Commenting guidelines for this blog
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Jun 25, 2009 
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The comments on the last few game posts have gotten out of control. When 1,200+ comments are posted, there are bound to be a few trolls and other knuckleheads who sneak in there. That’s not a problem.
But when my regular readers start to have a hard time, that is a problem.
So please keep these simple rules in mind if you would like to post:
• Personally attacking other people is not allowed. If one of your fellow posters makes a point with which you do not agree, please refrain from calling them names. We’re talking about baseball here, calm down. For the better part of four years, this blog has been a good place for courteous, knowledgeable Yankees fans to gather. Don’t write something you would not say to somebody in person.
• Cursing is not allowed. This blog is part of a newspaper and we do not allow cursing in the paper. No abbreviated curses, no acronyms, etc. If you can’t figure out how to make your point without obscene words, buy a thesaurus.
• CAPS LOCK is not allowed.
• Rambling on for 500 words, while allowed, is not encouraged. This is the internet, we all have short attention spans. Discuss baseball, don’t lecture everybody.
• You might have a blog and that is cool. Feel free to add the URL to your site in the appropriate place so folks can click to it. But please do not place a link below your comment.
• The whole “first” thing is stupid. It’ll get deleted and you’ll be banned.
• Feel free to cite stories from other sites. Just provide a link so the other writer will be credited.
• Impersonating one of our regulars will get you banned.
• Do not post false news. One strike and you are out.
• If one of your posts gets stuck in the spam filter, give me a chance to approve it. Sending it again and again and again only makes it look more like spam.
• As always, please feel free to e-mail me at any time with any questions, concerns or suggestions.
Thanks for reading the blog.
Good idea Pete. People forget.
Just a request, just my opinion… but I feel it would be really helpful if people kept comments about Pete’s posts to that specific post, and not overflow topics from post to post.
It makes it really hard to follow what anyone is on about, for one thing.
It also clutters up one new topic with older topics from three posts ago or whatever.
It’s really quite frustrating to see, for example, on a post about the state of pitching, to see someone still carping on and on about the Arod post from 6 hours ago, when people can still comment in that previous post, and don’t need to clutter up a totally unrelated new topic.
Pete, thank you so much for this post. I’m one of the regulars who emailed you about this a few days ago after getting fed up with the third grade playground attitude of some posters. Nice to see you address the concerns of your readers, and thank you again.
Sandman, you make a very nice point too.
Sandman-The reason is that they’re continuing discussions w/people who have switched threads.
I have no issue w/it.
Who gets DFA or sent down when Nady comes back?
registration would clear a lot of that up really fast.
Pete I’ve been reading your work since you wrote for the Bulletin, and this is by far the most awesome thing you have ever written.(joking, but you get the point)…I’m so tired of blog comments being used as just a forum for the unimaginative, and angry, great blog!
Pete:
I rarely post, but I’ve read basically every single entry since the beginning. It’s been a great ride.
The fact that you try to keep the comments clean is appreciated. Can I ask a stupid question? Why does ANYONE care about posting “first”? Other message boards are littered with this ridiculous thing (and “second” or “third”). Do people honestly care about being first to post to a blog? Never got that one…
Where was this, oh, a year ago? Lol. Impersonation is the reason I changed my name.
Brett Tomko, or Pena gets optioned
Pete, any consideration to registering posters? The blog is so big now, so well known, that people are coming in just to cause mischief. Registration could help. What’s the current thinking?
Generally great rules.
But, “banned” for the “first” thing? I don’t partake in the “first” competition, but being banned for that seems a little draconian. As compared to the other things on this list, “first” seems completely benign.
I disagree Sandman, I think if there’s a conversation going, it should flow from post to post if there’s interest. And sometimes Pete will post two or three threads in 30 minutes, and sometimes those threads are about golf (ok, not often).
“Impersonating one of our regulars will get you banned.”
So I’m guessing SJ44s doppelganger will no longer be with us during game threads?
The personal attacks will be hard to reign in, I have to say. But when people are called out, I hope it applies to everybody. Calling somebody a bridgejumper, whiner, or a child is the same as calling somebody an idiot or stupid. Some of our beloved regulars have a problem with the latter.
All in all, this blog is great. Thanks for reminding us of the rules, Pete.
Hi Pete,
Isn’t calling someone a troll, regardless of whether they are trolling or not, actually calling them names? Because I see alot of the self annointed geniuses on this blog use that term alot when some person decides to write an opinion of how bad the lineup looks today – or something that doesn’t jive with what they are saying. I also see them use moron, illiterate and the terms “are you really that stupid?” and “Pre-School must have been let out early today.”
If everyone on this blog is allowed to voice their opinions then the geniuses should be more tolerant and keep their comments to themselves. Or are the “regulars” immune from censorship?
Repost:
http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/.....ner-field/
“Nick Swisher has a tattoo guy in Atlanta – because, really, what modern athlete doesn’t? — and he inked Phil Hughes and Swisher after Tuesday’s game. Hughes chose the Bible verse Philippians 4:13 as a birthday gift to himself, and Swisher got the final verse of the famous “Footprints” poem. Both players had the script written on the inside of their left upper arms.”
But how will I post about da Yankiz suxing and how I want Gerde fierd if I cnt do those things?
Seriously, all those people who post here loss after loss and then go away win after win need to just go away it makes the blog less fun. People like SJ and GB7 spend less time talking about how to play good baseball and how players mechanics are off by ___ and more time fighting idiots.
BTW Pete is getting his Cashman on.
I think this is long overdue, good job by Pete. But Pandora’s Box has been opened; once a blog becomes really popular, it’s hard to keep people from coming. And the more who come, trolls and ne’er-do-wells come along as well.
It’s sort of ironic that Pete’s success as a blogger has an indirectly negative effect on the blog itself.
No registration. I think we are doing fine without it.
Hair-trigger bans on impersonators, obscene posters and those making threats or personal attacks will go a long way. I liked when you called out one bozo with the name of the company and city where he worked.
Do you ever send people e-mails saying they’re getting out of line or ask them to stop trolling? The guy who wanted to meet someone under the O’Neill banner for a little ‘dance’ was amusing though. Ask him back.
It might calm down for a little while but I’m afraid, Pete, that you’ll again start feeling like a playground or lunchroom monitor.
sab-Trolls are a term used to describe those who use such idiotic name calling, and was originally a term used for impersonators. It’s definition has widened to those being nasty and making irrational attacks on players or on the Yankees. A good example of a non impersonator troll is Mo’sflatcutter.
You’re forgetting that it’s possible there may be prior history w/these people. They may insult them because they’ve seen them before and know they’re trolls.
Registration would definitely help the imposter problem
“f everyone on this blog is allowed to voice their opinions then the geniuses should be more tolerant and keep their comments to themselves. Or are the “regulars” immune from censorship?”
That’s my question too. I guess if you are saying the kids were let out early today, it’s not a “personal” attack per se, that you are not calling X an idiot. But I still think some of those guys should be called out for it. I know I’ll get on SJ’s case and others when they start with that nonsense and deviate from baseball.
Ditmars, you just called people third-grade playground attitude of posters, isn’t that what Peter doesnt want from posters??
Good ground rules, Pete.
Now try getting some of your regulars who think they are blog police to stop calling folks who post differing opinions from them, “morons” and/or “idiots”.
Thanks.
From the link Wait till they come to OUR house AGAIN provided:
“Brian Cashman did not say how much the Cleveland Indians paid for reliever Jose Veras, only that it was over the $20,000 waiver price.
In that case, it was more than Cashman paid the Chicago White Sox this spring for the veteran catcher Chris Stewart, who is now with Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. For Stewart, Cashman paid $1. “Some people get cute and send 100 pennies,” Cashman said. “I don’t have time for cute.”
=======
A dollar? I never realized that. Veras over $20,000??
Little Youuuuse got a tattoo? Aaww lol
Stultus Magnus-I know what you mean.
Brian Cashman did not say how much the Cleveland Indians paid for reliever Jose Veras, only that it was over the $20,000 waiver price. In that case, it was more than Cashman paid the Chicago White Sox this spring for the veteran catcher Chris Stewart, who is now with Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. For Stewart, Cashman paid $1. “Some people get cute and send 100 pennies,” Cashman said. “I don’t have time for cute.”
http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/.....ner-field/
For instance Mo’sflatcutter = Troll
SA beat me to it. LOL $1!! That is so weird. I guess they wanted to be rid of Chris, and they couldn’t just give him away. Is that worse than being traded for bats?
S.A.-I already mentioned him.
I can’t imagine Chris Stewart’s ego is feeling too good knowing he was acquired for one good old fashioned American dollar.
The only way to make trolls like the one referred to above (by Wait till..) is to ignore them outright. No response, no “Pete’s gonna ban you!”, nothing.
Now if we could only do something about the danged Netflix pop-under ads that have cropped up here lately. My popup blocker seems to catch them only about half the time.
wait till they come to our house
– i understand that – i’ve been here long enough to realize it – but name calling is name calling – you can’t make exceptions because something is an “accepted” term – if i’m new to the blog and say something that one of the regulars think its dumb and uses troll – i as a new blogger don’t know the history and will call him/her something back – thats how the childish name calling thing starts..
plus if i think Mariano Rivera is worthless (i don’t but am making a point)thats my opinion – i don’t come on this blog wanting to be ridiculed or called a baseball illiterate – thats what I think and everyone should respect that…if the regulars don’t agree they don’t have to respond..
saying “Oh here come the trolls” or “schools out early today” or “go back to your video baseball” only eggs people on more – the way to have them go away is to ignore them..
Wait till they come to OUR house AGAIN June 25th, 2009 at 9:53 am
S.A.-I already mentioned him.
=======================
oops! Missed that part! Me bad.
“People like SJ and GB7 spend less time talking about how to play good baseball and how players mechanics are off by ___ and more time fighting idiots.”
It’s because they respond in that manner that these back & forths get instigated. SJ & GB7 call people names and scoff the most and believe they are some sort of blog police. If an “idiot” posts, just don’t respond, that’s how they stop posting.
sab-I know what you mean. I had that issue when I started not too long ago.
However when people say stuff like “Mariano is a worhtless player, trade him”, that’s just a very odd opinion and is fine. It’s when people say “Mariano should go live in the sewer, what a clown” when they become trolls.
JENNIFER June 25th, 2009 at 9:53 am
SA beat me to it. LOL $1!! That is so weird. I guess they wanted to be rid of Chris, and they couldn’t just give him away. Is that worse than being traded for bats?
=====================
LOL
I know! A dollar? Sad.
I can’t even buy a bottle of soda from a 7-11 for just a dollar
Andrew June 25th, 2009 at 9:53 am
I can’t imagine Chris Stewart’s ego is feeling too good knowing he was acquired for one good old fashioned American dollar.
****
And they say a dollar doesn’t go as far as it used to.
S.A.–It’s a marathon, not a sprint June 25th, 2009 at 9:58 am
JENNIFER June 25th, 2009 at 9:53 am
SA beat me to it. LOL $1!! That is so weird. I guess they wanted to be rid of Chris, and they couldn’t just give him away. Is that worse than being traded for bats?
=====================
LOL
I know! A dollar? Sad.
I can’t even buy a bottle of soda from a 7-11 for just a dollar
====================
Sadly, neither can Chris Stewart.
“Cashman said. “I don’t have time for cute.””
A dollar. OK lets say that happens, just for fun. Can you imagine being a player and having that in the transaction section of the news or on your on your career bio?
“LHP Moe Sweeney was traded to the Toledo Mud Hens for a buck”.
or …
“LHP Moe Sweeney was traded to the Toledo Mud Hens for a bag of nuts”.
or …
“LHP Moe Sweeney was traded to the Toledo Mud Hens for a ’73 Dodge”.
by the way – i think mo’s flatcutter is down right hysterical – if you can’t see that he/she is feeding right into this blog’s frenzy when the yankees lose then maybe everyone needs to lighten up a bit…
to summarize – he/she is playing with your emotions – be an adult and ignore it – if you feed it more by responding then maybe its you that needs to go do something else for awhile – that or take up a hobby..
if you keep scratching the itch it’ll only get worse…
Meh messed that up a bit, I’ll get the hang of it. Blah.
“LHP Moe Sweeney was traded to the Toledo Mud Hens for a used toilet.”
Someone posted the link yesterday to a really sad story about what happened to the player who was traded for bats. I read it yesterday and it broke my heart.
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/29495228/
ack June 25th, 2009 at 10:02 am
S.A.–It’s a marathon, not a sprint June 25th, 2009 at 9:58 am
JENNIFER June 25th, 2009 at 9:53 am
SA beat me to it. LOL $1!! That is so weird. I guess they wanted to be rid of Chris, and they couldn’t just give him away. Is that worse than being traded for bats?
=====================
LOL
I know! A dollar? Sad.
I can’t even buy a bottle of soda from a 7-11 for just a dollar
====================
Sadly, neither can Chris Stewart.
================
Bwahaha
“The whole “first” thing is stupid”
What does this mean? What’s the first thing?
And finally, from ShysterBall’s Craig Calcaterra, after ex-Yankee Carl Pavano allowed eight hits and 11 runs (three earned) against the Pirates:
Pirates 10, Indians 6: Workers on the “Carl Pavano for Comeback Player of the Year” campaign feel today how the folks at the McCain campaign felt the day after the Katie Couric-Sarah Palin interviews aired.
http://www.nj.com/yankees/inde.....verse.html
Good I am starting to feel better.
“It’s when people say “Mariano should go live in the sewer, what a clown” when they become trolls.”
Wait till they come to our house…i happen to think you are one of the more intelligent bloggers here – so i’m not going to tell you how to respond to anyone – but if someone does say that why would you even want to have a conversation with that person? its obvious that their grasp of reality has abandoned them….
the way i deal with that is just laugh and enjoy the quote for what it is – a humorous little piece of fiction…
plus, and i hate to say this, but if rivera blows a 4 run lead to the redsox in the bottom of the ninth i think that “troll” has every right to say that – for at least that one time…
ab June 25th, 2009 at 10:03 am
by the way – i think mo’s flatcutter is down right hysterical – if you can’t see that he/she is feeding right into this blog’s frenzy when the yankees lose then maybe everyone needs to lighten up a bit…
to summarize – he/she is playing with your emotions – be an adult and ignore it – if you feed it more by responding then maybe its you that needs to go do something else for awhile – that or take up a hobby..
if you keep scratching the itch it’ll only get worse…
================================
I like the his/her impersonator. The one always talking about having his mommy change his/her diaper
The real one, don’t find any amusement
sab-Thank you for the compliment.
I do disagree that people have the right to call others clowns and that they should live in sewers because of their baseball performance. It’s a game.
However it’s true that you shouldn’t respond to those people. They’re just annoying..like gnats.
And whether or not we respond they ARE trolls.
I read this blog for information, not for opinions.
I hope Tomko goes away and never comes back.
shantz-Then you read it for a different reason than many of us.
S.A. – i agree about mosflatcutter being funny – i didn’t know it was an impersonator..
by the way i have a question for you reharding your name (handle? not sure what its called)
when does it stop being a marathon and turn into a sprint – because even in marathons the last 500 yards or so do become a sprint..
shantz June 25th, 2009 at 10:17 am
I read this blog for information, not for opinions.
*********
Than don’t read the comments.
Well said Jenn
I hope Good “Pett” shows up tonight in Hotlanta and not Stinky Andy who likes to show up in the Bronx.
Can Posada please sit again?
sab June 25th, 2009 at 10:19 am
S.A. – i agree about mosflatcutter being funny – i didn’t know it was an impersonator..
by the way i have a question for you reharding your name (handle? not sure what its called)
when does it stop being a marathon and turn into a sprint – because even in marathons the last 500 yards or so do become a sprint..
===========================
The real mosflatcutter is the vile and nasty one. The impersonator is the one who constantly talks about his mommy. lol
As for when it is no longer a marathon and becomes a sprint? I say September.
Thus, we have time and a lot of baseball left to play
Donnie Baseball, yes I did use the term “third grade”, but I was referring to the general atmosphere on the comments board at times. Not a directly personal attack on a named individual.
But accept my apologies all the same. Nobody likes a hypocrite.
Sorry.
sorry for diverging on the thread topic a little (i think we’ve beaten the commenting guidelines talk to death) –
I know that its what he has to say to not sound desperate but doesn’t it sound a bit too delusional if cashman thinks/believes the answers to the yankees problems will be “found from within?”
“As for when it is no longer a marathon and becomes a sprint? I say September.”
I disagree. I say August. Fall too far out in August and you can’t catch up in September (see: 2008 Yankees). Also, get far enough ahead in August and you can rest your players before the playoffs (see: NOT the 2008 Brewers w/CC).
Sure, September is it coming down to the wire. But it isn’t necessarily the most strategic time for your push.
sab-I think he’s 100% right.
I don’t think there is a specific day it becomes a sprint.
There are a few factors to consider such as 1) The date and 2) The standings
In 2000, the Yankees had a 10 game lead in the beginning of September. I don’t think anyone was sprinting anywhere
In 2007, we were way out of first after the all-star break (I don’t know the exact standings, bit I think it was more than 7). I believe the Yankees went into sprint mode immediately after the all-star break. Derek Jeter himself said every game was a playoff game for them at that point.
sab-I think he’s 100% right
WOW – so for example – if AROD goes down (or is hitting 208 in august and is “put on the DL”) then Cody Ransom is the answer?
I would think that to save his job (if his job hangs on the yankees making it to the playoffs) a few million dollars more to add some punch shouldn’t be a problem…giving up 2 or 3 of your surplus AAA pitchers to get a solid arm in the pen isn’t worth keeping your job?
Brandon W June 25th, 2009 at 10:30 am
“As for when it is no longer a marathon and becomes a sprint? I say September.”
I disagree. I say August. Fall too far out in August and you can’t catch up in September (see: 2008 Yankees). Also, get far enough ahead in August and you can rest your players before the playoffs (see: NOT the 2008 Brewers w/CC).
Sure, September is it coming down to the wire. But it isn’t necessarily the most strategic time for your push.
=================================
To me it’s still September when there is..um..sprinting
But also, the phrase to me is not about making a push or when it begins, just remembering it’s a long season.
sab-You’re talking about getting a bench, I guess I’ll agree.
But to break out of our slump we don’t need any more players than we have now.
I agree Benjamin, Stinky Pettite better stay home. Say hello to Sayid for me.
Pete — Rules and guidelines are good things, but it’s pretty vague in terms of what constitutes “cursing” and what is a “personal attack”.
For cursing is Carlin’s list of seven words our guideline or is the list longer than that.
For personal attacks do we call fouls on each other? If we label a whole group of thoughts as “inane” is that an attack?
I know I’m being a bit sarcatstic here but more specific guidelines might be in order.
I also support the idea of registration, though that might be a bureaucratic nightmare for Pete and his folks.
i’m not technically talking about the bench – although i think 3 out of the 4 regular OF’s are glorified bench warmers (4 out of 5 if you add nady)- and the other one shouldn’t be anywhere near the outfield…
i’m talking about real players that may be needed to make considerable contributions in case someone gets hurt (arod) or stops producing outright (arod and those 3 out of 4 glorified OF’s and most of the pen)but i guess this is the team cashman puttogether and he will sink (lose his job) or swim (win the WS) with them….if he decides to keep what he’s got…
“Personally attacking other people is not allowed.”
Too bad that doesn’t apply to you, Pete. I didn’t realize ripping-on an individuals personal life was “talking about baseball”.
anywhoski. go yanks, I guess..
-kim
“If you can’t figure out how to make your point without obscene words, buy a thesaurus.”
the only thing worse than impersonating a regular is impersonating a troll. mo’sflatcutter clogs up the board enough. but the impersonator isn’t the least bit funny and just wastes more space.
I don’t know. At least mosflatcutter trolls about baseball and what happened in the game. The fake mosflatcutter doesn’t even bother to try and say why he’s wrong.
I’ve said it before. If the Yanks win enough, the trolls have no ammunition.
At least You didn’t say anything about promoting my escort service!
“registering posters?”
I’m not a big fan of that idea. The reason I like coming here is because there are a lot of posters and it’s so easy to post something. At Bryan Hoch’s blog, I’ll only make one post a day, just for respect because he’s a good guy. I only make one post though because it’s such a pain in the butt to put your name in and then wait for your password to work.
Here, my name is already saved and I just type.
Come on Pete, youre stifling people’s creativity and freedom of speech.
Lets all just have some fun..
Come on the weather is beautiful in NY
Registering doesn’t work. Metsblog went from like 1,000 comments down to 10. I like this blog because a lot of people post. And it’s amazingly free of trolls. Aside from flatcutter, and he’s not even amusing or interesting.
I also agree with Stultus and sab that some of the “regulars” are the worst offenders, in that any non-positive comment will get a knee-jerk response calling you a troll, bridge jumper, whiner, late for bedtime, and all that tired crap. To each their own I guess.
I think the 500 word guideline is meant for SJ44. That dude goes on and on and on. He thinks he’s writing a book when he posts here.
How about a rule that you have to put a smiley face after any personal attack?
So instead of:
You sound like an idiot.
You have:
You sound like an idiot.
Makes it a little more palatable!
Thank You Pete,Than You!!!
Pete,
There is more truth in your humor than in most writers “alleged” factual based reporting. Great job!
As for Big Papi….he has been skating in the broadcast world in Boston. You would think there has been some news blackout in Ma. So the big,lying sack of puppypoo deserves some grief…. especially since he did the Rafael Palmiero dance and then criticized other players.
Plus he is currently getting ready to blame the whole thing on his famous “Dominican Milkshakes” that he thought were approved by WeightWatchers. Big fraud just like the fans up here.
WHY oh WHY doesn’t anyone except Michael kay mention the fact that Joba has lost
6 mph off his fastball. He is not the pitcher he was when he first came up. He was so
dominating it was a surprise when any one scored off him. Now it’s a bore watching him
nibble because he can not throw his fastball by the hitters. I hear so many excuses about
his recent poor outings but never a mention about his LOST FASTBALL!
I sort of had a feeling of being a little overwhelmed. ,
a j 16.5 million dollar bum. if he could pitch as good as he throws pies the yankees would have the next soupy sales.
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So please keep these simple rules in mind if you would like to post:
• Personally attacking other people is not allowed. If one of your fellow posters makes a point with which you do not agree, please refrain from calling them names. We’re talking about baseball here, calm down. For the better part of four years, this blog has been a good place for courteous, knowledgeable Yankees fans to gather. Don’t write something you would not say to somebody in person.
• Cursing is not allowed. This blog is part of a newspaper and we do not allow cursing in the paper. No abbreviated curses, no acronyms, etc. If you can’t figure out how to make your point without obscene words, buy a thesaurus.
• CAPS LOCK is not allowed.