right?? And: this woman's holiday letters were LONG; the bomb didn't get dropped until the second page!

ngl, I was not UN-impressed that I figured out what was striking me about it 😬 -- but I'm happiest we're getting the full book; BLOOD & INK was a ride

We really do have no choice but to stan these ovaries of absolute steel

YESSSSS congrats to us all, can't wait! ;)

My parents had a friend who snuck a similar update into her otherwise interminable-as-usual letter -- "in July, Chuck left the family; we also enjoyed a trip to the state fair" -- and we still remember her for it fondly at this time every year. Legend

At least I can stop bracing for updates from the MLB app since what we dreaded has now happened. Tw...ice.

Agreed on all counts, and I agree with Stearns's valuation too for the most part. I don't actually think any one of the so-called fan-favorite deals we've seen is bad! Collectively, I'm getting A Vibe, is all. Plenty of offseason left (alas)

Like I said: "feels to me." Just getting the sense from various negotiations, or lack of same, that Stearns doesn't want to look like he got taken

🙄 Obviously not, these are grown-ups/it's a business. I'm saying the handling of Alonso and Díaz feels to me like a *performative* rudeness or ghosting that's supposed to send a message to Boras clients (or...whomever). Not sure how that helps remake clubhouse culture, if that's the aim.

Not caring about anyone's feelings, fine, but IMO this isn't that. This is performing a baseline lack of courtesy, I'm guessing for Boras, and I don't see the point. But what do I know, I've just been watching this team shooting its own dick off for four decades

True, but: not sure how these "moves" improve the on-field product, or really do anything but create a fuck-your-feelings vibe

Seems low

Except we're not going to get the top-rate pitching, some of the "kids" aren't really kids anymore, and more than one deal that looked like good value at the deadline wound up sucking shit. Maybe you were being sarcastic, but...this doesn't say "strategy" to me.

I don't think it's just your mood. Whatever inexplicable "Cincy moves on a Flushing budget" shit is going on over there, if Stearns has a plan, it's neither evident nor derived from human emotion

Or two pairs of tights/hose. An old "horse girl" trick that has served me well