Dick Allen

QUOTE (greg775 @ Dec 25, 2017 -> 06:50 PM) I also would like to thank Trump for bringing back Christmas. Say what you want, but I've noticed it this year. Now that Trump said it's OK, Southwest Airlines, store employees, etc., Starbucks have been saying Merry Christmas to me. I've noticed cause I now get to say it back and I like it. I will say for some reason at Midway today people were in s***ty moods. I got yelled at for getting tripped while getting into space No. 31 in the A group on SW and nicked somebody's boot and said, "Sorry." She was furious that I nicked her and she was in space 31 instead of her 35 which I didn't say anything of course as I don't care bout that. Then somebody at the Avis rental place yelled "I was here first!" and I wasn't even trying to go ahead of them. I'm a little puzzled at the Scrooge like behavior today. But anyway, there was a war on Christmas. I haven't said Merry Christmas to a stranger in years til this Christmas since it's now OK to do so. Don't discount the P.C. in America. It's very very bad and this is one thing Trump did that was OK. The War on Christmas. OK. It is funny ivanka, Eric, and even the Trump hotel in DC tweet happy holidays, just like the con man did in 2010 when Obama was wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. But facts aren't nearly as fun as things made up so there can be fake outraged. Trump has the lowest approval rating of just about any president. Why would his take make more people end their supposed war on the holiday? One of Trumps properties in the early 80s, residents were banned fro putting up Christmas decorations or trees. In 1999, he called the Christmas tree like decorated tree at Trump Tower a holiday tree. He went years on twitter not saying merry Christmas, but happy holidays. Why do you buy anything this guys sells? He is a con.

BTW, the guy that "brought back Christmas "? Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump Wishing everyone a very Happy Holiday season! 10:26 AM · Dec 23, 2010

Corey Lewandowski, you're on the clock.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 23, 2017 -> 01:02 PM) So then why not just give every American household $12,000 back? Wouldn’t that be fairer? It would cost exactly the same as this tax cut. Wouldn’t that at least give all those in the middle class more of an opportunity to pay down debt, invest in education or start a small business? All studies would back up empirically that the middle class and poor are much more likely to inject cash directly back into the economy. They could have repaired every deficient bridge in America, for example. Continued to stabilize the health care market instead of allowing those costs to pass down to everyone who was old or sick (the expected 10% increased will negate most or all of the tax cut benefits for the majority of Americans). Treated the opioid crisis. All of these would have led to greater than 0.8% GDP growth over the next decade. Scholarships for junior colleges. Research money for AI, AR and VR, as well as alternative energy vehicles. They chose instead to go with their corporate overlords...who have spent $1.63 billion on lobbying so far this year. That's what I don't get, if all these things are actually designed for the middle clas, why not give it to them directly?

QUOTE (Quin @ Dec 23, 2017 -> 02:30 AM) I tried to argue with a friend the other day that from 2004-2011, the Bulls were the best drafting team in the NBA. For recap, in that time: Rose (#1), Noah (#9), Butler (#30), Mirotic (#23), Gibson (#26), Deng (#7), Gordon (#3), Thabo (#13), Asik (#36) 9 productive NBA players in a 7 year span, including 4 multi-time All-Stars, an MVP, MIP, DPOY, 6POY, is pretty stellar. Since then, they've fallen off hard. His rebuttals were: Golden State: Curry (#7), Klay (#11) San Antonio: Kawhi (#15), Udrih (#28), Splitter (#28), Hill (#26), Blair (#37) Dallas: ??? Kawhi and Curry are the two best players in there. Now Lauri looks like a turn towards the better. They loved Dunn last year. Portis is finally playing like not garbage. But they definitely aren't drafting like they did in their heyday. https://www.blogabull.com/2015/5/18/8610703...-matt-lloyd-and

Allen Hanson to the Giants. They are clearly going for it.

This is incredible. Since Theo took over in 2012, the Cubs have only had 38 1/3 IP from pitchers Theo drafted or signed internationally.

QUOTE (wrathofhahn @ Dec 22, 2017 -> 02:21 PM) Normally I'd say no. He doesn't fit with the timeline but with the Marlins low, low prices everything must go sale it would be a shame to not get in on it. So yeah if the trend continues and they are willing to deal him for non top prospects why the heck not. He could always be flipped later. What would their motivation be to trade him for little return? He isn't making a lot of money.

It does boggle my mind why people can't be as respectful towards Trump as he is toward anyone who doesn't kiss his ass.

QUOTE (Jerksticks @ Dec 22, 2017 -> 02:09 PM) Well maybe it was Burdi or bust. At that point just snag some quick cash from Texas. Also, maybe they have a really concrete plan for the 25 man roster already and couldn't spare a spot with the anticipation of having slots filled by guys like Cordell, Engel, Delmonico, Davidson, L Garcia, Sanchez, Adams, Stephens, Viero etc. Maybe the "give young guys a chance" spots are full. The bullpen seems wide open. Worst case, you return him. A pretty cheap look especially if you really think Coop is magical. Obviously, this guy can still go down, but 95 is kind of meh anymore, and other than that, it doesn't appearl like there really is too much to like. If he threw 100, that might be a little different. It is just hard to imagine there was not one guy available in the rule 5 that wasn't as least as interesting as this pick up. I'm not going to lose any sleep over it, but it just doesn't add up to me.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Dec 21, 2017 -> 11:38 AM) US life expectancy dropped for the second straight year. This is the first time it's happened here since influenza caused it to dip twice in the 60's, and it's essentially unheard of in modern developed countries. A 26% increase in opioid deaths seems to be the main factor. http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/21/health/us-li...udy0247PMVODtop You just have to tell people not to take them.

QUOTE (hi8is @ Dec 22, 2017 -> 01:39 PM) 95+ heater with control struggles just recent converted from catcher in 2016. Interestingly enough made a jump from high A to the bigs last year pitching in limited action. Also threw in a winter league displaying the above. More at MLBTR. I am trying to understand why they would claim this guy and not have any interest in anyone but 2 rule 5 guys.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 22, 2017 -> 01:27 PM) Eight years after Lehman Brothers’ bankruptcy filing signaled the start of the financial crisis, the U.S. has posted the worst salary recovery among developed Group of 20, or G-20 countries, according to executive search firm Korn Ferry's Hay Group unit. U.S. salaries have fallen 3.1% after adjusting for inflation since Lehman’s bankruptcy on Sept. 15, 2008, the study says. That’s the worst among the G-20, which also includes the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and South Korea. America’s poor performance can partly be traced to its preponderance of jobs in low-wage sectors such as retail, restaurants and hotels, and healthcare, says Benjamin Frost, a Korn Ferry product manager. But even within entry-level jobs — a category that includes clerks, call center representatives, carpenters and production line supervisors — the U.S. fares worst, with salaries falling 14.8%. https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2016/0...rowth/89924144/ That is because of the corporate tax rate. Everyone is getting a $4k raise. Thanks Trump. No one has done more in less time. Truly a Presidential icon in less than one year.

Alex Jones will soon be broadcasting his show from atop Trump Tower in Chicago. Seems appropriate. I'm sure the #fakenews media will have something to say, but this guy is legit. Sandy Hook was an Obama production.

Of course they are interested in him. What team wouldn't be? This really isn't newsworthy unless some sort of deal was close. It was reported he was either available or they were thinking about it. Hahn wouldn't be doing his job if he didn't make contact.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Dec 22, 2017 -> 09:43 AM) This has been my point all along. This is where we disagree. I really don't care about the % of their income. They already pay so much more than everyone else. The tax brackets already try to do that by bringing in more taxes as the income goes up. It's obviously not a great system and needed to change. So you really don't care if it separates the haves and have nots in society and if people aren't rich enough to be sick, well, sorry, you're screwed. And if you aren't rich enough to pay a real lawyer to get you off when you commit crimes, too bad, you pay for a bad one who can't get you off when you didn't.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Dec 22, 2017 -> 09:30 AM) I've never claimed any of it is fair or it's a good system. It needed to change. I'm only saying who paid what taxes. How about as a percentage of their income?

QUOTE (ptatc @ Dec 22, 2017 -> 09:15 AM) They do. But they still pay by far more than everyone else regardless of how much they bring the % down. We have a President who brags about how he is worth over $10 billion yet hasn't paid taxes in 15 years. Why should some stiff making $50k pay taxes? Donald Trump and his ilk, use taxpayer paid roads and lots of other things, yet they have no problem not paying for them, and cry if someone unable to pay is given a service to survive. Now we give them even more breaks, and will eventually take away even more from our most needy people. It is insane. These people and corporations are sitting on piles of money now they will never use. Why is giving them more going to be good not only for them but everyone else? Trump's got $10 billion according to him. Why isn't he hiring more people and giving them gigantic raises?

Trump says the dems are trying to distract from th very popular tax cut bill. Apparently he hasn't read the polls. Sad.

Ivanka on Fox and Friends is looking forward to this spring when people will be filing their taxes on a single postcard. Yep, she's a Trump. No need for Maury.

Teddy Greenstein dissed barstool twice in the 5 minutes I watched Sportstalk Live

When the Bulls beat some halfway decent team at full strength, then I will worry they are too good, but Boston, no Kyrie, Philly, no Embid, Orlando had their 2 top scorers out.

I am really surprised Trump's foray into Gary, Indiana about 20 years ago, isn't getting much of a second look. Read all of the stories about it. Everyone was going to get rich, Jobs, jobs, jobs, make Gary great again. It's almost exactly the same shtick he's used as POTUS. It didn't quite work out. Everyone in Gary got screwed, except Trump. Instead of a new town, the traveling circus found an entire country.

QUOTE (Quin @ Dec 21, 2017 -> 03:07 PM) Based on his Instagram workouts, Yolmer will hit 30 HRs while playing GG defense. I used to see photos and videos of Alexei pumping iron and working hard in the offseason. Then the season would roll around and he still looked like he spent the entire winter on a deserted island looking for some berries.

QUOTE (SonofaRoache @ Dec 21, 2017 -> 03:03 PM) The problem is Hahn didn't think he could sign him in FA, hence trying to woo him first. The Sox will not overpay for him because the Big Boys are gearing up for FA and will bid to the moon. I think 5 or 6 teams will offer him almost the same contract. The Cubs, Dodgers, Yankees, and Red Sox will ultimately win his services as they have the money and ready made teams. If that's the case, despite what you may think, they would have been left holding the bag if they traded for him. They can sell him on the same crap you think gave him a 75% chance of staying if they traded for him when they meet with him next November.