fauowls44

tomorrow's the big day For sure? Big day = court day... I am actually pretty excited The trial is actually scheduled to start 1pm on Thursday. It was delayed 1 day because of a scheduling conflict.

Ira says a five year deal, $4mil per. The final 3 years are conditional to protect the Heat's cap room in 2010. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/sfl-070...0,1792511.story

A Detroit newspaper article is the only place I've seen this so far, but I suppose it could be legit. Free agency starts after midnight. The 4 or 5 year deal goes against everything the Heat has said so far(although saying one thing and doing something else is a favorite move by Riley). It would be a good signing for between $3-4 million per year and that wouldn't kill their cap position in 2010. Not sure I believe it to be true yet, but here is the article. http://www.mlive.com/pistons/index.ssf/200...expected_o.html No Pistons signings expected to start free agency by A. Sherrod Blakely | Analysis Tuesday July 08, 2008, 4:40 PM AUBURN HILLS - No deals can become official until tomorrow, but it looks like Detroit is going to strike out with at least two of its small forward targets. Golden State's Mickael Pietrus is expected to sign with Orlando, while Portland's James Jones is likely to ink a long-term deal (I've been told its going to be either four or five years) with Miami. A name that I hadn't given much thought to as part of Detroit's summer plans, but is available, is former Piston Carlos Delfino. The problem is he's a restricted free agent. That means any offer he gets, Toronto can match it. Ditto for Utah's C.J. Miles. James Posey and Corey Maggette still are out there, but I don't see the Pistons landing either one of them. So for Pistons president Joe Dumars to make the kind of changes he talked about at the start of the summer, he's going to have to do it via trade. And the players I anticipate he'll look to move are Chauncey Billups and Tayshaun Prince. Say what you want about Chauncey, but he's still one of the better point guards in the NBA. There are a ton of teams that could use his playmaking skills. And Prince is one of the league's better "glue" guys. As you can imagine, Dumars is expecting a pretty darn good player in return for those two, assuming they are the ones he elects to trade. That's why when all the Carmelo Anthony talk was brewing earlier, it made some sense. Not that they should go after Anthony, but that they should have their sights locked on acquiring a player of Anthony's caliber. I anticipate those conversations will resume at various points this summer and into the regular season if a deal isn't done. And one more thing: Keep an eye on the Josh Smith stuff. If Philadelphia signs Elton Brand, and from talking with folks today, there's a better chance of that happening than some might think, there's a chance -- a very, very slim one, mind you -- that Detroit might become a player for Smith via sign and trade. The Hawks would want Tayshaun Prince, which means Smith would wind up accepting a deal that would pay less than he anticipated this summer. Again, I don't think this has much of a chance of happening, but when it comes to free agency whether it's the NHL (See: Red Wings and Marian Hossa) or the NBA, anything can happen.

tomorrow's the big day :blink: Trial starts 1pm on Thursday.

Here is a recap of the rulings yesterday from Sarah Talalay of the Sun-Sentinel: http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/busines...tadium_updates/ Marlins Stadium Update No. 3,710 > Posted by Sarah Talalay at 7:38 AM For those following the lawsuit filed by auto dealer Norman Braman that targets the financing of the ballpark and other Miami projects, you?ll have to wait another day for the trial to start. Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Jeri Beth Cohen delayed the trial?s start until Thursday afternoon ? rather than Wednesday morning ? to accommodate schedules. For those keeping score, Cohen also made some rulings Monday that favor the defendants in the case -- the Marlins, Miami-Dade County and the city of Miami. She upheld rulings by original judge Pedro Echarte Jr. ? who recused himself from the case last month ? that prevent the Marlins from having to open their financial books and that Braman doesn?t have standing to challenge whether the city properly advertised the meeting in which city commissioners approved the concept of funding $3 billion of city projects. Cohen also ruled the city-county plan, which seeks to expand the city?s Community Redevelopment Agencies to fund projects including a traffic tunnel to the Port of Miami and museums, is not misusing the tax dollars meant to improve areas designated as ?slum and blight.? That?s one of the main arguments of Braman?s case. However, Braman?s legal team will be allowed to argue that the concept should be put to a public referendum. And among the arguments remaining in the case are whether the county can change the form of repayment of the bonds used to fund construction of the performing arts center and move the $50 million in general obligation bond dollars voters approved in 2004 to renovate the Orange Bowl to the ballpark project. More on Thursday?. I don't have a law degree, but it seems like there isn't much legal standing left for this case. I don't see how he can possibly win the argument that they should have to put this to a public vote. Even if there is a legal reason for which to order that(which I doubt), think of the precedent that would set. It would give anyone the right to sue for a public vote on ANYTHING a city or county decides to do. That would bring local government to a standstill. Hopefully this doesn't get dragged out too long and Braman loses and goes away. Maybe some of you lawyers can expand on what these rulings mean to the case.

This shows how much of a dissappointment Rabelo has been in the eyes of the FO. I was just about to post the same thought. Baker has earned a shot with the way he has hit the past 2 seasons in AAA, but I was a little shocked that Rabelo wasn't given another shot. They must be disappointed with Rabelo because calling him back up would have been the easier move to make.

aha It probably didn't sit well with Hendrickson that the Marlins yanked him one start shy of meeting his first incentive clause. In addition to his $1.5 million base salary, Hendrickson could make an additional $50,000 each for 20 and 22 starts, and $100,000 each for 24, 26, 28 and 30 starts. Samson probably informed him of the decision while wearing a Hamburglar costume no wonder he was upset yeah okay granted that's kind of lame....that probably wouldn't make anyone happy. But when you're not getting the job done, what do you expect? He's lucky he even got this close to his incentive clause. When your ERA is nearing ten for the past couple of months, you should take your demotion and be glad you've got a major league job. No other team would have given him as many chances to start as the Marlins.

Nothing un-American about it in one sense. I devoted myself to a team. Community or location didn't make it any less fun. I'm sure it'd be more fun if I was in Seattle to witness it more, but I had a whole lots of fun. McDonald's ball-pit fun. Having a community that is all about my team doesn't make it any more fun and at the same time, being so far from them doesn't make it any less fun. I'll be singled out among friends at times, but I'm fine with that as long as I can still root for my team. You'll find a whole lot more fans of teams not even close to their hometown (see Yankees, Red Sox, Cowboys, Patriots and so on). Born & raised a Yankee fan due in part to their playing Spring Training in Fort Lauderdale. But since they were only there for one month out of the year, I suppose I should have devised my plan of who to root for a little better. The Marlins came in 1993 and I really had no interest in rooting for them even if they were in my viscinity. I started getting into them around early 2007 and after I graduated college. Started watching a lot of their games on FSN, liked the players and their personalities, so now I root for them. Olympics revolve more around pride for your country. People here definitely are all about representing their state in terms of sports, but with so many options in the whole U.S., it makes it easier to choose different teams to root for. Thanks for calling out my patriotism though. There is a name for fans of the Yankees, Red Sox, Cowboys, and Patriots when they are not actually from those areas...front-runners. For the record, I don't think you are a front-runner. If you were you certainly wouldn't be a Sonics fan. And obviously I wasn't questioning your patriotism. Just using an example. Yeah, the Olympics is about pride in your country. I think professional sports is basically the same thing...pride in your community. Nothing brings a community together like a local sports team can. To me, that's one of the cool things about sports. Ask fans of any team, say the Royals for example, why they are Royals fans, and the answer 99% will give is "because i'm from KC and that's my team". To me, that's what being a fan should be about. Yeah, the team may stink, but it is part of you and your community. That's why I hate it when I see so many Mets fans in our(ok, the Dolphins) stadium with their little kids, teaching them to root against the Marlins. Those kids are South Floridians and should root for the home team, just as their parents did growing up in New York. But whatever, that is getting off the topic here. I'm not trying to change your mind on this or tell you who to root for. I just don't understand your theory on "fandom" and it just struck me as strange. You have to admit you are in the minority in terms of how you select teams. Anyway, now that you are seemingly without an NBA team since you don't want to support the OKC franchise, where do you turn now? You gave the Fish a second look in 2007...any chance of giving the Heat a chance? I mean they are going to be pretty entertaining this season with Wade and Beasley. Just a thought!

As a Sonics fan since the early 90s, this has been such a painful and annoying event in my life. It's so tough to admit to myself that the time I invested myself to for so many years will no longer exist come October 2008. I've come to the conclusion that it seems like this was the best way to leave the city, but it still hurts. I still remember making sure I went to that one game every season between the Sonics/Heat at Miami Arena in the early to mid 90s to see Payton & Kemp devour the Heat. And now, to see a team that has been rebuilding since Payton left, that had so much potential going into this season even with the young players...I can't even comprehend how I'll feel come opening day of the next season. I really wish the worst for Clay Bennett. Matt Sorry for your loss? I don't mean to sound like an ass, but what exactly are you losing here? Have you even ever been to Seattle?? You don't say, but given your age and the fact that the only mention of ever watching them live was in Miami I don't see your problem. I feel really bad for the people of Seattle, but it's not like YOU live there. I'm guessing you've been following them on TV your whole life, what changes now? And if you have lived in South Florida your whole life, I'd like to offer you the chance to right a wrong and root for the NBA team that plays here....not 4000 miles away. Sorry but people born in a place where there is a local team and yet they are a fan of a team in a city they have no other connection to is a pet peeve of mine. It drives me nuts...but not as much as Mets fans who left New York decades earlier dressing their kids in Mets stuff and bring them to games to root against the home team....but that is a discussion for another thread. I connected with a team I liked at an early age, and because I don't live in proximity to them, I should not root for them? I understand where you're coming from, but it's a bit of a lame argument to say "You don't live there, get over it." I didn't realize geography is the only basis for rooting for a sports club. Whether they play in Oklahoma City or Seattle really shouldn't bother you, though. I understand feeling bad for the fans in Seattle but to say it's been a "painful and annoying time in my life" is a bit much. The process of coming to grips has been a pain. For a team that has been a part of a city for over four decades to move in such a manner as this (deceiving owner, David Stern showing no faith in the city/team), it's more than a bitch. Not sure how this doesn't make sense to y'all how this has annoyed me. I think the problem we have here is that most people become fans of a team because they have a connection to a city or state in which the team plays. Take me for example...I root for a baseball team that trades it's best players every few years, a NFL team who was last really good a decade before I was born and has been one of the worst run franchises in sports, a hockey team that can't figure out how to make the playoffs in a league where almost everyone makes the playoffs, and an NBA team that is coming off perhaps one of the worst seasons in the history of the sport. You think I root for these teams by choice???? Sure, I could root for other teams, but I can't help it, I love them for the simple reason that I love South Florida and they play here. I couldn't imagine being a fan of a team from another city. I get that you can be annoyed because the Sonics are moving. Heck, it annoys me that the team is moving. But I feel bad for the people of Seattle who love their city and the team's that play there. I have read that many are grieving like they lost a family member, and I get that. They grew up with that team and now, through no fault of their own, it has been taken away. It's a terrible story. However, YOU get no sympathy from me. You chose to root for a team from a city 4000 miles away from where you were born and raised despite YOUR hometown having it's own team. That's your decision and that is fine(I don't get it, but to each his own I guess), but don't pretend to actually be feeling a loss like the people of Seattle are feeling it. If you want to be a fan of that franchise, nothing changes for you. Seattle...OKC...what difference does it make you? You never stepped foot in Seattle and only watched the team live here in Miami. You can still root for them from afar like you always have. I'm sure the fans that were born and raised in/around the Pacific NW are having a harder time than I am, but to dismiss my fanhood based on my proximity is still a baseless argument in my eyes. For all those soccer/futbol fans here in the U.S. that root for teams in The Premier League, a large majority of them have no connection geographically speaking to those teams. Still, they root for them and connect with them regardless, whether or not they eat fish & chips. Should they all find MLS teams to root for instead? Some fans that live in and around Seattle have probably been to less games than I have (think of those in Washington state but not in driving distance to KeyArena since the state is rather large), but since they're in the state, they get a pass because the laws of fanhood say you should root for the home team? I'm not trying to convince anyone of how much of a fan of a team I am, but I'm dismayed out how you see things along the lines of geography and not passion for a team regardless of where they sit on a map. I'm not asking for sympathy and never have in regard to this issue. I'm simply trying to make you understand that rooting and being all about a team shouldn't have guidelines or rules attached. I understand it's a pet peeve of yours for people to root for non-home town teams. That's not my problem though. As for rooting for the OKC franchise: I can't do that with the way the owner treated the city of Seattle. Even if it's not my city, it was a slap in the face and I blame the politicians just as much as Clay Bennett. Take care. Thanks for caring about my pretend feelings for a sports franchise (I'm not saying that with sarcasm, seriously). Matt The Premier League example isn't really valid. In that case it is soccer fans who do not have a world class soccer franchise in their hometown's to root for. Even if there is a MLS team where they live, it's a completely different league and those teams will never face one another. In your case you were born in an area that has it's own NBA team and you chose to root for a direct competitor from another city for which you have no connection...other than maybe you liked the players on that team at that time. Like I said, to each his own....but I will never understand this way of thinking. If you are from someplace, you root for your hometown team...just my opinion, you are certainly entitled to yours. But I suppose this is a discussion for another thread. Just out of curiousity, how does a kid from South Florida become a fan of the Seattle Supersonics anyway? You said you became a fan during the 1990's. According to your profile you were born in 1985. That would mean you became a fan around the age of 10. The majority of Seattle's games are played after 10pm on the east coast...there was no NBA TV package to watch games on...the Internet was nowhere as evolved as it is now. So you really couldn't follow the team other than in box scores or the occasional national TV game. How did you establish any sort of connection to this team? I didn't have a world class NBA franchise in my hometown of South Florida, so I chose the Sonics instead. NBA Playoffs around '92. Sonics got to the Western Conference Finals against the Suns in '93 and watching their ascent to that point, I became a fan of how they played and the players on their team. (As for not rooting for the Heat, that probably comes from my whole family being from NY and being Knicks fans). At that juncture, SportsCenter still showed 4-5 minute highlights of games (compared to the 20 seconds they do currently), so I followed them that way as well. Subscribing to S.I., reading articles, purchasing merchandise and all that good stuff as a young'n increased my connection and my passion for the team. @dgreco: Moving from city to city makes a difference to me in this case since the team basically becomes a whole new franchise in how the new owner was able to move the Sonics franchise. I understand it will be the same GM, same players and so forth, but it's not the same to me if they are not in Seattle. I'm not a fan of the OKC Drillers or whatever the owner wants to call themselves. I'm a fan of the Seattle SuperSonics. Matt - also a Buffalo Bills fan . I won't start that topic though fau/castillo. You became a Sonics and Bills fan in the early 1990's. So when did you become a Marlins fan...1997 or 2003? We're just going to have to agree to disagree on this. Sure, you can watch all the highlights and read all the articles you want, but I don't see how that equals the fun of rooting for a team from your community. I see no point in rooting for a team from a city you have never stepped one foot in. There's just something un-American about it. It's like watching the Olympics and deciding to root for Japan because they have better divers then the US. I just can't wrap my head around it. Maybe that's just me.

As a Sonics fan since the early 90s, this has been such a painful and annoying event in my life. It's so tough to admit to myself that the time I invested myself to for so many years will no longer exist come October 2008. I've come to the conclusion that it seems like this was the best way to leave the city, but it still hurts. I still remember making sure I went to that one game every season between the Sonics/Heat at Miami Arena in the early to mid 90s to see Payton & Kemp devour the Heat. And now, to see a team that has been rebuilding since Payton left, that had so much potential going into this season even with the young players...I can't even comprehend how I'll feel come opening day of the next season. I really wish the worst for Clay Bennett. Matt Sorry for your loss? I don't mean to sound like an ass, but what exactly are you losing here? Have you even ever been to Seattle?? You don't say, but given your age and the fact that the only mention of ever watching them live was in Miami I don't see your problem. I feel really bad for the people of Seattle, but it's not like YOU live there. I'm guessing you've been following them on TV your whole life, what changes now? And if you have lived in South Florida your whole life, I'd like to offer you the chance to right a wrong and root for the NBA team that plays here....not 4000 miles away. Sorry but people born in a place where there is a local team and yet they are a fan of a team in a city they have no other connection to is a pet peeve of mine. It drives me nuts...but not as much as Mets fans who left New York decades earlier dressing their kids in Mets stuff and bring them to games to root against the home team....but that is a discussion for another thread. I connected with a team I liked at an early age, and because I don't live in proximity to them, I should not root for them? I understand where you're coming from, but it's a bit of a lame argument to say "You don't live there, get over it." I didn't realize geography is the only basis for rooting for a sports club. Whether they play in Oklahoma City or Seattle really shouldn't bother you, though. I understand feeling bad for the fans in Seattle but to say it's been a "painful and annoying time in my life" is a bit much. The process of coming to grips has been a pain. For a team that has been a part of a city for over four decades to move in such a manner as this (deceiving owner, David Stern showing no faith in the city/team), it's more than a bitch. Not sure how this doesn't make sense to y'all how this has annoyed me. I think the problem we have here is that most people become fans of a team because they have a connection to a city or state in which the team plays. Take me for example...I root for a baseball team that trades it's best players every few years, a NFL team who was last really good a decade before I was born and has been one of the worst run franchises in sports, a hockey team that can't figure out how to make the playoffs in a league where almost everyone makes the playoffs, and an NBA team that is coming off perhaps one of the worst seasons in the history of the sport. You think I root for these teams by choice???? Sure, I could root for other teams, but I can't help it, I love them for the simple reason that I love South Florida and they play here. I couldn't imagine being a fan of a team from another city. I get that you can be annoyed because the Sonics are moving. Heck, it annoys me that the team is moving. But I feel bad for the people of Seattle who love their city and the team's that play there. I have read that many are grieving like they lost a family member, and I get that. They grew up with that team and now, through no fault of their own, it has been taken away. It's a terrible story. However, YOU get no sympathy from me. You chose to root for a team from a city 4000 miles away from where you were born and raised despite YOUR hometown having it's own team. That's your decision and that is fine(I don't get it, but to each his own I guess), but don't pretend to actually be feeling a loss like the people of Seattle are feeling it. If you want to be a fan of that franchise, nothing changes for you. Seattle...OKC...what difference does it make you? You never stepped foot in Seattle and only watched the team live here in Miami. You can still root for them from afar like you always have. I'm sure the fans that were born and raised in/around the Pacific NW are having a harder time than I am, but to dismiss my fanhood based on my proximity is still a baseless argument in my eyes. For all those soccer/futbol fans here in the U.S. that root for teams in The Premier League, a large majority of them have no connection geographically speaking to those teams. Still, they root for them and connect with them regardless, whether or not they eat fish & chips. Should they all find MLS teams to root for instead? Some fans that live in and around Seattle have probably been to less games than I have (think of those in Washington state but not in driving distance to KeyArena since the state is rather large), but since they're in the state, they get a pass because the laws of fanhood say you should root for the home team? I'm not trying to convince anyone of how much of a fan of a team I am, but I'm dismayed out how you see things along the lines of geography and not passion for a team regardless of where they sit on a map. I'm not asking for sympathy and never have in regard to this issue. I'm simply trying to make you understand that rooting and being all about a team shouldn't have guidelines or rules attached. I understand it's a pet peeve of yours for people to root for non-home town teams. That's not my problem though. As for rooting for the OKC franchise: I can't do that with the way the owner treated the city of Seattle. Even if it's not my city, it was a slap in the face and I blame the politicians just as much as Clay Bennett. Take care. Thanks for caring about my pretend feelings for a sports franchise (I'm not saying that with sarcasm, seriously). Matt The Premier League example isn't really valid. In that case it is soccer fans who do not have a world class soccer franchise in their hometown's to root for. Even if there is a MLS team where they live, it's a completely different league and those teams will never face one another. In your case you were born in an area that has it's own NBA team and you chose to root for a direct competitor from another city for which you have no connection...other than maybe you liked the players on that team at that time. Like I said, to each his own....but I will never understand this way of thinking. If you are from someplace, you root for your hometown team...just my opinion, you are certainly entitled to yours. But I suppose this is a discussion for another thread. Just out of curiousity, how does a kid from South Florida become a fan of the Seattle Supersonics anyway? You said you became a fan during the 1990's. According to your profile you were born in 1985. That would mean you became a fan around the age of 10. The majority of Seattle's games are played after 10pm on the east coast...there was no NBA TV package to watch games on...the Internet was nowhere as evolved as it is now. So you really couldn't follow the team other than in box scores or the occasional national TV game. How did you establish any sort of connection to this team?

Good, he didn't go to the Phillies and the Marlins are done with the Brewers.

As a Sonics fan since the early 90s, this has been such a painful and annoying event in my life. It's so tough to admit to myself that the time I invested myself to for so many years will no longer exist come October 2008. I've come to the conclusion that it seems like this was the best way to leave the city, but it still hurts. I still remember making sure I went to that one game every season between the Sonics/Heat at Miami Arena in the early to mid 90s to see Payton & Kemp devour the Heat. And now, to see a team that has been rebuilding since Payton left, that had so much potential going into this season even with the young players...I can't even comprehend how I'll feel come opening day of the next season. I really wish the worst for Clay Bennett. Matt Sorry for your loss? I don't mean to sound like an ass, but what exactly are you losing here? Have you even ever been to Seattle?? You don't say, but given your age and the fact that the only mention of ever watching them live was in Miami I don't see your problem. I feel really bad for the people of Seattle, but it's not like YOU live there. I'm guessing you've been following them on TV your whole life, what changes now? And if you have lived in South Florida your whole life, I'd like to offer you the chance to right a wrong and root for the NBA team that plays here....not 4000 miles away. Sorry but people born in a place where there is a local team and yet they are a fan of a team in a city they have no other connection to is a pet peeve of mine. It drives me nuts...but not as much as Mets fans who left New York decades earlier dressing their kids in Mets stuff and bring them to games to root against the home team....but that is a discussion for another thread. I connected with a team I liked at an early age, and because I don't live in proximity to them, I should not root for them? I understand where you're coming from, but it's a bit of a lame argument to say "You don't live there, get over it." I didn't realize geography is the only basis for rooting for a sports club. Whether they play in Oklahoma City or Seattle really shouldn't bother you, though. I understand feeling bad for the fans in Seattle but to say it's been a "painful and annoying time in my life" is a bit much. The process of coming to grips has been a pain. For a team that has been a part of a city for over four decades to move in such a manner as this (deceiving owner, David Stern showing no faith in the city/team), it's more than a bitch. Not sure how this doesn't make sense to y'all how this has annoyed me. I think the problem we have here is that most people become fans of a team because they have a connection to a city or state in which the team plays. Take me for example...I root for a baseball team that trades it's best players every few years, a NFL team who was last really good a decade before I was born and has been one of the worst run franchises in sports, a hockey team that can't figure out how to make the playoffs in a league where almost everyone makes the playoffs, and an NBA team that is coming off perhaps one of the worst seasons in the history of the sport. You think I root for these teams by choice???? Sure, I could root for other teams, but I can't help it, I love them for the simple reason that I love South Florida and they play here. I couldn't imagine being a fan of a team from another city. I get that you can be annoyed because the Sonics are moving. Heck, it annoys me that the team is moving. But I feel bad for the people of Seattle who love their city and the team's that play there. I have read that many are grieving like they lost a family member, and I get that. They grew up with that team and now, through no fault of their own, it has been taken away. It's a terrible story. However, YOU get no sympathy from me. You chose to root for a team from a city 4000 miles away from where you were born and raised despite YOUR hometown having it's own team. That's your decision and that is fine(I don't get it, but to each his own I guess), but don't pretend to actually be feeling a loss like the people of Seattle are feeling it. If you want to be a fan of that franchise, nothing changes for you. Seattle...OKC...what difference does it make you? You never stepped foot in Seattle and only watched the team live here in Miami. You can still root for them from afar like you always have.

No, but that second one looks like a plan for when they were going to build a soccer stadium on site in addition to the ballpark. That is no longer happening. That other stadium, I believe, was the OB that was going to be renovated. These are all from the old plan of building the new stadium next to the OB.

fauowls, how come you don't post on the Heat board as much anymore? We could use your level headedness Which Heat board? The one on Realgm? I read it all the time and post every now and then. Not much to say I suppose. I like what the Heat are doing...I thought the draft was great. I guess i'm just waiting for some moves to be made. There's been a lot of speculation, but not much action so far. When something happens, I'll post.

i have to agree the front office has made some bad selections in the past, they passed on Kazmir for Hermida is one and passed on Jacoby Ellsbury for Volstad. Its just a few names but those names could have change the Marlins franchise completely. just a thought How do you know that Volstad won't be better than Ellsbury? The guy hasn't even pitched yet. Exactly. Let the guy pitch a game first before proclaiming drafting him was a mistake.

i have to agree the front office has made some bad selections in the past, they passed on Kazmir for Hermida is one and passed on Jacoby Ellsbury for Volstad. Its just a few names but those names could have change the Marlins franchise completely. just a thought I hate when people say things like this. You can do the same thing with any team. There are always examples of teams passing on players that have gone on and become stars. It's very easy to look back 3 or 4 years later and say GM X screwed up by not taking player Y. People think Billy Bean is a genius. He also passed on Ellsbury in 2005(he went 23rd, so lots of teams also passed on him) and took a SS named Cliff Pennington. Does Bean not know what he's doing either?

ok, breathe into a paper bag ...what would you like them to do with a f*ing 20 million dollar payroll DRAFT BETTER ! It saves you money ! :whistle You grow and groom your own talent, instead of having to trade and hope to get back as much talent as you send out. When you don't draft well, it also means you will have to spend money on FA's which are always higher priced than home-grown talent. We have 5 billion pitchers that we've drafted (or traded for), all ready to compete for the rotation over the next couple of years. We've got a stadium deal working and salary will rise soon enough. Meanwhile no one figured we'd even be competing this season and we're pushing the Phillies for the division lead. Climb back off the ledge. Some people just have unrealistic expectations. If someone would have said during the winter that we'd be 3.5 games out of first on July 6th they would have gotten trashed all over this board. Yes, the last couple of games have been painful to watch, but take a step back and look at the big picture. If we win the 1st 2 games in Colorado, nobody is questioning Beinfest. Because we lost those games it is Beinfest and his drafting skill's fault. When things go wrong I guess people have blame someone. I'm sure that there are plenty of Rockies fans questioning their GM right now despite going to the World Series last year. Like I said before, we are extremely lucky to be in this position. Without even taking payroll into account, this team has had to survive the first 4 months of the season without it's top 3 starters. That would cripple most teams.

Can't we just admit we don't have the talent on this team to win. The 1st half of the season just seems to be a mirage. I think the 100 loss season is far-fetched but the way the team is looking now, 90 losses is not out of the realm of possibility. Its really sad, this could be such a successful franchise with wise management, and not with that cheap b*stard Loria. Amazing how people overreact to a few losses in a row. This series has sucked...no doubt, but if Gregg doesn't blow saves the past two games this team would be on its way to 90 wins, but with the two blown saves they are bound for 90 losses. I know this series has been tough to watch, but this team isn't nearly as bad as they have looked the past three games...just as they weren't as good as they looked when they were 10 games over .500 last month.

I'm so sick of Fredi. I hate say it, but we need a guy like Charlie Manuel (or even a Piniella or Oz Guillen) in charge. I just don't see Fredi disciplining anyone. Call guys out for not hustling, or just not doing their job (BULLPEN). The other team having "last ups" is a piss poor excuse for last night's loss. Don't insult us, Fredi. Last night, and even tonight, is living proof that the Marlins' bats can't and won't make up for the awful pitching and defense. That stuff is so overrated. Discipline?? These are grown men. Having a manager scream at them to play better isn't an effective way to get results. Besides, it's not as if they aren't out there hustling. I haven't seen any player dogging it. What I see is bad pitching and what good is yelling at Joe Nelson going to do exactly? I'm pretty sure that he is trying to get outs. Yelling at mediocre pitchers isn't going to make them better pitchers.

I've reached my breaking point with this franchise. We just don't get it. We throw out sacrificial lambs twice every fifth day. We stick with sh*t way too long when there are other CLEAR options within the organization. We wait for our weaknesses to be exploited and hurt us before we do anything about it. Instead of fixing the problems with this team Beinfest waits until these weaknesses hurt us and we are out of contention. Preemptive strikes will make this team better. Sitting on your ass and waiting for these weaknesses to hurt us do nothing. Beinfest is great at off-season moves and sucks at managing a roster during the season. It also does not help we are managed by a turd. dude, get out of here. beingfest is one of the best gm's in the league. tucker has showed some promise. just get out of here with this Fine tune that promise in AA. It's called DEVELOPMENT. You develop young players, not sacrafice them. And who would you have pitch every 5th day? If it wasn't Tucker, it would have been Volstad or some other young pitcher. There wasn't any good options available. Sure, they could have gone out and found another Hendrickson, but everyone would have complained and yelled to call a young pitcher from AA instead. This is what happens when you are missing 3 of your top starting pitchers. The Marlins are lucky to have survived this long with Tucker and Hendrickson starting every 5 days. The good news is that Tucker is on his way back to Carolina and Johnson will be back for the next series.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/07052008/sport...game_118584.htm Congrats to Hanley! :notworthy

As a Sonics fan since the early 90s, this has been such a painful and annoying event in my life. It's so tough to admit to myself that the time I invested myself to for so many years will no longer exist come October 2008. I've come to the conclusion that it seems like this was the best way to leave the city, but it still hurts. I still remember making sure I went to that one game every season between the Sonics/Heat at Miami Arena in the early to mid 90s to see Payton & Kemp devour the Heat. And now, to see a team that has been rebuilding since Payton left, that had so much potential going into this season even with the young players...I can't even comprehend how I'll feel come opening day of the next season. I really wish the worst for Clay Bennett. Matt Sorry for your loss? I don't mean to sound like an ass, but what exactly are you losing here? Have you even ever been to Seattle?? You don't say, but given your age and the fact that the only mention of ever watching them live was in Miami I don't see your problem. I feel really bad for the people of Seattle, but it's not like YOU live there. I'm guessing you've been following them on TV your whole life, what changes now? And if you have lived in South Florida your whole life, I'd like to offer you the chance to right a wrong and root for the NBA team that plays here....not 4000 miles away. Sorry but people born in a place where there is a local team and yet they are a fan of a team in a city they have no other connection to is a pet peeve of mine. It drives me nuts...but not as much as Mets fans who left New York decades earlier dressing their kids in Mets stuff and bring them to games to root against the home team....but that is a discussion for another thread.

Tonight in Carolina... 8 innings, 5 hits, 0 runs, 2 walks, 7 K's...plus he went 2-3 with a HR, a double, and 3 RBI.

Just thinking out loud but why not give Tucker a shot at the closer's job? He's got the stuff for it and it seems in his starts that he gets in most of his trouble about the third time through the order. His problems have a lot to do with not having a developed third pitch yet, but as a closer he'd be able to rely on his fastball the majority of the time. I know people have viewed him as a closer candidate in the past, why not give him an opportunity sooner rather than later. The only negative I see is that means Hendrickson would stay in the rotation longer (at least until Sanchez is healthy).

Just thinking out loud but why not give Tucker a shot at the closer's job? He's got the stuff for it and it seems in his starts that he gets in most of his trouble about the third time through the order. His problems have a lot to do with not having a developed third pitch yet, but as a closer he'd be able to rely on his fastball the majority of the time. I know people have viewed him as a closer candidate in the past, why not give him an opportunity sooner rather than later. The only negative I see is that means Hendrickson would stay in the rotation longer (at least until Sanchez is healthy).