Time to finish off the postseason awards circuit with TCR’s unique take on the season. It was a bit more difficult a task than last year, because, well, the Cubs didn’t completely suck, but the selection committee did their best.
Splendid Splinter Award (Honoring the Rookie who was firmly planted on the bench for no real good reason)
The Cubs looked set at the catching position going into the year with the offensive-minded yet defensively challenged Michael Barrett. Unfortunately the offense didn’t show up this year and the defense was never there. After serving as Z’s personal punching bag in early June and suffering mistake after mistake, he finally got shipped off to San Diego.
That would seem like a good chance to bring in the catcher tearing up the PCL and already on the 40-man roster, but instead the Cubs brought over Rob Bowen and his whopping _______ batting average. He managed to perform even worse as a Cub and the Cubs moved him to the A’s.
Alright, fine, no major harm done, let’s go Soto in that lineup.
Um, nope, time f
Tallest Midget of the Year (Perceived Greatness amongst Mediocre Peers)
“…people say “gritty” and “scrappy” and “smart” when they really just mean “short.” (Keith Law)
I think that best sums up the man who eventually took over shorstop duties for 2007.
Ryan Theriot
Nomar Garciaparra’s Groin Award (Crushing Injury That Ruined Hurt the Season)
Alfonso Soriano
Cecil Fielder Award (Most Unathletic Player)
Scott Eyre/
Mitch Williams Award (Heart Attack Bullpen Guy)
Ryan Dempster/Will Ohman
Lord Voldermort Trophy (Most Hated Cub)
Dempster? Barrett?
Brant Brown Award (The Most Amazing Way to Lose a Game)
Ronny Cedeno slide
Grady Little Award (Boneheaded managerial decision of the year)
Carlos Zambrano Game 1
Allard Baird Award (GM’s worst move; Could also be called the Cam Bonifay Award or Chuck Lamar award and by next year possibly the Jim Hendry Award)
Let’s see here, team is second in NL in ERA and Runs Allowed, everyone’s healthy, I know, we need to trade for a pitcher who was good about 10 years ago. YeahSteve Trachsel trade…
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it's $263,800 over slot ($736,200), they paid $261,900 under slot for Zastryzny, doesn't seem that crazy since he had some leverage. So far 4th rounder Skulina is the biggest overslot at $323K, although if 12th rounder Clifton did get "3rd round money", he'll probably net the biggest difference.
Bryant is probably going to come in under $6M, so Cubs should save there as well.
damn...that's about 400-500K more than most people in round 3 have signed for so far.
it's pretty much early/mid 2nd round loot...and 100K less than the cubs very early 2nd round pick Z-nasty.
they also signed their 4th round pick for $800K...which is about 300-400K more than expected.
here's a tracker btw,
http://www.baseballamerica.com/draftdb/2013xteam.p...
"Cubs manager Dale Sveum said Wednesday that he expects David DeJesus (shoulder) to miss about a month."
Holy overpay Batman.
Jim Callis@jimcallisBA
#Cubs, 3rd-rder Jacob Hannemann agree on $1 million. Brigham Young OF/cornerback, VG speed, also bat, power & CF skills. #mlbdraft
Groan
Sandberg never made sense as a base coach because he was best going from third to second.
"The Houston Astros say they have signed right-handed pitcher Mark Appel of Stanford, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft earlier this month.
Terms were not disclosed Wednesday ahead of a news conference with Appel."
http://espn.go.com/mlb/draft/2013/story/_/id/94038...
Somebody e-mailed me to ask why Gerardo Concepcion is eligible for selection in the December 2013 Rule 5 Draft if he signed his first contract in March 2012.
Concepcion is eligible because any player who has been outrighted previously in his career is eligible for selection in all subsequent Rule 5 Drafts, even if he otherwise would not be eligible.
Have they changed the meaning of extend again? Kids these days, just when I've gotten used to bad meaning good.
The Cubs should extend Marmol now while he's in his little slump.
(Ducks)
A+
Cubs can build on that foundation of Sweeney and Ransom.
almost 9% of MLB players have ADHD/mental-health exemptions for amphetamine use (well more than the population average at large)...and the amount who use stimulants not on the banned list bumps that up quite considerably...from the ones who pound redbull to the ones taking the newest GMC stimulant(s) that hasn't appeared on the ban list (yet).
stimulants and baseball is the way it's done...from those who like to get pumped up before a game to those that are trying to deal with 200+ days of travel.
Hmmm...
"But whatever players put into their bodies today to fight fatigue, it no longer includes amphetamines — or at least it doesn't unless those players want to risk getting slapped with a stiff suspension."
hahahahahhaha...oh my...my sides...phew, good one.
Hitters swing at more bad pitches as the season goes on, and a group of scientists at Vanderbilt University believe it's because they're not sleeping long enough or well enough. http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/...