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Screw the extra playoff karp. Greedy watered down nonsense. Let's keep the playoffs legit. .

I will vote for him as soon as he gives us the results of the investigation he said he was launching into his reported positive test in the 2003 survey testing. It's been what, 13 years, so that should be coming any day now.

Give me Uribe. Because I literally know no one else.

It is still one of the most memorable eras of my fandom - and I look back at it with tons of positivity and enjoyment. I don't remember that they were all juicing (Or I guess I do - but it doesn't change my memories). I remember being in awe as my dad and grandpa watched the HR chase. I remember going to a baseball game with my grandpa (90 at the time and a diehard Cardinals fan) and all of us just having our jaws dropped watching batting practice as McGuire put ball after ball 40 rows deep into the bleachers in San Diego. I remember watching Sunday night baseball during family dinners that year (with my grandpa) and everyone just looking and wondering will they break the record or not. It was fascinating. They were incredible and I will always remember that. That is part of what the game is - the entertainment it brought and some of these players not getting in were the most electric and entertaining in their era. That to me is what the HOF is all about.i Note: 20 years from now it will be a moot point because those guys will get elected by their peers being recognized for what they were - legends of their own era. Yeah - the era had question marks but no different than people debating people from the dead ball era or the live ball era etc.

Oh we’ve seen worse. Page 1 or 2 of this thread has a guy voting for Bonds but not Clemens. You can find an evisceration of it by me as well (Clemens had a higher career WAR than Kershaw does now at the point the Mitchell report says he started). I can respect “we will do the best we can to keep these guys out until the Hall does something specific where we can put them. We may miss some, but we will stop most”. In that case you can’t vote for Ortiz either. I can mostly respect “baseball wasn’t enforcing this rule so just count it and put them all in” even if I disagree. The half excuses of Ortiz is ok and ARoid is not or Bonds gets in but Tetrahydrogestrinone does not because he was clean until 1998 are bad to me. You’re admitting you think these guys shouldn’t get in for cheating but assuming you can pick exactly when they started. You can’t. Beyond that they get even lamer. Ortiz is ok and Tetrahydrogestrinone is not…ugh. But of course, because this is the worst timeline, that incoherent ugh is what we get.

lol this reminds me so much of that video from the trubisky draft where all the scouts showed him #1 on their board.

Hopefully Ortiz gets in if only to get him off the ballot. We can debate all day whether he deserves to be in, but for me, the line was after testing with penalties, and then especially post-Mitchell Report. Cano, Braun, Manny, Arod…not ever.

Very good start

Is this a joke - is someone like messing with me on Soxtalk and the Caruso playing through a flagrant but than waking up the next day and getting surgery, now Jones Jr almost being ready to come back and this happens. JR just needs to give a partial ownership of the franchise to Scottie Pippen and MJ to somehow get whatever curse exists from that glorious era of greatness!!! Even the timeline - for an index finger seems significant (knowing how many guys play with jammed fingers / things in splints). This is just crazy - beyond crazy.

Or is Daboll waiting to at least find out whether he has a shot to work with Fields (or Lawrence for that matter). I'm bias and think highly of Fields - so I will caveat that - but If I am Daboll I am smart enough to know that my best shot at having duration is having a QB. With the Bears I at least have an idea of what Fields upside / potential is. Sure, you didn't actually coach with him and you probably didn't scout him much coming out of college, but the league is small so you have an idea of what he can be and just as importantly probably have at least decent intel on the type of competitor he is, whether he's coachable, what kind of work ethic does he have, etc. If I look at the Giants and now have a chance to look forward into the draft - how good do I feel about being able to land a QB with anywhere near Field(s) potential? If I think Fields has the tools - do I really take my chances going to an org that isn't getting one of those guys this year and now I have to hope they can find someone in '23? Or can I go in and get a shot with the Bears knowing this wasn't my hand chosen guy, so if it doesn't work, I may get a 2nd crack at the nut (similar to Pace getting 2 cracks at the nut). I don't know - but I'd at least think about it if I were him (again - I think very highly of Fields raw physical skills). I recognize Fields has major flaws, flaws that might get in the way of him reaching his upside - but his physical tools are strong. And Daboll is a guy who has already taken a raw, but physical toolsy QB and helped work with him to get him into that upper echelon. I also will note - it does feel like Bears have kept their view(s) very close to the vest (vs. some other franchises). No one had Poles as top dog in the fight up until basically they saw him getting picked up w/McCaskey. So who is to say the media really knows what Poles/Bears are thinking here. And if Daboll was at least intrigued enough for a first interview - if he got a shot - why not go for a 2nd interview. Note: Or Daboll thinks the above, but actually replace Fields with Trevor Lawrence.

He really, really is a turd. Josh Allen was quoted saying: “I think everybody should have that choice to do it or not to do it,” Allen continued. “You get in this tricky situation now where if you do mandate that, that’s kind of going against what our constitution says and the freedom to kind of express yourself one way or the other. I think we’re in a time where that’s getting a lot harder to do. Everybody should have that choice." No one really knows if he’s vaxxed or not at this point (as far as I’ve read) And everyone was rooting for Allen last weekend, as they should because he’s incredibly fun to watch, seems like a good overall guy. Yes, I disagree with him 100% on his comments…but that really doesn’t change much for me. Aaron Rodgers is just a giant asshole.

When did Aaron Rogers turn into a little b****?

If that is how it happens - doesn't Quinn's OC role look most promising relatively speaking). The 3 other openings are all offensive specialists so you presume if you take that role you may or may not run play calling etc. If you take Quinn's job you are being directed with responsibility around the development of the QB and design of the offense (obviously in alignment with Quinn's broader vision).

Next year’s ballot is much thinner- may be a good opportunity for Buehrle to bounce back. Rolen, Helton, Wagner, Jones, Sheffield, A Rodriguez, Kent, M Ramirez, Vizquel, Pettitte, Rollins, Abreu, Buehrle, Hunter, Beltran (and if you want to at least discuss Lackey and Francisco Rodriguez). That’s it. Tim Hudson fell off. Teixeira, Nathan, Lincecum didn’t get 5%.

Same is true for a lot of guys that are objectively much better players.

This makes no sense - Ortiz was the least good of the roids users that didn't get in. I don't get why you don't put Bonds/Clemens/Arod (if he doens't) in but you do put Ortiz in. Makes zero sense - the other 3 were way more elite (and those elite numbers held up when a big portion of the league was doing the same thing they were).

I did see a report that Harbaugh was looking for 10yrs 100M (so Gruden(esque). That is too much to give Jim, imo.

Expanded playoffs AND shortened regular season? Woof. Those are probably the two things I want to change the least

100%. Bonds and Clemens too. If we are going to let in cheaters, let the best ones in. I would prefer none of them.

Purgatory.

Who cares. Put them all in. Hall of fame yay so sacrosanct woo. its run by a bunch of aggrieved bitches who value personal grudges over players careers. We have multiple voters turning in blank ballots for consecutive years and nobody cares

so what DaBearsBlog just mentioned on a podcast was that Omar Khan wasn't interviewed for GM role, but to replace Phillips next year, so if Colbert retires and Khan isn't slated with a role he likes, he could move to Chicago. That's pretty damn interesting.

Lavine was gassed - so pretty good excuse there (hadn't played in 10 days and needed more minutes). Same with Green. Outside of that - they didn't have 3 guys who are primary ball handlers (along with Lavine) in that situation - Ball, Caruso, and Derozan. So I actually think having that happen was good - because it will be developmental for individuals like Ayo and White. But it does highlight while Ball/Caruso are out - it can be helpful to have someone who can actually handle legit back up PG duties in that type of situational pinch (i.e., Arci...who is on day 5 of his 10 day contract with Knicks).

This - what lost said. I do think they need to make some decisions now to better set-up that window from years 2-6, but if they aren't humming and in a good spot by year 3 we got problems. The hope would be at that point - if you do have problems, that you have good talent and are mainly looking at upgrading the QB position (not saying that is a good thing - but if your QB stinks and you have crap talent around it in 3 years than it is looking really long in the tooth). Its why I think Poles is in a great spot - he gets to design a team around a young QB (one he is inheriting) and if the young QB isn't right, he'll be in a spot to make his own choice for one down the road (with ideally the right pieces and systems/set-up around said QB to maximize success). That said - for now - Bears have to be all-in on developing Fields and putting real pieces around him. I guarantee that is one thing Poles would have learned from his time with Chiefs (it isn't like they gave Mahomes lousy resources).

I think its more of - a soft reset is what I call it. Cause you are deploying resources into your young QB and building up a war chest for years 2 or 3. But they are in a spot where they have to at least hit a slight reset (to me); They could try to keep rolling but i just don't know that it makes sense given the age of some of their better defensive players. Focus '22 on getting younger and building resources on offense - '23 can be a window where you start adding via free agency + continue to infuse young talent across both sides of the ball (with hopefully a young QB who is ascending in a division with no other decent QB).

That is why I said - if he wants to pick the brains from Polian, great, he has that right, but ball is in his court and he has to make these decisions. He should be smart enough to ask for help where appropriate and lean on the right people (like anyone in those shoes) but they gave him this role as a reason. I think the important part here is - they are setting a tone by telling him this, it doesn't mean he shouldn't lean on others / get different perspectives, but buck ultimately stops with him. A huge part of leadership is leaning on others (but providing clarity of vision, asking right questions, removing barriers/providing resources, etc).

This is what he's being hired to do. If he can't be trusted with this decision, he shouldn't have the job.

The bonus pool is really interesting, especially if it is MLB money, and not team money.

Salary Floor makes too much damn sense.

Bill Polian and his group need to be done after today. If Poles is now the GM, he should be the one conducting final interviews.

The fact that the account asking "source?" is suspended takes the wind out of this, but:

If there is anything that the last decade has taught us, its that you can do a lot worse than signing guys for their bloodlines.

The key part here. Not sure why this took 10 days to mention, but OK.

I agree that he was overrated, but still more than good enough to warrant a first ballot HOF vote.

Yeah, I mean cool but sox can you just send out an effing press release on your INTL class?

I am glad there was some real action today - hopefully they can both build on this day by day. Could care less which side wins - I just want me some baseball and preferably some spring training too Give me a floor - expanded playoffs - and If it were up to me a shorter regular season.

I think the MLBPA could live with 220M as the luxury tax threshold if every team had to spend at least $125M. Honestly I think getting a floor is more important than increasing the luxury tax threshold.

Grobber got me through college, always listened to him whenever I was up late working on a paper or a project. Even now, I’d always have him on as I’d leave set at night. Going to miss that weird guy.

Maybe the White Sox’s owner isn’t willing to let money be spent on these guys until he knows the status of his big league revenue for the season?

Buehrle won't make it this year but I think if he can hit 20-25% this year, I think he's got a decent chance of making it by the sixth or seventh year. I'm just glad that people are starting to reckon with his career and take it seriously. His numbers put him in a pretty elite class of pitchers. And I just don't think in the future we will see pitchers like him ever again. To be honest, in five years, the average innings starters throw is going to start to be somewhere around 160-170. You might see one pitcher hit 200 innings. Buehrle was truly a historic pitcher and deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. I kind of thought before he retired that he and maybe Kershaw were the only two pitchers who could seriously make a run at 300 wins.