CC to the Sawx: My definitive Opinion

It's been a while. Hope everyone's had a great Holiday Season and looking forward to sending things out with a bang tomorrow night.

First off, the end of last semester was way too hectic. I'm behind on trade responses, keeping up with blogs, and things in general. Then I was in Mexico for two weeks.

And while all that was going on, this happened.

To be honest I'd already gone through the seven stages of grief about CC leaving the Rays. At this point, a number of the guys I watched come up from Charleston to Durham (CC, Young, Gomes) are gone, so I've been here before. Would I rather CC have stayed with the Rays? Unequivocally. But that's like saying you wish you could stay 23 and single forever: not gonna happen (at least for the 23 part). I'll still pull for the Rays (particularly with Elliot Johnson finally scheduled to come up next year) but it's a different team.

Organizationally it was the right move. The Rays can't afford anything near the 7 years/ $142 million CC is scheduled to get from the Sawx. They'll get some compensatory picks in return and the wheels will keep moving. Sad, but that's small market.

As for CC, I'm glad he's getting his. He was professional about the breakup (both its inevitability and its resolution) and will receive a much deserved payday. His knees also get out of the Trop, which was becoming a concern.

As for ME,  at least it's not the Yankis. I know, it's the Sawx (that's the mini-Yankis) but it's still not the Yankis. Bloggers aside (whom all-in-all are a great group), Yankis fans are #1 on my list of "folks I don't like to watch a game around." Sawx fans are #2, sure, but it's a distant #2. I can pull for the Sawx to be successful with CC in ways that just wouldn't be possible if he were employed by Hal, Hank, and Cash and being rooted for by the meandering bandwagon that comprises 95% of Yanki fandom.

In fact, as a preferred destination for CC the Sawx are probably the BEST of all possible worlds for him, career wise. The Halos would have been nice but they're not in a position to contend year after year either talent-wise or financially. If nothing else the Sawx are gonna hit, especially with González at 1B, so CC's offensive stats should soar. To borrow a phrase from Joe, who email me about this subject, going to the Sawx will be boom or bust: it'll put him over the top for the HOF or ruin his career. We'll see, but there's a lot of potential there.

Anyway, my two cents.

Have a good one and goodnight Pumpsie Green, wherever you are!

It's Official: CC no longer a Ray

Go Rays Sox?

I'm happy CC is getting his as they say. 7 years and $142 million is nothing to sneeze at and money  the Rays couldn't afford.

AND it's not the Yankis (even though it's still the Sox). And even though it's the Sox they now have CC and Andrew Miller, two of my favorite guys, so I guess I can go there.

At any rate it's a strange day. I just hope that if Gene Conley and Pumpsie Green invite CC out for drinks he politely declines.

Randoms for other cards

Sorry this has taken so long. Things are...interesting and stressful around these parts at the moment.

Anyway, Deans wanted me to random the Maples and the Team USA dual among the non-hitting slot breakers to spread things around a bit. First cards go out tomorrow, the last wave on Saturday.

Congrats to Brian (who'll get the dual) and Arfmax (who'll get the Maples). Screenshots are below.

#1

#2

#3

Group Break Hits: 1, 2, Oh My God

We had 5 boxes, so guaranteed hits. We got 8 so we came out way ahead on the odds. Of the 8 the Ramirez is /25, the Strasburg is /50 (right?), one of the Macfarlands is /500, the Maples is /199, and the Delmonico/Wolters is /500. The Braun orange is also /25. Vids are in the process of being uploaded.

Videos: 

Box #1

Box #2

Box #3

Box #4

Box #5

Slot results: Get Ready

OK, I won't ruin the surprise for you, but skip down and pay close attention to slot #18 (especially in round d), owned by Dean who took the Giants. I'm sure several of you have been thinking "What's will CCC on this one?" Well, now you know. I'll be getting the vids up tonight (finally) but in the meantime here we go.

Dean and I are talking about how this is going to go down, but one thing is certain: he will NOT be walking with all three of those autos (he also had slot #12). He's a magnanimous guy and asked me to let him sleep on a decision regarding what he'll do and he sent me several scenarios, all of which will spread the wealth around.

A) Round

1) John Hochstatter USA

2) AJ Vanegas USA auto

3) Trayce Thompson

4) Dillon Maples USA

5) Bobby Abreu Angels

6) Brady Shoemaker

7) Alexei Ramirez--refractor

8) Mat Carson Refractor

9) Francisco Lindor USA

10 ) Jose Altuve

11) Kendry Morales

12) Torii Hunter ---refractor

13) Blake Swihart USA

14) Trevor Reckling

15) Kendry Morales

16) Christian Lopes

17) Stephen Parker

18) Dillon Maples USA---auto refractor /199

19) Josh Hochstatter USA

b) Round

1) Miguel Montero--refractor

2) jimmy paredes

3) brandon short

4) andrew bailey

5) Dillon Maples

6) Ian Desmond

7) Phillip Pfeifer III USA

8) Carlos Quentin

9) Abreu--Angels

10) Henry Owens USA

11) Rajai Davis

12) Mark Reynolds

13) Michael Born

14) Nicky Delmonico---USA

15) John Simms

16) brandon short

17) edwin jackson

18) jimmy paredes

19) michael lorenzen USA

c) Round

1) Daniel Camarena USA

2) John Hochstatter---USA

3) stephen drew refractor

4) dillon maples USA

5) brandon short

6) rajai davis

7) christian lopes---usa

8) jimmy paredes

9) blake swihart

10) abreu

11) miguel montero

12) nicky Delmonico/tony wolters dual auto /500

13) andrew bailey

14) Dillon Maples

15) jd Martinez

16) trayce thompson

17) mat carson

18) stasburg gold chrome refractor auto

19) stephen parker

round d)

1 ) john hochstatter

2) jose altuve

3) jimmy paredes

4) brandon short

5) strasburg

6) josh Donaldson---refractor

7) francisco lindor

8) trevor reckling

9) phillip pfeifer III

Group Break Results Tomorrow

If it's not one thing it's another. Guess that's life.

On the other hand the wait will be worth it. I can promise you that.

YYYYYEEEEESSS!

Just click and read. It's November so April Fool's isn't a possibility.