G-Fafif

When you're going horsebleep…

Sevy takes one off the right foot, stays in there like the American hero he wishes to be.

Guillorme drives in a run, but deep down he regrets it.

Frank Thomas, like Luis, could change uniforms but not deeply held allegiances.

Today is the mutual birthday of Ron Guidry (74) and Mike Torrez (78), starting pitcher combatants in the Bucky Bleeping Dent Game, And turning 81 on this very same day, Lou Piniella, who did some bleeping effective dekeing in right field that fateful Fenway afternoon. The game in question took place five weeks past their birthday(s), so it probably wasn't on anybody's mind.

Jeff Conine, proud papa.

https://x.com/nut_history/status/1828082096684089543 Man, what a great picture From the movie Old Dogs, rather than a plainclothes celebrity BP session.

Ian Browne of MLB.com notes on Twitter/X, “Remarkably, the last five leaders of baseball operations for the Red Sox -- Theo Epstein, Ben Cherington, Dave Dombrowski, Chaim Bloom and Craig Breslow -- have all signed Rich Hill to contracts.”

SNY notes Michael Tonkin's journey.. 🔹 December 6, 2023: Signs one-year deal with Mets 🔹 April 5: DFA'd by Mets 🔹 April 9: Traded from Mets to Twins for cash 🔹 April 13: DFA'd by Twins 🔹 April 17: Claimed off waivers by Mets 🔹 April 22: DFA'd by Mets 🔹 April 25: Claimed off waivers by Yankees 🔹 August 25: DFA'd by Yankees 🔹 August 27: Claimed off waivers by Twins

Five ex-Mets... Robinson Cano Jonathan Villar Jimmy Yacabonis Patrick Mazeika Alex Claudio ...make an appearance in this Athletic examination of the Mexican League's recent resurgence. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5722544/2024/08/26/mlb-veterans-mexican-leaguehttps://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5722544/2024/08/26/mlb-veterans-mexican-league

Francisco Lindor is your National League Player of the Week.

White Sox fall to 31-100 today. At same juncture of 1962, Mets were 33-98.

Nice minor league return for ol' Rich Hill. https://nesn.com/2024/08/red-sox-lefty-rich-hill-reflects-on-debut-performance-in-triple-a/https://nesn.com/2024/08/red-sox-lefty-rich-hill-reflects-on-debut-performance-in-triple-a/

For those who missed it, Rich Hill has returned to the Red Sox yet again. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/08/red-sox-rich-hill-nearing-agreement-on-minor-league-deal.htmlhttps://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/08/red-sox-rich-hill-nearing-agreement-on-minor-league-deal.html

=ashie62 post_id=167524 time=1724617811 user_id=90] I'm watching Martin Perez and am reminded that ancient lefty Rich Hill did not sign with a team for the stretch

Baty and break have a new meaning: Brett's left index finger was fractured by HBP the other night. Out 4-6 weeks, or what's left of the season.

Blackburn to IL with contusion; Brazoban returns.

Nuñez activated, Brazoban optioned.

Arky. Pee Wee. Baseball names were more fun then.

Dom Smith has joined Amed Rosario on the Reds.

BEFORE EVERY GAME, Francisco Lindor flits around the New York Mets' clubhouse, stopping at the lockers of green rookies and grizzled veterans, players from the United States and Venezuela and Japan and Cuba and the Dominican Republic. It's his ritual now, one performed out of equal parts desire and duty. "I look forward to it every day," Mets left-hander Sean Manaea said. "The consistency, the positivity -- he really is like that every day." He does it after the game, too, regardless of the circumstances, and whether it's with a pat on the back, a dap, a joke, a compliment, a wisecrack, a question or an embrace, Lindor seemingly manages the impossible: marrying extreme levels of wholesomeness with a sincerity that keeps it from growing cheesy. Earlier this month, after the Seattle Mariners held the Mets to one run in a three-game sweep, Lindor "is just walking around and saying: turn the page, enjoy the flight, enjoy your families, we'll get 'em Tuesday," said Mets reliever Adam Ottavino. "He is just hugging everybody, slapping five with everybody, making sure that we're all together. Because that's exactly who he is." To those unfamiliar with the rhythms of a baseball season, Lindor's dismissal of a bad series could suggest a lack of care or urgency. In reality, the opposite is true. Lindor is the metronome. Now 30 years old and in his 10th major league season, he is acutely attuned to what the Mets' clubhouse needs at any given moment -- and, in fact, those inside it give him credit for launching the team back into playoff contention after a hellacious tailspin earlier this year. This position in Queens didn't necessarily come easily for Lindor. After six drama-free years with Cleveland, his first season with the Mets in 2021 saw Lindor wrap his hands around the neck of his double-play partner in the tunnel during a game, flash a thumbs-down sign to fans who had booed his substandard performance and generally fail to ingratiate himself in the manner of a star who signed a 10-year, $341 million contract. The next year, he was featured prominently in the Mets' renaissance as they won 101 games. Last season, they flopped, having baseball's highest-ever payroll at more than $400 million but finishing nowhere close to even a .500 record. And now, in a year when little was expected, Lindor has grown into the best version of himself. Which is saying something, because for a decade now, Lindor has been one of the finest players in baseball, building the sort of résumé to pave a path 200 miles from Queens to Cooperstown. He is nearly halfway to 3,000 hits and 500 home runs. He plays shortstop with grace and flash and consistency, with precious-metal gloves -- two gold, one platinum -- to show for it. In baseball history, only four shortstops finished their first 10 years with more Baseball-Reference wins above replacement (WAR) than Lindor's 48.0: Arky Vaughan, Alex Rodriguez, Cal Ripken Jr. and Pee Wee Reese. Since 2015, Lindor ranks third among all MLB players in FanGraphs WAR behind only Mookie Betts and Mike Trout. And both by WAR and impact, this could be his greatest season yet. He tops the National League leaderboard, ahead of Shohei Ohtani and Ketel Marte, is one of seven players to have not missed a game this season and Thursday became the first shortstop ever with three seasons of 25 home runs and 25 stolen bases. He has found the sweet spot of personal and professional growth, embracing the responsibilities of being the face of a New York sports franchise while staying true to who he aspires to be. And with it have come the MVP chants at Citi Field, three letters that tell as much of a story about who he is as what he has done. "It brings a smile to my face because it would be a dream," Lindor said, "but I understand we've still got a long way to go, and I've got to put up way better numbers. If the fans feel that way, it's fantastic. But I got to continue to climb. I got to continue to help the team win. "MVPs are not won in June and July. MVPs are won in August and September." Also quite a bit of previously unreported detail on The Meeting credited with getting the players' heads right and Lindor's role.

ESPN deep dive on the greatness of Francisco Lindor. https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/40909111/mlb-2024-francisco-lindor-new-york-mets-turnaround-playoff-race-nl-mvp-candidatehttps://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/40909111/mlb-2024-francisco-lindor-new-york-mets-turnaround-playoff-race-nl-mvp-candidate

In a more stable, less churn-intensive time, I could picture Gamel loitering in the shadows of the roster for the year, not bothering anybody, and getting his 120 or so ABs. As was, I had the sense he woke up every morning and checked the transaction sites to see if he was listed.

The D'backs have picked up Luis Guillorme, positioning him as the quintessential Old Friend, a player we're likely to see compete vs. the Mets for a third team in his first year gone.

The Red Sox have indeed released Dom Smirh.