60 thoughts on “December 8, 2012: Discount Turkey”

  1. Here's a suggestion, CoC: green chile turkey in the crock pot!

    Green Chile Chicken is insanely good, easy, and cheap. I usually use boneless, skinless breasts, lightly seasoned and browned, then thrown in the crock all day with a can of green enchilada sauce. Did the same earlier this week with boneless, skinless thighs, all of which then contributed to green chile stew (sauteed onion and garlic, oregano, chunked potatoes, and a large can of whole, peeled chiles chopped up and all cooked in the defatted chicken sauce; chicken shredded and added at the last minute; chopped cilantro for garnish).

    I'm sure that turkey parts would be great too. A bit more work in defatting the sauce and shredding the meat, but mmmm.

    2. I'll be honest, though. I've gotten the ground turkey at Whole Foods and it handles and tastes like I'm eating soylent green. Blech.

    3. bS - I will be trying this recipe with the second bird. Roasted the first one yesterday and had my SIL's and their kids over last night. Brined* overnight and then roasted with "aromatics"...yum**

      * Brine: 1 C kosher salt, 1 gal vegetable stock, 1/2 C light brown sugar, 2 Tbsp Allspice berries, 1 Tbsp ground candied ginger, 2 Tbsp black peppercorns, 1 gal iced water: dissolve salt, ginger & sugar in 1 C veg stock - add to crock or bucket. Put thawed & rinsed bird in bucket (breast down), add Allspice & peppercorns, cover with remaing veg stock & water. Soak 8-16 hours.

      **Aromatics: 1 diced apple, 1/2 diced onion, 4 sprigs rosemary, 4 sage leaves, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 cup water. bring water to boil, add sage, rosemary, cinnamon, apple and onion, and steep until soft (5 min). Dump the whole mess into the brined bird cavity ("stuff it"), truss, slather breast with canola oil and cook until done. Start with preheated oven @ 500 degree for 30-45, then reduce heat to 350 and cook until internal temp of 165. Don't forget to baste!
      Recipe source: network of food - a.brown/goodeats

  3. I haven't gotten too much time to spend on the computer the past week and as a result of that I haven't really been following the Winter Meetings too closely. I knew the Twins traded Span and Revere but today is the first time I have really sat down to look at what the Twins have done; not to mention the rest of mlb.

    As for Span, maybe it is just me but it sort of feels like we got more or Revere than Span, no? I was never that nuts about Revere but losing Dino is a bummer. I understand why he was let go though I just wish the Twins would have gotten a little more value for him.

    As of the rest of baseball, holy moly, there are some awful contracts being handed out. I understand tv money is different now than in seasons past but I don't know if there has been a single free agent who has signed and I felt it was a reasonable deal for the team. Look at some of these deals:

    Pagan 4/40
    Jeremy 3/18
    Blanton 2/15
    Broxton 3/21
    Guthrie 3/25
    Torii 2/26
    League 3/22.5
    Napoli 3/39(!)
    Scutaro 3/20
    Victorino 3/39(!!!)

    This is leaving out all 1 year deals as that contract can only be so bad.

    If this is the going rate for free agents it is only a matter of time before every single team is going to have a $100-125 million payroll. Beyond this, I think the real concern is going to be once the current CBA is up how can players in their first 3 years accept they are making ~$500k when a league average player averages ~$7 million a year. We might be looking at some labor unrest from the peasants. Hopefully it doesn't cost the season games.

    Salaries are on the rise my friends. The good news is the Twins have shown they are willing to spend in the past to keep a core of players together-- assuming the team is performing well. Considering the Twins aren't going to spend $10 million a season to bring in a 2.5 win player Minnesota HAS to develop these players.

    With that said, if the Twins are cleaning house, I think they should be willing to trade anyone not named Mauer if it bring back decent pieces. Minnesota has shown it is willing to spend on their own, which is good. But the next good Twins team is not going to be built on free agents. Also, it probably isn't going to have Willingham on it, no matter how he performs.

    It is time to start looking at 2015-2016. Let's just hope that Mauer has something left.

    1. The Twins said they needed Target Field in order to field a competitive team. Maybe next they will ask more people to watch the games on TV in order to get a better deal.

    2. Scutaro's deal is very reasonable. Fangraphs says he has been worth (counting backwards) $11.1M, $12.8M, and $9.5M the last three seasons.

      Pagan has been worth $21.6M, $3.9M, $21.8M. Lots of variance there, but that contract seems pretty reasonable too, if a bit too long for my tastes.

      Victorino? $14.7M, $26.8M, $15.1M. Again, plausible.

      1. Paying for past results on future contracts is usually a bad idea. Scutaro will be 40, Pagan 35, and Victorino 35 when these contracts end. I'd be surprised if any of these players prove to be worth their deals.

        1. past results are no guarantee of future performance, but they are pretty indicative. I would be shocked if Scutaro didn't prove worth his deal, and not at all surprised if the other two exceed their contract values (particularly given that the $$ per WAR is going to increase over the lives of those deals).

        2. Paying for past results on future contracts is usually a bad idea. Scutaro will be 40, Pagan 35, and Victorino 35 when these contracts end. I'd be surprised if any of these players prove to be worth their deals.

          Mediocre minds think alike! 😉

        3. You're focusing on the wrong end. The contracts are set up such that the teams get surplus value at the beginning and negative value at the end. What needs to be considered is the value over the entire contract. I haven't looked much at the contracts, but I suspect the $/win just went up a bunch.

      2. Scutaro's deal is very reasonable. Fangraphs says he has been worth (counting backwards) $11.1M, $12.8M, and $9.5M the last three seasons.

        I have 3 numbers to argue with you: 37, 38, 39.

      1. #1001

        my favorite local sports feed would probably be:

        Pat Reusse
        Glen Perkins
        Jon Krawczynski (AP guy)
        Alan Horton (Wolves radio guy)
        RandBall's Stu

  5. Thanks for the CoC, CoC. I had one in mind, but last night, out of nowhere (on my end) turned into date night with the Milkmaid. Just us, out to eat, talking, being ourselves...I can't believe how new and exciting it felt. I'm not crazy about the Milkmaid's parents at all times, but having them live a few blocks away is awfully handy.

  6. Also, this might be an unpopular opinion but I am totally ok with trading Williams, Pek, and JJ/Luke for Pau once Rubio is back. There is something about Pek this season that isn't quite right. I don't know if it is a failure to really wrap his hands around Coach's system, injuries, or he just reached his peak last season.

    Pau as a center is a dominant player even if he is getting up there in the years. I wold want Ricky to talk to Pau first to just make sure that he would be willing to play in Minnesota but if he is, woah boy. Coach gets his Vlade and the Adelman system is complete.

    Pau/Steamer
    Love/Cunningham/Lou
    AK/Howard
    Roy/Shved/Lee
    Rubio/Luke (or JJ)

    That is a team that you can make some real damage with.

      1. Simmons talked about this on his podcast with Zack Lowe this week but the Lakers are totally misusing Pau right now. He is best as a post player not playing around the free throw line. Look how Pau single-handily kept Spain it is against the US this summer in the Olympics, he was on the post. Marc was in foul trouble and Pau put up at 24/8/5 line.

        I know we all like Pek and the story we have created for him but Gasol is a better player in almost every way. I know that Pau is getting older and is owed a lot of money but the Wolves are a better team immediately and next season with Gasol instead of Pek, Williams and point guard X.

        1. and if (IF!) Rubio gets in form quickly, a Pau/Love/AK47/Ricky!/Howard/Shved lineup actually would have a reasonable shot at the Western Conference Finals this year. That's a team that can play fast or slow and can defend in the paint. Not sure how good their perimeter defense could be (not very, I think), but they could score with OKC and San Antonio.

          1. I can't believe I am supporting a trade of Pek but I agree with you. That team could make a deep run into the playoffs. I guess my main question would be, why would the Lakers want Pek if they already have Dwight? Both of those players are natural centers. You can't play them both on the floor at the same time. Not with how stretch 4s have developed in the league.

            1. and I agree with this assessment. I have a hard time imagining a direct trade for Gasol between the two clubs that both would be interested in.

                2. That's probably the bestmost realistic trade scenario I've seen floated around. I doubt it happens, but at least I can understand why the third team would get involved, which is a huge improvement over most of the trades I've seen floated out there.

                  1. Lowry, Jonas, and Pek would make a nice little core for Toronto. I have seen the Lakers aren't looking to make commitments past the next two years making Bargs unlikely to be dealt to LA.

            3. I'm on board. I watched last might. Pek did nothing out there. I was thinking that if Pek and D-Will net Pau that Billy Smith should get it done.

              We could call our package Pek and Dreck.

              1. Pek got mauled every time he stepped within twenty feet of the hoop. Thompson, Zeller, and Varejao just clobbered him.

    4. Wasn't a lot of Pek's value last year from being able to finish on a Rubio pass? I don't think he is nearly as effective when he has to post up an opposing defender.

      1. he was amazing in the pick and roll
        and offensive rebound rate was off the charts
        you watch his game now, and he dont seem to have a solid base underneath him when he is posting up because he is being ginger with that sore leg.

        1. From Canis

          Pekovic is struggling to expand his game. I think Adelman is asking him to be more circumspect....to slow down, survey the court, read the double-teams coming, look for the smart pass....those sorts of things, and that's gone to war with Pekovic's nature of catch-and-immediately-roll to the hoop. This is no bad reflection on him...no one can question his work ethic and we've all noticed him moving the ball more. But if that's outside his nature...? I don't know. Adelman has his system, and guys who don't pass the ball usually don't find a place in them

          Pek is a fine player. One we all enjoy watching, no doubt about it. But I have no wonder if he just isn't the best fit for Coach's system.

  8. GW vs. KState in hoops on DirecTV channel 613. I can't wait for 2 hours of mediocrity!

  9. what a joke

    Chris Long ‏@jclong
    Apparently ESPN webcast prevents local stations from shooting St Thomas football game. Not the best policy for National Semifinal NOT on TV.

    so the local tv station cant shoot footage of small time football because ESPN puts it on ESPN43.com

  11. BTW, happy hanukkah to sheenie and all. We are waiting to celebrate after finals for the Girl (week after next), but tomorrow I will be making falafel from scratch in celebration.

    1. The Menorah was just lit, the dreidel cookies have been baked, and we're off to a party to eat latkes in about 30 minutes.

        1. Indeed. I was proud of my restraint as I only had about six last night (all with sour cream, I wasn't in an applesauce mood).

    1. Aw, man. Army drove the length of the field, fumbled on first down at about the 12 with a minute to go.

  13. I kinda, sorta remember Bo Jackson play baseball. So I appreciated all the baseball stories that were told during the latest installment of '30 for 30'

    1. My former sports editor was fired for quoting someone for saying Bo Jackson used steroids. This was after his career was over. Jackson found out about it and his lawyer contacted the woman quoted. She denied it and he had no other source or proof (it was a one-on-one interview and he didn't record it). I suspect she did say it, because the story wasn't even on the front page of the sports section and the facts in question weren't even a lead to the story. The reference to steroids was made in passing, but it just goes to show you should always check your facts (he assumed it was common knowledge that Jackson used steroids) and keep audio records of private interviews.

  14. Gophers up 38-26 in the first half at USC with almost nothing from Mbakwe. This team could really make some noise in the B1G.

      1. Their defense will determine how far they go. It is really good. If they can stay healthy, their depth will aid in their ability to keep up the defensive intensity.

      1. and instead of that game, I got to choose between Wisconsin-Marquette (Ok, very plausible choice by the B1G network) and Indiana vs Central Connecticut on some other channel. Boo.

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