ORS

Nice. Fried Ohka.

En fuego.

Just got done fixing the car. No meltdowns yet?

Last you checked? The next time you check about the legality of any substance in the DR will be the first time. Go through news clippings researching the topic and you will find it is common practice for the kids over there to be given substances during their development. Especially 10-15 years ago, which is the timeframe he's talking about. Blinded by love? No, try able to read the text for content. The content is that he "may" have taken steroids back when he was in the DR. Anything else is reading between the lines, and fabricating a 99.9% certainty out of thin air says a lot about who has an axe to grind here. And the connection to the Palmeiro case doesn't exist. Palmeiro was caught. He tested negative during the middle of the steroid controversy. So, at the height of the time when people were looking for users, Palmeiro didn't have the sense, like Ortiz does since he quit taking any supplement in that unregulated country, to monitor what goes into his body? Right. You take asshattery to new levels every day. Carry on.

Right, because a guy saying, "I don't know what was what back in my underdeveloped country with loose drug enforcement laws", is the same as being a center-piece to a major Federal investigation and admitting use to a Federal Grand Jury. Same exact thing. Case closed.

I know I'm in the minority when you poll the fans from these two teams, but I do want a level playing field, even if that means my team needs to get smarter re: player evaluation. A cap won't entirely kill their advantage either. They'll be able to flex their muscle by having the best scouts, player development programs, and getting hard signs in the draft because those don't go into the LT considerations now and I'm OK omitting them moving forward. It's also important that if revenue sharing is occur at greater levels, then a hard floor needs to be established so that crooks aren't just pocketing it like some do now.

Gee, and revenue sharing got revamped not too long ago also. Imagine that?

Are you a fan of baseball, or are you a fan of the Yankees? For me it's baseball first, Sox are who a root for.

I agree. Shut up and pitch. Not smart when the man will likely have a chance to break the ultimate record off you in your park in mid-June.

Re: the money issue. Personally, the only reason I care what they spend is for the same reason you do Gom. Finding value in one place enables them to spend to upgrade in others. Now as to the justice of the system, I think it sucks. I hate the argument, "It's their money so they can spend it if they want to". In regular commerce, I'm in complete agreement with that philosophy. But baseball isn't regular commerce. Sure, it's a business and the owners want to make money, but the playing field is not level in that regard. Certain markets are greater sources of income, and the way the licensing and broadcast rights are set up it creates regional monopolies. Minnesota can't tap the NY or NE market. In normal business, this does not exist. So, due to these monopolies, certain teams will always have more money than the competition, and failure to provide restraint means the powerhouses will stay powerhouses through the might of their money. Not very sporting if you ask me, and when the business is sport, that is a huge inconsistency with the very fundamentals of what is being sold. Sports are about a level playing field for competition. The current system does not provide that.

No, that's not what I said. I said if he turns the corner he'll be better. Even with his warts his FIP is better than Mussina's 4th best year. And the whole 4th year crap is disingenuous. His "4th best" season is almost indistinguishable from what could be considered his 2nd through 6th best. So, in essence, it isn't a poor man's Mussina, but a typical peak Mussina. Reading is fundamental? Funny, this quote doesn't lead one to believe you'd think he could match typical peak. So, in light of the numbers not agreeing with your premise, you've backtracked. Don't worry, I never expected you to admit it.

Don't bother. He goes down this road in just about every argument. Of course, when talking about Pettitte, he's quick to remind that one bad start can skew the numbers early in the season. Not so with relief pitchers who've seen limited use. For them the numbers are absolute.

I think Bard is a project prospect. They are probably starting at square one and building a pitcher off the free-and-easy heat foundation. What I find interesting, Jacko, is why you care? Isn't one of your tenets about prospects that when they first hit pro ball the results should be ignored as they learn what the system is teaching them?

Some have dumped on signing him, but JC has been an asset to the team thus far. I like him in that situational lefty role.

BTW, does any find Rios' swing to be a poor facsimile of Wells' swing?

Wow, the one redeeming quality about Hansack is command of the strikezone. Not today.

Jacko, I know. You don't need to rationalize everything to death.

Sox cruising at 8-1. All for naught.

At this point, if the Sox score more runs, then the guys that are out there are out there for a specific number of outs. Gibbons isn't going to sub out pitchers with he good part of his 'pen when he's down 7+, so while your the idea is nice, it just won't happen.

Nice dig, Hinskie.

Yeah, if he does it, it will be right before he's about to come out.

I don't know if I'd get chippy like that with Beckett on the bump. He has no problem dotting someone with his heater. Expect it to happen.

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