Benjamin Grimm

I'd be glad to have him back, too, but I'm hoping that Jerry Manuel leads the Mets to the pennant in each of the next seven years, and if that happens there won't be an opening for a new manager for quite a while.

="Centerfield"]Holy crap that sucks. They might as well just wear a patch of my ass. I think the guy on Baseball Fever photoshopped that one too.

Tony Bernazard said that Cleto was the guy he most regretted giving up.

Ugly. Hopefully it will be postage-stamp size. I agree that a logo showing the Jackie Robinson Rotunda would be much better. They used an image of Shea in the 2008 patch and it worked very well.

There's still Baltimore and Washington. Boras isn't quite out of options yet.

If the Yankees miss the playoffs, or perhaps even if they exit early, in 2009, look for Bobby to be in the Bronx in 2010.

Schaefer Stalker of the Year.

Mike Pelfrey was on Mets Hot Stove this week. He had just returned from a honeymoon in Hawaii.

Never mind, I got it: ="Associated Press":2dpzdv70]His wife, Hjordis, said he died at the USC Medical Center in Los Angeles.[/quote:2dpzdv70] Frayed Knot Dec 20 2008 06:34 AM Liver cirrhosis would have certainly been among the first few guesses for Dock. His given name was actually Dock; Dock Phillip Ellis. I would not have guessed that. 16th ranked Met in 1979, good for 321st overall (though soon to fall several spots). 2 Met deaths in one week - but only one by a guy I remember. Edgy DC Dec 20 2008 07:50 AM ="Frayed Knot":xzpuqcm7]Liver cirrhosis would have certainly been among the first few guesses for Dock.[/quote:xzpuqcm7] Not shot down by a jealous lover? metsguyinmichigan Dec 20 2008 03:39 PM ="Benjamin Grimm"]="Edgy DC"] Bad week for ephemeral Mets. Yeah. This is the only the second time we've lost two Mets players in one week. (It happened last December with Jack Lamabe and Jim Beauchamp.) 48 Mets players have now died. Exactly 800 are still living. Three honorary Schaefer points to anyone who can get me the city in which Dock Ellis died. Ellis had died at USC Medical Center in Los Angeles. Edgy DC Dec 20 2008 07:47 PM Seems like we lost two coaches in one week a short while ago. OE: Vern Ruhle (January 20, 2007) and Bing Devine (January 27, 2007),. Not quite. Edgy DC Dec 21 2008 05:31 PM Dock Ellis, first ballplayer known to appear on the field in curlers: MFS62 Dec 22 2008 06:03 AM He's taking his last trip. RIP, Dock. Later

="Edgy DC"] Bad week for ephemeral Mets. Yeah. This is the only the second time we've lost two Mets players in one week. (It happened last December with Jack Lamabe and Jim Beauchamp.) 48 Mets players have now died. Exactly 800 are still living. Three honorary Schaefer points to anyone who can get me the city in which Dock Ellis died.

That would be good if Sean Green ends up being a solid bullpenner. I am glad the Mets got Putz, but I do regret losing Joe Smith for one year of Putz. So I do hope Green can contribute in 2010 and beyond.

Marty Noble, for what it's worth, is quite happy with the Mets in left field. (He was talking about it on Hot Stove Report a couple of weeks ago.) He likes platoons, and he thinks the Mets have it in the proper balance, with the older player being right-handed and not playing as often, and the younger guy being a lefty and getting more at bats. He thinks they'll be solid in left. I hope he's right. But it seems to me there's more than a decent chance that Tatis will decline and that Murphy's 2008 success won't carry over.

="HahnSolo":2hrybrte]Is there any market for Hudson. I don't see his name linked to too many teams. Actually, the only place I usually see his name is from Mets fans who want Luis out and him in. Just wondering that if there's not much market, then maybe it doesn't cost as much in years and dollars. The hideous Castillo contract haunts us some more.[/quote:2hrybrte] I got curious (no, not like Marv Albert did!) and checked Google News to see if there are any rumors about any teams bidding for Hudson. A quick glance at the results shows casual interest from the Yankees and Washington and strong interest from San Francisco and Cleveland, but both the Giants and Indians stories are almost a month old by now. John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 18 2008 02:16 PM The issue with Hudson would be that signing him costs still more drafts next year. I am by no means a supporter of Castillo -- I was against signing him way back when he was good, even -- but if we just left him there and he was healthy I am CAHNfident he'll have a better year. I can't say that about any other player in the lineup 'cept maybe Church, and even then, I ain't sure. So yeah, the answer is left field, or if we trade Church, right field. Benjamin Grimm Dec 18 2008 02:24 PM Marty Noble, for what it's worth, is quite happy with the Mets in left field. (He was talking about it on Hot Stove Report a couple of weeks ago.) He likes platoons, and he thinks the Mets have it in the proper balance, with the older player being right-handed and not playing as often, and the younger guy being a lefty and getting more at bats. He thinks they'll be solid in left. I hope he's right. But it seems to me there's more than a decent chance that Tatis will decline and that Murphy's 2008 success won't carry over. Edgy DC Dec 18 2008 02:36 PM Shane and Karim but me off of platooning a little. John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 18 2008 02:38 PM If one platoon works, how about two? Burrell can platoon with Murphy and/or Church. It would mean fewer starts for Tatis, but allows him to be the primary RH pinch-hitter we need and more of a 3B/RF/LF backup to all 3. Edgy DC Dec 18 2008 02:44 PM My thinking is to bring in Burrell, get Tatis and Murphy at bats where they can, until on of those dubious positions gets all FUBARred and those guys are brought in to shore it up, and, if workable, steal it outright. HahnSolo Dec 18 2008 02:46 PM ="Benjamin Grimm":xjjhr5lh]="HahnSolo":xjjhr5lh]Is there any market for Hudson. I don't see his name linked to too many teams. Actually, the only place I usually see his name is from Mets fans who want Luis out and him in. Just wondering that if there's not much market, then maybe it doesn't cost as much in years and dollars. The hideous Castillo contract haunts us some more.[/quote:xjjhr5lh] I got curious (no, not like Marv Albert did!) and checked Google News to see if there are any rumors about any teams bidding for Hudson. A quick glance at the results shows casual interest from the Yankees and Washington and strong interest from San Francisco and Cleveland, but both the Giants and Indians stories are almost a month old by now.[/quote:xjjhr5lh] Speaking of Cleveland, didn't someone here, in the last offseason, advocate going after Josh Barfield and Kelly Shoppach in a trade? HahnSolo Dec 18 2008 02:48 PM ="Edgy DC":1nhltiet]My thinking is to bring in Burrell, get Tatis and Murphy at bats where they can, until on of those dubious positions gets all FUBARred and those guys are brought in to shore it up, and, if workable, steal it outright.[/quote:1nhltiet] I'd like some quality bats and some quality depth. Burrell, sounds good to me. But lets make sure we have insurance if/when Church/Castillo/Castro, et al get hurt. The last three seasons it seems that thanks to injuries guys are getting more ABs with us than they should. John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 18 2008 02:48 PM I suppose if you bring in Burrell you play him most days and mostly in left. Then Murph could challenge either Church or Castillo. The other thing we gotta think about is first base in 2010 -- not many good FA's coming to market then, unless you count Delgado, so maybe this year's left fielder is next year's first baseman. That also looks maybe like a Burrell kinda job. Vic Sage Dec 18 2008 03:37 PM 1B - we have relatively lower dollars tied up in all the other "trouble" positions, and if in-season moves are necessary, we won't be paralyzed by budgetary constraints to fix any of them, unlike our $12m 1bman. Also, none of the other positions are being counted on for middle-of-the-order production. So, if Delgado's 1st half becomes the first 2/3 of the 2009 season, it'll be hard for the Mets to come back. If his 1st half is replicated for the entire 2009 season, we're cooked. Vic Sage Dec 18 2008 03:51 PM ]Speaking of Cleveland, didn't someone here, in the last offseason, advocate going after Josh Barfield and Kelly Shoppach in a trade? that sounds like me. I'm surprised Barfield has not developed, but Shoppach sure showed some punch last year. Centerfield Dec 18 2008 08:05 PM From ESPN: The Red Sox, too, have bid aggressively, after having quietly targeted the switch-hitting, Gold-Glove caliber first baseman throughout this entire offseason. Teixeira, who turns 29 next April, has been among the most consistent hitters in the majors in recent years, thriving when he was traded to contenders twice in consecutive years -- first, in 2007, to the Braves, and then in 2008, to the Angels. Teixeira batted .358 in 54 games for the Angels, with 13 homers and 43 RBIs. When the Angels met the Red Sox in the postseason, Teixeira batted .467 with four walks in four games. If the Red Sox complete the negotiations for Teixeira, they presumably would shift Kevin Youkilis -- who finished third in the AL MVP voting in 2008 -- to third base, and look to deal veteran third baseman Mike Lowell, who is under contract through 2 010. The Red Sox have gauged the market enough to know that they can find a suitable deal for Lowell, if necessary. Boston may decide to keep Lowell into spring training, until they get a read on how effective Ortiz will be going into this season. The Red Sox became increasingly concerned about the quality of the middle of their lineup through the 2008 season, as David Ortiz struggled to come back from a wrist injury and after Manny Ramirez was traded. Is there any question that if Omar were the Sox GM, he would talk about how they are "set" at first and third? For the record, the Red Sox beat the Mets in just about every offensive category. I realize that there's that DH thing, but the Sox were second only to Texas in runs scored in the AL. They could have easily used that "we scored enough runs last year" logic if they so chose. Edgy DC Dec 18 2008 08:37 PM Proof in pudding. Actions will speak. smg58 Dec 19 2008 05:25 AM For starters, the Red Sox are currently talking as though they've been seriously outbid. 8 years and $200M for Teixeira is looking likely. In addition, with a few third baseman on the market who won't make $24M over the next two years, will not cost players, and are not injury risks, don't assume that the Sox can sell Lowell for more than pennies on the dollar. The Mets would be in a similar position with Delgado; if teams looking for a DH/1B can get a year of Giambi for less money and no players, or three years of Dunn for less money per year and no players, pennies on the dollar is the most you can hope for. And that has to be factored into the final bill for Teixeira. And the Red Sox don't need more pitching as badly as the Mets, either. We need to add another lefty reliever, and right now we have two spots in the rotation to fill with only one rookie who's likely a year away in any position to fill one of them. metirish Dec 19 2008 07:14 AM Red Sox owner said in an email to reporters that they went to Dallas to meet with Texeria and Boras and quickly realized that they would not be a factor despite offering $160 million for eight years. John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 19 2008 07:48 AM They did a similar act with Dice-K before they wound up with him. Edgy DC Dec 19 2008 08:16 AM ="HahnSolo":sx1dmk2j]="Edgy DC":sx1dmk2j]My thinking is to bring in Burrell, get Tatis and Murphy at bats where they can, until on of those dubious positions gets all FUBARred and those guys are brought in to shore it up, and, if workable, steal it outright.[/quote:sx1dmk2j] I'd like some quality bats and some quality depth. Burrell, sounds good to me. But lets make sure we have insurance if/when Church/Castillo/Castro, et al get hurt. The last three seasons it seems that thanks to injuries guys are getting more ABs with us than they should.[/quote:sx1dmk2j] I'd say it's like that every year. Centerfield Dec 19 2008 11:21 AM ="Edgy DC":3a6v80an]Proof in pudding. Actions will speak.[/quote:3a6v80an] They've already acted. They don't have to actually land Texiera to act in the manner I want the Mets to act in. By exploring their opportunities, recognizing a valuable asset, gauging the market for Lowell, they've already done exactly what I've been saying Omar should do. If they get outbid, so be it. At least they've demonstrated an ability to be creative and not get boxed in with conventional thinking. They recognized how special Texiera was as a player. They recognized that, despite impressive offensive numbers last year, that the middle of their lineup could use upgrading. They did not allow that fact that they have players locked in at those positions prevent them from making a run at Texeira. And if, after all that, they get outbid, so be it. At least they tried. My point this whole offseason is that the Mets should have tried to make a run at him. They should have explored the market for Delgado. Even if they get nothing back for Carlos other than dumping his salary, and if they can find a taker for Schneider (Red Sox rumored to be interested), then that frees up $18 million. Backload an 8 year, 160 million dollar deal and that adds no additional payroll. It does not prevent them from pursuing a pitcher or three. Is there anyone on earth that wouldn't rather have a combination of Texiera/Castro rather than Delgado/Schneider? If that's the case, why not try? Edgy DC Dec 19 2008 12:22 PM I'm referring, I think it's clear in my tense, to the team having a full off-season in which to continue to pursue players. Do we really need more leaks out of Metland as proof of adminstrative action? Nymr83 Dec 19 2008 02:58 PM The proof will be in the roster that takes the field April 1st, at which time I'll criticize Omar (or praise him) for his roster moves, meanwhile he should keep his hand close to his chest.

Of the 848 Mets players, 47 of them are no longer living.

I picked right field, but I could easily have gone with second base or left field. My biggest concern is that the Mets might not address any of these positions. I think Delgado will be okay next year, but there won't be another Texiera on the market for 2010, so by going with Delgado they pass up a chance to solve first base for most of the next decade. I would have had a similar beef if they had gone with Trevor Hoffman as the closer. Fortunately that didn't happen. I doubt this will happen, but I'd like to see the Mets sign Orlando Hudson to a multi-year contract. They can give him a signing bonus and back-end the dollars so that the could minimize the combined amount that Castillo and Hudson will be getting. It might take some creative financing, and it may not be possible, but they really need to so something. Going into 2009 with Schneider, Tatis, Murphy, Church, Delgado, and Castillo all slated for starting roles seems to me to be a setup for disaster.

Ain't dat the troof! My concern is that Omar is fixing last year's problem, which is well and good, but not addressing next year's problem. I don't like how he's standing pat on the offense. Sure, they scored a lot of runs last year, but guys like Delgado and Tatis are both one year older (actually, everyone is, but it's more of an issue with the old guys!) and we might also see decline from guys like Church and Castillo.

He has "K-ROD" monogrammed into his shirts? Oh, brother. I'm afraid that nickname isn't going to go away any time soon. But, wow, don't Jeff and Jerry seem thrilled? You'd think a faulty bullpen caused them to miss the playoffs last season.

]The Mets could pursue a low-risk, high-reward starting pitcher - among the free agents fitting that category are Bartolo Colon, Freddy Garcia and Eric Milton - and hold a competition pitting such veterans against Niese in spring training. Pedro Martinez would fit that category too.

I like how he mentioned that he'd never be able to find an Anna Benson card. The thing is... he's wrong! http://leaptoad.com/mets/jpeg/AnnaBenson1973.jpg

That's damn cool. I'll have to get a t-shirt or something.

="John Cougar Lunchbucket":28qvk4n7]I could not have been any more tuned out to what was happening to the Mets while they went through this period. I really thought I had broken up with baseball for good.[/quote:28qvk4n7] I never thought I was done with baseball, but I did become a whole lot less interested. And still, 14 years later, my full interest hasn't returned. And at this point it's safe to say it won't. A Boy Named Seo Dec 16 2008 02:56 PM I'd forgotten or didn't know Sisk came back for that. Weren't Agbayani and Reed replacements? Benny was for the Mets, but was Reed also? OlerudOwned Dec 16 2008 02:57 PM http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/sports/1995/03/06/1995-03-06_fans_are_hitched_to_mets__wa.html An article all about Bubba, written by current annoying NY Rangers studio host John Giannone. ]FANS ARE HITCHED TO METS' WAGNON LANDSCAPER STANDS OUT IN FIELD By JOHN GIANNONE Monday, March 6th 1995, 3:63AM PORT ST. LUCIE He is one of the poster boys for replacement baseball. Not the paunchy, worn-out former big-league version who is trying to capture one last moment in the sun. Rather, the freckle-faced, wide-eyed, diminutive ex-college player who couldn't help but leap at the chance to get one taste of the big time. Meet Marty (Bubba) Wagnon, ReplaceMet second baseman. Yes, Bubba Wagnon, a Birmingham landscaper who has energized the past week of an otherwise tedious Met camp with his spunky, thousand-miles-an-hour work ethic. "He has tremendous enthusiasm for the game," coach Frank Howard said. "Guys like that really lighten things up." How else can you explain Wagnon, 27, being offered a replacement contract on the very day he was picked off first base . . . and second base . . . and thrown out at home during a safety squeeze during a game-situation intrasquad scrimmage? "He's a pepper pot, I'll tell you that," coach Mike Cubbage said. "He might be a throwback, an old-time player. He can be a legend in this (replacement) league. You can't help but like the guy. He's a real fan-pleaser." It took the Mets' spring fans exactly one game to unofficially adopt the 5-9 whirling dervish. Chants of "Bubba, Bubba" were heard each time Wagnon came to bat or made a defensive play in Saturday's exhibition opener, a 2-1 loss to the Yankees. It didn't matter, at least for one game, that Wagnon struck out twice and stranded runners in scoring position. His exuberance won over fans, coaches, teammates and a contingent of media that came to Wagnon's side throughout the day. Saturday's game was broadcast on WWOR-TV, marking the first time Wagnon has been on television. And since the Wagnon family doesn't have that station on cable at home, the event provided the Wagnon family and friends an excuse to spend the day at a Birmingham watering hole. It was the first time Wagnon appeared in a uniform other than his landscaping garb since he graduated from Montevallo (Alabama) University in 1990. "I'm just having the time of my life, this is unbelievable," Wagnon said in an almost unintelligible Southern drawl. "I don't know if it has all hit home yet. It's just amazing being around everybody you've only heard about and everything they have here." Wagnon came to the Mets' attention through minor-league pitching coach Bill Latham, who attended the same high school as the co-owner of B&B Landscaping (Bubba and Bubba we didn't make this up). And with the shortage of infielders on the ReplaceMets, Wagnon and Met scouting assistant Tom Allison suddenly became hot commodities and now comprise the replacement double-play combination. "I've always wanted this," Wagnon said of his 15 minutes of baseball fame. "I went to a Dodger camp and a Kansas City Royals camp in Alabama but nothing came from it. So the past four years I've been in the landscaping business. "Believe me, this is much better than cutting grass." G-Fafif Dec 16 2008 02:59 PM One more from NYT: ]Joe McIlvaine had never heard of Chris Walpole. Neither had Gerry Hunsicker, the Mets' assistant vice president of baseball operations. More than likely, Manager Dallas Green still cannot match the name to the face. A 26-year-old third baseman, Walpole was never drafted by a major league club and has never played in any team's system. His professional baseball career is limited to 25 games with the independent Thunder Bay Whiskey Jacks, who play in the Class A Northern League. Still, he was signed to be a Mets replacement player, sight unseen. In Walpole's case, a contract was tendered at the recommendation of Drew Marino, his friend and a Mets statistician. Marino briefed the Mets on Walpole's abilities, his history and his health. And, in the end, the Mets probably know as much -- and, in some cases, more -- about Walpole than they do about the other 27 players they have signed to replacement player contracts. "It wasn't a really scientific process," said McIlvaine, the Mets' general manager. "We did not have the time." Of the 28 replacement players in the Mets' camp, four were signed by area scouts who gave them individual workouts. Eight came from the club's official tryout camps. Six more came to Shea Stadium and worked out for McIlvaine or another Met executive. Nine were signed sight unseen. And one -- Dave Jensen -- simply showed up on the first day of camp, banking on his past history in the Mets' minor league system. Jensen threw for Greg Pavlick, the Mets' pitching coach. Two days later, he had a deal. "Normally, when you sign somebody to a contract, what you do is all but live with that kid for a while," McIlvaine said. "You know everything about his family, his friends, his background. You do a detective's job. That wasn't possible this time." With barely a month to unearth and sign approximately 30 replacement players, the Mets did what most clubs had to do -- they gambled. Making a player's baseball experience their No. 1 priority, the Mets took players without knowing about their emotional makeup or personal background or, in some cases, physical condition. What the Mets ended up with, then, is one of the more experienced replacement teams -- 10 players in camp have played at the major league level. They also have a substantial number of players who were once in their own system, which means that someone in the organization generally knows a bit of their background. Like Walpole, though, many of the others can be virtual unknowns. And the lack of knowledge is often greater than the simple inability to tell Chris Walpole apart from Chuck Wacha, who was called "Chris" by one coach the first few days of camp. Until informed by a reporter, Mets executives were unaware that one replacement player had been facing child molestation charges when signed and was not acquitted until the day before he was scheduled to report to camp. That's an extreme case, of course, but the potential public relations damage risked by the Mets in that instance is just one example of how much clubs have gambled in the world of replacement baseball. The medical risks alone are enormous. After all, teams are depending on players who are, on average, older and in poorer physical condition than players the teams would normally have in camp, but they are still financially liable for any injuries a replacement player might sustain. "Certainly, when you have older players, the injury factor generally rises, so it's a big risk," McIlvaine said. "If something happens, we'd be responsible to fix it up and deal with any rehabilitation. And, believe me, Major League Baseball is not standing in line, waiting to reimburse us for the cost." INSIDE PITCH The Mets should not have to worry about sympathetic unions picketing outside Thomas J. White Stadium once they start playing spring training games. According to DAVE HOWARD, the Mets' general counsel, a St. Lucie County ordinance prohibits picketing on county property. The Mets' spring training facilities are built on county land. . . . Minor league position players report on Tuesday and should swell the number of players in camp to 90 or more. . .. Rain forced the club to cut short workouts Monday afternoon. G-Fafif Dec 16 2008 03:00 PM ="A Boy Named Seo":2bkvwmj9]I'd forgotten or didn't know Sisk came back for that. Weren't Agbayani and Reed replacements? Benny was for the Mets, but was Reed also?[/quote:2bkvwmj9] Reed went to camp with the Reds. Thought he'd be throwing for scouts, wound up in games. G-Fafif Dec 16 2008 03:02 PM ="Benjamin Grimm"]This is interesting: ]Individual game tickets for all Mets regular-season home games will go on sale at 9 A.M. Tuesday and can be purchased at Shea Stadium. Prices have been reduced to $5 for box seats and $4 and $2 for reserved seats. Tickets can be returned for a two-thirds rebate if the club starts the season with replacement players. So they reduced the ticket price knowing demand would be low, with a possibility of an additional rebate. I didn't go to any games in 1995. In fact, I went to zero games between 1995 and 1998. But I guess some fans got a pretty good deal: field level boxes for $5. And they didn't have to see replacement players. The Mets did two-for-ones early in the season once they came back. Buy a ticket to a game in May, get another for later in the season. Plus concessions (hot dogs, soda and such) were half-price. Everything felt very reasonable after the most unreasonable period in modern times. G-Fafif Dec 16 2008 03:06 PM Numerical tidbit from News: ]Numbers Game: Nine ReplaceMets claimed uniform numbers of striking Mets. They are: P Brent Knackert (28 from Bobby Jones); P Alex Coghen (31 from John Franco); P Doug Sisk (39 from Josias Manzanillo); P Kevin Hickey (33 from Kelly Stinnett); C Kevin Carroll (6 from Joe Orsulak); 1B Rich Wieligman (12 from Jeff Kent); IF Wagnon (9 from Todd Hundley); 3B Chris Walpole (25 from Bobby Bonilla), and Thornton (20 from Ryan Thompson). G-Fafif Dec 16 2008 03:09 PM Continuing to fill out the non-existent roster (courtesy of News): ]ReplaceMets fell to 0-8 yesterday and remain baseball's only winless team in spring training with 9-2 loss to Reds at Plant City. In an effort to try something new and give beleaguered subs a day off, Dallas Green started seven minor leaguers. Minor league P Eric Ludwig and truck driver Alex Coghen were tagged for eight runs in sixth inning as Reds batted 12 men. . Oft-injured ex-big league 3B Chris Brown was acquired from Tigers before game and went 2-for-4. . . . The total of Met minor leaguers who have committed to play in exhibition games stands at 27 of 61 (44%). When ReplaceMet 3B Chris Walpole headed home to Bronx three days ago, Mets weren't sure they believed his excuse about his boss demanding he return to work as special education teacher at Truman High. "He had no credibility with us from the day he arrived," said one member of Met brass. Walpole, remember, found his way onto Met roster after he fabricated story about stint with Thunder Bay Whiskey Jacks. HahnSolo Dec 16 2008 03:20 PM The same Chris Brown who last I heard was working for a contractor driving a truck in Iraq. Not the job to "sleep wrong on your eye". G-Fafif Dec 16 2008 03:25 PM This is far more interest in who played for the 1995 ReplaceMets than I had in 1995 when I looked away about as hard as I could (though I was back like a Pavlovian pup once the strike ended). Roster of sorts, based on the above articles and chat, of those who wore Mets uniforms and played in those games or at least were in camp as something approximating Mets: Benny Agbayani Tom Allison Chris Brown Alex Coghen Benny Distefano Mike Eberle Cliff Gonzalez Kevin Hickey Stanley Jefferson Dave Jensen Kirk Killingsworth Brent Knackert Marcus Lawton Eric Ludwig Doug Sisk Lou Thornton Chuck Wacha Bubba Wagnon Chris Walpole Rich Wieligman Fman99 Dec 16 2008 04:02 PM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":3p5qotfb]I could not have been any more tuned out to what was happening to the Mets while they went through this period. I really thought I had broken up with baseball for good.[/quote:3p5qotfb] Yep. Same here, though I dropped out before the strike, when the Mets went in the tank in '92-93. I was in college, they weren't on TV up there and I had other priorities. Picked it up again for real in '96-97 when I moved to Watertown. There really isn't anything else to do up there besides watch baseball.

This is interesting: ]Individual game tickets for all Mets regular-season home games will go on sale at 9 A.M. Tuesday and can be purchased at Shea Stadium. Prices have been reduced to $5 for box seats and $4 and $2 for reserved seats. Tickets can be returned for a two-thirds rebate if the club starts the season with replacement players. So they reduced the ticket price knowing demand would be low, with a possibility of an additional rebate. I didn't go to any games in 1995. In fact, I went to zero games between 1995 and 1998. But I guess some fans got a pretty good deal: field level boxes for $5. And they didn't have to see replacement players.

Why is Damion Easley off the table? I understand he's no kid anymore, but he did provide a valuable bat off the bench. I don't think the new reserve infielder is as likely to provide as much "pop."

It's amazing that just ten weeks ago it was still full of color and people and noise.

I concede to Johnny Lunchbucket in the sexy question mark photo hunt competition.