Sneeringly calling those who disagree with him “experts,” Cincinnati Enquirer columnist Paul Daugherty threw a temper tantrum in print this morning as he calls for civility in baseball discourse while writing the following:

Until then, I will write about what we know. OK, seamheads?

Name-calling? Check.

What is it about Twitter that elicits the worst in people? Is it the anonymity? Is it generational? Does everyone under a certain age feel duty-bound to be snarky and venomous? Or is it simply a common trait among amateur, self-proclaimed baseball experts, people whose connections to the game and those within it are purely vicarious and coincidental?

“You don’t know as much as I do?” Check.

Perhaps, you disagree. That’s fine. In This Space, I aim for civility, not snark. The grown-ups here like it that way.

Snarkily accusing people of using snark? Check.

What the hell is wrong with you people?

As we have noted, baseball Twitter can be an awful place. But there’s a way to respond (as Jon Lester showed) – and then there’s what Daugherty did.

He also makes it clear he is no fan of the Reds’ trades on Thursday:

Did the Reds get better Thursday?

No, they did not. Not for this year they didn’t. And in baseball now, This Year is all that matters. Five-year plans are history. I know a certain segment of the baseball-interested population owns a fascination for all things Prospect. That’s fine. But “prospect” is baseball-speak for “ain’t done nothin’ yet.’

‘

The Reds have had lots of prospects over the years. If you’ve been around awhile, you might recall a few: Chad Mottola, Willie Greene, Brandon Larson, C.J. Nitkowski, Chris Gruler, Ty Howington, John Oliver, Scott Bryant, Pat Watkins, David Espinosa. Etc. Etc. Etc. First-round picks, all. Fantastic prospects.

Those who drool over the pages of Baseball America have every right to do so. I prefer knowing what I’ve got, not wishing/thinking/hoping on all those great prospects. Eugenio Suarez might be the next Barry Larkin. Or he might be the next Espinosa. I have no idea. And neither do you.

No five-year plans? Let’s just say Paul Daugherty is more Ruben Amaro Jr. than Theo Epstein.