caulfield12

Hector is still more locked in on the Sox than Dan Clark, Michael Kay, Simonetti paired w/ the damned Yankees...

Is that you, Will Ferrell? “You’re my boy, Blue!” https://sports.yahoo.com/cowboy-pinball-game-leaves-spectators-shocked-participant-unconscious-kentucky-rodeo-054609924.html Most sources the last two months are about as likely to be correct as the Darwin Awards winners from Kentucky (not Florida, Jersey or WV this time) who signed waivers to play “Cowboy Pinball” with a crazy 2000 pound bull for a 1/23 chance at winning $100.

Ben Waffleson’s source is pure unadulterated LOVE...guess that’s a pretty decent-sized improvement over poop?

Will the Padres sign a $250 million-ish player contract this season? 22%No, the owners are cheap and this team is doomed forever. (17 votes) 8%Yes, it's Harper. (6 votes) 50%Yes, it's Machado. (39 votes) 8%It's not my money - eff it, they will both sign. (6 votes) 13%I will gladly pay $30 for a beer if they sign both of these guys. (10 votes) 78 votes total

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2821269-bryce-harper-rumors-phillies-star-nearing-deal-will-receive-more-than-300m?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial Boras has to be able to sell it as bigger than the long-reported (and rejected) Nats’ offer...

Sounds like that ICO that would digitally create a cat/kitty icon and was priced at $180,000 PER. Craziness. As gullible as some fans are, it would probably work. It's not unlike having shares of stock in teams like the Green Bay Packers or Boston Celtics, just something cool to frame and put on the wall and feeling you're contributing meaningfully to the team's positive fortunes.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/26026923/red-sox-owner-john-henry-says-spending-more-tends-helps-teams-win Red Sox owner John Henry on spending/potential strike/free agency non-movement Asked about that comment and whether there is a correlation between spending and winning, Henry replied, "I think the Baltimore payroll was double what the Tampa payroll was last year. Close to double. There is a correlation, I'm sure there is a correlation, but it's not as perfect. It's very difficult to predict things in baseball, to predict player performance. Spending more money helps." Many believe the luxury tax is working as a de facto salary cap, driving down spending, especially in free agency. Henry didn't completely agree with that assertion, however. "It has an influence, but the biggest influence is trying not to lose money," he said. "I was talking to an owner of a big team at the owners' meeting and he had the same viewpoint. It's not the luxury tax he worries about. ... Even though people are frustrated and the players are frustrated with free agency, we're finding ways to spend money on other areas in baseball." ... Baseball reported revenue of $9.4 billion in 2018, up from $9.1 billion in 2017, but overall spending on team payroll declined $18 million, the first decrease since 2010 and only the second drop since 2004. Asked about Adam Wainwright's comment (about a possible walkout in 2019), Henry said, "That's crazy. A lot has been said about the free-agent market, but it is a free-agent market. It's a free market, and a free market doesn't always do what you want it to do. "It's important for the union to engage firsthand on what they would like to change. This has been a series of negotiations that led to the kind of market we have today."

But he's got PINK hair...those zany liberals out in Haight-Asbury!!

Seems like you're being hard on Widows....definitely a 3.5/5, not a must-watch (and god knows I keep coming across Liam Neeson too often these days), but the female protagonists made it worth it, similar but grittier version of the new Ocean's 8 movie. Agree 100% on Venom...that movie was a HUGE hit here in China, even moreso than Aquaman, which also made a boatload of money. They really love their Marvel and DC movies here, compared to Star Wars. I expect that How To Train Your Dragon 3 will be the next huge hit that sustains itself for roughly a month or 6 weeks in the cineplex. Hope everyone can get the opportunity to check out ALITA in 3D/IMAX, too. Lego Movie 2 was a bit of disappointment, doesn't have the spark or imagination as the first film...although it does have a Ruth Bader Ginsburg (of all people) cameo. Needed Morgan Freeman and more Will Ferrell (much better villain).

Right back at ya!

Latest on Padres https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/padres/sd-sp-padres-eric-hosmer-manny-machado-bryce-harper-0218-story.html There has been increased communication between the sides (Padres and Lozano/Machado) in recent days. While there were some in the Padres organization who felt a denouement was imminent, another source characterized the pace of talks as “moving slow.” That’s how it goes this time of year. Among Hosmer’s messages on Monday was that the “hot stove” is full of lukewarm reports, speculation and even downright falsehoods. “One thing I know is you just don’t know what’s happening,” Hosmer said. “A lot of you guys report on what’s close to happening, and you’re not far off. But at the end of the day you really just don’t know. I’ve learned to wait for it to be official and read all the stuff afterward. It’s crazy to … try to predict what is going to happen.” With that as a warning, here’s what we think we know: Harper and Machado figure to get contracts worth an average of at least $30 million over at least eight years. Depending on who is doing the talking, the Padres are more interested in one than the other. And since the team has made offers to both players, it is highly likely one is a fallback. The prevailing signals from within the organization and the belief from the outside is that Machado, who plays the Padres’ position of greatest need, remains the team’s preferred target. Other teams in the hunt for Machado began hearing several days ago that the Padres were a significant bidder, but the length and structure of the contract offer are not certain. The value of the team’s offer to Harper is not known, though at least one report pegged it as more than what they have offered Machado, which sources said was a deal potentially worth more than $250 million. The Padres entered negotiations with the two 26-year-old stars with the idea of being creative with signing bonus money, the ability for the player to opt out after a certain number of years and other payment possibilities that could make the offer both more attractive and financially prudent.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/important-luis-robert-205501297.html Crosses fingers on 100% health for an entire 142 game season of play... The Arizona Fall League performance was a mighty positive sign for those waiting to see what a healthy year for Robert might look like. He slashed .324/.367/.432 with a couple homers and 10 RBIs in 18 games. He wowed just about everyone with his talent. He scored from second base on a sacrifice fly. "He's got that type of talent," Renteria said. "I think he's one of those guys that you want to see his overall game come into play. I think the experience that he's going to gain this summer will play a big part. ... Guys like that, that skill set, hopefully they jump exponentially in terms of their growth and their maturation. We're hopeful that he's one of those guys. And looking at some of the video we did see and conversing with everybody, everybody sees where he's going and we're looking forward to seeing him continue to develop."

Especially the JR outbidding by exactly (and conveniently) $5 million when it appears a lot of the Padres' supposed "strength" in terms of their theoretical offer is either the front-loaded/signing bonus, multiple years into the future of deferred monies (essentially borrowing against the money they don't currently have to allocate) or an early/earlier opt-out at 2 or possibly 3 years.

In this case "at 'er" is restricted only to signing a contract with the Chicago White Stockings Professional Baseball Club of the American League and not a member of the female persuasion. And why am I hearing this in the Mater/Larry the Cable Guy voice from Cars?

Reminiscent of the write-in vote for Scotty Pods to get elected as the last player to the All-Star team (back when he was married to Lisa D.) Also hoping Manny doesn't start (emulating Podsednik and) taking those little pitter-patter steps...like he's a ballerina skating across the frozen tundra of a Chicago April deep freeze.

They're going to need to free up a LOT more than Zobrist's final year salary to contemplate a move for Harper...!!! And now a word from our sponsor, Cat Fancy (except for the 90% of America that now can't stand the Cubs or their fans)

So this guy's going to break the "real story" of the fake news/twitter-verse/random profiles with scant following...BUT NOT TELL US WHO THESE GUYS ARE SIGNING WITH? Have we reached those depths of depravity, now? That the story behind the story behind the 98.6% writing about this story who aren't professionally sourced or getting paid to do this for a living, is somehow more significant and symbolizes the times we live in, in terms of sports consumption/sports news....? BRING BACK A SIMPLER ERA, LIKE "THE NATURAL," WHEN BATS HAD NICKNAMES AND EACH TEAM HAD ONE REPORTER COVERING IT FOR THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER...and one radio announcer.

The Lovely Bones? Or The Bone Collector?

SO ANNOYING!!! The only thing one can do is keep refreshing the ESPN.com homepage.

Or $20 million on Jay/Alonso/Castillo. Or almost another $25 million on Nova/Herrera/Colome. $45 million, gone like that...all for a total fWAR of about 4-5.

You can throw in complementary PT and aromatherapy knee massages...

I'm more looking forward to the "application for GM" note/letter/memorandum we should be expecting from a poster (in the thread today) if Machado somehow DOESN'T sign with the Sox...

That's why the whole TWO WHALES THEORY never had any validity...looking at the payrolls exploding in 2022-23-24 (even with Rodon off the roster, and, even then, he could be yet ANOTHER extension candidate, too.) Rodon Moncada Kopech Cease Robert Jimenez Madrigal Lopez Etc.

I'd be contented with a Waffle House in China...

Can someone with FS please interview Madrigal and quickly determine if anyone's talking to him about playing SS still, or they're 100% set on him getting most of his reps at 2B? So we have a 1B who should be DH, a DH who should be 1B, a 2B who could be elite there moving to 3B (where his biggest advantage, range is negated...and biggest disadvantage, hands/glove to throwing motion transfers is amplified), a Gold Glove-caliber (if only better concentration) SS moving to CF and a future Gold Glove 2B playing SS and we wonder what's wrong with the Sox. Not to mention Palka in RF and Jimenez in LF. The only other solid defender (Engel) gives encouragement to middle schoolers referred to as Punch & Judy hitters. (Unless you count Leury and Yolmer, who can never seem to convince everyone they're everyday players.)