G-Fafif

It's a long way from Stamford to Broadway.

Bobby V on almost everything in his hometown paper. Bobby Valentine searches for his next great challenge By Rich DePreta Staff Writer Posted: 01/04/2009 09:30:16 PM EST STAMFORD - For most people, seven is a lucky number. That particular numeral sends a different message to Bobby Valentine. "I spent seven years in Texas as manager of the Rangers. I spent seven years in New York as manager of the Mets," Valentine said. "And if you count both of my stints there, 2009 will be my seventh season managing in Japan." And with the recent news that the Chiba Lotte Marines will not extend the three-year, $4.5 million contract held by Valentine, the cycle remains unbroken. It is time, once again, for Bobby Valentine to search. Search for the next big thing. Search for the next baseball challenge. Despite managing Chiba Lotte Marines to their first Japan World Series and Asia Series titles in 31 years in 2005, the grand global adventure of Bobbysan and Bobby Beer and the Bobby V bobblehead dolls will end when the 2009 Japan baseball season is history. As usual, Valentine was ahead of the curve. He became a baseball messenger on the global stage before the rest of us became players - and victims - of the global economy. It is with a wistful tone that Valentine analyzes the upcoming World Baseball Classic - which has Japan as one of its sites this March. "I went to the Beijing Olympics. It was my first time at a summer Olympics," Valentine said during a lunch break at Bobby Valentine's Sports Academy in Stamford. "I got to see firsthand that the world's enthusiasm for baseball at Olympic venues wasn't what I expected. The World Baseball Classic might have to be the world exhibition of baseball. The first WBC was successful. Maybe not up to Major League Baseball's standards here. But it created great enthusiasm around the world for baseball. "It really touched Asia," Valentine continued. "Korea lost to eventual champ Japan. Having the top two countries in that part of the world compete was exciting." While having some of the best professionals in the world on a Davis Cup tennis-like setting is a good thing. Valentine feels a format change would allow the WBC to reach its highest potential. "The WBC is the world event that baseball needs," Valentine said. "But personally, I'd rather see championship teams from each country play each other. However, that's not realistic so an All-Star event like the WBC is the next best thing. I hope the WBC is a catalyst to grow baseball internationally." Make no mistake at age 58, Bobby Valentine is better thanks to his time in Japan. And Japan is a better baseball nation for having experienced Bobby Valentine. "It has been a great life experience. I lived in Japan as a minority which is quite a different perspective on life," Valentine said. "I feel good about myself. I learned a new language. I learned a lot about baseball. I learned a lot about patience. I learned a lot about cultural diversity and people's motivations. "I'm glad that I was young enough when I went there to experience it," Valentine continued. "It is so challenging. It is such a demanding baseball culture. Japan was a place where there was room for baseball growth. A place where I got to see the fruits of my labors. Japan is full of 30,000-capacity baseball stadiums. My first year we drew 400,000 fans. Now attendance is up to 1.7 million and my Japanese players come out and sign autographs before games. I was truly part of some positive change." But even with that elusive first professional title on his resume, and even with that first World Series champions ring on his finger. Valentine's influence ultimately only goes so far. "Japan is not like the United States. You don't have one meeting, throw ideas out on the table and things get implemented immediately," Valentine said. "Things aren't said and then done. The weight of tradition is such that any new idea is tested over and over and over. And then ... maybe ... it's adopted. "I've always been a kick the wall down type of guy," Valentine continued. "It's difficult in Japan. There is resistance all along the way. My thought is that Japanese baseball belongs to the Japanese people. Not up to the hierarchy of the sport to make all the decisions. I make decisions during the nine innings of each game. But the rest of my ideas become mere suggestions." That frustration is a reason why it's good that Stamford's finest baseball player ever is home for the off-season. Anyone who has ventured into a Bobby Valentine's Sports Gallery restaurant or has visited the spacious Bobby Valentine Sports Academy in Springdale can see Bobby V's handiwork on each business venture immediately. The Academy features baseball in its purest form. Because in his heart, Bobby Valentine has always been a teacher first. "Baseball is a tough, intense learning curve. Playing the game of baseball is very different from exhibiting the skills to play," Valentine said. "It strikes me that baseball is a lot more structured than it used to be. Kids will show up and be enthusiastic for one hour of scheduled practice. But when that hour is over, they put baseball up on the shelf and forget about it until that next one hour of scheduled practice comes. I guess that's the price of living in a society that is so diverse with so many different options to hold a child's interest. "I read that at a very early age Wayne Gretzky had spent 3,000 hours out on the ice. The normal kid at that same age spent 300 hours on the ice. And you wonder why Gretzky was so much better than everyone else?" Valentine continued. "Kids who put extra time in a sport and enjoy it, improve. The logic is obvious." Yes, a Sports Academy and Bobby Valentine and the city of Stamford is a good marriage, indeed. "We've had this Academy for just over a year in this building. It is clear to me that baseball is still loved in this community," Valentine said. "There is still a generational bonding situation that baseball creates between fathers and sons or fathers and daughters or mothers and daughters (softball). Both generations enjoy it." Valentine also thinks it's not too late for Major League Baseball to reach that next generation of players and young fans. Even in the face of playoff games and Sunday Night baseball that ends around midnight when kids are asleep. "Yes, we need to create interest in baseball when kids are young. Kids can play in places like this Academy when it's dark and cold in the Northeast," Valentine said. "It saddens me that the World Series is on TV so late in the East. But I have high hopes for the MLB Network that will be the future. The MLB television network will be a forum where kids can see baseball and learn about baseball 24 hours a day. It will be available to kids at hours when they are awake. The MLB Network people get it." But the most important item on Valentine's January agenda is the Seventh Annual Bobby Valentine Celebrity Wine and Food Experience set for Jan. 12 at the Hyatt Regency in Greenwich. Proceeds from the event benefit the Mickey Lione Jr. Scholarship Fund to honor the late Trinity Catholic High School baseball and boys ice hockey coach. The three scholarship recipients each year are high school sophomores in Stamford who pledge to maintain a certain grade point average and take part in community service before heading off to college. "The good days have brought a lot of success to the Lione Scholarship Fund. And our board of directors understand this is less than the best of times," said Valentine, who had Lione as a frequent visitor in his Mets' manager's office. "This year we will show our appreciation to the people who have supported us over the years. "We're fortunate in that our event has become a Stamford homecoming for many," Valentine continued. "They come for the wines and the foods. But also to see people they meet once or twice a year. We have a solid core of folks like that. Our core group also understand the values that Mickey had while coaching kids and the values we are trying to perpetuate in the community. Mickey was all about Stamford, family and kids. We're trying to be the community source that allows kids to achieve excellence. We've had our first wedding of scholarship recipients. We have a long list of good role models for our future scholarship winners." One thing that Valentine is envious of as he looks at major league baseball are the new stadiums the Mets and Yankees will open in New York City this 2009 season. "The baseball fans of New York needed and deserved these new venues," Valentine said. "I worked at Shea Stadium for seven years. I talked to the fans every day. I know how overdue both these stadiums are. As glorious and historic as the old Yankee Stadium was, it was still the OLD Yankee Stadium. New York baseball fans should be pleased." Bobby Valentine has been on a such a long journey in his baseball managerial life. Time has thrown some dust on the memory that Valentine managed the Texas Rangers before the club was bought by a group that included outgoing President George W. Bush. And Valentine, out of necessity, was on the cutting edge of ideas and procedures major league baseball takes for granted now. "Texas was fun. (General manager) Tom Grieve, (pitching coach) Tom House and I spent so much time brainstorming to try to be creative and different," Valentine recalled. "When I became manager, I hadn't been in the American League for 10 years. I really needed to learn the American League and its players fast. And I knew I wasn't going to learn by merely reading scouting reports. "I told (Texas owner) Eddie Chiles that I needed to see games. He said I could have the advance scouts or the video but not both. So we started video scouting," Valentine continued. "We had one satellite dish about 15 feet in diameter and this one joystick to move the dish and search out baseball TV telecasts in each AL city. Look at what video scouting has become today." Not every idea worked that well. But there were some groundbreaking theories. "Our pitching coach Tom House (currently pitching coach at USC) was immersed in all that biomechanical theory about pitchers," Valentine said. "Remember our pitchers would warmup most days by tossing footballs. I recall one time we commissioned a Biomechanical physicist with a PHD in East Germany to do a study on arm motion. This doctor worked with javelin throwers and shot putters working toward the Olympics. It's amazing how many of these studies morphed into what Dr. (James) Andrews is doing at his institute in Birmingham, Alabama today. "And signing Nolan Ryan to pitch in our old stadium was an experience I'll never forget." But that was the past. The question is what will the future bring to Bobby Valentine? Having conquered the Orient, will someone in Major League Baseball give him a seat at the table one more time? "I know I'm a different person than I was two years ago. I'm certainly different than I was 10 years ago. I've been dealing with Major League Baseball from a distance for a while," Valentine said. "I do know that I like managing. I like being with people trying to be their best in a physical, competitive environment. But being a major league baseball manager, those are 30 very difficult jobs to get."

Mind you, those are part of Best's semi-fanciful predictions as opposed to any hard information. It's been his cute little gripe that neither SNY nor whatchamacallit ever show "Classics" that involve the team they broadcast losing a game, and when SNY reaired Games 2-5 of the '69 WS in 2007, he wanted to know what the harm would be in showing Game One, that long after the fact, Mets fans could withstand the pain of watching the Orioles beat the Mets, knowing it all turns out OK in the end. During the extended NBA lockout ten years ago, Fox Sports New York killed time reairing Mets games from the 1998 season, and one of them was a loss, from when McGwire hit his 50th homer at Shea. But that wasn't a team-owned network, so Best's point is valid.

The key for the Dodgers is getting some baserunners on.

New Year's Eve is a strange birthday, everybody counting down 'til when it's over. Thanks for your good wishes making it a little extra fun while it lasted. On to Opening Day!

My Top 162, a full season's worth, offered here[/url:8t07xdhg] in personal stream of consciousness. Top 10, generically speaking: 1. October 3, 1999: Melvin Mora crosses home plate on Brad Clontz's wild pitch. 2. October 9, 1999: Todd Pratt ends NLDS on walkoff homer. 3. October 16, 2000: Mets win pennant. 4. July 10, 1999: Matt Franco beats Mariano Rivera, 9-8. 5. September 28, 1997: Final game of comeback season. 6. October 18, 2006: Mets even NLCS at three games apiece. 7. October 4, 2006: Paul Lo Duca tags two Dodgers in NLDS opener, setting stage for Game One win. 8. September 18, 2006: Mets clinch first division title in 18 years. 9. June 30, 2000: Mets score ten runs in eighth, capped by Mike Piazza's three-run homer, beat Braves 11-8. 10. May 17, 2007: Mets score five runs in ninth, defeat Cubs 6-5.

Wait -- did I miss Greg Brady's birthday? And if I haven't, when do I get to meet Don Drysdale[/url:x79q2qrf]?

="John Cougar Lunchbucket":1k9dwyzl]The unraveling of the Willie Era was definitely the story of the year[/quote:1k9dwyzl] Shea Stadium called and wants the media to know its resemblance to chopped liver is purely temporary. SteveJRogers Dec 29 2008 05:28 PM An under reported story of how the Wilpons aren't paying a single cent for Citi Field, based on their "share" coming from Citigroup's naming rights which is now the public, and how one Baseball-Fever.com poster seems intent on demolishing Citi Field and rebuilding Shea Stadium because of it. MFS62 Dec 29 2008 05:30 PM Re: Oddest Mets Stories of the Year ="Edgy DC"]Goofy franchise, goofy year, 2009. Is this a case of deja vu all over again? Later metirish Dec 29 2008 05:51 PM Great list guys , I think it's just about covered. Gary Carter keeping his bags packed waiting for Randolph to drop dead or at the least get fired. The George Thorogood interview over at MBTN was great stuff. http://mbtn.net/node?page=6 Not that it was odd but it was surprising . Edgy DC Dec 29 2008 06:33 PM Carter was pretty goofy. But Carter's unselfawareness is an annual story. For Pete's sake, he had a party planned for his election to the Hall of Fame --- an election that didn't happen, leading to some hasty party rescheduling. John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 29 2008 06:50 PM ="G-Fafif":1d6n68u2]="John Cougar Lunchbucket":1d6n68u2]The unraveling of the Willie Era was definitely the story of the year[/quote:1d6n68u2] Shea Stadium called and wants the media to know its resemblance to chopped liver is purely temporary.[/quote:1d6n68u2] The unraveling of the Willie Era was definitely the non-real-estate-related story of the year. I dunno though. I mean, we knew this was Shea's last year three years ago. I don't think anyone could have guessed that Willie would be whacked by June and that by September fans would be wild over Jerry F. Manuel. Frayed Knot Dec 29 2008 08:00 PM ="SteveJRogers"]An under reported story of how the Wilpons aren't paying a single cent for Citi Field They're not? Not one? ]... based on their "share" coming from Citigroup's naming rights Since when does that cover the entire amount? ]which is now the public, no it isn't ]and how one Baseball-Fever.com poster seems intent on demolishing Citi Field and rebuilding Shea Stadium because of it. Well then I take it all back, that certainly makes it the story of the year. SteveJRogers Dec 29 2008 08:15 PM ="Frayed Knot"]="SteveJRogers"]An under reported story of how the Wilpons aren't paying a single cent for Citi Field They're not? Not one? ]... based on their "share" coming from Citigroup's naming rights Since when does that cover the entire amount? ]which is now the public, no it isn't ]and how one Baseball-Fever.com poster seems intent on demolishing Citi Field and rebuilding Shea Stadium because of it. Well then I take it all back, that certainly makes it the story of the year. Heh, I could use you over there. Sorry, I just had to do it since they have some rather trollish anti-Wilpon folks over there that I just had to share it over here. Frayed Knot Dec 29 2008 08:17 PM "I just had to do it since they have some rather trollish anti-Wilpon folks over there that I just had to share it over here" No you didn't. SteveJRogers Dec 29 2008 08:26 PM Well, it was odd, and technically a Met "story" since the arguments center around the public paying for Citi Field from tax handouts and the Citigroup bailout, which really haven't been reported much (the Yankees have been) and discussed on other forums. So yeah it belongs in this thread. metsmarathon Dec 29 2008 08:59 PM what? Frayed Knot Dec 29 2008 09:23 PM ="SteveJRogers":2f7n2l1e]Well, it was odd, and technically a Met "story" since the arguments center around the public paying for Citi Field from tax handouts and the Citigroup bailout, which really haven't been reported much (the Yankees have been) and discussed on other forums. So yeah it belongs in this thread.[/quote:2f7n2l1e] Making up and/or exaggerating shit then basing pre-determined conclusions around those reaches of logic does not = 'Odd' Yes there are roads, parking, and other "infrastructure" where NYC is footing the bill to help both stadiums defray costs. I don't like it, but those type of deals are made for all kinds of businesses on a regular basis so let's not act like we've uncovered the 'Pentagon Papers' here. ... plus, none of that means that the entire project "free" to the Wilpons ... nor does it mean that the Citi naming rights money is any different from any other advertising income ... nor does it mean that the bailout money makes each Citicorp transaction part of the public domain ... and it certainly doesn't mean all that because some whining asshole on some website somewhere wants to pretend it's that way simply so he can scratch some anti-Wilpon itch he's got deep in his shorts. Edgy DC Dec 30 2008 07:29 AM Wow, Steve bringing an argument from some other forum here just so he can disown it when it gets shot full of holes. That's new. Frayed Knot Dec 30 2008 09:08 AM But not odd. metsguyinmichigan Dec 30 2008 09:19 AM ="Edgy DC":264sqpks]Wow, Steve bringing an argument from some other forum here just so he can disown it when it gets shot full of holes. That's new.[/quote:264sqpks] I don't know. The guys on the iheartjeter.com forum said he was making some good points over there and that the guys on the Crane Pool Forum are just a bunch of haters who don't appreciate Steve or the Cap'n for all their intangibles. But over on the marianoisnotakiller.com boards they posted that Steve knows what he's talking about and the posters in the CPF should keep their Mets-loving pie-holes shut, and that it's common for people to electrify their pools and people should test the water first and we should just get over it. Now I'm not saying I agree with any of that, just saying what was posted.... Sorry, Steve. Just having some fun.

Robin Ventura will be in the spotlight Monday night at 6:30 as SNY shows him hitting his two doubleheader grand slams in a Mets Classic (Classics?) from May 20, 1999. Thing about the first grand slam that always gets me when a highlight appears is how there's like six people in the stands. It was a Thursday twinighter that started at 4:40 PM. I had tix and was still at the office when it began.

="John Cougar Lunchbucket":3qxxjd3c]See, I knew when you made it "first" that schlubs like me were doomed. I suggest next time you make it a random drawing of all poifict scores within a reasonable time frame.[/quote:3qxxjd3c] Probably not a bad idea. I'm always surprised anybody responds (thus the week I lay out as potential entry time...and it's never taken more than a little while for a winner to emerge). metirish Dec 29 2008 08:56 AM I did try the quiz but man you made it difficult , although apparently not for some people. Great idea though and not a bad way to reward your readers.

We have a winner in our contest, but you're welcome to play the home version for the hell of it (which is most of what being a Mets fan boils down to in December).

Chance to win the Essential Games of Shea DVD set on Faith and Fear if you're willing to do a little blog detective work. Details here[/url:2w0z0eh7].

Familiarity breeds apathy if not contempt when it comes to old players you once held dear. I missed Mookie at the final day to-do, yet he was hanging around for years as first base coach and he was, in that capacity, just a turn-of-the-millennium Sheriff Robinson to me. Seaver morphed from legend of legends to grating announcer over time; Rusty, too. HoJo...next teamwide slump, he's not the 30/30 guy. He's the lousy hitting instructor. You want these guys on good diplomatic terms with headquarters, you want them to show up for events, but mostly, I think, you want them to remain special. Then again, they gotta eat, too. Also, who wants to see Great Ex-Met Fill In The Blank wearing an enemy uniform? I didn't like it with Mazzilli, don't care for it with McDowell. Ah, fandom's complex and consuming tapestry...

="John Cougar Lunchbucket":2pgyl5t7]Yallof never did it for me. I blame his sunny demeanor in part for fostering that sense of entitlement and satisfaction with the status quo that has plagued the Mets over the last two years. Really, SNY, like all state owned news orgs, is a terribly evil organization overall and must be stopped.[/quote:2pgyl5t7] Yallof had that smirking, ESPN wannabe thing down pat. So did Kenny Choi. I really hate SNY's studio shows. They seem to come out of some mindless Comcast handbook. I have a hard time imagining blowhard Carlin changing that. Mazzilli was a genuine person, which is rare on TV. One night he was offering some anecdote from his rookie days under Joe Frazier. Yallof began to smirk and chuckle as if somebody bringing up a name that wasn't from the preapproved names list was supposed to be a punch line. Mazz shot him a glare and said, "Joe Frazier was a good man." That impressed me. There's no payoff in defending Joe Frazier in 2008, but Mazzilli had a point to make and he was going to make it. I don't know what Ojeda will bring to the desk, but I'll miss Lee. Yallof at the winter meetings, before any real news happened, was all "It's crazy! There are people here, so many people!" WTF did you expect when you got to the hotel? He had his moments, but not a lot of them. Cotter was worse. Cotter always looked like he had rushed in from a frat party. When Yallof was off doing some straight reporting on the Mitchell hearings in D.C. and Cotter was anchoring, Cotter said to him, via satellite, "I'd love to say you're able to knock off now and get a cold, frosty one in Georgetown, but there's a press conference coming up and we're gonna need you to cover it..." Yallof had this expression like, "Huh?" Fman99 Dec 26 2008 11:39 PM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket"]="Fman99"]I approve of Michelle Yu. I'd eat the corn out of her poop. What a romantic thing to say! I'll be sure to include a poop-eating scene in my next Asian chick-lit novel. Well if you do it right, it's more of a poop themed corn eating scene. But you're on the right path. John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 27 2008 08:27 AM ="G-Fafif":3358tiie] Mazzilli was a genuine person, which is rare on TV. One night he was offering some anecdote from his rookie days under Joe Frazier. Yallof began to smirk and chuckle as if somebody bringing up a name that wasn't from the preapproved names list was supposed to be a punch line. Mazz shot him a glare and said, "Joe Frazier was a good man." That impressed me. There's no payoff in defending Joe Frazier in 2008, but Mazzilli had a point to make and he was going to make it. I don't know what Ojeda will bring to the desk, but I'll miss Lee. [/quote:3358tiie] That's well-said. The vibe I got from Mazzilli wasn't that he was creepy necessarily, but that he could barely tolerate the tenor of much of the discussion he was asked to take part in, and that Yallof totally missed that. I imagine after the shows Yallof would ask Lee out for pizza and Maz would tell him to fuck off, and Yallof would think, "Boy, that guy's sure rude!" And I never thought I'd say this but enough with the fucking 86 Mets already. We have 2 in the booth, one on the coaching lines, do we need even more in the studio? At least Maz had some of that old-school perspective. I want Wayne Garrett or Johnny Stephenson or Joe Orsulak, dammit. G-Fafif Dec 27 2008 11:06 AM Familiarity breeds apathy if not contempt when it comes to old players you once held dear. I missed Mookie at the final day to-do, yet he was hanging around for years as first base coach and he was, in that capacity, just a turn-of-the-millennium Sheriff Robinson to me. Seaver morphed from legend of legends to grating announcer over time; Rusty, too. HoJo...next teamwide slump, he's not the 30/30 guy. He's the lousy hitting instructor. You want these guys on good diplomatic terms with headquarters, you want them to show up for events, but mostly, I think, you want them to remain special. Then again, they gotta eat, too. Also, who wants to see Great Ex-Met Fill In The Blank wearing an enemy uniform? I didn't like it with Mazzilli, don't care for it with McDowell. Ah, fandom's complex and consuming tapestry... metirish Dec 27 2008 11:27 AM I remember before SNY thinking that the Mets went out of their way not to have the 1986 guys around , can't say that now. I often got the feeling from Maz that he really didn't want to be there , at least not in the studio with Yaloff anyway , he seemed more comfortable with Darling and Hernandez. EDIT : I should say my first thought above is hardly original. Kong76 Dec 27 2008 02:52 PM Fm99: I approve of Michelle Yu. I'd eat the corn out of her poop <<< I can see it now, someone is referring to this joint elsewhere as the cornpooforum. Fman99 Dec 27 2008 07:10 PM ="KC"]Fm99: I approve of Michelle Yu. I'd eat the corn out of her poop <<< I can see it now, someone is referring to this joint elsewhere as the cornpooforum. God I hope so. metirish Jan 04 2009 09:33 AM From Neil Best ] 3. SNY will add closed captioning for the hearing-impaired (and for sports bar patrons) in time for the Mets' opener, lest it read about its failure to do so here every single day. 4. SNY also will show the 1969 World Series in honor of that event's 40th anniversary - including Game 1, thus beating YES to the honor of being the first team-owned cable channel in New York to present a classic game that resulted in a loss G-Fafif Jan 04 2009 09:56 AM Mind you, those are part of Best's semi-fanciful predictions as opposed to any hard information. It's been his cute little gripe that neither SNY nor whatchamacallit ever show "Classics" that involve the team they broadcast losing a game, and when SNY reaired Games 2-5 of the '69 WS in 2007, he wanted to know what the harm would be in showing Game One, that long after the fact, Mets fans could withstand the pain of watching the Orioles beat the Mets, knowing it all turns out OK in the end. During the extended NBA lockout ten years ago, Fox Sports New York killed time reairing Mets games from the 1998 season, and one of them was a loss, from when McGwire hit his 50th homer at Shea. But that wasn't a team-owned network, so Best's point is valid. metirish Jan 04 2009 10:04 AM Yes my bad , they are predictions rather than facts. Gwreck Feb 17 2009 09:59 AM Good news: Jocelyn Pierce (who was absolutely terrible) is out as Mets Weekly host. In is Julie Alexandria, who was formerly the co-host of Beer Money. NY Post article: http://www.nypost.com/seven/02152009/sports/moresports/the_rumble_155278.htm metirish Feb 17 2009 10:29 AM From the few times I have seen Julie Alexandria I like her , seems to have a sweet and fun personality. Edgy DC Feb 17 2009 10:35 AM I like how she interviews a shirt. John Cougar Lunchbucket Feb 17 2009 10:49 AM I like corn. HahnSolo Feb 18 2009 07:18 AM ="Gwreck":2a88ajq4]Good news: Jocelyn Pierce (who was absolutely terrible) is out as Mets Weekly host. In is Julie Alexandria, who was formerly the co-host of Beer Money. NY Post article: http://www.nypost.com/seven/02152009/sports/moresports/the_rumble_155278.htm[/quote:2a88ajq4] I would much prefer to look at Jocelyn Pierce. Was she bad as a host? Couldn't say. Was too busy looking at her. Julia's OK I guess, no Jocelyn though. Fman99 Feb 18 2009 07:30 AM ="metirish"]From the few times I have seen Julie Alexandria I like her , seems to have a sweet and fun personality. Do I even need to say it? OK, I think I do. Hey Julie, come over here. And bring the bat. Frayed Knot Feb 18 2009 07:33 AM ="Edgy DC":3msy2jjg]I like how she interviews a shirt.[/quote:3msy2jjg] Maybe she's trying to get the shirt to 'open up' ... like her own for instance. Centerfield Feb 18 2009 07:56 AM ="Frayed Knot":rsssa79a]="Edgy DC":rsssa79a]I like how she interviews a shirt.[/quote:rsssa79a] Maybe she's trying to get the shirt to 'open up' ... like her own for instance.[/quote:rsssa79a] Bam! Julie Alexandria = much hotter than Matt Yaloff. Benjamin Grimm Feb 18 2009 08:08 AM But not as hot as Jocelyn Pierce. I only watched Mets Weekly twice. The first time convinced me that, as lovely as Jocelyn Pierce was, there wasn't enough substance in the show for me to invest (or waste) a half hour of my time. Too much fluff. Half the show was Jocelyn following Scott Schoeneweis around the golf course. (The second time I watched was to catch Johnny Lunchbucket's appearance.) Edgy DC Feb 18 2009 08:13 AM I hadn't heard the Joe Frazier story. Love it. Some of the first things I learned to say as a Met fan was "Joe Frazier Sucks" and "Fire Joe Frazier." I heard them and repeated them and had little idea why I was saying them. metirish Feb 18 2009 09:08 AM I wonder if the bad publicity generated by her husband has anything to do with Jocelyn losing her hosting gig , is she still employed by SNY ? Benjamin Grimm Feb 18 2009 09:10 AM ="metirish":1vsplurx]I wonder if the bad publicity generated by her husband has anything to do with Jocelyn losing her hosting gig , is she still employed by SNY ?[/quote:1vsplurx] Who's her husband? Please tell me it's not Bernie Madoff! metirish Feb 18 2009 09:12 AM Nah it's Antonio Pierce , the numb nut Giants player involved with Plaxico Burress. metirish Mar 30 2009 09:17 AM Klapisch: Ojeda talks a good game ] Bobby Ojeda has spent the past five years in a blissful, self-imposed exile at his Rumson shore house, beyond the reach of the �86 ghosts. The former Mets� left-hander never was much for reminiscing. Like some Met fans � particularly the younger ones � he�s been willing to let the �80s turn to vapor. Does that sound like the profile of an SNY analyst? Incredibly, the Mets-owned network thinks Ojeda is its man, despite the fact he has no television experience. He�ll be in the studio for 130 games this season, replacing Lee Mazzilli as the pregame and postgame intellectual engine. There�s a delicious irony to anyone who knew Ojeda in the Mets� wilder days: He was anything but a spotlight hog, even though he was the best pitcher in 1986, winning 18 games. Now, Ojeda says with a laugh, �I�m the one who�s going to be doing all the talking.� Ojeda has been given free rein by SNY to cut and slash as he sees fit. Ojeda could follow in the footsteps of Keith Hernandez, his onetime teammate who can be openly critical of the Mets and has few friends in the clubhouse (although he has a near-cult following among viewers). Or Ojeda can play it safe like many of the analysts at the rival YES Network, including David Cone and Al Leiter. The networks closely scrutinize each other, comparing nightly ratings, quality of production and the editorial tone of their announcers. One YES announcer said last summer he was �stunned� at how far Hernandez has been allowed to stray from the company line. �If I talked like that about the Yankees, I�d probably get fired,� the broadcaster said with a laugh. Ojeda understands there�s a fine line between honesty and corporate common sense. He also knows his decision to work for SNY has removed him from the brotherhood of big-leaguers. He visited Port St. Lucie, Fla., last week with co-host Chris Carlin (who replaces Matt Yallof) and immediately sensed the gap, even with Howard Johnson, a friend for 20 years who now serves as the Mets� hitting instructor. Ojeda�s only purpose was to chat with HoJo, not interview him, not even to use the information for background. Yet Ojeda knew the reservoir of trust was drying up. �There was this twinge from Howard, like he was talking to the media,� Ojeda said. �I was like, �HoJo, this is me you�re talking to.� I felt like kicking his butt. I�m getting these answers and I�m like, �Come on, are you kidding me?� I guess it�s the nature of the thing I signed on to.� So why would Ojeda begin this journey? Or more to the point, why would SNY take a gamble on an electronic rookie? SNY head Curt Gowdy Jr. says Ojeda impressed the network during auditions with his candor and ability to shape short, concise answers. Once he realized Ojeda actually had a presence in front of the camera, Gowdy was willing to overlook his new analyst�s lack of experience. �It�s a calculated risk, but there are a lot of calculated risks we�ve taken,� Gowdy said. �Look at bringing Ron Darling here from the Nationals. Look at bringing Kevin Burkhardt from WFAN. We think Bob is only going to get better and better.� Gowdy glossed over the dismissals of Mazzilli and Yallof, saying SNY was looking for a �different� personality and perspective. After the Mets� back-to-back collapses in 2007 and 2008, the Wilpon family undoubtedly wanted its network to have a makeover in time for Citi Field�s christening. Jeff Wilpon approached Ojeda during the off-season and floated the idea of coming back to the organization as an analyst. Ojeda had spent three years as the pitching coach for the Brooklyn Cyclones, bailing out in 2003, when Rick Peterson was hired as the Mets� pitching coach. Ojeda went home to Rumson, spending the next five years watching his five daughters grow up, distancing himself from his former life. Ojeda rebuffed every attempt to relive the miracle �86 season, including card shows and interview requests. In truth, he was sick of the Mets who were making careers out of reliving their careers. �You have to move on. I mean, it turns everyone off when you hear [a broadcaster] say, �When I played.� I don�t have any intention of doing that,� Ojeda said. �The players today, it�s their turn; they�re the ones wearing the uniform. I�d rather stay current.� The same forward-directed policy will apply to the other asterisk on Ojeda�s r�sum� � the horrific 1993 boating accident in Florida that took the lives of Indian teammates Tim Crews and Steve Olin, the first deaths of active major leaguers since Thurman Munson was killed in 1979. Ojeda, who suffered severe head lacerations, later said the only reason he also wasn�t killed was because he was slouched over the moment the boat struck a dock. It was driven by Crews, whom investigators said was legally drunk at the time. Ojeda will not speak about the tragedy in interviews or on the air. �It�s like [the] �86 [season]. We all have things on our permanent record,� Ojeda said. �I mean, that�s life; you just keep going. You look for new challenges. For me, this [sNY job] is an opportunity to get back into baseball and talk about something I love. I can�t wait.� Centerfield Mar 30 2009 09:34 AM I can't believe they're putting Chris Carlin on more shows. It's like they're trying to out-dumb themselves. Yalloff might have been stupid, but at least he wasn't a blowhard. I've seen about five minutes of Loudmouths to know that I don't want to see another minute of either of them. Plus he talks like he has marbles in his mouth. Edgy DC Mar 30 2009 09:52 AM Isn't the fact that they have a show called "Loud Mouths" a bigger problem than which particular loud mouths it features? LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Mar 30 2009 11:42 AM ] One YES announcer said last summer he was �stunned� at how far Hernandez has been allowed to stray from the company line. �If I talked like that about the Yankees, I�d probably get fired,� the broadcaster said with a laugh. True story: During her on-air orgasm in response to Roger Clemens' in-game announcement of his return to baseball, Suzyn Waldman was fulfilling a contractual obligation to her former YES employers; in return, she received a $30,000 balloon payment-- $25,000 of which was paid in the form of Hard Rock Cafe gift certificates and tee shirts-- and a 3 ounce vial of Roger Clemens' testicular sweat (valued at 12.07, since subpoenaed by DOJ). Centerfield Mar 30 2009 12:29 PM ="Edgy DC":8fiqu3nj]Isn't the fact that they have a show called "Loud Mouths" a bigger problem than which particular loud mouths it features?[/quote:8fiqu3nj] I understand that the network honchos are asking his mouth to be loud, it doesn't mean I have to like him more. For my pre and post game, give me the guy that passed up that gig. I like SNY because of its Mets/Big East-centered coverage. But outside of the actual games and SportsNight, I think I would rather watch the Lifetime channel than the rest of SNY's programming. In addition to Loudmouths, they have about sixteen other "reporters screaming at each other" type shows. Where it seems the objective is to be more annoying than the guy you're arguing with. I have never heard Joe Beningo on the FAN, but from the clips I see of his "highlights", I think I've seen all I need to see. Edgy DC Mar 30 2009 12:32 PM Yeah, I'm not asking you to like him more, only to give the lion's share of your hate to the process that empowers him to suck. Benjamin Grimm Mar 30 2009 12:37 PM I don't mind that SNY has some dumb shoutfests on its schedule, but I think it would be a good idea for them to have some smart shows as well. (Maybe they do, but if so they don't advertise them during Mets games.) I'm thinking of a Bob Costas/Bryant Gumbel kind of show where you have a reporter covering some topic of interest to the New York sports scene with insight and depth. But instead it's a lot of Loudmouths and Wheelhouse and Beer Money. metirish Mar 30 2009 12:41 PM Fran Healy productions has a range of shows to suit your needs. G-Fafif Mar 30 2009 01:00 PM ="metirish":1szfbxoo]Fran Healy productions has a range of shows to suit your needs.[/quote:1szfbxoo] I had my first ever dream about Fran Healy the other night. Dreamt I was at a table in some mostly deserted banquet room at a trade show in Philadelphia and Healy was taking a break from doing an interview or something and came to sit down. (TMF may have been at the table as well.) My gosh, I thought, I took a shot at him in my book and now I'm sitting here and he's coming over. He walked behind me, gave me this jockish rubbing of the shoulders and said something knowing and slightly needling as if to indicate it's all right, I've been through this before. He wasn't being particularly friendly, but he wasn't altogether menacing. Fman99 Mar 31 2009 11:56 AM Caught a couple of minutes of Beer Money the other night as I was flipping around the dial. Blech. If ol DJ Chunky Carlin came up to me I think I'd just feed him pennies until he went away. Now, that Julie girl, well, heh heh, I'd find something else to feed her. metirish Apr 06 2009 12:14 PM Caught most of the pre-game stuff , it's going to take sme getting used to watching Carlin. Of course I could just skip the damn thing. TransMonk Apr 06 2009 12:15 PM The new in-game graphics are a bit cookie cutter for my taste. I had no problem with the old ones. metirish Apr 06 2009 12:17 PM I find the huge NY swooshing through the screen annoying. A bit FOX like I think. HahnSolo Apr 06 2009 01:06 PM Carlin does remind me a bit too much of the leader of the Fordham Baldies. Elster88 Apr 18 2009 02:16 PM Finally I can be comfortable watching the post-game. The only thing worse than Carlin's voice is actually looking at him. The first time the gf saw him on Beer Money she was afraid of him. I've got no problem with equal treatment for slobs but does this guy have to be on TV? I also have no problem with TV personalities being hired based on how they look and sound. Edgy DC Apr 18 2009 02:50 PM I like to think I'd look prettier if people on TV and on film and in magzines were generally uglier. GYC Apr 18 2009 05:57 PM Chris Carlin is the biggest asshole I ever met. He covers Rutgers games for a local New Brunswick/Piscataway station and has absolutely no respect for anyone else in the business. He's loud, he's obnoxious, and he's an asshole. He'll stand up and leave in the middle of press conferences, even if people are in the middle of talking. He acts like he's important and has priority because he's Chris Carlin. And on gameday, him and fat daughter waddle around Rutgers Stadium. I hate seeing him on SNY. He's a prick. Edgy DC Apr 18 2009 08:22 PM Who else reads GYC's posts and hears the words coming out of Keith Hernandez's mouth? Live on the air. Fman99 Apr 18 2009 08:57 PM ="Edgy DC":2jfw89we]Who else reads GYC's posts and hears the words coming out of Keith Hernandez's mouth? Live on the air.[/quote:2jfw89we] I do, which is even better given Mex's wardrobe (in the profile pic) as the hair color pitchman. I'd buy Grecian 5 from that salty motherfucker in a minute! Swan Swan H May 25 2009 11:36 AM SNY is running the Mr. Koo game as the Mets Classic. Again. As I write this Buck and McCarver are giving Willie a tongue-bath. Anyway, this is at least the fourth time I've seen this game on SNY this year. According to UMDB the Mets have played 7,523 regular season games. Apparently SNY has the rights to show eight of them. batmagadanleadoff May 25 2009 12:17 PM ="Swan Swan H":qgg5ebow]SNY is running the Mr. Koo game as the Mets Classic. Again. As I write this Buck and McCarver are giving Willie a tongue-bath. Anyway, this is at least the fourth time I've seen this game on SNY this year. According to UMDB the Mets have played 7,523 regular season games. Apparently SNY has the rights to show eight of them.[/quote:qgg5ebow] I noticed the same thing. http://cranepoolforum.net/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=10886&sid=2e36b27e63769008dbc4af85452e39c6 Swan Swan H May 25 2009 12:31 PM Oops. I didn't realize there was a separate thread for the Classix. TransMonk Jun 03 2009 03:53 PM Per Metsblog, via Twitter, SI.com�s Jon Heyman announced that Matt Yalloff, formerly of SNY, has joined the MLB Network. G-Fafif Jun 03 2009 03:54 PM ="TransMonk":jrcwlac0]Per Metsblog, via Twitter, SI.com�s Jon Heyman announced that Matt Yalloff, formerly of SNY, has joined the MLB Network.[/quote:jrcwlac0] I'm exhausted just learning that. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 03 2009 05:09 PM So we've got Carlin for good, then. And there are no trades in broadcasting? John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 03 2009 06:19 PM ="TransMonk":2gmwiqqi]Per Metsblog, via Twitter, SI.com�s Jon Heyman announced that Matt Yalloff, formerly of SNY, has joined the MLB Network.[/quote:2gmwiqqi] as soda-getter. G-Fafif Jun 04 2009 12:34 PM Kevin Burkhardt just admonished the Pirates for placing a section of wall from Forbes Field, over which Mazeroski's home run flew, in a less than ideal spot at PNC Park. While there's nothing wrong with professing exacting standards (it is weird that it's between two bathrooms), anyone whose job description includes shilling for the history-challenged environs of Citi Field should pick his battles more carefully, as in, perhaps, "what a shape they don't have a Taqueria here in Pittsburgh." Elster88 Jun 24 2009 08:27 PM Carlin auditioning for ESPN doing the highlights. I really can't stand him. Swan Swan H Jun 24 2009 08:42 PM ="Elster88":2eui7q36]Carlin auditioning for ESPN doing the highlights. I really can't stand him.[/quote:2eui7q36] I hoped he'd be different, but you nailed it. Gary Apple may be vanilla, but he hits his marks and doesn't drive me nuts. Among the SNY stable of talkers I wouldn't mind seeing him in that seat. metirish Jun 24 2009 08:45 PM ="Swan Swan H":1bvh8rgw]="Elster88":1bvh8rgw]Carlin auditioning for ESPN doing the highlights. I really can't stand him.[/quote:1bvh8rgw] I hoped he'd be different, but you nailed it. Gary Apple may be vanilla, but he hits his marks and doesn't drive me nuts. Among the SNY stable of talkers I wouldn't mind seeing him in that seat.[/quote:1bvh8rgw] I've thought the same thing about Apple for a while. Elster88 Aug 09 2009 05:52 PM A clean-shaven Johnny Franco doing the post-game. Frayed Knot Aug 09 2009 06:41 PM I'm guessing Franco's had that mustache since, oh I dunno, maybe age 12. OlerudOwned Aug 09 2009 08:04 PM ="Frayed Knot"]I'm guessing Franco's had that mustache since, oh I dunno, maybe age 12. Funny that he'd be clean for a team with a historically mustachioed mascot. Then again, this was during the Schott reign. dgwphotography Aug 10 2009 07:46 AM ="Frayed Knot":30o1llmf]I'm guessing Franco's had that mustache since, oh I dunno, maybe age 12.[/quote:30o1llmf] Sounds like me - I've had at least a mustache for 29 years... Frayed Knot Aug 10 2009 07:59 AM But can't you just picture Johnny F trying to cultivate at least the beginnings of one in Jr High? The Reds - despite the mascot - were long a conservative club with 'no facial hair' restrictions going back even before the Schott era. I suspect he wasn't clean-shaven there out of choice. Edgy DC Aug 10 2009 08:10 AM And, in fairness to the Reds, all of baseball was pretty much facial-hair-free for about 50 years leading up to the Swinging A's era. Can anybody name the first mustachioed Met? John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 10 2009 08:24 AM Ken Boswell Benjamin Grimm Aug 10 2009 08:25 AM Felix Millan? Frayed Knot Aug 10 2009 08:33 AM ="Edgy DC":8wq591f4]And, in fairness to the Reds, all of baseball was pretty much facial-hair-free for about 50 years leading up to the Swinging A's era. [/quote:8wq591f4] Reds just kept that policy going much longer than other clubs. It was some mgr/exec from the Cincy org that switched over to StL at one point during Keith's time there who made him shave off his 'stache. Edgy DC Aug 10 2009 08:44 AM And to be honest, I kind of liked the policy. Yeah, it seems starkly retrograde, but I like anything that makes teams culturally different from one another, even if it's something I wouldn't like on my team. Maybe especially if it's something I wouldn't like on my team. dgwphotography Aug 10 2009 01:29 PM I remember seeing both Kranepool and Harrelson sporting mustaches... Farmer Ted Aug 11 2009 09:25 AM Bobby O last night said that Pelfry's form on a bunch of pitches looked lazy and he wasn't waiting for Santos to finish giving signs before he started his windup. In Pelfry's defense, the guy was just with his wife who gave birth. So, he's up for how long during that process? Then the Mets shove him onto a plan, across the freaking country, and pitch with his head obviously in a fog. Farmer Ted Aug 16 2009 01:08 PM Switched over to NESN in between innings to catch a Red Sox score. Frank Viola doing color and sounds pretty good. Any openings at SNY? Frayed Knot Aug 16 2009 01:20 PM ="Farmer Ted":jupihupn]Switched over to NESN in between innings to catch a Red Sox score. Frank Viola doing color and sounds pretty good. Any openings at SNY?[/quote:jupihupn] I've heard him before. He might rival Johnny Franco for the most identifiable Noo Yawk accent working in the media. G-Fafif Aug 16 2009 03:54 PM ="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.

="Frayed Knot":34ueq9bz]Mike Bordick, head baseball coach at Boys' Latin School in Baltimore.[/quote:34ueq9bz] How do you suppose he'll greet his new players...or monstrously huge batboy? themetfairy Dec 26 2008 02:12 PM ="G-Fafif":1emwxaju]="Frayed Knot":1emwxaju]Mike Bordick, head baseball coach at Boys' Latin School in Baltimore.[/quote:1emwxaju] How do you suppose he'll greet his new players...or monstrously huge batboy?[/quote:1emwxaju] No - just with a simple, "Welcome Abordick," of course! Edgy DC Dec 30 2008 07:42 AM Felix Mantilla, spreading the good chromosomes around. Mantilla earning court time at Yale December 30, 2008 NEWS-SUN STAFF REPORT Mundelein High grad Raffi Mantilla has worked his way into the playing rotation for the Yale University men's basketball team. The sophomore guard has played in all eight Bulldog games (2-6 record), and is averaging nearly 10 minutes of action each game. He's scored a total of 18 points in those eight contests. Mantilla is the grandson of former major-league baseball player Felix Mantilla, who played with the Milwaukee Braves, New York Mets and Boston Red Sox in a long pro career. MFS62 Jan 03 2009 02:29 PM In keeping with the three name thread in the non-baseball forum, I'll always remember him as Felix Lamela Mantilla. (I dunno why, but his middle name always stuck in my mind) Later Edgy DC Jan 03 2009 02:31 PM Yup, and time to retire Brogna 2008.

I will never not think of what my FAFIF partner Jason wrote as regards Gustavo Molina and who he wasn't related to: ]I was surprised -- and, oddly, a little disappointed -- to find Gustavo isn't, in fact, part of the seemingly inescapable Molina catching clan. Perhaps "molina" means "receiver" in some Spanish dialect, much the way someone named Cooper can bet he had an ancestor who made barrels. Or perhaps it will mean that one day. As for Trot Nixon, in the final game in Milwaukee in early September, Gary Cohen mentioned the long line of seven-hitters the Mets had used in the course of the year, a dozen or more. Keith Hernandez went about naming them, no mean task. Eventually, he worked his way to Trot Nixon. Gary calmly responded, "Yes, Nixon's the one," which cracked me up this (or any) election year. It's fair to say I remember almost nothing about their respective on-field accomplishments.

="Fman99":2j726juf]Jeez, you'd think Rivera farts cinnamon and shits gold coins.[/quote:2j726juf] Actually, they run an infomercial on just such a contraption on YES. Benjamin Grimm Dec 23 2008 01:29 PM I bet everyone else in the Yankee bullpen finds themselves strangely craving Cin-A-Bon whenever they sit next to Rivera.

No game can be said to be truly official unless it is started by Mariano Rivera and the applause washes over him like soft rain.

Flynn's Expo top blows my mind. The road New York Cubans...is that from a turn back the clock promotion? Or authentic Negro League?

Sad news. First thought, oddly is how he must have wished the visitors' bullpen had a canopy in October 1986, if you get my drift. He certainly got some fans', uh, drift. Let's just say they took the concept of "relieving" upon themselves to help soften up the opposition closer. I recall reading that Smith got what brunt there was to get. That's just wrong. Charlie Kerfeld would have been a different stream of thought.

="metirish":12qzdy9i]Channel 149 here in the Bronx , on right now is a look back at the Red Sox taking out the MFY's in 2004.[/quote:12qzdy9i] They've been showing the same three programs over and over for the past 24 hours as far as I can divine. As long as the MFYs are going down in high-def flames, that's not so bad. Frayed Knot Dec 17 2008 05:31 PM Jan 1 is the official launch date. The sneak previews could be hit and miss until then. Lots of WBC in Feb-Mar is the first major thing on the slate. metirish Dec 17 2008 05:34 PM Curt Schilling is even more insufferable in HD. metirish Dec 30 2008 11:35 AM From a chat with Neil Best over at Newsday ] 12:08 [Comment From Dino] I have heard that the MLB Network will have "live look-ins" at games throughout the regular season. Is this true and why would they agree to do this since it seems to undermine the Extra Innings package, if only a little bit? 12:08 They will indeed have look-ins, but they will have rules limiting how often and for how long they can show games to avoid conflicting with local channels and Extra Innings stuf John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 30 2008 11:40 AM Us Time Warnerians in the city will get it on channel 174 and hi-def 793. It wasn't there the last time I looked however. I can see this channel becoming a prime destination for commercial breaks. Edgy DC Dec 30 2008 11:44 AM MLB Network CEO Tony Petitti: Met-Lovin' Big Shot. Huge shot, really. Frayed Knot Dec 30 2008 11:47 AM They're kicking off at 6PM Thursday with the Larsen perfect game - apparently shown as it was shown then, including the commercials and everything. Mushnick's remarks from a column last week is that the now-ancient telecast is, at the same time, both better (2-hour game, limited crowd shots, no graphics overload, sideline reporters, etc.) and worse (no replays and other technology) than broadcasts of today. A Boy Named Seo Dec 30 2008 11:49 AM Supposed to be on 213 for DirectTV peeps. Gwreck Jan 01 2009 03:53 PM This thing's starting up today. Appears in my channel listings (Time Warner NYC). Various programs being shown the first week: "Hot Stove Live" Larsen's perfect game (repeated 3 or 4 times over the first few days) Most of the WS games from 2008 and some LCS games as well "Cathedrals of the Game" - half hour "tours" of stadiums. The only two being shown so far are Busch Stadium and Citizens Bank Park. "Prime 9" - countdown of the "best." First two are "Centerfielders" and "Best Home Runs." "Red Sox Memories" - October Heroes, Parts 1 and 2 "Dodger Blues" - hour long history of the team Some other misc. stuff. Nothing explicitly Mets-related. Kong76 Jan 01 2009 04:10 PM Channel 400 on Westchester Cablevision ... I turned on just to see how fluffy it was. It's pretty fluffy, but I'm sure there will be a bunch of stuff on the station I'll watch or half-watch this winter. Al Leiter -- boo, I like Harold --- yay! Back to watching Joe Pa lose, and ABC turning it into a win no matter. metirish Jan 01 2009 04:57 PM Nice set is about all I got right now. themetfairy Jan 01 2009 05:05 PM Channel 280 on Comcast. I wish they'd stop chatting and get to showing us Larson's perfect game already. themetfairy Jan 01 2009 05:11 PM They're starting the broadcast at the top of the 2nd? Fuck all the blather - show us the complete game and skip the commentary! metirish Jan 01 2009 05:22 PM Costas mentioned for some reason the tape of the first innings is missing. themetfairy Jan 01 2009 05:23 PM Thanks Irish. I do love the old time commercials - very cool stuff. metirish Jan 01 2009 05:25 PM Yeah this is fun to watch , apparently this is the first time the complete game minus the first inning of course has been shown. metsmarathon Jan 01 2009 05:33 PM i totally need me some new gillette blades. they're so sharp! metirish Jan 01 2009 05:40 PM Duke Snider just hit one barely foul down the right field foul pole and Mel Allen said " Ed Rungy watched that one go just foul", very cool to connect the dots with that name. metirish Jan 01 2009 05:48 PM Jackie and the Dodgers employ the shift for Mantle and the other left handed hitters on the yankees , Mel Allen talking about it being OK if Mantle bunted down the third base side for a hit. Mantle just beat the shift by hitting a home run. bmfc1 Jan 01 2009 06:25 PM You mean I get a razor AND the Baseball Encyclopedia for only a buck? G-Fafif Jan 01 2009 06:38 PM The key for the Dodgers is getting some baserunners on. metsguyinmichigan Jan 01 2009 08:23 PM Jimmy Rollins. Ick. But at least he's recognizing that Cole Hamels was out of his mind for calling out the Mets like that. Fman99 Jan 01 2009 08:27 PM Channel 100 upstate on Time Warner. Me likee. DocTee Jan 01 2009 08:29 PM January 10-- 2007 NLCS, Game 7. Mets-Cards. Endy. Molina. Ugh. metirish Jan 02 2009 07:09 AM Tuesday's at 8PM Ken Burns "Baseball" documentary will be shown. 1st Inning will air January 6th with subsequent Innings each Tuesday at 8PM. I have never watched the complete series so I'm looking forward to this. Frayed Knot Jan 02 2009 07:26 AM The intro + Larsen game certainly got me in a baseball mood -- of course the fact that it was 10 degrees at the time means that simply a picture of striped socks could do the same. And I'm sure I'll check in on some of the specials during the remainder of the void period. As far as MLB-TV being an everyday thing ... we'll see. The good thing about baseball is that its everyday nature means a positive ratio of actually watching games to merely talking about games. The reverse ratio is one of the things that drives me nuts about football coverage. And, if nothing else, it'll be a more-available (maybe better?) alternative to 'BB2N'. Be nice if they wind up running it like the anti-ESPN ... although I wouldn't bet on it. metirish Jan 02 2009 07:48 AM From Wikipedia... ] MLB Network HD MLB Network HD is a 720p high definition simulcast of MLB Network, which launched simultaneously to the regular channel. All studio programs are shot in HD. The network is also currently remastering 30 World Series Films in high definition. [7] According to a December 15, 2008 Broadcasting & Cable article: After much discussion, MLB Network decided to use the 720p format instead of 1080i because it believes 720p shows the motion of baseball more accurately and will degrade less when recompressed by cable operators to save bandwidth. As Mark Haden (VP of engineering and IT of MLB Network) says: �That's our best shot of maintaining quality to viewers.� [8] The 720p format is also used by MLB broadcast partner Fox and many of the Fox Sports Net regional sports networks (which hold the rights to local game coverage of several teams), along with ESPN. DirecTV carries both SD and HD.[9] Verizon FiOS has also come to an agreement with MLB to carry the MLB Network in SD and HD[10]. Cablevision has announced they will carry the HD version. [11] Some Time Warner Cable systems do as well. Their decision to go with 720p format sounds interesting , I'm no expert though and to me 480i , 720p and 1080i/p are good selling gimmicks. SNY & YES use 1080i on their broadcasts . I read recently in a trade magazine that with a HD TV and a BlueRay DVD you can get true 1080p. Fman99 Jan 02 2009 03:00 PM ="metirish"]From Wikipedia... ] MLB Network HD MLB Network HD is a 720p high definition simulcast of MLB Network, which launched simultaneously to the regular channel. All studio programs are shot in HD. The network is also currently remastering 30 World Series Films in high definition. [7] According to a December 15, 2008 Broadcasting & Cable article: After much discussion, MLB Network decided to use the 720p format instead of 1080i because it believes 720p shows the motion of baseball more accurately and will degrade less when recompressed by cable operators to save bandwidth. As Mark Haden (VP of engineering and IT of MLB Network) says: �That's our best shot of maintaining quality to viewers.� [8] The 720p format is also used by MLB broadcast partner Fox and many of the Fox Sports Net regional sports networks (which hold the rights to local game coverage of several teams), along with ESPN. DirecTV carries both SD and HD.[9] Verizon FiOS has also come to an agreement with MLB to carry the MLB Network in SD and HD[10]. Cablevision has announced they will carry the HD version. [11] Some Time Warner Cable systems do as well. Their decision to go with 720p format sounds interesting , I'm no expert though and to me 480i , 720p and 1080i/p are good selling gimmicks. SNY & YES use 1080i on their broadcasts . I read recently in a trade magazine that with a HD TV and a BlueRay DVD you can get true 1080p. Sadly no HD feed (yet) on our cable system for this channel. I remain hopeful... dgwphotography Jan 03 2009 02:21 PM ="metirish":2xopm25u]Tuesday's at 8PM Ken Burns "Baseball" documentary will be shown. 1st Inning will air January 6th with subsequent Innings each Tuesday at 8PM. I have never watched the complete series so I'm looking forward to this.[/quote:2xopm25u] Thanks - I just set my TiVo. I love this channel entirely too much... John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 09 2009 08:25 PM They have Lincecum in the studio now and they're going to do a demonstration of his motion later. Weird teeth and pretentious wearing on a knit cap indoors, but I do love to watch him throw. Kong76 Jan 10 2009 11:05 AM 'irish: Ken Burns "Baseball" documentary will be shown <<< Of course they are, I got the dvd box set for xmas. I really enjoyed it, I watched the whole thing and I'm in the middle of the early 1900's one again. I vaguely remember watching some of these ep- isodes on Channel 13 years ago but this was the best xmas present I've gotten in years. Frayed Knot Jan 10 2009 12:30 PM One thing about the series on MLBN unlike on the disc-set or the original PBS showing ... it's no longer commercial-free! So enjoy your discs. G-Fafif Jan 10 2009 02:00 PM Tonight at 8:00 Eastern: Game Seven of the 2006 NLCS. I hear it's a real barnburner until about the middle of the sixth. Then there's probably a football game on. John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 11 2009 09:55 PM I just watched the 1990 Pirates score six runs in the 11th to rally and beat the Cubs 13-12. Go Bucs! Edgy DC Jan 12 2009 05:45 AM How does that Bonds kid look? G-Fafif Jan 12 2009 06:24 AM ="Edgy DC":2xoij6dh]How does that Bonds kid look?[/quote:2xoij6dh] He could use some bulking up. John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 12 2009 07:39 AM ="Edgy DC":6t6j0ub5]How does that Bonds kid look?[/quote:6t6j0ub5] Whiffed in his first 4 ABs but had a key RBI single and scored the winning run in the 12th. I'll tell ya, he was skinny but had mad batspeed and really stung his one hit: line drive to right. When he came home with the winning run they mobbed him and his helmet came off -- that's where the difference was the starkest. By the way, I had no idea why they were showing this game, which was on a rainy April day in Pittsburgh. When Andre Dawson hit a grand slam in the top of the 12th, I thought that was why. Gwreck Jan 12 2009 08:47 AM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":3sxv2q2s]By the way, I had no idea why they were showing this game, which was on a rainy April day in Pittsburgh. When Andre Dawson hit a grand slam in the top of the 12th, I thought that was why.[/quote:3sxv2q2s] Same thing here. Thanks for the recap. metirish Jan 13 2009 05:10 PM Bobby Valentine on the Hot Stove right now. metsmarathon Jan 13 2009 05:32 PM the camera work on that show is unnecessarily jumpy. metirish Jan 13 2009 05:36 PM I hate to hear a guy like Barry Larkin call John Smoltz "Smoltzie". G-Fafif Jan 13 2009 05:56 PM MLBN's "Seasons" show highlights 1986 Wednesday night at 8:00. 1986...good season. metirish Jan 14 2009 06:58 PM A good show , I didn't know that Bruce Hurst had been voted series MVP when everyone thought they were going to win game six and the WS . Frayed Knot Feb 04 2009 06:50 AM MLBN gets Bob Costas on board -- a logical choice that brings tiny Bob out of his baseball-less world (he'll still work for NBC) but still a good "get" for them. Will do p-b-p for some of their games as well as studio work - kicking off tomorrow with a one-hour Torre interview metirish Feb 04 2009 06:53 AM I have no memory of Costas doing p-b-p , has he been out of the picture that long , was he any good? Fman99 Feb 04 2009 06:54 AM ="Frayed Knot":2b44ozxk]MLBN gets Bob Costas on board -- a logical choice that brings tiny Bob out of his baseball-less world (he'll still work for NBC) but still a good "get" for them. Will do p-b-p for some of their games as well as studio work - kicking off tomorrow with a one-hour Torre interview[/quote:2b44ozxk] He's a pompous ass. Back to the shire with you, Costas. Frayed Knot Feb 04 2009 07:15 AM ="metirish":10z02g9u]I have no memory of Costas doing p-b-p , has he been out of the picture that long , was he any good?[/quote:10z02g9u] Back when NBC had the national package he was their main guy for years. As with most guys he's going to have his fans as well as his detractors (see FMan). But at least with Costas he's one of the few national sports voices who doesn't either look down at baseball with barely disguised contempt or ignore it until there's a negative story (steroids, contract disputes) to stomp on with both feet. IOW, rather than being a network grunt only doing baseball because some media giant is paying him big bucks and therefore feels obligated to give him something do during the summer, he actually likes and knows the game. Edgy DC Feb 04 2009 07:47 AM The guy has opinions, but he supports his positions with rational arguments, unlike "I'm Brockton T. Fuckin' Broadcaster, with thirty years in this business and a golden throat/All Star career background, so I know whereof I speak." Frayed Knot Feb 14 2009 06:18 AM An hour-long 1969 WS highlights show on today at 9:30 AM and again at 6:00 PM bmfc1 Feb 14 2009 08:42 AM Mr. Administrator, Can we please change the name of this thread to simply "MLB Network" as it is long since passed the preview stage? I appreciate this thread as my online TV Guide still doesn't include the program names for the channel. Thank you. Kong76 Feb 21 2009 12:12 PM Seaver's 300th win going to ninth inning NOW!!! at Yankee Stadium. Lindsey Freakin' Nelson in the booth! Frayed Knot Feb 24 2009 08:47 AM The name of the nightly show on MLBN has morphed from 'Hot Stove' to 'MLB Tonight' - something that sounds like thier way of acknowledging that games (even meaningless ones) are starting on a daily basis. And their nightly preview feature '30 Teams/30 Days' visits Port St. Lucie for their Mets run-down tonight (and likely repeated 7 or 8 times over the next few days). bmfc1 Feb 24 2009 09:34 AM It looks like the MLB Network will have 2 or 3 ST games each day, using a local feed. Friday's game will be on live, w/the SNY crew. metirish Mar 03 2009 01:15 PM I caught Sever on the other night , he was interviewed in Studio 42. At times it was painful to watch as the host tried to engage Seaver in some banter and getting curt responses in return. An ex pitcher whose name escapes me was also there and asked the usual questions about pitch counts that gets Seaver going , at times like that Seaver can be engaging . I was surprised that they got him out to Jersey for an interview. Frayed Knot Mar 03 2009 01:39 PM ]An ex pitcher whose name escapes me Joe McGrane - came up with the Cards in the late '80s/early '90s and I guy I thought was going to be real good, sort of a bigger, better Al Leiter-type. But his career never really panned out so he quickly turned his quotable personality and good looks into a broadcasting jobs almost immediately after he quit playing. apmorris Mar 03 2009 01:57 PM ="metirish":1gdycu5c]I caught Sever on the other night , he was interviewed in Studio 42. At times it was painful to watch as the host tried to engage Seaver in some banter and getting curt responses in return. An ex pitcher whose name escapes me was also there and asked the usual questions about pitch counts that gets Seaver going , at times like that Seaver can be engaging . I was surprised that they got him out to Jersey for an interview.[/quote:1gdycu5c] I thought he was pretty frank - especially concerning pitchers today and the overuse of set-up and closers. He did look a little uncomfortable. metirish Mar 03 2009 02:28 PM Uncomfortable yet confident enough to sport dark blue denim jeans with brown cowboy boots and a sleeveless zip up jacket thing.( wears similar sleeveless jackets a lot) metirish Mar 03 2009 04:33 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Mar 03 2009 06:20 PM video Seaver[/url:2rm6m0xe] themetfairy Mar 03 2009 05:55 PM Irish - that's an adorable picture, but it's not video. Nor is it Seaver. metirish Mar 03 2009 06:21 PM Thanks metfairy.... themetfairy Mar 03 2009 06:26 PM Ah - much better. Thanks Irish apmorris Mar 03 2009 07:18 PM I haven't seen Al Leiter, who's always good, on MLBN yet but I have seen most of the rest of the crew. Let me break it down for you. MLBN, The Best Damn On-Air Personalities Period! Matt Vasgersian Theater Major (like most ESPN Anchoroons), has all the smarminess of Costas and is easily a half inch taller. Harold Reynolds is feeling it. Free from all ass-grabbing accusations, cutting lose and taking over every panel they put him on. He's so comfortable up there. maybe he can start working getting off whatever meds he's taking. Hazel Mae has a great name if you're the Weather chick on WSTRPPR in Cincinnati. Too much lip gloss to be taken seriously, seriously. BTW, some of my best friends are Polynesian. Mitch Williams has a bad attitude, which is always a plus. Barry Larkin is a mannequin or Yul Brynner in Westworld resurrected. Jon Heyman Great to see Heyman has no real solid leads or news or opinions on TV also. Trenni Kusnierek Hope home girl is using sun block 180. Joe Magrane can trigger epilepsy episodes with his misplaced pregnant pauses. Sounds like a fully recovered stutterer. Has a great head of hair, which may or may not be his own. Dan Plesac Hey, remember Dan from the Brewers in the 90s? ... me either. The 80s?. Seems like a nice guy. Scored high on the Wonderlic. more later .... http://mlbnetwork.mlb.com/network/personalities/ John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 03 2009 08:24 PM Vasgerian sounds like a treatment for that not-so-fresh feeling. Hazel Mae has nice pineapples. Gwreck Mar 03 2009 08:31 PM MLB Network is producing their own documentaries/features as well now: apparently there's one on the Young family (Dmitri and Delmon) and one on Josh Hamilton. Watched the Hamilton one (was ok, nothing special) except for the moment early on in the show when they're talking about Hamilton's various baseball skills and they mention his arm, and cut to a shot of him throwing out a runner at third. I mention I think we were there for the game...go quickly check the scorecard I kept, and yep, it was Hamilton throwing out Marco Scutaro, 9 to 5, top of the 6th inning on August 2nd of last year. All of this is mostly just a long way of saying that this channel is great and is my default "flip to" channel when whatever I'm watching goes to commercial, or is boring, or I can't find anything else to watch. John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 03 2009 08:36 PM Yes, I'm liking it too. I'm gonna forget what channel espn was any day now. Fman99 Mar 04 2009 08:02 PM Just noticed that my cable provider has added the HD feed of MLB Network. Very happy about that. apmorris Mar 04 2009 08:07 PM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":2yiupyby]Yes, I'm liking it too. I'm gonna forget what channel espn was any day now.[/quote:2yiupyby] Yes. I even went so far as to block ESPN. Don't need the hype machine no more. soupcan Mar 04 2009 08:17 PM Lost in the this thread is ap's excellent comedic analysis of the MLB Network on-air staff. You made me laugh anyway. Kong76 Mar 08 2009 11:08 AM Maybe it's a comment on my lack of a life, but that sound bite they play over and over and over and over for the 30 Clubs in 30 Days song is going to put me over the edge. Excellent show, they don't think the Mets will suck much either! Kong76 Mar 08 2009 12:09 PM F99: Just noticed that my cable provider has added the HD feed of MLB Network <<< Thanks for mentioning that, Cablevision snuck it onto channel 790 while I wasn't paying attention. Kong76 Mar 08 2009 01:10 PM Never mind HD, South Africa wouldn't look good in 3D Sensory Smellavision. themetfairy Mar 13 2009 06:02 PM Right now they're showing the MFY/BoSox game. Boston is up 7-1, and it's the NESN feed so we get to hear Jerry Remy's Bahston accent. Next to a Mets game, this is as good as it gets metirish Apr 07 2009 07:47 PM I hate the day after Opening Day but at least we have MLB Network. I've been watching their MLB Tonight 1st to 3rd show , love it. They pop back and forth between games , they just had a Milton Bradley AB against Wandy Rodriguez in a big spot in that game , two men on base. They showed the whole AB that ended with Matsui turning a sweet DP. themetfairy Apr 07 2009 07:54 PM Plus this is the free preview week for MLB Extra Innings, for out of market games. metirish Apr 08 2009 09:52 AM ="themetfairy":14hamc5h]Plus this is the free preview week for MLB Extra Innings, for out of market games.[/quote:14hamc5h] I was going through those too, Rob Dibble doing color for the Nats , he's as useless as tits on a bull. Watched some of the games featuring the Blue Jays at home and the Twins at home , I absolutely hate watching games on FieldTurf. John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 08 2009 09:29 PM Vin Scully calling the Dodgers-Pods game, Padres wearing their fatigues. DocTee Apr 08 2009 09:31 PM ]Rob Dibble doing color for the Nats , he's as useless as tits on a bull. Quote of the year candidate right here. MFS62 Apr 09 2009 06:26 AM About how many games into the season do you think it will take for mlb network to realize that Bonds is no longer playing for SF, and therefore nobody cares about watching their games? Later Fman99 Apr 09 2009 06:28 AM ="MFS62":3q171fhs]About how many games into the season do you think it will take for mlb network to realize that Bonds is no longer playing for SF, and therefore nobody cares about watching their games? Later[/quote:3q171fhs] They actually have quite a few young talented hitters (Ishikawa, Sandoval, Lewis) a pretty solid rotation and a few live arms in their pen. They're missing a big bat though. themetfairy Apr 09 2009 06:39 AM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":2znwpofn]Vin Scully calling the Dodgers-Pods game, Padres wearing their fatigues.[/quote:2znwpofn] I love listening to Scully call games. Centerfield Apr 09 2009 12:17 PM ="themetfairy":1dpmlfux]="John Cougar Lunchbucket":1dpmlfux]Vin Scully calling the Dodgers-Pods game, Padres wearing their fatigues.[/quote:1dpmlfux] I love listening to Scully call games.[/quote:1dpmlfux] Yup. ON EDIT: He's one of the handful of people who when I hear their voice makes me feel like a kid. Brent Musberger and Casey Kasem are some others. metirish Apr 24 2009 02:25 PM Nearly a month into the season and MLB Network is my default station. I love all the live look-ins to games , as soon as SNY goes to break I flip over to MLB. I don't watch Baseball Tonight anymore , no point really. HahnSolo Apr 24 2009 02:48 PM I agree, although none of the hosts/analysts have really grown on me. Larkin is about as bland as they come, and he seems to always be on. Harold Reynolds is OK. Frayed Knot Apr 24 2009 02:56 PM Neil Best in today's Newsday[/url:2aq3rzp9] on MLBN's nightly show. He does this every once in a while: goes the entire day (or a good portion of it) watching one sports-TV related thing just to see how sane he comes out on the other side. I know he's done the NFL draft (I'd shoot myself by hour 2) and once did MSG on a summer day not long after they lost the Mets and had nothing but the winter sports teams remaining. Lotsa informercials and cheesy in-house stuff IIRC. apmorris Apr 24 2009 09:21 PM I've had it on in the background since the season started. I agree about Larkin. The hosts for the most part are OK, this guy though has an acute case of Scott Van Peltism Edgy DC Apr 24 2009 09:45 PM Did you have to pick a wanking shot? G-Fafif May 06 2009 01:12 PM If you're outside the NYC area, you can watch Thursday night's game on MLBN, Bob Costas and Al Leiter at the mics. Blacked out here. Benjamin Grimm May 06 2009 01:17 PM I'm sure it will be blacked out in Philadelphia too. Since I don't have Comcast cable, I can't see most of the local Phillies broadcasts, except for the relatively few that are on the over-the-air channel. apmorris May 06 2009 01:31 PM MLBNetwork, The Best Damn On-Air Personalities Period! (part 3) Billy Ripken He got the job on his own merits, just like how he got his job with the Orioles. ps. Does MLBN know we have to look at him whens he talks? from G-Fafif May 06 2009 01:44 PM ="Benjamin Grimm":2rks6vvy]I'm sure it will be blacked out in Philadelphia too.[/quote:2rks6vvy] I suppose. It was hard enough to acknowledge there was a world outside of New York to remember another city might be involved. bmfc1 May 06 2009 05:07 PM Billy Ripken does a good job on MLBN, just as he does on XM Baseball. He is also a great teacher of the game at the Ripken Baseball Camp. Swan Swan H Jun 27 2009 10:48 AM Game 5 of the 1968 NLCS on NOW! It's the bottom of the 1st, and it's scheduled to run until 4:30, if you want to check in for the big finish.

Oh, my worried ass. I'll say catcher 'cause when I read we might trade Schneider, I was surprised at how thrilled I was...and how much I hoped Castro would be gone, too.

Frame is pictured here. Same one as in this thread, actually.

If you have digital cable (which is basically what cable is now), you should have it. It's up there with the Golf Network and Versus.