Centerfield

I think Stephen Strasburg would make a great ace for Team USA. Let's pitch him 100 innings in March.

Frayed Knot wrote: Well of course there are hundreds of baseball teams now in this country, it's just that most of them are prevented from ever being major league teams on account of the closed shop system as it exists. I don't believe that anyone is advocating for a set-up with a hundred or more ML teams, just one where there's the possibility of a team earning its way in. Got it. That's the way soccer works in GB right? I don't know. I don't understand how such a system works to be able to say I'd support it or not. The system certainly doesn't dampen interest over there, so who knows. How do they handle the stadiums? Do they build major-league quality stadiums and hope to crack the top league?

If you could somehow wave a magic wand and even the financial playing field for all 30 teams, I wonder what no artificial restrictions on player movement would look like. I imagine guys like Fernando Martinez would be multi-millionaires, having signed a long-term deal early in attempt to keep him when he becomes ready, and we might be bending over backwards to get him into the lineup hoping he finds himself. On the other hand, someone like Jose Bautista would see his market fall, having to compete with 20 somethings, some as talented, some with promise, who would project to match the 36 year old's production going forward. For instance, if we were bidding on Conforto versus Bautista, I'd be inclined to offer more to Conforto, even with his struggles from last year.

Hundreds of teams? And you thought scheduling was difficult now! I don't really see that as realistic. I think if there were hundreds of baseball teams people would lose interest and the sport would die.

It's a pretty radical idea. I'll have to think this through a bit. I'll admit I've never thought about sports running the way you propose. A couple of quick reactions though. Edgy MD wrote: I would disagree that competitive balance is essential to make the sport compelling. Nothing is more compelling than little guys finding their game and taking out the big guys. It would be compelling, perhaps, in that one year where lightning strikes and an underdog gets lucky. But I think it would be really boring the 9 other years where the Yankees and Red Sox trade championships. Baseball will die in those cities that field perennial losers, waiting for the stars to align once in a generation. Selfishly as a Mets fan, I have to believe that one day the owners will realize they live in NY and ultimately any money-related advantages will help me. But for me, compelling is when every team in the league has a legitimate shot to win a championship during any 10 year stretch. Edgy MD wrote: Truly competitive American baseball should have six teams in the New York area, and three in New England, making being the only team in Pittsburgh or Kansas City a pretty good deal. I think this would be terrible. Six teams in NY and three in New England means that five cities across the US lose their baseball team. I don't really know how to articulate this, but to me, that is not the way baseball should be structured.

Expanding on my idea above, you could conceivably run the draft in 3 rounds. Round 1: everyone is available. Teams pick according to reverse standings. You pick, you negotiate, you sign who you can for the next 30 days. Round 2: Happens 30 days later. All unsigned players are returned to the pool. Teams draft again in the same order. A team is precluded from picking a they previously picked in Round 1. Another 30 day window. Round 3: Same rules as round 2. A team cannot pick anyone that they picked in round 1 or round 2. Anyone left undrafted is SOL. Anyone who cannot reach a deal with a team during these 30 days goes to school or becomes a Long Island Duck. Each amateur gets 3 teams, 90 days.

Understood. I don't doubt that the motivation of the owners in creating a draft was to control costs. But one of the stated, and actual effects, is to create a competitive balance between the teams. Sports are different than all other industries. A competitive balance between the teams is essential for the sport to remain compelling. I get that the draft prejudices the amateur signing his first contract. And maybe more can be done for that amateur to create leverage (a second draft 30 days later for all players who remain unsigned?) But if you allow all baseball players to become unrestricted free agents the moment they leave school, wouldn't that end up in the small market teams being turned into the Washington Generals? Out of curiosity, do you also oppose clubs having player control for 6 years?

Edgy MD wrote: I covet nothing of the Yankees. The draft is anti-competitive and un-American, and it should offend anybody who thinks about it. Whether it blesses them or curses the Yankees in particular isn't really relevant. This might be an impetus for a split, but why do you think it is anti-competitive and unAmerican? The draft is meant to create a competitive balance. I realize it's imperfect, but better than a free-for all where the richest teams sign up everyone no?

Haven't you heard? We are getting Giancarlo Stanton.

Is that Ruggiano?

Twins was 1988! You've been not paying attention to pop culture for a long time!

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I voted for Raines and Guerrero. A lot of these guys had the majority of their career after I stopped paying attention, so if I overlooked anyone then too bad for them! J.D. Drew had this great cameo in the movie Twins.

It's getting so I'm having trouble remembering who was legitimately linked to steroids and who was rumor only.

Hey, Asdrubal should have been a fill-in!

I think similar thoughts were expressed 30 years ago about giving Magadan some AB's over Keith.

Why did they feel the need to change the color of the suits? I wonder if that was intentional. Danny DeVito's head seems to be photoshopped about as well as Bart's.

d'Kong76 wrote: Yeah, geez Howie and Gary are living their dream jobs. Darling would probably be the first to break up the trio but seems happy enough doing both Mets and keeping active on the national front too. I know we say it all the time but we really are spoiled broadcasting wise. We are owed this. We lived through FXH.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Well, that's good news. I never really thought he'd leave, though. Where would he go? He's a lifelong Mets fan. If he weren't announcing the games, he'd have to watch them anyway. Which can make announcing for another team difficult.

Thoughts on the Covers! I don't remember if it was ever confirmed that Familia and Colon were pissed at Terry. I feel like that was more of a fan/media thing. Voted for "In Complete Control". It's hard to vote for any Familia covers right now. The timing on those charges couldn't have been worse for his prospects in the Tabloid Cover Derby. It's too bad because that Cubs game was a thrilling moment in the season. The pic used by both Newsday and the News sucks. It looks like he's trying to mount the reader.

I guess Jose Bautista doesn't count as a momentary Met.

Frayed Knot wrote: The Puma is the Post saying essentially what was being talked about on the previous page, that someone is almost certain to offer Cespedes a fifth year and that it's unclear if the Mets are willing to meet that. As it stands, the Mets are likely committed to signing the 31-year-old if a four-year contract in the $100 million-$110 million neighborhood can be hammered out, according to an industry source, but there is less clarity on the matter when an additional year — which could push the value of a deal beyond $130 million — is considered. "Out of the teams that are interested, somebody will offer five years,” an industry source said. “And the Nationals wouldn’t surprise me.” It seems pretty clear that the Mets have put the four year deal on the table and that the Cespedes guys have said they are looking for at least five. It's also fairly obvious that no one, thus far, has offered five years, or else we would have seen movement. And of course the Mets should keep it quiet on whether they are willing to go to five. You can't expect your four year offer to be accepted if you are whispering to your girlfriends that you'd gladly go five. I think in light of this, Sandy feels no obligation to blink first, probably confident that in the event a five year deal materializes, he'll get one last crack at it before Ces goes elsewhere (maybe this courtesy was bought by Tim Tebow). And he is probably fairly confident that if he can match the best offer out there, that he can get his man. Let's hope that this is true. I get that this is the prudent approach. It does pose risks though. If negotiations drag past the CBA date, it could allow someone like the Dodgers to get into the mix. Also, if Encarnacion signs first, Sandy runs the risk that a loser in the Edwin Sweepstakes comes in with a foolish, stupid high, reactionary 7 year deal. On the other hand, it takes two to tango, and the risk is that if you move aggressively now, Cespedes may still not commit, and then you've just bid against yourself for no reason. GM-ing is hard. Maybe they should just pull the trigger on this Stanton trade. Can't trade Neil Allen though. Obviously. He has already been signed by the Braves.

1998 Robbie Alomar, 2B

I remember him looking like that. He also couldn't move his neck and had to sit in the bullpen to protect him from line drives into the dugout. I remember thinking it was pretty clear his career was over. But he looked better in the fall when he was there for the Wild Card game. Every once in a while I get really pissed off about this David Wright thing. It's just so fucking wrong what is happening to him. He's 33. He should still be in his prime. You know who would have been a great right-handed #3 hitter that this team desperately needed? David Wright. And David is one of the nicest guys to ever play. Just a legitimately good guy that you could feel good rooting for. Cheating assholes like Alex Rodriguez deserved spinal stenosis. Lying pieces of shit like Pete Rose get to play into their forties. Hell, even Reyes with the domestic violence deserved it more. Wright should have been able to play into his fifties. The baseball gods suck.

I can't believe it's not Orel Hershiser. I mean, the guy won everything that year. Wild and crazy stab in the dark. Mike Scott.

I'm having trouble thinking of a more punnable name than Wilmer Flores. Both his first and last name have endless possibilities. [bigpurple:1jepsb4p]WIL POWER![/bigpurple:1jepsb4p] [bigpurple:1jepsb4p]WIL TO WIN![/bigpurple:1jepsb4p] [bigpurple:1jepsb4p]NOT WIL-ING![/bigpurple:1jepsb4p] Free Agent Flores Spurns Mets, Signs Mega-Deal with Giants [bigpurple:1jepsb4p]EVEN FLO![/bigpurple:1jepsb4p] Flores Hit Streak Hits 25 Games, Drives In 4 In Mets Win [bigpurple:1jepsb4p]FLO RIDER![/bigpurple:1jepsb4p] Flores Carries Mets to Extend Win Streak [bigpurple:1jepsb4p]FLO TO METS: KISS MY GRITS![/bigpurple:1jepsb4p] Free Agent Flores Spurns Mets, Moves South to Atlanta