Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
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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
Prospect guru John Sickels looks at the Dodger system at Minor League Ball. "The Dodgers system has thinned out a lot, and actually looks a bit weak right now, though I trust Logan White and his people to recharge quickly," Sickels writes, adding that "some of the Grade C guys at the lower levels have the potential to get higher grades once they prove themselves more fully, and this system could look much deeper a year from now.
The numbers an unhappy Manny put up are still numbers we need in our lineup. It's not the end of the world if he misses a handful of games with some fake injury. Probably a good thing to give him some rest. Lets not forget the Red Sox made the playoffs despite having an unhappy Manny around for 4 months. People are acting like he wrecked their season. I'm sure his money concerns would be eased by being the center of attention in Hollywood, and he clearly likes that attention.
The stats show over the course of a long career that through personal good times and bad that he had one pretty big slip up but otherwise was very consistent.
Of course Toy I agree that in trying to predict production that the last three are much more relevant to his next three..
Have you listened to KFI from 3:00 to 7:00? Frick and Frack.
You think all these High School draftees who haven't thrown 20 innings combined are all going to skip the rookie leagues, and start out in Low A or High A?
There used to be an old man (presumably deceased now) who would call the library every month or so, right before closing time, and demand that librarians read him biographical information about the real life Frick and Frack (a figure skating act from the 1940s).
If you couldn't come up with the answer right away, you would get a lecture or a harangue on the phone that would last about 10 minutes.
Their real names were Davey Lopes and Bill Russell.
Rosenthal reports that the Red Sox are close to signing Penny.
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Btw, The Wrestler is pretty stunning. Don't miss it! Rourke is so moving in it.
Redding is indeed a sleeper.
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I sometimes wonder if Kyle Russell will eventually be a Rob Deer clone, and if that would be a bad thing. He could also be something much worse.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/arts/dance/23groebli.html?_r=1
You're joking, right?
A bit off topic here, but these cold snowy winter days have reminded me of how much fun my wife and I had down in Vero Beach last March. It was our first time down there and it's a bit sad that this chapter is now closed. It was just so easy to convince my wife to leave the icy interior of Nevada for several days on a Florida beach. Ah yes, sun, beer, baseball, and of' coarse lots of very old people. Sadly there were not so many dodger fans hanging around Holman though, so I do understand the move out west.
Two memorable exchanges from our trip to Vero Beach Dodgertown this past March (2008):
1. My wife: "Whoa there… who's the fat guy?"
My response: "Oh, that's Andruw Jones. I don't know, maybe he's just big boned or something. Anyway, I think he's going to have monster year this season!"
2. My wife: "Hey, that jerk riding the beach cruiser just about ran me over."
My response: "Yea, his name is Frank McCourt."
Happy Holidays and thanks for the great site Jon! DT has successfully aided me in procrastination in the workplace for nearly two years now. Thankfully I discovered it after I completed my thesis.
if we signed him for that period, his production could drop significantly and he'd still hit 100 homers as a dodger...
* dunn's LF range factor listed in Baseball Reference shows him better than league average, for what it's worth...
Not the type of player Ned likes.
Manny is way better anyways. I have no idea why anyone is anti-Manny right now. Best player to put on a Dodger uniform since Piazza. Sure his defense is not great, but it is not as bad as people make it out to be and his offense more than makes up for it.
Manny gives us a chance to win the World Series and that is all that matters.
I do not have a problem with any of his grades.
This holds true as well to my idea about investing your life savings in whale oil futures.
And I believe that in the D4P household, a bottle of Champagne has been opened.
I am surprised that the Raiders fans here did not appreciate the Raiders winning:
1) the first game that Al Davis hadn't attended in person since 1979
2) knocking Jon Gruden's team out of the playoffs
The Cowboys missing the playoffs also will make me weep.
Weep with joy!
I like Jon Gruden.
I miss him. :(
He's no Tom Cable.
It was a good try, though.
I love when the Cowboys lose, too.
3 Super Bowls
New England Patriots after getting caught cheating:
Missed playoffs
I dislike the Raiders with the strength of 500 of Hercules' biceps, but it was kind of sweet that they beat Gruden and TB and opened the door for Philly to play Dallas for more than just pride.
Now I'm looking forward to see if San Diego can rescue their lost season.
The best way to watch the NFL is bed-ridden. I've watched more NFL football today than the entire 2008 season combined until today. Hey, maybe I should try the NBA now!
New England Patriots after getting caught cheating:
16 wins, 1 loss.
New England Patriots after losing star quarterback to knee injury:
Missed playoffs.
I can't even dream of that type of year for the Raiders.
Meanwhile, Dodger medical staff still rely primarily upon leeches.
Red Sox reach deals with Bard, and Penny.
Schilling's doctor says Boston's plan of rehab won't work, shoulder surgery needed.
http://tinyurl.com/2sfhve
Schilling to have shoulder surgery.
http://tinyurl.com/6zux4z
Just because they have a sophisticated system doesn't mean it is anymore effective. Where is the beef to that comment? What RedSox pitchers who have had shoulder problems have come out smelling like a rose?
Schilling - missed all year
Buchholz - 6.75 ERA
Wakefield - Shoulder problems? None I've ever heard of
Beckett - is that who the comment is based on?
Pedro - pre Met days?
DiceK - Shoulder problems? None I've ever heard of
Lester - cancer not shoulder problems is what held his career back
Colon - that worked out well
Byrd - ???
We'd be ticked if we signed Penny and put him in front of a talent like Buchholz.
$5 million? Seriously? Did they pay attention at all with what happened to Penny in 2008?
Any update on the status of the Dodgers insurance suit re: Schmidt?
I don't mind the Red Sox having injury issues in their pitching rotation.
Remember that time you were running away from those South American native guys who were blowing poisoned darts and throwing spears at you and you jumped into the water and swam out to the plane and jumped in the back seat only to find your pilot friend's pet snake back there?
That was awesome.
San Diego Chargers
San Diego Superchargers
San Diego Chargers
Colts can start making their travel plans.
Also, while wishing for magic flying ponies, how about the Big West bring football back?
D'Backs and Synder are working out an extension. Another contract that Martin and his agents can base arbitration numbers off of.
Cue D4P re: Andruw in 3...2...1...
In other holiday-related news, just finished reading Michael Lewis's "The Blind Side," which is only kind of a football version of "Moneyball." Anybody else here read/like it?
I have "The Blind Side," but I have yet to read it.
I'll be watching your Flyers next Saturday at Staples courtesy of the Kings promotion where you could buy any seat in the house for $11.50 each.
Lavins teams later inexplicable success in Maples makes it OK for me to even think about the Maples Massacre.
It was easy to dump on Dawkins and Stanfords future outlook but the efficiency stats look decent on Pomeroy. However, their weekest point is 2 pt FG% which I would think is the worst thing to be bad at.
http://tinyurl.com/9nydku
If ever there were a sports franchise that worked harder to lose its fan base, it's the Raiders, and the Chargers seem like a team of good guys... but as Lorenz would say, I've been imprinted. Perhaps, sadly, forever.
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