Watch out Rizzo, ITS A TARP!

By the time Bryant is a free agent, the Cubs will have payroll flexibility similar to LAD and NYY. The Wrigley Field (and surrounding area) renovation and new TV deal will both be done after 2019.

I was under the impression that the Cubs were waiting on pipe work under the streets that was uncovered in Sept and supposed to be completed in October, by the City. That work was completed in December.

Um, what? The stadium’s in the middle of a neighborhood. The “rooftops” no longer belong to residences, but the immediately surrounding area is either commercial (bars/restaurants) or residences.

You can count me as a Cubs fan, and season ticket holder, that is beyond happy that this is happening. In fact, every Cubs fan I know, and plenty of others on Cubs-related blogs are generally happy with it.

You mean, "that congressman who redecorated his office to look like Downton Abbey, and recently resigned amongst internal and external probes into his use of campaign and tax dollars?"

So I settled on a trip up some very good backroads to Spicewood to eat at the famous Opie's Barbecue, a drive that would satisfy both the desire to test this $311,325 supercar and to imbibe some brisket. This truncated idea was pitched by motorsports photographer, frequent Jalopnik partner-in-crime and noted meat…

And, at least so far, it pretty much has...

There are additional K (kick) balls in place. All special teams plays use K balls.

Zooey, or just Zo.

It's futile to compare wins year-to-year. Last year was last year. Due to things like event sequencing and such, it's pointless to say "they won X games last year and only added Y wins"...it doesn't work that way. The Angels went 98-64 in 2014, and 78-84 the year before. They didn't go out and add 20 wins in the…

He's referring to fWAR, or "Wins Above Replacement", as calculated by FanGraphs.

Luckily, they don't have to be. As constructed, this team has a chance to contend for a wild card spot. After that, in a short series, it's almost a toss-up.

Lester, Arrieta, Hammel, Hendricks with a mix of upside or veteran guys for their 5th starter. That's a solid rotation.

I'd slot them in behind St. Louis and Pittsburgh in the NL Central, and in legitimate contention for a 2nd wildcard.

Comcast only has half their games. They don't have a contract with anyone (yet) for the other half, after opting out of the WGN deal, but whispers are that they may re-up with WGN (not Superstation) through 2019 when their CSN deal is up.

Except that Pedro Strop isn't their closer. But....details.

fWAR (Wins Above Replacement, as measured by FanGraphs).

FanGraphs uses FIP (Fielding Independant Pitching) to measure pitcher WAR.

Travis Wood isn't "progressing nicely". Quite the opposite, actually — "regressing poorly".