This is usually around the time I’d make some kind of parody of a classic Christmas poem or that Mariah Carey song, but the Dodgers have sucked all the fun out of this offseason and stalled everything so there isn’t much non-Dodgers/non-Juan Soto news to report, especially not from the Cubs, who barely did some random minor league signings (which are still important, but honestly just not very fun). Since there’s nothing to report, and I’m not that motivated right now, I guess we will defer it to next year since apparently that’s something MLB allows us to do.
In its stead, I’ll just say I appreciate you all letting me hang out here at this place I found many years ago when I was wondering why the hell Ryan Theriot would be worth that much in arbitration. It was a simpler time before we worried about things like worker’s rights and the like (not that we shouldn’t care, mind you), and I didn’t quite know why I thought he was nuts for wanting the $3 million or whatever it was, but I’m glad someone was able to break down the numbers and value calculations for me. Ever since we shuttered our own site at world series dreaming dot com due to our shifting priorities, I wasn’t able to blog until you all let me in, so thanks, and sorry.
Also much appreciation to those of you who hang out with me on the podcast, which maybe five people listen to regularly but it’s more of a fun hobby than anything, a chance to talk amongst fellow fans about the stupidity that is Major League Baseball. At this age, and given how hard it is to make an actual living out of blogging, I’m just happy to have fun.
So yeah, thanks, Merry Christmas, and a happy new year. May Jed find some couch cushion money and sign Cody Bellinger already.
Comments
For everyone who’s Jewish, sorry I missed Hanukkah
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Merry Christmas, RC and the assorted Jabronimati!
andcountingQuote Reply
New BA policy for foreign professional free agents
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/why-we-stopped-ranking-foreign-professionals-from-japan-and-korea-as-prospects/
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Happy Festivus, jabronis.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Rarity fails me
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Rice CubeQuote Reply
Mets row was surprisingly much worse for my rarity score than the Reds.
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PerkinsQuote Reply
Merry Xmas to all*
*except Dodgers fans
berseliusQuote Reply
They can have the Futurama version of Xmas.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
I’n going to get you so many lizards!
berseliusQuote Reply
Happy Christmas everyone
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Happy Xmas, dm.
SKQuote Reply
Not horrible for all small market teams. Half of it was Thome.
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PerkinsQuote Reply
For me it was stupid AJ Pierzynski
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Rice CubeQuote Reply
Merry Xmas, Bears fans.
Signed, the Packers defense not quite managing to blow it against this awful Panthers offense.
berseliusQuote Reply
Happy Christmas, jabronii.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Merry Xmas, ya filthy animals
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Rice CubeQuote Reply
Not my most impressive today.
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PerkinsQuote Reply
Trying to think of an obscure Cubs MVP was tough
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Rice CubeQuote Reply
Bah.
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PerkinsQuote Reply
Kiermaier back to the Jays – one less Bellinger suitor. Or at least, the number at which the Cubs come in competitive second to whoever signs him will now be lower (dying laughing).
berseliusQuote Reply
The guy who gave Todd hell for throwing away unsold hot dogs died π
https://twitter.com/ChicagoVince/status/1739721283372216530?t=xkIpzR-aDPaEL9mlEfOYXQ&s=19
Rice CubeQuote Reply
On the one hand, this is a time to rest and relax…on the other hand, feels like when the employer used to get mad that you’re actually daring to use your PTO (dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Tried to think of someone other than Andrew Benintendi and came up short. Rarity score suffered.
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PerkinsQuote Reply
Bleah
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Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
It goes the other way here, they shut down the site and force you* to take PTO here or take leave without pay (dying laughing)
*there’s an extra week to the yearly PTO allowance to offset it
berseliusQuote Reply
Bah, MLB offseason but especially the Cubs
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Guess the Yamamoto conference was today
https://www.youtube.com/live/a9w4q4otYlk?si=4-ftWlZ0p3uiDy9n
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Cubs just gotta zag when everyone else zigs or something.
berseliusQuote Reply
Next time we get together to pod I hope the Cubs have done something of note that we don’t have to dissect too much to feign excitement for…right now we have a choice between “Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly” or “Secretly Poor” for show titles if nothing happens by February π
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I assumed the Cubs would be fairly active this offseason. Whatβs the point of firing your manager and paying considerably more unless youβre going to improve the roster?
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
The *assumption* is that they will do something, and technically it isn’t the FO’s fault neither Shohei or Yamamoto chose them or gave them too much attention and delayed pretty much the entire offseason, but it sure is boring and kind of bad that there’s no hard deadline to spur transactions. Then again I’m still unsure if a deadline would further screw the players out of money they otherwise would have earned.
It’s really hard to stay patient but the offseason isn’t yet lost, especially when there is still a trade route or two.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
The astounding fragility of the human body, it’s a wonder we survived so long
https://theathletic.com/5165105/2023/12/28/mlb-weird-injuries-2023/
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Former Cubs legend Kyle Schwarber had a really stupid baseball season
https://theathletic.com/5157673/2023/12/26/mlb-2023-wild-hitting-pitching-stats/
Rice CubeQuote Reply
All teams
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Rice CubeQuote Reply
Pat Hughesβs favorite player name was 11 of this.
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PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
A U π E O?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Thatβs the one!
PerkinsQuote Reply
Pujols is a landmine wherever you use him.
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PerkinsQuote Reply
Mets had a lot of Venezuelans but racking my brain to find Dominicans was a chore
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Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Luis Castillo was mine for NYM.
PerkinsQuote Reply
New-ish year shit –> http://www.obstructedview.net/happy-new-year-sign-votto-for-the-hell-of-it/
Rice CubeQuote Reply