NorthSideSox72

QUOTE (joeynach @ Nov 4, 2011 -> 09:59 AM) Jeff Manto was on 670 The Score this morning. I didnt hear the interview, I am hoping they will replay it later, but I heard that one reason he doesnt like walks and OBP is becuase he fears it leads to or sets up the Double play. SERIOUSLY!! If true that is the morst assinine thing I have ever heard and he is an automatic BOOB! Lets see, stressing walks, seeing pitches, and high OBP has the documented effects of more opportunities for the pitcher to make a mistake, throw a wild pitch, tired himself out with high pitch count/extended ABs, more opportunity for the catcher to make an error (past ball), you get more opportunities to see what the pitcher's got, what pitch types, what he is or is not comfortable throwing (benefit for all hitters in lineup), and most importantly you get the opportunity to put yourself in a more desirable pitch count where you may get a better pitch to hit, or be more attune to the type of pitch coming in that pitch count. But nevermind all that, a walk COULD lead to a double play, an event that occurs on average about once a game, or about 10-15 times over a players season AB's. Dude wants to ignore walks/OBP and positive effect from those in an effort to combat a low statistical outcome event. Awful! So, you heard, that maybe, he said something like that. And he's a boob already? Seriously? I'll wait to hear what he actually said, thanks.

QUOTE (CrimsonWeltall @ Nov 4, 2011 -> 09:26 AM) Or both. I"m going with this one.

QUOTE (Rex Kicka** @ Nov 4, 2011 -> 09:27 AM) Behind the numbers, things look better. I think they "found" another 100+K jobs in August and September, so this report was actually a net gain of 200K. Also to be noted, the bigger U6 number dropped to 16.2 from 16.5, still really high - but a nice uptick. At the very least, we seem to be avoiding a double-dip. But we still need to see slightly better gains, and for a few more months, before it is time to say the recovery is truly gaining steam.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 4, 2011 -> 08:32 AM) 80k jobs last month, 104,000 private sector and -24k public sector, so yet another crappy month made crappier by the shrinking public sector. August and September revised upwards somewhat, which is positive. And UE rate falls to 9.0. Been a strange year in the jobs market. Things were starting to look pretty decent in the early months of the year, then things fell back a bit, now picking up a little steam again... but none of it nearly enough to really up the curve. Need like 150k job add numbers, and 375k or less new filiings, consistently for at least a few months, to start really picking up steam.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 3, 2011 -> 04:11 PM) I really don't want to know what "Stuff" this guy has. Grow up and ignore sexual harassment settlements? Congrats North Chicago Suburbs. Rep Walsh is in the middle of litigation with his ex-wife, amid claims he has failed to pay child support.

QUOTE (bmags @ Nov 3, 2011 -> 02:33 PM) So they kick the can down the road, hoping that growth will catch up...sounds familiar. Which they wouldn't do if they thought there was no chance of it happening. I understand that we're all pretty jaded about political motives, but try to use some logic here... if this were truly inevitable, Germany would be better served NOT offering the money, and deal with the shock wave by itself, instead of a shock wave AND the extra money gone. The motive Balta is applying to Germany is completely ridiculous.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 3, 2011 -> 01:48 PM) You judge that Scenario 1 is worse in every way than Scenario 2 because of 1 clause which I reject..."The risk level of that event is significantly less." Greece accepting a totally inadequate "Bailout" which still leaves them with a debt that can never possibly be repaid does not reduce the risk of default from absolute certainty, it leaves it there. It leaves it there? Seriously? You think it makes no difference? Then why do YOU think they are bothering to do it at all? Why would Germany give up its own money if it knows with certainty they will lose it anyway? That makes no sense.

QUOTE (Disco72 @ Nov 3, 2011 -> 01:44 PM) I agree with bmags on going back that early...but if the company is pushing for it, I guess I'd consider it. Maybe I missed it, but will the company help pay at all? GMAT isn't too bad. Take a lot of practice tests and work on your weaknesses. IMO, the hierarchy of the MBAs in Chicago is Chicago/Northwestern, then DePaul/UIC, then Loyola. (Although I admit that I haven't really looked at this in awhile, and I think UIC has ramped up their program) It really depends on your career path and who is paying. Who wouldn't like to have an MBA from Chicago or Northwestern? I got into U of Chicago and DePaul and choose DePaul since it was more flexible and less expensive. DePaul's part time MBA has traditionally been rated pretty high, but I admit I haven't looked at the rankings in awhile. All in all, I was extremely pleased with my education at DePaul as well as the chance to network (I went back to change to a different area/industry). I believe Notre Dame's MBA program is run in Chicago as well, and I'd put it below only Kellog and Booth.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 3, 2011 -> 01:11 PM) If you conclude that Greece breaking is inevitable without actions that the ECB is unwilling to (or maybe legally forbiddein from) do...then the question becomes "What is the least damaging way for that to happen." No... if I conclude that them breaking is inevitable without ECB action, then I want to see what can be done WITH ECB action to help possibly prevent it. Look, there are two scenarios here... 1. Greece decides not to take the deal, and breaks off from the EZ. In this scenario, Greece fails almost assuredly. Their economy collapses, their government collapses. Tourism dollars dry up. Foreign investment dries up. Currency is worthless. You are now rebuilding a nation from the bottom up, which will take decades to be successful. The rest of Europe sees the chances of further complete failures rise significantly, and a major financial shockwave rides across the globe. 2. Greece takes the deal. In this scenario, Greece MIGHT still fail, and other countries MIGHT still fail, but the risk level of that event is significantly less. Meanwhile, Greece still in the EZ with a semi-stable government means that tourism continues, and the country actually starts to look pretty damn good for certain types of foreign investment of capital. They therefore have avenues by which they can recover. You want scenario 1, which as far as I can tell, is worse in EVERY WAY than scenario 2.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 3, 2011 -> 12:59 PM) I'd bet that the longer you paper over the fact that the shock is coming, the worse its going to be when it hits. The Italian, spanish, Portugese, and French employment and debt positions seem likely to continue to erode barring strong action from the ECB. If that is the case, then that will require the ECB to take even stronger actions to stem the shock if and when it does occur, and the stronger the actions need to be, the less likely the ECB is to do them. So, you prefer waiting for it all to go badly at once? Again, I fail to see what you are saying is BETTER about Greece not taking the deal. If you think other countries are going to have a major shock, then all the more reason to make strong attempts to stabilize things over time. If you simply let Greece fail, not only is that worse for Greece, but it dramatically INCREASES the chances of this sort of thing happening to those other countries.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 3, 2011 -> 12:50 PM) There's a real good chance that they're going to wind up with the shockwave anyway. During the cold war, with the US and USSR seemingly on the brink numerous times... were you in favor of just having a nuclear war? Since there was a good chance it would happen anyway? How can you say that it is better to take a 100% chance of massive financial shock, than a 50% chance? Or 20%? Or 80%? And the 100% chance of shock also has all that clumsy stuff about Greece then losing all their tourism dollars and any ability to climb out of the hole. What possible thing do you see as being BETTER about NOT taking this deal?

I think people forget about Minnie's time in the Negro Leagues, or the fact that he was the first "black Latin" player in the bigs. His performance goes well beyond what he did statistically in the majors. I think he has a decent shot at it.

Fortunately for Greece, Europe and everyone else, Greece has decided not to have the referendum after all. And the opposition party agrees. So, looks like Greece will take the deal.

First exhibition 11/6 vs GV State, first real game 11/12 vs Lehigh for Iowa State. Psyched to see how all these transfers do, along with some matured players from last year. QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Nov 3, 2011 -> 07:53 AM) Northern State 53, Butler 50 um... ouch.

QUOTE (NHDadUmp-RI @ Nov 3, 2011 -> 09:15 AM) And don't forget Jake Petricka: 9 G, 11 IP, 10 H, 7 ER, 1 HR, 5 BB, 11 K, 5.73 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, .227 AvgA, 1.30 GO/AO I had forgotten, thanks for adding!

Another periodic update. Here are the current stats for the Sox players in the AFL... PITCHERS Terry Doyle: 6 G, 21.1 IP, 10 H, 5 ER, 3 HR, 4 BB, 16 K... 2.11 ERA, 0.66 WHIP, .141 AvgA, 1.50 GO/AO (that's including yesterday's bad game) Nevin Griffith: 9 G, 10.2 IP, 12 H, 8 ER, 3 HR, 7 BB, 4 K... 6.75 ERA, 1.78 WHIP, .279 AvgA, 4.60 GO/AO (ground outs are nice, otherwise, blech) Brandon Kloess: 10 G, 9.1 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 1 HR, 4 BB, 14 K... 4.82 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, .143 AvgA, 1.67 GO/AO (ERA inflated by one very bad game, peripherals look good) POSITION PLAYERS Brandon Short: 80 AB... .275/.370/.488/.857, 11 BB vs 24 K, 1 SB + 2 CS (striking out a lot, but putting up good results anyway) Tyler Saladino: 55 AB... .309/.339/.382/.721, 3 BB vs 12 K, 2 SB + 1 CS (Looking OK, no power or walks though) Michael Blanke: 34 AB... .206/.270/.471/.741, 2 BB vs 6 K, no attempts (5 of 7 hits are XBH)

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 2, 2011 -> 10:16 AM) Honestly, no one team really. I went to a DIII school and have been involved with high school ball for years. More than anything I follow the game, and the players I saw at the HS level. Over the years I have pulled probably more for IU and Kentucky than anyone, though not Kentucky as much the last couple of years. New Mexico has been on my radar because of working with Steve Alford when we were both at Manchester. Michigan will pop up again when Robinson and McGary are there. Ball State's best player is from my hometown, so I got to know him, and I will pull for them again for sure this year. I saw a game once at The Pit, where New Mexico plays. I have been to a number of college arenas for basketball, and honestly I wasn't expecting a lot at UNM. I know the have a program, but nothing spectacular. The game was against BYU I think, who had a good program for basketball at the time. Turned out to be the loudest college arena I've been in, and an absolute sea of red. I was very impressed. The way they stadium is designed, it is literally dug into the ground, instead of above ground, and the ceiling is flat concrete (similar to Hilton that way, but no wood baffles), so the sound just bounces right back down. Definitely one of the best places to see a game.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Nov 2, 2011 -> 05:41 PM) Kate Beckinsale was really hot about 5-7 years ago. Not sure what about her has changed since...seems she's had some plastic surgery work done. Something just seems artificial about her appearance now, hard to put a finger on it. Might be that the entire preview from that movie is CGI noise, and thus artifcial as a whole. Hard to look "real" in a video game.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Nov 2, 2011 -> 02:16 PM) Sickels on Brackman, lol: http://www.minorleagueball.com/2011/8/5/23...pects-in-review That was the most entertaining prospect short-write-up I have ever read.

MF Global is a poster child for exactly what I have been telling people outside the financial sector for years now: 1. There are some serious sleezballs in the trading and investment world, who will take all the chances they can to make a buck, and stomp anyone in their way. 2. Those sleezballs are but a small % of "the financial sector", which includes everyone from them to bank tellers. MF Global (formerly Man Financial, formerly EDF Man) was a successful brokerage, retail and institutional, right up until this. And the 90% of the employees in the firm who work in those areas just got screwed in the worst way. The 10% who work in prop, probably 10% of them or less finagled this mess, and brought down the ship. People who work in finance are not evil, but there are evil people who work in finance. --- Seperate but related, MF Global's demise is related primarily to two major factors. One was the absurd 40-1 leverage they were using in making naked directional bets in their prop business - much of that debt being unsecured, amazingly. Two was the pillaging of customer funds to cover the proprietary trading unit. These two types of incidents could be, if not prevented, certainly made a lot less likely two occur, by taking just three steps: 1. Implement the Volcker Rule aka Glass-Steagel. 2. Require daily public reporting of debt ratios, margin collateral condition, tagged asset ratios and excess margin capital availability and state. 3. Significant increase, and then centralization, of regulatory oversight at the federal level. And you want to know the best part? ObamaCo could do all three things, RIGHT NOW, without any further action from Congress. When I harp on regulatory uncertainty in certain sectors, this is what I am getting at. Not that they are necessarily overregulated - they are in some areas but UNDERregulated in others - but that no one knows where the hammer is going to fall. So f***ing drop it already and lets move on. Barack, we are waiting. Show some leadership.

I guess I just wouldn't expect anything good from there. I got some sort of egg/cheese/bagel thing there once when I was on the road, and it was a god-awful microwaved disaster.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 2, 2011 -> 12:35 PM) They can/will still deny your unemployment if they terminate you for grounds. Well, they will TRY to. There is a mediation process that kicks in if he files, they deny, and he appeals.

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Nov 2, 2011 -> 10:42 AM) The Dunkin Donuts "Smokehouse Sausage" is nothing more than a hot dog. It's not a good sandwich, avoid it! You bought a "sandwich" at a... Dunkin Donuts. Did you expect quality?

QUOTE (Cerbaho-WG @ Nov 2, 2011 -> 10:18 AM) Another runner on base is going to lead to a higher probability of more runs scored regardless of the situation. As for Manto's quote, I think he's spot on. With a runner on 3rd and less than one out the marginal increase in the probability of runs scored due to a walk is going to be small. If the ball is an inch outside, get the f***ing run in. This nails it. Nothing wrong with a walk, it is pretty much always better than an UNproductive out... but you nailed what I think Manto was really trying to say here.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 2, 2011 -> 09:26 AM) How on Earth does taking this deal mean a greek recovery over a period of years? If you read the actual numbers on the plan, Greece's GDP in 2020 would still be 5% lower in 2020 than it was in 2008 if everything goes correctly...but the plan makes the exact same mistake as the last 5 plans or however many bailouts there have been...it assumes that the bailout plan won't do more damage. Every single previous plan has been wildly optimistic for exactly that reason, this is no different. Aside from you guys getting frustrated with me, you have given zero reason for me to believe that this plan is somehow a path to growth. Even the wildly optimistic estimates going into the numbers for this bailout still show incredibly weak growth for Greece, and like I said, those estimates are political estimates...being written so that there's no motivation for the banks to take a larger haircut. Greece will not "Recover" over a period of years if they take this deal. Greece will fall into a deeper unemployment hole, a deeper recession, and next June we'll have this exact same discussion over bailout 19.0: electric boogaloo. You keep ignoring the main point here. The point is not that the offered plan is something that will make Greece some huge economic engine - they will struggle for quite a while under the best of circumstances. The point is that if they leave the EZ, they will collapse... and then recovery is much, much LONGER than WITH the plan.