caulfield12

QUOTE (Iwritecode @ Dec 2, 2013 -> 04:44 PM) Aside from the Fast and Furious movies, I remember him in Pleasantville, Varsity Blues, She's All That and Eight Below. Into the Blue is an awesome cheesy movie if you want to see Jessica Alba in her prime and wearing only bikinis for pretty much the entire film. And Eight Below is a seriously underrated movie, although it's a Disney flick, but they usually put out pretty decent (albeit predictable/formulaic) films. (Not to be confused with Cuba Gooding's Snow Dogs). More than Marley & Me, that's the definitive movie for dog lovers to identify with and get a bit teary-eyed when watching. I'm thinking of watching Running Scared....seen a few positive comments about that one here. Is that a remake of the Billy Chrystal/Gregory Hines 1980's film? He has two movies coming out in the next 3-4 months....one, an indie movie set with the Hurricane Katrina backdrop, titleed HOURS, will come out in mid December. I'm pretty sure the other one has a mid February release.

Different directions to go with F&F Franchise... 1) Statham does an about face and becomes good guy/sidekick with Vin Diesel after the retribution killing goes down in Tokyo 2) Ryan Gosling, he was in "Drive" after all...and has that similar blonde/blue-eyed appearance 3) A woman....Lettie or Eva Mendes? 4) Tyrese 5) The Rock becomes the sidekick after their Bromance in the last movie...hard to imagine, since he's a US Marshall still 6) Channing Tatum....can't quite imagine Mark Wahlberg here 7) They do another version of Training Day with a young/unknown/rookie guy paired with the veteran/experienced Diesel 8) Hard to think of an Asian actor now that the main one in the series was just killed in Tokyo Drift (along with his g/f in the plane going down the endless runway scene)...Jet Li doesn't really fit, Jackie Chan's too old...and an Asian female actress just doesn't seem to fit with Diesel unless it was Devon Aoki (Tokyo Drift), which also makes less sense going forward since the theoretical 8th movie will unlikely to be set in Asia again, although you never know, they could do Singapore/Hong Kong/Shanghai.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Dec 1, 2013 -> 10:44 AM) Actually I think that is referring to the charity part. He was giving people rides in his car to raise money for a Phillipind Typhoon charity To be more precise, it was raising money for his own disaster response charity to give to the Philippines in response to Haiyan/Yolanda (most people from the Phils aren't calling it by the Chinese name)...

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ Nov 29, 2013 -> 01:35 PM) So you're saying Japan is the Israel of Asia? Not even close. Different situations. You could just as easily substitute South Korea or the Philippines for Japan. In the case of Israel, historically, there's just not a really good comparison.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 28, 2013 -> 06:48 PM) Assuming Japan doesn't blatantly start it, the US and Japan have a mutual defense agreement and so an attack on Japan is an attack on us. secretary Havel made it clear that they would judge a Chinese attempt to take these islands by force as an attack on us a few days ago. Vaclav or Chuck/Charles?

Only about 17% of China's exports go to the US, although in a recent time period, that was #1, recently passing the European Union at 16%. Then you have other ASEAN countries (10%), Japan (7%), South Korea and Australia trailing. Essentially, the overall slowdown in the global economy since 2008 has been like the US or EU refusing to trade with China, in terms of its overall impact. The other thing that's hard to do is just call all Chinese exports junk, as almost all of the Iphones are made/assembled in Guandong Province, for example...so you would have to have someone to differentiate what is "junk" and what is simply China's human resources/manufacturing advantage in the technology/electronic products supply chain.

Let's all pick a stock and see which one performs the best between now and Christmas. And now, back to our regularly scheduled program of Economics for Dummies.

http://in.bookmyshow.com/entertainment/fiv...es-sucked/26967 Don't forget the Scott brothers with their "shaky camera" style, as well as Greengrass. The runaway train movie, Unstoppable, with Denzel Washington and Chris Pine would be the perfect example. Really looking forward to Nebraska. I believe, and there's going to be an argument, that Alexander Payne might be the best "independent/small budget" director of his generation. You have Election, Sideways, About Schmidt, Citizen Ruth (very underrated and underseen) and The Descandants in his filmography.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Nov 24, 2013 -> 08:45 PM) I'll give you Bogaerts and Iglesias as help from the minors but... Middlebrooks started for them at 3B in '12 and started and ended the year as their 3B this year. Nava is 30 and had two different seasons under his belt. Dubront played three seasons from '10-'12 in Boston. This year was Salty's fourth season playing for the Red Sox. Tanaka is a free agent and has never played for the Red Sox. Not sure how they got lucky with Lackey as they signed him to a 5yr/83million dollar contract 3 off-seasons ago. Besides all the players you were wrong on they did add Gomes, Victorino and Napoli last season. Along with Drew, Dempster (trade then resigned) and Uehara. Off the dome I think Gomes was 2/10, Victorino was 3/39, Napoli was 1/5, Drew 1/9, Dempster 3/39 and Koji 2/9. While I wouldn't necessarily make all of these signings, none of them are outrageous to an extent that we couldn't assume them. Obviously the Red Sox still had their core of Lester, Bucholz, Ortiz, Pedroia and Ellsbury and that is truly the difference. Not the level of homegrown talent they have or the FA pick ups they made last season. The difference really is that a guy like Victorino or Drew or Napoli will sign their aforementioned contracts to play at Fenway Park for a franchise like the Red Sox. Would those guys accept the same contracts with our White Sox if the Red Sox never offered the contracts? Definitely not. Their advantages lies in prestige, fan base, history and likelihood of competing. I do think that history will look back on the BoSox very kindly considering they are a major market team reluctant to pay players these outrageous contract demands. The Dodgers, Yankees, Angels (especially), Tigers and Rangers (to a lesser extent) will eventually shoot themselves in the leg in this market where the Red Sox don't have any long term liability or potential for long term liability. I meant Uehara, not Tanaka (unless he signs with Boston too, haha). And I forgot to add Buchholz to the "core" list of Ellsbury, Pedroia, Ortiz and Lester. Other than Chris Sale, there's nothing comparable with the White Sox...unless you start counting Garcia, Abreu and even Viciedo. The other problem is that the timing was right for them to add "cast offs" (just like the 04-05 White Sox offseason) at bargain basement prices. Let's say we were SOMEHOW able to add Saltalamacchia, Napoli long term for DH and to hit against LHP for Dunn and Victorino for the outfield. We'd still be an 81-85 win team, arguably. And that would be adding at least $30 million per year to the payroll with those three, if not $35 million. Would anyone have that team picked higher than 3rd place going into 2014? And even if they ALSO were fortunate enough to sign Uehara, you'd have a Top 3 closer in the majors on a .500 team. Last offseason, when the White Sox essentially did nothing, was the time to strike in the free agent market. Now it's too late. Look at the contracts that Drew, Salty and Napoli are going to end up, with compared to their previous contracts. Or Granderson. Or Kendrys Morales. Or even Chris Young.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Nov 24, 2013 -> 07:20 PM) I think your math leaves a lot to be desired. Okay, we'll do an over/under. I think the White Sox payroll won't increase by more than $7.5 million before Opening Day. (In fact, if we trade Ramirez, it might realistically be even quite a bit lower than it is today.) Which side of that bet are you on? Now, of course, to put the moves in terms of a percentage...percentage of what? Dollars? Total moves? Impact of those moves? All of the 3B that would be upgrades are guys we would only control for 1 or 2 seasons like Headley or Sandoval. And Hahn's said repeatedly that he won't make those kind of short-term deals that hamper the team's ability to compete in 2015/2016/2017.

That gives them Kershaw, Greinke, Ryu, Haren, Billingsley (when he returns) and Beckett. Beckett will be earning $15.75 million and might not even be a starter. Billingsley's coming off Tommy John surgery. All six members of their rotation are making at least $10 million per season. The Dodgers have reached an agreement on a one-year deal with Dan Haren, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the contract won’t be finalized until the right-hander undergoes a physical examination. Haren’s deal could become official as early as Monday. Haren is viewed by the Dodgers as a potential fifth starter. Chad Billingsley, who underwent reconstructive elbow surgery this year, isn’t expected back until May. Josh Beckett is also recovering from surgery to treat a nerve problem. Haren, 33, is coming off the two worst seasons of his career. He was 12-13 with a 4.33 earned-run average with the Angels in 2012 and 10-14 with a 4.67 ERA with the Washington Nationals this year. Haren landed on the disabled list in each of the last two seasons. He was placed on the DL in 2012 because of tightness in his back and this year because of a stiff shoulder. If his contract becomes official, Haren will be paid $10 million, according to Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com. Rosenthal reported the deal includes an option for 2015 that becomes guaranteed if Haren pitches 180 innings. http://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgersnow/l...y#ixzz2ldi9c5y8

QUOTE (TheFutureIsNear @ Nov 24, 2013 -> 07:00 PM) IDK, can a front office really say they are "passing" on a year even if they really are? I personally see the front office's focus on 2015. And with the core we have currently I don't think its at all unrealistic that we could be serious contenders by then. The Red Sox laid out a blue print and we should be following it. Except they already had an MVP caliber player in Ellsbury, MVP's in Ortiz and Pedroia, Jon Lester...and a minor league system that was waiting to provide the likes of Bogaerts, Iglesias, Middlebrooks, Nava, Dubront, etc. It's very hard to compare the two situations, other than last place teams trying to get to first place....whether it's their existing major league 25 man rosters, their minor league talent or their overall budgets. They were in a position to add or keep "glue" guys like Victorino, Gomes, Salty and Napoli...along with Tanaka. The White Sox aren't close to being in that position where they're just a couple of players away from being one of the better teams in the AL. Of course they got "lucky" with Lackey and Tanaka, but that always tends to happen for teams that surprisingly finish in 1st place.

QUOTE (scs787 @ Nov 24, 2013 -> 07:10 PM) I think it's quite possible that they didn't want to give up the draft pick. Hahn has said that the players that will be brought in are more than likely gonna be through trade...In which case why not Headley? Isn't it already pretty much a given that they'll be trading a SP for a bat? You bring him in this year and you can work on an extension, whereas next year, if you don't trade for him he could either be A. Traded by another team and extended there. B. Resigned or C. It would have to be like the Freddie Garcia deal, where they felt 90% sure at the time of the trade they could get the extension signed...or the trade was predicated on a two week window in which the White Sox would try to negotiate an extension or the trade wouldn't be approved, since the White Sox would only be renting Headley for one "non competitive" season.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 24, 2013 -> 07:07 PM) I love these threads. 80-85% of what's going to happen is already finished with the Abreu signing. That essentially leaves catching upgrades, 3B (and that's only going to happen via trade) and whether or not they trade Alexei Ramirez or wait until mid-season as the only mysteries.

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Nov 24, 2013 -> 06:27 PM) Not sure this is accurate at all. http://www.myfico.com/crediteducation/whatsinyourscore.aspx Maybe the more that you can tolerate in interest on your balance sheet without ever defaulting would be a more accurate way to put it.

We're essentially in the same position we were two weeks ago. Looking for upgrades at catcher, 3B and CF, not to mention a long-term solution at DH to replace Dunn after 2014. 2B and SS could go in any number of directions. Peralta and McCann signing don't have anything to do with the White Sox...except for perhaps making the likes of Ramirez, Santiago/Quintana or DeAza even more valuable or enticing to other teams. It pretty much wipes out the idea of us spending money on Granderson, since the dollars and years being offered are so insane (not to mention the QO, which wipes out a draft pick and somewhat limits our minor league system's development). Catcher remains the most likely target for that remaining $5-10 million per year, although AJ doesn't quite fit the bill, and the demand for Salty just went up with the McCann signing.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Nov 24, 2013 -> 06:02 PM) Major slap in the face of the players who are so anti PEDs. This guy was busted and suspended months ago and multiple GMs were offering him big money. http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-leag...32319--mlb.html Nice to go from a $16 million dollar contract to a $53 million one as you reach the downside of your career. Ziegler with the DBacks and Bowden ripping MLB. http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/ber...57400f134e.html

QUOTE (scs787 @ Nov 24, 2013 -> 04:28 PM) Hmm Headley I'm assuming? Or perhaps Grandal? Enjoy your Cards sir. Acquiring Headley for one season to play 3B for the White Sox makes ZERO sense and is going to cost us too much from our major league roster/minor league depth. And pretty crazy that some are hailing the Peralta move as this super brilliant one...just because it came from StL. And besides all of that, there's this. Jhonny Peralta and k eeping your fir s t-round pic k >>> S tephen Drew and giving up your fir s t-round pic k — Je s s e S pector (@je s s e s pector) November 24, 2013 That's in reference to Peralta not receiving a qualifying offer from the Detroit Tigers. By doing so, Detroit would have received compensation when Peralta signed elsewhere. It's all adding up to another slick move for Mozeliak, who just 24 hours earlier shipped third baseman David Freese and reliever Fernando Salas to the Los Angeles Angels for outfielders Peter Bourjos and Randal Grichuk. He obviously means business this winter, and the rest of the National League should be on high alert. www.yahoosports.com

I just used that Credit Karma thing and it's not very accurate, because it's counting 3 offers that Discover Card made for credit which I never even accepted and counting them as loans or balances. My score was 763, supposedly. The last time I checked (the official one with the 3 companies), it was in the 810-820 range. Then it's counting a small student loan (around $500) AND another student loan which has already been paid off. It's almost like it's forcing the system to keep these things in my report in order to show that I have some balances or debts, since I don't have a car or mortgage payment at the current time. Or maybe Credit Karma wants you to see these incorrect loans/balances on your report/score and use their services, in the same way you'll get these alarming warnings or messages on your computer that tell you that you just HAVE to use their services/products or your computer will be at risk, blah blah blah. The one thing that was accurate was the credit card statement for last month, which I always pay off the balance in full.

Finally, what compelling reason would the Dodgers have to trade Kemp in the first place? They don't need the money or salary relief. They went through the last season watching Ramirez, Kemp and Crawford battle injuries and know the value of having a deep bench. Plus, Ethier's 2 years older, basically a platoon player now and didn't put an 800 OPS in less than 500 AB's. If I'm Coletti, I'm waiting for a comeback season from Kemp....and not sending $20-40-60 million to another team to subsidize that contract, knowing just one more MVP caliber year and he becomes a valuable asset again.

QUOTE (Chilihead90 @ Nov 24, 2013 -> 02:38 AM) Salty must be happy. He just went from the predicted 3 years/$27M to something like 5 years/$60M. And if Chris Young's worth $8 million, god knows what Granderson will eventually end up with (not to mention Choo and Ellsbury.)

Hunger Games 2 was predictable and mostly stuck with the book formula, in the sense that it was that "bridge" movie to the finale and those always leave you a bit disappointed and waiting for the next installment. For those who've read the books, the ending (not the substantive results, but how they arrive at them) is probably the biggest difference. Jennifer Lawrence definitely carries these movies, along with Woody Harrelson and Stanley Tucci. It was nice to see Jeffrey Wright get a chance to perform in front of a wider audience.

Surprising the Cardinals would even consider a guy like Peralta (yeah, the offense would be nice) considering how poor he is defensively at SS. And those years and dollars, it's like all the players this off-season are winning the lottery.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/qa-stephen-...field-prospect/ Piscotty On The Stanford Swing: “Their approach, honestly, is what my approach is. Hitting with two strikes is part of that. At Stanford, we had a saying where, when you get to two strikes, you tap your helmet and tell yourself — tell your team — you’re going to battle and shorten up, put it in play, no matter what. I still do that, just as a reminder. But in general, the coaches there may see things and have different ideas, but they don’t try to mold you into anything. There’s no real ‘Stanford swing.’” On learning in the Cardinals’ system: “I’ve been really impressed with the organization. I feel I’ve learned a ton. It’s been a perfect balance [of hands-on and hands-off]. It hasn’t been that they’re forcing stuff upon me, but rather if they see something that will help me, they speak up. I’ve listened and have been able to build up my game. “When I got to Double-A, my hitting coach said, ‘I’m not going to talk to you for two weeks, I’m just going to watch you do what you do.’ When the two weeks were over — I wasn’t doing too well at that point — I immediately asked, ‘It’s been two weeks, what do you have for me?’ He had a couple of things that got me on the right track.”

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Nov 22, 2013 -> 03:54 PM) None of the above. Holliday-Taveras-Craig - OF Adams - 1B Bourjos - OF Jay - traded http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/ber...686cb7d9d9.html Part of the reason is that they didn't want to pay Freese the same amount the White Sox will be paying Beckham and DeAza this year. The main reason is that Carpenter will move to his natural position of 3B, where he's likely to be a much better fielder than Freese, who was near the bottom by most fielding measures. That opens 2B for Wong. They're also uncertain about Taveras being ready to play CF (defensively)....and they knew they needed options with Holliday and Craig being a lot like Viciedo and Garcia on the corners (but lacking Garcia's better athleticism or throwing arm). With Shane Robinson also capable of backing up across the outfield, that does make Jay the most likeliest piece to go, but they certainly might hold onto him if they make the determination Taveras needs at least another 1/2 season in the minors. It's not like there's a line of suitors backed up at the door trying to take him off the Cardinals' hands.