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Luhnow has been clear. He's not going to mortgage the future for the present.
That's the fourth time in the last week an Astros has been hacking 3-0 and popped up on the infield.
everytime the Astros seems to be having an ok season there seems to be posters who show up and one and done. whimps
speaking of long lost TZ legends.
Bryant is certainly a possibility. I'm looking at Gray still. I think it will be easier for Luhnow to find a thumper elsewhere in the draft or via trade than it will a #1 type starter.
Villar and Fontana are the same age. Fontana should be proving himself at AA by now.
Didn't the guy saying "Almost there..." miss the target and then get blasted to smithereens?
Guys who graduate college (or at least complete their college eligibility) tend to be ready for the majors a lot sooner than later. And that is typically because they are older for the leagues they are assigned to. I don't think you're too far off when it comes to Springer. In my mind, I had him, Singleton, and Cosart as September callups this year. The time table may as well be accelerated since they have nothing else to try with this current crop of 'Stros.
BTW - word I hear is Nolan Fontana is really impressive and the Houston brass are really liking this kid.
I don't know if we'll see Springer that soon. I'd bet he'll be in OKC by then for sure, but nothing we've heard out of Luhnow indicates that they're willing to rush him, even in the measured way that they did with Altuve and Pence.
It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it.
The hard... is what makes it great.
I understand this, and actually agree, and if this had gone down before the fire sale, I would have found it understandable for these exact reasons. However, after completely gutting the team and filling it with rejects, it now has all the appearances of pettiness. Bottom line for me at least, once the GM and owner had given up on the team, blaming the manager is real bad form. But, we have seen it before.
1. I'm not sure what Mills has done to think he's a good manager
2. I'm not sure why this is surprising to anyone.
3. I don't get the outrage and the character assassinations of Crane and Luhnow over this.
Who would want to work for these these guys after this?
BP's preliminary rank of the Astros' new top 10 players under 25 (including major leaguers):
1. Singleton
2. Correa
3. Springer
4. Altuve
5. Lyles
6. Cosart
7. DeShields
8. Cain
9. Folty
10. Grossman
Heck did a better job than you are giving him credit for.
2008 - Castro and Lyles. Probably see Seaton sooner or later. Shuck had a cup of coffee
2009 - Probably their worst draft given their top picks have been dissappointing so far. But they still have major leaguers in Keuchel and JD Martinez
2010 - DeShields, Folty, Velasquez, Wates. Outside shots: Doran, Buchanan, Shirley
2011 - This draft is looking real good out the gate. Springer and Tropeano are impressive. You also have arms: Houser, Armstrong, Perez.
2012 - If Luhnow kept Heck till now because of the draft, then I don't see how Heck doesn't get credit for this year as well.
Plus you have to give Heck credit for the guys they picked up out of trades. Other than the Bourn trade, they've done quite well getting players from other team's farms.
This is the day of reckoning we all knew would come. Yes, they're bad. It was predictable, we all knew there was NOTHING of value on the farm.
Who was the KLOL DJ in the afternoon in the 90s? I used to listen talk about Metallica videos with weird Mexican guys as I drove my car with no air condition back and forth to my job in the The Woodlands.
I have been re-watching Game of Thrones and its better the second time knowing what's going to happen. I'm kind of pissed at what happened in the last episode of the Season 2, but still great bloody television.
It feels good to walk away. Life is truly too short to worry about self-important morons like Selig and Ryan and McLane. They all deserve each other, anyway, but I don't have to watch. In case anyone besides Sphinx hasn't noticed, there are plenty of enjoyable things to do around these parts on summer evenings, rather than watch a lousy baseball team not compete in a foreign league.
T.S. Eliot may have been a fucking BFiB, but he was right. Not with a bang, baby; but a whiny fucking whimper.
Who the hell's Alkie?
Yes they could. Great owners are falling off trees these days.
Houston could do a lot fucking worse than Drayton McLane for an owner.
Of course, now, it's totally different...
you fuckers who demand a championship team to convince you to be a fan mystify me. it is BASEBALL, MFers, and the fucking HOUSTON ASTROS. that's always been enough for me and always will be.
play ball.
Goddamn it. Well, at least you got the year right this time.
I am happy to see your return, even though it fucks up totally this long, elegiac poem I had been composing, based mostly on The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, commemorating your death, which is the only reason I could figure why you stayed away so long. I had you getting crushed on a slick freeway by a jackknifing tractor-trailer rig. It was to make up the bulk of my initial Series Preview for this year, due out in a few weeks.
But not anymore. Now I have to come up with something else. But I am glad you're back, really. Seriously.
He's way more under control in the batters box. Quick hands too. It has been a real surprise to me the number of fundamental things that he seems not to have picked up. How to run when you're intending to catch any kind of ball, foot or base, seems basic to me.
Well I'm fine with that if the club believe he needs it. I'm not fine with it if its a hysterical move made in fear of his crappy defense. And that's only because it'd probly be Burke in center.
Alright. I'm officially on the "you are delusional" side of the debate.
I like Pence!! and all. I've been mostly positive about him in the Previews and such. But I am made a little uneasy by his most ardent supporters' tendency to fall into messianic comparisons when discussing him.
his whole argument is that bidge "only" hit .282 and he isnt regarded as a power hitter. every time he gets another hit, walk, run scored, etc. it seems like he passes somebody that is in the HALL OF FAME. sounds like Bill Conlin and his " i dont think Ryan is a first ballot HOF'er because I wouldnt pick him to start game 7 of the World Series" debate.
you dissect and try to pick apart what's left and what's left is still HOF worthy.
Unfortunately, there is a debate. Buster Olney, who has a HOF vote, said this morning on "The Mike & Mike Show" that Biggio isn't a HOFer because "he's never been one of the Top 5 players in the NL."
On the other hand, Bill James had said Biggio was the best player in the game for the 1990s.
I say there shouldn't be a debate, but there is plenty of debate.
It's not only an indictment against those outlets -- it's a conviction.
Much of what he does, IMO, will depend on whether they push to contend for the central this year or attempt to reload for next. I won't go further because that would involve what I'd do and that isn't important. The next 30 days will be very entertaining.
? for Wheeler, Ginter for Loretta and so forth). Time for Purp to do the same.even there, he hit 3 HRs in one game!
Where's he going to leave them? On a nice farm with kids and goats? Where they can run free?
Also, you could probably do something more interesting with Hampton than trading him to the Mess in 2000.
RIP, Darryl Kile.
Hard to believe it's been 5 years.
In a word, fuck no.
keep bringing me all the bad news you can.
I am choosing to move closer to work. But I am not assuming that the current state of affairs will remain unchanged in the future.
ETA: John Q. Taxpayer is being committed to paying for ever increasing road construction costs, as well as suffering ever longer commutes and wasting ever larger amounts of ever more costly gasoline.
We need to expand freeways some, but seriously no matter how wide you make them traffic will still back up terribly on entrance and exits and cross streets. Rail is the way to go. The money we spend on it now will seem like a bargain in 30 years.
Agreed Re- the shows.
If I was forced to listen to the radio all day (sports talk only) 3 months ago I'd go with:
John and Lance in the morning till 11:00. Jim Rome for an hour until 12:00. Dan Patrick until 3:00. Then CP until 6 and the night pervs on 610 until 10:00. Also like Doug Gotleib on ESPN Radio- but not sure if the local's pick him up or if it's just an XM thing.
Honestly, are there any good sports stations anywhere? I've yet to listen to one.
Mmmmmmmm...... I lost ya there. Even among the wasteland of Houston radio, John Lopez hosting his own show has to be the absolute bottom of the barrel.
You've got to be kidding me. This is an epidemic of stupid, evin by Comical "standards".
Besides the indications that the project was well planned, the addition of the toll lanes also secured a nice chunk of Federal change, which is likely the single most significant factor in the project being ahead of schedule.
When did "strained oblique" become the trendy injury? I don't ever remember hearing about this stuff 20 years ago (or even 10), but maybe that's because the only detail we got was "he's got a hurt leg/arm/other".
Wait! Is THAT where Carrie Underwood came from?? She fucking sings at every other ballpark it seems and I keep asking people "who the fuck is Carrie Underwood?"
I know half you people are closet Idol fans. Half of Sanjaya's votes came from Alkie's phone....some people say.
Yeah, I watch the early rounds when I can . I don't schedule my life around it, and I quit watching about the time they expect the competition to actually be serious.
It helps my self esteem to look at the pathetic performances in the early rounds, knowing that I perform much better in the shower each morning just for the love of it, not because I want someone to see me...I sing in the shower sometimes, too.
Besides, I only get 3 channels at the house, and if I blocked Idol, 33% of my viewing choices would be gone for most of the year, it seems.
(Actually, I asked Garner specifically and he didn't say anything about the injury Monday night. Moreover, he admitted Tuesday that in the past if he had a dominant closer he would have used the closer instead of a situational lefthander. Garner purposely hid the injury so he could buy himself a day to see how Lidge would bounce back. But, yes, it was a vote of no-confidence for Wheeler. JJO)
WOW! This is really a shitty answer, especially about Wheeler. Let's recount the specifics about the inning, shall we. Borkowski (RHP) is already in and has two outs logged in the books. Willits gets a base knock off of him, so up steps Chone Figgins who has 5 hits so far this night hitting *left handed*.
Dan Wheeler is warming up when the inning started in case Borkowski proves he can get *no one out* from the right handers he's facing. Only Willits, a left hander, gets a knock off him. So Garner has Miller warming up now in case he needs to get Borkowski out and have Miller face *one* batter... Chone Figgins *before* he puts in Wheeler to go get Cabrera and/or Vlad Guerrero. That's not a couple of no-names he is saving Wheeler to go get either.
How, in heavens name, is this a vote of no-confidence by the manager? And second to that, how is taking out one RHP pitcher justifiable by putting in another RHP and then *THAT* is not seen as a vote of no confidence in Borkowski?
I swear, they're making shite up at the Chron now a days. They don't even watch the games for goodness sake!
Right.
Who's in charge of making the peel-off graphic of Alyssa Milano?
Well then I guess there's only one thing left to do.
nope, especially now we know Lidge was not available.
Foggy owes Phil a BIG apology.
We're fine. Go back to your bedrooms and lock the doors and don't come out until we say it's fine!
Done.
Can't field it for them. That dp was tailor made. Biggio usually turns it.
If Biggio can't play 2nd up by 5 in the 7th then they may as well not play him in the field at all. That brings up a whole nother discussion. One which does not have an answer.
Also off topic:
Alexei Lalas loses his damn mind.
Tom Hicks will sign him for Liverpool.
Bidge will get #3,000 next homestand. After that, all bets are off.
Also, while in an AL park, pinch-hitters are virtually irrelevant so defensive moves can be made without fear of shortening the bench. Gar brain-fucked a few things last night; this being one of them.
And what if they both perform the same? They allow runs at the same rate. Which one wins more games?
Perhaps. But, they're in first, and I bet they add at least one more starting pitcher, like Mark Buehrle, and an outfielder. They aren't going to give up the lead because it's summertime.
What do the Brewers need? Is that available? And, can/would they get it/them?
why would anyone beleive that this team should be serious about winning, this year?
Lidge and Jennings need to get spun off for 3b, 2b, Catcher and Maybe RF of the futurer Set in Left, Center SS (when AE gets back) and 1b. And I like the arms in the minors.
But those other four positions, not so much.
So you would have gone with plan B.
I'm not going to disagree with that generality, but this particular team has holes at 2b, 3b, RF or CF, (soon to be) C, and one SP.
To me, a team like that can't afford to keep a closer that might fill 2 or 3 of those holes.
Anybody read this?
Garner said. "I wanted to see him from the right side instead of the left side. He got a bunch of hits tonight on the left side. You want to keep Willits at first base. That's why I brought a left-hander in."
Link
There was no "magic bullet" for Figgins. We seemed to have cobbled together the psychotic mirage that Figgins was going to be the 3rd out. No way was that going to happen, no matter who was pitching. I've seen Lidge give up hits. What Garner was trying to do was get Figgins on the other side so he could hold Willits. That triple was only the 3rd extra base hit of the night. Keep Willits on 1st, give Figgins his single, runners 1st and 3rd, instead of Figgins gets his single and Willits scores after stealing 2nd. Then bring in Wheeler for Guillen. Figgins was the only batter Miller was going to face.
I forgot to add "on the road". You manage your bullpen differently on the road. Inserting your closer in a tie game on the road is basically insuring that you're going to use him for two innings, not just one. That is minimum because your offense has to score a run the next half inning to insure *only* two innings from your closer.
Well, he did what he thought was right at the time, so he fucked up with every intention of getting out of the inning. If Lidge is the closer, you don't use him in a tie game. The option would be to leave Borkowski in to face Figgins left handed or Miller to face Figgins left handed. Dan Wheeler was available, but the move then is Wheeler (RHP) over Borkowski (RHP) and Figgins still bats left handed. So is Wheeler more apt to get Figgins in your mind than Borkowski or should Garner use his stats line that said Figgins was a weaker right handed bat?
After all that, you can see Garner wasn't asleep at the wheel while managing, he was thinking okay on that one. But Miller is just horrid when pitching to a right hander... it's like throwing batting practice and that's not good.
JD mentioned that Chone was 5-5 batting lefty, worth a shot to turn him around. Didn't work.
Garner has one move to Soscia's two moves in the ninth. Chone Figgins was hitting like a lightweight right handed, so the choice was Figgins hitting left handed or right handed and Garner chose right handed. But Chone Figgins isn't Lance Berkman all of sudden to worry about turning him around (IMHO), so it was a calculated mistake on Garner's part. But not one without reason.
Right handers can see Miller's 87 mph fastball really well. Even if tries to spot it on the outside corner, they're going to see it well enough to hit it hard to right field.
How so? They were ahead in the 7th when Qualls came in. Borkowski for the tie and Miller on to turn around Figgins, game still tied.
Wasn't Berkman DHing because of the flu?
And I definitely thought Lamb should have been at first on that high chopper.
I read that too.
What I'm asking isn't "what plays occurred in the field of play after I retired for the evening?"
I am asking "WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED?"
It was that way all game. Tough loss. The Angels are fast and are good fundamental contact hitters. Figgins is really seeing the ball well right now. I felt badly for Qualls. Sampson really battled out there.
I didn't remember that about Dunn. Makes sense in hindsight.
Chris still has a great arm. What he lacked (or lacks?) is the ability to slow the game down enough to make quick decisions. He reminds me a lot of Carr - great arm, good guy by all accounts, tough as nails, but ultimately not a great QB.
I don't watch much of The Office regularly...
But I saw an episode the other day where they gave a bird a Viking funeral. It was one of the funniest non-animated things I've seen on TV in a loooong time.
I'm catching up with the US version of The Office on Netflix. I thought Season 1 was solid and I liked that, while the bulk of the characters are the same, the scripts are entirely new after the first show. I'm half-way through Season Two now, and it's really hitting it's stride. The opening vignettes are incredibly funny - especially those involving Jim and Pam's tormenting of Dwight. The exercise ball and the vending machine are classics.
Tony bought AJ, just like he bought Carmela with the spec house. The world was a meaningless and horrible place, until AJ got a cool job, a BMW and a new girlfriend. Each of the four family members had a chance to break away, but in the end none of them could part with the lifestyle the mob provided.
Good god, man, don't they allow books on your airline?? "Wild Hogs" is that movie where Martin, Travolta, and Jim Belushi or someone similar ride around on Harleys musing about middle-age or some shit, right? I'd rather spend two hours studying the emergency crash procedures diagrams.
A very nice piece--that strosrays guy is a damn fine writer and probably also has a fine tenor voice.
Made me wonder whatever happened to Diane (and Bjorkman).
Foggy went with 99-03 so I did too. 2004 was Hun's best draft post '98 by far. Most of that talent is just making it's way to AA though so the final outcomes for that draft aren't as easily measured as the previous drafts. I think Foggy's point though was that the lack of younger homegrown talent in Houston and the upper minors sits squarely on Hun's shoulders.
Dead players might not be helpful. However, they would swing more often then Ensberg.
so, you are going to trade everyone who is good, bad or horrible for prospects and start over? good luck on trading horrible for something good.
Then Anderson it is. Bruntlett and Conrad would both get calls from me before Burke.
So he's saying there's not a single AL team that would want Everett?
KC and MIN, at a minimum, would see him as an upgrade.
Come on, that's Heartless.
"Rappers aren't looked kindly upon, down on Drayton's plantation."
-a JJO future quote, while blogging himself on his blogedy, blog blah blog.
I agree with you. I could see them winning 85-88 games if every one stays healthy. I like Bill Hall, and I think that Rickey Weeks has a lot of upside.
As an aside, I suddenly realized the other night that Pixie Stix® are no longer available from the concession stand. Neither the regular size, nor those giant ones (magnums?) that were about two feet long.
I am guessing they were outlawed some time ago by the FDA. Or maybe the DEA, since they gave a 50-lb. kid an instant rush something akin to smoking one's first rock in a crack pipe.
You think so, Curly:
Pence and Beaker
Nice job! Beaker does have that "hair on fire" look down pat!
Wonder if Michael Barrett will call the booth later and meltdown on the former skipper.
Am I correct to assume Limey you are a red devil supporter?
Noe-
I've heard the Telemundo thing referenced several times lately- mostly by you.
I was in law school in Misery at the time- can you give me a primer on the story/controversy/grandstanding.
I hope that the AA leadership and rank and file blacks see through this race baiting twat.
December 8, 1977:
The Texas Rangers trade Bert Blyleven to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Atlanta Braves trade Willie Montanez to the New York Mets.
The Texas Rangers trade Adrian Devine, Tommy Boggs, and Eddie Miller to the Atlanta Braves.
The Texas Rangers trade a player to be named later and Tom Grieve to the New York Mets.
The Pittsburgh Pirates trade Al Oliver and Nelson Norman to the Texas Rangers.
The New York Mets trade Jon Matlack to the Texas Rangers.
The New York Mets trade John Milner to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Texas Rangers trade Ken Henderson (March 15, 1978) to the New York Mets to complete the trade.
They don't make trades like this anymore.
Why Qualls? I like Qualls more than Wheeler.
Good observation, and I agree with you. Wandy's been much more professional and workmanlike in his demeanor this season.
For the record, Baseball America recently ran a piece on Young that goes into why he dropped in the draft. It's subscriber-only, but the gist of it is that he wasn't even a starter in high school til his senior year, and then broke his arm in a collision three days before the draft.
http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/majors/features/263719.html
The Chronicle is not representative of the newspaper industry. There are good papers and the best papers currently are locals that do provide credible coverage of their area. The newspaper industry is still a good way to make a profit. The only problem is that it's an old industry and the stock prices don't move fast enough. Behind this idea of the death of the newspaper (as if content depends on format) is that everyone has internet access. 30% of US households do not have internet access and do not plan to get access in the next 5 years. From what I know of the depth of the "digital divide" in Houston, this number is even higher locally.
Shittipedia?
yeah, that's me. the pussy. you're tough.
i cannot keep pain pills or anything else down after the pain starts. throw up about every ten minutes. water will not stay down. the only relief i got was a pain shot into an IV at the hospital.
no one seems to know what causes them, but a partner of mine who has an MD brother says they are developing a link between grapefruit/juice and stones.
the CAT scan shows another embedded in my kidney. i hope that sucker stays put.
second. the first one was 30 years ago in law school.
nothing works until the stone is out. incredible, intense, constant, knocks you to the floor pain. after the stent he left in during the procedure came out, the pain came back temporarily. Darvocet is what he prescribed when i said "no hydrocondone, please." one pill did the trick, and the temporary pain did not return.
If you want that perspective you'll need to check it yourself. I'm done. They have taken a point of view which will not help anyone understand the Astros. If they write information that might be useful, which is rare, I may post it. Their opinions are no longer relevant. You wont be missing anything, they have no accesss to the team.
what !! why aren't they pinch hitting for Ausmus!
</sarcasm>
trade Burke where he can play. apparently, no one wanted him or the Astros would not just give him away. he will not be constructive in RR for a while. Nieve, part 2.
Nope.
Yes. But I had no goddamn idea what "West U" was when we moved there. I just liked the location and lack of murders in the previous 12 months.
Not any more.
That's why I wasn't asking you.
Agreed on all points. If the question at the deadline is this:
Do the Astros need a middle of the lineup run producer?
Then they'll seriously need to look for a guy who can hit at that position and either play the following positions: CF or 3rd base (IMHO). If Morgan Ensberg is traded, it may not be because they want to get a run producer in return though. It may be because there is a market for him and the Astros feel they can find a 3rd baseman somewhere else to fill their needs (maybe even Mike Lamb). If Mike Lamb, then Cody Ransom is an excellent backup man for Lamb, especially if you have to make a late inning defensive replacement.
In yesterday's case, having Ransom up to bat in the crucial 8th inning wouldn't be a problem either, although I'm sure if Scraps looked to his bench and saw Ransom or Lane available, he might go with Lane. At least you wouldn't have Ensberg as a glorified backup guy to Lamb, because he would be awful as a backup guy who has to pinch hit. IMHO of course.
I actually paid my own money, cash American, to see JR Richard pitch. Also Nolan Ryan. The opposing pitcher I had to go watch pitch every time was Phil Niekro. He was just plain fascinating to me. I started to love to watch Mike Scott, but one day he was caught cheating and my brother vowed never to go watch him again. I was indifferent.
His HOF quip of "Can't sleep! Spack will eat me!" is one of the funniest things I can recall.
Well, he's been bad on sliders for the last seven years for sure, perhaps longer. But not always. He had to speed up his bat to get to the fastballs so he doesn't really care to do anything above and beyond hitting a fastball now.
If he gets one, he's ready to hit it. If he gets a diet of sliders and trying to speed up his bat, he'll strike out. But if a starter tried that with Bidge, sooner or later, he'd just take the walk... a starter has to keep him honest. But not a reliever. Unless said reliever is Billy Wagner of course.
yeah, and i am good looks and talent away from being a movie star.
i would not have hit Biggio for anyone against Weathers unless he was the only one left.
Plus the loss of the coolest name this side of Andyzipp.
your being nice is not very becoming.
i would have let him hit b/c he has been hitting well. he had a bad AB, though.
i sure as hell would not have put Biggio in against Weathers. 3 sliders later, he is back with one more K.
and you should be first or second on the pile.
I was treating Mo's approach at the plate and the call by the umpire as two separate issues. I agree Mo should not give the ump the chance to ring him up there. That doesn't mean that pitch was a strike.
9-5 with the bases loaded looked pretty nice, too...
Good God.
I just now really looked at the Astros lineup. Why would OP lead off instead of Burke? Not questioning him starting, just wondering what the reason might be.
bullshit. it was a perfect pitcher's pitch, and you CANNOT let the umpire ring you up.
foul the fucking pitch off.
the one he got rung up on was more the questionable. it was absolutely not a strike. both low and away. i watched it 3 times in slo-mo! terrible call. could have sealed the win for the reds...
Why does Lee ever try and take more than one base?
He's right, the jump looked bad. He was pretty close even at that.
They should retire his number right next to Beltrans. Hang them on a precipice on the hot side of the River Styx.
so, to protect his oblique, he will pitch LH? cool.
While BP certainly has its faults, Will Carroll's UTK column is usually spot on with injuries, recoveries, etc.
I think Clemens, although he's got a sqeaky clean image, represents perfectly the kind of athlete I think is slowly ruining sports in America. Roger is about two things...making himself look good, and squeasing as much money out of his talent as possible...he's is a "me" guy. What a contrast is Biggio...
If Craig was putting up similar numbers in say...New York, he'd be on the cover of Wheates boxes. Not to mention making more money. But he feels he's been treated well by the Astros organization and the city of Houston...so here he is all these years later...still an Astro. You hear that Roger, "team and city loyalty"...what a concept. So, take your cold black heart back to new york...traitor.
Some very smart media folks (smart in the sense that they know a story when they smell one) went first to Unit to ask his reaction to Clemens signing with the Yankees. Johnson basically went "eh, what do I care?". So that pretty much was the air leaving the balloon on that one. Johnson, however, isn't the best one to ask about it... look at all the responses around the majors now about it. If the Yankees loved the circus they had last year with the A-Rod vs Jeter frenzy, seems they just opened up a new can of circus for this year.
Enjoy that one New York, it will be fun.
There's already one Iceberg on this team. We don't want to start making more of 'em.
Yes, heard the same. For the reasons listed above.
I flipped over to the Rangers broadcast (@NYY) tonight between innings in our game, and happened to catch Tom Grieve going on about how he's pretty much lost all respect for Clemens after this latest fiasco. He kind of kept going on and on about it. Josh Lewin didn't really add much to the conversation, probably because he is a little squeaky vagina and is scared Clemens would come after him.
Anyway, the general consensus seems to be that outside of the Bronx, people are pretty damn sick of DQ and his act.
He's mad at the Phil Garner quote on the Mike and Mike show this morning where Scraps said that the team understood that Clemens earned the right to take days off to be with his family because that is what he was going to do if he retired any way. But when some players turned on the television, they saw him at a golf tournament in California instead of with his family. It rubbed the team the wrong way.
Clemens claims he never played in a gold tournament during any of his leaves of absence from the team. He is shocked any teammate would say that about him though. Looks like he can't believe that he actually rubbed some teammates the wrong way with his prima donna act.
"The Wizard of Oz still has plenty of tricks up his sleeve, but it's going to be hard for him to sustain ERAs in the high 2's or low 3's when he's striking out fewer batters than the league average."
Oh ok. Whatever.
He was the lead negotiator in the Kent, Clemens, Pettitte, and had a lot to do with trading for Beltran. He also resigned Biggio after the Kent deal earlier than Hunsicker had wanted to . Hunsicker wanted to play out the season before giving him another contract. And by giving too large a contract to Bagwell, which Hunsicker complained tied his hands. He "meddled" by giving Lima the big contract, again Hunsicker said, "you give contracts for future performance, not past performance", and I'm thinking he also had something to do with PENCE!!!. And Carlos Lee. Possibly is also one of the reasons Jay Powell and Mitch Meluskey weren't Astros longer.
Garner is quoted as saying the following (in paraphrase):
"First year, no problem because our guys pretty much ignored it. Second year, the same. Third year.... hmmmm... there was some talk that I started to hear and it was a small problem, but not enough to worry about. But I believe eventually it would become a distraction."
There is some grumblings that privately the Hendricks were told that the Astros were going to recind some of the special privileges this year. However, I am not sure how true that was, they really never got a chance to negotiate.
that article is effing awful ... most of his statements are gross oversimplifications or just outright false ...
my favorite point was that the astros are not able to “stay on an even course” because of McLane's over meddling. I may have been in a hole but I haven’t noticed a rash of over meddling- and I wonder how has our franchise has been in terms of winning compared to other franchises during McLane's tenure ... that might be a good indicator of how "on course" this franchise is. This article is a perfect example of forming an opinion based on thin fucking air and re-writing the facts to support it.
A baseball team is a pretty tight nit group, so I could see that being the case, although I doubt any of them felt Roger wasn't giving his best when he was there, but I am sure it did make them question his dedication to the "group" when he wasn't there to support someone else when they were doing their thing.
I am sure it is nothing they will say outloud, but I am sure alot of them are happy that he isn't comming back, not that he wouldn't have helped on the field, but that he seemed more like a "hired-gun" than a part of the team.
"It's difficult to know whom to blame for a 13-17 start, but someone deserves some."
That's just outfuckingstanding, Kirk. If someone wrote a parody of contemporary sports coverage, you couldn't make up a better line than that.
Thanks, my recollection was fuzzy. You're right, they were bounced in the ALCS. I didn't remember the AL West being that good, hence why Oakland and Seattle had such high win totals, but I didn't remember Oakland being that good, so you're right again.
Still, the point is that while the young Brew Crew is en fuego right now, there isn't a whole bunch of panic that this team is going to sustain it. Just my observation on it is that it is very hard to sustain unless you're just locked in with the pitching. Is Cordero at closer solid or is he just having a good stretch right now? Is Turnbow solid? Is Suppan going to revert to his usual very average season as a #3 (which may be good enough for them if they have a great pen... which no one really expects to sustain). Is Sheets really healthy enough? While Capuano is very good, will he hit a wall as the league starts to catch up to him? Is Rickie Weeks a leadoff hitter? Can Jenkins maintain? Will a book on Hardy be developed soon enough and will he adjust to what they're doing to him?
I don't doubt this is a solid young team, but the test of time is the best thing to realize if we're seeing something more than just talent. It will indicate if we're seeing a team that can win consistently.
no. Gustafson did not take Reynolds to Omaha. left him home.
Its makes me giggle almost as much as the word "titmouse".
he threatened to never contribute if it was not retired. not the point, but i do not know how much, if any, he has given. for a long time, it was next to nothing.
WTF? history? i told you the entire story.
Perfect. This toes the line between "thanks" and "go fuck yourself" that I've been feeling.
If the allegations linking him to a dog-fighting operation prove true - and it looks more and more like they will - then there's a special place in hell waiting for Michael Vick.
I can't even begin to describe how angry stories like this make me.
Anyone checked out the prices for St. Louis lately? Crazy.
One of them is worse than all of the others?
If you are getting Comcast, they are raising the prices of everyone's cable (whether they want it or not) to get the NFL network. They are choosing not do that for the baseball network. Obviously, taking money from people who don't watch baseball would be good for baseball fans, but I think as a consumer I prefer having things like that optional.
That one was still fresh in minds. Yep, off Byung-Hyun Kim of the D-Backs on June 27th, 2002.
Good job.
M
You're fucking incredible.
See, this is what I was saying. I'm just positive that I read somewhere (seriously) that someone found that the average career span for a "good closer" is something like 2.5 years.
There are just very very few guys who keep up a Hoffman/Rivera type career.
Even Wagner, who has lasted longer than I expected, has his bad years.
Loretta
Lamb
Berkman
Lee
Scott
Pence
Everett
Ausmus
Loretta is no leadof man, but it's by necessity in this scenario.
I don't disagree but, for the sake of accuracy, I feel the need to point out that there's only 4 "qualified" 2nd basemen in the NL with worse stats than Biggio, and one of those is Burke. In reality, only the Marlins and the Rocks would swap their guy for Biggio at this point. The argument is, essentially, who's less bad.
Your link didn't mention it, but IIRC I read an item earlier than said the wrecker he hit had its lights flashing.
Very sad
If you think that's my stock answer, you havent been paying attention. Purpura has abruptly reversed what he has been saying since February. That is why I think this is desperate. And, ultimately wrong. Of course, major league pitchers and scouts could miss that Pence can be induced to swing at sliders away. On the other hand we can think of a hitter who has had that problem for 20 years now.
It is desperate. This is nearly the exact same team that dicked around for the first 45 games of 2005. Taveras wasn't any great shakes that year in the field, though better than Burke, and at the plate he was mediocre. Purp left them alone. Why not leave this team alone for 45 games+? Especially when Purp's on record in a positive way about Burke in center?
When he defended that decision as late as yesterday? He had definitive reasons why the decision was wrong 22 games ago. Is small sample size relevant anymore?
Loretta needs a position he can field. And dont say 2b, because that is not going to happen.
Well then you're lost in the middle of the order. Because expecting the new guy to do what the more experience big boys haven't is desperate.
Use it? When? Lance and Lee are ice cold. Lane has no business on the roster, and Scott is streakier than a 5 year old's underwear. You want to bank on Pence doing what they can't?
That's pussified and accepting of Ensberg's failure. Ensberg knows full well the Astros have continually signed him to be a middle of the order hitter. Accept Ensberg's failure not by moving him in the order but by benching him. Lamb at 5, Pence at 7, and Everett at 2.
The reason it is desperate is that he could have made the exact same move when the season started. 22 games isnt a sufficient sample to reverse that decision. Either he didnt know what he was doing then, or he doesnt know what he's doing now. Purpura's public statements are now officially stamped grade A bullshit until he proves otherwise. His credibility is shot.
Problem is, the astros need him in the middle of the order protecting Lee. Relying on pence as the number 5 right away is a lot of pressure. I remember why I wanted morgan dealt this offseason, and huff resigned the more I watch him.
I heard that segment on 740 earlier. Twinkie was not happy.
If only there was a way to unload Ensberg for said CF. I've had it with his inconsistency.
22 games into the season, when Purpura didnt do this, and had legitimate reasons not to do this out of ST, is a desperation move.
To the tune of "Yellow Submarine"...all together now...
You all live in a penal colony,
A penal colony,
A penal colony...
Also, the British national anthem is amended when the Aussies are present. As much as they detest their "motherland", they still voted to stay part of the Commonwealth and have the Queen as their monarch. Hence, the slight change that goes...
God save YOUR gracious Queen
Long live YOUR noble Queen
God save YOUR Queen
(You're a convict)
Send Her victorious
Happy and glorious
Long to reign over YOU
God save YOUR Queen
Trust me, they love it!
If just saying this didn't explain it to her very clearly then you've got a lot of work to do catching up.
Start her off slowly, with something gentle like this:
Ian Wright is illegitimate
He aint got no birth certificate
He's got AIDS and can't get rid of it
He's an Arsenal bastard
Judas, Judas, Judas!
See more here.
Ha ha!
I think it's a little bit unfortunate that MLS is so easily and categorically dismissed. Certainly the quality of play isn't as good as in the EPL, but there are some excellent players, and many of them reside in Houston. The league, I think, suffers from poor marketing (which before this year seemed to me to consist of "..." and now consists of "...Beckham!"), because people like Foghorn and his daughter are a pretty good example of who they're trying to reach outside the core of American soccer fans.
Yes...and Tottenham Hotspurs.
Most premiership players are of the asshole/thug/lowlife variety. I think I'm safe in saying that there's never been a skilled neurosurgeon who's given it all up to play footy! If the choice is Chelsea and anyone else, go with "anyone else". Chelsea are owned by a Russian oligarch who buys the most expensive players regardless of need and then bitches when they don't win (see Captain, Yacht); their coach is a complete whiny bitch; and their players are detestable whores.
Liverpool aren't much better, but they're better. They used to fit the above profile, but now don't because Chelsea have sprinted past them. However, they are now owned by a consortium lead by Tom Hicks (yes, that Tom Hicks) so that may be a hard pill to swallow.
My allegiances lie with Crystal Palace, who suck, so I understand their lack of international appeal. I do have a soft spot for Tottenham Hotspurs, however, because they play decent football and are a fine, historic club. Unfortunately, they have no money so they are doomed to be 2nd tier premiership until some American sugar daddy buys them. They are the sworn enemy of Arsenal, which is nice...
Reluctantly, I must admit that Moan Utd have the most attractive team in European soccer, both sportingly and physically (NTTAWWT). I would normally poo-poo support for a rich club, but currently they are a joy to watch. Christiano Ronaldo is one of the most gifted players ever to play the game. He's also a horrible cheat. Obviously, I hate him.
I enjoy the British accusing others of being Luddites. The last technological innovation out of England involved quills.
I wonder if Amy still says "wassssup" and "wasssssaaabbeee." Someone sprung that at on me the other night and I thought I was going to have a stroke.
I'm making this comment with a total straight face, no harsh tones, very real question:
This isn't about the nickname, is it? This is about proving that you can tolerate the feces that OrangeWhoopass throws at you and proving you're (wo)man enough to deal with it without running off like everyone else who has tried roughly the same thing, right?
Honestly, I have no problem with you being here; I'm not one of the high holy keepers of the board. I'm not interested in a flame fest. But I have often wondered since you showed up why you wanted to be here. You don't play along with the thinly veiled gender-based jokes. You don't seem to find anyone in here all that funny. Other than being able to swear (really well, I'll add), I never quite got why you found this place interesting.
HAVE YOU SEEN PENCE PLAY?
why are you saying this if the answer is no?
I think the runs not cashed in earlier are the difference. The pitching was going to be thin today after last nights marathon. You'd think the approach by the hitters would be slightly better than it was today against a pitcher with such a high ERA. The middle of the lineup is a bit fragmented right now and that has got to change for the fortunes to change.
The pitching is fine 'cept for a week of some spotty starter work. Overall, we're back to wondering about the offense, re: middle of the lineup, yet again. Damn!
I think many of you are going to be very shocked when Biggio gets 3000 and his role on the team doesn't change much.
Eschewing walks as he is, he seems hell-bent on getting to 3k sometime in June. Putting aside the widespread desire to see him get to that milestone, I like the idea of getting it out of the way...certainly before the trade deadline at the end of July. That way, the team can evaluate its options and perhaps make a deal (no, I'm not suggesting they trade Biggio) that strengthens the team, unencumbered by the need to force Biggio in the starting line up.
Of course, if he keeps hitting like this, Burke's going to have another year to endure in the wilderness.
Hey, I'm thrilled that we pulled that one out. We just might not be so lucky on another night. We've just got to do a better job of situational hitting.
this is the fedor fight most worth watching:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekdiwcsvY_0
the guy is indestructable.
Specifically, the guys who ran the 880 (or whatever the metric equivalent is). I tried that event for awhile, and it nearly killed me. I couldn't ever figure out whether it was a sprint all the way, or if one should pace oneself for awhile. I usually ended up sprinting the whole way, and the last 200 yards always felt like my legs were operating according to some plan other than my own, and that my lungs were about to burst and come out through my nose, or ears, or both.
9Ks for Jimerson is called a 3 game series.
excellent point. i'm just not much for booing anyone. i have booed calls at games, but i do not boo opponents no matter how big a rival they are.
i am a stickler for sportmanship, i guess. i would not allow my teams to talk smack to the other players or to yell at them in any way. my players could yell only for their teammates. that way of doing things was in the small minority of HS teams, i assure you.
This is possible. As for, why why send him? Precious few scoring opportunities from anyone else. Roy atleast gets the hit with a runner on. I still say if Burke runs straight, slides feet first, he beats the tag.
I thought he shouldn't have been sent. He hesitated till it got by the shortstop, Duffy was running in the whole way, it was a pretty easy throw.
It's not the same since
The Wilson Sisters broke up
I miss the fat one
You can't get a gordita at Taco Bell anymore. I tried the other day and they didn't know what I was talking about. Then I saw a poster on the wall with lotsa food that said Fourthmeal. So I said, "give me one of them Fourthmeals". They were still confused, so I went to McDonalds, where they always understand me.
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Oh honey why would anyone need to be good with facts?
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Bring day at work...
Nice surprises, pick one(or more):
1) Ensberg of 2005 - 35+ hrs and 300+ avg.
2) Jennings was a steal - 20 wins, 3.2 era or less
3) Albers rules - 12+ wins, < 4.00 ERA
4) Sampson rules - 12+ wins, < 4.00 ERA
5) Moehler doesn't suck - 12+ wins, < 4.00 ERA
6) Nieve rules - 12+ wins, 4.00 ERA
7) Wandy can actually pitch - 12+ win, < 4.00 ERAScott does it for a whole season - 35+ hrs and 310+ avg
9) Burke excels with more playing time and doesn't blow as a CFer - 300+ avg, 375+ OBP, Astros aren't in the bottom 5 in doubles and triples given up
10) Biggio regains his youth - 300 avg, min 300 ab
11) Pence gets ROY
12) All will not happen
Big busts (pick one or more):
1) Ensberg of 2006 returns - < .270 avg, < 15 hrs
2) Jennings had a career year last year - 5.00+ ERA
3) Albers gets chance and fails - 50 minimum innings, 6.5+ ERA
4) Sampson gets chance and fails - 50 minimum innings, 6.5+ ERA
5) Moehler gets chance and fails - 50 minimum innings, 6.5+ ERA
6) Nieve gets chance and fails - 50 minimum innings, 6.5+ ERA
7) Wandy gets chance and fails - 50 minimum innings, 6.5+ ERA
9) Luke's September was sign pitchers figured him out - < .270 avg, < 20 hrs
10) Burke can't handle CF - he isn't starting there in July
11) Pence gets called up but is sent back down due to lack of production(at any point of the season)
12) Nobody fails this badly
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There was definitely nakedness in the version I saw. The camera didn't linger too long though, probably because they didn't want anyone to notice the scars from her boob reduction.
Of course I saw them anyway.
Boob reductions are an affront to God. See Connelly, Jennifer, before and after.
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I look forward to sporting a campaign bumper sticker: "Foggy & Craig or go fuck yourself!"
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Can't save the original defensive spectrum image, that is copyrighted by Baseball Prospectus. I did save the In-Game Snack Spectrum though.
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A bust in Florida has netted a bunch of doctors who were proscribing steroids and HGH to pro-athletes. Gary Matthews Jr. is named specifically, but it is expected that many more players will be exposed.
No word yet as to how Gary Sheffield is going to spin this into him being victimised by the media/MLB/police etc.
They're drinking Pearl Light and having a circle jerk at the Arlington front office right now.
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Atlanta
Florida
NY Mets
Philadelphia
Milwaukee
Chicago Cubs
Arizona
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Francisco
San Diego
You're not helping him.
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I don't think that it is unfair to say that a lot rests of Scott's bat.
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Today, at Astros Elite Camp, The Link
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Senor Federer.
Woods. Federer has to beat, what, 6 guys one at a time? Woods has to beat every frcikin' one of them, every time.
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At no point does Justice, even when cued twice, point out the most important aspects of arbitration, players are compared to similar players and that multiple years are taken into account, not just the most recent. Footer lays this out neatly. Justice is busy making himself the story.
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Perry is such a chode.
For those not in the know, "chode" means "fucker" in Hindi.
I'm impressed Foggy!
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Regarding the use of amphetamines and increasing penalties on the players, John Moores, majority owner of the San Diego Padres,
"If they're doing it, I don't know when they're getting it or how they're taking it," he said. "And I don't know if it affects their performance. I have absolutely no notion about that so I don't know if it's even a problem. I don't have enough information to know if it's dead-on right. I'd like to see some data."
The Link
Some data,... here's player A's production while on greenies for 60 days, here's his statistics while not hopped up, for 60 days. They should get right on that.
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not just him...most everyone but you.
I assume that "most everyone but me" includes you. So tell me, what is it about Lidge's 2006 peformance that leads you to believe that the Astros will get "great" results from him in 2007? Seriously. Purpura has to give lip service; you don't.
I would argue that the only thing "unhealthy" here is Purpura's obsession with underachieving homegrown talent.
I'm curious as to why you think that a 1 yr / $5 million contract is an obsession.
That contract is tantamount to the team saying "Hey bucko, this is your last chance. No more soup for you unti you get back to 2004/05 performance levels."
Had he sucked less, they'd have announced a multi-year deal by now. Truly, if Purpura was obsessed that would have been the route they would have gone anyway.
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Yesterday I sent myself home from work ten minutes after I got there, but made sure to grab some "necessary" items from the Tigermart on the way home. Clerk looked at me crazy; guess he isn't used to seeing people buy an 18-pack at 8am on a Monday.
Ahhhh. Monday mornings in College Station.
Nothing like getting kicked out of a bar/beer joint before noon on a Tuesday for being too drunk/obnoxious.
Getting sent from from Duddley's before noon was one of my proudest achievements in grad school.
Now, I've been really, really drunk at Duddley's and never got the boot. How the hell do you get kicked out of Dudley's?
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Yesterday I sent myself home from work ten minutes after I got there, but made sure to grab some "necessary" items from the Tigermart on the way home. Clerk looked at me crazy; guess he isn't used to seeing people buy an 18-pack at 8am on a Monday.
Ahhhh. Monday mornings in College Station.
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From his offseason summary:Quote:
The Astros went all-out to sign Carlos Lee to a massive deal, one that should help their offense in the next two years before he turns into the Great Pumpkin. And they were so busy congratulating themselves that they forgot about Andy Pettitte, who went to the Yankees over a matter of just $2 million.
Apparently Mr. Law lacks the ability to differentiate between $2,000,000 and $18,000,000.
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Who knows what the Braves might want from the Astros. But two things about Jones: (1) he's a 10/5 player and would have to approve any trade; and (2) his agent is Scott Boras. So while the idea of Jones in cf for the Astros sounds intriguing, I doubt it would ever happen.
What is interesting to me is the price that a closer like Lidge could bring from the Red Sox who are now looking at Julian Tavarez as their closer for the 2007 seasons. Here is an article discussing the trade talks between the Nationals and the Red Sox for Cordero.
The Link
Now about Baldelli -- I don't think that the Astros (post-Jennings trade) can afford to trade any pitching prospects to the Rays for Baldelli. But trading Lidge to the Red Sox might bring back pitching prospects who could then be pacakged to TB for Baldelli.
Baldelli is way more interesting to me than Jones because he would be on the Astros for a long time and his contract is extremely reasonable. Setting aside health concerns for the moment, Baldelli in cf would be a real coup.
The question is how much would the Astros' bullpen suffer if they trade Lidge. Lidge wasn't particularly good last season but was a dominant closer before that. Also, if the Astros trade Lidge, can Nieve and Ascencio (sp?) pick up the slack? Will Wheeler be able to close on a full time basis? Will Qualls be consistent?
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Andruw Jones apparently is available. So is Baldelli.
So there are options if the Astros learn that Burke cannot play centerfield on a regular basis. Of course, obtaining either one of those players will be expensive from a prospects perspective.
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Bugs Bunny
None better.
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When the stock closes up 6 cents like it did on 12/6/06, Drayton makes a paper profit of $1.08M.
THAT is fucking depressing.
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What can you buy with $15 Mil that you cannot with $12?
The same thing that Drayton can buy with $1.2 billion that he can't buy with $1.197 billion.
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$12mil in a no-income-tax state like Texas is roughly the same at $15mil in New York, right? Plus, Andy would avoid needing an expensive apartment and all those costly trips back and forth, just in case he is reading this...
I did the numbers a while back, and IIRC, $12M in Texas would roughly equal $13M in NYC.
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Jim. Unless I totally misjudge Drayton (which I have admittedly done before), I don't believe that the Astros would take on both Garland's and Pettitte's salaries.
If the Astros have made this trade, they must believe that Pettitte is going to take the Yankees' $15 million offer.
In light of the fact that Pettitte's family is here and that the Astros have been at least as competitive as the Yankees have been over the past few years, the only reason that I can see Pettitte going back to the Yankees is the additional money. Therefore, Fuck Pettitte.
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The idea of Bonds and his .400 OBP hitting in front of Poo Holes is a bit worrisome though.
You think that the way it goes? I'm not disagreeing, but I bet there'll be a monumental sulk-off between these two to decide which one "protects" the other in the line-up.
Also, Jake games would be 4 hours long on average, when taking into account all the posing going on at home plate.
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Lugo gets $9m PER for 4 years??? Someone explain this to me. Feel free to use any stats or facts you have.
Total. Lunacy.
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Qualls or Lidge
Ensberg
Lane
Tavares
Burke
Bucholtz
Hirsch/Albers
Patton
Pence
Scott (now I its borderline)
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So either they don't like Ausmus personally, or they think his defensive ability doesn't make up for his offense. I gave up my subscription, but I take it that only those 4 positions are mentioned? Not Lane, not 3d? They like Burke I guess but understand that Biggio is untouchable, they think Taveras and Everett are acceptable, so they land on Ausmus. I guess I know the answer, but is it easy to find more offense at any of those 4 positions? Do they say the problem's easily fixable? What would Ausmus do if he was manager?
If you read back over several years of the annuals, they harp on Ausmus virtually every season, as if it's some great mystery that Ausmus isn't a very good hitter. My only point is that despite how bad Ausmus is at the plate, replacing him with Catcher X is not terribly probable to result in a great leap forward for the offense. Making sure the right pieces are in place at 1B, 3B, LF and RF is likely to be much more effective, in my opinion. Berkman, Huff, Scott and Lee wouldn't be a bad start, also in my opinion.
I do see your point, but do you think BP gets any of it right? It seems to me that it may not be Ausmus that ruins the lineup, but carrying four "OBP sinks" (rolleyes at their wording) may be too much for the corner positions to overcome. I'm not saying you have to get .900 OPS hitters up the middle, but at least get players that can get on base. Lane in CF, Burke eventually at 2B, Ensberg at third if Huff isn't signed, these are improvements IMO.
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Spend all the money you want, Mr McLane. Until you reduce the number of OBP sinks in the lineup below the four spot, your team isn't going to score enough runs to win. Chris Burke could replace Craig Biggio if the Astros were so inclined, and Adam Everett and Willy Taveras play enough defense to justify their spots. Brad Ausmus is just a black hole, however. Brad Lidge has been available for a while, but why sell low? Even in the NL Central, there are too many flaws here to think one good trading week would change things.
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Nobody has ever failed to win a pennant because of an excellent defensive SS who still manages to hit 230+.
Ummm ... How would you back that claim up? There are plenty of teams who failed to win a pennant and also had an excellent defensive SS who hit .230+ ... Just to choose one at random, how about the 2006 Astros?
Don;t get me wrong ... I want AE at SS as long as possible, regardless of his bat, but I do not see how your claim can even be tested, much less proven.
I think you're confusing "because" with "with."
Nope.
Claim was that no team has failed to win the pennant because of X. To verify that claim you would either need to show that either (a) X was never true of a team that failed to win the pennant, or (b) when X was true of a team that failed to win the pennant, no alternative to X (all other things being equal) would have resulted in that team winning the pennant.
I do not believe this is a testable assertion.
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This is too singular of an analysis. What Everett provides in runs saved cannot be measured in it's entirety. Say it's two outs and Everett fails to make a play at short to allow the inning to continue. He is now on the hook for the single run he's allowed if the other team scores that player. But if the inning continues and it's a monstrousity of an inning where the other team scores 10 runs does that mean Everett allowe ten runs on his own? Well had he made the final out as a shortstop should, he can save the team those ten runs, however how in the world would anybody be able to tell he actually *saved* ten runs from scoring that inning instead of one?
You can't.
That is why you value outs for the sake of getting the other team back on the field and not for the runs scored theorum. IMHO of course. Also a big reason to keep away from valuing Defense because of the Offense provided and vice versa. You can't measure defense in it's entirety... you must measure defense on it's own merit and leave it at that.
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In Buster Olney's blog (pay-only, so no link), he states that he's fairly certain that McGwire, Sosa, Bonds and Palmeiro will never be voted into the HOF.
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First the Dodgers give Pierre 5/$45M, and now the Angels are ready to offer Matthews 5/$55M???
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Of course cabrera will break the bank as would Albert. However unless baseball just has a ton of economic prosperity you can't afford to give out many contracts like these. It will catch up to you one day, unless you are a big market club imho. Right now it's not a stretch to give lee what you suggest, but give out too many contracts like that and you will be selling off talent left and right.
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so, you would pay Lee $100 million? that's not merely stupid; that is fucking idiotic.
I disagree.
I think there is a chance we'll look back and say $100m over 6 or 7 years isn't that crazy.
Much like the Randy Johnson contract that Arizona paid out after the 1998 season. At the time it was HOLY SHIT money, but over time it was a pretty reasonable.
Hell, the Oswalt deal now looks like the best deal ever signed. Zito, who isn't as good as Roy, will make a killing this off season.
Only if all the top players start making in the 20's of millions of dollars do to great prosperity in MLB will such a contract be reasonable, and I just don't see that happening.
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so, you would pay Lee $100 million? that's not merely stupid; that is fucking idiotic.
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I didn't think we'd get him. I'm not sure I wanted him going to a division rival.
EIGHT fucking years and a boatload of money.
I can't see the Astros coming close to the offer he accepted.
ETA: "Boatload of money" = $17m PER, over 8 years. Unless he ends up being Albert Pujols, this was an exceptionally stupid contract. I'm glad it wasn't us.
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Just think about it from a marketing standpoint: if you had to by a kid a Texans' jersey today, who's number would you opt for?
That's the problem, too many people think of it from a marketing standpoint rather than a football standpoint. The Texans 2006 draft was a HUGE success, if for no other reason than they resisted the temptation to draft Young.
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"With David Eckstein leading the way, St. Louis is just a game away from rendering the baseball world speechless."
Why speechless? Because sportswriters and broadcasters are too stupid after 100+ years of World Series history to figure out that either team has a shot at winning a best-of-seven series?
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I also don't think it's foolishness for a team that has a choice to add 50 runs on offense or to subtract 50 runs on defense to choose the offensive improvement if the percentage impact is going to be greater than the defensive improvement.
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You want to maximize that ratio between runs scored and runs allowed. Not the absolute difference between runs scored and runs allowed.
Preaching to the choir, man.
that's why you'd be willing to sacrifice offense for equivalent defense - it improves the ratio every time.
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Pitching and defense correlate more with WINS than offense. Shocking.
Uhh, this is basic Sabremetrics, as can be seen from the so-called "Pythagorean" Theorem.
A team that scores an average of 2 runs per game, but allows only 1 run per game will have a winning percentage of .800. The team that averages 6 runs per game, but allows 5 runs per game will have a winning percentage of .590.
Any sabremetrician worth his salt would sacrifice "runs scored" for an equivalent decrease in "runs allowed".
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taking the first pitch fastball was just as bad--middle in, belt high.
bullshit "no one would have gotten it." he HAS to foul that pitch off.
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Where is a good place to get all three in the Spring/North Houston area?
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New Tote Board, August 27th
The voting has ended and it's obvious that no one reads a thing I write anyway (judging by the fact that 4 people voted), so I'm doing the Tote Board AND we have a surprise planned.
Enough fucking around. Let's win the whole...fuckin'...thing.
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if a team picks something up from a grip or delivery--and it is easier to do than you think--they tell NO ONE. the idea that the Mets learned it and spread it around the league is absurd. next, that "tip" is very blatant and easy to discern from tapes. Garner debunked that theory last week after reviewing tapes with his pitching coach. i'll bet everyone of you can also. in addition, when Lidge was Lights Out Lidge, the next pitch could have been announced on the scoreboard, and it would have made no difference. he was unhittable even if the hitters knew what was coming. finally and most important, tipping pitches does not make the fastball high and away or make the slider bounce. poor mechanics cause those bad pitches, and it has been his wildness, caused by lousy mechanics that are basic to every pitcher, that led to his demise.
pitchers fear two things worse than Death: the first and worst is pain in the arm that saps arm strength and velocity; the second is a mechanical flaw that robs them of their ability to throw strikes and leads them to Steve Blass Hell. most pitchers will do anything or espouse any theory that allows denial of the Two Great Fears. "stiffness," "tightness," "uncomfortable," "problems with the mound," "tipping pitches," "stealing signs"--all of this means "i'm in a bad stretch, but i'm ok. no, really i am." Lidge has now told you that his arm and mechanics are and have been fine, but that where he placed his hands in the stretch caused all his problems. pitcherspeak.
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Then again, the atmosphere at MMPUS is so shitty I can barely stand going to the games as is.
Huh?
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Having extra security doesn't bother me at all, it's them saying there going to throw people out when everyone was being very tame as far as what they were saying. For example: Some guy was saying, " Barry- What size hat you wear?, 10 1/2!!!" & He was threatened to be thrown out if he kept it up and I was like you have got to be kidding me. That is incredibly soft and mild. I can only imagine what he heard in Philly and what he will hear in other north east stadiums throughout the course of the year.
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"* One time I walked past the wrong window and saw this one guy fucking another guy. That was the gayest thing I'd ever seen, until I saw that bright red ball-tickler hanging off Scott Spezio's lip. "
I'm not sure what the most horrifying part about that stupid thing was.
Just the fact of it's existance, or the fact the rest of his hair was completely normal colored.
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He needs to stick to high-fives and cut out the celebratory licking of Astacio's face.
...and I'm going to hell now.
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2B - Carlos "Aesops" Febles (work with me here). Often described as the veteran presence on the oft struggling Kansas City Royals baseball club. Known for imparting sage consul to other players during the stretching time prior to the game. "Slow and steady wins the race, fellas... slow and steady... means we're taking this division... yeah, I'm talkin here... slow and steady!"
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So Roger Samuel Clemens would work better than Mark Davis Twain.
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And, by the way, the food does suck in Ohio. Anyone telling you differently is full of shit.
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Hell, I'll take a mediocre lineup if it comes with top notch pitching. That said, I don't think the Astros have a "mediocre" lineup.
Why is a run scored worth more than a run prevented?
"Couldn't get to a slow roller up the middle" doesn't fit in the box score.
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the strategy was correct, imo, but he is not going to get a K from Drew or Kent if he bounces the slider. he has to make it appear hittable, and he did not.
i questioned a bunch of locations, but the only pitch i questioned was the third straight FB to Nomar.
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Heard Lidge say after the Lofton triple, he was going for a strikeout. His goal was not to allow the Dodgers to put the ball in play to drive home Lofton on a flyball or groundout. So he kept throwing slider after slider in the dirt hoping they would chase. They didn't.
Seems he was willing to risk the big inning, to keep the run from scoring on a hit/grounder/flyout.
As the home team, I think the strategy was wrong. Allowing Lofton to score is not the end of the world. You gotta protect the downside risk.
Or am i just being a pussy?
Thoughts (on the strategy not whether or not I am a pussy)?
JD said that the runner on 3rd messed him up, he was throwing away from contact. Pitching scared if you want to take it that far. I think the real problem is that Jeff Kent can spot a Brad Lidge slider when he takes the sign from Ausmus.
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I give Seattle somewhat of a pass on that - you couldn't be sure if that season was abnormal, or finally fulfulling the promise everyone had talked about for so long.
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Sure, as soon as he publically apologizes for his fucking in-bred comments about the Telemundo flap.
I briefly googled this, but came up with nothing. Can you enlighten me?
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I'm trying to think of anything less useful, in the entire universe, than a lefty-specialist who not only cannot retire the lefty he is brought in to face, but gives up the longest fucking home run I have seen in some time to him.
Useless, useless, useless... wait! I've got it! The Astro's new lefty specialist -- my appendix.
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Juiced ball? Maybe. But I would put everything on the table and say it's probably a little of everything.
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Right. In the mlb.com box scores, it's at the bottom of the batting summary. Last night's game had 5 LOB for MIL and 8 LOB for HOU, while the totals from the player lines were 12 and 17, respectively.
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kindofan absurdity, isn't it. The hits and bb are easy. The Link
lob I came up with off box scores, so I'll try again. This time I came up with 222. Here's the list
4/18 17
4/17 21
4/16 22
4/15 16
4/14 7
4/13 8
4/13 22
4/10 18
4/9 20
4/8 16
4/7 14
4/5 12
4/4 13
4/4 16
What am I missing?
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I think these games are gonna be played - the rain is supposed to start breaking up tonight. It's dumping outside right now though.
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I realized the other day that Sirius has a NASCAR channel, where one can presumably listen to a 500 mile race.
I'd love to be in the living room one day, ear pressed up against the radio and slamming down cold ones, and my wife walks in and says, "Honey, are you still planning on planting those begonias for me?"
"Shut up, baby. I'm listenin' to the car race."
Also, XM has a PGA channel, where you can listen to golf.
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I liked the article, but I have a real problem with the media excusing themselves from not knowing about the steroid problem with baseball.
I didn't even follow baseball that closely in 1998 and it was pretty obvious to me that Sosa and McGuire were on 'roids. When they found the andro in Big Mac's locker, did it not cause a light to switch on? How about Barry Bonds' head size changing?
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I never heard "in the hold" until today. That does not make "in the hole" correct, but I never heard or picked up on the "d" at the end. Of course, it wasn't until the other day that I heard of a "rusty trombone" or knew such an act had a name.
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So, do you (Bud) allow Barry to top the true stars (Ruth, Aaron, already Mays, Robinson)? I think not. That would tarnish the game even further, if that is possible.
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If Bud Selig suspends Barry Bonds in 2006 for things he did preior to 2005, I'm going to kick that mother fucker right in the sphincter. Repeatedly.
Why should Bonds not be punished for breaking the rules?
The media have done an unbelievably poor job of pointing out that steroids were banned starting in 1991.
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WARNING>>>>>EXPLICIT GRAPHIC TAKE
READ AT YOUR OWN RISK
This is normally assumed for your posts... but now I think we're getting into the "R" vs. "Hard R" area.
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This is precisely why I think the BP guys are out of touch. I don't even find them particularly clever or funny as much as mean-spirited. I'm not going to put down the metrics they use. I think their research dredges up interesting things that probably do have some practical use. But the idea that everything works just so in the universe they've constructed in their minds and computers, I just don't buy it.
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The DVD apparently does not include the dinger Biggio hit off of Wagner. How do you make a story about the highlights of the Astros' season without including that? When I asked the MLB guy in charge of marketing the thing, he was completely unaware of it.
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Why would anyone want to know this info, unless they were a family member of a baseball player that they were planning to kill?
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That was AWESOME. I love chance- I wish I could get all systems go downloaded.
Question- is he serious about this stuff or is it an Al Yankovick type paraody thing?
If it is the latter then it is well done and funny I think (if you like that genre), but if it is the former and he's a "serious" musician/commentator with this stuff then that takes the comedy level of the gig to heights I can't imagine.
I don't want to bag on the guy, or comment about his talent, creativity, or motivation. I... just... hope... I never hear that again.
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In a press conference on Thursday at Knology Park, the Blue Jays announced that they had agreed to a three-year, $40 million contract extension with their prize pitcher through the 2010 season. Halladay, who had been signed through 2007, will make $10 million in 2008, $14.25 million in 2009 and $15.75 million in 2010.
The Link
Could be relevant to Oswalt's situation.
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There will come a day when folks reminisce about the good old days at the Astrodome.
I've felt this way for about six years now.
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According to the box score it was Ramiro Mendoza.
O.K. did Milo call Mendoza Rivera or did he call Rivera Mendoza?
Yes. Even went for the trifecta of Rivera Rivera.
IN other news, Generalisimo Francisco Franco is still dead.
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to a grand jury.
To anybody.
You know, there were people upset with him for accepting the offer of a free blow job, too.
What's up with that?
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And I thought I was your favorite. Who's gonna cuddle me during those cool spring nights now.
I feel dirty.
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Charlie Wonderlic Jr., president of Wonderlic Inc., says, "A score of 10 is literacy, that's about all we can say."
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Spoiled Little Boy has done it twice in the same thread.
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He was so so accurate, I truly never remember him making a mistake, whereas Milo you count the number of mistakes per game.
You obviously never heard Milo when he was in his prime. I'm all for Elston winning the award and all, but it IS possible to congratulate Elston without bashing Milo for his misfortune of growing old.
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Ok, ok, so his production says he's worth it. I'll just leave it at "I don't like his pissy attitude". Gets a lot of play around here and is very tiresome.
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But, what hasn't been revisited is whether the theories described in Moneyball are a "better" approach and not just an expedient predicated on cost; to be abandoned when more money is available. Or, is player evaluation, for the A's as it is for everyone else, pretty much a crap shoot.
For all the emphasis on MOneyball, what got the A's the success they enjoyed was a wealth of talent that had yet to hit Year 7 of major league service time. Giambi, tejada, Chavez, Hudson, Zito, Mulder, Foulke, Koch, Haren, Harden....
Squeezing out an extra win here or there through identifying undervalued resources is great, but theres your foundation.
I'll go you one point further Foggy and say that the A's success can be attributed to having pitchers like Zito, Hudson and Mulder all come of age in the majors at relatively the same time and still be under club control. Pitching! Wow, now there is a concept that is tried and true, but heck, why talk about anchoring your team's success on pitching (and defense) when it's more sexy to talk about offense in this day and age of fantasy baseball.
Why indeed.
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But, what hasn't been revisited is whether the theories described in Moneyball are a "better" approach and not just an expedient predicated on cost; to be abandoned when more money is available. Or, is player evaluation, for the A's as it is for everyone else, pretty much a crap shoot.
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My guess is that no one thought he would be in a situation where there was a question as to whether he was disabled. How often does that happen? I guess that should've planned for that contingency, but it mostly seems like bad luck.
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So, yes, it appears that from 2003 to 2005, Minute Maid Park has been the worst home-run park in the league for lefties and the best home-run park in the league for righties.
Nothing wrong with that. I do not understand why people get defensive about it.
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I suspect I will take some heat on this one, but the 17 million due Bags and the 20 million option year for Manny in 2008 or 09 seem to be commensurate (even though Manny has three to four years left on his contract)- See Jasonact's thread on how much is due Manny.
Nevertheless, Bags is my all-time favorite stro but! That said Manny wants out, Jeff wants to play, Tim wants another bat or pitcher, Boston is all over the place with older vets like Loretta, Lowell etc. There has to be a deal for these guys that is win-win-win.
I still love Bags!
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Lane plays hard and is one of the most intense guys on the team. his problem is not relaxing enough.
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anyone who reads BP to learn about baseball is wasting his/her time. it is very entertaining though, and the writing is hilarious.
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MMPUS is not the 2nd best HR park for righties in MLB. Using the 2002-2004 data, the following are more HR-friendly...
Wrigley, US Cellular, Coors, Kaufman, BiA. MMPUS's RHB HR Ratio was 116. The following had ones at 115: BOB, Camden Yards, Great America Ballpark. In other words, #6 overall, but just barely ahead of #9.
What does "RHB HR Ratio" MEAN exactly? Whatever it is, it doesn't seem to jive with ESPN's "Park Factor," which I realize doesn't separate lefties and righties, but still somehow lists MMP as the SINGLE WORST stadium in the majors for HRs.
The Link
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I always enjoy reading BP. Of course, they said last year, let me see if I can remember it exactly, "This isn't a contending team."
That doesn't mean they're idiots, that their methodology stinks, or that there isn't a lot worthwhile in the book. It just means that baseball's a funny game.
I'm intrigued by the Weaver idea, though I bet we sit on our hands for Roger.
Minute Maid better for RH hitters than Coors?
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Lane's upside is better and the salary is better, but I am not convinced Lane is going to get much better.
This isn't about upside and about what Lane might do. It is about what Burnitz and Lane did do last season. If Lane doesn't get any better and plays just as he did last season, he'll still play better than Burnitz did last seaosn. And who's got the better chance of improvement? The 28-year-old or the 36-year-old? Whose legs are going to be better in the field and on the basepaths?Player Avg OBP Slg AB 2B 3B HR RBI BB
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Lane .267 .316 .499 517 34 26 65 78 32
Burnitz .258 .322 .435 605 31 24 84 87 57Quote:
And if Lance moves to first, I would rather have Burnitz in left than Burke.
Sure, but if Lance doesn't move to first, then you're stuck with playing Burnitz or Lane part-time.
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JD and Milo, Milo can't keep up with Deshaies and JD wouldn't backfill Milo's gloss overs. I think there was some issue with Dierker and Milo in the same booth.
Well, theres one real quick and easy way to fix this delimma...
Actually, I think the JD/Milo paring would be b-e-a-utiful. Milo rambles on for a couple minute, JD sneaks in a one liner here and there, Milo oblivious to what JD says, keeps on rambling.
From Dierker's book
Dierker ....asked his brother in California to send him more Hawaiian apparel, .... When the new shirts arrived, one was decorated with depictions of the old woodie station wagons that became popular with surfers back in the 1940s.
This gave Dierker an idea.
He figured that Hamilton, who's considerably older, likely had no idea that "woodie" is a slang term sometimes used to described the male sex organ during the, ahem, state of arousal.
Before the two went on the air with the game broadcast, Dierker pointed to one of the station wagons on his shirt and asked, "Hey, Milo. You know what that is?"
"Uh, a station wagon."
"No," said Dierker, "this is a woodie, man. You should know that. It comes from your era. These things were the rage when I was in high school in California. They were surfer cars."
"I didn't know they called them that," Hamilton replied.
After the game was underway, Dierker asked his partner on the air how he liked his new Hawaiian shirt.
"You mean the one with all the woodies on it?" Hamilton replied, while a TV audience of thousands watched and listened.
"Yeah," Dierker said. "When you were a young man, did you ever have a woodie?"
"Oh, no. We were much too poor," Hamilton said.
"Boy, that's really poor," Dierker said, trying to suppress his laughter.
The Link
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JD and Milo, Milo can't keep up with Deshaies and JD wouldn't backfill Milo's gloss overs. I think there was some issue with Dierker and Milo in the same booth.
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I can't justify the amount of change it's going to cost to go to any of the games with my current family situation.
If I wasn't saving up for wedded bliss........
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You, sir, are one Astros loss away from owing me a left nut.
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What kind of guy are you?
1) 4-6-3 or 6-4-3?
2) Triple or out-stretching-at-home?
3) Whirling dervish or balk?
4) Tinkers, Evers, AND Chance...Zero Hall of Famers, all in the Hall of Fame?
5) Rainbows or Moving Stars?
6) Turds or steM?
7) .225 SS or .340 1B?
9) Lose in 7 or watch the entire playoffs from home?
10) 1985 Rebecca DeMornay or 1986 Kelly LeBrock?
Seinfeld "The COntest" versus Seinfeld "The Pen" How will Backe do on Saturday? Got a bad feeling about Backe this year. I don?t think he?ll be anywhere near the pitcher he was down the stretch last year. I see him losing his spot in the rotation by mid-June. Look for Duckworth and Astacio to man the #4 and #5 spots from then on. Would have loved to see the Count flip Backe into something else this offseason.Quote:Quote:
methinks PREDATOR'S prescription expired.
Which is the pill that makes him smart?
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THAT WAS THE QUESTION FUCK FACE
IF THEY DON'T LIKE THEM WHY DON'T THE PUT THEM ALL ON WAVER'S
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EasTex: take that VORP shit right on out of here
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If the Astros can dig up another Kirk Saarloos, sure why not. Might be fun watching Berkman, Byrnes, and L(B)ane careening around the MMPUS outfield.
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To me, Byrnes fuck up shows his head is not in the game. he has time to shove Veritek but neither the time, nor the baseball smarts to notice the ump is just sitting there with his hands in his pockets. To me it showed he wanted to be a tough guy (by shoving Veritek for blocing the plate) rather than being a smart guy (either by noticing he was blocked from the plate, steping on it again just to make sure, or noticing the ump was not making a call).
I would ask this: where the hell was the on-deck hitter on this play?
A's, as a team, aren't known for their baseball smarts. That series was a prime example. Byrnes fits right in with the rest of the A's. Still, in a choice between Cameron, Byrnes or Lane in center, Byrnes wouldnt be the worst option.
