metirish

A mid-season report from Mark Hermann , not that that means much but there is a bit of news regarding Citi field A tale of two new ballparks BY MARK HERRMANN | mark.herrmann@newsday.com 9:58 PM EDT, July 13, 2009 ] This just proves that all rookies need a while to settle in, even a pair that came in together with a massive buildup and a combined $2.3-billion price tag. All that New York can say to the new Yankee Stadium and Citi Field after a sometimes rocky, sometimes pretty first half-season is what the city always says to a bonus baby: Welcome to the big leagues, kid. The new homes for the Yankees and Mets sure were the talk of the town, as expected. It's just that the clubs who built the stadiums (or, as they prefer, a stadium and a ballpark) never imagined the conversation would be about obstructed views, empty seats, muted tradition and, above all, too many or too few home runs. Everyone in the big leagues has heard the buzz. In his first hour as a Met on Saturday, former Brave Jeff Francoeur said: "You're not going to go out and hit 45 home runs in this park. If you want to do that, you've got to go 10 miles down the road." Nothing like each other Yes, the park built for intimacy is playing like the Grand Canyon and the stadium built for grand stature is playing like a neighborhood slow-pitch softball diamond. Yankee Stadium, next door to the slowly disappearing old Yankee Stadium, has become the Cape Canaveral of ballparks. It's a launching pad for four-base hits and one-liners. It has been called Coors Field East because it appeared to be a challenger to break the Denver stadium's record for homers in a season (303). Citi Field, next door to the vanished Shea Stadium (now a parking lot), has become baseball's Great Plains, a paradigm for the Mets' offensive drought. The first reason cited for acquiring Francoeur was that he is good enough to track down balls in the roomy, quirky outfield. Even for a couple of phenoms, replacing a combined 129 years of history isn't easy. Both clubs (especially the Mets) point out that most fans really like the new parks. And as for the kinks, each side said it is working on them. Back in March, the Yankees reduced the prices of some bleacher seats that didn't have full views. In April, in the face of ridicule over the sight of so many empty, padded premium seats right near the field, they announced a huge markdown and/or rebate, especially on the $2,500 tickets. They'll let it play out A Yankees spokesman said Monday that the club is not commenting on the Stadium now, instead choosing to see how the rest of the season goes. Hal Steinbrenner, the managing general partner, recently did send out e-mails to some customers inviting them to meetings at the Stadium or Rockefeller Center, and "telling us how we are doing and how we can make the 'Yankee Stadium Experience.' " Bloggers have objected to relentless promotions on the public address system, the fact that Monument Park is basically hidden behind the centerfield fence and that the place just doesn't have the electric feel that the building next door had. Visiting players have privately said the new Stadium is not as verbally intimidating as the old. Blue Jays first baseman Kevin Millar, formerly of the Red Sox, said he preferred the original: "I got booed a lot louder. I like to get booed. I don't know if it's all corporate, but they're too nice to me here." Home of the home run The real major story, though, is the long ball. The Stadium's home run binge isn't what it was, but it still is booming. The total of 142 through 42 games is on pace for 274, as opposed to 160 next door last year. In 46 road games, the Yankees and their opponents have hit only 102. At first, the Yankees blamed it on the weather, but a meteorologist disputed that, releasing a study backing the contention of hittrackeronline.com. It attributed the power surge to the lack of curvature in the rightfield wall (to accommodate a vintage-looking auxiliary scoreboard), effectively making the field smaller. Early in the season, A.J. Burnett spoke on behalf of all pitchers when he said, "This ballpark, obviously, is in your head." But the Yankees have won 20 of their past 29 at home, to which reliever Phil Coke said, "Even though, early on, it seemed like this place was going to yield the same amount in home runs as it did [in dollars] to build it, we're going to get the job done." Manager Joe Girardi said last week: "I love coming here; the players love coming here. Even though our ballpark has so much to offer and has so many new things, I think a lot of people have seen a lot of it and I think now the game is the main attraction. I don't know because I'm not in the stands, I'm not in the Great Hall, I'm not in the restaurants, but that's just kind of a feeling I get." Not enough Mets Dave Howard, the Mets' executive vice president for business, said Citi Field has been "extremely well received," with people commenting even on their reception in the parking lot. He did acknowledge early-season criticisms: Some seats have obstructed views and that there is less celebration of Mets history than the Brooklyn Dodgers' legacy. As much as there was a "good riddance" feeling about Shea, there was an uproar Sunday when one of its traditions, the apple, failed to pop out of the centerfield hat for the second of two home runs. "We've heard our fans," he said. So, he said, the Mets received permission from Major League Baseball to show the live feed on video screens the instant the ball is in play, allowing fans to follow action they might not see live. Also, an additional video board will be installed in the rightfield corner after the All-Star break. Howard added that more Mets memories will be reflected with displays in the park this summer, and that there are bigger long-term plans to give the place a Mets atmosphere. Whether they will make it a more hitter-friendly atmosphere by bringing in the fences or lowering the walls is a decision for the offseason. Howard did say that if the Mets are healthy, the park can work to their advantage because of their gap hitters, fly ball-oriented pitchers and mobile centerfielder and rightfielder. Backup centerfielder Angel Pagan said, "I need room to gallop, so this is the right place." Howard said, "I think it gets in other teams' heads, too." The question is, does it get in Mets' heads, especially David Wright's? There is some feeling that he and other Mets have taken their Citi Field swings on the road, where they have hit even fewer home runs than they have at home (24 to 28). "You have to adjust your approach, you have to adjust your philosophy to this ballpark because it's not a launching pad,'' Wright said. "It's not a place where you're going to go out and get a lot of cheap home runs." Gary Sheffield, who had a fondness for Shea ever since his uncle Dwight Gooden pitched there, said: "I love Citi Field. The atmosphere is electric. It's a challenge, but if you hit the ball square, it goes out." The half-season has not been a solid hit or a full whiff for either park. But this week will be big in both spots. Yankee Stadium will import memories from next door with Oldtimers Day on Sunday. Citi Field will strike a chord with concerts by Paul McCartney, who played Shea with the Beatles in 1965, and with Billy Joel, who helped close down Shea last year. Having gotten into heads and under skin, the two rookies, clearly here to stay, are trying to make their way into people's hearts.

Hilarity ensues witk a visit from home town hero Joe Buck, cue much sucking from Berman as Philips and Morgan hold Buck spread- eagled. Morgan then asks Buck " hey Joe have you ever heard a home player get booed?", of course he is expecting a big ole golly gosh no, except Buck reminds us all how the best fans in the world booed Izzy. I expected Morgan to make an excuse for them. Funny shit

Nelson Cruz's ninth home run was a legit monster bomb......upper tank above the Big Mac area.....

ESPN stole Fox Sports old Ice Hockey flame tracker that they are trying to tell us is new technology , a yellow streak will go with the flight of the ball and turn green when it's going out......how annoying.

metsguyinmichigan wrote: I've never heard of that David Cook guy, but that was pretty good! Hahahaha....that's funny.....you are being funny right? the on air orgy for St. Louis has started and there will be no let up.....and really Chris Berman is the perfect person to dish out the on air BJ's

One of my favorite players ever , love the guy and his first year here was must see TV. How many times over the last few years have we read that he's in" better shape" now? It will be a little strange seeing him in a Phillies uniform , just a little though.

" something needed to be done" is what I have been hearing and reading in various forms since the trade. I may even have uttered it myself. Ron Darling has said it three times that I heard , as have a few other talking heads on SNY. I think Cohen took that view too. Not a way I want the team I support to be run but at least he didn't wake up and trade away a Grade A prospect for a middle of the road talent.

Lennon with the nod towrds pop culture , awesome from him That had to be you edgy?

Lennon chat going on now http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/blog/2009/07/live_chat_with_david_lennon_26.html

="LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr":395f8x5x]Yeesh, this is depressing. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2009/07/11/2009-07-11_meet_the_mess.html[/quote:395f8x5x] Some interesting reading , mostly all old ground but nice to have it all in one article. Mets insiders whoever they are portraying Reyes as soft is a new one to me . The Players Association looking into how the Mets treat injured players is new to me too. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jul 13 2009 09:40 AM ="metirish":1bzocfjg]="LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr":1bzocfjg]Yeesh, this is depressing. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2009/07/11/2009-07-11_meet_the_mess.html[/quote:1bzocfjg] Some interesting reading , mostly all old ground but nice to have it all in one article. Mets insiders whoever they are portraying Reyes as soft is a new one to me . The Players Association looking into how the Mets treat injured players is new to me too.[/quote:1bzocfjg] Considering that he spends the previous 16 column inches trashing the judgement of virtually all "Mets insiders" in decision-making roles, I think Rubin's pretty clearly making an implicit argument there. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jul 13 2009 11:31 AM ]What Minaya almost undoubtedly seems to have done-- if you don't take the cynical view that this was a trade-for-trade's-sake situation-- is that he's made a scout's-mindset trade. One could also argue that some of his worst acquisitions-- Perez, e.g.-- seem to occur when he lets this mindset predominate. Sorry about quoting myself, but I posted this in the "Church-Francoeur" semantics debate, and it kinda got lost in the shuffle. I've seen this echoed in a few places this morning-- that Rubin piece from yesterday being one-- and wondered what the heads here thought. I also wonder whether Minaya's made a basic mistake of a first-time or otherwise inexperienced manager-- surrounding himself with folk with whom he has history/who are "on board" with what he's doing, rather than folk whose skills and talents complement his own (i.e., stat analysis folk who can offer counterpoint when discussing player evaluations). Edgy DC Jul 13 2009 11:41 AM Oliver Perez was one of his worst acquisitions? Perez-Hernandez-for-Nady trade is probably on the negative side of the ledger, but I don't think it's close to the worst. John Cougar Lunchbucket Jul 13 2009 11:43 AM I don't get the impression it's all very complicated with Omar. He swapped one flawed asset for another and perhaps in his estimation, a RH-hitting flawed guy was better than LH hitting flawed guy. I think he also believes in the value of new scenery. As has been remarked elsewhere, Church and Francoeur both could be nontendered this offseason, so what;s so bad about a 3-month gamble. Finally I think when in doubt Omar errs toward "talent" -- "show me talent and I'll show you on-base percentage" as he says. And he certainly believes Francoeur has "talent." Benjamin Grimm Jul 13 2009 11:49 AM ="Edgy DC"]Oliver Perez was one of his worst acquisitions? Perez' reacquisition hasn't looked at all good so far, but that original trade with the Pirates wasn't too bad. Edgy DC Jul 13 2009 11:50 AM Edgy DC likes this. metirish Jul 13 2009 11:51 AM " something needed to be done" is what I have been hearing and reading in various forms since the trade. I may even have uttered it myself. Ron Darling has said it three times that I heard , as have a few other talking heads on SNY. I think Cohen took that view too. Not a way I want the team I support to be run but at least he didn't wake up and trade away a Grade A prospect for a middle of the road talent. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jul 13 2009 11:59 AM ="Benjamin Grimm"]="Edgy DC"]Oliver Perez was one of his worst acquisitions? Perez' reacquisition hasn't looked at all good so far, but that original trade with the Pirates wasn't too bad. Should've been clearer-- the Perez trade was a decent move (in conception, at least) to fill both an immediate need and a looming one. The Perez signing was... well, "reprehensible" is a bit strong, but "detestable" might fit the bill. (Personally, I was a Lowe-and-Sheets guy, then Lowe-and pay-Sheets-a-mil-to-rehab guy, then I-guess-we've-got-him-so-go-Ollie guy.) And I think the exact wrong time to make a move is when "we have to make a move." Desperation is a stinky cologne. Frayed Knot Jul 13 2009 02:08 PM ]The Perez signing was... well, "reprehensible" is a bit strong, but "detestable" might fit the bill. (Personally, I was a Lowe-and-Sheets guy, then Lowe-and pay-Sheets-a-mil-to-rehab guy, then I-guess-we've-got-him-so-go-Ollie guy.) In fairness to the Ollie signing -- which certainly looks like shit at the moment seeing as how he's missed over half of this half-season -- I'd take what he gave us for the last two complete seasons: 63 starts; 371 IP; 320 Hits; 354 Ks; ~3.90 ERA; ~1.35 WHiP and had no problem thinking that he could more or less continue along those lines for 3 more at his age. You wanna haggle about the price go ahead but I'm not sure he could have been had for much less. As for Lowe he's certainly doing OK in 2009 (although a higher ERA & WHiP than the Ollie stats above) but neither he nor Ollie was going to be a one-year commitment (in which case I would have preferred Lowe too) and are we really going to now get on Omar's case for NOT signing a 36 y/o pitcher to a long-term contract? I think I've brought this up before but Lowe was older, more expensive, a longer commitment, and not as good a track record as compared to Glavine at the time of his NYM signing. Yet we all seem to know now that TG was a mistake all along while DL was the way to go. Sheets, meanwhile, isn't pitching because he physically can't pitch and it seems uncertain as to when he'll ever pitch again. Maybe he's great next year but Sheets has had a lot of maybes in his career and too many maybes haven't worked out in Queens lately. And, of course, signing none of the above would have just pushed the Livan/Niese/Nieve/Redding alternatives to the 5th, 4th, 3rd slot that much quicker and for that much longer. Benjamin Grimm Jul 13 2009 02:19 PM Not that it matters now, but I was hoping at the time that Randy Wolf would get some consideration. He would have been cheaper than Perez and better than Redding. John Cougar Lunchbucket Jul 13 2009 02:29 PM Ollie's problem was getting out of shape and/or injured this winter, I'm not ready to call him a lost cause yet. And in general I'm not as strongly behind some of the metrics telling me Ollie sucks as I am with those that would suggest Francoeur sucks. G-Fafif Jul 13 2009 02:37 PM If Ollie were someone else (which, granted, he's not) and had turned in the kind of performance he had last week after missing two months, he'd be widely praised for gutting it out without his best stuff and showing he knows how to win. Edgy DC Jul 13 2009 02:59 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jul 14 2009 12:47 PM Derek Lowe's up by 5 o'clock Derek Lowe's givin' it all he got Derek Lowe's job is six to nine but Derek Lowe's home by nine O five Derek Lowe helps to cook the steak Derek Lowe helps to wash the plates Derek Lowe puts the kids to bed Derek Lowe reads a book to them (Why cant you be like Derek Lowe?) Derek Lowe loves Atlanta so Derek Lowe loves to wind and throw Derek Lowe's pitch has great command But Derek Lowe don't make no demands Derek Lowe's always back in time Derek Lowe's not the injured kind Derek Lowe's full of compliment Derek Lowe's such a gentleman (Why cant you be like Derek Lowe?) Cause I'm free Free of any control pitcher qualities Thank God I'm free Cos it's hard enough for me To take care of me, oh-oh Derek Lowe's carryin' a heavy load but Derek Lowe never really ever moans Derek Lowe's such a healthy guy But Derek Lowe let's the others try Derek Lowe's got ideas and plans Derek Lowe's what you call a real man Derek Lowe always will provide 'Cuz Derek Lowe is the family type (Why cant you be like Derek Lowe?) 'Cause I'm free Free as an ex-Pirate pitching now in NYC Thank God I'm free Driftin' all around just like a tumbleweed, oh-oh Maybe I need a coach Someone who won't reproach Maybe an older fan base Will tolerate me Maybe that organization A kinder Metly nation Maybe the perfect situation To satisfy me Derek Lowe keeps his body clean Derek Lowe don't use nicotine Derek Lowe don't drink alcohol Derek Lowe use no drugs at all Derek Lowe don't eat any sweet Derek Lowe don't eat piggie's feet Derek Lowe's frame is mighty strong Derek Lowe make love hard and long (Why cant you be like Derek Lowe?) Derek Lowe loves the ladies so Derek Lowe walks 'em to the sto' Derek Lowe likes to hold their hands Derek Lowe's proud to understand Derek Lowe stands for decency Derek Lowe means formality Derek Lowe's the epitome Derek Lowe stands for quality Derek Lowe Derek Lowe Derek Lowe Derek Lowe LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jul 13 2009 03:16 PM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":303i3b2c]Ollie's problem was getting out of shape and/or injured this winter, I'm not ready to call him a lost cause yet. And in general I'm not as strongly behind some of the metrics telling me Ollie sucks as I am with those that would suggest Francoeur sucks.[/quote:303i3b2c] That's because ALL the metrics tell you Francoeur sucks. (Offensive WAR-related metrics ARE a bit more foolproof than pitching... and EVERYTHING'S a lot more reliable than even the best stabs at defensive measurement... at least until that crazy new robot defense metric happens. Funny thing, though, innit-- even among statheads, offense comes first.) LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jul 13 2009 03:18 PM ="G-Fafif":3jr34d60]If Ollie were someone else (which, granted, he's not) and had turned in the kind of performance he had last week after missing two months, he'd be widely praised for gutting it out without his best stuff and showing he knows how to win.[/quote:3jr34d60] I don't know about "widely," but he's mostly been given qualified praise in most quarters, near as I can tell. Perez performs perfectly fine when peaking. It's precision that's the problem. Triple Dee Jul 14 2009 12:40 AM I always believed Perez's problems are more mental and the fact he let himself go during a walk year really speaks volumes on this. It's almost as though he believes he'll never recapture the form of his NL Cy Young winning year.* * I fail to acknowledge the actual 2004 NL Cy Young Award Winner. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jul 14 2009 12:34 PM ="LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr":3ny2lecp]="G-Fafif":3ny2lecp]If Ollie were someone else (which, granted, he's not) and had turned in the kind of performance he had last week after missing two months, he'd be widely praised for gutting it out without his best stuff and showing he knows how to win.[/quote:3ny2lecp] I don't know about "widely," but he's mostly been given qualified praise in most quarters, near as I can tell. Perez performs perfectly fine when peaking. It's precision that's the problem.[/quote:3ny2lecp] Upon further review... I'm-a have to call "bullspit." NOBODY walks 7 in 5 innings and gets praised for it; that he got as little grief/concern about it is a function of how hit-or-miss people expect Ollie to be at this point.

Angel Berroa is a name I have not heard in a long time , I do remember him being very good and lots of talk about him but then nothing. Is he a good glove type of guy now?

Yeah he's been mentioned a few times over the years , a hell of a talent to have. IIRC his Hernandez is deadly.

="Swan Swan H":2v8dsj79]Not to get all Fman about it, but something about the way the wife waves goodbye to the Slomins guy makes me think he installed more than an alarm system. Meanwhile, Pelfrey settles down for a 1-2-3 sixth. 7-3 home team.[/quote:2v8dsj79] LOL Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:35 PM From what I've seen Murphy has done a nice job so far receiving low throws. He's picked a few short hops the last couple of nights and he looks very comfortable doing it, especially on the backhand. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:39 PM Murph flashes the leather again as he reaches into the photo box to nab a soft popup. bmfc1 Jul 12 2009 01:41 PM What's it called when a batter hits it over the OF fence? I forgot. Thanks Brian for reminding us! Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 01:44 PM Fans screaming for the malfunctioning apple. Too awesome. Suddenly we have a team again. bmfc1 Jul 12 2009 01:44 PM The Apple needs some Viagra. A Boy Named Seo Jul 12 2009 01:45 PM That apple chants are killing me. Finally a little levity. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:48 PM My son just called from Boston to ask if the Slingbox was working. He saw two homers in one inning and assumed a technical malfunction. A Boy Named Seo Jul 12 2009 02:03 PM Uh oh. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 02:04 PM Those two homers are suddenly looking pretty big. Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 02:05 PM Encarnacion is looking big also. I'd probably got to the relief ace here. Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 02:07 PM Well, well, Bobby P. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 02:15 PM Nice work by Parnell - nearly got out of it without giving up a run. TheOldMole Jul 12 2009 02:17 PM Adventures in Closed Caption for the Hearing Impaired -- on the mound for the Mets, Perineal. metsguyinmichigan Jul 12 2009 02:26 PM KRod should not be walking that guy on four pitches - ever. metsguyinmichigan Jul 12 2009 02:27 PM One down! Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 02:28 PM I know what you mean, MGIM, but: Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 02:32 PM Hanigan hits one almost to the top of the Chrysler Building, and Frankie's having a hard-knock inning. metsguyinmichigan Jul 12 2009 02:36 PM Phew! Put it in the books -- finally! bmfc1 Jul 12 2009 02:38 PM Mets are 2 and 0 w/IGT's starting with The Clash and with Francoeur. A Boy Named Seo Jul 12 2009 02:46 PM 2-0 with Frenchy onboard. Haven't had a midseason surge like this since the deft Richard Hidalgo acquisition of ought-four. Triple Dee Jul 12 2009 04:25 PM Great day for baseball - met up with Rockin' Doc + friend and KC. KC said that Farmer Ted was also in attendance, but was sitting too far away from us. Kong76 Jul 12 2009 06:22 PM It was indeed a nice day. A little too much drama at the end, but I'll take it. Nice to see Rockin' and Ted again and to meet TD. They all traveled some distance, but I think TD has set a record that will remain unbroken. I'll sleep well tonight, the beer/sun to food ratio has caught up with me. Frayed Knot Jul 12 2009 06:37 PM - Ralph was definitely talking about Francouer standing as in a hitting position while pitchers are throwing in the pen (and doing it often) in order to get used to what a strike does and doesn't look like. - Forbes Field, where Ralph played a big chunk of his career, was huge, except of course for the LF corner (Kiner's Korner they called it). But this 'oh all the old ballparks were so big and it took a REAL man to hit 'em in those days' stuff annoys me. Ralph still gets damp talking about hitting in Ebbits Field and those old-time MFY fans manage to mention 'death valley' about 30 times for every one time they mention the 296 ft RF corner with the 3ft fence. Part of what makes today's newer places look small is because many of them replaced '60s & '70s era parks which were much tougher than the old ones of their time. Think AstroDome, Shea, Dodger Stadium, Old Busch, Candlestick as compared to Wrigley, Fenway, Tiger Stadium. Rockin' Doc Jul 14 2009 05:55 AM A great game and great company. We joined up with KC and KB before the game amnd they were gracious hosts. Triple D hooked up with us before the game and we took a leisurely stroll around Citi Field. I really liked the new place. Enjoyed watching the crisp offensive display of the Mets. Nice to see the the Mets could still hit home runs and the apple still worked (at least most of the time). The Mets found a way to add some drama to what appeared to be a laugher, but in the end the good guys prevailed. It was great to see KC and KB once again. I look forward to the next time. It was wonderful to meet Triple D. He is yet another example of the fine people that frequent the CPF. Safe travels Triple D. Sorry to have missed Farmer Ted. Frayed Knot Jul 14 2009 07:16 AM For those who were at (or weren't watching) Sunday's game and missed the explanation of the HR apple's "failure" to rise for Tatis's HR, it goes something like this: - because this apple (unlike the last one) is located in straight-away CF, and thus would be in the batter's line of sight if up, the raising and lowering is on a strictly timed basis; IOW, it's not as easy as pushing one button for up and another for down. - When triggered the iconic fruit is set to rise quickly but settle back down slowly so the drop begins almost immediately so as to be back in its nook before the next batter arrives. Problem is it then needs some 45 seconds to 'recharge' and reset the hydraulics before it can go up again. So not only was Tatis's 1st pitch bomb was too quick for the poor guy to be ready for further action (must be a male) but they also had to wait until the end of the inning for its 'tribute' so as to not interfere with the other batters. Poor dude waits about two weeks for some action and then gets so much at once he can't handle the workload. Benjamin Grimm Jul 14 2009 07:23 AM The apple had also just been up for the seventh-inning stretch. From the booth, Gary reported that there needs to be 45 seconds in between, but I think the Daily News the following day said it's two and a half minutes. Two homers in 45 seconds is probably pretty rare, but if it really requires 2.5 minutes, that seems like poor design to me. dgwphotography Jul 14 2009 07:28 AM It was a beautiful day for a game - took the family and sat in fairy's seats - then the littlest W ran around the bases... Edgy DC Jul 14 2009 07:30 AM I thought it failed to rise for Schneider's homer also. Benjamin Grimm Jul 14 2009 07:31 AM ="Edgy DC":1u79msq1]I thought it failed to rise for Schneider's homer also.[/quote:1u79msq1] No, Schneider was honored, and Tatis was snubbed. Rockin' Doc Jul 14 2009 11:02 AM ="dgwphotography":17umn5oj]It was a beautiful day for a game - took the family and sat in fairy's seats - then the littlest W ran around the bases... [/quote:17umn5oj] Is the picture reversed? Your daughter appears to be running down the third base line with the roped off infiled to her right side. Or am I just confused?

Gotta love how Ralph scoffed at suggestions that Citi Field was a big park.

Some great swings today , that one form Murphy was real nice.

Sure glad Sheff talked himself into the lineup today.

I certainly would have liked to have heard Ralph expand on it. Edgy brings up valid points of course. EDIT - I guess I heard wrong , just read swanies post.

="Swan Swan H":2ruwx3fs]Beltran should introduce Francoeur to that tennis ball visual recognition system. It seemed to help Carlos a lot, or so he has said.[/quote:2ruwx3fs] yes that too, all of us are needed to right this ship....good memory Swanie. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:15 PM They did a little piece on it during Mets Weekly, I think, a couple of weeks ago. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:21 PM Pelf gets Joey F. Votto looking, and then Welke gives him the heave-ho for arguing. Votto almost looked like he wanted to get tossed. Must have an early flight home for the break. Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 12:23 PM ="metirish":14aicjz7]="Edgy DC":14aicjz7]My signal cut out for a bit. Did Ralph give any cases where that technique had been used?[/quote:14aicjz7] None , Gary had to call a play so they got away from it. Ron took the baton after that but the moment had passed. I have never heard that though , have you. It sounds so brilliant.[/quote:14aicjz7] Well, a few red flags go up. One, I don't want some interloper catching that day's starter. He can catch some other guy getting his work in between appearances. Two, catching ain't easy, and it can put some wear on a guy who is already playing regularly. It's worth a try, but if it's an untested experiment, I'd sooner start with a minor leaguer. TheOldMole Jul 12 2009 12:27 PM I don't see Ralph suggesting something half-thought-out. I'd listen to him. It made a lot of sense to me. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:28 PM I just went to the DVR - Ralph suggested that he stand in the bullpen while the pitcher warms up, presumably in hitting position, to work on pitch recognition. metirish Jul 12 2009 12:30 PM I certainly would have liked to have heard Ralph expand on it. Edgy brings up valid points of course. EDIT - I guess I heard wrong , just read swanies post. metirish Jul 12 2009 12:34 PM Sure glad Sheff talked himself into the lineup today. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:37 PM I had to listen twice on the replay to be sure of what he was proposing. Another rally - Castillo singles and steals, Sheff gets another hit to drive in Castillo, and Francoeur singles up the middle. 6-zip, and the hot Murphy up with a chance for some 2-out gravy. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:40 PM Aaaaaand Murphy's solid single scores Sheff and excuses Roenicke for the rest of the afternoon. 1st & 3rd for Schneider, 2 out. metirish Jul 12 2009 12:41 PM Some great swings today , that one form Murphy was real nice. DocTee Jul 12 2009 12:45 PM Castillo with three hits and three runs. Nice Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:56 PM Pelfrey walks the first two batters in the fifth, and a double and infield single make it 7-2, 1st & 3rd, one out. Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 12:57 PM Puts those days of Argenis Reyes at the top of the lineup and Castillo at the bottom in perspective. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:00 PM This Rosales looks like Harland Williams. Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 01:22 PM Seems like we're getting a tastey extra helping of Ralph today. metirish Jul 12 2009 01:24 PM Gotta love how Ralph scoffed at suggestions that Citi Field was a big park. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:25 PM Not to get all Fman about it, but something about the way the wife waves goodbye to the Slomins guy makes me think he installed more than an alarm system. Meanwhile, Pelfrey settles down for a 1-2-3 sixth. 7-3 home team. metirish Jul 12 2009 01:29 PM ="Swan Swan H":2v8dsj79]Not to get all Fman about it, but something about the way the wife waves goodbye to the Slomins guy makes me think he installed more than an alarm system. Meanwhile, Pelfrey settles down for a 1-2-3 sixth. 7-3 home team.[/quote:2v8dsj79] LOL Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:35 PM From what I've seen Murphy has done a nice job so far receiving low throws. He's picked a few short hops the last couple of nights and he looks very comfortable doing it, especially on the backhand. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:39 PM Murph flashes the leather again as he reaches into the photo box to nab a soft popup. bmfc1 Jul 12 2009 01:41 PM What's it called when a batter hits it over the OF fence? I forgot. Thanks Brian for reminding us! Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 01:44 PM Fans screaming for the malfunctioning apple. Too awesome. Suddenly we have a team again. bmfc1 Jul 12 2009 01:44 PM The Apple needs some Viagra. A Boy Named Seo Jul 12 2009 01:45 PM That apple chants are killing me. Finally a little levity. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:48 PM My son just called from Boston to ask if the Slingbox was working. He saw two homers in one inning and assumed a technical malfunction. A Boy Named Seo Jul 12 2009 02:03 PM Uh oh. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 02:04 PM Those two homers are suddenly looking pretty big. Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 02:05 PM Encarnacion is looking big also. I'd probably got to the relief ace here. Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 02:07 PM Well, well, Bobby P. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 02:15 PM Nice work by Parnell - nearly got out of it without giving up a run. TheOldMole Jul 12 2009 02:17 PM Adventures in Closed Caption for the Hearing Impaired -- on the mound for the Mets, Perineal. metsguyinmichigan Jul 12 2009 02:26 PM KRod should not be walking that guy on four pitches - ever. metsguyinmichigan Jul 12 2009 02:27 PM One down! Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 02:28 PM I know what you mean, MGIM, but: Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 02:32 PM Hanigan hits one almost to the top of the Chrysler Building, and Frankie's having a hard-knock inning. metsguyinmichigan Jul 12 2009 02:36 PM Phew! Put it in the books -- finally! bmfc1 Jul 12 2009 02:38 PM Mets are 2 and 0 w/IGT's starting with The Clash and with Francoeur. A Boy Named Seo Jul 12 2009 02:46 PM 2-0 with Frenchy onboard. Haven't had a midseason surge like this since the deft Richard Hidalgo acquisition of ought-four. Triple Dee Jul 12 2009 04:25 PM Great day for baseball - met up with Rockin' Doc + friend and KC. KC said that Farmer Ted was also in attendance, but was sitting too far away from us. Kong76 Jul 12 2009 06:22 PM It was indeed a nice day. A little too much drama at the end, but I'll take it. Nice to see Rockin' and Ted again and to meet TD. They all traveled some distance, but I think TD has set a record that will remain unbroken. I'll sleep well tonight, the beer/sun to food ratio has caught up with me. Frayed Knot Jul 12 2009 06:37 PM - Ralph was definitely talking about Francouer standing as in a hitting position while pitchers are throwing in the pen (and doing it often) in order to get used to what a strike does and doesn't look like. - Forbes Field, where Ralph played a big chunk of his career, was huge, except of course for the LF corner (Kiner's Korner they called it). But this 'oh all the old ballparks were so big and it took a REAL man to hit 'em in those days' stuff annoys me. Ralph still gets damp talking about hitting in Ebbits Field and those old-time MFY fans manage to mention 'death valley' about 30 times for every one time they mention the 296 ft RF corner with the 3ft fence. Part of what makes today's newer places look small is because many of them replaced '60s & '70s era parks which were much tougher than the old ones of their time. Think AstroDome, Shea, Dodger Stadium, Old Busch, Candlestick as compared to Wrigley, Fenway, Tiger Stadium. Rockin' Doc Jul 14 2009 05:55 AM A great game and great company. We joined up with KC and KB before the game amnd they were gracious hosts. Triple D hooked up with us before the game and we took a leisurely stroll around Citi Field. I really liked the new place. Enjoyed watching the crisp offensive display of the Mets. Nice to see the the Mets could still hit home runs and the apple still worked (at least most of the time). The Mets found a way to add some drama to what appeared to be a laugher, but in the end the good guys prevailed. It was great to see KC and KB once again. I look forward to the next time. It was wonderful to meet Triple D. He is yet another example of the fine people that frequent the CPF. Safe travels Triple D. Sorry to have missed Farmer Ted. Frayed Knot Jul 14 2009 07:16 AM For those who were at (or weren't watching) Sunday's game and missed the explanation of the HR apple's "failure" to rise for Tatis's HR, it goes something like this: - because this apple (unlike the last one) is located in straight-away CF, and thus would be in the batter's line of sight if up, the raising and lowering is on a strictly timed basis; IOW, it's not as easy as pushing one button for up and another for down. - When triggered the iconic fruit is set to rise quickly but settle back down slowly so the drop begins almost immediately so as to be back in its nook before the next batter arrives. Problem is it then needs some 45 seconds to 'recharge' and reset the hydraulics before it can go up again. So not only was Tatis's 1st pitch bomb was too quick for the poor guy to be ready for further action (must be a male) but they also had to wait until the end of the inning for its 'tribute' so as to not interfere with the other batters. Poor dude waits about two weeks for some action and then gets so much at once he can't handle the workload. Benjamin Grimm Jul 14 2009 07:23 AM The apple had also just been up for the seventh-inning stretch. From the booth, Gary reported that there needs to be 45 seconds in between, but I think the Daily News the following day said it's two and a half minutes. Two homers in 45 seconds is probably pretty rare, but if it really requires 2.5 minutes, that seems like poor design to me. dgwphotography Jul 14 2009 07:28 AM It was a beautiful day for a game - took the family and sat in fairy's seats - then the littlest W ran around the bases... Edgy DC Jul 14 2009 07:30 AM I thought it failed to rise for Schneider's homer also. Benjamin Grimm Jul 14 2009 07:31 AM ="Edgy DC":1u79msq1]I thought it failed to rise for Schneider's homer also.[/quote:1u79msq1] No, Schneider was honored, and Tatis was snubbed. Rockin' Doc Jul 14 2009 11:02 AM ="dgwphotography":17umn5oj]It was a beautiful day for a game - took the family and sat in fairy's seats - then the littlest W ran around the bases... [/quote:17umn5oj] Is the picture reversed? Your daughter appears to be running down the third base line with the roped off infiled to her right side. Or am I just confused?

="Edgy DC":1svycnxl]My signal cut out for a bit. Did Ralph give any cases where that technique had been used?[/quote:1svycnxl] None , Gary had to call a play so they got away from it. Ron took the baton after that but the moment had passed. I have never heard that though , have you. It sounds so brilliant. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:12 PM Beltran should introduce Francoeur to that tennis ball visual recognition system. It seemed to help Carlos a lot, or so he has said. metirish Jul 12 2009 12:14 PM ="Swan Swan H":2ruwx3fs]Beltran should introduce Francoeur to that tennis ball visual recognition system. It seemed to help Carlos a lot, or so he has said.[/quote:2ruwx3fs] yes that too, all of us are needed to right this ship....good memory Swanie. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:15 PM They did a little piece on it during Mets Weekly, I think, a couple of weeks ago. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:21 PM Pelf gets Joey F. Votto looking, and then Welke gives him the heave-ho for arguing. Votto almost looked like he wanted to get tossed. Must have an early flight home for the break. Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 12:23 PM ="metirish":14aicjz7]="Edgy DC":14aicjz7]My signal cut out for a bit. Did Ralph give any cases where that technique had been used?[/quote:14aicjz7] None , Gary had to call a play so they got away from it. Ron took the baton after that but the moment had passed. I have never heard that though , have you. It sounds so brilliant.[/quote:14aicjz7] Well, a few red flags go up. One, I don't want some interloper catching that day's starter. He can catch some other guy getting his work in between appearances. Two, catching ain't easy, and it can put some wear on a guy who is already playing regularly. It's worth a try, but if it's an untested experiment, I'd sooner start with a minor leaguer. TheOldMole Jul 12 2009 12:27 PM I don't see Ralph suggesting something half-thought-out. I'd listen to him. It made a lot of sense to me. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:28 PM I just went to the DVR - Ralph suggested that he stand in the bullpen while the pitcher warms up, presumably in hitting position, to work on pitch recognition. metirish Jul 12 2009 12:30 PM I certainly would have liked to have heard Ralph expand on it. Edgy brings up valid points of course. EDIT - I guess I heard wrong , just read swanies post. metirish Jul 12 2009 12:34 PM Sure glad Sheff talked himself into the lineup today. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:37 PM I had to listen twice on the replay to be sure of what he was proposing. Another rally - Castillo singles and steals, Sheff gets another hit to drive in Castillo, and Francoeur singles up the middle. 6-zip, and the hot Murphy up with a chance for some 2-out gravy. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:40 PM Aaaaaand Murphy's solid single scores Sheff and excuses Roenicke for the rest of the afternoon. 1st & 3rd for Schneider, 2 out. metirish Jul 12 2009 12:41 PM Some great swings today , that one form Murphy was real nice. DocTee Jul 12 2009 12:45 PM Castillo with three hits and three runs. Nice Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 12:56 PM Pelfrey walks the first two batters in the fifth, and a double and infield single make it 7-2, 1st & 3rd, one out. Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 12:57 PM Puts those days of Argenis Reyes at the top of the lineup and Castillo at the bottom in perspective. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:00 PM This Rosales looks like Harland Williams. Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 01:22 PM Seems like we're getting a tastey extra helping of Ralph today. metirish Jul 12 2009 01:24 PM Gotta love how Ralph scoffed at suggestions that Citi Field was a big park. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:25 PM Not to get all Fman about it, but something about the way the wife waves goodbye to the Slomins guy makes me think he installed more than an alarm system. Meanwhile, Pelfrey settles down for a 1-2-3 sixth. 7-3 home team. metirish Jul 12 2009 01:29 PM ="Swan Swan H":2v8dsj79]Not to get all Fman about it, but something about the way the wife waves goodbye to the Slomins guy makes me think he installed more than an alarm system. Meanwhile, Pelfrey settles down for a 1-2-3 sixth. 7-3 home team.[/quote:2v8dsj79] LOL Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:35 PM From what I've seen Murphy has done a nice job so far receiving low throws. He's picked a few short hops the last couple of nights and he looks very comfortable doing it, especially on the backhand. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:39 PM Murph flashes the leather again as he reaches into the photo box to nab a soft popup. bmfc1 Jul 12 2009 01:41 PM What's it called when a batter hits it over the OF fence? I forgot. Thanks Brian for reminding us! Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 01:44 PM Fans screaming for the malfunctioning apple. Too awesome. Suddenly we have a team again. bmfc1 Jul 12 2009 01:44 PM The Apple needs some Viagra. A Boy Named Seo Jul 12 2009 01:45 PM That apple chants are killing me. Finally a little levity. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 01:48 PM My son just called from Boston to ask if the Slingbox was working. He saw two homers in one inning and assumed a technical malfunction. A Boy Named Seo Jul 12 2009 02:03 PM Uh oh. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 02:04 PM Those two homers are suddenly looking pretty big. Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 02:05 PM Encarnacion is looking big also. I'd probably got to the relief ace here. Edgy DC Jul 12 2009 02:07 PM Well, well, Bobby P. Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 02:15 PM Nice work by Parnell - nearly got out of it without giving up a run. TheOldMole Jul 12 2009 02:17 PM Adventures in Closed Caption for the Hearing Impaired -- on the mound for the Mets, Perineal. metsguyinmichigan Jul 12 2009 02:26 PM KRod should not be walking that guy on four pitches - ever. metsguyinmichigan Jul 12 2009 02:27 PM One down! Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 02:28 PM I know what you mean, MGIM, but: Swan Swan H Jul 12 2009 02:32 PM Hanigan hits one almost to the top of the Chrysler Building, and Frankie's having a hard-knock inning. metsguyinmichigan Jul 12 2009 02:36 PM Phew! Put it in the books -- finally! bmfc1 Jul 12 2009 02:38 PM Mets are 2 and 0 w/IGT's starting with The Clash and with Francoeur. A Boy Named Seo Jul 12 2009 02:46 PM 2-0 with Frenchy onboard. Haven't had a midseason surge like this since the deft Richard Hidalgo acquisition of ought-four. Triple Dee Jul 12 2009 04:25 PM Great day for baseball - met up with Rockin' Doc + friend and KC. KC said that Farmer Ted was also in attendance, but was sitting too far away from us. Kong76 Jul 12 2009 06:22 PM It was indeed a nice day. A little too much drama at the end, but I'll take it. Nice to see Rockin' and Ted again and to meet TD. They all traveled some distance, but I think TD has set a record that will remain unbroken. I'll sleep well tonight, the beer/sun to food ratio has caught up with me. Frayed Knot Jul 12 2009 06:37 PM - Ralph was definitely talking about Francouer standing as in a hitting position while pitchers are throwing in the pen (and doing it often) in order to get used to what a strike does and doesn't look like. - Forbes Field, where Ralph played a big chunk of his career, was huge, except of course for the LF corner (Kiner's Korner they called it). But this 'oh all the old ballparks were so big and it took a REAL man to hit 'em in those days' stuff annoys me. Ralph still gets damp talking about hitting in Ebbits Field and those old-time MFY fans manage to mention 'death valley' about 30 times for every one time they mention the 296 ft RF corner with the 3ft fence. Part of what makes today's newer places look small is because many of them replaced '60s & '70s era parks which were much tougher than the old ones of their time. Think AstroDome, Shea, Dodger Stadium, Old Busch, Candlestick as compared to Wrigley, Fenway, Tiger Stadium. Rockin' Doc Jul 14 2009 05:55 AM A great game and great company. We joined up with KC and KB before the game amnd they were gracious hosts. Triple D hooked up with us before the game and we took a leisurely stroll around Citi Field. I really liked the new place. Enjoyed watching the crisp offensive display of the Mets. Nice to see the the Mets could still hit home runs and the apple still worked (at least most of the time). The Mets found a way to add some drama to what appeared to be a laugher, but in the end the good guys prevailed. It was great to see KC and KB once again. I look forward to the next time. It was wonderful to meet Triple D. He is yet another example of the fine people that frequent the CPF. Safe travels Triple D. Sorry to have missed Farmer Ted. Frayed Knot Jul 14 2009 07:16 AM For those who were at (or weren't watching) Sunday's game and missed the explanation of the HR apple's "failure" to rise for Tatis's HR, it goes something like this: - because this apple (unlike the last one) is located in straight-away CF, and thus would be in the batter's line of sight if up, the raising and lowering is on a strictly timed basis; IOW, it's not as easy as pushing one button for up and another for down. - When triggered the iconic fruit is set to rise quickly but settle back down slowly so the drop begins almost immediately so as to be back in its nook before the next batter arrives. Problem is it then needs some 45 seconds to 'recharge' and reset the hydraulics before it can go up again. So not only was Tatis's 1st pitch bomb was too quick for the poor guy to be ready for further action (must be a male) but they also had to wait until the end of the inning for its 'tribute' so as to not interfere with the other batters. Poor dude waits about two weeks for some action and then gets so much at once he can't handle the workload. Benjamin Grimm Jul 14 2009 07:23 AM The apple had also just been up for the seventh-inning stretch. From the booth, Gary reported that there needs to be 45 seconds in between, but I think the Daily News the following day said it's two and a half minutes. Two homers in 45 seconds is probably pretty rare, but if it really requires 2.5 minutes, that seems like poor design to me. dgwphotography Jul 14 2009 07:28 AM It was a beautiful day for a game - took the family and sat in fairy's seats - then the littlest W ran around the bases... Edgy DC Jul 14 2009 07:30 AM I thought it failed to rise for Schneider's homer also. Benjamin Grimm Jul 14 2009 07:31 AM ="Edgy DC":1u79msq1]I thought it failed to rise for Schneider's homer also.[/quote:1u79msq1] No, Schneider was honored, and Tatis was snubbed. Rockin' Doc Jul 14 2009 11:02 AM ="dgwphotography":17umn5oj]It was a beautiful day for a game - took the family and sat in fairy's seats - then the littlest W ran around the bases... [/quote:17umn5oj] Is the picture reversed? Your daughter appears to be running down the third base line with the roped off infiled to her right side. Or am I just confused?

Ralph giving what sounds like awesome advice for Francouer to help him recognize the strike zone , because as Ralph says he has a terrible on base %. Ralph wants him in the bullpen before the game catching that days starter to help him learn the strike zone.

Francouer seems like an extremely upbeat guy....I like that about him.