Benjamin Grimm

Mets are once again 10 games over .500, for the first time since April. I hereby challenge them to push it to 20 games. That would require them going 29-19 the rest of the way, and they'd finish with 91 wins.

Mets Guy in Michigan wrote: Those might be your best cards yet in terms of matching the pose with the year the card was issues -- and the bar already was very, very high. Simply spectacular. Thanks! Matching the photo with the year is something I always try to do, and it's nice to know that it's noticed.

SCHAEFER METS PLAYERS OF THE MONTH, JULY 2015 JULY 2015 Player of the Month: NOAH SYNDERGAARD Pitcher of the Month: NOAH SYNDERGAARD Reliever of the Month: JEURYS FAMILIA Bench Player of the Month: ERIC CAMPBELL Updated award winner standings, with this month's winners in bold: PLAYER OF THE MONTH David Wright 14 Johan Santana 6 Carlos Beltran 5 Jose Reyes 5 R. A. Dickey 4 Lucas Duda 4 Daniel Murphy 3 Cliff Floyd 2 Tom Glavine 2 Carlos Delgado 2 Ike Davis 2 Matt Harvey 2 Mike Cameron 1 John Maine 1 Angel Pagan 1 Jeff Francoeur 1 Ruben Tejada 1 John Buck 1 Marlon Byrd 1 Dillon Gee 1 Jonathon Niese 1 Bartolo Colon 1 Juan Lagares 1 Jacob deGrom 1 NOAH SYNDERGAARD 1 PITCHER OF THE MONTH R. A. Dickey 10 Johan Santana 9 Pedro Martinez 6 John Maine 5 Mike Pelfrey 4 Jonathon Niese 4 Matt Harvey 4 Jacob deGrom 4 Tom Glavine 3 Dillon Gee 3 Orlando Hernandez 2 Bartolo Colon 2 Alay Soler 1 Steve Trachsel 1 Oliver Perez 1 Livan Hernandez 1 Tim Redding 1 Chris Capuano 1 Zack Wheeler 1 NOAH SYNDERGAARD 1 RELIEVER OF THE MONTH JEURYS FAMILIA 7 Brian Stokes 5 Billy Wagner 4 Aaron Heilman 4 Bobby Parnell 4 Carlos Torres 4 Francisco Rodriguez 3 Duaner Sanchez 2 Raul Valdes 2 Pedro Beato 2 Manny Acosta 2 Jon Rauch 2 LaTroy Hawkins 2 Darren Oliver 1 Chad Bradford 1 Guillermo Mota 1 Joe Smith 1 Jorge Sosa 1 Scott Schoeneweis 1 Pedro Feliciano 1 Sean Green 1 Fernando Nieve 1 Hisanori Takahashi 1 Elmer Dessens 1 Jason Isringhausen 1 Frank Francisco 1 Josh Edgin 1 Scott Rice 1 BENCH PLAYER OF THE MONTH Fernando Tatis 3 Daniel Murphy 3 Jordany Valdespin 3 ERIC CAMPBELL 3 Julio Franco 2 Damion Easley 2 Marlon Anderson 2 Endy Chavez 2 Josh Thole 2 Justin Turner 2 Scott Hairston 2 Andrew Brown 2 Eli Marrero 1 Michael Tucker 1 Ricky Ledee 1 David Newhan 1 Ramon Castro 1 Ruben Gotay 1 Robinson Cancel 1 Gary Sheffield 1 Alex Cora 1 Jeremy Reed 1 Omir Santos 1 Cory Sullivan 1 Chris Carter 1 Mike Hessman 1 Nick Evans 1 Jason Pridie 1 Willie Harris 1 Val Pascucci 1 Mike Baxter 1 Ronny Cedeño 1 Kelly Shoppach 1 Josh Satin 1 Zach Lutz 1 Ike Davis 1 Lucas Duda 1 Chris Young 1 Anthony Recker 1 Curtis Granderson 1 Johnny Monell Darrell Ceciliani 1

sharpie wrote: I believe this is the first time Curtis has batted anyplace other than leadoff this year. Yes, you're correct. In 103 previous starts this season, he was the leadoff hitter each time.

Voting for Monday night's win over the Rockies will close on Thursday morning, some time after 10 a.m. Also, I've decided that Schaefer voting will continue in 2016, but in a different form. I expect that this new method, which will take place outside of this forum, will cause a further decline in participation, but will also result in a lot less effort on my part. I'll still share the results here on the CPF, but the voting will take place elsewhere. Look for further details during the coming offseason. Schaefer POTG 8/10/15 - Mets 4, Rockies 2

Yes, I want that division title. (And I'd almost rather get the second wild card than the first, because the system, I think, is very unfair to the first wild card team. A team that gets the second slot is playing with house money.) Anyway, the most likely scenario, it seems, has the Cardinals playing the wild card winner (Pirates or Cubs) and the Mets (or Nationals) playing the NL West winner. I can definitely see the Mets playing the Dodgers in the first round and then the Cardinals in the second round, which sounds ominously like 2006, but hopefully with a happier, or at least later, ending.

Okay, I'll allow that!

Mike Vorkunov, NJ.com wrote: NEW YORK � The years have not been kind to Jose Reyes since he left the Mets. His production has dipped. He has been sent from city to city, from Miami to Toronto and now to Denver. Once a star with the Mets, he has turned into a baseball vagabond. But he does want to come back. While Reyes has several more years on his current contract, Reyes, who continues to have a home on Long Island, told the New York Times that he wants to return to the Mets. "I'd love to � not now, because I have two more years on my deal," Reyes told the Times. "But I'd love to finish my career here in New York. I have some great memories here." Reyes is still beloved by Mets fans and he says he still feels the love when he comes to New York. It reminds him of the city he left and, apparently, wants to return to. Writes Rohan in the Times: "Like any baseball fan with New York roots, he follows the Mets from afar. He knows about their young, dominant pitching. He still thinks about 2006, the year he was one victory away from playing in the World Series. When he walks the streets of New York, people shout at him: "Come back! Come back to the Mets!" He gets the same messages on Twitter and Instagram, too. It all makes him smile."

Ceetar wrote: speaking of synergy, all 30 teams start at the same time on 10/4. Cool stuff. Yes, I think that was a smart idea. Sometimes MLB does get something right.

Mets � Willets Point wrote: Mets are guaranteed to play at least 4 games in October! Hopefully those four will be meaningless, followed by 15 to 20 meaningful games.

Well, sure, but having the home teams go 1 and 0 isn't at all remarkable. It (1 and 0) has probably happened plenty of times in MLB, with the exclusive Sunday-night ESPN season opener. What's rare is when the sweep involves 10 or more games, or, like yesterday, 15 games.

Of course. But first things first.

I don't think the exuberance is at all irrational. It's August 12, the Mets are 2.5 games in first place and have a soft schedule ahead. Baseball Prospectus, as of this morning, has the Mets at 69.5% to win the division, 73.2% to make the playoffs, and 6.9% to win the World Series. Traditionally, this has been the time of year when I start paying less attention to the Mets, but instead, this year I'm spending more time watching. And while the 2.5 game lead is very nice, I won't feel completely comfortable until they have a 7-game lead with only 17 to play. (Ummm, never mind on that last thought.) It looks like we'll have meaningful games in September. And while that phrase was much derided (mainly, I think, because it came from a Wilpon) it's really what we want, isn't it?

I have a hunch that this is a bit more common in the NFL.

Cuddyer 1 Harvey 5 Lagares 3 Tejada 1

batmagadanleadoff wrote: I'm just tired of reading posts that state that ... all the money in the world wouldn't improve this team be even one simple win. I really doubt that anyone is saying that.