caulfield12

Well, at least they made a game out of it after the dreadful 1st inning...

What is the morale of the agency, and how will that affect what happens going forward? Reports suggest that the Bureau has not taken Comey’s firing well: One agent told me that people have been “gobsmacked” by the news. This isn’t surprising, considering that Comey made it a point to foster a good relationship with his agency, personally visiting all 56 field offices—twice—after being appointed director. To be sure, Comey’s public commentary regarding the Clinton investigation had also led to some loss of morale, but that had less to do with lack of faith in Comey’s leadership and more to do with the public criticism that the FBI was acting with partisan motives. The FBI has traditionally been able to steer clear of political minefields even while investigating charged issues—think of the Kenneth Starr investigation under President Bill Clinton or the Valerie Plame leak under President George W. Bush (both cases, incidentally, in which neither president interfered)—so being caught in partisan cross hairs is not a space the Bureau is accustomed to occupying. On this front, Comey realized that the FBI needed a public relations makeover. Prior to his firing, he had approved a new documentary TV series on the day-to-day work of the FBI, in order to assure the public that the Bureau is “not on anyone’s side.” Interestingly, the series focuses on the FBI’s traditional investigations into violent crime, harkening back to the J. Edgar Hoover days when popular depictions of “G-men” in comics and movies—often promoted by Hoover himself—glorified FBI agents as the ultimate good guys and bastions of justice. At this point, however, the FBI may not need the PR. It’s possible that the doubt cast on the FBI’s ability to conduct its Russia inquiry at all will in fact spur agents to double down on the investigation, restoring the public’s trust—but maybe not in the way Trump intended. http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/201...answered-215127 Five Questions About the FBI/Russia Investigation Going Forward Answered

Is Joe Mauer still in the HoF or slipping out since his DH/1B days started?

For example: Trump takes two scoops of ice cream with his chocolate cream pie, TIME reported, while everyone else around the table gets just one. TIME reported that Trump brought up how he is trying to mint an arms deal with an African leader who has decades-old human rights concerns, all in the name of spurring American business. Trump declined to name the country. Can Trump lament acrimony in Washington? Yes. But he also can elevate with seven-word sentence. Watching clips of former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and former acting Attorney General Sally Yates' recent Senate testimony, Trump compared to the longtime government officials to dogs. "Watch them start to choke like dogs," Trump said after Sen. Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, asked whether official asked for names of Trump or his associates be revealed in an intelligence report. "Watch what happens. They are desperate for breath." "Ah, he's choking. Ah, look," Trump said after Clapper declined to provide names. "So they surveilled me," he added. "You guys don't write that -- wiretapped in quotes. They surveilled me." http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/11/politics/tru...ream/index.html

Sano is the equivalent of the player that Cubs' fans are hyping with Babe Schwarber....just few know about him because he plays for the Twins.

Well, it's somewhat understandable with Narvaez up next, but not good with the play right in front of him. Not surprised the White Sox have been in the bottom 5 for walk rate over the last five years in all of MLB, and 30th this year. Scouting/evaluation. And it was nice to see Avi turn viciously on an inside pitch and pull it.

But none of this matters to Trump. It never has. As Louise Sunshine, a former Trump organization employee told me months ago, Trump had always lobbed grenades -- and then walked away. "Nobody ever knew when he walked in a meeting what he was going to say or do because he didn't," she said. "Donald has always managed to walk into a meeting and say something that nobody else expected him ever to say, upend the entire meeting, leave everybody agog, and control every situation that way, so by the time he leaves the room, he has the store, he owns the store." But this isn't Trump's store anymore. Trump has clearly learned little in office. He still throws tantrums, and his staff is sent to clean up the mess. http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/11/opinions/no-...rger/index.html Gloria Borger, No One Can Save Trump From I'll do some of Rabbit's work for him... Now, if the New York Times journalists would read their own newspaper they could go back for a few months and read the story about how a good deal of the fake news stories actually came out of Macedonia. That is to say not Greek Macedonia, but the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. It was a commercial enterprise, and so far as to begin with, according to the New York Times, these fake news stories were targeting Clinton and Trump alike. They discovered in Macedonia that stories targeting Clinton actually got more clicks and therefore generated more revenue, and so therefore they started flooding the internet with more stories with regard to Clinton. That speaks to the question of how the Trump base is more maniacal than the so called Clinton base. Not only that, they have more money so they can waste money on click bait. Now, that's the story that should be pursued that is not being pursued. PAUL JAY: Again, if in fact the DNC hack, which was the one that raised the issues in the first place in the campaign ... There's been so little in the press made. Of course, the Democratic party leadership don't want to make the issue, but it was about ... The most important thing was how corrupt the DNC was, how they weren't following their own rules and guidelines on impartiality in the primary. Whether it was Schultz or Donna Brazile, these are far more grave than releasing this information. I mean, the point they're trying to get at here in terms of the investigations is was there some direct connivance between the Trump campaign and the Russians on this. But I would have thought it's far more serious what the DNC did. GERALD HORNE: Well, certainly there are many aspects of the Trump-Russia connection that are worthy of investigation. First of all there are stories already that have been published concerning properties owned by Mr. Trump in south Florida that were sold to Russian interests for 100% profit or more at the same time that similar properties in that region were not sold for so handsome a profit. Then there's the question of Russian oligarchs buying condos in Trump properties and paying a pretty penny for same. Then there's stories about one of Mr. Trump's sons talking off the cuff about Russian capital flooding into Trump golf courses. ... The face of the military industrial complex, as I was saying earlier, is not the Democratic party. It's John McCain and his allies, and they have a tremendous hate on for Trump, not only just at the level of this geopolitical issue, but John McCain brought Robert Mercer, who is the billionaire connected to Renaissance Technologies ... If you follow The Real News we've done many stories and a whole documentary film on how Robert Mercer backed Trump and made him President. Bannon worked for Mercer, Kellyanne Conway worked for Mercer. Well, Mercer is Co-CEO of Renaissance Technologies. When McCain called the Co-CEO of Renaissance to testify over almost $7 billion tax bill that Renaissance is fighting with with the IRS, McCain became the enemy of Robert Mercer. So what happens? Fast forward to the primaries when McCain is running in the last primary. Donald Trump supports the opponent of McCain and Robert Mercer finances the opponent of the campaign. So McCain has tremendous hatred and opposition at a personal level and in terms of the geopolitics with Trump. So yeah, I think there's going to be some real allies to go after Trump on this Russia issue within the Republican party. http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option...p;jumival=19060

(CNN)President Donald Trump acknowledged in a new interview that the combative nature of his administration could be his fault -- though he also cites "a great meanness" in society that's to blame. "It could be my fault," Trump told Time magazine when asked directly if he feels his administration has been too combative. "I don't want to necessarily blame, but there's a great meanness out there that I'm surprised at." http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/11/politics/don...tive/index.html

Greg didn't vote for Trump or Clinton. Write-in candidate.

What Balta is saying, basically: Did you vote for Moran or Roberts? Your member of the House, not sure where you live in KS, would either be Yoder (KC/Johnson Cty) or Jenkins (closer to Topeka). Did you vote for either of them?

Trump has told associates he wouldn't fire Spicer because he pulls in good ratings — often outdrawing the daytime soap operas as the cable channels carry his daily briefings live. At the start of the administration, Spicer's news conference brought combined ratings of about 4.3 million viewers. This past Monday, about 3 million people tuned in during the hour Spicer was on television, according to Nielsen ratings of CNN, MSNBC and Fox News. When Sanders was at the podium on Friday, the ratings were 2.7 million across the three cable channels. The rest of this week will provide a better picture of Sanders' ratings. "Spicer rates," one top Republican aide on Capitol Hill said. "That's the top thing that matters." But before Spicer gets back to the podium, he’s got to get past Melissa McCarthy. Her dead-on impersonation of Spicer has bothered Trump, and she will host "Saturday Night Live" this weekend. “That may be the death knell,” a White House official said snarkily. http://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/10/t...uditions-238241 Trump Fires Comey: "He got tired of him." Trump did not appreciate that Comey declared his campaign to be under investigation on live TV, said two people who know the president well. He didn’t like that Comey contradicted his unsubstantiated accusation that President Barack Obama tapped his phone line at Trump Tower. And Trump was displeased that the FBI seemed uninterested in pursuing investigations into the leaks he believes are weakening his administration. “He got tired of him,” one White House official said. “I think that’s how you would explain it. He got really tired of him.” ... Others who know Trump say the dynamics were more complicated. He griped about Comey for several days, including in late-night calls from the White House residence. He was looking for a reason to fire the FBI director — and the memo was written in part to suit his desire, according to one adviser and one White House official. Trump was warned about the firing by Reince Priebus, who believed the fallout could become problematic for the White House, according to two people close to the president. White House press secretary Sean Spicer robustly denied that in a late-night call Tuesday, saying the decision was made only on Tuesday. Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and prized adviser, supported the move. Internally, most advisers and aides didn’t know about the looming firing and were taken aback when it became public. “I learned about it on TV,” another administration official said Wednesday. http://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/10/c...-loyalty-238239

Perhaps the other reason you label yourself Republican is for longstanding moral/religious reasons (going back to the culture wars of the 80's and 90's). We can also argue which side the Catholic Church is on, depends where you grow up. In Boston or NYC, you're definitely a Democrat.

Did the Secret Service sweep the White House for bugs planted by TASS/FSB operatives?

Micker Adolfo is the next Luis Robert, minus the speed. I guess that's one way to spin a non-signing disappointment. And saving $50-60 million. Hopefully they put it in Berkshire-Hathaway A shares and get the historical 20.63% ROI.

In fluff pieces, Gordon Beckham was one of the best hitters in baseball. Maybe he'll figure it out, right now, it just seems like he has too many things going on in his head. Towel drills, which PTAC is against, downward plane, leg drive, adding a slider, fastball command/control...maybe he's thinking too much and just not going out there and throwing like when he was successful. Not to mention he has to be nervous changing ANYTHING about his mechanics and being rightfully concerned it could lead to another injury. 2nd TJ surgeries are death sentences for most pitchers. From some of those articles, he's just waiting "for things to click," almost like it's going to be some magical moment where the rest is all downhill from there. At any rate, it will be an interesting story, one way or the other. Hopefully we get the Walt Disney ending. And, fwiw, this is one area where it seems the White Sox are really taking the right approach with Hansen, even if it means letting opposing runners steal with abandon while he's focusing on other areas of pitching. Get the basics squared away, then work on the secondary aspects of the game.

QUOTE (bmags @ May 10, 2017 -> 03:10 PM) I think, trying to catch my bearings, but I think the part this is kind of astonishing to me is in Sanders press conference how they are not backing down that this was Trump driving this decision. Their desire to show how he is in charge is superseding what should be talking points that this was an organic decision from the DOJ. edit: and a much smaller point, but the bar for Trump spokespeople is so low. It is insane that on the most important presser of her life she used the word atrocities to describe Comeys actions. You are in gov! I hope you mean Sarah Huckabee and not Bernie...

Not to mention one of Fulmer, Lopez, Giolito, Kopech and Hansen, if not two. Maybe Adams amps up his velocity in short bursts, etc. Still need a dominant lefty like a Radinsky, Cotts in 2005, Marte, Thornton.

Guess we need to send that SoxTalk scouting crew to do an investigation of Luis Robert instead...

QUOTE (greg775 @ May 10, 2017 -> 01:06 PM) Cmon. If Spirit is a carrier, some people are going to fly it and expect the planes to show up, etc. Some smaller airlines were known for their great service, like that one that gave out the warm cookie, I forget which one that was. Just cause the company is small and upstart doesn't mean the customer should expect s*** service. Midwest Express

Familia really blew up today in the 9th. Probably a lost cause this season, with Harvey likely to be dumped and Cespedes battling health issues. Granderson might be done, has had a good career.

Taylor, you're free to make up your own thread. That's generally how websites work. 70-80% of threads won't go anywhere, and maybe 20-30% will be worthwhile. And the conversation finally shifted to my original purpose, which I certainly could have accomplished without making a list of players and just written a generic sentence or two. But hot takes are more fun, right? I did that with Giolito this week in the minor league thread, sometimes there needs to be a devil's advocate when everything gets a little too one-sided around here.

QUOTE (greg775 @ May 10, 2017 -> 02:18 PM) I was in favor of his free college education for all. College kids debt sucks especially when so many degrees assure nothing in the workplace. Tax wall street for free college was brilliant idea. I was in favor of raising the minimum wage. He basically was at war with the 1 percenters. I like that. He wanted marijuana legalized. I like that. He didn't like the way campaigns were funded. I like his theories on health care. And yes superfically I did "feel the bern." Hey not everybody is an issues person. You can "feel it" as well. As far as Republicans I've always liked the way they handle foreign policy and the economy. And I feel Reagan is god, small g. p.s. Jimmy Carter today says he voted for Bernie Sanders. Maybe greg wasn't so wrong. Hmmmmm. You're 60-75% Democrat. Please note how well the stock market did under Clinton and Obama vs. the Bushes. Nobody in America would ever be able to retire on gains during Republican administrations. And supply side economics....cutting taxes for the rich and corporations, has never worked anywhere. Reagan tried to destroy labor unions, a movement that certainly continues today in Republican orthodoxy. Bernie's diametrically opposed to GOP on most tax and trade policies. Unless you're agreeing with Trump in NAFTA and TPP, but then Trump's not really a Republican anymore than you are. 98% of the GOP disagrees on Trump's trade policy.

Single payer health care, Medicare for all. Less US intervention in foreign policy or general disinterest in being global policeman, more like Trump's original position. Support for labor/middle class vs. corporations. Against TPP and NAFTA. Free or highly subsidized universal college tuition. Breaking up big Wall Street banks, separation from investment and commercial banks, stronger regulations, etc.

Swanson's season so far is making Tim Anderson look almost decent in comparison. That one is an enigma.

Since everyone in this thread is so bored, you can analyze on your own how fast Luis Robert is...and hopefully his name won't be added to the list in the next month.