Cubswin11

I wish we could find a talented 25 year old to put on the field. I'd rather have 2 guys under 25, one of which is a top 5 player at his position (Castro) and another could well be a top 10 at his position after the year (Rizzo).

Garnett is so dirty http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/kxuMxXgUJaC3ku9udXcosw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/sptusnbaexperts/c1129kh2.jpg

What's everyone's thoughts on ETA's for the top 4? Baez- Late 2014, start of 2015? Soler- Start of 2014 (ideally takes over LF/RF for Soriano/Dejsus after this year)? Almora- 2015? Vizcaino- Sometime in 2013 depending on role/health?

I'm sorry, but that's silly. Sports team purchases are almost always financed with debt. There's absolutely no reason to believe that Fox Sports, or anyone for that matter, would need to check under couch cushions to scrape together 2 billion on day one. I think we're still missing the point, here. I found a present value calculator online that allows you to calculate the present value of an annuity. Essentially, this calculation allows you determine the value today of a group of future payments given a specific rate of return. Now the actual present value of the payments will vary depending on the details of the payments, but even without those it's a very informative exercise. What I found is that a yearly payment of 270 million dollars (this seems to be a common midpoint in reports I have seen), at an 8% rate of return (I pulled this out of my ass, but it's pretty healthy), for 25 years is worth 2.8 billion dollars. No matter how you look at it, Fox Sports just paid more than the cost of the franchise for the rights to broadcast some of the team's games. I don't understand how you can really think that's business as usual. It's completely bizarre. If you're curious to know more, here's a brief definition and explanation of the present value concept: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/present-value-annuity.asp#axzz2DfR9MQrF I'm aware all sports franchise buys are financed with debt and that if FoxSports wanted to, they have the means to arrange that debt to buy the Dodgers. My point was maybe they didn't want to take on that debt and/or allocate available equity/capital in a debt financed deal towards a buy as they may see it more valuable to keep their capital/equity available for other business ventures or to expand their existing business. You realize they will see a return on the $270mm a year to broadcast through advertising revenue? I'd assume FoxSports is smart enough to know what to pay for the rights and still leave room for profits on charging for advertising, as Kyle alluded too, sports are one of the only things people watch live on TV anymore and might actually see a few commercials doing so. I would also assume that FoxSports knows they can see a better return through advertising in this deal on their $270mm +/- a year for the rights than through an annuity/investing or else they would be putting that money in annuities/bonds or whatever vehicle was providing the returns.

When I was looking at OF over the last 20ish years Finley is a guy who stood out to me as well as a good comp for Almora outside of the defense like you mentioned. Some sort of Winn/Finley/Damon combination might be the best way to try and comp him right now.

What other comps to people feel are most appropriate for "the big three"? My comps are based on the ceilings I can see each reaching, not what I expect Soler=Jermaine Dye Baez=Migue Tejada (with maybe slightly higher BA, slightly higher K% and slightly lower BB%) Almora=Johnny Damon but with much better defense (I do like the Winn comp, but think Almora has potential to have a little better BB% and SLG% so that's why I picked Damon)

1.Baez 2.Soler 3.Almora 4.Vizcaino Baez is the clear number one, not even an argument. I think Soler has a higher ceiling than Almora but Almora has a higher floor than Soler so that's why I give the edge to Soler as I value ceiling over floor when two guys are about the same distance away from MLB even though Soler is playing at a higher level already. Spots 5-20 probably has about 30 +/- candidates to fill those 15 spots.

meatballs. some meatheads are meatballs but there is no significant correlation. Same [expletive], different stink. But yes it was a typo, meant meatballs.

Yeah, it's going to be meatheads after meatheads churning out their garbage for Luck's favor. I think there is a legit case to be made that, yes, in the long run Luck will be better and the guy you want 10 years from now, but right now RGIII is better and it's not all that close. He's doing it with lesser talent too.

You know I was about to dismiss everything this guy was saying in his argument, then he mentioned Luck shaved his head for his coach and sold me. You can't measure things like that and how many more wins it brings a team. Case closed.

What a [expletive] idiot, assuming it's true

Yeah, this whole Gruden saga started when Fulmer was fired. People first started clinging to the idea that because of what you pointed out, plus that his in-laws still live around and he owns land in Knoxville, he might have enough ties to seriously consider us. Jason LaCanfora and Chris Mortensen have both said that if Gruden does coach in college, the only place he'd consider would be UT. My skepticism with the whole Gruden thing is that he'd actually choose coaching college over the NFL, though. Agreed, especially because there are going to be 6 +/- NFL jobs open up in the offseason likely in big markets/well known teams/attractive areas and teams (Philly, Dallas, San Diego, Jets) he could also choose to got to a team with a top 2 pick (Carolina and Kansas City) if he really wants to get in on the ground floor with a team and build that way. He also seems to enjoy, or at least more into, the NFL game more as evidence my his MNF work and other stuff he does for ESPN on SC during draft time. With all the work and analysis he does with QB's I would find it interesting to see him end up in Carolina with Cam.

The ole' bait and switch

Looks like they are going to try to turn Chapman into a starter or at least are considering it. They told him to prepare during the offseason as if he's going to be a starter (i.e. get stretched out). Smart move on their part turning him into a starter bad move having Dusty be his manager. He's gonna ride the [expletive] out of him as a starter.

Sooo will Vitters just be shut down from playing anywhere the rest of the winter or will he/the Cubs try and find him another team/league? It would be nice to see him get some games in against fringe/below average-average MLB type talent this offseason yet.

Lee had one season in his entire career as good as what Stanton has already done. 2005 Derrek Lee was so damn sexy, god damn mother [expletive] Furcal :banghead:

Crawford is an abomination to the game of basketball and the NBA. He should have been fired and banned from the league when he T'd up Dunacan and then threatened to fight him a few years ago.

Our long national nightmare could be over. http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Fans_war_face.gif

Yeah, think about all the utterly elite assets they sent out in those trades... The package they got for Miguel Cabrera was kind of a joke At the time of the trade, weren't Miller and Maybin consensus top 15-20 (possibly top 10) prospects in all of baseball?

Just saw that, what does that mean? Did the Cubs bring him back or did he really get dumped by a winter league team? There's been some baseless speculation that it could be trade related. Makes since with the need to get the roster back to 40. Makes sense, I'm not going to get too excited of trading Vitters solely in and of himself as I doubt he'd yield much but some sort of larger package including him for something good-decent (Bauer/Upton/one of the Royals young guys/etc.) certainly intrigues me

How many votes/what % did McGwire get? I bet Sosa gets at least half the votes/percentage McGwire had. Edit: He got 112 votes which was just over 19%. I'd guess Sosa gets around 50-60 votes, so around 10% +/-

Revenue sharing? With the top teams taking in more won't they have to pay more to the pot to be distributed to the bottom feeder/small market teams?

Probably a bit of both, but this is also the first time in quite a while the major media markets with MLB teams have had their old contracts run out and needed to have new ones signed.

Well a big reason there is teams being able to draft and develop impact guys who compile high WAR for low initial costs. The Cubs don't have a whole lot of those, but are trying to get them.

Would they try and get Kelly? Would he see going to Texas as a jump up over Oregon? Or do you think he'd only look to move for an NFL job, if he even wants to move?