Gwreck

101 saves is 4th on the Mets all-time list. Unimpressive in the 2006 postseason: NLDS Game 1: Comes in T9 with 6-4 lead. Leadoff double, flyout, strikeout, RBI double, strikeout. NLDS Game 2: Comes in T9 with 4-1 lead. 3 groundouts. NLDS Game 3: Comes in B9 with 9-5 lead. K, K, 1B, Flyout. NLCS Game 1: Comes in T9 with 2-0 lead. Lineout, groundout, walk, popout. NLCS Game 2: Comes in T9 with game tied. So Taguchi HR; double, ground out, RBI double, RBI single, groundout , lifted from game down 9-6. NLCS Game 6: Comes in T9 with 4-0 lead. 1B, 2B, GO, FO, 2 RBI double (Taguchi again), groundout.

Opponents: Shane Victorino CF Jayson Werth RF Chase Utley 2B Ryan Howard 1B Raul Ibanez LF Pedro Feliz 3B Eric Bruntlett SS Paul Bako C Cliff Lee P

="bmfc1":xwschzle]Francoeur woke up with swelling in his thumb. He's at the Hospital for Special Surgery this morning.[/quote:xwschzle] I fully expect to hear that after reviewing the MRI they had to amputate. Ashie62 Aug 24 2009 10:06 AM I'm kinda upset that Rubin is reporting that Minaya is being kept largely to keep costs down..Too expensive too rebuid the front office. If I read right the roughly $30 Million coming off payroll will not be replaced with contracts. Are the Wilpons just "gullible" people that put too much faith & trust in employees and business associates? To me, the increasing hole in the wallet suggests so. Gwreck Aug 24 2009 10:15 AM Opponents: Shane Victorino CF Jayson Werth RF Chase Utley 2B Ryan Howard 1B Raul Ibanez LF Pedro Feliz 3B Eric Bruntlett SS Paul Bako C Cliff Lee P LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 24 2009 10:57 AM Re: IGT--Phillies @ Mets, 08/24/09 ="bmfc1":1sdzohn4]Francoeur woke up with swelling in his thumb. He's at the Hospital for Special Surgery this morning.[/quote:1sdzohn4] Does that count as a Church/starting RF injury? I'd say so. ="bmfc1":1sdzohn4]Goodbye Misch, welcome back Takahashi.[/quote:1sdzohn4] "Thanks for the 4 scoreless. We'd like to go in another, older direction." HahnSolo Aug 24 2009 11:03 AM Re: IGT--Phillies @ Mets, 08/24/09 ="bmfc1":2r4heb73] Francoeur woke up with swelling in his thumb. He's at the Hospital for Special Surgery this morning. [/quote:2r4heb73] See you in St. Lucie, Jeff! Rockin' Doc Aug 24 2009 11:10 AM The Mets are so decimated by injuries that they can't even send out their "B" team any longer. Castillo and Murphy are the only players in today's line up that were expected to be regulars at the start of the season. Fman99 Aug 24 2009 11:14 AM ="Edgy DC":1192hbom]Used to happen to me all the time whenever I'd line into a triple play.[/quote:1192hbom] He came up grimacing yesterday on the sliding catch that was initially ruled a trap and then overturned. It looked like he landed right on that thumb at the time. metsguyinmichigan Aug 24 2009 11:15 AM This might be the absolute worst lineup they've thrown out there all year, and that's saying something. If Parnell gives up less than three runs, he shouldn't even be tagged with a loss -- just say it was "offensive indifference." Centerfield Aug 24 2009 11:19 AM Luis Castillo, Ironman Fman99 Aug 24 2009 11:22 AM Ugh. metsguyinmichigan Aug 24 2009 11:22 AM Screw that, he's already given up three runs! Hit batsman, error and Howard blast. bmfc1 Aug 24 2009 11:26 AM Re: IGT--Phillies @ Mets, 08/24/09 ="HahnSolo":31pddce8]="bmfc1":31pddce8] Francoeur woke up with swelling in his thumb. He's at the Hospital for Special Surgery this morning. [/quote:31pddce8] See you in St. Lucie, Jeff![/quote:31pddce8] I'm ready! Valadius Aug 24 2009 11:28 AM Amidst all the suckage, Castillo has quietly upped his batting average from .300 to .321 in the last ten days. Valadius Aug 24 2009 11:29 AM Wait, what the hell just happened with Pagan? bmfc1 Aug 24 2009 11:30 AM So over two consecutive games, the top of the first had 3 3-run homeruns, and in the bottom of the first, the lead-off batter went all around the bases each time. Happens all the time. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 24 2009 11:30 AM ="Valadius":2gw8xmvb]Wait, what the hell just happened with Pagan?[/quote:2gw8xmvb] What he said. Anyone watching/listening to this? bmfc1 Aug 24 2009 11:33 AM Two errors by Utley. Howie and Wayne are praising Pagan for doing something that everybody should do--hustle. Utley dropped a pop-up and then threw the ball away. Pagan safe at first on 2nd baseman Utley's fielding error, Pagan scored on Utley's throwing error LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 24 2009 11:36 AM So he just kept on running? Why, that's Teixeirian-level hustle! 3-2, after the Sheff triple and Tatis sac fly. The Russian is cut? Nymr83 Aug 24 2009 11:37 AM Sheffield drops a flyball, wtf? Vince Coleman Firecracker Aug 24 2009 11:37 AM Wow. Shef just dropped it. Yeesh. Fman99 Aug 24 2009 11:38 AM Another drop. Sheff's iron glove. Jeez. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 24 2009 11:40 AM Well, he allowed a 'double'... but hit a triple! Net positive! bmfc1 Aug 24 2009 11:40 AM Major league baseball at its best. Howie is quoting Taggart from Blazing Saddles: "what in the wide, wide world of sports is going on here?" And then they played an audio clip--it sounded like a morning zoo. seawolf17 Aug 24 2009 12:01 PM What, exactly, happened with Pagan? Forgot this was a day game and tuned into GameCast late. Ashie62 Aug 24 2009 12:05 PM OK, weirder..Verizon's homepage has Wagner demanding Mets decline 2010 option before approving trade to Red Sox He wants to sign with the Fucksox at a lower rate next season I assume Omar..do not accomodate him unless Boston coughs up Lars Anderson seawolf17 Aug 24 2009 12:08 PM ="Ashie62":1lnbxl99]OK, weirder..Verizon's homepage has Wagner demanding Mets decline 2010 option before approving trade to Red Sox He wants to sign with the Fucksox at a lower rate next season I assume Omar..do not accomodate him unless Boston coughs up Lars Anderson[/quote:1lnbxl99] Well, of course he wants to sign a contract for less money. Wouldn't you? And of course the Red Sox are going to give up their top prospect for a situational lefty who's pitched one major league inning in the last twelve months and may or may not still be hurt. Come back to this planet, Ash. Oh, and eff Ryan Howard. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 24 2009 12:10 PM Eff Ryan Howard two times. Edgy DC Aug 24 2009 12:16 PM Pagan picked off. Good move, I say! LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 24 2009 12:23 PM So, today, the kid's been pretty good at striking out a pitcher who had been until very recently an American Leaguer his entire major-league career. Bully! bmfc1 Aug 24 2009 12:27 PM ="Edgy DC":1sdmp1ph]Pagan picked off. Good move, I say![/quote:1sdmp1ph] He was trying to stay out of the double play. PiggiesTomatoes Aug 24 2009 12:34 PM ="bmfc1":1si24kmo]So over two consecutive games, the top of the first had 3 3-run homeruns, and in the bottom of the first, the lead-off batter went all around the bases each time. Happens all the time.[/quote:1si24kmo] Jayson Stark just tweeted that this last happened in 1915 -- Phillies v. NY Giants. MFS62 Aug 24 2009 12:41 PM ="PiggiesTomatoes":2jedxid0] Jayson Stark just tweeted that this last happened in 1915 -- Phillies v. NY Giants.[/quote:2jedxid0] I'm guessing that we'll never see any mention of that moment in the CitiField rotunda. Later LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 24 2009 12:42 PM Going to, like, nine pitches in each of the Cliff Lee at-bats probably didn't help that pitch count too much. MFS62 Aug 24 2009 01:04 PM Ken, you da' man! Later LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 24 2009 01:05 PM Striking out Ryno... like tossing salad! Nice one, Ken-do. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 24 2009 01:35 PM BREAKING NEWS: General Mets offensive production is still dead. On to pitch the eighth: 37 year-old asset of indeterminate value. smg58 Aug 24 2009 01:44 PM There was a report this morning that the Sox were expressing concern about Wagner's arm, as he hadn't yet pitched in this series. I'm guessing it will take more than one walk and no hits in a scoreless inning with two strikeouts to force the Mets to pull him off waivers.

Unbelievable.

94-96

="Edgy DC":3v7rvnxh]Murphy starting against a wicked lefty.[/quote:3v7rvnxh] The alternative is...Tatis at first and Andy Green/Wilson Valdez at 3B? Tough choice. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 03:10 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Aug 21 2009 05:28 PM ="Edgy DC"]Sheffield back in the lineup. Murphy starting against a wicked lefty. Has Hamels charmed a princess or something in the last two months? 'Cause on the mound, he's been a big, girl-haired pile of poop. Valadius Aug 21 2009 03:30 PM It's about time they moved Murphy to the bottom half of the order. Freaking ridiculous. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 06:29 PM Underway after a 75-minute delay. Um, yay? John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 21 2009 06:31 PM Yeah, yay. Not that I'm expecting much but I hope we beat the shit out of these fucks, bean a few of them, then brawl with them and beat them up there. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 06:34 PM Utley with the two out hit. So the Phils should only plate, like, three here, right? LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 06:56 PM NANDO! Nice. Utley looking touchable. Ashie62 Aug 21 2009 07:00 PM Omir oh-my! Your 2009 ROY candidate John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 21 2009 07:03 PM Yeah, let's brawl! LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 07:04 PM RRRRRRRRAAAAAAARokay, I'll go to first. bmfc1 Aug 21 2009 07:06 PM Way to go Angel--make that SOB pay. John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 21 2009 07:06 PM Yeah, Pagan. Now Castillo gotta get Pelf home. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 07:07 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Aug 21 2009 07:08 PM Bottom of the order, Creepy Sun Baby smiles on ye. (And not just because this might be the last opportunity for him to do so for the next four days.) Let's just hope that, sometime over the next couple of pitches, Hamels gives Sheff the idea that he's offering him a contract, then reneges. John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 21 2009 07:08 PM C'mon Sheff. Pretend the baseball is the Marlins' unwillingness to trade for you. metsguyinmichigan Aug 21 2009 07:10 PM Chance for Sheff to make a case -- for something -- right here. metsguyinmichigan Aug 21 2009 07:11 PM Or, he could strike out with the bases loaded and complain all the way back to the bench. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 07:12 PM He missed that slider like it was an opportunity to turn a useless veteran roster-filler malcontent into a young, controllable C-prospect. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 07:16 PM Pelf misses a retireable grounder to his glove side, putting Rollins on with one out. I see no way whatsoever that this can come back to haunt him. Frayed Knot Aug 21 2009 07:23 PM I'm in favor of lead-off HRs. Oh yeah, and Brad Penny suxx John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 21 2009 07:23 PM Frenchie obviously inspired by Omar's words for his favorite airline: LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 07:23 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Aug 21 2009 07:25 PM MAIS OUI, MONSIEUR 'AMELS! YOU'VE BEEN FRENCHED! bmfc1 Aug 21 2009 07:24 PM Does that ball have a dent in it? What a shot. bmfc1 Aug 21 2009 07:25 PM Hey Hamels--you're the one giving up hit after hit to a lousy lineup, you're the world champ, show some class you SOB. bmfc1 Aug 21 2009 07:26 PM LWFS: that is a scary picture. Hey! The Mets have hit for the cycle! John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 21 2009 07:28 PM Let's knock this chick out of the game right here. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 07:30 PM jebusjebusjebusjebusjebusjebusWHEW. Frayed Knot Aug 21 2009 07:30 PM ="bmfc1":1nvfprvg]LWFS: that is a scary picture.[/quote:1nvfprvg] What's really scary is that's one from his personal collection, not the web. John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 21 2009 07:32 PM That was a rotten turn by Hernandy. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 07:33 PM Judge me if you will. I KNOW I look good. I mean, that beautiful, non-lady-man lady looks good. The bottom of the order? Not so. John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 21 2009 07:42 PM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":1rtrue7l]That was a rotten turn by Hernandy.[/quote:1rtrue7l] OTOH, pretty sweet style in the field. I think I heard Reyes ain't coming back at all, so style it up, Andy. Make us remember you. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 07:49 PM Veteran ground ball! Give that man an extension immediately! LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 08:00 PM Frenchy loves to hit, and it shows. Fman99 Aug 21 2009 08:01 PM Wow, maybe the worst blown call this year. A foot wide air gap between the mitt and Frenchy's helmet. John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 21 2009 08:02 PM We've seen some shitty calls this year but that one could be the worst. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 08:02 PM Yeesh, what an ump fail. Jerry tossed arguing-- who's going to give the bunt signs now? Frayed Knot Aug 21 2009 08:07 PM IF the ump's going to blow tag calls I think it'd be nice if he'd at least choose one where the fielder [u:wnlk7pvc]tries[/u:wnlk7pvc] to tag the runner. Rollins never even swiped his arm. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 08:08 PM Ugh. Two more baserunners with none out. This doesn't bode so well. Think angry, Mikey! LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 08:11 PM Yeah, AndyNandy's not so gloveworthy, either. Fman99 Aug 21 2009 08:13 PM Boobery on the infield. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 08:14 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Aug 21 2009 08:15 PM ="Fman99":20xasxja]Boobery on the infield.[/quote:20xasxja] And not the fun, Morgana kind. Oy. OY. John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 21 2009 08:14 PM Just get the batter Mike. Fman99 Aug 21 2009 08:16 PM Nice work by Pelf to not get rattled, induce a couple of infield pop flies. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 08:17 PM John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 21 2009 08:18 PM Yeah for the guys in black! LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 08:22 PM Cue: three perfect innings from Mr. Parking Lot. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 08:31 PM Sharp Utley grounder hits Feliciano in the chest and bounds to the first-base line. Odds that Feliciano's sternum is now cracked: Off the board. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 08:37 PM Stokes! LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 08:45 PM Thanks, Sheff, for your professionalism! Good news: the Frenching of Phils pitching continues apace. PiggiesTomatoes Aug 21 2009 08:47 PM Is it me? Seems like Sheff's heart is just not in it. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 08:51 PM ="PiggiesTomatoes"]Is it me? Seems like Sheff's heart is just not in it. "Oh, you think so, Doctor?" Fman99 Aug 21 2009 08:51 PM Great DP! bmfc1 Aug 21 2009 08:52 PM Is Sheff in the "I want to get out of Milwaukee so I'll throw the ball into the stands" phase of his Mets career? John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 21 2009 08:53 PM ="PiggiesTomatoes":3bmk2pu0]Is it me? Seems like Sheff's heart is just not in it.[/quote:3bmk2pu0] I'm sure he assumed he'd be defensed for anyway and was jawing over the first time he took a close pitch for a strike tonight. Not that Sheff has ever watched a strike that he thought wasn't one. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 08:54 PM Stokes, Wagner, Feliciano... and Putz coming back, ostensibly healthy, by weekend's end. Somehow, this makes me sadder than it makes me happy. PiggiesTomatoes Aug 21 2009 08:54 PM I'll take that out call at first for the poor call on Francoeur's bad call on the SB. John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 21 2009 08:55 PM ="LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr":3g4vzhox]Stokes, Wagner, Feliciano... and Putz coming back, ostensibly healthy, by weekend's end. Somehow, this makes me sadder than it makes me happy.[/quote:3g4vzhox] That's only because you don't think we can finish 33-8. Hater. Fman99 Aug 21 2009 08:57 PM ="LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr"]="PiggiesTomatoes"]Is it me? Seems like Sheff's heart is just not in it. "Oh, you think so, Doctor?" Ya gotta love the Colonel. He's the perverted version of Creepy Sun Baby. Fman99 Aug 21 2009 09:01 PM Anderson Hernandez is not a major league hitter. He looks lost at the dish. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 09:06 PM 1 pitch, 1 out? Who the hell is this? This isn't Frankie. Frayed Knot Aug 21 2009 09:06 PM ="Fman99":2z1flu0k]Anderson Hernandez is not a major league hitter. He looks lost at the dish.[/quote:2z1flu0k] And he's still considerably better than either Argenis Reyes or Wilson Valdez. Frankie needs to save this one .. for my sanity if for no other reason. John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 21 2009 09:09 PM fucketyfuckshit. Hmmmm. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 09:09 PM Tying runs on. Fucktastic! Fman99 Aug 21 2009 09:10 PM Hey, Frankie, I hear you have a great big cock. Can I see it? John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 21 2009 09:10 PM If only we had a lefthanded closer... Frayed Knot Aug 21 2009 09:12 PM Frankie chases Utley. PiggiesTomatoes Aug 21 2009 09:16 PM Finally, a happy recap. Fman99 Aug 21 2009 09:16 PM CSB shines down on Phillies losses. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 09:17 PM ="Fman99"] Hey, Frankie, I hear you have a great big cock. Can I see it? Why, THANK YOU, Frankie. John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 21 2009 09:18 PM "I like your game. It's really cool." bmfc1 Aug 21 2009 09:19 PM Nice win. Way to go. I love seeing Francoeur beam the way he did after the game. themetfairy Aug 21 2009 09:20 PM OK - I can breathe again....

Let's see, who gave up 3 in the 9th in game 2 of the NLCS? You know, the series which determines what NL team plays in the world series? The series we lost by one game? Jeez.

Do we know that we will get compensatory draft picks? Type A and Type B rankings are generally based on the statistics (as determined by Elias) for the past two years. I'm not sure it's a slam dunk that Wagner would be a Type A free agent.

This is where I point out that I think resigning Delgado is our best option for next year if we plan to compete.

="LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr":de47vpmo]it really does amaze me how much support Murph still gets among Met fans. (I mean, I'm rooting for the guy too, but... he's OPSing sub-.700 at this point; I'm not sure he's a corner-IF starter for most AAA teams.)[/quote:de47vpmo] We were discussing that last night. Is it because he's a clean-cut white guy? Because he's Irish? Because he's a homegrown player? A little each from categories A, B and C? Because it's certainly not that he's particularly good. Edgy DC Aug 21 2009 07:56 AM But he was some'at last year, so there may be a little bit of D (residual fuzzies from rookie success) in there also. That first pitch popup was so not the solid countworking Murphy I hope I see when he steps out of the dugout, and too rarely is he that guy these days, and maybe never will be. Benjamin Grimm Aug 21 2009 07:58 AM Maybe it's because Murphy looked really good late last season, and we still want him to be the guy that it looked like he might be. And part of it is we're probably paying less attention this season, when he's not doing so great, than we did last year, when the games mattered more and he was looking good. I don't want to give up on him yet, but I also don't think the Mets should pencil him in as the answer at any one position next year. And especially not at a high-offense position like first base. Keep him around. Make him a Joe McEwing. And if he proves that he can be more than that, then reevaluate. Gwreck Aug 21 2009 08:20 AM This is where I point out that I think resigning Delgado is our best option for next year if we plan to compete. John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 21 2009 08:29 AM I like Ike. John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 21 2009 08:33 AM ="Edgy DC"] That first pitch popup was so not the solid countworking Murphy I hope I see when he steps out of the dugout, and too rarely is he that guy these days, and maybe never will be. Well, he's mad about it, at least: Edgy DC Aug 21 2009 08:45 AM Other available freegies, with thier 2010 age in parentheses: Russell Branyan (34): .254 / .351 / .515 // .866 (107 g, 33 at first) Jason Giambi (39): .193 / .332 / .364 // .697 (83 g, 38 at first) Ross Gload (34): .263 / .344 / .394 // .738 (93 g, about half on defense, 26 at first) Aubrey Huff (33): .252 / .320 / .400 // .720 (112 g, 93 on defense) Nick Johnson (31, parts of him much older): .296 / .419 / .408 // .827 (111 g, 108 on defense) Adam LaRoche (30): .267 / .354 / .484 // .838 (103 g, all on defense) Robb Quinlan (33): 256 / .287 / .367 // .654 (40 103 gg, 11 at first) Matt Stairs (42!): .213 / .357 / .388 // .745 (16 g, none at first since 2007) Mike Sweeney (36): .228 / .287 / .361 // .648 (49 g, 5 at first) Jim Thome (39): .250 / .380 / .503 // .883 (97 g, none on defense) Chad Tracy (30): .235 / .292 / .380 // .673 (73 g)So, the only ones looking as viable as Delgado are Branyan, Johnson, and LaRoche, with only LaRoche looking particularly more viable. John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 21 2009 08:46 AM Edgy DC Aug 21 2009 08:54 AM Met that up a little bit, market it, and it can pay for Lunchpail's sophomore year at Barnard. TransMonk Aug 21 2009 09:20 AM In Murphy's defense, he is still very inexperienced at the professional level. David Wright had more minor league plate appearances before he was called up to the majors than Murphy has had minor and major league combined. Wright's minor league career: 1675 PA, 1419 AB, 409 H, 111 2B, 48 HR, 242 RBI, 302 K, .288/.387/.474/.861 Murphy's minor+major league career: 1634 PA, 1450 AB, 411 H, 91 2B, 35 HR, 214 RBI, 195 K, .283/.347/.431/.778 Now, I don't believe that Murphy will ever be Wright, but he is still very young and can still progress to better than we've seen this season. I'm not ready to pencil him in at any position either, but I'm not ready to call him Joe McEwing or Matt Franco just yet. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 21 2009 09:28 AM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket"] Given his hyyyyyyuge split differensh, I wouldn't mind seeing a cheap, lefty-mashing running mate next campaign. Ike/Stick in '10! Benjamin Grimm Aug 21 2009 09:29 AM I wouldn't call him Joe McEwing either. (It would get confusing, since that's not his name.) But I think that's the best way to use him, for 2010, at least, until he proves that he deserves a regular position. Find eight other guys to man the starting positions, and keep Murphy around as a super-sub, one who will play often enough to get 250 to 300 at bats. Give him the chance to prove that he can do more, without counting on him to do more. If he's anointed the Mets starting 1B this winter, it will be a pretty discouraging sign. Benjamin Grimm Aug 21 2009 09:32 AM ="LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr"]I wouldn't mind seeing a cheap, lefty-mashing running mate next campaign. Would Trot Nixon be an appropriate running mate for someone named Ike? Or should we dust off Otis Nixon? Benjamin Grimm Aug 21 2009 09:36 AM And that reminds me... When I was in college, I had a friend who was flirting with this girl, and it seemed to be going pretty well, when for no explicable reason, he told her, "I have a five-year-old son named Otis." (He didn't.) She visibly lost interest in him. So he frantically told her that it was just a joke, that he didn't really have a son named Otis. But it was too late. She either figured that he was suddenly denying his little boy's existence, or he was some kind of a nut who makes up fictional kids named Otis to impress girls. (I guess the second part was actually true.) Note to you single guys out there: The fictional-son-named-Otis line... not a good idea.

We didn't actually release El Duque in 2007. Believe it or not, he was on the payroll for all of 2008 but just sitting on the disabled list.

Six times I saw Livan start this year, and six times the Mets lost. They weren't all his fault (Castillo game; meltdown in Baltimore) but still. Six losses. Hell, I think I was at least 1-5 in seeing Matt Ginter starts. But not Livan.

Braves lineup was Infante 2B Anderson LF Jones 3B McCann C Escobar SS Diaz RF LaRoche 1B Church CF Kawakami P --- Wagner got a nice ovation. They played Sandman and everything. Lots of cheering for his 2 Ks. I always liked Wagner. Pretty much everything else about this game was crappy. Forget just releasing Livan...how about we release Schneider, too? Surely there's an AAA catcher somewhere we could use instead. Or even Cancel. First time I've seen Johan take a loss since Ben Sheets outdueld him in Johan's Shea debut last year.

The way I understand it, when a team claims the player, you either have to work out a deal within a set time period (48? 72? hours), or if you can't they get the player for the waiver fee ($20,000, I think), or you have to pull him back. Waiver claims can be risky because if the player is claimed, the team who waived him can refuse to work out a trade and just stick his contract on the claiming team (ie. Rios). But here the Giants have most of the leverage, given that Sheffield's contract costs nothing.

I'd have at least given that next start to Figueroa instead of Redding.

"Just the best thing for lineup today, I guess," Sheffield tells the Daily News[/url:1e4surt7]

Sheffield scratched. New lineup: Pagan CF Castillo 2B Murphy 1B Francouer RF Sullivan LF Tatis 3B Schneider C Hernandez SS Santana P

Santana start, to boot. Already have for tonight otherwise I would've taken you up on it.

Our bullpen ERA is 4th best in the league and Rodriguez hasn't exactly been terrible. (Granted we do have a lot of quality innings from carryovers Feliciano and Stokes). --- The Mets also have an advantage -- for the next couple of years -- in that they can pay a bit more for a closer if they want given that two of the team's best players aren't earning as much (Reyes and Wright). Our top 10 salaries: 1. Santana 2. Beltran 3. Delgado 4. Perez 5. Rodriguez 6. Wright 7. Castillo 8. Reyes 9. Putz 10. Schneider That's 6 of the 8 starting position players, plus two starters and two relievers. That doesn't seem like that flawed an architechture.

Redding spent the first 6 weeks of the season on the DL.

I'd set the over/under at 8.5 for "players on that calender who will actually play in a game for the Mets in 2010."

Glad to see we finally gave Derek F. Lowe the pounding he so richly deserved. Best inning since the Floyd/Beltran grand slams in Chicago a few summers ago? Church didn't get much of a hand or anything, although that partly may have been due to Diaz having just hit a 3 run bomb. Fun moment on the 7 train when a tourist couple from the British isles asks "why were they booing that one guy, Jones, so much?

="Ashie62":2pgvuw5m]Dillon Gee[/quote:2pgvuw5m] Hurt Edgy DC Aug 18 2009 09:36 PM And not particularly effective this season. smg58 Aug 19 2009 08:42 AM I too have had enough of Livan, but there's nothing on the line and our options are nonexistent. Unlike Parnell, the guys we could call up a this point have no chance of being part of next year's rotation, so I see no benefit even looking ahead. As for Stokes, his .313/.420/.446 split against lefthanded batters is really not encouraging for a prospective starter, especially since he is a nice asset in the role he currently has. If we were much closer in the standings and I had to choose between Stokes and Livan I would give Stokes the ball. As it stands, Stokes is fine where he is and I see no point in messing with it. The fact that Livan and Tim Redding have managed to stay on the roster all year says everything about our injury luck that you need to know. And our luck has been even worse with the hitters. Sigh. Gwreck Aug 19 2009 10:38 AM Redding spent the first 6 weeks of the season on the DL. Edgy DC Aug 19 2009 11:32 AM ="smg58":15ha0jg1]If we were much closer in the standings and I had to choose between Stokes and Livan I would give Stokes the ball. As it stands, Stokes is fine where he is and I see no point in messing with it.[/quote:15ha0jg1] Do you think there's some risk of him being set back on his future potential as a reliever? smg58 Aug 19 2009 11:42 AM I think there's a small amount of injury risk anytime you stretch out a pitcher who's been making mostly one-inning appearances. With Parnell, the chance of him being a bigger asset in the rotation than he is in the pen is worth the risk to find out. I don't think Stokes has the same upside. Rockin' Doc Aug 19 2009 10:11 PM Edgy DC - "Seen enough of Livan?" Too much. Nymr83 Aug 19 2009 11:55 PM i don't care if Parnell gets shelled because we need to find out what Parnell can do for next year, but Livan isn't part of the future here and he isn't performing now so ship him out. I don't care who pitches in his place, as long as they are under 30 and we are at least getting valuable data as to who might be good for later. Frayed Knot Aug 20 2009 02:05 PM Well, we're going find out about life after Livan -- he was released today to make room for Billy Wags. Benjamin Grimm Aug 20 2009 02:32 PM Does that mean he's out of the rotation? John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 20 2009 03:16 PM Not to get my FEEEEELINGS into this but I hate Wagner and liked Livan, and can't believe Redding survives yet another day. Gwreck Aug 20 2009 03:21 PM I'd have at least given that next start to Figueroa instead of Redding. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 20 2009 03:27 PM ="Gwreck":h4fsyqqt]I'd have at least given that next start to Figueroa instead of Redding.[/quote:h4fsyqqt] If only MLB rules permitted, I would love to have given them both the start, trading off innings in a sort of Dueling-AAAAers hoedown. Alas. Do we get a 'Memories-of-Livan', or should I be headed to that Eternal Sunshine place to get 'em wiped?

Lessee: The Norfolk rotation is: Lance Broadway: 4-8, 6.39 ERA, 145 Baserunners and 47 Ks in 88 2/3 IP Tobi Stoner: 4-7, 4.58 ERA, 97 Baserunners and 44 Ks in 70 2/3 IP Adam Pettyjohn: 3-8, 4.50 ERA, 121 Baserunners and 40 Ks in 72 IP. Kyle Snyder: 3-5, 4.04 ERA, 120 Baserunners and 67Ks in 89 IP. and Pat Misch Not a lot of prospects there. Snyder is intriguing, former first round (1999) pick of Kansas City, never did much in the majors but had an OK year in the Boston bullpen in '07. I figure it's time to release Redding and try someone else.

In another thread I suggested Dessens, but I don't see him as a long-term option of course. Apparently Dillon Gee is hurt. I don't think there is even anyone else who would be worth calling up. So, Stokes it is.