Balta1701

QUOTE(Milkman delivers @ Jul 9, 2005 -> 01:42 PM) I understand your point, but Iguchi definitely wouldn't have f***ed up so many times. Nobody can prove it, but everyone knows it's true. I don't know where to find this stat to check, but I'm pretty sure that Hawk/DJ said during the game on Wednesday that Gooch was leading the league in productive outs.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Jul 9, 2005 -> 03:10 AM) I totally agree with Kass. Fortunately for Spain, they'll never be faced with having to understand just what the caved in to. For that to happen, the terrorists will have to actually win their jihad against the US and Britain, and then when they turn their eye on Spain and begin to force their radical version of Islam on those people, then it would all hit home. God I can't stand it when people completely ignore the facts in order to brand Spain as cowardly against the Terrorists because they got out of Bush's little debacle in Iraq. The traditional Republican "Fact-less" narrative on the Spanish elections is that only Aznar's pro-Bush party would protect them, and electing the other party is a cave in to the terrorists because of the bombings. Let's look at the actual facts. 1. The polls in the Spanish election were incredibly close leading up to the election. The last official polling was done a week beforehand, and the polls basically were within the margin of error. There were even some polls showing the Socialists pulling ahead before the bombings. 2. After the election...people did exit polls, just like they do in this country. Do you know what the most common reason given for why new people turned out or why people switched their votes was? It wasn't to get out of Iraq, or to cower before Al Qaeda. It was that the Aznar government had immediately tried to jump to the conclusion that it was done by ETA and literally tried to cover up evidence that it was an Al Qaeda strike until after the election. Unlike this country...it seems that the Spaniards actually mind it when their leaders openly lie. 3. Here's the biggest one...when Spain pulled those troops out of Iraq, guess what the next move they made with their army was...they took a good chunk of the troops they pulled out of Bush's war in Iraq and pushed them into Afghanistan. You remember Afghanistan...the country that was actually harboring the people who attacked us? You argue that Spain surrendered to the terrorists. How exactly is it a surrender to the terrorists to put troops into the place where Osama Bin Laden (Remember him?) actually was based.

Here's the key...their roles on THIS TEAM aren't going to change. Timo Perez will not start many games in front of Pods, Rowand, and Dye. Willie Harris will not start many games in front of Iguchi. These 2 have specific jobs; they are late inning replacements/pinch hitters and guys who do not get many at bats. If they can not produce in the limited at bats, then they are hurting the team by taking away the roster spot of someone who could produce with limited playing time, like a Gload or a Jenks. They're not going to put up better numbers than the guys in front of them. We all know that. But if they can't put up better numbers than the guys who could take their roster spot, then there's no reason for them to stay on the roster.

With Houston on a roll and back into the Wild Card race...there isn't a chance in Hell they're trading Clemens. They saw this story last year, and they think they can make a run this year now that their offense is working better.

I just can't figure out why that was a reply to me...

QUOTE(3E8 @ Jul 9, 2005 -> 01:27 PM) Who would you take for a fifth starter all things considering? Day or El Duque? I'd pick Day. So let me just make sure of this... One of the big reasons people have said we can't use El Duque is that he gives up too many baserunners...he has a WHIP of 1.63, etc. Zach Day has a WHIP of 1.83. In a national league pitcher's park.

I don't think anyone would pick Bayh as a VP candidate because there's just no reason to assume that picking him would turn a purple state into a blue one. With Edwards in 2004, at least there was some hope that by picking him, the Dems might be able to pull NC closer, and it was already moderately close anyway. Indiana is not even remotely close. It's usually the first state to go red on any election map. They call it the moment the polls close.

QUOTE(3E8 @ Jul 9, 2005 -> 01:21 PM) Not surprising. Toyota doesn't mess around. Plants worldwide aim for the level of efficiency that they've created and are constently improving. They time their plant operator's exact movements down to TENTHS OF SECONDS in order to figure out where they can cut down on cycle times and improve overall lead time. I don't blame them one bit. Neither do I, given the points above, I just think it's quite a statement about the situation here in the U.S., where Toyota believes they can't even find literate workers.

I don't think yesterday was as much a tradebait lineup as much as it was an "Extra rest" lineup. The key here is the idea of consecutive days off. If you get 1 day off every now and then, it's just not going to be as useful as 2 days off in a row, and I think Ozzie believes that. In Ozzie's mind, right now is the perfect time to get his team as healthy as humanly possible to prepare for a brutal August schedule...Give Iguchi and Rowand a couple days off in a row on Tr & Fri, and then they get M, T, and W off as well...that's 2 different extended blocks of rest in a row. Although...I wouldn't complain to see Willie head somewhere else after yesterday.

Francona has said repeatedly that Clement would be his guy if anyone couldn't pitch, and since Halladay is out, I'd give it a 9-1 shot that he'll be the replacement. Personally, unless Francona flip-flops and decides to grab Bonderman from Detroit, I think Colon would have the best chance to get the start, for the simple reason that it's his normal day to start.

QUOTE(mreye @ Jul 9, 2005 -> 10:41 AM) Good points by all, but mark my words: BAYH will not win Indiana. A Senate race is a lot different. Bayh might make it close in Indiana, but I fully agree with you...he would NOT win it.

QUOTE(SummerteethPacers @ Jul 8, 2005 -> 08:08 PM) This is getting old. Frank should be playing everygame. I think Ozzie is playing a power game with him and that isnt cool. By the way...I'm not a big Pacers fan...but the album name in your user name...magnifique!

Ok, this thread is absolutely awful. Frank Thomas spent a full year on the disabled list, and has just barely come back. His legs are clearly not in shape yet...one of them still looks small even to my eyes. He couldn't walk for like 8 months. It is absolutely insane to expect Frank to play every day. He can hardly run the bases, even though he's still faster than Paulie. There is a lot of stress involved in taking BP and taking big swings. He's been sore in his legs for at least a week, if not more. We had an offday on Friday, and Frank got another off day yesterday. That gives him 2 days in a row there, 2 games on, and then another 3 days off to rest and get back into it. That's probably exactly what the big guy needs. We're lucky we have him back at all. We will need Frank Thomas a lot more in August than July...maybe even more in September....and absolutely more in October than in any of them. If he re-injures his leg by overworking it now, he will be back for none of it. He should play no more than 2 games per series unless he feels absolutely fine. He should not be playing with pain right now.

I've watched both and I still think Rowand has a step on him in range out there. I haven't seen Kotsay throw enough to judge him on that.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Jul 9, 2005 -> 06:02 AM) There were two reasons I didn't read this article.... 1. The Cubs 2. Jeff Gordon Not much else needs to be said.

QUOTE(knightni @ Jul 9, 2005 -> 11:56 AM) Could he have taken 'roids last year to reduce his injury risk? I don't think they reduce your injury risk, I think they help you recover faster from them. Drew's rule has always been that he wouldn't play unless he was completely healthy (yes he's a Prima Donna)...so I can't totally rule it out, but the fact was last year he just didn't get hurt. Andruw Jones was probably a big portion of that...Drew doesn't have to work nearly as hard in the outfield with that guy playing in Center.

I won't believe a thing until I hear it from a source other than the Washington Times.

Toyota corp has been one of the Japanese companies that has worked the hardest to try to build up goodwill amongst the Americans by opening factories over here, in accordance with a law passed during the Reagan years encouraging Japanese companies to do so. Which is why I think this is so damn tragic...this is a company that actually likes to operate here, but they don't think they can any more. How sad is all of this? Toyota is offered more money by several U.S. states to put their factory here. And you know what? They decide on Canada...because other companies have opened here, and have found the work force terrible. An illiterate workforce in the southern U.S. Man, those states that spend so little on education...they really get their money's worth don't they. And if you want even more evidence about who's health care system hurts their population more...Canada's or the U.S's, Toyota just decided it would be far cheaper for them to run workers under Canada's system than under the U.S. system. So let's ask...what's better...hundreds of people employed and receiving health care from the government, or hundreds of unemployed people without health care in the U.S.?

A.J. Gets the day off because the Widge single handedly beat Zito earlier this year. Mark...my man...it's your turn. LET'S GET THESE BASTARDS. It's time to stop this dicking around against the A's and destroy them. Mark...you are the man. Bring it!

No, the Sox are not on that list, so we'd need special dispensation from the Rocket.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Jul 9, 2005 -> 12:51 AM) As for Borchard, I've been one of those guys that have quietly been hoping he'd make it all come together in Charlotte. I haven't given up on the guy yet. I've tried not to give up on the guy either, but the problem is...he's out of minor league options after this year. As I understand it, that means that he either makes the big league club next year or he has to clear waivers to go back to the minors.

Oh, so you have to make a law in order to censor newspapers? Well, that's certainly going to be one hell of an impediment. Think about this...our Bill of Rights says that "Congress shall make no law abriding the freedom of the press"...and in order to "Free those people" (mostly from the bounds of their mortal existences)...we're instilling a government that says basically "Congress must take the added step of making a law in order to abridge the freedom of the press." Thomas Jefferson is crying somewhere.

To be fair...one of the reasons Harris struggled last year was that he was also hurt in the collision with Ordonez. Anywho...no excuse at all for last night. NONE AT ALL. It's very hard for me to say this and believe it...but if Iguchi plays last night, we win that game. Willie Harris has 2 uses for this team in my opinion; spelling Iguchi if he's tired or injured, and late-inning pinch running. The latter can be useful, but Ozzie never really makes use of it (especially since he can't run for Konerko without Gload up). I could live with Ozuna being backup for 3b, SS, and 2b, but I'd be worried about it a lot...we've already seen 1 time this year where both Uribe and Iguchi have gone down (along with Ozuna too)...I don't like the idea of only 1 guy backing up 3 positions like that. Especially since it seems that both Uribe and Crede might have some back problems. But damn, if Harris can't make a single damn productive out...what choice do we have but to replace him?

QUOTE(robinventura23 @ Jul 9, 2005 -> 10:37 AM) Damn, what happened to the Dodgers? So many major injuries this year. Drew, Valentin, Gagne, Bradley, now Wunsch. Talk about a major injury bug. Some of that a trained chimpanzee could have predicted. For example, J.D. Drew has been healthy for exactly 1 season in his career. And it was his contract season last year. The guy breaks like glass. He has for his whole career. Everyone out here knew that when they signed him. Everyone. The Dodgers will be lucky if he's healthy for 1/2 of his contract. Gagne...everyone should have seen it coming. His arm motion was screwed up when he came back with his leg less than healthy...everyone who watched his motion could see it. It was obvious he was overcompensating for a weak leg. His velocity was down, and he was dropping his elbow while throwing...thereby putting more pressure on the ligament with each pitch. The Dodgers should never have let him pitch until he was healthy, but they let him out there anyway. And the result was exactly what you'd have expected. Valentin...well he's not exactly a spring chicken any more. Anywho...Sorry to hear about Kelley. I really liked the guy. He's a good guy, and I hope he can make another comeback.

QUOTE(Punch and Judy Garland @ Jul 9, 2005 -> 11:12 AM) defense He's no better than Rowand.