Anyway...
Hall-of-Famer: Hank Aaron, Sandy Koufax
Non-Hall-of-Famer: Ron LeFlore, Frank Tanana
Manager: Jim Leyland, Ozzie Guillen
Current players: Dontrelle Willis, Johan Santana, anyone who can steal over 40 bases on a yearly basis
Book: Can't remember the title -- it was mostly in-action shots of pitchers, likely published in the early '80s. Otherwise, anything with lots of numbers.
Website: ESPN
Writers: Peter Gammons, Bill James, Michael Rosenberg
Movie: The Bad News Bears
Favorite announcers: Worshipped Ernie Harwell, loved George Kell/Al Kaline, love Mario Impemba/Rod Allen, had a soft spot for Paciorek/Harrelson.
Ballpark: Tiger Stadium
Playing experience: Through high school, including little league (minor, major, senior) and summer travel teams in Koufax and Mack leagues, as well as fall leagues. 20-4 during high school seasons, CG wins against two top-ten ranked teams in the state my senior year, first-team all-conference. (Almost certain I once played against D3r3k Low3.) Recruited to play for a handful of very small colleges and could've walked on at the MAC school in my back yard but I had so much fun my last year that I didn't want to spend a couple years sitting or getting shelled. I wouldn't have made it past college, despite being left-handed, since I was 5'7"/150 and could only hit 85 with a well-timed gust of wind at my back. Besides, I had a year of music retail under my belt and I sure as hell wasn't going to mess with my path to great riches.
Positions played: P, OF, C. I loved running around outfields so much, even when there were broken bottles and railroad tracks running through them.
Ballparks visited: Tiger Stadium, Comiskey Park II, Wrigley Field, Dodger Stadium, Edison Field.
First game: Tiger Stadium, 1983. Purchased an Expos batting helmet.
Best game attended: The last game at Tiger Stadium
Best offensive player: Ryan Howard
Best defensive player: Ichiro Suzuki
Best current pitcher: Johan Santana
Favorite outfield ever: Andre Dawson, Tim Raines, Warren Cromartie
Areas of interest: Triples, bunts, delayed steals on AJ Pierzynski
Favorite quote: "90% of the game is half-mental" (or whatever)
― Andy_K (Andy_K), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 12:01 (seventeen years ago) link
Playing experience: Little league. I wasn't a very good player to say the least!
Favorite announcer: Gary Cohen
Favorite quote: "How did they do it? Mirrors."
― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 13:43 (seventeen years ago) link
stence are you a mets fan now?
― mookieproof (mookieproof), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 16:19 (seventeen years ago) link
― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 16:47 (seventeen years ago) link
― polyphonic (polyphonic), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 17:25 (seventeen years ago) link
Favorites:
Hall of famer: Robin Youth, Richie AshburnCurrent players: Hideki Matsui, Carl Crawford, any funky sidearm/submariner reliever (Bradford, Fuentes, etc)Minor leaguer: don't really pay attention anymoreNon-hall of famer: Kent Tekulve, Jim Eisenreich, Chris Bosio, Todd FrohwirthManager: Jim Fregosi, especially when liquored upBook: Nine InningsWebsite: Baseball ProspectusWriters: Jayson Stark was an excellent Philly writer while I was growing upMovie: The NaturalFavorite announcers: Jerry Remy, that play-by-play guy in Seattle who just retiredBallpark: Detroit (Comerica), Pittsburgh (PNC) are the best of the new bunchPlaying Experience: plenty o' whiffle ballPositions Played: scorekeeperBall Parks Visited: almost all of them ... Fenway, Yankee, Skydome, Camden Yards & Memorial, Tropicana, Tigers & Comerica, Metrodome, US Cellular, Jacobs & Cleveland, Kauffman, Angels, Ameriquest, Safeco, Shea, Vets & Citizens Bank, Fulton County, Dolphins, Olympic & RFK, new & old Busch, Minute Maid, Riverfront, County & Miller, Three Rivers & PNC, Wrigley, Qualcomm, Dodgers, PacBell, Chase, Coors plus a bunch of minor league parks as well.Best Game attended: How about memories ... scaring youngsters at Fenway by repeatedly claiming "I love Rafael Bournigal," sneaking into Yankee stadium with my sister, Skydome closing during a game, Toronto fan getting ejected from Tigers Stadium bleachers (the rowdiest crowd ever), the racket the wooden seats made in Cleveland, huge lighting storm in KC, Ichiro blasting one off the restaurant after I told Lisa he was a singles hitter, Jamaicans on 1st base side in the 700's at the Vet, the lovely usherettes at Olympic, farm day cow milking competition at Riverfront, hard liquor brought to your seat in Milwaukee, the frigid wind at Wrigley, strange WC fan vibe at Qualcomm, cross-sectional taunting at Chase (neither group a Snakes fan either), the musical taunting of Sox fans at Coors.Best Defensive Player: not objective, but I enjoy those Torii Hunter moments. Best Current Pitcher: objectively, Santana. not objectively, Papelbon.Favorite outfield ever: Lenny Dykstra / Jim Eisenreich / Pete IncavigliaAreas of Interest (baseball): 2nd baseman fielding the ball from the catcher after the warm-up throwsFavorite Quote (baseball): "With the Cardinals everybody would be reading the business section to see what their stocks were doing. You get to this locker room (Pirates) in the morning and everybody is looking at the sports page to see if Hulk Hogan won." -Andy Van Slyke
― zaxxon25 (zaxxon25), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 18:36 (seventeen years ago) link
My ILB name is hstencil. I'm 31, I live in New York CityBrooklyn and I root for the Cubs and White Sox (or whomever is playing against the Yankees, Braves or MetsTwins or A's).
Hall of famer: Willie Mays or Ted WilliamsCurrent players: Magglio Ordonez, Carlos Beltran, Jermaine Dye, David Wright, Jose Reyes, Paul KonerkoMinor leaguer: Rickey Henderson, hehNon-hall of famer: Shoeless Joe Jackson (they could never prove he took the money)Manager: Earl WeaverBook: Eight Men Out, Crash: The Dick Allen StoryWebsite: espn.com, cantstopthebleeding.comWriters: anybody who's not on the Tribune payrollMovie: Major League (so bad it's good)Favorite announcers: Steve Stone or anyone without Caray as a last nameBallpark: Wrigley Field for ambiance, ComiskeyUS Cellular for fans (the non-psychotic field chargin' ones), Keyspan Park because its at Coney IslandPlaying Experience: N/APositions Played: I was a soda/peanut vendor at Wrigley Field at the end of the '98 season, usually upper deck.Ball Parks Visited: Wrigley Field, Comiskey (I have not been since it's been renamed), Fenway, Yankee Stadium, Fulton County Stadium (RIP), Memorial Stadium (RIP), whatever the old one in Cincy was called (RIP), and I've driven by the Jake, old Tiger Stadium, and the old stadium in Milwaukee (RIP).Best Game attended: probably Mike Cameron's 4-homer game, Mariners vs. White Sox, sometime in '02. or Pedro's 12 strikeout game against the Astros last year.Best Offensive Player: Barry BondsAlbert PujolsBest Defensive Player: dunno who I'd pickAaron Rowand FaceplantBest Current Pitcher: Esteban Loaizanot JohanAreas of Interest (baseball): allFavorite Quote (baseball): "I did not bet on baseball" -Pete Rose.
― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 18:50 (seventeen years ago) link
― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 18:54 (seventeen years ago) link
My ilxor name is Van Horn Street. I'm 25 and live in Montreal. Root for the Giants and the France National Baseball team (I think their might be one).
Hall of famer: Willie Mays, Christy Mathewson.Current players: Buster Posey, Tim Lincecum, Max Scherzer, Andrew McCutchen, Josh Donaldson.Non-hall of famer: Barry Bonds.Manager: Leyland, Bochy, Stengel.Book: Mickey and Willie: Mantle and Mays, the Parallel Lives of Baseball's Golden AgeWriters: Joe Posnanski, Jonah Keri, Rob Neyer, Grant Brisbree, and the great duo of clemenza and Dr. Morbius.Movie: Baseball by Ken Burns. Moneyball. The Battered Bastards of Baseball.Favorite announcers: Kruk and Kuip. I've been enjoying the Mets' trio as well.Ballpark: The Big O.Playing Experience: Very little.Ball Parks Visited: The Big O. Rogers Centre.Best Game attended: One game in 1998 in which Guerrero scored a home run, the only I've seen. I can't even remember who it was against.Best Offensive Player: Mike Trout, Yasiel Puig.Best Defensive Player: Jason Heyward, Josh Donaldson.Best Current Pitcher: Felix Hernandez, Chris Sale.Areas of Interest (baseball): Reading Bee OK's comment when the Giants are losing. History. Statistics. Understanding America.Favorite Quote (baseball): It ain't the heat, it's the humility. - Berra.Baseball dream: Build a little baseball field somewhere in Dordogne.
― Van Horn Street, Friday, 1 August 2014 05:10 (nine years ago) link
Hello all! I'm Larry, 45, and live in Austin. I post as UrbanShocker on Fangraphs.
Hall of famer: Greg MadduxCurrent players: Puig? Minor leaguer: Joc PedersonNon-hall of famer: Andruw JonesManager: Earl WeaverBook: Baseball When The Grass Was RealWebsite: NotGraphsWriters: Jonah KeriMovie: Bull DurhamFavorite announcers: OrelBallpark: PacBell ParkPlaying Experience: Little League. I made up for being slow by not being able to hit. Positions Played: Outfield.Ball Parks Visited: Dodger Stadium, Safeco, Angel Stadium, Oakland Coliseum, Pac Bell, Coors Field, The Ballpark Arlington, Minute Maid, The Ted, and going to Wrigley at the end of the month!Best Game attended: Braves v Indians, Game 6!Best Offensive Player: MiguelBest Defensive Player: SimmonsBest Current Pitcher: ClaytonFavorite outfield ever: Chipper, Andruw and SheffAreas of Interest (baseball): Sabermetrics*Favorite Quote (baseball): "Ninety percent I'll spend on good times, women and Irish whiskey, The other 10 percent I'll probably waste." Tug McGraw
*I am skeptical of some Sabermetric stats.
― campreverb, Friday, 1 August 2014 12:16 (nine years ago) link
serious lols at this: Areas of Interest (baseball): Reading Bee OK's comment when the Giants are losing.
― Porto for Pyros (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Friday, 1 August 2014 16:33 (nine years ago) link
Thanks, VHS. Believe it or not, I just now figured out your display name. (Not the VHS acronym--I was going to say you'd have to know the Expos, but I see now that VH is still around. Had no idea.)
― clemenza, Friday, 1 August 2014 17:31 (nine years ago) link
Found Andy K's playing background really interesting. I won't fill out the whole questionnaire, but I would like to make it a matter of public record that I was league MVP--well, tied with Jim Peardon, actually--when I was 13. And then, as Jim Bouton says, the big kids got out of school.
― clemenza, Friday, 1 August 2014 17:38 (nine years ago) link
i would like jim in glasgow to answer these questions!
also:
Best offensive player: Ryan Howard― Andy_K (Andy_K), Tuesday, October 3, 2006 8:01 AM (9 years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― Andy_K (Andy_K), Tuesday, October 3, 2006 8:01 AM (9 years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― mookieproof, Friday, 17 June 2016 01:07 (seven years ago) link
2006!
― Andy K, Friday, 17 June 2016 01:41 (seven years ago) link
^^^ andy amaro
― mookieproof, Friday, 17 June 2016 04:31 (seven years ago) link
http://image.mlive.com/home/mlive-media/width620/img/cutoffman/photo/021510-dave-dombrowskijpg-1626b49e2d55ee8e.jpg
― Andy K, Saturday, 18 June 2016 01:48 (seven years ago) link
Quote this tweet with the VERY FIRST baseball player mannerism you copied as a kid.— Brandon Warne (@Brandon_Warne) November 14, 2017
1. willie stargell's 'wind-up' while waiting for a pitch2. probably john candelaria's delivery
even though both those dudes were left-handed and i am not
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 15 November 2017 16:01 (six years ago) link
my brother and i would play wiffle ball in our backyard (a home run was one that landed on the roof of the house or went over the fence parallel to the house) and we'd play as teams, but only the teams we were familiar with. he defaulted to the cubs, i'd wind up as whatever opponent they'd play. lots of Cubs vs Expos and Pirates games. not because those teams were our favorite opponents but because we had two plastic helmets in addition to the Cubs one, and those were the two teams.
I'm pretty certain that the first stance I copied was Tim Raines (only his right-handed stance, til i learned to bat from the left side as well a couple years later.)
pitching-wise, i can't remember who i copied.
our six-yr old currently copies Kris Bryant's stance pretty damn well.
― omar little, Wednesday, 15 November 2017 16:50 (six years ago) link
I don't know if I ever did so in actual games, but when I still played at 12 or 13, I'd imitate Carew's batting stance and Tiant's motion.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 15 November 2017 18:46 (six years ago) link