Centerfield

Dae Sung Koo Koo Ka-Choo Mrs. Robin(son) Ventura

The way Heyman is reporting on this Lowe situation, you'd think Boras has him in his back pocket. In his blog, he writes that the Mets might be falling behind in the race for Lowe. http://www.fannation.com/si_blogs/hot_stove/posts/37542

Exactly. If you are going to pull the "I know more than you" act, insist that something will happen because of inside information, there are only two things you can end up being: 1. Right 2. A tool If #2 happens, take it like a man and admit you were wrong. Backpedaling and excuse making turns you into an even bigger tool.

="SteveJRogers":t4clidsw]="attgig":t4clidsw]Sounds like the suspension in the NFL this past year. bunch of players (like Deuce McAllister) took a OTC dieuretic that was not in any banned substance list, but they suspended him anyway. The NFL didn't publish that drug because it helps to hide steroids in the blood. But then they suspend people anyways because they took it without knowing. in this case, it sounds like the players union screwed up and didn't get the info from MLB over to all the players.[/quote:t4clidsw] In other words we have a misleading thread title![/quote:t4clidsw] Steve, why are you such a tool? Gwreck Jan 06 2009 07:03 PM I think Romero's beef is more with the Union than anyone. The MLB players union can't possibly be hurting for money -- I can't see why they wouldn't have full-time staff who can help players avoid these very problems.

JC Romero suspended 50 games. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3812334

If we don't do it, we should at least start some rumors to light a fire under Derek Lowe's ass. I heard the Mets offered Sheets 2 years, $24 million. Ok Steve, go quote me on other boards.

When did Kates, Katies and Kathys turn into "Kat"?

Why not? Is it any more risky than a 4 year deal to a 36 year-old who has been good, but never great?

How come our deal is so public? How do we communicate with Boras? Smoke signals?

="soupcan"]="Centerfield"]="soupcan"]As a fan I hate him, but if I were an athlete he'd be my guy. Why do you hate him as a fan? As an owner or GM, he might be the scum of the earth, but do fans really have a rooting interest in negotiations between player and team? I suppose its not him I hate but rather the escalating salaries that continue to move the players and the game farther away from the fan. As a fan though - the higher the salary, the higher the operating costs of the team, the higher the cost of watching or going to a game. So you're saying you don't hate the playa, you hate the game.

="soupcan":1gdt0nu9]As a fan I hate him, but if I were an athlete he'd be my guy.[/quote:1gdt0nu9] Why do you hate him as a fan? As an owner or GM, he might be the scum of the earth, but do fans really have a rooting interest in negotiations between player and team? metsmarathon Dec 31 2008 08:41 AM i only hate him when players i want the mets to get have him as their agent, and that drags out the process of signing said player, and typically means that, if we do get said player, its at a higher cost and because we offered the most money (as opposed to the fictional world i wish to live in where free agents choose the mets not for the most money but because they're the awesomest destination, and do so cheaply and before christmas). soupcan Dec 31 2008 08:45 AM ="Centerfield"]="soupcan"]As a fan I hate him, but if I were an athlete he'd be my guy. Why do you hate him as a fan? As an owner or GM, he might be the scum of the earth, but do fans really have a rooting interest in negotiations between player and team? I suppose its not him I hate but rather the escalating salaries that continue to move the players and the game farther away from the fan. As a fan though - the higher the salary, the higher the operating costs of the team, the higher the cost of watching or going to a game. Edgy DC Dec 31 2008 08:50 AM ="soupcan":f7bp71p6]As a fan though - the higher the salary, the higher the operating costs of the team, the higher the cost of watching or going to a game.[/quote:f7bp71p6] I don't believe that for a minute. Prices are driven by demand, not by salary expenses. Don't let the owners convince you otherwise Centerfield Dec 31 2008 09:08 AM ="soupcan"]="Centerfield"]="soupcan"]As a fan I hate him, but if I were an athlete he'd be my guy. Why do you hate him as a fan? As an owner or GM, he might be the scum of the earth, but do fans really have a rooting interest in negotiations between player and team? I suppose its not him I hate but rather the escalating salaries that continue to move the players and the game farther away from the fan. As a fan though - the higher the salary, the higher the operating costs of the team, the higher the cost of watching or going to a game. So you're saying you don't hate the playa, you hate the game. Benjamin Grimm Dec 31 2008 09:14 AM One reason not to like Boras: He represents Mike Pelfrey. If Pelfrey continues to develop into the pitcher we'd like him to be, we have little to no hope that he'll sign a contract like Wright and Reyes did. He'll do the arbitration thing each year that he can, and then he'll test the market. It makes it just a teeny bit harder to get attached to a home-grown player. attgig Dec 31 2008 10:29 AM ="Edgy DC":6u8g9kac]="soupcan":6u8g9kac]As a fan though - the higher the salary, the higher the operating costs of the team, the higher the cost of watching or going to a game.[/quote:6u8g9kac] I don't believe that for a minute. Prices are driven by demand, not by salary expenses. Don't let the owners convince you otherwise[/quote:6u8g9kac] not only demand, but supply. all these new ballparks have less seats. friggin owners. BUT, I would love to see how ticket prices changed from before Free Agency to the early nineties (when contracts started going into the millions). soupcan Dec 31 2008 10:58 AM ="Edgy DC":2ijnmyx6]="soupcan":2ijnmyx6]As a fan though - the higher the salary, the higher the operating costs of the team, the higher the cost of watching or going to a game.[/quote:2ijnmyx6] I don't believe that for a minute. Prices are driven by demand, not by salary expenses. Don't let the owners convince you otherwise[/quote:2ijnmyx6] I don't mean to say that salaries are the only thing but they are a significant contributing factor. ="Centerfield":2ijnmyx6]So you're saying you don't hate the playa, you hate the game.[/quote:2ijnmyx6] Word. Edgy DC Dec 31 2008 11:14 AM ="soupcan":osy3ctu2]I don't mean to say that salaries are the only thing but they are a significant contributing factor.[/quote:osy3ctu2] I don't think they mean a thing. All the restraints of a salary cap haven't made basketball and football tickets any more affordable. soupcan Dec 31 2008 11:29 AM ="Edgy DC":r44vyrx7]="soupcan":r44vyrx7]I don't mean to say that salaries are the only thing but they are a significant contributing factor.[/quote:r44vyrx7] I don't think they mean a thing. All the restraints of a salary cap haven't made basketball and football tickets any more affordable.[/quote:r44vyrx7] It's not like their salary caps have kept those other sports salaries low either though. Frayed Knot Dec 31 2008 12:07 PM Not low, but lower than they'd be under a true open market -- and yet the NFL with its hard cap and often elusive FA system has still managed to be the sport to virtually invent and exploit things like seat licensing and mandatory pre-season buys.

Three year, $36 million offer to Lowe says Tom Singer at Mets.com. It cites a Times report but I couldn't find the article. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081230&content_id=3730397&vkey=hotstove2008&fext=.jsp

I just looked it up. Castillo beat Jones in OPS last season by 155 points.

I feel like Omar sometimes leaks names like Andruw Jones so we will feel better about him doing nothing.

I haven't seen anyone describe Delgado as a "must-dump". My complaint is that it is risky to rely on him to be a middle of the lineup run producer. Manny is not just a better hitter, he's a much better hitter. And has been incredibly consistent over the past several years, unlike Delgado. (I'm not sure what relevance Delgado's three years before joining the Mets has to this discussion. His three years since joining the Mets have been inconsisitent. If I'm reading the post wrong, ignore this part.) The reason I advocated dumping Delgado was because of this idea that we were "set" at first base. I wanted to pursue Texiera because he was the best option available. If we got him, we wouldn't need Delgado and would have to trade him for something valuable or, at the very least, clear his salary. Now, since that option is gone, the next best option is to get Manny. It's a bigger risk than Texiera because of his age and intangibles, but it's a shorter commitment, and fits the Mets' needs position-wise a bit better. The more money, poor fielding, questionable attitude make him a less attractive option than Tex, but since he's the best thing available, and there doesn't be much of a bidding war to get him, I want him on my team.

Maybe the games were not sold out. It's a shame. One of the highlights of my weekend was watching the ten-run inning in all its glory.

Randy's mom must be a lurker here.

Ken Rosenthal reporting that the Red Sox are close to signing Brad Penny. You'd have to think this bodes well for us on the Lowe front.

If they complain, they should stfu. If Manny complains later, he should stfu. I want him on the Mets because he is very good. He is not as good an option as the one that signed with the MFY's, but he is by far the best option available. GET IT DONE.

="Benjamin Grimm":3uozdwr8] Yaloff may not have brought much to the table, but at least he's not a loudmouth.[/quote:3uozdwr8] Exactly. I think I'll watch the post-game after nice wins anyway, but I suspect I'll enjoy it less. Even without Creepy Lee. Very few things annoy me more than the PTI impersonators that have popped up over the years. soupcan Dec 24 2008 08:46 AM Carlin's got a bit of a lisp, but other than that - he' knows his stuff and is likable. A bit excitable but he's okay. A Texas Rangers fan I beluieve. Fman99 Dec 24 2008 09:27 AM These guys are all parsley. Benjamin Grimm Dec 24 2008 09:32 AM Is that what their farts smell like? Frayed Knot Dec 24 2008 10:13 AM Carlin's currently got about 45 different jobs: NY Giants pre & post game, Rutgers football & basketball play-by-play, SNY's 'Beer Money' and 'Loudmouths', and WFAN as fill-in host, early morning "warmup" host (5-6 AM) and update guy for the Boomer & Carton show, plus I think he sweeps the studio afterward. And, since I think there's a law where no one can have more jobs than of Regis Philbin, he's leaving WFAN as of this week or next and limiting himself to SNY & Rutgers. As far as a the Met studio host I keep hearing fans who seem to hate Yallof only slightly less than Adolf Hitler. Personally I only occasionally catch the pre/post game shows and so find myself passionately indifferent to who hosts and generally agree with the 'parsley' comment. That said, Carlin is usually good at whatever he does and can be pretty funny, especially if released from a structure format of something like 'Loudmouths'. He claims to have grown up a Met fan until abandoning them as a result of them dealing away Mookie. Why he then latched onto the Rangers is a bit of a mystery. Frayed Knot Dec 26 2008 07:33 AM Phil Mushnick (NYPost): All sorts of changes at SNY. Chris Carlin, done at WFAN, will become the pre- and post-game studio anchor for Mets games. He'll replace three-year SNY original Matt Yallof, who won't be renewed. Chris Cotter, another SNY original, is also out, and will be replaced in the studio by part-timer Jonas Schwartz. And Michelle Yu, late of New York 1, has joined as an anchor/reporter. John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 26 2008 07:53 AM Yallof never did it for me. I blame his sunny demeanor in part for fostering that sense of entitlement and satisfaction with the status quo that has plagued the Mets over the last two years. Really, SNY, like all state owned news orgs, is a terribly evil organization overall and must be stopped. Kong76 Dec 26 2008 07:58 AM See, and I just thought he was a putz in a suit who had a man crush on Maz. seawolf17 Dec 26 2008 08:00 AM Cotter's out?!? That's too bad. I liked him. I wonder if he got a better gig. Edgy DC Dec 26 2008 08:05 AM SNY tunes in more changes of hosts BY BOB RAISSMAN DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Thursday, December 25th 2008, 10:44 PM Jonas Schwartz Chris Cotter Michelle Yu Kenny Choi Charles Smith Tim Welsh Chris Carlin Lemur Silly Bob OjedaThe new year will bring more changes at SportsNet New York. Network brass, having already revamped the roster of its Mets pre- and postgame shows, also will introduce a new voice on "Daily News Live." Jonas Schwartz will become host of "DNL," replacing Chris Cotter - who is moving to Fox Business Channel as a reporter/anchor. Schwartz, who already has made cameo appearances on SNY, was a sports anchor at WNBC-TV. Yesterday, Cotter, who came to SNY nearly three years ago as its first Mets beat reporter, said he figured he would get into business reporting at some point in his career, but not this soon. "My plan was to stay at SNY, but it became apparent, pretty quickly, that we were at an impasse in (contract) negotiations," Cotter said. "That's when I began looking elsewhere." Cotter, who was in corporate finance and marketing before launching what turned into a 12-year career in sports media, said it felt "strange" being on the verge of entering another line of reporting. "Every night I watched games and figured out what I was going to talk about the next day," he said. "Now I have to get in the same mode with business news." In another SNY move, Michelle Yu will join the network as a reporter/anchor for "SportsNite," replacing Kenny Choi. Charles Smith, who played with the Knicks for three seasons during his nine-year NBA career, moves into SNY's Big East basketball studio. He will be joined by Tim Welsh, the former Providence and Iona coach. Earlier this week, SNY anointed Chris Carlin as its new Mets pre- and postgame host. Carlin already wears two hats ("Loud Mouths" and "Beer Money") at the network. SNY, which did not re-sign studio analyst Lee Mazzilli, has not named a partner for Carlin, but is expected to hire Bob Ojeda, the former Met pitcher.Michelle Yu is a graduate of Manhattan College (Yeah!) but has put her degree to work authoring Asian-American oriented chick lit (Boo!). Kong76 Dec 26 2008 08:10 AM Lemur Silly ... hee hee. Fman99 Dec 26 2008 08:10 PM I approve of Michelle Yu. I'd eat the corn out of her poop. Benjamin Grimm Dec 26 2008 08:31 PM ="Fman99":3ekei0l8]I'd eat the corn out of her poop.[/quote:3ekei0l8] If ever a comment fit the description of "too much information" it's that one! John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 26 2008 08:39 PM ="Fman99"]I approve of Michelle Yu. I'd eat the corn out of her poop. What a romantic thing to say! I'll be sure to include a poop-eating scene in my next Asian chick-lit novel. G-Fafif Dec 26 2008 09:46 PM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":2pgyl5t7]Yallof never did it for me. I blame his sunny demeanor in part for fostering that sense of entitlement and satisfaction with the status quo that has plagued the Mets over the last two years. Really, SNY, like all state owned news orgs, is a terribly evil organization overall and must be stopped.[/quote:2pgyl5t7] Yallof had that smirking, ESPN wannabe thing down pat. So did Kenny Choi. I really hate SNY's studio shows. They seem to come out of some mindless Comcast handbook. I have a hard time imagining blowhard Carlin changing that. Mazzilli was a genuine person, which is rare on TV. One night he was offering some anecdote from his rookie days under Joe Frazier. Yallof began to smirk and chuckle as if somebody bringing up a name that wasn't from the preapproved names list was supposed to be a punch line. Mazz shot him a glare and said, "Joe Frazier was a good man." That impressed me. There's no payoff in defending Joe Frazier in 2008, but Mazzilli had a point to make and he was going to make it. I don't know what Ojeda will bring to the desk, but I'll miss Lee. Yallof at the winter meetings, before any real news happened, was all "It's crazy! There are people here, so many people!" WTF did you expect when you got to the hotel? He had his moments, but not a lot of them. Cotter was worse. Cotter always looked like he had rushed in from a frat party. When Yallof was off doing some straight reporting on the Mitchell hearings in D.C. and Cotter was anchoring, Cotter said to him, via satellite, "I'd love to say you're able to knock off now and get a cold, frosty one in Georgetown, but there's a press conference coming up and we're gonna need you to cover it..." Yallof had this expression like, "Huh?" Fman99 Dec 26 2008 11:39 PM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket"]="Fman99"]I approve of Michelle Yu. I'd eat the corn out of her poop. What a romantic thing to say! I'll be sure to include a poop-eating scene in my next Asian chick-lit novel. Well if you do it right, it's more of a poop themed corn eating scene. But you're on the right path. John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 27 2008 08:27 AM ="G-Fafif":3358tiie] Mazzilli was a genuine person, which is rare on TV. One night he was offering some anecdote from his rookie days under Joe Frazier. Yallof began to smirk and chuckle as if somebody bringing up a name that wasn't from the preapproved names list was supposed to be a punch line. Mazz shot him a glare and said, "Joe Frazier was a good man." That impressed me. There's no payoff in defending Joe Frazier in 2008, but Mazzilli had a point to make and he was going to make it. I don't know what Ojeda will bring to the desk, but I'll miss Lee. [/quote:3358tiie] That's well-said. The vibe I got from Mazzilli wasn't that he was creepy necessarily, but that he could barely tolerate the tenor of much of the discussion he was asked to take part in, and that Yallof totally missed that. I imagine after the shows Yallof would ask Lee out for pizza and Maz would tell him to fuck off, and Yallof would think, "Boy, that guy's sure rude!" And I never thought I'd say this but enough with the fucking 86 Mets already. We have 2 in the booth, one on the coaching lines, do we need even more in the studio? At least Maz had some of that old-school perspective. I want Wayne Garrett or Johnny Stephenson or Joe Orsulak, dammit. G-Fafif Dec 27 2008 11:06 AM Familiarity breeds apathy if not contempt when it comes to old players you once held dear. I missed Mookie at the final day to-do, yet he was hanging around for years as first base coach and he was, in that capacity, just a turn-of-the-millennium Sheriff Robinson to me. Seaver morphed from legend of legends to grating announcer over time; Rusty, too. HoJo...next teamwide slump, he's not the 30/30 guy. He's the lousy hitting instructor. You want these guys on good diplomatic terms with headquarters, you want them to show up for events, but mostly, I think, you want them to remain special. Then again, they gotta eat, too. Also, who wants to see Great Ex-Met Fill In The Blank wearing an enemy uniform? I didn't like it with Mazzilli, don't care for it with McDowell. Ah, fandom's complex and consuming tapestry... metirish Dec 27 2008 11:27 AM I remember before SNY thinking that the Mets went out of their way not to have the 1986 guys around , can't say that now. I often got the feeling from Maz that he really didn't want to be there , at least not in the studio with Yaloff anyway , he seemed more comfortable with Darling and Hernandez. EDIT : I should say my first thought above is hardly original. Kong76 Dec 27 2008 02:52 PM Fm99: I approve of Michelle Yu. I'd eat the corn out of her poop <<< I can see it now, someone is referring to this joint elsewhere as the cornpooforum. Fman99 Dec 27 2008 07:10 PM ="KC"]Fm99: I approve of Michelle Yu. I'd eat the corn out of her poop <<< I can see it now, someone is referring to this joint elsewhere as the cornpooforum. God I hope so. metirish Jan 04 2009 09:33 AM From Neil Best ] 3. SNY will add closed captioning for the hearing-impaired (and for sports bar patrons) in time for the Mets' opener, lest it read about its failure to do so here every single day. 4. SNY also will show the 1969 World Series in honor of that event's 40th anniversary - including Game 1, thus beating YES to the honor of being the first team-owned cable channel in New York to present a classic game that resulted in a loss G-Fafif Jan 04 2009 09:56 AM Mind you, those are part of Best's semi-fanciful predictions as opposed to any hard information. It's been his cute little gripe that neither SNY nor whatchamacallit ever show "Classics" that involve the team they broadcast losing a game, and when SNY reaired Games 2-5 of the '69 WS in 2007, he wanted to know what the harm would be in showing Game One, that long after the fact, Mets fans could withstand the pain of watching the Orioles beat the Mets, knowing it all turns out OK in the end. During the extended NBA lockout ten years ago, Fox Sports New York killed time reairing Mets games from the 1998 season, and one of them was a loss, from when McGwire hit his 50th homer at Shea. But that wasn't a team-owned network, so Best's point is valid. metirish Jan 04 2009 10:04 AM Yes my bad , they are predictions rather than facts. Gwreck Feb 17 2009 09:59 AM Good news: Jocelyn Pierce (who was absolutely terrible) is out as Mets Weekly host. In is Julie Alexandria, who was formerly the co-host of Beer Money. NY Post article: http://www.nypost.com/seven/02152009/sports/moresports/the_rumble_155278.htm metirish Feb 17 2009 10:29 AM From the few times I have seen Julie Alexandria I like her , seems to have a sweet and fun personality. Edgy DC Feb 17 2009 10:35 AM I like how she interviews a shirt. John Cougar Lunchbucket Feb 17 2009 10:49 AM I like corn. HahnSolo Feb 18 2009 07:18 AM ="Gwreck":2a88ajq4]Good news: Jocelyn Pierce (who was absolutely terrible) is out as Mets Weekly host. In is Julie Alexandria, who was formerly the co-host of Beer Money. NY Post article: http://www.nypost.com/seven/02152009/sports/moresports/the_rumble_155278.htm[/quote:2a88ajq4] I would much prefer to look at Jocelyn Pierce. Was she bad as a host? Couldn't say. Was too busy looking at her. Julia's OK I guess, no Jocelyn though. Fman99 Feb 18 2009 07:30 AM ="metirish"]From the few times I have seen Julie Alexandria I like her , seems to have a sweet and fun personality. Do I even need to say it? OK, I think I do. Hey Julie, come over here. And bring the bat. Frayed Knot Feb 18 2009 07:33 AM ="Edgy DC":3msy2jjg]I like how she interviews a shirt.[/quote:3msy2jjg] Maybe she's trying to get the shirt to 'open up' ... like her own for instance. Centerfield Feb 18 2009 07:56 AM ="Frayed Knot":rsssa79a]="Edgy DC":rsssa79a]I like how she interviews a shirt.[/quote:rsssa79a] Maybe she's trying to get the shirt to 'open up' ... like her own for instance.[/quote:rsssa79a] Bam! Julie Alexandria = much hotter than Matt Yaloff. Benjamin Grimm Feb 18 2009 08:08 AM But not as hot as Jocelyn Pierce. I only watched Mets Weekly twice. The first time convinced me that, as lovely as Jocelyn Pierce was, there wasn't enough substance in the show for me to invest (or waste) a half hour of my time. Too much fluff. Half the show was Jocelyn following Scott Schoeneweis around the golf course. (The second time I watched was to catch Johnny Lunchbucket's appearance.) Edgy DC Feb 18 2009 08:13 AM I hadn't heard the Joe Frazier story. Love it. Some of the first things I learned to say as a Met fan was "Joe Frazier Sucks" and "Fire Joe Frazier." I heard them and repeated them and had little idea why I was saying them. metirish Feb 18 2009 09:08 AM I wonder if the bad publicity generated by her husband has anything to do with Jocelyn losing her hosting gig , is she still employed by SNY ? Benjamin Grimm Feb 18 2009 09:10 AM ="metirish":1vsplurx]I wonder if the bad publicity generated by her husband has anything to do with Jocelyn losing her hosting gig , is she still employed by SNY ?[/quote:1vsplurx] Who's her husband? Please tell me it's not Bernie Madoff! metirish Feb 18 2009 09:12 AM Nah it's Antonio Pierce , the numb nut Giants player involved with Plaxico Burress. metirish Mar 30 2009 09:17 AM Klapisch: Ojeda talks a good game ] Bobby Ojeda has spent the past five years in a blissful, self-imposed exile at his Rumson shore house, beyond the reach of the �86 ghosts. The former Mets� left-hander never was much for reminiscing. Like some Met fans � particularly the younger ones � he�s been willing to let the �80s turn to vapor. Does that sound like the profile of an SNY analyst? Incredibly, the Mets-owned network thinks Ojeda is its man, despite the fact he has no television experience. He�ll be in the studio for 130 games this season, replacing Lee Mazzilli as the pregame and postgame intellectual engine. There�s a delicious irony to anyone who knew Ojeda in the Mets� wilder days: He was anything but a spotlight hog, even though he was the best pitcher in 1986, winning 18 games. Now, Ojeda says with a laugh, �I�m the one who�s going to be doing all the talking.� Ojeda has been given free rein by SNY to cut and slash as he sees fit. Ojeda could follow in the footsteps of Keith Hernandez, his onetime teammate who can be openly critical of the Mets and has few friends in the clubhouse (although he has a near-cult following among viewers). Or Ojeda can play it safe like many of the analysts at the rival YES Network, including David Cone and Al Leiter. The networks closely scrutinize each other, comparing nightly ratings, quality of production and the editorial tone of their announcers. One YES announcer said last summer he was �stunned� at how far Hernandez has been allowed to stray from the company line. �If I talked like that about the Yankees, I�d probably get fired,� the broadcaster said with a laugh. Ojeda understands there�s a fine line between honesty and corporate common sense. He also knows his decision to work for SNY has removed him from the brotherhood of big-leaguers. He visited Port St. Lucie, Fla., last week with co-host Chris Carlin (who replaces Matt Yallof) and immediately sensed the gap, even with Howard Johnson, a friend for 20 years who now serves as the Mets� hitting instructor. Ojeda�s only purpose was to chat with HoJo, not interview him, not even to use the information for background. Yet Ojeda knew the reservoir of trust was drying up. �There was this twinge from Howard, like he was talking to the media,� Ojeda said. �I was like, �HoJo, this is me you�re talking to.� I felt like kicking his butt. I�m getting these answers and I�m like, �Come on, are you kidding me?� I guess it�s the nature of the thing I signed on to.� So why would Ojeda begin this journey? Or more to the point, why would SNY take a gamble on an electronic rookie? SNY head Curt Gowdy Jr. says Ojeda impressed the network during auditions with his candor and ability to shape short, concise answers. Once he realized Ojeda actually had a presence in front of the camera, Gowdy was willing to overlook his new analyst�s lack of experience. �It�s a calculated risk, but there are a lot of calculated risks we�ve taken,� Gowdy said. �Look at bringing Ron Darling here from the Nationals. Look at bringing Kevin Burkhardt from WFAN. We think Bob is only going to get better and better.� Gowdy glossed over the dismissals of Mazzilli and Yallof, saying SNY was looking for a �different� personality and perspective. After the Mets� back-to-back collapses in 2007 and 2008, the Wilpon family undoubtedly wanted its network to have a makeover in time for Citi Field�s christening. Jeff Wilpon approached Ojeda during the off-season and floated the idea of coming back to the organization as an analyst. Ojeda had spent three years as the pitching coach for the Brooklyn Cyclones, bailing out in 2003, when Rick Peterson was hired as the Mets� pitching coach. Ojeda went home to Rumson, spending the next five years watching his five daughters grow up, distancing himself from his former life. Ojeda rebuffed every attempt to relive the miracle �86 season, including card shows and interview requests. In truth, he was sick of the Mets who were making careers out of reliving their careers. �You have to move on. I mean, it turns everyone off when you hear [a broadcaster] say, �When I played.� I don�t have any intention of doing that,� Ojeda said. �The players today, it�s their turn; they�re the ones wearing the uniform. I�d rather stay current.� The same forward-directed policy will apply to the other asterisk on Ojeda�s r�sum� � the horrific 1993 boating accident in Florida that took the lives of Indian teammates Tim Crews and Steve Olin, the first deaths of active major leaguers since Thurman Munson was killed in 1979. Ojeda, who suffered severe head lacerations, later said the only reason he also wasn�t killed was because he was slouched over the moment the boat struck a dock. It was driven by Crews, whom investigators said was legally drunk at the time. Ojeda will not speak about the tragedy in interviews or on the air. �It�s like [the] �86 [season]. We all have things on our permanent record,� Ojeda said. �I mean, that�s life; you just keep going. You look for new challenges. For me, this [sNY job] is an opportunity to get back into baseball and talk about something I love. I can�t wait.� Centerfield Mar 30 2009 09:34 AM I can't believe they're putting Chris Carlin on more shows. It's like they're trying to out-dumb themselves. Yalloff might have been stupid, but at least he wasn't a blowhard. I've seen about five minutes of Loudmouths to know that I don't want to see another minute of either of them. Plus he talks like he has marbles in his mouth. Edgy DC Mar 30 2009 09:52 AM Isn't the fact that they have a show called "Loud Mouths" a bigger problem than which particular loud mouths it features? LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Mar 30 2009 11:42 AM ] One YES announcer said last summer he was �stunned� at how far Hernandez has been allowed to stray from the company line. �If I talked like that about the Yankees, I�d probably get fired,� the broadcaster said with a laugh. True story: During her on-air orgasm in response to Roger Clemens' in-game announcement of his return to baseball, Suzyn Waldman was fulfilling a contractual obligation to her former YES employers; in return, she received a $30,000 balloon payment-- $25,000 of which was paid in the form of Hard Rock Cafe gift certificates and tee shirts-- and a 3 ounce vial of Roger Clemens' testicular sweat (valued at 12.07, since subpoenaed by DOJ). Centerfield Mar 30 2009 12:29 PM ="Edgy DC":8fiqu3nj]Isn't the fact that they have a show called "Loud Mouths" a bigger problem than which particular loud mouths it features?[/quote:8fiqu3nj] I understand that the network honchos are asking his mouth to be loud, it doesn't mean I have to like him more. For my pre and post game, give me the guy that passed up that gig. I like SNY because of its Mets/Big East-centered coverage. But outside of the actual games and SportsNight, I think I would rather watch the Lifetime channel than the rest of SNY's programming. In addition to Loudmouths, they have about sixteen other "reporters screaming at each other" type shows. Where it seems the objective is to be more annoying than the guy you're arguing with. I have never heard Joe Beningo on the FAN, but from the clips I see of his "highlights", I think I've seen all I need to see. Edgy DC Mar 30 2009 12:32 PM Yeah, I'm not asking you to like him more, only to give the lion's share of your hate to the process that empowers him to suck. Benjamin Grimm Mar 30 2009 12:37 PM I don't mind that SNY has some dumb shoutfests on its schedule, but I think it would be a good idea for them to have some smart shows as well. (Maybe they do, but if so they don't advertise them during Mets games.) I'm thinking of a Bob Costas/Bryant Gumbel kind of show where you have a reporter covering some topic of interest to the New York sports scene with insight and depth. But instead it's a lot of Loudmouths and Wheelhouse and Beer Money. metirish Mar 30 2009 12:41 PM Fran Healy productions has a range of shows to suit your needs. G-Fafif Mar 30 2009 01:00 PM ="metirish":1szfbxoo]Fran Healy productions has a range of shows to suit your needs.[/quote:1szfbxoo] I had my first ever dream about Fran Healy the other night. Dreamt I was at a table in some mostly deserted banquet room at a trade show in Philadelphia and Healy was taking a break from doing an interview or something and came to sit down. (TMF may have been at the table as well.) My gosh, I thought, I took a shot at him in my book and now I'm sitting here and he's coming over. He walked behind me, gave me this jockish rubbing of the shoulders and said something knowing and slightly needling as if to indicate it's all right, I've been through this before. He wasn't being particularly friendly, but he wasn't altogether menacing. Fman99 Mar 31 2009 11:56 AM Caught a couple of minutes of Beer Money the other night as I was flipping around the dial. Blech. If ol DJ Chunky Carlin came up to me I think I'd just feed him pennies until he went away. Now, that Julie girl, well, heh heh, I'd find something else to feed her. metirish Apr 06 2009 12:14 PM Caught most of the pre-game stuff , it's going to take sme getting used to watching Carlin. Of course I could just skip the damn thing. TransMonk Apr 06 2009 12:15 PM The new in-game graphics are a bit cookie cutter for my taste. I had no problem with the old ones. metirish Apr 06 2009 12:17 PM I find the huge NY swooshing through the screen annoying. A bit FOX like I think. HahnSolo Apr 06 2009 01:06 PM Carlin does remind me a bit too much of the leader of the Fordham Baldies. Elster88 Apr 18 2009 02:16 PM Finally I can be comfortable watching the post-game. The only thing worse than Carlin's voice is actually looking at him. The first time the gf saw him on Beer Money she was afraid of him. I've got no problem with equal treatment for slobs but does this guy have to be on TV? I also have no problem with TV personalities being hired based on how they look and sound. Edgy DC Apr 18 2009 02:50 PM I like to think I'd look prettier if people on TV and on film and in magzines were generally uglier. GYC Apr 18 2009 05:57 PM Chris Carlin is the biggest asshole I ever met. He covers Rutgers games for a local New Brunswick/Piscataway station and has absolutely no respect for anyone else in the business. He's loud, he's obnoxious, and he's an asshole. He'll stand up and leave in the middle of press conferences, even if people are in the middle of talking. He acts like he's important and has priority because he's Chris Carlin. And on gameday, him and fat daughter waddle around Rutgers Stadium. I hate seeing him on SNY. He's a prick. Edgy DC Apr 18 2009 08:22 PM Who else reads GYC's posts and hears the words coming out of Keith Hernandez's mouth? Live on the air. Fman99 Apr 18 2009 08:57 PM ="Edgy DC":2jfw89we]Who else reads GYC's posts and hears the words coming out of Keith Hernandez's mouth? Live on the air.[/quote:2jfw89we] I do, which is even better given Mex's wardrobe (in the profile pic) as the hair color pitchman. I'd buy Grecian 5 from that salty motherfucker in a minute! Swan Swan H May 25 2009 11:36 AM SNY is running the Mr. Koo game as the Mets Classic. Again. As I write this Buck and McCarver are giving Willie a tongue-bath. Anyway, this is at least the fourth time I've seen this game on SNY this year. According to UMDB the Mets have played 7,523 regular season games. Apparently SNY has the rights to show eight of them. batmagadanleadoff May 25 2009 12:17 PM ="Swan Swan H":qgg5ebow]SNY is running the Mr. Koo game as the Mets Classic. Again. As I write this Buck and McCarver are giving Willie a tongue-bath. Anyway, this is at least the fourth time I've seen this game on SNY this year. According to UMDB the Mets have played 7,523 regular season games. Apparently SNY has the rights to show eight of them.[/quote:qgg5ebow] I noticed the same thing. http://cranepoolforum.net/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=10886&sid=2e36b27e63769008dbc4af85452e39c6 Swan Swan H May 25 2009 12:31 PM Oops. I didn't realize there was a separate thread for the Classix. TransMonk Jun 03 2009 03:53 PM Per Metsblog, via Twitter, SI.com�s Jon Heyman announced that Matt Yalloff, formerly of SNY, has joined the MLB Network. G-Fafif Jun 03 2009 03:54 PM ="TransMonk":jrcwlac0]Per Metsblog, via Twitter, SI.com�s Jon Heyman announced that Matt Yalloff, formerly of SNY, has joined the MLB Network.[/quote:jrcwlac0] I'm exhausted just learning that. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 03 2009 05:09 PM So we've got Carlin for good, then. And there are no trades in broadcasting? John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 03 2009 06:19 PM ="TransMonk":2gmwiqqi]Per Metsblog, via Twitter, SI.com�s Jon Heyman announced that Matt Yalloff, formerly of SNY, has joined the MLB Network.[/quote:2gmwiqqi] as soda-getter. G-Fafif Jun 04 2009 12:34 PM Kevin Burkhardt just admonished the Pirates for placing a section of wall from Forbes Field, over which Mazeroski's home run flew, in a less than ideal spot at PNC Park. While there's nothing wrong with professing exacting standards (it is weird that it's between two bathrooms), anyone whose job description includes shilling for the history-challenged environs of Citi Field should pick his battles more carefully, as in, perhaps, "what a shape they don't have a Taqueria here in Pittsburgh." Elster88 Jun 24 2009 08:27 PM Carlin auditioning for ESPN doing the highlights. I really can't stand him. Swan Swan H Jun 24 2009 08:42 PM ="Elster88":2eui7q36]Carlin auditioning for ESPN doing the highlights. I really can't stand him.[/quote:2eui7q36] I hoped he'd be different, but you nailed it. Gary Apple may be vanilla, but he hits his marks and doesn't drive me nuts. Among the SNY stable of talkers I wouldn't mind seeing him in that seat. metirish Jun 24 2009 08:45 PM ="Swan Swan H":1bvh8rgw]="Elster88":1bvh8rgw]Carlin auditioning for ESPN doing the highlights. I really can't stand him.[/quote:1bvh8rgw] I hoped he'd be different, but you nailed it. Gary Apple may be vanilla, but he hits his marks and doesn't drive me nuts. Among the SNY stable of talkers I wouldn't mind seeing him in that seat.[/quote:1bvh8rgw] I've thought the same thing about Apple for a while. Elster88 Aug 09 2009 05:52 PM A clean-shaven Johnny Franco doing the post-game. Frayed Knot Aug 09 2009 06:41 PM I'm guessing Franco's had that mustache since, oh I dunno, maybe age 12. OlerudOwned Aug 09 2009 08:04 PM ="Frayed Knot"]I'm guessing Franco's had that mustache since, oh I dunno, maybe age 12. Funny that he'd be clean for a team with a historically mustachioed mascot. Then again, this was during the Schott reign. dgwphotography Aug 10 2009 07:46 AM ="Frayed Knot":30o1llmf]I'm guessing Franco's had that mustache since, oh I dunno, maybe age 12.[/quote:30o1llmf] Sounds like me - I've had at least a mustache for 29 years... Frayed Knot Aug 10 2009 07:59 AM But can't you just picture Johnny F trying to cultivate at least the beginnings of one in Jr High? The Reds - despite the mascot - were long a conservative club with 'no facial hair' restrictions going back even before the Schott era. I suspect he wasn't clean-shaven there out of choice. Edgy DC Aug 10 2009 08:10 AM And, in fairness to the Reds, all of baseball was pretty much facial-hair-free for about 50 years leading up to the Swinging A's era. Can anybody name the first mustachioed Met? John Cougar Lunchbucket Aug 10 2009 08:24 AM Ken Boswell Benjamin Grimm Aug 10 2009 08:25 AM Felix Millan? Frayed Knot Aug 10 2009 08:33 AM ="Edgy DC":8wq591f4]And, in fairness to the Reds, all of baseball was pretty much facial-hair-free for about 50 years leading up to the Swinging A's era. [/quote:8wq591f4] Reds just kept that policy going much longer than other clubs. It was some mgr/exec from the Cincy org that switched over to StL at one point during Keith's time there who made him shave off his 'stache. Edgy DC Aug 10 2009 08:44 AM And to be honest, I kind of liked the policy. Yeah, it seems starkly retrograde, but I like anything that makes teams culturally different from one another, even if it's something I wouldn't like on my team. Maybe especially if it's something I wouldn't like on my team. dgwphotography Aug 10 2009 01:29 PM I remember seeing both Kranepool and Harrelson sporting mustaches... Farmer Ted Aug 11 2009 09:25 AM Bobby O last night said that Pelfry's form on a bunch of pitches looked lazy and he wasn't waiting for Santos to finish giving signs before he started his windup. In Pelfry's defense, the guy was just with his wife who gave birth. So, he's up for how long during that process? Then the Mets shove him onto a plan, across the freaking country, and pitch with his head obviously in a fog. Farmer Ted Aug 16 2009 01:08 PM Switched over to NESN in between innings to catch a Red Sox score. Frank Viola doing color and sounds pretty good. Any openings at SNY? Frayed Knot Aug 16 2009 01:20 PM ="Farmer Ted":jupihupn]Switched over to NESN in between innings to catch a Red Sox score. Frank Viola doing color and sounds pretty good. Any openings at SNY?[/quote:jupihupn] I've heard him before. He might rival Johnny Franco for the most identifiable Noo Yawk accent working in the media. G-Fafif Aug 16 2009 03:54 PM ="dgwphotography":2hba0iah]I remember seeing both Kranepool and Harrelson sporting mustaches...[/quote:2hba0iah] Been listening to the radio broadcast of Tom Seaver's final start before he was traded. One of things I learned, from Bob Murphy, was Dave Kingman just shaved his mustache because he realized (according to Murph) that he couldn't grow a good one.

Go get Manny Ramirez. 3 years, $60 million should do it. You can backload it so it's $15 million, $20 million and $25 million. If you can unload Schneider to the Red Sox, that frees up $5 million or so. We have a new stadium, a TV network...there's no excuse we shouldn't be increasing payroll. If that's not enough, PONZI SCHEME. Get it done Omar.

That chart doesn't make me feel better at all.

So when do the MFY's announce the signing of Manny?

For the first time in a long time I am actually jealous of the MFY's. Texiera is a great player about to enter his prime.

What seawolf said.