HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: tomscud@owlnet.rice.edu (Thomas Reid Scudder)
Subject: Re: Reasonably priced good team
Organization: Rice University
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 02:48:50 GMT

In article <3970@blue.cis.pitt.edu.UUCP> dtate+@pitt.edu (David M Tate) writes:
>In article <1992Jul29.213254.23833@leland.Stanford.EDU> bohnert@leland.Stanford.EDU (matthew bohnert) writes:
>>In an aside to the common practice of assembling (usually) high-priced
>>`Dream Teams', my friend Juan and I today went about the task of
>>creating what we thought was a pretty good team of reasonably priced
>>players.  
>
>This is really very similar to trying to pick an expansion roster.  The
>overlap between "cheap" players and "unprotected" players is quite large.
>
>Let me take a stab at two "cheap" rosters that might be competitive:
>
>		NL					AL
>
>	Don Slaught		C		B. J. Surhoff
>	Ben Shelton		1B		Randy Milligan
>	Jose Oquendo		2B		Scott Fletcher
>	Dave Hollins		3B		Randy Ready
        ^^^^^^^^^^^^
>	Jeff Blauser		SS		Craig Grebeck
>	Keith Mitchell		LF		Tony Phillips
>	Steve Finley		CF		Bernie Williams
>	Matt Stairs		RF		Warren Newson
>
>For the pitchers, just pick the top 5 cheapies on Steve Smith's "unluckiest"
>list that have below-average park-adjusted ERAs.
>

If you're willing to raise your budget a bit, Ken Caminiti would make a good 
"cheap" third baseman.  I believe that he's making about the same as Finley is,
and while I doubt that he is really a .320 hitter, any reasonable amount of
offense would be offset by the fact that he's a hell of a defensive player
(now watch some idiot come out with his errors stat for the past few years).
Of course, he's coming up to his free agency RSN, so he won't be "cheap" for
long.

Tom Scudder (silently suffering Astros fan)
tomscud@owlnet.rice.edu


Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: rlm7638@tamsun.tamu.edu (Jack McKinney)
Subject: Re: GMaddux to Test Free Agency Waters
Organization: Texas A&M University, College Station
Date: Sun, 26 Jul 1992 15:50:16 GMT

claudius@leland.Stanford.EDU (Nelson Lu) writes:
>
>What is wrong with offering a below-average offensive RF who is 38 years old
>a 1-year contract?  Offering that contract at all, I suppose...
>

      For a below average offensive RF, he has the most RBI's of anyone on the
team, with Ryno coming a close second (or is that the other way around--
I forget). As a defensive player, I've seen him make some outstanding plays
out there. I'd hate to hit a ball into C or R field-- he can cover both (and
has -- I've seen him steal several catches from CF Douggie Dascenzo).

+---------------------------------------------------+------------------------+
| "I'm walking home from school, and I'm watching   | Jack McKinney          |
|  some men builing a new house, and the guy ham-   | jmckinney@tamu.edu     |
|  mering on the roof calls me a paranoid little    +------------------------+
|  weirdo....                  in Morse code."      |       This space       |
|                       -Emo Philips                |        for rent        |
+---------------------------------------------------+------------------------+
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: rdetweil@hpbs1026.boi.hp.com (Richard Detweiler)
Subject: Re: Past World Series
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 19:02:19 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Boise Printer Division

>>>Any help is appreciated.  Especially if you have the last 10 Series.
>>
>>i'll try the last 10 off the top of my head....
>>
>>   ( A lot of list deleted... )
>1979: Pirates over Orioles 4-3    d8-(
>1978: Yanks over Dodgers 4-2?
>1977: Yanks over Dodgers 4-2?
>1976: Reds over Yanks 4-0
>1975: Reds over Red Sox 4-3
>1974: A's over Dodgers
>1973: A's over Mets
>1972: A's over Reds
>1971: Pirates over Orioles 4-3   d8-(
>1970: Orioles over Reds 4-1      d8-)
>1969: Mets over Orioles 4-1      d8-(    Did Swoboda really catch that ball?
>1968: Tigers over Cards
>1967: Cards over Red Sox
>1966: Orioles over Dodgers 4-0   d8-)
>1965: Dodgers over Twins
>
>Enough!
>
>

Not quite:

1964: Cards over Yanks

NOW enough...
From: andrew.cmu.edu!al1x+@overmind.mind.org
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Buffalo
Date: 22 Jul 92 19:15:00 GMT
Organization: Junior, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
X-mailer: Stadel 3.4a-227
X-Spam-content: irrelevant

Kevin Young has his average up to .293 with 16 doubles 3 triples and 7 home
runs in 311 at bats.  No walk data.  Again, I think he must be on a pretty
long hot streak since I can remember his average in the .220's back in
May.  He may be a palatable solution at third base.

Al Martin seems to be tearing it up.  Is he a washed up over 30 keep the
record good career minor leaguer or is he a prospect?  Someone please look
that up.

I have found one chink in Garcia's armour.  He does not walk much. 276 BA
.311 OBA.  Certainly not Barry Bonds.

Jeff King has homered in consecutive games.  Damn.  Now they may have more
patience with him.
From: kirsch@epx.cis.umn.edu (Dave Nobody Kirsch)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Buffalo (Includes Red Sox rumor!)
Date: 24 Jul 92 22:29:02 GMT
Organization: Dominican Deities - Juan Guzman levitation branch

In article <1992Jul22.175521.5994@nntpd.lkg.dec.com> g_waugaman@nac.enet.dec.com (Glenn R. Waugaman) writes:
>
>At least a month ago a Dallas newspaper report claimed that Texas was 
>interested in Joe Hesketh, and were offering both Maurer *and* Monty
>Farris, but the Red Sox wanted a "more established" hitter, of the type 
>that is not currently getting the job done, apparently.  It's a deal I 
>would have made in a minute, but now Hesketh is struggling to make five 
>innings a start.

  Holy mother of God, what is Lou Gorman smoking? 

  Fariss and (especially) Maurer are good, young hitters. Fariss (24 this
year) projects to .265/.344/.420 in the STATS 1992 Major League Handbook.
Maurer (25 this year) projects to .283/.373/.517!!! Neither of these guys is
an especially young prospect, but they *are* both good all-around hitters. 
Maurer is reportedly quite good with the glove; Fariss has less of a glove 
reputation, but if you can find him a spot he'll be a good bit player *at the
very least*. 

  Considering Hesketh's sketchy injury history, I'd think you'd have to jump 
at a chance for two good young hitters, especially in the Red Sox' situation.
If Gorman's already given up on this season (which seems to be the case), I 
can understand his reasoning *to an extent*. However, Clemens and Viola are 
obviously the two pitchers around which you're going to build your staff for 
a while. Why not pick up two good young hitters for an injury-prone pitcher?

-- 
Dave Hung Like a Jim Acker Slider Kirsch       "Blue Jays all the way in '92"
kirsch@epx.cis.umn.edu                                      Jeff Kent for ROY
"Try new Fortenberry wine coolers, with a biting, bitter taste" - Noel Steere
Slanguage dictionary: maynard - "to insult with disdain and contempt" 
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: jfe@alchemy.tn.cornell.edu (Brian Chung)
Subject: Re: Another Jays Trade In Works
Organization: Alchemy International
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 14:26:01 GMT

In article <1992Jul31.132731.13144@bmerh85.bnr.ca> news@bmerh85.bnr.ca (Usenet News) writes:
>	Now that the Jays have acquired Mark Eichorn, this makes one of the 
>current Jays' releivers expendable.  In the Toronto Star this morning, Pat Gillick is quoted as saying that another deal is in the works for a left-handed 
>power-hitter and it will likely involve a Toronto releiver.  Now that Toronto
>has a capable setup man for Henke, look for the Jays to move either Ward or 
>Timlin.  What you think, guys/gals?
>
	Blah!  Capable setup man for Henke?  Are you talking about the same
Eichorn that the Jays traded away because he couldn't throw?  And hasn't
done much better since then?  Trading away Ward would be stupid.  He's
a lot better setup man than Eichorn.  And if Henke goes down...who's our
reliever?  I don't particularly care for Timlin, so if he goes, that's fine,
but I doubt the Jays will get a good power hitter for Timlin.


-- 
T. H. Brian Chung                      | IRC nick: Idaho
Internet: jfe@alchemy.tn.cornell.edu   | You can find me sitting at my desk
Bitnet: jfe@cornella                   | drinking Earl Grey tea.
DECnet: lns62::thc                     |
From: dkl@cs.arizona.edu (David K. Lowenthal)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: MLB Standings and Scores for Mon, Jul 27th, 1992
Date: 28 Jul 92 19:32:46 GMT
Organization: U of Arizona CS Dept, Tucson

In article <1992Jul28.162536.6999@cs.cornell.edu> tedward@cs.cornell.edu (Edward [Ted] Fischer) writes:
>Hah!  Their offense is only about average, and they need every bit of
>it to cover the runs Morris gives up.  Guzman is great, while Key and
>Wells are quality pitchers.  But the Jays have had serious problems
>finding #4 and #5 starters.

If Guzman is great, and Key and Wells are quality pitchers, and certainly
Morris wins, then they only need a number 5 starter, right?

>Morris is not going to win 20 games this year.  People say that
>Morris' ERA is deceptive.  I already addressed that question in a
>start-by-start analysis of this season.  He has gotten exceptional run
>support *and* has gotten very lucky.  I also analyzed his career
>through 1991, comparing his ERA, winning percentage, and the average
>offense of the teams he played for.  I found that they were
>essentially perfectly matched.  Over his career, Morris has not had
>more wins than you would expect from his ERA and the offenses behind
>him.  Therefore I expect that in the second half of *this* year, he
>will be a sub-.500 pitcher.
>-Valentine

I am going to remember that.  We will have to see.  You can say it is luck,
but the bottom line is, he won.  I would rather have someone like him
on my team who wins games than someone like Tim Belcher, who always 
posts good stats but always manages to give up one more run than the
his team scores that day (this is especially true this year).  Stats cannot
tell the whole story with pitchers.  Now, I have not studied any pitchers'
starts this year, but certainly there is something different about giving
up 3 runs when you are up by 7 as opposed to 3 runs in a close ballgame.
Also, if a team scores more runs for a pitcher, so be it.  I don't care
what the reason is, if you win, I am happy.  I realize you will say that
a pitcher can't control how many runs are scored when he pitches, etc., and
that is certainly true, but you have to take wins into consideration too.

--dave
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: magyar@hss.caltech.edu (Ted Turo'cy)
Subject: Re: More quiz questions
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 00:39:27 GMT


1.  How can a batter drive in 3 runs w/o hitting a fair ball?

Bases loaded, less than 2 out.  Batter flies/pops out into foul territory.
Fielder falls down or falls asleep or gawd only knows what.  All 3 runners
score (without an error being charged anywhere).  A nifty 3-run sac fly.

2.  Bases loaded, batter hits ball over CF fence, but no runs score.

Assume two are out.  If the runner on 2nd overtakes the runner on 3rd
before the runner on 3rd crosses the plate, the runner on 2nd is declared
out.  Since this is the third out, and it took place before the runner on
3rd crossed the plate, no runs count.

Ted Turo'cy
magyar@hss.caltech.edu

Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball,misc.forsale
From: tjs@earth.wustl.edu (tom sullivan)
Subject: Cardinals Tickets for Sale
Organization: Washington University, St. Louis MO
Distribution: wu
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 16:02:19 GMT


I have two tickets to two upcoming Cardinals games available. The 
tickets are for Section 348, Row 7, Seats 7 & 8. That's in the 
upper deck, behind home plate. The view of the game is excellent 
from this location. The tickets are $9.50 each ($19/game). The 
two games available are:

	Monday July 27th vs. the Expos at 7:35pm
	Wednesday August 5th vs. the Pirates at 12:35pm


Please let me know if you are interested. These are season tickets
that went unclaimed by members of our group.

tom

phone: 935-6173
email: tjs@earth.wustl.edu
From: jortiz@thomas.helios.nd.edu (The Candyman)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Noooooooooo!!!!!!
Date: 22 Jul 92 03:33:09 GMT
Reply-To: jortiz@thomas.helios.nd.edu (The Candyman)
Organization: University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame

Nooooooooooo!!!
The Braves traded the immortal Juan Berenguer for
Mark Davis'$$$ contract.  Apparently John Schuerholz
still believes in the 1989 N.L. Cy Young award
winner.  I don't.  Even though I'm not into stats,
the following tells me something:

year	W-L	ERA	SV
1990	2-7	5.11	 6  	Oooo!
1991	6-3	4.45	 1	Ughh!
1992	1-7	7.18 	 ?	Yikes!!

*Ouch*
  
Something else bugs me, and bugs me even more than
the stats:  his huge contract.  I know that the
Braves have a very low payroll, still, do they
have to honor his contract?  I know key players
are years from free agency, but shouldn't the 
management start planning (i.e. saving) for when 
the Tom Glavines, John Smoltzs and Ronnie Gants 
are eligible to file for free agency?

This is a big gamble for Shuerholz, the Braves
need to solidify a struggling bullpen, but it
seems counter-intuitive to do so with a struggling
pitcher.  I'll also miss El Generalissimo.

I'll keep my fingers crossed.  I first didn't like
the Berryhill-Bielecki trade either, now I love
it.  Strange things happen in baseball, lets hope
a stranger one happens now.


Go Braves!  Go Astros, Cleveland ... and every other
team that finished last last season!!!!!

		The Candyman  
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: ledzep@wam.umd.edu (John Henry Bonham)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Yankees..Whats UP?
Date: 27 Jul 92 18:28:12 GMT
Organization: University of Maryland, College Park

Well I'm a big Yankee fan down here near D.C. I just wanted to know what was going on. I've following them but can you all give me anything thats not in the box scores, like who is this Stankiewics? He's pretty damn good for someone i have heard of before!

Thanks
JOhn
ledzep@wam.umd.edu
From: ehlerswm@hackney.ecn.purdue.edu (William Mark Ehlers)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Where have all the flakes gone?
Date: 22 Jul 92 17:20:13 GMT
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network

In article <22597@oasys.dt.navy.mil> kiviat@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Brian Kiviat) writes:
>In rec.sport.baseball, U39730@uicvm.uic.edu (Norma Kateeb) writes:
>>Are there any modern day flakes left in baseball?
>>Okay fans--is there anyone today--be it player, manager, GM, umpire--
>>ANYONE who adds some life and fun to the game today?
>
>Rick Dempsey has done multiple interviews as Johny Oates. They both
>are about the same age/size/moustache etc. Some sports commentators
>have been fooled.
>
>Ben McDonald played for about a week with one Elvis/90210 sideburn on
>a dare from Brady Anderson.
>
>These are not as hysterical as Norm Cash going to the plate with a table
>leg batting against Nolan Ryan but, it is a start.
>
>-Brian

I have an idea.  Since people are wonder where all the flakes have gone
why don't we start a thread about our favorite 'flake' stories.  Whether
you actually saw them or just read about them.

From his book, Bob Ueker(?) tells about shagging fly balls in the 
outfield with a tuba....

Any story from Ron Luciano's books about umpiring are great.

etc, etc

What do you say ????

later,
			---Mark
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: 91287041@ramsey.cs.laurentian.ca (roger maynard)
Subject: Re: Value of Stats
Organization: Dept. of Computer Science, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON
Date: Sat, 25 Jul 1992 19:45:01 GMT

In <1992Jul25.164618.8657@panix.com> spira@panix.com (Greg Spira) writes:

>In article <1992Jul25.030944.22822@ramsey.cs.laurentian.ca> 91287041@ramsey.cs.laurentian.ca (roger maynard) writes:

>>Since Puckett and Bonds are relatively equal forces on their respective teams 
>>they make a good comparison.  Bonds has an edge in individual statistics.  Is
>>he a better player?  The ultimate measure of a player's worth is how much he
>>contributes to his team's quest for the WC.  Has Bonds contributed as much
>>as Puckett?  I think this is a tough call.  I don't think that statistics are
>>going to help too much in deciding this case.  The stats do tell us that they
>>are both elite players.  The stats can't tell us which is better because
>>the stats cannot give us a value - zero or otherwise - for their "intangible"
>>contributions.  
>>
>The problem in this case, of course, is that Puckett's individual statistics
>are much closer to Luis Salazar's individual statistics the last few years 
>than Barry Bonds' individual statistics (though, obviously, that won't be
>the case this year).  

>        RC27 '90    RC27 '91
>Puck      5.35        4.78
>Salaz     3.57        3.77
>Bonds     9.36        8.66

This is a typical example of how some people misuse statistics.

Puckett had 195 hits in '91.  This is more than Salazar's totals for
'90 and '91 combined.  Salazar hasn't even been an everyday player.  

How can you claim that Salazar's contribution to his team's performance 
is comparable to Puckett's?

rm

>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) 
-- 
roger maynard                    
91287041@ramsey.cs.laurentian.ca
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: llarson@ucselx.sdsu.edu (L.M.L)
Subject: Re: Jerald Clark, stinker or stud? (was: Padres mid-season)
Organization: San Diego State University Computing Services
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 08:23:41 GMT

demers@cs.ucsd.edu (David DeMers) writes:


>I disagree.  Stephenson will hit better, especially platooning.
>Ward is a great defensive LF and can probably out hit Clark too.
>Azocar stinks, though.

You gotta be kidding me!!!.  If Ward were such a great player both offensively 
and defensively, what take him so long to get to the Show? The guy is 30!!!
Ward owns the lowest b.a. on the Pads roster right now and hasn't done
anything off the bench lately.
Stephenson may be able to out hit Clark but can he run? If I remember it
correctly, he just had knee surgery last season.  
Azocar is doing much better than Ward: getting 5 hits in 13 abs and 
couple rbis.

>>unless the Pads make a trade
>>for a outfielder, which is not their number one concern,

>There's a strong likelihood of a trade, actually.  Benito will
>go

I agree, but is there anybody out there who will trade for him?
He's such a selfish player I doubt Padres will get any half decent
offers.
May be they should trade Hurst, everytime he had a bad outing, he
blamed the manager, and just about everyone around him except himself.

Since Deshaies is doing such a good job , Greg Harris and Eiland are
on the the way back into the rotation, the Padres may be able to afford
to dump Hurst, him huge salary and hime lousy attitude.


>too instead of letting him go on waivers - a lefty reliever with
>a 2.6 ERA should draw some interest.  But I digress... (again?!?)

>> Clark should be in the line up everyday.

>He probably will be, after his last two weeks, with a day off
>now and then against tough righthanders.


>-- 
>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: paul@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Paul R Krueger)
Subject: Not Again!!!
Originator: paul@csd4.csd.uwm.edu
Organization: Computing Services Division, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 22:51:04 GMT

For the second day in a row, that powerhouse club, the Cleveland
Indians have beat the Brewers. Leading 3-1 in the 6th, Eldred gave
up a bloop single, and a grounder through the right side of the infield
for a single before getting an out. A caught and then dropped fly ball by
Vaughn and a walk later, Eldred was gone with a 3-2 lead and the bases
full. Darren Holmes got somebody to pop up before giving up a two-run
single to Kenny Lofton on a 1-2 fastball. The final was 4-3.


Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball,rec.sport.baseball.fantasy
From: starg@cbnewsl.cb.att.com (tony.a.stargel)
Subject: JODY REED???
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 12:23:07 GMT


Can anyone shed some light on why Jody Reed has not been playing????
I haven't heard anything. And if it is an injury how serious
is it.

Thanks.

Tony Stargel

From: mjs@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Marc Sabatella)
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 16:26:18 GMT
Subject: Re: OPP.BA leaders (was Re: Clemens vs. Guzman)
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA
From: claudius@leland.stanford.edu (Nelson Lu)
Subject: RC/27 for 2Bs
Organization: DSG, Stanford University
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 92 17:44:00 GMT

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Ryne Sandberg, Chicago		6.55
Delino DeShields, Montreal	6.38
Craig Biggio, Houston		5.76
Robby Thompson, San Francisco	4.96
Mickey Morandini, Philadelphia	4.84
Luis Alicea, St. Louis		4.76
Bill Doran, Cincinnati		4.66
Willie Randolph, New York	4.08
Lenny Harris, Los Angeles	3.76
Kurt Stillwell, San Diego	3.43
Mark Lemke, Atlanta		2.94
Jose Lind, Pittsburgh		2.75

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Roberto Alomar, Toronto		7.76
Lou Whitaker, Detroit		7.68
Carlos Baerga, Cleveland	6.89
Chuck Knoblauch, Minnesota	6.49
Keith Miller, Kansas City	5.95
Mike Bordick, Oakland		5.62
Lance Blankenship, Oakland	5.56
Rene Gonzales, California	5.21
Scott Fletcher, Milwaukee	4.96
Jeff Huson, Texas		4.87
Jody Reed, Boston		4.32
Mark McLemore, Baltimore	3.76
Harold Reynolds, Seattle	3.72
Steve Sax, Chicago		3.53
Pat Kelly, New York		2.94
Billy Ripken, Baltimore		2.91
Jim Gantner, Milwaukee		2.78
Al Newman, Texas		2.60

===============================================================================
GO CALIFORNIA ANGELS!
Committee to Elect Johnny Ray as Angels Second Baseman
Committee to Elect Mike Witt as Angels Ace
Committee to Elect Cookie Rojas as Angels Manager
===============================================================================
Nelson Lu (claudius@leland.stanford.edu)
From: snichols@adobe.com (Sherri Nichols)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Value of Stats
Date: 24 Jul 92 22:24:33 GMT
Organization: Adobe Systems Incorporated

In article <1992Jul24.220155.17783@ramsey.cs.laurentian.ca> 91287041@ramsey.cs.laurentian.ca (roger maynard) writes:
>In <2178180@overmind.citadel> uiatma.atmos.uiuc.e!hbrooks@overmind.mind.org writes:
>
>>Are you saying it's impossible to tell whether Fred McGriff or Andres 
>>Galarraga is a better player?  Barry Bonds or Luis Salazar?  Edgar Martinez
>
>objectively yes it is impossible.  You can have your opinion and I can have
>mine.  In many cases those opinions are obviously going to be the same
>although the evidence we might use to substantiate those opinions could
              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>be radically different.

To me, that's the entire key.  All opinions are *not* equally valid.
You're perfectly entitled to hold the opinion that Luis Salazar is a more
valuable player than Barry Bonds, but if you want to have a prayer of
convincing anyone else of that, then you'd better bring some supporting
evidence along.  

If you just assert that Luis Salazar is a better player than Barry Bonds,
you're guaranteed to attract posts asking you what drugs you're on.  If you
say Luis Salazar is a better player *because* he's a nicer guy in the
clubhouse, you have to expect that someone's going to ask you how having
nicer guys in the clubhouse contributes to winning, and if Salazar is nice
enough to make up for the difference in performance on the field.  

Same thing is true for statistical arguments.  There's no double standard
here; if you claim that Luis Salazar is a better player because he hits
.500 with runners on first in Tuesday night games, and Bonds only hits
.167, then it should not surprise you when somebody asks you what batting
average with runners on first in Tuesday night games has to do with winning
baseball games.  

Sherri Nichols
snichols@adobe.com