Benjamin Grimm

Last night on Mets Hot Stove, David Lennon mentioned this Newsday cover when relating his favorite moment of 2021. BLAST LAUGH got a number 2 ranking in the Tabloid Cover Derby and is still alive in the competition as one of the surviving sixteen covers. http://leaptoad.com/mets/covers/2021/20210913_NSD_02.jpg> It was also one of two covers with a headline of BLAST LAUGH! This one, from the Post on July 20, has been eliminated as have all other New York Post covers save one. http://leaptoad.com/mets/covers/2021/20210720_NYP_02.jpg>

I just saw an article that said that negotiations occurred last Thursday (December 16) regarding some of the easier-to-resolve fringe issues. The plan is to start talking about the difficult stuff (arbitration, free agency, luxury tax, etc.) in January.

I hope, for their mothers' sake, that both of them were born by Caesarian.

The 2022 Tabloid Cover Derby already has 19 entries.

You're suggesting that they tear down "an iconic landmark and historic symbol of New York City"???

I think that one big scoreboard will be an improvement over that jumbled mishmosh that they have now. But I don't think I would describe Citi Field as "an iconic landmark and historic symbol of New York City".

The second round is now complete, and the Tabloid Cover Derby will be taking a hiatus until January 3, when we'll begin third-round voting. Our Sweet Sixteen consists of nine covers from Newsday (winner of the last two competitions), six from the Daily News (winner of the first four) and one from the New York Post. In the third round we'll see the following matchups: OFF THE WALL! (Daily News) vs CRUSHING (Daily News) THAT'S ALMORA! (Newsday) vs DEALING (Newsday) WIN WIN (Newsday) vs FRANTASTIC! (Newsday) RED, WHITE & BOOM (Newsday) vs LEFT OUT! (Daily News) GO NUTS, SQUIRREL! (Daily News) vs 00 DAYS WITHOUT TEAM FIASCO (Daily News) BLAST LAUGH! (Newsday) vs ARM ROBBERY (Newsday) RINSE & REPETE (New York Post) vs LINDOR SHOWS PUNCH (Newsday) LET'S FINALLY GET MAD (Daily News) vs IT TAKES A VILLAR (Newsday) The official bracket, at the conclusion of Round Two: http://leaptoad.com/mets/covers/images/2021/brackets_2021_002.png> Our lovely spokesmodels provide a visual recap of the second round: http://leaptoad.com/mets/covers/images/2021/2_01.png> http://leaptoad.com/mets/covers/images/2021/2_02.png> http://leaptoad.com/mets/covers/images/2021/2_03.png> http://leaptoad.com/mets/covers/images/2021/2_04.png> http://leaptoad.com/mets/covers/images/2021/2_05.png> http://leaptoad.com/mets/covers/images/2021/2_06.png> http://leaptoad.com/mets/covers/images/2021/2_07.png> http://leaptoad.com/mets/covers/images/2021/2_08.png>

The last remaining Jacob deGrom cover has been eliminated.

http://leaptoad.com/mets/covers/images/2021/2_08.png>

And then there's this: Baseball Reference wrote: During his playing days he picked up the nickname "Buck" from a minor league manager's comment on his tendency to walk around the clubhouse "buck naked". https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Buck_Showalterhttps://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Buck_Showalter Buck's full given name is William Nathaniel Showalter.

http://leaptoad.com/mets/covers/images/2021/2_07.png>

Someone who was born on May 1, 2006 posted this to the UMDB: I was born at 2:13 PM. About 5 hours later Marlon Byrd was the first batter of the game. The first Mets batter ever when I was alive was Jose Reyes and the first Home Run was hit by Carlos Delgado. The Mets ended up walking off the Nationals 2-1. And this made me curious: The Mets were idle on the day that I was born, so I had to go to the next day when the Mets hosted a doubleheader against the Cubs at the Polo Grounds. The first Mets batter of my lifetime was Jimmy Piersall, who grounded out to the pitcher, Larry Jackson. Since it was a home game, the first Mets action during my lifetime was Al Jackson throwing a pitch to Lou Brock. Brock, in that at bat, grounded out to Charley Neal at third base. No Mets homered in that first game, but in the nightcap, Duke Snider hit a home run off someone named Glen Hobbie. In the first game the Cubs beat the Mets 12-0, but in the second game Jay Hook had a complete-game 2-1 win. Snider drive in both runs, the first with a solo homer in the 4th inning and he then added an RBI single in the 6th. https://www.tcdb.com/Images/Cards/Baseball/60/60-212Fr.jpg> https://www.tcdb.com/Images/Cards/Baseball/60/60-212Bk.jpg> http://leaptoad.com/mets/scorecard_graph.php?game=208&font=3> http://leaptoad.com/mets/scorecard_graph.php?game=209&font=3>

I just watched that video. I have my doubts about the truth of the depicted events.

I remember when players had names like "Ed Ott".

They adjust their height as necessary.

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http://leaptoad.com/mets/covers/images/2021/2_05.png>

Do they have an ETA for him?

Jerry is a big fan of the Tabloid Cover Derby and he volunteers his services whenever his schedule permits.

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I'm somewhat surprised at how formal the uniforms are at that level.

Sheesh. I guess this was the obvious response. I would have gotten my post in first if I hadn't been distracted by this: https://stuffnobodycaresabout.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/album-cover-Alan-Hales-Roman-Orgy-300x298.jpg>

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Today's poll, 2.08, is the final poll of the second round. By next Friday, when this poll ends, we'll have established our Sweet Sixteen. The Tabloid Cover Derby will take a break for the holidays and the third round will commence being Amazin' in early January.

http://leaptoad.com/mets/covers/images/2021/2_03.png>