I'm not ashamed to admit that I LOVED Chuck Knoblauch and he was actually nice to me when I met him in 1994 (before he became a jerk, I'm told). When my sister and I were taking the train from New York to Boston in 2000, we started talking with this guy who was a huge Yankees fan and when he found out I was a Twins fan he said, "Seriously, what the hell happened to Chuck Knoblauch?"

Like you said, I also have a soft spot in my heart for that 1991 ROY.

True enough. I just checked and Zoilo had the best VORP in the AL in 1965. Of course, the NL had 15 of the top 20 VORPs that year. Just a down year for the big time guys in the AL.

Re: Zoilo in '65. Bill James credits him with 32 Win Shares that season, which was 2nd only to Tony O's 33 in the league. Not the strongest of scores for an MVP, but not as weak as some who come to mind, like Mo Vaughn in '95 (24 WS), Juan Gonzalez in '96 (21 WS), Juan Gone in '98 (25 WS), or Ivan Rodriguez in '99 (28 WS). Considering the league's level of offense in '65 and Zoilo's defensive value at SS (he won a Gold Glove that year), he appears to have enjoyed a genuinely great year in his MVP season.

Since you want net earnings and I have no revenue and only expenses, I’ll send you my bill.

Shit. I knew I phrased that wrong.

To follow up, who had the better career VORP, Kelly or Gardentool?? Moss is thinking they are both negative or near-zero.

Of course, you know or should know that the mere act of me publishing this page gives me all copyrights to this written material without any need to “get” a copyright. As for the F-Her nickname, I don’t recall you ever putting that onto a tangible medium. So, your copyright claim is dubious. In fact, your claim of a copyright on that phrase is one of many “patented” Moss diatribes.

I'm 90% sure I coined Fliriano, the nickname you and Twins Junkie are using. I only request 1% of your net earnings.

...but I still have a soft spot in my heart for the Chukker.

I liked Chuck ... up until the winter after his rookie year when he signed at a baseball card show in Sioux Falls. I went, all pumped to get his autograph. I'd never had a real autograph. He was charging $7 a sign. In '91. And he was only a rookie. He popped the cherry on my illusion that baseball players were somehow in it for thalovathagame.

This is true (and what I meant to say was that something went horribly wrong in New York), but I still have a soft spot in my heart for the Chukker. He was a great, great player and it ended so badly for him. We know his dad had ALS and he got divorced, which indicates that life was probably pretty rough for him. The hotdog incident made him look like a pathetic baby and maybe he was a pathetic baby. But, man, for about four or five seasons, he was on a Cooperstown track.

As for typos, I appreciate having them pointed out (I fixed it). My editor is a real slacker. I'll have to fire him one of these days.

btw, Knoblauch became a pariah because it commited a Twins no-no; he demanded a trade. If he'd quietly gone to management about it, they could have even done better in trade, but as it was, hands became tied when public deadlines were set.

I do recall that, Moss. Thanks for "refreshing my recollection."

It isn't like that was the first breaking ball Hernandez had thrown in a situation like that. He was routinely throwing 2-0 breaking balls.

Last night was an awesome game. The Twins pinch hit for the DH and also pinch hit for the 3B with the better-fielding backup 3B.

Re: copyright of F-Her, Moss put it in a comment in Aug or Sep. SBG had posted the odds between the Twins and the Mariners with Hernandez pitching. Moss' comment was something like "Moss will take F-Her for $100, Alex." So it was as fixed in a tangible medium as any of SBG's half-baked crap.

It was a 3-2 count, so that is a little bit of a mitigating factor for both THE INSANITY and the call for a hit and run. If that pitch was close, however, he HAD to be swinging. If he wasn't, he should be benched. Come to think of it, he should be benched, period. Stop THE INSANITY.

Of course, you know or should know that the mere act of me publishing this page gives me all copyrights to this written material without any need to "get" a copyright. As for the F-Her nickname, I don't recall you ever putting that onto a tangible medium. So, your copyright claim is dubious. In fact, your claim of a copyright on that phrase is one of many "patented" Moss diatribes.

This is about last night's game, but Moss figures there's a better chance of getting a response here rather than the thread:

What in the name of Tom Kelly is the Gardenslug doing ordering a hit-and-run with Morneau on first and White at bat???

This is a firing-squad offense. There is no justification in Moss' opinion, and the 'tool should be called out. The chance of this play actually working in that instance were about .01%. In other words, the odds of White putting the ball into play to advance the runner were poor. On the other hand, White had a very good chance of striking out, and Morneau had a great chance to get hung out to dry. And although there was the chance of a GIDP, a groundball would have probably resulted in a DP even with Morneau going. So there was no real possibility of staying out of the DP.

The only reason a hit-and-run should have been called is if Gardy had a hunch. Because then it's okay, even if all the logic dictates otherwise. But if he didn't have a hunch and he called for it, then there's something really wrong here.

Note: I am in no way ripping on Jeter; I am ripping on the media coverage.

And he finished 16th in MVP voting. Heh.