1984Echoes

This is where I'm at... I think Soto works perfectly for the Phils for what they need as they have a deep BP and can use Soto correctly, without feeling stuck with him in any situation (wild? pull him out and next guy up...). The Tigers were forced to put Soto in multiple games & situations and live with the results regardless as they weren't blessed with lots of other options. One could argue for Jimenez or Lange... but that's it, and not enough to change the 2022 narrative. Phils win in getting Soto. But I think the Tigers win too as they let go a "piece of the BP", or at least what should be a piece player rather than a "required closer" and he's certainly not a "dominant" closer; and get back 3 pieces that contribute in different ways. No one who stands out as great. But the Tigers win with more positional value, playing time and other contributing factors rather than holding on to Soto. A lot of barely average or just above average players but both teams win because they both get what they want/ need.

Is the trade a done deal yet...? Or not quite yet?

+1 Is our best defensive IF now Tork, Baez at 2B, Kriedler SS, Maton 3B?

Yeah, the defense is a problem... But specifically on Ivey and Cade... I don't want to make a call on their defense until they are at full speed. And that certainly isn't this year. Agree on better defense needed out of the wings... but for now/ this year, it is what it is...

I've said this before: Ivey should be the primary and Cade the secondary. For a very specific reason: Ivey can break down the defense. And once he does that, he is either scoring on the inside or passing it out to get the ball in Cade's hands. Ivey doesn't have to do this each and every play. Let's call it 50/50 just for example/ illustrative purposes (reality would probably be different...): 50% of the plays the ball starts with Ivey but swings around to Cade in which he is initiating a scoring play (for himself or getting the ball into someone else's hands...); and 50% Ivey breaks down the defense for a scoring attempt or, if closed off, passes out to get the ball into Cade's hands again to initiate a scoring attempt. This is a gross simplification... but: On those plays that Ivey breaks down the defense and had to pass out of a double-team or collapsing defense: Cade is now getting the ball into his hands with that broken down defense. He has a MAJOR advantage at this point with his scoring ability/ passing ability/ and court vision. Again, I've grossly simplified this: But I think starting with Ivey as primary and breaking down defenses and Cade as secondary (in multiple different ways) gives the O several huge advantages, including Cade & his skills specifically.

That will go nowhere fast.

It was an immigration assistance center.

Or does he run for Governor? That would be my guess.

Exactly the fucking worst case.

No... The worst case is McCarthy rolls over for the Fascist Caucus, puts Gaetz as the chair of the Armed Services, pulls his PAC back from boosting his preferred Republican candidates (allowing more Fascist Republicans an easy route to nominations) in uncontested Republican district races (in the future). Oh, he's already done that last one. And more bad/ stupid giveaways to Fascists who are going to do nothing but shit all over our Democracy in every possible way they can think of anyways. That's worse than two bad alternatives. The bad one rolls over to the worst of their party in a democracy GIVEAWAY.

Here's a higher estimate (7 million 25-54 y.o.'s) of those unwilling to participate in the job market for a variety of reasons: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/most-chilling-metric-mike-rowe-150000193.html

No... that would be Adam Kinziger, being one who was actually on the Jan 6 committee...

+1

No way will it be Jefferies, it'll be a consensus GOP Speaker. What can Dems get? Assignments? yes. Jan 6 continues? no. Ethics committee review of subpoena-refuseniks (McCarthy, Jordan, etc...) YES!!! (but highly unlikely). Shutting out the Fascist Caucus because of a consensus Speaker when it comes to raising the debt limit...? Yes. Plus other stuff if they're smart negotiators...

Gaetz to Chair Armed Services? FUCK HIM!!!

If I'm a Dem, here's what I'm negotiating for in order to gain my vote: 1) A full fledged ethics committee including reviews of the Reps who ignored Jan 6th subpoenas. McCarthy has agreed with the Fascist Caucus to strip this committee down to nothing. Of course he did. He's included. This is my starting point and non-negotiable. Could be a deal-killer. But I start out with a tough position, not a weak hand. 2) A full House majority vote on any investigations. Committee's can recommend, but the full House must vote. On the Afghanistan withdrawal? Yes, even some Dems. On Hunter Biden's laptop or investigating Mayorkas... have to hope enough Pubs believe this would be a ridiculous waste of time that they come to their senses and a full House votes this down. And if the House has gone a Consensus Speaker... that the Pubs will be a little sensitive to pulling stupid moves like that... because Dems could always pull support at a future date. 3) No way do I agree to 1 Rep being able to no-confidence the Speaker. Especially with a consensus Speaker... either a majority of a full House required to no-confidence or if that won't fly, then a non-1 minimum, say 11 or even better, 31 required to initiate a no-confidence. That would cut out the "performance" BS that a Boebert, MTG, or Jordan or similar would try to pull. 31 = at least a significant minority with an issue with the Speaker and at least a reasonable basis to go this route...

Watch the NK's to try and see what they're doing. They swapped from Jordan to Byron Donalds. the count trend is 19 to 20 to ...? 20 so far in the 4th count (plus 1 "present" vote as mtu just posted above...). If they can grow the NK's, even incrementally, that will put pressure on the rest of the Republicans (McCarthy's) to possibly find a consensus Speaker that some Dems may buy into. That's the key to me. What will push a consensus of moderate Dems/ Pubs to seek an alternative? I think that will be based on how far the NK's want to take this... I'm seeing Scalise, Upton, Governor Larry Hogan, ex-Massachusetts-Governor Charlie Baker's names being floated...

2PM deadline today.

Not correct. It went from 19 to 20 against in the 3rd vote. If the Fascist Caucus is smart, they would have preplanned this. The next vote goes to 23 against, then 24, then 25... So it looks like McCarthy is losing ground. They can only go up to 31 I think, and that's if Jordan and MTG cut bait and switch over to the Jordan vote... But... we'll see in the next few days what their actual plan is...

I think we'd all love to see this in Congress: Moderate Republicans deciding they are not going to hand government over to insurrectionists and getting moderate Dems on board to vote Upton in as Speaker. There would have to be some negotiating... Would be very interested in those results...

He' supposed to be more moderate than McCarthy, and more willing to work on legislature/ etc. with Dems. I don't know how true that is in reality. I'm certain any speeches he gives are more performative than legislative impact... I just don't know by how much...

The budget is this September. That's what the $1.7 Trill bought: time. I'm not certain when the debt limit comes up. That will certainly be a major push on the Pubs to get their shit together.

Well... The middle has fallen back into line behind him. It's only 19 hardcore Fascists (Trumpists) that are refusing to fall in line. Because he's not Trumpy/ Fascist enough. I think it's true that he's proven himself wishy-washy... We'll see where that gets him.

Yeah, it's way too early for that. It's going to take at least a couple weeks of this dysfunction before the Scalise/ Upton rumors have any chance of gaining legs...

They are doing much more than just playing chicken...