tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473577566518494537.post3986431657086429953..comments2008-11-18T11:22:00.917-05:00Stoetenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11599405668168100016stoeten@gmail.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473577566518494537.post-50867988305925272152008-11-18T11:22:00.917-05:002008-11-18T11:22:00.917-05:00PC mustard = Carlos Silva<BR/><BR/>French's = Jesse Litsch<BR/><BR/>Dijon = Roy Halladay<BR/><BR/>* Dijonaisse = Paul Byrdgreenfrognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473577566518494537.post-75904555831901831682008-11-18T11:14:28.293-05:002008-11-18T11:14:28.293-05:00Sometimes, when i'm buying groceries, i'll become concerned about the cost of certain items. One time, I bought some PC mustard in lieu of French's. It was powdery and bland . . . it didn't have the same flavour as the French's. It was diluted with, most likely, some sort of flour or something. I should have shelled out the extra 20%. I've never made that mistake again. When it comes to condiments, you CAN'T settle.Beaunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473577566518494537.post-4001387968285291952008-11-18T08:43:29.021-05:002008-11-18T08:43:29.021-05:00http://www.thestar.com/Sports/Baseball/article/538641<BR/><BR/>*sigh*Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473577566518494537.post-6493745794216179022008-11-18T06:21:04.719-05:002008-11-18T06:21:04.719-05:00who is royce ringAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473577566518494537.post-19890534561643539342008-11-18T04:24:27.932-05:002008-11-18T04:24:27.932-05:00FWIW, these are the 11 players taken after Adams: <BR/><BR/>Scott Kazmir<BR/>NIck Swisher<BR/>Cole Hamels<BR/>Royce Ring<BR/>James Loney<BR/>Denard Span<BR/>Bobby Brownlie<BR/>Jeremy Guthrie<BR/>Jeff Francoeur<BR/>Joe Blanton<BR/>Matt Cain<BR/><BR/>Damn if that isn't a talented 11 (with one or two exceptions).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473577566518494537.post-37951410805651586512008-11-18T04:17:04.010-05:002008-11-18T04:17:04.010-05:00I think it might be more a case of certain psychological filters that JP had at the time. He saw a scrappy, versatile white guy who could get on base, hit line drives (if not home runs), and stick at 2B, 3B, or maybe even LF if his SS skills turned out to be not quite good enough. According to Moneyball, Billy Beane liked Adams too (he ended up with Swisher, who I think Beane actually preferred). <BR/><BR/>Getting burned with the Adams picks probably helped JP become more open-minded in his drafting. Although to me "Chipper Jones clone" Kevin Ahrens looks like he might fall into the same category.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473577566518494537.post-80782842569780052572008-11-18T02:19:35.934-05:002008-11-18T02:19:35.934-05:00Also to be fair, in his last year of college, Russ Adams had an OPS of 1.031 with 45 stolen bases. He then managed .933 OPS in his first season at low A ball. <BR/><BR/>Point is, it wasn't an indefensible pick at the time. Who knows what happened between then and now?Lloyd the Barberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271534213351978408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473577566518494537.post-24753472560360027552008-11-17T23:58:28.736-05:002008-11-17T23:58:28.736-05:00Fuck off ParkesAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473577566518494537.post-31624188502810191352008-11-17T22:02:09.606-05:002008-11-17T22:02:09.606-05:00Yeah, I guess that was a bit extreme (perhaps prompted by the comment that any criticism of JP for choosing Adams is "ignorant and stupid").<BR/><BR/>JP did miss out on some great HS talent back in the college-only days, though. <BR/><BR/>On the plus side, it's true that JP managed to assemble a great pitching staff last year (whether it will remain a great staff is an open question). And he did gain back some street cred by drafting Snider (along with a few other savvy picks like Marcum, Arencibia, Cooper and Mills).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473577566518494537.post-32055115842129167672008-11-17T21:36:35.678-05:002008-11-17T21:36:35.678-05:00Was it Ricciardi's choice not to go over slot? I don't have any evidence, but I don't believe at all that it was-- I think these are orders coming from higher up in the organization, primarily because of equalization payments.<BR/><BR/>And holy shit, yeah, Adams was a bad pick, but it's not like he went completely off the board for the guy-- lots of people thought he'd be a good major leaguer. And, generally, HS pitchers pose as big a risk as any type of player you can take in a draft, no?<BR/><BR/>I don't think it's at all off limits to criticize the Adams pick, but Manute Bol is a whole lot closer to having it right than the comment above this one. The Jays STILL haven't been able to develop a proper shortstop, and they've had some of the best pitching in the AL the last two years-- you're seriously going to shit on the guy for going for a SS and not a pitcher a draft seven years ago? Drafting with seven years of hindsight is pretty easy to do, but holy shit, it's an inexact science. Again, it's not off limits to criticize, but seriously, give the guy some fucking slack.Stoetenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11599405668168100016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473577566518494537.post-20331321165999760002008-11-17T21:02:00.761-05:002008-11-17T21:02:00.761-05:00"Oh, and shitting on JP for not drafting Hamels, Kazmir, or Cain is ignorant and stupid."<BR/><BR/>Let me see...the Jays are a major-league baseball team. MLB teams participate in an amateur draft every year. They take turns choosing players using a preset order based on the previous year's standings. Each team, unless its GM is a total dumbass, tries to augment its organization by choosing the best (most promising, talented, skilled, hard-to-find, etc) player available when its turn comes up. Note: if the GM refuses to go over slot for one of several excellent pitchers, thereby avoiding having to pay an extra amount that will prove inconsequential in the long run, and instead chooses a light-hitting shortstop with a medium build who probably will have to switch to another position, he runs the risk of getting called a dumbass six years later.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473577566518494537.post-57227423752774231522008-11-17T17:12:10.932-05:002008-11-17T17:12:10.932-05:00Kelvin Jiminez = Kevin James???<BR/><BR/>Just trying to continue with the CBS sitcom thingabigail breslinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473577566518494537.post-49854565183072908952008-11-17T16:01:37.107-05:002008-11-17T16:01:37.107-05:00Shit! We lost Kelvin Jiminez on waivers!!!!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473577566518494537.post-12659192370870274302008-11-17T13:05:28.911-05:002008-11-17T13:05:28.911-05:00I wish Bud had the balls to put an NBA like system in place, where there are pretty much set contracts for each draft slot; ie, the fourth pick makes a little more than the fifth and a little less than the third. That would level the playing field if they actually enforce it. Of course, that would piss off the players union and so it probably wouldn't happen. Although, the union might just screw over the young guys who aren't in the union yet.<BR/><BR/>Oh, and shitting on JP for not drafting Hamels, Kazmir, or Cain is ignorant and stupid.The Manute Bol Experiencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04390254345607484482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473577566518494537.post-30665367276068456732008-11-17T09:22:38.076-05:002008-11-17T09:22:38.076-05:00World Baseball Classic tickets go on sale today...but you can't buy tickets to just one game you have to buy for all games.Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05562192300676753113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473577566518494537.post-27537457218099259172008-11-16T21:33:54.613-05:002008-11-16T21:33:54.613-05:00It aint easy bein a fuckin Jays fan. For fuck sakes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473577566518494537.post-11921164476614607562008-11-16T19:31:55.882-05:002008-11-16T19:31:55.882-05:00absolutely, aj was great to have *this year* but I do not want him next year, especially at 15-18m. we all know aj has been injury-plagued, his best seasons have been walk years, and he threw the most pitches in the majors last year. it's been real, it's been fun, it's been real fun. thanks for the memories pete puma.plaingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473577566518494537.post-46284397340454015662008-11-16T11:50:41.958-05:002008-11-16T11:50:41.958-05:00I'd rather have AJ leave and watch his arm fall off this year playing for the Yanks under a huge contract. I know its sad.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473577566518494537.post-48833698428138982592008-11-16T09:01:01.831-05:002008-11-16T09:01:01.831-05:00Corey Pattersonyer mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16015671054482721753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473577566518494537.post-64244293924671340172008-11-16T00:52:53.243-05:002008-11-16T00:52:53.243-05:00Its gonna be hard to fuck all this Jays shit here on this Jays blog.Mark!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02224923786267373231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473577566518494537.post-87739472135709311702008-11-16T00:46:05.388-05:002008-11-16T00:46:05.388-05:00Fuck all the Jays shit. Debra aka Patricia Heaton has like 4 mother fucking kids. She is so fucking sexy I cannot describe it in words.eyebleafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08445618400360263938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473577566518494537.post-78925231797134307092008-11-16T00:42:10.959-05:002008-11-16T00:42:10.959-05:00The mid-80s were when I became a fan, and there was a lot of raw excitement about those teams, starting in 1983. The WS teams were exciting too, but I liked the upstart status of the earlier versions.<BR/><BR/>In any case, I stand by my assertion that being a Ricciardi Jays fan sucks. The inflated expectations, endless spin, PR blunders, whining, lame draft strategy that prevailed for so long, and inability to execute a long-term strategy...I think Toronto fans have become so accustomed to mediocrity that they've stopped demanding the standard of performance that once reigned under Gillick and Beeston.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473577566518494537.post-379951827897604722008-11-16T00:13:28.403-05:002008-11-16T00:13:28.403-05:00"As for being entitled, I don't long for the days when the Jays were outspending everyone. I actually preferred the mid-80s teams. I just think that the current system is a bore."<BR/><BR/>In the end are we all not FANS?<BR/><BR/>You preferred the teams that didn't win the World Series? Sometimes I think we get caught up too much in all the technical stuff, most notably numbers. I've always been a Jays fan, but I'm not gonna bullshit and say my favourite teams were the ones in the 80s or any other one that didn't win.<BR/>My two favourite Jays teams were the 92 and 93 teams. And they really should be everybodys.Mark!http://www.blogger.com/profile/02224923786267373231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473577566518494537.post-5274195528587483262008-11-15T23:14:52.714-05:002008-11-15T23:14:52.714-05:00I think they should do away with the slotting system altogether. But MLB does need to come up with some sort of system (salary cap or otherwise) to create some semblance of parity at the major-league level - or at least among AL East teams.<BR/><BR/>As for being entitled, I don't long for the days when the Jays were outspending everyone. I actually preferred the mid-80s teams. I just think that the current system is a bore. When the Yankees are willing to spend $250M/year, the Red Sox nearly $200M, and the Jays are debating whether to spend $90M or $100M, is there really any doubt which teams will prevail, 8 or 9 (if not 10) times out of 10?<BR/><BR/>The "storied" Red Sox-Yankees rivalry is basically just a spending arms race that only the truly entitled fans - those in Boston and New York - care deeply about. But those markets are so lucrative that major media like ESPN give them tons of coverage, perpetuating a myth that is more about money than merit.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4473577566518494537.post-78121453321105052942008-11-15T22:12:25.856-05:002008-11-15T22:12:25.856-05:00<I>I hate being a Ricciardi-era Blue Jays fan.</I> <BR/><BR/>Boo fucking hoo, you entitled prick. You long for the days when the Jays were the flashing the cash and outspending every other team in baseball. Those were the days. <BR/><BR/>If everyone goes over slot all the time, so long slotting system. Then it becomes another free-market shit show that the Yankees etc will pummel into oblivion. <BR/><BR/>They should give the slotting system some real teeth (fines) if they want anyone to abide by it.Lloyd the Barberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271534213351978408noreply@blogger.com