Balta1701

MSNBC's David Schuster. I don't know whether or not he realized what he'd just said.

Might not hold if other, more positive data comes out, but I think that the unexpected drop in retail sales might be exactly what an over-bought market was waiting on to push it back downwards over the next few days/weeks.

QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Apr 14, 2009 -> 12:08 PM) I don't really care about the margin as much as your assertion that if the Magic's perimeter players are off that they can stop Dwight. They haven't really slowed him down at all in any of their matchups, even in my example where their two other scorers were hurt/way off. Hell, they couldn't stop Tony Battie and Marcin Gortat in that particular game much less Dwight. If the game is even remotely close you can pretty much mark him down for 20-12, so the Bulls perimeter players are going to have to make up quite a bit of ground. That's all you're writing him down for? If he's pulling in 20-12 we might legit have a shot. I'm scared of him going for like 20/20, or 30/15, or crazy numbers like that. If he's putting up average games, then we have a shot. Noah's probably still going to pull down double-doubles, TT has been more effective with his shot lately, and our outside guys are more than solid. The real Bulls weakness this year has been being absolutely torched by big guys, and that hasn't changed down the stretch as the team has improved either.

QUOTE (rangercal @ Apr 14, 2009 -> 11:45 AM) Howard will have problems with Noah if he has to worry about a lurking Tyrus. If your perimeter game is lacking, you better believe Tyrus will stay close to the paint. Nate may be able to jump over Dwight, but Tyrus can too and he's a foot taller than Nate. I don't think Noah or Thomas are enough yet to give Howard all that much trouble on either end, unless they draw him in to some silly fouls with their speed which they did in the last game the 2 teams played. Either way, I think esp. Noah needs to add some additional muscle this summer before he can really hold his ground against a guy like Howard. The best way for the Bulls to neutralize Howard is going to be Rose and Gordon driving the basket hard and finding a way to get Howard to hack them. Their big guys just aren't at Howard's level. Miller can maybe slow him down for a while just by being the annoying bigger veteran, and Gray might be useful just because of his sheer mass and ability to foul 6 more times. If the Bulls actually want to win the series, then 1 specific thing needs to happen...their outside shooters need to get red hot for at least 1 game in Orlando. The way the Bulls are playing at home, I can see them holding home court, but they win on the road against good teams only when their outside guys get ridiculously hot.

QUOTE (maki @ Apr 14, 2009 -> 08:50 AM) i watched the YES feed on MLB Network and they never showed a gun. looked to be low-mid 70s. Could have swore MLBtv had a gun for a pitch last night and he was in the mid-upper 80's.

QUOTE (BearSox @ Apr 14, 2009 -> 07:32 AM) there's little reason why we shouldn't pick up his option. Unless the market completely shifts back to normal this offseason, I can think of about $4 million or so reasons why we wouldn't.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 08:24 PM) Big difference in landing a chronically injured pitcher (although he's extremely talented) who's averaged a little under 17 starts per year in his career compared to a multiple all-star, multiple ERA champ, strikeout champ, who happened to win the CY Young award just two seasons ago. Just look at what the Mariners gave up for Erik Bedard. It 'should' take a package like that to land an even better pitcher in Peavy. Especially since, at least for now, the Padres are winning some games.

Gosh 2k5, usually we don't see such explicit endorsements of "Hoover was right!" these days.

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 08:05 PM) Ok. I am not reading the NY Slimes. Balta posted what he wanted to out of it... Oh come on, you know the dishwasher part is funny.

Assuming you get the chance, go get em John.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 14, 2009 -> 08:32 AM) I'll go back to the same point then... If Ozzie put BA in the leadoff spot and he failed with three bunt attempts (pretty likely) and struck out the same number of times (over the course of two games), would people still boo him like they booed Wise? If not, why? Why would BA NOT be booed and Wise was mercilessly booed? Because BA "saved" the season with his catch at the end of the blackout game? Because he was going crazy with Rowand on the dugout steps in 2005? Because he came up in our farm system? Most fans would agree that NEITHER BA nor Wise would be suited for leadoff spot on a contending ballclub, CORRECT? Frankly, yes. If Ozzie put Anderson in the leadoff spot and he did exactly what Wise had done, yeah, he ought to have been booed. Anyone in that boat ought to have been booed.

QUOTE (chunk23 @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 07:02 PM) I think Allen is gonna force KW's hand the way Howard forced Thome out. Of course it was a lot easier to trade Thome back then compared to trying to trade one of Thome/Konerko. Thome's contract is up after this year anyway. As is JD's. There's room for the kids if they keep playing.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 07:13 PM) If Owens is just a stop-gap because their 4th OF'er got injured, I'm not as annoyed with this move as I was at first. Either way, something needs to be done to shore up OF depth in the organization. I think the only place that doesn't seem to have decent OF depth right now is the big league squad. There's OF Depth building again in the minors. Esp. if Fields holds 3rd and the big Cuban has to be moved somewhere.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 07:01 PM) He'll have to pass through again. You know, I actually consider that to be good news.

QUOTE (WHarris1 @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 07:11 PM) I am loving this. Rose starting to show some emotion finally haha. I wouldn't wanna play this team in the playoffs, not saying they will win a series but they are dangerous. The way they're playing at home, they've totally got a shot to take anyone to 7.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 07:10 PM) Touche. Carry on. (Goes and finds a dishwasher to play with).

QUOTE (bmags @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 07:07 PM) huffpo doesn't do any original reporting Depending on how you define original reporting, don't they actually do at least some? They're not the NY Times, but they do employ legitimate reporters. They have a WH Correspondent, for example. I'm not sure who does more, them vs. TPM, but it's not zero.

Enjoy the 8th seed (lack of) stones! The Bulls will finish the season at least at .500.

Clarence Thomas is not a fan of the Bill of Rights. And he, um, loves his magic dish cleaning machine? What did I just read?

QUOTE (JDsDirtySox @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 06:57 PM) We are on our way to the #8 seed. We are just not the same team on the road. Rose does not want to let that happen.

Does Owens need to pass through waivers again to go back down or is that a once-a-year thing?

QUOTE (lostfan @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 06:54 PM) Kap likes the GOP now? I didn't get that memo. I'm not allowed to challenge Kaperbole with similar (insert random prefix involving my name)-bole?

Another fun detail...you can come up with reasons for 4 of the 7 Minnesota Supreme Court Justices to recuse themselves in this case.

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 06:46 PM) Of course! If the GOP did it, it has to be shennanigans and all tied to special interests and big corporations. The Democrats never do that! So, in other words, the dastardly French are no better than your beloved GOP. That's all I'm trying to get you to say.

QUOTE (103 mph screwball @ Apr 13, 2009 -> 06:16 PM) If I were KW, I'd release Owens if Ozzie insists on him starting over BA. We tried. No one else wanted him.