Piazza done? Could be

[Guest Bret Sabermetric]

I can't believe you've got me ranting on Piazza again. Thread titles like this are equivalent to trolling, with a very specific audience in mind.

[Guest Iubitul]

Bret Sabermetric wrote: I can't believe you've got me ranting on Piazza again. Thread titles like this are equivalent to trolling, with a very specific audience in mind.

Well, that's fair - I'm sure the new guy knows all about your past history with DOP (Defenders Of Piazza). I think we should have a special section of the Companion devote solely to this subject, so no one else will incur your wrath....

[Guest Rotblatt]

Bret Sabermetric wrote: Thread titles like this are equivalent to trolling, with a very specific audience in mind.

Let's start a temperance program! We'll start hiding our naughty--but alluring!--ideas behind dowdy titles so as not to entice our well-meaning but weak-willed patrons into illicit behavior!

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

BS - "Life is very good in Red Sox Nation, Forest Hills division, these days. Thanks for asking."

That would make a nice bumper sticker slogan for that bandwagon your riding in.

[DocTee]

IIRC, at the time of his passing-- I mean injury-- Piazza had more HR/RBI than any ML catcher save Cleveland's Victor Martinez.

[Zvon]

Bret Sabermetric wrote: Thread titles like this are equivalent to trolling, with a very specific audience in mind.

yea,.........Met fans.


Duh.

There is no doubt that Piazza fading is a sore and sensative spot.

Im one of those old fashioned suckers who believes you should give back and show appreciation to those that have given you the best years of their MLB career. At seasons start I had this argument with one of my brothers. He's like 'Piazza has to go' and Im like, 'no, I think he deserves this last run, even if we have to carry him on our back.'
He has handled pitchers well from a game calling standpoint, for the most part, but he's never been a great catcher.We've steered around that hole thru the yrs.He has been a great hitter, and we've known that all along.

I really didnt expect the Mets to be where they are right now when the season started, so I figured give a classy guy a classy last tour.

I have to admit that when I saw that no one wants to run away with the NLeast this year and the wild card started to look like musical chairs (and the Mets were not about to be caught standing when the music stopped), I did consider Piazza somewhat a liability behind the plate.

But it didnt change my sentiments, that he's done so much for us that if we were gonna get there this year, it would still be with Piazza, with his inability to cut down baserunners at second, with whatever fading numbers he was able to achieve, for better or for worse.

I know its nieve to think this way, and dont expect anyone to agree with me, but thats the way Ive felt and still feel.

He is a class act who gave us some great Met moments and memories.

I may be one of the few old fashioned fans left, who believes that winning it all does not have to be what a baseball team is all about.
Sometimes its about showing your support in the face of adversity and treating a player who has shown nothing but class with appreciation, even if it may hurt.
Fans could show class too, ya know.

[Valadius]

Here, here!

[Guest Bret Sabermetric]

Zvon wrote: [winning it all does not have to be what a baseball team is all about..

We've got a winner in "Guess the Mets Slogan in 2006" contest.

[Elster88]

Bret Sabermetric wrote: I can't believe you've got me ranting on Piazza again.

I think there's only one person responsible for your rants. And it ain't me.

[DocTee]

[

]winning it all does not have to be what a baseball team is all about.. We've got a winner in "Guess the Mets Slogan in 2006" contest.

That's f'in' classic!

[Guest Bret Sabermetric]

Elster88 wrote: ="Bret Sabermetric"]I can't believe you've got me ranting on Piazza again. I think there's only one person responsible for your rants. And it ain't me.

i know. I've got a problem. I have to learn to walk home the long way, avoiding the block where the liquor store is. I tell myself, "Just pass the store, don't buy anything," but the next thing I know, I'm pissy drunk in the gutter all over again.

[nymr83]

i like Castro but can he be an every day player? if we go into next year with him as the starter i'd like to have another capable catcher around, one whom we wouldn't mind giving 50 starts too...Castro looks like he might be one of those catchers who needs a day a week off minimum.

[DocTee]

Actually, IMO Castro looks like one of those catchers who should get 50 starts a year...

[Guest Bret Sabermetric]

Nymr83 wrote: Castro looks like he might be one of those catchers who needs a day a week off minimum.

Yeah, the lazy sonofabitch. You know who else is like this?

Well, for starters, there's everyone.

I know I'm leaving some catchers off that list, too, but I can't remember the others.

[Elster88]

Bret Sabermetric wrote: ="Elster88"] Bret Sabermetric wrote: I can't believe you've got me ranting on Piazza again. I think there's only one person responsible for your rants. And it ain't me. i know. I've got a problem. I have to learn to walk home the long way, avoiding the block where the liquor store is. I tell myself, "Just pass the store, don't buy anything," but the next thing I know, I'm pissy drunk in the gutter all over again.

I know the feeling.

[smg58]

Castro has looked very good with the bat recently, but his carrer numbers suggest this might be an illusion. Still, I see no reason not to bring him back next year; the question then is with who else. Deal for a rookie, like Shoppach or Ryan Garko? Deal for Pudge, if the Tigers just give him away? Sign Ramon Hernandez? Platoon Castro with Jacobs?

As for Piazza, it's certainly possible that his bat could be rejeuvenated at least somewhat by not catching, and given that there aren't a whole lot of standout DH's, I'm sure some AL team will see enough upside to take a small risk with him, like a year at 2 or 3 million.

[Guest Rotblatt]

I totally disagree about Castro's career numbers. He's a first-round draft pick who tore up AAA pitching in 2000 & 2001 (ages 24 & 25 & over 1.000 OPS both years). This is his first time as a regular and the first time he's had more than 101 at bats in a season. I'm a fan of Shoppach, but he's been far worse in AAA at age 25 (.859 OPS) and age 24 (.781) than Castro at the same ages.

Don't get me wrong, I'd like to have BOTH on the Mets next year, but Castro might very well be the better player.