Rocky

that's what I voted also. I read an article today (don't remember the link) about how steroids MIGHT have influenced how many HRs any given player hits or has hit. The basic point was that increased muscle mass (by 10 percent) can cause significant enough increase in strength to cause a player to hit fly balls farther. How the increase in muscle mass is obtained (with or without steroids) is not significant, just that the muscle mass of the player was increased. It apparently works also for pitchers and their ability to throw harder/faster, but increased muscle mass had/has a smaller impact on pitch speed than on fly ball distance. If I remember, I'll try to find the article again... I suppose one can do a google news search for steroids+homeruns. This also came up when Green was on the Dbacks... he skips all Jewish holidays, I believe. steroids and home runs This is the same article, but not the same place I read it this morning. PORTLAND, Ore. -- A professor in solid-state physics, who ordinarily studies subjects such as thin-film deposition on semiconductors, took some time off to study home run hitters who take steroids. The Tufts University (Medford, Mass.) professor's surprising finding was that the use of steroids that add just 10 percent to muscle mass would increase bat speed by only 5 percent, enough to raise a slugger's home run production by a surprising 50 percent. "I wanted to know why steroid use seems to affect home run hitters disproportionately," said physicist Roger Tobin. "What I found is that statistically, it only takes a small change in bat speed to result in a dramatic change in the number of home runs hit." (continued)

If they DID, I'd be doing more than just writing some HARMLESS criticism of a pointless poll. And I disagree on whether there's harm in asking. But that's where I'll leave that one.

And the Brewers (probably) will have to go through Arizona and perhaps San Diego to get there... There'll only be one team I'll root for (can you guess which one?)... but I'm still having a hard time figuring them to be strong enough to bowl over every other NL team to get to the WS. But given the way the 2001 WS was won, I can't count this year's Dbacks out until the last out of the last game they play... and those Mets I thought would be hard to get past...? they're not looking so strong these days either.

At best, Jonni, this seems like a (very) lame attempt at humor. on your part, that is.

Why would ANYone here even care what ANYone else receives (earned or unearned) annually? AND... Why would ANYone here even tell the truth about what they receive (earned or unearned)? The most truthful answer I care to give it that it's nobody's damned business. But Tom Strange's answer's good too... :)

Then I read the name on the door.... regnaD kciN.

I was pretty amazed by that too! The Dbacks broadcast guys have been talking about Bonafacio's speed, but THAT was the first time he's really showed what it can mean. And Upton's pretty fast too. Upton has shown how easily he can turn a double into a triple (offensively, not defensively ;) ) As to today's game (Saturday day game on FOX, not just Fox Sports Net), the Dbacks have had their way with Lowe this season... and Livo has pitched pretty well the last several times he's started... but CBS Sportsline.com STILL has the Dodgers as heavy favorites to win today. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean a whole lot. You FINALLY noticed!? Yes, the Dbacks got them started on that streak last weekend. I even posted some "encouragement" for you! Rhino, see post number 2261 above for that note of encouragement! :)

At first, I thought maybe, Mr. Hammy, you might be taking some newfangled college class, perhaps on existentialism... then I read SirGuess's post... and I thought, do I need to take a class on PsychoCalculus? I never could understand regular calculus... but some people have told me that there will only ever be ONE of ME! But now I'm not so sure.

That's pretty much what I figured... And let's hope this guy can cope with the break up in a way that doesn't put ANYone at risk. In the SHORT TERM, that's probably not an unreasonable assessment... Indeed.

It must be a tremendous relief to know your daughter is actually listening to mom and dad on something important like this! That is, regardless of whether you heard some nut job say it numerous times before.

Yeah, I think Dooj hit the nail on the head, actually. To say that the first and most important thing men want from or in a woman is sex is FAR from thoughtful. I doubt that any adult that's been awake at all since they first hit puberty would know THAT without having to state it explicitly. Therefore, you having posted it as a starter to this thread kinda sets the tone as NOT being a genuinely thoughtful or reflective thread or expecting any one to post thoughtful, reflective responses. As an attempt to RE-direct (which others probably did before me) this TO being genuinely reflective, I would have to ask you if you genuinely believe that the bottom line (NO pun intended) is that men (or any particular man) wants hot sex more than, or at the expense of, having a genuinely compatible, deep and soulful friend/companion. My understanding is that even if a man had a wife with a voracious desire for sex, if there is conflict around other major aspects of the relationship, the sex WILL suffer. However, given my experience (too little, not very satisfying), I'm not so sure I would be able to make a sufficiently succinct or concise statement of what qualities, skills, personality or whatever in a woman as a wife or significant other.

Well, I can honestly say I'm glad the Dodgers won tonight! That, coupled with Dback's win in SFran again ups Arizona's lead to 3.5 games over the SDs.... Obviously, Dbacks are done with the Padres for the regular season. IF the Dbacks take care of business and continue on the same pace as their current winning percentage of .565, they'll make it to 92 or 93 wins. Of course, that's a big IF. For the Padres to get to 92 games, they have to win, I think, all but one game they have remaining.... I'd hope that the Dodgers don't take the division, but it'd be great for them to get the WC spot. But that won't be easy either... With the Pads, the Phillies and the Rockies all still in it... and the Phillies made a triple play tonight at home against the Rockies... which was probably the only bright spot/highlight for the home team. Rockies over the Phillies, 12-0. Also, on Sunday, Sept 23, the Dbacks host the Dodgers for Arizona's last home game of the regular season... and SimonZelotes and I have tickets to that game...

Speaking of whose laundry one prefers, I wonder if RHINO has yet realized that HIS (defending WS champion) Cardinales got SWEPT in the desert this weekend? That is, IN SPITE OF the exploits of perennial MVP candidate Albert Pujols.

For Arizona State also... but it's looking pretty gloomy for Michigan. :blink: I think Jeff checked in to say hi a couple of years ago, but I agree he probably hasn't been here for a long time.

Well... I'll choose the Dbacks... for now. Awesome game this evening. Dbacks took a 3 run lead in the first inning but gave up 7 in the third.... came back and won 9-8. This after having lost one key veteran, the O-Dog, Orlando Hudson (gold glove second baseman) for the season to a thumb injury. He'll have surgery on Monday. Btw, the game was sold out tonight. It takes something special, like pennant race baseball on weekends to fill the stadium these days. We DO get big crowds for certain series, most notably the Cubs and interleague series with the BoSox and Yankers... Thus far, no one has coined any names like "Fenway West". I won't choose sides on the political issues (in THIS sports forum). :)

That was a wonderful gift you gave to your mother AND to yourself. Thanks for sharing it. I imagine many of us that were involved with twi in the 1970s and 1980s have parents aging rapidly (hah, as if WE aren't?). Right now, my mother's still alive and kickin, being to ornery to die. (She and I talk every couple of weeks) My dad passed away 10 years and 6 months ago. Even though he and I were not estranged from each other, I wish I had had the opportunity to tell him I loved him just before he passed. I heard from my stepmother the day before, but I apparently got a wrong number for the hospital and tried all night but couldn't reach anyone in ICU where he died.

What progress/movement has the storm made in the 3-4 days since the original warnings?

Should I give lessons in subtlety?

Hey Eagle, why don't you root for the Indians?

For me, it's Steinbrenner.... but he's hardly the only egomaniac to own/run an MLB franchise. Jerry Colangelo was up there with him, until an expanded group of investors/partners pushed him out of the picture in Dback's land. btw,... Though the Padres got some pretty good licks in on the Dbacks last week and this, the Dbacks nailed the Padres both last night (against the highly touted Chris Young) and tonight against NL Cy Young frontrunner Jake Peavy. 8 earned runs against Peavy tonight. Though it was only by 3 runs, it was still a convincing win.... So, with ALL of their regular season games together now in the record books, the Dbacks own a one game lead in the NL West... When the Dbacks lose, boy do they look bad. But when they win like these last two games, they look like they could beat anybody. Now, bring on the StL Cards with Pujols and SLUGGER Rick Ankiel (Ankiel hit his 7th HR tonight)...

I did see that... and it also appeared to me that he hadn't posted anything yet. Welcome!

Yes, Brooks Robinson... the human vacuum cleaner. He was the best!

Well, MY 2cents worth isn't worth much (since I always, in a cash transaction at retail establishments, tell the cashier to "keep the pennies"), but I too dislike the Yankers. Though in the 1960s, in upstate NY, I was somewhat of a NYY fan. Those were glorious years, with Mantle, Maris, Whitey Ford and others... I lived then in the city where the Baltimore Orioles farmed on the AAA level (Rochester)... and transitioned to root for the O's. With Boog, Jim Palmer, Dave McNally, Mark Belanger, Mike Cuellar and others.... But now, from the East, I like the BoSox and Cubs, but the home team is my team... you know which team that is by now, I hope. Tonight, the Dbacks returned last night's favor for the Padres... stomping them 9-1 (last night it was 10-2 Pads). Rubber game on Weds... the two teams are now tied for the division lead. We need some baseball related emoticons!

Nah... nobody really talks about it unless they're broadcasting a Cards game... it's understandable that you would find it intriguing (and surprising). :)

Btw, Hiway... I'm glad your Dodgers won today. :)