SageAgainstTheMachine

Vizquel...now there's an interesting case. SPECTACULAR defensive player. He's the Brooks Robinson of shortstops, and I really think that should be enough. Offensively...I have to disagree. A middling career batting average masks a poor OBP (.337) and a terrible slugging percentage (.353). All of it combines for a .690 OPS. That's usually bad enough to earn a ticket back to Triple A, but again, he had that magical glove. Let's compare slash lines of some of the SS's to which Vizquel will be compared... Larkin: .295/.371/.444/.815 Jeter: .313/.383/.449/.832 Wagner: .328/.391/.467/.858 Yount: .285/.342/.430/.772 Ripken: .276/.340/.447/.787 Vizquel: .272/.337/.353/.690 Those are 4 of Vizquel's contemporaries, plus the greatest SS of all time, just for good measure. As you can see, Yount is the closest comparison and even his OPS is about 80 points higher. He got to Cooperstown for breaking the 3,000 hit mark. I've never been a huge fan of the logic because 3,000 hits is a testament to longevity. Yount played for 21 seasons, Vizquel for 22. It would be difficult to NOT approach 3,000 hits. If Vizquel chooses to hobble around until he reaches the milestone, does that suddenly make him a better player? Derek Jeter could probably wax toward 4,000 if he chooses to play until 2017, but that has a better chance of stealing from his greatness than adding to it. Another stat that sabermetricians love is WAR (wins above replacement) which accounts for offense and defensive potency. So the number essentially means, how many wins did this player add or subtract from his team over the course of his career if the alternative is a hypothetical replacement level bench player. Larkin: 68.9 Jeter: 70.4 Wagner: 134.5 (and no, I don't know how they calculate this for players from the 1890's, but that is just ridiculous) Yount: 76.9 Ripken: 89.9 Vizquel: 42.3 Again, not quite in the same league, but his dWAR (defensive wins above replacement) is 13.3, higher than any of the others.

I realize there are psychological benefits to purchases, but collectors amuse me. I just worked a book auction where this decrepit atlas went for $19,000.

I think you nailed it. Hall of Very Good. Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines and Bernie Williams were all better. Larkin's prime occurred when fast power-hitting shortstops like Jeter, Rodriguez, Tejada and Garciaparra were entering the league so he'll probably be the last SS to get into the Hall on the basis of "Well, he had great numbers for a middle infielder." He also did a lot of the things that shouldn't matter as much as they do...played his entire career with one team, some gold gloves, won an MVP (with a .886 OPS, how freakin pathetic was 1995?).

Drop the sarcasm. This is Richmond Rob we're talking about. You should show more respect for a guy who nobody knew existed until now.

I've never seen coach, QB and city meld together as positively as Payton, Brees and New Orleans. I don't doubt that your sources are sound, but it would truly shock me to see Brees retire as anything but a Saint.

I don't blame any fan who'd rather enjoy the game from the comfort of their home, rather than pay through the nose to see it in person. $833?

Coach and the kid are dirtbags. Chubs is grinning like an idiot after every foul. Flagrant Foul #5 is just ridiculous. Pretty good way to paralyze a person.

I just can't see that happening.

Fresssshhh Fisssshhh

First rule is to befriend Morgan Freeman.

I'm not an X's and O's guy, but don't the Patriots use the spread quite a bit?

Not The Onion's best effort, but "Easily this year's once-in-a-generation prospect" made me laugh.

And none of those menthols, either.

I still think Eric Wood is the better player, and that's who we wound up getting in compensation. Not the Bills fault that he's had bad injury luck.

Smartest repeating Simpsons guest star ever.

Wow, I've never even heard of an 18% beer. Strongest I've ever had was a 13.2% coffee stout. Anyway, that's a funny story. Any man who tells you he didn't nearly choke on his first shot of liquor is a liar. EDIT: You can tell your son he tried the 43rd strongest beer in the world http://www.ratebeer.com/Ratings/TopAlcohol.asp

Must have been a moment. I turned 21 last year. Never used a fake ID so ordering a drink for the first time was pretty cool. Magic Hat #9 at the local pizza restaurant.

Not all spoiled. Gotta love the little girl around 1:20 who's seemingly quite happy with her stick of deodorant.

Best to get in some last shots before the joke officially expires. Or at least that's what I'm telling myself...

It's an awesome prank to play. Best played on an older kids/adults, because you get to watch them squirm and play the "pretend you love it" game.

You're right. 1) Masturbation . . . 9) Garbage time touchdowns

My brother got me good this year. Got me a $50 Barnes and Noble gift card (my ideal gift), but hid it inside a Linkin Park CD case. He even shrink-wrapped it.

The world doesn't suck. To name just a few awesome things... 1. Sex 2. Ham 3. Guinness 4. Boobs 5. Runner's high 6. The literature of Hemingway 7. The sacrifice bunt 8. Girl scout cookies 9. Game winning field goals

My mom's name is Jill, so the new thread title makes me rather...uncomfortable.