Bradley R. Weissenberger wrote:

vockins wrote:Looks like A.J. Pierzynski might want to consult Carlos Zambrano about the most effective strategy for sending Michael Barrett to the hospital.

All joking aside, this quote would make one ounce of sense if Michael Barrett had done anything less than taken a cheap shot at Pierzynski after a clean play. Say whay you will about A.J. Pierzynski, but he wears no blame for this one. He smoked Barrett and then slapped home plate.

This is what's known in technical baseball terms as a "big fuckin' deal".

Pierzynski was fined $250 for getting sucker punched. And that "fine" was for past uncited transgressions.

That MLB. Always on top of things.

Imagine -- A.J. Pierzynski is the second biggest dick of a catcher in Chicago. Michael Barrett, that's earnin' it!

Minotaur029 wrote:Also, Bradley...did you see the Tribune when the Sox got beat by the Rays a few days ago? Carl Crawford dominated. I thought of you and smiled...shook my head like a loving father at his knucklehead son.

If you believe that I'm the "knucklehead son" for waving the Carl Crawford flag, then I'm sorry. There is nothing that I can do for you.

Or perhaps you just chose a totally misappropriate analogy.

You never know.

Anyway, Carl Crawford is at once one of the most valuable and cost effective outfielders in the game of baseball. If that fact doesn't jump out of your pants and bite you in the pants, then you apparently do not wear pants.

By the way, I saw Doug Mientkiewicz like catch a ball or something the other night. It was some pretty hot shit.

Hey, I saw a guy named Bill Johnson pitch for the University of Minnesota tonight. He had a pretty sweet 'stache -- like a superhyperextreme Fu Manchu. The 'stache was so cool and intimidating that he gave up a two-run homer on his first pitch after coming into the game in relief. Anyway, I'm sure that the 'stache would qualify him for rock solid hero status among the baseball cognoscenti of this form.

Seriously. It was a sweet 'stache.

John George Peppers wrote:Not Crap. For the few of you here with me on that call the first round of Old Styles are on me.

This quote is very close to being a perfect encapsulation of the Cubs "experience".

But not quite.

tommydski wrote:

Lou Piniella wrote:I only have so many players that I can play. You know? And it's about time some of them start playing like major leaguers! Or, get somebody else in here that can catch the damn ball or run the bases properly! All right? That's all I can say!

tommydski wrote:Yeah, in football I support a team that is roughly equivalent of the Cubs. Minus the money. I feel for Lou Piniella, who has always struck me as an enthusiast. Zambrano is a jackass, whichever way you slice it. I have an inescapable hatred of 'diva syndrome' in professional athletes and he sends me into the red.

Incidentally, I'm not Scottish.

Bradley R. Weissenberger wrote:Let me repeat: the Cubs, a big market team that will draw more than three million people this year, currently field a team that features Juan Pierre, Jacque Jones and Tony Womack.

If the White Sox pulled this shit, then I'd be tempted to drive a gas tanker into Gate 4 at 35th and Shields.

Lemuel Gulliver wrote:

Bradley R. Weissenberger wrote:some stuff about Barrett and the Cubs because his semi-rational contempt for the Cubs gets the better of him.

Barrett's one of the few Cubs that's had his head glued on straight for the past few seasons.

Seriously dude, so he sucker punched AJP. Big deal. It probably had a lot more to do with AJP's continued, abrasive countenance, and waspish tongue than that single play at the plate.

alandeus wrote:2004: In a game against Houston, Barrett sparked an argument at the plate with Astros pitcher Roy Oswalt, who had drilled him in the back with a pitch a week before. Both benches emptied. Astros go on to strong wildcard finish, Cubs fold.

2006: During a sloppy game against San Diego early last season, Barrett got fed up with Padres leadoff hitter Dave Roberts and confronted him at home plate, engaging in a nose-to-nose outburst that embarrassed the catcher. After that game, Barrett told reporters, ''I showed too much emotion today. I need to clean it up.''

2006: Pierzynski. Barrett called it ''the single worst thing that has happened to me in my baseball career.''

In addition to an initial $50,000 donation, Barrett will donate $10,000 for every home run he hits.