Have a blast! I can’t wait to hear the stories and see the pictures.

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Let’s at least give it a shot! What’s the worst that could happen, we lose a complete game shutout to a pitcher with an ERA of 9.00?

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Look dude it’s obvious that you don’t like Barrett, I get it. I think most of us realize that he has been a productive player in the past and has been here what like a month so we are still willing to give him a chance. All I am trying to say is that although a lot of us like Bard it’s not like the guy is P-Rod behind the plate. If the pitchers don’t like throwing to Barrett you will see his ass on the bench so at this point I really think you are over-estimating his role on this team.

If the Cubs had Trevor Hoffman in ‘04, if we had Vlad G. now… BLAH BLAH BLAH!!! Do you really think anyone here is mistaking Michael Barrett for either of those guys or anyone on their level? Come on dude this is Michael Barrett we are talking about not A-Rod. I am fully aware that one player CAN make or break a team what I am saying is that Barrett isn’t going to make or break THIS team. We have too many vetrans and have had too much sucess without him. The core of this team is pitching, so if the pitching is playing poorly because of the catcher I am pretty sure there will be ZERO hessitation to make a change. With HOF’ers like Maddux and Hoffman and a vet like Wells and a manager that used to pitch I am confidant that if the problems pitchers are having of late are caused by Barrett behind the plate i’m confidant it will be taken care of.

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Also, who says Piazza was a bad defensive catcher.. Sure, he couldn’t throw anybody out, but I think he’s a great game caller. Pitchers like him, and he wins wherever he plays. Nobody can complain about the job he did here last year defensively or offensively.

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VORP definitely doesn’t define a players value. You need to consider defense, imo.

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At Cubs blogs, people seem to think that VORP alone defines a player’s value. It’s gotten to the point where I want to say, “Why should we even play games? Let’s just add up the team VORP’s in advance and call it a day.”

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KRS1, the difference between winning and losing games can be a really fine line. Mike Piazza is the only catcher in major league history whose hitting can make up for awful defense. Michael Barrett can’t hit like Mike Piazza.

One person can make a HUGE difference when it’s a starting pitcher, a closer… or yes, a catcher.

In 2004, if the Cubs had Trevor Hoffman, they’d have been in the playoffs. The sabermetric world has gotten too caught up in VORP and Win Shares and all this. These stats say players can only influence so many games a year. It’s an abstract and inaccurate way of looking at things.

With you guys for example. If you had Vladimir Guerrero in your lineup, you’d have won more than an extra game or two.

You’ll see that it’s no fluke… Barrett 4-13, Bard 8-3. Just you wait.

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For instance, MGL has (or used to…I think he still does something similar) linear weights for offense, UZR (plus “arm” and double play ratings) for defense, a baserunning component, etc. He pretty much considers everything.

Win Shares, I believe, has steals in it because it’s in most of the newer runs created formula’s, which WS uses. It also has a defensive component.

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