Elktonnick

While that is a fair observation, I think part if not all of the problem was Theo and perhaps higher enabled the players' complacency. Unless BC and above back up their manager on this issue, the players will take advantage of that. I hope the FO has learned its lesson but in this case I am from Missouri.

BV may be agreat manager but a nut case could do considerable damage in a real short time. The question is whether the juice is worth the squeeze!

My problem with him is not baseball but his mental health. This team has problems that can't be measured with quantitative data. Crawford's confidence, Beckett's attitude Youklis's personality etc. One really has to be concerned whether another "head case" is too much to overcome. I worry about team chemistry. I think last year's team wasn't equal to the sum of its parts. That's my issue with Padilla

LOL Touche Until the next joust!

Again afraid to answer because you use words and concepts you have no idea what they mean. Today with Google you can get the answer quickly. I suggest you do so. You may learn something.

Finally I assumed you were researching. I notice that you are always amend your remarks after you get called out. I never misstated their opinion on sac bunts and stolen bases. In any case you are changing the subject. You were the one today who got caught with misrepresenting James and only changed after you were caught just like the Tango incident. Those are the facts.

You have no idea what rhetoric means.

I share Caron's view. Do you recall when he said that. I recall him saying something similar about three weeks ago. I am curious if he said this again after BV's recent visit to Texas.

I have his book. Again you are the one who said he wasn't a sabermetrician. I first cited from his book years ago. You only changed from Bard after I posted the data that proved you misrepresented what James actually projected. Once again you deceive and misrepresent. When caught in an outright lie you change stories. You have no integrity. I stand by my statements you are intellectually dishonest. As far as Tango I accurately represent his views at least I knew who he was. I reviewed the post from November and you clearly disputed Tango credentials as a sabermetrician. You only said you knew who he was until after I posted his resume. (Just as you did with James's projections) Also as part of that exchange which Ortiz joined in you said you did your own research in essence substituting your statistical judgment for published professional sabermetricians. If that is true, then it is perfectly acceptable to question your qualifiications regarding mathematics and statistics. I assume when and if you repsond you will enlighten us on your professional qualifications in this field.

You didn't know who Tango was until I cited from his book. You said Tango wasn't a sabermetrician. You said James. And called me out yet you were the opne who was wrong You are a liar you have no idea of the mathematics behind the projections. You have no idea of the mathematics behind sabermetrics. You are a poser and intellectually dishonest. I'll be stunned the day you ever actually answer a question honestly.

I don't want to call you a liar but here are the actual projections: 2012 Bill James 6 2 2 64 0 70.0 10.16 3.21 0.77 .266 2.31 3.14 2012 RotoChamp 14 7 0 155.0 9.35 3.25 0.70 .292 3.43 3.19 2012 Fans (13) 7 5 12 46 19 155.0 9.35 3.08 0.81 .299 76.3 % 3.25 3.32 3.2 Total - - - I copied them from fanograph. Anyone who goes to that page will see that James never projects Bard as a starter. You flat out misrepresented the stats as I knew you would, as you always do. You never answer questions only accuse. You sir are without shame and without any intellectual integrity.

Do the research yourself. I wasn't presenting a dissertation I was making the point at this time last year compared to this time this year. I could be wrong but I don't think James made any projections on Bard as a starter but only as a reliever. If he has how many starts and how many innings does he project? And what analytical tools did he use to arrive at those conclusions? Again you love to use the word strawman but I don't think you know what it means in logic and rhetoric. Since you accuse me and others of employing this technique why don't you enlighten us as to its precise definition? Every time I ask you a direct question you fail to answer it. So I am curious if you can? Fact is this team is worse than last years

Facts are we are speaking of this moment in time compared to the same moment in time a year ago. Facts compare the records of the players designated for the corresponding positions year to year. You will see that fact based comparative analysis would demonstrate the team today is worse than last year's at the same points in time. We don't have a 4 or 5 th starting pitchers with any experiences. We hope Bard and Aceves will be better than Lackey or Dice-K but there is no data to substantiate that view. In the absence of data in fact based analysis one can't make the claim that there is improvement. At this point in time we had objective data to believe Dice-K and Lackey would perform at a certain level. We have no such data for either Bard or Aceves. The limited data available on Bard and Acevesas starters suggests that statistically Bard and Aceves aren't as likely to perform as well as starters as either Lackey and Dice-K were expected to perform at this point in time last year. Intuitively one knows this because neither were considered frontline starters at any time last year. Bailey better than Paps surely you jest? As for accurate predictions based on data, isn't that what sabermetrics is all about. It is using data on past performances to predict future results with some degree of confidence and objectivity.

Factually as we sit here the pitching staff is weaker than last years. Lackey and Dice K started the 2011 year with Wakefield as the 6th. Now we have who? 4 and 5 starters are either unkown or at best Bard or Aceves neither of whom have a significant track record as ML starters. The bull pen, Paps is gone. Is Bailey better than Paps, factually you can't make that case. Rf who? Sweeney? Factually is Sweeney better than Drew defenseively. I think not. Offensively Drew in the spring of 2011certainly looked better than a Sweeney does right now and we did have Reddick. Depth we really have none when we compare to 2011. Most of the players signed by BC are suspects never real prospects. Just based on what we know factually, this team right now is worse than the 2011 team was at this point in time. One can hope it will turn out better but factually you can't make that case successfully.

For worse IMHO

Depth is depth. The fact is BC is signing detritus. It is wishful thinking that this collection of misfits has beens etc will help this team win, when and if the injury bug strikes. That's the bottom line.

If Aaron Cook constitutes depth then we really are swimming in the shallow end of the pool!

Think Ben is consulting Stephen King?

What's beneath dumpster diving?

Can he pitch too? Cherry thinks activity is a substitute for progress!

The incessant bitching will only stop come Openning Day. Then it will be intermittent unless there is a protracted losing streak.