The Continuing Careers of Ex-Mets

[Guest Edgy DC]

Trax and Pee-Pee, Dirtbags.

A tip of cap to 49ers' past Bob Keisser, Staff columnist Long Beach State may not have its own Heritage Hall like USC, but that doesn't mean it lacks a heritage. For a state university that deflated football and plays half as many sports as, say, Stanford, the 49ers have staked out their own corner of the sports world. The school has won national titles in volleyball. It was ahead of the curve in promoting women's basketball. It has produced its share of Olympians. It also took a baseball program with all of the accoutrements of the Mojave and turned it into a lifestyle. Considering its stature, acknowledging that heritage is almost as important as winning games on the field or courts. Job One for new athletic director Vic Cegles is restoring men's basketball as a profit-turning and winning venture, and Job Two is raising money. Reminding people what the school has achieved is a big part of that process. The Dirtbags have taken in turning history into something fresh. Head coach Mike Weathers came up with the idea of naming the Top 30 baseball players in school history via an Internet poll on the school's Web site. Once the public has submitted their own lists of the Top 15 players, the numbers will be counted and the Top 30 named. Sometime early in the 2007 season, banners featuring the pictures and likeness of these players will be hoisted on the light poles and other fixtures at Blair Field. A ceremony of some sort will be held, perhaps at the annual Alumni Game in January, which has the best chance of luring home the Jason Giambis, Jered Weavers and Randy Moffitts of the past. Along this same line, the men's volleyball program is creating its own Wall of Honor similar to the one that exists in the Pyramid for Brian Gimmillaro's women's team. New ventures like this are necessary since some of the old athletic staples need refreshing. The annual "Jewels of the Night" fund-raiser has been a key meeting place for alums, boosters and athletes past and present, but it seems due for a reworking of sorts. The 49er Hall of Fame will increase to 187 members when the 2006 class is inducted in October, and the incoming class includes former Dirtbag shortstop and 2004 American League Rookie of the Year Bobby Crosby and one-time quarterback Joe Paopao, who has had a sterling playing and coaching career in the Canadian Football League. But it has reached the point where the honor has as much to do with their status in the greater community as it does the university. Howard Lyon was far better known as a high school basketball coach than he was a starter on the first-ever 49er basketball team. Likewise Dave Rodda, who has been a key figure in women's track and field and sports programs in Lakewood. So new programs to promote the school's heritage is a good fit. Which brings one to basketball. For the longest time, a core group of 49er basketball fans, who remember the days when the team's colors were brown-and-gold, not black-and-gold, have wondered why there hasn't been a greater effort to bring former players back into the program. So little is made of the past that aside from Hall of Famer Ed Ratleff and 49er-for-life Glenn McDonald, one wouldn't physically know Long Beach State had a basketball heritage. Aside from the concept of creating goodwill among alums, a ceremony honoring the Jerry Tarkanian era is long overdue. The fact the school was put on probation for NCAA indiscretions and that Tark jumped to UNLV has always been a sore spot, but some 30 years later, everyone should be over it. The recent passing of Leonard Gray was a reminder of how transitory life can be, and it's a shame he never had the chance to receive a standing ovation from 49er fans of today. Those weren't just good teams. They were good teams featuring memorable people. There were 10 players from the early '70s who played for Tark and his immediate successor, Lute Olson, who were drafted in the first three rounds by the NBA and went on to play in the association. Besides Gray, Ratleff and McDonald, there were Bob Gross, Eric McWilliams, Clifton Pondexter, Roscoe Pondexter, Sam Robinson, Chuck Terry and George Trapp. These guys deserve a night of their own. It's also time for Tarkanian to have a jersey hoisted onto the wall of the Pyramid alongside that of Ratleff and the volleyball icons. And after that's done, maybe one can be raised for John Rambo, the greatest multi-sport star in school history. Who knows, if enough of the past is embraced and the ties to the past linked to today, and with it the requisite dollars, maybe Cegles and F. King Alexander can sit down and have a discussion about football. Until then, vote for your favorite Dirtbags on the school's Web site. Fill out the entire ballot, too, because incomplete ballots aren't being counted. Don't forget about the early teams, too. There were many good 49ers before the current era of Dirtbags.

Voting for the Top 30 players in Long Beach State baseball history will continue on the school's athletic Web site through September. Here's one man's Top 20, listed alphabetically: Kyle Abbott, P (1989): Ace of the '89 College World Series team, winning 15 games with a 2.73 ERA. First 49er to be a first-round draft pick in the program in almost 20 years. He had a school-record 135 innings and 140 strikeouts in 1989. Abe Alvarez, P (2001-03): Left-hander with a crooked hat was a mainstay in the rotation and a one-two punch with Weaver, going 12-3 in 2002 and 11-2 in 2003. Don Anderson, OF (1962-64): Probably the best player of the early era, he hit .436 to lead the team in 1964, the first 49er team to win a league title. Don Barbara, 1B (1989-90): One of the original Dirtbags, he hit a school-record .474 in 1990 and helped lead the '89 team to its first-ever College World Series appearance. Holds career record for average (.429). Daniel Choi, P (1993): The right-hander from Korea wasn't on the preseason roster in 1993 but made a huge impact, posting a 17-2 record, a single-season school record for wins, and led the team to Omaha. Andy Croghan, P (1989-91): Somewhat overshadowed by Abbott and Steve Trachsel, he went a stunning 33-7 in his three seasons. Bobby Crosby, SS (1999-2001): The 2004 American League Rookie of the Year was a three-year starter for the Dirtbags at shortstop, with 21 career home runs and excellent defense and leadership. Mike Gallo, P (1997-99): Embodied the Dirtbag ethic as well as anyone, leading the team in ERA in 1998 and 1999 and was the ace of the 1998 CWS staff. He went to the World Series with the Astros last season. Jason Giambi, 1B-3B (1990-92): Helped lead the Dirtbags to the 1991 College World Series, was the 2000 American League MVP while with Oakland and is a four-time All-Star. Gabe Gonzalez, P (1992-95): A two-time All-American and four-year letterman, he was the quintessential college closer for Dave Snow's teams. He had 46 saves in 121 appearances. Neil Jamison, P (2002-05): Ranks behind Gonzalez as the best closer in school history, posting a stunning 0.00 ERA in 2005 and saving 23 games in 2004-05. Jeff Liefer, OF (1993-95): The school record holder for career home runs (30) was an All-American and first-round pick. He hit a dozen home runs in 1993 and hit .354 with 13 in 1995. In his eighth major-league season. Evan Longoria, 3B (2005-06): Was the top hitter on the 2006 team and was the third player chosen in the 2006 draft, the highest any Long Beach player has ever been selected. Randy Moffitt, P (1968-69): The brother of Billie Jean King was the first 49er to be a first-round major-league draft pick (in 1970) and was a mainstay on the 1969 team that won the second league title in school history. He had a 12-year major-league career as a closer for the Giants (96 career saves). Dave Snow, HC (1989-2001): Snow took over a team that won 15 games in 1988 and won 50 in 1989 and advanced to the CWS. He won 511 games at Long Beach, and not only revived the program but gave it an identity that has stuck throughout college baseball. Rob Townley, OF (1978-79): The slugger set school records for hits (100) and RBI (70) in 1979 and hit .404 in his career, second all-time. His RBI record stood until 1991. Steve Trachsel , P (1991): Trachsel was an All-American, first-round pick and the ace of the 1991 CWS team. He's in his 14th season in the major leagues and was the first Dirtbag to make an All-Star team. Troy Tulowitzki, SS (2003-05): The hard-hitting shortstop made the fastest jump to the major leagues in the Dirtbag era, arriving to the Rockies this season after being a first-round pick in 2005. He hit .349 with eight home runs despite injuries in 2005. Jered Weaver, P (2002-04): The consensus college player of the year in 2004, the only alum to ever win any of the top college awards, Weaver won a school-record 37 games, struck out 431, and holds six career school records. He was the biggest reason why the Angels stayed in the AL West race this year as long as they did. He had a 1.96 ERA with 14 wins in 2003, and 1.61 with 15 wins in 2004. Bob Wuesthoff, HC (1964-69): The head coach for six years won the first two league titles in school history and had the best winning percentage of any coach in the pre-Snow era. Others to consider: Rocky Biddle (P) saved 46 games in the majors. ... Rod Gaspar was the best player on the 1966-67 teams and played for the Miracle Mets in 1969. ... Chris Gomez (SS) was a key starter on the 1992 team and is in his 15th major-league season. ... Jaime Leal (OF-DH) hit a school-record 24 home runs in 1999, his only season with the program. ... Dick Nen (1B), the father of Robb Nen and brief hero of the Dodgers' 1963 World Series team, was the first 49er to make it to the pros. ... Jeremy Reed (OF) was a catalyst on two teams, with 54 career steals, second all-time. ... The 1998 CWS team featured four solid stars in catcher Bryan Kennedy, outfielders Chuck Lopez (.422, 113 hits) and Terrmel Sledge (99 runs, 22 career home runs) and third baseman Paul Day (89 RBI). ... Cesar Ramos (P) won 28 games in his career. ... Jason Vargas (P/DH) was a key two-way player in 2004. - Bob Keisser

[MFS62]

I never heard Gaspar (he's the only other Met I saw mentioned in that article) being called pee-pee.
Where did that come from?

Later

[Guest Edgy DC]

Bret Sabermetric.

[Willets Point]

Some Mets will be joining this thread shortly.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Braden Looper, Val Dude.

Valley matured Looper

Kary Booher

News-Leader

St. Louis — The surroundings are so much bigger now.

Crowds number 47,000, not the couple of hundred that was that Saturday afternoon back in early May 1995. Ballparks tall and wide and majestic, not the quaint little place that the Missouri State Bears called home for years just off Fremont Avenue.

http://vh10175.moc.gbahn.net/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DO&Date=20061023&Category=SPORTS0301&ArtNo=610230390&Ref=AR&Profile=1096&MaxW=300&MaxH=400&Border=0

Oh, yeah, St. Louis Cardinals reliever Braden Looper will never forget Meador Park.

As he sat in front of his clubhouse locker the other day, the right-hander was asked about his days when, as a feared pitcher for Wichita State, he and the Shockers would roll into Springfield.

"I know I gave up a home run to Steve Hacker one time," Looper said, breaking into a grin.

A big home run, actually: a game-winner to complete a doubleheader sweep of the Shockers, a team everybody loves to beat.

"Something like that," Looper said. "That one kind of stunk."

There are all sorts of stories as the Cardinals and Detroit Tigers go at it in the World Series, but typically there is little time to reminisce.

Yet, Looper looked back at that home run to Hacker as a good thing, part of the learning process in the competitive Missouri Valley Conference that laid the groundwork for him to become a first-round draft pick by the Cardinals in 1996.

"That's really where I matured. When I got to Wichita State, I was 6-3, 170-something and threw 88 mph," Looper said. "The competition in the Valley was a lot better than what people realize. The Valley was kind of like my first steppingstone to pro ball."

When Wichita State hit town that weekend, WSU and Missouri State both sat atop the Valley standings; both would eventually reach the NCAA Tournament.

Missouri State defeated the Shockers that Friday, then took the opener of the doubleheader the next afternoon, with Hacker contributing a home run.

Hacker resurfaced again in the nightcap. It was the bottom of the ninth of a 9-9 game and, with runners and second and third and two out. Looper's first pitch to Hacker landed over the center-field wall for a game-winning homer. Wichita State won Sunday's finale, but the Bears took the series.

"That ballpark there was small anyway. Back then, it couldn't have been 360 in center field," Looper said. "I played with Steve my freshman year (in the Cape Cod League) and the competition was really good. The guy was a great hitter, particularly in college.

"I got him a few times after that. Trust me."

Missouri State coach Keith Guttin can't forget Hacker's homer, either. It was one of Hacker's NCAA-leading 37 home runs that season.

"It went to the tennis courts, and the place went crazy," Guttin said. "Meador didn't hold a lot, but we were the top two teams in the league at the moment. It was a great series."

Looper went on to become an NCAA All-American, leading Wichita State to the Valley title. The next season, after helping WSU reach the College World Series, he was drafted in the first round by the Cardinals, only to be traded away while in the minors.

In his mind, his success in his career — he was the closer of the 2003 World Series-winning Florida Marlins — can be traced back to the Valley.

"At the time, I think Creighton was a little better than Southwest, but they were kind of up-and-coming," Looper said. "I came from a small town in Oklahoma (Mangum), so the competition was a huge step for me. You have to prove yourself at all kinds of levels to get where you want to go."

Certainly, he is one of the big names to come out of the conference in the past 15 years. Detroit left-hander Nate Robertson, the Tigers' Game 3 starter Tuesday, also pitched in the Valley while at Wichita State.

Missouri State had four former players in the big leagues at one point this season: Philadelphia's Ryan Howard, the Los Angeles Dodgers' Bill Mueller, the Texas Rangers' John Rheinecker and the Toronto Blue Jays' Shaun Marcum. In June, left-hander Brett Sinkbeil became a first-round draft pick of the Marlins.

Looper is one of 10 first-round draft picks to have come out of Wichita State, the 10th being right-hander Mike Pelfrey. Pelfrey pitched at Hammons Field in 2005 and was in the big leagues briefly this year with the New York Mets.

"During that cycle (in the mid-1990s), there were a lot of quality guys that went on to have great careers," Guttin said. "I know it's been, with some exceptions, a league recently dominated by young pitching. The Valley has seen some high drafts."

Looper can't say enough good things about the conference.

"That was definitely the first level where I started saying to myself that I could make this a career," Looper said. "The Valley competition was good enough ... it definitely helped me a lot."

[Guest Edgy DC]

Brian Buchanan is going from the St. Paul Saints to to the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, the first Saint to jump to Japan.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Rey Ordoñez, minor league dealie with the Mariners.

[Guest cooby]

!
He's on his way back!

[Guest Edgy DC]

YOUTH TEAM TO JAPAN

A group of local youths, along with Saint Louis School and Hawai'i Pacific University alum Benny Agbayani, will visit Japan for the fifth Goodwill Youth Baseball Tournament from Sunday to Thursday.

The team will visit cities in Ehime Prefecture, a fisheries school, as well as a memorial for those who died on the Ehime Maru when it sank off the coast of O'ahu on Feb. 9, 2001.

Agbayani, who played for the New York Mets in Major League Baseball, now plays for the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan.

"I am honored to be involved with both the Hawai'i and Ehime baseball players," Agbayani said. "It's a perfect union and it's so important to continue what was started in 2002."

---

Royals Announce Minor League Personnel for 2007

The Kansas City Royals have announced a majority of the Minor League coaching and training staffs for the 2007 season, Royals Director-Player Development J.J. Picollo announced.

Tony Tijerina will manage Wichita (AA) in 2007. Tijerina joins the Royals after spending the past 16 years with the New York Mets, the first six as a catcher in the farm system. Most recently, Tijerina served the past two seasons as the Mets Minor League Field Coordinator. Prior to that, he worked seven seasons as a minor league manager from 1999 to 2004. In 2002, following a season in which he led the Capital City Bombers (A) to a first-half title, he was named the South Atlantic League's Best Managerial Prospect by Baseball America. Tijerina lives in Newark Valley, N.Y., with his wife, Linda, and daughter, Lauren.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Edgardo sez "Pimpin' ain't eazy."

Newzday sez "Gettin' your facts straight before deadline ain't eazy."

RICH CRIBS

BENNETT MARCUS, LAURA MANN, ABIGAIL

W. LEONARD

November 17, 2006

It wasn't exactly an easy goal when newly signed New York Islander Sean Hill went house-hunting on Long Island. Shawn Elliott of Shawn Elliott Luxury Homes & Estates says he showed Hill's wife, Margaret, more than 50 properties before finding the one - a new 5,000-square-foot Colonial in north Syosset.

The Hills wanted a place with good schools that was convenient to Iceworks, the Syosset rink where the Islanders practice, and to Nassau Coliseum and local airports for away games.

Elliott declined to say how much the Hills paid, but the asking price was $2.195 million.

- BENNETT MARCUS

A QUEENS CATCH.

Why did Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty cross the road to Queens? To get the $8 million listing for a house built by former New York Mets infielder Edgardo Alfonzo [CORRECTION: Infielder Edgardo Alfonzo most recently played for the Norfolk Tides, the Triple A team of the New York Mets, through the end of the 2006 season. An incorrect team is given on Page C2 of today's Real Estate section, which is printed in advance. The New Orleans Zephyrs, named in the story, will become the Mets' Triple A team next year. PG. A19 C, A17 NS 11/17/06] in Little Neck. The North Shore real estate agency says the property might be the most expensive on the market in Queens. At least on the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island it is.

Property records show that Alfonzo - who played for the Mets from 1995 to 2002 and most recently has been a second baseman for the Mets Triple A New Orleans Zephyrs minor league team - bought the property in 1999 for $900,000. He never moved in, says Peggy Moriarty of Daniel Gale's Cold Spring Harbor office, "because it took that long to build with all the custom detailing." She says Alfonzo spared no expense in construction. "The quality of the materials is over-the-top," she says. "The master bathroom alone cost $750,000 to build. It's made with all gold-colored onyx." Even the basement is deluxe with a full batting cage.

- LAURA MANN

[Guest Edgy DC]

Roger Cedeño, after what I guess was a year off, has signed a minor-league dealie with Baltimore. Viva Norfolk.

[Guest attgig]

="Edgy DC"]Edgardo sez "Pimpin' ain't eazy." Newzday sez "Gettin' your facts straight before deadline ain't eazy." RICH CRIBS BENNETT MARCUS, LAURA MANN, ABIGAIL W. LEONARD November 17, 2006 It wasn't exactly an easy goal when newly signed New York Islander Sean Hill went house-hunting on Long Island. Shawn Elliott of Shawn Elliott Luxury Homes & Estates says he showed Hill's wife, Margaret, more than 50 properties before finding the one - a new 5,000-square-foot Colonial in north Syosset. The Hills wanted a place with good schools that was convenient to Iceworks, the Syosset rink where the Islanders practice, and to Nassau Coliseum and local airports for away games. Elliott declined to say how much the Hills paid, but the asking price was $2.195 million. - BENNETT MARCUS A QUEENS CATCH. Why did Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty cross the road to Queens? To get the $8 million listing for a house built by former New York Mets infielder Edgardo Alfonzo [CORRECTION: Infielder Edgardo Alfonzo most recently played for the Norfolk Tides, the Triple A team of the New York Mets, through the end of the 2006 season. An incorrect team is given on Page C2 of today's Real Estate section, which is printed in advance. The New Orleans Zephyrs, named in the story, will become the Mets' Triple A team next year. PG. A19 C, A17 NS 11/17/06] in Little Neck. The North Shore real estate agency says the property might be the most expensive on the market in Queens. At least on the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island it is. Property records show that Alfonzo - who played for the Mets from 1995 to 2002 and most recently has been a second baseman for the Mets Triple A New Orleans Zephyrs minor league team - bought the property in 1999 for $900,000. He never moved in, says Peggy Moriarty of Daniel Gale's Cold Spring Harbor office, "because it took that long to build with all the custom detailing." She says Alfonzo spared no expense in construction. "The quality of the materials is over-the-top," she says. "The master bathroom alone cost $750,000 to build. It's made with all gold-colored onyx." Even the basement is deluxe with a full batting cage. - LAURA MANN

the house:

http://www.mlslirealtor.com/unidetails.cfm?mlnum=1890786&typeprop=1&bn=1&CFID=17994844&CFTOKEN=93360203

[Guest Edgy DC]

Wow, the place he lost his bat speed.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Jay Payton's deal with Bal'mer is finalized.

Kane Davis is a non-roster invitee for Philadephia.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Minor leage deal given by the Tigs to Felix Heredia.

Tigers have gone a long way toward securing key parts of their team for the long term.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Rob Stratton, not quite ready for the Brogna thread.

Former Isotopes slugger on ice at Star Center

By GARY HERRON/OBSERVER SPORTS EDITOR

You never know who you'll see at a New Mexico Scorpions game, and it can be even more surprising when it's someone you've seen play right field for the Albuquerque Isotopes.

That's where Rob Stratton was on April 11, 2003, the first home game for the Isotopes. The player wearing No. 17 turned out to quite a power hitter, at least until he started incurring injuries.

Married to Brandy Gonzales, a 1999 Eldorado High School graduate and a member of the Scorpions' marketing team, Stratton is learning a little about marketing and hockey this winter, and having a good time after last week's burst of winter sent snow into the metro area.

"Here I am, 29 years old, out there building a snowman and stuff," he said, laughing. "I had a great time in the snow; I haven't been around the snow very much."

He and Brandy are like a team, at the Star Center and in real estate; the two are real estate agents for Coldwell-Banker Legacy.

"My wife likes me to be with her; she doesn't like to have the long drive out here, because we live up by the mountains," he explained. "All my days are directed toward real estate; then my nights, I go to the baseball academy and do hitting lessons there.

"My name's still in people's heads here, you know, which is nice and makes it easier for us," he said. "But, you know, I'm sure over the years there have been a lot of other good athletes that go through the Isotopes, too, so I'm sure they're a lot fresher."

Stratton signed a national letter of intent to play baseball at the University of Miami, then was drafted in 1996 by the New York Mets. He played with the Gulf Coast League Mets that summer, then slowly moved through the ranks until he arrived at triple-A Norfolk in 2001 for a couple of games. He played in 73 games for Norfolk in 2002, then was traded by the Mets to the Rockies.

Stratton showed long-ball possibilities in his second year, with 15 homers at Kingsport, and then he had seasons of 17, 18, 30 and 27 homers from 1999-2002.

In his only season with the Isotopes, after inking a free-agent deal in December 2002, Stratton led the team in homers with 32, and in strikeouts, with 175. During the year, he was the only 'Tope named to play in the AAA All-Star Game and was the PCL's DH on its postseason tem; he was the team's first PCL Batter of the Week, too (May 12-18). He hit 29 of his homers by the all-star break and led all minor league players in that department until the season's final week.

Stratton also has his hand in a couple of PCL records, although don't ask him about them: He struck out 13 times in a row and his 175 whiffs for the year tied a PCL benchmark.

He's got other memories on the 2003 campaign at the brand-new ballpark, and the first year of pro baseball since 2000 that came with it.

"We had a great team that year, just a bunch of good guys," he said. "Other than that, I'd say the first half was very memorable, and then I started getting injured. And the all-star game - winning the home run derby at the all-star game was pretty exciting. Unfortunately, the second half I hit only three home runs. ... I had like several cortisone shots in my left elbow; I ended up having surgery on it the year after it. So I tried to just baby it, have shots where I wouldn't feel the pain. All of a sudden, it just kept hurtin' and hurtin' and hurtin.' And then, finally, my season went downhill; I'd play for a week and then I'd get hurt."

Stratton hit .243 for Cincinnati's Louisville Bats, with no homers in 107 at-bats at the start of the 2006 season, then found himself at Class AAA Columbus, the Yankees' top farm team where he batted an almost-identical .242, but with 13 homers and 37 RBIs in 207 at-bats. In an injury-marred 205 campaign, he batted .308 but with just 26 at-bats at Louisville.

Today, he's a free agent and, barring any deals between now and the start of spring training, he could be off to the Land of the Rising Sun. "I've been talking to Bobby Valentine," he said before last Friday's Scorpions game. Valentine is a former big-league manager who once played in Japan, and now is back there managing.

Besides helping out with Scorpions promotions - he was busy scooping up teddy bears off the ice Friday and working a fan contest near one of the goals - he recently entered the world of real estate with Coldwell Banker Legacy, is thinking about heading to Japan to play baseball next season, and is working at the Albuquerque Baseball Academy, helping youngsters hone their skills.

Kevin Lawton of Rio Rancho said he's familiar with Stratton, who helped his son, perennial Cibola Little League all-star Trenten Lawton, get around on inside pitches. "He did an awesome job; (Trenten) looked up to him," he said. "All of a sudden, wang! wang! He was driving them down the third-base line."

Stratton would love to have a wang-wang season, one free from injuries.

"I had seven surgeries in the past two years," he said. Five of them were for Achilles tendon injuries.

"When I'm healthy, I put up my numbers. When I'm not healthy, nobody cares about you," he said, revealing one of the truths about pro sports.

Asked what it was like playing for manager Dean Treanor, the Isotopes manager in '03 and again in 2005 and '06, he had but two words: "No comment."

He had some good words about Jason Wood, who turned 37 this month and apparently decided not to retire after putting up good numbers with the 'Topes in 2006, even earning a late call-up to the parent Florida Marlins.

"It's nice that the Marlins are sticking with him like that because he's a great guy; he's great for the clubhouse," Stratton said. "He's great for the clubhouse; he's a veteran guy that plays the game the right way. I think the young kids these days need somebody like him around to show them how to play the game and show them how to act in the clubhouse, and on the field.

"So I think he's a great asset to the team and, you know, as long as he wants to play, I think he'll have a job somewhere because he is that type of person."

Although he seemingly enjoys his new "careers," and said he loves living in Albuquerque, it's easy to see that Stratton would be even happier to be offered a contract to play baseball in time for the start of the 2007 season.

[Benjamin Grimm]

]Stratton would love to have a wang-wang season, one free from injuries.

There's a potential new entry for Urban Dictionary: a wang-wang season is one free from injuries.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Former Met Joe McEwing and almost-met Kerry Robinson are among the Red Sox spring training invitees.

Robinson reports that he is "hoping for a wang-wang season."

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Bubba Trammell, who hasn't played since depression knocked him off the MFYs in 03 (?) I think, gets a minor league deal/invite with the O's.

[Guest Edgy DC]

As a grievous moper myself, I didn't recall the circumstances of his leaving baseball. Eventually, we may be able to together a Mets All-Depression Team.

P - Bill Pulsipher
C -
1B -
2B -
3B -
SS -
LF -
CF - Piersall
RF - Trammell

Go, Sad Mets!

[HahnSolo]

Pulsipher and Pete Harnisch provide a potent 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation.

[seawolf17]

Pete Harnisch dealt with depression too.

edit: Sorry, Hahn. Didn't see that there was a second page to the thread.

[Guest Edgy DC]

OK, we've got the beginnings of a pitching staff: Pulsipher, Harnish, and Reardon.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Jeff Keppinger DFA'd by the Royals.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Doug Mientkiewicz, New York Yankee.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Detroit, despertately trying to rebuild Art Howe's Mets, signs Timo to a minor-league deal.

[MFS62]

Just heard on the radio that Roger Cedeno signed a minor league deal with the O's.

Later

[Guest Edgy DC]

Anderson Garcia, Benitez booty claimed on waivers by the Orioles from the Mets last summer, was similarly claimed by the Phils from the Orioles. Everybody wants him but nobody knows what to do with him.

Also, the Phils offered a spring training invitation to Lou Collier, damn it.

[DocTee]

Karim Garcia inks minorleague deal with Colorado. And Richard Hidalgo (who's only 31??) drawing interest from Houston, sez MLB.com.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Minor league deals and spring training invites will be pouring in now.

Tyler Walker is getting one from San Francisco, and Dan Wheeler has re-signed with Houston.