Tim McG

No it won't. He won't accept the findings. When there is proof, yes. My first post on this thread I clearly stated I would be the first to acknowlege Paterno's guilt in the cover up. Right now, all we have is supposition. I don't recall reading anything which directly links Paterno to anything along those lines. Perhaps you could point it out to me? Don't dial up the rhetoric, Pete.

Cheap shot, Pete. I mean seriously, I don't do this to you, so why is it you feel justified in blindsiding me like that? Personally, a flame like that has no place on this BBS and I believe the Moderators have sated as much. I think an apology is in order here. I really do, Pete On Point: Ultimately, this proves Paterno knew about the 1998 case [which I had already acknowledged], but clearly the "did nothing about it" is the opine of the author. And I quote: "Local prosecutors ultimately decided not to charge Sandusky, and Paterno did nothing." Here is where it all falls apart for me. If the legal authorities decided not to prosecute what else is Paterno supoosed to do? That is not at all suggesting that there may have been further involvement by Paterno in the cover up, but this reporter's statement is not prove, it is his interpretation. Does the Abuse Inquiry state this in its report? Because every article I have read points to Shultz and Curley as the perpetrators and power brokers behind the cover up. So do the realeased e-mails of about a week ago. Personally, I think the press is attempting to back pedal and justify their rush to judgement. If it is proven Paterno was participant in the cover up, I will be the very first to acknowledge that. Until then, I think we can remain gentleman about this and respect differing views without the insults. OK?

I agree: Bud Selig is full of shit regarding the W-L in the All-Star Game vs home field advantage in the WS. However, if you are interested in winning baseball games, emotional favorites are not who you go with. Here's the line on Dickey: 1H, 1K, 1.00 WHIP in one inning pitched. Cain's the better pitcher today....and with good reason. LaRussa made the right call, IMHO.

I think LaRussa's comment about "Cain having the better career" may refer to 1990 when LaRussa was managing the AL side in that game. The NL started Jack Armstrong who had a great 1st half of the season. Armstrong didn't do diddley squat for the rest of his career. While knuckleballers are famous for their careers taking a longer to get going it's not unreasonable to wonder if Dickey has just had a fluke 1st half. It doesn't help that 2 of his last 3 outings were terrible. That said I would have picked Dickey to start, but oh well, at least after this game we won't have LaRussa to kick around anymore. Dickey, though doing very well right now, is a flash in the pan. He's 38 and this is his break-out year? C'mon. I dunno. Where I certainly admit to some bias here, this is the line on Cain: 1H, No BB, 1SO, 0.50 WHIP and a 0.00 ERA on two innings pitched. NL leads 8-zip in the 5th. To the Mets fans: Tell me again how RA Dickey would have been a better choice to start. Oh and BTW, Sandoval has 3RBI's on 2H and scored a run. Cabrerra has 2H w/a HR, 2RBIs and scored a run. Posey has 1H and scored a run. Maybe LaRussa [and the fans who voted] did know what he [they were] was doing, eh?

He says it's a nod to Cain's better career. Also Ruiz will warm up Dickey in the pen so he'll at least see a few butterflies beforehand. Not saying to this defend him, just fleshing out the details. The latter I think is sound enough, as the last time a knuckleballer pitched in the All-Star game it was an adventure. The All-Star game seems to offend more people than it honors. But LaRussa could still start Dickey and give him some good warmup time in the bullpen with Posey before the game. For a sport trying to expand its base, Dickey would be a great story, and then there's the pitching- Dickey has been the best pitcher in the NL so far this year. LaRussa is once again trying to show how smart he is. If winning the game is important then LaRussa made an excellent choice: The best catcher in the NL teamed with a guy he catches all the time. Why would you risk WPs and PBs in the 1st or 2nd inning when you have a ready made winning battery instead? It would be a disaster waiting to happen. BTW...NL by two runs. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Um. Phil Mickelson goes baseball...? Padres sale.

Overall, Cain has better stuff. He threw a perfect game this year. And with a 2.62 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 118 SOs, he's no slouch. Dickey has his Knuckleball, but that's pretty one dimensional pitching if you ask me. Sure he's been successful, but has he really been challenged yet? A quick look at his game-by-game W-L record suggests he hasn't faced very tough competition. Sure, he beat Pittsburg and Washington, but way early in the season. They were still coming together as teams then. Check it out: Here's the link:

My brother and I were just glued to the TV set when McHale's Navy came on. Ernest Borgnine was the perfect straight man to Tim Conway and Joe Flynn. Rest in Peace, Mr. Borgnine.

So! Who do you guys expect to win the All-Star game? My money is on the National League.

Lincecum gone in the 4th...done in the 2nd. Giants lose a squeaker, 13-2. Just shoot me.

Couldn't disagree more. I love throwbacks. I can see were maybe the original concept has gotten a little out of hand (*) but there are so many of them that I like much more than what the teams are actually wearing. For example, is there anyone on the face of the Earth who doesn't prefer the old Boston Patriot three point stance helmet logo to the current futuristic iteration? Besides, it may be the only way to convince my Eagles to return to those halcyon days of yester year when they sported the kelly green livery they were wearing when I first became enamored of them as a young pup back in 1959. (*) Ack. For the record, I did say the Patriots old uniform is an exception. BTW...I couldn't help but notice that the signature under your photo read: Laughter is the shortest distance between friends. Relative to the gawd awful Steelers throw-back uniform, the irony was not lost on me

Giants lose...again. Dodgers are winning. The torture continues. Grrrr I think I'll just curl up and cry myself to sleep.

I am curently trying to organize this musical mess and I figure I will find many more CDs I forgot I had. I'm with you on this one.

Nathaniel Hawthorne Nathan East Nat Adderley

I think they need to just dump those throw-back uniforms....in the NFL, too. There is a very good reason why the teams changed to something more eye appealing in the first place: Ug-ly. Ack [Disclaimer: One notable exception would be the old Patriots uniform...but that's for another thread.]

Now hold on just a minute there, Guys. The problem with college football is not with the game itself. It is, however, completely on the shoulders of that ACC/SEC controlled farce known as the BCS. The whole thing changes to a 4-team playoff system in 2014. I'm on the wait-and-see plan until after the BCS dies [a slow and painful death] and we get a good look at how that playoff system works. Until then...just gimme back my traditional Rose Bowl!

Take a deep breath, Jim. You aren't seriously thinking the Rangers should throw Hamilton under the [trade deadline] bus now, are you?

I'm not happy about it either, Matthew. But I would argue that it's not a "common occurance" just with the Giants. A quick look around the league and you'll find several overweight/out of shape ballplayers. Where I agree with you about Lincecum, I would further argue that Sandoval, though a big guy, can motor around the bases and is a pretty decent everyday 3B'er. Huff has an anxiety disorder which has nothing to do with conditioning.

We used to have tons of those birds around these parts, but the combination of drought and pesticides have chased most of them off.

YEAH! EXACTLY! Let me put a face to that: :rmad: :rmad: Yer killin' me, Jim. Thanks for the chuckle

Apparently, not an issue around here. I'll just suffer my fate alone, then.

OK. Jeremy Affeldt sucks. Brandon Belt couldn't hit me with his bat. Santiago Casilla REALLY sucks. Giants lose. I'm pissed. Grrrrr

He only got a 2 year deal so he can't afford to be lazy for long. Of course if he rebounds to old self next year, the cynics will feel very satisfied. At $20.5 million a year, he's set for life. I also read in our local fishwrap where he even admited to getting lazy. He also mentioned feeling aches and pains like he never did before [well, duh...he isn't 20 anymore]. Maybe it's just time for him to grow up? Otherwise, he's just another head case like Zito. Amazing how many different ways you can break down a baseball player...don't think you could do the same thing in basketball or football. Anyway, there are some very interesting stats there....found an interesting comment on that page that explains the how, if not the why... I don't think the problem is mechanical and I don’t think that the best split is “bases empty vs runners on” In the chart below, RISPa means less stressful RISP situations: just a man on second, just a man on third, or a man on first and second. RISPb means more stressful situations: bases loaded, men on second and third, or men on first and third. Year PA AVG OBP SLG BABIP K/PA BB/PA HR/PA 2007-11,Empty 2459 0.231 0.305 0.338 0.311 0.264 0.091 0.014 2007-11,1bOnly 794 0.213 0.259 0.334 0.286 0.273 0.068 0.019 2007-11,RISPa 753 0.212 0.293 0.318 0.276 0.259 0.097 0.019 2007-11,RISPb 245 0.210 0.299 0.330 0.271 0.269 0.114 0.012 2012,Empty 229 0.244 0.310 0.421 0.331 0.293 0.083 0.026 2012,1bOnly 60 0.226 0.281 0.321 0.297 0.250 0.067 0.017 2012,RISPa 97 0.276 0.427 0.447 0.317 0.124 0.206 0.010 2012,RISPb 38 0.414 0.474 0.724 0.458 0.184 0.158 0.026 So – as the article showed, Timmy’s pitched like a front-line starter, reasonably close to career norms, with the bases empty. With just a man on first, he’s pitched even better. (those excellent numbers get mixed in with his RISP disasters if one just examines all “men on base” scenarios) In relatively less pressure RISP situations, he stops striking guys out, and walks everybody. With the bases loaded other or more pressure situation – that were shit gets really crazy, base hits and dingers landing like an Battle of the Somme artillery barrage. Also: BRef has him at 103 sOPS+ in low leverage situations, 112 sOPS+ in medium leverage, and 153 sOPS+ in high leverage situations. He’s got a 3.99 ERA and 86 sOPS+ in eight starts in front of friendly home crowds, and a 8.45 ERA and 145 sOPS+ in nine starts in front of hostile road crowds. Looking at those numbers, I’d say his problem is at least partially mental – falling apart in high pressure situations. He himself has constantly been saying that what he needs to find is “confidence”. by SnowLeopard on Jul 5, 2012 11:39 AM EDT reply Well, that Battle of the Somme comment is a bit pompous, but like the rest...especially how he's still pitching well at home...still, as a simple man, I think it all goes back to loss of speed on his fastball. He used to throw 91-94 then 94-97 when he really needed to. And hitters had to think differently because of that. They don't fear the fastball anymore. And there will be more action on his other pitches,(I'm guessing, no proof ) and there wass more of a difference in MPH between his fastball and changeup in the past... He's also hanging his curve and fastball. Judging by what you saw in those stats, he is turning into a head case. He is also is falling behind by allowing runs to score in the first two innings of late. Marijauna makes people paranoid and if a little pressure/RISP is the culprit relative to OPS and ERA, well it isn't much of a stretch to say the pot may be his biggest issue.

I assume you never met him. Fixed. I like his music too, Patricia.

Right there with you, Shawn. Add the obligatory gunfire and you have my town. We have trees all around us and a shake roof. I cringe every time a bottle rocket or illegal fireworks explode around us.

Long may the haze of fireworks and smoke linger over your home. I love America, but hate this excuse to pollute.