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A look back at how smart BCB GM's record

Rnemanich1_tiny by Ivy Walls on

Today I had a conversation with a couple of older fans how this team was put together and the one player that seems to have really impressed all of us was Mark DeRosa who is second on the club with RBI's, now having a hit his 15th HR.

I then thought of how many here thought it was a wasted FA signing back in the winter of '06. Well this board was wrong, dead wrong where even last year many thought he was the team's MVP. This year he probably is.

I then thought of other screaming naysayers who knew better, here is some more:

 

 

Star-divide

Topping the list this year is Jim Edmonds, nuff said as he and RJ make up the best CF in baseball this year. Of course Jimbo is permanently connected to Pie and those who scream Jim and RJ's time is stunting Pie's development.

Next up is Dempster as a starter, no doubt there was plenty of Internet eons used up about this experiment or the value of Wood as the closer.

A few still hold that Soriano is not that good except that the Cubsare playing .650 will Soriano in the lineup and at leadoff and .500 when he is not.

Going back to last year also there was much about Ted Lilly's rich signing, heck Ted is now part of the best rotation the Cubs have had since '35.  That leads to Jason Marquis the unwanted one with a 20-16 record on the Cubs with a 4.60 ERA, oh they moan about his $$$ but Jason keeps on ticking. Looking forward it appears that he might get 6 more starts this year being skipped at least once, but heck he is better than Estes!

The other big one is Samardzija who was signed with a big contract out of college and mostly a football player and yet he is the big surprise this year.And this leads to those who screamed not to trade for Harden, now come on.

This does not mention Murton, or Corey Patterson, or his brother or even Gallagher and the love of those traded away.

For the record I have been a Theriot sceptic, not as a good 2B (which he is) but a championship SS, I am wrong. But I was happy with Soriano, Lilly, ambivelent with Marquis, happy about Edmonds and thought Dempster going to a starter would work out and of course petitioned for Wood to be a closer since '02 or earlier. DeRosa, I knew little about except that he had come up through a good organization (Atlanta).

In the end it is not the stats or what they did but what they could do and that takes real insight.

 

Poll
Which player was the BCB community most wrong about?
Mark DeRosa
12 votes
Jim Edmonds
75 votes
Rich Harden
2 votes
Ryan Dempster
34 votes
Kerry Wood
1 votes
Felix Pie
5 votes
Ted Lilly
0 votes
Matt Murton
4 votes

133 votes | Poll has closed

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation, Bleed Cubbie Blue, or Al Yellon, editor-in-chief. FanPost opinions are, however, valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

0 recs | Comment 101 comments

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well

aren’t you smart? Good for you.

You look like you'd fit in the trunk of my car.

by mambochicken23 on Aug 21, 2008 4:13 PM CDT   0 recs

Seriously, Ivy Walls...

…I don’t understand why you do this. Writing these kind of “nanny nanny boo boo…told ya so” posts tends to only piss people off and lead them to: a) Not take you seriously, and b) Not read your fanposts and comments. In a sense, you’re kind of biting the hand that feeds, y’know?

You obviously love to write, and that’s great. But if your view of this community is so dim, why not just start your own blog?

Yes, sir!

by dat cubfan daver on Aug 21, 2008 4:18 PM CDT   0 recs

Agreed.

This spoils a ton of goodwill for me – Ivy’s last couple of diaries had actually been readable, mildly interesting, spelling error-free, and most surprisingly of all, concise.

But just when I was about to start giving him a chance again, he posts this. I mean, when even I think something is too pretentious, you know it’s bad.

by Wreckard on Aug 21, 2008 4:22 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

maybe I am not in some nabby pamby popularity contest

Oh booo woooo some people don’t like to be told they are dead wrong. Is that what you want,

who puts out the next cheer like SNL……. that is what I like to read….instead serious discussion.

Come on, what is so hard saying hey I was the one who thought Hendry was so stupid and now I am happy I was wrong.

Piniella: "This is a tougher job than I thought it would be, I'm going to be honest with you."

by Ivy Walls on Aug 21, 2008 4:49 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Let's face it...

When we complain about a signing, trade, managerial move, etc…

WE ALL HOPE WE’RE WRONG!

Nothing is sweeter than saying, “Jeez, I don’t like Lou’s thinking here… Ward/Howry/whoever has been useless” and then being wrong!

And then having another beer.

Pluto will always be a planet to me!

by DaBard on Aug 21, 2008 4:58 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

+1 for beer!

You look like you'd fit in the trunk of my car.

by mambochicken23 on Aug 21, 2008 5:01 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Ya know...

… I didn’t have a problem with this. ALL of us have been dead wrong about a lot of players this year. What’s wrong with talking about it?

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Aug 21, 2008 4:54 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

that's not the issue

the issue is Ivy Walls bragging about him being so right on most all of these deals/signings etc. Him tooting his own horn. No one cares. Someone who does that, in this fashion, is socially maladjusted.

You look like you'd fit in the trunk of my car.

by mambochicken23 on Aug 21, 2008 5:00 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

the tone

certainly leaves a little bit to be desired, Al.

I then thought of other screaming naysayers who knew better, here is some more:

Our 2008 Chicago Cubs -- FINDING WAYS TO WIN!

by drewishdrewid on Aug 21, 2008 5:01 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

It's lines like..

…“this board was wrong, dead wrong” and “no doubt there was plenty of Internet eons used up about this experiment” that seem to imply that everyone here was wrong and he was right. (By the way, I have no idea what an “Internet eon” is.)

I’m honestly just trying to give Ivy some constructive feedback – from one writer to another – on how to address your audience without attacking it. And, quite frankly, as mentioned, I would say most of us have already eaten crow re: Edmonds as well as Dempster’s move to the rotation. (FWIW, I was never against moving Demp to the rotation, but I will admit I never dreamed he would be this good.) Most of the Soriano haters will never change – BlueMike is proof of that.

Maybe there is grounds for a legitimate discussion here, but the tone of this fanpost is pretty off-putting.

Yes, sir!

by dat cubfan daver on Aug 21, 2008 5:03 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

My point is...

… there’s no reason for personal attacks. If you don’t like the content, DON’T READ IT!

Maybe the post was a bit over the top, but nothing was aimed in it at any specific individual.

I think “lighten up” would be a good idea.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Aug 21, 2008 5:11 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Are you saying I attacked him personally?

Because I honestly don’t think I did.

Yes, sir!

by dat cubfan daver on Aug 21, 2008 5:13 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

You didn't name call.

However, it really wasn’t necessary to post your criticsm of his posting style.

Let’s make this about the team rather than the people who post here.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Aug 21, 2008 5:21 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

OK, well, I'll try to exercise greater restraint.

I just think that anyone who posts here as regularly and with such great volume as Ivy Walls should be open to a certain amount of criticism regarding his or her posting style. I know that, if I were taking the time to write long fanposts and post them at a rate of around one a day (there’s three of his on my fanpost bar as I type this), I would want to know if my tone or attitude was bothering people. I have nothing against him personally – he seems like a very knowledgable, passionate Cubs fan.

Yes, sir!

by dat cubfan daver on Aug 21, 2008 5:41 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Al...

… this entire post is about criticising other posters.None of it is about the team. Specifically how other posters were wrong and the author was right.

Reed Ballgame - best CF in the MLB

by californiachicagoan on Aug 21, 2008 6:50 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

+1

Our 2008 Chicago Cubs -- FINDING WAYS TO WIN!

by drewishdrewid on Aug 21, 2008 7:13 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Howsomever...

… NONE of it is aimed at ANY SPECIFIC PERSON.

Yet, many of the comments are personal attacks aimed at the poster.

I trust you can see the difference.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Aug 21, 2008 8:37 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

sure.

one is a smear of the entire community.

The other is complains about that smear.

At least, that’s how I see the difference.

Our 2008 Chicago Cubs -- FINDING WAYS TO WIN!

by drewishdrewid on Aug 21, 2008 8:44 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I didn't see it as a smear.

Maybe it could have been worded better. But it is absolutely true that many of us — MYSELF INCLUDED — made bad predictions about some players on this year’s team.

I choose not to be insulted. YMMV.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Aug 21, 2008 9:01 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

That's fine

and I’m not exactly insulted, it’s more just “there goes ivy walls again”.

Look. Remember the posts about the Jim Edmunds Fan Club?

This post could have been like those.

Our 2008 Chicago Cubs -- FINDING WAYS TO WIN!

by drewishdrewid on Aug 21, 2008 9:10 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Maybe.

But if you say to yourself “there goes ivy walls again”, why not just pass on by the post? Why feel the need to post a rebuttal, and a complaint about the individual?

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Aug 21, 2008 9:41 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

honestly?

well, first of all, you’ll note that I didn’t post anything, till I spoke about the tone of the post.

But secondly because I’d hope that a reasonable “hey, wait a second” might yield some changes.

Our 2008 Chicago Cubs -- FINDING WAYS TO WIN!

by drewishdrewid on Aug 21, 2008 9:47 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

You know, probably not...

… so your best bet is just to pass on by.

Friendly advice from me.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Aug 22, 2008 7:57 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

yeah, I grok

but I also sometimes fail. So, I figure it all balances out. :D

Our 2008 Chicago Cubs -- FINDING WAYS TO WIN!

by drewishdrewid on Aug 22, 2008 9:42 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Is that really any better?

Here is how you can do a diary like this without coming across as gloating.

This diary just pieces together a bunch of viewpoints that some people may or may not have held, and telling these fictitious people that it’s time to own up to how wrong they were (and how right Ivy was).

by Wreckard on Aug 22, 2008 12:11 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

You know, that is kinda what happens in debates

One person says, “I’m right and you’re wrong”
The other says, “I’m right and you’re wrong”

And they go.

Kinda boring otherwise. It’s even more boring when people get all offended.

Pluto will always be a planet to me!

by DaBard on Aug 21, 2008 9:11 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

That should be in the Terms and Conditions

Pluto will always be a planet to me!

by DaBard on Aug 21, 2008 5:16 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I'd be okay with if...

… however my issue is the source. Ivywalls has a history of spouting nonsense and when called on it, he runs as far away as possible. I’ve never seen a poster so willing to throw out their opinion, yet never willing to respond when he’s challenged on any of his points.

DmL

by dmlichte on Aug 21, 2008 6:08 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I loooooove Nanny Nanny Boo Boo posts

Keep it up, Ivy. Stick it in their freaking ears! Make them cry and then tell their mommies you made them cry!

No one is right all the time. I myself remember thinking in 2004 that we did OK with the Karros/Simon platoon at 3rd base and I didn’t want to mess with that.

Pluto will always be a planet to me!

by DaBard on Aug 21, 2008 4:20 PM CDT   0 recs

So Ivy

Who said these things? How many agreed with them? How many were against it?

This is just a useless collection of made-up viewpoints that you seem to believe everyone here held without dissent.

by Wreckard on Aug 21, 2008 4:26 PM CDT   0 recs

Exactly.

What are we supposed to do – go back and comb through every single diary/fanpost and thread about each and every one of those players and try to glean some sort of consensus about what the “BCB community” thought of them?

Many of the people who allegedly bitched and moaned about the DeRosa signing probably don’t even post here anymore. (And, for the record, I had a good feeling about DeRo from the git-go.) And, um, I think just about all of us who dismissed the idea of acquiring the aged Jim Edmonds as pure lunacy have long since dined on crow and welcomed him to the fold.

Y’know, there was an actual Cubs game going on today, Mr. Walls…

Yes, sir!

by dat cubfan daver on Aug 21, 2008 4:32 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I must have joined after the DeRosa thing

but I always thought he was a good buy.

And hey! This post pushed my Milton post off the bottom of the list!

Our 2008 Chicago Cubs -- FINDING WAYS TO WIN!

by drewishdrewid on Aug 21, 2008 4:41 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I think I was still lurking at the time...

…but, I swear, I would’ve defended DeRo the bitter end!

Yes, sir!

by dat cubfan daver on Aug 21, 2008 4:42 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Leave him alone Wreckard!

I think Ivy Walls has a medical condition where his head will explode if he goes 4 days without a FanPost/Diary.

Free Ronny Cedeno

by Kansas25 on Aug 21, 2008 8:11 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Hm, I wonder if I could get workers' comp for that.

Oh, wait. This isn’t my job, is it?

Yes, sir!

by dat cubfan daver on Aug 21, 2008 8:24 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Hmm...

Maybe we could incorporate BCB somehow. +1’s received versus -1’s. The net result somehow being manipulated into compensation…

Free Ronny Cedeno

by Kansas25 on Aug 21, 2008 10:34 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I was right about DeRosa

Pluto will always be a planet to me!

by DaBard on Aug 21, 2008 4:33 PM CDT   0 recs

At best, this is a topic for after the season is over, but that said...

…for this season the player everyone was most wrong about has to be Rich Hill, whom you didn’t even discuss. It was pretty universally assumed that Hill was a guaranteed top three guy in the rotation along with Zambrano & Lilly. And now, well…you know.

by MarchHare on Aug 21, 2008 4:46 PM CDT   0 recs

this is true.

Is he even pitching regularly now? I can’t remember the last time I saw his name (previous to this).

Our 2008 Chicago Cubs -- FINDING WAYS TO WIN!

by drewishdrewid on Aug 21, 2008 4:49 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I read somewhere recently...

…that he was diagnosed with another injury – that is, besides the back spasms that have been plaguing him since, like, forever. I wish I could remember where I read it and what the injury was. Maybe someone else can chime in.

Yes, sir!

by dat cubfan daver on Aug 21, 2008 4:53 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

See, told you this was a topic worth discussing.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Aug 21, 2008 4:54 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

by the way, Al

the BCB dictionary is closed to comments. Can you re-open it?

Our 2008 Chicago Cubs -- FINDING WAYS TO WIN!

by drewishdrewid on Aug 21, 2008 5:02 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Will do.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Aug 21, 2008 5:11 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

thanks, Al.

Technical Balk is now listed in the BCB dictionary.

Our 2008 Chicago Cubs -- FINDING WAYS TO WIN!

by drewishdrewid on Aug 21, 2008 7:22 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I love that term.

It’s so all-inclusive.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Aug 21, 2008 8:37 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

you can certainly

use it for anything.

I called one on my son when he decided to try to eat his cereal like a dog this morning.

That way, when he goes to brush his teeth, he knows I’ve advanced the runners one base each.

Our 2008 Chicago Cubs -- FINDING WAYS TO WIN!

by drewishdrewid on Aug 21, 2008 8:46 PM CDT to parent up   1 recs

See, it comes in handy in all walks of life

I only wish it were as effective on people who can’t let go of being wrong.

Pluto will always be a planet to me!

by DaBard on Aug 21, 2008 9:10 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

as with many evil inventions

it cannot be used on its creator to any effect.

Our 2008 Chicago Cubs -- FINDING WAYS TO WIN!

by drewishdrewid on Aug 21, 2008 9:10 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Should I be worried?

That you haven’t taught your son how to eat properly? Or perhaps you just wish to let the children run their lives and the parents should stay out of it because “it’s not about them”

Pluto will always be a planet to me!

by DaBard on Aug 21, 2008 9:12 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

spoken like a true non-parent.

Good luck with that.

He’s a nine year old boy. Nine year old boys do silly things. For example, I’ve often thought that you were a nine year old boy, simply by the examples you provide. No subtlety, a complete lack of understanding about context…

but this is good. It means you’ll be off to fourth grade here in a few days.

Our 2008 Chicago Cubs -- FINDING WAYS TO WIN!

by drewishdrewid on Aug 21, 2008 9:37 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I've read your paragraph three times...

And I’m trying to figure out why you crossed out “you”

It’s very odd. It’s like you’re trying to communicate in some other way besides drewspeak

Pluto will always be a planet to me!

by DaBard on Aug 21, 2008 9:42 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

wow.

an HTML error. That so TOTALLY invalidates what I’m saying.

Our 2008 Chicago Cubs -- FINDING WAYS TO WIN!

by drewishdrewid on Aug 21, 2008 9:47 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

That ship sailed a long time ago

You have chosen to hold onto this technical balk thing for like, years. I got bored with it a long time ago and went on to the my next rant.

That’s what I do. I rant a little to take my mind off things like jobs, marriages, bills, health. Then I move on. This is entertainment.

Whining about a poster’s STYLE is just about the most boring thing you can do and still be considered a sentient life-form.

Pluto will always be a planet to me!

by DaBard on Aug 21, 2008 9:59 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

technical balk

for confusing days with years.

Next time you’re up, the pitcher gets to throw at your head. After all, it’s tradition.

Our 2008 Chicago Cubs -- FINDING WAYS TO WIN!

by drewishdrewid on Aug 21, 2008 10:07 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

And you're all about tradition

Find me where I said a Brave should thrown at in the head.

Otherwise, retract it, sir.

Pluto will always be a planet to me!

by DaBard on Aug 22, 2008 6:57 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

For the rest...

Of you, who actually read what I write.

I find many baseball traditions loathsome. Bob Gibson once threw at a guy who hit a long foul off him. Nolan Ryan used to talk about “bow ties”

It is weak to throw at someone because he succeeded earlier.

And headhunting is never, repeat, never, acceptable. I don’t care if the guy took off his clothes, moonwalked around the bases and shook every fan’s hand in the front row. You don’t do it.

BUT… if someone throws at your guys’ head, as Bueno did Soriano, then a retaliatory shot below the shoulders is expected. In fact, to NOT do it loses face.

Hopefully, that’s clear enough for all of you.

I am sick and tired of being called a violence monger because some people can’t read

Pluto will always be a planet to me!

by DaBard on Aug 22, 2008 7:04 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Huge disappointment.

Reed Ballgame - best CF in the MLB

by californiachicagoan on Aug 21, 2008 6:51 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Don't hurt your arm patting yourself on the back....

The only stats I care about are the ones on the back of a baseball card

by carmen_fanzone on Aug 21, 2008 5:58 PM CDT   0 recs

Still too long.

*
I was right you guys were wrong. :P
*

There you go.

Reed Ballgame - best CF in the MLB

by californiachicagoan on Aug 21, 2008 6:47 PM CDT   0 recs

I was very confident in Kerry being a good closer.

But I was doubtful of Dempster being anything more then a #4/5 starter.

Reed Ballgame - best CF in the MLB

by californiachicagoan on Aug 21, 2008 6:54 PM CDT   0 recs

I thought Dempster...

…would fall on his face and that Edmonds would do pretty well. I guess I am 1-1.

All in all, I really think the combination of Piniella and Hendry has done a damn good job since last year evaluating talent.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Aug 21, 2008 6:59 PM CDT   0 recs

I think I'm in the more sorta wrong, sorta right category...

Didn’t really have any strong emotions about Derosa. Wasn’t real emotional about the Edmonds signing (although I wanted him released when he started bad). Didn’t mind Demp in the rotation, but never expected much out of him. Didn’t think Hill would be great, but thought he could stay in the rotation. Kinda blah on both Lilly and Marquis.

Hmm…maybe I should be more opinionated.

Free Ronny Cedeno

by Kansas25 on Aug 21, 2008 8:15 PM CDT   0 recs