Candide

precisely. I probably should have mentioned that - $180,000 in London is not the same as Toronto as the cost of living is probably 1.5 times greater and property prices about 4 times higher. My friends who are doing their post-docs in the US at top schools are on $30,000-40,000 USD stipends/salaries. Those in the sciences have slightly higher amounts, around $50,000 USD. And say what you will about their future earning potential, but that is predicated on landing tenureship at a top research university, which is not only a huge commitment in terms of time (+7 years), but also extremely competitive.

1) that's to say that 'the arts' is irrelevant. art, literature, and humanities in general is what enriches our lives and gives meaning to it, in the same way that entertainment does (i.e sports). 2) notice how i never commented anything about how entertainers don't contribute to society? i also didn't comment on whether i deemed the athletes of sports salaries to be excessive, but rather how individuals with a high level of education often receive remuneration that's well below the average salary wage and how i believe that that is unfair to them. i don't see how your two points relate to my previous post other than your own inferences.

that's a huge issue in itself, and opponents of your argument will say that it's all about market economics and supply-and-demand. that's true, provided that you subscribe to the principles of our current economic structure and accept all of the social/political/economic outcomes from which this configuration is derived. your friend's example is something that hits very close to home and I admit to having taken the cop-out/less noble cause of the soulless corporate life rather than pursuing my true passion of a PhD due to the low (and delayed) remuneration associated with it. I finished my masters degree at a top school in the US but stopped after that about 8 years ago. Some of my friends who ended up doing pursuing their PhDs are now doing their second post-doc at places like MIT, Harvard, and Stanford and make about a sixth the amount of money I do, and my current salary in London is obviously very comfortable for a guy in his early 30s, but by no means sufficient to buy property in the city for at least another 4-5 years. And most of my friends and colleagues are in the same position, where those who do manage to own property do so via inheritance/support from family or achieving it via a dual-income based mortgage. I readily acknowledge that my peers' contributions to society and life vastly exceed my own, which consists of helping a global corporation become more profitable. Opponents of your argument, aside from the market economics perspective, will say that that is the cost of 'doing what you love' and that it's subjective whether their research on a cure for alzheimers, a critique of formalism in Soviet literature, or the historical sociology of revolutionary france really adds any more value to our society than what I'm doing - I have no rebuttal for that. I just think that individuals who choose to pursue such an avenue should have the right to make more than $30,000 a year which is barely sufficient to sustain a reasonable livelihood..

in all seriousness, the Red Sox obviously get better in 2016 with Price - certainly good enough to contend given the continued expected improvement of guys like Boegaerts, Betts, and Holt. but they still need more help in their lineup and at least one more quality arm in their starting and relief staff. I would be more worried if they landed Shark and Madsen, not only because it bolsters their roster, but also because I think those are the two remaining holes that the Jays probably need to achieve the same success that they did last season. Having Stroman for a full season will offset some of Price's loss - having Travis back by May and assuming no massive regression will help. Stockpiling guaranteed 1-1.5 WAR guys in Estrada and Happ will also help. But I think the Jays need one more #3 arm like Samardzija, Madsen, and the hope that a Chavez/Sanchez combo can combine for 2.0 WAR next season. Still feeling really good about this squad next year - it's how they're looking going into 2017 and 2018 that scares me.

yeah ok!! it can score 1,000 runs next season but this pathetic team - even if they squeak into the playoffs - will have no chance against the Red Sox in a 7 game series against DAVID PRICE for 2 and possibly 3 games. have you seen how lights out he was for us in the playoffs! even if stroman faces price and they split 1-1, do you really think guys like Donaldson/Bautista/Encarnacion/Martin/Tulowitzki/Revere/Travis/Collabello can even match up against the likes of Porcello and Buchholz in a best of 5 game series without equally good pitching?! Clay Buchholz is the ace everyone assumed the Red Sox didn't have in 2015 and now they have TWO ACES. that's two aces away from the highest hand in poker!

are you seriously telling me that the pathetic Jays can contend in the AL East against the RedSox with a laughable lineup of: LF: Revere 3B: Donaldson RF: Bautista 1B: Encarnacion SS: Tulowitzki C: Martin DH: Colabello CF: Pillar 2B: Travis You NEEDED David Price to even have a chance next season, especially if all you have is Stroman and a bunch of #4-5 starters man. I'm done with this joke of an ownership and so done with this team. Need some time away from this board!! Catch you guys in September.

the Jays HAVE to react accordingly here, to show the fanbase and the RedSox that they mean business. I would throw $200 million at Greinke for 4 years I swear to God this has to happen man

my reaction to this thread and the inevitable heartbreak among casual fans once Price ends up with the Red Sox. http://49.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyvrkqzZnl1rn95k2o1_500.gif

Lincecum is half-Filipino. he'd be huge in the Asian community in Toronto. biggest Asian baseball star on the Jays since John Olerud. And the Rogers marketing staff could have a field day with promotions and events like Baseball and Balut with Bobblehead Day.

realistically, and most sensibly, keep all of the core position guys (Bautista, Encarnacion, Martin, Donaldson, Tulowitzki). Sign one semi-premium starter (Zimmerman, Cueto, Shark), re-sign Estrada. Hope that one of Sanchez/Osuna/Hutch can fill the #5 role. Sign 2 BP guys. Give 2016 another run with Travis back and a bounceback year for Tulowitzki. 2016 is a whole different matter. I'd want to keep Bautista and Encarnacion since I don't see their games falling off a cliff - but am fully aware that this is not realistic salary wise. cross that bridge when we get there. Unlike some others on this post, I'm optimistic that the Jays can win the AL East next year with 1 FA arm, a re-signed Estrada, a Tulowitzki playing to career norms, the return of Travis, and finding a solid #5 from within.

i want tim johnson. i will even write his nam chronicles if he can get his squad to overdeliever

rosie dimanno wouldn't be able to contain herself. i still remember that front page article she wrote about him (non-baseball related), where she gushed over him for 1,000 words on non-baseball related s*** while his shirtless body graced the cover the toronto star. that was extremely weird. give me gord ash instead

where is gord ash? why hasn't he been considered. real disrespectful

lol'ed hard at your nickname and profile photo in the office

that sounds sensible. i wonder what the net profit would be for the increase in attendance (factoring in ticket prices, concessions, etc.) and whether that can make the difference between signing two starting pitchers as opposed to one.

what do you guys think the fan conversion will be for the Jays' regular season in 2016? it's easy to commit to $140-150M USD if we see 85-90% sold out capacity next season for 81 games at the Rogers Center. For some reason, I just don't see that happening, even if the Jays are playing .580-.600 ball next season. I'd venture to guess around 30-33K per game between April-July, and roughly 40K for August with sellouts happening in late-August onwards, assuming that this team is playoff bound from the onset of the season.

would you take your chances with Tepera/Loup/Hawkins? If it came down to that, I'd go with Stroman just to live another day. Of course, ideally, I'd roll out Hendriks since he has proven that he can go for 4-5 innings while pitching respectably. Any of Tepera/Loup/Hawkins is almost a guarantee ballgame within a half-inning

purely hypothetical, but if it goes into an extra innings tie - i) do you go all in and throw in Stroman and run with Dickey/Hendriks + bullpen on short rest in Game 7? ii) does Gibby?

yeah - i'm Latos intolerant too. would prefer to re-sign Estrada as the #4 guy to replace Buehrle assuming that the contract is reasonable (i.e. 36 million over 3 years tops). Then look at someone like Shark or Zimmerman to replace Price as the #2.

why is there zero interest in re-signing Estrada? he has been really solid this season.

nah, that's kind of where I pegged them at in terms of annual salary next season. sorry if i wasn't clear - i'm talking about incremental annual salary to the 2016 staff vs. 2015, keeping in mind the monies freed from not retaining Price ($20MM * 2/5 = $8MM), Buehrle ($20MM), and Estrada ($3.9MM).

I think the Jays need 2 legit #2-3 starters to have a chance at returning to the playoffs next season. Buehrle, Estrada, and Price gone. That's almost 30 wins from your SP staff that you can't replace internally. I'd go with: SP: Stroman Zimmerman Samardzija Dickey Sanchez/Osuna closer as Cecil or Hendriks that starting 5 might be equitable to the 2015 squad - and it'll probably cost an incremental £5-10 million a season to nab the two, but I really don't see this squad competing with KC and a revamped NYC/Red Sox team next season unless the Jays get two solid #2-3 guys to replace Estrada/Price/Buehrle/possibly Dickey

you don't want to watch this game... but since you asked: http://cricfree.tv/watch/live/kansas-city-royals-vs-toronto-blue-jays-live-streaming

hi Campbell. I'm Candide. I am an eternal optimist with a penchant for all things French, late-18th century in particular. go Jays!

how is the opening/closing of the RC determined?