I'm in no hurry to see the Houston Astros ever leave the basement of the National League Central Division. Yesterday, they decided Hunter Pence and his $6.9-million dollar contract was too much to bear, so they sent him to the Philadelphia Phillies for a couple of wishes and a couple more prayers. This is exactly the type of trade that makes no sense to me. Pence could go to arbitration, but is under team control for two more years. By superstar baseball standards, he makes next to nothing. There is no reason to move him and if a team ever wants to be good, they have to hang on to guys like Pence. He's only 28 and if the Astros have a plan to become a factor in their division within the next three years, he's still going to be in the prime of his career.
The Astros, who acquired Michael Bourn from the Phillies prior to the 2008 season as the main prospect in a deal that sent Brad Lidge the other way, are now expected to deal Bourn (who makes $4.4-million and is under team control for another year after this one). They are also, reportedly, looking to 'dump' Wandy Rodriguez, who just got a new contract prior to this season. He's scheduled to make $10-million, $13-million, and $13-million over the next three years. Sure, Wandy is just 7-and-7, but he has a 3.47-ERA and is a usual lock for seven innings a start. May the Houston Astros never win another game.
The Colorado Rockies and their dangling of Ubaldo Jimenez is also beyond stupid. He has a long term contract that will pay him $5.75-million at its peak. He signed the four year deal in January 2009. If, in fact, he ends up a Yankee by the end of the trade deadline, then I tip my hat despite my hatred towards them. If no other team can find the resources to get a number two calibre starter who is just 27-years-old, then shame on them.
Tampa Bay puts all of their players on the trade market no matter what their record is, including starting pitcher James Shields. He makes $4.25-million this year and is under full team control until 2014. Granted, his salary is set to escalate, but if you want to be a good team you have to pay players. Shields, we already know, is a good one. It makes no sense to deal him away, even at $7-million next year, if all you are going to get are prospects.
The fans are the real dummies here though. Their teams sell hope based on the fact they collect prospects, but as soon as the prospect matures into a bonafide Major League player, he's shipped off for more...you guessed it...prospects. The fans of these teams (San Diego, Tampa Bay, Houston, Kansas City, etc.) should hold their franchises more accountable by staying away from games.
The reality is that you have to develop prospects and then sign them to long term deals once they mature. If you can complement those guys with a couple of astute trades and a few free agent signings, then you are well on your way to success.
Look at the Boston Red Sox: Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, Jonathan Papelbon, Jacoby Ellsbury, Josh Reddick, and Daniel Bard are all home grown through the system. David Ortiz, Josh Beckett, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Jason Varitek, and Tim Wakefield were all brought in through trades that were not necessarily salary dumps by their former teams. Adrian Gonzalez was added via a San Diego dump of salary. Carl Crawford, John Lackey, JD Drew, and Marco Scutaro came through free agency. You know what? The free agents are the worst guys on this list.
The lesson? Develop and sign.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
I LIKE THE SASK PARTY, BUT....
Someday, I wouldn't mind trying my hand at politics, but I don't think any political party would ever take me on. I just don't conform to any one party's beliefs. Sure, there are political parties that I agree with 'most' of the time; but there isn't a single one out there that I would be willing to just nod my head affirmative no matter what decision is made.
We all know a politician goes nowhere as an Independent, so I think I'm probably out of luck as far as a political career is concerned.
Take the Saskatchewan Party, for example. Yorkton MLA Greg Ottenbreit is someone I consider to be a friend and I would vote for him as a person, not as a representative of any particular party.
Over the weekend, Greg impressed me with his due diligence as I expressed on my Facebook page my total annoyance that the Saskatchewan Party would phone me, repeatedly, looking for a donation. I can appreciate that 75% is a tax write-off, but Canadians are already taxed to the hilt. Why would we want to empty our pockets even further to support a political party? Furthermore, to undertake this campaign through telemarketing, which 99% of Canadians find very annoying, is puzzling to me. I would be more apt to give money if Greg himself knocked on my door some evening and said, "Mike, we need your financial help to win the next election." I'm not saying I would give anything, but it would definitely make more of an impact to me. I realize not everyone thinks the way I do, but my opinion is that if you do a good job while in office, I'm going to vote for you in the next election. You don't need to sell me with an advertising campaign, yet I understand the need to do it.
Anyway, Greg responded to my rant on Facebook on Saturday and, quickly, took steps to have my name removed from the Sask Party's telephone list. It was further demonstrated when a Sask Party representative left me a message at work today. Thank-you Greg.
We all know a politician goes nowhere as an Independent, so I think I'm probably out of luck as far as a political career is concerned.
Take the Saskatchewan Party, for example. Yorkton MLA Greg Ottenbreit is someone I consider to be a friend and I would vote for him as a person, not as a representative of any particular party.
Over the weekend, Greg impressed me with his due diligence as I expressed on my Facebook page my total annoyance that the Saskatchewan Party would phone me, repeatedly, looking for a donation. I can appreciate that 75% is a tax write-off, but Canadians are already taxed to the hilt. Why would we want to empty our pockets even further to support a political party? Furthermore, to undertake this campaign through telemarketing, which 99% of Canadians find very annoying, is puzzling to me. I would be more apt to give money if Greg himself knocked on my door some evening and said, "Mike, we need your financial help to win the next election." I'm not saying I would give anything, but it would definitely make more of an impact to me. I realize not everyone thinks the way I do, but my opinion is that if you do a good job while in office, I'm going to vote for you in the next election. You don't need to sell me with an advertising campaign, yet I understand the need to do it.
Anyway, Greg responded to my rant on Facebook on Saturday and, quickly, took steps to have my name removed from the Sask Party's telephone list. It was further demonstrated when a Sask Party representative left me a message at work today. Thank-you Greg.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
SPRINGSIDE DOGS DESERVE RESCUE
http://www.yorktonthisweek.com/article/20110713/YORKTON0101/110719939/0/yorkton/dogs-survive-on-remains
What would you do, if trapped somewhere with nothing to eat for days and weeks at a time? If the only thing in front of you was human meat, would you eat it? It's not a question I'd like to answer, but past stories tell us that it's exactly what people will do. They will eat each other if presented with the only option to survive.
Look no further than Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, otherwise known as the Andes Flight Disaster. The movie 'Alive' was based on this real life tragedy in which a rugby team's airplane crashed in the mountains; stranding survivors for over two months.
Once rescued, I don't believe the survivors resorted to eating people to satisfy their diet for the rest of their lives. Therefore, I can't support putting these dogs to sleep. Find them good homes. End of story.
Here's the update...
http://regina.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110715/sas-dogs-11075/20110715/?hub=Regina
What would you do, if trapped somewhere with nothing to eat for days and weeks at a time? If the only thing in front of you was human meat, would you eat it? It's not a question I'd like to answer, but past stories tell us that it's exactly what people will do. They will eat each other if presented with the only option to survive.
Look no further than Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, otherwise known as the Andes Flight Disaster. The movie 'Alive' was based on this real life tragedy in which a rugby team's airplane crashed in the mountains; stranding survivors for over two months.
Once rescued, I don't believe the survivors resorted to eating people to satisfy their diet for the rest of their lives. Therefore, I can't support putting these dogs to sleep. Find them good homes. End of story.
Here's the update...
http://regina.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110715/sas-dogs-11075/20110715/?hub=Regina
EVERYONE HAS A CHOICE
One of my favorite things to do during the summer while I'm just vegging at the lake is read books. I just finished a real good one called 'Vice'. It's a story about policing the streets of Compton, California; which is a city of about 100,000 people, including 10,000 criminals. There were 130 police officers to maintain some sort of order.
The cop who tells the story is Sgt. John R. Baker (Rick), and there is paragraph in the book that, I think, sums things up perfectly when looking at children and their upbringings and whether or not that has any bearing on their future as a successful contributor to society or whether the individual is going to be a drain.
I, personally, believe that all of us make a personal choice at some point in our lives (some do it earlier than others) as to what type of human being we are going to become. For some, this choice is easy. For others, it's more difficult.
Here's the paragraph:
"The futures of children are balanced on a knife's edge of character and choice, and perhaps a little luck. With proper parenting, or good guidance, or moral role models, any child no matter how unfair his circumstances, can succeed, and excel, and live a life of accomplishment and dignity. Without these, what will become of him?"
The cop who tells the story is Sgt. John R. Baker (Rick), and there is paragraph in the book that, I think, sums things up perfectly when looking at children and their upbringings and whether or not that has any bearing on their future as a successful contributor to society or whether the individual is going to be a drain.
I, personally, believe that all of us make a personal choice at some point in our lives (some do it earlier than others) as to what type of human being we are going to become. For some, this choice is easy. For others, it's more difficult.
Here's the paragraph:
"The futures of children are balanced on a knife's edge of character and choice, and perhaps a little luck. With proper parenting, or good guidance, or moral role models, any child no matter how unfair his circumstances, can succeed, and excel, and live a life of accomplishment and dignity. Without these, what will become of him?"
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