batmagadanleadoff

Edgy MD wrote: Headline aside, there's a ton of ambiguity and caveats and codicils in that article. I know exactly whatcha mean.

Ceetar wrote: Less season tickets, and less by pure scalpers means less supply. I don't know about that. Less tickets sold means a greater supply of tickets at the box office. As supply increases, prices come down. In other words, why would I pay above face value at Stubhub when I can buy tickets at Citi Field without risk of being shut out since, as you say, the Mets are selling less tickets? There may be less tickets in the hands of resellers, but if the Mets themselves aren't selling enough tickets, that has to drive down the price of resold tickets. The only reason scalpers/stubhubers can sell their tickets above face value is because those tickets are no longer available at face value (i.e., directly from the Mets). There's something unnatural about the number of Mets tickets that are going for above face value on Stubhub. Of course, those listings are only offers, not completed transactions.

Does Young have a one-year contract or a two-year contract. If it's a one-year deal, how much longer do you give him once Lagres and EYoung come back? one year at $8 million , lot of cabbage hoping for a bounce back, he is worse than useless... CY was a poverty pick. There were steadier guys to be had, but I'm guessing that the Mets rolled the dice on CY's higher, though unlikely, power ceiling -- hoping that CY would re-discover his 30 HR power stroke from a few years ago. This is the long-shot desperate kind of gamble the Mets are forced to make because they don't have enough money to pay for quick-fix reliable talent. That costs money. You beat that drum a lot, and I'm not sure it's always fair. And I say it again....who available last year did you want the team to spend the money on? Tanaka? We don't need long-term starting pitching…. I'd rather over pay for Hanley Ramirez next year than Sin So Choo this year. We’re at a standstill on this one. I’d like to see Hanley in a Met uniform, too, but have no confidence whatsoever that the Mets can pay him the roughly $20M or so a year he’s gonna command on the FA market. I think your posts imply that the Mets are in a position, financially, to land a top-tier free agent. If so, I don’t see it that way. Granderson and Colon also cost money, and the Mets pulled the trigger on those contracts. I’m not impressed. In early 2013, Fred Wilpon announced that the Mets money woes were in the rear-view mirror; that Alderson will now have the authority to raise the payroll to pre-Madoff levels. And don’t forget the two years worth of constant remindering that this is the year that $45M comes off the payroll from the now expired Santana and Bay contracts -- the implication and innuendo from that oft repeated reminder unmistakably being that the Santana/Bay $$ would be reinvested in the team. It wasn’t. They lied. After a historical payroll reduction following 2011, and another payroll cut after 2012, the Mets cut 2014 opening payroll by another almost $10M. So yeah, Granderson and Colon cost money. But even if you add Chris Young’s contract to the Granderson and Colon contracts, the total sum is about $10M less than the expired Santana/Bay money, and, coincidentally, about the difference between the 2013 payroll and this year’s once again diminished payroll. From another angle, though, I suppose I should be grateful for the Grandy/Colon/Young signings. After all, the Mets weren’t obligated to acquire those three FA’s. They could have, instead, promoted three or four more major league minimum wage earning rookies to the 25 man roster and gone with a payroll of about $55M. So I guess I should be thankful for that. Colon is doing exactly what we need him to be doing -- being a reliable spot in the rotation until Harvey is healed and the kids are ready. Yeah. But Colon doesn’t belong here. He should be pitching for a pennant contender in need of one pitcher to round out the rotation. Colon’s 41. It’s gonna end up real bad and real soon for Colon. That’s the lay of the land for 41 year old pitchers. Anyways, my original post on Chris Young, which prompted your response, was written to address more of the “What the hell is Sandy doing? “posts, which I don’t get. Alderson’s first order of business was to cut payroll by about $50M, 33% -- historical drops. Sandy was essentially required to take 10 steps backwards before he could try and take one forward step. I know how repetitive this all must sound, but on the other hand, it’s hard to have an accurate macro discussion on the Mets problems without addressing their crushing financial situation. And this is before conceding that Sandy inherited a barren farm and a major league roster crumbling or goiong nowhere at almost every turn. Fred Wilpon: Mets' money woes over Updated: February 13, 2013, 6:32 PM ET By Adam Rubin | ESPNNewYork.com PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets principal owner Fred Wilpon said his family is free and clear of past financial woes and that general manager Sandy Alderson has the financial flexibility to make major free-agent signings in upcoming offseasons. Wilpon, 76, favorably settled a lawsuit brought by the trustee trying to recover funds for victims of Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme last year. He added that the family's improved financial complexion also is the result of the rebound of real estate, his primary business, as well as stock-market gains and the thriving of SportsNet New York, the television network in which the family owns a majority stake. "It's all in the rearview mirror," Wilpon said about past financial woes Wednesday after arriving at the team's spring training complex. "... The family is in great shape. The family really is in great shape. Sometimes luck is the residue of design." Wilpon originally faced a $1 billion lawsuit regarding the Madoff scheme, but the settlement will result in the family ultimately having to pay no more than $85.7 million -- and likely far less than that. Wilpon said the payroll, slashed in recent seasons under Alderson, could return to past levels if the team is prudent. The payroll went from a high of $148 million late in Omar Minaya's tenure as general manager to roughly $95 million last year. Wilpon pointed to bank debt as a primary reason for an un-New York-like payroll in recent years. The Mets have produced four straight losing seasons and have not reached the postseason since 2006. "It wasn't, as people have written, the reason," Wilpon said about the Madoff issue and payroll slashing. "It was a balance there, because we had to make sure the banks got paid off all of the debt. There's no one in my family -- there's the Katz family, the Wilpon family, kids -- [that now] has any personal bank debt. Zero. Everything has been paid. We don't owe a dollar to anybody. We have mortgages on buildings and stuff like that, but we don't owe a dollar. "That's what made us tight. We were still getting revenues. Lots of revenues. But those revenues were going to pay off debt. That's done." The Mets did pursue free agent Michael Bourn until he agreed this week with the Cleveland Indians, so some of the recent financial constraints have resulted from the conservative bidding by Alderson as opposed to an ownership mandate. Will the team be aggressive bidding next offseason? "I think we would anticipate being big investors if that were appropriate," Wilpon said. "That depends on what the market is. If the market is such that that's where we have to be to be competitive and winners, yeah. "This is, to me, a break-even business. I always strive to break even. I'm not looking to make any money. I strive to break even. So if [fans] don't show up, that's hard. So you have to balance it. We fed it pretty good the last five or six years. I think if the market was such, yes, the payroll could go up, but not to just have payroll go up so you can write headlines -- if that, in fact, improves the team. "I don't know what the market will be at that point. But the payroll will be commensurate with anything we've ever done because we can do it. Remember, the people have to come to the ballpark obviously. If you have a competitive team, they will. Everything that was in the past, that you guys saw the pain that we went through, is gone. It's gone." http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/8943949/2013-spring-training-fred-wilpon-says-new-york-mets-financial-woes-past

Just when I thought tickets would be going for a third or more less, a random and very casual review of the next home game next week against the A's shows that a good # of Mets tix on Stubhub are going for higher than face value. Explain that one. http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/ticketing/pricing.jsp?c_id=nym&layout=gameflow http://www.stubhub.com/new-york-mets-tickets/mets-vs-athletics-6-24-2014-4402862/ Caesar's Gold $94fv -- stub hub -- sec 316 $106.50 -- sec.318 $145.00 Metro Box $125fv -- stubhub sec 112 $128.50 Baseline Silver $49fv -- stubhub sec 129 $61.40 -- sec 128 $58.65 -- sec 107 $57.55 LF reserved $33fv -- stubhub -- sec 136 $220.90 -- sec 134 $48.20

The '86 Mets are the second bestest-coolest team ever that played in Jonah Keri's baseball-viewing lifetime. Honorable mention to the 1999 Mets, not as successful as their 2000 successors, but better. And cooler. http://grantland.com/the-triangle/the-bestcoolest-mlb-teams-ive-ever-seen/

Pena was the best defensive catcher of his era, FWIW. Maybe he was a great pitch framer, too, stealing strikes from Gwynn.

Edgy MD wrote: [The Pirates] played on the rug which should've helped [Gwynn]. Why? Does artificial turf reduce strikeouts?

I don't see what's so crazy about that article.

Kile's the stro rock card guy.

Ill take tom.browning for the reds guy

Joaquin Andujar

Dennis Eckersley

Mike Scott

Am I the only one who thinks of Elton John whenever I hear the announcers mention SD player Alexi Amarista? [youtube]XKXDYMrIqTI[/youtube] Amoreena reminds me of the opening sequence of Dog Day Afternoon, a gritty, grimy Brooklyn on a sweltering Summer day: 7Gy2VMqjAsQ

metirish wrote: Mets Guy in Michigan wrote: Does Young have a one-year contract or a two-year contract. If it's a one-year deal, how much longer do you give him once Lagres and EYoung come back? one year at $8 million , lot of cabbage hoping for a bounce back, he is worse than useless... CY was a poverty pick. There were steadier guys to be had, but I'm guessing that the Mets rolled the dice on CY's higher, though unlikely, power ceiling -- hoping that CY would re-discover his 30 HR power stroke from a few years ago. This is the long-shot desperate kind of gamble the Mets are forced to make because they don't have enough money to pay for quick-fix reliable talent. That costs money.

Frayed Knot wrote: I don't mean to be disrespectful, but all these posts and machinations about where den Dekker should bat strikes me a little like the rearrangement of the Titanic deck chairs. No disrespect. Hey, at least somebody still cares. So let's quit posting about everything: pitching changes, lineup questions, injuries, etc. and just say Jeffie Suxx, Jeffie Suxx all the live long day. Gee, won't that be fun and informative. No. But this is a forum. With a sampling of Mets fans with differing views. And I just don't know what fans expect from Sandy Alderson. I responded with snark because initially, I didn't want to rehash the tired and well-known list of problems that are plaguing the Mets. But what is Sandy supposed to do? Pull another Keith for Ownbey? That's a once in a lifetime swap, and is probably more about sheer luck and being in the right place at the right time than GM skill-sets. The media has to gripe about the Mets because it's their job, but I can't believe that rational adults, smart Mets fans are still complaining about Alderson and the 2014 Mets. The team is mostly holes and question marks. And there's no guarantee that a new problem might not develop as soon as Sandy plugs one of those holes. Wheeler takes a step forward and starts showing signs of consistently pitching like a front of the rotation guy? Good. So that's when you suddenly notice that David Wright ain't no fresh faced kid anymore -- he's a 10 year vet who might not hit 10 HR's this season.

For their dishonesty and Madoff association, the organization deserves all the snark it gets. I've been hearing for almost two years now about how the Mets money problems are over, about Zimmo real estate and Nimmo prospects and in the end, when the rubber hits the road, they can't even reinvest the money back into the team that came off payroll from the expired Santana and Bay contracts. Is there anything else you need to know? A little bit of Occam's razor here. Alderson's just a GM, he's not a magic Genie. I don't mean to be disrespectful, but all these posts and machinations about where den Dekker should bat strikes me a little like the rearrangement of the Titanic deck chairs. No disrespect. Hey, at least somebody still cares.

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Meantime I'm growing more disappointed everyday that Sandy hasn't done anything more radical than firing his hand-picked hitting coach.... Not to worry. Next week, Sandy's gonna declare that this year's Mets will be expected to win 95 instead of 90 games. You know this remark doesn't add anything to the conversation.... _______________________________ Not to worry. So next week, Sandy will instead proclaim that this year's Mets will win 100 games. John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: ... and for the record I had no problems with [sandy] reportedly saying it (not declaring it). That he did in fact is one of the reasons I'm surprised he's let things get to the state they're in. Oh c'mon. Like Sandy's was supposed to do something to fulfill that declaration. With nine dollars and a cracker jack prize to build a pennant contender. The only reason Sandy said that in the first place was because the Wilpons put him up to it, so they could shamelessly exploit and cash in on the 1,200 New Yorkers dumb enough to go out and buy tickets based upon Sandy's 90 win announcement. The same 1,200 New Yorkers who, last year, thought that this year the Mets would contend.

So is this why David Wright's on pace for a single digit HR season? I hope so. It's better than having to hear "declining" whispered whenever Wright's name comes up. Harvey: Mets pitchers not protecting Wright June, 13, 2014 By Adam Rubin | ESPNNewYork.com NEW YORK -- David Wright has been getting his share of up-and-in pitches recently, including from Matt Cain in San Francisco and Milwaukee's Wily Peralta on Wednesday. And powerless Matt Harvey has seen enough. �It�s hard for me to watch David keep getting pushed back," Harvey told the Daily News. �I�m not happy about it. It�s not right how guys are being able to manipulate his entire at-bat by pitching him up and in. It�s tough for him. He�s had to adapt to a different style. And it�s frustrating to watch from the sidelines and not be able to do something about it. �When it would happen once in a while last year, I�d be the first guy to throw one behind somebody�s ear. And I don�t forget. Once I�m back I�ll be excited about getting the chance to help the captain.�� Why hasn't more been done by Mets pitchers? "It�s out there, everybody knows," Harvey told the newspaper. "If guys don�t know by now that something needs to be done, it�s going to continue to happen and that�s not acceptable." http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets/post/_/id/89081/harvey-mets-pitchers-need-to-protect-wright?ex_cid=espnapi_public

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Meantime I'm growing more disappointed everyday that Sandy hasn't done anything more radical than firing his hand-picked hitting coach.... Not to worry. Next week, Sandy's gonna declare that this year's Mets will be expected to win 95 instead of 90 games.

batmagadanleadoff wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: How come? Fans love cold weekday nights after the thrill of opening day has worn off? I've been to so many cold April and May cold night games I have no interest in putting myself through it any more. I'd happily be cold in Oct and early Nov if need be with bells on. I'd say that the odds are better than 50-50 that the Mets won't be drawing much better on a Wednesday night in August. How many people were at yesterday's game? Eleven?

Here's another cyber thing that I'm probably the last forum member to discover. It's like a Netflix web site, but for Indie Films. It's the Cinema Village, or the Thalia, only it's online, and has 1000's of films to choose from. http://www.fandor.com/ Use the search box at the upper right to search by themes, country of origin or any other search word you can think of.

Absolutely none.

I don't listen to Francesca so I have no idea what goes on there. And I'm not interested, either. But Francesca aside, I'm wondering to myself if the Mets difference between sold tickets attendance and fans present attendance is greater than for any other team -- given the Mets disappointing play and that they nevertheless, might sell more season tickets than most teams because of the size of the market they play in and the amount of wealth residing in their market. Not that we'll ever get to know.

Daniel Murphy's leading the NL in singles. Juan Lagares is 8th in the NL in total WAR -- second in defensive WAR.