Rex Hudler

Look, you lost your argument. You replied to my reference to Nolan Ryan that his ERA made his 8-16 record not as bad. Then when I pointed out that your original argument wasn't based on ERA but only on the shallow statement that "great pitchers don't start 2-10", you promptly went back to your originaly statement about "starting 2-10". I will say one more time. You can't judge a guy because of a way he starts a season, yet not judge a guy who was equally bad in terms of record, just because he wasn't as bad in his first 12 decisions. And for the record, Mark Buehrle's record may have been bad for the first three months of the season, but if you want to bring ERA into it, you might find it interesting that Mark has had only one month of the season out of the first three where his ERA was above 4. His ERA in May was 7.16. In April he was 3.92 and in June he was 3.83. If you don't think Mark Buehrle is a great pitcher fine. But back it up with a statement you can back up with logical reasoning. But if Mark ends the season with an ERA under 4 and a record above .500, will he still be judged on his 2-10 start? If so, then judge his ass all the way to the playoffs because that is where he will be leading the Sox. If you want to claim that you won your argument on a technicality, even though I disagree, go for it. But you, me and everyone else knows that you lost it on merit.

I'd say he is in good shape then.

Whatever makes you happy, Bmr. That's what makes the world go.

Thank you sir. Those were very kind words. I appreciate you standing up with me.

Think what you want. But I know many opinions that are completely baseless, therefore wrong. I have even had a few myself before. Granted, I was mature enough to admit they were. That's what kind of man I am.

When is his last start before the All-Star game. That will have more of an impact on whether he starts than how many votes he got.

Say what you want. If you aren't smart enough to admit that your point was ridiculous, then I have no time for you. A man admits when he is wrong. Sticking to your point even when you are wrong shows immaturity or stubbornness. Either way, I'll let you have whatever dignity you want to try and hang on to and I will walk away with my head high, knowing not only was I right, but that pathetic doesn't even enter into the picture here.

Who voted in Hernandez? How do we know who the players voted in and who the manager's selected?

I was thinking along the same lines.

Bmr, when you are being an idiot, I am going to call you on it. Your statement that Mark Buehrle is not a great pitcher because he started 2-10 is pointless. That's like saying no great hitter ever started a season by hitting less than .200 for the first month of the season. You can try and make any point you want, but again, if it is ridiculous, I'll call you on it. Like it or not, I don't care.

You changed your argument when you used Nolan Ryan's ERA to defend your point. And Phil Niekro is a Hall of Famer. Quit arguing, you are showing that you are either immature and pigheaded or stupid. Either way, you are the only one that thinks you are making any sense here at all.

Youre doing nothing but making a fool of yourself. Nolay ryans 8-16 was matched with a below 3 era..........you guys are splitting hairs to try and disprove a point i never made. I said great pitchers dont start 2-10. Who cares how MB or any of the others finished? If you want to hold me to my SPECIFIC point, you must too. You're point is not only stupid but invalid. To take a sample size that small and make the judgement shows how little you know about the game. Your continuance to try to hold onto your point is idiotic. Whether a pitcher starts or finishes 8 games under 500, doesn't matter. So deeming one more important than the other is just dumb.

MB isnt a rookie. Who do you think youre fooling? I challenge you to find a pitcher in the history of baseball(not 1st 2 seasons), who started 2-10 with a high 5 era and you can call a great pitcher. Go ahead, find one. Hell use their 1st 2 seasons, i bet you still cant find one. Sorry buddy, you can't change your argument. But just for fun, let's look...... Sandy Koufax was 7-13 with a 3.91 ERA (6th season) Phil Niekro was 12-18 with a 4.27 ERA (7th season) Steve Carlton was 10-19 with a 3.73 ERA (6th season) Each of these were in different times where 5 ER's didn't exist. Walter Johnson's 13-25 season was in his 3rd year. The bottom line is that great pitchers can have bad stretches or even years and for you to judge MB completely on his first 12 decisions of this year is idiotic.

You made NO mention of ERA so don't try to qualify your answer. 8-16 and 2-10 are both 8 games under .500 by my math, so who the hell cares if they win them early or late if all we are doing is saying that Mark Buehrle can't be a great pitcher because of his 2-10 record?

So a 2-10 start is any different than an 8-16 finish? How about Greg Maddux 6-14? Phil Niekro's 12-18? Stever Carlton's 10-19? or his 13-20? Tom Glavine's 7-17? Randy Johnson's 7-13? Walter Johnson's 13-25? No good pitchers in that group at all.

So Nolan Ryan wasn't a great pitcher??

Not everyone is Mark Prior. It's not black and white man. You gotta look into the gray area. And for what it is worth, I have said that Cotts could be a top of the rotation guy (and to me that could mean anywhere from a #1 to #3 starter) if he solves his problems with walks. I don't see how that is overhyping.

ummmmmmmmmm all those guys suck, bro. You got 5 big leaguers in that list.. They don't suck. Say what you want, but until you lay eyes on somebody, don't insinuate you know something I don't.

Thanks for the kind words MSF. I try to be fair.

I'm lost here. All I can find is the starting lineups and the 5 guys available in each league for the final vote. Where are the names of the players the managers and players voted in?

I didn't mean it to come across that way. I am just saying that Birmingham has had some very good pitchers come through here and he compares favorably with any of them. Wasn't going for an individual comparison.

Bmr, after you have watched him pitch more than once, then let's talk. I have seen prospects come and go and I have more than been honest about the chances of some guys. I'd think you would already have picked that up in the short time I have been on here. If a guy is good, I'll tell you. If a guy isn't a prospect or isn't good, I'll tell you that too. I understand your point and it could have merit, but in this case, I don't believe it does. Five or six years it may have applied. I have seen the likes of Buehrle, Biddle, Ginter, Rauch, Fogg, Wells, Garland, Myette, Guerrier and many others just here in Birmingham. Cotts compares with any of them at this point.

The thing that alot of people dismiss is the park he pitches in... very hitter friendly, maybe that explains why he's given up 12 dingers and his era is a tad over 4. So what does that say about Borchard's hitting??

Last two days off, actually. Has homered already today.

I just don't see Lowell getting traded. He is to much of a fan faverite down in South Florida. And if they trade him they might as well contract themselves because no FANs are going to come. There lies the contradiction in your statement... There are already no fans going to Marlins games. Trust me, the few that do won't stop coming because they lose Mike Lowell.