Where Mets Rank 2005

[Guest rpackrat]

]One telling stat from my data table is Jose Reyes's pitches per plate appearance. 2660/733 = 3.63 pitches per plate appearance. That's just sad.

I don't see where it's all that sad. That ranks him 4th best on the team in that category (after Wright, Beltran, and Floyd), and 101st in the major leagues (47th in the NL). I'd certainly like to see him draw more walks, but the number of pitches he's seeing is not particularly low.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Two stolen bases on the last day clinched the Major League lead for Chone Figgins. Jose Reyes --- wiped out by a first-pitch double-play grounder by Carlos Beltran in his only baserunning appearance on Sunday --- finished as the National League champ.

[Guest Frayed Knot]

I agree and was just about to comment that that (pitches/AB) number didn't seem particularly low.
Jose's problem isn't the number of pitches he sees but often it's the ones he chooses to swing at. He really doesn't go after that many bad pitches (at least until he gets 2 strikes on him) it's just that he'll offer at anything over the plate rather than "zone" a pitch when the count or situation is in his favor.

The good (and bad) thing about being young is that he'll grow out of it.

[Guest Valadius]

In terms of being a leadoff man, though, it's not particularly wonderful, and it would be nice to see his OBP rise to at least the .350 mark. He needs to draw more walks.

[Guest Frayed Knot]

Sure, he's gotta get that OBP up.
It's just that "plate discipline" doesn't only mean seeing more pitches. Sometimes it means picking out a fat 2-0 pitch and smacking the snot out of it. His problem is that he often swings only because it's a strike (or near strike) and not because it's a particular strike that he can drive. Popping up less on pitches at the top of the strike zone and rolling over fewer grounders to 2nd off pitches on the corner will also help pump up that OBP.
Doing that kind of stuff can in turn get you pitched to more carefully and therfore more walks - although I doubt we're ever going to see him draw all that many.

Learning to bunt would help too.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

I'd be inclined to think that Torre's been around the block enough to know that calling violations of the unwritten rules is weak but is doing what he can to support a team of paranoid billionaire crybabies like Gayrod (not to mention Steinbrenner), and that only the most easily duped, pandering media types (Suzie, Sterling, Kay) swallow it whole.

I don't use the 'hero' too often, but you, Buck Showalter, are the greatest hero in American history.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Dickie's post above seems to be in the wrong thread, but I like it.

If the Final Schaefer Standings were our rankings,

> Danny Graves would be ranked as the 507th-greatest Met in history. Danny Graves, ladies and gentlemen.

> Manny Aybar would be ranked as the 494th-greatest Met in history, loosening Rich Folkers' brief stranglehold on the position.

> Dae-Sung Koo would ranked as the 471st-greatest met in history. Sorry, Steve Bieser fans. Really.

> Heath Bell could put his "419th-Greatest Met" plaque next to his "Greatest Met Ass Ever" plaque.

> Mike DeJean would be the 414th-greatest Met, besting his hero, Jerry Cram.

> Juan Padilla would be the 408th-greatest Met, a shade or two ahead of John Stephenson.

> Chris Woodward would be your 388th-greatest Met.

> Miguel Cairo would be your 359th-greatest Met. I told you he was better than Jerry Morales. I freaking told you.

> Mike Jacobs would debut as your 340th-greatest Met, the sandwich meat between the polysyllabic bread slices that are Chris Cannizzaro and Bob Aspromonte

> Kaz Ishii would be the 324th-greatest Met, ahead of Joe Foy, but stil 26 spots behind Hideo Nomo in the battle of Japanese starting pitchers sent to us by the Dodgers.

> Roberto Hernandez would be Met number 304, a slot behind Dock Ellis, but doing it apparently without the benefit of acid.

> Marlon Anderson would be the 290th-greatest Met, one slot behind Al Moran, whose name can be found in Marlon's, with six letter left over. In fact, the first seven letters of Marlon Anderson's name, "MARLON AN" are the exact letters needed to spell "AL MORAN." He's threatening to pass Moran, and do it while carrying all those extra letters.

> Ramon Castro would look to be the 275th greatest Met. I'd guess that's tops among one-year second-string catchers.

> Doug Mientkiewicz would be ranked 249th, between Hank Webb and Frank Lary, who used up a lot fewer letters on their uniforms.

> Aaron Heilman would be the 214th-greatest Met, passing Al Luplow.

> Victor Diaz, would be Met number 208, behind the prematurely ancient Roy McMillan.

> Victor Zambrano would be the 187th greatest Met, squeezed between B-boys Bob Bailor and Brett Butler.

> Braden Looper, target of hate, would be the 161st-greatest Met. No! Yes! When we do the real rankings, he'll likely come in higher.

> Kris Benson, as the 155th-greatest Met, would be just behind Willie Mays, and up 104 slots. He likely can't wait to brag to the wifey.

> Passing Mays, and your new 152nd greatest Met, is Carlos Beltran. Carlos, I've seen Willie Mays, and...

> Pedro Martinez would be your big debut, as the 132nd-greatest Met.

> Kaz Matsui would be Met Number 124. Deal with it.

> Jae Weong Seo, who has three silent e's in his name, would be almost out of the triple digits, as the 107th-greatest Met.

> Mike Cameron, despite two injury-plagued years, would be your 93rd-greatest Met.

> Jose Reyes, stealing bases and hearts, would be number 88, right behind Roger Cedeño, whom he seeks to supass in so many ways.

> David Wright, only a year and a third into his career, would already be the 84th greatest Met. Holycrapholycrapholycrapholycrap!

> Tom Glavine, plodding up that hill at his old-age pace, would be the 67th-Greatest Met, just ahead of fellow changer-upper Pat Zachry.

> Finally healthy, Cliff Floyd would be the 57th-greatest Met ever.

> Without much opportuntiy, Steve Trachsel was unable to crack the top 50. He's held at 51 by Joel Freakin' Youngblood.

> Lastly, of course, is Mike Piazza. This year, he seems to have passed John Franco and become the Fifth-Greatest Met Ever. Unlikely to rise or fall anythine soon, he could well be there for at least five more years before Wright or Reyes have a chance to catch him.

[Guest MFS62]

In his book "Countdown to Super Bowl" about SB III, Dave Anderson wrote that when Jet coach Weeb Eubank saw his old quarterback Johnny Unitas enter the game for the Colts, he said to himself "No interceptions now, John".

That leads me to a question:
What emotions would you have if Mike Piazza were to hit his 400th career homer against the Mets?

Later

[Guest Nymr83]

i'd be all in favor of it...provided the mets had a 5-0 lead and it was a solo-shot.

[Guest TheOldMole]

What NYM said. And I gotta tell you, if it was a walk-off gamer, I'd still have mixed feelings. I'll always root for Mike.

[Guest Edgy DC]

And, in what appear to be their peak rankings, Mike Jacobs leaves as the 340th-greatest all-time Met, Mike Cameron as the 93rd-greatest.

Add in the expected departure of Mike Piazza, and it looks like a bad off-season for Mikes.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Homers, Active Players 1) Barry Bonds (40) 708 2) Sammy Sosa (36) 588 3) Rafael Palmeiro (40) 569 4) Ken Griffey (35) 536 T5) Jeff Bagwell (37) 449 T5) Gary Sheffield (36) 449 7) Frank Thomas (37) 448 8) Manny Ramirez (33) 435 9) Juan Gonzalez (35) 434 10) Jim Thome (34) 430 11) Alex Rodriguez (29) 429 12) Mike Piazza (36) 397 13) Larry Walker (38) 383 14) Carlos Delgado (33) 369 15) Tino Martinez (37) 339 T16) Jim Edmonds (35) 331 T16) Chipper Jones (33) 331 T16) Jeff Kent (37) 331 19) Luis Gonzalez (37) 316 20) Vinny Castilla (37) 315

Homers, All-Time 1) Hank Aaron+ 755 2) Babe Ruth+* 714 3) Barry Bonds (40) 708 ... ...49) Harold Baines 384 50) Larry Walker (38) 383 T51) Frank Howard 382 T51) Jim Rice 382 53) Albert Belle 381 T54) Orlando Cepeda 379 T54) Tony Perez 379 56) Matt Williams 378 57) Norm Cash 377 58) Carlton Fisk 376 59) Rocky Colavito 374 60) Gil Hodges 370 T61) Carlos Delgado (33) 369 T61) Ralph Kiner 369 63) Joe DiMaggio 361 64) Gary Gaetti 360 65) Johnny Mize 359