Balta1701

Bobby Cox - So damn good all the time that people never even look at him for manager of the year.

Keep in mind 1 other key point...this is shaping up to be a very weak Free Agent market. Last season the market was very full, so we were able to find a few relative bargains while we were looking around...AJ, Dye, Iguchi, etc., while other teams spent big on guys like Beltre and Drew. This season's FA market is shaping up to be far weaker, which means that there may well be more demand for people, which could drive thier prices up.

QUOTE(fathom @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 01:39 PM) Pods is a FA after next season, I think. If you trade Dye, you're getting rid of one of our only sure fire power threats. Which is exactly why he's tradeable if this team completely tanks and we decide to rebuild...He's a sure fire power threat, that we managed to sign for under his market value because of a long history of injuries. If we trade him this offseason to someone who needs an outfield bat (St. Louis, Houston come to mind rapidly), they're getting an outfielder who nearly hit 30 dingers this year for fairly cheap. That's a high value trade target, and can bring a ton in return. On the other hand, Dye is signed through 06 with a team option for 07. So if he comes back next year and declines rapidly or suffers another injury, which would not be surprising at all for him based on his previous seasons, his trade value will be going down and his price will be going up if we do pick up the option. With as many outfielders as we have who I'd call up and coming, I think moving Dye to create space for cheap, talented youth and to try to pick up some additional quality prospects makes good sense this offseason.

"I'll do it. I'll rob the Quick-E-Mart. D'Oh!"

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 01:20 PM) Unless we can package him and some pitching for Bonds??? You have made an enemy today.

It's raining in New Orleans.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 01:07 PM) Crede, of course, making any decision on his future difficult with a recent hot streak attributed to a new batting stance. Once again, we're left wondering whether or not he may have finally "got it." However, if there's a better option available on the market I'd rather take my chances. There is a better option available in Bill Mueller. There's another available in Furcal, with Uribe moving to 3rd. But both of those require us to spend a fairly large amount of money, especially compared with what Crede will make next year. And that depends a lot on what we see the last 10 games this year. If we keep imploding, I'm going to be all for blowing this team up and pushing youth up and down the line (except for our 2 top starting pitchers), and those 2 would not fit that mold at all. How many years of arbitration eligibility does Crede have? Just 1?

QUOTE(fathom @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 12:53 PM) Better suggestion would be to trade him to a team desperate for a leadoff hitter. I know it won't happen, but a lot of teams might overpay for him. What's Pods's contract status beyond 2006? If we're moving outfielders this offseason, I'd be in favor of moving Dye and holding onto Podsednik just because of the $4 million difference in their salaries. If we have Pods for 2 more years, maybe we could hold onto him as a cheap (and fast) player for next year, try to get him healthy and get his steals back above 70, and then trade him when there's another rookie other than Anderson ready to take his spot.

I'd love to hold onto the kid, but I don't want to do so if he can't hit .270 or so. He's just making too many outs otherwise.

It also looks from This satellite image like the Mississippi Delta is just about to start being hit by the Rain Bands from this one.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 11:01 AM) Rita has been downgraded to a Category 4 storm. Here are some words from the Weather Underground site.

A couple Congressmen have proposed a bill that would require the government to include pets in evacuation plans.

Fascinating blurb from a Townhall.com piece on Congresspeople and their pork addiction, and how they're responding to katrina. My favorite bit...

QUOTE(Balance @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 10:31 AM) Are things really that dire? Do I need to repent? Yes.

QUOTE(Felix @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 12:14 PM) I watch him, and I dont think he's below average. He's pretty average in my book, just because of his speed and ability to get to balls which alot of people don't get to. But he also makes quite a few balls a lot harder to catch than they should be by getting terrible breaks on them (a disease which it seems our other 2 outfielders have caught lately). His speed does make up for things somewhat, but with his speed, he should be able to cover virtually all of left field just by getting decent jumps. He doesn't do that. That tells you something.

It's thread bump time again, boys and girls! Ken Griffey Jr. is now officially done for the season. He hasn't played in 15 straight games.

I love Dane Fife. I bet you in like 10 years he's the replacement for whoever replaces the guy who replaces Mike Davis next summer.

QUOTE(Brian @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 07:20 AM) Last I heard last week was that he will probably sign with the Bulls for one year than become unrestricted FA next year. I believe the Free Agent period in the NBA ends on October 1st. The only offer Curry has received thus far is the 1 year qualifying offer from the Bulls. He has talked to a few other people, but given his condition, no one has shown any interest at all. Not even the Hawks. He'll wind up playing for the 1 year qualifying offer. Absolute guarantee. And then he'll probably end up leaving next year because of it.

QUOTE(DBAH0 @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 08:16 AM) That was his agent and Isiah Thomas. No way John Paxson is gonna do it though. What would the Knicks give back to the Bulls? It's not just that, it's even more the fact that no one else is willing to take a chance on Curry for the money he wants without insurance either. New York comes up every time lately because they're a dumping ground for salary. That's it.

QUOTE(DonkeyKongerko @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 10:19 AM) Don't you mean one of the greatest players* on the field?

QUOTE(LosMediasBlancas @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 10:22 AM) People have been stuck on the freeways for 13 hours, on what is normally a four hour trip! Anyone who didn't head out by today, might be stuck sititng in their car as Rita blows it away. Katrina taught us that you absolutely have to evacuate. Let's hope Rita doesn't teach us that you need more time than what we've alloted. This might get interesting. I think the real worry with that situation is this...what happens when people on the freeway start running out of gas? If it happens to like 10 cars in the entire line...that basically blocks the whole thing.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 10:10 AM) Pods is hurting. He is stretching his groin a lot when he's playing the field and has a little limp when he is jogging. I really can't see him stealing consistently, and if he's not, you must move him out of the lead off spot. Who else do we have that we can put in there?

QUOTE(fathom @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 10:26 AM) Ozzie has said McCarthy won't start in the playoffs. I definitely think if McCarthy does poorly tonight, Ozzie will say "I told you so", and then pitch Mr. Duque and his 1-8 record in last 9 decisions. If we can't get a few solid starts from McCarthy here at the end of all things, then there won't be any concern with pitching either of them.

According to the WaPo, Bill Frist wasn't the only big name shareholder at this company dumping stock in the weeks before the earnings report came out. The SEC is refusing to say whether or not there is any sort of investigation in progress.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Sep 22, 2005 -> 10:08 AM) Yeah no kidding. If New Orleans wasn't proof enough to fear mother nature, Darwinism just takes over at that point... From the Houston Chronicle's Hurricane blog...