Quin

And I try to be an eternal optimist. But after JR and Getz have been going on about doing things the "right way," Maldonado is just sign that — unless he's going to the Bonds School of Career Resurgence — we're going to continue to commit money (that cumulatively adds up) to s%*# players that they'll continue to sell us as difference makers for one reason or another.

Wait, what else are supposed to look at? Swaggermetrics? Considering I wasn't able to watch a bunch of Astros games, I'll go off of what their fans - and the numbers - conclude: He's garbage at pitch framing and defense. If defense and pitch framing is important, Seby blows him out of the water like a nuclear submarine.

I rag on the bad ones, so I should applaud the good ones. These are good ones.

Anyone excited for Maldonado should not look up his stats.

Interesting bit on Colson: Gonzalez: Fletcher:

Top 20 + snippets from a few write-ups is fine. We just don't want people dumping an entire article.

But have you considered that I, someone who loves oddities, very much wants Jac. Just kidding (not about loving oddities like Jac), Griffin looks like he could be a monster.

It hasn't even been one offseason, but if his vision for the team is "all defense, no offense," then we are in for a rough Getz tenure. Kenny was all about catching lightning in a bottle, getting his guy, and using the farm to supplement the MLB roster. Honestly, if they had expanded playoffs during Kenny's tenure, this might have worked. Rick was all about trying to build a star offensive-focused core with power pitchers in the rotation, locking them up to team friendly deals, and supplement them with an expensive bullpen (where he could conceivably outbid teams) and other players he traded for (but he got starstruck by prospect rankings / could not develop). Getz, well, we know his hands are tied with the budget. But the Mena deal feels like a KW "use the farm to supplement the MLB roster" move where they sacrifice youth for an immediate fix. He talks about trying to make the team attractive for pitchers— with his 1-year signings of mediocre vets who are good defensively, but are aging. There's also a part of me that feels insane because JR waxed poetic about Getz "teaching" players in the minors to field baseballs. But for some reason that hasn't been the case at all during Getz's tenure, so if he's going to be like KW and Rick Hahn where he relies on going outside of the system — like Mena for Fletcher — to build his vision, then that's a problem. I've also been extreme blunt that I'm judging Getz on a curve because his hiring process was a joke.

Signing Tall DeLong is All DeWrong

Paul DeLong

You don't want to sign Paul "please pray to Jobu" Dejong to a long term deal?

I regret not watching the Nickelodeon-cast

They could have gone with marquee offseason signing Chris Flexen

Eloy's biggest impact on this team is the red batting gloves, which I find depressingly hilarious

@ron883 sensing this thread

Lower bar to clear makes it a lot easier!

But for some reason, we have the #SaveTheParkingLots movement going on

Probably cause the location isn't really great for people that enjoy going to concerts. What are they gonna do when the concert ends? Or are they expected to tailgate?

This is Joely Rodriguez erasure. But also, without saying "signs with," this could imply a trade. I thought we traded Popeye.

It's like how every soft-tossing, late-draft pick from an obscure college the White Sox take is the next Buehrle

Yes, but it is also the same stupid logic. You ever see Mitch do this? I think if you take either at #1, take Williams. But if the Commanders offer a dump truck and the Bears grade the two of them the same (or if they grade Caleb at 90/100 and Maye at 89/100), take the bag and Maye.

I think the Bears should avoid Caleb Williams due to Matt Leinart and Mark Sanchez

DeJong just got put on notice.

I should stressed that I meant hitting wise.