Bellhorn04

Including this game, 8 games, 16 runs scored (2.0 per game), 38 allowed.

Yeah, he has a lot of young followers, right down to little kids. He's definitely good for the game.

I'd like to see Rickie win. He's due for a win.

I've always found the Players to be kind of a strange tournament. Supposedly it has the strongest field of any tournament. Over the years there have been calls to make it the 5th major championship, but it looks like that ain't happening, so it has to settle for being the biggest non-major. The winner gets a 10-year tour exemption, I believe, which is a huge prize. What makes this tournament weird is the last two holes, especially the 17th-the island green par 3. This hole has been heavily criticized over the years for being unfair and worse-for being a complete gimmick, rinky-dink, Mickey Mouse. Yesterday the pin was on the back of the green. Ernie Els hit a tee shot that landed a few feet from the hole, but it bounced hard and trickled off the back into the water. Re-load, big guy. The 18th hole is a beast too, a long par 4 with water all down the left side that the fairway curls around. In the first round I saw Tiger Woods and Adam Scott, playing in the same group, both hook their tee shots a bit, both into the drink. If you like watching pros hit it in the drink, this tournament is for you. You'll see more balls in the water than at a nudist beach on a ninety-degree day.

Another Canadian, David Hearn, is T3 at the Players after 2 rounds.

Sorry. Black humor is the only thing working for me right now.

It's OK. That'll all even out by the end of the year.

This team might get everyone fired before they're done.

Yes, our 4-5-6 hitters are hitting 165, 143 and 152.

You just noticed?

Most baseball players seem to do pretty good in that department. Maybe it was super models who put Jeter in the HOF.

Jays fans: Hanley is still out, and the Sox offense has started the year much worse than expected. Hopefully Sanchez can take advantage. Fortunately, Wade Miley sucks.

Huh? He's a streaky hitter off to a slow start. Or maybe he's getting old and losing it a bit. No idea why you would bring juice into it.

The Lackey trade looks pretty bad at this point. Don't be surprised if something 'leaks' out of the Sox FO about Lackey causing problems last year.

Yes, 4 years is below market for Porcello. FanGraphs predicted he would get a 6 year deal as a free agent. This is one of the crucial points of this whole debate.

Seriously? My agreement was on the AAV, not the length of the deal. I said the length of the deal was Below Market.

Now this I have to question. Which pitchers, or even players, in Porcello's age group have gotten 4 year contracts in the last several years?

I think the Porcello debate has been boiled down to two basic points of disagreement. 1) The pro-Porcello-deal side says the increased AAV of $20 million is offset by the relatively short length of the deal. 2) The pro-Porcello-deal side says if he pitches as well as he did in 2014 for the 4 years of the deal, it will be a good value contract.

And a #1 role with the 2015 Red Sox.

Yes and no. Porcello vs. Homer Bailey: Porcello - higher AAV-yes, a new level for AAV. Bailey - 6 years vs. 4 years for Porcello. Bailey - $105 million vs. $82.5 million for Porcello. Also (not that it means much, but you brought it up) Porcello is a number 1 on his own team now.

As much as I like Nava, a guy in his position can't afford to get off to another terrible start like this.

Pinch running for Ortiz was the book move there. It's weird though, it seems like most times we do it we get burned on it.

Man, WTF is up with the RISP. Didn't we suck all last year with RISP too? Sure is taking a long time to 'return to the norm', the old schooler in me says bitterly.

This one was depressing.

I've already agreed that Porcello is the first guy with his profile to make $20 million. In spite of that it's still a reasonable deal because of all the other arguments presented here, including the FanGraphs article projecting him for a 6 year $108 million free agent payday.