HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: gajarsky@pilot.njin.net (Bob Gajarsky - Hobokenite)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: NL East analysis.k
Date: 17 Dec 92 14:06:54 GMT
Organization: Somewhere in Hoboken

iacurtop@ERE.UMontreal.CA (Iacurto Paul) writes:

>POSITION BY POSITION RATINGS
>Best player: 10 pts
>2 nd.......   9 pts
>3 rd.......   8 pts
>4 th.......   7 pts
>5 th.......   6 pts
>6 th.......   5 pts
>(Florida Marlins excluded)
This isn't bad as a general formula, but baseball doesn't go by a 
 linear method; so, the difference, for example, between barry
 bonds and the 2nd best left fielder could be much larger, or 
 smaller, than the 2nd and 3rd best left fielder.  Also, I
 don't think the Marlins will finish last at all.  But I'll s
 save that until later oday, when I post my prelim predictions.

If you are going to use the point system, you have to pro-rate the
 pitchers; since pitching + defense is 50% of the game, and in your
 system it's treated as 43% (6 pitchers evaluated, 8 batters).

Also, you've used statistics without park adjusting for them.  Kruk
 plays an easy defensive position, so his defense doesn't hurt that much-
 and, he has a much better offensive stats than grace in a park that
 ismuch worse than grace's.  and merced is closer to murray (upwards)
 than he is to colbrunn (downwards).  is he really going to be the
 expos first baseman???

The ratings you use also seem to ignore minor league statistics, which
 can and do give an accurate reading on how a player will do the next
 season in the majors.  i know i'd rather have kent than morandini, 
 among second baseman.

>Ratings:
>1 - Tony Fernandez      8
>1 - Jay Bell            8
>1 - Ozzie Smith         8  (no clear winner among these three)
i'd say there's a clear loser - tony fernandez is worse than the
 other two i believe.

>4 - Steve Buchele        7
>5 - Tim Wallach          6
>6 - Kevin Young          5
no!!!!  kevin young already has shown, *without even playing in the
 majors*, that he will have a better year than either of these two
 yutzes.

by the way, the phillies are platooning incaviglia and thompson
 in left, and chamberlain is tentatively slated to start in right.

i'll post more later.     - bob gaj
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: lsmith@mega.cs.umn.edu (Lance "Squiddie" Smith)
Subject: The Northern League
Organization: The Sainted Squids of the Poor
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 21:46:43 GMT

The really nice thing about minor leagues is the service, I call them about
tickets yesterday and today I receive a letter in the mail. Cool.

OK, the Northern League is a minor, minor, league. It is not affiliated with
MLB so none of the teams have parent clubs and the teams don't have to abide
by the minor league rules. (i.e. Teams don't have to have a certain number of 
restrooms in their parks, etc.) 

The list of teams for the Northern League is:

Duluth
Rochester
Sioux City
Sioux Falls
St Paul Saints
Thunder Bay

(I don't recall the mascots off hand. there's a partial list in Baseball
America. Other than the Saints, one of the Sioux teams are the Soos and
one team are the Whiskeyjacks. What's a whiskeyjack?)

The league schedule runs from June 15 to September 5. Each team plays each of
the other teams in six 3-game series for a 90 game schedule. 

The players are supposed to be college age and former minor and major 
leaguers. Is this about what the Cape Cod league does or are they all college
players?

Anyway, the price is right and it is outdoor baseball for people who want
to escape the Dome once in awhile. Anyone in the Twin Cities who wants
info, please contact me for info. 

-----------------------------
  Lance "Cr2O3.2H2O" Smith  | "Yes, these boots are very heavy. No, I don't
    (lsmith@cs.umn.edu)     |  want to trade hats with you. Yes, my cap is 
    My tribe know me as     |  a little faded. Hmmm, that reminds me..."
 'Dances with Dust Bunnies' |                   _Mr Peanut meets Red Cap_
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: wall@cc.swarthmore.edu (Matthew Wall)
Subject: Internet Baseball ftp site OPEN
Followup-To: rec.sport.baseball
Organization: Swarthmore College Computing CenterCenter
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 19:32:48 GMT

OK Gang. It's o-fficial. You can now ftp to

eucalyptus.cc.swarthmore.edu

username: anonymous
password: your internet email address

So far we have the 1992 Stats by league and the stats at the all-star
break. I hope to add stats from past years, game scores, rotisserie info,
software, and other related electronic material. If you want to contribute
some material, please send it to me at wall@cc.swarthmore.edu .

Please try to keep the connections short during US Eastern time business
hours so my workstation doesn't blow up.

Enjoy...

- Matt

---------------------------------------------------------
This space left intentionally blank until spring training.
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: gajarsky@pilot.njin.net (Bob Gajarsky - Hobokenite)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Mattingly discussion, take 2.
Date: 18 Dec 92 21:28:53 GMT
Organization: Somewhere in Hoboken

akamholz@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu (Andrew E Kamholz) writes:

>In article <1992Dec17.161922.25289@Princeton.EDU> roger@astro.princeton.edu (Roger Lustig) writes:
>>In article <1992Dec17.055227.4101@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu> akamholz@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu (Andrew E Kamholz) writes:
>>
>>Is that fair to all the better first-basemen?  Gold gloves are generally
>>awarded by reflex...

>When I said what I did about his defensive abilities, I left it as a given
>that he has the best relexes. There have been many times that, while watching

i *think* he means (at least this is how i interpreted it) that the
 gold glove votes do their *voting* by reflex.  as in "well, mattingly
 won last year - i don't know who to give it to - ah, mattingly
 deserves it again".

- bob gaj

and the part about better range - check out the DA's.  if ttingly had
 this awesome range, he wouldn't be so far down on that list.

>At worst, he'll hit .280; At best, he'll hit .350; realistically, if
>he is finally healthy, he'll hit around .310. None of these figures is
>that bad for a third place hitter, especially one who has a great career
>average with men on base.
 
at worst??  at best??  i think you've got some strange givens here.
 mattingly is starting too on the downside of his career - i'd
 say a worst would be 250-260; he has NEVER hit 350, it would be 
 really a fluke if he did so now.  an upside would be abou;310, 320.
 but they ARE bad numbers for a third hitter, especially when he doesn't
 walk, has limited doubles power, and for a third hitter (or first
 baseman) , absolutely awful power.  if you look at the first
 baseman in the american league, the only ones who had worse offensive numbers
 than mattingly last year - hmm.  i'm doing this from memory.  maybe boston,
 maybe california.  maybe milwaukee.  maybe seattle.  the reason i saay 
 maybe is because i don't remember who was the firs tbaseman, or their
 stats.  
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: mike@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu (Michael Chen)
Subject: Re: Boggs to Dodgers?
Reply-To: mike@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu (Michael Chen)
Organization: Columbia University
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 03:19:39 GMT

In article <1gm6ekINN5dv@caldera.usc.edu> dzappala@caldera.usc.edu (Daniel Zappala) writes:
>
>|> 
>|> The rumor starter strikes again!  I wonder if Peter is going to start
>|> with his obnoxious trade of the week again!
>|> 
>|> Where there is interest in tinsletown for the services of Wade Boggs,
>|> every report I've read and heard has him going to Yankees.  Allegedly,
>|> Boggs is close to a three year deal that should be signed this week.
>|> -- 
>|> scott barman			| <This space intentionally left blank>
>|> scott@asd.com			|
>
>I heard Boggs' agent on the radio last night saying that the Dodgers had
>an edge over the Yankees.  Of course, you never know if he really means this
>or if he is trying to get more money out of the Yankees.
>
>
>Daniel 

Doesn't matter anymore.  Boggs signed with the Yanks for three years.
He stated that he wanted to stay in the AL East.  

-Mike
/mike@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu
From: jeff@smoggy.gg.caltech.edu (Jeff Goldsmith)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: SOLUTION TO DH CONTROVERSY?
Date: 18 Dec 1992 05:12:31 GMT
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
Distribution: all
NNTP-Posting-Host: smoggy.gg.caltech.edu

In <1gqv5gINNb5f@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> bz832@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Wesley R. Kemmerlin) writes:


>The pitcher must be in the batting order, but there can be a DH
>for another position player.

Blech.  Who'd you rather see hit, Spike Owen or Melido Perez?
Personally, being a strat-o-matic fan, I love the DH.  I like
having guys like Don Baylor and Kal Daniels (hint, hint) around
for an extra couple of years.  I also like having that extra
bat in the lineup to juice up an offense.  On the other hand,
with the DH rule comes Dave Kingman, so it can't be all that 
good.

Just a novel thought on the subject: One of the most interesting
evolving strategies in baseball right now is the role of the
bullpen.  The DH rule abetted that, I think, by leaving the 
decision on when to change pitchers a decision dealing with 
pitching rather than hitting.  The strategy hasn't worked itself
out yet (in 20 years,) and I think it is fascinating to watch.

Truly, of course, the "how long does your pitcher go" question 
has been evolving since 1860, but with the rise of the glamor
position of closer, and now the secondary role of "set-up man,"
I think we are seeing that phase of the evolution that most
affects players careers and the whole scouting and player evalution
system.  Would anyone say in 1910, "the kid's got a good arm,
but he tires, so maybe he'd be a useful relief pitcher.  Does he
have the guts to close?"  No, they'd've said, "He's too weak to 
pitch in the majors. Wait until he grows some."
				--Jeff
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: tedward@cs.cornell.edu (Edward [Ted] Fischer)
Subject: Re: Myers and Dawson
Organization: Cornell Univ. CS Dept, Ithaca NY 14853
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 18:31:55 GMT

In article <1992Dec10.234040.11783@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu> dpc@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu (Dan Campbell) writes:
>
>	Actually, according to an Atlanta Journal article a couple of weeks
>ago, the Braves are claiming that if they had drawn 2.5 million last year, and
>had not made the post-season, they would not have broken even.

The Braves practice creative accounting.  The team sells the games to
TBS very cheaply, allowing the Braves to take small losses each year.
TBS sells the advertising time, and makes a bundle.

Ted Turner makes a little more money than he would have otherwise,
because of favorable tax laws.  And he gets the good PR generated by
his claim that he's losing money on the Braves.

I don't hold it against him.  I would probably do the same.  But I'm
not about to feel sorry for him either.

-Valentine
From: kbos@lacerta.unm.edu (K. Mitchell Bose)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Yet Another Ex-Jay
Date: 13 Dec 92 11:34:41 GMT
Organization: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

In article <guest.724183572@sili.isgs.uiuc.edu> guest@sili (Rockin' Robyn) writes:
>cazabon@csd.uwo.ca (Yvan Cazabon) writes:
>
>>Candy Maldonado signed a $3 million, 2 year contract with the Chicago Cubs.
>
>     And Cubs fans have to look long and hard at the competitive outfield
>     they are going to trot out there on an everyday basis, with May(lf),
>     Sosa(cf), and Maldanado(rf).  Where's the leadoff hitter here?
>       
>     Dunston(ss) haha, Sandberg, Grace, Maldanado, Buechele, Sosa, 
>                       Wilkins, May, and pitcher's spot.
>
>     This lineup really doesn't flow together well.  With an infield as solid
>     as the Cubs, you'd figure offense would be no team problem no matter who
>     patrolled the green grass near the bleachers.  I was hoping for Sierra.
>     I got Maldanado (albeit cheaply).  Nuff said.......,

Wanna hear something *really* funny?  Running the lineup through the lineup
toy gives the leadoff spot to...

Steve Buechele.

With Candy in the #2 hole.

No kidding; this offense is anemic.

Buechele  3B
Maldonado RF
Grace     1B
Sandberg  2B
Wilkins    C
May       LF
Dunston   SS
Sosa      CF
Pitcher    P

Even then, with this being the "best" lineup the Cubbies could field (based on
1993 STATS predictions), the Cubs would be lucky to clear 600 runs scored.
(Of course, that's tough to do when only two or three of your players will get
on base at the league average...)


-- 
Kurt Bose (as in Daisy, not Rose) * kbos@carina.unm.edu * Walks: not that sexy.
"Halt!  Based on conclusive dental evidence that truly bites, I arrest you 
 hereby for the murdering of the dead Belzic Tascar.  I am obliged to warn you 
 that my weapons are registered as offensive fronds!!"- R.M.Allen, "Monkey See"
From: chuq@Apple.COM (Eeyore's Evil Twin)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Minor league Encyclopedia
Date: 19 Dec 92 06:59:20 GMT
Organization: Pooh Corner Country Club -- A Planned Community

a0s5109@titan.ucc.umass.edu (John Norcott) writes:

>I ordered Baseball America's Minor League Encyclopedia in November and 
>haven't received it yet.  Has anyone ordered it AND received it yet???

Nope. But then, this is Baseball America, and I assumed since they said
December, they meant mid-january.

-- 
            Chuq "IMHO" Von Rospach, ESD Support & Training (DAL/AUX)
                      Member, SFWA =+= Editor, OtherRealms
                chuq@apple.com | GEnie: MAC.BIGOT | ALink:CHUQ 

                       Sterling Holloway: We'll miss you.
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: niepornt@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (David Marc Nieporent)
Subject: Re: Magadan with the Marlins?
Originator: news@nimaster
Organization: Princeton University
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 05:23:32 GMT

In article <92344.182035JPIERCE@MIAMIU.BITNET> Jeff Pierce <JPIERCE@MIAMIU.BITNET> writes:
>Anyone know the details on Magadan's minor league contract with Florida?
>I was hoping that the Mets would have a chance to resign him, but I did
>not expect to see him signed to a minor league contract with one of the
>expansion teams.

>I keep opening the paper hoping that Coleman has been traded.  Doesn't
>Detroit need some speed in their line-up?

I assume this was a rhetorical question, and so this isn't a flame at
Jeff, but it brought up one of my current pet peeves.

Every mediot in the country is talking about that -- about how Detroit
has a one dimensional offense and needs to add more to it if they want
to win, especially speed.

After all, the fact that the Tigers have lead the league in runs the
last few years is irrelevant, right?  The fact that they've been at the
bottom of the league in ERA couldn't have anything to do with their
record, could it?

To paraphrase one of our most famous philosophers,
"What do you need to have to become a mediot, a driver's license?"
-- 
David M. Nieporent   | Is it too early to start making predictions for 1993?
niepornt@phoenix.    | Probably, but that never stopped me before.
   princeton.edu     | ALE: Baltimore ALW: Chicago NLE: Montreal NLW: Atlanta
Baltimore Orioles 93 | AL MVP: Cal Ripken  AL Cy Young: Mike Mussina
From: roger@crux.Princeton.EDU (Roger Lustig)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Mattingly discussion, take 2.
Date: 17 Dec 92 16:19:22 GMT
Reply-To: roger@astro.princeton.edu (Roger Lustig)
Organization: Princeton University
Originator: news@nimaster

In article <1992Dec17.055227.4101@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu> akamholz@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu (Andrew E Kamholz) writes:
>I first became interested in baseball in the off-season between 87 and 88,
>when Mattingly was coming off the last of this great years. He immediately
>became my favorite player and still is despite his lean years.
>One thing to remember: He has one the gold glove seven of his eight years
>and the record for gold gloves by a first baseman is 8, held by George
>Scott. Mattingly should break that record soon.

Is that fair to all the better first-basemen?  Gold gloves are generally
awarded by reflex...

>Despite his degrade in offense, he is still a great firstbaseman with a
>strong presence on the field and in the clubhouse.

So let him coach!  8-)

>I say bat him third. With Williams and Boggs batting ahead of him, he is
>going to have a lot more runners on base than he's had in the last few years.

Will he make fewer outs because of that?   This is the problem, after
all; and making outs with men on is no better than making outs with the
bases empty.  I say bat him sixth, and get someone who gets on more
often to hit third.  

>Agreed, though, it's nice to see somebody in New York to have the balls to
>criticize Mattingly.

On the radio, no less!

Roger
>
>
From: rsmith@strobe.ATC.Olivetti.Com (Russ Smith)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Bonds rejects Yankee offer..
Date: 17 Dec 92 22:02:34 GMT
Organization: Olivetti ATC; Cupertino CA, USA

In article <1992Dec17.134701.1@us.oracle.com> kcastro@us.oracle.com writes:
>Interestingly, he has never before worn 25.  I haven't talked to him, but I
>think he's wearing it now as a PR thing, rather than because he wants to honor
>his father.  It would have looked a little odd, after all the brouhaha about

I think he wore 25 in high school basketball. He was a year ahead of me
in highschool in the Bay Area, and I saw him play hoops in a tournament
i was in and I am pretty sure he was wearing his dads number. He was pretty
good in basketball, great leaper, but not much of a shot back then.



>BTW, Serra High School has been pretty much a hotbed of major league talent.
>Gregg Jefferies and Scott Chiamparino (if you could call him talent) (or major
>league!) also went there, as well as the top pick in last year's HS draft,
>whose name escapes me at the moment.  There are also something like a billion
>(or maybe just a dozen) ex-Serra players in the minors.

I think the guy you were thinking of is Dan Serafini a LHP. I think the
Giants took him but I am not positive. Saw Jefferies in highschool too,
he was a jerk back then, but then his dad was a major jerk and that
was his problem I assumed.




Russ Smith
*******************************************************************************
"Chapeau means hat, oeuf means egg, its as if those French have a different 
word for everything!" 
                                        Steve Martin
********************************************************************************




Organization: Freshman, IM - Graphic Communications, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 21:29:20 -0500 
From: Josh S Linder <jl6p+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: McGee for LaValliere

Has the trade been completed and confirmed.  I go to school in
Pittsburgh, but since we do not have a newspaper (with both on strike),
I have no idea if it was completed.  Clari.Sport.Baseball has nothing to
say on the subject...

/josh

Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: niepornt@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (David Marc Nieporent)
Subject: Re: All-Time Twins (worst)
Originator: news@nimaster
Organization: Princeton University
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1992 23:56:04 GMT

In article <1992Dec10.132024.26786@hemlock.cray.com> rja@mahogany126.cray.com (Russ Anderson) writes:

>The All-Time Worst Twins:

>   starter                            others
>   -------                            -------
[lots deleted]

>RHS Terry Felton, Paul Thormosgard, Charlie Lea
>LHS David "Whiplash" West, Alan Anderson, Dan Fife, Curt Waddell
>RHR Ron Davis, Jack Savage
>LHR Steve "Nightline" Howe, Steve "should have retired" Carlton

How long did Shane Rawley play for the Twins, anyway?  Or even Roy
Smith?

-- 
David M. Nieporent   | Is it too early to start making predictions for 1993?
niepornt@phoenix.    | Probably, but that never stopped me before.
   princeton.edu     | ALE: Baltimore ALW: Chicago NLE: Montreal NLW: Atlanta
Baltimore Orioles 93 | AL MVP: Cal Ripken  AL Cy Young: Mike Mussina
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: hhenderson@vax.clarku.edu
Subject: RE: All-Henderson Team;All-Jewish Team
Organization: Clark University
Date: 15 DEC 92 12:34:11 GMT


Ted Frank writes:

>How about an all-Jewish team?
> 
>C: Moe Berg
>1B: Hank Greenberg
>2B: Rod Carew
>SS:
>3B:
>OF: John Lowenstein
>OF:
>OF:
>P: Sandy Koufax
>P: Steve Stone
>P: Ken Holtzmann
> 
>There have got to be others, that's just off the top of my head.

The latest issue of Elysian Fields Review (wonderful baseball magazine,
by the way) has a cover story on Jews and baseball -- playing it,
writing about it, etc.  They discuss Jewish players.  Unfortunately
a friend of mine has absconded with the magazine and I can't refer
to it...

How about Ron Blomberg?  I seem to recall he had the nickname of
"Superjew".  

I don't believe that John Lowenstein is Jewish.  Stop me if I'm
wrong.  I think I read that in one of Tom Boswell's Oriole pieces.

Heather
HHENDERSON@vax.clarku.edu
From: demers@cs.ucsd.edu (David DeMers)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: paul harrington or mark mcgwire: who's the liar?
Date: 11 Dec 92 17:54:32 GMT
Organization: CSE Dept., UC San Diego


In article <1992Dec11.012524.29314@athena.mit.edu>, cmk@athena.mit.edu (Charles M Kozierok) writes:

|> 
|> the newscaster also implied that plantier wanted to be traded.
|> *that*, i would like to know the truth of.
|> 

Well, he is a San Diego area native (Poway) & claims that coming home
to play for the Padres is a "dream come true".
-- 
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
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: kbos@carina.unm.edu (K. Mitchell Bose)
Subject: Re: Worrell to the Dodgers!!!!
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 92 08:17:46 GMT
Organization: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque
Distribution: na

In article <1992Dec12.014034.26071@panix.com> spira@panix.com (Greg "Sarcasm Is A Way Of Life" Spira) writes:
>In <1garkmINNe9i@caldera.usc.edu> dzappala@caldera.usc.edu (Daniel Zappala) writes:
>
>>The only way to develop a potentially great leadoff hitter is to leave him
>>there, not drop him to seventh.  When Offerman was moved to the top of the
>>lineup, he really took off.  I'm sure his stats were in a different world
>>when he was leading off.
>
>
>No, they were very much in the same world.
>
>	AVG	OBP	SLG
>Leadoff .265	.332	.343
>Overall	.260	.331	.333
>
>In other words, vurtually no change.
>
This is true.  If I remember correctly, the reports were not that Offerman's 
stats were better when he batted leadoff, but that Butler's were phenomenal.
I won't make any judgements about whether or not this means anything; I don't
think there's enough evidence either way...

>And I have no idea what makes you think he's a potentially great
>leadoff hitter.  It's possible he could be a decent one.  But I 
>wouldn't expect him to ever maintain an OBP over .370, and he is
>a menace to his own team on the basepaths.

Why do you think that?  Offerman walks fairly well...about 14% of his plate
appearances over his minor league career, and 11% in his year and a half in
the majors so far...he's a career .310 hitter in the minors, and hit .260 last
season as a 23 year old.  Why don't you think he can hit .285?  That would get
him to about .370...

As for him being a "menace" on the basepaths, I think that's a bit strong.  
I don't think he'll be much more than a break even stealer, but he'll be better
than, say, Harold Reynolds...

Overall, he's a decent leadoff hitter *now*.  Of course, one thing I have 
noticed is the decision of many people here to define "average" as "mediocre",
rather than "decent".  Offerman won't ever be the *best* leadoff man in the
NL, but I think a .290/.370/.370 season is at *least* "decent".  Offensively,
that's what he'll be doing in two or three years...

-- 
Kurt Bose (as in Daisy, not Rose) * kbos@carina.unm.edu * Walks: not that sexy.
"Halt!  Based on conclusive dental evidence that truly bites, I arrest you 
 hereby for the murdering of the dead Belzic Tascar.  I am obliged to warn you 
 that my weapons are registered as offensive fronds!!"- R.M.Allen, "Monkey See"
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball