Hoyer, McLeod to Cubs is officially official

Ta-da…

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/10/hoyer-mcleod-to-join-cubs-byrnes-now-padres-gm-.html

(dying laughing): http://www.obstructedview.net/tag/this-is-about-motherfucking-time.html

[quote name=Berselius]Also, this move will affect 17 other MLB teams, as well as 3 NFL franchises, a Denny’s in Durango, CO, and the rotation of Jupiter’s ninth moon.

/Phil Rogers[/quote]It also affects an NBA team, a ping pong player and alien porn.

Both Fleita and Wilken report to McLeod. That was easy dealing with those contracts just as we though: create a new title. I love this new front office.

So this guy is available: http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wuertmi01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker

Anyone interested? I’m not.

Any word or idea on what compensations will be for Team America?

[quote name=Rice Cube]Hoyer/McLeod is just a PTBNL. I think the Red Sox wanted Matt Garza but the Cubs are going to send Hayden Simpson instead.[/quote]Seriously?

[quote name=mb21]So this guy is available: http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wuertmi01.shtml?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker&utm_campaign=Linker

Anyone interested? I’m not.[/quote]
No, though I wish they had kept him around when he was good.

[quote name=Berselius]Supposedly the player to SD won’t be decided until after the rule 5 draft[/quote]
Would this be done so that the Cubs could just give away the next Josh Hamilton to SD? (dying laughing)

[quote name=Berselius]I hope you didn’t follow that up by looking at restaurant websites (dying laughing)[/quote]There are a ton of terrible websites out there, but a lot of them are just annoying because they are one big flash movie that takes 3 minutes to load and then play a house track at max volume over the top. The sports sites, OTOH, have 1000 flash videos that all load immediately and reduce my computer to a pool of goo with blue sparks shooting out of it.

I used to only use NoScript on my netbook, but this experience has inspired me to install it on my main machine too. Along with Adblock, Ghostery, Flashblock, and BetterPrivacy (dying laughing). One of these days I’m going to get fed up enough that I’ll just tell Firefox to stop downloading images, and then content altogether. (dying laughing)

Go to 1:50 and see the light.

Don’t tell me what to do

[quote name=fang2415]I’ve never quite understood how PTBNLs work. Doesn’t this basically always give the team that’s sending the PTBNL infinite leverage? The trade’s done, they’ve got what they wanted. Is there some reason why they wouldn’t just offer their worst player as compensation, forever?[/quote]
My impression was that usually it was a list of players, and the other team had the option to wait and see which of them improved etc.

[quote name=Rice Cube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1KZKZs-2YM

Go to 1:50 and see the light.[/quote](dying laughing) @ Hebrew subtitles

[quote name=Recalcitrant Blogger Nate]I’m pretty sure the teams agree on a list of players from which the Padres can choose 1 at a later date/after further assessment.[/quote]Got it, that makes sense. But that means theoretically, the PTBNL could be one of Castro, Garza, Marshall or Soto? How come I feel like PsTBNL are always shitty?

this is awesome: http://origin.avclub.com/articles/case-file-1-studio-60-on-the-sunset-strip,63985/

(dying laughing) I hated that show too. I gave it a chance because I liked the first 4 to 5 years of The West Wing, but I gave up.

[quote name=mb21]this is awesome: http://origin.avclub.com/articles/case-file-1-studio-60-on-the-sunset-strip,63985/

(dying laughing) I hated that show too. I gave it a chance because I liked the first 4 to 5 years of The West Wing, but I gave up.[/quote]
I remembered liking Little Corddry on the show (though hating his writing), but that’s about it. I liked West Wing and Sports Night (to a lesser extent) but this show was pretty much just Sorkin masturbating into the mirror and calling it a script (dying laughing)

[quote name=Berselius]I remembered liking Little Corddry on the show (though hating his writing), but that’s about it. I liked West Wing and Sports Night (to a lesser extent) but this show was pretty much just Sorkin masturbating into the mirror and calling it a script (dying laughing)[/quote]I liked the pilot and it fell apart after that. I should have seen it. I’m worried about the new HBO show that Sorkin is doing. I want to watch it when it comes out, but I also don’t want to.

[quote name=mb21]this is awesome: http://origin.avclub.com/articles/case-file-1-studio-60-on-the-sunset-strip,63985/

(dying laughing) I hated that show too. I gave it a chance because I liked the first 4 to 5 years of The West Wing, but I gave up.[/quote]I thought I heard that it was good at first but jumped the shark almost immediately when it became clear that it wouldn’t run longer than one season?

I didn’t like the show after its first episode. It got worse and worse after that in my opinion.

[quote name=mb21]I’ll look at a Ramirez contract, Fang. I’ll try to do it tomorrow.[/quote]Cool. I wasn’t paying close attention to his value since if he was going to be a hardass (i.e., rational), there’d be almost no way it’d be worth it for the Cubs to bring him back. But if he’s possibly willing to make a sweetheart-ish deal in order to stay with Theo’s New Chicago Machine then that certainly makes it more interesting.

Makes you wonder if other FAs/draftees might knock a few bucks off their price tag in order to play for a team they feel is moving in the right direction.

[quote name=Berselius]It was pretty much the definition of self-important and preachy[/quote]Have you heard much about the new show he has coming up on HBO?

[quote name=GW]so, did wilken just get demoted?[/quote]Yes, both he and Fleita were demoted.

I feel more for Fleita than Wilken. I don’t think Wilken’s role is going to change much.

[quote name=mb21]Have you heard much about the new show he has coming up on HBO?[/quote]
Not much. It’s tough to know if you’ll get Good Sorkin or Bad Sorkin

[quote name=Berselius]Not much. It’s tough to know if you’ll get Good Sorkin or Bad Sorkin[/quote]I know 424 loves The West Wing and I really really liked the early seasons, but I was not at all a fan of the later seasons. I think I stopped watching after season 6 though.

Studio 60 was terrible. Sports Night was really good. I’m curious to see if the new one will be good. I have a feeling if it’s good that it will be exceptional because of it being an HBO show. At the same time, if it’s bad it’s going to be so bad I may never watch television again.

[quote name=Berselius]They weren’t demoted, they just got a few more people put ahead of them in the org chart (dying laughing)[/quote]
Theo: Jason, congratulations. This is one heck of a promotion.

Jed: And we’ll go ahead and get some people under you right away.

By the way, what exactly is the promotion for Hoyer? Wasn’t the VP/GM in San Diego?

[quote name=mb21]It also affects an NBA team, a ping pong player and alien porn.[/quote]
It will have an effect on the “Arab Spring”, climate change, and Little League ticket prices in Taiwan.

[quote name=mb21]Yeah, this was his official title in SD: Executive Vice President, General Manager

McLeod was Vice President, Assistant General Manager

It almost seems to me he got a demotion.[/quote]They may have gotten a demotion in terms of having a guy over them, but I’m wagering that they got a monetary raise and the increase in resources and prestige have to be enticing.

[quote name=mb21]Yeah, this was his official title in SD: Executive Vice President, General Manager

McLeod was Vice President, Assistant General Manager

It almost seems to me he got a demotion.[/quote]Padres don’t quite have the clout of the Red Sox, perhaps. Maybe they were wanting to rebuild anyway. Doesn’t seem like they followed that “no lateral moves” rule that Lucchino put out there.

[quote name=Rice Cube]They may have gotten a demotion in terms of having a guy over them, but I’m wagering that they got a monetary raise and the increase in resources and prestige have to be enticing.[/quote]I imagine Theo is accepting resignations for anyone who doesn’t want to be on board with the revolution.

Chris De Luca, COME ON DOWN! You’re the next contest on “How Did Someone This Groin-Grabbingly Stupid Survive to Adulthood!?!?” http://www.suntimes.com/8438410-417/general-managers-dont-win-world-series.html

Joseph, Mary and Patrick, the Sun Times sports page is a festival of bollocks-dumb motherfucking assholes: http://www.suntimes.com/sports/8439764-419/cubs-have-adopted-the-1-percent-solution.html

[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Joseph, Mary and Patrick, the Sun Times sports page is a festival of bollocks-dumb motherfucking assholes: http://www.suntimes.com/sports/8439764-419/cubs-have-adopted-the-1-percent-solution.html/quote
Seems to me they’re a little butthurt still at not getting any of the Theo scoops.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Hi Guys:

Have a problem at work. Looking for a crash course in something called “sabermetrics” Can anyone help? Seems like bullshit to me.

Thanks.

[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Joseph, Mary and Patrick, the Sun Times sports page is a festival of bollocks-dumb motherfucking assholes: http://www.suntimes.com/sports/8439764-419/cubs-have-adopted-the-1-percent-solution.html/quoteAnd what he’s basically arguing is “How dare they spend all the money we’re giving them!” I mean, it’s not like Tom is walking in like a hotshot to a team that previously had a payroll of $50M and waiving cash around, spending money the Cubs can’t hope to earn back. I guess they just want the scrappy white guys to win it once and then never win it again, and they can keep their “Lovable Losers” thing going forever, so they can keep selling their newspapers. I can’t think of any other reason to run such asinine stuff as this.

[quote name=Bruce Miles]They told me to go where the ivy was turning from green to red. I took a wrong turn and ended up at Oxford (England) instead of Wrigley Field. Didn’t see Theo, but I’m sure he was smart enough to get into Oxford.[/quote]
[quote name=Alvin]“Theo” sounds like the name of a person who could have gone to Oxford.[/quote]

[quote name=Berselius]Randy Bush ———-> not staying[/quote]I guess it’s Gordo’s turn to write a stupid column about how Theo can’t help the Cubs.

It’s 6 a.m. and I’m heading in to the office to do a couple hours of grading before teaching. Ah, the glamorous, bourgeois lifestyle of the jetsetting academic.

[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Hmmmm…Al’s gotten in hot water at least twice for this, once by Dave Cameron and once by someone else at LL, IIRC.[/quote]Hot water for what? Did Alvin copy off Bruce’s exam paper?

Wow, the Sun Times is just pathetic.

[quote name=GBTS][/quote]That’s not change, that’s just a restructuring of the front office. How many World Series have the Cubs won in that time? Point. Set. Match.

If the Cubs aren’t an entirely different organization by this afternoon, the Theo era has been a failure.

I truly hope Theo has a fucking field day with the local press in his time here.

The difference between Hendry and Theo is this: It’s not about winning games for Theo.

^^^^(dying laughing)(dying laughing)(dying laughing)^^^

Chris Harris ———>released

[quote name=josh]He was having a crappy season I guess? I’m not sure how to know if a safety is playing well or not.[/quote]He’s not. (dying laughing)

[quote name=GBTS]He’s not. (dying laughing)[/quote]He seemed like he is a decent back-up who knew the system. I liked the guy. Played well in his first bout with the Bears. Hasn’t been great this season but once you get in Lovie’s dog house (or opposite of dog house… lov(i)e house? i.e. Adam Archuleta) it’s hard to get out.

The defense has seemed sluggish and ineffective. I’m not blaming Chris Harris, but maybe a few changes could liven things up a bit.

[quote name=GBTS]TWO. SENTENCES. LATER.[/quote]
Are those Al sized sentences or normal people sentences?

[quote name=josh]Fucking ivory tower hippy.[/quote]Damn right. I should have my pension and collective bargaining rights stripped because of all my aristocratic excesses.

[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]When Cameron was still writing at LL, Al copied some stuff straight from there and Cameron got upset, and a year or so later Al did it again, but the LL guys didn’t seem to pay much attention. Someone at ACB caught it. He’s lifted stuff straight from the papers, too, and posted it with attribution.[/quote]
Ah, but I don’t understand what that has to do with that Theo comment to Bruce.

[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Damn right. I should have my pension and collective bargaining rights stripped because of all my aristocratic excesses.[/quote]
That’s right. You fucking grad students are living high on the hog, and are the envy of all other workers.

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/articles/2011/10/27/larussa_no_fan_of_moneyball/

(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)

[quote name=Berselius]That’s right. You fucking grad students are living high on the hog, and are the envy of all other workers.[/quote]Yes. The 3 of us in this 15×10 office are the very embodiment of the petty bourgeois.

[quote name=Berselius]http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/articles/2011/10/27/larussa_no_fan_of_moneyball/

(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)[/quote]TLR —> not down with OBP.

[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Yes. The 3 of us in this 15×10 office are the very embodiment of the petty bourgeois.[/quote]
You’re lucky to have an office. The grad student offices at our institute are overbooked and they basically have to work in the common areas. One of the students I work with is super pissed off, and I don’t blame him. But when this was brought up at a feedback meeting with the people who run the place yesterday the rest of the grad students were basically thanking the institute for doing them the honor of pissing on their leg (dying laughing).

[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Yes. The 3 of us in this 15×10 office are the very embodiment of the petty bourgeois.[/quote]I’m trying to get back to that very lifestyle. Turns out I’m terrible at everything but petty bourgeois excess.

[quote name=Ronan O'Shea on Twitter]TLR: “On-base percentage is one of the most dangerous concepts of the last seven, eight years.” #thingscubsmanagementdoesntbelieve[/quote]
This is going to take some getting used to.

[quote name=Berselius]There’s nothing I hate more in academia than the pervasive idea that absolutely anything you get from your institution is a favor, at least until you finally hit tenure.[/quote]Yep. And once tenure goes away…

[quote name=Berselius]The place I’m working at is a brand new NSF institute, everyone is a visitor.[/quote]Ah. Man, I feel for those grad students.

[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Yes. The 3 of us in this 15×10 office are the very embodiment of the petty bourgeois.[/quote]Yeah, right, like professors work in tall buildings with their own office. That’s Hollywood for you. Look at that one, he’s wearing a belt!

[quote name=GBTS]Yeah, right, like professors work in tall buildings with their own office. That’s Hollywood for you. Look at that one, he’s wearing a belt![/quote]Hey, this isn’t the YMCA!

[quote name=Berselius]Those of us who are actually getting paid are Brown employees but only just (no benefits, which made coming here kind of a pain in the ass).[/quote]Aren’t most brown employees low paid with no benefits?

/illegal mexican’d

[quote name=WaLi]Aren’t most brown employees low paid with no benefits?

/illegal mexican’d[/quote]

[quote name=GBTS]There’s no way that’s real.[/quote]Prove them wrong.

The political conversation will stop NOW!

[quote name=Berselius]http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/articles/2011/10/27/larussa_no_fan_of_moneyball/

(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)[/quote]I don’t necessarily disagree with this part:

“It’s our tribute to all the scouts and baseball people that were dissed by ‘Moneyball,’ ’’ he said. “That’s why I walked out of ‘Moneyball.’ ’’

Moneyball would have been a lot better if it didn’t treat scouts like they were retarded. I haven’t seen the movie yet so I have no idea if that comes across or not.

Other than that comment though, TLR is just an idiot.

[quote name=Rice Cube]Based on the reviews I’ve read, the movie did treat scouts like they were senile old men and they portrayed Art Howe as evil.[/quote]Pretty sure I won’t like the movie if that’s the case. The one thing the movie had to its advantage was that it could have ignored those parts since this idea has been proven completely fucking stupid. Sure, there are some bad scouts. There are some bad analysts too. If you’re lucky you have good scouts and good analysts and you have to use all the information.

[quote name=Rice Cube]Based on the reviews I’ve read, the movie did treat scouts like they were senile old men and they portrayed Art Howe as evil.[/quote]
I didn’t think it was as cut and dried as that (though one scout in particular was approaching Robinson Chirinos age). It’s like with Moneyball the book – it’s not that all scouts are dumb it’s just that those scouts were set in their ways in how they evaluated players and didn’t want to listen to anyone else. That’s the whole point of Moneyball.

I thought Howe came off as somewhat sympathetic.

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/10/27/did-a-mlb-agent-use-a-porn-star-to-recruit-clients/

Unscrupulous business tactic, or pure genius?

[quote name=Rice Cube]Based on the reviews I’ve read, the movie did treat scouts like they were senile old men and they portrayed Art Howe as evil.[/quote]
I heard an interview with Bill James on NPR (linked earlier in one of the Theo threads) where James said that was the part of the movie he thought was most accurate – the depiction of scouts. I understood it as the physical appearance, but that would have been the perfect opportunity for James to stand up for scouts, and he did nothing of the sort.

/coolstorybro