VERY Disappointed

[hiddengem]

Fans,

After all the time and effort I have given to this website to better it, (For FREE), and give you and inside look at what the buisness is "Really Like", today I'm very dissapointed.

At this point I can only speak on behalf of "Mattingly", as I have not heard from Sean the webmaster.

I recently decided to open my own website to do some of the same things as we do here but better. I wanted to give fans an opportunity to upload larger video files of themselves or their kids to have their skills analyized and made better. So I put a thread out there to let the folks I've become friends with aware of this.

After some outstanding feeback from you guys I was really happy with the prospects of this only to get a PM in my box today from "Mattingly" telling me that he has deleted this thread because I'm not allowed to advertise anything.

If this is the case, maybe he should pay closer attention to the threads going on in the Instructional section of this site. People are advertising and promoting new products all the time.

Again, I'm very dissapointed after all the time and effort I've put into this site for this to have happened. If you think I'm full of hot air, then so be it, but if not I would hope you would make your voice heard, in public, or in private.


Good day,
HG

[Edgartohof]

I don't think that this is right, as HG isn't just some guy coming in and using this site to advertise, he is a well respected, liked, and informed member of Fever. He has taken time out of his life to give all of us a new perspective on the game, and when he goes out and puts up his link here, that many fellow Fever fans were asking him too (it was not unsolicited). In fact, from what I can tell, he wouldn't have put it here at all, and maybe not created it (correct me HG if I am wrong) if it wasn't for the support he received from here. I believe that due to his position that Fever could have allowed that to stand, and I too am disappointed.

[RuthMayBond]

Fans,

After all the time and effort I have given to this website to better it, (For FREE), and give you and inside look at what the buisness is "Really Like", today I'm very dissapointed.

At this point I can only speak on behalf of "Mattingly", as I have not heard from Sean the webmaster.

I recently decided to open my own website to do some of the same things as we do here but better. I wanted to give fans an opportunity to upload larger video files of themselves or their kids to have their skills analyized and made better. So I put a thread out there to let the folks I've become friends with aware of this.

After some outstanding feeback from you guys I was really happy with the prospects of this only to get a PM in my box today from "Mattingly" telling me that he has deleted this thread because I'm not allowed to advertise anything.

If this is the case, maybe he should pay closer attention to the threads going on in the Instructional section of this site. People are advertising and promoting new products all the time.

Again, I'm very dissapointed after all the time and effort I've put into this site for this to have happened. If you think I'm full of hot air, then so be it, but if not I would hope you would make your voice heard, in public, or in private.


Good day,
HGIf others are advertising, it is CRAP that HiddenGem can't :grouchy :ughh :mad:

[wogdoggy]

hey gem nobody contributes free to this board like you do,,,and yes many people slip links in here and there..BUT..you started a thread for ANOTHER message board.As much as you feel hurt you have to realize this too is a message board and you are directing their "CLIENTS" to your board..I certainly understand why they would do it.hopefully you will still contribute to all the INDIVIDUALS here that really APPRECIATE your posts and not make them the losers.would you let someone leave a link at your board encouraging your listeners to another venue? Hopefully you can understand their predicament.

[dgarza]

After all the time and effort I have given to this website to better it, (For FREE),
Now I feel bad, seeing how I'm getting paid pretty well for posting my insights.

[west coast orange and black]

i am posting here to go to bat for mattingly.

mattingly's role as co-moderator of the current events forum is a huge undertaking as it is more than likely the most-visited forum.

it is sometimes tough to keep members in check, especially when that member happens to be well-liked, respected, genuine and very helpful.

in this case, hiddengem is no doubt worthy of all four above descriptions. however, baseball-fever rules being what they are, they ought to be followed by all members as equally and as often as possible, or at least as equally and as often as will be allowed.

when it comes to advertising, baseball-fever is constantly hit by spammers. it is a role of the mods to dissuade spammers. and it is the mods who keep the forums free from ads that get in the way of us enjoying and sharing baseball.

in this instance, hiddengem included a link to a website that soon will provide valuable information and services to fans. but while the site itself will be nothing but top-notch and stem from a love of baseball and wanting to inform, having that particular link here at bb-f does constitute advertising.

hiddengem's link happened to be one that involves enjoying and sharing baseball. it happened to be one that did not "get in the way of us enjoying and sharing baseball."
but it is not mattingly's fault for adhering to the rules.

hiddengem has by now assisted numerous visitors and members. he has gone out of his way to give what would otherwise be unattainable insight.
but i must side with mattingly on this.

i am posting here to go to bat for mattingly.

perhaps a way to go is an inclusion in a hidden gem post that reads "p.m. me for more information."

please understand, hiddengem and others, that it was not mattingly who first brought the matter up in the moderator forum. and by removing the link, he was doing his job.

[west coast orange and black]

h-g, i do not think that you are full of hot air. i think of you as a class act.
i will pass along to fellow mods you noting the situation in the instructional forum.

[wogdoggy]

hey west coast ...since hg is probably responsible for half of us still sticking around..why don't you give him a plug and pay for it out of the forums profits? do you personally feel he is taking people away from this board?

[digglahhh]

While I do feel that the mods are overzealous at time in enforcing the "rules" here at BBF, I think consistency is the most important element of any rule enforcement.

If HG feels he is being singled out then there is a legitimate problem.

However, if HG is looking for a pass because of his contributions here, and unique status, he's exploiting his situation for personal gain, and that is pretty low.

The rules being enforced the same for everybody is more important, in a sense, than the rules themselves. Like an ump's strike zone, consistency is more important than actual location.

My advice to HG: Use PMs, eventually the word will spread to those interested.

[runningshoes]

I don't think that this is right, as HG isn't just some guy coming in and using this site to advertise, he is a well respected, liked, and informed member of Fever. He has taken time out of his life to give all of us a new perspective on the game, and when he goes out and puts up his link here, that many fellow Fever fans were asking him too (it was not unsolicited). In fact, from what I can tell, he wouldn't have put it here at all, and maybe not created it (correct me HG if I am wrong) if it wasn't for the support he received from here. I believe that due to his position that Fever could have allowed that to stand, and I too am disappointed.

I am extremely disappointed in the decision to close HG's thread and I hope Sean reconsiders.

[Bob Hannah]

As for HG, Mattingly has a good point. Policy states ads for products or web sites, for profit or non-profit, aren't allowed. Here's the quote from policyBaseball Fever is not a promotional environment. Advertising of products, Web sites, etc., whether for profit or not-for-profit, is not permitted. At the webmaster's discretion, brief one-time announcements for products or services of legitimate baseball interest and usefulness may be allowed.

Please note policy does allow for exception to this. Perhaps this can be undertaken by HG.

[wogdoggy]

do you think HG's forum can take posters away from this forum? i think its like leaving burger king flyers in a mcdonalds restaurant and getting P.O.ed if they dont let you...maybe im crazy?

[west coast orange and black]

edgartohof articulated his feelings well and perhaps if other members let management know how they feel hiddengem's link may prove to be an exception. i dunno.

but what i do know is that posts not about hiddemgem's very personal topic are disrespectful to him.

[digglahhh]

Can't moderators delete posts, institute bans?

How about it?

This is a serious topic involving a contributive member and his genuine concerns and issues with some of the mods decisions.

Many of the regulars have chimed in with their interpretations of the policy and there is some valuable discourse going on here.

We owe HG the courtesy of a serious discussion of his problem without the interference and distraction of immature foreigners.

Delete the posts that have nothing to do with the seminal issues here so we can all follow the discussion, please.

I doubt RMB would have problems with his responses being deleted, and nobody's blaming him. Besides even if he did have a problem, how could he express it- he's a brick wall.:waving

Anyway, let's give this topic and HG the respect it deserves.

Thank you.

[wogdoggy]

i wish west coast would answer my question

[digglahhh]

do you think HG's forum can take posters away from this forum? i think its like leaving burger king flyers in a mcdonalds restaurant and getting P.O.ed if they dont let you...maybe im crazy?

I don't think that is the point. This isn't an attempt to crush competing sites. It is to protect our site from being infiltrated by solicitors who care nothing about the site.

Since HG, does not fit that bill, perhaps special consideration can be given to his request. But that begins a slippery slope, that's the debate here- I think.

BTW, shouldn't this whole thread be in the Web Site Ideas/ Improvements section or whatever. Relocating it would certainly reduce the "casual" traffic that hasn't really contributed positively to this discussion.

[runningshoes]

The thing that boggles mind is that we actually get a MLB baseball player ( you know..the guys we all put on pedestals and cause us to lose sleep?), to talk to us and discuss the workings of this game we love so much, and we go take a giant dump on him.

Nice..real nice

[digglahhh]

The thing that boggles mind is that we actually get a MLB baseball player ( you know..the guys we all put on pedestals and cause us to lose sleep?), to talk to us and discuss the workings of this game we love so much, and we go take a giant dump on him.

Nice..real nice

Oh so, because of who he is he's above the rules?

RS, you are possibly the last person I would expect something like this from.

Hopefully, those who decide on this pander to nobody's status as anything other than a respected member of Fever. Regardless of the decsion, who HG is, is not really important.

[runningshoes]

Oh so, because of who he is he's above the rules?

RS, you are possibly the last person I would expect something like this from.

Hopefully, those who decide pander to nobody's status as anything other than a respected member of Fever. Regardless of the decsion, who HG is, is not really important.

No, I'm not saying he's above us. I'm saying he's one of us, and he deserves our support.

I don't agree with every Tom, Dick and Harry being allowed to advertise on BBF, but he scratches our backs; why are we so unwilling to scratch his?

He's not in here whoring his site like those idiots who who put up one post and they're never heard from again; he's offering something tangible to our members.

[Bob Hannah]

Cleaned up and moved. This was done rather quickly and may need more maintenance. Bear with me.

[wogdoggy]

if you dont feel his site is competition then do you think it would be ok for me to leave links to infosports or baseball eggcellent or others.NO.As much as I like hg and hate the mods here,I think the mod is right in this case.Its competition and will take viewers away from here.If the mods dont think its direct competition then they should let it go.

[west coast orange and black]

bob hannah offered up the rules as stated:

Baseball Fever is not a promotional environment. Advertising of products, Web sites, etc., whether for profit or not-for-profit, is not permitted. At the webmaster's discretion, brief one-time announcements for products or services of legitimate baseball interest and usefulness may be allowed."

again, if members believe that the webmaster ought to allow an exception in this case, let him know... in a positive way (such as edgar's #2 and runningshoes' #19). that is what i am gonna do.

[runningshoes]

And latley, I've seen some authors on here telling us about thier books..titles and all, which I personally don't have a problem with, but I also don't see the difference.

And I'll go one further and say they probably use us a research tool with out giving anything back in return.

Bill Burgess has been selling Gene Caney's new book for months now. I don't see anyone objecting to that.

[Bob Hannah]

Policy also allows for pages of another site to be linked. This is a route that could be taken by users when a a user wishes to make a specific point:
It is considered appropriate to post a URL to a page which specifically and directly answers a question posted on the list (for example, it would be permissible to post a link to a page containing home-road splits, even on a site which has advertising or other commercial content; however, it would not be appropriate to post the URL of the main page of the site). The site reserves the right to limit the frequency of such announcements by any individual or group.

[digglahhh]

I don't agree with every Tom, Dick and Harry being allowed to advertise on BBF, but he scratches our backs; why are we so unwilling to scratch his?

He's not in here whoring his site like those idiots who who put up one post and they're never heard from again; he's offering something tangible to our members.

Is this any different than politicians becoming indebted to big campaign contributors, or senators feeding their districts pork?

Why are we so willing to let it go on here?

I'm not saying I am set on ruling against HG, but his status as a ballplayer is immaterial here. Whatever the decision, I assume it would extend to any respected member here...you RS, me, RMB, HWR, CSH, Bill...and a hundreds more.

[Bob Hannah]

And latley, I've seen some authors on here telling us about thier books..titles and all, which I personally don't have a problem with, but I also don't see the difference.

And I'll go one further and say they probably use us a research tool with out giving anything back in return.

Bill Burgess has been selling Gene Caney's new book for months now. I don't see anyone objecting to that.

If you see something like that the post can be reported. Click on the icon located in the top ribbon of any post. Its located next to the post number and looks like an exclaimation point within a triangle (bordered in red with a white background).

[runningshoes]

Is this any different than politicians becoming indebted to big campaign contributors, or senators feeding their districts pork?

Why are we so willing to let it go on here?

I'm not saying I am set on ruling against HG, but his status as a ballplayer is immaterial here. Whatever the decision, I assume it would extend to any respected member here...you RS, me, RMB, HWR, CSH, Bill...and a hundreds more.

As long as they're contributing something tangible for our members; something concrete we can take away after visiting the site, I wouldn't have a problem with that. But who am I? :laugh

[digglahhh]

And latley, I've seen some authors on here telling us about thier books..titles and all, which I personally don't have a problem with, but I also don't see the difference.

And I'll go one further and say they probably use us a research tool with out giving anything back in return.

Bill Burgess has been selling Gene Caney's new book for months now. I don't see anyone objecting to that.

Now this I agree with and this observation deserves serious consideration. I just don't want to see even the right decision made for the wrong reasons. I'm an idealist, RS, and I think you are too.

[runningshoes]

If you see something like that the post can be reported. Click on the icon located in the top ribbon of any post. Its located next to the post number and looks like an exclaimation point within a triangle (bordered in red with a white background.

I don't want to report anything; I personally don't have a problem that, but there's no way in hallelujah that I'm the only one who's noticed it.

It's either a double standard or someone is not grasping the whole free marketing concept; It's a pitch (pardon the pun), whether intended to be or not.

[runningshoes]

Now this I agree with and this observation deserves serious consideration. I just don't want to see even the right decision made for the wrong reasons. I'm an idealist, RS, and I think you are too.

Yeah, I've noticed that about you as well.

[digglahhh]

Two things here:

One, as far as say, Bill pushing a book, I believe there is difference when you push something that you have no personal stake in.

Two, you are right about people pushing their own work. This could an issue of form offending more than substance. A quick plug slipped in here and there or in a signature is essentially the same as a blatant web advertisement, but is percieved differently.

Oh, and us being free research tools, you can bet your last cent that's true. Hopefully it just adds to the overall quality of writing about the game, that's how I rationalize it.

[Bob Hannah]

I don't want to report anything; I personally don't have a problem that, but there's no way in hallelujah that I'm the only one who's noticed it.

It's either a double standard or someone is not grasping the whole free marketing concept; It's a pitch, whether intended to be or not.
Any help would be appreciated. As mods, we don't catch everything.

Personally, I don't read a whole lot of Bill's stuff, and from what I have read I haven't seen it.

Food for thought: If someone endorses the reading of a book in the Arts and Literature forum, or any forum for that matter, is that hawking for sales?

[runningshoes]

Two things here:

One, as far as say, Bill pushing a book, I believe there is difference when you push something that you have no personal stake in.

I could be wrong, but I don't think he's pushing it. I just think he's excited about it.

But he does have a personal stake in it; he and Gene are friends, and he wears the Joe Jackson issue like a heart on a sleeve.

[runningshoes]

Any help would be appreciated. As mods, we don't catch everything.

Personally, I don't read a whole lot of Bill's stuff, and from what I have read I haven't seen it.

Food for thought: If someone endorses the reading of a book in the Arts and Literature forum, or any forum for that matter, is that hawking for sales?

Not talking about it....no, but if he were to provide a link or information about purchasing the book, then he's hawking it.

[digglahhh]

he and Gene are friends

I basically figured that you would be astute enough to use an example where personal stake was involved, as I'm sure you know the difference, but I still wanted to note the difference just for clarity's sake.

[Bob Hannah]

Not talking about it....no, but if he were to provide a link or information about purchasing the book, then he's hawking it.
That's agreed.

[digglahhh]

Anyway,

I think eliminating all advertising, subtle and blatant would be the utopian goal, but I don't know if that's possible.

I think we basically need to approach it a team defending Kobe, can't stop it, just hope to contain it.

Sure some will slip through the cracks now and again, but as long as there's no politics involved surrounding which ones are "missed," I don't think its really a big deal.

I'm sympathetic to HGs intent, but as EH can probably atest to, its always about the case, often times its more about the precedent.

[runningshoes]

This is an example of something that should be nixed immediately. It's not the intention of the member to advertise another site, but he's done so nonetheless.

http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=39086

A mod should be able to go in edit the site reference to.."I came here from another site." That's all anyone needs to know.

That can take members away from this forum.

[Captain Cold Nose]

This is an example of something that should be nixed immediately. It's not the intention of the member to advertise another site, but he's done so nonetheless.

http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=39086

A mod should be able to go in edit the site reference to.."I came here from another site." That's all anyone needs to know.

That can take members away from this forum.
People talk about being members of SABR all the time around here. Other sites like Baseball-Reference.com and Retrosheet are referred to. Would you suggest any and all references to utside sites be removed?
Where should it start? Where should it end?

[runningshoes]

People talk about being members of SABR all the time around here. Other sites like Baseball-Reference.com and Retrosheet are referred to. Would you suggest any and all references to utside sites be removed?
Where should it start? Where should it end?

No...we directly use baseball-reference and retrosheet for research, but if someone is here telling us how great another forum is, that's a different story.

As you can see from one of the replies a member said thanks and went to check it out.

Did we lose that member?

who knows, but the possibility exists.

Maybe he starts posting there and doesn't come back to BBF.

How many members who come here just to look go there and never return to BBF? I see the number of guest lurking around here at 3am, Hong Kong time when you guys are all sleeping.

Do we lose them as potential posters?

[runningshoes]

Sorry..3pm Honk Kong Time...right up untill around 7pm...I'd willing to bet most of those guys are international as well..that's exposure for this site and Sean doesn't need those guys going somewhere else.

[Edgartohof]

Do we lose them as potential posters?

Well, if these people are so easily swayed to leave here, then maybe those aren't the kind of posters we want. Someone already said it, but I'm going to say it again, here, it's about quality, not quantity. If someone here thinks that the other sites are better, then fine, let them go. There's no reason they couldn't have found that site on their own. I found Fever on my own, I could find other forums on my own as well. But I like it here, and believe this is the best baseball forum out there, and even IF I went to another forum, it doesn't mean I would leave here.

[runningshoes]

Well, if these people are so easily swayed to leave here, then maybe those aren't the kind of posters we want. Someone already said it, but I'm going to say it again, here, it's about quality, not quantity. If someone here thinks that the other sites are better, then fine, let them go. There's no reason they couldn't have found that site on their own. I found Fever on my own, I could find other forums on my own as well. But I like it here, and believe this is the best baseball forum out there, and even IF I went to another forum, it doesn't mean I would leave here.

That's not the point.

Exposure is what he needs to make this site grow and he doesn't need to give his competition any gratuitous help.

This site is not just about us guys who know a crap load about baseball, it's also for those learing about the game...or else I wouldn't be posting the educational stuff I do..the stuff most of the guys around here already know about.

When I start a thread about Roy Campenlla, I laready know most of what I'm asking for, but I'm trying to generate discussion about the player so those who don't know about him..the ones lurking around reading but not posting, take something away from their visit here.

Are BBF members really that arrogant as to think we are the end all be all of forums and we don't need anyone other than the well eductaed baseball fan here?

I like to think not.

[leecemark]

--I think if HG is providing a free service then linking to it is okay and adds value to this one. I wouldn't see it as "a competitor stealing posters". I think most of us use more than one site already and if HG is providing a specific service - which is not available here -at his own then there is no reason to block that. If he is advertising a service for hire, then that would clearly be in violation of BBF policies. I never actually saw the thread, so I don't know which is the case.

[Mattingly]

Fans,

After all the time and effort I have given to this website to better it, (For FREE), and give you and inside look at what the buisness is "Really Like", today I'm very dissapointed.

At this point I can only speak on behalf of "Mattingly", as I have not heard from Sean the webmaster.

I recently decided to open my own website to do some of the same things as we do here but better. I wanted to give fans an opportunity to upload larger video files of themselves or their kids to have their skills analyized and made better. So I put a thread out there to let the folks I've become friends with aware of this.

After some outstanding feeback from you guys I was really happy with the prospects of this only to get a PM in my box today from "Mattingly" telling me that he has deleted this thread because I'm not allowed to advertise anything.

If this is the case, maybe he should pay closer attention to the threads going on in the Instructional section of this site. People are advertising and promoting new products all the time.

Again, I'm very dissapointed after all the time and effort I've put into this site for this to have happened. If you think I'm full of hot air, then so be it, but if not I would hope you would make your voice heard, in public, or in private.


Good day,
HG
Actually, this thread (http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=39026) was never deleted at all; it was merely closed. I gave you a courtesy PM to let you know that it was being closed, pending review of Sean and/or Darren.

Since I'm not the co-Mod of Baseball 101, where that thread is located, I'm not expected to keep abreast of who does or does not bypass forum policy, including advertising of products.

While I'm quite sure that your intentions are purely to help the various forumers here, I still have to wait for Sean and/or Darren to say whether or not this will be allowed.

If you get the OK, it's re-opened. If not, it stays closed. I'm just doing what we as Mods were asked to do.

Thanks and please feel free to contact me privately, as you've done already and as we've done previously. :)

[Ontarioguy]

I'd just like to throw my support behind HG. This is a unique case in which one of our best contributors is giving us top-level inside information on all aspects of the game. Alienating him only brings down the quality of this fine site. Yes, it's true that HG may not be fully complying with the sites rules but he has given us so much, I think we should give him something in return. Besides there are many prominent members (including mods) who advertise their site in one way or another.

I hope to see HG's thread re-opened and restored as soon as possible.:)

[wogdoggy]

I'm sure it wasn't gems intent to steal posters.I mean lets face it does he really need to do that or is it his true love of the game.Its obviously the latter.unfortunately it may or may not fall into the category of advertising and that decision is not in my or any posters hands.I posted 3 links to batting facilities in my area because a poster had interest in opening a sportsplex himself so these facilities i thought would provide him with ideas on what works and is needed to succeed in our area.They were deleted.I was contributing but yet the posts were deleted.somehow this too seem inconsistent on the mods previous decision.If you can figure this place out you are a better man than me.lol...It does get awfully entertaining at times though doesn't it?:crazy :crazy

[webmaster]

After all the time and effort I have given to this website to better it, (For FREE), and give you and inside look at what the buisness is "Really Like", today I'm very dissapointed

We here at Baseball Fever feel in debt to you would be an understatement. I am sorry you are disappointed.

I recently decided to open my own website to do some of the same things as we do here but better. I wanted to give fans an opportunity to upload larger video files of themselves or their kids to have their skills analyized and made better. So I put a thread out there to let the folks I've become friends with aware of this.

After some outstanding feeback from you guys I was really happy with the prospects of this only to get a PM in my box today from "Mattingly" telling me that he has deleted this thread because I'm not allowed to advertise anything.

Direct / pure advertising is deleted automatically. What many members do nor probably realize is the amount of abuse a site like this gets. Daily occurrences where rogue accounts spam the site, daily mortgage deals, daily deals on Viagra. This was NOT the case with your post, but as a single thread it still is advertising so the intial responsibility of a moderator is to remove it from the site.

If this is the case, maybe he should pay closer attention to the threads going on in the Instructional section of this site. People are advertising and promoting new products all the time.

They do and I believe it belongs there when done correctly. If a business creates an account, logs in, then starts a thread saying, "Hey look at this site and what we can do...", it is deleted. Even if it is a good product. A warning is sent.

On that same note, if a member posts about his inability to break a certain throwing speed and he needs some form of mechanical assistance then that business account mentions that their product is designed to do that, teaches us about it, shares examples of it working, etcetera than it is helpful in nature which is the intent of the forum.

Again, I'm very dissapointed after all the time and effort I've put into this site for this to have happened. If you think I'm full of hot air, then so be it, but if not I would hope you would make your voice heard, in public, or in private.

Again, please don't be disappointed. Be happy that a caring moderator is trying to keep Baseball Fever the best place for true fans to do something they can't do elsewhere, discuss baseball without all the problems that plague other similar sites.

I would suggest adding a discreet signature line that has a link to your site. This is permitted. It would appear instantly on every post you have ever made. Ever and it is completely automatic. I see so many members learn from your posts and your advice and your experience (my favorite part) and never stop helping them - even if it includes you sharing more details that might be located elsewhere. It is the spirit of the forum...

Sean

[hiddengem]

Sorry I haven't responded, I didn't notice that the thread was moved. I figured it was deleted all together:o

I was told quite some time back that this sight isn't here to make any money, rather its just a place where people can gather and talk and learn baseball.

When I started the thread about my site and how I want to have a forum similar to this but have the ability load larger images. It never crossed my mind once that I would be "stealing" from this site. Because in my mind there was nothing to steal. I'm sure most of the forumers on this site go to more than one site, maybe not but I'm sure some do. I know I do.

Now, if it were blatenly obvious that this site was making money off of its forumers, I would have never posted that thread without asking the owner.

I apologize if I breached contract, and if you feel the need to close the thread, I understand and will take a different route like you said, to make folks aware of it.

[hiddengem]

Now I feel bad, seeing how I'm getting paid pretty well for posting my insights.

Well seeing as how I have people paying me $65/ hr for much of the information I (along with many others) discuss on this site FOR FREE, I think my comment was valid.

[wogdoggy]

No matter what happens with you and the mods here,I just want you to know that the posters here would feel terrible if we lost your input..but as it seems you are still posting and contributing today....thanks ...dont punish the kid if you cant stand the parents.lol

[hiddengem]

No matter what happens with you and the mods here,I just want you to know that the posters here would feel terrible if we lost your input..but as it seems you are still posting and contributing today....thanks ...dont punish the kid if you cant stand the parents.lol


I appreiciate that, and I'm not going anywhere.

[Mattingly]

I appreiciate that, and I'm not going anywhere.
Sounds great, HG! :D

Just keep in touch with the Mods, Sean and Darren about anything that comes up. It seems to have just been a misunderstanding as to what was going on, but I think that compromises can generally be made and things can be smoothed out, once you let people know what you're trying to do.

Take care. :)

[CuriousBoston]

I'm very glad that HG will be staying, and a solution seems to be worked out. I posted to his spring training and season thread just once, to thank him, but read every post in the thread.

HG answered every question, and often posted in other threads, always with good information.

I noticed that some of the postings were late at night during spring training, and appreciated his time and patience for us.

I have visited HG's site in the past, curious about the sort of activities offered at "baseball camps".

I consider HG a very valuable contributor, with UNIQUE contributions to this site. I'm glad this is worked out.

This "advertising" thing seems to be fuzzy. There are the obvious "hard sells", and the "I liked this, you will like it, too" posts.

With the books, movies, cards, tickets, et al I can see that the Mods spend a lot of time on this.

Semi-related: I believe a policy restricting new posters might cut down on the amount of time Mods spend helping us play nice. Maybe a baseball quiz, or X amount of posts read, or months reading, not posting.

Not related at all: a forum about umpires.???

Now I must revive a thread about a certain 3rd baseman, and a certain Catcher.:rolleyes:

[wogdoggy]

AN umpire forum...:clapping

[wilkerson_rulz-06]

AN umpire forum...:clapping

Like a refereeing, umpiring, rules forum!

Yeah...yea...why not?!

[wogdoggy]

Ask The Ump...

[SoxInWash]

I've been here about a year, but rarely post. I have very few things to add that someone else hasn't already posited. It's an enjoyable and professionally ran site.

We, as non-moderators, have no idea what we DON'T see because of the policing done by the moderators...which is good. I don't like seeing ads and spam, and am willing to put up with a few 'maybe-that-shouldn't-have-been-deleted' complaints in order to have a cleaner site.

That said: there are a few things I don't understand. I have never visited every forum, but the two I do spend most time in have very distinct threads that lists (or 'advertises' ...) websites, and those sites could be considered competitition to this site. Those threads have not been shut down or moved or anything. Yet they live. I see no difference in what is allowed with those threads, and what hiddengem did.

Here's My suggestion: (and honestly, there is no easy solution to this..)

1.) Add a forum or a permanent thread somewhere where qualified posters are allowed to do such as hiddengem has done. Let everyone know that that is the ONE place where such things are allowed.

It would make policing it easier if you only have to go to one place to check.

2.) If the current moderators already have their hands full with this place, I suggest promoting a qualified and committed poster to the full-time position of Link Moderator whose only purpose is to delete any and all non-approved linking posts, and to keep an eye on the Official Link Thread/Forum.

I'm not suggesting we need more moderating around here, or that the operators of this site change the rules to please us. But the 'rule' seems to be broken elsewhere on the site, and all we ask for is some consistency.

:gt :clapping

[hiddengem]

I'm very glad that HG will be staying, and a solution seems to be worked out. I posted to his spring training and season thread just once, to thank him, but read every post in the thread.

HG answered every question, and often posted in other threads, always with good information.

I noticed that some of the postings were late at night during spring training, and appreciated his time and patience for us.

I have visited HG's site in the past, curious about the sort of activities offered at "baseball camps".

I consider HG a very valuable contributor, with UNIQUE contributions to this site. I'm glad this is worked out.

This "advertising" thing seems to be fuzzy. There are the obvious "hard sells", and the "I liked this, you will like it, too" posts.

With the books, movies, cards, tickets, et al I can see that the Mods spend a lot of time on this.

Semi-related: I believe a policy restricting new posters might cut down on the amount of time Mods spend helping us play nice. Maybe a baseball quiz, or X amount of posts read, or months reading, not posting.

Not related at all: a forum about umpires.???

Now I must revive a thread about a certain 3rd baseman, and a certain Catcher.:rolleyes:


Thanks bro, I appreciate that.

[webmaster]

It would make policing it easier if you only have to go to one place to check.

It most certainly is a very good idea. But one that also adds a lot more problems to the site. Here are some points:

Those that spam do so now nearly every night. They create rogue accounts, login, put up porn links, gambling links, banners, and other items we hope members never see. So the one place to check does not happen now.

Perhaps if there were a forum they would go there only, but I doubt it. Building this forum means a change in policy. Who would I allow to advertise there for free? Only baseball related sites? How often is acceptable. What if the post a banner in their daily? Weekly? Monthly? Who will count them and track them? Is a non-baseball related site allowed? A discussion board for presidents would interest me, but probably not too many others.

I foresee it getting filled with items we, the members who are here to post and discuss baseball, would never look at. An ignored forum. The costs though could not be ignored. Graphics eat bandwidth alive and the hosting costs here would climb steadily for a forum that might become one most of us ignore.

I am playing devil's advocate and it might not be this way at all. I do not know, but I am uncomfortable with the idea itself. I did write hiddengem a private message inviting him to put a banner / ad / message in his signature line along with a link. This is completely allowed for not just him, but all members here on Baseball Fever as long as discretion is used (good member with a near-porn type banner, not good). I would love for him to do it so he can get visitors from here to go there.

One of the things, I think, that seperates us from many other forums is the human factor. Reality TV found that telling us viewers the story of the people really does make all the difference in the world. We either connect or disconnect from them as we get to know them. I can say I feel as if I "know" hiddengem. I've never actually met him, but I care about him and would visit his site because I've connected with his story. This holds true for other members here as well. I think it would be cool as heck to have lunch with a whole bunch of you...

Now that I've wandered way off topic and am about to censor myself :) (which I do regularly), his "advertisement" is welcome in his signature. Entering this site and posting an ad is still not permitted. Discussings items that you know about because you are asked in respect to baseball is welcome.

Sean

PS: And in case others did not know, hiddengem is not the only active (or inactive for that matter) major league player or umpire on the site. There are more of each who have chosen to remain anonymous (darn), but still post nonetheless.

[Bluesteve32]

Like a refereeing, umpiring, rules forum!

Yeah...yea...why not?!

Many of those types of questions are addressed and answered in the "Baseball 101" forum.

[Ontarioguy]

Those that spam do so now nearly every night. They create rogue accounts, login, put up porn links, gambling links, banners, and other items we hope members never see. So the one place to check does not happen now.

...

PS: And in case others did not know, hiddengem is not the only active (or inactive for that matter) major league player or umpire on the site. There are more of each who have chosen to remain anonymous (darn), but still post nonetheless.

I didn't realize how much garbage you and the Mods clean up on a nightly basis. Very Impressive, I had know idea there was a need for that much maintenance. Big Hand for all the clean-up crew:clapping

I also thinks that it's great that we have posters from the MLB family taking the time to post here. You often hear that the gap between fans and players is ever-growing. This site, thanks to modern technology, helps us close that gap somewhat.:)

[Mattingly]

I didn't realize how much garbage you and the Mods clean up on a nightly basis. Very Impressive, I had know idea there was a need for that much maintenance. Big Hand for all the clean-up crew:clapping

I also thinks that it's great that we have posters from the MLB family taking the time to post here. You often hear that the gap between fans and players is ever-growing. This site, thanks to modern technology, helps us close that gap somewhat.:)
Certainly Sean gets to deal more with the craziness of the forum, as he gets emailed and PM'd directly, but we've had single-post advertisers, including the ever-cute "Oh, I just came across this great site for tickets, and wouldn't you like to buy some also". Same thing re baseball apparel, memorabilia, etc. We zap 'em often.

People have re-registered under different accounts and email addresses, but often leave their "calling card", which is our way of figuring out who they are. Can't say their mistake, but we have various ways of catching people previously nuked.

In sports, you've got your share of hostile and extremely opinionated people, so it's nothing new. Neither is dealing with it, but it's something that happens.

Lots of decision-making about how the site is run. Just pretend you're in Congress and are part of enforcing the rules, including helping to decide upon what's acceptable nad what's not. Part cop, part legislator, part judge. Sometimes, even part executioner if someone's account needs nuking.

Stuff happens, so we must react. It's that simple. :)