Lip Man 1

Just how stupid are these folks? https://patch.com/illinois/southside/espn-f...ld-series-again I mean it's not like you can't easily cross check stuff.

Merry Christmas to all.

QUOTE (hi8is @ Dec 22, 2017 -> 01:36 PM) Really? I've read the opposite. I recall reading the day they got him the Mets immediately placed a call asking about Castro.

Absolutely stunned by this news. Apparently whatever took his life happened quickly. He was found in his home with his bags packed ready to fly to Boston today. He was 82. The voice of a generation...the Angels, the Rams, UCLA basketball, "The Sports Challenge" TV show, Tennis, the Olympics, the NFL, the Padres, College Basketball. His like will never be seen again.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Dec 21, 2017 -> 05:18 AM) There was plenty to see there, for once I applaud LeBatard for going after Manfred. He was absolutely correct, there was no way that Manfred wasn’t aware that Jeter was going to slash payroll after acquiring the team, and Manfred kept lying about it Sorry. When guys like him, Cowherd, Berman and their ilk open their mouths I turn the channel or go to another web page. That's the price they pay for their arrogance.

QUOTE (oldsox @ Dec 20, 2017 -> 04:34 PM) Dick lives outside of Venice, FL, which is a 3.5 hour drive to Miami. I doubt he sees many Marlin games. See him all the time on TV when they are showing highlights of the Rays.

QUOTE (wrathofhahn @ Dec 20, 2017 -> 08:11 PM) Not sure where to put this mod can move it where they see fit but it's must see. LaBatard is another self important, agitator. Nothing to see here.

QUOTE (Sleepy Harold @ Dec 20, 2017 -> 09:48 AM) Jeff Passan‏Verified account @JeffPassan Following Following @JeffPassan More Source: Christian Arroyo is headed to the Rays in the Evan Longoria deal. Jeff Passan @JeffPassan now Source: Denard Span also is headed to Tampa Bay. Jeff Passan @JeffPassan now Source: Giants get Evan Longoria for Christian Arroyo, Denard Span, Matt Krook and Stephen Woods. Dick Vitale (a Rays season ticket holder) is pretty pissed. He sent out a tweet saying fans aren't paying major league prices to see minor league players.

Braves waived Gonzales today.

QUOTE (ptatc @ Dec 18, 2017 -> 09:56 AM) These moves were created by the MLBPA agreement for the salary tax. If they don't agree to the tax, the salary dump isn't needed. Except for the Marlins case, which is just the new owner wanting to start over. The amount of money the MLB is irrelevant. There wasn't a decrease in salaries. It just moved from one team to another. The story specifically stated and gave the percentage, that the total percentage of money given to players has dropped. I think the story said it was at 36% of total income for MLB, something like that... where at one point in was in the low 50% range.

QUOTE (CaliSoxFanViaSWside @ Dec 17, 2017 -> 10:43 AM) About Stanton. The Marlins were in no position to insist on anything. There main goal was dump as much of the salary as possible or pretty much keep Stanton and his salary. They were the beggars in this scenario with only 1 team that could give them a hand out and that was the Yankees. That gives the Yanks the upper hand. The yankees could clearly contend without Stanton but could new Marlin ownership deal with having an unhappy Stanton and his salary ? Desperation means you can't make demands in a trade. This is true. However what I don't get is that the cash strapped Marlins GAVE the incredibly wealthy Yankees 30 million dollars. That makes little sense to me.

Interesting story on how MLB is making money hand over fist...but not spending as much on players...and it is the MLBPA that is partially to blame for it: www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/the-mlbpa-has-a-big-problem-to-address-as-dodgers-yankees-marlins-dump-salary/

QUOTE (NCsoxfan @ Dec 15, 2017 -> 07:14 PM) Actually don’t blame him. Ridiculous there was an exposed box without padding. Very dangerous and possible it ruined his career. Agreed.

Just a clarification on the Albert Belle deal. The clause that everyone was referring to stated that he had to be among the top 3 paid players in baseball or he had the right to leave if he wished. By the time his clause kicked in, he was no longer among the top three...so he left.

QUOTE (WBWSF @ Dec 15, 2017 -> 10:15 AM) Trading David Robertson was another stupid move by Hahn last summer. Right....because Rick (The Cub Fan) Hahn is trying to destroy the team for all eternity! Robertson sure would have propelled the Sox into playoff contention in 2018...you betcha!

His agent also said everyone was notified in November that he had that blood platelet injection in his pitching elbow (as did Tanaka) as a "precaution." Angels said they knew about this before they signed him.

QUOTE (steveno89 @ Dec 9, 2017 -> 03:56 PM) The Stanton deal looks great for the Yankees right now, but I think they will end up regretting the trade several years down the line when he seriously regresses and still has 5-6 years left on his contract with a full no trade clause. With the Yankees money do you even think that will matter? They'll just go out and buy someone else, price be damned.

MLB is soon going to have the same issue that the NBA is now having. Three or four "super" teams...Dodgers, Yankees, Indians, Astros. A small number of very good teams...Red Sox, Cubs, Nats and all the rest mediocre at best or tanking / rebuilding with ZERO CHANCE to win anything. Not good for the fans and not good from a business standpoint when fans stop watching or going to games because there isn't any point. And I'd argue just the opposite, on a point. Miami actually has Stanton over a barrell. The guy wants to play for a winner and doesn't want to go through a rebuild. Fine. Miami should have said, 'you go to the Cards or the Giants or we'll trade everybody in the f***ing lineup and you'll be out there alone with no protection in last place. How would you like that?' I'm willing to bet he'd change his tune mighty quick. Instead Miami acted like Miami even with new ownership.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 9, 2017 -> 10:08 AM) I think that's a great thought too To stress - it doesn't mean that low payroll teams can't win. But for a low payroll team to win in this era, when the Yankees and Dodgers and Red Sox are combining big payrolls with big contracts and with big time talent coming through their systems...the way you have to win is to make yourself a 100 win team by development. If your team has to go through the "win 100 games then rebuild cycle", you still have the shot to win 100 games and put yourself in the world series. A successful rebuild is more important for competing today than it was yesterday. So parity may be going away, but the era of small market teams winning titles is not. What you've posted makes a great deal of sense to me. But keep in mind from a White Sox standpoint is to win the division and actually get into the playoffs. Once you do that, especially in a short series...its a crap shoot. Cleveland would appear to be the only team in the division who still figures to be good when the Sox are so that increases the post season odds for them. At this point I'd be thrilled to make the playoffs three years in a row say, even if it meant getting swept out in the first round by a "super" team.

Older fans remember the K.C. A's being a major league "farm" team for the Yankees. (Roger Maris among a number of other guys who went on to star in New York). Now it's the Marlins. The more things change the more they stay the same. As always $$$ talks and BS walks and the Yankees always have the most money to be able to do things.

Not so fast my friend??? https://www.mlb.com/news/report-stanton-tra...ams/c-263112926

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-hot-...do-trade-calls/ Interesting if true...

Where things are believed to stand right now: https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/shohei-o...t-happens-next/

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/as-new-b...rs-of-new-site/ Will be interesting to see what (if anything) they can do moving forward.

Cubs must have made some pitch to his agents to get to be one of the seven finalists.