Balta1701

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Aug 2, 2012 -> 10:41 AM) That's like equating the guy at the Daley Center with a whistle and a sign with government enforcement of policy. So no. They're campaining privately, which is entirely different from using the government to enforce religious belief. As soon as the government stops enforcing that religious belief, you might have a point. When prop H8 gets narrowly passed after a gigantic ad bombardment with Focus on the Family as its number 2 funder after the Mormon Church, then saying that isn't taking advantage of the government to enforce religious oppression is just false.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Aug 2, 2012 -> 10:37 AM) Sale's body size & throwing motion are worrisome, but CJ Wilson improved after an increase that big, so it doesn't have to go badly. Oh I know it doesn't "Have" to go badly...in fact I think my original point was that if Sale was already stretched out he could be even more dominant than he's been this year, but I can't say that without the caveat of "100 inning boost" thrown in, because it's true.

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Aug 2, 2012 -> 10:34 AM) I will say that when (not if) we do reach the point of federally-recognized same-sex marriage, that I am in strong favor of allowing private employers the right to have a religious objection to extending benefits to same-sex partners. I also think the tax code will need a major overhaul in order to survive the massive influx of childless married couples, but that's a whole other subject. Would you allow an employer to refuse benefits to an interracial couple if they objected to it?

QUOTE (Lillian @ Aug 2, 2012 -> 10:26 AM) I agree. That was precisely my point: "If Sale proves not to be durable enough to be a starter........." Here's the problem...unless Sale hits the DL with a serious problem before the end of this year, you cannot spend $10-$20 million on a 6th starter as "Insurance" for him. You're not going to give Peavy $18 million to be insurance for Sale and then consign yourself to putting Gavin Floyd in the bullpen in case Sale gets hurt (or in case Danks can't come back despite what doctors say). If you're signing Peavy, it's because you think it's a good investment of resources, not to cover yourself in case Sale can't go.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Aug 2, 2012 -> 10:25 AM) Explain to me how his donation to a group like Focus on the Family is the government enforcing those same religious beliefs. Lobbying = enforcing government policy? Really? Really, you want to tell me that running millions of dollars worth of ads trying to convince people to ban gay marriage has nothing to do with supporting government policy? (I don't have their spending on every issue, but they spent so much supporting Prop 8 in California they had to lay off 20% of their staff).

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Aug 2, 2012 -> 10:22 AM) I have never seen him in person either. Hopefully, Thompson's power translates though. Upton hasn't had the power that people thought he would. At least, lately.He hit 24 HR in 2007 and 23 HR last year. He has 9 this year. Upton is not a bad player but I still think of him as a disappointment because of what he was supposed to be. Did people really expect Upton to be a 40+ HR guy? I feel like they expected his best could look a lot like Ellsbury's last year, and the thing that's been in the way of that is the strikeouts. AT least that's what I thought of him.

QUOTE (GoodAsGould @ Aug 2, 2012 -> 10:15 AM) I don't think there is any doubt he did it, regardless of the outcome of trial. But, whether he is found guilty or not I can't say. Also on another point usually the "innocent" people that go to jail for crimes they didn't commit are career criminals in the first place and put themselves in a position to be a suspect. Not that it is ok for anyone to serve time for a crime they didn't do, but if you live a law abiding life you aren't going to be put in that situation 99.99999999% of the time. Way too many 9's, at least for this country. The "Innocence project" alone has in the past few years freed enough people that you can't go past 99.9999%, (292/310 million). And that's 1 group, looking only at felony convictionss.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Aug 2, 2012 -> 10:16 AM) From a believer but not necessarily a practicing Christian, being Christian in today's society, especially in the sub-35 year old age group, is equated to being a gay-hating, science-denying redneck. The liberals have absolutely won that fight, and there's really no debate about it. I think that was Greg's point. And no, you're saying more than "you cannot use the U.S. government to enforce your religious beliefs." The whole point of this thread is an owner of a private company having a religious belief that you don't agree with. And he's been raked over the coals for that belief. So don't give me this crap about it just being about people who believe AND use the government to enforce those beliefs. You obviously have a right do disagree with him and criticize him, but his Christian beliefs are absolutely under attack here. No it is not. This is fundamentally false. And you know that. This is about a private company using its money and influence to make sure the government continues enforcing their owners religious beliefs and whether or not to support that company while doing so. And to a lesser extent, it's also about a pretty poor sounding government response in a number of cities.

QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Aug 2, 2012 -> 09:43 AM) Every closer is going to blow saves. Look at what happened to Jenks. He was lights out for a while then began blowing saves, and his stock really spiraled after that. Reed hasn't shown himself to be a lights out closer, yet. Almost all of his saves have been exciting, and not in a good way. I like Reed, and hopefully he can be a more consistent closer. His saves to opportunities ratio isn't bad at all, and if you just looked at stats you'd say he's fine. But watching him is another story. And the "get real fat" line was just a joke towards Jenks, as his weight was always a discussion on this board, especially after he blew a save. Yes, every closer will blow saves, but the point is they need to be few and far between, and preferably not in key situations against major rivals. And you also wind up needing to count games hwere the guy was pulled and someone else absorbed the blown save.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Aug 2, 2012 -> 09:43 AM) Hasn't the Verducci effect been proven to be BS, though? He just threw an arbitrary number at the wall, hoping it would stick. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, it's still all a crapshoot. Even if 25 is an arbitrary number, Sale's going to throw close to 100 more innings this year than last year. Sale will be at the top of that list.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 2, 2012 -> 09:37 AM) The difference being that Liriano has one of the best arms in all of baseball. If Cooper can get through to him, he would be a top 10 pitcher in baseball (assuming he stays healthy). Floyd has the potential to be a very good pitcher when he is on, but his ceiling is more like top 50. So, do you pay for performance or do you pay even more for potential? If Liriano comes out and continues walking 5 per 9 IP the rest of the year, you can say all the same things about "perhaps Coop will help him", but we're still right there with that same question.

Link

QUOTE (greg775 @ Aug 2, 2012 -> 02:45 AM) God is under siege. It is not PC to mention God, that is why I loved Bush for mentioning God all the fricking time. I like Obama, but he does not mention God much. He did once on TV as I recall, though. I liked it. Greg, your god is not under siege. No one is forcing you to do anything. No one is trying to turn you gay. No one is trying to force you to get gay married. No one is saying you cannot go to church. No one is saying you cannot worship in any way you choose. All we are saying is that you cannot use the U.S. government to enforce your religious beliefs.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Aug 1, 2012 -> 11:05 PM) Exactly! How f***ing dumb can this piece of s*** abuser be? I mean the man is guilty and about to be sentenced. And he's going to deny all the charges in front of the sentencer? Yikes. I hope the judge rips him a new one after reading his sentence. ... Why is it taking so long to sentence him? Serious question to the attorneys on here. I'm not sure he's "Dumb", or at least that's not the word I'd use. The phrase I'd use is "faulty wiring". He genuinely doesn't think he has done anything wrong. That is not an uncommon sentiment in these cases.

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Aug 2, 2012 -> 12:44 AM) I am intrigued by Walker as well but I understand the reasons why some prospect people are not. He does still have strikeout issues just like Mitchell and Thompson. Walker did a lot of it in A ball and he was old for that level. I am curious to see how he does finishing the year in Birmingham. He will be in an OF corner though because Thompson needs to stay in CF to enhance his value. Trayce has big time strikeout issues but if he can be a run producer that can play above average defense in CF rather than a corner, it obviously makes him a much better prospect. Let's also remember that Walker was another fairly raw, 2-sport guy, so some strikeout troubles aren't exactly surprising. He's a guy we need to be patient with at these higher levels and he might be the one to work through them.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 2, 2012 -> 09:22 AM) Without a second thought. That contract was awful the second it was signed. I can't wait to see what happens when Theo has some money to spend again.

QUOTE (Lillian @ Aug 2, 2012 -> 08:09 AM) As some of you have pointed out, the Sox are not going to have 4 lefties in the starting rotation. Someone has to go to the pen, be traded, or not resigned. If Sale proves not to be durable enough to remain a starter, the Sox may revert back to plan B, and make him the closer. It isn't the best way to optimize his talent, but it's better than having him injured, or significantly limited in the number of starts. If that were to happen, there would be room for the other three lefties in the rotation. It would be a shame to not be able to keep Sale in the rotation and give the staff a true "Ace". At least the Sox would have a "lights out" closer, which Reed certainly is NOT! We're not going to go through all this effort stretching him out this year, having him have serious success, and then put him back in the bullpen unless his arm forces us to.

QUOTE (ScottyDo @ Aug 1, 2012 -> 10:57 PM) If he commands more than 3/$45M, I don't want. Can't sign someone with his durability concerns to a contract longer than that, or more lucrative. Even the numbers I just stated would make me nervous. That immediately makes me think of Jason Schmidt.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Aug 1, 2012 -> 11:29 PM) He will get close to that this year so he should be ready for it next year. If you throw in the Verducci effect, even if he's ready for 180 innings, you might not expect a sub 3 ERA from them, but that's not a guarantee there.

QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Aug 2, 2012 -> 08:14 AM) I would say he's not there yet. Too many people on here still like Reed. Wait til he blows a few more saves or becomes real fat. For a closer, "Blowing a few saves" really is where you draw the line.

QUOTE (bmags @ Aug 1, 2012 -> 10:26 PM) Gay people, what is worse: A guy doing something that improves your lives and continues your fight for equality, even if the reasons may be political or A guy who is spending his fortune to keep you as a second class citizen, even though he believes it in his heart that you are godless sinners that should burn in hell Tough choice. A man doing the right thing even if for the wrong reasons, is much better then the man doing the wrong thing, following his convictions. You will never get Kap to acknowledge that there is a right and wrong thing in this case.

To be called "Alien"?

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Aug 1, 2012 -> 09:21 PM) He has 2 remaining after this move. So, Youk comes back next year and he's still a more than reasonable option to stick at AAA for when Youk's back goes out?

Eat up you godless sodomites!

Link