G-Fafif

Finally, got both crazy "d" guy-names in the same lineup. And by "finally," I mean after a few days.

Gee 4.0 Murphy 2.0 Davis 1.5 Hawkins 1.0 Rice 1.0 Brown 0.5

[u:3r2atc1q]THEIR LONG NATIONAL NIGHTMARE[/u:3r2atc1q] Eric Young, Jr. � LF Daniel Murphy � 2B Andrew Brown � RF Ike Davis � 1B Juan Lagares � CF Wilmer Flores � 3B Travis d�Arnaud � C Omar Quintanilla � SS Dillon Gee � RHP

National League umpire Frank Pulli, 78.

Torres 3.0 Murphy 2.5 Young 2.0 Recker 1.5 Brown 1.0

Anthony Recker's home run today gave him sole possession of 19th place on the Mets' all-time Citi Field HR chart with 4.

Benny Ayala remembers his big splash 39 years later. Don�t rock the boat. Everyone was saying that in August 1974 � it was from one of the most popular songs that summer. I wanted more than anything to get called up and play for the New York Mets. I had 11 home runs, among the league leaders that year for AAA Tidewater, tops on my team. I felt I was ready. I didn�t speak up much that year, but when I was with my teammates, I would tell them how I felt, in the dugout, our small clubhouse, in the local bars of Norfolk, Va, where you could hear the song. Their response was always the same; you will get to New York very soon. Don't rock the boat. The whole organization was having a tough season. The parent club had just come off an amazing 1973, coming within a game of the World Championship against the Oakland A�s. The next year, the bullpen was much worse, Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman had off seasons. Jon Matlack may have been the best pitcher in baseball, but the bullpen and batting order let him down again and again. The team was really out of the pennant race by the middle of August. Soon it would be time for them to call up players from Tidewater. I tried to be as patient as possible, but it wasn�t easy. I arrived at Metropolitan Memorial Park in the early afternoon on August 27th, 1974. The ballpark was ideally located very close to the airport in Norfolk. This was the first thing on my mind right after my manager John Antonelli called me into his office. �Benny, you�re in the starting lineup for the Mets tonight,� he said, �There�s a plane ticket waiting for you at the airport to Queens. Go right now.� It was calling it very close for an 8:05 game time in New York. No cell phones to call loved ones from the car to let them know what�s happening. No time to grab my glove & favorite bats. Only time to shake my kind manager�s hand and offer a sincere �Thank you.� Antonelli shook my hand and pointed to the door. �Go now,� he smiled, �The game starts in four hours.�

Zvon, these are fantastic. Love that you're doing this and blogging it. Looking forward to sharing on FAFIF and everywhere.

No pressure, kid.

All-time Houston Astro great Rusty Staub has been named grand marshal of the Non-Championship Parade for 2013, honoring the procession of teams that have definitively marched out of championship consideration. Rusty's Houston Astros have the honor of starting the parade, having been eliminated from playoff contention on August 28.

Byrd 3.0 Sorry. Habit.

Young 2.0 Davis 0.5 Murphy 0.5 Brown 0.5 Feliciano 0.5

Ken Rosenthal reporting Black is the new orange and blue.

And from out of the hat Manager Collins will use to choose his lineups for the rest of 2013... Eric Young, Jr. � LF Juan Lagares � CF Andrew Brown � RF Ike Davis � 1B Josh Satin � 3B Wilmer Flores � 2B Justin Turner � SS Travis d�Arnaud � C Daisuke Matsuzaka - RHP

metsguyinmichigan wrote: We chalked it up to being a state that is open to diverse and tolerant viewpoints. That is some excellent spokes-speak right there. I feared a whole other scenario: LANSING (AP) -- A top-level state appointee was forced to resign his high-profile post in controversy Monday when it was revealed he rooted against the Detroit Tigers in an interleague series over the weekend. Mets Guy In Michigan, deputy press secretary to the governor and a native of Long Island, New York, would not disavow his allegiance to his hometown baseball team, the Mets, which constituted a violation of Michigan law that requires all state employees suck up to local teams. "I apologize to the people of Michigan and to my fellow public servants," MGIM told reporters. "But the Mets come first. Geez, just read Marlon Byrd's arm!" New York Mets chief operating officer and University of Michigan alumnus Jeff Wilpon had no comment regarding this uncommon display of fan loyalty, though a spokesperson for Wilpon accidentally dialed retired Mets relief pitcher and Flint native Mickey Weston three times Tuesday, between 6 AM and noon.

metsguyinmichigan wrote: Bring this to your local arm-inker: �It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.� Now hold out your arm. Whoa! Marlon pays for Theodore being a little long-winded. My mother-in-law created a needlepoint of that quote for me, which we have framed and hanging proudly. Framed needlepoint may have been the way to go. BTW, did you have to have the results of last weekend's series tattooed on your arm in deference to your new career?

Bring this to your local arm-inker: �It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.� Now hold out your arm.

metsguyinmichigan wrote: themetfairy wrote: For the first half of the season I couldn't stop asking, "is he on our team?" I came to appreciate his hustle. As others have said, he exceeded all expectations I had of him. It looks like he's got a whole chapter of a book on that arm tat! Which chapter of FAFIF did he pick? I think you in particular will be quite interested to learn what's on his arm.

Your National League home run champ is still presented with the Mel Ott Award every year.

Niese 6.0 Murphy 1.0 Quintanilla 1.0 Brown 1.0 d'Arnaud 1.0

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: You should definitely have made this a kwiz. Thought about it. Too impatient.

Assuming Wright, Byrd and Harvey are/were (I'm guessing) the leading candidates for PotY, yet two are done getting votes and one may not come back except for token appearances. If Gee or Murphy has a huge September, perhaps they can swoop in. They, Hawkins and Rice are the only Mets to have lasted every day since Opening Day on the 25-man roster.

Fifteen Mets have hit more than five home runs (as Mets) at Citi Field since it opened in 2009. Two of them were just traded. (Bold indicates player has possibility of hitting a home run at Citi Field tonight.) 1. Wright 40 2. Davis 29 3. Duda 20 4. Murphy 15 4. Pagan 15 6. Beltran 14 7. Hairston 13 7. Reyes 13 9. Bay 10 10. Francouer 9 11. Byrd 7 11. Nieuwenhuis 7 11. Valdespin 7 14. Buck 6 14. Tatis 6

Benjamin Grimm wrote: When I saw him being interviewed in spring training, I thought of him as a possible future manager somewhere. That pie made me back off that a bit. Current major league manager Terry Collins probably would have delivered the pie to Jordany if Buck hadn't gone there first.

Brown's your No. 3 hitter in right tonight. Terry resists urge to find at-bats for Recker and den Dekker.