[...] Crashburn Alley » Blog Archive » Conlin’s Losing Numbers [UPDATED … - Despite his defensive contribution being backhanded by Red Sox front office stat man Bill James – baseball’s most influential cybergeek – the league’s managers and coaches awarded him a Gold Glove. Apparently, James decided that a Range … [...]

I couldn’t believe the man that dubbed Manuel, “Elmer B Fuddled”, could be onboard with the Phillies decision and said as much in my email. I also included several of the on-field gaffs that probably had something to do with Conlin referring to him as Elmer, along with several more recent questionable moves.

I actually didn’t expect a response, but the one I got really floored me. “I don’t explain myself to Manuel-haters, which you obviously are beyond all reason” (Note: I was not the one who called Manuel “Elmer B Fuddled” in a public forum, but the nonsequitur was probably Conlin’s attempt to gain the high ground in a battle of words). He then took us on an ego trip replete with more nonsequiturs — “I’ll match my career with yours any day, pal” — “you have never been in a big league clubhouse or traveled with a big league club, which I did for 21 years” —- you have no idea what goes into those nine innings or how many decisions have to be made, problems addressed, injuries evaluated, scouting reports digested, so many things you don’t have a clue about.” — “It’s not Legion ball, pal. . .” Never once did he address the substance of my email.

I never expected to have an ongoing correspondence, but I had to respond, “You don’t have to be a wildlife expert with 21 years experience to know that if it looks like a duck and it waddles like a duck and it quacks like a duck, it’s probably a duck. Your 21 years of clubhouse experience, I imagine, has garnered you a vast storehouse of knowledge, but you make the mistake of equating knowledge with intelligence. They are two totally different things. Instead of comparing something as diverse as careers, let’s compare something we have in common, IQs. As a member of the Triple Nine Society, I know where I stand and can only guess (but it’s probably a good one) from your response where you stand. In a battle of wits, it is not wise to come unarmed…”

I knew the IQ thing would have to strike a nerve and he would certainly have to reply. He did and it was a tirade similar to ones above and never really addressing anything I mentioned. However, I made the mistake of sending the second email from work hour and Conlin tried to use this to his advantage (apparently I gave him little else). “I wonder if your employers know that you are using company resources to carry on your nonsensical correspondence…” he went on. Though he never actually stated that he would contact my employers, I have no doubt it was a threat, He came across as vain and vindictive so I would not have put it past him.

My company is very liberal in that area, but I didn’t need someone complaining to them that I was using the company’s email to send out “spam” or wage a vendetta or whatever Conlin’s convoluted mind might concoct. I could have used my home computer, but I really didn’t expect him to be any less petty, inane or arrogant. I said all I had to say and let the aspiring king of the world have his last say.

Alberto Nadlan

I’ve had a few quaint exchanges with Conlin regarding mostly Phillies facts/history. He has an extraordinary wealth of baseball knowledge.

However, he is smug, arrogant and paraphasing one blogger, splays masturbatory prose, historical facts and run-on sentences at the expense of his readers.

Strange dude who I think has some issues we’ll never know about.

Kudos to Crashburn Alley for keeping his cool and trying to have an intelligent ‘normal’ conversation with Conlin.

BTW, I don’t agree that ‘write’ deserved MVP over J-Roll. Rollins did something no other player in the HISTORY of baseball did last year, let alone at SS. Also, Rollins was instrumental in the comeback against the choking Mets. I recognize Wright as being close in that race and if the Mets had won I would probably lean toward him over J-Roll even with Jimmy’s historical season.

Peace.

You will have to pardon me if I am not up to speed with the code of ethics of blogging. I usually wouldn’t bother responding at all, but this whole scenario bugged me tremendously, and yes, I have a tendency to rant.

“Anyway, Conlin hasn’t been “widely regarded in the baseball community” for *anything*, let alone expertise that is “second to none,” since the ’80s.”

Perhaps not. But if that is true, it makes no sense. The guy knew the game then, and he knows the game now, even if he doesn’t know how to communicate with people.

Mike