Balta1701

QUOTE (bucket-of-suck @ Jan 31, 2010 -> 01:57 PM) He's already at a $5M market level. The question is will JR approve that cost or hold it for a mid-season upgrade? The latter is most likely. As I said a moment ago, Damon turned down a 1/$6 offer less than a week ago.

QUOTE (bucket-of-suck @ Jan 31, 2010 -> 01:32 PM) The Sox are hanging around the Damon dealings right now and have an offer in mind. Damon is out of a job, 3 weeks before Spring Training. His camp is still delusional looking for $7M right now from either ATL or DET but that likely isn't gonna happen. In the next couple weeks he may become a very real possibility for the Sox if they want to pursue it. I think it's somewhat unlikely that; ATL or DET will meet whatever price Damon eventaully comes down to, or that Damon will come down to a level that the Sox would even consider him at without someone else grabbing him first.

Ok, if 2005 is any guide, Neyer will pick the Sox in the preseason, the Sox will storm out to a very hot April led by their pitching staff, and then Neyer will spend the rest of the year picking against the Sox while they lead the league. I'll go with that.

QUOTE (beck72 @ Jan 31, 2010 -> 06:46 AM) You wonder if he's finally accepted the fact that he probably will have to take a 50% cut in salary. Vlad certainly had to, with his $5 mill. deal. From the sounds of it, Damon might be insulted by a $5 mill. deal, something the Sox would offer. Most people think it's Boras giving him bad advice. But it's up to Damon if he wants to play in 2010 to accept the big pay cut--no matter how good his 2009 year was. Damon turned down a $6 million deal from the Yankees that he talked them into offering before they gave up on him and signed Winn. I think he may well wind up retired.

I'm not going to bother looking at the schedule right now, but the other question is how the rotation sets up against teams that you might run into. We might want Buehrle, Peavy, and Floyd facing the Twins but to keep Danks away from them since the MM's have killed him. Buehrle Peavy Danks Floyd Garcia or Peavy Buehrle Floyd Danks Garcia

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Jan 31, 2010 -> 12:06 AM) Why can't you people just hand me your paycheck? Let's get the middle man out of the equation. Sadly, basic economics tells us that this is exactly what a "Spending freeze" up against the zero interest rate bound would do.

QUOTE (PlaySumFnJurny @ Jan 30, 2010 -> 12:08 PM) Just a guess, but maybe the federal laws wouldn't apply unless the stuff moved across state lines? After all, it took a constitutional amendment for the prohibition of alcohol to apply to the nation as a matter of federal law. Federal laws would absolutely apply. It's all a question of how intensely they're enforced. Every so often the Feds under Bush would arrest a few 70 year old medical marijuana users in every state where that was legal just to make a point.

Neutral

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Jan 31, 2010 -> 01:00 AM) Thats what I've been hoping for a long time. Do a 2-hour slot of Daily Show, Colbert Report, Conan and give a show to John Oliver or Wyatt Cenac (Wyatt hasn't been on much, but I like him). Also, instead of Oliver/Cenac, see if Lewis Black would be up for it. Why would you cut Conan to 30 min?

QUOTE (chw42 @ Jan 30, 2010 -> 07:51 PM) Why was JD going to be a bench player? RF was open for him to start. They don't have Bradley anymore, remember? Byrd is a new signee and Soriano and Fukudome get too much money to ride the bench.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 29, 2010 -> 03:49 PM) Wow, PECOTA underestimated the Sox every single year for 6 years straight? By an average of 8+ wins? That would put us at 87 wins in 2010, if we add the average underestimate. I suppose some of that credit should go to Oz, the coaching staff and KW. You want to add one more to that list, I think Pecota hates Mark Buehrle because he doesn't strike enough people out.

Riceville

Negrotown Knoll.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Jan 29, 2010 -> 03:28 PM) Matt Leinart finally gets his shot!!!.... er.... nevermind. I'd imagine they'd be players for McNabb if the Iggles are going to move him. Maybe more so than Minny, given that Minny will probably expect 4 back no matter what he says in March.

Warner officially retires. Think he's a HOFer?

QUOTE (Cknolls @ Jan 29, 2010 -> 03:20 PM) i believe there is precedent that an interim appointed Senator's term expires after a new Senator is elected by the people. Not after he is certified. Then how does stuff ever get passed in November/December, between the election date and the swearing-in?

Unless someone forged one Hell of a lot of signatures (getting it on the ballot requires 483,000 and they submitted 750,000), a marijuana legalization initiative is going to be on California's election ballot this November.

So, today, the President, post-SOTU, went and spent a while talking to and then publicly taking questions from Congressional Republicans, something along the lines of the PM's question time, with less hissing. I can't get the video to currently load, but the accounts so far are that he was clearly at another level from them. Here's link with vid. Full hour long. Edit: Yowza. Edit 2: here's going to be the media's response; how dare they let cameras in? Edit 3: I'll chip in $10 to the DNC if they do this with a bunch of congresspeople from the left.

Dinosaur

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Jan 29, 2010 -> 02:51 PM) The banks weren't profiting, otherwise they wouldn't need saving. Oh, I'm sorry, the bank employees. They've made out like gangbusters. Citigroup, for example, paid out more last year in compensation than it took in as revenue.

kake

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Jan 29, 2010 -> 02:39 PM) I don't know if he has any new health issues that I haven't heard of, but he did start 116 games at 1b last year for the M's and played over 30 games at 3b for the Brew Crew in 08. Personally, I want nothing to do with the guy cause he's so fluky and an hits for average Branyan missed the last part of the season with back problems.

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Jan 29, 2010 -> 02:31 PM) Evil f***ing profits. Ban the market system before it's too late. "Government Saves". You do realize that the bank market you just defended wouldn't exist if the government hadn't saved it? Or at least that it wouldn't have any profits at all.

QUOTE (Brian @ Jan 29, 2010 -> 11:47 AM) Is Bedard hurt? I'm surprised he still hasn't signed anywhere. I know he is a head case, but still. The Cardinals could use one more starter. He might not be ready to pitch until the end of June.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Jan 29, 2010 -> 12:27 PM) Branyan can still play 1b/3b, and possibly the OF, so you can find at bats for him as opposed to Thome who can only DH With his health issues, I seriously doubt that.