when out on the internet, there arose such a clatter

The entire 2011 season. The past year was a difficult one for me health-wise, and getting to watch the birds pull off that miracle comeback did wonders for my spirit. Good health or not, I doubt we will see it’s like again. I just consider myself blessed to have enjoyed the moment.

And while I’m thinking about it, Merry Christmas / Happy Hollidays to all!

I have a busy day at work ahead of me but I’m thankful to have a job. Actually my life has been not just in many low spots but a variety of low spots and now aside from my family being a little busted up from my parents bad divorce, which a lot of people deal with and I’ve spent almost 20 years battling through/getting used to (and a shortage of hookers and blow) I kind imagine my life being much better. From great family to great friends, to a house, a beautiful wife, a job, my health, being involved in the community the way I want to, even all of my sports teams doing well, I have a LOT to be thankful for and I hope that those who haven’t been as lucky as me can find solace in what they do have and obtain more of what they don’t. And come this spring my wife gets out of school and we get to open her business AND try for kids.

After seeing that Torty pic. I need sleep.

in Cardinal land so here I go, Very thankful for the following……Colby and his father getting traded….. I wasn’t in a car pool with Danny Ma….., the Braves collaped down the stretc…… the best game 6 of all time…… Holliday got hurt and didn’t blow game 7 for us……. Willie had a bobblehead day…… we finally have some good prospects.

this new gal does a decent job (skeptical)

…when someone else signs Jackson we’ll get an-udder supplemental pick PLUS the two we got when the Albertross left!

:=8D

having a team that can win its division

now i am not saying we WILL win the division, but i feel we have a team that can at least compete, our main concern is team health, there are many ways that health could hurt us, but most team can say the same

here is my guess for the number of games we need from each guy to be a winner:
1. Furcal- 140
2.Freese- 145
3.Berkman- 135
4.Holliday-150 (he just needs to stay away from the strange)
5.Beltran- 135
6.Craig-110 (I just hope he can get in this many
7.Molina-130 (and an extension)
8.Schumacher-140
Jon Jay-100 (hopefully everyone else is healthy enough to only need him 100)
30+ starts for carp, jaime, waino

Adron Chambers – CF
Ryan Jackson – SS
Matt Adams – 1B
Mark Hamilton – LF
Tommy Pham – RF
Zack Cox – 3B
Bryan Anderson – C
Pete Kozma – 2B
Shelby Miller – SP

I know some of his moves seem questionable but on the whole he has made good decisions. And for those questionable decisions (perhaps a slight aging veteran presence) we have to remember who has provided most of his “development” as a GM, Walt and TLR. I think considering that influence he has shown a remarkable ability to keep the peace under difficult circumstances, AND cut the losses when necessary (C.Duncan and R.Franklin for instance).

holy crap, it is delicious

If the Reds don’t have a problem trading with a division rival, why not trade with Chicago for Garza and Dempster? Both would have put up WAR totals higher than anyone in the Cincy rotation in 2011, and both are vets who would come cheap in prospect cost. Chicago has an actual need for a 1B like Alonso, unlike the Padres, and they need all the help they can get with other prospects. The only thing I can assume is that they want to link a good pitcher or two with Votto’s controlled time, but it seems like in failing to win-NOW they are also failing to win later, or to recreate a competent rotation in the long term.

also, once i beat fink in today’s VEB fantasy championship, i will own his signature for two weeks. as most of you know, i’m not very good at being forced funny, so i’m looking for ideas.

he wrote this in his blog

Thank you to Rick Hummel and Joe Strauss, two of the best in the business, who set a standard that I strived to match.

I don’t think he’s an especially great GM, but those trades added five or so wins for the Reds and definitely put them in a good position to compete for a playoff spot.

None of the guys he traded promised to help the Reds at all any time soon – Volquez and Wood were the 5th and 6th starter, respectively. Grandal and Alonso were blocked. Boxberger is a reliever. Sappelt and the other guy were spare parts.

Jocketty packaged all this up and got a five win improvement in 2012 at a cost of about $4 million. Plus he has a cost controlled ace going forward. Was he really supposed to do better?

Player            T     Age   ERA      W    L    G   GS     IP    H   ER   HR   BB    K ERA+
R.J. Swindle      L     27    4.04     3    2   43    0   55.7   55   25    6   17   48  104

Or does it count as a playoff game? Traditionally, play in games have counted as game 163. I was just thinking about silly stuff like HR titles and batting championships, ERA titles, etc.

I probably won’t be on tomorrow. Also, please don’t respond to trolls.

but the ones that are here are very knowledgeable of all things cardinals. i know less than almost everyone here i’m sure, but if i have a question or opinion it’s always greeted with a courteous, insightful answer/response. thanks to the ones in charge here and the rest of the community for being what you all are here. merry christmas eve, veb!

despite the rotating middle infield of terror

Huh? When did this happen?