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About Jon
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

Happy Birthday, Vin and Ross
2006-11-29 07:07
by Jon Weisman

All the best ...

Update: I exchanged mailed birthday greetings to Ross Porter, who reminded me that Chick Hearn would have been 90 on Monday.

Comments (228)
Show/Hide Comments 1-50
2006-11-29 07:32:43
1.   The Anc
I will never forget the time I was lucky enough to make a delivery to Vin's house. I got to meet the man and discovered that he is a sincere, generous man who was willing to talk to some guy delivering his TV, and talk to him like a human being, not just some lowly service worker (I delivered to quite a few "famous" people and more than a few treated me like dirt.) Anyway, Happy Birthday Vin! So many times when a person meets the man or woman who was their hero growing up, only disillusionment occurs. My in-person meeting with Vin only increased my admiration.
2006-11-29 09:09:52
2.   Bob Timmermann
Happy birthday to Ross

My grandmother and I listened to all of this one:

http://retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B08230MON1989.htm

2006-11-29 09:21:23
3.   bhsportsguy
And congrats to Jon Weisman, fearless author of DT for being named as one L.A.'s most influential in the world of L.A. sports by the current issue of Los Angeles Magazine.
2006-11-29 09:22:47
4.   Bob Timmermann
Jon is only as influential as our collective minds are discussing the relative worth of Mark Hendrickson.
2006-11-29 09:29:09
5.   bhsportsguy
4 Well in the notes, the highlight was the 1000+ comments on the day the Dodgers were eliminated by the Mets.
2006-11-29 09:37:22
6.   Bob Timmermann
5
And I wasn't even around for much of that day. So how influential could it have been?
2006-11-29 09:47:00
7.   jasonungar05
I went to High School with Mike Lieberthal.

I have partied at his house. He had Piazza posters all over his walls. It would be his dream to play for us. He also had Karros posters on his wall, but don't hold that against him.

2006-11-29 10:31:39
8.   hedgemytickets
7.
Seems like a bit of an anachronism. Mike Lieberthal graduated high school in 1990. Mike Piazza won the ROY in 1993.

Minor league posters?

2006-11-29 10:34:18
9.   Sam DC
Would it be a reasonable fair use for someone to scan Jon's entry in LA magazine and post? I certainly think so -- one out of a list of a hundred people.

Doesn't seem web accessible.

2006-11-29 10:34:54
10.   Sam DC
9 Or maybe I'm a dope -- is it on the web?
2006-11-29 10:36:36
11.   grandcosmo
8. Maybe they were Miami-Dade North Community College posters.
2006-11-29 10:40:13
12.   Bob Timmermann
Los Angeles magazine is not on the web, nor do the articles appear fulltext with any regularity in most online databases.

It's a real pain to deal with.

2006-11-29 10:41:51
13.   GoBears
Or maybe the party took place after ML's high school years.

Let's get to the bottom of this, one way or another.

2006-11-29 10:47:15
14.   D4P
Let's get to the bottom of this

http://tinyurl.com/yjxlal

2006-11-29 10:48:48
15.   GoBears
ESPNews just reported (from sources close to the teams or something similarly vague) that:

Drew's deal with the BoSox won't be completed until next week (we'd heard that) and will be for 5 yrs, $70M. So yeah, I'd say he made the right choice.

and

BoSox are asking for a package from the Padres that includes Peavy and Adrian Gonzales. If that's true, it's a better deal that Billz/Brox and Loney. Basically, two proven versions of we'd be offering.

I say fine, if the Padres agree to that. Let's see Manny pitch.

2006-11-29 10:50:15
16.   GoBears
14. Well played, sir. Dr. Freud is ready for you now.
2006-11-29 10:53:56
17.   JoeyP
Drew,Loney,Kuo for 5/70

Or

Wolf,Nomar,Pierre for 5/70...

Which would you rather have?

2006-11-29 10:54:24
18.   dianagramr
Happy 79th Vin!

Congrats Jon!

Now ... why do the BoSox think it OK to deal Manny because they are about to sign Drew. The '06 Sox were at least 1 solid bat short in their lineup (does anyone in their lineup besides Ortiz and Manny scare you?). With these deals, I believe they would STILL be one bat short. Keep Manny, play Drew in RF.

2006-11-29 10:56:47
19.   Eric Enders
18 Well, they do still have that big suitcase full of money they've got to send to Seibu.
2006-11-29 11:00:35
20.   twerp
A couple times recently someone on DT has mentioned trading for A-Rod. The following is from a sidebar of a USA Today story on Boras, in which he warns teams not to consider it=====

"Boras, insisting Rodriguez does not want to leave the New York Yankees, wants to subtly remind clubs it's foolish for any to even consider trading for Rodriguez. Rodriguez can opt out after each of the next three years. He can be an unrestricted free agent after 2007. If he does not get a $5 million raise for the 2009 and 2010 seasons, he can leave any preceding year.

"I'm sure (Rangers owner) Tom Hicks would like to see that happen," Boras says, "but teams don't realize the cost involved trading for (Rodriguez). The reality is ... he doesn't want to go anywhere."

Link to Boras story follows. Sidebar, "A-Rod deal can get sweeter," appears at left under the picture of the person baseball GMs and owners reportedly believe to be the Anit-Christ.

http://tinyurl.com/ygnobt

2006-11-29 11:06:01
21.   twerp
20. See, the Anit-Christ is something altogether different from the Anti-Christ. That's my typo and I'm sticking with it...
2006-11-29 11:06:13
22.   Bob Timmermann
19
The Red Sox payment to the Seibu Corporation will be done at night with Walter Sobchak throwing a suitcase out a speeding car.

But little does Seibu know that he's just throwing out a suitcase full of his dirty undies.

2006-11-29 11:06:41
23.   Eric Enders
Any list that has Jon Weisman, Magic Johnson, and Bob Dylan on it is OK by me.
2006-11-29 11:09:45
24.   bhsportsguy
6 As I recall, that was the day of the big traffic problesm with 2 college football games, the Dodger game and all the goings on in downtown L.A.

I too, was at the game (and I believe Jon was too) so I am guessing that many of the comments were made by those of us that don't actually live in the L.A. area.

Frankly, I think the amount of comments about the Juan Pierre signing was more telling of the influence that DT has on the L.A. sports scene.

2006-11-29 11:11:41
25.   bhsportsguy
23 I don't recall the other people in the L.A. sports scene, I do believe one was Pete Carroll (please no K.D. shots) and another one was Annie Duke, who I have met and while she is nice and plays a mean hand of poker, I am not sure she has a newcomer to L.A. has had much impact on the local poker scene.
2006-11-29 11:12:22
26.   Robert Daeley
23 Instant conspiracy theory: Has anyone ever seen Bob Zimmerman (aka Bob Dylan) and Bob Timmermann in the same place at the same time?
2006-11-29 11:12:37
27.   Bob Timmermann
24
I was at the thrilling UCLA-UA game that day.

Hard to believe UCLA won by a bigger margin that day than USC did.

2006-11-29 11:14:47
28.   Bob Timmermann
26
I'm off today, but tomorrow I'm going to go work on Maggie's farm.
2006-11-29 11:15:29
29.   Jon Weisman
The DT comment record was:

https://dodgerthoughts.baseballtoaster.com/archives/522658.html

Otherwise known as:

5 2 4 9

2006-11-29 11:18:19
30.   Robert Daeley
28 It's a shame the way she makes you scrub the floor.
2006-11-29 11:19:53
31.   Bob Timmermann
Bob Dylan went electric 4 1/2 months before I was born.
2006-11-29 11:19:57
32.   dzzrtRatt
Responding to 231 in the last thread...

The market does not value James Loney and Jonathan Broxton the way we do, for the reason that either one of them at this point could come up far short of what's hoped for from them. Whereas Manny is the only rival to Albert Pujols for hitting prowess, and he's proven it consistently.

The Padres are offering a Cy Young pitcher and a guy who was really impressive last season, Adrian Gonzalez. The holes opened by losing Loney and Broxton won't be easy to fill, but our depth in prospects makes me believe we'd more than survive it. And if the Sox want our prospects instead of the Padres' stars, we should be eager to accomodate them. You really, really don't want Manny in the NL West for the next four seasons unless he's with LA. (The Pads can afford to lose Peavey now that they have Chris Young, but they desperately need power. I think Manny can overcome the Petco effect.)

You're aware that Ramirez in the last three years OPS'd 1.009, .982, 1.058. And he didn't do that by playing 120 games every year. Like many players, he's had injuries, but here are his game totals for the past five years:

2002 -- 120
2003 -- 154
2004 -- 152
2005 -- 152
2006 -- 130 (sore knee)
Avg: 142

He turns 35 next season. To get him, we'd probably have to pick up the two options, so it's a four-year deal. Let's assume he can only play an average of 135 games in each of the next four years. With an OPS around 1.0, he's still worth having.

If James Loney is putting up those kinds of numbers in four years, we can always get him back. His asking price in 2011 would be about $30 million, whether he's playing for LA or not.

2006-11-29 11:22:12
33.   dianagramr
With the addition of Pierre, the Dodgers may have those Sub-.310 OBP HomePlate Blues
2006-11-29 11:26:05
34.   GoBears
17. Clearly, I'd prefer the first trio. But, while I realize that your question assumed only 3 jobs and $70M to go around, right now the Dodgers do have 5 of the 6 players mentioned.

So, add by subtracting the guys whose roster spots the newcomers will take. Wolf means, what, no Hendrickson? Maybe no Kuo, but I doubt it. Pierre takes Drew's spot (yuck). Nomar might take Loney's (probably will). Or Loney goes to RF, and Nomar can be seen as having taken Lofton's spot.

I'm just picking nits. I agree with the spirit of your comment.

2006-11-29 11:27:05
35.   jasonungar05
It was after High School.

Around 1994/95 cause it was right after I graduated College.

2006-11-29 11:29:06
36.   LAT
I wouldn't mind seeing the Pods do that deal. They lose one of their best pitchers and hitters for a goofy guy who can mash but will have no line up protection in an angular outfield that is shadowed by a steel company building. Overall, I think the Pods would be weaker for it.

(Also, any change in the Pods lineup would have to be good for the Dodgers cause they can't do any worse against the Pods than they did in '06)

2006-11-29 11:31:05
37.   JoeyP
I'd definitely do Manny for Loney/Broxton. I'm not sold on Loney having a strong enough bat to play RF/1b and be an above average player.

Broxton, I like him a starter. But he's not. So as a reliever, he's good but not irreplaceable. His effect on the game isnt that great pitching 70ip a year.

If Ned got Manny for Brox/Loney, I'd consider that a very good deal.

2006-11-29 11:33:50
38.   Bob Timmermann
In 1999 the Padres were 9-3 (.750) against the Dodgers. Last year they were 13-5 (.722).
2006-11-29 11:34:06
39.   JoeyP
I hope the Dodgers have a lineup of youngsters and superstars...Manny is at least a superstar. Thats fine with me. The salary doesnt bother me either.

I think the Dodgers should look into acquiring Scott Rolen from the Cards. He's got an ok contract, and would be a substantial upgrade too. Cards minor league system is pretty barren, and Rolen/Larussa got into it at the end of the season. He'd be a player I'd like the Dodgers to acquire.

LaRoche/Elbert for Rolen? I'd pull the trigger on that deal.

2006-11-29 11:34:15
40.   bhsportsguy
37 From what I have seen by Meloan thus far, he may be a reason why they would consider moving Broxton, though they better have an idea about what Sammy is doing.

BTW - Stay away from this weeks TV Guide if you want to be surprised about what is coming up on Heroes, while it is pretty cool, I think if you are a fan, you'll want to wait and see what happens.

2006-11-29 11:35:50
41.   bhsportsguy
Bob, based on what is going on with Pete Carroll and Ben Howland, could KD picked a worse time to coach UCLA football?
2006-11-29 11:38:29
42.   bhsportsguy
Put your own joke here:
Maybe this is old but I love this headline:

Bundy to manage Las Vegas 51s

http://tinyurl.com/ymcccd

2006-11-29 11:44:23
43.   Robert Daeley
Gagne updates:

http://tinyurl.com/y4vumg

Maybe it could still happen assuming good health, and assuming the alleged Boras-ban is b.s.?

2006-11-29 11:51:57
44.   Eric Enders
32 I would do Ethier and Broxton for Manny, but I'd rather keep Loney. Not that I'm opposed to trading Loney, but Ethier, as a left-hand hitting corner outfielder, is what the Sox need. The value on either of them is as high now as it's ever going to be, I think.

I do worry that our lineup is already too right-hander heavy, and any trade for Manny or Burrell wouldn't do anything to help that problem. (Of course, neither would trading Loney or Ethier.)

If the Padres are really willing to trade Peavy, and the Sox are willing to trade Manny, and the Red Sox would rather have L.A.'s players than the Padres' players, then do this:

Let the Sox make the Manny-for-Peavy & Gonzalez deal, then trade Broxton and Ethier to Boston for Peavy. The Sox would thus fill holes at 1B, OF, and closer, all with young players. The Padres get a head case who can hit. And the Dodgers get Peavy, the most valuable commodity in the whole deal. (Who, by the way, is less than a year older than Ethier.)

2006-11-29 11:52:12
45.   twerp
If Drew's contract really was structured so he couldn't be offered arb, and therefore the Dodgers not only lose him but get no draft picks either...

it makes Ned's going ballistic over Drew's opting out a bit more understandable...

2006-11-29 12:08:36
46.   Sam DC
45 If Drew's contract was structured that way, doesn't it suggest that Colletti all the more should have realized Drew's value would be that much higher in the open market and thus been more prepared for the possibility that he would leave?

I'm not blaming Colletti for having expected Drew to stay, but I do think his blowup afterwards was pretty unprofessional.

2006-11-29 12:09:07
47.   Eric Enders
More 100% useless armchair GM machinations: After you make the deal in 44, you trade Penny and, say, Hu to Philadelphia for Burrell. Then you do your darndest to sign Jason Schmidt. You'd end up with a team looking something like this:

1 Furcal SS
2 Pierre CF
3 Garciaparra 1B
4 Kent 2B
5 Loney RF
6 Burrell LF
7 Martin C
8 Betemit/LaRoche 3B

SP Lowe
SP Schmidt
SP Billingsley
SP Wolf
SP Kuo/Tomko/Hendrickson/maybe Maddux

RP Saito
RP Beimel
plus 4 of the following: Gagne, Miller, Brazoban, Tomko, Hendrickson, Meloan, Dessens

Bench
Hall or other random backup
Lucille II
Saenz
Anderson
Repko
Werth or D.Young

2006-11-29 12:11:48
48.   StolenMonkey86
Browsing baseball-reference, I realized I have the same birthday as Grady Little, March 3. So I can add his name to a few other people I share a birthday with

Alexander Graham Bell
Carlo Ponzi
James Doohan
Jessica Biel

2006-11-29 12:13:17
49.   Eric Enders
46 I suspect Colletti was not necessarily angry about Drew leaving, but more about Drew assuring the team he would stay, then leaving.

Of course, one could say that he should never have been so naïve in a situation where Boras was involved.

2006-11-29 12:19:21
50.   Eric Enders
48 The best thing one can say about my birthday is that George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and both Roosevelts were inaugurated on it.

The list of people I share a birthday with is fairly lame:
Antonio Vivaldi
Shemp Howard

plus a who's who of Dodger legends...
Dazzy Vance
Lefty O'Doul
Hiram Bocachica
Giovanni Carrara
Bruce Aven

Show/Hide Comments 51-100
2006-11-29 12:24:11
51.   StolenMonkey86
50 - I left off a few people like Jorge Julio
2006-11-29 12:24:23
52.   bigcpa
47 I thought you got us Peavy in 44. So we could have Peavy, Schmidt, Lowe, Wolf, Billingsley. Now that's a rotation. Also I think Burrell should bat 3rd. The guy has a higher walk rate than Drew!
2006-11-29 12:32:31
53.   JoeyP
52--That'd be a nice rotation.

But if we were to keep Manny:

Furcal
Martin
Nomar
Manny
Kent
Ethier
Betemit
Pierre

Penny, Lowe, Kuo, Wolf, Billingsley

2006-11-29 12:35:05
54.   JoeyP
If Colletti got agressive, he could potentially empty out the farm for Manny/Burrell.

Furcal
Martin
Nomar
Manny
Burrell
Kent
Betemit
Pierre

That'd be one sweet lineup if everyone was healthy, and Pierre in the 8th hole.

2006-11-29 12:38:17
55.   bhsportsguy
54 Nate, trainwreck and some others would probably jump right to D-Backs if that ever happened.
2006-11-29 12:39:32
56.   rockmrete
Manny is a diversion..Eithier,Hendrickson, and an other for the lefty OFer from Milwakee, or Dunn. Or 3.5,Stork, and Hall for Burell.
2006-11-29 12:39:35
57.   GoBears
45. I disagree. It makes the loss of Drew more painful, but it doesn't excuse Colletti's burning of the bridge. If 5yrs/$70M is what Drew's going to get, then maybe it doesn't matter - maybe that's more than Colletti would have or should have been willing to pony up to keep Drew in RF. Only a $3M/yr raise, which in this market is nothing, but the 2 extra years would have been scary.

But even if the public hissy fit ended up not affecting the outcome on Drew, it still was a dumb thing to do. And, as Sheehan said, responding to the Colletti-assisted impossibility of re-signing Drew by overpaying in years and $$ for Nomar and Lugo added injury to insult.

If he re-signs Lugo, however, I promise never to mention JD Drew again.

2006-11-29 12:43:23
58.   Eric Enders
52 [Slaps self in forehead.] I knew I was missing a pitcher somewhere.
2006-11-29 12:44:18
59.   berkowit28
Drew's deal with the BoSox won't be completed until next week (we'd heard that) and will be for 5 yrs, $70M.

With another one-sided option to go after two years?

2006-11-29 12:58:10
60.   philmc78
Famous last words: I'm prepared for Manny to become a Dodger.
2006-11-29 13:08:18
61.   rockmrete
56 Jenkins
2006-11-29 13:13:01
62.   JoeyP
Player options dont hurt the team IMO.
If the Cubs gave Soriano a 2yr out, do you really think they'd be bummed if he used it?

The only time a club is hurt by a free agent signing, is if that player does not perform while under contract.

The Red Sox would probably insist on giving Drew that option. It'd be better business for them, if the gave them 2 really good years, and they didnt have to see the final 3yrs of that deal.

If I were long terming players, I'd always let them opt out mid way.

2006-11-29 13:23:40
63.   rockmrete
That's the plus side of it...If Drew had been terrible he would still be here.
2006-11-29 13:26:53
64.   Marty
I find I share birthdays with:
Henry Kravis
Sun Myung Moon
Lou Holtz

I need to change birthdays

2006-11-29 13:27:10
65.   Eric Enders
63 But then that's the case with FA contracts regardless of whether there is an opt-out clause.
2006-11-29 13:27:34
66.   Marty
I share the exact same birthday as Rowan Atkinson. I hated Mr. Bean.
2006-11-29 13:29:59
67.   Bob Timmermann
66
I guess Marty is like my father. We were on a trans-Atlantic flight and they were showing Mr. Bean. My dad didn't like it. But he wasn't a big comedy guy anyway. And he certainly wasn't going to like comedy where nobody said anything.
2006-11-29 13:33:18
68.   Blaine
They just said that on AM 570 they are going to replay an interview that Roggin and SImers had with Vin Scully had this morning.

I heard the tail end and it was really pretty cool just to hear Vin Scully weave stories about life and even golf.

2006-11-29 13:36:51
69.   Marty
I was angry when I left the theater. One of my friends laughed his head off during the entire movie. I was angry with him too.
2006-11-29 13:40:52
70.   Andrew Shimmin
Hey Jon, do you have any theories on how someone might go about applying for a job as Lindsay Lohan's correspondence secretary? I've got a feeling she needs a new one, and I think I'd be good at it. Adequite, at least. Anyway, if there's a string you could pull, I'd be eternally grateful.
2006-11-29 13:44:42
71.   rockmrete
65 So true
2006-11-29 13:46:07
72.   dzzrtRatt
I just heard a conversation on 710 about announcers that veered into a discussion of the Dodgers. Hacksaw Hamilton said, almost as an aside, that the Dodgers "might sign Schmidt this weekend."

Huh? Anyone know about this?

BTW -- my birthday mates include:
Horatio Alger
Robert Stack
Gwen Verdon
Charles Nelson Reilly
Jay McInerney
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Patrick Dempsey
Orlando Bloom
and Wayne Coyne, the lead singer for the Flaming Lips.

A more illustrious group of people died on my birthday: James Joyce, Ernie Kovacs, Donny Hathaway, Joe McCarthy (the baseball manager), Hubert Humphrey and Stephen Foster.

2006-11-29 13:49:17
73.   bigcpa
62 If I were long terming players, I'd always let them opt out mid way.

The long-term part can also be the upside to the team. The Twins will get Santana's services for $12M next year- that's Millwood money now. You think they would just shrug it off if Santana opted out today?

I suppose the opt-out can give the player extra motivation like a walk-year, but when the team is taking on the downside of a fat contract they deserve to reap the spoils when a guy breaks out.

2006-11-29 13:51:16
74.   Bob Timmermann
A more illustrious group of people died on my birthday: ... Ernie Kovacs

Here's a tip: Don't drive on Beverly Glen on your birthday.

2006-11-29 13:52:47
75.   The Anc
My Birthday (tomorrow) has a pretty cool list,
Winston Churchill (100 years to the day before me!)
Mark Twain
Dick Clark
Bo Jackson
2006-11-29 13:55:39
76.   LAT
47. I like it. Enders for GM. (Do you have a mustach? How fast can you grow one?) Any word on whether Saito is staying?
2006-11-29 13:56:12
77.   Blaine
What a cool interview. Way too short. Vin talked about his relationship with Jim Murray (funny stuff), getting three hole in one golf shots and about still getting goosebumps when seeing a big play at a baseball game and hearing the roar of the crowd.
2006-11-29 13:56:37
78.   still bevens
Cant resist chiming in on the birthday thread because of this random group of people who share a birthday with me:

George W. Bush
50 Cent
Frida Kahlo
Sylvester Stallone
Nancy Reagan
The Dalai Lama

2006-11-29 13:57:16
79.   Gold Star for Robot Boy
People who share my birthday (May 19)
Ho Chi Minh
Malcolm X
Pol Pot
Jim Lehrer
Pete Townshend
Andre the Giant
Joey Ramone
Bill Laimbeer
Kevin Garnett
Brandon Inge

And Ogden Nash died the very day I was born...

2006-11-29 14:00:10
80.   ninjavshippo
72
i think you mean 570, not 710. i listened to the whole vin interview and it was great. i just love listening to the guy tell stories. it's still available on podcast. he's like the grandfather i never had.

actually, i do have one grandfather, but he's an alcoholic, chainsmoking curmudgeon. i much prefer vin and his golf stories.

2006-11-29 14:01:41
81.   Robert Daeley
72 Hey, 1/13 -- same here. :) Don't forget Carol Cleveland of Monty Python fame and Nikolai Khabibulin of NHL fame.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_13

2006-11-29 14:02:40
82.   still bevens
Dont know if this was mentioned, but looks like Mark Alexander won the AA Reliver of the Year award from MiLB.com. Good on him. Any chance hes able to help the organization either via callup or trade?
2006-11-29 14:04:56
83.   D4P
Any chance hes able to help the organization either via callup or trade?

Not until Ethier's scout mentions him to Flanders

2006-11-29 14:05:53
84.   Jon Weisman
72 - "the Dodgers 'might sign Schmidt this weekend.' "

I might finally catch up on some reading this weekend. But who's to say?

2006-11-29 14:06:35
85.   dianagramr
On my birthday

Events
68 - Roman Emperor Nero commits suicide, imploring his secretary Epaphroditus to slit his throat to evade a Senate-imposed death by flogging.
1934 - Donald Duck debuts in The Wise Little Hen.
1973 - Secretariat wins the Triple Crown.

Births
1891 - Cole Porter, American composer and lyricist (d. 1964)
1893 - Irish Meusel, American baseball player (d. 1963)
1915 - Les Paul, influential American guitarist
1931 - Jackie Mason, American comedian
1931 - Bill Virdon, Major league baseball player and manager
1939 - Dick Vitale, American sportscaster
1951 - Dave Parker, Major league baseball player
1961 - Michael J. Fox, Canadian-born actor
1961 - Aaron Sorkin, American writer
On the SAME exact day and year: Johnny Depp, American actor
1973 - Tedy Bruschi, American football player
1980 - Mike Fontenot, professional baseball player

Deaths
1981 - Allen Ludden, TV Game Show Host
2004 - Rosey Brown, American football player (b. 1932)

2006-11-29 14:10:52
86.   regfairfield
Mine's pretty lame:

Flava Flav
Todd McFarlane
Alan Tudyk
Gore Verbinski
Abraham Nunez

Oh, and a man named Hee Seop Choi.

2006-11-29 14:16:33
87.   Steve in Rochester
Does anyone else notice that there is no outline around the "Los Angeles" or around the lettering on the back of the uniform. I guess they are going old schoool, not sure if I like it or not. I had grown accustomed to the nameless jerseys.

I'm referring to the video of the press conference by the way.

2006-11-29 14:18:30
88.   Andrew Shimmin
86- But you've got Yeats, Mengele, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Chuck Woolery, and Lauren Graham, too! Thomas Dewey, Judge Roy Bean, and T-bone Walker died on your birthday. So, that's something.
2006-11-29 14:20:05
89.   ryu
Pretty athletic list.

1960 - Ari Fleischer, Former White House Press Secretary
1961 - Doc Rivers, basketball player and coach
1962 - Jerry Rice, American football star
1969 - Nancy Kerrigan
1971 - Sacha Baron Cohen
1977 - Paul Pierce
1978 - Jermaine O'Neal
1980 - Ashanti

2006-11-29 14:22:51
90.   Daniel Zappala
My birthday mates include:

Reese Witherspoon
Elvis Stojko
Matthew Modine
Lena Olin
Bob Costas
Andrew Lloyd Webber
George Benson
William Shatner
Steven Sondheim
Marcel Marceau

and my grandpa. Baseball birthdays include Ramon Martinez, Cory Lidle, Jason Phillips, Glenallen Hill, and Rich Monteleone. Also Eddie Bane.

2006-11-29 14:23:24
91.   Marty
79 Wins. Pol Pot and Joey Ramone. Nice combo
2006-11-29 14:25:06
92.   Marty
I'll bet Jason Phillips took forever to be born.
2006-11-29 14:27:11
93.   Daniel Zappala
My wife once spent 36 hours in labor. Jason Phillips is so slow he must have taken 2 years.

I also missed Kaiser Wilhelm I.

2006-11-29 14:28:43
94.   Gold Star for Robot Boy
91 - Between Pol Pot, Ho Chi Minh and Bill Laimbeer, who's the biggest villain?
2006-11-29 14:29:03
95.   jujibee
My birthday list wasn't too good as I read through it until I came up on Huey Lewis.
2006-11-29 14:29:21
96.   dzzrtRatt
84 Indeed.

(I was just wondering if there was a published story on the Schmidt negotiations that I'd missed. Of course, if there was one, I'd probably find some reason to discount it.)

2006-11-29 14:30:26
97.   Jon Weisman
96 - I knew you knew that - sorry if my comment came across as snarky.

There was a Schmidt to the Cubs rumor the other day, but nothing definitive out there.

2006-11-29 14:31:57
98.   bhsportsguy
cnnsi.com has a list of the best pro uniforms, the Dodgers made the cut but I am pretty sure that you might have wanted another player to be used to showcase the uniform.

http://tinyurl.com/yhra7a

2006-11-29 14:32:25
99.   dzzrtRatt
95 If the best you've got is Huey Lewis, it's still not too good.

But I checked your date, and you've got P.T. Barnum, Warren Oates, Robbie Robertson, Rich Gossage, Edie Falco and Dolly the cloned sheep. That's an awesome list.

2006-11-29 14:33:10
100.   gcrl
my bday stinks.

ozzy
joseph conrad
katarina witt
julianne moore
brendan fraser
daryl hannah
paul byrd
clay dalrymple

that's about it.

my brother has sinatra, sheila e., ed koch, and bob barker, while my sister has rafael palmeiro, hubie brooks, hank williams 3 and kevin sorbo.

Show/Hide Comments 101-150
2006-11-29 14:33:52
101.   Gold Star for Robot Boy
Best player with whom I share a birthday is Curt Simmons, probably.
2006-11-29 14:33:57
102.   dzzrtRatt
97 No offense taken at all. I laughed. You must know by now that I am a graduate of the "who's to say"-bermetric school of baseball analysis.
2006-11-29 14:35:59
103.   D4P
My birthday list wasn't too good as I read through it until I came up on Huey Lewis

Sounds like you're happy to be stuck with him

2006-11-29 14:36:18
104.   Gold Star for Robot Boy
Headline from Dodgers.com: "Bundy to manage Las Vegas 51s."
Which Bundy? Ted? Al?
No, Lorenzo.
http://tinyurl.com/ymcccd
2006-11-29 14:38:19
105.   gcrl
98

i enjoyed this caption regarding the cleveland browns' uniforms:

"The fall colors shout 'pigskin' while the helmet is a minimalist masterpiece that conveys the team's name".

aren't their helmets orange?

2006-11-29 14:38:29
106.   Andrew Shimmin
95, 99- I'm surprised at both of you. If Eva Green had been born on my birthday, I'd have a line on my resume devoted to the fact.
2006-11-29 14:39:28
107.   Steve
I share a birthday with Ghandi and Steve Finley's home run. Peace.
2006-11-29 14:42:17
108.   D4P
I share a birthday with two musical giants:

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and English Rapper "Tricky"

2006-11-29 14:47:47
109.   LAT
92. Good one, Marty.

104. Ted Bundy is on my B-Day list.

2006-11-29 14:56:32
110.   Sam DC
Howard Zinn and Noam Chomsky, Tom Waits and Harry Chapin. Johnny Bench and Larry Bird.

Plus:

Willa Cather
Louis Prima
Eli Wallach
Ellyn Burstin
Tino Martinez
T.O.
Chasey Lain (for Icaros)

Cicero, Rube Goldberg, and Darby Crash died.

2006-11-29 15:05:16
111.   Marty
Aahh, Darby Crash. I miss him.
2006-11-29 15:05:18
112.   Gold Star for Robot Boy
110 - The Darby Crash reference sent me on a flight of Wiki-aided research/daydreaming, where I discovered... Belinda Carlisle briefly was a drummer for The Germs.
Then she founded The Go-Gos, and it was during that time she dated Dodgers OF Mike Marshall.
2006-11-29 15:05:55
113.   bhsportsguy
110

Journalist, quarterback, daredevil, movie star, a sweathog and of course a psuedo porn star.

Gary Cooper
Johnny Unitas
Tim Russert
Robbie Knievil
Traci Lords
Robert Hegyes (Epstein from Welcome Back Kotter)

2006-11-29 15:06:40
114.   trainwreck
55
I would have two broken wrists after punching holes into walls.
2006-11-29 15:09:04
115.   Gold Star for Robot Boy
113 - Traci Lords was a bona fide (if underage) pr0n star, no pseudos about it.
2006-11-29 15:10:53
116.   trainwreck
115
And great mainstream actress.
2006-11-29 15:12:04
117.   Marty
112 Which reminds me of my favorite Mike Marshall story. Please excuse the language.

I was in the field-level during batting practice once and Marshall was hitting. Some guy next to me yells out "Hey Marshall, how's that Go-Go bitch!"

2006-11-29 15:14:59
118.   Greg S
Perhaps this was discussed before but when did the D-Backs unveil these ugly new uniforms? Very Double A!

http://tinyurl.com/yx8vq6

2006-11-29 15:16:13
119.   stopthebeachballs
I share a birthday (4/10) with John Madden and Don Meredith, which I suppose means I have an increased shot at announcing Monday Night Football at some point.

The most notable death on my birthday is that of the Beatles (1970).

2006-11-29 15:16:28
120.   underdog
Wow, response from Ross Porter himself. Very cool, glad to hear he's still doing well, too. Wish we could hear him on the radio, as well, next year.

Meanwhile, since all the cool kids are doing it:

My bday (Jan. 1 believe it or not) is shared with the following very random people:

DJ Shadow
Paul Revere and Betsy Ross (heh)
Barry Goldwater
Morris Chestnut
Don Novello (aka Father Guido Sarducci)
Country Joe McDonald
Verne Troyer (aka Mini Me)
Sophie Okonedo
J Edgar Hoover (heh)
JD Salinger
Joe Orton playwright ]
James McAvoy
Xavier Cugat
Saffron Burrows

Whee!

2006-11-29 15:16:48
121.   trainwreck
I am watching the Pierre and Wolf press conference oh boy!!
2006-11-29 15:18:01
122.   underdog
118 Those are indeed ugly, and too Astros-like in colors, but then again, their previous uniforms were pretty ugly, too - and jumbled. Not an improvement, but not much of a step back...
2006-11-29 15:19:10
123.   Gold Star for Robot Boy
117 - Carlisle, in an interview, admitted to doing coke in a closet while Marshall was napping.
2006-11-29 15:19:29
124.   trainwreck
This is such a pointless press conference.
2006-11-29 15:20:15
125.   dzzrtRatt
118 That Corky Simpson, who wrote the article? I think he thinks he's the reincarnation of Grantland Rice. Here's his final sentence:

Robed in their blooming garb of spring, the lads will look like the fulfillment of a dismal prophecy.

2006-11-29 15:23:52
126.   Jonny6
Being born on 4/20, I've never known quite what to make of my famous birthday. Let's just say it's got some good, and some real bad.

The good:
1920 John Paul Stevens
1923 Tito Puente
1940 George Takei, aka Sulu
1949 Jessica Lange (57, wow she's still hot)
National Pot Smoker's Day

The bad (a short but substantial list):
1889 Adolf Hitler
1999 Columbine High School shooting
with the Waco explosions and the Oklahoma City bombing coming just the day before.

Now, how exactly should I celebrate this jumble of contradictions?

2006-11-29 15:24:08
127.   Blaine
I want to play along. Here is my birthday list:

Abner Doubleday
Colonel Tom Parker
Babe Didrikson
Mick Jones of The Clash
Greg Lemond
Derek Jeter
Michael Vick
Gina Waggoner (the girl who sat behind me from 2nd through 12th grade)

2006-11-29 15:25:21
128.   Gold Star for Robot Boy
125 - In Alabama, Corky forever be remembered as the one sportswriter who consistently gave the Tide first-place votes in the 1992 season's AP football poll.
http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/sports/061003/simpson.shtml
2006-11-29 15:25:57
129.   Andrew Shimmin
I think the D'backs uniforms are markedly better, but the hat still stinks. Also, it's a little unfair, just going by the picture from that article; Eric Byrnes would look ridiculous in anything but a prison uniform.
2006-11-29 15:26:11
130.   trainwreck
126
Oh, I think you know.
2006-11-29 15:26:23
131.   Gold Star for Robot Boy
126 - By getting high, duh. ;)
2006-11-29 15:26:58
132.   trainwreck
Steve Phillips just said he heard Dodgers are pushing hard for Manny and the Red Sox then may sign Bonds.
2006-11-29 15:28:12
133.   ssjames
My list is pretty good:

Alexander the Great
Ernest Hemingway
Don Knotts
Janet Reno
Ken Starr
Cat Stevens
Al Hrabosky
Robin Williams
Jon Lovitz
C.C. Sabithia

Quite the cast of characters.

2006-11-29 15:28:23
134.   Gold Star for Robot Boy
132 - Steve Phillips is a moron.
2006-11-29 15:29:17
135.   underdog
132 So it's definitely not gonna happen then, eh?
2006-11-29 15:29:29
136.   trainwreck
Very true, but he predicted last year we would sign Nomar and Mueller (he also said Randa) and we all thought he was nuts.
2006-11-29 15:30:47
137.   underdog
133 I think it would be an amusing premise for a play, putting in the same room all of these people born on our bdays. Yours would have too many comics trying to outdo each other, but eventually Hemingway would shoot one of them. And Reno and Starr would be secretly making out in the back room.
2006-11-29 15:31:53
138.   underdog
I didn't think he was nuts about Nomar; but then, I'd heard it from a few other reliable sources, too. We'll see. But if he's right I shudder to think which of our favorite prospects they'll give up in return. I hope instead it's some current players we can give u p along with one prospect.
2006-11-29 15:32:17
139.   Gold Star for Robot Boy
137 - dog, I did not need that mental image of Reno.
2006-11-29 15:32:18
140.   Eric Enders
137 Wouldn't Starr be too busy prosecuting the hell out of Cat Stevens?
2006-11-29 15:33:33
141.   jasonungar05
My list is eclectic!!Here are some highlights including a favorite dodger and the guy who fought my favorite dodger!!

Obi Wan is on my list. He is my favorite JEDI.

Sir Alec Guinness
Marvin Gaye
Dr. Demento
Don Sutton
Reggie Smith
Emmylou Harris
Pete Incaviglia
Rodney King
Bill Romanowski

2006-11-29 15:37:15
142.   dkminnick
133 - Hey SS, you and I share a b-day. Mine's 1956.

I've always loved sharing it with Don Knotts and Ernest Hemingway.

Didn't know about Janet Reno and Ken Starr...but I like it.

2006-11-29 15:38:00
143.   trainwreck
I just found Marvin Gaye was born on my birthday and he literally was murdered a few hours before I was born. Horshack was also born on my birthday. I still am going with Christopher Meloni as the coolest guy with the same birthdate as me.

Dana Carvey
Emmylou Harris
Sir Alec Guinness
Brent Spiner
Jack Webb
Christopher Meloni
Horshack
Bill Romanowski
Buddy Ebsen

2006-11-29 15:39:48
144.   trainwreck
141
We have the same birthday!
2006-11-29 15:40:17
145.   Steve
(he also said Randa)

I think herein lies the problem.

2006-11-29 15:40:20
146.   Eric Enders
141, 143 That was way cool.
2006-11-29 15:43:59
147.   Shotupthemiddle
I'll bite.

I share birthday wishes with

Herbert Hoover
Rosanna Arquette
Antonio Banderas
Riddick Bowe
Angie Harmon

along with. ...

Rocky Colavito and Sal Fasano.

Charles Manson and his family killed the LoBiancas, and David Berkowitz was arrested as the "Son of Sam" on my birthday, eight years apart. Keep me away from sharp objects!

2006-11-29 15:44:42
148.   Eric Enders
There needs to be some sort of SNL skit with that cast of characters. I'm thinking Don Sutton and Reggie Smith get into a brawl with Dr. Demento, Romanowski shoots a coked-up Marvin Gaye, while Guinness randomly spouts pseudo-philosophical lines and Emmylou Harris just sings quietly to herself in the corner. Rodney King implores everybody to just get along.
2006-11-29 15:45:53
149.   Gold Star for Robot Boy
147 - I'll bite.
AND
Charles Manson and his family killed the LoBiancas, and David Berkowitz was arrested as the "Son of Sam" on my birthday, eight years apart. Keep me away from sharp objects!
That's an unfortunate juxtaposition. But once you do go on that killing spree, we now know your M.O.
2006-11-29 15:47:18
150.   Shotupthemiddle
148 Romanowski could shoot Marvin Gaye, or he could shoot UP Marvin Gaye with his steroid of choice. Either way.
Show/Hide Comments 151-200
2006-11-29 15:53:38
151.   NoHoDodger
Well, my BDay is tomorrow, same as Bo Jackson, Ephrem Zimbalist Jr., and Mark Twain.
2006-11-29 15:57:32
152.   trainwreck
Bo Jackson, that is awesome.
2006-11-29 15:58:13
153.   Gold Star for Robot Boy
Anyone know what's going on with the Baseball Think Factory site?
http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/
2006-11-29 16:04:01
154.   jasonungar05
trainwreck

Nice buddy, let's hit opening day together!!It always falls around our birthday!!

2006-11-29 16:07:50
155.   50 years a Dodger Fan
108 I share a birthday with two musical giants:

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and English Rapper "Tricky"

No, only one.

2006-11-29 16:07:52
156.   trainwreck
If I can make my way from the Bay Area.
2006-11-29 16:11:11
157.   jasonungar05
Well I have friends and family up there.

Maybe we open on the road vs the hated ones!!

2006-11-29 16:11:54
158.   Daniel Zappala
132 I was speed reading and thought you said the Dodgers were pursuing Manny and then would sign Bonds. I was taken aback by the image of a Manny-Pierre-Bonds outfield, with Pierre having to cover about 2/3 of the ground.
2006-11-29 16:13:14
159.   Tangled Up in Blue
Must join the fun...

Angelina Jolie (same year too)
Socrates
Dr. Ruth
Horatio Sanz (so sad)
Gorilla Monsoon
Michelle Phillips
Parker Stevenson
El DeBarge

Some interesting things happened on my birthday (via Wikipedia):

The Cleveland Indians attempt an ill-advised ten cent beer promotion for a game against the Texas Rangers at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Cleveland forfeits 9-0 after alcohol-fueled mayhem and violence spreads from the stands onto the field.

An express train called the Transcontinental Express arrives in San Francisco, California, via the First Transcontinental Railroad only 83 hours and 39 minutes after having left New York City.

The Tiananmen Square protests are violently suppressed in Beijing and are covered live on television.

2006-11-29 16:13:36
160.   trainwreck
157
That would be excellent.
2006-11-29 16:14:15
161.   Daniel Zappala
141, 143 You must of course know about the Birthday Paradox:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birthday_paradox

I tried this with my class of exactly 23 this year, and was disappointed that no one had the same birthday.

2006-11-29 16:17:56
162.   King of the Hobos
153 No, but it's been like that all day.

I share birthdays with:
John Stuart Mill
Jimmy Stewart
Sadaharu Oh
Busta Rhymes
Jayson Werth and Wilson Valdez

2006-11-29 16:18:03
163.   Vishal
my birthday is kind of lacking for uber-famous people... let's see, we've got:

isiah berlin
eli broad
bjorn borg
gov. george deukmejian
colin quinn
steve vai
the lead singer of slayer
the genesee river killer

and a lot of mediocre current baseball players:
mark ellis
brooks kieshnik
tony graffanino
jeremy affeldt
emiliano fruto
matt belisle

robert kennedy died on my birthday. and so did a lot of americans and germans in france.

2006-11-29 16:19:29
164.   Midwest Blue
Herman Hesse
Thurgood Marshall
Imelda Marcos
Richard Petty
Vicente Fox
Larry David
Jose Canseco
Lindsay Lohan

1937 - Amelia Earhart disappears
1947 - UFO crashes in Roswell, NM
1962 - First Wal-Mart opens

It's a conspiracy!

2006-11-29 16:22:41
165.   Marty
142 We share the same year, but I bet I'm older.
2006-11-29 16:22:45
166.   trainwreck
Larry David

Midwest Blue wins!

2006-11-29 16:23:50
167.   50 years a Dodger Fan
On this day in history: In 1991 near Coalinga, CA, a dust storm caused a massive collision of trucks and cars, 104 of them all told. There were 14 deaths.
2006-11-29 16:23:54
168.   Marty
163 6/6. Too bad you weren't born in 1966...
2006-11-29 16:27:30
169.   Eric Enders
I like how 154 unwittingly gave a perfect one-word answer to 153.
2006-11-29 16:31:15
170.   Eric Enders
Anyway, to actually answer 153, BTF's domain name registration expired on Saturday and it appears they forgot to renew it, so somebody else snatched it up.

I suspect they'll either have to pay a nice sum to whoever's holding it hostage, or find a new site name.

2006-11-29 16:32:37
171.   Vishal
[168] or 2006

\m/

2006-11-29 16:35:25
172.   Eric Enders
Actually, it looks like BTF was re-entered as the registrant at 10:03 a.m. EST this morning, so it's probably just a matter of hours before the site is back up. It usually takes 12-24 hours for a site to get back online when that happens.

This happened to my own site the other day, too. It's no fun.

2006-11-29 16:52:03
173.   bigcpa
Great stuff from Theo today... sounds like he's been reading DT.

"My personal philosophy is spending a lot of money on middle relief is always something to be avoided if possible," said Epstein. "There's a tremendous amount of volatility in year to year performance of non-closing relievers. So it's important, if possible, not to fall into the trap of buying high when there's so much volatility. It's much better to buy low or to have less at risk in an investment whether it's a one year deal rather than a two or three year deal. Whether it's a solution from your own minor league system or someone who is looking to bounce back from injury or poor performance. It's much better that way than getting locked into significant commitment with someone who might not maintain that level of performance... it may not the best use of our particular resources.

http://tinyurl.com/bb7pb

2006-11-29 16:54:54
174.   Linkmeister
Birthdays I share:

Walter Cronkite
Art Carney
Gig Young
Bob Considine (sportswriter and ghostwriter)
Jimmy Piersall
Dick Groat
Carlos Baerga
Loretta Swit (HotLips!)
Ralph Macchio
Orlando Pace
Markie Post

I'll remember my 45th for a long time; Israel's Rabin was assassinated that day.

2006-11-29 17:04:21
175.   Vishal
you have the same birthday as the karate kid!

walter cronkite is cool too, but not in the same way.

2006-11-29 17:05:09
176.   Uncle Miltie
Juan Pierre is a Miami Heat fan, but during the press conference he was asked who he would be rooting for, the Clippers or the Lakers. His response:
"I'll pull for either one, but I'm leaning more towards the Clippers."

I knew there was something I'd like about Juan.

2006-11-29 17:07:55
177.   Gold Star for Robot Boy
[169, 170, 172] - Ooh, I can already hear the critical sniping.
As much as I love that place, Primates sometimes can take themselves so seriously.
2006-11-29 17:09:27
178.   Linkmeister
175 I admit I was a little surprised to see that Markie Post and I are exactly the same age. Presumably she's holding up better than I am looks-wise.
2006-11-29 17:11:27
179.   twerp
My b-day, Nov. 4, births include:

Will Rogers
Walter Cronkite
Laura Bush
Eric Karros
Art Carney
"Diddy" Combs
Robert Mapplethorpe
Loretta Swit
Tito Francona
Dick Groat

Deaths:

Felix Mendelssohn
Grover Cleveland Alexander
Cy Young
Yitzhak Rubin

But a 1970 event raises questions:

Genie, a 13 year old feral child was found in Los Angeles, California having been locked in her bedroom for most of her life.

I vaguely remember it as news item. Whatever happened to her?

2006-11-29 17:13:57
180.   twerp
Hello, Linkmeister, you Scorpio!
2006-11-29 17:15:34
181.   DodgerHobbit
I share a far off birthday with 4 baseball players

Tony Perez
Dennis Martinez
Pat Borders
Brian Lawrence

Non-baseball notables include
George Lucas
Raphael Saadiq
Kate Blanchett
Sofia Coppola

Death
Frank Sinatra

2006-11-29 17:21:03
182.   Bob Timmermann
179
I don't know what ultimately happened to Genie, but one of my professors at UCLA made her way to fame in the linguistics world by studying the way she acquired language.

It was really interesting to read about how someone learns language when they are cut off from language during the time when most people acquire it.

Well, at least I thought it was.

2006-11-29 17:25:29
183.   GMac In The 909
161 ... and my eyes have gone crossed.
2006-11-29 17:25:41
184.   Linkmeister
180 Well, there's that Birthday Paradox in action. ;)
2006-11-29 17:29:16
185.   Vishal
[179, 182]
http://www.feralchildren.com/en/showchild.php?ch=genie
2006-11-29 17:31:07
186.   underdog
Hmm, the list of baseball players born on my bday is mostly nobodies, but Hank Greenberg being on it made me happy.
2006-11-29 17:32:04
187.   trainwreck
Link twerp share a birthday with Puffy so they lose!

176
Juan Pierre is a bandwagon fan, another reason not to like him.

2006-11-29 17:33:17
188.   DodgerHobbit
179 i remember seeing discovery channel show on Feral Children within the last month or so. I dont remember what happened to Genie though. They did a bunch of kids, some of them eastern european, but they did profile Genie as well and showed footage of her doing stuff like combing her hair and stuff.
2006-11-29 17:33:31
189.   trainwreck
Markie Post representing Walnut Creek!
2006-11-29 17:40:35
190.   Vishal
[187] he's moving to a new town, and he was put on the spot to pick a team. and frankly, if i were a neutral, non-LA person moving there and deciding which basketball team to root for, i'd pick the clips too.
2006-11-29 17:41:06
191.   Uncle Miltie
Happy Birthday to Ross and Vin. It's a shame that we are still stuck with Steiner. Getting rid of Ross is the 2nd worst move the McCourts have made since purchasing the team (after not allowing Evans to sign Vladimir Guerrero, though Bud Selig deserves some of the blame for pressuring the McCourts). How many years does Steiner have on his contract? Maybe we can trade Pierre to ESPN for Dan Shulman.
2006-11-29 17:41:45
192.   Bob Timmermann
You can read about Genie (the story does not have a happy ending) at, and I'm not kidding,
http://www.feralchildren.com

It appears to be a legitimate site.

2006-11-29 17:43:19
193.   trainwreck
190
Well most Heat fans are fairweather or bandwagon fans and if I moved anywhere I would not change teams I liked.
2006-11-29 17:51:30
194.   Bob Timmermann
191

Somewhere in suburban Toronto, Uncle Miltie is stalking Dan Shulman. His obsession with him is Ahab-like.

2006-11-29 17:52:03
195.   thinkblue88
Happy Birthday to Vin and Ross!

Eh, thought I'd join in the fun, I share my b-day with:
baseball:
Stephen Drew
Hee Seop Choi
Curtis Granderson
Abraham Nunez
Brandon League
Quinton McCraken

Non Baseball:
Erik Estrada
James Madison
Jerry Lewis

2006-11-29 17:53:09
196.   trainwreck
Come on Robert Morris upset Pitt.
2006-11-29 17:55:06
197.   Uncle Miltie
193- Pierre grew up in Alabama and played in Miami for 3 years. I can understand why he'd be a Heat fan. The Heat are a relatively new team with not much of a history. I think it's difficult to characterize a large group of people as a bangwagon fans because they haven't been following the team for 20+ years.
2006-11-29 17:56:08
198.   trainwreck
That Genie story is sad. How could her mom get the child back? Wasn't she the one that had abused her all that time?

Wild Child the French film based off Victor is a good film and he had a lot of similar traits to Genie.

2006-11-29 17:57:37
199.   trainwreck
197
I say it because they had a lot of problems selling tickets until they got Shaq.
2006-11-29 17:58:42
200.   trainwreck
Miami is like LA in the fact people have a lot of stuff to do and then go to basketball games when the team is doing well and it is fashionable.
Show/Hide Comments 201-250
2006-11-29 18:03:19
201.   Uncle Miltie
194- maybe we can convince the city of LA to reallocate the money used to fund public schools towards the purchase and relocation of the CN Tower. It might make Shulman feel more at home. I'd rather not go the kidnapping route.
2006-11-29 18:06:06
202.   trainwreck
201
Offer him all the SCTV and Degrassi Junior High he wants.
2006-11-29 18:12:08
203.   Uncle Miltie
Dan Shulman is in North Carolina right doing the OSU/NC game with Dukie V. Doesn't D4P live there? Maybe he can deliver my message.
2006-11-29 18:17:40
204.   dsfan
Statistical gurus: What is the verdict on Manny's defense?
2006-11-29 18:17:59
205.   trainwreck
Ohio St can't win this game, it will prevent a UCLA #1 ranking.
2006-11-29 18:18:47
206.   trainwreck
204
Numbers and scouts agree; it sucks.
2006-11-29 18:20:28
207.   Vishal
there seem to be a lot of DT commenters that share birthdays.
2006-11-29 18:22:05
208.   dsfan
That was an interesting quote from Theo Epstein on buying low, selling high with the fungible commodity known as relief pitching. It's a bit aumusing, however. Epstein flushed $2.1 million on Rudy Seanez this year and traded Cla Meredith to the Padres. He also traded Scott Cassidy for Adam Hyzdu and, IIRC, flushed many millions on Ramiro Mendoza.
2006-11-29 18:24:27
209.   D4P
208
$2.1 million is the new nickel.
2006-11-29 18:26:48
210.   dsfan
204

Not trying to be disagreeable, are you sure the defensive statistics show that Manny "sucks?" Again, I don't know. All I have to go on is this year's edition of The Fielding Bible. The author, Dewan isn't flattering, but he also describes Manny as "very cagey" and capable of making big plays. He also describes Ramirez's arm as "quite good."
I am not a fan of Rate2 but would appreciate any other statistical insights into Manny's defense.

2006-11-29 18:27:36
211.   trainwreck
Oregon is beating Georgetown.
2006-11-29 18:28:27
212.   trainwreck
210
I thought someone put up a stat a few days ago, maybe it was Rate2 that said he was bad.
2006-11-29 18:30:06
213.   dsfan
209

Maybe it is, but giving that much dough to Seanez entering 2006 was plain dumb. Much wiser of his previous employer to give him 550k.

2006-11-29 18:30:33
214.   Gold Star for Robot Boy
I've always thought Manny has the capability of being at least an average defender if he concentrates.
But he doesn't, so he isn't.
2006-11-29 18:32:53
215.   D4P
Oregon is beating Georgetown

Wow. On the road, no less.

2006-11-29 18:40:34
216.   twerp
192 198 Did whoever was responsible for Genie's deprivation serve any time?
2006-11-29 18:47:00
217.   Winthrop
The D-Rays keep collecting Dodgers that Mr. ned doesn't want. According to the St Pete Times, HSC has been signed to a two-year deal.
2006-11-29 18:48:03
218.   trainwreck
I highly suggest watching Ohio St vs UNC.
2006-11-29 18:54:38
219.   Vishal
[216] i believe her father committed suicide soon after her discovery, and her blind mother was acquitted of abuse charges.
2006-11-29 18:56:04
220.   StolenMonkey86
217 - google news does not confirm
2006-11-29 18:59:07
221.   Winthrop
220

Heesy in paradise:

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/11/29/Rays/Rays_hope_to_play_ser.shtml

(Way down toward the bottom of the article)

2006-11-29 19:08:20
222.   twerp
220 Repost from yesterday==

203. I think D-Ray fan Rocc mentioned this as a possibility on DT===

http://www.draysbay.com/story/2006/11/28/143218/57

Um, if HSC is now a D-Ray, does this mean Ned will trade for him?

I know. Don't go there. Sorry.

Blog also says that with Choi and Jae Seo (that name sounds familiar) the D-Rays now will be of more interest in Korea. Probably. And to fans of Korean ex-Dodgers.

One of the comments says Choi holds his own in comparison with Ortiz in minor league stats....

2006-11-29 19:12:33
223.   DodgerHobbit
222
you had me thinking i was des ja vu-ing for a good half minute.
2006-11-29 19:21:28
224.   Robert Daeley
223 You and me both. Yikes.
2006-11-29 20:33:22
225.   trainwreck
Pujols is mad Howard won MVP and is saying the MVP should only come from playoff teams.

You should have been MVP because you had a better season Albert, that is the argument to make.

2006-11-29 21:19:27
226.   still bevens
Instead of playoff teams, why don't we use wins as criteria? Oh wait a second...
2006-11-29 21:22:09
227.   Andrew Shimmin
The stats do agree that Manny's defense sucks, but none of them can isolate how much he sucks from the park he plays in. The way they're calculated is particularly unfair to playing LF at Fenway. So, as much of a crap shoot as statistical analysis of defense usually is, his is even more so.

If I remember correctly.

2006-11-29 22:41:01
228.   Vishal
pujols is understandably bitter having put up so many amazing seasons in a row only to have fallen short every single time. but playoff teams only is a BS concept. i mean, if the playoffs mattered to MVP voting, then it'd be called Most Valuable Player On A Playoff Team.

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