MFS62

Related to the Bonds story: In an interview with Keith Olberman, he said that he was "losing 40 pounds because it will put less stress on his knees." The cynics among us will say his new svelte look will be because he's off the 'riods. In any event, if he participates in the games, all players will be subject to the comprehensive Olympic drug testing program. Stay tuned for the next exciting chapter. Later

I'm not sure. What does Jorge's wife look like? Later

TheOldMole wrote: ... because I don't give a flying **** about the LA Dodgers. That brightened my day. Later

I missed question #2. After all, 1916 WAS before my time. Thanks. Later

I saw Vic play.He was as good a righty fielding first baseman as the world has ever seen. He was Gil Hodges, but with more flair (the one handed snatch, more than a grab).Later

Nice work, Duan, but I would like to ask a question about your use of VORP as a baseline. You say that this (including your adjustments)makes comparing players across eras easy. But do your formulae account for the fact that in past eras (before expansion) the quality of even the average replacement player was much higher than replacement players on the diluted rosters of post expansion years? It is my observation that players who sat on the bench on those teams were far superior than some starters on current teams. For example, Jim Gentile sat on the bench behind Gil Hodges and Elston Howard and Gus Triandos sat behind Yogi Berra and Yogi sat behind Bill Dickey. Also- you are comparing them against the average HOF member. I believe it is more valid to be comparing them against players who played in the same era. For example, what is the impact of pre/post dead ball eras? What about records before and after the mound was lowere (in the same ballparks)? Have you accounted for things like that? Not being critical, just asking. Later

Frayed Knot wrote: A side benefit to all this is that the Angels were the main competition for Kornenko and losing out on this one right-handed slugger could give them extra incentive to go hard after St. Manny of Ramirez. Anaheim is supposedly Manny's preferred landing spot [insert Goofy joke here] and one of the few other teams who could afford him. Personally, I'd just as soon see this temptation removed from Omar's view entirely before we ever get a chance to find out whether this "obsession" of his actually exists or is merely a figment of the media's collective imagination. Ya beat me to it, FK. (I hate it when I'm on the road all day without PC access) Later

Edgy DC wrote: Well, such a Hall of Fame would have Bucky Dent over Barry Larkin and Deion Sanders over Tony Gwynn. I don't really think a dull personality or a relative paucity of publicity were ever meant to be disqualifier. Of course not. Fame is my personal tie breaker. It is not the only way I judge whether a player should be in the Hall of Fame. After all, it IS the Hall of Fame, not just the Hall of Statistics and IMO a player must be a significant part of the history of the game in the era in which he played. Numbers are a great part of it. But, as you know, there are other official criteria, such as "character". But fame is my unofficial one if I'm still undecided. And in the case of Kaline, other than being the youngest player to lead his league in batting, and then leading his league in doubles one year, he never led his league in any other statistical category. He was to batters what Don Sutton was to pitchers. You'd name the best right fielders in baseball when he played and you came up with Aaron, Clemente, Frank Robinson. Then, after a long pause, it would be "oh, and Kaline, too". And that was when he was still active. To me, that kind of player, an afterthought, is not a Hall of Famer. Don't get me wrong, he was a pretty darn good player. But not a Hall of Famer in my mind. What are your thoughts about Rose leading the voting on ESPN? Later

� Less power than you'd think: Alex Ochoa � Root for the laundry: Gary Carter � Screwball: Roger McDowell (not what he threw, what he was) � He managed to take that single talent of hitting a baseball really hard, and make a decent 3-4 year career out of it: Matt Franco � He could play anywhere but pitch and catch: Joe McEwing � Some stars fade away: Mike Piazza � Other stars explode and drop out of the sky: Darryl Strawberry (he pushed his own self destruct button) � He hit his career peak at 35: Hoyt Wilhelm � Tough luck pitcher: Steve Traschel � Good two-strike hitter: Yogi Berra Later

Uh oh. I just noticed the beard. Maybe he can have it transplanted to the top of his head..... or mine. Later

Some pre-Winter Meeting mental gymnastics. For any new (or returning) folks, word association. It doesn't have to be a Met player: enjoy, Later ************************************************************************** � Less power than you'd think � Root for the laundry � Screwball � He managed to take that single talent of hitting a baseball really hard, and make a decent 3-4 year career out of it. � He could play anywhere but pitch and catch � Some stars fade away � Other stars explode and drop out of the sky � He hit his career peak at 35 � Tough luck pitcher � Good two-strike hitter

If that deal is still in play, it is giving up too much. But if it does go down, we'd better be getting back most(if not all) of the money due Manny, and (not or) catching prospect Kelly Shopach. Later

Edgy DC wrote: The publicity around the ballot doesn't seem to have officially begun, but I expect that the story of this year's ballot will be that Pete Rose's eligibility with the BBWAA has expired. There's a vote going on at the ESPN website. They are apparently unencumbered by the real ballot, because the leading vote getter (over 70%) is Pete Rose. And Don Mattingly is second. Back to our thread, I'd toss a coin on Jim Rice (I can be convinced both ways) and vote for Doc Gooden, just to keep his ship afloat. His "dominance at his position" was Koufax-esque in terms of time. But I guess more voter sympathy goes to the natural (arthritis) career ending infermity than a self imposed one (substance abuse). And, Edgy, as for the "Fame" arguement, I still consider it. One way of voting I've heard about is "When you think of an era in baseball, is this player one of the first five (pick your number) players who you think of?" I look it as "would I have made a special trip out to the ballpark and paid money to see him play?" In that regard, I would have voted for Dick Allen and not for Al Kaline, who was as dull as dishwater. Later

]MFS62--it makes me worry that your heart is ten sizes too small. Actually, I am a very compassionate person. My heart is as big as the ocean. But sometimes my heart doesn't let my head (or typing fingers) know about it. That was meant as a joke, and if anything was a shot at the so-called "Bleacher Creatures" in Yankee Stadium. And the sports cartoonists in the Daily News have on occasion pictured them as I did. And I did say "obnoxious" fans. But, you're right. You can't generalize. Looks can be deceiving. And I had a feeling I would get some storm and fury from posting that without explanation. Later

Are the Mets becoming the Yankees? Not until obnoxious fans with bad hair from New Jersey, wearing polyester warmup suits and gold Joey Botafuco starter kits around their necks, start showing up in droves at Shea Staduim. Later

Nice one, SH. And here's a new Carol for the Holiday Season. enjoy, Later ***************************************************************************** (with a glance at Andy Williams. Or is that Garth Brooks?) "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" It's the most wonderful time of the year Mom and me are just kvelling And Omar is telling us "Come out and cheer" It's the most wonderful time of the year It'll be a hap-happiest season for all With those press conference greetings Before the big meetings Agents return Omar’s calls It's the hap-happiest season for all There'll be playoff games hosting Other teams they’ll be roasting When Wags starts to throw There'll be scoring run stories And more Mets team glories Like in seasons of too long ago It's the most wonderful time of the year There'll be bats hot, they’re glowing Like the heat Wags is throwing Someone the other teams fear It's the most wonderful time of the year

According to the 2:40 update on WFAN, the Mets got Tike Redman - for cash. There's the backup centerfielder, one who is several decades younger than G. Williams. What's not to like? (Other than his awful OBP)? Later

Edgy DC wrote: Don't want to draw too many conclusinos from the sample size. Exactly. My response was pure speculation. We have no way of knowing what Hojo is teaching him - if anything specific. Later

Edgy DC wrote: That's one quiet .300 hitting by Hernandez. An isolated slugging of .025? What's HoJo been teaching down there? Could be he's teaching him to hit the ball on the ground to take advantage of his speed. Could be a whole number of other things, too. It is an advantage when a player in Winter Ball is being worked with by one of the coaches in his organization. It gives the player a head start on Spring Training. Later

Why is it that when folks write about good/ great players who had a bad post season, they keep forgetting Gil Hodges' o-fer in a World Series? And he was beloved. Priests in Brooklyn asked their congregations to pray for him. Later

Johnny Dickshot wrote: Young Johnny was into the Jo(h)n's: Milner and Matlack. What did Young Johnny think about the cleanliness of the men's johns at Shea Staduim? Later

Terry Leach - my all time favorite Met. I've probably told why in other posts. Later

Yep, not as "grabbing" as the play. It worked better in the intimacy of the live stage. Later

"Yes, we know that this would give the Mets the "worst" defensive left side of the infield in baseball" Heals, are you also trying to tell us that if the Mets acquired Soriano, he would be playing third or short? Please tell us that was errata. Later

Scarlett, I noticed the change in your sig line. Nice. I haven't seen the movie yet, but did see the play, which left me faklempt. No, it wasn't just the music, it was the story. (Of course I have also been known to cry at some Kodak and Coca-Cola commercials. ) When I see the film, I'll give it my ranking here. I saw that one reviewer called it "Fame on steroids". Considering the plot lines, I felt that was a little cold. Later