Jack Parkman

For all of the popularity and attention the NBA gets, they have to do something about competitive balance, because if they don't they're going to continue to lose fans like they lost me. Lack of competitive balance sucks the life out of any sports league, and all leagues are having a problem with it. The NHL probably has the best competitive balance out of any league (however, it is somewhat artificial due to how they award standings points) and they can't get a mass audience. I find it interesting that the leagues that are worst in terms of competitive balance(The NBA and NFL) are more popular than leagues with better competitive balance. There hasn't been a back to back champion in baseball since 2000, and there have only been two since 1995 in the NHL. Furthermore, for all of the whining about lack of competitiveness in the AL, there have only been 2 back to back champions in baseball since 1980: the Blue Jays in 1992-93 and the Yankees from 1998-2000.

Padres are actually Catholic priests, as their nickname for years has been the "Friars"

Were you here last April and May? Spring didn't really start until May 20th or so. It might as well have been February in April and most of May. It fucking snowed on like May 10th or something ridiculous like that. A year or two ago it snowed on May 17th. In 2010, it was 85 degrees on St. Patrick's day. With the new extreme weather patterns, I'd stay the fuck away from anywhere north of 35 N latitude....LOL. Otherwise, you're liable to play some really fucking cold games in April and May, as well as in October if your team makes it that far. I really think that MLB should mandate retractable roofs on all new stadium construction. It will eventually eliminate rainouts, and make it so that games are comfortable for everyone early in the season, especially since the season starts during the last week of March now.

Sekera might never play hockey again, so he only would restrict offseason space. Pretty similar situation to if they kept Hossa. They probably could have ended up dumping his contract on Ottawa, but I don't know if real dollars<caphit. That is the only way you could move something like that. I was actually wrong about the money and years. It would only add ~1.7M and they'd get all of it off the books by 2021. Edmonton does it because the window is now for them, and they're already up against the cap. Every bit helps. Also, Spooner could get buried in the minors and they'd get 950K back from that. It would only cost them one ELC roster spot.

Deal probably would have been Spooner and Sekera for Seabrook. More short term pain for long term gain. They'd add ~4M to the cap for the next 2 seasons. Then Spooner would be off, and by 2022 Sekera would be off.

it is a parody account......

Bruuuuuuce parody account=funny

Astros signed Miley yesterday.

I wouldn't be so sure. They might wait until March if they think holding out that long will get them the money they want.

Solve the equation and show off your math skillz.

I think that we should continue to post fake rumors at this point just for the comedy of it all. Make sure to post a gif of 45 saying "You are fake news" below it so we all know it is bullshit, and we can laugh at it.

With most players making their MLB debut at age 22-25, I don't really think there is much they can do. Teams aren't giving up control immediately after a player's rookie season. That is the only way to get them paid during their most productive years. That aging curve is so crazy that there is no practical way to get around it. Teams aren't going to want to pay for potential or decline. If they argue that, there is pretty much zero counter argument from the players standpoint. By the time they've established themselves enough, they're already depreciating assets. It is a losing argument. I think the players have to negotiate a slice of the pie, along with giving up a cap and floor. Otherwise, they have zero leverage.

https://theathletic.com/791063/2019/01/29/sarris-recent-trends-have-flipped-baseballs-conventional-wisdom-on-first-base-and-short/ Look at the aging curve in this article. It suggests that even at age 26, Harper and Machado's best years are already behind them. If that is the case, I really don't know how the players can deal with this in upcoming negotiations. The only answer is to pay players based on potential, and we already saw in the NFL that they don't like that either. I really don't know what the solution to this is for the players.

Click on Balta's link. OPS is .900

Thank you. That is incredibly statistically significant.

OPS is #1 in correlation with run scoring. #2 is OBP. I don't think it is a coincidence. XBH with runners on score runs. It isn't rocket science.

I guess page 711. Maybe we con move start times back there so there will be a sponsorship from 7-11 again.

If you make fewer outs run scoring will take care of itself, but I digress. Making fewer outs is the most efficient way to score more runs.

That is a special case where a sac fly wins immediately. The guy could also line to 3B and get doubled off that way. So many variables. I'm of the opinion that an out by definition is not productive. If you make fewer outs, run scoring will take care of itself. Players like Tim Anderson and Alexei Ramirez aren't my cup of tea.

Well yeah but if you don't make outs run scoring will happen. Outs are currency in baseball, as they determine the length of an inning or game. 3 outs in 8 batters>> 3 in 5. Bigger chance for a crooked number.

Yes. It all depends on butts in seats, etc. I don't think the Sox really give a shit about defense all that much. It would make sense if they actually did prefer Harper. I won't argue that Machado might fit team needs better. What people fail to realize though is that the Sox are so deep in OF and even if they did have 2 spots taken by Eloy and Harper, it just frees them to make moves with those players. At that point, Robert, Basabe, Gonzalez, Walker, and maybe Rutherford if he can play CF are the only must keeps. Any corner OF is a trade chip. Of those players Gonzalez would be first on my list as trade bait. If Adolfo continues to rake, he could be good bait to fill other holes. I've been on the grab Harper and Moustakas train in 2019, Grab Sale or Cole in 2020, and go make trades to fill holes after identifying the core. Potential core players are: Pitchers: Kopech Cease Lopez/Giolito(probably Lopez) Sale/Cole(in a perfect world) Position players: Eloy Probably Robert Moncada/Madrigal(If the Sox like both I wouldn't rule out Moncada to 3B, but only if he figures it out at the plate first) Harper(in a perfect world) Anderson I like positional flexiblity, and the Sox would have a lot of guys who could play multiple positions. Any prospect capital left could be used for trades on guys with multiple years of team control to fill holes. I get the argument for Machado, as Corner IF is pretty barren in terms of talent league wide.

Meaning he makes fewer outs. The goal of offense is to not make outs

He had a .264 BABIP in 2016 so the metrics would disagree with you there.

Let me clarify: It isn't close when it comes to offense. That is and always has been my point. Maybe I wasn't being clear enough. When taking defense into account, it is closer but I'd still give Harper the edge.

No it isn't his entire career, it is two seasons in particular, 2016 and 2018. Those years are dragging his numbers down. Since 2015, when he isn't unlucky his OPS is greater than 1.000