cabiness42

Top 5 hitters in franchise history is unfortunately a very low bar to reach, and I don't think he gets enough HOF votes to say he is "just short". Look, I love Paulie, but for all but 2-3 of his seasons, he was only good enough to be the second best hitter on a contending team.

They were hosts in 2002 and every host gets to the knockout round. So yeah, there's been basically one WC ever where Asian teams have done much of anything.

Yeah, Ghana finished dead last in Group G managing only one point in three games and I'd favor them over at least three teams that advanced (Algeria, Nigeria, Greece) and possibly a fourth (Costa Rica). Just another example of why the WC draw process needs a major overhaul.

Has probably happened a dozen times already.

Note that I said "in their primes." Longevity is another issue, but both Konerko and Lee only had one season with an OPS+ over 150. I expect Abreu to have several of those and probably Rizzo also (though I admittedly pay much less attention to him). Now, Paulie had 12 seasons with an OPS+ over 110 and that is a lot to ask of any player.

Paulie's 3 best OPS+ years were 160, 141 and 136. I expect Abreu to top those. DLee's 3 best OPS+ years were 174, 146 and 131. I expect Rizzo to top those.

Two big differences between Eaton and Podsednik: 1) Podsednik was a LF (and barely an average one at that) while Eaton is a CF. The league average offensive production for LF is higher than that for CF. 2) While both profile as speedy leadoff guys, Podsednik slugged .349 in 2005, which means he was getting very few doubles/triples. Eaton is slugging .385 so far this year (in an admittedly small sample size) and that is a big difference.

If Abreu and Rizzo don't blow Konerko and Lee out of the water in their primes, then both teams will be very disappointed.

Nate Silver's SPI not all that high on Belgium. SPI has all 8 group winners as favorites to win in the second round, but Belgium is one of the two most vulnerable. Germany 80% vs Algeria Brazil 78% vs Chile Argentina 75% vs Switzerland France 72% vs Nigeria (this one sounds low to me) Netherlands 69% vs Mexico Colombia 63% vs Uruguay Belgium 57% vs USA Costa Rica 56% vs Greece Brazil-Argentina remains the most likely final. It remains very unlikely to happen, but a US-Mexico semifinal would be epic. Univision's ratings would be through the roof.

If they're going to keep inviting Asia to the World Cup, they are going to need to give them a one man advantage for all 90 minutes every game. Maybe then they will do better than 0-9-3. That's what makes it even more remarkable that 3 CONCACAF teams advanced, since none of them got free points by being in a group with an Asian team. You can say that Mexico had a somewhat easy draw with Cameroon and Croatia, but they got a point off the hosts so they clearly earned their way through, and the US and Costa Rica survived absolutely loaded groups.

To the public in general? An 8-9. To me, a 3-4. Win, draw, lose was exactly the outcome I expected, though I expected the team to look better against Ghana and not look as good against Portugal.

Vanderbilt Hospital ER is highly recommended if you get a scratched cornea after 10pm.

What are the rules on roster changes? Is it too late to add Michael Phelps?

Their first team just tied a team that the US beat. The US has EPL/Bundesliga caliber players playing in MLS. Just because they are in MLS doesn't mean they are worse.

No, not really. The US has closed the gap considerably.

Since at least one league (MLS) runs during the summer, I would think the 4 months starts today.

Just to clarify, the 4 months is a ban on club play, and the 9 match ban is for international matches, which is anywhere from 1-4 more matches in the World Cup, and then 5-8 matches in the 2015 Copa America

Do we know yet if this was a DFA or a trade?

Yeah, Germany doesn't want to get any of their best players injured playing on a sloppy field. Better rest them all.

No need to call up Rodon and start his arb clock unless the Sox are actually in it in September, which doesn't seem at all likely at this point.

Boateng and Muntari dismissed from Ghana team. Should work in US favor. EDIT: Muntari was already suspended today due to two yellow cards, so Boateng is the only player whose availability for today has changed.

Totally serious. Eliminates salary obligations for the Sox. Would take the best prospect any team will offer for him.

For Viciedo? Any of them that have a pulse.

Even though LF is between 3B and 1B on the 'defensive spectrum,' not every 3B can move to LF. I'm not certain Gillaspie has the speed to be an adequate OF. Still, if he can manage an entire season and only be 2-3 runs below average at 3B, maybe you keep him there.

Bosnia et al now up 2-0 so Nigeria looks safe even if they lose.