Cup of Coffee

January 17th, 2017: School’s Closed Again

33 Comments

Schools across the state are closed today. Of course, they didn't announce it around here until after I got the Trinket up to start getting ready. She was pretty upset about it, which is both good that she likes going and bad that she gets really upset about something out of my control.

Humorously, though, the local news keeps telling us how terrible it is out there but showing video of traffic moving as normal...

33 thoughts on “January 17th, 2017: School’s Closed Again”

  1. I would suggest that getting really upset about things out of our control is not something that is exclusive to children.

  2. Hall of Fame announcement comes out tomorrow. How about a prediction contest on who wins (not who should win). Here's a list of nominees and how many years on the ballot.

    Jeff Bagwell 7th
    Casey Blake 1st
    Barry Bonds 5th
    Pat Burrell 1st
    Orlando Cabrera 1st
    Mike Cameron 1st
    Roger Clemens 5th
    J.D. Drew 1st
    Vladimir Guerrero 1st
    Carlos Guillén 1st
    Trevor Hoffman 2nd
    Jeff Kent 4th
    Derrek Lee 1st
    Edgar Martínez 8th
    Fred McGriff 8th
    Melvin Mora 1st
    Mike Mussina 4th
    Magglio Ordóñez 1st
    Jorge Posada 1st
    Tim Raines 10th
    Manny Ramirez 1st
    Edgar Rentería 1st
    Arthur Rhodes 1st
    Iván Rodríguez 1st
    Freddy Sanchez 1st
    Curt Schilling 5th
    Gary Sheffield 3rd
    Lee Smith 15th
    Sammy Sosa 5th
    Matt Stairs 1st
    Jason Varitek 1st
    Billy Wagner 2nd
    Tim Wakefield 1st
    Larry Walker 7th

    1. Well only 5 have a shot: Bagwell, Raines, Hoffman, Vlad, Pudge.

      I predict the first 3 get in, with the latter two over 70%

      1. the Baseball Hall of Fame Tracker is here.

        Judging by the ballots made public so far, Bagwell and Raines will get in; Vlad, Pudge, and Hoffman are knocking on the door.

        I find it interesting that of 1st-time voters in that self-identified sample, Bonds and Clemens both got 11 of 12, but on the 7 anonymous ballots, they only got 4.

        I also find it ridiculous that MannyBManny is at under 24 percent. WTF? A career OPS+ of 154, 2500+ hits, 500+ HRs, 69.2 rWAR, 10th all-time LFer on JAWS (there are 19 in the HOF and he ranks above average against that set).

        Of course, I also find it ridiculous that Bonds and Clemens are still on the outside looking in.

        1. Although it's nice to know where the players stand, the tracker kind of takes the fun out of predictions. How about a (non-binding for Half-Baked Hall) WGOM ballot instead of predictions?

          MannyBManny has two PED pops against him, the second of which precipitated his retirement (which he later revoked). I'm not entirely surprised that voters are holding two post-testing PED incidents* against him, regardless of his on-field performance talent & performance.

          *Two more than Bonds, Clemens, Bagwell, etc.

          1. Looking at the tracker, the only Twin Cities BBWAA member I recognize is Berardino, who voted for Bagwell, E. Martinez, Mussina, Raines, I. Rodriguez, and L. Walker. I don't follow much of the TC sports media, but I had assumed that LENIII, Reusee, and the Poultry Man had voting privileges.

            Interesting that JoePos has not made his ballot public yet. Presumably tomorrow?

            1. Reusse has stated he'll release his vote after the election. I think he has did that every since since he has been on Twitter.

      1. What's interesting is that there's not a lot on that list outside the top 5 who will ever make it. Obviously the issue of Bonds and Clemons needs to be addressed but who else eventually makes it?

        1. Edgar and Mussina have not zero chances. Schilling maybe later if he redeems himself a bit.

          Bonds and Clemens will get in eventually, somehow.

          1. The HoF should keep the spaces on either side of Seligula open for Bonds' & Clemens' plaques.

        2. The difference between Ryne Sandberg (11th all-time 2b) & Jeff Kent (19th) is 12.3 rWAR. The difference between Larry Walker (12 all-time RF) and Vlad Guerrero (22nd) is 13.3 rWAR.

          Expansion Era corner outfielders with comparable rWAR & JAWS totals: SelectShow

          If Vlad gets in and Walker falls off the ballot/runs out of eligibility, that's a real shame. If Sheffield gets in and Walker doesn't, that's an injustice.

    3. My prediction (I haven't looked at the HoF tracker website)

      'Spoiler' SelectShow

      1. also, pre-Flood, when talent were serfs. Owners could make money by abusing their serfs in the short run.

    2. The Twins got Williams (and Luis Tiant) in a six-player trade with the Cleveland Indians that is perhaps most noteworthy for the inclusion of Craig Nettles...

      Apparently the '81 Fleer set was formative for this writer.

    3. The next year, 1962, Williams was a significantly worse pitcher. His ERA went from 3.90 to 4.46, his WHIP went from 1.36 to 1.52, his FIP went from 3.45 to 4.16, his k/9 went from 7.8 to 5.2. I can't prove that his workload in 1961 is the reason why, but it seems reasonable to conclude it was a factor.

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