IlliniKrush

I'll tune in here and there, mainly to watch some brutal umpiring. They did move the fences back not that long ago, but could probably do so again. I also think the bases and mound should open up as well.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 8, 2014 -> 02:24 PM) So if the timeline isn't for years, why start the Baez clock now? That just knocks time off of the control window you have for him. I get what you are saying, but at some point you also have to do what you feel is right for his development. You knew guys weren't going to arrive at the same time anyway based on age and development. Once this gets going, the Cubs aren't going to be too worried if his clock is a bit ahead of some others, and they'll have money.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 8, 2014 -> 02:08 PM) The big assumption there is that nothing changed since the day that they started the rebuild. One thing did change. The Cubs are now in their 6th straight season of falling attendance. With the amount of debt that ownership took to buy the team, and then looking at the extra money they are wanting to pump into Wrigley for their remodel, it is pretty easy to see a need to sell more ticket and generate some excitement before 2015. If this was purely about the rebuild and trying to put together the best possible window to succeed, Baez wouldn't be here today. If they were really looking to succeed short term, they wouldn't have dumped their last top line pitcher for more prospects which push the timeline back. They don't care about falling attendance, because as soon as they are even halfway decent, hello sellouts. They knew going in that it would take a while, and that attendance would fall. It's no surprise. Baez is up to continue his development, as they feel he is ready to start that process. And they aren't looking to succeed short term, if you mean next year. He had one year left on his contract. They got assets for someone they weren't going to compete with next year, and either weren't going to sign after that, or will have the ability to sign him (or someone better) in 2016 anyway. It made perfect sense. It would have been stupid not to trade him. Therefore, the timeline went absolutely nowhere by trading him.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 8, 2014 -> 11:03 AM) It is absolutely for the fans. They have generated more buzz in the last week than they have in years. If it were about the rebuild, these guys wouldn't be up until Sept 1 at the earliest, but more like the Super2 deadline in mid-June next year to maximize control, and the window they are trying to open with the young talent to all come together. Knocking a year off of guys control time shortens that window and makes the rebuild harder. The rebuild isn't for the fans, it's to win. If the whole "showing progress" was for the fans, like I said, this rebuild would have never happened. They aren't going to take so long with a rebuild and then just say "let's f*** up this guy's development, the fans deserve to see him woo." Right or wrong, they made a move based on his development. Their logic on Sep 1 and not waiting was fine. They wanted him to get a bunch of at bats, not just a month, not just a cup of coffee. If he was going to come up Sep 1 anyway, this is for more development. Like fathom said, if they ahead of where they thought they'd be at this point, they start moving the guys up. You know there are going to be growing pains, playing him 2 months this year and then next year is fine. Plus, you see how he adjusts and you see if you slot him somewhere, want to move him, etc. You're looking at a long window coming, not a 1 year window. They can't wait and bring up every guy at the same time.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Aug 8, 2014 -> 10:36 AM) I would disagree. I think they are starting to get worried about the lack of pitching and need to start bringing selected players up to show there is some progress. They are going to need the young hitters to produce because they are going to need to spend 100's of millions on pitching to be competitive. Show progress for what and to who? This isn't for the fans. If it was for fans, they would have never started the rebuild. This is to get Baez more experience and break him in with a couple months. Again, they will have money to sign pitchers and they have so many assets that they could also trade for pitching. QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Aug 8, 2014 -> 10:39 AM) I'd believe that if they didn't just trade Samardzija for a prospect who plays the same position as Castro and Baez. That tells me they aren't going for it in 2015. Plus, don't you read Bill Simmons, it's a lock Lester re-signs with Boston next year! (That was a joke towards Simmons) I don't think they are going for it in 2015, which is why they moved him. All these guys aren't going to be in the lineup to start next year, but could be scattered as the year goes on. They got more assets for a piece they weren't going to compete with next year, and either weren't going to re-sign or could sign after 2015 anyway.

QUOTE (fathom @ Aug 8, 2014 -> 10:02 AM) I would say it's the exact opposite of that, as the window might have been pushed up due to the incredible progress of their top minor league guys. Also, I'm sure they are thrilled that Lester didn't extend with the Red Sox. Agreed. Now that Baez hasn't fallen flat on his face in the first few games (he will struggle mightily at some point the rest of the way), the "I told you this rebuild would never work!" posts are on hold. With the sheer number of prospects they have, not all of them will work out, but they don't have to. They can trade some, they make a signing or two. A few of them hit, and they are going to be in great shape. Unfortunately they just aren't as far away as we'd all like to think.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 08:25 PM) So because I questioned whether they were both actually injured, then the situations are the same...got it. Just pointing out that you are doing it yet again. The whole thing sounded very familiar, just not quite as ridiculous as the first time. Not sure how the situations aren't similar.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 06:11 PM) And btw, this has nothing to do with football...what kind of comparison is that? You're comparing a team sport to an individual sport; whether a guy wants to play hurt or not has entirely different implications. Secondly, I'm not making an argument that he should have continued to play. He's a grown man playing for himself; he can do whatever he chooses. Jason Dufner withdrew after 8 holes today. I could care less. Reason he even bothered at all is because it's a major and he's the defending champ. Because you trotted out the same thing during Cutler, did you not? You don't believe someone's hurt, and/or think they should be playing through it. It's the same situation.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 05:21 PM) So, I went to Illinois Wesleyan, a DIII school, but grew up outside of Champaign and went to basically every Illinois football and basketball home game from the ages of 7ish-18 (and then from 18-32 when I could). Is it not ok for me to be a fan of Illinois over IWU? Am I a "worse" fan than you? I get what you're saying when people choose to like a school because that school is successful but there's zero connection there. But if you grew up a fan because of geographic proximity, and then went to a different school, it makes sense to me that you can maintain your allegiance if you want to. That doesn't make you more or less of a fan. No I agree that you can keep that team, at least you have a reason for rooting for it. I guess we have to draw that line between random as s*** teams people like, and growing up liking them for proximity, your Dad went there, or whatever. That's my bigger thing, I guess, have a tie to it. That's where I shake my head at people. But again, some people will say "you can root for whoever you want" and you can, doesn't mean I don't think you're an idiot front-runner for it. And good example, they did play in 05, I'm guessing you rooted ILL, but I don't know, I would find it hard to attend said school (and possibly even know the players on that team personally, I know some of my friends did at that same time frame) and still root for ILL in that given situation. Or, completely forget about Wesleyan. My guess is you still pay a little bit of attention to them when they are in their tournament etc. No, it doesn't make you a worse or better fan. I know you have the history and for good reason. I was just using OSU as an example, as that seems to hold true. You run into an OSU fan, none of them went to OSU. Generally if I run into another alum in Chicago, they usually say yeah I graduated in whatever year from Purdue or Iowa or whatever. Just found it odd. Some maybe rooted for OSU their whole life, some probably didn't pay much attention and then hopped the bandwagon post-college because let's face it, football and bball have both been consistently good. Can't we just rip OSU a bit before Rock gets on here and call it a day?

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 04:01 PM) I think it's perfectly fine to be a big time fan of a school you didn't go to but I do think it's pretty bizarre when you root for that school over the one you actually went to if they were to play in something. That's where I'm at. Maybe they are your 2nd school. QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 04:04 PM) No I think it is piss poor. you think you are better then someone else that is an Illinois fan because you went there and they went elsewhere. A fan is a fan? If they follow their team and aren't bandwagon hopping, they are no different then you. Not at all. But go ahead and pretend you are some elitist. Going and graduating from a school has to count for something, but whatever. Now you're just throwing s*** all over the place, not really making any sense. Someone who roots for their team, their school, is a better fan to me. You just said it yourself, bandwagon hopping. If you don't root for your school, IMO that makes you a bad alum and fan. How could you ever root for OSU over Dayton, if you went to Dayton? I wouldn't really respect an SIU grad who rooted for their school for 4 years the suddenly ditches them to hop on an Illinois bandwagon, if they were bigger or better. If that's elitist, so be it.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 03:55 PM) Little different. College football is a huge huge business. High school is not. You can watch a college football team from anywhere and while the athletes aren't professionals, they are extremely close and the product is a multi billion dollar business with games televised all over the place. I think that is a pretty poor comparison. If you had to go to a school to be a fan of the team, well then, I guess I'm not even allowed to watch college football. Pretty pathetic. I didn't pick my school because of their sports teams, I picked it for what I was going to get my degree, cost, etc. Has no impact on the allegiance of who I follow and cheer for and makes me no less of a fan then someone who graduated from that school. Yeah right. Look, root for whoever the hell you want, doesn't mean I have to respect someone for it as a fan. Like the guy with the new FSU gear walking around Chicago. Did he go there? No? What's the tie there exactly, besides winning and jumping on a big team? Zero tie. Oh look at me, I'm the world's biggest FSU fan and I'm now I'm going to talk s*** and wear this gear to make me feel good about myself. Whatever gets you out of bed in the morning. I respect people who root for their teams win or lose, big or small. Does being an alum of a school do nothing for you? The point is, if you went to Dayton, they have sports programs you can root for. You probably paid money to go there. You probably rooted for them in some fashion for 4 years. Now you're out, time to jump on the OSU bandwagon because they are bigger, better. Whatever works.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 03:11 PM) Again, it doesn't matter. You can be just as big of a fan of a team that you didn't go to their school then vice versa. Its a flat out stupid argument. This has certainly hit a sore spot with you. QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 03:46 PM) The Chicago Bears are also a professional sports franchise, not a university. Their job is to play sports and entertain fans. When you were in high school, did you root for the sports teams from the high school across town because their school was bigger than yours? There you go.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Aug 7, 2014 -> 01:30 PM) They either went to Miami, Dayton, or Ohio. Exactly. They give two s***s about their "actual" school.

Gotta compare it to the Cutler situation. He's not hurt! He could have played! He quit! I'm with Jenks, I'm not buying it.

Another great thing about OSU fans is almost every one you meet didn't actually go to OSU.

QUOTE (Brian @ Aug 6, 2014 -> 11:16 AM) MSU or Michigan probably want to be last to make the last impression. There isn't a last impression made when he commits after his first visit! In all seriousness, here we are again after Black Friday. Don't get excited about recruiting, don't get excited about recruiting, don't get excited about recruiting.... Excited about recruiting. Damn it. Oh also Brunson's 4th visit is to Purdue? WTF?

QUOTE (fathom @ Aug 5, 2014 -> 10:04 PM) I can't believe they might get shut out by Lewis. Wow, go get em Sale No hitter tomorrow.

Brunson official Aug 29-31

Get all your hits out tonight there Texas, tomorrow is no hit time.

QUOTE (fathom @ Aug 5, 2014 -> 07:49 PM) Sadly, his extension could very well end up being one of the worst deals in Sox history. This is why I was advocating taking ANYTHING from the Yankees, not playing hard ball. Get out from under this terrible contract for a pitcher who is just bad now.

QUOTE (Jake @ Aug 5, 2014 -> 07:32 PM) Danks FIP by month: 4.14, 5.27, 4.78, 5.10 Oh, and for now August is 15.14...but he's only thrown one inning so we'll let him work on that a little bit more. My general point is that outside of having an okay April, he's been bad all year. His hot streak was a mirage Yet some will tell you his value IS 14 mil a year, and are glad the Sox didn't trade him. Guys throwing 86mph to eat innings (lose games) can be found anywhere. I think this only gets worse the next 2 years.

QUOTE (dasox24 @ Aug 5, 2014 -> 05:43 PM) Agreed. Sounds like we've been recruiting him as hard as anyone, but I suspect it will be too late in the game to really make a difference. Always an issue with a new coaching staff trying to catch-up on current year recruits. You mean this isn't going to work?

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Aug 5, 2014 -> 03:15 PM) Did you read that Derek Piper guys' article? Yup

Thomas down to 6, Illini still in it. Evans cutting list tomorrow, and there's this: "I’m told that there will be a surprise omission on Wednesday morning—with a team who has been rumored to be a big-time contender left out." Although supposedly he'll have a date for Illinois' official today.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Aug 5, 2014 -> 02:22 PM) I'm not going to lie, I wouldn't even be bothered by any past players even someone like Buehrle. I just don't want any current suspensions, though it'd be quite hilarious if Chris was roiding. That's because you can look at that 2005 team, look at stats, look at career stats, and can pick out some guys that were probably using. It would be far from a shock.