The Continuing Careers of Ex-Mets

[MFS62]

The best player in the Orioles' organization may be like being the best chef at Burger King. Its all relative. But it is kinda' curious.

Later

[metsmarathon]

well, he was 27, so i doubt he's a top prospect, and might just be a AAAA type guy. but yeah, its still a bit lopsided a deal, right?

OE: never mind even that. the kid won minor league player of the year, and had a 0.780 OPS, career mnl OPS of 0.723!

granted, only one bowie regular had a higher OPS - 29 year old noah hall had a 0.816.

and there were no real great shakes in their AAA affiliate either.

so, maybe they got fair enough value, and have a fairly barren minor league system

[Guest Edgy DC]

The team's minor league player of the year is hardly their prized possession. Andy Wilson won a Sterling Award two seasons ago, but he's not even on the map as a prospect.

[MFS62]

I heard he got released yesterday (Wilson), but haven't been able to find a link for it.

Later

[Guest Edgy DC]

ReyO is this close to breaking camp with the Mariners.

This close.

[metirish]

Dan Wheeler named as the closer for Houston,Mike Hampton to have surgery again on torn tendon,out for the season.

[metirish]

] Ex-Met remembers his boyhood idol and hero By Keith Pompey EAST ELMHURST, N.Y. - Ed Charles compiled a .263 batting average over an eight-season major-league career. In his final year - 1969 - the third baseman nicknamed "The Glider" helped the "Miracle Mets" win a World Series. Charles, an African American, knows none of that would have been possible if not for Jackie Robinson, the man who broke Major League Baseball's color barrier 60 years ago. In a recent Q&A, the now 73-year-old Charles spoke to how profoundly the man who remains his hero affected him and countless other major-leaguers. Question: You actually saw Robinson play 61 years ago. Tell us about that. Answer: The Dodgers assigned his contract to Montreal, their triple-A affiliate [in 1945]. Montreal's spring training was in Sanford, Fla., but due to the hostility there, they decided to move the base over to Daytona Beach [in 1946]. It so happens that their practice field was right in the black community, directly across the street from where I lived. I used to watch him as soon as I got out of school instead of going home. Other kids used to run after him and try to get his autograph. I was too shy. I just admired him like he was God. Q: What did he mean to a boy of your age? A: He gave you a reason to hope that things were going to get better. I was a kid that said, "If Jackie can make it, maybe he can open the door for a flood of blacks to make it into Major League baseball." Q: Were there fears for Robinson in the black community? A: We didn't want anything to happen to Jackie. In fact, if anything happened, you probably would have had a race riot. There was a lot of tension. Q: Describe your sense of what he experienced as the lone pioneer. A: He had the weight of the race on him, [but] he knew that every black person was pulling for him. Q: What did you like about his game? A: He took it to the opposition. He was daring. He didn't sit back and wait. After he made it there, he was very aggressive. He was talented . . . and fancy! Q: You were grown when you finally met Jackie Robinson. What was your reaction? A: It was like I was still that little 12-year-old kid. I was trembling like a little kid and I was 39 years old! I was nervous, man. . . . But I walked up to him and said, "Mr. Robinson, thank you for what you had to do for us." I just went off." Q: What was your reaction on Oct. 24, 1972, when you heard that Robinson had died? A: It was like boom! Like somebody tore my guts out. I cried like a little baby. All that was flashing through my mind was, "Why, God? Why does this man who has endured all that he did, why did he have to go so young?" And this is no joke, the inspiration for [Charles' poem] "Jackie Robinson - Superstar" came, like somebody was directing me to write right after he died. It just flowed out. Q: Can you compare Robinson to other athletes of his era? A: We used to hug the radio when Joe Lewis was fighting. But no athlete at the time made a contribution like Jackie. He brought the whole country up to another level, the radical part and stuff like. He impacted the way America does business. He started the whole civil rights movement. He was the front-runner before Dr. Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks and all of them. Q: Was there a time that Robinson, Branch Rickey and the integration of the game seem forgotten? A: You are talking about the '60s. At that point in time, they had kind of gotten used to things. There were a lot of blacks in the game. Occasionally you would have a little recognition but not to the point that it is today. All of a sudden it's like baseball discovered that we needed to focus on this man and do the right thing. Q: Do you recall the time when Robinson actually seemed to fall out of favor with some blacks? A: In the '60s. I couldn't understand why there was a lot of hostile feelings toward Jackie among blacks coming from the political arena. They didn't like the fact that he was a Republican. I was like, give me a break! But that's a fact. Q: What do you think Jackie Robinson would say if he saw baseball struggling to get young black men to play the game? A: He would definitely be disappointed. But then again I think he would understand what's taking place and would bring it to the attention to the parents. A lot of kids aren't playing because they don't have playing fields. Jackie would work toward trying to get blacks back in the game. Q: What would you say about some young African Americans not even knowing about Robinson and his contributions? A: They don't know because they are not being taught. Nothing from nothing leaves nothing. Schools are focusing more on global history than they are American history. You got people here that don't know any American history, any black history or nothing else. In Memory of Jackie Robinson This poem was written by former major-league player Ed Charles on Oct. 24, 1972, the day that Jackie Robinson died. Jackie Robinson - Superstar He accepted the challenge and played the game with a passion that few men possessed. He stood tall in the face of society's shame with a talent that God had blessed. He banged out hits and aroused the fans with his daring base-running skills. This great, great player and proud black man Many bigots did threaten to kill. But he continued to pursue the impossible dream with an intensity that at times was most startling. He hissed at obstacles and tormented the opposing teams to the delight of his vast, vast following. He was a "spirit aflamed" though preordained by God and destiny it seemed. To shoulder the burdens of a race contained and lift them to lofty esteem. He ripped up the sod along the base lines for the likes of you and me. This man from Georgia courageously assisted in the dawning of a new era for thee. Yes, he made his mark for all to see as he struggled determinately for dignity. And the world is grateful for the legacy that he left for all humanity. Thanks, Jackie, whereever you are. You will always be our first "superstar." For history shall record and eternally proclaim your great deeds in its Hall of Fame. So go now and rest for a while for again you shall come a "spirit aflamed" in the bosom of another black child that God and destiny shall name.

[Guest iramets]

A disgrace to spell Joe Louis's name wrong.

[metirish]

Richard Hidalgo signed by the LI Ducks.

[Theoldmole]

Thank you, Glider.

[Farmer Ted]

March 31: Seattle--Re-assigned to Minor League Camp: Infielder (1): Rey Ordoñez

He doesn't appear on any minor league rosters affiliated with Seattle so he may still be on AZ working on that smooth swing of his.

[TransMonk]

Caught the end of the A's game last night on TV. It was my first game seeing Mike Piazza wearing an Athletic's uniform. The A's rallied past Bobby Jenks and the White Sox to win in the ninth 2-1.

Mike is off to a hot start going 13 of 36 with 3 doubles and a homer as a full time DH.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Kazoo Matsoo sharing the NL stolen base lead with Reyes and 2 others. They haven't caught him yet.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I want to get a volume of that guy's poetry published before he passes. Most of it is mediocre (or at least crude) in the general sense, but it's pretty valuable in the Met-centric and baseball-centeric universe I live in.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Trax pitched well in a ND for Baltimore tonight: 7 IP, 1 ER vs. KC.

Zambrano now doing middle releif work for Toronto threw a scoreless inning against the Tigers tonight.

[MFS62]

Henry Owens recorded his first ML save in a game this past weekend.

Later

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Kaz Matsui: To the DL with... wait for it... back spasms.

Cliff Floyd: HR, 4 RBI yesterday. Wore No. 42 Sunday.
"Cub reporter" for the Northwest Indiana Times:\

]Date posted online: Monday, April 16, 2007 Cliff Floyd Diary: Lefties have challenges vs. lefties By Cliff Floyd For The Times There's a stereotype that left-handed hitters have trouble against left-handed pitchers and don't get to play as much against them. It is a little tougher for us. You don't see a lot of left-handers. When you do see them, they kind of throw you off. Some left-handers drop down from the side. Other times, the ball goes away from left-handed hitters when lefties are throwing. But when you get paid a lot of money, you're going to play against lefties. That's the way it goes. You don't want to be platooned. You've just got to grind it out. You've got to keep your shoulder in and make sure you see the pitch all the way. You give yourself that extra second, whereas against righties you can cheat a little bit. You can't do that against lefties because you'll fly open and more times than not you'll hit the ball off the end of the bat or whiff a lot. It's good to keep that shoulder in so you have a chance. Lefties have more of a looping curveball and hard sliders. The ball's always going away from me. The more you think it's going away, the more you feel you have to catch it before it breaks, and you swing at bad pitches. You have to try to hit the ball up the middle. I'm always geared to hit the ball there or left-center. If you try to pull, you'll get yourself in trouble. I played every day against lefties, I stayed in there. So when I faced righties, the ball would just shoot off to left field. Everybody has a different philosophy. Mine is to keep it up the middle. Billy Williams hit well against lefties in his Hall of Famer career. He keeps his advice simple: Just see the ball. He doesn't make it harder than it is. The game is hard enough. Make sure you hit the ball hard. If you try to place the ball, you will be in trouble. As told to Times Correspondent George Castle

[Guest iramets]

Cliff Floyd wrote: There's a stereotype that left-handed hitters have trouble against left-handed pitchers and don't get to play as much against them.

Yes, because it's true. You, for example, had a lifetime OPS (through last season of .863 against righties, and .788 against lefties. This is not a stereotype, it's reality. You have trouble against lefthanders, and any manager who didn't think that sitting you and your .788 OPS when a lefthander was on the mound is nuts.


Billy Williams' OPS vs righties: .870, and vs. lefties .814.

Any other "stereotypes" you want to argue against, Clifford?

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Victor Zambrano got his first start of the year last night for the Bloo jays, left with the bases loaded in the 3rd and was charged with 2 ER in 2.1 IP.

Since he'd bneen working from the pen the Jays only wanted 3 or 4 IP

[Guest Edgy DC]

Do you think Piazza's played his last game?

Does calling something a stereotype mean it's false?

[Benjamin Grimm]

="Edgy DC"]Does calling something a stereotype mean it's false?

I think it means that it's not as common as people believe.

There are always some who do fit the stereotype. Not everyone is Poland is smart. And some French people really are rude.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Because he describes it as a sterotype that lefties have trouble hitting lefties and then describes how hard it is. So it isn't like he's denying that.

Man.

Oakland is in town June 22-24. Last chance to see Piazza, hopefully not on the bench.

[metirish]

] Blue Jays 5, Orioles 3 TORONTO (AP) -- Another late-inning loss led to a testy exchange between Baltimore Orioles teammates on Monday night. Outfielder Jay Payton and infielder Melvin Mora traded angry words and nearly came to blows as they left the field following a 5-3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. Payton, who grounded out to end the game, apparently was upset with Mora for distracting him as Mora took third base on defensive indifference with two out in the ninth. Payton took a called strike on the pitch, leaving him trailing 1-2 in the count to Jeremy Accardo. "It was my fault because I went over there," Mora said. "Maybe his eyes were blinking because I was running." "I'm surprised at the reaction because Jay and I have been friends for a long time. I know we're frustrated because we've lost some games we should have won. I made a mistake in that situation and he wasn't able to swing." Payton said he and Mora patched things up in the clubhouse after the game. "We'll move past it," Payton said. "We didn't lose on a baserunning mistake. That's not why we lost the game. We lost the game as a team." The confrontation came one day after Baltimore gave up six runs in the ninth inning and lost 6-5 in Boston on Sunday.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Yusaku Iriki has signed with the Toronto organization and joined the Hamilton Fisher Cats, which I believe leaves only Michael Tucker as conttracted members of the 2006 Mets roster who haven't founda 2007 job.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Waitaminute, I think Jose Lima is on that list also.

Meanwhile, Alex Ochoa has been released by the Pawtucket Paw Sox.

Ouch.

Ouchoa.

[seawolf17]

[Guest cooby]

Tonight Xavier Nady hit the first non solo home run for the Pirates thus far this season

[Frayed Knot]

="Edgy DC"]Yusaku Iriki has signed with the Toronto organization and joined the Hamilton Fisher Cats, which I believe leaves only Michael Tucker as conttracted members of the 2006 Mets roster who haven't founda 2007 job.

"Pawtucket Red Sox- Released OF Alex Ochoa ... Signed OF Michael Tucker

[Guest Edgy DC]

Lima is the last.

There can be only one.

[Guest iramets]

Edgy DC wrote: Does calling something a stereotype mean it's false?

It implies that the truth, the reality, is far more complex than the stereotype. But in this case, the "stereotype" is just reality, and by calling it a stereotype, Cliff implies that he's got contrary evidence.

Think a moment: Why not start off his piece by saying that "Left-handed hitters have trouble against left-handed pitchers and don't get to play as much against them", instead of "There's a stereotype that left-handed hitters..."? The difference is that, with the second statement, you're saying that it's not true. If it were true, you could just as well make the statement in its simpler form. "Stereotype" is a pejorative, it characterizes the statement you're about to make as questionably oversimplified, and it implies that you have serious doubts about its accuracy.