G-Fafif

Box: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=270908121 Recap: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=270908121

I've been giving this some thought independently. I'm of four minds (hey, I could run for office!): 1) I don't care because the Mets are in playoff contention. I can't be in the business of worrying about other teams, especially ones we might play if things go well. 2) The Mets and Cubs would be a sensational NLCS from a historical standpoint. Deep down I view the rivalry with the Braves as a passing fancy. It's the Cubs who I've hated the longest. It would just fuel so much passion all around (not that we as Mets fans need to fuel our passion in October, just thinking in terms of the storyline). 3) Agree, theoretically (because doing so in actuality collides with my karmatic impulses), with the would love to kick the Cardinals' ass sentiment. It would also, objectively, be a somewhat astounding story to see them come all the way back from where they were. 4) I voted Brewers. I was just in Milwaukee and those folks welcomed them back from a horrible road trip with open arms. Reminded me of us in '99 when our team was blowing a playoff spot yet everybody was ridiculously enthusiastic. Plus they've gone without for so long. As a baseball fan, I've seen enough of the Cardinals and my dislike for the Cubs transcends any interest their presence will bring to America. Brewers fans deserve a taste. Of course should we play any of them or anybody from any division or league, eff the whole lot of them. Let's Go Mets!

I wonder if there's a Daniel Joseph Staub finishing school that converts aging everyday former stars into pinch-hitters deluxe. So far Shawn seems unsuited to that role, but I wonder if with a little Le Grande training if he could do a little of that as well as a little of first (a very little of the outfield). Of course Marlon's already an awesome PH and he's unsigned.

Beltran 2 Wright 2 Milledge 2 Alou 1 Conine 1 Pelfrey 1 Sosa 1

BOX: http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=270907121 RECAP: http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=270907121

I understand and respect the hypothetical and sometimes real decisions that are made to spend time with family (except when politicans say that) instead of grabbing for every dollar on the table. But look at it this way, too: Most athletes aren't going to be asked to endorse a thing in a few years, so I don't blame anybody who gets it while he can. My father still talks about Mark Gastineau signing pumpkins on Jericho Turnpike one long ago football season. All right, so he was the exception to the rule.

Future HOFer Craig Biggio will be playing his last games in front of his more or less hometown crowd. I'll be curious to see a) if he foregoes the veteran prerogative of sitting out the Sunday game to face Pedro one final time in what shapes up as a marquee pitching matchup; whether his goodbye appearance motivates any kind of spontaneous ovation or if the Mets prepare some kind of 3,000-hit tribute video to a longtime opponent and local boy; c) if I will be at all moved to clap Sunday given his MFY fan boyhood in Suffolk and the sense that though he's technically proven himself one of the greats, he doesn't have that Bigger Than The Game quality on the Mays/Aaron level, but then again, who does? I'll probably give him the respectful applause I generally try to remember to give the other team's accomplished star who hasn't embarrassed baseball or too greatly annoyed me upon his first at-bat. I'm sure he'll be relieved.

I passed the Keith anecdote along to a friend in Chicago who roots for the Tribe and the Cubs. He sent along this: ]When Cubs players do the pre-game show with Santo they get a Walgreens gift card. I always thought that was kind of funny -- couldn't picture Soriano going into a store and pulling out his gift card. But the other day I heard that the players absolutely LOVE freebies like this. They give them away to members of their entourage, clubhouse boys, batboys, mistresses, etc. The stakes are much higher now (except on the Cubs, apparently) but I remember Denny McLain saying Willie Horton was always so up for extra immediate bucks that he'd take the $50 check they gave him for appearing on the Tiger postgame show and sell it in the clubhouse for cash...less than its worth because he just wanted the money right now.

In deference to the crazy New Yorkers who tune into Keith Hernandez, tiebreakers should be determined by a few rounds of Johnny on the Pony.

Yancy Street Gang wrote: You'd waste a day making a television commercial if you were financially set for life? Why? Set for life can be a funny thing. Who knows how set one can be and how long one can live? (Megamegamega Tiger Woods types notwithstanding.) Besides, these are the guys who are always talking about "if I'm 4-for-4, I want that fifth hit". They're competitors. They'll take what they can get. They can get a lot more than the average schmo can. A Mets-Tribe World Series would be the Keith Hernandez Series, even if most of Cleveland wouldn't realize it.

If the Pirates ever get serious about Alex Rodriguez, Alex Rodriguez will have grown up always wanting to be a Pirate. He even wore the puffy sleeves to bed.

Collazo 1

soupcan wrote: Now if you really want to talk about the dumbing down of the classics then lets talk about the black drop shadows underneath the script Mets on the home unis and underneath 'New York' on the road grays. That's just utter disrespect. And it looks bad. Charlie Samuels is on record as loving the shadow that infiltrated the 49er uniforms in the '90s. That's where that came from. I don't care for it either. Pinstripes are a little too corrupted to be totally enjoyed. None of this, by the way, detracts from the Mets fan experience as a whole. They can wear buttons and bows and blast all the dopey songs they like when you get right down to it.

I've been pro-dot all these years, if one can define oneself in relation to the dot, but now that I think about it, it probably took its cue from the Dodger caps with the white button, which should have been an indication of Wilponian Dodger envy.

With no sponsor attached, I take it this is the noncommercial thread. In which case: Catcher 6 Right Fielder 2 First Baseman 1 Center Fielder 1

People, certainly Mets fans, seem to be self-conscious by nature. Asking them to sing on command serves to make them recede further into their humility shell (chant and clap? sure; sing? uh, you start...). Everybody cringed at "Our Team, Our Time" last year so they gave us the "Meet the Mets" singalong and few really sing along. Nobody sung along to "The Curly Shuffle". They cheered it, but they didn't sing even the "hey mo/hey mo" part. Maybe the best you can hope for are a few "oh oh oh"s when they arise. I wonder if XM has sold one more subscription based on this particular sponsorship. (I could do without the announcement of "tonight's selection" as if it's ever anything but "Sweet Caroline".)

Lo Duca 6 Green 2 Delgado 1 Beltran 1

September's here And the time is right For dancin' in the streets! (Other thread topic, but what the hell?)

Edgy DC wrote: Ew. Interesting point.

Edgy DC wrote: Know what has a local connection? Any song the Beatles played at Shea, bub. Overlooked generally is "SC" is sponsored by XM as the XM Singalong. In 2006, several songs were tried in that slot, including "I Saw Her Standing There". No reaction for anything by anybody except for "Sweet Caroline." Can't have a singalong if nobody's singing along. Not a perfect fit, but for a singalong with local flavor, I'd give "Piano Man" a shot. And a beer.

Edgy DC wrote: Reds' announcer: "Wow, people are leaving this game like they're giving away bags of 20s in the parking lot." If they were giving away bags of 20s in the parking lot, I think I'd leave this game.

Edgy DC wrote: 2) No "Sweet Caroline." (I like the song, but the tradition belongs elsewhere and is cheap at Shea.) Minority report, Mr. Chairman... I think stealing "Sweet Caroline" was a justifiable crime last October given Neil Diamond's local roots and the "so good so good" was so good when sung by 56,000 strong. But I'd save it for whatever playoffs there are if there are (will not say "will be" 'cause...just won't) because that's when it was great. As the regular season has worn on, it feels not so much thieved but warmed over. Besides, the between-innings pause is long enough in postseason play to get the entire thing sung. Also, the Mets should be winning when it's played. For that matter, the Mets should be winning all the time. That would be a pretty awesome Shea/Citi tradition. Huzzah to the Brewers for maintaining at Miller Park as they had at County Stadium when I was last at a game in Milwaukee before last week "Roll Out the Barrel" to follow "Take Me Out to the Ball Game". There aren't nearly enough songs that include the word "tararrel" in them. Huzzah also for wearing the '82 unis every Friday night this year to commemorate their last pennant. Huzzah for fans who stick with a team that hasn't won a blessed thing in 25 years.

I see the black caps and unis and I see 1999 and 2000. Granted, it's not 1999 or 2000 anymore, but it's a pleasant reminder of my favorite era of Mets baseball. I also find myself unable to separate the last strains of Take Me Out to the Ball Game from the opening notes of Lazy Mary. Come 2009, I'd be willing to wipe the slate clean or at least get all our traditions in a row, but I'd like to see a little bit of everything in the mix for 2008. Bring back Who Let The Dogs Out for a week. Bring back that silly but effective DiamondVision bit where the Mets spaceship blows up all the other logos, including the MFY Death Star. Bring back the Mexican Hat Dance for a week. Bring back the recently MIA Peter Finch and of course the Curly Shuffle and Mettle the Mule (maybe not that last one), but Shea it up like crazy next year and then if we want to settle on a few basics for CF and build from there, I'd be on board.

="Yancy Street Gang"]Yes, and consecutive division titles will/would be really nice, and long overdue. According to the fascinating Metaforian blog, the Mets have edged past 1,000 "game days" in first place for their history. http://metaforian.blogspot.com/2007/08/o-happy-days.html This doesn't count off days during which the Mets maintained their first place position (Metaforian followed the baseball-reference formula), so it's probably been over a thousand for a while by now. Onward and upward, one hopes.

The good folks of Milwaukee honor Felix Mantilla and some of his pre-1962 teammates for something that surprisingly had nothing to do with the Mets: http://www.onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/57bravesreunite.html