the more you ignore me, the closer i get
by tom s. on Mar 3, 2012 4:10 AM EST
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Printdespite some disappointing snubs from the major league club - like not being called up last september, despite being on the 40-man -- matt carpenter is pretty much doing whatever he can to make his way onto the roster. he's practicing in the outfield, he's practicing in the infield. he certainly seems like a pretty good fit for one of the bench spots: between furcal, greene, and descalso (and, yes, i suppose schumaker) the middle infield seems like it has good depth. while descalso could plausibly play third, in the event of injury to freese, a little more depth at third wouldn't hurt. and matt probably has more offensive upside than descalso, should a sub at first base be needed.
and the other lightweights competing for a spot (alex cora? shane robinson? blech!) don't seem to offer much upside. unless the club seriously intends to keep schumaker mostly in the infield, carpenter would seem to be the obvious choice for infield depth.
carpenter presents a remarkable minor league career, flaunting a astonishing on-base skill. but for one hiccup in Palm Beach in a half-season in 2009, carpenter has posted solid .400+ OBP performances at every level. he won the offensive player of the year award in 2010. any concerns that his performance was a feature of being a left-hander in sprigfield's ridiculously lefty-friendly stadium were abated when he followed up a .316/.412/.487 springfield line with a .302/.419/.465 line in the PCL in 2011. maybe he didn't look sharp in 19 PA's in the majors, but 19 PA's is a terrible way to measure anything (a double and four walks were the product of those PA's).
at age 26, carpenter probably doesn't need a lot more polish. while he's trying out other positions, they're all down the defensive spectrum from third base, suggesting he should be at least capable. needing more time in memphis really isn't pressing. should he end up back at memphis, zach cox will start pushing him for time at third base in memphis in short order. he can practice his turns in the corner outfield spots when he gets there.
relative to other options, he seems like a solid third base defender, with a pretty nice offensive upside. zips projects him for a .248/.342/.366 line. that would give him the fourth-best OBP on the team, relative to other ZIPS projections (just a hair ahead of yadi, and trailing holliday, berkman, and beltran). that line translates to a .317 wOBA. that makes him a better offensive option over descalso (.308), significantly better than schumaker (.302), komatsu (.305), greene (.305), shane robinson (.289), and way, way better than alex cora (.278). while some provide better defense (robinson, komatsu), carpenter is no slouch defensively, so any defensive drop-off is unlikely to alter the calculus significantly. it's hard to understand how carpenter could be left off the team, when he will likely hit better than some of the players sure to land on the roster (greene, descalso). still, stranger things have happened. hopefully, he can have another terrific spring training and creep into matheny's thoughts.
matheny, take the easy way and give in.
around the NL central, our fellow teams seem to have all gone reliever-mad. one cash-strapped team made room in future budgets for a reliever (the reds, with sean marshall), and another cash-strapped team looks to lock down their closer long-term (the brewers, with axford). neither reliever is a terrible option, but multi-year reliever contracts should be about the 19th priority on both teams to-do lists. in houston, the luhnow ship took a sudden tack towards the bizarre by returning brett myers to the closer role. the second-best paid player on the team next year, and a very decent starter, will almost certainly cut the number of innings he pitches in half, if not two-thirds, through the move.
pittsburgh, on the other hand, proves why it should never have eaten that cursed frogurt, or maybe it should have followed the lead of the commonwealth of pennsylvania and abandoned the cursed "h" in its name. the best paid pitcher on their team (per cot's, they're paying him $11m this year, and $8.5m next), newly acquired from the yankees, fractured his orbital in a freak bunting accident. were the eye injury not so concerning, it would be merely another humorous tally-mark on the list of pittsburghian baseball follies.it was not the news pirates fans were waiting for.
as this strange division-wide condition continues its reign, will the cubbies sign carlos marmol to a ten-year extension? will he spontaneously combust? i don't know, but i'd be nervous if i were him.
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bold prediction
skip starts 30 games at first base this year
yeah, well, that's just like, my opinion, man
I hate you
"IF CARDS CAN SIGN SUPPAN THEY CAN GIVE ME A HOME"
by Buddhasillegitimatechild38 on Mar 3, 2012 9:18 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
off with yer head!
that’s about the craziest abomination of a prediction i’ve ever heard. the thought terrifies me.
Skip is in an unfortunate table saw accident resulting in arm loss
but it is replaced by a bionic arm and they say, oh what the hell we’ll try it out
Still not a werewolf.
This scenario, in fact, presumably involves the apocalypse.
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 6:37 AM EST up reply actions
never been a Skippy hater, but
I really like Danny D, and I have great hopes for M. Carp somewhere somehow. In sun, since I think the Schu man seems unduly ‘protected’ in some way, my boy Danny is the one in jeopardy. Watching Danny throw the ball still takes my breath.
I also agree with bgh, there is no place for Cora or Robinson.
it's not so surprising that the two signing moves that once upon a time would be attributed to LaRussa
have hamstrung, to a certain extent, this team. We have the wimpy general and no oswalt (hey! even without pujols, bugets matter!) and skippy possibly blocking one of our better minor leaguers. I really hope we see carp2 on the bench, with increasing playing time as the season progresses.
but hey, it could be worse. theriot could still be around.
Do it for Torty.
Happy Flight!
So the mlb doesn't really care what fans want
and add 2 playoff teams…
Piss off Tony, get shipped to Canada.
Selig should be operating a metal detector on a beach somewhere
rather than meddling with the playoff structure.
"We're here to defend a championship." - Pumastache
by peppermartin on Mar 3, 2012 8:21 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I don't get what the firestorm is all about
Yeah they didn’t need to mess with the playoff structure. But they didn’t expand the playoff field. They simply added a game 162. The way I look at it is they didn’t add two more playoff teams, they just gave two more teams the chance to be in the playoffs. They aren’t in the playoffs until they win the playoff game, which puts them in the NLDS. It rewards the teams that win their division, as it should. And punishes the wild card winner by making them use their Ace pitcher in the playoff game, again, as it should.
yeah
the more I think about this, the more I like it. I hate the expanded playoffs, and wish it was just a LCS and the world series, but if you’re gong to have the current system, the wild-card should be devalued some.
Now, if they can just get rid of the unbalanced schedule, which makes the wild card a farce.
They say that it's never too late, but you don't get any younger...
wow, sbn, really?
Anyway, I like the idea of punishing the wild card team, but they still need to scrap the unbalanced schedule if they’re going to have wild cards.
All and all, though, it makes the division title ‘worth’ something, which is good.
They say that it's never too late, but you don't get any younger...
Billy Ripken on MLBtv
Proposed a balanced schedule the other night that was perfectly fair. Can’t remember exactly how it was, but was something like play each team in your league 8 times and each team in the other league 4 times, with balanced home schedules. I just don’t get how mlb has such a tough time coming up with a perfectly balanced schedule. You mean to tell me MLB can’t throw a couple hundred grand at MIT to use their super computer for a couple hours to run some algorithms to come up with a perfect schedule????
They like having a million BOS vs NYY games a year
they love pushing the rivalry games in-division, and would lose that with a sane schedule.
They say that it's never too late, but you don't get any younger...
And I'm actually fine with that
if they get rid of the wild-card. Then, we have teams on an equal footing in-division, and then they can duke it out in the postseason.
They say that it's never too late, but you don't get any younger...
I'm just not going to get worked up
about a move that de-values the wild card. The WC should have never been implemented as it was.
Retire #52!
by The Continental on Mar 3, 2012 11:22 AM EST up reply actions
I would rather have a more radical realignment
I always thought they should drop the WC and go with 4 division in each league were regional. So like KC, Cards, Cubs, and Brew Crew would be one division, etc. By playing more games “in the area” fans might travel to more away games, thus boosting some revenue for the team and the cities. I am more likely to go to away Cardinals game in Chicago or here in KC than fly out to LA.
Albert who? Nope, not familiar with the guy. Is he any good?
"It's okay, we still have Berkman."
by arthropodtodd on Mar 3, 2012 11:26 AM EST up reply actions
Something I have thought of a lot in the past...
I haven’t stated this here in 4-5 years, but this is what I would do – because you would need 2 expansion teams:
I have thought about this a lot in the past as well. I think that a radical realignment would work much better. It would never happen because of the whole DH thing and the fact that it would probably eliminate the AL and NL, but here goes:
Southwest Division
Angels
Diamondbacks
Dodgers
Padres
Western Division
Athletics
Giants
Mariners
New Portland Team
Southern Division
Astros
Rangers
Rockies
New Las Vegas team
Midwest Division
Cardinals
Cubs
Royals
White Sox
Great Lakes Division
Blue Jays
Brewers
Tigers
Twins
Mideast Division
Indians
Pirates
Reds
Braves
Southeast Division
Marlins
Nationals
Orioles
Rays
Northeast Division
Mets
Phillies
Red Sox
Yankees
This keeps in tact nearly all of the geographical rivalries and MOST of the historical ones. One that would be severely lacking would be the Giants/Dodgers rivalry. The Braves get screwed in this case because I wanted to keep the two Florida teams together and the two DC area teams together. Luckily, none of the Reds/Indians/Pirates are great, so they should win their division, thus not being too pissed.
In any case. I like it a whole lot better. I would hate to not see the Astros as much as we usually do, but that’s okay – in 2013 we won’t anyway. We’d live with it and get to see KC and CHW more, which are easier to get to for road games (for those of us living in the Midwest.)
I’d like to see the schedule worked out this way.
- You play the three teams in your own division 22 times each. You play 1 three-game series and 2 four-game series at home and on the road against each. That’s 66 games.
- You play the 12 teams in your own league (but not in your division) 6 times each. You play them one home and away series of 3 games apiece. That’s a total of 72 games.
- You play all four teams in one division (per season – rotated annually – for real this time, Bud!) 6 times. That is 1 three-game series at home and on the road, the same as any other division in your league besides your own. That’s a total of 24 games.
- The grand total (66+72+24) adds back up to 162 games.
I think that is all that I wanted to put into this. I love this idea.
by stlfan on Mar 3, 2012 12:36 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
With 4 team divisions you will inevitably have terrible teams in the playoffs.
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 3:11 PM EST up reply actions
but on the plus side,
I can see the Cardinals rattling off 20 straight division titles, easily
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 3:13 PM EST up reply actions
i was thinking finally we're just finally getting rid of the 4 team division in the AL west
and eliminating the only 6 team division
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 3, 2012 3:14 PM EST up reply actions
Every time MLB changes something, the traditionalists come out and condemn the move as against the tradition of the sport.
I remember everyone up in arms about three divisions and a—GASP!—Wild Card in baseball. I’d say that format turned out pretty well. In two years, no one will have any problem with the new postseason format. This is largely because no compelling argument has been made against the expansion.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
I'm basically ok with the change
but I do have this irrational, sneaking suspicion that if Selig gets to keep tweaking things, we’re just going to wake up one day and realize that he’s instituted the universal DH without anyone even noticing.
I'd be okay with that.
I don’t really care for pitchers hitting. I’d rather watch someone capable swing the bat every game.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on Mar 3, 2012 1:12 PM EST up reply actions
I've come around on it myself
I watch this to see professional athletes do their thing at the highest level. Pitchers are not professional hitters.
Not afraid to nitpick
My hope is the universal DH will cause the sacrifice bunt to go the way of the dodo.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on Mar 3, 2012 1:19 PM EST up reply actions
A.J. Burnett concurs
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 3, 2012 1:20 PM EST up reply actions
I'm almost ashamed to say it,
but I’m in favor of the DH coming to the National League too. I’m tired of watching pitchers stand up there with the bat on their shoulder as they watch 3 meatballs sail over the heart of the plate. These pitchers today don’t even seem like they are capable of laying down a bunt anymore.
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 1:34 PM EST up reply actions
again...
A.J. Burnett concurs
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 1:38 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah, the specter of pitchers getting injured at the plate is what will drive the DH to the NL.
I don’t have a counter argument to that, really. I just enjoy non-DH baseball.
Retire #52!
by The Continental on Mar 3, 2012 1:40 PM EST up reply actions
I also like non-DH baseball, long may it last
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 3, 2012 1:50 PM EST up reply actions
totally agree ... i didn't mean i like both ... i prefer non-DH baseball
more strategery
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 3, 2012 5:05 PM EST up reply actions
If that's what makes baseball interesting, then you should watch chess a lot more than you probably do, yeah?
Of all sad words of tongue or pen; the saddest are these: 'It might have been!' -- Whittier
Twitter
Major League Chess doesn't have an awesome TV deal
or its own network. Also, Saint Louis doesn’t have a pro-team (as far as I know)
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 5:09 PM EST up reply actions
More apples and fire trucks!
by Willie McGee's Twin on Mar 3, 2012 5:21 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
maybe we can trade all these firetrucks for a dozer
and get Oswalt.
Secretary of WAR and Defense of the Tyler Greene Fanclub.
by vivaelpujols on Mar 3, 2012 5:22 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
it's more like the difference between action movies and suspense thrillers
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 3, 2012 5:23 PM EST up reply actions
Then we should just add designated runners and fielders, too.
I don’t want to see Prince Fielder or 2001 Mark McGwire on the base paths or in the field either. If we’re not going to make the pitchers be athletes, then why make anyone else?
they could use robots to run the bases ... or advanced projections to predict results and simulate it
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 3, 2012 1:52 PM EST up reply actions
But he couldn't DR for more than one player ... if the DH is a model
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 3, 2012 2:34 PM EST up reply actions
That's fine. Use him for Yadi
that would probably be able to allow Yadi to play a few more games over each year and add a few runs to the club each year.
that would be logical being the opposite half of the pitcher / catchers duo
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 3, 2012 2:40 PM EST up reply actions
would also guarantee TGreene and or adron chambers a job
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 3, 2012 3:21 PM EST up reply actions
That's so apples and oranges
Hitting is actually a defining skill of baseball offense, you can’t be good if you can’t hit. More importantly, it’s such an impossibly specific skill that even if you are naturally talented enough at it, pitchers can’t possibly get enough practice to be even “bad” by MLB standards.
Zambrano is probably the best hitting pitcher and he has a .241/.251/.395 career line—-that’s the best, a line that would get pretty much any position player (except a league min backup catcher) kicked out of the league. It’s not being an athlete, it’s that they literally can’t do it and never will. They aren’t offensive players any more than position players could pitch. It’s a novelty of fun when a position player gets to pitch once a season; it’s goofy to have 11% of the lineup put up an average line of .141/.175/.183.
Not afraid to nitpick
I'd say it's apples to fire trucks.
It’s such a nonsensical argument that he’s not even comparing fruit to fruit.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on Mar 3, 2012 2:53 PM EST up reply actions
I'm not a fan of the DH because I believe it's not part of the game
In my opinion, National League baseball is the pure form of baseball. I’m not a traditionalist in most aspects of the game, but this is the one I hold sacred.
I'm the same way
but that might just be because it makes extra-innings so much more entertaining. Wacky bonus baseball is a favorite indulgence.
Still not a werewolf.
exactly
we wouldve never seen Kyle Lohse, LF
I crawled the earth, but now I'm higher, 2010 watch it go to fire!
by First mammal to wear pants on Mar 3, 2012 8:24 PM EST up reply actions
or the best game of 2010
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN201006280.shtml
Still not a werewolf.
Oh....it is.
Aaron Heilman replaces Dan Haren pitching and batting 9th
Adam Wainwright pinch hits for Jason Motte (P) batting 8th
Jaime Garcia pinch runs for Yadier Molina © batting 6th
It's Spring Again! ...witch
I don't understand what a "pure form of the game" is.
I suppose the purest form of baseball would include no blacks, no Latinos, no helmets, no catcher’s equipment, no foul poles, no lights, no divisions, no Wild Card, no specialized relievers, etc. The game is ever-evolving.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on Mar 3, 2012 3:03 PM EST up reply actions
Was this your attempt at making your own apples to fire trucks argument?
by Willie McGee's Twin on Mar 3, 2012 3:08 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
I agree.
This has to do with actual on-field play, and it directly affects strategy.
2011 - Year of Our Berk
I take my comment back.
I didn’t read matty’s whole comment about this being the one he holds dear.
That being said, I don’t think the effect of the DH is as large as folks think it is. The AL had about 1/4 as many pinch-hitter situations last season. I’d be okay with fewer pinch-hitter and more designated hitter PAs.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on Mar 3, 2012 4:48 PM EST up reply actions
i like seeing pitchers
hit….lohse laying down the bunt in game 6!…granted this was just a PH…not actually in the starting lineup but y0u get my point
by guillermozeliak on Mar 3, 2012 11:32 PM EST up reply actions
Chances that Alfonso Soriano puts up a line that looks exactly like that Zambrano one before his contract is over?
"I'll be deep in the cold, cold ground before I recognize Missoura!"
but they could
being concrete at the plate is also a tradition that could change
12 in 12, thank you very much
F*ck the DH
may it be retroactively aborted, ASAP.
"I actually used about nine pitches--two different fastballs, two sliders, a curve, a changeup, knockdown, brushback, and hit-batsman" - Bob Gibson
Sign Mark Prior!
by ISawGodInGibby'sRightArm on Mar 3, 2012 4:46 PM EST up reply actions
I have a two-word answer to this.
Adam. Wainwright.
To expand: One of the few players in MLB history to have homered in his first major-league at-bat.
"That’s what a baseball player does: he uses the glove half of the time." -- Rick Horton regarding the DH.
by StanTheManFan on Mar 3, 2012 7:52 PM EST up reply actions
One of the games I went to at Wrigley, he started.
It was actually Pujols’s three-homer game on Memorial Day. Wainwright took BP and hit a few onto Waveland. It was impressive.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on Mar 3, 2012 8:46 PM EST up reply actions
we can still let those that are capable hit.
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 1:42 PM EST up reply actions
Heh, I don't see that happening.
A guy like Micah Owings, maybe, but not your Cy Young candidate.
Retire #52!
by The Continental on Mar 3, 2012 1:44 PM EST up reply actions
No GS's for Penny!
"I actually used about nine pitches--two different fastballs, two sliders, a curve, a changeup, knockdown, brushback, and hit-batsman" - Bob Gibson
Sign Mark Prior!
by ISawGodInGibby'sRightArm on Mar 3, 2012 4:48 PM EST up reply actions
It still cheapens the regular season, the more playoff teams you add
I’m not a fan of that.
Secretary of WAR and Defense of the Tyler Greene Fanclub.
Does devaluing the wild card do this?
It makes it worth more to clinch your division, rather than to clinch a playoff berth via wild card.
I do wonder if MLB has thought through all of the tiebreaker scenarios, though.
They say that it's never too late, but you don't get any younger...
The current format really sucks
this new format ameliorates some of the worst of the previous format
They say that it's never too late, but you don't get any younger...
If the Rays had not gotten good
In a way that looks like it will sustain, we would still be with one wild card per league. But if they are going to be pushing one of NYY or BOS out of the playoffs per year, then THINGS MUST CHANGE!!!!
Play ball!
by IL and StL Fan on Mar 3, 2012 3:27 PM EST up reply actions
BOSOX and NYY are the reason we had the WC in the first place right?
i hope one of them are beaten by the new WC playoffs gambit every year
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 3, 2012 3:30 PM EST up reply actions
It's much more likely that both will be let in more easily.
Here are the 5th ranked teams in the AL that have just missed the playoffs in the last 10 years (reverse chronological order):
Boston (NY already in)
Boston (NY already in)
Texas (both already in)
New York (BOS already in)
Detroit/Seattle playoff (both already in)
Chicago (BOS left out still)
Cleveland (both already in)
Oakland (both already in)
Seattle (both already in)
Boston/Seattle playoff (NY already in)
So instead of 5 of 10 years with both in the post-season, there would have been 8 or 9 (depending on the 2002 one game playoff with Seattle) of 10 years with both in the post-season.
the point i was making is that one will usually win the division, the other has a historic likelihood of being the WC
I love the chance that which ever one of them is the WC under last years system get’s knocked out by the new 4th team. The point being they have both, or at least one has frequently been in under the old system. The new system is probably to increase the odds of both being in. I think it could work out the other way…which i would love.
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 3, 2012 5:19 PM EST up reply actions
I hated the idea first time I heard about it
but the more I think about it, the more I like it, and I think I’m probably converted to the belief that it’s a good move.
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 6:38 AM EST up reply actions
as long as it hurts the AL east i'm good with it
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 4, 2012 6:46 AM EST up reply actions
I'm not mad.
i’m just not exactly happy with it, either. but it’ll take a couple of years to see if this is an okay in the wash kind of deal. like a lot of contracts, I suppose.
Do it for Torty.
Happy Flight!
Right.
But my own personal psychic benefit from watching Molina play day in and day out is more than enough to overcome any ambivalence I have about the Cardinals value judgment here.
no disagreement there.
at least, for these first 2 or 3 years. who can predict how any of us will feel after that, should molina’s accrued innings or declining skillset catch up with him.
Do it for Torty.
Happy Flight!
This article pretty much sums up my feelings about Yadi's contract
"We're here to defend a championship." - Pumastache
by peppermartin on Mar 3, 2012 11:25 AM EST up reply actions
That post is mind-numbing.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
a quick "find" reveals that words beginning "defen*"
(As in “defense,” “defender,” “defensive”) occur only 4 times in a fairly long article about yadier molina’s contract.
i used to be disgusted, but now i try to be amused . . . - macmanus
by tom s. on Mar 3, 2012 4:01 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
And they're all in one paragraph!
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on Mar 3, 2012 4:37 PM EST up reply actions
Next spring he's probably going to look like a bargain since his contract set the market.
2011 - Year of Our Berk
by spants on Mar 3, 2012 10:35 AM EST via Android app up reply actions
You know we love Lunhow for how he helped our farm system, but there's a good possibility
That Houston has taken two more successful teams’ head of the farm system that isn’t really smart at the ML GM thing in a row
"IF CARDS CAN SIGN SUPPAN THEY CAN GIVE ME A HOME"
by Buddhasillegitimatechild38 on Mar 3, 2012 9:16 AM EST via mobile reply actions
the Myers move is, in my opinion, the only questionable move Luhnow has made so far.
and it’s not that terrible of a move, since Houston is going to suck, anyway. They get to, hopefully, open up a rotation spot for a youngster, and Myers isn’t a good enough pitcher to keep in the rotation and hamstring their prospects development.
Meanwhile, Houston will have 12 save opportunities all season.
I hear what you’re saying. Maybe they tried to trade him and had no takers. Otherwise, that would seem like a better way to open that spot.
Retire #52!
by The Continental on Mar 3, 2012 12:12 PM EST up reply actions
I actually think that this could improve Myers trade value
if he puts up a half a season of being a very good closer, which I think is more likely than him having a half a season as a decent starter. I know it doesn’t exactly make sense here in our little world, but I hear we’re more advanced than most GMs.
I could see that logic...
it’s not like it really matters to the stros how well the team plays this year.
"Progress always involves risk; you can't steal second base and keep your foot on first base." - Frederick Wilcox
Yep, he could pull a Billy Beane
and go with a cheaper pitcher as closer at that point, because someone will pay out the butt for Myers as a closer.
How is this Luhnow's move...
since when does the GM decide who is the closer and who is a starter? That’s usually left to the on field staff…
"Progress always involves risk; you can't steal second base and keep your foot on first base." - Frederick Wilcox
Pretty sure Luhnow is making these calls before ST even starts
Considering he re-worked the incentives in Myers contract.
Not afraid to nitpick
I'm sure Luhnow and Mills had conversations on this matter.
You’re not gonna make a move like this without your new GM’s approval, when he wasn’t the one who hired you.
I don't know who had the final decision,
but Luhnow was involved since they re-structured how his option vests for 2013 (changed it from number of starts to games finished)
/ninja’d by joker.
Retire #52!
by The Continental on Mar 3, 2012 12:20 PM EST up reply actions
I disagree.
I think any MLB GM would be involved at some level on a decision such as moving a pitcher from the rotation to the bullpen. After all, a GM sets the roster.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
I think most moves are made after input from a broad array of sources.
The manager probably has the second-most important opinion behind the GM. With the Cardinals, TLR probably had the most input of any manager in MLB.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on Mar 3, 2012 2:55 PM EST up reply actions
I think it's clearly Luhnow's move
And also a good one.
by Willie McGee's Twin on Mar 3, 2012 1:43 PM EST up reply actions
Because the Astros are playing for next year and Myers is a deadweight contract.
The Astros have a surplus of young 4th-5th starter types (which is basically what Myers is at this point, except for the young part). Better to see what you have going forward and to try to create some future assets as far as young starters. Myers was worth 1.3 fWAR a few years ago as a reliever, about the same as he was worth as a starter last year. Bottom line, having Myers pitch as a starter is an opportunity cost. Just stick him in the bullpen, see if his stuff plays up, and maybe he can be traded later. The Astros have likely come to the conclusion that he doesn’t have any trade value now anyway.
by Willie McGee's Twin on Mar 3, 2012 2:41 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I could see the Astros doing what the Royals have done
Spend a bit on free agents – possibly overspending – to keep the fans somewhat interested…
while taking the time (5+ years) to completely re-haul the farm system.
No, not their plan.
They’re mainly interested in dumping bad contracts like Lee, Lyons, and Myers as fast as possible.
They’re going to make +$30 million more next year under their new tv deal too.
by Willie McGee's Twin on Mar 3, 2012 2:55 PM EST up reply actions
Well, the first part of your post is not their plan.
Yes, they do want to rebuild their farm system but don’t think it’ll take five plus years
by Willie McGee's Twin on Mar 3, 2012 3:01 PM EST up reply actions
I don't think there is any evidence for what you are saying
Luhnow and Ed Wade couldn’t be more different in terms of their approach to player evaluation.
Secretary of WAR and Defense of the Tyler Greene Fanclub.
Luhnow
"I actually used about nine pitches--two different fastballs, two sliders, a curve, a changeup, knockdown, brushback, and hit-batsman" - Bob Gibson
Sign Mark Prior!
by ISawGodInGibby'sRightArm on Mar 3, 2012 4:50 PM EST up reply actions
Seeing how I'm a personal friend of Luhnow now, I think he's very bright and has good reasons for what he does
He says that he understands the criticism he’s gotten so far, because the fans have far less information than he does. If he had the same information we did, he’d likely be a part of that groupthink
Of all sad words of tongue or pen; the saddest are these: 'It might have been!' -- Whittier
Twitter
Could MCarp
handle 2B defensively? Starting last year in spring training, I thought it was crazy to not have him in the mix for 2B.
Because Matheny
We know he would be much better than Schumaker at second base and at hitting because being worse is a near impossibility.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on Mar 3, 2012 1:00 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Skip Schumaker is the worst second baseman in baseball.
I know Carpenter would be better.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on Mar 3, 2012 1:14 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Ehh. . .
He’s the worst second basemen in MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL. But I don’t think we can say he is the worst out of all second basemen playing baseball anywhere.
I meant MLB.
But I think I’d be comfortable declaring him the worst regular second baseman in AA, AAA, and MLB.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on Mar 3, 2012 1:20 PM EST up reply actions
Wait
Maybe my joke wasn’t “funny;” but surely we all knew I wasn’t being serious.
by EddieHarsch on Mar 3, 2012 1:23 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I need to recalibrate my internet sarcasm detector.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on Mar 3, 2012 1:24 PM EST up reply actions
There's this kid playing Legion ball in Corpus Christi that's worse
but other than that, it’s Schumaker.
Retire #52!
by The Continental on Mar 3, 2012 1:26 PM EST up reply actions
I wonder what "second baseman" Ron Gant looked like
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 1:30 PM EST up reply actions
I bet Skip would mash in Frontier League
and play league average defense.
DO YOU THINK IT'S NOT GOING TO BE WHAT IT IS?!!
by Vindicator9000 on Mar 3, 2012 1:40 PM EST up reply actions
Skip Schumaker isn't a regular second baseman any more.
And it wouldn’t surprise me if there’s a handful of guys playing in the high minors who are worse than -10 run second basemen. I’d imagine Skip might be as bad defensively as any 2B in the majors, but Dan Uggla, Jeff Keppinger and Justin Turner had worse UZR/150 rates last year.
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 7:03 AM EST up reply actions
Wow, Justin Turner was pretty bad
The others are pretty much equally bad to Schumaker though. Not a very significant difference.
"I'll be deep in the cold, cold ground before I recognize Missoura!"
Let's put prince fielder at second, and see how his fielding turns out
“is a near impossibility” is sliiiiiiiiiiightly hyperbolic
They say that it's never too late, but you don't get any younger...
"Handle" it, probably; "survive" it, not so clear.
Players taking entirely new defensive positions are much more subject to injury, according to Will Carroll. The specific injury a first-time 2B faces is getting obliterated on a take-out slide. I surmise, without proof, that tall, skinny guys like M-Carp are more at risk of that than short, cobby ones like Skippy or Wong.
I’d worry a great deal about him out there, even though he could probably handle the position from the standpoint of range, etc.
"That’s what a baseball player does: he uses the glove half of the time." -- Rick Horton regarding the DH.
by StanTheManFan on Mar 3, 2012 7:56 PM EST up reply actions
That's an interesting theory on body type and injury risk.
I’d assume the opposite, that taller players with longer legs can more easily jump over or to the side to avoid the takeout slide.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on Mar 3, 2012 8:48 PM EST up reply actions
And can he turn a double play?
I’d say that’s a fairly specific skill that a 2B needs. In all honesty, I think MCarp might play better as a SS than a 2B. He obviously badly lacks range for the position but at least the range of skills required are very similar for SS and 3B.
I’d be happy if MCarp gets the main bench pinch-hitting role VS RHP, plays 2 games a week at 3B (again, against RHP) and maybe gets a start now and again in a corner outfield role. I’m not convinced he’s going to be a guy we can turn into a cromulent utility man.
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 7:06 AM EST up reply actions
Craig
while descalso could plausibly play third, in the event of injury to freese, a little more depth at third wouldn’t hurt. and matt probably has more offensive upside than descalso, should a sub at first base be needed
You mean until Craig gets back, right?
I'd be surprised to see craig seriously considered for 3rd again.
but, gosh, i still really wish that 2B experiment took.
Do it for Torty.
Happy Flight!
I'm mostly talking about who goes north from jupiter
So yes.
i used to be disgusted, but now i try to be amused . . . - macmanus
by tom s. on Mar 3, 2012 2:26 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Brewers v. Money
around the NL central, our fellow teams seem to have all gone reliever-mad. one cash-strapped team made room in future budgets for a reliever (the reds, with sean marshall), and another cash-strapped team looks to lock down their closer long-term (the brewers, with axford).
B-R has them sitting at an estimated $116.0M payroll for this year, just $2.9M behind the “cash-strapped” Cardinals.
I thought the Cards payroll was <100m
SIGN ROYO
by Notorious PSC on Mar 3, 2012 12:01 PM EST up reply actions
B-Pro / Cots has them at $107, only counting 17 players
and not including Yadi’s shiny new price bump.
Retire #52!
by The Continental on Mar 3, 2012 12:16 PM EST up reply actions
Yadi is not going to cost anymore this year than he was before signing the new deal
by Willie McGee's Twin on Mar 3, 2012 1:47 PM EST up reply actions
I'm still confused about that, then.
Which is unsurprising. I thought the new contract started this season.
Retire #52!
by The Continental on Mar 3, 2012 1:49 PM EST up reply actions
Nope. He'll finish out his last deal this year, at $7mm. Then the extension will kick in in 2013.
by Willie McGee's Twin on Mar 3, 2012 2:03 PM EST up reply actions
Gotcha.
I needed to shake off some of the earlier references to the contract, and some of the shenanigans where people wanted to fold in the 7M for 12 into the extension.
Retire #52!
by The Continental on Mar 3, 2012 2:20 PM EST up reply actions
yes, I don't think I'd use B-R's numbers.
Giving the budgets a rough eyeball, I think CIN is in the mid-$80’s and MIL in the mid-$90’s.
The cards are pushing $110m.
But cash-strapped doesn’t just mean “small-budget,” it means that the clubs have a large part of their future budgets locked up. The padres are a small budget team, but (last time I looked) have almost no long-term contracts.
Milwaukee and cincinnatti have several long term contracts, and some expensive arb years coming due. MIL already has $50m in commitments in both 2013 and 2014 (leaving out arb payments); CIN has $64m in obligations for 2013 and $31m for 2014.
Sure, if they’re regularly going to have $100m budgets, then those kind of commitments are not a huge deal. But that’s not the impression I have. I think if anything this year’s budgets are “win-now” budgets likely to recede later.
i used to be disgusted, but now i try to be amused . . . - macmanus
by tom s. on Mar 3, 2012 2:19 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Saw the Young Carp in Springfield a few years ago
and he struck me as a guy who just looked like a major league guy. I know this goes against the sabermetric way of things, but no one else on the team I saw that day impressed me like he did. Apparently, I am old scout in a late 30 year old body.
Albert who? Nope, not familiar with the guy. Is he any good?
"It's okay, we still have Berkman."
I mean, the opinion of him is generally positive here
I’d like him to get a shot but MCarp fandom must take a second seat because we’re all mostly outraged over TGreene at this point
SIGN ROYO
by Notorious PSC on Mar 3, 2012 9:56 AM EST up reply actions
I'm the opposite.
Tyler needs to show me he doesn’t choke in the majors. I was pretty surprised when Matt didn’t make the team out of ST
bollocks
by SecondHalfMatt on Mar 3, 2012 10:20 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
The problem with M Carp making the team this year
is that he doesn’t play SS. Everyone assumes Greene will be the back-up SS, but if he does well at 2B, I don’t think they’ll want to mess with it by moving him back to SS for some games (at least this year). Then the question becomes who is Furcal’s backup – and Furcal will need quite a few days off. I’m fine with DD, but are the Cards? If not, then Cora could make the team simply as a SS backup (gag).
Has there been any talk of MCarp starting at SS in AAA this year?
SIGN ROYO
by Notorious PSC on Mar 3, 2012 10:01 AM EST up reply actions
Well then his value is very limited to this team and in general unless he can handle 2B
SIGN ROYO
by Notorious PSC on Mar 3, 2012 10:09 AM EST up reply actions
PSC
Carp may be able to handle 2B. The Cards also have him playing the corner outfield spots. But your point is well-taken. If all he can play is 3B, then his value is limited (unless Freese goes down again).
I don't get why it matters that Carp handle a new position.
I don’t understand why we need Carp to handle 2b when we have Greene/Descalso there. I’d be more interested in making sure he or Freese can handle 1B when Berkman is out. There are absolutely plenty of at bats to go around in the infield for Freese, Carpenter, Greene, Berkman, Furcal, and Descalso. Look for Descalso and Greene to be pinched a lot late and replaced with the other too. We need a bat.
not likely to see MCarp at SS anytime soon..
Usually you move SS’s to 3B not the other way around. If he could handle SS Mcarp would probably already be there.
If you like baseball...you'll love my ROKU !!!
If it's for a game or two, or even a few games
Descalso gets the nod, in my opinion.
If it’s for an extended period of time because of Furcal going down with injury, then the nod has to go to Greene if he’s playing well enough to being the lineup every day.
This would be really stupid
but if he does well at 2B, I don’t think they’ll want to mess with it by moving him back to SS for some games (at least this year)
A huge part of Greene’s value is his ability to play shortstop. Switching positions is not going to effect his hitting. It’s a perfect scenario for Greene to sub Furcal when he’s tired and have Descalso play second.
In that scenario, Freese becomes the guy we have to worry about subbing for, and then Carp is the guy you want.
Secretary of WAR and Defense of the Tyler Greene Fanclub.
Presumably, if everyone is healthy
Greene plays SS and Descalso plays 2B on Furcal’s days off. Presumably against right-handed pitchers, if Matheny has any sense.
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 7:10 AM EST up reply actions
I'm on board with the new playoff format.
(Not the 2-3 LDS this year.) But I feel as though the main reason is to further disadvantage the WC. After all, it’s barely expanding the playoffs if it’s only a one game decider. Sure, one game isn’t enough to decide the better team. But was 5 games against Philly enough?
Not to mention that these one-gamers might be some intense baseball
by Cheeseballs on Mar 3, 2012 10:22 AM EST via mobile reply actions
I'm of the same thought
rewards the division winners, punishes the wild card. And it sort of punishes the AL east, which I’m always in favor of, since they always have about 3 teams (NY,BOS,Tampa) that could be wild cards.
sometimes a Wild Card doesn't really deserve to be punished though.
I wish they had a rule that if the 1st wild card team had more than a 5 game lead on the 2nd wild card team then they don’t have to have the play in game.
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 11:49 AM EST up reply actions
Or if the wild card team...
has a better record than two of the three division winners…? Happens nearly every year in the AL.
"Progress always involves risk; you can't steal second base and keep your foot on first base." - Frederick Wilcox
another opportunity for the red sox to have a humiliating collapse at the end
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 3, 2012 12:30 PM EST up reply actions
As I've been forecasting the Cards bench this season:
I always presumed that either Cox or Carpenter would get penciled in as the backup 3b. I never even considered that one of them would not make the roster. . .Schumaker, Greene, 4th outfielder (Chambers or Rule 5 guy), Backup C (Cranderson) – then Cox or Carp. It seems like an obvious choice because Freese, Furcal, and Berkman will all get a day off every week because of injury/age concerns AND Cox or Carpenter are far and away our best PH options unless you really believe in Hamilton – who again is totally limited by his position. How would it not be McCarp (or Cox)?
You're forgetting Descalso
Who was the primary 3B backup last season. Unless you’re forecasting him as the starting 2B, in which case I’d assume that Greene plays second and Descalso shifts to third on days when Freese sits. If Freese hits the DL then we call up a replacement.
I’d love to see MCarp make the team because of his offensive upside, but position wise I think he’s pretty redundant. That doesn’t mean we can’t find a spot on the bench for him, but I don’t think we need to have him or Cox as a backup 3B (it definitely won’t be Cox, by the way. They’ll want him starting somewhere)
by jibbers on Mar 3, 2012 10:49 AM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
Yes: Forecasting Descalso or Greene as "regular 2b" and the other on the bench.
And who wouldn’t be redundant for the last spot on the bench?
There is an absolutely zero chance Cox makes the major league roster out of ST
I’d be pretty amazed if he even played for the major league team this year. Sounds like he’ll start in Memphis but tbh I’d prefer it if they gave him another couple of months in Springfield.
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 7:13 AM EST up reply actions
The lack of avatars in this thread is going to cause a certain robot to go bonkers.
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 11:52 AM EST reply actions
tempers are wearing thing
lets hope some robot doesn’t kill everybody
Bursting into song.
Get it? Do You?... cuz he's gay. - VolsnCards5
by Aranathor on Mar 3, 2012 11:58 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Jason Motte demonstrates his backslash pitching motion.
Retire #52!
by The Continental on Mar 3, 2012 12:03 PM EST reply actions
at that angle
it almost looks like he’s cartwheeling across the mound
Bursting into song.
Get it? Do You?... cuz he's gay. - VolsnCards5
clearly I missed some interesting things in yesterday's thread
And I’m in the process of doing that Rat a solid nonetheless.
Beware: Velociraptors may be present.
not the intent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! was just commenting on the fact if you reply to a comment that's in a deleted thread VEB goes haywire
sorry RR, but i know you can take it
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 3, 2012 2:38 PM EST up reply actions
Any chance we trade Freese...
after this year? Between Carp and Cox we should be covered at 3B, and Freese will be arb eligible for the first time…meaning prolly close to $2M salary. One of the three has to go before next year, right?
"Progress always involves risk; you can't steal second base and keep your foot on first base." - Frederick Wilcox
i've always been a fan of the idea of trading Freese
his stock ought to be artifically high because of his Postseason performance and we have average to above average depth at the position.
Bursting into song.
Get it? Do You?... cuz he's gay. - VolsnCards5
Trade him for???
What kind of player would you trade him for exactly? These trade ideas only sound good until you realize that it took 2 top notch prospects to get Matt Latos. All we’re getting for Freese is B prospect – nothing more.
He's more valuable to the Cardinals Organization than anyone else
Hell, just in jersey sales alone. 2012 Authentics with the WS patch, are going for $295 on the official site. He could probably justify his salary the next few years just with those.
Not afraid to nitpick
by joker24 on Mar 3, 2012 1:21 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
bought 2 for the twins for Christmas for $99 each on Amazon
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 3, 2012 1:23 PM EST up reply actions
wouldn't mind getting a freese jersey
livin fuzzy in a binary world
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 3, 2012 8:39 PM EST up reply actions
Merchandise sales through the MLB site are split among all MLB teams
So, sadly, that $295 is going to benefit the Cubs just as much as it helps the Cards. I’m broadly of the opinion that the idea that individual players are worth much of anything for merchandising purposes is probably wrong.
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 7:16 AM EST up reply actions
No
This is one where the mushy, non-baseball stuff matters. Freese isn’t going anywhere unless he decides to sign somewhere else or sucks so badly that he is no longer a MLB player.
Not afraid to nitpick
Well
I wonder how that could have happened. Just an excuse to watch those again.
Not afraid to nitpick
by joker24 on Mar 3, 2012 12:41 PM EST up reply actions 6 recs
The helmet between the legs still kills me.
Retire #52!
by The Continental on Mar 3, 2012 12:50 PM EST up reply actions
Loved it, but could have been ugly if it had taken an awkward bounce ... my favorite shot of freese is the slide into 3rd
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 3, 2012 12:53 PM EST up reply actions
I could easily get on board with this...
I don’t see Cox as much better than MCarp, if at all. However, due to his draft position (and age) he is much more highly rated by all the “experts”. If he has a solid year at AAA this year, he might fetch a decent return. The big difference is that Cox’s salary over 2013-2015 would be about $1.5 million, where Freese will be (WAG) $10 to $14M. I’m not so sure that MCarp can’t be every bit the player that Freese is, and I like Freese.
"Progress always involves risk; you can't steal second base and keep your foot on first base." - Frederick Wilcox
I say give it the 2012 season..
See what Freese can do over a full season. See what Matt Carpenter can do over a couple hundred PA’s. See what Cox can do in AAA. If all 3 look like everyday players, we’ll have 2 very attractive trade chips.
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 4:18 PM EST up reply actions
Exactly my feeling
Although i’m not 100% sure what we could get for Cox. I guess if we get an injury somewhere (likely) and need another player midway through the season, we could presumably get a pretty good rental for Cox. Cox is pretty redundant to our org IMO, especially given the fact we’ve got 6 top 100 picks in the draft this year.
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 7:18 AM EST up reply actions
Why trade him, though?
We saw him healthy for the first time and he put up great numbers last year. I think that VEB is simply irrationally infatuated with Matt Carpenter and wants him to start now.
by stlfan on Mar 3, 2012 12:41 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
I don't see that much "great" about Freese's MLB numbers.
He had a great postseason run, to be sure, but that wasn’t reflective of his true talent. Freese is probably closer to average than great.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on Mar 3, 2012 1:10 PM EST up reply actions
But again:
What would we get for him? We really want a questionable pitcher or an extra bullpen arm?
I don't think we'd get much for Freese, either.
I don’t think the Cardinals should trade him right now. I’m just saying that Freese hasn’t been great with the bat as a big leaguer.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on Mar 3, 2012 1:15 PM EST up reply actions
Freese 2011
Given 500 PAs, Freese would have had 3.72 WAR last year based on what he had done. Not bad at all.
He only played in five “months” last year, when looking at the splits.
In March/April/May (opening day through injury), he had 94 plate appearances and went for .356/.394/.471 – .865 OPS.
In June/July (3 games back from injury in June), he had 107 plate appearances and went for .289/.346/.485 – .830 OPS.
In August, he had 88 plate appearances and went for .256./.307/.317 – .624 OPS.
In September, he had 74 plate appearances and went for .284/.351/.493 – .844 OPS.
In the playoffs (October), he had 71 plate appearances and went for .397/.465/.794 – 1.258 OPS.
If you take out the best “month” and the worst “month,” you would probably get his true average 2011, which was:
275 plate appearances of .311/.364/.482 – .846 OPS. St. Louis is a hitter’s park, so I would assume around a 135 OPS+ for those 275 PAs.
We can all agree that he was playing hurt in 2009-2010 and his OPS and OPS+ showed that – 304 plate appearances down at .773 and 111, respectively, for the two years combined.
His BABIP was soooo high
that’s not going to continue. Going forward, I like Freese a lot, but he’s not going to be as good as he was last year. You can stop right away if you think cherry picking splits does anything for your argument.
Secretary of WAR and Defense of the Tyler Greene Fanclub.
You and I have been over this with his BABIP before
He’s bound to regress a little, yes. However, his minor league numbers all benefited from high BABIPs as well. .345 was his lowest BABIP in a full season of minor league ball.
the league average BABIP in the minors is much higher
due to crappier fielding conditions, crappier pitchers and crappier fielders.
His career BABIP is .365. That’s higher than fucking Ichiro. You’re kidding yourself if you think it’s going to stay close to that high.
Again, not saying he’s going to be bad, but his BABIP is going to regress. Hopefully his power will increase to make up for it.
Secretary of WAR and Defense of the Tyler Greene Fanclub.
The "expert" prognosticators have him at:
.320, .356, .350, .346, and .324 BABIP for the 2012 season.
So that averages out to a .339 BABIP
And which expert prognosticators are you referring to?
Secretary of WAR and Defense of the Tyler Greene Fanclub.
ok, that includes "the fans" projections
which is basically you and 20 other VEBers.
Secretary of WAR and Defense of the Tyler Greene Fanclub.
He had a .355 wOBAR last year
and his career wOBAR is somewhere in the .345 range. Obviously his BABIP will regress but I think there’s reasonable evidence that he’s a true-talent good hitter. Like you, I’m hopeful that he’ll show a bit more power this year to make up for the inevitable drop in BABIP.
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 7:21 AM EST up reply actions
Speaking of regression to the mean
Can we expect him to move from a 7.8% walk rate toward his usual 10 or so he had in the minors – thus making him a better hitter?
no, player's don't stay the same in the majors compared to the minors
it’s a lot easier to hit in the minors which is why people have better numbers there.
Freese’s major league walk rate is right about what we’d expect.
Secretary of WAR and Defense of the Tyler Greene Fanclub.
his career walk rate is 7.0
that’s about what you’d expect given his minor league numbers. I think his power will rise, but not neccesarily his walk rate.
Secretary of WAR and Defense of the Tyler Greene Fanclub.
...
in response to this:
St. Louis is a hitter’s park, so I would assume around a 135 OPS+ for those 275 PAs.
This means that in the years 2008-2011, Busch Stadium produced 92 runs for every 100 runs produced in the average MLB park, and 76 HRs for every 100 homers, for a mean Park Factor of 84.
This is an extreme pitcher’s park.
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 3, 2012 2:05 PM EST up reply actions
thanks I was relying on that site heavily last season ... thought maybe it was a bad reference
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 3, 2012 2:14 PM EST up reply actions
...
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 3, 2012 2:19 PM EST up reply actions
his projections look pretty great to me
livin fuzzy in a binary world
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 3, 2012 8:43 PM EST up reply actions
9 MLB v MLB baseball games will be played today.
9. Nine of them. One will even be on MLB.tv.
I AM SO HAPPY.
Retire #52!
by The Continental on Mar 3, 2012 12:46 PM EST reply actions
NYY vs PHI on my MLBtv in 3 min
any games on elsewhere on TV in STL channels? or are there links?
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 3, 2012 12:58 PM EST up reply actions
So far I've offered up matchups between RP, SP, CF, and 2B. Today's look is at SS.
Stephen Drew (ARIZ) v. JJ Hardy (BAL)
Readers of VEB, which shorstop would you rather have for the 2012 season only? ZIPS projects Drew for a 101 OPS+ and JJ Hardy for a 104 OPS+.
Drew’s projected line in ARIZ
.267/.330/.435 – 28 doubles, 9 triples, 11 homers, 6-4 SB/CS
Hardy’s projected line in BAL
.268/.316/.446 – 24 doubles, 2 triples, 20 homers, 0-1 SB/CS
Hardy has more power and doesn’t hurt his team running the bases because he doesn’t attempt to.
Drew has better “gap power” and a higher on base percentage, but runs more often with similar effectiveness.
Probably Hardy for next year because he's a wizard with the glove as well.
Long-term, Drew.
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 7:23 AM EST up reply actions
Getting video on phone, but not the tablet.
At least audio stops when you tell it to stop now.
Retire #52!
by The Continental on Mar 3, 2012 1:12 PM EST up reply actions
Baseball Prospectus NL Central previews
Too low on the Brewers...
way too low. They replaced Betancourt with Gonzalez, Macghee with ARam, and Fielder with Gamel. Everything else is the same from last year.
Sign Roy O
True
Mat Gamel could also continue his way to being a true .700 OPS player as well.
Ryan Braun could have his numbers drop off a cliff after possible steroid/HGH usage possibly stops.
Jon Axford could blow a save.
and
Nyjer Morgan could have his ISO drop 35% or so back to his career average ISO after getting slugged in the face by 93% of the nation that hates him.
Like David Freese,
Nyjer Morgan’s BABIP is going to drop.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on Mar 3, 2012 3:00 PM EST up reply actions
I'm guessing if you said something like this out in the public among other Cards fans you would get beat up.
And an angry mob would approach as if you were Frankenstein.
Sign Bubbie Buzachero!
by cardinalswsbound on Mar 3, 2012 3:57 PM EST up reply actions
No, they'd just look confused and ask what bay-bip is.
Retire #52!
by The Continental on Mar 3, 2012 3:58 PM EST up reply actions
"bah-bip" means something entirely different in some parts of Iowa
"We're here to defend a championship." - Pumastache
Please explain.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on Mar 3, 2012 8:49 PM EST up reply actions
finally, someone else who says bay bip
You teach me baseball and I'll teach you relativity. No, we must not. You will learn about relativity faster than I learn baseball. --Albert Einstein
2011 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS!
Braun is no more likely to have used steroids or HGH...
as Matt Holliday, Lance Berkman, Carlos Beltran or any other player.
Sign Roy O
Huh? Did those other guys test positive for synthetic testosterone too?
Or was your point that synthetic testosterone is not a steroid or HGH?
by Willie McGee's Twin on Mar 3, 2012 3:06 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
He tested positive
and got off on a technicality. That’s like saying my buddy who got pulled over for a DUI and had a .012 BAC was not driving drunk because the cop didn’t sign his damn papers, so my buddy got off clean.
0.12, you mean. usually, unless you're a minor,
.012 is not a DUI (threshhold is usually .08-.10).
i used to be disgusted, but now i try to be amused . . . - macmanus
by tom s. on Mar 3, 2012 5:13 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
93% sounds a little low
"We're here to defend a championship." - Pumastache
by peppermartin on Mar 3, 2012 3:10 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
so?
you don’t think they overperformed their true talent level last year?
I agree that it’s too low though, on both the Cards and the Brewers.
Secretary of WAR and Defense of the Tyler Greene Fanclub.
Maybe a little...
but I don’t see why they are any worse this year than last year, and I think they were easily better than an 85 win TT club last year.
Sign Roy O
I think they're a little low on both us and the Brewers
but they pegged the Reds about right. I’d reckon we’re probably in the 90 win region (TT) and the Brewers maybe a win or two behind.
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 7:26 AM EST up reply actions
didnt know brewers landed alex gonzalez and
i dont know who mat gamel is
but brewers have greinke, gallardardo, marcum, wolf, narveson
reds have cueto, latos, arroyo, bailey, leake
reds picked up madson and ludwick…and thats all i remember…..i dont disagree with the predictions…couldnt remember but didnt reds have more injuries last year..rolen i remember
by guillermozeliak on Mar 4, 2012 12:46 AM EST up reply actions
Alex Gonzalez is maybe only a 0.5 win upgrade over Betancourt. Maybe 1 at the most.
They have a full season of K-Rod, I guess, and presuming ARam is a 2 win upgrade over MacGahhhahhehehhheeeee, but I’d think the dropoff from Prince to Gamel likely negates all that value and maybe a touch more. I’d say they’re probably somewhere around where they were, wins-wise, at this time last year.
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 7:28 AM EST up reply actions
I like the fool proof plan where Houston avoids 100 losses.
Anyway. Jose Altuve will prove to be all kinds of gritty and gutty, smacking his way into a starting job. During a game against the Cardinals, lightning will hit off the Gateway Arch (proving it had a better batting average and season than the 2011 Astros) and strike Altuve. He will unlock new super powers: He’ll be able to hit 500-foot homers, run faster than a meteor, and the sound of his footfalls will cause his opponents to bow down as he blazes by. …….Carlos Lee will hop aboard the nearest unicorn and prance out of Houston to parts unknown. ….
In other changes, Wandy Rodriguez will be dealt to the Angels for Mike Trout, and J.A. Happ and Brett Wallace will be shipped to the Nationals for Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper. I’d tell you how Houston acquires Matt Moore, Jesus Montero, Eric Hosmer, Evan Longoria, Troy Tulowitzki, and Shelby Miller, but then I’d have to kill you.
Who's got it better than us? NOBODY!
Tiny second baseman!
All hail!
Retire #52!
by The Continental on Mar 3, 2012 3:09 PM EST up reply actions
venezuelan, you should have seen 'em
takin’ grounders in the sand
"We're here to defend a championship." - Pumastache
Hello fellow baseball phanatics
I am so happy to be watching baseball. It’s not the Cardinals but it’s still fun.
I’ve had a bad year so far. Broke my pelvis. I’m an old lady so that is not good. I figure I have another month of rehab before I will be able to do something like drive again. My key learnings: Stay away from ladders and Be really careful with pain meds. I’m surprised how addictive they are.
But soon I will have Cardinal baseball to cheer up each day. I have checked up on VEB a few times. Missed some rather testy conversations, I take it.
$75M for Yadi, Really?
Who's got it better than us? NOBODY!
Oh, no!
I hope your recuperation is going well.
Retire #52!
by The Continental on Mar 3, 2012 1:48 PM EST up reply actions
so sorry about your injury! that recovery sounds
Terrible.
i used to be disgusted, but now i try to be amused . . . - macmanus
by tom s. on Mar 3, 2012 2:24 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
get well soon and welcome back!
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 3, 2012 3:35 PM EST up reply actions
Ladders are a tool of the devil
glad you are feeling well enough to VEB. Hope things are going well! Inpatient rehab or have you started outpatient? I ask because I have a lot of old classmates and instructors in the area over there and you might be working with some of them
"Baseball is like Church, many attend, few understand" - Wes Westrum
I was surprised to see him pitching for the Phillies.
I hope he has a good year except against the Cardinals, of course.
Who's got it better than us? NOBODY!
Yeah, he's one of those guys I pull for
purely because I like ’em.
Retire #52!
by The Continental on Mar 3, 2012 2:44 PM EST up reply actions
I'm not getting the video part of phils/yanks game
just the audio. Is there a new wrinkle I don’t know about? grrrr
per matthew leach, jason motte broke matt adams' bat.
Presumably with a pitch.
i used to be disgusted, but now i try to be amused . . . - macmanus
by tom s. on Mar 3, 2012 3:10 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Like Bane in the Batman comics!
“I will BREAK YOU”
"I'll be deep in the cold, cold ground before I recognize Missoura!"
Poured (Yadi's secret) apple sauce on it. Shattered on first swing even though no contact.
Adultery is the application of democracy to love.
H. L. Mencken
:)
Miller to AAA confirmed…in case any of you still thought he was headed to AA
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 3:23 PM EST reply actions
In the Springfield paper today
they said he was not going to Memphis for sure (this was supposedly from Matheny and Vuch). He had to earn the slot.
Who's got it better than us? NOBODY!
True or False?
Tyler Greene, if given the starting 2B job, will put up a very similar stat line in 2012 to what Cameron Maybin did in 2011.
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 3:48 PM EST reply actions
fine..
137 games, 568 PA’s, 24 doubles, 8 triples, 9 homers, 40 RBI, 40 SB, .264/.323/.393
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 3:51 PM EST up reply actions
thanks, sweetie
yeah, i could see that from him
by prophetjohn on Mar 3, 2012 3:53 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I'm assuming he is going to get hit by a ton of pitches to only
have 44 BB’s, but an OBP 90 points higher than his BA? Or is he just not getting very many PA’s?
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 4:15 PM EST up reply actions
I have
500 PAs, 14 HBP and 5 sacrifices (bunt/fly).
He has 11 HBP in 359 PAs thus far in his MLB career.
It's clearly a skill
We just don’t know if that’s his true talent level. Well, we know that it’s not, we don’t know if it’s even close
Of all sad words of tongue or pen; the saddest are these: 'It might have been!' -- Whittier
Twitter
Well everything's a skill to some degree
but I’d say the skill involved in getting hit by pitches is very low.
Secretary of WAR and Defense of the Tyler Greene Fanclub.
For most players, maybe
But there are some (Biggio and Vina come immediately to mind) who derived a significant chunk of value from getting plunked
Of all sad words of tongue or pen; the saddest are these: 'It might have been!' -- Whittier
Twitter
yeah, there's a larger spread than you'd expect if it were random
and there’s some year to year correlation.
still, it’s mostly luck.
Secretary of WAR and Defense of the Tyler Greene Fanclub.
Aaron Luna (Memphis farmhand) comes to mind.
I’m actually hoping he gets some PAs this year as a right-handed option off the bench at some point – he’s likely better than any of our other righty AAAA guys.
He averages a pretty astonishing 42 HBP per 600 PAs across his minor league career. For reference, the league leader in MLB last year (Justin Upton and Danny Espinosa, tied) had 19 HBP.
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 7:36 AM EST up reply actions
i think you should say it louder
so Cody can hear
Bursting into song.
Get it? Do You?... cuz he's gay. - VolsnCards5
Really?
I have it coming out to just over 1. Damnit. I continuously seem to be screwing up WAR calculations…course, I haven’t done the positional calculations…
i didn't actually calculate it
but danny espinoza’s 2011 line was .236/.323/.414 with average defense in 658 PAs for 3.5 WAR
so definitely 3-4 WAR if he’s +5 or +10 on defense over 500 PAs with that line
Considering he's been a - defender in limited time thus far in his career
It would take a lot for him to be a +5 or +10 defender.
yeah, the sample size on his defense is worthless
he’s likely an above average defender.
Secretary of WAR and Defense of the Tyler Greene Fanclub.
Oh, I know what sabermatricians would say on that...
but he has looked absolutely horrible in the field – especially at 2B – in the past. I expect him to come out playing it much better after working so hard at it (by first hand accounts from STL reporters) this spring with Oquendo and Ozzie…however, it doesn’t change the fact that he has been REALLY bad previously at the position that he will be given the best chance this year.
well i disagree with your assessment of his defense
Secretary of WAR and Defense of the Tyler Greene Fanclub.
actually, not. he had terrible TZR numbers in the minors.
i used to be disgusted, but now i try to be amused . . . - macmanus
by tom s. on Mar 3, 2012 7:48 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Greene's a +17 over his time in the minors
According to TZ fielding runs above average.
by Willie McGee's Twin on Mar 3, 2012 7:56 PM EST up reply actions
sorry, my recollection had been that he had two
Solid years of poor defensive performance in the minors before minorleaguesplits.com shut down. I must’ve misremembered – or maybe the defensive numbers have improved over the last year.
i used to be disgusted, but now i try to be amused . . . - macmanus
by tom s. on Mar 3, 2012 9:25 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
He has far better range and arm strength than the avg. 2nd baseman.
He’s an elite athlete who’s made some errors in a handful of innings at 2B. Okay, fine.
I’d love our infield defense with Greene and Furcal.
by Willie McGee's Twin on Mar 3, 2012 4:39 PM EST up reply actions
I think I'll like the infield defense
because of the effort being put into it. The games I witnessed first-hand with Greene at second base, he looked absolutely lost out there.
i mean, there's no was Schu makes this play
Does it have the play from the day before
when he missed the pop fly that he moved out of the way of (because it would have been right to him?)
Which play do you believe to be more reflective of his true talent level?
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on Mar 3, 2012 8:51 PM EST up reply actions
Well he missed at least 2 popups last year that I remember seeing
Plus at least one more my brother or dad told me about.
He makes some brainfarts, for sure
But he’s got average shortstop range, above-average 2B range, and a cannon for an arm, which makes up for the occasional high-profile error IMO.
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 7:39 AM EST up reply actions
how about this:
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=4582069&c_id=mlb
we’ve had some fun today, kids, but the important thing is that we all learned a lesson about making subjective valuations of defense from a couple brief impressions.
by purple_haze on Mar 3, 2012 5:35 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I think there's a very real chance Greene is worth at least 5 runs/500 PA on BSR as well
I think that line above could be close to 5 WAR…. Probably over 4.
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 7:37 AM EST up reply actions
Holy fuck
that’s like a 5-WAR player (assuming good 2B defense and very good BSR) isn’t it? Optimistic.
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 7:31 AM EST up reply actions
Probably fewer homers, and maybe slightly lower OBP. And definitely a LOT fewer SB (maybe 20-ish).
But – yeah, pretty much.
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 7:30 AM EST up reply actions
False.
I remain to be convinced that T-Greene can hit major-league pitching. At all.
"That’s what a baseball player does: he uses the glove half of the time." -- Rick Horton regarding the DH.
by StanTheManFan on Mar 3, 2012 7:58 PM EST up reply actions
false.
very false.
taking copious amounts of undeserved crap since early 2006
by stlcardinalsfang on Mar 3, 2012 8:00 PM EST up reply actions
Having Wifi on a plane is awesome
Of all sad words of tongue or pen; the saddest are these: 'It might have been!' -- Whittier
Twitter
hey bring me back some of those biscoff cookies
Secretary of WAR and Defense of the Tyler Greene Fanclub.
I don't know what those are
Of all sad words of tongue or pen; the saddest are these: 'It might have been!' -- Whittier
Twitter
Are they a Boston thing
Of all sad words of tongue or pen; the saddest are these: 'It might have been!' -- Whittier
Twitter
I don't understand the joke
Of all sad words of tongue or pen; the saddest are these: 'It might have been!' -- Whittier
Twitter
they serve biscoff cookies on airlines
goddamnit, have you never flown before?
Secretary of WAR and Defense of the Tyler Greene Fanclub.
I have never been served a Biscoff cookie on an airplane
Also I’m not flying on an airline
Of all sad words of tongue or pen; the saddest are these: 'It might have been!' -- Whittier
Twitter
I think so?
It might be private. They might have both…
Of all sad words of tongue or pen; the saddest are these: 'It might have been!' -- Whittier
Twitter
then bring us back some caviar and 30-year-old scotch.
We look forward to your next “I love my private jet with wifi” missive.
i used to be disgusted, but now i try to be amused . . . - macmanus
by tom s. on Mar 3, 2012 5:15 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 8 recs
I also got to sit in Jonathan Kraft's seats at the Celtics game last night
Of all sad words of tongue or pen; the saddest are these: 'It might have been!' -- Whittier
Twitter
can we go ahead and get a pre-emptive ban of Rui
before his head gets too big for VEB?
by mattyfrommo on Mar 3, 2012 5:23 PM EST up reply actions 6 recs
Also I got to meet Jonathan Kraft
And Bill James and Jeff Luhnow
Of all sad words of tongue or pen; the saddest are these: 'It might have been!' -- Whittier
Twitter
I see no harm in this.
Rui quit talking about baseball years ago anyway.
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 5:24 PM EST up reply actions 6 recs
tom s - pass on the cavier - just serve up the Scotch
Adultery is the application of democracy to love.
H. L. Mencken
work trip?
I think I have missed out on all the stuff about your job.
Albert who? Nope, not familiar with the guy. Is he any good?
"It's okay, we still have Berkman."
by arthropodtodd on Mar 3, 2012 5:29 PM EST up reply actions
A conference, yeah
Of all sad words of tongue or pen; the saddest are these: 'It might have been!' -- Whittier
Twitter
so your conference took you to Beantown
and mine took me to the OP Doubletree…. I think I won the conference battle…
Albert who? Nope, not familiar with the guy. Is he any good?
"It's okay, we still have Berkman."
by arthropodtodd on Mar 3, 2012 5:33 PM EST up reply actions
Hey, OP is nice...
I hear the schools are great!
Of all sad words of tongue or pen; the saddest are these: 'It might have been!' -- Whittier
Twitter
ummm sure?
At least I got to sleep in my own bed every night
Albert who? Nope, not familiar with the guy. Is he any good?
"It's okay, we still have Berkman."
by arthropodtodd on Mar 3, 2012 5:36 PM EST up reply actions
Oh that's another thing I could have bragged about
Of all sad words of tongue or pen; the saddest are these: 'It might have been!' -- Whittier
Twitter
sleeping in arthropodtodd's bed every night?
Still not a werewolf.
by clank on Mar 3, 2012 5:42 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
nice.
Albert who? Nope, not familiar with the guy. Is he any good?
"It's okay, we still have Berkman."
by arthropodtodd on Mar 3, 2012 5:43 PM EST up reply actions
how are things at Sporting? that's where you are at right?
Albert who? Nope, not familiar with the guy. Is he any good?
"It's okay, we still have Berkman."
by arthropodtodd on Mar 3, 2012 5:50 PM EST up reply actions
Things are great, really
Season’s ramping up. We’re still very much in the intimacy of this advanced statistical analysis stage, but it’s been a blast
Of all sad words of tongue or pen; the saddest are these: 'It might have been!' -- Whittier
Twitter
Intimacy
BABY I’M TWO STANDARD DEVIATIONS FROM THE MEAN IF YOU KNOW WHAT I’M SAYIN.
Not afraid to nitpick
by joker24 on Mar 3, 2012 5:54 PM EST up reply actions 5 recs
That was a really weird typo to make
How did I do that
Of all sad words of tongue or pen; the saddest are these: 'It might have been!' -- Whittier
Twitter
no that means he's the 5 percent
kill him, take his mansion!
Secretary of WAR and Defense of the Tyler Greene Fanclub.
I'll tell you what they are...
the best, that’s what!
"I'll be deep in the cold, cold ground before I recognize Missoura!"
i know this makes me an absolute heretic
but I’ve never understood whats so terrible about the wave. does it make me incapable of enjoying the sport of baseball? does everything have to be so serious all the time?
I think the problem with the wave is that it is always started by the douchiest guy in the stadium.
This guy tends to get super upset if people don’t comply with his demands and usually starts yelling louder and louder and causes a major distraction to those who aren’t interested in his silly little game.
That being said, I don’t have a huge huge problem with it as long as I’m not sitting anywhere near this guy.
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 5:13 PM EST up reply actions
It's fine in like an 8-run game
Not a big fan when it gets started in the 8th inning of a 1 run game or whatever.
Not afraid to nitpick
Same here, but then again I attended my first games in the initial heyday of the wave
I don’t think I’ve ever been to a baseball game in St. Louis where there wasn’t a wave.
Fishbowl Busch
pre-renovation was perfect for the wave.
by openside on Mar 4, 2012 2:07 AM EST via Android app up reply actions
It's infantile and pointless.
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 7:41 AM EST up reply actions
you guys, i used to be into music
and i’d search for new bands or check out old ones and read all the blogs etc. etc.
but lately I’ve been finding out that I really only want to listen to Fleetwood Mac all the time. Why is this happening to me? Am I broken
I don't even really care for Indie music, so I'm sort of in your boat
SIGN ROYO
by Notorious PSC on Mar 3, 2012 6:01 PM EST up reply actions
i mean, it's hard to not care for indie music entirely
since indie music doesn’t really refer to anything in particular and covers basically the whole musical spectrum.
I know
Just kind of a music snob, with an emphasis on the blues and punk. Not all that welcoming to new things.
SIGN ROYO
by Notorious PSC on Mar 3, 2012 6:08 PM EST up reply actions
Notorious - recommendations on blues streaming sources? Can be tough to listen to blues here
Adultery is the application of democracy to love.
H. L. Mencken
I don't have anything beyond Pandora that I know of. I'll let you know if I ever come up with anything
SIGN ROYO
by Notorious PSC on Mar 4, 2012 4:48 AM EST up reply actions
thanks, cannot get Pandora overseas. sigh. . . .
Adultery is the application of democracy to love.
H. L. Mencken
Can you get Spotify?
2011 - Year of Our Berk
by spants on Mar 4, 2012 10:00 AM EST via Android app up reply actions
yeah, I have access to it in Austria
Beyond using a proxy to alter your IP address, not sure what to tell you about Pandora
SIGN ROYO
by Notorious PSC on Mar 4, 2012 11:14 AM EST up reply actions
True, but then again some people are entirely satisfied by listening to corporate radio
I’m not saying they would consider themselves that into music, but getting into just about any sort of indie music takes more time and effort than a lot of people put into their music habits.
we need 4 cc's of Zeppelin stat!
Secretary of WAR and Defense of the Tyler Greene Fanclub.
by vivaelpujols on Mar 3, 2012 5:57 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
see, the difference to me is that Zeppelin has always seemed impossibly huge and thus, somewhat distant.
I love Zep but I could never do what they do. Obviously I could never do what Fleetwood Mac does either but they always seem more personal to me, like I’m writing their songs in my head as I listen to them. They are not just a great band but a great band that hits me somewhere in my bone marrow. And it’s replacing my desire to listen to anything else.
Yeah I get what you're saying
can’t say I feel the same way about Fleetwood Mac, but Neil Young sure.
Secretary of WAR and Defense of the Tyler Greene Fanclub.
i don't really care about blooz-rockin' Peter Green era
i’m talking about the other stuff.
Ever listen to Tusk?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pZipYTm_9o
This is brilliant.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fVPUoUJ8nQ&
This is brilliant and way weirder than anything Zeppelin ever tried.
okay fine:
here’s some badass rock music from a badass rock band that you’ve probably never heard of.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o3_iq_ZcZs
redeemed?
sounds like male menopause.
i used to be disgusted, but now i try to be amused . . . - macmanus
by tom s. on Mar 3, 2012 6:22 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
I only feel free to tease because pandora periodically
Feeds me a dido-sarah maclachlan-alanis morrissette song set, which is pretty emasculating.
i used to be disgusted, but now i try to be amused . . . - macmanus
by tom s. on Mar 3, 2012 6:51 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Trade proposal: Kyle McClellan for Erik Komatsu. Yea or Nay?
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 6:18 PM EST reply actions
You're getting whom?
I take McClellan just because Komatsu could be a player to dump later b/c of being in the minors.
We would trade K-Mac to dump his salary in exchange for Erik Komatsu so we can assign him to the
minors and not have to keep him on the ML roster.
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 7:16 PM EST up reply actions
also, it would essentially force Shane Robinson out of the organization as well.
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 7:19 PM EST up reply actions
Memphis outfield would be
Hamilton, Chambers, Pham, Komatsu, and Luna
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 7:20 PM EST up reply actions
I guess that is going to be hamilton's future: LF/DH
With intermittent stints subbing for adams at first. Unless we find a trading partner.
i used to be disgusted, but now i try to be amused . . . - macmanus
by tom s. on Mar 4, 2012 12:04 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
I suspect Hamilton's future is next year's rule V
if it still exists after the new CBA.
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 7:44 AM EST up reply actions
umm...
I see that you don’t get it. I’ll just let it stay that way.
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 10:19 PM EST up reply actions
Wasn't Komatsu from the Astros?
Would Luhnow really want KMac? Anyhow, I’d do it if they would.
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 7:43 AM EST up reply actions
which reminds me
a few days ago a friend of mine recommended I check out SBN as a good place for sports fans. I expressed my skepticism, but promised to give it a look.
Still not a werewolf.
by clank on Mar 3, 2012 6:31 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
If you're in St. Louis, go to Milagro for lunch.
2011 - Year of Our Berk
by spants on Mar 4, 2012 12:35 AM EST via Android app up reply actions
my dad ordered some tonight, we were out to eat
they were totally meh. i don’t hate them, but i prefer a good french fry any day of the week.
mumble mumble Peter Bourjos mumble mumble
just had those the other day for
the first time
by guillermozeliak on Mar 4, 2012 12:47 AM EST up reply actions
At Milagro?
Did you find them overrated?
2011 - Year of Our Berk
by spants on Mar 4, 2012 12:48 AM EST via Android app up reply actions
i didnt know
how other people viewed them…i would def eat them on a semi regular basis..sweet potatos are good for you
by guillermozeliak on Mar 4, 2012 12:53 AM EST up reply actions
sweet potatoes being good for you =/= sweet potato fries being good for you
mumble mumble Peter Bourjos mumble mumble
They're the best sweet potato fries I've had.
I would definitely take them over most regular french fries.
Smashburger has my (distant) second favorite sweet potato fries, but their regular fries are better.
In pretty much every other instance I’d take regular fries over sweet
2011 - Year of Our Berk
by spants on Mar 4, 2012 12:56 AM EST via Android app up reply actions
I had some fries at a French restaurant last week
not sweet potato fires (which are yum), but probably the best fries I’ve ever had. Of course they should be, because the French invented the process.
also, can we just stop for a second and applaud Belgium?
they have perfected french fries, beer, and waffles, not to mention chocolate, etc. like, seriously, that’s a holy trinity of food.
mumble mumble Peter Bourjos mumble mumble
FYI
Don’t Google Image search David Suchet.
There be non-moustached pictures. /freakingout
It's Spring Again! ...witch
a favorite of mine as well
Just last week I watched The Guard, which is a relatively new one from I believe the brother of the guy who did In Bruges, also starring Brendan Gleeson. It was good, certainly more entertaining than about 95% of the the stuff that comes out of Hollywood, but not in the same league as In Bruges.
my favorite words are goodbye and my favorite color is red
Well, their beer is pretty freaking awesome
But there are lots and lots of kick ass beer styles that the Belgians have nothing to do with.
"I'll be deep in the cold, cold ground before I recognize Missoura!"
Well if you ever get in there for lunch, steal one from someone's plate.
The way they season them…
I miss being able to eat fat, you guys. I can’t have fries until, oh, July.
2011 - Year of Our Berk
Do you mean that it might make me sick once my gallbladder comes out?
Even if it does, I wouldn’t be limited to just 3 grams of fat per meal/snack with a max of 25 grams in a day. I just wouldn’t be able to eat too much greasy food.
I’m guessing with my restrictions I could have 1-3 fries at once. But there’s no guarantee that grease wouldn’t aggravate the organ. I had 2.5g worth of olive oil the other day and I felt all sorts of activity. I was nervous it was leading to an attack.
2011 - Year of Our Berk
I want Tiny to nurse a full year.
The surgery should only keep us apart for one night. But there is a somewhat common complication that could keep me in the hospital an extra night and day.
Then, some people don’t feel well immediately following surgery and if I am in too much pain I won’t be able to nurse. Best case scenario I would probably be in too much pain to nurse for 3 days or so. She’s already 8 months old and I’m concerned that this situation could inadvertently wean her.
I don’t have an infection or any other organ involvement. My surgeon said he thought I’d slip up on the diet and have an attack. But why would I do that to myself? If I start getting sick then I’ll have to get it out. I honestly cannot catch a break – except the one big break of having her at all – when it comes to my health and babies.
2011 - Year of Our Berk
I might think you were crazy
but my sister-in-law never was able to nurse their kids and it was shocking to me how much this hurt and left her feeling like an inferior and incapable mother.
It’s an interesting connection that I think the rest of us never notice the significance.
Still not a werewolf.
I feel for your sister-in-law.
I struggled with not being able to maintain pregnancies. It’s really hard when you can’t do the simplest thing that anyone else can do.
But this is one thing my body does right. Yes, the bond is important. But the nourishment is possibly an even bigger deal. My breastmilk can’t be recalled. It’s nutritionally tailored to my daughter. And it has frickin stem cells! I’m not sure there’s a better gift I can give her at this stage.
I love her and I’m so utterly devoted to her. It’s weird being so committed to something after spending my entire life avoiding even the most basic commitments. I have definitely surprised myself the last year. I suspect a great deal of parenting will be that way for me.
2011 - Year of Our Berk
by spants on Mar 4, 2012 2:21 AM EST via Android app up reply actions
I'm foolish enough that I figured not being able to produce milk would be a relief.
Apparently it’s really painful to watch all the the mothers have that bond when you can’t.
I’m really close to my brother and his wife, so in efforts to be a better and more understanding person, I read about breastmilk and you’re not joking; there’s really no substitute.
Still not a believer in Clank children though. The horror!
Still not a werewolf.
I've got 2 family members that had gallbladders removed
maybe they didn’t stick the a proper diet after, but eating fat does do terrible things to them (SSS)
I think they're very hard to get crispy
I dunno if it’s that they have a higher moisture content/less starch to crispen up, but whenever I roast or shallow fry the things they always end up in a slightly crispened (albeit tasty) mulch.
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 7:45 AM EST up reply actions
If they're fried in duck fat they'd probably stop being over-rated
I know it’s one of those trendy things to do in American cuisine now (i.e. the thing of the moment that we started doing that Europe already did) but I’m a true believer. If I took this keyboard I’m typing on right now and fried it in duck fat it would probably taste pretty good.
In general I agree with you about sweet potatoes though. They are not inherently superior, they are just different. Sometimes I just don’t want that kind of flavor, I just want potatoes plus salt plus deep fried awesomeness.
"I'll be deep in the cold, cold ground before I recognize Missoura!"
best ones i've had were at pappy's smokehouse (and they were awesome) otherwise they are no big deal to me
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 4, 2012 9:04 AM EST up reply actions
fecal matter
It turns out that it sticks to the inside of the machine and you have to scrape it out later. Not to mention the smell
By gosh!
by hr on Mar 3, 2012 7:37 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
okay, really what I was trying to get to was
if I deep fry a pizza, does that mean I’m definitely for sure going to hell?
do mozzarella sticks instead.
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 7:24 PM EST up reply actions
actually, that's more than i need to do
being in college, i could probably just bread and deep fry a stick of butter and get someone to eat it with relatively little effort.
You have to freeze
the butter first, so it holds its shape.
State Fair!
Why the hell would you want to do that?
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 7:46 AM EST up reply actions
Papa Johns pizza
I crawled the earth, but now I'm higher, 2010 watch it go to fire!
by First mammal to wear pants on Mar 3, 2012 9:15 PM EST up reply actions
Now that Yadi is locked up,
is there any reason left to not switch Robert Stock back to pitching? He’ll be 28 by the time Yadi’s deal is up and hasn’t looked like any sort of prospect anyway.
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 7:40 PM EST reply actions
Several reasons.
The back-up catcher spot still needs to be filled, and Cruz and Anderson and Stanley are not slam-dunks to fill it. He is more valuable as trade bait if he can catch and hit a little. Too many right-handed arms ahead of him in the system.
"That’s what a baseball player does: he uses the glove half of the time." -- Rick Horton regarding the DH.
by StanTheManFan on Mar 3, 2012 8:00 PM EST up reply actions
I still think stock is the best C prospect we have at AA or below.
by Willie McGee's Twin on Mar 3, 2012 8:09 PM EST up reply actions
Can I ask why?
I mean I don’t really have a much of an argument for any of the other guys, but what has Stock done, other than being drafted high, that makes you feel that way?
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 8:12 PM EST up reply actions
For starters, because he's still young, he walked more than he struck out in A+ last year and didn't have a passed ball or error there
And his BABIP was ridiculously unlucky last year.
by Willie McGee's Twin on Mar 3, 2012 8:23 PM EST up reply actions
He had those really good 166 PAs in rookie ball 3 years ago
As the OG Stock hater, I’m pretty much with you. He’s put up .241 .320 .347 in the minors career over 771 PAs while being age/level appropriate, after not having hit in college either. All the plate discipline in the world doesn’t do you any good if you can’t hit the ball. Still should give him one more shot as a hitter, but I would be doing arm strength drills if I were him.
Not afraid to nitpick
They'd have moved him to pitch already if they thought he could do it
It’s going to be three years since he’s thrown a pitch in anger, and he’s 22 (IIRC) next year which means his projection is basically nill. I’m guessing the success rate for guys of that age without a vaguely pro-quality breaking ball (I think he had a slider but it wasn’t an especially great pitch before being drafted) and who throw nothing but a mid-90s fastball is pretty much zero.
I was of your mindset up until this year but I think the fact they’ve kept him catching this long suggests that there’s no confidence that he could contribute as a pitcher, and the longer time goes on and further removed from his pitching “career” he gets, the less likely he is to be able to make it on that side of the ball. I say keep him behind the plate and hope he ends up as a cheap backup catcher sometime down the line.
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 7:50 AM EST up reply actions
Their AA affiliate is in San Antonio, and I've seen them play many times.
They are astoundingly talented.
Still not a werewolf.
The Springfield Cardinals
may have one of the least talented offenses in AA next season. Hammonds Field may make a star out of Scruggs and Rosario though.
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 7:59 PM EST up reply actions
Who on the 2011 roster will stay there?
"That’s what a baseball player does: he uses the glove half of the time." -- Rick Horton regarding the DH.
by StanTheManFan on Mar 3, 2012 8:01 PM EST up reply actions
I'm not sure...seems like they already got rid of a lot of them.
Off the top of my head the offense may include:
1B – Xavier Scruggs
2B – Greg Garcia
SS – ???
3B – Niko Vazquez?
C – Audrey Perez & Travis Tartamella (?)
OF- Chris Swauger, Alan Ahmady, Kyle Conley, Rainel Rosario, Jermaine Curtis
I’m not even 100% sure all of these guys are still around
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 8:05 PM EST up reply actions
Seems like Garcia will play SS unless a FA is brought in.
Curtis or Jose Garcia would play 2B.
by Willie McGee's Twin on Mar 3, 2012 8:16 PM EST up reply actions
Fuck it...just send Kozma back there
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 8:17 PM EST up reply actions
where does Starlin Rodriguez fit in?
I’m assuming Wong is 2B for Palm beach. Can he play SS? either at AA or A. I wouldn’t think he goes back to QC
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 8:19 PM EST up reply actions
Don't know. Rodriguez has never played SS at any point in the minors.
Maybe he’ll fill a utility role at PB.
by Willie McGee's Twin on Mar 3, 2012 8:32 PM EST up reply actions
isn't wong a good candidate to go to AA?
i used to be disgusted, but now i try to be amused . . . - macmanus
by tom s. on Mar 3, 2012 11:50 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Wong is more likely to go down the defensive spectrum than up it.
Not sure he’s even going to be average at 2B.
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 7:52 AM EST up reply actions
I'm guessing Wong could be the starting 2B in Springfield by August.
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 7:51 AM EST up reply actions
I really like Greg Garcia
I think he’s a pretty solid sleeper that no-one ever seems to talk about. Could be a perfectly cromulent major league utility guy in 2 years IMO.
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 7:53 AM EST up reply actions
i am really excited to move back in my with my old college roommate in april
instead of living alone as i do now
mumble mumble Peter Bourjos mumble mumble
I had a chance to do this last summer
but I wouldve had to move to Chicago to do it. No thanks.
I crawled the earth, but now I'm higher, 2010 watch it go to fire!
by First mammal to wear pants on Mar 3, 2012 9:51 PM EST up reply actions
wha???
besides the regrettable local sports culture, Chicago is a really cool city,
my favorite words are goodbye and my favorite color is red
what kind of software do you develop?
i’m sure you could end up in SF, at least, pretty easily.
mumble mumble Peter Bourjos mumble mumble
but the salaries tend to reflect that, especially in the tech focused industries
my friends who live out there make obscene amounts of money, and a few of them don’t even have HS diplomas.
mumble mumble Peter Bourjos mumble mumble
s/obscene/seeming obscene to me because i don't have to deal with SF cost of living
mumble mumble Peter Bourjos mumble mumble
from what i've seen, salaries are not that much more than they are in austin
it’s something i have considered, though
boston and nyc have hot tech scenes, too
well, nyc
rent is ridiculous, but other living expenses can be managed somewhat okay.
I have friends here who make do just fine (meaning they still go to bars, eat out a lot, etc) on, say, 40-45k.
my favorite words are goodbye and my favorite color is red
man, now you have me looking at apartments in nyc
and there are 2BRs to be had in brooklyn for around $1700. i’m expecting to pay $900-ish for a 2BR in austin. and i bet i could get an $800/month raise by moving to new york
stop filling me with ideas, VEB!
actually, looking at ads on cl,
it looks like there are apartments in san jose to be had for not that much more than what i expect to pay for a decent 2BR in austin
i was under the impression that it would be nyc prices for rent
yes. very much yes.
center of San Jose to the center of SF is 50 miles, dude. Brooklyn to Manhattan is like 2.
mumble mumble Peter Bourjos mumble mumble
well, if you consider the center of brooklyn to center of manhattan
it’s 13, according to gmaps, but still.
mumble mumble Peter Bourjos mumble mumble
if i'm willing to roommate it up
i can live in the hottest parts of sf or manhattan for under $1500, it looks like
i could also have a nice, big house all to myself in an amazing climate for that price in austin. why does life involve choices
i think living in Brooklyn is totally fine personally
most of my NYC friends live there and getting to Manhattan really isn’t that bad.
on the other hand, there just isn’t really a good place to live in SF that i have seen yet unless you make $$.
mumble mumble Peter Bourjos mumble mumble
it depends
there are a lot of places in Brooklyn you don’t want to live. I am staying there right now though, and it’s perfectly fine and pretty cheap, by NYC standards. Takes me maybe 15 minutes to get to Manhattan on the subway.
And as for PJ’s post: yes, for $1500 you can live in almost any part of Manhattan you want, as long as you’re willing to have a roommate and live in a small space
my favorite words are goodbye and my favorite color is red
agreed, and in order of preference
chalking one down now… on to SF next?? god i hope so.
mumble mumble Peter Bourjos mumble mumble
I've been there many times
I dont like the people there, the weather, the traffic…etc. And besides, I moved to Missouri to get out of Illinois, and if I had to go back to IL, the last place would be Chicago.
I crawled the earth, but now I'm higher, 2010 watch it go to fire!
by First mammal to wear pants on Mar 3, 2012 11:28 PM EST up reply actions
Winter weather would be a deal breaker for me
Then again, I hate snow.
I have no interest in moving anywhere that has harsher winters than St. Louis.
this is definitely a consideration
i’ve fallen in love with the central texas climate. winter essentially didn’t happen this year. the air conditioning has been on more times since december 1 than the heater. how the hell would i live in new york when missouri weather winters are unbearable?
Snow sucks here.
Because everyone freaks out.
I mean, getting out of work is nice, but EVERYONE FREAKS OUT ABOUT IT.
It's Spring Again! ...witch
i've only seen one snow that _kind of_ accumulated since i lived here
and it really only accumulated on roofs. but yeah, austin pretty much shut down
st louis
freaks out as well….its stupid ridiculous especially the first one this year…so unprepared
by guillermozeliak on Mar 3, 2012 11:43 PM EST up reply actions
Houston SHUT DOWN.
Literally.
The snow was pretty much gone in a day. But the whole region shut down.
It's Spring Again! ...witch
i love grapefruit
i’m not sure i’ve ever had a “Texas” grapefruit though
mumble mumble Peter Bourjos mumble mumble
per the Wiks
The Red grapefruit, starting with the Ruby Red, has even become a symbolic fruit of Texas, where white “inferior” grapefruit were eliminated and only red grapefruit were grown for decades. Using radiation to trigger mutations, new varieties were developed to retain the red tones which typically faded to pink, the Rio Red variety is the current (2007) Texas grapefruit with registered trademarks Rio Star and Ruby-Sweet, also sometimes promoted as “Reddest” and “Texas Choice”.
Still not a werewolf.
not necessarily
I’ve just found that the local ones taste the best. Right now they’re 6 for a dollar and it’s pretty much all I’m eating.
Oh except for that pizza I had for dinner.
Still not a werewolf.
i still think the fucking californians and their 10 for $1 avocados have it the best
mumble mumble Peter Bourjos mumble mumble
stupid friend sent me a picture of a roadside stand w/ a 10 for 1 sign last year
i don’t know if that’s even remotely normal but my level of anger approached bubbling magma
mumble mumble Peter Bourjos mumble mumble
yeah the avocados are really inexpensive out here.
10 cents is lower than usual, i’d say, though.
give me arabica or give me death -- spants
It does and it doesn't
I was rather much a home body when I didn’t have a roommate. I tend to go out a lot more now that I have a roommate.
by FlimtotheFlam on Mar 3, 2012 9:57 PM EST up reply actions
i don't go out much now
but i think that’s largely because i live in a shitty town where there’s nothing to do
oh i thought you meant with a specific person
yeah, eventually i will be pleased to live on my own, but i feel like i have a few more years of living with roommates until i’m happy to live by myself
mumble mumble Peter Bourjos mumble mumble
by all accounts my roommate is probably above average
but i’m just sick of sharing a space another adult. if i’m not forever alone, my preference would be to not do so again unless it’s with a woman i’m romantically involved with
yeah, i feel ya
i get depressed when i’m living alone, personally. i do look forward to moving in with my girlfriend eventually, although i don’t think i am ready to do that yet.
mumble mumble Peter Bourjos mumble mumble
I'm the same way
maybe because I grew up with a lot of siblings, but it’s way too quiet when you’re living alone and it gets to me
my favorite words are goodbye and my favorite color is red
i'm actually the opposite
i grew up an only child, and i liked it- and i probably wouldn’t love literally sharing a ROOM with someone ever again, but the second i started living with other people in college i preferred it. had to live in a single one year and hated it.
mumble mumble Peter Bourjos mumble mumble
i like living alone
but to avoid the depressed feeling i run the radio constantly…living alone is difficult imo
by guillermozeliak on Mar 3, 2012 11:40 PM EST up reply actions
Living alone
really sucks sometimes. The only downside to having a good friend as a roommate is if they aren’t cleanly or something like that. I’ve decided after living alone that the minor inconvenience of dishes in the sink far outweighs the downside of constant being alone.
Al: You know what they call a butterfly without wings Dan?
Dan: ...What, Al?
Al: A Butter-walk!
Dan:..........
by liars&thieves on Mar 4, 2012 3:02 AM EST up reply actions
What's the rotatioln at Springfield? Pen?
Adultery is the application of democracy to love.
H. L. Mencken
being picky
but i think strauss meant “tiny Frontenac hotel..”
by guillermozeliak on Mar 3, 2012 11:46 PM EST up reply actions
do they allow unfashionable things in frontenac?
i used to be disgusted, but now i try to be amused . . . - macmanus
by tom s. on Mar 4, 2012 6:36 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
thanks for this ... and
"I want to be like him," outfielder Allen Craig said. "Why would he not be a good example?"
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 4, 2012 5:55 AM EST up reply actions
and in the best shape of its life
according to local real estate gurus
my favorite words are goodbye and my favorite color is red
i hear the power on the left side of the street is more consistent than on the right side
mumble mumble Peter Bourjos mumble mumble
I'm not sure what your question means
But I’ve heard before that in restaurant settings, servers are told that a standard-sized bottle of wine should be good for four pours.
"I'll be deep in the cold, cold ground before I recognize Missoura!"
by US definition
a glass of wine is 5 fl oz, or ~148 mL, which comes out to 5 glasses per standard bottle. i tend to go a lot closer to the 4 glass pour as well.
mumble mumble Peter Bourjos mumble mumble
you all are fancy.
I just chug that shit straight from the bottle.
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 10:55 PM EST up reply actions
when i'm in that type of drinking mode, AND i'm drinking wine (both of which are rare, and the confluence of which has happened less than 5 times in my life)
you best believe i’m not drinking anything out of a bottle.
mumble mumble Peter Bourjos mumble mumble
by tehzachatak on Mar 4, 2012 12:46 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
i almost posted a slap the bag picture
but i was afraid someone would mistake it for me instead of google images
mumble mumble Peter Bourjos mumble mumble
As my sister once told me
Friends don’t let friends drink White Zin. Or from a box.
It's Spring Again! ...witch
this is a running joke I have with my gf
because I always finish a bottle of wine if I open it. Although I guess the joke is not too funny, if you were to ask her.
my favorite words are goodbye and my favorite color is red
Pretty much
If I open a glass of non sparkly wine, I’m drinking the whole bottle.
It's Spring Again! ...witch
The most recent ex-gf would always open a bottle of wine and have one small glass out of it
Then I’d end up pounding the rest of it because I felt the need to do so.
Not afraid to nitpick
These west coast blues games are good training for west coast road trips
"Baseball is like Church, many attend, few understand" - Wes Westrum
couple pretty good chances there
I think the defenseman got a stick in on Backes.
Just ordered tickets to next Saturday’s game!
"Baseball is like Church, many attend, few understand" - Wes Westrum
oh man, I miss going to Blues games
I hardly even follow hockey, but I still had a blast whenever I went to games
my favorite words are goodbye and my favorite color is red
Blues website is showing that as Oshie's goal
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 11:07 PM EST up reply actions
now they have it as Colaiacovo's
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 11:09 PM EST up reply actions
yeah they just announced it
replay wasn’t real clear though.
"Baseball is like Church, many attend, few understand" - Wes Westrum
Does anybody agree with this statement from David O'Brien?
Sorry, Cardinals fans, but if Molina is worth $15 million per year then McCann is worth $18 million to $20 million per year in my opinion. And I’ll bet an American League team or two agrees with me.
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 11:16 PM EST reply actions
Yes, AL teams would agree that that is your opinion.
Most would also agree that your opinion is idiotic.
"That’s what a baseball player does: he uses the glove half of the time." -- Rick Horton regarding the DH.
by StanTheManFan on Mar 3, 2012 11:21 PM EST up reply actions
Pretty sure McCann is worth 18-20m/yr on the open market, yup.
Probably won’t get more than a 6 year deal, but I’m sure he’ll break $100m on total value. Last 4 years he’s averaged about 5 WAR/yr. That is elite.
Still bitching to contact.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2012 7:57 AM EST up reply actions
I'mi not sure what is incorrect about this
I mean, it seems pretty consistent to me. McCann is probably better than Yadi, all around. But I don’t know why he says “sorry” to Cardinals fans. Does he elsewhere try to refute that Yadi is worth 15?
"I'll be deep in the cold, cold ground before I recognize Missoura!"
hahaha, cardinal fans! some player will get more
Money than the player you have already signed! You weren’t likely to be in the market for him, and his signing only affects other teams. SUCKERS!
i used to be disgusted, but now i try to be amused . . . - macmanus
by tom s. on Mar 4, 2012 6:39 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
that statement reads as if thinks that cards fans take pride in high priced contracts and if another catcher get's a larger contract we'll be knocked down a peg
now if someone picks more runners off 1st that would be a different thing. and i’m sure an american league team does agree with him
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 4, 2012 12:12 PM EST up reply actions
Exactly, which is what makes his comment so dumb.
As a cardinals fan, I HOPE Atlanta loses McCann! I hope he gets some AL team to give him +18mm$!
by Willie McGee's Twin on Mar 4, 2012 1:37 PM EST up reply actions
o/
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 4, 2012 1:39 PM EST up reply actions
\o
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 4, 2012 2:26 PM EST up reply actions
i know ... thanks for keeping me company for a short while this morning and sharing your RJ with me
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 4, 2012 2:35 PM EST up reply actions
Off topic: travel advice wanted
Wife and I will have occasion next month to pass through or near Donora, Pennsylvania — a place, it is fair to say, of certain significance to life-long Cardinals fans. Curiously, I find no evidence of a museum or exhibition there (I would almost say “shrine”) dedicated to the obvious subject — which just seems incredible to me. Am I missing something? Has anyone been there? Is it really as lacking in memorabilia of you-know-who as it seems to be?
"That’s what a baseball player does: he uses the glove half of the time." -- Rick Horton regarding the DH.
Was Dan Haren born there or something
Of all sad words of tongue or pen; the saddest are these: 'It might have been!' -- Whittier
Twitter
This plays like something out of a bad movie
by FlimtotheFlam on Mar 3, 2012 11:36 PM EST up reply actions
This was recently featured in a History Channel show.
No mention of Musial or Griffey.
It's Spring Again! ...witch
Note that Stan's father was one of the victims of the thing.
"That’s what a baseball player does: he uses the glove half of the time." -- Rick Horton regarding the DH.
by StanTheManFan on Mar 4, 2012 12:05 AM EST up reply actions
Hey look, Jose Molina is going to be the starting catcher for the Rays.
Awesome.
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 3, 2012 11:29 PM EST reply actions
so the rams
have gregg williams who now will be suspendded probably
by guillermozeliak on Mar 4, 2012 12:18 AM EST reply actions
yea i read
espn article…fischer is a defensive guy so its not like a dave duncan situation
by guillermozeliak on Mar 4, 2012 12:21 AM EST up reply actions
As punishment they should
Make him coach for the Rams
by FlimtotheFlam on Mar 4, 2012 12:53 AM EST up reply actions
The more I look at it, the more Kolten Wong to Springfield makes sense.
Infields for the top 5 levels:
Saint Louis – Berkman, Greene, Furcal, Freese
Memphis – Adams, Kozma, Jackson, Cox
Springfield – Xavier Scruggs, Kolten Wong, Greg Garcia, Niko Vazquez(?)
Palm Beach – Jonathan Rodriguez, Starlin Rodriguez, Ted Obregon (?), Phil Cerreto (?)
Quad Cities – David Medina, Tyler Rahmatulla, Matt Williams, Roberto De La Cruz
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 4, 2012 12:23 AM EST reply actions
Other infielders in the mix:
Saint Louis – Carpenter, Descalso, Schumaker
Memphis – Jose Garcia, one of Eugenio Velez or Alex Cora
Springfield – Jermaine Curtis, ???
Quad Cities and Palm Beach – Garrett Wittels, Vance Albitz, Jeremy Patton, Luis Mateo, Joey Bergman,
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 4, 2012 12:40 AM EST up reply actions
For PB, I'd substitute Colin Walsh at 3B and Ronnie Gil at SS.
Cerreto and Obregon are bench filler at best, and may be cut anyway.
by Willie McGee's Twin on Mar 4, 2012 9:20 AM EST up reply actions
ah yes.. I forgot about Ronnie Gil.
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 4, 2012 12:42 PM EST up reply actions
I guess he doesn't rub you the right way....
by Willie McGee's Twin on Mar 4, 2012 1:39 PM EST up reply actions
I was actually going to have him starting at SS
at QC, and then I got all caught up in Matt Williams statline. I guess he just got lost in the shuffle of trying to figure out who the hell all the other guys were.
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 4, 2012 1:50 PM EST up reply actions
Iron Barley:
Eh, it’s OK. Ribs were kind of tough. I didn’t have anything that I’d really recommend.
Retire #52!
by The Continental on Mar 4, 2012 12:52 AM EST reply actions
I like it enough
I go there about once a month since it is only 5 mins from my house
by FlimtotheFlam on Mar 4, 2012 12:58 AM EST up reply actions
I'll give any place a second chance, unless they've really screwed up.
I have so many other places I’d like to try, I don’t know when I’ll make it back.
Retire #52!
by The Continental on Mar 4, 2012 12:59 AM EST up reply actions
Josh's friend is obsessed.
He took Josh and he wasn’t nearly as enthusiastic. My best friend finds it underwhelming. I think they probably do one or two dishes really well. I have so many other places I want to try before that one.
2011 - Year of Our Berk
by spants on Mar 4, 2012 2:27 AM EST via Android app up reply actions
They did have Hopslam, though!
My wife tried it. With the faces she made and how she carried on, you’d have thought I gave her Draino.
Retire #52!
by The Continental on Mar 4, 2012 10:55 AM EST up reply actions
Hopslam is delicious.
I was expecting it to be overpowering but I thought it had a very muted aftertaste.
Beware: Velociraptors may be present.
10 points on the road trip!
Wooooooo!
Retire #52!
by The Continental on Mar 4, 2012 12:58 AM EST reply actions
should i be a blues
fan if i live in st.louis?,….i’d watch them in the playoffs but i dont really care
by guillermozeliak on Mar 4, 2012 1:06 AM EST up reply actions
Dunno about should
but it sure is more convenient than being a Calgary Flames fan living in St. Louis.
Retire #52!
by The Continental on Mar 4, 2012 1:09 AM EST up reply actions
T.J. Oshie - new scoring leader for the Blues.
Now 1 point ahead of Backes
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 4, 2012 1:01 AM EST up reply actions
haha...on this date 22 years ago, Brett Hull scored his 100th point of the season.
T.J. Oshie has 46.
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 4, 2012 1:12 AM EST up reply actions
Hull and Oates forever!
It's Spring Again! ...witch
by TBender on Mar 4, 2012 1:14 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
Great parent or greatest parent?
Kids know the words to the Scooby-Doo theme.
It's Spring Again! ...witch
you haven't yet bought them the Muppet Show season sets
so definitely not the greatest.
Still not a werewolf.
Jeez, Colby...can you just shut up now?
“I never really wanted to be there. But I wanted to be in the big leagues, so I battled through it.
“Before I even made it to the big leagues, I felt it wasn’t going to be a good place for me.”
Like his Cardinals predecessor of 12 to 15 years ago, J.D. Drew, Rasmus seems to have little desire to be a great player.
“I guess I don’t want the responsibility of being one,” Rasmus said. "I’d rather just be a man on the team.
by The Ghost of Todd Burns on Mar 4, 2012 1:25 AM EST reply actions
yawn
quite tired of this storyline by now. I still don’t like how the FO handled the trade, but it seems more and more plausible that the FO’s portrayal of Colby as someone with attitude problems who needed to go was accurate
my favorite words are goodbye and my favorite color is red
Oh good, someone finally commented and broke the 666 barrier
And now I don’t even remember what I was waiting so long to say
…and POST anyway
Still not a werewolf.
just checking ... are there any VEBers out there still awake?
i’m oddly wide awake
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
I'm awake and pissed. How are you?
President of the Tyler Greene fanclub - Wikipedia Proof, Tumblr Page, and finally Baseball-reference
Twitter
what are you pissed about? I'm fine and waiting for this elvis movie to start
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 4, 2012 4:51 AM EST up reply actions
I'm sitting in my lobby eating with someone else.
Guy above me on the floor up decides to pour water on my head – a pretty good amount that my head is soaked. Since this is a part of my worst weekend ever, that was kind of the last straw for me. (If you are wondering, I chucked my gatorade bottle at him)
He then said he was sorry and wasn’t trying to be a dick. What the fuck is the point of dumping water on someone’s head then? Needless to say this guy’s a ahem… I’m trying to think of a word to describe him and I have a word in mind but it’s offensive so I’ll hold it in.
President of the Tyler Greene fanclub - Wikipedia Proof, Tumblr Page, and finally Baseball-reference
Twitter
that was very childish behavior ... wtf? and why are you in a lobby?
you on vacation?
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 4, 2012 5:03 AM EST up reply actions
College dorm
President of the Tyler Greene fanclub - Wikipedia Proof, Tumblr Page, and finally Baseball-reference
Twitter
also was the word worse than dickwad?
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 4, 2012 5:06 AM EST up reply actions
Dickwad is a good word to describe him.
And yes it is worse.
President of the Tyler Greene fanclub - Wikipedia Proof, Tumblr Page, and finally Baseball-reference
Twitter
ASSHAT!
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 4, 2012 6:02 AM EST up reply actions
what have you got against bosnians?
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 4, 2012 9:00 AM EST up reply actions
Nothing, it's a reference to a huge rant that cardfan4 made an year ago about working in a bosnian wedding
The comment itself must have finally been deleted by a mod [as it should have been], but I still try to give him as much shit about it as I can, since I am an ass.
By gosh!
by hr on Mar 4, 2012 9:34 AM EST up reply actions
now that you said that i recall hearing ref to it ... not picking
i was in zagreb years ago during the conflicts … such as shame that all was
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 4, 2012 11:01 AM EST up reply actions
wat up clankster ... you watching girl happy also?
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 4, 2012 5:07 AM EST up reply actions
very extemporaneous
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 4, 2012 5:10 AM EST up reply actions
my comment was on the spur of the moment .. didn't really mean anything
so … extemporaneous … i’m now listening to crossroads
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 4, 2012 5:17 AM EST up reply actions
me too ... movies were all the same, but elvis can sing anything and sound good
some actually are decent stories…
now listening to rob johnson sweet home alabama
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 4, 2012 5:21 AM EST up reply actions
well i'm not a avid watcher or anything but that's what's on TCM open all nite
and i’m awake and don’t feel like watching infomercials about inasanity or whatever and i can watch an elvis movie with the best of them, but since your comment i’ve been listening to RJ, so come on in my kitchen
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 4, 2012 5:29 AM EST up reply actions
I'm listening to elvis presley use his instrument to magical effect and reliving my youth
lemonade sweet lemonade
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 4, 2012 5:13 AM EST up reply actions
some sweet ladies hanging out at the seadrift motel in the last scene
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 4, 2012 5:22 AM EST up reply actions
all right i'll leave you to your devil blues ... good night/morning clank
11 in 11' √
"2011 is dead. Long live 2012!." ... Az.
by I-Musial-ly-Am on Mar 4, 2012 5:43 AM EST up reply actions
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