halomatt

I'd imagine that it's going to be difficult for the "small-market" teams to cry poor when teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, and Angels are all actively trying to stay under the tax threshold. Even the Dodgers are trying to cut spending dramatically. I believe the message is this: Build your team on YOUR dime, NOT ours. If the tax limit gets reduced, the "small-market" teams will benefit. It will be difficult for the Union to stay neutral in this. I'd think the Union would want a hard floor that protects the players from owners fielding cheap teams like the Marlins, Rays and A's do.

I'm a dude playing a dude, disguised as another dude!

Totally agree. An excellent point. I'm gonna see them before the shit hits the fan.

Haha. What a maroon! (I love it too.)

This. We basically revert back to the "way it was when I was in public school". Everyone that finished "earned" a diploma. Really though, the high school diploma is useless to employers. It would seem the ones who might care are providing jobs to the ones who might struggle to earn one anyway.

An abomination.

BALDERDASH!!

Let's get to the Feats of Strength!

I'd be okay with Wilson and 10 million in exchange for two pitching prospects. Neither would replace Newcomb but maybe an AAA guy with upside and a AA guy ready for AAA. Both back of the rotation dudes. I think Wilson could get the team this depth.

I generally feel the same. Reynolds took it to a new level for me. I rarely care enough to take drastic measures. With Reynolds, some deep-seated anger came out and we ended up having to mute the games. Weird.

Ribeye with salt/peppah on the bbq during the summer. Winter, I like to sear on a hot ass cast iron and finish it in the oven (the steak). Found a Porterhouse recipe where it gets seared very quickly. Then into the oven for a few minutes. Take it out and separate with the knife) the cuts from the bone. Put it all together loosely back in the cast and baste a garlic butter over all and back in the oven to finish. Pretty damn good. (I've since lost the recipe/directions. Gonna have to get that again.)

This is an under appreciated thread. Good move. Reynolds opens his mouth and idiocy ensues.

I think this is what he (and everybody in baseball) is waiting to happen.

I disagree. It makes perfect sense from Moreno's perspective. Just cause we don't like it doesn't mean it's not logical. And yes. It does suck.

Perhaps this IS it. It still improves LF and very inexpensively. Maybe the plan is to go big in 2018. Harper next to Trout in the outfield? I'd like that look.

I'd seen a tweet that suggested the outfield in Chicago was one of the smaller ones in baseball. The idea being that there would be less ground for him to cover with the two stiffs flanking him.

Thanks for the information. Heyward seems like a fantastic defensive player and baserunner. Probably well worth the money he got.

His OPS+ is comparable to Heyward, huh? Wonder what the difference is in the other measures of defense and baserunning. Heyward is supposed to rank highly in those areas.

It's like Vernon Wells all over again.

It's sad that Arte's backed the team into a corner where it's "throw good money after bad" or "burn the team to the ground". If he doesn't want to pay the damn free agent prices, fine. Invest in the minor league development side where these players come cheap. I'm somewhat disappointed in the apparent lack of focus too, but hell, I'm not in the room so I can't really argue either way. What I do know is this: If he's gonna pop for a left fielder, it's ONLY worth it if it's Upton or Cespedes. Upton is still young enough that there's stability before the decline phase and the draft pick might be worth it. Cespedes, because he's older, will require a shorter contract and less money and, most importantly, won't require the loss of a draft pick. Anyone else, in my mind, isn't worth the draft pick. Why pay Gordon for past performance AND give up the draft pick AND watch his skills erode? Same with the lesser outfielders. For this organization, at this time, they are NOT worth the loss of a first round pick. No matter where we pick in that round. Again, if he doesn't want to pay top dollar anymore, then burn the place to the ground. At the exorbitant cost of pitching, it's entirely possible to deal Heaney, Skaggs, Richards and Santiago and come out with eight players that could make an impact very soon and very cheaply. Keep Weaver and Wilson til the trade deadline and see what the interest is then. (I'd also look at dealing Calhoun and anyone else not nailed down to Arte's office floor.) And if we punt a year, so be it.

Lol. Excellent.

No.

I see this as a very likely scenario, mostly because left field was such a huge black hole, that even a slightly above average player will be a huge upgrade. Problem I see is that Murphy isn't a good defensive player. I've read that he's actually suited more for third than second. This is okay, but I would really like Kubitza and Cowart to get their shot, if for any reason than to shut Scotty's pie hole for a while. (Just kiddin' Scotty!) It's likely that one of the two will at least be league average. If not, there's always a dude on some team that can be had for cheap to stand there and field balls.

Thing is, he could be Bobby Abreu or he could be Poo Holes. Would you be willing to bet $56,000,000.00 on him being Abreu? I would not.

"Get those brokers in here!" "Turn those machines back on!"