G-Fafif

Was part of Steven Matz's debut, will live forever on Mets Classics.

"Frick" is Latin for "let's give the award to not the best candidate."

Can't cheapen admission to that which they've been letting everybody in for decades.

Claire Smith, who covered some Mets in her time, gets the Spink award. A pioneer and fine writer who put up with a lot of BS, to put it mildly. Also didn't vote for Piazza for the Hall, but nobody's perfect.

Lately having taken buyouts from the Snooze: Bob Raissman, Anthony McCarron, Michael O'Keefe and old friend Andy "Tracksuit" Martino. Martino still an MLB Insider for SNY.

HoJo has been too long overlooked. Three of the best pre-Piazza seasons in franchise history, all of them 30-30. Started as a regular at four positions (winning HR, RBI titles as right fielder when he was needed there). Had bad timing in that he always seemed to excel when the team was going to hell, but he was part of the greatest era the Mets ever enjoyed. I prefer a more expansive team Hall in general. If you're gonna be super strict on retired numbers, find another way to keep telling the story of the Mets. Orioles (whose HOF includes Melvin Mora), Twins (Rick Aguilera), Reds (Tom Seaver) all do it that way and their fans, I believe, are better off for it. Yes to Fonzie, Al and Bobby V from their time, for sure. And, though it is unlikely to happen, yes to Rube.

Every reference to CES takes me back to one of my earliest professional affiliations, when I wrote for CES Publishing, which covered the Consumer Electronics Show, or CES. I stare at those headlines and try to figure out what any of it has to do with the next generation of home video equipment.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: That homer by Cabrera may have been the best single moment from the 2016 season. It's too bad it didn't yield any great covers. I voted for Newsday's version because it's the only one of the three that didn't make a stupid pun on the word "Ass". Transcendent. Classic. This year's Wilmer Flores or Steve Henderson Game. In recognition of its significance, I gave all my votes to that game's headlines, the only time I've done that thus far.

When we were overloaded with awesome pitching, then this guy comes along and throws several strong starts, I thought of him as the Seventh Beatle. Eventually he fell behind Gabriel Ynoa on the depth chart. An emergency 1987 Met starter in trajectory.

Still begrumped that Fonzie's twelve years, one All-Star appearance, one Silver Slugger and general awesomeness wasn't enough to merit him a spot on one Hall of Fame ballot. Not a vote, but a spot. Still enough in love with Melvin that I'd probably vote for him if given the chance in real life.

That Houdini act Familia pulled back when we liked him was one of the most Amazin' innings in Mets history. It was, I recall reading at the time, the first and therefore only instance of loading the bases with nobody out while protecting a one-run ninth-inning lead and not allowing anybody to score.

Made a really good catch against the Dodgers as an outfielder shortly after he came up in 2014, same game that Puig made a better catch, I believe. Got a big hit in the game that was followed by Huey Lewis's set at Citi Field. Chris Young hit a home run that day, too. Made a great play at first in September this year. 0-for-0 with three runs scored in Steven Matz's debut. And then he was gone.

Just learned via tweet from CSN Chicago's Christopher Kamka (@ckamka): For 5 of the 30 franchises, the oldest pitcher to start a game is a Niekro. Phil: Braves, Blue Jays, Indians, MFYs Joe: Twins

In its day, the beret with the pom-pom was referred to as a tam o'shanter.

Before Game Four of the 2015 World Series, I was waiting to meet up friends in front of one of the office entrances down the first base line. While standing there, I saw Bartolo come into the lobby to take care of one of his families. He was in his baseball pants and undershirt (no jersey) visible through the glass door. His presence caused a commotion. One guy yelled, "HEYBIGSEXY!" Colon conducted his business, looked up briefly, waved nonchalantly and went back to distributing tickets or whatever it was he was doing. Then he was off to go be in the World Series some more. I really admired that he worked to turn himself into a competent hitting pitcher. I couldn't get behind the giggles at the helmet flying off his first year. An automatic out was nothing to laugh at. Replaced Matt Harvey for a year then stuck around. Had TJS not come up, he probably wouldn't have come here. His departure means, pending other transactions, no current Met was born in the 1970s. Bart was the only one in 2016 after Uribe left and Cuddyer retired. It's not inconceivable that a 37 1/2-year-old will alight in 2017.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: That pinch-hit three-run homer by Cespedes was pretty awesome. I remember he was listed as "unavailable" for that game. He stepped in, saw only one pitch, and hit a three-run homer. He was in the game for barely a moment. It was enough to make him the Schaefer Mets Bench Player of the Month for April. Was at that game. Bitter cold night. Terrible game. Reminiscent of the ten-run inning vs Atlanta from 2000 in that leaving seemed like a great idea but my friend and I didn't leave...and boy was that the right call.

This is my favorite election all month.

"I hope that wherever you are, the New York Mets are on and it's always the '86 World Series." --Oscar Madison (Matthew Perry), attempting to scatter his father Walter's ashes (which are stuck in taffy), The Odd Couple, "Taffy Days," S 3 Ep 1, 11/7/2016 (tribute to Garry Marshall)

Zvon wrote: Cubs in 7. I wanna see as much baseball as possible before the book is closed on 2016. And imagine the level of hysteria between games 6 & 7. Congrats to the Z-man for getting it on the nose.

Chad Ochoseis wrote: I'll be the only guy in the park with an Indians cap and a Fafif t-shirt. Very sharp!

Somewhere between Benitez and Rodriguez was Ambiorix Burgos, also on the blotter.

I've never been a fan of Joe Buck, but he's decidedly not gotten on my nerves this World Series. Smoltz may know pitching, but I wish he'd been as effective against the Mets as he has been as a game analyst.

Thor killed it as "the viking" on Kevin Can Wait. Played a laconic dude in a familiar costume on Halloween. Best Viking on TV Monday night.

Truly "ah, fuck" territory. I hope the alleged victim is doing as well as can be expected.

Just watched another recent MLB production, "Making Mr. October," about Reggie Jackson. Very good despite the MFY connection, but the mismatched footage does become an issue when narrator Ice Cube is talking about young Reggie becoming a star in the late '60s and there he is in the 1973 and '74 World Series in a totally different uniform. No doubt there's only so much film or tape from those days, but the audience for this sort of thing can tell.