Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
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In this column and this blog post, Tom Hoffarth of the Daily News writes about how Emmy-winning writer Ken Levine and his partner David Isaacs made up the nickname "Isotopes" for a Simpsons episode - a nickname that Albuquerque's minor league franchise adopted to replace its old nickname of "Dukes."
This year, Levine became the Dodgers' current talkradio co-host, and just recently, Albuquerque reaffiliated with the Dodgers. Now, to borrow from another show, it's all in the family:
You think the Albuquerque Isotopes is a funny name? So does the guy who helped make it up. He's right up there in the Dodger Stadium press box with the radioactive grin.
Funny thing is, in a system where Hollywood scriptwriters base a lot of their survival on residual checks, Ken Levine will probably never see a cut of the phenomenal merchandise sales the Dodgers' new Triple-A affiliate has generated since it came into existence in 2003.
Doh, as Homer Simpson would say.
"We never thought anyone would really name a team the Isotopes - we did it as a joke," Levine said of himself and writing partner David Isaacs, who penned an episode of "The Simpsons" that aired way back in its second season, 1990, called "Dancing Homer." ...
Now it's full circle for Levine, a Valley native who grew up embracing the Albuquerque Dukes as the farm team of his beloved Dodgers. And he'll get to talk about them nightly during the season the radio.
"I look forward next year on the Dodgers post-game show to talk about how the minor-league teams have been doing, and then say, ' 'Topes win!'" said Levine. ...
I actually bought an Albuquerque Isotopes T-shirt years ago. I'll be wearing it with even more pride going forward.
Update: Josh Rawitch has made the Dodgers' official postseason media guide available at Inside the Dodgers.
http://insidethedodgers.mlblogs.com/archives/2008/09/the_battle_is_on.html
The last two exclamation points are optional, but encouraged.
I am pretty sure the only thing we're still unsure of is the last position player -- will it be Delwyn? (I hope so.) Or will it be Sweeney or Ozuna or someone like that...? I'm going to say Pee Wee has about a 75% chance of being the one, the others splitting the remaining chance.
Assuming Maddux and Kershaw both make it, then I think pitching is set, too.
*Whether they actually have or not.
Sadly, I can see this being a valid reason for Torre and Ned.
At any rate, I've decided I'm not gonna get my undies all in a bunch over the last roster spot. I like the players we have overall going into the post-season and am excited to watch these games this week.
http://tinyurl.com/4ncm6m
Dejesus would provide sub .400 slugging....I dont want that at 3b sorry.
Don't forget Mark Sweeney's .357 BA in postseason play. Including a big 2 for 3 for the 2005 Padres.
I have no problem with a Dejesus/Dewitt middle infield combo coming...2010 or so. I would like to re-sign furcal for next year and have Ivan smack the ball around in AAA for a while before bringing him up.
So, he's no Mark Sweeney. He did hit 8 home runs, but none at Yankee Stadium.
[Hangs head in sadness]
http://tinyurl.com/3mdxor
This website might work. You'll have to click the "Live Sports" link at the top around the time the game starts to see if it's listed.
http://www.myp2p.eu/index.php?part=home
I am debating whether or not to take leave of work before 3:30 tomorrow.
The nationally televised games haven't appeared as Gameday clips all year, so I doubt they would change.
So, he's no Mark Sweeney. He did hit 8 home runs, but none at Yankee Stadium.
Hehe
Thank goodness Ned never got a chance to get in on that.
2008 200 IP; 113 ERA+
2007 193 IP; 100 ERA+
2006 127 IP; 78 ERA+
2005 179 IP 106 ERA+
I wouldn't call that crappy but it seems like a lot of money, even for baseball.
2008 211 IP; 136 ERA+
2007 199 IP; 118 ERA+
2006 218 IP; 124 ERA+
2005 222 IP 114 ERA+
I wonder what he will get?
If Nomar starts against LHP then Loney is on the bench as your late inning LHH. If Loney plays Kent can hit either arm. If Kent starts then DeWitt is your LHH. No matter how you cut it, Sweeney is expendable.
Just goes to show how far a little brain salad surgery can go in clarifying one's thinking!
Sounds right. He'd be just what the Dodger Rays need in 2009 with the solid infield defense. He has to stay away from NY with a middle infield defense of Jeter/Cano and Boston doesn't need him.
...and has been all season. Yet, he's still here.
The logic of my brain tells me it will be tough to beat the Cubs, but if we don't win at least one series I will probably be emotionally crushed.
I have a good feeling about this team, and I've emotionally put all my chips to the center of the table. Hopefully, the Dodgers' pair of aces will win the day*.
*The poker analogy would have worked better against the team from Queens.
But...if they lose...8 games...hey, wait a minute! Woo hoo!
What about zero? One? Two?
I'm going to "work at home" tomorrow afternoon. My coworkers can ping me via IM, which I'll ignore most of the time and claim I was busy. Actually, they'll know what I'm watching.
Looks like the Raiders dodged the Paul Hackett bullet.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3617977
Torre said as much over the weekend if he has Nomar and Kent available off the bench, the right/left situational hitting role becomes less important.
Paul Hackett is on my short list (with Brady Quinn) of people that would make me suspend my Raider fandom. I already went through Hackett at USC; I don't want him again with one of my teams.
I don't think Al needs a reason to not pay people, in his mind. He pulled the same move with Shanahan.
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