I ranked all 30 teams based upon the starting payroll for 2009.  I then ranked all 30 teams based upon their current winning percentage.  My goal was to determine which teams are getting the most for their money, in other words, which teams are playing better/worse than what their salaries would dictate.  Caveat: from a statistical point of view this is extremely crude and I can see any number of flaws.  Nonetheless, below are the five biggest gainers and losers.

Gainers:                                     Losers:

Tampa Bay  (+18)                      Mets (-19)

Texas ( +16)                               Cleveland (-14)

Florida ( +13)                             Cubs (-11)

Colorado ( +11)                          Houston, Arizona, Kansas City (-6)

Dodgers (  +8)

FYI: the Cardinals are +5 (i.e. 17th in payroll, 12th overall). 

Assuming the Cardinals are done.   Under what -- if any -- circumstances would you find yourself rooting for the Cubs? Or how would you justify rooting for the Cubs if you did?  Here are a few thoughts:

1) Would you root for the Cubs so that Steve Bartman could get his life back?

2) Would you root for the Cubs only if they ended up facing the Red Sox or Yankees?

3) Would you only root for the Cubs if it was readily apparent that hell was freezing over?

I basically live in Cub country. In situations like we Cardinal fans are in now (Cardinals not very good, Cubs better, Cubs beating Cardinals) I inevitably hear about it from my Cub fan friends (I know, I know, friends don't let friends . . .).  

Anyway, this year my stock response has been:
"Could you please refer to them as the World Champion Cardinals."  

So, the question is what is your witty retort?
 

Now, for a discussion that really matters.  Last year I read a post about which Cardinal you would choose in a street fight.  I found it in the archives and the conclusion seems to be that it's a toss up between Pujols, Molina and Rolen with a few other names thrown in (Taguchi, Isringhausen, etc.).

Here it is:
http://www.vivaelbirdos.com/story/2005/12/19/17389/649

So, who would it be from this year's team?  

I'd choose Weaver or Belliard. Either one of these guys is likely to crack a beer bottle over someone's head and then stab them with the shards.   Your thoughts?  

check out these links:

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/48904

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/48895

Note: If you are the last remaining Barry Bonds fan, you might be offended.

Also, did you all know that "One-line diaries are prohibited on Viva El Birdos." I'm told the minimum is 300 characters.

I've never really heard anyone actually say how steroids help.  Of course they help add muscle, but I would think that that would take away from bat speed/the fluid motion of the bat.  Plus I've heard of people who aren't muscle heads taking them (e.g. Garciaparra).  So is it just power? Is it injury prevention? Is it bat speed? Someone enlighten me.

Let us assume Bonds did steroids.  Did he do anything wrong? I'm not speaking of morals or ethics or sportsmanship, but rather did he violate any MLB rules.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't it only recently become illegal for MLB players to use steroids?  If he didn't break any MLB rules shouldn't his records stand.

Rolen could be back in the lineup tonight.  

And read this, you don't need dianabol, winstrol, the clear, the cream or any of that nonsense.  Rolen's key to success appears to be . . . Peanut butter crackers.  

"I was able to sit down and eat some peanut butter crackers and think about some things."
(from stlcardinals.com)

This of course begs the question when he says peanut butter crackers, does he mean Nutter Butters? Or those orange "cheese" crackers with the peanut butter in between? Or maybe he means some sort of peanut butter cracker I've never even heard of.  

My performance in my 28 and over spring hardball league is riding on this, someone please help.  

Juan's double and triple were down right field line. His homer was to left.  So, is he good enough to spray the ball where they aren't or is he just not getting around on certain pitches? Has he always had opposite field "power?"

Please exercise your right to vote in the poll and just like any real election, you won't be satisfied with either of your choices.  

It was nice to see Pujols essentially drop his bat and run the bases after his 2 run shot last night.  Maybe he didn't know it was gone like the one in Pittsburgh, or maybe he read the reaction on this site to his attempt to put his bat in orbit after the Pittsburgh homer, either way, I like this much better.  

Edmonds also seemed to run the bases a little faster after his dinger (granted, he's still not Rolen or Eckstein).  

Anyone else notice this?