batmagadanleadoff

G-Fafif wrote: G-Fafif wrote: G-Fafif wrote: G-Fafif wrote: Director Ang Lee wears a Mets cap while directing "Taking Woodstock," as witnessed in the "making of" extras on the Blu-Ray. What were the reviews for that film? I liked it. My wife liked it. Hey Ashie: Of course he liked it. He likes everything that has to do with 1969. I bet he could sell you on Charles Manson if he thought about it long enough. I've never been too high on Nixon's inauguration. Aha! So I was right about Manson. Not after that business with Randy Tate. Did you know that Randy's mom's name was Rosemary? The former Met pitcher was a Rosemary's Bonus Baby.

G-Fafif wrote: G-Fafif wrote: G-Fafif wrote: Director Ang Lee wears a Mets cap while directing "Taking Woodstock," as witnessed in the "making of" extras on the Blu-Ray. What were the reviews for that film? I liked it. My wife liked it. Hey Ashie: Of course he liked it. He likes everything that has to do with 1969. I bet he could sell you on Charles Manson if he thought about it long enough. I've never been too high on Nixon's inauguration. Aha! So I was right about Manson.

G-Fafif wrote: G-Fafif wrote: Director Ang Lee wears a Mets cap while directing "Taking Woodstock," as witnessed in the "making of" extras on the Blu-Ray. What were the reviews for that film? I liked it. My wife liked it. Hey Ashie: Of course he liked it. He likes everything that has to do with 1969. I bet he could sell you on Charles Manson if he thought about it long enough.

All great Doc pics! I think that Doc looked best right before his body opened up and chest facing the plate. I'd have Gooden at the point in his delivery where his left and right hands are farthest apart, chest facing the third base line, the tension in his body at a boiling point and about to be unleashed in the form of a 95 MPH exploding and rising fastball.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Takahashi, who spent the last 10 years with Tokyo�s Yomiuri Giants, chose the Mets over the Dodgers, the Orioles, the Red Sox and the Padres.... I like this pick-up, but only because the Red Sox were also interested in Takahashi. That's gotta be a good thing ... right?

MFS62 wrote: Here's some long distance optimism from my pal, the German Mets fan. Its a nice recap that seems to mirror some of what has already been said. I think that there's a good amount of truth in your friend's optimistic analysis. For all of the inconsistency issues concerning the Mets starting rotation, the staff was good enough to win the division during the two "collapse" seasons, mainly because the Mets offense was excellent. The middle of the lineup was a juggernaut that might've been the best in all of baseball in 2007 and 2008. When Jerry Manuel replaced Wee Willie Small Balls, the kiddie brakes were removed from the offense and the 2008 Mets responded by posting the best record in the NL -- post Willie. If Wilie's Kids had won as frequently as Jerry's Gangsta's did in 2008, the Mets would have won the division easily and with enough days of rest to set their rotation to optimal advantage for the playoffs. The offense was good enough to overcome not only a decent though unspectacular rotation (one Cy Young caliber pitcher and four question-marks of varying degree), but one of the worst bullpens in modern baseball history. One new problem going forward in 2010 is that a moderate upgrade to the starting rotation might not be enough to overcome the potential question marks that now mar the Mets offense what with Reyes' and Beltran's injuries and Wright's strange and powerless 2009 season.

batmagadanleadoff wrote: ..with champagne bubbles floating through the air and encasing Donn Clendenon's head like some foam helmet..... That's what I'm talking about:

Knee on the ground, chest out, following through on the delivery. Something like this is very Seaver-y to me Grimm's and JCL's Seaver images are virtually identical captures of Seaver, from different angles. The two photos depict Seaver at practically the same point in his delivery. This one would be cool: I like Swannie's idea so much that when I buy the Mets, I intend to commission an installation honoring the '69 Mets. I just might erect a clubhouse celebration scene, complete with champagne bubbles floating through the air and encasing Donn Clendenon's head like some foam helmet. Mayor Lindsay will be there and so will Ed Charles, with his million miles wide smile, holding up the "The Amazing Mets" record album of that same year (Buddah Records). I promise that Joan Payson will be showing some knee. That image of Seaver swinging a champagne bottle like it was a microphone in search of an interview will be the centerpiece of my vision.

Edgy DC wrote: There's another one of Frank Howard. Those statues may one day be classic. For now, disturbing. Frank Howard might've been the only player of his day capable of swinging three or four bats simultaneously.

This innovative Walter Johnson statue attempts to capture the HOF sidearmer's movement in a sort of frame-by-frame effect. Many fans think that the statue is grotesque ... creepy. It does have a gargoyle-like quality to it.

I know that Mike Jacobs sucks but I like him.

MFS62 wrote: A statue of a batter is probably easier than a pitcher. You can show a batter in his stance. What position should a pitcher be in? His windup? I'd suppose that any pitcher that was once good enough to now merit a statue has developed a uniquely iconic image or pose of himself, suitable for preservation. For fun, try and find an image of Tom Seaver depicting how you would like (here comes an assumption) his statue to appear.

Upper Deck releases its 2010 baseball card set. Team logos appear on many of the cards, apparently in violation of MLB properties decision to grant Topps an exclusive license to use team logos on 2010 cards. Baseball card maker Upper Deck is facing a major league lawsuit. Major League Baseball sued the Carlsbad, Calif., company, accusing it of using the league's logos without permission and distributing unauthorized lines of trading cards. Upper Deck's cards improperly feature various sport and team logos, which were licensed six months ago to Topps, the filing said. The 58-year-old Topps was bought in 2007 by Tornante, the investment firm run by former Disney chief Michael Eisner. Some 2010 Upper Deck packaging features New York Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter, and may confuse collectors because of its similarity to authorized packaging used in 2009, according to the suit. The suit, filed in Manhattan federal court, also says Upper Deck "is on the verge" of distributing several other fake lines -- and claims that Upper Deck owes MLB $2.4 million. The lawsuit follows a legal settlement last week between Upper Deck and Konami Digital Entertainment. The Japanese firm had accused Upper Deck of illegally printing more than 600,000 Yu-Gi-Oh! trading cards, which are based on an animated show that's wildly popular in Japan. According to reports, Upper Deck was forced to shell out millions of dollars in damages to Konami. A judge had called internal documents at Upper Deck "damning," saying they "detail blatant, improper, perhaps criminal, conduct by individuals at the top." Major League Baseball seeks to halt sales of unauthorized cards, and also seeks triple and punitive damages. "Upper Deck's current conduct is reflective of a pattern of utter disrespect for the contractual and intellectual property rights of those from whom it licenses valuable trademarks," the complaint said. An Upper Deck spokesman declined to comment on yesterday's suit, which specifically fingers unauthorized "Signature Stars" and "Ultimate Collection" lines of trading cards. http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/got_it_had_it_lost_it_tADj3oQP8oQgEGIJBY1jwN For those "Holy Book" card collectors, Pat Misch is one of 20 Mets cards included in the 2010 UD set: Misch is photographed from a vantage point that conveniently obscures all Mets logos: this card complies with MLB's logo ban without need for the dreaded airbrush.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Mays should have no say in the matter. Where has he been since 1979? Willie Mays is one of my all-time favorite players, but he's not a Met. He's a Giant. I'd give number 24 to the next scrub that comes along. And then the next scrub after that. Me too.

In order to properly evaluate the Mets success at acquiring amateur talent, you have to recognize that the team has developed the strongest pipeline to Latin American talent in all of baseball. The Mets, more than any other team in baseball, are willing to forfeit a first round pick in order to sign a Type A free agent and also, to adopt unreasonably rigid positions favoring baseball's recommended slotting system. The team does this because it's confident that it'll more than make it up by signing prime Central and South American teenaged amateurs who essentially enter USA pro baseball as free agents. It's a deliberate MO. Among the team's many Latin American signings are Jose Reyes, Fernando Martinez, Jesus Flores and Carlos Gomez. And while Gomez hasn't yet panned out, there's hardly a team in baseball that wouldn't have wanted Gomez in their system six or seven years ago. On the other hand, I have nothing against the team maintaining its South of the Border advantage and simultaneously going over slot in the June draft. I mean, are the two approaches mutually exclusive?

Chris Cannizzaro fitting in with Stengel's Mets. (That's pre-manager Westrum to you, mole)

OK. I get it. Pitchers and (mostly) catchers in descending uniform # order.

batmagadanleadoff wrote: John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Where do the Topps proofs come from? The Topps [crossout]ostrich[/crossout] stork. Stork. I meant to write stork. Because, you know, "where do _______ come from? Come from. Get it?