Centerfield

...ballpark stats have to be Bartolo-adjusted.

...he ate this post too.

...Bloomberg tried to veto the deal. Bartolo ate him.

...he once tried high diving in Hawaii. Two days later, tsunami hit Japan.

...he once ate Meatloaf by the dashboard light.

...his picture shows up in my Spam with the caption "Trainers LOVE him!"

...he broke his leg. You know what poured out? Gravy. ...he beeps when he walks backwards. ...Kirstie Alley makes fun of him.

No way I trade either for a guy I know will be a bench player, even a good one. If I keep both, I've got already got first baseman and a good bench player.

I find myself rooting for Mulder. Not sure why. It would be cool if he made it back.

It's December 11. I'm willing to give him until December 13, at 2:38 p.m. Not a minute more.

I know I'm in the minority here, but I think there's nothing wrong with paying Davis $3.5 million and hoping he can recover to 2012 form. If Davis were coming from another team, and Sandy signed a guy who, as recently as 2012, hit 30 HR's and plays solid defense, for one year, $3.5 million, I think a lot of folks would say it's a good move. And so for that reason, I'd be perfectly happy to keep as long as we build other pieces around him. (Maybe I'm softening since it's been months since I've seen Squinty flailing away at pitches in the dirt.) My point before about not needing to move these guys is that Duda is still pretty cheap. There is value in having him around as a backup. People get hurt (not only on our team but others, so a market may develop later). I hope that the Mets don't feel some artificial need to move one or the other while in Florida. Instead, I hope they go in with an idea of their value, and if they don't get it, won't feel any shame in coming back home with both guys. And I feel pretty confident that Sandy will do this. As an aside, isn't it odd we haven't heard a single legitimate rumor about either guy? If that keeps up, WFAN callers won't be able to gripe next season about how we should have moved Davis/Duda for (insert name here) when we had the chance.

I hope that the Mets will not feel compelled to move one or the other and feel pressure to take whatever is offered. If the reward coming back is some back-end starter, I'd prefer to just let Davis and Duda duke it out in spring training. If we can build up the rest of the lineup so that Davis has to bat no higher than 6th, I can live with this. That being said, I feel confident Sandy will be patient and find the right guy. I think they need two more legitimate bats to turn this team around.

I wondered that last season. That's why I thought it would have been great to see how he did there during those meaningless games so we'd have some gauge. We got nothing out of the time given to Omar Quintanilla.

Vic Sage wrote: ...or in a universe where the Mets are operating as a big-market team... You should see how hot the chicks are in that universe. OMG.

Jesse Orosco and Jamie Moyer are still playing somewhere right? Right?

So the idea is to not have any shortstops in 2014?

They had two Ike Davises. The good looking young player who hit for power and played great defense. And the squinty suckass guy.

Agree a thousand percent with JCL. With the first responder hats, not only do they lack the ingenuity and conviction to be able to come up with something like this, but when a fantastic tradition is born right into their organization by the players, they lack the resolve to stand up for it and defend it. I know to some it's just a hat, but in my mind, there couldn't be a better display of what is wrong with this organization. I'm glad that fan allegiances are created when young. There is not a chance in the world that as an adult, I would ever choose to root for this organization, knowing what I know.

Someone needs to toughen up Duda. I know this guy Richie's who not doing much these days...

Who? You know him. Sidearm relief pitcher. Had a very good May. Who? Come on. He pitched in, like, 30 games this past year. Who?

In theory, I'd love to say goodbye to the Mets too. But I think I'd find it very hard if I turned on the TV and saw Wright and Harvey wearing orange and blue. Tough situation. I'd probably root for the Red Sox.

...if the Wilpons moved the team to Las Vegas? I noticed today that the New Orleans Hornets are now the New Orleans Pelicans, dropping the "Hornets" they inherited from Charlotte. I was wondering if anyone from New Orleans still root for the Jazz, since they moved to Utah. Or if anyone from Charlotte still rooted for the Hornets, despite being in New Orleans. You get the idea. Anyway, poll above for a slow off-season day.

Articles are confirming that the rumors that somehow this saves them luxury tax money are bogus. Turns out when you spend more money, it costs you more money. Even the kids in the AT&T commercials can tell you that.

In the past I've made fun of Joe Garagiola for his lack of commentary, but you know, I've never thought about it from his perspective before. Poor Joe probably realized that he's working with a legend, a legend who is used to working alone, and just decided to stay out of the way as much as possible. "Ok CF, so for this production of Hamlet, we've decided to split the role between you and Ian MacKellan. I know, I know, Ian's usually pretty good on his own, but we're gonna try it this way for now. You guys discuss and figure out how you want to divide up the lines. Good luck!"

Oh, and by the way, I could watch the highlight of that ball falling between Wainwright and Yadier Fucking Molina on loop all day. The only way it would have been better is if it caromed up and hit them (both) in the nads. Fuck Wainwright. Fuck Molina.