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Third episode was definitely an improvement. I enjoyed that they finally let go of the media aspect, because while it's important they did focus on it far too much early on. It's still far too schmaltzy, and the baseball scenes, while improving, still come off as awkward and unlike actual played baseball. But the pieces of the show are starting to fall into place. Still and adjustment and being on Fox is still a hindrance to it becoming a real thought provoking show, but it's definitely watchable.

Episode 2 was put on demand early and it was just another incredible episode. This show is going to have a lot of hype to live up to and is going to have to do a lot of work to answer the questions that they've left behind. I did see a cool theory about the significance of Anthony Hopkins character shoo'ing away the snake and the comments he made afterwards. While on the surface it appears to play into the narrative of hosts not being able to harm guests, it alludes to the fact that Hopkins views himself in a God like term in Westworld. It's another reason why the episode ended on a cross, implying that they are going to introduce religion to the hosts to test how this knowledge would affect them and possibly make them even more sentient beings. There's also a Garden of Eden kind of parallel being set forth with Hopkins character playing the God role (with the snake being a sign of all this happening), Dolores is Eve who is being imbued with facts about her meaning in the world and disobeying her creator, and Ed Harris' character possibly being either the devil or even a human manifestation of the snake in the story, leading Dolores out of this world that has been created for her. I always love thinking deeper about shows (which is why I loved Lost). If you like shows that'll keep you on your toes this is definitely it.

The Marlins can't really spend on position players. With the Jose thing happening and Cashner being a 0% chance of re-signing, the front office is going HEAVY on starting pitching. It has to be their #1 focus and they'll have little to no time to focus on acquiring anything else.

Probably because the news by us had us preparing for worst case scenario. When it turned out to be less of a storm than you see everyday in June here, people got annoyed that they had to put up shutters for nothing. That's from a lot of the conversations I've had so far. The other alternative was the eye of a Cat 4 which would've sucked, and I got to keep power, so I'm cool with the weak storm.

Storm passed by me in Broward with no significant rain or wind. Got lucky.

@SongInTheAir I hate you and I upvoted.

I like Ichiro. He may stink next year but it's just great having somebody with his pedigree on the team.

Well this sucks.

It was never going to happen. It's far easier to find a new hitting coach than a manager (with Mattingly making far more money). Bonds also wasn't ready to manage a team yet. He did a solid job, but it was one year and the results weren't staggeringly good. Mattingly has the experience of both being in the playoffs as a player and managing teams to the playoffs. Whatever you think about him he's got the ability to lead the right roster to a playoff appearance. Bonds would very likely be in over his head if he took a step up next year. I'm also reading between the lines here, but Bonds doesn't seem to have the drive to be great at coaching that Mattingly has. I reckon Bonds enjoys coaching, but he doesn't view it as a lifetime job. Mattingly does.

He definitely seemed like a good, smart guy. But the manager job just felt like it was too big for his personality. Bench coach or any kind of coach position lower than manager feels like a great hire for a team. He's very good at keeping players level and managing egos (He handled the Uggla and Ramirez situations with class). Great guy to have in the clubhouse.

I've watched the shows two episodes. I like the premise behind it, but feel it would be so much better served on a network like Netflix where it can all be binged or HBO that could be more open with the ideas that are being tackled. The show is very schmaltzy and reeks of Fox wanting to get emotion out of the viewers. The baseball scenes are jarring since there are multiple moments where it doesn't even look like real baseball. I like Zack Morris' character (the catcher). First episode he added nice levity to the show. Second wasn't so great but that's fine. The best scene they had the entire show was the second episode with the brother. When the agent is able to get all the TV reporters to see Ginny and he realizes that he isn't prepared for how big she is going to become. It was really heartfelt and was one of the few scenes in the show that felt truly real. The Jimmy Kimmel interview was just poorly done and the message being sent felt wrong (that Ginny, as a public figure, is morally required to respond on bigger societal problems dealing with women). The show is trying to tell the story that Ginny is the modern day Jackie Robinson and are playing it up that way, when the truth is they should be telling the story of her trying to improve as a player and the impact she wants to make as a player before trying to branch out into bigger picture ideas. And that is far more than I ever thought I'd write about this show.

The bonds firing just smells of two strong egos not getting along in Mattingly and bonds. I'm sure bonds and stanton didn't get along with stanton growing a small ego and feeling he's good enough not to have to listen to bonds and bonds getting upset bc of it. Bonds deserves a hitting coach job somewhere next yr. He did a great job with young hitters this yr. The lack of runs and power is more a problem with the makeup of the lineup than the production itself. He'd be a good hire for any team.

And Fredi is fine as a third base coach. Doesn't hurt to have a guy with a lot of experience (and a relationship with the organization). He'd be helpful but I do wish bonds was kept.

I thought bonds did a good job with the hitters this yr. Felt like there was an improvement in yelich, dietrich, realmuto, Prado and bour this yr. All hit above expectations. If players didn't like him that's fine but I heard no rumors of problems during the season and any look in the dugout made it seem he had great relationships with guys and was enjoying himself.

Only guy I feel it's a must to go after is gio gonzalez if the nationals don't pick up his option

I don't like that our franchise is willing to lose a player over facial hair... I don't want a player that values his facial hair over most everything else and makes it a key argument publicly.

If Stanton played like his 2012 self all the time, him and Yelich would be such a force to reckon with in the lineup. Jose Fernandez was the team's best player this year, and I'm honestly not factoring for the tragedy. Him and Yelich were clearly ahead of the rest of the team, and Jose gets the nod for the simple fact that he was keeping a starting rotation that is otherwise bottom 3 in baseball without him afloat in a playoff race. The starting rotation next season is going to be rough next season and honestly the next three or four years until they start hitting on draft picks (Dillon Peters being the one minor league arm I think could become a regular starter).

Manager Montgomery Burns.

Marlins haven't been over .500 since 2009, when the team featured the likes of Emilio Bonifacio, Rick Vandenhurk, Alfredo Amezaga, Andrew Miller, and some dude named Leo Nunez (no trace of this man since). I find it incredible how some of us have remained fans of a team with just 4 winning seasons since our World Series win in 2003.

Just preparing Prado for his post MLB career. He's clearly going to become a minor league manager in 2021.

@Erick All those guys are listed by MLB.com as their respective team's #5.

Only way Jose would've signed long term in Miami is with another owner. Loria didn't have the money to spend $250 million on Fernandez after throwing $325 million Stanton's way. Like you said, he would've been traded in the 2017 offseason. As for a potential trade: http://www.sbnation.com/2015/12/22/10644874/jose-fernandez-trade-rumors-dodgers-marlins Marlins asked the Red Sox for Betts, Moncada, Rodriguez, Vazquez, and a pitcher. Basically a king's ransom. Marlins asked the Dodgers for Seager, Urias, and Pederson from the Dodgers. A more realistic trade moving forward would've been a deal centered around Urias, De Leon, and possible one more high tier prospects along with lower tiered ones. I don't remember the Marlins talking with the Yankees, but I would've had to assume they'd ask for Aaron Judge, Clint Frazier, and Jorge Mateo. A future Jose trade was what the Marlins would've used to restock the top of the farm system very soon.

Ok reading more that was off. But yelich for diaz straight up would still be a trade that both teams would say no to. Diaz is too valuable to stl and yelich to miami

I guess I looked at Diaz stats for 3 sec. I'll check more later