Fatter than Joey

I have pondered and argued this for a while, I can't think of anything cooler than the Borg-Warner I dunno -- at some point those faces are going to tell you to do stuff -- and of those faces look like they'd tell you to do bad things.

"In a moment of unbridled rage, Ben Sheets thrust his pitching arm through Ned Yost's abdomen, upon learning Mota was coming into the game."

The best way I can describe The Eagles is the following: If a deranged evil scientist starting cloning Kevin Costner, and he told 5 Kevin Costner clones to form a band and make music, the result would be pretty close to The Eagles... Here is a non-sucky version of Hotel California.

FTJ I know we disagreed about the trade when it happened, but I do agree with how Balfour was handled. I will readily concede that Seth has worked his ass off for us, and has made the most of his opportunity in Milwaukee. Balfour hadn't pitched in the bigs since 2004, Yost should have done a better job getting Balfour a couple of lower leverage innings to get the jitters out. Mota had a very good April and May, a poor stretch I need to correct you Al, Mota had a bad April -- 10 BBs in 12 IP (not to mention 12 hits as well) -- that's poor pitching by anyone's standard. Mota has been a bad pitcher for the last 3 years or so. and now has been fine since the all-star break, or just after. I will point out that Mota has reduced his BB rate significantly, and that is a good thing. Middle of a race, bring up a guy from AAA, and he's horrible, can't throw strikes, gives up shots, he's gone. This isn't rocket science. The problem was, he was out of options. We are in a middle of a race in 2008, Mota and Gagne were horrible, couldn't throw strikes, gave up shots -- they should have been gone (by Al's 3 game standard) -- but they weren't. They were given more opportunities, because of their salaries, and DM can't keep his job DFA'ing guys he has tied up $13M in. As you point out Al, Mota was bad, got some time to work it out, and now is pitching better -- you seem to be talking out of both sides of your mouth on this. We are in a playoff race in 2008 as we were in 2007. Balfour should have gotten more of a chance to work out his initial struggles -- especially when you look at his AA/AAA stats.

Nobody thinks he hurts the team when he's on the field. Just when he's in the batters box. Right -- we are talking about a .300 OPS difference. No one is saying CC does not have any value -- I'd rather see his starts happen when Hardy needs a day off, or improve the D of the Weeks/Durham black hole.

Gary Numan?

As many point out, when you argue batting order, you're arguing semantics. False. C'mon Al you can do better than this. This is not simply a lineup thing -- it's a starter thing as well. There is no right or wrong batting order. Agreed. However there are definitely "more right" or "more wrong" lineups -- Both you and I know this. If you gave me your "best" lineup, I can guarantee I could produce a lineup that would score less runs in a computer simulation. The only reason that Counsell is batting 6th is because that is where Hall/Branyan batted. Counsell potentially getting an AB over Cameron is not giving your team the best chance to win. As I will say for the final time, Counsell is a better defender than Branyan, Ok fine. Is he .300 OPS points better? -- Counsell is a much better defender than Prince as well -- the defense delta between Prince and Counsell is much greater than the delta between Counsell and Branyan. Should we start CC at 1b, and let him bat in Prince's spot (I hope ned isn't reading this). However, as often occurs, I do find it ironic that many insist on saying the team should improve the defense, and then complaining every time they play the better defensive player. I think it would be possible to improve the D w/o resorting to starting a .625 OPS player. If DM can't do this he should be canned.

It's your classic case of someone finds the right combination and puts it together, much like Turnbow did for us for a while. I'm not wishing it Balfour or anything, but I really wouldn't be shocked if he ends up falling apart again. I couldn't disagree more. Balfour was a solid yet unspectacular major league level pitcher for the Twins -- and then blew out his arm. He missed all of 2005 and pitched 9 IP of A ball in 2006. In 2007 the Brewers took a shot on him, and he struck out 21 in 11 IP in AA, & 68 in 43 IP at AAA, with a combined WHIP of .92 Then he got called up to MLB -- and pitched in 3 games for the Brewers -- GM 1 -- Gives up a 3 run jack in a 2-2 game, Brewers lose 5-2. GM 2 -- Bails out Villy to end the inning -- starts next inning gives up a single & strikes out a batter -- yields to Turnbow who proceeds to put the game out of reach. Brewers Lose GM 3 -- Gives up 2 BBs and a single to lose a game in the 12th. Yost put Balfour (who hadn't pitched in MLB since 2004), in very high leverage situations. This isn't a case of a pitcher "putting it together" -- it's a case of a pitcher recovering after a devastating injury. They were not in a situation to be patient, he was out of options, so there's really nothing they could have done. I disagree with this as well -- the Brewers have been patient with pitchers like Wise, Turnbow, Gagne, Mota, etc. plus their bizarre fascination with 13 and 14 pitchers on the rosters, leads me to think that they could have done something. Why Mota continues to pitch with his unified ceiling/basement, and Balfour gets the boot after 4IP with 98+ MPH cheese and some hope of improvement is beyond me.

After the trade though, i did wonder if another team in a less pressure situation gave Grant a chance to work out the nerves, if he'd be successful. I didn't envision this though. One of the things that really upset me about Yost in 2007 was the way he handled Balfour.

Parra was acting against a team custom and being a baby about it. He had a couple bad innings and was pouting and was thinking of himself, not the team. He was thinking of himself only. The only thing I don't like about this at this point, is people calling out Manny's character when we really don't know what Manny did or didn't do. We don't know what was said -- but we do know what Prince's actions were. Prince apologized and that makes it a done deal, but it is entirely unfair to classify Parra as a baby.

I think you would want to normalize the LOB by runs scored or total baserunners... A DP helps lower the LOB, but certainly is not an optimal offensive result.

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I now hope and pray I see "Fixing waterheaters" come up on Jeopardy Not if you are playing me you don't.

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I agree with that as well, but to my point about FTJ, why is his educated guess a worse projection because it wasn't based on a projection system? because I drink the cheap hooch.

Any other excellent 1B defenders present or past anyone can think of? Hernandez was the best when I was a kid. Steve Garvey was over rated, but very good -- Wes Parker was great as well... I'm surprised no one mentioned the Boomer -- Probably the best in the AL when he played for the Brewers.

James seems to be experiencing a backlash as he continually says "more research needs to be done". I've seen people on this board claim that he's a has been and statistical analysis has passed him bye... I dont know that people here claim this -- James is still as smart and witty as he ever was, I think people are just saying that James isn't aware of all the stuff that is produced these days. From a pure mathematical perspective, it's not as if James would be blown away by VORP or OPS+, or any statistical methodology, it's just that his finger is not on the pulse perhaps.

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I think it was in the mota relief fund thread (Pedro) Mota's in -- balls launched into flight...

I honestly think Yost does not like Branyan.

Hey dudes -- I am trying to put together a winter program for our boys.... which of course would be indoors.... I came across this product http://www.reactionpro.com/images/ReactionPro-pad-website-22.jpg Which looks like a great training tool -- however they want $120 per pad, and no retailers seem to carry them. Any ideas on how some one could make something like this?

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Also, TH, learn how to punctuate. Its not like were idiots to! or were you being clever?