G-Fafif

12/6/06 gotta be Brian Bannister to the eventually loathed KCRs for Jorge Julio doppelganger Ambiorix Burgos.

I just got past Fernandez in the alphabetical going, having downloaded it via my handy SABR membership. As with all of these things, some entries feel more cohesive than others. I did peek ahead at the contributions of JCL and was uniformly impressed.

Ceetar wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: I logged onto Amazon.com and Amazin' Again was the second of about 10 recommendations. I'm not sure if this cool or spooky. I mean, yes it's reading your history/profile/etc. That's the world we live in. Better recs tailored to you rather than generic populace right? mine's recommending I don't know what STUD is, but staring at the title makes me think the sequel should be ENT.

11/20/06: Lost cause Henry Owens (he was gonna be a lights-out closer, wasn't he?) and Shea Stadium history maker (last pitch ever) Matt Lindstrom to FLA (now MIA) for Jason Vargas, who I seem to recall being caught up in that Mariner-Indian-Met deal a couple of years later.

8/27/04: Dan Wheeler to HOU for a warm body.

1/22/06: The Bensons to BAL for Jorge Julio and the starter of the first Met postseason game in six years John Maine.

8/20/07 was Jeff Conine from CIN for some busher.

8/14/12: Beato to BOS for the immortal Kelly Shoppach.

8/31/10 was Frenchy to TEX for Joaquin Arias.

The boys of June 2013 (taken as a set, because they're only a week apart and were part of the same general malaise-busting, Collin-dumping shakeup): 6/18/13: Collin McHugh to COL for Eric Young, Jr. (remember when that was a steal for us)? 6/25/13: Collin Cowgill to LAA for whoever the fudge we got for Collin Cowgill.

The 12/11/08 pair involved the Indians and the Mariners, with Joe Smith going to Cleveland and Aaron Heilman and Endy Chavez (plus Mike Carp) Seattle-bound; our bounty included Jeremy Reed, J.J. Putz and Sean Green, oh boy. A quietly useless trade.

5/30/09 was Ramon Castro to the White Sox for Lance Broadway in a trade of fictitious identities.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Chad Ochoseis wrote: 8/14/12 - Beltran to SFG for Wheeler? I'm gonna steal this one and put it in the 7/12/11 slot instead. Beltran trade was shortly before deadline; 7/12/11 was K-Rod for tiny Herrera.

TransMonk wrote: My copy came in the mail today! I have a trip to Denver this weekend which is when I plan on devouring it. I love the photo spread in the middle! Thanks for ordering, and enjoy.

8/30/15 was Addison Reed from ARI for I have no idea.

2/2/08 is MIN, Johan for Gomez, Humber + 2

Zvon wrote: I might have to do a mock up of the The Joy of Socks book cover. I was gonna say, there's no way Sean Gilmartin's Socks don't rate a Mets Fantasy Card.

The illustrations make it look like The Joy of Socks.

Too many RIPs of late. This one is cruelest. Shannon Forde, who worked in Mets media relations literally half her life, died Friday at 44 after three-and-a-half years of batting breast cancer. I knew her a little and wrote about that here. Just an absolutely warm and wonderful person.

d'Kong76 wrote: Saturday March 26: Foley's NYC, W. 33rd St. between 5th and 6th Avenues. Good sounding meet-up date for everyone!! What time? OE: I can't get the forum to meet-up, but a good book might!! 12:30 to 3 for Foley's. The other events are evening. Bergino's at 7 PM, Queens Library at 6 PM.

The shameless publicity blitz kicks up here. Tune in to 1490 AM 7:35 Thursday AM if you're in the Greater Poughkeepsie-Kingston Area, or tune in online at 1490wkny.com. Future in-person events: Thursday March 17: Bergino Baseball Clubhouse, 11th Street just off Broadway. Saturday March 26: Foley's NYC, W. 33rd St. between 5th and 6th Avenues. Thursday March 31: Queens Library Central Branch, Jamaica.

Obit here. Kevin Michael Collins, age 69, passed away suddenly at his winter home in Naples, Florida on February 20, 2016, surrounded by loved ones. Kevin was born on August 4, 1946 in Springfield, Massachusetts to Michael and Virginia (Munyan) Collins. After a stellar schoolboy athletic career at Springfield Technical High School in Massachusetts, Kevin accepted an offer from the New York Mets and for the better part of the next ten years, played professional baseball. He was a hard-nosed, steady utility player for a number of teams including the Detroit Tigers and the Montreal Expos. While with Montreal, he hit the first ever pinch-hit home run for that organization. Kevin played baseball at a time when a player's salary was about the same as a teacher or police officer; a time, as he used to say, when baseball was simply "about a ball, a bat and a glove". When he finally hung up his cleats, he had no complaints, and no regrets. "I was a guy who played the game the right way," he said in an interview once, "Nobody ever had to tell me how to compete. I… gave you all I had, whether or not that was enough". In his youth, he benefited from his local Boys and Girls Club and later went on to devote much of his time and abilities to that organization. In 1974, he left baseball to settle with his young family in the metro Detroit area and took a job with Summa-Harrison Metal Products and then later with Mexican Industries, an auto parts supplier in southwest Detroit. Kevin continued to share his love of the game with talented young ball players. As the Head Coach and Player Manager, Kevin competed in the Detroit Federal League as well as the Pontiac Men's Class A League gaining local, regional and national attention year after year at the AABC Stan Musial World Series. Kevin had a passion not only for sports, but also politics and current events and was always up for a lively discussion. His smile and engaging nature always made you feel like you were a lifelong friend. He was always ready, too, to tell a good story or share advice if asked, and you could always count on his use of "colorful" language. Kevin never met a dog he didn't like and was always at the ready to lavish them with love and treats. He cherished his family and friends and there was no one he loved more than his three devoted grandchildren. If you were lucky enough to rub shoulders with Kevin Collins, there's no doubt that you were better for it. He was preceded in death by his parents, and his in-laws, Armand and Eileen (Webb) Laflamme. He is survived by his loving wife, Linda Marie (Laflamme) Collins, who he met at age 17 on the day he signed his first major league baseball contract and with whom he recently celebrated his 48th wedding anniversary. He is cherished and survived by his two children, Michael (Kirsten) Collins and Kelly (Keith) Binkowski, both of Michigan, and leaves behind his three biggest fans, grandchildren Joseph Binkowski, Katherine Binkowski and Lucas Collins. He also leaves behind his two sisters, Nancy (John) Pollard and Kathleen (Ralph) Disa, and sister-in-law Ann (John) Komer, of Massachusetts. He will be celebrated and remembered by all who knew him, including his nieces, nephews, godchildren and countless friends and extended family. A celebration of his life will take place at a later date in both Michigan and his home state of Massachusetts. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Naples Humane Society.

Calling something the Chase Utley Rule implies a player must be a total dick.

"Welcome to Foot Talk. I'm your host Adam Rubin, and my guest today is 2011 Mets 1st Round Draft Pick, Brandon Nimmo. Brandon, welcome." "Thanks for having me, Adam." "What can you tell us about your foot, Brandon? A lot of people want to know." "Well, Adam, it's a simple story and you can read it right here" "That's good to know. Thanks for joining us today, Brandon. This has been Foot Talk. Stay tuned for Car Talk, where our special guest will be Yoenis Cespedes...again."

Mets following the example of White Sox and Pirates who wear their beloved throwbacks every home Sunday (and Brewers, who kicked off the trend by wearing the early '80s look on Friday nights c. 2007).