Baseball Toaster The Griddle
Log in | Register | Help
A place where a man can slow down to a walk and live his life full measure, but he has to keep his watch on Pacific Time. And the mathematically eliminated are dispatched with a metaphor.
Hot from the Toaster
Search
Google Search
Web
Toaster
The Griddle
Archives

2008
09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2007
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2006
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2005
12  10  07 
06  05  04  03 
Suggestions, comments, ring the catcher's interference alarm?

Email me at btimmermann@gmail.com

NCAA Tournament Contest Champion

Andrew Shimmin

2008 contest

Links
The stuff I keep track of
If the playoffs started today...

American League:

#2 Los Angeles (West) vs #4 Boston (Wild Card)
#3 Chicago (Central) vs #1 Tampa Bay (East)

National League:

#2 New York (East) vs #4 Milwaukee (Wild Card)
#1 Chicago (Central) vs #3 Arizona (West)

2008 Conference Standings (9/4)
National League
Rank Team W L PCT Division
1 Chicago Cubs 85 55 .607 C1
2 New York Mets 79 61 .564 E1
3 Arizona 71 68 .511 W1
4 Milwaukee 80 60 .571 C2
5 Philadelphia 76 64 .543 E2
6 St. Louis 75 65 .536 C3
7 Houston 74 66 .529 C4
8 Florida 71 69 .507 E3
9 Los Angeles Dodgers 70 70 .5 W2
10 Colorado 66 75 .468 W3
11 Cincinnati 62 78 .443 C5
12 Atlanta 61 80 .433 E4
13 San Francisco 60 79 .432 W4
14 Pittsburgh 59 80 .424 C6
15 San Diego 54 86 .386 W5
16 Washington 54 87 .383 E5
American League
Rank Team W L PCT Division
1 Tampa Bay 85 53 .616 E1
2 Los Angeles Angels 85 54 .612 W1
3 Chicago White Sox 78 61 .561 C1
4 Boston 82 57 .59 E2
5 Minnesota 77 63 .55 C2
6 New York Yankees 75 65 .536 E3
7 Toronto 73 66 .525 E4
8 Texas 69 72 .489 W2
9 Cleveland 67 71 .486 C3
10 Detroit 67 73 .479 C4
11 Baltimore 63 76 .453 E5
12 Oakland 63 77 .45 W3
13 Kansas City 60 79 .432 C5
14 Seattle 54 85 .388 W4
Random Game Callbacks

Select a date:

So where is that book?

Personal favorites that I wrote
The Metro Area Battles

New York
WLGB
Mets7961
Yankees75643.5

Baltimore/DC
WLGB
Orioles6376
Nationals54869.5

Chicago
WLGB
Cubs8555
White Sox78616.5

LA/Orange County
WLGB
Angels8454
Dodgers707015

SF/Oakland
WLGB
Athletics6375
Giants60793.5

So long and thanks for playing this year

1. Washington (8/31)
2. Seattle (9/1)

The last batter to reach on catcher's interference was ...

Jeff Francouer of Atlanta by Luke Montz of Washington on September 4, 2008

FAQs
Cycle alerts

Yellow alert - Player needs triple for cycle
Orange alert - Player needs double for cycle
Red alert - Player need single for cycle

If a player needs a home run for the cycle, the level of the alert varies depending upon the determination of the Cycle Detection Warning System, which is headquartered in Thief River Falls, Minnesota.

Syndication

rss2.0

Add to My Yahoo!
Day 16 of the Long March: BCS Championship Game chat
2008-01-07 11:00
by Bob Timmermann

The Long March has come to the end. The only college football bowl game that really matters after 31 other exhibitions played in places from Honolulu to Toronto to Shreveport to multiple cities in Texas to multiple cities in Florida. We have reached the end of the line: the  BCS Championship Game between #1 Ohio State (11-1) and #2 LSU (11-2). The game will start around 5:15 pm PT from New Orleans.

Remember, this is NOT the Sugar Bowl. This is the BCS Championship Game. It's the second one played under the "double host" format that the BCS is toying with. In 2009, there will be an Orange Bowl on New Year's Day and the BCS Championship Game will be on January 8, 2009 from Dolphins Stadium. In 2010, the Rose Bowl will be played on January 1 and the BCS Championship will be played on a date still to be determined.

The Ohio State University Fighting Definite Articles are 18-20 in bowl games, including a 41-14 loss in the first BCS Championship Game last year in Glendale to Florida. Since Woody Hayes left Ohio State, the Buckeyes have played in the Rose Bowl just three times. They have played in the Sugar Bowl three times, a 35-6 loss to Alabama in 1978, a 31-14 loss to Florida State in 1998, and a 24-14 win over Texas A&M in 1999.

LSU is 19-18-1 in bowl games. They have played in the Sugar Bowl (remember this game isn't THE Sugar Bowl) 13 times and the Tigers are 6-7 in those games, which include two losses to Santa Clara, but a win over Wyoming. Wyoming was the Hawai'i of 1968.

The Definite Articles and The Tigers have played each other twice. The teams tied 13-13 in 1987 in Baton Rogue and Ohio State won 36-33 in Columbus in 1988.

Advertisement
Comments
2008-01-07 11:08:30
1.   Linkmeister
The Ohio State University "The's?"

I'm not getting the joke. It's Monday, which may explain it. Additionally, through the seeming incompetence of our athletic director we may be losing the most successful football coach we've ever had, which is distressing but perhaps not surprising.

2008-01-07 11:12:44
2.   gpellamjr
1 I think he's joking about the insistence of people here upon referring to the university as "The Ohio State University".

This morning I saw all my students wearing their OSU jersies and sweatshirts and all that and asked "Is there a football game tonight?" There was an audible gasp from many.

Several students have since dropped my class.

2008-01-07 11:29:58
3.   Bob Timmermann
2
Thank you for acting as my Cliff Notes.
2008-01-07 11:39:10
4.   gpellamjr
3 I am just trying to earn my nick-name "Cliff".
2008-01-07 11:52:16
5.   Bob Timmermann
Professor Pellam, do we have to read the "whole book"?
2008-01-07 11:56:50
6.   gpellamjr
5 You don't have to read a damn thing. You don't even have to come to class. This is college. You're an adult. Grow up, you little jerk.
2008-01-07 12:01:18
7.   dianagramr
Will this be on the test?
2008-01-07 13:02:15
8.   rbj
I was given to understand that there would be no math on the test.
2008-01-07 13:28:53
9.   El Lay Dave
2 There was an audible gasp from many.

Ah, but did any of them attempt to kick you in the crotch?

2008-01-07 13:39:14
10.   El Lay Dave
What can I do for extra credit?
2008-01-07 15:07:35
11.   Humma Kavula
9 Is gpellamjr a special guest on Penarol's channel? I thought that Penarol had the kick-to-the-crotch territory covered around these parts.
2008-01-07 15:19:13
12.   ToyCannon
If someone actually kicked Penarol in the crotch at the next DT gathering would there be a group gasp of dismay with eyes alight with mirth, or a genuine display of empathy for the man keeled over in the porcelin praying position?
I for one will be wearing a cup at the next gathering.
2008-01-07 15:30:07
13.   Humma Kavula
12 Thinking of someone getting kicked in the crotch is funny. Somebody actually getting kicked in the crotch is not funny.

Not unrelated is this definition from Mel Brooks: "Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall through an open manhole and die."

2008-01-07 17:03:00
14.   trainwreck
Well, none of my friends were willing to go to a bar to watch tonight's game.

I think that exemplifies the lack of excitement and build up for this game.

And before you say well my friends suck, that may be true, but I did get them to go out and watch last year's game.

2008-01-07 17:16:33
15.   bobsbrother
Amazingly, Brenaman had been speaking for about 20 seconds before he had gotten on my nerves. I don't know if I'm going to like this evening.
2008-01-07 17:20:49
16.   Indiana Jon
Even around here there isn't much excitement about tonight's game, and I'm one state over and dead in the middle of Big Ten country.
2008-01-07 17:23:06
17.   Bob Timmermann
15
Does Brennaman's picture appear in the dictionary next to the word "stentorian"? Is the trying to channel the spirit of Everett Dirksen all the time?
2008-01-07 17:27:12
18.   bobsbrother
This game really does seem like an afterthought. The season has been over for months, the other bowl games for days. And now this.

Though that was a nice run.

2008-01-07 17:29:42
19.   trainwreck
I now know what stentorian means.
2008-01-07 17:30:10
20.   Sam DC
What a compelling epic battle we have before us.

Justice is unflinching, Mayhem scares me, and apparently there is no known antidote for Venom.

What's that, you guys aren't watching American Gladiator 2008?

2008-01-07 17:37:25
21.   bobsbrother
LSU is doing a good job with their big play defense.
2008-01-07 17:38:00
22.   trainwreck
20
We aren't lucky enough to get to watch the new American Gladiators yet.

The gladiator named Crush is actually a star in MMA.

2008-01-07 17:40:06
23.   Bob Timmermann
21
I could try to find this on the radio on the way home, but I will just wait to be surprised.
2008-01-07 17:40:49
24.   Hallux Valgus
22 I went to a taping of Gladiators, and my friends and I became quickly smitten with Crush. We kept making her laugh when she was supposed to be looking tough for her closeups in Gauntlet. Eventually, we convinced her to jump into the water after Joust, even though she won bother her, um, jousts. I was pleased to see that several bad reviews have still been calling Crush a bright spot.
2008-01-07 17:42:49
25.   trainwreck
Yeah, Gina Carano. She is attractive and great in muay thai. What a combo.
2008-01-07 17:48:27
26.   bhsportsguy
23 Its on the home of the Trojans and the former home of the Angels.
2008-01-07 18:13:31
27.   Penarol1916
12. Penarol probably won't be making it to a DT day this coming year as I don't think I'll be making out to California this year, but if we organize a DT of Chicago gathering for a Cubs game, we'll let you know about any crotch kicking at Wrigley. As for the game, you would think that LSU's S(EC)peed would have caught slow as molasses Chris Wells on that first touchdown run, right?
2008-01-07 18:25:09
28.   bobsbrother
Both announcers just said the field goal was blocked with the LSU player's "paw." It wasn't creative when Brennaman said it, and it didn't get better the second time.
2008-01-07 18:36:54
29.   Bob Timmermann
26
You're listening on an L.A. radio station?
2008-01-07 18:51:30
30.   gpellamjr
I don't know about the rest of the country-- but there is excitement here in Columbus. My apartment complex is rocked every few moments with cries of elation or agony. And here I am, reading about Sparta and Lakonia. Oh for baseball!
2008-01-07 19:15:26
31.   Bob Timmermann
Words do not describe what JaMarcus Russell is wearing.
2008-01-07 19:21:13
32.   El Lay Dave
11 I guess I see "p", "e", "a", "l", plus "n" or "m" and get all confused, yet here they are separated by only two posts and the difference couldn't be clearer. Nothing like having a crotch joke fall flat, eh?
2008-01-07 19:43:40
33.   Sam DC
Well, I guess the game could get even less interesting . . .

I suppose . . .

2008-01-07 19:54:56
34.   Bob Timmermann
Oh, I guess I should wake up.
2008-01-07 21:28:58
35.   Xeifrank
are there another set of bowl games 6 weeks from now, or is that it?
vr, Xei
2008-01-07 22:26:50
36.   Bob Timmermann
That will be the Super Bowl halftime show.
2008-01-08 07:49:42
37.   Daniel Zappala
And before you say well my friends suck, that may be true, but I did get them to go out and watch last year's game.

And you expected them to go out with you again this year? Maybe they think you're the one who sucks.

Advertisement
Post a comment   (Help)

To comment, please log in.

Not a member? Register!