When people talk about the Cubs and the All-Star Game they talk about Derrek Lee of course, because he’s been the best player in the league…no…the big leagues so far this year, and they talk about Neifi!, mostly because shortstops in the National League all blow. While Neifi’s swoon has doomed what little hope he had of making the team, that doesn’t mean Derrek should make the trip to Detroit by himself.
After a very slow start in April, E-ramis Ramirez turned it up in May and is tearing it up in June. Just about the time he started to hit, he also remembered how to field. Funny how that works.
E-ramis has hit a pair of monstrous homers in the first two games of this series with the Brewers. The game-winner he hit last night would have made it to the parking lot had a Cubs fan not reached over the railing and hauled it in. That prompted Bob Brenly to note, “The Cubs’ fans are playing better defense tonight than the Brewers’ players.”
E-ramis has gone .371/.413/.700 with 6 homers and 16 RBI in June to raise his season numbers to .296, 16 homers and 42 RBI.
His stiffest competition at third base will come from Troy Glaus of the Diamondbacks (who is currently in the tank) and Joe Randa of the Reds, because the Reds will need an All-Star. Scott Rolen is going to win the voting (though E-ramis is closing the gap), so unless The Genius decides to take three third basemen, E-ramis either needs the Reds to hurry up and trade Randa or for us to vote for him in that thing where they pick five players for the final spot.
You’ve got to hand it to the self-proclaimed “Best Fans in Baseball”, they sure know how to punch ballots for a guy hitting .242.
Over on the message board, we had a discussion about why E-ramis doesn’t bat right behind Derrek Lee, especially since they seem to like to homer in the same inning these days.
It’s true that E-ramis’ numbers are better when hitting cleanup:
.300/.372/.615 batting fourth
.297/.349/.485 batting fifth
But look at what batting in between the two big guys does for Burnitz
.305/.381/.476 batting fourth
.286/.321/.480 batting fifth
.255/.263/.527 batting sixth
I find it interesting that the higher Jeromy’s on base average goes the lower his slugging percentage goes. Those numbers when he hits sixth just scream, “Watch me swing from my ass!”
And just so you know Burnitz’s numbers aren’t a complete fluke, he has more at bats now (105) batting cleanup than he does hitting fifth (98) or sixth (55).
If you look at the Cubs’ starting lineup (and really, it’s a tough look), you see that they’ve got four guys right now with a clue. Lee, Ramirez, Burnitz and Todd Walker. Michael Barrett for the most part has a clue. So that gives them five. Can you win a pennant with three clueless spots in your order every day, plus the pitcher’s spot?
Absolutely. All you need is a time machine to go back to the ’20s or ’30s.
Why does Dusty insist on batting Barrett eighth so much? Last night he hit Enrique Wilson there. Dusty’s reasoning for batting Enrique eighth was that the league wouldn’t let him bat Enrique tenth.
But usually, Barrett, bats eighth. And you know why Dusty does that. Because, “Michael hits good there, dude. Hard to find a guy who hits good eighth, dude.”
But Michael hits better…much better…higher in the order. Check out his stats batting sixth, as compared to eighth.
.364/.382/.636 — batting sixth
.258/.299/.468 — batting eighth
Granted, he only has 33 at bats hitting sixth, compared to 124 batting eighth, but doesn’t that kind of production just beg for a chance to hit higher?
I’m done advocating the Cubs use Todd Walker in the leadoff spot because it makes too much sense. Why would you want to have anybody on base for Derrek Lee? You can even argue that Walker’s inability to steal bases might come in handy if teams take the Barry Bonds, “walk Lee if there’s an open base” strategy, because if Walker singles or walks, he’s stuck on first until somebody bangs one over or off the wall. But since nobody will listen to me, I’ll just be quiet.
I won’t beg them to hit Barrett second, either. I’m not going to openly wonder what might happen if a manager did that for…oh, say…a week or two just for shits and giggles?
—————–
Jerome Williams made his Cubs’ debut last night and it was a good one. Granted, the Brewers aren’t the ’61 Yankees, especially with Lyle Overbay getting a night off in favor of Prince Fielder. I think Ned Yost started Prince to help Jerome with his body issues. If you’re in a room with Prince, it’s tough to be the fattest guy in that room.
You knew it was going to be a tough night for Michael Barrett behind the plate when the WGN scouting report listed five pitches for Williams. How’d you like to catch a guy for the first time and try to figure out when to use five different pitches?
But other than some shaky control early in the game, and an inability to keep the great Bill Hall from hitting line drives into the TGI Friday’s in left field, Williams and Barrett did very well.
There’s never been any question about Jerome’s talent. He’s only 23 and this is already his third big league season. You wonder how long he’s going to be a Cub, though. He might just be their most attractive current trading piece, given his age and experience. Then again, he makes it that much easier to deal one of the prospects.
Funny thing is, Jerome’s not the most talented guy in the trade. That falls to David Aardsma who has a 1.27 ERA at West Tennessee. Aardsma was one of those college closers who teams have recently tried to rush to the majors with mixed (good – Chad Cordero) results (bad – Ryan Wagner).
Looks like LaTroy might just work out for the Cubs after all.
Jerome’s puka shell necklace gets lots of attention. He wears it because his dead mother gave it to him and it was nice of Len Kasper to point out that some asshat former Diamondbacks manager made a big stink about Jerome’s necklace in 2003 when Jerome was a Giant. It’s the same asshat former Diamondbacks manager who made a stink about Ben Davis bunting in a Curt Schilling no hitter bid (even though Davis scored the tying run after bunting for that hit).
Give Brenly credit, he apparently went to Jerome before last night’s game to explain to him that he did it to try and get into Jerome’s head because Williams went 2-1 against the Diamondbacks in 2003 with a nifty 2.70 ERA.
Jerome apparently accepted Brenly’s explanation, because he’s a big man, and Brenly did not appear to have a clubhouse stool sticking out of his forehead during last night’s broadcast.
Looking over Jerome’s career numbers, he’s never pitched against the Cubs, but he’s 2-1 with a 2.35 ERA against St. Louis. That’ll work.
About the only thing Jerome did wrong in his Cubs’ debut was pick those hideous blue pajama top jerseys. That was going to be the best part of him going into the rotation and Glendon Rusch having to leave it was that it would leave Carlos as the only guy who always picks the ugly blue tops. I thought that losing six of seven in the pajamas last week would have put them in mothballs for a while. I guess not.
I once heard from a Cardinals fan how “cool it is that we don’t have throwback uniforms because we have had the same classy home whites and road grays forever.”
I’m not sure who we is, because I remember these:
Why would the Sox need an upgrade over me? According to the Trib’s All-City team poll, I’m 10 times better than Aramis Ramirez!
Joe Crede, White Sox (1,806 responses)
Aramis Ramirez, Cubs (172 responses)
Lesson learned: Never, EVER give up and go to bed when the Cubs are down 2 in the 7th and Derrek Lee is on deck.
I’m an idiot.
I have more than 60,000 votes in that poll right now. As Hawk said, I’m MVP this year.
Come to White Sox Interactive and read about how we Sox fans are discriminated against because no one likes us. And we have clever nicknames for the Trib (Cubune) and the Cubs (Flubs).
Then there are the stories of people who want to sue restaurants because they won’t put the Sox on the TVs there. Or the guy who stiffed two cabbies in Las Vegas in Oct. 2003 because they both said they were pulling for the Cubs in the NLCS.
We are the lowest form of life on earth.
I’m the fans’ choice at first.
Hey, don’t dis Rowand, or the Sox.They did beat us after all. These guys are good just like Detroit, Tampa Bay, Oakland, Seattle…oh you get what I am trying to say, we couldn’t beat Lansing at this point.
What happens to us when we play a good team in the playoffs ?
Actually, I was the one who pointed out that some asshat manager made Jerome remove the necklace back in 2002.
The 1920’s? You got it.
I welcome going back to the 20’s…you know, to get rid of all these negroes.
A Hawaiian negro on a pitchers mound ?…what’s next, a blood-thirsty Hun in the white house ? Where is this Hawaii, anyway ?
Anyone who doesn’t think I am better than Ramirez, does not know baseball. I am a grinder, I am full of intangibles, and I find a way to win.
Hey, the Sox rarely choke in the postseason. Of the whopping seven times they’ve made it to the postseason since 1901, the Sox have only won two Series. They threw a series, lost to an OK (but not spectacular) Dodgers team, got pantsed by an Orioles club, got spanked by a Canadian team, and were swept by a Mariners team.
So the Sox not only haven’t won a World Series since 1917, they haven’t been in a position to clinch a postseason series since then either.
The Cubs have been at least in position to win a series in the postseason nine times during that stretch. Granted, they only managed to win one of those nine games (blowing leads in six of the eight games they lost), but it is hard to choke when you aren’t even in position to choke.
“I’d also like to point out that in his long, illustrious career, the Cubs have never missed the playoffs in a season in which Prior has gotten hurt during the season and come back to pitch. Or something.”
Um…Andy, remember his rookie season, 2002? He got shut down in that season, one of the worst Cubs seasons in recent memory.
That chubby little fatass Williams pitched a damn good game. You’d think he’ll pass on the pajama top during home games so he can look slimmer in the pinstripes. Maybe Rusch should think about that too…
Yeah, what Hawk said.
to see what happens to us when we play a good team in the playoffs,
we FIRST have to make the playoffs.
We have been VERY, VERY lucky. We hope it doesn’t end soon, but who knows?
Hell, once Kerry gets back, we might just have the fattest 5-man rotation in all of baseball. You all still love us though, right? As rotations go, we seem to be pretty good. We gotta fatten Prior up though.
I said that about Prior’s injury. Did you know we used to call the lefty batters box at Wrigley Prior Place because of all the inside sliders he’s throw?
If people here hate the Sux so much, why visit their White Sox Interactive site and then bring their garbage back here? Isn’t this like the “Cardinals Trolls” who show up here every once in a while, and posters moan and whine that a Redbird Redneck showed up and offered a contrarian opinion?
Yeah! When are we going to hear about the White Sux Deal with the Devilâ„¢? It’s always just a matter of time for crappy, totally lucky teams to fall apart and not make the playoffs. Just like last year’s NL Champ.
Look, the Sux have a small fanbase and the Cardinals are really annoying, but to say that both teams are lucky and playing crappy teams, or getting the breaks is just whining in the Cubbie Blue Kool-Aid. 162 games are played so the spectre of luck is removed. If the Sux, Cards, Cubs, or any other team finds itself playing in October, they belong there. Period.
Apex, you suck.
We wear Sox hats, we love the Sox and Hawk, put it in the book or I will pee my pants again.
I have to go back to the website and vote for Paul, Joe and all my favorite Sox now as All-City Superheroes! I hope I see Mayor Daley at the next game.
We never face other teams aces, when we do, we lose. Our schedule is very favorable in the first half, but does get harder in the second. Also, even when we get the Royals, they are even worse than usual. Fact is, we may not be the most talented team, even in our division, but we find ways to win and we take advantage of teams that find ways to lose. Teams like us occasionally go all the way, we just might.
Hey, remember my nickname. It was “5-0-2-0”, because that’s how my line in the box score read most days. I’m a perfect fit for the Cubs.
I’ve never experienced the vicarious thrill of going over to a Sux or Deadbird site, and tagging them with “Sux Suck” or “Cardinals Suck”.
Is it a good time?
How about “American Pie”? Is it a good movie? I heard they show that foreign girl’s tits? Can we watch it tonight at your house, after your ‘rents go to bed?
Hey Mark Gonzales, Washington is in the National League, dumbass!
Interestingly, it says that the Nationals are in the National League in the paper version of the trib, and American League on line.
Dudes, Todd Walker is 0-3 against Doug Davies. I can’t have a guy hitting .000 in my lineup. Macias is 3-10, so he’ll be leading off tonight.
I haven’t visited other fansites either, but the person above that posted about White Sox Interactive implied that he/she visited said site and then dragged their daft proclamations and idiocy back here to Desipio. It seems hypocritical of that poster to go to another site and then come back here and stir up the masses, when an “invader” from Toothless Nation or Shirtless Sox Fans shows up and trumpets their team, they get pummelled (rightfully so).
It’s all pretty stupid, I’m just saying. If you feel the need to visit rival team sites, post there and enjoy the ensuing flame war. Don’t bring it back here and take a crap in our yard.
Um Dusty…who’s Doug Davies?
Did Dusty mean me?
DK57!!!
Maybe Dusty thinks I’m pitching for Milwaukee today.
Gone but not forgotten, man. He put my daughter through private school.
I would like for all of you to stand and observe a moment of silence for my fallen brother.
No Jo Davies Co., I was thinking about you, not Dusty.
Hey Dave Veres, remember that time, in the NLCS, you served me up a nice fat one and I rifled it into the left center field gap for a double, helping my team beat you and win the pennant? That was awesome.
That’s because I was still distraught over DK57.
I suck. A lot.
What’s with all the hating on the blue jerseys?
No Mark, we’re just not scoring 7 runs a game for you like the A’s did. And you thought you could win more games in the NL?
I didn’t even get a mention in this write-up.
Mr. Dolan has to know how I’ve been feeling lately. It might have helped my confidence
to see my name in lights for once.
I’m going to go position myself under Prince Fielder. Farewell.
“Go Away… Apex you suck!”
I sure as shit had nothing to do with any post defending the ShiteSux or Shitbirds. More often then not, I’ve pissed people off here for defending Cubs players and perosnalities who had raised the ire of desipiots. So leave me out of that shit. When I aim to piss people off, I’ll leave my name on it. But never will a kind word of mine be uttered in regard to either of those franchises or their lackwit fans.
Fine Apex, You’re not invited to the World Series between us then.
Adam Dunn has prodigious power. I went to Kent State, you know. And, I won a Cy Young.
Steve, you forgot something…
The visibility was pretty good.
Holy crap! (I typed “crap,” not “Carp,” Sloth.) Ronnie Woo Woo hitch-hiked his way up to Milwaukee for last night’s game. While waiting for the dreadful parking lot to clear out, we milled about in the beer garden outside Wrigley North, Wisconsin Division and saw Ronnie dancing with various women to the live band playing. He had some smooth Wooo! moves, as his dance routine consisted of holding the hand of the woman who took pity on the Cubs’ most famous bum/fan while doing a drunken two-step.
Actually, I am not sure if that was his dance, or if he was just drunk. I can imagine the various invitations offered to his dance partners to come back to Lower Wacker for some Wooo! in his refridgerator box was enticing, but most of the ladies just did a polite smile and “get me the fuck out of here” search of the crowd for her friends.
Wooo! Milwaukee was so good to Ronnie he likely thought he’d be gettin’ some free teef on the backs of Wisconsin taxpayers.
This is my last post until the Cubs trade Korey Patterson. I am signing off until that time. It’s sad that it comes down to a Desipio boycott before the Cubs organization gets their head out of their ass and gets rid of such a waste.
I beg you Jim Hendry, PLEASE TRADE KOREY PATTERSON!
This is about as bad as the Sammy Sosa hostage situation. At least Sammy put up some stats with the help from his steroids none the less. Korey could go that route and get busted and suspended for 10 games. That would only help the Cubs though.
FKPF=Fuck Korey Patterson Forever
Signing off indefinitely until Korey is not wearing the Cub uniform,
Baker Basher
Ah, shit! I better move Corey stat, or Baker Basher will stop terrorizing Desipio folk. What am I gonna do if that happens?!?
Mulder: 4 IP, 7 R, 12 H.
Apex: Another post with the word “lackwit” in it.
Jim Hendry needs to sign Korey to a long-term deal.
No more Baker Basher posts saves me.
I’m about to throw a shutout bitches.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Quit stealin’ my gimmick Ronnie!
Don’t worry, we’re blowing it.
Wooooo!!! Stylin’ and profilin’…wooooooo!!!!!!! Things are great here in sunny F.L.A!!! Woooooooo!!!
Ronnie, woo…retard, woo…toofless, woo…clean your windshield, woo!!!
Goddammit Flair, just shut up for once in your fuckin’ life.
There, I finally said it.
I am no longer toothless nor homeless. I got a gig as a spokesman for a bank. Serious cash money.
We just said that Buehrle and Garland compare favorably well with any other 1-2 punch in baseball, and could take any of them.
We just said that Buehrle and Garland compare favorably well with any other 1-2 punch in baseball, and could take any of them.
Who cares?
We posted twice accidentally, because we got the slow down cowbay message, even though this was our first post.
Just rubbing in the fact that the same was said about the great Prior and Wood…how’d that work out anyway?
When we are done sweeping the Royals, then we will worry about sweeping the cubs. I don’t know who’s worse KC or the cubs.
Things you see while taking strong psychotropic meds:
I could have sworn Andy was starting a Sux-Royals gamecast. But I got him confused with that lame-ass Tribune gimmick “from the Cubicle”. Don’t know HOW I could have thought that. Except, maybe, the Trib owes our boy some money
I have homered twice today. Looks like I am happy again too. Oh well, it was a nice pipe dream while it lasted Cubs fans.
Intrepid Reader: Andy’s Editor
June 22nd, 2005 at 11:10 am
“I’d also like to point out that in his long, illustrious career, the Cubs have never missed the playoffs in a season in which Prior has gotten hurt during the season and come back to pitch. Or something.â€Â
Um…Andy, remember his rookie season, 2002? He got shut down in that season, one of the worst Cubs seasons in recent memory.
That’s why the sentence read “in which Prior has gotten hurt during the season and come back to pitch.”
I remember 2002 all too well. But who could forget the glory days of Don Baylor to Rene Lachemann to Bruce Kimm?
Just try and collect your money. Muhahahah. We will have the Desipio Gamecast as one of our official Gamecast Partners before long. Join us, or die…Muhahaha. Hope you have a good team of lawyers Desipio.
I just whiffed in Cincinnati to end the game. Guess who got the save? Come on guess. His name rhymes with Kent Mercker.
Let’s see…We’re a combined 20-3 with an ERA at exactly 3.00. Yeah, I’d say we’re the best 1-2 pitching combo in the league this year.
Wow, the Reds used David Weathers and Kent Mercker to close out the game. Now THAT’S a bullpen.
Nobody is denying that you 2 are the next us, we just get sick of hearing about it.
Actually you are younger and smarter than us, so the sky is the limit for you 2, it just gets old hearing Hawk AND the other announcers talk about it. Go Sox.
There’s GROUND TO BE GAINED!
The Cubbies are coming tra la, tra la!
The Cubbies are coming tra la!
This is all just a big early season set up to crush the spirit of the Sox and Cardinals fan(s) when a Cubby Blue Pennant flies over all of baseball!
Unless of course, one of you is the next me.
I very well could be the next you, so let me enjoy this dammit.
How did we turn out?
Ah, remember when we were supposed to be the pitching staff of the 90s?
You think I’m happy? Hitting 7th?
The 5 Aces…ooh…we turned out to all be busts. Rotation of the 00’s, huh? We stink.
Baseball Reference says I remind them of Jon Garland…
Wood, Prior, Clement and Maddux have all won playoff games. How many have Buerhle and Garland won?
You damn well better be happy you big mongoloid. Oh, that’s right…I got fired, didn’t I ? I’ll be on the golf course if you need me.
I don’t know, we’ll tally em’ up after our ring ceremony.
It has not been written that I belong to Buerhle and Garland any more than I may belong to Prior, Wood, Maddux, Zambrano, and the Meat Tray.
What made the Responses section become Cubfaninfla vs. Soxfaninfla? And more importantly, how to make it stop?
Buerhle and Garland,
Can Deron Williams and Dee Brown cut down the nets the same day you pick up your rings?
Our numbers aren’t as flashy or anything, but we get results…you know…wins, and we stay healthy too. We dominate real teams, while these guys beat the Reds and stuff. Those guys, any of them, couldn’t hold our jockstraps.
Did someone say something about sunny F.L.A. ? Wooooooo!!!! Stylin’ and Profilin’…Woooo!!!
Blow up Florida ?
Dave, you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry…
“I know:” I tried.
I know how to make Sox fans really quiet. Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…
You could hear a pin drop when I’m around.
I’m enjoying Mark Mulder’s June.
1 win, three losses
20 innings pitched
20 earned runs allowed
20 runs allowed
31 hits
6 homers
7 walks
12 K’s
9.00 ERA
But…but…Harold Reynolds said I had a great shot at the Cy Young, just like Hudson.
Don’t look at me, I picked John Smoltz.
Want to buy some jeans?
I can’t do anything with this Mulder kid. Call me when he’s 36.
We just took 2 of 3 from the Yanks in the Bronx. It aint that hard people.
The key to beating the Yankees is to make them score all their runs in one inning. When they do that they’re not that tough. The Cubs obviously have no clue how to play winning baseball. The should just give up hope of hanging in with the big dick teams and start the fire sale.
We’ll take Carlos Zambrano for Jared Sandberg if you’re feeling nostalgic.
To be fair though I did eventually say that I thought Pedro would win it. And that could actually happen.
I don’t care about Mark Mulder’s stats, he’s a gamer. Give me 25 gamers!
Last year we had a Zambrano (Victor), a Sandberg (Jared) and a Sosa (Jorge.) Those were the days.
How about me for Prior, Lee, and Ramirez ? I have Tommy John disease, I’ll fit in real well with the Cubs.
I’ll trade Prior, Zambrano, wood for Crawford
…no not dirty. Anyway, since Gagne’s gone and the Dodgers need a bat or some prospects, and since they seem way high on Brazoban, anyway what I am gettin at is…would it by out the realm to try to get me, or someone like me? DePodesta might me dumb enough to trade me ? Is this just a pipe dream, like the Dunn thing, a little help, anyone ? I mean, they traded away Mota.
Yeah Garland & Buehrle, don’t even try to compare yourselves to us until you win games 6 & 7 of the LCS. Oh wait….
I am younger than Baez and might cost less, does anyone know if Hendry is looking for a guy like me.
Like we said, we’ll tally em’ up AFTER our ring ceremony.
I don’t remember us losing games 6 and 7 of the ALCS. Our series won’t even go that long.
Gawd, the crosstown protuberance-wagging that’s going on here is driving me insane. Sox Fans: Your rival is the Twins. Stop talking crap to the Cubs fans until the two teams meet in the world series. Cubs Fans: Your rival is the Satanic Red Fowl (best rivalry in baseball). Stop talking crap to the Sox trolls until the two teams meet in the world series. This is NOT a real rivalry, just a stupid ploy by Bud Selig to make us forget about the 1991 Strike.
Caring about how a team in the other league (even if the loudmouth in the cubicle/trailer next to you is doing it) is just plain ignorant. Seriously, how many would cheer against the Cubs if they were playing the Twins? How many would cheer against the Sox if they were playing the team from Dogpatch? I fear the answer. I weep for the future.
Don’t you have to get to LCS to win it first?
should be 94 strike.
I think you meant me,
No you don’t have to get there first. Now where’s that milkshake of a houseboy ? I need my bags carried down these damn stairs. He Gone!!!
For anyone in the VA/MD/DC area. Old Dominion Beerfest this weekend. A great time will be had as some of the top breweries in the country as well as in the world will be there. If you are in town, stop by…you will not be disappointed. Remember, support our local breweries.
I posted as Buehrle/Garland the first time–not as a Sox fan, but as someone giving the devil his due. They’re now 21-3. Buehrle’s the top pitcher in the American League, unless you think Kenny Rogers is for real.
Sox-Cubs not a rivalry? I’d say it is for the fans if not the players. Sox-Cubs games have a much higher level of passion in the stands than Cubs-Cards.
Brian, Go sit in the corner for making a stupid comments like that.
I like pizza.
“Like we said, we’ll tally em’ up AFTER our ring ceremony.”
’cause we’re getting married!
actaully Len, this reminds me of the time when I was manager of the D’backs and blah,blah,blah,blah and “gracie” blah, blah,blah, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Beurhle or Garland are for real. The stars are alligned for them this year, that’s all.
I wouls also like to confess to posting as Chip Caray and being the mastermind behind the “honesty compels me”, the”imaginary family” and the “hotlanta” jokes.
I’M SORRY, OK?
Mark Beurhle is better than me, that’s news.
I don’t think there’s any doubt that Cubs/Sox games are the highest level of passion in the stands. Where I work, no one except me gets all charged up for the Card games (because there are no Card fans), but there’s a much higher level of interest for the Sox series–more talk about baseball than at any other time of the year (unless the Cubs are in the playoffs).
Obviously, I have trouble spelling my own name too.
Imagine the intensity if there were only 6 of us a year.
After today’s start, Beuhrle has a better record, more IP, lower ERA, and a comparable WHIP to Halladay. But I’ll concede that Doc is right there with Beuhrle.
To say “Beurhle or Garland are for real. The stars are alligned for them this year, that’s all” leaves you open to the Derrek Lee comebacker. Buehrle’s been a horse for 5 years as far as quality IP is concerned.
Brian, honesty compels me to say that you are dead on about the Sox duo, but I must say I was surprised that you didn’t bring up the Reds’ vaunted bullpen, or for that matter, Khalil Greene…that kid is some kinda special. Maybe we can open a dialogue about the Killer B’s or how Beef Bagwell and my friend the Beege belong in the hall. Have a good one folks, I know I will as the weather here in Hotlanta is as scorching as a Julio Franco line drive.
I pitch in the AL east Brian, big difference between seeing the Yanks, Sox, and the O’s, as opposed to the AAA Royals, Tigers and just now starting to hit Indians. Take your Dynamic Duo love elsewhere.
Look at my career numbers, do you still wanna throw the Lee comebacker at me ? Go hang out in the bullpen bar and call opposing outfielders coons with my buddy Phil. He likes the Sox too.
Buerhle’s really good, probably one of the three best pitchers in the game right now.
Garland? Uh, not so much. You don’t have to strike out a man an inning to be effective but .5 an inning? That’s pushing it. I would wager that his Batting Average against on Balls Put In Play is artifically low so far this year, especially pitching in US Comiskular. Not having Jose Valentin around to misplay everything has to help. Just remember that a much better pitcher than Garland once got to the All-Star Break at 15-3 and finished the season 18-8 while making all of his starts.
Who was that? The chubby old Cubby who drools on the ball, according to Number One Cards Fan, Mark Buehrle.
the white sucks won today and their little win streak is alive, next up the cubs and it will be double the pleasure to go into their ball park, kill the streak and sweeeep them.
The same people that use me as the be all/end all pitching, stat are in love with range factor.
Hey, no wonder Greg was 15-3, we had six All-Stars!
SIX!
Greg
Andre Dawson
Ryne Sandberg
Rafael Palmeiro
Shawon Dunston
Vance Law
Yes, Vance Law.
I have the best range factor in the land. I am the best first baseman ever, Rob Neyer… draw a bath using only the finest milk and rose petals.
Um…I’m not so sure about this sweep thing…maybe we’ll take 1 of 3…maybe.
I didn’t say Garland was great over his career. I said Garland and Buehrle are the best 1-2 pitchers in the league this season.
But to your point, look at D. Lee’s career numbers and ask yourself who’s deviating from the mean more, him or Garland (for Lee,.125 Avg./.100 OBP/.224 slg this year over his career average). Not that I don’t think D. Lee is really good and is peeking in his career and this year is real, etc, but if you want to ignore one guy’s career year, why not expect it thrown back at you?
Brian, I have thrown more as many complete games this season as I had in my entire career. My ERA is almost 2 runs lower. I am 9 games over .500 this year when I was a few under before. Tell me how is that less of a jump than Lee. If you really want to hope on this love train, there are plenty of seats available…about 20,000 a game actually. See you later sport.
I meant to delete that 1st more in my post up there. And I meant hop, instead of hope…sorry, I’m dizzy from all this winning we’re doing.
Also, “quality IP” wasn’t a reference to WHIP. It’s to point out that Buehrle throws 235 high quality innings a season, something the Cubs haven’t had from a guy since John Lieber.
I’m dizzy from Chip’s sweater patterns.
Christ, I’ll just tow the party line.
Jon, your year is just as much of a jump as Derrek Lee’s. Which was my point.
Brian, my friend, you compare his whip to mine. It’s alright, I know that it gets tricky with all these damn posts round here.
Brian, you and I are the only Sox fans here, so I am with you. Garland and Beurhle are both on pace to put up seasons that the hacks the schlubs throw out every day could only dream about. Our guys are underhyped but WAY better, no sense arguing with these guys dude. Go Sox!
Are Buehrle and Garland this good, or are they wildly overachieving? Would the Cubs trade Zambrano straight-up for either one of them? How about Prior? I didn’t think so. How about Wood? Probably for Buehrle, no way for Garland. Case closed.
Brian & sucks fan: welcome to Buherle & Garland’s love train.
when the ride finishes, a month from now, you’ll be witnesses to your heroes’ wedding ring ceremony.
The only number I am putting up that is dependent on my teammates is RBI. Garland, because of his low strikeout total is much more dependent on the kindness of strangers. I’d say Garland’s more over his head than I am.
Look, I posted as Mark and Jon earlier…I said that they are the next Schilling/Johnson. I stand by it. These two are young and are already this good? It’s just not fair. They have more talent in those 2 arms than the entire Cubs staff has in theirs. Th ride will finsh i late October by the way. Looks like Brian and I are the only 2 with any sense around here. Figures that we’re both Sox fans. When is this collapse going to happen, anyway? You guys have been calling for it for some time now…yet we are still on pace to be one of the all time great teams.
I would also like to confess that I also posted as Steve Stone and that I’m the mastermind behind the “visibility” jokes.
I’M SORRY, OK?
Hey, Mark. Shut up and we’ll have you here in no time. Thanks for grooving those for McGuire a few years back.
Please leave me out of this discussion as I’ve been one of the best pitchers of the 00’s. And for the record, Derek Lee has gone from good to great this year while Garland has gone from mediocre to good.
I did not post as Steve Stone, only a faggot ass cub fan would do that.
Actually, I’ve gone from bad to great. And Lee is nothing more than hot right now.
Hey Mark and Jon…you’re in. Come on down and give your speeches.
Has anyone here ever read me? My god am I bad. Who’s the fag that runs me?
So when Jon and I win the World Series will you finally spell my name right?
There is already one thing I have in common with Schilling… his big mouth.
Look, he probably shouldn’t of said it, without naming Maddux. But, he is right…Maddux cheats. Why should Mark have to play fair, while Greg, who isn’t as good, gets to cheat?
sox fan, I love you
Brian, sweetie, I love you too
Sox Fan is right. Maddux is a cheater. The only evidence I’ve ever heard is all hearsay, but that’s good enough right? See you at Banks Boulevard!
Zamrano goes to his mouth a lot too. I would say he doctors the ball a little as well, same as Clement. Garland and Garcia ALWAYS wipe their hands on their pant legs. Sox don’t cheat, because they don’t want to sell their fans short. Sox fans are smart enough to see when cheating is taking place anyway.
Who the fuck?
sox don’t cheat HAHAHA
remember “shoeless”?
the sucks are regarded ALL AROUND baseball as cheats
One Time, they were…once. And due to the fans undying loyalty, and their hatred of everything cub, they stuck with em’. And now we will be rewarded. Sox Com Alive In 05′ !!! Win or Die Trying!
I will have the last laugh! MUAHAHAHAHAHA
Big funeral planned for the south side, everybody died trying.
what to enjoy more?
cubs wild card or sox collapse
We could afford to let Magglio and Lee leave, and we did. Look what happend. First place and a playoff spot. The division is ours and the only question is who wants to get their asses kicked by us in October ?
Wow. I’m not a Sox fan, Sox Fan, although I don’t root against them except for six games a year.
Garland has gone from mediocre to very good this year. Lee has gone from good to all world this year. Both are significantly deviating from their career numbers. My point is if you are going to go on for 100 posts on a Derrek Lee spooge fest and are convinced that this season is a real indication of his true level (which I hope), what’s wrong with saying Garland may have figured it out as well? He’s younger than D. Lee. If Lee can make a jump, why can’t Garland? If you say that the two and a half deviation from past performance is a fluke in Garland’s case, on what basis do you say it’s real for D. Lee?
My other point (that the Sox-Cubs is a real rivalry) seems confirmed by the amount of shit I’ve taken for saying Buehrle and Garland are having a good year.
If you are not a Sox fan Brian, you hide it well. I thought you were okay, turns out you are just another faggot cub fan, and even worse, a self hating one. Go home to your boyfriend. Let the men talk.
don’t talk to me this way, you’re hurting my feelings!
Sorry Brian, sweetie, it won’t happen again, I love you, you know that!
go sox!
“Real Men Wear Black”
“Win or Die Trying”
…and the one I came up with “Sox Come Alive In 05′”
I’m gonna e-mail it to Hawk, he’ll use it because he cares about the fans and loves his team.
I forgot:
“I love you, Sweetie”
Hawk will love it! wheeeee
I spot treat with clinique moisture repair. Oohhh, I love being bad. Now where is my boyfriend?
He Gone!!! Seriously, Sox Fan is leaving this site, because he can’t get any good dialogue going. Have fun watching us in the series, women.
the only thing gone is me, forever
leave like the little punks you are
crybabies hop on the love train and go to the funeral on the south side
take brian with you
the 3 pieces of crap back to cominscular: sox fan, hawk and brian
sayonara losers, don’t come back
You don’t mean me, do you? Because, I have been known to slap people, is true, ask Carlos, he will tell you.
Oh okay, Hank sees that you rectify now. I go to take nap now.
Buerhle and Garland are having great seasons. I have to think Buerhle earned the title of elite pitcher before this season, and I don’t know if Garland is just enjoying an Esteban Loaiza-type year. Congrats to them.
Can they keep it up? Let’s see.
As far as comparing the Sox’ starting pitchers to the Cubs, I don’t know if the Sox want to go there. Prior and Wood sure haven’t been durable, although Prior’s latest injury was freakish, and his recovery has been remarkable.
Zambrano has been nothing if not durable, his Internet-related soreness notwithstanding. He’s younger than Garland, he’s got better stuff and he’s got a competitive drive few match. If someone from 4 months in the future came here and said Zambrano and Prior each had better second halves than Garland had in the first half of the season, I wouldn’t bat an eye.
Garcia has struggled with consistency throughout his career, but on any night he can be as difficult as anyone, so I suppose you can compare him with Kerry Wood. Wood’s health has been a problem, but it’s his lack of consistency since 1998 that’s driven us nuts.
If Maddux doctors the baseball, he’s gotten away with it for 17 seasons, and while he gets hit harder by left handed hitters these days, he still’s a pretty resourceful pitcher (and he’s stayed durable too). At any rate, let these Sox fans babble all they want about Maddux. He still has a legitimate shot at 15 wins, which is pretty remarkable given the state of this year’s team. I’d imagine 30 of 30 GMs would prefer Maddux to El Duque, Contreras or McCarthy (for this season, anyway)
If Glendon Rusch is a noticeable downgrade from Contreras or El Duque, I don’t see it. And I’d say the Sergio Mitre would be a permanent fixture on about 20 teams’ starting rotations. You’d be able to say the same about McCarthy. Then again, you could say the same thing about Jerome Williams.
The Cubs have had a lot of problems this year, but only an idiot would say the Cubs’ starting rotation can’t match up against anyone else’s. Say what you will about the Cubs outfield, which truly is an enormous joke (center and left, in particular). Say what you will about the bullpen. Say what you will about the wafer-thin bench.
But the Cubs’ starting staff is damn good, and has every bit as good a chance to enjoy the type of second half the Sox had in the first half.
buerle & garland
sox fan & brian
hawk = witness, with only one retina, to it all
Yeah I look great so far…no wonder they call me McPrior.
This Brian, he call himself a Cub fan, this is muy malo. I keeck him in the face. My neighbor, he tell me, “Hank, you are mighty bear now, you must live like the mighty bear”. I say to him, “Thank You, friend, it’s time for breakfast, I go now”.
4 “he gones” today:
baker basher
sox fan
hawk
brian
cue U2’s “beautiful day”.
Hawk may be gone, but he left me behind.
Did I get a World Series ring? We were awesome.
I was just kidding when I told Dusty I wanted to hit leadoff. Of course, wanting to leadoff and having the ability to are two different things.
I can’t believe Dusty fell for it!!
Do you see how awesome I am? Can you talk about my greatness here some more? My season is going downhill…fast.
Now that was a quality start, El Toro. Two wins in your last 11 starts. And to the vaunted lower half of the Brewers batting order. Wood and Prior may be pussies, but they haven’t been through these stretches. If/when the rotation is all healthy, if someone calls for a trade, maybe they should listen to offers for this hot-head.
I could not agree with you more, my trade value would still be very high. See if I am maybe injured? And see how Wood and Williams hold up…I am tradeable.
Zambrano was our only consistent pitcher last year, and was good in 2003 until September.
If he’s hurt that’s a different topic altogether, but how about we calm down a little bit? I’m calling it a slump until I hear differently.
This board is full of very intelligent fans after 5:00.
Brian you fucking pansy. Go play elsewhere.
Brian, you belong at us.
Yes, let’s abandon Zambrano after three bad outings. Clearly, he sucks. We must trade him now. No would want a groundball pitcher who strikes guys out and has several times been on the verge of a no-hitter. While we celebrate Carlos’ emotions on most occasions, he’s an expendable hot-head. My earlier comments about “keeling the Cardinals” are now inoperative. He sucks.
Look, anybody here think out of spring training that we were going to make the playoffs? Or dominate the whole year? No? Exactly we are an average team, nights like tonight happen to us, quite a bit actually. Zambrano is probably slumping, or he could be hurt. We don’t know, he is the only one who does. We have found this year that while our pitching is solid, many other staffs have caught up, and/or surpassed us. This is a fact of life. No trade will make us a contender. Every time we win, we’re back in it, when we lose we’re done. Take a good look at us, wouldn’t you rather we saw what we had from some younger players and tried to improve so we could go and get em’ next year?
Le’ts” get “e,m’ this year.
Big deal, how many guys that threw no no’s are in the Hall of Fame. People are hot right now, nobody really wants to trade him, unless you get a sweet ass deal, and I mean sweet.
Fuck off. This team has no chance.
Looking good tonight guys. That Zambrano…damn he’s good. Didn’t someone say earlier that they wouldn’t trade him for Mark or Jon? Faggots.
Bill Hall hit 2 bombs last night, you retard. Go away.
Maybe Zambrano is not doing well because he…stopped cheating?
It’s not an official game until I come in and give up a HR right?
You are right that Bill Hall, rather than Ricky Weeks, hit the homerun. My point has been refuted. We must trade Zambrano for Bill Hall.
Brian, even as a joke this trade proposal is not funny, I am a nice little player, but come on, not funny.
I generally really look forward to coming into work in the morning and reading the comments from the night before. I am dim and read slowly so sometimes I can almost get as far as lunchtime without doing any real work. Not today, though. It’s 10:15 and I’m done with skimming through, avoiding the idiocy. It’s really, really tiresome. Come on, boys, Desipio is better than this.
Sox fans – Congratulations. Seriously. You’re having a very nice season, I hope you’re enjoying it. Cubs fans – who the hell cares?
Oh, and it’s Buehrle. B-U-E-HRLE, for fuck’s sake. How hard can it be?
Live in a country that has baseball and we’ll talk, people like you are what’s wrong with the Cubs. Fuck off.
I have never even met a sox fan, or a Cubs fan for that matter. nichole van croftou can tell by the way I write that I am a real pussy. Maybe I should hook up with Brian when I come to the states.
Are there any Americans on this site?
Stop being a xenophobic douchebag. Just go away. We’re all really tired of you, Sox Fan(s).
Who are these people? Yawn.
–Furtively looking from side to side–
Thinking to himself: Gee I HOPE Zambrano’s hurt. Otherwise, he’d be another in a long line of stud picthers who slowly digressed into shitbags under my supervision.
Wasn’t I a Nintendo game too?
-Rocking from front to back-
Hey Larry, you want me to take some of these young stud pitchers off your hands? You know, so you don’t fuck all of them up for life.