Benjamin Grimm

Just a guess... but I bet they had a higher payroll in 1980.

So, basically he's Jason Bay?

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: With all due respect (to you and everyone else here with the "it isn't Shea" business), until 2008, people didn't come to Shea for Shea. I did. (At least, partially.)

Are federal employees allowed to have a favorite team?

But I bet they're undefeated when he starts and does get the win.

You finally figured out how to sweet-talk your way past the bouncers, huh?

You're showing your age! It hasn't been called "the Pennsylvania State House" in a couple of hundred years!

Don't think for a minute that there's no connection between the lack of merchandise and his distaste for noodles.

Baxter 0.8 Davis 0.6 Francisco 0.5 Hairston 1 Hefner 4 Parnell 0.5 Quintanilla 1.5 Rauch 0.5 Wright 0.6

It looks like we may have lost a few regular voters over the last several weeks. Vote counts had been hovering around 10 but now it seems that 7 is a pretty good total. Nevertheless, the four games from last weekend's San Diego series will all close on Thursday morning. May is coming to a close, so look next week for the Player of the Month announcement. Schaefer POTG 5/24/12 - Padres 11, Mets 5 Schaefer POTG, 5/25/2012: Mets 6 Padres 1 Schaefer POTG 5/26/12 - Mets 9, Padres 0 Schaefer POTG 05/27/2012 Mets 2, San Diego 0

N.Y. Daily News wrote: Sandy Alderson wanted to set the record straight on Tuesday night. Responding to an Internet report quoting the GM as confirming the Mets will offer David Wright a contract extension, Alderson, after Tuesday�s 6-3 victory over the Phillies, delivered this message: �I think what I�ve said in that regard is that we�ll talk to (Wright�s) agent sometime this season,� Alderson said. �I don�t want to infer that we will make an offer, that we won�t make an offer. We expect to talk to his agent this season certainly. But I don�t want to answer that question for 20 or 30 other people. We expect to talk to the agent this year. I can�t exactly foresee what will take place, but that�s as far as I�ve gone at this point.� Wright, who went 1-for-4 with an RBI, can become a free agent after the season (there is a $16 million club option for 2013). Alderson clarified that discussions with Wright�s agent won�t necessarily facilitate an offer. �We can talk about a lot of things that would come up short of an offer,� Alderson said. �And I�m not trying to suggest that we�re going to make one or not make one or what-have-you. I�ve said we�d like to have David here long term. I stand by that statement. But I just want to make sure the record is clear.�

Yeah, those are terrific photos.

The Daily News devoted about seven inches of column space today to their THIS DATE IN BASEBALL feature. This one item was a little intriguing: 1946 - In a reverse integration role, Edward Klep became the first white to play in the Negro leagues in a game played in Grand Rapids. Klep pitched seven innings for the Cleveland Buckeyes against the American Giants in his debut with the Negro American League team. Also, in 1916 Christy Mathewson beats the Braves as the Giants get their 17th consecutive road win. In 1922, the U. S. Supreme Court rules that baseball is a spot and not a business (hah!). 1928, Bill Terry becomes the first player to hit for the cycle and hit a grand slam in the same game. 1956, Dale Long goes hitless, ending a streak of eight games in a row with a home run. 1976, Joe Niekro hits his only big-league home run, and it comes off his brother Phil as the Astros beat the Braves. 1990, Rickey Henderson breaks Ty Cobb's AL stolen base record. 2010, Roy Halliday throws a perfect game for the Phillies.

Hairston 2 Ramirez 1 Rauch 1 Rottino 2 Torres 0.5

Was George Will playing nicely with the other boys and girls?

Frayed Knot wrote: First time since July 2010 And that's a bit of a buzzkill, since that season ended with 83 losses.

Andres Torres' 0.03 total points averaged down to zero, so he does not appear among the results.

Box score Baxter 1.25 Byrdak 1.25 Dickey 5 Francisco 0.75 Murphy 1.25 Wright 0.5

Santana 6 Hairston 3 Nickeas 1

Two homers in one inning? May is no longer looking so homerless.

Baxter 1 Davis 1 Duda 1 Gee 5 Murphy 1 Nieuwenhuis 1

That hasn't happened, but I found four games where a three-run homer gave the Mets a one-run win: 08/21/1962 Pittsburgh Pirates W 5-4 9 Marv Throneberry Roy Face Home Run, 3 rbi 06/07/1963 St. Louis Cardinals W 3-2 9 Duke Snider Diomedes Olivo Home Run, 3 rbi 06/14/1980 San Francisco Giants W 7-6 9 Steve Henderson Allen Ripley Home Run, 3 rbi 09/05/1983 Philadelphia Phillies W 6-5 9 George Foster Al Holland Home Run, 3 rbi

Only six people have voted for Wednesday afternoon's win over the Pirates. Voting will close some time over the Memorial Day weekend. Please try to get your remaining votes in today. Schaefer POTG 5/23/12 - Mets 3, Pirates 1