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Sunday, November 08, 2009

Poll: Your Feelings, Now and Then

Surprise, surprise, Manny re-upped for his 2nd year at $20m. But so much has happened since last March. Including 19 HR's, 63 RBI's, 0.290/0.418/0.531, and a 50-game suspension.

So here's my question:

How have your feelings changed, if at all, regarding Manny's 2-yr, $45-million, one-way option contract?
At the time I thought he was worth those terms...and I still do.
At the time I thought he was worth those terms...now, not so much.
At the time I didn't think he was worth those terms...but now I realize he was.
At the time I didn't think he was worth those terms...and I still feel that way.
  
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Friday, November 06, 2009

3DT3: Round 3

The Readers take the bottom-front-left corner spot, clearly telegraphing a premature attempt to set-up the standard strong-side Patagonian Gambit. By countering with II-3-B, the Writers easily dismiss the threat.

You gotta do better than that, Readers:

Round 3: Level?
I
II
III
IV
  
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Round 3: Row?
A
B
C
D
  
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Round 3: Column?
1
2
3
4
  
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See rules here

Thursday, November 05, 2009

Frank 1, Jamie 0

Court denies Jamie McCourt's bid for reinstatement as Dodger CEO (Dodger Thoughts)

3DT3: Round 2

Updated gameboard below. If you want to give up now, just let us know in the comments section.

Round 2: Level?
I
II
III
IV
  
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Round 2: Row?
A
B
C
D
  
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Round 3: Column?
1
2
3
4
  
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See rules here

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Conjetulations

photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

World Series Game 6 Thread: Non-Jeters @ Jeters, 5p

Andy Pettitte (1-0, 6.00) vs. Pedro Martinez (0-1, 4.50).

Readers vs Writers Board Game Smackdown, Part II

Sack up, folks, for it's time for an old-fashioned brawl. Readers vs Writers. Mano-a-mano. After school. By the bike rack.

In 3-D Tic-Tac-Toe.

If you thought the Connect Four polling mechanism was clumsy and frustrating, wait til you get a load of this. Here are the rules:

  • For those unfamiliar with the game, the object is to line up four of your markers in a line, using any or all of the three dimensions.
  • The SoSG Writers, with the black pieces, have made the first move, as indicated in the game board below.
  • The SoSG Readers, with the red pieces, must now make their move by way of the triple-poll. The Readers must choose the Level (I, II, III, IV), row (A, B, C, or D), and column (1, 2, 3, 4) in which to place their piece. The level, row, and column with the most votes* in its respective poll determines where the piece goes.
  • Feel free to attempt to sway your fellow Readers' vote via bribes, intimidation, or discussions of "strategy" via the comments section.
  • Now, I know what you're thinking: "Hey, this ain't a fair fight - enforcing a cohesive voting strategy that coordinates the three dimensions is impossible. The Readers are at a disadvantage!"
  • That's true. But the SoSG Writers have their own handicap: On any given turn, they will be limited to only half the field: either Levels I/II, or Levels III/IV, on an alternating basis. For example, because the Writers placed their first piece on Level II, their 2nd piece must be on either Level III or IV. Their 3rd piece must then be on Level I or II, and so on.
  • Each day (excluding weekends and possibly other random days), we will update the game board with both the Readers' last move (i.e., results of the previous polls) and the Writers' move in response.
  • I have no idea how this will pan out.

Your move, suckers.

(click image to enlarge)
Round 1: Level?
I
II
III
IV
  
Free polls from Pollhost.com
Round 1: Row?
A
B
C
D
  
Free polls from Pollhost.com
Round 1: Column?
1
2
3
4
  
Free polls from Pollhost.com
*If the selected spot is not available, the level with the 2nd highest votes is substituted. If it's still not available, then the level with the 3rd highest, then 4th highest. If all the levels are traversed and still no spot is available, then the rows are traversed in a similar manner, then columns.

Writers vs Readers Rematch is On!

How gracious of you SoSG Readers to grant us Writers a re-match! Yes, I've been stewing over the fluke that was the Connect Four loss for about a year now. Now, finally, we will get our chance at redemption, as we will again face off against the Readers.

But in what? Hint: it won't be Connect Four.

I'm still putting it together. To find out, tune in at 10am PT...

Mattingly One Step Closer to Succeeding Torre

From "Mattingly not interviewing with Nationals" at Dodgers.com:

Dodgers hitting coach Don Mattingly has declined to interview for the Nationals' opening for manager, Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti confirmed through a team spokesperson on Tuesday.

The move could be an indication that Mattingly and the Dodgers are making progress on a new contract that would formalize his succeeding current manager Joe Torre, who has one year remaining on his contract.

Hopefully the family drama that proved Mattingly wasn't ready to manage the Yankees two years ago is gone for good. Managerial continuity will be especially valuable since the Dodgers' ownership battle will probably still be raging when Torre retires.

Former Dodger Accidentally Shot by Bodyguard

No, it's not Jamie McCourt.

Reports: Dodgers pitcher Vicente Padilla shot in leg (Diamond Notes)
Dodgers say Padilla accidentally shot himself (Diamond Notes)

Hopefully the injury is "not serious," as reported. If the Dodgers end up re-signing Padilla, will our token off-season leg injury to a starting pitcher be taken care of?

(hat tip: SoSG reader JuanLove)

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Poll: Rematch?

So it's been two weeks. And it still hurts (new 2009 Dodger motto: "Don't Stop Bereavin'"?) that the Dodgers were lucky enough to get a re-match vs their 2008 vanquishers, and failed to capitalize. Broxton in particular was granted a re-match vs his 2008 playoff tormentor (Stairs), and punted. And now he has a new playoff tormentor.

(prepare for a weak segue...)

Now, if it were you, would you grant a previously defeated arch-rival a re-match?

Yes, to prove it was no fluke
No, cuz maybe I just got lucky
  
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Ubragg and Rafael Furcal

Those of you who had been keeping up with this season's highly competitive PCS know that the ultimate winner, ubragg, opted for the Rafael Furcal bobblehead as his prize. Well, ubragg was kind enough to send on pictures from the other side.

Wrote ubragg: "BTW, I attached some pics of Raffy getting adjusted to his new surroundings. Included you will find the unboxing, meeting my cat Kit-Kat, and visiting my local chapter of the Dodgers Steroid-User Hall of Fame."

Thanks ubragg for the great pics, and glad to see / hear that Raffy made it through the USPS' delicate handling okay. Congratulations again on winning Season II of the PCS! (Now please don't let that cat knock Raffy off the countertop.)

The Best Deadspin Halloween 2009 Costume

Where have I seen this image before?

Oooooooh, yeah. That's right!

Thanks to Deadspin (and Scott S.) for brightening my day.

Monday, November 02, 2009

World Series Game 5 Thread: NYY @ PHI, 5p

Johnny Damon stealing two bases in one play last night. An overshift for Mark Teixeira brought third baseman Pedro Feliz to second on Damon's first steal. Reliever Brad Lidge failed to cover third and Damon advanced easily for another steal.

Clifton Phifer Lee (1-0, 0.00) vs. Allan James Burnett (1-0, 1.29).

Brad Lidge is back...to being his old self. The Yankees are back...to the business of winning their 27th World Series. And baseball fans are back...to another interminable off-season. This could be the last baseball for a while, folks. Enjoy it while you can!

photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Behold the Beauty and Grace of World Series Baseball

1: Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images; 2, 3, 5 & 6: Al Bello/Getty Images; 4: Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Your Own Medicine

2009 NLCS, Game 4:

2009 World Series, Game 4:

Both games put the losing team down 3-1.

Overexposed and Underconditioned

Chad Billingsley and Russell Martin aren't the only ones yearning for the glory days of 2008. Big League Stew brings us this surprisingly un-gritty comment from the Phillies' Cole Hamels after his Halloween-night shellacking:

"I can't wait for it to end," Hamels said, referring to his wildly inconsistent 2009 season. "It's been mentally draining ... It's one of those things, a year in, you just can't wait for a fresh start."

Is Cole Hamels the anti-MSB? Already sportswriters like Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com are jumping on Hamels, and I can't imagine this white flag-waving quote will go over well in boo-collar Philly. It's time to find out what the shelf life is on the goodwill from Hamels' 2008 World Series MVP award.

last photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

Sunday, November 01, 2009

Who Are We to Judge?

A traditional Philly kid, first posted at Deadspin.

Is this really different from our own rabid family audience. (Pic courtesy of SoSG's third-favorite Nebraskan, "Todd.")

PS - Welcome back, Lidge.

World Series Game 4 Thread: Yanx @ Filz, 5p

Joe Blanton, (0-0, -.--) vs. CC Sabathia (0-1, 2.57).

P&A Issue #22: Victory!

Congratulations to SoSG readers ubragg, golem, drewdez (and fanerman, who commented but didn't contribute) on successfully and collaboratively solving P&A Magazine issue #22! I got the email from the editor this morning, our submitted answer was correct!

I've taken down the open thread we used to solve for now; I think I'm convinced now (as ubragg had politely suggested all along) that we should solve in private. Ubragg, drewdez, golem, and fanerman: please make sure I've got your emails and I'll figure out how to send you our work.

Nice job, guys...more news to follow!