Frayed Knot

LHP-masher Matt Diaz inks a minor league deal w/the Yanx The good thing --aside from the fact that he's coming off an injury, got only 105 ABs for the Braves last year, and meets the minimum 35 y/o for the current Yanqui roster-- is that this reduces the competition for Scott Hairston by one club. The Yanx apparently balked at Hairston's desire for a 2-year deal.

Scott Kazmir - minor league deal/invite to ST, Cleveland Native Americans

Freel apparently drank a bit as well, although it's not clear if that was a past problem or still an active one.

Been a while since we last had a full, up-to-date and accessible list - listS actually as one of these is in numeric order and the other in alpha. 1Tom Seaver101Butch Huskey201Jason Isringhausen301Jerry DiPoto401Don Shaw2Dwight Gooden102Bob Apodaca202Mike Phillips302Frank Tanana402Bruce Chen3Jerry Koosman103Doug Flynn203Jesse Gonder303Dick Schofield403Tom Hall4Darryl Strawberry104Ken Boswell204Pete Schourek304Scott Schoeneweis404Tom Paciorek5David Wright105Mike Cameron205Ellis Valentine305Rod Kanehl405Gordie Richardson6Mike Piazza106Luis Castillo206Chris Capuano306Eric Valent406Phil Hennigan7John Franco107Roger Cedeno207Armando Reynoso307Dave Gallagher407Dyer Miller8Edgardo Alfonzo108Lance Johnson208Carlos Baerga308Richie Hebner408Rob Gardner9Cleon Jones109Rico Brogna209Roy McMillan309Omir Santos409Rod Gaspar10Sid Fernandez110Carl Everett210Ryan Church310J.C. Martin410Mike Bruhert11Howard Johnson111Terry Leach211Joe McEwing311Jon Rauch411Daryl Hamilton12Jose Reyes112Todd Zeile212Mo Vaughn312Darren Oliver412Greg Goossen13Ed Kranepool113Don Cardwell213Carl Willey313Marlon Anderson413Choo Choo Coleman14Carlos Beltran114Dave Mlicki214Teddy Martinez314Bob L. Miller414Rick Cerrone15Keith Hernandez115Danny Heep215Todd Pratt315Charlie Puleo415Gene Walter16Al Leiter116Paul LoDuca216Moises Alou316Matt Lawton416Ed Hearn17Mookie Wilson117Daryl Boston217Shawn Green317Jim Fregosi417Steve Reed18Tug McGraw118Ryan Thompson218Carlos Diaz318Mike Fitzgerald418Julio Franco19Jerry Grote119Jose Vizcaino219Walt Terrell319Rod Barajas419Bill Pecota20Ron Darling120Tim Teufel220Don Hahn320Doug Linton420Robert Person21Jon Matlack121Joe Christopher221Duaner Sanchez321Brian Giles421Shane Spencer22Rusty Staub122Francisco Rodriguez222Mark Bomback322Elio Chacon422Fernando Nieve23David Cone123Ty Wigginton223Claudell Washington323Nelson Figueroa423Jose Morales24Kevin McReynolds124Jae Weong Seo224Mike Vail324Shawn Estes424Billy Murphy25Bud Harrelson125Joe Orsulak225Bob Bailor325Kirk Nieuwenhuis425Clint Hurdle26Jesse Orosco126Orlando Hernandez226Brett Butler326Rick White426Gene Woodling27Armando Benitez127Eliot Maddox227Damion Easley327Mike Jacobs427Chris Carter28Lee Mazzilli128Mike Hampton228Barry Lyons328Doug Henry428Jason Jacome29John Milner129Lucas Duda229Desi Relaford329Randy Jones429Bobby Pfeil30Tommie Agee130Dick Selma230Pedro Astacio330Buzz Capra430John Valentin31Tom Glavine131Benny Agbayani231Duffy Dyer331Lenny Harris431John Mitchell32Todd Hundley132Mark Clark232Vince Coleman332Mike Bordick432Hal Reniff33Rick Reed133Lenny Randle233Hisanori Takahashi333Craig Anderson433Dan Norman34Bobby J. Jones134Alejandro Pena234Chris Jones334Shawon Dunston434Dave Schneck35John Stearns135Ed Charles235Bruce Berenyi335Brent Gaff435Gary Kroll36Dave Kingman136Ruben Tejada236Tom Gorman336Tommie Reynolds436Willie Randolph37Gary Carter137Timo Perez237Ken Singleton337Luis Lopez437Mike Draper38Johan Santana138Jason Bay238Mike Scott338Cory Lidle438Rich Becker39Ron Swoboda139Jay Payton239Kevin Mitchell339Jorge Sosa439Jim Beauchamp40Bobby Ojeda140Wally Whitehurst240Mark Guthrie340George Altman440Nick Evans41Wayne Garrett141Fernando Tatis241Greg McMichael341Juan Samuel441Raul Gonzalez42John Olerud142Charlie Smith242Ed Bressoud342Mardie Cornejo442Don Bosch43Bobby Bonilla143Bruce Boisclair243Mike Jorgensen343Chris Cannizzaro443Juan Padilla44Hubie Brooks144Roger Craig244Rick Baldwin344Tim Byrdak444Jerrod Riggan45Len Dykstra145Frank Thomas245Chuck Hiller345Mike Baxter445Rick Ownbey46Craig Swan146Dillon Gee246Larry Elliot346Al Moran446Alex Cora47Roger McDowell147Harry Parker247Richie Ashburn347Bob Moorhead447John Christensen48Jeff Kent148Willie Montenez248Roberto Hernandez348Andy Hassler448Pedro Beato49Carlos Delgado149Bobby Parnell249Brian Schneider349Elmer Dessens449Rick Anderson50Joel Youngblood150Brian McRae250Duke Snider350Xavier Nady450Don Rowe51George Foster151Ray Knight251Roger Mason351Jim Linderman451John Stephenson52Steve Trachsel152Ron Hodges252Dale Murray352Melvin Mora452Darrin Jackson53Jim McAndrew153Jason Phillips253Tim Foli353Bill Pulsipher453Matt Ginter54Gary Gentry154Mackey Sasser254Larry Stahl354Bob Myrick454Guillermo Mota55Felix Millan155Frank Tavares255Ken Sanders355Scott Strickland455Bill Almon56Steve Henderson156Joe Torre256Justin Turner356Grover Powell456Miguel Cairo57Turk Wendell157Endy Chavez257Gary Sheffield357Marv Throneberry457Ron Locke58Robin Ventura158Kevin Elster258Al Luplow358Andres Torres458Gene Clines59R.A. Dickey159Ken Boyer259Bill Wakefield359Ken McKenzie459Dicky Gonzalez60Wally Backman160Roberto Alomar260Vance Wilson360Warren Spahn460Ray Searage61Daniel Murphy161Braden Looper261Orel Hershiser361Doc Ellis461Kevin Collins62Ray Sadecki162Rickey Henderson262Al Weis362Charlie Williams462Fernando Vina63Cliff Floyd163Dennis Ribant263Matt Harvey363Jack Aker463Damon Buford64Neil Allen164Matt Franco264Bob Johnson364Alvaro Espinosa464Hideo Nomo65Dave Magadan165Rafael Santana265Josias Manzanillo365Orber Moreno465Willie Harris66Skip Lockwood166Kevin Appier266Mike Stanton366Jose Oquendo466Gil Hodges67Pat Zachry167David Weathers267Joe Smith367Pete Smith467Mike Bascik68John Maine168Willie Mays268Richard Hildalgo368Dave Telgheder468Ramon Ramirez69Mike Pelfrey169Del Unser269Alex Trevino369Charlie O'Brian469Leo Foster70Ron Hunt170Tom Hausman270Tim Burke370Julio Machado470Lee Guetterman71Jack Fisher171Galen Cisco271Chad Bradford371Joe Hicks471Benny Ayala72Gregg Jefferies172Tracy Stallard272Jerry Buchek372Bill Hepler472Paul Wilson73Bret Saberhagen173Kaz Matsui273Derek Bell373Tony Clark473Randy Niemann74Randy Myers174Jose Valentin274Grant Roberts374Darrell Sutherland474Sammy Taylor75Ron Taylor175Mark Carreon275Victor Diaz375Octavio Dotel475Hawk Taylor76Angel Pagan176George Stone276Ray Burris376Manny Alexander476Mike (1B) Marshall77Jim Hickman177Jeff Francoeur277Eric Hillman377Jordany Valdespin477Tim Leary78Billy Wagner178Jeff Reardon278Jay Hook378Ed Glynn478Gerry Arrigo79Donn Clendenon179Kevin Kobel279Bobby Klaus379Bobby Valentine479George Theodore80Bernard Gilkey180Tsyoushi Shinjo280Jack Hamilton380Bob Hendley480Kaz Ishii81Rick Aguilera181Cal Koonce281Tim Bogar381Joe Foy481Mark Johnson82Jonathan Niese182Nino Espinosa282Tim Harkness382Doug Meinkeiwicz482Henry Blanco83Pedro Martinez183Pat Mahomes283Brian Stokes383Livan Hernandez483Mike Remlinger84Pedro Feliciano184Glendon Rusch284Manny Acosta384Randy Tate484Junior Ortiz85Nolan Ryan185Anthony Young285Ron Gardenhire385Jack DiLauro485Jeremy Hefner86Dennis Cook186Josh Thole286Ricky Bottalico386Mike Maddux486Gary Rajisch87Jeff Innis187David Segui287Felix Mantilla387Jeff Musselman487Jerry Cram88Art Shamsky188Brian Bohanan288Dave Marshall388Mike (P) Marshall488Mike DeJean89Al Jackson189Tommy Davis289Lastings Milledge389Jeff D'Amico489Roberto Petagine90Frank Viola190Alex Ochoa290Willard Hunter390Ronnie Cedeno490Sean Green91Aaron Heilman191Kris Benson291Roy Staiger391Ruben Gotay491Ray Daviault92Oliver Perez192Ramon Castro292Kelvin Chapman392Tony Phillips492Tom O'Malley93Dan Frisella193Scott Hairston293Chris Young393Dan Wheeler493Graeme Lloyd94Ed Lynch194Bob Shaw294Chico Walker394Kenny Rogers494Billy Cowen95Ike Davis195Masato Yoshii295Mike Torrez395Paul Gibson495Joe Crawford96Eddie Murray196Pete Harnisch296Scott Holman396Kelly Stinnett496Mel Rojas97Pete Falcone197Keith Miller297Hank Webb397Frank Lary497Mike Cubbage98Doug Sisk198Larry Bearnarth298Mickey Lolich398Bob Aspromonte498Bob Rauch99Rey Ordonez199Johnny Lewis299Victor Zambrano399Chris Woodward499Amos Otis100Jeromy Burnitz200Charlie Neal300Bob Friend400Duke Carmel500John Sullivan 284Manny Acosta487Jerry Cram372Bill Hepler29John Milner238Mike Scott131Benny Agbayani495Joe Crawford15Keith Hernandez431John Mitchell460Ray Searage30Tommie Agee497Mike Cubbage383Livan Hernandez239Kevin Mitchell1Tom Seaver81Rick Aguilera389Jeff D'Amico126Orlando Hernandez114Dave Mlicki187David Segui363Jack Aker20Ron Darling248Roberto Hernandez148Willie Montenez130Dick Selma376Manny Alexander491Ray Daviault261Orel Hershiser347Bob Moorhead124Jae Weong Seo8Edgardo Alfonzo95Ike Davis77Jim Hickman352Melvin Mora88Art Shamsky64Neil Allen189Tommy Davis371Joe Hicks423Jose Morales194Bob Shaw 455Bill Almon488Mike DeJean268Richard Hildalgo346Al Moran401Don Shaw160Roberto Alomar49Carlos Delgado245Chuck Hiller365Orber Moreno257Gary Sheffield216Moises Alou349Elmer Dessens277Eric Hillman454Guillermo Mota180Tsyoushi Shinjo340George Altman218Carlos Diaz466Gil Hodges424Billy Murphy237Ken Singleton333Craig Anderson275Victor Diaz152Ron Hodges61Daniel Murphy98Doug Sisk313Marlon Anderson59R.A. Dickey296Scott Holman252Dale Murray142Charlie Smith449Rick Anderson385Jack DiLauro278Jay Hook96Eddie Murray267Joe Smith102Bob Apodaca301Jerry DiPoto32Todd Hundley387Jeff Musselman367Pete Smith166Kevin Appier375Octavio Dotel70Ron Hunt74Randy Myers250Duke Snider478Gerry Arrigo437Mike Draper290Willard Hunter354Bob Myrick339Jorge Sosa247Richie Ashburn129Lucas Duda425Clint Hurdle350Xavier Nady360Warren Spahn398Bob Aspromonte334Shawon Dunston101Butch Huskey200Charlie Neal421Shane Spencer230Pedro Astacio231Duffy Dyer87Jeff Innis473Randy Niemann254Larry Stahl471Benny Ayala45Len Dykstra480Kaz Ishii82Jonathan Niese291Roy Staiger60Wally Backman227Damion Easley201Jason Isringhausen325Kirk Nieuwenhuis172Tracy Stallard208Carlos Baerga246Larry Elliot89Al Jackson422Fernando Nieve266Mike Stanton225Bob Bailor361Doc Ellis452Darrin Jackson464Hideo Nomo22Rusty Staub244Rick Baldwin158Kevin Elster327Mike Jacobs433Dan Norman35John Stearns319Rod Barajas364Alvaro Espinosa428Jason Jacome369Charlie O'Brian451John Stephenson467Mike Bascik182Nino Espinosa72Gregg Jefferies492Tom O'Malley396Kelly Stinnett345Mike Baxter324Shawn Estes264Bob Johnson190Alex Ochoa283Brian Stokes138Jason Bay440Nick Evans11Howard Johnson40Bobby Ojeda176George Stone198Larry Bearnarth110Carl Everett108Lance Johnson42John Olerud4Darryl Strawberry448Pedro Beato97Pete Falcone481Mark Johnson312Darren Oliver355Scott Strickland439Jim Beauchamp84Pedro Feliciano34Bobby J. Jones366Jose Oquendo500John Sullivan438Rich Becker10Sid Fernandez234Chris Jones99Rey Ordonez374Darrell Sutherland273Derek Bell323Nelson Figueroa9Cleon Jones26Jesse Orosco46Craig Swan14Carlos Beltran71Jack Fisher329Randy Jones125Joe Orsulak39Ron Swoboda27Armando Benitez318Mike Fitzgerald243Mike Jorgensen484Junior Ortiz233Hisanori Takahashi191Kris Benson63Cliff Floyd305Rod Kanehl499Amos Otis302Frank Tanana235Bruce Berenyi103Doug Flynn48Jeff Kent445Rick Ownbey384Randy Tate482Henry Blanco253Tim Foli36Dave Kingman404Tom Paciorek141Fernando Tatis281Tim Bogar51George Foster279Bobby Klaus443Juan Padilla155Frank Tavares188Brian Bohanan469Leo Foster151Ray Knight76Angel Pagan475Hawk Taylor143Bruce Boisclair381Joe Foy179Kevin Kobel147Harry Parker75Ron Taylor 222Mark Bomback7John Franco181Cal Koonce149Bobby Parnell474Sammy Taylor43Bobby Bonilla418Julio Franco3Jerry Koosman139Jay Payton136Ruben Tejada332Mike Bordick164Matt Franco13Ed Kranepool419Bill Pecota368Dave Telgheder442Don Bosch177Jeff Francoeur435Gary Kroll69Mike Pelfrey219Walt Terrell117Daryl Boston317Jim Fregosi397Frank Lary134Alejandro Pena120Tim Teufel104Ken Boswell300Bob Friend316Matt Lawton92Oliver Perez479George Theodore286Ricky Bottalico93Dan Frisella111Terry Leach137Timo Perez186Josh Thole159Ken Boyer335Brent Gaff477Tim Leary420Robert Person145Frank Thomas271Chad Bradford307Dave Gallagher16Al Leiter489Roberto Petagine118Ryan Thompson242Ed Bressoud285Ron Gardenhire199Johnny Lewis429Bobby Pfeil357Marv Throneberry109Rico Brogna408Rob Gardner338Cory Lidle153Jason Phillips156Joe Torre44Hubie Brooks41Wayne Garrett351Jim Linderman202Mike Phillips358Andres Torres410Mike Bruhert409Rod Gaspar320Doug Linton392Tony Phillips295Mike Torrez272Jerry Buchek146Dillon Gee493Graeme Lloyd6Mike Piazza52Steve Trachsel463Damon Buford54Gary Gentry457Ron Locke356Grover Powell269Alex Trevino270Tim Burke395Paul Gibson66Skip Lockwood215Todd Pratt256Justin Turner100Jeromy Burnitz321Brian Giles116Paul LoDuca315Charlie Puleo169Del Unser276Ray Burris80Bernard Gilkey298Mickey Lolich353Bill Pulsipher224Mike Vail 226Brett Butler453Matt Ginter161Braden Looper486Gary Rajisch377Jordany Valdespin344Tim Byrdak31Tom Glavine337Luis Lopez468Ramon Ramirez306Eric Valent456Miguel Cairo378Ed Glynn258Al Luplow133Lenny Randle430John Valentin105Mike Cameron203Jesse Gonder94Ed Lynch436Willie Randolph174Jose Valentin343Chris Cannizzaro459Dicky Gonzalez228Barry Lyons498Bob Rauch379Bobby Valentine330Buzz Capra441Raul Gonzalez370Julio Machado311Jon Rauch205Ellis Valentine206Chris Capuano2Dwight Gooden127Eliot Maddox178Jeff Reardon212Mo Vaughn113Don Cardwell412Greg Goossen386Mike Maddux33Rick Reed58Robin Ventura400Duke Carmel236Tom Gorman65Dave Magadan417Steve Reed462Fernando Vina175Mark Carreon391Ruben Gotay183Pat Mahomes229Desi Relaford90Frank Viola427Chris Carter490Sean Green68John Maine483Mike Remlinger119Jose Vizcaino37Gary Carter217Shawn Green287Felix Mantilla432Hal Reniff78Billy Wagner106Luis Castillo19Jerry Grote265Josias Manzanillo12Jose Reyes259Bill Wakefield192Ramon Castro470Lee Guetterman288Dave Marshall336Tommie Reynolds294Chico Walker107Roger Cedeno240Mark Guthrie476Mike (1B) Marshall207Armando Reynoso415Gene Walter390Ronniy Cedeno220Don Hahn388Mike (P) Marshall163Dennis Ribant223Claudell Washington414Rick Cerrone193Scott Hairston310J.C. Martin405Gordie Richardson167David Weathers322Elio Chacon403Tom Hall83Pedro Martinez444Jerrod Riggan297Hank Webb292Kelvin Chapman411Daryl Hamilton214Teddy Martinez274Grant Roberts262Al Weis135Ed Charles280Jack Hamilton251Roger Mason122Francisco Rodriguez57Turk Wendell157Endy Chavez128Mike Hampton21Jon Matlack394Kenny Rogers393Dan Wheeler402Bruce Chen282Tim Harkness173Kaz Matsui496Mel Rojas326Rick White447John Christensen196Pete Harnisch168Willie Mays450Don Rowe140Wally Whitehurst121Joe Christopher25Bud Harrelson28Lee Mazzilli184Glendon Rusch123Ty Wigginton210Ryan Church331Lenny Harris53Jim McAndrew85Nolan Ryan213Carl Willey171Galen Cisco465Willie Harris47Roger McDowell73Bret Saberhagen362Charlie Williams132Mark Clark263Matt Harvey211Joe McEwing62Ray Sadecki17Mookie Wilson373Tony Clark348Andy Hassler18Tug McGraw341Juan Samuel472Paul Wilson79Donn Clendenon170Tom Hausman359Ken McKenzie221Duaner Sanchez260Vance Wilson458Gene Clines416Ed Hearn241Greg McMichael255Ken Sanders426Gene Woodling413Choo Choo Coleman308Richie Hebner209Roy McMillan38Johan Santana399Chris Woodward232Vince Coleman115Danny Heep150Brian McRae165Rafael Santana5David Wright461Kevin Collins485Jeremy Hefner24Kevin McReynolds309Omir Santos195Masato Yoshii23David Cone91Aaron Heilman382Doug Meinkeiwicz154Mackey Sasser185Anthony Young86Dennis Cook162Rickey Henderson55Felix Millan434Dave Schneck293Chris Young446Alex Cora56Steve Henderson289Lastings Milledge249Brian Schneider50Joel Youngblood342Mardie Cornejo380Bob Hendley314Bob L. Miller304Scott Schoeneweis67Pat Zachry494Billy Cowen406Phil Hennigan407Dyer Miller303Dick Schofield299Victor Zambrano144Roger Craig328Doug Henry197Keith Miller204Pete Schourek112Todd Zeile

So with Swisher skipping off to Cleveland for the next few years, the Yanx have now lost 94 of their record-setting 245 HRs from last year's squad (38%) 2012 Yanx taking their act elsewhere for 2013 include: Russell Martin (going to Pitt - 21 HRs in 2012), Raul Ibanez (Sea - 19), Nick Swisher (Cleve - 24), Eric Chavez (Ariz - 16), Andruw Jones (Japan - 14) with only Kevin Youkilis plus some odd parts yet to be determined to take their place. And although they got "only" 18 HRs out of ARod, with his latest injury keeping him out until mid-season (if things go well) they certainly can't expect a bounce-back to his higher numbers of years ago either and may even get fewer there too. Oddly (although perhaps not) this sounds like what many Yanqui fans spent last year claiming they wanted: less reliance on the HRs and more "small ball", although they should probably be reminded of the saying about being careful what you wish for.

Raul Ibanez = Mariner (whence he originally started in MLB) on a one year deal. He'll turn 41 at mid-season and, although he clearly still has his HR stroke, he'll find it tougher to ring 'em up in Seattle even if they are pulling their fences in somewhat for 2013. BoSox & Pirates reportedly close on a deal which would send closer candidate Joel Hanrahan (and his seemingly required designed chin fuzz) to Boston One year ago this week the Sawx sent OFer Josh Reddick and others to Oakland for closer candidate Andrew Bailey who promptly spent most of the year on the DL. So Hanrahan may be their 3rd closer try (including once heir-apparent Daniel Bard) since Papelbon left just one year ago.

Yeah, it's a sellers market for these spare OF parts. Both NYC teams are looking for a RHH-OF types and others are as well, so the odds of holding one of them to a one-year deal are slim. Hell, the Yanx had to go for two years just to keep Ichiro on board. Hopefully they were tricked into complacency by his brief post-trade surge and have forgotten that he's 39 y/o and that Brett Gardner essentially fills the same role, actually had better stats in 2011 prior to his injury, and is nine years younger.

Keep in mind that ... - there's the no-trade thing to work around. Those can usually be overcome but they also throw an additional obstacle into the works - there's money thing to work around: Will some team be willing to take on even a half-season of Johan's bill and/or will the Mets be willing to eat a portion of it? The more they eat the better the theoretical haul but, as we know, dollars are precious these days. - there's the problem about the receiving team only getting 1/2 season of Johan - maybe 15 starts worth. Remember that Dickey was for a full season at a cheap rate* and was considered at least a low-ish risk for the receiving team to extend. Johan would have none of those things going for him so don't expect the same exchange. Yeah, Beltran was just for half a season but he was also an everyday player and Wheeler, despite being promising, was only in A-ball at the time. Guys like Tavares and Olt are among the brightest stars in the prospect market these days and are already in the upper minors. The idea isn't wrong (even if a bit premature) but I think you'll need to adjust your sights. * Johan is essentially a $31 million pitcher this year: salary of $25.5 plus there's a $5.5 buyout in order to get out of 2014. IOW, Johan for 1/2 season costs about 3x what Dickey does for the entire year -- and he might want that option picked up in order to agree to waive the N-T clause

smg58 wrote: Liriano just got two years and $14M from the Pirates. I don't mind taking a flier on upside, but that's way more than a flier.. That's more than a flier, it's a whole squadron.

Mets are looking for depth to the starting corps following the Dickey trade and to fill in behind the presumed core of Santana, Harvey, Gee & Niese - Davidoff today mentions the names of former Twins (among other places) Francisco Liriano and Carl Pavano as possible candidates. "the Mets [have] reached out to the representatives of Carl Pavano and Francisco Liriano, among many others." http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/baseballinsider/mets_reach_out_to_agents_for_pavano_CI1fHUQff5kGScRDUuX7FK#ixzz2Fh27ELp0 It makes sense that they're not going to count on Wheeler from Day 1 - and you'd like more back-up than the likes of Hefner & McHugh. Besides, who EVER goes a season without needing 6th, 7th & 8th starters every now and then, if not longer. 'Twould be nice if this were the stop where Liriano suddenly rediscovers his youthful magic although as time goes on that possibility looks increasingly unlikely.

metsguyinmichigan wrote: His implication that Aaron and Mays were just as guilty for using amphetamines is nuts. Amphetamines is not comparable to human growth hormones and steroids. And, yes, Ruth played before integration, which isn't exactly his fault. But is he trying to imply that Ruth wouldn't have done as well had there been black players in the league? I'm seeing his point as saying that all players are products of their era and that it's time to stop pretending that only those from the 1990s were somehow devoid of sporting morals when it's known that at least some of those who went before were willing to take whatever was available in their time to if it was thought to improve performance. Former pitcher Tom House has talked about experimenting with all kinds of shit - primitive horse steroids and the like - with a few guys he played with during his career. Among others he played with was Aaron ... was even the guy who caught his 715th HR ... Aaron had some great seasons in his late 30s and early 40s right around this same time ... hmmmmm. Point being, it's impossible to know everything about what went on, even among those about whom with know something, and it's at least as tough to know what others not yet (and maybe never) named were doing as well, and that as long as baseball was doing nothing about it, players & the league both, the punishment of those thus far named, at least within the pre-testing era, seems both selective and uneven. I think Davidoff has simply come around to the idea that it's impossible to separate, or in most cases even define, that era's players in simple black and white / user-vs-non categories and I believe that's the place many of his colleagues are going to eventually reach as well. I don't begrudge those who are taking their time to sort it out, but I think more are going to come around to a similar view to Davidoff's eventually. That doesn't mean there aren't things to disagree with or argue about in his list, but I don't think his steroids angle is wrong.

The almost freaky thing about the travels of Octavio Dotel was that even though it seems like he was here for just the blink of an eye (and, really, he was, just over half-a-year) his innings pitched as a Met (85-1/3) are the 3rd most of all the teams he visited since. Only for Houston & the ChiSox has he pitched more. That's what happens I guess when you hit 13 teams over 14 years. In fact only for Houston (5 years) the ChiSox and the A's (2 each) has he pitched more than one season meaning that many of those "seasons" with various teams were really just partials as he's changed teams in-season six times including pitching for three different squads in each in both 2010 & 2011. He's also yet to hit up any team a second time. Strictly a love 'em and leave 'em type. Just turned 39, may have some innings (and teams) left in him yet.

Hey, with a four-year contract he has a shot at actually starting a season with the same club two years in a row, something that hasn't happened since he was with the Rays from 2006-08. - Since the end of the 2008 season Jackson has been traded five times (including once in a three-way deal, three times at the trading deadline, and twice on the same day) plus been a FA twice. - the Cubs will be his eighth team (LAD, TBR, ARZ, DET, CWS, StL, WAS) ninth if you include that he was also a paper Blue Jay for part of one day - he just turned 29

Angels make the first step in getting rid of so of their outfield/1B/DH clutter by dealing Kendrys Morales to the Mariners for LHP Jason Vargas. Morales is the 29 y/o Cuban emigre who broke his leg in a home plate celebration in May of '11 and didn't play again until the beginning of 2012 - and even then he played just 120 games and only 28 of them in the field. Anyone remember Jason Vargas? Yeah, me either - but he was a Met for about 20 minutes in 2007. The 2nd round 2004 draft pick by the Marlins, Vargas was acquired in November of '06 from Florida along with Adam Bostick for reliever Matt Lindstrom and catcher-turned-pitcher Henry Owens. Vargas pitched a whopping 10 innings for the Mets and managed to give up 14 runs on 17 hits and as many HRs and Ks (4) while doing so. He spent the rest of the 2007 season in AAA New Orleans pitching only marginally better and then missed all of 2008 with an injury. So there were certainly few tears when he re-surfaced at the end of 2008 on his way to Seattle as part of the massive 3-team deal that brought JJ Putz & reliever Sean Green to the Mets. He split 2009 between AAA and Seattle. Since then has been a full-time an increasingly effective starter in 2010-2012 to where he was 14-11; 3.85; 1.18 this past year effectively being the Mariners' #2 starter behind Felix Hernandez.

Ceetar wrote: Mets � Willets Point wrote: And the Canadian dollar is stronger than ever. practically equiv as it's been for a year or two. would be a good time to start a "North American" currency like the Euro? And look how well that's worked out for Europe!

The Second Spitter wrote: Only criticism: dramatic license of the final scene nearly ruins an amazing penultimate scene. There were several points in the film where the timing of what I'm sure were actual events were, how you say, ramped up for dramatic purposes beyond how they almost surely played out in real life. "Ruin" is probably too strong a word but they just seemed a bit unnecessary. Other than that, great work blending the tension in Iraq & Washington with the comedy in California in ways that didn't make the movie into one of those messes where it can't seem to decide what type of flick it wants to be. Arkin & Goodman are gems. Ar-go fuck yourself indeed.

In our Rankings project, we voted Dickey the 4th best Met in 2010 (despite not being called up until mid-May), 2nd best in 2011, and then the top spot in 2012. In all he finishes 59th overall, just ahead of Wally Backman and barely missed overtaking Robin Ventura. He winds up as the 3rd best three-year NYM, again barely behind Ventura but 17 slots in back of John Olerud. Had he remained to pitch one more season he was almost certain to surpass Carlos Delgado as the best ever four-year Met. This, btw, was the 2nd year in a row where the top voted guy leaves the team before the start of the next season as Reyes was #1 in 2011.

Even if one wants to argue against the trade that was eventually made, there were numerous, logical reasons for making it, reasons which existed well before Xmas parties or Davidoff's sudden chattiness. Hell, Keith was talking during a game in late August/early Sept and said that he reached the conclusion that the most logical way he could think of to improve the team overall was to trade Dickey. That doesn't mean every fan has to like it, but it also doesn't mean that the reasons behind it were all underhanded and suspicious.

Mex17 wrote: Does anyone else have an inkling that they are going to try to get by 2013 with trying out these AAAA types along with a veteran retread or two in the OF before going big next winter after the money supposedly frees up. It's always a bad idea to make assumptions that there's some kind of set-in-stone plan as to what will happen next winter until you know what's going to go on this summer. No one knows (as much as we like to think we do) what the situation will be a year from now (both team-wise and FA-market wise) and it was that kind of locked-in thinking that kept the Kazmir trade on the front burner even as the team was crashing in the standings leading up that year's trade deadline - and that turn-around was only about two weeks in the making.

Ceetar wrote: Matsui, I presume. Funny how easily you can tell some players just by their stance even in a still shot where no features are visible.

Well let's see now: - turns 27 y/o in May - a member of the rare throws left/bats right club !!! - plays OF and particularly CF, which is no doubt the reason for getting him - pieces of two ML seasons with Ariz & Oak but only 200 ABs total - had a monster year in Reno (just to watch it fly) in 2011 but that season seems like the outlier compared to the rest of his career to date - not a lot in the power department

Which one is Collin?

Probably caused by the timing of this poll during what looked like at the time to be progress in contract extension talks, most folks (including me) played the overly optimistic card and got this one wrong. Asking this same question a few days earlier, or certainly a few days later, would likely have produced more correct answers (although it's not April yet so we don't technically have a final final answer).

My mother follows baseball only casually - and by baseball I mean the Mets. Starting with the birth of the team through my father and then through the reflected fandom of her three sons, she's generally been aware of the fortunes of the team even though over that half-century-plus now there were stretches when she followed little or not at all. But during those times when there is time to devote some attention to the team she'll sometimes pick out a favorite player. There isn't always one and there doesn't always seem to be an explainable reason for her choice when there is one, but just sometimes she has someone who stands out among the always-changing cast of characters. The first one I remember was Koosman. She was one of the handful of '60s Mets fans who never particularly liked Seaver and chose instead to root for 'The Kooz'. The last one was Dickey. And rather than being a band-wagon thing or being inspired via the media-assisted onslaught from his "story" (since she pays little or no attention to the sporting press) she just decided to pull for him from his very early days on the team and was therefore was genuinely excited that he won the CY this year not the least of which because he had been her guy all along. Needless to say she's not happy these days.

Which all goes to show the limitations of a small and purely ordinal list. Some years there might only be six or seven worthy candidates on a top-10, others there could be fourteen or fifteen deserving ones. Sickels mentions several of your crew: Lara, Robles, Ynoa, along with Ceciliani & Matt Reynolds under his "other C+" players at the end of his top-20 -- and remember that he considers a C+ grade to denote an above average prospect. Again, that those guys didn't make the cut even on his longer list is a tribute to a deeper system and if you're forced to leave some of those similar type players off you start with those further down the totem pole. One of the reasons I like reading Sickels about this sort of stuff (even though his site is filled with fantasy geeks) is that, rather than pretending that a list putting player A above B nails him as unarguably better, he'll admit that many of the players in the fat part of the curve are pretty much interchangeable and not to take the exact order too seriously.