bigruss

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Aug 18, 2011 -> 11:22 AM) Maybe Chairman Reinsdorf doesn't want to spend money on something the organization has shown to be a weakness which is identifying amateur players who can play in MLB. It's made more difficult by their usual draft position. "Maybe if we hide from our problems they'll go away!!11!!" And another copout, it's been proven countless times in the past 10 years or so that draft position may help, but does not hinder a team from restocking a system.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 18, 2011 -> 11:10 AM) In the fangraphs world, he was worth $2.4 million last year and has already topped $10 million this year. Well, I take that stuff with a grain of salt, plus I factor in a team's needs and current state. I don't think the Royals should be spending more than a few million on a filler player (and that's how I view Francouer), they should keep payroll limited to only guys they need to keep to build around and improving their young talent acquisitions.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Aug 18, 2011 -> 07:47 AM) After the last few seasons, I'm not getting my hopes up until I see progress. Although, once that first ball is tipped, I'm sure I'll be all in like always. It's gonna be my senior year, I hope at least one of football/basketball can be a good competitor.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Aug 18, 2011 -> 10:58 AM) Just when you think the Royals have figured it out, they go and do something like this. If it was for anything over $5 mill total in the extension then it was a bad move.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Aug 18, 2011 -> 11:00 AM) I would assume that a bloated payroll with an underacheiving team that keeps fans from the game plays a part in how much money you have to spend on the draft. With the Pirates payroll, it makes it much easier to spend that much at once. Another easy copout. Stop making damned excuses for this team and expect them to actually make smart, future driven decisions.

QUOTE (klaus kinski @ Aug 18, 2011 -> 10:50 AM) Borchard, Anderson, & Sweeney are why Rios is here Such an easy copout for the team to make excuses for why they fail so much.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Aug 18, 2011 -> 10:36 AM) ...which is the exact opposite of "Hollywood". I took it as a sarcastic remark.

We didn't have a first round pick, so that cuts out a few million, but that doesn't excuse the rest of the draft. In fact, it should mean that they would spend more money on the tough signs, especially with how bare the system is, getting as many live bodies as we can down there should've been the biggest priority, even if it meant spending a little bit more.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Aug 18, 2011 -> 08:38 AM) OK so, I am not usually one of the people who posts random quotes and statements from people, showing their verbal slip-ups or other stupid statements. But this one, I really feel like I have to.... Michelle Bachmann, having won the Ames Straw Poll, is having her moment to shine - this is her best chance to get into people's view. As such, she decided to make her first big attention-grabbing campaign promise. She says that is she is made President, she promises to deliver $2/gallon gas. I mean... it is difficult for me to describe how mind-numbingly stupid this is, for so, so many reasons. All these candidates make promises they can't meet. true for either party. But I think this one takes the cake for the most absurd, unbelieveable one. Couldn't she at least pick something attainable, and that she, you know, would have some control over? I think if I run, I am going to promise to end all tornadoes. There are some things you can control, such as the taxes on the gasoline, but even then it won't be near enough for $2 a gallon, unless she can really strengthen the dollar that much which is pretty damn hard to do.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 18, 2011 -> 08:11 AM) Looking at what guys like Cabrera and VMart got in their deals, that makes sense. Don't forget Maggs.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 18, 2011 -> 08:04 AM) Plus it isn't even like the Sox were the only ones after Dunn. Washington was trying to get him back on a similar salary, but for a three year deal. Detroit really wanted him, but he wasn't interested. Knowing the Tigers they would have spend at least what we did too. They probably would've thrown in some option years that paid a lot and were easy to get to (unless injured throughout the whole contract).

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Aug 18, 2011 -> 08:03 AM) I find it hilarious people say that it was awful now, as if they knew he was going to have one of the worst seasons in MLB history after he signed it. Exactly, even if we overpaid by a million or two per year, that's really not that much and pretty much expected to attract top FAs to the White Sox.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 18, 2011 -> 07:55 AM) He takes his marching order from Kenny Williams, you know, his boss? If your boss tells you to negotiate a deal, that's what you do. I'm not sure what Ozzie has to do with this. I see what you did there.

Jeez I hate that argument. If your boss says go sign someone you do it, you may give a bit of your opinion first but if he still insists to get the job done then you have to. If Kenny told him to get Teahen at 3 years at a starting 3B salary, then Hahn did a decent job (though hindsight crushes it, and many never thought he would be a starter). And Dunn's contract was market value, the number of years wasn't ridiculous, and the salary wasn't overcumbersome. The main problem with these deals is that they players arent/werent producing.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 04:22 PM) It doesn't seem like Jon Daniels really got on the right track until Nolan Ryan came in though...it could just be a coincidence, but there does seem to be a correlation there. That's why I said getting the right people into place. Maybe he lucked into it, but just like with any business, a CEO can only do so much by themselves, it's really the choices they make in how/who they surround themselves with and how well they listen to them.

I tip my cap to the Indians' clubhouse for this:

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 04:06 PM) Apparently Illinois destroyed West Virginia in a 20 minute scrimmage today. 45-9 before the scrubs got in to finish at 45-19. They dominated the boards and were diving all over the floor. Only summer ball, but a good sign if they're starting to take the season seriously already. I can't wait to see this team after losing that senior class that didn't want to lead but at the same time didn't want anyone else leading. These yougner guys seem hungry and want to prove something, I'm loving it thus far.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 03:32 PM) That is how I feel as well...as the pool of eligible candidates to fulfill the latter criteria is much larger than the pool of eligible candidates to fulfill the former. I haven't met the guy, and I don't think anybody else here has, so it's hard to really get a good gauge on him. But there are a vast number of people around that league that give him a ton of respect and there is a general opinion that he is very smart. Now the biggest question is, can he transfer that ability to being baseball smart, kind of like Jon Daniels. And a shakeup in organizational philosophy could do wonders if done right. Just like a company, if a new CEO is brought in he may not have the biggest connections around, but if he knows how to get the right people into the right spots then that's his real job. Hahn or any GM wouldn't be scouting the players, that's micromanaging, he may do so occasionally (like first round picks) but it is/would be mostly up to the scouts and people that he chooses.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 02:01 PM) Is the arm really the Peavy issue? Seems it was other injuries. Unless you consider the feeak shoulder muscle injury and arm injury? I don't think he'll have the endurance or stuff anymore, but that's just me (and not close worth to the $17 million he'll be making).

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 10:52 AM) I still love that Mac gained 50 lbs simply for a storyline. Holy s***, what is that all about!?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 08:55 AM) That is copied from the link Yea the Sox lose the commitment, but really it would still be lopsided in the Cubs favor, imo. I would offer them $15 or so in cash throughout the rest of his contract.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 17, 2011 -> 08:36 AM) Who is the bigger attitude issue? I actually would want to save either more money or get a prospect in return, that's how low Zambrano's value is right now. Rios atleast has the upside of being better, so I would expect the Sox to save about 3-4 million in this deal if they made it.

Anybody else adore the site theoatmeal.com? I'm sure cat lovers would appreciate it, I don't love cats but his stuff cracks me up a ton. Apparently he cleverly breaks his comics into separate images, follow this link to the specific comic. His one on sriracha sauce is pure gold too.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Aug 16, 2011 -> 11:18 AM) Model. The end Boom twins.

I went golfing on sunday with the paps and this giant (I mean huge, like the size of two thumbs) dragonfly flew right onto my shirt, and well after reading this thread I freaked the f*** out.