pete

I'm surprised there is nothing about Bush in here. I wonder how his last start stacks up against recent history of bad starts for the team.

Its hard not to be sarcastic here. A big criticism of Macha is that he doesn't bunt enough. I'd like to see more bunting for hits and fewer sacrifices. You explain how sacrifices are often bad strategy. A lot of the noise about how horrible Macha is, besides the amorphous things like "fire" is that he doesn't play enough small ball - you know sacrifices. I criticized that idea. Not supporting them most of the time while he made monkey faces and then having a grossly disproportianate response that included going postal doesn't impress me as "supporting" his players. Macha goes out, complains, even swears. Should his responses be unrelated to the actual events like Yost?

So Macha sucks because he started Hall at all? And what made you think that Macha planned on using Suppan for the year?

They could both split time in the majors. If there was a decent emergency catcher, whoever wasn't playing could be the RH pinch hitter in late innings. It would be great for double switches too. Its still a ways off. What I wonder is what do they do if Kottaras does well.

If there ever was a guy who looks like he could qualify for the medical use of steroids, Mike is the guy. Has he filled out any this year?

I think Macha has been great. I can't believe anyone would want Yost back. Billy Hall would still be at 3rd and nobody would ever pick up a start for any of the outfielders. Instead of having an appropriate response to things that happen on the field with umpires or the other team, he would make monkey faces until he exploded over something small. Screaming wildly and spitting on an umpire is stupid over something like a blown call on a tag or the like. Suppan would be locked into the rotation for the year and we'd have press conferences about how Soup pitched great. He loved roles for his bullpen much more than Macha does. I'd say the players are playing with fire and motivation now. I don't see the value in lying about players to the media in a comical fashion or even something that the players would value. Under Yost, everyone would just keep the same role no matter what. The weird obsession with bunting is the absolute last reason to criticize Macha. I wish they'd have Gomez bunt more, but I'd have the pitchers hit more. And Dale Sveum? How many liked his decision to start Suppan in the playoffs? How many like how long he left him in there? How many want lots and lots of bunting? He also said he wanted to get Counsell some at bats to start the season and Escobar was the regular shortstop. Is it really so bad to get the bench players a start now and then rather than icing them?

I read all the minor league stuff and its still hard to keep up with all the pitching prospects, at least for me. If anyone felt motivated a review with some thoughts on stuff and ETAs would be valuable.

I liked the description of Gindl as "packed with more power than a spinach can."

Rays are short on money. I think duplicating that Tex trade is unlikely. The Braves probably wouldn't do that deal again and there might not have been any other teams that would have then and now. Boston is probably more likely if Big Papi is truly done, but even there, they might get a better deal for AGon. They plain might not want to do it, but I think it'll take a team on the cusp of World Series contention and without payroll problems.

Yeah, there were some people, but there were plenty of downsides and who exactly do you think would have been netted? Saying that the team would have been better with what likely would have been a fifth starter and one less year of Escobar is the argument that is being made. It's like the argument that Prince could be traded for a top of the rotation starter along with various treasures is great to condemn the guy, but it's probably fantasy.

Do all the people with the retro love for JDLR, want to keep Parra? Here, other forums, radio callers and even radio hosts just hate on the guy. Grandpa Simpson, uh, I mean Steve the Homer True on his show Weak Sauce Central thinks its confusing why anyone would keep him on the roster and thinks he should be given away just to be rid of him. "The Big Show" with Squeaky, the Fat Man and a Tigers fan on WSSP think Manny is a chump. And on and on. Saying that Hardy should have been traded at some other time seems like Monday morning QBing. If his hitting turned around, Melvin would have been smart. There were rumors of him being shopped earlier. For all we know, what he was offered wasn't useful. When he talked about trading him after getting Gomez, he said he wanted a CF or a SP. In all likelihood, the SPs he was offered were more bottom of the rotation filler guys. Not many teams are moving middle of the order starters with decent contracts and a year or two left. Getting Gomez seems like a pretty good gamble to me. I know having great CF defense is something i like. Also moving Hardy a year or two earlier would mean a year or two less of Esco down the road. I think he was clumsy setting up the starting rotation this Spring. It seems as if he was counting on someone being injured. Personally, I don't like soft tossing junk ballers. I'm sick of Dave Bush and never liked DD, but i don't mistake that preference for analysis. I read a lot of blogs and forums and DD was almost universally hailed as a smart signing while Wolf was almost universally panned as an overpay for a guy who is almost guaranteed to be injured. I'm really liking Wolf so far, but I guess we'll see.

I can't be a fourth starter? My main pitch is a gravity ball. Can anyone really say how good Mike Maddux was? He was here for a long time. Seven games in, the interviews with various pitchers sound like they could be more than just the usual fluff. He's also heavily involved in keeping guys healthy with good mechanics. If that's effective it would be huge. He also looks sleep deprived every time I have seen him. His interviews are a bit too media savvy to be interesting - too much happy positivity without much meat.

Chicago talk radio had two programs that spent a fair amount of time talking about how crazy the bleachers were. It was funny to hear them mock stupid fans. Also descriptions of what sounds like a bunch of fights. And an interesting tradition of throwing beers in the air when a Cubs HR is hit.

Never trust Spring training numbers?

I find it surprising how far some of his HRs go without a big swing. That game winner was about 10 rows into the upper deck. His defense was solid against the Cards as well.

My guess is if they could get him for 6/120, he'd be signed right now.

Inconsistent UZR doesn't mean inconsistent defensive performance.

I remember Squeaky Fifer absolutely screaming on the radio when Hardy played. Later it as revealed that there were scouts there to look at him and the season was over as well. There were other times when he complained about Counsell and then it turned out that someone was dinged up. So far this year he has screamed at Macha for playing Counsell and Edmonds in the upcoming season. His latest obsession is paying a fifth of the payroll to a player is certain doom.

THT is becoming the Bleacher Report for snobs. That article is worthless. He admits not knowing what Macha and Sveum are doing and makes generic recommendations. Assuming that they don't want him to hit more line drives is idiocy as is thinking that Macha is going to give a manager's briefing and talk about wOBA.

This whole thing probably came out of him chatting with AW and talking about how he missed his family. Extrapolating that into he may be planning on turning down the team or refuses to play a position or demands playing time seem excessive to me.

I don't get MLB Network anymore since I went with AT&T, but my recollection of Hart is he says nice thing, nice thing, nice thing, they aren't very good about the Brewers.

I don't know if Maas has a link up to it yet, but AW talks about Soup in his latest radio appearance. Going on memory, he talks about him being one of Mark A's favorite player and didn't think it was possible that he would end up in the bullpen. What AW says may be true, but if he keeps getting hit hard, maybe that would tip things. Having said that he'll probably do really well next time out. http://wssp.radiotown.com..._Show/031910_witrado.mp3

Working for the company that you report on versus being outside media changes the nature of your job. Regardless of whatever guidelines he has officially received, he is an MLB employee tasked with providing copy for the team website. By nature that's going to result in a different product at times than a news reporter tasked with covering the team.

Who was a good 8th or 9th starter used last year? Where was Chad Gaudin in the pecking order with the Yankees? I don't think it makes sense to waste a roster spot on a guy to sit in the bullpen and wait for injuries to make him needed, probably around the middle or end of the season.

I think Tom H is excellent.