Last year over at Aisle 424, I decided that grading players on a scale of objectivity was ultimately dumb and subjective. But since it’s like a blog law that you have to do something like that at the All-Star break, I developed my Yin and Yang system wherein I say one good thing and one bad thing about every player. Since I’m lacking in creativity these days, I’m going to do it again this year.
Jeff Baker
Good: He’s been pretty much killing lefties at a .380/.397/.535/.932 clip in 73 plate appearances.
Bad: He’s been given almost as many PAs against righties (65) where he hits .222/.246/.302/.548, which is worse than Tony Campana.
Darwin Barney
Good: He’s surprised most of us by batting .362 with runners in scoring position and sparing us from a DeWitt/Baker platoon that isn’t interesting to anybody.
Bad: He is not good at taking walks. He has a 3.2% BB% which is worse than anyone on the team who qualifies for the batting title. Castro is next at 4.0%.
Marlon Byrd
Good: His broken face didn’t cost him the season.
Bad: He is steadfastly refusing to take walks this year (I already sense a theme with this team). His career high K/BB was 3.16 last year. This year it is 4.78. Yuck.
Tony Campana
Good: He’s really, really fast.
Bad: Everything else about him.
Welington Castillo
Good: It amuses us to call him Beef Castle.
Bad: The only good thing that I could come up with was about his nickname.
Starlin Castro
Good: He’s a pretty darn good hitter and it is fun watching him make plays on balls in the hole that Theriot would have just flopped after in an effort to get his uniform dirty.
Bad: He’s still very raw and neither his defense or patience seems to be improving with age.
Tyler Colvin
Good: He has not been stabbed in the chest with a baseball bat this year.
Bad: He doesn’t have a convenient excuse of being stabbed in the chest to fall back on to explain his fall back to irrelevance.
Blake DeWitt
Good: He seems willing to play all over the field to give Quade multiple options
Bad: All of the options involve him bringing a .655 OPS to the plate with him.
Kosuke Fukudome
Good: He is sporting a .379 on-base percentage, which is best on the team.
Bad: His slugging percentage is .372, which is lowest on the team among qualified batters.
Koyie Hill
Good: I don’t know…. he hasn’t killed anyone. Is that good enough?
Bad: That I even have to include him in this run-down at all.
Reed Johnson
Good: Everything he’s touched so far this year.
Bad: He’s not Brett Jackson.
D. J. LeMahieu
Good: He went to LSU, played in the middle infield, and achieved normal human height.
Bad: The height hasn’t seemed to help his baseball skills much.
Lou Montanez
Good: The Cubs got to call up one of their first round draft picks.
Bad: He was drafted when Bill Clinton was President.
Carlos Pena
Good: He has really been hitting a ton of homeruns lately.
Bad: Carlos Zambrano has a higher OPS this year. (Zambrano .822, Pena .801)
Aramis Ramirez
Good: He’s not dead yet.
Bad: He will be in a moment.
Brad Snyder
Good: He has a career 1.000 fielding percentage.
Bad: We may never have need to refer to him as Brad Fucking Snyder ever again because he got released.
Alfonso Soriano
Good: He hit 10 homeruns in April and posted a .619 slugging percentage.
Bad: Since then he’s slugging .402.
Geovany Soto
Good: He plays enough to keep Koyie Hill sightings to a minimum.
Bad: There is not as much difference between him and Hill as we would like.
Too much yang, not enough yin!
This was cool:
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=16859393&topic_id=20159458
This is how I imagine Patrick Wilils acting all the time.
Those are both pretty high slugging % (dying laughing)
[quote name=jtsunami]Those are both pretty high slugging % (dying laughing)[/quote]
Yeah, it should be OPS. (dying laughing)
I need to fire our editor.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/allstar11/news/story?id=6759862
wow
[quote name=ACT]http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/allstar11/news/story?id=6759862
wow[/quote]
http://www.sportsauthority.com/product/index.jsp?productId=10930147&mr:trackingCode=CFDF45C5-1B5B-E011-BB8E-001B21631C34&mr:referralID=NA
You guys are never going to guess which former Cub second baseman is bloviating about the honor of The Game in the Trib today.
[quote name=Jame Gumb]http://www.sportsauthority.com/product/index.jsp?productId=10930147&mr:trackingCode=CFDF45C5-1B5B-E011-BB8E-001B21631C34&mr:referralID=NA[/quote]
He was trying to save himself $20. This is a tough economy.
[quote name=GBTS]You guys are never going to guess which former Cub second baseman is bloviating about the honor of The Game in the Trib today.[/quote]
Augie Ojeda?
I love arguing about why Ryan Flaherty and Blake DeWitt are not similar or “versions” of each other.
[quote name=Aisle424]He was trying to save himself $20. This is a tough economy.[/quote]
One’s life is worth more than $20. Maybe he didn’t want to pay the $5.99 shipping.
I haven’t seen the clip, was he at least near the pool?
[quote name=GBTS]You guys are never going to guess which former Cub second baseman is bloviating about the honor of The Game in the Trib today.[/quote]
I couldn’t even finish the story. Sandberg has to be a NIGHTMARE of a grandpa.
“Sure you can see this old bat of mine, but first, let me tell you a story about respect…”
CarrieMuskat Carrie Muskat
It’s official: Brett Jackson, Ryan Flaherty to Iowa; Jae-Hoon Ha to Tenn; Matt Szczur to Daytona. #Cubs
[quote name=Xoomwaffle]CarrieMuskat Carrie Muskat
It’s official: Brett Jackson, Ryan Flaherty to Iowa; Jae-Hoon Ha to Tenn; Matt Szczur to Daytona. #Cubs[/quote]
Woohoo.
Don’t smell like shit.
[quote name=Rice Cube]Woohoo.[/quote]
I hope this reeks of things to come (moving at least one outfielder and one utility guys).
I also wish Daytona were more exciting. I liked going to their games last year, but this team, outside of a couple of guys, is just about as interesting as the major league club.
Still somewhat surprised they called BJax up when he was in a slump. I’m sure he’s playing good defense though. I hear that AA is more of a pitcher’s league whereas AAA is a hitter’s league so maybe it’s a good way to build confidence.
Kenny, when does East Bound & Down start? And why is this the last season?
[quote name=Rice Cube]Still somewhat surprised they called BJax up when he was in a slump. I’m sure he’s playing good defense though. I hear that AA is more of a pitcher’s league whereas AAA is a hitter’s league so maybe it’s a good way to build confidence.[/quote]He’s not really in a slump anymore. He had a bad weekend, but before that he was hitting fine.
[quote name=Rice Cube]Still somewhat surprised they called BJax up when he was in a slump. I’m sure he’s playing good defense though. I hear that AA is more of a pitcher’s league whereas AAA is a hitter’s league so maybe it’s a good way to build confidence.[/quote]
It actually makes me happy that they would call him up in a slump. It shows that small sample size isn’t driving all of their decisions. He’s been good enough to play AAA for a while it seems. Maybe they just thought everyone else was ready at this time too.
Just got a new job offer, fuckfaces.
[quote name=Aisle424]Yeah, it should be OPS. (dying laughing)
I need to fire our editor.[/quote]
[quote name=jtsunami]Just got a new job offer, fuckfaces.[/quote]
Discredited blog editor?
[quote name=Jame Gumb]One’s life is worth more than $20. Maybe he didn’t want to pay the $5.99 shipping.[/quote]
That’s what made the risk worth it. He’d only caught 3 so far. He needed that one.
[quote name=Xoomwaffle]Discredited blog editor?[/quote]Correct.
[quote name=jtsunami]Just got a new job offer, fuckfaces.[/quote]I don’t think Al Yellon soliciting you for sex in the men’s room qualifies as a job offer. Amiright?
[quote name=mb21]I don’t think Al Yellon soliciting you for sex in the men’s room qualifies as a job offer. Amiright?[/quote]
It’s more temporary employment than anything permanent.
[quote name=Mish]It’s more temporary employment than anything permanent.[/quote]Contract to hire.
[quote name=mb21]I don’t think Al Yellon soliciting you for sex in the men’s room qualifies as a job offer. Amiright?[/quote]
Where has Dick Cheese been, anyway?
[quote name=Jame Gumb]
[/quote]That’s how I want swat teams entering homes.
[quote name=Aisle424]Where has Dick Cheese been, anyway?[/quote]I don’t know. I’ve wondered for awhile if Dick Cheese wasn’t someone we know just fucking around. I can’t remember if I looked into that on ACB or not.
I like JG’s signature on the bottom right. That’s art right there.
[quote name=mb21]I don’t know. I’ve wondered for awhile if Dick Cheese wasn’t someone we know just fucking around. I can’t remember if I looked into that on ACB or not.[/quote]
It wasn’t me.
[quote name=jtsunami]I like JG’s signature on the bottom right. That’s art right there.[/quote]
I added that when I started seeing my gifs being posted all over the Internet as other people’s work.
Well now I can’t find it, but some guy was posting all my shit on myspace or something right before the RRS. Dickhead.
[quote name=Jame Gumb]Well now I can’t find it, but some guy was posting all my shit on myspace or something right before the RRS. Dickhead.[/quote]
Sorry about that.
[quote name=Jame Gumb]Well now I can’t find it, but some guy was posting all my shit on myspace or something right before the RRS. Dickhead.[/quote]
What is this “myspace” you speak of?
[quote name=Mish]Sorry about that.[/quote]
Were you too busy playing with turtle dicks to cite them?
[quote name=Aisle424]What is this “myspace” you speak of?[/quote]
A place for fagets.
[quote name=mb21]I don’t know. I’ve wondered for awhile if Dick Cheese wasn’t someone we know just fucking around. I can’t remember if I looked into that on ACB or not.[/quote]
The Dick Cheese posts are coming from INSIDE THE BLOG!!!
[quote name=GBTS]You guys are never going to guess which former Cub second baseman is bloviating about the honor of The Game in the Trib today.[/quote]Back in Sandberg’s day, players used to walk to the all-star game. Through 15 feet of snow.
MySpace should have a macro as (dying laughing)
Be excited about Bryce Treggs, RC.
Fuck Mac Brown and the Longhorn he rode in on.
[quote name=Jame Gumb]Be excited about Bryce Treggs, RC.[/quote]
http://espn.go.com/blog/pac12/post/_/id/23021/pac-12-recruiting-update
Sweet. Now we just need a quarterback.
[quote name=jtsunami]Fuck Mac Brown and the he rode in on.[/quote]
http://www.macbrownracing.com/
I hate cyclists too.
[quote name=Jame Gumb]It wasn’t me.[/quote]I knew that.
KG
Dae-Eun Rhee, LHP, Cubs (High-A Dayton): 7 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 7 K. Korean lefty has been flashing signs of pre-Tommy John form; Solid fastball, plus changeup.
didn’t rhee used to have a nice split finger fastball?
[quote name=dylanj]didn’t rhee used to have a nice split finger fastball?[/quote]
JG I can’t see your GIFs on my android, I propose you place each frame in a separate comment from now on.
Poor JG:
http://reason.com/blog/2011/07/12/we-can-sell-our-beer-in-texas
[quote name=Mish]Poor JG:
http://reason.com/blog/2011/07/12/we-can-sell-our-beer-in-texas/quote
I don’t need that faget site.
[quote name=GBTS]JG I can’t see your GIFs on my android, I propose you place each frame in a separate comment from now on.[/quote]
Sure thing.
[quote name=ACT]Back in Sandberg’s day, players used to walk to the all-star game. Through 15 feet of snow.[/quote]I like how he both rips players who choose not to go, and also says the game lost honor when the starters only played for a few innings.
So essentially Ryno thinks Aramis should go to the All-Star game to not play. (dying laughing)
This is a pretty strange gif you’re posting.
That was the first gif.
FanGraphs doing it’s early Top 50 Trade Value guys; Castro at 46:
http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2011/7/11/2270342/do-you-listen-to-the-yankees-when-they-come-calling#71707412
Only Alvin would suggest trading for Jesus Montero is bad while signing Scott Kazmir is good.
[quote name=GBTS]This is a pretty strange gif you’re posting.[/quote]
They bought their tickets. They knew what they were getting into. I say…
Let ‘em crash.
[quote name=Jame Gumb]http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2011/7/11/2270342/do-you-listen-to-the-yankees-when-they-come-calling#71707412
Only Alvin would suggest trading for Jesus Montero is bad while signing Scott Kazmir is good.[/quote]
(dying laughing)
[quote name=Mish](dying inside)[/quote]
Al makes my heart and brain weep.
The truth hurts…and will set you free.
RBI > OBP
Not scoring runs while getting on base 40% of the time is definitely Kosuke’s fault.
Bruce Levine —> doesn’t get paid for his opinions.
[quote name=jtsunami]Bruce Levine —> doesn’t get paid for his opinions.[/quote]
Or so they would have you believe.
[quote name=GBTS]Not scoring runs while getting on base 40% of the time is definitely Kosuke’s fault.[/quote]
Kosuke isn’t fast enough to take second base every time he draws a walk.
Is there a reason why Daytona played 2 7-inning games yesterday? Do they always do that for double headers?
Yeah, doubleheaders are 7 innings in the minors.
Kyler Burke (former OF): 4 IP (in relief), 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
[quote name=mb21]Yeah, doubleheaders are 7 innings in the minors.[/quote]Trey McNutt might be able to pitch half a game if he started in a double header. (dying laughing)
Jeffrey Baez, the only player to really follow at DSL1, is now on the DSL2 squad with the other good players (Candelario, Penalver)
To be fair, I think “platoon player” is a pretty apt description of Kosuke. I actually like the Johnson/Fukudome platoon in RF and leadoff that Quade has settled into, as both have good OBP numbers (career-wise) against opposite-hand pitching.
[quote name=ACT]To be fair, I think “platoon player” is a pretty apt description of Kosuke. I actually like the Johnson/Fukudome platoon in RF and leadoff that Quade has settled into, as both have good OBP numbers (career-wise) against opposite-hand pitching.[/quote]
I was okay with the platoon player part, and it’s true that he’s been unproductive relative to what people perceive of his contract, but the rest of Levine’s response was just so mindnumbingly stupid.
[quote name=Rice Cube]but the rest of Levine’s response was just a Levine response.[/quote].
^^^ should say turtle dicks
[quote name=Mish].[/quote]
While that is a bit redundant it also tells us what we need to know about Levine… (dying laughing)
[quote name=Jame Gumb]
[/quote]
Hard to believe that comment didn’t work with ‘Cuddles18778′ on Club Penguin.
Trade scenario I saw on a forum that makes too much sense:
Marlon Byrd, Aramis Ramirez to CWS for Dayan Viciedo + garbage
White Sox get upgrades at 3B and LF for a push this year and next. Kenny Williams loves trading prospects.
Cubs clear CF for BJax, get an excellent OF spec in Viciedo. Then you flip Fukudome and put Viciedo in RF. Defensively, it would be bad, but idk how much worse it could be (dying laughing)
Flaherty or DJ fill in 3B
[quote name=jtsunami]
Then you flip Fukudome for Nolasco and put Viciedo in RF. [/quote]
It just might work.
http://www.isadancewithdragonsoutyet.com/
and…it’s wrong
[quote name=Jame Gumb]
[/quote]I see Al has remodeled BCB. Good for him.
[quote name=WenningtonsGorillaCock]http://www.isadancewithdragonsoutyet.com/
and…it’s wrong[/quote]Wrong. It is on my doorstep. I just need to finish AFFC first.
[quote name=jtsunami]Trade scenario I saw on a forum that makes too much sense:
Marlon Byrd, Aramis Ramirez to CWS for Dayan Viciedo + garbage
White Sox get upgrades at 3B and LF for a push this year and next. Kenny Williams loves trading prospects.
Cubs clear CF for BJax, get an excellent OF spec in Viciedo. Then you flip Fukudome and put Viciedo in RF. Defensively, it would be bad, but idk how much worse it could be (dying laughing)
Flaherty or DJ fill in 3B[/quote]Where do I sign?
new shit: http://www.obstructedview.net/articles/general/obstructed-view-demographics-survey.html