CubinNY

I'd disband the conference and fold: Pac 10 (10 schools) Big 12 (12 schools) SEC (12 schools) ACC (9 schools)+: Pitt WVU Syracuse Big 10 (11 schools)+: ND To division I-b: UConn Cinc. Rutgers Louisville South Florida Eliminating them from title contention? They have the division 1b title game to compete for. :D In reality it wouldn't be hard for me to be persuaded to move the entire conference to division 1b.

Oh.My.Len!

I'd disband the conference and fold: Pac 10 (10 schools) Big 12 (12 schools) SEC (12 schools) ACC (9 schools)+: Pitt WVU Syracuse Big 10 (11 schools)+: ND To division I-b: UConn Cinc. Rutgers Louisville South Florida

Hawaii and Kansas. They need to quit pretending that teams from the WAC, MAC, C-USA, Mountain West, and Sunbelt are D-I, this isn't basketball. In my opinion they should make D-Ia Big 10 SEC ACC Big 12 Pac 10 D-1b WAC MAC C-USA Mountain West Sun Belt Each division has a 10 team playoff, with the top two teams from each conference getting into the playoffs. The teams in each division only play schools in their division during the regular season and total records count for playoffs, not just conference records. Edit: Oh, and the money generated gets distributed evenly to all institutions in each division. These are places of higher learning after all. I think you are painting with a bit of a broad brush. The Sun Belt, MAC and CUSA (in its current form) can't compete, I agree. But the WAC (Boise, Hawaii, Fresno St) and Mountain West (BYU, Air Force, TCU, Utah and occassionaly Colorado St) conferences have solid, if not upper-level, DI programs. Not one of those schools will ever come close to the BCS championship game. The best that they can hope for is what Hawaii accomplished this year. They have to decide what matters. If it is money, keep the system the same but find a way to more evenly distribute the money. If finding the best team matters most, they need to winnow away the lesser conferences and go to a playoff. I also forgot to mention that ND should be forced to join a conference.

Hawaii and Kansas. They need to quit pretending that teams from the WAC, MAC, C-USA, Mountain West, and Sunbelt are D-I, this isn't basketball. In my opinion they should make D-Ia Big 10 SEC ACC Big 12 Pac 10 D-1b WAC MAC C-USA Mountain West Sun Belt Each division has a 10 team playoff, with the top two teams from each conference getting into the playoffs. The teams in each division only play schools in their division during the regular season and total records count for playoffs, not just conference records. Edit: Oh, and the money generated gets distributed evenly to all institutions in each division. These are places of higher learning after all.

I think Romney wins. Fox News is so far up his ass it is pitiful. I've been watching a lot of Fox News to get an idea of who the behind the scene money wants to win and it clearly is Mit. They did the same sort of thing with W 7 years ago. A Romney win is good for liberals because he has little chance of winning the general, even against Hillary.

I'm pulling for an upset of sorts. Obama Edwards Clintion

Why can't MLB get involved in drafting players from Japan? What I mean is why can't a team do the research and draft a guy like Darvish like they do for the amateur draft? Also, why don't they have a draft for non-North American players. Why should the Mets, Yankees, and Red Sox get to gobble up all the superior Caribbean players?

Forced out..same thing. It's tough to say he was forced out when the University has offered him an Associate AD position. I think he saw that the game was passing him by. No Game for Old Men.

Hail to the Victors!

Well, he split his time between AA and AAA last year and hit a combined .325, 14 HRs, 40 doubles, slugged .505, and was selected Dodgers' Minor League Player of the Year. Sure sounds like he has the potential to be a very good major league SS. As for Crede being garbage, the Dodgers are rumored to be thinking about Rolen (expensive, injured garbage). Also, getting anything out of Crede would be worth ditching Pierre (plus $15 million) and the other $21.5 million owed to him. a sub 850 OPS in Vegas is pathetic. These Park Factors are probably pretty crappy (as all park factors are), but still thought I should post them. http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/files/oracle/discussion/minor_league_park_factors_2006/ you dont need to post them. everyone (should) know this Park factors are right up there with wins for a pitcher in metric importance. Outside of a few exceptions the numbers mean nothing. Park factor is a term people use when they want to appear to know something that others don't. http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/btf/scholars/furtado/articles/usingpf.htm

Odd how a thread can grow two pages in a half an hour to no posts in five days. Crazy stuff can happen I'm still waiting with baited breath to see what the "Orioles insiders" have to say...

That's a great article. It prefectly sums up my opinion.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3168534 I wonder if he'll hire the same team OJ put together to find the perps. responsible for his wife's murder?

My memory is pretty bad so I don't know about ranking this team, but I will say this; I'm very optimistic that they will win the division again and I think they have a decent shot a making it to the World Series. The NL is pretty weak. Edit: The bolded part is probably not a good sign. :wink:

Maybe so, but I'm betting they beat LSU.

Stone's gonna be on the radio with Ed Farmer and Chris Singleton. Farmer's a homer, but obviously can't compare with Hawk. That quote about the rough water, was one he specifically used about the '04 team. Were you referencing that, or is that a coincidence? I was referencing the quote. I guess I ddin't read the thread very well, I thought he was going to be on TV with Hawk and DJ. Nevermind :oops:

Yeah...Jason Marquis got 24 over 3 and has never been a quarter of the pitcher Dontrelle Willis is. Jason Marquis 2007 ERA+: 101 Dontrelle Willis 2007 ERA+: 83 Jason Marquis is not good. Dontrelle Willis, aside from an amazing 2005, hasn't been particularly great, either. Average to slightly above average, sure. Not great, though. And nowhere near where his name recognition has placed him in the league. You aren't seriously saying Marquis compares Willis are you? Willis's career ERA+ is 110, Marquis has only had one season with an ERA+ over 110.

Stone is very professional but I cannot see this ending well with Hawk in the booth. The first time Kenny boy whines about the umps or the "breaks" always going the other way I can see Stone saying something like "don't tell me how rough the water is hawk, they need to bring in the boat".

Sure there was, take him to arbitration. Give him a reasonable contract and extension. Those are two. Here's another, not treat him like a rented mule and then insinuate he's a [expletive] to anyone that will listen.

IMO, there's nothing necessarily wrong with a "tools" assessment. However, I think the assessment should have some objective anchors outside of subjective observations. I see too many, "he has a full scholarship to a D-I football program" in many scouting reports. Although that piece of information may show that the player in question is a good football player it says nothing about baseball.

Cedeno may be reborn as a utility guy?

Don't mind me while I laugh at this post

That's a statement beyond stupid. Food for thought.

Sosa was mentioned in relation to amphetimines not steriods. And it was about overhearing a conversation that Sosa was having with Tejada. I know it's hard not to try to drag Sammy through the mud on this one, but let's at least get our facts straight.