metirish

WAG = Wives & Girlfriends But you knew that right?

Looks like Barry Bonds. Mets introduce Rodriguez.

Not surprised that Sheets is not in the plans , the Mets never sign FA starting pitchers that are injury prone.

They just had the last official tour recently.

So it should be in HD then too because I have noticed that The Golf Channel is now in HD in the high 700's

The seats are a darker shade of blue , wow.

="seawolf17":zge7bbgs]Interesting. I hope it's part of the regular package. I'll check tonight.[/quote:zge7bbgs] I shall do the same. G-Fafif Dec 17 2008 08:56 AM If you have digital cable (which is basically what cable is now), you should have it. It's up there with the Golf Network and Versus. metirish Dec 17 2008 09:18 AM So it should be in HD then too because I have noticed that The Golf Channel is now in HD in the high 700's Nymr83 Dec 17 2008 02:12 PM its there on Verizon grouped together with all the other sports channels. Frayed Knot Dec 17 2008 02:45 PM MLB gave a partial ownership stake in the channel to several of the major carriers so, unlike the exclusively deal that the NFL network struck, this one should be available to most w/o having to go to a pay tier. Nymr83 Dec 17 2008 03:09 PM wise move by MLB to make sure their channel gets exposure, the NFL should take notes. themetfairy Dec 17 2008 03:22 PM Fucking Comcast doesn't seem to be carrying it. OE - Fucking Comcast will start carrying it January 1st[/url:qxpvqa06]. metirish Dec 17 2008 05:00 PM Channel 149 here in the Bronx , on right now is a look back at the Red Sox taking out the MFY's in 2004. metirish Dec 17 2008 05:03 PM It's in beautiful HD on channel 790. G-Fafif Dec 17 2008 05:07 PM ="metirish":12qzdy9i]Channel 149 here in the Bronx , on right now is a look back at the Red Sox taking out the MFY's in 2004.[/quote:12qzdy9i] They've been showing the same three programs over and over for the past 24 hours as far as I can divine. As long as the MFYs are going down in high-def flames, that's not so bad. Frayed Knot Dec 17 2008 05:31 PM Jan 1 is the official launch date. The sneak previews could be hit and miss until then. Lots of WBC in Feb-Mar is the first major thing on the slate. metirish Dec 17 2008 05:34 PM Curt Schilling is even more insufferable in HD. metirish Dec 30 2008 11:35 AM From a chat with Neil Best over at Newsday ] 12:08 [Comment From Dino] I have heard that the MLB Network will have "live look-ins" at games throughout the regular season. Is this true and why would they agree to do this since it seems to undermine the Extra Innings package, if only a little bit? 12:08 They will indeed have look-ins, but they will have rules limiting how often and for how long they can show games to avoid conflicting with local channels and Extra Innings stuf John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 30 2008 11:40 AM Us Time Warnerians in the city will get it on channel 174 and hi-def 793. It wasn't there the last time I looked however. I can see this channel becoming a prime destination for commercial breaks. Edgy DC Dec 30 2008 11:44 AM MLB Network CEO Tony Petitti: Met-Lovin' Big Shot. Huge shot, really. Frayed Knot Dec 30 2008 11:47 AM They're kicking off at 6PM Thursday with the Larsen perfect game - apparently shown as it was shown then, including the commercials and everything. Mushnick's remarks from a column last week is that the now-ancient telecast is, at the same time, both better (2-hour game, limited crowd shots, no graphics overload, sideline reporters, etc.) and worse (no replays and other technology) than broadcasts of today. A Boy Named Seo Dec 30 2008 11:49 AM Supposed to be on 213 for DirectTV peeps. Gwreck Jan 01 2009 03:53 PM This thing's starting up today. Appears in my channel listings (Time Warner NYC). Various programs being shown the first week: "Hot Stove Live" Larsen's perfect game (repeated 3 or 4 times over the first few days) Most of the WS games from 2008 and some LCS games as well "Cathedrals of the Game" - half hour "tours" of stadiums. The only two being shown so far are Busch Stadium and Citizens Bank Park. "Prime 9" - countdown of the "best." First two are "Centerfielders" and "Best Home Runs." "Red Sox Memories" - October Heroes, Parts 1 and 2 "Dodger Blues" - hour long history of the team Some other misc. stuff. Nothing explicitly Mets-related. Kong76 Jan 01 2009 04:10 PM Channel 400 on Westchester Cablevision ... I turned on just to see how fluffy it was. It's pretty fluffy, but I'm sure there will be a bunch of stuff on the station I'll watch or half-watch this winter. Al Leiter -- boo, I like Harold --- yay! Back to watching Joe Pa lose, and ABC turning it into a win no matter. metirish Jan 01 2009 04:57 PM Nice set is about all I got right now. themetfairy Jan 01 2009 05:05 PM Channel 280 on Comcast. I wish they'd stop chatting and get to showing us Larson's perfect game already. themetfairy Jan 01 2009 05:11 PM They're starting the broadcast at the top of the 2nd? Fuck all the blather - show us the complete game and skip the commentary! metirish Jan 01 2009 05:22 PM Costas mentioned for some reason the tape of the first innings is missing. themetfairy Jan 01 2009 05:23 PM Thanks Irish. I do love the old time commercials - very cool stuff. metirish Jan 01 2009 05:25 PM Yeah this is fun to watch , apparently this is the first time the complete game minus the first inning of course has been shown. metsmarathon Jan 01 2009 05:33 PM i totally need me some new gillette blades. they're so sharp! metirish Jan 01 2009 05:40 PM Duke Snider just hit one barely foul down the right field foul pole and Mel Allen said " Ed Rungy watched that one go just foul", very cool to connect the dots with that name. metirish Jan 01 2009 05:48 PM Jackie and the Dodgers employ the shift for Mantle and the other left handed hitters on the yankees , Mel Allen talking about it being OK if Mantle bunted down the third base side for a hit. Mantle just beat the shift by hitting a home run. bmfc1 Jan 01 2009 06:25 PM You mean I get a razor AND the Baseball Encyclopedia for only a buck? G-Fafif Jan 01 2009 06:38 PM The key for the Dodgers is getting some baserunners on. metsguyinmichigan Jan 01 2009 08:23 PM Jimmy Rollins. Ick. But at least he's recognizing that Cole Hamels was out of his mind for calling out the Mets like that. Fman99 Jan 01 2009 08:27 PM Channel 100 upstate on Time Warner. Me likee. DocTee Jan 01 2009 08:29 PM January 10-- 2007 NLCS, Game 7. Mets-Cards. Endy. Molina. Ugh. metirish Jan 02 2009 07:09 AM Tuesday's at 8PM Ken Burns "Baseball" documentary will be shown. 1st Inning will air January 6th with subsequent Innings each Tuesday at 8PM. I have never watched the complete series so I'm looking forward to this. Frayed Knot Jan 02 2009 07:26 AM The intro + Larsen game certainly got me in a baseball mood -- of course the fact that it was 10 degrees at the time means that simply a picture of striped socks could do the same. And I'm sure I'll check in on some of the specials during the remainder of the void period. As far as MLB-TV being an everyday thing ... we'll see. The good thing about baseball is that its everyday nature means a positive ratio of actually watching games to merely talking about games. The reverse ratio is one of the things that drives me nuts about football coverage. And, if nothing else, it'll be a more-available (maybe better?) alternative to 'BB2N'. Be nice if they wind up running it like the anti-ESPN ... although I wouldn't bet on it. metirish Jan 02 2009 07:48 AM From Wikipedia... ] MLB Network HD MLB Network HD is a 720p high definition simulcast of MLB Network, which launched simultaneously to the regular channel. All studio programs are shot in HD. The network is also currently remastering 30 World Series Films in high definition. [7] According to a December 15, 2008 Broadcasting & Cable article: After much discussion, MLB Network decided to use the 720p format instead of 1080i because it believes 720p shows the motion of baseball more accurately and will degrade less when recompressed by cable operators to save bandwidth. As Mark Haden (VP of engineering and IT of MLB Network) says: �That's our best shot of maintaining quality to viewers.� [8] The 720p format is also used by MLB broadcast partner Fox and many of the Fox Sports Net regional sports networks (which hold the rights to local game coverage of several teams), along with ESPN. DirecTV carries both SD and HD.[9] Verizon FiOS has also come to an agreement with MLB to carry the MLB Network in SD and HD[10]. Cablevision has announced they will carry the HD version. [11] Some Time Warner Cable systems do as well. Their decision to go with 720p format sounds interesting , I'm no expert though and to me 480i , 720p and 1080i/p are good selling gimmicks. SNY & YES use 1080i on their broadcasts . I read recently in a trade magazine that with a HD TV and a BlueRay DVD you can get true 1080p. Fman99 Jan 02 2009 03:00 PM ="metirish"]From Wikipedia... ] MLB Network HD MLB Network HD is a 720p high definition simulcast of MLB Network, which launched simultaneously to the regular channel. All studio programs are shot in HD. The network is also currently remastering 30 World Series Films in high definition. [7] According to a December 15, 2008 Broadcasting & Cable article: After much discussion, MLB Network decided to use the 720p format instead of 1080i because it believes 720p shows the motion of baseball more accurately and will degrade less when recompressed by cable operators to save bandwidth. As Mark Haden (VP of engineering and IT of MLB Network) says: �That's our best shot of maintaining quality to viewers.� [8] The 720p format is also used by MLB broadcast partner Fox and many of the Fox Sports Net regional sports networks (which hold the rights to local game coverage of several teams), along with ESPN. DirecTV carries both SD and HD.[9] Verizon FiOS has also come to an agreement with MLB to carry the MLB Network in SD and HD[10]. Cablevision has announced they will carry the HD version. [11] Some Time Warner Cable systems do as well. Their decision to go with 720p format sounds interesting , I'm no expert though and to me 480i , 720p and 1080i/p are good selling gimmicks. SNY & YES use 1080i on their broadcasts . I read recently in a trade magazine that with a HD TV and a BlueRay DVD you can get true 1080p. Sadly no HD feed (yet) on our cable system for this channel. I remain hopeful... dgwphotography Jan 03 2009 02:21 PM ="metirish":2xopm25u]Tuesday's at 8PM Ken Burns "Baseball" documentary will be shown. 1st Inning will air January 6th with subsequent Innings each Tuesday at 8PM. I have never watched the complete series so I'm looking forward to this.[/quote:2xopm25u] Thanks - I just set my TiVo. I love this channel entirely too much... John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 09 2009 08:25 PM They have Lincecum in the studio now and they're going to do a demonstration of his motion later. Weird teeth and pretentious wearing on a knit cap indoors, but I do love to watch him throw. Kong76 Jan 10 2009 11:05 AM 'irish: Ken Burns "Baseball" documentary will be shown <<< Of course they are, I got the dvd box set for xmas. I really enjoyed it, I watched the whole thing and I'm in the middle of the early 1900's one again. I vaguely remember watching some of these ep- isodes on Channel 13 years ago but this was the best xmas present I've gotten in years. Frayed Knot Jan 10 2009 12:30 PM One thing about the series on MLBN unlike on the disc-set or the original PBS showing ... it's no longer commercial-free! So enjoy your discs. G-Fafif Jan 10 2009 02:00 PM Tonight at 8:00 Eastern: Game Seven of the 2006 NLCS. I hear it's a real barnburner until about the middle of the sixth. Then there's probably a football game on. John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 11 2009 09:55 PM I just watched the 1990 Pirates score six runs in the 11th to rally and beat the Cubs 13-12. Go Bucs! Edgy DC Jan 12 2009 05:45 AM How does that Bonds kid look? G-Fafif Jan 12 2009 06:24 AM ="Edgy DC":2xoij6dh]How does that Bonds kid look?[/quote:2xoij6dh] He could use some bulking up. John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 12 2009 07:39 AM ="Edgy DC":6t6j0ub5]How does that Bonds kid look?[/quote:6t6j0ub5] Whiffed in his first 4 ABs but had a key RBI single and scored the winning run in the 12th. I'll tell ya, he was skinny but had mad batspeed and really stung his one hit: line drive to right. When he came home with the winning run they mobbed him and his helmet came off -- that's where the difference was the starkest. By the way, I had no idea why they were showing this game, which was on a rainy April day in Pittsburgh. When Andre Dawson hit a grand slam in the top of the 12th, I thought that was why. Gwreck Jan 12 2009 08:47 AM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":3sxv2q2s]By the way, I had no idea why they were showing this game, which was on a rainy April day in Pittsburgh. When Andre Dawson hit a grand slam in the top of the 12th, I thought that was why.[/quote:3sxv2q2s] Same thing here. Thanks for the recap. metirish Jan 13 2009 05:10 PM Bobby Valentine on the Hot Stove right now. metsmarathon Jan 13 2009 05:32 PM the camera work on that show is unnecessarily jumpy. metirish Jan 13 2009 05:36 PM I hate to hear a guy like Barry Larkin call John Smoltz "Smoltzie". G-Fafif Jan 13 2009 05:56 PM MLBN's "Seasons" show highlights 1986 Wednesday night at 8:00. 1986...good season. metirish Jan 14 2009 06:58 PM A good show , I didn't know that Bruce Hurst had been voted series MVP when everyone thought they were going to win game six and the WS . Frayed Knot Feb 04 2009 06:50 AM MLBN gets Bob Costas on board -- a logical choice that brings tiny Bob out of his baseball-less world (he'll still work for NBC) but still a good "get" for them. Will do p-b-p for some of their games as well as studio work - kicking off tomorrow with a one-hour Torre interview metirish Feb 04 2009 06:53 AM I have no memory of Costas doing p-b-p , has he been out of the picture that long , was he any good? Fman99 Feb 04 2009 06:54 AM ="Frayed Knot":2b44ozxk]MLBN gets Bob Costas on board -- a logical choice that brings tiny Bob out of his baseball-less world (he'll still work for NBC) but still a good "get" for them. Will do p-b-p for some of their games as well as studio work - kicking off tomorrow with a one-hour Torre interview[/quote:2b44ozxk] He's a pompous ass. Back to the shire with you, Costas. Frayed Knot Feb 04 2009 07:15 AM ="metirish":10z02g9u]I have no memory of Costas doing p-b-p , has he been out of the picture that long , was he any good?[/quote:10z02g9u] Back when NBC had the national package he was their main guy for years. As with most guys he's going to have his fans as well as his detractors (see FMan). But at least with Costas he's one of the few national sports voices who doesn't either look down at baseball with barely disguised contempt or ignore it until there's a negative story (steroids, contract disputes) to stomp on with both feet. IOW, rather than being a network grunt only doing baseball because some media giant is paying him big bucks and therefore feels obligated to give him something do during the summer, he actually likes and knows the game. Edgy DC Feb 04 2009 07:47 AM The guy has opinions, but he supports his positions with rational arguments, unlike "I'm Brockton T. Fuckin' Broadcaster, with thirty years in this business and a golden throat/All Star career background, so I know whereof I speak." Frayed Knot Feb 14 2009 06:18 AM An hour-long 1969 WS highlights show on today at 9:30 AM and again at 6:00 PM bmfc1 Feb 14 2009 08:42 AM Mr. Administrator, Can we please change the name of this thread to simply "MLB Network" as it is long since passed the preview stage? I appreciate this thread as my online TV Guide still doesn't include the program names for the channel. Thank you. Kong76 Feb 21 2009 12:12 PM Seaver's 300th win going to ninth inning NOW!!! at Yankee Stadium. Lindsey Freakin' Nelson in the booth! Frayed Knot Feb 24 2009 08:47 AM The name of the nightly show on MLBN has morphed from 'Hot Stove' to 'MLB Tonight' - something that sounds like thier way of acknowledging that games (even meaningless ones) are starting on a daily basis. And their nightly preview feature '30 Teams/30 Days' visits Port St. Lucie for their Mets run-down tonight (and likely repeated 7 or 8 times over the next few days). bmfc1 Feb 24 2009 09:34 AM It looks like the MLB Network will have 2 or 3 ST games each day, using a local feed. Friday's game will be on live, w/the SNY crew. metirish Mar 03 2009 01:15 PM I caught Sever on the other night , he was interviewed in Studio 42. At times it was painful to watch as the host tried to engage Seaver in some banter and getting curt responses in return. An ex pitcher whose name escapes me was also there and asked the usual questions about pitch counts that gets Seaver going , at times like that Seaver can be engaging . I was surprised that they got him out to Jersey for an interview. Frayed Knot Mar 03 2009 01:39 PM ]An ex pitcher whose name escapes me Joe McGrane - came up with the Cards in the late '80s/early '90s and I guy I thought was going to be real good, sort of a bigger, better Al Leiter-type. But his career never really panned out so he quickly turned his quotable personality and good looks into a broadcasting jobs almost immediately after he quit playing. apmorris Mar 03 2009 01:57 PM ="metirish":1gdycu5c]I caught Sever on the other night , he was interviewed in Studio 42. At times it was painful to watch as the host tried to engage Seaver in some banter and getting curt responses in return. An ex pitcher whose name escapes me was also there and asked the usual questions about pitch counts that gets Seaver going , at times like that Seaver can be engaging . I was surprised that they got him out to Jersey for an interview.[/quote:1gdycu5c] I thought he was pretty frank - especially concerning pitchers today and the overuse of set-up and closers. He did look a little uncomfortable. metirish Mar 03 2009 02:28 PM Uncomfortable yet confident enough to sport dark blue denim jeans with brown cowboy boots and a sleeveless zip up jacket thing.( wears similar sleeveless jackets a lot) metirish Mar 03 2009 04:33 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Mar 03 2009 06:20 PM video Seaver[/url:2rm6m0xe] themetfairy Mar 03 2009 05:55 PM Irish - that's an adorable picture, but it's not video. Nor is it Seaver. metirish Mar 03 2009 06:21 PM Thanks metfairy.... themetfairy Mar 03 2009 06:26 PM Ah - much better. Thanks Irish apmorris Mar 03 2009 07:18 PM I haven't seen Al Leiter, who's always good, on MLBN yet but I have seen most of the rest of the crew. Let me break it down for you. MLBN, The Best Damn On-Air Personalities Period! Matt Vasgersian Theater Major (like most ESPN Anchoroons), has all the smarminess of Costas and is easily a half inch taller. Harold Reynolds is feeling it. Free from all ass-grabbing accusations, cutting lose and taking over every panel they put him on. He's so comfortable up there. maybe he can start working getting off whatever meds he's taking. Hazel Mae has a great name if you're the Weather chick on WSTRPPR in Cincinnati. Too much lip gloss to be taken seriously, seriously. BTW, some of my best friends are Polynesian. Mitch Williams has a bad attitude, which is always a plus. Barry Larkin is a mannequin or Yul Brynner in Westworld resurrected. Jon Heyman Great to see Heyman has no real solid leads or news or opinions on TV also. Trenni Kusnierek Hope home girl is using sun block 180. Joe Magrane can trigger epilepsy episodes with his misplaced pregnant pauses. Sounds like a fully recovered stutterer. Has a great head of hair, which may or may not be his own. Dan Plesac Hey, remember Dan from the Brewers in the 90s? ... me either. The 80s?. Seems like a nice guy. Scored high on the Wonderlic. more later .... http://mlbnetwork.mlb.com/network/personalities/ John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 03 2009 08:24 PM Vasgerian sounds like a treatment for that not-so-fresh feeling. Hazel Mae has nice pineapples. Gwreck Mar 03 2009 08:31 PM MLB Network is producing their own documentaries/features as well now: apparently there's one on the Young family (Dmitri and Delmon) and one on Josh Hamilton. Watched the Hamilton one (was ok, nothing special) except for the moment early on in the show when they're talking about Hamilton's various baseball skills and they mention his arm, and cut to a shot of him throwing out a runner at third. I mention I think we were there for the game...go quickly check the scorecard I kept, and yep, it was Hamilton throwing out Marco Scutaro, 9 to 5, top of the 6th inning on August 2nd of last year. All of this is mostly just a long way of saying that this channel is great and is my default "flip to" channel when whatever I'm watching goes to commercial, or is boring, or I can't find anything else to watch. John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 03 2009 08:36 PM Yes, I'm liking it too. I'm gonna forget what channel espn was any day now. Fman99 Mar 04 2009 08:02 PM Just noticed that my cable provider has added the HD feed of MLB Network. Very happy about that. apmorris Mar 04 2009 08:07 PM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":2yiupyby]Yes, I'm liking it too. I'm gonna forget what channel espn was any day now.[/quote:2yiupyby] Yes. I even went so far as to block ESPN. Don't need the hype machine no more. soupcan Mar 04 2009 08:17 PM Lost in the this thread is ap's excellent comedic analysis of the MLB Network on-air staff. You made me laugh anyway. Kong76 Mar 08 2009 11:08 AM Maybe it's a comment on my lack of a life, but that sound bite they play over and over and over and over for the 30 Clubs in 30 Days song is going to put me over the edge. Excellent show, they don't think the Mets will suck much either! Kong76 Mar 08 2009 12:09 PM F99: Just noticed that my cable provider has added the HD feed of MLB Network <<< Thanks for mentioning that, Cablevision snuck it onto channel 790 while I wasn't paying attention. Kong76 Mar 08 2009 01:10 PM Never mind HD, South Africa wouldn't look good in 3D Sensory Smellavision. themetfairy Mar 13 2009 06:02 PM Right now they're showing the MFY/BoSox game. Boston is up 7-1, and it's the NESN feed so we get to hear Jerry Remy's Bahston accent. Next to a Mets game, this is as good as it gets metirish Apr 07 2009 07:47 PM I hate the day after Opening Day but at least we have MLB Network. I've been watching their MLB Tonight 1st to 3rd show , love it. They pop back and forth between games , they just had a Milton Bradley AB against Wandy Rodriguez in a big spot in that game , two men on base. They showed the whole AB that ended with Matsui turning a sweet DP. themetfairy Apr 07 2009 07:54 PM Plus this is the free preview week for MLB Extra Innings, for out of market games. metirish Apr 08 2009 09:52 AM ="themetfairy":14hamc5h]Plus this is the free preview week for MLB Extra Innings, for out of market games.[/quote:14hamc5h] I was going through those too, Rob Dibble doing color for the Nats , he's as useless as tits on a bull. Watched some of the games featuring the Blue Jays at home and the Twins at home , I absolutely hate watching games on FieldTurf. John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 08 2009 09:29 PM Vin Scully calling the Dodgers-Pods game, Padres wearing their fatigues. DocTee Apr 08 2009 09:31 PM ]Rob Dibble doing color for the Nats , he's as useless as tits on a bull. Quote of the year candidate right here. MFS62 Apr 09 2009 06:26 AM About how many games into the season do you think it will take for mlb network to realize that Bonds is no longer playing for SF, and therefore nobody cares about watching their games? Later Fman99 Apr 09 2009 06:28 AM ="MFS62":3q171fhs]About how many games into the season do you think it will take for mlb network to realize that Bonds is no longer playing for SF, and therefore nobody cares about watching their games? Later[/quote:3q171fhs] They actually have quite a few young talented hitters (Ishikawa, Sandoval, Lewis) a pretty solid rotation and a few live arms in their pen. They're missing a big bat though. themetfairy Apr 09 2009 06:39 AM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":2znwpofn]Vin Scully calling the Dodgers-Pods game, Padres wearing their fatigues.[/quote:2znwpofn] I love listening to Scully call games. Centerfield Apr 09 2009 12:17 PM ="themetfairy":1dpmlfux]="John Cougar Lunchbucket":1dpmlfux]Vin Scully calling the Dodgers-Pods game, Padres wearing their fatigues.[/quote:1dpmlfux] I love listening to Scully call games.[/quote:1dpmlfux] Yup. ON EDIT: He's one of the handful of people who when I hear their voice makes me feel like a kid. Brent Musberger and Casey Kasem are some others. metirish Apr 24 2009 02:25 PM Nearly a month into the season and MLB Network is my default station. I love all the live look-ins to games , as soon as SNY goes to break I flip over to MLB. I don't watch Baseball Tonight anymore , no point really. HahnSolo Apr 24 2009 02:48 PM I agree, although none of the hosts/analysts have really grown on me. Larkin is about as bland as they come, and he seems to always be on. Harold Reynolds is OK. Frayed Knot Apr 24 2009 02:56 PM Neil Best in today's Newsday[/url:2aq3rzp9] on MLBN's nightly show. He does this every once in a while: goes the entire day (or a good portion of it) watching one sports-TV related thing just to see how sane he comes out on the other side. I know he's done the NFL draft (I'd shoot myself by hour 2) and once did MSG on a summer day not long after they lost the Mets and had nothing but the winter sports teams remaining. Lotsa informercials and cheesy in-house stuff IIRC. apmorris Apr 24 2009 09:21 PM I've had it on in the background since the season started. I agree about Larkin. The hosts for the most part are OK, this guy though has an acute case of Scott Van Peltism Edgy DC Apr 24 2009 09:45 PM Did you have to pick a wanking shot? G-Fafif May 06 2009 01:12 PM If you're outside the NYC area, you can watch Thursday night's game on MLBN, Bob Costas and Al Leiter at the mics. Blacked out here. Benjamin Grimm May 06 2009 01:17 PM I'm sure it will be blacked out in Philadelphia too. Since I don't have Comcast cable, I can't see most of the local Phillies broadcasts, except for the relatively few that are on the over-the-air channel. apmorris May 06 2009 01:31 PM MLBNetwork, The Best Damn On-Air Personalities Period! (part 3) Billy Ripken He got the job on his own merits, just like how he got his job with the Orioles. ps. Does MLBN know we have to look at him whens he talks? from G-Fafif May 06 2009 01:44 PM ="Benjamin Grimm":2rks6vvy]I'm sure it will be blacked out in Philadelphia too.[/quote:2rks6vvy] I suppose. It was hard enough to acknowledge there was a world outside of New York to remember another city might be involved. bmfc1 May 06 2009 05:07 PM Billy Ripken does a good job on MLBN, just as he does on XM Baseball. He is also a great teacher of the game at the Ripken Baseball Camp. Swan Swan H Jun 27 2009 10:48 AM Game 5 of the 1968 NLCS on NOW! It's the bottom of the 1st, and it's scheduled to run until 4:30, if you want to check in for the big finish.

Very cool logo.

Who the feck is Andy Green?

="metsguyinmichigan":15xcc1c5] Reyes hit just .218 with a .259 OBP in 49 games for the Mets last season.[/quote:15xcc1c5] Burgos meanwhile hit two women in his SUV. John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 16 2008 02:16 PM Wham. Wham! We could still re-sign Reyes to a minor league deal though I'm not sure why we'd want to. Benjamin Grimm Dec 16 2008 02:19 PM Why is Damion Easley off the table? I understand he's no kid anymore, but he did provide a valuable bat off the bench. I don't think the new reserve infielder is as likely to provide as much "pop." Edgy DC Dec 16 2008 02:23 PM This was all noted in our roster thread. Andy Green is now our backup shortstop. Repeat: Andy Green is now our backup shortstop. metirish Dec 16 2008 02:28 PM Who the feck is Andy Green? Edgy DC Dec 16 2008 02:30 PM Andy Green "My brutha!" John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 16 2008 02:41 PM ="Benjamin Grimm":1poi7cau]Why is Damion Easley off the table? I understand he's no kid anymore, but he did provide a valuable bat off the bench. I don't think the new reserve infielder is as likely to provide as much "pop."[/quote:1poi7cau] The thing with Easley was he provided considerably less "pop" last year than in 07 -- 100 slugging points worth. That, plus being old, plus getting hurt, makes me more than OK with his not coming back. He's expected to sign with the Dbaggs. That doesn't mean we couldn't replace him with someone good. Three words: Jerry. Hairston. Junior.

="John Cougar Lunchbucket":2pdsn56e]She's some English soccer player's wife. You can tell because she's trying to sneak a few soccer balls into the costume party.[/quote:2pdsn56e] Otherwise known as a WAG. A Boy Named Seo Dec 17 2008 10:42 AM Daily News and Newsday both run starting pitching articles today and both basically say the same. Ollie's the preference, Lowe's nice, but too expensive, Wolf, and Redding, and Niese, etc. Kawakami is the 39-year old dude, no? Sheets not on the radar according to the Snooze. "Boo!!!!" sez me. ]The Mets spent Tuesday again discussing starting pitching options and today will formally introduce someone who should make being a member of the Met rotation a bit more comfortable - new closer Francisco Rodriguez. Rodriguez is making an appearance at the Mets' annual holiday party, along with Jerry Manuel, GM Omar Minaya, Mike Pelfrey (who will play Santa Claus) and John Maine. After sampling a few candy canes, Minaya will get back to work sifting through the starting pitchers available on the free-agent market. "We're going to look at everyone on the list," Minaya said. Re-signing Oliver Perez, which Minaya called "50-50" at the winter meetings, seems to be their first choice, but the Mets have inquired about several other pitchers, as well, and there are other intriguing names available since last week's non-tender deadline. The Mets are interested in Derek Lowe, although Minaya has acknowledged that he is likely to soar out of their price range. Still, if Lowe's price doesn't get too exorbitant, the Mets would be a suitor. Others in the mix include lefty Randy Wolf, whom the Mets have shown interest in, according to a baseball official. They also have expressed interest in Tim Redding, who was non-tendered by the Nationals last week. Japanese import Kenshin Kawakami might be a fallback option, too, and the Mets have long admired Freddy Garcia. Ben Sheets, a high-reward, high-risk free agent, is not on the Met radar, according to a baseball official. Daniel Cabrera, who was not tendered a contract by the Orioles last week, was slated to pitch in a winter-league game in the Dominican Republic last night and could be a possibility. With teams eyeballing him in person, bidding could heat up quickly for Cabrera. Johan Santana, Maine and Pelfrey are the Mets' top three starters right now, and the team figures it will add another starter this winter. The Mets could use some rotation depth, in part to have several candidates to compete with Jon Niese for the fifth spot in the rotation, and in case any of the primary arms get hurt during the season. Newsdaymentions Bartolo Colon and Eric Milton as filler candidates. ] The Mets have two slots in their starting rotation to fill, and they know what they want to do with the more important one. To replace Oliver Perez, who had become a vital pitcher, they want either Perez himself or Derek Lowe. To replace the diminished Pedro Martinez, however, the Mets are internally debating their options. Some team officials want to hand the fifth starter's job to lefthander Jon Niese, while others want to create some competition for Niese, 22, and ideally have the rookie begin the 2009 season with Triple-A Buffalo. The Mets could pursue a low-risk, high-reward starting pitcher - among the free agents fitting that category are Bartolo Colon, Freddy Garcia and Eric Milton - and hold a competition pitting such veterans against Niese in spring training. If the veteran wins the spot, then Niese can get more seasoning in the minor leagues. If Niese pitches better, then he might possess increased confidence. Niese made three starts for the 2008 Mets and posted a 1-1 record and 7.07 ERA. He allowed 20 hits and eight walks, striking out 11, in 14 innings. Before his big-league call-up in September, Niese made 22 starts for Double-A Binghamton (he went 6-7 with a 3.04 ERA, striking out 112 and walking 44 in 124 1/3 innings) and seven starts for Triple-A New Orleans (he went 5-1 with a 3.40 ERA, striking out 32 and walking 14 in 39 2/3 innings). The decision on Niese and his potential competition likely won't come until January, or even early February. For now, the Mets are focusing on acquiring a top-flight starter. Lowe's price could fall to a place where the Mets are more comfortable. And if Lowe's doesn't, then Perez's could. The Mets would consider free agents Randy Wolf and Jon Garland only if they whiff on Lowe and Perez. As another fallback, they have reached out to Tom O'Connell, the agent for Tim Redding, whom the Nationals non-tendered last Friday. Redding, 30, pitched 182 innings for Washington, posting a 10-11 record and 4.95 ERA. "So far, we've been contacted by at least 10 teams," said O'Connell, an alumnus of Shoreham-Wading River High School. "[Redding] had a very solid year. He could've easily won 15 games. I think he's going to be an outstanding pitcher in this market." metirish Dec 17 2008 10:50 AM Not surprised that Sheets is not in the plans , the Mets never sign FA starting pitchers that are injury prone. Benjamin Grimm Dec 17 2008 11:03 AM ]The Mets could pursue a low-risk, high-reward starting pitcher - among the free agents fitting that category are Bartolo Colon, Freddy Garcia and Eric Milton - and hold a competition pitting such veterans against Niese in spring training. Pedro Martinez would fit that category too. metsmarathon Dec 17 2008 11:31 AM i really wish we'd look at sheets, and bring in a backup plan as well. Edgy DC Dec 17 2008 11:35 AM Every time somebody posts in this thread, those things hit me in the head. John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 17 2008 11:56 AM Her name is Alex Curran and she's the WAG of Steven Gerrard, who plays for Liverpool. A Boy Named Seo Dec 17 2008 12:13 PM Well Augmented Gal? metirish Dec 17 2008 12:17 PM WAG = Wives & Girlfriends But you knew that right? A Boy Named Seo Dec 17 2008 12:19 PM No, I didn't know that. But I do know that WAG's are absolutely not invited to the Man U. Christmas party. A Boy Named Seo Dec 17 2008 12:32 PM ="metsmarathon":qboxnn2q]i really wish we'd look at sheets, and bring in a backup plan as well.[/quote:qboxnn2q] I'm wichoo. Johan's the only guy we know exactly what we're getting from. Hopefully Pelfrey won't regress. I don't think he will. I guess him being the second most known quantity on the staff makes me a little uneasy is all. I don't see how Maine can be counted on for 30 starts at this point. We should really have at least six viable options. Maybe, like, more. I still would like to see Ollie, Sheets, Niese, and as many non-roster scrubs as they can stitch uniforms for. seawolf17 Dec 17 2008 12:44 PM ="A Boy Named Seo":20g5adgv]I still would like to see Ollie, Sheets, Niese, and as many non-roster scrubs as they can stitch uniforms for.[/quote:20g5adgv] /starts throwing long toss /starts developing knuckleball A Boy Named Seo Dec 17 2008 12:48 PM And Seawolf and Dennis Springer. metsmarathon Dec 17 2008 01:23 PM or that japanese chick! MFS62 Dec 17 2008 07:06 PM John Maine Interview: http://www.wfan.com/pages/744514.php Later Benjamin Grimm Dec 24 2008 06:36 AM Today's buzz has the Mets becoming serious about negotiating with Lowe. While I do like the idea of getting a pitcher who'll be the Number 2 guy (as opposed to a Number 4 guy) I'm concerned that Lowe will be too old and expensive. Especially if he ends up with a five-year deal. I think I'd rather seem them put that money towards Randy Wolf and Orlando Hudson. seawolf17 Dec 24 2008 07:20 AM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket"] I just wanted to make sure she was at the top of page 3 of the thread also. Nymr83 Dec 24 2008 07:51 AM good idea, i say we make the hot bimbo the banner on top of the forum! Bunt the First Two Dec 24 2008 08:15 AM If you're going to overpay Overpay for Ollie Christmas eve is here today And Christmas should be jolly Ollie can be widely variant But Lowe's an obnoxious wiener And I know what Keith and Gary meant When they praised young Ollie's demeanor So, I'm clinging to the familiar And I fear the enemy hireling You may find my perspective sillier My wife does; as does my sireling Lowe's not alone in adulte-ray To think so would be rank folly But if you're going to overpay Overpay for Ollie Joyeux No�l Benjamin Grimm Dec 24 2008 08:21 AM How is it possible that Bunt the First Two, who's been here for three and a half years, only has 9 posts? (And a very nice avatar, by the way.) seawolf17 Dec 24 2008 08:38 AM I thought BtF2 was someone's nym. TransMonk Dec 24 2008 10:53 AM Metsblog linking to The Boston Globe[/url:a9uzs6db] reports that the Mets are close to a 3-4 deal with Lowe for 14-16 Mil per. metirish Dec 24 2008 11:06 AM Could we not sign Perez for that money? Benjamin Grimm Dec 24 2008 11:07 AM I have to confess that I don't know much about Lowe, but I'm so done with Oliver Perez. Benjamin Grimm Dec 24 2008 11:16 AM Just in case this is true, here's a tidbit from Wikipedia for the Wifey Watch: ]On August 3, 2005, FSN West in Los Angeles announced that "Dodger Dugout" anchor Carolyn Hughes had been suspended pending an investigation into a potential relationship between her and Lowe. Shortly thereafter, the pitcher filed for divorce from his wife of seven years, Trinka Lowe, with whom he fathered two children. Hughes' husband had also filed for divorce and, as of early 2006, Lowe and Hughes were living together. Lowe and Hughes were married on December 13, 2008 at The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan. TransMonk Dec 24 2008 11:21 AM ="metirish":20spwfpg]Could we not sign Perez for that money?[/quote:20spwfpg] Maybe, but Lowe's more of a sure thing than Perez IMO (at least for 2009-10). Perez is younger and a lefty, but Lowe has averaged 200 IPs with a mid 3 ERA for the past 4 years. He won't K as many batters as Perez, but he will also walk about half as many. The problem with Lowe is that he will turn 36 this year....so by the end of the contract he will be 40ish. But you can't argue with his consistency. Nymr83 Dec 24 2008 01:06 PM A 4 year contract to Lowe now could easily turn into the equivalent of the 4 year deal given to Glavine at age 36 following the 2002 season. Glavine's ERA+ the 4 years before the Mets contract: 109, 135, 125, 140 Lowe's ERA+ the past 4 years: 114, 124, 118, 131 Glavine IPs: 234, 241, 219, 224 Lowe's IPs: 222, 218, 199, 211 Glavine's ERA+ the first 4 years with the Mets: 93, 119, 116, 114 Glavine IP the first 4 years with the Mets: 183, 212, 211, 198 They're pretty similiar pitchers and Lowe is around the same place in his career now that Glavine was when he became a Met (though he was probably a bit better then than Lowe is now.) Were you happy with how that 4 year contract to Glavine turned out? A Boy Named Seo Dec 24 2008 01:23 PM I thought of Glavine this morning when I read the Mets were maybe close on Lowe. I like Lowe and I think he'd be fine, but don't want him instead of Ollie. I want him along with Ollie. Edgy DC Dec 24 2008 01:58 PM Glavine didn't become fat until his second year he was with the Mets. Lowe = already fat. Oliver Perez is the way to go. MFS62 Dec 24 2008 07:07 PM According to a report on WFAN (or was it ESPN radio?) tonight, the Mets are one of three teams still negotiating for Lowe. Later John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 24 2008 08:29 PM I'd prefer Ollie if we only got one of them, too. I'm not a Lowe hater, necessarily, tho I do recall the Mets beating the crap out of him once in '07. Anyone remember that game? TransMonk Dec 24 2008 09:10 PM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":2k22o8do]I'd prefer Ollie if we only got one of them, too. I'm not a Lowe hater, necessarily, tho I do recall the Mets beating the crap out of him once in '07. Anyone remember that game?[/quote:2k22o8do] Yup...and Glavine got his ass kicked about as badly in this game too.[/url:2k22o8do] Vince Coleman Firecracker Dec 25 2008 10:46 AM Derek Lowe for Christmas? ESPN says no. ]ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney reports the Mets ARE NOT close to a deal with free agent pitcher Derek Lowe. Sources tell Olney the Mets HAVE NOT made an offer to Lowe...and are still seriously considering free agent pitchers Randy Wolf and Oliver Perez., among other pitching options. The Boston Globe reported the Mets would offer Lowe $14-16 million per season. Lowe just finished up a four year deal, $36 million deal with the Dodgers. Newsday also says no. It seems they are speaking, though. ="Kat O'Brien"]"We're talking, we're having discussions, but nothing's going to happen in the next day or two," Minaya said by phone Wednesday afternoon. Maybe for Boxing Day? Edgy DC Dec 25 2008 05:52 PM Nowe Lowe! Frayed Knot Dec 26 2008 07:14 AM Newsday: The Mets continue to try to sign one more starting pitcher, but general manager Omar Minaya said nothing is imminent. "We're talking, we're having discussions, but nothing's going to happen in the next day or two," Minaya said by phone Wednesday afternoon. Several reports online had the Mets close to agreement on a four-year deal with righthander Derek Lowe. Minaya said Lowe is just one of several pitchers the Mets are in negotiations with, along with Oliver Perez and Randy Wolf. The Mets stand a strong chance of eventually signing one of those three starters. Minaya said it wouldn't happen in the immediate future, though, urging: "Go enjoy the holiday." Benjamin Grimm Dec 27 2008 05:11 PM ="Buster Olney":1q35kutm]There are other market forces in play now. The Mets would like a starting pitcher, but just as they ascertained before delving into the bidding for a closer, they realize that they might be the only team ready to give out a sizable multiyear contract for a starting pitcher -- especially in the aftermath of the Yankees' signing of Mark Teixeira, which is likely to compel the Bombers to fill the last spot in their rotation with a youngster. The Mets have surveyed the rest of the market, and they see that the Cardinals are not ready to hand out a massive deal for a starter, nor are the Milwaukee Brewers or the Dodgers. The Braves have money to spend but have reportedly determined that they are not interested in signing Derek Lowe. So the Mets can sit back and pluck the best of the starting pitchers, at their price, just as they did with K-Rod; in this case, their choices are likely (1) Oliver Perez, (2) Lowe or (3) Randy Wolf. Heck, the Mets might find themselves in a position to take advantage of a two-for-one sale. That is how far the prices have been depressed. The Mets will be patient, writes Mike Puma. [/quote:1q35kutm] Nymr83 Dec 28 2008 12:35 AM sounds good to me, lets see what happens Rockin' Doc Dec 28 2008 07:13 AM Damn, I knew this day would come. This thread has finally turned the page and now the mysterious honeydew smuggler has gotten away. It's a sad day I tell you. Benjamin Grimm Dec 28 2008 07:19 AM ="seawolf17"]="John Cougar Lunchbucket"] I just wanted to make sure she was at the top of page 3 of the thread also. Centerfield Dec 28 2008 09:47 PM Ken Rosenthal reporting that the Red Sox are close to signing Brad Penny. You'd have to think this bodes well for us on the Lowe front. metirish Dec 30 2008 09:01 AM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket"] Her husband just got charged with assault and affray after spending the last 24 hours in jail following a beating of a DJ in a pub after Liverpool FC beat Newcastle Sunday. Gerrard along with five others got arrested in the early hours Monday morning after allegedly beating the DJ up , apparently the DJ wouldn't let Gerrard spin his favorite tunes. His favorite singer is Phil fucking Collins , hard to blame the DJ on that. Vince Coleman Firecracker Dec 30 2008 09:39 AM Phil Collins' solo efforts seem to be more commercial and therefore more satisfying in a narrower way, especially No Jacket Required and songs like "In the Air Tonight" and "Against All Odds" (though that song was overshadowed by the masterful movie from which it came) and "Take Me Home" and "Sussudio" (great, great song; a personal favorite) and his remake of "You Can't Hurry Love," which I'm not alone in thinking is better than the Supremes' original. But I also think that Phil Collins works better within the confines of the group than as a solo artist- and I stress the word artist. In fact it applies to all three of the guys, because Genesis is still the best, most exciting band to come out of England in the 1980s. Frayed Knot Dec 30 2008 09:43 AM Beating up a DJ is like the guy who shot someone in a movie theatre the other day for yapping too much: either may be justifiable depending on the specifics. John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 30 2008 09:47 AM ="Vince Coleman Firecracker"]Phil Collins' solo efforts seem to be more commercial and therefore more satisfying in a narrower way, especially No Jacket Required and songs like "In the Air Tonight" and "Against All Odds" (though that song was overshadowed by the masterful movie from which it came) and "Take Me Home" and "Sussudio" (great, great song; a personal favorite) and his remake of "You Can't Hurry Love," which I'm not alone in thinking is better than the Supremes' original. But I also think that Phil Collins works better within the confines of the group than as a solo artist- and I stress the word artist. In fact it applies to all three of the guys, because Genesis is still the best, most exciting band to come out of England in the 1980s. Wait, what? Edgy DC Dec 30 2008 10:02 AM I heard the guy beat up the DJ after he played Jay-Z's new joint, "The Riddler Got Some Titties." VC Firecracker, meanwhile, just made the Oddest Stories of the Year list. Vince Coleman Firecracker Dec 30 2008 10:07 AM Sorry, I just always think of Patrick Bateman when I hear that someone likes Phil Collins. Or Huey Lewis. metirish Dec 30 2008 10:16 AM ="Vince Coleman Firecracker"]Phil Collins' solo efforts seem to be more commercial and therefore more satisfying in a narrower way, especially No Jacket Required and songs like "In the Air Tonight" and "Against All Odds" (though that song was overshadowed by the masterful movie from which it came) and "Take Me Home" and "Sussudio" (great, great song; a personal favorite) and his remake of "You Can't Hurry Love," which I'm not alone in thinking is better than the Supremes' original. But I also think that Phil Collins works better within the confines of the group than as a solo artist- and I stress the word artist. In fact it applies to all three of the guys, because Genesis is still the best, most exciting band to come out of England in the 1980s. In the article I read which I can't be bothered to look for it mentioned that his favorite album ever is Phil Collins "Hits" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hits_(Phil_Collins_album) Centerfield Dec 30 2008 07:30 PM Three year, $36 million offer to Lowe says Tom Singer at Mets.com. It cites a Times report but I couldn't find the article. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081230&content_id=3730397&vkey=hotstove2008&fext=.jsp John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 30 2008 07:38 PM ]Mets Offer Lowe a Deal: 3 Years and $36 Million By JACK CURRY Published: December 30, 2008 After methodically studying the starting pitchers left on the free-agent market, the Mets have determined that Derek Lowe would be the best addition to their club. The Mets have shown that by offering Lowe a three-year contract for about $36 million, according to people who have been briefed on the discussions. As the Mets try to add a reliable starter, they have marked Lowe as their priority over Oliver P�rez, who has pitched for them since 2006. Lowe, a durable pitcher with a superb sinker, was 14-11 with a 3.24 earned run average for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season. Scott Boras, the agent who represents Lowe and P�rez, would not comment specifically about the Mets� offer to Lowe. But he said, �Obviously, we�ve taken offers from a number of teams.� Boras also said he was still talking to teams and was in the process of establishing Lowe�s value. Lowe is believed to be seeking a five-year, $90 million deal. The Mets do not want to offer Lowe more than three guaranteed years, so if he holds firm in his pursuit of five years, he may not be close to signing. Lowe, who turns 36 in June, has averaged more than 200 innings and 15 wins the last seven seasons. When the Mets pursued the free agent Francisco Rodr�guez, they benefited from being one of the only teams willing to spend for a closer. Before the season ended, there was speculation that Rodr�guez would receive a $75 million deal. The Mets signed Rodr�guez for about half that, giving him a three-year, $37 million deal. The Mets are hoping the same happens with Lowe, and that he eventually falls to them for less than the $18 million a year he is seeking. Boras would not say how many teams had made offers to Lowe, but he said there were more teams involved in talks with Lowe than a week ago. Boras will probably remind teams that Ryan Dempster, a converted closer who had a stellar year as a starter with 17 victories, received a four-year, $52 million deal from the Chicago Cubs last month. The Mets have emerged as the favorites to sign Lowe, but the Boston Red Sox and the Philadelphia Phillies have also expressed interest. It is unclear if either team would outbid the Mets or offer more than three years. Lowe pitched for the Red Sox from 1997 to 2004 and has spoken about his desire to return to Boston. If the Mets are unable to sign Lowe, they will pursue P�rez, who was 10-7 with a 4.22 E.R.A. They may also go after Randy Wolf, who, like P�rez, is left-handed. Wolf was 12-12 with a 4.30 E.R.A. for the San Diego Padres and the Houston Astros. But by making their first offer to Lowe, the Mets have told him and Boras that Lowe is the pitcher they would prefer. Before that can happen, the Mets and Boras need to agree on Lowe�s value. Frayed Knot Dec 30 2008 07:46 PM Beats the hell out of both the asking price (5x$18) and the widely rumored price (4x$15). Maybe we wind up getting trumped here, but I'd have trouble going more than 3 years. Guess that's what they mean by 'Going Lowe' on a bid. Rockin' Doc Dec 30 2008 08:30 PM The Mets should give Lowe and Borass a few days to respond, then if they don't get a response that looks favorable they should offer Oliver Perez an offer in the neighborhood of 4 years for $36 mil. and tell Boras that the first accept will get the one rotation slot available. I would love to see a few of Boras' high profile clients get stuck because of his blustering and posturing. I believe Manny Ramirez just may be the one to lose big because of Boras overplaying his hand in these difficult financial times. Nymr83 Dec 30 2008 09:16 PM ="Rockin' Doc":sf7zf4o4]The Mets should give Lowe and Borass a few days to respond, then if they don't get a response that looks favorable they should offer Oliver Perez an offer in the neighborhood of 4 years for $36 mil. and tell Boras that the first accept will get the one rotation slot available. I would love to see a few of Boras' high profile clients get stuck because of his blustering and posturing. I believe Manny Ramirez just may be the one to lose big because of Boras overplaying his hand in these difficult financial times.[/quote:sf7zf4o4] i would love to play Boras' clients against each other by making reasonable offers to both pitchers and say its first come first served. this puts Boras in a position where he can't do right by both clients. MFS62 Dec 31 2008 06:42 AM Now we're going to find out if Omar has friends in Lowe places. Later Edgy DC Dec 31 2008 07:15 AM ="Nymr83":jqmfi9t3]i would love to play Boras' clients against each other by making reasonable offers to both pitchers and say its first come first served. this puts Boras in a position where he can't do right by both clients.[/quote:jqmfi9t3] Well, he can advise them both to hold out for more. I'm not saying it'll work, but he's got a corner of the market by holding the best two remaining pitchers. Benjamin Grimm Dec 31 2008 07:19 AM I notice the article says the Mets don't want to guarantee more than three years. My prediction: They'll sign him to a deal that guarantees $39 million over three years, with a clause that gets him a fourth year (at another $13 million) based on some innings pitched criteria. An article in the Daily News this morning said that the Mets were the lone remaining suitor. I don't know if that's true or not, but if it is Boras will, of course, try to get them to bid against the mysterious phantom team. metirish Dec 31 2008 07:23 AM Thankfully Minaya is't Cashman who at this point with no other suitors would sweeten the pot by at least $60 million. soupcan Dec 31 2008 07:50 AM I'd love to see Boras get his comeuppance as well but it just doesn't happen. We all thought the A-Rod opt-out would backfire and that certainly did not. Boras turned that around from a disaster to friggin' no-holds barrred success. Boras is a smart guy - he knows exactly what he is doing and always gets the most for his clients. As a fan I hate him, but if I were an athlete he'd be my guy. Edgy DC Dec 31 2008 08:03 AM I'm perfectly happy seeing Boras clients walk off with all the money they can get --- as long as my team drives a harder bargain than everybody else's. He got the Yankees to bid against themselves to pay Alex Rodriguez more, even though everybody hates the guy? I applaud him. Frayed Knot Dec 31 2008 08:09 AM ="soupcan":388olj2s]I'd love to see Boras get his comeuppance as well but it just doesn't happen.[/quote:388olj2s] It does occasionally. A couple years back he was telling anyone who would listen that he had a multiple 5-year offers for Kenvin Millwood at something like $15 per. Millwood eventually settled for a one-year arbitration settlement for around $10 or so. And there have been others as well - usually with smaller/mid-range clients. It's the big boys who generate most of the publicity and those are the ones he hits on - but, of course, it's a lot easier when you've got the goods. What remains to be seen here is whether this year is going to be a downward trend after several years of rapidly rising salaries like happened a few years ago following the 1999-2001 spending boom. So far the only player for whom there was a serious bidding war was Teixeira. Sabathia certainly got a chunk of change but it's not clear whether than was necessary, and guys like F Rodriguez got a whole lot less than what was suspected even 2-3 months ago. Centerfield Dec 31 2008 08:24 AM ="soupcan":1gdt0nu9]As a fan I hate him, but if I were an athlete he'd be my guy.[/quote:1gdt0nu9] Why do you hate him as a fan? As an owner or GM, he might be the scum of the earth, but do fans really have a rooting interest in negotiations between player and team? metsmarathon Dec 31 2008 08:41 AM i only hate him when players i want the mets to get have him as their agent, and that drags out the process of signing said player, and typically means that, if we do get said player, its at a higher cost and because we offered the most money (as opposed to the fictional world i wish to live in where free agents choose the mets not for the most money but because they're the awesomest destination, and do so cheaply and before christmas). soupcan Dec 31 2008 08:45 AM ="Centerfield"]="soupcan"]As a fan I hate him, but if I were an athlete he'd be my guy. Why do you hate him as a fan? As an owner or GM, he might be the scum of the earth, but do fans really have a rooting interest in negotiations between player and team? I suppose its not him I hate but rather the escalating salaries that continue to move the players and the game farther away from the fan. As a fan though - the higher the salary, the higher the operating costs of the team, the higher the cost of watching or going to a game. Edgy DC Dec 31 2008 08:50 AM ="soupcan":f7bp71p6]As a fan though - the higher the salary, the higher the operating costs of the team, the higher the cost of watching or going to a game.[/quote:f7bp71p6] I don't believe that for a minute. Prices are driven by demand, not by salary expenses. Don't let the owners convince you otherwise Centerfield Dec 31 2008 09:08 AM ="soupcan"]="Centerfield"]="soupcan"]As a fan I hate him, but if I were an athlete he'd be my guy. Why do you hate him as a fan? As an owner or GM, he might be the scum of the earth, but do fans really have a rooting interest in negotiations between player and team? I suppose its not him I hate but rather the escalating salaries that continue to move the players and the game farther away from the fan. As a fan though - the higher the salary, the higher the operating costs of the team, the higher the cost of watching or going to a game. So you're saying you don't hate the playa, you hate the game. Benjamin Grimm Dec 31 2008 09:14 AM One reason not to like Boras: He represents Mike Pelfrey. If Pelfrey continues to develop into the pitcher we'd like him to be, we have little to no hope that he'll sign a contract like Wright and Reyes did. He'll do the arbitration thing each year that he can, and then he'll test the market. It makes it just a teeny bit harder to get attached to a home-grown player. attgig Dec 31 2008 10:29 AM ="Edgy DC":6u8g9kac]="soupcan":6u8g9kac]As a fan though - the higher the salary, the higher the operating costs of the team, the higher the cost of watching or going to a game.[/quote:6u8g9kac] I don't believe that for a minute. Prices are driven by demand, not by salary expenses. Don't let the owners convince you otherwise[/quote:6u8g9kac] not only demand, but supply. all these new ballparks have less seats. friggin owners. BUT, I would love to see how ticket prices changed from before Free Agency to the early nineties (when contracts started going into the millions). soupcan Dec 31 2008 10:58 AM ="Edgy DC":2ijnmyx6]="soupcan":2ijnmyx6]As a fan though - the higher the salary, the higher the operating costs of the team, the higher the cost of watching or going to a game.[/quote:2ijnmyx6] I don't believe that for a minute. Prices are driven by demand, not by salary expenses. Don't let the owners convince you otherwise[/quote:2ijnmyx6] I don't mean to say that salaries are the only thing but they are a significant contributing factor. ="Centerfield":2ijnmyx6]So you're saying you don't hate the playa, you hate the game.[/quote:2ijnmyx6] Word. Edgy DC Dec 31 2008 11:14 AM ="soupcan":osy3ctu2]I don't mean to say that salaries are the only thing but they are a significant contributing factor.[/quote:osy3ctu2] I don't think they mean a thing. All the restraints of a salary cap haven't made basketball and football tickets any more affordable. soupcan Dec 31 2008 11:29 AM ="Edgy DC":r44vyrx7]="soupcan":r44vyrx7]I don't mean to say that salaries are the only thing but they are a significant contributing factor.[/quote:r44vyrx7] I don't think they mean a thing. All the restraints of a salary cap haven't made basketball and football tickets any more affordable.[/quote:r44vyrx7] It's not like their salary caps have kept those other sports salaries low either though. Frayed Knot Dec 31 2008 12:07 PM Not low, but lower than they'd be under a true open market -- and yet the NFL with its hard cap and often elusive FA system has still managed to be the sport to virtually invent and exploit things like seat licensing and mandatory pre-season buys.

Maybe it's me but I don't hear a lot of hype regarding Fernando Martinez anymore which I think is a good thing. Jenrry , never saw that name before , not a typo is it?

Didn't he leave there on bad terms?

Silver sent Fred five whole chickens to show his displeasure after they fired Randolph , I don't like him already.

I'll save the Mets, says Long Island liquor mogul Martin Silver ] I'll save the Mets, says Long Island liquor mogul Martin Silver BY BILL HUTCHINSON DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER Monday, December 15th 2008, 9:01 PM A Long Island liquor mogul is offering to buy the Mets from Fred Wilpon, one of the victims in Bernie Madoff's $50 billion Ponzi scheme. Martin Silver, owner of Syosset-based Star Industries, told the Daily News he's putting together a team of partners to make Wilpon an offer for the major league franchise. "As a life-long Mets fan and a season ticket holder for over 25 years, I would not like to see the Mets organization fall into the wrong hands," Silver wrote in a letter to Wilpon requesting a meeting to air his offer. Silver, part owner of a minor league baseball team in Wilmington, Del., said he has spoken to potential investors and estimated he could put together an offer of $600 million to $700 million for the team. Forbes magazine has put the value of the Mets at $824 million. "If Mr. Wilpon is in so much trouble. ... It's like real estate, it comes down in value," said Silver, who in June sent Wilpon five whole chickens to express his displeasure over the firing of manager Willie Randolph. Wilpon's Sterling Equities reportedly lost some $500 million it had invested with Madoff's company. Wilpon, who bought the Mets in 1980, has told Major League Baseball officials his losses won't affect the team's operations. Silver, whose company's flagship spirit is the popular Georgi Vodka, said that while the economy has tumbled, his liquor business is booming

Ouch Saul Katz lost a boat load too.

] Minaya says Madoff fraud won't impact Mets BY KEN DAVIDOFF | ken.davidoff@newsday.com 2:35 PM EST, December 15, 2008 Omar Minaya told Newsday Monday that his offseason plans have not been impacted by the Wilpons' involvement in the Ponzi scheme that was exposed last week. "Based upon what we've been told, they're separate entities," Minaya said, referring to the Mets and Sterling Equities, the real-estate firm co-founded by Mets CEO Fred Wilpon. "My understanding is the baseball team is totally separate from the other business. I'm expecting to proceed the way we were before." Sterling lost hundreds of millions of dollars in the scheme run by Bernard Madoff, a longtime friend of Fred Wilpon's. Minaya said he wasn't aware of the Wilpons' misfortune until news broke about it last Friday. He has spoken with the Wilpons, he said, and has been told he can go forward with his plans to re-shape the Mets. "We're talking to other clubs and agents right now," Minaya said. The Mets want to add a high-end starting pitcher to replace Oliver Perez; that pitcher could be Perez himself. For now, they're expressing satisfaction with their everyday lineup.

Why is it called a "Ponzi Scheme "? , I wondered and found out. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Ponzi

Alex Cora was again mentioned in a report today.

NBC Evening News says Wilpon lost $300 million.

Yet Miniya thinks the offense was fine last season From the Hot Stove December 11th ] Minaya on getting more offense. Quote: "Before I start moving my dollars to offense, I have to move my dollars to pitching," the GM said."Last year was very simple guys. We had 20 blown saves. We scored the runs."

] Mets now have terrific twosome in 'pen By Jayson Stark ESPN.com LAS VEGAS -- The New York Mets of 2008 didn't just have a closer problem. They had a bullpen problem. The Mets of 2008 didn't just have a ninth-inning problem. They had a how-the-heck-do-we-get-to-the-ninth-inning problem. Well, not anymore. Now, after a stunning 12-player, three-team, winter meetings megadeal Wednesday night, the Mets have transformed their bullpen and transformed themselves. J.J. Putz and Francisco Rodriguez aren't merely an upgrade on Luis Ayala and Duaner Sanchez/Aaron Heilman/Scott Schoeneweis/insert your favorite other Mets setup villain here. J.J. Putz and K-Rod are an upgrade on everybody's eighth-and-ninth-inning bullpen-assassin combo. Who beats that tag team? "Nobody," said one longtime talent evaluator Wednesday night. "To me, they're the best. And they're not just a great duo. They're a strikeout duo, too. There won't be many balls in play when those two guys are out there. As big as strikeouts are in the ninth inning, sometimes they're even bigger in the eighth." True facts: K-Rod averaged 10.14 strikeouts per nine innings this season. Putz, even in a down year, averaged 10.88 whiffs per nine innings. And that was in the American League, where the lineups run nine deep. Only two National League teams had a closer-setup combo in which each pitcher racked up that high a punch-out rate in 2008 -- the Cubs (Kerry Wood/Carlos Marmol) and the Dodgers (Takashi Saito/Jonathan Broxton/Hong-Chih Kuo). Not coincidentally, those staffs ranked third and first, respectively, in the league in bullpen ERA. But now Wood is gone in Chicago. Saito is hurt in L.A. And it's the Mets who have assumed the throne. We asked around Wednesday night in a lobby packed with baseball people. Nobody could come up with an eighth-inning/ninth-inning combo as formidable as the Mets' new twosome. The reason is simple. As long as these two are healthy, there isn't a better tandem. "They can play a 21-out game now," the same evaluator said of the Mets. "I give them a lot of credit. They just made a $13 million investment [in K-Rod], and now they've bolstered it with a character guy whose character is so good, he'll be willing to pitch the eighth inning." Putz, of course, will have to be healthier than he was in 2008, when his 3.88 ERA was nearly triple his 1.38 mark in '07. But if he is, he changes the Mets' whole persona. Just consider the bullpen disaster that did in this team this season: The Mets were 13th in the league in ERA from the seventh inning on and 13th in bullpen ERA overall. They blew 29 saves -- second most in the National League, behind St. Louis. They gave up 61 home runs from the seventh inning on, tied with the Giants for the most in the league. And those aren't even the most devastating numbers that defined the Mets' season. Consider these numbers: If all games had ended after six innings this season, the Mets would have finished the year 11 games ahead of the Phillies (aka, the team that won the World Series). If all games had ended after seven innings, the Mets would have finished six games ahead of the Phillies. And if all games had even been just eight innings long instead of nine, the Mets would have finished five games ahead of the Phillies. But the rules are the rules. And the rules say they had to play all nine. And it was those final innings that crushed the Mets. The Phillies lost no games they led after eight innings. The Mets lost seven of them -- and lost 13 games they led after seven innings. That's how seasons slip away. That's how one fatal flaw can undermine everyone and everything. That was the story of the 2008 Mets. So one miraculous trade later, this doesn't just look like a whole new bullpen. It looks like a whole new team.

I would like to have Ollie back but I am curious what the stupid deal Burnett got going to do for negotiations there.

K-Rod jumps right into Mets-Phillies rivalry BY KEN DAVIDOFF | ken.davidoff@newsday.com 12:53 PM EST, December 13, 2008 Francisco Rodriguez didn't even wait for his first save to jump into the war of words between the Mets and Phillies. In a telephone news conference today, K-Rod's first interaction with the New York media, the Mets' new closer proclaimed his confidence in his new teammates. "Of course we're going to be the frontrunner," Rodriguez told reporters. "Of course were going to be the team to beat. "I don't want there to be a controversy. I don't want the other team to take it personally, or take it in a bad way. But I'm a really competitive guy. I like to win. "If they ask me, "Who's going to be the ball club that will win the National League East, it'll be the Mets." "Team to beat" has become a well-known phrase in the Mets-Phillies rivalry. Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins first used the words to describe his team prior to the 2007 season, and Rollins proceeded to win the National League Most Valuable Player award as his team lived up to that proclamation. This past season, during spring training, the Mets' Carlos Beltran, usually soft-spoken, declared his club as the team to beat. The Mets couldn't quite make Beltran look good, giving up a mid-September divisional lead. On Thursday, Phillies ace Cole Hamels upped the ante when, on an interview with WFAN, he referred to the Mets as "choke artists." Rodriguez said that his velocity did drop in 2008, as many scouts and opponents observed, but that it happened because he was working in a new pitch, a changeup that proved effective. In 2009, he said, his velocity should return to the mid-90s now that he's more comfortable with the arm action needed to make his fastball and changeup look identical out of his hand.