Most of mine and Bryce's ideas have been built on a general re-tooling of the team (or even a near total reboot) But what if we want to make a big run for 2015? What would be a good plan of attack?
Well, the answer to that is to analyze where we need improvement. 2b,CF,starting pitcher all come to mind.(as we lose 2 starters). Here's an idea on how to do this within our budget.
Offer Santana the QO and pray he turns it down.
Trade Justin Upton and Walden to the Red Sox for Cespedes, JBJ and Victorino (they get rid of Cespedes who they can't make a QO to and clear Victorino off the payroll opening up their OF to the guys they want to play, and apparently Cespedes isn't well liked there)
Trade BJ and TLS to the Blue Jays for Mark Beurhle and we throw in $15m over the next 3 years
Sign Justin Masterson on a one year $8m deal with incentives that can push it to $15m if he performs well (contingent on his passing a medical review that includes and MRI) if he's healthy he could view a 1 yr deal as a chance to re-gain some value.
re-sign Boner Face for 2 years $6m
bring in Jhonny Gomes 2yr $6m
non tender Meds and Beachy and bring them back on reduced incentive laden "make good" deals
Keep Gattis for one more years
Peraza gets every chance to win the 2b job
Rotation:
Teheran
Wood
Beurhle
Masterson
Hale
Lineup:
Peraza-2b
Heyward-rf
Freeman-1b
Gattis-C
Cespedes-LF
Victorino-CF
CJ-3b
Simmons-SS
bench:
C-Beth
Gomes
Boner Face
Goose
Terdo
pen:
Kimbrel
Carpenter
Simmons
Shreve
Medlen
Russel
Varvaro
that team would score a lot of runs, pitch fairly well and the bench is much improved. I think it could make a solid run at the playoffs.
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Long Term rebuild post Idea,
This little plan involves the team throwing in the towel for 2015 and going with a very new and young cast of players. I think it gives us the best chance to be good long term though.
#1 Gattis and Carpenter to Rangers for Nick Williams, Ryan Rua and Luke Erickson- we get a future speed/contact good glove corner OF bat and a potential #2 pitcher. they get a solid catcher power bat and insurance in case Feliz is done. plus they could always use a power right hander in Texas I Let Williams play a year early and let him learn at the big league level
#2 CJ, Graham and Avilan to the Jays for RA Dickey or Mark Beurhle and $4m they need a 3b as they are moving Lawrie to 2b permanently they would like to shed some payroll and this would help them do that. we add Graham to get $4m added
#3 Justin Upton to Mariners for James Paxton and a low level prospect. they need bats, we need young pitching
#4 Heyward to the Orioles, Hunter Harvey to the Red Sox, Shane Victorino,Garrin Cecchini and Jackie Bradley Jr to the Barves. Everybody gets what they want in this 3 team deal.We rid the Red Sox of their OF glut and take the full payroll of Victorino They get a huge pitching prospect the Orioles re-fill the gap left by Markakis leaving and they have the $$$ to keep Heyward if they choose too. Victorino starts in LF, Bradley Jr in CF Cecchini starts at 3b in 2015 and may move to the OF if Kubitza is ready in 2016.
Peraza fights for the 2b job and gets it.
#5 BJ and David Hale to the Dodgers, Ethier to the Cubs, Edwin Jackson to the Braves no money
added
Minor to the A's for Renato Nunez and Jaycob Brugman a nice looking 3b prospect in Nunez and Brugman is a corner OF'er with potential but lower level, with donaldson there for awhile, they won't be needing them and their system is loaded with position players.
I add bonafacio on a 2 year deal
I add Kelly Johnson on a 2 year deal
I bring back Laird for 2 more years
i non-tender Medlen but bring him back on a 2 yr deal that has a low of $3m but a ceiling of $12m if he meets his incentives in the 2nd year he goes to the pen when ready for 2015
SO after all that mess we have the following roster:
rotation:
Teheran
Wood
Dickey/Buehrle
Paxton
Jackson
Pen:
Shreve
Medlen
Varvaro
Simmons
Russell
Walden
Kimbrel
lineup:
Peraza-2b
Victorino-LF
Freeman- 1b
Cecchini- 3b
Williams-RF
Simmons- SS
Bethancourt-C
Bradley Jr- CF
Bench:
Rua
Bonafacio
Kelly Johnson
Laird
Goose
This team might lose 90 games in 2015 (tho the pitching might keep them in it) but the price would be lower than this year and it frees up spots when we have more $$$ in 2016 to really tackle our dire needs as well as seeing how all these young players do. Think of it like this year's Red Sox team. they took one on the chin for 2014 knowing that come 2015, they would clear a ton of $$$ and be able to see what they need and go and get it.
#1 Gattis and Carpenter to Rangers for Nick Williams, Ryan Rua and Luke Erickson- we get a future speed/contact good glove corner OF bat and a potential #2 pitcher. they get a solid catcher power bat and insurance in case Feliz is done. plus they could always use a power right hander in Texas I Let Williams play a year early and let him learn at the big league level
#2 CJ, Graham and Avilan to the Jays for RA Dickey or Mark Beurhle and $4m they need a 3b as they are moving Lawrie to 2b permanently they would like to shed some payroll and this would help them do that. we add Graham to get $4m added
#3 Justin Upton to Mariners for James Paxton and a low level prospect. they need bats, we need young pitching
#4 Heyward to the Orioles, Hunter Harvey to the Red Sox, Shane Victorino,Garrin Cecchini and Jackie Bradley Jr to the Barves. Everybody gets what they want in this 3 team deal.We rid the Red Sox of their OF glut and take the full payroll of Victorino They get a huge pitching prospect the Orioles re-fill the gap left by Markakis leaving and they have the $$$ to keep Heyward if they choose too. Victorino starts in LF, Bradley Jr in CF Cecchini starts at 3b in 2015 and may move to the OF if Kubitza is ready in 2016.
Peraza fights for the 2b job and gets it.
#5 BJ and David Hale to the Dodgers, Ethier to the Cubs, Edwin Jackson to the Braves no money
added
Minor to the A's for Renato Nunez and Jaycob Brugman a nice looking 3b prospect in Nunez and Brugman is a corner OF'er with potential but lower level, with donaldson there for awhile, they won't be needing them and their system is loaded with position players.
I add bonafacio on a 2 year deal
I add Kelly Johnson on a 2 year deal
I bring back Laird for 2 more years
i non-tender Medlen but bring him back on a 2 yr deal that has a low of $3m but a ceiling of $12m if he meets his incentives in the 2nd year he goes to the pen when ready for 2015
SO after all that mess we have the following roster:
rotation:
Teheran
Wood
Dickey/Buehrle
Paxton
Jackson
Pen:
Shreve
Medlen
Varvaro
Simmons
Russell
Walden
Kimbrel
lineup:
Peraza-2b
Victorino-LF
Freeman- 1b
Cecchini- 3b
Williams-RF
Simmons- SS
Bethancourt-C
Bradley Jr- CF
Bench:
Rua
Bonafacio
Kelly Johnson
Laird
Goose
This team might lose 90 games in 2015 (tho the pitching might keep them in it) but the price would be lower than this year and it frees up spots when we have more $$$ in 2016 to really tackle our dire needs as well as seeing how all these young players do. Think of it like this year's Red Sox team. they took one on the chin for 2014 knowing that come 2015, they would clear a ton of $$$ and be able to see what they need and go and get it.
Monday, September 22, 2014
2014 Winter Moves that will never happen but should!
Da Barves fired Frank Wren today and tho I'm more of the statistical analysis type rather than a deal maker (like Bryce) I still have a few ideas of some across the board moves that could help the team both in the long and the short term.
#1 - Trade Gattis,Jason Hursh,Kris Medlen and Mike Minor to the Rangers for Joey Gallo, Luke Jackson and Ryan Rua. Barves give up a lot here, but hey get the premiere 3b prospect power house in the game and a solid starting prospect as well as a bench bat with a possible future in Rua. Gallo gets a shot at winning a job in spring training either at 3b or LF.
#2 Trade Justin Upton to the Mariners for James Paxton and a low level but highly rated positional prospect.
#3 Trade Chris Johnson and Avilan to the Astros for Enrique Hernandez and a low level arm - CJ would do better in that park and the Stros are in dire need at 3b as Matt dominguez was the 2nd worst qualifying player in baseball last year and doesn't project to improve. Braves get a solid 4th OF'er type in Hernandez who can get on base and not embarrass you backing up CF.
#4 Braves trade BJ Upton and Jr graham + $20m over 3 years to the Blue Jays for RA Dickey. they need a CF'er, they want to get rid of Dickey we pay them only $20m but the addition of Graham makes them hope that their offensive driven team spurs BJ.
#5 offer Heyward an 8 year $160m extension. he's worth it, you are getting prime years the entire way. he still gets to hit free agency in his early 30's. if he rejects it we move on to...
#6 Heyward,Wren. and Carpenter to the Red Sox for Mookie Betts and Rubby De La Rosa. Betts becomes the new RF's and Rubby has a lot of stuff I like and I think he could thrive under McDowell.
sign Mark Reynolds for 2 years $12 m to be bench power and insure Gallo at 3b and spell Freeman who needs more off days IMO
Sign Norichiko Aoki for 3 years $22m with a team option for a 4th year with a $1m buyout
Sign Colby Rasmus to a 3 year $24m deal with a 4th year option with a $1m buyout
tender Beachy but bring him back very slowly and carefully, 18 months until he touches a baseball
lots of backup catcher options, Laird returning for 2 yr $3m doesn't even seem bad honestly
make 2b a competition between Goose,TLS and Peraza, may the best man win (I would just give Peraza the job with the other two standing by myself)
Rotation:
Teheran
Dickey
Wood
Paxton
De La Rosa
pen:
Shreve
Russell
Varvaro
Hale
Simmons
Walden
Kimbrel
Lineup:
2b-Peraza
LF-Aoki
1B-Freeman
3B-Gallo
RF-Betts
CF-Rasmus
SS-Simmons
C-Bethancourt
Bench:
Hernandez- OF
Rua- OF
Goose-IF
C-Laird
Bench power- Reynolds
This team would hit for get on base, steal a lot of bases and hit for a fair bit of power (less than 2013 but would have more runners on base than 2014) and the pitching is solid.
this is prolly all pipe dream nonsense and I think the total payroll comes out to be around$90m- $100m including Bj and Uggla's $$$ (and that's giving $6m this year for BJ, then $6m in 2016, then $7m in 2015)
#1 - Trade Gattis,Jason Hursh,Kris Medlen and Mike Minor to the Rangers for Joey Gallo, Luke Jackson and Ryan Rua. Barves give up a lot here, but hey get the premiere 3b prospect power house in the game and a solid starting prospect as well as a bench bat with a possible future in Rua. Gallo gets a shot at winning a job in spring training either at 3b or LF.
#2 Trade Justin Upton to the Mariners for James Paxton and a low level but highly rated positional prospect.
#3 Trade Chris Johnson and Avilan to the Astros for Enrique Hernandez and a low level arm - CJ would do better in that park and the Stros are in dire need at 3b as Matt dominguez was the 2nd worst qualifying player in baseball last year and doesn't project to improve. Braves get a solid 4th OF'er type in Hernandez who can get on base and not embarrass you backing up CF.
#4 Braves trade BJ Upton and Jr graham + $20m over 3 years to the Blue Jays for RA Dickey. they need a CF'er, they want to get rid of Dickey we pay them only $20m but the addition of Graham makes them hope that their offensive driven team spurs BJ.
#5 offer Heyward an 8 year $160m extension. he's worth it, you are getting prime years the entire way. he still gets to hit free agency in his early 30's. if he rejects it we move on to...
#6 Heyward,Wren. and Carpenter to the Red Sox for Mookie Betts and Rubby De La Rosa. Betts becomes the new RF's and Rubby has a lot of stuff I like and I think he could thrive under McDowell.
sign Mark Reynolds for 2 years $12 m to be bench power and insure Gallo at 3b and spell Freeman who needs more off days IMO
Sign Norichiko Aoki for 3 years $22m with a team option for a 4th year with a $1m buyout
Sign Colby Rasmus to a 3 year $24m deal with a 4th year option with a $1m buyout
tender Beachy but bring him back very slowly and carefully, 18 months until he touches a baseball
lots of backup catcher options, Laird returning for 2 yr $3m doesn't even seem bad honestly
make 2b a competition between Goose,TLS and Peraza, may the best man win (I would just give Peraza the job with the other two standing by myself)
Rotation:
Teheran
Dickey
Wood
Paxton
De La Rosa
pen:
Shreve
Russell
Varvaro
Hale
Simmons
Walden
Kimbrel
Lineup:
2b-Peraza
LF-Aoki
1B-Freeman
3B-Gallo
RF-Betts
CF-Rasmus
SS-Simmons
C-Bethancourt
Bench:
Hernandez- OF
Rua- OF
Goose-IF
C-Laird
Bench power- Reynolds
This team would hit for get on base, steal a lot of bases and hit for a fair bit of power (less than 2013 but would have more runners on base than 2014) and the pitching is solid.
this is prolly all pipe dream nonsense and I think the total payroll comes out to be around$90m- $100m including Bj and Uggla's $$$ (and that's giving $6m this year for BJ, then $6m in 2016, then $7m in 2015)
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Baseball
Baseball is America.We marvel at it's width and breadth, gaze at it's splendor, rejoice in it's simplicity and shake our heads at it's foibles. The purity of the game reflects the purity of the freedom's promised in our own constitution yet equally as guilty in reflecting how society has oppressed those freedoms from certain groups over the years. It is a game played by men and women, whites and blacks. by Columbians, Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, Koreans and Japanese.It is a game that has changed the entire culture of nations. A game that can make a man leave his family behind for the possibilities of a new future. It is a game that can do no wrong for those who love it, but yet, like America, it promises you nothing.
It is a game that can make us feel the beauty of what it is to be an American regardless of where we come from, where we are, or where we are going. It is a game that makes grown men weep, and young men squeal with delight. It is a game that can make us all feel shame and disdain at those who try to work outside the ropes, yet delight in their achievements all the same. Because baseball, like Americans, loves an underdog, likes to see a bad man make good and secretly, likes a good man to go bad (as long as he doesn't get caught, then we are merciless).
Baseball is about draft picks and farm teams,free agent contracts and waiver wire steals, 16 year old children and 45 year old men.Trades,salary dumps,mutual interest and screwing the "other guy". It's a game of never ending statistics yet can be explained quickly to a novice viewer. It is a game that can make the poorest of us wealthy and the wealthiest of us cry in pain at just a single loss, just a single loss out of 162 games....Yet it is these 162 games that make baseball what it is. It is the sport where the best team loses 60 and the worst team wins 60 and nobody runs the table. It is a game of marginal victory and we Americans love marginal victory, we love to think we are just one extra hit away from the big time and we are, if we can just choke up a little bit more and swing away.
But most of all, Baseball is uniquely American because it is a game about failure. It is a game where failing to get on base 60% of the time will make you an all time great. A game where good pitching means failing less, because ALL pitchers fail and most pitchers fail EVERY SINGLE GAME and they fail often. America is about failure, and learning from failure and rising above that failure to become a better person for it.
Baseball is a game played in many lands, in many ways and with many levels of skill, yet it is uniquely American. It is our game, because it welcomes all, forgives those who want for forgiveness and yet endeavor to persevere through any scandal, because, at it's root, the game ,just like America, keeps trying to get better.
It is a game that can make us feel the beauty of what it is to be an American regardless of where we come from, where we are, or where we are going. It is a game that makes grown men weep, and young men squeal with delight. It is a game that can make us all feel shame and disdain at those who try to work outside the ropes, yet delight in their achievements all the same. Because baseball, like Americans, loves an underdog, likes to see a bad man make good and secretly, likes a good man to go bad (as long as he doesn't get caught, then we are merciless).
Baseball is about draft picks and farm teams,free agent contracts and waiver wire steals, 16 year old children and 45 year old men.Trades,salary dumps,mutual interest and screwing the "other guy". It's a game of never ending statistics yet can be explained quickly to a novice viewer. It is a game that can make the poorest of us wealthy and the wealthiest of us cry in pain at just a single loss, just a single loss out of 162 games....Yet it is these 162 games that make baseball what it is. It is the sport where the best team loses 60 and the worst team wins 60 and nobody runs the table. It is a game of marginal victory and we Americans love marginal victory, we love to think we are just one extra hit away from the big time and we are, if we can just choke up a little bit more and swing away.
But most of all, Baseball is uniquely American because it is a game about failure. It is a game where failing to get on base 60% of the time will make you an all time great. A game where good pitching means failing less, because ALL pitchers fail and most pitchers fail EVERY SINGLE GAME and they fail often. America is about failure, and learning from failure and rising above that failure to become a better person for it.
Baseball is a game played in many lands, in many ways and with many levels of skill, yet it is uniquely American. It is our game, because it welcomes all, forgives those who want for forgiveness and yet endeavor to persevere through any scandal, because, at it's root, the game ,just like America, keeps trying to get better.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Vote Today!
Make sure everybody gets down them poles and votes No on Proposition 23, we gotta keep party liquor illegal so I'z can stay in satterlite TV and flip flops!
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Honey Boo Boo and the Decline of Western Culture
I come in from stirrin my mash the other day and my wife/goat was watchin some damn show called :Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.
The basic premise (as best as I could tell) is that there's this fat redneck family that has a fat redneck kid that they put in them little girl beauty pageants. (and you can already tell she's gonna be a heifer when she makes it to high school). The entire family is white trashier than free meth fridays at the truck stop so it's apparently just a "let's laugh at the rednecks" type of sideshow.
here's a clip:
Yep............
Now this ain't a good natured look at southern folks ala The Andy Griffith Show,The Beverly Hillbillies or The Dukes of Hazzard, hell it ain't even a glossed over version of southernness like Designin' Women or Evening Shade. Nossir, this here is exploitation all the same.
When other folks derive self amusement and comfort by watching the exploits of those they think are 'beneath them" ain't that a sign that things ain't goin well? I mean, have we let yankee culture override our sense of southern pride so much that we are joining in when they call us retards, rednecks and dumb,ignorant white trash? Ain't that just lettin them win?
I don't know bout y'all, but i myself, have always believed in havin a healthy sense of humor and not taking yourself seriously, but this crap crosses the line. It's perpetuating the stereotype that all us southern folks ain't right.... but we are, hell, if it weren't for the south, what culture would the USA have? George Plimpton and Air Supply? You wanna live in that world?
see ya at the fishin hole!!
The basic premise (as best as I could tell) is that there's this fat redneck family that has a fat redneck kid that they put in them little girl beauty pageants. (and you can already tell she's gonna be a heifer when she makes it to high school). The entire family is white trashier than free meth fridays at the truck stop so it's apparently just a "let's laugh at the rednecks" type of sideshow.
here's a clip:
Yep............
Now this ain't a good natured look at southern folks ala The Andy Griffith Show,The Beverly Hillbillies or The Dukes of Hazzard, hell it ain't even a glossed over version of southernness like Designin' Women or Evening Shade. Nossir, this here is exploitation all the same.
When other folks derive self amusement and comfort by watching the exploits of those they think are 'beneath them" ain't that a sign that things ain't goin well? I mean, have we let yankee culture override our sense of southern pride so much that we are joining in when they call us retards, rednecks and dumb,ignorant white trash? Ain't that just lettin them win?
I don't know bout y'all, but i myself, have always believed in havin a healthy sense of humor and not taking yourself seriously, but this crap crosses the line. It's perpetuating the stereotype that all us southern folks ain't right.... but we are, hell, if it weren't for the south, what culture would the USA have? George Plimpton and Air Supply? You wanna live in that world?
see ya at the fishin hole!!
Friday, September 14, 2012
The Greatest Films of All Time (one Hillbily's opinion)
I reckon I done talked bout movin pitchers enough to make me one of dem "Greatest of All Time" lists. so here we go!
(and this don't mean Favorite, it means Best (the difference being that Favorite means personal, based on emotion and such, but Best ,to me anyway, means it was superior in all facets, technically, emotionally, script, performances...etc.)
In other words, these are the movies I'd put in a time capsule if I could only save 20 (and my list is 20 instead of 10, cuz 10 ain't enuff!)
If I think it might be a little obscure, I'll put up a you tube trailer
In no particular order:
The Godfather/Godfather part 2-
These count as one , as they are purty much one 7 hr movie really. I can't really find a durn thang wrong with anything, in either one of em.
Apocalypse Now
It's powerful, surreal, impacting and the acting and writing is just stellar
Jaws
My favorite Spielberg movie and it just might be a perfect thriller, this movie may have been ripped off more than any other one in history
Lawrence of Arabia
One of the great performances in history, the landscapes, the scope, the beauty of the cinematography...
The Searchers
The greatest of all the John Wayne Movies, and maybe the best John Ford movie ever, I could watch it every day and marvel at it's technique
Taxi Driver
If you've seen it ,you know why, amazing combination of score and film, the best movie about a city ever made
The Third Man
The second best film about a city ever made, it's vivid depiction of Vienna in stark B&W is divine
The Seven Samurai
Kurosawa's best film IMO, a nearly 4 hr masterstroke of adventure that never feels long
The Good the Bad and the Ugly
Leone' changed the way we think of cinema, from his ability to turn a landscape to a closeup, to his use of score and long takes.
The Red Shoes
Powell and Pressburger at their finest, and it's just a story about ballet! but oh what a story!
Star Wars
It's here due to it's innovation and amazing storytelling, we all love it, but it's also an important film
Rear Window
I still don't know how Hitchcock pulled this off, one set, one POV, very few characters, but it's riveting and thrilling!
Schindler's List
very few people put this on their lists, and I frankly don't know why, name a more harrowing realistic glimpse of the holocaust that isn't a documentary?
2001
Kubrick blowing our minds, nuff said
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
another Powell and Pressburger film that is near perfect, it's light and airy, yet riveting and beautiful to look at
The Exorcist
so scary that some people have to shut down and laugh because they can't handle it, a perfect mix of mood, atmosphere and dread
Dr Strangelove (or how I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb)
black comedy has never been this on point, it's a fantastic film that get's overlooked I think
Casablanca
Bogie is awesome, Ingrid is beautiful, Claude Rains is gayer than ever, lol, no, it's just amazing it is!!
Rashomon
a film so important they named a condition for it, it's so good that I often think it's Kurosawa's best film instead of seven samurai
The African Queen
2 actors in a boat for 2 hrs, and you will want to watch it over and over
Honorable mention:
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
8 1/2
La Dolce Vita
Blade Runner
Alien
Yojimbo
Sanjuro
Ikiru
Raging Bull
Goodfellas
Millers Crossing
Fargo
The Wild Bunch
Once Upon a Time in the West
North by Northwest
Psycho
Dead Man
Black Narcissus
Pulp Fiction
The General
next will be a list of my favorite movies!
enjoy!
and see ya at the fishin hole!
(and this don't mean Favorite, it means Best (the difference being that Favorite means personal, based on emotion and such, but Best ,to me anyway, means it was superior in all facets, technically, emotionally, script, performances...etc.)
In other words, these are the movies I'd put in a time capsule if I could only save 20 (and my list is 20 instead of 10, cuz 10 ain't enuff!)
If I think it might be a little obscure, I'll put up a you tube trailer
In no particular order:
The Godfather/Godfather part 2-
These count as one , as they are purty much one 7 hr movie really. I can't really find a durn thang wrong with anything, in either one of em.
Apocalypse Now
It's powerful, surreal, impacting and the acting and writing is just stellar
Jaws
My favorite Spielberg movie and it just might be a perfect thriller, this movie may have been ripped off more than any other one in history
Lawrence of Arabia
One of the great performances in history, the landscapes, the scope, the beauty of the cinematography...
The Searchers
The greatest of all the John Wayne Movies, and maybe the best John Ford movie ever, I could watch it every day and marvel at it's technique
Taxi Driver
If you've seen it ,you know why, amazing combination of score and film, the best movie about a city ever made
The Third Man
The second best film about a city ever made, it's vivid depiction of Vienna in stark B&W is divine
The Seven Samurai
Kurosawa's best film IMO, a nearly 4 hr masterstroke of adventure that never feels long
The Good the Bad and the Ugly
Leone' changed the way we think of cinema, from his ability to turn a landscape to a closeup, to his use of score and long takes.
The Red Shoes
Powell and Pressburger at their finest, and it's just a story about ballet! but oh what a story!
Star Wars
It's here due to it's innovation and amazing storytelling, we all love it, but it's also an important film
Rear Window
I still don't know how Hitchcock pulled this off, one set, one POV, very few characters, but it's riveting and thrilling!
Schindler's List
very few people put this on their lists, and I frankly don't know why, name a more harrowing realistic glimpse of the holocaust that isn't a documentary?
2001
Kubrick blowing our minds, nuff said
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
another Powell and Pressburger film that is near perfect, it's light and airy, yet riveting and beautiful to look at
The Exorcist
so scary that some people have to shut down and laugh because they can't handle it, a perfect mix of mood, atmosphere and dread
Dr Strangelove (or how I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb)
black comedy has never been this on point, it's a fantastic film that get's overlooked I think
Casablanca
Bogie is awesome, Ingrid is beautiful, Claude Rains is gayer than ever, lol, no, it's just amazing it is!!
Rashomon
a film so important they named a condition for it, it's so good that I often think it's Kurosawa's best film instead of seven samurai
The African Queen
2 actors in a boat for 2 hrs, and you will want to watch it over and over
Honorable mention:
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
8 1/2
La Dolce Vita
Blade Runner
Alien
Yojimbo
Sanjuro
Ikiru
Raging Bull
Goodfellas
Millers Crossing
Fargo
The Wild Bunch
Once Upon a Time in the West
North by Northwest
Psycho
Dead Man
Black Narcissus
Pulp Fiction
The General
next will be a list of my favorite movies!
enjoy!
and see ya at the fishin hole!
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
The Beautiful Cinematic Magic of Powell and Pressburger
I'm a big ole movie nerd as many of you know. But I've recently caught some more movies by one of my favorite tag teams, Powell and Pressburger. They made them a bunch of fancy ole pitchers during and after ole dubya dubya two, that were just fantastic.
here's a short list and the trailer fer each of em! (my wife/goat likes The Red Shoes, the best)
The Red Shoes
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
Black Narcissus
A Matter of Life and Death
there's plenty more of em too! enjoy and when yer done,
I'll see ya at the fishin hole!
here's a short list and the trailer fer each of em! (my wife/goat likes The Red Shoes, the best)
The Red Shoes
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
Black Narcissus
A Matter of Life and Death
there's plenty more of em too! enjoy and when yer done,
I'll see ya at the fishin hole!
Friday, August 3, 2012
Funny New Bigfoot Photo
I was perusing my favorite Bigfoot sites last night and stumbled upon this new picture.
Hmmmm, look at it!!!! I'm of the opinion that the evidence in favor of the big feller bein real is sketchy at best, but this freakin pitcher is hilarious!!! Now what sorta critter has fur and looks this unkempt? Is Bigfoot's hair just random? Seriously? Notice how it conveniently ain't lookin at the camera/
I dunno folks, but somewhere Chewbacca is laughin
Hmmmm, look at it!!!! I'm of the opinion that the evidence in favor of the big feller bein real is sketchy at best, but this freakin pitcher is hilarious!!! Now what sorta critter has fur and looks this unkempt? Is Bigfoot's hair just random? Seriously? Notice how it conveniently ain't lookin at the camera/
I dunno folks, but somewhere Chewbacca is laughin
Monday, July 30, 2012
Ten of the Most Underrated(and underseen) Movies (I done seen)
I don't how many of you folks know this, but I'm a bit of a movie buff and I reckon this here's a nice list of movies y'all ain't never seen before. But you should, cuz they's awesome.
In no part'cler order:
Dead Man- (deerected by Jim Jarmusch, Starrin Johnny Depp)
It's one of them westerns shot in the purtiest black and white you ever saw. It's a very deep movie about life and death and such, kinda like that there existentialism.
Juggernaut (directed by Richard Lester, Starring Richard Harris)
It's one of them excitin thriller's from the 70's, takes place on a cruise ship and there's bombs involved. not a lot of action, but a shit ton of tension.
Suspiria (directed by Dario Argento starring Jessica Harper)
It's the king of 1970's Italian horror movies, it's all about the beauty of violence and is one of the last movies shot on that old timey 3 strip technocolor process. It don't make no sense, but man is it purty to look at and full of creepy atmosphere.
Manhunter (directed by Michael Mann , starring William Petersen)
First movie to feature Hannibal Lecter and I reckon it could give Silence of the Lambs a run for it's money. Great performances, kickass villain, a great performance of Lecter by Brian Cox too. Check it out.
Point Blank (directed by John Boorman, starring Lee (fuckin) Marvin)
Lee Marvin is pissed off and he wants his money....... that's enough to wanna see it ain't it?
Bronson (directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, starring Tom Hardy)
Hardy plays the longest servin prisoner in Britain (based on real feller) and he is a big time badass, one of those all time great actin performances that got lost at Oscar time. It's brutal but boy is it a good movie.
Life is Beautiful (directed by and starring Roberto Benigni)
Yeah , he won the Oscar for best actor for this movie, but I reckon not many folks have actually seent it. It'll make ye laugh, it'll make ya cry, it'll make you love the movies again. It's a wonderful wonderful film.
The Ballad of Cable Hogue (directed by Sam Peckinpah, starring Jason Robards)
It's kind of a western, but it's really just a fun movie that makes ya thank bout yer future and how to live yer life to it's fullest. (hell I made the best batch a corn liquor in 20 years after watchin this here flick) It's just a great , small little film that I happen to really like a lot.
Wild at Heart (Directed by David Lynch, starring Nicholas Cage)
Many of my older readers mighta seent this'n already, but if you haven't run right now out and by it (or watch it on that Netflicks) it's the Wizard of Oz....kinda....via David Lynch and Nick Cage. It's a freakin whirlwind of awesome wrapped up in a big ole ribbon of holy shit
and last but not least...........
Reanimator/From Beyond/Dagon (all 3 directed by Stuart Gordon)
Stuart Gordon is an underappreciated pitcher maker. All 3 of these here movies are damn good entertainment, he doesn't just make scary movies, he doesn't just make gory movies, or funny movies, he makes good movies that happened to be scary gory and funny!! Most of his movies are good, but these 3 in par'tickler are my favorites.
Watch any of em, and let me know how ya liked em!!! (and looky there, ya thought you's gettin 10 movies and I threw in 2 more for free!!!! enjoy!!!!
see ya at the fishin hole!!
In no part'cler order:
Dead Man- (deerected by Jim Jarmusch, Starrin Johnny Depp)
It's one of them westerns shot in the purtiest black and white you ever saw. It's a very deep movie about life and death and such, kinda like that there existentialism.
Juggernaut (directed by Richard Lester, Starring Richard Harris)
It's one of them excitin thriller's from the 70's, takes place on a cruise ship and there's bombs involved. not a lot of action, but a shit ton of tension.
Suspiria (directed by Dario Argento starring Jessica Harper)
It's the king of 1970's Italian horror movies, it's all about the beauty of violence and is one of the last movies shot on that old timey 3 strip technocolor process. It don't make no sense, but man is it purty to look at and full of creepy atmosphere.
Manhunter (directed by Michael Mann , starring William Petersen)
First movie to feature Hannibal Lecter and I reckon it could give Silence of the Lambs a run for it's money. Great performances, kickass villain, a great performance of Lecter by Brian Cox too. Check it out.
Point Blank (directed by John Boorman, starring Lee (fuckin) Marvin)
Lee Marvin is pissed off and he wants his money....... that's enough to wanna see it ain't it?
Bronson (directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, starring Tom Hardy)
Hardy plays the longest servin prisoner in Britain (based on real feller) and he is a big time badass, one of those all time great actin performances that got lost at Oscar time. It's brutal but boy is it a good movie.
Life is Beautiful (directed by and starring Roberto Benigni)
The Ballad of Cable Hogue (directed by Sam Peckinpah, starring Jason Robards)
It's kind of a western, but it's really just a fun movie that makes ya thank bout yer future and how to live yer life to it's fullest. (hell I made the best batch a corn liquor in 20 years after watchin this here flick) It's just a great , small little film that I happen to really like a lot.
Wild at Heart (Directed by David Lynch, starring Nicholas Cage)
Many of my older readers mighta seent this'n already, but if you haven't run right now out and by it (or watch it on that Netflicks) it's the Wizard of Oz....kinda....via David Lynch and Nick Cage. It's a freakin whirlwind of awesome wrapped up in a big ole ribbon of holy shit
and last but not least...........
Reanimator/From Beyond/Dagon (all 3 directed by Stuart Gordon)
Stuart Gordon is an underappreciated pitcher maker. All 3 of these here movies are damn good entertainment, he doesn't just make scary movies, he doesn't just make gory movies, or funny movies, he makes good movies that happened to be scary gory and funny!! Most of his movies are good, but these 3 in par'tickler are my favorites.
Watch any of em, and let me know how ya liked em!!! (and looky there, ya thought you's gettin 10 movies and I threw in 2 more for free!!!! enjoy!!!!
see ya at the fishin hole!!
Thursday, July 26, 2012
The Dark Knight Rises and such review
Well, I went out with my buddy Vinnie to see that there new movie The Dark Knight Rises. Bein I was a fan of the prior 2 movies I was excited to see what ole Nolan had in store for me.
I wasn't let down, no sir not a bit.
It's a very quiet movie really. It ain't like the 2nd one with all them splosions and crazy shit goin on, nosir, it's more of a thoughtful movie about moving on and letting go of grief and such.
Well a quick synopsis thang:
Batman's been out of the pitcher for like 8 years and Bruse Wayne is all holed up in his big ole mansion lettin his nails grow and peein in glass jars and..... no , mang jus kiddin!
He's still sad cuz ole girl died in the last one. But new events brang him out of retirement as this big bad guy Bane, (who wears this rasslin mask that keep him from bein in serious pain) is in town, on a mission to complete the destruction of Gotham set forth by Rahs Al Guhl in the first movie.
There's mayhem and chaos , but it ain't really an "action" movie. It's much more like a 1970's cop drama . Like a a Serpico batman movie or sumthin..hell...
Anyway, the old favorites are all here , Alfred,Commishner Gordon, Fox...etc Even got that feller from Full Metal Jacket as a Police Captain in it. (and that little feller from 3rd rock from the sun plays a good cop who knows batman's secret).
There's a new character played by the extra hot franch chick from Inception (she's the new CEO brought in to save Wayne's company) and there's some new energy machine involved as well.
All I can tell ya, is if you go into it thankin yer gonna get The Dar Knight part 2, yer gonna be pissed. But if you wanna see the perfect finish to a badass batman trilogy. I think yer gonna be very very happy indeed!!
see ya at the fshin hole!!!
I wasn't let down, no sir not a bit.
It's a very quiet movie really. It ain't like the 2nd one with all them splosions and crazy shit goin on, nosir, it's more of a thoughtful movie about moving on and letting go of grief and such.
Well a quick synopsis thang:
Batman's been out of the pitcher for like 8 years and Bruse Wayne is all holed up in his big ole mansion lettin his nails grow and peein in glass jars and..... no , mang jus kiddin!
He's still sad cuz ole girl died in the last one. But new events brang him out of retirement as this big bad guy Bane, (who wears this rasslin mask that keep him from bein in serious pain) is in town, on a mission to complete the destruction of Gotham set forth by Rahs Al Guhl in the first movie.
There's mayhem and chaos , but it ain't really an "action" movie. It's much more like a 1970's cop drama . Like a a Serpico batman movie or sumthin..hell...
Anyway, the old favorites are all here , Alfred,Commishner Gordon, Fox...etc Even got that feller from Full Metal Jacket as a Police Captain in it. (and that little feller from 3rd rock from the sun plays a good cop who knows batman's secret).
There's a new character played by the extra hot franch chick from Inception (she's the new CEO brought in to save Wayne's company) and there's some new energy machine involved as well.
All I can tell ya, is if you go into it thankin yer gonna get The Dar Knight part 2, yer gonna be pissed. But if you wanna see the perfect finish to a badass batman trilogy. I think yer gonna be very very happy indeed!!
see ya at the fshin hole!!!
Brewers GM says "Greinke WILL be traded"
The pitcher most Braves' fans covet this trade season is Zack Greinke and apparently the Brew Crew have not be able to sign him to an extension so he is on the trade market.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/07/zack-greinke-rumors-thursday.html
What do you think he will bring? Teheran? Delgado and Spruill? More?
Stay tuned for more information and don't forget to click my advertisers links!!!
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/07/zack-greinke-rumors-thursday.html
What do you think he will bring? Teheran? Delgado and Spruill? More?
Stay tuned for more information and don't forget to click my advertisers links!!!
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Why the Braves should pursue Greinke
Zack Greinke, ace pitcher. "But Hillbilly" you say "His ERA is almost a 4 for his career" Yes, but his FIP (fielding independent pitching) shows that if he had played for good defensive teams, he would be just over a 3 ERA guy. Not to mention he's in the top 5 in WAR since 2008.
Will he cost a lot? in short, YES!! The Braves WILL have to give up Delgado, Spruill,Salcedo and another piece to get him. I have no doubt about that. Not to mention that to extend him will cost 5 or 6 years at $18-$20 mill per year.
But he is worth it.
You throw a 5 man rotation of :
Greinke
Huddy
Sheets
Hanson
Minor
at any team in the playoffs and you are going to be in nearly every single game. He makes the Braves into a division winning team, and a team that can win it all.
IMO, you pay whatever they want, even IF it turns out to be Teheran and Delgado
Will he cost a lot? in short, YES!! The Braves WILL have to give up Delgado, Spruill,Salcedo and another piece to get him. I have no doubt about that. Not to mention that to extend him will cost 5 or 6 years at $18-$20 mill per year.
But he is worth it.
You throw a 5 man rotation of :
Greinke
Huddy
Sheets
Hanson
Minor
at any team in the playoffs and you are going to be in nearly every single game. He makes the Braves into a division winning team, and a team that can win it all.
IMO, you pay whatever they want, even IF it turns out to be Teheran and Delgado
The internet and it's affect on baseball trades.
Back in the "good old days" GM's of teams didn't have to worry about trades leaking out. It's not that fans didn't care. But most of us were content with finding out whenever the game came on and the announcers told us about it. We weren't a clamoring horde of superfreaks gnashing our teeth to blog and comment on each and every deal.
Also, there weren't 470,000 media outlets covering every baseball move either. basically you had beat reporters who sent out feeds that spread to AP or Knight Ridder and that was pretty much it.
NOW, however, everybody is a sports reporter, every fan a blogging expert and in this mass of opinions,angles and the mad dash to be "first!!". The world of deal making has changed drastically.
Take the most recent Dempster unpleasantness. It appears to everyone on the outside that the Cubs got bamboozled by a pushy, selfish, petulent child of a player. it also appears the Braves got hung out to dry and some folks have even mentioned that " poor ole Wren has been got again".
The truth is, this stuff happens ALL THE TIME in baseball. Before though, we didn't hear about it. The GM's didn't discuss busted deals obviously, the writers who knew about them didn't want to lose their access to the players and mgmt so they kept their mouth's shut. Nowadays tho, people are talking, and blogging and yapping.
I think it's bad for the game personally. If I were a GM, I'd spend part of ONE offseason, leaking deals to specific people and waiting for a leak so I would know who to fire. IMO, the two places in life where leaks must not be tolerated are international espionage and baseball trades.
However, we have only ourselves as fans to blame for all of this.
WE demand to know "NOW!!!" WE demand to be "FIRST!!" WE, in other words, are a bunch of entitled spoiled brats.
If you here that the Braves got Greinke at 7pm tomorrow when you turn on the game from Joe Simpson instead of at 2:34pm when it was first announced on a rumor site, are you somehow worse off for it? I don't think so.
I think we as a culture should lighten up a little bit on this need to "know everything right now" at least when it comes to sports. I'm sure that the farmers back in the 1920's could have cared less WHEN they found out they got Hanley Ramirez for a couple of pitchers. They were just glad they got him!!!!
Also, there weren't 470,000 media outlets covering every baseball move either. basically you had beat reporters who sent out feeds that spread to AP or Knight Ridder and that was pretty much it.
NOW, however, everybody is a sports reporter, every fan a blogging expert and in this mass of opinions,angles and the mad dash to be "first!!". The world of deal making has changed drastically.
Take the most recent Dempster unpleasantness. It appears to everyone on the outside that the Cubs got bamboozled by a pushy, selfish, petulent child of a player. it also appears the Braves got hung out to dry and some folks have even mentioned that " poor ole Wren has been got again".
The truth is, this stuff happens ALL THE TIME in baseball. Before though, we didn't hear about it. The GM's didn't discuss busted deals obviously, the writers who knew about them didn't want to lose their access to the players and mgmt so they kept their mouth's shut. Nowadays tho, people are talking, and blogging and yapping.
I think it's bad for the game personally. If I were a GM, I'd spend part of ONE offseason, leaking deals to specific people and waiting for a leak so I would know who to fire. IMO, the two places in life where leaks must not be tolerated are international espionage and baseball trades.
However, we have only ourselves as fans to blame for all of this.
WE demand to know "NOW!!!" WE demand to be "FIRST!!" WE, in other words, are a bunch of entitled spoiled brats.
If you here that the Braves got Greinke at 7pm tomorrow when you turn on the game from Joe Simpson instead of at 2:34pm when it was first announced on a rumor site, are you somehow worse off for it? I don't think so.
I think we as a culture should lighten up a little bit on this need to "know everything right now" at least when it comes to sports. I'm sure that the farmers back in the 1920's could have cared less WHEN they found out they got Hanley Ramirez for a couple of pitchers. They were just glad they got him!!!!
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Dempster deal may be falling apart
Apparently the Cubs never got final approval from Dempster to go to the Braves and he is holding out hopig for a Dodgers deal to get done instead. I figure the Braves will be pulling the plug on this soon and if they return to the Dempster idea, the price will have gone down.
stay tuned
stay tuned
Monday, July 23, 2012
John Heyman reports Dempster deal now 50/50
Ex GM and genuine blowhard Jon Heyman reports that the Dempster deal to the Braves for Delgado is now 50/50.
http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/jon-heyman/19641651/dempster-braves-trade-said-to-be-50-50
No reason given why. Is it Dempster getting cold feet? Is his agent advising him to accept no trades? Are the Braves asking for more?
stay tuned
http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/jon-heyman/19641651/dempster-braves-trade-said-to-be-50-50
No reason given why. Is it Dempster getting cold feet? Is his agent advising him to accept no trades? Are the Braves asking for more?
stay tuned
Trade for Dempster not final
Apparently, Dempster himself tweeted that there is no trade that he knows of as yet. Looks like maybe the minute details haven;t been worked out so he hasn't been told, or he's rejected the deal, or that the rumor mongers jumped the gun. stay tuned for more info as it comes in
Ryan Dempster traded to the Braves
My sources are telling me the Braves and Cubs have agrred on a trade involving Ryan Dempster to the Braves. No word on the other players involved,(rumor is Delgado is part of the deal) and/or if there are any bench or bullpen pieces coming along. I will update you as I get more information.
The Braves, the trade deadline and the 2013 season
(serious non hillbilly mode today)
The Deadline:
Just send em Spruill and some other parts for Dempster and reed Johnson and be done with it already. It gives us solid starter for the playoff push and Johnson fills Diaz's spot with a guy who can play the entire field. Problem solved.(just try like hell not to move Delgado or Minor)
The Offseason:
I've been perusing the Braves COT info in regards to their contract situation for next year,and these are the numbers for those who are signed and/or arbitration eligible and my estimations of their contracts for 2013.(I am assuming an EOF trade(or non-tender) a Jurrjens trade or non tender and Bourn gone to free agency.
Uggla- 13.2 mill 2b
Prado- 7-9 mill 3b
Hudson- 9 mill sp
Mac- 13 mill C
Pastornicky- bench
Ross- 2mill bench C
Kimbrel- .7 mill cl
Heyward- 3 mill rf
Freeman - .7 mill 1b
Hanson- 3 mill sp
Venters- 1.5 mill bp
Beachy- .6 mill sp/dl)
Medlen- 1 mill bp
Moylan- $1 mill
Minor- .6 mill sp
Simmons- .6 mill ss
(sure one or two of Delgado,Teheran and Vizacaino will probably make the starting roster next year, but all will be at or near league minimum, so it won't effect it much)
That is 16 players and a total of $57 mill, COT has the 2012 Braves payroll listed at $93 million so let's assume a tiny raise to $95-96 mill this year. That leaves around $39 mill to get a starting pitcher, a left fielder a center fielder ,3 pen arms (probably only one or two free agents or trades and one or two from AAA) and 3 bench pieces.
Let us assume, the bench and pen acquisitions take around 6 or 7 mill in total, that leaves, $33 mill for a starter , left and center field. Bourn is obviously out as he takes nearly half of that. I assume the Braves are going to make a serious run at Greinke in the $18-$20 mill a year range, IF THAT HAPPENS, barring an unknown payroll boost to exceed $100 mill annually, that will leave less than $15 mill to fill left and center.
Who will be available and would be both cheap and starter quality? Let's take a guess...
Left Field-
Justin Upton- $10 mill in 2013, would cost us a lot of pieces, and leaves under $5 mill for CF but is an interesting option to ponder
Upside: potential MVP caliber performance at a good price
Downside: expensive to acquire in prospects, might underperform, potential attitude issues
Josh Willingham- $7 mill , would cost a good bit too due to his cheap deal, but has expressed interest in staying with the Twins, but the right offer of young pitching could pry him away.
Upside: cheap contract that he will outperform even on a down year
Downside: might cost too much in prospects, defensive liability
Nick Swisher- Free agent, will cost between $10-$12 mill a year on a 3-4 year deal
Upside- good defense in right would make the left field defense better, switch hitter with power
Downside- apparently not a well liked player by team mates, high cost means a defense first CF'er
Cody Ross- Free agent, will cost between $8 -$10 mill per for 2-3 years due to breakout season with the Red Sox
Upside- good defender in left, scrappy hitter with power, decent value at $8 mill, probable overpay at $10
Downside- power may not translate to Turner Field well enough to rationalize deal
Alfonso Soriano- Trade candidate buy the Cubs,
Upside- avg defense, good power still , With Cubs eating salary could enable a competitive offer made to Burn
Downside- can be lazy, can be streaky, will require better players than we want to give up probably for the Cubs to make his deal in the $4-$5 mill a year range we'd like it to be.
Looking at this list , and when you combine availability, price and productivity I rank them as follows:
Ross
Willingham
Soriano
Swisher
Upton (love to have him, but I think he's traded before the fall)
so let's assume $8 mill for Ross in LF (just for the heck of it)
(now , Ross isn't who I'd prefer to get, but he makes the most sense to get. he is the probably the best when you apply a cost/benefit analysis to the available LF bats)
So , if we assume Greinke AND Ross, we have around $7 mill left for a CF'er. This removes Bourn from the discussion.
Now, the good thing is, that it DOES leave the team with lots of options. and options that we may not have considered:
Since we didn't trade for Ross, we still have prospects to use to gain a CF'er, and since we spent less than we could have on RF, it means we have money to make a value deal for ANOTHER starter. Ben Sheets
Offer him a one year deal at $3 mill (incentives could make it as high as $4.5 mill)with a team option for the following year. I bet he takes it.
Then build a package around Bethancourt and send him to the Amgels for Peter Bourjos, he's a wunderkind with the glove in CF and had one good year with the bat before struggling this year in a platoon type role. he will cost very little, in fact. You estimate one million bucks for him, and look at the roster and budget, for 2013!!!!
1b- Freeman
2b- Uggla
3b-Prado
SS-Simmons
C-McCann
RF-Heyward
LF-Cody Ross
CF-Bourjos
Rotation:
Greinke
Sheets
Hudson
Hanson
Minor
Pen:
Kimbrel
Venters
EOF- (look saving money on Ross/Bourjos enabled us to bring him back)
Moylan
Vizcaino
Varvaro
free agent- ditto
Bench:
Ross
Pastornicky
Gattis
Reed Johnson
Francisco/free agent
total cost: between $91 and $96 mill depending on the arbitration breaks and Sheets hitting his incentives.
That team would perform very well I think.
so what say you?
see ya at the fishin hole!
The Deadline:
Just send em Spruill and some other parts for Dempster and reed Johnson and be done with it already. It gives us solid starter for the playoff push and Johnson fills Diaz's spot with a guy who can play the entire field. Problem solved.(just try like hell not to move Delgado or Minor)
The Offseason:
I've been perusing the Braves COT info in regards to their contract situation for next year,and these are the numbers for those who are signed and/or arbitration eligible and my estimations of their contracts for 2013.(I am assuming an EOF trade(or non-tender) a Jurrjens trade or non tender and Bourn gone to free agency.
Uggla- 13.2 mill 2b
Prado- 7-9 mill 3b
Hudson- 9 mill sp
Mac- 13 mill C
Pastornicky- bench
Ross- 2mill bench C
Kimbrel- .7 mill cl
Heyward- 3 mill rf
Freeman - .7 mill 1b
Hanson- 3 mill sp
Venters- 1.5 mill bp
Beachy- .6 mill sp/dl)
Medlen- 1 mill bp
Moylan- $1 mill
Minor- .6 mill sp
Simmons- .6 mill ss
(sure one or two of Delgado,Teheran and Vizacaino will probably make the starting roster next year, but all will be at or near league minimum, so it won't effect it much)
That is 16 players and a total of $57 mill, COT has the 2012 Braves payroll listed at $93 million so let's assume a tiny raise to $95-96 mill this year. That leaves around $39 mill to get a starting pitcher, a left fielder a center fielder ,3 pen arms (probably only one or two free agents or trades and one or two from AAA) and 3 bench pieces.
Let us assume, the bench and pen acquisitions take around 6 or 7 mill in total, that leaves, $33 mill for a starter , left and center field. Bourn is obviously out as he takes nearly half of that. I assume the Braves are going to make a serious run at Greinke in the $18-$20 mill a year range, IF THAT HAPPENS, barring an unknown payroll boost to exceed $100 mill annually, that will leave less than $15 mill to fill left and center.
Who will be available and would be both cheap and starter quality? Let's take a guess...
Left Field-
Justin Upton- $10 mill in 2013, would cost us a lot of pieces, and leaves under $5 mill for CF but is an interesting option to ponder
Upside: potential MVP caliber performance at a good price
Downside: expensive to acquire in prospects, might underperform, potential attitude issues
Josh Willingham- $7 mill , would cost a good bit too due to his cheap deal, but has expressed interest in staying with the Twins, but the right offer of young pitching could pry him away.
Upside: cheap contract that he will outperform even on a down year
Downside: might cost too much in prospects, defensive liability
Nick Swisher- Free agent, will cost between $10-$12 mill a year on a 3-4 year deal
Upside- good defense in right would make the left field defense better, switch hitter with power
Downside- apparently not a well liked player by team mates, high cost means a defense first CF'er
Cody Ross- Free agent, will cost between $8 -$10 mill per for 2-3 years due to breakout season with the Red Sox
Upside- good defender in left, scrappy hitter with power, decent value at $8 mill, probable overpay at $10
Downside- power may not translate to Turner Field well enough to rationalize deal
Alfonso Soriano- Trade candidate buy the Cubs,
Upside- avg defense, good power still , With Cubs eating salary could enable a competitive offer made to Burn
Downside- can be lazy, can be streaky, will require better players than we want to give up probably for the Cubs to make his deal in the $4-$5 mill a year range we'd like it to be.
Looking at this list , and when you combine availability, price and productivity I rank them as follows:
Ross
Willingham
Soriano
Swisher
Upton (love to have him, but I think he's traded before the fall)
so let's assume $8 mill for Ross in LF (just for the heck of it)
(now , Ross isn't who I'd prefer to get, but he makes the most sense to get. he is the probably the best when you apply a cost/benefit analysis to the available LF bats)
So , if we assume Greinke AND Ross, we have around $7 mill left for a CF'er. This removes Bourn from the discussion.
Now, the good thing is, that it DOES leave the team with lots of options. and options that we may not have considered:
Since we didn't trade for Ross, we still have prospects to use to gain a CF'er, and since we spent less than we could have on RF, it means we have money to make a value deal for ANOTHER starter. Ben Sheets
Offer him a one year deal at $3 mill (incentives could make it as high as $4.5 mill)with a team option for the following year. I bet he takes it.
Then build a package around Bethancourt and send him to the Amgels for Peter Bourjos, he's a wunderkind with the glove in CF and had one good year with the bat before struggling this year in a platoon type role. he will cost very little, in fact. You estimate one million bucks for him, and look at the roster and budget, for 2013!!!!
1b- Freeman
2b- Uggla
3b-Prado
SS-Simmons
C-McCann
RF-Heyward
LF-Cody Ross
CF-Bourjos
Rotation:
Greinke
Sheets
Hudson
Hanson
Minor
Pen:
Kimbrel
Venters
EOF- (look saving money on Ross/Bourjos enabled us to bring him back)
Moylan
Vizcaino
Varvaro
free agent- ditto
Bench:
Ross
Pastornicky
Gattis
Reed Johnson
Francisco/free agent
total cost: between $91 and $96 mill depending on the arbitration breaks and Sheets hitting his incentives.
That team would perform very well I think.
so what say you?
see ya at the fishin hole!
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Muh Favorite Braves of All Time (well since I was alive)
I'm a big Atlanta Braves fan, have been since a was a little kid when my daddy took me to the game where they broke Pete Rose's hit streak. I thought I'd make a listin of all my favorite Braves since I been watchin em. (broke down by position of course)
1st base- The Crime Dog Fred McGriff
He's a big tall lanky feller, but boy could he hit home runs. In fact when he retired he had hit a HR in every single park in all of baseball. But what I liked was his swagger and his swang. He had this big ole swang and he twirled the bat at the top when he hit one good. (and it was good he hit em far cuz he ran like he had a stick up his butt and was slow as molasses in January)
I's sho sad to see him go.
2nd base- Martin Prado
He's still tharr but playin LF now. He's scrappy, fiesty, hard headed and a helluva good hitter. he ain't gonna hit too many homers, but he can hit it anywherr you pitch it. he can play anywharr too, but I like him at 2nd. next year he takes over 3rd base from the mighty...
3rd base- Chipper Jones
Greatest Atlanta Braves hitter of All time, maybe the best hitting 3rd baseman of all time. Hit homers, singles, triples , don't matter to Chipper. Hell if he had tried to hit more HR's he prolly coulda hit 40 a year, but his avg woulda suffered for it. he's gonna end his career as one of a select few with a .300 avg, a 400 on base % and a .500 sluggin%, He's a Hall of Fame player, and it was muh pleasure watchin him play.
SS- The Pac Man - Rafael Belliard
He couldn't hit a lick, and he really didn't start very often, but man could he pick it. and one of my favorite baseball memories is when he hit a HR in San Diego (his 2nd and last of his long career) he said"th last time I hit one here the trees were only this tall" referrin to the now 30 foot palm trees behind left field. I can't really say why he's my favorite, but he is. and it's my list dammit! (but this new kid Andrelton Simmons may change my mind, he's smooth as my brother in law at a tupperware party)
Catcher- Brian McCann
He can pick it, he can damn sure hit it. Been one of the best catchers in all of baseball and in his 7 year career has 6 all star games, 6 silver slugger awards and one all star game MVP. He's a local boy to Atlanta so I hope they keep him around for a long time
RF- Dale Murphy
My boyhood hero (even tho he IS a Mormon) he was Mr All American Athlete. Decent glove, great arm, great bat. If he hadn't a got hurt and fallen apart at the end he woulda been in the Hall of Fame too, but his back to back MVP's just weren't enough. I's so sad when he got traded away...
CF- Andruw Jones
Best fieldin player I ever saw at any position. he made the great look routine, the amazing look easy and the incredible look like a walk in the park, he caught balls on the run most players would never even tried to dive for. Best field instincts I've ever seen in a player. Now, he DID get fat and start trying to hit every damn thing out of the park. But those hard years in Cf for the Braves took a toll on him. and if there was any sort of justice, he would get in the Hall of Fame anyway. (hell Ozzie Smith and Brooks Robinson are in for just their glove) He;d get my vote
LF- Ryan Klesko (I called him the Bush Hog)
Not much of a fielder (to put it mildly) but he could hit the ball forever. Lotta people don't know this, but he out hit Chipper for a few years there in OPS!(fancy baseball numbers are my specialty) and he had the most violent swang I ever saw. He swang the bat with evil intent to crush it . One of my favorite things was when they'd walk someone in front of him hoping to strike him out. I don't know how many Grand Slams he hit, or how many hR's after an intentional walk, but it was damn sure lot of em. Was my all around favorite Brave of the 90's teams. I really hated that they traded him to the left handed hitting pit of hell San Diego, kinda ruined him I think.
Starting Pitcher- Greg Maddux
Perhaps the greatest right handed pitcher of all time. but is damn sure the smartest. he won 356 games or so with guile finesse and the best gameplan of any pitcher ever. he toyed with em, he could throw any pitch, any speed in any location at any time. Hitters were usually doomed, and they knew it. If I listed all of his numbers here ....well, it'd just make ya sick...
Reliver- Craig Kimbrel
In only his 2nd year the might Kimbrel has stolen my baseball heart. he's a beast. He is putting up numbers at age 24 that are just hard to believe!!! strikin out 48% of batters faced, only walkin one per 9 innings, 60% of the balls that get hit go on the ground instead of the arr.... He's dominanat in a way only Marianianoaino Rivera has seen. I hope to hell we lock him up for 5 or 6 years , he's amazin.
Well, tharrs my list! Hope ya like it, and if you got some of yer own, go head and put em in the comments! I like talkin baseball with folks!!
see ya at the fishin hole!!!
1st base- The Crime Dog Fred McGriff
He's a big tall lanky feller, but boy could he hit home runs. In fact when he retired he had hit a HR in every single park in all of baseball. But what I liked was his swagger and his swang. He had this big ole swang and he twirled the bat at the top when he hit one good. (and it was good he hit em far cuz he ran like he had a stick up his butt and was slow as molasses in January)
I's sho sad to see him go.
2nd base- Martin Prado
He's still tharr but playin LF now. He's scrappy, fiesty, hard headed and a helluva good hitter. he ain't gonna hit too many homers, but he can hit it anywherr you pitch it. he can play anywharr too, but I like him at 2nd. next year he takes over 3rd base from the mighty...
3rd base- Chipper Jones
Greatest Atlanta Braves hitter of All time, maybe the best hitting 3rd baseman of all time. Hit homers, singles, triples , don't matter to Chipper. Hell if he had tried to hit more HR's he prolly coulda hit 40 a year, but his avg woulda suffered for it. he's gonna end his career as one of a select few with a .300 avg, a 400 on base % and a .500 sluggin%, He's a Hall of Fame player, and it was muh pleasure watchin him play.
SS- The Pac Man - Rafael Belliard
He couldn't hit a lick, and he really didn't start very often, but man could he pick it. and one of my favorite baseball memories is when he hit a HR in San Diego (his 2nd and last of his long career) he said"th last time I hit one here the trees were only this tall" referrin to the now 30 foot palm trees behind left field. I can't really say why he's my favorite, but he is. and it's my list dammit! (but this new kid Andrelton Simmons may change my mind, he's smooth as my brother in law at a tupperware party)
Catcher- Brian McCann
He can pick it, he can damn sure hit it. Been one of the best catchers in all of baseball and in his 7 year career has 6 all star games, 6 silver slugger awards and one all star game MVP. He's a local boy to Atlanta so I hope they keep him around for a long time
RF- Dale Murphy
My boyhood hero (even tho he IS a Mormon) he was Mr All American Athlete. Decent glove, great arm, great bat. If he hadn't a got hurt and fallen apart at the end he woulda been in the Hall of Fame too, but his back to back MVP's just weren't enough. I's so sad when he got traded away...
CF- Andruw Jones
Best fieldin player I ever saw at any position. he made the great look routine, the amazing look easy and the incredible look like a walk in the park, he caught balls on the run most players would never even tried to dive for. Best field instincts I've ever seen in a player. Now, he DID get fat and start trying to hit every damn thing out of the park. But those hard years in Cf for the Braves took a toll on him. and if there was any sort of justice, he would get in the Hall of Fame anyway. (hell Ozzie Smith and Brooks Robinson are in for just their glove) He;d get my vote
LF- Ryan Klesko (I called him the Bush Hog)
Not much of a fielder (to put it mildly) but he could hit the ball forever. Lotta people don't know this, but he out hit Chipper for a few years there in OPS!(fancy baseball numbers are my specialty) and he had the most violent swang I ever saw. He swang the bat with evil intent to crush it . One of my favorite things was when they'd walk someone in front of him hoping to strike him out. I don't know how many Grand Slams he hit, or how many hR's after an intentional walk, but it was damn sure lot of em. Was my all around favorite Brave of the 90's teams. I really hated that they traded him to the left handed hitting pit of hell San Diego, kinda ruined him I think.
Starting Pitcher- Greg Maddux
Perhaps the greatest right handed pitcher of all time. but is damn sure the smartest. he won 356 games or so with guile finesse and the best gameplan of any pitcher ever. he toyed with em, he could throw any pitch, any speed in any location at any time. Hitters were usually doomed, and they knew it. If I listed all of his numbers here ....well, it'd just make ya sick...
Reliver- Craig Kimbrel
In only his 2nd year the might Kimbrel has stolen my baseball heart. he's a beast. He is putting up numbers at age 24 that are just hard to believe!!! strikin out 48% of batters faced, only walkin one per 9 innings, 60% of the balls that get hit go on the ground instead of the arr.... He's dominanat in a way only Marianianoaino Rivera has seen. I hope to hell we lock him up for 5 or 6 years , he's amazin.
Well, tharrs my list! Hope ya like it, and if you got some of yer own, go head and put em in the comments! I like talkin baseball with folks!!
see ya at the fishin hole!!!
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