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QUOTE (JoeCoolMan24 @ Dec 21, 2011 -> 12:04 AM) Something interesting I just noticed whilst talking to my Cubs friend..... Peavy and Rios are pretty much our south side equals to Zambrano and Soriano. Our duo will cost us $29M in 2012, and put up a 2.2 combined WAR in 2011. Their duo will cost them $36M in 2012, and also put up a 2.2 combined WAR in 2011. Just something depressingly interesting I thought I would share. Peavy's aituation was due to injury not being a mental midget. He has a good chance to rebound and be a good pitcher. The situations are nowhere near similar.

There is a good point hidden in the previous "discussion". There is a big difference between fitness and health. Physical fitness is what most of us focus on. The best measure of physical fitness is VO2 max. However, that can only be done in a clinic. The easiest way for a most of us to determine fitness is by your heart rate. To determine if you are wroking hard enough you should work out at 70-90% of your heart rate max. Determining your max heart rate you should use the Karvonen formula (many people use 220-your age but it isn't specific enough IMO). the formula is Target Heart Rate = ((max HR − resting HR) × %Intensity) + resting HR. This takes into account your indivdualized resting heart rate which will decrease as you become more fit. Another thing to remember is that your heart rate should decrease at least 40 bpm after a 2 minute cool down. If it doesn't you are working out too hard.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Dec 20, 2011 -> 06:04 PM) The league has all but assured we won't see a defense like that for some time. Everything is geared towards offense. And you're only going by SB winners. How about the runner ups? Obviously, you can throw out the '06 Bears. That offense blew outside of Thomas Jones. The '07 Pats scored the most points in NFL history. The '08 Cardinals featured Warner, Fitzgerald and Boldin. The '09 Colts - Manning. Big Ben probably goes for 4000+ yards last year, as he did the season before, if not for the suspension. We could have as many as 10 QBs this year throw for 4,000+ yards. Ten years ago you might've gotten five that reached or surpassed those numbers. I'm not saying it's required to have an elite passing attack to get to or win the SB. But the days of scrubs like Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson aka "just don't throw an interception and you're fine" are over. It has nothing to do with the offenses or elite quarterbacks. It has everything to do with the constant rule changes to favor the offenses. Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson wouldn't be the"scrubs" as you call them today. If they and their receivers didn't have to worry about being hit like the games today they would look a lot better. Football wants to add HGH testing so they can shrink the players and make it a flag football league. soon they will add rules to make it more like arena football with a bunch of guy running around everywhere on offense and no defense whatsoever.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 20, 2011 -> 04:07 PM) And if you know that, I don't understand why they don't know that...seems silly to create an excuse if it is obviously silly and impossible. Athletes try it all the time. There was a female swimmer from Ireland a few years ago you said she failed due to birth control pills. These would cause a positive test if she took 400 per day. Lance Armstrong tested positive for EPO (he tested positive before it was banned for cycling so no action was taken). He claimed it was treatment for his testicular cancer. Again it was far and above what would be normally administrered. Athletes attempt to come up with legal drugs to explain positive tests to provide their excuses. It makes them look better. I have not worked in MLB since the drug testing started so I'm not familiar with what they consider a positive test. But from what I've read and what is on the graprevine, this could get ugly with the amount banned substance he had in his system.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 20, 2011 -> 02:49 PM) Ptact, is this herpes thing even possible? I don't think so. From what I've read, the meds could produce a positive test. However, he would need to take massive amounts of the drugs to do it. Somewhere in the range of 200 times the presciption amount per day.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 19, 2011 -> 09:19 PM) Who are these young players? Morel, Beckham and Viciedo...and that's it, in my mind. I include Flowers and Rameirez in that as well. I guess Rameierez isn't real young but he's playing at his peak and under control for a few years at a reasonable cost. I base most of my comment on the fact that we know KW doesn't trade for a package that a team offers. He trades for a player or players he has targeted. So, he doesn't misjudge a market because he only goes after certain targeted players usually starting pitchers.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 19, 2011 -> 08:51 PM) Reds aren't going to trade Mesoraco now that Grandal got traded. Seems like Kenny really misjudged this market, as Santos would have been someone you have to think Reds would have been interested in. I don't think he misjudged anything. In his mind he got a future MLB starting pitcher, which is usually what he is looking for in trades. He's got young position players all over the diamond, whereas most of his pitching staff will be leaving or will become expensive in the next couple of years. Any trades he makes will focus around young pitching.

QUOTE (FlaSoxxJim @ Oct 27, 2011 -> 04:55 PM) Zevon?!!? If so, then you and me both, but that would be more for during the service. For the recessional it would have to be Party For the Rest of the Night from the same album. I've always though Zevon's "I'll sleep when I'm dead" would be a good one. That or AC/DC "Hell's Bells"

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 18, 2011 -> 08:13 PM) One of my medically inclined friends wrote this. He must have been drunk. You cannot dislocate a vertebrae without massive spinal damage. Tearing abdominal muscle has absolutely nothing to do with spinal damage. I have to assume your post should have been in green.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Dec 17, 2011 -> 04:02 PM) Other than it being a 4-1 deal, I don't see how anybody can say the Reds got fleeced. I love this deal for them. Latos, Cueto, Votto, Bruce, Stubbs, Chapman is an amazing young core to go into '12 with. No Pujols, more than likely no Fielder, and the rest of that division being either average (Cubs) or pathetic (Astros), and the Reds should be a major player. for once we're in agreement. A good, proven MLB pitcher is worth more than also any prospect or group of prospects.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 16, 2011 -> 05:35 PM) Yeah, 73-75 wins would be much more likely, based on what we saw last year out of Beckham and Axis of Evil...and how Humber faded down the stretch as well. Not to mention the likelihood that the bullpen won't settle down into their roles until halfway through the season, and Ohman will quickly get overexposed if you trade Thornton. The wins would be in the low 80's. There is no way Dunn will be as bad as last year. Sale will do well in the rotation. Peavy will be decent after a year of strengthening. They would be better but not great. I hope there are many more moves to come.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Dec 16, 2011 -> 02:39 PM) Does it seem to anyone else that pitchers are getting hurt with more regularity in the last few years? Yes. My theory is that most are getting to the majors too quickly and either should have 1) developed more stamina and strength in the minors or 2) been injured in the minors and never made it to the majors. In the 50's, 60's and 70's there are always stories of guys who could throw in the upper 90's but never made it to the majors because they were injured in the minors. They didn't have the stamina to repeat their delivery for a season but would wash out. In today's game, these pitcher's are pushed ahead and break down in the majors when they shoudln't even has made it that far. We have this discussion among AT's all the time. Some say not enough throwing, some too much "pressure" throwing. There are many theories but one thing is for sure, today's pitcher's aren't as durable as they should be.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Dec 16, 2011 -> 12:54 PM) Finally, something to change the subject around here: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/t...cago-white-sox/ QUOTE The Chicago White Sox system continues to be one of the weakest in the Majors. The front office and ownership cannot fault anyone but themselves for failing to invest in the amateur draft or the international market. On the plus side, the organization has lucked into a few interesting prospects like Addison Reed and Dylan Axelrod. Chicago doesn’t have a true No. 1 prospect, although Reed has value as a potential high-leverage reliever who is close to MLB ready – and the recently acquired Nestor Molina has a higher ceiling than most of the existing players in the Sox system. 10. Hector Santiago, LHPBORN: Dec. 16, 1987 EXPERIENCE: 5 seasons ACQUIRED: 2006 30th round – Florida community college 2010-11 TOP 10 RANKING: Off SCOUTING REPORT: It’s amazing the difference a pitch can make. Santiago added a rarely used screwball to his arsenal for the 2011 season and it gave him a much-needed, reliable off-speed pitch. He moved into the starting rotation for the first time in his career and flourished. His fastball sits in the low-to-mid 90s and he also features an occasional slider. YEAR IN REVIEW: Santiago began the season back in high-A for the third straight season but he convinced the minor league staff that a change needed to be made after eight starts. He then made another 15 starts at double-A and received a call to the Majors where he appeared in two games and allowed just one hit in 5.1 innings. YEAR AHEAD: Santiago will probably head to triple-A for a bit but could challenge for a spot in the starting rotation in injuries occur in spring training. He’s a nice insurance policy for 2012 and he could use the time in triple-A to improve his slider. CAREER OUTLOOK: The right-hander has the potential to develop into a No. 4 starter at the big league level – possibly as high as a No. 3 if he learns to rely on his breaking ball a little more. who writes or researches this? Looks like He Who Must Not Be Named wrote this. The organization couldn't possibly have drafted or developed well, it must have been luck.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 16, 2011 -> 01:46 PM) How about "Lots of tools and highly producing"? Those don't usually happen unless you draft really high or until they are in pro ball for a few years and have learned the producing part.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 16, 2011 -> 10:17 AM) http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/baltimo...partment-121611 Feel sorry for the guys who used to travel to Chicago, Seattle etc. and now will travel to Macon Ga, Oceola Fla and Huntsville Ala. etc. It will save the big club alot of money.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 16, 2011 -> 09:45 AM) http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/t...cago-white-sox/ It's amazing to me that this article frequently refers to the typical White sox prospect as "lots of tools but no now production" whereas a few years ago everyone complained about the sox having too many "good producing but low ceiling" players. No matter which way you go people will complain about them.

QUOTE (VictoryMC98 @ Dec 15, 2011 -> 02:14 PM) I'm okay with that... I like pre-White Sox winning WS tickets... Walk up to window, 30mins before game.. yes, I'll take section 132, row 25 please! I enjoyed the days in the late 80's when my buddy and I were the only fans in RF cheering for Ivan Calderon (RIP). The two man wave got us on the big screen quite frequently.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Dec 13, 2011 -> 09:49 PM) If the writers aren't going to vote roiders into the hall then how the hell can they not strip Braun of the mvp? It'll only happen if they re-open the vote. I can't imagine baseball taking an award away even if he does deserve it.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 13, 2011 -> 09:29 AM) The right way to look at Dunn, Rios, and Peavy right now is "Sunk costs". We're going to spend $20 million on Jake Peavy this season, $14 mil a year on Adam Dunn for the next 3 years, and $12 million a year on Rios for that period. They're unlikely to produce that kind of value, but they're also unlikely to produce zero value again. If they continue to produce zero value, they're going to wind up on the bench after the 2012 season. If they produce better than zero value, then at least the team is getting something out of them. And if they happen to produce well enough to live up to their contracts, they might reach the magic place where their contract becomes "Moveable" on its own. If that happens, jump at it. I disagree about Dunn. I think he will produce enough to be worth 14 million. The other two not so much.

QUOTE (Lillian @ Dec 13, 2011 -> 09:03 AM) Thanks. I knew that he had been injured, but I wasn't aware that it may be a career ending injury. I still can't figure that one out. It shouldn't be an injury that would end his career. The only thing that I can think of is that there was damage to a nerve, probably the common fibular nerve as it is superficial and vulnerable during fractures. In this case nerves take up to 18 months after the decompression to regenerate. There is no guarantee that it will heal all the way so would be the concern. This nerve is the one that controls the muscles which raise the foot. It would be very difficult to run if you can't lift your foot.

QUOTE (Stan Bahnsen @ Dec 12, 2011 -> 10:28 PM) Very disappointing. Can only hope it leads to further calls for testing that has a chance to keep up with the cheating. Still can't trust our beloved game, sadly. The blood testing along with HGH will go a long way towards doing this. Much more difficult to cheat a blood test.

QUOTE (Jake @ Dec 11, 2011 -> 09:25 PM) Whose body produces test:epitest at 4:1 rate? I don't think that is physiologically possible. That's why when Braun tested that high it's pretty much guaranteed to be from outside his body.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 11, 2011 -> 04:52 PM) Yeah, that's a solid confirmation of a manufactured, non-body-produced testosterone being present in the system. They really went all out to confirm that this was nothing natural if they're throwing mass specs at the tests. Excatly. I they can tell you it's a non-natural substance, that means not only was the T/E ratio too high but it's from a substance they know. It's almost impossible to have a false positive when you can identify the substance. The ratio can be questioned not the substance.

QUOTE (Soxnfins2256 @ Dec 11, 2011 -> 01:08 PM) I'm not all about the punishing. Besides, when someone has a major injury, they usually give you a steroid, or some other substance, to help it heal quicker. A good buddy of mine completely blew out his knee in football (ACL, MCL, everything), and they gave him a steroid for faster healing. It's what they do. The physician's prescribe a steriod such as prednisone for inflammation after injuries for chronic inflammation. If they gave him an anabolic steriod, it is illegal and a federal offense. He should sue them.

QUOTE (justBLAZE @ Dec 11, 2011 -> 11:54 AM) Source: Braun tested positive for a prohibited substance, not a performance-enhancing drug. More coming on FOXSports.com -- Ken Rosenthal So gonna go with GUY at the GNC told me excuse? I wonder if it was amphetamines. I think that is the only substance other than the steriod group that is a 50 game suspension.