milton bernard thompson wrote:

Shore wrote:

milton bernard thompson wrote:there is no way 2/16 is an overpayment for him

What if he hits .260, with a .305 OBP and a .358 SLG (Ben Revere slugged .352 this year)? With 10 HR, 44 RBI, and 30 BB, with 109 K? in 635 PA / 589 AB?

That's exactly what he did in the 2 years before this year, combined. 2011-2012. So, there's definitely a "way" that he's not worth 2/16, and it's happened recently.

really dude? c'mon. it's not an overpayment BASED ON THE DATA AT HAND. i would think every player in mlb history who's played for 10 years has had multiple past seasons that would represent an overpayment if they happened to be repeated in the current year. your point is completely silly.

but, wait. what if he hits .400, with a .650 obp and .800 slg? with 80 HR, 180 RBI, 100 BB, 0 K? see, there's a "way" it could be an underpayment!!!!!

Shore wrote:If you think that 2013 numbers are way more relevant than any others, you think it's a bargain. If you think 11 other seasons of different results are more relevant, you think it's a mistake. We know where Amaro, and you, land, as well as where I land.

Grotewold wrote:

Shore wrote:If you think that 2013 numbers are way more relevant than any others, you think it's a bargain. If you think 11 other seasons of different results are more relevant, you think it's a mistake. We know where Amaro, and you, land, as well as where I land.

I would follow that approach generally, of course. But to follow it strictly would be to miss some opportunities, imo. Aren't there sometimes explanations for "career" years?

Would you scream if they needed a closer and gave Grilli $6M?

Shore wrote:Not now, of course. He's been excellent for 3 years, since we released him. After 2011, I would have been displeased, given his track record.

Shore wrote:Do you not understand that the numbers I gave are for 2 of his 3 most recent seasons?

Also, I never claimed there was no way it would be an underpayment. And your video game numbers are made up.

It depends on who's interpreting the DATA AT HAND. If you think that 2013 numbers are way more relevant than any others, you think it's a bargain. If you think 11 other seasons of different results are more relevant, you think it's a mistake. We know where Amaro, and you, land, as well as where I land.

Monkeyboy wrote:

smitty wrote:

milton bernard thompson wrote:hahah, someone in this thread is complaining because this signing wasn't "creative" enough? what in god's name does that even mean? like, how the waterboy was a creative signing for the sclsu muddogs?

That has been kind of a mantra around these here parts.

Being creative is something some folks think is effective. And they aren't wrong necessarily. There are some effective, creative solutions to problems. But there are also solutions that are effective that aren't creative and also creative solutions that don't work worth a crap.

I don't care a whit about creativity in building a ball club. Because you build a ball club with good ball players dammit. Don't matter how creative you are whilst doing it.

I guess if Byrd slugs .500 next year we can call this signing creative if we want to.

I don't give a shit about it either. I can't believe I make one post and then everyone ignores every other post I wrote. I thought it was ridiculous/funny that they keep talking about being creative and then they signed Byrd a week into FA. That's all. This whole creative thing came from me being sarcastic in one post.

Have I ever on this board talked about me wanting them to be creative? No, I haven't. That's because I don't care about it. I was just pointing out the gaping difference between what they said they wanted to do and what they did and how quickly they abandoned what they said they wanted to do.

FFS. You guys are worse than my students.

Me: We will have a quiz Thursday on Chapter 4.
Them: What does the quiz cover?
Me: Chapter 4
Them: Does the quiz cover chapter 5?
Me: No, it does not cover chapter 5. It only covers chapter 4.
Them: Why does it cover Chapter 5 when we haven't covered chapter 5?
Me: It doesn't cover Chapter 5, only Chapter 4.
Them: Then why did you say Chapter 5?
Me: Because someone asked if it covered Chapter 5. So I answered them.
Them: So what does the quiz cover?
Me: Chapter 4
Them: I'm confused, is this a quiz or a test. If it's on multiple chapters, it should be a test.
Me: It's not a test and it doesn't cover more than one Chapter. It ONLY covers chapter 4. Here, I'll write it on the board.
Some kid in the back: Wait, we have a quiz on Thursday?

GGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!

"The first suspension was dumb enough. To have two and 100 games – I’d be done in the game."

"I didn’t want to wait around. The Phillies were aggressive with an amazing offer. I didn’t want to wait to see how much money I could get. I have friends on that team, my wife (Andrea) is from there. It’s definitely a blessing."

"I think I’m a smarter hitter than my first time in Philadelphia. I’ve faced a lot of pitchers. I think I know what catchers are trying to do. I was kind of a raw talent early. Now I know how to hit big-league pitching."

Byrd said he has remained close with Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard – “The big three,” he called them – and he likes many of the Phillies young players. He mentioned the promise of Domonic Brown and Ben Revere and raved about the arms of Jake Diekman and Justin DeFratus.

"To go from trying to make a team in 2013 to being a starting outfielder for the Phillies with a two-year contract ... It’s beyond my wildest dreams."

phdave wrote:The creative meme has been going on for months. Probably since the re-signing chooch thread started where being creative was argued as some desirable outcome or tactic or something. It has been repeatedly mocked. I thought that was what Monkey Boy was referring to but I guess not. He didn't do his reading. Just like those damn students.

Byrd was a different type of hitter in 2013. He hit the ball on the ground just 39.2 percent of the time, according to batted-ball data from FanGraphs.com. It was his lowest percentage since 2005. More of his contact was in the air, a trend that bodes well for playing at Citizens Bank Park.

The adjustment came while he worked last winter with Doug Latta at a suburban Los Angeles baseball facility called the Ballyard.

"When I say it out loud, it sounds kind of silly," Byrd said by phone. "My whole career, I've been taught to hit the top of the ball. When I started breaking down the swing, I realized when you hit the top of the ball, the ball goes down and it's a ground ball. If you can stay through the middle of the ball, you can get the ball in the air. That's what we worked on to try to drive the ball for more power."

It worked, and that is part of why Amaro does not believe 2013 was an aberration.

"We talked to our scouts about how his swing path and approach changed," Amaro said. "He's worked on it. I have to trust my scouts on it."

Woody wrote:SUCK ON THAT BACKSPIN, SHORE