stevejrogers

MFS62 wrote: That makes TWO batters Bacsik should have hit, but didn't. And he has/will garner more fame in not doing so. There's no justice in this world. sigh Later I thought that was Estes who faced Clemens for the first time he batted at Shea since 00?

Yancy Street Gang wrote: Haven't had a 300-game winner since Warren Spahn! I find it quite inneresting that the last two home grown future 300-game winners that the Braves had both got in while wearing New York uniforms, and on the road. Of course I really find it facinating that Spahn's last year with the Braves was Niekro's first. Then in 1987 Knuksie was brought back for one final start in a Brave uniform, which meant he was a teammate of a debuting Tom Glavine. Circle of life! =

I think Mike Bacsik's inneresting photo can be changed

Part of my point also was that Matthews rationalized his belief that Knick fans were hypocritical in their treatment of Ewing based on calls to radio shows, and whatever he could gleam from letters to the papers. It is like you can�t base all of Met fandom by just here on the Cranepool Forum, or other forums, or who is calling up Mets Extra. Is the majority opinion 100% pro Glavine? No probably not, he will have that A on his cap in Cooperstown, won a ring as Brave, and 47 probably will be retired by the Braves. Never mind the fact that Glavine probably ranks high in the list of most wins against the Mets, or the fact that he was a member of the Brave team that kept stifling us year after year, specifically the 1999 NLCS. Have the majority of fans warmed up to him? Yeah, they probably have. He seems like a nice fellow off the field, and he doesn�t have any of the stories that many athletes do when it comes to off the field meetings. Despite not being the Tom Glavine of 1993 when we got him in 2003, Glavine has put up a decent enough performance to garner affection from the Shea faithful. To say nothing of his postseason performances, and there is some hope that Glavine just might be able to break the all-time postseason win mark in a Met uniform. Likewise despite all the hate heard on WFAN and 1050 ESPN Radio, as well as letters to the Post, Newsday and Daily News, (usually agreeing with some form of bile hurled at Ewing by an author of an article or host of a show) Patrick Ewing was, and still is, one of the most beloved figures in this town. Did he deserve his detractors? Yes he probably did, and he defiantly didn�t help his cause by being a surly jerk to fans and the media. However, the majority of those who went to MSG, and who watched and listened to the games probably didn�t care for the backstage nonsense. While it�s true that Ewing failed to bring the NBA championship back to New York, and made a lot of �guarantees� that did not come to pass, Patrick Ewing gave Knick fans many, many, many great moments to celebrate. So that was what Knick fans, wanted to give back to Ewing that night. No it wasn�t hypocritical because there really is no way to gauge the opinion of the fan base by those calling up talk shows, posting on an internet forum, or writing letters to the editors. Take them all in the mix and you will have some form of understanding, but Matthews falls in the trap of taking views of a minority and thinking it is the view of the majority. Or even worse, (and I�ve heard this sometimes being said about radio hosts) taking his own view and trying to make it seem like the majority opinion.

="cleonjones11"]Yankees only have 2 less wins than mutts.. You do realize that the Yankees caught up with the Mets? The Mets did not fall down to the Yankees. Big difference and no need to call the Mets a derrisive term because of it. Also, as seawolf said, or as a great Jedi master would say; It matters not! Especially on August 7th.

Mission accomplished

Rosey Roswell of the Pirates during the real cruddy years of the 40s and 50s. Bob Prince would replace him. He was a real character and made listening a real experience, kind of like John Sterling of his day.

holychicken wrote: Does "back back back back back back back back back back back back" count? Oh oh oh doctor!

Matthews is also the same guy who thought Yogi Berra was being a "fake, phony, fraud" for burying the hatchet with Steinbrenner back in 1999. I don't know his reasoning but going back to continue your legacy, and letting your grandchildren experience the same general place that you played on sounds resonable enough to end a feud. Not to mention it probably was a great boost for the Berra family to have the Yankees linked with his museum and Berra merchandise. Good old Wally, always finding that cloud behind every silver linning!

="Edgy DC"]Castillo reportedly left the game due to heat exaustion? I'm not knocking the reality of heat exaustion, and Castillo, bless him, did a lot of hard running, and it is August and yesterday wasn't the most comfortable of days, but I associate heat exaustion with day games on the old Busch astroturf, not an 83-degree night at Wrigley. Maybe he spent the day on the town and dehydrated himself then. Has there been any other report? Could also have been Saturday night as well. Spotted him and Gotay at the Mets hotel bar... Hey...wait a minute! Could a bench player be that nefarious? =

Wally went out of his way to rip Knick fans showering Ewing with affection that fitted his time in New York. This was based on "Knick" fans hating on Ewing through radio/tv talk show calls and newspaper letter writers, especially during the last few years of Ewing's time in New York. Right around when he was fighting with management about wanting to remain the central focus of the offense and refusing to redo his deal. Mathews never stopped to think that even if they were the same Knick fans that couldn't wait to turn the page; that blamed him for handcuffing management and the fact that the Knicks still haven't won a championship since 73, they certaintly had the right to take the time to appreciate and honor the good times that Ewing brought them. Rather than turn the number retirement ceromony into something that right now baseball wants to avoid with Barry Bonds.

Wally went out of his way to rip Knick fans showering Ewing with affection that fitted his time in New York based on "Knick" fans hating on Ewing through radio/tv talk show calls and newspaper letter writers, especially the last few years of his time in New York. Mathews never stopped to think that if they were the same Knick fans that couldn't wait to turn the page, that blamed him for handcuffing management and the fact that the Knicks still haven't won a championship since 73, they certaintly had the right to take the time to appreciate and honor the good times that Ewing brought them rather than turn the ceromony into something that right know baseball wants to avoid with Barry Bonds.

Just to show where Wally is coming from, when the Knicks retired Patrick Ewing's 33 a couple of years ago Wally remarked about the hypocrasy of the fans giving him a standing O and treating him as a legend based soley on callers to his show and talk radio as well as newspaper letter writers ripping him for never winning a championship, being a surly ahole who never did embrace the city and its fans and forcing a trade out of town that the Knicks haven't recovered from because he wouldn't accept a non-main guy role on the team. Basically calling out the Knick fandom for whitewashing the past because they were honoring a class A jerk who never won and acted like he didn't want to be here, wanted to be a glory hog even when his contract and diminishing skills were hurting the team and gave some of the dumbest quotes during the NBA labor mess in 1999 IIRC he was the one with the "We make a lot but we spend a lot" quote, rather than realize that fans do see beyond the warts and when its time for that player to be honored they want to be able to thank that player for the good times.

="Yancy Street Gang"]I'm not even going to bother reading it, and that excerpt that KC just posted shows me that I'm not missing anything. Fans haven't embraced him. Five years later, they still haven't forgiven him for pitching for the Atlanta Braves. I don't think we need to expect our players to be "born and bred a Met and bleeding orange and blue." It's stupid enough that some fans feel this way. In an ideal world, a sportswriter would know better. The Reds put Tom Seaver in their HOF (there are stats to back up that induction) and fans gave him a warm reception. I'm sure if the White Sox ever brought him back in a "Lets Honor Those Who Obtain Great Achievements As A Chi Sox" day Seaver would be treated warmly. They know he has a scripted interlocking NY on his HOF cap and that he will always be known for his Met days and will never be known as a Red or a White Sox, no matter how many times his no-hitter, 3,000th K or 300th win are shown. And Lord knows I doubt he ever actually changed his main residency from CT or California to Cincy or Chicago. Just because a player is known for another city shouldn't affect how a stop on the road feels about him unless it wasn't memorable at all or circumstances cause the player's time in the city to be one hiddeous experience (Alomar, Roberto for example) If Met fans want to soak up in having someone do something like that in a Met uni why the heck not. Look at it this way, I'm sure Wally is one of those lamenting the fact that Gwynn and Ripken were the last of a dying breed, if that is the case then no future accomplishment outside of Derek Jeter's 3,000 hit as a Yankee or Bonds record breaking homer as a Giant should be celebrated by the fans of whomever's laundry the player is playing for. Come on, give me a break. Once you become an entry on the All-Time Roster or your name gets printed in a media guide as a Met employee you are and always will be associated with the New York Mets organization. Or any organization for that matter, course as in Glavine's case he is still looked upon less than fondly for several reasons by Met fans, though most have to do with his lack of effectivness and percieved whinning when things haven't gone his way more often than not rather than his Brave heritage, but he still is a member of the Mets family and if fans and the organization want to embrace his accomplishment and treat him warmly then that is their progative. That kind of attitude of Wally and others is quite cynical and reeks of someone being a party pooper for the sake of being one.

Michael Kay did, well I only heard it in a promo soundbite form so I don't know if there was much of a rebuttal to Kay's tirade about the ethics involved. Not to mention Kay is the last person I would hear for journalistic integrity based on his shillness for the Yanks

Edgy DC wrote: Steve, tell me you asked him a dozen followup questions. Yeah I'm going to do that in a crowded bar. Actually I might have if there were only a handfull of people there and it didn't look like Paul was just in for a quick looksee before heading elsewhere. I did bump into Tom Glavine by the front desk, told him I've been a fan of his since 1991 and that I enjoyed that quickie book he did back after the 1995 season and that he should do another one (or find someone to ghost write another one) My cousin and I did have a longer chat with Wifey Glavine (we think she was Mrs. Glavine) about not getting 300 in Milwaukee and maybe getting it at Shea during the week if not tonight.

metsmarathon wrote: listening to the fan today? apparently there's a big deal being made on richard neer's program that "arod is selling a commemorative 500th homer bat" for $129.99 + $20.00 S&H the big deal is that he's pimping his name for this overpriced product, apparently, sullying his good name. what no-one has picked up yet, is that craig biggio is also pimping his good, and heretofore presumably more genuine, good name on a commemorative 3,000th hit bat. but never let that get in the way of a good story, i guess... Yeah but Neer is doing a show in NYC, ARod plays in NYC, ARod is a lightning rod for any sort of polorizing issues. Neer just saw the ad on the YES network and clearing has no clue or inclination to do any research on any other athlete hawking memoriablilla based on recent accomplishments

Ran into LoDuca in a Chicago bar last night, he said what you'd expect him to say if a fan asked "Hey are you playing tomorrow" which is "Yeah, I really hope so" so that comes with the usual grain of salt.

Was in the ball park today, in the Standing Room Only seats. Fun time and had a fun time at a Clark Ave. bar afterwards. A LOT of Met representation this afternoon at Wrigley, I was quite impressed, a few "Jose, Jose, Jose" chants broke out and there was one rather feisty Met fan woman who was having a good give-and-take with Cubbie Fans in the area I was in Can't wait for tomorrow

Walter Johnson won the most games ever last century with 417, its a safe bet that just like Cy Young's 511 total, no one is coming close here in the 21st century. Seems very daunting in an age when 300 is usually the goal pitchers keep coming back for one more round for before calling it a career. Unless its a freak like a Rockhead who decides to pitch a full season rather than pull the crap he did the last two seasons.

100 years since The Big Train made his big league debut ]Hank Thomas, Johnson's grandson, still lives in the city, and will throw out the first pitch Thursday as the Nationals celebrate "Walter Johnson Day." Thomas hopes to bring along his mother, Carolyn Johnson-Thomas. She helped with publicity in 2004 when the city lobbied for a Major League team, but has not yet been able to attend a game at RFK Stadium. The 84-year-old, who describes herself as "the biggest Nats fan in the world," will try to make it out for Thursday's ceremonies, and looks forward to meeting her favorite player. "She loves Dmitri," Thomas said. "I can't wait to introduce my mother to Dmitri Young." I wonder if the Twinkies are planning anything.

Its probably buried here somewhere, but heading to Chicago tomorrow and will be at Wrigley for the FOX Saturday Afternoon Game of the Week on the 4th. Depending on my state of mind, internet connections, and my resizing and uploading skills expect pictures either Saturday night or sometime when I get back to New York on Sunday. If only Glavine could come back on three days rest! Ah well, I'll be watching Maine vs. Lilly. Should be quite a time.

Yancy Street Gang wrote: "They" probably don't think he'll be paired with another one-team guy. And if that actually did happen, assuming Jeter sticks around long enough for say Reyes or Wright calls it a career chances are no Met fans would pay attention. It would be akin to 1994, 1995, and 1974

metsmarathon wrote: damnit, where the hell is that skate key? yance, do you mind holding off on the pittsburgh loss until this afternoon when i can get to winding up poor, underutilized m.e.t.b.o.t.? should be about 1 or so. Maybe he was spending a little too much time with those guys in my co-worker's office?

cleonjones11 wrote: I saw Bill Robinson play for the MFY's at MFY stadium..He was supposed to be a late sixties savior to them One of many "Next Mantles" through the years.