Gregory Pratt

QUOTE(Cuck the Fubs @ Jun 5, 2006 -> 10:05 PM) I don't care if someone is gay as long as he can hit the ball, field the ball, or pitch the ball and do it well. I have a teacher who is openly gay, and no one cares Good for him. (And no, that's not sarcasm or meant to be derisive.)

This is a hilarious thread. Would I like him on our squad? All things considered? Hell no.

I will say this: I found the 2000 election absolutely deplorable. I like the Electoral College. And that's about all I've got to add to this thread, unless someone else has a history inaccuracy for busybody me to fix.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Jun 5, 2006 -> 08:23 PM) I don't know of any major league player that is openly gay, but I'd assume there are some that won't tell it and I'm not about to speculate on it. Its there business and they are entitled to do what they want. Well, yeah, I agree. I'm not saying that you accused me of it -- you didn't -- but I wasn't trying to get people to speculate. I was just curious if there were any. ::shrug:: QUOTE(Brian @ Jun 5, 2006 -> 08:26 PM) I'm sure there are a lot of happy guys in baseball.

I think people are too quick to ignore the fact that a Democratic nation -- Democratic in the pure, "Voters directly elect" sense -- would be bad in this country, and very much so. Direct elections mean that maniacs like Ross Perot and George Wallace, and idiots like Ralph Nader, can conceivably be elected to the Presidency. It would mean that the rich could TRULY buy an election by spending all their money on advertising -- Perot, as an example -- and a direct popular vote does everything to make it easy for tyranny. Our current system protects us from the Fringe. You might disagree if you're a Conservative who hates Clinton's penis, or a Liberal who thinks Bush Hitler, but I just don't see the reason to replace a system that's worked better than most for two hundred years, has provided for relatively good leadership at every trouble spot in American history (particularly in the worst of times), and prevents the Fringe from taking power. Perhaps I'm just a kook.

Are there any openly gay players in baseball? I'm just curious because we all know what Carl's said about not wanting to be near gay players on his team, and so did Smoltz. A friend of mine was telling me that Barry Zito was gay and sleeps with a pink pillow or something. I wasn't sure if that was true, but I was curious what players are gay, and openly so.

QUOTE(NUKE_CLEVELAND @ Jun 5, 2006 -> 08:19 PM) If the idea of President Kerry didn't make my skin crawl I would certainly enjoy the delicious irony of the situation. Don't hate him cause he's beautiful!

It bothers me whenever I hear Democrats claim that Kerry was close to a mandate because, "switch a few thousand votes in Ohio and he's the President!" Yeah? Switch a few thousand votes in a few other states and the Electoral Vote is a landslide for Bush. Bush won by three million votes, it wasn't even close in that sense. I really hate that Ohio "I'd have been President if I'd have won it, so Democrats had a mandate!" bulls***. And I'm a Democrat. I just get sick of hearing that all the time on TV. "Let's not forget, Kerry was a hundred thousand votes away" in Ohio, but three million nationally. I'd have thought it the most beautiful of ironies if Kerry had lost the Popular Vote to Bush but won, but I'd have disliked it all the same. It's a tad off-topic, I know, but it's a tad on-topic, too. (To be more concise on THIS subject: no fraud, kthnx. Problems like in most states during elections, but no major rigging going on.)

QUOTE(LowerCaseRepublican @ Jun 3, 2006 -> 01:51 PM) They get to choose their causes, not their individual defendants. (i.e. when the Jewish ACLU lawyer took the case to help out the Nazis that wanted to march in Skokie during the 1970s and were denied their Constitutional rights to assembly and free speech) That's a shrug. I'm with Nuke and all the other Righties and Right-leaners on this site.

QUOTE(That funky motion @ Jun 4, 2006 -> 08:28 PM) After Howry ripped the Sox,no way. I would bring back Marte before that jag! Yeah, I agree. I'm willing to wait a little longer to see what's going on, but I'd give McCarthy Politte's old spot, and see if he can do better with more consistent work like that,

Ha!

I'm glad his teammates like him. I wish the best for Jurassic.

I'm going to send a card. That poor woman.

QUOTE(minors @ Jun 4, 2006 -> 01:13 AM) If this happens the elections will come down to a popular vote. If people think the Flordia mess was something think about it happening in all 50 states any election under 500,000 votes will cause challenges all over the country and maybe a year after the election was over we could finally have a new president. Only in 1876,1888 and 2000 has the popular vote winner lost and all 3 elections the margin was no greater than a 2% win. It's happened four times. Quincy Adams' Presidency doesn't count, I suppose? Andrew Jackson didn't win that popular vote, to be screwed in the House? KNOW YOUR HISTORY!! (I do agree with your point that the Electoral College is fundamentally sound, and I applaud you for it.)

I'd rather see Politte in a game than Montero.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Jun 5, 2006 -> 04:43 PM) No, it really doesn't. No matter how much I hear people say this I still don't see the corelation. Well, you see, the thing about that is, that the White Sox were the only team ever not chosen by the pundits who won. Yes indeed.

I do think they could use another "Overrated" chant from Kansas City to kick them in the ass harder than Ozzie Guillen can right now. However, it's just a slump like all teams have. They'll snap out of it, and I'm willing to bet it's against Detroit tomorrow.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jun 4, 2006 -> 03:17 PM) Listen to KW when he says 2005 is over. That noise is me turning on WGN and rooting for the Cardinals. I have a calendar, and I know that 2005 is over. I guess I'm confused about the year because I understand that all good teams have rough stretches? Because EVERY team that wins its division leads by fifteen games at some point! Yes, wild card. With all due respect, I thought your reference off, and simply call this a "rough stretch" not the Chicago Cubs 1999. Although, heh, that Wood 20-strike-out game was the first Cubs game I ever watched. And, from start to finish, the last.

Detroit's not having a roaring week, either.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jun 4, 2006 -> 03:04 PM) You know what the Sox remind me of right now? The 1999 Cubs. That team was just off winning their division in 98, got started pretty well out of the gate, were 32-23 on June 8th. Then they came in for a 3 game set with the White Sox, were swept, and absolutely fell apart. Went 1-10 for a stretch, gave up, and wound up the season 67-95. Except that the Cubs didn't win the division in 1998. Let's not grasp at straws here. We're having a rough stretch: all good teams do.

QUOTE(JimH @ Jun 4, 2006 -> 01:58 PM) DJ is critical in a sublte way, he doesn't whine or beat things to death over and over. He understands the game, understands players will fail, and it's obvious he really studies the league. He has been great today talking about how to go after these hitters. Similarly, his subtle but pointed criticism of Dusty Baker on the national TV game was extremely well done. Like yesterday when he said, "Right now, when it comes to baseball fundamentals, we suck"? (I thought that was great, and I know and agree with your point, but I was with my-best-friend-the-Cubs-fan and we both got wide-eyed when DJ said that, and then began laughing hysterically.)

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Jun 4, 2006 -> 01:46 PM) Buehrle was still allowing the hits. I guess he should strike every batter out instead of rely on his fielder's.

Send Pablo to third. He's fast enough.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jun 4, 2006 -> 01:39 PM) Nice to see Buehrle keep the lead.....NOT Don't blame Buehrle for Pablo, and for Anderson's inability to back him up on that play. Nice bunt by Iguchi.

God DAMN IT!