Frayed Knot

Not to mention that if this were YSIII there'd be about seven HRs to RF already tonight.

This game has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Mets are much better hitting when it's sub-35 degrees. Now if only Fred & Jeff weren't so cheap they'd just turn up the AC at CF and we'd lead the league in everything.

Somebody* should do an albums of SOME GUYS that would show various shots of Burkhardt in action. Or maybe that's fodder for a different thread. * and by "somebody" I mean 'not me' seeing as how I don't know how to do all this picture manipulatin' stuff

Vic Sage wrote: is that an offensive-type league? Neither the Sally Lg as a whole nor, to the best of my knowledge, Savannah's park specifically, have the rep as hitting havens. Besides, the biggest thing with this kid's numbers to date isn't the power that places like the Cal League or certain Pac Coast Lg cities are known to inflate, but rather the BA/OBA gap which, one would figure, should shine regardless of environment. Over a 100 difference during Rookie Ball in 2011, a 124 point gap last season at Brooklyn, and now close to 100 in the small sample size this year. Nice strike-zone knowledge for a kid just turning 20 and, if the high priests of Moneyball are to be believed, a good indicator of future success.

You wonder how Matt Kemp's tattooed grandmother feels about being in the presence of such threats and violence.

Edgin - 0.6 Rice - 0.3 Parnell - 0.2 Duda - 2.8 Valdespin - 1.0 Baxter - 1.0 Tejada - 0.7

Rice - 0.4 Hawkins - 0.4 Lyon - 0.4 Buck - 2.2 Valdespin - 1.0 Murphy - 0.6

Zack Grienke hits Carlos Quentin with pitch - Quentin charges the mound - Grienke winds up on bottom of pile with a broken collarbone (non throwing arm) That's one very large (and always questionable) contract that's off to a rocky start.

Swan Swan H wrote: So who DHs for the Mets? My pick: Duda. Probably. Otherwise this series could produce a real stand-off in bad-gloved LFers; Willingham is at least as big a defensive menace out there as (not so cool hands) Lucas. With this weather they may be out there in mittens. I've seen them both field and I thought they both already were. Nice 'Flash and the Pan' reference.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: So who DHs for the Mets? My pick: Duda. Probably. Otherwise this series could produce a real stand-off in bad-gloved LFers; Willingham is at least as big a defensive menace out there as (not so cool hands) Lucas.

Yeah, we need OF pop real bad, and I'm not saying that Stanton isn't worth those players (and maybe more), but dealing several prospects--and not just prospects but top 20 type prospects, and nearly ready-to-go top 20 prospects at that--is something teams who think they're just a player or two away do. I don't see us in that situation right now.

John Sickels looks back at Brian Cole from a prospect standpoint.

Murph actually did everything right there ... right up until the moment when he reached the conclusion that the ball was going to drop.

The Mets about to hand Kendrick a single-digit pitch inning right back.

OK, we're obviously set at catcher for years to come, so let's trade d'Arnaud NOW!!!! for some pitching while we have the chance. Yes, I'm kidding

Then, of course, by the time Stargell did win his (shared) MVP it was in the wrong season and for all the wrong reasons. Nearly 200 ABs shy of Hernandez, he hit 63 points lower and his OBP was 65 points less. He had barely half as many hits (119 to 210) and scored half as many runs (60 to 116), fewer RBIs, zero SBs, and wasn't nearly the fielder at the same position. Held the edge only in HRs (32 to 11) and, naturally, in "intangibles". Keith out-polled him in 1st place votes 10 to 4, but because there were other 1st place votes split among numerous candidates* Stargell obviously got loads of what were almost certainly intangible-inspired 2nd, 3rd & 4th place mentions to make up for the huge 1st place vote gap. Represented by WAR (what is it good for?) Keith led Willie 7.6 to 2.5. WAR leaders that year were actually Winfield, then Joe Niekro then Schmidt all ahead of Keith, but at least that group was separated by mere fractions. Of the 28 NL players receiving Any MVP mention that season, Stargell ranked 24th among them in WAR * Other 1st place votes went to: Dave Winfield - 4 (he finished 3rd overall) Ray Knight - 2 (5th) Joe Niekro (6th), Kent Tekulve (8th), Gary Carter (17th), and Bill Madlock (18th) all took one top vote each

Harvey - 4.2 Buck - 1.9 Wright - 1.0 Murphy - 1.3 Duda - 0.7 Byrd - 0.3 Tejada - 0.6

Burke - 1.4 Atchison - 0.6 Rice - 0.3 Hawkins - 0.4 Tejada - 1.2 Murphy - 2.0 Byrd - 1.4 Nieuwenhuis - 1.6 Recker - 1.1

Top 10 chronologically 1968 - Probably the first one I watched a big portion of. Good series with Gibson's then-record 17 Ks then the Tiggers behind Lolich's 3 wins coming back on the Cards 1975 - Even though I was pulling for the BoSox in this one it was just a great all-around series and very much "revived" baseball out of a half-decade or so doldrums caused by the pitching dominant era and the three-peat from an Oakland drawing less than 1 million in home attendance. 1976 - Reds didn't just beat the Yanx, they humiliated them. 1979 - That Pirate team was fun and a comeback from 3-1 always lends some drama to it all 1981 - Need I say why? Yanx not only lost after leading but did so ugly and arguing. Then there was that broken hand in the elevator bullshit and the explanation which would seem childish if coming from a 17 y/o experiencing his first break-up. 1982 - Two very good teams and a good series all around. Would have been happy with either team winning. 1991 - Great series especially games 6 & 7. Only problem was that I only caught part of game 7 as I was at someone else's house and the football fans took over the set because they had bets on the game and refused to miss Chris Berman's halftime schtick. I vowed then never to put myself in that kind of situation again. 2001 - I remember joking (on these very airwaves) before the series started that the Yanx were going to get totally outplayed but win anyway ... and it came damn close to happening. Oh the relief when the 9th inning rally negated what seemed inevitable. 2003 - Yeah, this one was fun too. 2004 - Not actually a good series, but it's memorable just for being the capper to the ALCS and that accomplishment would have been ruined had the series not gone Boston's way. Honorable mention: 1963 & 1964 Bottom Ten (in order of badness): 1962 - Just because 2008 - Unlikable Phillies team and the screwed up weather which chopped up the clinching game just made for an unpleasant WS 1989 - Earthquake screwed everything up obviously. 2006 - The eventual winner shouldn't have even got there 1998 - This one you knew was going to happen because the Padres just weren't that good. 2009 - I think of this one when I hear Yanx fans & various mediots talk about how the MFY strategy of buying FAs doesn't work ... as if this series somehow either didn't happen or doesn't fall into that category 1999 - Braves seemed to just quit and Smoltz even came close to admitting as much 1973 - 1996 - I still cringe at the Met fans who thought this particular MFY team was safe to root for, that "Doc & Darryl" being there trumped all the other evil, and that George was now warmer & fuzzier. Fuck you assholes and I blame your karma-giving ways for the decade that followed. 2000 -

Frayed Knot wrote: Gee deserves an F for tonight. Not only does Gee deserves an F for tonight but he can't even blame it on his D, and even though his C gets him two quick runs back, he'll Be on the bench for the rest of the game as we hope for an A effort from the pen and the bats.

It ain't over 'til the (surprisingly agile) fat lady goes over the rail for a foul ball.

JImmy's E starts the comeback ... and quickly Buck-aroo Banzai confirms it's on !!!

Mets – Willets Point wrote: Oh look, he's shooting himself in the foot. Not for the last time.

Gee deserves an F for tonight.

Centerfield wrote: Definitely comes across jocky. Don't see the douchy yet. Well, he did grow up in Connecticut as a Yanqui fan.