Benjamin Grimm

That's an interesting take on the Mets uniform jersey. I'd almost like it, I think, if it had the traditional font for the uniform number.

I didn't know if that meant that they had established the rule, or given up on it. Apparently, it's the former. I found this on CBS Sports' web site: On Thursday, MLB and the MLBPA announced a number of new rule changes for the 2017 season. Here are those seven changes: The start of a no-pitch intentional walk, allowing the defensive team’s manager to signal a decision to the home plate umpire to intentionally walk the batter. Following the signal of the manager’s intention, the umpire will immediately award first base to the batter. A 30-second limit for a manager to decide whether to challenge a play and invoke replay review. When a manager has exhausted his challenges for the game, Crew Chiefs may now invoke replay review for non-home run calls beginning in the eighth inning instead of the seventh inning. A conditional two-minute guideline for Replay Officials to render a decision on a replay review, allowing various exceptions. A prohibition on the use of any markers on the field that could create a tangible reference system for fielders. An addition to Rule 5.07 formalizes an umpire interpretation by stipulating that a pitcher may not take a second step toward home plate with either foot or otherwise reset his pivot foot in his delivery of the pitch. If there is at least one runner on base, then such an action will be called as a balk under Rule 6.02(a). If the bases are unoccupied, then it will be considered an illegal pitch under Rule 6.02(. An amendment to Rule 5.03 requires base coaches to position themselves behind the line of the coach’s box closest to home plate and the front line that runs parallel to the foul line prior to each pitch. Once a ball is put in play, a base coach is allowed to leave the coach’s box to signal a player so long as the coach does not interfere with play. The new intentional walk rule, which will allow free passes without any pitches being thrown, has been much discussed , and now it’s official. As well, the 30-second rule on manager challenges has been an anticipated step, as is the limit on how long replay officials can take. I'm not sure I understand this one: A prohibition on the use of any markers on the field that could create a tangible reference system for fielders. Are they saying that you can't put an X on the field to show your center fielder where to stand? Has anyone been putting tangible reference system markers on the field? Has anyone expressed a desire to do so? Where did this come from?

2. 1980-83: 7-32 in 43 games. Spent his entire MLB career with the Mets, but did nothing of any memorable significance that I could find. SCOTT HOLMAN The only thing I remember about him is that my sister thought he was cute.

G-Fafif wrote: 3. Jorge Fabregas amid quite a year for catcher acquisitions. I forgot about Fabregas. The only pre-Piazza catcher from 1998 that I could remember was Tim Spehr, but I don't think he was a mid-season acquisition.

Semi-wild guess here. Is number 2... Scott Holman?

If he's going to start calling himself "Jeurys Familia" hopefully he'll learn how to pronounce his first name.

You really could make a meal from the Newman brand.

I have to think that 55-pitch at bats will somewhat undermine the efforts to reduce the length of games.

A Boy Named Seo wrote: Gun to your head, if you had to buy one WBC piece of merch, what would you buy? Whatever was cheapest, and I'd deliver it straight to the clothing donation dropbox.

I guess we now have some insight into how to impress Fred Merkle's daughter.

4. Eli Marrero?

The people who don't want Wal-Mart to sell Cosmopolitan are probably okay with them selling assault weapons.

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Why not Flores? He hits lefties like he's Willie Mays in his prime. What has to happen for Flores to get more playing time than he's gotten? I think that when there's a lefty starter, Flores will see quite a bit of time at first base.

A few earlier posts in this thread said he needs ten. To clarify, he needs ten homers to tie, eleven to claim the record for his own.

Well, there's no certainty yet that first base will be affected. We may find that Duda is just fine.

I'm not at all surprised. In fact, I would have been surprised if he was throwing "with zip" by Opening Day. And if he has to lob the ball to first base, he obviously can't play third.

NJ.com reports that the Mets almost traded Conforto to Detroit for one-year rental J.D. Martinez this offseason: MLB trade rumors: Mets nearly dealt Michael Conforto for Tigers star (Their source is Jon Heyman.)

Ceetar wrote: I put the odds at 22% that DH accompanies expansion in the next 5 or so years. I hope that they wait until after I'm dead. (And I'm hoping that's a lot more than five years from now!)

I'm not advocating this, and I realize that even by suggesting it here, I'm taking a very very slight risk that someone at MLB will see it and enact it. But to really speed up the pace of the game, they can enact the Little League rule about taking a lead off the base: Runners have to keep their foot on the base until the pitcher releases the ball. While that would virtually eliminate the stolen base (and the balk!), it would totally eliminate the need for pitchers to throw over to first base. I think that there are two things in the game that are tedious: A pitching change (and commercial break) after the previous pitcher has faced one batter and when a pitcher keeps throwing the ball to first base.

Number 1 can't be Larry Bowa, who surely had more than 1800 at bats in his career. It's probably a pitcher. I'll go with Warren Spahn.

3. Shawn Estes

Duda's not here on a QO.

Maybe some day Tom Koehler will be a Met and we'll have to make jokes about how dumb he is every five days.

I can see the ERA being around 3.00, but I think deGrom will have too many five- or six-inning starts for him to win 17 games. 14 is probably more likely.

Going with the "cover up" option is almost always the wrong choice.