Killeverything's (New)NeverEndingBaseballThread

[killeverything]

I don't see Theo leaving. Sure he'd cement HOF status if he helped bring a ring to Chicago, but that team is in shambles. Their farm system depth sucks and while he'll have a lot of players coming off the books next year, this is not the '02 Red Sox he's inheriting. I think it's power play move to negotiate and extension. Lucchino with more micro-managing is terrifying.

In Moneyball they talked about when Beane signed with Boston only to have him change his mind right after. Boston would have to give Oakland compensation for letting him go. The comp was Beane's coveted "Greek God Of Walks" Kevin Youkilis. Let Theo go. I want Sterling Castro. It's not hard to replace a stat driven GM with another one. Francona quit. So the team seems like it's falling apart.

Aside from the end, they actually had a good season. Looking at wins adjusted ( from Tangoier's blog ) they outperformed all the other big payroll teams.



http://www.insidethebook.com/ee/index.p ... 2002_2011/

That dot that's second from the left above the line is the Sox. They've performed reallly well basically better than all the big payroll teams, even with some really bad luck in the free agent market this year. Crawford I don't think will be as terrible next year.....Lackey? I think he's hurt ( which if he is, his insurance kicks in and he makes the Major League minimum ).

The team's still in a good position to be competitive next season. I think the priority should be re-signing Pappelbon, Bard has shown indicators he's not ready for the full-time closer role and I'm not ready for another '03.

[madmaxfan]

Well I am off to game 3 of the ALCS. Here's hopeing we can get some offense tonight.

[killeverything]

John Dewan's Stat Of The Week

October 12, 2011

Chase Utley: Best Baserunner in MLB

One of the signature moments of this year's postseason so far was that incredible play during Game 4 of the Phillies-Cardinals divisional series in which Albert Pujols threw out Chase Utley as Utley tried to go first-to-third on a groundball to shortstop. Despite being thrown out, you cannot fault Utley for trying to take the extra base on that play. That was a great baserunning play. Utley knew exactly what he was doing, and had the play pegged perfectly. In any typical situation where the first baseman waits to receive the ball to get the out at first, Utley would have been safe at third. Pujols had to make a truly great defensive play to get Utley out, making the split-second decision to pass up the sure out at first base to come off the bag, cut off the throw from the shortstop, and make a perfect throw to third base.

It is quite impressive that Pujols was able to make that play at all. However, it becomes even more impressive when you consider the fact that, according to the metric Baserunning Gain (which can be found in The Bill James Handbook 2012), Utley has been the best baserunner in baseball over the last three years.

Baserunning Gain is a measure of how often a player advances the extra base, or is thrown out trying to do so, as compared with what would have been expected based on league averages. The top ten baserunners by this metric over the last three years combined are shown below.

Player
Baserunning Gain (3-Year)
Chase Utley
+77
Elvis Andrus
+76
Shane Victorino
+64
Ben Zobrist
+57
Ian Kinsler
+51
Michael Bourn
+50
Ryan Braun
+50
Brett Gardner
+48
Drew Stubbs
+47
Juan Pierre
+45

As great as Utley has been, Elvis Andrus is close on his heels. After a shaky rookie season in 2009, Andrus has improved his baserunning tremendously, and may soon be able to lay claim to the title of best baserunner in the game.

[johnk5150]

Yesterday was the 103rd anniversary of the last Cubs WS win. And the 8th anniversary of game 6 of the nlcs.

By Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune reporter

11:44 p.m. CDT, October 14, 2011
The Cubs announced their 2012 ticket pricing plan Friday while the Theo Epstein saga continued to play out.

The good news for Cubs fans regarding season tickets is most bleacher seats are being reduced significantly — by 10 to 14 percent — from 2011, while bowl seating remained relatively flat. The bad news is they will have to commit to tickets by Nov. 16 and put down a 10 percent deposit without knowing the roster.

In essence, the Cubs are asking their season ticket holders to put their faith in Epstein as the new general manager and ignore the disastrous season that ended with 91 losses.

Epstein was still on the Red Sox's payroll Friday while he awaited a resolution of the compensation talks between the Cubs and Red Sox. The Red Sox want at least one top prospect, rumored to be outfielder Brett Jackson. The Cubs are hoping for a financial compensation package, or at most some lesser prospects.

A conclusion is not expected over the weekend, sources said.

Meanwhile, one of the Red Sox's owners, John Henry, spoke to reporters outside a Boston radio station Friday and finally conceded the obvious — that they gave the Cubs permission to try to hire Epstein.

"I'm not sure that we've actually given permission to hire him," Henry said. "We allowed for there to be a conversation. … At some point, Theo decided that 10 years was a long time to be general manager of the Red Sox. I don't think people realize what these two people, (former Red Sox manager Terry Francona) and Theo, gave over the last eight and nine years, respectively.

"They brought two World Series (titles) to Boston and it's 162 games, 365 days a year, it's tremendous pressure so we knew at some point (Epstein) was not going to be general manager of the Boston Red Sox and we knew that was probably going to be, almost certainly going to be by the end of next year. So, this wasn't a surprise."

Henry also revealed he was against the Carl Crawford signing, but did not interfere with Epstein's decision-making.

While the Cubs focused on Epstein, the business of selling tickets for 2012 went on as scheduled. They announced season ticket holders will pay slightly less for their tickets than individual game buyers — from $1-$2 per game, in all seating areas for the first time since 2007.

Tickets range from as low as $7 for upper deck reserved for the 10 "bronze" games — weekdays in April and late September, to $114, or 127.68 including the 12 percent amusement tax, for club box seats at the 13 "marquee" games. There are no new pricing tiers, unlike last year's addition of the "marquee" tier to take advantage of the much anticipated Yankees series that drew three straight crowds of more than 41,000.

Epstein's soon-to-be former team, the Red Sox, comes to Wrigley Field in June for this year's biggest ticket. The other marquee games are series against the White Sox and Cardinals, plus the home opener against the Nationals and individual games against the Diamondbacks, Reds and Astros — all Saturday games in the summer.

Bleacher ticket prices took a big dive, as the Cubs appear to concede they jacked up prices so high fans who normally sit there could not afford to go to games. From 2004 to '11, the average bleacher ticket went up by 57 percent, fueled by the Cubs' close call in the 2003 postseason.

The number of marquee and platinum games in the bleachers have been reduced from 30 to 22. With the inclement weather early in the season, the Cubs had a difficult time selling out the bleachers, particularly during weekday night games.

The cost of an individual club infield box seat for 2012 is $7,260 (plus the 12 percent tax), more than double the $3,384 amount it cost for the same seat in 2004. The Cubs haven't had problems selling these seats, but scalpers and season ticket holders were forced to eat thousands of tickets.

The reason why the Cubs are moving the renewal date up to Nov. 16 is to accommodate season ticket holders who want to change their seats during a new "relocation event" scheduled for Nov. 29-Dec. 4. Ticket holders will be given a chance to come to Wrigley Field and test out the newly available seats to see if they want to switch.

[email protected]

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Comments (19)Add / View comments | Discussion FAQ
HerringEdwin at 10:24 AM October 15, 2011

my best friend's mom makes $77 an hour on the computer. She has been out of job for 9 months but last month her check was $7487 just working on the computer for a few hours. Read about it here LazyCash2.com

GHalpin at 9:42 AM October 15, 2011
wilee23 is right. If the Cubs give up Jackson for a GM, they are bigger idiots than I ever imagined. I wouldn't off them anyone other than someline like Baker or maybe the Big Z. The Red Sox are in a tough position, and actually have no negotiating power at all. They won't take Theo back at this point, get some balls Cubs.
Michael Urban at 9:13 AM October 15, 2011
It will cost this team more than Matt Garza. So, the other half of their core farm system is gone. Nice work to continue a century plus of total ineptitude.


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[killeverything]

Sorry Cubs fans. Bringing in Epstein isn't going to turn your franchise around. Maybe years down the line. When Epstein took the helm at Boston, he had Pedro Martinez, Manny Ramirez, a drafted Kevin Youkilis and Jon Lester.

Sterling Castro looks promising. Other than that, that franchise is fucked. Maybe he would've been better off if he was replacing Dan Duquette and not John Hendry.

[SkyDog112046]

Sorry Cubs fans. Bringing in Epstein isn't going to turn your franchise around. Maybe years down the line. When Epstein took the helm at Boston, he had Pedro Martinez, Manny Ramirez, a drafted Kevin Youkilis and Jon Lester.

Sterling Castro looks promising. Other than that, that franchise is fucked. Maybe he would've been better off if he was replacing Dan Duquette and not John Hendry.

From what I've read they are in decent shape in A and AA with a couple of decent prospects in AAA but they don't have anyone close to major league ready besides Brett Jackson. The Sox want Jackson or Castro but Chicago won't part with them.

I say go in the other direction. Instead of getting money or players from the Cubs, make Theo take Lackey with him.

[killeverything]

Sorry Cubs fans. Bringing in Epstein isn't going to turn your franchise around. Maybe years down the line. When Epstein took the helm at Boston, he had Pedro Martinez, Manny Ramirez, a drafted Kevin Youkilis and Jon Lester.

Sterling Castro looks promising. Other than that, that franchise is fucked. Maybe he would've been better off if he was replacing Dan Duquette and not John Hendry.

From what I've read they are in decent shape in A and AA with a couple of decent prospects in AAA but they don't have anyone close to major league ready besides Brett Jackson. The Sox want Jackson or Castro but Chicago won't part with them.

I say go in the other direction. Instead of getting money or players from the Cubs, make Theo take Lackey with him.

That would be great, but all trades/buisness transactions need to be approved by the commish and there is no way he allows that to happen.

[SkyDog112046]

That would be great, but all trades/buisness transactions need to be approved by the commish and there is no way he allows that to happen.

Call it cash for Theo and and then Lackey for cash. It can get done.

[johnk5150]

Sorry Cubs fans. Bringing in Epstein isn't going to turn your franchise around. Maybe years down the line. When Epstein took the helm at Boston, he had Pedro Martinez, Manny Ramirez, a drafted Kevin Youkilis and Jon Lester.

Sterling Castro looks promising. Other than that, that franchise is fucked. Maybe he would've been better off if he was replacing Dan Duquette and not John Hendry.

It's not about turning the baseball around right away. It's about the $300 million in city advances from Rahm Emmanuel that don't happen unless the Cubs hire Epstein. Emmanuel knows that Epstein didn't just build a winner, but turned everything in and around Fenway into a cash cow for the city of Boston. The Ricketts need Epstein because they need the money because they grossly overpaid for the team. Emmanuel won't even talk to the Cubs unless they have Epstein and Epstein only.

[killeverything]

That would be great, but all trades/buisness transactions need to be approved by the commish and there is no way he allows that to happen.

Call it cash for Theo and and then Lackey for cash. It can get done.

Plus Lackey is having his elbow examined again tommorrow. I think he's hurt, his insurance clause states that if he misses time for elbow surgery, he comes back making league minimum. He's about to get cheap.

Boston is stuck with him though. Crawford I think can rebound ( assuming he doesn't let JH's comments about being against signing him go to his head ). Lackey I'm hoping needs surgery. He won't be with the team, he won't cost them an insane amount of money anymore.

[killeverything]

Sorry Cubs fans. Bringing in Epstein isn't going to turn your franchise around. Maybe years down the line. When Epstein took the helm at Boston, he had Pedro Martinez, Manny Ramirez, a drafted Kevin Youkilis and Jon Lester.

Sterling Castro looks promising. Other than that, that franchise is fucked. Maybe he would've been better off if he was replacing Dan Duquette and not John Hendry.

It's not about turning the baseball around right away. It's about the $300 million in city advances from Rahm Emmanuel that don't happen unless the Cubs hire Epstein. Emmanuel knows that Epstein didn't just build a winner, but turned everything in and around Fenway into a cash cow for the city of Boston. The Ricketts need Epstein because they need the money because they grossly overpaid for the team. Emmanuel won't even talk to the Cubs unless they have Epstein and Epstein only.

The cash cow the Red Sox became was Henry, Lucchino and Werner. Epstein wants nothing to do with the "buisness" side of it. He just wants Baseball ops, looks like ( as usual ) Chicago is going after the wrong guy.

The problem with having your team turned into something so marketable is just that. It becomes marketable and lame, pick hats, Matsuzaka, becoming a mirror of the Yankees.

Careful what you wish for, because you might be in the position of hating your team.

[johnk5150]

Careful what you wish for, because you might be in the position of hating your team.

I've hated my team for years.

[SkyDog112046]

Call it cash for Theo and and then Lackey for cash. It can get done.

Plus Lackey is having his elbow examined again tommorrow. I think he's hurt, his insurance clause states that if he misses time for elbow surgery, he comes back making league minimum. He's about to get cheap.

Boston is stuck with him though. Crawford I think can rebound ( assuming he doesn't let JH's comments about being against signing him go to his head ). Lackey I'm hoping needs surgery. He won't be with the team, he won't cost them an insane amount of money anymore.[/quote]

Even if Lackey came back for minimum wage he'd be overpaid. I never wanted him to come here and can't believe Theo fucked up so badly bringing him to Boston. How could anyone with half a brain be so stupid? I can't stand him. Not only is he a mediocre pitcher at best but he is ill suited to a pressure market and is a bad seed on top of it. If Chicago wants Theo so bad make them eat some of Theo's mistakes.

[Machado]

The Cubs want to be WS favorites in 2012, but that won't happen.
The curse will exist forever.
The Cubs can hire a young GM like Theo, but he still does not play the games, so how much of a difference can he make? Not much at all!!

[johnk5150]

The Cardinals were 15-1 to win the WS when the playoffs started. That's good value.

[Cyd]

And MORE baseball for St. Louis. I'll take a World Series win any way they can get it. But it's so much sweeter when it happens here at home. Been there. Come on ELEVEN. I have high hopes for it with the big bats Holiday, home town MVP David Freeze, and the Mang. All in a row. Some sports commentator said he, "Can't imagine Albert in anything but a Cardinal uniform." Let us pray. And we got BULLPEN. Those playoff games here against the Brewers were oodles of fun. Medal of Freedom winner Stan Musial is still with us, a little frail but looks great. Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith threw out the first pitch. Chuck Berry sang the national anthem. The Clydesdales pulled the beer wagon downtown and delivered beer to Mike Shannon's bar, J. Bucks place, and Hooters. Pep rally, towels, rally squirrels, fireworks, cannons. And megabucks for the city. What a night.

Everytime I come on Sludge I get multiple errors warning about TROJANS. Is it safe on here. McAfee cleans it all up but still WTF. Does anybody else get those messages?

[Facedown]

I had McAfee for about a day and it flagged practically everything I did.
Get no warnings with Avast.

[WOLF]

Texas in 6

[Machado]

I dislike LaRussa with a passion. Last thing I want to see if his face being sprayed with champagne again.

But, I don't care much for the rangers either. Would be nice to see them lose for the 2nd consecutive season in the WS.

I predict Cards in 7

[killeverything]

Texas in 5 or 6.

St. Louis wasn't even the best team in the NL this year.

[SkyDog112046]

I'd like to see Texas win. They've never won before and it would be nice to see Nolan Ryan's system get validation and put an end to 6-inning starters.

[Cyd]

"St. Louis wasn't even the best team in the NL this year."

YES. It's an incredible story. Cardinals 10 1/2 games out on August 25 and end up winning the NL championship. Wild card playoff games were a battle. All the games were like baseball to the DEATH. I'm a true believer.

[killeverything]

Boston gave permission to Oakland to interview Curt Young on returning to his old job.

Good. I thought he fucking sucked ( who caught lightning in a bottle with erroneous Cy Young winner Barry Zito ). They fired Ron Johnson and Rob Leary after Francona stepped down. Get rid of Young and Alan Baird, then they can move forward with the right pieces in place.

[SkyDog112046]

Theo Epstein to the Cubs appears a done deal.

The Red Sox aimed high in asking for compensation for Epstein. A baseball source told ESPNBoston.com that they initially asked for the Cubs young star shortstop Starlin Castro. Whey they were rebuffed, the Red Sox asked for arguably the Cubs best starting pitcher in Matt Garza.

A major league source told ESPNChicago.com that at one point Boston proposed that the Cubs take pitcher John Lackey's contract. Lackey has three seasons remaining on a five-year, $82.5 million contract. He was 12-12 with a 6.41 ERA in 28 starts for the Red Sox in 2011.

But the expected agreement will include Cubs minor leaguers, although not top prospects Brett Jackson, Trey McNutt or Matt Szczur, the source said. Cash will not be part of the compensation.

The Sox are being run by a bunch of no-balls fucking idiots. They should have insisted on at least one of the following:
1. Castro
2. Garza
3. You take Lackey
4. 2 of the 3: Jackson, McNutt, Szczur

And other than that they should have refused to let Theo go, kept him as a puppet GM and made him stick around and be Lucchino's secretary for a year.

If I was running the Sox I would have played hardball on Theo as mentioned, hired the biggest asshole manager I could find to bust the players' asses next season, and shipped at least one of the overpaid stiffs to some baseball hellhole(Hou, KC, NYM) for peanuts just to make a point.

[SkyDog112046]

What an ending last night. Texas was 3 outs away from being in a huge hole and then to come back like that. Losing that way might have a carry over effect on St Louis. I wouldn't be surprised now if Texas takes the next 3 at home.

[johnk5150]

What an ending last night. Texas was 3 outs away from being in a huge hole and then to come back like that. Losing that way might have a carry over effect on St Louis. I wouldn't be surprised now if Texas takes the next 3 at home.

If the Cards lose in seven they're not going to look back at last night with much fondness.

Albert looked like he had that homer in the eight.

[Cyd]

Did you see El Hombre murder those 3 home run balls? It's scary. Wot a display.

[richrocks]

What an ending last night. Texas was 3 outs away from being in a huge hole and then to come back like that. Losing that way might have a carry over effect on St Louis. I wouldn't be surprised now if Texas takes the next 3 at home.

Yeah....the Cards were affected. Just think how many they would have scored otherwise.

[johnk5150]

We have a series. If you love baseball you're getting a little bit of everything here.

[killeverything]

We have a series. If you love baseball you're getting a little bit of everything here.

Great fucking series! I had Texas in 5. Now I say Texas in 6....