stevejrogers

Frayed Knot wrote: Frayed Knot wrote: I'm so glad that NYC never picked up on the towel-waving idiocy. In fairness, the Mets handed them out at Game 7 of the NLCS in 2006. Which shows two things: a) that the ownership was typically imitative and clueless and that even given the invitation, the fans never adopted such a small townish ploy FK, I'll raise that one better. After the rise of the Homer Hanky with the 1987 Twins, the 1988 response was the K Hanky, featuring Bill Gallo illustrations of Doc, Cone, Sid and Darling, handed out during the NLCS.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I remember the same argument being made about guys like Ray Knight. The fact that Knight did virtually nothing from 1987 on didn't stop Mets fans from saying that the Mets were wrong to let him go, and that move was a reason the Mets didn't repeat. The point is more towards the type of "personality" that Knight and Mitchell were, and later Backman and Dykstra were added to this group, as opposed to those whom would replace them, specifically McReynolds, HoJo, Jefferies and Samuel. Didn't matter how much more effective the replacements were, it is more the idea that the Mets lost the "heart" of that 1986 team when they allowed Knight to walk away and traded Mitchell. And that transference is usually blamed on Fred Wilpon more than the GM and principal owner at the time, Cashen and Doubleday.

Ceetar wrote: Anyway, Sports Radio still has a market..but they're not hitting it, but perhaps because we don't turn them off until they do? I mean, I was in a bar for lunch yesterday and I was entertained listening to two guys next to me discussing who was better, Ruth or Griffey Jr, and talking about things like fitness and pitching/hitting in today's game. I was entertained. It doesn't have to be te highest quality discussion, but I'd be entertained on a drive if someone called up and talked that stuff. I agree that it still has it place for exchange of opinions and debate, whether current events or never ending debates (wanna throw Cobb, Teddy Ballgame, Mays, Bonds, Aaron, etc into that Ruth v. Griffey debate?). I'm just fascinated that anyone still tries to use them as a source for their information in today's technology age. Or at least is willing to use what they say as gospel truth. Another example, there was a story at a Super Bowl where Dante Culpepper let a wheelchair bound fan wear this gaudy piece of bling for a few moments. Apparently there was a bit of miscommunication because the fan thought Dante was giving it to him to keep! But no harm, no foul afterwards. Except that if you read the story blindly, Dante comes out looking like an asshole, and that's how it was read by couple of NYC radio hosts, who didn't read further into the story to see that it was just a misunderstanding and not Dante being an asshole. And an even BETTER one, same hosts...or at least the update guy on their show. Some time ago a Phillies employee was fired because of threatening emails to club officials or something heinous. Well, the copy that the reader was reading off of called the guy a phanatic, probably thought it was funny. But the update guy thought the Phillies had fired the guy who is in the actual Phillie Phanatic outfit! And not realizing the serious nature of the situation, the hosts thought the guy was just sending off harmless emails and whatnot and was fired without real justification. Probably basing it on the fact that the guy in the Phanatic costume works for peanuts or something and shouldn't be losing a job based on "bad mouthing" Phillie brass in email form. Again, no further looking into a story, just running on first thoughts after glancing at it. That seems more of the problem with talk radio, quick first impressions and lazy reporting just to fill time slots.

attgig wrote: Frayed Knot wrote: - That Francesa/Hirsch thing is so classic because the only option his ego allows him to consider it the one where if he hasn't heard of the player he must not exist. The only surprising part is that he didn't try to blame his lack of Hirsh knowledge on someone else. yup. and he did blame it on the yankees for "not announcing it" The thing that amazes me is that people still call up these radio shows looking for information. Okay that was for an opinion, but occasionally someone will call to settle bets or something. At this point I'd trust Wikipedia more for bet settling or answer to something more than I would with a sports radio host. Most impressive lack of knowledge or laziness to do a little research on the matter though is still a 1050 update guy filling in a quickie couple of hours local shift in 2007 before a Sunday Night Met/Yankee game declared it as a stone cold fact that Orlando Hernandez was facing the Yankees for the very first time that night. Which thanks to a caller mentioning a multi HR game ARod had as a Ranger against El Duque turned into a facing everyone in the Yankee lineup except for ARod for the first time. Of course a simple call to either team's research department, or a look at Baseball-Reference.com's player splits would have seen that Hernandez faced the Yankees several times as a White Sox and oh yeah, the year before as a Met!

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Here's to a quiet winter. Sure here in the Metro area, but there is still the riff raff from down the turnpike to take care of. Hope that the Red Birds can do the job tomorrow!

Ceetar wrote: Gwreck wrote: Cards win game two which is a very nice surprise. Let's go Redbirds. I listened to this one flipping between 1700 and 700 am both which are ESPN stations in SoCal, but I'm not sure which areas. But sometimes one had reception, sometimes the other. Left Vegas at 4 ( 7 Mets standard Time) picked up the end of the broadcast of the Brewers, which then cut to Phily mid interview with the catcher (not even mid interview, it was like "How'd it feel as a rookie getting those key hits?...and the pitch by Lee..) and thanks in part to Tony LaRussa's pitching changes, the game lasted almost the entire 5.5 hour trip, ending about 10 miles outside of San Diego. Excuse me while I go give Petco park the finger for not hosting a Mets @ San Diego NLDS while i'm here. Clearly it's the park's fault. I'd suggest decification to the park behind center, but I'm sure it has tight survelience. Though you could quickly purchase a puppy and have it do the deed for you!

bmfc1 wrote: It's a good movie that would have been better if it didn't incorporate so much about Buckner and '86. Don't get me wrong: I'm always ready to see replays from '86 but I thought that the point of the movie was Bartman. The Director made it into an examination of scapegoating in baseball and related Buckner to Bartman. I think that the movie would have been better if it started after the first twenty minutes and ended ten minutes earlier. Interesting points. Did the film make at least it a point to differentiate the fact that Buckner at least had a decent enough name for himself in the game prior to Game 6 while Bartman essentially got the wrong kind of Andy Warhol time? IOW would it be more comparable if Stapleton was the "goat" of Game 6, or if someone of some modicum of fame, either nationally or locally for Chicago was in that seat (why they'd be in that section I don't know). To that end, was Leon Durham ever brought up? Seems like his through the wickets error in the 1984 NLCS has gotten lost in the narrative of the 1984 Cubs. At least on the national level where Garvey's homer is spotlighted more when talking about that NLCS.

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: MFYs already getting lucky to tie it as Rogers reaches on a WP strike 3 and scores after the the Tigers screw up a force play and elect not to throw him out at home. 1-1 THIS will be remembered at next CPF meetup Bucket...

Pics I took of the aftermath of the hit 006 by sjrmets, on Flickr 012 by sjrmets, on Flickr

Red Sox Nation in STUNNED, DISBELIEF!

G-Fafif wrote: METS ALL-TIME HIT LEADERS Through 2011 Season 1. Ed Kranepool 1,418 2. JOSE REYES 1,300 3. DAVID WRIGHT 1,248 I hope there are more round numbers in Jose's future...of this kind, I mean. You mean take away the one and put another 0?

attgig wrote: when was the last time we had 1 game elimination playoff in both the NL and AL? ever??? everybody lose or everybody win! Never.

Be apropos of this franchise if Reyes went hitless today.

SteveJRogers wrote: Hey Wayne, Dontrelle doesn't warrant an "looking unfamiliar" in a number when he hasn't been much since his Florida days in #35 (and I had to look that up). To say nothing about the fact that he didn't wear 35 in Detroit either. Not even Wayne's most inane attempt at making a "I know baseball history" remark. While talking about the Cards and Astros game, he brought up the rivalry between the two teams back in the early to mid 2000s, as if it's been a relevant part of the game since 2006, the last time the Astros finished 2nd or better in the Central.

Hey Wayne, Dontrelle doesn't warrant an "looking unfamiliar" in a number when he hasn't been much since his Florida days in #35 (and I had to look that up). To say nothing about the fact that he didn't wear 35 in Detroit either.

Final Night for the Mets season.

Vic Sage wrote: Edgy DC wrote: Sending messages to each other through the media, despite the easy availability of face-to-face contact, is a time-honored --- if not particularly courageous --- tradition among ballplayers. IMO, Straw's statements to the media have absolutely nothing to do with trying to send Reyes a message and everything to do with Straw's ongoing efforts to repair his own fatally damaged reputation. "oh, i loved NY, what was i thinking to ever leave?" is not career guidance, its PR. Indeed, to say nothing for the fact that it was mostly Straw's own demons that led to leaving NY to be a very bad move on his part. Had he'd been clean and sober, good possibility an argument about whether he should be wearing a Dodger or Met cap on his Hall of Fame plaque would be a debate. But instead it was his failings as a human, that he is still struggling with, that led to his demise in LA as well as any shot of greatness. Which would have happened had he stayed here or not.

Some schmuck radio host named Max Kellerman proclaimed the Orioles to be poised to be a force in the AL East because of that signing. He also said Kaz Matsui would do well in his second year in New York because Hideki had a better second year in MLB than his first.

Edgy DC wrote: Verducci is already trying to place their failure in historic context. Where did he rank it compared to the 2007 Mets? Which I'd say should still be ranked higher since the Mets didn't even capture the Wild Card slot.

1. Met scrub for most of his 18 seasons, but still garnered a Topps card for many of those seasons, right to the bitter end. But this was a time when third string catchers like Ron Hodges were getting regular issue cards. 2. Eddie doesn't quite look his age, and gives a look of "Hey, I could still play some more years." 3. Until the Shea Goodbye ceremony, this was what Ed wore every time a pre-game thing (OTD or whatnot) called for him to don a uniform one more time. 4. Probably a rarity for the era of a In Game Shot that could very well be one of their usual pre-game shots. 5. It's the shading of the scan I'm sure, but the photo does look like it's taken from a year into the future when those behind the backstop panels were turned blue from their 1970s green. 6. I may be the only person here who will defend the blue & orange trims, as well as the racing stripes that were to come, but gosh darn it, they looked cool to me! 7. You gotta wonder if he's getting instructions, or if something strange is going on in the dugout with the way he's looking back in there. 8. Also, it does give off a wary look, as if the depths of the de Lorinda/Grant era has been taking it's toll on the veteran. 9. Simple classic Topps design to kick off the decade of the baseball card explosion. 10. Come on, it's the namesake of this site!

Frayed Knot wrote: Phils now have to finish out with 12-1 streak to reach 109 wins, or 11-2 to tie the '86ers mark. Well, gotta bring the 86ers in to rally the troops this weekend. Hey if it worked on Friday to wake up this team...

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Benjamin Grimm wrote: Mike Piazza? Didn't he play about a half-dozen games for the Marlins? I looked it up: Mike Piazza played five games for the Marlins, and three of them were played in St. Louis. Not to completely hijack the thread, but funniest thing about the trade of him to the Marlins is that the baseball card companies were tripping over themselves to get Piazza As A Marlin cards out on the market. Though, I'd like a nice week layover in Miami on my LA to New York transcontinental flight!

Frayed Knot wrote: G-Fafif wrote: They have got to be the weirdest franchise that's ever been, at least since the Cleveland Spiders were contracted. You can dismiss them and deride them and have many laughs at their expense, but then you can't help but come back to "...but they won two World Series." Two World Series wins but no division titles; not in those WS years, not in any other season. Not to mention those are the only two postseason appearances. They are still batting a thousand when it comes to postseason series.

Howard Johnson suiting up in the minors to play with his kid: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Howard-Johnson-signs-with-minor-league-team-to-p?urn=mlb-wp18089

It's like watching a game from Port St. Lucie in March. Too bad it's only a few days prior to the roster expansion time, then it really would have a Spring Training feel. I'm thinking there was some sort of incident with either the Black or Snow White unis.