Ten Myths About Obstructed View Debunked

My individual personality is what has made me so famous. I’m not going to lose it. (dying laughing)

[quote name=mb21]My individual personality is what has made me so famous. I’m not going to lose it. (dying laughing)[/quote]That’s exactly my opinion. (dying laughing)
My computer is as tired as I am. But I can finally comment.

When are we finally going to go live and I have to pretend like I care what people comment about?

It makes sense though since I deleted all of the comments on the payroll page.

[quote name=AndCounting]Alright guys, I’m out for awhile. I’ll miss you.[/quote]I’ll try not to delete anything else while you’re gone.

I should be banned for not recognizing humor.

[quote name=mb21]I should be banned for not recognizing humor.[/quote]
This is the worst thing to every happen on this blog.

Finally! I’ve been crossing off the days on my Jack Benny calendar waiting for March 27th to arrive.

[quote name=Suburban Kid]Finally! I’ve been crossing off the days on my Jack Benny calendar waiting for March 27th to arrive.[/quote]A lot of people have been waiting for this day. We got hundreds of emails each day asking us to move the date up. They just couldn’t wait.

[quote name=Aisle424]This is the worst thing to every happen on this blog.[/quote]That’s impressive when you consider that this blog has been around for as long as it has been.

[quote name=mb21]A lot of people have been waiting for this day. We got hundreds of emails each day asking us to move the date up. They just couldn’t wait.[/quote]
Unfortunately, they all went insane with anticipation and killed themselves in a ceremony involving a misting station, so we still don’t have many readers.

[quote name=Suburban Kid]That would be hilarious if you guys got sued and shut down on your first day for using that MLB Opening Day logo up top. (dying laughing)[/quote]That’s our grand plan. This was really only going to be around for 2 days and then we were going to go back to our blogs. It’s like the dream season from Dallas.

I hope my financial aid application went through and I can comment here. That registration fee is brutal. Otherwise I’m going to have to get my dogs working the corners.

Silva release is officially official.

[quote name=Berselius]That would be very marketing-savvy of us. We need to associate ourselves with some of those recent shows.[/quote]I tried to find a Dallas image with four characters to use for the images we put together over the last few days, but there were just too many characters in that show.

[quote name=Recalcitrant Blogger Nate]Nice set-up! I did skip church for this, but I am wearing a quasi-papal outfit for the occasion.

(dying laughing)[/quote]
By skipping church for this blog, you are now allowed to eat dinner tonight (assuming you aren’t sent to hell first).

One thing we didn’t mention in the Welcome post (I have since) is that this site should be mobile friendly. It seems the four of us have iphones and it works fine for us, but I’m not sure about other devices. It should work though.

Jesus, I can’t believe how many of the Chicago media are reporting that the Cubs are eating 11.5 million in releasing Silva. They’re missing the 2 million 2012 buyout and the 5.5 million that Seattle is paying.

(dying laughing), via Yellon and Sullivan

According to Sullivan, the $ Seattle sent was used to sign Marlon Byrd. #Cubs are eating all of it (except for $2m 2011 buyout)

logic does not compute.

[quote name=Aisle424]The Hobbiton Gazette reported yesterday that contrary to what some people were saying, the Cubs are eating $11.5 million. I don’t know why there would be a negation of Seattle paying their portion of the deal or why the extra $2 million buyout is being ignored, but everyone seems to be going with it.[/quote]
Well, there’s the explanation of where Seattle’s money went.

(walks around. . checks shelves for dust. . . looks in fridge . . . flops on couch)

So . . what’s new?

[quote name=Aisle424]He’s just their best customer.[/quote]Apparently the Cubs like to screw their customers over by having sales. Personally, I never buy anything when it’s on sale. Take yesterday for example. I went to buy some jeans. One place had them for $29.99 and the other place for $34.99. Same jeans. I wasn’t about to pay $29.99.

[quote name=mb21]That can’t be real. Is he just trying to get people riled up? Paul does have a degree. I can’t imagine he’s actually having a difficult time comprehending this. Right?[/quote]Paul Sullivan is a stupid, spiteful little cretin that cares less for his craft than he does for his integrity–and that’s saying something.

[quote name=mb21]Apparently the Cubs like to screw their customers over by having sales. Personally, I never buy anything when it’s on sale. Take yesterday for example. I went to buy some jeans. One place had them for $29.99 and the other place for $34.99. Same jeans. I wasn’t about to pay $29.99.[/quote]You should’ve had made the place charging $29.99 raise their prices to $34.99 by explaining how much the lower prices were hurting you.

[quote name=Aisle424]Hey! Take your shoes off on the new couch! This how the last place turned into such a shithole.[/quote]Amusing, but wrong. Prove me wrong.

Has anyone talked about the Brewers trading Cutter Dykstra for Nyger Morgan? I think it’s a good pick up for the Brewers.

[quote name=melissa]Has anyone talked about the Brewers trading Cutter Dykstra for Nyger Morgan? I think it’s a good pick up for the Brewers.[/quote]
Clearly you don’t understand that this blog has shit to do with baseball.

[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Aren’t Morgan and Carlos Gomez kind of redundant? Wonder if the Brewers aren’t looking at platooning them.[/quote]
So they’re both fast above average fielding CFs who won’t hit for much power, right? That seems like the definition of a platoon from the Cubs’ dictionary.

I think Morgan is probably a little better at the plate than Gomez but I’m assuming they plan on platooning them. Gomez has been more hype than production so I think Morgan’s a good acquisition for them. If Marcum and Greinke are healthy I think they’ll win the division easily.

[quote name=Rice Cube]I like how this setup combines the best of the old commenting system with the artificial status conferred by faget point accrual.[/quote]
We call it the RC system.

[quote name=melissa]I think Morgan is probably a little better at the plate than Gomez but I’m assuming they plan on platooning them. Gomez has been more hype than production so I think Morgan’s a good acquisition for them. If Marcum and Greinke are healthy I think they’ll win the division easily.[/quote]
Ah, but you have left out the “The Cubs will win because they have to” variable in your equation.

wait a comment system that allows you to comment!?

+1

[quote name=Aisle424]The Hobbiton Gazette reported yesterday that contrary to what some people were saying, the Cubs are eating $11.5 million. I don’t know why there would be a negation of Seattle paying their portion of the deal or why the extra $2 million buyout is being ignored, but everyone seems to be going with it.[/quote]I’m pretty sure some of the money from Seattle also went to covering the hot dogs Todd threw in the trash. Add another $30 to the total the Cubs are eating on Silva. Double it if Silva wound up eating the hot dogs.

This is the best Cubs blog I have ever read.

[quote name=dylanj]so have I told anyone that I think the Cubs will win the division this year yet?[/quote]I hadn’t heard that. Is it something you’re telling a lot of people or just family and close friends?

Myth #6: Berselius is actually just MB21′s Fight Club alter ego.

I don’t know, I guess that’s possible.

I thought you weren’t supposed to talk about that.

Finally. I haven’t anticipated something this much since the last Twilight film.

[quote name=Manni Stats]It’s better to stay silent and be thought a fool than open your mouth and remove all doubt.[/quote]
I’m going to take a wait and see approach.

[quote name=Aisle424]I’m going to take a wait and see approach.[/quote]You and I don’t often agree.

First AT&T-Mobile and now this? What will it take for the FCC to grow a pair?

By the way, I was feeling good about the Cubs’ decision making for a change until I read MB’s post on platoons. Are they really platooning two LH-hitters? WTF?

[quote name=shawndgoldman]By the way, I was feeling good about the Cubs’ decision making for a change until I read MB’s post on platoons. Are they really platooning two LH-hitters? WTF?[/quote]They’re platooning two LHB in RF, and possibly platooning two RHB at 2B. Bizarre. As MB noted, at least Colvin and Fukudome have reverse-ish platoon splits for their careers, but that doesn’t do much to mitigate the fact that Hendry and Quade have built a roster that has Koyie Hill and Reed Johnson on it, and that employs to same-handed platoons. That’s pretty sad.

[quote name=Rice Cube]Yeah…the smarter thing to do, methunk, was to platoon Soriano and Colvin in LF. But you know how it is…[/quote]This is really the move that needed to be made. Instead, I think we’re going to be treated to a lot of Reed Johnson late-inning defensive replacements in LF. Blech.

I also thought just based on naked eye observations that Colvin looked like crap in RF but was serviceable in CF and LF. Having him as one of the regular RF doesn’t seem all that wise to me.

[quote name=Keith]I’m kind of disappointed that there’s a link to Bleed Cubbie Blue in the sidebar.[/quote]
Why the hell aren’t I notified about these things?

[quote name=Keith]I’m kind of disappointed that there’s a link to Bleed Cubbie Blue in the sidebar.[/quote]

If someone new were to stumble into this place, they’d need to know where 9/10 of the meme’s come from.

[quote name=Recalcitrant Blogger Nate]If someone new were to stumble into this place, they’d need to know where 9/10 of the meme’s come from.[/quote]Correct.

[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Yeah, what I’ve seen of Colvin in RF is not encouraging. At least with Fukudome you get a plus glove out there.[/quote]
A bunch of Fukudome’s throws this spring have been off-line though. He can catch, and his arm is strong, I guess he just needs more throwing adjustments or something.

[quote name=Rice Cube]A bunch of Fukudome’s throws this spring have been off-line though. He can catch, and his arm is strong, I guess he just needs more throwing adjustments or something.[/quote]
He’s just trying some new things.

Congrats on the new site guys. New layout looks great. Looking forward to the baseball content, but mostly just the subversive humor about the Cubs.

Brett Jackson is leading off today.

/Cal alum

[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Aren’t Morgan and Carlos Gomez kind of redundant? Wonder if the Brewers aren’t looking at platooning them.[/quote]Why on earth would you platoon these two? One bats lefty and the other bats righty. That ain’t how ya platoon.

i’m loving the new layout md.

[quote name=Ace@BleacherNation]Finally. I haven’t anticipated something this much since the last Twilight film.[/quote]I’m assuming that you have not been let down by our brilliance.

[quote name=dylanj]i’m loving the new layout md.[/quote]We all worked on it and we had a ton of fun doing it. I know Tim mentioned last night in the threat he wrote on 424 that he finally was having fun again and so was I. It had been a good year since blogging had been fun. I’m really excited about what we can do here.

[quote name=mb21]We all worked on it and we had a ton of fun doing it. I know Tim mentioned last night in the threat he wrote on 424 that he finally was having fun again and so was I. It had been a good year since blogging had been fun. I’m really excited about what we can do here.[/quote]Year One.

In all seriousness, DJ, it would be so Cub for this sad sack team to win the division, get everyone excited and then massively suck for the next decade while Tommy Boy lines his pockets

[quote name=dylanj]Bruce Miles just said that Beef Castle has some kind of index finger problem and won’t get the backup C spot.

The 2011 Chicago Cubs- All Koyie, all the time[/quote]If you lose a job to Koyie Hill because of a finger problem, your life sucks.

[quote name=dylanj]Bruce Miles just said that Beef Castle has some kind of index finger problem and won’t get the backup C spot.

The 2011 Chicago Cubs- All Koyie, all the time[/quote]I’m about to have a middle finger problem…

i missed this platoon thing- is it Colvin & Fukudome?

[quote name=shawndgoldman]Isn’t there an opportunity to improve the OF platoon via trade? I mean, they’ve got the “dominant” side of the platoon, playing-time wise. It seems they should be able to trade one of those guys for a similarly-talented RH corner OF’er.[/quote]To the Cubs credit they are at least getting younger players some playing time in these platoons. I’d rather Colvin and Barney play every day to be honest. I’d prefer Marquez Smith, but there must be something seriously flawed about him.

kind of rough on Darwin Barney- here kid you made the team now you can only face RHP.

DeWitt will get the PT once he gets his shit figured out. Its kind of weird that Quade is putting so much into one bad spring.

After four comments, JamesDalton has been banned from BCB.

[quote name=dylanj]kind of rough on Darwin Barney- here kid you made the team now you can only face RHP.

DeWitt will get the PT once he gets his shit figured out. Its kind of weird that Quade is putting so much into one bad spring.[/quote]Yeah, it’s rough, but at the same time if Barney is going ever have any future at the big league level, he’s going to have to hit righties well. He’s never going to hit lefties well enough. Plus, I think his value is defensively. The guy is supposed to be a well above average defensive shortstop.

For as down as I’ve been on this team, I could easily see DJ being right. They do have enough potential to win the division. A LOT will have to go right, but things usually go right for teams that reach the postseason. I could see it. I just think it’s highly unlikely. I’ll be rooting for the highly unlikely just like every Cubs fan, but I think in the end they trade some parts in July and win around 70 ballgames.

[quote name=GBTS]After four comments, JamesDalton has been banned from BCB.[/quote]
Link or it didn’t happen.

Thanks for the writeup, Ace.
http://www.bleachernation.com/2011/03/27/the-cublogoverse-is-consolidating-2/

[quote name=AndCounting]If you lose a job to Koyie Hill because of a finger problem, your life sucks.[/quote]
In Max Ramirez’s case it’s a wrist problem. I actually was hoping that he’d get the nod so BeefCastle could go back to Iowa and play every day. Max is a waiver pickup so he can rot on the bench and still be a better option than Koyie, but I like the idea of Castillo playing every day, something he can’t do with Soto in front of him.

FWIW The Colvin-Fukudome platoon is mitigated somewhat by the fact that Colvin will still probably see plenty of PAs vs RHP. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has the opportunity to get even more playing than he did last year while rotating between the 3 OF spots and 1b. Then again, given how pessimistic I am about his bat that’s not necessarily a good thing.

[quote name=mb21]I’m assuming that you have not been let down by our brilliance.[/quote]
Not yet, but one word out of place; one missed comma; one untoward word; and it’s over.

Or if you don’t talk about boobs and weiners enough.

[quote name=mb21]Thanks for the writeup, Ace.
http://www.bleachernation.com/2011/03/27/the-cublogoverse-is-consolidating-2//quote
No problem. And I meant it sincerely – I don’t read a ton of other Cubs blogs, but I was a big fan of all four of your work. So I had no choice in liking OV.

[quote name=AndCounting]I could be way off, but I get the impression Baker is going to get consistent playing time at 2B and Barney and DeWitt will be more backups than platoon options. Obviously that will change if he bombs against LHP, but I think Quade will give him a shot. Could be way off though. If defense continues to be a general problem, they could just leave Barney in more often than not and hit him 8th.

And the Colvin/Fukudome situation promises to confuse me all season.[/quote]That makes sense, AC. Thanks.

[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Okay, you’re insane. (dying laughing) Shipping half the farm for a pitcher who isn’t better than Z or Dempster and signing a 1B on the cheap coming off his worst season got you excited? The only incentive for me to watch the Cubs this season is Starlin and Z. And I’ll watch every third game so I can see Soto play.[/quote]
I *really* liked the Carlos Pena signing. He’s a great buy-low candidate, and they didn’t commit to a long-term deal. It filled a hole at 1B, and gave them a potentially nice trade chip come the deadline. The only thing not to like about the deal is an inherent mistrust in the organization to act rationally if/when Pena does bounce back.

The problem I have is the Garza deal. Not a big enough improvement to matter much this year, and it comes at the sake of low-cost talent for future seasons.

speaking of Soriano I had no idea that guy was a 6.9 WAR player back in 07. That must have been when people tried to test his arm in LF

Im liking the fact that i can comment at work.

This place is so discredited that even our Nasa engineer came back..

[quote name=dylanj]with Dempster, Z, Garza & Wells you basically have a bunch of 3 WAR pitcher and with Cashner at least you have some upside. Its really not a bad rotation.

Plus Reed Johnson is back so you know, chemistry & team leadership = another 20 wins[/quote]I think the rotation is quite good. I’d probably guess it’s top 4 or 5 in the league. It’s nothing great, but it’s above average across the board. The bullpen has some nice arms a the end of the game, but not much beyond that. No big deal though as the games you win you expect the good 3 to appear in.

The issue once again is offense. This is not a good offense. At its best it is average and at its worst it’s probably 15 to 20% worse than average. I think the defense is probably average to slightly above average overall, but the baserunning is going to erase any gains the defense may make.

[quote name=dylanj]Your optimism never ceases to amaze me. (dying laughing)

its a product of the exponential times we are living in MO[/quote]Indeed. Thankfully, we have the basic human right of a personal opinion.

[quote name=Berselius]He’s not too bad (probably just a few runs below average), but it’s not so much his spring PAs that should lose him the job so much as it’s his batting line in general. It’s not that special. All spring training did was shake the perception that he was a Starter that he got because the Dodgers decided he was the best option they had.

Barney’s bat is worse but he brings a good glove to 2b.[/quote]
I don’t think DeWitt’s a starter by any means, but I don’t think Darwin Barney is either. So long as Barney is able to post a .315 wOBA his glove probably is worth putting in the lineup ahead of DeWitt.

[quote name=Ace@BleacherNation]No problem. And I meant it sincerely – I don’t read a ton of other Cubs blogs, but I was a big fan of all four of your work. So I had no choice in liking OV.[/quote]I’ve gotten really bad about reading other Cubs blogs to be honest, but at the same time I also rarely even bother to go over to the Tribune or Sun Times. Somehow your link on ACB got erased and I didn’t even know it because I never use the links. I just open a tab and start typing in the url.

It gets hard to keep up with all the other blogs. There’s no denying that. Whenever you first start you think you’re going to visit all the links on your sidebar each day. I remember those days.

Gordo told me in an email the other day that “Koyie’s in”. That was before this Castillo injury.

I don’t think either of these platoons are set in stone, only that all four players (and probably Reed and Blake) will get plenty of playing time in April and May.

[quote name=mb21]I think the rotation is quite good. I’d probably guess it’s top 4 or 5 in the league. It’s nothing great, but it’s above average across the board. The bullpen has some nice arms a the end of the game, but not much beyond that. No big deal though as the games you win you expect the good 3 to appear in.

The issue once again is offense. This is not a good offense. At its best it is average and at its worst it’s probably 15 to 20% worse than average. I think the defense is probably average to slightly above average overall, but the baserunning is going to erase any gains the defense may make.[/quote]
One thing that cracked me up about the Jaffe piece the other day was his skepticism over the back end of the bullpen. They suck on every team (dying laughing).

[quote name=dylanj]speaking of Soriano I had no idea that guy was a 6.9 WAR player back in 07. That must have been when people tried to test his arm in LF[/quote]His UZR was off the charts in 2007 and 2008 because baserunners were too stupid to realize he had the most accurate arm in the outfield. He was able to make up for all of those awful mistakes he makes, but now that the runners aren’t testing him, the only advantage is that he’s saving a tiny bit with his arm by keeping them at the base. Big difference between holding a runner and throwing him out.

I don’t know if the others have gotten any emails or anything, but I expected to get several today about various things. I’m thrilled that hasn’t happened and that everyone seems to like the place. Makes all the work we put in worth it.

[quote name=GBTS]Cubs FO continues their tradition of being utterly unable to just let something go quietly.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/cbsports-cubs-release-silva-after-harsh-criticism-of-organization-20110327,0,5530085.story/quoteAnd Sullivan continues to selectively mine quotes to construct ad hoc narratives to camouflage his utter inability to write a decent column.

[quote name=mb21]I don’t know if the others have gotten any emails or anything, but I expected to get several today about various things. I’m thrilled that hasn’t happened and that everyone seems to like the place. Makes all the work we put in worth it.[/quote]
I just haven’t finished writing my email complaining about how we haven’t been offered $10 tickets.

Paul Sullivan is so shitty he makes Phil Rogers look like Jerome Holtzman.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Cubs-blunder-even-in-cutting-48-million-bust-C?urn=mlb-wp1451

This is somewhat relevant to what was said in that Paul Sullivan article. It feeds into what SK and MB were saying the other day about how the Cubs messed up in telling Silva the bad news.

[quote name=mb21]Incorrect. They’re on the hook for $16.5 million of Silva’s $13.5 million because they used some of that money to sign Garza.[/quote]
Don’t forget whatever they’re paying Cashner, who is about to take Silva’s place in the rotation.

[quote name=Rice Cube]
GBTS, did you make a fail whale GIF?[/quote]I started working on a Free Willy gif where Silva jumps over Cashner, but I had to stop for a while. I might finish it still.

[quote name=mb21]I told my wife about Al complaining about the sale and late this morning we went out to look at some kitchen supplies. I asked where she wanted to go and she said any place that doesn’t have a sale. (dying laughing)[/quote]You went out shopping on Opening Day of the new blog?

DISCREDITED

[quote name=Rice Cube]I actually thought it was going to be the Twitter fail whale with Silva’s face, but your idea is infinitely better.[/quote]Oh well I still have that one.

Whenever I meet someone in the third largest city in the United States, I always check to see if they know who Bob Dernier is. When they don’t, I know they are from Lake Wobegon and aren’t a true Cubs fan….. They live in the moment, but miss the meaning, because all they know is incorrect stats, which they don’t even use correctly. All of you are like these people, especially Maddog, who is the type of fan who uses his incorrect stats in an incorrect manner making the number worthless. Without looking, I can tell there are 55.6 examples of Maddog rationalizing a Cubs tie, because he hates the Cubs, due to their history of losing.
it’s not really a history of losing…
I’ve had glorious hours with the Cubs….sitting in the bleachers, writing and singing “The Cubs are On Their Way” many times in the bleachers as Dernier’s Dilettantes with Mary Gerdle, Lee Tammers, and Doug Stopanski. Later we were with Dave. We understood both incorrect stats and how to apply them correctly as well as the love of the game.
We still used to call you guys like you “pigtizzles,” as we formerly did and do to this day, just like we used to do before we stopped but kept doing it.
Dallas Greene had nothing to do with cancer, Vince.
Another pigtizzle.
A true fan is someone who roots for shitty players and boos the good ones when they make a mistake, while hoping they screw up while at bat so I don’t have to cheer for them.
Not like you pigtizzles.
Unlike the Toledo Mudhens audience.
Unlike this blog, which doesn’t know who to properly use incorrect, worthless stats and numbers.
I thought you all had one up on George Will and the rest of the fake Cub fans.
Goodbye to the gaggle.

[quote name=GBTS]You went out shopping on Opening Day of the new blog?

DISCREDITED[/quote]I paid twice as much as they were worth because I felt so bad. I won’t have dinner tonight. Or tomorrow.

[quote name=Berselius]According to Cot’s they’re on the hook for 9 million – 3.5 last year and 5.5 this year. I’ve seen some conflicting reports. The BLS guy said Seattle is on the hook for the buyout[/quote]Whatever the case, Sullivan is wrong. (dying laughing)

[quote name=Rice Cube]They’re hanging new banners at Wrigley….

http://www.cubworld.com/category/a_cubworld_cam//quoteTommy Boy has literally resorted to window dressing.

[quote name=mb21]I’m certain the Cubs owed Carlos Silva $6 million and that was it. Whether $2 million of that is the buyout, I don’t know, but they owed him $6 million of his contract. Whatever else is owed is paid by the M’s.[/quote]But they just used that money from M’s to put tricolored bunting on the outside of Wrigley, so they now owe all of Silva’s salary, plus the cost of the helicopter to fly him to his pod in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.

New post up

http://www.obstructedview.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=111:nl-central-questions-a-answers-milwaukee-brewers&catid=47:major-league-baseball&Itemid=229

(link fixed)

[quote name=Aisle424]We really have nowhere else to go but down from here.[/quote]

I don’t think the M’s payment to the Cubs was dependent on anything, but I don’t know. I’m just guessing I know more than Paul Sullivan. (dying laughing)

I’d like to nominate pigtizzle as the OV word of the day.