jersey cubs fan

This is where my concern comes from. This team should be a cup contender again by now. They have their "core" all in their primes and half of that core is disappointing. You have Hossa playing probably better than expected but for who knows how much longer. And you have a few other guys signed to deals for a couple more years who you'd probably want to be rid of by then, if not now. It's great that they were able to lock up their core longterm, but if you are only a potentially dangerous bottom 4 seed during that time it's a little disheartening.

Obviously I'm not talking about preferring they didn't have him at all, just pointing out there's real downside here. Absolutely, and I don't think anyone preferred that he sign a MLB deal. But as a cost of doing business? I don't think there's a ton of risk involved. As Kyle mentions, if you're left with a tough choice on rostering him, then odds are he hasn't developed as hoped and he's just a long reliever without dynamite stuff. In which case, it's really not a decision of much importance. If he's 22/23 and not quite up to snuff yet it doesn't mean he's just somebody you'd willingly toss aside.

The 2nd one that ended up on deadspin, doubtful it's just the 2nd one at all. They're vultures. Daulerio probably had someone following him around offering him coke every 10 minutes. Probably, although the Texas papers appeared to report on it first.

The 2nd one that ended up on deadspin, doubtful it's just the 2nd one at all.

He's a hockey example of an average player who played out his mind for one season ala Tony Womack or other such Cardinal over the last 8 or so seasons. Oh come on, Keith wasn't Tony Womack.

Obviously I'm not talking about preferring they didn't have him at all, just pointing out there's real downside here.

But even if he's an eventual flameout, you'd prefer to not have to potentially rush him and maintain his value as a prospect for trade purposes. If he's still chugging along through the system in three years his value would pale in comparison to the same prospect without the major league contract because other teams are going to frown upon needing to force him into their roster if necessary. I'd rather they paid him a $7m bonus and treated him like a regular prospect.

so, well below the midpoint, right?

If he's polished as the reports say he is, I don't think it is a huge concern. 3 full years in the minors, then the next year in the majors with the possibility of going to the minors if he needs it, and then the 5th year he has to stick. It's certainly not ideal, but it's not a bad scenario also unless he really isn't advanced for his age. However polished he may be from scouting reports based on his limited career to date, it's still going to be tough to be worthy of sticking in the majors immediately after reaching it. Any setback to his development would be create a huge problem with how the team will be able to utilized him.

Fukudome signed a 4-year deal that would have left him under team control except for the provision that they had to sign him to an extension or release him by last November, and a release would make him a free agent just like any non-tendered player would be a free agent. If this guy got a provision like that it would be insane, but it should be more like the Shark situation.

Yes I wanted them to spend the money from this year's budget. I'm not against it, but it's not particularly efficient to spend because it's there. I'm more concerned about a major league contract than the money though.

it is quite risky to have a guy this young need to stick in the majors in 4 years, it almost seems like he's here to get as much early hype as possible and be traded in a couple seasons. If he's not ready by then the team should be poised to contend and I don't see them forcing him into the roster.

Nice acquisition, but I can't help but think this is a spend the money because it's there situation.

Is Bob Bradley an ESL guy?

wow that was a depressing show

sports suck right now, I need pitchers and catchers to report

Agreed. I think at some point you have to prove you are willing to take one to arbitration or else players will keep upping their asking prices higher and higher to recive a more favorable midpoint settlement. I'd also say that if Theo/Jed are willing to take this to arbitration it probably further increases the odds that Garza will in fact be dealt rather than extended. Yeah, going through an arbitration hearing with him is going to make it a bigger challenge to extend him if it comes to that.

http://deadspin.com/5881390/heres-aston-villas-ridiculous-own-goal-that-put-qpr-up-2+0 sweet own goal for aston villa

Is it 1996? How hard is it to not make this thing look horrible?

You don't get points one-at-a-time when you win shootouts. You get 2. They've gotten 6 points from OT wins, another 8 from SO wins, and 7 points from OTLs. They've outscored their opponents by just 17 goals. I don't really get that they've been wildly inconsistent as much as they just haven't been very good. They had a nice stretch in the middle of November, but that's about it as far as impressive success. Their longest win streak is 5, and that started with 3 OT/SO wins and was against some pretty weak competition. They've lost 3 games in a row on 3 different occasions already. They aren't a bad team by any stretch, but they just aren't impressive. It's disappointing to me that after all the turnover they haven't been able to take a step forward yet. To date they appear to be a pretty clear tier below the elite teams in the league like Boston, Detroit and even the Rangers. And it's not like they've dealt with the issues that a team like Pittsburgh has had to deal with, missing MVP caliber players for extended periods of time.

He signed a 5/25m extension with Carolina. It was a stupid move by the Bears. It's nice that they have an extra 3rd, but if they go out and spend more in free agency or spend a first half of the draft pick on one, it'll be a real shame. Sure, I would like it to be a higher priority than the negative priority it was last season. But there are far bigger needs that would have a more substantial impact on Cutler and the offense than getting a tight end.

those offenses have been in overdrive for quite some time.

And yet those offenses were producing outstanding passing numbers long before either player showed up. Those TE didn't make themselves. Right so they are so dominant athletically that they pretty much force their hall of fame QBs to get them the ball. The Patriots offense was was pretty good but it only went into hyper drive when they got uber freaks like Moss and Gronkowski. That is completely wrong.

And yet those offenses were producing outstanding passing numbers long before either player showed up. Those TE didn't make themselves.

Me either. Even Jermichael Finley. While having a Jimmy Graham or Rob Grontkowski would be very nice, it's not at all necessary. What people fail to mention about these great TEs is that they play along side 1000 yard WRs. How many TEs are putting up huge numbers with WRs like the Bears who can't put up 600 yards at any spot? Plus, I think the matchup issues are overrated also. Take any 6'3-6'5" TE and most LBs won't be able to cover them, if for nothing else but simply the fact that LBs can't cover all that well for the most part. And DBs won't be able to cover them, because none of them have that type of size. There's no reason Kellen Davis couldn't be a big factor in the offense if he was used properly. That being said, I would completely expect the Bears to draft a TE early and/or re-sign Davis because of the unnecessary emphasis everyone has put on the TE position. I'm on board with resigning Davis and/or taking one in the middle rounds, maybe. But as you say, not only do the most productive TEs play alongside productive WR, they are largely really good TE because they play with really good QBs. If the QB/OC choose to feature a TE, they can make a lot of them look a hell of a lot better than they are. Dallas Clark was a nice player in his prime, but take him off of Indy and his career would look nothing like it turned out to be. I would not go as far as saying they are a luxury, but you are right, they aren't necessary.