Happy birthday, Sean Forman

by Adam J. Morris on Dec 14, 2008 2:45 PM CST Comment 101 comments

Happy birthday to Sean Forman.

Most of you probably don't recognize the name, but Sean Forman is the guru behind the Baseball Reference website.

I'm sure I don't have to tell you guys how great B-R is. But I would like to take a moment to suggest that you check it out today and, if the mood strikes you, find a page to sponsor.

Pedro Astacio is available for a year for just 10 bucks.

So is Dan Miceli.

And Marshall McDougall is just $5.

0 recs | Comment 101 comments |

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

We need to create a shrine for the All-Time Greatest Ranger Spares.

meet me at the mawwl... it's goin dowwn...

by oc on Dec 14, 2008 2:51 PM CST reply actions 1 recs

I endorse this message.

This is an exciting time in my life.

The LSB CPP's are in full bloom.

by Chase Irwin on Dec 14, 2008 3:05 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

the Shrine Of Spares

or SOS…has a nice ring to it

Call 1-800-DOCTORB. The B is for bargain!

by Panorama on Dec 14, 2008 3:06 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

You can bet your arse that Manny Lee has a home there.

meet me at the mawwl... it's goin dowwn...

by oc on Dec 14, 2008 3:28 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Manny Lee holds a special place in my heart...

he hit a ball that I caught a foul ball on back in one of his seasons in Texas, I’m trying to say it was 1994.

Stars in a Texas Night Sky, a Dallas Stars blog from a fan's perspective.

by rangers85 on Dec 14, 2008 3:30 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I have always been partial

to Monty Fariss. Anyone? ha

by Michael Cave on Dec 14, 2008 3:39 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Cecil Espy

meet me at the mawwl... it's goin dowwn...

by oc on Dec 14, 2008 3:52 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

nice

Gary Redus

by Michael Cave on Dec 14, 2008 4:42 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

craig lefferts

not really a spare and actually had a pretty decent career with other teams but his 1993 Tex season was awesome

Mandatory reading before suggesting a trade

by ab03 on Dec 14, 2008 4:49 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

George Wright

Or Nick Cappra

Miami bound...

by boomer1 on Dec 14, 2008 4:51 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Who could forget the great Jack Daugherty?

meet me at the mawwl... it's goin dowwn...

by oc on Dec 14, 2008 5:26 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Daugherty

I actually have his autograph. I also have Nelson Norman’s, another great nominee for the Shrine of Spares.

A few other nominees: Scarborough Green, Darrel Akerfelds, Kevin Belcher, Rob Maurer, Hector Fajardo, Dan Peltier, Rikkert Faneyte, Mark Sagmoen, Hanley Frias, Jose Alberro, B.J. Waszgis, Cliff Brumbaugh, and J.D. Smart.

"I dont care to debate with a troll." - Sharky

by RCCook on Dec 14, 2008 7:39 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Scar Green

AKA,

He Who Earned the Name of Cipher.

"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
Yes we can! November 04, 2008

by Rodney on Dec 14, 2008 7:41 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Rikkiert Fynitta(sp)?

Miami bound...

by boomer1 on Dec 14, 2008 8:11 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Feneyte

I think.

G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....

by t ball on Dec 14, 2008 8:27 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks

Miami bound...

by boomer1 on Dec 14, 2008 8:34 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Scarborough Green

Is an assistant football coach at Howard Payne now. My buddy had some beers with him at a sports bar in Mansfield last weekend. So weird.`

I'm undefeated in fights. Have I been in any? No. Thats because people know my f'ing status. Don't mess with the elite. - Miles

by Dirk Diggler on Dec 15, 2008 7:36 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

He looked like....

a Sharpay (sp?). You know, that wrinkled dog looking dog.

I miss 1989. I miss 1996. Please make me miss another season in 2008.

by Chaim Witz on Dec 15, 2008 2:40 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Sharpei

I think.

G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....

by t ball on Dec 15, 2008 11:07 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I think after finals this week...

I may get to work assembling the All-Decades Rangers SOS teams. Maybe even leave it to voting. Could be somethign else to last us til the start of the new season.

Stars in a Texas Night Sky, a Dallas Stars blog from a fan's perspective.

by rangers85 on Dec 14, 2008 10:02 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Doug Strange

by JBImaknee on Dec 16, 2008 3:19 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, you didn't go there

pull a Hindman on us.

"A ~.650 OPS from a COF should get you deported, not traded for."

- The Huntressatron

by Chase Irwin on Dec 16, 2008 8:17 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Marshall McDougall should be $6.

I mean….come on, think man!

"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
Yes we can! November 04, 2008

by Rodney on Dec 14, 2008 3:06 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

McDougall...

an FSU Baseball Legend.

"that suzuki guy should go back to making cars" - My girlfriend after C.J.'s close in game 2

by tdi1985 on Dec 14, 2008 3:25 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

kam loe

$10

"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg

by rentz on Dec 14, 2008 3:29 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

kam loe

¥901.14

Fixed.

"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
Yes we can! November 04, 2008

by Rodney on Dec 14, 2008 3:47 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

nice touch

t ball on MY - "hate the contract, don't hate the player"

by bspate on Dec 15, 2008 9:03 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I quite frequently find people who don't use Baseball Reference for their simple research needs.

I even find people who are completely unaware of its existence.

Both baffle me.

And That Happened: Sports with a Hint of Sarcasm

by philkid3 on Dec 14, 2008 3:43 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I agree

You can spend hours on that site and not even realize it.

by Michael Cave on Dec 14, 2008 3:47 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I prefer

www.thebaseballcube.com

Bobby Jindal '12

by dstar442005 on Dec 14, 2008 3:44 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I like it...

whenever I’m lookign for minor league stats. Although, baseball-reference is increasingly adding minor league information now.

Stars in a Texas Night Sky, a Dallas Stars blog from a fan's perspective.

by rangers85 on Dec 14, 2008 3:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I just noticed that yesterday.

That’s great. But so far, I haven’t seen any minors’ comp lists. That would really be neat.

"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
Yes we can! November 04, 2008

by Rodney on Dec 14, 2008 3:57 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I still prefer the baseball cube

since they have the ratios and I think its easier to read than B-R’s. Fangraphs though is starting to really take over for minor league stats.

By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw

by Gdawg on Dec 14, 2008 4:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Fangraphs though is starting to really take over for minor league stats.

Indeed.

And That Happened: Sports with a Hint of Sarcasm

by philkid3 on Dec 14, 2008 5:05 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Fangraphs

just keeps getting better.

G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....

by t ball on Dec 14, 2008 8:28 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

+1

Fangraphs is where I go to look up pitchers, period. I only use BR for hitters these days.

"I´d like to apologize in advance for anything that I may say or do that could be construed as offensive as I slowly go NUTS."

by lonestarJon on Dec 14, 2008 11:34 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I use Baseball Prospectus for hitters.

I use Baseball Reference for more simple research. Good interface, lots of basic stats, goes back a long way and has the compare player feature and lots of other stuff.

I don’t use it much for current stuff.

And That Happened: Sports with a Hint of Sarcasm

by philkid3 on Dec 15, 2008 12:02 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Also, I use StatCorner most for pitchers.

And That Happened: Sports with a Hint of Sarcasm

by philkid3 on Dec 15, 2008 12:02 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Everyone has their own good thing

Usually, if I’m looking at a specific Major League player, I have his B-R and fangraphs page open and I get most everything I need. I use BP, Hardball Times, and StatCorner too, but they aren’t the first ones I open up and are for more sabermetric stats instead of looking at specifically what they’ve done.

By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw

by Gdawg on Dec 15, 2008 12:25 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

tRA is the best. It just is.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

There are two kinds of men in this world: Men who make jump throws, and men who wish that they were Derek Jeter so that they could make jump throws.

by thedirkatron on Dec 15, 2008 1:46 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm shocked you'd think so

By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw

by Gdawg on Dec 15, 2008 12:06 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Opps. Sorry. Pitchers make their own luck! ERA and Win-Loss record are the only relevant means of pitcher evaluation! Yay!

The 40 Trumps All!!!

There are two kinds of men in this world: Men who make jump throws, and men who wish that they were Derek Jeter so that they could make jump throws.

by thedirkatron on Dec 15, 2008 12:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

because looking at LD rates, GB/FB ratios, types of pitches thrown and speeds, contact rates, etc. is just looking at win-loss record and ERA.

By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw

by Gdawg on Dec 15, 2008 3:54 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

LOL.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

There are two kinds of men in this world: Men who make jump throws, and men who wish that they were Derek Jeter so that they could make jump throws.

by thedirkatron on Dec 15, 2008 4:05 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Well, I don't have a BR subscription

But I do use their public VORP listings a lot.

"I´d like to apologize in advance for anything that I may say or do that could be construed as offensive as I slowly go NUTS."

by lonestarJon on Dec 15, 2008 12:03 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

*BP subscription

Obviously.

"I´d like to apologize in advance for anything that I may say or do that could be construed as offensive as I slowly go NUTS."

by lonestarJon on Dec 15, 2008 12:04 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

You can get most of their stats without a subscription.

DT cards are free.

Projections and articles are the only things you really have to pay for.

And That Happened: Sports with a Hint of Sarcasm

by philkid3 on Dec 15, 2008 12:04 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I stick with BR a lot because

I have a Firefox search plugin for it. I really like the season/career splits info they provide and haven’t checked around to see if other sites carry info like BABIP and hit trajectory breakdowns. I also tend to use it a lot because I have a few friends who kind of understand baseball stats, and don’t want to overwhelm them with anything overly complicated (or any stats whose formulas aren’t readily available).

by jwiscarson on Dec 15, 2008 2:45 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

ramon nivar $5
Laynce Nix $10

im thinking of sponsoring nix with the message “give it to me laynce push push”

"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg

by rentz on Dec 14, 2008 4:00 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

That would totally

crack me up!

"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
Yes we can! November 04, 2008

by Rodney on Dec 14, 2008 4:01 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

do it do it

by Michael Cave on Dec 14, 2008 4:42 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Just saw that

Laynce Nix was signed to a minor league deal by the Reds

by BEW on Dec 15, 2008 8:20 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

einar diaz $10

could use the message “in memorial of travis hafner”

"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg

by rentz on Dec 14, 2008 4:02 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Adam's ruined X-mas

Midwest Glass Fabricators, Inc. beat him to it.

"Yeah, like I had a chance there" - Lancaster batter, after striking out against Derek Holland

by chrisR on Dec 14, 2008 4:23 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

heh

didn’t even have to post the link, we knew who you were talking about

Mandatory reading before suggesting a trade

by ab03 on Dec 14, 2008 4:51 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

lol

How can you not know?

"Yeah, like I had a chance there" - Lancaster batter, after striking out against Derek Holland

by chrisR on Dec 14, 2008 6:30 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

some minor league football team

stole showalter from adam. i don’t really understand why. they did it to plug their own minor league football record?

Mandatory reading before suggesting a trade

by ab03 on Dec 14, 2008 4:52 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I just noticed...

they’ve expanded and have a pretty good hockey-reference.com site as well. I’ve been waiting forever for a hockey equivalent. hockeydb.com just never quite had the wealth of information I longed for.

Stars in a Texas Night Sky, a Dallas Stars blog from a fan's perspective.

by rangers85 on Dec 14, 2008 5:02 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Geek!

"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
Yes we can! November 04, 2008

by Rodney on Dec 14, 2008 5:11 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Haha...

nah, more so just from being in fantasy hockey leagues in the late 90s/early 2000s that having that level of information would have been really nice for entry drafts, etc, or even some of the leagues I created.

Stars in a Texas Night Sky, a Dallas Stars blog from a fan's perspective.

by rangers85 on Dec 14, 2008 5:12 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

What's "hockey?"

And That Happened: Sports with a Hint of Sarcasm

by philkid3 on Dec 14, 2008 5:41 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

It's what

A bull leaves behind when it has no more use for the silage it ate.

"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts... for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang (1844-1912)

by Ed Coffin on Dec 14, 2008 6:00 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

A sport that exists in Dallas only when the Stars make it past the first round of the playoffs.

by LiamP on Dec 14, 2008 6:08 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

lol

That’s what the Sonics were like out here.

And That Happened: Sports with a Hint of Sarcasm

by philkid3 on Dec 14, 2008 6:13 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

A few months ago I read that Baseball Reference was working to start including TotalZone.

That would be awesome.

And That Happened: Sports with a Hint of Sarcasm

by philkid3 on Dec 14, 2008 5:41 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

You should sponsor craig wilson

the preceding post was a great success.

by DSheppard on Dec 14, 2008 6:19 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Noe of you ugly bitches can have Jason Botts, though.

He’s taken like bacon.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

There are two kinds of men in this world: Men who make jump throws, and men who wish that they were Derek Jeter so that they could make jump throws.

by thedirkatron on Dec 14, 2008 7:09 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I don't like

Knowing that you have an actual name. You’re thedirkatron.

by brettgardner on Dec 15, 2008 1:37 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Apologies.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

There are two kinds of men in this world: Men who make jump throws, and men who wish that they were Derek Jeter so that they could make jump throws.

by thedirkatron on Dec 15, 2008 1:46 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I like to think that he was hatched.

"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg

by rentz on Dec 15, 2008 4:47 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Distilled

or brewed seems more likely.

G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....

by t ball on Dec 15, 2008 11:08 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I just sponsored Kinsler.

I put up a lonestarball message for now, though Im going to change it in a few weeks for something.

the preceding post was a great success.

by DSheppard on Dec 14, 2008 7:27 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

It's not up yet

for me, at least :(

"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
Yes we can! November 04, 2008

by Rodney on Dec 14, 2008 7:39 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

they check them before posting, appears the next day.

the preceding post was a great success.

by DSheppard on Dec 14, 2008 7:40 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Someday...

someday…that David Hulse page will be mine.

by ghostofErikThompson on Dec 14, 2008 10:49 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

You mean

You actually found a page not sponsored by the Fantasy Baseball Sherpa??

"I´d like to apologize in advance for anything that I may say or do that could be construed as offensive as I slowly go NUTS."

by lonestarJon on Dec 14, 2008 11:35 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Er

That should say a “good” page not sponsored by the Fantasy Baseball Sherpa. Works either way though.

"I´d like to apologize in advance for anything that I may say or do that could be construed as offensive as I slowly go NUTS."

by lonestarJon on Dec 14, 2008 11:37 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Neato

Took me awhile to find an available Ranger page I wanted to sponsor, but I did it :)

-- Micah
Baseball Is My Boyfriend
Random woman: "When are you getting married, Micah?"
Me: "Probably never. In fact, at this point, it's tempting to just adopt more cats."

by baseballismyboyfriend on Dec 14, 2008 7:47 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

i checked davis too =p

the preceding post was a great success.

by DSheppard on Dec 14, 2008 7:48 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Ha ha ha

He was the first one I checked. I had to go through QUITE A FEW to find one. I ended up with Josh Rupe. :-) Hopefully it’s not his kiss of death.

-- Micah
Baseball Is My Boyfriend
Random woman: "When are you getting married, Micah?"
Me: "Probably never. In fact, at this point, it's tempting to just adopt more cats."

by baseballismyboyfriend on Dec 14, 2008 7:54 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

And because I was feeling generous

I also grabbed Matt Harrison. :-)

-- Micah
Baseball Is My Boyfriend
Random woman: "When are you getting married, Micah?"
Me: "Probably never. In fact, at this point, it's tempting to just adopt more cats."

by baseballismyboyfriend on Dec 14, 2008 8:10 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

You know what's mind boggling to me?

Babe Ruth won only one MVP award in his career.

by jwiscarson on Dec 14, 2008 8:28 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

there was a rule that you could only win it once

while he was active.

the preceding post was a great success.

by DSheppard on Dec 14, 2008 8:34 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

How did he get votes in two subsequent years, then?

Were some writers just that upset about it?

by jwiscarson on Dec 14, 2008 8:40 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The rule wasn't always in place

Just the first several years there was an MVP award. It was because it was sponsored by Chalmers, a car company, and the winner got a car. The thought was, no one needed more than one car, so once you won, you weren’t eligible any more.

by Adam J. Morris on Dec 14, 2008 8:44 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

How funny!

I never knew that. Thanks for the enlightenment, guys.

by jwiscarson on Dec 14, 2008 9:21 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

those years that he didn't win

kind of amazing that he had those seasons and probably legitimately didn’t win.

Mandatory reading before suggesting a trade

by ab03 on Dec 14, 2008 11:20 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Guys currently on our 40 still listed as available on BR tonight

Marlon Byrd $15
Frank Catalanotto $15
Joaquin Benoit $10
Warner Madrigal $10
Tommy Hunter $10
German Duran $10
Luis Mendoza $10
Travis Metcalf $10
Joaquin Arias $10

And finally, the big prize…
Willie Eyre $10 – YAAAY!!!

I might consider Madrigal or Benoit – somebody needs to buy Benoit and Byrd page and put up “Jack Benny” and “Byrdman of Arlington” messages.

PS – Big Middle Finger goes out to the Fantasy Baseball Sherpa. You sir, are an advertising nazi. If Brandon McCarthy’s page where available it’d be a done deal.

"I´d like to apologize in advance for anything that I may say or do that could be construed as offensive as I slowly go NUTS."

by lonestarJon on Dec 15, 2008 12:00 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Also

BR should let you sponsor minor league pages as well. I bet they could double revenue from those spots if they did that.

"I´d like to apologize in advance for anything that I may say or do that could be construed as offensive as I slowly go NUTS."

by lonestarJon on Dec 15, 2008 12:01 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes...

then Erik Thompson would be mine!

by ghostofErikThompson on Dec 15, 2008 12:10 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That would be awesome

And Dirkatron could have Marcus Lemon. And someone could put up a “Captain Awesome” message for Blake Beavan. Heck, HH could even have Johnny Whittleman.

"I´d like to apologize in advance for anything that I may say or do that could be construed as offensive as I slowly go NUTS."

by lonestarJon on Dec 15, 2008 12:15 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Me, I'd get me some Smoak

If I could.

"I´d like to apologize in advance for anything that I may say or do that could be construed as offensive as I slowly go NUTS."

by lonestarJon on Dec 15, 2008 12:16 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

i hope somebody reads these comments

and starts looking into TRO’s

Mandatory reading before suggesting a trade

by ab03 on Dec 15, 2008 12:19 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I wanted Derek Holland

Guess I’ll have to wait a few months :)

-- Micah
Baseball Is My Boyfriend
Random woman: "When are you getting married, Micah?"
Me: "Probably never. In fact, at this point, it's tempting to just adopt more cats."

by baseballismyboyfriend on Dec 15, 2008 12:19 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs