Benjamin Grimm

This game. This game just killed me. Feliciano, the game's fifth relief pitcher, is on the mound in the bottom of the 9th in Miami, protecting a three-run lead. (The Mets had just had a rousing four-run rally in the top of that inning.) Feliciano gives up a leadoff single. Willie, in a move that reeked of panic, immediately pulls Felicano and puts in Sosa. The sixth relief pitcher of the game. Sosa doesn't have it, but there are few remaining alternatives in the pen, so he stays in and gives up three hits and lets three runs score, tying the game. The team was playing scared in September of 2007. And worse, Willie was managing scared, even if he pretended to be cool during interviews. MARLINS 9TH: CASTRO REPLACED ANDERSON (PLAYING C ); FELICIANO REPLACED ALOU (PITCHING); GOMEZ STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING RF); CHAVEZ REPLACED GREEN (PLAYING LF); Hermida singled to center; SOSA REPLACED FELICIANO (PITCHING); Cabrera doubled to left [Hermida to third]; Amezaga grounded out (shortstop to first) [Hermida scored, Cabrera to third]; Jacobs singled to third [Cabrera scored]; ABERCROMBIE RAN FOR JACOBS; Ross singled to left [Abercrombie to third, Ross to second (on throw)]; Treanor grounded out (shortstop to first) [Abercrombie scored, Ross to third]; WOOD BATTED FOR LINDSTROM; Wood popped to first; 3 R, 4 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Mets 7, Marlins 7.

Too many bullpen moves. Too many guys coming in to pitch to one batter.

I found a rather difficult to navigate Zephyrs forum. Maybe there's a better one out there. I was looking for a good forum we could visit or blogger who we could invite here to discuss the pros and cons of Ken Oberkfell. I didn't spend a whole lot of time searching, so maybe there's something out there, but I came up pretty empty.

="AG/DC"]="Nymr83"]="AG/DC"]The only blood I'm looking for is the other team's. And you'd like to have the manager best equipped to draw it, right? And you know who that is? I don't. I'd like the best team. I don't know who it is either. But I really don't think it's Willie Randolph. There's little point in replacing Willie with a different manager unless it's also a better manager. It's easy enough to find one who's more fiery. My criteria is someone who's smarter, and that's harder to identify, at least from where I sit.

And that concludes this little quiz! Thank you for playing! Drive home safely! 1. 2006 Carlos Delgado 38 2. 1975 Dave Kingman 36 3. 1962 Frank Thomas 34 4. 1985 Gary Carter 32 4. 1999 Robin Ventura 32 6. 1996 Bernard Gilkey 30 6. 2004 Mike Cameron 30 8. 1987 Kevin McReynolds 29 9. 1983 Darryl Strawberry 26 9. 2002 Mo Vaughn 26 11. 1998 Mike Piazza 23 12. 1997 John Olerud 22 12. 2000 Todd Zeile 22 14. 2004 Richard Hidalgo 21 15. 1964 Charley Smith 20

Yes, you are.

And I have no doubt that Willie cares. His demeanor isn't the problem. (His approach, demeanor-wise, is rather similar to that of Gil Hodges.) I have more of a problem with his in-game decisions than I do with what he does in the clubhouse. (Although, of course, I'm much less aware of what goes on in the clubhouse.)

I haven't detected any anti-black sentiment for a long time, if ever. But there's certainly been resentment expressed about the number of Hispanic players.

="Mendoza Line"]John Milner? Nope. Now I'm curious about the trait that's shared with Piazza and Hidalgo!

Nope, not Tommie Agee.

Nymr83 wrote: Bobby Bonilla? Nope. (Already been guessed.) The remaining guy is dead at the present time.

Of course! (You know he'd want to be the FIRST one remembered!) 1. 2006 Carlos Delgado 38 2. 1975 Dave Kingman 36 3. 1962 Frank Thomas 34 4. 1985 Gary Carter 32 4. 1999 Robin Ventura 32 6. 1996 Bernard Gilkey 30 6. 2004 Mike Cameron 30 8. 1987 Kevin McReynolds 29 9. 1983 Darryl Strawberry 26 9. 2002 Mo Vaughn 26 11. 1998 Mike Piazza 23 12. 1997 John Olerud 22 12. 2000 Todd Zeile 22 14. 2004 Richard Hidalgo 21 15.

Not Clendenon. Not Bell. I can't believe nobody has guessed the guy tied for fourth place! 1. 2006 Carlos Delgado 38 2. 1975 Dave Kingman 36 3. 1962 Frank Thomas 34 4. 4. 1999 Robin Ventura 32 6. 1996 Bernard Gilkey 30 6. 2004 Mike Cameron 30 8. 1987 Kevin McReynolds 29 9. 1983 Darryl Strawberry 26 9. 2002 Mo Vaughn 26 11. 1998 Mike Piazza 23 12. 1997 John Olerud 22 12. 2000 Todd Zeile 22 14. 2004 Richard Hidalgo 21 15.

Foster debuted with a miserable 13 home runs. (I don't even have to look it up!) Ventura, on the other hand... 1. 2006 Carlos Delgado 38 2. 1975 Dave Kingman 36 3. 1962 Frank Thomas 34 4. 4. 1999 Robin Ventura 32 6. 1996 Bernard Gilkey 30 6. 2004 Mike Cameron 30 8. 1987 Kevin McReynolds 29 9. 1983 Darryl Strawberry 26 9. 2002 Mo Vaughn 26 11. 1998 Mike Piazza 23 12. 1997 John Olerud 22 12. 2000 Todd Zeile 22 14. 15.

1. 2006 Carlos Delgado 38 2. 1975 Dave Kingman 36 3. 1962 Frank Thomas 34 4. 4. 6. 1996 Bernard Gilkey 30 6. 2004 Mike Cameron 30 8. 1987 Kevin McReynolds 29 9. 1983 Darryl Strawberry 26 9. 2002 Mo Vaughn 26 11. 1998 Mike Piazza 23 12. 1997 John Olerud 22 12. 14. 15.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who overlooked Delgado! Not Bonilla, not Murray, not Beltran. (EDIT: Not Swoboda either.) 1. 2006 Carlos Delgado 38 2. 1975 Dave Kingman 36 3. 4. 4. 6. 1996 Bernard Gilkey 30 6. 2004 Mike Cameron 30 8. 1987 Kevin McReynolds 29 9. 1983 Darryl Strawberry 26 9. 2002 Mo Vaughn 26 11. 1998 Mike Piazza 23 12. 1997 John Olerud 22 12. 14. 15.

Willie is reminding me of President Bush here. He thinks that because he's trying hard, and because he cares, that he's doing a good job.

As we were talking about Ryan Church in the revived Milledge trade thread, I got to wondering about who's hit the most home runs in their first season as a Met. (I made a guess in my head about who holds the record, but I didn't get it right.) Anyway, there are only 15 players who hit 20 or more home runs in their initial Met season. (At this point, Ryan Church seems like a pretty good bet to get to be the 16th.) There were only 7 players who debuted with 30 or more. Church has a pretty decent shot at becoming the eighth. Post your guesses as to who the 15 players are. I think the majority of them will be pretty easy, but there may be one or two that prove elusive. Make as many guesses as you like. I'll acknowledge the correct answers as they're posted. 1. 2. 3. 4. 4. 6. 6. 8. 9. 9. 11. 12. 12. 14. 15.

Two things that surprised me about FMan's Jerry Seinfeld post: No use of the word "****." No mention of anybody being punched in the neck.

I think there are a lot of people who never read Moneyball but think they know exactly what it is. I don't see how it's at all about "push-button managing."

Mendoza Line wrote: I'll take my shit medium rare. Hollandaise sauce on the side, please. Or you can take it liquefied.

Voting for Mike Pelfrey's 1-0 loss to the Nationals on Thursday afternoon will close on Tuesday morning. I'll post another reminder tomorrow, but both games at Yankee Stadium this weekend will close on Wednesday.

Perez 4.5 Alou 1.5 Delgado 1 Church 1.5 Schneider 0.5 Reyes 0.5 Wright 0.5

Santana 3.75 Wagner 1.25 Beltran 1.5 Castillo 0.4 Reyes 0.8 Wright 1.5 Delgado 0.4 Church 0.4