I suppose those drinks Giacalone and Dimino are holding in the pic could be gayer, but I'm not exactly sure how.

And as for Oller, he -- like everyone else at the Columbus Disgrace -- is there to write about Ohio State football and basically nothing else matters. I'm sure being sent to Cleveland to cover SABR was a slight in his mind -- surely there was a high schooler on the Buckeyes' recruiting list mulling the purchase of a new elbow pad somewhere that would have been a juicer story in his mind -- so the fact that he took his frustrations out on SABR is understandable.

I sent him an email taking issue with the story but he never responded. Maybe I'll refrain from using words with multiple syllables next time.

Reading Aaron's recap, it's definitely a good idea that I didn't go because I would have drank a lot despite being not being allowed to drink anything.

surely there was a high schooler on the Buckeyes' recruiting list mulling the purchase of a new elbow pad somewhere that would have been a juicer story in his mind

Nice slip there into a more accurate description of a tOSU football player.

Aaron, next year we'll actually get you to eat some fish at the sushi restaurant.

Next year's going to be awesome.

Next year's going to be awesome.

Drinking in DC can be a little pricey which is why Ryan Armbrust's idea of a keg is so incredibly amazing.

After the sweat-soaked wiffle ball combatants hobbled back to the hotel, we tried to round up someone capable of playing the expensive lobby piano, only to find that not one of the many dorks in attendance was forced to take piano lessons as a kid.

I took lessons, but my sense of rhythm and hand-eye coordination were terrible. It didn't help that I was eight and my teacher was a smoking 19 year old blonde. I was more interested in her than Mozart.

Drinking in DC can be a little pricey which is why Ryan Armbrust's idea of a keg is so incredibly amazing.

That's not a bad idea. Though I guess we'd have to be discreet, considering the hotel might not like the idea of a group of 30-something conventioners having a kegger there.

Drinking in DC can be a little pricey which is why Ryan Armbrust's idea of a keg is so incredibly amazing.

Party at the Moon Tower!

Do you already know which hotel will be hosting the event?

Kegger in Damascus, entertainment by the O'B Achievers on Rock Band.

we can just make sj put us up in his hotel, much easier. and one of these years i swear ill make it, as long as im not deployed like i am this year

I took lessons, but my sense of rhythm and hand-eye coordination were terrible.

I was wondering who was ticklin' the keys there in the lobby and I turned around and saw a really deranged version of the Herman Poole Blount Arkestra hanging on the poor piani.

Next year I'm bringing my bongo set.

Do you already know which hotel will be hosting the event?

Yes. The JW Marriott. We also know the dates (July 29-August 2).

-- MWE

Yes. The JW Marriott. We also know the dates (July 29-August 2).

Yup, next year whiffle ball will be played on the Ellipse in front of the White House.

next year whiffle ball will be played on the Ellipse in front of the White House.

Technically, the Ellipse is in back of the White House. Lafayette Park is in front (albeit across the street).

-- MWE

Technically, the Ellipse is in back of the White House. Lafayette Park is in front (albeit across the street).

-- MWE

That's this year, but change is comin!

Did anybody else read that hotel name as J Mariotti?

Normally, SABR waits for the schedules to come out before announcing dates, but in order to get reasonable hotel rates the organization had to commit to dates in advance, which means there is some risk that the Nationals won't be home during that period and we'll have to go to Baltimore instead. I have it on reasonably good authority that the Nationals' front office is working with the schedulers to ensure that they will have a home series that weekend, however, and I fully expect that will come to pass.

-- MWE

Ah, DC in August! I an almost feel that crisp, clean, refreshing air!

Good work AG.

We may not have the rugged sex appeal of Olle

Speak for yourself. I'm a sexy beast, and a hell of a drunken card player to boot.

Now with muy disturbo pictures!~!

Yeah, you guys really need to ban cameras from the next convention.

Very, very frightening!

Not even a mention. I'm so unloved.

which means there is some risk that the Nationals won't be home during that period

Where's the downside?

Not even a mention. I'm so unloved.

I don't even see you in any of the group pictures! I think you have to bring a tazer to next year's convention - you're bound to get a mention.

Hey, MHS, glad you switched groups. Clearly, there were intangibles involved.

I don't even see you in any of the group pictures!

Sam was staying at the ultra-swanky Vern Fuller Suites and had to skedaddle over for highball jinx.

Next year's going to be awesome.

I wouldn't get ahead of myself. After all, I'll be there, which will negate much of the awesome.

I took lessons, but my sense of rhythm and hand-eye coordination were terrible. It didn't help that I was eight and my teacher was a smoking 19 year old blonde. I was more interested in her than Mozart.

Did she show you her tits?

I have it on reasonably good authority that the Nationals' front office is working with the schedulers to ensure that they will have a home series that weekend, however, and I fully expect that will come to pass.

I'd hope so, they'd hate to miss out on the large attendance boost.

I'll have to make sure I don't get any games that weekend. That would... suck.

Did she show you her tits?

Sorry, kevin, in order to hear more of the story you'll have to buy the April 1992 issue of Penthouse Letters

I suppose those drinks Giacalone and Dimino are holding in the pic could be gayer, but I'm not exactly sure how.

That was my comment at the time the pic was being snapped. Giacalone then informed me that the scene could have been gayer if he and Joe were tongue-kissing, a point which I had to accept as valid.

Those drinks, by the way, are "Adrian Beltre Specials," a cocktail invented by Vinay Kumar just minutes earlier, and concocted by the hotel bartender. They tasted, we all agreed, pretty much like Mike's Hard Lemonade.

I admit my attendance was sparse and random, so not getting into the group photos makes some sense. As Repoz notes, I was staying at the in-law suite hotel.

I suppose those drinks Giacalone and Dimino are holding in the pic could be gayer, but I'm not exactly sure how.

Not only is there the follow-up picture with Treder rubbing his back from this convention, Giacalone was part of SABR's power couple at the 2007 get-together in St. Louis. Just saying.

Aaron, next year we'll actually get you to eat some fish at the sushi restaurant.

Wanna bet?

Drinking in DC can be a little pricey which is why Ryan Armbrust's idea of a keg is so incredibly amazing.

I realize that this probably sounds like a joke to some people, but it's a legitimately outstanding idea and certainly within the realm of possibility given that we were toting around bottles of vodka and tequila in Cleveland.

That's not a bad idea. Though I guess we'd have to be discreet, considering the hotel might not like the idea of a group of 30-something conventioners having a kegger there.

The hotel in Cleveland was fantastic in this respect. We stayed up until 4-5 a.m. every night, drinking, playing poker, and being way too loud (among other things) right in the middle of the hotel lobby, yet no one complained or asked us to stop.

Speak for yourself. I'm a sexy beast, and a hell of a drunken card player to boot.

I debated writing something about this in my recap, but opted against it. But at the risk of being mocked for sounding like Giacalone and Dimino look in that picture, you looked awesome. Congrats on the weight loss. I'm both jealous of you and pissed off at myself for resuming being a fatass after coming so close to not.

Not even a mention. I'm so unloved.

To be fair, the mentions in the recap are dominated by Dial and Dimino, and most everyone else just gets lumped together in the list at the beginning. This is due to a combination of a bad memory and laziness, plus the desire to keep the write-up under 5,000 words. I definitely enjoyed meeting and hanging out with you, Sam. And sorry about 1991.

We ought to look into renting one of the luxury boxes at either Bowie or Frederick for a night.

EDIT: I'll go ahead and coordinate this once the schedules come out.

-- MWE

We ought to look into renting one of the luxury boxes at either Bowie or Frederick for a night.

That's a great idea. I'm in.

And you non-Marylanders are going to get lessons on how to properly eat a steamed crab.

Crabs. Are those the funny looking things that are trying, but failing, to be lobsters?

Shucks - now that I move away from DC, they hold the convention there. Figures. Any chance SABR will come to Atlanta anytime soon? We have plenty of hotel rooms and... wait for it... tickets are guaranteed to be available!

(Sorry, I had to make the joke before anyone else could. I'm no fun.)

that's IT on the pics??? nobody else took pics?

cmon

Any chance SABR will come to Atlanta anytime soon?

100%, if soon means Summer 2010.

"Disembodied Hand Holding Knife" would make a great handle.

I was a little disappointed that the recap didn't cover the B&E;, and the conning of 15 glasses of just tonic water after last call.

100%, if soon means Summer 2010.

Really? That's great news. There's a lot of fun stuff to do here outside of a hotel lobby, too. Any of y'all like to play golf?

and dan

as for crabs we know about them already. they come in cans.

Really? That's great news. There's a lot of fun stuff to do here outside of a hotel lobby, too. Any of y'all like to play golf?

As Aaron said in his recap, a lot of last weekend seemed (to me) to be more of a BBTF & Friends meet at which SABR happened to be presenting than aything else. Of course, I'm not a member of SABR and only showed up for the social hours for the most part, so I'm probably a bit biased that way. Regardless, I have been thinking that 2010 in Atlanta should be a serious social call, even to the point of extending it beyond the official SABR weekend start/end dates. Just a thought. We have a lot of things to do around Atlanta in the summer time (bring sun screen you pasty legged dorks), lots of places to dine and drink outside of hotel lobbies, and a much larger airport hub than CLE.

As Aaron said in his recap, a lot of last weekend seemed (to me) to be more of a BBTF & Friends meet at which SABR happened to be presenting than aything else.

Speaking of which, there was talk of staging a first-annual BBTF & Friends meet in conjunction with the winter meetings. This year they're in Vegas, of all places.

How awesome does that sound?

Bad news, boys:

Bernal, exiled until next spring from the Mainland, says he'll be joining SABR and attending next year's convention.

I had a great time with Bernal. He was a great guy, not at all what I expected. Then again, some people can be a little different irl.

Winter meetings are a go for this year. It's almost a given.

We ought to look into renting one of the luxury boxes at either Bowie or Frederick for a night.

That would be awesome.

Speaking of which, there was talk of staging a first-annual BBTF & Friends meet in conjunction with the winter meetings. This year they're in Vegas, of all places.

Yes, first week of December, I think. It's on.

that's IT on the pics??? nobody else took pics?

Rauseo did, but they're private. Aaron copied a couple of Rauseo's in; maybe somebody else will get more. Joe took a *ton* of pics, and I haven't seen them yet.

You do not want to #### with traffic all the way to Frederick.

Bowie would suck too, but Frederick? People in Pittsburgh can get there faster. And I am nearly positive there are no lux boxes in Bowie

And I am nearly positive there are no lux boxes in Bowie

You would be wrong. (check near the bottom of the page)

-- MWE

I collected a pair of "well-placed hits" ala Delmon Young--thankfully Kumar and Webber were around to make my swing look good

Hey! I smacked a hard shot off the statue of General Cleaveland.

Bowie would suck too, but Frederick?

You can take 355 north, if 270 is jammed up.

I really wanted to be in Cleveland, but that was a terrible week for me, work-wise.

But '09 seems like it's going to be nuts. At the SABR Nats game earlier this year, they said they were expecting 1200 people (hence the early hotel reservation - otherwise, it would be out by the airport). But I did not realize that Nats were working with SABR on the schedule - wasn't there hesitancy to do that in the past in some other city (St. Louis, maybe)?

Steve, we missed seeing you at the Cooperstown Symposium this year. (For those who have never been, it's a mini-version of the SABR Convention held early in June each year.) Was it budgetary constraints, or some other reason?

I would have loved to have gone to SABR, but the budget only had room for Cooperstown, which is exactly 3 and a half miles from my house.

And you non-Marylanders are going to get lessons on how to properly eat a steamed crab.

Just lay off the strawberries!

But I did not realize that Nats were working with SABR on the schedule - wasn't there hesitancy to do that in the past in some other city (St. Louis, maybe)?

Nit-pick: the Nats are not working with SABR on the schedule, they are working with MLB to make every effort to accomodate SABR's presence in DC. SABR doesn't normally need to ask for help of this nature because the hotels in other cities have typically accomodated SABR's need to be flexible on dates. That wasn't possible in DC.

I should emphasize that it still may not be possible to have the Nationals at home while SABR is there - all that the Nats can do is put their request in to the schedule-makers and push as hard as they can to have their request honored, but the schedulers will have the final say. Each team makes requests of this type every year, and while the schedule-makers try as hard as they can to get them all in, the logistics of putting together a 30-team schedule under the restraints imposed by the collective bargaining agreement are challenging enough.

-- MWE

Steve, we missed seeing you at the Cooperstown Symposium this year. (For those who have never been, it's a mini-version of the SABR Convention held early in June each year.) Was it budgetary constraints, or some other reason?

I would have loved to have gone to SABR, but the budget only had room for Cooperstown, which is exactly 3 and a half miles from my house.

Bruce, I very much missed not participating in the Cooperstown Symposium this year. The issue is exactly budgetary constraints (time as well as $$); there just ain't room to go to Cooperstown and Cleveland in the same month. Both are a long, long way from my house.