Rabbethan

The taste of Throwback Pepsi is amazing.

SUCK FOR LUCK!

"I used to run base like Juan Pierre.." I feel like Hova pays attention to Miami sports teams for some reason.

BTW, everyone should know Sin Cara 1 (Mistico) and Sin Cara 2 (Hunico) have a long history. Before Mistico became Mistico (he was Astro Boy), Hunico used the name Mistico. The current Mistico stole his name and got extremely famous so Hunico had to go by Mistico de Juarez and Incognito. He became Hunico when the WWE signed him last year. So, for those keeping track at home: The original Mistico is Sin Cara 2. The original Sin Cara is the person best known as Mistico. So wait ... Hunico = Sin Cara 2 then?Yes. Or Sin Cara Negro, as we're calling him apparently.

Cody Rhodes brought out the Classic Intercontinental Title with the white strap and listed some names that have held it. I like the design of this one better. Yeah man, but he left out Michaels. Thought that was weird.

We had decent attendance for the first 5 years of our existence until Huizenga ruined the franchise.

BTW, everyone should know Sin Cara 1 (Mistico) and Sin Cara 2 (Hunico) have a long history. Before Mistico became Mistico (he was Astro Boy), Hunico used the name Mistico. The current Mistico stole his name and got extremely famous so Hunico had to go by Mistico de Juarez and Incognito. He became Hunico when the WWE signed him last year. So, for those keeping track at home: The original Mistico is Sin Cara 2. The original Sin Cara is the person best known as Mistico.

Why is Nolasco automatically excluded from every rotation? Vazquez is likely retiring. Nolasco is better than Zambrano/Sanabia. Kinda silly how he's barely being mentioned in these rotations. Their last three years: Zambrano: 444.2 IP, 3.91 ERA, 4.00 HR/9, 0.75 BB/K Nolasco: 548.2 IP, 4.76 ERA, 7.44 HR/9, 0.25 BB/K Yeah, pretty debatable. Zambrano isn't the guy he was last year or two years ago. His perifs are similar to Nolasco's these days, except he's more expensive and a crazy person.

Hellickson, Davis, Moore, and Shields weren't first round picks. But Longoria, Price, and Upton are. Not only are they first round picks, they're top 3 overalls. Now, not all those guys work out, Rays have done some good work drafting but have been helped by drafting consensus guys.

Considering I dont have to live down there (florida) im hoping they go all the way. I dont have to put up with the annoying fans :exercise Well, even living in Florida you don't have to put up with Rays fans.

I'm hoping we sign Berkman to play 1st, sign Aramis for 3rd, sign Buehrle and then package Nolasco, Gaby, and Dominguez for another really good starting pitcher. Berkman got extended by the Cards.

Rays fans got annoying before they actually won anything, I assume they'd be unbearable if they did.

Not sure if serious.

What about Hanley over Gonzo at SS? I didn't like that one. Also, it seems odd for someone on the all time team to still be playing on the team. Not sure if serious. So offense is more important? Being better if more important. Bingo. Hanley's arguably the best player we've ever had, there's really no argument for Gonzo being better than him. Gonzo would have to be Ozzie Smith defensively to even be in the picture. Gonzo was arguably the worst SS offensively we've ever had besides Andy Fox.

I also kind of miss signatures but the board runs way faster since they got got.

I read that "This Fire Burns" was originally supposed to be Randy Orton's entrance track. It was, Randy supposedly didn't like it.

During the press conference Ozzie mentioned Cora coming in, St. Claire staying, and that he was talking to Espada and Hill.

That was in 2008. It might be water under the bridge because Ozzie said this during his press conference: "There's no doubt [i'd like him back]," Guillen said. "I've managed Javy in the past. I know what he can bring to the table, but I just manage. That's the front office and Javy's business." Now, if Javy sees it as the past, that's another thing entirely. To be fair, that's just the politically correct thing to say. You can't really expect him to say anything other than great things about his players during his welcoming party. Even when he's going off on a rant, he rarely ever throws his players under the bus through the media, anyway. When he starts saying "f***" to the media, etc., it's usually because the team, in general, sucks and he's partially blaming himself for it. We're talking about Ozzie here. And secondly, you can't pick and chose which of his quotes you want to find relevant. Three years is a long time. And hell, Ozzie says that "needs to start being aggressive" sh*t about like 45 different players. Here's an article from 2008: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3602173 None of that says to me that he hates Javy. Also, I had no idea Javy's been talking about retirement this long. I remember some stuff last year but it sounds to me like he's been putting this in his mind for a long time now.

Coke is better. Sprite is better. Barqs is better. Dasani is better. Pepsi still wins overall just because of Mountain Dew Dasani might be the worst tasting liquid on the planet. My take. Pepsi > Coke. Sprite > Sierra Mist. Barq's = Mug. Tie, as they are both easily inferior to A&W. Aquafina > Dasani. As is the water out of the hose in the backyard. Mountain Dew > Mello Yello/Surge Gatorade > Poweraid. Tropicana > Minute Maid. Lipton Brisk> Nestea Ice Tea. Frito-Lay > Uncontested. Quaker Oats > Uncontested. Looks like I'm on the Pepsi side though I rarely drink Pepsi these days. Pepsi Throwback is the sh*t though.

I don't see what's wrong with Pepsi Park other than the inability for a cool nickname.

That was in 2008. It might be water under the bridge because Ozzie said this during his press conference: "There's no doubt [i'd like him back]," Guillen said. "I've managed Javy in the past. I know what he can bring to the table, but I just manage. That's the front office and Javy's business." Now, if Javy sees it as the past, that's another thing entirely.

We don't HAVE to put Bonifacio ANYWHERE...that mentality makes no sense. He's hit .287/.351/.377 over the last two years with a .362 BABIP. That BABIP is high but is similar to many other players with his speed. Starting him makes sense.

If you want a CF that slugs .390 be my guest. If you want a catcher that slugs .390 be my guest. If you want a 2B that slugs .390 be my guest? See how I can do that with any other position which is similar to 3B? Can we stop pretending that average offense is the same as incompetence? League-average is incompetence - for a starting position player. League average includes the 5th injury replacement bench schmuck that belongs in AA. Starters need to be clearly above league average, that is why they are starters and not journeymen utility guys that spend half the year in New Orleans. Okay, you have a point there, but the overall point is that 3B is not a power position. This is taken from the top 30 players by PA at each position. Pos Median Mode C .429 .413 1B .475 .455 2B .410 .395 3B .419 .412 SS .401 .384 LF .437 .423 CF .426 .392 RF .462 .454 That makes it 6th per mode and 5th per median. It's more in the field of C, 2B, SS, and CF than it is with 1B, LF, and RF.

Red Sox, Francona To Part Ways By Ben Nicholson-Smith [september 30, 2011 at 8:38am CST] The Red Sox and manager Terry Francona will part ways, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (all Twitter links). Francona's three-year, $12MM deal included club options for 2012-13 worth $8.75MM in total ($750K buyout) and the Red Sox could announce their decision to decline the options today. Francona, 52, has led the Red Sox to two World Series Championships this decade. The Red Sox won it all in 2004, their first season under Francona, and again in 2007. The Red Sox have a 744-552 record in eight seasons under Francona. They finished the 2011 season with a 90-72 record and missed the playoffs by one game after an extended late-season slump. The White Sox are looking for a manager, but Heyman hears Francona isn't high on Chicago's list of candidates.

The internal options are crap, at least for the start of next season. I'd be ok if they didn't go the Ramirez route, but I'd only be happy with the internal options if they happened to be signing a legitimate SS and moving Hanley to third, or signing a big time hitter and making a trade for a third basemen. Matt Dominguez, Donnie Murphy, Greg Dobbs, or Emilio Bonifacio starting at a power position won't exactly be generating a buzz going into next year. It's not really a power position anymore. Let's put it this way; it is not a defensive position like SS, 2b, CF, or C. We need to aim our sights higher than having players that (except for Bonifacio) are not starting caliber players at any position. If they are intent on starting Bonifacio, it should be at center or second, where his ability to play would make his bat a plus, not a position like second, where his bat would play average at best compared to the league. If this news is true, which in truth it probably isn't, it means that the team is more than happy to vainly believe that merely having JJ & Hanley back, plus adding one more capable starter, will take this team from irrelevant to contender. League average slugging for third baseman this year was .390, just one point over catchers and second basemen and twenty points less than centerfielders. Only Reynolds, Beltre, Longoria, Ramirez and Sandoval ranked amongst the top 60 in home runs. That's the same as the number of catchers, second baseman and centerfielders and only one more than shortstops (with Hanley injured). If you want a third basemen who slugs .390, be my guest. But it's this same type of settling that has caused the Marlins to be playoff watchers every year. I understand we had constraints which prevented us from paying for free agents to provide competent play at every position on the field. Those constrains are changing, and we should aim higher. Other organizations usually do, which is why most of them are better than us. If you want a CF that slugs .390 be my guest. If you want a catcher that slugs .390 be my guest. If you want a 2B that slugs .390 be my guest? See how I can do that with any other position which is similar to 3B? Can we stop pretending that average offense is the same as incompetence?