G-Fafif

Livan was a human gas pump in that complete game at Citi against the Nationals. He just kept filling up your Oldsmobile with pitches. Ding! Ding! Ding! For one night, no energy crisis.

Threw the first Met pitch of any kind in Citi Field, against the Red Sox. Wasn't much of a hitter, which he was supposed to be, or at least had been long ago. Before he began sucking from the first inning to however long he made it, he had a habit of looking bad in the first and then straightening himself out.

Somehow this makes me like Sheffield more. Who on earth would want to be contractually bound even longer to this team? Brian Schneider now 8 for his last 66.

To be fair, a long time ago I felt I was encouraging Rupert Murdoch by buying the Post, so I quit doing that.

Brett Hinchliffe, that is. ]The 0-5 career moundsman with the 10.22 ERA has done an about-face and will pitch for the Mets this season. "I felt I did everything I possibly could do to get where I need to be," Hinchliffe said Tuesday.

="LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr"]="G-Fafif"]Behold alternative calendar here. If you love it so much, why don't you go write a book* about it? *Or, alternatively, a popular, updated-daily blog. Somewhere in that suggestion arises, from the archives, a brief review of the book on which it was based. Just got hold of the calendar today. Mostly '60s images, everything gets sepia-toned for effect. One of the 12 pages is the Mets in the Polo Grounds which, as a Polophile, I greatly appreciate, but as the owner of a Shea Stadium calendar I find a bit off-key. Still, highly recommended from here.

I'm staring at that lineup and attempting to fathom how eight-ninths of it was responsible for generating nine-tenths of the most hits in one Met inning.

="metirish":cfhy4k1h]I hope Razor isn't the person directing traffic to his site.[/quote:cfhy4k1h] Bullet of Cool! Rockin' Doc Aug 19 2009 10:32 PM I asked a few random baseball questions and the answers were rather non descript. RD - Will the Mets make the playoffs this season? RS - It's a fastball count, swing for the fences. RD - Is Johan Santana really that good? RS - It's a fastball count, swing for the fences. RD - Is Daniel Murphy capable of being an everyday player? RS - It's either this (flashes a series of signs) or this (flashes a different series of signs). Then I got a little inquisitive and he got upset. RD - Razor, are you really this big of a dumbass? RS - Someone needs their mouth washed out with some Aquafina. Nymr83 Aug 19 2009 11:49 PM finally got it working! Q: Is the site broken? A: "my scouts are saying no" Q: Why do you look so fat? A: "sorry, have to update my twitter page, ask me again later" Q: Are you the worst 3B coach in Mets history? A: "ooo thats way too personal, ask me another question" Q: do you enjoy Jeter's cock as much as Wally Matthews and Bob Klapisch do? A: "thats it, hit the showers" Q: what about SJR? A: "sorry i'm updating my facebook status, ask me again later" Q: Have you ever held a runner? A: "this is about you, not me" then i said "fuck you" and the umpire kicked me out for cursing too much!! Q: why do the mets suck? A: "that answer waits for you at mlb.com" metirish Aug 20 2009 06:30 AM @ Doc and Nymr.... I laughed so hard reading this this morning , great work.

Behold alternative calendar here[/url:2dpbzsag].

="John Cougar Lunchbucket"]Sometimes I wanna get you down Sometimes I wanna get you Lowe

I'm occasionally haunted by the notion that Finley could have gotten a glove on it, deflected it, picked it up and, because he stopped to watch, thrown Pratt out at second. What a moment.

YLDBdom requires no geographic boundaries.

She has our interests at heart.

="seawolf17":1oif1v8k]The Brad Clontz game is my favorite personal Shea memory.[/quote:1oif1v8k] Ditto! (With the list[/url:1oif1v8k] to back that up.) Though I like to think of it as the Melvin Mora Game. Ashie62 Aug 16 2009 06:10 PM ="Gwreck":k1jjhcyz]Melvin Mora's the only player from that team who's still an active MLB player. (I guess Glendon Rusch -- 1 appearance for the Mets in '99) also counts.[/quote:k1jjhcyz] Octavio Dotel is with the White Sox My favorite Mets season is 1999. Was at Grandslam single game where Dotel & Kenny Rogers were key. The Pratt walkoff was the only pro game where I saw confetti thrown..The good old days for sure Edgy DC Aug 16 2009 07:02 PM I'm sure Vance Wilson, batterin Texas League pitching, considers himself active. Frayed Knot Aug 16 2009 07:06 PM I thought that year contained one of our better Rankings discussions - or at least one of the better preserved ones http://cranepoolforum.net/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=745 Fman99 Aug 18 2009 06:16 AM My wife (girlfriend at the time) moved in with me Memorial Day weekend, 1999. I think that summer and fall, following that team, was what turned her from a Yankees fan to a Mets fan. Man, they were a fun bunch to watch. Edgy DC Aug 18 2009 06:19 AM If the Mets won't organize a celebraton, I think a private faction should. Fman99 Aug 18 2009 06:22 AM ="Edgy DC":nhafyj5n]If the Mets won't organize a celebraton, I think a private faction should.[/quote:nhafyj5n] Of course there will be a Mets-sponsored celebration -- of the 60th anniversary of the 1949 NL champion Brooklyn Dodgers! They're going to bring back Campy, Hodges, Jackie Robinson, Reese, Snyder, Furillo, Newcombe, Roe, all your favorites! Oh, wait, they've all been dead since the 1970's and no one here cares. My bad. Benjamin Grimm Aug 18 2009 06:28 AM Duke Snider is alive at the present time. SteveJRogers Aug 18 2009 07:02 AM So is Don Newcombe. And Preacher Roe died this past year. And not to sound even more like an annoying twat, but only Gil and Jackie passed in the decade of the 1970s of the group you mentioned! metirish Aug 18 2009 07:19 AM Re: 1999 - Tenth Anniversary ="Valadius":deknkwgk]I don't know if anyone has remarked on this yet, but we are also celebrating the 10th anniversary of the 1999 Mets this year - the first Mets team I followed that went to the post-season, and in my judgment a far superior team to the 2000 Mets. The greatest defensive infield in Mets history, Piazza at the height of his powers, Al Leiter, Rickey being Rickey, Roger Cedeno, Benny Agbayani, Orel Hershiser, Armando Benitez - this was an Amazin' team to watch, and in my view deserves a lot more credit.[/quote:deknkwgk] Great thread Val.....this team was definitely the team that turned me towards unconditional love for the Mets..... What a bunch they were Benjamin Grimm Aug 18 2009 07:23 AM I was already an ancient fan by then, but the 90's was a miserable decade for the Mets, and 1999 brought back the fun for the first time in a long time. Their playoff run, even though it ended poorly, made me feel like a kid again. The Todd Pratt homer has been my most enduring memory of that season. Ashie62 Aug 18 2009 03:41 PM It took the crowd at Shea a few seconds to realize Finley didn't catch it. Then pandemonium, Gary Glitter part 2 and confettei To note..It was cold..in the 3rd inning I heard the crowd cheering loudly and it was Keith walking in field level, dressed to the nines with a knockout on his arm, waving to the crowd before sitting down..Got goosebumps. Frayed Knot Aug 18 2009 04:17 PM ="Ashie62":1vw05w83]It took the crowd at Shea a few seconds to realize Finley didn't catch it.[/quote:1vw05w83] Not me. I was high up in one of the last sections in RF. I don't want to say were were high but we looked down on birds flying and down on the top of the RF foulpole. The infield was practically a rumor from up there but it gave those in that section a perfect top-down and on-line view of the RCF fence, an angle that was lined up so well that visually it was as if there was no wall at all. So when Finley jumped and missed, our section could see the ball bouncing around in that waste area beneath the scoreboard with workers scurrying after it. We knew before the rest of the stadium that it was a HR. We knew before Gary Cohen did that it was a HR (he paused for several seconds before calling it). We knew before Pratt did that it was a HR (I had time to celebrate w/JCL and still turn back and see TP still stationary between 1st & 2nd) Hell, we knew before Finley did. Farmer Ted Aug 18 2009 04:21 PM Was in the mezz halfway down the rightfield line. I thought Finley had it. It was the peeps in the LF upper deck that started going crazy when I knew. G-Fafif Aug 18 2009 05:25 PM I'm occasionally haunted by the notion that Finley could have gotten a glove on it, deflected it, picked it up and, because he stopped to watch, thrown Pratt out at second. What a moment. Frayed Knot Aug 18 2009 05:41 PM Pratt was just getting a jump on the Mets practicing their non-running for the following post-season. Ashie62 Aug 18 2009 06:39 PM I was in the loge behind home and the way Finley came down I half expected him to pull the ball out of his glove Not bloody likely! Frayed Knot Aug 18 2009 06:47 PM Face it, Finley comes down with that ball at least 8 times out of 10. Just not THAT day. John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 18 2009 06:51 PM I was more shocked that Finley didn't catch it than Pratt hit it... and Pratt hitting it was pretty shocking too. I can recall being out of breath, trying to shout... "it went off his glove! It went off his glove!!" but like no noise coming out. Of course the real whizz-bang of that afternoon was Mora, in for Rickey, throwing out Bell at home in the 8th. Frayed Knot Aug 18 2009 07:04 PM Yeah, we were somewhat lucky even to be in a position to win that game. I also remember a questionable double-switch by Bucky Showalter that came back to bite him when it cost the Snakes a Matt Williams AB at a crucial time later on.

="Kong76":256wmamm]I'd like to rent out a time share of Greg's head one year for a ten game home stand. Just to see what it's like.[/quote:256wmamm] A tempting offer, but I fear it's in no shape to accept visitors. Kong76 Aug 16 2009 06:14 PM I mean it metsffectionately, and mine is hardly in shape for a ten day stay elsewhere. seawolf17 Aug 16 2009 06:38 PM I heard they also have no plans to retire 64 for Elmer Dessens either. Edgy DC Aug 16 2009 07:08 PM ="bmfc1":13vlj5lq]Mike Piazza was the greatest position player in Mets history.[/quote:13vlj5lq] Our rankings suggest Strawberry accomplished more. Ashie62 Aug 16 2009 08:53 PM ="Edgy DC":1ucgvr99]="bmfc1":1ucgvr99]Mike Piazza was the greatest position player in Mets history.[/quote:1ucgvr99] Our rankings suggest Strawberry accomplished more.[/quote:1ucgvr99] I guess "great" is subjective to one degree or another My "great" would be Straw..someone younger, maybe Piazza, younger still Wright? A Boy Named Seo Aug 17 2009 01:12 AM ="G-Fafif":23zwqnu6]Watching Bobby Parnell in 39 immediately takes me back to watching Gary Gentry in 39 (skipping everybody in between). It feels good to watch one young hard-throwing righty morph into another young hard-throwing righty of similar build in the mind. Now and again I'll see 12 on Francoeur and for a brief instant be transported back, for better or worse, to Dunston, to Kent, to Boswell. I get a kick out of that. It's the connective tissue of team history and fan memory at work. But I absolutely cannot imagine watching anyone ever again wearing 31 and not thinking anything but "how did they not retire that for Mike Piazza?" Seeing it on Mike obliterated every image of Franco, of Berenyi, of Parker, you name them. For almost eight seasons, I looked at 31 and saw nobody else. Some guys and some numbers just belong together into Met eternity.[/quote:23zwqnu6] Well put. I know most won't care about this, but when the great Patrick Viera left Arsenal, they gave his #4 to the young kid Cesc Fabregas, and when Thierry Henry, the greatest scorer in team history, was sold to Barcelona, Theo Walcott took it over. No mothbolling. No retirement. But a lineage. JCL's said as much on MBTN. Love Mike, but that's what I'm for. Fman99 Aug 17 2009 06:32 AM ="A Boy Named Seo":3bdsfh1x]="G-Fafif":3bdsfh1x]Watching Bobby Parnell in 39 immediately takes me back to watching Gary Gentry in 39 (skipping everybody in between). It feels good to watch one young hard-throwing righty morph into another young hard-throwing righty of similar build in the mind. Now and again I'll see 12 on Francoeur and for a brief instant be transported back, for better or worse, to Dunston, to Kent, to Boswell. I get a kick out of that. It's the connective tissue of team history and fan memory at work. But I absolutely cannot imagine watching anyone ever again wearing 31 and not thinking anything but "how did they not retire that for Mike Piazza?" Seeing it on Mike obliterated every image of Franco, of Berenyi, of Parker, you name them. For almost eight seasons, I looked at 31 and saw nobody else. Some guys and some numbers just belong together into Met eternity.[/quote:3bdsfh1x] Well put. I know most won't care about this, but when the great Patrick Viera left Arsenal, they gave his #4 to the young kid Cesc Fabregas, and when Thierry Henry, the greatest scorer in team history, was sold to Barcelona, Theo Walcott took it over. No mothbolling. No retirement. But a lineage. JCL's said as much on MBTN. Love Mike, but that's what I'm for.[/quote:3bdsfh1x] ABNS:soccer::SJR:Yankees metirish Aug 17 2009 08:40 AM I think one big difference with soccer is that there is no real history of retiring player numbers , maybe because until recently numbers went with the standard 1 to 11 for the starting team. Certain numbers carry a certain history and legend with them....number 7 at Man Utd ....Best , Robson , Cantona and Ronaldo......Viera to Fabregas could be seen as " this is the successor" to Viera......

="dgwphotography":2hba0iah]I remember seeing both Kranepool and Harrelson sporting mustaches...[/quote:2hba0iah] Been listening to the radio broadcast of Tom Seaver's final start before he was traded. One of things I learned, from Bob Murphy, was Dave Kingman just shaved his mustache because he realized (according to Murph) that he couldn't grow a good one.

Watching Bobby Parnell in 39 immediately takes me back to watching Gary Gentry in 39 (skipping everybody in between). It feels good to watch one young hard-throwing righty morph into another young hard-throwing righty of similar build in the mind. Now and again I'll see 12 on Francoeur and for a brief instant be transported back, for better or worse, to Dunston, to Kent, to Boswell. I get a kick out of that. It's the connective tissue of team history and fan memory at work. But I absolutely cannot imagine watching anyone ever again wearing 31 and not thinking anything but "how did they not retire that for Mike Piazza?" Seeing it on Mike obliterated every image of Franco, of Berenyi, of Parker, you name them. For almost eight seasons, I looked at 31 and saw nobody else. Some guys and some numbers just belong together into Met eternity.

All punctuation aside, Piazza's Dodger, et al days have nothing to do with any of this.

The Sporting News archive was a treasure trove. Wondered why it disappeared. Google giveth, Google apparently giveth only so much.

Cory Sullivan has tepid lifetime numbers against Cain and the Giants, so he's due.

Date needs changing on the thread, por favor, though a replay of a 3-0 win from 8/14 would be all right, too.

The Mets released a lawyerly statement stating the obvious: If we're going to retire his number, we'll let you know. I'd say it will be more "when" than "if," with the caveat being the impact of Mike's name emerging in any steroid-type stories. If he's implicated with a hundred other players, the impact lessens. If it's somehow more nefarious than that, they may want to hedge their bets. But barring some truly horrific revelation, I sense the Mets are waiting for when they can make the most hay of this, like when they don't have a new ballpark and when they don't fancy themselves a contender and thus need to sell tickets. He parted amicably, he came back last year in the almost explicit role of "our greatest position player ever" and they've never pretended his prior accomplishments didn't exist. It will happen and, as far I'm concerned, it is merited.

Ah, within the seating bowls. I circled the concourses and came up empty. Hell, it's something.