Frayed Knot

Hawkins gets credit for teaching everyone the not-coming-to-the-set pitch when there are no runners on base.

BP Team farm rankings: #8. New York Mets Farm System Ranking in 2013: 10 State of the System: Solid blend of pitching and positional talent, ranging from high-risk/high-reward types at the lower levels to safer high-floor prospects nearing the major-league level. Top Prospect: Noah Syndergaard (11) Breakout Candidates for 2014: Amed Rosario and Marcos Molina Prospects on the BP 101: 3 Must-See Affiliate: Short-Season Brooklyn Prospects to See There: Amed Rosario, Marcos Molina, Casey Meisner, Chris Flexen, Champ Stuart Farm System Trajectory for 2015: Steady. The Mets will likely graduate four of the top five prospects in their system, but the helium from low-level talents like Rosario, Molina, and Meisner could keep the system holding strong in the top 10 in the game, despite the graduations. Note also: Washington 18th, Miami 19th, Atlanta 24th, Philadelphia 25th Not that this sort of thing can't change quickly, but it's beats the situation of a couple years ago when among the best prospects in all of baseball were names like; Strasberg, Harper, Heyward, Stanton, etc.

Player on a new team or with a new manager who is less of a disciplinarian: "It's great here, things are much more relaxed. Players here are allowed to be themselves without looking over their shoulders every minute afraid of being called out for making a mistake. It's just a much easier way to play the game and I think the difference will show up in our record" Player coming from a team or manager where things were less regimented: "It's great here. In the past there were too few rules, too many guys going their own way, doing their own thing, running on their own, that sort of thing. Here everyone knows their role, knows what's expected of them, and I think the difference will show up in our record."

Jose Valverde getting high makes as father figure to the young contingent of Dominican hurlers (Mejia, Familia, Germen). Also Terry claims he comes with positive recommendations from buddy and former Valverde skipper Leyland. Of course he can mentor all he wants, but he still needs to show that the last year and change plus was just a temporary downturn and not the point of no return.

Yeah, the Seattle report is based on the NY report, and the Post report is based entirely on "one source" saying �He looks pretty much the same��. IOW, I don't think there's anything new here.

Edgy MD wrote: The typical collision to me occurs where a runner in his natural path hits a catcher in his way with possession of the ball. That would seemingly still legally occur under these rules. Certainly seems to be - as I think it should be. The purpose here should be to get rid of catchers being blind-sided in part because they think it's OK for them to put themselves in that position. Now, though, if the runner fails to reach the plate because there's a large masked man in his way without the ball then he's likely to be called anyway so there's no point in absorbing the contact. By the same token if the runner wants to plant the catcher just to make sure that he can't do a quick tag even though he's got a clear path to the base then he's going to be called Out so save the trouble. There'll shirley be some close calls that can go either way (our 'Syracuse fans can tell you about those this week) but it sounds to me like they got this one right at least in theory; much better certainly than the early stories (which were perhaps mis-reported and/or speculation) when this first surfaced about them wanting to somehow mandate out all contact.

Edgy MD wrote: The question remains, what happens to the catcher who places his body (or left leg) in the runner's path and he receives the ball an instant before the arrival of the runner, absorbing the collision as he brings the glove around to make the tag? This is the general strategy of the plate-blocking catcher to me. Technically he has the ball at the point of interference, and it doesn't seem particularly less illegal under that language than it had been. "All calls will be based on the umpire's judgment."

metsmarathon wrote: I'm ok with this rule. It basically works like plays at any other base. With the possible exception of second base, which is still a bit of the wild Wild West. Yeah I am too. Sounds to me like it basically codifies what should have been common sense all along: namely that if you don't have the ball you can't block the base - and if you go out of your way to steamroll a guy in the act of catching/fielding the ball (with little or no attempt to get to the base) then it's interference and you can be called out.

Rule & wording officially approved. Nutshell: � A runner may not run out of a direct line to the plate in order to initiate contact with the catcher, or any player, covering the plate. If he does, the umpire can call him out even if the player taking the throw loses possession of the ball. � The catcher may not block the pathway of a runner attempting to score unless he has possession of the ball. If the catcher blocks the runner before he has the ball, the umpire may call the runner safe. � All calls will be based on the umpire's judgment. The umpire will consider such factors as whether the runner made an effort to touch the plate and whether he lowered his shoulder or used his hands, elbows or arms when approaching the catcher. � Runners are not required to slide, and catchers in possession of the ball are allowed to block the plate. However, runners who do slide and catchers who provide the runner with a lane will never be found in violation of the rule. � The expanded instant replay rules, which also go into effect this season, will be available to review potential violations of Rule 7.13.

Lefty Specialist wrote: Yeah, now that he's in the National League, he'll have 'plate appearances' that aren't 'all you can eat'. Because when Bartolo sits down to a meal, the previously covered plate appears rather quickly.

Parnell is throwing again so you hope he'll be ready by April 1. But other than him and probably Vic Black, most of the other spots seem to be up for grabs (although I'm probably forgetting someone). Kevin Kernan in today's NY Post throws out the name of Jeff Walters (no known relation to Gene Walter) [fimg=400]http://thenypost.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/022314metsspringtraining100.jpg?w=720&h=480&crop=1[/fimg] A 7th round 2010 NYM draft pick (after having been drafted Four time before by other squads), he started for two seasons but was converted to the pen by then Brooklyn pitching coach Frank Viola. He's now been in the pen exclusively for each of the last two seasons were he seems to have blossomed, having an ERA under 3.00 and a WHiP just over 1.00 as he's moved through Savannah, PSL, and a full 2013 in Binghamton where his stats were best. He's not young, 26 over the off-season, and a reliever like this is never going to make the top of the prospects lists anyway. But he seems to have "gotten it" since pitching for several colleges and now four years in the minors -- and he'd certainly improve the hair factor of the team.

Ashie obviously picked up some info on his most recent scouting trip.

Four-year deal for Brett Gardner despite the lengthy commitment to Ellsbury in CF. It is nice to see Yanx mgmt investing in their young players though (Gardner turns 31 this season)

Nelson Cruz "nearing a deal" with the Orioles.

Working pre & post sounds like the job you have while working your way towards p-b-p, not the other way around, so this has the ring of a somewhat downward move to me (even in a bigger market) both in prestige and money. And even if it's not, they're bringing on a guy with p-b-p experience to work behind a guy who, according to multiple reports, they (either team or station or both) were reluctant to re-hire in the first place and is only working on a year to year basis. So, yeah, I don't KNOW that this means Josh should be walking on eggshells from now until October, but when your bosses hire a guy who is fully qualified to replace you ...

WOR's current on-air personalities are mostly nationally syndicated shows. This move indicates that they're trying to capitalize on the Mets lead-in and shake things up with a little local flavor at the time of night when FAN will often be involved with Yanx games, Yanx post, or be heavy on Yanx talk for the hour or two after that game is over. And, since it's the middle of the summer, the only other sports outlet in town--ESPN radio--will probably be talking football.

I think for most on-air guys, yes. I'm sure Howie is working with more than just a year-to-year deal and I know G, K, & R all are. IIRC the last time Keith's deal came up he got renewed for maybe four years.

No matter what haircut he goes with, Noah has certainly got that biting the bottom lip look down-pat.

So they (presumably) will hire an experienced p-b-p guy just to handle pre & post? ... yet another sign that can't smell good for the future of the current second banana radio guy who is currently working on just a one-year contract.

Sounds like WOR, rather than reverting to whatever programming they've currently got slated for late-nights*, is looking to keep Mets fans around for a while rather than have them abandon 710 for 660 as soon as the post-game show is over. Here's the spot where all you Somers fans start campaigning for him to jump ship - although it would be quite a coincidence if his contract w/FAN just happened to be expiring at this particular moment so that's probably not even an option here. * Dave Ramsey, author of NY Times bestsellers: 'The Total Money Makeover', 'Financial Peace', 'More Than Enough', and 'Entreleadership, talks personal money management in his nationally syndicated show from 10 PM to midnight.

Edgy MD wrote: And the last active Philadelphia Athletic is... ? I knew it wasn't Ryan Howard, he's not very athletic at all.

I suspect that if a deal gets done it's more likely to be of the package variety rather than a simple one-for-one Ike + Tejada + ??? for Franklin + ??? ... or something along those lines. Or, for instance, we've got several passable young CFs on hand (Lagares, den Dekker, Nieuwenhuis) while Seattle's former CF Franklin Gutierrez won't play for them this season due to "irritable bowel syndrome". Betcha haven't heard that one for a DL reason in a while.

But is he (Franklin) gravitating away from SS because he lacks the skills for it or is it strictly because Seattle came up with a better option? I certainly haven't seen enough M's games to know. Maybe that lady/super-fan for the Clinton Lumberkings still has an opinion on Franklin ... or at least one of his old socks or something.

Not really new news, but Adam Rubin reminds us today that "the Mariners are likely to trade [short-stops] Nick Franklin or Brad Miller -- most likely Franklin -- before Opening Day." The emergence of Miller bumped Franklin to 2B last year but now the signing of Cano takes that option away so something has to give.

Bobby V used to talk about being 'three deep' at each position. That didn't mean you'd actually want to use the third guy, only that you had one in mind if the extra-innings/PH-ing/in-game injuries all piled up at the same time. IOW, if Flores is that 3rd SS and winds up playing there for a handful of innings over the year then I think we can live with it.