Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
Jon's other site:
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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
You can get a glimpse of Jason Schmidt on the mound at Dodger Stadium in his hometown whites, sort of, thanks to this MLB 2K7 image passed along by Dodger Thoughts reader Matthew Mitchell.
In other Thursday morning tidbits:
By the way, how many N.L. West players will slug .500 or better this year? The answer may be, to quote Pete Puma, "Oh, three or four."
How could it be a bad thing to let Vin Scully, Dave Niehaus and Jon Miller vote for the Hall of Fame? Actually, Scully already does vote on the veterans committee, so how could it hurt to add him to the first round as well?
Another possibility would be to include some Society for American Baseball Research members. One of the reasons Blyleven has risen in the vote totals is the strong advocacy of stat analysts for him. We're obviously listening to their arguments, so why not let them vote directly? I'm not saying we should open it up to the entire membership, but perhaps SABR could pick an electoral college of members to be given ballots each year based on achievements in research and scholarship.
Look, the BBWAA is filled with passionate writers who cherish their votes and agonize over them each winter. But that doesn't mean our group is infallible. Hell, the BBWAA just voted NOT to allow Internet writers into the organization, apparently preferring to wait and see whether this Internet thing catches on first, or perhaps just wait until there are no longer any newspapers in existence (ESPN.com writers such as myself, Jayson Stark, Jerry Crasnick and Buster Olney receive Hall votes as lifetime members from our tenures at newspapers -- otherwise, we'd be ineligible). And some BBWAA voters are columnists and editors who rarely -- if ever -- attend games because they don't like baseball very much. Yet they vote on the game's ultimate honor.
If the Hall of Fame gives the vote to them, there's no reason it can't give the ballot to some broadcasters and statheads. The Hall of Fame is just beginning to deal with some tough issues surrounding steroid suspects such as Mark McGwire. I'd like to get as much range of opinion on these candidates and this issue as possible.
The question really isn't whether baseball writers are doing a good job with their Hall of Fame vote. The question is whether we could do an even better job if the voting base was expanded to include other knowledgeable, passionate voters. And the answer is, yes, it would.
Yeah, I'd be pretty quick to hand Rich Lederer, Rob Neyer and Jay Jaffe ballots, just for starters.
What about the librarians who are also historians and internet writers...?
Kevin Starr and I aren't voting for the Hall of Fame.
The more attention I payt to awards, memberships, etc. that are based on stupid criteria, the angrier I get.
3 - Is that coincidence or causal?
Although his traffic-surging skills are still pretty weak after all these years; no images or links.
Who appoints them?
What if they never vote for anyone? Do they get booted?
Unless you work for a paper that doesn't let you vote for such things (like the LA Times and the NY Times).
There are 8 people in the new House with the last name of Davis. I wonder if Don Young, the last guy in alphabetical order, just takes a nap while this goes on. Or maybe he goes and gets a snack. And what about the first guy, Neil Abercrombie, does he just hang out with Young to keep him awake?
You must feel like you hit the lottery, what with all of this going down on your day off and all...
I'm represented by one of the 8 Davis's. Can we make a trade? Oh, that's right, this isn't baseball. Too bad.
There moving into the S names! Woo hoo!
http://tinyurl.com/yl6h6y
That is the sort of open-mindedness that makes this blog great.
He used to drive around town in what may have been the last yellow Checkers cab in the state.
The only name change possiblity in my life was when I was interested in this girl whose last name was Bensch, and I contemplated changing my name to Jonny Bensch if we ever got married.
That's like 60 people overall. Can't they just tell her "Go up to the top stop and grab the gavel?"
Personally, my favorite Congressional procedural event is the counting of the electoral votes for president.
My 1st name is John but I go by my middle name of Phil. For some reason I always wanted to be a Jonathan.
His name was Phil, but he called himself John, but everyone knew him as ToyCannon.
Did I say that out loud?
My wife's name was on a dog food bowl in a Jack Nicholson movie. It is the only time I've ever seen someone else with her name.
Just for the record, I too have a 1st name of Jon. I side with Jon and not John. Been called Jonathon many times, but like Jon I also haven't been and never will be. I also have been called John many times. Don't care for that one either, but please don't call me Phil.
Very impressive
Dang, they are not losing anything good.
But the people who liked the cuddly old teddy bear tended to have TV shows or other big soap boxes.
Ross Ohlendorf and Steven Jackson are both 24 year old pitchers with K/9 under 9 who had much better years last year (when they were old for their levels) then ever before. So in other words, they are crap shoots.
Keeping my fingers crossed for Blyleven and still wondering how Ron Santo is not a member. I dislike the HOF voting members. It really should only consist of 3 people. Bill James, Jay Jaffe and myself to break any ties.
Everybody's feelin' all right
Get on your hands and knees
And praise the new deity
Serve the ego
Serve the ego
Don't forget the 9th Best Lefthander in the AL
Depends on whether they "call" me on a cell or landline phone.
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