Balta1701

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 14, 2011 -> 09:20 AM) Howard needs to get out of the GMs business if that is the case, because if he really did force those deals, he f***ed his team last year. Even if he didn't personally say "Make this deal"...think of it this way...you've got $10,000 to gamble, you've got the odds stacked heavily against you, but if you don't make the bet, someone's going to rob you and take away your $10k. In that case, you'd make bets that you otherwise wouldn't.

QUOTE (DBAHO @ Jun 14, 2011 -> 08:55 AM) Right now I think Howard's desperate to play with either Deron Williams or Chris Paul in 12-13. If Orlando could somehow dump enough contracts to be able to sign both Howard and one of those guys to a max deal under a new CBA, I think Howard would definitely stay with Orlando. Don't know if that was possible though, but I'd be willing to write off next season if that's what it took. Amnesty waive Gilbert, dump Hedo's contract somehow and you may have a chance. The thing that really gets the magic in trouble is that they don't just have to worry about their big deals, their smaller deals make things messy too. In 2012, they have 7 players on the books guaranteed. Arenas at $20.8 million (H. Christ), Turkoglu at $11.4 million, but then 5 other guys (Duhon, Bass, Reddick, Richardson, Nelson) together for about $25 million between them. The other guys may be moderately moveable, but that's still a ton of money sitting there. Hypothetically if the league's losing $300 million this year, that might imply a substantial cap drop is required here, which might make it really hard for them to sign a max guy even if they could dump both Arenas and Hedo.

QUOTE (DBAHO @ Jun 14, 2011 -> 08:57 AM) Right now the ball's definitely in Otis Smith's court. All he has to do is surround Howard with enough decent talent for them to go back to the finals, and the only way that's probably possibly is by adding a 2nd star. Smith thought that would be Arenas, which was ludicrous from day one. It's not like a Melo situation where he's got his heart set on playing somewhere in particular from 12-13 onwards. Did he really think that would be Arenas, or did he think "There's a 5% chance it could be Arenas, which is better than what I'm getting from the post-steroids Lewis, and since my whole franchise is on the line, if I have to choose between a 1% chance and a 5% chance I'll take the 5% chance".

QUOTE (scenario @ Jun 13, 2011 -> 10:47 PM) Hasn't exactly been lighting it up in Charlotte. 162 at-bats... .235BA, .323OBP, .364SLG I think he really emotionally kinda broke after getting outplayed and sent down again. Might actually be good for him.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 13, 2011 -> 11:44 PM) In my opinion, this article was Kenny's way of saying that he wants Viciedo playing in LF but Ozzie wants Pierre instead. Just like last year, it's his way of putting Ozzie in the spotlight. This is one of those things that still really bugs me about the KW/Ozzie/JR relationship. KW is the GM. He is supposed to be in charge. The buck is supposed to stop with him. If he thinks they're losing games because his manager is being stubborn, he's supposed to be the one with the power to tell the manager to do as he says. If the manager refuses, then the GM is supposed to have the power to remove him. I don't think that's the case in this org. And if I'm right about that...that's the kind of situation where a GM ought to resign.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 14, 2011 -> 08:48 AM) Pierre needs to get a "pulled hamstring". That doesn't solve the problem.

QUOTE (since56 @ Jun 14, 2011 -> 08:58 AM) Great idea! A couple of weeks to see how things work out, without him. Maybe he is not done and could come out of his slump and be on fire the second half. I personally am not sure he has totally lost it so fast. Viciedo in right,Lillibridge in center (leading off) and Quentin in left. Try it while Rios simmers and Juan's "hamstring" heals. And what happens when Viciedo has a .950 OPS when Pierre comes back? Viciedo goes back to AAA.

QUOTE (kapzk @ Jun 13, 2011 -> 09:00 PM) how bout we deal Jackson and Teahan to like the Yankees thats the only way Dayan can be a regular. Viciedo is pitching now?

QUOTE (kapzk @ Jun 13, 2011 -> 08:50 PM) now thats how the lineup should look like, can swap AJ with Dunn if Dunn keeps up his streak. Put Dayan in DH against lefties and Rios back starting in CF. Only way this is possible is to get rid of Pierre. Are their any teams that are in need of a leadoff man or speedy guy so we can unload Pierre There may be teams in need of a speedy guy or leadoff hitter, but that's why they haven't asked about Juan Pierre

You still use film?

Another hr for De Aza.

Well don't tell them about your plans for the plane!

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jun 13, 2011 -> 08:07 PM) Well, they do have Kings Island. And Thurmans.. Cedar Point says screw you.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 13, 2011 -> 03:14 PM) If Orlando trades Howard, they are going to want assloads of picks and expiring contracts. Either that or young, cheap players. For my two cents any deal for Howard would have to involve a third team. Aside from Noah and rose, what player on the bulls would bring back those assloads of picks and young players?

QUOTE (Paint it Black @ Jun 13, 2011 -> 06:37 PM) Aren't we getting a bit ahead of ourselves with the Lillibridge love? Don't get me wrong, what he's doing is nice. But I'm still not a believer. If nothing else, the general sentiment in early April was that keeping Milledge around would win more games this season for the sox than keeping the Stealth Elf. The Elf has emphatically proven that incorect.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Jun 13, 2011 -> 06:05 PM) You mean he's laughing cause no way he'll pay Rios? Or that he's laughing cause Rios is such a s***ty player he wouldn't want Rios? Pls. explain. Because there's no way on Earth he'd give up a couple young arms with promise and simultaneously take on the $44 million still remaining on Rios's contract with his .575 OPS. If you put him on waivers, it's possible some team could gamble on him, it's happened before. But "a couple young arms with promise"?

QUOTE (greg775 @ Jun 13, 2011 -> 05:33 PM) Trade him to Philly now for a couple minor league arms with promise. That sound you hear is Ruben Amaro Jr. bursting into laughter and having no idea why. This concept is so ridiculous that it caused him, a person not even reading this board, not even in the same city, to be overcome with the urge to laugh. Not only to laugh, but to laugh so hard that it could be heard across 3 states. Medical scientists are rushing to the scene to figure out how any of this was possible.

QUOTE (kjshoe04 @ Jun 13, 2011 -> 05:03 PM) Howard would never go there though.

QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Jun 13, 2011 -> 05:00 PM) Gotta agree with Balta here. Boozer is a second tier PF that gets hurt a lot and is an awful defender. There's a reason he isn't on a max deal. That's going to be a BAD contract in a few years. If the Bulls are playing to win a title I won't care about how bad it is (usual disclaimer, current rules) because that just means JR has to pony up for the luxury tax. For any team playing for cap space it's an awful deal.

QUOTE (kjshoe04 @ Jun 13, 2011 -> 04:53 PM) At least by the time they might be any good he will be an expiring contract? Then they ought to sit there on the expiring deals they'd be trading us and go after Howard themselves.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 13, 2011 -> 04:47 PM) You are right. Teams couldn't use a PF scoring 20 points a game... No one wanted him during FA or anything, right? For that kind of money? On a rebuilding team? Edit: Under a (possible) hard cap?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 13, 2011 -> 04:41 PM) Carlos Boozer is an asset to many teams, and would be to a team looking to start over. I can't even figure out a plausible situation where that would be true. Maybe if the next CBA re-instituted the Houston rule and some team traded for Boozer to get out of as much luxury tax as humanly possible.

QUOTE (kitekrazy @ Jun 13, 2011 -> 04:26 PM) No one should be surprised since baseball practices the same failed economics by governments. You had two commissioners who let the players' union get too powerful. Unions have failed to realize the money has to come from somewhere. Baseball owners don't appear to be the brightest bunch of people. They are content with the current worst commissioner in the entire sports galaxy even after the federal government gave them a good spanking. So now you are stuck with a sport where fans can no longer trust the validity of any accomplishments. There isn't a Lebron James or Peyton Manning in baseball without the question of them being tainted. Who knows if that stink will ever be forgotten. I don't think the average person considers a MLB game a wise choice in their entertainment dollars. There's so much entertainment to compete with that didn't exist over 30 years ago. The prices are getting on par with the NBA and NFL. Most people would prefer to spend money on the latter or on concert tickets and video games. If they want to start improving their economic model they need to start with telling the players' union to piss off.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 13, 2011 -> 04:23 PM) They don't have to, they can just end up like the Cleveland Cavaliers. Or they could end up like the Cleveland Cavaliers and also be stuck with Carlos Boozer's contract.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 13, 2011 -> 04:15 PM) Howard has the leverage to force a deal. It is either that or have him on your roster all year long knowing he is leaving in 12 months, especially if he goes public with that desire. That doesn't mean the Magic have to help, especially if they're not getting something really solid back in return.