mtutiger

The problem with Frazier, aside from the fact that he'll command more money/years, is that he really doesn't hit for much power, something this team badly needs. Edwin Rios or even Anderson would probably be better options at least in that sense.

Even beyond COVID vaccines, I used to frequently skip the flu shot (not out of skepticism, but usually out of laziness)... the pandemic kinda shined some light onto how selfish that decision was by framing it as how it isn't all about me and it's also about doing what is necessary to help keep elderly/compromised family members safe. Just had never thought about it in that way before. I do not see the downside to doing it even if you are healthy or young or unlikely to succumb to it, the numbers suggest that it has worked in the macro, so I will continue to get boosted.

Yes, I would have.

My point still stands... there's no comparison to Pineda imo

It's also not that far off of what the Giants had been doing the past few years, bringing in the Lamont Wade types and trying to maximize value out of them. With the team where it is at this moment, I don't see an issue with it. Next offseason, if they do beat expectations and start getting more production out of the roster, I could understand being upset with them not being in the running for bigger names.

A little harsh on Seth Lugo, who is a reliever who had a higher WAR than Andrew Chafin did last year. None of the names are exciting, but outside of Frazier (who doesn't hit for power at all), they are all fine to be looking at imo.

Seahawks may be the most vulnerable team in playoff position right now. Especially with Thursday against the 9ers looking dicey They own the tiebreaker, but if the Lions take care of business, they will be ahead of them record wise when it's all said and done

Hey FOX, can you guys finally move off the 35-0 shellacking already?

If "returning the shove" means maligning Whelan's background, which is as irrelevant to the discussion as Griner's, count me out. Ymmv, I guess.

Genuinely feel bad that it falls to the brother of someone wrongfully imprisoned in Russia and yet to be released to fact check morons on Twitter dot com

I'm no conspiracy theorist, but the suggestions that the gracious and benevolent tournament hosts may have been involved seems way more Occam's Razory lol

To the point of the quoted post, we all make a choice to argue on those terms. The fact that Benny Johnson types inject "moral relativism" into the conversation does not mean we all have to engage it or argue it on those terms. And I would suggest that by doing so (and reflexively going after Paul Whelan as a response to unfair maligning of Griner) is part of what folks like that want. They want us fighting and dividing over something that is unequivocally good.

Pretty cool coincidence that Michigan is Englert's adopted home. Yet another reason to hope for his success!

Sinema didn't switch parties

This is all about 2024, although it won't be enough to save her given her approval ratings are likely the worst of any sitting Senator. Really the only practical impact her move today has is about if she ultimately chooses to run as an independent and who she's draw votes from. It potentially makes her a spoiler candidate and makes it harder to win the seat for Ds depending on where Sinema would draw support

If Manchin were gonna switch parties, he would have done it by now.

https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2022-12-05/investors-press-railroads-to-add-sick-time-for-workers This article details some pressure within NS and UP from some Investment Managers toward providing more sick time for employees. Don't know how much that pressure represents in terms of each individual railroad stock, but it at least suggests there is some dissention in the ranks. On a different note, and didn't come around to mentioning it in the previous thread, but I do think availability of labor is a compelling reason that the companies need to add sick leave; the railroads (like a lot of industries) have an aging workforce with many approaching retirement age. The industry pays relatively well and has some good benefits compared to other industries, particularly with retirement being administered by the Railroad Retirement Board, which pays out comparatively well compared to SS. But younger people entering the workforce (Gen-Z) aren't entirely concerned just with retirement, they want quality of life during their working years as well. Good retirement benefits don't mean as much if the quality of life to get to age 60 is hell. And with respect to the latest fight with the unions, that's an area where the PR hit kinda hurts... it's a pretty poor advertisement for kids getting out of high school or vocational school who are thinking about a career.

Class I Railroads (the largest revenue generating carriers, including CSX). Point being that, going to the debate in the other thread that (no pun intended) went off the rails, the Class I's have agency in all of this and shouldn't need the government or unions to compel them to do the right thing and give their employees benefits. Even if unions exist because companies often do not do the right thing. Either way, the tweet suggests that public pressure may actually be having an impact

But at the end of the day, whatever his past transgressions may be, they do not matter, just as Griner's do not matter. All that matters is that both of them are Americans who were wrongfully imprisoned in Russia. And we should celebrate the successes we have (today Griner) while redoubling efforts to gain release to those still imprisoned (Whelan and likely others). My answer is the same as it was when some people complained that Griner wasn't released when Trevor Reed was released a few months ago (and yes there were a lot of complaints): we don't have to play this game. The Benny Johnson types (and those who complained about Reed being released over Griner) want us fighting and dividing over this shit, and it is not worth it. Especially because we all want the same thing in the end (or at least I hope we do). It's just really counterproductive and discouraging to see Americans being brought home turn into a partisan cudgel. It wasn't right when it was Trevor Reed, it wasn't right when it was Otto Warmbier during the last administration, and it isn't right now.

Everything I've read suggests that Whelan wasn't on the table by Russia. Not sure why, but that they place a different value on him than Griner apparnetly. If true, that leaves you either taking the one you can get or taking nobody. And if that is in fact the scenario, I just don't see how it's a bad thing. Kinda sad to see so many people trying to create a culture war out of it.

Huh, turns out the Class I's have agency after all

I just think it's telling that the political incentives in a situation like this, with two high profile prisoners in Russia and the option of bringing only one of them home or none of them at all, based on some of the reactions in social media anyway, appear to be lean toward bringing nobody home. It's really kind of a sad indictment, but even despite the comments from Whelan's family, Americans cannot help themselves apparently.

OK. I dont think you need to view her as a hero to think that she was unjustly imprisoned and that is a good thing she was released. Nor does being happy she was released before another prisoner mean that people aren't sympathetic (perhaps even more sympathetic, tbh) to the fact that other person is still imprisoned unjustly. The culture is gonna do what it's gonna do, I cannot control how people view Brittany Griner. But on strictly the narrow facts as they exist, I view this as a good outcome.