DaveW

2009 game 2 ALDS. Was there in person, I actually thought we had that game won. ugggghhhhhh

I'd be pissed if they fire Gardy

How many of these stupid Mauer trade threads do we need?

Oh its a bad signing, but it's not anything they can't overcome. 2/10 is a pretty harmless contract at the end of the day, Ryan certainly needs to make some "better" signings though before the season.

You call Alex Smith a mediocre game manager, yet he has like a 105 QB rating this year and a 90 or 92 last year. In addition he is something like 18-6 in his last 24 starts. If he was on the Vikings this year we would be leading the division currently. QB rating isn't a cumulative stat. He's effective in the situations they call on him, (which isn't many) which is all the Vikings need. (Ponder had a really sweet QB rating for six weeks, too.) QB rating can be a fickle thing for a QB that shouldn't be asked to throw much more than 20 times a game. Smith is obviously better than Ponder, but citing his QB rating (and W/L record, which I'd credit just as much, if not more, to his dominant defense/running game as I would to anything Smith has done) is a slight bit deceptive. Smith was on a good team the last two years, and hasn't lost games for them. Sadly, Ponder can't even do that, and the Vikes somehow managed to win a handful of games that were clearly in spite of his play, not because of it. But realistically, how many teams will be lining up for Alex Smith's services if he's available in the offseason? Only a few, because he's a game manager, and not many teams have the QB situation that's in bad enough shape that he looks like a clear upgrade. I think there will be some teams looking to bring in Smith, I really think he has some legit talent. 70% completion percentage this year, 70 QBR, had the lowest INT% in the league last year and a very low one this year as well. He is exactly what the Vikes need. A guy who can throw the ball 25 times a game and complete 17-20 of them giving you about 200 yards a game. I agree his "team" helped him out a bit, but his WR corp is pretty "meh", I think he is a bit better then the mediocre tag you throw out there. On this team he would be perfect, we would have certainly won the Packers, Redskins and Colts games with him(or honestly anyone) at the helm.

The Royals didn't sign James Shields, they traded the best hitting prospect in baseball to get him....

I'm not going to get to worked up about it. 5 million dollars a year is something you can swallow even if he does suck. I'd much rather see them do this then overpay out the ass for Ryan Dumpster. Let's see who else he brings in this off-season before we call for his head, both of his trades so far have been great and his signings last off-season were all pretty good as well (sans Marquis- who btw actually preformed very well once he left the Twins) As long as we can get a Jackson/Marcum/Sanchez to add onto this, I won't be to upset about Correia slotting in the 5 spot.

Also: Correia 2/10 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Dempters 3/40

You call Alex Smith a mediocre game manager, yet he has like a 105 QB rating this year and a 90 or 92 last year. In addition he is something like 18-6 in his last 24 starts. If he was on the Vikings this year we would be leading the division currently.

God damnit I miss BYTO!!!! Basically I agree with 110% of what Kab has said in this thread, the fake outrage is hilarious though, keep it up.

Coming into the season I said I would be thrilled if the Vikings could somehow be in the playoff hunt down the stretch. Having relevant games to watch in December is a fun thing (much better then the garbage we have seen the last two years) With that said, the Vikes now have a shot to make the playoffs, 3 wins and they are in, 2 wins and I think they miss out (but still could sneak in with how this season is going) Seattle I think ends up with at least 10 wins and hold the tiebreaker over the Vikings anyways. The good news is, if both Minnesota and Chicago end up at 10-6 I believe the Vikings will hold that tiebreaker? Wasington holds the tiebreaker over us, but I can't see them winning out, especially if RGIII is seriously hurt. Dallas..meh. So 3 wins and we are in. @STL is first, not an easy game by any stretch of the imagination but it is certainly winnable and hopefully Houston and Green Bay both have things "wrapped up" where we don't have to play them at 100%. Houston is the really tough one where we need help, I think we could beat GB at home as long as we don't turn the ball over.

The Vikings WR is terrible no doubt and needs to be addressed, but Ponder is missing these guys even we they are able to get open. I was a bit surprised yesterday, when you have a guy struggling like Ponder why the hell were they not calling more screen passes and short passes to a guy like Rudolph? (Who has had a pretty solid season, and a very good lat 3 weeks) Once again the defense and Peterson bailed this team out, if they want to keep winning they absolutely need to get something from Ponder these last three games. I will give this team credit though "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!" It seems like everytime we get our hopes up they crush it, and the minute we give up on em they go out and get a big win. I know people will point to the Bears having injuries, but screw it, a dominating win over a division rival? Give me that any day of the week.

We have been over this, Shields isn't exactly your common #2. The guy has averaged 222 IP each season over the last 6, and of those 6 seasons he has 4 very good ones (close to ACE), 1 meh one, and one bad(read:unlucky) one all in the toughest division in baseball. He's not in the elite class of Ace's with Verlander/Kershaw/King Felix/Sabathia etc but one could make the argument that he is basically just as much of an "ace" as a guy like Grienke.

LOL and we thought we could have traded Span+garbage for Shields. The Royals gave up ALOT. But I give em credit for going for it all, it seems like the Royals have been in constant rebuild mode over the past 15 years, so at some point you gotta say "**** it" and go for it. I wonder if they try to extend Shields at some point this year. Myers obviously is the key to this trade but I am a bit suprised the Royals let Orgorizzi go as well. I always thought he was basically a cant miss #3 or so in the majors. To be honest I have never been that impressed with Montgomery, he has had two pretty terrible years at AAA in a row now. Wade Davis will definitely start, he is nothing special but I can see him being a decent #3/#4 for the Royals at the very least, and he has a pretty awesome contract for them to deal with. Good trade for both teams, Myers is a stud but there is no guarantee that he dominates in the majors.

Gibson followed closely by Diamond is my thoughts.

This whole thread summed up in 3 words: HUUUURRRRRRR DUUUURRRRRR DEERP

@stl @hou(who will maybe Ben benching everyone) very well could come down to the last week of the season against GB. Ponder sucks though, Christ.

Where on earth are you getting that from?

Are you sure about that? Marcum: last 3 years: 3.62 ERA. 7.5/2.4 K/BB 1.179 WHIP 30 years old Dempster last 3 years: 4.04 ERA 8.4/3.4 K/BB 1.327 WHIP 35 years old

I can't WAIT for the Dodgers to crash and burn, they already wasted a ton of money last year to only miss the playoffs, now handing out an absurd contract to Greinke? looool. As far as the scrubs they have at the back end? pass, unless they want to give them away for nothing. (I would go after Billingsley in a heart beat though! Also FWIW: Magic Johnson is a terrible businessman... how do I know? He originally owned the 5 year old building I currently live in, he went bankrupt within 16 months and it was sold for pennies on the dollars to a new ownere and they turned everything into rentals, now the owners make a real nice profit year over year. Also, his line of Magic Johnson Movie Theaters (like 100+ nation wide) went bankrupt as well recently.

Pageviews baby, pageviews. You should be thanking me when this thread alone buys you a new Mercedes. Start clicking. I look forward to seeing the keys to that new Mercedes in 2064. Unless you are using google adwords you are probably getting paid on a CPM basis most likely, clicking does nothing!

for some reason MLBtraderumors reported yesterday. Either way, there was never a thread and this is an important signing.

no.

Bauer+Skaggs+Montero+Parra+Upton Obviously I don't want to trade Mauer, I would have to name my dog something else then.