Balta1701

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 04:37 PM) If you think your marriage to your wife would have no meaning because homosexuals were now allowed to marry, then your marriage already has no meaning. EDIT: That was harsh, but seriously, how does anyone else getting married effect your own marriage? When you wander in to the political forum, you better be ready to detect sarcasm missing the green color. Your question there is EXACTLY the point I was making.

Does Harry Shearer's Sunday morning Le Show count? I really hate morning radio shows, FWIW. Usually I just would rather listen to some music.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 04:42 PM) A Zumaya, Rodney, Wood combo is going to be a terror on the Tigers. At least, until we see Fields launch one of their fastballs 400 +. I have trouble believing that they're buying on Adam Everett and at the same time blowing money on Kerry Wood. That combo will be a terror in # of DL trips.

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 03:59 PM) That's not a list. That's a spoon. I see you've played listy spoony before.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 04:01 PM) Yes, yes, and yes. And beyond that...it's worth remembering that a lot of these guys who own teams have good chunks of their own personal money invested in the stock market, which has taken a 40% drop in the last year or so. Which means there's just a lot less cash in their pockets to provide security in the event of a bad move.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 03:54 PM) I'd do it for Kemp or Loney as well. Those guys are legit talents. They're talented but with the Sox roster as constructed they're not as valuable to me as Jenks is unless I think Bobby isn't going to hold up because of some other medical report i've gotten

QUOTE (striker62704 @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 03:03 PM) Dodgers are in the market for a reliever. Would anyone do Jenks for Kemp straight up? Frankly, the only 2 guys on the Dodgers roster I'd do Jenks for straight up are Kershaw and Billingsly.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 03:02 PM) I’d rather have him than Taveras. I have difficulty putting in to words how much I agree with this statement.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 02:54 PM) About to head down to the Bellagio now....I'll post something from my phone if I hear anything exciting... Give me $5 on G*d to win the MVP next year.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 02:54 PM) Wow. Willitis and Taveras. On the Same Team. In the American League Central. That's a recipe for disaster. I assume you’re a proponent of the speed never slumps, bunting is awesome, camp? Why would we ever put two speed reliant guys, with an injury history in a hitter’s ballpark, where they'd be playing against strength? It's one thing to have a guy who can run the bases, but when these guys are replacing the power production of a Dye, and a Swisher then it's ludicrous to put this combo out on the field. I agree with you on Taveras. But I actually think that if you could give me a 100% healthy Willits put in to the lineup straight up for JD, he'd actually increase our run production. We'd lose a ton in the power department, but what we'd gain in OBP by putting a nearly .400 OBP in front of Quentin, Thome, and Konerko would just be absolute dynamite. If you can give us moderately healthy Konerko, Fields, Thome, G*d, and throw in Alexei while you're at it, you're still going to be talking about a 200 home run team on the south side. That type of OBP sitting in front of that power would just murder other teams.

The Rays plan to talk to Milton Bradley about board games and DH duties.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 02:34 PM) In a way, I agree with you, but at least Penny has had success in the major leagues before, and as recently as 2007. Why should we be excited about a guy with a 4.70 ERA in AAA that was 1/3 of a package for a guy who hit .219? I guess what I'm saying is I agree something must be up with Penny for the Dodgers to let him go, but I would think he's a far better bet to be good in the AL in 2009 than Marquez who apparently is penciled in now. Get him in and have someone do an MRI or two on him before you sign him, and I might agree.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 02:36 PM) Give me one speed guy like Willits or Taveras, but definitely not two. If Willits is putting up a .390 OBP, then he's not there because of his speed. He's a run scoring machine in front of God.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 02:39 PM) I heard SF or Minnesota. Frankly, I'll be surprised if he gets a major league deal.

QUOTE (kyyle23 @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 02:15 PM) Gagne still at the top, I wonder how many of his blown saves came after drug testing was enforced Gagne has blown 17 saves in his career. 11 of them since the end of 2006.

QUOTE (Texsox @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 02:21 PM) http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=206...&refer=home So we sent them $15,000,000,000.00 what did we buy again? Happiness.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 02:14 PM) Philadelphia would be my guess They do still have Feliz under contract correct?

David, despite Charlotte's reputation as a hitter's park, your numbers were significantly better in AA this year than they were in AAA after you were moved up. How did you feel you performed against AAA pitching? Do you think you can take the next step in 2009? It's been my impression that people downplay the performance of people in the upper levels of the minors because of their age if they reach those levels a year or two older than some of their peers. Have you felt a level of skepticism directed towards you because you're older than some of the guys around you? How's your defense? What positions do you think you're capable of playing, if, for example, the major league club needed you next year?

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 02:07 PM) Man, getting Salty would be awesome. I have no interest in wasting my tradeable talent right now on a catcher, not after trading for Flowers.

QUOTE (1399 @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 01:57 PM) I agree but we are talking about a lead off hitter here. Willits numbers in 07 were very good for a lead hitter and just what we need to set the table for Quentin and co. I have no idea if we can count on him to stay healthy. But just looking at his stats...Ignoring the slight addition of speed, the guy put up a .391 OBP in 07. He was hurt last year, and still took walks. That 1 walk in 7 at bats or so ratio he puts up would be absolute dynamite at the front of a power loaded lineup. I just don't know what the Angels are going to do on their OF. I'm not sure they do either.

No finals this year again...but have a Thursday morning deadline on having a poster ready to print before the AGU conference next week.

QUOTE (scenario @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 01:47 PM) After 2009, whoever trades for him would be much less likely to give up talent, IMO, since they would be paying a much bigger freight. I think it's actually the opposite if you take the economy in to account. No matter who deals for him, they're adding the extra money in to their calculation and figuring this guy is a $15 mil + pitcher every year after this one that we'd be committing to. If I'm a team in need of a starter, let's just use the Mets or the Braves...until I know more how the economy is going to affect my revenues, that's a cost that I'm just not sure I can take on. If attendance drops significantly after I trade for the guy even if I put a winner out there, I'm in real trouble. Or if Citi Field suddenly loses its name. Etc. Between guys like Cabrera thinking seriously about accepting arbitration, the contract offers being given to Furcal, formerly free spending teams like the Tigers going cheap, teams like the Padres under orders to cut salary at all costs, I think that the economy right now is just dominating decisions on trades and the FA market. Aside from the Yankees and the Cubs, it seems no one has any money to spend this year.

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 01:42 PM) Supposedly, he really, really wants to play for them. I have no idea why, as the cold weather will be hell on his fragile elbow. But the Cubs have an excellent record of keeping...(Bites tongue)....their pitchers...(Coughs)....health....(Bursts in to laughter) Damnit, couldn't even type it without losing it.

It all depends on the money. But there's so many reasons to be skeptical about his ability to go, given that the Dodgers declined a fairly affordable option on him.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 8, 2008 -> 01:37 PM) anybody that thinks the Tigers have a significant amount of money is absolutely fooling themselves. They're so low that they are depending on Ramon Santiago and Adam Everett at SS. I can't imagine how they'll be good next year. The Tigers collapse last year was at least to my eyes more a product of some of their big time guys not performing than it was their smaller guys. If the Tigers had: Granderson stay healthy, Cabrera, Ordonez, and Guillen have normal years, Verlander and Bonderman return to form, and Zumaya stay healthy and transition effectively in to the closer's role, I'd be totally willing to believe they could compete in the Central next year.