BobDylan

MLB.tv hasn't worked for a single day for me yet. I've called them several times and all they've told me so far is that "it's a problem on our end," and, "e-mail our technicians, they'll get back to you within the day," (still waiting 2 days later) and "give me your phone number and we'll have a techinician call you back today," (and it's tomorrow). If I don't get any answers today when I call, I'm cancelling the service.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ Mar 31, 2008 -> 12:44 PM) Hamilton in the 14th is ridiculous. (In a good way.) Weaver in the 16th? Kemp in the 17th? Who are these other teams? Some pretty bad drafters. I saw Jason Bay go in the 6th round. John Lackey in the 4th. Dan Uggla in the 5th. Adrian Gonazlez fell to the 14th round. Orlando Cabrera to the 16th.

QUOTE(lostfan @ Mar 31, 2008 -> 08:45 PM) Uribe sucked, as always. He comes through with the occasional double or home run purely because the law of averages says if he awkwardly throws the bat out over the plate like an angry drunken caveman it'll eventually connect with the ball, but more often than not he will chase garbage at eye level or a foot off the plate until he strikes out. I don't want to see Uribe out there for long. But I do think he's the best option on the current 25 man roster. I'm probably in the minority that thinks that here. And I don't want to place the blame on him for this game. He probably should've turned that DP, but it feels like we're taking the Steve Bartman route here. Nobody remembers the play that happened before it. (In the Sox case, Cabrera's missed grounder. In the Cubs case, Alex Gonzalez's missed DP ball.) I'm probably over thinking this too. I haven't seen anyone knock him for the missed DP. I'm just assuming that's what people are pissed about when that doesn't seem to be the case.

QUOTE(almagest @ Mar 31, 2008 -> 08:41 PM) After the second inning, I about gave up on the game. Once someone told me Thome hit another home run, I started keeping tabs again. And it felt like a playoff game to me the rest of the way. With most everything conspiring against the Sox, they almost pulled out the win, and that's pretty incredible, especially given how this team would lay down and die last year. It was a fantastic game. Two mistakes in the second inning cost them dearly. I don't see Cabrera missing a ground ball like that much more often this year. Overall, if they can replace the bat of one of Ramirez, Crede or Uribe (and keep some adequate defense at the spot), I think this offense has the potential to put up a lot of runs and hurt some good pitchers. That's if they keep the same plate discipline. There's a lot riding on Jerry Owens and Danny Richar when they return from the DL.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Mar 31, 2008 -> 07:01 PM) I dont feel like doing the research right now, but does Cle have better success against finesse pitchers? As soon as Masset started coming in with hard fastball, hard slider, power curve, they couldnt touch him. I looked up Kenny Rogers for s***s and giggles since he's a soft thrower. 5.12 ERA 1.50 WHIP .286 BAA against Cle Dotel. I can't vouch for Masset's location because I listened to the game and didn't see it, but as somebody in this thread already pointed out, he didn't walk anybody. Stone and Farmer didn't have a lot of positive things to say about Buehrle's location either. Sounds like good location was the key with Masset's success. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

QUOTE(The Beast @ Mar 31, 2008 -> 08:26 PM) No thanks. Too many things I want to say here. My head is spinning. I'd also get banned. I'll leave you alone now and promptly stop paying attention.

QUOTE(CryptviLL @ Mar 31, 2008 -> 08:17 PM) It was buehrles/dotels / credes / uribes fault!! Why hang blame on Uribe? He didn't do all that bad. He was slow to turn a double play which wouldn't have mattered if Cabrera caught the DP grounder the play before. And K'd three times. (He might've missed a sac fly but for some reason my gut is telling me there were two outs. And he wasn't the only to miss a sac fly opportunity today, anyway.) But he was far from the reason the White Sox lost. I'd put it on Buehrle (obvious reasons), Cabrera (missed DP that led to 7 runs, terrible AB with sacks packed and 0 out) and Guillen for mismangement of PH situations.

QUOTE(The Beast @ Mar 31, 2008 -> 07:21 PM) Umps get suspended because fans b**** about the "poor quality of the game?" That's definitely a new one and I'm not sure that's the case. I doubt anything will happen to this umpiring crew. I don't care what the point was. Read what I wrote again and then get back to me.

QUOTE(GreatScott82 @ Mar 31, 2008 -> 05:46 PM) Aram will be good for us... its not going to be overnight... he'll be fine. He may benefit from some time in triple-a. Im guessing they'll wait for Owens to come back before they move him down to the farm. I doubt Ramirez gets sent down. They're not going to go with one backup MI and three backup OFers. It's going to take Richar or a trade to send Ramirez down.

QUOTE(Melissa1334 @ Mar 31, 2008 -> 05:58 PM) i agree 100% that was just brutle. never seen anything like it. they gave this game to the indians Agree they gave it away. But it was taken at the same time. Regardless, if one of those double plays is turned in the second inning, the Sox walk away with a laugher.

QUOTE(The Beast @ Mar 31, 2008 -> 05:42 PM) There is no way that he does that. Do you have any idea of the kind of training that these individuals go through? It's pretty rigorous. I doubt with how many Umpires the league has that any kind of action would be taken. Sure, some things could be under review after games with so called "controversy," but I doubt that anything will come from people acting in the heat of battle instead of waiting when they've cooled a bit. I'm sorry, but isn't that a bit of an extreme overreaction? To the first part. Umps get suspended. Especially in scenarios in which a game is called this poorly. They're trained rigorously, but they're not above the millions of dollars going into both teams. I'm quite certain it's not just the fans that will complain this time. To the second part. He was making a point. Not threatening to delete your account.

Well, the real one went down yesterday. Here's what I ended up with: 1. Jimmy Rollins 2. Ryan Howard 3. Victor Martinez 4. Chone Figgins 5. Chipper Jones 6. Carlos Guillen 7. John Smoltz 8. Scott Kazmir 9. Bobby Abreu 10. Mariano Rivera 11. Trevor Hoffman 12. Jeff Franceour 13. Chad Cordero 14. Josh Hamilton 15. Joe Blanton 16. Jered Weaver 17. Matt Kemp 18. Michael Bourn 19. Oliver Perez 20. Jacoby Ellsbury 21. Ryan Theriot 22. Kevin Kouzmanoff Smoltz was placed on the DL sometime during the draft, I think. Didn't know Kazmir was already on the DL. Felt like I got extremely lucky with Abreu and even Kemp. I want to find a way to get Bourn or Ellsbury in the line-up but I don't think either are better than Hamilton, Abreu or Franceour or Guillen in my UTL spot.

QUOTE(Big Hurtin @ Mar 30, 2008 -> 08:29 PM) and they'll all get ice cream after the game even if they lose. Is that what you're having? Or will you eat yours during the game?

QUOTE(nitetrain8601 @ Mar 30, 2008 -> 08:21 PM) How would it make it worse? Uribe has more power than Ozuna and that's it. Ozuna is a much much much better hitter against lefties. It makes no sense for Uribe to start. Tell it to the guy calling the shots. There's nothing else I can say to defend my stance. I have no numbers. I just think it makes sense to start Uribe on opening day.

QUOTE(nitetrain8601 @ Mar 30, 2008 -> 07:47 PM) I disagree. Why have Pablo? What he brings to the table is his ability to hit tough lefties such as CC. He's one of the very few who could hit him, yet we're going to bench him for the Tazmanian Devil who can't hit worth a lick? I don't advocate benching Thome because he's probably your most dangerous hitter. But complaining because we won't bench an awful bat for a guy who actually could hit a tough matchup just doesn't sound right to me. Confidence can work wonders on a player. There's no stat in baseball for that. I won't defend Uribe all year, but I'll defend him on opening day even if he goes 0-5 with 5 K's and 20 men left on base. I just don't agree to make an already bad situation at 2B worse. With what people here expect the Sox to do this year, it doesn't matter who they roll out where anyway.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Mar 30, 2008 -> 12:23 PM) Opening day or not, it's not just a very smart baseball move. Hopefully Juan can prove everyone wrong. Says who? The numbers? Everyone knew since day one Ozzie was hired that we wouldn't see the every day norm. I couldn't care less what Pablo hits against C.C. If Juan Uribe is my starting 2B, then he's starting at 2B on opening day. Some people even want to bench Thome? How else can we micromanage the game? Maybe we should just go the Bill Veeck route and put signs out in the stands and let the fans call the game. (...waiting for the first 50 people to tell me that Veeck's team won that game...) If there is any way for Juan Uribe to get worse -- after going through the justice system, being replaced at SS, shoped around in the off-season, and then placed on waivers -- it's to tell him he's the starting second baseman and then sit him on opening day because there is a bench player behind him who missed more than considerable time last year that hits the pitcher better. Give the man a break.

Summer Catch.

QUOTE(Mplssoxfan @ Mar 30, 2008 -> 05:26 PM) A wise man once told me that "cigarettes, whiskey, and wild, wild women are what made this country what it is today". Keep on keepin' on, Bob. Love all three. Put the net up but need some wood to hang it. That's if I can walk back up the stairs without dying of emphysema. Maybe I should've made it out of Big Mac boxes. Or Bud Light cans.

Has the sky crushed us all yet? I still don't even feel the pressure. It's opening day. Relax.

QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Mar 29, 2008 -> 07:27 PM) Or choose your major wisely If there is anything this thread has proved, it's that your major is probably worth jack s*** for what one truly wants to do. Not many people seem to be doing what they specialized in through college. Should we all be accountant or business majors? Screw the safe route. I'm not in creative writing for the job. I'm in it because I like it.

QUOTE(ChWRoCk2 @ Mar 29, 2008 -> 08:18 PM) Terrible philosophy, no offense. You should ALWAYS take the best player available towards beginning of each draft regardless of position. 2B is one of the deeper positions you could wait longer for that position. Also felt you took Victorino and Pierre very early, one thing you might want to do is instead of drafting Pierre take Bourn like 5-6 rds later, hes the same player (good value pick ). Also, you can wait till the third/fourth round to get VMart, second round for a catcher is kinda early. Just a couple suggestions. It's about 200 HR and 1,000 RBI. That's not too bad. I'm not trying to sweep the offensive categories. I'm going for balance. Instead of having a 12 points in HR and 5 in SB, I'd rather have a 10 in HR and a 10 in SB. That's my philosophy. And judging from the mock's I've done, Victor Martinez generally goes late second. I've neve seen Vicorino drop below R10. I hadn't thought about Michael Bourn even though he is on my draft board. Probably could spare Pierre and pick somebody up like Markakis in the 7th or 8th round.

For about six months my roommate and I saved our cigarette boxes. We wanted to make a robot out of them. But what can you do with a robot that has no mechinism? So I made a basketball hoop. An over the top view. My roommate smokes Parliment Ligts, I smoke Marlboro Lights. The backside of the backboard is mostly Marlborlo. The rim is surprisingly strong. It's held up by 14 straws. A side view. The top of the rim. I put it all together with glue and boxing tape. I have a net for it that I will put on when we hang it up. Hanging it up is the last challenge.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Mar 29, 2008 -> 01:16 PM) If Carlos Guillen, Victor Martinez, and/or Tim Lincecum go down this season, you're f***ed..... They're mock drafts so I'm not worried about it. I'm just trying to draft positions with less depth early (and draft power at those spots too) and go with speed later.

Alright, last one. I swear. 1 - Prince Fielder (1B) 2 - Victor Martinez © 3 - Carlos Guillen (SS) 4 - Chone Figgins (2B) 5 - Garrett Atkins (3B) 6 - Josh Beckett (SP) 7 - Shane Victorino (OF) 8 - Juan Pierre (OF) 9- Jason Isringhausen (CL) 10 - Tim Lincecum (SP) 11 - Chad Cordero (CL) 12 - A.J. Burnett (SP) 13 - Pat Burrell (OF) 14 - Jeremy Hermida (OF) 15 - Rich Harden (SP) 16 - Brandon Lyon (CL) 17 - Joe Blanton (SP) 18 - Kevin Kouzmanoff (3B) 19 - Ryan Theriot - (MI) 20 - Lastings Milledge (OF) 21 - Freddy Sanchez (2B) 22 - Jose Contreras (SP)

QUOTE(nitetrain8601 @ Mar 27, 2008 -> 09:32 PM) I hope we do resign him just so he could piss off 99% of the board and then watch everyone talk about how we ruined another sure HOF career. LMAO I kind of think that would be funny too. But that's just my style.