caulfield12

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/padres-made-mlbs-best-offseason-better-with-tatis-extension-now-theyll-try-to-vanquish-baseballs-top-team/

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/padres-made-mlbs-best-offseason-better-with-tatis-extension-now-theyll-try-to-vanquish-baseballs-top-team/

They're also getting eight years of control before the player hits age 30. There's never been a similar contract in the history of the game. One can easily argue the bust rates for Moncada and Robert rate are still elevated. If Tatis puts up another year or two playing at a 6-10 fWAR clip, then he's suddenly looking at $500 million and out of their price range. It's the same reason the White Sox might have missed the boat with Giolito. As he repeats and builds upon previous success, he becomes prohibitively expensive the closer to gets to 2023. Eventually, you run into the same issue the Cubs have with Bryant, Rizzo, Baez and Contreras right now. Being stuck between competing and rebuilding for 3-4 seasons.

Stubbornly doubling down on mistakes more often results in... Here's what doesn't make much sense...they could have had Mitch Moreland for $2.25 million as the primary DH and occasional 1B. For his entire career, a 102 OPS. That's all they have ever needed, really, just average or slightly above average production. 2018 102 OPS 2019 112 2020 139 Obviously, he's not going to reach those numbers again for a full season, but that would be almost the perfect transition to Vaughn, and a nice playoff-experienced veteran presence coming off the bench in the latter stages of the season. Not to mention the fact that he's a better defender than Abreu.

I prefer the South Park version that was shown in Bowling for Columbine.

Aligning the world economies numerically doesn't do much, because of the massive inequality between the Top 15-20 countries and the rest of the world, not to mention China and India, which have more billionaires than the US now but also even more issues with income imbalances between the very richest and then the bottom four quintiles of those countries. We can assert that the DR is "one of the top 1/3rd economies of the world." Sure. China is #1 by Purchasing Power Parity, but the average household income is still just 1/6th that of the US, for example (GDP per capita.) Statistics are only as good as the data and person behind those numbers. By the way, for PPP, the DR is 65th. $3.20 - $5.70 per day is the range of "daily poverty" wages for the majority of the world. So the Dominican's $16 per day for a worker, in my opinion, still makes it poor, or relatively poor. In my idea, anything below $20-25 per day is one of the poorest countries in the world, but we can agree to disagree. Average Monthly Salary 19,900 DOP ($344.03, or $81/week, $2/hour) ( 238,000 DOP yearly) LOW 5,020 DOP AVERAGE 19,900 DOP HIGH 88,700 DOP

The direction is that their assessment on DH's for over a decade has been so many standard deviations from the norm piss-poor that it's better NOT to waste any more money/resources on veteran free agents at this point. Essentially, their incompetence finally forced a new plan or strategy, which is relying on the farm system instead. The flaw in the Collins' logic is that the only way to find out if he can be an everyday player is to play him 70% of the time, because, if nothing else, he seems to really struggle coming off the bench because he's got that slider speed bat and so many issues mechanically. The problem is that they can't really afford to waste the first 6-8 weeks of the season "figuring things out." We had the same dilemma with Joe Borchard in the early 2000's, or Brian Anderson in 2006 (Balta's favorite topic, Rob Mackowiak.) What realistically/likely will happen will be more Leury Garcia at DH, rotating regulars in and out, Grandal as well when the back-up's on the field. Can you honestly picture TLR giving Collins those at-bats? He's the ultimate, old school, veteran-reliant manager. Guessing that a player similar to a Keith Moreland or Pearce or Smoak will show up on the waiver wire at the last minute and they will get the opportunity first.

The point is that how many thousands of kids in San Pedro de Macoris have the dream of becoming a major league baseball shortstop? What are their odds of making it? I would also wager that before that Tatis, Jr., contract was signed and the $10 million signing bonus paid out, that the Giolito family was worth more than the Tatis family. Heck, practically everyone in the US today considered to be wealthy has at least $50-100 million in net worth, and California real estate alone puts their family in that category. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)_per_capita Dominican Republic ranked 68th in the world, basically the equivalent of Thailand. Certainly richer than Venezuela, for example, but it's also an economy highly reliant about tourism and cheap intensive labor/exports/agriculture and fishing.

I wonder if Giolito or another graduate of Harvard Westlake signed the same deal...would you be saying the same thing? Something like "Talk is getting World Serious for White Sox.” That’s what we should be hearing, if Reinsdorf had the vision to offer a fair, long-term extension. And why exactly are we attacking a player from one of the poorest countries in the world (and whose brother happens to play for the White Sox) providing generational security for his family? All those hedge funds and individual investors who became overnight millionaires for speculating on GameStop or AMC generated what value for the economy, exactly? Aren’t they the definition of greedy and reckless? At least a baseball player brings joy and happiness and inspiration to poverty-stricken kids all across Latin America. Heck, the White Sox are providing 5-7% of the remittances supporting the Cuban economy. With that money, the government is subsidized to provide better health care for all its citizens, actually recirculating in a positive, utilitarian way rather than being hoarded.

For your next trick, are you going to defend Josh Whedon if I attack him? I’ve heard far too many rationalizations about morally dubious actions or behavior being classified as “entertaining” or “refreshing” over the last five years to put Bauer, Tim Anderson and Fernando Tatis, Jr., in the same category. But, to each his own.

The Royals should get a commission for resurrecting Rosenthal’s career. https://www.fangraphs.com/players/trevor-bauer/12703/stats?position=P Also, if you look at Bauer’s entire career, only 3 seasons (extrapolated for last year) out of 7 with over a 2.8 fWAR. He’s a ticking time bomb.

Who buys Bauer jerseys and pays top dollar just to watch a guy who’s terribly inconsistent from year to year? I think I will side with Gerrit Cole on this one. If anything, Bauer is not the one who should be getting $40+ million a year, because 12 of his 13 starts last year were against below average offenses. Look at his career holistically, he’s not worth the hype. Segments of their fan base are uncomfortable they signed an internet bully with a history of allegations that he harassed women, mocked transgender people and spread conspiracy theories, but the Dodgers didn’t view any of that as a reason to pass on an opportunity to show the world how smart they are. Asked during Bauer’s introductory videoconference Thursday about the message this sent to fans who feel alienated by the team, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said unconvincingly, “We very much value them.” https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/story/2021-02-12/trevor-bauer-reputation-harassment-women-dodgers-signing https://www.wkyc.com/article/sports/mlb/indians/cleveland-indians-pitcher-trevor-bauer-accused-of-online-harassment/95-3fcc500f-aefc-43bf-b71a-4a1421083129 That doesn’t even include the drone incident and offending a Hall of Fame manager to the point of being banished by the team. Bauer is not refreshing. He’s a jackass. He is the center of his own universe, period.

Let’s keep in mind Tatis and Machado got two of the biggest deals in baseball history, from the same agency. Good for them. It’s not putting a single dent in the pockets of ownership. Yet they keep crying poor and raising prices while providing a diminished product. They are the ones who are reckless and greedy, extracting more and more profit/revenues from fans and players alike. They, along with the commissioner, are the ones destroying the sport. It’s not just baseball, it’s quarterbacks and Lionel Messi’s and NBA All-Stars and Formula 1 drivers. Elite performers deserve to make that money, that’s the society we live in. Tatis actually understands, unlike Bauer, that it’s a game meant to be entertaining, period. With Trout disinterested in carrying the banner of doing anything but reporting to play, and no leadership from the owners or Players’ Union, someone has to. That same attitude is why so many Sox fans love Tim Anderson the most. They are the future of the sport, and the best way to get or keep those from T ball through age 35 interested.

They’re going to pay Luis Robert $40 million (combined) in 2026 and 27 when he’s 28 and 29, his last two peak years going by the traditional 27-29 as that peak range up until the steroid era. In my lifetime, though, Konerko and Frank Thomas were the only homegrown players they kept into their 30’s. I have watched a lifetime of some of my favorite players become increasingly more expensive, then leave. This is fine for the Rays or A’s, but Chicago deserves better. And, all things considered, stars win in the postseason. The 2005 White Sox are one of those rare exceptions. In the age of super teams, that’s becoming ever more difficult. Luis Robert has the best chance of all, but still might end up being closer to Mike Cameron, Eric Davis or Devon White with power.

Tatis, Jr., has played exactly 76% of one full big league season and put up a 6.5 fWAR. Extrapolated out, that would be an 8.4 for a full season, done earlier than Trout. Since you’re not going to be able to acquire Trout, who would be a better option in the game to invest that kind of money in? And what would be the impact on the Padres’ fanbase if he walked in four years?

Not exactly. Moncada, Robert and Jimenez are the same type of calculated risks. Nobody can guarantee Luis will be a 5-6 fWAR performer. If you count the original signing deal and the extension, there’s nevertheless at least a chance it goes wrong. A year ago, Moncada looked like a sure thing vs. Machado, right? Jimenez is also an injury risk and he’s never going to be able to put up massive fWAR numbers due to defense, base running, etc. The thing is the Padres can afford to do this because of their pitching depth, at the major league level, Clevinger in 2022 and in the minors. They’re staking claim to being one of the best 2-3 teams in baseball for another 5-6 years, and their best pitcher, Gore, will be dirt cheap his first three years. The White Sox have their risk in veterans Grandal, Abreu, Keuchel and Lynn (lesser extent). If they don’t make it to the playoffs or advance a round, they’re going to have a tough time coming up with enough money to entice Giolito. It would be around 50% bigger than the largest deal in team history, which just got inflated by Tatis’ deal and another $5-7 trillion in the US economy. Unless Kopech, Cease or someone like Kelley becomes that next ace, you’re going to have to buy one at top dollar on the open market. Not the White Sox game. It’s also pretty clear we don’t have the trade capital to pull it off, because they need to keep Kopech and Vaughn. Overall, if Robert, Kopech and Moncada become stars, the White Sox will be fine. Two of them is enough for the Central. Just one puts the whole contention window at risk. (Now you can obviously argue that Myers and Hosmer are risks too, but if they were really concerned they would have dealt Myers at peak relative value this offseason.) The Padres are investing in their future, the White Sox are waiting for the payoff before they will invest further. From a typical business standpoint, that approach is certainly preferable if you want to have the very best product in your industry. It’s definitely a better way to get the fans on your side than hiring Tony LaRussa.

And post Covid economic recovery, with the Mets, Angels, Rangers, Dodgers, Yankees, Giants, Cubs, etc., bidding...and revenues stabilized, how much more does he get on the open market? A superstar turning just 25/26, like Harper and Machado two cycles ago, at the absolute peak rather than beginning descent at 29-31. Think of the Lionel Messi deal. Think of worldwide vs. local/regional impacts. He could very easily be the face of the sport because Trout eschews the limelight, Tatis embraces it.

It’s a calculated risk. Of course, the injuries are always the biggest factor, but still less so than for a pitcher. It’s going to be a long time until anyone beats Cole’s deal. Pitchers are even more unpredictable, and now there’s going to be a ball change and god knows what the impact will be from an injury-perspective. For the fans of SD, it means no backing down to the Dodgers, period...and that starting him on Opening Day, 2019, instead of fighting for that extra year of control was worth it for the general good will/partnership they created. As it stood, the Padres only had four more years of control remaining. It demonstrates commitment. They don’t plan to bail at the earliest convenience, like the Marlins did with Buehrle. It’s planting a flag in the ground and answering the Bauer deal with one of their own. For Tatis and his family, it might end up costing him $100-150 million down the road, plus endorsements that would be more likely on the East Coast in NY or Boston. That said, with digital media becoming increasingly prevalent, being on the West Coast isn’t a killer like in past years. The equivalent for the White Sox would be extensions for Giolito, Vaughn and Anderson (old deal torn up) announced today in succession.

https://theathletic.com/2391874/2021/02/16/robin-ventura-white-sox-oklahoma-state-baseball/?source=dailyemail Back on the field (and in class online at Oklahoma State), Robin Ventura reflects on White Sox tenure

Corey Seager is the guy I’m targeting and putting him at second or even RF, and the DH mix as well. Unfortunately, the only way we can afford him is if he gets injured again. Peak Seager is a $200-250 million player, but the injury history creates significant downside risk.

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/predicting-next-offseasons-top-10-mlb-free-agents-shortstops-lead-list-noah-syndergaard-is-best-starter/ Conforto, Syndegaard (sincerely doubt this one) and J.Gray (he of the 6.69 ERA) look like top targets, but pretty bleak unless a lot of opt-outs occur or options are declined. Jose Ramirez could be available, but mo way he ends up with the White Sox. Since Thor is high volatility like Kopech, that route is closed if he has a huge year because he will become the top of the market. Not that many directions for the White Sox to add those final 2-3 “finishing pieces” without taking on salary. At this point, the competitive window is at the mercy of incoming revenues that won’t impact the Dodgers, Padres, Yankees, Braves (well, to an extent) and the Mets. That’s the competition, with the Blue Jays charging quickly from behind.

Yep, mostly play by play. Analyst positions are almost impossible for non players. So that really cuts down the odds even further. Not many can afford to spend 10-25 years in the minors and raise a family on relatively low salaries unless they can go offseason sales and marketing/promotions equally well. The times that produced those radio voices/storytellers whose game calls traversed the country on AM radio simply no longer exist (Cardinals had almost twenty states in their network at one point).

Yeah, it’s a changing of the guard, a reflection of consolidation and cost cutting excused by Covid-19, and the death of small town baseball forever in places like Clinton and Burlington. https://www.amazon.com/Class-Baseball-Everywhere-Lucas-Mann/dp/0307949753 Working in sports is such an unstable career, where changes in ownership or, conversely, being in the right place at the exact right time send you off in completely different trajectories. Making it to the big leagues as a broadcaster is about as easy as becoming a Senator or Representative. Or lasting an entire lifetime doing sports radio, for that matter. https://qconline.com/sports/professional/former-qc-baseball-announcers-see-careers-go-different-directions/article_3c2f40e0-9f9a-52ab-9209-d64a8c467009.html And, when you get to the top, it’s even harder to stay there. One of my dorm-mates at the University of Iowa made it all the way to the Astros, but broadcasting during a prolonged rebuild is never easy and now he’s doing University of Arkansas athletics broadcasting. Mario Impemba did QC River Bandits games three decades ago, then eventually worked for the Detroit Tigers for almost twenty years before losing it all due to a fight with his broadcasting partner.

https://www.yahoo.com/gma/states-risk-repeating-last-summers-190000443.html Iowa/Reynolds at it again, sigh...

https://variety.com/feature/2021-oscars-best-picture-predictions-1234768047/ Top 20 picks for Best Picture. Have seen 13 so far. Nomadland is still the one that sticks out, along with The Trial of the Chicago 7 being so topical it’s gaining all the momentum that was once with Ma Rainney. Minari victimized by debate over whether its a foreign film or not.