Balta1701

QUOTE (Rex Kicka** @ Feb 22, 2010 -> 11:05 AM) I don't know. We regulate utilities' rate increases. It may not be a horrible idea, but it is something I wish could be done on a state by state level. In a number of cases, it is already done on a state by state level, I believe. This would just create an additional regulator at the national level, if I understand things. And FWIW, citing anything in this country involving utility companies as a model for how things ought to be done is going to make me start finding rocks to throw at you, because they're one of the few worse industries than Health Care.

QUOTE (SoxFan562004 @ Feb 22, 2010 -> 10:56 AM) I think the one thing that amazes me is the pitching staff and their health. Some of it has to do with JR and KW making some wise choices on contracts for pitchers, but even during a season Herm seems to keep them fresh. Herm is one of the reasons I have high hopes for Peavy's Sox career. Don't forget Cooper's impact on the pitching staff. He's the one coming up with their offseason throwing schedules, their ST throwing schedules, probably a fair bit of their conditioning work, etc.

So, while most of the report on the Bush admin's torture memos in last Friday Night's document dump was a "Please let this story go away" report, there was a juicy tidbit or two. Specifically, the Pres can kill anyone he wants.

So let's see, the other day I cited Gallup, R2K, Rasmussen, and CNN for polling data and my polling data was attacked. This time I go with Fox news, and my polling data is attacked. And then you say that I only post polling data that agrees with me. Of course I do. So do you.

Here's some of the Twins version of the "Andruw Jones has lost 25 lbs" pre-camp puffery.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Feb 22, 2010 -> 10:01 AM) Palin's DISapproval ratings are currently over 70%, and over 50% IN HER OWN PARTY. Those are death sentence numbers. NO way she wins the nomination. I think any of Romney, Huckabee, Pawlenty, Jindal or even Gingrich have a better shot than her. Romney is never going to be trusted by that party, probably with good reason. He's too slick, too wealthy, and he's not a real Christian. Huckabee...IMO, Palin beats him solely because they have the same base, and she's stronger with that base than he is. Pawlenty is sort of in the Romney mold except with less money to spend but no crazy religious background. I could see someone like say, Scott Brown, coming up as a legit outside challenger, but I think she easily winds up beating any of those. And anyway, just because I have to prove you wrong with data, here's a recent Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll of approval ratings of all the Republican candidates. Amongst Republicans, Palin shows a 70% approval rating, best of any of the candidates.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 22, 2010 -> 10:02 AM) Like I said, I will put it in print here today, there is zero chance Sarah Palin or Ron Paul is the Republican nominee in 2012. I can't believe that you actually think it is possible, unless you have been drinking waaaaayyy to much of your own parties flavor-aid. Hell, I'm scared that we go into the 2012 race with still 11% unemployment because we never fixed the financial system or the housing market or health care or passed an energy bill and the stimulus was too small and not only is she your nominee, she winds up with a dominant win because "it's the economy, stupid". Even under the Obama administration's optimistic scenario we're still looking at 8%+ unemployment then.

QUOTE (GoSox05 @ Feb 22, 2010 -> 09:55 AM) I thought Eliot Spitzer was really good too. It's really fascinating to watch him as a commenter these days, he's a politician who doesn't care if people attack him for things he says any more because they can't possibly do anything else to hurt his career. He doesn't have to play the game any more, and suddenly he's just able to be a general expert on the things he's dealt with (the financial industry, the world's oldest profession, etc.)

The impression I'm getting from Press reports this morning is that this is the big new thing in the Obama compromise reform package proposal coming out today. Without knowing all the details, my first instinct is that this may be great politics and not the best policy.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 22, 2010 -> 08:54 AM) Do you honestly believe that Ron Paul or Sarah Palin will be on the 2012 ballot? I will bet you your entire first year's salary that doesn't happen. I'm 50/50 on Palin. If you put the primary out there right now, this moment, and the competitors were the suspects we have right now (Palin, Romney, Huckabee, Paul, Pawlenty, perhaps Jindal, etc.) then I think she'd win it and do so with relative ease. I think there needs to be either a new name in that field or a fundamental shift in the nation's politics before I'd say that changes. Do you disagree? If so, who would you say would win that case; a Repub. primary held right now?

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Feb 21, 2010 -> 06:09 PM) Democrats know so much better who to elect. Oh wait a minute, that only counts for "moderate Republicans". So, which one should we consider you to be defending here, sarah palin or ron paul?

QUOTE (WCSox @ Feb 21, 2010 -> 07:59 PM) Maybe and maybe not. He could very well go the way that Antonio Freeman did after the Packers gave him a huge contract. I hope that the better clubhouse adjusts his allegedly bad attitude. Last year didn't show much evidence of him going in that direction. A CF with a bad attitude? If he doesn't turn that around quick, he'll never, ever, ever play.

NRO Here's another NRO comment on Paul's results there.

The LA Times ran a nice feature on travel to Camelback last year. Link Link

QUOTE (iamshack @ Feb 21, 2010 -> 03:14 PM) No? Chipper Jones. That was the public story. If you actually read what Jones did...he got more total money in the deal because the Braves guaranteed what was an option year and added in an additional vesting option year, and in exchange he took a smaller salary in a couple of years earlier in the deal. He got more total money out of it.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Feb 21, 2010 -> 03:05 PM) If it was really about $2 million we needed to defer somehow, I would have hoped that one of our veterans would have been willing to restructure for the sake of winning. That never happens in baseball.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 21, 2010 -> 03:01 PM) Good God can you imagine if the Sox had an off season like that? This place is ready to burn to the ground after a fraction of that. I'm trying to figure out an adequate comparison. Let's imagine that 2 years go by, we trade Beckham off for prospects because he's getting expensive after 2 straight times starting the all-star game with his $4 million contract, and we offer, I dunno, Jeter a $10 million deal.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 21, 2010 -> 02:52 PM) Especially viewing the websites that your info was coming from, I can't see how you wouldn't wonder about your own info being skewed just as much. Newsmax and Koz? I am sure they have no more self-interests at stake then anyone else, right? Ok, Zogby is still crap, but Research 2000 is a fine pollster. As is Gallup, Rasmussen tends to tilt quite to the right these days, CNN is a fine pollster. All of them say the same thing, it's a wide open field, with Huckabee and Romney in there right behind Palin.

QUOTE (Princess Dye @ Feb 21, 2010 -> 02:54 PM) It's clear we drove the price way up on Detroit. I wouldnt be surprised if we knew what we were doing all along. Not to say we didnt want Damon, but just that we had some desire to mess with Detroit's future budget, knowing they needed a leadoff way too badly right now. The Tigers traded away Granderson for Financial Reasons, who will make $5.5 million this year, and signed Damon for that same role at $8 million.

The last time Kotsay put up an .800 OPS against righties was 2004. Even if he's healthy, the odds are that he'll hit .275 against RH with virtually no power and a .750ish OPS.

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Feb 21, 2010 -> 02:48 PM) Whoa, cool. How did you get that? There's a couple different websites out there that do that. PM me if you'd like a referral.

QUOTE (jphat007 @ Feb 21, 2010 -> 02:45 PM) My laziness thanks you greatly! I have a program installed that pays me a few cents per search as long as I appear to be using it normally (and not just like repeating the same search over and over). You just earned me about $.15.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Feb 21, 2010 -> 02:40 PM) Damon's career stats at Comerica are pretty decent. That could easily just be that he hits their pitchers well. .978 OPS against Verlander, 1.165 OPS against Bonderman, 2/3 last year against Porcello. 17 HR at Yankee Stadium last year, 7 HR on the road, and now he's another year older.

QUOTE (jphat007 @ Feb 21, 2010 -> 02:35 PM) What did Kotsay's splits vs righties look like last year? .290 batting average, .766 OPS. Lat 3 year splits, .275 average, .738 OPS.

Damon remains a terrible fit for that ballpark, and Jim Thome is one of the greatest Sox-killers of the last 20 years.