Centerfield

Understood on that. I'm speaking as an outsider to all of this, but I think it's well past time that the press be removed from the locker room. I think first of all, players deserve their privacy. And just because one is a professional athlete doesn't mean that you have to be comfortable with someone sticking a mic in front of you while you change. Also, it's time to take female reporters out of this situation. They shouldn't have to suffer the backlash from athletes who feel that women do not belong in the locker room. It doesn't have to be a formal press conference. Provide a space. Players make themselves available either before or after they change. Reporters can mingle, get their stories, hang out. Serve cocktails and apps. Play some jazz. Order Insomnia cookies. The time for old boys hanging out in the locker room together is past.

It always struck me as odd that reporters (and their cameras) were allowed in the clubhouse anyway. Why not allow the players to dress, then come out to meet the media?

Tomas Nido hired a swing coach this offseason to change his batpath. https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/mlb/mets/2020/03/09/new-york-mets-tomas-nido-hitting-coach/4994946002/https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/mlb/mets/2020/03/09/new-york-mets-tomas-nido-hitting-coach/4994946002/ "Hired a swing coach" is quickly becoming the new BSOHL. This guy Garmendia sounds interesting. And reading the article, you start to buy in. And then you remember "swing coach" articles for Gavin Cecchini and Juan Lagares and you temper your expectations a bit. This part struck me. During these meetings, Garmendia also puts up a video of a great hitter — say, Mike Trout — to make the point: “What are you doing different than this guy?” Just do what he does. See? Simple!

Times like this I'm so glad our AAA team isn't in LV anymore. We can actually see how he does at sea level. He looked very coordinated and athletic in the spring training games but I don't think he'll ever hit for enough power to stick. Better than Tejada, but not much better.

https://lloydrage.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/harris.jpg?w=350> Heard it from a veteran AL pitcher that Cole puts snot on the ball.

I'm hoping that the rumors about Gerrit Cole are true. And that his elite spin rate will go away this season.

=Centerfield post_id=32347 time=1582730902 user_id=65] Are we doing predictions yet? .450 BA 76 HRs 400 RBI. He'll throw out a runner at home softball style and catch a ball behind his back. I'm so ready for the Cespedes comeback. (all kidding aside, I hope he gets 400 ABs)

I've decided to go with Jordan Humphreys as my Dark Horse Met. This is probably not great news for Humphreys. Past picks from me include Gavin Cecchini and Matt Reynolds.

I like JCL's idea. Give them Walker Lockett.

The Wilpon shills at SNY always favor giving up prospect capital for stars. Baty? Alvararez?...but this is Nolan Arenado! Forget the fact that Anthony Rendon, a guy who doesn't play at Coor's, was available a few months ago for just money. And the Mets treated him like he had COVID 19.

HoJo number 4. Would not have guessed that.

Do we have the old ball or new ball? Or a different ball altogether? Are we allowed to get this info before making a prediction?

Yeah. One of my pet peeves is the general Met fan attitude (not here) towards the DV arrests. Jose Reyes. Threw his wife threw a shower door. Still adored by most Mets fans, because he smiles a lot and does cool handshakes. Jeurys Familia. Never touched his wife. DV arrest expunged from his record. Reviled by most Mets fans who blame him for 2015.

I kinda think we need more starting pitching, not less. If we're going to trade with the Yankees, let's give them Cano.

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote: Vic Sage wrote: gets suspended for domestic violence. Always a good bet to go by the back of the baseball card, unfortunately. Except that in Familia's case, it never happened. It's important to make a distinction between DV cases that are dropped due to lack of cooperation or lack of evidence, and Familia's case, where it is affirmatively determined that domestic violence did not take place. Familia was arrested for DV because the statute is intentionally overbroad and requires arrest any time they see any injury on the wife. (this time, it was scratches on her chest) In some cases, the charges are dropped because the victim refuses to cooperate, or there is insufficient evidence to prosecute. Here, an investigation was conducted and it was affirmatively determined that DV did not take place. Not only were the charges dropped, but the arrest was expunged from his record. This is an important distinction. The statute needs to be broad because DV is so underreported. But the downside is that you get a lot of false positives. It can only work if those that were wrongfully arrested can truly be cleared. Familia drank too much, felt belligerent, then barricaded himself in his bathroom so he wouldn't harm anyone else. The man is obviously working through some things, but to have this self control is the exact opposite of the cowardice that results in beating one's spouse. Familia's wife called the cops not out of fear for herself, but out of fear for that he would harm himself. I don't pretend to know what he is going through, but one thing he shouldn't have to deal with is the stigma of domestic violence.

I think it's Pete.

Yet somehow there was still a 45 minute line at Shake Shack.

No hesitation on this one. A tougher question would be Trump loses the 2020 election but the Wilpons stay in power forever. Even then you have to take Trump losing, but that's a tough one to swallow.

Nimmo undergoing more cardiac tests. Spring training is basically just six weeks of crossed fingers and fluff stories.

=batmagadanleadoff post_id=32303 time=1582658016 user_id=68] =MFS62 post_id=32295 time=1582640285 user_id=60] Batmags, before you continue reading, sit down. OK, sitting? Good. I actually liked that one. (I didn't want you to faint) Later

36-0. 0.48 ERA. 0.76 WHIP Five no-hitters. Hits a grand slam in August. Cures coronavirus in March. Cy Young's ghost submits an op-ed advocating that the award be re-named the "Jacob deGrom Award".

Brodie says no damage, reassessed in a week. No, really. To nitpick, no "new" damage. They found a labrum tear that they labeled as "old". I don't know how they can know that it was old since it wasn't detected until today and JD Davis had no idea he had it. And that doesn't sound suspicious at all.

Are we doing predictions yet? .450 BA 76 HRs 400 RBI. He'll throw out a runner at home softball style and catch a ball behind his back. I'm so ready for the Cespedes comeback. (all kidding aside, I hope he gets 400 ABs)

Jammed shoulder for JD Davis. MRI tomorrow. He says his level of concern is 2.5-3 out of 10.

I think he's going to be bad. I hope I'm wrong, but the guy couldn't get lefties at all last year, and the three-batter rule doesn't help.