HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Another rule change suggestion
From: sport@vax1.mankato.msus.edu
Date: 2 Oct 92 12:11:30 -0600
Organization: Mankato State University

In article <1992Sep30.193609.18183@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>, drw3l@delmarva.evsc.Virginia.EDU (David Robert Walker) writes:
 
> Any pitcher, who begins an inning or enters an inning, must pitch to
> three batters, unless he completes the inning before facing three or
> a scheduled batter (other than the first) is replaced. He can be 
> replaced before pitching to the changed batter.
> 
> What I mean by the last part is: The pitcher must face one batter
> (current rule). If the opponents pinch-hit for him, tough: the
> pitcher still must face three. If the second batter is pinch-hit for,
> then the pitcher can be replaced; but if he stays for that batter, he
> must face the third. Notice that this also applies to pitchers who
> begin an inning. A tiring pitcher would be obligated to face three
> batters before the ace could be brought in. Better, IMO, to make the
> change between innings.
> 
> Since this rule opposes the current trend to ever greater specialization,
> I expect it to have 0 chance with the real game. What do the people here
> think?
>                Clay D.

That's crazy!  Stratagey is part of the game, and this is definatley taking
away from stratagey.  If your going to do that, why not bring the DH to the
National League and screw up baseball totally.  If either of these things
happen, I'll go watch the local HIGH SCHOOL first, then the Majors.

MJHeil                          "It's better to be hot and bothered
sport@vax1.mankato.msus.edu      than satified and worried!"
                                     -  Chris Nelson

Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: richmond@astro.Princeton.EDU (Stupendous Man)
Subject: Playoff Chokers: YOU make the call!
Originator: news@nimaster
Organization: Princeton University
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1992 21:40:10 GMT

Okay, finger-pointers, here's the contest for which you've been waiting:
The 1992 Major-League Baseball Playoff Choking Awards!  

Here's how it works: if you
           a) think that "choking" exists
and
           b) can define what "choking" is
then simply send me your definition by E-mail.  

You must be specific; saying "Joe doesn't come through in the clutch" isn't
enough.  Instead, you must indicate specific actions (or the lack thereof)
which occur in specific game situations.  For example, "Joe didn't get
a hit with two out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth -
therefore he CHOKED" is specific enough that there can be no doubt,
one way or the other.  Or, another good example, "Fred was 1 for 19
in the LCS after hitting .300 during the regular season."  

So, send me your definitions before October 6, when the first playoff 
game occurs.  I will ignore any submissions on or after that date.
I'll watch all the games, or at least read about them in the newspapers,
and keep track of all those who fit your definition.  As the playoffs
progress, I'll post summaries.  

Any definitions that I can't understand, or which are patently silly
("anyone who doesn't hit .450 with three home runs in a five-game series"),
I will simply ignore.  If I get more than fifty :-), I'll ignore the
late ones.  

At least this way, when the subject comes up again next year, those
on the Net can say, "Oh yeah?!  Well, I have PROOF that Barry 
Bonds didn't choke in 1992, so there!  Nyah nyah nyah."

-- 
-----                                                    Michael Richmond
"This is the heart that broke my finger."    richmond@astro.princeton.edu
From: genetic+@pitt.edu (Dr. Dave)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Defensive Positional Value (was AL ROY, long ago)
Date: 1 Oct 92 03:17:01 GMT
Organization: Department of Industrial Engineering

Thus spake zuhars@madrone.eecs.ucdavis.edu (Gary Didi Seven Huckabay):

>Dr. Dave writes:

>>What is the value, to a major-league roster, of a guy who fields like Ozzie
>>Smith in his prime, but bats .000 in 1000 plate appearances, with no walks?
>>Zero.  
>
>Sorry, Dr. Dave, I have to disagree with this.  

>For the player you mention, I'd love to have him on my roster if I
>just took a 1-run lead in the top of the ninth.  Get his butt on the
>field.  

Really?  The difference between this guy and an average shortstop, over the
course of one inning, is a negligible decrease in expected runs allowed.  On
the other hand, should you actually give up one run, you have to waste a pinch
hitter on him.  The leverage of putting him in is pretty low, unless you were
planning to pinch-hit for your shortstop anyway.

>Or if my regular shortstop is Howard Johnson, and we have a
>three-run lead in the Sixth, I might let this player (let's call him
>Doug Flynn) play.  It would depend on some other variables, but I
>think THIS specific player has some value.  Enough to hold on to a
>roster spot?  Perhaps.  Depends on the rest of the club.

He's going to get what, 60-80 innings of play per season, at best?  That's
fine for an ace closer, who dominates the game while he's in, but would you
really waste a roster spot on such a player, who can only help you in a small
way in a very few situations?  I wouldn't

Now, your other example of the guy with the 1.000 OPS who can't field DH
adequately is different.  You can get him 100 high-leverage at bats during
the year without any real loss of defense.

-- 
       David Tate        |"Out of the dugout endlessly swinging,
 dtate@unix.cis.pitt.edu | Out of the manager's throat, the sound fundamentals,
 Prof. of Story Problems | Out of the six-month season..."            
 Member ORSA, TIMS, SABR | 	Walt "Lefty" Whitman
From: jmann@vineland.pubs.stratus.com (Jim Mann)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: R.S.BB FAQ V1.22 (9/25/92)
Date: 2 Oct 92 12:41:19 GMT
Reply-To: jmann@vineland.pubs.stratus.com

In article <1992Oct2.041512.25458@ramsey.cs.laurentian.ca>  
91287041@ramsey.cs.laurentian.ca (Roger Maynard) writes:
> In <1992Oct1.172811.1158@adobe.com> snichols@adobe.com (Sherri  
Nichols) writes:
> 
> >In article <1992Oct1.014709.20685@ramsey.cs.laurentian.ca>  
91287041@ramsey.cs.laurentian.ca (Roger Maynard) writes:
> >>In <0g!p=3b@lynx.unm.edu> kbos@carina.unm.edu (Kurt "Some Guy"  
Bose) writes:
> >>
> >>
> >>>      Also, the group dynamics here are interesting.  Several of  
the fans
> >>>here are interested in sabermetrics, a term coined to describe  
the study of
> >>>baseball statistics.  This group includes many of the more  
prominent posters
> >>
> >>What is the purpose of this sentence?  Every poster on this net  
is equally
> >>"prominent".  Wipe the brown stuff off your nose Kurt...
> 
> >Read a dictionary, Roger.  "Prominent" means readily noticeable,
> >conspicuous.  There are certainly some posters on this net that  
are more
> >noticeable than others, because they post more often.  
> 
> I see the words "distinguished" and "important" in my dictionary.   
Aren't
> they in yours?

Here's the definition from Webster's:

1: standing out or projecting beyond a surface or line: PROTUBERANT
2a: readily noticeable  : CONSPICUOUS
b  : widely and popularly known: LEADING
    syn see NOTICEABLE 

The definition focuses on standing out and noticable.  (I'd agree
that Webster should have a 3. that says something about 
important, since common usage has added that as another
definition).  But I thought it was clear that Kurt was using it
in its most common (and, by the dictionary, primary) meaning to
say "noticable."

--
Jim Mann            
Stratus Computer   jmann@vineland.pubs.stratus.com  
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: rising@zoo.toronto.edu (Jim Rising)
Subject: Morris pitches to the game
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 17:35:34 GMT
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology

I think that all pitchers do this to a certain extent.  If Morris
is better at it (& that remains to be demonstrated IMHO) perhaps it
is because he has more experience.  But the other night (left game up
9-0) I think illustrates the point.  The Jays scored 3 runs in the 1st,
it was raining, and Morris came out and threw strikes, i.e. he threw it
in & let the Yankees swing away.  I don't remember whether or not he
struck out anyone, but he was not walking or finessing hitters, and they
were hitting all over the park, luckly (for him) mostly at people.  I 
think that the lousy weather conditions also made it hard to hit (although
the 4 top batters in the Jays were 10 for 10 at one place).  In that
game, however, Morris could have easily given up several runs if some
balls had dropped in.  He was just trying to get the game in, once
they had the lead.
-- 
Name:     Jim Rising
Mail:     Dept. Zoology, Univ. Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada    M5S 1A1
UUCP:     uunet!attcan!utzoo!rising 
BITNET:   rising@zoo.utoronto.ca
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: spira@panix.com (Greg "Sarcasm Is A Way Of Life" Spira)
Subject: Re: AL Rookie of Year Award?
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 04:38:19 GMT
Organization: Boo!  

In <steph.717717072@pegasus.cs.uiuc.edu> steph@cs.uiuc.edu (Dale Stephenson) writes:

>In <1992Sep25.050240.2328@panix.com> spira@panix.com (Greg "Sarcasm Is A Way Of Life" Spira) writes:

>>But the basic "problem" with Lofton is this: the best centerfielder in
>>baseball probably isn't worth as much defensively as the worst defensive
>>shortstop.  

>This seems too strong to me.  If we can use the concept of "replacement
>level defense" for a moment, I would suspect the worst defensive shortstop
>in the league would convert *less* plays into outs than his replacement
>would, and is hurting his team defensively.  The best centerfielder in baseball
>converts *more* plays into outs than his replacement would, and his helping
>his team defensively.  So the best centerfielder would be far more valuable
>defensively than the worst shortstop.

My argument may be a bit strong, but I don't think its more than that.  I
would definitely think that, say, 24 of the current major league shortstops
would be worth more than the best defensive centerfielder.  Let's take
real life examples.  Does Jeff Blauser, a horrendous defensive shortstop,
have more defensive value than Devon White?

I can't say for sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if he did.

Interestingly, White was sent to the minors after posting numbers that
would probably be acceptable for almost any shortstop but were not
acceptable for the best centerfielder.

Greg 
-- 
  spira@panix.com       "The one-O delivery to Fisk.  He swings.  Long drive,  
 cmcl2!panix!spira      left field!  If it stays fair, it's gone!  Home Run!"  
158-17 Riverside Dr.                     Ned Martin, 10/22/75   
Whitestone NY 11357          (Insert your favorite baseball moment here) 
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball.fantasy
From: d1@rruxc.uucp (Don LoCrasto)
Subject: Re: any exciting roto races out there?
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 92 14:07:22 GMT


Arroz Con Culo Stands as follows going into the last week:
(includes games of 9/28)

Brick    64.5
Mudbugs  64.0
Infirms  64.0
Nailboys 59.5

Whew !

Don LoCrasto
donl@iscp.bellcore.com

Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball.fantasy
From: alird@Msu.oscs.montana.edu
Subject: protected list
Reply-To: alird@Msu.oscs.montana.edu
Organization: Montana State University
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 16:22:23 GMT

We will be starting our second season next year, there is some disagreement on
how many people to protect for next and for how long? My question to folks is
how many players does your league protect and for how long? Thanks in advance.

Rick
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball.fantasy
From: buffalo@access.digex.com (Andy Bartalone)
Subject: Re: any exciting roto races out there?
Organization: Express Elevator to Hell, Greenbelt, MD USA
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 13:21:02 GMT

Lets just say that in my league...... 3-9th place in a 10 team 
league is only seperated by 5.5pts..... and 2nd is 4pts ahead of 3rd
and 1st is 3 pts ahead on 2nd ......

I generally call that close

andy
-- 
buffalo@digex.com		"...she had that nightclub walk that made grown
				 men feel underage...."
From: kwh@stiatl.salestech.com (Kurt Hoyt)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball.fantasy
Subject: Re: any exciting roto races out there?
Date: 30 Sep 92 13:27:23 GMT
Article-I.D.: stiatl.1992Sep30.132723.11882
Distribution: na
Organization: Sales Technologies, Inc.

The league I run is a 9-team NL league and after last week, the top two teams
both had 50.0 points and I had to use the second tie-breaker for our league
(batting average) to determine who is in first this week. Third and fourth
are separated by one point, but the third place team is six points out of
first. The race is tight enough that the two competing owners are becoming
rules lawyers so they can eke out any advantage they can (like last minute
player changes).

-- 
---------------------+ 
Kurt in Atlanta      | "This 'Tamper Proof Bag' is being provided to
kwh@salestech.com    |  ensure the integrity of your 'Software'."
...!uupsi!stiatl!kwh |             -- IBM
From: v079m8ta@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (JONNY B. GOODE)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball.fantasy
Subject: Re: Statis Pro Baseball
Date: 1 Oct 92 03:49:00 GMT
Followup-To: rec.sport.baseball.fantasy
Distribution: usa
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <rfd2001-300992213131@m248-102.bgsu.edu>, rfd2001@andy.bgsu.edu (Ryan Dickey) writes...
>How many people out there play Statis Pro Rotisserie Baseball.
>My friends and I have played for six years and wondered if we 
>are weird.  We drafted players six years ago and now make trades
>and lose free agents.  Does anybody else have a cool league out there?
>--Ryan--


	Me and my friends play games sometimes for fun with Statis-Pro.  
Never tried an entire season, tho.  

Jonny B.

"the eternal 3rd place team"
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball.fantasy
From: a0s5109@titan.ucc.umass.edu (John Norcott)
Subject: Pro League.
Organization: University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 03:13:14 GMT

I just picked up Pro League Baseball today after hearing nothing but good
things about it.  Well...  as far as I can tell, IT STINKS!!!

I was looking for three things...

1>  The ability to download from a database.  <STATS, USA Today, whoever>
2>  The ability to play a season a week at a time, with box scores, game
    summaries, etc, kind of like the McWeekly, for an EMail league I'm in.
3>  The ability to customize such things as parks, teams, managers, etc.

Pro League doesn't seem to do any of this.  I can't even change team names!
I can't print anything to disk, and I can't even GET a boxscore unless I
manage instead of the computer.  

I have Earl II which I bought last year and found that it was buggy as
hell and the end of year stats were quite often way off, but right now I
prefer that to this.  The only good thing about P.L. is that for the
display for Fenway, it has the CITGO sign.

Anything out there worth buying?  Or do I have to write my own.  <I'm
going to see if they'll take this back for credit>
-- 
john k norcott                  I thought I'd write a poem right here
a0s5109@titan.ucc.umass.edu            a poem, a poem, a poem           
   i'll work for beer              but y'all would try to put me in
ANARCHISTS UNITE !!! <in 93>           a home, a home, a home 
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball.fantasy
From: gindin@gindinraleigh.ibm.com (Jim Gindin)
Subject: Re: any exciting roto races out there?
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 16:46:55 GMT
Distribution: na
Reply-To: gindin@gindinraleigh.ibm.com (Jim Gindin)
Organization: ELC

We've got a great race for second place in a nine-team NL league... 
1st place has 62.5 points, 2nd 45, 3rd 45, 4th 44.5, 5th 43.

The interesting thing about the first-place team is that it has been
in first since week 1. I'd be interested in hearing if anyone has
heard of another team in first through all 26 reports.

==> Jim

------------------------------------------------------------------
- Jim Gindin							 -		
- AIX Communications Software Development			 -
- I do not claim to speak for my company (or my country, or even -
- Dan Quayle) in this posting.					 -
------------------------------------------------------------------
From: demers@cs.ucsd.edu (David DeMers)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball.fantasy
Subject: Re: Looking for RH/LH stat breakdown
Date: 5 Oct 92 05:34:58 GMT
Organization: =CSE Dept., U.C. San Diego

In article <BvI9Io.4A@world.std.com> jle@world.std.com (Joe M Leonard) writes:
>Does anybody know where I can find breakdowns of 2B/3B/HR and BB
>for hitters and pitchers vs. RH and LH?  I know USA Today has
>BA each way, but I need to know how the extra-base hits and walks
>fall to know whether I can use some folks next year...

>I'll take whatever you have - except perhaps (900) numbers...

>P.S. Slg each way would be a bit help...

Well, if you can wait a month, STATS publishes it in
their Major League Handbook.  Worth the 18 bucks.

Dave

-- 
Dave DeMers			 ddemers@UCSD   demers@cs.ucsd.edu
Computer Science & Engineering	C-014		demers%cs@ucsd.bitnet
UC San Diego					...!ucsd!cs!demers
La Jolla, CA 92093-0114	(619) 534-0688, or -8187, FAX: (619) 534-7029
From: dadler@zia.aoc.nrao.edu (David Adler)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball.fantasy
Subject: I hate your guts, Jeff Nelson
Date: 6 Oct 92 12:26:33 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Socorro NM

Wow, talk about your major league choke! Standard 10-team AL roto
league, I'm in first place by FOUR points going into Saturday's games.
I proceed to:

1. Get passed in home runs, with the killer blow being delivered
by the mighty Thomas Howard. I lose homers by one, and lose one point.

2. The guy in second place has Mark Langston's runs given up all
become unearned. He passes the guy in first place in ERA, I lose
another point to him.

3. Duane Ward gets a cheap .1 inning save, my closer Jeff Montgomery
blows his second of the week. The guy in second ties me in saves,
I lose another point to him.

Then Sunday,

4. Jimmy Key goes 2 innings giving up 2 hits and 4 walks. I lose
a point to the guy behind me.

I am now TIED going into the final game of the year - Chisox-Mariners.
I would win the league based on the tie-breakers. I go to sleep
relatively secure....

And of course the subject line says it all:

5. Jeff Nelson gets the save (couldn't be Roberto Hernandez,
NNNoooo...), the second place team passes me in saves for the final
blow.

   I finish in second place by one point.

   My flight to Seattle is booked for this afternoon...(-:

Dave



-- 
+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
  David Adler - AIPS manager |  National Radio Astronomy Observatory
  dadler@aguila.aoc.nrao.edu | PO Box 0, Socorro NM 87801 505-835-7000
  Socorro, NM - where the streets have no name (apologies to U2)
Organization: Ryerson Polytechnical Institute
Distribution: na
Date: Tuesday, 29 Sep 1992 11:47:18 EST
From: <ACPS7151@RyeVm.Ryerson.Ca>
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball.fantasy
Subject: new fantasy league

I know that baseball season is almost over.  And the world series is almost upo
n us.  This leagueI am starting will begin next year.  And I am looking for in
terested teams.  I am looking for 12 dedicated teams for this league to run.  I
f interested please email me at the address.

              Acps7151@ryevm.ryerson.ca

Later all    Ravi Narine
From: gene@ok.sw.stratus.com (Eugene Loparco)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball.fantasy
Subject: Re: any exciting roto races out there?
Date: 29 Sep 92 15:08:26 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Stratus Computer, Software Engineering

Our league has a dogfight for first (I am currently in second):

1 Backwoodsmen   100.5  ---
2 Arrows         100.0  0.5
3 Tyrants         98.5  2.0


Now if that's not going down to the wire, I don't know what is...

-Gene
Xref: sparky rec.sport.baseball.fantasy:722 rec.sport.baseball:28918
From: jrmst8+@pitt.edu (Joseph R Mcdonald)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball.fantasy,rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Braves-Pirates Pitching Rotation (Does Anyone Know It?)
Date: 3 Oct 92 16:29:43 GMT
Followup-To: rec.sport.baseball.fantasy
Organization: University of Pittsburgh

In article <IenFmcy00WB5BXOGIf@andrew.cmu.edu| al1x+@andrew.cmu.edu (Amit Likhyani) writes:
|According to Jim Leyland:
|
|Game 1 - Drabek
|Game 2 - Jackson
|Game 3 - Wakefield
|repeat
|
|They switched Jackson and Wakefield because of the 3:05 starting time of
|game 2 in Atlanta.  Leyland thinks it may be harder for the catcher to
|pick up a knuckleball in the day time with the glare and people sitting
|in the centerfield stands.   Plus, Wakefield has pitched well at home.
|
|He went with Jackson over Tomlin because Jackson has been a good post
|season pitcher.
|
|Personally, I think Tomlin pitched pretty well last year in game 4 if my
|memory serves me right.  I kind of question using a guy who has been
|with the team 1/2 a season and has pitched only OK as your number 2
|starter over a guy who won 14(or is it 15) games for the year.  Jackson
|has been hammered by the Braves this year(I think).  Finally, I think

Jackson threw a 1-hitter against Atlanta this year in the game where Otis
Nixon robbed Van Slyke of a game-winning homer in the ninth.

Plus, Jackson's 95-mph fastball would be a good set-up to Wakefield's 50-mph
Knuckler.

Tomlin has been shaky most of the season, despite his record.

|Jackson can be more effective than Tomlin coming out of the bullpen to
|face a couple batters.  He can bring the 95 MPH gas and devastate left
|handers.

A good point, but I still would use Jackson in the rotation.  Remember
how he dominated the Bucs in 1990 as a Red in the playoffs?

|I am not ripping Leyland or even second guessing him on this move, but I
|am a little curious.  Jackson pitched well in his last start and Tomlin
|did not.

Exactly.  That clinched it.

|There is still no ruling on Zane Smith.  I hope they put him on the
|roster and get rid of Danny Cox.  We shall see.

The pitcher they will get rid of is Cooke  (he IS eligible for post-season,
but will sit this one out). 

Dean
-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dean J. Falcione                                   Dean's UNIX Exorcism Service 
(using jrmst8 by permission                             "We kill daemons" 
 of the owner, Joe McDonald)