The Phil Rogers Curse?

[Andy]

Which Ramirez is a better player than Teixiera?  Manny?

I love E-ramis, but it's not him.

Mauer was headed to FSU to play quarterback if he hadn't been drafted number one by the Twins.  Now, granted, if he'd gone top five and somebody threw enough money at him he was going to sign, but it was no sure thing.  Had Mauer not been in the draft, the Twins probably would have taken Teixiera and the Cubs would have taken...Prior.

[MAD]

Teixera may be the a marginally better hitter, but he also played third base like Keith Moreland.  Hence his move to first base while he was still in his mid-20's.  That's why i said Ramirez is the better player.

Either way, I agree that this may all be much ado about nothing.  The Cubs could have just as easily ended up with Prior in either scenario.  Great?

[PenFoe]

Teixera may be the a marginally better hitter, but he also played third base like Keith Moreland.  Hence his move to first base while he was still in his mid-20's.  That's why i said Ramirez is the better player.

Either way, I agree that this may all be much ado about nothing.  The Cubs could have just as easily ended up with Prior in either scenario.  Great?

What scenario ends with the Cubs getting Dewon Brazelton?
Because that's the scenario I would like to see.

Also, it should be noted that the current Cubs roster includes two other guys from the 1st round of this draft (2001).

N.Y. Mets
Draft#:18
Aaron Heilman
Position:P
Drafted From:University of Notre Dame

Baltimore
Draft#:19
Mike Fontenot
Position:2B
Drafted From:Louisiana State University

[Eli]

Teixera may be the a marginally better hitter, but he also played third base like Keith Moreland. 

I don't really know if that's true. I think his move to third was more because Blalock also came up at 3B at the same time.  Tex has turned himself into a pretty good defensive first baseman; I think he plays first at least as well as Aramis plays third.

And "marginally better" probably understates Tex's advantage over Ramirez as a hitter. 

[BH]

Teixera may be the a marginally better hitter, but he also played third base like Keith Moreland. 

I don't really know if that's true. I think his move to third was more because Blalock also came up at 3B at the same time.  Tex has turned himself into a pretty good defensive first baseman; I think he plays first at least as well as Aramis plays third.

And "marginally better" probably understates Tex's advantage over Ramirez as a hitter. 

Just an fyi, Huey thinks Ryan Harvey is better than Teixeira.

[MAD]

Teixera may be the a marginally better hitter, but he also played third base like Keith Moreland. 

I don't really know if that's true. I think his move to third was more because Blalock also came up at 3B at the same time.  Tex has turned himself into a pretty good defensive first baseman; I think he plays first at least as well as Aramis plays third.

And "marginally better" probably understates Tex's advantage over Ramirez as a hitter. 

Just an fyi, Huey thinks Ryan Harvey is better than Teixeira.

Dude, if we had Harvey, Pie and Patterson left-to-right, we'd be in first by 10 games.

In the Texas League.

[CT III]

Teixera may be the a marginally better hitter, but he also played third base like Keith Moreland. 

I don't really know if that's true. I think his move to third was more because Blalock also came up at 3B at the same time.  Tex has turned himself into a pretty good defensive first baseman; I think he plays first at least as well as Aramis plays third.

And "marginally better" probably understates Tex's advantage over Ramirez as a hitter. 

Just an fyi, Huey thinks Ryan Harvey is better than Teixeira.

Dude, if we had Harvey, Pie and Patterson left-to-right, we'd be in first by 10 games.

In the Texas League.

Huey also underestimates the Texas League.

[Lukester]

Just another reason to go watch another team,   a poll says that a majority of our moron fans agree with other stupid morons.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-30-cubs-zambrano-jun30,0,452150.story

Ugh.   Reading that article is like the time I lived in Decatur and slept with 7 fat chicks in less than a year.    I hate myself.  Excuse me now,  I'll be performing Seppuku momentarily.

[powen01]

Just another reason to go watch another team,   a poll says that a majority of our moron fans agree with other stupid morons.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-30-cubs-zambrano-jun30,0,452150.story

Ugh.   Reading that article is like the time I lived in Decatur and slept with 7 fat chicks in less than a year.    I hate myself.  Excuse me now,  I'll be performing Seppuku momentarily.

I guess we know what you like to eat, but have you prepared your death poem?

[Internet Apex]

Just another reason to go watch another team,   a poll says that a majority of our moron fans agree with other stupid morons.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-30-cubs-zambrano-jun30,0,452150.story

Ugh.   Reading that article is like the time I lived in Decatur and slept with 7 fat chicks in less than a year.    I hate myself.  Excuse me now,  I'll be performing Seppuku momentarily.

A majority? That's amazing. How did they filter out the votes of non-Cub fans?

[Saul Goodman]

What I wouldn't give if the Cubs had been able to sign Lincecum (when they took him out of HS in the first place) and draft Mauer.

And if they'd never let go of Jim Essian.

AND SIGN PERENNIAL MVP MARK DEROSA TO A LIFETIME CONTRACT AMIRITE GUYZ????

[Chuck to Chuck]

Just another reason to go watch another team,   a poll says that a majority of our moron fans agree with other stupid morons.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-30-cubs-zambrano-jun30,0,452150.story

Ugh.   Reading that article is like the time I lived in Decatur and slept with 7 fat chicks in less than a year.    I hate myself.  Excuse me now,  I'll be performing Seppuku momentarily.

A majority? That's amazing. How did they filter out the votes of non-Cub fans?

And they turned this poll into a SPORTS SECTION FRONT PAGE MAJOR GRAPHIC and a second article.

Time to get Nate Silver on Phil.

[Lukester]

Just another reason to go watch another team,   a poll says that a majority of our moron fans agree with other stupid morons.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-30-cubs-zambrano-jun30,0,452150.story

Ugh.   Reading that article is like the time I lived in Decatur and slept with 7 fat chicks in less than a year.    I hate myself.  Excuse me now,  I'll be performing Seppuku momentarily.

I guess we know what you like to eat, but have you prepared your death poem?

If I'da known that there was going to be poetry involved by being a Cubs fan,   I would of just watched Soccer instead.     

[Lance Dicksons Arm]

Teixera may be the a marginally better hitter, but he also played third base like Keith Moreland.  Hence his move to first base while he was still in his mid-20's.  That's why i said Ramirez is the better player.

Either way, I agree that this may all be much ado about nothing.  The Cubs could have just as easily ended up with Prior in either scenario.  Great?

What scenario ends with the Cubs getting Dewon Brazelton?
Because that's the scenario I would like to see.

Also, it should be noted that the current Cubs roster includes two other guys from the 1st round of this draft (2001).

N.Y. Mets
Draft#:18
Aaron Heilman
Position:P
Drafted From:University of Notre Dame

Baltimore
Draft#:19
Mike Fontenot
Position:2B
Drafted From:Louisiana State University

Here's how dopey I am.  I didn't know until last week that Fontenot was picked that high by the Orioles.

I just never considered it to even be a possibility.   

Now if you'll excuse me, it's back to my towel drill. 

[R-V]

Just sit back and let the stupid wash over you.

Gorzelanny credited Maddux after a strong six-inning outing on Thursday in Tucson, where he held an Arizona lineup missing only Justin Upton to two runs. He worked quickly, threw strikes and recovered quickly when things went wrong. The results spoke for themselves as he pitched his way into Lou Piniella's rotation.

After one year after from baseball, Maddux accepted Jim Hendry's invitation to join the Cubs as a special assistant this year. The job description is a little bit of everything, from coaching to evaluating players, as he tries to find the exact right niche for himself as he transitions from Hall of Fame pitcher to baseball lifer.

He's not sure if he wants to get back into uniform as a pitching coach (the role his brother Mike excels in) or manager or if he wants to be more involved in putting teams together. It will be very interesting to see what he decides. The Cubs are very lucky to have him working for them, not the Braves or someone else, and should make it clear that they see him as a lot more than a celebrity guest.

He can have a huge impact in tons of ways big and small. Just ask Gorzelanny.

2. The Cubs are having a great spring but don't judge them by the 13-8-2 record. Too many of the guys doing the heavy lifting -- guys like Tyler Colvin and Jim Adduci -- will either disappear or morph into small roles when the season begins. The good news is that hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo is getting results up and down the lineup but let's see how the team plays from here on out, when Piniella will be using his regulars and trying to define some roles in a bullpen that seems like it's a Jeff Nelson or two shy of a load.

When a pitcher only gives up two runs to an Upton-less lineup in a spring training game, you gotta get that guy in your rotation.