TooLiveBrew

Vasgersian + Good color commentator is the only way I'm watching Fox baseball this summer.

Simmons should definately get into the hall......it's a joke that he's not. I couldn't agree more, Fireman. Lack of publicity & HR are the only two factors I can consider. The man was an All-Star 12 times! You can fluke your way into one, two, or even three perhaps. But not 12. Iirc, his D was sound, too?

Based on the general concensus of posts, the players tend to get more of a free ride if they are one of the good guys, and ridden harder if they are among the bad guys. But I believe it's the other way around. The guys that are better players (or where you can find something aside from lack of talent/ability... bad luck, wacky out-of-norm numbers, etc.) are ridden less because they present the least about which to complain. EDIT: The Capuano discussions come to mind, and that can be contrasted oftentimes with Vargas. The reason so many defended Chris was that there was significant evidence pointing to something aside from his ability (ended up being a major injury, among many other things...) which led to Chris's ineffectiveness. Conversely, with Claudio, what played the biggest role in his success - imo - last year was good luck. It's not that I pick on Vargas bc I don't like him or that I give Cappy a free pass bc I love him.

Wow is that cool! I know there's a thread in the OT forum on Fantasy Baseball, but this is a beast of its own. This has "Can Bill Hall Pitch?" potential written all over it.

Ahhhh... I gotcha.

You really can't do much better than Vargas in terms of a #6 or #7 SP. We can only hope that's how he's actually utilized.

Yeah, I'm thinking that either Howry or Marmol will see some time at CP this season as well. Why they're trying to put this much strain on Wood's arm is beyond me. He'd be an ideal 6th/7th inning, non-consecutive-days-usage RP... imho.

Just took it, but the wording surrounding the Car questions might have skewed it a bit... but you're probably fully aware of that. Tell your classmate that he/she did a brilliant job, given that it was his/her second language!

Sbryl, why didn't you lace 'em up with the Madison softball team last year? Are you going to this year?

But why is it important to keep McClung?

Perhaps not, but pairing that with Marmol's control problems... that's a bad combo for your 'best' (most-used) two RP, imo.

Parra, CV, Yo, Suppan, Sheets, Bush, and Vargas. Do you really expect all seven be on the Brewers the entire 2008 year? Nope. I think it's pretty much a given that Sheets will miss some time, and Parra remains a huge durability question mark. I think, given our current mix of MLB-caliber SP, 7 is a great number to have in terms of depth. Until YoGa is back, go Sheets/Soup/Bush/Parra/Vargas, with CV at Nashville. Once Yovani is back, use Sheets/YoGa/Soup/Bush/Villy with Vargas in the bullpen.

I don't think the OP meant character, instead the general popularity or lack thereof for a given player.

Playing the game of what ifs, suppose we had traded Cappy. Wouldn't this injury fall under the "damaged goods" clause and cause the trade to be voided and the prospects returned? Or is it a done deal once he passes the physical regardless? If he passed the physical, I think it's just a done deal. The most recent case I can think of was the Majewski trade between WAS & CIN. CIN sued/appealed, but I don't know what came of it.

Tell me how a win in April is any different than one in August or September. It's less clutchier. Also, Joe Morgan thinks it's only worth about half of a win in Aug. or Sept. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

Hey, I was trying to not be a homer! (but I agree)

The Brewers have the superior offense, but it isn't by much. I couldn't disagree more. Some may have their questions about some of our guys, but compare them to what ChC is running out there. A terrible SS, avg. 2B, young CF (who I happen to like) with a lot to prove, and a C for whom hardly anyone can forecast production. As for the rotation, just go spot-by-spot: Sheets > Zambrano (admittedly Z gets the edge if Benny only logs 125 IP or so) Gallardo > Lilly Suppan >/= Dempster Bush = Hill (this one's an odd comparison, since they're very different pitchers, but probably about even) Vargas/CV/Parra > Marquis

I noticed it was recording votes incorrectly. For roughly half of them, I was told I'd voted for the guy I didn't. Well done, milb.com. I know it's just a goofy contest anyway, but don't run it if you can't do it correctly. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/frown.gif

I think it's going to be a relatively tight race, fwiw. Cubs' pitching seemed to overachieve last year, while the Brewers' pitching underachieved. Brewers have the talent and depth to one of the best staffs in the league, but they had that last year too and failed. So, they have a lot to prove. And Ned has to get better at handling the bullpen. The defenses were what made the difference in '07, I think. Looking at that Cubs rotation, I just don't see it being able to replicate last year's success. The Brewers' improved D will help elucidate the superior talent in 2008, imo.

When she catches a squirrel you can start rewarding her. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/laugh.gif I'm blown away by the amounts some people got. I used to get a $0.50 piece, sorta along the lines of Bikeage's $2-bill suggestion (novelty of it). I like the idea to give it to her in dollar coin(s), fwiw. You could start offering her $25.00 for each squirrel tooth she brings you.

Never have done it, not even a no-no! Well done jason! I have never been so nervous playing a game before. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/laugh.gif I laugh, because I know exactly what you mean... I've been very antsy in all my no-no/PG bids. Strangely enough, it was never the nerves that did me in, just some crappy base hit. So j, you have to let us in on who made the big defensive play(s) in the game. What was Cappy's line?

We're probably going to need a thread to talk some trash about the Cubs at some point this year... and since I came across a brilliant nugget last night, I thought why not start it now. While reading over Sparky Lyle's Bronx Zoo (a great behind-the-scenes journal - basically - chronicalling the 1978 ('Bucky Bleeping Dent!' season), I found this priceless bit about Sweet Lou: "Lou has a habit of grabbing the ends of his hair with the tips of his fingers, twirling them into a strand, running his fingertips along the strand, and then after dropping the strand, he smells his fingers. It's a compulsion for him. He can't stand not to do it. Before the game, Lou was getting on Cat [Catfish Hunter] real good. He said, 'When I take my wife out to dinner, I take her in my Cadillac. When you take your wife, you take her in a John Deere tractor.' Cat said, 'Oh yeah, why don't you go smell your hair.' Lou didn't know what to say. He said, 'What? Huh? What did you say?' Then Cat and Craig and a couple of other guys put their fingers up to their nose they way Lou does and started smelling them. Afterward, Lou was grabbing the ends of his hair, twirling them like he always does, but he wouldn't drop the strand unless he was sure no one was watching him. He waited and waited, and when he thought no one was watching, real nonchalantly he sniffed his fingers." If there's any way we can get a "Lou - Why don't you go smell your hair?" t-shirt, or some variation thereon, I think it has to be done. For suggestion, front would read "Lou - why don't you go smell your hair?", and the back would feature this stunner: http://tampabay.rays.mlb.com/mlb/photo/photogallery/2003_2nd_half_moments/tb/01.jpg

Their pitching is better than the Yankees. Last year it was, not so sure about 2008.

Soto pounded the ball in Iowa last year, but it was his 3rd year with the team. He had a BABIP over .400. Ridiculously fluky.

Aside from perception, how is TGJ in any way a bubble guy?