Jake

Has Greinke ever pitched in the playoffs? For a contending team?

I disagree with the take on the play at 3B. I don't think that's a play anybody squares up, it makes the throw impossible unless you can throw flat footed like Juan Uribe. He just needs to be able to make the backhand play -- he didn't read the ball well for whatever reason, possibly incompetence. Not the type of play 2B's make because they get to square it up and have a short throw to make with flat feet

I remain staunchly opposed to buying at the deadline. Unless you can get a nice piece for next to nothing, I just wouldn't do it. We came into this season with a plan to build a consistent winner. Trading one of our very nice young players/prospects (I think we have several, but not enough to start trading them away) just really shortens our window for competing. Don't throw out the plans for this season based on a good couple months of baseball. If this team is meant to compete, an extremely reliable pitcher like Floyd will turn it around. Danks will get healthy. Humber will either find it or his well-performing replacement will step in. I'm honestly not all that worried about it, as annoying as it is to watch. We could probably get a competent veteran 3B for cheap but I still wouldn't trade a Jared Mitchell/Jose Quintana player for one (sans David Wright who I don't believe is getting moved). O-Dog has his bad plays over there but he has some that the "average" 3B doesn't make. I expect the D to get better and I think his batting average will improve when he isn't walking at such a high rate/just gets more at bats

Not a big Harrison Barnes fan. He has the same weaknesses as Deng, but I'm uncertain if he can match up to Luol's strengths. Advantage is the cost, but a big disadvantage in the uncertainty and what I perceive to be a lack of upside. I'm not a draft expert, but I still think if Meyers Leonard falls past 5 or so someone is getting a great value pick. As far as the Bulls, lots of people are eager to tear apart a team that has dominated two regular seasons and has only played together for one playoffs, when they had a nice run but came up short against a good (but also hateable) Heat team

QUOTE (greg775 @ Jun 15, 2012 -> 11:17 PM) I'm not a big Jesse Crain fan. Is there any reason I should be? Fail tonight. His track record would be one reason QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 15, 2012 -> 11:18 PM) I despise AJ's pitch calling. Mark Parent calls the pitches for most of the pitchers on this team

Welcome Chris Sale to the all-inclusive club of starting pitchers that have surrendered more than 3 runs in a game.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jun 15, 2012 -> 11:12 PM) Ummm...let's just get this one first. Have given up expecting anything resembling a quality start from Humber in this stretch. 4/8 QS since May 1st

Crain had a couple shaky outings after the injury, but has been pretty much nails this year.

Get him out of there.

Not a great play by OH, but Sale got what he deserved there

Sale about to get knocked out

We should take more late night flights

Looked like Chris started to find it

Looks bad so far

Really appreciate the input guys, I think I'll be going with the i5. It should allow me to fit some other cool bells and whistles into the budget

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jun 15, 2012 -> 02:19 PM) What is your budget? You are traveling a bunch you said? For the money you can get a macbook air for under 1k which I think is a great deal http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/spec.../macbook_air/13 The i5 will be just fine for what you are doing most likely. Based on my previous experience with Apple while I still think they have a far superior OS I won't be buying again unfortunately. Ideally it wouldn't be over 1k after I buy 2 year accidental damage, etc. QUOTE (danman31 @ Jun 15, 2012 -> 02:19 PM) I can't speak for the i7, but I have an i5 and it handles a similar workload just fine. Good stuff, it may save me money/allow me to have other cool features

I'm getting a 15" laptop to be my new primary laptop at school, while traveling for college baseball, and whatever else it is I do. I don't have the budget to spend like I did when I bought my Mac that just went out on me. Is the upgrade to i7 worth the money or should I stick with i5? Should I upgrade to dedicated video card > i7? I will rarely game but usually have 10+ internet tabs going, music, word, maybe a few other programs on at once on a given night. Perhaps utorrent. MLB.tv when applicable.

Man I remember thinking Salvador Sanchez would be an Alex Rios-type player at one point

Can't close the book on Gavin or Humber just yet. I can't disagree with a Humber move to the pen though, we should ride the magic that is Q as long as it will last. Humber will probably pick up a spot start or more later in the season if someone goes down for some reason. I felt like Humber was really on the cusp last outing. This Danks stuff is odd, but everything I hear suggests that he shouldn't have a significant injury -- makes me wonder if he conditioned his arm in the off/preseason I've been harping on this, but I have to say again that the pitch calling has been atrocious. They insist on making our guys into two pitch pitchers, especially against same handed batter. I understand that Mark Parent may have had a hard time hitting a curveball in his playing days, but the fastball-curveball only combo is what makes relievers. Both of these guys have changeups and we should utilizing them, Humber in particular. Humber's changeup output has been halved since last year. I know neither pitcher has a great changeup, but they are both serviceable and throwing the pitch enough to keep it in the mind of every batter changes the composure of every batter. We've also decided not to throw inside apparently, but I'm about to give up on that one I am still against giving up much of anything of value to get a starting pitcher. We don't have many pieces and I can't think of a proposed deal I've heard yet that would be worth it. We came into this season trying to build a perennial winner and trading out of our barren upper minors is just a terrible idea IMO as is trading young players off the active roster.

Banged up Carlos Quentin didn't have much value at the time everybody, get over it. Simon Castro is quickly becoming one of our top prospects again (something he also was as a Padre) and Hernandez was pitching unbelievably until he got hurt

Worth a crack, but he needs to get pitching something like right now

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 13, 2012 -> 09:40 PM) Wow, what a terrible swing on the 3-1 meatball. All day he looked defensive at the plate

PK continuing to look like s*** vs offspeed

The battling Paulies here. The clutch one vs the DP machine one

QUOTE (Soxfest @ Jun 13, 2012 -> 09:17 PM) What the hell run Dunn that was horrid. He's not playing because he has a sprained ankle You expect him to run to 1st well?