SouthSideRyan

I expect us to keep our payroll a touch above the Cardinals whenever it is that we start spending. I think people expecting us to throw around our financial weight at even a Phillies level are setting themselves up for disappointment.

Hendricks would have to put up absurd AAA numbers to push him out. Even then, they'd probably wait until July when one of Hammel or Shark is gone. ETA: Arrieta would have to actually not suck in this scenario as well.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/red-sox-s-lowball-offer-might-cost-them-lester-041214 If that's a lowball, we can cross Lester off our list.

Does it really matter whether this was Theo's Baseball Mogul dream or not? If he didn't come here to carry out THE PLAN!!!, then Rick Hahn would have been here running the team for nickels. What does it matter?

The primary issue is who the hell is this guy?

Whatever it was I did to myself tonight ETA: Last night?? I don't even know anymore.

Kalish wasn't that great of a prospect.

For the uninitiated: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=46817&

Really? I know the Reds lost a couple of key players, but that staff is still elite, and the Pirates got better. Don't forget your Central Div. leading Brewers! It looks to me that the Cubs are actually a solid ball club, and if in ANY other division would be a serious contender. How did the Pirates get better? And the Reds staff is elite? And the Cubs would contend somewhere?

Problem is if Markakis bounces back to his numbers previous to last year, I'd imagine Baltimore picks up his option at a 15.5M expense.

I don't think we're trying until 2016, so he'd be off the table, but man Torii Hunter seems like a perfect fit.

Playing spoiler would be nice, but I have a feeling the Cardinals are running away with the division

No, it is unreasonable to think Koufax is the greatest of all time.

I'm confused what you're saying. Choose between scholarship + spending money vs spending money? Yes. Sorry For not being clear. The all money no school should be significantly less than school plus money added together. Scholarship + money vs just money where the money is much less than what it costs the school to educate. I'm thinking booster payments would be required under the 2nd scenario when half the 18 year olds with newfound money blow it all by February.

Heh, was thinking the same thing. He is based out of Nashville, but I have a hard time seeing this being as prevalent at Vandy as pretty much any other school.

Well it's a year plus 9 games but you're still probably right. It's just that Russell's just not very good anymore. And we have Rosscup just sitting there ready to go, almost 26 yrs old. I guess the question is, when was he ever really that good? His xFIP his rookie year was 4.23. That's his career best. Career 232/.267/.401 line vs lefties, including a .183/.221/.322 last year.

Good stuff, I assume it's simple MAD that prevents schools from ratting on other schools considering they're chasing the same players.

I'm confused what you're saying. Choose between scholarship + spending money vs spending money?

Not sure if it's a gift since they have to work for it, but I imagine it will be taxable. That is what I have been thinking. If the scholarships for these players is going to start being classified as compensation as an employee of the university there would have to be some kind of tax implications I would think. If that's the case, does the NCAA pull some BS declaring that they're no longer amateurs and now aren't eligible? Worst case scenario, they probably get to some middle ground. I'm all for opening the can of worms and paying athletes to play collegiate sports. What I would like to see if they don't go all the way as far as paying athletes: 1) Eliminate the rule that colleges can pull scholarships once an athlete gets hurt. 2) Eliminate partial scholarships and walk-ons, anyone as part of a collegiate sport should have a full ride. 3) If a player is injured during the process of training or competing in a sport, there should be something similar to pain and suffering if you get into an accident and someone else is at fault (sport they were brought to the Univ. to do). I haven't put too much thought into it beyond random brainstorming. There's already a rule allowing the player to stay on scholarship without counting towards limits if he gets injured. I don't think many schools are cutting players loose due to injury.(well maybe the SEC is) I don't know what you're getting at with #3, if the player gets hurt playing the sport you want them to get workers comp beyond their scholarship?

Well it's a year plus 9 games but you're still probably right. It's just that Russell's just not very good anymore. And we have Rosscup just sitting there ready to go, almost 26 yrs old. Well 9 games after they tendered him a contract when they could've let him go for free.

Russell isn't getting DFAd after 9 games.

How does this guy get hired by this front office?

Not that I ever want to defend idiots at Cubs games, but it's at least not totally out of his ass. We got him from the Phils for Eyre, and then they had him via a waiver claim from some other team, before he was returned to us due to injury.

I much prefer fun baseball to tragic baseball