Brad at Cubs Stats and Tom Loxas at Cubs Den both put up interesting posts today discussing criticism (and merit thereof) of the Theo Epstein/Jed Hoyer era. They're both great reads, and were prompted by Notorious Douchebag Paul Sullivan's appearance on Chicago Tribune Live the other day. They made many good points about looking at the long term plan but my brain lasered in on this:
Sullivan claimed the Cubs pushed Carlos Zambrano too quickly out the door to appease media pressure and could have gotten more at this point for him.
Seriously, Paul Sullivan? This coming from the guy who has spent years sticking a knife in Zambrano's back? Just a few examples from over the years, lest we forget:
Paul Sullivan Has A Problem Pt Infinity
Paul Sullivan Has A Problem Part 10^100
Paul Sullivan Has a Problem Part 34259 x 10^79
Paul Sullivan Has a Problem Part 3472098
The Best of Paul Sullivan's Problems
Paul Sullivan Has a Problem Part 560731
Carlos Zambrano Cannot Win with the Media or the Fans
Paul Sullivan Has a Problem Part 6394
Paul Sullivan Has Another Problem
And those are just the ones with Z, let a long favorite whipping boy Milton Bradley. No one in the Cubs front office has done as much to damage Carlos Zambrano's value as Paul Sullivan.
I agree with Brad here and it’s one of the reasons why I eventually backed out of having that half glass empty Theo article posted elsewhere. I wasn’t going to look at the transactions and evaluate them a month and a half into the season. Pointless.
There’s plenty to complain about Theo without even touching his time with the Cubs. If Sully wants to do that then great, but he’s not interested in taking a look at Theo’s moves in the past. Sully is an idiot.
It’s too bad you guys missed an opportunity to use Avogadro’s number
I very much disagree with Brad when it comes to Volstad. He sucks. He’s a bit better than replacement, but that’s about it. I also disagree about Bowden. The guy had trouble staying healthy in the rotation in the minor leagues so the Red Sox moved him to the bullpen. He stayed healthy for the first time in several years. I don’t see the Cubs taking a chance on that knowing they already moved him to the bullpen because of an injury history.
mb21 wrote:
I’m that guy that always shows up at the end of a g0od conversation, asking what are you guys talking about? But everyone is done and walks away. (dying laughing)
@ mb21:
Maybe they felt like whatever was left of Byrd’s contract was surplus since he’d already paid for it with his play over the first two years and just said “whatever”…
berselius, where was the initial Paul Sullivan has a problem post? What about the one where I flat out call him racist that caused him to bring it up at Cubs Con?
@ mb21:
Yeah, Bowden’s ceiling at this point is as a middle reliever, and one on the back end of the bench at that. I think he’s pitched something like 3 innings since coming over here which also says something about what the team thinks of his abilities right now (dying laughing).
Volstad has been awful but frustrating because his peripherals still look good (dying laughing).
Fuck Paul Sullivan: http://www.dmick89.com/cubs/?p=589
@ mb21:
I just did a quick search on the old site, and only picked the ones that specifically had to do with Z
Paul Sullivan Has a Problem Part 2: http://www.dmick89.com/cubs/?p=595
@ mb21:
Must have missed that one, oops
Paul Sullivan Has a Problem: http://www.dmick89.com/cubs/?p=839
It’s all About the Story: http://www.dmick89.com/cubs/?p=838
That’s right. I never called him a racist. He said I did. Fuck that asshole.
mb21 wrote:
Hilarious. Good luck with your blog.
Paul Sullivan is a Liar: http://dmick89.com/cubs/joomla/index.php/component/content/article/24-chicago-cubs/articles/135-paul-sullivan-is-a-liar
Paul Sullivan Has a problem: Derrek Lee agrees edition: http://dmick89.com/cubs/joomla/index.php/component/content/article/24-chicago-cubs/articles/208-paul-sullivan-has-a-problem-derrek-lee-agrees-edition
Is Paul Sullivan Retarded: http://dmick89.com/cubs/joomla/index.php/component/content/article/24-chicago-cubs/articles/244-is-paul-sullivan-retarded
Dumb question
ACB/OV vs. Paul Sullivan is like if Tyson fought an infant.
/Grandma’s Boy
ACB, Racism and Paul Sullivan: http://dmick89.com/cubs/joomla/index.php/component/content/article/24-chicago-cubs/articles/87-acb-racism-and-paul-sullivan
The links in the article no longer work, but I went back and looked at all of our archives
The Best of Paul Sullivan’s Problems: http://dmick89.com/cubs/joomla/index.php/component/content/article/24-chicago-cubs/articles/85-the-best-of-paul-sullivans-problems
Paul Sullivan Has A (Spelling) Problem: http://dmick89.com/cubs/joomla/index.php/component/content/article/24-chicago-cubs/articles/60-paul-sullivan-has-a-spelling-problem
(dying laughing)
@ Berselius:
I’m glad you did because I got to go through the archives and find all that shit. Now I can read it sometime later today. I know MO wrote several of those articles. The authors didn’t carry over when I moved them away from their original site.
@ Suburban kid:
(dying laughing)
@ mb21:
MO had some great insults.
I don’t get why Brad is plugging that “De-Lucker” thing. Wouldn’t it just make more sense to look at the player’s projection (for instance, Ian Stewart’s projection isn’t pretty)?
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/05/sveum-dempster-talk-about-potential-moves.html
@ ACT:
Yeah. It’s interesting in a “what should have happened” sense but projections are much more useful for what should happen next
I just saw a nerdy looking girl wearing a Talk Nerdy to Me t-shirt, but the guy she was with did not look like a nerd. I guess that explains the shirt.
He left the field of play so that’s a home run.
@ mb21:
(dying laughing) @ myself. Great catch though.
@ mb21:
I’ve always had confusion with that rule. If he catches it and crashes over the fence, isn’t the ball ruled out of play?
@ Rice Cube:
I noted that the ump signaled homer before he ruled the out.
@ Rice Cube:
Chip Caray says both calls are correct.
Klaw says rule 605(c) makes it an out, not a hr
Mather batting 3rd again *facepalm*
I’m amazed Sullivan still has a job. He doesn’t have a shred of journalistic integrity. His prose is tepid, at best. The majority of his “columns” are poorly-crafted, pithy one-liners that string together quotes that he truncates to fit whatever overarching narrative he’s decided to spin out in a given season. He lies. Most of players dislike him. He provokes clubhouse strife. The best source he’s cultivated is a random Starbucks customer. Need I go on about this pint-sized piece of grabasstic filth?
@ Rice Cube:
I think if the fielder goes over the outfield fence to catch the ball it’s a home run, but he can leave the stands before that. See this play:
Download | Convert YouTube to MP3
I’m not sure you could go jump 3 rows into the stands and catch it, but Jeter caught it before diving.
@ Berselius22:
Hey, we’re trying to win games here.
(dying laughing), the RIAA says LimeWire owes them $72 trillion. The estimated wealth of the entire globe is $60 trillion. Methinks the RIAA is fucking full of shit.
@ Berselius22:
Hey, he’s hitting .293/.379/.517.
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
(dying laughing) I don’t think that’s true, but it’s still funny http://blogs.computerworld.com/20224/the_non_story_about_the_riaa_seeking_72_trillion_from_limewire_it_did_not
@ ACT:
In 66 PA.
@ mb21:
Wow, that’s a crazy story.
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
But his BABIP is only .318! He’s only been a little lucky!
@ ACT:
Fight the Hope Monster!
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
The RIAA can go F%$K themselves. Another example of politicians giving into big business and lobbyists who line their pockets.
I haven’t used Limewire in about a decade. I didn’t even know it was still around. All I ended up getting from that piece of shit place was viruses.
@ pinetar:
It’s not a true story. It would be insane if it was. They can still go fuck themselves though.
I think I’m going to sue somebody for $70 trillion just for fun. I think I’ll sue Al.
@ mb21:
Al probably only has $60 trillion though, as he has to bring his own bologna sandwiches to the ballpark.
@ Rice Cube:
He’ll have to write me an IOU for the other $10 trillion then.
@ mb21:
The RIAA forced Captain Crawl to shutdown. Worthless money grubbing SOB’s trying to influence the entire internet. Them and the MPAA were the ones behind SOPA & PIPA and about every other piece of legislation of monitoring the internet.
@ pinetar:
The RIAA are just smarting from having their price-gouging scheme with CDs be circumvented with advent of digital media, so they’re yanking the chains of their pets in Congress.
@ Berselius22:
I posted a pic yesterday for when that happened…let’s see if it works here:
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Exactly, and they refuse to do business in the 21st century. I wish every artist would bypass them and they would eventually go by the wayside.
@ pinetar:
Agreed.
@ Rice Cube:
Always bet on bunt.
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
It was more a metaphor of how the Cubs choose their #3 hitter.
@ Rice Cube:
I’m not sure the two strategies are so dissimilar.
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
The bunt is more of a coin flip.
Baez –> Peoria?
Baez—–>Peoria
@ Rice Cube:
@ Berselius22:
So it has been written. So it shall be done.
The Mexican rf,
The Cuban ss,
The Beaver cf,
The Frenchman 1b,
Gimpy McSucktard lf,
The Grimey Scotsman 3b,
Charles Darwin Barney Miller 2b,
The Hawaiian c,
The Obscure Irishman p
http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/05/25/curt-schillings-company-told-employees-it-was-selling-their-homes-didnt/
So Mish has a cat:
Heath Bell just “earned” another ninth-inning hold.
6 national blackouts for MLB tonight. 6 prime time games are blacked for the entire fucking country. What other sport goes to such lengths to ensure people cannot consume their product?
@ ACT:
I strongly dislike that Rod Beck wannabe
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
I think the blackouts are silly, but they really don’t bother me that much. The Cubs play 162 games and I can watch at least 150 of them of them if I want to. 150 2012 Cubs games? (dying laughing)
@ mb21:
Yeah, I get that. It just strikes me as really odd behavior by a group of people who constantly cry poor, i.e. the MLB Owners Cabal.
Come on, Cubs. If you can’t do some damage against Kevin goddamn Correia, you don’t belong in the bigs.
@ ACT:
Is Correia especially susceptible to the bunt?
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
I do think baseball is different from the other sports. They play every single day for the most part. I find it hard t believe the NFL would have every single game on if they played that frequently. Obviously they couldn’t because of how physical the game is, but you know what I’m saying. Like I said, it’s just not something I care about. I understand that others do and it affects others in different ways. I’d have to be a miserable son of a bitch to sit and watch 150 Cubs games this year. (dying laughing)
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
The Cubs’ bunting frequency has been about average this year, I think. They’ve had slightly fewer than the league average in successful sac hits, anyway.
Both pairs of Cubs announcers say they would rather have great pitching than great hitting/offense. That makes no sense to me. Pitching is well less than half the game.
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Apparently, yes.
If only Paul Maholm were faster.
@ Rice Cube:
And knew how to slide.
Son of a damn bitch! They’re showing the Cards on Fox instead of the Cubs.
I can see their point, but, still pisses me off.
Cubs lose.
2 runs is 2 more than the Cubs can be expected to score.
I’m shocked to check the box score and find the Cubs are losing. Just shocked!
@ josh:
the good news is that I learned from Joe Buck that St. Louis has a lot of Cardinals fans. Never knew that. Thanks to Joe, I do. I thought they had a lot of Astros fans. Learn something every day.
Soriano doesn’t like shutouts.
@ mb21:
IN St. Louis? Is he sure??
@ josh:
He seemed sure. I’ll take his word on it. I don’t know why I was thinking St. Louis was filled with Astros fans. Silly me. If it weren’t for Joe Buck, I’d have thought that the rest of my life.
(dying laughing) @ Cubs
Almost a game-tying TOOTBLAN but the Pirates really wanted him to score that run (dying laughing)
It’s tied. I’ll stop paying attention and consider this a victory.
McCutchen is having a nice year. Too bad the rest of his team sucks.
Andrew McCutchen is good at sports.
@ Rice Cube:
I remember a couple years ago, when they traded McLouth to Atlanta, Ron Santo was livid. McLouth was the guy you built your team around, he said. But it was obvious now that McLouth was blocking a much better player.
So, no instant replay on Gameday when the game is on Fox? And I don’t get to watch it on TV because my stupid town is filled with rednecks? Baseball fail all around.
Correia has 1 strikeout through 5 innings: the opposing pitcher. Typical.
@ josh:
MLB does not want you to watch baseball.
FOX’s CF camera is almost straight on, different from just about every other pitcher’s perspective camera I’ve experienced. Or maybe that’s just how PNC Park positions their camera well.
TOOTBLAN!
Oy. Aggressive baserunning!
TOOTBLAN
Ugh.
Were those 85 mph curveballs Lincoln was throwing?
Maybe the gun was hot; FG says his curve averages just under 83. Still extremely fast, though.
@ ACT:
Gameday had them 84-86.
Is this a joke by Carrie Muskat (as in Prior gave up the 4 hits) or is this literally true?
@ josh:
It’s true. His first 4 hits of 2002 were doubles. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?id=priorma01&t=b&year=2002
That 2003 Cubs pitching staff, in addition to being awesome at pitching, was really good at hitting (relatively speaking, of course).
Castro has been pissed off the last couple of fails. I think he’s pressing, trying to be the hero.
@ josh:
He’s gotta be strong
And he’s gotta be fast
And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight
LaHair is in a nasty funk the last couple weeks: 42 PA, 14 K, 5 BB, 6 H, .586 OPS
Holy FAILpen
Big K for Dolis there.
According to Gameday, Dolis threw three four strikes, one was called. Sinker ballers don’t get strike calls. God damn I’ll be happy when they just let a machine call balls/strikes. Umpire bias sucks.
Forcing a wild guy to throw strikes (dying laughing)
Well played, Pittsburgh.
Walking in the final run would be a fitting end to this game.
(dying laughing) x 2 or 288
I literally (dying laughing)
Perfect.
Dolis sucks.
@ josh:
It’s as if Marmol never went on the DL.
Did Dolis just hit the wining run in (dying laughing)
Just watched the Awake finale. Very good.
@ mb21:
He struck out Andrew McCutchen, though!
@ ACT:
At least Marmol can strike a batter out.
This team is a soggy shit sandwich.
Not just bad hitting and bad relief pitching, but bad sends and baserunning, too. Top to bottom. I guess their defense has looked better than it did last year? I haven’t been as face-palming about the defense. Maybe it’s just because everything else is so bad by comparison.
@ josh:
Their DER is second in the league. They were in last place in 2011.
New recap: http://www.obstructedview.net/chicago-cubs/cubs-post-game-recap-by-spinal-tap-this-goes-to-11.html
These go to 11 (dying laughing)