HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: ken@uxc.cso.uiuc.edu (Ken Primer)
Subject: Re: Japan Central League
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Distribution: rec
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1992 06:31:40 GMT

yajima@nttcom.ntt.jp (Hiroshi YAJIMA) writes:

>Japan Central League Standing (Through games on Thursday September 24th)
>                      W   L   T   Pct.   GB
>Hanshin Tigers       63  54   2   .538   --
>Yakult Swallows      62  56   1   .525   1.5
>Yomiuri Giants       64  58   0   .524   1.5
>Hiroshima Carp       60  61   0   .496   5.0
>Taiyo Whales         57  65   1   .467   8.5
>Chunichi Dragons     55  67   0   .451  10.5
>-----------
>I am glad to hear that Yakult Swallows beat Hiroshima Carp by the score of
>5-4 Thursday night at Tokyo's Jingu Stadium.
> With the win, Yakult Swallows moved up to second place, 1.5 games behind the
>Hanshin Tigers and .001 percentage point above the hateful Yomiuri Giants.
> Hanshin Tigers and hateful Yomiuri Giants were idle Thursday.
    The "hateful" Giants? You mean they aren't held in high regard by
everyone in Japan? Hmmmmm that pops another bubble for me!

BTW I'm a Giants fan....The San Francisco Giants that is.... :-)

-- 
 "I believe only in those conspiracies which do not exist. Everything is
connected, but nothing makes sense....I'm pretty sure the Republican
party exists, and that it has connections all the way up to the White
House."  -Steve Jackson (his global conspiracy theory)
From: gritter@cs.purdue.EDU (Carl R. Gritter)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Which team is most improved???
Date: 2 Oct 92 20:04:53 GMT
Organization: Department of Computer Science, Purdue University

In article  <6690@blue.cis.pitt.edu.UUCP> genetic+@pitt.edu (Dr. Dave) writes:

>What's scary is that they're a good candidate to be one of *next* year's
>most improved teams, too...

I'd love it, but I don't see it as being very likely.  The Expos had
alot of things go right for them this year.  Alas, so did the Pirates
and experience finally won out.  Some of those things could reverse
next year, especially if injuries take their toll.  That's why you
gotta go for it if you are in contention in August/September.  There's
no guarantee you'll be in it next year.

I'll admit that the Expos have an excellent chance of contending in
the next few years, maybe even finally winning a legitmate division
title.  Wouldn't you know it, a strike/lock out seems very likely next
spring.

Carl
From: sivaram@plains.NoDak.edu (Sivaram Hariharan )
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Morris: more fuel for this debate
Date: 28 Sep 92 19:51:02 GMT
Organization: North Dakota Higher Education Computing Network

People might say that Morris has been lucky this year because
of all the run supports he gets. But IMO, the hitting and
pitching feed off each other and the presence of Morris on
the mound is very encouraging for the hitters of his team.

He is one tough SOB, who can rise to big games and Cito will
be a FOOL if he does not start the Horse for Game-1 followed
by Guzzman for game-2.  I hope Cito goes with a 3-man rotation
like Tom Kelly last year so that Morris can start in Games-1
5 and 7 if need be. 

S.H

"One star had pulled the Twins from the brink of extinction and
another was ready to pitch the game of his life"

Tom Kelly; in his book, Season of Dreams, speaking of the dramatic
game winning homer by Puckett in Game-6 of the 91-WS vs. the Braves.
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: niguma@ug.cs.dal.ca (Gordon Niguma)
Subject: Re: Blue Jays vs. A's
Organization: Math, Stats & CS, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 12:46:49 GMT

In <ld1nugINN7ah@appserv.Eng.Sun.COM> str@maredsous.Eng.Sun.COM (Todd Rader) writes:

>In article E9A@cs.dal.ca, niguma@ug.cs.dal.ca (Gordon Niguma) writes:

>%   This year I believe the Jays should be slight favorites in the championship
>%series as their forte is based around what wins short series: three great 
>%starting pitchers in Morris, Guzman and Cone.

>Hmmph.  You say three, I say one and two halves.

  I think the Jays have very strong starters this year. I assume the "one"
is David Cone; he's back on the beam now and pitching very well. He's a 
consistently good starter through the last five years and I think he's clearly
better than anyone Oakland has. 
  Morris of course is the enigma. I don't praise him alot, but I do trust
Gillick's judgement in this case. This is where Jack's season begins.
  Guzman's struggled since coming off the DL but threw spectacularly in his
pennant clinching win over the Tigers (a good hitting club mind you). If he's
healthy again, which appears to be the case) he'll be tough.

>%The A's have managed to get to the postseason by a
>%superb bench with unknowns like Bordick, Blankenship, Browne and Parrett leading
>%the way. Unfortunately for LaRussa, depth strength is reduced in postseason
>%play and frontline talent is magnified.

  Well such is the way of life. This is a strong pull for the Jays in their
favor and EXACTLY why I think they should be favorites (along with home field
advantage). The Jays sore spots this year have been guys like Wells, Stottlymyre
Tabler, Timlin (at times) and Steib. These guys aren't going to play prominent
roles in the ALCS while the A's strength with Browne, Blankenship, etc. will
not be that important in a 7 game series as opposed to a 162 game sched.

>Here I tend to agree with you.  I believe LaRussa will play his starters --
>including Stew, Welch, and Hendu -- wherever he can, even though these guys
>have NOT been the story of the A's success this year.  And I'm not sure if
>those guys are up to the task.

[stuff deleted]

>The ball is now in your court, Gordon!

  I'm looking forward to the series!

						Gord Niguma
						(fav player : John 'OBP' Olerud)
From: 6500alh@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu (Archie Holmes)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: 1992's MLB Award Winners
Date: 6 Oct 92 04:38:09 GMT

In article <rfd2001-041092224649@m248-104.bgsu.edu> rfd2001@andy.bgsu.edu (Ryan Dickey) writes:


>My thoughts:

>AL MVP: Dennis Eckersley

Try Frank Thomas

>AL CY YOUNG: Dennis Eckersley

No major probelm with this one

>AL Rookie :Kenny Lofton

Cool (but maybe Elred).

>AL Comeback:Mark McGwire

I like Winfield here.

>NL MVP:Barry Bonds

No doubt about it

>NL CY Young:Tom Glavine

Try Maddux in a no-contest.


>NL Rookie:Eric Karros

The only true choice.

>NL Comeback:Doug Jones

See above.

>MLB best hitter:Gary Sheffield

Are you kidding.  Frank Thomas, Kirby, and B. Bonds are better than
him.  It is hard for me to admit this since I thought Sheffield should
have been putting up these numbers for years

>MLB best power hitter:Juan Gonzalez

Okay, barely.

>MLB best pitcher:Roger Clemens

No doubt.

>MLB best rel. pitcher:Dennis Eckersley

See above.

>MLB hard luck award:Jim Abbott

See above.

>MLB overrated player:Eric Davis

See above (getting repetitive).

>MLB underrated player:Edgar Martinez

See above.

>Who would you hire for a franchise player:Barry Bonds

I may take Roger Clemens.  Pitching wins it all (look at the
four teams in the playofffs).

>Next MLB superstar hitter:Dave Hollins

There is a guy named Grisson in Montreal that I would take
it a heartbeat.

>Next MLB superstar pitcher:Brien Taylor

Who??  I think even thought he is somewhat well know, John Smoltz
is the man.

>1993 World Series:Cleveland v.s. Atlanta

Try a repeat of this one.  Toronto vs. Atlanta


Archie Holmes
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: hbrooks@uiatma.atmos.uiuc.edu (Harold_Brooks)
Subject: Re: Inevitable changes
Organization: NSSL
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1992 21:36:25 GMT

In article <17700@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu> zuhars@madrone.eecs.ucdavis.edu (Gary Didi Seven Huckabay) writes:
>Ken "They don't call me overnight for nothin'" Emery writes:
>>I think if anything major is going to be done on the restructuring 
>>of baseball the national and american leagues should be junked and 
>>and 4 regional leagues should be set up.  They should have 8 teams 
>>each and play 154 game schedules.
>
>Sounds reasonable, but I would like to see at least SOME crossover in
>terms of scheduling...and a league consisting entirely of western
>teams is eventually going to suffer in terms of revenue.
>
>How about this:
>
>	West          Midwest         South          East
>      California      Chicago         Atlanta      New York
>      Oakland         St. Louis       Tampa        New York
>      San Diego       Kansas City     Miami        Boston
>      Seattle         Minnesota       New Orleans  Pittsburgh
>      Portland        Cincinnati      Charlotte    Philadelphia
>      Chicago (AL)    Cleveland       Houston      Toronto
>      Los Angeles     Detroit         Texas        Montreal
>      Bay Area II     Milwaukee       Phoenix      Baltimore
>
>Geographically, it's not perfect, but it could be worse.  For a
>schedule, each team plays four teams from each other division 6 times,
>for 72 games, and each team in its own division 12 times, for 84
>games, giving a total of 156 games.
>

I like the directions you're heading, but my own pet project 
(will the next person to see Bud Selig or Eddie Reinsdorf please
let them know that I am in the Norman and OKC phone books) is as
follows.  Each team plays 14 games against each team in its division 
and 8 games against each team in one other division.  (That gives
162 games-you can dink with the numbers to change that.)  Rotate the
divisional opponent each year, e.g., Yr. 1-West v. East, Yr. 2-
West v. South, Yr. 3-West v. Midwest.  That way, you still have
the World Series being between two teams that have never played
each other during the regular season (something I regard as a
feature).  Everyone gets to see all of the teams every three
years and everyone in a single division plays the same teams
during a single season so that no one has a complaint about
strength of schedule.

Harold
-- 
Harold Brooks                    hbrooks@uiatma.atmos.uiuc.edu
National Severe Storms Laboratory/CIMMS (Norman, OK)
Cal Ripken   April-August   .248 BA  .354 SLG  .328 OBA
Cal Ripken (1 Sep.-29 Sep.) .245 BA  .340 SLG  .279 OBA
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: god, i'm immature
From: guilford@otago.ac.nz
Date: 5 Oct 92 14:48:50 +1300
 <1992Sep30.200401.16229@adobe.com> <BvHoDx.7CB@casper.cs.uct.ac.za>
Organization: University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

In article <BvHoDx.7CB@casper.cs.uct.ac.za>, gds@casper.cs.uct.ac.za (Riel Smit) writes:

> snichols@adobe.com (Sherri Nichols) writes:

>>In article <30SEP92.17510458@vax.clarku.edu> hhenderson@vax.clarku.edu writes:

>>>While you're looking through the encyclopedia, can you keep an
>>>eye out for palindromic names -- not last names, but a combination
>>>of first and last, creating a palindrome.

>>While I'm on this subject, I may as well post of the list of reversals:
>>that is, where the last name of one player reverses to form the last name
>>of another player.  

>>Redus/Suder

> Any baseball player out there called Redus Suder? :-)

> Riel Smit,  Computer Science                              gds@cs.uct.ac.za
> University of Cape Town                      gds%cs.uct.ac.za@rain.psg.com

I don't really understand the question -- perhaps Redus Suder is something
hilarious in Afrikaans -- but can someone check and see if Riel's brother 
Tim ever had a cup of coffee in the bigs?

Bill Guilford
From: jmann@vineland.pubs.stratus.com (Jim Mann)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Lead off walks....
Date: 2 Oct 92 12:33:22 GMT
Reply-To: jmann@vineland.pubs.stratus.com

In article <1992Oct1.143731.1311@ccsvax.sfasu.edu>  
z_copeab@ccsvax.sfasu.edu writes:
> 	You aren't arguing what I'm arguing. I'm arguing that from the  
start of
> an inning, the chances of the batting team getting two hits in that  
inning is
> far less than getting just one hit in that inning. This argument is  
NOT
> incorrect. It might not be relevant, but it isn't incorrect.
> 

True.  However, the chance of getting a second hit in an inning
after getting a lead-off hit is NOT lower than the chance of
getting one hit in an inning (any more than the chance of tossing
heads is lower if you just tossed heads; it's still 50-50 to toss
another).  Based on probablility alone, you should have the same
chance to get another hit after a lead-off single as there was
to get a single hit in the first place.  Actually, since batting
averages seem to go up a bit with men on base, the chance of
getting that second hit is actually somewhat higher than
getting the first hit.

--
Jim Mann            
Stratus Computer   jmann@vineland.pubs.stratus.com
From: jblixt@neon.cdc.com (jon blixt)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Bonds "choke"?
Date: 1 Oct 92 21:45:11 GMT
Reply-To: jblixt@mips.COM (jon blixt)
Organization: Your Organization Goes Here

First of all, I'm not saying Barry Bonds choked.

I do, however, have a fairly simple question.

Is there such a thing called choking and does it occur?

IMO, I answer yes to both questions.  To me, choking is not
performing a skill which you regularly accomplish given different
circumstances.

In this case, it is baseball and Barry Bonds?  Bonds did not 
perform with the bat as he usually does.  He has only performed
below average for a relatively small number of at bats and for this
reason I can say he hasn't choked.  If Bonds continues to bat
poorly in important games for the Pirates, it is possible, at least
in my mind:), to label him a choker.

I base my opinion on my own experiences.  When playing semi-competitive
sports, I have been in situations where I could choke.  I may not
have experienced a large statistical sample, but there have been enough
to know what they are and when they happen.  During these so called
choke situations, I have, for example, missed three straight putts of
under three feet any of which would have beaten my opponent in a match
play tournament.  I missed those puts, not because statistically the
odds worked out that at some point I will miss three short putts in a row,
but instead I missed them because of the pressure of the situation.

Also, IMO, baseball is not exactly like my example because there
are more variables(i.e. different pitchers, different conditions, and 
an average batter only gets a hit less than a third of the time anyway).
So perhaps baseball is not the easiest yardstick of the great and
ghastly 'choke', it is still a place to fail mentally.

-Jon

All of this is my own opinion as who else would want it?:) 
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: mard@quads.uchicago.edu (Adrian N. Marden)
Subject: Re: Why bother to watch the World Series?
Reply-To: mard@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 18:51:29 GMT

In article <1992Oct2.175240.14804@leland.Stanford.EDU> daveshao@leland.stanford.edu (David Shao) writes:
>Of all the major sports in the United States, major league baseball
>has the most illogical and capricious system of determining home
>field advantage in the playoffs.  Since 1987, starting with the
>Twins, the team with both the home field advantage in the LCS and
>the World Series has won the championship.  

	OK, let's get one thing straight here: the winner hasn't won each year
BECAUSE of the home field advantage. For example, the 1990 Reds won in four 
games - two at home, and then two on the road. Now even if the Reds had NOT had
the homefield advantage, an identical performance would have netted them a
WS sweep. 
	So let's not make a mountain out of a molehill.

	And, incidentally, you could make the same arguments about hockey and 
basketball, in which the "best" team from the regular seasons has ADDITIONAL
help in winning, namely that they have home ice/court advantage throughout the
playoffs.

-- 
* Adrian Marden		     * "The Easter Bunny is a theoretical construct"- *
* mard@midway.uchicago.edu   * "Metabolize, metabolize...I've got to keep     *
* Work Phone: (312)-702-7269 * surviving"-"I love holding hands with a leper  *
* Home Phone: (312)-684-1913 * during the Our Father" - My roommate, Jeff     *
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: hasch@jhuvms.hcf.jhu.edu (Bruce M Hasch)
Subject: Re: TORONTO BLUE JAYS CLINCHED THE AL EAST!!!!!
Summary: Jamie Quirk for ALCS MVP! 
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Keywords:  ALCS, Jays, A's, AL East, 
Organization: The Johns Hopkins University - HCF
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 22:33:00 GMT

In article <1992Oct04.010724.14700@r-node.gts.org>, shadow@r-node.gts.org (Jay Chu) writes...
>The best team in the American League finally clinches the title.  Now it's
>time to kill Oakland in 4 games and go on to the World Series. 
>Because the A's sucks, the Toronto Blue Jays will have little difficulty
>winning the American League title.

Yeah, the A's really suck.  They only won 96 games, as many as the Jays...

Remember, it's a best-of-seven game series.  A lot of unusual, strange things
can happen in a short series.  Carter, Winfield, and Alomar could all go cold
at the same time.  Or McGwire, Rickey, and Sierra could go a collective 3-for-
50.  Anyone could be the hero...do Buddy Biancalana or Tito Landrum :-) ring
a bell?  Jamie Quirk could win the ALCS MVP...(although it's rather unlikely...)

>Congratulations to the Jays in winning the AL EAST.

I'll agree with you here.  The Jays played well down the stretch and held off
the Brewers and O's.  As an O's fan, I tip my cap to the Jays, they made the
necessary moves (Cone) and deserved to win.

>Great game for Cy Young winner Juan Guzman and MVP Joe Carter!!!

Oh, come on!!  If you want to woof a Blue Jay for MVP, woof Roberto--now
THOSE (.310,.405 OBP) are MVP-type numbers.  Joe ".309 OBP" Carter is not MVP
material.  I fear, however, that the mediots will give it to him anyway...

I'll give you credit for realizing that Skyjack's 4.04 ERA doesn't cut it
when it comes to the Cy, I don't care how many games he won--Juan won't win 
it, but would have had a great shot at it if not for his injuries...  

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bruce 'Less Speed than Cecil Fielder' Hasch         hasch@jhuvms.hcf.jhu.edu
Predictions: Braves over Pirates in 6.  A's over Jays in 7.  A's in 5...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: fzchen@othello.ucdavis.edu
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Sheffield is NL MVP
Date: 27 Sep 92 06:56:35 GMT
Organization: Computing Services, UC Davis

In article <1992Sep25.021254.29808@leland.Stanford.EDU> claudius@leland.Stanford.EDU (Nelson Lu) writes:
>In article <1992Sep24.185443.6675@island.COM> fester@island.COM (Mike Fester) writes:
>
>
>And, since OBP is more valuable than SLG, Caminiti's higher OBP wins out.

This is why I quit sabremetrics.  Who says OBP is more important than 
SLG???!!!  I think Caminiti vs. Pendleton is simple.  Poll the GM's and
managers of both leagues and ask who they would want on their team if
either could be had at the same salary...Caminiti.  Not!

-MeatHead


Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: tedward@cs.cornell.edu (Edward [Ted] Fischer)
Subject: Re: Which team is most improved???
Organization: Cornell Univ. CS Dept, Ithaca NY 14853
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 02:21:12 GMT

In article <1992Oct1.222355.27143@ringer.cs.utsa.edu> crobbins@lonestar.utsa.edu (Chris S. Robbins) writes:
>
>Lets start a debate.  Which team has improved the most this year.

You will laugh, but can make a case for the Red Sox.  They started
this year with a starting lineup of Pena, Boggs, Rivera, Reed, Clark,
Greenwell, Burks, Plantier, and Vaughn.  It didn't look like a bad
team, but between age and free agency, it was obvious that this group
couldn't win anything after 1993 at the latest.

The Red Sox have now successfully promoted Cooper, Valentin, Wedge,
and gotten some of Vaughn's growing pains out of the way.  This team
looks better for 1994 than I would have believed at the beginning of
the season.  (I was rather down on Cooper, and didn't believe Valentin
could repeat his 1991 success.  Also was somewhat skeptical about
Wedge.)  How many other teams' farm systems produced three
starting-quality position players this year?  (Of course, the Sox
*still* aren't producing any pitching.)

Other teams?  I think the Yankees improved an awful lot with their
acquisitions last year (Perez for Sax was an obviously good deal, even
*before* he had this breakout season.  And wasn't Wickman also in that
deal???  And Tartabull is a great player, when not injured.)  And with
the rookie crop they have up now, they look even better for 1993.
They aren't contenders *yet*.  But they have the money (and the city)
needed to pull in David Cone and Barry Bonds.  If the Yankees acquire
both of them, and trade Roberto Kelly for an average starting pitcher
(maybe Langston?), they will be on top.

Cheers,
-Valentine
-- 
Make outs, not walks!					tedward@cs.cornell.edu
Clemens four Cy Young!
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: tedward@cs.cornell.edu (Edward [Ted] Fischer)
Subject: Re: season over for SDCNs?
Organization: Cornell Univ. CS Dept, Ithaca NY 14853
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 22:56:29 GMT

In article <1992Oct6.215135.28474@ramsey.cs.laurentian.ca> 91287041@ramsey.cs.laurentian.ca (Roger Maynard) writes:
>I guess now that the regular season is over all the stathead types
>are going to be turning their attentions elsewhere.

Roger?  I know you say this stuff just to be annoying.
Well fuck you!  I will enjoy the game however I wish.
And I don't see how that hurts you in any way.

-Valentine
-- 
Make outs, not walks!					tedward@cs.cornell.edu
Clemens four Cy Young!
From: kubey@sgi.com (Ken Kubey)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: PIRATES AGIAIN!!!
Date: 29 Sep 92 00:56:02 GMT
Organization: Silicon Graphics, Inc., Mountain View, CA

In article <kelrH_S00WBOQ6ZH4o@andrew.cmu.edu> ed19+@andrew.cmu.edu (Eric Alva Dunmire) writes:
>
>
>CLINCHED 3rd STRAIGHT !!!!

Congratulations to the Pirates!

>ANY QUESTIONS!!!!!!!!

sure: 
How bad will Barry Bonds choke in the 1992 NLCS?

My predicions:  BA: .220  R: 3  HR: 1  RBI: 3  SB: 2 

Extra Disclaimer:  I have nothing against the Pirates, their fans, 
or Mr. Bonds.  I just happen to believe in clutch hitters and 
choke hitters and I believe that Mr. Bonds will choke again.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name:       Ken Kubey  or  QB   |  Reading, editing or printing of this text
Address:    kubey@sgi.com       |  without the express written consent of
Disclaimer: the usual           |  Major League Baseball is prohibited.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: rbd@flash.ece.uc.edu (Bobby Davis)
Subject: Re: Bonds "choke"?
Organization: Unversity of Cincinnati, ECE Dept
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 14:44:13 GMT

RVESTERM@vma.cc.nd.edu writes:
>it is stupid to say bonds is a choke player because he batted .002...
                                                                ---

I don't know, I think 1-for-500 is probably statistically significant.

Bob Davis