Bleacher Bums Forum

Kind of interesting that Keith Law--discussing the Upton deal--says that Randall Delgado's upside is a 4th or 5th starter-type (or maybe a reliever).  Not sure if he's right or not but perhaps some of the gnashing of teeth about the "loss" of Delgado in the non-Dempster deal with the Braves was over the top.

FWIW, Law on Delgado:

Delgado is a fastball/changeup guy in search of an average breaking ball, without success so far, surviving by changing speeds and keeping the two-seamer down enough to generate ground balls. If he were to bump up his control by a grade or two, he has a chance to be league-average in some years, but the lack of an average curveball or slider will make it hard for him to miss enough bats. He reminds me in some ways of Pat Corbin, another changeup guy who is serviceable in the back of the rotation but who looked dynamite out of the pen in brief stints for Arizona in 2012.

Top picks to join the Nationals presidents race

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2013/01/25/nationals-presidents-race/

The Washington Nationals on Thursday announced that the team will add a fifth competitor to the famous presidents race, and the Internet is filling up with suggestions about who should be the pick. The Post’s Dan Steinberg  wants to see Ulysses S. Grant, Richard Nixon and Woodrow Wilson. The City Paper favors William Howard Taft (a choice I agree with, but for different reasons). But there are so many other options that deserve consideration.


Bullmoose TR — He will lose every race, but in the process he will prevent another president from winning.
William Howard Taft — He needs the exercise.
John Adams — He will be insufferable when he wins, and when he loses.
Harry Truman — Though the announcer will call the race for Dewey.
Ronald Reagan — He won’t race so much as preternaturally float across the finish line, after which he will heal the national debt with his touch.
George W. Bush — He’ll declare victory no matter where he places.
Al Gore — He will be the first past the post, but he will lose on a technicality.
Vladimir Putin — Though every race will be fixed.
Rutherford B. Hayes — This is really just here for ComPost’s benefit.
Joe Biden — He’s already running!
The team will announce its choice at NatsFest on Saturday. Come on, Taft.

If Dempster had accepted the trade to Atlanta, then a Maholm trade probably doesn't happen.

Why in the world not?  It may be that he wouldn't have been traded to the Braves, but he almost certainly still would have been traded.

Cardinals are making deal with Ronnie Cedeno. 

Ronnie Cedeno has the lowest baseball IQ of any Cub in recent memory.  Keeps making the same mistakes.

Ronnie Cedeno has the lowest baseball IQ of any Cub in recent memory.  Keeps making the same mistakes.

NOT FAIR!  They keep making up new rules!

But I agree with JR.  He'll probably blunder and botch the Cardinals into at least 4 victories over the Cubs this year.