Gregory Pratt

Because none of us have anything to do with the success or failure of the Brewers. If you're so worried about it -- and you are -- why don't you create a Love For the Cubs thread to counter Teh Jinx0rs?

I really hope we don't close this. It's a really silly superstition to. I'm not the powers-that-be, though.

It's still mental masturbation, too.

It's still the face of the franchise.

QUOTE(fathom @ Aug 17, 2007 -> 03:39 PM) Ha, I know. I'm just saying that if KW thinks adding Eckstein is going to get this team back to the promise land of the playoffs, then he must have a lot more confidence in Crede's back being healthy and Richar's ability to hit in the majors. I'd much rather go into the season with Uribe at SS if it means upgrading in CF with a legit offensive talent. Also, don't forget that it's very likely Garland is dealt this offseason. I know a lot of us think KW has bigger plans this offseason that what's predicted here. You genuinely think he has bigger plans -- bigger, realistic plans? Obviously, he plans to add some talent, but how much is realistic?

We are also talking about a vastly different economic culture. That money for them was big money for them, just like it is now, so it's not that off.

QUOTE(Steff @ Aug 17, 2007 -> 02:12 PM) If you are ever in a situation to ask him (a signing or at Soxfest) as him about it. He will go on for hours about what a s***ty batter he was. Yeah, hahaha.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Aug 17, 2007 -> 01:35 PM) 1.) Owens, Jerry - CF - L 2.) Eckstein, David - SS - R 3.) Thome, Jim - DH - L 4.) Konerko, Paul - 1B - R 5.) Dye, Jermaine - RF - R 6.) Pierzynski, AJ - C - L 7.) Fields, Josh - LF - R 8.) Richar, Danny - 2B - L 9.) Crede, Joe - 3B - R Just thought I'd jot this down so it is on record. That's hideous.

The Twins have been fairly good about not letting the faces of their franchise leave. Like Kirby Puckett. It is not a given for Santana to leave via free agency.

Minnesota's owner has deep pockets and they've got a ballpark coming. I am sure they'll find the money, and my guess is they're interested.

QUOTE(fathom @ Aug 17, 2007 -> 11:50 AM) Yep, get Santana out of the game to face that terrible Twins bullpen. He's the only pitcher we face where our players seem mentally defeated before the game even begins. He's not going to stay with the Twins though, so it doesn't even really matter. He'll get a 6 year, 140 million dollar deal from someone. His fastball has already lost 2 mph this season, so that would be a terrible contract. Santana's lost a little heat but he will be effective, barring injury, for plenty of years. Speaking of his contract, I'm not so sure he's gone for good. So many good pitchers are staying, and clubs realize the value of guys like that. Not to mention that Santana is truly the face of the Minnesota Twins.

I was being very sarcastic. Santana good. But the answer to, "Oh, we're going to lose four to five games against him, oh!" is "don't lose." I don't look at Santana and say, "God, please, let him leave!11111111111" I say, Work him hard, get him out of the game and do damage against the pen. Figure out how to not get shutout by him every time you face him. I know Santana good, but our offensive approach against him doesn't help us out much, either.

The White Sox should learn how to hit him better if they're so worried about him. This "guaranteed loss" nonsense drives me mad.

I'm a bigger fan of the game of baseball than the White Sox, for one, and I think it's better for the game and its fans if players remain with their teams for a long time. Kind of a feel-good thing, and I didn't really start feeling that way until I heard George Brett talk about that. Besides, players remaining with one team usually means a discount and usually means normalization of baseball economics which have been out of control for quite awhile. If Santana stays in our division, good for him and should-be good for us. I'd rather have our team face the best in baseball than, say, the crap of the game.

It makes me feel good to watch hometown heroes stay in their hometown this year. Keep it going, Santana. You are a Twin. Period.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Aug 16, 2007 -> 08:35 PM) Well, let's think for just a second. Take the $7 million. If you spent that 5 times on draft picks, then that's $35 mil and you get 5 top tier pitchers. That's basically 1 Javy Vazquez contract extension or 3/4 of a Ted Lilly or 3/5 of a Gil Meche. So in other words, you have 5 different chances for a guy to turn into Javy Vazquez for the same price. There may be a higher percentage of busts than the known commodity...but you also have 5 more chances to win. It's sort of a bit of gambling I guess...do you spend your money on 1 sure thing or on 5 guys where you get a limited chance of success with each one? For a top-of-the-draft kind of guy, I thnk the math certainly favors taking your chances on the expensive guy...UNLESS you see a cheaper guy who you think could be the same or better. If we lined up Porcello and Poreda and said to ourselves "well, they both throw hard, but one of them is a lefty...and the lefty will be $5 million cheaper", then that $5 mil you saved is Uribe's option. You sort of have to weigh everything. "Signability" makes me sick.

The Expos were very good that year.

Do any of our guys work out like him? I don't know, but Contreras is said to have an excruciating workout routine. What it is, I don't know, and I know nothing about the other guys' workout habits.

That's not the Q, though. Are the Cubs the 77 Yankees or the 27 Yankees or the 20XX Yankees or what?

QUOTE(Steff @ Aug 16, 2007 -> 04:14 PM) Dry since December, thank you very much. Seriously, the Air show is fun. Loosen up. There's a lot of other things to be pissed at the g'ment for wasting money on. I'm not pissed off. It's an indifferent hatred. (Dear Grammar Nazis, plz spare me "you can't hate indifferently," because I can. Passive hatred baby.)

QUOTE(Steff @ Aug 16, 2007 -> 04:14 PM) Dry since December, thank you very much.

Who do the Cubs remind you of this week?

QUOTE(Steff @ Aug 16, 2007 -> 04:12 PM) And crazy. Drunk?

QUOTE(Steff @ Aug 16, 2007 -> 04:10 PM) Better than thousands on toilet seats and hammers. At least the former are somewhat entertaining. The bugs having sex are entertaining? You're wild.

No.