The B1G Piece wrote:Jim Bowden's bid for Matt Cain....6 years, $132 million.

I have no idea why he was a shitty GM.

Near the beginning of the offseason, Bowden wrote a piece that seemed like one of the most ridiculous things he'd ever come up with, called "Pricing the free agents" (Insider only). In it, Bowden listed what he saw as the top 50 free agents, and attempted to predict the contract they would receive, or, in his words, an "estimate of what I would pay the top 50 free agents if I were a GM of a club that had the budget and need for that kind of player."

Very nearly every prediction seemed absurdly high to me, and to many others. I admit, I mocked it quite a bit (I can't take the time to scroll back and find examples because it was too long ago, but they're there if you want to look). Four years for Madson? $30 million for Cuddyer? Please.

But as the chips started to fall and players signed, it became clear that he was probably not as far off as many of us assumed. As we went further along, it became clear that he wasn't off at all. The bloom might be coming off the rose a bit as some holdovers end up going at bargain prices, but still, almost all of Bowden's picks have been close enough to be considered right on.

Ace Rothstein wrote:5 million projected for Juan Pierre?

ReadingPhilly wrote:read on fangraphs that the globe and mail said the jays turned down a pineda for lawrie offer.

Bucky wrote:

ReadingPhilly wrote:read on fangraphs that the globe and mail said the jays turned down a pineda for lawrie offer.

but everyone knew her as nancy

TheFrank wrote:http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7523784/the-weird-bad-ugly-baseball-cards

Jim Caple article on strange looking baseball cards

drsmooth wrote:

TheFrank wrote:http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7523784/the-weird-bad-ugly-baseball-cards

Jim Caple article on strange looking baseball cards

TheFrank, you have made my month of February, and it's only the 1st. Had me giggling like a schoolgirl.

That page is chockablock with great baseball weirdness stuff. Not surprisingly, Philadelphia-connected personnel are disproportionately in evidence. Just the thing I need to make it the next few torturous weeks.

Lowell Palmer, how is that guy not a complete legend around here?

Trent Steele wrote:in 2000, I was a 25 year old OF that hit .314/.391/.636/1.028 with 44 HR, 118 runs, 122 RBIs and 13 SBs.

I am Richard Hidalgo.

phatj wrote:

Trent Steele wrote:in 2000, I was a 25 year old OF that hit .314/.391/.636/1.028 with 44 HR, 118 runs, 122 RBIs and 13 SBs.

I am Richard Hidalgo.

What a weird career. He has a career OPS of .835, despite only meeting or bettering that mark in two seasons.