Benjamin Grimm

We should do whatever we have to to get Sindy Ng to join us here.

I thought that maybe Davey Johnson had a chance to get on that list now that he's managing the Nationals, but no. He only had 90-win seasons with two teams, the Mets and the Orioles (with 98 wins in 1997). His high with the Dodgers was 86 (in 2000) and with the Reds it was 95 (in 1995).

Vic, I cross-checked your list against what I have here. You had a few that I missed, and it looks like you're missing Wilson Valdez in Philadelphia, Darren Oliver in Texas, and Gustavo Molina in the Bronx.

Shhhhhhhhhh! Secret talks may be underway! (I sure hope this is true.) Mets to begin talking with Reyes camp soon, in hopes of reaching new deal in coming weeks By MIKE PUMA Last Updated: 8:58 AM, July 7, 2011 Posted: 3:09 AM, July 7, 2011 LOS ANGELES � Don�t be so sure the Mets are waiting until after the season to talk turkey with Jose Reyes. Multiple sources with knowledge of the process told The Post yesterday that indications are the Mets have begun � or will soon begin � secret talks with the Reyes camp in hopes of reaching agreement in the coming weeks on a new contract with the All-Star shortstop. Last month, general manager Sandy Alderson announced he had reached out to Reyes� agent, Peter Greenberg, to begin dialogue, but was rebuffed. Reyes also indicated he wanted to focus on baseball and not contract issues. But one of the sources called the proclamations by Reyes and Alderson a likely �smokescreen� designed to protect the player and organization from dealing with daily questions about the negotiations. By keeping discussions secret, the Mets would also protect Reyes from fan backlash should he reject an offer that might be deemed fair by the public, but under market value by Reyes� camp. Before the Mets 5-3 win over the Dodgers last night, Alderson offered a cryptic response when asked if it still holds true there is no possibility a Reyes deal will be negotiated during the season. �I am no longer commenting on that possibility,� Alderson said as he ducked into manager Terry Collins� office for a meeting. It makes sense on several levels for Alderson to try to engage Greenberg in talks during the season. If the Reyes camp is determined to get Carl Crawford money � in the seven-year, $142 million range � that might be deemed a non-starter in serious negotiations, and the Mets still would have time to solicit offers for the player before the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline. Reyes remains hindered by a sore left hamstring and last night was absent from the starting lineup for a fourth straight game. The team has not placed him on the disabled list, hopeful that Reyes can return in San Francisco over the weekend. As Reyes� hamstring injury has demonstrated, there is risk involved for the shortstop in waiting until after the season to negotiate a new deal. The Mets could offer Reyes five years in the $100 million range and convince him the deal makes sense. Or Alderson could perhaps add a sixth year as an act of good faith, bringing the deal into the $110-$115 million area. One major league executive suggested the Mets should blame the Nationals if they cannot re-sign Reyes. It was at last year�s winter meetings that Washington shocked the baseball world by signing Jayson Werth for seven years and $126 million. That signing set the market, allowing the speedy Crawford � a player comparable to Reyes � to reap seven years and $142 million from the Red Sox. As was reported by the Post�s Joel Sherman earlier in the week, re-signing Reyes is a top priority for the Mets, and Alderson is prepared to authorize a substantial offer for the player. Getting Reyes� signature on a new contract remains paramount, but Alderson must also find a way to trade closer Francisco Rodriguez, whose contract contains a vesting option for $17.5 million for 2012 should he finish 55 games this season.

I'm not one to admire unwavering belief in the face of evidence.

I did some cross-checking of birth dates a while back, and found a few discrepancies myself. I've seen two different birth years for Roger Craig, for example. Other than tracking down and asking Craig himself, I have no way of knowing which is correct.

Thank you! I was able to enter his place of death, Hudson, Ohio, but not his date of death. (The article only said "last week".) If anyone sees anything that has the actual date he died, please let me know. I thank you, and the worldwide community of Mets fans thanks you.

What's your source for this? I've searched Google News and haven't found anything. (I'd like to be able to corroborate his death before I kill him off in the UMDB.) If you can post a link, I'd appreciate it. Thanks.

Voting for Tuesday night's win in Los Angeles will close on Friday morning. Schaefer POTG, 07/05/2011: Mets 6 Dodgers 0

Ashie62 awarded 10.5 points, and his votes were prorated: capuano 1.9 parnell 1.43 rodriguez 0.95 pagan 0.95 beltran 1.43 murphy 0.95 duda 0.95 tejada 1.43

metsmarathon awarded 10.6 points, and his votes were prorated as follows: dickey 2.36 rodriguez 2.36 beato 1.6 bay 1.51 hairston 0.85 murphy 0.66 paulino 0.66

Beltran 1.4 Duda 1.2 Niese 3 Parnell 1 Rodriguez 1 Tejada 1.4 Turner 1

Adam Rubin wrote: Reyes Likely Headed to DL The New York Mets put the wheels in motion toward placing shortstop Jose Reyes on the disabled list late Wednesday. Team officials arranged for corner infielder/outfielder Nick Evans to fly to Los Angeles from Triple-A Buffalo, multiple team sources told ESPNNewYork.com. Reyes strained his left hamstring Saturday against the Yankees. After taking ground balls and working on a stationary bicycle and treadmill earlier this week, Reyes was unable to do any physical activity on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium, the shortstop said. A team official said a firm decision to place Reyes on the disabled list would not be made until Reyes arrives at the ballpark Thursday and is unable to run, which is the expected scenario. "I didn't do anything today. ... Probably tomorrow I don't do anything, either," Reyes said after Wednesday's 5-3 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Mets had been inclined to play with a short bench this week and keep Reyes on the active roster if doctors believed there was a reasonable chance the spark plug would be healthy for the first series following the All-Star break, against the National League East-leading Philadelphia Phillies. Once Reyes is placed on the disabled list, he would be ineligible for that July 15-17 series. "We have to see what is going to be the best-case scenario for me," said Reyes, who leads the majors with a .354 average. "If I have to go (to the DL), if I really need to go, I have to do it."

Since when is Gene Simmons the God of Thunder??

I didn't even remember that Craig Biggio had 3,000 hits. Jeter reaching that milestone will mean as little to me as it apparently did when Biggio got there. (And Biggio, at least, is a homey; we're both from Smithtown.)

Giving him a few bullpen appearances in lieu of a minor league rehab start or two may be okay, as long as it's a step towards returning him to the big league rotation. If the Mets are going to hang in the Wild Card race, they will want Santana starting. And if they don't, then he might as well start. Meaningless starts are better for him, I would think, than meaningless relief appearances.

I don't know about "serious trouble." A spot start is when you need somebody for one day, maybe when there are back-to-back doubleheaders after a few rainouts or something like that. It's when you reach down to AAA to get whichever starter is rested and available. If he's needed to join the rotation, then yeah, it's a bad sign. But for one start? Not so much? (This raises the question, though. Who is the sixth starter on the Mets depth chart right now? Carrasco? If they had to summon someone from Buffalo, who would it be? Misch?)

I read that they signed him to fill in some innings for the Bisons, and not with Flushing in mind, unless there's an emergency need for a spot starter.

He has a legitimate beef. I just hope it doesn't cause tension in the Mets bullpen.

Updated award winner standings, with most recent winners in bold: PLAYER OF THE MONTH David Wright 10 Johan Santana 6 Carlos Beltran 5 JOSE REYES 5 Cliff Floyd 2 Tom Glavine 2 Carlos Delgado 2 Ike Davis 2 Mike Cameron 1 John Maine 1 Angel Pagan 1 Jeff Francoeur 1 R. A. Dickey 1 PITCHER OF THE MONTH Johan Santana 9 Pedro Martinez 6 John Maine 5 Mike Pelfrey 4 Tom Glavine 3 Orlando Hernandez 2 R. A. Dickey 2 Alay Soler 1 Steve Trachsel 1 Oliver Perez 1 Livan Hernandez 1 Tim Redding 1 Dillon Gee 1 Jonathon Niese 1 CHRIS CAPUANO 1 RELIEVER OF THE MONTH Brian Stokes 5 Francisco Rodriguez 3 Raul Valdes 2 PEDRO BEATO 2 Billy Wagner 1 Aaron Heilman 1 Duaner Sanchez 1 Scott Schoeneweis 1 Pedro Feliciano 1 Sean Green 1 Fernando Nieve 1 Hisanori Takahashi 1 Elmer Dessens 1

Now that June is done, it's almost time to start tallying the votes for July. Four games will close on Thursday morning. (See below.) If you have yet to vote any of the games listed, please try to do so today. Schaefer POTG 7/1/11 - MFYs 5, Mets 1 Schaefer PotG, 7/2/2011, Yankees 5, Mets 2 Schaefer POTG 7/3/11 - Mets 3, MFY's 2 (10 Innings) Schaefer POTG 7/4/11 - Mets 5, Dodgers 2

TransMonk wrote: Great job as always, BG! I think it is interesting to see all of the starters bunched up 6 - 10. Look at those pitching lines! Very close race for pitcher of the month. Thanks! Capuano went into his last start on June 29 needing only a few points to clinch the award, but he sputtered. Pelfrey, on June 30 then needed only a few points to win, but he too failed to come through. There was one point, about a week before the end of the month, where all five starters had point totals between 11 and 12. A very tight race. The points earned by the starters left very little for the relievers. I will have to look and see, but I think Beato's win came with very few points. I think generally the winning reliever has more than 4.93 points.