SHAFTR

I live in a town where smoking is now illegal in the bars. It is something that I'm really happy about. I can now go out and not have to air out my jacket for a day until I wear it again.

QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ Mar 27, 2006 -> 05:03 PM) Didn't wrestlemania stop being cool about 20 years ago? I think Wrestlemania is only 23 or so years old. Wrestling is a perfect example of how things operate in cycles, it was really good, then really bad, then really good again and right now I believe it is really bad. I stopped paying attention 5 years ago. EDIT: This will be the 22nd Wrestlemania.

QUOTE(maggsmaggs @ Mar 27, 2006 -> 04:56 PM) Getz is a player to watch, he can do everything except hit for power. But he can run, walk, strike out rarely, field his position, has great arm strength. He is a big-time keeper. agreed, he is my adopt a prospect. I still think the power will develop.

QUOTE(winninguglyin83 @ Mar 27, 2006 -> 04:32 PM) And does ruben rivera have any chance to make the squad? I hope not. His best year with any significant action was in 99 when he hit .195. 147 games 411 ab 65 runs 23 hrs 48 rbis 18 sb .195 ba .295 obp .406 slug

His rookie year (95) was his best. Below are his #s and (league rank) 2.54 ERA (2) 150 ERA+ (2) 1.056 WHIP (2) 5.83 Hits/9IP (1) 11.10 K/9IP (1) 236 strikeouts (1) 4 complete games (5) 3 shutouts (1) 3.03 K/BB (7) He always walked a lot of batters, even in 95 he was 2nd in Walks and 1st in Wild pitches.

QUOTE(jphat007 @ Mar 21, 2006 -> 05:50 PM) I'd rather take Boone Logan than either of them. Really doesn't matter to me who we take though. I'd actually feel comfortable with: Jenks, Cotts, Politte, McCarthy, Logan and Lopez (as a Loogy).

QUOTE(fathom @ Mar 21, 2006 -> 05:46 PM) I'm pretty sure I watched every game last season, and I don't remember Ozuna playing at all in RF. And as for Gload in the outfield.....I still have nightmares of him playing in RF at Wrigley. he was out there for 1 game, but no balls came to him.

QUOTE(jphat007 @ Mar 21, 2006 -> 05:41 PM) I'm not sure. Everyone wants a chance to 'fix' the 96-mph throwing lefty. Fair enough. I just feel safer with Lopez than Thornton. As bad as Lopez's career been, he has been very effective against lefties.

I have a feeling that Thornton would pass through waivers if need be.

QUOTE(SSH2005 @ Mar 21, 2006 -> 02:05 PM) Funny, The Score is playing a clip of Don Cooper and he said that Thornton has to throw more first pitch strikes to help cut down on his walks. Cooper said that Thornton's problem is very similar to what Contreras's was. I hope he didn't need Cooper to tell him that.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Mar 21, 2006 -> 02:13 PM) Or I could realize he replaced Carlos Lee in left field. Are you giving me a choice between Lee or Podsednik? I choose Lee. If you are givine me the choice of Podsednik, Vizcaino and $6 million or Lee? I'll take the former.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Mar 21, 2006 -> 02:04 PM) What was our record with a healthy Scott Podsednik? What was our record when he out or playing with that hernia? I rest my case. Or you could just realize that the alternative to Scott Podsednik in left was Timo Perez (appeared in Left in 27 games last year) & Pablo Ozuna (9 games).

QUOTE(Iwritecode @ Mar 21, 2006 -> 01:39 PM) What's the stat for # of hits given up because the pitcher was too worried about the guy on first and served a meatball over the middle of the plate? Just the threat of stealing a base can help... Don't forget that Chicago also lead the league in CS with 67. That is equal to about 2.5 games of outs given up on the base paths.

I'd agree with last year's offseason ranking. Obviously in hindsight it is much higher, but his analysis is right. Low risk moves outside of the Podsednik trade. Just as important as the 05 offseason moves was the development of McCarthy, Garland, Cotts, Politte & Jenks.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Mar 20, 2006 -> 01:43 PM) I'm sorry, but I will be absolutely shocked if they start Sweeney's arbitration clock already, entirely based on his performance this spring, when he's still only spent 1 year at AA, is still very young, and still has a lot of development to do. You're right on the Gload thing...but if anyone surprising winds up tagging along, it will not be Sweeney. I have a sneaky suspicion that Blakely ends up on the team.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Mar 20, 2006 -> 01:37 PM) I can't see us carrying 3 lefties in the bullpen, and I get the feeling they wouldn't have made this deal if they had full confidence in Logan making the jump from A-ball to the bigs. I think Logan will start the season in AA-AAA now, just so that the jump to the big leagues isn't as big later in the season (i.e. what they did with Jenks last year), and Thornton will get a short time to do something good while working with our coaching staff in the bigs. That's the only way this deal makes sense to me. They won't carry 3 lefties, but they also won't just want to let Thornton walk after 13 days (they could have done that with Borchard). Well, Cotts is in. For the final 2 spots (with the Hermanson assumption), there are 3 lefties competing (Lopez, Logan & now Thornton). If only one of them makes it (Thornton), who gets the final spot?

So, for the bench we are looking at: Mackowiak, Cintron, Ozuna & Gload For the bullpen (assuming Hermanson is done, which I feel is a safe assumption): Jenks, Cotts, Politte, McCarthy, Logan, Lopez/Thornton

Richard vs Bush ... Dick vs Bush

QUOTE(SouthsideBlitz @ Mar 15, 2006 -> 05:12 PM) Back to Back K's for Lopez ... very nice. In the last 3 years, Lefties have an OPS of .657 against him. I guess I don't have a problem with him as a LOOGY.

anymore updates to this game?

QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ Mar 15, 2006 -> 03:10 PM) YAY for the improved offense At what point do we become worried?

It appears he is now on the 40 man roster.

QUOTE(fathom @ Dec 14, 2005 -> 12:44 AM) Even though, as we said, people hate Blalock here, I would still take him in a heartbeat over Joe Crede. Blalocks 2005 Away splits .231 AVG / .276 OBP / .335 SLG = .611 OPS Blalocks 2002-2004 Away Splits .243 AVG / .300 OBP / .407 SLG = .707 OPS

I liked the idea of turning Garland (1 year) around for Vazquez (3 years). I don't like the idea of losing Chris Young and taking McCarthy out of the rotation.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Dec 13, 2005 -> 09:59 AM) You forgot the 35 HR's and 4.42 ERA. Lets not forget Garland is only a year removed from 34 HRs and 4.89 ERA.