G-Fafif

I find it helpful to think Brogna and Person for Olerud, Jordan and Borland. Then it doesn't hurt so bad.

I'm not as much a regular as Kooz the Puppet, but yeah, they taped two talking head sessions with me in June and July wherein I recollected about players and years for those segments. I wrote the Profiles in Orange and Blue segments last season, not writing per se this year, though I did consult on the Top 5 lists you occasionally see (yes, I'm the one who decided Roger Cedeno circa 1999 was scrappy, a conclusion that was greeted with universal acclaim in these parts).

soupcan wrote: Saw Greg from Faith & Fear on Mets Weekly on SNY over the weekend opining about the '88 Mets. Nice job. Nice shirt. Thanks Soup. It was TV, so I thought I'd wear my dress blues.

A very considerate friend sent me a recording of Game One of the Cubs @ Mets doubleheader of June 17, 1962, a game he tracked down because it included the infamous Marvelous Marv tripling but being called out for missing first (and, legend has it, second). While Lindsey Nelson's call doesn't mention Casey running out of the dugout to point at all the bases when Charlie Neal follows Marv's miscue with a homer (leading my friend to consider Jimmy Breslin's account fictitious), the broadcast features an announcer saying something I can't imagine has been said since 1962. It's the bottom of the seventh, Marv Throneberry is batting, and Bob Murphy has a request: ]Marv Throneberry and several other members of the New York Mets, now that school is out, would like very much to move their families to New York for the summer if they can find a furnished house to rent someplace. If you know of one, don't call but write Housing, The Polo Grounds, New York, 39. When they tell you 1962 was a more innocent time, believe them. I think my favorite part is "don't call but write," as if no hurry, the Throneberrys can sleep out on 155th Street a few more nights, the weather has been beautiful of late and those puffy cumulus clouds are like a soft blanket to Mrs. Throneberry and Marv's delightful children Mary Beth and Marvin Junior. Lots of other gold nuggets revealed on this baby, including: --continual entreaties to stop up, plenty of baseball left today, plenty of good seats available (yes, they actually said that); --the Rheingold theme played in Spanish (as if Los Mets were a new thing); --the soon to be visiting Houston club referred to as "the amazing Colt 45s," presumably for not being as horrible as the only other National League expansion club of the 20th century; --much promotional excitement that Clem Labine has joined the cast of next month's Old Timers Day; --a reference to an on-deck batter hoping "to get a stick" in this inning; --Cubs "head coach" Charlie Metro making moves (the college of coaches in full effect for the hapless Cubbies in those days); --a reference to Ron Santo having been voted best "second man" in the National League by the writers last year (I think "second year" is what Lindsey meant, though I don't think there's a sophomore of the year award anymore); --hearing the national anthem AND being told Flag Day ceremonies would take place between games; --all those we think of dinosaurs actually roaming the earth in action, including newly acquired Gene Woodling; --Lou Brock reaching the right-center bleachers (first time ever at the PG); --Mr. Cub, Ernie Banks, being booed in the first inning; --and Marvelous (and apparently homeless) Marv Throneberry striking out with the winning run -- Jay Hook, pinch-running for Big Donkey Frank Thomas -- on first and being pretty badly booed for it. So much for the fans embracing the lovable losers. Quite a game, incidentally (notice the mysterious notation for Throneberry's first-inning misadventure on the basepaths; and Stengel's reliance on Al Jackson despite his line): http://retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1962/B06171NYN1962.htm That's Housing, the Polo Grounds, New York, 39. Don't let Elio Chacon's family sleep in the subway, darlin'.

Circle your calendars for September 27, when the last-chance St. Louis Cardinals drag their potentially miraculous asses into Shea for a makeup game against the Mets who, quite possibly, can spell the difference between a complete comeback or a dream defused. Would be nice to have Endy out in left for that game. OR...the Mets stumble around these next few weeks, the East becomes a scary scramble and it's the Cardinals delivering a glancing blow to us. I could do without another autumnal look at the Cardinals, actually.

SteveJRogers wrote: Craig Biggio (who defiantly will be in Cooperstown) when he hangs them up. That Craig Biggio, he's the defiant one all right.

I noticed Eddie Kunz pitching for the Cyclones the other night wearing No. 37 (though he's listed as 46 on their roster). I thought if it's retired by the big club it's retired by the little clubs.

Wright 2 Maine 1.5 Reyes 1.5 Mota 1.5 Milledge 0.5

Box: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=270826121 Recap: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=270826121

The Mets 4 Dodgers 3 game took place on 8/25 and to alleviate confusion should be identified by that date, por favor.

OHernandez 3 Wright 2.5 Delgado 2 Heilman 1 Reyes 0.5 Conine 0.5 Alomar 0.5

]Hearing Ralph and McCarver together moved me a lot more than I thought it would. Great to hear and see them go back and forth again. I almost forgot Tim could do play-by-play. I must have heard the "We can finish last without you" story a million times. It never gets old. If you're a Mets fan and didn't feel something today, I'd check for a pulse. CF, you are 100% on the mark. The first minute of hearing those two voices blending together again gave me an unexpected chill. The whole inning was a treat. McCarver, it was often said in the '80s, made Kiner so much better. Absolutely true. But I would add that Kiner made McCarver better, too, particularly Saturday. Tim's overbearing tendencies melted away in Ralph's presence. Tim, meanwhile, didn't approach Ralph as a delicate heirloom. In between their awesome anecdotes (Satchel Paige, Kareem Abdul-Jabaar and Ralph Kiner in one story?), they did the game and they did it well. It had me fantasizing that if they could do a whole homestand, they'd shake the rust off completely. Even if it was just one golden inning far removed from their mutual glory days, it was simply wonderful to hear the two old friends and colleagues mesh like that. Kudos to Fox and kudos to Steve Albert's nephew Kenny for stepping aside.

MFYs fell to Tigers in eleven innings at 3:30 AM EDT. Pretty-good sized crowd stuck around.

Perez 3.5 Wright 3.5 Feliciano 0.5 Reyes 0.5 Gotay 0.5 Milledge 0.5 Beltran 0.5 DiFelice 0.5

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=270824121

Frayed Knot wrote: During the 3rd inning of Saturday's FOX telecast of the Mets/Dogers game, Ralph Kiner will join Tim McCarver)... FK, thanks for the tip! It's taken a dozen seasons but a Fox game is actually worth looking forward to.

="Willets Point"]="G-Fafif"]A friend loaned me Tom Oliphant's Praying for Gil Hodges, which has its moments, but brews a boo-boo when noting how the '55 Dodgers celebrated with "Schaeffer beer". If you're a real writer writing a real book, how do you not spell the name of your beloved childhood team's major sponsor correctly? The Schaefer logo was on the Ebbets Field scoreboard, for crissake. Literal Schaefer Commentary from Greg. It's the one thread to have when you're having more than one.

Collecting 1972 Topps...in real time. (Forgive the two self-links in one day.)

Anderson 2.5 Castillo 2.5 Wright 1.5 Green 1 Alomar 1 Beltran 0.5 Schoeneweis 0.5 Feliciano 0.5

A friend loaned me Tom Oliphant's Praying for Gil Hodges, which has its moments, but brews a boo-boo when noting how the '55 Dodgers celebrated with "Schaeffer beer". If you're a real writer writing a real book, how do you not spell the name of your beloved childhood team's major sponsor correctly? The Schaefer logo was on the Ebbets Field scoreboard, for crissake.

The August 23 POTG thread requires renaming as the score was 9-8 (10). With all the high-scoring games of late, it's getting a bit confusing out there.

Lenny Randle. He thought more than the game was over. A little Queens Was Quiet perspective on the other side of 1977 if anyone is interested.

Beltran 3 Reyes 3 Wright 1 Conine 1

Box: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=270822121 Recap: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=270822121

That Texas save would have been no sure bet in Guillermo Mota's hands.