raBBit

Pretty crazy the Mariners are saying publicly they're competing, their outfield is struggling and they still haven't called this guy up. He's passed the service threshold what else do they need?

For the double switch - I took the press comments just as you did. They were questioning LaRussa on having Hendriks be the runner which confirms they didn't know/understand the rule and that a pitcher never has to be that runner. For the Leury steal, I think LaRussa's comments were more open-ended. To me, if Garcia gets caught stealing on a sign from the dugout, the manager says "We gave him the sign, he's doing his job, etc." but that's not what LaRussa said. Just said "we were trying to be aggressive" which I took to imply that Garcia went on his own. He also made comments that he would do it again. So I am not sure. Absolutely inexplicable there though. The one thing I think LaRussa has done well this season is protect his players and take fault when he's screwed up when he's in the media. That said, we're not even 30 games into the season and you can already make a compilation of LaRussa documenting his failures.

Eloy's injury is not all that complicated. He should be back unless he has a setback in his recovery. That said, there is definitely risk with Eloy in any recovery given his history. My concern with Eloy is more that his power will be zapped as he rebuilds his strength.

Yup. You have to love David Bell in the media after making it very clear that the MLB stressed that specific rule change in Spring Training. I am imagining some MLB officials put a powerpoint up for the the team representatives and LaRussa was in the back of the room hamming it up with some former coworkers.

It's too early to say at this point. I think the Sox will make their approach with Eloy as soon as he's nearing a rehab stint. That's with respect to whether Eloy plays the field this year at all. To me, I would think there is a strong chance they may just bring him back as a DH only. Regardless, if Mercedes is for real and Eloy has a smooth recovery, the Sox will have 4 guys for 3 spots in Abreu/Eloy/Vaughn/Mercedes for 1B/LF/DH. Of course not an "issue" but worth considering. It seems like both the Cubs and the Sox were unwilling to play Eloy in RF as he's had at least one and possibly a couple throwing arm related injuries as a pro. Would they play Vaughn in RF? They're working Sheets out there now. No matter how it shakes out in 2021, the Sox likely are limited to left-handed bats for RF with DH, 1B, LF, CF, 2B & SS all set for the future with a righty. Not to get ahead of things, but you almost wonder if they'd be willing to move one of the "core" pieces to rejumble their asset holdings and open the door to get more left-handed. Seems like they were making a point of dangling Madrigal this offseason and I am sure that was a factor in that approach.

This is the real question.

I wouldn't go as far as he's looked comfortable, but he hasn't screwed up and he hasn't been a rollercoaster. Honestly, he hasn't been challenged too much but he's looked better than Eloy. He seems like a mature kid. He had no issues or confusion when it come to giving way to Robert and even TA. I think he knows he's in the lineup for his bat. Know you role, know your worth. Once the power comes with this guy everyone will love him and he's a far more valuable player in LF than at 1B.

Give me some up-the-middle players please.

Maybe. They have definitely had a rash of injuries on offense. Their bullpen is extremely suspect though. Their rotation was never scary. Maeda has struggled and he'll pitch better the rest of the year but all of Berrios/Pineda/Happ have been pitching well above career norms. Shoemaker has been a disaster and they sent down Dobnak. There's not much behind them. I edited it.

Buxton got a flexor strain, just like Robert. Looks like Buxton got best case scenario where of course Robert got the worst case scenario. Seems like they always do.

Let's just put Vaughn wherever the injured/struggling player is. Madrigal continues to be a clutz at second, Vaughn to 2B. Moncada can't hit lefties, Vaughn plays 3B against lefties. Collins can't block balls every fifth game, get Vaughn the shin guards.

No worries. The way I responded to caulfield's post could be confusing to others I get so that's on me. I just don't want to be put in a position where opinions I didn't make are being attribute to me. Chicago is like 22% or so for the first homestand. Take with a grain of salt, but I heard if there are no issues with the Sox/Cubs first homestands there will be 30% capacity at the second homestand.

Not to mention this new move him and his sons are making to buy out the other owners. Sox ownership group is really old and his sons are buying out these guys that don't have any marketability to sell their equity for fair value. I imagine he'll be able to amass a more significant share of ownership, hand over control to his sons with minimal penalty in the exchange and the additional equity in the team acquired will come at a discount. It doesn't seem right at all but Reinsdorf truly is brilliant pulling off everything he does.

You quoted what I said in reference to the Sox and Cubs (where social distancing measures in place) and conflated it to the Rangers (where they had full capacity). On this page I said, "-My post was in response to 20% capacity in Chicago." "The Sox and the Cubs got permission from the city and state to operate their businesses. They are following the CDC guidelines." "As someone with immunity who goes to Sox games with people who have immunity (father, uncle, girlfriend, best friend, etc.), why should I have to stay home from an event that is outside and following CDC guidelines?" I never addressed the Rangers outside of pointing to the fact that they hadn't had a home game yet (at the time of that post). I specifically clarified prior to you posting on this page that what I was saying was in response to Chicago and the Sox (Cubs too) and not the Rangers. I don't know why you're trying to twist what I said - I am going to assume it is because you are a proponent of perpetual COVID style life and needed to misrepresent what I said to poke holes and validate your thoughts. No one who disagrees with crowds needs to attend these games...

Obviously the Boston Marathon tragedy was bad, but those jerseys awfully ugly.

A full capacity wouldn't allow for social distancing. I was arguing for limited capacity. You can respond to my post directly (it's on this page) instead of trying to misrepresent what I said.

You'll notice Balta won't address specifically what is wrong and if pressed to, he will likely lock the thread once it deviates from his accepted form politics (theory as opposed to facts). Apparently Balta doesn't believe the ASG was moved to Denver, he doesnt care about the citizens and businesses in Atlanta affected, doesn't believe that Colorado has voter ID laws, doesn't believe Atlanta opposed these new laws, etc. All of these facts are easily verifiable with quick google searches. When wrong, stick to the argument by authority. That approach doesn't work in the real world but it is certainly easier than forming a retort based on reason and evidence.

It has also been rumored that Manfred is considering starting every inning of the All Star Game with a guy on second.

For those who haven't been paying attention to this story. Georgia has had election fraud in the past two elections. They passed election laws to require voter ID among other things. Manfred says that's racist and takes the All Star Game away from Atlanta - a city that opposed the new state election laws. Voter ID was the main issue. Manfred then moves the ASG to Denver. So in short, in order to combat supposedly racist voter ID laws, Manfred took away the ASG and all of its related revenues from the MLB's highest % black city and moved it to Denver (the highest white % city in the MLB). Also, Colorado has voter ID laws. So basically, Manfred established that the MLB is woke and against "racism", the local business owners and citizens of Atlanta have been penalized, and the ASG is still in a state that requires voter ID for elections which was the reason the ASG had to be moved in the first place. Manfred = Facts < Optics.

One of Caulfield's tangents in his post questioned me about the Rangers and their 100% capacity. I never said anything about the Rangers or 100% capacity so not sure why you are showing me this. If you read my posts, I was speaking about what's happening here in Chicago with 20% capacity. I am a proponent of the wait-and-see approach. Start with 25% the first two homestands - no issues? Move up to the 35%. Next two homestands no issues? Move up to to 50%.

That's now what I said. Their projections for the Sox are not accurate though.

I work in a related field myself. I know what the Sox people think of the Forbes projections. I don't have any asymmetric info compared to the public but I know people who do and despite this being what Forbes does they don't do a great job - at least with regard to the Sox. People take these numbers seriously and they probably have no idea they are bs.

How does Forbes even start to go about projecting the financials of a private company? I don't get it at all.

You're free to stay home. I don't find it deeply unfortunate that people have the free will to do what they want. If masks and socially distancing work, why are you worried about outside baseball games? The risk of COVID spread outside is not high. Add in mandated social distancing and masks and what's the issue? Cases as aren't important as deaths and hospitalizations. The most vulnerable are vaccinated. The curve has been flattened with hospitalizations. As someone with immunity who goes to Sox games with people who have immunity (father, uncle, girlfriend, best friend, etc.), why should I have to stay home from an event that is outside and following CDC guidelines? Do you not believe in masks and social distancing? Do you not believe in the vaccines?