Benjamin Grimm

And became a Hall of Fame manager.

I tend to agree.

This is from ESPN. This is the first time I'm seeing the term "Cornerstone Player Provision" MLB wants maximum 5-year deals for free agents changing teams Link to the full article: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/49186750/mets-fire-manager-carlos-mendoza-34-47-start As part of the next collective bargaining agreement with players, Major League Baseball wants a maximum contract length of five years for free agents who are switching teams while organizations will have the ability to keep their own players for up to six years, calling it a Cornerstone Player Provision. The potential change to free agency comes as the league addressed reserve clause issues in a Thursday meeting with the MLBPA and would take effect after the 2027 season. The league's proposal includes raising the minimum salary from $780,000 to $1 million in 2027 for players with at least two years of service time. Any player with zero or one-plus years of service time will receive $1 million if they receive a full year of service, which includes $900,000 minimum salary plus an automatic $100,000 bonus from the Pre-Arbitration Bonus Pool. The increase in the minimum is the largest year-over-year increase in MLB history, according to league data. Minimums would increase in future years along with the payroll floor and ceiling. Additionally, players who reach five years of service time by age 30 would become eligible for free agency, a provision the union first put forth recently as part of its own CBA proposal. Currently, players of any age need six years of service time before becoming a free agent. That system has been in place since the advent of free agency in MLB in 1976. The league also proposed eliminating deferred contracts as well as the qualifying offer but didn't ask for any changes to its arbitration system.

Yes. This is just step one.

Fun fact: He's the first Mets manager to share a last name with one of his predecessors.

It isn't easy being Green. I assume this is an audition for the permanent gig.

I agree. It's not entirely his fault, but he has to get a share of the blame. And so does the guy who fired him. And so does the guy who hired the guy who fired him.

Schaefer Mets Pitcher of the Year in 2025. Pitcher of the Month in August 2024, June 2025, and July 2025.

Mendy's place in Mets history:

Is anyone surprised?

I'd consider trading mine, but nobody seems to want it.

I asked Google who are the best young minds in baseball. I got an AI answer, and here it is, for whatever it's worth: The "best young minds" in MLB front offices often serve as Assistant General Managers, scouting directors, or player development heads. League consensus points to several highly-regarded executives: Sam Fuld (Philadelphia Phillies): Widely respected for his tactical insights and player communication, Fuld previously served as an outfielder and is considered a top-tier mind. Koby Perez (Cleveland Guardians): Known for his incredible track record evaluating international talent, Perez has heavily influenced Cleveland's roster strategy. Daniel Adler (Seattle Mariners) / Justin Arthur (Kansas City Royals): Both are highly regarded for their mastery of baseball analytics and roster-building frameworks. Sarah Litchman (Boston Red Sox) / Anaheim's front office pipeline: Young executives with backgrounds in data science and baseball operations who are continually mentioned as future GM prospects.

I'm still playing every day. Today I scored a 56. What amazes me, in a way, is that my stats show that I've used 696 different players. That means that I know at least a little bit about SIX HUNDRED NINETY SIX different baseball players! That's crazy.

I think I'm over the idea of "prospects". They make the annual Baseball America listings look a little more impressive, but it seems that very few prospects that are acquired in trades have much impact at the major league level. (I know there are some, obviously, but the percentage is likely very low.) I'd rather see them trade for someone who's somewhat established in the majors and has a few years of arbitration left. The Mets need some new major leaguers for 2027 and need to look at trade candidates as well as free agents.

This might turn out to be a wonderful wonderful trade, but it's not for me to say.

The Cubs apparently have more need of terrible pitchers than the Mets do.

So much for creeping back into the race.

Senga has been demoted to the bullpen. This is from David Lennon, in Newsday: “He understand where we are as a team,” manager Carlos Mendoza said Wednesday morning. “He knows that he hasn’t been at his best. He’s been dealing with injuries and all that, but he knows he’s more than capable to continue to help the team win baseball games.” That’s debatable. A demotion to the bullpen, in what figures to be a mop-up role, is the last stop for an irreparable starter. Senga wasn’t sent there to help the Mets -- he’s being stashed in a less damaging role as they figure out what to do with him down the road. Senga is earning $15 million this season and is due another $15 million in 2027, the final year of his five-year, $75 million contract. Combined with his poor performance, Senga is a roster nightmare, begging the question of how long the Mets can afford to keep him around.

I read that Lindor will be activated between games, so somebody on the roster for Game 1 won't be there for Game 2.

He's been a tremendous disappointment, especially since the Mets farted around for two or three years waiting for him to be available. And on top of that, they got better results by farting around.

I remember learning about that from the back of a baseball card.

They're also getting a lot less of my attention,

That's what we have to hang our hats on.