MFS62

Got a message from my cyber-pal in DC (NO, the other one) who said that this may mean that Jose Guillen may be the one to be dealt by the Nats, not Soriano. Later

Jim "Quote Machine" Leyland, on how he gives a steal sign to the lumbering Chris "Junk in the Trunk" Shelton: "His steal sign normally is if I jump up in the air and I never come down. I told him, 'If I jump up and never come down, you go.'" Later

I wonder if they got Kearns to replace the rumored-to-be-on-the-block Soriano? If they'll keep both, they're putting together a nice lineup. Stay tuned. Later

Oh, they asked him to attend team functions. But he did it beacuse of his Metliness. And he may not have been the first one. I worked with him in the mid-late 70's, but I don't recall him telling me when he did it. All he said was "I used to be Mr. Met........." followed by the story I just related. Can't say anything beyond that, so what has been posted above may be correct, too. Later

Yancy Street Gang wrote: Did Mr. Met ever go away? I don't think he did. He did for a while. The original Mr.Met was named Dave Zimmerman. I used to work with him. He actually made his own costume and paid his way into games. When he asked the team for some compensation, the Mets turned him down, so he quit. It took a while for them to find a replacement. Later

Wherever that mule is, it will be honored and protected by the Department of Homeland Security. The editorial in today's Daily News: ]More terror funds? Let us bray Every year, Columbia, Tenn., holds Mule Day, which is not merely a day but "an almost week-long celebration of the mule." This year, it began with a canasta tournament, ended with a concert of gospel music and in between featured "pickin' and grinnin'," a knife auction, ham and biscuit breakfasts and a liars' contest. Surely a good time was had by all, and perhaps, verily, the Mule Day festivities are indeed in danger from Islamic terrorists. But somehow we doubt it. Nevertheless, Mule Day is listed as a potential target in the Department of Homeland Security's National Asset Database, along with, to name a few: a Bean Fest, the Groundhog Zoo (which best we can tell, is a tank at the Punxsutawney, Pa., public library), something called Trees of Mystery, Mail Boxes Etc., a landfill and - even more mysterious than the trees - a "Beach at End of [a] Street." All things being possible, Osama Bin Laden could, at this very moment, be sending his minions to destroy the "Beach at End of [a] Street," provided he has figured out which beach and which street. But somehow we doubt that, too. As apparently does the Office of Inspector General for Homeland Security, which this week issued an embarrassing report on the above-mentioned National Asset Database, which shows, for instance, that Indiana has 50% more at-risk assets than does New York. Is it any wonder that Homeland Security has stiffed New York in terror funding? No, there is no wonder because the agency under Michael Chertoff is a blundering behemoth of a bureaucracy with less sense than a mule or a groundhog. In this case, Congress ordered up an inventory of America's most critical potential targets, and Homeland Security responded by asking states to submit lists - without telling anyone what kind of targets were appropriate for listing. Some states then submitted everything bigger than a carpool, and Homeland Security duly recorded every entry. The folks in Indiana appear to have gotten passionately enthusiastic, while New York officials played it a bit safe listing, for another example, only 2% of the nation's banking and finance-sector assets. Indeed, the IG's report notes that the large number of "out-of-place" assets listed in the database are the result of both the states' "unfamiliarity with identifying" targets anda "lack of direction." All this could be amusing, except that the database is a critical tool in doling out anti-terror funding. Chertoff and his underlings had better put massive database revision on their immediate to-do list. As for the department spokesman who was quoted as saying of the database, "We don't find it embarrassing. The list is a valuable tool," well, this guy should head down to Columbia, Tenn., for the next Mule Day festival liars' contest. Later

Yancy Street Gang wrote: Would M. Donald Grant be tasteful? Why don't you put that to a vote? EDIT: If you've been around long enough to have that many posts, why not Casey Stengel? Later

I love the projected lineup. It has Captain Clutch batting ninth. Later

="SteveJRogers"]="Edgy DC"]1996 -- Eric Milton, P Top post-Jeter Yankee No. 1 is 5-4 this season for the Reds and 84-76 in his eight-year career. Seemed on the cusp of stardom when he went 15-7 with 4.32 ERA with the Twins in 2001. Hey its a member of the Benson Bunch! Wasn't Benson himself in the same draft or later? Both drafted in 1996, Benson by the Bucs, Milton in the first round by the Yanks. Later

You're right. I forgot Jackson was with the '60 Bucs. I shoulda' known that. And, Miller was with LA when they won the pennant. Hey, whaddaya' want? That was from memory and as they say, at my age, memory is the second thing to go. sigh Later

Scoring myself on my originalresponse to this thread (pade 1), ot looks like we didn't have to worry about Diaz in right, Jose's hamstrings and Anderson Hernandez' bat. And it isn't Pedro's arm, its his hip. Anyone else want to score their predictions? Later

Mr. Zero wrote: Though Mets and Yanks tie for the dubious achievement of drafting the only #1 over-all picks never to play in the bigs. Steve Chilcott and Brien Taylor. Though it appears troubled Devil Rays draftee Josh Hamilton will eventually join these two. On the other hand, in the "is it better to have never loved than to have loved and lost?" category, there's Todd Von Poppel. He was a highly rated #1 overall pick, and reached the majors - again and again and again with different teams. He became his generation's Dick Littlefield - the standard by which players who were traded to many teams* used to be compared. *= the most famous trade in which he was involved was for Jackie Robinson. Later

Centerfield wrote: I'm working friday. Saturday I have plans. Meaning I get no baseball until Sunday. I might die. CF, is there anything in particular you'd like us to scream at the TV for ya'? We feel for ya', pal. Later

Hey Yancy, I channeled Casey Stengel. Sorry, that's the best I can do. LOL! Later

RealityChuck wrote: He and Jackson (along with you-know-who) are the only Original Mets to play for a Mets pennant winner. And, original Met player Gil Hodges managed one. You made me think of Original Mets who had played for another team's pennant winners before joining the Mets. This is what I remember: Charley Neal - LA '56 Richie Ashburn - Phl '50 Gene Woodling - NYY - several Roger Craig, Don Zimmer, Gil Hodges - Brooklyn several Vinegar Bend Mizell - PGH - '60 Jay Hook, Gus Bell - Cincy '61 Hobie Landrith - SF - '62 Later

]- Being in field level seats and the only thing I could hear during the pre-game 'moment of silence' were the flag-ropes on the top of the stadium flapping in the wind four decks above me. I had never heard 40K people that quiet before ... the silence was deafening. FK, that must have been eerie. I wasn't at that game, but the only thing I experienced that might be comparable to that silence was on my college campus after it was announced that John Kennedy had been shot. Hearing the flag ropes flapping - an all-time great word picture. Thanks, Later

Edgy DC wrote: I assume you mean "best," judging only by their second tours of duty. Yep, that's what I meant. Later

While we're waiting to welcome back baseball from the break, who would you say is the best player who left the Mets (free agent or trade) and who later came back to play for the Mets? And, in case someone was going to post it, please spare us the Welcome Back Kotter theme song. Later

Edgy DC wrote: A recent article posted around hereparts had the name of Reyes's domestic she-partner. Did anyone get that? I Googled "Jose Reyes" plus "girlfriend" and found nothing about our Jose's friend's name. But there apparently a soccer player in England with the same name and there were a few refenrences to his girlfriend's name. Sorry, I gave it a try. Later

As they might say in Boston, he got scrod. (Is that an example of a pluperfect subjunctive?) Later

SteveJRogers wrote: Matlack shared the 1975 MVP with Bill Madlock, only Met to do so. Didn't Mazilli win the MVP for the game in which he homered? IIRC it was the deciding run. Later

I just noticed the Wagner wife's maiden name. I wonder if she's going to teach him to throw sidearm? (OK, so its close) Later

Will this be used as the amunition Bud needs to suspend Barroid for "conduct detrimental...." or the citizenship clause (whatever that wording is)? He'll be able to point to the standard contract wording as his "out" for making that decision and say he was just enforcing an existing rule. It will be easier than suddenly revealing that Bonds was the other shooter on the Grassy Knoll and a decision most baseball fans outside of San Francisco would agree with. Later

old original jb wrote: ] The Yanks have A-Rod, the most accomplished athlete in the sport. As a player, he's excellent. As a personality, he's eczema. But you can't have it all. Actually, he tries to be nice to everyone. (But I guess you can't please everybody) But in doing so, he comes across so Mary Poppinsish that it makes you itchy. And maybe that has been confused with eczema. LOL! Funny line. Later

Question: What's the difference between Trevor Hoffman and Braden Looper? Answer: About 20 MPH. But let's look at the bright side. Yes, the AL will have the home field advantage in the World Series. But the Mets are a very good road team. Later