Benjamin Grimm

I seem to remember Putz getting a save in a close game where each of the three outs was hard hit or required a spectacular defensive play. Anyone else remember that? I may be fuzzy on the details, and I don't remember who the opponent was. (And it may even have been a "hold" and not a "save.")

He leaves the Mets on the one-year anniversary of the date that the Mets acquired him.

Frank Cashen Davey Johnson Rube Walker Dwight Gooden Darryl Strawberry Bobby Valentine Mike Piazza Jane Jarvis

Mike Vail was a flash in the pan. Doc Gooden was a Rookie of the Year, a Cy Young, and a key part of a World Championship and an additional division title.

I think Ehrhart deserves a display in the museum, but not a bust in the Hall. And I feel the same way about the Chicken.

I can't believe he's even in the discussion. It would be like enshrining the San Diego Chicken in Cooperstown.

The first two names I thought of were Stearns and Swan. Later examples: Jose Reyes and Cliff Floyd.

This is interesting: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/clt/1504266940.html I'm sure the printout of the box score contributes to the bulk of the asking price.

From Wikipedia: Minor League Free Agency - Like major leaguers, minor league players also enjoy free agency. Their contracts expire after seven Minor League seasons, if they are not on the 40-man major league roster at the time of the expiration of their Minor League contracts. Those who can't find the right deal with an affiliated baseball club may also take a season in independent baseball before returning to the farm system of another major league club. This is done because players, in the world of free agency and high-dollar salaries, often find their careers "stuck." Major league clubs will often trade for a big dollar position player rather than call someone up from the minor leagues. This can leave position players in the Triple-A and Double-A levels of the farm system with no ability to move up. They become "spare parts" players unless they can find a new club that views their skills differently. This is exactly the kind of free agency (except, perhaps, for the seven-year part) that Tommy Henrich pioneered. According to Baseball America, these are the 24 players from the Mets system who gained minor league free agency this winter: New York Mets (24) RHP: Manuel Alvarez (Hi A), Julio de la Cruz (AA), German Marte++ (AA), Chris Mason (AAA), Tim McNab (AAA), Carlos Muniz+ (AAA), Jose Sanchez+ (AAA), Kyle Snyder (AAA), Jim Ed Warden (AAA) LHP: Edgar Alfonzo (AA), Adam Bostick (AAA), Adam Pettyjohn (AAA), Heriberto Ruelas (AA) C: Robinson Cancel (AAA), Salvador Paniagua (AA), Rene Rivera (AAA) 2B: Argenis Reyes (AAA) 3B: Javier Castillo (AAA), Mark Kiger (AA), Mike Lamb (AAA) OF: Chip Ambres (AAA), Jason Dubois (AAA), Jesus Feliciano (AAA), Luis Rivera (SS)

I imagine that the Nationals felt they had younger and/or more promising young players and didn't have room for Everts on their 40-man roster. I'm not sure how the rules work exactly, but you can't keep someone buried in the farm system forever; eventually they have to be on the 40-man, or promoted, or they get to be a free agent. (I'm getting a d�j� vu thing here; this is like the Tommy Henrich discussion from last week.)

Gordon Edes, blogging on ESPN.com, writes: The Mets had been focused on pitching, but with the Los Angeles Angels indicating they had "more pressing needs" than pursuing a left fielder, GM Omar Minaya has moved aggressively toward adding Bay.

It's a starting offer. It shows Bay, and the world, (and Scott Boras) that the Mets are interested. The process is just beginning. I imagine the Mets intend to subsequently revise that offer upwards as things develop.

I remember her from her tennis playing days. She was kinda cute.

It's highly unlikely that they'll ever show a Mets loss. (They must figure they show plenty of those on the regular telecasts.)

Okay now, hug it out!

I definitely agree that Fonzie belongs. I just don't think he should be next in line.

I remember listening on the radio as I was driving to work in the morning. After I arrived I sat in the parking lot for a few minutes and heard the home run. (It was worth delaying my walk across the parking lot for that!) A nice way to start a work day.

Okay, December 9 is the most popular date for Mets players* to be born, with eight. It's tied with October 1. Of the eight Mets born on October 1, two of them (25 per cent!) are named "Chuck." Chuck Hiller Buzz Capra Jeff Reardon Bob Myrick Pete Falcone Chuck McElroy John Thomson Brandon Knight Seven Mets were born on December 1 (Julio Machado, George Foster, Dan Schatzeder, Elliott Maddox, Tom Filer, Herm Winningham, and Greg McMichael) and another seven on December 3 (Wayne Garrett, Mark Bradley, Paul Byrd, Kevin Morgan, Darryl Hamilton, Dave Eilers, and Tobi Stoner). The day in between, December 2, is one of the 29 dates on which zero Mets were born. (01/05, 01/18, 01/25, 01/26, 02/03, 02/06, 02/08, 02/26, 03/06, 03/14, 03/15, 03/18, 04/22, 05/22, 05/26, 05/30, 06/13, 06/14, 07/20, 07/23, 07/26, 07/27, 07/28, 09/10, 10/08, 11/19, 12/02, 12/12, and 12/22.) This might lead you to think that most Mets were born in December, but you'd be WRONG! December, with 85 Met birthdays, comes in third, behind 30-day months November (93) and April (88). February, with the fewest days, has more birthdays (59) than 31-day July, which came in last with 55. August has 81, October 79, March 70, September 69, June 67, January 65, and May 63. Five Mets were born on Christmas Day. Strangely, none of them were named "Noel" or "Holly" or "Joy": Rickey Henderson, Dennis Musgraves, Tom O'Malley, Al Jackson, and Ruben Gotay. Frank Taveras and Matt Ginter were born on Christmas Eve. Rick Aguilera is the lone Met to have been born on New Year's Eve, giving his parents a last-minute tax deduction. Fernando Tatis wasn't so courteous. He's the only Met born on New Year's Day, but the tax laws may be different in the Dominican Republic, where he was born. Pairs of Mets who were born on the very same day: Donn Clendenon and Bob Miller Ken Sanders and Gary Kroll Ron Locke and Jim Fregosi Phil Hennigan and Leroy Stanton Gene Clines and Gary Gentry Bob Gallagher and Tommy Moore Pepe Mangual and Butch Metzger Roger Mason and Scott Holman Rusty Tillman and Bill Latham Mario Diaz and Jim Lindeman Rich Rodriguez and Tony Castillo Wally Whitehurst and Bret Saberhagen Kenny Rogers and Junior Noboa Pat Howell and Hideo Nomo Ken Takahashi and Fernando Vina Bobby Jones and Alberto Castillo Carl Everett and Aaron Ledesma Kris Benson and Glendon Rusch McKay Christensen and Eric Cammack * I didn't look at coaches and other non-playing personnel, because the question of where to draw the line can be fuzzy. I'm only looking at the elite 874 human beings who have worn the Mets uniform in regulation play.

Sheesh. I had just placed an order for my custom Carlos Monasterios Mets jersey!

I'm pretty sure that there are. When each day is allotted 2 point something, and some days are getting six or eight, then other days will end up below average. I'll list the blank days when I find them. My guess is that there will be a couple of dozen of them. February 29, though, won't be one of them, thanks to Terrence Long's brief stint as a Met.

I understand that we're all hungry for news, but there's no point in hurrying to get something done. Transactions made in December have no more impact than those made in February. Either way, the newly acquired player isn't going to be in a game that counts until April.

Cashen, Darryl, Doc, and Bobby V. I don't think Leiter belongs, and Matlack is a fringe candidate. HoJo is also kind of fringey, and Darling can wait; give him time to bolster his credentials by extending his broadcasting tenure. Cashen, like Jane Jarvis, is getting on in years. (To say the least.) Darryl and Doc are currently in good graces with the Mets, that may not continue to be the case. I kind of wavered on Bobby Valentine because there's that slim chance that his Mets history may not yet be complete.

Jarvis, Johnson, Piazza, Walker. I left out Ehrhardt and Orosco because I don't think they belong. Jarvis got in ahead of Fonzie and Franco because of her advance age. Walker, although he's dead at the present time, is long overdue.