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QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 9, 2017 -> 10:06 AM) I am sure the millions of dead non-whites appreciate your concern for everyone but them. Should we invade Venezuela? Somalia? Syria? I want to help them, but I have seen precious little in the last 20 years that shows that toppling a brutal regime that has suppressed a functioning society leads to better results, and has largely undermined rather than strengthened US interests. In Iraq we removed a true existential threat to the Kurds from power, and 10 years later they were facing existential threat all the same. And the power vacuum opened up threats that were frankly far more decentralized and dangerous than a madman with an army. Libya, Egypt, Iraq should be stronger now. They are if anything the same or worse. The welfare of their people is the same or worse.

QUOTE (Brian @ Aug 9, 2017 -> 09:49 AM) I'll be ok because I've been practicing my "Duck and Cover" routine. I mean I have a desk, so it's less concerning.

Just based on BUZZ I think we'll see some re evaluation of his hit tool based on his work this year. OFfseason may see it boosted. But Longenhagen had him pegged for .280 with 30 home runs. I think his 30 raw hit tool he's pegged with now seems low.

Yeah that catch was incredible. I hope Engel can just learn to get more contact. That kind of defense off the bench would be so valuable.

Tillerson tweeted there is no immediate threat. There isn't. BUt also, chill out in this thread, everyone. People were going too hard last night and this is a warning before I give some timeouts. Obviously, nuclear holocaust is stressful. But try to reign it in.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Aug 9, 2017 -> 08:51 AM) So your answer is to be held hostage by a madman forever? And put the mainland US at risk? Is that really what you're saying? I don't think you're taking this threat seriously. The day Kim feels his days are numbered, whether driven by us, or China, or another vested party, who is to say he doesn't launch some nukes at the US assuming he has the capability? This guy is not a rationale human being living in a rationale world. He kills on the regular to retain his grip on power and he just may want to go out in a blaze of glory assuming he knows that power will soon be lost. Under no circumstance should we allow him to further develop his nuclear capabilities. What he hasn't done in all of this is actually invade another country. He antagonizes. He retains power by antagonizing. North Korea is only relevant through using its military as a threat, if it did not it would be a forgotten country. In the leadup to pre-emptive wars, it is always this increasing hysteria of danger. North Korea, as an antagonizing, militaristic state, was always going to be on the shortlist for regime change from global powers. It got a bomb, and it got it to make it legitimate and prevent regime change. The idea that NK would send an atomic bomb to the US as an offensive measure is greater now than it was a week ago, but still incredibly unlikely. It depends on building up the madness of NK so high that they would judge the annihalation of their entire country as an acceptable cost in order to just get one big swing at the US. But North Korea has had just as much contempt for South Korea as the US, which is an understatement. And ahs been capable of launching a nuclear attack for years. The bluster toward them has been consistent and unending. Military buildup, miltary flybys, naval movements to frighten. But despite all that, nothing. If they invaded SK they would be met with the forces of too many countries to count, and CHina would likely come down on them in an effort to ensure that it does not lose it to western influence. North Korea is not holding us hostage. They are not and cannot stop the US from doing anything the US wants to do in foreign policy with the possible exception of *invading and changing regimes* in North Korea. They aren't that strong. Pakistan meanwhile holds nukes, and could start a global war with india on the regular or lose those nukes to terrorism it funds. Why are we not frothing with fear there? Russia/China. These are legitimate militarys and countries with nuclear weapons to fear because they could legitimately destroy US ability to act globally and even actually take land from US. North Korea is just another Qaddhafi libya. A country that seems on a collision course to kill millions of americans and then 30 years later you look back and realize they were nowhere near the existential threat they seemed. But there is one way to vastly increase the likelihood of a North Korea attack, and that's to actually invade them, which is one of the main reasons they got the bomb to begin with.

Derek holland is basically our major league carson fulmer.

QUOTE (flavum @ Aug 8, 2017 -> 08:41 PM) Check out Billy Hamilton's catch tonight too. Eh, he doesn't get points for Misplaying the ball in my book.

Seby Zevala man

I'm probably wrong but I can see a case that the team owned facilities like AZL and DSL may be better than the affiliates. Sox DSL facility is pretty new isn't it? Dude just needs to play and play the game the way he wants. Small injuries like this may happen. But people are acting like he needs to be wrapped in peanuts playing DH in the DSL like it's a field in mutant football league.

Yeah unless your name is Joel Booker I wouldn't really worry about finding a spot. But Fisher/Booker are going to feel the squeeze. CF as well might be less than ideal for full reps. Basabe/Rutherford are likely to run into each other unless Basabe has a really good august that lends Wsox to think that this trend of slow adjustment/strong second half is worth pushing into AA.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 8, 2017 -> 09:18 AM) I could see Lucroy considering a 1 year deal to rebuild some value, perhaps with a player option a-la Wieters this year. Not sure he'd do that with a 60 win team though. Haven't paid attention to who needs a catcher this coming offseason. Good thing about a 60-win team is they are more likely to trade you to a 90 win team if you do well, vs signing to a bubble 75-78 win team that misses playoffs.

From what I've heard (mostly what I remember from Belinsky tweets), the 18 prep class looks really good. They always look good the year before, but seemed unqualified. I think we are sitting well by being bad this year. Beer isn't so good it makes or breaks the year (this is one of those posts that could come back to haunt me).

I mention framing itself just because of Rodon, who seriously seems allergic to getting borderline strikes for some reason. Better framing could do wonders for his stamina/strikes thrown.

oh, Iannetta is still pretty good at framing. For "handling" of a staff, couldn't do worse than AJ Ellis. Would be like signing Sandy Alomar Jr. in 02.

That's like a whose who of the worst framing catchers, but a reminder that Narvaez is 3rd from last, so only way to go is up (unless we sign Lucroy). Maybe Baltimore will trade Caleb Joseph for someone marginal.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Aug 8, 2017 -> 09:04 AM) You're missing my point. Winston-Salem is going to be loaded with outfielders next year. Rutherford, Adolfo, Fisher, Call, & Gonzlaez are all candidates to land there. Robert will be up at some point. Booker & Schnurbusch probably deserve playing time there as well. Even with injuries, Dedelow is going to struggle to push his way into an everyday role at Winston-Salem. Yep. We may have 4 "legit" (used loosely) outfielders likely in Kanny and W-S, and will need to use the DH. Destino too is performing well. They could move Fisher to 1b.

Please just sign a good catcher. Please please please.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Aug 7, 2017 -> 07:07 PM) That means Watson is better than Tom Savage, Kevin O'Connell, Zac Robinson, and Ryan Mallet were.

We actually have no idea the extent to the role LF has played in everything the last many seasons. I do think the TV show is setting up Arya to kill LF when she hears from Bran something bad he did.

We have a lot of guys in the minors who are not top prospects who are busting their ass as they watch players like Delmonico, Davidson, and Engel getting major shots at sticking as Major Leaguers. Performing this gimmick is just a slap in the face to those guys. Now, by all means, hire tebow to throw tshirts into the stands or heres an idea Tebow starts halfway down third base line. Random fan gets to put on catching gear and see if they can hold onto the ball as tebow runs through them and tries to be safe at home.

Gotcha, thanks all. I was confused to why if it was TRUE it was a lannister blade he would blame the lannisters but you answered all of it.

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ Aug 7, 2017 -> 11:28 AM) IIRC, Littlefinger lost the dagger in a bet with Robert. Joffrey stole the dagger from Robert to give to the cut throat to "put Bran out of his misery." Why did he tell Bran he didn't know where the dagger came from then? Unless I'm misremembering that line.

Next year the big win with Kopech is him being healthy and getting to at least 160 innings. Pushing him to big leagues would make me lose considerable confidence in our player development.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Aug 1, 2017 -> 09:18 AM) While hosting the Olympics usually sucks, it makes so much more sense for a city like LA to do it, just because so much of the stuff is already built. And I hope they REFUSE to build something to spec when a reasonable alternative already exists.