Jun
22

Open Thread: An RAB PSA

By Mike Axisa

We don’t like having to do this, but every so often it’s necessary. With the team struggling mightily and losing games in every way imaginable, it’s natural to feel pissed off and frustrated. Trust me, the three of us get just as worked up as you. However, one thing we absolutely will not allow at our site is personal attacks. Not now, not ever. It’s the second item on our Commenting Guidelines, and frankly we’re not asking the world of you guys. Please be respectful of your fellow fans and treat them how you would want to be treated.

Remember, people of all ages and backgrounds visit RAB. For all you know you could be cursing out a 13-yr old kid. We encourage discussion and informed debate here, but blatantly calling people names and putting them down is not acceptable. Attack ideas, not people. Ben, Joe and I have put more time and effort into this site than you can imagine, and we want to maintain what we’ve already created: the best community of Yankee fans on the interwebs.

So, one last time, please just be respectful of each other. It’s okay to disagree, but you can think of better ways to express yourself than cursing at someone or calling them names. Thank you for understanding.

***

On another note, we’ve noticed an increasing number of off-topic comments. We’re fairly heavy-handed in eliminating those because we don’t want a situation similar to the one Matthew Cerrone faced on MetsBlog.com recently to crop up here. For more on that situation, read Cerrone’s entry from May.

To that end, we now have a “Submit a Tip” box in the left-hand sidebar. It’s right below the RAB Info box. You should use it to send us links to news you believe we would find post-worthy or musings or rants. All messages go to the three of us. So please don’t just drop in news about the Red Sox, the Mets or something completely unrelated to the topic. Send it to us or save it for the open threads.

***

Finally, as always, you can keep up with RAB via other means as well. We have a Twitter feed that we tend to update sporadically throughout the day and during most games. Check that out if you’re already on Twitter.

***

Feel free to use this as your open thread for the night. The Mets are playing the Cardinals, but I’ll be watching Texas taking on LSU in Game One of the College World Serie Finals over on ESPN. I guess you can watch House and Lie To Me, but dude, it’s the CWS! Anyway, anything goes here, just be cool.

Posted on Monday, June 22nd, 2009 at 7:00 pm in Administrative Stuff, Open Thread.

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349 Comments »

pat says:

Donald Fehr resigned.. Maybe the other 102 names on the list are going to be publicized somehow and he’s gettin outta dodge before the sh*t hits the fan.

Its actually around 90-ish. Some of these geniuses actually failed the test twice. Yes, they were notified in advance.

AsianShuutoHeat says:

lol that made my day
+1

If those were the guys dumb enough to fail a PED test they knew was coming, figure at least double that were using and stopped, and double it again for thew guys who dabbled in it at one time or another.

From the late 90’s to 2005, it was at least half the game at one time or another. Some guys more than others, and the top performers I’ll bet it was 75-90% continuously using.

 
 
 
pat says:

Hahaha, awesome. I kinda hope the list is just Sammy Sosa then Arod’s name 103 times.

 
 
 
Chris says:

The MSM keeps reporting that we know 2 names on the list, but aren’t there actually 3 names that we know:

A-Rod
Sammy Sosa
Barry Bonds

The whole reason the list was not destroyed was because it was subpoenaed as part of Bonds’ perjury/obstruction of justice case. Maybe I’m wrong, but that would mean that his name is on the list. If he’s not on the list, then the government would not have pushed to have the evidence allowed at trial and the list could have been destroyed (of course, the defense could have pushed to have it included as evidence he was clean, but that didn’t happen).

 
 

I’m editing what I’ve written (so far) of my novel. Reading size 10 font is HARD.

What’s it about?

Baseball.

It follows a fictional team through the course of one season though the pov of their catcher.

Steve H says:

Does the fictional catcher wear a C on his chest?

And fight with his mask on?

No, def fights with the mask off.

 
 

Does he pee on his hands?

Do the pitchers smell the ball when he throws it back to them?

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Transformers. They’re more than meets the eye. It’s a romantic comedy.

 
 
 

Great googily moogily. Mrs. Andrews is looking especially yummy tonight.

pat says:

Dude you beat me to it… I don’t care what tommysmithvonlovesdudes says, she is an angel. And she wears sundresses. I love sundresses.

I never said she was an ugly hosebeast. I said she’s solidly above average.

I just took issue with some people saying that she was some sort of SidelineCommentBabe Hall of Famer.

She’s Jim Rice, tops.

pat says:

Eh agree to disagree, I’d say shes the best looking out of the bunch.

Who else is in the bunch, out of curiosity?

I’d say we’re currently in a major drought of quality SidelineBabeage. It’s like the post-Jordan NBA era; sure, Allen Iverson might be the best player in the league, but what does that really mean?

pat says:

Pam Oliver, suzy kolber, rachel nichols, bernstein, jeanie zelasko.. yeah it’s a pretty weak crop unless you start incorporating the team specific reporters like homewreckin heidi watney. Nevertheless IMHO, EA is easily the best plus she has the added bonus of being good at her job and being respected by other women… did I mention the sundresses?

Okay. I’ll stick by my Iverson comp.

Erin Andrews is the best, prettiest sideline reporter in the game today, and that’s more of an indictment of how weak the game is today than it is praise for her talents.

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Ivan says:

Better than Lisa Salters?

 

Better than Lisa Salters?

Yeah. Salters is meh.

 
pat says:

Lisa Salters? you’re bringing a knife to gunfight son.

 

Ooooh, i found an active girl who blows Andrews away:

Molly Sullivan. Covers football for Fox Sports Net.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....re=related

 
Doug says:

This Molly Sullivan of yours… does not blow EA away.

She does not have the comparable so-called “t-shirt cannons”, if you will.

 
pat says:

Meh, she looks like any blonde bimbo you find crawling the streets of Miami. Too harsh looking, EA is soft and pretty, that sullivan chick looks like she’s shank you for coke. Plus her voice is mad annoying.

 
Chris says:

Joe Namath would have to disagree. He puts Suzy Kolber at the top of his list.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQqIQyT-RuM

 
dkidd says:

lol at “shank you for coke”

 
 
 
 
 
 
Whitey14 says:

So a true Hall of Famer then?

God I love it when you bring up Hall of Famer Jim Rice ;-)

 
 
Accent Shallow says:

+1 to your love of sundresses.

pat says:

And a tip of the hat to you, gentlemen.

 
 
 
 
 
Zach says:

Beltran to the DL, Mets are definately screwed now

As I said on Twitter, it’s not an injury bug. It’s a black death-meets cholera-meets syphilis-meets typhoid pandemic.

 
pat says:

Tatis is hitting cleanup tonight…

That’s bad, unless it’s 1999.

pat says:

/checks google

Holy Crap!

Tom Zig says:

Prime candidate to show up on “the list”?

pat says:

I would think so, thats a pretty ridiculous season to have. He used to have alot of conditioning problems back in the day so really knows. Kinda sucks that every single person who ever was able to put it together for a season or two before falling off is now automatically associated with roids…

Chris says:

The problem I have with it is that there would have been absolutely no reason for him to stop using in 1999-2001 when his dropoff occurred. The people that I really question are the ones that fell off a cliff between 2003 and 2005.

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Alex says:

did we win that protest that Girardi submitted?

Not sure, but I doubt it. Those things are never upheld.

George Brett says Hello.

 
Chris says:

Most of them are related to a missed call (i.e. a player was out, but called safe). Those are never upheld, but if there was a mis-application of the rule there is a chance it would be.

My problem with this specific situation is that there is no penalty for the Marlins. Let’s say we had a similar situation and we pinch hit Damon for the pitcher and put the new pitcher in the place of Gardner. Then come out for defense with Gardner in center. That’s a HUGE defensive advantage over having to put Damon out there. If the only penalty is that Gardner has to come out (which would have been the case anyway), then why not do this every time? Maybe you get 1 pitch, maybe you don’t, but there seems to be a slight upside with apparently no downside.

 
 
 
Jose says:

I have a question about the off-topic note. Is it acceptable to post some slightly off-topic things in game threads? Or do game threads have to be completely about that Yankees game on that specific day?

Also, it would be nice if people didn’t always tell people to go to other blogs when they disagree with them. People seem to always tell people to go to “LoHud” or describe comments as “LoHuddish”. There is no need to attack the quality of another blog in addition to a poster.

There is no need to attack the quality of another blog in addition to a poster.

What if the blog in question has a long track record of being hopelessly swamped by troglodyte morons?

Jose says:

Good point, I draw the line at Homo ergaster and later. Homo georgicus and earlier are fair game.

 
 

When we say Go To LoHud we’re not attacking the blog itself, but instead some of the rather moronic things people have said there.

Jose says:

I guess all I’m saying is if someone says something really dumb, why waste the time to describe them as a type of poster that belongs on another blog?

 
 
Accent Shallow says:

Sometimes we suffer from Ecclesiastes syndrome: there is nothing new under the sun.

We’ve had all the same arguments as other Yankees blogs, about the Santana non-trade, Joba’s proper role, etc etc.

Showing up and posting a long-winded rant about those or similar topics, or about how Girardi should be fired because he made a minor strategic error aren’t going to be received kindly.

Maybe we should be nicer, as Mike says above, but that doesn’t mean rehashing settled arguments.

Jose says:

Ecclesiastes syndrome? You are my new hero for using the less common term for writer’s block.

Accent Shallow says:

Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

 
 
 

The LoHud link is sort of code over here for saying “You’re too emotional/irrational/uninformed/clueless to argue with” and tells them to go somewhere where they’ll fit in.

You’re right, its not nice. But I think I can speak for most of the regulars around here in saying we don’t want this place to turn into LoHud. Many of us are LoHud/messageboard refugees. Even PA has his reservations, and has kicked around the registration idea from time to time.

 
JobaWockeeZ says:

LoHuddish is the quality the the comments. Pete Abe is a good reporter and despite me disagreeing with him on some topics, he does a fine job keeping his blog up. However it has more than its fair share of idiotic commenters.

 
 
donttradecano says:

Tommie i wanted your take on the latest Knick news/rumors?

1. Jeffries and Hughes to Washington
2. Frank isola saying the Knicks feel confident they can trade up to grab Rubio.

1. I doubt that happens. What does that accomplish for the Wizards, and who else is involved in the deal?
2. I have no desire at all to move up OR take Ricky Rubio. I’m confident that three of the four players we’re linked to at #8 will end up being better than Rubio (Brandon Jennings, Stephen Curry, Jrue Holliday).

I’d take all three of those far more athletic, far better scoring, and light-years better defending guards over Rubio straight up. The only projected Knicks pick at #8 I’d take Rubio over is Jordan Hill, who looks decidedly average IMO.

I want Jennings.

Nady Nation says:

Jennings over Curry?

No, Curry over Jennings, but it looks like Curry won’t be there, and Jennings will.

Nady Nation says:

Agreed, would you try to trade up for Curry though? I think I might. This is such a key draft for us.

No. I’m not trading up, because whom/what do we really have to trade up with? We can’t give up Chandler or Gallinari, and nothing else we have would really entice anyone.

Furthermore, the difference between Curry and Jennings is small. Not big enough to warrant giving up valuable pieces in a trade up.

Nady Nation says:

What is the exact deal with sign and trades? I know Lee and/or Nate can’t be packaged in a deal until July 9, but I’ve read lots of rumors and stories saying there could be a deal agreed to in advance. The logistics seem confusing though.

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Dunno, NBA logistics are retarded.

I’d imagine if we could work out a deal to use Nate or David in a sign and trade for a pick, we’d just tell the team in question to pick whomever we want to pick. I was all over the rumored Detroit’s #15 and Amir Johnson for Lee in a sign and trade, but it looks like Dumars isn’t moving the pick after all.

 
 
 
 
 
 
pat says:

I’ll take Jennings because he keeps it real.

 
Ivan says:

Don’t ya think ur slighting Rubio a little? It’s not like Stephen Curry is all world defensive player. Jennigs is not really a pure PG. Holliday would be my choice though.

Ricky Rubio’s comp is Steve Nash.

That’s not necessarily a compliment. Rubio is only 18 so he could change, but all reports are that he’s a HORRIBLE, TERRIBLE, ATROCIOUSLY HORRENDOUS defensive player. That, plus the fact that he can’t shoot and isn’t a good finisher, makes me think that Nash (who’s already a very, very overrated player) is probably an unrealistic comp since he just won’t be that good offensively, thus making his defensive traveshamockery more problematic, so his real comp is probably more Jason Williams.

Meaning that Rubio will probably be a decent NBA player because he does have a great passing gift, but he’s far from a lock to be a superstar.

I’ll take Brandon Jennings’s ability to get anywhere he wants on the floor, like Rajon Rondo/Tony Parker and his defensive intensity over Rubio’s wildcard.

Ivan says:

Understanable. personally I want Holliday. Not a huge Curry fan. To me he’s really an undersize, not so athletic combo guard, who will struggle against longer and bigger wing players.

Jennings might have the highest ceiling, but the lowest floor, and his game reminds me of Marbury, which is great and bad at the same time.

Holliday has the best package of the pgs.

PS: I agree Nash was overrated. Think about it, he has more MVP’s than Shaq and Kobe, talk about a travesty.

donttradecano says:

Supposedly Jennings matured while playing over in Europe and improved his game alot, problem is his minutes were so erratic NBA scouts didnt really get a good look.

 

Yup. Excepting Griffin, since he’s the Strasburg of the draft (there’s no way he’s slipping), my wish list is, in order:

1) Evans
2) Curry
3) Jennings
4) Holliday
5) Harden
6) Rubio
7) Thabeet
8) Flynn
9) Hill
10) Derozan

That’s not where I think they’re going, that’s whom I’d take for the Knicks at #8 in descending order of desirability.

Ivan says:

Derozen is a sick dude with the skills. I don’t if he has that “it”.

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Yeah, on talent, Derozan would be #5 on that list, but his massive bust potential pushes him way down the list.

 
 
 
 
 
 
donttradecano says:

1. Not sure who else is involved, but for some reason the wizards want to rebuild their team that went to the second round and miss jared jeffries.

2. Im 100% for Brandon Jennings. I would kill to have him running the point for this team. I dont see Walsh trading up unless he gets another pick somehow, or moves curry or jeffries contract.

My big board not counting big men would be:

1. Jennings
2. Curry
3. Lawson
4. Evans
5. Holiday
6. Rubio

Ivan says:

U like Evans? Ewwww.

If I had the #1 pick in the draft, I’d take Blake Griffin.
If I had the #2 pick in the draft, I’d take Tyreke Evans. He’s legit. Super legit. Length, quickness, finishing ability… Evans is the second best player in this field.

Ivan says:

I’ll take Earl Clarke before I take Evans. He takes poor shots, not a great ball handler. Clarke is long, athletic, quick, with a ton of skill at the SF position and be a pt foward, and play multiple positions.

C-L-A-R-K

I do love Clark as well, and he’s who I’d take at #15 if we do end up getting that pick from the Pistons. But Tyreke Evans is a WAY, WAY better player than Earl Clark. Not really that close.

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Ivan says:

I don’t know, mailny cuz im not a huge Evans fan. Personally I think Clarke can be a that pt foward on a championship team alla Lamar Odom. And while odom is an underachiever, he can play on my team anyday.

 
 
Ivan says:

Sorry C-L-A-R-k.

Im off today.

 
 
 
Ivan says:

And a poor outside shooter.

 

+1, although I don’t like to judge a guy like Rubio when I haven’t seen him. I think scouting reports on foreign players are often hyperbolic, both regarding the negative and positive.

 
 
donttradecano says:

Plus, from what ive read hes been impressive in workouts.

ESPNs Hollinger rater has Lawson as the #1 player in the draft, followed by Griffin and Evans.

He also rated Kevin Love, Joe Alexander, Mario Chalmers, George Hill, and Chris Douglas Roberts as better prospects than Derrick Rose last year, so…

Hollinger’s rankings aren’t exactly the bible.

Ivan says:

The problem wit Hollinger, is that he tries to use sabmetrics in basketball like baseball. Two totally different sports and really sometimes don’t explain as much in basketball like Baseball.

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Just to elaborate on Ivan’s point, basketball is much more of a team game than baseball, which makes it much more difficult to quantify an individual’s impact. Look at how hard it has been to distill a pitcher’s performance so as to evaluate him without mixing in the luck and fielding that altered the result- basketball is a team game all the time- you have that problem in every evaluation you do.

 
 

Hollinger is sort of a pioneer in statistical research of basketball. However, the problem with trusting his data is that pioneers are often wrong, or at least limited- they dont have a lot of people critiquing their work, so they keep making faulty assumptions and mistakes. Some of Bill James earliest stuff has since been ripped to shreds. Hollinger’s stuff is decent, but I wouldn’t use it to make any sort of serious judgements on players or teams.

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donttradecano says:

From 2002 to 2007, 15 players were (a) among the first 10 collegians drafted and (b) excluded from the top 12 by the Draft Rater. In other words, these were the college players the Draft Rater thought were drafted too high. Of those 15, not one has played in an All-Star Game. The only two who have started a significant number of games in the long term have been Kirk Hinrich (who was 13th in the Draft Rater in 2003) and Charlie Villanueva.

• Carlos Boozer was the 26th collegian taken in 2002; Draft Rater had him second.

• Josh Howard was 17th in 2003; Draft Rater had him fifth.

• Danny Granger was the 13th collegian in 2005; Draft Rater had him third.

• Rajon Rondo was the 16th collegian taken in 2006, but Draft Rater had him second.

• Rodney Stuckey was the 14th collegian chosen in 2007; Draft Rater had him fifth.

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donttradecano says:

for each bad pick theres a bunch of good picks.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tom Zig says:

Is house a new episode?

 
 

Since there’s no Geico trivia question, I’ll ask tonight’s Final Jeopardy question.

Category: Presidents On Film
Answer: “Filmed signing a bill into law, in 1895 he became the first U.S. President to appear on moving film.”

I’m shocked that all three contestants got it wrong. I don’t expect most Americans to know who was president in 1895, but I do expect at least one of the three people smart enough to make it onto Jeopardy to know that. Shocking.

donttradecano says:

Grover Cleveland?

 

Either Grover Cleveland or Benjamin Harrison. I know McKinley was shot in 1901 but I don’t know how far into his term he was.

It was his second term.

 
 

I’m going to say McKinley, though I’m pretty sure he was elected for his first term in ‘96. I just don’t know who came directly before him.

 

Off the top of my head, I guessed McKinley. Then I looked it up on wikipedia. Oh well.

 

Yeah, it was Cleveland. His non-consecutive terms were after the elections of 1884 and 1892, so he would have been in office for the second term from 1893-1897. McKinley was elected in 1896 and again in 1900 (before being assassinated.)

The three contestants answered 1) McKinley, 2) no answer given, and 3) Taft.

Taft? Seriously? Taft came after Roosevelt. No returning champion should make that bad of a guess.

Ivan says:

Really bad guess, especially considering that Taft was Roosevelt’s VP.

Really bad guess, especially considering that Taft was Roosevelt’s VP Secretary of War.

Fixed.

Charles Fairbanks was Roosevelt’s VP. As in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Ivan says:
 
 
 

Taft? That’s a terrible guess. He was a 20th century president and served on the Supreme Court in the 1920s.

billbybob says:

Another intersting Taft side note: He was involved in one of the more interesting elections in U.S. history, the election of 1912. Taft, the Republican incumbent ran against Roosevelt, the Bull Moose Progressive Party nominee, and the eventual winner, Woodrow Wilson. Eugene Debbs, the Socialist also ran.

 
 
 
Jose says:

I know that Ben Harrison made the oldest known audio recording.

 
 

Thanks to RAB, I’ve now decided that the protagonist of my novel probably pees on his hands.

Thanks to RAB tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside, I’ve now decided that the protagonist of my novel probably pees on his hands.

Thanks to RAB tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside Jorge Posada and Moise Alou, I’ve now decided that the protagonist of my novel probably pees on his hands.

Tom Zig says:

Moises did it too?

Moises had Sammy Sosa do it for him.

Ugh.

Though when Sammy Sosa peed on his hands, his hands got stronger, more chiseled and grew 2 glove sizes as a result.

 
Tom Zig says:

Its one thing to pee on your own hands…but to have another person do it? Jeez, some of these baseball players are weird fellows.

An urban legend has just been born.

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Tom Zig says:

Oof, you got me.

 
Tom Zig says:

It wasn’t exactly a far fetched thing to say though.

 

The fact that it was that believable says a lot about baseball players and their bizarre superstitions.

 

Really, the ‘2 glove sizes’ part should have given it away.

BTW-Solid piece of comedy right there, IIDSSM

 
Tom Zig says:

I was replying to the “Sammy Sosa peed on Moises’ hands” part, I knew the 2 glove sizes was a joke.

and “IIDSSM” stands for…?

 
AlexNYC says:

I hope Cervelli and Montero dont pee on their hands.

 

‘If I Do Say So Myself’.

 
Tom Zig says:
 
King of Fruitless Hypotheticals says:

‘your honor, I never knowingly took steroids…now, this guy that peed on my hands…’

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Probably?

You either pee on your hands or you don’t. Its like being pregnant.

 
 
pat says:

Hey Ben, in your infinite subway knowledge do you know where the RCC is located?

The new one’s on 54th and 9th. More info here. From what I’ve heard and seen, the new one is about 10 times more awesome than the one in the new version of Pelham 1 2 3. See this post for more.

pat says:

You’ve actually seen it? Thanks for the links btw.

Just pictures. Haven’t seen it in person. They’re secretive with that.

JackC says:

Someone please enlighten me on this one — what exactly is this hand peeing among catchers trope?

 
 
 
 
 
Anyone says:

More John Henry (The new Hank Steinbrenner) Tweet trash:

During yesterday’s game:
Papi just hit one into the strongest wind I’ve seen here. Happy Fathers Day to all dads. Awful wet for a knuckler. 3 ahead of $400m offseason

He sure is VERY bitter.

pat says:

If he wasn’t such a dick maybe tex would have signed in Boston.

According to many of the Boston beat writers, the initial meeting with Theo+Tex went great, but the follow up meeting with the owners was where things got off track.

Zach says:

I saw that too, but like HOW bad could have been for Tex to get that impression? Not saying the report isnt true, just curious what was actually said that turned Tex off

To be honest, I believe Tex when he said he wanted to be a Yankee all along. He’s a military brat, Girardi’s a drill sergeant and Hal attended Culver Military Academy.

Chris says:

I wonder if he would have had the same opinion if George were running the show. I expect that having Hal as the point man will help a lot – people love the money, but I can’t imaging the constant carping and PIs would endear people to being a Yankee.

Just saying he felt it was a good fit among comparable offers.

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John says:

or maybe he showed him something that turned him off

BklynJT says:

It may have turned Tex off, but it did the job for Mr. J.H.

 
 
 
 
 

Hey, come on. Cut the poor guy some slack.

He only had 160 million to give to Tex, and it just wasn’t good enough.

*tears up*

Zach says:

hey he has a 100m pitcher with an ERA+ of 57 so his pockets are hurting

*sniff*

IT’S JUST NOT FAIR!!!

 
 
 
GG says:

Who does he think he is????? MLB didnt want Mark Cuban in an ownership position as they felt it would demote the integrity of the game and this whole new Henry Twitter thing is very Cuban of him. I obviously hate his team, but thought he had more class…I hope someone from MLB contacts him about “tweeting” about other franchises

Zach says:

This is the one time I actually want Hank to talk, remember his red sox nation bullshit comment? classic

 
 
Jake H says:
 
 
Ivan says:

Outside of LeBron, Who would u sign in 2010?

Wade, Amare or Bosh?

That dude on the lakers, I can’t remember is name Ariza? Something like that.

Ivan says:

I think he was one the Knicks, Then Larry Brown fucked him over by relegating him to bench warmer.

 

Ariza is a classic role player type. If he is one of your best players, you are not going to win much, and he would not stand out on a team like the Knicks (the little things dont mean as much when the team does not defend).

 
Zach says:

hes the classic FA on a championship team and some team gives him 5yr/25m

 
 
 
Zach says:

Anyone else available?

Max contract to Wade with his injuries? no thanks
Amare is always whining about something, always wanting ball more, injuries also
Bosh isnt take over the game type player IMO, think hes a great #2 but not as a franchise player

 

Bosh. Wade is a classic short career guy, because he gets beat up too much. If you give him too long a deal, like he will want, you end up with an Iverson situation on your hand. Amare’s had microfracture surgery, that is bad for a big man. Bosh is a really good player, is only 25, and should be a nice fit in D’Antoni’s system. He also has a nicely developing back to basket game for the playoffs, when things slow down.

Ivan says:

I’ll take Wade. He’s much better than AI was, and while u worry of the wreckless way he does play, he is however a better defender than AI ever was, and his jump shot has vastly improve.

Bosh really a Robin type. If he’s the second player on your team, great, u could win a championship. If he’s the #1 guy on your team, not as good.

 
 
Accent Shallow says:

I really doubt LeBron would help the Yankees much. I mean, he’s 6′9″, so he probably wouldn’t be a worthwhile hitter — too long of a swing, easily exploited.

As for pitching, I have no idea. I bet he’d be a hell of a center fielder, though.

 

Wade, Amare or Bosh?

Bosh – Option #1. You can’t coach size, and he’s still young and healthy.
Wade – Option #2. Better player than Bosh, but he’s a small and not a big, and you wonder when his body just up and quits on him. He’s like Iverson… the wall is there, and it will be hit. Those are inexorable truths. He’s a timebomb.
Amare – Ugh, no thank you. Pass. Do Not Touch. Radioactive. Under no circumstances. He’s so overrated, he makes Erin Andrews look appropriately rated.

You left out one of the most intriguing under the radar name: Joe Johnson. Don’t say you weren’t warned.

Zach says:
 

+2. Let’s say the Knicks get a gift and unload Curry, and you can bring in 2 guys. Who would you go after, if you could get Lebron, and if you could not?

With Lebron, I would take Bosh. Without Lebron, I probably go Bosh and Wade, but I would think long about Johnson over Wade.

Zach says:
Zach says:

free agent list for 2010 just to see the pieces out there

Oh. Thanks!

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Ivan says:

Joe Johnson is terrific, is one more underrated players in the game.

I still think Wade is better than AI. Wade really improve his jumpshot where he doesn’t all the time play that reckless. And while Wade is shorter than the avg SG, he has a great wing span, and is built like a bull in the upper body which can absorb much punishment than AI can.

Again, Bosh is a great #2 player. Can win championships, but if he’s ur #1, I doubt u win championships with him as your best player.

Wade is better than Allen Iverson. The question is not about the peak. The question is about the valley, and the inevitability of it.

Ivan says:

I understand that. I do think Wade will age better than AI. Plus, he had alot of his injuries earlier in his career which might be a good omen.

Plus, he had alot of his injuries earlier in his career which might be a good omen.

That doesn’t make sense.

http://images.jambase.com/fans.....dy/ron.jpg

Ivan says:

I mean’t like hey he had his injuries in the past where he played that reckless style. Sorta like wit Reyes had earlier leg injuries in his career and until 09 he was healthy from 06-08. I can see Wade having those naging injuries earlier in his career and has his game progress and relies on more smarts and of course skill, he won’t be as injury prone. He played all 82 games I think in 09.

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Nope. Still doesn’t make sense.

All NBA players have an odometer. Smaller guys who take a pounding and big guys who take a pounding hit the wall quicker. Wade’s older injuries count just as badly. At some point, he just won’t be able to jump anymore.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
donttradecano says:

Bosh.

PG- Jennings/Curry/Holliday/Evans
SG- Chandler
SF- Lebron
PF- Gallinari
C- Bosh

Evans isn’t playing PG. He and LeBron would be sharing the 2 and 3 roles.

donttradecano says:

So hypothetically if they draft Evans, who plays PG in 2010?

 
 
 
 
 

I, for one, am very disappointed that Mike didn’t tell us to watch Jon and Kate Plus 8 tonight. Who’s with me?

No chance that show ends up with a divorce.

The L.A. Times’ gossip columnist disagrees with you.

Why do I even know this?

RichYF says:

On a scale from 1-10, you’re dead to me.

 

It’s not my fault my girlfriend watches this show. It’s part of the “You watch baseball 162 nights a year, let me watch my show” trade-off.

I know exactly what you’re talking about. I won’t say the wife “made me” watch CNN’s Showbiz Tonight on Saturday in order to watch the Jon and Kate coverage… but she appreciated it, and her appreciating me watching that helps me in the future.

It’s money in the bank. I’ll be spending it later.

pat says:

American Idol all up in my feezy so pat can get drunk with his boys for sheezy.

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Its like I’m Psychic.

Play ‘Mother Goose’ at Belmont this Sunday.

 
 
Zach says:

not until the money stops flowing in

 

My GF told me they filed for divorce this afternoon.

 
 
Jake H says:

My wife and I will be watching. She knows it’s coming I mean who hasn’t seen the end in sight?

My brother’s wife, for one.

Denial is a powerful thing, my friend.

 
 
 

I saw this in an earlier thread, the draft recap thread I believe, about making cross racial comps. and I just thought I’d throw it out there that I said if all goes 10000% right for Brett Gardner, he’d be like Willie Randolph–average BA, good OBP, low SLG, good defense, good baserunning.

Cross-racial comps? What does race have to do with baseball player comparisons?

It came up in the draft-recap thread when someone said Mack’s swing looked to have a little Bonds/Griffey.

 
RichYF says:

Stereotypes? I’d start a list, but I’m not in the “insult other races” type of mood tonight.

 

I’ll guess it was this meme:
White player-Gritty
Black Player-Athletic

for two guys with the same numbers.

 
Doug says:

Black players aren’t compared to white players, and vice versa. Simple.

That one. It was started by someone comparing DeAngelo Mack’s swing to Barry Bonds and Ken Griffey Jr, which doesn’t make much sense, IMO.

For the record, I’ve argued repeatedly for Brett Gardner’s comp to be Dave Roberts rather than Brett Butler.

We’re colorblind, TSJC.

While there’s exceptions to every rule, the overwhelming majority of people who say they’re “colorblind” are anything but.

And, being colorblind isn’t necessarily a good thing, you know.

Agreed. Not recognizing/acknowledging differences is wholly ignorant.

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King of Fruitless Hypotheticals says:

Are you even allowed to drive if you’re colorblind?

 
 
 
 

For the record, I’ve argued repeatedly for Brett Gardner’s comp to be Usain Bolt rather than Brett Butler.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLVY2pWA7-U

Fixed that for ya.

 
 
 
 

I’m amazed how many people who hate Girardi have suggested hiring Willie Randolf.

The Yanks didn’t think of Willie as a manager when he was here, why would they think more highly of him after the Met collapse(s)?

Zach says:

Because veterans hate Girardi, but Girardi needs to rest veterans and give Posada moer days off

MSM

Willie lost Reyes and some of the veterans on that team. Plus, he rode Reyes into the ground in 07 when he clearly needed a break.

But Manuel did the same thing in 08, had a similar collapse and nobody says boo.

 
 
 
 
Zach says:

Texas is teeing off

 
pat says:

Fuckin A back to back to back jacks.

Zach says:

T Tucker homered to left.
B Belt grounded out to first.
R Moldenhauer homered to center.
C Rupp flied out to center.
K Keyes homered to left center.

pat says:

Well then, somebody hasn’t been paying attention.. whoops/

Zach says:

i had to go check, they came fast though

 
 
 
 

Any of you ever listen to Vitamin String Quartet?

I think I’m in love.

No, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

 
 
Jake H says:

RAB your the best. Hopefully we can move past this because this is the best Yankee community on the web.

 
Alex says:

I’d be willing to bet a small fortune that Pedro is on that list of 102. Any takers?

Alfonso Soriano.

You don’t have to be big to be a juicer. He’s got crazy power for such a wiry guy.

Alex says:

I can’t wait for the day until I see it. Nothing will give me more joy than to see Pedro’s name on it.

Alex says:

Because I lost respect for the man when he threw a 75 year old man to the ground. That’s why Ben.

 
 
Steve H says:

Agreed.

http://archive.deseretnews.com.....early.html

Published: Friday, Feb. 15, 2002
FORT MYERS, Fla. — Pedro Martinez was a strange sight in the Boston Red Sox clubhouse Thursday — more muscular and, for a change, an early arrival at spring training

Credit an offseason program in his native Dominican Republic during which he lifted weights regularly for the first time. He said he took just seven days off and spent so much time in the gym that he sometimes didn’t get to his boat, where he listened to music, until 10 p.m

Standing bare-chested by his locker the day before pitchers and catchers were due to report, the difference in the 30-year-old Martinez was obvious Thursday.

His chest was beefier, his biceps more defined. He hopes the extra strength and conditioning will keep him off the disabled list for the first time in four seasons.

Martinez is only 5-foot-11 but he reported at about 190 pounds, 12 pounds heavier.

“When I saw my arms getting so big I was like, ‘Wow, it looks good,’ ” he said with a smile. “But I don’t know, is it going to be heavier to bring it up to throw the curveball?”

“I’m not a small man anymore,” he said. “Hopefully, I’ll keep most of the weight.”

Tom Zig says:
Steve H says:

What are the odds he wasn’t working out with Presinal?

1,000,000,000,000,000 to 1?

 
 
 

Here’s the list of baseball players who took steroids:

Everbody.

[end of list]

Happy now?

GG says:

If Alex (and even Barry as well) is kept out of the HOF, they should change the name of it to “HOF pre mid 1990’s”…Alex is an incredible talent who I wont bother to defend b/c we all probably have strong feelings already for him one way or another. Barry is one of the best players ever PRE ROIDS.

GG says:

sorry that belonged under the next post

 
 
Steve H says:

Except for any Red Sox players.

 
 

For Alex’s sake, he should hope that there are a bunch of HOF types that nobody thinks did it. Someone like John Smoltz, Tom Glavine or Bowie Kuhn.

Even better for Alex, if a guy who’s already inducted shows up on that list, then it makes it even harder to keep him out.

Steve H says:

Yeah, I really hope someone who is already inducted is outed, not that I wish bad on them, but it’s reality. And maybe these clowns won’t again vote in a Jim Rice because he was “clean” Says who? Steroids were in sports throughout his whole career.

Oh, god, I so hope some already inducted Hall of Famers are on the list. That would be delicious irony.

Kirby Puckett. Yeah, I said it.

Steve H says:

He’s a no doubt juicer.

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All those domestic abuse charges? Roid rage.

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Steve H says:

I’ll go with the 4 HR’s in his first 1200+ at bats. Then he gets jacked and hits 31 next season.

 
 
Tom Zig says:

My two favorites would be:

Joe Morgan
John Kruk

and even thought he never played…

Steve Phillips

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Chris says:

I’d love to have someone that no one suspects announce during their induction speech that they used. I could just imagine the reactions as they sit down and no one says a thing…

 
 
GG says:

If Alex (and even Barry as well) is kept out of the HOF, they should change the name of it to “HOF pre mid 1990’s”…Alex is an incredible talent who I wont bother to defend b/c we all probably have strong feelings already for him one way or another. Barry is one of the best players ever PRE ROIDS.

 

The only one currently in the HOF/possibly on that list could be Rickey, no?

Yeah, they started testing in 02, so it would have to be someone inducted after 07 on the first ballot. But who knows, maybe something comes out by another means.

BTW-I’m so disappointed in you people. BOWIE KUHN??? I give up.

I read it and was puzzled. But I did laugh.

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I assume all commissioners are on el jugo .

 

Landis invented steroids.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
GG says:

A-rod 3rd, Tex 4th anyone?

Tom Zig says:

Tex as #3: .971 OPS
Tex as #4: .902 OPS

A-rod as #3: .999 OPS
A-rod as #4: .955 OPS

 
 
 

I’d be alright w/it.

 

How about we catch routine fly balls and throw to the plate somewhere in the same zip code?

 
 
pat says:

Wow, that dude’s quick.

 

I never understood why guys slid when they didn’t have to.

Tom Zig says:

Like sliding head first into first base?

 

So people will say “I like that guy. He gets his uniform dirty.”

pat says:

Well, he was drafted 23rd overall, so he must have impressed a few peeps.

 
 
 
pat says:

They need to round up all of Travis Henry’s baby mama’s and all his illegitimate kids, put them in a house I’d watch that ish.

Steve H says:

He didn’t celebrate father’s day yesterday, he’s celebrating father’s week. Can’t get it all done in one day.

 
 
GG says:

Premature, lets see how the week shapes up

 
 

“Open Thread: An RAB PSA”

Oh no. I hate needles.

I read it too quick at first and thought it said “Open Thread: ARAB PSA”.

I was all, “What does Iraq have to do with all this?”

 
 
Dela G says:

this comment section is nails tonight

lots of laughs

ranger11 says:

Yeah, where are all the comments about the Yankees sucking and that somebody should be fired or waived? I really, really miss that.

Ranger11 should be fired and Dela G should be waived.

;)

ranger11 says:

There, now I feel better!

 
Dela G says:

HAHA you can’t waive me… ;)

I can do anything; I’m the chief of police.

 
 
 
 

Seconded. So, as the RAB threads return do the normal, so do the Yankees?

Tom Zig says:

Well no game is on tonight, so no trolls come out to play today.

Steve H says:

That’s offensive to trolls.

 
 
 

this comment section is nails tonight

Nails Krzyzewski?

 
 
Steve H says:

Nolan Ryan anyone? Throwing high 90’s into his late 40’s, and leading the league in k’s 4 straight years starting at the age of 40?

Cal Ripken? 2600+ straight games?

Jim Rice? Fear came directly from his famous roid rage incidents in the clubhous.

Carlton Fisk? OPS+ starting at age 40:155, 136, 134. As a catcher.

Plenty of possibilities there.

Nolan Ryan anyone? Throwing high 90’s into his late 40’s, and leading the league in k’s 4 straight years starting at the age of 40?

See, this is what I never got. When Clemens was older and throwing hard, everyone made it seem as if there were no other way he could’ve done it but by ‘roids, yet no one dares say the same thing of Ryan.

Steve H says:

What about Randy Johnson?

Steroids make you strong, not ugly.

But if there’s an ugly pill I bet he’s addicted to the motherfucker.

Steve H says:

Like Elaine with the sponge, Unit bought up the world’s remaining supply of ugly pills.

yankeegirl49 says:

He is the ugliest man I have ever seen, 2nd is Lemmy from Motorhead.

 
 
 
 

He was 6′2″ and 195 pounds.

No reason he shouldn’t have pitched 27 years throwing the ball 100+MPH and rarely get hurt.

 

This is what happens to people who make the link between Nolan Ryan and steroids:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUdFOKWC2ME

PS LOL @ Keith Olberman

Zach says:

mustache AND mullet, classic

HOW DARE YOU, MRS. LEBERSTEIN, HOW DARE YOU!!!!!!!!!

 
 
 
 
donttradecano says:
Steve H says:

His teammate Tom House was an admitted steroid user, and said several players on every team were using. Home runs per season starting at age 35: 44, 38, 47 (career high at age 37), 34, 40 (in 120 games). Certainly suspicious.

Steve H says:

Had a more than 500% increase in homers from 1910 to 1911. Goes from 2 HR’s to league leader in one year? Juicer.

 
 
 
 
 
donttradecano says:

Allen Iverson=HOF?

donttradecano says:

Agreed, I say first ballot.

“first ballot” is one of my hugest pet peeves in all of sports.

If he’s good, vote for him. If not, don’t. Don’t artificially not vote for someone you intend to vote for later because you care about whether someone is “first ballot” or not.

Steve H says:

Agreed. Though I think 15th ballot is much worse. For 19 years (5+14) the writers decided Jim Rice wasn’t a HOF. Then, he was.

Meh, no matter which year Rice went in, it was a traveshamockery.

 

See, I agree with that but if (when?) Blyleven gets in, people will say the same thing and I want Blyleven in there badly.

Steve H says:

That can be passed off as, “They finally opened their effing eyes!!” (and spreadsheets)

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Very true, very true.

 
 

Sure, Bert Blyleven was nice and all, but he wasn’t a “big game pitcher” like Jack Morris.

Sincerely,
Idiots Everywhere

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Haha. Blyleven’s post season numbers > Jack Morris’s.

 
 
 
 
 
 
pat says:

If Donnie Baseball ever gets elected, I will watch that induction ceremony with my own eyes.

Steve H says:

and with Excel open.

 
King of Fruitless Hypotheticals says:

I went to Scooter’s. Don’t remember the other guy. His speech was one ling story collection…everyone loved it.

Would love to go back.