caulfield12

10 Degrees: MLB's enormous attendance drop due to bad weather or something far worse for baseball? https://sports.yahoo.com/10-degrees-mlbs-en...-152051024.html

Colon would have bumped up 2017 WAR by 1. Behind Red Sox by 0.2. Josh Phegley 0.0

https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/comments/...ams_of_2017_oc/ 10. Former White Sox (86-76) Position Players: C Alex Avila, C Tyler Flowers, 1B Jose Martinez, 2B Eduardo Escobar, SS Marcus Semien, 3B Todd Frazier, 1B/3B Gordon Beckham, 2B/SS Micah Johnson, OF Austin Jackson, OF Adam Eaton, OF Gorkys Hernandez, OF Alejandro De Aza Pitchers: SP Chris Sale, SP Jeff Samardzija, SP Gio Gonzalez, SP Clayton Richard, SP Jose Quintana, RP Chris Devenski, RP David Robertson, RP Addison Reed, RP Matt Albers, RP Tommy Kahnle, RP Anthony Swarzak, RP Boone Logan, RP Javy Guerra Total 2017 fWAR: 38.4 WAR The name that really stands out today is Carlos Martinez’s son Jose on the Cardinals...who became a minor league free agent after playing for the Barons in 2012 after six plus years in the Sox system (missed all of 2009). Bounced from Braves to Royals and of course became yet another productive young player (now 29) for the Cardinals. http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/pro...ID=141436#Tranx If you count Tyler, Escobar, Semien, Trayce Thompson, Martinez and Tatis, Jr., it’s not SO terrible. Of course, none of those players are on the Sox currently. Todd Frazier’s really playing well ths year, too, fwiw. Guess you can add Derek Holland for SFG now, too. Clippard. 1. Ex Cubs 103-59 2. Ex Padres 99-63 3. Ex D Backs 96-66 cost LaRussa and Stewart their jobs 4. Ex Braves 94-68 6. Ex Tigers 90-72 DDombrowski 7. Ex A’s 89-73 8/9 Yankees/Red Sox 10. White Sox 86-76 Here’s the Cubs list Former Cubs (103-59) Position Players: C Welington Castillo, C Robinson Chirinos, 1B Justin Bour, 2B Josh Harrison, SS Ronald Torreyes, 3B Josh Donaldson, 1B/3B Luis Valbuena, 2B/SS Starlin Castro, OF Marwin Gonzalez, OF Dexter Fowler, OF Austin Jackson, OF Lane Adams Pitchers: SP Chris Archer, SP Jeff Samardzija, SP Zack Godley, SP Rich Hill, SP Clayton Richard, RP Joe Smith, RP Blake Parker, RP Aroldis Chapman, RP Fernando Rodney, RP Adam Warren, RP Tommy Hunter, RP Chris Rusin, RP Jerry Blevins Total 2017 fWAR: 55.1 WAR Then there’s Gleyber Torres...McKinney...Soler.

Pretty amazing how many position players the Astros discovered...not even on their roster. JD Martinez Jonathan Villar Singleton Robbie Grossman Preston Tucker Domingo Santana 19. Former Astros (80-82) Position Players: C Jason Castro, C Eric Kratz, 1B Luis Valbuena, 2B Jed Lowrie, SS Ronald Torreyes, 3B Rio Ruiz, 1B/3B Chris Carter, 2B/SS Jonathan Villar, OF J.D. Martinez, OF Domingo Santana, OF Dexter Fowler, OF Delino DeShields Pitchers: SP J.A. Happ, SP Dan Straily, SP Mike Foltynewicz, SP Doug Fister, SP Scott Feldman, RP Pat Neshek, RP Josh Hader, RP Matt Albers, RP Bud Norris, RP Mark Melancon, RP Fernando Abad, RP Josh Fields, RP Oliver Perez Total 2017 fWAR: 32.4 WAR

Indians...

“Russia and China are playing the Currency Devaluation game as the U.S. keeps raising interest rates. Not acceptable!”? How did he get into Wharton again? The RMB has gone from the 6.8-7.0 band all the way back down to 6.27/28 again. About a 10% rise in value since 2016. That’s actually called strengthening, not devaluing. Ugh. It makes imports cheaper and exports less competitive. The U.S. Treasury said in a semiannual report Friday that no major U.S. trading partner met the qualifications for being labeled a currency manipulator. China remained on the Treasury's "monitoring list" for currency practices and macroeconomic policies, while Russia is not on the list. In recent weeks, the Chinese yuan has hit its strongest against the U.S. dollar since the surprise devaluation of the currency in August 2015. The yuan was trading near 6.28.

http://www.milb.com/multimedia/vpp.jsp?con...83&sid=milb This ball as absolutely crushed by Adolfo...looked like a changeup or hanging slider 387 ft homer to lcf on low/outside fb http://www.milb.com/multimedia/vpp.jsp?con...83&sid=milb The White Sox are hopeful that outfield prospect Micker Adolfo can avoid elbow surgery, at least for now, and perhaps open the season as the designated hitter for Class A Advanced Winston-Salem. "He swings the bat without pain," White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. "The consensus from the doctors is that he will not do additional damage from hitting." Adolfo was diagnosed with a tear in the flexor muscle and a strain of his ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow after reporting soreness following throwing drills last week. Hahn cautioned that Adolfo -- the White Sox No. 14 prospect -- may still need surgery at some point. "Doesn't mean there won't potentially be a surgery to repair this later in the season," Hahn said. "The goal is let's get as many at-bats as we can reasonably get in 2018. We thought that was a preferable path to missing the entire '18 season. "Now, as Micker knows, he has to speak up if something changes, if he starts feeling pain or for whatever reason, there's a change in there. Again, our doctors don't think there's a heightened risk from him hitting doing additional damage, and we don't foresee it being an issue. But if it is, we'll adjust." For his part, Adolfo, who was limited to 91 games by injuries from 2015-16, was happy with the plan. "It doesn't bother me hitting, so I'm really going to take advantage of this time and continue getting better as a hitter and figuring things out," he said. "Hopefully, that helps. "It's like a blessing. The team knows what's best. We have a plan and hopefully that plan works out. I know it will. Obviously, it sucks that I'm not going to be able to play defense and continue working out in right field, but this is a major opportunity for me to get better at the plate. That's what they pay you for at the big league level." Mlb.com

Oops, thought he was reacting to Clarkin and not Cease. With Cease, it's the overwhelming stuff right off the bat in ST...carrying over to the regular season as well. For example, the fact that he's not pitched SIX complete innings in a game, he never did that (entire MILB career) up until his last start.

QUOTE (Chicago White Sox @ Apr 15, 2018 -> 10:03 PM) I think you’re overreacting to two good starts. Well, considering most of the board has Stephens going to the bullpen...Clarkin, theoretically, has a bit more value as a LHP and theoretical #4/5 starter. Now whether he's ahead of Guerrero, I'll let those who follow the minors more closely make that decision in terms of the upsides for each.

QUOTE (Reddy @ Apr 15, 2018 -> 09:42 PM) Your thoughts on folks like Jones, Manchin, Tester, etc? (not ignoring our other convo, just on the phone and can't write lengthy responses) Heitkamp and McCaskill are also part of this convo...McCaskill should have an advantage now with the Greitens (gov) fiasco Joe Donnelly (IND), for sure. Michael Bennet/Mark Warner/Tim Kaine/Gary Peters/Chris Coons/Tom Carper

Can we argue that Clarkin is now ahead of Guerrero/Stephens as the next starter in line after Dunning? 1) Kopech 2A) Cease 2B) Hansen (I know some will argue it's not quite fair to jump Cease up so quickly, but...) 3) Dunning 4) Clarkin 5/6) Guerrero or Stephens

QUOTE (Dam8610 @ Apr 15, 2018 -> 08:41 PM) I don't necessarily think tariffs and trade wars are a good idea, but I definitely think the unions and the strengthening of them and their rights to collectively bargain are good things and weakening of those things and siding with corporate interests against workers is bad. That was one of the pillars of Conor Lamb's campaign. And it pretty much had to be to win in that particular district...

So you're on the side of Lamb and Trump on the tariffs...? That's an interesting one that splits the DNC/Corporate/Moderate-Aligned/Rubin-Clinton-Obama/Goldman Sachs "centrists" of the party against the progressive leftist wing. The trick for Dems on the national level is appealing to BOTH sides of the party...which probably makes NEITHER side happy, right?

Or Joe Cowley...one of the "worst" no-hitters of all-time. Melido Perez, rain-shorted no-hitter.

I never have read ANYWHERE they had a plan to play him in the outfield this season...that they were going to go as far as they could getting him as many at-bats as possible at DH, then likely go with the surgery and shut him down. Or HOPE the injury healed on its own and wait until 2019 for him to return to RF.

And I'm not sure than even swapping out Benintendi for Moncada (which would have been impossible due to his rookie season's positive results) would have put the franchise in an even better position...because there are clear limits to Benintendi's ceiling (see Ian Happ). Borderline All-Star, sure, because of the team he plays for, put not a franchise-altering type of talent, either.

What would be the market for that movie if they took the "kid gloves" approach? This way, they pick up a lot of viewers on the right side of the political spectrum that have never admired the Kennedys or their political dynasty and enjoy seeing it torn down. On the left, more of a tinge of sadness...Kennedy did great things in the Senate, but that 1968-1974 period essentially destroyed the family's chances of ever winning the presidency again. It's also difficult to not see the cover-up and hubris on display and compare it to the current occupants of the WH...actually, pretty much impossible not to make that connection. Supposedly, Jason Clarke put in a very good performance.

New England’s biggest GOP donor is funding Democrats Boston hedge fund billionaire Seth Klarman lavished more than $7 million on Republican candidates and political committees during the Obama administration, using his fortune to help underwrite a GOP takeover of the federal government. But the rise of Donald Trump shocked and dismayed Klarman, as did the timid response from the Republican-controlled House and Senate, which have acquiesced rather than challenge the president’s erratic and divisive ways. So, in an astonishing flip, Klarman, at one point New England's most generous donor to Republicans, is taking his money elsewhere: He’s heaping cash on Democrats.

Interest from young people/families, although Harper, Trout, Ohtani and Judge are helping there...along with the football concussions issue. Attendance for tanking teams (although not a killer for revenue, it’s not a good trend, and relates to Problem 1.)

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 15, 2018 -> 03:20 PM) Supposedly a good chunk of the Eaton package is what started out as the offer for Chris Sale. If we accepted that package, it’s not even a sure thing we get Devers or Moncada for Eaton, let alone Kopech and Basabe. Comes down to believing we actually could receive Robles, Giolito and Lopez or Dunning for Sale...or all four.

But even those occasions are unlikely to divert the President's mind from the ever-expanding controversies. Seemingly by the day, the legal distractions have mounted. And next week will provide little respite. ABC is set to air its full interview with Comey on Sunday evening. And on Monday, Cohen is scheduled to appear before a US district judge in New York to explain his business practices, which have allegedly included orchestrating hush money payments on Trump's behalf. Stormy Daniels, the adult film actress who alleges she had sex with Trump and was paid for her silence, will be sitting in the courtroom. cnn.com Interestingly enough, Trump?€™s popularity ratings are peaking as well...with some polls having him at 40 or low 40?€™s. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/james-comey...ory?id=54474666 Comey interview with Stephanopolous at 9 pm CST on ABC News.

There’s no rush...you don’t move him until after mid June, when the MILB all-star games are played. The Sox will want those guys to win together as a unit and progress on a fairly similar timeline. Plus I feel they are supportive of Vizquel as manager and want to see him succeed, at least win the First Half playoff spot.

Ohtani will go on eight day?€™s rest against the Red Sox on Tuesday. First real test against a top hitting team. The Kansas City Royals-Los Angeles Angels game at Kauffman Stadium on Sunday afternoon was postponed because of cold weather. Temperature at the stadium around 1 p.m. Sunday was 31 degrees with a wind chill of 20. Shohei Ohtani was scheduled to start for the Angels Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/#storylink=cpy http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-colum...e208958234.html Royals’ fans blast team/MLB for last minute decision to call the game

Let’s put it this way. The Dems (progressives in particular) have to be open to the Conor Lamb?€™s and Doug Joneses of the world to take back the House. No litmus tests. Let?€™s not forget Sanders/Our Revolution has supported a few pro-life and gun rights candidates as well in conservative districts. The gun issue is evolving daily, though. On a national basis, there has to be some compromise in 2020. You can?€™t have Kaine as a VP, and you shouldn?€™t have Sanders/Warren either if you?€™re completely serious about winning, no matter how stacked the deck looks against the GOP on a national basis at the current moment. The Dems also have to make a decision where they are on trade...and it’s not an easy one, as Hillary’s waffling demonstrated. https://medium.com/s/jeremiad/the-unfortuna...il-bd1063814dc0 This article is a bit philosophical...but the two choices for the country (and world) are not so obvious moving forward

They upped the total vote turnout percentage from 24/25 (expected) to 29. That said, a Clinton presidency and/or no pedophilia accusations against Moore drawing so much attention to the race...not to mention Trump originally supporting Luther Strange, and the whole election would have been a nothing burger. Or Sessions would still be comfortably holding his seat.