Are we the best of the worst?

[Philip]

2 hours ago, Il BuonO said:

Spoken like someone who has no attachment to money.

I’m not sure what you mean by that, but I wouldn’t really mortgage anything to bet on anything, because I don’t gamble, but you are right, yes I’m not terribly attached to money: other things are more important.

I have a colleague who Constantly hires another colleague whom he detests, and when I asked why he Worked so much with this person he dislikes so much, he answered, “all I care about is money, and he helps me make money.”

What a sad and bitter man he is.

Edited February 22, 2020 by Philip

[Il BuonO]

43 minutes ago, Philip said:

I’m not sure what you mean by that, but I wouldn’t really mortgage anything to bet on anything, because I don’t gamble, but you are right, yes I’m not terribly attached to money: other things are more important.

Guys who “.... bet (mortgage) the house” usually lose the bet. Famous last words in the gambling world.

[Philip]

9 minutes ago, Il BuonO said:

Guys who “.... bet (mortgage) the house” usually lose the bet. Famous last words in the gambling world.

Oh ok. I’ve gone to Vegas twice, the first time I was very lucky. I played blackjack and I was winning right and left. I bought souvenirs for all my people and still brought home a lot of money. I said to myself, “wow this is easy” I went back a year later to the same place, the Luxor, sat down at a blackjack table, and in about 30 minutes I had lost half of the money I had won on my first trip.

I stopped playing, took a taxi back to the airport and came back home. Never went back. So as far as I’m concerned I’m quitting a winner.

[foxfield]

My magic 8 ball is stuck showing two answers:

 

Yes definitely and Ask again later. 
 

On paper I think the Os are the worst team and starting pitching is arguably worse than last year. There is potential for some improvement over the year as some young players begin to emerge. But I think this time next year is going to be a better gauge on progress all around. 
 

My expectations are to look for positive signs within the total organization and probably hope the Yankees are swept up in scandal. 
 

That’s life for a rebuilding fan. 

[Il BuonO]

17 hours ago, Philip said:

Oh ok. I’ve gone to Vegas twice, the first time I was very lucky. I played blackjack and I was winning right and left. I bought souvenirs for all my people and still brought home a lot of money. I said to myself, “wow this is easy” I went back a year later to the same place, the Luxor, sat down at a blackjack table, and in about 30 minutes I had lost half of the money I had won on my first trip.

I stopped playing, took a taxi back to the airport and came back home. Never went back. So as far as I’m concerned I’m quitting a winner.

That's good. Vegas was built on the backs of the other guys. 

[atomic]

17 hours ago, Philip said:

Oh ok. I’ve gone to Vegas twice, the first time I was very lucky. I played blackjack and I was winning right and left. I bought souvenirs for all my people and still brought home a lot of money. I said to myself, “wow this is easy” I went back a year later to the same place, the Luxor, sat down at a blackjack table, and in about 30 minutes I had lost half of the money I had won on my first trip.

I stopped playing, took a taxi back to the airport and came back home. Never went back. So as far as I’m concerned I’m quitting a winner.

I have been to Vegas twice and haven’t gambled. I realized that they will give you free drinks if you sit in front of a video poker machine without playing.  So why play?  

Really just go to the pool and then to the clubs. Maybe see a show.  

[atomic]

1 minute ago, Il BuonO said:

That's good. Vegas was built on the backs of the other guys. 

These days I think they make most of their money off the clubs.  Charging 20 dollar drinks is a good way to make money .  And charge several hundred dollars for a table with bottle service.  

[Philip]

16 minutes ago, atomic said:

I have been to Vegas twice and haven’t gambled. I realized that they will give you free drinks if you sit in front of a video poker machine without playing.  So why play?  

Really just go to the pool and then to the clubs. Maybe see a show.  

The drinks are free, but very watered down, and you’re supposed to tip the waitresses, so it kind of works out the same

[eddie83]

I think the only teams who could be worse than us are the Tigers and a slight chance the Pirates/Royals. I could see Pittsburgh being pretty bad, although their division is solid, I see no powerhouse though. Pirates had some solid production from some position players but their pitching was and is terrible. 

I have a hunch the Marlins will be better than last year. Seattle is bad but probably not as bad as us. 

Good chance the Tigers and Orioles will battle for 1-2 again. 

[atomic]

5 minutes ago, Philip said:

The drinks are free, but very watered down, and you’re supposed to tip the waitresses, so it kind of works out the same

I sat at the bar and could see the bar tender pouring Jack Daniels into my glass.   Note the have video poker machines built into the bar. 1 dollar tip at bar as opposed to 20 dollar drink at the club. And you still tip at the club.

[Philip]

1 hour ago, atomic said:

I sat at the bar and could see the bar tender pouring Jack Daniels into my glass.   Note the have video poker machines built into the bar. 1 dollar tip at bar as opposed to 20 dollar drink at the club. And you still tip at the club.

I never drank at the bar, only the tables, and those drinks were watered down. At the bar it might be different because you’re focusing more on the drink than on the game

[Frobby]

Clay Davenport, co-founder of Baseball Prospectus, has his projections out and has us winning 60 games, worst in MLB.

http://claydavenport.com/projections/PROJHOME.shtml

[Woody Held]

I think the first half of this year will be absolutely brutal.   I am hoping later in the year we see some of the young pitching moving up and play getting better.  59-63 wins seem about right.

[Camden_yardbird]

On 2/22/2020 at 5:40 PM, eddie83 said:

I think the only teams who could be worse than us are the Tigers and a slight chance the Pirates/Royals. I could see Pittsburgh being pretty bad, although their division is solid, I see no powerhouse though. Pirates had some solid production from some position players but their pitching was and is terrible. 

I have a hunch the Marlins will be better than last year. Seattle is bad but probably not as bad as us. 

Good chance the Tigers and Orioles will battle for 1-2 again. 

Other than Means I think the Pirates have 4 starters better than anyone the Orioles throw out there.

Musgrove is very good, peripherals back a better season.  Archer should rebound. Keller is a top 10 MLB pitching prospect.  Trevor Williams should normalize somewhere between the last two seasons.

Their line up should have five .800 OPS guys (Reynolds, Bell, Newman, Frazier, Osuna)

I doubt they are worse than the Orioles.

[wildbillhiccup]

It boils down to pitching for me. Our starting pitching is the worst so we're probably the odds on favorite to be the worst. Cincy doesn't even belong in this discussion anymore. It's a four team fight.