Tom Strange

...I always did think of you as "the shy one"... !!!

...scouts are starting to show up at our games with interest (Mets and Dodgers last night) ...get Laird while you can BoSox and NYY ...he'll go somewhere, not because he's not wanted here but because he's a client of Boras (the baseball anti-christ)...

Has his acne cleared up yet?

I think they ask the magic eight ball... I sure don't know... maybe they flip a coin or reach into daddy's cookie jar! They sent Teagarden down today so that he can do his olympics thing... so it's Salty and Ramirez until Laird gets healthy... We're up 5-1 against Javier Vasquez of the Pale Hose... 3 run shot by Josh, 2 run shot by Blalock (and he's been contributing some fine glove work as well)... get him while he's hot! Don't get me wrong, the fans love 'the Hammer' but we have young guys that can take his place... he's just come of a 12 week stint on the DL, spent a lot of time there last year as well, so we'd like for them to see what they can get for him...

NYY just put Posada on the DL with possible season ending surgery... maybe they'd like to buy one of our nice young catchers???

where is that Rev2Ts anyway? he's been absent from the congregation for much too long...

April Fools starman!!! ...but the stRangers did purchas Teagarden's contract and activated him over the weekend... he's with the club now (Saltalamacchia is sick or something) so it's Teagarden and Max Rameriz. Yesterday against the Twins Teagarden called the whole game and hit a homer in the seventh (I think) to break up a perfect game! stRangers won 1-0. Now we'd (the fans) rather see Salty go and Laird stay to tutor these young guys... It was Teagarden's first big league hit... he's from here ya know?

Re: the who thing on VH1... I liked it when the who took the stage but I was only impressed by one of the artist's renditions: Pearl Jam. They really did it right. Powerful. Re: sandlot baseball... yeah, me too! It's sad... we always played all summer from sunup til sundown either in pickup games or in youth athletic leagues (my folks helped found one back then) As I got older (13 or 14) there didn't seem to be too many guys interested in pickup games so I just played in two leagues! Pony and Colt... that jump to Colt was a big step! but it was all good, I found I could still hit and still catch! My nephew has played on traveling teams and on his high school team for the past few years... and now I think he's vacillating on whether or not he's going to play in college... (but he is going to VMI, we're proud of him). Re: Bard... they just announced on the radio that we're in talks with the BoSox... Bard for Teagarden straight up!

OK... the pictures are "hand" and "cock" and the movie is "Hancock". It's pretty good by the way... Someone else gets to go now...

With all due respect my furry rodent friend... I know we have the ignore button and I'm more than happy with that solution for 'seasoned' posters. But I don't think it really is an option to a "newbie"... the horses are pretty much out of the barn by then aren't they? ...damage already done? ...mission accomplished? And I think that is the same case regarding moderators keeping track of what's going on... damage already done... and why should they have to constantly monitor where or how someone is posting? When that happens isn't that a case for suspension? Like I said, he just needs to drop that aspect of his "online persona" and I'd have no problem with it... conversely, if there's anything that I did that upset a bunch of folks I'd sure take a look at changing it or if I didn't want to change, I'd leave (and take my sno-cones with me!).. but this is the only board that openly allows illegal use of ellipses...

Funny you should mention Bard! Newberg highlighted him this morning... I was going to email this to you but thought 'what the heck' I'll just slap it in here... Do you guys have something like this in your cities? ...or are we unique? Here it is: ...meanwhile Greg Norman leads "THE OPEN"...

Does anyone really name their bird "Polly"??? ...just wondering

Linzee, I was wondering about "sealed" in the same way until at the bottom of the post it said "this is rascal"... And as I hope I related above, I think that folks don't want to take the chance that WD will stifle someone, scare them away, with his tactic of 'if you don't provide proof, then it didn't happen'... at least that's where I'm coming from. I want everyone to be able to relate their experiences, but when it comes to abuse (IMO) there's really no place for that type of stifle-ing response. I would think it would tend to shut the person down and keep them in their place of torment... perhaps I'm wrong but I don't think so... As for the "mob rule mentality"... I guess you could call it that if you wish. I choose to think that it's more "we're not gonna take it anymore" and there just happens to be a lot of folks who feel that way... but I don't know if the numbers qualify as a mob. I think everyone who has posted on this thread has made the same statements/pleas to WD directly... personally I'm just tired of it and, as I said, I just ignore it... but can someone who is "new" and relating a heart rending experience "just ignore him" and then continue with their healing??? I don't want to take the chance. And most have said they have no problem with WD except that aspect of him... if he'd change or stop that aspect folks would be OK with him... I think... but if he doesn't... well then..

Maybe "Boot the Wierwille Apologists" was a bad choice for a thread title. Maybe it was what Groucho meant. What I've perceived this thread to be about was "tell WD to quit harrassing people or pack it in"... People that visit the cafe have different experiences with TWI that they relate to. To some it was all good. To some it was a lot good and a little bad. To others it was about 50-50 and then there are those that had mostly bad with a little good. I don't think that anyone really cares whether or not opinions are expressed or experiences related across the spectrum... folks relate their pros and cons... Linzee, you said: I respectfully disagree. WD has never given anyone the courtesy of "well, that may have been how it was where you were but..." WD's response has been along the lines of "I never saw that happen and unless you can prove it to me with evidence that will stand up in a court of law, then it didn't happen to you or anyone else either" That is telling people "you are a liar" in so many words. Again, I really don't think the majority of the people on this thread want to get rid of anyone with an opposing viewpoint. I know that I don't... heck, there wouldn't be any fun in that... my experiences with TWI weren't all bad but then I always kind of lived in my own world anyway... I can see both sides and still remain clear in my convictions. My opinion can also be swayed at times by the postings and thoughts of others that differ from mine... But that is not where WD has been coming from for a long time (if ever). Because he doesn't just post his opposing view he says yours didn't happen. Linzee also said: I usually don't even bother "getting into it anymore" with him... it's not worth my time or effort. But that doesn't mean that I don't agree with others that he either needs to change his approach or leave. I think this thread was started because some feel that they've had enough of his badgering. I think that folks don't want it to continue. I'm thinking that 'we' don't want folks who might come forth with a story to feel as if they're being victimized all over again... This place has been a source of healing, reconnection and amusement for most of us here. 'We' are initially (I think) supposed to be somewhere that folks can come to that is somewhat of a safe haven from their torment. Someplace where folks can be heard without fear of being told 'I don't believe you'. I've never been the victim of most of the abuses that have been related on this site but I sure can put two and two together and see the immense possibility that all of them (and more) happened. I know that none of us are 'perfect posters', we all make mistakes, have good days and bad... but I don't think there's any place here for someone with an obvious agenda to stifle every single person who relates a story of abuse... maybe there's a better title for the thread in there somewhere.

he's not on any sort of restriction that I know of... just that he went to do that video... and it's not like they don't have the internet available there...

I heard on the radio the other day that one of those sports memorabelia (sp?) houses has already started posting values for different things (even that sign that you pictured)... I think it was $800... but I got the idea that they're going to strip the place and auction stuff off... could be wrong, but that's the impression I got... mstar... just take Blalock off our hands and send us a pitcher and an outfielder in return... like last year... as far as thinking we have a chance like the Co Rockies last year, they had pitching... we don't :(

great pics and stories Ron... I always enjoy hearing from my neighbor to the northeast...

Trading deadline will be interesting around here... don't know if we'll be buyers or sellers... believe it or not, Nolan Ryan has been a big influence on the team and the direction as opposed to the figurehead we all thought he'd be... NR likes the team the way it is and doesn't want to sacrifice what has gelled this year-he wants to be an informed buyer... then there's Jon Daniels who (as mstar knows) has made a little name for himself by taking chances on 'forgotten' players who have great first halves and turning them into 'the future' (see Gagne and Lofton of last year)... this year's crop is Guardado (everyday Eddie) and Bradley... most of the fans don't want to see Bradley go, it's a really good fit for him here, Guardado is the only 'sure thing' out of the bullpen and a good 'teaching influence' on the pitching youngsters... we'll see... one thing's for sure, no one around here wants to "rent a player" for the last half, we're (hopefully) starting to see the future now... starman! could we interest you in Blalock? ...he's been playing first base during this rehab assignment. The plan was to move him to first when he came back because Vasquez (our utility guy) was/is doing so well at third but then we brought up Chris Davis at first and he's hit the ground running or should I say hit the ball out of the park running... so how about it? Blalock can play first for y'all!

bring a lot of $ if you go to Joes! yes it takes that long to drive to Key West, a lot of it is two lane road and the speed limit is low and strictly enforced... set the cruise control on the speed limit, if anyone passes you chances are you'll see them pulled over later on... rather than Key West you might stop at mile marker 61 and visit Hawks Cay (www.hawkscay.com) it's very family friendly and just went through a huge renovation... I spent 8 months there last year...

...wow Raf, you sounded just like him! I never realized (before) what a bad singer BJ was!

DO NOT CONSUME ALCOHOL WHILE TAKING CHANTIX!!!!! Don't do it. If you have, stop it. Don't ever think you can handle it. Search and read about Carter Albrecht...

Well... we've still got spotty pitching but... guess who's hitting a robust .314/.391/.494 in the month of July? The stRangers' offense. And they've done that against the Yankees, Orioles, Angels, and White Sox, at that. Hope the Break won't turn out to cool this thing off. ...and I think we get the pleasure of the Angels and White Sox on the road pretty soon ...take a trip to Anaheim hiway!

Comparing this to "mark and avoid" is the droppings of the bull as well... there is no comparison... this is telling someone that "we" are tired of his krap... TWIs mark and avoid was entirely different... and you know it...

anyone else catch "Costas Now" on HBO a while ago? town hall meeting on Baseball... the last segment was with Willie Mays and Hank Aaron good stuff (all of it)... catch it if you can...