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QUOTE (GoSox05 @ Jun 6, 2017 -> 12:00 PM) Something tells me this has a lot to do with Qatar having a normal relationship with Iran. Qatar is a bad actor, but really concerning that we may be siding exclusively with Sunni governments (who are also bad actors), with a lack of thought on longterm strategy.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Jun 6, 2017 -> 11:35 AM) Hopefully all five guys get pushed up to A+ shortly after the game. Anyone interesting down in extended spring training to replace these guys? Michael Hickman for Zevala?

QUOTE (daa84 @ Jun 6, 2017 -> 11:27 AM) if they are gonna take coleman - take him in the 30 + round as a courtesy pick. solid useful college player...not a major leaguer. despite the nice plays this weekend - hes not good defensively, no power at all, hit tool below average, and is 5-4 and already a senior Toffey is interesting - better athlete than given credit for - was supposedly projected as a future NHL player (kendall interestingly was as well), but chose baseball. REally good year as a freshman and was awful as a sophomore, before a great junior year. Very, very good knowledge of the strike zone, with added power this year (had 0 HR last year). Average defensively . I like him better than remillard because he has a much better feel for the stike zone, and remillard was a 10th rounder - so 4th round sounds about right. Ya courtesy pick is all I was talking about, consider all rounds after the bonus pool to be one pretty equal. Would be hilarious/awesome if someone his size made it though.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jun 6, 2017 -> 11:19 AM) The non traditional red, "non offensive" Christmas cups really pissed off the conservatives. http://freedomoutpost.com/starbucks-a-libe...-a-racist-quiz/ I think you're not going to find any such thing as a pure liberal company existing in corporate America today. Starbucks, more liberal and many would argue politically correct than most. Schultz was one of the first big CEO's to lock horns with Trump over the immigration ban, making the commitment on the spot to hire 10,000, just like they previously did the US veterans. He also didn't wait to read the tea leaves like Elon Musk or Travis Kalanick of Uber fame in terms of dropping out of Trump's executive advisory councils. I think the important perspective we may need is often our solutions have been introducing increased benefits through regulation instead of through entitlements. It has made it more politically feasible but we have seen the limits with healthcare. It is a legitimate question of how much could we regulate higher wages and benefits before it really undercuts small businesses, because the same outcomes could be introduced through entitlements that are raised with income targeted more broadly.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Jun 6, 2017 -> 10:34 AM) I don't think it's a purity test to want something better than a wealthy CEO of a company that does better than the average in their horrible market known for exploitation of workers. Retail and restaurant sectors grind their employees to dust, and while Starbucks isn't the worst, they're still not great. They still push back strong against unionization and workers rights, against sub-poverty wages, and they use computer scheduling. Those are all terrible things and we shouldn't be accepting of them as a society. There can be a separate discussion of whether $15/ hour makes sense everywhere, but they don't even meet that standard in high col areas. I can't help but read this and think it's a shortchanging this a lot. For some of these policies we want to succeed, it helps to see it succeed prior. Companies like costco and starbucks are useful to counter trends that you can't be profitable providing benefits to workers, etc. etc.. If you want to find a reality of where the few remaining sectors that low-education, low-skilled workers can go, you are going to look at services sectors but especially restaurant and retail. And retail is getting killed, so you are looking at restaurants and food-related jobs. "Retail and restaurant sectors grind their employees to dust" This is a bizarre claim, certainly would like to know compared to what. If anything, the issue is they push hours below full-time thresholds to prevent mandatory requirements. "and while Starbucks isn't the worst, they're still not great. " No, this is actually the point, they are actually great. It's a very low margin business and they manage to continue to push profits down to labor in a way that is not seen elsewhere and can hopefully be modeled. If every restaurant/retail area offered same benefits as starbucks you are talking about a huge upgrade to a large portion of the 20% of the US economy. "against sub-poverty wages" You say this as fact but his point was more nuanced and the most you can really say is that Starbucks is a member of the NRA which lobbied against it. But he has supported minimum wage increases and raised wages nationally prior to that prompting. "they use computer scheduling. Those are all terrible things and we shouldn't be accepting of them as a society." Come on. This is s***ty for labor and I think an area where regulation could help so that people can regulate daycare and 2nd jobs, but one of these things is not like the other. You guys don't want a CEO, think the lack of public service experience will hurt. I'd prefer one too. But the real argument here is that starbucks is bad for labor because it is big and makes money. ANd I would argue that it is good for labor because it is big and makes money, and has routinely invested more in its labor in a really difficult sector to so. A bunch of retail workers have lost their jobs. Let's hope they get absorbed into places operating like starbucks and costco and not walmart.

I've followed starbucks for a long time, what sets them a part is they actually have a good pipeline to listen to barista feedback and change things for the better. Their policy affects huge numbers of people, and we are talking about low-skilled, diverse workforce. Show me a better company in the retail/restaurant sector for labor. It's a short list. The purity tests will not go well. And the idea that the $15 minimum wage hike is so obviously right from people in metros that haven't considered how it would affect states like Utah is troubling to me.

Wow. I'm hoping this is a prelude to him turning into a pitcher. A stern warning that you won't make it to the show as a hitter way and aren't close.

I would be furious if we took Pratto and I don't really understand the logic behind it. If I'm taking a high schooler they better damn well be a short stop, pitcher or center fielder.

Dealing with Boras is mainly annoying because you know he'll suck up every bit of bonus but good for him. But I just can't say that I'd want signability after 6.5 years of mlb control to be a driving factor. If Kendal gave us two 4-5 WAR seasons that drove him out of our range to re-sign him that means we had a hell of a player for 2 years and that is worth going for. If he never makes it to the league...then it didn't matter. I understand your argument CWS but to me it was worse with Rodon because he seemed so certain to drive himself into the MLB early while still developing. We see that now. But for Kendall I think it's less of a concern, there is low rationale to fast track him like Rodon.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Jun 6, 2017 -> 09:08 AM) I don't think the Democratic progressive base is clamoring for a billionaire CEO, even if he did treat his still-low-wage workers better than other restaurant companies typically do. There are certainly worse CEO's out there, but if you want to permanently split off the Bernie wing of the party, running someone like that in 2020 is a great way to do it. Isn't this just the same optics-driven b.s. rationality that dems constantly fail on? "Oh what we need is a white southerner! Oh, what we need is a 4 star general!" If Schultz bursts onto the scene and is inspiring and creating a compelling progressive vision, his story will suddenly be an asset. And "There are worse CEOs" is kind of ridiculous, he is a very good CEO that specifically used his gigantic company to promote progressive labor ideas and social ideas. But no, let's make sure we get some 80 year old colgate professor to satisfy to make sure the Bernie wing knows how progressive they are.

Well I don't see an instagram story from Robert so I'm assuming he's not playing. I would expect 3-4 shirtless selfies prior to his first game.

W-S has a good chance to win two. They've been playing better ball since getting Trey/Barnum back, along with Thompson pitching better.

Eh, I don't understand why Schultz would be so bad, certainly open to have missed something. He had his embarrassing rollouts with the race discussion, but he always paid his labor well, gave benefits tracks with healthcare and 401ks to baristas early. Used his platform to help unemployed veterans and refugees. When coming under criticism for taking social issues he's told investors to shove off. If you don't want a ceo out of not wanting a CEO, then I get it. Also him selling to the sonics to the group that moved them to OKC. Pro schultz as a person/ceo. We'll have a lot of cleanup though, and I think we'll want some experience.

QUOTE (GermanSock @ Jun 6, 2017 -> 01:31 AM) 1-1 I take hunter greene. Yes HS pitcher but he seems to be a generational talent he is sitting upper 90s and basically pitching like Strasburg was out of college. I don't love McKay that much. His Velo was not that spectacular and he might be more of a 3 starter. His bat is very good too but he is a 1b and I read reports that he hit a lot better against weaker teams than against good teams. Now he might improve either hitting or pitching if he focused on it but I can't ignore greenes upside, he could become a jose Fernandez or noah syndergaard and no other player in the draft has Close that upside. At 11 I would go haseley first and if he is gone I gamble upside with adell or Kendall. At 11 there is no safe and great pick especially not this year and if haseley is gone I might as well take the upside rather than one of the 1b/DH bats. Yeah I think a few weeks ago I was saying I'd have a hard time picking Greene if I was Twins just due to him being a high schooler. This was pre-wright making a dominant run to #1. Then I watched a video of greene and holy crap that stuff. Moving that much at 97-98 is special.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jun 6, 2017 -> 08:32 AM) He's a fact of life though...there is not much use in trying to continue to avoid him as we did in the past. One other issue, I wonder if Kendall's stock has risen as a result of his recent play. Just listening to the Callis interviews by FS and SSS, I would be very surprised. Callis is just one guy, but he talked specifically about changing opinions due to tourney play (Bukauskus), and that most scouts would be offended with the idea that their judgment is just results based. That, and the k's have been slightly lower but still some bad ones last night. BUt for me, I've loved watching him. I am not someone that could really give much of an opinion on defensive ability, but he does look remarkably confident in his tracking and routes to the ball. He just seems to know exactly where it will go, coming forward, going back, didn't matter.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 5, 2017 -> 10:19 PM) For 2018 but that Missouri St shortstop was awesome Yes he is

You guys think we draft ACE alumn Ro Coleman in the 11+ round territory?

Kendall with a rocket to center for an RBI base hit. He also looks extremely smooth in center.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 5, 2017 -> 09:26 PM) Some nice arms going for Sox tomorrow. Who's this Rodon guy going for W-S? Will be nice to see Collins catch him.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Jun 5, 2017 -> 09:08 PM) Ok, how many people eat crow if Giolito gets back to form? Would anyone?

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 5, 2017 -> 09:07 PM) Wish Giolito didn't give up 11 hits tonight

Man this is awesome. Wish I could see the pitches.

Wish one of the BA guys was in attendance for this game for notes on velo and stuff. Sounds like curve is workin though.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jun 5, 2017 -> 08:32 PM) Well, I'm not sure how 7 hits in 4 innings is "great/excellent" but if you're actually watching the game and have seen all those balls put into play, I'll have to take your word for it...rather than going by the MILB.com play by play. (NOTE: I misread 7 k's as 7 hits, my mistake...so I'll retract my criticism, at this point we have to be elated if starters in the minors can get through 5 innings) Ehh yeah you caught it but your analysis is still bizarre. This is a very good game.

Kinda blown away by how successful these relatively basic phishing attacks were. And successful is relative, not necessarily in affecting anything, but just in doing whatever purpose they served.