caulfield12

So his lawyer paid her off completely without Trump’s knowledge, with his own personal funds (just had $130k lying around)...after the National Inquirer story...but the story is not true? Completely strains credibility. What else is new?

Aside from her big 7.4 percentage-point win, what made Margaret Good’s victory Tuesday night over Republican James Buchanan so significant was that it took place in Florida’s 72nd House District. It had been held by a Republican in Sarasota County, where registered Republicans outnumber Democrats by 12,000, or about 10 percentage points. Buchanan, the son of local Congressman Vern Buchanan, also had an advantage in name ID. And Trump had carried the district by 4.6 percentage points in a state that he won by just 1.2 points in November. But now Trump is too toxic even for Sarasota, say Democrats, who made sure to figuratively hang the unpopular president around the neck of Buchanan as well as the Republicans who lost in the two other recent bellwether contests: Florida’s 40th Senate District in Miami-Dade and St. Petersburg’s mayoral race. Both of those elections had Democratic-leaning electorates with significant minority populations, unlike the 72nd in Sarasota. In all of the races, Democrats made sure to use Vice President Joe Biden as a surrogate. “This is beyond a trend. The results are in. Republicans have a real problem in this state,” said Tom Eldon, a Democratic pollster who surveyed the race. “This is the bellwether seat,” Eldon said. “This seat in Sarasota is the Republicans’ backyard. Anytime Democrats win a seat like this it’s great for Democrats. It happened in 1992. It happened in 2006. And it happened in this seat. This is a bellwether for bad Republican years.” Politico.com

Cordell stood out for his athleticism and tools and has the bat speed and strength to hit for power from the right side. He struggles to control the strike zone at times and has swing and miss tendencies. He has plus speed and seems to be an efficient base stealing threat. Cordell played 6 positions while in the Texas organization but the Brewers played him exclusively in the outfield. MLB Pipeline believes that he is rangy enough to stick in CF but he profiles as an "ideal 4th OF". After arriving in Milwaukee, the outfielder lowered where he loads his hands and slowed down his stride. This helped him tap into his bat speed and allowed for pull power in games. His scouting grades according to mlbpipeline (as of 2017) were: Hit 45/Power 55/Run 60/Arm 55/Field 55. He's very athletic and toolsy but is already 25 years old. He projects to have at least 4 average tools and he's show a propensity to make adjustments at every minor league stop. The profile feels a bit like Jason Coats if he had the speed to play center field. Look for Cordell to have a shot at a MLB job in 2018, but may also spend some time in AAA Charlotte (and in fact could open the season there.) chicagonow.com Cordell and Tilson need to prove themselves in AAA first. Leury starts all over the field like Chone Figgins until he’s traded. Engel is likely a 4th or 5th infielder due to his offensive deficiencies. Willy Garcia your other outfielder.

QUOTE (GermanSock @ Feb 14, 2018 -> 01:26 AM) There is a chance that Burger doesn't stick at third but I still would prefer a shortstop. you can still slide a shortstop to third if needed but you can't put the third baseman in the middle if. Mark Teahen was moved to 2B and OF, although not so successfully...or Gordon Beckham.

I suppose we should add Reed, Santiago and Devenski to the White Sox pitching success stories list...the record is a lot more inspiring on the pitching side, even if it wasn’t always in Chicago.

Profar is competing with three guys for the LF job in Texas. The question is who would the Rangers want back in return? If he could play 3b, that would be huge, as well. The more talent, the better.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Feb 13, 2018 -> 12:37 PM) So was the mens halfpipe qualifier. It will be hard for the actual final (tonight) to measure up to the performance those guys put on last night. It was spectacular. I hope White delivers again cause man he made that look easy last night. You could argue she made it look TOO easy...but there’s never been an a pre-anointed superstar with all the pressure of two nations deliver like that. And, from the Chinese perspective, they took a huge stride forward with a silver medal in a sport they’ve been quickly embracing the past 10-15 years. That medal means thousands of young girls just set their sights on beating Chloe Kim in Beijing on home snow four years from now. It’s great for the X Games too, to expand the world audience to all of Asia.

QUOTE (zenryan @ Feb 13, 2018 -> 12:20 PM) I’ve always liked the Winter games more but I have little interest this time around. I like live sports and it seems like it’s too much of a hassle bc of the time difference. And bc the next two Olympics are in Asia, guess I won’t be caring much until 2024. Or until NHL players are playing. Chloe Kim’s a great story and that was live in prime time.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Feb 13, 2018 -> 12:28 PM) Why not just sign Jose Bautista. Age 37 and huge declines over the last two consecutive years, that’s why. If it wasn’t so obvious, the Blue Jays would bring back their own borderline HoF hitter at this point in his career. They must think he’s done, too. The upside over Davidson/Delmonico/Cordell/any random Garcia just isn’t there.

Not being a believer in Tilson, I would be for playing Dyson out in CF to give some added confidence (two year deal, or one plus an option) to the young pitchers while awaiting the arrival of Robert in 2019/2020. He has consistently been worth nearly 2.5-3 on defensive war alone, and could be had for almost nothing. Of course, we can argue over Leury Garcia outproducing him, but that’s only if he can stay healthy. We can also argue about blocking time for Cordell. And is Leury really a long-term piece? Most would argue no. At any rate, on the same deal or less than Derek Holland signed, it would be a good move to add some veteran, multiple World Series-experienced leadership to help lead the youngsters, especially if they jettison Abreu.

Unless you’re talking about Kahnle and Swarzak as reclamation projects...? Minaya? Miguel Gonzalez? Dunks and Rodon got hurt. What else can we go to, as illustrations, beyond Sale and Q? All the rookies and castoffs competing until mid-September, 2012? Fulmer, until the last 4-6 weeks of this past season, was a huge disappointment. Adams and Tyler Danish. Dylan Covey spun his wheels. Chris Beck was supposedly Top 5-10 talent. We all know the James Shields/Tatis, Jr., story, that’s more on Hahn than Cooper, though. Fwiw, Hansen might be the best development example (so far), with Dunning not far behind. Michael Kopech definitely took a huge (expected) step forward, too. The fact of the matter is the pitching talent level from 2012-16 was usually the excuse, so that’s going to get old fast if they don’t start producing some positive MLB results by the end of 2018. For now, many are far from certain how real/repeatable those Giolito and Fulmer performances actually were. Lopez was expectedly inconsistent/erratic. A big bundle of ?’s.

Britton, A.Miller, Familia, Cody Allen, Kimbrel, Joe Kelly, Robertson, Brach, Herrera...a lot of closers on the market next year. Nathan Eovaldi would be another name to watch for conversion to the pen.

Elementary students told they can't say no when asked to dance — what's happening with school dances? https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/elementary-...-022913785.html

Obama Deep State Operatives in FBI Deliberately Holding Up Background Checks to Make Trump Admin Look Even More Incompetent? Stay tuned for Ron Johnson/Devin Nunes joint presser Ricketts: Pres. Obama and Mayor Rahm Emmanuel influenced Jake Arrieta to sign with MLB team evidencing Democratic-aligned ownership values

He had a really good reputation in the minor leagues, too...all the fans in Augusta really liked the guy and adopted him as one of their own, as much as a Latin American player can be adopted in the Deep South.

QUOTE (WBWSF @ Feb 12, 2018 -> 08:33 PM) They're not going to spend anything now, so there really is no point in saying what they should spend now. Keep in mind this ownership took Sanchez to arbitration over a small amount of money. They're doing the same thing to Ave Garcia. The White Sox probably have the fewest cases going to arbitration of any MLB team the last two decades...

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Feb 12, 2018 -> 08:20 PM) As one of the resident Iowans, these are *not* good numbers for Trump in Iowa. https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/new...eras/302181002/ His favorable/unfavorable is 44/51. The worse numbers come when asked if they would definitely vote for Trump or would be open to considering another candidate in 2020. 26% Definitely Trump 20% Considering voting for another candidate 48% definitely voting for another candidate 5% Not sure I expect that to move back and forth a bit, obviously depending on the democratic candidate, but this is from the best pollster in the state (and regarded by 538 as the best in the country). That 26% seems really low for an incumbent, even with three years left. 54%/33% think Mueller is doing the right thing. It's kind of odd when you dig into the numbers that highlight mostly socially conservative stances among respondents (38/59 against recreational pot, 58/36 for the death penalty in certain circumstances, 55/34 defining life beginning at conception) but some others going different ways (71/25 in favor of planned parenthood funding being restored for non-abortion, 65/26 for a pathway to citizenship for undocumented) and a big split on the wall (30 no matter what, 15 depending on a deal, 50 saying no). Respondents also said that mental health is the biggest crisis facing the state. Moreover, respondents favored a 1% tax increase 67/29 to pay for mental health services/water quality. Having lived here my entire life, a bunch of those numbers are quite interesting. You’re starting with women, minorities and young people all pretty much united against. Trump has done so much damage to the Republican Party with his constant assault on women. While Iowa has more evangelical voters, the demographic trends are going to work against Trump with so many older workers and Boomers feeling their health care and entitlements like SS and Medicare threatened under Ryan. And farmers aren’t seeing any great dividends from administration policies, either.

And pitchers just don’t have the longevity anymore. One more major Giolito injury and Lopez/Fulmer going to the bullpen and we’re suddenly back to Kopech/Hansen/Cease/Dunning and a bunch of unknowns, especially with Rodon’s status so up in the air. That would require filling at least one major rotation hole in free agency, instead of filling two holes in the starting lineup with the MLB equivalent of LBJ and Paul George. If you could pencil in All Star next to Tim Anderson and Carlos Rodon’s names in 2019, it would be much easier to feel 100% confident.

QUOTE (wrathofhahn @ Feb 12, 2018 -> 07:37 PM) If the guys are young enough sure but at this point it's kind of hard to even know where the holes are on the roster. It's all projection and wishful thinking That and the fact that Abreu and Avi Garcia are the two biggest unknowns for the future...and Moncada is their other realistic All-Star despite scuffling for long stretches of 2017. You can project Anderson, Moncada and Jimenez pretty safely into 2019 but everything else is up in the air, with that group of Robert and then Burger/Collins/Rutherford/Adolfo/Sheets having so many possible outcomes. Are Delmonico, Yolmer, Leury or Cordell everyday players? Or just trade bait?

What’s an “expensive” rebuild? 2009-2016? But having Miguel Cabrera instead of the Tigers?

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Feb 12, 2018 -> 03:13 PM) Hope so. The more DJTJ trolls on the internet the more people are going to detest him. Why not just stay in the background? He’s just another proxy for his father, created in the same image. He simply can’t resist, like Eric somehow manages to do. It’s actually pretty remarkable Rep. Steve Scalise is the only pol who was nearly killed last year given the current charged environment, especially on race/religion/immigration/domestic violence/LGBTQ rights.

It’s not even Jiminez, right now. It’s being stuck with Zobrist/Heyward, a lack of elite arms after Edwards in the pen and the defensive hodgepodge that is Happ/Schwarber. Their most desirable trade piece, Baez, is the one with the most positional versatility and best defender, so they can simply not afford to lose him. They really were fortunate to get Wade Davis for Soler last year, but a lot of other breaks have gone their way (Rizzo, Bryant draft, Kendricks, developing one of the best catchers in baseball internally, Lester connection to Epstein). They also don’t have a true CFer or leadoff hitter. And they lost Gleyber Torres for a closer who almost ended up costing them the title, bringing a domestic abuser into their midst before it really cost them with female Cubs’ fans like it MIGHT in a post #metoo world. All those things said, it’s hard to imagine doing any better than 3 consecutive NL Champ series appearances and still having at least 4 or even 5 good shots to get back there again. And while the Brewers and Cards improved, the Pirates and Reds are two more small market teams who are being forced by circumstances to rebuild. Last but not least, undo history and put the Astros back in the NL Central and you might not have a Cubs’ World Series title. But we can do that same exercise with the 2004-2005 Chicago White Sox just as easily, if not moreso.

Kelenic would be the best choice from that write up...but everything will change again completely in 5 months. Don’t really want to risk a pick that high on a pitcher already with one TJ, or high school pitchers in general.

QUOTE (dpd9189 @ Feb 11, 2018 -> 08:58 PM) They might have preferred Darvish to Arrieta but haven't the Cubs been trying to extend Arrieta for a few years now but he wants an Elite contract like Price/Grienke? They were in a spot where they needed a top end SP and if Arrieta/Boras were/are still sticking to their guns of their desired terms, then Theo probably did what he had to do in signing Darvish. I really want to see what Arrieta signs for. I can't see Boras let it being a penny less than the Darvish deal and I have no idea who would give Arrieta that type of deal right now. If the Cubs wouldn't then who will? It will be interesting to see if Arrieta overplayed his hand. https://www.fangraphs.com/pitchfxo.aspx?pla...=P&pitch=FA There’s your answer. Plus, using a lot more pitches, walks up, missed bats down...ip/appearance way down. Also, Cubs can’t afford to get into their bullpen in the fifth or sixth like they used to when they had a better pen.

http://www.espn.com/blog/onenacion/post/_/...s-seasoned-pros Ozzie Guillen was a spring training instructor for Puebla in the Mexican League last year, recruited Endy Chavez to play down there