Benjamin Grimm

Buster Olney wrote: Buster Olney ?@Buster_ESPN 59m59 minutes ago The Mets continue to look at Dexter Fowler as a possibility for their outfield. Ben Zobrist is their focus at the moment.

We're definitely getting near the end here. It's hard to believe that these covers were published only five weeks ago. I remember when I picked up my print copy of the Daily News and saw Dwight Gooden on the back cover. My first thought was that he was either dead or in jail. (Happily, neither was the case.)

. Vote for the tabloid covers that you like the best. You may select up to three choices. Voting will run for seven days. Anticipation for the beginning of the World Series against Kansas City. Matt Harvey will get the start in Game One. The Mets suffer a painful extra-inning loss to the Royals in the Series opener. http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p276/umdb/Tabloids%202015/20151027_NYDN_wrap2.jpg

I've been paying very little attention to the puns, and give them very little weight. (I agree that very few of them are clever.) I judge them as visual works of art. And some of the covers are, visually, very appealing. From today's poll (1.4.6) I think the ROYAL PAIN cover from the Post worked very well. Those broadsheets, like the image above, are an entirely different animal.

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Hovvey is a coke fiend. Yes? No? Why have we overlooked this? Very interesting... Of course it's just speculation, and we'll never know for sure until or unless there's a revelation, but it's very tough to just dismiss it out of hand.

The biggest question, to me is, would they still be interested in Matt Harvey?

I don't know. I've never lived in New Jersey and I don't know what those papers look like. I did look for similar covers for the Mets playoff opponents, and couldn't find anything in Los Angeles or Kansas City, but did find some covers from the Chicago Sun Times.

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Me too. At the same time, worried that it's only a matter of time before the Snooze calls it quits. So am I. It's probably inevitable for all newspapers, but the question is, is it a matter of months or years? I'll miss the Daily News when it's gone, but not as much as I would have twenty or thirty years ago. I don't know if the Tabloid Cover Derby is a 2015-only thing, or if it will be a continuing tradition, but if it's the latter, I don't imagine it will have many years left. And it would be less interesting if it involved only two tabloids instead of three.

I like the one where deGrom is waving from the Wrigley Field scoreboard.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Johnny Cueto has rejected a six-year, $120 million deal from Arizona.

I read today that Mejia is not eligible to receive any share at all. That's also part of the suspension rule.

. Vote for the tabloid covers that you like the best. You may select up to three choices. Voting will run for seven days. The NLCS moves to Chicago, where the Mets win Games 3 and 4 to complete their sweep of the Cubs. The Mets celebrate their NLCS win and look ahead to the World Series. The tabloids focus their attention on Daniel Murphy.

Adam Rubin reports that the Mets are expected to tender a 2016 contract to Jenrry Mejia. (Rubin also says that Mejia would be eligible for the 2016 postseason. Does that sound right?) http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets/post/_/id/113476/mets-planning-to-bring-back-jenrry-mejia-in-2016 Adam Rubin wrote: NEW YORK -- Reliever Jenrry Mejia greatly disappointed the New York Mets when he twice tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2015. Still, team officials plan to have the arbitration-eligible Mejia remain a part of the organization for next season rather than non-tender him at Wednesday's deadline. Mejia, 26, was due to earn $2.595 million this past season. He received only a prorated portion for the three weeks he was active in July between suspensions. By rule, arbitration-eligible players who are tendered contracts must receive at least 80 percent of their previous year's salary -- or a minimum of $2.076 million in Mejia's case. Mejia could even receive the identical $2.595 million salary in 2016, depending on how the sides settle or what an arbitrator decides. Still, Mejia will collect salary for only the prorated portion of time after his suspension is served. He was handed a 162-game suspension on July 29. That suspension came with 62 games remaining in the Mets season, so Mejia still has 100 games to serve in 2016. As a result, the Mets will have to pay Mejia less than 40 percent of his actual salary next season -- no more than about $1 million. Apparently, the club deems that expenditure worthwhile for the potential Mejia provides, despite the former closer's transgressions. Mejia will be eligible for the 2016 postseason. He is not eligible for free agency until after the 2018 season provided the Mets continue to tender contracts each December. Mejia is working as a starting pitcher for Licey in the Dominican winter league. He is 1-3 with a 4.09 ERA in seven starts. Opponents are hitting .287 against him. He has 20 strikeouts, eight walks and four wild pitches in 33 innings. The Mets in recent weeks have been leaning strongly toward non-tendering Ruben Tejada, who otherwise could earn in excess of $3 million as a backup middle infielder (coming off a fractured fibula in his right leg for the second time). A final verdict will be known Wednesday.

I also voted INSIDE EDITION.

We now have our second first-round tie, which, therefore, requires our second tiebreaker. (And it looks like there may be a few more to come in the next week or so.) This tiebreaker poll will run for three days. It pits a Newsday cover against one from the Post. Please vote for the cover you like best.

"OH WHAT A KNIGHT" marks the third and final time this season that all three tabloids went with the same headline on the same day. The previous two were "SYN CITI" and "CRYING SHAME".

. Vote for the tabloid covers that you like the best. You may select up to three choices. Voting will run for seven days. The tabloids anticipate the start of the NLCS vs. the Cubs. Homers from Daniel Murphy and Travis d'Arnaud help Matt Harvey win Game One. Murphy homers again as Noah Syndergaard wins Game Two.

Several news stories today are reiterating that Zobrist is the number one Mets target this offseason. Here are two tweets from Ken Rosenthal: Zobrist #Mets� No. 1 target, sources say. #Nationals also in, along with #Braves, #SFGiants, others. #Royals not expected to offer same $$$. Sources: Zobrist market likely to become more defined in next few days. Willingness to guarantee fourth year likely will be deciding factor.

Five years, $110 million. Zimmermann (if he passes the physical) will earn $22 million per year in a contract that ends when he's 34 years old. Which mean that if he stays healthy he'll potentially have another big free agent payday.

. Vote for the tabloid covers that you like the best. You may select up to three choices. Voting will run for seven days. Back in New York, the Mets take Game Three of the NLDS against the Dodgers. Clayton Kershaw beats the Mets in Game Four, sending the series back to Los Angeles for a deciding game. The Mets win Game Five and they'll face the Cubs in the NLCS.

. Vote for the tabloid covers that you like the best. You may select up to three choices. Voting will run for seven days. The Mets and Jacob deGrom win Game One of the NLDS in Los Angeles. The Dodgers win Game Two as Chase Utley breaks Ruben Tejada's leg. Utley receives a suspension. The News and the Post speculate about vengeance.

I'm glad you're enjoying it!

That's true enough. And I honestly don't get it.

themetfairy wrote: But mostly, I remember how my straight male friends here found him to be the sexiest thing alive. Not all of us!