Spring Training 2008

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

I suppose. I will just really hate the few years of suckiness. But you're right, if it means a good stretch in the future, that's the necessary sacrifice.

[Guest Blue Man Czech]

if they were my team I'd rather they have an eye towards the future, especially when we just won a world title with vets and can afford to take a few years off without damaging the fanbase.

If they were your team you'd understand that they can't afford to take a few years off without damaging the fanbase. You have to DEMAND A WINNER. Nobody's buying beer when they only win 84 games.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

I wouldn't buy beer even if they won 160 games. But then again I don't rely on alcohol to enjoy baseball.

[Guest Blue Man Czech]

I was trying to say in an abstract way that even if the tickets are already sold, nobody attends White Sox games when the team is not realistically in contention, which means decreased revenues in concessions, souvenirs, parking, and so on, which means that the team makes less money, can spend less money, and so forth. Kenny Williams won't get fired, though.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

And I was trying to say I'm not among those people. If I was still living in Chicago, I'd attend games win or lose.

[Guest Blue Man Czech]

Well, then that's admirable, because that puts you in a very small minority among Sox fans. You also don't say "alls I know," to my knowledge, which makes you part of an even smaller minority.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

Hey, Al, you gonna pick up 1 of these shirts:

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I don't get it.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

Somebody made those shirts & hung them in the player's lockers. There's some sort of motivational saying on the back of the shirt.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Somebody made those shirts & hung them in the player's lockers. There's some sort of motivational saying on the back of the shirt.

Ah. Honestly, I'd much rather own this shirt.

 

 

Apologies to Mets fans. I couldn't resist.

[devo 0]

I'm more offended that they couldn't come up with a more clever design, to be honest.

[Fuzzy Dunlop 0]

Zambrano is 0-1 in three Opening Day starts, losing last year to Cincinnati. At the Cubs' winter fan fest in January, he said Ted Lilly could start the season opener March 31 against Milwaukee.

 

"What I said at the convention, I was just playing," Zambrano said Thursday. "I'm going to be out there the first day and try to win the first game. The one who invented the light tried 2,000 something times, and finally he did it. We have light. I don't want to spend 2,000 times to win the first game on Opening Day, but I think I will do it this year and go from there."

[Guest Blue Man Czech]

He's a screw.

[sfaJack 0]

The Astros won arbitration against Jose Valverde. He'll get $4.7 million; he asked for $6.2 mil.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

The Astros won arbitration against Jose Valverde. He'll get $4.7 million; he asked for $6.2 mil.

 

 

Rockies won their case against Fuentes as well. Tough start for closers looking for dough.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

I saw a much more creative shirt yesterday which depicted a drunken, feeling sorry for himself Mr. Met with the phrase 'Ya Gotta Bereave' and his jersey read out 'Mess' instead of Mets.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I know the Mets collapse was epic, but why are these shirts coming out just now? Did it really take them 6 months to come up with that shit?

[HarleyQuinn 0]

From Rotoworld...

 

Giants manager Bruce Bochy said he likes the idea of Bengie Molina replacing Barry Bonds in the cleanup spot this year.

 

He put up a .276/.298/.433 line at age 32 last year while tying his career high with 19 home runs (and had only 19 doubles).

 

Upon looking at the team... oof!

 

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Nothing like putting a guy who will be lucky to have a .750 OPS in your clean-up spot.

[Guest Michael Myers Resplendent]

Is it acceptable to wish nothing but abject failure on the San Francisco Giants, even after Bonds's departure? Residual hate?

[geniusMoment 0]

Reds sign Brandon Phillips long-term. Four years--27 million

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Jeremy Brown, the fat catcher from Moneyball, is hanging up the cleats.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

Peter Abraham:

 

Girardi said that Joba Chamberlain will be worked as a starter this spring and be part of the rotation. Depending on what shakes out, his role will be determined at the end of March.

 

Link

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I know the Mets collapse was epic, but why are these shirts coming out just now? Did it really take them 6 months to come up with that shit?

MLB.com allows you to create custom shirts with your own name and number. That's where that comes from.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Ah, makes sense.

[devo 0]

Reds sign Brandon Phillips long-term. Four years--27 million

 

Absolute bargain.

[Guest Michael Myers Resplendent]

"I still think we are one of the best teams in baseball."

[milliondollarchamp 0]

Phillies pitcher Kyle Kendrick gets Punk'd

 

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Baseball Prospectus released the first edition of their projected standings today using updated depth charts and 2008 PECOTA data. I don't want to recreated the entire table here because the results are premium content. I'll do a little summary.

 

In the AL, nothing major outside of the Mariners projected to finish last (the 2008 version of last year's White Sox) and the Rays having an outside shot at a playoff berth. Looks like it will be the Red Sox, Yanks, Angels, Indians and Tigers ruling the league again.

 

In the NL, the Mets are projected to probably be the best team in baseball and the Phillies are looking at some heavy regression. The top four teams in the NL West are separated by only a handful of games, so it looks like that will come down to wire again in that division. The central looks to be a wasteland again, with only the Reds looking like they can make some noise against the top two.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Why do they think the Mariners would be last? Don't they have Bedard in addition to Felix?