31||0|2820|0|yes
0|0|0|||1||Some Thoughts on Baseball|Gryphon||18:13:39|06/01/2013|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Jun-02-13 AT 03:29 PM (EDT)]Someone mentioned in another thread that %22even Babe Ruth struck out sometimes%22%2C and that got me to thinking - or rather revisiting some thoughts that I just happened to have yesterday%2C while watching the Sox lose to the Yankees.  The principal thought among them is this%3A%0D%0A%0D%0AOne of the things I love about baseball is that failure is not only always an option%3B statistically speaking%2C it%27s the norm.%0D%0A%0D%0AI mean%2C since someone already brought him up%2C let%27s take Babe Ruth as an example.  He%27s still considered one of the benchmark great hitters today%2C and he had a lifetime batting average of .342.  That means nearly 66%25 of the time he came up to bat%2C he didn%27t get a base hit.  That doesn%27t mean he struck out%2C necessarily%2C since that percentage also includes things like instances in which he hit the ball%2C but didn%27t make it to first base because someone caught it and%2For got it to the first baseman before he reached the bag%2A.  Which probably also happened quite a lot%2C since like many power hitters%2C Babe wasn%27t what you would call a real baserunning threat. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%28Edit%3A Walks aren%27t included because BA is calculated by dividing hits by at bats%2C and as Offsides pointed out%2C an %22at bat%22 does not include walks.  The stat I was thinking of%2C %22plate appearances%22%2C does%2C but that would skew batting averages dismayingly low.%29%0D%0A%0D%0AIn a game where you%27re doing %5Bi%5Dreally well%5B%2Fi%5D if you only fail two-thirds of the time%2C well... I dunno%2C it appeals to that British part of my ancestry that craves and appreciates disappointment%2C I think.%0D%0A%0D%0A%28As you can probably tell from the above%2C another thing I love about baseball is that it%27s all very statisticky.  Lots of math%2C all of it simple%2C but lots of it%2C and as the correction above demonstrates%2C it pays to keep your variables straight. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0AOn the other hand%2C because the sample size you%27re working with is so large - 162 games per team in a regular season%2C 30 teams in the major leagues%2C so 2430 regular-season games all told%2C which works out to a really spectacular number of individual plays - there%27s a lot of room for really wacky outlier moments on %5Bi%5Dboth%5B%2Fi%5D sides of the success%2Ffailure line.%0D%0A%0D%0ASo%2C on the one hand%2C you get the aforementioned fact that great batters still fail around two-thirds of the time%2C and many similarly lopsided statistical realtiies%3B and on the other%2C you get days like that one in 1999 when Nomar Garciaparra hit two grand slams in the same game.  %28Even Nomar - never a man to doubt his own prowess - seemed startled that he%27d done that. %3A%29  You get a nearly unending procession of pitchers whose names you%27re not even going to remember after the game%2C and then one day you get to see Pedro Martinez at the peak of his powers%2C sitting down members of the Minnesota Twins like they had dinner reservations in the visitors%27 dugout and he was the ma%C3%AEtre d%27.%0D%0A%0D%0AAs with so many things%2C I have an off-and-on relationship with professional baseball%2C but unlike some other things where I consistently keep wondering %5Bi%5Dwhy%5B%2Fi%5D I%27ve waded back into the pond%2C it%27s good at reminding me why I keep coming back.  There%27s sketchy conduct on the field sometimes%2C and bureaucratic horseshit aplenty in the front office%2C and sometimes you just want to smack the entire institution in the face... but then there are moments like those%2C and everything%27s OK again. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A%5Bsmall%5D%2A It also doesn%27t include the so-called %22sacrifice%22 plays%2C but that gets quite abstruse indeed.%5B%2Fsmall%5D%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
1|1|0|||1||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|Offsides||12:02:00|06/02/2013|Just to pick a nit%2C walks are not counted against batting average%2C as a walk is not considered an %22at bat%22 %28in theory%2C you never got a pitch to hit%29. But the overall point still stands...%0D%0A%0D%0AOffsides%0D%0A%0D%0A%26%2391%3B...%26%2393%3B in order to be a realist you must believe in miracles.%0D%0A    -- David Ben Gurion%0D%0AEPU RCW %23%26pi%3B%0D%0A%23include %3Cstdsig.h%3E%0D%0A%0D%0A
2|2|1|||1||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|Gryphon||15:22:49|06/02/2013|%3EJust to pick a nit%2C walks are not counted against batting average%2C as %0D%0A%3Ea walk is not considered an %22at bat%22 %28in theory%2C you never got a pitch %0D%0A%3Eto hit%29. But the overall point still stands... %0D%0A%0D%0AOh%2C duh%2C right%2C I%27m thinking of a %5Bi%5Ddifferent%5B%2Fi%5D stat for the denominator in that calculation.  Dividing hits by %5Bi%5Dplate appearances%5B%2Fi%5D would yield a significantly lower figure.  I%27ll just fix that%2C shall I...%0D%0A%0D%0AThanks%2C%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
4|3|2|||1||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|Offsides||12:39:42|06/03/2013|Yeah%2C baseball has more stats than you can easily keep pointers to without a computer.  Of course%2C some of them are REALLY useless %28as if Saves weren%27t bad enough%2C now they track %22holds%22 or something like that%2C which is basically a pitcher who throws a save but exits the game before the pitcher who gets the save comes in %28or something annoying like that%29%29.  The list of things that don%27t count as an %22at bat%22 are pretty extensive too%2C it%27s just that walks probably constitute the majority of those plate appearances %28BB%2C HBP%2C Sacrifice%2C Interference%29.  Not to mention the various ways you can be given an out for statistical purposes yet end up on base anyway %28c.f.%2C Tim Wakefield striking out 4 batters in an inning %5Bi%5Dmany%5B%2Fi%5D times %3A%29%29%0D%0A%0D%0AOffsides%0D%0A%0D%0A%26%2391%3B...%26%2393%3B in order to be a realist you must believe in miracles.%0D%0A    -- David Ben Gurion%0D%0AEPU RCW %23%26pi%3B%0D%0A%23include %3Cstdsig.h%3E%0D%0A%0D%0A
7|4|4|||1||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|Pasha||22:52:19|06/03/2013|%3EYeah%2C baseball has more stats than you can easily keep pointers to %0D%0A%3Ewithout a computer.  Of course%2C some of them are REALLY useless %28as if %0D%0A%3ESaves weren%27t bad enough%2C now they track %22holds%22 or something like %0D%0A%3Ethat%2C which is basically a pitcher who throws a save but exits the %0D%0A%3Egame before the pitcher who gets the save comes in %28or something %0D%0A%3Eannoying like that%29%29.  The list of things that don%27t count as an %22at %0D%0A%3Ebat%22 are pretty extensive too%2C it%27s just that walks probably %0D%0A%3Econstitute the majority of those plate appearances %28BB%2C HBP%2C %0D%0A%3ESacrifice%2C Interference%29.  Not to mention the various ways you can be %0D%0A%3Egiven an out for statistical purposes yet end up on base anyway %28c.f.%2C %0D%0A%3ETim Wakefield striking out 4 batters in an inning %5Bi%5Dmany%5B%2Fi%5D times %0D%0A%3E%3A%29%29 %0D%0A%0D%0AWhat I really like is that they%27re all %2Aderived%2A stats.  You could %28if you had a whole shit-tonne of time%29 input the official scores into a database%2C and then later on someone comes along and wonders %22well%2C his hitting average is good%2C but I wonder about how his walks factor into that%22 and boom%2C OBP%2C and then %22well his hitting average isn%27t great%2C but I wonder if I weighted doubles and triples higher%22 and boom%2C slugging.  All from a few actually tracked statistics.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A-- %0D%0A-Pasha %28I%27d say something here about how the Red Sox won the series%2C but...%29%0D%0AWhat was that feeling again%3F%0D%0AOh yes.%0D%0A-Rage-
24|5|7|||1||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|Bad Moon||21:22:09|06/05/2013|Then you add them together and boom OPS.  Which is hilariously considered somewhat obsolescent by most sabermetrics because it weighs OBP and SLG equally when they aren%27t.%0D%0A%0D%0AI could go on with shit like UZR%2C wOBA%2C WRC%2B%2C FIP%2C xFIP.  Modern sabermetrics is a bit of a rabbit hole.%0D%0A%0D%0A------%0D%0AJon Helscher%0D%0A%0D%0AOh God%2C it was me.  I was the grognard all along.
3|1|0|||1||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|twipper||10:53:58|06/03/2013|%0D%0A%3EAs with so many things%2C I have an off-and-on relationship with %0D%0A%3Eprofessional baseball%2C but unlike some other things where I %0D%0A%3Econsistently keep wondering %5Bi%5Dwhy%5B%2Fi%5D I%27ve waded back into the pond%2C %0D%0A%3Eit%27s good at reminding me why I keep coming back.  %0D%0A%0D%0AIn the Honor Harrington series by David Weber%2C Harrington%27s adopted world Grayson ends up seemingly being the only planet left in the know galaxy that still plays baseball.  %0D%0A%0D%0AThe first mention of the game appears in %27Flag in Exile%27%2C during a period of political unrest%2C including several mass demonstrations that had led to moderately serious scuffles between the various factions.%0D%0A%0D%0AHarrington panics when she sees a number of men heading across her steading carrying wooden cudgels%2C thinking that her colonists had finally decided to move up from fists to deal with the protesting crowds. %0D%0A%0D%0AThe scene%2C and the pure confusion of her personal armsman at his Steadholder calling out the troops to stop the coming beat-down%2C was easily one of the most amusing in the entire series.%0D%0A%0D%0ABrian
5|2|3|||1||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|The Traitor||13:49:01|06/03/2013|Pictured%3A the average Brit at a baseball game.%0D%0A%0D%0A---%0D%0A%22Yeah%2C I%27m definitely going to hell%2FBut I%27ll have all the best stories to tell%22 -- Frank Turner%2C The Ballad of Me and My Friends%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bsmall%5D%22In the civilised galaxy%2C we have all moved on to backgammon and Kerplunk.%22%5B%2Fsmall%5D
6|3|5|||||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|Senji||20:33:14|06/03/2013|%3EPictured%3A the average Brit at a baseball game. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A Sorry to rain on your parade a little%2C but I think the average Brit has a clue about baseball.   He probably thinks it%27s a cissy version of Rounders %28the Brit thinks the American versions of everything is cissy%3B in American Rugby they even wear armour%21%29 but he at least knows that the bat is kind of a foreign version of the familiar cricket bat. %3A-%29%0D%0A%0D%0A S.
8|4|6|||1||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|laudre||08:37:28|06/04/2013|%3E%28the Brit thinks the American versions of everything is %0D%0A%3Ecissy%3B in American Rugby they even wear armour%21%29%0D%0A%0D%0AMy wife%2C who is Singaporean and%2C thus%2C shares in a great many British views on things%2C once expressed something along those lines.%0D%0A%0D%0AThen she saw what American football is like. After this%2C she conceded that the armor does not imply that the average American football player is not a %22big girl%27s blouse%2C%22 as the slang goes%2C but is a strict necessity when there%27s about a ton and a half of large%2C burly men%2C %5Bi%5Dalso%5B%2Fi%5D wearing armor%2C bearing down on you.%0D%0A%0D%0A%22Mathematics brought rigor to economics. Unfortunately%2C it also brought mortis.%22%0D%0A - Kenneth Boulding
9|4|6|||1||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|The Traitor||13:18:09|06/04/2013|I know how the average Brit thinks%2C thank you. That%27d probably be because I %5Bi%5Dam one%5B%2Fi%5D.%0D%0A%0D%0A---%0D%0A%22Yeah%2C I%27m definitely going to hell%2FBut I%27ll have all the best stories to tell%22 -- Frank Turner%2C The Ballad of Me and My Friends
11|5|9|||||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|Senji||19:32:47|06/04/2013|%3EI know how the average Brit thinks%2C thank you. That%27d probably be %0D%0A%3Ebecause I %5Bi%5Dam one%5B%2Fi%5D. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A I feel that I ought to be abe to say something witty here%2C but needless to say%2C I am another.%0D%0A%0D%0A Well%2C maybe not the %5Bi%5Daverage%5B%2Fi%5D Brit other than statistically%2C since I read and write fan fiction%2C actually did grow up middle class%2C and vote Liberal Democrat %28but only because there aren%27t any good parties%29.%0D%0A%0D%0AS.
12|6|11|||1||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|Gryphon||19:56:30|06/04/2013|%3E%3EI know how the average Brit thinks%2C thank you. That%27d probably be %0D%0A%3E%3Ebecause I %5Bi%5Dam one%5B%2Fi%5D. %0D%0A%3E%3E%0D%0A%3E I feel that I ought to be abe to say something witty here%2C but %0D%0A%3Eneedless to say%2C I am another. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3E Well%2C maybe not the %5Bi%5Daverage%5B%2Fi%5D Brit other than statistically%2C %0D%0A%3Esince I read and write fan fiction%2C actually did grow up middle class%2C %0D%0A%3Eand vote Liberal Democrat %28but only because there aren%27t any good %0D%0A%3Eparties%29. %0D%0A%0D%0AWould anyone actually care to discuss baseball at any point%3F%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A%5Bsmall%5DI%27m just curious.%5B%2Fsmall%5D%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
13|7|12|||1||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|Pasha||21:06:35|06/04/2013| %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EWould anyone actually care to discuss baseball at any point%3F %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3E--G. %0D%0A%3E%5Bsmall%5DI%27m just curious.%5B%2Fsmall%5D %0D%0A%0D%0AWow.  The Sox are kinda crushing the Yanks this year.%0D%0A%0D%0A-- %0D%0A-Pasha%0D%0AWhat was that feeling again%3F%0D%0AOh yes.%0D%0A-Rage-
14|8|13|||1||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|Gryphon||22:25:24|06/04/2013|%3EWow.  The Sox are kinda crushing the Yanks this year. %0D%0A%0D%0ASo far%2C so good%2C although things are pretty tight in the AL East so far this year%2C and it%27s early days yet.  My grandmother used to say that the Red Sox would win the World Series almost every year%2C if only it happened in%2C say%2C the last week of June.  The thing about the Sox%2C of course%2C is that over 162 games%2C failure is always an option. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A%5Bsmall%5D%22And the %5Bi%5Djokes%5B%2Fi%5D... tie %5Bi%5Dtogether%5B%2Fi%5D%2C%22 as the late Derek Bacon would%27ve said%5B%2Fsmall%5D%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
25|9|14|||1||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|Bad Moon||21:26:27|06/05/2013|%3E%3EWow.  The Sox are kinda crushing the Yanks this year. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3ESo far%2C so good%2C although things are pretty tight in the AL East so %0D%0A%3Efar this year%2C and it%27s early days yet.  My grandmother used to say %0D%0A%3Ethat the Red Sox would win the World Series almost every year%2C if only %0D%0A%3Eit happened in%2C say%2C the last week of June.  The thing about the Sox%2C %0D%0A%3Eof course%2C is that over 162 games%2C failure is always an option. %3A%29 %0D%0A%0D%0AYou guys had a pretty good decade%2C even eclipsing New York as the most hated fanbase for awhile%21 %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A------%0D%0AJon Helscher%0D%0A%0D%0AOh God%2C it was me.  I was the grognard all along.
26|10|25|||1||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|Gryphon||21:28:19|06/05/2013|%3EYou guys had a pretty good decade%2C even eclipsing New York as the most %0D%0A%3Ehated fanbase for awhile%21 %3A%29 %0D%0A%0D%0AError%3A not actually possible.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
27|11|26|||1||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|Offsides||23:23:13|06/05/2013|At least not in Baseball.  I think the Pats might have done it for a year or two.  Not all that surprising when you consider how much of an a%2A%2Ahole Belichick comes across as...%0D%0A%0D%0AOffsides%0D%0A%0D%0A%26%2391%3B...%26%2393%3B in order to be a realist you must believe in miracles.%0D%0A    -- David Ben Gurion%0D%0AEPU RCW %23%26pi%3B%0D%0A%23include %3Cstdsig.h%3E%0D%0A%0D%0A
28|11|26|||1||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|Pasha||23:48:37|06/05/2013|%3E%3EYou guys had a pretty good decade%2C even eclipsing New York as the most %0D%0A%3E%3Ehated fanbase for awhile%21 %3A%29 %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EError%3A not actually possible. %0D%0A%0D%0AMeh%2C it%27s pretty easy in my house. Then again%2C I%27ve only been the subject of physical violence from the fans of one sports team ever.  I%27ll give you a hint%2C it wasn%27t LA Kings fans.%0D%0A%0D%0A-- %0D%0A-Pasha %28On the other hand%2C saying %22Fuck the Red Sox%22 at a Dropkick Murphy%27s concert may not have been the wisest decision I%27ve made%29
15|8|13|||1||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|laudre||10:46:48|06/05/2013|%3EWow.  The Sox are kinda crushing the Yanks this year. %0D%0A%0D%0AThe Mets swept the Yanks in the Subway Series.%0D%0A%0D%0AAs a long-time Mets fan%2C I am alternately stunned and mildly euphoric.%0D%0A%0D%0A%22Mathematics brought rigor to economics. Unfortunately%2C it also brought mortis.%22%0D%0A - Kenneth Boulding
18|9|15|||1||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|Gryphon||13:51:27|06/05/2013|%3E%3EWow.  The Sox are kinda crushing the Yanks this year. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EThe Mets swept the Yanks in the Subway Series. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EAs a long-time Mets fan%2C I am alternately stunned and mildly euphoric. %0D%0A%0D%0AYeah%2C they mentioned that at the beginning of the next game %28Sox %40 Yanks%2C kind of a summary ass-kicking for us%2C but we got %27em back the next day%29.  Gave me a bit of a giggle%2C particularly the incredulity in the WNYW commentary team%27s voices.  %22... lost a four-game home-and-home series to the Mets.  The %5Bi%5DMets%21%5B%2Fi%5D%22%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
29|9|15|||1||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|Pasha||23:49:28|06/05/2013|%3E%3EWow.  The Sox are kinda crushing the Yanks this year. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EThe Mets swept the Yanks in the Subway Series. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EAs a long-time Mets fan%2C I am alternately stunned and mildly euphoric. %0D%0A%0D%0AYeah%2C last year when Jeter took that bad step%2C I was just thinking %22well%2C there goes NEXT year.%22%0D%0A%0D%0A-- %0D%0A-Pasha%0D%0AWhat was that feeling again%3F%0D%0AOh yes.%0D%0A-Rage-
16|7|12|||1||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|The Traitor||12:01:05|06/05/2013|When has anyone in this forum stayed on topic for more than three seconds at a time%3F%0D%0A%0D%0A---%0D%0A%22Yeah%2C I%27m definitely going to hell%2FBut I%27ll have all the best stories to tell%22 -- Frank Turner%2C The Ballad of Me and My Friends
17|8|16|||1||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|Gryphon||13:49:59|06/05/2013|%3EWhen has anyone in this forum stayed on topic for more than three %0D%0A%3Eseconds at a time%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AI CONTINUE TO LIVE IN HOPE.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A%5Bsmall%5Dand cold medicine%5B%2Fsmall%5D%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
19|9|17|||1||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|Offsides||14:09:55|06/05/2013|I hope you meant that you live %5Bi%5Don%5B%2Fi%5D cold medicine%2C and not %5Bi%5Din%5B%2Fi%5D it...%0D%0A%0D%0AAnd I for one would welcome our new on-topic overlords%2C should they appear here %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0AOffsides%0D%0A%0D%0AP.S. Go Sox%21%0D%0A%0D%0A%26%2391%3B...%26%2393%3B in order to be a realist you must believe in miracles.%0D%0A    -- David Ben Gurion%0D%0AEPU RCW %23%26pi%3B%0D%0A%23include %3Cstdsig.h%3E%0D%0A%0D%0A
21|10|19|||1||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|Gryphon||14:16:27|06/05/2013|%3EI hope you meant that you live %5Bi%5Don%5B%2Fi%5D cold medicine%2C and not %0D%0A%3E%5Bi%5Din%5B%2Fi%5D it... %0D%0A%0D%0ASome days it does seem like being able to climb into the bottle might help%2C though that%27s partially because idiotic US drug regulations mean that you can%27t really get cold medicine that %5Bi%5Dworks%5B%2Fi%5D in this fucking country any more.  Legislatures are too afraid that people will make crystal meth out of it.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A%5Bsmall%5D%22I don%27t think you actually meant %5Bi%5Ddans%5B%2Fi%5D les %26eacute%3Btoiles.%22%5B%2Fsmall%5D%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
10|4|6|||1||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|Peter Eng||17:39:02|06/04/2013|%3E%28the Brit thinks the American versions of everything is %0D%0A%3Ecissy%3B in American Rugby they even wear armour%21%29 %0D%0A%0D%0AAs I recall%2C in one Reader%27s Digest there was an anecdote from an American who had a British friend visit%2C and they went to see a football game.  The Briton%27s opinion was not that it was some sort of game for wimps%3B rather%2C it was %22Don%27t they have any rules in this game%3F%22%0D%0A%0D%0APeter Eng%0D%0A--%0D%0AInsert humorous comment here.
22|5|10|||||RE%3A Some Thoughts on Baseball|jonathanlennox||14:42:14|06/05/2013|%3EAs I recall%2C in one Reader%27s Digest there was an anecdote from an %0D%0A%3EAmerican who had a British friend visit%2C and they went to see a %0D%0A%3Efootball game.  The Briton%27s opinion was not that it was some sort of %0D%0A%3Egame for wimps%3B rather%2C it was %22Don%27t they have any rules in this %0D%0A%3Egame%3F%22 %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%0D%0ASee also %5Blink%3Awww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DdEH4ahCCrJo%7CWhat playing cricket looks like to Americans%5D.%0D%0A%0D%0A%28Apologies to Gryphon for continuing not to talk about baseball.%29%0D%0A
20|1|0|||1||In Which My Point Is Illustrated|Gryphon||14:12:25|06/05/2013|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Jun-05-13 AT 02:14 PM (EDT)]%5Blink%3Amlb.mlb.com%2Fmlb%2Fgameday%2Findex.jsp%3Fgid%3D2013_06_04_texmlb_bosmlb_1%26mode%3Dbox%7CLast night%27s game at Fenway Park%5D was a perfect example of what I%27m talking about.  It had outlier moments %5Bi%5Dgalore%5B%2Fi%5D and a ton of optional failure.  The 8th inning in particular may have been the single wackiest thing that has happened there in a very long time.%0D%0A%0D%0ASee%2C the Texas Rangers aren%27t a bad team this year.  They%27re on top of the American League West%2C in fact%2C with a record of 35 wins and 22 losses so far.  And yet%2C one of those losses was last night%2C to the Red Sox %28also a strong team so far this year%2C so it wasn%27t as hideously embarrassing as it %5Bi%5Dcould%27ve%5B%2Fi%5D been%2C but still%29... %0D%0A%0D%0A... %5Bi%5Dby a score of 17 to 5.%5B%2Fi%5D%0D%0A%0D%0ABut that%27s not the wacky outlier part.  Starting pitchers and relievers get shelled sometimes%2C it happens.  No%2C the wacky outlier part is that the only inning in which the Sox came up to bat and didn%27t score at least one run was the eighth.%0D%0A%0D%0AAn inning in which the Rangers %5Bi%5Ddid not field an actual pitcher.%5B%2Fi%5D%0D%0A%0D%0ASeriously.  Last night was the first game of a long road trip for the Rangers%2C they were losing spectacularly%2C and their manager decided he didn%27t want to use up the entire roster of relief pitchers in the pursuit of a single lost cause%2C so for the 8th%2C he put their %5Bi%5Dleft fielder%5B%2Fi%5D%2C a guy named David Murphy%2C who probably hadn%27t pitched since high school%2C on the pitcher%27s mound... %0D%0A%0D%0A... and he gave up one hit and no runs%2C by %5Bi%5Dfar%5B%2Fi%5D the Rangers%27 best pitching performance of the night.  %28Well%2C there was that one guy who didn%27t give up a hit either%2C but then%2C he was only in for %5Bi%5Done batter%5B%2Fi%5D.  Murphy was out there for the whole half-inning.%29%0D%0A%0D%0AWhen he struck out Sox first baseman Mike Carp%2C Carp was so startled he argued the call and got ejected by the home plate umpire%2C prompting guest color commentator Dennis Eckersley to remark%2C %22You don%27t see somebody get that upset in a 17-5 game normally.%22%0D%0A%0D%0A%28The Eck had been writhing in pain the whole night%2C because he%27s a Hall of Fame pitcher and last night was basically a ritual slaughter of pitchers.  Slightly on both sides - I mean%2C giving up 5 runs is not a performance for the ages on the Sox pitching staff%27s part either%2C it%27s just that in this case it was rendered moot by the circumstances.%29  For a non-pitcher to then come out and symbolically salvage the honor of the Rangers%27 defense was slightly more than he could bear%2C I think. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0ASee%2C now%2C that%27s exactly the kind of thing I%27m talking about.  That kind of stuff doesn%27t happen in football %28or futbol%2C either%29. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
23|2|20|||1||RE%3A In Which My Point Is Illustrated|Bad Moon||21:13:57|06/05/2013|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Jun-05-13 AT 09:15 PM (EDT)]Position players pitching is one of my favorite things in baseball.  %0D%0A%0D%0ASpeaking of Baseball Outliers%2C today my beloved Seattle Mariners committed baseball history as the first team to be down by five runs in extra innings to come back and tie it in the bottom of the 14th.  Thanks for the grand salami%2C Kyle Seager%21%0D%0A%0D%0AAs of this typing they are losing in the top of the 16th because Mariners.%0D%0A%0D%0A------%0D%0AJon Helscher%0D%0A%0D%0AOh God%2C it was me.  I was the grognard all along.
30|3|23|||1||RE%3A In Which My Point Is Illustrated|Pasha||23:53:11|06/05/2013|%3EPosition players pitching is one of my favorite things in baseball. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3ESpeaking of Baseball Outliers%2C today my beloved Seattle Mariners %0D%0A%3Ecommitted baseball history as the first team to be down by five runs %0D%0A%3Ein extra innings to come back and tie it in the bottom of the 14th.  %0D%0A%3EThanks for the grand salami%2C Kyle Seager%21 %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EAs of this typing they are losing in the top of the 16th because %0D%0A%3EMariners. %0D%0A%0D%0AI was at the Ichiro game.  The fans were surprisingly non-violent%2C despite my little flag.%0D%0A %0D%0A-- %0D%0A-Pasha %28And gonna go on saturday%21%29
31|1|0|||1||Favorite weird things in baseball|Pasha||00:09:07|06/06/2013|It%27s even kind of on topic%21%0D%0A%0D%0AThere%27s the various position players playing pitcher %28The earlier comment about Flamethrower %28who may be the most terrifying person in baseball%29 reminded me of this%29 Jose Canseco pitched a game %28against the Red Sox%2C amusingly enough%29 during which he destroyed his arm.%0D%0A%0D%0AAlso%2C I was talking with someone once about Jim Abbott %28my personal favorite baseball player Of All Time%29.  They didn%27t believe me that a one handed person was a major league baseball pitcher.  So%2C I looked him up on the internets%2C and%2C upon reading his stats came to the realization that he actually has a couple of hits.  2 hits in 21 AB %28So a BA of .095%29.  With one hand.%0D%0A%0D%0A-- %0D%0A-Pasha %28%22At all levels%2C teams tried to exploit his fielding disadvantage by repeatedly bunting to him%3B this tactic was never effective.%22