The Ricketts showed up last year at the Cubs Convention to a hero’s welcome. If the crowds could have somehow gotten ahold of some rose petals or palm fronds to throw at their feet, they surely would have. Finally! The reign of the Tribune had come to an end! Long live the Ricketts Family!!!
They talked about how they were planning on owning the Cubs for a very long time. (Cheers.) They talked about the beauty of Wrigley Field. (Cheers.) They talked about building an organization that regularly made the playoffs through developing homegrown players and smart spending. (Wild cheers.) Finally, they talked about winning a World Series for the great fans of Chicago. (Thunderous ovation.)
At the time, Cubs fans were in love with the Ricketts and so were most of the media. Right after they finally assumed control of the team in October 2009 they started talking almost immediately about how ticket prices would be going up and the payroll would be staying flat. But that didn’t matter, they weren’t the Tribune and they had a honeymoon period where pretty much everything they said was taken at face value and anything we maybe didn’t like was part of a grand plan to improve the team.
I never understood how that could be possible in a city like Chicago where lying and overt misdirection of the press is practically an Olympic sport amongst politicians. I couldn’t comprehend how that was possible from someone who was so obviously communicating in that meaningless corporate-speak that flowers up almost any dreadful pronouncement with non-sensical lingo and buzzwords that sound positive: “Mrs. Lincoln, your husband experienced a slight interruption of his cranial capacities when an unforeseen ammunition emission dynamically impacted on a neural trajectory. We are really working outside-the-box to conceptualize a holistic method to successfully optimize a return of his infrastructural synergies to his occipital area instead of all over the floor. Besides that, how was the play?”
But that was pretty much how it went. The Ricketts would say, “We are dedicated to building up the farm system!” and so it would be. They would insist that the Cubs were only a couple of transactions away from contention, and by golly, so they were! They would talk about providing plenty of cheaper seat options for families and suddenly they were really in touch with the needs of Cubs-loving families. Or at least, that is how it would usually be reported.
But things sure are changing here on Waltons mountain. The word of the Ricketts doesn’t seem to carry the weight it once did with the fans, and now the writers are starting to catch on too.
Bruce Miles wrote today that the Cubs could very well go 0 for the current roadtrip and pretty much states that he has no indication that such a disastrous occurrence for the state of the Cubs season would result in any changes from the top.
Truth be told, I’m sure Ricketts will keep his feet moving quickly when and if he sees the beat writers, whose questions he never likes to answer.
and
Ricketts has shown no sign of wanting to let Hendry go. The owner seems to be putting his faith in Tim Wilken’s drafts and Oneri Fleita’s player development and counting the days until the likes of Brett Jackson, Trey McNutt, Jae-Hoon Ha, Rob Whitenack, Matt Szczur, Ryan Flaherty and others are ready to move up.
It sounds like Bruce has some follow-up questions he’d like to ask if Tommy gives him the chance. Maybe he should put on a disguise and pretend he’s a tourist who wants an autograph.
Meanwhile, and I can’t even believe this is possible, Steve Rosenbloom actually manages to hit the nail on the head repeatedly today:
Ricketts has been a disaster since about his second day of this hobby. He apparently doesn’t realize it. He apparently doesn’t realize that he is one of the big reasons Cubs fans have death-spiraled into something once unimaginable: apathy.
Cubs fans don’t care enough to use tickets they already purchased. Other Cubs fans don’t care enough to spend as little as a buck or 50 cents for a ticket on a swap site. It has reached such embarrassing proportions that the Cubs have resorted to something else once unimaginable: discounted beer in the bleachers.
The fan who bought the franchise from the corporation has turned off the fans. Can we get some big red shoes and big red noses for the owner’s suite?
The Cubs have a roster of mismatched parts because of mismanagement. Last offseason, Ricketts told fans he would shift money from payroll to scouting and development, and then his general manager traded three of his top prospects for a pitcher who could cost this fifth-place team $15 million this year and next.
But even though some of the media members have started noticing the smoke and mirrors that the Ricketts have been using all along, they are going to keep running the same play until someone can pin them down and start asking tough follow-ups.
For instance, Ed Sherman followed up his piece where Ricketts blamed attendance woes on bad weather and whiny lower-income Cubs fans with a piece where Tom insists again that the Cubs are trying to build their team through the farm system.
“From a team perspective, it’s about reinforcing the fact that development of players matters,” Mr. Ricketts said. “You visit with the young players and tell them, ‘Hope to see you in Wrigley soon.’ You see the managers and coaches and say, ‘What you guys are doing is critical to us. Keep it up.’
So that’s what the Cubs have been doing wrong all these 102 years? The owners haven’t hauled their cookies to Iowa and Peoria and whatever backwater burghs the minor league affiliates have ever been located to give the players and managers there an “attaboy?” That’s why Corey Patterson sucked? That’s why Mike Harkey sucked? I wonder why Hayden Simpson sucks. Maybe he missed Tommy’s visit when he was off looking for his 10 mph of lost velocity.
“On the business side, it sends a good message for the whole organization.”
What message is that? “You guys here on the major league roster suck and I can’t wait to get rid of you, now if you’ll excuse me I’ve got to go give some blowies to all those hard working prospects down there so they know we care about them.”
“You’ve got to walk the walk,” Mr. Ricketts said. “When you’re trying to build an organization through the farm system, you’ve got to get down there. If you don’t develop players, you’re behind the 8-ball.”
I’m actually shocked he didn’t work the phrases, “It is what it is,” “All things being equal,” or “At the end of the day” into that somewhere. But if you cut through the mumbo-jumbo, he seems to be saying the youth shall be the answer to our long-term problems.
Meanwhile the fans, and hopefully more of the media will finally notice that Tyler Colvin was sent down to the minors, Brett Jackson isn’t anywhere on the horizon, we traded away valuable depth in the organization to acquire a pitcher heading into his most expensive years, Koyie Hill is now getting regular playing time, and the entire roster seems to have had it’s extra-base capabilities sucked away by the ravages of time. Perhaps some follow-ups may be coming soon. I won’t hold my breath, but I’m certainly more hopeful about that than I am about the Cubs ever reaching the .500 mark again this season.
You clearly don’t appreciate the view from 10,000 feet. Nice Waltons reference, by the way…
This is fantastic stuff. To give u the ( dick) highest compliment, I could see myself writing the same exact post. Last paragraph sounds like my evening prayer.
[quote name=uncle dave]You clearly don’t appreciate the view from 10,000 feet. Nice Waltons reference, by the way…[/quote]
It was a recent show I enjoyed.
Tons of shitty baseball equals tons of quality posts in one day?
[quote name=Berselius]
[/quote]
That may have been the best thing Steve Rosenbloom has ever written.
[quote name=Suburban kid]Tons of shitty baseball equals tons of quality posts in one day?[/quote]
Rage is our muse.
[quote name=Mish]This is fantastic stuff. To give u the ( dick) highest compliment, I could see myself writing the same exact post. Last paragraph sounds like my evening prayer.[/quote]
[quote name=Suburban kid]Tons of shitty baseball equals tons of quality posts in one day?[/quote]
Amenities on Waltons Mountain > Wrigley Field
I put up a Bulls game thread on Unobstructed Views for those who wish to use it. I will be out somewhere watching the game so my own comments will be sporadic at best. http://www.obstructedview.net/unobstructed-views/general/bench-mob-vs-some-guys-sitting-around-the-bench-talking-game-2.html
Lineups
RF Fukudome
2B Barney
SS Castro
3B Rodrigo
1B Pena
CF Byrd
LF Adolfo
C Captain Fundamentals
P Dempster
CF Coghlan
SS Hanley
LF Morrison
1B Sanchez
3B Dobbs
RF Stanton
C Buck
2B Infante
P Lee and Cain
I can’t keep up with all these new posts today. Is this the Grand Re-Opening of Obstructed View or something? Why didn’t we hype it? (dying laughing)
Cubs may get no-hit tonight.
(dying laughing), somehow I missed the story about Coghlan getting injured while throwing a pie in a teammate’s face
Well fuck.
Hanley got all of that one
Lots of great stuff on here today. You can tell it’s great because I didn’t write anything.
Love this piece, Tim.
[quote name=Rice Cube]Cubs may get no-hit every night.[/quote]
fixed
BUNT
(dying laughing), Nolasco has the Rick Vaughn haircut. Was he playing in the California Penal league in the offseason?
That last Mike Stanton foul ball would’ve plated six runs in cricket.
Mike Stanton is a very large manchild.
Never heard of it.
Koyie breaks up the no-no (dying laughing)
McNutt: 3 IP, 4 H, R, K
Ha: 2-5
McNutt went 3 IP tonight, Ha had a few more hits and thats about it for AA
fucking mb21
Very surprised that DeJesus avoided a chance to get a runner thrown out at home.
[quote name=mb21]McNutt: 3 IP, 4 H, R, K
Ha: 2-5[/quote][quote name=dylanj]McNutt went 3 IP tonight, Ha had a few more hits and thats about it for AA[/quote]
Cool stories, bros.
Cubs players with more than 80 players appearances:
Name PA wOBA
Kosuke Fukudome 120 .369
Darwin Barney 152 .356
Starlin Castro 175 .355
Alfonso Soriano 147 .355
Carlos Pena 134 .337
Marlon Byrd 169 .321
Geovany Soto 121 .320
Aramis Ramirez 155 .317
Dempster is afraid of Ricky Nolasco.
Lead-off walk to the pitcher…Let’s See What Happens
Nice K by Dempster.
[quote name=dylanj]fucking mb21[/quote]A thread back you asked at what point do the Cubs just release Soriano. I’m thinking as soon as Brett Jackson gets healthy and gets a week of playing time. At that point we can’t say he’s one of the three best outfielders in the organization. I also agree with you that Colvin could easily do what Soriano does. I’d bet he’d be better. Soriano’s defense is so bad it’s ridiculous. Unless the Cubs want to move him to 1st base I see no reason to keep him around. The last thing I want is Soriano stealing playing time from a more deserving player and I’m afraid he’s already done that with Colvin.
I know the Cubs won’t do that. I doubt any organization would, but they should.
[quote name=mb21]I know the Cubs won’t do that. I doubt any organization would, but they should.[/quote]
If they fire everyone and a new GM comes along, and they lose out on the Pujols/Fielder sweepstakes, wouldn’t they then want to at least give it a try in ST?
i’d rather have Carlos Pena than Colvin. But im pretty sure next year we will have a new GM, President, Albert Pujols and 50/50 Quade is gone too
Ricketts wouldn’t eat Milton Bradley’s contract do you really think they’re going to release Soriano? I do not.
we need more Brad Fucking Snyder on this team
I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if Tony Campana is better than Soriano. He plays good defense in CF, has gotten on base a lot the last 2 seasons and is ridiculously fast. He won’t hit for any power, but Soriano doesn’t field.
Soriano is going to force their hand. This guy will be out of baseball in a year or two if he keeps up this decline.
[quote name=melissa]Ricketts wouldn’t eat Milton Bradley’s contract do you really think they’re going to release Soriano? I do not.[/quote]
agree. and I also don’t see Ricketts ponying up for Pujols if wrigley is empty all summer. he;ll say something to the effect that if fans want them to spend money, they have to come to the games
[quote name=melissa]Ricketts wouldn’t eat Milton Bradley’s contract do you really think they’re going to release Soriano? I do not.[/quote]No, no team would just release Soriano. I’m talking about what should be done.
[quote name=dylanj]i’d rather have Carlos Pena than Colvin. But im pretty sure next year we will have a new GM, President, Albert Pujols and 50/50 Quade is gone too[/quote]
If the GM is gone, Quade is for sure fired. I don’t think Ricketts is going to seriously consider signing Fielder or Pujols because their financial situation is not good. Bad attendance and a stadium in serious need of rehab along with their debt service is going to result in severe payroll reduction, imo.
Do people really think the Cubs will sign Pujols?
They should just give him to some team and eat half the contract.
[quote name=dylanj]Soriano is going to force their hand. This guy will be out of baseball in a year or two if he keeps up this decline.[/quote]I tend to agree with this too The guy has a sub .300 OBP, cannot field to save his life, can’t run. About the only thing Soriano can do is hit for some power. Basically, he’s a 5th oufielder who should make league minimum and come off the bench about 100 times per season against a lefty only.
[quote name=Muck Muckintuck]Do people really think the Cubs will sign Pujols?[/quote]
Not really, but we can dream (dying laughing)
[quote name=Muck Muckintuck]Do people really think the Cubs will sign Pujols?[/quote]No. I think they do sign Prince Fielder, though.
Nice AB by Soriano.
Campana is wearing his cap like a wigger.
Pujols is a god but it doesn’t make sense to give a 32 year old the contract he most likely will be getting. I would take Fielder over Pujols at this point. I think whoever signs Pujols to his new deal is going to regret it.
[quote name=dylanj]we need more Brad Fucking Snyder on this team[/quote]I’m surprised as well as he’s hit he hasn’t at least gotten called up yet.
i really do think they will sign one of fielder or pujols. If you are ricketts and fans are tired of paying top dollar for a shit team are you really going to try and sell them on Tyler Colvin?
If the team tanks and attendance is down they will have to make a big splash. The lemmings would fill Wrigley to the gills if they had a real star to get behind.
A younger Soriano beats out that GIDP, methinks.
BFS has entered the Jason Dubois island of AAA. Where no matter what you do the best you can hope for is a cup of coffee in September
[quote name=Muck Muckintuck]Pujols is a god but it doesn’t make sense to give a 32 year old the contract he most likely will be getting. I would take Fielder over Pujols at this point. I think whoever signs Pujols to his new deal is going to regret it.[/quote]I agree. It will be awesome the first few years, but after that it’s going to be one of those contracts you wish was never signed.
I only want Fielder if it’s a more reasonable contract than he apparently wants. No way am I giving that guy $120 million. $75 million? Yeah. Maybe $85 or $90 million, but nowhere near $120 million.
[quote name=mb21]I agree. It will be awesome the first few years, but after that it’s going to be one of those contracts you wish was never signed.
I only want Fielder if it’s a more reasonable contract than he apparently wants. No way am I giving that guy $120 million. $75 million? Yeah. Maybe $85 or $90 million, but nowhere near $120 million.[/quote]Fielder is 5 years younger. You sign him to a 7 year deal and he’s 32. If he can keep his weight under control, he’ll be a good sign. He’s never going to be skinny but he seems to be pretty athletic for a fat ass. I’d give him a 6 year deal at $100 million.
danny duffy makes his royals debut. lots of prospects coming up for them
[quote name=Muck Muckintuck]Fielder is 5 years younger. You sign him to a 7 year deal and he’s 32. If he can keep his weight under control, he’ll be a good sign. He’s never going to be skinny but he seems to be pretty athletic for a fat ass. I’d give him a 6 year deal at $100 million.[/quote]
http://www.anothercubsblog.net/major-league-baseball/articles/a-look-at-prince-fielder.html
That was almost really nice.
[quote name=Berselius]http://www.anothercubsblog.net/major-league-baseball/articles/a-look-at-prince-fielder.html[/quote]Good stuff. That’s kind of how I see him too.
Man, it looks like Koyie could outrun Soriano at this point
Duffy to Napoli: 96. 94, 84 (changeup), 95, 95, 94
Impressive
I wish the Cubs were the Royals.
[quote name=Berselius]Man, it looks like Koyie could outrun Soriano at this point[/quote]Pretty sure he could. Soriano looks like a statue running at this point.
Morrison must have been watching tape on the Cubs.
Where is this offense coming from?
Duffy just struckout the side
[quote name=Berselius]Morrison must have been watching tape on the Cubs.[/quote]
Dobbs was in the room too I guess
By DeRosa’s stubble, with the amount of room Dobbs is giving Starlin he should try to steal home
Dempster is offended by Nolasco.
i fucking hate dempster, walking the pitcher again (dying laughing)
kurcz with 5 shut out innings.
[quote name=Recalcitrant Blogger Nate]i fucking hate dempster, walking the pitcher again (dying laughing)[/quote]
That came back to hurt him.
Is Duffy up because he’s ready, or up for a spot start because of need?
Crap.
the Cubs is dead
Koyie Hill has Nolasco’s number.
Gah. Reed Fucking Johnson batting against another RHP
(dying laughing), I take it back
[quote name=Berselius]Gah. Reed Fucking Johnson batting against another RHP[/quote]
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing) (dying laughing) (dying laughing)
Nice.
[quote name=Berselius](dying laughing), I take it back[/quote]
Shut you right up.
Still doesn’t mean it was a good decision, but I bet it happens again now
2-run HR I take it.
TOOTBLAN!
Has reed already earned his roster spot? Question for the stat fags
Go BULLS!!
Hill sure does suck at throwing runners out
97 mph? Radar is generous.
[quote name=Rice Cube]97 mph? Radar is generous.[/quote]
this is Land Shark Stadium
[quote name=Horny Goat]this is Land Shark Stadium[/quote]
I thought it was Sun Life Stadium.
I thought it was Wayne Huizinga stadium
[quote name=Rice Cube]I thought it was Sun Life Stadium.[/quote]
Corporate sponsor of the week stadium
[quote name=Berselius]Corporate sponsor of the week stadium[/quote]
whatever it’s called, no more baseball will be played there after this season. a dreadful place for it.
Byrd fucked that ball up.
did I just see a Byrd fly?
Marlon!
I switched to ESPN for a second and they were talking about Bartolo Colon’s “stem cell” thing. Have you guys talked about it? I don’t read every word. sorry.
anyway. Barry Larkin said even though it helped him get back to 95 MPH, it still doesn’t help location, so you can’t give credit to that (dying laughing)
Shit. I thought that was a TOOTBLAN (dying laughing)
the legend of Campana grows. how the hell did he get on? I missed it
[quote name=Horny Goat]the legend of Campana grows. how the hell did he get on? I missed it[/quote]
Pinch run for Soriano.
[quote name=Rice Cube]Shit. I thought that was a TOOTBLAN (dying laughing)[/quote]
speed don’t slump
[quote name=Horny Goat]speed don’t slump[/quote]
And rust never sleeps
I was following on yahoo and they didnt mention Soriano reaching base.
Soriano got a single. Then Campana came in to pinch run. Stole 2B, bunted over to 3B by Koyie, then came home on an FC I think.
[quote name=Rice Cube]Soriano got a single. Then Campana came in to pinch run. Stole 2B, bunted over to 3B by Koyie, then came home on an FC I think.[/quote]
Small ball’d
Today is April 48th. Kosuke is 2-for-4 with a walk.
[quote name=melissa]And rust never sleeps[/quote]
better to burn out, than fade away
my my, hey hey
[quote name=Berselius]Small ball’d[/quote]
Leave it to the Cubs to start hitting for power in a pitchers’ park.
[quote name=Rice Cube]Today is April 48th. Kosuke is 2-for-4 with a walk.[/quote]
trade him
[quote name=Rice Cube]Leave it to the Cubs to start hitting for power in a pitchers’ park.[/quote]
it’s the weather
/Ricketts
Wouldn’t it be smarter to move Byrd to a corner and Campana to CF? Ah well.
grab some bench
[quote name=Rice Cube]Wouldn’t it be smarter to move Byrd to a corner and Campana to CF? Ah well.[/quote]
might as well use Campana like they have. It’s not like he’s the second coming of Sam Fuld.
[quote name=Horny Goat]might as well use Campana like they have. It’s not like he’s the second coming of Sam Fuld.[/quote]
I just hope whenever they bring up BJax, they either move Byrd to RF or trade him so BJax is the CF.
ah jeez!
[quote name=Rice Cube]I just hope whenever they bring up BJax, they either move Byrd to RF or trade him so BJax is the CF.[/quote]
we’re trying to lose games here.
The Ari Kaplan rule and actual platoon wisdom dictates Marmol is in now.
Rivera blew a save against BAL. 1-1 in the 11th.
Marmol in for a long save attempt. Good times.
[quote name=Rice Cube]The Ari Kaplan rule and actual platoon wisdom dictates Marmol is in now.[/quote]
I missed the part where you guys call him Ari
(dying laughing) at that whiff
where was that? (dying laughing)
[quote name=Horny Goat]I missed the part where you guys call him Ari[/quote]
The stat guy (dying laughing)
Hanley flies out on strike four.
Clown shoes —> HanRam
I still can’t get over the last 2 losses at CIN. Just craptastically bad baseball
[quote name=Rice Cube]The stat guy (dying laughing)
Hanley flies out on strike four.[/quote]
I had to look that up
Whoops.
I thought Pena was a defensive wizard.
cubs don’t lose
Damn, and I has putting together an all-facepalm postgame after that 5th inning (dying laughing)
[quote name=Berselius]Damn, and I has putting together an all-facepalm postgame after that 5th inning (dying laughing)[/quote]
Save it for tomorrow.
Fukudome saw 31 pitches in 5 PA.
Espn.com lists Koyie Hill as one of today’s “Top Performers.”
[quote name=ACT]Espn.com lists Koyie Hill as one of today’s “Top Performers.”[/quote]Yes. In the subcategory of “People That Have Gone One Full Day Without Maiming Themselves”
tony campana is now the fastest player in baseball according to yellon.
Alvin can look forward to speedy Campana delivering his Jimmy Johns at some point.
[quote name=dylanj]tony campana is now the fastest player in baseball according to yellon.[/quote]
Felix Pie almost hit a walk off HR in the bottom 14th vs NYY. So close
[quote name=Horny Goat]Felix Pie almost hit a walk off HR in the bottom 14th vs NYY. So close[/quote]Too bad he’s slower than Tony Campana.
everyone is slower than Tony Campana
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Too bad he’s slower than Tony Campana.[/quote]
This is true of all humans
Photoshop oppo:
I love this new story.. might even buy the book
http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20110518/od_yblog_upshot/new-book-says-ussr-behind-roswell-ufo
[quote name=Horny Goat]everyone is slower than Tony Campana[/quote]Spinal Taps amps go to 11; their speedometers go to “Tony Campana”
There are no known photos of Tony Campana, no camera has a shutter speed fast enough to capture him.
Nobody know this, but I beat that time in high school. I’m just very humble.
From this moment on, “track and field” will officially be known as “tony campana and field”
Tony Campana makes light look slow.
Sound moves at the speed of Tony Campana.
Campana factor one Mr Sulu..
Black holes are really just the puncture marks from the time Tony Campana ran through Space.
[quote name=Horny Goat]Campana factor one Mr Sulu..
HA.
Tony Campana can come to the plate in the 7th and beat out a grounder he hit in the 5th.
To- oops, he’s gone!
Tony Campana could run faster if he didn’t have to wait for his own electrons to catch up with him.
^^^^ (dying laughing) at all 3.
Number 3 is best. What the fuck is the guy doing in number 2?
[quote name=Suburban kid]Number 1 is best. What the fuck is the guy doing in number 2?[/quote]
Diet Coke + mentos.
.
[quote name=Jame Gumb]Diet Coke + mentos.[/quote]I thought it might be that, but your gifs are so grainy and furtive it was hard to tell.
Ask Tom Tango a question on BP:
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=13960#commentMessage
[quote name=Suburban kid]I thought it might be that, but your gifs are so grainy and furtive it was hard to tell.[/quote]
Mine aren’t. Sometimes the ones other people make are, but I post them anyway.
[quote name=Mish]Ask Tom Tango a question on BP:
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=13960#commentMessage/quote
I’d say, “How many people did it take to make your name?”
(dying laughing)
[quote name=Jame Gumb](dying laughing)
agree with with this Youtube commenter:
.
[quote name=vafadude]No offence, but I’m clearly British.[/quote].
http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/05/19/the-pittsburgh-pirates-lack-a-sense-of-humor-oppose-cheap-beer/
Jose Bautista could be average the rest of the season and he’s still going to win the MVP. The start to his season is ridiculous: .372/.522/.843. His .567 wOBA is 98 points higher than Lance Berkman who has the second highest wOBA in baseball. His .843 slugging is 140 points higher than Berkman’s (ranks 2nd). Votto ranks 2nd in OBP at .465.
Jose Bautista = Barry Bonds
Enjoy
(dying laughing)
[quote name=mb21]Jose Bautista could be average the rest of the season and he’s still going to win the MVP. The start to his season is ridiculous: .372/.522/.843. His .567 wOBA is 98 points higher than Lance Berkman who has the second highest wOBA in baseball. His .843 slugging is 140 points higher than Berkman’s (ranks 2nd). Votto ranks 2nd in OBP at .465.
Jose Bautista = Barry Bonds
Enjoy[/quote]
The Blue Jays just got a steal for his contract if this actually keeps up.
I wonder what the ‘roid buzz is for Bautista. I personally don’t care but I’m sure it’ll come up at some point.
[quote name=Rice Cube]The Blue Jays just got a steal for his contract if this actually keeps up.
I wonder what the ‘roid buzz is for Bautista. I personally don’t care but I’m sure it’ll come up at some point.[/quote]
Someone implicated something last year and I remember the main controversy is why the guy accusing Bautista didn’t receive the same scorn as the writer who accused Ibanez the year before.
[quote name=Rice Cube]I wonder what the ‘roid buzz is for Bautista. I personally don’t care but I’m sure it’ll come up at some point.[/quote]
Well, yeah! People don’t just…get better at…stuff.
http://www.whatstheroidbuzzforJoseBautista.com
[quote name=Jame Gumb]Well, yeah! People don’t just…get better at…stuff.[/quote]
What do your fagety spreadsheets say about that?
[quote name=Rice Cube]What do your fagety spreadsheets say about that?[/quote]########
Are my formulas wrong?
[quote name=jtsunami]########
Are my formulas wrong?[/quote]
So you’re saying Bautista is “pounding” the ball…
/bad pun
Mariano Rivera sucks now. How dare he blow saves.
http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/05/18/mariano-rivera-blows-save-after-bartolo-colon-goes-eight-scoreless/
D’oh…
[quote name=Rice Cube]
D’oh…[/quote]Insults that backfire for $200, Alex.
John Sickels, Milton Bradley, and Pink Floyd all in one post!
http://www.minorleagueball.com/2011/5/19/2176279/in-the-flesh
[quote name=Rice Cube]So you’re saying Bautista is “pounding” the ball…
/bad pun[/quote]
-faget point
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=6564134
Poor DeRosa…
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Mark-DeRosa-8217-s-wrist-strikes-again-with-wei?urn=mlb-wp6960
Sucks that he might be done now, but that DeRosa—>Archer—>Garza trade looks extra good.
That’s pretty interesting, b. I kind of hope it happens, but I really don’t care that much. Mostly I’m just impressed with how progressive the Big Ten has been over the past few decades. Between their TV network, their instant replay system, and now this, they’re really distinguishing themselves as the leader among conferences in actually improving the way collegiate sports are handled.
[quote name=AndCounting]That’s pretty interesting, b. I kind of hope it happens, but I really don’t care that much. Mostly I’m just impressed with how progressive the Big Ten has been over the past few decades. Between their TV network, their instant replay system, and now this, they’re really distinguishing themselves as the leader among conferences in actually improving the way collegiate sports are handled.[/quote]
I hope it happens too, but that article is pretty clear that it’s probably not going to happen anytime soon. I’m just glad that someone within the system brought it up.
[quote name=Jame Gumb]-faget point[/quote]You are indefagetable!
[quote name=Suburban kid]You are indefagetable![/quote]
[quote name=AndCounting]That’s pretty interesting, b. I kind of hope it happens, but I really don’t care that much. Mostly I’m just impressed with how progressive the Big Ten has been over the past few decades. Between their TV network, their instant replay system, and now this, they’re really distinguishing themselves as the leader among conferences in actually improving the way collegiate sports are handled.[/quote]I agree the Big Ten has been more innovative than any other conference, but this I think is pretty dumb. The NCAA needs to guarantee athletic scholarships before they even consider this. At that point can you even justify giving them the additional money? They’re already getting a free ride. Not including transportation and personal expenses, which aren’t covered by these scholarships, the student is already getting about $18,000 per year from the University of Iowa if he’s a resident or about $35,000 per year if he’s a non-resident.
I don’t care how much college football is exploiting them. That’s a shitload of money and it’s not like the money the athletic departments make is going to waste. It allows them to have volleyball, track and field, baseball, hockey and many other sports that lose money. It allows them to offer more scholarships to other students.
Award these guys more money and other athletic programs will be cut. All due respect to the females around here, but enough male sports programs have already been cut across the country, I don’t think we need to see additional ones cut just so some football player can get a little extra cash. College baseball would become extinct if the schools pay the football players.
If you want to pay these guys, take away their athletic scholarship and pay them in a similar manner to how professional athletes are paid.
Child abuse.
There are 120 players on a college football roster. Let’s say they paid them halfway between $2K and $5K ($3500). That’s $420,000 per season. The reason the Big Ten is suggesting this is because it creates a larger gap between them (the SEC, P10, etc) and the smaller conferences. Many of the schools in those non-BCS conferences aren’t going to be able to pay their football team half a million dollars on top of the scholarships they’re already giving out.
Take Iowa and Iowa State for example. Iowa could easily afford to pay that kind of money. Their athletic department is in good shape and one can argue it’s only because of their football program. Iowa State’s athletic department isn’t in good shape. There’s no way they could come up with that kind of money. They’d cut scholarships on the football team to save their wrestling team. They’d eliminate a few other male sports. Maybe baseball. It has 11.5 scholarships so that’s gone. The football roster is down to 105, at least two other sports are gone, ISU is even more of a joke than they already are.
There’s a very good reason this has zero chance of happening. Iowa State is a successful university and there’s no way they could afford it. Iowa couldn’t in the sense that it would at least cost them their baseball team. At the very least!
new stuff: http://www.obstructedview.net/chicago-cubs/articles/its-never-too-early-to-look-ahead-to-next-year.html
I haven’t really thought this through, but I think I would rather have the athletes be paid at the expense of their current glut of scholarship offerings. I mean, cut the number of scholarships allotted to any one sport and pay some of the living expenses instead. Lower-tier athletes can get student loans just like anybody else. Would athletic programs be all that less attractive to students if a handful of scholarships were cut to finance every participant being paid in cash?