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<!--quoteo(post=19439:date=Feb 20 2009, 08:55 PM:name=Clapp)-->QUOTE (Clapp @ Feb 20 2009, 08:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=19436:date=Feb 20 2009, 06:39 PM:name=Scarey)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Scarey @ Feb 20 2009, 06:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I think the pro-Miles people are blowing the anti-Miles people's argument out of proportion.
Me being an anti-Miles person (I would hardly call it anti-Miles, I'm just not gun-ho on him), I can tell you that I hope to see some great baseball from him this year. However, I'm not going to drink the kool-aid here and talk about him being a .300 hitter and capable utility player when he's <b>not</b>.
He can play second base well and is a sub par defender in other spots.
He hit .300 last year for the first time in his career and his career OBP is .329
<b>I expect Miles to hit around .280/.320/.370 and play subpar defense.</b> Does that mean I think we need to get a better utility player? NO IT DOESN'T! But, that doesn't mean that I'm happy to see him being the only other SS option besides Theriot.
I would be happy with a strong glove up the middle on the infield. It could be a terrible hitter as long as it's someone we can rely on for solid defense. Do that, and I'll be happy to see Miles platoon at second and occasionally fill in at SS, 3B, and the OF.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
He's a fine second baseman and he's a Theriot at SS, it's not going to kill us. As I've said, he's also going to get a ton of at bats right-handed where his obp over his career is 30 points higher than it is left-handed. He also hit .290 and then .317 the last 2 years, why do you "expect" him to hit .280?
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Because that's what I expect. The guy hit .264 the year before those two years, it's not ridiculous to think he'll hit .280.
Also, he's not a Theriot at SS, he's worse.
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<!--quoteo(post=19442:date=Feb 20 2009, 07:38 PM:name=Scarey)-->QUOTE (Scarey @ Feb 20 2009, 07:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=19439:date=Feb 20 2009, 08:55 PM:name=Clapp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Clapp @ Feb 20 2009, 08:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=19436:date=Feb 20 2009, 06:39 PM:name=Scarey)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Scarey @ Feb 20 2009, 06:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I think the pro-Miles people are blowing the anti-Miles people's argument out of proportion.
Me being an anti-Miles person (I would hardly call it anti-Miles, I'm just not gun-ho on him), I can tell you that I hope to see some great baseball from him this year. However, I'm not going to drink the kool-aid here and talk about him being a .300 hitter and capable utility player when he's <b>not</b>.
He can play second base well and is a sub par defender in other spots.
He hit .300 last year for the first time in his career and his career OBP is .329
<b>I expect Miles to hit around .280/.320/.370 and play subpar defense.</b> Does that mean I think we need to get a better utility player? NO IT DOESN'T! But, that doesn't mean that I'm happy to see him being the only other SS option besides Theriot.
I would be happy with a strong glove up the middle on the infield. It could be a terrible hitter as long as it's someone we can rely on for solid defense. Do that, and I'll be happy to see Miles platoon at second and occasionally fill in at SS, 3B, and the OF.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
He's a fine second baseman and he's a Theriot at SS, it's not going to kill us. As I've said, he's also going to get a ton of at bats right-handed where his obp over his career is 30 points higher than it is left-handed. He also hit .290 and then .317 the last 2 years, why do you "expect" him to hit .280?
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Because that's what I expect. The guy hit .264 the year before those two years, it's not ridiculous to think he'll hit .280.
Also, he's not a Theriot at SS, he's worse.
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I don't even want to talk about this topic anymore but I think the previous 2 seasons the guy played are more relevant than his stats 3 years ago. I'm not saying he couldn't hit like .280, but I think it's more likely he hits .290+. Whatever the case, it's not going to make a single difference on our outcome this season.
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<!--quoteo(post=19378:date=Feb 20 2009, 02:28 PM:name=cigar)-->QUOTE (cigar @ Feb 20 2009, 02:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=19377:date=Feb 20 2009, 02:26 PM:name=Gad)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Gad @ Feb 20 2009, 02:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I think it's hilarious and borderline insane that you guys are this concerned that your utility guy might only hit .290 with a .330 OBP.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Totally agree.
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ditto. miles is the least of my worries. plus, he'll be fine.
Wang.
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<!--quoteo(post=19377:date=Feb 20 2009, 02:26 PM:name=Gad)-->QUOTE (Gad @ Feb 20 2009, 02:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I think it's hilarious and borderline insane that you guys are this concerned that your utility guy might only hit .290 with a .330 OBP.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I wasn't too concerned until I read that Lou wants him to get at least 400 at bats. That's not a utility guy.
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<!--quoteo(post=19391:date=Feb 20 2009, 03:38 PM:name=leonardsipes)-->QUOTE (leonardsipes @ Feb 20 2009, 03:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=18986:date=Feb 19 2009, 10:43 AM:name=BT)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BT @ Feb 19 2009, 10:43 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <!--quotec-->Last year was the first time in his career that he hit over .300, I don't think that qualifies him as a ".300 hitter".<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I disagree. Sometimes all it takes is doing something once, and suddenly you are a lifetime member of that club. For instance, I've only molested ONE child in my life, now suddenly, I'm a child molester.
Weird.
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good point.
Hoff should make the team, Gathright should be replaced by another IF.
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Now that we can agree on Leonard!
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<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->make contact consistently( productive outs? the idea that this is a good thing is a fallacy. How is flying out better than striking out? It isn't, except in HIGHLY specific situations. Miles will make a whole lot of outs, like he always does.)<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It is a funny thing about the stat world, that unless you are a homerun hitter, contact is bad. Contact almost always results in an out. Not swinging is always right (a walk never results in an out). The results of a ball hit in play are random. We don't have to concern ourselves with all these highly specific situations that come up and whether the random results of the batted ball produce the correct result.
Yet a strike out is the same as any other out. Even though, making contact could randomly result in not being out at all. We can of course ignore the fact that a strikeout is probably not the bast result for any of the highly specific situations. Too many different ones and too highly specific to be of sufficient sample size for any statistical analysis.
I like you guys a lot.
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<!--quoteo(post=19529:date=Feb 21 2009, 12:59 PM:name=leonardsipes)-->QUOTE (leonardsipes @ Feb 21 2009, 12:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <!--quotec-->make contact consistently( productive outs? the idea that this is a good thing is a fallacy. How is flying out better than striking out? It isn't, except in HIGHLY specific situations. Miles will make a whole lot of outs, like he always does.)<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It is a funny thing about the stat world, that unless you are a homerun hitter, contact is bad. Contact almost always results in an out. Not swinging is always right (a walk never results in an out). The results of a ball hit in play are random. We don't have to concern ourselves with all these highly specific situations that come up and whether the random results of the batted ball produce the correct result.
Yet a strike out is the same as any other out. Even though, making contact could randomly result in not being out at all. We can of course ignore the fact that a strikeout is probably not the bast result for any of the highly specific situations. Too many different ones and too highly specific to be of sufficient sample size for any statistical analysis.
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The only thing worse than a strikeout is grounding into a DP. I think that's what a lot of stat worshipers stand behind. For a lumbering power hitter, I'd rather he struck out with RISP, but if we're talking more of a contact hitter with some speed, I'd rather he put the ball in play. It's all about context, so I hate these blanket statements about the game.
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<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->Jeff Samardzija will start the Cubs' first Cactus League game on Wednesday, when they play host to the Los Angeles Dodgers at HoHoKam Park.
Cubs manager Lou Piniella said they will hold back regulars, including Carlos Zambrano, until the second week of games. Zambrano was on the mound early Saturday at Fitch Park, throwing 25 pitches to five different hitters.
"There's no reason -- there's just no hurry," Piniella said of Zambrano.
Because Spring Training is so long and because the Cubs want to stretch out pitchers like Samardzija, Chad Gaudin and Aaron Heilman, the ones who will be in the rotation like Zambrano and Ryan Dempster won't be in the early games.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
By the way, MLB Net's got a TBD game scheduled for Wednesday at that time, I'd bet it's this one.
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<!--quoteo(post=19550:date=Feb 21 2009, 05:29 PM:name=Clapp)-->QUOTE (Clapp @ Feb 21 2009, 05:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->By the way, MLB Net's got a TBD game scheduled for Wednesday at that time, I'd bet it's this one.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Thanks for the head's up. Time to kick my MLB.tv subscription back in.
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Sullivan's already in mid-season form
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->Zambrano tests arm, shows off his testy side
February 22, 2009
MESA, Ariz. — While Chicago endured another snowstorm Saturday morning, Hurricane Z made its first sweep through Fitch Park.
Cubs right-hander Carlos Zambrano threw his first batting-practice session, facing a handful of minor-league hitters at 8:30 a.m., with pitching coach Larry Rothschild and trainer Mark O'Neal behind the mound.
The Cubs are monitoring Zambrano closely after shoulder problems contributed to a poor second half last year. Despite throwing a no-hitter in September against the Astros, Zambrano compiled a 5.80 ERA after the All-Star break. The Cubs said not to read anything into the fact that O'Neal was watching Zambrano or that Zambrano bypassed the media and stomped out of the clubhouse shouting "beat it" in Spanish.
After the day's workout, manager Lou Piniella said Jeff Samardzija would start the Cactus League opener Wednesday and Zambrano won't pitch until the sixth or seventh game. With spring training lasting a week longer because of the World Baseball Classic, Zambrano and Rich Harden will be starting behind the others.
While no one seems overly concerned about Zambrano's shoulder, some are worried about his head. When reporters approached him after his session, Zambrano said he was not speaking in either English, Spanish or Japanese.
So how did the session go?
"Hold on," Zambrano said before bending down to tie his shoes.
He then got up from his stool and stalked off to the kitchen.
"I'll be back in four hours," he said.
When the clubhouse opened four hours later, Zambrano was gone.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
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In ST, it seems all things are possible.
There's nothing better than to realize that the good things about youth don't end with youth itself. It's a matter of realizing that life can be renewed every day you get out of bed without baggage. It's tough to get there, but it's better than the dark thoughts. -Lance
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Sullivan is such a turd. That piece was 80% drivel, only 10% baseball related and the other 10% was made up slander. Way to hold a grudge, assnugget.
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<!--quoteo(post=19579:date=Feb 21 2009, 11:52 PM:name=rok)-->QUOTE (rok @ Feb 21 2009, 11:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Sullivan is such a turd. That piece was 80% drivel, only 10% baseball related and the other 10% was made up slander. Way to hold a grudge, assnugget.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Has anyone in the Chicago media (say, on sport-talk radio) ever called him out about his stunningly obvious grudge against Z? It's getting to be freaking ridiculous.
There's nothing better than to realize that the good things about youth don't end with youth itself. It's a matter of realizing that life can be renewed every day you get out of bed without baggage. It's tough to get there, but it's better than the dark thoughts. -Lance
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<!--quoteo(post=19586:date=Feb 22 2009, 01:29 AM:name=KBwsb)-->QUOTE (KBwsb @ Feb 22 2009, 01:29 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=19579:date=Feb 21 2009, 11:52 PM:name=rok)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (rok @ Feb 21 2009, 11:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Sullivan is such a turd. That piece was 80% drivel, only 10% baseball related and the other 10% was made up slander. Way to hold a grudge, assnugget.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Has anyone in the Chicago media (say, on sport-talk radio) ever called him out about his stunningly obvious grudge against Z? It's getting to be freaking ridiculous.
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Kap teases him about it, but since Sullivan's a guest on the show and likely his radio program sometimes he has to be nice to the guy and just laughs it off. I'm sure nobody actually likes him. He's a pissbitch about everything. I can't wait til he says something that pisses off Bradley.
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