thxfrthmmrs

Good start by Cease tonight. Good to see him getting through 6 innings effectively. Sheets doesn't get talked about a lot here, but I like the season he's having. Strong BB:K rate and hits a lot of fly balls and line drives. Those outs should start turning into XBH and HRs if he develops his power.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Aug 29, 2017 -> 10:54 AM) Not that I'm complaining as an absolute Alexa mark, but if there was once a Super Cena, there is now a Super Bliss. She's very oddly being booked as a heel that says something, and then goes out and proves what she said without cheating to do so. "Bayley, you ain't extreme..." Proves it. "Sasha, you ain't a Legit Boss, you're a Legit Loser that can't defend a title ... ever." Proves it. The only thing I can think of here is they're looking to turn her babyface, because this is so against the grain of how a heel is booked in WWE. She's just massacring people on the mic, and then in the ring. Which are not bookings I agree with. They basically turned Bayley from being a fan favorite to being boo after injury, and Sasha now becomes the worst champion in WWE history. This is in additional to what they've done with Emma's character (not Bliss related). They have talent in the division, but through the poor bookings Alexa is left as the only one who's legit, while others are no longer credible characters.

The Yurchaker is interesting. May have one of the best hit tools in our system.

Vince definitely hates Sasha.

I think Cam would be in for a big payday next season, enough for his family to be well off. But if the injury is as bad as it looks, he may never be the same player again. Really feel bad for him.

Romaine acting like a tough guy ripping off his mask, he had it coming.

QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Aug 23, 2017 -> 07:33 PM) It could very easily be the Lakers. There are no locks with Cleveland beyond this year and only the pick with potential to improve. Thomas has only been elite for one year and his hip appears to still be an issue, plus he's a FA. Love is trending in the wrong direction and hasn't been able to maximize his production with Lebron. Crowder is fine, not great. Thompson and Smith are overpaid role players and anyone else is barely worth mentioning. Not a lot of defense either. If the pick isn't a stud pretty fast, they're going to be moving in the wrong direction at the end of Lebron's peak. And for about the fifth time, the pick is more likely to end up at 4 or 5 than 1. There's a big difference between Porter (or whomever emerges as #1) and someone that's more of a wild card like Bamba or Williams. Even if it's Bagley or Ayton, it's going to be hard to play them, Love and Lebron. LA would have George (or Westbrook or Cousins) who are all elite players at their peak, and two strong prospects on the roster that won't be rookies. I'll put it this way: the Lakers would be in better shape than Cleveland when he came back. Not enough to beat GSW or enough to draw Lebron there. But I give up, think whatever you want. The matter is Kyrie demanded a trade, Cavs had to either trade him for 80 cents on the dollar or end up with a dysfunctional locker room with no financial flexibility or draft pick assets. They virtually had no chance of retaining Lebron. Yet after the trade Cavs end up with two players who look like who should fill in for Kyrie's production, a 20 year old European prospect, a high draft pick in a very top heavy draft. In fact, even if they don't use the pick, they could package the pick to a get another star to play alongside Lebron, Love, Crowder and possibly IT. So yea, I absolutely think Cavs have a BETTER chance of retaining Lebron than before the trade. And I am ok if you don't think the same way.

As if Lebron + PG + Russ need more wings or ballhanders who could not shoot. That sounds nice on paper, but that trio needs rim protection and shooting to round out the team.

QUOTE (Jenksy Cat @ Aug 23, 2017 -> 04:37 PM) Westbrook has a player option after this year, he can leave too if he wants. From Cali, went to UCLA. (insert hmmm emoji) Well aware of that. As I said Russ is loyal to OKC, I don't think it's too likely he leaves, especially since LA is set at PG. I think it's more likely Cleveland S&T LBJ to OKC for Adams and 1st (PG and Russ re-signing of course) than him going to LA.

QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Aug 23, 2017 -> 03:30 PM) Those scenarios are way less likely. Even if the Nets are the worst team (which isn't a lock), they only have a 64% chance at a top-3 pick. Then they have to take the right guy. Then he has to be good relatively fast. Oh, and Thomas has to resign. All the Lakers need is to convince someone like George, who already said he wants to go to the Lakers. Then they're at least in the running if not the favorite. George's tone has changed since the trade. He's mentioned he's willing to stay in OKC if they are competitive next year. Russ is loyal to OKC, so we will see if he could convince him to stay. Even if PG goes to LA, would a core of him, Lonzo, Ingram, Clarkson, and Randle be definitively better in 2018 and 19 than Love, IT, Crowder, Porter Jr (or another top prospect), and Zizic? I think not. Not to mention now they have to play in the same conference as Warriors, Spurs, and Rockets.

QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Aug 23, 2017 -> 12:34 PM) Again, we have no idea what the pick will be. What if the Nets win 30 games? What if they get bad lottery luck? What if the top guys right now disappoint or get hurt? Someone like Ingram or Brown could very easily be their top option. Even then It's no lock they're good early. Look at Wiggins, he's the 3rd best player on a 6-seed type team. You're assuming great things for the pick but discounting development for a guy with as much raw talent as almost any draft prospect. Well does that sound more ridiculous than saying Lebron is 100% going to Lakers next year (Not you, but you were supporting Jenk's proclamation)? What if KD and Curry gets hurt and Cavs wins championship this year? What if Lonzo totally bombs and Ingram doesn't improve? A lot more can go wrong with that theory than Nets landing a top 3 pick next year. All I said was Cavs have a higher chance of retaining Lebron with the 4 pieces they got than they did before the trade, which I still think is true.

QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Aug 23, 2017 -> 08:37 AM) I lost a bigger post I don't feel like retyping. This is the cliffnotes. You're putting so much stock in the 2018 pick while hand-waving the last two #2 picks. It's a good asset, it might be as good as Ball and Ingram! We have no idea where the pick will be right now, who it will be or how ready the player will be. Ball will have a year in the NBA and Ingram will have 2. That's big on the development curve. They don't fit any worse than Irving and Love. Kyrie does plenty of dribbling and Love is a bad defender that can't switch. Ingram has tons of talent and another year to develop before Lebron arrives. He has the length and athleticism to switch and his shot isn't broken. He needs polish. It's close to impossible to have too many versatile wings in the current NBA environment. Ball looks like as good a bet as any rookie guard right now. Minimally he shouldn't suck. Is he Kyrie? Probably not. The big deal is the other FA. As for Kyrie, if it was just a LeBron issue, he could have waited a year. He got out first to get away from a bad management group that creates drama (with a big assist from Lebron). Cavs definitely wouldn't be drafting someone like Ingram with the Nets pick next year. Ingram is a raw kid with upside, Cavs would likely be targeting someone in the Tatum or Fultz profile, guys who can come in day 1 and be a contributor. So no, even though Ingram was a high pick, he's the not the type of player 2018 Cavs would be targeting if they want to convince Lebron to stay. Like you said, if Lebron leaving, he's leaving to go to the best situation to win. I don't think Laker is unless they could fit 3 max contracts, and that won't happen unless they trade Deng, and Clarkson (and use Randle as a sweetener ). It could happen, but no guarantees.

QUOTE (Jenksy Cat @ Aug 22, 2017 -> 10:49 PM) Lonzo/Ingram aren't the primary reason to go to LA. Its the 60-80m they'd have to spend on him (who will take a team friendly deal) + whoever else he wants. There will be other teams with cap space who could afford two near max free agents. So Lebron to LA is possible, but definitely not 100%. And Lonzo and Ingram aren't great fits to play next to Lebron. However, if Lonzo proves he could be a good shooter and could do damage when Lebron does the ball handling, and if Ingram takes a HUGE step forward, especially as a shooter, then I like the chances better.

QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Aug 22, 2017 -> 10:29 PM) He's not going to know how good they are before he has to make a decision. Also, none of those guys were superstars as rookies. It's going to be 2 more years off his career before those guys are real difference makers even in the best case scenario, probably more. Kyrie and Love weren't enough to make him commit, so downgrading at PG and adding a role player aren't likely to swing things much. Because we did not know those 3 guys were going to be good and 90% of the league didn't pick them to win ROY. Just as we do not know Markelle Fultz is the most NBA ready rookie this year. QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Aug 22, 2017 -> 10:31 PM) Lonzo, Ingram (pretty big one to skip) and Randle are in the league already. That's a big difference. He's also likely not going alone. It's obviously a concern for the Cavs, otherwise Kyrie wouldn't have been so anxious to get out of there. What? That's not the story. And how many years of Lebron's career will it take off for Lonzo/Ingram to be real difference makers on a championship team? I purposely did not mention Ingram because he looked BAD last year, and he's also a bad fit on the floor at the same time as Lebron.

QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Aug 22, 2017 -> 10:20 PM) Moving Thompson or Smith won't exactly be easy. A lot fewer teams have room for them now that the cap spike has passed. They also don't have a ton of assets to use as sweeteners. Also, LOL at tampering charges mattering. The Lakers will probably get fined, MAYBE lose a draft pick after the fact. Every team does it every off-season and it's extremely difficult to prove. You said Lebron don't have patience to wait for young guys to develop but he would go to LA to play in a much tougher conference with Lonzo/Randle and whoever else they could fit under cap?

QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Aug 22, 2017 -> 09:50 PM) They won the East last year with a 25 year old stud PG, and yet here we are. If they don't beat GS, it's not going to change anything. By the time that pick is good enough to move the needle, he's going to be 35. I said the chance of him staying is greater after this trade than before. Much of it depends how ready are the top 5 guys in the draft. If they show that they could come in year 1 and play like a rookie KD, Towns or Davis, add that to IT, Love, and Crowder, it's a more convincing case for Lebron to stay.

QUOTE (Jenksy Cat @ Aug 22, 2017 -> 09:45 PM) IT is absolutely not signing a team friendly deal. Lebron is 100% gone to a super team in LA I like how you speak with a absolute certainty about the future. What are you doing on a forum then? IT does not in fact have to sign a team friendly deal, Cavs can afford him on any deal by moving Thompson or JR. But it was more of a suggestion since he gets to stay with a contender. And if you think Lebron is "100%" going to LA you're wrong. League is already onto them for tampering with George and possibly Lebron. And who exactly is on that LA super team? Lonzo and Lavar? Not to mention leaving East for West is just dumb.

QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Aug 22, 2017 -> 09:12 PM) Lebron isn't going to stay because of a guy that might be good in 3 years. That's why they traded Wiggins almost instantly. But he would consider staying if they could win the East AND get the first or second pick. Remember, they don't have to give up anything to get the pick, they could still have keep IT (who could re-sign on a friendly deal) and Crowder beyond 2018 and the pick is just a bonus.

I was flipping channels so didn't see the homeruns. But he was leaving a lot of pitches up, not surprised he got tag for 3 long ones.

The more I think about this trade, the more ridiculous it sounds. 1. This trade helps Cavs maintain its advantage over Celtics in 2018. IT + Crowder > Kyrie 2. This trade gives Cavs a chance at a superstar to play next to Lebron, and may ultimately convince him to stay past this year. Celtics basically gave their biggest roadblock a chance to remain relevant. Had they let Kyrie go elsewhere and Cavs trades him for whatever they could get, Lebron most likely leaves, and Cavs go back to rock bottom. 3. Cavs had no leverage, they had to trade Kyrie, yet Celtics were dumb enough to give them more value in return. 4. Lose out on Butler and George so you could pay an arm and leg more for Kyrie, just dumb. I was giving Ainge the benefit of the doubt for holding onto his picks, but turns out he's just a f***ing idiot.

That's an awful f***ing trade. Major fail since he wouldn't give anywhere close to that for Jimmy, who is undoubtedly a better 2 way player.

Regardless of the slot the Sox will pick from or the prospects they have acquired, I would like to see the Sox start showing success in scouting and developing young position talents, that is the only way to have a perennial top farm like the Braves have. Of all the positional prospects, Zavala is the only one who took a big step forward, same for Delmonico (but we will see how much he will regress, his AAA stats don't scream MLB starter). Adolfo is finally healthy, but with him the glass is half full. There is not much else to show for from LatAM (even on the pitching side). Every other positional prospect has been disappointing.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Aug 21, 2017 -> 06:49 PM) Luis Martinez already has 4 K's in 3 IP (1 H). Definitely my favorite sleeper for next season. And Gavin Sheets literally just went yard. 2 run shot. Was my sleeper 2 years ago, but developing very slowly and doesn't have great stuff. Been at the same level for two and a half years now.

Braun stole the show, but what an anticlimactic finish.

Pretty sure AJ just botched that pinfall attempt and immediately turned it into a styles clash. That man is amazing.