Nationals

[richardlee]

Seems like the Nats closed their only minor weakness with the signing of Soriano, I believe this was in response to their loss to the Cardinals and the major splurge by the Dodgers. They should be the favorites in the East Division, what do you think about their chances for the World series?

[HoustonGM]

I know that spending a ton of money on a guy that throws 1 inning in 37% of their games does not significantly change their World Series chances one way or the other. Buster Olney tweeted that signing Soriano makes them the WS favorites, which is just silly. If they weren't WS favorites before the signing, then they aren't now. Also, I don't think there's really any "favorite"... there's just a few very good teams (the Nationals being one of them).

[asianinvasion]

Although I wonder if appeasing Boras was part of the plan. Then when Strasburg and Harper are due for extensions, they're on good terms with Boras. Sure they overpaid for a closer when they had a perfectly good one in Storen but in the long term, this may help them.

[haveacigar]

I think they are the favorite to win the NL East by a long shot, and will do so. As one of 8 teams in the playoffs, I would give them a 12.5% chance to win it all.

The only other team I would give that chance to is the Tigers, so I guess they are now WS co-favorites.

[CCamels73]

Seems like the Nats closed their only minor weakness with the signing of Soriano, I believe this was in response to their loss to the Cardinals and the major splurge by the Dodgers. They should be the favorites in the East Division, what do you think about their chances for the World series?

Their only weak point left before the signing of Soriano was a "Loogy". The only thing that Rizzo had to get said lefty specialist was in trading M. Morse. That limited the trade option for Morse. With the signing of Soriano, who obviously is not left handed, still widened the trade possibilities for Morse. And since that was seemingly the case, they were able to get pretty decent value for Morse instead of "settling" for something that may or may not have been beneficial for the team. (Have I mentioned that I am very pleased that Rizzo was able to get A.J Cole back )

[dps]

Although I wonder if appeasing Boras was part of the plan. Then when Strasburg and Harper are due for extensions, they're on good terms with Boras. Sure they overpaid for a closer when they had a perfectly good one in Storen but in the long term, this may help them.

Well, that assumes the unlikely proposition that Boras is a human being with normal human emotions, rather than a scum-sucking bottom dweller with no interest beyond the dollar signs.

[filihok]

I have the Phillies a lot closer to the Nationals than any team is to the Tigers.

So, I say the Tigers are the WS favorites.

Having Soriano is better than not having Soriano though

[OregonDuck1989]

Well, that assumes the unlikely proposition that Boras is a human being with normal human emotions, rather than a scum-sucking bottom dweller with no interest beyond the dollar signs.

I too hate people who are incredibly good at their jobs

[Alloutwar]

OD loves NRA lobbyists and writers for 2 And a Half Men

[dps]

I have the Phillies a lot closer to the Nationals than any team is to the Tigers.

So, I say the Tigers are the WS favorites.

Having Soriano is better than not having Soriano though

The Tigers should win their division, yes, but that doesn't make them WS favorites. Their division is so weak that they could easily win it but still not be one of the 6 best teams in the AL.

[dps]

I too hate people who are incredibly good at their jobs

Sarcasm aside, Boras is good at his job, at least to the extent that his job is to get his clients the largest paycheck possible (which is, in all fairness, what his clients want probably 95% of the time; in the instances when his clients have other things they want, he's arguably not so good at meeting those desires). He's good enough at it that he's not going to let past interactions with a particular owner or GM get in the way of that.

[filihok]

The Tigers should win their division, yes, but that doesn't make them WS favorites. Their division is so weak that they could easily win it but still not be one of the 6 best teams in the AL.

Yeah it does.

Getting into the playoffs is the biggest step towards winning the World Series. The Tigers look to be the team most likely to make the playoffs. Thus, World Series favorites.

[OregonDuck1989]

OD loves NRA lobbyists and writers for 2 And a Half Men

I don't love them but I respect those who achieve what their clients want without being blatantly unethical. But go ahead hating Boras because he does his job...?

I don't see what Boras does as unethical. Now, opinion on lobbyism and guns aside, it's allowed so those who are good at it shouldn't be hated just because they are good at it. If the Greenpeace lobbyists were as good as the NRA ones, wouldn't the shoe be on the other turned table then.

As for 2 and a half men, it's not their fault their crappy innuendo jokes loop in the elderly and the stupid. They're just paying the mortgage, man.

[Alloutwar]

I don't hate or love Boras. I think he's made huge errors - from the A-Rod announcement during the Red Sox World Series...effing with Varitek when he just wanted to come back to the Sox...and then there's alienating owners, players and others around baseball by negotiating in bad faith, or playing the BS 'mystery team' card. But hey, he's done his part to get players a fair share of the profit their effort creates. Certainly he has many satisfied clients. And he helps other players, just by inflating prices overall. It can be a pain as a fan when he screws over your team, but yeah overall you can't just hate him for being good at his job.

But there are people, from Donald Trump, to NRA execs, to 2 and a half men writers, to assassins, than while successful at their vocation, are still pieces of ****. Being a good cutthroat executive does magically make you beyond criticism.

[ragecage]

I think the writers of two and a half men are better than the douchebag bible thumper kid who says we shouldn't watch the trash, yet is more than happy to collect a paycheck for being part of it.