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Around SBN: Full Coverage of 2012 Coke 600

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    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.

    by LaFLamme on Jan 4, 2012 10:00 AM EST reply actions  

    excellent, you will enjoy it

    Ms. Buddyball and I went two years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it.

    "Things could always be worse." - Buddy Bell

    by buddyball on Jan 4, 2012 11:45 AM EST up reply actions  

    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

    by Themis on Jan 4, 2012 12:53 PM EST up reply actions  

    Here ya go

    http://www.springtrainingcountdown.com/home.php

    This is my signature line. It is full of awesome and win.

    by KC_Satchmo on Jan 4, 2012 5:55 PM EST up reply actions  

    excellent

    "Things could always be worse." - Buddy Bell

    by buddyball on Jan 4, 2012 8:33 PM EST up reply actions  

    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

    by sterlingice on Jan 4, 2012 10:08 AM EST reply actions  

    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!

    by YouDon'tPhaseMeGobble on Jan 4, 2012 10:23 AM EST via mobile reply actions  

    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?

    Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

    by RoyalsRetro on Jan 4, 2012 10:37 AM EST reply actions  

    if he was still on the team, John Huntsman = Brian Bannister

    both mistrusted for their ability for independent thought

    "Things could always be worse." - Buddy Bell

    by buddyball on Jan 4, 2012 11:52 AM EST up reply actions  

    Yea, I suppose

    Although they aren’t exactly independent bodies are they? I thought they were staffed by the Chair.

    Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

    by RoyalsRetro on Jan 4, 2012 12:21 PM EST up reply actions  

    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

    by Freneau on Jan 4, 2012 3:14 PM EST up reply actions  

    Yes, would would be both "independent" and "governmental"?

    The GAO? I still wouldn’t call that independent.

    You may know me as NYRoyal.

    by Scott McKinney on Jan 4, 2012 7:35 PM EST up reply actions  

    Escobar

    He has a .313 average and .317 OBP? That’s got to be hard to do.

    by lcfeyh on Jan 4, 2012 11:02 AM EST reply actions  

    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

    "Sir,--It has been wittily remarked that there are three kinds of falsehood: the first is a 'fib,' the second is a downright lie, and the third and most aggravated is statistics." *The National Observer* (June 13, 1891): p. 93-94.

    by timlacy on Jan 4, 2012 11:49 AM EST up reply actions  

    thas has me in tears

    Your 2010 Royals Review Fantasy Football Keeper League Champion
    Since 2005: Royals win% = .4100, Chiefs win% = .4095

    by averagegatsby on Jan 4, 2012 10:26 PM EST up reply actions  

    I liked his commentary for #18
    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.

    Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

    by RoyalsRetro on Jan 5, 2012 2:31 PM EST up reply actions  

    That's not commentary

    It’s right out of the MLB rulebook.

    by Yodazilla on Jan 5, 2012 5:00 PM EST up reply actions  

    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 pitcher’s 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 batter’s 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 pitcher’s 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 pitcher’s 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 catcher’s 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 umpire’s mind, the “intent” of the pitcher should govern. However, certain specifics should be borne in mind:
    (a) Straddling the pitcher’s 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.

    Go Royals!

    by BabyBlues on Jan 8, 2012 1:05 PM EST up reply actions  

    No room for interpretation there

    I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.

    by philofthenorth on Jan 8, 2012 6:31 PM EST up reply actions  

    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.

    You may know me as NYRoyal.

    by Scott McKinney on Jan 9, 2012 10:04 AM EST up reply actions  

    BALK!

    Your 2010 Royals Review Fantasy Football Keeper League Champion
    Since 2005: Royals win% = .4100, Chiefs win% = .4095

    by averagegatsby on Jan 5, 2012 8:28 PM EST up reply actions  

    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?

    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!

    Loud noises!

    by Tracer Bullet 82 on Jan 4, 2012 9:35 PM EST reply actions  

    I liked The Postman

    There, I said it.

    You may know me as NYRoyal.

    by Scott McKinney on Jan 5, 2012 2:37 PM EST up reply actions  

    didn't hate it

    audience gave it a 51% on RT

    Kila's slash for Apr 20 to May 4, 2011, right before he was sent down: .276 / .344 / .448

    by SagehenMacGyver47 on Jan 5, 2012 2:56 PM EST up reply actions  

    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.

    by thelaundry on Jan 5, 2012 3:02 PM EST up reply actions  

    The best part? It takes place in 2013

    Gasp! I don’t know if this is a good sign or a bad one for the Royals.

    You may know me as NYRoyal.

    by Scott McKinney on Jan 6, 2012 10:57 AM EST up reply actions  

    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.

    by Gopherballs on Jan 5, 2012 3:26 PM EST up reply actions  

    Thought this was funny
    Crisp would also receive a one-time bonus of $250,000 from Oakland should he be traded, the source said.

    At least he is realistic and knows he has a good chance of being traded and is covering the moving costs.

    Doubting Thomas, the patron saint of sabermetrics

    by Jeff Zimmerman on Jan 5, 2012 10:55 AM EST reply actions  

    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.

    by Yodazilla on Jan 5, 2012 12:19 PM EST reply actions  

    Starting Pitcher Aaron Crow gets chosen over Gordon after throwing two consecutive

    innings without throwing his “out” pitch to lefties to the backstop.

    Making watching baseball as fun as doing your taxes.
    My Twitter feed.
    Before getting tweaked, read up on regression.

    by Matt Klaassen on Jan 5, 2012 2:26 PM EST up reply actions  

    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.

    Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

    by RoyalsRetro on Jan 5, 2012 2:32 PM EST up reply actions  

    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.

    by Yodazilla on Jan 5, 2012 5:03 PM EST up reply actions  

    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.

    by Gopherballs on Jan 5, 2012 3:37 PM EST up reply actions  

    That Would Be

    Tony Cogan, actually.

    I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.

    by philofthenorth on Jan 5, 2012 10:50 PM EST up reply actions  

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