HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: palmer2@vaxr.sscl.uwo.ca (The Econoclast)
Subject: Re: Question about baseball broadcasting..
Organization: Social Science Computing Laboratory
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1992 22:40:01 GMT

In article <ku3otkINN58f@saltillo.cs.utexas.edu>, colaluca@cs.utexas.edu (Mark Colaluca) writes:
> This is a bit off the current subject(s), but I'm curious to know if anyone 
> out there has experience about how most broadcasters get their starts in
> baseball broadcasting.  I'm talking about those that do this as a living,
> not just ex-jocks become color analysts.  Do they have to start in the minors
> as well? :)  I figure most have to do other things for the radio/TV stations
> they work for, since it's not a full-time job, but just curious as to how
> their careers go.  Do you think most have journalism or communications degrees?
> 
> (And would any A ball minor league club consider a die-hard fan and EE 
> student who thinks he'd make a good announcer?  :)

Many, if not most, of the major league radio play-by-play sportscasters had
several years' experience in AAA. I know several AA radio announcers, and
they all have the following in common:

1. They work as PR/sales/promotions directors for the teams. They sell
  the radio ads, the PA spots during the games, the program ads, the
  field billboards, etc. all as part of a package.
2. They have considerable experience in college/university/amateur
  sports. They know sports well, they know announcing and journalism
  well, and they have or developed good voices. 
3. They're eagerly awaiting expansion with the hope they will be able
  to move up.

> One can can dream, can't he? 

	Yes. I was doing just that a year ago -- dreaming. I do none
of the above, and I have none of these qualifications. But because of some
weird, chance encounters and some strange conditions in the local radio
market, I am now the "voice of the London Tigers". We did one game
last season, and we'll be broadcasting 15 home games this season. 

	The announcers for Albany, Harrisburg, and 
Hagerstown all travel with the team and broadcast all
140 games. And they have no colour announcers to spell them off during
road games -- they're on their own. One guy used the team bus driver
as a colour caster just to get a break now and then. 

	For television, people usually must have considerable
journalism training and/or experience, and must be able to cover many
different sports. The person who does tv here is the sportsperson for
all sports on the local station, covering hockey, baseball, football,
etc. They do about 9 baseball games each season (Mickey Lolich has
been the colour caster during the past three years).
-- 
  Regards,

  John Palmer      London, Ontario     Voice: (519) 661-3533     FAX: 672-4976
  reply to palmer2@vaxr.sscl.uwo.ca    The Economics Institute for Journalists
  ============================================================================
  Enjoying this visit to Fantasy Island
From: psg+@pitt.edu (Paul S Galvanek)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: I Told You Bonilla Was Worth the Money
Keywords: Seriously:  A Truly Different Mets' Team
Date: 7 Apr 92 15:25:30 GMT
Article-I.D.: blue.1244
Organization: University of Pittsburgh

In article <1992Apr7.135124.26463@porthos.cc.bellcore.com> dick1@hera.uucp (25436-vaughn) writes:
>Well, yeah, Bobby Bo's debut last night was pretty spectacular
>(He's way ahead of both Ruth's and Maris' home run pace),
>but the larger point with the Mets in 1992 is that this is
>a team with a re-cast personality.

Don't get to excited Mr. V.  Last night's homers were visually impressive but,
know that Bonilla has traditionally hit well at Busch Stadium ( Jim Rooker
said last night that the majority of Bonilla's career hrs were hit in either
Busch or Wrigley field), he usually starts off strong in April showing lots
of power and then slumps come early summer, and last but not least my sister
could have taken the hanging curve ball Deleon served him and driven just as
far.

So trust me when I tell you that Bobby will let Mets fans down many times before
the season ends...

...I know this because a. he won't beable play the whole season at Busch with
it's now shorter fences. b. as the season progress the "good pitchers" will 
never throw him those types of pitches when they have two strikes on him.  c.
Because he plays for the Mets.

PSG.
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: laoo@next06cville.wam.umd.edu (The MAN..The Myth..The Legend!)
Subject: orioles record?
Organization: Workstations at Maryland, University of Maryland, College Park
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 14:01:58 GMT


Do anyone know what the orioles record is so far?
From: CAVGEOE@YaleVM.YCC.Yale.Edu
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Playoffs (was: Re: Expos)
Date: 10 Apr 92 19:08:46 GMT
Organization: Yale University

In article <1992Apr10.035849.16471@newshub.ariel.yorku.ca>
cs902159@ariel.yorku.ca (DAVID A LISOGURSKI) writes:
 
>
>Also, am I the only one that thinks the MLB playoff format sucks?
 
Of course not.  The pre-1969 format is definitely preferable.
 
>It's nuts that all but 4 teams are playing 162 games for nothing!
 
Exactly.  Only 2 teams should make the postseason.  It's a joke that
a team with less runs scored than runs allowed (see 1984 Royals) can
make the playoffs.  If the teams in a CS are not evenly matched, either
the series is a bore or injustice is done to the superior team.  If the
teams are evenly matched, the excitement of a pennant race between the
two best teams in the league (the greatest casualty of the division
format) more than compensates for the lack of a playoff series.
 
>If one team gets off to a good start, the other 5 or 6 teams in the
>division have to play the rest of the season knowing it's for nothing.
 
Looks like somebody forgot to tell this to the 1951 Giants, the 1978
Yankees, and the 1991 Braves.  Teams that think the way you do are the
teams that don't get in the pennant race.  What other sport has *regular
seasons* that go down in history like those three in baseball?  Do you
believe the hype TBS is now spewing about a *race* for the final playoff
spot between the Hawks and the Heat?  It's a joke, and baseball's races
will become jokes if they're for a wild-card spot or second place instead
of a *championship*.
 
>There's GOT to be a 'happy medium' somewhere between the hockey playoff
>format and the MLB one.
>
>I figure if they had the top 2 teams in each division play a best-of-5
>series, the owners would make more money, and the fans would have some
>exciting 'ball to watch late in the season.
 
What makes baseball's playoff system so great is that only *champions*
of something (division, league) make the playoffs.  What if two teams
in a division are tied with two weeks to go, and everyone else is
eliminated -- then your format has *ruined* a potentially great pennant
race.  Oh, I forgot, they'll be playing for *home-field advantage*, the
biggest of the many artificialities in sports like football, basketball
and hockey.  "Exciting 'ball" to me is important games at the end of the
regular season, not a playoff where the teams' previous records are thrown
out the window.  I can't believe I'm deigning to respond to the money
argument, but:  if you want more money, why not lengthen the season to
200 games and have 24 teams make the playoffs -- the top 8 will get byes,
the other 16 will play the first round for spots in the octofinals, and
as teams get eliminated they report to spring training!  Money isn't
everything.
 
Jeff Caveney
 
>--Dave
>
From: jwc@netxcom.netx.com (Jeff Comer)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Cal Ripken & Money
Date: 6 Apr 92 17:28:07 GMT
Organization: NetExpress Inc., Vienna, VA, USA

sasrns@cossack.unx.sas.com (Neal Smith) writes:
>  So is Cal going to finally go for the bucks at the end of the year?
>Is he going to end up leaving Baltimore?

This is the $8 Million Dollar Question in Baltimore these days. The feeling
is that if Cal even puts up moderate numbers this year, what with becoming
a free agent, he could ask for and probably get $7 to $8 million. The real
question is, from whom? A career year would quite likely put him in the top
five, maybe even #1. He may be the first to break $8M.

What does seem certain is that owner Eli Jacobs (of "Oriole Park" fame) will
drag his heels all year, leaving Cal unsigned until after the season. Jacobs
might even try to sell the team to defer the decision to the next owners. If
Jacobs is forced to make a decision, I think it will be ugly. After all, he
had the chance to offer something this year, extend the contract, make life 
sweeter for Cal, and postpone the decision for a few more years. Yet so far,
nothing. He may be waiting for Ripken to slump, and then make an offer for a
paltry $4M/year for 4 years. He may be waiting for an opportunity to *trade*
Cal, but few teams could trade for him. Jacobs may even be planning to offer
a $5M contract with a straight face, who knows? Remember, this is the guy
who forced Maryland taxpayers to cough up $100M for his new playpen.

A distinct possibility is that Cal will not (and I take a DEEEEEP breath as I
say this) be in an Orioles uniform next year. If the Mets or the Dodgers or
the Sox offer $8M without hesitation, he's history. I just don't see Jacobs
matching that kind of money. There is something to be said for spending $2M
to $3M on several players vs $8M on just one; the O's could fill some pretty
big holes at 2nd and in their rotation. But to get rid of Cal? He's the #1
reason many folks fill the stands. He generates probably $10M in gate alone
each year.  If Cal leaves, it will transfer the Curse of the Bambino to 
Baltimore. 

Cal does have pretty firm roots in Maryland, with all his family being nearby,
but $8M goes a long way. Personally, I hope he stays, but he has made it
known that he wants to get back to the Series. Bal'm're does have an outside
longshot at contending this year if their pitching holds up and their offense
doesn't fall asleep (gee, who wouldn't?!); they've shown some flashes of
brilliance this spring, and they can at least finish in the first division.
But if they finish with 67 wins and an MVP/GG shortstop, it's bye-bye Cal. q:-(

>Neal Smith
>O's fan for life!  Heck, I even had O's pajamas when I was a kid!
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 Amen. O's #2 (behind Toronto) or #1 this year!

-- 
Jeffrey W Comer   jwc@netex.netx.com   703-749-2369 (v)  703-749-2375 (fax)
"Life is too short for 'classic rock'."
Cal Ripken's first AB: TODAY!
Cal Ripken's first HR: TODAY!
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: gerry@macadam.mpce.mq.edu.au (Gerry Myerson)
Subject: Re: Subjective trivia question
Organization: ceNTRe for Number Theory Research
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 92 23:35:21 GMT

In article <204705@unix.cis.pitt.edu>, dtate@unix.cis.pitt.edu (David M Tate) writes:
> In article <1992Apr10.060033.16657@watserv1.waterloo.edu> mwdwhite@watnow.waterloo.edu (Martin White) writes:
> >>>Who would be your pick as the best offensive player to never lead the league
> >>>in any major offensive category?  
> >How about Yogi Berra?
> He's the one I had in mind.  Hard to find anyone better, in either peak
> value or career value, who never led in anything at all...

I'll give you career value, but Bill James argues that Mickey Cochrane had 
higher peak value, and I think you'll find he qualifies. 

>           David M. Tate            |"The man who hath no music in himself
>      dtate@unix.cis.pitt.edu       | Nor is not moved by concord of sweet sound
>   A poem should be dumb, / As old  | Is fit for treason, stratagems, and spoils
>  medallions to the thumb.-MacLeish | 	Shakespeare, "Merchant of Venice", A.V

Gerry Myerson

Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: roger@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Roger Lustig)
Subject: Re: Rickey Henderson v Nolan Ryan -- Stat-head call to arms!
Originator: news@ernie.Princeton.EDU
Organization: Princeton University
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 23:15:44 GMT

In article <167CBDA0F.X005CB@tamvm1.tamu.edu>
 X005CB@tamvm1.tamu.edu (Chris Barnes) writes:
>In article <204975@unix.cis.pitt.edu>
>     dtate@unix.cis.pitt.edu (David M Tate) writes:

>>>Ryan causes a lot less problems than Rickey for his teams.

>>He also causes noticably fewer wins.

>   And I'm sure that if Rickey had played for the Astros with
>the kind of support that Ryan got from them, he would have been
>on the losing side too....

Losing side of what?  I think they'd have won about 5 more games a year
with Henderson than with an average LF.  Support is irrelevant; it would
have been there either way.

>   And it wasn't just the Astros; Ryan has been plagued with
>playing for teams that couldn't produce support for him.

Really?  I know he played for weak-hitting teams, but other pitcher on
his teams often had better records.  I find it hard to believe that 15
years of Angel and Astro lineups just folded every fifth day.  Can you
back this up?

(Note: the 1987 ERA title and 8-16 W/L is *not* evidence for this.  That
happened because the Astro brass had dictated a pitch count for old,
frail Nolan -- and then didn't have a bullpen to back him up.)

Roger

Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: golchowy@alchemy.chem.utoronto.ca (Gerald Olchowy)
Subject: Re: MLB playoff format sucks? NOT! (was Re: Expos)
Organization: University of Toronto Chemistry Department
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 05:27:04 GMT

In article <1992Apr13.130047.26326@bcrka451.bnr.ca> jimdean@bnr.ca writes:
>
>Well, I have to agree that the hockey playoff scenario is horrible.
>But one thing I like about the MLB is that you finish first or you
>finish nowhere. Life may not be fair, but I think that is.  Look what
>happens in hockey, where the regular season is truly meaningless, and
>the playoffs are even called "the second season".  What's the point of
>the first season?  Hockey fans (including myself) are nuts for putting
>up with it.
>

The better team almost always wins a seven-game series in hockey, so 
the large number of teams that makes the playoffs is really just to
maintain fan interest and full houses during the regular season...
and has very little effect on the ultimate winner.

In baseball, the outcome of a seven game series really is determined
by who is hot and not who is better, so it would be unfair to 
division winners to expand the playoffs...since the baseball season
would then truly be meaningless.

In hockey the season really isn't meaningless, since the good teams
use the season to develop talent, work on their systems, and prepare
for the playoffs.  The first "season" is necessary preparation for
success in the "second" season.  The advantages of hockey's system
are that a rebuilding season need not be a wasted season...ex.
this years Edmonton Oilers who reloaded with a bunch of young
players...at the beginning of the season they were one of the
worst teams in the league, by the end, they had developed into
one of the better teams in the league, climbing from fifth
place in their division early in the season to a win from 2nd
place by the end, compiling the 3rd best record in the second
half, after being among the worst third during the first half.
Also, a good team can recover from a crucial injury.      

The difference between hockey and baseball is that baseball
really involves little or no team play, whereas hockey involves
a lot of team play for which the regular season serves to 
develop and fine-tune this aspect of the game.

Hockey really needs two seasons, a development season and
a playoff season...if a fan really understands that the
regular season is a development season, than one really
isn't cheated.  Aside from being the most exciting spectator
sport, the advantage hockey has is that hockey playoffs are
the least prone to upsets or to random fluctuations in
performance, and random fluctuations in performance 
inevitably determine World Series Champions, and almost
never determine Stanley Cup Champions


Gerald
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: cscdc@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu (Dan Carpenter)
Subject: Re: Galaraga - Gone (5-6wks)
Organization: Educational Computing Network
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 18:04:15 GMT

In article <1992Apr8.175926.16223@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu> cscdc@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu (Dan Carpenter) writes:
>In article <53810@olivea.atc.olivetti.com> rsmith@strobe.ATC.Olivetti.Com (Russ Smith) writes:
>>In article <1992Apr8.024808.4905@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu> cscdc@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu (Dan Carpenter) writes:
>>>SportsLine:
>>>Andres Galaraga out for five to six weeks with a broken bone in the
>>>Right hand.
>>>Yesterday Oquendo goes down for 5 to 6 weeks for a partially separated
>>>right shoulder.  4 weeks of it is time before throwing.
>>
>>Time to play GM, Felix Jose went on the 15 day DL yesterday, and of course
>>Geronimo Pena is out a few months with the broken collarbone. I guess Tim
>>Jones and Alicea get 2b by default, but what about 1b, LF and Rf? Perry
>>replaced Andres last night, but I'm not too high on him. I'd move Pedro
>>back to 1b, keep Thompson in Lf and call up Brian Jordan and give him LF
>>for short run so you can get a close look at him against major league 
>>pitching. jordan is very mad at St. Louis for not paying him major league
>>money, and is talking about quitting baseball if he stays with the Card
>>organization(I'm sure he's just getting leverage). Why not give him a crack
>>for a short time? HE can't be much worse than Gilkey or Hudler, and if he's
>>really the prospect they keep telling us, he might just play well enough to
>>convince himself the future in baseball is better than in football.
>
>The way I read it in the paper this AM, Pedro at 1B, Jordan in LF, and
>Osborn joins the pitching staff.   At this point Tim Jones is a much
>better hitter than Alicea off the bench.  With*out*   the 1990 season, the same
>could be said of Thompson vs. Jordan (although I know nothing of
>Jordan).  Thompson probably is more veratile at any of the OF positions
>especially at Busch.  
>
>I saw the list of pay checks for Cardinal players, and some of the
>starters don't even make $500,000.00, some are lucky at this point if
>they make $250,000.00 and Jordan is now in the majors only because of
>injuries,  Paddle his ass and send the baby home.
>
>>
>>2 games in and we already lost 3 starters and 2 of our so called "power
>>hitters"!
>>
>
>Let's lose our players now IF we must while the race is close;  By
>September we could be in the thick of a pennant race and other teams
>start losing theirs.   :-))   It would just break my heart.  NOT!
>
>>
>>
>>Russ Smith
>>*******************************************************************************
>>"If this were at all legible, you would see what I'm talking about"
>>
>>                            Chevy Chase in Fletch 
>>******************************************************************************
>
>Dan ,   Cardinal Red 'til I'm dead.
>
>
From: kuras@aidev.enet.dec.com (Joe Kuras)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Say it ain't so!
Date: 7 Apr 92 15:03:08 GMT
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation


In article <10010558@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM>, rcodo@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Rob Codo) writes...
> 
> The players were complaining about the backdrop not being dark enough to   
> see the ball well enough.

Have the Denver Zephyrs or their opponents ever complained about the back-
drop?  Or is it a different backdrop from years past?

> Go Chi-Sox!!! Watch out for the Rockies in 1992 :-)  (At least the
> uniforms should be cool looking.

Who will be wearing Rockies' uniforms in '92?  Their farm teams??
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: kbos@carina.unm.edu (Kurt M. Bose)
Subject: Re: Least Valuable Players (career)
Date: Sun, 12 Apr 92 09:12:25 GMT
Organization: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

In article <1992Apr12.085501.13098@ramsey.cs.laurentian.ca> 91287041@ramsey.cs.laurentian.ca ( ) writes:
>In <Apr.12.00.07.40.1992.14510@pilot.njin.net> gajarsky@pilot.njin.net (Bob Gajarsky) writes:
>
>>umm - that's blatantly wrong.  first off, in the new york area
>> are - 1) the new york time.  the most widely read paper in the u.s.,
>> if not the world.
>> 2) the new york daily news
>> 3) the new york post 
>> 4) long island newsday, published daily in new york city.
>> 5) the bergen county daily record, with (i believe) a sunday
>> circulation in excess of 500,000.
>
>>not saying it's good or bad, but what you're saying there is wrong.
>
>Toronto's population is 2 million.  What's New York's? 10?
>The NY times is also available in TO.  Toronto puts out more
>newspapers per capita than any city in North America...in other words
>Toronto has the most competitive newspaper market in North America...
>
Gee, by that logic, Albuquerque must be a hell of a lot more competitive
than Toronto.  We have 500,000 people and two newspapers.

One comment about Albuquerque not being a 'major' city and I'll 
REALLY give you something to cry about.



I'll make you play Fettucine at ALL positions all 162 games. :)


-- 
| KWACK!                  "Damn tree-hugging-chin-spinach-lettuce-eaters
| Kbos@carina.unm.edu       already have their blue dots; what the hell
| Kurt M. Bose UNM           do they want NOW!?!?!?!?"
| Albuquerque, New Mexico                        -The Grand Platypus
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: dxf12@po.CWRU.Edu (Douglas Fowler)
Subject: Foreign objects on the field
Reply-To: dxf12@po.CWRU.Edu (Douglas Fowler)
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 92 21:14:23 GMT


     People have been throwing toilet paper on teh field at Cleveland.  Why
do youbring that to the ballpark?  Or do people get it from the restrooms?
     What's the goofiest thing you've seen people throw onto a baseball
diamond?  I remember seeing about 10,000 yellow seat cushions come out on
a nationally televised (I think it was ESPN) game last year, but don't recall
which park it was.
-- 
Doug Fowler: dxf12@po.CWRU.edu      :    "Every baby born into the world is
Real home: Canton, Ohio             :  finer than the last."--Charles Dickens
 Trying to follow in the path of our :     "A baby is an inestimable
Lord;anything close will be a success:  blessing and bother."--Mark Twain
From: skitchen@pica.army.mil (D. Scott Kitchen (CCAC) <skitchen>)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Elster to DL?????
Date: 14 Apr 92 04:00:49 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: U.S. Army ARDEC, Dover NJ

In article <1992Apr13.160113.19920@eng.umd.edu> golob@eng.umd.edu (Laurence Golob) writes:
>Does anybody know the Mets plans concerning Kevin Elster?  The
>addition of Schofield coupled with Kevin's weak throw yesterday,
>(attempting to turn a quick double play off of a bunt) indicates to me
>that he is headed for the DL. Is Pecota headed to short (how is he
>defensively), Magadan back to third and Schofield to a back-up roll,
>or will they be content to give up some hits for a better glove?

Well, I wish I could say I knew what was going to happen to Elster
(he's on one of my rotisserie teams, so I have a bit of a stake in
his future :), but I honestly don't know.  Tonight, Schofield
started for the Mets after arriving only 20 minutes before game
time.  And Pecota started at third, so it looks like they're going
with defense until the bats heat some.


-- 
Scott Kitchen           | GM, Kitchen Sinkers       | ICBM: 40.88 N|
skitchen@pilot.njin.net | GM, Picatinny Mad Bombers |       74.56 W|
--------------------------------------------------------------------     
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