OldHoss

HIJACK: This thread has made me wonder, who is the best pinch hitter or bench player of all time? If I'm building this "Super Team," and I put Babe Ruth in RF, my first instinct would be to put Aaron or F.Rob as his backup. But, assuming this is not just about compiling a list of the best players, but putting together a team to beat another "Super Team," I'm not sure that I want a guy who has been a starter for his entire career to be a pinch hitter and get one AB every game or two. I'm not saying that Aaron couldn't come off the bench as a pinch hitter and succeed. But he has no track record to give us an indication one way or another. Additionally, it may not be a great use of team finances to pay my RF back up almost as much as the starter (so what if I'm a tight-wad in my baseball fantasies?). So, back to the question, who is the best PH or bench player you can remember? The first that comes to my mind is Greg Gross. On those good Phillies teams of the late 70's and early 80's it seems like I remember him getting a hit every time he came up as a PH.

Best suit colors for interviews are navy, gray or charcoal. Get a white non-botton down collar and a subtle tie. Also make sure you wear good shoes. A new suit and a beat up pair of shoes looks worse than a beat up suit and a great pair of shoes. Shoes must have laces and no square toes. You can buy a nice pair of allen edmonds off of ebay for under $100. Match your belt (approximately) to your shoes. H&M, JCrew, and Banana Republic all make suits in that price range that will have modern cuts and won't make you look out of date. What you can get from Mens Warehouse, Kohl's, Jos A Bank and department stores for that price isn't going to look very good. You don't want pleats or cuffs on the suit pants. You can order a suit from these palces online. But if you order online, make sure you know your measurements. You can also go to the store in the mall and have them order it for you. Sometimes this will cut out the shipping cost. Last option is to head down to Chicago and hit Filene's basement or Nordstrom's rack. You should be able to get a very good suit (Hart Schaffner Marx, Hickey Freeman, etc.) for that price But get that suit ASAP because you'll need to get it to a tailor. Hopefully, you are fairly average sized. If so, your tailor will only need to take in the pants or let them out and hem. However, if you have the chest and neck of a NFL linebacker or the arms of a gorilla, you'll need extra help and that requires extra time for the tailor. Good luck with the interview! Oldhoss

Where do you plan on working/living in the future? If you think you'll be staying in Pennsylvania after you graduate, I don't think you'll suffer any negative consequences. If the person hiring you didn't go to Penn State, they know someone who did. There will be a whole bunch of you in the same boat. If you think you'll be looking elsewhere, how strong is the reputation of the program you will be undertaking? If it's a top 10 program, it doesn't matter about the other stuff. People hiring you within that field of study will be aware of Penn State's reputation and you should be insulated from the negativity. If you're not planning on staying in Pennsylvania and the graduate program does not have a national reputation for excellence, I'd look elsewhere. In my opinion, a graduate program's value is based upon it's reputation in the job market of the student's choosing. Good luck!

My summer cockatil drinking is about 90% Gin and Tonic and 10% Cuba Libre. For GnT's I also prefer Hendricks garnished with cucumber; more Gin than Tonic. For Cuba Libre's, I use an aged rum ( I can't taste the rum if I make them with a light rum) and make sure to use the juice of a whole lime. You need a lot of lime to cut across the carmel-sweetness of the aged rum and coca cola.

Over the last two days I have had three different people ask me if I heard about the Brewers going after Reyes. But none of them could quite remember where they heard/read that rumor. Has there been anything recent (the last day or so) tying the Brewers to Reyes? I took a quick look and didn't find anything on the internets. I don't see it happening, especially with the cupboards essentially bare in the farm system. But then again, I didn't see CC Sabathia coming either.

I like an aggressive running game so long as it is not running just for running's sake. A healthy dose of prudence is required. Try to turn that long single into a double or that double into a triple if the timing's right. You might force a throw that goes wide. Never turn down free bases. Install the Davey Lopes stopwatch over at first base. He's the reason the Phillies are so successful at stealing bases. I think they're about 80% as a team...but I think I remember reading an article that each player was right around 80% too -- even guys like Howard and Ruiz. He knows how long it takes each player to go from first to second. He knows how long it takes a pitcher to complete his motion and he knows how long it takes for the ball to travel to the catcher. And I'm sure he's got a good idea of how fast the catcher can get a throw to second. Do a little math and you should have a good idea about your chances of stealing a base. When the probability's right: go for it. A good running game can also get a pitcher off his rhythm. Base running also is about the threat of running...make the opposing team hold you on base -- that creates holes in the infield and the possibility of cheap hits. I like the hit and run when you have the right players executing. You need speed on the bases and a guy with a good contact rate at the plate. This is especially true when the batter has no speed. A failed hit and run may ultimately result in two outs, but so does a double play. If used wisely you have a good chance of saving an out; used improperly, you may just guarantee two outs and waste the baserunner. From all accounts, it sounds like Roenicke is well thought and not prone to impulsive moves. If this is true, I have hope that he can employ a successful running game -- one that is both aggressive and prudent.

Did some car shopping this weekend. Test drove the following: Honda Accord, Toyota Avalon and Camry, Subaru Legacy and Forrester, Nissan Maxima, Altima, Rogue and Juke, Kia Optima and Sportage, Volkswagon Jetta and Passat. It was a busy Saturday. Of these, only the Nissam Maxima, Altima and Volkswagon Passat fit me properly. I could get in an out without crazy contortions, plenty of leg room and head room good visibility and the consoles were not a problem. If I had to rate them, it would be 1) Maxima, 2) Passat, 3) Altima. The Maxima is a nice car. I still want to try the Hyundai's, Fords, Lincolns and Chevys. I also want to take a look for some well aged and well preserved luxury cars. Thanks for all the suggestions so far. I'll keep you posted.

Haven't seen this posted...here's a Blue Jays' Fan's take on Roenicke:http://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20101004113520521

I keep reading that VW bugs and mini Coopers are supposed to be good for really tall guys. But when I think of myself trying to get in or out of one, I, too, think of that Simpsons episode and therefore refuse to entertain the possibility.

Hey tall guys -- what are you driving? Are you comfortable? I'm 6'4" and weigh about 215. I've got a 35" inseam and a 36" sleeve length and I'm in the market for a new car. I'd prefer a sedan, but would be happy with a SUV or a minivan if I could find one that fir me perfectly. As I've been shopping I haven't been able to find much of anything that I fit into comfortably. The first problem is headroom: lack of adequate headroom rules out about 60% of all cars and 10% of all SUV's and vans. If I find a vehicle with adequate headroom, then I have to worry about legroom. While most cars can provide adequate length, there are usually two related problems. First, to get me my required legroom, I have to move my seat so far back that the back of my seat is practically touching the seat behind me, leaving anyone who would sit behind me with no leg room at all. The other problem is the configuration of the driver's area, especially the size of the console. To take advantage of the leg room, often times my knees or legs are either pressed up against the console or have to be bent and positioned to avoid the console. This is never bothersome over short distances, but gets annoying over long hauls. I have this problem with my Kia Sedona minivan as well as my current Buick Rendevous. I'm going to go try the Scion, Nissan Cube and Kia Soul to see how they fit, but for some reason I'm not too excited about them. Anyway, I'd love to hear what you tall guys are driving and if you're comfortable. Thanks!

I only drink bourbon and I'm really into everything done by: http://www.kentuckybourbonwhiskey.com/products.php Willet Pot Still Reserve on the rocks is beyond good -- it turned my wife, who generally doesn't like hard alcohol, into a bourbon drinker.

The arbitration system works as it is intended to. Moreover, the arbitration system clearly favors management. The Brewers are spending far less on the Braun/Fielder/Hart combo than they would if we did not have the arbitration system and Braun, Fielder and Hart each became free agents after their initial contract expired. Further, the arbitration system is the reason that Prince or Braun and maybe even Yo isn't a Yankee or a Red Sox right now. Not only does the system allow us to control those players for a certain period of time, but it allows us to do so at a price well below market value.

How intense is the movie? My 7-year old is clamoring to go and see it but the PG-13 rating has me worried. Can you give me a movie that it might be like as far as its general suitability for younger audiences, e.g., it is as intense as Star Wars Episode III, but with worse language and some sexuality/sensuality. I'm just looking for something to compare it to so I can decide whether it'll be o.k. for him. Thanks.

I have the Droid Eris: HTC's android phone for Verizon and love it! I didn't have the iPhone so I can't compare to it, but the Android OS is awesome in my opinion. My last phone used Windows mobile, which was horrible. The Eris does not have an actual keyboard -- you need to use the touchscreen. That's an issue for some, but doesn't bother me at all. If you have any specific questions about the Eris let me know.

+1 on CBSSportsline. My Keeper League has been there since 1998 and it gets better every year. We do not do an auction draft. We do a live straight draft in reverse order of finish (not a snake draft). We started out allowing 12 keepers and charging $1.00 per transaction. But that resulted in having the same few teams at the top of the standings each year and not a lot of trading or free agent pick up. We've since gone to 8 keepers + 1 rookie and no transaction fees and have not had a repeat winner since. Getting rid of the transaction fee has kept more people interested and active longer into the season. Feel free to let me know if you have questions. Here's our rules (FYI: the section entitled "Transactions" applies to how the website processes transactions such as waivers and trades and does not reflect our league policy regarding transactions): Player Pool: AL and NL Players. Positions: C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, MI, CI, OF, DH and P. Eligibility: Players are eligible at their primary position, plus positions they've played 20 games last year or 1 game this year. Everyone is eligible at DH. Transactions: • Lineups are set once for the start of each period. Deadline is 5 minutes before gametime on the first day of the period. • Owners may set lineups and change players' positions from a list of their eligible positions. • Add/drops are handled by a waivers process. • The waivers process runs on Friday. • The waiver order resets after each weeks' games. • Dropped players remain on waivers for at least 1 day(s). • Trades are not allowed. • Owners may not make trades during the offseason. Schedule: Weekly scoring periods, starting on Mondays. Fees: League Entry Fee: $112.50 Scoring: Rotisserie System. Scoring for Batting Categories BA - Batting Average HR - Home Runs R - Runs RBI - Runs Batted In SB - Stolen Bases Scoring for Pitching Categories ERA - Earned Run Average K - Strikeouts (Pitcher) S - Saves W - Wins WHIP - Walks + Hits / Inning ROSTERS Each team must consist of no more than a 33-man roster, and no more than 23 starters. Each team may start a maximum of the following number of players at each position: 9 pitchers 5 OF 3 cornermen (1 1B, 1 3B, and 1 1B/3B) 3 middle infielders (1 2B, 1 SS, and 1 SS/2B) 2 C 1 DH (any position other than pitcher) To qualify at a position, a player must have played at least 20 games at that position the year prior or played at least 1 game at that position during the current year. Rookies or players that have not played 20 games in a previous season or 1 game in the present season will be assigned a position by the commissioner based on minor league position and projected position in MLB. SCORING Scoring is based on the statistical categories listed above. You accumulate stats in each of these categories based on your starting team's performance on a daily basis, and totals are ranked among all 12 teams in the league, from 1 (lowest) to 12 (highest). The team with the highest combined rankings at the end of the season wins the league. Pitchers' hitting stats do NOT count. Although stats and standings will be updated on a daily basis, scoring weeks run Monday through Sunday, meaning there are no lineup changes allowed during the week. LINEUP CHANGES Owners are responsible for entering their own lineup changes on the website. Free agent pickups may be activated the monday following Friday waivers. The deadline for setting your lineup is 30 minutes before the first game of the day each Monday (the first day of the scoring period). Your lineup can be changed at any time up until that deadline. TRADES * Offseason trades are allowed. Trades are allowed throughout the season until the trading deadline of Monday August 31st, 2009 (30 minutes before the first game of the week). Trades can only consist of current roster players and/or draft picks. You cannot trade future picks more than one draft in advance. * Exception - Trading picks from the current draft (on draft day, during the draft) for picks from a future draft is subject to commissioner approval. No cash or in-kind considerations are allowed. The commissioner has the authority to disallow trades which undermine the competitive balance of the league (i.e., dumping). A trade is not considered complete until the Commissioner is notified by both parties that a trade is completed. Copying of e-mails in one party's confirmation is not acceptable. FREE AGENT PICKUPS Free agents (any player not on one of the twelve teams' rosters) can be picked up anytime after the first week of the season through the end of the regular season. To pick up a free agent, just use the add/drop function under "transactions." A waivers process will occur every Friday to determine who gets what free agents. Waiver priority is based on reverse order of standings as of Monday morning (beginning of the scoring period). When all teams have been given a chance to get one free agent from their list, the team at the bottom of the standings is then given its next choice and the waivers process runs again. Waivers will not allow any team to exceed 33 players on its roster. FEES AND PAYOUTS The league fee will be $112.50 payable at the beginning of the season ($12.50 goes towards paying the sportsline website fee), and all transactions (trades and free agent pickups) will be free. All of the money (less the $149.99 Sportsline fee) is divided among the top 4 teams in the following manner: 1st Place: $600 2nd Place: $300 3rd Place: $200 4th Place: $100 PROTECTING PLAYERS Prior to the draft, each team is allowed to protect 8 players on their roster. Each team may also keep 1 additional player with rookie status. A player has rookie status if he qualifies for the rookie of the year award in the following season. (Fewer than 130 AB or 50 IP in Major League Baseball and fewer than 45 days of 25-man roster major league service time). COMMISSIONER All trades, questions, etc. should be sent to the commissioner.

Exactly...you don't want someone trying to do their best imitation of Brando playing Don Vito Corleone...you want someone who can give new and meaningful life to that character, but yet stay true to the character's essence within the limits of the story. To my mind there is a weariness and a sadness in Brando's protrayal of Don Corleone that goes to the center of that character. Because Brando's protrayal is so good, it's become iconic and I think it's hard to think of anyone but Brando playing that role. I always sensed a disconnect between De Niro's young Vito and Brando's Godfather and I'm just not sure I can see De Niro, as good as he is, provoking that same sort of feeling. But then again, perhaps you want to take the character in a different direction. It's your movie....

Recast the Classics is a game that my wife and I play on long car trips. We take a classic movie and attempt to recast it with actors from the present as if it were going to begin filming tomorrow. However, there are two movies we cannot just seem to successfully recast -- we just come up blank when trying to come up with good modern alternatives. The first movie is The Godfather (1972). Here, it's because the characters are so iconic. I think we have a hard time imagining anyone other than Brando as Don Vito Corleone (even though De Niro would seem like the obvious choice) or Pacino as Michael. And then trying to recast some of the minor characters is just as difficult. I mean, Abe Vigoda IS Tessio; Lenny Montana IS Luca Brasi. The second movie is Hud (1963), which is perhaps my favorite movie of all-time. The problem with this stems from Newman. We cannot think of anyone who could play Hud Bannon, Anti-Hero, nearly as well as Newman. And it almost seems like we need to cast Hud before we can cast anyone else. Although Patricia Neal was amazing as Alma, I wonder if her performance would have been as good had it not been for Newman. Chemistry is a two-way street afterall. I'll be doing a bit of driving come Friday. So, help me out. Let's cast these movies: Hud Hud Bannon (Newman) Homer Bannon (Melvyn Douglas) Alma Brown (Patricia Neal) Lon Bannon (Brandon De Wilde) The Godfather Don Vito (Brando) Michael (Pacino) Sonny (James Caan) Tom Hagen (Duvall) Fredo (John Cazale) Clemenza (Richard Castellano) Sal Tessio (Abe Vigoda) Luca Brasi (Lenny Montana) Kay Adams (Diane Keaton) Connie (Talia Shire) Carlo (Gianni Russo) Paulie Gatto (John Martino) Moe Greene (Alex Rocco) Don Emilio Barzini (Richard Conte) Sollozzo (Al Lettieri) Don Carmine Cuneo (Rudy Bond) Don Phillip Tattaglia (Victor Rendina) Bruno Tattaglia (Tony Giorgio) Johnny Fontane (Al Martino) Go as far as you can with The Godfather. Some of the minor characters could really be filled by anyone, but I'd love to see who you pick for the bigger roles. I look forward to reading your ideas!

Not sure where you're at as far as testers go, but I'd be totally, totally interested. I'm a pretty avid player of Imagine Sports' Daimond Mind Online, whcih is an online sim game that lets you create a roster (under a specific salary cap) from most historical players, including negro league players. In each league, you compete against 11 other teams. For example, my current Roster looks like this: Position Players POS Player Salary BA OBP SLG R HR RBI RC Stats C Carter, GaryR $12,318,000 .247 .318 .323 20 1 20 16.26 Scout, RS,BR C, 1B Clarke, BoileryardR $500,000 .129 .200 .129 1 0 2 -0.38 Scout, RS,BR 1B Balboni, SteveR $1,715,000 .293 .368 .500 9 2 8 11.17 Scout, RS,BR 1B, LF Siebern, NormL $6,473,000 .232 .313 .326 22 4 27 20.32 Scout, RS,BR 1B, 3B, LF, RF Ward, PrestonL $500,000 .077 .143 .077 0 0 0 -1.09 Scout, RS,BR 2B, 3B Hodapp, JohnnyR $4,031,000 .241 .288 .331 14 2 15 13.00 Scout, RS,BR 3B Smith, RedR $5,851,000 .242 .318 .326 25 1 17 20.60 Scout, RS,BR SS, 3B Fernandez, TonyS $8,760,000 .289 .345 .373 33 1 11 27.78 Scout, RS,BR SS, 2B Stephens, PaulR $836,000 .312 .294 .312 2 0 5 0.86 Scout, RS,BR LF Harris, VicL $3,857,000 .244 .303 .358 24 3 27 18.08 Scout, RS,BR LF, RF Lynch, JerryL $2,081,000 .252 .321 .487 23 6 20 18.84 Scout, RS,BR RF, LF Davis, CherokeeR $1,658,000 .288 .408 .458 8 1 8 10.95 Scout, RS,BR RF, CF Holmes, TommyL $8,287,000 .303 .364 .527 22 8 39 31.47 Scout, RS,BR RF, LF Schulte, FrankL $1,977,000 .240 .313 .413 17 3 14 16.06 Scout, RS,BR Pitchers POS Player Salary IP W L ERA Sv K BB Stats SP Gross, KevinR $2,080,000 57.1 2 3 4.40 0/0 41 26 Scout, RS,BR SP Mathewson, ChristyR $14,624,000 93.2 4 3 3.17 0/0 63 34 Scout, RS,BR SP McGregor, ScottL $6,751,000 71.2 4 3 4.65 0/0 31 29 Scout, RS,BR SP Passeau, ClaudeR $9,330,000 76.0 4 3 3.08 0/0 34 22 Scout, RS,BR SP Surkont, MaxR $1,818,000 32.2 1 3 4.96 0/0 16 20 Scout, RS,BR RP Burnside, PeteL $561,000 5.2 0 0 0.00 0/0 2 0 Scout, RS,BR RP Keen, VicR $562,000 26.2 1 0 2.03 0/0 14 11 Scout, RS,BR RP O'Donoghue, JohnL $628,000 2.0 0 0 0.00 0/0 0 2 Scout, RS,BR RP Osuna, AlL $1,287,000 2.0 0 0 4.50 0/0 1 1 Scout, RS,BR RP Sanders, ScottR $791,000 15.2 0 2 3.45 2/3 10 13 Scout, RS,BR CL Frisella, DannyR $3,600,000 1.1 0 1 33.75 1/2 0 2 Scout, RS,BR Inactive-Injury Reserve POS Player Salary Games On List Stats SS, 2B Abbott, KurtR $500,000 47 games Scout, RS,BR 2B, 3B Boswell, KenL $500,000 47 games Scout, RS,BR 2B, SS Garcia, CarlosR $500,000 47 games Scout, RS,BR So, let me know if you still need people.

Thanks for all the recommendations. Keep 'em coming if you have some, but haven't postd yet. I'll be printing out this thread at some point. After some further research, many people are echoing the sentiments here about Jordan's books. That's too bad about Wheel of Time series. It starts out so promising.... I'll finish book 2 and leave it at that, unless compelled to go forward.

I'll start out with what I've already read: All Tolkien All C.S. Lewis Harry Potter series Bartimaeous Trilogy I'm currently reading: Wheel of Time Series: #2 The Great Hunt I've been somewhat afraid of exploring the genre because -- if you judge a book by its cover, literally, -- they all look the same and it's hard to tell from first blush what's good and what's bad. I'm looking for is a series that either does something completely new and original or, if it is a more derivative series, has some really good writing and character development. So, if you could, please throw out your suggestions and tell me a little bit about the series and why you like it. Thanks.

Not as much time for hobbies as I used to have, but here's what I've been able to squeeze in: guitar, bicycle commuting, and diamond mind sim baseball at Imagine Sports (simnasium.com). I've dropped golf and softball due to time constraints and dropped running due to knee problems.

I agree with Jimbo and I'm proof positive of what can happen if you push too hard. I always ran more miles more often than I should have. Running tired leads to bad form; bad form leads to injuries. Now, two surgeries later, I've got no cartilage in my left knee and my running days are done Build up slowly and take some days off. I don't think soccer will get in the way-- In fact I think it'll be a good way to ensure that you're not running too much. I don't know if they still do it, but Badgerland Striders used to do a Marathon build up program on Saturday mornings at Lake Park in Milwaukee, starting in the spring to get ready for the Lakefront marathon. It was nice having that as the long run because it was supported with a couple water stops. There are plenty of programs available on the web. Runner's World has some good advice: http://www.runnersworld.com/subtopic/0,7123,s6-238-244-255-0,00.html Good luck!

Questions for brewblue Any of these places still around: Jack's Lounge & Liquor Store on Central, Fabulous Dingo Bar on Gold, El Rey Main? I've been jonesing for two food items from Albuquerque: Blake's Lottaburger with heaps and heaps of green chiles and an order of Western Style Hash Browns and a Sweet Roll from the Frontier. Wish I was there....

I don't think I'd call Albuquerque a mountain town. When i think of mountain towns, I think of Vail or Aspen. While there are a good deal of outdoor enthusiests there, the hardcore skiiers all live north of Santa Fe, closer to Taos. However, the Sandias run though the eastern-most portion of the city: http://www.sandiapeak.com/ They're not the biggest or tallest chain of mountains. But they're good for day hikes. At the same time, there is no end to the hiking, camping, mountain biking, etc. within two hours of the city. I really enjoyed the San Pedro Parks Wilderness area, which was about 1 1/2 - 2 hour drive from the city. The Mexican and Indian cultures are central to Albuquerque's identity. It's a very diverse, but very integrated city, at least from what I remember. Almost everything is adobe. It's really hard to explain what exactly Albuquequre is, but you'll know it when you see it. But there is definitely something that is very unique to Albuquerque. And like I said, I loved it. If you have any specific questions, I'd be happy to answer them. Good Luck!

I lived in Albuquerque in '94 and '95. I'm sure the nightlife/culture has changed quite a bit since I was there, so I won't be much help there. But, here's what I can tell you: I loved living there. I could hike, backpack, camp, climb or ski (seasonally) every weekend without driving more than 2 hours. Summer days are brutal if you can't get to the shade. But if you can manage to stay in the shade, it's not really that bad. It'll definitely be a change of scenery. Albuquerque is the desert and there's not a lot of grass or greenery. It takes some getting used to and you'll either like it or you won't. I was one who liked it. As far as dogs go, albuqureque was very dog-friendly when I lived there. However, you really need to think about the type of dog you're getting. With not a lot of grass and the hot summers, your dog is going to be inside the house a lot during the summer. Maybe not the best choice for a very active Lab or Retriever. I liked Tuscon a lot, but then it reminds me of Albuquerque. I've visited Austin, but never made it far from the downtown area. There was a lot to do there there, but for whatever reason, the architectural feel of the city didn't do anything for me -- but that's really all of Texas, for me. Couldn't see myslef living there. Maybe the areas just outside of Austin are better? If you don't mind a smaller town and want some more greenery, check out Durango. I have some friends who still live there and love it. They say it's lost a lot of the dirty hippie vibe that turned some people off to it. Also, don't rule out Salt Lake City, especially if you like to ski. If I had to do it over again, I would have liked to try to put roots down there. Vibrant city, good nightlife, great climate, great outdoor activities and not all that expensive. Best of luck!