#94@BigWorm: Gotcha.

#95@JP: Intangibles are used to explain all kinds of things when people don’t want to look at the real causes, or the real causes are hidden. Last year’s Padre team was very similar to this one. Why did most of the same players who went on a May run with Sledge and Cruz in LF feel like they couldn’t do it with PMac and Hairston out there? Those guys saw Hairston hit 8 HR as a Padre last year, they should have a lot of faith in him. Just look at Detroit. They add Cabrera and Renteria to an already-potent offense, and they’re barely better than we are. Cabrera and Renteria both have WS rings. They must be dripping with intangibles.

We’d be better with FDome and, to a lesser extent, Bradley. No question. FDome is probably a marginal CF but I love his offensive game. Bradley wouldn’t have done much for us given his lessened ability to play LF, but he’s a terrific hitter. But those close games have still been coughed up by the pitchers that would have pitched other close games – Meredith, Bell, and Hoffman. Those bad starts by Maddux, Wolf, Young, and Germano weren’t from being too fine; between Maddux and Young you have the equivalent of 3 PhDs. Pitchers have bad games regardless of the offfense behind them. And the team would have been more enjoyable to watch. But turn a season around with two acquisitions – one and a half, maybe, because Bradley doesn’t get full credit? Nope.

I would say that Germano does not get beyond 10 more major league starts.