Kenny Hates Prospects

QUOTE (iamshack @ Aug 10, 2009 -> 08:16 PM) Who do you suppose he is talking about? Kenny was asked if he was worried about ruffling the feathers of some veterans who may see less playing time. Kenny said no, and that instead the players should worry about ruffling HIS feathers, like last night's game, because then players start leaving town.

Kenny: "When people start ruffling my feathers, people start leaving town."

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Aug 10, 2009 -> 08:06 PM) I'm not wrong. I'm asking a hypothetical question because the Sox just picked him up for nothing. Rios was given this contract in a different economic time. Oh ok. I thought you were saying Rios was given his extension in a different climate than the other two. Rios doesn't get the same figures right now, but he wouldn't be signed for scraps on the FA market either. He's young and has tons of talent, and would be far and away the best CF on the market this offseason if he were a FA.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Aug 10, 2009 -> 08:03 PM) ^^^^ Players like to up their game in a contract year. Especially in Texas. When will GM's learn?

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Aug 10, 2009 -> 07:59 PM) I was asking what he would get after this season if he was a FA. Hunter and GM Jr. were signed in different economic times. You're wrong. Rios was given an extension before ST last year, aka the 2007-2008 offseason, the same offseason Hunter signed. And it was only the year before that when GMJr signed (the 06-07 offseason).

QUOTE (chw42 @ Aug 10, 2009 -> 07:49 PM) Raul Ibanez - 37 $11 million per year for 3 years. WAR since 2004 - 14.7 Milton Bradley - 31 $10 million per year for 3 years. WAR since 2004 - 16 Adam Dunn - 29 $10 million per year for 2 years. WAR since 2004 - 15.5 Alex Rios - 28 $12 million per year for 5 years. WAR since 2004 - 17.5 We win. Alex Rios > Tori Hunter > GMJr Hunter $18M through 2012 GMJr $11M in 2010, $12M in 2011 Rios $9.7M in 2010, $12M 2011-12, $12.5M in 2013-14, $13.5M club option ($1M buyout) in 2015 So yeah, we win and f*** THE ANGELS

Kenny hasn't been on the score yet.

Kenny will be on the score next to talk about how f***ing awesome he is. The J-walking ticket is so fitting for a career criminal.

QUOTE (dmbjeff @ Aug 10, 2009 -> 07:17 PM) what other CF would you rather have for 12 million for the next 5 years given ages/production/declines/D,etc??? seriously...rowand? yeah right....ichiro,beltran or hunter? sure they are better but older and far more expensive. wells and his albatross deal? the CF's available via free agency are garbage and via trade we would have given up serious talent for someone like victorino,kemp,hamilton,etc. the young and upcoming CF's like mccutchen,fowler,rasmus arent going anywhere given their contracts. this deal was terrific when you take everything into account. Agree 100%

Cowley says Kenny was trying to get Rios before the deadline anyway. Puts the "block Detroit" stuff to rest.

Tonight's the night we're gonna make it happen Tonight we'll put all other things aside Get in this time and show me some affection We're goin' for those pleasures in the night I want to love you, feel you, wrap myself around you I want to squeeze you, please you, I just can't get enough And if you move real slow I let it go I'm so excited and I just can't hide it I'm about to lose control and I think I like it I'm so excited and I just can't hide it And I know I know I know I know I know I want you We shouldn't even think about tomorrow Sweet memories will last for long long time We'll have a good time, Baby, don't do worry And if we're still playin' around boy that's just fine Let's get excited, we just can't hide it I'm about to lose control and I think I like it I'm so excited and I just can't hide it I know I know I know I know I know I want you, I want you I want to love you, feel you, wrap myself around you I want to squeeze you, please you, I just can't get enough And if you move real slow I let it go I'm so excited, I just can't hide it I'm about to lose control and I think I like it I'm so excited and I just can't hide it I know I know I know I know I know I want you

QUOTE (Tex @ Aug 10, 2009 -> 07:08 PM) So this is what it feels like to be a Yankee fan If we get a press release tomorrow stating the Sox went WAAAAY over slot in the late rounds to sign Goodwin (a Borass client BTW), THEN we'll know what it feels like to be the Yankees.

Okay, so Rios has #15. Beckham has #15. Beckham takes #69? Makes sense...

Taylor has really taken off since TUF. It's kind of s***ty that the Dana kept him away but constantly forgave Junie. Oh well, Taylor will make the most of it with Strikeforce. Good for him.

I LOVE IT!!! Welcome to Chicago Alex Rios!!! God damn I love this move so much!! The rest of the league who say Rios sucks now is going to be hanging off Kenny's jock this time next year! Great move from a great GM!

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Aug 10, 2009 -> 05:16 PM) They'll probably do exactly that, but the Jays have had a ton of injuries and I think as a whole they feel they can get by without Rios and the financial savings will be huge. If the Jays can they'll do what they can to get Vernon Wells off of there hands but that might be the most un-moveable contract in baseball right now. When the Jays were healthy they had one of the best producing rotations in baseball (it just isn't healthy). Even if the Jays ate half of that salary and sent a couple top prospects they probably couldn't move Wells. He's not a CF anymore and he hasn't hit more than 20 HR since 2006. I mean, if he were a FA right now he'd probably fall into the $5M + incentives range or something like that. The Jays would have to pretty much eat that whole thing to move him.

Allen

If they want Retherford that's fine. I'd prefer to keep him but I wouldn't squash the deal over him because I think Rios is going to be a great fit here.

QUOTE (zenryan @ Aug 10, 2009 -> 03:16 PM) Mirko was one of the most feared strikers in the mid 2000s and Fedor outstruck Mirko in their fight. Anderson might be the better striker but saying Fedor hasnt fought anyone close to Anderson's level is a stretch. Back in the mid 2000s the heavyweight division was tough and he cleaned it out. I would say the 185 and 205 divisions right now arent that great. Lutter got Anderson down and mounted him. Henderson was able to get him down too. I'm sure Fedor would be able to trip Anderson down if he wanted. I dont know how you can say Fedor is not better than Machida until he proves it. Other than beating Rashard, how has Machida proved to be better than Fedor. You put their resumes next to each others and its not even close. He KOed Franklin 6 years ago and went to a decision vs a smaller BJ Penn. Since you brought up Fedor getting rockedng rocked by Fujita, Machida almost got triangled by Tito. Tito has never came close to putting anyone in a submission. Saying Fedor is ducking people if he doesnt sign with the UFC is laughable. Look at who he has fought and was suppose to fight. This is typical MMA fan knee jerk reaction after every event. GSP fights great while Anderson fights boring and GSP is the greatest. Then Fedor fights and he is unstoppable. Then Anderson finally dominates like GSP and Fedor has been and Anderson is the greatest again. I don't think it's a stretch at all to say Fedor has never fought anyone on Anderson's level. Mirko, Arona, and Nog in their primes still weren't Anderson. On the same token, Anderson and Lyoto have never fought anyone close to Fedor's skill level either. I'd personally pick both Lyoto and Anderson over Fedor but I certainly wouldn't bet anything on it because I think Fedor has the skills to beat both. But looking at each fighter's abilities alone, I don't see how anyone can say Fedor is definitely better than either Anderson or Lyoto. I think they're all very, very close. The notion that Fedor is #1 P4P without dispute just because he is basically undefeated is ridiculous to me. If we're going by record, I think GSP has faced and destroyed a much higher quality of competition and you hardly see him ranked #1 P4P. And yes GSP lost to Serra, but that loss made him a better fighter. So for example, it's hard for me to take a point from GSP for losing to Serra and becoming the fighter he is today and then praise Fedor for massacring Zulu. I disagree completely that 185 and 205 are weak. Show me a HW aside from Fedor who skill-wise is on the level of a Nate Marquardt, Dan Henderson, Rich Franklin, Luiz Cane, Rashad Evans, Rampage, Thiago Silva, Shogun, etc. etc. etc. Anyone who thinks guys like Sylvia, AA, Rogers, Werdum, etc. are on that level is nuts. Even Lesnar, the best of them all IMO minus Fedor, is extremely one-dimensional right now and has major flaws in his game. And roider Barnett is one of the most overrated guys out there despite being well-rounded. HW is getting better but P4P it still sucks compared to every other major division. Machida had the flu when he fought Tito anyway. And the point I brought up about Fedor getting hurt by Fujita was to address the notion that Fedor can't be hurt. He can, it's just that he's so much better than 99% of the guys out there that hardly anybody is going to challenge him and take him to that point. And yes, if Fedor re-signs with M-1 after his deal is up in order to "co-promote" again it is ducking. The Strikeforce deal is a different matter because that takes him through his M-1 deal and I think I read somewhere where Fedor had said that if the UFC gave him the same deal they last gave him before he signed with M-1, then he would have signed with the UFC. So after M-1 is gone he should sign. I don't personally believe Fedor is ducking anyone right now and that's why I wouldn't say he is unless he re-ups with M-1, but I do believe that M-1 is a leach that is sucking off Fedor to grow themselves, and that perhaps the M-1 people are ducking because they don't want to risk their investment. I mean they talk about co-promotion all day, but if they truly believed Fedor could come into the UFC and clean house and then leave under the M-1 banner, why wouldn't they do that? They'll get far more exposure that way than they would otherwise, even with the CBS deal. I know Fedor owns a share of M-1 but it can't be all that significant and it can't be significant enough for him to pass on a much better deal.

The scouting report on Kyle McCulloch: Seam tightness: 60 Surface quality: 75 Core construction: 65 Leather: 60 Manufacturer's guarantee: 80

LOLlies Hey JPN, I think I found out who that scout was and what team he was working on behalf of: Sounds like they've found what they're looking for.

I'd rather have Jones. But I'd rather rather have Jones AND Morgado AND Goodwin AND Williams. At this point 2 of those 4 would be good though, 3 would be awesome, 4 and I'd have to wash out my boxers.

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ Aug 10, 2009 -> 01:07 PM) With the risk of being stuck with $60 million over five years, this simply isn't just a block. Sure, it might be a secondary reason, but the primary reason is the Sox wanting Rios. Although, I have a strong feeling tomorrow passes and we don't have Rios. Riccardi is clearly in a bind, he wants to dump him, but he also wants to get a prospect. My best guess is that he simply holds onto him, hopes he finishes off the year strong and builds up his value into an off-season trade. +1 You don't claim a contract that large unless you can take it on and *want* to take it on - especially when everyone in baseball knows that the Jays are chopping salary and that is the #2 contract they'll be trying to shed.

QUOTE (MHizzle85 @ Aug 10, 2009 -> 11:43 AM) I said the main events meaning that I also enjoyed Benavidez/Cruz. I thought the Mizugaki/Curran fight was decent, but Curran got robbed. American judges will never give the fight to the guy on his back it seems. Castillo did work too. Ok I understand that now. Agree the Curran decision was questionable, but I think Mir made it worse by overselling Curran (although I did definitely think Curran won the 3rd round).

QUOTE (son of a rude @ Aug 10, 2009 -> 04:05 AM) Fedor would absolutely manhandle Anderson. Let me remind you that this crazy russian got suplexed and got back up like he had just received a massage... The man feels no pain. Fedor would just be too big for Silva. A 30 pound difference is a lot.. Yeah, Fedor can take damage but he's never faced anyone anywhere near Anderson's skill level, not even close. His "size advantage" really isn't much considering he has a small frame for HW and is a natural 205lb fighter who doesn't want to cut weight. And if he does have about a 15lb weight advantage come fight time, how does that help him? The only way that would help him is if they get to grappling, where Fedor would have the advantage in BJJ, but Anderson doesn't easily get taken down. Anderson also would have the advantage on the feet because he's just as quick as Fedor on his feet and he could use his kicks to keep Fedor out of range. Fedor would have to come in close to strike with Anderson and Anderson doesn't just stand around waiting for his opponent to come close and exchange. Anderson only stood in front of Forrest and Franklin because he was clowning them both and didn't respect their striking ability. Against Fedor he'd be more cautious, and for the first round or two, since they are both counter fighters, there wouldn't be a flurry of action - unless Fedor tried to be the aggressor early, in which case he'd get KTFO. Fedor can take a lot but he also got dropped by Fujita and Anderson is like 100X better striker than him, plus he hits at least as hard, probably much harder because Anderson is far quicker with his hands and far more accurate with his punches than Fujita. If Fedor doesn't sign with the UFC after his 3-fight deal with Strikeforce & M-1 is up then I'll be convinced he's ducking competition. Nobody he'll face in Strikeforce is as good as the top UFC LHW and he also won't face a wrestler or athlete anywhere near as tough as Lesnar. P4P skill-wise, Fedor's competition hasn't been as tough as Anderson's and maybe not even as tough as Lyoto's either because the HW division is the least skilled in all of men's MMA. The only reason Fedor should be considered one of the P4P best is because of his fighting style, not his record. His hands are extremely quick and powerful, he reacts and counters as well as anyone in the game, he's extremely hard to hit, and on the ground he's a beast with GNP and submissions. But IMO he's not better than Anderson or Lyoto until he proves it, but he is capable of beating them.