I have enjoyed writing this
website for a number of reasons. I get to write about, research and
discuss baseball. I can talk about whatever I want to, including
baseball, basketball, TV, movies and more.
One additional positive about this site for me has been meeting some
incredible people. People who know a lot about baseball and love it
as much as I do. People who can quote statistics and debate on any
topic. Some people that are just great people. One person that
encompasses all of those traits is David Bergner. You may
know him as The
Baseball Savant. If you haven't bookmarked his website, you
definitely should! He is the commissioner of
a fantasy baseball league that I participate in. A couple of
months ago, I posted a Conversation I had
with him online. Last night, I was fortunate to be online at
the same time as he was. It was also at the same time that
American Idol and
The
Bachelor (shows that we discuss each week) were on. Here is
much of our discussion. It covers baseball topics, our TV shows, and
more. I think it is very interesting and hope you enjoy it.
______________________________________________________________________________________
SethSpeaks: Why would they have The
Bachelor and AI on at the same time!!!!?!??!?!?!?! Your
woman is getting beaten up!
Baseball Savant: Who's my woman!?
SethSpeaks: Trish! ha!
Baseball Savant: Dude is she nuts or
what????
SethSpeaks: yeah, a little bit!! She just doesn't get it!
Baseball Savant: you know what though.
How much of that do you think is staged?
SethSpeaks: you have to wonder...
Baseball
Savant: I read in US Magazine last week
that the whole thing with Mandy J's house with all of her
pageant stuff was completely staged. She was quoted as saying she
was totally shocked because she hadn't seen most of that stuff in
like 8 years
SethSpeaks: that's funny... her parents probably put it out,
thinking that would impress him
Baseball Savant: the magazine actually
said the producers showed up and asked the parents to put it out!!!
SethSpeaks: too funny!
Baseball Savant: so I wonder if the
stuff with Trish will be funny. Like the producers can tell she is
different than the rest, so they give her this plot line like, "Hey
Trish, how would you like to be the nutty one?" We'll give you a
free trip to Europe if you play along
SethSpeaks: that could very well be cuz, she's seriously
coming across as slutty
Baseball Savant: very very slutty! I
don't doubt that she is though.
SethSpeaks: she discussed more than the average person would
just admit to. That makes me wonder.
Baseball Savant: yeah I know what you
are saying. Did you read any
news
about Kerry Wood's arm today?
SethSpeaks: saw some, that he's missing a start, that's about
it... Let the Dusty bashing begin, and it should. (Mark)Prior and
Wood. (Jason) Schmidt (even if his elbow injury probably came a year
after Dusty left)
Baseball Savant: It's nuts. Dusty will
be an interesting figure to watch, I suppose. If a lot of the teams
start going towards sabermetrically inclined tendencies, then you
might think that Dusty would have a hard time getting a job even
though his teams seemingly win a ton of games. That would be an
interesting thought.
SethSpeaks: and... he has taken poor or average teams and
gone to the playoffs
Baseball Savant: It probably doesn't
help matter though that every time Wood talks about pitch counts, he
talks about how he should be able to go out and throw 140 pitches
each start.
SethSpeaks: I think he's a great clubhouse guy, but pitch
counts are a big thing for him (I mean, they aren't for him,
however, excessive pitch counts could get him in trouble)
Baseball Savant: His Giants teams are
still a mystery to me. I just don't think they were that good.
SethSpeaks: No, they were Bonds and nothing more. Same thing
this year... they've got nothing, and that's not Felipe's fault
either
Baseball Savant: No, it isn't. I tell
you what is a tragedy right now in baseball is Montreal. You give
those guys just decent hitting and they are playoff bound.
Ridiculous.
SethSpeaks: Yeah, but that's just it, they can't keep anyone!
Vlad's gone, Bartolo was there and gone. I won't even start with all
of them (Vazquez, and many more going all the way back to Pedro,
Walker, Grissom and more). And (Orlando) Cabrera and (Jose) Vidro
won't stick around
Baseball Savant: That's what I mean.
Geez. It's funny really because you think about the players that
Montreal has produced over the years and you have one heckuva a farm
system. Nothing ever came of it and the one year they looked like
world beaters, the strike happened! Could you imagine being an Expos
fan! I think Jonah Keri over at
Baseball Prospectus
is an Expos fan. Brutal!
SethSpeaks: it'd be lonely being an Expos fan! So, does mlb
plan on keeping them under their control until 2007 when they can
contract them?
Baseball Savant: The way
Rob Neyer has been talking in his columns, it looks like MLB
might announce that Montreal will be moving into the Northern
Virginia. The announcement might come at the All-Star break this
season.
SethSpeaks: it was supposed to come out after last year's
All-Star break. I'll believe it when I see it.
Baseball Savant: that is kind of what
Neyer says too!
SethSpeaks: Ah crap! I agree with Neyer on something!!!!
Baseball Savant: It's hard to disagree
with Neyer about baseball matters unfortunately! By the way, are the
Twins waiting for (Justin) Morneau to hit .500 before they
call him up and play him everyday?
SethSpeaks: who knows? It bugs me... but then again, where
would he play right now?
Baseball Savant: At least trade the
kid! How ready can he be? Geez, why did they sign Minky (Doug
Mientkiewicz) to that extension?
SethSpeaks: I don't know... he's a fan favorite. Twins have a
history of screwing up top prospects.
Baseball Savant: I figured they were
waiting for Bartlett to hit .400 before they got rid of Guzman!
SethSpeaks: and now Guzman is hitting well over .300 and
Bartlett is out for 6-8 weeks
Baseball Savant: I understand that.
That's a fight I've been losing with Sean Casey in
Cincinnati.
SethSpeaks: Who would take over for Casey?
Baseball Savant: My theory for Cincy is
that Casey needs to get, Dunn needs to take over at 1B and Griffey
needs to take over LF to ease his health risks from running too much
in CF. I don't know who would play CF for Cincy, but Wily Mo Pena is
just wasting away on the bench and they drafted Kenny Lewis either
last year or the year before and he looks pretty good. We could
always play Reggie Taylor in CF, I suppose.
SethSpeaks: Is Jasmine in the top 2?
Baseball Savant: WHAT????? Are you
watching them both right now!!!????????
SethSpeaks: yeah, 2 TVs in my living room, with the computer.
I'm watching The Bachelor (Women Tell All, or whatever), and AI is
on TV 2 muted. I figured you were watching it at the same time.
Baseball Savant: DUDE! THEY DON'T COME
ON UNTIL 9PM HERE!! :)
SethSpeaks: oh... sorry!
Baseball Savant: You lucky dog!
hahahahahha! no that's cool. keep me posted on who's in! Who do you
think the top 2 are?
SethSpeaks: I think Diana and LaToya are
Baseball Savant: WOW! That means
Fantasia is bottom 2? Good deal for me!
SethSpeaks: Fantasia is in the bottom 2 and Diana is in the
top 2. Not sure between Jasmine and LaToya
Baseball Savant: that is pretty sweet!
So have you seen Trish act nuts!?
SethSpeaks: She gets grilled and says a bunch of really dumb
stuff
Baseball Savant: Does Fantasia know
she's in the bottom 2?
SethSpeaks: yeah
Baseball Savant: I'm going to tape the
bachelor and just hear who wins AI, or who goes home rather!
SethSpeaks: oh, Jasmine and LaToya had to wait for
commercial. They just came back... guess which one is in the bottom
2?
Baseball Savant: LaToya
SethSpeaks: This show is racist!! (not the show, but the
vote!) I hate to say it, but this has been ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!
Baseball Savant: NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LaToya and Fantasia are in the bottom 2????
SethSpeaks: yeah
Baseball Savant: OH MAN! now I have to
decide which one I'm going to tape! What is the crowd like?????
SethSpeaks: booing
Baseball Savant: Are they nuts!? Is
(Ryan) Seacrest wetting his pants about it!?
SethSpeaks: Simon just said everyone in Hawaii must have
voted
Baseball Savant: HAHahAHHAAH! I LOVE
IT!
SethSpeaks: Poor Jasmine is just getting bashed.
Baseball Savant: BRUTAL! It was the
tears baby! The tears put her over the top!
SethSpeaks: honestly, there has to be some racial reasoning
for this (and Jesse's on the couch, getting grilled.)
Baseball Savant: hahahaha! Hello
America! Welcome to Dixie! How can it be racist though? Diana is the
only white girl. Jasmine is Hawaiian
SethSpeaks: results after the break!! "America" sees Fantasia
and LaToya the same way. They steal votes from each other.
Baseball Savant: You know there might
be some race in the mix, but man, I could see where people just
don't like Fantasia's personality. Everyone so far has been so
excited to be there and Fantasia acts like it was her birthright to
be there. Maybe the people AI the show like it, but I could see
middle America being very turned off by it.
SethSpeaks: I don't like Fantasia's personality
Baseball Savant: Me neither
Baseball Savant: That said, Jasmine was
TERRIBLE last night
SethSpeaks: totally
Baseball Savant: Dude can you beat
AI???? It just doesn't get any better.
SethSpeaks: it's good stuff... but I may have to rant
tomorrow!
SethSpeaks: oooooooohhhhhhhhhhh, Mandy C!!!! I heart
her! (Seacrest back!)
Baseball Savant: Hopefully he'll quit
whining!
SethSpeaks: hmmmmmmmmmmm. The announcement… I have
chills!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Baseball Savant: me too! I'm not even
watchign! This si great. I can't even spell any more!
SethSpeaks: Holy Wow!!
Baseball Savant: OH NO!!!!!!!
SethSpeaks: I know!
Baseball Savant: DON"T TELL ME!
SethSpeaks: OK!
Baseball Savant: DON"T TELL ME ITS
LATOYA! OK TELL ME!
SethSpeaks: OK! I won't!
Baseball Savant: COME ON!I can't watch
it anyway!
SethSpeaks: what?
Baseball Savant: We only have 1 lousy
TV!!!!!
SethSpeaks: oh
Baseball Savant: What a loser!
SethSpeaks: ha!
SethSpeaks: I have 3 in my apartment, and I almost bought
another one last Friday just because it was on sale!
Baseball Savant: HAHAHAH! I've been
telling my wife we need another one. So did Latoya really go home?
SethSpeaks: not yet
Baseball Savant: So did Fantasia go
home then?
SethSpeaks: nope, they're both still on the stage!
Baseball Savant: OH MAN! They haven't
announced?
SethSpeaks: oh yeah, they announced it. I tell you what, the
person kicked out will sell more albums than the winner.
SethSpeaks: Three people are crying
Baseball Savant: Who left?
SethSpeaks: Do you really want to know?
Baseball Savant: yeah
SethSpeaks: positive?
Baseball Savant: positive, cross my
heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye!
SethSpeaks: ha! OK, I will tell you
SethSpeaks: really, I will
Baseball Savant: really?
SethSpeaks: Paula's crying
SethSpeaks: Diana's crying
Baseball Savant: Is Simon crying?
SethSpeaks: no, Simon isn't. He looks mad
Baseball Savant: DUDE THIS IS GREAT!
SethSpeaks: Jasmine is crying
SethSpeaks: and... the third contestant crying is...
Baseball Savant: WAIT
Baseball Savant: Is Randy Crying?
SethSpeaks: no, he just is holding Paula
Baseball Savant: WAIT!
SethSpeaks: ok
Baseball Savant: is Ryan hugging the
losing contestant?
SethSpeaks: no, the losing contestant is singing
Baseball Savant: OK, WAIT!
SethSpeaks: ok
Baseball Savant: I can only tape one!
Which one would you tape tonight? Bachelor or AI?
SethSpeaks: well, it's 2 hours of The Bachelor, 1 hour of AI
Baseball Savant: OH SNAP! Just a sec
SethSpeaks: I'm thinking the Bachelor, but...
SethSpeaks: Tara and Jesse meet in Quebec.
Baseball Savant: OK, is the first hour
of The Bachelor new stuff? Like the dates? Trish flying to Europe
and confronting Jesse?
SethSpeaks: the first hour is the Women Tell All. Trish,
Jenny and Jesse get asked questions.
Baseball Savant: But new stuff happens
in the first hour?
SethSpeaks: the 2nd hour is the actual episode, that's what's
on now
Baseball Savant: OK I had to go with
the Bachelor
SethSpeaks: Jesse's kissin' Tara...
Baseball Savant: who gets voted off on
AI?
SethSpeaks: I wanna be The Bachelor
Baseball Savant: Who doesn't?
SethSpeaks: Fantasia was the third cryer, so...
Baseball Savant: OH man that sucks
SethSpeaks: Seacrest (and LaToya London) Out! That's
terrible!
Baseball Savant: Dude that is crazy!
SethSpeaks: I agree! Have I ever mentioned that I heart Tara!
Baseball Savant: I don't know what to
think about American Idol. That is nuts.
SethSpeaks: I think it's awful! BUT, LaToya is going to make
a lot of money in the music industry!
Baseball Savant: I could definitely see
Fantasia leaving and although it wouldn't have been right, I could
at least have seen it.
SethSpeaks: me too! I'm 100% on the Diana Degarmo
bandwagon now!
SethSpeaks: Yeah, I heart Tara
Baseball Savant: One thing that annoys
me a little bit is that last night you could tell that Simon and
Randy both think that LaToya was easily the best in the competition,
but they rode her pretty good last night about not coming out with
something that would wow them. I mean, the problem with that is that
she's so good every week how can she get any better? I mean, Whitney
Houston probably doesn't go out and do anything different from week
to week, yet she is unbelievable (When Bobby's not giving her a
beating that is), the same for LaToya. If it's true that the judges
do, in fact, affect voting, then you can't dog LaToya for being the
absolute best from week to week?
SethSpeaks: ouch! Well, I think they definitely affect
voting... that's why I'd be interested in knowing what would happen
without the judges comments
Baseball Savant: I guess the flip to
that is that they hammered Jasmine last night. The judges made it
pretty clear who should have been leaving
SethSpeaks: Hey, if Elton John can say it's racist, so can I!
Baseball Savant: hahaha! That's SIR
Elton John to you!
SethSpeaks: excuse me!!!
Baseball Savant: *Classic!
SethSpeaks: ha
Baseball Savant: What's up with that
guy you
linked to today dogging Eminem???? How can you not like "My
Band"!
SethSpeaks: I love "My Band"!!!
Baseball Savant: HAHAHAHAH! Me too!
SethSpeaks: Anyway, I love the "... told me to do sit-ups to
get buff. Did 2 1/2 and couldn't get up..."
SethSpeaks: ooh... Jessica in the Bahamas! Why didn't I like
her sooner?!!! She's perfect!
Baseball Savant: You know what is
pretty cool about that… is that he says "Fifty told me to do
sit-ups" and he's talking about 50 Cent. Pretty cool.
SethSpeaks: yeah, "Fiddy" and "Em" are toight!
Baseball Savant: LOL Fiddy! I love it!
SethSpeaks: JaRule and 50 Cent, not so much tight!
Baseball Savant: No, not at all!
Somebody from fiddy's crew better stop ripping gold chains off of ja
rule! Ja don't like that too much playa! Holla!
SethSpeaks: yeah, but Ja and J. Lo make beautiful music
together!!! (Jessica in a bikini!!! WoW! -white with blue poka dots!
NOICE!)
SethSpeaks: Jessica B has the Jasmine look going. Man, I need
a chick!
Baseball Savant: HAHHAHA! I knew you
were going to say that!
SethSpeaks: it's my main saying
SethSpeaks: Brad Radke is the Man!
SethSpeaks: Jesse is saying things that I don't think he's
supposed to be saying...
SethSpeaks: this is emotional!!!!!!!!!!! I might cry
Baseball Savant: Don't!
SethSpeaks: Alright, I won't.
Baseball Savant: Cool! I don't think
fiddy would cry over a chick!
SethSpeaks: I think he's got options!!! I'm just guessing.
I'm noticing that there is no comparison between Fiddy's abs and
Jesse Palmer's...
Baseball Savant: DUDE! Great point!
SethSpeaks: it's probably weird for me to say something like
that!
Baseball Savant: I've been telling my
wife from day one, how the heck is Jesse a pro athlete!? I mean, he
doesn't have to be a beast, but that guy looks like Joe Schmo from
down the street! The Giants list him at 6'2" and 225lbs, so I'm
guessing he's either 6' or 6'1" and about 200lbs.
SethSpeaks: Did you watch
The Joe Schmo Show?
Baseball Savant: No I didn't!
SethSpeaks: that was an excellent show, and he kinda looked
like Palmer... just dorkier
Baseball Savant: I saw a couple of
minutes of it one night and it looked pretty good.
SethSpeaks: oh, I laughed the whole show... it was right up
there with My Big Fat
Obnoxious Fiance
Baseball Savant: Classic!
SethSpeaks: very much so
Baseball Savant: Jesse has no
musculature at all!
SethSpeaks: yeah... whatever that means! Ha! Must be a
weightlifter's term!
SethSpeaks: Hey, I'm liking my pitching staff in our league
(Hudson, Millwood, Vazquez, Benson, Day, Silva and Lackey - and
hopefully Contreras gets things figured out!)
SethSpeaks: ok, fantasy question...
SethSpeaks: Jose Guillen was taken off the field on a cart on
Sunday...
Baseball Savant: EEK I saw that
SethSpeaks: So, I didn't play him this week, thinking that he
would be out til at least Thursday or Friday.
Baseball Savant: OK
SethSpeaks: So, I dropped Cuddyer and picked up Casey
Kotchman. I then moved Teixeira to OF and played Kotchman at
Corner Infielder. Did you see that tonight, Guillen hit a 2 run
homer in the first inning off Vazquez? UGGH!
Baseball Savant: No I didn't. Anaheim
is a machine this year.
SethSpeaks: yeah, they're tough!!
SethSpeaks: just like my man, Hank the Tank! (Mandy Jaye and
Jesse in DC)
Baseball Savant: What is up with
Teixeira this season so far??? He's terrible.
SethSpeaks: I know!! He's on pretty much all of my teams!
SethSpeaks: Is he more hurt than he's letting on, or is this
a sophomore slump similar to Dunn's last year (minus the homers)
Baseball Savant: He was on the DL for
quite a while already this season so I'm guessing that he's more
hurt than letting on. He's a better hitter than Blalock, if that is
possible.
SethSpeaks: I'd put them on the same level, with Teixeira's
power potential a little higher. I just love Blalock's swing!
SethSpeaks: this show is so good... Trish's about to walk in
on Mandy and Jesse!
SethSpeaks: I need a chick!
Baseball Savant: Do you know who the
next bachelor is?
SethSpeaks: nope, have they announced it yet?
Baseball Savant: yes
SethSpeaks: you know who the next Bachelor is?
Baseball Savant: BARRY ZITO is the
next bachelor!
SethSpeaks: seriously?
Baseball Savant: yep
SethSpeaks: Zito would be funny!
Baseball Savant: oh man, ZITO would be
even better than Jesse Palmer.
SethSpeaks: definitely... his eccentricities are out there...
Baseball Savant: Can you imagine seeing
him sleeping on that pink silk pillow he sleeps on every night!
SethSpeaks: is it really him, for sure? that would be funny!
SethSpeaks: I want to be on Big Brother...
Baseball Savant: HAHAHAHA so does my
wife!
SethSpeaks: wouldn't that be cool if me and your wife were on
Big Brother
and didn't know it, and then met there?
Baseball Savant: no that wouldn't be
cool. You need a chick too badly! muahahaha!
SethSpeaks: well, once I found out she was your wife, I'd lay
off!!!!
Baseball Savant: Oh well, OK
SethSpeaks: but I'd flirt and then look into a camera and
smile! ha!
Baseball Savant: HAHAHAHAH! That would
be great!
SethSpeaks: Radke going for a complete game. Starting the 9th
with 100 pitches
Baseball Savant: Twins suck. Did you
read what
I wrote about the AL Central?
SethSpeaks: Yeah, that the Twins will win 84, and it'll be
enough to win the division
Baseball Savant: The AL Central is
great
SethSpeaks: ... great, but will drop quickly
SethSpeaks: But Detroit's Pythagorean number is also close to
.500
Baseball Savant: Everyone's is!
SethSpeaks: it is amazing how accurate those tend to be in
most cases
Baseball Savant: yeah it's pretty neat. What's wild is how did Bill
James just come up with it.
SethSpeaks: yeah, I don't know, I don't get it.
SethSpeaks: oh, Eddie Jones/Jamal Tinsley fight in the NBA
playoff game
Baseball Savant: Really? GOOD NIGHT I'M
A PACERS HOMER!
SethSpeaks: yeah, the Heat are crushing them
Baseball Savant: are you serious? I'm
not watching it.
SethSpeaks: it's now on TV 2, the Wolves play when this is
over
Baseball Savant: Who cares about the
Wolves?
SethSpeaks: that'd be me!
Baseball Savant: HAHAHAH! Wouldn't it
be great if Minnesota and Indiana got to the finals and the Pacers
swept the Wolves??
SethSpeaks: ummmmmmmmm.... only if the Wolves won!
Baseball Savant: no no no, you
misunderstood. The Pacers would win. Wouldn't that be great!?
SethSpeaks: it'd be a great series
Baseball Savant: I'm pretty torn
actually. I have to root for the Pacers, but I'd love to see KG get
a ring.
SethSpeaks: me too!
Baseball Savant: OK, I've got to go. By
the way, you need a chick!! :))
SethSpeaks: I know!!!
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Again, be sure to head over to
The Baseball Savant,
bookmark his site and check back daily.
In
the second hour was the new episode. Jesse Palmer had
one-on-one, intimate dates with the three remaining women. He met up
with Tara in Quebec City. He and Jessica went to the
Bahamas. Mandy and Jesse had an evening in Washington DC.
During their meal, Trish walked in and asked to talk to Jesse. She
tried to get him to spend the night with her, but that really just
turned him off. When he got back and saw how well Mandy handled that
whole situation, he was really sure that he wanted to stick around
with her.
Now,
Jesse told both Tara and Jessica that he was falling in love with
them. I thought that was against the rules of the show. I thought
that the Bachelor was supposed to keep that information to himself.
I guess not.