Wednesday Night Open Thread

January 16, 2013 by Michael Axisa 106 Comments

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Happy Hump Day everyone, here’s your open thread. The Nets are playing, but talk about anything else you want here as well. Have at it.

Monty

Morse to the Mariners…..
- Captain’s Gift Basket
  
  Sucks IMO.
  
  Would’ve been a fit for this team.
Get Phelps Up

Three 1b/DH players isn’t enough. I need a 4th!

-Jack Z

Seriously, wtf is he doing?
- jjyank
  
  One that’s only under contract for 1 more season, too. Does he think they’re actually going to contend in 2013?
- RetroRob
  
  This could be a sign that Smoak is done, unless he breaks from the game fast. Or they could platoon Morse/Smoak at first, with Morse then playing in the OF other times.
  
  The real question is what are the Mariners doing at catcher? Are they actually going to let Montero catch 130 games? Or more likely, are they planning on Mike Zunino joing soon. They might bring Olivo back, since he caught the most of the Olivo/Montero/Jaso group.
  - Blake
    
    Red Sox looking for a LH hitting 1B
- LK
  
  Given how putrid their offense is, they might be willing to put up with Morse’s OF defense.
Blake

Nice deal for the Nats to get Cole back for a year of morse…..trade makes no sense for the mariners at all to me…..
Havok9120

*reads about Morse*

Commence the flipping of the corpses.
Reggie C.

Weird move from the Mariners.

Jack Z. must really think Morse can handle a corner OF spot over a full course of the season. But at the cost of Jaso?? Yikes. Billy Beane won the trade… as usual.
- Blake
  
  I like it for the Nats and Oakland….Jack Z is the worst
- Gonzo
  
  His job is on the line.
  - Blake
    
    Trading a catcher with 3 years of control who OPSd .850 last year and .927 vs RHP to a division rival for 1 year of Morse doesn’t seem like te best way to accomplish that goal
    - Gonzo
      
      I never said fear for his job helped him make rational decisions. :)
soxhata

Morse to Mariners aj cole to Nats,Jaso to A’s.Yanks sit on hands again.We could have used Jaso and Morse.
- DC
  
  The Yankees not obtaining Morse does not mean they “sat on their hands”.
  - jjyank
    
    This. “Force trades” is not a real thing, people.
    - Andy Pettitte’s Fibula
      
      At least since George died.
      
      /kidding.
  - soxhata
    
    Ok I meant sitting on their collective ASSES and losing much more talent than they are bringing in.Next offseason is shaping up to be even worse-unless draft picks get you excited.
Pat D

There are stories in life that are depressing.

There are stories in life that are embarrassing.

There are stories in life that just don’t make sense.

There are stories in life that make you think, “How in the hell did they expect to get away with this?”

Then there are stories which are all of those things rolled into one. This story is just that: http://espn.go.com/college-foo.....ently-hoax
- DC
  
  Yeah, that’s a new level of crazy. I’m not buying Te’o is a victim either.
  - Pat D
    
    Yea, I’m really not either which, being a Notre Dame person, makes this close to a sucker-punch-to-the-gonads moment.
    - Andy Pettitte’s Fibula
      
      At least they kept their coach from jumping to the NFL. ND football is still looking up from where they were a few years ago.
    - Gonzo
      
      My comment is awaiting moderation. There is a way that would make me feel really bad for Te’o though.
    - Improbable Island’s Dirty Midget Whores (formerly RRR)
      
      I wouldn’t even say it’s like that. It’s more like a “Whhhhaaaat?” moment. Just bizarre.
    - Gonzo
      
      I guess my reply is in moderation limbo.
      
      Basically, if he did it to hold another secret in check, my heart goes out to the kid.
      
      The nature of the secret is what I think is holding my original comment in limbo.
- flamingo
  
  All right, bear in mind that I don’t follow college football at all and I only caught the last fifteen minutes or so of Mike Francesca while driving home. I was expecting laughs. I got this.
  
  What is going on?! How do you fake a dead girlfriend? This is crazy.
- Andy Pettitte’s Fibula
  
  I wonder how this affects his draft staus, if at all, because one of his major strengths was reported to be his character and leadership and at least superficially it appears he’s at least somewhat of a fraud if not completely batshit crazy.
- Bob Buttons
  
  Every other Scott Boras client/top 50 free agent signing are those four things rolled into one.
- Improbable Island’s Dirty Midget Whores (formerly RRR)
  
  That’s weird, man. WEIRD.
- Jim Is Bored
  
  What am I missing? Who the fuck cares? Seriously. Who cares? Why does this matter, like, at ALL?
  
  It’s not a sports story. It’s just not. And it’s all I’m hearing about on ESPN, non-stop.
  
  There are 2 scenarios:
  A) He wanted publicity, faked this story, and is now reaping the benefits of publicity. But honestly, I pay a lot of attention to college football, I remember hearing about the dead gf a while back and then completely forgetting about it. If deadspin/espn/tmz hadn’t resurrected this story, I never, ever, would have thought about it again.
  
  B) He was a victim. He’s getting attention and publicity for it anyway.
  
  If he wanted attention, it seems to me that there are a lot of much, MUCH easier, less weird ways to go about it. I’m sorry, I’m not buying scenario A. Just not buying it.
  
  And again, fuck this story. It’s not a sports story.
  - Pat D
    
    It involves a sports figure, so by definition it becomes a sports story.
    
    Also you should know by now how the media operates. The only story better than an athlete’s inspirational story is the story where that athlete gets torn down from the top of his mountain. Lance Armstrong much? Since there is that potential here, this will be news right up through the NFL draft.
King of Fruitless Hypotheticals

#batshitinsane
JAG

I was at this game. Really exciting, sweet performance by Kuroda.
Blake

Unless they think Zunino is ready I guess we are gonna find out once and for all if Montero can catch in the big leagues…..
Captain’s Gift Basket

Anybody knows whou could’ve been “our” AJ Cole? Or the closest?
- Big Member
  
  Ugh..Slade?
  - Captain’s Gift Basket
    
    HMMM… What??
- Blake
  
  Campos or Depaula or somebody like that. Cole is a high upside guy in A ball but the Nats may have preferred him anyways cause he was theirs (traded him for Gio last year)
  - Captain’s Gift Basket
    
    0k thanks. And yes definetly.
Crink

A’s have a surplus of catchers now. Maybe they try and move Kottaras? Yankees need all the warm bodies behind the plate they can get
- Crink
  
  Just saw they DFA’d him, minimal cost move.
  - trr
    
    worth it !
- Jedua
  
  Dfa alredy
  
  I like him too
- RetroRob
  
  Jaso is not much of a catcher. Olivo caught the most games for them last year, with Montero second and Jaso pulling up the rear with 39 starts. He’s 29 and bounced from the Rays, the Mariners and now the A’s over the past year. That all said, I’d still take him on the Yankees. I’d also take Kottaras. With the A’s, they might turn around and flip either as part of another trade.
  - RetroRob
    
    …or DFA Kottaras. Looks like a Norris/Jaso platoon. The Yankees should pick him up, but if I understand the DFA process, the A’s first get the opportunity to trade him.
dasani

Guess its airston or bust.
- dasani
  
  That should read Hairstone
Blake

@DKnobler: A’s get Jaso and announce Kottaras DFA

Dumpster dive mode engage
- Get Phelps Up
  
  I would definitely be in favor of picking him up.
Greg

what’s different on this team is that normally, the last 5 spots are filled by “grizzled veterans” like Ibanez, Chavez and Lowe who are willing to take less to play for NY. This year, it’s going to be Canzler, Mostelier, Nix, Nunez, Stewart, etc. All because we don’t have the money to pay for veterans.
- Get Phelps Up
  
  They hadn’t signed any of those guys at this point last year either.
- Grit for Brains
  
  …and they don’t have a catcher who is actually a starter at the major league level
  
  …and the guys projected to be the corner outfielders will combine for maybe 13 homeruns at the very most.
  - Need Pitching & Hitting
    
    Nah. They’ll probably move Gardner to CF.
Gonzo

Can someone look over the Projecting Derek Jeter thread for me?

That back and forth between me and Ted seemed to be fairly civil until I think he kinda lost it. Can someone go over it and tell me if I’m over reacting here or if he’s just being Ted.
- Pat D
  
  I’m not going to look at the thread since you implied an argument with Ted.
  
  But I do think I can tell you without fear of contradiction what your error was: You got into an argument with Ted.
  - Gonzo
    
    I didn’t think it was an argument at all though. That’s the crazy part.
    - Pat D
      
      Ted turns everything into an argument. I don’t think he’s capable of anything else. This isn’t really meant as a knock on him, but he has always struck me as being someone who has to have the last word and has to prove he’s right. He also acts like people pick on him and he’s a victim.
      
      I can honestly say that I’m a little like that in real life sometimes, but I promised myself to not be like that on internet message boards.
- Captain’s Gift Basket
  
  I can tell you that he was just Ted being Ted.
  
  I don’t comment that much, but i read this thing a lot, including the comments section, and he is 0k and knows about numbers and baseball stuff, but IMO he just turns every conversation into a personal issue and/or some sort of fight, and always comes off like a douche. He probably doesn’t realize or it’s unintentional, but he definetly comes off a little douchey.
  - Gonzo
    
    Thanks. I know he’s going to play the victim card or say that I’m the aggressor here, so woot woot.
    
    I’ve told him on multiple occasions to stop replying to me and I’ll stop replying to him. He never takes me up on that.
- Andy Pettitte’s Fibula
  
  I don’t think you’re overreacting. It seemed completely civil until he snapped but I’m probably the wrong person to ask. He got all riled up calling me every name in the book earlier in the thread and couldn’t maintain his facade of decency with you IMO.
  - Gonzo
    
    Yeah, no offense, but I would consider you biased. LOL
    
    Not that I’m saying I think you are a troll or anything. I don’t. I just think there’s too much history between you two.
    - Andy Pettitte’s Fibula
      
      I offered him a truce, for each of us to agree not to comment on each others posts so hopefully he’ll accept. I see no way of interacting with peaceably so I’m gonna try a new approach.
      - Gonzo
        
        No chance. I tried that before and more than once.
- Tom
  
  Not sure if there are any fans of Justified (one of the better shows on TV IMO), but there was a tremendous line by Raylan in the season 4 premier (and seems fitting):
  
  “You run into an asshole in the morning, and you’ve run into an asshole. Run into an asshole all day and YOU are the asshole”
  
  If you look at all the various comment trees that extend out into infinity and the number of times someone calls someone an asshole or douchy… well folks can determine who fits what role.
  - Gonzo
    
    That is a f@cking great line sir!
    
    Justified is on my Netflix queue. I might get to it by the summer. I heard the second season is beyond amazing.
    - Tom
      
      You should prioritize this show…it is amazing. Great dialogue, the acting is phenomenal and it mixes in the right amount of humor. All three seasons have been great (season 4 is just starting on FX), but yes season 2 was phenomenal.
      
      I did mess up the quote it should read “run into assholes (plural) all day…”, but you get the gist of it.
      - Gonzo
        
        Thanks. More excited to have this on my queue now.
- RetroRob
  
  Land war/Asia
  
  Argument/Ted
  
  Avoid.
  - Gonzo
    
    What about going in against a Sicilian when death is on the line?
    - Improbable Island’s Dirty Midget Whores (formerly RRR)
      
      Dammit, you beat me to it.
    - Improbable Island’s Dirty Midget Whores (formerly RRR)
      
      Fun fact: In HS I used that scene as an audition monologue.
      
      I didn’t get in the show.
      
      But I loved the monologue!
  - Improbable Island’s Dirty Midget Whores (formerly RRR)
    
    Sicilian/Death on the Line
mt

Teo says he is a victim but I don’t believe it – he said he physically met her in 200, also curious that neither he nor anyone in his family went to her “funeral” and that his family never met her. I think he may have hoaxed his family too.

Just too suspicious that the person behind the e-mail “girlfriend” is a fellow football player he knows – Deadspin article is really damning, I think.

I think it started as a joke for Teo and his friend to get sympathy – supposedly someone in the movie Animal House did the same thing (never saw Animal House) – and then it got out of control before he could stop it.
- mt
  
  2009, not 200.
The Real Greg

How many 1st base/DHs can Jack Z. acquire?
- Travis Hafner
  
  Not enough!
  
  Hey Jack Z… call me!
  - Jim Thome
    
    Don’t forget about me!
- Blake
  
  As many as it takes
Endlessjose

Wow Mariners got Moorse.He’ll hit 10 homeruns in that park.
- Gonzo
  
  I don’t know how much it will make a difference, but they are moving in the fences.
Travis L.

What quality reliever will we give the A’s for Kottaras??
- The Real Greg
  
  None. He was DFA’d.
  - Need Pitching & Hitting
    
    He’ll probably still be traded (but I’m guessing not to the Yankees).
Jacob The OG (formerly Jacob)

KOTTARAS MODE!!!!!!!!! That will be my catch phrase all season if we claim him. Be prepared fellow posters
Andy Pettitte’s Fibula

Other than maybe a used car salesman, is there a group of people that are more sleazy and have less integrity than a college football coach?
Chip Kelly was reportedly in a recruits home 2 days ago swearing up and down he wasn’t leaving Oregon and today he bolts for the Eagles.

Supposedly Nick Saban did the same exact thing a few years back before he left for Miami, guaranteeing a recruit he wasn’t leaving his university.

Pete Carroll is paid all kinds of money to coach USC, has recruiting violations out the ass under his watch and bolts to Seattle unscathed just before the shit hits the fans and leaves USC in total mess

Meanwhile a player needs to sit out an entire year if they transfer schools. Total fucking bullshit as far as I’m concerned.
- Pat D
  
  I wouldn’t really say that it’s the coaches who are sleazy. To me, it’s the recruiting process that’s sleazy. These coaches have to talk and act like used car salesmen. They have to sell themselves, their program, their school, their school’s location, all kinds of shit.
  
  I can’t blame a college football coach for jumping at the opportunity to coach in the NFL. I mean, think about it. If you’re a football coach, the NFL is the top of the mountain. It’s the highest position in the profession. Why a coach shouldn’t strive for that is silly to me.
  
  For example, my mother went into a small panic when she heard Bill O’Brien was talking to the Browns and Eagles. She’s afraid that if he bolts Penn State while they’re on their bowl ban that the program will truly go under. I told her not to worry and that, as a coach, when the NFL comes calling he has to say, “Sure, I’ll listen.”
  
  Since he’ll be coaching the Eagles, I have to hope Chip Kelly fails. Nick Saban was a pretty big failure in the NFL. Bobby Petrino was much worse, though. I agree that Pete Carroll is essentially a scumbag. I mean, you don’t leave that USC program to coach the friggin’ Seahawks unless you know the shit is about to hit the fan. Sure enough, that’s what happened.
  
  I totally agree with you on the transfer rules. It’s the one thing that I definitely think is completely unfair to the players. I am not in favor of them getting paid, no matter how much revenue they generate for their schools. As far as I’m concerned, they’re getting a free education, an opportunity that the vast majority of kids don’t get, and if they don’t take that seriously it’s their own fault.
  - Andy Pettitte’s Fibula
    
    But how can you sit in front of a 17 year old and his parents who are trying to make the biggest decision of their lives to this point and just straight out lie to their faces?
    
    Chip Kelly basically played Phil Knight of Nike and the Eagles against each other while blowing smoke up the asses of high school along the way. To say hate the game and not the player I think is giving a free pass to these slime ball coaches.
    - Pat D
      
      I think you’re assuming they’re lying. Maybe they aren’t, but maybe they’re totally honest and say, “Yea, I might take another job.”
      
      I don’t have any sympathy for Phil Knight anyway. He’s richer than any of us will be. He’s basically given that program everything they have, things that no other program has. If he can’t handle that his coach might leave, that’s his own shortcoming.
      - Andy Pettitte’s Fibula
        
        I have no sympathy for Phil Knight either. His overall presence around the Oregon program screams shady.
        
        The report I heard today on Kay was that Kelly unequivocally told a recruit he was staying at Oregon 2 days ago so I’m not sure where you’re getting the “Yea, I might take another job.” story from unless you think he had some major revelation in the last 48 hours.
        
        Pat D
        
        I wasn’t getting any story, I was just supposing what could have happened. People can report on stuff like this, but you’ll never really know what happened.
- DC
  
  Congress?
- LK
  
  I think it’s time the NCAA really take amateurism seriously and have it apply to the coaches as well. Coaches can receive no compensation other than room, board, and an education. It should be plenty given how often the NCAA talks about how that’s enough for the players.
  - Andy Pettitte’s Fibula
    
    Yeah, the hypocrisy of the system is really disgraceful.
BrianH

Why didnt we take a flier on Ramon Flores?
Hoss

Pleased to see that we didn’t get Morse. It may convince FO to get (more) serious about Hairston, who is a better option.

Kottaras is a good BACKUP catcher, but he is not the starter we need.

If the Yankees go anywhere near Nick Johnson as a potential DH-1B, I’m done… switching my allegiance to the Taiyo Whales…
- Bob Buttons
  
  Kottaras is better than any of the options we got right now, or at least as good as Stewart.
  Heck, watch Cashman trade away Chase Whitley or Dan Burawa for him.
  - Hoss
    
    Better isn’t the same as adequate, unfortunately.
    
    I share the same fear about overpaying with prospects, but the fact that he couldn’t get a deal done with the Nats is a good sign.
    - Bob Buttons
      
      Probably makes the difference between straight-out pathetic and painful to watch.
- Get Phelps Up
  
  Kottaras is still a good option. Even if he only catches 60 games, that’s 60 fewer games caught by Cervelli or Stewart.
LK

I’m just glad that with Morse gone we can go back to endlessly debating Justin Upton’s true talent level.
- Hoss
  
  Can we all just agree that it’s bigger than a bread box? I hope he’s very happy in Atlanta.
You should have shot Arod

Athletics designated C George Kottaras for assignment
ATTENTION MR CASHMAN!!!!!!
This guy is better than cervelli or stewie.
- Anthony
  
  …I stopped reading after the username…
Improbable Island’s Dirty Midget Whores (formerly RRR)

So,I’ll update you guys on that show I’m trying to put on in July (but only because I know you’re all just fascinated.

So before we can start fundraising OR ordering the scripts/scores, we need to be an official organization. For those who don’t know, normally when you start a non-profit it is an absolute metric-fuckton of work, so we’ve been trying to find an organization to sponsor us.

We haven’t stopped trying to do that, but today I decided to spend awhile (it ended up being a pretty long time…something along the line of 4 hours) reading up on the legalese, which in fact ended up being incredibly informative and potentially helpful.

So, what I learned essentially is that, in the state we’re informing this in, we’re going to probably be earning such a miniscule amount of money that we don’t actually need to register as a charity-which is a big deal.

Normally we WOULD have to register as a corporation and spend the time/cash on that but after some research I learned that there’s such a thing as an unincorporated organization, which basically means that if anything goes wrong the people who run the organization get sued and not the organization itself. So that isn’t strictly necessary.

The only form we need to fill out is the the tax exemption form, and we can start collecting funds before this is officially filled out and sent in.

Thus, for us to raise money we need to pick a spot (AKA one of our houses) as “headquarters”, get officers, bylaws, and a mission statement, and we’re a charity. We also, of course, need to open an account and be incredibly, incredibly careful about funds, and MAKE SURE we remember to fill out the tax exemption form.

But I THINK we can start fundraising soon. But I’m checking all of this with a lawyer first.
Crink

Matt Harrison anyone? 5 years 55 million, easily paints a picture for what Hughes could get. While not putting up eye popping stats, he’s still pitched 399 innings over the past 2 seasons withe a 3.34, much more than Hughes has ever done. I imagine this sets the market for Hughes somewhere in the 4-5 year range at 40-50 million at most.

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