Balta1701

Losing my grip on reality

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 18, 2010 -> 04:37 PM) But ultimately the moment of truth with many of these picks is how they translate minor league success, namely double-a success, to the major leagues. Until then, unless you're trading these prospects for proven MLB talent, they get you nothing other than a high rating in some baseball publication. As of today, that's all this Kansas City system has netted them, other than some hope with the fan base. If I compare KC to others, KC I can't put into the boat with Boston, because even if everything was done right, they'd never be a regular competitor; they need to do like the Rays. Have a bunch of guys who all come up and hit at the same time, along with a veteran or two who is still under their control, and maybe a successful reclamation project or two, then try to make a serious 1-2 year run, then be ready to dismantle before guys hit FA.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Dec 18, 2010 -> 04:32 PM) You should write an editorial for the NYT (the opposite of everything you believe) and I'm sure they'd publish it. None of my parents are major media figures. I'm clearly unqualified to be a writer.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 18, 2010 -> 04:33 PM) what have these organizations managed to achieve that ours has not? I'd say..."luck". There might be a big of weighting done by having more picks or something like that, or having the GM in San Diego bail you out, but 10 years ago...the Red Sox weren't exactly a team playing with prospects, while the White Sox had the #1 rated system in baseball while being a winning team. It flips back and forth.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 18, 2010 -> 04:27 PM) No, what I have said quite consistently is that developing talent is much more difficult to commit to than many around here seem to be willing to admit. I do give the Red Sox and Phillies credit for finding the right mix of dollars to field great major league teams while simultaneously staying true to their development plans. However, for every Red Sox or Phillies example there are others who have not managed to do so well going the development route, namely the two LA teams. I actually think it's somewhat different. I think it's like BABIP. When you draft, even if you do all the scouting in the world correctly, you've still got a 15% chance of hitting, or something like that. If you hold onto enough guys and stockpile enough picks, then eventually you're going to hit a hot streak, while another team could do just as well with everything and hit a cold streak, yet the management of the team on the hot streak would be idolized, while people get fired and ridiculed from the unlucky team.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Dec 18, 2010 -> 03:40 PM) McCain's "military expertise" is limited to "need troops to stay in combat zones longer." Not much more than that, frankly. He gets taken seriously as some sort of authority on the subject when he really shouldn't. The more often you call for invasions of countries, the more our legitimate discourse respects you. It doesn't matter if it makes sense. Opposing war is the quickest way to get you excluded as a media figure. It's like with the economy, you call for tax cuts and deficit reduction in back to back statements and you're respectable, you point out the contradiction and you're a dirty hippy.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 18, 2010 -> 04:01 PM) Well, I'm sorry you feel that that is my standard response. I don't feel that way at all. I can respect teams that are developing talent from within while producing results at the major league level. I respect the Red Sox, Dodgers, Rockies, Angels, etc, for creating a balance between major league success and development. What I don't find particularly impressive is finishing at the bottom of the league for so many consecutive seasons that the sheer quantity of high draft picks have stacked on top of one another to create a strong system. Looking at your list of teams, one thing struck me...how many ridiculous disappointments have those teams seen? The Dodgers, to start. Billingsly seemingly has imploded. Broxton, perhaps ditto. Loney never developed. Hu is long gone. Matt Kemp had one great year and fell backwards with attitude things. Russell Martin had a couple good years then imploded. About the only guys they can legitimately count on right now are Kershaw (awesome) and Ethier...and Ethier was a guy they stole from Beane in a trade. The Halos could well be worse off. They got a legit guy in Weaver, but beyond that...Ervin Santana has never turned into an ace, Howie Kendrick was supposed to hit .380 every year and he seems to be barely average, their list of complete implosions is huge: Brandon Wood, Dallas McPherson, Casey Kotchman, etc. Morales is the one hitter they have who legitimately turned into a star from their system, and again, wasn't drafted (Cuban signee). The Rockies have some great guys they developed (Tulo), but where would they be without Billy Beane helping them out with a ridiculous trade? Boston just got Adrian Gonzalez handed to them by a guy who seemed more interested in helping them out than acquiring talent. I'm not sure you realize it, but in selling hard on how much you admire those systems, a careful observer might raise his hand and say "wait a second, I'm not sure they've used them as wisely as possible".

With all this pointless fooling around we did trying to get people out of vietnamese cages...we ought to have left them there to rot. Assuming that quote is accurate...someone ought to tell the Senator to go Cheney himself.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Dec 18, 2010 -> 02:13 PM) I can't see us absorbing the salary at this point, can you? If this team's in first place, yes.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Dec 18, 2010 -> 02:27 PM) I swear someone called me an idiot for saying that Gilbert Arenas to the Magic would be a possibility. I don't think anyone called you an idiot, i think they just said you stole it from a Bill Simmons article

QUOTE (bucket-of-suck @ Dec 18, 2010 -> 01:51 PM) Uh, no. Peavy has been dominant as hell in some of his starts for the Sox. In 20 overall starts for the Sox, he's 10-6 with a 4.11 ERA.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Dec 18, 2010 -> 01:11 PM) The LAST thing the Royals need is Viciedo or Morel. They have Butler, Moustakas, Hosmer, Ka'aiuhe, and even Wilson Betemit to man the corner infield for about the next 7 years. Come the trade deadline, Sale might be a guy who could be a headliner for Greinke.

QUOTE (Tex @ Dec 18, 2010 -> 12:52 PM) exactly. at the minimum sending $10,000 to every American could really spark the economy We basically did that...except instead of giving it to every american, we gave it to about 35 guys in Manhattan.

QUOTE (Tex @ Dec 18, 2010 -> 09:13 AM) The government needs to pay off all individual debt to get the economy going again. Would have been a more effective use than a lot of the bailout dollars the fed sent out.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Dec 18, 2010 -> 09:10 AM) I can't think of a time recently that our overall success as a team was so tied into one player being healthy and performing like they're capable. If we get the Peavy we're all praying for, we can run with anybody. That includes the Red Sox. The guy is that talented. His 1.75 ERA last June is sufficient evidence of that. Last year, with Peavy and Quentin. We have more of a margin for error this year since we're not going into the season with an obvious hole.

QUOTE (WCSox @ Dec 18, 2010 -> 12:36 PM) Good God, these guys are ignorant. I'm not going to say that yet. The numbers could be lying here but i"m not convinced either way. What is interesting is that the Chisox supposedly had a decent defense last year right?

QUOTE (zenryan @ Dec 18, 2010 -> 12:29 PM) No but I feel bad about hoping he's a total bust of a QB. He does seem like a good guy and it's not his fault the media has a hard on for him. I guess I'm not rooting against him, more like rooting against everyone who has been swinging from his nuts. I'd say that yeah, he's definitely sought out a lot of the publicity he's gotten. He got it by wearing his religiosity on his sleeve and using that as a selling point to that community through the south. He's done a good job of keeping his mouth shut and being a backup QB since he got to Dennver though.

This is f***ing awesome.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 17, 2010 -> 11:10 PM) Has made such a comeback recently! It left? Was I passed out during this?

QUOTE (ptatc @ Dec 17, 2010 -> 10:56 PM) the PED dealers in Chicago missed him. In SF he went back to his friends in Las Vegas. Really dude?

This is solid. The Chinese housing bubble as seen through Google Earth.

Mark! needs to stop doing incredible stuff. Every year he does something incredible the Twins win the division.

Another Defensive Play of the Year award for Mark!

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Dec 17, 2010 -> 09:26 PM) The Heat are making puppy chow outta the Knicks tonight. The Big 3 look totally unstoppable. Miller will be back soon. They're gonna be a tough out come spring. And you know...inside scoring and PG play were supposed to be the Heat's weaknesses.