MFS62

iramets wrote: BTW, if you think Kranepool was a popular player, you weren't in the Polo Grounds and Shea. Fans disliked Kranepool intensely. He had zero personality, he pissed his teammates off with his colossal arrogance, he was greeted with choruses of boos and cries of "STIFF!!" when he batted, Hodges made a point of cutting him down to size when he arrived (and only partially succeeded) and he continued as one of the most clueless, entitled, puffed-up egos ever to play for the Mets. Now, Ron Hunt--that was a popular young Met. Rod Kanehl. Tug McGraw. Bud Harrelson. These guys played hard, they hustled, they strove to improve. You should have been there. Kranepool was everything that was wrong about managing by hunch. Ira, I think the fans' feelings toward Kranepool were compound by a few things: The Mets may have had a chance to draft Rusty Staub first instead of Ed. Staub was drafted by Houston. In those days, Houston (an expansion team "born" the same year as the Mets) won an overwhelming majority of the games between the two teams. Staub became a much better hitter than Kranepool. It was the typical fan case of "shoulda' , woulda' , coulda'. But in this case, they were correct. Later

I heard Abreu's name among the dozen or so announced to be sent to the minor league camp today. Later

Edgy DC wrote: Wow, a serial wife-beater. If they brought him up, he would fill the Ed Bouchee Law and Order SVU memorial roster spot. Later

My wife and my best friend through college both went to James Monroe High School (Bronx) when Kranepool went there. They both agreed on one thing - Kranepool was a jerk. I'm sorry I don't have any figures to back that up, 1964 or 2007. Later

Edgy DC wrote: Green went 1-5.As a DH - his natural position. Later

] New York Daily News - http://www.nydailynews.com Selig's uncivil wrong Thursday, March 8th, 2007 Major League Baseball dubbed it the Civil Rights Game, a well-intentioned celebration of baseball's harried, minority pioneers. But then somebody invited the Cleveland Indians, and the event has been sabotaged by ignorance and long-practiced indifference. With this inaugural theme exhibition set for March31 in Memphis, officials have created a perfect storm of political incorrectness - a who-what-when-where primer on how to inadvertently stage an ironic insult to a local and large population of Natives. Who: The Cleveland Indians, a team famous for its Chief Wahoo cartoon caps, will face the St.Louis Cardinals. What: The Civil Rights Game, televised by ESPN, the first of its kind. When: A particularly dicey time in Cherokee/African-American relations, as the Cherokees consider appeals from the black community after an unfortunate vote to revoke tribal citizenship from descendants of freed slaves. Where: In Memphis, along the Southern land route of the Trail of Tears, a genocidal, forced march of Cherokees in 1838. The relocation was mandated by President Andrew Jackson, and caused the death of at least 4,000 Indians, many buried in shallow graves. Tens of thousands of Cherokee descendants now live in and around the city. How this happened: Professional baseball apparently wants to pretend that Native Americans are all dead and don't matter, like dinosaurs. "It's disgusting," said Alice Gwin Henry, president of the Faraway Cherokees in Memphis. "It tells you where they're coming from. We try not to be overbearing when it comes to the use of names, but nobody has addressed the Trail of Tears as it's associated with an abuse of civil rights. "My family was on the Trail of Tears. We feel offended that they would bring a team here called the Indians. It's racist. We aren't gone." Henry's group will not stage a protest, because her organization is registered as a non-political association. She said others might, and for good reason. Chief Wahoo has long been given a tacit go-ahead from Bud Selig, the same commissioner who has done so much in recognizing the contributions of African-Americans and in confessing the past exclusionary policies of baseball. Selig has embraced the legacy of Jackie Robinson and other black pioneers. Unlike steroid testing or luxury taxes, Chief Wahoo is a very simple issue. Selig could snap his fingers, compensate the Cleveland franchise for lost licensing dollars, and make the logo go away. The lack of empathy on this issue is truly inexplicable. One race can't commit genocide against another, then turn that race into a mascot. A soccer team in Hamburg would never call itself the Jews and adorn its uniforms with caricatures. It certainly would never hold a celebratory civil rights game along the trail of a World War II death march. "Cartoon character imagery like Cleveland's logo, depicting a wide-smiling Indian, tells other non-Indian people, especially kids, that it's OK to continue this exploitative mockery," said Pat Cummins, vice president of the Alliance for Native American Indian Rights of Tennessee. "Native American people have had enough and demand an end to it." The Cleveland Indians were selected for this game, in part, because of their long history of African-American pioneers, including the first black American Leaguer, Larry Doby, and first black manager, Frank Robinson. A spokesperson at Major League Baseball said that logos will be removed from the Indians and Cardinals uniforms for this one game. This is proof the commissioner's office understands, on some level, that Chief Wahoo is the wrong message. Bob DiBiasio, vice president of public relations for the Cleveland Indians, insists the nickname and logo remain a matter of "individual perception." "When some people look at our logo they see baseball," DiBiasio said. "They see Bob Feller and Omar Vizquel and Larry Doby. The Wall Street Journal did an op-ed piece, and they asked the question, 'If something is not meant to demean, can it be demeaning?'" DiBiasio also cited the history of the nickname, "Indians," which is under some dispute. He said that reporters back in 1914 named the team in honor of a Native American star, Louis Sockalexis, who played in Cleveland from 1897-1899. Other historians contend those newspapermen chose the name less because of Sockalexis and more because the "Miracle Braves" of Boston were very much in fashion. Either way, the Cleveland Indians are coming to Memphis this month, a harsh, unnecessary slap in the face to the Cherokee. The team may be met with protests, but these Indians will be spared a forced march through Arkansas. Later

Jorgensen and Kranepool. Later

From the minor league transactions at BA: ]New York Yankees Signed 3B Aarom Baldiris* * = Former Met minor league prospect. Later

="Edgy DC"] Noogies to the first guy to transpose the a and r in his name.Edgy, will I still get noogified if I say "Holy Carp!"? The kid had a nice game. Later

I can't vote for someone who has dined at the White House (no matter who is the President).* I voted for Jose - the player for the common man. * = But when the entire team is invited there for a photo shoot as World Series champions, that will be an entirely different story. Later

Edgy DC wrote: Cool sidebar to this game: not only did Julio Franco beat out an infield hit, but, at one point, the bases were loaded --- with Moises Alou, Julio Franco, and Sandy Alomar, Jr. That's 129 total years on the basepaths.Today's Daily News has the following quote about that; ]Franco, Alou and Alomar all crossed the plate on a bases-loaded double by minor-leaguer Mike Carp in the fourth inning. "I just knew there was about 180 years out there," Alou joked. I hope he can still hit better than he can count. Later

Carp giveth and Carp taketh away. Several annuals that rate minor leaguers (BP, BA) mention that Carp needs some serious work on defense, but they also say he has the potential to be a good power hitter. Later

I agree. David was successful in the first half of last year by hitting the ball to right/ right center field. In the second half of the season, he got pull happy, and his numbers declined. He went back to his usual style late in the season and his numbers improved slightly. Maybe Willie has noticed that David has been trying to pull the ball again this spring, and has inserted him in the slot where hitting to right/ behind the runner is a key part of batting in that position. Hopefully, that will let him get back in the groove. Later

="Frayed Knot"]The only thing surprising about this thread is that it doesn't yet have an anti Corey Ragsdale screed from MFS'62 FK, it pains me to disappoint you on your birthday (Happy Birthday, BTW). I sense how much you have been looking forward to that. But, like when The Sporting News announced that it would no longer be printing box scores in its print edition, it has run its course. The topic was discussed as nauseum the past two years, and all that can be said was said. I know this must be massive trauma for you, but we must move on. Have a drink on me tonight. Regards, and thanks for remembering. Later PS- Edgy, my name translates into "lead mountain". If you've ever seen me run, you would realize how appropriate that is.

Johnny Dickshot wrote: And where the F is Zac Clements? Trying to get into the country using Hideo Nomo's visa? Later

I'll be interested in seeing what levels first baseman Abreu, Evans, Harper (I hope he's healthy again) and Carp start at. And, are they sending out an APB for Australian catching prospect Patrick Maat? He was signed last year, then allowed to stay home to finish high school. Later

Johnny Dickshot wrote: I haven't seen David Wright with a chick on his arm recently. Have you? He's waiting until Britney comes out of rehab. He is such a nice guy, he knows he can get her life back on track. Later

metirish wrote: Wright would move for A-Rod is the hot story in every local paper today..... Take THAT, Captain Clutch. I wonder how many reporters covering Yankee camp will mention that to Jeter? Later

I guess that means that just signed 17 year old catching prospect Tony Pena Jr. is in the major league camp. Later

Why do I get the feeling that the last surviving member of the 1962 Mets will be Don Zimmer? How ironic will that be. But if you were a fan of the '62 Mets, and Brooklyn, too, it would somehow be appropriate. Later

I read that part of the treatment for Crohns Disease is steroids. If word of that leaks out, there could be an epidemic of that ailment throughout professional sports. Well, at least when the test results are released. Later

Someone who reads this board but is not a member saw the rankings forum and ran a series of polls this past off season to see how the members of that board would vote the top 25 All-Time Mets. Throughout the process, he paid full and respectful tribute to the CPF. The author provided UMDB Mets-only statistics for each of the new candidates each week. The results were interesting. Enjoy, Later This is the list of All-Time Mets from our MetsRant polls. We are updating this list after each poll for a new number. In parenthesis, I am showing the rank that the Crane Pool gave them for comparison purposes. 1. Tom Seaver (1) 2. Mike Piazza (9) 3. Darryl Strawberry (4) 4. Jerry Koosman (3) 5. Dwight Gooden (2) 6. Keith Hernandez (13) 7. Howard Johnson (7) 8. Cleon Jones ( 8 ) 9. Mookie Wilson (16) 10. Tug McGraw (15) 11. Gary Carter (28 ) 12. David Cone (21) 13. Rusty Staub (20) 14. Ron Darling (14) 15. John Franco (5) 16. Edgardo Alfonzo (6) 17. Jesse Orosco (23) 18. Sid Fernandez (10) 19. Al Leiter (12) 20. Jerry Grote (17) 21. John Olerud (35) 22. Tommy Agee (25) 23. Ed Kranepool (11) 24. Al Jackson (68) 25. Bud Harrelson (22) Twenty-Two of the Mets picked for the Mets Rant Top Twenty-Five are also on the Crane Pool Top Twenty-Five. The three not picked (## 18, 19, and 24 in the Crane Pool) were all on the ballot for Mets Rant All-Time #25 along with six additional nominees. And three Mets picked for the Mets Rant Top Twenty-Five are not the Crane Pool Top Twenty-Five: Gary Carter, John Olerud, and Al Jackson.

I had read that Walter O'Malley was also on this year's ballot. To borrow an expression from Edgy, if he had made it to the Hall of Fame, I would have "pukied". Later

Too bad Steve Traschell is gone. I'd bet he could have suggested the right wines to go with all those dishes. Later

Edgy DC wrote: And.... Bobby Abreu strains his oblique during batting practice and the Yankees are suddenly an outfielder short before spring training games have even begun. And before the medical tests were finished, Brian Cashman was in front of the press saying this does not open the door for Bernie. Later