Omniscient: Fuck you.

[RickJay]

In the “Baseball Thread May 2008” we were having a really interesting, multi-page thread about the joy that is major league baseball, which branched off in some neat direction. A small discussion emerged concerning different opinions as to the impact managers have on their team’s fortunes. I stated my opinion, which some disagreed with; DSYoungEsq made a pretty good point refuting a key part of my argument. But then along comes Omniscient:

@Omniscient

This is an incredibly pig headed train of thought.

Well, excuse me, Mr. Knows Everything, Especially About Baseball. I mean, here I was, stupidly thinking that a thread called “Baseball Thread May 2008” was, in fact, a thread in which baseball could be discussed. I presented an honest opinion in a friendly manner, which seemed to me to be based on reasonable opinion. But apparently, no, I’m pig-headed. Apparently, disagreeing with Omniscient on matters concerning baseball cannot merely be a difference of opinion. You’re just stupid if you disagree with Omniscient.

I mean, we were all enjoying a friendly baseball thread as fans discussing the world’s best sport, and it was going really well, actually. Sadly, my stupidity ruined everything, and it was necessary for Omniscient, The Exalted One, to tell me I was pig headed.

Sarcasm aside, Omniscient, the problem is not that I’m pig headed, the problem it that you’re a big fucking asshole whose head is so far up his ass you couldn’t watch a baseball game unless we jammed a fucking television into your upper fucking intestine. Had you come in - like DSYoungEsq - and said “RickJay, you know, I think you’re wrong, and here why” that would have been really cool. Maybe I would have agreed with you and maybe not. But it’s this sort of debate that makes baseball so awesome; we can debate and think and sort through a million different things. But oh no; it was necessary for you to simply say “Fie on your opinion; it’s not worth anything. I think I’ll shit on the thread.”

You also babbled about the Cubs, but frankly, why should I give a flying fuck about what evidence you presented? I’m “pig headed,” see, and according to you not only am I pig-headed, but it’s not even an opinion that I have formed on my own:

@Omniscient

I know it’s en vogue to argue that Managers are meaningless in baseball …

So, according to you, I just disputed the impact of managers because other people have, not because I perhaps formed my own opinion. Well, fuck you, shithead. And by the way, I DIDN’T say they were meaningless, so you can’t even read, you stupid fucking douchebag.

But I did have to address one hilarious comment:

@Omniscient

He’s (Lou Pinella, manager of the Chicago Cubs) doing a good job of playing his utility/role players at optimal times. Getting Reed Johnson and Ronny Cedeno into the lineup versus the right opponents has been something he’s been damn near prescient at.

Yeah, boy oh boy, he’s been just a genius at playing Reed Johnson against the right opponents. Johnson has played in almost every game, you dumb shit. He’s only missed four games out of 37. And by the way, he’s batting .255 with one home run, so where’s the goddamn prescience? He’s hitting BADLY for an outfielder. Or did you mean to say he EXPECTED Johnson to be a mediocre hitter against all the Cubs’ opponents?

Asshole.

[Omniscient]

Really? You’re riled up because I called you stubborn? :rolleyes:

You started that tangent with the following statement:

@RickJay

It’s funny how people blame managers for winning and losing. I don’t think managers have much to do with it at all. GENERAL managers, though, have eerything to do with it.

and then followed with this not-at-all-arrogant blanket statement:

@RickJay

The difference between managers in terms of their in-game decision making is so small as to be undetectable. There are two things no reasonable baseball person can deny:

1. Most ballgames are not won or lost by virtue of strategic decisions. The vast majority of games are won or lost purely by one team outhitting/outpitching the other team, and no tactical move could make a difference.

2. Most managers at the major league level, given the same personnel, manage essentially the same way. There is really very little variation today. No managers today has the balls to use a 4-man pitching staff through the entire year, or to try a shifted pitching system, or to bat his highest OBP leadoff if the guy hits home runs.

Clearly, there’s a statement that just encourages reasonable debate. Nothing at all stubborn and sanctimonious about your opinions and tone.

Carry on, Mr Baseball-Thread-Dictator.

[elucidator]

Cripes, its not like its about soccer, or anything…

[Omniscient]

@elucidator

Cripes, its not like its about soccer, or anything…

RickJay is the high priest of the baseball as religion movement, doncha know?

[elucidator]

Only thing that pisses me off about baseball is those goddam aluminum bats. Godawfulest noise ever, makes you wish the batter will miss. A strapping youth shouldn’t make such an effete and deadened noise like you get with an aluminum bat, you should know by the solid organic crack! of the bat that the boy’s got wood.

[Koxinga]

This so-called base-ball itself is a plot of the god-damned Spaniards.

[ZebraShaSha]

@elucidator

Only thing that pisses me off about baseball is those goddam aluminum bats. Godawfulest noise ever, makes you wish the batter will miss. A strapping youth shouldn’t make such an effete and deadened noise like you get with an aluminum bat, you should know by the solid organic crack! of the bat that the boy’s got wood.

Let’s hear it for Andy Rooney, ladies and gentleman!

[Fuji]

@Koxinga

This so-called base-ball itself is a plot of the god-damned Spaniards.

Eh, you’re just upset because your right fielder has been dead for 130 years.

[Justin_Bailey]

@Omniscient

Clearly, there’s a statement that just encourages reasonable debate. Nothing at all stubborn and sanctimonious about your opinions and tone.

I’m confused, what’s wrong with that statement? It’s true isn’t it?

No matter what decisions are made, it all comes down to individual performances from the players.

And all managers today are pussies. Every year one of them tells some reporter he might switch to a 4-man rotation and every year that manager wusses out after a week, if he goes through with it at all.

[Rhythmdvl]

I love the [quote= tags.

[What_Exit]

I agree with your view on the managers Omniscient but I also agree that the tone of your post lowered the debate to the level of a pissing contest. (Something I did earlier and apologized for to **Mhendo ** in fact.)

I disagree with much of what **RickJay ** posts when he makes these ultimatums about managers and closers and etc., but I just assume that they are strongly worded opinions and instead of insulting **RickJay ** I offer up my observations instead.

RickJay’s posting style is authoritarian, but once you recognize that it is also worth noting that he does put more thought into his posts than most people, especially on baseball. He is a studied expert on the Bill James statistical baseball model. I often disagree with it but I respect the information that he provides from it.

Jim {BTW: Yogi Berra is 83 today, so when you come to the fork in the road take it.}

[RickJay]

@What Exit?

RickJay’s posting style is authoritarian,

And in fairness, that’s something I should work on. It’s not conducive to inviting more people into the discussion if I come off as being really authoritative.

[Really_Not_All_That_Bright]

Oh, I don’t know about that. As long as we get to wear these natty brown shirts and Doc Martens…

[DudleyGarrett]

@RickJay

And in fairness, that’s something I should work on. It’s not conducive to inviting more people into the discussion if I come off as being really authoritative.

Not authoritative, but authoritarian. There is a big difference. I love baseball and chatting about it, but I tend to stay away from baseball threads here, because they usually boil down to you asserting your opinion as fact in a 3,000 word post.

Just letting you know.

[Cluricaun]

C’mon, it’s a fucking baseball thread. I post in them and will continue to do so (we swept the D-bags!) but I’m far from all knowing when it comes to the game. I post because I just love baseball, always have always will. It’s fun to talk about baseball with people who aren’t the mouthbreathers around the office who just parrot out whatever nonsense the local AM radio sports jagoffs say. Rickjay has strong opinions about baseball, big deal. I like his posts and I like that he puts that much effort into thinking about it too. I don’t have to agree or disagree with him, but I’m not staying away from any baseball thread just because I see things differently than he does.

[RickJay]

@DudleyGarrett

Not authoritative, but authoritarian. There is a big difference. I love baseball and chatting about it, but I tend to stay away from baseball threads here, because they usually boil down to you asserting your opinion as fact in a 3,000 word post.

Just letting you know.

Either word, same problem; I should watch it in the future. By all means come at me with a high hard one. I’ll be more careful from now on.

Wait, that sounded like I was flirting.

[DudleyGarrett]

@Cluricaun

C’mon, it’s a fucking baseball thread. I post in them and will continue to do so (we swept the D-bags!) but I’m far from all knowing when it comes to the game. I post because I just love baseball, always have always will. It’s fun to talk about baseball with people who aren’t the mouthbreathers around the office who just parrot out whatever nonsense the local AM radio sports jagoffs say. Rickjay has strong opinions about baseball, big deal. I like his posts and I like that he puts that much effort into thinking about it too. I don’t have to agree or disagree with him, but I’m not staying away from any baseball thread just because I see things differently than he does.

Well, good for you.

[DudleyGarrett]

@RickJay

Either word, same problem; I should watch it in the future. By all means come at me with a high hard one. I’ll be more careful from now on.

Wait, that sounded like I was flirting.

Thanks, you sound like a reasonable guy.

[Omniscient]

@What Exit?

I agree with your view on the managers Omniscient but I also agree that the tone of your post lowered the debate to the level of a pissing contest. (Something I did earlier and apologized for to **Mhendo ** in fact.)

I disagree with much of what **RickJay ** posts when he makes these ultimatums about managers and closers and etc., but I just assume that they are strongly worded opinions and instead of insulting **RickJay ** I offer up my observations instead.

RickJay’s posting style is authoritarian, but once you recognize that it is also worth noting that he does put more thought into his posts than most people, especially on baseball. He is a studied expert on the Bill James statistical baseball model. I often disagree with it but I respect the information that he provides from it.

Jim {BTW: Yogi Berra is 83 today, so when you come to the fork in the road take it.}

Was my calling his argument “pig headed” really an insult? I made a rational argument in my post, regardless if you agree with the content, my response was not simply a one-line declaration. I limited the critique to the content of the post and said nothing personally directed at RickJay. Hell, I even validated parts of the opinion in my post but I qualified them.

I’m at a loss to see how I lowered the discussion by the simple use of the word pig-headed to describe a blanket declaration that I happen to disagree with.

[ArizonaTeach]

@Cluricaun

C’mon, it’s a fucking baseball thread. I post in them and will continue to do so (we swept the D-bags!) but I’m far from all knowing when it comes to the game.

That’s OK. We’ll just have to sweep you again in the Division.