MLB '08 Season Discussion

[Cephius]

He is injury prone. The 11 starts in a row he's made is the most he's made in a long while. He's been on the DL once this year already for a month, and made one start last year before going out for the year. With the way the Cubs are with injury prone pitchers (Prior and Wood, I'm looking at you), this will definitely be a careful operation.

Yeah, that's why I figured they let him go for those guys. Gallagher is a subpar starter, Murton has done nothing, Patterson may become a decent 2B but he's too new. I don't know anything about the minor league guy the Cubs sent over. I guess something is better than nothing if you feel you can trade the guy while his value is high.

[archibaldcrane]

The thing is, he's under contract through '09, so it's not just a rental for the Cubs. If he stays, say, Ben Sheets-level healthy it sounds like a really good move for the Cubs.

CC is sadly just a rental, his contract is up at the end of the year and the Brewers will invariably lose both CC and Ben Sheets. We'd better make the most of this season.

[Rhinox]

Sure he is oft injured but when he is healthy he's considered an Ace of a staff. coupled with the year Dempster is having and lily the Cubs have a pretty Impressive 1-4 Starting rotation. and we really only gave up Gallegher and Patterson(who doesnt impress me) to get him.

Not only that but we get a solid Bullpen guy thrown in who can become a starter into the mix as well.

By the way one of the reasons why Prior and Wood were "cursed" was how Dusty handled them during the 2003 season. If i were the reds I wouldnt have let Dusty near the arsenal of arms the reds have with a ten foot pole.

Edit2: Wow would not like to be a A's fan right now. just browsing some of the A's Forums. Billy beane has alot of explaining to do.

[Cephius]

The thing is, he's under contract through '09, so it's not just a rental for the Cubs. If he stays, say, Ben Sheets-level healthy it sounds like a really good move for the Cubs.

CC is sadly just a rental, his contract is up at the end of the year and the Brewers will invariably lose both CC and Ben Sheets. We'd better make the most of this season.

Yeah, they gave up some really good young players for a 3 month rental, they're banking on making a run or it's going to be seen like Shaq going to Phoenix and doing nothing for them. And yeah, CC is going to want way too much money for the Brew Crew to hold onto him. It looks like he might end up in NY from what I'm hearing, but who knows.

And again, the Cubbies just better pray Harden A) stays healthy and B) doesn't fold under the heavy pressure that's gonna be on him in a division race.

[Akiyama]

Yeah, because let's face it. Pitching for the A's in an obscure AL West versus pitching for the Cubs who haven't won a championship in 100 years, and having the Co-Ace of staff medal pinned on you are two completely different worlds all together. He's never had this pressure before, so it'll be fun to see how he reacts to it.

I know Prior and Wood weren't cursed due to just being Cubs, but you can't erase the fact that Dusty was indeed the Manager, and no matter what, the "curse" may have had something to do with it. =p You guys were cursed to have him as a manager. I feel bad for young Cueto and Volquez. =(

[archibaldcrane]

Yeah, they gave up some really good young players for a 3 month rental, they're banking on making a run or it's going to be seen like Shaq going to Phoenix and doing nothing for them. And yeah, CC is going to want way too much money for the Brew Crew to hold onto him. It looks like he might end up in NY from what I'm hearing, but who knows.

This is all true. But remember, the brewers haven't been to the post season since the strike-shortened 1982 season (I was two years old), and I mean, all they've done since then is bring up great farm talent, have them do well for the brewers til their contract expires, have them become free agents asking for more than the smallest-TV-market team in MLB can afford, and lose them to higher-payroll teams.

Might as well take some of these prospects and actually make a run at the playoffs finally - I can't really remember much from when I was two... And yeah, Shaq and CC might be the largest black men in their respective sports, but I don't think there's much comparison beyond that....hopefully.

Supposedly the Brewers played some hardball, keeping a few prospects that the Indians wanted - we only gave up one "minor league star", and we have the executive of the year (also known as our head scout) Zduriencik bringing up these prospects all the time.

Brewers up 7-3 in the 8th, woot. (Cubs winning and Cardinals won too...damnit). CC had a mediocre line - 5H/5BB/2ER/5K/6IP - but it's looking like it's good enough for the win.

Although Gagne is pitching the 8th...*Gulp*

[Akiyama]

lol, Gagne. I don't know what's so fun about watching him pitch. I guess it's the fact that you have no fucking clue what's going to happen next.

[Viq]

Too lazy to quote different people, but this is a classic Billy Beane trade. While Patterson and Gallegher are the two that more people have heard of, the name that probably lit Beane's fire was Donaldson. Aside from catching prospects being about as hard to find as Jimmy Hoffa's corpse, a catching prospect that walks a ton is fap material for Beane.

As for the Brewers side of things: I really wish Gallardo didn't hurt his knee this season. I have no shame in admitting my man crush for Gallardo's pitching as far back a few years ago when I was living in WI and paid more attention to the Brewer system top to bottom. Aside from that, I feel that the Brewers wouldn't have mortgaged a bit of their future for Sabathia if Gallardo never got injured. Yovani was supposed to be their locked up #2 man this year, and most likely their ace once Sheets walks this off-season. Now the Brewers are going all in, raising their payroll to roughly $90mil for this season, for an extremely short window of opportunity. I certainly like their chances to make the playoffs this year, as I would consider them one of the three best teams in the NL right now (Cubs, Phillies). Assuming the Brewers take the wild card, they would likely have *insert NL East team here* in the first round. I'm not sure I like the Crew's chances in a short series without home field advantage.

[Akiyama]

Too lazy to quote different people, but this is a classic Billy Beane trade. While Patterson and Gallegher are the two that more people have heard of, the name that probably lit Beane's fire was Donaldson. Aside from catching prospects being about as hard to find as Jimmy Hoffa's corpse, a catching prospect that walks a ton is fap material for Beane.

As for the Brewers side of things: I really wish Gallardo didn't hurt his knee this season. I have no shame in admitting my man crush for Gallardo's pitching as far back a few years ago when I was living in WI and paid more attention to the Brewer system top to bottom. Aside from that, I feel that the Brewers wouldn't have mortgaged a bit of their future for Sabathia if Gallardo never got injured. Yovani was supposed to be their locked up #2 man this year, and most likely their ace once Sheets walks this off-season. Now the Brewers are going all in, raising their payroll to roughly $90mil for this season, for an extremely short window of opportunity. I certainly like their chances to make the playoffs this year, as I would consider them one of the three best teams in the NL right now (Cubs, Phillies). Assuming the Brewers take the wild card, they would likely have *insert NL East team here* in the first round. I'm not sure I like the Crew's chances in a short series without home field advantage.

I do. With Sheets and CC (assuming he doesn't blow in the playoffs again), the Brewcrew match up better pitching wise against the NL East. I mean let's go through their staffs. Phillies have Cole Hamels.. and that's basically it. Mets have Santana and that's basically it. Braves have Hudson and JJ, and the Marlins have uh... Miller? I guess? I dunno. The East has some pretty shitty pitching staffs in terms of depth. The Braves were gonna be good with Smoltz, Hudson, Glavine, JJ, and <insert 5th starter here>, but now Hudson and Jurrjens had to take up the staff with the old guys falling out. D:

Realistically though, it'll probably be between the Phillies and Mets, so I do like the Brewers chances.

[archibaldcrane]

Ben Sheets, 11Ks yesterday, Dave Bush, 13Ks today.

Me likey.

[Headspace]

Reds hit 7 homers today.

Wish they'd spread that shit out over several games and not in big bursts.

[archibaldcrane]

Reds hit 7 homers today.

Wish they'd spread that shit out over several games and not in big bursts.

Eh, they needed most of them to outpace the Cubs 7 runs.

[Viq]

Red Sox jumped back into first place on the last day before the break. In related news, I forgot to wear sunscreen despite my seats being in the bleachers. I can now blend in with any red clothing that I own.

[Akiyama]

Red Sox jumped back into first place on the last day before the break. In related news, I forgot to wear sunscreen despite my seats being in the bleachers. I can now blend in with any red clothing that I own.

Way to go man. Grats on the jump in first. Tampa Bay really struggled with Cleveland and their previous series. They weren''t giving their pitchers any run support at all.

In other news... Brian McCann homered again to finish something like 8-18 on this road stand where the Braves finished up 3-3, winning the series against a woeful Padres. Also, Campillo notched his 4th win, and Hudson made his first career relief appearance. Was pretty funny, really.

[archibaldcrane]

CC Sabathia in his 2nd Brewers start - CG 9H 9K 2ER 0BB - and a solo shot home run at the plate.

Brewers won 3-2 btw.

[Akiyama]

Sabathia is going to love the NL. He gets to bat!

[Viq]

When was the last time a pitcher homered for an AL and NL team in the same season? Before today, obviously.

[Melena]

read on espn that it was Earl Wilson from the tigers/padres in 1970. Think that was one of the last years before the DH rule got initiated in the AL.

[Viq]

Yeah, DH was '72 or '73 iirc

[Soa]

Its gonna be fun watching the Yankees/Red Sox vs the Cubs on Tuesday.......

I'm honestly shocked Hurdle didn't just add the Cubs third outfielder or their number 3 starter instead of Wright at this point. He could have easily waited till the Vote In results ended and picked the guy who finished second (yeah I admit I'm a tad bit bitter about Burrell getting snubbed).