Benjamin Grimm

If any of us were hoping the Mets would sign Steve Cishek, those hopes have been dashed. He's signing with Seattle for two years, $10 million.

$10 million for an eighth-inning guy is a bit steep. Tony Sipp just signed for three years, $18 million.

. Winner of Round 1.2.7 CON4TO! New York Daily News, July 26, 2015 Michael Conforto goes 4 for 4 and scores 4 runs in a 15-2 Mets win over the Dodgers at Citi Field. Tiebreaker Winner of Round 1.2.4 AMAZIN' MATZ Newsday, July 6, 2015 In his second big-league start, Steven Matz pitches six scoreless innings in an 8-0 win at Dodger Stadium. . . . . . .

Centerfield wrote: The fucker couldn't do it a day earlier? Like when Heyward was still available? Fuck even 12 hours earlier. Freeing up one year of Cuddyer salary wouldn't come close to paying for eight years of Heyward. This is good news though. It's exactly what I was hoping Jason Bay would do.

The most unique thing about him (other than his date of birth which isn't actually unique because he shares it with Pedro Beato and millions of others) is that a former teammate financed his nose job.

Juan Uribe is running away with this one so far.

. Winner of Round 1.2.8 "U" DA MAN! New York Daily News, July 27, 2015 A walk-off hit from Juan Uribe in the 10th inning gives the Mets a win over the Dodgers. Winner of Round 1.2.6 HARV DAY'S NIGHT New York Post, July 21, 2015 The Nationals beat Matt Harvey and the Mets in Washington by a score of 7-2. . . . . . .

Voting for all first-round polls in Group Four has now ended, which means that all 32 second-round qualifiers have now been determined. In Group Four, the Daily News and the Post each picked up three wins and Newsday had two. Overall in Round One, the Daily News had 13 wins, the Post had 12, and Newsday had 7. Round 1.4.1, Number 3 Seed: HAIR'S LOOKIN' AT YOU, KID (New York Post) Round 1.4.2, Number 4 Seed: METS TAKE A HIT (New York Post) Round 1.4.3, Number 7 Seed: DAN-TASTIC (Daily News) Round 1.4.4, Number 6 Seed: APPLE JACKS! (New York Post) Round 1.4.5, Number 8 Seed: HOW SWEEP IT IS! (Newsday) Round 1.4.6, Number 1 Seed: TEAM OF DESTINY (Daily News) Round 1.4.7, Number 5 Seed: WRIGHTS THE SHIP! (Daily News) Round 1.4.8, Number 2 Seed: MURPHY'S FLAW (Newsday) Tentative schedule: December 17: METS TAKE A HIT vs. WRIGHTS THE SHIP! December 18: HAIR'S LOOKIN' AT YOU, KID vs. APPLE JACKS! December 19: MURPHY'S FLAW vs. DAN-TASTIC December 20: TEAM OF DESTINY vs. HOW SWEEP IT IS!

Among other things, today is the anniversary of the Nolan Ryan and Gary Carter trades. (It seems that the better trades are known for the guys you get rather than for the guys you trade.) This Date in Mets History Today is December 10 Born on this date: Doc Edwards (1936) Ted Martinez (1947) Doug Henry (1963) Mel Rojas (1966) Dan Wheeler (1977) Victor Diaz (1981) Transactions: New York Mets traded Nolan Ryan, Leroy Stanton, Francisco Estrada and Don Rose to the California Angels for Jim Fregosi on December 10, 1971. New York Mets traded Mike Scott to the Houston Astros for Danny Heep on December 10, 1982. New York Mets traded Hubie Brooks, Mike Fitzgerald, Herm Winningham and Floyd Youmans to the Montreal Expos for Gary Carter on December 10, 1984. St. Louis Cardinals drafted Clint Hurdle from the Mets on December 10, 1985. New York Mets traded Hubie Brooks to the California Angels for Dave Gallagher on December 10, 1991. New York Mets signed free agent Frank Tanana of the Detroit Tigers on December 10, 1992. New York Mets traded Marc Kroon and Randy Curtis to the San Diego Padres for Frank Seminara, Tracy Sanders and Pablo Martinez on December 10, 1993. New York Mets traded Chuck McElroy to the Baltimore Orioles for Jesse Orosco on December 10, 1999. Pittsburgh Pirates signed Derek Bell of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 10, 2000. New York Mets signed free agent Kaz Matsui on December 10, 2003. Texas Rangers signed Richard Hidalgo of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 10, 2004. Washington Nationals signed Paul Lo Duca of the New York Mets as a free agent on December 10, 2007. New York Mets signed free agent Francisco Rodriguez of the Los Angeles Angels on December 10, 2008.

True! I forgot all about him!

Won 61 games as a Met, the same number as Tom Glavine, which leaves him in a tie for 11th place on the all-time list. If he had stuck around and won six more games, he would have bumped Steve Trachsel out of the top ten. (Trachsel is safe for a while. The leading active player still on the Mets is Matt Harvey, with 25 wins, followed by Jacob deGrom with 23.) Niese and Daniel Murphy were two of the final three players whose Mets tenures dated back to the Shea Stadium days. (He made two starts at Shea in 2008.) David Wright becomes the last Shea Stadium Met. The last remaining Met from the Polo Grounds was, obviously, Ed Kranepool. I'm glad Niese was able to remain a Met long enough to pitch in a World Series for them.

On Mets Hot Stove, John Harper suggested that Cliff Lee or Tim Lincecum might be available on a one-year deal. Lincecum is 31 and Lee is 37. Lincecum seems less likely to be washed up, although he's not at all what he used to be. He might serve the purpose though.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking too. I don't think Flores is likely to get totally buried. (Ruben Tejada, on the other hand, might.) I think Walker will play almost exclusively at second base. Flores will back him up, and get starts against lefties there. And he'll get some starts against righties at third base because you'd probably choose, whenever possible, to not give David his days off against left-handed starters.

I'm hoping for Span too. On Mets Hot Stove last night, Andy Martino said that Scott Boras has said that Span won't take a one-year deal, and won't go anywhere where he has to platoon. Of course, what Scott Boras says now and what eventually comes to pass may be two different things. But it does seem likely that Span won't sign anywhere until we get into January, so we'll have to wait and see.

Mets Named Asdrubal Asdrubal Beauchamp (1972, 1973) Asdrubal Bethke (1965) Asdrubal Dwyer (1976) Asdrubal Fregosi (1972, 1973) Asdrubal Gosger (1969, 1973, 1974) Asdrubal Hickman (1962 - 1966) Asdrubal Lindeman (1994) Asdrubal Mann (2000) Asdrubal Marshall (1962) Asdrubal McAndrew (1968 - 1973) Asdrubal Tatum (1998)

. Winner of Round 1.2.2 OH, BABY! New York Daily News, June 13, 2015 Father-to-be Jeurys Familia saves a game for Bartolo Colon against the Braves. Winner of Round 1.2.5 NIEUW'S FLASH! New York Post, July 13, 2015 Kirk Nieuwenhuis becomes the first Met ever to hit three home runs in a home game, in a 5-3 win over the Diamondbacks. . . . . . .

Centerfield wrote: BG is like me, except like, he's a grown up and shows maturity and self-restraint. I wonder how and when that happened??

I agree, but Jim Duquette seems to think otherwise.

I'm looking forward to tonight's Mets Hot Stove.

Vic Sage wrote: It's simply because angst is futile The Philosophers Against Wilpon respectfully disagree. Angst is a boundless font of life energy that can keep you warm in the cold days of December. To each his own, I guess! Angst just ain't my thing.

Kristie Ackert @Ackert_NYDN #Mets source called to clarify. "definitely in the works, not close to being done".....I Apologize for any confusion. 3:04 PM - 9 Dec 2015

Adam Rubin wrote: NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The New York Mets and Pittsburgh Pirates are involved in trade talks that potentially could bring switch-hitting second baseman Neil Walker to Queens for left-hander Jonathon Niese, according to multiple reports. Walker, 30, hit .269 with 16 homers and 71 RBIs in 543 at-bats last season. He earned $8 million last season and again is eligible for arbitration. Walker is not eligible for free agency until after the 2017 season. The Mets appear to have pivoted to Walker after striking out in their attempt to land Ben Zobrist. He agreed Tuesday to a four-year, $56 million contract with the Chicago Cubs. The Los Angeles Angels reportedly also are pursuing Walker. Walker is not eligible for free agency until after the 2017 season. This isn't true, is it? My understanding (and Baseball Reference agrees) is that he's a free agent after 2016, not 2017.

Has John Ricco been strutting in the lobby?

Since everyone else keeps restating their positions, I figure I'll do the same. I want the Wilpons gone. If they can't afford to run this team, they should sell to somebody who can. I think the front office is doing a very good job given the financial limitations they have, limitations that they should NOT have. I think that the Mets are in a great position with their abundance of inexpensive and talented starting pitchers and realize that this is a window that is going to get narrower and narrower over the next few years as Harvey, deGrom, Syndergaard, etc. reach arbitration and ultimately free agency. Because of this, the Mets should maximize this opportunity and add the players they need to make themselves an overwhelming force in the National League so that they can win another pennant or three and, ideally, a World Championship. I realize that there are budgetary reasons that may prevent them from doing this. I have reconciled myself to this. I don't like it. It's frustrating, but not infuriating. I'm going to keep watching and rooting but I'm not going to complain. My lack of complaint should not be interpreted as any kind of endorsement of the Wilpons, or that I'm satisfied with the status quo. It's simply because angst is futile and while I absolutely loved seeing the Mets in the playoffs and World Series, I remain aware that there are many other things in my life that are more important.

We may miss Niese for the first few months, before Wheeler returns, but the Mets could probably find someone else to take his place, like Bartolo Colon (who they've been talking to) or Rafael Montero, or Logan Verrett, or someone else.