G-Fafif

Howie went on late last season about some great NY columnists -- Vic Ziegel, George Vecsey and Steve Jacobson were cited. As someone who also heard it said to me when we were discussing it, one of those guys is dead and two are retired. And someday I'll be one or the other. As a longtime Howie aficionado, I understand his interpretation of "columnist" (and blogger) is different from what many of us take it to mean these days. I appreciate it in the spirit it's intended.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Benjamin Grimm wrote: In similar news, I heard that Barbara Walters mentioned your name on The View when she was talking about her vibrator! I have a friend who works on The View, yet I don't think that actually happened. Oh. Maybe I was misinformed. Then again, who knows? All kinds of crazy things get said on the air in the course of a day.

Ushers would've come down to your living room and forced you to go upstairs. But woulda been cool regardless.

Spring Training game = hearing "Matt den Dekker" and "Gonzalez Germen" and being happy as hell.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: metsmarathon wrote: "of all of hte bloggers out there in the blogosphere, greg is the one with the talent to be a columnist" says howie. That's fantastic! Congratulations! In similar news, I heard that Barbara Walters mentioned your name on The View when she was talking about her vibrator! I have a friend who works on The View, yet I don't think that actually happened.

Zvon wrote: I volunteer to be your first un-named source. "KABOOM," said one Mets observer.

TheOldMole wrote: Go Greg! Can I wait 'til after the game? Thanks all.

I'd have lived in a retrofitted Shea Stadium. Felt like I lived there when it was Shea Stadium.

metirish wrote: You're not up there with your Kevin Kernan's, your John Harper's, your Andy Martino's.......but keep it up, one day you will be You're right. Gotta set those sights.

metsmarathon wrote: "of all of hte bloggers out there in the blogosphere, greg is the one with the talent to be a columnist" says howie. Dumbfounded. Thanks for letting me know.

metsmarathon wrote: on-air fafif shout-out from josh. nice! Sweet...what was said?

There was an episode of Cheers in which Diane Chambers dismissed a Boston's Best Barmaid contest as so much sexist claptrap -- until she won and squealed with delight. This was kinda like that.

Zvon wrote: Zvon wrote: The new Ralph patch, tho very small like I feared, looks great. I like the understated classiness of it. I think that Ralph would have approved. It is bigger than a quarter by quite a bit. I think Ralph would have said: "Aww, you guys didn't have to do that for me." Guessing Ralph would prefer not to be eligible for the honor.

Niese MRI finds no damage. Cleared to throw.

In lieu of a 40th-anniversary Paper Lace-driven parody contest in which all entries relate to Met victories over the Cubs, this sounds OK.

This family does not take flattering pictures.

Anthony Seratelli.

The "no" in Carl Pavano is for the news that Carl Pavano will no longer be playing professional baseball.

162 chances for 1-0 is all I ask. The legend of 1969 started with Gil Hodges (and several of his players) thinking 85 wins was doable, and "if we can win 85..." Next thing ya know, ol' Joan's a millionaire with a world championship baseball team as her greatest asset. Grimm mentioned the 90-72 Mets of '84, who, for all their budding talent + Keith, nobody saw jumping 22 wins. In more recent times, there was no reason to think the 1997 Mets would leap from 71 to 88 wins (close enough for this conversation). So, no, ya never know. I don't know that I see anything inherent in this edition comparable to that which can be gleaned in hindsight from '69, '84 and '97, but raised sights don't cost nothin'.

Handy Spring Training broadcast guide here. OE: Hey, so handy it was already posted!

Snooze's John Harper reports Mets brass all in for 90 wins. PORT ST. LUCIE � At a staff meeting a couple of days ago, Sandy Alderson told Mets executives and baseball personnel that he strongly believes that the ballclub can and maybe even should win 90 games this season. Yes, 90. And, according to people who were in the room, after Alderson�s decree prompted discussion about how to best maximize the Mets� assets, owner Fred Wilpon chimed in at one point with his own pointed assessment. �We better win 90,� he said, according to a source. What, Matt Harvey�s elbow surgery was just a cruel practical joke of some kind, and he�s secretly preparing for Opening Day? Otherwise the idea sounds preposterous, right? A Las Vegas sports book, Bovada, on Wednesday released its over/under proposition bets, and it put the number for the Mets at 73�. And that was before the ballclub announced that Jon Niese was sent back to New York for an MRI after experiencing what Terry Collins described as a �dead arm.� Both Niese and the Mets said they didn�t think it was anything serious, but you know how that goes with pitching injuries � not to mention the Mets. In other words, expect the worst. Either way, there is the potential for Alderson to look foolish, but he didn�t flinch when I asked him on Wednesday if he had indeed made the 90-win comment. �All I�ll say is we have higher expectations than we�ve had in the past,� he said. The Mets GM went on to talk about the importance of not only aiming high but making sure everyone gets the message. �Because I think it has to be a mind-set,� he said. �Part of creating a winning environment is setting ambitious goals and working toward them. But it has to be systematic and it can�t be totally unrealistic. I don�t think it is in this case.� So while Alderson didn�t specifically confirm the number, it sounded a lot like: �Yep, I said 90.� It wasn�t for public consumption, but he had to know his declaration would get out eventually. And Alderson probably knows that most Mets fans are likely to scoff at the notion and dismiss it as delusional or disingenuous. Personally, I don�t believe the Mets have a prayer of winning 90 games this season, but on the other hand, it�s about time ownership and management raised the bar on what is and isn�t acceptable after five straight losing seasons. Likewise, if this is an indication that they�re going to start holding people more accountable in all areas, well, why not? It doesn't mean Collins� job should be on the line if his team fails to win 90 games � and there�s no indication that was the intent of Alderson�s message � but there�s nothing wrong with serving notice that this season isn�t about waiting for 2015 and a healthy Harvey. Of course, it would be easier to take Wilpon, in particular, seriously about his comment if the Mets� payroll, currently adding up to about $87 million, wasn�t likely to rank in the bottom third of the 30 major-league franchises. For sure, the Mets needed to do more this winter to be taken seriously as a possible contender, but at least they�re finally moving in the right direction. At least you can see where all of this touted young pitching could lead to something big, perhaps as early as 2015 if Harvey comes back as an ace. As for this year, well, Alderson said he is well-aware that people making projections will be skeptical about whether the Mets can make a huge leap in their record. �I know (what the perception is),� he said. �But we evaluate our situation a little bit differently.� Alderson didn�t go into detail, but no matter how you crunch the numbers, going from 74 wins each of the last two years to 90 this season � without Harvey � would take a best-case scenario at just about every position. Such as: Zack Wheeler takes a huge step forward in his first full season and becomes a Harvey-like ace. Bartolo Colon defies age and injury and pitches as he did in Oakland in 2013. Noah Syndergaard comes up in late June and makes a huge splash. Ike Davis, Chris Young and Curtis Granderson each rebound in their own way and hit 30-plus home runs. Travis d�Arnaud blossoms quickly into an All-Star catcher. Ruben Tejada � or somebody � has an above-average year at shortstop. And David Wright stays healthy. Finally, Bobby Parnell comes back from spinal fusion surgery and dominates as closer, while Jeurys Familia and Vic Black develop into dependable set-up relievers. Maybe � maybe � all that adds up to 90 and a surprise season for the ages. The problem is that scenario borders on lottery-ticket odds, all the more so with Niese already a concern. Nevertheless, Alderson seems determined to set an unyielding standard, finally, for this organization. When asked if he had delivered the same message to the players, his answer was revealing: �Not yet.�

Ceetar wrote: Calf: Colon issue. Tough break for Calf dealing with that bum colon.

After I told Joe that he had been trying to reach an eight-year-old, there was dead silence on the other end. The Mets ticket department's dead silence is a familiar response to anything that is slightly out of the ordinary. They are not well-equipped to handle human beings. That said, eff Peter Schwartz and his MFY bullshit.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Not nearly as deep as his store of compulsively-vomited obscenities, I fear. I don't know what you're referring to.

Hagin's deals were both for 2 years I believe, and so was..Robertson? Tom.. something.. before him. edit: McCarthy right? Way to be memorable Tom. You're talking Tom Robinson. Tom McCarthy was radio, 2006-2007. Ted Robinson was the 2002-2005 announcer, TV and some radio. Tom Robson was the hitting coach between 1997 and 2002, save for the patch of 1999 when he was offed in Steve Phillips's wholesale firing of Bobby V coaches. Tim Robbins is a celebrity Mets fan who narrated SNY's 1969 documentary. Kevin Roberson was an outfielder on the 1996 Mets. Jerry Robertson was pictured on 1971 Topps 651, Mets card, blank cap, never pitched for the Mets. Tom Robinson: Why, I just had lunch with the man!