Mlb '07 - Page 2

The Cubs don't tire anyone out.

except their fans.

I thought my link headline was factually accurate. I could have went with, Cards avoid sweep by killing Josh* Hancock in car "accident"

Not to defend Anya, but the way it's coming out - that Hancock was a soak who was probably bombed at the time the tow truck removed his head from his neck - sorta deep-sixes any sympathy for him.

He was either asleep or drunk. I found it odd that a press conf. a cop said they may never know what really happened. Always trying to protect the athltes.

And the more you hear about this guy it's good he only killed himself. It was only a matter of time before something like this was going to happen to him. Doubt the Cards players will say they will ralley for this drunk.

Drunk and probably high
What a dick.

.157 is pretty fucking drunk. I really have no sympathy for him now; I'm just glad he didn't kill anyone else.

LaRussa had better stop acting like a shit on this post-haste. He has no right to snipe at reporters for talking about this stuff.

http://www.wdef.com/video/extra_cove...ergoeswild.asf

Rosin bag grenade? Incredible.

Rod Beck dies at 38
From the article it could be suicide/over dose.

I can't get over how bad the White Sox are. They played poorly in the second half last year and are even worse this year. 70-89 over the last calendar year.

And it starts with one of the worst outfields I've ever seen. The fact that Ed Farmer was touting Darin Erstad and Scott Podsednik as saviours, of a sort, just tells you how out of touch with reality they are. Erstad's last good full season was 2000.

And, other than Buerhle, they have so few pieces to deal and their farm system is relatively empty, that it's going to take them some time to rebuild.

Erstad was seen as a savior of sorts not because he's great, but he's a solid player, a leader and great in the field. Podsednik was doing very well before he was hurt again, and he actually made the only noise of the weekend for the Sox.

They're about the worst team in baseball at this point, though. The injuries have hurt a lot, and I don't care how good a teams farm system is, they don't have 4-5 position players ready to make an impact in the majors.

It's sad to see Buerhle go, but I don't think he's worth what some team is going to pay him, and as bad as they are, they have to take the prospect they're going to get for him.

At least you've got a World Series victory to tide you over. The Indians just coughed up first place during a weekend series with the woeful Nationals. And Pronk hasn't swatted a dinger since May.

But don't you think there's a solid enough nucleus for the Sox to quickly rebuild?

The White Sox aren't really a young team, so it's hard to say what's the core of their next good team.

Konerko and Thome are sticking around, due to salary if nothing else, although age and injury have to be concerns. Fields and Sweeney are young players that will get a chance to prove themselves, although I don't think either are potential stars. I don't know how much Pierzynski has left in the tank.

The Sox do look to be in fairly good shape pitching wise. Garland, Danks, Vazquez, and Gio Gonzales have to be in the plans. As does Jenks.

That's what, maybe 9 players and whatever the White Sox reap from trading Buerhle and Contreras? Lots of work to be done and time is working against Thome and Pierzynski.

It seems to me the Sox have more than a couple tradable pieces. Isn't a large portion of Thome's salary being paid by the Phillies? And Dye is underachieving this year, but potential contenders that need to bolster their lineup might bite. You never know with baseball, though. The Sox had the best staff in baseball in '05... and half a season later they seemed to be running on fumes. After that 19 inning vistory vs. Boston right before the break last year, the Sox have basically been the worst team in the game. The central looks stacked, but what if Liriano is never the same? What if Detroit's young guns end up being paper Tigers? What if Cleveland... unfortunately continues to be Cleveland? Don't get me wrong, I think the Sox should try to retool sooner than later, but it's not like they aren't a couple starters and bullpen guys having career years away from contending again. Obviously the offense needs to come around too, but they clearly have the talent in that regard. At least for a few more years.

On a side note, I always half expected the feeling the WS imparted would fade by the next season. But it really hasn't. It was really a special thing.

They're going to be looking for position players for the next year or two. Fields looks like the real thing, but all of their OF prospects have busted pretty hard. Thing is, by the time their young pitching is ready to take the next step, Konerko will probably have lost a good deal, so I think they really need to focus on getting young position players out of the next few deals they make, though it's hard to argue with Williams' desire to round up young pitching and see who can make it.

I think Cleveland will be the WC team in the AL, but I really don't believe in their bullpen, even though it's been solid so far. I'd much rather see them win the Central over the Tigers and Twins.

What's really going to annoy me in the next couple weeks is listening to all the 'untouchable' prospects that teams aren't willing to give up for the pitcher who's been the most consistent over the past 6 years and who threw a no-hitter this year. There's such a fear about trading someone and him turning out to be good, but the majority of the time, these untouchable players end up being solid every day guys who won't ever play in an All-Star game. You're risking a World Series over the hope that some kid will actually develop like you think he might. It's stupid, and why I love Kenny Williams so much as GM.

Apparently, Buehrle is off the market. 4 years 50 million with the White Sox.

Sweet.

Nice.

Bargain bin price compared to all the other retarded contracts that pitchers have been given over the past couple of years. Especially when you look at Barry Zito (the most comparable pitcher to Buehrle because of his similar age, durability, ERA, record, coming up the same season and near identical innings pitched), who nabbed a monster deal because he's never been injured and still living off shit he did 5-7 years ago. Lets forget how he's basically regressed every season since he won the Cy Young, 5 years ago. It's amazing how Zito got a 7 year, $126 mil deal with an $18 dollar option when, from the sounds of it, Buehrle won't even get half of that. Amazing! Kudus to Buehrle and Kenny Williams...if it goes down. Whoever is Buehrle's agent, he should be fired immediately.

Why should the agent be fired? You really think he's pushing Buehrle to sign? He's probably calling the Union trying to get them to stop MB.

Because it's a shitty deal. He made the deal.

Some players value comfort over money and give teams hometown discounts.

12.5 million a year is alot even after taxes/agent. It's not like he's even going to spend most of that money. They get in the 70-100 million range because teams overpay because of need. Unless your Shaq buying every expensive toy out there you don't need the extra money. Get it if you can but there isn't much you can't get with a 50 or 100 million dollar deal.

You really think the agent is telling his player to do this, then? Really? You don't think the agent is aware how much more money he makes if he pushed him toward free-agency. There are actually players out there who tell their agents what to do, not the other way around.

The Score in Chicago is now saying Buerhle turned down a 4yr/56 million deal. The talked about a 5th year and/or no trade clause being the problem.

All Stars
NL

C Russell Martin Los Angeles Dodgers 1st
1B Prince Fielder Milwaukee Brewers 1st
2B Chase Utley Philadelphia Phillies 2nd
3B David Wright New York Mets 2nd
SS Jose Reyes New York Mets 2nd
OF Barry Bonds San Francisco Giants 14th
OF Carlos Beltran New York Mets 4th
OF Ken Griffey Jr. Cincinnati Reds 13th

AL

C Ivan Rodriguez Detroit Tigers 14th
1B David Ortiz Boston Red Sox 4th
2B Placido Polanco Detroit Tigers 1st
3B Alex Rodriguez New York Yankees 11th
SS Derek Jeter New York Yankees 8th
OF Vladimir Guerrero Los Angeles Angels 8th
OF Magglio Ordonez Detroit Tigers 6th
OF Ichiro Suzuki Seattle Mariners 7th

A little stunned there aren't 4 or 5 Yankees starting. Glad MLB fixed it so Bonds started.

The Sox are jackasses for not just giving him the No-Trade Clause. Fucking dopes.

If he wants to stay in Chicago I say trade him to the North Side for the rest of the year.

Lilly's ERA droped from last year(bad month of June) and I could see Buerhle doing the same.

I know Williams is drooling for Izturis and Jones.

Throw in Wil Ohman and it's a deal.

Scott Eyre is better.

Yeah, I don't get the hesitation of the Sox for a no trade clause. Especially since those things can be waived. Buerhle is leaving years and tens of millions of dollars on the table because he wants to stay with the organization and all he's asking for is a guarantee. I can see the no trade clause being a hold up on a market value contract, but this is just silly.

The Brewers were reportedly interested in Buerhle before, likely to replace Bush or Vargas and, just as likely, to keep him away from the Cubs. And they have a speedy, no power guy with a bloodline that plays CF at AAA.

I expect a lot of rumors to fly about Buerhle, Gagne, Otsuka, and Lofton in the next few weeks.

I'm sure everyone who attended today's Indians-Jays game in Toronto wanted more than anything to observe a nine-inning pitchers' duel between Paul Byrd and Josh Towers.

Wood jr to the 15 day DL
I've heard 2 weeks before. It usually turns into months.

Reports are the Brewers are close to getting Dunn fom Cincy for prospects. Think Gwynn and Matt Wise are involved. Not sure the Brewers problem was offense but it will help them there. But he is brutal on defense.

I'd rather have Griffey.

Reds fucked up with their outfield. Pena, Dunn, Kearns and they really didn't get much for them

I'd much rather have Dunn, and I don't think either of those guys are going to be anything the Brewers will miss.

Thing is, if you trade for Griffey, he's going on the DL the next day. That's just the way it is. And it's not like he's a gold glover anymore. They didn't move him from center just because of injury risk.

Griffey would only get hurt if I traded fr him on my fantasy team and I won't. Griffey K's alot less, more walks, better BA, and better defense. His contract sucks though.

Where are the Phillie fans?
Right before the break there was a rain/wind storm in the Rockies/Phils game. The tarp blew on the ground crew and it could have gotten out of control if not for the Phillies. Just about the enitre team ran on the field to get get the tarp under control. When it was all on the stood, sat, and layed on the tarp untill the sandbags came and they even helped put them on.

Cool video in the link. Even cooler that the Phils did that. And the only Rockies player I saw was LaTroy Hawkins.

Doubt the Phillie fans will come out now.

Utley breaks hand
Glad he's not on my fantasy team.

The worst part of that Utley story? It was fucking intentional. Latnam, or whatever the fuck his name was, was planning on plunking Howard (retaliation for the homer he gave up), and hit Utley first to make it look like "control issues."

Just sucks to see a player like Utley go down because of crap like that.

That's why glad Lee went after Young. If you want to hit someone on purpose to send a message do it around the ass. Head, chest, wrist is risking injury.

Fuck that. It's the game. It's not intimidating to hit someone in the ass. It doesn't make anyone step off the plate. You need to make the batter fear you and it's part of the reason guys like Clemens and Ryan were so good - batters were always on their toes.

Even more than steroids, it's the taking over of the plate that's caused such a surge in power.

I really don't get why more people don't get plunked. Nothing would cheese me more than being a pitcher and seeing the way some guys just stand in the box staring at home runs. For something like Pujols' monster off of Lidge in the NLCS, I can see. But these guys are doing it for balls hit 10 feet over the fence or are caught on the track (see Manny Ramirez against the White Sox last week).

You're also glad Lee went after Young because Lee plays for your team. Have a little self-awareness to this fact.

Of course, the problem is, Utley wasn't even the intended target. The guy basically got his wrist broken because he batted in front of Howard.

It's a tough break, but shit happens. I don't think he broke Utley's hand on purpose, he was just throwing inside.

Sometimes guys get hurt. I don't know of anyone who wants to give a guy a concussion or break their wrist, but that can't stop you. I mean, do you think because he wanted to hit Howard he shouldn't throw inside and you should only throw inside to guys you're trying to drill?

It's like football, should the fear of ending Joe Theismann's career have made LT take it easy on him? I don't think so.

Besides, throwing at the wrist... isn't that a litte vague? You throw inside, as long as it's below the shoulders and not behind a guy, isn't that fair game? I didn't see the Utley thing, but in Lee's case if he hadn't had the wrist injury last year (coupled with the Cubs severely underachieving at that point and the possibility that Young said something) I doubt he would've gone off.

Exactly. And it's compounded by the fact that they hang over the plate. A lot of batters actually have their wrists over the edge of the plate when they hit. You're just asking for it at that point.

I think if you want to hit Howard, you hit Howard. You don't act like a bitch and hit the guy ahead of him so you can blame what everyone knew was coming on an "unexpected" spurt of wildness.

Or hit both of them. I don't get the problem. Would it have been better if it didn't end up with a freak injury?

I'd have no problem if he broke Howard's wrist and didn't hit Utley, my issue is him trying to be all coy about it. You're either trying to send a message or you're not, don't purposely hit people if you're not willing to own up to it.

Be serious about this, Monk. What kind of suspension do you think a pitcher would get if he came out and said "Yeah, I was hitting him on purpose", especially after he was hurt.

I'm not saying he should have said it was on purpose, but the whole point behind hitting Utley was to cover up his intent to hit Howard. That is my issue.

But whatever, I wouldn't have cared this much had he not gotten hurt, true, but the practice is annoying as all hell. Why can't a pitcher just hit who he means to, what is with this need to cover it up by feigning control issues? I mean, shit, Utley is going to miss a month because this guy was trying to send a message to Howard? Ugh.

Anyway, that is more than enough "outrage" spent on a player whose loss actually benefits my rooting interests...

He does it because in today's game, he has to. If you hit a guy that people expect you to hit, you get suspended.

You should be pissed off at the modern game, not the pitcher. He shouldn't have to pretend to be wild, but he does because people are pussies.

Phils get Iguchi for Single A prospect
Why not hold out for a guy who might make the Club next year instead of 3 or 4 years away? Lots can happen.

Wouldn't expect much for Dye after this.