2011-2012 Offseason Thread

[Palodios]

I have to disagree with that. I would hate to see Saunders in anything other than in a swingman depth role. He'd get slaughtered in the ALE.

 

He threw to about a 4.40 ERA when he was in the AL. He's only 31, he throws innings, is coming off a career year, and is better than any of the Sox's internal options. And he's healthy. He's not Pedro Martinez, but he's a passable option.

[a700hitter]

He threw to about a 4.40 ERA when he was in the AL. He's only 31' date=' he throws innings, is coming off a career year, and is better than any of the Sox's internal options. And he's healthy. He's not Pedro Martinez, but he's a passable option.[/quote']His WHIP is much too high. Against the Yankees, his ERA is over 6 and his WHIP is close to 1.6.

[FredLynn]

He threw to about a 4.40 ERA when he was in the AL. He's only 31' date=' he throws innings, is coming off a career year, and is better than any of the Sox's internal options. And he's healthy. He's not Pedro Martinez, but he's a passable option.[/quote']

 

Thats a 4.40 pitching in the ALW vs teams like the Mariners and A's who cannot hit the baseball. Even Baltimore and Toronto can hit better than those teams. Oakland finished 12th in runs last year (they are always near the bottom), and the M's finished 14th. The only team that can hit in the ALW is the Rangers. Of the top 8 teams in runs scored in the AL, five are the ALE teams. Its a fact that the ALE teams tend to be much more offensively minded.

Saunders would get slaughtered here. Might as well ask Wakefield to return.

[seabeachfred]

WTH is Yawkeyism?

 

I don't know your age MVP so I can't be certain how far your Red Sox roots go back, but that meaning is that certain players are going to be nurtered, protected, and kept no matter how inept they are, and if the manager balks he will get his walking papers. I'm sure you read some Red Sox history, but that is how managers like Johnny Pesky, Billy Herman and Dick Williams were canned in the 60's, and how Steve O"Neill and Lou Boudreau went before them in the 50's. Players like Jackie Jensen, Bill Monbouquette, Mike Fourniles, Jimmy Piersall, Sammy White were some of the players who gave their managers all kinds of crap, under performed and were kept around because Tom Yawkey loved and spoiled them in the 50's. You could look it up and read about it. In the 60's Yaz, the immortal Yaz, gave managers Pesky, Herman and Williams all kinds of crap and got away with it because Yawkey refused to support the managers in their pissing contests with Yawk's hero. Remember Boomer Scott? Another Prima Donna who Williams tried to discipline out of his profligate ways without support from the Yawk. That's what Yawkeyism means, and now we see how it appears that the Red Sox front office will go almost any lengths to keep sacred cows like Varitek and Wakefield around when they both should have been given their walking papers at least two years ago.

 

Take a look at Jacksonian's Yankees. Remember Bernie Williams? Quite a terrific player, but as soon as he no longer could do the job the Yankees got rid of him and fast. This winter they said sayonara to Jorge Posada, quite a player in his time but his time was up. Well Wakefield and Varitek's time has been up for some time now and neither one should be on the team any more. Does that help?

[a700hitter]

I'm dreading the Game Threads, especially if Papi slumps. It's all on him.

It's not Papi's fault. I for one wanted him back in the lineup, but not at 50% more than it should have cost. That's the fault of Cherries Jubilee.

[BigPapiEnFuego]

I can't get why anyone would want Saunders.

[a700hitter]

I don't know your age MVP so I can't be certain how far your Red Sox roots go back, but that meaning is that certain players are going to be nurtered, protected, and kept no matter how inept they are, and if the manager balks he will get his walking papers. I'm sure you read some Red Sox history, but that is how managers like Johnny Pesky, Billy Herman and Dick Williams were canned in the 60's, and how Steve O"Neill and Lou Boudreau went before them in the 50's. Players like Jackie Jensen, Bill Monbouquette, Mike Fourniles, Jimmy Piersall, Sammy White were some of the players who gave their managers all kinds of crap, under performed and were kept around because Tom Yawkey loved and spoiled them in the 50's. You could look it up and read about it. In the 60's Yaz, the immortal Yaz, gave managers Pesky, Herman and Williams all kinds of crap and got away with it because Yawkey refused to support the managers in their pissing contests with Yawk's hero. Remember Boomer Scott? Another Prima Donna who Williams tried to discipline out of his profligate ways without support from the Yawk. That's what Yawkeyism means, and now we see how it appears that the Red Sox front office will go almost any lengths to keep sacred cows like Varitek and Wakefield around when they both should have been given their walking papers at least two years ago.

 

Take a look at Jacksonian's Yankees. Remember Bernie Williams? Quite a terrific player, but as soon as he no longer could do the job the Yankees got rid of him and fast. This winter they said sayonara to Jorge Posada, quite a player in his time but his time was up. Well Wakefield and Varitek's time has been up for some time now and neither one should be on the team any more. Does that help?

Yaz was my hero and my all time favorite player, but until he was 30, he was a spoiled brat too often and Yawkey always backed Yaz against the manager. Yawkey backed his players who he treated like surrogate kids. They had little or no discipline from year to year.

[seabeachfred]

That's because you are fond of unfunny nicknames (Ben the Boob etc). I am happy for you that you enjoy the "colorful comments and nicknames" though. :thumbsup: Some of us do not.

 

No, you're not happy that we like those funny names because you're a control freak with a tight rear end. You know VA, you don't have to read them if they bother you so much. Just gloss over them or put me on ignore. "Some of us do not"---perhaps so, but speak for yourself. I don't believe the First Amendment has been suspended there, and while I'm at it, I might suggest you buy a copy of any book on Red Sox history and see for yourself some of the nonsense that took place under Yawkey, some of which has already been mentioned in previous posts. I'm not making up falsehoods here and while I might not have been rooting for the Red Sox as long as you have been, I certainly know a enough about their history to see some disgusting parallels with the favoritism shown by Yawkey and the partiality still shown to those two deadbeats who should have been given their walking papers two years ago.

[VA Sox Fan]

It's not Papi's fault. I for one wanted him back in the lineup' date=' but not at 50% more than it should have cost. [b']That's the fault of Cherries Jubilee[/b].

 

Cherries Jubilee...not clever or funny. Regardless....

 

The Red Sox have never overpaid for a player , it happens and it will happen with Papi. That's how it goes sometimes.

 

So? Papi won't be blamed but" Ben the Boob" will? Great.

 

Oh to be omniscient like so many think they are out here. Ohhhhh............

[seabeachfred]

Well Fred' date=' for three years I was the second oldest member of this board. I will be 56 in February and have been following the Sox since 1966. And yes, I will marry a 22 year old smoke show within the next two months.[/quote']

 

Well you have my attention and my deepest admiration. You ever think to change your handle from Spudboy to SpudSTUD? Wow!!!!!!!, you're going to marry a real young lady; let me tell you that you must have something really on the ball and this is no BS. I'm amazed....and before I forget, please accept my most sincere congratulations and my deep admiration. If I wasn't a happily married man for over 41 years with a lovely life, not to mention I'm 71, I might ask you how you do it, but most likely I couldn't.

 

Cheers my friend.

[seabeachfred]

Saunders had a 3.69 ERA last season. I'd love to see him here for 1/7 million as a #5 starter' date=' and he might just accept that kind of deal.[/quote']

 

I still cannot understand how my pals Pumpsie and Elktonnick are so down on Saunders. The guy pitched very well at Fenway Park in the past and I think he would be a good No. 5 man. I also think coming to Boston would work wonders for his confidence since I think he would like pitching in Boston. Well at least I'm not alone in that.

[a700hitter]

Cherries Jubilee...not clever or funny. Regardless....

 

The Red Sox have never overpaid for a player , it happens and it will happen with Papi. That's how it goes sometimes.

 

So? Papi won't be blamed but" Ben the Boob" will? Great.

 

Oh to be omniscient like so many think they are out here. Ohhhhh............

I'm sorry that any discussion that doesn't end with a :thumbsup: or a "way to go" annoys you. You never debate the merits of an argument. You just mock the people with views and opinions different from yours or you just try to shut them down. That's intolerant.

[a700hitter]

I still cannot understand how my pals Pumpsie and Elktonnick are so down on Saunders. The guy pitched very well at Fenway Park in the past and I think he would be a good No. 5 man. I also think coming to Boston would work wonders for his confidence since I think he would like pitching in Boston. Well at least I'm not alone in that.

The Red Sox have often fallen prey to crappy soft-tossing lefties. He will not be facing our hitters, and the Yankees will rake this guy.

[seabeachfred]

Yaz was my hero and my all time favorite player' date=' but until he was 30, he was a spoiled brat too often and Yawkey always backed Yaz against the manager. Yawkey backed his players who he treated like surrogate kids. They had little or no discipline from year to year.[/quote']

 

Well 700, you most likely have more credibility with MVP and VA than I do, and seeing how you can be even handed with a player who is your all time hero should speak volumes about how he and so many others have been treated like sacred cows. This is a business and in a business when someone can't do the job anymore you replace them. It might seem cruel, it might be cruel, but in order to build a team that can wind, you have to do what the old 1979 hit said---YOU HAVE TO BE CRUEL TO BE KIND.

[a700hitter]

Well 700' date=' you most likely have more credibility with MVP and VA than I do, and seeing how you can be even handed with a player who is your all time hero should speak volumes about how he and so many others have been treated like sacred cows. This is a business and in a business when someone can't do the job anymore you replace them. It might seem cruel, it might be cruel, but in order to build a team that can wind, you have to do what the old 1979 hit said---YOU HAVE TO BE CRUEL TO BE KIND.[/quote']As a kid, of course I was glad he sided with Yaz. However, in retrospect, as an adult, it was pretty clear that the players ruled the roost under ,and Yaz was the favorite son.

 

When the Sox pulled the trigger on Nomar (who was finished as a SS) in 2004 and then they let other sacred cows walk like Pedro (i wasn't happy about that), I like that they put aside sentimentality in building the team from year to year. In the last couple of years, they have backslid in that area IMO.

[SoxSport]

The Red Sox missed the boat on the current thinking of DHs this year. Teams don't want one-dimensional DHs anymore. Look at VG. They take up valuable roster space and are of no use in the field. They figured Papi would be in demand so they offered him arbitration. Turns out there don't appear to be any takers for him--even though he had a great year last year. And the Sox are stuck paying him 8 figures for one year, and have no money for a RHd bat or another starter without a luxury tax penalty. No team is going to pay Ortiz big money for one good year at 36, after two declining years.

 

Here is a classic example of Yawkeyism. And don't hold your breath about Wake and Tek.

[Elktonnick]

Well 700' date=' you most likely have more credibility with MVP and VA than I do, and seeing how you can be even handed with a player who is your all time hero should speak volumes about how he and so many others have been treated like sacred cows. This is a business and in a business when someone can't do the job anymore you replace them. It might seem cruel, it might be cruel, but in order to build a team that can wind, you have to do what the old 1979 hit said---YOU HAVE TO BE CRUEL TO BE KIND.[/quote']

 

Plus Yawkey was a racist well until later in life. The Red Sox passed on an opportunity to sign Willie Mays.

[seabeachfred]

I'm sorry that any discussion that doesn't end with a :thumbsup: or a "way to go" annoys you. You never debate the merits of an argument. You just mock the people with views and opinions different from yours or you just try to shut them down. That's intolerant.

 

I've gotten to the point where I'M thinking of putting her on ignore. She is one intolerant lady. Look if she wants to be a pollyanna that's fine with me, but at least she should defend her position. The problem is she has no position except to regurgitate whatever the front office says is so. VA sees no evil, speaks no evil and hears none uttered in her presence. Trying to ascertain her own thoughts is like trying to take a hot bath with your clothes on or trying to eat a bowl of soup with a fork. Boy oh boy.....

[a700hitter]

Rays To Sign Fernando Rodney

By Ben Nicholson-Smith [January 3 at 10:15pm CST]

 

Right-handed reliever Fernando Rodney told the Associated Press that he signed with the Rays and hopes to compete to be their closer in 2012 (link in Spanish via ESPN). The one-year deal is worth over $2MM, according to Rodney, who said he’s feeling good physically and mentally.

 

Rodney posted a 4.50 ERA with more walks (28) than strikeouts (26) in 32 innings of work for the Angels in 2011. I would be surprised if the Rays guaranteed him $2MM after that performance.

He has a very high WHIP. The Rays can have him.

[jung]

Well as I have said before I thought the Sox had entered the trade part of their off season a couple of weeks ago. They don't appear to me to be actively considering any FA deals any longer. That said, I am holding out hope that they find some way to trade salary for salary because I have thought for a long time that this is all they are really willing to do at this point.

 

As for keeping any possibilities open for Wake, I can only assume that the Sox are doing so as some sort of a safety valve to being unable to make any sort of a trade that helps their pitching. However I just don't see that Wake is a safety valve. A guy that is just going to go out there and get flamed is no safety valve at all.

 

As for Tek, now ya' got me. I can't find a rational for Tek regardless of what I do. He can't catch Wake so that isn't it. He can't hit at all. He can't throw anybody out. He is just done. I don't get it. Now as far as why from Tek's perspective all you have to do is look at the amount of money teams toss around these days and it is hard to blame a player for trying to get a slice of that pie regardless of the reality of the situation.

 

I still think there is a way out of the Ortiz arb thing but don't quote me on that because I just don't know if the new arb rules take effect now or mid-season when some of the other new CBA rules are going to be implemented. I believe if the new rules regarding arb are in effect now, they can in fact back out of the arb offer. If I am not mistaken this new rule was more an effort to resolve teams and players making handshake arrangements to void arb offers which has happened. I believe the new rule allows a team to back out and gets rid of the handshake agreements between players and teams. However I do not know if there are strings attached and as mentioned I don't even know if this is one of the rules to be implemented mid-season 2012 or one that was to take effect this off-season.

 

If the Sox are able to back out then I would be a little less harsh in my criticism of the Sox for having offered Ortiz arbitration. If not then it is without question the biggest blunder of the offseason so far. Even if they can back out, it would appear to me that having it hanging out there has still had the same effect on the Sox. It looks to me like they are operating under the assumption that they are going to be stuck with Ortiz and have basically allocated that money away denying them any opportunity to use it elsewhere. I thought it was a terrible move that just could not be rationalized no matter how you tried at the time it was announced and I can't say that it has aged any better.....just a bad bad move.

 

Yes teams make mistakes but this was not a year where the Sox could afford many or any for that matter. Making a $15M mistake when they are clearly treating dimes like they are the size of manhole covers really does put that deal into perspective.

[FredLynn]

I still cannot understand how my pals Pumpsie and Elktonnick are so down on Saunders. The guy pitched very well at Fenway Park in the past and I think he would be a good No. 5 man. I also think coming to Boston would work wonders for his confidence since I think he would like pitching in Boston. Well at least I'm not alone in that.

 

Its because his ERA pitching primarily against the very weak hitting ALW (ie the A's and M's) was 4.40 and someone here mentioned that his ERA vs the Yankees is 6. He would be just cannon fodder out there. We don't need more cannon fodder: we already have Miller and now Silva.

Unless, of course, we are clearly in a rebuilding year, Red Sox style, and the owners are already surrendering the season to the better ALE teams.

[a700hitter]

Well as I have said before I thought the Sox had entered the trade part of their off season a couple of weeks ago. They don't appear to me to be actively considering any FA deals any longer. That said, I am holding out hope that they find some way to trade salary for salary because I have thought for a long time that this is all they are really willing to do at this point.

 

As for keeping any possibilities open for Wake, I can only assume that the Sox are doing so as some sort of a safety valve to being unable to make any sort of a trade that helps their pitching. However I just don't see that Wake is a safety valve. A guy that is just going to go out there and get flamed is no safety valve at all.

 

As for Tek, now ya' got me. I can't find a rational for Tek regardless of what I do. He can't catch Wake so that isn't it. He can't hit at all. He can't throw anybody out. He is just done. I don't get it. Now as far as why from Tek's perspective all you have to do is look at the amount of money teams toss around these days and it is hard to blame a player for trying to get a slice of that pie regardless of the reality of the situation.

 

I still think there is a way out of the Ortiz arb thing but don't quote me on that because I just don't know if the new arb rules take effect now or mid-season when some of the other new CBA rules are going to be implemented. I believe if the new rules regarding arb are in effect now, they can in fact back out of the arb offer. If I am not mistaken this new rule was more an effort to resolve teams and players making handshake arrangements to void arb offers which has happened. I believe the new rule allows a team to back out and gets rid of the handshake agreements between players and teams. However I do not know if there are strings attached and as mentioned I don't even know if this is one of the rules to be implemented mid-season 2012 or one that was to take effect this off-season.

 

If the Sox are able to back out then I would be a little less harsh in my criticism of the Sox for having offered Ortiz arbitration. If not then it is without question the biggest blunder of the offseason so far. Even if they can back out, it would appear to me that having it hanging out there has still had the same effect on the Sox. It looks to me like they are operating under the assumption that they are going to be stuck with Ortiz and have basically allocated that money away denying them any opportunity to use it elsewhere. I thought it was a terrible move that just could not be rationalized no matter how you tried at the time it was announced and I can't say that it has aged any better.....just a bad bad move.

 

Yes teams make mistakes but this was not a year where the Sox could afford many or any for that matter. Making a $15M mistake when they are clearly treating dimes like they are the size of manhole covers really does put that deal into perspective.

Excellent point.

[FredLynn]

Excellent point.

 

Its an excellent point if you think the team was able to compete for a ring this year, yes. And certainly using that money for a good SP who would sign for one year (eg: Oswalt or Kuroda) made a hell of a lot more sense than giving it to Ortiz. It was a calculated risk-one the Sox management lost (again). They FO is really going to have to learn how the game is played all over again.

[jung]

You are correct pumps...the Sox were playing things a little to cute for their own good. The problem with it being categorized as a calculated risk is that there was no upside. They had offense and most particularly plenty of offense from the left side of the plate.

 

If we take our own Sox forum opinions offered at the time as likely to be correct, the Sox were not making a play to keep Ortiz as much as they were attempting to suck up the draft picks from the team that claimed him. I think that was an accurate portrayal of the circumstances. However that just flew in the face of reality. Nobody was going to just give away picks for a guy his age that was going to do nothing but DH. It is over for that era of DH.

 

In fact I near fall off my chair every time I hear one of the so called experts talking about how teams only rotate players into the DH role because they are not lucky enough to have a stud like Ortiz to be their DH. It is like these guys are stuck in some 1990 time warp. That is done. It is not like there is suddenly some shortage of aging stars that could in fact fill that roster spot as a dedicated DH. You don't see it as much anymore because teams no longer want to give up that roster spot to a guy like that. Teams are already beginning to acclimate to the ever increasing difficulties of playing in the modern era, the amount of travel, the scheduling changes, including flexing games in and out of time slots. As much of a grind as the 162 has been, it just gets worse and worse. Teams have to be able to rest players without losing their at bats. If there is one thing that is still true about the DH it is that it creates a tremendous amount of pressure on teams to score runs.

 

We probably do not get to see enough NL games in this town but if you do watch enough of them and see how often team game tactics inning by inning are based on the opposing teams pitcher's spot in the batting order, you then can gain an understanding for how often NL teams work toward the pitcher's spot and how different that is from what we have in the AL. The pressure on pitchers to hold teams down is greater and the pressure on teams to score runs is greater in the AL because there are simply not as many or even sometimes any places where you catch a break in the batting order.

 

Having been an AL city for so long and the DH now having been around for so long I even wonder how tolerant we would be of seeing rallies just evaporate as the pitcher comes to the plate. We have grown pretty used to seeing rallies just continue unabated instead of seeing the pitcher come up, take three quick hacks and everybody run for their mitts to take the field.

 

The other decided advantage that NL teams have when it gets to the WS is that their teams are inherently better balanced teams through the roster. NL teams are forced to substitute around the pitchers spot late in games as a means of trying to build on rallies as opposed to seeing them just fritter away by letting the pitcher bat late in the game. They have to have better depth on the bench because those guys are going to see more action day in and day out.

 

Currently there is a good deal of talk in the major leagues about whether the time has come to rejoin. Based on the amount of inter-league play and teams actually crossing over between leagues, baseball is seriously considering whether or not the time has come for all MLB to have a DH or all MLB to go without. It has become a tough time to make that sort of a decision because cleaning up the steroid issue has created something of a power outage in baseball. Hitting has been effected more than pitching and I suspect there is some reluctance to abandon the DH at this point. That said, I would prefer it to be all one way at this point. Either everybody has it or nobody has it.

[Palodios]

Yes teams make mistakes but this was not a year where the Sox could afford many or any for that matter. Making a $15M mistake when they are clearly treating dimes like they are the size of manhole covers really does put that deal into perspective.

 

We're not talking about a 15 million dollar mistake. We're talking about a 2-3 million dollar mistake, at worst.

 

The other thing-- which everyone keeps disregarding, is how ugly this situation could have gotten. Remember the "Jeter sweepstakes" last year?

[mvp 78]

Fred, all you need to know is that I've been a fan for 3x as long as you.

 

And stop with the FO is treating Wake and Tek like sacred cows crap. They aren't signed. Until they are your point is 100% hyperbole and not based in reality.

[Bellhorn04]

I don't know your age MVP so I can't be certain how far your Red Sox roots go back, but that meaning is that certain players are going to be nurtered, protected, and kept no matter how inept they are, and if the manager balks he will get his walking papers. I'm sure you read some Red Sox history, but that is how managers like Johnny Pesky, Billy Herman and Dick Williams were canned in the 60's, and how Steve O"Neill and Lou Boudreau went before them in the 50's. Players like Jackie Jensen, Bill Monbouquette, Mike Fourniles, Jimmy Piersall, Sammy White were some of the players who gave their managers all kinds of crap, under performed and were kept around because Tom Yawkey loved and spoiled them in the 50's. You could look it up and read about it. In the 60's Yaz, the immortal Yaz, gave managers Pesky, Herman and Williams all kinds of crap and got away with it because Yawkey refused to support the managers in their pissing contests with Yawk's hero. Remember Boomer Scott? Another Prima Donna who Williams tried to discipline out of his profligate ways without support from the Yawk. That's what Yawkeyism means, and now we see how it appears that the Red Sox front office will go almost any lengths to keep sacred cows like Varitek and Wakefield around when they both should have been given their walking papers at least two years ago.

 

Take a look at Jacksonian's Yankees. Remember Bernie Williams? Quite a terrific player, but as soon as he no longer could do the job the Yankees got rid of him and fast. This winter they said sayonara to Jorge Posada, quite a player in his time but his time was up. Well Wakefield and Varitek's time has been up for some time now and neither one should be on the team any more. Does that help?

 

I don't think the term Yawkeyism applies to Varitek and Wakefield. The Red Sox have kept them around because they were cheap and they contributed. Varitek made 2 million last year compared to the 10 million he made in his prime. Wakefield has always been cheap labor.

 

Bernie Williams and Posada would not play for 2 million a year, I don't think.

 

Now don't read into that that I want Tek and Wake back. I would really prefer we were in a position we could move on from them. They're just too old now, frankly. I'd like to see Tek get a coaching position somewhere in the organization.

[a700hitter]

We're not talking about a 15 million dollar mistake. We're talking about a 2-3 million dollar mistake' date=' at worst.[/quote']IMO, at best it was only a $2-3 million mistake. He made $12.5 million last year and he is guaranteed a raise. It is more likely a $4-5 million mistake.

[a700hitter]

I don't think the term Yawkeyism applies to Varitek and Wakefield. The Red Sox have kept them around because they were cheap and they contributed. Varitek made 2 million last year compared to the 10 million he made in his prime. Wakefield has always been cheap labor.

 

Bernie Williams and Posada would not play for 2 million a year, I don't think.

 

Now don't read into that that I want Tek and Wake back. I would really prefer we were in a position we could move on from them. They're just too old now, frankly. I'd like to see Tek get a coaching position somewhere in the organization.

I don't know why people are arguing whether "Yawkeyism" applies to this situation. The real point is that both of these guys, especially Wakefield, suck and they should have no place on the Red Sox roster even if they played for free.

[VA Sox Fan]

No' date=' you're not happy that we like those funny names because you're a control freak with a tight rear end. You know VA, you don't have to read them if they bother you so much. Just gloss over them or put me on ignore. "Some of us do not"---perhaps so, but speak for yourself. I don't believe the First Amendment has been suspended there, and while I'm at it, I might suggest you buy a copy of any book on Red Sox history and see for yourself some of the nonsense that took place under Yawkey, some of which has already been mentioned in previous posts. I'm not making up falsehoods here and while I might not have been rooting for the Red Sox as long as you have been, I certainly know a enough about their history to see some disgusting parallels with the favoritism shown by Yawkey and the partiality still shown to those two deadbeats who should have been given their walking papers two years ago.[/quote']

 

Control freak? Tight rear end? Real nice. I am very familiar with who Tom Yawkey was, I've been a Red Sox fan my entire life. Other posters have mentioned how it is difficult to take your posts seriously with your use of ridulous nicknames. But you insist on calling me out. I wasn't responding to you at all. I was responding to a700.

 

You are a curmudgeon and an opinionated *******.