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This whole thing took way too f'ing long but I appreciate those that realized getting it done was worth it after 2 years. Real compromises and hard decisions were made.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Jul 6, 2017 -> 04:26 PM) What do people really think can done? The first nuke was used over 70 years ago. There is no way to put nukes back into the box, and nukes are "old" technology at this point. There is no way to "stop" NK without risking some sort of nuclear assault. In my opinion the best answer is to start using some defense funds to try and come up with new technology that can better detect nuclear weapons (and their movement.) In the absence of that, it really is up to China, SK and Japan to decide. NK really poses no threat to us, so those countries need to decide if they are willing to risk their population being nuked. True but with that last sentence, China will not let Japan be the aggressor or a military power again. China would have to be cool with whatever comes of North Korea being aligned with China and not "the west" or SK/J. It makes it complicated, and all roads point back to China.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 6, 2017 -> 03:50 PM) Depends on your economic analysis of how sustainable $20 trillion in debt is as we keep on adding to it by not coming close to balanced budgets...even after the initial 2-3 year stimulus package and QE bursts and low interest rates for an extended period of time. In the same sentence that we should freak about our high debt is ... low interest rates. Sure.

It would be very hard to bankrupt US with a war unless the outcome is China winning and putting onerous requirements on US.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Jul 6, 2017 -> 03:22 PM) In terms of per capita spending, Illinois is 37th. In recent surveys, most Illinoisans want the problem solved mainly by cuts, but they don't actually want any specific programs, services, pensions or payments cut by pretty decent margins. Illinois government is that Skinner/Krabappel argument over school funding forever I think part of this is psychological. I don't mean that in a dismissive way, or that taxes are not hurting people or affecting them. But I do think Chicago's consistent preference for consumption taxes and not income taxes, and Illinois' low income pushing to higher property taxes, give people the constants presence of taxation in a way that income tax does not. People mostly just think of what they get paid, after the get the decrease/bump it becomes constant. But with every soda, sales purchase, red light ticket, street cleaning and then mortgage payment it's just ever present, and also regressive. Preckwinkle warning that there'd be cuts without the soda tax, but yet it's about health not revenue. Chicago cries about the unfairness of funding from the state but always chooses to raise it's funding from the poor.

QUOTE (KagakuOtoko @ Jul 6, 2017 -> 02:22 PM) Just a catch all post, what do soxtalkers think would help solve the problems Illinois has? Lots of things. Consolidation of municipalities and townships. Illinois has the most in the country, lots of redundancy and overhead that are not creating better services but are creating bigger costs. Superintendants getting the same salaries whether they are servicing 14 schools or 40. Police reform - CPD never bothered to reconcile with the community after the Burge torture ring and misconduct. Hard to see how trust improves when an institutional issue like that was never addressed. it will continue to haunt with every new incident. It needs a budget Progressive income tax and tax reform that changes funding model and needs to be coupled with a cut in consumption taxes and property taxes. Chicago needs to make affordable housing a priority Pension funding needs to be reworked and pensions themselves need to be renegotiated. Older, declining population and pensions become difficult as the costs grow as they approach retirement unless you have growing younger tax base (which we do not). A hard look at the TIF program which in too many areas becomes a giveaway for alderman and powerful interests and does not serve it's purpose of reinvigorating districts.

what if they just thought this was an ideal time to DFA him and still keep him in org

I also didn't say he had no value. I just think his return is harder to get excited about without having a scout database of information on lower level guys.

He's just a harder guy to make trade talk fun over compared to others because there is probably a 95% chance I'll have never heard of his return. He'll get something, either a reclamation project or a projectable player with high uncertainty, and those trades can sometimes strike gold. But to be entertained by trade talk with him is mostly just scanning random teams top 12-20 players for a trait you like.

QUOTE (shipps @ Jul 6, 2017 -> 12:01 PM) Ahh I knew something didnt seem right with that. LOL Even by soxtalk standards of fickleness. I think soxtalk way overrated how difficult it would be to find a defensive first catcher. It is true only when we commit such a low budget to it, like we have. But if we were so good and the only need we had was a good defensive catcher *regardless of offense*, it would be very attainable.

Of all the examples of the wealthy elite raising the ladders behind them so nobody else can join, preventing punishment of any bad behavior and consistently rewarding failure among the ranks, Mark Penn still being around has to be up there. His firm got the Obama library. He still has work somehow after the Scroogled campaign for Microsoft. He's failed everywhere he's been, has been hilariously wrong on any historical event he had the opportunity to write down his idiocy on, and yet, he shows up at the cocktail parties and is a good guy, so could you just give him another chance?

There was also this at the end re: Robert FYI: N.B. From the reports we were able to compile, it seems obvious that Luis Robert is—broadly speaking—a top 50 prospect in baseball. Picking where he falls on the top 50, however, is akin to throwing a dart until we have actual stateside looks to add to our portfolio of information. This is a continuation of sorts from my Lourdes Gurriel essay from our preseason Blue Jays list. It’s probably unavoidable that we’ll have to deal with this in the offseason—we did rank Kevin Maitan preseason after all—but the backbone of our work is live looks, and those just aren’t in the offing for Robert right now

Did the bulls use their huge trade exception or let it run out again?

Juan Soto at 12 is interesting.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 3, 2017 -> 10:37 AM) Side note, this is incredible. I know there were conversations previously about how dangerous VZ is right now... Ben Badler‏ @BenBadler Jul 2 As a note, in case it's not already clear, at the request of several players/families, we're not posting any Venezuelan bonus amounts today. I was actually kinda amazed how many Venezuelans were in the class though. They may be signing cheap just to get the hell out.

Sydney Pimentel, SS, DR for 300k is latest

White Sox have signed catcher Jefferson Mendoza from Venezuela

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Jun 30, 2017 -> 07:52 PM) He also almost got that Seagull Animals are nice but I am endlessly entertained by the possibility of live baseballs hitting them

Kevin smith looks like an extra in a 90s baseball movie

Yolmer has such a quick release I don't see his arm being an issue at short.

Yolmer is wonderful

Yolmer let's make it 3

2 BOMBS

QUOTE (chitownsportsfan @ Jun 30, 2017 -> 07:29 PM) lol, that is quintessential Beltre though. The man is not afraid to look the fool. It's part of his charm. I love the dude, one of my favorite players. I love Beltre too. He's had some amazing moments vs Sox.

What a blast