1984Echoes

Right. I think Spring Training 2025 is when we see what he looks like...

Lockhart's been "On FAHR" his past couple of starts (oh wait, how'd he do last night? I meant before last night...); But I'd like to see another Lefty get a chance... I want him up in MLB to see if (A) he can "hack it, and (B) if he can replace Wentz at some point. (Meaning he gets shifted to the bullpen if he gets replaced in the rotation by a healthy Olson or otherwise...).

I was almost going to say that but I wonder if after his recent injury they'll want to "kid glove" him for awhile before even considering that. Also, do they need a 40 man move for Jobe? I was going to start thinking about Jobe in September (A) If he was ready, or not. And (B) with the limitations that they've placed on September callups if it's a move they'd even consider. I'm going to say no on both accounts and just WAG that they're really not thinking about an MLB tryout for him until next Spring Training at the earliest... Just a guess...

Actually... Jung was drafted as a 2B'man and played there until Keith's shoulder burnt out... I think "technically" he could still be labelled as a 2B-3B guy as I don't think that will be settled just yet. Plus, he's played 17 games at Toledo at 2B this year...

Lockhart, Madden and/or Sammons!!! NEXT MAN UP!!!

Plus 1. Plus 2.

POINT!!! All the self-flagellation is getting boring. Exceedingly boring.

That part I don't know about. I don't know how the Dems will unite or how to get them all motivated and united. Trump MUST be defeated. Yes. I'm thinking though: whomever comes out of the DNC on top... EVERYONE will get behind them. Including all the Dem PAC advertisements, donors, base, independents (who do NOT want to see another Trump Corrupted Administration), Never-Trumpers, etc... I think it will all come together. But I just can't promise that (as if I was the guy to make this promise... NOT!!!) Best of luck everyone, in November. May the best (DEMOCRATIC PARTY) Person win.

The tricky part of that is the draft bonus pool that is allotted to each pick. You can't just trade picks, you also have to trade the value of draft pool assigned to it. I think that makes draft picks-for-draft picks trading a bit harder. I'm not certain how that would work out. Player trades (as I outlined above) I could see with the pick and value going to the new team. Same with during the draft: Cubs just traded their 2025 3rd round pick (during the draft) to the Tigers for Joey Wentz, we get the pick and Bonus Pool value; they get Wentz (awesome deal!!!) To make a pick-for-picks trade... Are teams hesitant because the dollars need to be in alignment? What if there needs to be an overpay in order to move up in a draft (just for example) with unequal values per each side? Just some difficulties there I'm thinking... A player for a pick seems a little more straight forward: Team (A) gets a player it needs/ wants. Team (B) gets a pick and the assigned bonus pool in return for said traded player. Just thinking out loud...

Dude... I'm voting STRAIGHT DEM ticket... NO MATTER WHAT. From top to bottom. The Republican Party no longer exists. It's the MAGA Party of Fascism and Violence and Lies and Replace the Constitution with a Dictatorship. No thank you. They no longer exist to me. I wouldn't vote a Republican for local dog catcher or Morristown, NJ Manure Manager. Whoever is at the top of the Dem ticket, I'm voting for. I love Joe Biden. If it's him, that's who I'm voting for. And I've said this a 1,000 times: if it's Joe Biden's Corpse with a broomstick up his back, that's who I'm voting for. If it's Kamala, that's who I'm voting for. If the donors stage a coup and get someone else atop the ticket, that's who I'm voting for. If it's a Massive Monstrous Pile of Manure that the Morristown Manure Manager left in my parking space, if that's what is atop of the Dem ticket... that's who (what) I'm voting for. But this is out of my hands.. I don't have a dog in this dog-n-pony show. I just don't. So.. I don't care. At all. Not out of malice... the only malice I hold is for Donald MF'ing Lying Scumbag POS Fascist ****wad Trump. Whoever is on the Dem ticket, that's who I'm voting for. I don't care who it is. I'm not going to argue anything here. I see what some people's concerns are about Biden... I get it. But I'm not arguing for anything. I'm just going to vote straight ticket Dem from top-to-bottom come November. Whomsoever that may be. That is all.

I don't believe that's the problem. I DO believe that you already KNOW that.

"I've been driving cars for 75 YEARS! You can't TELL ME that I am no longer fit to drive just because I am LEGALLY BLIND!!!"

The Dodgers and Orioles are said to both be feeling very, very aggressive this deadline. I think one of them is going to land Flaherty. And the other is going to hunt Skubal. I don't know if either will land Skubal (meaning a good enough package to convince Harris he should say "yes")... But I think that's how it's going to go down. Crochet is the next best... but I think there will be serious questions (and diminished, but not zero, trade interest) about his non-history of starting (and therefore fears he will not be effective the second half...).. Flaherty will be most in demand (lesser prospect cost) for the team not as willing to trade prospects and Skubal will be most in demand for the team that wants a 2.5 Post Seasons guy... IMO.

You didn't read what I wrote. "Two prospects EACH that we REALLY like, plus two other lottery tickets for a total of a 4-1 return." I paraphrased... but that's what I said..

As VP to Kamala Harris that wouldn't be an issue. As future Presidential candidate, that simply means balancing out the ticket (getting broader appeal with a VP who pulls different demographics) so all that means is finding the right VP to make a powerhouse ticket. I don't see a problem. But you do?

Could we create Appalachia as one big state? And lop off all the territory of all the other states that go into it? And then we could add DC with representation in the House & Senate so it could be treated as a state even though it's more of a special district (they DO deserve representation... WTF is so hard about that...?) I'm good with that.

But he would have Sasha Obama as his VP.

Here's the flipside: The buyers of talent (and traders of draft picks) will be the teams at the very top... which MOSTLY is the Yankees/ Dodgers type... Lets say Cleveland rises to the top... they're not going to do this. But the Yankees and Dodgers would (in this imagined scenario): And they both want Flaherty. They both offer two prospects that we really like/ want. And also two high-octane arms with no control as lottery tickets (Dodgers) or 2025 and 2026 1st round picks (Yankees, and per your description, just as much lottery tickets as the two Dodgers lottery guys... especially because they'll be at the END of the first round, so not top 10 picks...). All things else being equal: which package do you choose? I'm of a mind to accept two Yankees picks and trust Harris and our developmental team to uncover to gems. Better than the two Dodgers high-octane arms with no control. IMO.

How about RIGHT NOW!!! I mean... AFTER the DNC, when Biden steps down and hands the reins over to Kamala Harris as Presidential candidate and with Buttigieg as the VP of the ticket. Then... he'll get his chance at the top in 8 years... where he can serve the following 8 years. I have it all planned out.

Drive his price way, way up... Yes please.

There was some discussion on whether Skubal should/ could be pitching against the Blue Jays (probably could) and why they pushed him back to face Cleveland in his 1st start after the AS break (need/ want Skubal against the lefty-heavy Indians...). I'm going to ignore that for a sec... Two points I want to make here: 1) Flaherty is the trade target. get him as many starts as possible before the deadline to showcase him, starting with tonight. 2) Back to Skubal: Subtle signal by Harris that Skubal is NOT on the market? "Look at Flaherty's starts.. Here 'ya go: ". "Oh, and never mind about this Skubal kid...". Just conspiracy theorizing a bit here...

Let me amend this: DONORS. It's about their wallets. Biden-Harris have promised to enact a more progressive tax structure. That means more taxes for the top 1%, less taxes for the middle class. Trump has promised the exact opposite. This is Dem Donors last chance to overthrow the Biden-Harris ticket, or Harris-VP ticket, and put in place a different ticket less favorable to making taxes more progressive... Meaning they are protecting their wallets. Harris would continue with the same platform/ agenda. Without a changed ticket... they are sorely tempted to jump ship to Trump. This is their last chance to get what they want (a different non-progressive-tax Dem ticket) and still call themselves Democrats.

This isn't even about Biden. It's about Harris. Seeing all these posts about DONORS pressuring Dems to pressure Biden to quit...? They don't want Biden to quit, they want to NOT have Harris leading an administration. And the only way to do that is to pressure Biden to QUIT NOW so they can overthrow Harris at the convention. THAT is what this is all about. It's an end-around SPECIFICALLY AIMED at Harris; not Biden. They just need to get him out of the way so they can get to her. Biden has to accept the nomination. And THEN, if he is stepping aside, hand it over to Harris. And there should be a succession plan so that the SAME MINUTE that Biden hands it over to Harris, Harris can immediately announce her chosen VP, whomever that may be. IMO.

I don't think it works like that. The DNC will throw this out. And hold open elections at the Conference. Electors alone will make the vote/ decision. As MB posted, it's an attempt to bypass both Biden and Harris. Which will go up in flames at the DNC. AFTER Biden wins the nomination at the DNC... THEN he might be able to pull this off. But not before.

Whatsoever.