metirish

Not to mention that Seaver knew nothing it seemed about the opposing team, he never sounded prepared, I hated listening to him, Fran I liked, Edgy pretty much wrote what I thought about Fran.

From reading the Klap article he seems to be somehow outraged that anyone would vote for Jeffries yet Gossage was not elected, one has nothing to do with the other though.

I found this interesting and curious, from Klap... ] NEWS ITEM: Gregg Jefferies receives Two HOF Votes; Walt Weiss receives one. Anyone who has so little respect for the Cooperstown voting process or for the Hall itself deserves to be investigated. So we called Jack O'Connell, the Baseball Writers Association of America secretary-treasurer, asking for the names of the pranksters. We knew full well that Cooperstown officials mandate a secret ballot, so O'Connell was powerless to help us. But anyone who think Jefferies and his .289 average belong in the Hall (or Weiss and his .258 mark), should be forced to justify his or her vote. As it is, the BBWAA took a public relations hit this week, electing Sutter while mindlessly turning its back on the more deserving Gossage. The votes cast for Jefferies and Weiss only deepened the scandal. The solution, of course, is to make next year's balloting public, the same way the BBWAA announces the individual voters' choices for the Cy Young Award and Most Valuable Player. Only then will the election process be taken more seriously. O'Connell does rightfully point out that, "you're allowed to vote for anyone on the ballot." Still, he said, "it raised my eyebrows" to see the boxes checked next to Jefferies' and Weiss' names. "I'm not embarrassed by the votes," O'Connell said. "But I think the individuals should be." If we're demanding full disclosure from McGwire, it should go both ways. Whoever cast those votes should step forward.

] Mex marks spot in Met booth The conversation took place three years ago. Jim Kaat, one of the finest baseball TV analysts, was talking about Keith Hernandez. "Keep watching that guy," Kaat said. "He just keeps getting better." Kaat, secure enough in his own talent to plug a competitor, was right. Still, during his tenure as a Mets TV analyst, Hernandez was never given the only recognition that counts. More games. And more money. For whatever reason, the suits running Cablevision-owned Fox Sports New York/MSG Network, which once owned Mets TV rights, had Hernandez averaging close to only 50 games per season up until 2005, when James Dolan made Fran Healy the Mets' primary analyst, cutting Hernandez back to 32 games. Better days were coming. When Fred Wilpon decided to buy his way out of the Mets' TV contract with Cablevision, all the seats in the Mets broadcast booth turned into those ejector jobs "Q" used to install in James Bond's cars. Healy. Gone. Ted Robinson. Gone. Ralph Kiner. Gone. Tom Seaver. Gone. Dave O'Brien. Gone. Matt Loughlin. Gone. Hernandez is the only man left standing. Yesterday, SportsNet New York boss Jon Litner, and his lieutenant, Curt Gowdy Jr., said Ron Darling will stand next to Mex. Gary Cohen already was brought over from radio in the upright position. Make no mistake, Hernandez, who will work about 110 games, is the star of this show. In TV baseball the main analyst always is. Hernandez has earned top billing. It's not just about his knowledge of the game. Anyone who played big-league baseball for 17 seasons knows the ins and outs. It's his ability to communicate what he knows with clarity, passion and honesty. Hernandez has developed a style. It ain't white bread and butter. He often takes a fearless approach. It always played well with fans. At MSG, he was paid by Cablevision. Now, he is working for a network whose majority owner is Wilpon. "I don't think it's going to be a problem," Hernandez said yesterday. "All I've heard from Curt and Jon is (they want) honest analysis." The problem will be if "Curt" or "Jon" start hearing from Fred or Jeff (Wilpon). "Time will tell," Hernandez said. "We'll cross that bridge when the time comes." If Hernandez ever sees the abutment, he will figure out the best way to react. In September 2002, Hernandez - in a column on MSG's Web site, wrote that the Mets had "no heart" and "quit" on Bobby Valentine. Mike Piazza was so incensed by the commentary that he referred to Hernandez as a "voice from the grave." Hernandez wound up making a clubhouse apology to the Mets during a series in Atlanta. And yet, it seemed strange that Hernandez would apologize for telling the truth. "It was the truth. Certain players did quit. I apologized for saying the team collectively quit," Hernandez said. "It was a blanket statement. It was unfair. You can't tell me the 25th player on that roster, or the 10th pitcher on the club, quit." The chances of Hernandez finding himself in a similar position definitely exist. Stuff happens during a season. Just ask the gang at Al Yankzeera. For Hernandez, aka Mex, the only difference now is knowing how to drop the hammer. Especially when you might have to tell millions of viewers the Mets choked. "Those are tough choices to make. I think everyone knows I'm honest in the booth," he said. "I've learned over the years you can be honest and not beat someone over the head. . . . But you have to be honest. If we throw some bull--- out there it's not going to fly." His concern shows a commitment to his craft that was not always there. Hernandez's baseball career did not end the way he wanted it to. A bad back forced him out in 1991. For four years he had no use for baseball. Didn't care about the game. Never watched it. A persistent agent, Dave Katz, spent two years encouraging Hernandez to give broadcasting a try. "I said, 'No, no, no,' but Dave just hung in there," Hernandez said. "Finally, I said I was ready." Now, there is a realization of where he's come. In the Mets' broadcast booth, he doesn't have to take a back seat. Hernandez knows he is No. 1. Someone asked him how he felt about all this. "I am," Hernandez said, "nervous." An honest answer. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/382395p-324658c.html

Or as they say in Aus, that's his "sheila", I wonder what grog he drinks.

I think it's really cool that the Mets have a man in Australia, nice gig.

Cool , Gary will do games on WPIX 11 too, I hope Cablevision doesn't screw us.

Gossage is pissed ... ] Former closer Rich "Goose" Gossage isn't too happy that he failed to win election into baseball's Hall of Fame, according to a report in the New York Post. Gossage received 336 votes, which is short of the 390 needed for election. The former right-hander finished behind fellow closer Bruce Sutter, who won election by getting 400 votes, and former slugger Jim Rice who got 337 votes. "I just don't get it," a frustrated Gossage told The Post from Colorado on Tuesday. "I'm at a loss for words." Gossage, a former Yankees' fireballer, seems angry that he failed to get into the Hall of Fame despite the fact that he has, among other things, more career saves, victories, and strikeouts (948) than Sutter. "I just can't believe Sutter got in before me," Gossage added."He deserved it. I was hoping Sutter and I could go in together. ... I don't know if I ever will make it." "You know what, I never hear from these guys who don't vote for me," Gossage said. "But I'll take on any writer, anywhere, on any show, and I will bury him." Gossage also feels badly for peers such as Rice, Andre Dawson and Bert Blyleven � all of whom were left on the outside looking in. The "Goose's" feelings concerning Rice's snub were particularly strong as he called it a "joke" that the Twins' Kirby Puckett was elected on the first ballot. Rice meanwhile is now 0-for-12 in Hall entry attempts. "If Jim Rice had played in the Metrodome, he would have torn the place down, and that's nothing against Kirby Puckett, that's just the way it is," Gossage said. What's more, Gossage often pitched two or three innings to earn his saves, and he says comparing him to current closers such as Trevor Hoffman or Mariano Rivera is like comparing apples to oranges. "The job is so easy because they're only pitching one inning," Gossage said. "Writers have forgotten how the role has changed." And don't get him started on Barry Bonds and other allegedly drug-enhanced sluggers we watch now. "Hitting in a game is no different than hitting in a home run contest," Gossage said. "It [ticks] me off to say Barry Bonds is the greatest hitter. He's playing in a wussy era. The game is soft. You never get thrown at today. Last thing a hitter has to worry about today is getting hit. The first thing Hank Aaron had to worry about is: Am I going to survive this at-bat because I'm black."

Umm, not a great shirt Jeff.

Shawn Estes and the Padres finalized a one year contract Tuesday, one year one million.

He'll no doubt be part of a package in a few years for an average old bench player.

] Mets introduce 2005 top pick Pelfrey BY JIM BAUMBACH STAFF WRITER January 11, 2006, 12:25 PM EST The Mets this morning introduced their newly signed 2005 first-round pick, righthander Mike Pelfrey, who said he couldn't wait for spring training to start. The Mets gave Pelfrey a four-year major-league contract, which means he is on the 40-man roster and will be with the big guys at the start of spring training. "My only concern is to go out and improve every day as a player," he said. "I'm positive the Mets will let me know when I'm ready." Pelfrey's contract is worth a guaranteed $5.2 million, with additional incentives that could push its total value to as much as a $6.5 million depending on how quickly he makes the majors. Pelfrey, however, said he is simply looking forward to regular baseball action again, after spending the last seven months since the draft resting his shoulder and taking up golf. He said he was never worried about a deal getting done despite the long wait because he knew there were no plans for him to pick up a baseball after throwing 139 2/3 innings as a junior for Wichita State last season, his junior year. "I had faith in the mets and I had faith in my advisors," said Pelfrey, who is represented by Scott Boras, "so I knew it was going to get done. It was no big deal being patient."

Yes it is Cooby. Mike looks hammered at this Xmas party..

This is pure gold though, Piazza with Dio.. you think Piazza will miss NYC?..

Damn how did I forget him....

t have to know where to look Zvon, I cheat because Piazza is a frind of NY DJ Eddie Trunk... You'll find a load of Piazza pics here.. http://www.revolutionred.com/eddietrunk/images/CJXM0023@.jpg

I'm bored..... ha, that's Bret Harper not LoDuca. Caption those.

Good for Wiggie, does he have a shot at starting?, I know hardly anything about the D-Rays after Baez.

A big congrats to Sutter.

Who's the prospect in the orange top?,that's Jeff Keppinger out front. who's that with Strawberry?

After meeting Zakk and the Pope he met Tim Ripper Owens..

Zakk Wilde belts one out....

In other St. Lucie news.... ] Carter Moves Up to Manager of St. Lucie PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Hall of Famer Gary Carter was promoted Monday to manager of the Class-A St. Lucie Mets after managing New York's Gulf Coast League team last year. An 11-time All-Star catcher, Carter hopes to become a major league manager. "The Mets have given me the opportunity, and I'm doing everything I can to get there," Carter said. "If it doesn't happen in a couple years, then fine. If it does happen, it will be a great day." Carter managed the Gulf Coast Mets to a 37-16 record and the league playoffs. "I think it's a great opportunity for Gary," Mets general manager Omar Minaya said. "He did a great job with the Gulf Coast team." Carter replaces Tim Teufel, who managed the St. Lucie Mets for two years. He has left the organization. http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/sns-ap-bbn-mets-carter,0,3466996.story?coll=ny-sports-headlines