"Turd Throw" and other stories from the rancid NLC.

[Quality Start Machine]

Good luck with that.

[PenFoe]

With the exception of the teams that don't suck, the NL sucks.

[Eli]

With the exception of the teams that don't suck, the NL sucks.

Of all the teams that are laugh-worthy, the Reds stand out for being set to waste the last year or two of Votto's prime and then pay him $25 million a year until he's 40.

[Quality Start Machine]

With the exception of the teams that don't suck, the NL sucks.

Of all the teams that are laugh-worthy, the Reds stand out for being set to waste the last year or two of Votto's prime and then pay him $25 million a year until he's 40.

How many of these teams are looking at the Cubs and thinking that tanking is all that it takes...Not all the trades for guys like Arrieta/Strop, Rizzo and Russell. Not the scouting that got them guys like Schwarber, and not the incredible luck that allowed Kris Bryant to not be taken first.

I'm sure the Reds would trade Votto if there were anybody in the world who wanted to take on that contract.

[SKO]

With the exception of the teams that don't suck, the NL sucks.

Of all the teams that are laugh-worthy, the Reds stand out for being set to waste the last year or two of Votto's prime and then pay him $25 million a year until he's 40.

How many of these teams are looking at the Cubs and thinking that tanking is all that it takes...Not all the trades for guys like Arrieta/Strop, Rizzo and Russell. Not the scouting that got them guys like Schwarber, and not the incredible luck that allowed Kris Bryant to not be taken first.

I'm sure the Reds would trade Votto if there were anybody in the world who wanted to take on that contract.

To be fair the Astros haven't made the same caliber of international signings/trades/free agent acquisitions the Cubs have, and they wasted two #1 overall picks, and they're still playoff contenders now, so it's probably not just the Cubs they're looking at.

[Quality Start Machine]

With the exception of the teams that don't suck, the NL sucks.

Of all the teams that are laugh-worthy, the Reds stand out for being set to waste the last year or two of Votto's prime and then pay him $25 million a year until he's 40.

How many of these teams are looking at the Cubs and thinking that tanking is all that it takes...Not all the trades for guys like Arrieta/Strop, Rizzo and Russell. Not the scouting that got them guys like Schwarber, and not the incredible luck that allowed Kris Bryant to not be taken first.

I'm sure the Reds would trade Votto if there were anybody in the world who wanted to take on that contract.

To be fair the Astros haven't made the same caliber of international signings/trades/free agent acquisitions the Cubs have, and they wasted two #1 overall picks, and they're still playoff contenders now, so it's probably not just the Cubs they're looking at.

Fair point. But so many teams are going to try failing upward that the law of averages dictates some will flame out.

[Chuck to Chuck]

With the exception of the teams that don't suck, the NL sucks.

Of all the teams that are laugh-worthy, the Reds stand out for being set to waste the last year or two of Votto's prime and then pay him $25 million a year until he's 40.

How many of these teams are looking at the Cubs and thinking that tanking is all that it takes...Not all the trades for guys like Arrieta/Strop, Rizzo and Russell. Not the scouting that got them guys like Schwarber, and not the incredible luck that allowed Kris Bryant to not be taken first.

I'm sure the Reds would trade Votto if there were anybody in the world who wanted to take on that contract.

To be fair the Astros haven't made the same caliber of international signings/trades/free agent acquisitions the Cubs have, and they wasted two #1 overall picks, and they're still playoff contenders now, so it's probably not just the Cubs they're looking at.

Fair point. But so many teams are going to try failing upward that the law of averages dictates some will flame out.

KC did it that way, too. Not as quickly as the Cubs or Astros, but it was all about accumulating young cheep talent.

[SKO]

With the exception of the teams that don't suck, the NL sucks.

Of all the teams that are laugh-worthy, the Reds stand out for being set to waste the last year or two of Votto's prime and then pay him $25 million a year until he's 40.

How many of these teams are looking at the Cubs and thinking that tanking is all that it takes...Not all the trades for guys like Arrieta/Strop, Rizzo and Russell. Not the scouting that got them guys like Schwarber, and not the incredible luck that allowed Kris Bryant to not be taken first.

I'm sure the Reds would trade Votto if there were anybody in the world who wanted to take on that contract.

To be fair the Astros haven't made the same caliber of international signings/trades/free agent acquisitions the Cubs have, and they wasted two #1 overall picks, and they're still playoff contenders now, so it's probably not just the Cubs they're looking at.

Fair point. But so many teams are going to try failing upward that the law of averages dictates some will flame out.

Oh certainly there's a law of diminishing returns here. If you have 1/3 of the league actively trying to tank then a good chunk of those teams are going to get fairly shitty draft picks to show for it and nothing else. Just saying the Cubs didn't exactly invent tanking and rebuilding, even if they appear to have been the best at it.

[Oleg]

With the exception of the teams that don't suck, the NL sucks.

Of all the teams that are laugh-worthy, the Reds stand out for being set to waste the last year or two of Votto's prime and then pay him $25 million a year until he's 40.

How many of these teams are looking at the Cubs and thinking that tanking is all that it takes...Not all the trades for guys like Arrieta/Strop, Rizzo and Russell. Not the scouting that got them guys like Schwarber, and not the incredible luck that allowed Kris Bryant to not be taken first.

I'm sure the Reds would trade Votto if there were anybody in the world who wanted to take on that contract.

To be fair the Astros haven't made the same caliber of international signings/trades/free agent acquisitions the Cubs have, and they wasted two #1 overall picks, and they're still playoff contenders now, so it's probably not just the Cubs they're looking at.

Fair point. But so many teams are going to try failing upward that the law of averages dictates some will flame out.

We'll see how The Braves draft in the next couple of years but they're doing a pretty good 2012 Cubs impersonation.

It's also not a third of the teams that are tanking but only the 5 or 6 that are mentioned.  It just so happens that those 5 or 6 are all in the same league.  And, since the MLB doesn't have the NL-AL pick toggle in the draft anymore, it doesn't really matter, from a rebuilding standpoint, that all those are in the NL.

As for The Reds and Votto, well, he was the best player on some pretty good teams.  It made sense to sign him to that extension at the time. Their fall has been pretty steep and they had some pretty bad luck with injuries.  I guess one could argue they got old fast, too, and they waited too long to start the rebuild.  It's too bad.  But, the Votto extension kind of made sense at the time.  He's still worth that AAV.

[SKO]

LOL at the Reds trying and failing to trade Bruce for absolutely nothing.

[InternetApex]

LOL at the Reds trying and failing to trade Bruce for absolutely nothing.

Link?

[SKO]

LOL at the Reds trying and failing to trade Bruce for absolutely nothing.

Link?

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--jay-bruce-trade-to-blue-jays-unravels-055142108.html

Supposedly the second time they've tried and failed to trade Bruce to the Blue Jays as part of a three team deal. Why the Blue Jays want another poor defender whose only remaining talent is decent power is beyond me, but still the Reds were going to dump him for either shitty Blue Jays prospects or shitty prospects from the Angels, the worst farm system in the majors. Sounds like his value has sunk so low their only real hope is to find someone who'll eat his whole salary.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

LOL at the Reds trying and failing to trade Bruce for absolutely nothing.

Link?

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--jay-bruce-trade-to-blue-jays-unravels-055142108.html

Supposedly the second time they've tried and failed to trade Bruce to the Blue Jays as part of a three team deal. Why the Blue Jays want another poor defender whose only remaining talent is decent power is beyond me, but still the Reds were going to dump him for either shitty Blue Jays prospects or shitty prospects from the Angels, the worst farm system in the majors. Sounds like his value has sunk so low their only real hope is to find someone who'll eat his whole salary.

The only thing that'd make this better would be if JABE ROOS ended up with the White Sox.

[SKO]

LOL at the Reds trying and failing to trade Bruce for absolutely nothing.

Link?

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--jay-bruce-trade-to-blue-jays-unravels-055142108.html

Supposedly the second time they've tried and failed to trade Bruce to the Blue Jays as part of a three team deal. Why the Blue Jays want another poor defender whose only remaining talent is decent power is beyond me, but still the Reds were going to dump him for either shitty Blue Jays prospects or shitty prospects from the Angels, the worst farm system in the majors. Sounds like his value has sunk so low their only real hope is to find someone who'll eat his whole salary.

The only thing that'd make this better would be if JABE ROOS ended up with the White Sox.

I don't think the White Sox have the money to do that, or at least Reinsdorf is pretending they don't have the money to do that. My guess is if they were willing to pay someone 13 million this year they'd already have Fowler.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

LOL at the Reds trying and failing to trade Bruce for absolutely nothing.

Link?

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--jay-bruce-trade-to-blue-jays-unravels-055142108.html

Supposedly the second time they've tried and failed to trade Bruce to the Blue Jays as part of a three team deal. Why the Blue Jays want another poor defender whose only remaining talent is decent power is beyond me, but still the Reds were going to dump him for either shitty Blue Jays prospects or shitty prospects from the Angels, the worst farm system in the majors. Sounds like his value has sunk so low their only real hope is to find someone who'll eat his whole salary.

The only thing that'd make this better would be if JABE ROOS ended up with the White Sox.

I don't think the White Sox have the money to do that, or at least Reinsdorf is pretending they don't have the money to do that. My guess is if they were willing to pay someone 13 million this year they'd already have Fowler.

Stop ruining my delirious fantasy with your "facts".