Centerfield

Our unexpected hero debuts tonight.

Edgy MD wrote: I'm more than ready to pinch-hit for Kevin Long. By the way, that's the problem with d'Arnaud's swing. It's long. BIG PURPLE YUP[/bigpurple]

Yeah, if this thread is measured by wrongity, I win.

Like some others in this thread, I don't know if that comes under the umbrella of "unexpected", but Reed has certainly performed beyond expectations. One of the few guys this year.

So a week plus into August, the answer is...no one. No one has been an unexpected hero. In fact, the prediction of Bartolo as Silver Slugger may be the only guess that was even close. Let's call up Gabriel Ynoa and give him Verrett's spot in the rotation. We need our unexpected hero.

We can still do this. Plenty of season left. Turn around starts today.

That's a great point. There is no way an 18 year old Ichiro cracks the major leagues. So if you're projecting whether he would have beat Pete Rose, you have to almost delete those first couple of years. On the other hand, Japan plays 18 games fewer every season, which multiplied by 9 years comes to exactly 162 games. But you figure he wouldn't have had as many hits during those years because the competition is higher here in the US. So, in other words, we have no idea if he would have beat Pete's record or not.

Yup. That's exactly what I was trying to say. Definitely a Hall of Famer, but where will he end up among the greats? I mean, he is such a unique type of player that the opinions of him really span the whole spectrum. I've heard pretty knowledgeable baseball fans propose seriously that he was the best player in MLB during the 2000's (not true) and others say he's just Luis Castillo who stuck around for a long time (also not true). One thing I just realized about him this week, he's played 16 seasons in MLB, plus 9 in Japan. That's 25 years. He's 43. Holy crap, he was playing in the Japanese big leagues at 18 years old. And as to FK's question about his performance this year, the man is clearly juicing like every other Marlin.

Nymr83 wrote: LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Fman99 wrote: I like it. If Verrett continues to eat it four innings in, give Niese a chance to start. Why not. Ashie62 wrote: Verrett really really sux. Start Niese. Why not start them both? Like, make every fifth day a shared-start day. They alternate "starting" the games, but really, they're handling 3-4 innings each, with the other being the first out of the pen. why not really go outside the box - give the start to a "reliever" who pitches the first inning with both Niese and Verrett ready to go - then decide which one pitches the 2nd inning on based on the opposing lineup's lefty/right split - as long as the other team believes you are equally willing to start either player they wont be able to load the lineup with lefties/righties. What a terrific idea.

Definitely that cloud is there, it's just that you see the MFY fans bend over backwards to justify assholes like Clemens. Who clearly only used roids during his time in Boston and Houston. Andy Pettite only used PEDs because he was a good teammate and wanted to get back on the field as fast as possible. Jason Giambi used steroids in Oakland, but ditched them, just like his beard, as soon as he came to NY. It's just strange to see the MFY (and their fans) hang ARod out to dry like that. Anyway, it's been entertaining. I'm sorry to see the AROd chapter close.

All of this is so strange. At the end of the day, Alex Rodriguez ends his Yankee career with 351 HR's and a .901 OPS. He is one of the best players they've had all time. (St. Jeter, by comparison, was 260 and .817). And he was critical in the 2009 championship team. And sure, he's had his steroids scandals, but this is a fan base that supports Dickhead Clemens and ********** Giambi. I guess he is so unlikeable that this is his fate, but it's just strange to see a Hall of Famer (by stats anyway) see his career end in such a shitty way.

themetfairy wrote: Fuck you Ichiro! (Sorry - I couldn't help myself) Why don't you like him metfairy? Was never a big fan of him myself. Some of it is not really his fault. I remember when he first came over, people would take digs on Shinjo and say that the Mets signed the wrong Japanese guy, blah blah blah. As if Shinjo and Ichiro were ever supposed to be on the same level. But also he seemed full of himself and douchy as compared to our loveable (if somewhat odd) outfielder. Anyway, when you root for the underdog to succeed, you can't help root that the favorite stumble. But then he some shit to say about Korea after losing to them in the WBC. After that first gen Korean Americans were pretty outspoken. Like to the level San Diegoans were mad at Ron Burgundy. Still, 3000 hits when you start that late is no joke. And he put up some amazing seasons in his prime. Terrific hitter, terrific fielder, a gun that was rivaled only by guys named "Vladimir", and a great basestealer. Still, you wonder what his place in history will be considering he never walked much and hit for no power.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: It's getting rid of a young (YOUNG young) potential cornerstone and a VERY promising young arm in the service of remaining in contention. (Exactly the wrong reason for a lopsided trade of future-for-present; we wouldn't remember Fullmer-for-Ces NEARLY as fondly if it hadn't come along with d'Arnaud and Wright returning, and put us over the top.) And Bruce has one tool. ONE. AND he's redundant, position-wise. Plainly put, it's a shitty deal. Even with Nimmo in it instead, it's worth it only if you like the idea of Bruce as Cespedes leverage. (Which I also think is bullshit.) Honestly, I can't believe the amount of "like" around this one. Preach on brother.

Inexcusable really. Terry Collins should really not return next year.

What do you have to lose by challenging here? Maybe he didn't give a lane?

Frayed Knot wrote: So what the fuck is Girardi (and/or the Steinbrenners) trying to prove with ARod? Down by three, two runners on base, #8 hitter at the plate (2 career HRs - none this year) and you leave the guy with 696 careers HRs on the bench?!? ... and with his jacket on it didn't look like he was going to hit for the #9 hitter either (23 HRs in >1,000 ABs) if he came up. Yeah I know he suxxx at this point (and whose fault it that?) but this now smells like they've decided to cut him but are intent on embarrassing him first. And I'm sure you all know that this rant is not based on any kind of sympathy for Sir Alex of Rodrigia. But how is playing with a 24 man bench while you're only 5 or so games out of the WC race doing yourself any favors? It's like they don't care if it hurts themselves as long as they make him look and feel like shit in the process. oe: and all of this coming off two games where they sat him against a lefty hurler on Wednesday and vs Colon tonight against whom he had more HRs than anyone - and instead DH'd a just called-up backup catcher who was 0-for-4 in his major league career when this series started. So if I'm a Yanqui fan -- even if not an ARod fan -- I'm on the warpath right now over this game. Yeah, there is clearly some ill-will on the Yankees' side against A-Rod. Maybe they feel he embarrassed them with this whole fiasco? Not sure. Don't care enough to dig, but I can tell you I was happy they let the guy with no HR's hit and end the game on a double play. Maybe they're trying to get that protected draft pick.

d'Kong76 wrote: Granderson LF De Aza CF Walker 2B Bruce RF Loney 1B Conforto DH d�Arnaud C Johnson 3B Reynolds SS Colon P I wonder if Conforto is dinged up. Better fielder than Granderson I would think. No Wilmer.

Agree that he should have gone on the DL before, but the move was at least defensible at the time. I think everyone thought he'd be back in a few days. I think the bigger mistake was when it was apparent he wasn't better, he should have been DL'ed retroactively instead of trotting him out there and letting the injury linger. I think the decision not to DL Wright still takes the cake for the most idiotic move the Mets made (or failed to make) this season.

Hell, if the Dodgers kick in money, you can even platoon Bruce and Puig.

A Boy Named Seo wrote: If the Dodgers paid some of his $$ and asked for an unheralded minor leaguer or 2 like him in return, would you buy Jay Bruce a 1B glove and take a chance? ... Is this idea effing stupid? If that's all it would take to get him you go for it right? I haven't been following what has happened to him, but if he's even close to 25, that talent is still there.

It's crazy that they are this close with all that has gone wrong this season: 1. Lost their first baseman 2. Lost their shortstop 3. Lost their thirdbaseman for the year 4. Lost their catcher (found him again, thankfully) 5. Lost their best defensive CF 6. Primary backup OF'er was terrible 7. Conforto played so bad he was demoted 8. Lost Harvey for the season 9. Employed the services of Eric Campbell! 10. Wheeler had a setback 11. Plenty of bone spurs to go around 12. Reached historic levels of futility with RISP And meanwhile everything has come up roses for Washington. All of that changes now. For the next three months, everything goes our way, and Washington comes to realize that 2016 is not their year. It's the year the Baseball Gods decided to fuck with them.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Duda is this year's d'Arnaud. Cespedes is this year's Cespedes. Conforto is this year's Conforto.

2 CG Shutouts in the WS. Named MVP.

Totally possible. Maybe not likely, but definitely possible. We don't have the rotation we did last year, but if everyone gets healthy and starts hitting, this is not bad: 1. Reyes SS 2. Walker 2B 3. Bruce RF 4. Cespedes LF 5. Duda 1B 6. Conforto CF 7. Flores 3B 8. d'Arnaud C Sprinkle in Loney and Cabrera (if he comes back), Johnson, Nimmo, de Aza. Still need a RH hitter off the bench, maybe waiver move? Rotation is solid, if not dominant, and the bullpen is good enough. You can add waiver guys there too. Let's slug our way to the title.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: He'll be interesting to watch. I think he's got at least one AS appearance in him. This is what I fear as well. I think Herrera will be pretty good, and we'll kick ourselves for giving him up for Jay Bruce. The only silver lining here is that I suck at gauging talent. I thought Victor Diaz would be pretty good.