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| Author |
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| 25 new of 109 responses total. |
brighn
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response 81 of 109:
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Nov 9 22:14 UTC 2001 |
that's what I thought, but I didn't want to specify the number of clumps
because my Cali geography is so crappy ;}
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krj
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response 82 of 109:
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Nov 10 03:32 UTC 2001 |
(And speaking of geography... to correct jep in resp:74 ::
Pennsylvania does not border on the Atlantic Ocean. The eastern
border of Pennsylvania is the Delaware River, and there's a whole
state of New Jersey between there and the ocean.
So, having the Pirates in the Central division makes perfect sense! :) )
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richard
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response 83 of 109:
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Nov 11 06:00 UTC 2001 |
Its being widely reported that the two teams to be eliminated are supposed
to be the Twins and the Expos. But to make matters worse for Minnesota
sports fans, there was a report on Sportscenter that the Vikings
ownership-- also fed up with lack of progress on a new stadium-- may
entertain offers to sell the team to new owners who want to move the team
to L.A. The LA Vikings? Well, I guess if you can have the St. Louis
Rams, you can have anything. It would have precedent though, as
Minneapolis was the original home of the Lakers. And the NFL badly wants
to get a team in the LA market before the current tv deals expire.
I think its completely understandable that the Minnesota taxpayers dont
want to pay for new stadiums in the current economic climate, but it is
also perfectly understandable that the owners want to do whats best for
their business interests. The Twins owners, the Pohlads, cant be blamed
if they want to take the $250 million buyout and get out, rather than go
forward continuing to lose money every year.
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senna
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response 84 of 109:
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Nov 11 16:33 UTC 2001 |
Did you watch that entire report? The reporter was skeptical that anything
would happen with that, with good reason.
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jep
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response 85 of 109:
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Nov 12 20:23 UTC 2001 |
Mark McGwire has announced his retirement. He said he couldn't
contribute as much as his salary any more.
McGwire made some pretty bitter sounding remarks during Barry Bonds'
home run chase, but appeared to realize it and corrected himself
eventually, cheering Bonds on at the end. I think he's a classy guy,
at least most of the time.
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jep
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response 86 of 109:
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Nov 12 20:31 UTC 2001 |
Ichiro Suzuki of Seattle was the AL rookie of the year, getting all but
1 votes. Last year's rookie of the year was also a Japanese-born
player who's with the Mariners; Kazuhiro Sasaki.
Albert Pujols of St. Louis was the unanimous choice for NL rookie of
the year. He's the 9th guy to be a unanimous rookie of the year choice
in the National League.
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mcnally
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response 87 of 109:
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Nov 12 22:01 UTC 2001 |
The Ichiro-worship here in the Seattle area this summer was remarkable.
I don't care to speculate what might have happened if "Rookie of the Year"
was awarded to someone else..
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danr
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response 88 of 109:
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Nov 12 23:15 UTC 2001 |
re #85: Despite the bitter comments, you gotta feel for McGwire.
Imagine how it must have felt to see Bonds taking a run at him and not
being physically able to do anything about it.
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senna
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response 89 of 109:
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Nov 13 01:02 UTC 2001 |
Which bitter comments are you talking about? I know he was skeptical of the
media blitz early in the season when Bonds was on a great pace but hadn't
reached halfway, but I think that was more a criticism of the media (and a
defense for Bonds!) than an attack on Barry. Did he say other things that
I don't remember?
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jep
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response 90 of 109:
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Nov 13 18:52 UTC 2001 |
I recall him making some pretty bitter sounding comments, about how
it took 40 years to break Maris's record and only 3 to break McGwire's,
and how breaking it this year wasn't as much of an accomplishment. But
then he turned around and changed his tune.
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gull
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response 91 of 109:
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Nov 13 20:50 UTC 2001 |
They both owe breaking it to the characteristics of the ball being
changed, I suspect.
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jep
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response 92 of 109:
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Nov 14 20:36 UTC 2001 |
It's hard to dispute that.
Maris also owed his record to changing characteristics at the time, you
know; in 1961 there were expansion teams, and also an expanded
schedule, from 154 to 162 games. Maris' record had an asterisk in
official statistics for quite a number of years.
Babe Ruth *was* the changing characteristic which allowed his record of
60 homers. He fundamentally changed the game of baseball by hitting so
many home runs in his career. Before Ruth, homers were an unremarked-
upon oddity; considered as more or less a flashy personal display and
not an accomplishment which contributed much to the team's wins and
losses.
I'd say the record of Mark McGwire was an individual one -- his team
didn't make the playoffs or get anywhere close to it. McGwire hit
homers and drew fans, but did nothing else for his team on the field.
Barry Bonds had the greatest offensive year in baseball history. He
set the record for walks and slugging percentage (bases achieved per
time at bat) as well as homers. It's hard to think of someone with his
ability, having the extraordinary year he had, as not being recognized
for having a dazzling year in any era in baseball history. If he
doesn't get the MVP award, it would be one of the most extreme
injustices I've ever seen in baseball.
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gull
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response 93 of 109:
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Nov 14 21:15 UTC 2001 |
Homers *don't* contribute much to a team's record of wins or losses.
They're impressive, but overall consistancy is more important.
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jep
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response 94 of 109:
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Nov 14 22:23 UTC 2001 |
That's not true, though. The purpose of the offensive side of baseball
is to score runs. Every home run is at least 1 run (and brings in an
average of something like 1.6 runs). The home run is the greatest
basic weapon available to a baseball team. No team can win in modern
baseball without being able to hit homers.
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senna
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response 95 of 109:
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Nov 14 23:21 UTC 2001 |
Perhaps, but the best teams still rely on good baseball. The New York Yankees
got most of their offense from this World Series and lost. They got most of
their offense from past world series from solid baseball, moving runners over,
etc, and the record speaks for itself.
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richard
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response 96 of 109:
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Nov 17 03:24 UTC 2001 |
I think McGwire did a classy thing. He had a previously negotiated two
year extension at $15 million per, which he had kept at home and not
signed. He didnt think he could hack it physically anymore. The team
had negotiated that deal when he was physically healthier. He wanted
to let the team off the hook so they could use the money to sign another
free agent or two. He walked away from $30 million because it was the
best thing for the team. That's integrity.
That said, is McGwire a hall of famer? He'll be up in the same voting
class as Ripken and Gwynn and possibly Rickey Henderson.
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danr
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response 97 of 109:
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Nov 17 13:59 UTC 2001 |
If the Cardinals were smart, unlike the Tigers, they'd try to keep
McGwire involved with the club in some way.
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senna
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response 98 of 109:
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Nov 17 14:49 UTC 2001 |
Of course he's a hall of famer. Whether or not all of the available
candidates make it on the first ballot is another question.
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jep
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response 99 of 109:
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Nov 18 16:15 UTC 2001 |
If McGwire, Gwynn, Ripken and Henderson are all on the same ballot and
they don't all make it as 1st time selections, then the selection
process is inexcusably flawed. Their accomplishments all obviously
stand on their own and place all of them well within the ranks of
players qualified for the Hall of Fame. They should all be unanimous
selections.
But there *is* a good chance they wouldn't all make it on the 1st
ballot. And none of them would be unanimous selections. The process is
pretty specious.
They'll win entry, and be given votes, in this order:
Ripken, Gwynn, Henderson, McGwire
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slynne
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response 100 of 109:
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Nov 18 19:57 UTC 2001 |
You know, even if McGwire's motives were as altruistic as richard is
painting, it is possible that he might still be worth that salary even
if he isnt as good of a ball player these days. The name recognition
alone is worth quite a lot. If he brings fans to the games, he is worth
the salary. I mean, I dont watch major league baseball and of the four
people jep just mentioned I only know who two of them are: McGwire and
Ripken. The only reason I know who Ripken is though is because NPR ran a
story about him when he retired. I had never heard of him before that.
But I have heard of Mark McGwire and even know what he looks like. He is
famous. That kind of name recognition is worth something.
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jep
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response 101 of 109:
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Nov 19 15:28 UTC 2001 |
Wow. Sports fans sometimes lose track of the perspective of those who
aren't as interested. Don't know who Rickey Henderson, Tony Gwynn or
even Cal Ripken *are*?
We need a rundown:
Mark McGwire -- first man to hit 70 home runs. #6 on all-time home run
list with 583. Won World Series with Oakland.
Tony Gwynn -- eight batting titles with San Diego. Hit .300 in 18
consecutive years. Hit .368 between 1994-1997, the third highest
average in major league history over a 4 year span. He never struck
out 4 times in a game; only struck out 3 times in 1 game. 15 All-Star
games. Two World Series appearances (1984, 1998)
Cal Ripken, Jr. -- Played in 2632 consecutive games, a major league
record. One of 7 players with 3000 hits and 400 homers. Most home
runs by a shortstop (345). Highest season fielding percentage for a
shortstop (.996, 1990). Fewest errors for a shortstop over a season.
(3, 1990) 19 All-Star appearances.
Rickey Henderson -- All-time leader in stolen bases (1395; only man to
ever get 1000), runs scored (2246), leadoff homers (not sure). It's
harder to get career information for Rickey Henderson than for other
great players. But what he does (get on base, advance to another base,
score runs), he is the best there ever was.
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brighn
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response 102 of 109:
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Nov 19 15:37 UTC 2001 |
Re: Ripkin. You say he hit more than 400 homers, but then say he hit the most
HRs for the position of SS (345). Was there a typo, or is this because his
homers as a SS only get counted in games where he played as SS?
Re: Henderson. "Only man to ever...": I wasn't aware there were females in
MLB. >=}
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jep
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response 103 of 109:
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Nov 19 20:14 UTC 2001 |
Right, Ripken spent the last few years as a third baseman, so his
homers while playing at that position don't count as homers hit by a
shortstop.
I might have said Henderson was the only "athlete", or "player",
or "man", or any of a number of other words, to describe Rickey
Henderson. "Man" was the shortest.
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jep
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response 104 of 109:
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Nov 19 20:17 UTC 2001 |
Barry Bonds won his record 4th MVP award. He got 30 of 32 1st place
votes. (Sammy Sosa got the other two.)
I am quite relieved. Bonds had the best offensive year in history. If
he hadn't won the MVP award, it would have been a terrible injustice.
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brighn
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response 105 of 109:
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Nov 19 20:32 UTC 2001 |
#103: But if you'd said "player," you wouldn't have opened yourself up to a
Weisenheimer like me making a comment, thus leading you to all taht extra
typing you did to explain yourself... ;}
OOC, if a player starts a season at SS, spends a third of the season as the
DH, then goes back and finishes the season of SS (maybe they have an injury
in the middle part of the season), would what they did as DH count as "stuff
by a SS"? How about that weird sh-- when a player plays multiple positions
in the same game?
I'm just nosey. =}
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