metirish

Jeff IIRC is quite fond of WISE potato chips. WISE FIELD

I bet by the end of the day Wally will have a "Jackie Robinson Field" article up.

Is that his weight or his average? , sucks either way though.

A good deal , welcome back.

Minaya has talked about how he thinks the offense is set but I don't believe him or I don't want to . I think he will make a move there before long.

11) I stole that sign fuckers , gansta bitch.

I would never have thought he made this much money. ] Selig made $17.5 million in 2007 Bud Selig made more money than all but three players in 2007 NEW YORK (AP) -- Baseball commissioner Bud Selig made more than all but three of his sport's players in 2007 Selig received a raise of about $3 million to nearly $17.5 million that year, according to Major League Baseball's latest tax return. His compensation was listed at $17,470,491 for the 12 months that ended Oct. 31, 2007, according to the return, which is available at guidestar.org. That was up from $14,515,071 in the prior 12 months. MLB's contribution to Selig in its benefit plan was $461,540, an increase from $400,999 in the previous return. He got $422,590 in expense account and other allowances, up from $140,603 in the previous fiscal year. Selig's pay was first reported by the Sports Business Journal. In 2007, the only players who received higher cash compensation were a trio of the Yankees: Alex Rodriguez at $23 million (plus $4 million deferred), Derek Jeter at $22 million (including a $2 million payment as part of his signing bonus) and Jason Giambi at $21.5 million (including a $500,000 payment as part of his signing bonus). Roger Clemens fell just short at $17,442,637. Selig took over as acting commissioner in September 1992 and was elected permanently in July 1998. His current term runs through 2012. For the second straight tax year, baseball's return did not list compensation for other top officials, such as chief operating officer Bob DuPuy, and executive vice presidents Rob Manfred, John McHale Jr., Jonathan Mariner and Jimmy Lee Solomon. The IRS form appears to require the disclosure of compensation for officers, directors and trustees

I should be excited I suppose , maybe the whole thing got dragged out or something.

5) I'm good for giving out STD's

Yeah I suppose , silly question from me.

I never heard of some of those guys , I like the idea of competition but what happens when guys are away at the WBC?

Hasn't Manny already turned down more than that from the Dodgers way back in FA , 2 years and $45 million IIRC.

One of the best stories ever told.....love it.

Yeah it's very clever.

="MFS62":2d2x4bvu]A What happened? Was it well attended? Later[/quote:2d2x4bvu] They forced Wilpon to sign Manny and it was very well attended. Chris Carlin's head exploded from shouting so much. MFS62 Jan 29 2009 06:04 PM Re: "We Want Manny" Rally ="metirish":muv5gkxm]="MFS62":muv5gkxm]A What happened? Was it well attended? Later[/quote:muv5gkxm] They forced Wilpon to sign Manny and it was very well attended. Chris Carlin's head exploded from shouting so much.[/quote:muv5gkxm] Thumbs up. On both. Later Centerfield Jan 30 2009 07:42 AM Just get him Wilpons. You've already lost $300 million. What's another 25 to 50? Frayed Knot Jan 30 2009 07:43 AM I was just thinking about a similar, though much better attended, 'We Want Favre' rally held about 6 months ago and wondering how many of those who were there are still happy with the results of all their chanting and pleading. Edgy DC Jan 30 2009 07:44 AM I'm holding a Muck Fanny! rally this weekend as well. I hope it's as well attended. RealityChuck Jan 30 2009 08:03 AM Gedankenexperiment: How many people at the "Sign Manny" rally will be booing if we sign him and he goes 0 for 12 in his first three games? SteveJRogers Jan 30 2009 10:03 AM ="RealityChuck":6rlyuypy]Gedankenexperiment: How many people at the "Sign Manny" rally will be booing if we sign him and he goes 0 for 12 in his first three games?[/quote:6rlyuypy] Not only that, how about when all the things that caused him to be persona non grata in Boston rear it's ugly head. You can only take "Manny being Manny" so much. seawolf17 Jan 30 2009 10:06 AM Centerfield Jan 30 2009 10:22 AM Email that to Wilpon. I heard that Boras (in disguise) was one of the guys heading up the chants. Edgy DC Jan 30 2009 10:24 AM Yeah, as far as I'm concerned, they can have their next meeting in my lap. Not sure what I mean by that. Centerfield Jan 30 2009 11:11 AM Probably the same thing I meant when I said that Mets should design a patch featuring my ass. Edgy DC Jan 30 2009 01:51 PM Mooks. All of youse. Mooks. http://gothamist.com/2009/01/30/mets_fans_who_want_manram.php Centerfield Jan 31 2009 07:39 AM You know, if we really wanted Manny, we'd ask Mike Francesa to make it happen. MFS62 Jan 31 2009 08:09 AM ="Centerfield":yqwks2q2]Just get him Wilpons. You've already lost $300 million. What's another 25 to 50?[/quote:yqwks2q2] So, there could be another rally. It would be for Mets fans who want the team to get a premier slugger, but are sensitive to the Wilpons' financial situation. Didn't Barry Bonds say that he would work for major league minimum? Well ... ? (I'm taking my tongue out of my cheek now) Later dgwphotography Jan 31 2009 08:11 AM I can't believe someone desecrated a Kelvin Torve jersey like that... Nymr83 Jan 31 2009 02:00 PM ="Centerfield":3e8zl7im]You know, if we really wanted Manny, we'd ask Mike Francesa to make it happen.[/quote:3e8zl7im] i havent even listened to the fat slob since mad dog left, whats he have to do with anything SteveJRogers Jan 31 2009 04:41 PM ="Nymr83":jel5ptoj]="Centerfield":jel5ptoj]You know, if we really wanted Manny, we'd ask Mike Francesa to make it happen.[/quote:jel5ptoj] i havent even listened to the fat slob since mad dog left, whats he have to do with anything[/quote:jel5ptoj] I think it is just a reference to him constantly demanding that something SHOULD happen, no debates. metsmarathon Jan 31 2009 08:45 PM or the fact that, if you listen to him tell it, he's the reason the mets got piazza way back when. SteveJRogers Jan 31 2009 08:50 PM ="metsmarathon":192yr4eq]or the fact that, if you listen to him tell it, he's the reason the mets got piazza way back when.[/quote:192yr4eq] Well there is truth to that. Apparently Wilpon and Phillips were both okay with not going after Piazza and sticking with Hundley, even with him on the shelf. Then Nelson Doubleday just happened to hear the show while both Mike and Chris were ranting about the Mets getting the guy. Next thing you know, Nelson tells Phillips to make the move. That story became so well known that when Mike Piazza first appeared on with Mike & Chris he says "Oh yeah, just wanted to say thanks for getting me here!" batmagadanleadoff Jan 31 2009 09:24 PM ="SteveJRogers":2p4dcmq4]="metsmarathon":2p4dcmq4]or the fact that, if you listen to him tell it, he's the reason the mets got piazza way back when.[/quote:2p4dcmq4] Well there is truth to that. Apparently Wilpon and Phillips were both okay with not going after Piazza and sticking with Hundley, even with him on the shelf. Then Nelson Doubleday just happened to hear the show while both Mike and Chris were ranting about the Mets getting the guy. Next thing you know, Nelson tells Phillips to make the move. That story became so well known that when Mike Piazza first appeared on with Mike & Chris he says "Oh yeah, just wanted to say thanks for getting me here!"[/quote:2p4dcmq4] I believe this story. Well, not really. But it is consistent with my low perception of our owner, Fred Wilpon. Frayed Knot Feb 01 2009 08:14 AM ]Well there is truth to that. Well there is speculation about that. Phillips' line of thing was that with a catcher already under contract the "chips" might be best spent elsewhere or maybe saved for another day. But then the boss whispered (asked?, pleaded?, demanded?) in his ear he changed his tune and started looking into things. Whether Doubleday's action was as the result of the M&MD scream-a-thon is up to interpretation and even the duo never claimed that they were anything other than a small part in it. Centerfield Feb 02 2009 08:29 AM The Piazza rumor is what I was alluding to. I didn't think anyone really believed that rumor except the die-hard listeners of that show, but you learn something new every day. metsmarathon Feb 02 2009 08:33 AM well, it is steve. Edgy DC Feb 02 2009 08:50 AM I think this should be called the "We Want Attention" rally. SteveJRogers Feb 02 2009 09:55 AM ="Centerfield":1okcvwit]The Piazza rumor is what I was alluding to. I didn't think anyone really believed that rumor except the die-hard listeners of that show, but you learn something new every day.[/quote:1okcvwit] Actually it is more of the anti-Wilpon/Phillips and/or pro-Doubleday faction of Met fans that believe that rumor more so than any WFAN listener. As Frayed said, even Mike & Chris have down played it over the years. SteveJRogers Feb 02 2009 09:56 AM There is apparantly a second rally this week. batmagadanleadoff Feb 02 2009 10:05 AM ="SteveJRogers":1jsdgsxe]There is apparantly a second rally this week.[/quote:1jsdgsxe] That's great. Maybe they can get Piazza to unretire. I hope someone there remembers to rally for better tasting hot dogs, too. Edgy DC Feb 02 2009 10:06 AM The idea that the team makes decisions based on the loudest howling of the galoots is a fantasy of the loudest galoots. batmagadanleadoff Feb 02 2009 10:08 AM ="Edgy DC":qq882pog]The idea that the team makes decisions based on the loudest howling of the galoots is a fantasy of the loudest galoots.[/quote:qq882pog] Galoots? Were you watching TCM last night? Paul Muni's character's favorite word was "galoots". Benjamin Grimm Feb 02 2009 11:11 AM ="Edgy DC":241ookcj]The idea that the team makes decisions based on the loudest howling of the galoots is a fantasy of the loudest galoots.[/quote:241ookcj] Well, yes, but you often mention that, for example, we (the fans) share in the responsibility for Shea's destruction because we didn't advocate strongly enough or loudly enough for its continued existence. These guys, whether you agree with them or not, are trying to wield whatever influence they may have in order to get their desired result. They may be a bunch of loudmouth goofballs, and you may not agree with their position, but aren't they doing what they ought to be doing? Edgy DC Feb 02 2009 11:18 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Feb 02 2009 11:48 AM I'm all for advocating, it's true. But there's got to be some real responsiblity. I'm against the jungle advocacy or street rallies around such slogans as "Do It, Omar!" and calling hang-up radio shows. I'm also against the sort of two-faced advocacy that allows you to demand the same sort of moves that the advocate is ripping them for making in the past. (See: Waaaa[/url:t7bvepsr]!) G-Fafif Feb 02 2009 11:44 AM ="Edgy DC":qsnlyp29]I'm all for advocating, it's true. But there's got to be some real responsiblity. I'm against the jungle advocacy or street rallies around such slogans as "Do It, Omar!" and calling hang-up radio shows.[/quote:qsnlyp29] Appoint yourself their spiritual guide. "Hey fellas, instead of waving the signs, you should..." What? Edgy DC Feb 02 2009 11:46 AM Post on a website that nobody reads, of course. G-Fafif Feb 02 2009 11:47 AM Do that, and Manny signs, you can always take credit. Edgy DC Feb 02 2009 12:05 PM And to be fair, my frustration with the end of Shea is the lamentations of people who did advocate for its destruction. Just as my frustration with rallyers who push for an aggressive spending-spree pursuit of veterans portrayed as prima donnas tend also to have pushed for that in the past, only to rip the Mets when those moves haven't worked out, and go on to portray those failed veteran imports as prima donnas that the Mets should have been smart enough to avoid. G-Fafif Feb 02 2009 12:12 PM Consistency in philosophy is always going to take it to whatever might work best at any given moment within the realm of a pastime measured in wins and losses. The Mets shouldn't spend a lot of money on old players who are bad fits, unless it seems like a really good idea right now and we need a power-hitting leftfielder, cost, age and potential personality conflicts be damned. The Mets shouldn't replace the ballpark that defines their character and soul, but they've got to get a new ballpark that doesn't form puddles just by staring at it. Fans want results and gratification. Relatively few get hung up on how to get both or why either is elusive. Edgy DC Feb 02 2009 12:15 PM It's that last sentence that gets to me. G-Fafif Feb 02 2009 12:21 PM WE WANT MANNY!!! G-Fafif Feb 03 2009 07:35 AM ]Relatively few get hung up on how to get both or why either is elusive. ]It's that last sentence that gets to me. Rooting for a baseball team isn't math class. You're not required to show your work. That said, here's Casey Stengel's 10-80-10 formula as related by Don Rowe in William Ryczek's sublime The Amazin' Mets 1962-1969, best history I've ever read of that period (if you're going to read two books about the Mets this year, make this your second...after you've secured a copy of your first, he said crassly). ]Ten percent of the people in this stadium knew what was going on. Eighty percent think they knew what was going on but they don't. See those drunks out in centerfield who are beating on each other? That ten percent don't know and don't care. If you use that philosophy, the fans will never bother you because you'll be able to put them in whatever category you want. The Manny marchers, incidentally, are probably descended from the placard wavers who populated the Polo Grounds. They may have distracted Casey. They probably won't distract Omar. RealityChuck Feb 03 2009 07:41 AM The team might end up losing $20 million a year of income if the Citi Field naming rights thing falls apart (and it's looking more likely it will). They'll have to pony up at least that much a year for Manny, so the bottom line is they're probably out $40+ million. Are the people rallying for Manny also rallying for keeping the Citi Field naming rights (and payments)? Because if they're not, they're being delusional. G-Fafif Feb 03 2009 07:45 AM ="RealityChuck":1wjua3of]Are the people rallying for Manny also rallying for keeping the Citi Field naming rights (and payments)? Because if they're not, they're being delusional.[/quote:1wjua3of] My guess is they're as delusional as those chanting "Let's Go Mets" in 1963. Probably more so. Edgy DC Feb 03 2009 07:58 AM Can we glean anything from the fact that the Red Sox --- the rich, smart, informed team we hope ours will one day be, employing Bill James and all and defending a championship --- traded Ramirez in the heat of a race? That shouldn't kill the notion, but shouldn't it humble folks a bit in their demands that this is a no-brainer? G-Fafif Feb 03 2009 08:05 AM ]Can we glean anything from the fact that the Red Sox --- the rich, smart, informed team we hope ours will one day be, employing Bill James and all and defending a championship --- traded Ramirez in the heat of a race? That shouldn't kill the notion, but shouldn't it humble folks a bit in their demands that this is a no-brainer? The team that traded Manny got to the LCS. So did the team that acquired Manny. It's the Manny who went to L.A. people remember, not the Manny who got himself run out of Boston. Every time you see a clip package of Manny highlights, there's nothing sullen from his last days with the Red Sox. It's all home runs and smiles with the Dodgers. That's the part of the fan brain that's working this cold winter. Centerfield Feb 03 2009 08:06 AM I think we may have set some sort of record for assumptions in a single thread. ="SteveJRogers":a9e7kszf]Not only that, how about when all the things that caused him to be persona non grata in Boston rear it's ugly head. You can only take "Manny being Manny" so much.[/quote:a9e7kszf] Manny reared his ugly head in Boston to the tune of a .927 OPS, which would have led all Mets. In July, he quit on the Red Sox by bumping that to 1.060. Afterwards, he got hot. ="SteveJRogers":a9e7kszf]Well there is truth to [Francesa and Russo being responsible for delivering Piazza].[/quote:a9e7kszf] No. There may be truth. It is all based upon speculation created by callers of the show who wanted to pat themselves on the back. ="Edgy DC":a9e7kszf]I'm all for advocating, it's true. But there's got to be some real responsiblity.[/quote:a9e7kszf] There is nothing here indicating that any of the street rallyers lack responsibility. They might all have legitimate plans. ="Edgy DC":a9e7kszf]I'm against the jungle advocacy or street rallies around such slogans as "Do It, Omar!" and calling hang-up radio shows. [/quote:a9e7kszf] This is not an assumption, but I'm just wondering why you would prefer one form of advocacy over another. ="Edgy DC":a9e7kszf]I'm also against the sort of two-faced advocacy that allows you to demand the same sort of moves that the advocate is ripping them for making in the past. (See: Waaaa!) [/quote:a9e7kszf] Nothing here suggests any of the rallyers are that type of fan. ="Edgy DC":a9e7kszf]Just as my frustration with rallyers who push for an aggressive spending-spree pursuit of veterans portrayed as prima donnas tend also to have pushed for that in the past, only to rip the Mets when those moves haven't worked out, and go on to portray those failed veteran imports as prima donnas that the Mets should have been smart enough to avoid.[/quote:a9e7kszf] Again, it is faulty to undermine the rallyers' credibility by unfairly associating with hypocritical thinking. There is nothing to suggest these rallyers think in that manner. ="RealityChuck":a9e7kszf]Are the people rallying for Manny also rallying for keeping the Citi Field naming rights (and payments)? Because if they're not, they're being delusional.[/quote:a9e7kszf] Are you aware of any out clause in the contract? Because my understanding of contracts is that if Citifield tries to back out, they are subject to damages. Centerfield Feb 03 2009 08:09 AM ="Edgy DC":1p7alcyl]Can we glean anything from the fact that the Red Sox --- the rich, smart, informed team we hope ours will one day be, employing Bill James and all and defending a championship --- traded Ramirez in the heat of a race? That shouldn't kill the notion, but shouldn't it humble folks a bit in their demands that this is a no-brainer?[/quote:1p7alcyl] I think the LCS demonstrated how much they missed Manny's bat. Especially if you turned the channel and watched what he was doing wearing blue. Also throw in the two World Series titles they won with him anchoring the lineup. Edgy DC Feb 03 2009 08:30 AM I'm aware of that and if louts were being loutish in killing the idea I'd feel similarly. It's a delicate choice, and no no-brainer by any stretch. Wasn't it your wife who said that we'd get David Ortiz when his weight hit 300 and his knees were shot? Edgy DC Feb 06 2009 08:28 AM ="Newsday"]Million Manny March only brings 10-15 Mets fans BY KATIE STRANG | caitlin.strang@newsday.com February 6, 2009 Compared to last week, the smattering of Mets fans willing to brave the cold outside SNY studios in Manhattan for the second "Million Manny March" accurately reflected the team's likelihood of landing Manny Ramirez - rapidly dwindling. About 50 fans gathered to chant and implore Mets management to sign the free-agent slugger last week, but only 10 to 15 people appeared for the second rally. "I wanted to promote the cause and get Manny over here, plain and simple," said Gustavo Medina, 20, of Ridgewood, Queens. "If we have a power bat like Manny, and you plug him between Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado, you're gonna have a respected lineup and an outstanding New York Mets club in 2009." Even though general manager Omar Minaya has been emphatic in dismissing fans' hopes of signing Ramirez, Medina thinks it remains a possibility. "Omar Minaya has coveted that man since high school," Medina said. Holding up the other end of Medina's sign was Cliff Korn, 38, of Manhattan, who said the acquisition still could happen even though Minaya has ruled it out. "Minaya likes to make the big splash," Korn said, citing previous players who ended up in Flushing when it initially looked unlikely. "I think it's possible." Medina said they won't be deterred until adding Manny no longer is possible. When will they stop congregating? "When he signs somewhere else," Medina said. Added Korn, "And then we'll start rallying for Matt Holliday." John Cougar Lunchbucket Feb 06 2009 08:31 AM Katie Strang, bringin it strong. Edgy DC Feb 06 2009 08:35 AM Great cub reporter assignment. Hey, Katie, go out in the cold and talk to some quixotic mooks. seawolf17 Feb 06 2009 09:13 AM For a quick second, I read that as Gustavo Molina. Frayed Knot Feb 06 2009 10:34 AM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":1v6ar1zc]Katie Strang, bringin it strong.[/quote:1v6ar1zc] Considering that the only other time I've seen her name in Newsday sports is when she's covering human cockfighti ... I mean the "Mixed Martial Arts" scene, I suppose that talking to idiot Met fans in sub-freezing weather isn't so bad. Or maybe she's an MMA groupie and enjoys that stuff, who knows.

People are going http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/

="metsguyinmichigan"]That makes sense because he's still on the payroll. Torre's not. I thought that too but then Newsday has this... ] The Yankees are considering including a "non-disparagement clause" in future player and managerial contracts in order to prevent any more tell-all books such as "The Yankee Years," co-written by Joe Torre and Tom Verducci. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a Yankee official said yesterday that some members of the front office staff already are required to sign a confidentiality agreement in order to protect "proprietary knowledge of our business model." The proposed clause is intended to ensure that future books about the Yankees are "positive in tone," and "do not breach the sanctity of our clubhouse." The Yankees are said to feel betrayed by Torre's book, which has been interpreted as critical of some players, most notably Alex Rodriguez, and inaccurate in its recounting of the October 2007 meeting in Tampa at which Torre and the club agreed to part ways after four world championships and 12 consecutive playoff appearances. Confidentiality agreements, some with meticulously spelled out rules and stipulated monetary penalties for their violation, are standard equipment in most contracts between celebrities and their hired staffs, as well as between corporations and their CEOs. The Mets are believed to have included similar clauses in their contracts with former manager Willie Randolph and former pitching coach Rick Peterson. Up to now, the Yankees never have included them in the contract of a player or manager. "Up to now, we have always operated our employer-employee relationships on a basis of trust," the official said. "But we never expected what we got from Joe. We may have to get a little tougher on this issue."

David Lennon ] The Met Years? In the wake of this media maelstrom over "The Yankee Years," the combustible new book from Joe Torre and Tom Verducci, don't hold your breath waiting for a similiar tome from axed Mets manager Willie Randolph. Unlike the Yankees, who apparently do not have gag clauses in the contracts for managers, the Mets were a little more careful in that regard. Randolph was working on a book with Daily News writer Wayne Coffey, but its status seems unclear. General manager Omar Minaya did suggest, however, that Randolph had to choose his words carefully after the firing last June, according to a story written by Coffey on that hotel room meeting. "I stood up and shook his hand, told him I wished him and the team well," Randolph recalled to Coffey. "Then he handed me an envelope, a little parting gift, and told me to make sure I reviewed it with my agent, Ron Shapiro. "It was a copy of my Met contract that basically says I better not say anything detrimental about the team, or I might jeopardize the rest of the money I have coming to me."

I wouldn't want to touch that sign for many reasons but especially now after Jetes has ejaculated over it nightly.

OK , I was confused for a moment....Seawolf that was brilliant....

Nice little bit today in the Daily Snooze. ] Jack Fisher clutched an umbrella in his right hand - the hand that threw the first pitch at Shea Stadium in 1964 - as he bid a sad farewell Wednesday to the ballpark to which his name will forever be linked. Trudging through slush along Roosevelt Ave., the ex-Mets pitcher marveled at the sturdy skeleton of the baseball landmark, which is being dismantled to make way for Citi Field. "I guess it's trying hard to stand up, like we were as a young ballclub," said Fisher, 69, shivering beneath the No. 7 train tracks. "It's a pretty sad scene." Gone are the field and the seats and a chunk of the upper deck, giving way to bulldozers and dirt mounds - a far cry from Fisher's last visit in September for Shea's closing ceremonies. Fisher, who now lives in Easton, Pa., spent a half hour roaming around Shea on his way home from a banquet for ex-ballplayers in Times Square - and memories flooded back. Most prominent was the stadium's opening on April 17, 1964, when Fisher began the game with a strike to Pirates shortstop Dick Schofield. "I had a pretty good idea that it would be a strike," Fisher said. That fleeting moment paid long-term dividends for Fisher, who will likely inscribe "1st Pitch at Shea" on dozens of items at a sports expo Saturday in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in East Elmhurst. In fact, the $15 cost for Fisher's autograph ranks close to much more accomplished guests signing at promoter Jack Berke's expo - like Hall of Fame hurler Juan Marichal - because so many fans appreciate Fisher's place in Shea history. He set several milestones in Shea's first game - surrendering the ballpark's first hit and home run, and started a baseball tradition with a simple pregame question to Mets manager Casey Stengel. "I asked Casey if it was okay to warm up in the bullpen [instead of on the field] to get away from the hustle and bustle and all the writers," he recalled. "I guess I started something." Fisher's return to Shea also reminded him of the Mets' soldout home games in the mid-1960s against the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants, who had moved out of New York just years earlier and still basked in local fan support. "I could actually feel the sound waves hitting me on the chest," he said of the raucous games. Moving forward, Fisher hinted he might feel better about Shea's destruction if the Mets had him throw the first ceremonial pitch at Citi Field. "If they think it would be a good thing, I'd be more than happy to do it," said Fisher, who still sports the husky frame that earned him the nickname Fat Jack. "I'd even get in shape." The bullpen thing is interesting.

New York Times ] In Dead of Winter, Shea Stadium Is Melting Away By KEN BELSON Published: January 28, 2009 With each passing day, Shea Stadium, the home of the Mets since 1964, fades further from Citi Field, the team�s new home. In the last few weeks, demolition crews have been ripping down entire sections of Shea from both ends of the outfield decks toward its middle. What was once a semi-enclosed bowl with 57,000 seats is now a skeleton of a grandstand. In the first weeks after the Mets finished their final season at Shea (with another desultory loss that knocked them out of playoff contention), crews removed the seats, signs and anything else that could be sold to collectors or reused in city parks. Then demolition crews started knocking out the field level and the concrete decks that made up the loge and the mezzanine. But the structure of the stadium, built for nearly $30 million, was largely intact. Not so anymore. Since the beginning of the year, crews have clawed away at Shea�s walls and beams, exposing escalators, elevator banks and air ducts. The stands above Gates A and E have vanished and parts of the neon players that adorned the outside of the stadium are gone, too. Twelve sections of the upper deck still have their concrete floors, but the other sections that remain are outlined only by their steel beams. Unlike stadiums in other cities that have been imploded, Shea had to be taken down piece by piece because of building codes. The rat-a-tat-tat of the construction machinery drowned out the noise of the jets taking off from LaGuardia Airport. Tarps on chain link fences say �Almost Home,� a reference to the soon-to-be-opened Citi Field, but also the six-month process of erasing Shea. In all, nearly 10,000 tons of steel and another 2,500 tons of concrete will be pulled out of Shea. Some of the concrete will be ground up and reused as the base material for the parking lot that will be installed in its place. The lot will include space for 2,000 cars and signs marking where home plate and the pitcher�s mound once were. Team representatives said that the demolition will be completed some time in the coming weeks, which is not hard to imagine. On Wednesday, lines of dump trucks made their way onto what was once the outfield, weaving around piles of crumpled metal and concrete covered in snow. Several Web sites have sprung up that have chronicled the destruction of the place where Seaver once threw, Piazza once squatted and the Stork, George Theodore, once roamed. In a way, the sites are a testament to the morbid curiosity of Mets fans, who have endured many morbid Mets teams. �It�s interesting how they are doing it piece by piece,� said Eric Okurowski, a 31-year master�s candidate and a life-long Met fan from Babylon, N.Y., who runs stadiumpage.com. �Most old stadia are blown up and it takes just a few seconds. It�s pretty interesting seeing it come apart in pieces over the course of four months.� Okurowski and several other die-hard fans are organizing a final farewell at Shea at noon Saturday to share stories and take photographs of what is left of the ballpark. As Shea diminishes, Citi Field emerges. While less imposing than Shea, the new stadium, at least from the outside, has an elegance that Shea lacked. Instead of the lattice of concrete ramps that constituted Shea�s exterior, Citi Field is covered in brick and punctuated with arches and an entrance rotunda. Flood lights highlight the outside while klieg lights illuminate what is left of Shea. More Articles in Sports �A version of this article appeared in print on January 29, 2009, on page B18 of the New York edition.

="DocTee":13fd6bmj]Among those he'll battle for a rotation spot is fellow Notre Dame alum Jeff Zmardija.[/quote:13fd6bmj] Not that I could spell it but I looked at that and thought that's not it.....so I looked it up. Jeff Samardzija DocTee Jan 28 2009 07:10 PM At least it's not Geoff! Thanks Edgy DC Jan 29 2009 07:05 AM I'm going to guess that being from Logansport, IN and going to Notre Dame makes this as much of a homecoming as Aaron can have in the bigs. Cubs GM Randy Bush said wouldn't attribute Heilmnan's lousy year to any failure of his stuff. The quote in the paper was, "It was a case of poor location � and [a negative] environment for him in New York." That's fine, though I'd like to see what those elipses replace. The problem there is that, if you believe the environment has consequences for some players, what's the Wrigley crowd going to do to him if he struggles at all? MFS62 Jan 29 2009 07:28 AM ="metirish":1pscw6eo] Not that I could spell it but I looked at that and thought that's not it.....so I looked it up. Jeff Samardzija[/quote:1pscw6eo] Ahhh. Now that I see the proper spelling, isn't he the guy who also was a promising football player for Notre Dame? I wondered why I didn't see his name in the NFL box scores this year. Later seawolf17 Jan 29 2009 07:29 AM ="Randy Bush"]"It was a case of poor location � It was a case of poor location; all of his pitches wound up locating themselves in the bleachers. Frayed Knot Jan 29 2009 07:44 AM ="MFS62":11cjvs6r]="metirish":11cjvs6r] Not that I could spell it but I looked at that and thought that's not it.....so I looked it up. Jeff Samardzija[/quote:11cjvs6r] Ahhh. Now that I see the proper spelling, isn't he the guy who also was a promising football player for Notre Dame? I wondered why I didn't see his name in the NFL box scores this year.[/quote:11cjvs6r] Yup. Cubbies dangled some 10 million dollars in front of his face to lure him away from the NFL draft - although he did play one final season on the ND gridiron. Raw and a bit shaky following a short minor league 'career', but also showed flashes of being extremely nasty. metsguyinmichigan Jan 29 2009 09:01 AM ="Edgy DC":11154hl4] That's fine, though I'd like to see what those elipses replace. The problem there is that, if you believe the environment has consequences for some players, what's the Wrigley crowd going to do to him if he struggles at all?[/quote:11154hl4] Based on what I saw at Wrigley last year and the year before, the bulk of the people in attendance were barely aware that a game is going on. It was like a giant meat farm. My buddy Will says, "They're here for a game, but it's not the one we're watching."

] "We were excited to acquire him, and sorry to trade him but I felt this was a deal that we couldn't pass up." Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik

Great stuff..... The affair between Boston and Ted Williams has been no mere summer romance; it has been a marriage, composed of spats, mutual disappointments, and, toward the end, a mellowing hoard of shared memories. It falls into three stages, which may be termed Youth, Maturity, and Age; or Thesis, Antithesis, and Synthesis; or Jason, Achilles, and Nestor.