The Idiocy Gene

minndodger:

Which brings up an interesting question, who would you rather have on BBTN Kruk or Buster?

Hershiser.

"It is called being a professional. If you take the money, give the effort. If you are a pro in any sport, you are always supposed to give your best effort." ~Joe Morgan.

minndodger:

hunteralan:

minndodger:

Which brings up an interesting question, who would you rather have on BBTN Kruk or Buster?

Hershiser.

That is not one of the choices. You have your choice between the two dummies. One gets set on fire, blown up and dropped on his head the other one we just wish those things would happen.

Hershiser.

"It is called being a professional. If you take the money, give the effort. If you are a pro in any sport, you are always supposed to give your best effort." ~Joe Morgan.

DoppelgangBang:

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Ag4riwCW0T5PdY8sgJ8.aOU5nYcB?slug=jp-arod103007&prov=yhoo&type=lgn

Frontrunners (sorta) ...

I like all this buzz around us! It better turn into actual product on the field though!

Form the ARod thread.... I agree with the sentiment of it being nice to be named as frontrunners, but . . . .

This clown sounds like a prime candidate for the Idiocy Gene!

1. Los Angeles Angels

Why? There are about 50 good reasons. The Angels need a bat in the worst way. They can move Chone Figgins to any number of positions, opening up third base. Rodriguez would give them instant cachet in Los Angeles. Bartolo Colon's monster salary comes off the books this offseason. True bilingual star in a market lacking one. Everything fits.

Why not? Publicly, owner Arte Moreno balks at devoting too much of his payroll to one player. If there's one player to splurge on, though, it's Rodriguez. Which makes the Angels the favorite.

Bartolo Colon's monster contract? All $14 million of it? Now for what Colon did, that's huge money, but c'mon. That's hardly 'monster contract' territory Mr. Passan. Get a grip!

True bilingual star? Anyone know if ARod actually speaks Spanish fluently? I don't know, but I do know that he's grown up the All-American boy in Florida. he spent three years as a young child in the Dominican but that's it.

Arte Moreno balks at devoting too much money to one player? Guerrero - $70 million; G. Anderson - 4 yr./$48 million; G. Matthews - $50 million.... Huh?

2. Los Angeles Dodgers

Why not? Four potential issues. First, though owner Frank McCourt has raised the payroll to about $108 million, the Dodgers still made the second most money in baseball aside from Florida last year, according to Forbes. Which is to say: In baseball terms, he's stingy. Next: After outfielder J.D. Drew opted out of his Dodgers contract after last season, general manager Ned Colletti stopped talking with Boras, his agent. They still aren't speaking. Also: Torre, fully aware of Rodriguez's drama-queen antics, might put the kibosh on. And: The Dodgers have Andy LaRoche, a top prospect, ready to fill the hole at third next season.

Four wrong answers....

1.) McCourt is stingy? For wanting to make money and being a good businessman? McCourt has spent on Pierre, Kent, Nomar, Lowe, Furcal on long term deals. He's spent countless millions on the stadium. This is at best a very weak arguement and at worst complete BS.

2.) Is Passan one of Bore-a$$' shills? Does he have a one on one relationship woth Colletti? How on earth can he say Colletti still isn't talking with Bore-a$$? My guess is he can't.

3.) Torre (IF hired) would kibosh the signing of the most dominant offensive player of this generation? Not likely.

4.) What does Passan know that the rest of us don't in terms of LaRoche? Anyone else as convinced about LaRoche being able to fill 3B adequately next year as to waive off a signing of ARod? How ridiculous is that? I like LaRoche but not enough to asuage my desire for the most prolific offensive presence in the game today.

There may be some reasons 'Why not' for the Dodgers. But none of these qualify, Mr. Passan.

"It is called being a professional. If you take the money, give the effort. If you are a pro in any sport, you are always supposed to give your best effort." ~Joe Morgan.

San Francisco Chronicle's Bruce Jenkins . . . Step right up!

So who's in line to pay A-Rod?

1.) Giants: A number of sources place Peter Magowan and Larry Baer right at the top of the list.

What sources would those be? How many exactly is 'a number of sources'? Eight . . . Ten . . . Twelve . . . ? I'm guessing the number is Two . . . Jenkins' Aunt Ruthie and Carl the Milkman.

2.) Mets: They were a collection of A-Rods down the stretch this year, choking their way right out of the playoffs.

The Mets closed the season 5-12 mainly because their pitching fell apart. They had approximately a 6.90 ERA in the last 17 games. They missed the playoffs.

ARod posted an 1.193 OPS with 10 HR and 31 RBI in September. He posted a 1.054 OPS with 9 HR and 22 RBI in August. He made the the playoffs with the Yankees.

So the similarities are where?

3.) Red Sox: Look at it this way: The season after their A-Rod deal fell through, the Red Sox won it all. Now they have two titles in four years. The message couldn't be more clear.

What message is that, Mr. Jenkins? That you're a first class Idiot who thinks there is actually some cause and effect relationship between the Red Sox not getting ARod and their winning two World Series in the last four years?

4.) Dodgers: In a stadium full of short-order cooks who claim to be screenwriters, the not-quite-real Rodriguez would be perfect in L.A. The Dodgers could use a hammer in their publicity contests with the Angels. But it's hard to imagine cost-conscious owner Frank McCourt hanging out too long in the bidding, and if Joe Torre becomes the manager, as rumored, he'd just as soon iron out a serious clubhouse rift without A-Rod's presence. As the Yankees' manager, Torre knew enough of Rodriguez to bat him eighth (against Detroit) in a postseason game.

A stadium full of short-order cooks . . . Heh! That's actually kind of funny. A needless dig, but nonetheless...

And this dude sure is anti-ARod. Here he labels him as 'the not-quite-real Rodriguez' . . . Elsewhere he's 'a weak-minded narcissist', and 'a phony', 'a prima donna', he 'doesn't have a mind of his own', 'doesn't trust himself', 'gets all sensitive and introspective', and is 'filled with self-doubt'. Wow, how does poor ARod even wake up in the morning?

'Hard to imagine cost-conscious owner Frank McCourt...' - First of all, isn't cost-consious a good thing? Earlier in the article, Jenkins kind of ripped McGowan for being played by Bore-a$$ last year with Zito, now he's ripping McCourt for being conscious of his spending? I think what he was trying to say is McCourt is cheap. That would make more sense, right? Not that it's true, but it is the easy, lazy, uneducated answer to criticizing McCourt.

And once again, we find another media writer who evidently is a close, personal friend of Joe Torre's. Mr. Jenkins is so chummy with Torre that he know's for sure that Torre would not want ARod in Dodger Blue becasue ARod would cause a rift in the already fractured clubhouse.

Torre hates ARod soooo much, he hit him eighth in the Yankee lineup . . . ONCE. Over ARod's four year Yankee career he batter cleanup the vast majority of the time and when he didn't he was hitting 2nd, 3rd, or 5th. So tell me, Mr. Jenkins, what do you think your bestest buddy Joe really thinks of ARod???

I have to say I'm actually happy Torre batted ARod 8th during the '06 playoffs. It shows our possible next manager has some cajones. He probably earned more respect from that one move than Little could have garnered in a whole year. Seems to me, this could work for us a lot more than against.

But then again, I'm not part of the Joe Torre Buddies-R-Us brigade. What would I know....

"It is called being a professional. If you take the money, give the effort. If you are a pro in any sport, you are always supposed to give your best effort." ~Joe Morgan.

An open letter to Bruce Jenkins.

I used to think that you had half a mind, but after reading that, I have come to the conclusion that you are drinking the same Kool-Aid that Simers and Plaschke live off of. It is remarkable that a tool like yourself has to write this tripe to convince yourself that your second-rate team can somehow woo ARod to a career of second division finishes and comparisons to *. Why on Earth would any rational Gint fan want ARod. One player, no matter how good isn't gonna change their fate. Better off spending that $30 million on three or four solid free agents and try to build through the farm system and astute drafts. The Dodgers did this already, Bruce, they are now likely one player away from being a perennial playoff team. ARod makes sense in LA.

Mets? Did you watch the Mets at the end of the season? They had no problem hitting the ball. Their problem lies in getting the other team out. This is why they will spend the winter trying to improve their pitching and catching. Expect them to get Santana, probably another starter, a couple of solid relievers and Posada. Seeing as it is likely they will spend as much on Santana's arb number and Posada as they would on ARod to fill a need they don't have, my plan makes more sense. Jenkins, you must know what sense is? Two down, two to go.

Red Sox. Lessee, they have just won the last World Series and one of the leaders of that team was their third baseman - Mike Lowell. Just going out on a limb here, but I think they can afford to resign him. Next argument, ARod can replace Crackhead at short...right. There is no way that Epstein is gonna mess with what worked. Even Crackhead had some value and I doubt the Red Sox got where they are at by throwing away money. C'mon Jenkins, do some homework.

Now to the Dodgers, who like the Angels make sense. McCourt cheap? Have you been paying attention, Jenkins? He has spent and spent very well, not in results, mind you, but he hasn't shied away from dropping dime. I don't get what is wrong with dropping a player in the lineup when he isn't producing? I guess you are trying to convince yourself that the Dodgers...the hated Dodgers don't make sense and in the lieu of facts, you are trying to make up stuff that doesn't hold a drop of water. Geez, Bruce, the Dodgers have money - their franchise has doubled in value since the McCourts purchased it and they didn't have to build a stadium to increase the value. Unlike the Giants, the Dodgers turned a nifty profit and will still draw more fans without ARod then your team would with him. From an economic POV the Dodgers make more sense, from the player's standpoint, the Dodgers make more sense and if you had the clues the good lord dealt you, it would make sense to you.

C'mom, Bruce, this piece was the epitome of homerism. Open your eyes, most Giant fans don't want ARod. They already did the one star thing and it didn't work out at all. Do some homework, write from an objective base and think for yourself. You know it is for your own good.

I'll play the radio on Southern stations because Southern Belles are Hell at night...

BluePastorKyle:

Brendt, you simply MUST do your take on Gwen Knapp's latest:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/11/01/SPFVT437R.DTL

I'm heading out for some meetings, but I'm looking forward to your post when I get back. Suffice it to say, she may take the cake for Idiot of the year. She is true to one thing, however: She a Gnat fan.

WHOAAAA!!!!

She's so whacked, it's going to take installments to get through that pile of drivel! Even I can't handle all that bumbling idiocy in one sitting. Stay tuned.....

"It is called being a professional. If you take the money, give the effort. If you are a pro in any sport, you are always supposed to give your best effort." ~Joe Morgan.

Continued . . .

They need starting pitching. Right now, it's Brad Penny, Derek Lowe, Chad Billingsley and Then What.

Everybody needs starting pitching. What else is new? But after spending the 47 mil on Schmidt, do you think the Dodgers are going to make a run at, say, free agent Carlos Silva? Don't think so.

If everybody needs starting pitching, why rip a team that already has Penny, Billingsley and Lowe? Oh, right, you're trying to prove a fallacious, biased opinion. Sorry . . . forgot.

And why exactly would the Dodgers make a run at, say, free agent Carlos Silva anyway??? Again, very weak Mr. Wojciegetyourheadout.

And maybe the McCourts will shock us, but I'm not counting on A-Rod making a soft landing in Chavez Ravine. Mike Lowell, maybe. A-Rod, no. He'll play for Los Angeles, but it will be the Angels before the Dodgers.

Isn't Mike Lowell the World Series hero for the hometown team? I thought it was in the bylaws of BoSPiN that 'one will not speak ill words, or even have ill thoughts of any kind against the hometown Red Sox'? I think Mike Lowell has a libel suit against Mr. Wojciecaughtwithhispantsdownski . . .

Guess Gene missed the inter-department memo that the hometown team would like to retain the services of the WS MVP.

Still, Torre isn't coming to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Dodgers have some serious young talent on the roster and in the pipeline.

Whoa, there!!! Now you're confusing me. I thought the Dodgers were a prop plane with no power and no parachutes? That is what you said, isn't it Mr. Wojcieflipflopski? I can read it back for you . . . It says, and I quo . . .

Oh, you remember now? What's that about repeating what Joe Morgan said earlier in the break room?

Outfielders Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, Delwyn Young. Infielders Russell Martin, Andy LaRoche, James Loney, Tony Abreu (when Jeff Kent is gone).

The bullpen is solid (Takashi Saito with Jonathan Broxton as a possible closer-in-waiting). And left-hander Scott Elbert (shoulder surgery) and right-hander Bryan Morris (Tommy John surgery) have potential if they recover from those injuries.

What, no mention of the #1 pitching prospect in the minors, Clayton Kershaw? And you were so impressing me with all those names you dropped.

But there's no way Torre agreed to this deal without assurances from the McCourts that they'd bump up the payroll and fill in some potholes.

Mr. Torre: "So, Frank . . . Uhh, I mean Jamie, can I have some assurances that you'll bump up the payroll and fill some of the potholes?"

Mrs. McCourt: "What if we say no?"

Mr. Torre: "Aww, Gee . . . That's okay, I was just joshin'! Sure, I'll take the job!"

Mr. McCourt: "Grea . . . Oh, sorry, I forgot to ask permission again didn't I Jamie? May I speak?"

Mrs. McCourt: "Yes . . . But hold it to 20 words or less."

Mr. McCourt: "Thanks! Oh, crap! That was one of my twenty words! Aaagh!. . . . . Uhh, does that noise count? . . . Sixteen, now sevent . . . GREAT!!"

And even then, the Dodgers still have to deal with the Colorado Rockies, the Arizona Diamondbacks (who will have starting pitching issues of their own, though), and the San Diego Padres.

Shoot! You mean the Rockies, D-backs, and Padres won't fold up the franchises if the Dodgers fill in some potholes??? Crap! I was soooo hoping filling in those potholes would scare the rest of the NL West so bad they'd acquiesce to any demand Mrs. Frank put on them.

Torre will make a difference, but he won't make THE difference. That only happens if the McCourts decide to get serious about winning games. What are the chances of that happening.

Mr. Torre: "Are you serious about winning games?"

Mrs. McCourt: "What games?"

Mr. Torre: "The baseball games?"

Mrs. McCourt: "Baseball? I thought we'd bought Mary Kay? You mean those 3.9 million people who came to this great new beach house Frank bought me, with the huge courtyard and manicured grass, weren't here for a Mary Kay party? Oh no! Frank, what am I going to do with all this makeup?"

Mr. McCourt: "You could fill in the potholes."

Mr. Torre: "Uhhh, could I reconsider?"

Mr./Mrs. McCourt: "NO!!!"

"It is called being a professional. If you take the money, give the effort. If you are a pro in any sport, you are always supposed to give your best effort." ~Joe Morgan.

It's been of no surprise that BoSPiN's coverage of us the last couple of days has been extensive, but much more insulting than anything else. One of the idiot DorkCenter announcers said, "It's good when the Dodgers can catch up with the media." Yeah, moron, that's what we are trying to do, catch up with you.

But several has asked a question so stupid, so idiotic that it should go into the idiot hall of fame.

Do you think Mariano Riveria and Jorge Posada will follow Torre to the Dodgers?

Oh boy, golly gee, I sure hope they do so they can fill the huge holes we have at catcher and closer. If only we had a decent player at either of those positions.

That question is the definition of our new word, Kruktific.

BluePastorKyle:

Time to add Steve Henson to the TOOL shed.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Ar16kgK8FFnMUxP6Nk8SG.ERvLYF?slug=sh-torreheir110107&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

I've read worse. I am still wondering what passes for intelligence in JA Adande's pointed head.

I'll play the radio on Southern stations because Southern Belles are Hell at night...

continued . . . .

Jimmy (Springer nm): Will the Yankees be in contention next year with Girardi or will it be a couple of years

Joe Morgan: Well, the problem in baseball is, even if you say you're going to rebuild and be back in a couple of years, there's no guarantee that they will be back. If they lose, Rivera, Posada, Pettitte, they won't be in the playoffs next year. They do have some young pitchers that they need to develop, but at the same time your veterans are getting older.

So you're going to rebuild your team, huh Jimmy? Good thing because your veterans are getting older, ya know...

Good gracious! If my six year old son wrote like this his kindergarten teacher would fail him! Yet Joe remains untouched by The Worldwide Leader in Sports...

Joe starts by talking to you, presumably Jimmy about his rebuilding ... Then he switches to talking about they, presumably the Yankees ... Then he ends by talking to you again, presumably Jimmy again about his teams aging veterans...

Take a writing class, Joe.

brett (philly): what can the phillies do to make the next step and be a true contender?

Joe Morgan: I think the Phillies are a true contender already. When you have Rollins, Howard, Utley, you already have a young nucleus. The problem is that the ballpark is so small and it plays small, so pitching is always going to be a problem for them. For them to win, you have to have pitching that can perform.

You don't say!?!?! What a revelation! Pitching that can perform . . . Wow.

And again with the them and you's . . . Let's rewrite that last sentence for Joe: For [the Phillies] to win, [brett in Philly] has to have pitching that can perform.

This passes at BoSPiN for in-depth analysis . . .

The Reds, under Dusty Baker, are in a similar situation in that the ballpark plays so small, it's hard to have a good pitching staff. The Reds are going to have to outscore opponents. But the Phillies are already a contending team. They just have to find some starting pitching for next season. But the Mets are in the same situation.

But the Reds, under anyone else, wouldn't have that problem? Is that what you're saying? Or are you so attached to Baker's jock that you have to include him in every reference to the Reds?

I vote for the latter personally.

And the Reds are going to have to outscore the opponents? Holy cow, Joe! First the revelation about needing pitching to perform, now this about having to outscore your opponents?!?!

Thanks Captain Obvious...

Peter (MI): What kind of impact will Reneria have with the Tigers?

Joe Morgan: I'm a big Renteria fan. Huge in fact. He'll have a big impact because I'm a big fan of Renteria. Renteria = I'm a big fan.

Okay, so it's not what Joe actually worte . . . But I know it's what he was thinking.

Rob (Albany): Joe, do you think the mets will try to trade their younger arms (pelfrey humber mulvey) for a big name or let them develop for next year?

Joe Morgan: It depends on which young arms you're talking about.

HE TOLD YOU WHICH ARMS HE'S TALKING ABOUT! Aren't you listening? He want's to know about Pelfrey, Humber, and Mulvey. Even I got that and I'm not even a top baseball analyst for The Worldwide Leader in Sports!

I think John Maine is going to be a really good pitcher.

HE DIDN'T ASK ABOUT MAINE!!! Pelfrey, Humber, and Mulvey, Joe. It's right there in balck and white.

Pelfrey, he didn't seem like he was ready when I saw him a couple of times last year.

And Humber and Mulvey??? Anything on them? They were asked about, Joe. Could you see fit to answer the actual question?

I think they need another veteran starter to replace Glavine. I would think that he's not coming back.

Gavine?!?

I know . . . . . . . . . You have absolutely no idea who Humber and Mulvey are do you, Joe?

Bill (PA): Hey Joe, Now that the season is over, are you taking a vacation?

A vacation!?!? From what, Bill in PA? From doing absolutely nothing?!?

Joe's on permanent vacation, Bill. How else to explain his complete lack of knowledge of anything related to baseball?

I do have a suggestion for Joe for the off season though . . . . . . Writing 101.

"It is called being a professional. If you take the money, give the effort. If you are a pro in any sport, you are always supposed to give your best effort." ~Joe Morgan.

Who knew that Jimmy from Springer NM was actually George Steinbrenner? Joe is one crafty devil. I guess he gets all that intelligence from being lip-locked on Doofy's jock. Then again, it could be the Reds' thing. Joe surely does love his Reds...Phillies....Gints...you get the picture.

I wonder if the Worldwide Sportsleader pays him by the questions he doesn't answer.

I'll play the radio on Southern stations because Southern Belles are Hell at night...

Try again.

www.majorsimleague.com

"It is called being a professional. If you take the money, give the effort. If you are a pro in any sport, you are always supposed to give your best effort." ~Joe Morgan.

Did you know I had taken over your old team?

By the way, what the heck is a Tiboroneso?

"It is called being a professional. If you take the money, give the effort. If you are a pro in any sport, you are always supposed to give your best effort." ~Joe Morgan.

hunteralan:

Did you know I had taken over your old team?

By the way, what the heck is a Tiboroneso?

Supposed to be Tiburones - Spanish for shark. My spelling, that day was terrible. My other team (in a different league), the Otters managed to win 130 games and still finish in second place.

I'll play the radio on Southern stations because Southern Belles are Hell at night...

JamesMiranda:

grabarkewitz:

hunteralan:

Did you know I had taken over your old team?

By the way, what the heck is a Tiboroneso?

Supposed to be Tiburones - Spanish for shark. My spelling, that day was terrible. My other team (in a different league), the Otters managed to win 130 games and still finish in second place.

Speak spanish do we friend? Yes sir, Tiburones...sharks.

Enough to get my face slapped. I used to be able to converse, but that was over thirty years ago when I was in high school. Now, I just try to know enough Portuguese to keep up with my wife when she gets pissed. I am no linguist. My dad, on the other hand can converse in three languages and never took a foreign language class.

I'll play the radio on Southern stations because Southern Belles are Hell at night...