THE BOOK--Playing The Percentages In Baseball

I didn’t know Fangraphs even had a forum, lol.

Tell him you’re too lazy.

Joe Posnanski wrote about how kids nowadays don’t know how to ask properly for autographs and favors in general. I have trouble believing anyone can be this rude.

Tom:  How about something like this:
Sir:  I received your email wherein you decided it was necessary to call me an a$$ for not responding to your Fangraphs email. 
1.  If I had seen your email, I would have responded to it.
2.  Since I don’t regularly check this site, I did not know that you had asked this question
3.  I believe in the future when you think you’ve been ignored that it would better serve you (the one who is asking for help) to give “the benefit of the doubt” to the person you are asking for help.  In this case, this phrase means that there might be any number of reasons why you haven’t received a reply.  This person may not be ignoring you, and instead of presuming that he is, give him the benefit of the doubt, be courteous and ask your question nicely in another forum--you’re much more likely to receive a reply.

Sweet.

Yes, yes I am an asshole…

I possibly would’ve replied with insults, though I too am just a kid (well compared to you guys)
I support harveywall/#3’s post.

Despite my often crass attitude in posts and articles, I am a strong believer in making the world a better place in all of our actions, rather than indulging or amusing ourselves, especially when communicating with young people.

Therefore I suggest that you do or write whatever you think will assist this young person to be a better person and to pass that on to people he or she may come in contact with as well.

I am sure you can come up with something along those lines Tango.

The real reason I talk and write about sabermetrics is to encourage people to be critical thinkers and then use that skill in areas that are more important than baseball.

If otherwise smart people (like baseball executives) who are in charge of running multi million dollar companies cannot make good decisions by and large, what chance do we have at solving important problems in the world unless someone educates our young people about being critical and objective thinkers as well as being altruistic and empahtetic.

The last part of the last sentence above should drive your response.  Resist the temptation to be sarcastic, vengeful or crass.  They do not serve anyone well.

Thanks guys.  I have forwarded Harvey’s response as it is perfect and in the same spirit in which I would have liked to respond.

I agree with MGL’s basic point that when I (or he presumably) debate something, it is to move forward on an issue, and not to be argumentative. 

This is why the posting policy at this blog, lifted from USSM, is perfect, in that this place is like a classroom, and we simply foster discussions in that spirit.

I moved the BP-related posts here:
http://www.insidethebook.com/ee/index.php/site/comments/fixing_vorp/

... more important than baseball...wha?

MGL, I thought the most important thing was fixing baseball and bringing MLB down to its knees.

I would have included this with the reply :

We all need to accept responsibility for our manners, as they represent our character to those we interact with.

And we all need to accept respnosibility for the participles with which we dangle…

Aye MGL, I will take full responsibility for dangling my participles about.