Particularly for someone not really wired into the Washington scene, like myself. I follow politics, certainly, but the nuts and bolts escape me sometimes
So winning games in September of last year is the key to making the playoffs this year! All this time I thought the key would be winning games this year!
I laughed at the Royals = political candidates piece
On think tanks, it seems like Washington policymakers rely heavily on think tanks and perhaps even more troubling – lobbyists – to come up with a lot of their policies. Is there an independent government agency that is tasked with policy research? At the state level, most state governments have an agency of some sort that performs this task. The Congressional Budget Office and OMB seem more concerned with the fiscal concerns, but is there a federal agency that looks at policies completely?
Balks are so complicated. If you sat me down and asked me to write out, to the best of my understanding, the Major League Baseball rule book, the section for “balks” would look something like this.
BALK RULES! IMPORTANT!
1. You can’t just be up there and just doin’ a balk like that.
1a. A balk is when you
1b. Okay well listen. A balk is when you balk the
1c. Let me start over
1c-a. The pitcher is not allowed to do a motion to the, uh, batter, that prohibits the batter from doing, you know, just trying to hit the ball. You can’t do that.
1c-b. Once the pitcher is in the stretch, he can’t be over here and say to the runner, like, “I’m gonna get ya! I’m gonna tag you out! You better watch your butt!” and then just be like he didn’t even do that.
1c-b(1). Like, if you’re about to pitch and then don’t pitch, you have to still pitch. You cannot not pitch. Does that make any sense?
1c-b(2). You gotta be, throwing motion of the ball, and then, until you just throw it.
1c-b(2)-a. Okay, well, you can have the ball up here, like this, but then there’s the balk you gotta think about.
1c-b(2)-b. Fairuza Balk hasn’t been in any movies in forever. I hope she wasn’t typecast as that racist lady in American History X.
1c-b(2)-b(i). Oh wait, she was in The Waterboy too! That would be even worse.
1c-b(2)-b(ii). “get in mah bellah” — Adam Water, “The Waterboy.” Haha, classic…
1c-b(3). Okay seriously though. A balk is when the pitcher makes a movement that, as determined by, when you do a move involving the baseball and field of
2. Do not do a balk please.
And now, at last, I can point to a balk and say, “see? He did something! That is a balk!” Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Mike Pelfrey.
Baseball needs a constitutional convention to re-write the rulebook
Not so much to make big changes, but to clarify and simplify an archaic document which is full of unnecessarily confusing, vague and often contradictory language.
Which one of these is a Ned Yost quote, and which is a quote from a famous movie flop?
He is a scrap iron, he’s a little, freakin’ gamer, dirt bag-type player. He doesn’t fear anything. He’s one of them guys, man, if you ever get in a fight, you bring your lunch, because it’s going to be there for a while. He ain’t givin’ up.
He’s killed dozens of people. He doesn’t have any mercy or anything. He even kills little girls. He doesn’t have a home or people to care for. He’s not afraid of anything, men least of all. He’s fast and strong like a big wind. He can hear a hundred miles, and see a hundred miles underwater. He can hide in the shadow of a noon sun. He can be right behind you, and you won’t even know it til you’re dead!
One man's quest to restore civilization in post-apocalyptic America
Sounds like The Dayton Moore Story, if you substitute baseball’s economic landscape after Ewing Kauffman’s death for America and define civilization as a team of free swinging hitters and high walk pitchers.
and the joke that the Metrodome is the new capitol. The rest of the movie was like an unintentional spoof of post-apocalypse movies. It could have been fun if it did not run for 3 hours.
Second best Tom Petty cameo: an otherwise deservedly little seen 1980s movie called Made in Heaven.
How many All-Stars for the Royals in 2012? Kaegel thought more than one. What do you guys think?
I think that there will be three guys on the roster. My picks are Gordon, Soria, and Hosmer. Escobar, Perez, or Butler have a less likely chance. But I think 3 of those will get in.
Hosmer is tough because 1B is stacked. 3B is kinda thin in the AL. You have Longoria and Beltre, old man A-Rod and maybe Youk. I can see Moose getting ahead of them if he gets off to a hot start.
Is famous and a Yankee. Of course he’s gonna get in if he has a remotely decent season.
Moose is not one for hot starts. So it is possible but not likely. Did he look like a budding All-Star to you last year? Soria and Gordon play at an all-star level (or at least Gordon did last year). Hosmer could explode at any point and become really awesome. Moose…not next year.
Obviously, all of the starting pitchers have a huge chance of getting in.
Soria and Butler (thanks to a league-leading but fluky .350 first-half batting average) get picked as injury replacements. Gordon enters as a defensive replacement in the 5th and walks and strikes out in his two plate appearances, Butler grounds out as a pinch hitter in the 8th, and Soria warms up but does not get into the game.
9 degrees up here in Maine
Baseball feels very far away. What’s the countdown to pitchers and catchers? Oughta be a clock somewhere. I’m heading to Surprise in March.
LaFLamme - January 4, 2012
excellent, you will enjoy it
Ms. Buddyball and I went two years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it.
buddyball - January 4, 2012
48 more Days
February 20 – Pitchers and Catchers Reporting Dates
February 21 – Pitchers and Catchers First Workout
February 24 – Full Squad Reports
February 25 – First Full Squad Workout
Themis - January 4, 2012
Here ya go
http://www.springtrainingcountdown.com/home.php
KC_Satchmo - January 4, 2012
excellent
buddyball - January 4, 2012
The Think Tank article was intresting
Particularly for someone not really wired into the Washington scene, like myself. I follow politics, certainly, but the nuts and bolts escape me sometimes
sterlingice - January 4, 2012
interesting and depressing at the same time
would love to hear KSinDC chime in
Nighthawk at the Diner - January 4, 2012
Ohh now I get it...
So winning games in September of last year is the key to making the playoffs this year! All this time I thought the key would be winning games this year!
YouDon'tPhaseMeGobble - January 4, 2012 via mobile
I laughed at the Royals = political candidates piece
On think tanks, it seems like Washington policymakers rely heavily on think tanks and perhaps even more troubling – lobbyists – to come up with a lot of their policies. Is there an independent government agency that is tasked with policy research? At the state level, most state governments have an agency of some sort that performs this task. The Congressional Budget Office and OMB seem more concerned with the fiscal concerns, but is there a federal agency that looks at policies completely?
RoyalsRetro - January 4, 2012
if he was still on the team, John Huntsman = Brian Bannister
both mistrusted for their ability for independent thought
buddyball - January 4, 2012
Committees?
Freneau - January 4, 2012
Yea, I suppose
Although they aren’t exactly independent bodies are they? I thought they were staffed by the Chair.
RoyalsRetro - January 4, 2012
that's the thing...
in a democracy, for good or bad, outside of the courts, i dont know if you really have truly, supposedly, ‘independent’ review of policy
Freneau - January 4, 2012
Yes, would would be both "independent" and "governmental"?
The GAO? I still wouldn’t call that independent.
Scott McKinney - January 4, 2012
Escobar
He has a .313 average and .317 OBP? That’s got to be hard to do.
lcfeyh - January 4, 2012
Not hard
All you have to do is swing at everything, but lean into one pitch all winter and take a HBP.
Scott McKinney - January 4, 2012
or face Gio Gonzalez at least three times
Gopherballs - January 4, 2012
Bright side?
At least our no-walk guy is at a spot in the order (and in a fielding positions) where offense isn’t expected, right? – TL
timlacy - January 4, 2012
The real talents get an OBP lower than their BA
kcdc1 - January 4, 2012
Sac fly's everday
tiquanunderwear - January 4, 2012
and sac bunts everyday
tiquanunderwear - January 4, 2012
so that BA > OBP > Tebow?
buddyball - January 4, 2012
Sharing
Themis - January 4, 2012
Tired to share a picture..
Did not let me post. Sorry!
Themis - January 4, 2012
One way to fix the royals: hire more yankees players
Chiefshero - January 4, 2012
thas has me in tears
averagegatsby - January 4, 2012
The entire 50 top animated GIFs
Is sensational.
http://www.sbnation.com/2012/1/4/2681567/the-greatest-animated-sports-gifs-of-2011
RoyalsRetro - January 4, 2012
One of the best things I've seen on the internet in the past year
Sweep_the_Leg - January 5, 2012
Best one right here
Yodazilla - January 5, 2012
I couldn't argue with #1
Jeff Zimmerman - January 5, 2012
It looked right out of a Monty Python skit
Yodazilla - January 5, 2012
I'm actually partial to the runaway golf cart one
That was more like Benny Hill I suppose. I could hear the theme music in the background.
Sweep_the_Leg - January 5, 2012
I liked his commentary for #18
RoyalsRetro - January 5, 2012
That's not commentary
It’s right out of the MLB rulebook.
Yodazilla - January 5, 2012
Calling a balk is quite simple.
8.05
If there is a runner, or runners, it is a balk when —
(a) The pitcher, while touching his plate, makes any motion naturally associated with his pitch and fails to make such delivery;
Rule 8.05(a) Comment: If a lefthanded or righthanded pitcher swings his free foot past the back edge of the pitchers rubber, he is required to pitch to the batter except to throw to second base on a pick-off-play. (b) The pitcher, while touching his plate, feints a throw to first base and fails to complete the throw;
© The pitcher, while touching his plate, fails to step directly toward a base before throwing to that base;
Rule 8.05© Comment: Requires the pitcher, while touching his plate, to step directly toward a base before throwing to that base. If a pitcher turns or spins off of his free foot without actually stepping or if he turns his body and throws before stepping, it is a balk.
A pitcher is to step directly toward a base before throwing to that base but does not require him to throw (except to first base only) because he steps. It is possible, with runners on first and third, for the pitcher to step toward third and not throw, merely to bluff the runner back to third; then seeing the runner on first start for second, turn and step toward and throw to first base. This is legal. However, if, with runners on first and third, the pitcher, while in contact with the rubber, steps toward third and then immediately and in practically the same motion wheels and throws to first base, it is obviously an attempt to deceive the runner at first base, and in such a move it is practically impossible to step directly toward first base before the throw to first base, and such a move shall be called a balk. Of course, if the pitcher steps off the rubber and then makes such a move, it is not a balk.
(d) The pitcher, while touching his plate, throws, or feints a throw to an unoccupied base, except for the purpose of making a play;
(e) The pitcher makes an illegal pitch;
Rule 8.05(e) Comment: A quick pitch is an illegal pitch. Umpires will judge a quick pitch as one delivered before the batter is reasonably set in the batters box. With runners on base the penalty is a balk; with no runners on base, it is a ball. The quick pitch is dangerous and should not be permitted.
(f) The pitcher delivers the ball to the batter while he is not facing the batter;
(g) The pitcher makes any motion naturally associated with his pitch while he is not touching the pitchers plate;
(h) The pitcher unnecessarily delays the game;
Rule 8.05(h) Comment: Rule 8.05(h) shall not apply when a warning is given pursuant to Rule 8.02© (which prohibits intentional delay of a game by throwing to fielders not in an attempt to put a runner out). If a pitcher is ejected pursuant to Rule 8.02© for continuing to delay the game, the penalty in Rule 8.05(h) shall also apply. Rule 8.04 (which sets a time limit for a pitcher to deliver the ball when the bases are unoccupied) applies only when there are no runners on base.
(i) The pitcher, without having the ball, stands on or astride the pitchers plate or while off the plate, he feints a pitch;
(j) The pitcher, after coming to a legal pitching position, removes one hand from the ball other than in an actual pitch, or in throwing to a base;
(k) The pitcher, while touching his plate, accidentally or intentionally drops the ball;
(l) The pitcher, while giving an intentional base on balls, pitches when the catcher is not in the catchers box;
(m)The pitcher delivers the pitch from Set Position without coming to a stop.
PENALTY: The ball is dead, and each runner shall advance one base without liability to be put out, unless the batter reaches first on a hit, an error, a base on balls, a hit batter, or otherwise, and all other runners advance at least one base, in which case the play proceeds without reference to the balk.
APPROVED RULING: In cases where a pitcher balks and throws wild, either to a base or to home plate, a runner or runners may advance beyond the base to which he is entitled at his own risk.
APPROVED RULING: A runner who misses the first base to which he is advancing and who is called out on appeal shall be considered as having advanced one base for the purpose of this rule. Rule 8.05 Comment: Umpires should bear in mind that the purpose of the balk rule is to prevent the pitcher from deliberately deceiving the base runner. If there is doubt in the umpires mind, the intent of the pitcher should govern. However, certain specifics should be borne in mind:
(a) Straddling the pitchers rubber without the ball is to be interpreted as intent to deceive and ruled a balk.
(b) With a runner on first base the pitcher may make a complete turn, without hesitating toward first, and throw to second. This is not to be interpreted as throwing to an unoccupied base.
See, calling balks is very easy.
BabyBlues - January 8, 2012
No room for interpretation therephilofthenorth - January 8, 2012
Baseball needs a constitutional convention to re-write the rulebook
Not so much to make big changes, but to clarify and simplify an archaic document which is full of unnecessarily confusing, vague and often contradictory language.
Scott McKinney - January 9, 2012
The Michigan punter one had me crying.
Warden11 - January 5, 2012
BALK!
averagegatsby - January 5, 2012
Just to see if you were paying attention...
Which one of these is a Ned Yost quote, and which is a quote from a famous movie flop?
Tracer Bullet 82 - January 4, 2012
Waterworld?
Scott McKinney - January 4, 2012
Trick question.
They're both Ned'sTracer Bullet 82 - January 4, 2012
Yes, it's Waterworld.
Tracer Bullet 82 - January 4, 2012
I'm embarrassed that I recognized it
Scott McKinney - January 4, 2012
Personally, I could never get enough Kevin Costner post-apocalypse movies
Sweep_the_Leg - January 5, 2012
I liked The Postman
There, I said it.
Scott McKinney - January 5, 2012
didn't hate it
audience gave it a 51% on RT
SagehenMacGyver47 - January 5, 2012
One man's quest to restore civilization in post-apocalyptic America
Sounds like The Dayton Moore Story, if you substitute baseball’s economic landscape after Ewing Kauffman’s death for America and define civilization as a team of free swinging hitters and high walk pitchers.
The best part? It takes place in 2013.
thelaundry - January 5, 2012
Gasp! I don’t know if this is a good sign or a bad one for the Royals.
Scott McKinney - January 6, 2012
Only for the Tom Petty cameo
and the joke that the Metrodome is the new capitol. The rest of the movie was like an unintentional spoof of post-apocalypse movies. It could have been fun if it did not run for 3 hours.
Second best Tom Petty cameo: an otherwise deservedly little seen 1980s movie called Made in Heaven.
Gopherballs - January 5, 2012
Thought this was funny
At least he is realistic and knows he has a good chance of being traded and is covering the moving costs.
Jeff Zimmerman - January 5, 2012
So:
How many All-Stars for the Royals in 2012? Kaegel thought more than one. What do you guys think?
I think that there will be three guys on the roster. My picks are Gordon, Soria, and Hosmer. Escobar, Perez, or Butler have a less likely chance. But I think 3 of those will get in.
Yodazilla - January 5, 2012
Starting Pitcher Aaron Crow gets chosen over Gordon after throwing two consecutive
innings without throwing his “out” pitch to lefties to the backstop.
Matt Klaassen - January 5, 2012
I'll say Moose
Hosmer is tough because 1B is stacked. 3B is kinda thin in the AL. You have Longoria and Beltre, old man A-Rod and maybe Youk. I can see Moose getting ahead of them if he gets off to a hot start.
But most likely its Soria and Frenchy.
RoyalsRetro - January 5, 2012
Don't forget Brett Lawrie and Alberto Callaspo
Gopherballs - January 5, 2012
Old man A-Rod
Is famous and a Yankee. Of course he’s gonna get in if he has a remotely decent season.
Moose is not one for hot starts. So it is possible but not likely. Did he look like a budding All-Star to you last year? Soria and Gordon play at an all-star level (or at least Gordon did last year). Hosmer could explode at any point and become really awesome. Moose…not next year.
Obviously, all of the starting pitchers have a huge chance of getting in.
Yodazilla - January 5, 2012
Gordon is named as a reserve
Soria and Butler (thanks to a league-leading but fluky .350 first-half batting average) get picked as injury replacements. Gordon enters as a defensive replacement in the 5th and walks and strikes out in his two plate appearances, Butler grounds out as a pinch hitter in the 8th, and Soria warms up but does not get into the game.
Gopherballs - January 5, 2012
Does SOS pitching in the HR Derby count?
buddyball - January 5, 2012
That Would Be
Tony Cogan, actually.
philofthenorth - January 5, 2012
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