G-Fafif

This just in: David Wright is real good. http://faithandfear.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2006/7/11/2102745.html

Elster88 wrote: He was also the only player to refuse a Gatorade after his first round. David has a deal with Glaceau (vitaminwater, smartwater, et al). Gatorade has on-field exclusivity for events like this via MLB. No wonder he went thirsty. Did notice a guy sitting behind him in the gaggle wearing a Glaceau t-shirt. For a season or two in the early or mid-90s, one of the rotating signs on the upper right of the Shea scoreboard was for Pergament: Hit this sign, we'll paint your house. Nobody ever hit it. (It was before Mo Vaughn.)

To Jon in New York, here's your long-distance dedication... http://faithandfear.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2006/7/7/2089418.html

That was grim reaperish, wasn't it?

Since Tim wasn't mentioned, I assume no. Live and be well, Tim Belcher, but after October 1988, I'll have a hard time mourning you if your time comes before mine.

Edgy DC wrote: You speak in strong terms, you impress people. A quarter-century ago, there was a load of hype surrounding a fight between Thomas Hearns and Sugar Ray Leonard. The radio host Art Rust Jr. (all we had then) kept guaranteeing Hearns would win. There was no question. None. After Leonard won, caller after caller dialed up Rust to remind him of his dead, solid lock. Rust's plaintive response: "I was wrong." Why more self-proclaimed experts can't toss those three words out now and then is beyond me.

An alert MetsBlog reader dug up a May 2005 declaration from Rob Neyer calling Jose Reyes the worst everyday player in the game and doubting he'd ever be much good. http://www.metsblog.com/blog/_archives/2006/6/26/2057264.html Flip side: Buster Olney just declared Reyes the new Rickey Henderson. Ah, the analysts and experts. So good at explaining that what we just saw is what we just saw.

Jason came across the Baseball America obit of Tom Belcher, described as a onetime Met. My blog partner knows, through his baseball collecting, who every ex-Met is and this name didn't register. He investigated a little and describes an interesting would-be Met life: http://faithandfear.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2006/6/26/2049577.html

Oh, didn't I say? Phillie sweep. With reluctance.

I'd like to see the Yankees get swept, a fine difference from wanting to see a Phillie sweep. Short-term, I want to see the Mets beat the Reds tonight. Long-term, I want October in New York to belong to us and only us. At 9-1/2 up, we can be picky about aesthetics.

Joe Gannascoli is a fan of exposure. He showed up in the booth the last game in Philadelphia and, when cornered by Howie Rose, admitted he roots for the Mets when they're not playing the Yankees. After Burrell closed the gap to 4-2, I sensed a Vito-glomming-off-the-Mets jinx in effect. GET HIM OUT OF THE BOOTH!I missed his appearance, but apparently Jon Stewart was representing big-time Sunday afternoon. Now that's a big shot who's truly Met-lovin'.

Ralph got a nice hand when he was shown on the DiamondVision last night (though not as raucous as that afforded Gary Cohen when they played "Welcome Back" and showed him). Perhaps in Ralph's honor, the red blurb at the top of the page should read "Happy Birthday to All The Fathers Out There."

I assume it's those 18 holes that presumably lead straight to hell from where he uncomfortably watches all the major tournaments.

Four years ago, screwing off at work, I was scrolling through UMDB's memories section when I came across a fellow recalling what it was like to to go the Polo Grounds with his dad for a doubleheader in 1962. Moved and envious (wow, the Mets in the PG), I wrote to him and we became pretty good baseball buddies. He became a big part of my floating Mets e-mail group as well. Tonight he notified us that his dad died today at 91 years old. In honor of his father, I'd like to share the UMDB reminiscence that wound up linking him, me and the other folks with whom we share the ups and downs of a baseball season, not unlike what we do here. (And a tip of the cap to Yancy for making it all possible.) The doubleheader in question is that of April 29, 1962: Mets 8 Phils 0; Phils 10 Mets 2. My dad took me to the doubleheader when I was 11 years old. We lived on Sedgwick Avenue so dad parked the car along Kingsbride Road and we took the D train to the Polo Grounds. We sat in the upper deck grandstand behind home plate and I remember Al Jackson pitching that 8-0 shutout. We moved to the first base side for game two and while the Mets took an early lead I remember them being bombed and we left during the middle of the nightcap. Dad was a softee so I ate plenty of ice cream and popcorn, a lot more than I would have if mom had been with us! We got back on the train and I remember dad taking me to a toy store near the Kingsbridge Armory before going home. It was already dark and I think he bought me a picture puzzle. My dad is now 87 years old and I'll turn 51 in June but it's little memories like these that make me smile and cry at the same time.

Addendum to my original scouting report: Know that the Phillies are phinished. Divisionwise, anyway.

Well, them and everybody else. http://faithandfear.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2006/6/12/2028141.html Tough summer to be a baseball fan.

If I'm not mistaken, the Red Sox either signed or were going to sign Tom Gorman to a minor league deal in '86. Would have been nice to have had him in reserve should have Game Six gone to an eleventh inning. (Keep those fingers healthy. We need them.)

I just discovered it's my turn to Know Thy Enemy. I've really got to read some of these threads more closely. Not having had time to do much/any research, I can tell you this: I hate the Phillies. I know I hate the Phillies. I have not one, but two books sitting in my office about the collapse of the 1964 Phillies. I think I'll start reading one of them tonight just so there will be something to gloat over in case things do not go well in Philadelphia this week. They should go well. We are a better team than the Phillies, but when has that mattered? If precedent holds, these things are likely to happen, despite how marvy we are compared to the rest of the world: � Bobby Abreu will come to bat with the bases loaded and scare us spitless. � Jimmy Rollins will split a gap or two. � Chase Utley will get a backbreaking hit. � Brett Myers will strike out somebody who shouldn't strike out with runners on. � There will be at least game decided by one run and even if we win it, it will feel like a loss most of the way. � A ball will hit the outjutting stands down one of the lines and bounce the wrong way, whether it's for or against us, probably against us. It happened a hundred times at the Vet and it's happened a dozen times at the Cit. � Mets fans will be louder than Phillies fans at the start. Phillies fans will be loud enough at the end. � Aaron Heilman will throw a live ball away or Cliff Floyd will toss a live ball into the stands or Lastings Milledge will tag up too soon or Jose Reyes won't get the handle or David Wright won't be guarding the line when he should or be guarding the line when he shouldn't be and Carlos Beltran will be playing too deep. These things happen to us in Philadelphia. So close, but yet so far. Our starters are Glavine, who doesn't have a great record against them; Hernandez, still an X factor; and Trachsel, who will complain that the sun is at an odd angle Thursday afternoon and it will completely mess him up. We face Ryan Madson (sounds like a Phillie, doesn't he?), Brett Myers (he may not always beat us but he seems to) and Cory Lidle (I got his attention at Tiger Stadium once for a picture but I don't care for him anymore). Billy Wagner will finally see action and if the boobirds get to him, he won't admit it but we'll all figure it out. Tom Gordon will seem hittable but that never helped us against Jose Mesa. The statistical possibilities in this series: � We take three of three, increase our lead to 9-1/2. That will all but end the race. � We take two of three, increase our lead to 7-1/2. That will feel real good. � We take one of three, decrease our lead to 5-1/2. It gives the Phillies some hope, but doesn't affect us all that terribly. � We take none of three, decrease our lead to 3-1/2. This will change the tone of today's back pages dramatically so that by Friday the Mets will be chumps in the papers and Mike Francesa will remind us that "you don't win back the city because of one weekend in Arizona, folks." Then he'll choke on a doughnut and we'll all cheer wildly. By now, you've all probably been reminded that the Mets and Phillies have never played for anything of mutual substance. That's always fascinated me. It's a non-existent rivalry in the Dodger-Giant, Cardinal-Cub sense. I only fiercely hate the Phillies when we play them, I have to admit. I've been to four games in Philadelphia ('86, '96, '99, '04), all Mets games, all Mets losses. There was no reason for any Phillie fan to give me a hard time over my choice of gear but I don't get the sense they would. In the Vet's version of the upper deck in 1986, one of them kept going on out loud for everybody's benefit about how much better the Flyers were than the Rangers. When you're groping for other sports, you know you're having a bad year. Five reasons to hate the Phillies if you don't want to use the standings as a guide. � Racist bastards. OK, it was 1947, but let's not let them off the hook. Eff you Ben Chapman, wherever you're rotting. � Jim Bunning. Thanks for ruining a perfectly good new stadium. And you're not much of a senator from what I hear. � 26-7. How many times will Ron Darling reference that 1985 blowout over the next three days? � Unclinched. Mike Schmidt said, "they're not gonna celebrate on our field" in September 1986 and we didn't. Congratulations, you finished only 21-1/2 out. � Dallas Green. Did he ever stop being one of them even when he was one of us? Pat Burrell's too easy a reason, but him, too. Let's Go Mets.

No. 183 is very funny. On the site itself, the list has soared past 200. Apparently there's nothing Lastings Milledge can't do.

="soupcan"]Sheesh, you guys are dense. 867-5309 We would have also accepted "the No. 284 song of all-time". (I only bring it up since Dickshot's been exposed to my Top 500 list.)

Add NYC Official City Guide to the list of those publications that know how to sell copies. Or in their case, get people to TAKE ONE. "The Boys of Summer: Mets and Yankees In Full Swing" I wonder when the last time was the local tourist attractions were listed in the correct order like that.

G-Fafif wrote: It's been pointed out to me that Howie is under contract with MSG/FSN-NY to call Islanders games and that might conflict with his ability to slide into the SNY booth. Either whoever pointed it out to me was mistaken or the issue was resolved on the fly. Howie's in for apendicitis-riddled Gary until further notice.

In sitcom terms, Dave strikes me as the straight arrow who just moved in next door who doesn't have an unkind word for anybody, who you think is just the sweetest guy in the world...until he starts spewing all kinds of horrible prejudicial venom. But since ALL his bile is directed at the Yankees, he remains an ideal neighbor.

Twenty-odd miles south and east of Shea, it's practically sunny. They should really build a ballpark twenty-odd miles south and east of Shea.

Centerfield wrote: I was wondering that too. I hope they have a better plan in place than Keith. I remember a few years back, there were a few innings where Keith was left alone with Seaver. They might as well have handed the booth to me and my buddies. It was downright awful. Pure speculation on my part, but I would think maybe they would bring in Howie and let Ed Coleman fill in on the radio. It's been pointed out to me that Howie is under contract with MSG/FSN-NY to call Islanders games and that might conflict with his ability to slide into the SNY booth. Given his TV experience, I wondered why he didn't sub for Keith in Milwaukee instead of Eddie (and Eddie could have remained mostly faceless, sitting in with the even less exciting Tom McCarthy).