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40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full) 

28 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, and twelve players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors. 

Last updated 3-26-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 15
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Patrick Wisdom

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
Alexander Canario
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

OPTIONED: 12 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Ben Brown, P 
Alexander Canario, OF 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Keegan Thompson, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 
Hayden Wesneski, P 

 



 

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The Wisdom of You: Michael Barrett

Our first candidate for the group prediction is Michael Barrett.
Catcher
6'2", 200 lb
Bats Right, Throws Right
Age 29 (DOB 10/22/76)
BRef card | ESPN card | BPro card
2005 stats (career highs in bold, lows in italics)
133 G, 424 AB, 117 H, 32 2B, 3 3B, 16 HR, 61 RBI, 48 R, 40 BB, 61 K, 0 SB, 276/345/479
Please send your predicted stats for Barrett to cubreporter @ gmail.com. The categories to be predicted can be found at the initial post. Only predictions sent by email will be included in the final prediction. Please include your name if you want to be eligible for the fantastic prizes I'm sure I'll be able to round up before the end of the season. All rights reserved. Do not taunt happy fun ball.

Comments

loved him coming to the cubs, period...except that one game...you know the game...we'll leave it at that. i still think his D gets a bad wrap...he's not mike piazza bad, or close to it, but he's not close to schnider's league either. still, for his pay...hell of a deal. not a bad arm, either.

"Do not taunt happy fun ball" Classic. Thanks for the laugh.

Discontinue use of Happy Fun Ball if any of the following occurs: itching vertigo dizziness tingling in extremities loss of balance or coordination slurred speech temporary blindness profuse sweating or heart palpitations.

Is this Barrett calling for an OFr to miss the cutoff man? I'd like him better if he'd stop doing that.

Here is my prediction for Barrett: Games played - 135 games At-bats - 435 AB's Hits - 124 Doubles - 32 Triples - 5 Home runs - 16 Runs batted in - 70 Runs scored - 52 Walks - 42 Strikeouts - 60 Stolen bases - 1

he's making shadow puppets of a jumping bunny signaling patterson to quit jumping back/forth at 1st and either steal the base or stand still cuz its pissing d.lee off. that's on page 82 of Dusty-Ball.

This is actually Barrett performing his character "Tommy the Triceratops" which he uses to taunt opposing batters and to entertain at children's birthdays in the offseason. Few people know that it was Tommy and not Michael who screwed up that play in Philadelphia last year. "Tommy fucked up," Barrett explained after the Cubs' heartbreaking loss. "I've just got to get to a point where Tommy's getting in the other team's heads with his high-pitched voice but not making baseball decisions." Some also blame Tommy for the pitching staff's higher ERA when Barrett catches. "Don't even talk to me about that little shit," said former Cub closer LaTroy Hawkings. "Barrett just couldn't control Tommy. It's that simple. Sometimes you'd be talking to him on the mound and suddenly he's talking really high like Tommy. And Tommy does not know the National League. The thing is, Tommy couldn't do what I could do and that pissed him off."

LaTroy Hawkins.

Games played - 130 At-bats - 412 Hits - 133 Doubles - 27 Triples - 3 Home runs - 20 Runs batted in - 79 Runs scored - 60 Walks - 47 Strikeouts - 53 Stolen bases - 3

MrCubslover- I hope you are right. 133 hits in 412 AB's w/ 47 BB's. That is a .323 batting average and a .392 OBP. Can you say ALLSTAR!!!

Barrett should drive in more runs in 2006, because in all likelihood, he's your #5 hitter in the lineup. If he shows a little patience, he should also get more BBs this year, as he'll get pitched around on occasion to reach the rookie Murton (the likely #6 hitter). For Barrett, I'll predict 286/352/480 with 15 HR and 79 RBI. That ought to be good enough for a repeat Silver Slugger award.

This is Barrett's reply to "How many months will Wood miss to start the 2006 season?"

Notice how the two middle fingers are not quite clenched. Is it two or four moths?

I think Barrett just f'n hates USC.

He's yelling to the pitcher and asking if this means curveball? Real loud... so much that the opposing team can hear from their dugout. He's not the sharpest catcher on the team...

I predict Michael Barrett will shave his head 8 times, screw up a run-down 4 times, and forget the drop third strike rule 7 times. I also predict that he will miss 14 games due to a debilitating case of Barrett's esophogus: http://www.gicare.com/pated/ecdgs40.htm book it.

Jose Macias may be returning to Chicago after all......as a White Sux. The White Sox are one of six teams interested in free agent Jose Macias, according to the Chicago Tribune. We can only assume that the others are the Atlantic City Surf, the Bridgeport Bluefish, the Long Island Ducks, the Nashua Pride and the Somerset Patriots. The Newark Bears can do better. Jan. 10 - Source: Chicago Tribune

Your 2006 Chicago Cubs- http://www.suntimes.com/output/sports/cst-spt-cub10.html That loud sucking noice you hear is coming from the right side of the field(2nd and rf) hopefully it wont pull D Lee in. When mid season comes around and Walker is helping another team get into the playoffs, and Neifie is playing ss and Hairston is at 2b we will be asking why didn't the Cubs just give Furcal that extra million?

"I scuffled for a month last year"--boy Korey, you really expect the Baltimore media to believe that? In your four seasons of legitimate opportunity you scuffled for much longer than a month pal. However, I will have no problem rooting for Korey to pick it up in Baltimore. I hope him nothing but the best. Maybe Chicago wasn't the scene, and maybe our coaches couldn't give him what he needed.

and maybe our coaches couldn't give him what he needed. A solid approach at the plate? contact skills? strike zone judgement? an aluminum bat?

I wish Corey the best also, but he needs to be willing to change and adapt otherwise he becomes another "what if" player.

I really want to like Michael Barret as a player. He seems to have a great overall attitude and is well-liked by his teammates. He is, as of last season, the top-hitting catcher in the National League. I think his defensive skills (blocking pitches, throwing out runners, etc) while not top-notch, are acceptable. But I really wonder about his pitch-calling ability. It is just pure unscientific speculation on my part, but I gotta wonder sometimes. It seems like the 2003 Cubs were consistently able to skate by with thin margins for error and win games, whereas the 2004-05 version of the team seems to have had a maddening inability to finish off hitters and stay on top of those 1 and 2 run games. I really wonder what would have been of the 2004 season if Damian Miller had still been behind the plate. That, and Barrett's tendency to have complete mental breakdowns in pressure situations is not what you really want in the field general of the defense. I really want to like Michael Barrett. But I think... that his brain... is warm porridge.

Anyone see the White Sox are looking seriously at Macias? Oh God, PLEEEEASSSSE!! Also, I haven't seen it mentioned that Furcal is having preseason knee surgery...he supposed to be fine by the beginning of the season, but still...

Does Barrett make all the pitch calls? Or does he look to the dugout to get call? Just asking Also the pitcher in the end has the ability to negate the pitch ask for. I see him growing more into the role of the take control guy he has alot of strong personalities to work with (Wood, Prior, Maddux) and one nut (Z). I'm just glad I don't have to see Scott Servaice, Damian Miller and Hundley batting .220 everyday. The lineup, as it stands today, needs Barrett in it where he is probably the third best hitter.

Yea Manny, I believe this will be Barrett's make or break year. I think he will be a little more agressive at the plate. And hopefully it will come full-circle for him this year

The Cubs initially tried to package outfielder Corey Patterson as part of a two-for-one or three-for-one deal to obtain a quality major leaguer but were forced to settle for two mid-level prospects from the Orioles in return. Perhaps the change will benefit Patterson, but his career will continue spiraling downward if he fails to improve his .293 lifetime on-base percentage, along with striking out once every 4.2 plate appearances. Remember first baseman Julio Zuleta, who appeared briefly with the Cubs in 2000 and '01 and went to spring training with the Red Sox in '03? He has hit a combined 80 homers the past two seasons in Japan, and major-league teams are again expressing interest in him, even though he is under contract for one more season with the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks and considering an extension. Zuleta, who turns 31 on March 28, finished second in the Pacific League in all three Triple Crown categories last season. this is from Fox Sports. Julio Zuleta. Makr my words he'll go to an AL team and pound out 16 homers as a part time DH. 16 homers means something again, you know.

I liked WhoZoo.

Barrett is one of the most over-rated offensive catchers around. I could care less about his golden sluggers, etc. The only reason he won that is because he is the KING of the useless homer/rbi. When guys are in scoring position in a close game he chokes. When the game is 13-2 in favor of the Cub, that's when you see him get his 2/3 run homers/ or rbi hits. 2004 was a small exception to this above with his 2/3 game winning basehits, one against the A's for example. He was back to form in 2005.

I always wondered why an AL team didn't try him as a DH. For some of the really crappy teams, he could be an upgrade. Too bad he tried out with the Red Sox, he wasn't going to get time with Ortiz as DH. I remember being at a night game against the Cardinals, the Cubs won by a big score and he hit a grand slammer.

Barrett is one of the most over-rated offensive catchers around. I could care less about his golden sluggers, etc. The only reason he won that is because he is the KING of the useless homer/rbi. Funny, I always thought Sammy Sosa was the King of the useless homer... Seriously, it seems like anytime someone wants to discredit someone's stats they make a statement like that. Its convenient, its almost impossible to prove, and uses a "one time, at band camp" logic that makes Neifi Perez a great "clutch" hitter because of his game winning home run on a Sunday Night in St. Louis - even if he would ground into a double play the next 10 times he came to bat in similar situations. Note: I'm not saying that clutch doesn't exist, nor am I trying to start a debate about the existance of clutch. Simply pointing out the faulty reasoning of saying someone isn't clutch because you can't think of any times he had game winning hits, etc...

TA: Barrett with runners in scoring position in '05: .308/.395/.523, 5HR, 46RBI.

A few Cubs notes this morning... Already Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo is talking about perhaps batting Corey Patterson second this season. One step forward, two steps back. Isn't that the way it always is in Baltimore? Fortunately, Perlozzo didn't assure him of the spot. Maybe the Orioles just want Patterson to approach the game as if he's a No. 2 hitter, with the idea of batting him seventh or eighth anyway. Or maybe Perlozzo really has the same glitch that Lee Mazzilli did in thinking he needed some sort of buffer between Brian Roberts and Melvin Mora in the lineup. "We need a No. 2 guy to move the ball around, hit and run and steal, and he seems like he has some of those qualities," Perlozzo said. "But we'll have to see in the spring. If he's not a good guy for that, he'll hit lower in the order." If only there were some sort of past evidence that could guide Perlozzo now. A statistical record maybe. Something that says Patterson is a career .241/.294/.360 hitter in 519 AB as a No. 2 hitter. Jan. 10 - Source: Baltimore Sun The Nationals failed to land Corey Patterson because they didn't want to part with 2004 first-round pick Bill Bray, according to the Baltimore Sun. GM Jim Bowden was handed a bad farm system and he's only made it worse since taking over (Jerry Owens for Alex Escobar?). The Nationals still could have put together something for Patterson if they really wanted to, but they're probably better off with what they have now. Jan. 10 - Source: Baltimore Sun Ouch Korey, apparently Ryan Church and Marlon Byrd are more valuable in today's market than you are.

Top three active players (as of last season) in game tying or go ahead home runs in the 8th inning or later: Bonds Sosa Thome Don't give me this meaningless home run crap.

I always get tired of those remarks on Sosa. He put in so many good years on so many bad teams and yet people still slam him. The guy was a beast and an RBI machine in the middle of our order for a great 6 year stretch and this is the rap he gets? He had a joke of a lineup getting on ahead of him and he had a joke of a lineup behind him yet he still found a way to hit. King of the meaningless HR? Please, he was the only one in our offense who ever did anything when it counted in that time span. What gets me, and this was going on when A-gonz and Sosa were playing together, was people actually thought A-gonz was a better clutch hitter than Sosa. I never understood the logic that made A-gonz a great clutch hitter when he gets a game winning hit and then disappears for a month or two hitting .220. I guess when you never see him do anything productive for months on end you have to throw him a national parade for actually showing up to do his job.

I'm not exactly sure what that list means chad, but bonds and sosa are also the top 2 in career active homeruns, thome is 10th.

"The Nationals failed to land Corey Patterson because they didn't want to part with 2004 first-round pick Bill Bray*, according to the Baltimore Sun." There's more to the story, Bogey. Actually the Nationals were willing to trade Bill Bray* but they balked at paying Korey's full salary as well. The Cubs insisted on Bray -Korey's $$$ and the deal fell through. Based on that anecdotal evidence it looks like Baltimore is picking up Korey's contract and the Cubs are off the hook. *(a first round pick who is being rocketed through the Nationals' minor leagues as a ...LOOGY!!??... He's not being used as an SP and has terrible numbers except for his K/BB ratio but, much like Korey's minor league experience, that didn't stop his fastrack from A to AAA)

It means that Sosa hits meaningful home runs (or did). the MYTH that he would only hit them early in the game or later in a blowout is just that, a myth.

off topic, but shall we have a contest to predict the first time when dusty will say, "I can't forget what Neifi did for us last year." or something like that. The convention seems a little early and I think Cedeno will have a good spring training. I'm guessing April 28th. :)

I guess for some reason people were turned off by Sosa's lying, the steroids, the cork, beating his wife, the selfish and horrible teammate that he was, swinging for the fences no matter the count or situation, or just his natural fraudulent demeanor. can't imagine why people soured on him.

got you, I never agreed with that sentiment either. I recall plenty of big time Sosa home runs, my personal favorite being Game 1 of the NLCS in 2003.

Rob G. I'm saying it's the first time in ST a reporter asks him about the competition for the infield spots. I'll say the Ides of March. (Beware!)

"I always get tired of those remarks on Sosa" Me too. The people who made that arguement the most were Sox fans during Sammy's hey day, when they never had any retort for "How's George Bell doing?" Rob G.- Neifi got the overpaid contract, Walker is being pushed out harder than Michael Jackson at a Chuck E Cheese, and I'm sure Dusty has a 8x 10 of Neifi next to his wife's picture. Nothing has to be said. Neifi will bounce back and forth between 2nd and SS, and be in the lineup everyday. Hariston and Cedeno will platoon. "KNOW what I mean, dude?"

MikeD, you're comment is way out of place. We weren't talking about any of that. By the way, I really love License to Ill, that Brass Monkey song always gets me going!!! p.s. How's MCA and AdRock?

Hey, it's a new year. Let me be the first Cubs fan to say it... here goes... There's always next year.

MikeC, though I do agree with most of your statement, I must take exception to the fact that you don't consider Mark Grace in your "he was the only one who did anything that counted in that time span". Sure Gracie never hit 60 homers and I won't argue that he was a better hitter because he clearly wasn't, but during the best Sosa years 1998-2000, Grace averaged a BA of .300 with a .395 OBP and 40 doubles with 15 home runs. That certainly counts for something.

Don't give me this meaningless home run crap. I always get tired of those remarks on Sosa. He put in so many good years on so many bad teams and yet people still slam him. Sorry guys, I was actually being sarcastic when I said that Sosa was the king of the meaningless home run. I thought that would be understood when I followed it by saying why such comments are foolish, but I'll try to be more clear in the future.

Thats cool Blue, but the reason I took it seriously is that there is a lot of that sentiment going around. And I'll be damned if anyone tries to bash my Sammy. Damn I miss him. (for real)

"And I'll be damned if anyone tries to bash my Sammy. Damn I miss him. (for real)" Yeah...okay. In other news, Kerry Wood started throwing again last week, according to the Daily Southtown. And Bruce Sutter got into the Hall. Whose cap should he wear?

Sosa can suck a goat always and forever for running Grace out of town.

while it is true that sosa had a great deal with grace living, part of it lands on 3 generations of GMs for the cubs. the guy never got more than a 1-year deal his entire tenure with the cubs. its amazing he didnt leave earlier.

living/leaving.

Don't bash his Shammy... ignore the man behind the curtain and the needle hanging out of Sosa's ass.

Prove to me with some HARD evidence and not CIRCUMSTANTIAL evidence that Sosa took steroids and I'll renounce him. Otherwise SHUT UP!

No Grace bashing, please. Nothing wrong with 300 BA, 380-400 OBP, 40+ 2B, 180+ hits, and gold glove defense year in, and year out. In the end, the Cubs probably would have been wiser to go with Raffy instead of Grace, but Mark was no slouch. For many years, he and Ryno, and later Sosa, were the only good hitters on the team.

Hi, If this is a contest is it for the best prediction for each player or best aggrigate prediction for the entire roster?

I'm going to try to get enough prizes so that the best predictor for each player wins something.

Damn right Grace was no slouch. He was always one of the most underrated players in the league. Consistent with the glove...consistent, and effective with the bat.

Grace was the reason I fell in love with the Cubs. I'm sad he couldn't have been a Cub for life, but I'm happy he finally got a ring in Arizona, we all know that wouldn't have happened in Chicago.

Ohh don't get me wrong I love Grace. He is still my favorite player of all time. I probably should of said that the overall lineup around Sosa was a joke during those years. Whenever I play baseball or softball I still do the same motions and actions that Grace used to do when he was up at the plate.

while sosa didnt run grace outta town, sosa and grace were in 'silent odds' with each other...kinda like that co-worker you feel is always slacking but still has the boss's attention almost exclusively. lotta people get the impression that grace didnt appreciate the extra luxuries that sosa was handed that separated him from the team, itself...a class division via virture of hitting 15-20+ more homers than the rest of the club. grace's "shut up and play" tshirts and unnamed ribbing of sosa didnt help matters. and it really didnt help that the one time grace stood up for his career and demanded a 2-year deal rather than the usual 1-year deals he took his entire career hendry gave him the shaft...going for the choi youth movement a year before it's due time. it worked out for him, though...ya know. btw, grace had a comedy field day on sosa's broken bat incident...and was pretty unappologetic about it.

Prove to me with some HARD evidence and not CIRCUMSTANTIAL evidence that Sosa took steroids and I'll renounce him. Not really going to get into this you, cause I know you have an unhealthy man-crush on Sosa, BUT didn't you once claim you taunted Barry Bonds once about steroid abuse BEFORE Balco. If I'm wrong about that, I apologize. I miss Sosa too actually, sure I would have preferred some WS victories, but he sure did make baseball fun to watch from 98-03.

Didn't Hendry become GM in 2002? Grace left after 2000. Stairs, Coomer and McGriff were our 1st basemen in 2001, hardly a youth movement.

mcphail/hendry it should probally be for fairness. though hendry/grace never saw eye to eye, it was mcphail that made the decision.

I thought it was Ed Lynch and McPhail....maybe I'm wrong.

Prove to me with some HARD evidence and not CIRCUMSTANTIAL evidence that Sosa took steroids and I'll renounce him Chad I hope for your sake you're not that naive...because if you are I have some land in the Dominican that I'd like you to take a look at...no need to visit, I'll draw up the documents and send them over for you to sign. You do recall Sosa backtracking when Rick Riley told him that he had a drug test lined up for him right?..this right after Sosa stated that he'd submit to one "right now". You do remember Sosa being 6-0 165lbs as a Cub in '92 right? Then in '98 he played at 220lbs. Do you really believe this is the result of his hard training or too many trips to Morton's or the Chicago Chop House? Obviously a guy who would cork his bat, act like a complete jag to great guys like Sandberg and Grace, and have a bigger ego than Brian Billick would never try to get an edge to furthur his reputation. It's all just a strange coincidence that guys like Giambi(in '04), Pudge Rodriguez happened to show up in spring training 30lbs lighter because they wanted to get into shape...then of course their power numbers and BA just happened to fall off the map. Sosa also dropped about 15-20lbs last season and for some unforseen reason, his numbers dropped off even more than '04.

lynch was gone by then, fired in july of 2000. Right?

I thought it was Ed Lynch and McPhail....maybe I'm wrong. Hell, you're correct, Grace's beef was with McPhail. McPhail and Grace had a verbal agreement that Grace would return in '00 at a reduced contract and McPhail backed out when Grace's agent called to have the contract written up. Grace talked about this on Jim Rome's radio show back in '00 or '01. That's why we didn't hear Grace's name brought up as a replacement for Stone in the booth or even before he began broadcasting when Grace was weighing the possibilities of becoming a coach or potential manager. As long as McPhail is here, Grace won't be affiliated with the Cubs...or at least I'd be shocked if he was.

2000 Ed Lynch (Fired 7/19/2000) Andy MacPhail (Took Over 7/19/2000) 2001 Andy MacPhail 2002 Andy MacPhail (Stepped Aside 7/5/02) Jim Hendry (Promoted 7/5/02)

Flame away, but I buy the cork excuse. Take away his HR derby championship if you want.

As I understand it, McPhail saw the contract as a choice between him and Sammy, who at the time was at the absolute peak of his superstardom. If I remember correctly, Grace, who probably figured that after 12 years, he could count on things being like every year, was not tendered a contract until the very last minute, and when he was, it was merely a token gesture. I thought Grace's send up of the cork incident was classic. When Sosa had cork in his bat in '03, I officially and completely stepped off his bandwagon. WHO CORKS THEIR FUCKIN' BAT?! It was too one story, one excuse too many from Sosa, who had always been two faced. Once the production dropped, there was no reason to want to have anything to do with him.

You're right about my Bond's allegations. However they are different circumstances. I accused a 38 year old man of steroids when he nearly doubled his highest home run total at the age of 38. Sammy was 29 years old through 32 years old when his career peaked. This is in line with most major league players best years.

Oh, btw, Bogey, thanks for rehashing things I am aware of. I asked you for some HARD evidence. Not circumstantial. Thanks in advance.

only trying to help you see the light bro...I mean I didn't even bring up his personal assistant who was booted from the locker room and had ties to Mexican steroid dealers or that his good friend Manny Alexander was pinched with the juice in his car in Boston. I guess it'll take Sosa not getting the call to the Hall to finally convince you. I personally always thought he was a fraud even before '98.

#64, Crunch, thanks for the insight on Grace and Sosa. It just adds to my haste of Sosa and love for Grace. As someone else mentioned, Grace is also the reason I fell in love with the Cubs.

You know the arguement he was 165 LBS when he was 19 years old and 220 at the height of his Cubs career is not evidence he was steroids. I was a 124 pound runt at age 18 when I entered the military. Got out of basic I was 145, 10 years later I am pushing 190-200. Damn I must be on steroids huh? Ummm no, I don't know how old some of you are but you tend to gain weight and become more developed physically as you grow older. And Chad is correct, their is not even a rumor Sosa was on steroids. Not one single bit of information. This is unlike Bonds who is directly related to steroids in some way shape or form. When people say Sammy Sosa was on steroids it is just a pathetic attempt to tear down a player they don't like for whatever reason. You might as well say Sosa is an Al Qaeda operative, because there is just as much information linking him to that as being on steroids.

Sosa has the major league record for most RBI's > 2nd best RBI man on your team. He did that in 2001 when he also led the league in runs scored, had the same BA as Barry Bonds and led the league in IBB's. He didn't get the MVP though- I've never quite wrapped my mind around that one. One of these days, one of the geniuses at Baseball Prospectus will explain to me how Bonds produces 193 runs batting between Aurilla and Kent for a VORP of 154 and Sosa produces 242 runs batting between Rondell White and Ricky Guiterrez for a VORP of 122. I guess replacement level right fielders must have been as good as you're average All Star left fielder that year.

"You know the arguement he was 165 LBS when he was 19 years old and 220 at the height of his Cubs career is not evidence he was steroids." Firstly, Sosa was 23 in '92 so you're off there. Sure it's easier to put on weight when you age, but not 60lbs and still have a chiseled frame without the help of some enhancement and it's not like Sosa lived in the gym...when did you ever hear of Sosa with a Nolan Ryan or Clemens like workout regiment? Yeah exactly, he just happened to put on 25lbs of muscle in one off-season Nice example MikeC...well thought out. you're probably not juicing, you probably gained weight because you couldn't push back from the table and your metabolism slowed to a crawl. There's a difference between one who is 200lbs and solid and one who is 200lbs with a beer gut and 35% body fat. Do you also sinch up your sleeves to show your biceps off too? "And Chad is correct, their is not even a rumor Sosa was on steroids. Not one single bit of information. This is unlike Bonds who is directly related to steroids in some way shape or form." Are you freaking kidding me? There wasn't even a rumor...uh I guess you happened to miss that Rick Riley SI column that was national news where Riley asked Sosa point blank if he ever did steroids and Sosa replied no and that's he'd submit to a drug test anytime. Riley then told Sosa that he had a lab that he could call and "we can go right now". Sosa of course backtracked and he became a national punchline on shows like Letterman, Dan Patrick and Jim Rome. Just because he wasn't affiliated with Balco doesn't mean he wasn't juicing. Palmeroid and guys like Ryan Franklin, Alex Sanchez and several others weren't Balco clients. Canseco and McGwire weren't Balco clients. There is a reason he was invited to Washington last March and it's no surprise that he forgot how to speak English that day either. Naivete.

Bogey, 'Firstly, Sosa was 23 in '92 so you're off there.' If you think Sosa weighed 165 pounds in 1992, I'm pretty sure that's hard evidence you're on drugs. Bogey I would guess you're in your 20's because what Mike C said is true, it is easier for me to put on muscle mass at 33 then it was at 23. Take a look at the best bodybuilders, they're for the most part in their 30's to 40's. Ronnie Coleman Mr. Olympia 1998-2005 Born: May 13, 1964, Monroe, Louisiana 'when did you ever hear of Sosa with a Nolan Ryan or Clemens like workout regiment?' Didn't Canseco also accuse Clemens of doing steroids? All I've ever heard about Clemens (and I live in Houston) is that he runs 5 miles a day during the offseason. Where does Sammy Sosa live during the off-season? Maybe the fact that he lives outside of the United States has something to do with no one reporting on his off-season regimen. Have you ever read an article on any player's regimen who lives outside the US? You don't just take steroids and your instantly becomes bigger and stronger. You still have to lift weights, you still have to watch your diet if you want to be 'ripped'. Talk about naivete. 'Sosa point blank if he ever did steroids and Sosa replied no and that's he'd submit to a drug test anytime.' Here's an idea. The MLB Players Union told it's players not to submit to drug tests, which Sammy remembered when Riley said 'Ok let's go now'. Pretty much it all can be summed up by 'became a national punchline on shows like Letterman, Dan Patrick and Jim Rome'. I mean if Dave and Jim 'don't hurt me Crissy Everett' Rome think it's true, it must be.

Real Neal, are you even reading what is written? I didn't say that Dan Patrick or Jim Rome said Sosa was on steroids so it must be true...read the original question bro. most of your argument isn't even relavent, you're bringing in bodybuidling references...are you kidding me? Those guys are the equivalent of pro wrestlers, all of those guys are on something including legions who have admitted steroid use like Lex Luger and Mr. Universe Arnold Schwarzengovernor. Of course it's easier to put on weight in your 30's and above..that's common sense..but that's not the question... the question was "there were no rumors about Sosa being on steroids"...The point is the guy put on 25-30lbs of muscle in ONE off-season ..started sinching up his sleeves, and his numbers just happened to double over the next two years....You don't put on that much muscle mass over a 4 month period without "help". Anyone with a biology or physiology background will tell you that no matter what age they are. Sosa is in the same boat as Bonds, McLiar and Palmeroid. The guy has no character whatsoever and you guys can't conceive that he'd be above juicing. Naivete "Have you ever read an article on any player's regimen who lives outside the US?" Uh yeah, Julio Franco for one..it was a rather large BA article a few months ago. Juan Uribe is another. guys like M.Rivera, Mussina and Andy Pettitte have talked at length about how much Clenens has helped them with their off-season training regiment that included more than running...It wouldn't surprise me if Clemens was on something, I'm not even a Clemens fan so I coudln't care less, I think he's a tool. I was just stating what has been written about the program Clemens adopted from Nolan Ryan's help. Working your arm in a barrel of grain, the squats and all that crap. here are some "rumors" from Buster Olney This is the final Hall of Fame election that won't be tainted by steroids. Mark McGwire gains eligibility later this year, and his presence on the ballot will effectively begin the debate, in earnest, on how performance-enhancing drugs will be a factor in weighing a player's candidacy -- whether their use has been proven or is merely suspected. I don't think McGwire will be inducted in 2007; many writers will withhold their support for him in his first year of eligibility, and because of his nonanswers at the congressional hearing last spring, many writers will never vote for him. In the months leading up to the voting and beyond, this discussion will rage, making the Pete Rose controversy seem pedestrian by comparison. And in the years to come, McGwire will be joined on the ballot by Rafael Palmeiro and Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa and other players whose accomplishments will forever be cast against the steroid-laden backdrop.

All the more reason guys like Jim Rice and Andre Dawson deserve to get in to the HOF. I'm hoping that when the ballots over the next ten years include everyone in the steroid-era, the Hawk and Rice will truly be appreciated for hitting 30+ HRs and driving in 100 RBIs when those were monster numbers. For example, a guy like Vlad Guerrero is considered by many to be an eventual lock for the HOF. But the Hawk was the Vlad of his day, with 30-35 HRs, 100-110 RBI, 25-30 SB, 5 3Bs, GG every year for about 10-12 seasons. One of only I believe 3 guys to have 300 HR, 300 SB, and 2000 hits. One of the guys is named Mays. How can he not get in? The live ball era has ruined guys like Rice and Dawson's chances of getting (and I don't care if Rice was a jerk).

Bogey, The IFBB does their drug testing at the labs that the IOC uses. You were totally wrong, and perfectly ignorant on that point. Which off-season did Sosa put on '25-30 lbs of muscle'? Bonds did it preceding the 2001 season, but I never recall Sosa having a single year change like that. October, November,December,January, February - that's more than 4 months, btw. 'The guy has no character whatsoever and you guys can't conceive that he'd be above juicing.' Where did I ever say that Sosa didn't use steroids? I'd be very interested in seeing that quote, since I've never said it. Bogey, are you even reading what is written? Oh, Olney's an idiot too, if he doesn't think Joey Belle's career was tainted by the 'steroid era'. Nazey23 Take a look at Andre's #'s. He hit greater than 30 HR's just 3 times. He only drove in 100 runs 4 times and had his last 20 stolen base season in 1983. Plus the Sabermatic crowd doesn't like him because of his comparatively low OBP. I liked the Hawk as much as the next Cub fan, but he's just not a HoFer. He's a hall of pretty gooder.

Simply pointing out the faulty reasoning of saying someone isn't clutch because you can't think of any times he had game winning hits, etc... #33 of 85: By vorare (January 10, 2006 10:26 AM) TA: Barrett with runners in scoring position in '05: .308/.395/.523, 5HR, 46RBI. ________________________________ I gave an example you simpleton, he hit a game winning hit against the A's during interleague. ...and to the other simp, bring up a stat that shows his averages with runners in scoring positions in 1/2 run games. Learn to read you morons.

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Javier Assad started the Lo-A game (Myrtle Beach versus Stockton) on the Cubs backfields on Wednesday as his final Spring Training tune-up. He was supposed to throw five innings / 75 pitches. However, I was at the minor league road games at Fitch so I didn't see Assad pitch. 

  • crunch (view)

    cards put j.young on waivers.

    they really tried to make it happen this spring, but he put up a crazy bad slash of .081/.244/.108 in 45PA.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Seconded!!!

  • crunch (view)

    another awesome spring of pitching reports.  thanks a lot, appreciated.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Here are the Cubs pitchers reports from Tuesday afternoon's Cardinals - Cubs game art Sloan Park in Mesa:

    SHOTA IMANAGA
    FB: 90-92 
    CUT: 87-89 
    SL: 82-83 
    SPLIT: 81-84
    CV: 73-74 
    COMMENT: Worked three innings plus two batters in the fourth... allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits (six singles and two doubles) walked one, and struck out six (four swinging), with a 1/2 GO/AO... he threw 73 pitches (52 strikes - 10 swing & miss - 19 foul balls)... surrendered one run in the top of the 1st on a one-out double off Cody Bellinger's glove in deep straight-away CF followed one out later by two consecutive two-out bloop singles, allowed two runs (one earned) in the 2nd after retiring the first two hitters (first batter had a nine-pitch AB with four consecutive two-strike foul balls before being retired 3 -U) on a two-out infield single (weak throw on the run by Nico Hoerner), a hard-contact line drive RBI double down the RF line, and an E-1 (missed catch) by Imanaga on what should been an inning-ending 3-1 GO, gave up another run in the 3rd on a two-out walk on a 3-2 pitch and an RBI double to LF, and two consecutive singles leading off the top of the 4th before being relieved (runners were ultimately left stranded)... threw 18 pitches in the 1st inning (14 strikes - two swing & miss, one on FB and the other on a SL - four foul balls), 24 pitches in the 2nd inning (17 strikes - three swing & miss, one on FB, two SPLIT - six foul balls), 19 pitches in the 3rd inning (13 strikes - seven swing & miss, three on SL, two on SPLIT, one on FB - three foul balls), and 12 pitches without retiring a batter in the top of the 4th (8 strikes - no swing & miss - four foul balls)... Imanaga throws a lot of pitches per inning, but it's not because he doesn't throw strikes...  if anything, he throws too many strikes (he threw 70% strikes on Tuesday)... while he gets a ton of swing & miss (and strikeouts), he also induces a lot of foul balls because he doesn't try to make hitters chase his pitches by throwing them out of the strike zone... rather, he uses his very diverse pitch mix to get swing & miss (and lots of foul balls as well)... he also is a fly ball pitcher who will give up more than his share of HR during the course of the season...   
     
    JOE NAHAS
    FB: 90-92 
    SL: 83-85 
    CV: 80-81 
    COMMENT: Was called up from the Hi-A South Bend group at Minor League Camp for the day... relieved Imanaga with runners at first and second and no outs in the top of the 4th, and after an E-2 catcher's interference committed by Miguel Amaya loaded he bases, Nahas struck out the side (one swinging & two looking)... threw 16 pitches (11 strikes - two swinging)...   

    YENCY ALMONTE
    FB: 89-92 
    CH: 86 
    SL: 79 
    COMMENT: Threw an eight-pitch 5th (five strikes - no swing & miss), with a 5-3 GO for the first out and an inning-ending 4-6-3 DP after a one-out single... command was a bit off but he worked through it...   

    FRANKIE SCALZO JR
    FB: 94-95
    CH: 88 
    SL: 83
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and worked the 6th inning... got the first outs easily (a P-5 and a 4-3 GO) on just three pitches, before allowing three consecutive two-out hard-contact hits (a double and two singles), with the third hit on pitch # 9 resulting in a runner being thrown out at the plate by RF Christian Franklin for the third out of the inning... 

    MICHAEL ARIAS
    FB: 94-96
    CH: 87-89
    SL: 82-83
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and allowed a hard-contact double on the third pitch of the 7th inning (a 96 MPH FB), and the runner came around to score on a 4-3 GO and a WP... gave up two other loud contact outs (an L-7 and an F-9)... threw 18 pitches (only 10 strikes - only one swing & miss)... stuff is electric but still very raw and he continues to have difficulty commanding it, and while he has the repertoire of a SP, he throws too many pitches-per-inning to be a SP and not enough strikes to be a closer... he is most definitely still a work-in-progress...   

    ZAC LEIGH: 
    FB: 93-94 
    CH: 89 
    SL: 81-83 
    CV: 78
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and tossed a 1-2-3 8th (4-3 GO, K-swinging on a sweeper, K-looking on another sweeper)... threw 14 pitches (11 strikes - one swing & miss - eight foul balls)... kept pumping pitches into the strike zone but had difficulty putting hitters away (ergo a ton of foul balls)... FB velo is nowhere near the 96-98 MPH it was a couple of years ago when he was a Top 30 prospect, but his secondaries are better...   

    JOSE ROMERO:  
    FB: 93-95
    SL: 82-84
    COMMENT: Was called up from the Hi-A South Bend group at Minor League Camp for the day and worked the 9th (14 pitches - only six strikes- no swing & miss) and allowed a solo HR after two near-HR fly outs to the warning track, before getting a 3-1 GO to end the inning... it was like batting practice when he wasn't throwing pitches out of the strike zone...

  • crunch (view)

    pablo sandoval played 3rd and got a couple ABs (strikeout, single!) in the OAK@SF "exhibition"

    mlb officially authenticated the ball of the single he hit.  nice.

    he's in surprisingly good shape considering his poor body condition in his last playing seasons.  he's not lean, but he looks healthier.  good for him.

  • crunch (view)

    dbacks are signing j.montgomery to a 1/25m with a vesting 20m player option.

    i dunno when the ink officially dries, but i believe if he signs once the season begins he can't be offered a QO...and i'm not sure if that thing with SD/LAD in korea was the season beginning, either.

  • crunch (view)

    sut says imanaga getting the home opener at wrigley (game 4 of the season).

  • crunch (view)

    cubs rolling out the who's who of "who the hell is this guy?" in the last spring game.

  • videographer (view)

    AZ Phil, speaking of Jordan Wicks having better command when he tires a bit, I remember reading about Dennis Lamp 40 years ago and his sinker that was better after 3 or 4 innings when he would tire a bit and get more sink with a little less speed on the pitch.  The key for Lamp was getting to the 4th inning.