LDF

well i know this is not a christmas movie or a new release movie. but i just saw SOPHIE SCHOLL movie on youtube. a true movie, german movie with eng sub about a young girl during ww2 ..... a very touching movie.

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Dec 27, 2015 -> 04:38 PM) Rodriguez says he analyzes Baseball so that said, does signing a 30 year old FA to a six year 150M deal sound like something the Sox would do? Not to take anything away from Rodriguez but there have been people on this board that have already raised that question so its easy to speculate and say the Sox do not have interest in Cespedes seeing as how Cespedes has been quoted as saying he seeks a 6 year deal. With all do respect to Rodriguez, he's pointing out the obvious. ummmm i have been thinking of some kind of a rebuttal..... i can't. good post.

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Dec 27, 2015 -> 05:07 PM) Uh, ya. Let's not go jumping to conclusions just yet. This is Al-Jazeera after all. I think this quote below is the important thing to take note of. "None of the three baseball players have ever been suspended for PED use or failed any known drug tests. It is yet unknown how MLB or the NFL may respond to this documentary, if at all, though if the allegations are proven, Howard, Zimmerman and Teagarden would presumably be subject to the 80-game suspension given to the first-time offenders of MLB’s drug policy." but here is the point, if some media group is claiming this, should any sport league should jump to a league wide crucifixion, where is the due process, where is the defense. even if it may be true, their is due diligence in a proper defense and knowing of the known evidence., there is no short cuts in something like this and like a past case of a chi sports person, it is stupid to post names without proof. really stupid.

QUOTE (black jack @ Dec 27, 2015 -> 04:47 PM) Holy hell. This is the Gordon market "picking up"??? i thought it was the catch-all thread.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 27, 2015 -> 04:20 PM) What were they supposedly willing to give up....? interesting point. what was the offer???

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 27, 2015 -> 03:05 PM) If Zim gets suspended, it makes the Nats a clear landing spot for LaRoche i love your your thinking, but do you really think that mlb does anything quickly???? they will drag their heals and this will take at least a yr .... if it is true.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 27, 2015 -> 03:16 PM) Nothing can be written off but the skepticism will return...especially if they don't get off to a good start, the defense isn't improved and Gordon, Upton and Cespedes all end up on rival AL clubs instead of the Sox as many are now expecting. Naturally the question will be where will the talent come to make enough trades the following offseason with an aging Carlos Gomez being the best outfielder and not even as desirable as Adam Eaton comparatively. And concern that they won't spend enough to accomplish anything more than a .500ish record. Here we NOW have three players all better suited for the Sox than anything before 2018 and a seemingly favorable market condition...the same that allowed us not to have to bid against a large market team for Abreu two years ago. and that is why i am cautioning for poster to temper their expectations. like it or not, no matter what anyone says, i believe we have been in a middle fast track rebuild.

i am not going to defend nor criticize anyone, b/c everyone has a point of view - pov, and that pov may differ then anyone and maybe everyone. but i look at the same post in another reasoning and what i see is, words and phrases that has been spewed by the sox FO for yrs. "need to see immediate rtn on any investment, eps in players." and of course i am paraphrasing this.... the point is, i expect this kind of words to be spoken by the sox to justify or not to justify any actions. i remember a while ago, i really can't put a date, but i remember the FO saying that it was not time to get this one particular player, b/c the sox are at least a yr away and they, the sox wanted to save their salary money. same thing here. my response is still the same, season 16 is to gel, season 2017 is to go for the gusto. whatever happens in 16 in a positive way, is just gravy.

QUOTE (buhbuhburrrrlz @ Dec 27, 2015 -> 02:31 PM) I found the documentary interesting. Taylor Teagarden appears on camera and incriminates himself, then goes on to talk about how owners didn't want drug testing during the steroid era. Eddie Dominguez also said it was made clear to him that he was forced on baseball. So it's kind of a hypocrisy with owners. I doubt much will come of it, except the little fish like Teargarden being caught. excellent point on the hypocrisy of anything esp the owners. one only has to look no further than one friends, i hate to say this, but we are in some way hypocrites, i truly mean not to offend, but this more of a philosophical discussion, i know, but it is the truth. just as the owners of any sports, wants only the see things in a pragmatic way, saying that they are against this or that, mostly in the ped and illegal activities... they can point to that point and say see we as the owners are concern. but really avoiding the intellectual side any any argument or study. only doing what is enuf. but on the flip side, those athletes and the union are in this as well and if not just as guilty, they are or should be more guilty.... b/c of the health factors of the athletes when they get older. it is really stupid all around.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 27, 2015 -> 02:09 PM) Taylor Teagarten is due a refund. oh, that is too funny.

can this be believe that one media outlet knows this and no one else??? i am not disputing this b/c well it is the Al-Jazeera and its network and their known media connections to extremist of religious backing. i am question if it can be believed. what will baseball do next??? they mention a list, is that list been posted??? side bar question, do the fa's go thru a blood test when they sign a contract??? we all know they go thru a physical, but does that mean a blood test as well??

QUOTE (peavy44 @ Dec 27, 2015 -> 08:06 AM) White sox Have no interest in YC oh well, too bad... but it is prob the left field only position that made that decision. too bad if it is true...

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 27, 2015 -> 02:08 AM) Then it also made no sense for them to acquire several guys who pencil in as a FA in 2 seasons. Because if they're going to acquire that guy, they need to win the division this year, and the FA market next year doesn't set them up to fill in any holes that develop. If they can't field a competitive team this year (and they can't), then that move again sets them up for continued long-term failure. i missed this post yesterday... you make a compelling argument. i have a feeling no one from the org will give any expectation of what they can hope for from this team, when it is finally assemble. i think they don't want to have an over expectation of the team. this is probably b/c of last yr performance. and results. that was why i am saying, after all is said and done, there is still 2 more yr on the 3 yr plan, so 16 can be used as a yr for the team to gel and it is what it is. after 16 they can see what will or is needed as a final tweak so to speak to make this team even better. i will control my excitement, that is already building, so i can enjoy the team and the games. i want to enjoy what i hope / know is a better team next yr. plain and simple, tempered the excitement of expecting great things.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 27, 2015 -> 09:49 AM) Could put the Nats in the market for another bat...as a hedge against a possible Zimmerman suspension. Y. Gallardo and Taylor Teagarden are supposedly both on the Al-Jazeera list as well aaccording to Jon Morosi. https://mobile.twitter.com/search?q=chris+cotillo this is an interesting turn of events.....i wonder if another series of blood test will be done or can the org ask for blood test for their players. does anyone know how long ped can stay in the systems???

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Dec 27, 2015 -> 01:37 AM) Meadows plays a good CF and is expected to stick. After '16 McCutchen be under conyract through '17 with and option for '18 so he will still be quite valuable on the trade market next winter and will bring Pittsburgh a nice haul in a trade. To answer your question, McCutchen HS the most value and will be the OF Pittsburgh trades next winter. While Pittsburgh doesn't have the money the Cards and cubs have, they dont need to with the way they are producing quality young cost controlled talent. Pittsburgh is growing hitters and pitchers on their farm. excellent

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 27, 2015 -> 01:28 AM) They have Tony Watson, one of the best setup men in baseball, who could take over that spot if Melancon was traded. again, i never look at this. watson as a closer. excellent catch as a possible closer. you do know, he never closed in his career. another thing i just looked at was melancon was his contract. his contract. it is really nice know, after 2017 he is a free agent. as you mention, and i am using the pirates M.O. or their known practice, they may look into dealing him..... as you said. nice one.

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Dec 27, 2015 -> 01:24 AM) What happened to Cornholio? Strung out on cappuccino? Damn! I agree about Avi. Shame he hasn't lived up to expectations so far. I really don't know what to think of him anymore. i can see the org giving him one more chance... maybe as a platoon with laroche.

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Dec 27, 2015 -> 01:17 AM) Pittsburgh is in a very envious position right now. They have a team in place for '16 to be considered legit contenders. If things go well in their minors this season, the Pirates will be trading veteran salaries to make room for Glasnow/Taillon in the rotation, Bell for 1B, Hanson for 2B and Meadows for CF. Imo, McCutchen will be traded for a haul to help replenish the farm and reduce payroll to give the Pirates more financial flexibility. I really do envy the position the Pirates are in right now. After all these years, they finally have a front office and scouts that know what they are doing. The Pirates will be perennial contenders for the foreseeable future. Good for them. excellent post. and i am in total agreement on the position. with ref to thier financial, who know what they would do and i hate that they will or could think of breaking that team up. very great potential across the board. as you said, bell, they just sign a bridge for a 2 yr contract to platoon with morse. i can see them looking at bell as a part time 1b / platoon in 17. that outfield..... wow. who is or has more value to the team, mccutchen or marte??? but here is the real question, they have 2 minor league of'ers who will be knocking on the door, is any of them plays good cf??? balta mention mencoln .... but that is 51 saves. i don't see them having a replacement for him... i think he can't be traded. money..... they can't compete with the like of the northside or stl.... but that will be a fun division to watch. with nl west being 2nd.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 27, 2015 -> 01:07 AM) I could still absolutely see them moving Melancon to look to the future given that the division has 2 other extremely strong teams in it, they pencil in as much better in 2017 than in 2016 already, and Melancon is a free agent after 2016. However, Marte is under team control through 2021 with an incredibly team friendly contract. He may very well be more valuable than Chris Sale. At the very worst he is comparable in value to Quintana. They'd be silly to move him and in Pittsburgh there has been literally zero talk of moving him. It's the exact opposite of the way the Pirates have behaved. oops i forgot to talk about melancon.... i can't figure out what kind of market will be for him.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 27, 2015 -> 01:07 AM) I could still absolutely see them moving Melancon to look to the future given that the division has 2 other extremely strong teams in it, they pencil in as much better in 2017 than in 2016 already, and Melancon is a free agent after 2016. However, Marte is under team control through 2021 with an incredibly team friendly contract. He may very well be more valuable than Chris Sale. At the very worst he is comparable in value to Quintana. They'd be silly to move him and in Pittsburgh there has been literally zero talk of moving him. It's the exact opposite of the way the Pirates have behaved. ref to bold, i never, i mean never look at it that way. interesting... but then we have to take several things in consideration, maybe this is why i didn't of it. it is the Pitt org, they are on a strict budget. they do not like to spend large money on some players contract. they have the cf'er contract they was to extend and lets not forget their catcher contract that will need to be address quickly. so marte and the value of his contract, esp in later yrs, i just don't know. i really can't figure out what pitt will do next, except to address that sp for next yr. nice post.

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Dec 27, 2015 -> 12:58 AM) The players I'd prefer are rumored to be on the trade block and without knowing the asking prices its hard for me to realistically say. I'm just not a fan of spending huge money on a long term contract for one player. I would rather spread that money around throughout the team instead of paying one player 15-20% of the total payroll. Meh, dude can't field worth a s*** and has too many holes in his swing. I prefer The Great Cornholio. "Poop" i know, neither am i, esp when they are wanting contract into the 35+ yrs of age , area....

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 27, 2015 -> 12:57 AM) Pitt seems unlikely to be in the market for a SP at a high price given that they're going to want to leave 2 rotation spots for the 2 pitchers they will hope will start the season at AAA. They've acted exactly that way this offseason; they have Cole for several seasons and Liriano for 2 more years as their 1-2, they have then tried to fill in the middle part of their rotation with Neise and Vogelsong. They've done the thing that they've done every single year; try to build a team with someone appropriate at every spot and then hope that some of their guys overplay what they're paying for, which works for them because they have built a very strong roster around those guys. It's the same strategy that has gotten them in the playoffs the last several years. oh don't get me wrong, i am in agreement there. but we are talking about pitt and their need to make the playoff and make money. in mlb trade rumor, and i went back to thanksgiving and i can't find that stupid article where, the writer wrote, that if they were to move marte, it would solve their holes. they were talking about a young sp, and other pieces. they will need. but it was all up to pitt and their FO. however since other teams got stronger, i just don't know. i still seeing them getting a fa'sp ..... they have toooooo , in order to keep up with the other 2 teams in the division. btw, they got a great group of players ready to start knocking on the door.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 27, 2015 -> 12:54 AM) Leake is the reason the Cards are one of the main competitors with the Sox for Gordon stead of Cespedes/Upton. The Tigers and possibly KC are in there as well... i know what you are saying.... about the cards. but ... well it is their money. i still like Piscotty... maybe and this is my wild hair guest. they are not sold on his pwr...

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 27, 2015 -> 12:51 AM) Leake signed with the Cardinals? nice catch.... i was wrong. with all the crap going on, i screwed up. so that mean pitt is or should be in the market for a sp.... the domino chips are still falling..... and for those who came late, i said, since the northside team really improved themselves, it is forcing other teams in that division to do the same.... esp those who are already committed.

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Dec 27, 2015 -> 12:28 AM) If I'm Pitt. I don't do anything this year as far as outfielders go. Wait until after the '16 season to give Meadows more time at AAA and then Pitt, imo, will put McCutchen on the market for a major haul and roll with Meadows in '17 while bringing up Bell for 1B. The right haul for McCutchen will replace the minor league voids left by the Meadows/Bell call ups and Pitt's farm won't miss a beat. Pitt is being very smart with regard to how they are handing the organization as a whole. They are home-growing some very nice talent! i agree and that was what i was still trying to point out. they will be in play for a sp, but that was taken care of today..... but not earlier when i posted my comments. now... that nl central is one tough division. i really don't know if leake will give the pirates what they are hoping for.