Per Connolly: O's intensifying interest in Morales (Roch says he's hearing no)

[weams]

Well, you do make a convincing Santa Claus.

I'd pay to see that. Convincing.

[Rconnell]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Orioles and Mariners both have Morales over Cruz on their priority target rankings according to multiple sources and both still involved</p>— JIM BOWDEN (@JimBowdenESPNxm) <a href="

">February 21, 2014</a></blockquote>

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Let's hope Morales wants to re-establish his value in OPACY and get away from Seattle's awful ballpark.

[weams]

LAD is not letting go of Ethier. Kemp is hardly able to run yet. And it would take a couple of our best pitching prospects to get him. Makes no sense.

Kemp may never play again. He may be done!

[CA-ORIOLE]

I'd pay to see that. Convincing.

He's posted pictures and they look pretty convincing.

[weams]

Is it Christmas???

Christmas in Balmer.

[weams]

You're positive Almanzar won't hit well enough? I don't know, but I trust them to make the right decision. I like Pearce because he covers the COF and 1B, and could be a decent platoon with Lough in LF. I like Peguero because he is a RH bat, plays all 3 OF, could become a starter down the road if we keep him, and is a good PR.

He might hit. He might.

[weams]

Mariners better not beat us out for Kendrys. Come get that East Coast lovin', Kendrys. Crabcakes. Nice Florida facilities. AL East spotlight.

They do not give up a pick for Kendrys so they will have the better offer. That's why you go along with Scott's creative solution.

[tntoriole]

Yep. If he idea is to look more appealing in next year's market, I gotta figure you take OPACY all things being equal. Heck, I might take a couple of million less if the intent is to get a big contract next winter.

Kendrys, Kendrys! He has a bat! Reminds me a bit of kenny singleton's swing. Here are the highlights, the music is again annoying.

[video=youtube_share;WDnERMcg7YE]

[Guest]

Mariners better not beat us out for Kendrys. Come get that East Coast lovin', Kendrys. Crabcakes. Nice Florida facilities. AL East spotlight.

That's fine then we get my boy

[Guest]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23orioles&src=hash">#orioles</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23mariners&src=hash">#mariners</a> still talking to kendrys morales. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23pirates&src=hash">#pirates</a> thinking about it. <a href="http://t.co/xhhdzagjXY">http://t.co/xhhdzagjXY</a></p>— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) <a href="

">February 21, 2014</a></blockquote>

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[Guest]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Sources: <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Orioles&src=hash">#Orioles</a> in talks with both Morales and Cruz. Deal with one or other could happen soon.</p>— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) <a href="

">February 21, 2014</a></blockquote>

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YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

[Austin]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Sources: <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Orioles&src=hash">#Orioles</a> in talks with both Morales and Cruz. Deal with one or other could happen soon.</p>— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) <a href="

">February 21, 2014</a></blockquote>

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YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Good lord, I literally just saw this tweet and came to post it. I was a fool to think I could beat Birdland. I bow to you.

[Guest]

Good lord, I literally just saw this tweet and came to post it. I was a fool to think I could beat Birdland. I bow to you.

I'm a loser lol.

[Number5]

Protection didn't improve Jone's stats with Davis hitting behind him last year and it looks like Davis did just fine last year with a pretty mediocre Wieter's behind him. I wouldn't waste too much time worrying about protection. In fact, no time at all. Hitters taking good approaches at the plate generally works out better. Lets just get better hitters instead of worrying about protection voodoo.

Lineup protection is only "nonsense" to those that have a fundamental misunderstanding of its purpose.

Managers employ lineup protection in order to increase the number of runs the team scores. Improvement of a players rate stats is NOT the goal or purpose of lineup protection. Managers expect players to produce at pretty much the same rate with lineup protection as without, but lineup protection increases the pitches to hit that the top hitters see in keyy game situations, which results in more runs. More plate appearances resulting in batted balls by the team's strongest hitters with runners in scoring position will result in more runs scored, given that the players' rate stats are unaffected. This is obvious to everyone not blinded by statistical fog.

The "studies" claiming to "disprove" lineup protection start with the fallacy that the strategy's purpose is to improve a players rate stats, and when the rate stats remain pretty much equal, they claim that lineup protection doesn't work. These studies ignore runs scored and runs batted in data altogether, which really renders the studies totally useless. Anyone who has, in fact, played the game, however, fully understands the merits of lineup protection... the team scores more runs.

It is interesting that the same people that claim lineup protection doesn't work are the same ones that consider RBI and runs scored to be useless stats. Convenient. Runs scored and runs batted in do not mean what they were once thought to mean as far as individual stats are concerned due to the dependence upon other players in a team's lineup. However, it is that very lineup dependence that results in the increased runs scored and runs batted in statistics that absolutely make the importance of lineup protection evident to everyone that matters. As a result, all managers will continue to employ lineup protection wherever possible, and continue to pitch around unprotected sluggers in their opponents lineup in key game situations.

[VeveJones007]

Good lord, I literally just saw this tweet and came to post it. I was a fool to think I could beat Birdland. I bow to you.

I was amazed that I got this thread started before Birdland.