Benjamin Grimm

You know, maybe they would be better off trading Bay for a pitcher with an awful contract. A pitcher who will get $30 million or so over the next two years and will give you 100 bad innings per year. It's still wasted money, but at least it would free up an outfield spot. (This move only makes sense if there's a good enough outfielder ready to fill that spot.)

I suppose Bay's production would be a little more palatable from a center fielder. I think it would be even more palatable from somebody ten years younger and making 5 per cent of Jason Bay's salary. In theory, I like that they're going to explore trading Bay, but in practice I can't imagine them getting anything back other than somebody else's overpaid player. (One of those change-of-scenery deals.) It's hard to see such a deal having too much upside, but I suppose it's possible.

Yeah, I'm more interested in his battle with Ryan Braun than I am with the Cleon/Olerud thing. Jose winning a batting title would be as big a chunk of Mets history, if not bigger, as his setting a new club record.

I would have guessed that Cleon was born in Mobile, but I looked it up (on UMDB, Retrosheet, and Baseball Reference) and it seems that he was born in Plateau which, according to Google Maps, is 5.5 miles away from downtown Mobile. Selma is 154 miles away from Mobile.

Voting for both games of Monday's doubleheader sweep of the Marlins will close on Thursday morning. Schaefer POTG 8/29/11 - Game 1 - Mets 2, Marlins 1 Schaefer POTG 8/29/11 - Game 2 - Mets 5, Marlins 1

Pelfrey 1.5 Igarashi 0.5

Minor leaguers in the pipeline who are from there. (I'm sure this is availalbe, but damnaed if I know where to find it easily. I tiried) This isn't entirely up to date, but it ain't bad. These are US-born players that have appeared in minor league games for the Mets in 2011, but have never played for the big league club: Dustin Lawley, Alabama (Adger) Gregory Pron, Alabama (Daphne) Brandon Sage, Alabama (Mobile) Xorge Carrillo, Arizona (Tempe) Chase Huchingson, Arkansas (Fayetteville) Nick Carr, California (Bakersfield) Val Pascucci, California (Bellflower) Phillip Evans, California (Carlsbad) Cory Vaughn, California (Carmichael) Tyler Pill, California (Covina) Jeffrey Kaplan, California (Dana Point) Rylan Sandoval, California (Hayward) Joshua Satin, California (Hidden Hills) Dustin Emmons, California (La Crescenta) Travis Taijeron, California (La Mesa) Daniel Muno, California (Long Beach) Guillaume Leduc, California (Longueuil) Dusty Ryan, California (Merced) Brian Valenzuela, California (Murrieta) Jason Botts, California (Paso Robles) Kirk Nieuwenhuis, California (Ripon) Allan Dykstra, California (San Diego) Beck Wheeler, California (San Diego) Steve Winnick, California (San Diego) Robert Gsellman, California (Santa Monica) Michael Hebert, California (Saugus) Christopher Schwinden, California (Visalia) Matt Harvey, Connecticut (New London) Eric Campbell, Connecticut (Norwich) Chase Greene, Florida (Boca Raton) Brandon Brown, Florida (Catonment) Robbie Shields, Florida (Dade City) Travis Ozga, Florida (Fort Lauderdale) Matt den Dekker, Florida (Ft. Lauderdale) Richard Lucas, Florida (Jacksonville) John Church, Florida (Lake Wales) Randy Fontanez, Florida (Oviedo) Erik Turgeon, Florida (Palm Harbor) Boof Bonser, Florida (St. Petersburg) Jeff Walters, Florida (Windermere) Taylor Whitenton, Georgia (Conyers) Colin McHugh, Georgia (Covington) John Gant, Georgia (Savannah) Zack Wheeler, Georgia (Smyrna) Justin Hampson, Illinois (Belleville) Jeremy Gould, Illinois (Buffalo Grove) Jonathan Clark, Illinois (Chicago) Luke Stewart, Illinois (Normal) Joshua Stinson, Illinois (Springfield) Brandon Moore, Indiana (Crawfordsville) Jacob Lugo, Louisiana (Bossier City) Chad Sheppard, Louisiana (Enterprise) Adam Kolarek, Maryland (Baltimore) Matthew Budgell, Massachusetts (Beverly) Jack Leathersich, Massachusetts (Beverly) John Leathersich, Massachusetts (Beverly) Nelfi Zapata, Massachusetts (Dorchester) Michael Powers, Michigan (St. Clair Shores) Eric Niesen, Michigan (Wyandotte) Joe Bonfe, Minnesota (Woodbury) Chris Hilliard, Mississippi (Ecru) Robert Carson, Mississippi (Hattiesburg) Alonzo Harris, Mississippi (McComb) Donnie Tabb, Mississippi (Philadelphia) Lorenzo Scott, Missouri (St. Louis) Taylor Tankersley, Montana (Missoula) Casey Hauptman, Nebraska (Omaha) Chasen Bradford, Nevada (Henderson) Kenny McDowall, Nevada (Las Vegas) Todd Weldon, New Mexico (Carlsbad) T. J. Rivera, New York (Bronx) Carlos Guzman, New York (Brooklyn) Charles Thurber, New York (Elmira) Camden Maron, New York (Huntington) Ricky Brooks, New York (North Tonawanda) Jack Egbert, New York (Staten Island) Eric Beaulac, New York (Troy) Brian Sweeney, New York (Yonkers) Brad Holt, North Carolina (Albermarle) Russ Adams, North Carolina (Laurinburg) Scott Moviel, Ohio (Lakewood) Tyson Seng, Oklahoma (Norman) Michael Fulmer, Oklahoma (Oklahoma City) Shane Bay, Oklahoma (Tulso) Darrell Ceciliani, Oregon (Madras) Thomas Chism, Pennsylvania (Brookhaven) Joe Tuschak, Pennsylvania (Dillsburg) Cory Mazzoni, Pennsylvania (Evans City) Darin Gorski, Pennsylvania (Mount Joy) Zachary Lutz, Pennsylvania (Reading) Juan Centeno, Puerto Rico (Arecibo) Luis Figueroa, Puerto Rico (Bayamon) Brahiam Maldonado, Puerto Rico (Carolina) Javier Rodriguez, Puerto Rico (Dorado) Matt Bouchard, Rhode Island (East Greenwich) Dylan Owen, South Carolina (Chesterfield) Dock Doyle, South Carolina (Conway) Josh Edgin, South Carolina (Florence) Brian Harrison, South Carolina (Hilton Head) Robert Lake, South Carolina (Prosperity) Reese Havens, South Carolina (Sullivan's Island) Hamilton Bennett, South Carolina (Tega Cay) Chad Zurcher, Tennessee (Knoxville) Michael Fisher, Tennessee (Nashville) J. B. Brown, Texas (Alvin) Mark Picca, Texas (Arlington) Sam Honeck, Texas (Austin) Mark Cohoon, Texas (Burleson) Tant Shepherd, Texas (Flower Mound) Bubba Bell, Texas (Houston) Tyler Carpenter, Texas (Houston) Jose De La Torre, Texas (Houston) Roy Merritt, Texas (Houston) Ryan Hutson, Texas (Round Rock) John Lujan, Texas (Waco) Peter Birdwell, Washington (Spokane) Greg Peavey, Washington (Vancouver) Brandon Nimmo, Wyoming (Cheyenne)

This recent winning streak, and the upcoming schedule, may mean that a .500 season is once again within reach. Back when the Mets were in Philadelphia, they needed to go 21-14 to get to .500. (That's a .600 pace.) But now they only need to go 17-13, which is just a .567.

metirish wrote: You probably think the Dubs can beat Kerry too? My first thought was that that was a reference to the 2004 presidential election, but I'm thinking it's probably actually some Irish thing.

Ike Davis is running all out, becoming optimistic that he'll be able to avoid the microfracture surgery. Decision soon.

Acosta 1 Beato 0.4 Evans 0.5 Gee 3.6 Harris 0.5 Nickeas 0.25 Pagan 0.5 Reyes 0.25 Tejada 1.5 Wright 1.5

Dickey 5 Duda 1.1 Evans 1.1 Isringhausen 1 Thole 0.7 Turner 1.1

Voting for Friday's pre-hurricane win over Atlanta at Citi Field will close on Wednesday morning. Schaefer POTG 8/26/11 - Mets 6, Braves 0

A brief injury scare for Thole as he beats out a play at first base. If he had to come out, the Mets would only have one catcher for the next 15 innings.

Dickey and Gee today. Pelfrey tomorrow, Capuano Wednesday. Batista looks like he might go on Thursday.

Wow... I almost forgot it was still baseball season. Jose returns today! Let's hope he sticks around for a while. He needs 40 more plate appearances to qualify for the batting title. He also has to deal with Ryan Braun of the Brewers, who has closed the gap and is now only two points behind Reyes: .336 to .334.

Capuano 6 Duda 1.2 Evans 0.5 Pagan 0.9 Tejada 0.9 Thole 0.5

Cappy perfect through four!

I say, just play a triple-header today.

Yeah! Screw the Braves! This whole thing is their fault anyway!

Well, the Mets may not need that spot starter on Monday, but, barring additional rainouts, they will need somebody by Thursday, unless they opt to pitch Gee on three days rest, which I doubt. But by Thursday we'll be in September's expanded-roster period.

With Sunday's game canceled, the Mets should no longer need a spot starter for Monday's doubleheader.

Sure, we can laugh now, but when Jeter and Piazza marry each other, we'll all be cringing.