caulfield12

The two utes/youths...still think the positrac tire testimony was the best part.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39336934/2024-nfl-draft-answering-questions-teams-top-10-picks-bears-commanders-patriots

Who's going to worry about the Sox getting too much talent back, though? Even with a head start of 3-4 big trades and Rodon and then Robert and multiple top five picks like Madrigal and Vaughn...they still completely screwed it up. In the AL Central. Almost like a charity for other teams to help put "another" viable team into Chicago with a new downtown stadium to help raise the value of all the other teams in the league. They're still a 3-5 tear slog away due to free agent and young int'l talent handicaps that are self-sabotaging the entire enterprise. It's not like you have a real visionary GM with a blank checkbook. Heck, the Royals and city are going to spend $2+ to $6.4 billion on their project and the consensus is the White Sox will struggle to get over the $1 billion hump.

Still 7/25 top free agents unsigned according to Mlbtr, but much higher percentage remaining for #'s 26-50. Can't imagine the White Sox jumping into the Jorge Soler market unless the price was under $15 million...even that might be too high.

Jerry-Rigged?

LHP. Reportedly good stuff. Eeovaldi was all potential until he wasnt, although he possessed Top 5% stuff and younger.

"Look at the final four teams," a league source told NBC Sports Chicago. "Elite play-caller, elite-play-caller, elite play-caller, and it's only been one year, but [Baltimore Ravens OC Todd Monken] is right there. Quarterback is obviously the most important thing. Playmakers probably second. But an elite play-caller and scheme are instant elevators. I think after you list off the top [play-callers], most of whom are head coaches, he's right there in the next group." Poles and Eberflus promised to search high and low for the best offensive coordinator they could find. They wanted a lot of boxes checked. Waldron didn't even seem like a remote possibility until Carroll stepped down. Waldron isn't perfect and took his fair share of criticism in Seattle. Shanahan and McVay are criticized a ton, and they are the two best in the NFL. It comes with being a play-caller." https://www.yahoo.com/sports/elite-shane-waldron-gives-bears-220456798.html

Second most discussed after the Orioles, in fact.

Only TWO months until Padres/Dodgers in SEOUL...with more than half the free agent class still remaining unsigned. https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-dodgers-to-open-2024-season-in-seoul-south-korea March 20th/21st home and away, first regular season MLB games played on Korean soil

Both Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May will return from Tommy John surgery. Between Ohtani, Yamamoto, Glasnow, Miller, Sheehan, Stone, Gonsolin and May, the Dodgers look to have upwards of eight legitimate rotation arms for the 2025 season, depending upon how everything shakes out here in the next 15 or so months. Not to mention Clayton Kershaw eventually...

Okay, then did not renew his contract and replaced him with someone else...the spin would have been he was better off in Chicago forming a "power center" along with Barfield, in the same way that Haber and Hahn were always tied together...

Not Wolkow?

Going the route of crediting his teammates here... https://www.si.com/nfl/seahawks/news/geno-smith-reveals-seattle-seahawks-success-game-winning-drives

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39364835/legislators-ensure-potential-kansas-city-stadium-funding-vote Ironic that former Royals' 2B and All-Star Frank White had his veto overrode as Jackson County Exec. Looks like the potential costs are ranging from $2 billion to $6.4 billion.

At least Phil Nevin is happy...or potentially unhappy with all the overwhelming infield talent just waiting to be unleashed on the major leagues blocking his kid.

Chapman, 35, is the hardest-throwing pitcher in baseball since velocity-tracking was introduced to the game and pitched vital innings for the Texas Rangers en route to their first World Series championship this year. With a fastball averaging more than 99 mph, he struck out 103 in 58.1 innings, walking 36 and allowing four home runs with a 3.09 ERA. The Pirates, who project to be one of the youngest teams in the majors next season, also added veteran lefties Martin Perez and Marco Gonzales earlier this winter. Texas hoped Chapman would help stabilize a thin bullpen, and while he never pitched well enough to lock down the closer job, he pitched in nine postseason games and allowed two runs in eight innings, striking out six and walking five.

Brian Callahan from Cincy to TN Titans as new head coach

"In addition to Larkin taking over at the top, Chris Slivka is replacing Matt Grabowski as the top assistant. Slivka joined the D-backs in 2016 out of college, working his way up the department as a pro scout (2019-2021) then a personnel analyst (2022-2023). The rest of the front office staff from the 2023 season was retained." Not exactly a promotion...more like he got fired and now landed on his feet again. https://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/news/diamondbacks-announce-2024-player-development-staff

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39365362/sources-pirates-aroldis-chapman-agree-1-year-105m-deal

It's all so ironic looking back at 1919 and the Black Sox and Pete Rose and how the division between gambling and baseball was almost sacrosanct and here we are now just looking it as an additional revenue stream to be incorporated...

Paul Chryst I think...

Certainly the closest equivalent in the league to Iowa City. Boyfriend is Connor McCaffrey...that's probably a consideration, staying as close as possible to the Midwest branding. Hawkeyes actually could be the Hoosiers/Hackman/picket fence movie come alive if not for Hannah Stuelke lol. Home of basketball to most and NCAA as well. Greg Doyel of the Indy Star already wrote that article about the pluses of her landing there. https://www.dispatch.com/story/sports/columns/2024/01/22/caitlin-clark-never-should-have-been-put-in-harms-way-at-ohio-state-iowa-basketball/72310100007/

Did we need an additional Steve Cohen gambles thread...? He speaks through actions that always follow the most profitable path and velocity of money.

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/22/mets-steve-cohen-casino-00136687 "NEW YORK — A hedge fund billionaire and a gaming giant hoping to land a coveted license to run a casino in New York City have to clear a major hurdle in Albany this year — or risk tougher odds in the crowded competition. And a few weeks into a new legislative session in Albany, politicians who will help decide the fate of the proposals are already expressing doubts. The race for three New York City-area casino licenses has drawn 11 proposals from gambling companies and real estate developers, who are sparing little expense for a slice of the lucrative untapped market. They will soon begin a lengthy state process that requires winning over local politicians and state gaming regulators. But two of the proposals — one from billionaire New York Mets owner Steve Cohen, and another from the gaming firm Bally’s — need an added layer of approval from the City Council and state Legislature, due to an obscure process governing the land where both bidders are looking to build. Cohen recently unveiled plans for an $8 billion casino complex on the parking lot adjacent to Citi Field in Queens, while Bally’s is looking to build a casino at the Bronx golf course it took over from the Trump Organization in September."

Well...now we have Kadyn Proctor finally/again, so Cade McNamara only needs some receivers to throw to. Hasn't everyone been insistent on getting the next great LT? If there's one thing Iowa is good at...it's producing solid pros along both sides of the line (and TE) of course.