Disqus - Latest Comments for BornRed

Re: Chicago Notes: Byrd, Fuld, Zambrano, Peavy: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com

BornRed — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 10:59:22 -0000

Even though Colvin has actually started more games and has more ABs than Fukudome, it would probably be because Fuld was never very good with the Cubs and because Colvin is batting a stellar .136 this season with worse defense than Fukudome... or because Fukudome always rakes in March and April and nobody else has earned playing time over him. Take your pick.

Re: Cubs Claim Max Ramirez: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com

BornRed — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 14:02:28 -0000

Well you could take 5 minutes to look up his numbers on Baseball-Reference.com instead of just making up statistics. He actually has thrown out 25% of runners for his career and has a career BA of .268. "there the proof" Never another season like his rookie year? Well last year's .280/.393/.497 line looks pretty similar to his .285/.364/.504 line from his rookie year. Pretty weird that he actually went up hill in 2010, but I'm sure you're right.

Re: Cubs Acquire Matt Garza

BornRed — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:37:00 -0000

Just no. Fuld is a non-factor. He's a 29 year old that wasn't going to make the major league club. Wellington Castillo is a better catching prospect than Chirinos. Archer is far from a sure thing to top out as a #2 starter. Garza already is that.

Re: The Minute After: Minnesota

BornRed — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 15:31:06 -0000

Verdell reminds me of a less talented Bracey Wright. He dribbles around a lot and forces things. The offense stagnates as everyone on the court defers to him. Case in point - the last play before the end of the first half.

Re: Report: Big Ten to announce six-team divisions

BornRed — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:53:24 -0000

They are not. Divisions only apply to football. Delaney did say that they can look at basketball in the future if the Big Ten coaches and ADs want to.

Re: Report: Big Ten to announce six-team divisions

BornRed — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:34:00 -0000

Well the divisions only impact football, and I don't see how flipping Wisconsin with Northwestern helps competitiveness. Wisconsin and Minnesota is a protected rivalry.

Re: Report: Big Ten to announce six-team divisions

BornRed — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:02:10 -0000

This is all about football. With those divisions, there is no way that it has an impact on basketball. Look at the balance of power, who would agree to it? The Big Ten is not that dumb.

Re: Giants Working To Acquire Infielder: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com

BornRed — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:32:42 -0000

Calling Fontenot's glove acceptable is a stretch and he has no versatility.

Re: Dodgers Acquire Ted Lilly, Ryan Theriot: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com

BornRed — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 21:01:58 -0000

I'm supposed to believe it's Piniella's fault that Theriot won't walk this year and can't manage an extra base hit? I agree he never had good range at short. That problem was supposed to be solved by moving him to 2nd, where he is just as bad defensively.

Re: Dodgers Acquire Ted Lilly, Ryan Theriot: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com

BornRed — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 20:59:28 -0000

We saw Fontenot play third last year. Never, ever, should that happen again.

Re: Dodgers Acquire Ted Lilly, Ryan Theriot: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com

BornRed — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 20:57:58 -0000

His speed is not important. Theriot runs into too many outs and gets caught stealing too often. Even worse, Theriot doesn't get on base. Speed is useless if you don't get on base. No way is DeWitt less of a bat. He gets on base and slugs more than Theriot and it's not even close.

Re: Dodgers Acquire Ted Lilly, Ryan Theriot: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com

BornRed — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 20:52:00 -0000

Fontenot was awful last year when given a chance to start. He belongs on the bench where he can pinch hit in advantageous match-ups.

Re: Dodgers Acquire Ted Lilly, Ryan Theriot: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com

BornRed — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 15:30:54 -0000

... and they do what with Derrek Lee?

Re: Dodgers Acquire Ted Lilly, Ryan Theriot: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com

BornRed — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 15:29:41 -0000

I think Castro and Colvin would argue that they have as much if not more speed than Theriot. Not to mention Theriot is an awful baserunner.

Re: Dodgers Acquire Ted Lilly, Ryan Theriot: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com

BornRed — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 15:12:48 -0000

Theriot has been in decline for two years. There is no reason to believe he will return to his 2008 production.

Re: Dodgers Acquire Ted Lilly, Ryan Theriot: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com

BornRed — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 15:06:59 -0000

That, sir, is an insult to Blake DeWitt.

Re: Fan Report: Hulls or Rivers at PG? Think again.

BornRed — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 19:39:18 -0000

I realize there isn't any statistical way for me to back this up, but my general feeling is that Rivers spent more time as the primary ballhandler. After Creek went out, Jones spent a lot of time as the #2 and even with Creek I think he played as a 3rd guard a lot.

I won't argue that Jones shouldn't be on the court, because he certainly should. However, I think there is a strong possibility that we still see a lot of 3 guard lineups - so in that situation, who do you prefer as the primary ballhandler?

Re: Fan Report: Hulls or Rivers at PG? Think again.

BornRed — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:20:02 -0000

As an outsider I would have to call this spot generally open. Jones was a bit careless and uncreative with the ball late in big situations. My memory is a bit cloudy, but I believe it was the home game against Northwestern late in which he dribbled back and forth in the backcourt before turning the ball over numerous times. He didn't seem as comfortable running the show as one would like. At this point, I don't really know who I like better for the true PG - maybe there isn't one.

Re: Inside the Hall turns three years young

BornRed — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 11:31:41 -0000

Love the site. There isn't much opportunity for Big Ten discussion in ACC country, so it's great to come here to talk basketball.

Re: Indiana, New Mexico headline 2010 Las Vegas Classic

BornRed — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:21:24 -0000

I'm with you here. I do think 20 is a possibility, but it is at the upper end of that realm of possibility. As I stated earlier, things have to click and a lot of things have to go our way for that to happen.

Re: Indiana, New Mexico headline 2010 Las Vegas Classic

BornRed — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:16:04 -0000

Honestly, that is a bit disrespectful to Northwestern. Thompson and Shurna are very talented players. Northwestern has good size and far more experience than the Hoosiers. Their players should improve just like ours should. Where does the difference come from? They aren't losing much from last year, so what is it that makes IU as good as them all of a sudden? Northwestern took much better care of the ball, shot better, and were far more efficient on offense than the Hoosiers. There's a reason they won 10 more games.

Now I do expect the gap to close, but Northwestern was a very good team last year and the gap was bigger than you're giving it credit for.

Re: Indiana, New Mexico headline 2010 Las Vegas Classic

BornRed — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:06:18 -0000

1. He never said our long-term goal is 20 win seasons. He simply said we don't have to win 20 this year.

2. You're comparing a bunch of schools with different schedules from lesser conferences. You really think Detriot and the UW satellite campuses would have the same record and be 8th in the Big Ten? You've made much more valuable arguments than that.

Re: Indiana, New Mexico headline 2010 Las Vegas Classic

BornRed — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 17:53:19 -0000

Experience - A team with a single senior (who should not start), 4 scholarship juniors (including Roth with only 1, and GMM with zero major college experience), and a bunch of sophomores and freshman is experienced? Experience we do not have - 3 true upperclassmen which includes Tom Pritchard.

Regression - Did Tom Pritchard not regress last year? It happens. Sometimes players, even good ones have a worse year than the previous one. If you don't like the word regress, how about an off year or a down year? Michael Jordan had years in which his production went down from the previous year.

I remember Errek Suhr, and I remember him being a better player than Moore. I don't see him getting off the bench at all, even in energy spurts for a major 20 win team.

My Big Ten analysis - Michigan State and Purdue are Top 5 teams going into the season. Ohio State, returning starters, loads of experience, and a top freshman class is a Top 10. Illinois is good. Minnesota and Northwestern are two 20 win teams that return a lot of their talent. The Big Ten is up with a ton of experienced players back and 2-3 elite teams. What other conference can say that?

You're entitled to your opinion and I certainly respect that. I also hope you're right, but I personally don't see one year of progression plus a JUCO doubling the win total. Yes, we're more experienced than last year, but in the grand scheme of things, the Hoosiers are still inexperienced. Look up and down the schedule, the Hoosiers will be the less experienced team on the court nearly every night.

Re: Indiana, New Mexico headline 2010 Las Vegas Classic

BornRed — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 15:48:40 -0000

Yeah, his career at Iowa had us salivating.

Re: Indiana, New Mexico headline 2010 Las Vegas Classic

BornRed — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 15:47:05 -0000

Players aren't suddenly "experienced" after 1 year. Sure they should progress, but expecting 20 wins is quite ambitious. Creek has 0 Big Ten experience. Experience didn't help Pritchard. Things don't just click after 1 year, some of those guys are going to regress at times, and it is going to take them time. The team is sorely inexperienced relative to most of their competition. The Big Ten IS strong. You're looking at at least 2 strong national title contenders and 5-6 ranked teams. 2 years of "experience" does not make Daniel Moore a good player. Winning 20 would require:

-No significant injuries
-Pritchard to actually progress - substantially
-Significant progression from Capo and Elston
-Roth GAINS athleticism after his foot injury
-An unknown JUCO to make a big impact
-VJ3 learns how to handle the ball in pressure situations late in games
-Daniel Moore to not leave the bench (2 years still doesn't make him a good player)
-Rivers to learn to play within himself and hit free throws.
-The freshmen to be better than expected
-AND the team would have to get some lucky breaks in big games.

Look, a lot of those things will happen but many will not and certainly not every night. This is still an inexperienced team. There is a lack of high-level senior leadership and there will be nights that they don't show up to play, particularly on the road. They will throw some games away. They will struggle on the road against teams they can beat. Not every night, but enough to make a difference.

20 wins is fine for a goal, but it is not a reasonable expectation. Yes, they should be better. .500 and an NIT appearance is a much more reasonable expectations.