TooLiveBrew

I, for one, am deeply disappointed that this issue was resolved. It was very entertaining that our topics had millions & billions of views!

all I know is that big scary cat isn't close to me, and I'm fine with that. Amen. Well-said. I wonder if that cougar looks at those kids the same way we look at chicken nuggets. It sure looks like that's how it's peering in... ordering off the '0 Dollar Menu.'

Obviously there are exceptions to the rule. Whenever a guy has a (++) pitch it can "even-out" not having something else. Ben Sheets being a good example. His ++ CB makes his below ave change-up not much of a factor. Just given your example chart, I have to ask: What about Sheets is the exception? Doesn't his FB count as the second plus pitch, and then the CU is that 3rd pitch? As in, FB (one plus pitch) + CB (two plus pitches) + CU (avg./below-avg.) = Ace/Perennial AS. Or is the CU bad enough that he 'needs' that ++ CB to 'normalize' the CU (for this comparison's sake) back to league-avg.?

Yea, I hope there aren't hard feelings involved. Maybe they're just going to use the hearing's figure to help work out a 2/3/4-yr. deal?

Please don't make Joe Dillon angry. You wouldn't like Joe Dillon when he's angry. I hear tell ol' Crazy Joe once killed a man with a pencil sharpener shaped like a di-no-saur! Everyone loves Cirillo because he's a gritty "professional hitter". Joe Dillon is a similar guy only younger. [and] his OPS has been over 1.000 in every healthy season since 2004 in AAA so it's not like he just learned how to hit. He's got the kind of stroke and approach that should be successful at any level. Best way to sum up Dillon, imo.

Precisely. To be fair to George, what does his agent mean by "Bird rights"? Is he attempting to suggest that the Mavs would go over their salary cap to re-sign a marginal player?

Ok, again, 669 AB with OPS over 1.000 in AAA... two separate seasons of repeated success. Your argument is incredibly selective.

Joe Dillon's 669 AB at AAA with an OPS north of 1.000 in 2006 & 2007 beg to disagree with you.

What on earth is Devean George doing blocking this deal? Does that do anything but create ill will towards him from the Mavs' front office?

Sure, it's just random specualtion on my part, but I think it's very reasonable to suspect that Joe Dillon utilized the same advantage that scores of other MLB players did, and much in the same manner.

I'll second that, burnie. Holy crap! It took me a while to recognize that the neck goes off to the right... and that this is not actually a ghost cougar. Creepy & scary, for certain... sizing up the kids! *shudders*

What "physical problem" did he have? ... Even after his great '05 season (in which he had a cup of coffee with the Marlins), he saw the writing on the wall and retired for a year. If by "saw the writing on the wall", you mean "had a career-ending back injury", you'd be correct. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif Luckily for Joe, there's HGH so he was able to come back, physically.

The time to mass market the sites has arrived!

At least he'll have a job when his playing days are over... he fits right into the Chicago media! Now if only those pesky Mets hadn't added Santana...

I can't click the link... am I the only one?

So no suspensions can even be reviewed? Even at the discretion of MLB?

That's kind of taking it out of context, though. This is from the article: "McClung wrote out his comments for the appeal and had a videotape of the pitch that showed a hitch in his delivery -- indicating bad mechanics rather than intent to throw at Pujols." This was the way McClung was presenting his side of the story. The ruling wasn't 'his suspension was overturned was due to his mechanics on the pitch in question' or anything to that effect... at least not publicized. I know endaround alluded to something else related to the suspension (career-ending, he called it?) - care to follow up, end? Besides, if the ruling was, 'well, it was just bad mechanics,' then every beanball hit-man just has to double-clutch a bit on his delivery to get off scot-free. I think the fact that Yost's suspension was upheld says something.

I'd be surprised if he even makes the team considering that there isn't really any aspect of his game that is above average. Career line v. LHP: .301/.361/.563/.924 Well above-avg.

I'd be surprised if he even makes the team considering that there isn't really any aspect of his game that is above average. Career line v. LHP: .301/.361/.563/.924 Well above-avg.

I'd be surprised if he even makes the team considering that there isn't really any aspect of his game that is above average. Career line v. LHP: .301/.361/.563/.924 Well above-avg.

And I still harbor a man-crush on Arizona's Chris Snyder. Snyder posted a .252/.342/.433/.775 line in 2007 - I think you're underestimating how much it'd cost to snag him. He had a spectacular season at C (obviously due in large part to his strong D, too). My guess is that the DBacks very much would have asked for someone we wouldn't want to let go (Villanueva, Parra, etc.) as a starting point in exchange for arguably the best C in the NL in 2007.

Like I said, we have been down this road before. Like I also said, you stat guys will throw a bunch of stats at it saying how horrible he is. a player doesn't always need eye popping stats to make a difference. Sometimes I think you and some others fail to understand that. You said it yourself, one tool guy and thats speed. Well thats one thing that the Sox had 0 of until he got there. Its not always about the SB% either. You put the thought of the SB in the pitchers mind, and he could hurry his pitches causing walks or serving up meat balls right down the plate. You can't put a stat on that. He was their spark plug, he did the things he needed to do to help the team win. He did have MVP votes in 05 and went to the ASG. He might not be the best player ever, but the guy didn't suck in 03 and didn't suck in 05 "You stat guys"? Come on. While I can agree that the threat to steal can have a nice impact, it has nowhere near the impact of carrying a high OBP, or not striking out much, etc. Podsednik is a non-slugger who strikes out at the rate of a power hitter. Are you really arguing that having their LF faster than most other teams' LF was the difference maker for CWS in 2005? Try career seasons from Dye, Konerko, Iguchi, Buehrle, Garcia, Garland, Contreras, Hermanson, Cotts, & Politte. I went out of my way to point out that Scott had a great year in 2003. He got on base well enough in 2005 (.351 OBP) to negate most of his horrid SLG (.349). CWS could have won the WS with a league-average replacement in LF in 2005, especially since Podsednik was actually below-average (AL avg. LF in 2005: .278/.335/.437/.772). If you're convinced that his speed was enough to overcome his offensive weakness, then of course my entire post has been just another "stat guy" rambling on about numbers. not saying podsednik was the only reason, or even the main reason the won the world series but he wasn't riding the bench during the run either. Neither was Juan Uribe or Carl Everett.

Like I said, we have been down this road before. Like I also said, you stat guys will throw a bunch of stats at it saying how horrible he is. a player doesn't always need eye popping stats to make a difference. Sometimes I think you and some others fail to understand that. You said it yourself, one tool guy and thats speed. Well thats one thing that the Sox had 0 of until he got there. Its not always about the SB% either. You put the thought of the SB in the pitchers mind, and he could hurry his pitches causing walks or serving up meat balls right down the plate. You can't put a stat on that. He was their spark plug, he did the things he needed to do to help the team win. He did have MVP votes in 05 and went to the ASG. He might not be the best player ever, but the guy didn't suck in 03 and didn't suck in 05 "You stat guys"? Come on. While I can agree that the threat to steal can have a nice impact, it has nowhere near the impact of carrying a high OBP, or not striking out much, etc. Podsednik is a non-slugger who strikes out at the rate of a power hitter. Are you really arguing that having their LF faster than most other teams' LF was the difference maker for CWS in 2005? Try career seasons from Dye, Konerko, Iguchi, Buehrle, Garcia, Garland, Contreras, Hermanson, Cotts, & Politte. I went out of my way to point out that Scott had a great year in 2003. He got on base well enough in 2005 (.351 OBP) to negate most of his horrid SLG (.349). CWS could have won the WS with a league-average replacement in LF in 2005, especially since Podsednik was actually below-average (AL avg. LF in 2005: .278/.335/.437/.772). If you're convinced that his speed was enough to overcome his offensive weakness, then of course my entire post has been just another "stat guy" rambling on about numbers. not saying podsednik was the only reason, or even the main reason the won the world series but he wasn't riding the bench during the run either. Neither was Juan Uribe or Carl Everett.

Like I said, we have been down this road before. Like I also said, you stat guys will throw a bunch of stats at it saying how horrible he is. a player doesn't always need eye popping stats to make a difference. Sometimes I think you and some others fail to understand that. You said it yourself, one tool guy and thats speed. Well thats one thing that the Sox had 0 of until he got there. Its not always about the SB% either. You put the thought of the SB in the pitchers mind, and he could hurry his pitches causing walks or serving up meat balls right down the plate. You can't put a stat on that. He was their spark plug, he did the things he needed to do to help the team win. He did have MVP votes in 05 and went to the ASG. He might not be the best player ever, but the guy didn't suck in 03 and didn't suck in 05 "You stat guys"? Come on. While I can agree that the threat to steal can have a nice impact, it has nowhere near the impact of carrying a high OBP, or not striking out much, etc. Podsednik is a non-slugger who strikes out at the rate of a power hitter. Are you really arguing that having their LF faster than most other teams' LF was the difference maker for CWS in 2005? Try career seasons from Dye, Konerko, Iguchi, Buehrle, Garcia, Garland, Contreras, Hermanson, Cotts, & Politte. I went out of my way to point out that Scott had a great year in 2003. He got on base well enough in 2005 (.351 OBP) to negate most of his horrid SLG (.349). CWS could have won the WS with a league-average replacement in LF in 2005, especially since Podsednik was actually below-average (AL avg. LF in 2005: .278/.335/.437/.772). If you're convinced that his speed was enough to overcome his offensive weakness, then of course my entire post has been just another "stat guy" rambling on about numbers. not saying podsednik was the only reason, or even the main reason the won the world series but he wasn't riding the bench during the run either. Neither was Juan Uribe or Carl Everett.

He does a good job of keeping the ball out of the air and in the park too, so he would fit well in their stadium. How much of that has to do with playing in an extreme pitcher's park?