G-Fafif

It will be more fun if the Mets improve on their all-time 2-5 HBS mark this week.

Sadly, there's a reason. CHICAGO (AP) � The Chicago White Sox say former play-by-play announcer Lorn Brown has died. Brown died on Thursday in Las Cruces, N.M. He was 71. The White Sox did not provide a cause of death. Brown called games on television and radio from 1976-79 and 1983-88. He also did games for DePaul, Notre Dame, Bradley, the Big Ten and Atlantic Coast Conference before moving in 2005 to Las Cruces, where he worked for New Mexico State. Hired by Bill Veeck, Brown worked alongside Harry Caray, Jimmy Piersall, Don Drysdale, Early Wynn and Del Crandall in the White Sox booth. He was at the microphone in 1983 when the White Sox clinched the AL West title to reach the postseason for the first time since 1959.

Wright 3.0 Francoeur 3.0 Niese 1.5 JFeliciano 1.0 Davis 1.0 Reyes 0.5

While we wait for Davis, Tejada, Reyes, Wright to move into rarefied air and challenge for Best Infield Ever designation, I can report with confidence that becoming Best Homegrown Met Infield Ever will not be difficult to achieve. They may have achieved it already. No kidding. On Friday, the kids started their 13th game together as a unit. That places them SECOND in Met history already in that regard. Most games started by a homegrown Met infield: 15 -- Kranepool, Boswell, Harrelson, Foli 13 -- Davis, Tejada, Reyes, Wright 11 -- Kranepool, Boswell, Harrelson, Collins No other quartet with exclusive Met pedigree ever reached double-digits in games started. There have only been 11 others, actually (counting two that include Rey Ordonez, whom Elias recently noted was a St. Paul Saint before being signed by the Mets, but was for all intents and purposes homegrown). In chronological order of their debut, they are: Kranepool, Heise, Harrelson, Moock Kranepool, Heise, Harrelson, Boswell Kranepool, Boswell, Heise, Moock Kranepool, Boswell, Harrelson, Martinez Kranepool, Martinez, Harrelson, Foli Milner, Puig, Martinez, Boswell Magadan, Backman, Elster, Jefferies Donnels, Miller, Elster, Jefferies Donnels, Miller, Gardner, Jefferies Huskey, Alfonzo, Ordonez, Bogar Huskey, Bogar, Ordonez, Alfonzo In case you're wondering, "What about Wayne Garrett?" he came up through the Braves system, playing four seasons for their minor league teams before being Rule 5 drafted in December 1968. Best Rule 5 drafting the Mets ever made, I'm guessing...but he wasn't homegrown. HOWEVER, even if you want to consider the 24 different infield combinations that were constituted of Garrett and homegrown Mets or, in one case, a combination of homegrown Mets and players whose minor league development came elsewhere but made their MLB debuts as Mets, there's not a gargantuan obstacle for the current Fab Four to overcome. Most games started by those fellas: 50 -- Kranepool, Boswell, Harrelson, Garrett 23 -- Kranepool, Boswell, Martinez, Garrett 14 -- Milner, Boswell, Martinez, Garrett 13 -- Kranepool, Garrett, Harrelson, Pfeil (Wayne also logged one start as part of an around-the-horn that went Pemberton, Puig, Garrett, Boswell.) FYI, Bobby Pfeil was also a Met who made his MLB debut as a Met but wasn't technically homegrown. Others who filled out otherwise purebreed starting Met infields with that tag include Ron Hunt, Amos Otis, Gary Rajsich, Jason Hartdke, Shawn Gilbert, Marco Scutaro, Anderson Hernandez and Argenis Reyes. Also deserving a category of his own is Kaz Matsui, too established a player to be considered homegrown yet technically meeting the criteria of never having been with another MLB organization before he was a Met. Kaz was part of four otherwise all-homegrown Met starting infields, none for more than 9 games: Phillips, Garcia, Matsui, Wigginton Wigginton, Reyes, Matsui, Wright Brazell, Reyes, Matsui, Wright Jacobs, Matsui, Reyes, Wright While the first wholly Met-developed starting infield consisted of Ed Kranepool, Bob Heise, Bud Harrelson and Joe Moock (9/13/1967), props are due to two proto-homegrown infields. Each man made his MLB debut as a Met but all were originally signed by somebody else. On September 15, 1963, the Mets fielded, from first to third at Dodger Stadium, Dick Smith, Rod Kanehl, Al Moran and Jim Hickman. They lost to Sandy Koufax 1-0, the only run scoring on an errant pickoff throw by Roger Craig in the first inning with two outs. The runner who would have been out had the throw not gotten away was future Met Tommy Davis. On April 19, 1964, the first game the Mets ever won at Shea Stadium (on an Al Jackson shutout), Casey Stengel started Smith, Hunt, Moran and Kanehl. They'd get one more shot together on April 23, a loss to the Cubs, and that would be that. The next quasi-homegrown infield would materialize four times at the tail end of 1965: Kranepool, Hunt (originally Milwaukee Brave property), Harrelson and Collins. In conclusion: 1) When Keith Hernandez, Doug Flynn, Robin Ventura, whoever was doing his thing in the Met infield, I never gave the slightest thought to "gosh, too bad he's not homegrown." 2) Yet it sure is nice that our four starting infielders for the foreseeable future (as much as anybody can foresee in this game) are all Mets, all the time. And that they've either proven top-notch or are showing signs they will do so. 3) Wow, it sure is tough to develop a homegrown infield that lasts. At least it has been for us. 49 seasons and no homegrown infield has started together for more than 15 games! Even if you want to stretch the definition to allow players whose debuts came as Mets after minor league experience elsewhere, no homegrown-ish infield has started together for more than 50 games. Also, the Mets have never thrown a no-hitter.

U-S-A!

Box Barajas 0.5 Igarashi 0.5 Dessens 0.5 Francoeur 0.5

Johan was on the cover right after he was acquired in 2008. And he gave up four runs in the first inning today. Jinx!

Best all-homegrown infield? I may hate them but I think I'd concede that all-around the MFY infield is stronger. Also no slouches: Cincinnati, Texas, Milwaukee. How is the MFY infield homegrown? I'm confused. The Reds' 3B is Scott Rolen, and Casey McGehee of the Brewers and Elvis Andrus of the Rangers came up through the Cubs' and Braves' systems, respectively. I think 'Wreck is finding a nice thing to say about our infield in the face of those that might have better "Best" qualifications at the moment. I say why wait?

What a godsend Interleague play must be for A.L. expatriate fans living in New York. They get to see their favorite team in relative peace.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: G-Fafif wrote: How about Best Mets Infield Ever, defensively, since Olerud, Alfonzo, Ordonez, Ventura? Seeing as how Davis is already pretty good and no first baseman since Olerud (save for a half-season of Mientkiewicz when we didn't have a steady second baseman) has been more than barely adequate with the glove, I'll take that for now. I'll stipulate to that. The offense is almost a push too, and should favor this squad within a few years if Davis and Tejada continue to develop even a bit more. Never really worried about offense in singing the '99 infield's praises, particularly since offense was not Rey O's bag, baby. The other three guys had outstanding years in the middle of an outstanding offensive era, though none of them was a Reyes type, FWIW. Ventura was a monster most of that year, though Wright will (and has) put up comparable numbers. Davis is still learning to hit (a fast learner, he) and Tejada is a largely unknown quantity. We should be so lucky if they turn into Olerud and Alfonzo with the bat. But I'm not concerned with matching 1999's production in 2010 per se. I'm thinking we'll have this quartet around a while and we'll see what they become. That's assuming MFS62 doesn't walk under a ladder with Zvon's next SI cover tribute in hand.

I wish Inside Sports had a longer heyday. For its first two or so years, the greatest sports magazine of modern times (and I won't accept Milwaukee, Cincinnati or Texas as a substitute).

Gwreck wrote: There was no question (or need for a question mark) eleven years ago. I'm thinking that we may be on the verge of something pretty special with their homegrown successors. Best Infield Ever 2.0, anyone? Best all-homegrown infield? I may hate them but I think I'd concede that all-around the MFY infield is stronger. Also no slouches: Cincinnati, Texas, Milwaukee. We're not there yet, I grant you (which is a major concession given my giddiness at the moment). Tejada's only been a second baseman for about ten minutes, but my, they look fantabulous afield, and with none of them over the age of 27, one is given to projections. How about Best Mets Infield Ever, defensively, since Olerud, Alfonzo, Ordonez, Ventura? Seeing as how Davis is already pretty good and no first baseman since Olerud (save for a half-season of Mientkiewicz when we didn't have a steady second baseman) has been more than barely adequate with the glove, I'll take that for now.

Zvon wrote: Get me a picture of em together and I'll make the cover. Z, I hope there are many, many opportunities to capture their likenesses as a unit over the next several years. Remember, the first Best Infield Ever was broken up at the end of its one year together once Olerud was allowed to walk to Seattle (he always did like to walk). It's early to be penciling in Tejada -- and assuming anything else -- but four homegrown infielders, two approaching their peaks, two getting better every day...man, I am so excited to watch them perform on both sides of the ball.

Wright 3.0 Pelfrey 2.0 Reyes 2.0 Tejada 0.5 Davis 0.5 Bay 0.5 PFeliciano 0.5 Parnell 0.5 Rodriguez 0.5

There was no question (or need for a question mark) eleven years ago. I'm thinking that we may be on the verge of something pretty special with their homegrown successors. Best Infield Ever 2.0, anyone?

The temporary enemy: Span CF Hudson 2B Mauer C Morneau 1B Cuddyer 3B Kubel RF Young LF Punto SS Slowey P No designated hitter, fellas. Next time schedule the G20 summit in Minneapolis.

The last time we saw him was pretty sweet. It is, literally, a Mets Classic (aired about 4,000 times on SNY to date).

Reyes SS Feliciano CF Wright 3B Davis 1B Bay LF Thole C Francoeur RF Tejada 2B Pelfrey P

Prediction: Fans at a Blue Jays home game to set new franchise standard for bad manners.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: I might be able to make my peace with the imminent Marlins-Valentine marriage if he promises to use this guy as his closer. Ben Nicholson-Smith of MLBTradeRumors.com wrote: The Marlins' search for relievers has led them back to Armando Benitez. They plan to sign the long-time closer and assign him to Triple A, according to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald (via Twitter). Spencer notes that Benitez will likely be in uniform for the New Orleans Zephyrs tonight, assuming he passes his physical (Twitter link). It was apparent that the Marlins were looking for relief help, but this agreement is a definite surprise. BV Heart AB so much that he had his staff change the name of the Timo Burger (or whatever it was called) to the Armando Sub (or whatever it was called) at the old Bobby V's of Corona. On every menu, the change was made by hand.

The kid from Long Island, now listed as Camden Maron (fan-cee!) is back in Gulf Coast ball, getting his shin guards wet once more. First game today: 0-for-2 with a walk and a run. No relation, I'm guessing by dint of spelling, to Marron's of Long Beach, the kosher delicatessen restaurant of choice when I was kid.

Reyes 2.0 Dessens 1.5 Wright 1.5 JFeliciano 1.5 Carter 0.5 Davis 0.5 Bay 0.5 Tejada 0.5 Parnell 0.5

Look Who's No. 1...and hopefully will be even more so later tonight (and this season).

1998: Wayne Kirby.