Kevin Kernan on Richard Near today

[Guest Bret Sabermetric]

I'd rather argue the effectiveness of chairs as a barrier against grown reporters. "Oh, no! He's set some chairs up to keep us away? Whatever shall we do? We're doomed, I tell you, doomed!"

What exactly did you want to discuss? Have Carter and Piazza ever been seen together? Did they buy a summer house together? What?

[Guest mlbaseballtalk]

Bret Sabermetric wrote: I'd rather argue the effectiveness of chairs as a barrier against grown reporters. "Oh, no! He's set some chairs up to keep us away? Whatever shall we do? We're doomed, I tell you, doomed!" What exactly did you want to discuss? Have Carter and Piazza ever been seen together? Did they buy a summer house together? What?

I was being snarky in light of my assertation that Carter fits Piazza's profile except that Carter was much more media/fan friendly.

More like a Curt Schilling type, but in reading books and articles about the 86 team, seems like Carter's "co-captaincy" was in legend only, almost like "Well he must be a team leader because he's a veteran and he is a catcher"

Hence the same assertions that are made about Piazza can be made about Carter.

You just completely no sold my comment and I was being snarky about it

[Elster88]

Bret Sabermetric wrote: ="Elster88"]So now Piazza is responsible for keeping other players from reaching their leadership potential? The list of atrocities grows. I'm not saying it's anything I'm prepared to prove, Elster (you are Elster, aren;t you, and not MFS62? Just checking). But I'm pointing out indications of evidence I find consistent with my opinions. I do think that Piazza's mopiness had an ill effect on team chemistry. I do think that a passive catcher who courts popularity with the pitching staff at the expense of results creates problems that can;t definitively be pinned to him. But the inconvenient fact that I have no proof for thinking some of the things I think doesn't mean they aren't true, just that they're unproven. What I am sure about is that the Mets from 2001 through 2005 were a huge disappointment. I'm prepared to back that up with numbers (win/payroll proportion numbers, specifically.) I think that those numbers are someone's responsibility. You don't? That's cool.[/

It also doesn't mean they are true. I'm sure you can find just as much evidence that is inconsistent with your opinions. Others have presented such information on this very site, more times than can possibly be counted.

But I accept your need to hold someone responsible.

[Guest Bret Sabermetric]

One of the primary tangible functions of a team leader, I think, is to act as a lightning rod with the media. Carter's embracing of the spokesman role probably relieved some of the problems of ther Mets who didn't enjoy that part of their job so much, so even if Carter wasn't liked, he did perform a useful function for the team that his teammates might have been grateful for.