Harry Chappas

The Best of the Best

You should come live in Chicago/Cook/Illinois.....there is a middle class and very well paid entrenched union culture that is run like a mafia but everyone is leaving (or talking about it) for Indiana or the south because they are being taxed to death. Regardless of the fact that there are jobs and people are well off. Crime is becoming more of an issue.

Yes all that money the Phillies spent the last two years got them that much closer to the Marlins and now they have to drop another $100M+ on a free agent catcher. What has all the FA signings gotten the Angels? Let's wait until Joc or Bauer sign and then we can determine how cheap the Sox are as most of these deals are terrible deals before the ink dries.

Go back to bleeding cubbie blue and enjoy the next rebuild.

Or Kopech, Stiever and Leury Garcia Or Kopech and Madragil Or Kopech Collins and Mendick

Think you need to add another MLB piece maybe two.

I have a kid in college I am a CPA so I think I have some ability to exist in society as an adult. As a one income home I make a nice living but will not able to send my three kids to college without some loans/assistance. My wife is gaining traction in the working world as my kids are older so by kiddo number three it may be easier. The FAFSA process ends up working but as a platform you need to work to figure it out and from Tex v Two Gun Pete you can see there are different ways that this appears until Tex gets us straightened out from a trailer on campground somewhere in west Texas (just kidding ya Tex your summation is spot on). My son's private school got his $54K tuition with room and board down to $20K via scholarships. My son via FAFSA has unsubsidized loans of $6,400 annually. I paid off year one by beg, borrowing and stealing but with new COVID things (low rates) I took out $14K in PLUS loans. After this year he will be on his own and graduate with about $50K in debt. That is not crippling but also puts some steak in the game. I have kid number two coming up in a couple years. He is a better student and wants to go to the same school so he may end in the same place. $50K in debt. If both kids get jobs around Chicago and want to live at home for a couple of years they can do that rent free. I will also help them with their debt after graduating college. My third child is much younger so I have time on that one. I became an accountant because I was decent at it and it got me job and has kept me employed. Do I like it ....sometimes...but I cannot complain. That's the reality of the world sometimes when it comes to a career. I do think that going away to college is important as it is a controlled environment in which you learn to somewhat live on your own and manage yourself socially, professionally and financially. Some kids can do this without going away but some need this. The largest issue currently though is that an individual cannot support himself/herself and put themselves through college as easily as it was in my day (late 80's). I had some help from my family and I worked to make the rest meet. I made decent money on and around campus to pay my room and board and my family paid the tuition. I spent 4 years on campus at a state school with zero aid (except parents help), got a job out of college, and became a CPA. Fiscally my life is fine. My wife stayed at home for 8 years and with no college degree will make ok money moving forward but not enough to get us past middle/middle class.

Brantley seems like the type of player that will not age well but keeping him at just DH may work as he has been healthy the last two years so maybe the two years he was out I am giving too much credence too . I am thinking there is a Bauer signing coming up which is why these other deals are moving along.

Toronto has to make these deals to try and just compete in their division. I am curious on the Brantley dollar amount.

I am not trying to put you down here but you keep bringing up the number of innings the number 4 and 5 guys need to pitch this season. The expectation has to be get 200+ innings from the big three and then cobble things together for the next year for Cease and two years for Kopech and Crochet. Cease is the 4 this is Stiever if he is moved Stiever is the 5 this is Burnes if he is traded for Neither Stiever or Burnes are expected to add to the rotation in the playoffs as there is not enough innings avail be in their arms. This may be the same thing for Cease as well. I agree that Richards is in the same boat. The plan though is to get through the season with te top three and hope there is development for 2022 and beyond with the rest of this group. I thought Quintana was a prime candidate to add but alas he is gone.

This is a great rumor to float as if this trade is made it takes Bauer off the table. If there are talks with Bauer this adds urgency This trade will add further fuel to the limited contention window as signing Bauer or overpaying for Wheeler keeps the prospects and extends the time the window is open. I'd love a Stiever/Cease and Madrigal deal then sign Wong (if he is still out there) but I do not see that being a enough...

That's a risk if he sucks early but he does have something to play for.

I would bet they could get something for him. Probably a couple of decent prospects but Lester stating the cubs couldn't match $5M really shows their hand and puts them at a disadvantage.

Trump really is a child.

I think it is the fact that he only got $5M and would have signed for less with the cub and they still couldn't afford him is what is sending them spiraling.

Bauer makes the most sense as a three year bridge. The problem becomes how long do you wait. It is the same thing with Joc. The White Sox need to fill two holes a DH and starter. Yes Cruz and Bauer are the obvious answers as was Joc for RF before Eaton but at some point you need to fill them or risk getting burned. At this point the Padres would have saved a ton of minor league capital by signing Bauer and trading for Darvish but instead went and got Snell and Musgrove as well.

Whether it is the Dodgers or the Padres, the NL is getting tougher and tougher. That NL East is killer. The Padres have found a new market efficiency and good for them. They are getting teams to trade away proven players for lottery tickets. I still think Prellar is a dick and cannot root for them but what he did a few years back is proving fruitful.

You are exactly right. Howard Stern's dic pic theory is spot on. No woman ever wants an unsolicited dick pic.....EVER!

You have to be mentally ill to send unsolicited dick pics.

Could have been during last offseason.

Seems like TLR isn't driving players off. I am not saying that to be a dick but I am hopeful that the angst from after the hiring is cooling.

If the White Sox win that game they win the world series. Hoyt was dominating and the Orioles were not touching him in game 5. Sox pitching would have carried them through the world series.

Well I guess my case for them not wanting Madrigal is wrong.

Burnes price starts with one of Vaughan/Kopech/Crochet and then add Stiever and another piece. The Brewers have not need for Madrigal. I am not opposed to that trade but I see no reason why the Brewers would move him. The Brewers and Reds should be going all in now as the cubs take a step back. The NL East and NL West are going to beat the crap out of each other, especially if he Marlins are not a flash in the pan.

They could also look at year four and rip it up and go 2/20 if he is still going well at that point and wants another year or two.