But you can't go.......

We'll miss you, Batgirl and Team Batgirl! But of course we support your humanitarian efforts. Don't leave all of your sass in Budapest. We'll need it for the dog days.

Ack! Who will bring us sass, BG? Tell me, who?

And don't say we can sass for ourselves. It just isn't the same. Pout.

It will be ok, Katharriet. We must learn to share sass with the less fortunate. Just think of all the lives Team BG will touch while they are spreading sass. We must think of the children.

We shall certainly miss the The Supreme High Commandress of Sass, but we trust that she has well-trained her humble servants, who will faithfully continue with her work. I trust Batgirl to only pick the best.

Enjoy your humanitarian work, Team Batgirl. We will miss you, but understand that your word needs to be spread throughout the world.

Have a fun, safe trip!
Just Beth

If indeed BG is heading to Eastern Europe, she needs to make a point of bringing the joy of baseball to those poor souls living there. Just don't bring a baseball bat. E was almost arrested for carrying one while trying to demonstate its intended purpose to small Polish children. Cash was required to extricate her from that particular situation.

(sniff). . .Again? So soon? FOR SO LONG?!?!

I miss Batgirl already. . .(sniff)

I will miss Batgirl and her team greatly. Much success and luck on your mission.

I really enjoyed RD's work in his previous substitution role, and I'm looking forward to reading more. I'm also looking forward to reading the other pinch-bloggers' work. This should be kind of fun.

k-bro

au revoir! auf wiedersehen!

have a wonderful trip! I know the children of Eastern Europe are thoroughly sass-deprived. they should build a monument in your honor for bringing them the sass they so require. bless you.

I wonder where Batgirl really goes?

Brian! do you question Batgirl?!

Have a wonderful trip Bat Girl..you will be missed greatly. I look forward to reading the pinch writers posts greatly!

I am confident that these pinch bloggers will be great. Not Batgirl great (such a thing is an impossibility), but still great.

I'll miss BG and everything, but

OH MY GOD. I JUST READ THE AL ALL STAR BALLOT UPDATE. TINO MARTINEZ IS IN FIRST PLACE??????? WHAT THE CRAP???????????

Don't worry about us. We're nothing if not industrious. Besides, it's not like we have anything else to do.

Maybe we should spend this time voting for the All-Star game, and helping our pets and imaginary friends vote as well.

This is my first time posting here. It appears that after a while you can't add comments to old topics, so I'm using this space to add a comment to the 'Spellcheck' discussion. I want to point out that the Twins are obviously addressing their lack of tricky names in the farm system in today's draft. While he's no Mientkiewicz, taking Matthew Albidrez-Garza with their first-round pick has to be a good sign.

adam-
Tinger did a draft name analysis towards the end of today's Haiku finalists results. You might enjoy his findings.

What's wrong with Tino being in first at first ?

Mike -- guys hitting .238 don't deserve to get All-Star consideration, much less start the game. Martinez had one uber-hot streak, but based on his numbers, he must have really sucked when he wasn't on that streak.

The all star vote is based on who the fans want to see. Show me something that says it must be based on stats.

If the fans want to see Tino, then that's who should start.

That's the problem I have with the All-Star game, is that it is a popularity contest. Positions should go to all STARS, the best players at each position for that season. That's what I want to see.

And I may be burned for heresy, but, because of his batting average, Dougie doesn't deserve to go either.

*And I may be burned for heresy, but, because of his batting average, Dougie doesn't deserve to go either*

I agree.

Heraldguy,

I agree with you whole-heartedly. As long as voting is in the hands of the fans, we'll never see the best players at each position in an All-Star Game. At least, in our lifetimes.

And I believe that Dougie would agree with you as well.

MK

It's not about who is playing the best and hasn't been for along time. Hell Mike Schmidt got elected and he was retired.

If not Tino at first this year who ? Raffy ? What star first baseman is being ignored ?

The All Star game is all about the fans. If there is a player that is having a great year they will be added as a reserve. There is nothing wrong with letting the fans pick who they want to see.

It's amazing that even when the Yankees are nowhere in sight, we *somehow* end up arguing over why the Yankees are or aren't the greatest. Must EVERYTHING be about the f'ing Yankees? :-(

My problem with this whole "the fans want to see Tino" argument is that there is no monolithic body called "the fans." What you actually get is a great misrepresentation by East Coast players and who the East Coast fans want to see.

Mark Teixeira
43 runs, 69 hits, 15 doubles, 1 triple, 14 homers, 43 RBI, .364 OBP, .303 AVG

Beating the crap out of Martinez

Sorry about the stats, all...

So they only hand out ballets on the East Coast ? and this has nothing to do with Tino being a Yankee. Nomar is leading at SS for the NL and I have no problem with that. Its about who the fans want to see.

Like I asked earlier if not Tino as the starter who ?

The All Star game is for fun. Don't take it so serious if the fans don't vote for your favorite player. It's not an insult, it's not rigged by the East Coast media.

There are a lot more people on the East Coast, mike. And there are no "the fans." SOME fans see whom they want to see. Others do not and -- and this is the important part -- almost never will.

"Mark Teixeira
43 runs, 69 hits, 15 doubles, 1 triple, 14 homers, 43 RBI, .364 OBP, .303 AVG

Beating the crap out of Martinez"

So then why aren't people voting for him ?

Because no one knows who he is !! But I'm sure when they name reserves he will be on the team. Relax and just enjoy the game.

Because people don't make informed decisions anymore, whether voting for something as inconsequential as an All-Star game or for something as consequential as local/state/national elections.

And they think its more important to vote for the next American Idol than their congressman.

Educate yourself, and make a rational decision.

And I have a feeling the powers that be are going to shut this line down, so we'll have to agree to disagree.

The people in Texas have heard of Texiera. They just don't count. Internet voting makes it easier for the big baseball city fans to completely dominate the voting.

I agree with heraldguy that BatGirl's blog is the wrong place for this discussion. I apologize for the digression.

In the AL 7 of the starters right now are on a team in the East

3 red sox (dh is one)
2 Orioles
2 Yankees (and Jeter isn't one of them)

The other two are West coast LAAAAA and Seattle

In the NL there are 3 starters from the East Coast

2 Mets
1 Phillies

The Cards have most with 3 a Dodger and a Cub are the other two

Hey, how 'bout them Twins?

We are totally going to de-fang the D-backs tonight...

Now that the league that wins the All-Star game gets home field advantage for the World Series (a decision with which I do not agree, but that's the way it is), it's NOT just for fun.

Problem is, it's not a real game in the fullest sense, nor is it just for fun in the fullest sense. If home field advantage is the prize, then merit (performance) should be the qualifier, not popularity or the size of an individual player's fan base.

mike, you wrote that no one knows who Teixeira is, and also that the balloting isn't rigged by the East Coast media. I agree with both of these statements, but do you see a connection? It's indirect, but I think it's there. Meaning, if Teixeira played for an East Coast team ... both the balloting and media coverage are totally skewed by demographics.

Yes, this is all speculation on my part.

And isn't Nomar on the friggin' DL?

I voted for Torii, but more people want to see Manny, Vlad and Ichiro, s**t happens.

I was just thinking about the All-Star game/home field in the WS thing. Doesn't this give fans of, say, an AL team to vote for inferior players for the NL team, in case their team makes it to the Series? I realize that it would be difficult to coordinate this well enough to the extent that it would make a difference (especially considering that the managers name the reserves), but it still seems a perverse incentive.

Teixeira will be named to the all star team, the fans only pick the starters. He will get his respect, and Texas is one of the populated states in the country.

Nomar plays for the Cubs, you know, a Mid West/Central US team.

Good luck with your mission, BG. And tell that one orphan, you know which one, that I'm pulling for him.

Oops. Well, forgive the topic drift, eh?

Speaking of taking things to a different forum, why can't I get registered for the Bat Cave?

You are!!! I've got the member list up in another window, and you're on it. Twice, actually.

As mmmarkiep and mmmarkikep

e-mail on it's way.

yes mark you are, do you need me to change your password for you?

Here's all I have to say on the all star issue:
Its not perfect, until a batling becomes commissioner it won't be perfect, the east coast is going to dominate because their fans are more vocal, not necissarily because of the media. Stop whining about it. If I have to spank y'all I will.

It's gettin' hot in herrrrrrre...

For what's worth here is how I voted

Tino, Soriano, Jeter, A-Rod, Vlad, Torii, Sammy, Pudge, Ortiz

Pujols, Kent, Greene, Rolen, Beltran, Griffey, Bobby A, Estrada.

I wanted to do a write in for Paul O'Neil.

Yes, Aurora, please. If you could e-mail it to me at my address listed here. Thank you.

Now talk about orphans. Or, if you want to argue, go here.

http://www.quicktopic.com/31/H/FGB73a9EdHwx

But we've been way off topic the past couple days and I feel bad. While all star game is baseball related, it seems to be getting toasty.

As a veteran of other Twins forums, let me tell you -- this ain' nothin'. Which just goes to show you what a great group of fans this board attracts -- it rarely even erupts into mild disagreements.

I know. I just feel guilty. After I posted my post it sounded way meaner than I thought. And I felt even 'badder'.

Did you know there are no orphanages in the USA?

No one is getting heated we are discussing the all star game, not arguing, and how is the All Star game off topic ?

But I will retire from the subject.

Darn luck of the draw...

Bitch Sox get the team with the second worst record in the majors, we get someone who's in approximately the same relative position as us.

Um, I'm sorry Mike, but Tino Martinez is like that geek in high school that everyone "liked" because they were so awkward and inept that it was just funny to watch them.

And it's not off-topic because I SAID SO.
Besides, Tino being at the top means THE GOOD DOCTOR IS NOT and he could beat the shit out of Tino Martinez any day.