G-Fafif

Woodie Fryman, 70, savior for Tigers down the stretch in 1972. 13-12 vs. Mets in 55 appearances (25 starts) with primarily the Pirates, Phillies and Expos.

metirish wrote: Something about the Mike Greenwell card that I like, never heard of the guy yet when I go to his BR I see not only had he a good career but it was all with the red Sox. Went to the same high school as Deion Sanders and Mrs. Fafif, though not at the same time.

2008 closer-for-a-month (and what a month it was) Luis Ayala signs minor MFY deal.

Right on Maude!

Ashie62 wrote: You are ever resourceful. And you are accidentally inspirational.

Never letting a seemingly incongruous NBA Trivia Question from a Sunday go to waste.

Livan Hernandez also being watched by Met scouts, and talks reportedly underway to sign Gary Sheffield.

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: That's the blog that asked to interview me one time then sent me a IM calling me a bitch. I'm sure the info is ironclad. Care to tell us a little more about this? There isn't much more than that! Looking back now, he wrote to me initially with a lot of questions about how to get a book published. He wanted to know if should write his book about the top 75 Mets then get a publisher or the other way around. Then a few months later: Hi this is XXXXX form MetsFansForever.com I was wondering if you could put my blog on your links bar. That would be great. Thanks! sure thing will, woking on it now. JCL Also I was wondering if I can interview you by e-mail about your site mbtn.net. Thanks again, XXX Sure, I'd be happy to, anytime. JCL Thanks, I'll send you the questions in the next couple of days. Two months later... Hey JCL, Sorry I haven't sent you the questions. I've had family problems so the Mets took a back seat. I promise I'll get them to you by Sunday night. Thanks, XXX XXXX Then, 1 week later, via gmail IM: XXXX: hey answer me bitch JCL: Sorry, did I miss a message? the end I'm a little disappointed that "answer me bitch" isn't your signature.

Newsday's Jim Baumbach tracks down Nelson Doubleday. No, he's not enjoying this. No, he doesn't want back in. The Wilpons are looking for someone with deep pockets to partner with them in owning the Mets. So, Nelson Doubleday, what do you think? "No," he said by phone Monday, "I've had my turn at that game." It's been almost nine years since Fred Wilpon bought out Doubleday's 50-percent share of the Mets, ending a partnership that began in 1980. Although their 22-year marriage was usually described as anything but amicable, Doubleday has found no joy in reading all these negative stories about the Wilpons - and the Mets - in the newspapers. "I hate to see the franchise get kicked around like that," he said. "And I'm sorry to see them getting kicked around." Speaking from his home on the East Coast of Florida, Doubleday, 77, stressed that he doesn't know all that much about the Wilpons' financial state or the $1-billion figure that the special trustee in the Bernard Madoff fraud case is seeking from them in a lawsuit. "All I know is what I read," he said. He's certainly not happy about what he's been reading, not to mention the negative effect this news has been having on the Mets' reputation. He said he had just spoken with former Mets GM Frank Cashen the other day about everything that's been going on. "Yeah, I hate to see this trouble for them," he said of the Mets, "because I enjoyed my time with them." A part of the Mets' ownership group since 1980, Doubleday spent his final 16 years with the Mets as an equal partner with Fred Wilpon until he was bought out in 2002. Asked about their well-documented differences, Doubleday said it's best to describe their relationship as "good business partners." "We got along in that and that was fine," Doubleday said. "I may not have done things the way they do it and they might not have done things the way I did them, but we got along." Given the staggering number of accounts with Madoff that had ties to the Mets, it was noteworthy that Doubleday was spared. He said he used different "investment counseling" than the Wilpons did. Doubleday said he spends a lot of his time these days at his Florida home, which is a few towns south of the Mets' spring training complex in Port St. Lucie. Summers are spent on Nantucket, he added, with a few visits to Long Island every now and then. Doubleday hasn't been to a game at Citi Field yet, but he expressed interest in visiting the Mets' new home someday. "If I can," he said, "I will." But as for investing any more time or money into the team, those days are long gone. "I see them every now and again. Our paths cross," Doubleday said of the Wilpons. "But not as far as baseball is concerned. It's none of my business."

Starting RF Opening Day. May be in CF regularly by Memorial Day.

15. Mariners save baseball in Seattle, get Buck Showalter fired, 1995 ALDS. Great and exciting ending as MFYs go down in flames but I have to admit that even as I enjoyed it, I was thinking this wouldn't put an end to evil, it would just delay it. And thus came 1996.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: These modern cards, to me, have better production values, but no magic. Same could be said of these dadgum modern ballparks. One of them anyway.

Dickey appears ready to hurl himself out of his card and into our dreams.

Outstanding choice for No. 1 (and No. 2 and No. 4 -- those are my personal Top Three). Outstanding series. Thank you, MGIM for showing us the tops of Topps.

Glad you all (or y'all) enjoyed that. It was inspired by the old Jonathan Schwartz (WNEW-AM DJ for many years, big Sinatra acolyte) tradition of devoting an hour every Super Bowl Sunday morning to "a salute to baseball," which included playing some random play-by-play. I transcribed other PBP in 2006 and 2008 and decided yesterday felt right to revive our occasional custom. I'm always amazed at how great something like that reads, never mind sounds. As for the day in question, it's my favorite day ever at Shea. Gary and Bob were in my ear in the ninth inning -- and much of the game -- but let's say there was a good deal of sensory overload. Long live the 1999 Mets!

NINE JERRYS 1. DiPoto (Gwreck) 2. Grote (LWFS) 3. Koosman -- though we'll accept "Kooz" (LWFS) 4. Martin (Grimm) 5. Cram (JCL) 6. Buchek (JCL) 7. May (bml) 8. Morales (bml) 9. Hinsley (Ashie) ONE GERRY 1. Arrigo (Grimm) 1) He's younger than Tom Seaver. Born in April 1945 (Tom born in Nov. 1944) 2) He came along before Tom Seaver. (Debuted in April 1964, three years before Tom) 3) He was a teammate of Tom Seaver's in two consecutive seasons. (At Jax in 1966, NYM, briefly, in '67) 4) The last player he competed against directly was part of a significant first for Tom Seaver. (Last batter faced: Mike Cuellar; First pitcher Seaver faced in World Series: Mike Cuellar) 5) He played in a game with three of the other eight Jerrys. (Buchek, Koosman, Grote in September 67) 6) He was born with something in common with Butch Huskey and Kelly Stinnett. (Oklahomans all) 7) When he was signed out of high school, there was an air of Enchantment about him. (Went to school in New Mexico, Land of Enchantment) 8) He didn't sign with the Mets out of high school, but he wasn't much out of high school when he debuted with the Mets. (Signed by Bucs in '63, drafted by Metsies before '64 season when you could do that) 9) The Mets never won any game he participated in. (Mets 0-9 in 1964 Hinsley appearances, 0-2 in '67) And still not in my kitchen. Thanks for playing!

Oh, and he's never been in my kitchen.

9 Clues about the 9th Jerry 1) He's younger than Tom Seaver. 2) He came along before Tom Seaver. 3) He was a teammate of Tom Seaver's in two consecutive seasons. 4) The last player he competed against directly was part of a significant first for Tom Seaver. 5) He played in a game with three of the other eight Jerrys. 6) He was born with something in common with Butch Huskey and Kelly Stinnett. 7) When he was signed out of high school, there was an air of Enchantment about him. 8) He didn't sign with the Mets out of high school, but he wasn't much out of high school when he debuted with the Mets. 9) The Mets never won any game he participated in.

NINE JERRYS 1. DiPoto (Gwreck) 2. Grote (LWFS) 3. Koosman -- though we'll accept "Kooz" (LWFS) 4. Martin (Grimm) 5. Cram (JCL) 6. Buchek (JCL) 7. May (bml) 8. Morales (bml) 9. ONE GERRY 1. Arrigo (Grimm) Other guesses entertaining (especially Elijah Jerry "Pumpsie" Green) but incorrect.

NINE JERRYS 1. DiPoto (Gwreck) 2. Grote (LWFS) 3. Koosman -- though we'll accept "Kooz" (LWFS) 4. Martin (Grimm) 5. Cram (JCL) 6. Buchek (JCL) 7. 8. 9. ONE GERRY 1. Arrigo (Grimm) Manuel never played for the Mets.

NINE JERRYS 1. DiPoto (Gwreck) 2. Grote (LWFS) 3. Koosman -- though we'll accept "Kooz" (LWFS) 4. Martin (Grimm) 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. ONE GERRY 1. Arrigo (Grimm)

The two Mets HOFers and the most recent Jerry have been named. For the rest, you'll have needed to have been paying attention all these years.

NINE JERRYS 1. DiPoto (Gwreck) 2. Grote (LWFS) 3. Koosman -- though we'll accept "Kooz" (LWFS) 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. ONE GERRY 1.

NINE JERRYS 1. DiPoto (Gwreck) 2. Grote (LWFS) 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. ONE GERRY 1.

Let's spin this the Mets' way, shall we? Nine Jerrys (and one Gerry) have played for the Mets. Without looking them up, name them. NINE JERRYS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. ONE GERRY 1.