Balta1701

"The key with the bunt is to make sure you put it in fair territory" - Singleton.

Mack raises his average to a smokin' .200.

10 pitch first inning for FG. 17 for Baker. It's gonna take some effort from our 6-7-8-9 hitters today for them to produce anything, given what they've done thus far this season. Let's see if some of them can step it up.

That's really disappointing. 0-3 with RISP to start.

Come on Paulie. This is why we're paying you.

The batting averages of our 6, 7, 8, and 9 hitters scare me a little bit: Mack: .186 Uribe: .200 Widger: .217 Anderson: .187 Hopefully those will go up a little bit this game. The dreaded leadoff walk.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ May 15, 2006 -> 10:04 AM) At least this isn't going to be a wall. Troops are temporary, hopefully, until the rest of the pieces can be put in place (real penalties for firms hiring illegals, a guest worker program, more use of technology for detection on the border, etc.). A wall would be a boondoggle financially, environmentally and in terms of effectiveness. For now, troops in place is good, as long as that is followed up with the rest of what I listed. I for one think this is a step in the wrong direction for the creation of a guest worker program. One of the demands of the folks who don't want such a program is for a massively increased presence or a wall along the border. They're being given that in this deal with absolutely nothing in return. In politics, if you want to craft a bill that pleases everyone, it also has to please no one. In other words, you have to get the 2 sides to each be willing to give up on something they consider to be vital. I.e. if the anti-immigration folks want a strong defensive line or a wall along the southern border, well then they have to be willing to accept some measure of legalization for the folks here, or something like that. This is giving them exactly that demand without getting anything in return.

There still wouldn't have been a music city miracle if he'd started that game. Heckuva Career Doug.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ May 15, 2006 -> 09:55 AM) Well if we are the worlds largest unemployment office, why are we worrying about Mexico so much, when we could be helping people who REALLY need it, such as the victims of war and genocide in Africa, who would literally kill to be here, or the families torn apart by something like the 2004 tsunami and have nothing left but disease and poverty? If our roll is to help the rest of the world, there are many, many countries in worse shape than our neighbors to the south, including the Central American countries who Mexico refuses to help. Which is why our President should actually be trying to get the Republicans to accept his guest worker program instead of dithering around with the guard on the border. The more I think about it, the more I worry that this sort of effort is exactly the type of behavior that could prevent a real, geuniunely fair solution from being constructed. By putting the military down there, you're basically giving in to one of the demands of 1 side of the aisle without giving anything back to the other side. So now, the people who refuse to accept a guest worker program will have even less reason to negotiate a final settlement this year, as they'll be able to get by with just waiting and seeing how the Guard works down there.

Freddy Garcia, on the road, in the afternoon? Money time. Kick their arses Freddo and let's get out of here with a split.

QUOTE(winninguglyin83 @ May 15, 2006 -> 09:30 AM) have we ever faced Baker? Is Dye just resting or reinjured? Last year Baker started 1 game against us. Went 7 innings, 2 hits, 1 run. Pods and Iguchi were the only 2 to get hits against him. He also walked 3 (Dye, Pods, Crede.) Iguchi had the RBI. Struck out 2.

QUOTE(SleepyWhiteSox @ May 15, 2006 -> 09:48 AM) So you agree that he's the most corrupt political official of all time? Wow, I'm no expert in politics, but I think I could could come up with a couple dozen political leaders who would be considered much more... Yeah, all things considered, he's still IMO head and shoulders above what the PRI would be doing if they still had 100% control over that country.

QUOTE(NUKE_CLEVELAND @ May 15, 2006 -> 09:29 AM) Balta seems a touch annoyed with this decision. The guard units will facilitate communications and support roles now being performed by BP agents thusly freeing them up to do their jobs apprehending illegals. Whats this mercenaries talk anyway. Methinks you've been reading too much Soldier of Fortune. :rolly This is a good decision and it's long overdue. Yeah, I am a touch annoyed with this decision. I'm annoyed with the fact that it will almost certainly delay the creation of a real settlement of the issue in Congress. I'm annoyed with the fact that I don't think it'll be even remotely effective. I'm annoyed with the fact that last December, the head of the National Guard said that it was rapidly becoming a "Broken Force" because of Iraq, it has 30% of it's equipment, 20% of it's force is in Iraq at any given time, and we think it can still be used for this. And I think I'm most annoyed with the fact that the President is doing this not because of some crisis, or because we're at a turning point, or because there's an army of Illegals getting ready to cross the border and we need that support down there now, but he's doing this because his poll numbers are sagging so he needs to shore them up. Put this stupid plan to rest, Mr. President, and act like a President. Start calling your Republican Congresspeople, who've been subservient to you so damn often, into your office, and work with them to try to find the votes for a compromise. Take care of this problem forever, and stop with the stupid window dressing.

So I figured since the President has decided that for some reason right now is the crisis moment in the history of immigration along our southern border, tonight's speech and Bush's reported decision to send the National Guard to the southern border probably deserved it's own thread. Vicente Fox called the President yesterday and expressed his concern over the "militarisation of the border", and in response the White House said that this was only a temporary measure. So, I can imagine we'll have quite the variety of reactions. Personally, I can't help but sit here and think that 10,000 troops who aren't allowed to actually do any apprehending will wind up, you know, not doing much apprehending. But at least it'll get the anti-immigrant base fired up before the election. And of course, we may also be following that up by hiring more mercenaries to do the job after the Guard gets pulled back. What, we didn't give them enough business in Iraq? And then there's the last question; who will be the lucky national guard member who will win the nationwide lottery for the priveledge of being the only guard member not on active duty right now?

ABC News: the government is monitoring who reporters call.

QUOTE(Cuck the Fubs @ May 15, 2006 -> 08:45 AM) Expensive tickets, more TV and radio revenue I still find it hard to believe. They're spending almost twice as much as the rest of the teams in the league, pluss they're on the hook for luxury tax up the wazoo.

QUOTE(greasywheels121 @ May 15, 2006 -> 08:39 AM) Thome will probably end up in the 40s. WH and I were talking about this last night, Pujols has some ridiculous numbers right now early in the season (.333 BA, 19 HRs). If he maintains this pace he'll only get 83 HRs. Sure that's a ridiculous number and 10 more than anyone else has ever hit; however, you'd figure he'd be on pace for 90 something at this rate. I guess my point is that projections are funny. Yeah, but even Pujols can have a bad week.

QUOTE(Cuck the Fubs @ May 14, 2006 -> 08:58 PM) They have contracts/owe players $500M+ to people thru 2011. I seriously cannot figure out the economics of how that team is profitable even in New York. It's not like their stadium is 6 times the size of the rest of the league's or something like that.

QUOTE(Cuck the Fubs @ May 14, 2006 -> 08:54 PM) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ They need a manager who can inject some fire into that team, like Ozzie, LaRussa, Pinela, etc. You know the type who gets in the umpires faces. Fire can't overcome lack of talent.

Even a broken clock...

QUOTE(YASNY @ May 15, 2006 -> 04:07 AM) Young pitchers mature. They'll (the Tigers) be around for a while. Still, 2.55 and 3.27 are AWFULLY good numbers.

By the way...that running catch in CF late in the game yesterday that he made at the warning track and then fired the ball back to the infield to keep either runner from advancing? yowza.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ May 14, 2006 -> 10:13 PM) I also want to note one of my theories is looking more and more true. I've been hammering for a while for Ozzie to give Jenks a couple days to rest his arm (Jenks has been used an awful lot and the past couple outings are the reason his ERA has went up). Last year the same thing happened to Jenks and after some rest he came back and looked dynomite. Tonight he comes in and he's throwing gas and snapped off some of those nasty curves that made him famous last year (especially when he first came up). Anyone else also notice that Bobby was topping out at 99 on the gun?

QUOTE(Cuck the Fubs @ May 15, 2006 -> 08:26 AM) He's on pace to hit 70. I hope he hits more than 73, though. That'll easily make this season the 2nd greatest season any home run hitter has ever had.

Yes, the "Correct" play would have been to get the lead runner. But throwing to 2nd was a longer throw for Paul than throwing to first, so it was a much riskier play. And if you looked at the positions of the baserunners, the guy from 2nd had already rounded 3rd & headed for the dugout by the time PK was about to throw to first, so the guy was actually closer to 1b than the runner was to 2nd.