Balta1701

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Feb 25, 2013 -> 08:58 AM) Yes, and then, after showing 100+ Yankees and/or Red Sox games on MLBN and ESPN during the season, and very few Blue Jays/A's/Indians games (or whoever ends up being the surprise playoff entrants) MLB will complain about low TV ratings for the playoffs. MLB Never complains about "low playoff ratings". Other people complain about them and then pretend they're important (since they're used to other sports like the NBA and NFL where playoff ratings are a huge fraction of the revenue).

QUOTE (flavum @ Feb 19, 2013 -> 10:58 PM) Beckham looks like he's doing a little Cal Ripken-y thing with his bat before he swings. http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/video/play...18&c_id=cws Long Merkin piece on Beckham's new stance

35 pitch bullpen session for Thornton with no discomfort, says he feels great. Keppinger played today with no discomfort recovering from ankle. Morel playing with no back discomfort.

Wow, that was an awesome defensive possession for the Buckeyes.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Feb 24, 2013 -> 06:06 PM) OSU will go ice cold and give this away. Sparty cannot let :15 tick off the clock before fouling.

Well, finally finished the 28 page Time Magazine expose on why health care costs are killing us. Really good article overall. Very well researched, very well done, example after example of how the costs paid at the hospital level and the care/examination level are completely out of control. The stuff that really hit me, particularly after watching how the Obamacare debate went, was how well managed Medicare really is...at least when Congress allows it to use its muscle. It's not cheap, but its management and cost control blows the rest of the system out of the water. As the author goes through, it's sorta remarkable, he points out the big thing that could save Medicare a ton of money (negotiating drug prices), but then to try to find other savings, he's advocating for things like "making sure middle class people pay $10 for a test instead of $1" which would save tiny amounts around the edge. Same thing with the shots at the trial lawyers, it feels like he's including those criticisms because he feels he won't be respected if he doesn't take those shots at both sides rather than focusing solely on the $100 billion that could be saved by allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices or the hundreds of billions that could be saved by opening Medicare up to everyone. He does get this to fall out, but then rejects it solely on the grounds that it's politically impossible. Now that I really focus on his end-suggestions, it's remarkable how the author sort of allows "what's politically possible" to leak in in some places but ignores it in the others. He doesn't advance "expanding Medicare to everyone" solely on the grounds that it can't happen, but then chastises Democrats by name for protecting the trial lawyers...and then...chastises no one by name for preventing Medicare from negotiating drug prices or keeping Medicare closed to younger people. One other part of his case I found really interesting was just calling BS on the notion that doctors and hospitals can't make due with the "low" payments Medicare makes. Anyway, yeah, there's nothing on his "recommendation" page that I'd have any problem with, including the random jabs at Democrats and trial lawyers (unmatched by shots at any other lobby/party).

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Feb 24, 2013 -> 04:42 PM) Pretty sad that the guy doing the webcast is noticeably better than the radio guy. I bet if it were Boyer's decision Farmer would be gone. Farmer's fine if you have a PBP guy next to him. He's just not a PBP guy; he's a color guy. That's why Rooney/Farmer was such a good team.

QUOTE (BigEdWalsh @ Feb 24, 2013 -> 04:16 PM) Big Donkey Bomb! Towering fly ball, probably ~390, to Left Center.

Dunn HR

Rios then triples to lead off the next inning

Rios drops a fly ball, gets crossed up apparently at the last moment by the Cf.

Merkinball

QUOTE (iamshack @ Feb 23, 2013 -> 09:47 PM) Just popped for the 70-inch Sharp LCD...my birthday present to myself Ordered a fairly expensive mount from Amazon (no way I am going to mount this sucker on a $40 mount). Going to put it above my brick gas fireplace that I have not used once since moving in here 18 months ago. Yay me! Mind if I ask how much you spent on the TV?

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Feb 23, 2013 -> 05:51 PM) I am not sure what you don't see in Beckham but I have a feeling he is going to have a break out year. Beckham-Ramirez-Sanchez (and who at firstbase for the future?) Konerko will retire at some point and will we keep Dunn at the salary he is making? Salary cap applies to guys like Dunn with 200 plus K's and a low batting average IMO Beckham is legitimately on his last rope. He's in his first arbitration season, he will be paid $2.9 million this year. He's been barely worth that level of money the last 2 years. His next year, he'll probably double that amount if he's offered arbitration again. That means, if the Sox are going to bring him back next year, he needs to hit like a player worth $6 million or more. If he has a breakout season, great, but if he doesn't; then Carlos Sanchez will probably come into next season as the starting 2b.

Dunn Pops out. Viciedo 2 RBI single. 4-0 Sox.

2 AB's, 2 2B's for Rios before being pulled.

Beckham with an RBI double to deep LF, scoring Alexei. 2-0 Sox.

Dodgers go 1-2-3, Axelrod throws 7 pitches, all strikes, 2 K's.

Dunn takes 3 straight called strikes.

Konerko takes 3 straight called strikes

QUOTE (SoxPride56 @ Feb 23, 2013 -> 03:13 PM) Is this game online anywhere? Gameday Audio subscribers get audio. No video.

Morel grounds out, De Aza goes to 3b on a pickoff error, RBI double for Rios. 1-0 good guys!

De Aza leadoff single! Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

De Aza CF Morel 3b Rios Rf Konerko 1B Dunn DH Viciedo LF Ramirez SS Flowers, C Beckham, 2b