1984Echoes

They're trying to gain an advantage. Fans also in all-white? They're trying to "hide" their players against a white backdrop to confuse the Lions... on O and/or D. Whether that's worth 0 or 3 points or...? Who knows... but it's mildly nefarious to me.

Well... Toledo might have a really nice rotation in 2024...

PS: I don't think the team goes after Hanifan, IMO. If they go after someone, it's a bigger 2-way power forward so... I'm looking more at Elias Lindholm than Hanifan. In fact... that's the guy I want. I think a forward like Lindholm improves our defense (over what we've got: Veleno or Berggren probably lose their spot) more than Hanifan improves our D (over what we've got... I mean, Hanifan is definitely an improvement over Maata/ Chiarot/ Holl, whoever loses out, but I think the difference is smaller here than in the forward group).

I could see Chiarot and Maatta losing their roster spots but... 1) What does it cost to get Hanifan? 2) and... how do you get Chiarot off the roster? 3) If not Chiarot, then Holl? Then: who plays off-hand with only 2 right shot D'men if Holl goes out the door...?

I was going to say Vest would have the most risk at losing his spot but that may not be true. I think Lange may still have some risk even though the bullpen and rotation look pretty much set. Just a WAG theory but... if 6 starters actually squeeze onto the roster (and Manning/Mize work by tandem starts) in a 5-man rotation... that exposes one of those relievers to a trade. It'd have to be a Spring Training move though... and late... March 31st, 2024: Traditional (modern) staff...? Or "calculated risk"?

Both of those are going to be upgraded by kids already at Grand Rapids. Even if that takes a bit of time (and seasoning...).

Per the Acronym Finder. And the Bullpen (BP) Tournament... And... a lazy typist like me...

Except when it also means Bullpen.

I think it's Olson that makes the roster and Mize that starts out in Toledo... with kid gloves on him... I think there's also a non-zero possibility that there are 6 starters on the Opening Day roster, but a 5-man rotation. I like the idea of Manning and Mize co-starting games. Manning pitches 5 inn's, Mize 4. Next start: Mize pitches 5, Manning 4. And so on and so on...

I think BP is primarily Batting Practice. But it is used for both. But batting practice is about a 0 in my head, I never really think about it... The Bullpen... quite often. So I always think of BP = Bullpen even though there's not much out there that supports that. Here's a couple of links though: https://www.acronymfinder.com/Bullpen-(baseball)-(BP).html Bullpen Tournaments BP Tournament Logo https://bullpentournaments.com › Home Home · Baseball · 2023 Tournaments · Baseball Rules · Divisions · Rosters ... Bullpen · Grand Park · Grand Park Campus Map · Park Rules · Directions · Parking I think we had this discussion on here before... including Casimir's "Arm Barn" suggestion... Or maybe that was on the old site...?

Barely hanging on in the 2nd...

Right. Can't be Zimmerman 2.0 on a 1-year contract. Does not compute.

Please tell me you're yanking my chain... BP = Bullpen.

Not only that... Maybe he can reacquaint Mize with his old splitter. Or better yet.. Improve upon it...

The first impeachment was NOT on Russia... It was on Trump's attempt to extort Ukraine for a "fake investigation" on Biden by refusing to forward congressionally approved funding to them. It was a legit impeachment. Probably not strong enough though... which is essentially the same thing as your "weakness on the 1st" and rolls right into your "2nd = suspect in some eyes" comment.

Probably just someone to throw in the BP to try and help all the kids in there...

Mine is not very different. I actually got through Calc II and Matrix Theory and Differential Equations and... Was looking at career choices as a Mathematician: (A) Actuary. (B) Theoretical Mathematician with a PHD. I didn't like either choice so I shifted to Accounting and got my degree and my CPA. But my family consists of almost all uneducated blue collar workers. Firefighters (Dad & Grandpa), machine shop workers or GM (various uncles), etc... So I had zero guidance as well... No regrets with my choice, but I actually think I would have preferred either Actuary or Finance if I had known better (anything). I was on the Math Club in High School. My head was filled with numbers. And I actually, in all of my accounting jobs over the past 30+ years do math all day long. Writing math formulas in Excel, financial analytics, financial reporting, understanding ERP system logic and coding and working with the IT guys to write Workflows, Reports, Scripts, etc...

I'm thinking that's too far for LaPorta to make it...

The politicians themselves? I think I spoke about the previously indirectly but let me do the direct thing... For those against Trump... but keeping their heads low so as not to get tossed out... I agree with you 100%. That they are both heroes and cowards. Cowards for not speaking truth to power... but heroes in that they are walking amidst a violent mob screaming for the head of anyone defying Trump. And staying in power to stop Trump "for the greater good". But... I don't think there are very many of those at all. The ones who did have the courage, previously, to speak truth to power and fight against Trump's lies and fascism... have already been tossed out on their heads. That would be Kinzinger, Cheney, and the others who voted Trump guilty in his impeachment trials and are no longer in Congress by MAGA voters revenge. Any who more closely resemble your description... I believe have been sniffed out by MAGA as "not true believers" and have also been primaried. Nastier MAGA Reps were voted into Congress as a replacement, or an unelectable MAGA candidate lost to a Dem. I think those who more closely resemble your description have been whittled down. To what number, I don't know. There are also a lot of politician Republicans who are now currently denouncing Trumpism/ fascism... so they cannot be true believers... and they may, or may not survive the next election... But they HAVE differentiated themselves from MAGA. I bolded the main part above where I speak specifically to your question and am in agreement. Everything else is added flavorings...

One further point: MAGA made a concerted effort to expel anyone who did not support Trump. Or his lies. They KNEW it was a lie (but let's throw some gray in here and say only a % were doing this even knowing Trump was lying... What % would that be?)... but if you didn't support Trump and his lies MAGA made an organized effort to eliminate politicians in primaries or otherwise, from office. "You either believe the lie I'm telling you or we're kicking you out." Again, what %-age of MAGA participated in this? A very high %-age, not out of innocence or "true belief", IMO. Very high.

So in my original divergent opinion I stated I disagree 100%. I must admit... That was a lie. I know some of the same type of people as you've outlined. But I know a vast amount of dudes that are lying on purpose and, funny enough, they will admit that they are lying on purpose, for ulterior motives. I believe there are a vast amount of MAGA who are doing this. But 100%? No, that was not reasonable... An exact %...? Too hard to know... It's not 100%... those would be the people you've mentioned... But it's not 0 either... and I believe the final actual % to be a whole lot closer to 100 than 0...

Either this... Or people who CHOOSE to purvey a lie, for ulterior motives. It is my contention that a vast number of MAGA who state that Biden "stole the election" KNOW that it is a lie... but CHOOSE to purvey the lie or proffer their belief in such a lie as a cover for supporting Trump. Their motives are some that I outlined above: They hate Democrats so much that they use the lie to support that hatred, or they prefer Trump's politics even if they know he is disgusting in order to provide cover for their love of his politics: "But Trump had the election STOLEN and therefore he SHOULD be President! I'm voting for him in 2024, guaranteed". I don't believe there are a lot of "innocent" MAGA... I believe that most of them KNOW it's a lie but are using it for cover. IMO.

This is SPECIFICALLY what I am speaking to...

And what I am saying is that a big portion of the general public DO have the same motivation. A big portion KNOW it's a lie but purvey it anyways because it suits their purpose. A big portion KNOW it's a lie but purvey it anyways because their hatred of Democrats supercedes their honesty. A big portion KNOW it's a lie but prefer to go "gaga" over Trump, as their savior, and repeat his every word rather than have an honest conversation or to think for themselves. You could call these "true believers" if you so wish. But people who know better, and hand over their capacity for judgement/ honesty/ etc... to a "leader", such as Trump... I call "sheep". There may be a big portion who do NOT know that they are being lied to, or have the capacity to differentiate... but I believe this immensely lower than those that KNOW it's a lie. This is not an issue of me needing to market to people with different beliefs or values... This boils down to cynicism. Or maybe "Truthsense" if you are a lover of "Dune". Or maybe I am just oversensitive to being lied to. As chas alluded to with my "super emotionals"....

Which adds nuance. How can one tell if someone is very naive and "falls" for a lie easily or innocently... or if someone is opportunistically purveying a lie to further their schemes? There are both.