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Arbitration Roundup: 54 Players Exchange Figures
With today's flurry of activities in the books, 144 players have agreed to deals to avoid arbitration for a total spend of $433MM. But that leaves 54 players who have exchanged figures and have ground left to cover before their 2015 salaries are settled. That number is up from last year's tally of 39, and may point to the possibility that we will see more hearings than the three in 2014 (which was itself up from zero the year before).
MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker is a great resource for seeing where things stand. It is fully sortable and even allows you to link to the results of a search. (The MLBTR/Matt Swartz arbitration projections are also quite handy, of course.) Using the tracker, I compiled some broad notes on where things stand in the arbitration process this year.
Remember, deals avoiding arbitration can still be reached even after the exchange of numbers. Hearings will be scheduled between February 1st and 21st, so there is plenty of time for the sides to come together before making their cases.
That being said, some teams are known for their "file and trial" approach to arb-eligible players, meaning that they refuse to negotiate after the exchange deadline and go to a hearing if agreement has not been reached. Among those clubs (the Brewers, Rays, Marlins, Blue Jays, Braves, Reds, and White Sox, per the most recent reporting), there are several open cases remaining: Mat Latos and Michael Dunn (Marlins), Josh Donaldson and Danny Valencia (Blue Jays), Mike Minor (Braves), and Aroldis Chapman, Devin Mesoraco and Todd Frazier (Reds).
Meanwhile, some other clubs have historically employed the "file and trial" approach on a modified or case-by-case basis: the Pirates, Nationals, and Indians. Among those clubs, the Pirates (Neil Walker, Vance Worley) and Nationals (Jerry Blevins) have open cases, though all of them feature relatively tight spreads.
And there are some other interesting cases to keep an eye on as well. Consider:
- The Orioles and Royals not only faced off in last year's American League Championship Series, but find themselves staring at by far the most unresolved cases (six and eight, respectively). They are also the only teams with eight-figure gaps between their submissions and those of their players ($10.85MM and $10MM, respectively).
- Among the Orioles players, two stand out for the significant relative gulf separating team and player. Zach Britton, who excelled after taking over as the closer last year, filed at $4.2MM while the team countered at $2.2MM, leaving a $2MM gap that is worth nearly 91% of the club's offer. Even more remarkably, the O's will need to bridge a $3.4MM gap ($5.4MM versus $2MM) with surprise star Steve Pearce. That spread is 1.7 times the value of the team's offer and easily beats the largest difference last year (Logan Morrison and the Mariners, 127.3%).
- Of course, it is worth remembering that first-year arb salaries have added impact because they set a baseline for future earnings. (Each successive year's salary is essentially calculated as an earned raise from that starting point.) For the Reds, the outcome of their cases with Frazier ($5.7MM vs. $3.9MM) and Mesoraco ($3.6MM vs. $2.45MM) could have huge ramifications for whether the team will be able to afford to keep (and possibly extend) that pair of strong performers.
- Likewise, the Angels face an important showdown with Garrett Richards, a Super Two whose starting point will factor into three more seasons of payouts. As a high-upside starter, he has sky high earning potential, so any savings will be most welcome to the team. The current spread is $3.8MM versus $2.4MM, a $1.4MM difference that equates to 58.3% of the team's filing price.
- Interestingly, the biggest gap in absolute terms belong to Pearce and the Orioles at $3.4MM. After that come Bud Norris and the Orioles ($2.75MM), David Freese and the Angels ($2.35MM), Greg Holland and the Royals ($2.35MM), Dexter Fowler and the Astros ($2.3MM), Eric Hosmer and the Royals ($2.1MM), and Aroldis Chapman and the Reds ($2.05MM).
Of course, plenty of deals already got done today. Here are some of the more notable among them:
- David Price agreed to a $19.75MM salary with the Tigers that stands as the single highest arbitration payday ever, by a fair margin.
- Interestingly, the Rays agreed to rather similar, sub-projection deals with all seven of their arb-eligible players. Discounts on Swartz's expectations ranged from 3.23% to 13.21%. In total, the club shaved $1.525MM off of its tab.
- The opposite was true of the Tigers, who spent a total of $1.4MM over the projections on just three players. Of course, since one of those players was Price, the commitment landed just 5.2% over the projected total.
- Detroit's overages pale in comparison to those of the Cubs, who handed out several of the deals that beat the projections by the widest relative margin and ended up over $2.5MM (14.5%) over their projected spend.
- The MLBTR/Swartz model badly whiffed (over 50% off) on just three players, all of whom earned well over the projections: Chris Coghlan of the Cubs (78.9%), Carlos Carrasco of the Indians (66.9%) Tony Sipp of the Astros (60%).
- On the low side, the worst miss (or the biggest discount, depending on one's perspective) was Mark Melancon of the Pirates, who fell $2.2MM and 28.9% shy of his projected earnings. Danny Espinosa (Nationals) and Chris Tillman (Orioles) were the only two other players to fall 20% or more below their projections. Of course, in the cases of both Melancon and Tillman, Swartz accurately predicted that they would fall short of the model.
Full Story | Comments | Categories: Aroldis Chapman | Atlanta Braves | Baltimore Orioles | Bud Norris | Carlos Carrasco | Chicago Cubs | Chicago White Sox | Chris Coghlan | Chris Tillman | Cincinnati Reds | Cleveland Indians | Danny Espinosa | Danny Valencia | David Freese | David Price | Detroit Tigers | Devin Mesoraco | Dexter Fowler | Eric Hosmer | Garrett Richards | Greg Holland | Houston Astros | Jerry Blevins | Josh Donaldson | Kansas City Royals | Logan Morrison | Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | Mark Melancon | Mat Latos | Miami Marlins | Mike Minor | Milwaukee Brewers | Neil Walker | Pittsburgh Pirates | Seattle Mariners | Steve Pearce | Tampa Bay Rays | Todd Frazier | Tony Sipp | Toronto Blue Jays | Vance Worley | Washington Nationals | Zach Britton
Arbitration Filing Numbers
Many players will avoid arbitration today, and dozens of others exchanged figures with their teams in anticipation of hearings. Most cases won't go to arbitration hearings, but teams such as the Brewers, Rays, Marlins, Blue Jays, Braves, Reds, and White Sox (per the most recent updates) are known for their "file and trial" policies. For players on those teams this marks the last chance at negotiations before a hearing.
MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker will keep you up to date on every one of the filing numbers from around the game, but here are the highlights — players who filed for $5MM or more. Projections can be found here. Now for the details …
- The Reds countered the $5.7MM filing of Todd Frazier with a $3.9MM figure, according to Kiley McDaniel of Fangraphs (via Twitter).
- Third baseman David Freese filed at $7.6MM and the Angels countered at $5.25MM, WAPT's Mike Perchick tweets. Halos outfielder Matt Joyce has filed for $5.2MM against a $4.2MM counter, according to Perchick (on Twitter).
- Astros center fielder Dexter Fowler filed for $10.8MM while the club countered at $8.5MM, Perchick tweeets.
- Pirates second baseman Neil Walker filed at $9MM while the club landed at $8MM, Perchick tweets.
- Just-acquired reliever Tyler Clippard has filed for $8.85MM against the Athletics, who countered at $7.775MM, Perchick tweets.
- Cardinals center fielder Jon Jay filed at $5MM while the team countered at $4.1MM, MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch tweets.
- Pedro Alvarez has requested a $5.75MM salary for the coming season while the Pirates are at $5.25MM, per a tweet from Perchick.
- Righty Mat Latos filed at $10.4MM and the Marlins countered with a $9.4MM figure, per Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).
- Third baseman Casey McGehee filed at $5.4MM, with the Giants countering at $4MM, Heyman tweets.
- The Braves countered Mike Minor's $5.6MM filing number with a $5.1MM team figure, Heyman reports on Twitter.
- Mark Trumbo has filed for $6.9MM against a $5.3MM counter from the Diamondbacks, Heyman tweets. Closer Addison Reed, meanwhile, filed at $5.6MM with the team countering at $4.7MM, per Heyman (via Twitter).
- The Orioles went with a $7.5MM price point for righty Bud Norris, who filed at $10.25MM, per Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). In both relative and absolute terms, there is an even bigger gap between the O's ($2MM) and breakout slugger Steve Pearce ($5.4MM), who is looking to cash in on a big season in his final year of eligibility. That news also comes via Connolly, on Twitter.
- Entering his final year of arbitration, infielder Daniel Murphy has filed for $8.6MM while the Mets have submitted a $7.4MM figure, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com tweets.
- Reds 9th inning man Aroldis Chapman filed for $8.7MM while the team countered at $6.65MM, per Heyman (via Twitter).
- The Orioles and outfielder Alejandro De Aza will negotiate between filing figures of $5MM and $5.65MM, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com tweets.
- Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer filed at $6.7MM and the team countered at $4.6MM, Heyman tweets. The club will also have some ground to make up with closer Greg Holland, who filed at $9MM versus a team filing of $6.65MM, per another Heyman tweet.
- Newly-acquired third baseman Josh Donaldson has filed at $5.75MM, while the Blue Jays countered at $4.3MM, Heyman tweets.
Full Story | Comments | Categories: Addison Reed | Alejandro De Aza | Arizona Diamondbacks | Aroldis Chapman | Atlanta Braves | Baltimore Orioles | Bud Norris | Casey McGehee | Chicago White Sox | Cincinnati Reds | Daniel Murphy | David Freese | Dexter Fowler | Eric Hosmer | Greg Holland | Houston Astros | Jon Jay | Josh Donaldson | Kansas City Royals | Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | Mark Trumbo | Mat Latos | Matt Joyce | Miami Marlins | Mike Minor | Neil Walker | New York Mets | Oakland Athletics | Pedro Alvarez | Pittsburgh Pirates | San Francisco Giants | St. Louis Cardinals | Steve Pearce | Tampa Bay Rays | Todd Frazier | Toronto Blue Jays | Tyler Clippard
Central Notes: Burnett, Kluber, Cardinals
A.J. Burnett will prove to be a bargain for the Pirates, Joe Starkey of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes. The Pirates have a great record with recent free agents like Russell Martin and Edinson Volquez, and Burnett is still a strikeout pitcher. He'll also be recovered from a hernia issue that dogged him in 2014, and he'll have a more favorable ballpark and defense than he had in Philadelphia. Here are more notes from the Central divisions.
- Potential offseason extension candidates include NL Central and AL Central players like Josh Harrison of the Pirates, Corey Kluber of the Indians, and Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas of the Royals, Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com writes. It will be awhile before Kluber can really cash in on his AL Cy Young award win, Castrovince notes — he isn't eligible for free agency until after 2018, by which point he'll be heading into his age-33 season. Extending him now would give the Indians cost certainty through his arbitration seasons. As Castrovince points out, extensions for Harrison, Hosmer and Moustakas don't appear that likely — the Pirates would probably like to see how Harrison performs in 2015, and Hosmer and Moustakas are represented by Scott Boras, who may prefer to see what his players might get in free agency in a few years. Also, neither Hosmer nor Moustakas were nearly as impressive in the regular season as they were in the playoffs.
- GM John Mozeliak says the Cardinals aren't heavily involved in the market for Asian players right now, Fangraphs' David Laurila tweets. Mozeliak does add that the Cardinals can't totally ignore that market, however. The GM's answer came in response to a question about Japanese phenom Shohei Otani, who struck out 179 batters in 155 1/3 innings and threw 101 MPH as a pitcher, as well as hitting .274/.338/.505 as an outfielder for the Nippon Ham Fighters last season. Otani is probably many years away from playing in the US, if he ever does, but MLB scouts are keeping an eye on him, for obvious reasons.
Full Story | Comments | Categories: A.J. Burnett | Cleveland Indians | Corey Kluber | Eric Hosmer | Josh Hamilton | Kansas City Royals | Mike Moustakas | Shohei Otani | St. Louis Cardinals
AL Central Notes: Royals, Aoki, Butler, Lovullo, Tigers
Though the Royals are coming off their best season in nearly three decades, Andy Martino of the New York Daily News writes that the team will soon need to turn its focus to some difficult offseason decisions. Industry expectations, according to Martino, are that the Royals will at least listen to trade offers for its more expensive players — including Alex Gordon, Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas — if other teams come calling this winter. Gordon's case is the most pressing, as he's only controlled through 2015 at $12.5MM before he has a $12.5MM player option. Gordon has publicly stated that he plans to exercise that option, though it'd be a surprise, to say the least, considering he could be in line for a much more sizable long-term commitment next offseason if he turns it down. Martino also notes that the Royals will have interest in re-signing Nori Aoki this offseason. From my vantage point, the team needn't feel pressure to move any of the three previously mentioned players, though I'll cover that at greater length in the upcoming Royals Offseason Outlook.
For the time being, here's more on the AL Champs and the rest of their division…
- The Royals are expected to decline their $12.5MM option on designated hitter Billy Butler in favor of a $1MM buyout, tweets Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. The move isn't exactly unexpected after the down season he had at the plate. However, Heyman adds that the team may look to pursue Torii Hunter, as they did seven years ago, in the event that Aoki signs elsewhere as a free agent. The Kansas City Star's Andy McCullough also hears that Butler's option is likely to be declined.
- The Twins' front office flew out to Torey Lovullo's home in California to conduct their second interview with him on Monday this week, tweets Jason Mastrodonato of MassLive.com, but there's still been no decision reached as to who will be the team's next manager. Lovullo and Paul Molitor are believed to be the favorites.
- Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski spoke candidly to reporters, including Matthew Mowery of the Oakland Press, about the team's lack of financial flexibility this offseason. Said Dombrowski: "We have the most generous owner in baseball you could possibly have in sports. But we're in a situation where $200 million payrolls aren't what is common here. … It's a situation where we're really in a spot that if you're going to have four starters being paid and you're going to have a couple superstars in the middle of your lineup, that means there's not as much availability to do some other things. And you have to determine what you're going to do."
Full Story | Comments | Categories: Alex Gordon | Billy Butler | Detroit Tigers | Eric Hosmer | Kansas City Royals | Mike Moustakas | Minnesota Twins | Norichika Aoki | Torii Hunter
Players Avoiding Arbitration: Friday
We'll keep track of today's smaller deals to avoid arbitration in this post. Click here for background on the upcoming arbitration schedule and how MLBTR is covering it. You can also check in on our Arbitration Tracker and look at MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz's arbitration projections.
Today's noon CT deadline to exchange arb figures has passed, but negotiations to avoid an arbitration hearing can continue into February. The Braves are the only strict "file and trial" team that did not agree to terms with all of its arb-eligible players, meaning they could be headed for several hearings. The Nats and Indians have also shown a willingness to go to a trial and still have some players unsigned. On to today's contract agreements…
- After exchanging numbers, the Mets and pitcher Dillon Gee have agreed to settle at the midpoint of $3.625MM, tweets Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. Swartz projected Gee to earn $3.4MM.
- The Cubs have avoided arbitration with reliever Pedro Strop, president Theo Epstein told Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). He will earn $1.325MM next year, according to a tweet from Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. It is not immediately apparent whether the deal was reached before the sides exchanged terms.
- The Angels have reached agreement on a $3.8MM deal with reliever Ernesto Frieri, reports Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com (on Twitter).
- Mike Minor has agreed to terms on a $3.85MM deal with the Braves to avoid arbitration, reports Mark Bowman of MLB.com (Twitter links). The deal came before figures were exchanged, Bowman notes.
- Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish reports that the D-Backs and lefty Joe Thatcher have avoided arb with a one-year, $2.375MM deal (Twitter link).
- Nicholson-Smith tweets that the Angels and Fernando Salas reached an agreement to avoid arbitration. Salas is the first Halos player to avoid arb. Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times tweets that Salas will earn $870K, which beats out his $700K projection.
- MLB.com's Jason Beck reports (via Twitter) that the Tigers and righty Al Alburquerque have reached agreement on a deal to avoid arb. The hard-throwing righty will earn $837.5K in 2014, tweets Beck.
- Sherman tweets that the Yankees and Ivan Nova avoided arbitration with a one-year, $3.3MM deal.
- The Pirates and Vin Mazzaro inked a one-year, $950K deal in lieu of an arbitration hearing, tweets Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune.
- The Royals announced that they've avoided arbitration with infielder Emilio Bonifacio. Heyman tweets that Bonifacio will earn $3.5MM in 2014.
- Sherman reports that the Rays avoided arbitration with Jeremy Hellickson and Sean Rodriguez (Twitter link). Hellickson landed a $3.625MM payday with a $25K bonus if he hits 195 innings pitched. Rodriguez will get $1.475MM with a $25K bump for hitting 300 plate appearances.
- Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com tweets that Brian Matusz avoided arb with the Orioles. Sherman adds that he'll earn $2.4MM in 2014.
- MLB.com's Brian McTaggart tweets that Jason Castro and the Astros have avoided arbitration. McTaggart adds in a second tweet that Jesus Guzman avoided arb as well. Heyman reports that Castro will be paid $2.45MM, while Sherman tweets that Guzman will make $1.3MM.
- The Indians tweeted that they've avoided arb with lefty Marc Rzepczynski, and MLB.com's Jordan Bastian tweets that he'll earn $1.375MM in 2014. Bastian adds that Scrabble will earn an additional $25K for appearing in 55 games and another $25K for 60 games.
- The Giants avoided arbitration with Yusmeiro Petit, according to MLBTR's Steve Adams (on Twitter). He'll earn $845K, according to Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith (via Twitter).
Full Story | Comments | Categories: Al Alburquerque | Alejandro De Aza | Alexi Ogando | Alfredo Simon | Arizona Diamondbacks | Atlanta Braves | Baltimore Orioles | Bobby Parnell | Boston Red Sox | Brandon Moss | Brett Cecil | Brian Duensing | Brian Matusz | Chicago Cubs | Chris Johnson | Cincinnati Reds | Cleveland Indians | Colorado Rockies | Craig Gentry | Detroit Tigers | Dillon Gee | Drew Storen | Drew Stubbs | Emilio Bonifacio | Eric Hosmer | Ernesto Frieri | Esmil Rogers | Gaby Sanchez | Gordon Beckham | Gregor Blanco | Houston Astros | Ivan Nova | Jake McGee | James Russell | Jason Castro | Jeremy Hellickson | Jerry Blevins | Jesus Guzman | Joe Thatcher | John Mayberry Jr. | Jon Jay | Jonathan Herrera | Jordan Schafer | Jose Lobaton | Juan Francisco | Juan Nicasio | Junichi Tazawa | Kansas City Royals | Kyle Blanks | Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | Luis Valbuena | Marc Rzepczynski | Mark Melancon | Matt Joyce | Miami Marlins | Mike Dunn | Milwaukee Brewers | Minnesota Twins | Neftali Feliz | New York Mets | New York Yankees | Oakland Athletics | Pedro Alvarez | Pedro Strop | Peter Bourjos | Philadelphia Phillies | Pittsburgh Pirates | San Diego Padres | San Francisco Giants | Sean Rodriguez | Shawn Kelley | St. Louis Cardinals | Tampa Bay Rays | Texas Rangers | Tommy Hunter | Tony Abreu | Toronto Blue Jays | Transactions | Trevor Plouffe | Troy Patton | Vin Mazzaro | Washington Nationals | Wilson Ramos | Yusmeiro Petit
AL Central Notes: Hosmer, Santana, Twins, White Sox
The Tigers would love to hammer out an extension with Max Scherzer, one of three finalists for this year's AL Cy Young award, but Tim Dierkes wrote yesterday that it is highly unlikely to happen this winter. The standout hurler is projected to earn $13.6MM in arbitration this year and his rising price tag could even lead Detroit to explore a deal this offseason. Here's tonight's look around the AL Central..
- The Royals have yet to discuss an extension with Eric Hosmer, according to Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star (on Twitter). "I'm locked in for another four years, and we have guys whose contracts expire before mine," Hosmer said. The 24-year-old hit .302/.353/.448 with 17 homers this past season.
- The Twins have formally expressed interest in free agent hurler Ervin Santana, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (via Twitter). Santana could prove to be too pricey for Minnesota, however, as Tim predicts that he will command a deal in the range of $75MM over five years.
- Walk year disappointments and poor investments have made it difficult for the White Sox to take advantage of the qualifying offer system, writes Jim Margalus of South Side Sox. The White Sox could have gotten one for Jake Peavy last year, but they instead signed him to a two-year deal and flipped him to Boston in a deal that netted them Avisail Garcia.
The Twins have a host of problems to address, but their biggest shortcoming is their starting pitching, writes Phil Mackey of 1500 ESPN. Twins starting pitchers ranked last in the American League in ERA, innings, strikeout rate, and Wins Above Replacement in 2013.
Full Story | Comments | Categories: Chicago White Sox | Eric Hosmer | Ervin Santana | Kansas City Royals | Minnesota Twins
Central Notes: Garza, Tigers, Hart, Royals
Cubs manager Dale Sveum told reporters, including MLB.com's Carrie Muskat, that Matt Garza will most likely miss the first month of the season. Garza, ranked ninth on MLBTR's 2014 Free Agent Power Rankings and one of the prime trade targets last summer until he hurt his elbow, strained his left lat two weeks ago when he faced live hitters for the first time since July. In other news involving teams from the NL and AL Central Divisions:
- Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski says he is not looking to add anyone as projected closer Bruce Rondon continues to struggle, reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.
- First base going forward is going to be very interesting for the Brewers, opines the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Tom Haudricourt. Corey Hart, currently recovering from knee surgery, is a free agent at the end of the year and has stated his desire to remain in Milwaukee. The Brewers also have Hunter Morris, the organization's player of the year and the Southern League (Double-A) MVP, waiting in the wings.
- With the Royals likely to open the season with a club-record $79MM payroll, Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star doesn't anticipate any contract extensions for the team's young talent especially Eric Hosmer, a Scott Boras client.
- The Royals will keep their eye on the outfield trade market, tweets CBSSports.com's Danny Knobler.
Full Story | Comments | Categories: Chicago Cubs | Corey Hart | Dave Dombrowski | Detroit Tigers | Eric Hosmer | Kansas City Royals | Matt Garza | Milwaukee Brewers
Morning Rumors: Otani, Braves, Wang, Indians
The most fun week of baseball's offseason is here, as 2012's Winter Meetings get underway in Nashville. With a ton of activity expected over the next few days, we don't want to let anything fall through the cracks, so let's round up a few Monday morning updates from around MLB:
- 18-year-old Japanese pitcher Shohei Otani, who announced in October that he intended to sign with an MLB team, may now be leaning toward staying in Japan, according to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link), who cites reports out of Japan. A decision from Otani is expected this week, tweets Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times.
- If the Braves make a move this week, it's more likely to be a trade than a signing, says Mark Bowman of MLB.com, who tweets that Atlanta has "minimal interest" in the outfielders on the free agent market. The team's interest in free agents could increase if asking prices drop, but that's not likely to happen this early in the offseason, tweets Bowman. David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has more details on the Braves' search for a left fielder.
- The Rays' agreement with James Loney makes them an unlikely fit for Eric Hosmer or Billy Butler now, tweets Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star. If the Royals were to pursue a Rays pitcher via trade, Kansas City may have to offer Wil Myers, Dutton adds.
- Given the weak third base market, Jon Morosi of FOX Sports thinks the Padres may be motivated to sell high on Chase Headley and send him to the Yankees (Twitter link).
- Coming off an injury-shortened 2012 season, Chien-Ming Wang may not sign with an MLB team until midseason, according to Bill Ladson of MLB.com (Twitter link).
- John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer thinks the Reds will make a run at Dexter Fowler, but doesn't expect the team to give up Homer Bailey to make it happen.
- The Dodgers may have a tricky time targeting an outfielder, since they need a starting-caliber player but can't promise a starting job, writes Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times.
- If the Indians decide to go all-in on their rebuild, they could extract young pitching talent from a team like the Mariners or Diamondbacks, says ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Insider link). Cleveland's asking price for Asdrubal Cabrera is "steep in terms of young pitchers," according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
- In an Insider-only story for ESPN.com, Jim Bowden has identified a trade candidate for all 30 MLB teams, along with potential suitors for each player.
- After a quiet Winter Meetings in 2011, the Red Sox figure to be more active this year, writes Tim Britton of the Providence Journal, as he explores a few of the team's potential targets.
Full Story | Comments | Categories: Arizona Diamondbacks | Asdrubal Cabrera | Atlanta Braves | Billy Butler | Boston Red Sox | Chase Headley | Chien-Ming Wang | Cincinnati Reds | Cleveland Indians | Colorado Rockies | Dexter Fowler | Eric Hosmer | Kansas City Royals | Los Angeles Dodgers | New York Yankees | San Diego Padres | Seattle Mariners | Shohei Otani | Tampa Bay Rays | Wil Myers
Silverman's Latest: Greinke, Royals, Rays, Blue Jays
Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski told Michael Silverman of The Boston Herald that he was unsure if he'd be able to acquire Miguel Cabrera (and Dontrelle Willis) in 2007. "A lot of clubs were involved and I didn't think it was going to work for us for where we were financially," said Dombrowski. "Once we sat down with the Marlins, it took us just a day to work out that deal. It happened very fast."
Here are Silverman's rumors…
- The Dodgers are the favorite to sign Zack Greinke according to an insider. Both the Angels and Rangers are said to be "on the outside looking in."
- The Royals are listening to offers for Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Alex Gordon, Billy Butler, and even Wil Myers. The Rays, meanwhile, are listening on James Shields and Jeremy Hellickson.
- Despite their pending blockbuster, keep an eye on the Blue Jays and the pitching market. Silverman suggests that Anibal Sanchez and Edwin Jackson could be in play for Toronto.
- The Blue Jays are shopping their three catchers (John Buck, J.P. Arencibia, and Travis d'Arnaud) but are leaning towards Arencibia or d'Arnaud.
Full Story | Comments | Categories: Alex Gordon | Billy Butler | Eric Hosmer | J.P. Arencibia | James Shields | Jeremy Hellickson | John Buck | Kansas City Royals | Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | Los Angeles Dodgers | Mike Moustakas | Tampa Bay Rays | Texas Rangers | Toronto Blue Jays | Travis D'Arnaud | Wil Myers | Zack Greinke
Central Links: Axford, Tigers, Hosmer
Three years ago today, the Reds traded Jeff Keppinger to the Astros for a player to be named later. That player ended up being Drew Sutton. Here's the latest from baseball's two Central divisions…
- "I don't care if it does," said John Axford to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy when asked if he minds if extensions talks with the Brewers carry over into the regular season. "I'm open to still talking [during the season], for sure, and it doesn't affect me if we don't talk."
- "What I'm telling you is that we don't definitely have any trades in place," said Tigers manager Jim Leyland to MLB.com's Jason Beck. Detroit appears to be taking as much time as possible before announcing their final roster moves.
- With Alex Gordon now signed to an extension, the Royals will try to convince Eric Hosmer to sign a long-term deal according to ESPN's Buster Olney (Insider req'd). I looked at Hosmer as an extension candidate in January, but the first baseman recently said he's not in a rush to sign a new deal.
Full Story | Comments | Categories: Detroit Tigers | Eric Hosmer | John Axford | Kansas City Royals | Milwaukee Brewers


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Hi, Lisa was feeling pretty cocky about her skills in ladder golf. So I proposed a bet. If she lost, I got to take a naked picture. Of course I beat her and she demanded double or nothing. I said fine, but If I win, 2 pictures and we get to post them on truth or dare. she reluctantly agreed. Here are 2 of the pictures we took. Enjoy. want2seeufukher @ yahoo.com
The Dare Videos are a small homemade operation. Like myself, the guy who makes them LOVES truth or dare and has a hobby website for it. He gets participants locally by placing ads in the 'personals' section of the local shopper, asking girls to play truth or dare with other girls. All players are over 18 and do this for fun. No pros!
Dare Blog || Sex Archives || Dare Videos || Amateurs || Free Video Chat || MILFs || Your Stories || Sexy Chat || Boobs || Penetration Hottest Cam Girls & Skype Girls || Personals || Strip Games || Nude Dares || Audio - Submit your Truth or Dare Pics and Stories! - Girls More naked girl pics @ cheeby.com || Kink || Free Porn Chat || MILF Nudes ||
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subset: commoncrawl


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Launcher Update
Get the Desktop App for Battle.net Now
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Small social Aussie guild looking to merge or for more like minded mature individuals for Cataclysm. Plenty of experience in our ranks going back to Vanilla. PST Sirbeefalot in game for more details. Cheers |
Hey there Sirbeefalot,
Not sure if we are like minded (you didn't really clarify that :P), but PPF is a small, mature, casual, and friendly guild looking to recruit more into our family for the expansion. Our active times are around 7pm server onwards. Check us out at snort.guildomatic.com Or catch me online on one of my many alts. Just do a "/who douy" and you will find me if I am online. Good luck out there. |
Cheers mate,
Will look you up online and discuss details Beefy
Edited by Sirbeefalot on 12/3/2010 2:23 AM PST
Threats of violence. We take these seriously and will alert the proper authorities.
Posts containing personal information about other players. This includes physical addresses, e-mail addresses, phone numbers, and inappropriate photos and/or videos.
Harassing or discriminatory language. This will not be tolerated.


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One World T-shirt / T-shirts > Jamaica T-shirt, Jamaica T-shirts & Jamaica Gifts > Rastafarian > Rastafarian baby hat
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Hey friends,
in another forum I found a thread about a strange place in Siberia. This place is said to be blurred out in any public map, and this is discussed on many other fora at the moment. I looked at google maps, and instead of normal texture at this place there is only a brown rectangular blotch.
The coordinates are 66 16 0 N 179 15 0 E
Any idea what this could be?
I checked with google earth and that spot It's something intentionally hidden, first the "cloud" Is fake, If u see earth clouds in our planet was not brown, u can see dark grey clouds and white clouds (in a satelital view of earth) I think and its my personal opinion, that place maybe a russian military base or something like that,
If we think in all recent issues about outherspace people and UFO, maybe the "powerfuls"(USA/RUS/UK/CH) was hidding information and places were happened new and strange things... the reason?? I don't know...
Regards and Blessings
PD: sorry for the translation
thanks for your answer. Why "sorry for the translation"?
Anyway, I also think that this isn't a normal cloud, but a bad try to cover something. It would be great to get some old maps of this area, maybe there this place isn't hidden. And... they could have tried harder to hide it... it looks like a trainee has done it ^^
Also interesting is the north coast of Greenland. There seems to be something fishy, too. Just take a close look.
I forgot something, remember that in alaska and the north pole are light portals and a lot of isolated and unexplored lands.... only some cities in the coasts but in the vast area of greenland, alaska and syberia our light friends maybe land there or they have something there safe,
I wish an air baloon to fly over that beautyful landscapes =D
there was an article recently about a city that was dug up somewhere in russia, it was a circular city like all the ancient 10,000 year old cities they keep finding. this is probably what you are looking at but cant see
Posted by Meindert Arends on January 29, 2015 at 6:30pm 8 Comments 2 Likes
We hear about UFO Sightings all the time but who are the groups or Alien Species behind the UFO sightings? Check out this amazing video on the Good and Bad Aliens visiting earth!…
ContinuePosted by Meindert Arends on January 29, 2015 at 5:20pm 2 Comments 1 Like
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If you're like most people, you live almost entirely in your mind. There's a constant internal dialog going on, the mind always talking to itself. "I need to do…
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Microsoft officially announced its acquisition of Parature, a social and customer engagement tool that could provide the Dynamics CRM ecosystem with added capabilities like a customer portal and self-service knowledgebase.
Dynamics CRM is clearly an important piece of Microsoft's strategy, and the Parature buy is its largest acquisition yet, R "Ray" Wang, a Constellation Research analyst told CMSWire.
Great Customer Care Leads to Loyalty + Trust
"Dynamics CRM customers gain the knowledge base functionality in Parature, which is the crown jewel," Wang said. "This knowledgebase was recently re-architected and is one of the most modern in the industry."
Microsoft Dynamics CRM already has customer care tools like case management, universal queuing and routing, and light scheduling and field service, Wang added, but the Parature buy shows how serious Microsoft is about customer experiences.
Seamlessly handling interactions across many channels is how company's build loyalty and trust, Bob Stutz, corporate vice president of Microsoft Dynamics CRM, wrote in a blog post about the deal. He called the Parature social and self service capabilities the "perfect complement" to Dynamics CRM.
The deal is reportedly in the $100 million range. If that's accurate, it's the sixth largest acquisition in the customer care segment since 2002, according to data from 451 Research. Since 2002, acquirers have purchased 57 companies in the customer service automation segment for a total of more than $3.6 billion in announced or estimated spending.
The biggest deal was the Oracle/RighNow buy in 2011 at $1.5 billion. Microsoft has the second largest buy: its acquisition of TellMe Networks in 2007 for $750 million. For a bit of symmetry, the third largest buy happened just a day before this deal when Verint Systems shelled out $514 million for Kana Software.
Another 70M End Users
Not only does the Dynamics CRM team pick up the Parature technology. It potentially gains around 70 million end users from companies like Ask.com, the US Environmental Protection Agency, IBM, Saba Software, Tagged and Threadless.
"Parature has built a strong foothold in key industries such as education, gaming, high-tech, non-profit associations, online media, public sector, and travel," Wang said.
Additionally, Parature has doubled its end user count from 35 million since 2011, Wang added. Microsoft will need to retain key Parature talent to keep that momentum going, he said.
"It will also need to maintain the same level of marketing and sales support if it hopes to maintain the same growth trajectory. This may prove to be challenging given the current One Microsoft reorganization in progress."
Nevertheless, Dynamics CRM is giving Salesforce some real competition in head to head deals, Wang said, and Parature accelerates Microsoft's efforts in customer care by 24 months. Microsoft will continue to offer Parature and support new and existing customers as the two companies integrate. Product integration plans and timelines will also be shared at a Parature conference called Parafest 2014 on Feb. 24 and 25 in Las Vegas.
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text: White House says Holocaust Day 'time for action'January 28, 2013 - 14:35 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - International Holocaust Remembrance Day is not just a day for mourning and reflection, but also "the time for action," the White House said in a statement Monday, Jan 28, according to The Jerusalem Post. In a press statement, the White House stated: "On this day, we recall the courage, spirit, and determination of those who heroically resisted the Nazis, exemplifying the very best of humanity." "The United States, along with the international community, resolves to stand in the way of any tyrant or dictator who commits crimes against humanity, and stay true to the principle of 'Never Again,'" the White House added. U.S. President Barack Obama's administration "honors the memories of the 6 million Jews and millions of other innocent victims whose lives were tragically taken during the Holocaust over sixty years ago," the statement read. Top stories "As two neighbors, Iran and Russia have common viewpoints toward political, regional and global issues," Dehghan said. At least 2,500 and possibly up to 5,000 suspects have traveled from Europe to conflicts in Syria and Iraq, Wainwright said. Yet even as Aliyev cultivates the West, he is convinced that foreign-financed organizations, including RFE/RL, are out to get him. Francis urged people to have greater empathy towards family and friends with problems, saying the world "needs tenderness" and warmth. Partner news | Serena Williams wins 19th Grand Slam title The American, 33, served superbly to win a pulsating final 6-3 7-6 (7-5) after Maria Sharapova fought back in the second set. Japan says situation with IS-held captives deadlocked Abe has repeatedly said Japan would not give in to terrorism and would keep cooperating with the international community. Merkel rules out cancelling any of Greece's debt New Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will visit Cyprus, Italy and France next week but has no plans to visit Germany as yet. Artsakh army takes punitive measures to ensure security at contact line About 2,200 ceasefire violations by the Azerbaijani armed forces were reported at the contact line from Jan 25-31. |


text:
Arizona Wildcats
Music Review: Foals shine with 'Holy Fire'
(AP) - Foals, "Holy Fire" (Warner Bros. Records)
One thing you can say about the Foals is that they always mix it up. Their first album, "Antidotes," was loaded with heavy drumbeats, while "Total Life Forever" was more melancholic with beautiful lyrical prowess.
The British band sticks to their wild formula on the new album, "Holy Fire." It opens with "Prelude," a 4-minute long instrumental that blasts into "Inhaler," showcasing a rockier side to the band. There are howling guitars and shouting vocals, courtesy of Yannis Philippakis.
"My Number" is addictive and could have jumped straight from a Talking Heads record. It is funky, uplifting and playful, and the lyrics illustrate optimism: "I feel the love, feel the love."
Melancholia isn't far away though, as the record swings back down with "Bad Habit," which is a soulful lament. "I'm a bad habit, one you cannot shake," sings Philippakis.
Follow Sian Watson on Twitter: twitter.com/sianwatson
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
Most Popular
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- Bearing Down with Adam and Jarrett - Jan. 26, 2015Arizona stepped up its game in a sweep by the bay.
- New Younker Fooball Head Coach Kelly EpleyNewly hired Younker and former Agua Fria Football Head Coach Kelly Epley joins the show
- Bearing Down with Adam and Jarrett - Jan. 21, 2015The Wildcats got back on track with wins over Colorado and Utah.
- Don MacLean, Pac-12 Networks basketball analystDon discusses the big UA basketball game against Utah coming up this weekend.
- Ray Anderson- ASU athletic directorRay Anderson says the College Football Playoff system worked the way the NCAA wanted it to.


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- In the month which preceded the present; in the last month, as distinguished from the current or present month and all others.
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The unlikely lad: Olly Murs on X Factor fame and the snipers who induced a bout of depression
He's got the number ones and the nationwide tour with Robbie Williams. He's got the TV gigs. And now he's go the dark back story. Can anything stop the irrepressible Olly Murs?
In preparation for meeting Olly Murs, I have been listening to him on Spotify every day for the past week. For such a new artist – he finished runner-up on the 2009 series of The X Factor – there's a ridiculous amount to listen to: three albums, 37 songs, assorted B-sides and live tracks.
As is the case whenever you listen to music while getting on with your working day, I don't always pay full attention to the songs, I never learn all the words or appreciate any subtle nuances, but after a while I find myself actually coming to like what I'm listening to. In truth, I wasn't expecting this, not at all, but his songs are perhaps the purest expression of pop right now: they are happy, catchy, and full of a boundless and thoroughly unpretentious enthusiasm it's difficult to resist.
His most recent album, last November's Right Place Right Time, is a frisky combination of Jamiroquai's radio-friendly funk and Maroon 5's incessantly high-tempo rhythms. This reads, on paper at least, like reason enough to run screaming to the hills – yet somehow it works. It's fun; throwaway definitely, yet unaccountably pleasing on the ear. But then, Murs on record is much as he is on television: a likeable, cheeky chappie, and ultimately difficult to sneer at no matter how predisposed you may be to sneering.
And now here he is, in the flesh, striding across the soft carpet of a VIP bar at London's Indigo2 venue where, later tonight, he will play a gig. He looks not unlike a waxwork version of himself, everything about him as you might expect: clad in a Fred Perry top so snug and buttoned up you fear for his Adam's apple, natty slacks, good shoes, a sideways smile on his disarmingly wide face, and a habitual twinkle in his Essex-boy eye.
"All right, mate?" he asks. His handshake is firm, and we relocate, in two swift strides, to a private booth where he starts to talk on automatic pilot, interviews being so much a part of his daily life now. His eyes wander the room as he talks, and much of what he says is the stuff of pop- star cliché, but it's clearly heartfelt, and he means it all the same. He has a way of talking that is pure wideboy caricature: out of the left side of his mouth, almost covertly, as if letting you in on a secret, or perhaps attempting to offload on to you some recently stolen goods.
This far into our complicated relationship with reality-TV singing competitions, we have developed certain requirements from, and demands of, those they serve up for our entertainment. Yes, we shall enjoy watching them succeed and flail every Saturday night, but we will then laugh at their cheek, their barefaced temerity, when they linger on afterwards expecting recording contracts, hit singles and blanket tabloid coverage. What the hell are they thinking? We will expect their hits to dry out quickly, their shelflife ending neatly with the arrival of another reality-TV singing competition that demands our all-too-fleeting affections.
Murs, however, seems to be one of the rare exceptions. He is still here, for starters, and ever-more ubiquitous, a pop star and TV presenter, his profile in the ascendant, any resistance we might have harboured increasingly futile. Coming second back in 2009 to the sweet, the doleful, the where-is-he-now Joe McElderry, Murs, with the help of firm record-company muscle behind him, quickly established himself as a fixture in the Top 10. Not for him the sudden, belated yearnings for singer-songwriterly credibility. Instead, he kept knocking out brashly commercial hit singles – number-one hit singles – and then albums. In 2010, his self-titled debut shifted more than 600,000 copies.
A year later, he released In Case You Didn't Know, which did even better. And then, late last year, he released Right Place Right Time, on course to be his most successful to date. He is about to head off on his biggest headlining tour, arenas all, and in the summer will support Robbie Williams on his Take the Crown stadium jaunt.
Give or take the occasional Will Young or Leona Lewis, this sustained success is a pronounced aberration for a reality-TV hopeful. But it can't be an accident, can it?
"I hope not," he says, grinning. "It's down to bloody hard work, if you ask me. I'm not sure people realise. When you see fame, famous people, on the telly and that, it all looks so easy… red carpets, falling out of clubs, girls. But in reality, it's hard work, relentless hard work, day and night. To get anywhere in this industry, you need to be a workaholic. That's what three years in this business has taught me."
Olly Murs is Essex born and bred. He is 28 years old, the son of a toolmaker and an HR consultant. He has a twin brother, Ben, and a younger sister, Fay. He was an OK student at school – though when he says to me, "If a song is wrote for me that sounds amazing, I'll do it," it rather suggests English wasn't his best subject.
From a young age, he admits, he loved the idea of becoming famous.
"Everyone does, don't they? I'd watch MTV, all these pop stars and their fabulous lives, and I'd say to myself, wouldn't it be great to be famous one day? It just looked like an amazing job."
But he didn't want to be famous merely for the sake of it. "No, I wanted to have a talent. I thought that talent would be football. For the life of me, I never thought it would be performing."
He was 23 when he accepted that a persistent leg injury meant he would never be able to pursue football professionally (he played semi-professionally for Witham Town), so he sought a replacement: singing. He started to do karaoke – a cheeky chappie, after all, only remains a cheeky chappie if he has an audience – and played gigs with friends in bands that seemed likely never to find an audience outside the M25. He tried out for The X Factor in both 2007 and 2008 before, in 2009, the producers finally gave him a chance to do his stuff on television.
His first performance on the show is worth watching again on YouTube. It's easy to be cynical about the programme now, to be resistant to how mercilessly it plays on our heartstrings, but much of the magic that made it so watchable in the first place still exists. Murs, dressed like a geezer on the pull, ambled on to stage, shy and wary but eager with it, to sing Stevie Wonder's "Superstition". He didn't have the best voice, and his dancing wasn't of a professional standard, but he radiated the kind of likeability that TV adores. At its conclusion, Simon Cowell did that thing with his face where his lips peel back to reveal more teeth than seem strictly necessary, and by the time he told Murs, "This is the easiest 'yes' I have ever given," the 25-year-old's life had already changed. He was instantaneously famous, instantaneously a winner.
"I couldn't believe it," he tells me now. "Still can't. You dream of it happening, sure, but you don't expect it. You'd be mad to."
To become a fully accepted public figure, however, there needs to be a little darkness to counterbalance all that shining light. In Murs' case, the darkness came on k the eve of the release of his debut album. During The X Factor's live finals, his twin brother Ben was preparing to get married. Because Olly was busy with the show, he missed the ceremony. They fell out, stopped speaking, and a year later Ben sold his story to the News of the World, referring to his brother as a "self-obsessed sell-out".
"That was a weird situation," Olly says now. "A private one that unfortunately became public. It had nothing to do with the show, not really. By that stage he wasn't talking to anybody in the family, not just me, and it was more to do with his relationship with his girlfriend… I don't want to go into too many details, but that's where it came from. There had been a lot of arguments. Basically, I think he just wanted to move on with his life, and then he did. But to not hear from him for that long, and then to see that he had sold a story, and taken money for it… Well, that was the hard part."
Will they ever reconcile? He shrugs. "I don't know. Hopefully, in years to come, when we are older and have families, then perhaps, maybe. We'll see. But it still feels like he was trying to jeopardise my career, selling the story when he did. That's hard to take."
And then, in the middle of last year, while he was touring his second album, hosting The X Factor spin-off The Xtra Factor and dating girls who, just two years before, wouldn't have given him the time of day, he started to change. Those closest to him noticed that he had become moody, defensive, and that, although never a big drinker, he was now starting to drink heavily.
"I was doing a lot of TV, not just Xtra Factor but popping up on things like [Channel 4 comedy panel show] 8 Out of 10 Cats. I just felt I had to drink myself to a point where I had that 'Olly Murs' personality again. Without it I didn't feel good enough, funny enough."
This subject was covered in his ghosted autobiography, Happy Days, which came out last year, and was subsequently reported by the media as a major depression. A cynic here might suggest that the story has been over-egged somewhat, perhaps to flesh out his character a bit more. He certainly talks about the episode now in a breezy manner one wouldn't automatically expect from someone blighted by depression. He tells me that it lasted "at least a couple of weeks". Nevertheless, it is clear that being catapulted to such sudden fame did come with side-effects.
"I was worried that doing the TV show would kill my music career," he says, having convinced himself that he would be overexposed, and also shown up for what he felt he was: an opportunist promoted way above his station. He has always prided himself, he tells me, on being a nice bloke, liked by everyone. "I've never walked into a room and been arrogant or confident [sic] or horrible to anyone. I've never belittled anyone. I've always been caring. And being seen like that – a nice bloke – was important to me. But now I was doing TV, and I was getting criticism every day – blogs, tweets, and you lot, the media. They hated me, I was a wanker, I was crap, I couldn't dress, I couldn't sing, I was rubbish on TV… Suddenly it seemed like nobody liked me. I didn't like that feeling. Didn't handle it well at all."
With hindsight, he decides, it probably wasn't depression, but more likely exhaustion, stress, a blip. And he soon bounced back. (His biography was not called Happy Days for nothing.) I ask him how he feels today, whether he sleeps well at night or is still dogged by a lurking paranoia.
"Oh, don't have trouble sleeping; never did," he beams. "I'm always out like a light."
I ask about his friendship with Robbie Williams. Williams had mentored him briefly on The X Factor, and the pair have remained close ever since. There are many reasons why Robbie Williams is such a compelling pop superstar, one being the way in which he wears his bruised heart so visibly on his sleeve. No matter how successful he gets, he remains perpetually sensitive, vulnerable, his skin thin. Is Olly similar in any way?
He looks confused for a while, and then says: "Robbie has always seen himself as the underdog, and I feel that way as well. He was never taken seriously because he came from a boy band. I'm not taken seriously – not properly seriously – because I came from a reality-TV show. He always fought against that, and so do I. He won, and I hope I will too."
Otherwise, they are not really similar at all, because unless he is concealing it particularly well, Murs is almost preposterously light-hearted, as carefree as a puppy. He knows how lucky he has been in life, and because he had to wait for it, because he didn't find fame until he was 25 – comparatively old in the pop game – he plans to nurture it. His fame, he seems to be saying, is like precious goods. Handle with care. It could break.
"Take tonight, for example," he says. "I'm doing this show here, there'll be some other bands around, a few footballers probably. I'm sure a lot of other people would say, 'Let's get the gig out of the way, and then have some drinks, get drunk. Yeah, we're working tomorrow, but sod it, who cares?'"
What he is trying to convey here is that he cares.
"Me, I'll go straight home, and to bed. I will. I've got work in the morning, you know? And tomorrow is another day. Got to keep focused, got to keep working at it. If I don't, who will?"
Olly Murs tours the UK from 2 March. For dates and more information: ollymurs.com
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Scarborough Hospital Still at Capacity
The NHS Trust which runs it says the situation might not be back to normal until April.
Chance To Find Out About Scarborough UTC Plans
An open day is being held at the Stephen Joseph Theatre on Tuesday 10th February where people can learn more about the plans.
A64 Weekend Roadworks Cancelled
The Highways Agency has once again postponed the planned weekend closures.
Public Consultation On Seagulls Launched By Scarborough Council
Their 'seagull taskforce' wants to hear concerns from residents and businesses.
Scarborough Hospital Passes Inspection
8:04am 9th March 2013
York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has been given a clean bill of health by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following its latest inspection visit.
The inspection team made unannounced visits to York and Scarborough Hospitals in early January 2013, and found the Trust to be meeting all of the essential standards they assessed.
At Scarborough Hospital they visited two day-case wards and the escalation ward, which houses additional beds that are opened at times of high demand, for example, during winter.
During their visit the CQC's team placed a significant focus on patient experience and patient feedback, and sought the views of staff, patients and their relatives.
The CQC reported that at Scarborough Hospital, "Everyone we spoke with made positive comments about the staff attending to them, and about their experiences whilst in hospital."
They also reported that "People told us they thought the care was very good, that they were being properly cared for and their needs were being met."
Libby McManus, Chief Nurse for York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: "I am delighted that we were found to be meeting these essential standards, and I would like to thank the staff who work hard every day to ensure that we are giving our patients the best possible care, especially at a time when the hospital is particularly busy.
"We welcome external scrutiny of our services, and it is important to us to know what others think of the care we provide. Therefore we listen to patients, staff and organisations such as the CQC to help us continually improve.
"This is the first time the CQC has conducted a routine inspection since we became a single organisation in July 2012, and it is a credit to all of our staff that we have been given external recognition of our improving standards. It is particularly pleasing to read the positive comments made by patients and relatives.
"This is such a positive report for us, but we can never afford to be complacent, and as I would expect from such a detailed inspection the CQC highlighted a small number of minor areas for improvement. On the whole these concerned the environment and the general age and wear and tear of some of the facilities.
"We know that some of our wards are in need of updating, and we have plans in place through our capital development programme to improve the areas most in need. As part of the acquisition process we received £20m of funding from the Department of Health for capital investment at Scarborough Hospital, and we were recently awarded over £400k of funding to improve maternity facilities at York Hospital."
Both reports can be downloaded from the CQC's website here
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The Eccles-Lesher Memorial Library is a small hometown library located in the rural community of Rimersburg, PA. It was built in 1968 and was renovated in 2003. It serves seven municipalities with a total population of 5,319. Our staff welcomes you to stop in and visit us any time. To access the Olde Days of Rimersburg Photo Gallery, click here
Library Hours:Monday, Tuesday, & Thursday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.Friday: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.Saturday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.Closed Wednesday & Sunday
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