Cardinals make a deal with Felipe Lopez
by DanUpBaby on Feb 26, 2010 9:48 PM EST
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PrintCardinals fans would be wise to check the P-D site around now—they're apparently close to a deal with Felipe Lopez for one year at less than $2 million, per Joe Strauss. [UPDATE: ESPN is apparently reporting it's confirmed.] That's a great deal, so there's not much to talk about as far as money goes; the Cardinals still hold some of their much-discussed dry powder and also fill a hole that lboros noted, in the comments, as having the fewest and least-satisfying in-house candidates of the remaining spots. So if we can't discuss money, the early story lines look like this—
- Lopez has been excellent since joining the Cardinals in 2008, but it's important to remember, when projecting his performance going forward, that his terrible year and a half in Washington really did happen, and really should be part of any understanding of Felipe Lopez the player. For 250 games he combined a sub-.650 OPS with borderline Lugo-caliber defense at shortstop; the new OBP-machine Lopez has only been online for 194 games. And while it's easy to overlook it as a question of effort, neither reason for his age-27 collapse is very heartening. His CHONE projection—.273/.344/.381—seems like a good place to start.
- This is weird news for David Freese; Lopez is no less a hitter, and barring a Freese collapse ends up on the bench mainly because he's able to play more positions. That's reason enough for the Cardinals to use their resources this way, but it has to be odd for Lopez, coming off his best season in five years.
- It's bad news for Ruben Gotay, who is the poor man's Felipe Lopez, and Julio Lugo, who's suddenly been usurped as both second base platoon-partner and bad-field/good-hit insurance shortstop. Gotay will almost certainly start the season in Memphis; Lugo's skills are now duplicated by a better hitter, which makes Tyler Greene a better choice on the roster, if not a better bet to make it.
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Actually, they have agreed
1 year, $1.75M plus incentives
Good to see Lopez back on the squad. Hopefully he can repeat what he did last time around.
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i wonder if we release him
If we have to pay even the $400k
by FlimtotheFlam on Feb 26, 2010 10:10 PM EST up reply actions
i don't know why we would do that
he’s the best pinch-hitter of the bunch
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
no, Craig/mather/Jay.Greene are better.
you clearly like Lugo, while I see what the Red Sox saw, suckage.
i think for what he is
He is a solid 25th man on the roster.
by FlimtotheFlam on Feb 26, 2010 10:13 PM EST up reply actions
i think they might still harbor higher hopes for greene
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
but Greene has minor league options
While Lugo does not.
by FlimtotheFlam on Feb 26, 2010 10:15 PM EST up reply actions
Realistically
if Felipe Lopez can be signed on this market for less than $2m, than Julio Lugo (even at the league minimum) is probably next-to-worthless in a trade.
I expect Lugo starts as backup SS and Tyler Greene starts in Memphis, if Boog is healthy. They have a decision to make if there’s no Boog and Greene does OK in ST, though – I expect Lugo might just be released (or at least put through waivers, but he’s bound to be claimed; other teams would know this, so they likely wouldn’t offer anything in a trade). Still, if we can even get a C- prospect for Lugo, it’d be worth it. He now has no value to us.
RELEASE THE CENTIQUID!!!!
by Felonius_Monk on Feb 27, 2010 6:46 AM EST up reply actions
If your biggest worry is that Julio Lugo is the worst player on your roster
you don’t have too many concerns.
RELEASE THE CENTIQUID!!!!
by Felonius_Monk on Feb 27, 2010 6:44 AM EST up reply actions 3 recs
jay and greene are better pinch-hitters?
and i didn’t see craig or mather mentioned in the “bunch” above
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
i wasn't
i was talking about the comment concerning lugo, gotay, and greene
craig/mather are not affected whatsoever in this matter
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
ok we now have Boog+Floppy+Skip + other to man MI
Lugo is all bat
Greene is glove+speed+good enough bat to carry the position
Boog hits LHPs
Floppy hits LHPs
Greene hits LHPs
Lugo hits LHPs
so now it breaks down into who is better vs. RHP pitchers
Lugo the last three years has a .255 avg vs RHP
Greene’s MLE last year was .263 vs. RHP
there’s no question who the better fielder is which leaves me to say Greene is the better option. It’s all about wheather Lugos’ slight edge vs. LHP is worth it.
the 25th man is going to be a pinch-hitter
the glove doesn’t really factor in.
greene has upside. they don’t want him wasting away on the bench.
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
why would craig not make it?
craig, mather, lopez, lugo, larue – that looks to me like the bench
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
18 man pitching staff...
duh
"The two most important things in life: good friends and a strong bullpen." - Bob Gibson
i think they realized
we don’t need to fill puppy kicker’s role, since he really didn’t have one
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
TLR is still the manager
He doesn’t quite get the saying you can never have too much pitching…
"The two most important things in life: good friends and a strong bullpen." - Bob Gibson
well, i'm basing everything on the assumption
we carry 12 pitchers, and thus craig/mather are both safe
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
I think this year the 5th right-hander in the pen will be Blake Hawksworth
if that’s the case, he’ll probably get the odd important inning, but he can also do the long-man job.
Additionally, if KMac is the 5th starter, we’re kinda running out of guys who can legitimately even be CONSIDERED major league arms. If we have the two lefties, the other bullpen guys are Hawk, Boggs, Motte, Franklin, and then one out of Kinney and Jukich. Unless we sign Springer it’s hard to see all those guys making the team.
RELEASE THE CENTIQUID!!!!
by Felonius_Monk on Feb 27, 2010 6:50 AM EST up reply actions
You give no chance
to Samuel or Salas? I don’t, either, fwiw. Jukich and Hill are both lefties, not sure TLR has ever carried 3 lefties. I guess there’s also possibilities in Walters or Ottavino, but your point is MAJOR LEAGUE arms, and Walters clearly didn’t fit that last year. I’d love to see Garcia as #5 starter, and KMac in the ‘pen, I just don’t think it’ll happen until later in the season.
"I actually used about nine pitches--two different fastballs, two sliders, a curve, a changeup, knockdown, brushback, and hit-batsman" - Bob Gibson
by ISawGodInGibby'sRightArm on Feb 27, 2010 12:54 PM EST up reply actions
Samuel has no chance
Salas, hmmmm, maybe, but I’d like to see him have a strong year (or at least 3 months) in AAA first. He struggled a bit with injuries last year but I still think he’s a genuine prospect. Despite Samuel’s higher ceiling, I’m just not sure he’s ever going to amount to anything. He may throw at 99mph but he apparently has to drop his velocity into the low-mid 90s to actually find the strike zone with any regularity, so what’s the point in having killer stuff if most of it ends up at the backstop?
RELEASE THE CENTIQUID!!!!
by Felonius_Monk on Feb 28, 2010 2:56 PM EST up reply actions
plenty, imo
he wouldn’t be here in the first place if he wasn’t. i think he wins that battle royale, at least for now. greene can play ss every day in memphis until boog gets hurt, then come up and start.
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
Not true
He only gets paid the league minimum if he is in the majors, and then only pro rated for his service time.
by SouthsideCardsFan on Feb 26, 2010 11:28 PM EST up reply actions
cage match.
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
by Yadi2Second on Feb 26, 2010 10:23 PM EST up reply actions
the only thing that would make it better
would be a Smoltz signing, like USA beating the USSR in ‘80 (and, speaking of which, I’m watching Miracle right now).
Check out my sports blog!
Best moment I've ever seen at a Cards game in person
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SIGN JOHN SMOLTZ!
by zoomzoomj88 on Feb 26, 2010 10:06 PM EST up reply actions
If I can change...
And you can change…
Everybody can all change…
Blaine Matthew Burns: Albert Pujols' biggest fan (his first words will for sure be "Albert Pujols is RIDICULOUS")
I haven't seen any of the other comments
But Floppy against LHP playing 2B has to be a lock right?
Not afraid to nitpick
Indeed
No more Lugo stone-glove!
Am I the only one that thinks this is a party occasion?
In football, the object is for the quarterback, otherwise known as the field general, to be on target with his aerial assault, riddling the defense by hitting his recievers with deadly accuracy in spite of the blitz, even if he has to use the shotgun. With short bullet passes and long bombs, he marches his troops into enemy territory, balancing this aerial assault with a sustained ground attack that punches holes in the forward wall of the enemy's defensive line.
In baseball the object is to go home! And to be safe! "I hope I'll be safe at home!"
-George Carlin (RIP)
if lugo is a team's 25th man, that's a pretty deep team
i would like to see greene play every day because i like his skills and have higher hopes than 25th man – i think the org does too
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
indeed
i just high-fived my roommate who has no idea about anything about baseball, especially the cardinals
"Moneyball: It's kind of like communism."
by prophetjohn on Feb 26, 2010 10:20 PM EST up reply actions
I think this is a huge party occasion
even though he’s a better player, I was really luke-warm on the Holliday extension. This deal, however, is a MASSIVE win for the Cards.
RELEASE THE CENTIQUID!!!!
by Felonius_Monk on Feb 27, 2010 6:51 AM EST up reply actions
This team should be SOOOO much better vs LHP this year
Imagine
Boog – SS
Lopez – 2B
Pujols – 1B
Holliday – LF
Craig/Ludwick – RF
Mather – CF
Freese – 3B
Molina – C
by FlimtotheFlam on Feb 26, 2010 10:12 PM EST up reply actions
Good luck with that one LHP
RHP crunch time of
Skippy — 2B
Lopez — 3B
Pujols — 1B
Holliday — LF
Rasmus — CF
Ludwick — RF
Molina — C
Boog — SS
I couldn’t possibly be happier with this Lopez signing. Perfect.
Not afraid to nitpick
i think the better the lineup
the easier for him to breakout
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
no, tony already said he wants colby to be a run-producer
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
Yes
Ryan Ludwick is, an all probability, at least as good vs RHP as he is against LHP, if not slightly better. The main thing, though, is that he can hit both pretty well.
RELEASE THE CENTIQUID!!!!
by Felonius_Monk on Feb 27, 2010 6:53 AM EST up reply actions
sorry
swap the LHP and RHP around there, I meant the other way.
RELEASE THE CENTIQUID!!!!
by Felonius_Monk on Feb 27, 2010 6:53 AM EST up reply actions
This is excellent news.
And, on top of everything mentioned…we’ve got a very solid backup plan in case Boog, for whatever reason, isn’t actually ready to go come Opening Day.
"But I’m still hungry. I’ve got 10 fingers. There’s one that’s busy and I need nine more."
- Albert Pujols
I'd like to be the first to invite lboros back to write an article tomorrow,
about how it would be nice if we signed John Smoltz for the league minimum and how we should get AJ and Ezra Pujols locked up on 30 year $30M contracts soon.
"What's your favorite Chuck Palahniuk book?"
"I like the one about the alienated character who finds the socially unacceptable way of coping with modernity."
by hazel on Feb 26, 2010 10:18 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Something seems to happen
Everytime lb shows up.
This is a fantastic deal for the Cards pending the incentives. We just plugged the last hole in our lineup with the exactly right type of player. Now it is possible that someone already in the org might have been able to fill that spot but this really increases the odds of having runners on for Pujols with regularity.
Kudos to Mo for getting it done at a great price. I thought for sure Lopez would get 5M or more.
"I learned a long time ago if you keep checking your stats all year, you're going to end up in the toilet." - Chris Carpenter, 2009.
by indakind on Feb 26, 2010 10:36 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
or how we really should get Pujols signed on a team friendly deal
Lighten up, Francis - Sergeant Hulka
* sarcasm might be involved in this comment
by mattyfrommo on Feb 26, 2010 10:36 PM EST up reply actions
gatorade dumped tiger
maybe tiger should contact that energy drink manny endorses – sum poosie – seems like a good fit
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
didn't see it
is the name printable?
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
Am I the only person
who doesn’t make purchases based off what celebrities tell me I should buy?
"The two most important things in life: good friends and a strong bullpen." - Bob Gibson
I don't
But in this instance, I will buy a product of the first company to use Tiger in a commercial in my personal “stop caring about celebrities personal lives’ dumbasses……unless it’s scientology” stand.
Not afraid to nitpick
I would ask my doctor about Viagra
Not afraid to nitpick
by joker24 on Feb 26, 2010 11:34 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I think I can get behind this line of thinking
Lighten up, Francis - Sergeant Hulka
* sarcasm might be involved in this comment
or trojan.
or KY — the “his and hers, and hers, and hers” ad would be awesome.
Well the girls would turn the color of the avocado when he would drive down the street in his El Dorado... -the modern lovers
I can see the commercial now
I banged a 100 chicks and I have no bastards that I know of.
by FlimtotheFlam on Feb 26, 2010 11:36 PM EST up reply actions
in baseball
and have kemp in basketball, and is it cromartie in football – they could all be in the commercial
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
lamenting they were not as wise as tiger
all of them have a gazillion kids
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
i thought of matt, also
still trying to remember that basketball player kemp
i’m sure he’s well more famous than the CFer for LA, but yaknow
"Moneyball: It's kind of like communism."
by prophetjohn on Feb 26, 2010 11:51 PM EST up reply actions
hmm
doesn’t ring a bell
"Moneyball: It's kind of like communism."
by prophetjohn on Feb 26, 2010 11:54 PM EST up reply actions
well, he had a long, though interrupted career
for a few years he was the high-flyer in basketball, went to the championship with george karl as coach – he was all-nba 1st team i’d imagine
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
damn right
seattle, with gary payton – shawn kemp
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
Sean Kemp is the guy
who had the girl get pregnant in an extremely unusual way wasn’t he? Andhe had a little bit of a coke habit if I remember correctly.
how do you get pregnant in an unusual way?
I mean, i guess there’s the apocryphal “dude whose roommate turned the used condom inside out and used it” story, but other than that, how many ways are there to get pregnant?
Well the girls would turn the color of the avocado when he would drive down the street in his El Dorado... -the modern lovers
what was it
immediately after using it?
the stuff doesn’t exactly keep very long
"Moneyball: It's kind of like communism."
by prophetjohn on Feb 28, 2010 12:26 AM EST up reply actions
No apparently the girl took what was left in her mouth
Went to the bathroom and inserted it elsewhere….9 month’s kater BAM Baby Kemp’s running around
that's definitely a new one.
once upon a time i, erm, knew a dude who rinsed condoms in the sink before throwing them away, with one particular girl, but that story takes male pattern paranoia to a whole other level.
yikes.
Well the girls would turn the color of the avocado when he would drive down the street in his El Dorado... -the modern lovers
is that even biologically possible?
Blaine Matthew Burns: Albert Pujols' biggest fan (his first words will for sure be "Albert Pujols is RIDICULOUS")
Actually
I remember years and years (and years) ago reading a “letter” to Xaviera Hollander, the ex-madam and then sex advice writer for Penthouse, from a guy who claimed that his girlfriend, who really wanted him to marry her, gave him a bj, then spit it in, and immediately turmed to him and said, “OK, I’m pregnant, you have to marry me”. This guy, if it even was an actual person, apparently didn’t have the IQ to know that it would take at least a few days before she knew whether or not she was pregnant. However, I have heard/read this scenario answered both ways by ob/gyns.
"I actually used about nine pitches--two different fastballs, two sliders, a curve, a changeup, knockdown, brushback, and hit-batsman" - Bob Gibson
by ISawGodInGibby'sRightArm on Mar 1, 2010 2:23 AM EST up reply actions
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/tiger_woods_announces_return_to
RELEASE THE CENTIQUID!!!!
by Felonius_Monk on Feb 27, 2010 6:58 AM EST up reply actions
does high karate still exist
that cologne?
if not he should buy the name and revive it – tiger fighting off the women.
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
ummm...yep, my favorite commercial ever
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
or...
trojan could get magic to come on and say he “…was an even bigger whore-monger than tiger is, and never once used a trojan, look at me now!”
am i in line for hell yet?
you don't think they could sign him back if they ever wanted?
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
If I'm Tiger
I’m giving a discount to Powerade and…..the competition to whatever the hell Accenture does.
Not afraid to nitpick
My favorite ad ever...
anything Cisco does… really why are they advertising? Who is their competition? The classes are called Cisco classes…
"The two most important things in life: good friends and a strong bullpen." - Bob Gibson
In fact
If I’m Tiger, I go to Powerade right now and ask them “wanna make the most talked about commercial in the history of mankind……for free?”
How good would that feel.
Not afraid to nitpick
I don't understand why tiger would take these dropping as personal
he’s the one who is “hurting” the sponsor’s name. It’s business.
And it's business for him to get his name back in the advertising business
One commercial and all this dumb shit is over because he will once again establish that he’s a marketing machine. Hell, he’s more famous now than he was before!
Not afraid to nitpick
Stop ruining my dream
I want to buy some Powerade damnit! I want to see Tiger take a sip of Powerade, bounce a ball on his 7 iron and club it, take a drink of Powerade and start again fade to black.
Not afraid to nitpick
I agree with the fact that he is more famous now when all these idiots who don't follow
golf all of a sudden care about his life.
maybe if you depended on the money, but tiger already has $200M in the bank
I see no reason why he would throw away his business reputation as well.
200 mil is a tad short
and, joker, if you got fired for screwing your bosses wife, you might not like it, but don’t really have a gripe
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
Exactly
Just because it’s reasonably justifiable (to the PC police people anyway), doesn’t mean you’d be happy about it. If you get fired even with cause, it’s going to feel better to help the competitor.
Not afraid to nitpick
well, yeah
probably a whole lot better.
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
His business rep is only being touched by the PC police who live in a world not bound by reality
I don’t think this is politics as much as it is fact: the most popular President in recent times is Clinton. People don’t care about morality.
Again, the first commercial Tiger runs is going to be the most talked about commercial in the history of TV I’m pretty sure. Why are companies running from this fact? I just don’t get it.
Not afraid to nitpick
*how have these people not learned from Kobe?
Infidelity just doesn’t count in people’s heads as mattering.
Not afraid to nitpick
Okay, that was a different matter.
And Kobe’s marketability is just now coming back. Still, the most recent Kobe TV spot doesn’t feature Kobe at all. In fact, it’s puppets singing about his new shoes.
Forget it, spants. It's Chinatown. - tom s.
Magic Johnson?
"What's your favorite Chuck Palahniuk book?"
"I like the one about the alienated character who finds the socially unacceptable way of coping with modernity."
how is anybody gonna get down on
a likeable guy who’s infidelity is couched in the fact he has hiv?
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
more than infidelity
check the record of civil suits against him. Had unprotected sex KNOWING he had HIV, allegedly without informing the woman, and infected her. Made it all go away with (South Park right as usual)…money. Congratulations,Magic, you’re in the running for shittiest person ever!
well, didn't know that
certainly makes him less sympathetic character
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
Have heard any of the stories from Jerry West's new book?
They had woman just waiting for them after the game to have sex with them before they came out for interviews. Haven’t read the book but heard some talk about it on sports radio. Sounded pretty wild.
"They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time it works, every time."
you are referring to the magic era
not the west era, right?
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
Right West ran the club
He said Riley was just there and it was crazy the things he had to do for that team.
"They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time it works, every time."
he ran it well
had only len bias…the celts would’ve had an answer for worthy
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
What does that have to do with anything?
Kobe was accused of a violent crime and went to trial over it. It was a criminal matter. Tiger broke his marriage vows, not the law.
Forget it, spants. It's Chinatown. - tom s.
what i recall
is him saying everyone did it, and naming shaq
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
yeah, i wish he'd blame doing that on youth
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
doesn't work for me
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
technically, prostitution is a crime
granted, it shouldn’t be, but it is.
(much like steroid use).
Well the girls would turn the color of the avocado when he would drive down the street in his El Dorado... -the modern lovers
Do you know something I don't know about that case?
I studied it in college, and I don’t recall the woman involved being a prostitute.
Forget it, spants. It's Chinatown. - tom s.
i think he means tiger paid
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
He's still paying.
RELEASE THE CENTIQUID!!!!
by Felonius_Monk on Feb 27, 2010 7:03 AM EST up reply actions
Kobe's jersey has been among the best selling the entire time
Companies are also dumb for not using his image until the past couple years. For an athletic company like Gatorade who appeals to a demographic likely very similar to the people buying the jerseys of Kobe to drop Tiger just doesn’t compute to me.
I’d also take a note from Nike: you know, the company with the best sports marketing anywhere who is sticking with their guy.
Not afraid to nitpick
basketball does not equal golf
there was some thought that kobe gained street cred. does that exist in golf?
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
It does to the Gatorade demographic apparently
Do golfers even drink Gatorade?
Not afraid to nitpick
gin and tonic
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
NBA jersey sales aside,
his advertising profile got much smaller.
Forget it, spants. It's Chinatown. - tom s.
Because the same dumb companies made the same dumb decisions!
I’d say the fact that millions of people across the country are buying his jersey is evidence that he isn’t really viewed as a horrible person.
Not afraid to nitpick
How many of those jerseys were sold to kids?
Tiger is less marketable to kids. He’s a freaking golfer! He was shilling for insurance companies and razor blades.
Forget it, spants. It's Chinatown. - tom s.
both of which really rely on the consumers' trust
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
The suicidal are a tricky demographic
Not afraid to nitpick
by joker24 on Feb 26, 2010 11:33 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
they're also potentially very short-term consumers...
RELEASE THE CENTIQUID!!!!
by Felonius_Monk on Feb 27, 2010 7:04 AM EST up reply actions
Who buys the jerseys?
Parents? And I bring this up in the light of Gatorade dropping him…
Not afraid to nitpick
I'm just saying that the Kobe and Tiger situations are different.
There was way more Kobe backlash, as their should’ve been. But it’s not surprising to me that his current marketing is more kid-focused. The puppet ad and the Rock Band ad (which he didn’t carry himself and also co-starred squeaky clean Tony Hawk) are two examples off the top of my head. And there is a reason why companies market to kids: kids control their parents’ wallets.
Forget it, spants. It's Chinatown. - tom s.
And an additional one lower in the lineup as well with Yadi.
"But I’m still hungry. I’ve got 10 fingers. There’s one that’s busy and I need nine more."
- Albert Pujols
forgot about that guy!
"Moneyball: It's kind of like communism."
by prophetjohn on Feb 26, 2010 11:28 PM EST up reply actions
6 out of 9 aint bad
"Moneyball: It's kind of like communism."
by prophetjohn on Feb 26, 2010 11:28 PM EST up reply actions
In fact, it's nearly...dare I say it...
Yankee-esque.
"But I’m still hungry. I’ve got 10 fingers. There’s one that’s busy and I need nine more."
- Albert Pujols
just think
if everyone lives up to their potential, this could be an ’04-esque team
"Moneyball: It's kind of like communism."
hang on
too busy looking at my spreadsheet and hyperventilating
"Moneyball: It's kind of like communism."
by prophetjohn on Feb 26, 2010 10:52 PM EST up reply actions
For something really crude,
The 2004 team was 30.8 WAR position players, and 16.3 WAR pitchers.Our current team is something 20-25 WAR in position players, 15-20 in pitchers.
"What's your favorite Chuck Palahniuk book?"
"I like the one about the alienated character who finds the socially unacceptable way of coping with modernity."
so this team's upside
is round about ’04?
i will take
"Moneyball: It's kind of like communism."
by prophetjohn on Feb 26, 2010 10:58 PM EST up reply actions
Maybe even higher as re: the postseason
if you’re of the opinion (which I, personally, am) that top-end starting pitching becomes even more important once the postseason starts.
"But I’m still hungry. I’ve got 10 fingers. There’s one that’s busy and I need nine more."
- Albert Pujols
I'd say the upside is a bit higher,
because of the variability of players like Rasmus, Ludwick, Penny, Lohse, Lopez, and Ryan. If they all show up as their over 3 WAR selves, this team will be markedly better than that one.
"What's your favorite Chuck Palahniuk book?"
"I like the one about the alienated character who finds the socially unacceptable way of coping with modernity."
anybody have a towel?
"Moneyball: It's kind of like communism."
by prophetjohn on Feb 26, 2010 11:29 PM EST up reply actions
yeah, sure, here - just broke one out
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
I don't think Boog will ever break 3 WAR
I think of him as more of a high-floor, low-ceiling type; he’ll probably always be a 1-2 WAR guy, pretty much. Just my opinion.
RELEASE THE CENTIQUID!!!!
by Felonius_Monk on Feb 27, 2010 7:05 AM EST up reply actions
Going forward?
Because he was 3.1 WAR in a lot less playing time last year. He shouldn’t hit as well, but I can see peak 3 WAR seasons pretty easily.
Not afraid to nitpick
i thought fangraphs had him at about 2.8 last year
but maybe I’m wrong. Anyhow, he defended about as well as it’s possible to defend last season (Ozzie excepted), so he’s never likely to significantly better that. He also hit as well as a guy with his skillset can hit, IMO. He’s been a pretty appalling hitter his entire professional career, and whilst I agree it’s possible that he’s improved to “competent” level, I just don’t think he’s the hitter he looked last year and that he was somewhat lucky, so I think that’s a high watermark too.
I just think 2009 was the absolute ceiling of Brendan Ryan, talent and production wise. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, I still think he can be an injury-prone basically league average (when he’s on the park) shortstop, but I just don’t see anything much else in the tank.
RELEASE THE CENTIQUID!!!!
by Felonius_Monk on Feb 28, 2010 3:00 PM EST up reply actions
eh.
I kind of hate clubs who win the division before spring training ends, so I will refrain.
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
by Yadi2Second on Feb 26, 2010 10:58 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
yeah, weird
"Moneyball: It's kind of like communism."
by prophetjohn on Feb 26, 2010 11:29 PM EST up reply actions
upside-down cross?
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
Isn't that some kind of diacritical mark
that shows up in, like, Polish or Czech or Eastern European languages like that?
As to how you managed to make it show up, beats the heck out of me.
"But I’m still hungry. I’ve got 10 fingers. There’s one that’s busy and I need nine more."
- Albert Pujols
well at least i'm not a witch.
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
by Yadi2Second on Feb 26, 2010 11:43 PM EST up reply actions
Wood
but not Tiger.
"I actually used about nine pitches--two different fastballs, two sliders, a curve, a changeup, knockdown, brushback, and hit-batsman" - Bob Gibson
by ISawGodInGibby'sRightArm on Feb 27, 2010 1:18 AM EST up reply actions
it got better
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
man I made the mistake of reading a comment at MLB.com about the lopez deal and this is what I got
MrLatinoMet21 wrote:
Theres no way that these bozos at 2nd or short stop are better than Felipe Lopez.. And utility infielder? Not utlity he was a starter last year and has been for most of his career. Felipe should be given a shot to start. Now I know that he has a bad rep as being a clubhouse cancer.. but when his head is screwed on right he can play very well and put up solid numbers to start. I only wanna know what happened to his power? In Cincinatti he hit for more power now he doesn’t seem to have as much power.. He has underacheived as far as expectations but he should start for St. Louis.. If given 500+ AB’s look for a 15 HR 70 RBI .290ish 35 SB and 180 hits.. take that to the bank..
35 stolen bases!
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
if he could do that I would let him start at second, he would be a 4WAR player with his glove there.
with tlr, 35 = 100
i’m wondering, not that we’ve had burners, but what’s the highest individual sb total under tony’s reign here?
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
damn
well, i’d think we haven’t even had a 30 since…but i can’t think so well with this celebratory booze running thru my system
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
But tell us how you really feel!
"But I’m still hungry. I’ve got 10 fingers. There’s one that’s busy and I need nine more."
- Albert Pujols
can't beat moves
that have literally no down-side…
RELEASE THE CENTIQUID!!!!
by Felonius_Monk on Feb 27, 2010 7:07 AM EST up reply actions
it's on for sunday
canada escapes
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
Name that quote, winner will get a rec by me(no searching)
This one time when I was pitching, an umpire called me for 26 straight balls. Finally when skipper came out to see me, he told me that I had been throwing the ball lefthanded the whole inning for some reason. When he mentioned it, I thought my glove had felt weird on my right hand. Skipper thought it was on account of my being high on peyote and forgetting which arm I threw with, but I got a pretty good idea that umpire had used some mind control on me
gotta be doc ellis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vUhSYLRw14
?
Well the girls would turn the color of the avocado when he would drive down the street in his El Dorado... -the modern lovers
i'd say a movie
it obviously didn’t happen in real life, though he could have said it did
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
I looked at the properties of the image and you got it where I got the quote
nonetheless here’s your rec.
who is it?
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
I won't tell you to punish you, but he was a Cy Young winner in the AL in the '80s.
punish you for what?, for no particular reason at all…
then i know
black jack
just saying, though, i don’t know the context of that quote, but it obviously never happened
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
Why are you posting a quote about Lamarr Hoyt?
"They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time it works, every time."
How did you come across that?
"They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time it works, every time."
Not where but how? I googled it to get the players name.
Is that a site you regularly read?
"They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time it works, every time."
hey, cardhawk
what’s the context of that quote?
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
Apparantly Hoyt got banned from baseball for doing drugs
He was the ‘83 Cy Young winner so that’s just some story he had.
"They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time it works, every time."
ok, 'cause i know it never happened
still doesn’t make sense to me, unless he was really just messed up when he was talking to whoever wrote it down
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
then i don't care
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
Is that from either Long Gone or Bingo Long?
"I actually used about nine pitches--two different fastballs, two sliders, a curve, a changeup, knockdown, brushback, and hit-batsman" - Bob Gibson
by ISawGodInGibby'sRightArm on Feb 27, 2010 1:26 AM EST up reply actions
so most of the 2009 memes have been retired.....
so I move that this puppy is somehow incorporated into a 2010 meme, preferably the most popular one to maximize the number of times it’s posted.
it's a free country
you can talk about bacon all you want, cody.
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
and I'm not saying this to avoid being banned
our robot overlord is much too wise to fall for such trickery.
it is like a subtle bashing of azruavatar
and truthfully I just kind of find it disrespectful
by FlimtotheFlam on Feb 27, 2010 1:42 AM EST up reply actions
Not sure subtle is the word i would use.
"What's your favorite Chuck Palahniuk book?"
"I like the one about the alienated character who finds the socially unacceptable way of coping with modernity."
personally i'd use nonexistent
but hey, what are words amongst friends?
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
personally i'd use arousing.
wait, what are we talking about?
"What's your favorite Chuck Palahniuk book?"
"I like the one about the alienated character who finds the socially unacceptable way of coping with modernity."
umm...i forgot
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
Bernie is that you
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
What's your point?
"What's your favorite Chuck Palahniuk book?"
"I like the one about the alienated character who finds the socially unacceptable way of coping with modernity."
wait, so you were bashing him...for real?
i miss a lot of stuff, so if there’s a history…well, i don’t really want to know it. i’m just here for a good time.
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
the answer is no.
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
what does your pity get me?
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
memes are democratic.
editing meme compilations are not.
actually, memes aren’t democratic either. they’re organic. so memes are technically socialist. /politics
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
interesting, but the real number that
catches my eye is .518. Yes, that’s Skip’s OPS vs. LHP last year. .743…727..who cares so long as we’ve now got a viable platoon option at 2b.
just throwing out stats
He has a career BABIP of .320 so using that as a baseline lets look at everything else.
Had an OPS of .810 in 2009 with a BABIP of .358
If you look at his batted ball data from 2009 and see how lucky it was
using BR stat sOPS+
sOPS+ – OPS+ of this split relative to the major league OPS for this split: 100*((split OBP/ML avg. OBP of split) + (split SLG/ML avg. SLG of split) – 1)
GB had a sOPS+ 116
FB had a sOPS+ 136
LD had a sOPS+ 93
So he was above average on grounders which should be expected since he has some speed. Rather lucky in regards to fly balls. But below average in in line drives. He has always been a pretty good line drive and GB hitter. Not as much luck in 2009 as initial thought.
by FlimtotheFlam on Feb 27, 2010 1:30 AM EST up reply actions
plus he had the best BB/K rate of his career with 0.71
by FlimtotheFlam on Feb 27, 2010 1:32 AM EST up reply actions
yeah
guys’ maturing into a decent contact hitter with gap power who walks. Pretty much Skip Schumaker, but as a switch-hitter, who can also play 3rd.
RELEASE THE CENTIQUID!!!!
by Felonius_Monk on Feb 27, 2010 7:10 AM EST up reply actions
Cody what's the latest thought about the draft date?
Also like the name change for the Cubs fan to My Logo Sucks.
"They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time it works, every time."
Unfortunately that doesn't help me
"They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time it works, every time."
if not of you have read the original fanpost for awhile
i think dan was looking for some players in a league he’d “like” to do – anyway, check it out, maybe you can be of help
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
One weekend earlier.
Not crazy about drafting earlier but I took to vacation days for a four day weekend. So pretty much any time March 12-15. The 20th and 21st I work second shift that weekend so nothing other than an early mourning time would work for me.
"They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time it works, every time."
high fives all around
Mo is crazy like a fox. 1 year @ 1.75M (+ whatever the incentives are) is a freaking steal.
disregard the above comment
I misread yours to say “1.75M is a freaking steal unless he only takes 100 PA all season”
No wonder he had to fire Boras
He would never have settled for this deal.
"They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time it works, every time."
Does anyone think he would be a Card if he hadn't fired Boras?
"They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time it works, every time."
good question
he is with apu’s agency now
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
I noticed that
from the PD article….
His flagging market contributed to the switch-hitting Lopez changing representation to Beverly Hills Sports Council, which represents Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols and right fielder Ryan Ludwick.
Wonder if there’s a story there.
I think this is really where he wants to play
I have a hard time believing Lopez wouldn’t have signed by now if he wasn’t limiting his options.
"They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time it works, every time."
i concur
much like smoltz, though this is beyond all reason to me (not smoltzie holding out for here, but floppy)
and, nota bene, there is always a story…always.
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
these guys have heard about the man stew
and they want in.
i’d hold out for some of that action, too.
SIGN FELIPE LOPEZ
"I knew they were up to shenanigans." --TLR
Certainly not at a likeable price
I can deal with him for 1.75 MM. I even want to like the guy, knowing the reason for his mental issues. But I remember being very, VERY frustrated with him in 2008, knowing anyone else would have gotten to that grounder, made that throw, etc.
I created the first #BrendanRyan hashtag on Twitter
"She gone! Airplane time! Airplane Time!! AIRPLANE TIME." Boog
"I think those scorers must be from Mars or Venus. Or maybe they're just from that book." --Mike Shannon, 7/09/2009
Seriously,
Orlando Hudson got $5 million for a single year, and Lopez gets $1.75 million? As a Cardinal fan, I’m happy. But that’s rough for Felipe. Well, it’s as rough as having $1.75 million can be anyway. The things I would do…
Writer and editor for sprayahen.com
How many runs do you think that will cost us?
Forget it, spants. It's Chinatown. - tom s.
by spants on Feb 27, 2010 2:12 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
how did you feel about thursty?
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
even worse, cardball
I understand I am in a minority here. Yes, Thursty was worse, but I was still able to root for him, and hope.
The “cost” (to spants) is personal to ME. In part I can’t root for the guy (Lopez) because I don’t like him, but mostly it is the prospect of holding my breath, in anticipation of Floppy swinging for the fences when there is a man on second base and we need just ONE run; throwing to the wrong base; ground ball gets past him because he got a bad jump and THAT because his head was somewhere else; not advancing from first to third because he lazy-assed his way to second base; or, stupidly trying to advance from first to third, getting thrown out and quelling a potential rally; etc
His numbers and supposed ‘versatilty’ trump my feeble and personal complaints, but it’s still a bummer for me, because I was looking forward to liking all 25 players
I guess 24 out of 25 is still great. And at least it wasn’t Adam Kennedy.
by the Tewk on Feb 27, 2010 2:48 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
i certainly respect all that
i’m a stickler myself. but floppy does have a huge talent advantage on thursty, and the guy we would have had instead, gotay. i just want to win, and am willing to put my personal aside. in little league, would i ever take someone without maximum effort – no. then again, i can’t believe this happened in a vacuum – apu must have had a word to say. that is good enough for me, plus the (perhaps) strange thing that floppy apparently wanted to play here. i believe he must have had better offers. certain realizations come to people at different stages in life – i’m giving the guy a chance, personally. as is the team. and we all know, team is first.
"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."
I'd rather have Lopez than Skip
when facing left handed hitters at least. was he that bad at defense last season? granted, I think his defensive liabilities will be limited if he plays mostly second base. he’s also a great pinch hitter off the bench. his stats since leaving washington are no joke.
I'm gonna need a whole lot more franklins if Franklin is our closer this year
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Feb 27, 2010 5:55 AM EST up reply actions
*pitchers, not hitters
I'm gonna need a whole lot more franklins if Franklin is our closer this year
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Feb 27, 2010 5:55 AM EST up reply actions
His career OBP is like .390.
Brendan Ryan makes mental errors. Albert makes mental errors. Everyone makes mental errors sometimes. If he gets on base nearly 40% of the time, I can deal with his likability issues.
Forget it, spants. It's Chinatown. - tom s.
his career OBP is .338
he’s never even had a .390 OBP over a full season.
He’ll probably do better than .338 next year, but it’s crazy to write him in as a .390 kind of guy.
Well the girls would turn the color of the avocado when he would drive down the street in his El Dorado... -the modern lovers
I think he'll be good for at least .360 this season
I'm gonna need a whole lot more franklins if Franklin is our closer this year
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Feb 27, 2010 7:53 PM EST up reply actions
I misread the chart.
His OBP was .383 last season. I still feel he can be counted on for .350+ OBP.
Forget it, spants. It's Chinatown. - tom s.
I'm having a hard time believing a team with leaders
like Albert, Yadi and Carp is gonna let Floppy get away with much. Or that Lopez—who, of course, is hoping to score a multiyear deal 9 months from now—is gonna dog it much this year. I think you’re overstating the problem here.
by MdRedbirdFreak on Feb 27, 2010 7:12 PM EST up reply actions
I'm not even sure that his bad rap is even accurate
or more just hearsay and buzz
I'm gonna need a whole lot more franklins if Franklin is our closer this year
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Feb 27, 2010 7:53 PM EST up reply actions
Wow
The Flavor Aid is pretty strong, these days…
There are 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary, and those who don't.
Well, in CFIC's defense,
I knew nothing about his personal problems until I read the earlier linked article. I didn’t see any attitude or performance issues with him in his short stay with the BOB in ‘08. He’s a friend of Albert’s. Call it Kool-Aid if you will, but I’m willing to give the guy the benefit of the doubt.
* is an Asshat
Also, Dave Concepcion.
I wonder what he would be getting away with
I'm gonna need a whole lot more franklins if Franklin is our closer this year
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Feb 27, 2010 10:50 PM EST up reply actions
*facepalm*
I'm gonna need a whole lot more franklins if Franklin is our closer this year
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Feb 27, 2010 5:53 AM EST up reply actions
but albert likes him.
that has to count for something, right?
"I knew they were up to shenanigans." --TLR
Maybe Lugo can play
the French horn.
Anyway, what a great deal for the Cards. They are now a much deeper club, at least offensively, than they were before.
Yay cheap Floppy!
They say sing while you slave but I just get bored
yeah
it’s a win win situation… at that price we won’t feel pressured into playing him all the time, and he could be a great pinch hitter. he can play a variety of positions at least passably, and he’ll be one of our higher obp players. nice move, mo!
I'm gonna need a whole lot more franklins if Franklin is our closer this year
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Feb 27, 2010 5:58 AM EST up reply actions
dude
I knew we’d sign him
I'm gonna need a whole lot more franklins if Franklin is our closer this year
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Feb 27, 2010 5:55 AM EST reply actions
I'm a little late to the party
but in my opinion this is Mo’s best move of the off-season, and probably of his tenure so far. It really shows the benefit of playing the waiting game until nearly all the other teams in MLB have spent their off-season money and quality players are still waiting to be signed (Russ Branyan was another example).
Felipe Lopez was a 4.5 WAR player last year. He was (at least for one year) a legitimate star, and projects at pretty much above average at 2B and 3B, and probably won’t kill us for the odd start at SS. He fills a major need (right-hander to play 2B), gives us a switch-hitter (in a team lacking pop off the bench AND left-handed hitting outside of skip and colby) and provides cover for our most questionable starting position (3B), as well as a potential platoon option (as he’s almost certainly going to be at least as good as Freese vs RHP). Additionally, he allows us to dump one of our weakest two links (Lugo/Gotay); whilst I don’t think there’s any trade value in Lugo, certainly I think we should look to shop him somewhere for anything we can get (even if it’s a barely-C-level prospect).
Also, Lopez’s last two years have featured very good OBPs, against both lefty and righty -pitchers. We have the best hitter in baseball at #3, and (until today) a big question mark at #2. Adding someone who can get on base north of a .350 clip against lefties, in particular, is pretty huge in front of Albert.
End of the day, $1.75m for a probably above-average player who fills several major needs, who was a genuine star (production-wise, albeit in a career year) in 2009, who is flexible & can switch-hit, and who will quite possibly be at least a type B free agent (likely netting us a free pick!) at the end of 2010, well, it’s a mind-blowingly good deal. This could be as team-friendly a contract as any signed this off-season, AND it doesn’t preclude a later Smoltz/Springer/Calero signing.
Absolute A+ for Mo!
RELEASE THE CENTIQUID!!!!
by Felonius_Monk on Feb 27, 2010 6:41 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
if we're lucky
Lopez is just now entering into his prime, and will have a similar year to 2009. plus I think he will want to prove himself even more after being ignored this offseason by so many teams. I’m sure he wasn’t too happy about that.
I'm gonna need a whole lot more franklins if Franklin is our closer this year
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Feb 27, 2010 1:46 PM EST up reply actions
Now to get to far ahead of myself
but if he does perform well, he says that he would like a spot to stay a couple years. Might be easier to extend him then. He is only 29.
In football, the object is for the quarterback, otherwise known as the field general, to be on target with his aerial assault, riddling the defense by hitting his recievers with deadly accuracy in spite of the blitz, even if he has to use the shotgun. With short bullet passes and long bombs, he marches his troops into enemy territory, balancing this aerial assault with a sustained ground attack that punches holes in the forward wall of the enemy's defensive line.
In baseball the object is to go home! And to be safe! "I hope I'll be safe at home!"
-George Carlin (RIP)
I like him at 2B
poor skip
I'm gonna need a whole lot more franklins if Franklin is our closer this year
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Feb 27, 2010 3:20 PM EST up reply actions
I don't think they keep him or Skip beyond next season
Or if they do, some young-ish OF is going to need to take over for Luddy. They are going to have to save dollars somewhere, when they sign APu.
Lighten up, Francis - Sergeant Hulka
* sarcasm might be involved in this comment
I wonder who will be playing second
are you saying beyond 2011?
I'm gonna need a whole lot more franklins if Franklin is our closer this year
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Feb 27, 2010 4:00 PM EST up reply actions
I think it all depends on how Descalso
and, to a lesser extent, Greene, do this year. If Descalso has a solid season in AAA I think the 2B job is his in 2011. If he sucks, they probably need a plan B, and I could see a Lopez deal being more of a possibility then. Unfortunately, if he plays well enough to secure a long-term deal, I’d guess that might price him out of our range, as we really don’t have much cash for next year.
RELEASE THE CENTIQUID!!!!
by Felonius_Monk on Feb 28, 2010 3:04 PM EST up reply actions
I don't think they will keep skip
but I think that Lopez will be on board. Unless skip is an absolute dynamo at 2b, he won’t be here long.
In football, the object is for the quarterback, otherwise known as the field general, to be on target with his aerial assault, riddling the defense by hitting his recievers with deadly accuracy in spite of the blitz, even if he has to use the shotgun. With short bullet passes and long bombs, he marches his troops into enemy territory, balancing this aerial assault with a sustained ground attack that punches holes in the forward wall of the enemy's defensive line.
In baseball the object is to go home! And to be safe! "I hope I'll be safe at home!"
-George Carlin (RIP)
Yeah, I think Luddy's
days as a Cardinal can’t number more than about 550 right now.
by MdRedbirdFreak on Feb 27, 2010 7:18 PM EST up reply actions
it recalls the kyle lohse for $4m deal.
"We were men - flesh and blood - and we played baseball in the sunshine. We hit doubles off the wall, slid hard into second base. We had fights, and we made love. We sang songs and prayed on Sundays. . . . We felt pain. And we felt joy. There was a lot wrong with the world. But we weren't sad, man. We had the times of our lives." Buck O'Neil, from "The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip Through Buck O'Neil's America."
My thoughts exactly.
Really, TLR is a happy, happy man today. Think you’ve seen overmanaging? Tony will break all his own records this year.
by MdRedbirdFreak on Feb 27, 2010 7:16 PM EST up reply actions
Also, something I'm not sure anyone has considered:
this signing makes Skip somewhat redundant. Whilst there’s probably little demand for a lefty-hitting platoon 2B/corner outfielder, he’s definitely an interesting piece, as he’s got a couple of years of arby left and we now have a likely better player (plus some backups) for this year, and, with costs spiralling in 2011, hopefully an internal replacement in Dan Descalso (or perhaps a Greene/Ryan all-glove MIF).
If someone offered us a B-grade prospect for him, would you consider moving Skip this year? It’s an interesting question, I think.
RELEASE THE CENTIQUID!!!!
so basically
Skip in 2010 is Boog in 2008
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
my man crush won't allow me to fathom a Skip trade
Blaine Matthew Burns: Albert Pujols' biggest fan (his first words will for sure be "Albert Pujols is RIDICULOUS")
it's hard to say
what if Skip actually is really good at defense this year? then he may be worth more than what we get in a trade.
I'm gonna need a whole lot more franklins if Franklin is our closer this year
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Feb 27, 2010 1:47 PM EST up reply actions
I would certainly consider moving Skip if the situation warranted it
That said, I don’t think the team would be okay with it. He seems to become a central leader figure in the clubhouse. TLR might go insane if Mo traded Skip.
I need your discipline / I need your help / I need your discipline / You know once I start I cannot stop myself...
depends on how freese looks.
if freese is capable at third and lopez can hold down second by himself, i would think about skip in a trade.
"We were men - flesh and blood - and we played baseball in the sunshine. We hit doubles off the wall, slid hard into second base. We had fights, and we made love. We sang songs and prayed on Sundays. . . . We felt pain. And we felt joy. There was a lot wrong with the world. But we weren't sad, man. We had the times of our lives." Buck O'Neil, from "The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip Through Buck O'Neil's America."
that would be ideal
I'm gonna need a whole lot more franklins if Franklin is our closer this year
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Feb 27, 2010 5:11 PM EST up reply actions
i'd rather trade lopez
at least we have cost certainty next year with skip
you can only sign lopez for a million bucks so many times before other teams catch on
"Moneyball: It's kind of like communism."
but he's a lot better than skip
I'm gonna need a whole lot more franklins if Franklin is our closer this year
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Feb 27, 2010 7:02 PM EST up reply actions
who knows
I’d say significantly more than 2.5 or 1.3
I'm gonna need a whole lot more franklins if Franklin is our closer this year
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Feb 27, 2010 7:55 PM EST up reply actions
Anyone think this might be "bad" for the Cardinals?
Am I the only one that is thinking the reason for the signing is Brendan Ryan being out longer than we thought?
Gah!
Seriously? Oh, nevermind. You’re new, so I am going to just assume it is going to take time for you to get use to all of VEB’s quirks.
Lighten up, Francis - Sergeant Hulka
* sarcasm might be involved in this comment
by mattyfrommo on Feb 27, 2010 10:50 AM EST up reply actions
Gah...DAMN IT!
Talk about wantin to blame SBN. This is my fault for having two threads open and getting flustered at someone new.
Lighten up, Francis - Sergeant Hulka
* sarcasm might be involved in this comment
by mattyfrommo on Feb 27, 2010 10:52 AM EST up reply actions
it goes in another post.
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
by Yadi2Second on Feb 28, 2010 10:11 AM EST up reply actions
but I highly doubt you are the only one thinking that
I just don’t want to think about it
Lighten up, Francis - Sergeant Hulka
* sarcasm might be involved in this comment
I think that this signing was just such a steal for Mo
that he would be dumb to pass it up
I'm gonna need a whole lot more franklins if Franklin is our closer this year
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Feb 27, 2010 1:47 PM EST up reply actions
Lopez wearing # 8
Better make good use of my favorite number… the last guy to wear it was Marlon Anderson and he did a decent job.
Check out my sports blog!
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SIGN JOHN SMOLTZ!
uh huh
Drew, J.D.
Kennedy, Adam
Hernandez, Carlos
Richard, Chris
DiFelice, Mike
Girardi, Joe
Anderson, Marlon
McRae, Hal
Glaus, Troy
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
I thought JD was always a 7
but yeah, how soon Glaus is forgotten
Lighten up, Francis - Sergeant Hulka
* sarcasm might be involved in this comment
anyone see
the base salary for lopez is actually only $1MM
The Cardinals officially signed free agent infielder Felipe Lopez to a one-year contract today. The deal is worth $1MM in base salary, plus easily attainable performance bonuses that could be worth up to $1.2MM.
"Moneyball: It's kind of like communism."
Saw that, was waiting to read all the comments
before adding it into the mix. Thanks, pj.
"I actually used about nine pitches--two different fastballs, two sliders, a curve, a changeup, knockdown, brushback, and hit-batsman" - Bob Gibson
by ISawGodInGibby'sRightArm on Feb 27, 2010 1:05 PM EST up reply actions
holy shit
this deal is truly a steal
I'm gonna need a whole lot more franklins if Franklin is our closer this year
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Feb 27, 2010 1:48 PM EST up reply actions
didn't this just make the deal worse....
if this is right, it’s a deal for $2.2MM. Still fine, but it’s not getting better.
by Willie McGee's Twin on Feb 27, 2010 7:03 PM EST up reply actions
did you expect
$1.75MM plus incentives to be less than $2.2MM if he received all the incentives?
"Moneyball: It's kind of like communism."
hey
if he plays good enough to get all the incentives, more power to him
I'm gonna need a whole lot more franklins if Franklin is our closer this year
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Feb 27, 2010 7:55 PM EST up reply actions
floppy talks about cards
http://www.globe-democrat.com/audioclips/168/
"Moneyball: It's kind of like communism."
does it go with this?
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
LOL....He's played for TLR before:
"I can play everything. That’s the right answer, right?"
* is an Asshat
Also, Dave Concepcion.
heh
I'm gonna need a whole lot more franklins if Franklin is our closer this year
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Feb 27, 2010 1:50 PM EST up reply actions
also
tony
http://www.globe-democrat.com/audioclips/169/
mo
http://www.globe-democrat.com/audioclips/170/
"Moneyball: It's kind of like communism."
he has got to be super pissed at Boras
“Early this offseason, I don’t know what was going on. That’s one of the reasons it took a long time. I never had an idea what was going on."
But once Lopez switched his representation, talks with the Cardinals "picked up because the communication was there. It was easier," Lopez said.
I wonder if Boras was ever really trying to get Lopez signed.
Lighten up, Francis - Sergeant Hulka
* sarcasm might be involved in this comment
no doubt
I'm gonna need a whole lot more franklins if Franklin is our closer this year
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Feb 27, 2010 1:50 PM EST up reply actions
Maybe after
the Matt deal, our front office had enough of Mr Boras.
i think he meant
communication between him and his agent
or, in other words, “scott boras sucks, yo. he a punk ass hpgf.”
"Moneyball: It's kind of like communism."
sorry if it's been mentioned
against lefties, does TLR think about putting Lopez in the leadoff spot?
Blaine Matthew Burns: Albert Pujols' biggest fan (his first words will for sure be "Albert Pujols is RIDICULOUS")
either one or two spot I think
I'm gonna need a whole lot more franklins if Franklin is our closer this year
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Feb 27, 2010 1:51 PM EST up reply actions
how about this vs lefties
Lopez
Freese or Ludwick
Pujols
Holliday
Freese or Ludwick
Rasmus
Yadi
Boog/whoever
I'm gonna need a whole lot more franklins if Franklin is our closer this year
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Feb 27, 2010 1:52 PM EST up reply actions
you guys do know there's a new post, right?
or is this all Floppy all the time?
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
the latter
I think this is the best signing of the postseason, by any team. Mo showed that having steel ones can really pay off, huh?
Lighten up, Francis - Sergeant Hulka
* sarcasm might be involved in this comment
ok, I'll say it
BALLS OF STEEL
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
well just for ease of tracking
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
projections!
.275/.353/.412/11 HR/61 RBI/92 R/25 SB
i gotta be a little hard on him with that .358 or whatever BABIP. plus watching some of his offensive highlights from last year on mlb.com (the best means of scouting!) it seems like all of his hits are bloops and bleeders and infield hits and “fukudome misread it!”s
i think we’ll be sorely disappointed if we expect something close to 2009 out of him.
still a great deal, though
"Moneyball: It's kind of like communism."
for those of you who want a hero-walk
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
bulletpoints
http://ktrs.com/spring/?p=156&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
Floppy's signing is great for Freese?
I know that the signing will take away at bats from Mr. Freese. But would anyone agree that the serious competition will help Freese to keep his act together? My complaints about Freese have been about his character and not his abilities or talent. He has had numerous incidents (e.g. Lake Elsinore, hiding ankle injury, DUI) over the years. I think making him realize that there is a short leash is good for him. I really want him to succeed for his own sake. Spiezio was very disappointing.
born Dodger blue, now dyed Cardinals red
who else is ready for the first game with a floppy-lugo middle infield?!?
by Willie McGee's Twin on Feb 27, 2010 7:06 PM EST reply actions
I'm not that worried about that happening
I'm gonna need a whole lot more franklins if Franklin is our closer this year
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Feb 27, 2010 7:56 PM EST up reply actions
that makes one
remember your post when the gamethread goes apeshit after this dynamic duo makes their first error.
by Willie McGee's Twin on Feb 27, 2010 8:55 PM EST up reply actions
I don't think they will be the starting middle infield very often
and when they are, their offense will probably make up for it. although I do value defense pretty highly so I don’t want to see them both starting in the middle infield very often
I'm gonna need a whole lot more franklins if Franklin is our closer this year
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Feb 27, 2010 10:51 PM EST up reply actions
Is anyone else thinking
That Joe Mather is gonna put on a show this year? I do hope everone stays healthy, but the man can play 5 positions on the field, so he’ll get ABs. I just think he’s a guy McGwire is going to help tremendously.
In what St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa called a "big day" for his club, starter Chris Carpenter took the mound for his first session of live batting practice and promptly buzzed the fuzz on catcher Jason LaRue’s chin with an errant fastball.
"Sorry," Carpenter called from the mound.
"Don’t say you’re sorry," LaRue barked back.
"He said it," pitching coach Dave Duncan said from the side of the cage, "but he didn’t mean it."
~ DG
GREAT SIGN!!!
Not only can Lopez hit he can play 3 infield positions well and he can also play left field if required (LaRussa already played him there before)
"Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that."
by Brandon Birkhead on Feb 27, 2010 9:27 PM EST reply actions
he can play 2nd or 3rd well
but SS or OF no thanks
I'm gonna need a whole lot more franklins if Franklin is our closer this year
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Feb 27, 2010 10:55 PM EST up reply actions
Floppy taking his first cuts as a Cardinal (Mk II):
http://stltoday.mycapture.com/mycapture/enlarge.asp?image=28217570&event=952844&CategoryID=38576
And rolling the DP with (I think) Tyler Greene looking on:
http://stltoday.mycapture.com/mycapture/enlarge.asp?image=28217554&event=952844&CategoryID=38576
RELEASE THE CENTIQUID!!!!
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