Vegas blowing some of it. You can get them to agree to ban illegal gambling even though many of them probably take part in it, but figure they won’t be caught.
I don’t care about gambling, or for that matter the legal issues these players find themselves in. I’d care somewhat if the player was gambling on baseball, but even then I wouldn’t care that much. I’d understand the player being banned for life, but it’s one of those things that actually doesn’t bother me. Then again, I also don’t care about steroids or spitting on baseballs. (dying laughing)
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Oh, okay, I see. Well, part of it is a legal issue, but by the letter of the law, he’s also in violation of the league’s rules concerning gambling.
I also think that if A-Rod were to open up about how many players are involved in this type of thing (and given the type of games he was in on, he knows), I bet it would be shockingly widespread.[/quote]
Yeah, I’d say as many as all of them and as few as all who have signed MLB free agent contracts have taken part in these games.
[quote name=GBTS]
[/quote]That’s just shocking no matter how many times you see it.
[quote name=mb21]Yeah, I’d say as many as all of them and as few as all who have signed MLB free agent contracts have taken part in these games.[/quote]
Never mind the pro sports tradition of running card games on trains/planes when traveling between cities. Players have occasionally gotten into serious debt to each other over those.
[quote name=Berselius]Never mind the pro sports tradition of running card games on trains/planes when traveling between cities. Players have occasionally gotten into serious debt to each other over those.[/quote]Which is kind of fucked up if they’re allowing these league minimum guys to take part in this.
[quote name=Berselius]Never mind the pro sports tradition of running card games on trains/planes when traveling between cities. Players have occasionally gotten into serious debt to each other over those.[/quote]Yeah. I just think Bud is pissed because he told him to stop, and he didn’t. But who knows. Maybe they investigate and let him off with a slap on the wrist or nothing at all.
[quote name=mb21]Which is kind of fucked up if they’re allowing these league minimum guys to take part in this.[/quote]As part of the new rookie pay scale in the NFL, it has been “emphasized” by the NFLPA that these kind of things, and the rookie dinners where vets run up the bill and leave will no longer be tolerated and can be grieved.
That’s good to hear. It would be nice if MLB did something like that, but I don’t know how much they take advantage of them. I do know that the rookies usually live with a veteran who buys them nice clothes and all of that. Other than that and the pink backpack we really don’t know.
[quote name=mb21]That’s good to hear. It would be nice if MLB did something like that, but I don’t know how much they take advantage of them. I do know that the rookies usually live with a veteran who buys them nice clothes and all of that. Other than that and the pink backpack we really don’t know.[/quote]I think the general consensus was that NFL rookies have it the hardest, but a lot of that was resentment bred in the veterans by rookies who stepped into the team making 3 times as much as them. Since that’s no longer the case, the vets have been told to scale back the hazing, big time.
(dying laughing) The game started?
[quote name=GBTS](dying laughing) The game started?[/quote]www.hasthecubsgamestarted.com
[quote name=Rice Cube]There were several fans in that section who could be seen reaching for the ball. Bartman was just the unlucky SOB who actually caught it.
I heard he had to move to Florida because he became such a pariah in Chicago.[/quote]
Last I knew he was still in the Chicago area. He worked at Hewitt Associates and they bent over backwards to protect him. They made it company policy that speaking to the media in regards to Bartman was a fireable offense. That may be urban legend, but I’m 99% sure he worked at Hewitt and you don’t shut that many people up with ESPN crawling all over the place without doing something fairly drastic.
ESPN still fucking ambushed him in the parking lot.
(dying laughing) Quade gets ejected once a week
I thought he was living in Florida.
And with that, Colvin’s ISO is now higher than his BA.
why are quade and colvin gone?
[quote name=bubblesdachimp]why are quade and colvin gone?[/quote]They each came down with a bad case of the sucks.
[quote name=mb21]I thought he was living in Florida.[/quote]
We’ll have to watch the ESPN documentary and find out.
[quote name=Aisle424]We’ll have to watch the ESPN documentary and find out.[/quote](dying laughing) I’ll pass.
I have something to do that night.
Pretty sure that pitch to Colvin was at least a few inches inside.
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2011/04/the-most-hated-man-in-chicago-espn-tells-steve-bartman-story/1
So Bartman is equal to 9/11 hijackers. Wow.
[quote name=mb21]So Bartman is equal to 9/11 hijackers. Wow.[/quote]
Probably Yellon.
It makes me so proud to be a Cubs fan.
[quote name=Aisle424]Probably Yellon.[/quote]It’s really hard to root for this team when you think about how poorly he’s been treated.
I’m surprised Alou hasn’t gotten more shit than he has. If he doesn’t act like someone just raped his daughter after that play this isn’t nearly the story that it is.
[quote name=Aisle424]Probably Yellon.[/quote]
No way. Yellon knows that all of the Bartman hate was instigated and directed by the national media. You couldn’t see it in the video but the real Cubs fans there were laying rose petals before him.
Does Yellon really think that?
[quote name=mb21]It’s really hard to root for this team when you think about how poorly he’s been treated.
I’m surprised Alou hasn’t gotten more shit than he has. If he doesn’t act like someone just raped his daughter after that play this isn’t nearly the story that it is.[/quote]
I don’t know. That didn’t help, but I think Bartman was pretty fucked the moment that ball touched his hand.
I’d really love to meet the guy just so he knows that not every Cubs fan is a moron. He was sent presents by people living in Florida and he donated them to JDRF. He has declined every opportunity to make even a little money off the incident (which, at this point, if people are going to treat him like a terrorist, he might as well get paid for it), and he has turned down every opportunity.
This is certainly a guy that needs to be criticized by fat fucks on their couches.
[quote name=mb21]Does Yellon really think that?[/quote]
I’m exaggerating, but I suspect that if you ask him it’s ESPN that made Bartman’s life a living hell and not Chicagoans.
I’d love to talk with the guy, too, 424.
[quote name=mb21]I’d love to talk with the guy, too, 424.[/quote]
I’d love to buy him a beer, if I were Bartman I’d rather just get a letter or something. Though who knows how he screens those.
What’s really disturbing is the amount of hate Cubs fans still have for the guy. It’s been 8 fucking years. If the Cubs had won that game, the series and the World Series, there life would have changed in exactly zero ways. It’s unbelievable.
[quote name=Berselius]I’d love to buy him a beer, if I were Bartman I’d rather just get a letter or something. Though who knows how he screens those.[/quote]I hope he doesn’t read them. Most people in his shoes would have ended their lives long ago. What a shitty, shitty thing for a large group of people to do to one person.
[quote name=mb21]What’s really disturbing is the amount of hate Cubs fans still have for the guy. It’s been 8 fucking years. If the Cubs had won that game, the series and the World Series, there life would have changed in exactly zero ways. It’s unbelievable.[/quote]
I think most Cubs fans have forgiven him mb. The problem is now more that he’s a national punchline.
I asked about it over on BTI last year and between all of the SDJSM douchebaggery almost everyone was over it.
http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2010/2/7/1299681/poll-should-bartman-return
[quote name=mb21]What’s really disturbing is the amount of hate Cubs fans still have for the guy. It’s been 8 fucking years. If the Cubs had won that game, the series and the World Series, there life would have changed in exactly zero ways. It’s unbelievable.[/quote]But the Chicago Cubs have the greatest fans. IT’S IN THE SONG.
[quote name=Berselius]I think most Cubs fans have forgiven him mb. The problem is now more that he’s a national punchline.[/quote]
I’d agree with this. The initial hysteria was all fueled by Chicagoans (with Jay Mariotti not helping anything), but eventually most people agree that the incident probably didn’t change the game and blame Gonzalez, Dusty, Prior, etc.
Now the national media won’t shut the fuck up about it like we all still go out at night in mobs looking for the guy.
[quote name=Berselius]I think most Cubs fans have forgiven him mb. The problem is now more that he’s a national punchline.[/quote]
right, which is why I don’t think I’ll watch the documentary, no matter it’s just focus. no need to feed the beast.
[quote name=Aisle424]I’d agree with this. The initial hysteria was all fueled by Chicagoans (with Jay Mariotti not helping anything), but eventually most people agree that the incident probably didn’t change the game and blame Gonzalez, Dusty, Prior, etc..[/quote]
Eh, I don’t blame anyone at this point. As Santo always said, That’s Baseball
Matt Stairs ——-> Retirement
chirinos 2-2 w/ a walk and a hr tonight
[quote name=Berselius]Matt Stairs ——-> Retirement[/quote]
Good luck to you, Matt Stairs.
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/multimedia/vpp.jsp?content_id=17600597
Towering oppo shot
[quote name=Berselius]Eh, I don’t blame anyone at this point. As Santo always said, That’s Baseball[/quote]
I blame Dusty as I have since that night. I should have asked him why he didn’t go out there when I had the chance, but I wussed out.
[quote name=Aisle424]I blame Dusty as I have since that night. I should have asked him why he didn’t go out there when I had the chance, but I wussed out.[/quote]
If you’re going to get annoyed at Dusty for anything, it’s for leaving Prior in to pitch 231 pitches with a huge lead in game two (dying laughing)
[quote name=Berselius]If you’re going to get annoyed at Dusty for anything, it’s for leaving Prior in to pitch 231 pitches with a huge lead in game two (dying laughing)[/quote]
That’s part of it. Prior shouldn’t have pitched as much in Game 2, so he definitely should have had Farnsworth at least warming up to start the 8th when Prior was at 95 pitches.
Then he just fucking sat there until it was too late to do anything. All hell was breaking loose on the field and fucking Dusty sat there chewing on his toothpick.
Starlin Castro is good at sports.
Damn. Castro got all of that one
He hit it real hard.
Castro is a real streaky hitter
[quote name=bubblesdachimp](Insert name of baseball player) is a real streaky hitter[/quote]Fixed for variance. (dying laughing)
On WSCR today, Boers & Bernstein talked about that quote from Forbes that was linked to earlier (#39). To summarize: It was a story in Forbes that detailed how Ricketts had come up with a really good idea and left a great job with ABN AMRO to pursue it. (Something about the interwebs, aggregating supply and demand, corporate bonds, blah blah.)
OK, all good. But then Ricketts dickered over a pittance from some company over a minority share, and lost a lot of money in the meantime.
So B&B talked about it for a while and explored whether there’s a pattern here. Bernstein said, “Is this something he has done before? Yeah, kind of. He takes over a business, knows what he’s supposed to do, has the ideas to do it, and it just doesn’t happen.”
I think that might be flawed — it’s not that it didn’t happen, but it’s that it didn’t happen QUICKLY. That’s why I’m frustrated, because things seem to be happening slowly. That said, that’s also why I’m optimistic — because I’m guessing that Ricketts put it together eventually and made a shitload of money. So there’s hope that he’ll figure it out, yes?
Yes?
PS: Bernstein has some crazy eyes going on in this picture, doesn’t he?
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Fixed for variance. (dying laughing)[/quote]
i guess what i was getting at was that it seems like castro will go on these weird streaks of 20 hits in a week and then other streaks of 5 hits in 2 weeks
B-Jax 2-3 with 2 singles and he gunned somone at third
[quote name=bubblesdachimp]i guess what i was getting at was that it seems like castro will go on these weird streaks of 20 hits in a week and then other streaks of 5 hits in 2 weeks[/quote]I think most players are that way. At least that’s the way it seemed when I played fantasy baseball.
[quote name=bubblesdachimp]B-Jax 2-3 with 2 singles and he gunned somone at third[/quote]
How many K’s?
Here comes the blown save for garza
[quote name=Steve Swisher]How many K’s?[/quote]
Zero. Shut you right up.
Naturally he’ll K in his next AB to shut me right up.
Derrek Lee on first after one of the worst blown strike calls I have literally ever seen. One on, no out.
That bunt was unexpected. Game theory!
[quote name=Steve Swisher]How many K’s?[/quote]
0 as of press time
Look at pitch 5. Bob Davidson fucking sucks.
[quote name=PFD][http://i52.tinypic.com/28ksw85.png
Look at pitch 5. Bob Davidson fucking sucks.[/quote]
Seriously. One of the worst calls I’ve ever seen.
7 straight sliders to alvarez….
9 straight.. Whats his deal. Does his fastball suck or something?
[quote name=bubblesdachimp]9 straight.. Whats his deal. Does his fastball suck or something?[/quote]
Even Ryan Theriot can hit his fastball.
/they stinks
Actually I forgot if it was a slider or a fastball that sent them into extras, but they still stinks.
[quote name=bubblesdachimp]9 straight.. Whats his deal. Does his fastball suck or something?[/quote]He can’t get it across for strikes lately.
Granted i havent watched that much of the cubs since they were 13-13 but it always seemed like when he was successful he threw the fastball more and then the slider was a mystery pitch… That no one saw coming…
Dont know if he is throwing the FB a lot less than last year.
Garza great again. I still am not a fan of the deal. But Garza is one of the better pitchers in baseball
Cubs win. Yay.
Poor Pirates.
I like the Garza trade more and more each time he pitches. I hated it at first, but now I’m just kind of meh about it. He’s really improved and is a very good pitcher.
[quote name=bubblesdachimp]Granted i havent watched that much of the cubs since they were 13-13 but it always seemed like when he was successful he threw the fastball more and then the slider was a mystery pitch… That no one saw coming…
Dont know if he is throwing the FB a lot less than last year.
Garza great again. I still am not a fan of the deal. But Garza is one of the better pitchers in baseball[/quote]That only works when he can get the fastball across for strikes, but when he can’t control the FB, he’s in trouble.
[quote name=mb21]I like the Garza trade more and more each time he pitches. I hated it at first, but now I’m just kind of meh about it. He’s really improved and is a very good pitcher.[/quote]I still think it was a dumb deal for a team in the state that the Cubs are in, but Garza has been really, really good. Too bad he’ll be in decline by the time the Cubs contend. (dying laughing)
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Too bad everyone currently living will be dead the time the Cubs contend. (dying laughing)[/quote].
Anyway, congrats to Matt Garza for his first win in over a month. Turns out, all he had to do was hold the opposition to zero runs. Why didn’t he think of that before?
[quote name=mb21]I like the Garza trade more and more each time he pitches. I hated it at first, but now I’m just kind of meh about it. He’s really improved and is a very good pitcher.[/quote]
Agreed
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]That only works when he can get the fastball across for strikes, but when he can’t control the FB, he’s in trouble.[/quote]
I feel like he hasnt been walking many this year. Also it figures that i was at his worse start of the year.. I did make money when he struck out jayson werth though
[quote name=mb21]I like the Garza trade more and more each time he pitches. I hated it at first, but now I’m just kind of meh about it. He’s really improved and is a very good pitcher.[/quote]Too bad his hitting cancels out some of his value.
That said, Matt has easily been the Cubs’ best (and most watchable) pitcher this year. I always look forward to his turn in the rotation coming up.
[quote name=bubblesdachimp]I feel like he hasnt been walking many this year. Also it figures that i was at his worse start of the year.. I did make money when he struck out jayson werth though[/quote]When Marmol misses with his FB, he misses up, so the slider becomes useless and guys just sit on the FB. He gets really hittable.
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]When Marmol misses with his FB, he misses up, so the slider becomes useless and guys just sit on the FB. He gets really hittable.[/quote]
Oh you were talking bout marmol.. Yea i see what you are saying..
http://twitter.com/#!/cwyers/status/98937191576776704
Bjax walks with runners on 2nd and third against a lefty.. The k’s are alarming but i am still quite high on him
Wow the Reds just lost a series to the Astros. That has to be embarrassing.
http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=17625937
Ejected!
[quote name=Rice Cube]http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=17625937
Ejected![/quote]
I like Brenly. He brings the rants on occasion.. Aramis was giggling ont he way to the field too
New Pic of the Day: http://www.obstructedview.net/chicago-cubs/articles/ov-pic-of-the-day-derrick-lee-is-a-little-teapot.html