Close to the Edge

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Since I can't seem to click twice online without seeing something about this... um... take:

FOX SPORTS, Ken Rosenthal, 5/1:

Mets general manager Omar Minaya says his team does not lack leadership. He concedes, however, that many of the Mets' biggest stars lack a certain "edge."

"We have good guys, solid professionals," Minaya says. "There is a smile on David Wright's face, a smile on Jose Reyes's face. But there is not an edge to them.

"Some people see edge as leadership. Sometimes, you need a little meanness to your game. Some people perceive leadership as meanness.

"I couldn't tell you that we have that type of guy. We have leaders. But everyone's perception of leadership is different."

Minaya says that Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado possess makeups similar to those of Wright and Reyes. He adds that two new Mets, outfielder Gary Sheffield and infielder Alex Cora, provide more of an edge.

Questions about the Mets' leadership and chemistry surfaced after the team lost Game 7 of the 2006 National League Championship Series to the Cardinals, then persisted when the club was eliminated on the final day of the season in both 2007 and '08.

The importance of intangibles is debatable, but Mets manager Jerry Manuel seemed to raise the issue again this week when he said of his offense, "our anxiety takes over and gets in the way of our performing."

Minaya understands the questions � "we've had championship (caliber) clubs the last three years and all we have to show for it is one playoff (appearance)" � but adds, "We've got makeup. We've got the right guys."

Minaya acknowledges that Phillies second baseman Chase Utley, one of the best players for the Mets' biggest division rival, "has an edge to him."

But the GM says that Mets left fielder Dan Murphy, a rookie often praised for his hard-nosed approach, can be that kind of player.

He also believes that Sheffield and Cora, two veterans who have played for World Series champions, can make the Mets more stout.

"When you add guys like Sheffield, guys like Cora, they give you something different," Minaya says. "We needed that. I think it will pay off in the end."

So... who's got the Edge? Sheffield? Cora? Santos? Is Murphy indeed the future of Edge? Who's edgier-- DabidRye, or a paper circle? Does Chase Utley's Edge come from his filthy hooker mouth? If Reyes has no Edge, that why do other teams find him so chafing? And does this talk of "Edge" remind anyone else of this:



Get at me, SJR.

[batmagadanleadoff]

="LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr":c8zr2aoi] FOX SPORTS, Ken Rosenthal, 5/1: Minaya ... adds that two new Mets, outfielder Gary Sheffield and infielder Alex Cora, provide more of an edge.... He also believes that Sheffield and Cora, two veterans who have played for World Series champions, can make the Mets more stout. "When you add guys like Sheffield, guys like Cora, they give you something different," Minaya says. "We needed that. I think it will pay off in the end."[/quote:c8zr2aoi] I'll pass on Sheffield for now. But Alex Cora sucks. And it's sad that a team can't dip into its own farm system to pluck that Cora like talent from a young twentysomething who presumably, would also come with some upside, at least enough to perhaps one day develop into someone as expendable as Luis Lopez.

Fman99 May 04 2009 01:11 PM

I miss Phil Hartman.

metsguyinmichigan May 04 2009 01:40 PM

Remember at all times that sports writers are pack animals. They travel together, think alike, and in a market like New York they do not want to get beat on something or perceived as getting beat on something. They write to impress each other. That is why you see virtually the same column written over as the story of the week. Last week it was "Mets didn't include enough history" template, and this week it's the "Mets lack heart/edge" template.

bmfc1 May 04 2009 01:42 PM

"Don't push me cause I'm close to the edge I'm trying not to lose my head, ah huh-huh-huh It's like a jungle sometimes it makes me wonder How I keep from going under It's like a jungle sometimes it makes me wonder How I keep from going under"

Nymr83 May 04 2009 01:45 PM

]That is why you see virtually the same column written over as the story of the week. Last week it was "Mets didn't include enough history" template, and this week it's the "Mets lack heart/edge" template. When can we have the "Omar is a genius and the Mets are the best team ever" template back?

metsguyinmichigan May 04 2009 02:05 PM

="Nymr83"] ]That is why you see virtually the same column written over as the story of the week. Last week it was "Mets didn't include enough history" template, and this week it's the "Mets lack heart/edge" template. When can we have the "Omar is a genius and the Mets are the best team ever" template back? Convince one of them to write that, and the rest will follow.

John Cougar Lunchbucket May 04 2009 02:16 PM

What'll be news is when Omar does an interview without saying something dumb or embarrassing.

G-Fafif May 04 2009 02:57 PM

I encounter Omar's quotes and I can hear Don Rickles responding. "Omar, just smile and help K-Rod hold up the uniform shirt for the cameras. They don't pay you to talk, dummy."

soupcan May 04 2009 03:03 PM

="Fman99":945ailio]I miss Phil Hartman.[/quote:945ailio] Word. metirish May 04 2009 03:06 PM ="soupcan":3k2i4g3f] ="Fman99":3k2i4g3f]I miss Phil Hartman.[/quote:3k2i4g3f] Word.[/quote:3k2i4g3f] Me too G-Fafif May 04 2009 03:17 PM Took me a while...heart...Hartman. The only baseball connection I could make was his recurring reporting on Weekend Update that unfortunately George Steinbrenner was still alive. Heart...Hartman -- now I get it. And yes, word. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr May 04 2009 03:48 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on May 05 2009 12:52 PM ="G-Fafif":22bu8wau]Took me a while...heart...Hartman. The only baseball connection I could make was his recurring reporting on Weekend Update that unfortunately George Steinbrenner was still alive. Heart...Hartman -- now I get it. And yes, word.[/quote:22bu8wau] That, and the SNL skit involving PH in which he plays the Managing Editor of "Sassy." Various hot male actors of the time-- Jason Priestley, Christian Slater, etc.-- are brought up, and his reaction is always some variation on calling them "sassy." What is "sassy"? The SNL players never explain. Really, it's the same with edge/heart/mojo/swagger, as regards American team sports. It's been said (and I'm paraphrasing, obviously) that G-d is what humans call the unknowable. In a kinda-sorta related way-- if an infinitely-hackier milieu-- it seems to be the name that sportswriters give to those vagaries of chance which, say, deliver St. Louis a World Series championship over more talented Mets and Tigers squads. Why did the Cards win? They hung tough, they hit when it counted... they had pluck, edge, love for the game. It's like luck, but with more of a narrative forced on it. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr May 05 2009 12:39 PM So... Beltran. Two homers. In key spots, both. This count as edge? soupcan May 05 2009 12:47 PM I don't know. I guess so. This kind of crap always bothers me though - did Beltran just gut it out and focus more and just decide 'damn it, I'm taking control of this game!' or did Vasquez just run out of gas and start to make bad pitches? The Braves took an early lead and then stopped hitting (sound familiar?). So did the Mets overcome or did the Braves choke? batmagadanleadoff May 05 2009 12:50 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on May 05 2009 12:52 PM Maybe all that happened is that Beltran hit two HR's: two HR's that (by the way) wouldn't have cleared the outfield wall at Citi Field. John Cougar Lunchbucket May 05 2009 12:52 PM It's obvious Beltran is hot and he got some pitches and didn;t miss 'em. What was a tiny bit more encouraging was seeing Wright hammer one and even Reyes get a solid hit and a few swipes. Anyone remember Reyes? holychicken May 05 2009 01:41 PM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":1musvx31]Anyone remember Reyes?[/quote:1musvx31] Sorry, too busy hating on Wright to think about hating on Reyes right now. However, I reserve the right to remember and hate Reyes once Wright gets and stays out of his funk. Ashie62 May 05 2009 02:23 PM Can we sign Frankens' Stuart Smalley" as morale officer

[Fman99]

I miss Phil Hartman.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Remember at all times that sports writers are pack animals. They travel together, think alike, and in a market like New York they do not want to get beat on something or perceived as getting beat on something. They write to impress each other. That is why you see virtually the same column written over as the story of the week. Last week it was "Mets didn't include enough history" template, and this week it's the "Mets lack heart/edge" template.

[bmfc1]

"Don't push me cause I'm close to the edge
I'm trying not to lose my head, ah huh-huh-huh
It's like a jungle sometimes it makes me wonder
How I keep from going under
It's like a jungle sometimes it makes me wonder
How I keep from going under"

[nymr83]

]That is why you see virtually the same column written over as the story of the week. Last week it was "Mets didn't include enough history" template, and this week it's the "Mets lack heart/edge" template.

When can we have the "Omar is a genius and the Mets are the best team ever" template back?

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

="Nymr83"] ]That is why you see virtually the same column written over as the story of the week. Last week it was "Mets didn't include enough history" template, and this week it's the "Mets lack heart/edge" template. When can we have the "Omar is a genius and the Mets are the best team ever" template back?

Convince one of them to write that, and the rest will follow.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

What'll be news is when Omar does an interview without saying something dumb or embarrassing.

[G-Fafif]

I encounter Omar's quotes and I can hear Don Rickles responding.

"Omar, just smile and help K-Rod hold up the uniform shirt for the cameras. They don't pay you to talk, dummy."

[soupcan]

="Fman99":945ailio]I miss Phil Hartman.[/quote:945ailio] Word.

metirish May 04 2009 03:06 PM

="soupcan":3k2i4g3f] ="Fman99":3k2i4g3f]I miss Phil Hartman.[/quote:3k2i4g3f] Word.[/quote:3k2i4g3f] Me too G-Fafif May 04 2009 03:17 PM Took me a while...heart...Hartman. The only baseball connection I could make was his recurring reporting on Weekend Update that unfortunately George Steinbrenner was still alive. Heart...Hartman -- now I get it. And yes, word. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr May 04 2009 03:48 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on May 05 2009 12:52 PM ="G-Fafif":22bu8wau]Took me a while...heart...Hartman. The only baseball connection I could make was his recurring reporting on Weekend Update that unfortunately George Steinbrenner was still alive. Heart...Hartman -- now I get it. And yes, word.[/quote:22bu8wau] That, and the SNL skit involving PH in which he plays the Managing Editor of "Sassy." Various hot male actors of the time-- Jason Priestley, Christian Slater, etc.-- are brought up, and his reaction is always some variation on calling them "sassy." What is "sassy"? The SNL players never explain. Really, it's the same with edge/heart/mojo/swagger, as regards American team sports. It's been said (and I'm paraphrasing, obviously) that G-d is what humans call the unknowable. In a kinda-sorta related way-- if an infinitely-hackier milieu-- it seems to be the name that sportswriters give to those vagaries of chance which, say, deliver St. Louis a World Series championship over more talented Mets and Tigers squads. Why did the Cards win? They hung tough, they hit when it counted... they had pluck, edge, love for the game. It's like luck, but with more of a narrative forced on it. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr May 05 2009 12:39 PM So... Beltran. Two homers. In key spots, both. This count as edge? soupcan May 05 2009 12:47 PM I don't know. I guess so. This kind of crap always bothers me though - did Beltran just gut it out and focus more and just decide 'damn it, I'm taking control of this game!' or did Vasquez just run out of gas and start to make bad pitches? The Braves took an early lead and then stopped hitting (sound familiar?). So did the Mets overcome or did the Braves choke? batmagadanleadoff May 05 2009 12:50 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on May 05 2009 12:52 PM Maybe all that happened is that Beltran hit two HR's: two HR's that (by the way) wouldn't have cleared the outfield wall at Citi Field. John Cougar Lunchbucket May 05 2009 12:52 PM It's obvious Beltran is hot and he got some pitches and didn;t miss 'em. What was a tiny bit more encouraging was seeing Wright hammer one and even Reyes get a solid hit and a few swipes. Anyone remember Reyes? holychicken May 05 2009 01:41 PM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":1musvx31]Anyone remember Reyes?[/quote:1musvx31] Sorry, too busy hating on Wright to think about hating on Reyes right now. However, I reserve the right to remember and hate Reyes once Wright gets and stays out of his funk. Ashie62 May 05 2009 02:23 PM Can we sign Frankens' Stuart Smalley" as morale officer

[metirish]

="soupcan":3k2i4g3f] ="Fman99":3k2i4g3f]I miss Phil Hartman.[/quote:3k2i4g3f] Word.[/quote:3k2i4g3f] Me too G-Fafif May 04 2009 03:17 PM Took me a while...heart...Hartman. The only baseball connection I could make was his recurring reporting on Weekend Update that unfortunately George Steinbrenner was still alive. Heart...Hartman -- now I get it. And yes, word. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr May 04 2009 03:48 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on May 05 2009 12:52 PM ="G-Fafif":22bu8wau]Took me a while...heart...Hartman. The only baseball connection I could make was his recurring reporting on Weekend Update that unfortunately George Steinbrenner was still alive. Heart...Hartman -- now I get it. And yes, word.[/quote:22bu8wau] That, and the SNL skit involving PH in which he plays the Managing Editor of "Sassy." Various hot male actors of the time-- Jason Priestley, Christian Slater, etc.-- are brought up, and his reaction is always some variation on calling them "sassy." What is "sassy"? The SNL players never explain. Really, it's the same with edge/heart/mojo/swagger, as regards American team sports. It's been said (and I'm paraphrasing, obviously) that G-d is what humans call the unknowable. In a kinda-sorta related way-- if an infinitely-hackier milieu-- it seems to be the name that sportswriters give to those vagaries of chance which, say, deliver St. Louis a World Series championship over more talented Mets and Tigers squads. Why did the Cards win? They hung tough, they hit when it counted... they had pluck, edge, love for the game. It's like luck, but with more of a narrative forced on it. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr May 05 2009 12:39 PM So... Beltran. Two homers. In key spots, both. This count as edge? soupcan May 05 2009 12:47 PM I don't know. I guess so. This kind of crap always bothers me though - did Beltran just gut it out and focus more and just decide 'damn it, I'm taking control of this game!' or did Vasquez just run out of gas and start to make bad pitches? The Braves took an early lead and then stopped hitting (sound familiar?). So did the Mets overcome or did the Braves choke? batmagadanleadoff May 05 2009 12:50 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on May 05 2009 12:52 PM Maybe all that happened is that Beltran hit two HR's: two HR's that (by the way) wouldn't have cleared the outfield wall at Citi Field. John Cougar Lunchbucket May 05 2009 12:52 PM It's obvious Beltran is hot and he got some pitches and didn;t miss 'em. What was a tiny bit more encouraging was seeing Wright hammer one and even Reyes get a solid hit and a few swipes. Anyone remember Reyes? holychicken May 05 2009 01:41 PM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":1musvx31]Anyone remember Reyes?[/quote:1musvx31] Sorry, too busy hating on Wright to think about hating on Reyes right now. However, I reserve the right to remember and hate Reyes once Wright gets and stays out of his funk. Ashie62 May 05 2009 02:23 PM Can we sign Frankens' Stuart Smalley" as morale officer

[G-Fafif]

Took me a while...heart...Hartman. The only baseball connection I could make was his recurring reporting on Weekend Update that unfortunately George Steinbrenner was still alive.

Heart...Hartman -- now I get it. And yes, word.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

="G-Fafif":22bu8wau]Took me a while...heart...Hartman. The only baseball connection I could make was his recurring reporting on Weekend Update that unfortunately George Steinbrenner was still alive. Heart...Hartman -- now I get it. And yes, word.[/quote:22bu8wau] That, and the SNL skit involving PH in which he plays the Managing Editor of "Sassy." Various hot male actors of the time-- Jason Priestley, Christian Slater, etc.-- are brought up, and his reaction is always some variation on calling them "sassy." What is "sassy"? The SNL players never explain. Really, it's the same with edge/heart/mojo/swagger, as regards American team sports. It's been said (and I'm paraphrasing, obviously) that G-d is what humans call the unknowable. In a kinda-sorta related way-- if an infinitely-hackier milieu-- it seems to be the name that sportswriters give to those vagaries of chance which, say, deliver St. Louis a World Series championship over more talented Mets and Tigers squads. Why did the Cards win? They hung tough, they hit when it counted... they had pluck, edge, love for the game. It's like luck, but with more of a narrative forced on it.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr May 05 2009 12:39 PM

So... Beltran. Two homers. In key spots, both. This count as edge?

soupcan May 05 2009 12:47 PM

I don't know. I guess so. This kind of crap always bothers me though - did Beltran just gut it out and focus more and just decide 'damn it, I'm taking control of this game!' or did Vasquez just run out of gas and start to make bad pitches? The Braves took an early lead and then stopped hitting (sound familiar?). So did the Mets overcome or did the Braves choke?

batmagadanleadoff May 05 2009 12:50 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on May 05 2009 12:52 PM

Maybe all that happened is that Beltran hit two HR's: two HR's that (by the way) wouldn't have cleared the outfield wall at Citi Field.

John Cougar Lunchbucket May 05 2009 12:52 PM

It's obvious Beltran is hot and he got some pitches and didn;t miss 'em. What was a tiny bit more encouraging was seeing Wright hammer one and even Reyes get a solid hit and a few swipes. Anyone remember Reyes?

holychicken May 05 2009 01:41 PM

="John Cougar Lunchbucket":1musvx31]Anyone remember Reyes?[/quote:1musvx31] Sorry, too busy hating on Wright to think about hating on Reyes right now. However, I reserve the right to remember and hate Reyes once Wright gets and stays out of his funk. Ashie62 May 05 2009 02:23 PM Can we sign Frankens' Stuart Smalley" as morale officer

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

So... Beltran. Two homers. In key spots, both. This count as edge?

[soupcan]

I don't know. I guess so.

This kind of crap always bothers me though - did Beltran just gut it out and focus more and just decide 'damn it, I'm taking control of this game!' or did Vasquez just run out of gas and start to make bad pitches?

The Braves took an early lead and then stopped hitting (sound familiar?). So did the Mets overcome or did the Braves choke?

[batmagadanleadoff]

Maybe all that happened is that Beltran hit two HR's: two HR's that (by the way) wouldn't have cleared the outfield wall at Citi Field.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

It's obvious Beltran is hot and he got some pitches and didn;t miss 'em.

What was a tiny bit more encouraging was seeing Wright hammer one and even Reyes get a solid hit and a few swipes.

Anyone remember Reyes?

[Guest holychicken]

="John Cougar Lunchbucket":1musvx31]Anyone remember Reyes?[/quote:1musvx31] Sorry, too busy hating on Wright to think about hating on Reyes right now. However, I reserve the right to remember and hate Reyes once Wright gets and stays out of his funk.

Ashie62 May 05 2009 02:23 PM

Can we sign Frankens' Stuart Smalley" as morale officer

[ashie62]

Can we sign Frankens' Stuart Smalley" as morale officer