The Cards just picked up 2 huge top of the rotation pitchers.
1) Chris Carpenter
2) Adam Wainwright

They should be ready for teh beginning of August.

The Cards just picked up 2 huge top of the rotation pitchers.
1) Chris Carpenter
2) Adam Wainwright

They should be ready for teh beginning of August.



If thats the best you guys come up with, Congrats on 3rd place in the division....The deal that I am somewhat concerned probably won't take place until the off season....sounds like the red birds are the front runner for Matt Holliday (long run is a better hitter than Fat Albert)... Holliday and Pujos in the same line up is a pretty fierce 1-2 punch.

The CUBS are not finished dealing...still looking for another big bat.

The Cards just picked up 2 huge top of the rotation pitchers.
1) Chris Carpenter
2) Adam Wainwright

They should be ready for teh beginning of August.



If thats the best you guys come up with, Congrats on 3rd place in the division....The deal that I am somewhat concerned probably won't take place until the off season....sounds like the red birds are the front runner for Matt Holliday (long run is a better hitter than Fat Albert)... Holliday and Pujos in the same line up is a pretty fierce 1-2 punch.

The CUBS are not finished dealing...still looking for another big bat.


Holliday better than Pujols? That is quite possibly the dumbest thing I've ever heard anyone say. Pujols is without question the best player and the best hitter in the NL. Period, no debate, no discussion. Now we can argue over who's ptential 1-2 is better - Zambrano/Harden, Sheets/CC, or Carpenter/Wainwright. But there is no debating Pujols as the best player in the NL. As for the pitchers I'd say the Cards and Brewers have a leg up on the Cubs. Carp and CC are former Cy Yound award winners. Carp and Wainwright have World Series championships. Zambrano is great, but hasn't cashed in the Cy Young potential. Harden and Sheets are always one start away from the DL. Advantage Cards ... as usual.

Holliday is an Okie, so McCoy gives him bonus points. Pujols is Card, so McCoy subtracts points. Holliday is no Pujols. In recent memory, only Bonds comes to mind as a hitter who deserves to be feared as much as Pujols. That being said, Carpenter/Wainwright? Carpenter/Wainwright? I love Wainwright, as he has maximizes his marginal stuff, much like Carpenter used to be, but at the end of the day, he is very solid, but not dominant. Carpenter, well, he is just an illusion.

As a nuetral observer who likes neither of the three teams, the edge decidedly goes to the Cubbies, with the Brew Crew making them sweat, and possibly gack. The Cards will steadily fall post all-star break.

http://www.r-go.ca/images/monemouth.jpg

Please money with your mouth. I'll put wainwrights win total from August through October up against Hardens.

I was just commenting on the teams as a whole and your assertion that Carpenter/Wainwright were better than Zambrano/Harden or Sheets/Sabathia. I don't think Carpenter/Wainwright are better than Z/Dumpster or Sheets/Parra. And win totals? The most useless stat ever devised for pitchers. As to Harden, I rarely see him, so I have little feel for his abilities.

Over the last 4 years, MLB has rarely seen Harden too.

But I agree that St. Louis is 3rd in the pitching comparisons. That makes what's happening even better.

Proof that Pujols > Holliday.

Matt Holliday, in 5 years so far:
Home: .364 / .427 / .659
Away: .278 / .341 / .452

Solid numbers, but the discrepancy screams Coors Field effect.


Albert Pujols, in 8 years so far:
Home: .332 / .426 / .613
Away: .333 / .420 / .626

Now that's consistancy at an amazing level.

Proof that Pujols > Holliday.

Matt Holliday, in 5 years so far:
Home: .364 / .427 / .659
Away: .278 / .341 / .452

Solid numbers, but the discrepancy screams Coors Field effect.


Albert Pujols, in 8 years so far:
Home: .332 / .426 / .613
Away: .333 / .420 / .626

Now that's consistancy at an amazing level.



Pujols stinks, I would have said something much worse but that isn't allowed here. Keep in mind that this comes from a Houstonian who watched that guy wipe us out in the playoffs. Nothing seems to phase him and he feeds off of pressure situations. He's what A-rod wishes he was!

I wouldn't trade a used jock strap for Fat Albert, He is the biggest liar since Tim Johnson. 28 years old, my donkey.... He is the big league version of Danny Almonte....Coincidence that he is from the same area of the Dominican Republic as Miguel Tejada and Julio Franco? .... I think not.

All of you folks that thinks he is going to break any records need to realize that dude is almost 40. His lying [censored] should be deported!!! There is a reason that the guy who signed Fat Albert works at Wal-Mart... forgering players birth certificates gets you a shelf stocking job...BEEEELIEVE IT!!!

The REAL SCOOP on Dominican players ages. (http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/sports/2008/6/3/28192/Dominican-players-real-ages-a-challenge-even-for-think-tank)

I wouldn't trade a used jock strap for Fat Albert, He is the biggest liar since Tim Johnson. 28 years old, my donkey.... He is the big league version of Danny Almonte....Coincidence that he is from the same area of the Dominican Republic as Miguel Tejada and Julio Franco? .... I think not.

All of you folks that thinks he is going to break any records need to realize that dude is almost 40. His lying [censored] should be deported!!! There is a reason that the guy who signed Fat Albert works at Wal-Mart... forgering players birth certificates gets you a shelf stocking job...BEEEELIEVE IT!!!

The REAL SCOOP on Dominican players ages. (http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/sports/2008/6/3/28192/Dominican-players-real-ages-a-challenge-even-for-think-tank)



KMACK you are hilarious. Do you also wear a tin foil hat and live in fear of black helicopters?

Mulder is a bum ... walks to guys and his carrer is over. I kind of feel bad for him except that he's rich and basically stole $$$ from the cards. That is what cubs fans have to look forward to with Harden ... another A's pitcher that was good in Oakland only to dissapoint somewhere else.

Nice title. :D

Kevin, you've been spending too much time in the Georgia woods.

Silly linked article aside, Pujols' DoB had to be cleared by the MHSAA to be able to play HS ball in Kansas City.

Is Busch stadium about to become Stella Artois Field?

Are they gonna get rid of Big Mac land and turn it to be Beck's Upper Deck? I can't wait to visit the Hoegarrden village. :D

What a sell out, way to take an all American product and roll over like the Frenchies in WWII? The Dutch are going to ruin the red birds.....wait this is a good thing. :D

Proof that Pujols > Holliday.

Matt Holliday, in 5 years so far:
Home: .364 / .427 / .659
Away: .278 / .341 / .452

Solid numbers, but the discrepancy screams Coors Field effect.


Albert Pujols, in 8 years so far:
Home: .332 / .426 / .613
Away: .333 / .420 / .626

Now that's consistancy at an amazing level.

Hey, help out someone with only a nodding understanding of baseball. What's up with three batting averages?

Batting ave/On-base ave./Slugging ave.

Batting average - hits per at bats

On-base average (%) - hits + walks + safe on errors + etc. per at bat

Slugging average (%) - total bases per at bat, where total bases equals (singles*1) + (doubles*2) + (triples*3) + (homers*4)

ps. the Rangers start their slide on friday ( :p), and it looks like both leagues will have a tight race in the east.

another ps. Why is batting always an average, but on-base and sometimes slugging are called percentages. That's an oddity.

edited to add. I think the term "at bat" for on-base percentages includes every at bat, including walks, sacrifices. etc., where "at bat" for batting and slugging excludes walks and sacrifices. Someone help me out.

Lincecum showed Oil Can what a top-shelf pitcher plays like.

As for St. Louis and the sale of A-B, InBev is run by a bunch of Brazilians so it could be that things there could get pretty fun around Carnival.

As for fundamental baseball, how about Reggie Willits scoring the winning run from second yesterday in Oakland on an infield hit? If the Angels can start getting any offense - and it's hard to imagine them staying this inconsistent - they'll be the runaway team of the second half.

alright, after some googling, and in order to answer a very pressing question....

on-base % is defined as
(hits + walks + hit by pitch)/(at bats + walks + hit by pitch + sacrifices)

it does not, as I wrongly assumed, include reaching base by error, even though it should imo.

back to real baseball and the fact that CC has two wins for the brew crew, and Marmol is cratering big time.

Is Busch stadium about to become Stella Artois Field?

Are they gonna get rid of Big Mac land and turn it to be Beck's Upper Deck? I can't wait to visit the Hoegarrden village. :D

What a sell out, way to take an all American product and roll over like the Frenchies in WWII? The Dutch are going to ruin the red birds.....wait this is a good thing. :D


From what I've heard don't expect any changes for the Cards as a result of the sale. I think the new company will be called "Anheuser Bush InBev". From what I've heard about InBev they likely won't change anything except to layoff a few of the top heavy peices. All the breweries will remain open and most of the regualr workers will retain their jobs.

alright, after some googling, and in order to answer a very pressing question....

on-base % is defined as
(hits + walks + hit by pitch)/(at bats + walks + hit by pitch + sacrifices)

it does not, as I wrongly assumed, include reaching base by error, even though it should imo.

back to real baseball and the fact that CC has two wins for the brew crew, and Marmol is cratering big time.



CC has me worried ... a lot more worried than Harden. The Cards need an arm and a bat to get the wild card.

Your not concerned about Harden and the CUBS because the red birds are as close as they will ever get and your already focusing on the wild card?

Harden was as promised, nearly unhittable. 3 of the 5 hits he gave up were bleeders....No one on the Ants squared one up. It's a shame that Lou was stuborn and left an ailing Marmol in there to pitch. Marmol is banged up and I wish he wouldn't go to the All-Star game but it's his first chance.

Harded is so SICK!!! He has only given up 2 runs in 36+ innings against the NL. It must be nice to be able to bring 95mph+ fastball and then break off a 80mph circle change oh and then have the bottom fall out of a 90mph splitter...The only thing ole Candy Corn Sabathia has on Harden is that he can hit.

Harden may move ahead of the Spittin Venezuelan as our ace. One of our 7 All-Stars is our #4 guy in the rotation ..i'm going to go ahead and start looking for a plane ticket to Chi-town for mid October....BEEEEEEELIEVE IT!!!! 1908-2008 the drought is OVA!!!!



:D:D

It looks like July 29th could be the face off.

Chocolate Cake Sabathia vs Richey Rich Harden

Prediction CUBS 14 - Brew Crew 1 hit ;)

It looks like July 29th could be the face off.

Chocolate Cake Sabathia vs Richey Rich Harden

Prediction CUBS 14 - Brew Crew 1 hit ;)


Prediction - Harden is hurt before that game.

Thank you.

That was amazing..most HR in HRD History!!!!

the suitcase on home plate halfway thru was hilarious and Bradley taking his pic with Josh on the plate

The most in one round with 28 blowing the old record of 24 set in 2004! That was amazing to watch and there is 2 more rounds left! :o

...and he didn't win. Pretty crazy to watch, including the 71 y/o pitcher. Guess he was spent after that first round. He was knocking the [censored] out those balls.

I think it should be re-tooled so that there is only 1 or possibly 2 rounds. 3 rounds is too many. Hamilton was clearly the winner regardless of what happened in Round 3. Even the winner said as much. What a show!

This happens in our distance competitions all the time where the longest throw is made in the prelims or semis and that person doesn't win in the finals since throws don't carry over. The problem with the home run derby is that the dingers from rounds 1 & 2 get added together so it forced Josh to continue pounding. If round 2 started over at zero, he could have just hit 9 in round 1, qualified and stopped so they could move on to round 2.

If you ask anyone 2 years from now they won't remember Morneau won...well I will but I'm a geek like that....everyone will remember those epic blasts that Hamilton had, I really thought he was going to yak it out of Yankee Stadium....

Expect a slump from him for the next two weeks or so...Abreau didn't hit for nearly a month after he went crazy in 05....I hope that Hamilton doesn't go through that slump or get the life sucked out of him from the late summer heat of Northern Mexico oooorrrrr Tejas. I would like to see him flirt with 200 steaks at the end of the season.

of course a record that is owned by a CUBBIE, Hack Wilson 191 in 1929 or 1930 I believe....the last one to make a legitimate run at it was Roid-Boy/bank-robber/glassyass/always injured with hang nail or strained vagina, Juan Gonzalez when he had 98 at the break but only ended up with around 160

Come on NL the CUBS need home field advantage for the World Series!!!

I'm concerned about those first 2 innings....FREAKIN BEN SHEETS are you kidding me? HE SUCKS!!!!!! I wish I could get an AB against his flat fast ball. His hook on the other hand nasty :D

Hamilton's only on pace for 165. Wilson's 191 was 1930*, and he played every game that season. To knock in 200 today, a player would have to play every day and average 5 RBI every 4 games.


Thank the Giants for screwing up the NL starting pitching. Lincecum shut down the Cubs on Sunday and now gets to spectate during the ASG from the dugout.




*Oh, and the Cubs still finished 2nd in 1930...behind St. Louis.

We've secretly replaced Dan Uggla's glove with a cement block. Let's see if he notices the difference.

OMG what a horrible performance. They could have grabbed a drunken moolie out of the stands to produce more for the NL.

I wish Lou would have taken over the manager's role...the NL's squad was about as weak as it could have been as soon as they pinch ran for Aramis....Rami would have ended that game about an hour and a half earlier if he was left in the game....his stats after the 8th inning are INCREDIBLE!!! He is slugging over .700 after the 8th with 4 bombs this year.

**** near a golden sombrero. In an all-star game!!!!!!

Why did Hurdle:

1. take out Wilson after two clean outs and put in Wagner; and

2. leave Wagner in to face Longoria.

A bad feeling came over me when I saw Wagner leaving the pen. I bailed in the 13th as I realize the outcome won't effect the Astros, but up until then, a very entertaining game.

I wonder how UGGLAS going to be treated in the locker room when he gets back to tampa :D u know they are going to bust his balls big time.

He could switch to disc golf where you don't have to catch, just throw...

umm... did you mean Miami?


I wonder how UGGLAS going to be treated in the locker room when he gets back to tampa :D u know they are going to bust his balls big time.

I wonder how UGGLAS going to be treated in the locker room when he gets back to tampa :D u know they are going to bust his balls big time.



Nice Avatar MC. Do you also own the Tom Emanski's Instructional Video?

Royals Hire Tom Emanski to Teach Them Fundamentals (http://www.theonion.com/content/node/49108)

MC aka Conners, aka Old School, aka Big Fella, aka The Commish, aka Nasty Natti has always been a big fan of the Crime Dog and Tom Emanski.

BY the way MC can rake, he swings left handed and hits bombs!!!....GO SNATCHERS!!!!

Who isn't a big fan of Tom Emanski's video.

Its the instructional video for you!

MC aka Conners, aka Old School, aka Big Fella, aka The Commish, aka Nasty Natti has always been a big fan of the Crime Dog and Tom Emanski.

BY the way MC can rake, he swings left handed and hits bombs!!!....GO SNATCHERS!!!!



Haha, yes i love it! Thx for the props Kev :DLooks like we have a new chapter of snatchers brewing up. Nothing better than a softball team full of competitive disc golfers. Fall league at Haikey Creek won't know what hit em.

I'm missing out on that!!! Wish I could be there to throw some leather around. The ole mit needs to feel the pop, all the magic is gonna dry up if I can't find some action soon. :D

We miss you buddy. Looks like i'm moving into Moodys place on the 19th hole, looking forward to it :D

Nice to see that St. Louis still owns Jake Peavy.

Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom.

Nice to see that St. Louis still owns Jake Peavy.

Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom.



Josh Hamiton aside, is there a better story in baseball than Rick Ankeil ... 21 bombs!

Boom ... Outa Here (http://www.bugsandcranks.com/philadelphia-phillies/michael-milici/brett-myers-blows-the-game-screams-obscenities-at-reporter/)

Nice to see that St. Louis still owns Jake Peavy.

Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom.



Josh Hamiton aside, is there a better story in baseball than Rick Ankeil ... 21 bombs!

Boom ... Outa Here (http://www.bugsandcranks.com/philadelphia-phillies/michael-milici/brett-myers-blows-the-game-screams-obscenities-at-reporter/)



Ankiel ??? Yeah great story of what some HGH and some roids can get ya! I guess you already forgot (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3008363) What a loser!

A better story is your chump playing left field, at least he didn't cheat to get past his trials and tribulations.

Nice to see that St. Louis still owns Jake Peavy.

Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom.



Josh Hamiton aside, is there a better story in baseball than Rick Ankeil ... 21 bombs!

Boom ... Outa Here (http://www.bugsandcranks.com/philadelphia-phillies/michael-milici/brett-myers-blows-the-game-screams-obscenities-at-reporter/)



Ankiel ??? Yeah great story of what some HGH and some roids can get ya! I guess you already forgot (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3008363) What a loser!

A better story is your chump playing left field, at least he didn't cheat to get past his trials and tribulations.



That shows how little you know about the story and how ignorant you are to bring that up.
A) It was not against baseball rules at the time to use it.
B) It was 4 years ago ... when he was a pitcher.
C) He owned it.
D) All of baseball was using at that time ... including Cub slugger Sammy Sosa.
E) Doesn't dimish what he's doing right now.
F) One mistake shouldn't tarnish you for the rest of your life, especially when you own it.

How many players of LaRussa has been linked to ROIDS and HGH? COUNTLESS

It would take a year to come up with a near guess. How come Bud Selig hasn't ran this [censored] out of baseball for continually turning the other way while his players juice up. I wouldn't be suprised if DrunkAss LaRussa was sticking the needles in their asses. He should be thrown out of baseball and locked up....AGAIN
http://www.clumsycrooks.com/media/files8/mugshots/tony_larussa.jpg

Playing dumb about all of his players steroid use is just as bad as promoting drug use with your players.

Don't come back with Sammy Sosa, yeah we all knew he was juiced and that is why he is not a CUB HERO! I mean the guy hit over 60 bombs 3 years and 240 in a 4 year span and CUB NATION couldn't wait to get rid of him.

Cardinal Nation would still be praising the loser and name a section of the outfield bleachers for him. Big Mac Land is still there even though he was the biggest juicer ever has been linked to all the juice. LaRussa is probably still stroking his boy Big Slack's little sack, with his little McNuggets. :D

Playing dumb about all of his players steroid use is just as bad as promoting drug use with your players.



If this is the case the following are to blame ...
1) All the players that knew the same thing.
2) All Managers & Coaches & General Managers & Scouts & Front Office employees that knew the same thing.
3) All the media that knew the same thing.
4) All the fans that knew the same thing.

Everyone is culpable for the steriod era.

Don't come back with Sammy Sosa, yeah we all knew he was juiced and that is why he is not a CUB HERO! I mean the guy hit over 60 bombs 3 years and 240 in a 4 year span and CUB NATION couldn't wait to get rid of him.

Cardinal Nation would still be praising the loser and name a section of the outfield bleachers for him. Big Mac Land is still there even though he was the biggest juicer ever has been linked to all the juice. LaRussa is probably still stroking his boy Big Slack's little sack, with his little McNuggets. :D



That is more of a reflection on sCrUB fans than Cardinal fans. The sCrUB fans where so willing to turn their backs on Sosa when he was just doing what everybody else was doing. They celebrated him when it was convenient and cool to do so and then turned their backs on him when it became uncool to like him. Shame on sCrUB fan. Cardinal fans treat their players better than any in sport, with a level of respect and intelligence not seen in any other town. That's why St. Louis is Baseball City USA and Chicago is just the second city ... full of losers (Micheal Jordan not withstanding). I can't wait to see who Chicago tries to blame this year when they choke. Isn't Chicago due to burn down the city or rig antoher election soon?

You can't disown Sosa anymore than we can disown McGwire.

Cub fans didn't stop cheering for him until he stopped hitting.

Alright maybe Ankiel is sort of a freak, that battle he had tonight then hit one deep, it was just krama, since I was talking [censored] on him today :D

If he just didn't play for the suckyass redbirds he might be ok. :D:D

Although that was a very nice snow ball fight that broke out in that game...The were whipping it around the diamond getting everyone in the play. :D2-7-3-8-5 no out play :oThe scorekeeper had to watch a few times to figure out how many errors there were. :D

2.5 games and closing.

Excuse me while I go somewhere and hang my head in shame...

6-0 after the first and we lose... *sigh*

http://images.stltoday.com/stltoday/resources/milesgrandslam460july21.jpg



Just ignore the kerosene cans and open flames in the bullpen. :confused:

According to Popular Science, "The slingshot move of a pro pitcher's shoulder is the fastest recorded action in sports." Think it's faster than snapping a disc? Average speed of arm rotation is 2333rpm with 1500rpm average rotational speed of the ball. Measured intial disc rotation speed is faster than that and closer to 2000 rpm. New studies indicate the curveball puts slightly less stress on young arms than fastballs and now pitch count (50 for 8-yr olds) is used rather pitch type to make sure youngsters don't injure their arms. Wonder if we should do the same for our Juniors?

rpm is a weird measurement, makes little intuitive sense to me. Is this from the SI article on Lincecum? fwiw, I don't beleive that curves are easier on a kid's arm than fastballs; I doubt many coaches believe it either. Pitch counts makes some sense. However, mechanical analysis of the pitcher seems to currently seen as important as, if not more important than workload in predicting future problems. I've read a lot of discussion on how Prior's mechanics doomed him. Dusty is innocent!!!!!!!!

I do agree that your point about juniors should be considered. Also, people should be wary of teaching their kids overhand shots at a young age.

fwiw, I don't beleive that curves are easier on a kid's arm than fastballs; I doubt many coaches believe it either.


This is what the article said was popular opinion but found to be incorrect. It cited a recent study in the American Journal of Sports Medicine as the source for fastballs being slightly tougher than curves for young arms.
http://intl-ajs.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/34/6/905

Let the collaspe begin ... Wood is headed to the DL and Marmol is now closing!

Let the collaspe begin ... Wood is headed to the DL and Marmol is now closing!



Retroactive.....He will be available friday. It's just a blister, and he have 6 guys in the pen and could find a few bums in the stands (hopefully I'm there that night) to take care of the red birds puny sticks....weak!!!

If I got to be one of them bums called to put out the fire, I would love to see if I could make a fastball disappear in Fat Alberts LardSS :D

If he was lucky enough to avoid my [censored] bruising heat, I would drop the ole 12 to 6 hammer on him for the strike, He wouldn't believe his own eyes how this curve ball just buckled him down. . 1 -1 ... He would be impressed...You got to understand Pujos is BIG BIG BIG FAT GUY...it seems like your facing an offsrping of King Kong and Joba the Hut...monster lookin dude....But he has no idea that I am about to turn one over and throw a screw ball that starts in the middle of the dish, thumbing in there about 75mph....you can see Fattie Alberts Eyes light up like there are five 12 year old Puerto Rica boys dancin with no shirt on in front of him....he is turned on by crap like that ya know....well anyway the pitch finally gets there and Albert swings out of his Arse and hits it harder than any ball he has EVER Hit......the beauty of a screwball is it's off speed and its diving back into the right hander low and in.....FOUL BALL!!!!!!!

Now I have Ole Fattie down 1-2....he is my beatch...ya hear me? MY BEATCH!!!

SO I have to knock him down for sure just because I want to see him go down....Thats my plate!! How did that pitch smell ALBERT?

I call time out, get the trainer and Lou to come out. I just want to thank Lou again for picking me out of the stands to take care of this LaDouche bag...It was a real honor for Ole Lou to pick ME out of the stands....Oh and the trainer "I need to get a BIG gigantic chaw right about now, do you have any Levi GarretT? The trainer hooks me up.

2-2 count and I am not done having fun with the so called greatest hitter in the NL? Yeah right, I want to make him look pathetic one more time before I close him out. So I take the catchers signal...shake my head no....spit...next signal is duece..shake my head no....spit...3?....no spit....4.....no...spit...fist..no...throw up....Soto just says whatever, throw what you have, and I throw the ole Stumbler Knuckler.....Albert just about falls on his head fouling this ball off, so much dancin on that knucker they were gonna make a movie about it and call it You Got Served 2...

So I'm nice and buzzed now by the Levi Garrett and my best option at 2-2 is to knock him on his fat [censored]butt down one more time with the ole Okie Dokie Country Chin Music...to get him on his tail for the 4th time...he looks and stares....I stare back and laugh ....

He's chapped with redass now and not going to take me so lightly with this Cinderella story....Out of the Bleachers of Wrigley Freakin Field...I have set him up for my money pitch the hole time...I would come back with the circle change that I learned from my high school coach that pitched in the Phillies Organization during the Steve Carllaton days. Pitch starts in the middle of the plate and falls off the table diving in on the hitters hands...the best thing they can do is foul it off. But Sir Albert wiffs like I threw him a wiffle ball.

That is how you do it....It's so simple!!! Somebody get that **** W Flag up on that flag pole,, and get me an ICE COLD OLD STYLE

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1387/1323217611_7255012380.jpg

K-Mack - Sanity = that post

That is what being a Cubs fan and then also living in Oklahoma will do to you.



Meanwhile, I am gearing up for my triumphant return to baseball. I can't do any worse than the Cardinal bullpen. I don't throw hard enough for hitters to clear the fence.

"This call to the bullpen is sponsored by Diamond Matches. When you want to light something ablaze, call in your relief, call in Diamond."

Wow, since my eyes are usually focused on the bottom half of the central standings, I didn't relaize that things are getting pretty tight up there. The Cubbies can't score and the Cards can't pitch late. Meanwhile the Brew Crew is rolling and has some fresh meat coming in this weekend. Should be a very interesting last two months.

You said that again!!!

Too bad the Stros aren't in it. I'd love to go the MM park in Sept with the Cards and Stros playing for a division title.

the stros. if the Buccos can romp on them two nights in a row we KNOW they arent in it. LOL

Did someone say Strohs? I'm thirsty all of a sudden...


*goes back to watching the Tigers roll over the Royals*

Did someone say Strohs? I'm thirsty all of a sudden...


*goes back to watching the Tigers roll over the Royals*



CAUTION: The Royals may contain baseball-like players.

Did someone say Strohs? I'm thirsty all of a sudden...


*goes back to watching the Tigers roll over the Royals*




mmmmmmmmm stroh's


http://www.gono.com/beermagazineads/stroh's/s1.jpg


I prefer Hamm's ... from the land of sky blue waters!

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i290/hammsbeer/hamms60glasscans.jpg

Did someone say Strohs? I'm thirsty all of a sudden...


*goes back to watching the Tigers roll over the Royals*



CAUTION: The Royals may contain baseball-like players.


I don't care how bad a team is, its still fun to watch a rookie roll over them for the first 18 outs of the game. 2/3 of the way to a perfecto isn't a perfecto tho. :(

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/c_c_sabathia_prince_fielder_keep

Nice. Good thing that Durham still has some speed, else he's going to be an appetizer.

Fielder - 5'11", 270.
Sabathia - 6'7", 290.
(If you believe the Brewers roster stats.)

Fielder is a vegetarian, so he really sees cc as a giant bean and cheese burrito.

though they're only 10.5 games out of the WC race and i'm optimistic for another WHY NOT season, it's time to look ahead to next year. dem O's are gonna shock the world and take the AL east.


off to floppy hat night tonight...

http://mlb.mlb.com/bal/images/schedule/promos08/floppy_hat_180x150.gif

KMack ... where you at on this thread? This should be your area of expertise.

After tonight's embarrassing [censored] loss to the ChiSox I'm all about next year. [censored] Tigers...

Oh if we only had a pennnn....

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=...rtnerId=rss_stl (http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080726&content_id=3200213&vkey=n ews_stl&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl&partnerId=rss_stl)

Thank God. The Cards need big things out of Carp. Now if the brewers can keep having CC throw complete games he'll prboably get injured and we can get back in this!

McCoy isn't in here talking [censored] yet? Man, he's slacking.

(waits for the 'Candy Corn' blasts)

McCoy isn't in here talking [censored] yet? Man, he's slacking.

(waits for the 'Candy Corn' blasts)



He's scared. He knows 16 of their last 25 of the season are on the road ... that spells disaster for a weak minded sCrUBS team. That's where 30 of their 42 loses have come :o

My kid, this guy
VVVVVVVVVV

http://lh6.ggpht.com/ScooterFeely/SIqYPr2FsjI/AAAAAAAABD8/y-OzWYo3e0g/DSC_0129.JPG first ballgame, it was supposed to be Cubs @ Braves in a few weeks, but we kinda had to make a pitstop at Fenway ;)


11 of the Disc Golf Wicked Hawd Homies headed ovah to the pawk to catch tha SAWKS!



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Got to see one of Manny's blast, probably a HoF'er, so it will be cool to tell Ryne in the future that he missed it because he was ZZZZzzzzZZZzZZZZZZzZZz:D


http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll306/ninafofitre/FenwayVIRyne.jpg

Who'd the McCoys get to see? The best team in baseball beating the RedSox, that's who! Only missed Lackey's near no-no by one evening. And we've got Teixeira now. Little Ryne will get to hear tales one day of how he was present at an Angels game in their Championship season of 2008.

See you in October people. :cool:

Yeah ... the halos are looking very though now. At least I won't have to listen to any more talking heads saying the sCrUBS are the best team in baseball now. The halos have secured that spot pending any major injuries.

Pudge for Farnsworth

Really? Is this making a move for the purposes of making a move?

Really. :( Pudge was the guy that came in and gave the team a taste of respectability. And now he's gone, without a viable option for the foreseeable future behind the plate (unless you consider Inge a viable option). I know we needed bullpen help, but you need to trade from a spot that is deep not from a position that you have no other options at.

Bleh. It was almost a white flag without a white flag.

5 hours after it started, Tigers still going in the WORST BASEBALL GAME OF 2008.

Seriously... so far 6 combined errors, 43 combined men left on base, 12-12 top of the 12th, starting pitchers gave up 6 (Lee) and 8 (Robertson) runs, and the bullpens have been almost as bad. Wow. This is TERRIBLE baseball. Thank God the Indians blow or the Tigers would be getting ready to try to even the series tomorrow by now.

Doh! Bases loaded and no outs, and the beat goes on...

I guess the Brewers are back to the drawing board. With Harden going today looks like the SWEEP is inevitable.

Pitching = Advantage CUBS
Hitting = Advantage CUBS
Coaching = Advantage CUBS
Intangibles = Advantage CUBS

The Brew Crew will make the playoffs but with that bullpen it could be a short stay....I guess since there is not a team (other than the fish) that can compete with the CUBS in the NL, I better start running smack on our future opponent in the World Series. Go ahead and print the Angels vs CUBS World Series Duckits....After watching the Anaheim Angels of San Fernando Valley, or Rancho Cordova, live and in person, I'm not that concerned about their bats, and I am pretty sure our pitching staff is much more tougher. If you think Texeira just made the Angels better, ah try again....he sucks, you should have stuck with the kid, the ATL will get the best of that deal in the long run.

100 years of no ring is almost ova!!!! BEEEELIEVE IT!!!! :D

Welcome back K Mack ... now shut your trap :D

Can the sCrUBS freaking lose already ... The Cards finally get hot again and rip off 4 in row only to gain zero ground on 1st ... at least they are now in a virtual tie for 1st for the Wild Card.

It's gonna be a fun August and September!

Welcome back K Mack ... now shut your trap :D

Can the sCrUBS freaking lose already ... The Cards finally get hot again and rip off 4 in row only to gain zero ground on 1st ... at least they are now in a virtual tie for 1st for the Wild Card.

It's gonna be a fun August and September!



Why are you a Cubs fan now :eek: :DI actually grew up watching way more live Cards games as a kid due to the fact that I lived 2 hours from Bush and 5 hours from Wrigley :DSo deep down I would not mind if the cards went all the way :eek: But they wont :eek: :D

Welcome back K Mack ... now shut your trap :D

Can the sCrUBS freaking lose already ... The Cards finally get hot again and rip off 4 in row only to gain zero ground on 1st ... at least they are now in a virtual tie for 1st for the Wild Card.

It's gonna be a fun August and September!



Why are you a Cubs fan now :eek: :DI actually grew up watching way more live Cards games as a kid due to the fact that I lived 2 hours from Bush and 5 hours from Wrigley :DSo deep down I would not mind if the cards went all the way :eek: But they wont :eek: :D



Ideal scenerio is Cubs vs. Cards in NLCS ... game 7 in wrigley .. Carpenter vs. Zambrano ... Pujols wins it with an 8th inning bomb to crush the sCrUBS spirit for another 100 years.

Trying to ask the CUBS to lose is like asking a woman not to be bitchee when Aunt Flo is visiting, or scoring some hot luvins with a "dime" in the back of your El Camino. I understand you are starting to lose grip on your team and coming to the realization that if your not CUBS fan, your team is just a pretender and not a CONTENDER.

The CUBS are the TEAM of year in MMVIII , It will happen! MMVIII is still the year I got to take my family to Ryne's first ball game, kind of an early birthday gift for the little guy oooooor a late one for me....not sure but it was an awesome experience. It was either Barry or Daniel Mahhcus that said while we were walking through the halls of Fenway, "just think people were making this same walk around the stadium to watch the Sawks 100 years ago." (96 but who is counting) It was awesome!

Thanks Daniel Marcus for making that available for us!!!!!



Ryne asleep by the 7th Inning Stretch...he wasn't all that impressed of the American League (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lHs1GbXPSU)

Boldly spoken for one whose team is all too often a pretender themselves.

With Harden this year, maybe the Cubs will win a playoff game and push their Division Series to 4 games.

Looks as if the Marlins might be in the picture, unless of course the acquisition of Latroy Hawkins puts the Astros over the top.

That's something else I can't figure out. What is Ed Wade doing?

Randy Wolf? LaTroy Hawkins? Huh?

Word on the street is that Cincy traded Jr to the Chi Sox. That Chicago only World Series might happen after all.

It's a great day for us Cub's fans. They are up 5-0 in the 7th and looking for the sweep. It's our year.

You and Kevin have angered the baseball gods with your proclamations. Bad things are sure to follow. :D

Tony, if you find out, let me know. ;)

I'm glad to see the Pirates got enough baseballs for next season. Every year they have to trade players away for "prospects". That's just a nice way to say more baseballs, bags of them. It's the only way we can afford all those balls for the year.

With the Stro's and the Sorryazz Red birds coming to town the CUBS could be up by 9 games by the end of the week.

Can someone get me a magic number please?

With the Stro's and the Sorryazz Red birds coming to town the CUBS could be up by 9 games by the end of the week.

Can someone get me a magic number please?



You magic number is 100



100 years since you won a championship!

It's like a fine wine that aged and has become much more tasty with time.....mmmmmm that champagne is gonna taste good !!!

I'll give you credit. The cubs look tremendous right now. The Cards only hope is that the Brewers falter, Carpenter comes back with Cy Young type stuff, Wainwright comes back with Cy Young type stuff, and Albert stops going 0 for his last 15 :confused:

I agree with Kev, the champagne will be sweet. Hopefully we will be celebrating a pennant and a Cy Young winner. Big Z is doin work this year. 12-4, 2.76 era plus he's hitting like .354 with 2 homers and 10 rbi's. Pretty good numbers.

Zambrano could be going for his 2nd Silver Slugger Award

The Cubbies will be coming back to earth in about four hours. Cubbie fans should pray for rain as that will be the only way to prevent an L today.

Mother Nature may have saved you last night but today...No hit alert......Mr Harden against that Stro's line up today FAAAAGETABOUTIT !!!! It's too bad you can't make any money on today's game but this is a slam dunk W for the CUBBIES today.

You know how every game they read the line up card before they hit and it's always sponsored by a beer or ford or what the hell ever.... Houston should have their line up card before they hit be sponsored by Stro's LIGHT!!! It would come with a 6 pack of 8oz beers, little midgets that are making the league minimum or at least shoud be. Then they could also have Stro's HEAVY that is 3 pack of 40 oz. flavored pack.

Fat Elvis aka the 40 oz gold can Stagg Heavy
El Caballo cerveza in the big brown jug.
Tejada the well aged wide mouth Cream Ale

:D

CUBS 29 - Stro's Light 0

I don't know ... the Stros have been hot lately.

6-1 in the 2nd...Maybe 29 runs wasn't enough credit for the CUBS :D

*sigh* [censored] Tigers...

The Cards have 21 blown saves. Imagine where they'd be with even an average bullpen.

http://www.crosstowntees.com/images/t_shirt_images/cardinals_take_it_in_their_pujols/cardinals_take_in_their_pujols.jpg

http://i1.ebayimg.com/03/i/000/b6/14/e12f_1_b.JPG

Don't even need a fancy graphic to respond...


1908 and 1945

And the heavens parted and Perez was brought in to be the closer!

Note: Wainwright will likely come back as the closer ... remember what happend last time he was the closer?

http://www.thebirdwatch.com/archives/APy4lnQi.jpg

Dear Mr. Backe,

Yesterday's "performance" is the reason you have no business yapping at Pujols or any other major league player.


Sincerely,
The rest of MLB


PS - Loved the "How'd that happen?" look after Soriano blasted the hanging slider.

KMack ... Bender ... Cubs Cards are going to extras ... better get to a TV.

MLB.com Gameday is enough for me.

Just enough info to keep my blood pressure from exploding...

I owned Ryan Franklin so CUBS hitters will DEMOLISH him!!!

Get the W flag out.

I still hate Edmunds :D

1st place in their division for almost 3 months straight

I love this game:) GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO CuBs :D

Line score vs. the $215 million Yankees last night:

10 runs on 17 (!) hits, no errors and no need to bring in Frankie for his major league leading 46th save.

Today Lackey will join the other four in the rotation with at least ten wins. All that's left to accomplish in the regular season is setting up the pitchers for the sure-to-be-long post season and keeping people healthy.

Kevin, we're going to need some sort of friendly wager for the Series.

One pitch from Mariano and the sweep is complete.

74-43 folks.

Unfortunately Kevin won't be joining you in the Series. Haven't you followed the past... century? ;)

Unfortunately Kevin won't be joining you in the Series. Haven't you followed the past... century? ;)


http://thenastyboys.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/cubs.jpg
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http://www.thespinzone.com/images/mo_cubs6.jpg

Now that we are done with the weak sisters of the NL, the CUBBIES are coming to my home town.....HELLL F Yeah!!!!!

Going to Tuesday and Thursday for sure, I bet I can talk momma into letting Ryne and I to go Wednesday's game also ;)

Tuesday will be a blowout but I will be there to get my boy Fukudome going again. I'm sure the long season and him being a little homesick is contributing to his slump. We are gonna be in right field with the Fukudome (Kanji) jersey with my Chunichi Dragons hat and one of the homies at teh Japan Open gave me a Fukudome wrist band from the Dragons that I may have to give back to the old Fuker to get him hitting again. If you see Fukudome with a red wristband on in any of the games....I got to him and he will be hitting again very soon.

Fukudome is my HOMIE!!

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/11/16288772_fcad48e640.jpg

Another curse brewing... (http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/1100868,CST-NWS-fan11.article)

A guy who was alive for the last Cubs Series victory and they won't let him throw out the first pitch.

Yeah, they still haven't figured out that karma thing...

I fear the cards hopes for a long playoff run may have went down with Carp last night. Go Angles.

Tricep strain, and all quotes coming from Carpenter after the game were positive.

Seems like that happens when you don't pitch for 18 months.


Meanwhile, the Houston Chronicle seems to be doing live coverage of Carlos Lee's finger surgery...huh?

Oh, and "Ball! Smash!" Dunn just went to Arizona.

And considering Arizona probably will play Chicago in the NLDS, that should counteract the Harden signing. Arizona wins the series 3-0 (again). You see Cub fans, something, sometime, will happen and your team will fall short. It ain't personal, it's just the ineptitude of those loveable losers.

Kevin, we're going to need some sort of friendly wager for the Series.



How about wrangling up a few World Series duckets with those connections of yours ;) Then I will buy all the beer and peanuts :D

3 months straight no matter how you look at it now

Heck..I could ALMOST claim Edmunds after last night

nahh...

Red Bird fan, how does it feel to be closer in the standings to the Astro's than the CUBS? OUCH!!! :o

Time to bring up the kids from Memphis & Springfield :D REBUILD TIME :D

Kevin, we're going to need some sort of friendly wager for the Series.



How about wrangling up a few World Series duckets with those connections of yours ;) Then I will buy all the beer and peanuts :D



Would have had one game last year if they'd made it that far. I'll be plying what I have again, very soon I think.

Cubbies!

First grand slam... Got to go to Cards vs Dodgers last week. My wife and I were given front row box seats, all you can eat and drink, It was awesome! Manny jacked one in his first at bat, then later Puljos hit a grand slam. I've seen alot of things live, but never a 4 bagger, that was cool, and some incredible seats. Albert made it look like he was just swatting a fly, I'd love to see him really get ahold of one, he could probably hit one over 500 no problem. Cards need to rebuild, they're lucky to even be hoping for wins in August. I'm a Seattle fan for life, but Busch stadium is in my top three...

Albert made it look like he was just swatting a fly, I'd love to see him really get ahold of one, he could probably hit one over 500 no problem.



Just ask Brad Lidge. :o

is that a pitcher he tattooed or something?

Rather famously. "Houston, we have lift-off."

after a quick google search, I see what you're talking about. Boom!

after a quick google search, I see what you're talking about. Boom!



Don't you mean Boom ... Outa Here (http://www.bugsandcranks.com/philadelphia-phillies/brett-myers-blows-the-game-screams-obscenities-at-reporter/)

Mother Nature got us tonight but Ryne and I are going to enjoy a day night double header tomorrow...while all you suckas are at work....we will be basking in day baseball 2nd Row LEFT FIELD tomorrow....pic of Ryne and Momma sharing the umbrella with me and then a sad Momma and baby that we were rained out tonight :sad:




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http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll306/ninafofitre/PIC-0177.jpg

:( :( :(

6 away wins in a row..one more tonight Kev...

I'll keep checking for the wristband :)

Fukudome didn't get the wristband but after Ryne's 5 inning nap we were in the first row in the right field stands and I caught the ole FUKER's eye with my Chunichi Dragons ball cap on, and I was chanting FUUK-U-DOME is ICHI BON translation Fukudome is #1....... I spoke the little Japanese, I picked up while I was there, to him and he turned around and looked like WTF? :D I may have screwed it up who knows.... :D I may have called him Stinky Fish Face for all I know, but I think I busted him out of his slump... 2 for 5 with 2 steaks the 2nd game. The afternoon game the CUB : Brave fan ratio was 3 : 1 it was crazy to be in Atlanta and see that many CUB fans.

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll306/ninafofitre/PIC-0185.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll306/ninafofitre/PIC-0195.jpg

So you got to see Soriano's "single" in person? Please make sure to teach Ryne to run hard when he hits a ball that goes off the base of the fence. He'll have fewer teammates and managers who will want to kill him.

Lou didn't look pleased.

So you got to see Soriano's "single" in person? Please make sure to teach Ryne to run hard when he hits a ball that goes off the base of the fence. He'll have fewer teammates and managers who will want to kill him.

Lou didn't look pleased.



At least he got one in the earhole after that. It was just Fonzie being Fonzie :mad:

lol yeah! Ryne and I actually took a stroll around the ballpark and we were near home plate when he got knocked down.

It isn't worth the CUBS time to get in a bean ball fight with Richmond, other than Larry Jones there isn't anyone in that line up that would be worth dotting.

Just about to leave for tonights game....Lilly in a big ball park should be another W for the CUBBIES.

I was just mentioning to Courtney that in all the ball games I have seen in person I have never seen a bench clearing brawl, a no hitter or a cycle and tonight I almost got 2 of the 3.

Kotsay getting the Cycle was cool....The poor Braves stink this year...put up a goose egg against the CUBBIES this year...well at least most of the people at the games were excited the CUBS were winning.

Braves fans are soooooooooo weak.

Serious question...
With Evan Longoria out until September with a fractured wrist, and we all know how well people hit coming back from those... does this give Armando Galarraga a good shot at the Rookie of the Year?

If he continues to pitch as he has since the All Star break his ERA will wind up at or just below 3.00, and he'll likely win 15 games.

Is this enough to take AL RoY with Longoria injured and out and Ellsbury's batting average dropping by the week?


EDIT: Oh, and for you NL fans, over here in the league where the good hitters are, a 3.00 ERA is actually good.

Longoria will be ROY, even if only based on performance to date. Gallarga has been a very good find.

If he didn't play the rest of the year I could see him challenging, but ask anybody how easy it is to hit coming back from a bad wrist injury. His BA could slip into the low .260s and there's really no power. If he comes back with any pop, I'd be shocked.

EDIT: Oh, and for you NL fans, over here in the league where the good hitters are, a 3.00 ERA is actually good.



NL - .259 / .330 / .413
AL - .267 / .335 / .418

Yeah, such a huge disparity there.

Keep the bitterness confined to your own team's underachievements. Thanks.

this (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=ApaO4PIdq4B4sl3fMNnShic5nYcB?slug=jp-playoffpulse081808&prov=yhoo&type=lgns) is all good except i don't get to indulge in my favorite postseason past time-- rooting against the great satan.

Anyone catch the US V China game yesterday?

HOLY SNIKEYS!!! After that game I was worried about an all out war breaking out between US and China.

The China pitcher were having control issues and hit 5 US guys. After one of the US players had been hit twice he took matters into his own hands. On a sac fly the runner from 3rd tagged and BLEW the catcher up at home plate even though the catcher wasn't blocking the plate nor had the ball. The catchers gear ended up all over the infield he was drilled so hard.

Jim Lefebver is the coach for China and wasn't pleased and when he got a minute with the China pitcher he informed him that the next step was putting a fastball in the next guys ear-hole and did he ever....WOW....fast ball to the back of the ear....Yahoo Sports said that after the hard slide into home plate....there wasn't a hard slide he took a left turn to blow up the catcher. One of the ugliest games I have seen since my college days.

But the highlight to me is when the catcher came up for his next AB and crushed one over the wall....he ran around the bases with his #1 finger in the air and when he got to home plate he jumped up on home plate...it was awesome. I have it on my DVR and will NEVER delete it. AWESOME!!!!

NBColympics has highlights (http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/player.html?assetid=0818_sd_bbm_rc_ce281&channelco de=sportbb)

"I love the sound of Yankee Stadium silent in October."

if a tree falls in yankee stadium this october, does it make a sound?

Nope. None at all.

But come November that will be the building falling, and it's going to make a lot of noise that will be music to my ears.

With tonights blanking the Cubs are back to tied for the best team in all of baseball !!!!

EDIT: Oh, and for you NL fans, over here in the league where the good hitters are, a 3.00 ERA is actually good.



NL - .259 / .330 / .413
AL - .267 / .335 / .418

Yeah, such a huge disparity there.

Keep the bitterness confined to your own team's underachievements. Thanks.


A hit's a hit unless its a hit in a timely moment.

AL Runs/Game: 4.76
NL Runs/Game: 4.50

A quarter of a run per game, additionally the K:BB ratio is in favor of the AL, the NL seeing half a K per game more than the AL. Is the disparity immense? No. But it is of course offset slightly by the pitching being inferior in the National League (although trades like the Sabathia and Harden ones do close the gap a bit, NL pitchers' better statistics are a result of dealing with worse hitters... really the numbers aren't incredibly accurate because the worse hitting and worse pitching offset each other).

And if you don't agree with that I've got one final set of numbers:

149-103 (.591)
That's, over a 162 game season...the difference between a 96 win team and a 66 win team. That's the separation of quality between the leagues. Additionally my UNDERACHIEVING team took 5/6 series against NL teams, including one against some redbird team.

Have a nice day!

35 games left and the red birds are 9 games back in the loss column....I would be surprised if the CUBS lose more than 12 games in that stretch, so are you ready to concede to the best team in the NL?

:D:D:D

Anyone catch the US V China game yesterday?

HOLY SNIKEYS!!! After that game I was worried about an all out war breaking out between US and China.

The China pitcher were having control issues and hit 5 US guys. After one of the US players had been hit twice he took matters into his own hands. On a sac fly the runner from 3rd tagged and BLEW the catcher up at home plate even though the catcher wasn't blocking the plate nor had the ball. The catchers gear ended up all over the infield he was drilled so hard.

Jim Lefebver is the coach for China and wasn't pleased and when he got a minute with the China pitcher he informed him that the next step was putting a fastball in the next guys ear-hole and did he ever....WOW....fast ball to the back of the ear....Yahoo Sports said that after the hard slide into home plate....there wasn't a hard slide he took a left turn to blow up the catcher. One of the ugliest games I have seen since my college days.

But the highlight to me is when the catcher came up for his next AB and crushed one over the wall....he ran around the bases with his #1 finger in the air and when he got to home plate he jumped up on home plate...it was awesome. I have it on my DVR and will NEVER delete it. AWESOME!!!!



Sh-t was wild!

Other than the obvious intential HBP to LaPort, do you think any of the other HBP's were intentional?

That catcher got f'in smooooooooooked. I liked it.

Today is the day that future big leaguers get a taste of the show, the CUBBIES are actually only bringing one kid up that hasn't had a taste of the big show.

It is also the return of Micah Haufpauir...If D. LEE wasn't such a stud at 1B, Hauf would have been there and made it a 3 horse race for Rookie of the Year...Dude can MASH!!!! He's gonna have to play the OF some for the CUBBIES, but he will find a way to get 5 or 6 bombs while he is up this month and may land a spot on the playoff roster as a PH.

And we get one of our stud arms back Angel Guzman he's coming back from Tommy John so I'm anxious to see what he's got. The nastiest arm we have, Marmol is on pace to become the first pitcher in big league history to allow fewer than four hits per nine innings with at least 50 innings pitched...Just imagine if he was a starter.....CY YOUNG!!!

Got to go practice my GO CUBS GO song for the World Series....BEEEEEEEEEEEEELIEVE IT :D

The nastiest arm we have, Marmol is on pace to become the first pitcher in big league history to allow fewer than four hits per nine innings with at least 50 innings pitched...Just imagine if he was a starter.....CY YOUNG!!!


Its easy to imagine... 5-7, 6.08ERA, 1.69WHIP, and almost a hit per inning. :)

Geez, with all that talent, shouldn't the Cubs be winning World Series after World Series?

Yep and they could go on a 5 or 10 year run as the top team in the division. The CUBS could go on one of those Braves or Yankees streaks and win the division 10 or 12 times in a row. Management is doing a helluva job.

Are the Redbirds eliminated yet???? ahhhh very close :D:D:D

Kinda doubtful that anyone would pull the Atlanta trick again, especially in a division like this. Chicago has to deal with Milwaukee (who has better youthful talent already contributing) and St. Louis (who has talent targeting for 2010).

PS - Atlanta got saved by the strike (Montreal was on its way to winning the East in 1994).

AL vs NL batting stats.

I don't think it's a matter of superior batting or inferior pitching. It's just the effect of the designated hitter rule. If you take the bottom 11% of the batting line-up out of the stats and substitute them with the best hitters you can find, there's bound to be a better batting average and higher RBI average.

I would expect that the AL would also have a better fielding average since they get to take one of their weakest fielders off the field but still keep them in the line up for batting.

AL vs NL batting stats.

I don't think it's a matter of superior batting or inferior pitching. It's just the effect of the designated hitter rule. If you take the bottom 11% of the batting line-up out of the stats and substitute them with the best hitters you can find, there's bound to be a better batting average and higher RBI average.

I would expect that the AL would also have a better fielding average since they get to take one of their weakest fielders off the field but still keep them in the line up for batting.


Regardless: The AL has better hitting. I understand the reasoning. However good pitching beats good hitting, so if the NL's pitching is any better we'd see better results in interleague play. The NL is at a disadvantage against the AL, a fact that has been obvious for over half a decade now in interleague play, if not more.

And don't use the WS as an example of the NL competing on an even level because the NL has almost split lately (3-4 in the last 7). Too small of a sample size to use vs. interleague play.

Yet in the end, it is the WS that matters, not interleague play.

Yet in the end, it is the WS that matters, not interleague play.



Bender you are wise beyond your years!

From Deadspin:

Zambrano has a dead arm, Rich Harden's next start has been pushed back to Sept. 11 in St. Louis (that's a long freakin' rest), Ryan Dempster, who is starting for the first time since 2003, is on pace for 200 innings.




101 and counting? :o;)

So true. The only consulation to the cards not making the playoffs (they are all but dead) will be the Cubs flaming out.

Zambrano has a tired arm? hmmmmm sounds like he needs another talking to about spending so much time in front of the computer "emailing his brother" :o

Yet in the end, it is the WS that matters, not interleague play.



Bender you are wise beyond your years!


He's just in denial about his inferior league. Regardless of the metric: the NL comes out behind. The determiner of the BETTER LEAGUE is *DEFINITELY* interleague play. In terms of THIS ARGUMENT interleague play IS what matters. The World Series determines the best SINGLE TEAM. It does not determine the best league.


But hey, if you insist on using the wrong criteria, the Superior League is 13-7 over the last 20 World Series. An even bigger winning percentage than the one it has in interleague play.

Can we just refer to them as the Superior League and the Inferior League from now on? It'd make more sense and does a FAR better job of differentiating the leagues than "American" and "National" do. ;)

I prefer Baseball League (NL) and Softball League (AL), but whatever floats your boat.

You're definitely not taking the Tigers season well, are you? ;)

Nope, I'm definitely not. You've given me something to actually argue about. ;) Haha

Ah there's always next year, to steal a line from the Brooklyn fans. And there are plenty of positives to take from this year.

-Freddi Dolsi has a future as a closer.
-Armando Galarraga has a future as a #2 starter, and is doing a fine job shouldering the burden as a rookie. Very disappointed he didn't get win 13 the other day, but he can still reach 15.
-After early injuries Granderson is looking at .305/20/15 and has shown GREAT plate discipline progress, establishing himself as the BEST CF in the AL Central (OPS on par with Sizemore, easily better in the field).
-Matt Joyce is going to be a solid major leaguer, he can be a .300/30 guy.
-Zach Miner might actually have a future as a back of the rotation staple for a contender, with an ERA well under 3.00 since being moved to the rotation.
-Marcus Thames see ball hit ball. Hard.

Obviously I could go down the list of negatives and it'd be far longer, but it hasn't been all terrible. Though with the current aging core of stars (Polanco, Ordonez, Guillen) they may only have one more shot before needing to retool at some important positions.

Last night the Red Sox tied the ML record with 455 consecutive sellouts.
On the same night 600 fans packed Dolphins stadium to watch the Marlins play the Braves. I read it was so quiet fans could hear the home plate chatter. :D

Last night, Randy Wolf impersonated Sandy Koufax, Ty Wigginton continued to rake, and the cubbie fans looked a little concerned. ;)

Last night, Randy Wolf impersonated Sandy Koufax, Ty Wigginton continued to rake, and the cubbie fans looked a little concerned. ;)



That was tremendous!

Not concerned ONE BIT!!!

The Big Z will be fine, we are resting Harden...everything is FINE just FINE!!!

Not concerned ONE BIT!!!

The Big Z will be fine, we are resting Harden...everything is FINE just FINE!!!



From the SI article Cubs' title chances dealt a blow

Friends of Zambrano tell SI.com that perhaps the ultimate tough guy should not have tried toughing it out on Tuesday, when he pitched five innings but saw his velocity dip from 96 mph to 89 mph over those innings. After an MRI taken Thursday, the Cubs are calling it rotator cuff tendinitis, and those close to Zambrano are calling that a major "relief.'' He took a cortisone shot and he'll skip Sunday's start vs. Cincinnati. Cubs people are predicting he'll be back for the following start, but there are no guarantees.

Few pitchers have proven more durable in recent years than Zambrano, a rare and consistent 200-inning man. So any injury to him now could spark incessant talk about jinxes for the team that's known for the billy goat, a black cat and Bartman, talk that can't be healthy for the beloved but snake-bitten organization.

At least any injury for Harden shouldn't stir that kind of defeatist talk. Harden brought his own long history of misfortune with him from Oakland. Harden's recent rest was originally portrayed as precautionary, but his case seems to have worsened to worrisome. Cubs manager Lou Piniella uttered the most ominous words to the team's beat writers, saying Harden "has had some discomfort also."

================================================== ==========
I remeber back a few years ago when Carpenter had "tendinitis". He nursed it along for a few weeks before ungoing TOMMY JOHN SURGERY.

Zambrano is something like 5th in innings pitched over the past 5 years. With these arm issues he becomes the 4th of those 5 to have some issues lately. Only Brandon Webb has, so far, avoided the bug. It isn't just some crazy freak occurrence, these guys are breaking down. Zambrano's going to need some serious time off to get back to form.

Zambrano is something like 5th in innings pitched over the past 5 years. With these arm issues he becomes the 4th of those 5 to have some issues lately. Only Brandon Webb has, so far, avoided the bug. It isn't just some crazy freak occurrence, these guys are breaking down. Zambrano's going to need some serious time off to get back to form.



Good observation. Webb hasn't been hurt, IMO, because he's a sinker ball pitcher. I'm guessing since he pitches to contact he probably has thrown less total pitches than others with similar innings pitched. Bender?

Webb has more strikeouts than the Big Z over the last three years. He gets a lot of strikeouts for a sinkerballer.

Zambrano isn't really hurt, he is just ducking the Astros lineup. :p

After the season series is over (this weekend barring Ike), Zambrano will start throwing again.

Can't find pitch counts, but since 2003 Zambrano actually has faced fewer batters and pitched fewer innings than Webb (by 129 batters & 36 innings).

The difference must be their styles (K vs GB), yet Zambrano has only struck out 16 more batters.

Maybe it's also in the walks? Zambrano has walked 116 more batters. (Averaging 90/yr vs Webb's 70/yr*).


Realistically, it's more due to the fact Zambrano pitches for the Cubs. The slogan "It's gonna happen" was never meant to be a positive note. :)


*(and that includes Webb's odd 2004 that included 119 walks, which is 47 higher than his next highest season total)

Zambrano isn't really hurt, he is just ducking the Astros lineup. :p

After the season series is over (this weekend barring Ike), Zambrano will start throwing again.



He will be down until a week before the playoffs for a tune up. Harden will pitch against the Red Birds...no worries ;)

Can't find pitch counts, but since 2003 Zambrano actually has faced fewer batters and pitched fewer innings than Webb (by 129 batters & 36 innings).

The difference must be their styles (K vs GB), yet Zambrano has only struck out 16 more batters.

Maybe it's also in the walks? Zambrano has walked 116 more batters. (Averaging 90/yr vs Webb's 70/yr*).


Realistically, it's more due to the fact Zambrano pitches for the Cubs. The slogan "It's gonna happen" was never meant to be a positive note. :)


*(and that includes Webb's odd 2004 that included 119 walks, which is 47 higher than his next highest season total)


Is it possible to take note of the sort of situations they face? As in: how many times has Webb faced multiple runners on base v. how many times Zambrano has faced this? Because from everything I've read from major league pitchers (quotes, articles from former players, etc.) is that pitching in those sorts of situations cause more wear and tear on a typical pitcher's arm as a result of the way many overthrow when in trouble, the mechanics of throwing from the stretch, etc.

I heard a great quote about the cubs today ...

Radio Hack: Will the cubs win the world series?
MLB Analyst: No. Zambrano is more injured than they are letting on, Harden is a liability at this point given his past history of injury and well ... they're the cubs.

Hey Brewers fan.....is the wild card bubble seat getting warm? Assssstro's get to line up Oswald thanks to Ike....could be an interesting 2 weeks.

Clinch, first to 90 wins, K-Rod tied with Thigpen, habitual entry into October. And the weather is starting to cool down a bit. It's nice to be here in SoCal right now.

Yes the Angels are looking fine, fine enough at least. Strong starters anchored by one of MLB's finest clutch arms in Lackey, deep bullpen, lots of homegrowns at reasonable prices, fundamentally sound ball that keeps the pressure on the opposition. Best manager in the game. This habit looks to have some legs.

But I must confess the concerns too. Offense has been inconsistent, yea non-existent at times (like the first half). That's one of the reasons why Frankie has so many saves; they don't often blow people out. K-Rod himself makes things too interesting too often as well, and count me among those who wonder how long his awkward motion will hold up before breaking down. There are some wounds up the middle, and while Brandon Wood may hit 30 jacks in the 8-spot next year it's a lot to have him play short throughout October.

(Tex and K-Rod can walk into the arms of other suitors in the off-season; look for the Yankees to dangle huge $ before Tex, whose clearly expressed happiness with California livin' may pale when offered $200 mill.)

Of course when you clinch early in September people have the time to play themselves back into health from the lesser injuries. Will the Cubbies have such luxury with Zman and Harden (Rich "Hardly Healthy" Harden)? Inquiring minds want to know Kev.

We're looking good. "Will I be able to get tickets?" is my question, which sure beats the sad tales of woe for many of you, my comrades in disc.

Let October begin.

Dang Z I was just kidding. :o

Yeah, I guess Zambrano is feeling okay. Props to him, and accomplished when it mattered.

OUCH!!!

I will have to say the stro's got screwed having to goto Milwaukee to play those games but setting a new record for least hits in a 2 game series...OUCH!

Is the Brew Crew collapsing once again?

Get ready for a NLDS asswhoopun DODGERS

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20080920/capt.951adc86454a46a9a73ed6a25e1f9512.cardinals_cu bs_baseball_cxc121.jpg

Da Cubbies!

Glad your Birds could be the one to let us take our 2nd straight Tony...

and lose again today just for the fun of it :)

Ding dong the witch is dead...

Nice job Hank Steinbrenner. Now if you could just spend that $215 million dollars as well as you can talk.

the cubs can't even hold on to give the Astros a tiny bit of hope. **** them.

ps. Congrats Kevin and all you lovable loser cubbie fans, good luck in the playoffs, maybe the curse is over....or

Adam, being able to repeat every 100 years isn't something to be proud of...

:)


James, if New York and Milwaukee lose out...and Houston wins out...isn't that a 3-way tie? Of course, Selig may not let Houston make up the last game against Chicago, citing the TV Networks...

The CUBS will take 2 of 3 from the Brew Crew (they are 6-0 in Miller Park this year) so I'm guessing the Mets will be in cuz they have to be able to get the Marlins twice...you would think...

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20080920/capt.951adc86454a46a9a73ed6a25e1f9512.cardinals_cu bs_baseball_cxc121.jpg

http://img4.glowfoto.com/images/2008/04/28-1003525325T.jpg (http://www.glowfoto.com/user_imageredirect.php?iid=2055852)

Cubs and Ray's or Cubs and A's?

This is how I see it going down. I'm a Cub's fan BTW.

ALDS
Angels vs. Rays
Twins vs. Red Sox
ALCS
Angels vs. Red Sox

NLDS
Cub's vs. Mets
Phillies vs. Dodgers

NLCS
Cub's vs. Phillies

World Series

Cub's vs. Angels

100 YEAR CURSE OVER. CUB'S IN 5.

Kev sporting the cubbies at the USDGC:

http://twistedflyer.com/spaw/uploads/images/usdgcday7%20010.JPG

ALDS
ChiSox vs. Rays
Angels vs. Red Sox
ALCS
Rays vs. Angels

NLDS
Phillies vs. Mets
Cubs vs. Dodgers

NLCS
Cub's vs. Phillies

World Series

Phillies vs. Angels

Philadelphia, the suffering city, gets a championship.

White Sox - Rays
Red Sox - Angels
Brewers - Phillies
Dodgers - Cubs

White Sox - Angels
Phillies - Cubs

White Sox - Phillies

White Sox win again...and the city of Chicago barely notices again.

Rays
Angels

Cubs
Phils
---------------------------------------
Rays
Cubs
---------------------------------------
Rays stab chicago in the heart!

That was Missouri City's own James Loney, and he was **** glad to meet you.

It's.
Gonna.
Happen.

Two good games last night, well-played, taut. Props to Lester and Hamels for showing up.

And then there were the Cubbies. Loney sure didn't get cheated but you have to remember that Dempster walked most of the Dodgers he saw in his scintillating 4.2 innings and 109 pitches. That's horrible.

All four infielders commit an error. The Cubs remain true to themselves!

It's. Gonna. Happen.

Dempster - Tired. Too many innings this year.
Zambrano - Injured/Tired. He was slinging, not throwing.

Expect Harden to pull a muscle on Saturday.

Anyone give a rundown of the White Sox - Rays game? I know Tampa won, so I only assume the kids looked calm and not nervous or happy-to-be-there. If that truly was the case, Tampa might roll. Youth, confidence, and poise is a scary combination for opponents.

Longoria reminded all that all the (deserved) late season attention paid to Ramirez for ROY shouldn't detract from the reality that he might be the next MONSTER of the AL. His two first post-season plate appearance both left the yard. Maddon has them playing fundamental baseball (cf. Cubbies for contrast). There's your story.

Rays are for real, and could be for a long time if management will pay.

Bill, please tell the Angels to get it in gear tonight.

I want to hear the TV execs whine about poor East Coast ratings.

My hopes exactly. Angels whacked Dice-K around earlier this year and I hope that they'll do it again. The tickets I have for this post-season are predicated on them going deep.

Wouldn't have thought that Los Dodgers would be the ones sitting pretty at this point. Of course I should've remembered who their opponents have been for the last century.

(Note to Kev who's otherwise occupied but will certainly read this eventually: Someone needs to tell ZMan to win something when it matters before he spouts his next bit of "I am Cy Young" foolishness. And tell his infield to take a few more grounders...)

Angels are now in as big trouble as Cubs, ChiSox, Brewers. All four series are 2-0. (Three have been pretty well played though. I'll leave it to the discriminating reader to discern which of the four has been the waste.)

CC Sabathia and Carlos Zambrano - two heaviest chokers in baseball? Not that I didn't expect this out of CC after last year, but after his pitching down the stretch I thought he'd react more favorably this year.

101 years...

and I can't change my avatar :)

way to play like at AA team throughout the playoffs

OPENING DAY
April 2, 2009

It will be a bunch of ZERO'S up there BEEEELIEVE IT!! :D

http://a383.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/100/l_5e21c2a8ae412903f37d4323a2f7216e.jpg


/msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif The cubs always find a way. Losers for a Century. I told you Kev, the cubs will find a way to update that Eamus Catuli so they can put up 3 digits of losing years.
So Kev, is next year "the year"?

I have nothing to add but this...

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!


And the fact that they still owe Soriano 5yr/$95mil and Fukudome 3yr/$38mil.

Angels show up in a tight one. No sweep - too much talent and fortitude.

Congrats to the Phillies. Nice year Brewers. Could be a contender for a while if the fans and the owner's wallet come out. (Hope you enjoyed CC while you had him.)

ChiSox prove that someone in the Second City can win a game.

Angels v Sox tonight was the best game of the post-season thus far. I've seen some extra innings games that sucked (a Tigers v Indians game earlier this year went like 14 and was the worst game I watched in 2008)... but that was a genuine nail biter. Goooood game.

KMACK ... where you @?

It is better to make the playoffs and get embarassed than to not make it at all ... I guess /msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

F'in CUBS....Just as it looked like I was going to get to go to game 2 of the NLCS at Wrigley the CUBS can't pitch, then they can't field, then they can't sniff a VERY AVERAGE pitcher.

At least I found some adorable puppies to kick once I got home from Rock Hill.

I'm now off suicide watch and starting to deal with this crushing defeat to, at best, a mediocre team.

EMBARRASSING!!!

DAMNIT WE WILL WIN IT NEXT YEAR!!!!

:mad:

So if the team that owned them completely is mediocre... what're they?


... oh wait, a national league team. :X

So much for my ALCS tickets. At least it was good baseball.

Congrats also to the Los Angeles Rays of Tampa Bay. Maddon has them playing the right way. Time to make the jump to the bigtime, close down Fenway early this fall.

So if the team that owned them completely is mediocre... what're they?


... oh wait, a national league team. :X



Aren't you a tigers fan?

we should never have gotten Alfonzo $orryano -- sure he has extraordinary natural athletic ability, but he doesn't play well in big games and his fundamentals are not sound at all.

too bad we didn't get Manny instead -- now there is a big game player

unfortuantely i am also beginning to think we need a freakin witch doctor. :p

So if the team that owned them completely is mediocre... what're they?


... oh wait, a national league team. :X



Aren't you a tigers fan?


Exactly my point! Thank you for bringing that up and helping my argument. :) The last place team in the American League Central was still good enough to go 13-5 against the Substandard League.


-Chris.

Congrats to the Phillies for playing superior fundamental baseball.

May the Los Angeles Devil Rays of Tampa Bay finish their portion of the draw tonight.

Looks like I'm the only one that called it here. :)

Count, eggs, hatch. Jinx!!!!!!

If the Rays can get past Hamels, they got a legit shot. It's not over.

Sonnastine looked terrible. I heard he was a soft tosser, but jeez, I was expecting much better skills than that.

I'm enjoying this series. Last night was the first pasting, the rest of it has been well-pitched with generally solid play from both sides. Moreover, when somebody (mostly the Rays so far) has erred the other side has done the right thing to take advantage.

Rays can come back for sure. They're not spineless like a certain one of the other teams that got into the post-season with a high win count. But Hamels has been the best pitcher in October, and now is when legends are made. It's a steep uphill climb for the Rays to even keep the series going. We'll all see.

Eggs hatched. Counting them as we speak.

Congratulations on a job well done. Exciting baseball, well-played. Loved the play by Utley to get the man out at home.
(And that the fans booed Selig.)

And game 5.5 is in the books. Well done Philadelphia.

And well done Mr. Lidge. Radio stations in Houston were leading with "Brad Lidge gets the save as the Phillies win Game 5 and the World Championship" this morning in their news briefs.

Congratulations on a job well done. Exciting baseball, well-played. Loved the play by Utley to get the man out at home.
(And that the fans booed Selig.)



Utley deserves a little credit for that but the runner deserves to get slammed for that. He was jogging 3/4 speed and never even thought to look back he just assumed 2 outs runner at 1st is out. Duh!

Great job thought Philly getting the title back to NL ... Look for STL to keep it in the NL next year. And nice job Lidge rebounding!

The Gold Glove is a joke. Yadiar Molina wins his first Gold Glove in what was considered a down year for him defensively. However he had his best offensive year. The past 2 years he lost out to catchers he was better than defensively but yet they had better offensive years. Isn't that what the silver slugger award is for? Why doesn't offense factor in at all in the Gold Glove?

The same thing happened with Troy Glaus who had a vastly superior year defensively David Wright but Wright is an offensive star and makes a few dazzling plays (but also makes a lot more errors).

And then why didn't this trend translate to Pujols who won the award last year, makes dazzling plays, had identical stats to the player who won it, and is better offensively than the player who won it.

The Gold Golve awards are a joke.

In the latest sign that Apocalypse is nearly upon us (or perhaps just that business is usual at Wrigley) the Cubbies gave Ryan Dempster $52 million for four years with a player option for more large lucre. Maybe they didn't get the memo that Cuban has some insider trading problems and his white horse and checkbook may not be coming north real soon...

Kevin? Kevin?

In the latest sign that Apocalypse is nearly upon us (or perhaps just that business is usual at Wrigley) the Cubbies gave Ryan Dempster $52 million for four years with a player option for more large lucre. Maybe they didn't get the memo that Cuban has some insider trading problems and his white horse and checkbook may not be coming north real soon...

Kevin? Kevin?



The cubs suck, they'll never win, nobody cares. Dempster will probably blow out his arm by the all star break next year and since they let wood go he'll probably sign in STL and be a stud.

and were off...Cubs up by 2 with a few to play

Tigers win!

Just the first of many times you'll hear that this year. ;) I'm guessing about 120 times. 14 in the preseason, 95 in the regular season... and 11 times in the post-season ;) Only the third number is a certainty, the others may fluctuate.

Tigers???

You may get to say it one or two more times this season :o:D

My prediction has a better chance of going through than any K-Mack happens to make ;) ;)

This thread is for talking about MLB's 2009 season ... or as I like to call it, THE YEAR OF THE CARDINALS!

PADRES!