Bored

It's reported he is about to sign although it's far from official. At any rate I'm here to talk people off the ledge. Greg Maddux was only a slightly above average pitcher last year. He had his worst season in 16 years since his rookie year. He's going to be 38 years old. Greg Maddux is not Greg Maddux anymore. That being said he does make a better 5th starter than Jon Lieber.

Nevermind that OBP is far more important than batting average, Reese has never hit higher than .285. The Red Sox aren't a running team so Reese isn't going to have many opportunites to steal. God damn third in line! Fine let me add something. Here is Reese's yearly OPS+ numbers. Of course an OPS+ of 100 means you were an average hitter for that year. 1997: 50 1998: 70 1999: 89 2000: 73 2001: 62 2002: 76 2003: 41 Yikes.

Here is Joe Lunardi's latest Bracketology. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/bracketology Since we're just about a month away from the tournament and because I'm Bored here is the seeding breadkown according to Lunardi's projections: #1 seeds: Saint Joseph's, Duke, Stanford, Mississippi State #2 seeds: Kentucky, Oklahoma State, Gonzaga, Pittsburgh #3 seeds: Connecticut, Providence, Louisville, N.C. State #4 seeds: LSU, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Texas #5 seeds: North Carolina, Memphis, Wake Forest, Cincinnati #6 seeds: Kansas, Maryland, Georgia Tech, Arizona #7 seeds: Charlotte, Florida, Southern Illinois, Illinois #8 seeds: Seton Hall, Syracuse, Texas Tech, Dayton #9 seeds: Oklahoma, Kent State, Air Force, Utah #10 seeds: Michigan State, Utah State, Hawaii, DePaul #11 seeds: Florida State, UAB, Boston College, Vanderbilt #12 seeds: Nevada, Purdue, Alabama, Western Michigan #13 seeds: Virginia Commonwelth, Manhattan, Troy State, Wisconson-Milwaukee #14 seeds: Boston University, East Tennessee State, Lafayette, Louisiana-Lafayette #15 seeds: Princeton, East Washington, Monmouth, Austin Peay #16 seeds: Valpariso, Mississippi Valley State, SE Louisana, Liberty/Coppin State Here is the latest Top 25 teams in the RPI ratings from collegerpi.com 1. Saint Joseph's 22-0 2. Duke 21-2 3. Kentucky 17-4 4. Mississippi State 21-1 5. Stanford 21-0 6. N.C. State 16-5 7. Connecticut 19-5 8. Louisville 17-4 9. Gonzaga 21-2 10. Providence 17-5 11. Oklahoma State 18-2 12. Florida 14-7 13. Pittsburgh 22-2 14. LSU 17-4 15. Texas 17-4 16. North Carolina 15-7 17. Wisconsin 17-4 18. Seton Hall 15-6 19. Kansas 14-6 20. Texas Tech 18-6 21. Georgia Tech 18-6 22. Wake Forest 15-6 23. Southern Illinois 20-2 24. Alabama 12-9 25. Syracuse 16-5

But there's no reason Maddux would want to pitch in that ballpark with that team. It'd take him a lot longer to get to 300 with the Rangers. Also signing him won't get them out of last place this year and he obviously wouldn't be a long term solution to their pitching problems.

Young is moving to shortstop which is where he played in college and the minors. He was essentially A-Rod's back-up in Texas as if A-Rod had ever been injured Young would have shifted to shortstop and someone else would have played 2nd.

Wrong. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/attendance?s...03&seasonType=2 20 out of 30 teams last year sold out at 50% capacity or better. You sure about that? Have you looked at the attendance figures for the 70s? Teams reguarly drew under one million fans then.

He's going to be wearing lucky #13 or at least that is what ESPN said.

Here is Baseball Primer's Transaction Oracle assesment of the trade.

Nitro February 19, 1996 Arn Anderson def. Hulk Hogan by DQ Loch Ness def. Alex Wright Belfast Bruiser def. Brad Armstrong Ric Flair def. Randy Savage; WCW Title Match February 17, 1997 Rey Mysterio Jr. def. Super Calo Steve McMichael def. Hugh Morrus Dean Malenko def. Robbie Brookside Public Enemy def. Amazing French Canadians Prince Iaukea def. Steven Regal to win the Television Title Randy Anderson def. Nick Patrick Chris Benoit def. Roadblock Kevin Sullivan def. Doc Dean Eddy Guerrero def. Konnan by DQ; U.S. Title Match The Giant def. Top Gun & Johnny Swinger in a handicap match Chris Jericho def. Jeff Jarrett February 16, 1998 Bill Goldberg def. Hugh Morrus Sick Boy def. Mark Starr Public Enemy def. Outsiders by DQ Mike Enos def. Barry Horowitz Yuji Nagata def. La Parka Ultimo Dragon def. Billy Kidman Barbarian def. Meng Saturn def. Rick Martel Curt Hennig def. Bobby Eaton Steiner Brothers def. Vicious & Delicious by DQ; Tag Title Match Rick Martel def. 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Christian and D-Von Dudley (pinned) in a Triple Threat Match Lita def. Dean Malenko Eddie Guerrero NC X-Pac; Special Referee, Chris Jericho Rikishi & Haku def. Hardy Boyz Raven NC Crash; HC Title Match The Rock & Steve Austin def. Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit February 18, 2002 Hardy Boyz def. Lance Storm & Christian Kane def. Mr. Perfect Booker T def. Godfather Edge & Rob Van Dam def. William Regal & Goldust Triple H def. Kurt Angle February 17, 2003 Rob Van Dam def. Lance Storm Victoria & Jazz def. Molly Holly & Jacqueline Rodney Mack def. Al Snow Shawn Michaels & Jeff Hardy def. Chris Jericho & Christian in a No-DQ Match Hurricane def. Christopher Nowinski Three Minute Warning & Rico def. Spike Dudley in a handicap match Booker T & Scott Steiner def. Triple H & Batista Smackdown February 17, 2000 Kane def. Triple H by DQ; WWF Title Match Chyna def. Kurt Angle by DQ; Euro Title Match Tazz def. Gangrel Cactus Jack NC X-Pac in a Falls Count Anywhere Match Dean Malenko & Perry Saturn def. Too Cool Edge & Christian def. Big Bossman & Prince Albert Mark Henry def. Hollys in a No-DQ Handicap Match New Age Outlaws NC The Rock & Big Show; Tag Title Match February 15, 2001 Kane def. Edge Matt Hardy def. Perry Saturn Steve Austin def. Chris Benoit X-Pac def. Chris Jericho by DQ; IC Title Match Raven NC Big Show; HC Title Match The Rock def. Triple H by DQ February 21, 2002 Kane def. Kurt Angle by DQ Edge def. Christian Hardy Boyz & Rob Van Dam def. Dudley Boyz & Lance Storm Billy & Chuck def. Tazz & Spike Dudley to win the Tag Team Titles February 20, 2003 Chris Benoit def. A-Train Rikishi def. Johnny Stamboli Matt Hardy & Shannon Moore def. Rey Mysterio & Billy Kidman Nidia def. Torrie Wilson in a Paddle on a Pole Match Brock Lesnar def. Charlie Haas Brock Lesnar def. Shelton Benjamin Brock Lesnar def. Kurt Angle by DQ

Pirates sign Raul Mondesi. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-re...e/s_179718.html You know I'm giving up on baseball now as the Pirates are throwing the off competitive balance of baseball by signing and trading for every star player!

Adding to Al's point, range factor is not a good statistic for comparing first basemen and catchers. Harley your list for the range factor leaders from last year has players who were non-qualifyers. Here are the qualifying leaders, leaving out catcher and first base. These are taken from The Bill James Handbook 2004: 2B: Orlando Hudson 5.84 Marcus Giles 5.56 3B: Eric Chavez 3.15 Damian Rolls 3.10 SS: Adam Everett 4.94 Ramon Santiago 4.84 LF: Carl Crawford 2.54 Garret Anderson 2.46 CF: Mike Cameron 3.41 Alex Sanchez 3.07 RF: Jose Cruz Jr. 2.40 Aaron Guiel 2.32

You know who the happiest guy in baseball is right now? NOMAH! Now the Red Sox definently can't get A-Rod and he now holds all the power in negotiations for a new deal. The Red Sox are gonna have to take it up the ass on this one and like it.

Not that I'm defending Jeffrey Loria and as an A's fan I plenty of expierence with dealing with cheap ownership BUT the team that won the World Series last year had a payroll few million less than that. Lack of competitive balance is bullshit because having the highest payroll has guarenteed the Yankees nothing the last three years. A team can win on a $40-55 million payroll. Really only the few teams at the bottom of the payroll scale truly have no shot at winning. Spending a lot helps for sure but it definently doesn't guarentee you championships.

Damnit, I had it typed out in the Word file where I have them saved but guess I skipped it when I did copy and paste. I've added it now. SuperBrawl I took place in May of '91.

DugoutDollars is the place to go to get current and future payroll information. Last updated on February 8th.

Okay forget the Jeter at 2nd thing for a moment. It is still stupid to move A-Rod from shortstop to accomodate Jeter. Jeter is one of the worst, if not the worst, defensive shortstop in baseball. You just trade for one of the best, if not the best, defenisve shortstop in baseball. It makes no sense whatsover to keep Jeter at short.

Who cares about fielding percentage if you can't get to the ball? Lamb is a decent hitter and certainly better than Cairo and Wilson. He didn't get a chance to play last year because of the emergence of Hank Blalock.

Range numbers are more important than fielding percentage. Derek Jeter was DEAD LAST in all of baseball last year in range. Mike Lamb has average range for a 3rd baseman. Like I said in a previous post I said move Jeter to 2nd, not Lamb.

Let me clear something up. Mike Lamb at 3rd is a better option than Miguel Cairo or Enrique Wilson at 2nd. I said move Jeter to 2nd and not Lamb. Derek Jeter is a horrible defensive shorstop and it is pure insanity to move A-Rod from short to accomodate Jeter's fragile ego. Hell trade Jeter for a 2nd baseman if he doesn't want to move from short.

Huh? Mike Lamb is better than Miguel Cairo and Enrique Wilson who would be the Yankees two current options at 2nd if they go with the clueless plan of A-Rod at 3rd and not moivng Jeter.

Nope its just Soriano and a minor leaguer although who knows if that can change in the next few days. They still say A-Rod is moving to 3rd which is mind boggling. Why not move Jeter to 2nd and play Lamb at 3rd? Lamb is better than anyone they have on the roster to play 2nd.

Oh goodie another A-Rod trade rumor. Hold on I need to go bang my head against the wall a couple hundred times. BTW this rumor is probably bullshit because it would be idiotic to play A-Rod at 3rd. A-Rod is a Gold Glove shortstop and Jeter had the worst range of any regular shortstop in all of baseball last year. Does the New York media still think Jeter is a good defensive shortstop?

Alirght nevermind, guess Tom is doing one which is why I asked. Oh and I'm in as well.

I didn't want to create a seperate topic for this just yet but Yahoo Fantasy Baseball sign-ups should be starting anyday now (says mid-February) and I was thinking of creating a league for the baseball fanatics of the board. Anyone interested or did anyone already plan on creating a league for the board?

Vern's being too nice, they are both bad. But again they are minor league deals so there is no risk. Mulholland should just be there to fill out the Spring Training roster as every camp has some washed up veterans to just be warm bodies but Bavasi probably has some idea of him making the opening day roster. Owens I bet beats out Quinton McCracken for the final outfield spot which will be hilarious since Bavasi traded Greg Colbrunn to get McCracken.