Bull

While winning is not in any way necessary during exhibitionist games, it is, you know, still ok to do it.

Nah, we don't really have to set a line somewhere if we have a Spring Training megathread. why be less organized when you can be more organized at no additional expense? Stacks of folders laying around an office does not equal "more organized"

I made the first one a "Spring Training Games Thread" but was told that I was doing it wrong. megathredz 4eva!

yup. we are forever scarred by wood and prior spring training threads.

http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/tumblr_lpq4ce9J0J1qjnfl4.gif Bampersand?

Please say this isn't an actual thing.

This is what I'm getting at. With four starter-quality outfielders, Soler will be sitting a lot. On days he comes to the park in a ski mask, send him to the old clubhouse and let him start a fire in the corner. Its less about the numbers in that admittedly small sample, but more about what is painfully obvious as he shivers at the plate. i don't buy that all things are never equal. I hope that Schwarbs and Soler won't be in a straight platoon, but that Soler will be getting the bulk of PT against lefties. But with the majority of pitchers being right handed, he will be sitting some. Enough to let him sit in frigid weather. Obviously if its a tough lefty and cold out, you play a righty over Schwarber (though Baez and a likely right-handed 5th of are looking for plate appearances too, right? Additionally, if ALL outfielders struggle in cold weather, and you want Soler gaining confidence, why set him up for failure? Note: this is apart from any dependence on Solers SSS in cold weather.) it is one of a myriad factors, but it is a factor.

well, that settles it, then. goofy as hell as it looks, there are several guys who wear those You conveniently left out the part where I suggested that he's going to be sitting more than 12 games. Why not 12 where there's a chance he's worse? I recognize the small sample size. Small sample size doesn't mean the opposite of what the sample suggests is true, it just means that the suggestion is not NECESSARILY true. So even if the sample is wrong, he's going to be sitting more than 12 games, so I'll ask it again, Why not those games?

Soler struggled in the early cold weather months last year, but that's also a more universal problem for outfielders. http://www.hardballtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/P1-Position.png 7 of 45 at under 50 degrees over 12 games. He will sit more than 12 games this year. There is no reason those can't be 12 of them. He wears a freaking ski mask.

The fifth outfielder is Baez. With the first four you have why have a real fifth unless it's a glennalen hill type, or pinch runner? Victorino congratulated Kolten Wong and called him "lil bro" in a recent tweet. This must not be. I could see starting Soler in Tennessee if the first week of the season was in Chicago (or another cold weather town) it gets everyone at bats and "gets them going" early. But with the season starting in the southwest (Las Vegas, Anaheim, and Arizona) and three of those games including a DH, there's no reason to start him in the minors. I still hold he should not play at below 50 degrees.

added in edit above.

Today, the Cubs reign of terror begins. Hide yo wife, hide yo kids. I am seriously ready for some freaking. If I have to settle for fake Exhibitionist baseball, hey, that gets me excited, but in a way I feel guilty about afterwords. Kyle Schwarber (L) LF Kris Bryant ® 3B Anthony Rizzo (L) 1B Jorge Soler ® RF Miguel Montero (L) C Javier Baez ® CF Tommy La Stella (L) 2B Dan Vogelbach (L) DH Munenori Kawasaki (L) SS After the game I will take everyone out for soft serve. [bbvideo=560,315] [/bbvideo]

http://i.imgur.com/CyKTTN6.gif Don't just sit there in your shame and self loathing, fix it!

breaking news: Sky is blue.

ESPN app has back to back interviews with Maddon and Dusty Baker. So much different.

I like this move. Now there is no need for Soler to put on a uniform when it is below fifty degrees Fahrenheit.

It's not so much being fired up about it in and of itself. It's just that it says so much about this team.

that should be enough. lock the thread.

Where did you get the average? Been looking and ended up just having to filter to qualified CF and do the math myself which isn't the exact number. Guys like Trout and McCutchen have bumped CF up recently. http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=cf&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=0&type=8&season=2015&month=0&season1=2015&ind=0&team=0,ss&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0 Basically just click on the league tag. Add in the fact that CF offer more in baseruns and defensive value, and you have something very interesting.

A meme reply is impressive. Your moderator position was clearly given to the right person. Hopefully someday you can write for the tribune or sun times. The intelligence you bring to the table is wasted here. you think writing for the sun-times is a progression from being given authority to shut down idiots on a message board? Wait, brandon used to write for the Sun Times.

Who walks away from 350 million a year?

Instead of returning to different classes of free agents (type a, type b, unclassified) like under the old system, would it be feasible to combine the two systems. Currently the qualifying offer is set as the average of the top 125 contracts (is it aav or current year?). What if the were two types/tiers of qualifying offers? One that is the average of the top 50 contracts and one that is the average of the next 50 contracts. Type a is a first round pick or sandwich (with a protected team losing their second rounder), type b is a second round pick (or sandwich if the surrendering team has already lost their second rounder). You can only offer one type a and one type b. The way this plays out this year: the cardinals have to offer Heyward a little better QO. He still turns it down, the Cubs sign him. Nothing changes. Lackey is offered a lower QO, he turns it down, nothing changes. The Cubs offer fowler a slightly lower QO. He still turns it down, but he is significantly more signable. Perhaps they offer him the higher QO and he accepts it. If he rejects it, he's rejecting $20m for a year, which is what he's being offered over two years now according to reports. He has chosen that gamble. It's much more likely the Cubs offer the type b offer. The Dodgers and Orioles are not able to offer three QOs in one year and lose one of their FAs for nothing, or stop structuring contracts that all end the same year. This makes it difficult on teams that have say a shwarber, Bryant, and Russell expiring at the same time, encouraging them to sign at least one of those players to a long term deal before that expiration season.

30 teams. 1 every 30 years. Sounds about right.

Add make it rain after selling the domain to the to do list.

Should make them feel better about moving carrasco for Soler.