batmagadanleadoff

The person who predicted that Jason Bay's home HR total with the Mets would be 10 can step right up and collect their prize.

Doc in the rare Mets road blues. I was at Gooden's Shea debut against the Expos a few weeks later. It was a weekday day-game, crappy weather, rain threatening day. It probably drizzled a bit, too. We go to Shea without any tickets, and go up to one of those old brick kiosk ticket booths that weren't physically connected to the stadium, but were spread out around the Shea perimeter. And we ask the clerk for the best seats available -- this was about 10 or 15 minutes before the first pitch. And he gives us tickets on field level, behind home plate, under the screen. A different world. And those tickets weren't price-tiered or gold-gamed, either. They cost the same as a field level box seat in the right field corner.

Zvon wrote: ugh. Forgot all about this. I don't think even an extension can help me. I am backed up IRL chores. May have to bow out. John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I'm sadly with zvon here. I'm all out of inspiration and time and interest and stuff. Sorry 4A3pX_shcyU And I'm taking back those orange starred stirrups, too.

Ceetar wrote: These things clearly didn't come out of nowhere. What did pitchers do 50 years ago? retire? suck? suck for a couple of years and then learn the knuckleball and win the Cy Young and get traded to Toronto? 50 years ago, there were no MRI machines. So usually yeah, doneski. Or if they could still pitch at all, probably a spitball instead of a knuckleball, and no Cy Young. No fancy ulnar collateral diagnoses, just another pithcher whose arm went sore, or bad, or dead.

Oh. I see. So you were talking about Parnell's Mets career, instead of his baseball career? JCL wrote: But I'll gladly share my skepticism that Harvey will ever be as good again. I have said as much had he not gotten surgery. I'm no fortune-teller, and I wasn't necessarily expressing skepticism over their respective futures, but I'd bet on this scenario if I had to. I'd bet that both of these pitchers have thrown their last 96 MPH fast-ball.

How come some people are quick to say that it might be over for Parnell's career, but nobody here ever said that about Harvelous?

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: That's Jesus, man. For the quickest correct answer in the history of the "Who Am I?", you win one pair of orange colored starred stirrups, just like the ones worn by The Man From Topps photo subject, Jesus Alou.

Astro Day continued here at the "Who Am I?". [fimg=533:30qsf0kr]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5472/13680352063_172b2beb0c.jpg[/fimg:30qsf0kr]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: Rules for the Final Championship Round. 1. Song parodies are due on or before April 6, noon. [fimg=555]http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/imgLib/20121021_High_Noon_gary_cooper.jpg[/fimg]

Who the hell can tell what Collins wants people to think, including Ike and Looook? �Well, again, only time will tell,� Collins said of Davis�s future role. �He may be the first baseman next week. I know you guys, that�s why I don�t want to say anything because everything is etched in stone around here. Make one statement, it�s a headline. This is not a headline. It�s a move we�re going to make for a while and see what happens to try and get some consistent at-bats and see if Lucas can do what we all thought he can do. If he doesn�t, then we�ve got another option.� And does Ike think the game was rigged all along? �It was a supposed competition ...." [fimg=333]http://a1.nyt.com/assets/foundation/20140331-134620/images/logos/nyt-logo-185x26.svg[/fimg] Starting Duda Pays Off as Mets Win Their First By JORGE ARANGURE Jr.APRIL 4, 2014 In the midst of a miserable first week of the season, the Mets tried to eliminate at least one potential controversy by naming Lucas Duda as the starting first baseman on Friday. The protracted battle between Duda and Ike Davis threatened to be a distraction to a team fraught with bullpen, hitting and attendance issues. Before the game, Duda said that the more regularly he played, the more comfortable he was likely to feel at the plate. As if proving his point, Duda�s two home runs helped the Mets to their first win of the season, 4-3, over the Cincinnati Reds. Jenrry Mejia struck out a career-high eight batters in six innings to get the win. �It�s just one day,� Duda said, playing down his performance. He added, �I was just glad to play.� In his second at bat, with the Mets trailing, 1-0, in the fourth, Duda walloped a two-run shot against Reds starter Mike Leake that landed in the Mets� bullpen. In the sixth, with the Mets holding a 2-1 lead, Duda hit a line drive two-run homer to right field against Leake to widen the margin, no small thing for a team whose bullpen had allowed 11 earned runs in nine and a third innings heading into Friday�s game. Sure enough, reliever John Lannan allowed two runs in the seventh, but Duda�s two home runs proved to be enough. �We needed it as a team immensely,� Manager Terry Collins said of Duda�s night. �As I�ve said, sometimes it�s just about confidence. When you feel good about yourself, you can do what you�re supposed to do.� Duda might need several more nights like Friday to secure the job permanently. Collins said before the game that the Mets could revisit the situation later in the season. �Well, again, only time will tell,� Collins said of Davis�s future role. �He may be the first baseman next week. I know you guys, that�s why I don�t want to say anything because everything is etched in stone around here. Make one statement, it�s a headline. This is not a headline. It�s a move we�re going to make for a while and see what happens to try and get some consistent at-bats and see if Lucas can do what we all thought he can do. If he doesn�t, then we�ve got another option.� In his four-plus-year career in New York, Duda has never played more than 43 games at first. Most often, he was asked to play the outfield, where his defensive struggles were epic. Both Davis and Duda entered spring training with the belief that they could earn the starting job, but both ended up missing a portion of the spring with injuries, Duda with a strained left hamstring and Davis with stiffness in his right calf. In a limited sample this spring, Davis had an .830 on-base plus slugging percentage in 29 at-bats, while Duda had a .748 O.P.S. in 27 at-bats. Despite getting limited looks at both players, Collins said he entered this season knowing that Duda was going to be his starting first baseman. But he also wanted to give Davis, who started the season opener, an opportunity to play against the Washington Nationals, against whom he has a career .827 O.P.S. Davis said he was not surprised to find out that Duda would replace him for now. �It was a supposed competition, so there was going to be a winner and there�s only two choices,� Davis said. The Mets reportedly tried to trade Davis this spring, but found no takers as a result of his disappointing 2013 season, when he hit .205. A strong surge at the plate by Duda � and Friday was a great start � will help Collins resolve what could turn into tricky situation, with two players who believe they should be the starting first baseman. �Our job is not to give players away,� Collins said of the possibility of trading Davis, adding: �This is partly a business, too. So when you say he should go someplace else, yeah, maybe he should. But there�d better be something coming back that you can use that�s of same value.� But the Mets might take whatever they can get for Davis if Duda has more nights like Friday�s. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/05/sports/baseball/for-now-mets-will-start-duda-over-davis-at-first-base.html?_r=0

Zvon wrote: Bill Haas, whoever he is. From the New York Sunday News, 4/26/64. I have that magazine. The Daily News would traditionally run a Mets (and Yankees) Spring Preview/Early Season photo spread in their Sunday News Magazine up until the very early '70's. Those magazines were sometime called "colorotos", which, I think, described the coloring process used back then. I have most of those DN Sunday mags that featured the Mets.

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Rules for the Final Championship Round. 1. Song parodies are due on or before April 6, noon.

Zvon wrote: Whos this guy? I'm stumped.

Edgy MD wrote: Edgy MD wrote: Why make a decision at all? What new data suggests that anybody has won? Mix and match until somebody actually excels beyond the others. But you have to decide on how to mix and match. Sounds as though a decision has been made to give Doodoo a shot for a certain unspecified period of time. Sure, you have to make a decision. I just wouldn't go making such an announcement. Creates more drama if things swing in another direction. It'd come out anyway, even if Collins didn't make a public disclosure. Ike and Looook would hafta know. And then it ain't no secret anymore. In NY, Terry's decision would eventually end up in some writer's smartphone. I wanted to say notepad but that's old fashioned, right?

Benjamin Grimm wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: Who the fuck is Robert De Niro anymore? He's a Hollywood legend. And that's nothing to sneeze at. To tell you the truth, I did experience a little bit of remorse after hitting the send button on that post because I know that De Niro is a Hollywood legend and once you're a Hollywood legend, you're a Hollywood legend for life. But that was my over the top way of saying that I don't think that De Niro starred in a movie that remotely interested me since Dallas Green and Generation K were supposed to lead the Mets into an era of perennial contention. And that's a very long time ago.

Frayed Knot wrote: In this case though it wasn't like the movie was bad or that the part was so tiny as to not merit inclusion. The only other thing I can think of is that DeNiro is too big to get what would have to amount to like 8th billing so he figures no mention is better than that. Who the fuck is Robert De Niro anymore? And are De Niro flicks still highly anticipated events, or are you dating yourself? That said, the mobster portrayed by De Niro in American Hustle was, I thought, the most bone-chilling shark-eyed mafioso I ever saw on a movie screen. Boy, I was ready to turn over my lunch money to the next person that so much as looked at me after De Niro's scene. The Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit in Arabic. Nice touch. mAJ4-Ey7jBM

Ex-All-Star Dykstra sues, alleges jail beating LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Former All-Star outfielder Lenny Dykstra filed a lawsuit Wednesday saying he suffered an unprovoked and brutal beating by deputies in a Los Angeles County jail two years ago. Dykstra filed the suit seeking unspecified damages against the county and several Sheriff's Department employees, saying his head was slammed against the wall, his teeth were knocked out and he was kicked and beaten until he was "barely breathing." The suit says the jail system, where a federal probe has led to 20 recent indictments of sheriff's employees, is "fueled by abusive violence, and manipulated by hopeless liars." The lawsuit also alleges that top officials at the jail tried to keep Dykstra from speaking out about the incident. Dykstra had a 12-year career with the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies from 1985 through 1996 and spent years as a businessman before running into a series of legal woes several years ago. The alleged beating occurred in April 2012, the same month Dykstra pleaded no contest to exposing himself to women he met on Craigslist. He was already serving time for grand theft auto and providing a false financial statement, and would later be sentenced to six months for bankruptcy fraud. He was released last June. The Sheriff's Department had no immediate comment on the lawsuit, which was first reported by the website TMZ. But when the beating allegations arose at Dykstra's fraud sentencing in December 2012, sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said there had been a fight involving the former ballplayer and some deputies in April. Dykstra was the aggressor and had to be physically restrained, Whitmore said. http://www.thespec.com/news-story/4444412-ex-all-star-dykstra-sues-alleges-jail-beating/

d'Kong76 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.

d'Kong76 wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: Looks like the Mets are already in mid-season Citi Field form, as far as actual fans in attendance are concerned. Which is to say, nobody's at the game. Yeah, game two has always been a huge gate draw. How come?

Looks like the Mets are already in mid-season Citi Field form, as far as actual fans in attendance are concerned. Which is to say, nobody's at the game.

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Abby Sims has a Masters Degree in Physical Therapy from Duke University and writes a sports injury column for CBS-New York. She doesn't think that Bobby Parnell will pitch again this season. http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/04/02/sims-dont-expect-bobby-parnell-to-pitch-for-mets-again-this-season/ How can Sims be so sure without, I assume, access to Parnell's medical records? Does every injury of this kind, no matter the degree, require a minimum of six, seven or ten months of rehab?

Abby Sims has a Masters Degree in Physical Therapy from Duke University and writes a sports injury column for CBS-New York. She doesn't think that Bobby Parnell will pitch again this season. Sims: Don�t Expect Bobby Parnell To Pitch For Mets Again This Season April 2, 2014 11:44 AM After hearing that Mets closer Bobby Parnell was diagnosed with an incomplete medial collateral ligament (MCL) tear in his right elbow, one jumps to the logical conclusion that surgery is in his immediate future. That is especially so with a team physician � Dr. David Altchek � who pioneered a very successful modification of the original Tommy John procedure. The first thing to realize is that the medial collateral ligament of the elbow is also known as the ulnar collateral ligament � or UCL � because of its attachments to the humerus and ulna at the inner (medial) elbow. Now that you know that, the first thought of any Mets fan might be that Matt Harvey recently succumbed to surgery to address the same injury. (Though perhaps the extent of the tears is not identical.) Both men complained of primary symptoms in the forearm. Harvey resisted the knife initially, and now, evidently, Parnell is following suit. The Mets tweeted that after having a Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injection, Parnell will rest for two weeks before beginning a throwing program, after which it will be determined whether surgery will be required. Well, what do you think the outcome will be? First, consider that even a partially torn ligament does not heal in two weeks. In fact, complete healing might take a year. The tensile strength of the healing tissue is significantly impaired during the healing phase and is only at about 80 percent of capacity at the three-month mark. Will PRP accelerate things that much? Even if effective, that isn�t likely. Next, keep in mind the extraordinary stresses that pitchers place on the medial (inner) elbow � and the excessive loading of the region � which can create inflammatory or degenerative conditions in a number of structures in the area. This may explain why Parnell�s symptoms � like Harvey�s � were not initially localized to the UCL, which is the primary stabilizer of the elbow. Other tissues often affected include the wrist flexor muscles � which are in the forearm but whose tendons attach at the inner elbow � the forearm pronators (which turn the palm downward), the elbow joint capsule and the ulnar nerve. The repetitive demands of pitching and the nature of the motion itself � particularly the acceleration phase � are the primary culprits. A partial tear of the UCL � also referred to as a moderate (Grade 2) sprain � causes laxity (looseness) of the ligament. This, in turn, creates joint instability. The resulting instability places even greater stress on the surrounding tissues. Even after the cumulative trauma of less significant Grade 1 injuries (micro-tears), ligaments may be weakened and tissues prone to inflammation. At worst, they could tear further. Additionally, other degenerative changes such as bone spurs may result. So, placing excessive demand on weakened structures that were vulnerable even when at full capacity � in other words, pitching � doesn�t sound like a recipe for success. The two weeks of rest sound like a smokescreen to me, and like so many other pitchers who�ve already fallen to elbow issues at this early stage of the season, I wouldn�t expect Parnell to take the mound for the Mets until 2015. If he does, it may not be for long. http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/04/02/sims-dont-expect-bobby-parnell-to-pitch-for-mets-again-this-season/

Zvon wrote: Now I'm curious as to which Roberts is the reverse image. I figure not the card. Why does Topps do that? Stupidity? [fimg=233]http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTE3M1g4MzM=/z/~iMAAOxyyq5TN3zR/$_57.JPG[/fimg] [fimg=233]https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3695/13563329564_0febb723f8.jpg[/fimg] The watermarked Man From Topps Roberts shot is the reversed image -- not the shot on his actual '72 card. You can tell from the way those Padres uniforms button -- buttons on the players' right, buttonholes on their left. [fimg=333]http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTQ0MFgxMDgw/z/QHsAAOxykmZTNPWQ/$_57.JPG[/fimg] What you can't tell is whether Roberts' Astro cap was painted directly onto the reversed image or on the regular image.

Zvon wrote: I knew we saw this guy (cripes this is a long thread to look thru). And I said the same thing, Rader. Ha. Dave Roberts. I swear someday these'll stick Bats. So they didn't have Photoshop or sophisticated software or probably any kind of software illustrating programs in 1972. But they had artists, right? People that could draw and illustrate? And went to art school and all that jazz? [fimg=333]http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTE3M1g4MzM=/z/~iMAAOxyyq5TN3zR/$_57.JPG[/fimg] [fimg=333]https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3695/13563329564_0febb723f8.jpg[/fimg] John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Art Howe lighting up the Man From Topps' lens on the right. [fimg=233]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-coJUi4WDS3g/ULQCJoBJtBI/AAAAAAAAjRg/8L4vqYkcL5w/s1600/Art+Howe+(3).jpg[/fimg] [fimg=233]https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7202/13572124885_bbc545373d.jpg[/fimg] [fimg=233]http://graphics7.nytimes.com/images/2003/09/24/sports/Art-Howe.jpg[/fimg] [fimg=233]http://i17.ebayimg.com/05/i/001/32/90/e854_35.JPG[/fimg]

It's still Astro day here at the Who Am I? thread. One more to go (the one-time Met that went from the Padres to the Astros in the '70's), plus one new one more to go. [fimg=333:35nq697s]https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3695/13563329564_0febb723f8.jpg[/fimg:35nq697s][fimg=303:35nq697s]https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7202/13572124885_bbc545373d.jpg[/fimg:35nq697s]