Baseball Toaster: Dodger Thoughts : Make It Happen: Inside-the-Park Home Run Derby

Jon Weisman's outlet
for dealing psychologically
with the Los Angeles Dodgers
and baseball.

About the Toaster

Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.

Frozen Toast

Catfish Stew
And So To Fade Away

Fairpole
Baseball Toaster To Be Unplugged, Disassembled For Scraps

Cub Town
Fade to Black

Humbug
My Final Take-It-Or-Leave-It Offer

The Juice
Official Moving Day is Here

Cardboard Gods
Reggie Jackson, 1976

The Griddle
You did a good job, but it's time to go

Dodger Thoughts
Cheers

Bad Altitude
Pitcher News; I Dump My Tickets

Mike's Baseball Rants
The State of the Hall 2009

Bronx Banter
Movin' On

Just a Bit Outside
And We're Off!

Toaster.TV blogs
Western Homes
Screen Jam
Tin Ear
Aesthetics

Archives

2009
02 01

2008
12 11 10 09 08 07
06 05 04 03 02 01

2007
12 11 10 09 08 07
06 05 04 03 02 01

2006
12 11 10 09 08 07
06 05 04 03 02 01

2005
12 11 10 09 08 07
06 05 04 03 02 01

2004
12 11 10 09 08 07
06 05 04 03 02 01

2003
12 11 10 09 08 07
06 05 04 03 02 01

2002
09 08 07

About Jon

Write to Jon

Jon's other site:
Screen Jam
TV and more ...

A kind of biography
"The Meaning of the Game"

Thank You For Not ...

1) using profanity or any euphemisms for profanity
2) personally attacking other commenters
3) baiting other commenters
4) arguing for the sake of arguing
5) discussing politics
6) using hyperbole when something less will suffice
7) using sarcasm in a way that can be misinterpreted negatively
8) making the same point over and over again
9) typing "no-hitter" or "perfect game" to describe either in progress
10) being annoyed by the existence of this list
11) commenting under the obvious influence
12) claiming your opinion isn't allowed when it's just being disagreed with

Make It Happen: Inside-the-Park Home Run Derby

2009-01-30 20:54

by Jon Weisman

Spurred on by a joke by Dodger Thoughts commenter Jim Hitchcock, fellow commenter Humma Kavula had a nifty idea today.

Oh, I absolutely would watch the inside-the-park-home-run-derby. How about this...

Eight kids from around the U.S. are chosen as fielders. Put an age limit on it -- ten? Twelve? Point being, these are kids. (Pitcher remains a batting practice pitcher.)

Major Leaguers hit long fly balls and then run the bases. He must keep running until he crosses home plate. Kids field and try to tag him out. Major Leaguer gets five outs.

Each time around the basepaths, one presumes, he would get slower and slower, increasing the chances of running out of gas...

...yes, yes, I would watch that.

I would too. Let's get the lawyers to draw up the release forms and test it out at Dodger Stadium.

More reaction from Eric Stephen:

The only change I would make is to eliminate the need for a tag out. Just make the kids throw it into a general area before the batter/runner crosses home plate for the out. I don't want to see Pete Rose III obliterate a little kid who's trying to tag him.

Comments

2009-01-30 21:21:28

1. Xeifrank

Toree is on Larry King right now.
vr, Xei

2009-01-30 21:24:05

2. trainwreck

He's got a championship ring on to show his Yankee pride.

2009-01-30 21:43:03

3. trainwreck

Roger Goodell said the blackrout rule "has served the public well." Umm, what? I am pretty sure it does not help public at all, especially when people cannot afford tickets.

2009-01-30 21:55:55

4. Bob Timmermann

3
When I was a lad, Super Bowls were blacked out in the host city.

2009-01-30 22:00:17

5. trainwreck

I love that Larry King keeps bringing up Manny. Even using children to get his point across.

You don't want to upset the children now, Frank.

2009-01-30 22:20:06

6. Tripon

http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200901283779536&c_id=la

Dodgers.com has an interview with James McDonald up.

2009-01-30 22:21:07

7. Dodgers49

More on what Eric reported in last thread:

Limit on free-agent signings is up

>> Manfred corrected earlier speculation that no exception had been asked for or given this offseason.

"The facts are that an exception was given early in the free-agency season because of the high amount of free agents filing this year," Manfred said. <<

http://tinyurl.com/bhx2pd

2009-01-30 22:25:28

8. Humma Kavula

For what it's worth, Bride of Kavula wasn't so sure about the inside-the-park home run derby, but loved the Hall of Fame Game.

Spawn of Kavula registered her opinion thusly: "Da da da da da da da da da da da."

2009-01-30 22:41:17

9. KG16

I'm in for the inside the park home run derby. though there is a part of me that really wants to be one of the fielders.

2009-01-30 22:48:43

10. Dodgers49

Joe Torre can't put controversy on the shelf

>> Torre said the book shouldn't be a cause for concern if the Dodgers fail to sign Ramirez and attempt to land former Yankees outfielder Bobby Abreu instead, saying that he didn't write anything negative about Abreu. <<

http://tinyurl.com/bb5ohw

2009-01-30 22:51:02

11. trainwreck

I wish I could have called in and told Larry King's kid that Bobby Abreu is not much of a replacement for Manny.

2009-01-30 23:02:48

12. LAbits

Glad to see this hit the front page.

I like "the throw it to a fielder ahead of the runner", which someone suggested (forgetful/lazy props to you).

The kids throwing out the ballplayers, the ballplayers giving their teammate a hard time for being called out. Running like a madman to make sure a kid didn't throw you out.

Awesome.

2009-01-31 02:32:34

13. Eric Enders

I'm just now catching up on the last thread, and as for the new format for the Hall of Fame Game, the HOF actually already beat you guys to that one.

http://tinyurl.com/b5xpn4

2009-01-31 02:53:41

14. Brent Knapp

A few weeks ago there was discussion of a pool for a football game in which money was given out at many times, such as after each scoring took place. Does anyone have or know where these rules are? it sounds like a more interesting way to run a pool for the super bowl.

2009-01-31 04:19:25

15. Eric Enders

Happy 80th birthday, Jackie Robinson. I wish you were here to celebrate it with us.

2009-01-31 04:23:22

16. Eric Enders

(I meant to say 90th, of course.)

2009-01-31 05:46:19

17. Bumsrap

12 year olds have no experience catching a very high fly ball traveling over 300 feet. If they were to get close enough to catch the ball they would probably get hit in the face with it. Standing in the infield when a fly ball wasn't a fly ball and instead was a two hopper right at the 12 year old could and probably would break bones and teeth. Having 12 year olds anywhere near a base or in a basepath is only one or two bad steps from being run over by a MLB runner.

I am therefore against this inside the park homerun idea.

2009-01-31 06:41:14

18. D4P

Huh. Google is now putting up a warning at every link about how visiting the site you want to visit may harm your computer.

Weird.

2009-01-31 07:28:09

19. Bob Hendley

Since the idea of the inside-the-park is apparently to humiliate adult professional ballplayers that make a lot of money, you could have the kids throw the ball and hit them as well. Me thinks that this also harkens back to an earlier era. Bob, is that correct?

2009-01-31 07:44:52

20. silverwidow

#7 Prospect Devaris Gordon making a SLICK play at SS. I believe the hype now:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVDj3kfakQ8

2009-01-31 07:59:19

21. D4P

I just found out today that Edwin Jackson was traded to the Tigers.

2009-01-31 08:32:34

22. D4P

As one executive said, few teams have enough money remaining to sign Ramirez, so the Dodgers could conceivably offer $30MM over two years and still make the highest bid.

2009-01-31 08:35:58

23. CanuckDodger

21 -- Wow, I believe there are still Japanese soldiers on remote South Pacific islands who don't know World War II is over that have heard that Edwin Jackson was traded to the Tigers.

2009-01-31 08:37:40

24. D4P

23
Probably so. I see that the day he was traded was also the day my wife and I left for Paris, where we were internet/news-less for a week.

2009-01-31 08:38:24

25. Ken Noe

22 Some executives say the Giants want to prevent the Dodgers from getting Manny on a one year deal, but aren't about to start a bidding war.

2009-01-31 08:45:28

26. D4P

25 According to ESPN.com's Buster Olney, the Giants are still talking to Manny Ramirez. Giants president Larry Baer said "we've got interest. But it's one of those things where it's got to fit."

2009-01-31 08:51:51

27. D4P

I'm assuming the pain in Manny's left (or right) knee would be excruciating at $15mm/year.

2009-01-31 08:55:09

28. Jon Weisman

NPUT

Comment status: comments have been closed. Baseball Toaster is now out of business.