caulfield12

QUOTE (ChiSox59 @ Jan 23, 2017 -> 08:24 PM) Huh? My post has nothing to do with the Cubs, and I was talking about acquiring pitching prospects. No idea where you're going w this one. They're always the default example because they are the antithesis of the Sox, stockpiling positional talent. Someone earlier in the thread posted that stockpiling, let's say 10-12 pitching prospects, would inevitably diminish their value becaause not all of them could possibly populate the roster...some would end up blocked, and theoretically the Sox would have less leverage in trade negotiations. That's the theory, at least.

Forsythe had put up some pretty impressive war numbers when healthy...has that Maddon/TB positionally flexibility Friedman still apparently covets, and Kiki Hernandez was brutal last year in that role. Also seems like the Twins overplayed their hand. What do they do with Dozier now? They still can't compete with him, and won't pay him to forego free agency.

So essentially the worst case scenario is their hitters (Cubs) still brought valuable pieces back. On the other hand, you could look at injuries to Rauch, Stumm, Biddle, Barcelo, Wright, Parque, etc., and argue the best collection of pitching prospects in the game 15 years took a pretty huge hit. Ginter was overhyped, another big name that comes to mind. Sirotka and Baldwin went down as well, although they came earlier, along with Snyder. Buehrle, Fogg, Garland and Kip Wells were the only ones to have long/er starting careers. That's a huge swath of talent that was basically turned into Todd Ritchie and Damaso Marte. Were it not for trading position prospects for Garcia and lucking out with Contreras for Loiaza, they would have been screwed. The two best since then, McCarthy and Hudson, also eventually went down. So all that...TJS risk and especially labrum/shoulder issues, are what make those 60's equal 55's. If not for the blip up in reliever values, you could even argue 60=52.5, and also for the fact it's been impossible to pry young hitting prospects loose this offseason after the Sale trade and the Chapman/Miller deals at the deadline. Or you can argue the White Sox in recent years have done an excellent job by and large keeping pitchers healthy compared to other orgs.

QUOTE (ChiSox59 @ Jan 23, 2017 -> 04:26 PM) And then what? Let their value go to s*** because you don't have enough spots in the rotation in a year or two - so you're either moving SP prospects to the bullpen out of necessity, or you're keeping them in AAA because there is no room? Again, I am not saying the Sox should take less in a trade to get a bat. But the headliner in a Q deal should be a bat. I don't mind taking back another pitching prospect, but I want multiple bats for Q. Taking a Glasnow, Keller, Newman + package, and saying f*** it, we'll acquire hitters later from our excess pitching is going to bite us in the ass down the line. Other than Soler, what elite Cubs' prospect has lost value for this reason? Vogelbach? Fringey.

If Pop looed like JFK Jr., he'd be a shoo-in.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Jan 23, 2017 -> 04:02 PM) Often times for the most expensive procedures, there isn't actually time to "price shop" because it's an emergency situation and even if you could, there are very strong emotional incentives against choosing the cheapest option when it comes to your own life and well-being. Market forces don't work in health care for a variety of reasons. More in terms of the costs of getting diagnostic tests done, pretty wild variations and fairly arbitrary in terms of willingness to adjust if you try to dispute the charges. And yeah, emergency situations...no time, but aftercare, inpatient vs. outpatient, there should at least be more options available. In theory, that competition should help to improve costs and force the lower quality providers out of the market. A good example was raised today. In those state reimbursements, they can hold back 2% for state population wellness...let's say, HIV and AIDS prevention in Louisiana, which has huge problems with this particular issue. Every state is better positioned to determine on a local level how best to allocate those funds. Iowa or Wisconsin might use it more for elderly/senior care programs due to aging populations, for another example. As long as the revenues provided states are the same or higher than under ACA, the argument that Washington can better administer the program doesn't hold up. That said, we won't have "replace" fully functioning until 2020, an election year. And we won't know how the insurance markets and pools will react until at least 2018/19. We do know that a lot of insurers opted out because the Medicaid reimbursements were too low...it went from 23 to 5. Arizona, obviously an aging state with numerous retirees, saw over 100% premium hikes in the last year, and had some counties that almost ended up with nobody willing to cover from an insurance pool standpoint.

ACA was also causing numerous issues with rural health care...let's see the GOP fix for that.

QUOTE (ChiSox59 @ Jan 23, 2017 -> 01:59 PM) Also have Avi and Davidson listed as DHs. They're looking at Asche for RF or DH? Isn't he more of a LF? Well, Melky will be gone and it likely won't matter 2-3 years from now anyway, other than positioning their 2018 draft picks.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 23, 2017 -> 10:06 AM) Even if you throw out the division aspect, I don't see them having a top end position player future star that would catch the Sox interest. Makes zero sense...but it would probably be some combination of Cuthbert (who they might DH and need for 3b in the future), Strahm (who they need this year), Zimmer (Mr. Injury) and Mondesi Jr. (stock is down). If they could acquire also Cain and get him to sign an extension foregoing free agency, but that realistically won't happen.

That's why someone had Bill Nye the Science Guy as well. I basically just went through 3-4 existing responses to this question and threw all the names together. For someone with a science background to make it, something close to cataclysmic will need to happen in the world first...where it's hard to logically claim there's no tie to global warming/pollution. If there were elections here in China...that moment would be getting closer and closer, especially for cities from Beijing/Tianjin to Shanghai to Nanjing, in that triangle of dangerous pollutants in the air everyday. Another version of An Inconvenient Truth is needed, with Gore basically gone from the scene.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Jan 23, 2017 -> 12:31 PM) I'm interested in the middle part...why would a grad student like you end up dead because of this clause? Trying to better understand, becuase even when the system was broken, wasn't there the ability to go to free health clinics or in an emergency just go to an emergency room. Not saying it was a good answer, can then such person is saddled with debt, but I thought people could still get treatment at certain types of hospitals regardless. Remember, I am pro healthcare for all, just trying to understand. There are a not insignificant number of people with ACA plans where the deductible is set at $4000-$6000. That doesn't make sense. That's basically catastrophic insurance, but it's going to expose families to either financial ruin or not seeking urgent care that could be life saving in that $1000-$3000 range (because it would all end up out of pocket), which covers quite a bit of threatening eventualities. Another issue being addressed is transparency. When possible, you should be able to keep your own doctor from previous plans. You especially should be told the cost for any test or procedure at 3-4 competing health centers and hospitals so you can make a determination of quality vs. cost, and the hospitals should be forced to compete with each other on pricing...rather than just dumping a completely unexpected bill on a patient when it's too late for them to make an informed decision.

Get used to hearing the word "robust." He did do much better with the press this time around...and the Cassidy/Collins health care fix has some pretty interesting suggestions in it, to be fair. How the CBO scores it, who knows, but it appears they're willing to allow any state that wants to keep ACA can do that...the coordination and plan can be turned over to individual states OR people can decline coverade completely with no penalty. With the health savings accounts, it will basically automatically add everyone into those programs just like Social Security works, so technically more people will be receiving SOME form of coverage. Obviously evening out the risk pools will be the key, but that's the first time in years an actual plan has been presented by the GOP. In fact, by allowing states to choose, it shows the potential to pick off Democratic states/senators whose objections should be muted by being able to retain Obamacare. Pretty smart politics, and it was basically forced on them by Trump, instead of merely repealing it. As it stands right now, 30 million Americans are still without coverage. The infrastructure investments will be popular because the cities/mayors will have access to those funds...instead of it being under state control like the Obama infrastructure money early in his administrstion, which wasn't allocated all that effectively or efficiently imo.

Let's see if Sean Spicer can recover his integrity in the next hour or so. Conway is already toast. Tomi Lahren or Hope Hicks will be the next lambs to the slaughter...but hopefully someone will actually push back against Trump and stand their ground. The scary thing is some really respected media members were shocked that Spicer went so far against previous character in carrying water for the new administration on such a nonsensical issue.

Lemonis has shown interest in running?...that's the hardest part in today's polarized climate, convincing someone it's worth it to him and his family. Does he want 1/3rd of the electorate questioning that every move he makes is secretly showing favoritism to the Middle East or Muslims? Kennedy went through it about the Pope, obviously Obama...ut also seems to be too good to be true. We're so used to being disappointed and disillusioned by flawed politicians/scandals.

You can forget Hansen and probably even Fulmer in the Top 100 if Collins is so low. Same with Burdi. Not sure what his opinion on Basabe is?

The only truism here is Jordan is the GOAT.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 23, 2017 -> 07:13 AM) This sounds like a Donald Trump speech. You aren't going to say it out right. You are just going to make a bunch of innuendo and hints about it, and pretend that isn't what you are saying so you can be right with both sides, and then just make up anything else to fit the narrative. You can't just take an offer to another team for another player and assume that is what we are being offered, especially when a report is out there that contradicts that. C'mon, you've never heard of alternative facts?

Manchester by the Sea was excellently acted but way too depressing. American Honey is one of those low budget movies that you should see...Shia LeBouf does his best Frank TJ Mackey (Magnolia reference) and just maybe still has a career ahead of him.

Day 4 begins National Parks Service employees banned from using official twitter account https://www.yahoo.com/style/national-parks-...-172739369.html First conflict of interest lawsuit filed...with lots of huge legal names like Harvard's Laurence Tribe attached. This will likely be thrown out due to lack of standing. They're going to have to find a competing upper tier hotel in DC that's clearly losing business to Trump's and not afraid to stand up to him publicly. https://www.yahoo.com/news/ethics-lawyers-s...-051119236.html Trump's son Eric Trump, an executive vice president of the Trump Organization, told the Times on Sunday that the company had taken more steps than required by law to avoid any possible legal exposure, such as agreeing to donate any profits collected at Trump-owned hotels that come from foreign government guests to the U.S. Treasury. "This is purely harassment for political gain," Trump told the newspaper. According to Conway over the weekend, Trump tax returns will not be turned over despite 120,000+ petitioning on first day at new Trump WhiteHouse.gov website. Had promised an update or response on any issue/petition that gathered at least 100k online signatures or more. Has been a tradition for both candidates to do so going back to 1976.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/st...m=.63ab73ecb38d The traditional way of reporting about the president is officially dead, Spicer already killed it. Maybe the entire press should just ignore him for a month and see what happens with nobody to fight with or antagonize? Fox News could still carry his press conferences live...since he wants a controlled media with no hostile questions like Russia or China. I think he would get bored eventually with nothing but sycophants and butt kissers around him, but probably am overestimating his humanity.

QUOTE (reiks12 @ Jan 22, 2017 -> 07:44 PM) Actually dont believe its postering anymore. I think Luhnow is this delusional like his fanbase. Posturing. As opposed to Michael Jordan's forte against defenders at the rim.

The Red Sox still don't trust Sandoval. Moncada and Devers were their future at 3b...with Pedroia holding down second for at least 2-3 more years. You can't trade both options if you're Dombrowski. If Devers was a corner outfielder, he would have been much more expendable. But yeah, Sale and Frazier together would have made sense...but they have to muddle through this year hoping for the best at this point at that position while waiting on Devers to arrive.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/russia-set-move-...-071739318.html Russia moves closer to decriminalizing domestic violence. Party like it's 1953....err, 2017. Simply can't wait for Obama's sanctions to be lifted and our first trade and military cooperation agreements to be signed with them!!! Great day, beautiful day for all thugs and bullies who have Bobby Knight-like attitudes toward women...Putin, Duterte, Assad, Trump, Ergoyan. We should start to call it The Alliance of Excellence.

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/201...ight-now-214678 America, You Look (Exactly) Like An Arab Country Right Now The moment at which we felt real solidarity with the American people, though, was when we started hearing BBC reporters talking to your citizens with the patronizing tone they normally reserve for the Middle East. Correspondents were sent to far-flung corners of the United States to talk to farmers and factory workers to try to understand how they feel and to ask condescending questions. I’m from the British Broadcasting Corporation, are you familiar with the BBC? Where do you get your news from? Do you feel angry? Does religion play a role in how you are voting?. (The only thing missing were pictures of people with blue ink on their thumbs; please consider introducing that practice in the future.) There was talk, too, of rural strongholds and urban bastions. Deep social and geographic divisions whose origins go back in time. They’re not quite tribal divisions, but there was more than enough religious and political sectarianism to ignite our interest. Who are the liberals and the conservatives and how did their disagreement begin? What’s the difference between alt-right and the Tea Party? What’s the origin of the schism between the neo-conservatives and paleoconservatives? Watching foreign correspondents trying to explain the differences was mesmerizing. And then there’s the unrest. In the lead up to the inauguration, we started to hear about youth protests against the new regime. Come on! This is bordering on plagiarism now. Please write your own plots and stop borrowing ours. Although, we usually wait for leaders to take power before we start protesting; we like your preemptive revolution approach.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Jan 22, 2017 -> 03:42 PM) Trump is a thin-skinned egomaniac, no doubt about that. For many decades now, he's never faced any opposition in the business world from anybody. Everybody's kissed his butt, so to speak for decades. America knew this and still elected him president. So big deal. If he can do the job, great. If he can't, well, the next election cycle will probably begin in 2.5 years. It will go by fast. So we shall see. But nobody should be surprised by his ego surfacing again and again. I just want results. Improve the economy, baby. Build up the military. improve health care. I'm willing to bet one of your houses that you will change your tune within a year. While I would love to be wrong....Greg, we currently have 19 aircraft carriers, China has one (built on a Russian shell) and is now building their first close to original one. #2 in the world has four. Don't you believe that instead of building ships the Navy isn't even asking for that it would be better to allocate tax revenues to Social Security and Medicare...programs designed to provide a safety net for American middle class families? And do you really want to go to war with China or, more likely, in the Middle East yet again?