Top Ten Shortstops Right Now/Ten Greatest War Movies

Goodbye, Bombers, and thanks for making your third ridiculous statement to follow your last two. You forgot #1 was "I may or may not have said that." That's not the same as my statement you quote saying "I didn't say that."

I truly have sympathy for you not knowing the difference between "I didn't" and "I may have." Of course, I truly have sympathy for you for many things...

Even though I no longer read someone's posts (unless they are quoted), my guess is he used at least a few of these counter arguments:

1. I may or may not have said that.
2. You took that out of context; you didn't list the entire quote, so it doesn't count.
3. You're ignorant (e.g., "Blah, blah, blah; I'm surprised you didn't know that).
4. You're a hypocrite (complete with quote of something supposedly unflattering that you said).
5. My arguments are always well thought out--yours, not so much.
6. You're a liar (complete with a quote "proving" it).

SteveF, customer service was able to get the FOE functionality working, thanks for suggesting that.

Coyote, spot on with the multiple choice of counter arguments BTW.

Getting back to the thread's actual topic, here is a look at its future:

Ten Best Shortstops of the Future:
1. Addison Russell, CHC,--Future star with 25-30 hr potential and solid defense could be Beane's biggest mistake.
2. Carlos Correa, HOU,--Huge and powerful Ripken-type, the 6-4" Correa keeps proving he can stay at SS
3. Francisco Lindor, CLE--Future Gold Glover has offensive potential to hit .280 with 10-15 hrs yearly.
4. Corey Seager, LAD--Dodgers still think probable 3b can stay at SS. Best hitting prospect on the list.
5. J.P. Crawford, PHI--Smooth fielder with some speed, Crawford started to show some pop last year.
6. Raul A. Mondesi, KC--Raul's son had a terrible year in HiA, but has 5-tool potential at SS.
7. Daniel Robertson, TB--Jed Lowrie with more pop and range, TB got Robertson for Zobrist
8. Willy Adames, TB--Smyly pitched well and scouts love this scrapper TB got in the Price trade.
9. Franklin Barreto, OAK--Key part of Donaldson trade, has speed and outstanding hit tool.
10. Trea Turner, WAS--Turner has excellent speed and decent hit tool, but unremarkable arm.

Too easy....

Considering I've never said anyone was wrong for disagreeing with me, I will second that as well.

I didn't have to look very hard for this one. It is on page one of this thread.

This isn't your top ten list, and as we've discussed before, WAR is not the end-all/be-all arbiter of a player's worth, no matter how much you mistakenly think it is. It definitely isn't here. So, you're wrong.

I'm sure we are about to find out how wrong I am about these quotes.

Even though I no longer read someone's posts (unless they are quoted), my guess is he used at least a few of these counter arguments:

1. I may or may not have said that.
2. You took that out of context; you didn't list the entire quote, so it doesn't count.
3. You're ignorant (e.g., "Blah, blah, blah; I'm surprised you didn't know that).
4. You're a hypocrite (complete with quote of something supposedly unflattering that you said).
5. My arguments are always well thought out--yours, not so much.
6. You're a liar (complete with a quote "proving" it).

Then again, I might be wrong and he actually have responded, "You're right; I didn't realize I had said that. My apologies." However, I think it's more likely I'm so close that nobody will believe that I didn't actually read his reply!

Reminds me of the old joke about the new prisoner hearing the veteran prisoners shouting out numbers, and then breaking into laughter after each number. The cell mate teaches the newbie that they have heard all the jokes before, so they just number them and save time by yelling the number. The newbie wants to give it a try, and shouts out "54!" Silence. He turns to his cellmate and asks why no laughed; the cellmate shrugs and says, "Some people just can't tell a joke."

I like this numbering system.

1. I may or may not have said that.
2. You took that out of context
3. You're ignorant (e.g., "Blah, blah, blah; I'm surprised you didn't know that).
4. You're a hypocrite (complete with quote of something supposedly unflattering that you said).
5. My arguments are always well thought out--yours, not so much.
6. You're a liar (complete with a quote "proving" it).

I've tried to keep this thread about baseball and war movies, but Coyote, Robert LaTorre, and--very disappointingly--Blue Turtle would rather gossip about other posters. To hopefully end the gossip, I will address these normal counterarguments most everybody uses

1. I have said this one, and it's normal. When someone claims you said something you don't know you said, but might have, this is the logical response. Many people make it.

2. This one is normal, too. if someone takes one's quote out of context, it is perfectly acceptable to point that out to them. Many people on this thread do it.

3. I've never just straight out said someone was ignorant. Like many people, I have said I was surprised someone didn't know something, because I was surprised. Again, big deal.

4. I, like most people, have legitimately told people they were being hypocritical. Again, so has everybody.

5. I never said this phrase once. Coyote, BTurtle, and Robert saying so is very lame.

6. Again, who hasn't legitimately told someone they were a liar? I have told Coyote he was a liar because he did lie about me. I gave evidence supporting it and will post it here if people want it.

So, as I said before, Coyote, LaTorre, and Blue Turtle are fretting over nothing. All of the counterarguments above are legitimate counterarguments everyone uses. So, it would be nice if they could stop obsessing over me and my counterarguments and move on with their lives. Maybe they could actually talk about baseball and SOM.

What I really love is when "certain individuals" who's posts I have blocked send me private messages and have set their own private messages to "do not accept replies". I think it shows the kind of character we've come to expect from this individual.

If I'm that "certain individual," to whom Steve refers, I have absolutely set my messages to "do not accept." I would have loved to have received Steve's and others' messages. Unfortunately, one poster sent me so many nasty ones, I had no choice but to block all of them.

Speaking of "character," that's the third troll post Steve posted about other posters without any mention of the thread's topics. So, the man should check himself before so vulgarly maligning others...

1. Tulo (the current gold standard but not close to being in the argument for best ever)
2. Simmons (defensive monster, offensive growth upside given age)
3. Desmond
4. Peralta (one of the game's most underrated ballplayers, gap between defensive rep and stats)
5. Starlin Castro (still just 25, on upside moves to 5th)
6. Elvis Andrus (in spite of last year, he hasn't left the building)
7. Jose Reyes (still big O for the position in spite of aging)
8. Erick Aybar (another underrated guy, surprising given LA market, but D can be hard to assess )
9. Brandon Crawford (battle tested, in his prime)
10. J.J. Hardy

It's obvious when comparing this list to the other positions we've ranked that ss is very thin. Probably thinnest position in baseball, overtaking 2b from the past several years.

I'd add Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket" to the list of outstanding war movies. A brutal film, but such is the subject. Intense beyond belief, and in certain ways the most realistic.

This list is depressing for its mediocrity. And to be "the best ever," is durability not a factor? Cal Ripken Jr. wasn't the best ever, but you knew he would be there every inning with solid performance, which arguably is better than being really good for 25% to 75% of a season and completely absent for the remainder?

I'd have to put Alcides Escobar in the top 5 or 6

This list is depressing for its mediocrity. And to be "the best ever," is durability not a factor?

I can't speak for Teamnasty's list, as it's his. As for "best ever," one does have to have show more durability over a longer career than Tulo has so far. However, as I emphasized, he has shown in his short brilliant career that he could be the best overall shortstop to ever play the position, if not for a long time.

As I mentioned earlier in the thread, while Tulo has been hurt, he has carved out a solid career so far. He's had 6 seasons with 20-32 home runs, including two with 30 or over. He's had four seasons with 90-100+ rbis. He's won two Gold Gloves and finished in the top ten MVP vote 3 times. That is an outstanding, if pock-marked, career beginning so far. Only time will tell if he stays healthy, actually fulfills his promise, and becomes the best shortstop ever. I, myself, am pulling for him.