batmagadanleadoff

Edgy MD wrote: I think we can narrow that "sometime during the 1972 season" down a little, to "after May 11." The Mets first road game against the Dodgers with Mays on their roster was played on July 18, 1972.

Edgy MD wrote: Those look like some of the loneliest baseball players in the world. Just ask Bill Freehan. I think we can narrow that "sometime during the 1972 season" down a little, to "after May 11." I don't think I ever saw the Freehan disc before. I guess there ain't no Wes Parker 1st Base record, going by the sticker on the Freehan sleeve. These records may have been released in 1972, but judging by the baseball players on the sleeves, it seems as if the project was conceived in 1968, and the players selected to appear on the sleeves were also chosen in 1968.

If I'm gonna post the Drysdale and Wills records, I might as well show the Mays record, too.

batmagadanleadoff wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: Sometime during the 1972 baseball season, the Audio-Sports company put out a series of instructional baseball records on 45 RPM discs. In those ancient days before computers, answering machines and ubiquitous photography accessible to anyone with a smartphone (that's just about everybody), you'd put the 45 record on your record player and listen to audio recorded output -- without any accompanying pictures. No still photos. No videos. No moving pictures. Just sound. Like with today's audio books, you'd have to use your imagination to supply the visuals. Anyways, Audio Sports put out a series of these records titled Baseball Fundamentals. Each record featured a contemporary star on the record sleeve cover. There was one record on hitting, featuring Hank Aaron on the cover of the record sleeve. There was another on outfield defense, featuring Willie Mays in a Mets uniform on the cover of the record sleeve. I vaguely recall a record about fielding first base with Wes Parker on the sleeve and another record on pitching. I say vaguely because I'm not entirely certain that these last two records actually existed. And then there was a record on fielding shortstop. And I'm certain that the player on that record sleeve was Jim Fregosi, in a Mets uniform. [fimg=444]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7298/12543200375_5afd5dd701_o.jpg[/fimg] I left out the Maury Wills baserunning record. Don Drysdale on the pitching sleeve - a not so contemporary star.

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Sometime during the 1972 baseball season, the Audio-Sports company put out a series of instructional baseball records on 45 RPM discs. In those ancient days before computers, answering machines and ubiquitous photography accessible to anyone with a smartphone (that's just about everybody), you'd put the 45 record on your record player and listen to audio recorded output -- without any accompanying pictures. No still photos. No videos. No moving pictures. Just sound. Like with today's audio books, you'd have to use your imagination to supply the visuals. Anyways, Audio Sports put out a series of these records titled Baseball Fundamentals. Each record featured a contemporary star on the record sleeve cover. There was one record on hitting, featuring Hank Aaron on the cover of the record sleeve. There was another on outfield defense, featuring Willie Mays in a Mets uniform on the cover of the record sleeve. I vaguely recall a record about fielding first base with Wes Parker on the sleeve and another record on pitching. I say vaguely because I'm not entirely certain that these last two records actually existed. And then there was a record on fielding shortstop. And I'm certain that the player on that record sleeve was Jim Fregosi, in a Mets uniform. [fimg=444]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7298/12543200375_5afd5dd701_o.jpg[/fimg] I left out the Maury Wills baserunning record.

[fimg=555:2p7ts0i2]http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5541/12544388854_abe9658d2b_o.jpg[/fimg:2p7ts0i2] Ken Boswell, Jim Fregosi and Wayne Garrett

Sometime during the 1972 baseball season, the Audio-Sports company put out a series of instructional baseball records on 45 RPM discs. In those ancient days before computers, answering machines and ubiquitous photography accessible to anyone with a smartphone (that's just about everybody), you'd put the 45 record on your record player and listen to audio recorded output -- without any accompanying pictures. No still photos. No videos. No moving pictures. Just sound. Like with today's audio books, you'd have to use your imagination to supply the visuals. Anyways, Audio Sports put out a series of these records titled Baseball Fundamentals. Each record featured a contemporary star on the record sleeve cover. There was one record on hitting, featuring Hank Aaron on the cover of the record sleeve. There was another on outfield defense, featuring Willie Mays in a Mets uniform on the cover of the record sleeve. I vaguely recall a record about fielding first base with Wes Parker on the sleeve and another record on pitching. I say vaguely because I'm not entirely certain that these last two records actually existed. And then there was a record on fielding shortstop. And I'm certain that the player on that record sleeve was Jim Fregosi, in a Mets uniform. [fimg=444]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7298/12543200375_5afd5dd701_o.jpg[/fimg]

Stay tuned tomorrow for the Ike Davis 'best shape of his life' article. Ike Davis, with his slightly re-worked swing, happy to still be with the Mets After talking to several teams about a trade for Davis, the Mets come into 2014 with Lucas Duda and Davis in an open competition for first base. Ike Davis happy to be back with the Mets but admits he's surprised he didn't get traded. PORT ST. LUCIE � Ike Davis felt it was a long winter. Coming off an oblique injury that shut him down in September, Davis spent the offseason dealing with rumors about him being dealt away by the Mets. �The articles would say I wasn�t going to be here, so it�s a little bit of shock when I didn�t get traded, but happy I didn�t,� Davis said before voluntary workouts at the Mets� minor league complex Friday. �Just because (the articles) seemed pretty adamant. . . . but obviously (the Mets) had to make the right deal and nobody offered them what they thought was enough. �So I am back.� The Mets were very transparent about trying to trade the first baseman, who has struggled the past two seasons. Unable to make a deal, the Mets now come into 2014 with Lucas Duda and Davis in a very open competition for first base. �I see a different Ike Davis. Last year he came in as the guy, now he is fighting for his life,� Terry Collins said. �I think that changes the way you go about things. Lucas has that mentality every year: I want to compete. It should be fun.� Both Duda and Davis, who are friends, downplayed the head-on battle for the spot. �It�s always a competition, it�s been a competition since we were drafted,� Davis said. �It�s been a competition every single time we step on the field.� Duda, 28, who spent the winter going through two sessions of nutrition and fitness training with other Mets in Michigan, is a career .246 hitter with a .342 on-base percentage and .420 slugging percentage. He hit .223 in 100 games in 2013 and has 44 career home runs. Davis, who hit .205 in 103 games in a 2013 season abbreviated by a demotion to the minors and his oblique injury, is a career .242 hitter with a .334 on-base percentage and .434 slugging percentage. He has 67 career home runs, including a career-high 32 blasts (and 90 RBI) after a horrible start in 2012. Davis said he spent more time looking at film this offseason, breaking down his swing, and started hitting earlier in the offseason in an attempt to get off to a good start. In 2013, when he began the season hitting .161, Davis said he was changing his swing too much. �I started hitting in November, instead of January,� he said. But there will be a slight difference in the swing. Davis said in studying film this winter he noticed he was pulling his leg up during his swing. Collins has watched Davis hit for three days and said he notices the difference. �I am very impressed with what I have seen. I have watched him for three days, and as you guys have seen, he has a whole different approach,� Collins said. �Obviously he still has a little bit of the hitch. (Barry) Bonds had it, too, and did OK.� Davis is focusing on that as he will get extra at-bats this spring training. While Davis publicly shrugged off the trade rumors on Friday, those close to him say that privately he has been affected and motivated by the seemingly daily reports about him being traded. And those closest to him were certainly affected by the ongoing speculation. Davis� dad, former Yankee reliever Ron Davis, publicly criticized the way the Mets went about trying to move his son. Friday, Ike Davis said there had been no repercussions resulting from the comments his father made at a New York charity event last month. �He�s a dad, he�s played baseball, he�s a fan,� Davis said. �I would never have said it, but my dad has his own opinions, and he�s a pretty smart guy. �He�s entitled to his own opinion,� Davis continued with a shrug. �I haven�t had anyone yell at me yet, so . . . � Let the competition begin. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/ike-happy-met-shrugs-talk-1st-base-battle-article-1.1614332

Edgy MD wrote: I don't think we need to validate the Fregosi/Ryan trade in order to graciously acknowledge the guy's impressive career upon his passing. He's not the one who made the deal. Agreed. It's also no insult to Fregosi's memory to point out that some people in the Mets organization would've shown more patience with a pitcher in his mid 20's that could throw 100+ mph fast balls all game long.

Frayed Knot wrote: Apparently Matt has recovered - and the name of his rehab program is Ashley Haas. Ashley, shockingly, has recently signed a modeling deal! Doesn't this belong in the "The H is for Hello, Howyadoin? and �Hola! thread?

Grantland sez that with a whole lotta luck, they might finish as high as third: New York Mets: How large is Bartolo Colon? Signing a former Cy Young winner who�s coming off a four-WAR season for two years and $20 million is a pretty nice piece of business. Of course, Colon is also almost 41 years old, throws only one pitch, and is, well, spherical. But that�s the pond Sandy Alderson has to fish in now that his owners literally got bilked out of millions in a Ponzi scheme (and no, saying that now is neither less bizarre nor less funny than it was when the news first broke). Alderson also made a few other nice moves this offseason, adding outfielders Chris Young and Curtis Granderson. If a few things break right, including Colon�s voodoo working for another year, the Mets could finish as high as third in the NL East. http://grantland.com/the-triangle/national-league-spring-training-primer-key-questions/

RealityChuck wrote: I hope that, in his honor, people won't keep talking about how terrible the trade was. Okay. Then I'll wait a couple of weeks to tell you that as a Met, Whitey Herzog was about as livid as he ever was when he learned of the Ryan trade. And I'll take Whitey's opinion on anything Mets over just about anybody else's when it comes to scouting Mets players from that era. Whitey also surmised, correctly, that Fregosi was already injured when the Mets traded for him.

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Not a marionette, has him by the back of his shirt. I do believe I've told this story before but I remember that Fregosi poster coming out of the Sunday Snooze inspired me to peel apart my Dad's Sunday Times page by page looking for other Mets cartoons. Big mistake when dad found out. Okay smartypants. Then why is Fregosi picking a batter off of third base? Why? And if that third base is such a hot corner that it's on fire, shouldn't Fregosi be picking a baseball? And why is the batter still holding a bat? Why?

Vic Sage wrote: You can read the same article at the beginning of every spring training, about some marginal player who has come to ST stronger and more confident and ready to break through. I wish you the best, Lucas, but nobody puts any stock in this kind of piffle, do they? That's exactly what I was thinking when I posted the article. The example that I remember best is from the Bobby V era when one or two writers predicted that that would be the year that Ordonez would become a respectable hitter, all based on like one or two line drive singles that Rey supposedly hit, but with authority. Of course, I wasn't there in Florida to personally see what those writers saw, but that didn't stop me from giving those writers the side-eye.

Edgy MD wrote: Now what happened to the apathy about this competition? Oh, I care about the position, and the production the Mets'll get from 1st base. I just don't care whether it's Davis or Duda. Now if Duda was, for example, my nephew or my friend, then I'd root for him. So I can get free tickets and stuff. But otherwise, I'll just defer to the Mets here and assume that they'll make the wisest choice. And if they don't choose what's best for the Mets, what the hell can I do about it, anyway?

Benjamin Grimm wrote: That's gotta be Ed Kranepool, right? (He got that clean close shave by using Gillette Foamy.) Yeah, but I doubt it was the Gillette Foamy because Ed probably wasn't shaving yet.

A special Valentine's Day edition of "Who Am I?". Who am I?

http://archives.cranepoolforum.net/4300/f1_t4311.shtml

The first thing they do is get Franco in the booth. Then it's just a matter of time before the Mets are back in the ugly blacks. It's a very slippery slope.

Either these outfield quizzes are way too tough, or y'all are sick up to here already with these primary regular alignment outfield questions. Anyways, the 1987-'88 repeat primary outfield of McReynolds, Dykstra and Strawberry was the last time the Mets fielded the same main outfield for two straight seasons. The other Mets repeat primary outfields were the Steve Henderson, Lee Mazzilli, Joel Youngblood outfield of 1979-'80 and the Cleon Jones, Don Hahn, Rusty Staub outfield of 1973-'74.

Revamped Duda impresses during Mets� workouts By Kevin Kernan February 12, 2014 | 2:15pm PORT ST. LUCIE � You had to like what you saw Wednesday in Lucas Duda. And not just because he was hitting the ball with authority and was balanced in the box his first day at Mets pre-camp. Duda did not look hesitant when he spoke to a group of reporters. He looked them in the eye. He didn�t seem like he was in psychological pain simply answering questions. He even stood his ground. Duda, in the past, sometimes would move backward doing interviews. He would start out in front of his locker and by the time the last question was asked, he had retreated to safer ground. Let the first-base battle begin between a rebuilt Lucas Duda and Ike Davis. Duda, 28, said he believes he has improved across the board after attending a fitness and nutrition camp in Plymouth, Mich., that ran for eight weeks over two segments this offseason. �I feel more coordinated,�� Duda said. That�s a good start. �I feel faster. We�ll see if it translates,� he said. �I feel looser in my hips and am rotating better.� �All that should help him,�� hitting coach Dave Hudgens told The Post. Duda put on an impressive display in batting practice, but he has to succeed in spring games or he could wind up back in the minors. Duda said it was not a difficult decision to go to the lengthy offseason camp and to leave Southern California and spend so much time in the Michigan cold �because I�m trying to better myself and better my career and hopefully it will translate.�� Strong body, strong mind. Asked in what areas he has improved, Duda said, �Obviously strength. I worked on my running techniques so hopefully I am a little faster. I feel good. I jumped at the chance to go. �I changed the diet up a little bit.�� The 6-foot-4 Duda lost 10 pounds and weighs in at about 255. He said he misses the foods he used to eat. �Everything,�� he said. �Candy, cookies, whatever, you got it. I�m just making smarter choices, eat more chicken.�� Duda is not changing his offensive philosophy, though. And that�s fine. Some have criticized Duda for not being aggressive enough in RBI situations. �My number one goal is to stay healthy,�� he said. �If I can stay healthy I can put some numbers up. I�m just going to stay myself. I�m a guy who likes to take my walks, and I am going to continue to do that.�� Duda batted .223 last season with 15 home runs and just 33 RBIs. He walked 55 times, pushing his on-base percentage to .352. His OPS was .767. Shortstop Ruben Tejada and infielder Wilmer Flores also attended the camp. Duda said both made huge strides as well. �Those guys look great and are moving outstanding,�� he said. There still is talk Duda could wind up in the outfield, but that remains to be seen. The loser of the first-base job could wind up back in the minors, according to general manager Sandy Alderson, who is scheduled to arrive here Thursday. �They said I might play a little outfield. I�m up for anything,�� Duda said. �I just want to help the team. I�m just going in there to have fun, and let the chips fall where they may.�� Duda is friends with Davis, no matter what, noting, �I love Ike.�� Is he surprised both still are with the Mets after so much Davis trade talk? �You don�t get too caught up in that stuff,� Duda said. �Let�s see how I do at first base. My approach is the same. Some people are making a big deal [out of the competition], but I�m just going in to have fun.�� Duda admitted being in �Michigan that long was tough. It was snowing almost every day. So that was a little different.�� It was time to try something completely different. This day was a good start. http://nypost.com/2014/02/12/dudas-diet-changes-philosophy-at-plate-doesnt/

G-Fafif wrote: I cop to conscious inconsistency on preempting butterflies flapping wings in 1973 affecting the air currents in 1986. I took it into consideration but decided the 13-year gap was sufficient in Met terms to allow the exception to the rule in the name of clarity.... Also, deep down, though I laid out some "what if" scenarios, I don't think the one extra win in October 1973 would've rippled a whole lot differently in terms of later competitive outcomes.... The 13 year gap is a red herring. If the Mets win just four more games in 1979, they drop down two slots in the 1980 June amateur draft, and almost certainly miss out on Strawberry. That alone, could alter the fortunes of the 1986 Mets. Plus without the budding and precocious Strawberry on board, who knows if Keith even bothers to stick around after the 1983 season? I tell ya, this is the Devil's work, here.

ANKIEL This is Ankiel How did it feel? This is Ankiel What was the deal, Ankiel? There were elaborate plans, Ankiel And bodies in the stands, Ankiel No safety from your hands, Ankiel You�ll never take the field again. Sure, you pictured what could be A Cy Young two or three Maybe throw a World Series perfect game Then the Hall of Fame Lost in the minors�wilderness of pain When all your pitches go insane All the pitches go insane Almost hitting Timo�s brain, yeah The outfield turns your game around Back to Busch Stadium, Ricky Warm scenes of reclaimed glory Leave the Cardinal nest, Ricky Ride the train, ride the train To K.C, the cross-state team. Rick Then to the Braves for a while Nats and �Stros�you�re old you�re game�s getting cold The Mets are the best The Mets are the best Get here, outfield is a mess Nieuwenhuis, he was a bust Cowgill, man, he was a bust Ricky, please don�t fuck this up Outfielder awoke before dawn, he put his cleats on He took a bat from the dugout gallery And he walked onto the field He went to the circle where the on-decks stay and�then he Gave a greeting to the umpire and then he He waited for the ball, and And he swung at a pitch�it was way inside Pitcher, yes Rick, I want to hit you Ricky�You�re going to�strike out You�re done, Rick Y�know Ricky got a chance with us Y�know Ricky got a chance with us Y�know Ricky got a chance with us And then we saw that he was a big bust Swingin� a cold bat He�s a big bust Swings a cold bat Yer out, Rick Killed killed killed killed killed killed That was Ankiel How did it feel? That was Ankiel What was the deal, Ankiel? It hurt to see you play But Legares looks okay Ankiel means strikeouts and soft flies Ankiel was not our kind of guy That was Ankiel JSUIQgEVDM4

(Ankiel Is In) Centerfield Doesn't balk. Limits walks. How can we compete? That rookie pitcher Ankiel Had me shaking in my seat But he was wild like grass snakes No one could ever tame My memory then of Ankiel Would never cause me shame Years go by I'm watching in two thousand and thirteen And there's that pitcher Ankiel Playing for the team in Queens He signed a deal At first it was a bit surreal Rick Ankiel is in centerfield Ankiel is in centerfield He's not ideal Could he be better than Cowgill? Ankiel is in centerfield Wild since the LCS Better holding a bat I guess That's how he returned to play St. Louis said bye-bye Briefly played in Royal blue Atlanta, DC and Houston too New York had offensive needs And Ankiel soon was signed Though often a good fielder His hitting really sucked His tenure with the New York Mets Didn't even last a month He signed a deal He seemed to have an even keel Rick Ankiel is in centerfield Ankiel is in centerfield He's not ideal A single base he did not steal Ankiel is in centerfield Na, na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na na na Na na, na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na na na Na na, na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na na na Na na, na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na na na Now listen, he only tried to lend a hand The team was sadly undermanned And even after he was gone They barely hit with any brawn Hit two home runs, yes he did With seven RBIs But he hit just .182 And struck out 25 times After four weeks It's "bye" to Rick Lagares became more equipped Juan's play, who will defy it? Chris Young, I guess he's gonna try it He signed a deal The fans at Citi did not squeal Rick Ankiel is in centerfield Ankiel is in centerfield He's not ideal His weakness cannot be concealed Ankiel is in centerfield Na, na, na na na na, na na na na, na na na na na... BqDjMZKf-wg

[fimg=444:nw8bwefo]http://cdn.newsday.com/polopoly_fs/1.5255826.1368500254!/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/display_600/image.JPG[/fimg:nw8bwefo][fimg=444:nw8bwefo]http://cdn.newsday.com/polopoly_fs/1.5255826.1368500254!/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/display_600/image.JPG[/fimg:nw8bwefo]