Benjamin Grimm

It's time to archive this prediction thread.If we remember, we'll revisit it after Opening Day and see how we've all done.Winner gets a photo of Jane Jarvis.

]Being Metsmerized is in the grooveI'm gonna say this to everyone I see today.

They're right here in this very thread.

Looper's problem (or handicap) is that he'll rarely receive more than one point in a game, and he'll rarely receive any points in a game that the Mets lose.I'd personally be inclined to give him more than one point if he came in with the winning run on base and pitched out of the jam. But he rarely does that; usually he's coming in with nobody out and the bases empty. Some of his saves come in games where the Mets give him a three-run lead. That's not always point-worthy. Unlike other pitchers, he's very unlikely to get any points when the Mets lose, unless he comes into an extra-inning tie game and holds the opposition scoreless. But that's infrequent.Matsui is helped by the must-award-ten-points rule. There have probably been some dismal games where he's earned a point or so for getting a single or a walk. If we weren't requiring ten, just about everyone would have fewer points, and some people (Aybar, maybe, or DeFelice) would probably have none at all. (In some years, this might keep us from getting 30 players with points.)

Totals for August 28 (9 votes):NameTotal PointsAverage(PointsAwarded)Benson 32.79 3.64Beltran 15.83 1.76Matsui 13.88 1.54Bell 8.59 0.95Woodward 6.93 0.77Diaz 5.00 0.56Wright 4.99 0.55Castro 1.99 0.22Totals for August 30 (20 votes):NameTotal PointsAverage(PointsAwarded)Castro 77.36 3.87Beltran 46.35 2.32Heilman 15.96 0.80Looper 15.63 0.78Padilla 13.56 0.68Diaz 8.86 0.44Reyes 8.45 0.42Seo 7.30 0.37Wright 6.03 0.30Floyd 0.30 0.02Cairo 0.10 0.01Jacobs 0.10 0.01Totals for August 31 (8 votes):NameTotal PointsAverage(PointsAwarded)Castro 29.50 3.69Beltran 13.50 1.69Floyd 12.50 1.56Jacobs 8.70 1.09Martinez 8.60 1.08Reyes 6.20 0.78Bell 1.00 0.13

I'm not saying that the Mets haven't made any poor decisions this year, but with them a half game out of a playoff slot on the last day of August, I don't think any firings are called for.I doubt that the relative lineup positions of Wright and Piazza cost the Mets all that many wins this season. If I wanted to get angry over anything, it would be all of the starts that Ishii got.

That only matters if you're making up a rainout after the season ends.Really, it's not important who's in first place on August 30 or September 9. It only matters who's in first after everyone's played 162 games. All you have to do is win as many as possible. When it comes to seeing who's eliminated, and in figuring out magic numbers and the like, wins and losses count equally.

I've never understood the conventional wisdom that the loss column is more important than the win column.True, a loss is a game that you can't go back and win.But a win is a game that you can't go back and lose.

I have a thick orange hide.

I'm looking forward to seeing what the odds will be on Friday morning, after the three games with the Phillies.They could be a lot better, or a lot worse.A three-game sweep from the Mets, and September could be a lot of fun.

David Wright looks like he's already clinched Schaefer Player of the Month.Tom Glavine is currently the leading pitcher, but Pedro and Seo each get a shot at displacing him. Seo needs to toss up a 3.42, and Pedro needs a 3.6.Wright's lead over Floyd for the big prize continues to widen. Pedro and Reyes become the third and fourth players to crack the 100 mark.And, towards the bottom of the list, Mike Jacobs "gets on the bus" as he moves into 30th place.Monthly totals through August 27 (24 games): NameTotal1Wright30.842Glavine22.523Seo19.114Martinez18.935Floyd16.686Reyes13.437Diaz13.108Benson10.679Beltran10.3110Zambrano8.9711Piazza7.7312Castro7.0213Jacobs7.0014Cameron6.3115Trachsel5.6916Padilla5.1017Looper5.0118Cairo4.2019Heilman3.8520Woodward3.7721Williams3.4822Hernandez3.4623Graves3.4324Matsui2.6325Anderson2.5826Mientkiewicz1.9527Offerman1.1728Koo0.7629DiFelice0.2330Bell0.01Santiago0.01Season totals through August 27 (129 games): NameTotal1Wright116.862Floyd110.753Martinez103.654Reyes100.585Beltran80.556Glavine74.537Piazza70.828Cameron61.049Zambrano60.9810Benson55.1011Mientkiewicz42.5812Diaz39.3813Heilman33.4114Seo29.4115Anderson28.1616Ishii26.2117Matsui25.7018Looper25.1119Castro24.2420Hernandez23.5421Cairo20.1022Woodward19.5523Bell15.8024Koo13.5325Padilla10.9426Aybar8.5327DeJean7.3228Jacobs7.0029Graves6.8930Offerman6.2931Ring5.7732Trachsel5.6933Daubach4.7934Williams4.0235Heredia2.6136Santiago2.5937Valent2.1738Matthews1.5139DiFelice0.23

Trachsel is also looking good for entering the top 30.

Totals for August 24 (15 votes):NameTotal PointsAverage(PointsAwarded)Seo 34.75 2.32Jacobs 33.77 2.25Wright 32.97 2.20Reyes 26.97 1.80Matsui 9.18 0.61Castro 6.29 0.42Diaz 5.18 0.35Heilman 0.90 0.06Totals for August 25 (14 votes):NameTotal PointsAverage(PointsAwarded)Martinez 59.20 4.23Diaz 35.50 2.54Floyd 13.85 0.99Wright 10.60 0.76Looper 9.85 0.70Hernandez 9.10 0.65Jacobs 1.90 0.14Totals for August 26 (21 votes):NameTotal PointsAverage(PointsAwarded)Trachsel 119.56 5.69Wright 72.25 3.44Looper 15.37 0.73Castro 2.50 0.12Beltran 0.32 0.02Totals for August 27 (10 votes):NameTotal PointsAverage(PointsAwarded)Glavine 37.63 3.76Reyes 20.63 2.06Padilla 14.82 1.48Diaz 9.01 0.90Matsui 8.99 0.90Wright 3.00 0.30DiFelice 2.31 0.23Beltran 1.30 0.13Anderson 1.01 0.10Jacobs 0.70 0.07Floyd 0.50 0.05Offerman 0.10 0.01

One advantage of winning the division is, if the wild card also comes from the East, the Mets would get a first round against San Diego, with home field advantage.

David Wright leading for the month of August, and for the season.Monthly totals through August 23 (20 games): NameTotal1Wright24.142Glavine18.763Seo16.794Floyd15.645Martinez14.706Benson10.677Beltran10.168Reyes9.579Diaz9.3110Zambrano8.9711Piazza7.7312Castro6.4813Cameron6.3114Jacobs4.5415Cairo4.2016Heilman3.7917Woodward3.7718Padilla3.6219Looper3.5820Williams3.4821Graves3.4322Hernandez2.8123Anderson2.4824Mientkiewicz1.9525Offerman1.1626Matsui1.1227Koo0.7628Bell0.01Santiago0.01Season totals through August 23 (125 games): NameTotal1Wright110.162Floyd109.713Martinez99.424Reyes96.725Beltran80.406Piazza70.827Glavine70.778Cameron61.049Zambrano60.9810Benson55.1011Mientkiewicz42.5812Diaz35.5913Heilman33.3514Anderson28.0615Seo27.0916Ishii26.2117Matsui24.1918Castro23.7019Looper23.6820Hernandez22.8921Cairo20.1022Woodward19.5523Bell15.8024Koo13.5325Padilla9.4626Aybar8.5327DeJean7.3228Graves6.8929Offerman6.2830Ring5.7731Daubach4.7932Jacobs4.5433Williams4.0234Heredia2.6135Santiago2.5936Valent2.1737Matthews1.51

I feel like I'm being deluded into thinking that the Mets have a chance at the playoffs, even though they're now within 1.5 games of a spot, and have fewer teams to pass. I feel like it's all a scam to keep me spending money to see aged veterans on a team that, even if it gets to the playoffs, has no chance of winning. And even if it wins the World Series, has no chance of repeating for the next seven years.

Totals for August 20 (14 votes):NameTotal PointsAverage(PointsAwarded)Martinez 56.40 4.03Woodward 21.70 1.55Wright 18.80 1.34Castro 18.70 1.34Reyes 15.40 1.10Hernandez 3.60 0.26Diaz 1.65 0.12Heilman 1.00 0.07Anderson 0.75 0.05Beltran 0.75 0.05Floyd 0.75 0.05Williams 0.50 0.04Totals for August 21 (11 votes):NameTotal PointsAverage(PointsAwarded)Jacobs 36.50 3.32Padilla 24.00 2.18Graves 16.25 1.48Anderson 10.80 0.98Heilman 10.70 0.97Diaz 5.70 0.52Wright 4.30 0.39Reyes 1.00 0.09Offerman 0.50 0.05Beltran 0.25 0.02Totals for August 22 (16 votes):NameTotal PointsAverage(PointsAwarded)Glavine 95.50 5.97Floyd 27.40 1.71Reyes 14.70 0.92Diaz 14.10 0.88Looper 3.40 0.21Matsui 2.80 0.18Beltran 1.80 0.11Jacobs 0.30 0.02Totals for August 23 (18 votes):NameTotal PointsAverage(PointsAwarded)Zambrano 56.50 3.14Castro 39.60 2.20Wright 29.30 1.63Diaz 22.00 1.22Jacobs 21.55 1.20Reyes 8.60 0.48Floyd 1.60 0.09Cairo 0.60 0.03Bell 0.25 0.01

Elster88 wrote:I thought they made the same offer to Delgado that Florida did.They pretty much did. It's not that the Mets didn't want to sign Delgado, it's that Delgado didn't seem to like the Mets. Something about Omar and Fred's approach rubbed Delgado the wrong way. I do wish there was a better Plan B than Doug Mientkiewicz, but it's not at all fair to say that the Mets didn't want Delgado.

Monthly totals for August, through August 19 (16 games): NameTotal1Wright20.782Seo16.793Floyd13.794Glavine12.795Benson10.67Martinez10.677Beltran9.988Piazza7.739Reyes6.9810Diaz6.5711Cameron6.3112Zambrano5.8313Cairo4.1714Williams3.4415Looper3.3716Castro2.9417Heilman2.7518Hernandez2.5519Woodward2.2220Mientkiewicz1.95Graves1.9522Anderson1.4523Padilla1.4424Offerman1.1125Matsui0.9426Koo0.7627Santiago0.01Season totals through August 19 (121 games):Floyd regains the lead. NameTotal1Floyd107.862Wright106.803Martinez95.394Reyes94.135Beltran80.226Piazza70.827Glavine64.808Cameron61.049Zambrano57.8410Benson55.1011Mientkiewicz42.5812Diaz32.8513Heilman32.3114Seo27.0915Anderson27.0316Ishii26.2117Matsui24.0118Looper23.4719Hernandez22.6320Castro20.1621Cairo20.0722Woodward18.0023Bell15.7924Koo13.5325Aybar8.5326DeJean7.3227Padilla7.2828Offerman6.2329Ring5.7730Graves5.4131Daubach4.7932Williams3.9833Heredia2.6134Santiago2.5935Valent2.1736Matthews1.51370.00

I have to hope that over the long term they find a better first baseman than Eric Valent.

I thought that that avatar was the old Milwaukee Brewers logo that the fans are trying to revive.

Here's one thing for which I'm grateful:I've never yet seen anyone masturbate immediately after catching a foul ball.I guess it's only a matter of time, though.

So the Mets have a 15% chance of making the playoffs, and the Yankees have a 63% chance of missing.That means there's a little better than 9% chance that the Mets are in and the Yankees out.Interesting. I'll be curious to see how those numbers change in the next couple of weeks. Is this something they plan to update?

Totals for August 16 (14 votes):NameTotal PointsAverage(PointsAwarded)Benson 83.10 5.94Floyd 26.40 1.89Williams 10.40 0.74Hernandez 8.70 0.62Looper 6.30 0.45Reyes 3.20 0.23Woodward 0.80 0.06Cairo 0.10 0.01Totals for August 17 (14 votes):NameTotal PointsAverage(PointsAwarded)Glavine 62.07 4.43Wright 20.14 1.44Beltran 16.24 1.16Floyd 16.04 1.15Heilman 14.06 1.00Offerman 10.09 0.72Cairo 1.36 0.10Totals for August 18 (8 votes):NameTotal PointsAverage(PointsAwarded)Beltran 26.99 3.37Woodward 12.81 1.60Graves 9.10 1.14Padilla 5.95 0.74Wright 5.69 0.71Zambrano 4.83 0.60Castro 4.24 0.53Reyes 2.70 0.34Matsui 2.21 0.28Cairo 1.55 0.19Floyd 1.40 0.18Offerman 1.27 0.16Williams 1.26 0.16Totals for August 19 (16 votes):NameTotal PointsAverage(PointsAwarded)Seo 92.50 5.78Reyes 25.23 1.58Diaz 13.76 0.86Looper 12.83 0.80Castro 11.28 0.71Beltran 3.50 0.22

I voted High School, but I was thinking "Fifth Grade."