Benjamin Grimm

I like it better when our baseball discussions don't involve semen.

Did they draw crowds in 1997 and 2003?

Was the mound really that color? It looks almost purple.

I liked Jerry's (Seinfeld, not Manuel) point about the monotony of commercials during baseball telecasts. "Can we get a few more sponsors?" It's been like that for as long as I can remember. The same three or four damn commercials, again and again and again. Giuseppe Franco. Derek Jeter's Edge. I remember years ago, my sister and I both were able to recite along with the Garcia y Vega cigar commercials because we saw them again and again.

15 degrees? Celsius, maybe?

Dickey 5 Reyes 3 Davis 2

None of Zvon's poems rhyme.

Frayed Knot wrote: And that 6/180 deal it would take to retain him is numbers pulled out of the air or agent speak (or both). 6 years for a pitcher turning 33? (The numbers in the article were actually $150 million over six, which is $25 million per year.) I was thinking the same thing. It's probably what his agent wants. In a real seller's market, a 32-year-old pitcher might be able to get that, but I'd think that's the absolute ceiling. My guess would be more like $100 million over five, but I'm probably no better guessing at this stuff than anyone else is.

The Mets also would be unlikely to trade either Ike Davis, Jenrry Mejia or Jonathon Niese in a deal for Lee, the source said. If they hold fast to that, then Mejia isn't auditioning for teams as he heads to Double-A Binghamton to be a starting pitcher. That's good news. I wouldn't think that they'd trade Davis, but Mejia is probably the one I'd be most worried that they might trade. Without those three in a deal, the Mets potentially could offer Seattle a package built around such prospects as Ruben Tejada, Fernando Martinez, 18-year-old shortstop Wilmer Flores, 20-year-old righty Jeurys Familia, and Triple-A catcher Josh Thole. I doubt they'd trade all five of those players. It would be one thing if Lee came with the extension (and if he was about three years younger) but for a two-month rental that seems very steep to me.

Let's leave November 1963 behind for a moment... Mets willing to 'rent' Lee from Mariners By MARK HALE Last Updated: 9:57 AM, June 23, 2010 Posted: 2:52 AM, June 23, 2010 The Mets are willing to trade for Cliff Lee without requiring a negotiating window to sign him to an extension, a source with knowledge of the team's thinking told The Post. Lee, the Seattle left-hander who potentially is the top prize of the pre-July 31 trade-deadline period, is a free agent after this season. So if the Mets acquire him without getting a 48- or 72-hour window to sign him, they would be taking a sizeable risk, considering they would be parting with prospects and/or players in order to have him for perhaps only two months. Two years ago, when the Mets agreed to trade for Johan Santana, another star lefty headed for a major contract, they required the opportunity to negotiate an extension. That was right before spring training in 2008, and Santana was signed for that season. The Mets, though, used a 72-hour window to agree to a contract extension and ensure that they weren't trading for Santana for only one season. With Lee, their philosophy would be different, the source said, citing the fact this would be an in-season acquisition. Lee simply would be a rental, and should he leave as a free agent after the year, the Mets would get compensatory draft picks for him. The Mets also would be unlikely to trade either Ike Davis, Jenrry Mejia or Jonathon Niese in a deal for Lee, the source said. If they hold fast to that, then Mejia isn't auditioning for teams as he heads to Double-A Binghamton to be a starting pitcher. Without those three in a deal, the Mets potentially could offer Seattle a package built around such prospects as Ruben Tejada, Fernando Martinez, 18-year-old shortstop Wilmer Flores, 20-year-old righty Jeurys Familia, and Triple-A catcher Josh Thole. Flores went into last night hitting .278 with seven homers and 44 RBIs in low A-ball. Familia is in high A-ball and is the lone Met named to this year's Futures Game. Thole is hitting .278 with two homers and 17 RBIs. Seattle reportedly is interested in acquiring a catcher in any potential deal. Lee, who turns 32 in August, is 5-3 with a 2.55 ERA in 10 starts for the Mariners, including three complete games and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 67-to-4. Over his last 2� seasons with the Indians, Phillies and Mariners, the 2008 AL Cy Young winner has gone a combined 41-19 with a 2.84 ERA in 75 starts. Lee is expected to eventually receive a contract for perhaps six years and $150 million.

Steve Henderson?

He can't be guilty of anything, because he's a Met. Right?

TITANS have cause to fear Pin Man!

I'd prefer Kiner-Murphy Stadium, or Murphy-Kiner Stadium. Ralph is every bit as deserving as Bob.

Beltran has little trade value until he proves himself healthy and productive. And until he does that, it seems foolish to trade anybody, especially Pagan, in order to make room for him. Imagine dealing Pagan and then having Beltran need to shut it down a week later, which is entirely possible. I'm not sure who would be included in a deal for Oswalt or Lee, but since the third best major-league-ready center fielder in the Mets organization appears to be Jesus Feliciano, I would look to avoid having Pagan be included.

It looks like the Marlin's manager's last name is Rodriguez, not Robinson: ESPN wrote: The Florida Marlins have fired manager Fredi Gonzalez, bench coach Carlos Tosca and hitting coach Jim Presley, the team said Wednesday. The team said Edwin Rodriguez had been named interim manager, with Brandon Hyde and John Mallee the interim bench and hitting coaches, respectively. The Palm Beach Post first reported the firing. Rodriguez has been managing the Marlins' AAA affiliate in New Orleans since the beginning of last year.

Totals for June 20, 2010 (11 votes) New York Yankees 4, New York Mets 0 NameTotal PointsPoints AwardedPlayer PerformanceJohan Santana11.991.09(L) 6.0 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO.Jenrry Mejia7.590.691.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO.Fernando Nieve5.930.541.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO.Ruben Tejada3.690.341-3, 2BJason Bay3.140.290-1, 2 BB, SBDavid Wright0.900.081-4, SBAngel Pagan0.750.071-4Ike Davis0.500.051-4, 2 SO

Totals for June 19, 2010 (11 votes) New York Yankees 5, New York Mets 3 NameTotal PointsPoints AwardedPlayer PerformanceJos� Reyes42.803.892-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI, SOAngel Pagan12.641.152-3, 2B, BBRyota Igarashi8.210.751.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO.Mike Pelfrey7.600.69(L) 7.0 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO.Henry Blanco1.450.130-1, R, BB

Second Spitter awarded 10.5 points, and his points were prorated. Totals for June 18, 2010 (12 votes) New York Mets 4, New York Yankees 0 NameTotal PointsPoints AwardedPlayer PerformanceHisanori Takahashi40.383.37(W) 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO.Pedro Feliciano17.941.502.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO.Angel Pagan17.611.471-3, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BBJos� Reyes12.811.072-5, R, 2B, RBIIke Davis9.630.801-4, RBI, 2 SODavid Wright6.870.571-4, R, 2B, BB, SOFrancisco Rodriguez5.570.46(Sv) 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO.Jeff Francoeur4.680.392-4, R, 2BRuben Tejada3.400.281-3, R, BB, SORod Barajas0.200.020-3, BB

Nieve 1.5 Pagan 3.1 Reyes 1.8 Wright 1.8 Davis 1.8

Top talent the alligator!

20 days? I thought they had said it would take six weeks after he started baseball activities. Would that have been 22 days ago?

I'm LOLing.

Those who speak of ME in the dead of night call me NIGHTHAWK! Sorry, I don't mean to rewind this thread, but I love that line. What a way to introduce yourself!

Why wouldn't you? You "know" you're going to be safe, so that will leave you on third base with two outs. You can score on a booted grounder, or a passed ball, or a wild pitch, or a balk. Why not take that base?