FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[janesvilleflash]

I'm never drinking again.

[Retired Old Rat]

Closed Circuit to the Little Wiener Doggie:  Will you be in attendance in Northfield on Saturday?  I understand that the MN Arts and Crafts Festival Circuit is especially heavy this time of year, however, you do realize that your beloved Johnnies are playing for the MIAC Championship.  Please advise.


Time for ROLL CALL.  Who will be making the trip to Carleton/The Rube??

ROR--You old dog.  Don't tempt the devil (Wonka) into upsetting my slumber.  He'll do it at any hour of the night...

TDT,

Do you post anything other than Closed Circuit messages?  Did you know you can send a personal message to people?  Or did that option get taken away from you when you were banned from the board for a year?

TFB, Do you post anything other than shots at TDT?


Post election I call for a MIAC board that strives to unite rather than divide.

[Rugman]

Does anyone else think it will be really funny if NWC makes the playoffs and SJU doesn't? Or better yet if they beat SJU in the playoffs.  I may be dreaming but on boring days at a racetrack like today thats about I can do.

Those grapes taste twice as nice when they are really sour, don't they?  Why don't you tell us if it's funny that NWC is still in with a chance at the playoffs while the BU players are busy planning Thanksgiving weekend shopping... 

EDIT: Now I see why you have so many.  They're going extra cheap...

It's not quite as funny because of the beating AO takes invites and his team is doing quite well now.  (up until the last few weeks I thought Bethel was his team). You have to admit SJU is very close to starting the same shopping list...

[Freebird]

Closed Circuit to the Little Wiener Doggie:  Will you be in attendance in Northfield on Saturday?  I understand that the MN Arts and Crafts Festival Circuit is especially heavy this time of year, however, you do realize that your beloved Johnnies are playing for the MIAC Championship.  Please advise.


Time for ROLL CALL.  Who will be making the trip to Carleton/The Rube??

ROR--You old dog.  Don't tempt the devil (Wonka) into upsetting my slumber.  He'll do it at any hour of the night...

TDT,

Do you post anything other than Closed Circuit messages?  Did you know you can send a personal message to people?  Or did that option get taken away from you when you were banned from the board for a year?

TFB, Do you post anything other than shots at TDT?


Post election I call for a MIAC board that strives to unite rather than divide.

Yes, sometimes I also like to take shots at Redpoop and Duffbag  

[bennie]

Vomit On Jimmy?

Which Blake are we talking about? Both Rob and Jason are a bit long in the tooth, but bringing back Jason to Minnesota would be a nice touch.     

Nah, neither of them have enough upside for their price. 8)

[DuffMan]

Yes, sometimes I also like to take shots at Redpoop and Duffbag  

I guess you've got to do something when you can't get laid.

[AO]

nice little article from souhan in the west-side fishwrap factory. 

[TC]

not football but a few questions for the baseball experts/geniuses on here, whether  they are real gurus (TC), borderline (Fins) or self-annointed (TDT):

You're much too kind. What follows is a bunch of rambling...

1) Should the Twins persue Blake? I mean, the dude has been solid for a few years but he is
35. Wouldnt signing him potentially be a "redo" of the Batista/Lamb/etc moves that screw up the team year after year?

The Twins should want absolutely nothing to do with Casey Blake.  Here are the pertinent stats from 2008:

Blake, 34 years old, $6.1MM salary, .274/.345/.463, 110 OPS+

Buscher, 27 years old, <$500,000, .294/.340/.390, 100 OPS+
Harris, 27 years old, $431,000, .265/.327/.394, 97 OPS+

Blake played a little above his career line of .264/.334/.447/105 OPS+.  Harris and Buscher played at essentially their established level.  Blake will, most likely, outproduce Buscher/Harris offensively in 2009.

While none them are great (or even good defenders) Harris at least can fake 2B and SS in addition to 3B. Blake has no positional flexibility--his next best position is DH.  That right there closes a lot of the gap between their offensive output.  Also, the Twins' potential platoon is right at about their peak age.  Blake is right at the age where non-elite hitters start to fade rapidly.  In fact, take a look at this mystery player:

2007, 31 years old, $2.7MM, .289/.366/.453, 112 OPS+

Doesn't that looks pretty darn similar to what Blake did last year, only a younger, cheaper player?  Yeah, that's Mike Lamb.  He followed it with:

2008, 32 years old, $3.5MM, .235/.276/.322, 66 OPS+

I still stand by the signing of Mike Lamb prior to 2008.  With what was known about him coming into the season, he was essentially signing 2009 Casey Blake for half of the salary.  That risk obviously didn't work out AND the Twins had a passable platoon situation present itself at 3B as the year went on.  At this point, to sign Casey Blake for multiple years at more money than they signed Lamb for would just prove that the Twins are unwilling to learn from their mistakes.

And to sign him for $10MM, even for one year, like dbhammel suggests?  Ugh.  Light the money on fire at 34 Kirby Puckett place and keep some homeless people warm for 15 minutes.  It would win about as many baseball games.

2) TC, you've made your opinion known about Atkins, and you've persuaded me he's not the right man for 3B. What about Kouzmanoff? Or do we go after Blake? or do we muddle through with a platoon of Buscher/Harris?

The only difference between Buscher/Harris and Kouzmanoff is one year of age, a bit of pedigree, and the simple fact that two of those players are already under the Twins' control and one would cost a potentially valuable piece of the Twins' future in a trade.

3) What's your feeling about trading for Hardy? He has marginal power but that is still more than anything we've had at either middle infield position in decades. Decent average, too. 

Hardy is a nice little player that is about the get expensive.  He's not a cornerstone-type player yet but stranger things have happened.  It would all come do to what the Twins would have to give up for him, but I haven't heard any rumors of Hardy being connected to the Twins.  The Brewers will likely need to do something this year or next year with Alcides Escobar on the way.  

3A)  What about Y Escobar assuming Atl is willing to part with him?

As bdhammel mentioned, he's likely the Padres' problem/asset now.  He can walk and play defense, but his power is marginal and his lack of speed means he's not likely to ever be a star.  I'd rather buy low on Khalil Greene if he's being displaced in San Diego.  

3AA) if they do make a trade for Hardy or Escobar, does that mean its the end of the Punto era (and I can buy some champange)? Or would the Twins be wiser to sign Punto and cut Harris?

Punto has his uses, but he needs to be deployed in moderation.  He's proven over and over and over again that he's not a starter, but he can play anywhere on the field and take a walk a run a little bit and all of those things have value.  Both he and Harris can play for a successful baseball team.

What it comes down to is that the Twins aren't so close to winning a championship that they should look for marginal upgrades at 3B and SS when they already have non-disasterous solutions in place at those positions.  If the are hellbent on cashing in some of their prospects, trade them for an elite player.  Otherwise, let the kids develop, see what they turn into, and stop wasting time with players who are more famous and more expensive than what they've got bur aren't any better at playing baseball.

[TC]

Post election I call for a MIAC board that strives to unite rather than divide.

Interesting--you and your friends have spent most of the past eight years spewing ridiculously divisive rhetoric.  What's up with the pleas for unity over the past week to ten days? 

[bcflyguy1]

Wow, a great way to end a tough season for the Royals tonight!  I really didn't think BU matched up well with Auggie at all, but the defense created take-aways and the running game was there for Bethel most of the night.  Lots of young guys played big roles for this team, so if the turnover issues get cleaned up next year there is reason for optimism.  Well played, lads!

Freebird-

Please change your avatar.  I'm sure the rest of the board's regulars can come up with some good suggestions for something else you can put up instead.  Seriously, I cringe every time you start in with your inane drivel.  Don't give the false impression you ever had anything to do with BU football.

I repeat, please change your avatar. 

[onearmedscot]

I will be headed to Northfield on Saturday and I'd like to guage interest from the posters in the cities.  I may be able to get a very nice 14 passenger limo bus for the game.  Private message me if you are interested in meeting in a central location to roll down. 

oAs.

[Willy Wonka]

I will be headed to Northfield on Saturday and I'd like to guage interest from the posters in the cities.  I may be able to get a very nice 14 passenger limo bus for the game.  Private message me if you are interested in meeting in a central location to roll down. 

oAs.

Wow! The Y is doing big things for OaS these days!

[stanbob]

Closed Circuit to the Little Wiener Doggie:  Will you be in attendance in Northfield on Saturday?  I understand that the MN Arts and Crafts Festival Circuit is especially heavy this time of year, however, you do realize that your beloved Johnnies are playing for the MIAC Championship.  Please advise.


Time for ROLL CALL.  Who will be making the trip to Carleton/The Rube??

ROR--You old dog.  Don't tempt the devil (Wonka) into upsetting my slumber.  He'll do it at any hour of the night...

TDT, intent is being in Nor'field tommorow.  Provided AO doesn't consider me a front runner as I haven't been to a game in some time.   

[DuffMan]

Freebird-

Please change your avatar.  I'm sure the rest of the board's regulars can come up with some good suggestions for something else you can put up instead.  Seriously, I cringe every time you start in with your inane drivel.  Don't give the false impression you ever had anything to do with BU football.

I repeat, please change your avatar. 

I thought he was the reason for BU's success in recent years.  Is that incorrect??? 

[bcflyguy1]

I thought he was the reason for BU's success in recent years.  Is that incorrect??? 

That would probably depend on who you ask.