metirish

Paddy Power Odds Perspective new GM for the floundering other NY baseball team seeing leaving Paddy Power's Sandy Alderson - 2/1 Despite being named Sandy the Mets like this guy, a former kick ass Marine sergeant who is currently in the Dominican Republic leading a counter-insurgency and trying to win the hearts and minds of the people too.... Rick Hahn - 4/1 Nine years a bridesmaid.....to a black guy ...fuck sake how good can he be?..... Jerry Dipoto - 5/1 Looks like something your emo daughter would drag home after cutting herself Logan White - 10/1 Sounds more LA than NY.....likes to go for long strolls on the beach looking for talent , good luck with that in Flushing Eddie Bane - 20/1 With the Angels he had thing called "The Bane Connection"...., sounds like just what fred would go for Dan Jennings - 30/1 In his spare time Dan is a professional Taxidermist, perfect with the expiring contracts the Mets have coming up.... http://taxidermist.com/2010/07/interview-with-dan-jennings/ Jon Daniels - 35/1 When not touring as Marilyn Manson he might find time to fix the pen Josh Byrnes - 40/1 Would love to bring his loser mentality to Queens Terry Ryan - 8/1- odds dropped are some heavy overseas betting The smart money is on Ryan, the Irish are placing large bets on him The Other - Odds pending

I went to bed around 10:30, game was still in the 4th inning IIRC....8:30PM games in the post-season suck.....had little faith the the Twins would actually win....not surprised to see they didn't. TBS in game question Is Ron Gardenhire the best manager in the game? Like Ron and Smoltz were going to say he wasn't.....although they didn't say he was.

Oh so espn didn't lead with the story about one of their producers giving himself up today to the cops.....he was caught masturbating at a neighbors window while she undressed.

Zvon wrote: I guess I have mixed feelings cause at this point I wanna see him do it ,see a no-no in post play, and in my head I think no way can he do this. Very strange perspective. I think he could no hit them through 15 if he wanted.

What Halladay is doing here is special, I'm rooting for the no-hitter, certainly not rooting against it anyway.

HahnSolo wrote: Captain Jeter did not have the Edge in hits. Well this is a shit quiz then....... Utley or Rollins?

Jeter ?......if he didn't do it then I am sure there was a good reason

Jon Harper as predictable as the sun soming up has this on Wally...no matter who's the GM Wally must be the manager....'cos he's gritty and will add toughness to the team.....that would be a nice way for a new GM to start out, having a manager forced on him. I have no doubt that young kids in their first year would be swayed by Backman's personality and gritty attitude(I have no idea if he is like that but it's what the media are saying), would major leaguers buy in to that?.....he's been portrayed as a Bowa type reaelly , right? Wally Backman is a good bet to be next Mets manager, no matter what Wilpons say about GM's role I believe the Wilpons are serious about letting a new GM lead them out of the wilderness, and it is the right way to go. They finally seem to understand how desperately the organization needs the type of direction and detailed planning that Omar Minaya never really provided. But I also believe that as much as the Mets' owners said the GM will get to hire the new manager, odds are very good that Wally Backman will be in the dugout next season no matter who is running baseball operations. Granted, it would be something of a gamble because Backman has never managed in the majors, and there's no guarantee that his Billy Martin-like intensity would inspire millionaires the way it has hungry minor leaguers. But the timing would make it the right call, for a lot of reasons. Let's start with toughness, the one intangible the Mets have lacked most in recent years. You only have to go back a couple of weeks for a glaring example, when the Mets let Chase Utley wipe out Ruben Tejada at second base with an over-the-line slide and did nothing to retaliate. Oh, sure, Carlos Beltran managed to get in the way of a double play the next day, but he didn't even make contact, and when all was said and done, the Mets sent the message that they wouldn't stand up to the Phillies - the team that has bullied them in one way or another for four years. I don't blame Jerry Manuel for the Mets' failures in recent years, but he clearly failed to instill enough grit in his ballclub. Somebody has to do it because there's no hard-edged leadership in their clubhouse. David Wright, in fact, went out of his way not to call out Utley that night, telling reporters it was up to the rookie Tejada to pass judgment. And Mets pitchers didn't so much as knock a Phillies' hitter down, never mind stick a fastball in Utley's ribs. You can bet that if Backman had been managing, Utley would have paid during his next at-bat. And chances are a Met would have roll-blocked the second baseman after that. Not that retaliating or even fighting is a cure-all for the Mets. Talent aside, however, winning in the big leagues starts with attitude, with the type of mental and physical toughness that has defined the Phillies and separated them from the Mets. (Well, that and a farm system that allowed them to trade for Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt over a 12-month period, but that's another story - and a reminder of one of Minaya's biggest failings.) Backman would instill toughness, all right, and everywhere he has managed in the minors he has inspired great effort with his passion and his ability to relate to players. Recently Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla, who played for Backman in the minors several years ago, was quoted as saying, "I would have run through a brick wall for him." Backman has had his issues off the field, obviously, but he paid dearly for them when the Diamondbacks fired him four days after hiring him in 2004, and all indications are that he has grown up since those days when he was a member of the '86 wild bunch that won the Mets' last world championship. The timing is right partly because the Mets aren't winning anything next year, as they wait for their bad contracts to expire before they spend again, as they integrate more young players into the mix, and as they wait on the return of Johan Santana from shoulder surgery - all meaning that Backman would get a season of low expectations to learn his way around Citi Field. Meanwhile, Jeff Wilpon was very impressed by Backman's work with the Brooklyn Cyclones this season, and the former second baseman's popularity as a fiery '86 Met is something the club can sell to disillusioned ticket buyers. Finally, Backman would not cost big bucks, which may be significant, and no matter what they are saying publicly, the owners have told people in the organization that they want a manager with ties to the Mets. Bobby Valentine? Even if the Wilpons were OK with it, a new GM isn't going to want to bang heads with a manager notorious for wanting control. And while Lee Mazzilli is a former manager with Met ties, a new GM would have to want him badly to truly put him in play. So believe it when the Wilpons say they won't pick the players for the new GM. Just don't think of it as a coincidence if they find a GM who wants Backman to be the manager.jharper@nydailynews.com Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2010/10/06/2010-10-06_eye_on_wally_world.html?page=1#ixzz11aNwZMUE

Gotta beat C.C. Fathabia in Game 1.......

Very cool......I must say I feel chuffed.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Haven't been in much of a mood to count the blessings, but I'd be remiss if I didn't recount one of the few positive Metly customer-service experiences I'd ever... well... experienced. LWYoungerPooper and I got to the game a little later than expected (just before first pitch), and sans BabyBjorn-thingy, so it was a bit of a sprint-cum-balancing-act for the first inning or two, until we could get seated. Finally, though, we sat in our Promenade first-row box seats and settled in. I fed her, dip-checked the diapers, and settled in to watch the game/have some Shake Shack... only LWYP, underslept and crinkling up her Don Rickles-y about-to-cry face, had other ideas. Just as the sobs began to crack in her throat, I whisked her up, piled our bags back up, stacked my beer on top of my Shake Shack takeout box, and wobbled to the concourse for a quickie rocking/warming session. As I rifled through the diaper bag for her sucker, a middle-aged guy in a CitiField windbreaker, expensive shoes, and gelled-back hair leaned close and said, "Aw, that's adorable." I thanked him, and then dove right back into simultaneously rifling through the diaper bag and ministering to YP. He kept watching, and seeing me struggle, asked, "Is everything all right?" Again, I thanked him, and turned back to YP. He said, "Are you guys here alone? Is that it?" Mildly creeped out, I politely answered, "Yes, Mom's stuck at work," and again turned back to my daughter. "Well," he started again, as I suppressed a snappish remark. "Would you guys be interested in moving down? Would that help?" Stunned, I stammered. "I guess... that might... help." With that, he whipped out comp tickets for two Field Level seats, and walked us over to the elevators. "Thanks again for coming," he called as the elevator doors closed, "and tell them Dave sent you down." We watched the lion's share of the rest of the game-- until the 10th, anyway, when we left-- from the Champions' Club, where a sympathetic bartender-- after seeing me wrestle Artie into a comfortable sitting position with a by-now-twitching bicep and hearing that "Dave" sent us-- comped us on a beer and an apple juice. It didn't occur to me until the drive home that we'd been comped-- unless my mind's eye and the Googled images I'm looking at now deceive me-- by Dave Howard, doing quality control on the season's last day. Missed this , great story....one fan at a time...nice one all round

Girardi's devious plan to avoid Lee is coming together, manager of the year surely.

Ron Darling on a conference call for TBS "I just think the Mets' problems go much deeper than letting go the manager and general manager," he said. "They let go some good people today, but that�s one step in about 25 steps that they�re going to have to try to complete."

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: HahnSolo wrote: Could he bring his manager with him? I like the prospect of Ryan (however unlikely it feels). But the Mets just fired the poor man's Gardy. See, the media would have you believe Gardy is the best thing ever.....you don't rate him LWFS?

Ryan stepped down form the GM role in 2007, apparently still is an advisor for the Twins, is he still in the game or is that like a cushy non-job with a title?

Edgy DC wrote: Oh, and can somebody explain to me why GM-ing is a young man's job without just laying it out there as self-evident? The argument has been around for a decade now with nothing backing it up but attitude. And those guys are like ten years older now

Do we have one?, looked and didn't see it so here goes.... Oh , firstly , am I the only fool that didn't know Jerry Dipoto pitched for the Mets , just learned that this morning. I don't care for Bill Madden but his article today talks about getting a guy who has not failed elsewhere, and staying away form the older guys, GMing is a young mans game, ask Pat Gillick. You can read his article here Rick Hahn, Jerry DiPoto, Logan White and Eddie Bane should be on Wilpons' short list as Mets next GM Fred and Jeff Wilpon couldn't have been clearer Monday. The Mets mess is their mess. They're the ones who hired Omar Minaya and gave him a free hand to spend $36 million over three years on Ollie Perez, $37 million over three years and an option on Francisco Rodriguez, $25 million over four years on Luis Castillo. And, because of that, they're the ones ultimately responsible for the fact the Mets have not had a comprehensive offseason game plan in recent years, along with a dysfunctional decision-making process, whether they are trades, signings, call-ups or simply handling injuries. Even Minaya himself conceded the Mets were in need of new leadership, but with a record of such fiascos as Al Harazin and Steve Phillips in the past, the Wilpons, who haven't had a whole lot of luck and success overall with general managers since Frank Cashen retired, have to know that this time they really need to get it right. As Jeff Wilpon put it: "We need a new direction, new leadership" and a person "with qualities to reinvigorate the ballclub." One must assume he means that because, if he does, you can start eliminating right now a lot of the usual suspects being bandied about in the media. Sandy Alderson? He's firmly ensconced in cleaning up the Dominican Republic for Major League Baseball with his eye no doubt on running a club for someone, not being a general manager. John Hart? He's 62, having already retired once as a GM with the Indians in 2001, only to come back a few months later when Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks made him an offer he couldn't refuse. In four years in Texas, Hart's teams were 311-337. Josh Byrnes? It ought to say something to the Wilpons that he was fired in Arizona with five years and nearly $6 million left on his contract after Diamondback teams went 349-378 under his stewardship. While Jeff Wilpon said Monday they would be considering all different candidates for the job - veteran types like Alderson and Hart, "second-chance" guys like Byrnes - they're deluding themselves if they don't go out and hire their own man. They need someone who hasn't failed elsewhere - someone, preferably, with a strong scouting and player evaluation background to complement John Ricco, the Mets' very able assistant GM. Someone with strong organization skills, someone under 60 because, ask John Schuerholz, ask Pat Gillick, ask almost anyone, the GM job has become a young man's job. There are plenty of candidates out there who fit that description, none of whom has ever been a GM. That shouldn't be a deterrent for the Wilpons, who, again, need to hire their own man, not somebody else's failed reject. Four such names are White Sox assistant GM Rick Hahn, Diamondbacks assistant GM Jerry DiPoto, Dodgers scouting director Logan White and former Angels scouting director Eddie Bane. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2010/10/05/2010-10-05_time_for_new_mets_blood.html And here he gives a heads up on four guys he thinks the Wilpon's should look at. Rick Hahn - White Sox Has been hailed by many throughout the game as being bright, organized and a workaholic. The White Sox wouldn't let him interview for the Seattle Mariners' GM job two years ago and instead gave him a big raise. His only drawback is that his primary area of expertise has been contracts, waivers, etc., same as Ricco's. That said, the vast majority of today's GMs have player evaluation backgrounds and White Sox GM Kenny Williams has sent the 38-year old Hahn out scouting the past two years. As one White Sox insider said: "Rick's personable, smart and has got all the attributes to be an excellent GM and it won't be long before somebody scoops him up." Jerry Dipoto Even though he's reupping with the Diamondbacks as scouting director under new GM Kevin Towers, the 42-year-old Jersey product would love coming back home to be GM of his old ballclub. The onetime Met reliever did a good job as interim D-Backs' GM after Byrne was fired, getting a nice package of prospects in ownership-ordered fire sale deals for Dan Haren, Edwin Jackson and Chad Qualls, and is respected throughout the game for his player-evaluating skills. He's also a self-proclaimed baseball history buff. Logan White One of the most respected scouting directors in the game, he's responsible for the core of the Dodgers' homegrown talent - James Loney, Clayton Kershaw, Matt Kemp, Chad Billingsley, Russell Martin, Blake DeWitt et al. He has interviewed for a number of GM jobs in the past that went to others but it's only a matter of time until some team taps his vast potential. Eddie Bane Got fired last week in a personality clash with Angels GM Tony Reagins, not for his job performance. The 58-year-old Chicago product and former pitcher for the Twins earned a reputation for having a keen eye for talent in the middle and late rounds of the draft and is responsible for the Angels' signing of Kendry Morales and the drafting of Jared Weaver, the late Nick Adenhart, Peter Bourjos and top prospects Mike Trout, Hank Congers, Michael Kohn and Jordan Walden. The Wilpons seem to know their mission. They need a GM with vision and leadership skills and they know that, the state of the Mets as it is, they can't afford to screw up again.

Bravo Z That's Thole?, I was wondering who it was and would have guessed an execs son, maybe the guy standing next to him, who is he anyway...the exec?

Put me down for Wally as bench coach to whoever will be manager.

soupcan wrote: What point was Francessa attempting to make when he said Madoff didn't take on non-Jews? The caller IIRC had mentioned how hurt Fred was by Madoff, I believe Fred said something to that effect during the conference. What's funny is how certain Francesa is when he says things.

metsmarathon wrote: Willets Point wrote: I always thought he was good at big things - signing Martinez & Beltran, trading for Santana, et al - but poor at getting the supporting cast for the big stars (often erring to players with impressive track records who were on the verge of precipitous decline or already declining). i would say that omar was pretty good at reeling in the big fish that he cast after, and was fairly creative in trolling the shallower pools, but did a terrible job of catching the kinds of fish you could put round out a meal with. he'd pay wild salmon prices for canned sardines, all while the sockeyes are runnin' up in alaska. Not sure if you are trying to be funny so if not don't take this as an insult......but I'm dying over here.

I think Omar did plenty of the small fill in trades/signings too, as noted elsewhere he tended to keep them for that extra season. It just never all came together.

What's Jeff thinking right here?

Ceetar wrote: There is not a single person that ever wore a Mets uniform that I was happier to see go. WOW, really? That thing with Maine was kinda cool, the very kind of thing that would have been even cooler at the start of his tenure, it would have fitted the persona that was crafted about him.

Guy in black Mets cap " Mothafucker just told me I'm the new eight inning guy"