The Republic of Sport

2 cents

2 cents's Comments

Posted Saturday August 16, 2008, About: Agent: MLB blackballing Bonds

Thank you. There are several varieties of snack cookies to choose from. Kracker is mine, and has been sub-contracted to Becca and a few others. Have a nice day.

Again, sorry. I didn't know. I certainly mean no disrespect to anyone on this site. You are obviously a close-knit group of friends and I would never presume to impose my presence upon it without invitation.

A pleasant evening to you also.

Posted Saturday August 16, 2008, About: Agent: MLB blackballing Bonds

2 cents: please stop saying "kracker."

Sorry. No offense intended.

Posted Saturday August 16, 2008, About: Agent: MLB blackballing Bonds

Maybe he thinks you are 2 cents because he said kracker...everyone seems to have alter paranoia ;)

I'm my own kracker, thank you!

Posted Saturday August 16, 2008, About: Agent: MLB blackballing Bonds

Never called you stupid -- just one of your ideas, which you must have agreed with because you threw it out there with a caveat.

Because I guessed how you would have responded. Even those teams as bad as they are, are winning 3 of 7 on the season. They aren't automatic wins, and for the Rays to come away from those two series 5-1 means they're still playing to win.

Posted Saturday August 16, 2008, About: Agent: MLB blackballing Bonds

Okay, Slinky. Numbers don't lie. You've earned the right to slap this kracker around a bit. But you'll never convince me that Bonds is not playing due to collusion. And as an added bonus, if the Rays fail to make the post-season this year without Crawford and Longoria, you can call me stupid again. Thanks for the stimulating debate. Hope I didn't get any on ya.

Posted Saturday August 16, 2008, About: Agent: MLB blackballing Bonds

Clemens actually was only the Yankees "golden savior" (if he can be called that) last year.
Point conceded. And I probably should have said "supposed to be."

"Nobody wants him because of the swirl of controversy that surrounds him."
This was the only comparison I made between the two.

"Bonds was still amazing."
As you so like to point out, Bonds had an amazing OBP last season, but what else about the guy was so amazing? You laughed at me yesterday for daring to compare him to Sammy Sosa. But have you compared them? Check out their run production. Comparable. And Sosa even has a slight edge. What about his fielding? Just like it's always been - average, at best. And how much did he really help the giants win? They finished the same place they would have without him - dead last.

His OBP is amazing, but OBP ain't everything. And neither is Barry Bonds.

Posted Saturday August 16, 2008, About: Agent: MLB blackballing Bonds

"OK now what about the rest of the league? How much you wanna bet if some team needed a gun for hire at the end of the season, Roger Clemmons be considered an option?"

I'll take that bet. Clemens has been the Yankees golden savior the last couple seasons, and with the pitching problems they've had this year, if they wanted him, he'd be there. Clemens is in the same boat as Bonds. Nobody wants him because of the swirl of controversy that surrounds him.

Posted Friday August 15, 2008, About: Giants GM: Rays should sign Bonds

"sosa was horrible. he came back for one reason - to get to 600. the guy is washed up."

.252 BA, 21 HR, 92 RBI in 412 AB's
Not prime Sammy, but not exactly washed up. Like I said. Decent. Meaning he contributed.

Posted Friday August 15, 2008, About: Giants GM: Rays should sign Bonds

Agreed, Tribe. If it could be proven, the union would be all over it.

Posted Friday August 15, 2008, About: Giants GM: Rays should sign Bonds

The loss of Crawford and Logoria certainly hurt, but the Rays strength this year is not offense - it's pitching. And as far as beating the Red Sox and Yankees this year - the Yankee's hopes dim with every passing game. And they don't have to beat the Red Sox. They have to beat the White Sox (or for you White Sox fans, the Twins.) The post-season is a different matter entirely...

Posted Friday August 15, 2008, About: Giants GM: Rays should sign Bonds

So I'm stupid now? I have an opinion, nothing more, nothing less. If you don't agree, fine. But if you need someone to flame on, it won't be me. Bye now.

Posted Friday August 15, 2008, About: Giants GM: Rays should sign Bonds

Okay, Slinky. I won't argue that opinion anymore. I'm not here to change your mind. The only real reason I went off like that was that I'm incredibly sick of hearing how every team could use him, when it's fairly obvious he won't be coming back.

Posted Friday August 15, 2008, About: Giants GM: Rays should sign Bonds

"The last time you looked, did you realized that Longoria and Crawford were out?"
The last time I looked the Rays are 5-1 since Longoria's been out. Don't bother mentioning that they've played Oakland and Seattle - I know that too. Longoria could be back Sept. 1.

Is Crawford out for the season? Anyone know yet?

Posted Friday August 15, 2008, About: Giants GM: Rays should sign Bonds

HAHAHA. You're kidding, right? Sosa had a BELOW AVERAGE offensive season last year. Bonds was AMAZING. He was about 23 at bats short of qualifing for the batting title; had he, he would have lead the NL in OBP. Even if you gave him an 0-23, just so that he qualified, he'd still be #1.
You're comparing Bonds to Sosa? 2 cents? Where's my change?
SlinkyRedfoot | 08/15/08, 09:53 AM

Did I say Sosa had a comparable season? What I said was that Sosa had a decent season, and that he could possibly have something left to contribute. No change.

Posted Friday August 15, 2008, About: Giants GM: Rays should sign Bonds

"I think that was Dean's point."

And my point was that Bonds hasn't, even after being caught in his own lies.

Posted Friday August 15, 2008, About: Giants GM: Rays should sign Bonds

"I think that they all and any other abusers should be banned from baseball whether they apologize or not. And also Selig should be tossed out along with the rest of the garbage."

Banning all abusers could ruin baseball - there've been a lot of them. But I agree some punishment is in order. And Selig isn't good enough for garbage. Drop him in the sewer.

Posted Friday August 15, 2008, About: Giants GM: Rays should sign Bonds

"First of all, the guy still has not been proven guilty of anything."
But he has been indicted, meaning a good likelihood that significant evidence has been collected.

"He is being blacklisted, while Petite, Gambi, Paul Byrd, Ryan Franklin, Gary Sheffield, Ivan Rodriguez, Tejada, etc. etc. are still playing, despite being admitted steroid users."
These players were listed in the Mitchell Report - not all have admitted steroid use. The ones that have have apologized and move on.

"Bonds does not deserve any special treatment...just equal treatment."
Equal to who? Sammy Sosa had a decent season last year too. Think he could contribute something to some team this year? Where's he? What about Piazza? He have anything left? Palmiero? It's been a couple years but he wasn't completely washed up either.

"Baseball and some fans are such major hyprocrites."
Can't say that I disagree.

"Tampa has one shot at beating both the Sox and Yankees"
Last time I looked, they were doing a pretty good job of it without Bonds.

"they are stipud not to sign Bonds and if they don't baseball is guilty of collusion (but of course they are allowed to break laws...different standard)."
The anti-trust exemption was laid to rest years ago. Besides, they haven't been proven guilty of anything. Who's the hypocrite now?

Posted Friday August 15, 2008, About: Giants GM: Rays should sign Bonds

I'll be glad when they finally put this guy in the slammer and we won't have to read these inane stories anymore. The guy's career is over. Give it up already.

Posted Thursday August 14, 2008, About: Scioscia denies padding K-Rod's stats

Kiwi makes a good point. K-Rod has already said he's going to test the market after the season. With no guarantee that he'll come back next year, and a very realistic chance at another championship this year, Scioscia might as well get whatever mileage he can out of K-Rod.

Posted Thursday August 14, 2008, About: Scioscia denies padding K-Rod's stats

Two weeks later [July 14, 1934], Gehrig was afflicted with a painful case of lumbago, a form of rheumatism that barely allowed him the ability to walk. Gehrig had manager Joe McCarthy pencil him into the leadoff spot against Detroit that day, and somehow managed to drag himself to first after poking a single to right field. With his streak intact at 1,427 games, Gehrig went to the bench and allowed himself to be replaced by a pinch-runner."
--"Gehrig's Amazing Streak" By Tim Ott / MLB.com

Any more complaints?

Posted Thursday August 14, 2008, About: MLB hopes to use replay in '08

I am as yet undecided on the issue of replay in baseball. But they shouldn't start it in mid-season. Rules should remain uniform through the entire season. If they're serious about implementing replay, it should start in 2009.