There's been a few folks posting questions about starting threads, bumping threads, splitting threads, etc... recently so I thought I write a post about the general guidelines I use and I think others use in acting on posts.  I'll just deal with thread starting, bumping and splitting for now.

The basic guideline is if there's a thread on the same point in the first few pages of a forum, then we lean towards combining those threads.  This is to keep different topics and discussion subjects hot.  If there are 4 versions of "Gio stinks" on the first page of the Clubhouse, then it isn't going to be easy to find other topics to discuss.

Second guideline is if a topic has more or less died, don't bump it. There's the 120 day warning at the bottom of a thread.  If you see it, think twice about  the bump.  Of course, if it is part of the humor or point, fine - it is a guideline, not a commandment.  For example, bumping a 2009 thread on Lastings Milledge when he wins his next grammy might be funny.  But when it comes to a Tanner Roark Appreciation Thread, and there hasn't been a post in it in 14 months, it is absolutely reasonable to start a new thread and we will not merge it (MtH, what you did was exactly what we want).

Third guideline, if a topic on a baseball subject gets diverted into a page or so of back and forth on poster v. poster and not much to do with the baseball subject, I think most of the mods will split it and stick the side track in red loft or uncensored.  Think of the classic Linty v. BiL stuff that might emerge in a Harper thread.

I'll post other guidelines and rules maybe later, and if The Chief, Tom, or Squab want to add anything, good.  Feel free to post your complaints or questions about how the board is moderated here.