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ashbury

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Everything posted by ashbury

  1. ashbury
    Derek Shelton, I think? I'm not a subscriber, but the first paragraphs they show me here seem to confirm my recollection: https://theathletic.com/559921/2018/10/01/joe-mauer-twins-catcher-finale-retirement-story/
  2. ashbury
    His comments were probably in response to something. I don't know what that something is; it had to do with salaries and players being overpaid. The missing context might change my view. If his intended point is that "no one is bigger than the game", then he misunderstands something when he actually says that you could replace everyone all at once and things would go on just the same. There is an old joke about someone putting up for sale George Washington's original axe that chopped down the cherry tree: "the handle has been replaced only twice, and the blade only once". It may seem unimportant to him, but the continuity that makes the Yankees "the Yankees", likewise for the Red Sox, the Dodgers, and the Twins too, would be irreparably broken in fans' minds if you summarily dispensed with the present players. It may not be logical, but it's real. That's independent of the fact that replacing all the current players would mean an inferior level of play. It might still be competitive, but it would be less skilled. That new game would indeed not be worth the price of the current one. And some of the value of Mookie Betts or Joe Mauer is the connection to the history of their respective teams, and the connection they in turn will provide to the next wave of players.
  3. ashbury
    I was referring to Chief, and also an anonymous stranger I overheard in downtown Phoenix (mentioned in a previous post), whose absentee ballots never showed up in the mail. Those who take that step and it fails are often in a poor position to then turn around and ask for a provisional ballot on Election Day - it's the reason they needed the mail ballot in the first place. Another poster also mentioned hearing of such situations this year.
  4. ashbury
    I hope he becomes equally vehement concerning people who tried to vote but could not. Or perhaps his phrasing of "legally cast votes" is just a little too cute.
  5. ashbury
  6. ashbury
    Bittersweet moment. Best of luck, Joe.
  7. ashbury
    Some year, Mrs Ash and I will do a loop road-trip covering some southern cities and the gulf coast, and Pensacola is now on the itinerary as a destination. I like the choice of Brooklyn for the short-season A award, and Quad Cities for single-A, as well.
  8. ashbury
    Bill James is to be celebrated for bringing the scientific method to baseball. But he should stick to that.
  9. ashbury
    Pacific Theater in the Navy, for my dad.
  10. ashbury
    The one WaPo is calling the original is actually the doctored one.
  11. ashbury
    I believe Buxton's eyesight is damaged by repeated concussions. It's what I chalk up his poor pitch recognition to. So I am less willing to toss aside a bad season as an outlier - it may be how he is, going forward. OTOH concussion damage often spontaneously heals itself after many months. It's so unpredictable. If my medically unqualified opinion holds water, he's worth keeping, even two more years, as a bounceback candidate. But I'm not willing to give him a multi-year extension at this time - a short year from now such a contract may look like Ricky Nolasco's or Phil Hughes's.
  12. ashbury
    FTFY.
  13. ashbury
    For early 2019? I have.
  14. ashbury
    With the Reds in the picture now, we have no chance at Harrison.
  15. ashbury
    You know, we hear this every time, and maybe now we should try something different. Prayers and thoughts.
  16. ashbury
    Depends on the pitcher and why this strategy is being considered. If he's got a track record of getting in trouble when facing the top of the lineup the third time, then sparing him those first few batters might let you get an extra inning out of him, compared to what you've been getting until now, not less. / edit - I failed to notice there was a new page and Chief had already made the point sufficiently. My bad.
  17. ashbury
    Yes, it definitely caters to a group who... well, aren't ordinary citizens simply seeking to take part in public life.
  18. ashbury
    "I'd like to ask two followup questions. First, among SS prospects, do you expect Royce Lewis to remain at that position? Second, Twins #1 draft pick Royce Lewis was taken as a shortstop, but do you believe he'll play there in the majors? I'll hang up and listen, then call back with another followup if need be." / I'm sorry, I forgot this was supposed to stay focused, I thought it was a game thread
  19. ashbury
    The friend I mentioned who ran for state assembly in my old district in Nevada ran a very hard grass-roots campaign. Although she lost 57-43%, this was in a very Red area (Democrats didn't even bother running a candidate last time), so her hard work probably gained her more than the numbers suggest. All Politics Is Local. (At least at the local level. )
  20. ashbury
    That's fair, and I think the solution to that is not by hating strategy but by MLB changing the nature of the game in small ways. I want a 10% less juiced ball, which would reduce the reward for swinging from the heels no matter the count. The mound is low but could be lowered still. I could go for a slightly smaller strike zone. None of these changes would destroy the integrity of the game or our relationship to the history of the game, but could lead to a more entertaining game going forward, if you want baserunners and action instead of strikeouts and walks.
  21. ashbury
    I really think if the manager is a good communicator, and his coaches are likewise, then the solution is to communicate. Most players aren't insubordinate.
  22. ashbury
    Chris Davis has a pretty strong claim in the AL, among players with 502 or more PA. That tasty .168 BA was supplemented by some walks and power, but yeesh. And he didn't provide much defensive value to compensate. It's closer in the NL, but Billy Hamilton had such a poor year at the plate for Cincy that I'm not sure his glove made up for it enough.
  23. ashbury
    I haven't done a plan yet, in part because I am discouraged about nearly all the possibilities I have looked into. (Our FO doesn't have that luxury of course!) But, I've stated elsewhere that I'm not enthused in the slightest about your Mr. Popular. Likewise, the slate of relievers isn't something I'm advocating. So you're replying to something else than I posted. We can't know what the conditions will be like next July. Even if low-probability, there is some chance that a successful young core will emerge where we'd be glad if we had acquired some additional high-end veteran talent when we had the chance. I don't see Greinke as low-risk, but Arizona has borne a lot of the risk already and he hasn't dropped off the cliff, and if they want to shed some salary he seems like a good target - in hopes they will cover $10M a year, leaving $25M, I'm not sure exactly where that can negotiation can go. Let's just say that I see nearly as much risk in Marwin, or in a lengthy Buxton extension that some propose, as Greinke. So why not aim high. You could fritter away the $25M or $35M I target for Greinke, on a group of lesser talents adding up to the same amount, and the risks for them will hardly be non-zero, plus taking up more 25-man spots.
  24. ashbury
    The sequencing is why any strategy has limited impact on actual wins. I still feel that confronting the best batters in your opponent's lineup, which generally means the top of the order, with the arms most likely to get them out the most often, will pay off more often than it hurts you. The Opener strategy is aimed toward doing that IMO.
  25. ashbury
    I hope the stress caused by the silent 's' isn't the only reason you're glad for the departure of Matt Belisle.
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