HBO 24/7 Recieves Emmy Nods

[Darkstone42]

Nice!! Cool to see the BodPod there, hear about 'em all the time, never seen one in use (body fat percentage machine). Also Freddddddddyyyy! I miss that man

I have a feeling Neil Walker's going to make us forget about Freddy Sanchez very soon.

 

[elocomotive]

You can't "Burn!" on your own post!

Report me then!

 

[SLY]

Report me then!

Done.

 

[elocomotive]

Done.

Ya got me.. the Awesome Police just pulled up at my house.

 

[Caps Revenge]

I have a feeling Neil Walker's going to make us forget about Freddy Sanchez very soon.

And once he's about to reach his potentiel, he'll be shipped out with Alverez and Tabata for Miguel Tejada and some prspects...

 

[pixburgher66]

And once he's about to reach his potentiel, he'll be shipped out with Alverez and Tabata for Miguel Tejada and some prspects...

In the past, I'd agree...but looking at those trades, they weren't for old timers anymore. They were trades for the future. We had some awesome guys together on the team with Sanchez, Bay, Wilson, McClouth, but even together they didn't accomplish anything. The system is packed right now, and will continue to when we get Rendon this draft (most likely). I'm excited for the next few years. Even if they don't succeed in the next 5 seasons, it'll be fun baseball.

 

[Darkstone42]

In the past, I'd agree...but looking at those trades, they weren't for old timers anymore. They were trades for the future. We had some awesome guys together on the team with Sanchez, Bay, Wilson, McClouth, but even together they didn't accomplish anything. The system is packed right now, and will continue to when we get Rendon this draft (most likely). I'm excited for the next few years. Even if they don't succeed in the next 5 seasons, it'll be fun baseball.

The return in the Bay trade proved insubstantial, though Bay's been awful since the trade, but otherwise the trades have at least been mediocre. If Bryan Morris keeps on his current trend, he's going to be a decent starter for us, so the Bay trade may not be a complete loss, and Morton's looking like a good pickup again (though I still think Locke was the steal of the McLouth trade). Tim Alderson may unfortunately be done as a prospect, so the Sanchez trade was a failure in retrospect, but at the time of the deal it looked like a steal. Unfortunately, we won't have aces on the staff for 3-5 years, depending on how Allie, Taillon and Heredia pan out, but there seems to be upside as well among guys like von Rosenberg, Cain, and Pounders, who could be here in 2-4 years. The problem with our system, though, is that it's weak in the middle infield and is low on power. Rendon can only help solve the power issue, but having Chase D'Arnaud (who may not even pan out) as your only middle infield prospect isn't a good sign...

 

[pixburgher66]

The return in the Bay trade proved insubstantial, though Bay's been awful since the trade, but otherwise the trades have at least been mediocre. If Bryan Morris keeps on his current trend, he's going to be a decent starter for us, so the Bay trade may not be a complete loss, and Morton's looking like a good pickup again (though I still think Locke was the steal of the McLouth trade). Tim Alderson may unfortunately be done as a prospect, so the Sanchez trade was a failure in retrospect, but at the time of the deal it looked like a steal. Unfortunately, we won't have aces on the staff for 3-5 years, depending on how Allie, Taillon and Heredia pan out, but there seems to be upside as well among guys like von Rosenberg, Cain, and Pounders, who could be here in 2-4 years. The problem with our system, though, is that it's weak in the middle infield and is low on power. Rendon can only help solve the power issue, but having Chase D'Arnaud (who may not even pan out) as your only middle infield prospect isn't a good sign...

The Alderson one was just a trade that had to be made. If I were Huntington at the time being shown that, I'd take it and RUN. I think that the future rests in the pitching core. Morton is one to watch however, because even the big guys at ESPN are seeing how good he's been. Overall, the transactions of the past few years have been great. Seriously, the ONLY guy to play well once out of Pittsburgh is Freddy. Bay, McClouth, Nyjer Morgan, amongst others, have been awful elsewhere.

 

[Darkstone42]

The Alderson one was just a trade that had to be made. If I were Huntington at the time being shown that, I'd take it and RUN. I think that the future rests in the pitching core. Morton is one to watch however, because even the big guys at ESPN are seeing how good he's been. Overall, the transactions of the past few years have been great. Seriously, the ONLY guy to play well once out of Pittsburgh is Freddy. Bay, McClouth, Nyjer Morgan, amongst others, have been awful elsewhere.

Pity Andy LaRoche never panned out. I really liked his game in the minors. But his first full year was statistically the unluckiest in MLB and I think his bad luck got him to press himself into eventual failure in his second year. Unfortunately on the Sanchez trade, there were apparently a lot of bad signs surrounding Alderson before he made the trade, and he missed them, so that's his gaffe. Nyjer Morgan and Sean Burnette for Joel Hanrahan was a great trade, Lastings Milledge aside, and I kind of saw McLouth's implosion coming, since he was never all that great in the minors. Kind of similar to why I expected the regression of Garrett Jones last year.

Maholm, Correia, and Ohlendorf need to remember how to pitch and McDonald needs to get healthy. Those four and Morton could be an average rotation if it works out. I expect no better out of them. Karstens and Burres will be really good long relief men, and Resop, Meek, Hanrahan, and Ledezma make a strong back-end of the rotation with a lot of velocity and good stuff.

 

[pixburgher66]

I mean...when I look at our rotation I think, wow, that's really not bad. But, like clockwork every year, only one will have a good season. If they all have good years, we have a shot to do minor damage. When you look at our division, we really do have the ability to win it down the road. I sincerely believe that within the next 5 years they will surprise the league and make a run at the division.

 

[Darkstone42]

I mean...when I look at our rotation I think, wow, that's really not bad. But, like clockwork every year, only one will have a good season. If they all have good years, we have a shot to do minor damage. When you look at our division, we really do have the ability to win it down the road. I sincerely believe that within the next 5 years they will surprise the league and make a run at the division.

I agree. I think this year, though, we'll have a 10-game improvement, which is significant. Next year, another 5 games, maybe even challenge for .500. After that, we might start contending.

 

[pixburgher66]

I agree. I think this year, though, we'll have a 10-game improvement, which is significant. Next year, another 5 games, maybe even challenge for .500. After that, we might start contending.

I think we'll get more than 10 this year. I mean, we were horrid last year. Just horrible. I think Clint will help a lot too. I mean his name is Clint Hurdle...he's just awesome. He's already a million times better that Russel. Russel couldn't coach his way out of a paper bag.

 

[Darkstone42]

I think we'll get more than 10 this year. I mean, we were horrid last year. Just horrible. I think Clint will help a lot too. I mean his name is Clint Hurdle...he's just awesome. He's already a million times better that Russel. Russel couldn't coach his way out of a paper bag.

Russel was terrible, but I don't think managers make all that much difference. And 10 wins is a lot, and I mean a huge amount of improvement in one year. Anything more than that would be an epic turnaround. We're talking about going from 57-105 to 67-95. If they get to 75 wins, I would be absolutely stunned. It's still essentially the same team as last year, after all.

 

[elocomotive]

I agree. I think this year, though, we'll have a 10-game improvement, which is significant. Next year, another 5 games, maybe even challenge for .500. After that, we might start contending.

REPORTED!

 

[Darkstone42]

REPORTED!

You're wearing a Bruins thong. You can't say anything.

Um..

BURN!

 

[elocomotive]

You're wearing a Bruins thong. You can't say anything.

Um..

BURN!

^Winning (hangs head)

 

[Darkstone42]

^Winning (hangs head)

I'm bi-winning.

 

[Caps Revenge]

If you guys think Russell was the problem, I think you're mistaken.

Hint* Look at the fucking roster!!! And with the pitching that they have, I would be shocked by a 10 game improvement. Don't get me wrong, I love the Buccos second only to my Orioles (another suck team) But, young prospects aside, they're not that good. I hope they finish .500 and make me eat my words...it's just that the realist in me doesn't see it happening anytime soon.

 

[pixburgher66]

If you guys think Russell was the problem, I think you're mistaken.

Hint* Look at the fucking roster!!! And with the pitching that they have, I would be shocked by a 10 game improvement. Don't get me wrong, I love the Buccos second only to my Orioles (another suck team) But, young prospects aside, they're not that good. I hope they finish .500 and make me eat my words...it's just that the realist in me doesn't see it happening anytime soon.

I don't think they'll get to .500, but I see a 15 game swing as a possibility. I'm telling you Morton is on to something. I think he'll be an ace this year. Just a feeling though. Gosh I miss baseball...

EDIT: and to comment on Russell, he was horrible for our pitchers. He never knew when to taking a struggling guy out. EVER. He always left them in just about 10 pitches too long, and because of that guys got smoked right at the end of their session. I think that he just tried to get as much as he could out of certain guys even when it was clear from about the 2nd inning on that they weren't gonna have a good day. JMO though.

 

[Caps Revenge]

Again, I hope they do improve big time! As for Russell, he's now a bench coach in Baltimore so I still get to root for him.