2nd base - 2006

[Guest Bret Sabermetric]

Yeah, but you left out all my abuse. That's like a hug without a kiss.

[Guest KC]

It's a 14 page thread, I'm pointing out your good link find to add to it. Your
thread is still there if someone wants to comment.

No biggie. And, uh, can we please just stick to baseball?

[Guest Bret Sabermetric]

Just funnin' you, KC. You know I can't stay mad at you, you lovable lug, you.

[Guest KC]

Strike two.

[Zvon]

="KC"]Strike two.

Funny you should say that cause thats what I was thinkin in regards to Randolphs latest negatory "team" comment in regards to Kepp.
Strike one also delt with the second base situation.

I suppose saying something stupid instead of saying nothing at all, or having verbal diarrhea as opposed to tactfully sidestepping an issue without stepping on a players work or worth, dont make him a bad manager.

But it sure dont help with my perceptions of him as a "team" manager.

Makes you wonder if Willies trying to have some built in scapegoats should his "team" flounder.

Regardless of my hopes for Matsui to come around, all indications from what I was led to believe was a competition for the spot indicates he's not the best man for the job.

For Willie to not only string us along with his open competition rap, but diss Keppinger outright when it was totally unnecessary is a little distressing to me.

This is twice youve made me wonder Willie.
Three wonders and ..............and
..........and Im gonna start calling you Wonder Willie.

[Guest KC]

I have problems with the whole diss concept, always have since it reared
it's utlra-popular head some twenty years ago.

Kepp will probably be selling insurance by this time 2008.

[Guest Bret Sabermetric]

KC wrote: Kepp will probably be selling insurance by this time 2008.

Send this thread off to the Predictions Archives, please.

[Zvon]

KC wrote: I have problems with the whole diss concept, always have since it reared it's utlra-popular head some twenty years ago.

20 years ago?

Wow, Im getting old.
*Z throws snap ~*~*

(personally, I go with anything that saves typin complete or proper words.
The only reason I spell cool-kool is cuz the letters are all in a bunch.)

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Depending on the severity of Kazzy's injury, this could be it for him. I guess we'll know more today after the MRI. In case you didn't see it, he had to hold between 1st and 2nd to see whether a shallow bloop would be caught, and it when it wasn't, had to accelerate suddenly and slide to beat a throw.

On the slide looked like his toe caught the dirt for a moment and his knee did one of those East-West shakes you hate to see.

Fans will blame flaws in character and a million other things, but I think in the end Kaz was just too brittle.

[MFS62]

Since Anderson Hernandez is away from the team for a few days attending a funeral, it will be interesting to see if Willie stays with Keppinger full time, or plays Woodward at second. With Reyes still with the DR team in the WBC, Woodward has been seeing a lot of time at short. But Willie has said he wants to give Woody a look at second.

Later

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Hernandez was back last night... saw him the dugout, pretty sure.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Andy Handy will see some time for sure.

Sucks that Reyes is with the DR team but barely playing.

I've seen too many injuries of a guy locking his leg up against a base. Can't they anchor them more loosely, use big ol' rubberbands or something?

[MFS62]

A friend of mine, a Jays fan, suggested this as a solutiojn to the second base situation.

]I think the Mets' best move is to take Lastings Milledge out to second base and start with "This is where you stand".

What do you think?

Later

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

I'm tired of them playing guys out of position.

Lastings' time will come. They don't need to rush him AND make him a second baseman all at once.

If Kaz can't do it, let Andy or Kepp have a shot.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

The Boston Herald speculated that the Mets would have interest in Alex Cora a few days ago. You wonder whether this situation intensifies any efforts underway (if any) to see if they can get him, and/or whether the Bosox would have any interest in trading him.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Betcha Bret Boone found his passion some time yesterday evening.

[Vic Sage]

i don't see the point in signing an Alex Cora or Grafaninno, or that type of utility infielder, to be our starting 2bman. They're no better than Matsui... or Woodward, for that matter.

If the Mets are NOT going to go with Matsui (due to injury or performance), they might as well go with the cheap available options on hand.

No need to pick thru somebody else's trash.

[Guest Edgy DC]

The thing about Graffaanino is that he hit .319 in 51 games after coming over from KC last year. Now, it's very easy to make too much of that, and say they picked his spots and all. He hit well at KC also, but they, like Boston have a hitters' park.

The other thing about him is that he's beein hittting about .100 in spring training this year.

They have a few more weeks to get a good look at what they've got. Here's hoping they stay in house.

[Vic Sage]

In judging a 33-year old career utility infielder's ability, he has a .700 lifetime OPS over the course of 2000 ABs to attest to his mediocrity.

Isn't that more pursuasive than the few hundred he accumulated in 2 hitter's parks as a part timer in the AL last season?

Do you really think he suddenly learned to hit at age 33?
Do you really think he'd approach those numbers as a starting 2bman in Shea?

If so, you're goofy.
And if not, why are you raising this point?

[Guest Edgy DC]

]Now, it's very easy to make too much of that

]Now, it's very easy to make too much of that

]Now, it's very easy to make too much of that

]Now, it's very easy to make too much of that

]Now, it's very easy to make too much of that

]Now, it's very easy to make too much of that

]Now, it's very easy to make too much of that

]Here's hoping they stay in house.

]Here's hoping they stay in house.

]Here's hoping they stay in house.

]Here's hoping they stay in house.

]Here's hoping they stay in house.

Why people look for conflict where there is none is beyond me.

[Vic Sage]

]The thing about Graffaanino is that he hit .319 in 51 games after coming over from KC last year.

why people post data that they themselves regard as irrelevant is beyond me.

You raised an irrelevant issue. If somebody were to post that Grafaninno hit well last year so we should take a look at him, i could totally understand you responding in exactly this fashion. That you yourself raised it, outside of any such context, to negate an argument nobody had made just seems pointless to me.

but that, obviously, is just me.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Yes, it's just you.

I raised it to show why we hear so much about him. I examined then dismissed it. It's done all the time in every quarter. It wasn't done great, but clearly enough to show where I stand.

Then you actually repeat some of my dismissal, as if I didn't write it first, in order to push on me an argument the opposite of what I clearly made.

[Vic Sage]

i said "obviously".

[seawolf17]

Yeah, but Graffanino's a nice Long Island boy. Bring the ol' hometown hero home.

(just kidding)

[Guest Edgy DC]

Sprained medial collateral ligament --- out three weeks.

He characterized the pain he experienced as "not that bad" and said, "I don't know how I am going to feel tomorrow." He also said the injury was "really disappointing."

"Any injury is disappointing," he said, acknowledging that this one had "kind of put him back." He noted, "I'm not going to rush back."

[Guest Edgy DC]

It seems to me that he might miss opening day but not be put on the DL, which would mean either that that (a) Woodie or Valentin is the opening day secondbaseman or ( one less pitcher goes north in order to clear room Hernappinger.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

They might as well put him on the DL, since it can be effective yesterday. That means they can activate him two or three days into the season. Since Kaz's recovery might go slower than anticipated, the Mets can at least have that extra player for the first several games (or more) of the season.

It would allow them to carry that extra pitcher during the initial period when starters may not be able to go as deep into the game.

[Guest abogdan]

Kaz won't see Shea until at least May. They'll DL him, then send him down to extended spring training for a few weeks to make sure his knee is rehabbed.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

I think he's done for here.

I was as willing to give him a 100 or 150 at-bat shot to start with as anyone, but that was dependent on his staying off the DL for any reason, having a bad start, etc etc etc. He's just not been dependable physically. It's sad.

This'll give the others a shot, and if they suck, then Kaz becaomes an option to revisit in May if necessary. If not necessary, sell him. But for now they just ought to plan to be without him.

Too bad.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Well, there's a remander to be seen. If the opening day secondbaseman is Woodie or Valentin, you know that it's merely placeholding until Kazuo is ready to reclaim or re-lose his job. If the opening day secondbaseman is Keppinger or Hernandez, you know that they're auditioning for a replacement, someone to help them get him out of their heart.