Winter Meetings and the San Francisco Giants, Day II
A semi-fictional conversation:
Sabean: Uh, he hasn't been on our t...
Agent: Super, just super. Say, I have a client, and he really wants to pitch for the Giants.
Sabean: Well, I'll kick his tires just to be polite, but at the end of the day, I'm not sure we need another high-priced starting pitcher.
Agent: Oh, he isn't that high priced.
Sabean: Well, even so, we don't really want to tie ourselves down with a commitment. See, we are rebuffding. Wait. Resnoobeling. Dang it. What is that word...looks at 3x5 card from his pocket...ah, rebuilding. Man, paging Lewis Carroll. What a word.
Agent: My client doesn't want a commitment, either. One year and done. He wants to reach some milestones, and he'd love to do it close to his home.
Sabean: Yeah, but I'm done with that veteran thing. My sponsor would kill me. Plus, if your guy wants just a one-year deal, he must be pretty washed up.
Agent: Not at all. He had a pretty nice year in 2008. For example, Baseball Prospectus figures that he was worth about four or five wins more than Kevin Correia and your other assorted fifth starters.
Sabean: Baseball proboscises? Uh, they're called "seams", Alan. But we don't want to block our...uh, we're trying to avoid blocking.... Man, we don't really have a whole lot above AA, do we? Who in the heck is our fifth starter right now?
Agent: We aren't going to make up our mind for a while, but we just thought we'd let you know that we're interested if you are.
I'm trying to find any negatives with the Giants signing Randy Johnson, but I'm not having any luck. This is the ultimate "It's not my money"-scenario. He wants a one-year deal. He isn't blocking anyone who shouldn't be in AAA to start the season. He isn't going to cost the Giants a draft pick. He's still good. If he were to get hurt? Then go with the Randy-less rotation the Giants were planning on in the first place.
The only argument I can see: That's $5M or $7M or whatever that the Giants could put toward international signings or above-slot draft picks. It's a plausible argument, but that's probably not how the Giants' budget will work. Either they'll spend those millions on the major league payroll or they won't. The Giants spent a little more on international signings over the past couple of seasons, but they didn’t spend $14M more, which was the difference between the 2007 and 2008 seasons. They’re two different budgets, Tuckergate aside.
I’m in. I’m willing to stop watching HD broadcasts every fifth day. I’ll make that sacrifice. Will you?
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I love the idea a ridiculous amount.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
PABLO SANDOVAL AM STEAL DEATH, DESTROYER OF WORLDS.
In fact, I think I’d probably be happier with RJ at 1 year/5-7 mil than I would be with CC at 6 years/100 mil or whatever.
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
PABLO SANDOVAL AM STEAL DEATH, DESTROYER OF WORLDS.
You don’t like that CC is much younger with less of an injury history?
Less arm, more talk. Raisingcain is a GAMER.
Adopted Giant: Henry Sosa
Sure, do it
Make it a heavily incentive-laden contract with as low a base salary as the Giants can get away with. If Johnson really wants to be close to home, he’ll take the financial hit — not like he really needs the money.
And please, for the love of god, on Opening Day please have Randy and Timmy standing right next to each other on the baseline. Just incredible comedy.
My plans for 2009: getting married and attending Tim Lincecum Bobblehead Day.
Everyone...
in my office is wondering why I’m laughing uncontrollably right now :-) That image is going to stick with me for a while.
My adopted son Matt Downs. Lost in the wilderness of mediocrity.
I suppose
“Lincecum” does lend itself to lewdness, if not the same way “Johnson” does. Still, I don’t think it’s fair to Timmeh to associate him with a “little unit”.
¿Julio is tourist in San Francisco? Harper's Bizarre!
I have no idea what you’re talking about. How’s the biofuel business these days, btw?
Sergio Romo: striking out professional hitters since 2005.
Did you have to ask that?
Srsly, oil is at all-time lows, and you just can’t produce biodiesel cheap enough to compete. HOWEVER, I’m working on big plans to change all that.
¿Julio is tourist in San Francisco? Harper's Bizarre!
I thought this might be a tough situation for you. Sorry to hear. Keep enterprising!
Sergio Romo: striking out professional hitters since 2005.
I think it’s a good idea, except that I wouldn’t be into the whole countdown to 300. Gimme a break, dude’s had 295 of them somewhere else. How many times have those wins come against us?
as i recall the giants never really had a problem hitting ugly
"ever so cynical yet whimsical giants related signature"
by The Gene Hackman on Dec 9, 2008 3:34 PM PST up reply actions
8-8, 3.13 career against SFG
2.14 career ERA at AT&T Park
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
PABLO SANDOVAL AM STEAL DEATH, DESTROYER OF WORLDS.
pretty good numbers
but my query was mostly rhetorical. I don’t really care how many wins came against us; I’m just not enthused about the “quest for 300” promos that’d inevitably be part of his signing. I want this year’s vibe to come from the young squad.
SMALL SAMPLE SIZE!
"ever so cynical yet whimsical giants related signature"
by The Gene Hackman on Dec 9, 2008 3:45 PM PST up reply actions
correct
ugly’s also never had a problem hitting birds
STEVE HOLM! refuses to be the odd man out.
by UnleashTheGore on Dec 9, 2008 3:37 PM PST up reply actions
Any idea who that was batting when the bird got hit?
I Don't Tolerate Intolerance!
by Giant among Angels on Dec 9, 2008 7:18 PM PST up reply actions
You're Right
For some reason i was thinking it was Dante Powell.
I Don't Tolerate Intolerance!
by Giant among Angels on Dec 9, 2008 9:36 PM PST up reply actions
Jeff Kent
Reports were that he took the bird home for dinner, and didn’t have to waste any buckshot.
Just kidding, at least about the second part. But I’m very sure it was Kent. I remember his quotes about picking up the bird afterwards because others were afraid of touching it.
SFDugout.com is BACK! See the Top 50 Giants Prospects!
by BruteSentiment on Dec 13, 2008 3:42 PM PST up reply actions
I see that you are comfortable in your hetero-sexualness, but I feel I must point out that Timmy is most assuredly NOT ugly.
People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring. Rogers Hornsby
wilriv has high standards.
-cough cough-
something caught in my throat
– OR –choking on my comment
Who has the fun?
Is it always the man with the gun?
- The Stranglers
by victor frankenstein on Dec 9, 2008 6:43 PM PST up reply actions
Hairball.
I need to spend more time here , where that’s less of an issue…
http://www.destination360.com/south-america/brazil/brazil-beaches.php
Who has the fun?
Is it always the man with the gun?
- The Stranglers
by victor frankenstein on Dec 10, 2008 7:59 AM PST up reply actions
Timmy is adorable
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
PABLO SANDOVAL AM STEAL DEATH, DESTROYER OF WORLDS.
let
"ever so cynical yet whimsical giants related signature"
by The Gene Hackman on Dec 9, 2008 3:51 PM PST up reply actions
that was gonna be another hilarious post about sample sizes and how Lincecum has exactly one season of MLB adorability
"ever so cynical yet whimsical giants related signature"
by The Gene Hackman on Dec 9, 2008 3:53 PM PST up reply actions
The Cy Young news confrence in particular brought out my inner Mrs. Robinson
People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring. Rogers Hornsby
As a gay man I support this comment. Except when he grins widely. Then he gets the unpretty look the straight men find so nonthreatening respectable.
SMALL SAMPLE SIZE!!
:-)
"ever so cynical yet whimsical giants related signature"
by The Gene Hackman on Dec 9, 2008 3:37 PM PST reply actions
wow
reply and format fail
"ever so cynical yet whimsical giants related signature"
by The Gene Hackman on Dec 9, 2008 3:38 PM PST up reply actions
Doesn't he want to win?
I just don’t see why the interest would be mutual, even with his bay area roots.
because i get the feeling RJ is kindofa dick
and he’s going to want to extract revenge on arizona for not signing him at his 2008 salary. plus more birds to kill by the bay.
Dodgers fans eat their young.
(Im not too sure if he lives in the Bay or in Phoenix??)
He’s already won about every award a pitcher can win including a WS Championship. If he does want to play for the Giants I don’t blame him. He has four kids that he may have missed a lot of their younger years: Sammy (born 28 December 1994), Tanner (born 5 April 1996), Willow (born 23 April 1998), and Alexandria (born 4 December 1999). This way he can have the best of all worlds with baseball and his family. I assume all the kids go to school nearby?
I Don't Tolerate Intolerance!
by Giant among Angels on Dec 9, 2008 7:36 PM PST up reply actions
* Touchs tip of cap*
Solid points there.
Ivan Ochoa - Heir to the legacy of Rob Andrews & Rikkert Faneyte!
Here comes Captain Obvious wearing his Atomic Wedgie!
Someone has to "win" the the NL West. And Last I looked the Dodgers have like 3 rotation spots still to fill.
No I am not in the Bullish Camp with Baetown . But this team might only lose 85 games or so thus a career year here an unexpected signing there and they could be in the hunt.
Ivan Ochoa - Heir to the legacy of Rob Andrews & Rikkert Faneyte!
Here comes Captain Obvious wearing his Atomic Wedgie!
The kind of ugly that could blow the tread off a sherman tank…. and the tags just keep getting better
People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring. Rogers Hornsby
a Sherman tank maybe
but not a european tank, that’s my point.
"ever so cynical yet whimsical giants related signature"
by The Gene Hackman on Dec 9, 2008 3:44 PM PST up reply actions
Unit & Bengie/Pablo
The spaghetti and meatballs battery.
Check out The Examined Life. Or don't. Whatever.
"I been waitin' a long time for this! I been waitin' since the f**kin' amateurs!" --WILL "THE THRILL" CLARK
by Josh from Hollywood on Dec 9, 2008 3:44 PM PST reply actions
i LOLd
STEVE HOLM! refuses to be the odd man out.
by UnleashTheGore on Dec 9, 2008 3:54 PM PST up reply actions
Why for not?
6 people say absolutely no, but no one’s speaking up?
STEVE HOLM! refuses to be the odd man out.
I voted 'eh'
Neukom is still being tight lipped about the budget, but right now we’re around 86 million dollars committed (counting Barry’s 5 mil). Unless Sabean trades away some contracts then one Randy Johnson might be our last significant signing of the offseason. I was hoping we would use that money to upgrade the offense.
Don't think, it could only hurt the ballclub.
I still hold out hope for Burrell + Johnson
So many of us support it, and Sabean has been replaced with our mole, right?
¿Julio is tourist in San Francisco? Harper's Bizarre!
As A Backup Plan To CC Absolutely
Instead of CC no way in hell.
was that really 9 years ago?
damn.
I’m old.
"ever so cynical yet whimsical giants related signature"
by The Gene Hackman on Dec 9, 2008 4:30 PM PST up reply actions
So is Randy Johnson.
There are 9 people in my family who are younger than that moment.
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
by howtheyscored on Dec 9, 2008 7:11 PM PST up reply actions
Wait...
Were you including your sense of humor in that count?
The Basil Fawlty Moderating Strategy:
"We could run a nice blog here if we didn't have all these members getting in the way."
10 people in my family!
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
by howtheyscored on Dec 9, 2008 8:34 PM PST up reply actions
What about Smoltz?
he’s apparently willing to think about possibly leaving the Braves. Other than a little more health risk, it seems to basically be the same situation as the RJ one. The market would be roughly the same for both aging starters.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Dec 9, 2008 4:27 PM PST reply actions
I dunno
I’d bet that you’d be spending a lot more to get Smoltz. Word is that the Yanks and Bosox would be interested in Smoltz, ergo…$$$$
yeah, I guess if the Yankees are in on the bidding on someone the price automatically goes a lot higher. They wouldn’t be interested in RJ…or he wouldn’t be interested in them, so…
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Dec 9, 2008 4:49 PM PST up reply actions
I want to get RJ so Lincecum can hide in his glove and RJ can pitch Lincecum to the plate.
/deer head
Bay City Ball
by xanthan on Dec 9, 2008 4:31 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
And halfway to the plate, Lincecum uncorks a fastball…much like the 2nd set of teeth that came at you in Alien!
Patron saint of pesky hitters.
by younghutch on Dec 9, 2008 4:33 PM PST up reply actions 2 recs
that's it
I’ve officially got all i ever needed from teh interwebs now
¿Julio is tourist in San Francisco? Harper's Bizarre!
Excellent work as usual
Sabean: Yeah, but I’m done with that veteran thing. My sponsor would kill me.
I’m willing to stop watching HD broadcasts every fifth day. I’ll make that sacrifice.
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realized God doesn’t work that way, so I stole one and prayed for forgiveness. - Emo Philips
Neglectful father of David Quinowski
I like it
I will be suprised to see CC in a Giants uni and PISSED OFF if I see him in a Bum one. So assuming CC is a Yank or and Angel, signing RJ to a one year ~7/8M deal would stregthen the rotation and push Zito into a 4 or, please, 5 spot roll where maybe, oh god please maybe, the lack of pressure will mean losing less games. I will watch ever other inning in HD.
I’ve been on the “Sign Randy Johnson” train since the off-season began. The biggest selling point, in my opinion, is that he’ll be going for 300 career wins, and the media and attention that he’ll bring with that will probably end up paying for his contract and then some.
Good thing he didn't play here in the glory days...
Imagine the statue!
¿Julio is tourist in San Francisco? Harper's Bizarre!
interesting sabean interview on knbr just now…among other things, he said that there was no chance the giants would even make an offer to texiera.
bitte, baby.
WTF
Even if that’s though that’s true, why would Sabean say it out loud ? Maybe it’s a super secret negotiation tactic :-)
My adopted son Matt Downs. Lost in the wilderness of mediocrity.
Yeah
Brian’s famous for that super-secret negotiating tactic and has mad contract skills….
Sergio Romo: striking out professional hitters since 2005.
so maybe
Sabean goes out and signs Big Tex to a 13 yr, $300 mil. deal!
(kidding)
Adopted Giant: Aaron King
Wearing the crown by 2011. Or at least the LOOGY hat
Replace Sanchez
If the Giants do indeed trade Sanchez, they will need to sign some experienced SP and Johnson sounds like a fit. But I’m not sure about him exactly wanting to come to the Giants. And I’m sure it will take more than a few appearances for me to start rooting for the guy. I mean we had to watch him win a championship for the 5 year old D-backs. He would almost assuredly get injured at some time. What about Tomko, is he available?
by world wide suicide on Dec 9, 2008 9:51 PM PST reply actions
OTOH, if they sign RJ and keep Durty
That would be 3 lefties- how do you make that work, in terms of pitching order?
¿Julio is tourist in San Francisco? Harper's Bizarre!
You say “who cares if we have three lefties?” and just roll with it
Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
PABLO SANDOVAL AM STEAL DEATH, DESTROYER OF WORLDS.
I can't believe that no has said...
" Well, in Baseball Mogul my Giants teams has three leftys" ( mine does btw)
My adopted son Matt Downs. Lost in the wilderness of mediocrity.
So I posted this in the wrong Winter Meeting thread:
“So Baggs is kinda getting pwned right now on a national level for reporting that Sabathia turned down the Yankees’ offer.”
My obligatory rosterbatory comment
OMG guys, it’s fantasy time…..
1. Eugenio Velez DFA’ed.
2. Sign CC, 6/$130m, $20m, $20m, $20m, $20m, $20m, $20m, $5m deferred, $5m deferred.
3. Sign Crede 1/$5m
4. Sign Furcal 4/$46m, $11m, $11m, $12m, $12m, $2m deferred
5. Move Renteria to 2B
6. Sign Baldelli 1/$4.5m
7. Trade Rowand to NY (AL) for Brad Suttle, Zach McAllister, and Ryan Pope
Go into 2009 with:
Position Players:
C – Bengie
1B – Ishi/Phelps platoon
2B – Renteria (part time [~25 games] at SS)
3B – Pablo
SS – Furcal
LF – Nate
CF- Freddy
RF – Randy
Bench: 2B/3B/emergency SS Frandsen; OF Baldelli; 1B Ishi/Phelps; 3B Crede (though with significant playing time); OF/1B Bowker
Pitchers:
Rotation: Timmy, CC, Matt Cain (3rd!!!), Sanchez, Zito
Bullpen:
CL Wilson
SU Howry
SU Affeldt
SU Romo (7th inning)
MR Hinshaw/Captain Jack/Matos
MR Sadler (if Merkin is not ready to go)
LR Yabu
Ok… I’m finished
Adopted Giant: Aaron King
Wearing the crown by 2011. Or at least the LOOGY hat
or..............
or we could just trade away the entire team! or a fantasy draft! come on, this isn’t a video game. Ok—that might be cool….
fantasy time…..
I think I covered every scenario discussed here aside from “Trade Sanchez/Cain for poor fielding slugger” and “sign poor fielding slugger”
Adopted Giant: Aaron King
Wearing the crown by 2011. Or at least the LOOGY hat
Whoa
That’s a boatload of stupid, right there.
¿Julio is tourist in San Francisco? Harper's Bizarre!
I agree
It’s good to get it out of my system.
Adopted Giant: Aaron King
Wearing the crown by 2011. Or at least the LOOGY hat
ha ha
I was worried that I may have offended. Good to know ya, baetown!
¿Julio is tourist in San Francisco? Harper's Bizarre!
Big Unit, big response
As I type this, there are now 649 votes. 649!! We don’t have that many regulars, do we? Maybe Randy’s agent has figured out how to stuff the ballot box.
Sergio Romo: striking out professional hitters since 2005.
that crafty fox
“If I know Brian Sabean, he cares a bunch about what a bunch of nerds on the internet think.”
The C.C. Sabathia to take a hometown discount? poll from 12/4 has 1342 votes. That’s everyone who voted here, plus each of their alter-egos that voted for Brandon Crawford in the prospect poll.
They say some players get out of bed hitting; Pablo Sandoval doesn't wait that long
There’s a big, big difference between “regulars” and “visitors”. And, yes, I’m that popular. I’m huge in Belgium.
by Grant Brisbee on Dec 10, 2008 9:59 AM PST up reply actions
But I should also point out there are about 1,600 registered members of the site. That’s about where we were before SBN changed formats.
by Grant Brisbee on Dec 10, 2008 10:01 AM PST up reply actions
Does that mean you don’t know how many registered members there are now? Just curious.
Sergio Romo: striking out professional hitters since 2005.
No, it’s 1,651, but at least 50 of those are fakes.
by Grant Brisbee on Dec 10, 2008 12:02 PM PST up reply actions
I’ll have you know that I am not a fake!
by Bruce Jenkins's Boner on Dec 10, 2008 12:36 PM PST up reply actions
—Performance Enhancing Drug ALERT!!—
Charlie Hayes ate my homework
by glenallen hill's waterpipe on Dec 10, 2008 9:28 PM PST up reply actions
how will he handle the ever so difficult sf press? tirades abound i say
i adopt the ghost of ernest riles
by Headhunter Rollins on Dec 10, 2008 7:48 AM PST reply actions
I’m all right with RJ punching Bruce Jenkins in the grill
Sergio Romo will gladly hand you a bench to sit on / GIANTSPACE™ / Adopted brother of the AnVil
by SoFa King Mike on Dec 10, 2008 8:37 AM PST up reply actions
I’ve been saying for a while now, I’d rather have Unit at one year than Sabathia at 6 or 7. We don’t need long term pitching solutions, just a stop gap to get us into Bumgarner/Alderson land.
Plus, Big Unit pitching to Big Money!
by The Double Deuce on Dec 10, 2008 9:34 AM PST reply actions
Should mention also, Sabean on KNBR last night didn’t sound interested at all in RJ. BUT, Sabean always plays it close to the vest, so who knows.
by The Double Deuce on Dec 10, 2008 9:35 AM PST reply actions
RJ was the only one Sabes said they were actually considering looking at in terms of options.
Sergio Romo will gladly hand you a bench to sit on / GIANTSPACE™ / Adopted brother of the AnVil
by SoFa King Mike on Dec 10, 2008 10:01 AM PST up reply actions
that doesn't sound like "didn't sound interested at all"
Did you and Double Deuce listen to the same show?
¿Julio is tourist in San Francisco? Harper's Bizarre!
That’s what my Sabeanese translator picked up
Sergio Romo will gladly hand you a bench to sit on / GIANTSPACE™ / Adopted brother of the AnVil
by SoFa King Mike on Dec 10, 2008 10:32 AM PST up reply actions
Honestly when Ralph went down the list, RJ was the only response that didn’t get a ‘no’ from Brian.
SALTYMOCKIA
Sergio Romo will gladly hand you a bench to sit on / GIANTSPACE™ / Adopted brother of the AnVil
by SoFa King Mike on Dec 10, 2008 10:50 AM PST up reply actions
Sorry if it’s been posted, but is this interview online in .mp3 form? I need to hear it now for the SALTY pronunciation.
/deer head
Bay City Ball
This was the most awkward interview ever. Sheesh, I feel uncomfortable now after listening to it.
I loved when Sabes dissed EE called him “E5”.
/deer head
Bay City Ball
Yeah, I really think Sabean HATES Ralph. Probably because of Ralph’s tirade last year about Lincecum not being made of porcelain.
I think Ralph doesn’t know a whole lot about baseball… I mean, Saltalamacchia? Really?
by The Double Deuce on Dec 10, 2008 1:40 PM PST up reply actions
I don’t remember what happened between them about Armando. Wanna explain?
by The Double Deuce on Dec 10, 2008 1:56 PM PST up reply actions
back when we had Armando, the Ralph-Sabes weekly interviews would somehow end up on the subject of Armando and go like this.
Ralph: “Armando is a bum!”
Sabes: /irritated silence.
Tolbert: /awkward segway!
Rinse. Repeat. And so on.
You’d think Ralph would have burned his last bridge by now.
¿Julio is tourist in San Francisco? Harper's Bizarre!
I am sure he’s not on the Sabean family christmas card list.
Nothing makes me feel worse for Sabean then listening to him try to tolerate that nincompoop Barbieri.
Tolbert’s mind : “I don’t know enough about baseball to help, but I think just about ANYONE else in this office would be better at this interview than Ralphy”
Charlie Hayes ate my homework
by glenallen hill's waterpipe on Dec 10, 2008 9:31 PM PST up reply actions
Yeah really.
trade something good just so that some other organization’s converted catcher can play first base instead of our own?
Exactly.
I thought Ralph had a bit more baseball knowledge. When he said Salty’s name, you could hear Sabes kind of laugh at him.
He was like “Saltalamacchia? Pffft…”
by The Double Deuce on Dec 10, 2008 2:01 PM PST up reply actions
reposted, but, we can be
competitive in the NL west. That doesnt mean much but the whole division is weak. I think if we sign RJ and either sign for or trade for a Bat we can finish 2nd in this division if not first. Preferably we sign a corner infield bat cause it seems its the least blocking position for our younger players. We would have probably the best rotation in the division and a much improved offense. There is a very good arguement out there that you dont sign 1 or 2 year players if your not going to compete, I think:
1. Again, we can compete in this "division"
2. We have position player talent in the minors that need to develop. Lets sign players that dont block them once they are really ready to be on the starting day roster.
3. Ideally we sign tradable short contract players in the case someone on the farm (Posey) is ready faster.
Yup
Sign Unit and Burrell and I think we could win the division.
Am I crazy?
by The Double Deuce on Dec 10, 2008 1:42 PM PST up reply actions
In don’t see Neukom going over budget for those two. One would fit, the other would more than likely put us over 100 million.
In comparison to the rest of us? No. But yes.
Don't think, it could only hurt the ballclub.
You’re probably right, but we don’t really know what Neukom has up his sleeves at this point. He’s said he’s willing to go above budget for the right scenario. So who knows if he thinks RJ and Burrell qualify as the right scenario.
by The Double Deuce on Dec 10, 2008 1:55 PM PST up reply actions
crazy like a Fox
(or at least a particularly viscious Chihuahua).
¿Julio is tourist in San Francisco? Harper's Bizarre!
We should sign Randy Johnson
just so we can have “Mullet Night” at AT&T Park…and then “Mullet Night 2.”

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