caulfield12

They also need to reform those "competitive balance" picks. The criteria is too fuzzy. No way the Cardinals or Tigers belong in that category, for instance.

Isn't he being ranked around #10 in the Top 20 LA prospects signing list? Adolfo was higher than that, wasn't he?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/mar...02c9_story.html Marco Rubio is running scared https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-l...ters/?tid=a_inl That's the biggest hole in the Rubio candidacy...he doesn't have the ability to improvise and have that feel for different audiences that Bill Clinton and Obama were so good at sensing intuitively. Everyone is criticizing him for giving the same canned speech over and over again, and being the product of his speech writers. If you look at his policies, he's very much the same thing as GW Bush. Hard line/military interventionist, cutting taxes on the rich/supply side economics, God knows exactly where he stands on immigration at this point. Just like Obama, people are projecting their hopes/dreams/aspirations about what he and is and what he represents and I wonder if it another sort of trap that voters will quickly become disillusioned whenever a young/attractive "change" candidate comes along. Rubio's currently getting a huge advantage of looking "normal" or more palatable because of the constant comparisons with Trump and Cruz...the longer they stay in the race together and the other candidates who are/were legit possibilities are wiped out (Bush first, then Kasich and Christie depending on NH, my sense is Kasich can stay in this longer and will start to spend more and more time "mentoring" Rubio unless they absolutely just don't get along well), the better Rubio's chances of winning the nomination.

QUOTE (fathom @ Feb 4, 2016 -> 08:41 AM) Why would you trade Q for an aging player with two years left? Because there's no combination of players that gets you either Puig or Pederson that the White Sox are willing to part with... That trade only works if the White Sox are confident that Urias/Montas will produce more upside than Quintana, which is a dubious bet. Probably the most likely result is something like Ethier/Wood for Robertson and Danks. As for Eminor's comments, you could just as persuasively argue the White Sox are not "actively" trying to win with Avi, Saladino, LaRoche and Johnson, either.

They might give you Urias, Montas and Ethier for Quintana and Robertson.

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Feb 4, 2016 -> 07:36 AM) They do get to open their stadium with a s*** load of young pitching, Freeman at 1B, Enciarte and Olivera in the OF, and Dansby Swanson and Albies in the middle infield. They also have a huge bonus pool in the draft and are going nuts in free agency. Braves fans should be really excited actually. http://atlantabraves.blog.ajc.com/2015/11/...seball-america/ 7 of their top 8 BA top ten guys came within the last year from other organizations. Pretty unusual to see a 30 year-old in Olivera still listed as the top prospect...but that gives those Eddy Alvarez backers some hope because he'd only be 27-28 when he hits the majors, granted, he skipped over 6 years of valuable development time with his skating career.

http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=2...22&sid=l122 It's possible that Alvarez ends up at 2B. One thing that's VERY impressive is how much patience he has...obviously, he's known for his speed and defense, but the thing that really stands out is his goal to get 100 walks in only 140 games or so. Can't remember many White Sox prospects who excelled in that particular area with his physical tools. Would be really cool to see him and Anderson at SS and 2B in 2018...which would really be pushing it for Alvarez, but due to his age and the fact the Sox always/push or challenge their guys with early promotions, not altogether impossible, either.

If the Dodgers are/were willing to eat $5-7 million, they could arguably add both for $25-27.5 million or the price of Cespedes for one season. That said, highly unlikely. Mainly because they are in the unusual position of counting on someone they couldn't dump even eating half his salary a year ago at this time.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 4, 2016 -> 07:09 AM) Trying working in a place with a bunch of assholes. It makes a difference. By that theory, working with Kenny Williams wouldn't exactly be a walk in the park, either.

It's not so simple as the accounts we get from the media or Molly Knight, because that's only 5-10% of it. It's not like the White Sox haven't brought in guys like Javy, Swisher, Orlando Cabrera, Carl Everett (he had one of the worst reputations in baseball at one point in his career), AJ Pierzynski, etc. Bobby Jenks, reading all the comments from the Angels organization, you would have thought he was Satan reincarnated but he was a surprisingly pleasant and accessible clubhouse character guy until the very end of his White Sox days. Just because it's supposedly four players, well, you can say the same thing about Adam Eaton in his time with the DBacks...that he was getting on the nerves of almost all of his veteran teammates in AZ. Or with Lawrie and all the of places he has been despite his relative youth. Quite a few swear by the guy, and others say he rubs a lot of his teammates the wrong way. The price of acquisition was almost nothing. Now Todd Frazier, everyone loves the guy...but that doesn't mean the fans will accept a 650 OPS from him, any more than they did from Dunn, Cabrera (who also has his share of detractors, and not just for the PEDs) or LaRoche.

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Feb 3, 2016 -> 11:03 PM) I don't buy it for a second. Why would Puig be jealous over Van Slyke who's a backup OF or Turner who plays 3B or Kershaw/Greinke whom are starting pitchers? Nothing to be jealous of. Puig is just an asshole, plain and simple. You have it backwards. Maybe not jealous, but they felt it wasn't fair or right. As far as characterizing someone in that way, everyone says the same about AJ Pierzynski. Unless we grew up in the same exact situation in Cuba, had buscones and shadowy hitmen threatening our lives and numerous attempts to flee your country and leaving family behind...then he had very little time in the minors to make an adjustment and at the age of 22 you're the biggest star/phenom in the majors for half a season. I'm not sure how many people in the world are equipped to deal with it all. Probably the same percentage of huge lottery winners who are still happier ten years after winning than the day they won. I know Molly Knight has her book and her own agenda, but if the case was so simple Puig would be on another team right now. Clayton Kershaw would have bucked against doing a promotional camp down in Cuba along with Puig and the disgruntled teammates would have forced a trade. It's also no surprise from following Greinke his entire career in KC that he clashes with as many if not more people than Puig.

QUOTE (BlackSox13 @ Feb 3, 2016 -> 10:30 PM) Didn't work for the Dodgers clubhouse. Greinke, Van Slyke, Turner and Kershaw all had problems with Puig. Doesn't sound like much chemistry to me. The counterargument is Kemp, Puig, Hanley and Co. all got along great in that second half of 2013 when they went like 42-9. Part of the problem is having too much talent on one team and players being benched is that it leads to jealousy (see Cavs) when not every player is treated in the same way. Mattingly let Puig get away with a lot his rookie year and then it was difficult to get the genie back in the bottle.

Yeah, the irony is that he went from salary dump a tear ago to their most dependable outfielder with the second half fades from Puig and Pederson. They really can't afford to part ways with him...even at his salary, he's worth to LA now than any other team.

Instant classic in Piscataway for the B10 Network.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Feb 3, 2016 -> 08:02 PM) Which is why it's not really a good fit. And if you have to fill the RF hole with a trade because you won't spend, how do you fill the SP hole? Latos/Lincecum/Cliff Lee/Turner/Pray for Rain

Well, it's not like they have any need for Tim Anderson with best prospect in the game there. As far as it being so easy to fill that hole...sure...if you're willing to spend money/increase payroll.

QUOTE (Dunt @ Feb 3, 2016 -> 07:25 PM) That trade makes no sense for either side. If the Dodgers are completely unsure about Ryu and McCarthy...and also considering Anderson hadn't thrown so many innings in ages after all his injuries prior to last year. Unless you're going to trade them Robertson. It's not like they have any glaring weaknesses we can fill.

Where did the Braves come up with all this money to sign Zaitan and Lazarito? It's an interesting long-term play but won't help so much for the first years opening their new suburban stadium...nevertheless, it's a clear direction for the fans at least.

Strange that this is coming from Merkin. Quintana and a second-tier reliever for Puig and Guerrero OR Hernandez. The problem is reconciling the years of control left for the two centerpieces. If Q and Puig were in the same situation contractually, you could argue it more realistically. Obvious targets like Rodon, Eaton and Fulmer are seemingly untouchable. Just doesn't feel like the right fit at this time. Also completely dependent on Sox confidence in Fulmer and Johnson. You're still going to have to roll the dice with Jacob Turner and/or Latos, Lincecum, Cliff Lee, etc. if you make this move. In the final summary, more logical from a marketing perspective than reality.

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/columnis...higan/79772132/ Harbaugh turns signing day into a circus

QUOTE (bmags @ Feb 3, 2016 -> 05:02 PM) Not a sox, but if Granderson stays in the game would love to have him in the org as a manager. Sounds like a potential Phil Rogers piece! Pulitzer.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Feb 3, 2016 -> 03:19 PM) AS long as Iowa is in the BIG West they have a damn good shot at the division, especially with easy crossover years. Not having great recruiters at Wisconsin and Nebraska is huge. Not to mention Illinois and Minnesota going in the tank...and Purdue used to give Iowa trouble as well in their better days. And finally Iowa State has been in turmoil. Confluence of favorable factors. Still, ND always looms in the Midwest, and now Michigan again. http://www.hawkcentral.com/story/sports/co...lones/79756708/ Sounds like Nathan Stanley from WI has a similar profile to Brad Banks...but a bit more balanced between running and throwing. Also won battle for MI offensive lineman Alaric Jackson. Desmond King staying has really helped in Detroit supposedly. http://www.hawkcentral.com/story/sports/co...ckson/79750496/

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 3, 2016 -> 03:15 PM) And all of the "coin tosses" aren't being reported either, so the story that there were 6 coin tosses and Hillary won all of those is just the 6 that were reported to one paper. Another paper got reports of different ones and they got a different pool which Sanders dominated. And there are probably more out there not being reported. But if someone already believes everything is a Hillary conspiracy, they'll ignore that. At the end of the day, because not all the precincts were using the new Microsoft tech, at least 40% of the other set of toss-up situations that were (all supposedly 6/6) going Clinton's way were impossible to validate other than hearsay/video/Twitter reports...so, in the end, no smoking gun.

QUOTE (Harry Chappas @ Feb 3, 2016 -> 09:20 AM) The MLB draft is as a big a crap shoot as any tanking in the MLB does not work. You know what works, winning trades Addison Russell, Anthony Rizzo and Jake Arrieta say hi The cubs have Bryant and the White Sox Rodon becasue the team that tanked missed on Appeal and Aiken Houston shows some promise but they also could fall back to earth this year although Carlos Correa looks to be all that They have a really solid rotation, improved bullpen, Springer, Carlos Gomez, Altuve, they don't have the look of a flash in the pan.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/dona...ion-church-iowa This probably won't help Trump with the evangelical vote in South Carolina. He's already got the Bible mistake (Two Corinthians instead of saying 2nd Corinthians) being used against him by Cruz. http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/where-...z-go-from-here/ What happens to Ted Cruz from here...interesting panel discussion at Nate Silver's site.