Benjamin Grimm

LOL!

He may be trying to motivate himself. Who knows? I'm just groping in the dark here. His effort to continue his career has seemed awfully half-hearted, hasn't it?

Face it, his career is winding down. He's earning $6 million either way. He can work hard and try to extend his career, but he still may not be able to get himself a contract from anyone for 2012. So why not start his retirement a little earlier and enjoy himself this year, while being paid handsomely to do so. I don't know for sure that that's how he's thinking, of course. But if Castillo senses that he's done anyway, I can understand his lack of motivation.

Me too.

What are the possibilities? If it's not gonna be shortstop, is second base possible? Hopefully the guy at third base will be around for years to come. Can Flores be an outfielder?

Robert (Queens): What are your thoughts on Wilmer Flores? Paul DePodesta: Two days ago during a minor league game played on Field 7 (a field that is built precisely to the dimensions of CitiField - walls and all), Flores went oppo to deep right center field. Oppo. Right-center. In CitiField. He's 19. Like him! Seriously, he can really hit.

The Second Spitter wrote: Okay then! It's already been done! As far as I can tell that's just a list and not a very good one, as it's missing a few bmfc1 mentioned. OE:Or are you referring to another website? No, I was referring to that one. I didn't realize it wasn't complete.

Okay then! It's already been done!

Pelfrey has said that he can't seem to get in a competitive frame of mind for exhibition games. He's tried pretending that the game matters, but it doesn't work for him.

Or maybe... the disabled list? Tweet from Andy McCullough, Newark Star Ledger wrote: Jason Isringhausen took medication to reduce inflammation in his right elbow. Shut down for the day. Tweaks his chances for making club.

Interesting thought. Edgy is right, this is not something that I'm likely to take on, but if somebody else wants to do it, I can give them a space on the UMDB to share the results of their efforts. If anyone is interested, let me know and we can work out the details.

I think the cartoonist creates a font (or, more likely, has one created for him) out of his own hand lettering.

Hopefully he'll be remembered for the way he stepped up in Game 7, 2006 NLCS. But I don't think that will happen. I think he'll mostly be remembered for the three-year contract and its aftermath.

The word balloons are a font, too. (I think most cartoonists these days use a handwritten font for their lettering.) Take a look at the E's... they're all identical.

I'd call it "so far so good." I have a good feeling about Young and Capuano both. I'm more concerned with Bay and Beltran.

If I have this right, there are 36 guys remaining in camp, and eleven who have to be demoted or disabled or dispatched by next Friday: Manny Acosta Pedro Beato Taylor Buchholz Chris Capuano D.J. Carrasco R.A. Dickey Pat Misch Jon Niese Bobby Parnell Mike Pelfrey Oliver Perez Johan Santana Chris Young Blaine Boyer Tim Byrdak Jason Isringhausen Michael O'Connor Mike Nickeas Ronny Paulino Kai Gronauer Josh Thole Ike Davis Brad Emaus Nick Evans Luis Hernandez Chin-lung Hu Daniel Murphy Jose Reyes Justin Turner David Wright Jason Bay Carlos Beltran Lucas Duda Scott Hairston Angel Pagan Willie Harris Is anyone missing? Or is there anyone on this list who's no longer around?

G-Fafif wrote: Mookie takes back 1, reports Rubin. Excellent!

I do see the ugliness, but I'm not convinced it's localized to the Mets community. I suspect that Mets fans are subject to the same forces that are increasing the ugliness in society at large. There's a lot of anti-Hispanic fervor out there these days. They're seen as illegals who come here just to steal low-paying jobs and to give birth to American citizens. And there's that whole "I refuse to have to press one for English" movement.

MLB approves groups for Mets bidding Updated Mar 18, 2011 12:42 PM ET Opening day for the sale of a stake in the cash-strapped New York Mets arrived, with Major League Baseball (MLB) approving at least two potential bidding groups, the New York Post reported Friday, citing sources. One group cleared to bid for the Mets was Goldman Sachs' David Heller and Apollo's Marc Spilker, while the other group includes Steve Starker, co-founder of the global trading firm BTIG, and Ken Dichter, co-founder of Marquis Jet, sources said. At least one or two additional bidders were also passed along to the MLB commissioner and could be cleared to bid for the team, sources said. Each of the groups was first vetted by the Mets' investment bank, Allen & Co. The approved suitors were expected to meet next week with Allen & Co., when they would get to see confidential financials of the team and begin the process of deciding whether to actually make an offer. The sale process was expected to be all but complete by June 30. The Mets were seeking a buyer for a minority interest -- at least 25 percent and possibly up to 49 percent -- in the team to raise much-needed cash to pay down debt. Team owners, including majority owner Fred Wilpon and his brother-in-law Saul Katz, lost hundreds of millions in Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme and took out loans from banks and the MLB to fund day-to-day activities. The team, which is losing roughly $50 million a year, needs to pay down that debt.

Andy Martino says that we hate her because of her swarthy skin.

Came close enough to becoming Schaefer Mets Player of the Month in July or August of 2009 that I went ahead and prepared this card:

According to Ed Coleman from WFAN, Luis Castillo has asked for and just received his release from the Mets. Scheduled to be in today's starting lineup, Coleman reported this morning that Castillo is currently packing up his locker in Port St. Lucie. Hmmm... asked for his release, huh? Probably a smart move. He'll get his $6 million anyway, and he becomes a free agent, who anyone can sign for the major league minimum. He'll be a Phillie before Monday.

Glad to see Turner hanging in there. No good news for the bloodthirsty, as Castillo and Perez are still around.

Very, very cool: both the song and the fact that you rediscovered it.

I don't think it's a skin color thing. I think it's the $6 million per year contract and the dropped pop fly. The masses need a scapegoat for 2007 and 2008, and the frustrations since then, and unfairly or not* Luis Castillo has been picked to be one of them. *I think it's unfair.