1984Echoes

They should be losing 4 or 5 to 0... They've looked bad all night long...

That should be hash-tagged: #BNT or #BNTS

US Training of Ukrainian troops (in this instance their NCO development program) from 2014 through 2021 (before they pulled out... was that Jan-22?) resulted in Russia's defeat, starting in February, 2022: https://www.yahoo.com/news/ukraines-battlefield-success-surprised-russia-174110124.html

Yeah... Hopefully the majority of that will now be in the past. It's torture trying to read a Lions game thread... Given my nature that is...

The Psyche mission...: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/rare-asteroid-may-worth-70-140000062.html

It's not Kasper's chances at issue. It's the timeframe. Horvat is a rental. Lower return value than what people think...

Without a contract... He's a rental. And his value just dropped significantly.

This is where I'm at. Maybe add Buium and Mazar (at U of Denver) into the mix because I believe they are showing themselves as belonging in a potential future Red Wings core... Also, Hronek (I know quite a few in here are pretty dead set against him based on history) has shown enough improvement that I'm reluctant to let him go. As far as I'm concerned, he's a part of the core, at least for now, until he proves otherwise to me. And as a 2nd pairing RH'ed D, who else do we have? We have NOONE as a RH'd D otherwise, aside from Seider. So that's 1st pairing, what about 2nd and 3rd? I'm reluctant to let go of anyone that might fix a hole on the team, but just creates another gaping hole.

Several Feds have commented on having 25 basis points raises in Feb & March. Others still holding out for 50 basis each of these two meetings. But then nothing until September... I don't see an overshoot, I see fine tuning. And the unknowns are where the fine tuning is only a best guess. The primary unknowns are: (A) Does China come roaring back because they've stopped their zero-Covid policy. Who knows? They're suffering hospitalizations and deaths right now because zero-Covid basically just delayed the impact of Covid spread and as a population, they are NOT highly vaccinated. Plus, the US and EU are treating China differently than pre-Covid for multiple reasons. They're losing manufacturing and other jobs to SE Asian countries. But if they do take off, that's a huge upside pressure on energy prices, again. (B) When is Putin going to stop? If he just stopped, today, then (1) a huge pricing easing of foods and fertilizer and related occurs because both Russia & Ukraine are heavy worldwide suppliers (fertilizer and grains in particular) in these areas. Stopping the war will ease access to these supplies in multiple different ways. And (2) the opposite of a China increase in energy demands will be Russia having less difficulties getting oil & related products to China & India. Not certain if the price cap remains or is removed though... another unknown. This is just my opinion, but: the labor market is less critical to inflation than the Russian war against Ukraine.

No on Hronek, Kasper or Ras. The offer is Zadina, Veleno, a 1st rounder from 2024 or 2025 (not 2023), Cross Hanas, and choose any 1 of McIsaac, Viro, Albert Johansson, or Sebrango. Add a 2nd rounder if it clinches the deal. If not... If they say no, that's fine by me. As Shinzaki stated, we are not yet in "win now" mode so I have no interest whatsoever in moving any primary players or prospects. If we were a playoff team and needed a Brendan Shanahan trade and Horvat was "that guy", then I would treat it differently. But I believe this trade is a couple years premature. I want our best guys (and prospects) as the core of our team, not traded away in a short term not-ready-yet move. One last question: If we do trade for Horvat, and sign him long-term... is that a message to Larkin that he can be replaced? That Stevie Y has no problem moving on from him if they cannot come to an agreement? He's done it before.

We Won!!!

Trayce Thompson through 6/19/22 with Toledo (bandaid player but Grossman was atrocious): .299/ .352/ .639 = .991 OPS 2022 Kerry Carpenter at: Erie - .304/ .359/ .646 = 1.005 OPS, promoted to Toledo 6/25 (after Thompson went to LA) Toledo - .331/ .420/ .644 = 1.044 OPS, promoted to Detroit 8/10 (after Grossman was traded to the Braves) Detroit - .252/ .310/ .485 = .795 OPS Kerry in particular looks reactive, not proactive.

Nothing matters anymore.

Should've guessed...

I believe that ticket would garner a lot, a LOT less than the 45% TFG got in 2020. I'm thinking in the 24-30% range. Maybe less than that. That is such a "Jackass Ticket" that everyone would easily recognize it as such and even Republicans would run for the hills. Except for the MAGA hard-core that is... And even they would start peeling off at the sight of that ticket. Worse than McCain-Palin by a long, long shot.

Plus that 10 mile long line of cars because everyone else wants to go get lost in the corn. Call it a corn fetish. That's on every one else's bucket list, right? Not just mine...? to go get lost "in the corn"....

That was the joke KL2 was playing... It definitely is Goff and the played joke was on the VW Golf... It certainly seems to fit the narrative though, doesn't it?

I thought I remembered seeing a VW Goff somewheres... I mean they have a plant in California, don't they? Or at least a dealership...

Isn't that VW?

And that's what I am NOT saying. That is what Chas is saying. What I am saying is that in 2023 wins were prioritized, including by Hinch (understandable based on expectations), and he didn't make the roster moves in 2023 that he would have in 2022... But I'm just guessing...

Huh? What? Please show me where I am blaming Hinch for the stalled progress of minor leaguers. Because I have no idea what you're talking about. And where exactly am I blaming Hinch for the terrible performance of a substandard roster of players? You're making things up here... I've said nothing of the sort. Twice. Is it this? Because I complained about not bringing up Kerry in a timely manner? Because this has nothing to do with the other two points you've made. Not calling up Kerry has no relationship to how the minor leaguers develop, nor is it blaming Hinch for the crappy year last year, with Avila's crappy roster. Here's what it DOES say, and let me explain myself clearly: (A) I believe Hinch and Avila spoke almost daily, if not at least weekly. About the team. Problems/ issues/ injuries/ where the team was going/ how to fix things/ etc. That's what Managers and executive vice president and general manager of the entire organization do. They talk, and discuss potential moves, and fixes, etc. What, are you telling me because Avila was the executive vice president and general manager of the entire organization that Hinch had absolutely no say in who was being called up or sent down, whatsoever? I believe you are overstating Avila and underselling Hinch's status/ pull on the roster in a significant way. (B) If I am correct and Hinch had some input into roster callups... Then he didn't prioritize calling up Thompson or Kerry. Or maybe Avila overruled him and wouldn't allow Hinch to call him up. Or maybe Avila said "We gotta prioritize wins right now so look to the Veterans getting better (Meadows/ Schoop/ etc.) instead of giving shots to these other guys." Or maybe HINCH said "I'd rather push for getting some wins so lets stick with the vets." No one knows who said what or who made what decisions with regards to (B). I am placing no blame on Hinch for last year. But I AM saying he may be slow to move on from veterans. Like Miggy, who should have been benched a lot earlier and a shot given to Trace Thompson (IMO). Again, like I said, maybe this is all in my head... but the fear is going to stick in there, hoping that Hinch is not reluctant to "take calculated risks" and play some of these kids. Until I see that he is perfectly on board with that. I'm certain Harris will give him a push and say "Hey, let's try to do better than Schoop and call up Wenceel for a shot to see how he handles it." Let's see what happens when that happens... when Wenceel or Dingler or someone else is called up to see what they've got... And how Hinch plays them. This is my opinion but... I think Hinch is pushing for wins (understandable), not for playing kids. But we're under a new M.O., so I'm interested in seeing how Hinch handles that...

PS: Oh, and based on what I've seen the past couple of years... I believe that I DO have a legitimate concern. I hope it's much ado about nothing. But I just want to see it.

I'm not interested in tossing out blame or anything like that... I just don't want Hinch to feel pressured to prioritize winning over developing the kids or giving those kids chances. Maybe you're right and Avila left him with little to no options so there's no blame to be placed at Hinch's feet there... But... There were a couple bats that were hot in Toledo last year: one we gave away to the Dodgers; and the other was Kerry Carpenter, who was called up - a bit late - to Detroit. When we OBVIOUSLY needed bats last year. Who made those calls? Avila? Or Hinch? I hope it was Avila impeding the progress/ potential call-ups and not Hinch; and that Harris breaks any tendency to just sit on veterans instead of swiftly moving on and giving kids chances... because I'm on the side of out with the old and in with the new... at least until there's a core that sticks. I don't know the answers to the questions I just raised. Again, I hope it was Avila as the problem. I don't want it to be Hinch that blocks kids' chances or playing time. I just... don't know that for certain.

And everyone seems to jump on whatever the latest bandwagon is... But, the flipside is that there does seem to be some changing of the guard at play right now... Rodgers & Brady are pretty much on the outs and the young kids are definitely in...

Jamel Dean. Nothing but money...