Vacationland

[Guest Edgy DC]

Send all good thoughts to John Maine NOW!!!!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3d/Ph_429720.jpg

John Kevin Maine (born May 8, 1981 in Fredericksburg, Virginia) is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the New York Mets. He bats and throws right-handed.

Maine played college baseball at Charlotte where he was named the Conference USA Pitcher of the Year in 2001 and 2002 and set the 49ers' all-time mark for career wins.

Maine decided to forego his senior season at Charlotte and was drafted by Baltimore in the sixth round of the 2002 baseball amateur draft. After two years in the minor leagues, Maine made his debut with the Orioles on July 23, 2004. After spending the latter half of 2004 and most of 2005 shuffling between Baltimore and Triple-A Ottawa, Maine recorded his first Major League win on August 13, 2005 at Camden Yards with a 1-0 shutout victory over Toronto in which he started and pitched five innings.

Maine was traded to the Mets on January 21, 2006 along with righty reliever Jorge Julio to acquire starting pitcher Kris Benson.

He was called up from Triple A Norfolk in early May 2006 after rookie Brian Bannister was put on the disabled list with a hamstring injury. Maine started on May 2 against Washington and took the loss after giving up four runs on six hits and two walks in 5.1 innings. He was placed on the disabled list on May 6 with inflammation of his right middle finger, which he says hurt his May 2 start. He was reactivated on June 12 and was optioned back to Triple A Norfolk.

On July 3 he was recalled from the minors and has become part of the Mets' starting rotation. After a solid, if mediocre start off the DL, Maine pitched a scoreless inning in relief, and then 22 scoreless innings over three starts, recording two wins and a no decision over that span. After his second scoreless outing, Mets manager Willie Randolph designated Maine as the rotation's fifth starter over higher-ranking prospect Mike Pelfrey.[1]

Maine's scoreless-inning streak reached 26 innings before he allowed a run. Against Washington on August 12, Maine retired 11 of the first 12 batters he faced before Nick Johnson hit a solo home run. The streak fell 5 2/3 innings short of Jerry Koosman's Mets franchise record. His streak was the longest ever by a Mets rookie starter, exceeding Dwight Gooden and Anthony Young's 23-inning streaks by two. His 25 scoreless innings by a starter was the longest streak since Al Leiter threw 25 1/3 scoreless in 1998. [2]

On September 29, 2006, in his final at-bat of the season, Maine recorded his first major league hit, ending a streak of twenty-eight hitless at-bats.

Overall, Maine went 6-5 with a 3.60 ERA in 15 starts in his debut season for the Mets showing flashes of dominance such as his scoreless innings streak. His efforts helped the Mets win the National League Eastern Division. Despite his solid season, he was originally not expected to make a start in the postseason. However, after injuries sidelined both Pedro Martinez and Orlando Hernandez, Maine found himself starting Game 1 of the National League Division Series for the Mets. In that game, he pitched 4 1/3 innings and got a no-decision. The Mets went on to win that game to give them a 1-0 lead in the Division series against the Dodgers. ---

wikipedia.org

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

Good vibes to Maine, along with thanks for his performance in Game 1 of the NLDS.

[MFS62]

John,
Generations from now, we hope all Mets fans, and baseball fans everywhere, will still remember the Maine - with positive memories.
Go get 'em, kid.

Later

[Guest cooby]

Dear John

I have no idea why he called this thread Vacationland, because you're not going on one for two more weeks,


Love,
Cooby

[HahnSolo]

No 4-pitch walks, Mainey. Make 'em earn it.

[Guest Edgy DC]

[soupcan]

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Ogunquit!

Bar Harbor!

Portland!

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

L.L. Bean!

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Go go go.
Go Johnny go.
Go.
Go Johnny, go go go.
Go Johnny, go go go.
Johnny be good.

[Guest cooby]

Oh, I see....

Still, wait two more weeks!

[soupcan]

[Farmer Ted]

Oh, the smug looks on those Missouri hicks in the stands got me steamed last night. Mow 'em down Johnny.

[soupcan]

[metirish]

[Guest sharpie]

Boil those Cards like lobsters, John.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

John Maine has the name of a state in New England
With pretty coast villages and mountainsides inland
Like Brunswick and Bangor and Bath and Augusta
Carrabasset and Rumford and Damariscotta

From Brockport to Searsport to Eastport to Jonesport
All Mainers support their namesake in ballsport
They cheer him in Kittery, they cheer him in Portland
And in Caribou they know the Mets are important

Sebago and Dexter, two towns that make shoes
Are cobbling for John to bring them good news
Kennebunkport is a home for many ex-presidents
Who cheer for John Maine like all of the residents

Of Newry and Orono and Benedicta and Moscow
Skowhegan, Monhegan, Camden and Saco
Meddybemps, Kenduskeag, Dixmont, Wellington,
Whitneyville, Whitefield, Olamon, Harrington,

Bess Harbor, Bar Harbour, Bucks Harbor, Ogunquit
Frenchboro, Waldoboro, Vassalboro, Metinic
Van Buren, Madison, Jackson, Lincoln
Moose River, Seboomook, Wytopilock, Weston

Belfast, Peru, Dresden, Athens,
Mexico, Limerick, Norway and Paris
Are worldly towns that you�ll find in Maine
Where fans will be cheering at tonight�s Mets game

Spruce Head, Owl�s Head, Martin and Stetson
Falmouth, Orrington, Shirley�s Mill, Union:
They�re all going nuts up in Vacationland
For the exploits of John, their Met Maine Man

[MFS62]

That makes this thread worthy of archive, JD.

Later

[Guest Hillbilly]

The Black-capped Chickadee, The White Pine, The Moose, and Tourmaline are all proud symbols of Maine. But it�s the state motto, Dirigo, that tells us that John will lead us to victory!

[MFS62]

Hillbilly wrote: But it�s the state motto, Dirigo, that tells us that John will lead us to victory!

What does it mean?
Throw strikes?


EDIT: ah, yes, it means "I lead".
Later

[Guest Hillbilly]

Dictionary.com has a helpful definition:
1 result for: DirigoWeb

Latin. I direct: motto of Maine.

I read it as 'I Lead'

[Guest Edgy DC]

Can't top that. Now he's got to win.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Maine Coons for Maine!

[metirish]

[RealityChuck]

[Willets Point]

I prefer to call him Down East.

[Guest cooby]

ScarletKnight41 wrote: L.L. Bean!

LL Bean? Why, you....

[Guest OlerudOwned]

What will the Cards look like after Maine is through with them?

[Guest Edgy DC]

All youse who posted in this thread, thank John Maine for what he's given you thus far. And thank yourselves. You deserve it.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

He can be awfully proud of himself.

I hope we see him again this season.