Sometimes I just can't help myself. I'm a weak man. I admit it. I know I shouldn't always order my cheeseburger with bacon on it, but I do. I know I could do just as well with a single scoop of ice cream, but go ahead and eat it straight out of the container and then wonder how the container is suddenly empty. But the worst thing that happens to me in those instances is that I may someday end up with pain radiating into my arms and/or daily insulin shots.
But that is nothing compared to the almost certain eye and brain cancer I now have from watching a video link I happened to notice on Twitter featuring a man who is so bloviatingly pompous for no good reason, I have to assume he is a one-dimensional character that has escaped from the confines of a poorly written sitcom on TBS.
I don't know why I clicked on it. I knew I shouldn't have, but as I said, I'm a weak man and I ended up watching the corpse of Chet Coppock take time from his busy schedule of being unemployed and inhabiting what appears to be a junior high school gymnasium to mock Theo Epstein. Look at this fucking asshat:
He looks like he is sustaining himself by somehow managing to capture both Mike North and Steve Rosenbloom and storing them in his jowls for later consumption.
Chet is apparently the only person still reading the Sun-Times sports section and he was none too happy about a story he read by Toni Ginetti where Theo shared a bit of truth about the Cubs chances next season. Here's a quote from Theo that got Chet particularly riled up:
“We’re not trying to hide the ball. We’re trying to be honest with [the fans]. There might be some tough things we have to tell them along the way. There might be another trade deadline in our future where we trade away about 40 percent of a really good rotation. You do that because there will be a day when you acquire two starting pitchers at the deadline to cement your club."
Personally, I find the honesty refreshing. The Cubs are finally taking the time to build an actual organization and that is going to mean a few decisions that are painful in the short term. I'm cool with that. Just about every halfway intelligent Cubs fan understands it. Even a lot of the dumber ones get it to a point. Shit, even BCB hasn't given up on Theo yet and that's about as low a baseball IQ as you're going to find among people literate enough to use the internet. But Chet is fired up and if I had to listen to the rambling incoherent nonsense, I'm going to put it here so we can all suffer together:
Theo, Public Relations 101. Do you realize what your fans have gone through this year? During the first year of your administration? What’s to be cheerful about regarding the Cubs right now besides the possibility that Jeff Samardzija might be a legitimate #2 starter… he’ll never be a #1 starter… and in my opinion, Alfonso Soriano, left for dead, might be worthy of consideration as National League Comeback Player of the year.
Theo, you have to realize something. This ballclub has now gone 104 years without a sniff of a winner’s World Series check. Why would you tell your fans that you might once again have a rotation that’s uh… bordering on being halfway decent, but you’ll have to trade 40% of it because you think you’re going to improve the ballclub?
Theo, you know what? Start sipping some kool-aid and start conveying some joy at the Friendly Confines. This morning, I heard radio stations saturated with spots advertising the availability of tickets for Cubs baseball. You know what, Theo? You’ve had a year. The grace period is over. The party is over. Now the job begins. Now, Theo, you will be judged. And I gotta tell you… I can hardly wait for the Cubs Convention. I want to see just how rough and just how tough the Cubs fans are on the wunderkind from Boston.
What the fuck, Theo? YOU'VE HAD A YEAR! HOW COME YOU HAVEN'T COMPLETELY REVERSED THE FORTUNES OF A TEAM THAT THE WRIGLEY FAMILY AND THE TRIBUNE COMPANY SPENT 104 YEARS FUCKING UP? I mean you have been on the job for 335 whole days! That's over 8,000 hours! Almost 500,000 minutes! I mean, you have had almost 30,000,000 seconds to turn this shit around already. What have you been doing?
I like how Chet is such a fucking dumbass that he can't come up with anything positive Theo has done besides getting lucky with Samardzija and Soriano. Gee Chet, what else have Theo and Jed done that you might have missed while you were busy building a new website that looks hilariously like Snoozebox.com? They locked up their young shortstop on a ludicrously team-friendly deal that will be a damn steal if Castro evolves as a player even a little bit. They traded an injury-prone reliever for a middle-of-the-order, good fielding first baseman. They traded aging veterans for prospects that are ranked in the Top 100 of all of baseball. He's started the process of cleaning out the people in baseball operations that contributed to the problems under Hendry in a massive effort to achieve a culture change within the historically stodgy and stagnant organization. Chet is not impressed.
Chet, on the other hand, has basically accomplished recently what we've accomplished here at OV as a hobby (except we used correctly spelled words on our website). Well done, buddy.
I'd like to know what Chet would've done in Theo's place? He seems to be offended by trading away veteran players that have no future with the team just because they seem to be pitching well at the moment. Maybe Chet really liked Dempster's Harry Caray impression and dick jokes and is having trouble adjusting to life without them. He seems like the kind of person who would, and by that I mean he's brain damaged.
Maybe Chet has magic powers that could turn Soriano into Bryce Harper? Though that seems unlikely since I'd think he would use his magic to not look like Karl Rove and Rainn Wilson's illegitimate love child.
This is the sort of bullshit from people who pass themselves off as experts that pisses me off to no end and I fucking knew I would regret clicking his fucking link. But the little troll won and I'll never get that three minutes back of my life, and neither will you folks who have bothered to read this. I do apologize for shining a light into a corner of the internet that should probably be left in the dark.
But I feel a little better now and I can go back to only dimly being aware that Chet Coppock even exists anymore. The party is over, Chet.
Comments
tldr, just looked at pictures and laughed.
WaLiQuote Reply
Hilarious.
joshQuote Reply
@ josh:
Good luck with your blog.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
But srsly, thanks for clicking that link so we don’t have to.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Pat: “It’s been an errorless game”
Well, I guess technically that’s true.
joshQuote Reply
I think he had a similar rant midseason that I linked to here that was every bit as incoherent and ass-numbingly dumb. Basically same gist of it. It’s not Chet that worries me persay, but likely the millions of Cubs fans who might feel this way.
And also, Theo comments about rebuilding and taking time were some of the best moments of this season for me. I felt like I was not being talked down to or patronized by a rebuilding team trying to sell me snake oil.
MishQuote Reply
http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=24952237&c_id=mlb
(dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Is this someone you guys were already aware of? I’ve never heard of him.
joshQuote Reply
http://www.buzzfeed.com/katienotopoulos/27-looney-tunes-gifs-in-honor-of-chuck-jones-100t
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Unfortunately, not all those gifs are from Chuck Jones cartoons. Oh well. Happy 100th birthday, Chuck.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
@ josh:
He’s been doing sports radio in Chicago for a long time. I heard him when I was a kid, and even up to about 5-6 years ago (before I shunned all non-Dan Bernstein sports radio).
MishQuote Reply
Rob Schneider, huh? He’s probably my least favorite celebrity of all time.
joshQuote Reply
@ Mish:
5-6 years ago would be right about the time I started listening to Chicago sports radio, so there you go.
joshQuote Reply
@ josh:
@ Mish:
He got caught up in that Webio scam and has basically been job hopping and unemployed since.
Aisle424Quote Reply
Some guy is audibly yelling at Rizzo ‘Keep your hands up! C’mon you’re not Babe Ruth, get your hands up!”
joshQuote Reply
@ josh:
Wait, that’s not you, is it Aisely?
joshQuote Reply
@ Aisle424:
I got nothing.
joshQuote Reply
@ josh:
He was awesome in “The Stapler.”
MishQuote Reply
@ Mish:
Rated PG-13!
joshQuote Reply
josh wrote:
Barney is riding the starting pitchers too. F7 taught him how.
SVBQuote Reply
Barney!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
The Fuck?
D-Barn with a homer.
joshQuote Reply
Pat and Keith were just hoping he could get on for Rizzo. (dying laughing)
joshQuote Reply
@ josh:
I prefer D’barn.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Barney still has all his career homers (9) at Wrigley Field.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo just saved Barney from an error.
joshQuote Reply
Aisle424Quote Reply
@ Aisle424:
Oh humanity. How ambivalent I am about your eventual destruction.
joshQuote Reply
It’s like all St. Louis fans share Chet Coppock’s brain.
Aisle424Quote Reply
They should make people take a test before they are allowed to use the internet…
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I don’t think I’m doing very well in the “the Rest of the Crappy Season” contest. 🙁
SVBQuote Reply
Wow.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Cubs win!
Cubs will likely lose the #2 pick now.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
This post made it to BTF. Well done sir.
http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/it_turns_out_chet_coppock_still_exists_and_he_doesnt_like_theo#When:21:03:23Z
MishQuote Reply
@ Mish:
(dying laughing)
Aisley got censored.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
Aisle424Quote Reply
@ Aisle424:
Is that Al?
Gotta swap it out for the Al on the cell phone.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
That is Alvin. Clearly enjoying himself. What a miserable little man he is.
Aisle424Quote Reply
@ Aisle424:
I don’t understand why he’s so sad unless he just realized that the Cubs might inch above Colorado and lose the #2 pick. Time to root for the Rockies…
But come on, the Cubs just got an improbably blast from Darwin Barney to send the game to extras and walked off with two outs. Gotta smile about it, right?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
He probably missed marking down a pitch in his scorecardr while they posed or something. He is one of the most humorless, self-important people ever.
Aisle424Quote Reply
@ Aisle424:
Or perhaps he’s displeased that there are people invading his personal space. The perils of the bleachers!
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I’m going out to drink/be Batman; I expect a shitload of that photo being shopped into hilarity upon my return.
MishQuote Reply
D’Barn closes door on Carpenter comeback.
SVBQuote Reply
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
GBTSQuote Reply
Wasn’t it Chet Coppack who was assaulted in the parking lot at the United Center? He was beat fairly bad if I recall correctly. And it’s years later that I can finally say he might have deserved it. Not that I condone physical violence or anything.
Rodrigo RamirezQuote Reply
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=18429
Short version: they changed the rules of the batting title to prevent Melky from qualifying. Wow.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Also, Aisley: Well fucking done, sir. I am in tears laughing
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ Rizzo the Rat:
The way I understood it, Bud Selig wasn’t going to bother with it until Melky Cabrera (either on his own or coerced) decided to just take his name out of the running. It was a bit of a crock though for them to kvetch about the rules for an otherwise meaningless “title”.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Didn’t Chet Coppock do some ads with MJ for Chevy way back when?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAH4vipYD_U
uncle daveQuote Reply
@ uncle dave:
That’s what his website says.
Aisle424Quote Reply
My enduring memory of Chet Coppock is doing those horrid NFL betting scam commercials in a terrible purple suit.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MZf7j4votM
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
http://clipnation.com/han-solo-style/
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Badass: http://t.co/VD52e3Fg
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
jesus, at least the sons of anarchy devotees in the cubs org aren’t running the instructional league.
http://triblive.com/sports/2626947-74/stark-hells-pirates-baseball-angels-players-email-developing-league-military#axzz26fuUv8vo
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/pirates—hells-angels—–navy-seals–minor-league-training-methods-become-mlb-joke–.html
GWQuote Reply
New Aside: http://obstructedview.net/aside/interview.html
joshQuote Reply
Another aside: http://obstructedview.net/aside/interview-2.html
joshQuote Reply
@ GW:
Player development in the Pirates Instructional League:
SVBQuote Reply
josh wrote:
(dying laughing) . Those are fantastic, Josh.
cwolfQuote Reply
Hazing required to join the OV staff:
SVBQuote Reply
For old times’ sake, as the Cubs lose their grip on the #2 pick:
Rice CubeQuote Reply
WTF (dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
That play lasted at least 50 Altuves.
joshQuote Reply
@ SVB:
Is it learning how to properly post pictures?
joshQuote Reply
@ cwolf:
Cool. Glad everyone liked them. Sometimes I think something will be funny and no one gets it.
joshQuote Reply
@ Aisle424:
mb21Quote Reply
@ josh:
in reference to the links GW posted.
By the way, the Link button here works much better than the URL button in the forum.
SVBQuote Reply
I’m pretty sure Ozzie wants to get fired: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/fl-miami-marlins-0922-20120922,0,3167478.story
Not that I can blame him, he works for a massive piece of shit.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ Aisle424:
Is Al in this picture, or is he photobombing?
joshQuote Reply
@ SVB:
Gotcha.
joshQuote Reply
I just watched the clip (OP). His reading of the teleprompter is really, really shitty. He’s pausing at the end of every line break. It’s like listening to a stroke patient.
joshQuote Reply
Great job on Coppock, 424.
Same to Josh for the comics.
mb21Quote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Ozzie is going to have a hard time finding a job at this point.
mb21Quote Reply
@ mb21:
Nah. Valentine is just as big an asshole and he gets work. Ozzie will find a spot, might have to do TV for a year or two, or take a minor league spot (they’ll hire him just as a gimmick), but he’s not done managing in MLB.
That Florida job is poison, though.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Ok, who told Len his nerd card got revoked:
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Last one: http://obstructedview.net/aside/interview-3.html
joshQuote Reply
I’m off to Japan to save face. Berselius out, fuckfaces!
BerseliusQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
Have fun.
mb21Quote Reply
Wow, the Pirates are now 74-76.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
@ Rizzo the Rat:
Sounds like they need some more time in the Combat Hits box.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
How about that:
http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/09/22/former-pirates-owner-kevin-mcclatchy-comes-out-of-the-closet/
Good for him.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ mb21:
If there isn’t a tsunami/nuclear meltdown, I’ll call it a win
BerseliusQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
That’s right. You were unable to save face last time because the tsunami.
mb21Quote Reply
I have to admit, I really couldn’t care less that MLB changed some rule about the batting champion. That’s such an outdated stat I don’t even know why they have a batting champ anymore. As for other awards, they’re fun to talk about, but I don’t really care about them either.
mb21Quote Reply
@ Rizzo the Rat:
I don’t know why I’m glad to see them under .500, but I just am.
mb21Quote Reply
@ mb21:
It just seems right. Order has been restored.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
It’s like when some physicist claims to have discovered something that violates the Theory of Relativity or something, only to have the study refuted a few weeks later. Breathe a sigh of relief. The world makes sense again.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
The most amazing thing in this article is the revelation that someone in Rick Santorum’s employ was enlightened enough to set up two gay guys.
I think we’ll have a male pro athlete come out within 2 years. Possibly as soon as the end of October.
SVBQuote Reply
@ mb21:
THe only important takeaway from it IMO is what you’ve been saying all along: MLB doesn’t give a fuck about PEDs; they only care about who hold titles and records.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ SVB:
In a major sport (NFL, MLB, NBA)? I’d be shocked. I think it will be at least a decade before an active player in a major sport comes out, maybe longer before it’s a star in major sport. I think we’ll see more and more come out post-retirement, but I think we’re still a long way off from an active player in major sport come out. We’ll have stars come out in European soccer before we do in major American sports, and homophbia among players there is rampant. I think it has little to do with the locker room , though, where I think most would be accepted as teammates, but the homophobic abuse from fans of an out and proud player would be devastating. Locker rooms get blamed too much, I think; fear of fan abuse keeps far more players in the closet, IMO.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Just noticed the tags (dying laughing)
mb21Quote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Agreed, but we already knew that. (dying laughing)
mb21Quote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
I think it’s a combination, but Yunel Escobar kind of gives us a glimpse into how well a clubhouse would receive an openly gay teammate.
mb21Quote Reply
StL gameplan: hit it to Vitters
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Mercurial Outfielder wrote:
(dying laughing)
mb21Quote Reply
@ mb21:
It’s a lot easier to get 25-30 people to get over themselves and embrace their teammate than it is to get 40K not to start yelling homophobic slurs. That’s all I’m saying.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
You know it’s 2012 when you turn on the Cubs game and on the very first pitch you see they walk in a run for the Cardinals.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Vitters is making an error about once every 8 plays. According to Fangraphs, he’s had 42 balls hit in his zone and fielded only 27 of them (he has 2 out of zone plays). Among 3B with 100 innings or more, his RZR (plays/balls in zone) he ranks 11th worse (Joe Mather is 9th worst).
mb21Quote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Good point. You’re right about that for sure.
mb21Quote Reply
@ mb21:
You could wallpaper your house the handwringing articles from the Cubs’ beat guys if Castro had that same error rate.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ mb21:
And honestly, I’d rather have one teammate I knew hated me because of my sexual preference than have to face the hate of several thousand as I’m trying to do my job.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
I’d like to think that humanity has progressed enough to not take that level of hate in such a public setting. But then I realize how deluded I am.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
2013 Chicago Cubs number 2 starter: Travis Wood
mb21Quote Reply
@ mb21:
If MacPhail were still in charge, you know they’d change his number to 34 to just see if anyone noticed.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Next year, instead of a glove, Vitters will just carry a meat cleaver out to 3B with him.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ mb21:
Is that the slogan for next year? If so, that’s the most devastating and hilarious one I’ve heard yet.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
@ mb21:
At least he can hit. Sort of.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
He might as well use that as a bat, as well.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I like the snap on Wainwright’s curveball.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Travis Wood seems like a good baserunner.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rizzo the Rat:
(dying laughing)
mb21Quote Reply
Remember the other day when I wrote that Vitters had performed worse than anyone could have imaged? Yeah, that was bullshit. I hadn’t looked at Vitters wRC+ for awhile and it’s come as a surprise that he’s lowered his -7 wRC+ to -11.
mb21Quote Reply
@ Rizzo the Rat:
Under the Melky Proviso, MLB will allow Vitters to use a cricket bat to level the playing field.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
The Wrigley rooftops are fucking garish eyesores now.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
-12: the up to date wRC+ of Josh Vitters.
mb21Quote Reply
Jumbotrons would ruin the look and feel of the park, but 3,000 yards of aluminum and plastic behind the scoreboard hearken back to the days of yore.
/Wrigley Fan logic
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
70 or more PA
Josh Vitters (92 PA): -12 wRC+
Jack Wilson (77) -3
Chris Coghlan (105): -2
Brian Roberts (74): 8
mb21Quote Reply
21 pitchers with 50 or more PA have a -12 wRC+ or better (only Dickey is as low as -12) and only 25 are worse.
mb21Quote Reply
@ mb21:
The Cubs should petition MLB to rework the rules so Vitters is hitting well.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Using Vitters current wRC+ and comparing it to 2011 stats for those who had 90 or more PA, only Roy Halladay was worse.
mb21Quote Reply
(dying laughing) only Roy Halladay (90 or more PA) was worse than Vitters current wRC+ in 2010.
mb21Quote Reply
Roy Halladay: the only hitter worse than Josh Vitters
mb21Quote Reply
Nobody had a -12 or lower wRC+ in 2009 (90 or more PA from this point forward)
mb21Quote Reply
Or 2008 or 2007
mb21Quote Reply
Bronson Arroyo: slightly worse at the plate in 2006 than Vitters has been in 2012
mb21Quote Reply
Since 2000, here is the complete list of position players with 90 or more PA who had a lower wRC+ than Josh Vitters’ current -12:
Here’s the entire list including pitchers: Roy Halladay (twice), Bronson Arroyo, Chris Carpenter, Randy Johnson (twice) and Curt Schilling
That is it!
mb21Quote Reply
Based on his comps, I’m projecting Vitters as a future ace.
GWQuote Reply
Small sample size/correlation=causation alert! Since being dropped in the order in mid August, Starlin Castro has hit .330/.388/.491, good for a .878 OPS, with 8 BB and 12 K in 116 PA.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ GW:
He and Samardzija will team for one of the best 1-2 punches any rotation has ever seen.
mb21Quote Reply
So, how is Josh Vitters doing offensively? Good?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Oh, man, George Lopez cannot sing. Somebody gag the man. Just make it stop. Oh, wait, it’s over.
Jed Jam BandQuote Reply
@ Rizzo the Rat:
MVP, man, MVP.
Jed Jam BandQuote Reply
1990-1999, 90 or more PA
1990: Ramon Martinez, Frank Viola, Jose Lima
1992: Terry Mulholland
1993: Curt Schilling, Josh Burckett, Greg Maddux
1997: Curt Schilling
1998: Curt Schilling
1999: Kevin Brown, Jose Lima, Randy Johnson
Curt Schilling was not good at hitting.
mb21Quote Reply
Josh Vitters wRC+-ometer: -13
mb21Quote Reply
Castro’s K:BB by month:
March/April: 3 BB, 14 K
May: 2 BB, 20 K
June: 5 BB, 21 K
July: 6 BB, 14 K
August: 11 BB, 19 K
September: 5 BB, 7 K
Whomever says this kid isn’t working and learning is fucking lying.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
1998 Mike Laga: the last position player with 90 or more PA to have a worse wRC+ than Josh Vitters in 2012.
Laga’s wRC+ was -21. There are 3 other position players between 1980 and 1989 who were lower than Vitters.
mb21Quote Reply
I think Bob Brenly just declared war on Cardinals fans.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Whoever uses whomever as a subject is fucking up their grammar.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Holy shit, what a pitch.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ Suburban kid:
You’re a dick.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
@ Suburban kid:
I’m part of the 47% percent so I refuse to take responsibility for that error.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ Suburban kid:
@ Suburban kid:
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
What did he say? I have the Cardinals feed for some reason.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
FWIW, he walked 10 times and struckout 8 times last September. I’m not sure what the monthly splits here really tell us. Is it improvement? I don’t know and I definitely wouldn’t bet any money on it being actual improvement (this is true for any player’s month to month stats).
mb21Quote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Something to the tune of “you can always tell when the Cardinals are in town by all the tractors parked outside”.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ mb21:
Steady improvement since May, though, and marked improvement since dropping down. I think it at least shows he’s working, but I agree that I need to be wary about drawing too many conclusions here.
Given his improvements on defense, as well, though I think it is safe to say that he has an undeserved rep as a unteachable player.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Shift saved a run there.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
That was a strike.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
So was that (dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
I can just hear Jay Jaffe now. “Let the robots call the game!”
Jed Jam BandQuote Reply
Marmol will have to face Beltran and Holliday
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
…and probably Craig, Molina and Freese.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
We don’t know if his defense has really improved though either. DRS shows a considerable improvement while UZR shows a slight improvement (still below average), but it takes several years of defensive data. Like MGL has said before, take the current season and then heavily regress toward it the career average.
Personally, I think whatever improvements he’s made this year has only been age-related improvements (get better as you get older until a certain point of course).
Other than a small improvement in his power numbers (ISO improved by about 20 points), the numbers are very much the same as last season. He’s still walking in only 5% of his plate appearances and has expanded his zone this year more than ever.
I’m very curious to see how he’s going to perform over the next couple seasons. If he continues to make small improvements with his power it could lead to a significant improvement overall (more walks). We’d expect his defense to improve somewhat over the next few years. It’s going to be interesting.
mb21Quote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
Oops.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Hey MO, I’m making beer and I completely overshot my mash temp (162 instead of 152). Am I fucked?
WaLiQuote Reply
@ mb21:
I think that’s fair. But the improvements, however marginal, are there.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Castro’s gradual improvement over the last 2+ years has been just about the only thing about this team holding my interest.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I guess Marmol killed Molina. That sucks.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
Molina is so out of shape he twisted his ankle trying to move away from an inside pitch. Totally his fault.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
I thought he had one of them trendy oblique injuries, didn’t get to see a replay.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Tie game in the 9th, Matheny pulls Holliday for a PR. Doubt the smartest fans in baseball will notice.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
They’re still too pissed off at Salas to even notice there’s a game on.
mb21Quote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
Looked like right ankle to me. Cards feed gave one replay.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ mb21:
(dying laughing)
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Josh Vitters wRC+-ometer: -8
mb21Quote Reply
There’s too much looking back into the dugout bromantically by guys who get on base these days.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Can you believe the nerve of Salas for blowing Carpenter’s comeback victory? (dying laughing)
mb21Quote Reply
Sounds like I tuned in just in time to miss a shit game.
joshQuote Reply
A’s and Yankees in a hell of a slugfest.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Reds ——-> NL Central champs
Aisle424Quote Reply
@ Aisle424:
I thought the Cubs were going to pull it off until this comment.
mb21Quote Reply
@ mb21:
Good thing there are 2 Wild Cards this year, or I’d be really worried.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Halladay’s ERA ——> 4.40. Not a typo.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
@ Rizzo the Rat:
Personally, I blame Melky Cabrera.
joshQuote Reply
Tried chopping off my thumb tonight. Partial success!!
joshQuote Reply
@ josh:
Hey now, I know Koyie Hill is a legend and all but you don’t have to emulate him so literally…
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
His was doing something dumb like cutting wood. Mine was in the manly pursuit of the perfect sized minced ginger.
joshQuote Reply
@ josh:
By minced ginger are you talking about the root, or yourself?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
But seriously dude, hope you didn’t lose anything important.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
Not too bad. The ER superglued my thumb. Literally, they coated the tip with superglue. Hell, I could have done that. But this was special medical superglue or something.
joshQuote Reply
I can play my guitar a little still, so I’m good.
joshQuote Reply
That sounds rather painful, Josh.
mb21Quote Reply
@ josh:
The regular Krazy Glue does work for cuts but you have to be careful not to let it get into your system. I forgot where I read about the Superglue trick. I also hate when you have to go to the ER and they do something that seems like a no-brainer and then charges you or your insurance a ridiculous sum of money.
“O RLY?! Well, I could’ve taken Tylenol at home!”
Rice CubeQuote Reply
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUtS52lqL5w
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
That was awesome
WaLiQuote Reply
Was it just me or did the Rams guard move on that encroachment penalty?
joshQuote Reply
Wood Jr’s first pitch…just a bit outside.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Today’s stat Sunday topic is defensive metrics.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Cliff Lee’s having a fine year. Too bad he just fell to 6 and 8.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Aram continues to gather numbers: 2 more doubles today, bringing his total up to 49.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
new shit: http://obstructedview.net/news-and-rumors/kerry-wood-wants-sammy-sosa-to-return-to-cubs.html
mb21Quote Reply
Ridiculously late to this game but this is the same guy, chomping on a fucking cobb salad from Bigsby’s while talking to Tony Lasorda on the phone DURING HIS SHOW. He’s such a massive bag of hot air, etc. etc. etc. see all of the above and then some.
Duey23Quote Reply
Oh, and as a 12-year season ticket holder, it’s about g-damn time someone in that organization treated it like a business with a real plan and told the “shareholders” the damn truth. We’ve known it all along and most have kept drinking the Kool-Aid (which Chet wants Theo to drink??) with their heads planted firmly up their asses.
Good, change is good, greed is good and damnit, the future of my decision of buying season tickets was giving Theo a 3-year plan to see improvement and then it’s a 1-year renewable from there forward.
Duey23Quote Reply