Frayed Knot

Mets: - RHP: Manny Alvarez (AAA), Boof Bonser (AAA), Ricky Brooks (AA), Jose de la Torre (AAA), John Lujan (AAA), Brian Sweeney (AAA), Gabriel Zavala ® - LHP: Gustavo Chacin (AAA), Justin Hampson (AAA), Taylor Tankersley (AAA) - C: Raul Chavez (AAA), Salomon Manriquez (AAA), Dusty Ryan (AA) - 1B: Valentino Pascucci (AAA), Stefan Welch (Hi A) - SS: Jose Coronado (Hi A), Luis Figueroa (AAA), Chin-lung Hu (AAA), Jonathan Malo (AA), Niuman Romero (AA) - OF: Bubba Bell (AAA), Jason Botts (AAA), Jesus Feliciano (AAA), Brahiam Maldonado (AA), Fernando Perez (AAA) Full List

- CM Wang re-ups with the Nat'ls After paying him for a year and a half to sit on the DL, he finally started pitching around mid-season (debuting v the Mets). He started slowly but was doing OK by the end of the year. - and Jim Thome is all set to become a re-Phillie Seems odd that a guy who'll rarely if ever see the field signs on with an NL team but, hey, it's working for Giambi who just had his option picked up with the Rox

MLB.com on Grady Sizemore - ... expects to be completely healthy by the start of Spring Training and is keeping his options open for 2012. Sizemore's agent, Joe Urbon, said the interest in his client's services is best described as "steady" and he has heard from a number of clubs... [adding] that there is not a timetable for a decision. - One option for Sizemore could be shifting from center field to left or right if it's the right fit. He could also seek a one-year incentive-based deal that would make him a free agent at the end of the 2012 season. Sizemore might believe his value will increase for the '13 season with improved health and full season under his belt. - He has had two knee surgeries -- one on each knee -- in the last year and a half, including microfracture surgery on his left knee last year. He also suffered a sports hernia and a right knee injury. He is recovering from an Oct. 3 arthroscopic procedure on his right knee, which had a bone bruise and was part of the reason he was off the field for most of the second half of the season. - "The microfracture is not an issue," Urbon said. "He's as structurally as sound as you can be, and nothing he has suffered is chronic. He missed parts of three years. I'm not going to dismiss health, nor should it be, but it will all be cleared up by due diligence."

...

And if you believe that a baseball player's prime begins at 30, as many do ... Many do? Really?

Some of that name-shifting stuff stems from the fact that the Felipe Alou family tree is, how you say, a bit complicated. Several wives plus maybe a kid or two from outside those so the descriptions of cousin/nephew/etc get a bit hazy. Mel Rojas is related to the Alou clan of MLB fame although I'm not sure exactly how.

HahnSolo wrote: I lurked Fall '04 into the '05 season before joining. I am pretty sure I came here via Sons of Sam Horn, where I spent a lot of time lurking in the 04 postseason. Someone here posted a good luck from the enemy of your enemy message, and I followed the link back. I remember that thread (I'm amazed looking through the archives at how much of the content of these threads I actually remember) it was at the end of the epic 2004 ALCS, (our in-Series thread led to a message over at SOSH) Be cool to find that one - although that was near the tail-end of the EZ-Board days which makes it a lot tougher.

Edgy DC wrote: Oddly enough, the greatest baseball dynasty is misnamed. They're known as the Rojas family in the Dominican Republic, but the Giants scout who originally signed Felipe took down his matronym for a surname, and once the paperwork is filed, it's filed. Switching between maternal & paternal family names seems to be somewhat common in Latin cultures. I also heard that the proper/local pronunciation is closer to 'Allow' then the 'Ah-Loo' which got adopted here - and those things tend to be even harder to change than paperwork.

Frayed Knot wrote: Yeah, I don't get Izzy sitting down there well behind the likes of Baxter and his .235 BA over less than 3 dozen ABs, or Schwinden and his near 5.00 ERA from a grand total of 24 garbage time IPs. And Gee as the 27th best Met behind those same two and loads of others?!?!?! You also, btw, have Pagan up there twice.

Yeah, I don't get Izzy sitting down there well behind the likes of Baxter and his .235 over less than 3 dozen ABs, or Schwinden and his near 5.00 ERA over a grand total of 24 garbage time IPs. And Gee as the 27th best Met behind those same two and loads of others?!?!?!

NYM Carlton Willey makes history (sort of) in the top of the 8th of this game It was youngest brother Jesus's ML debut and since the Mets were (quite naturally in 1963) kicking ass (OK, it was 3-0 at the time) the Giant's mgr decided to go to some PHers and make the Alous the first trio of brothers to bat in the same half-inning. Willey retired them all.

I thought GSLC was a squid

Matty Alou - 72 The middle of the three Alou brothers who roamed the OF for the SF Giants in the 1960s. Smaller and more of a slap-hitter (31 career HRs) compared to older brother Felipe, Mateo hit .300+ six times in the offensively challenged 1960s including a batting title with the 1966 Pirates and made two AS games. Older brother to brief NYM Jesus; uncle to the slightly longer-lasting NYM Moises.

Vic, you do realize that you're arguing with a souped-up toaster, right?

Rockin' Doc wrote: Has Fernando Martinez turned into the next Alex Escobar? Or does Baseball America consider him an actual Met rather than a minor league prospect? FM has had enough ABs/service time on the big club to where he no longer qualifies as a prospect under most definitions.

Cardinals have asked to speak to Sandberg - and permission has been granted by his current employer the Phillies - although the Cubs decidedly are not considering their former star as they are setting the bar at former ML managing and/or coaching experience only. Former Milwaukee infielder Dale Sveum is also a name that's being mentioned for the several vacancies. TEAM2011 MgrSTATUS2012 MgrRED SOXTerry Francona - since 2004Option not picked up???YANXJoe Girardi - since 2008Signed thru 2013Same ORIOLESBuck Showalter - since 2010Signed thru 2013SameRAYSJoe Maddon - Since 2006Signed thru 2012SameBLUE JAYSJohn Farrell - Hired Oct �10Signed thru 2013SameTIGERSJim Leyland - Since 2006Signed thru 2012SameWHITE SOXOzzie Guillen - since 2004Contract terminated via mutual consentRobin Ventura - "multi-year" contractTWINSRon Gardenhire - Since 2002Signed thru 2013SameROYALSNed Yost - Since May �10Signed thru 2012SameINDIANSManny Acta - Since 2010Signed thru 2012 + 2013 optionSameRANGERSRon Washington - Since 2007Signed thru 2012SameMARINERSEric Wedge - first seasonSigned thru 2013SameA�sBob Melvin - hired June �11Signed thru 2014SameANGELSMike Scioscia - since 2000Signed thru 2018SameMETSTerry Collins - first seasonOption picked up thru 2013SameBRAVESFredi Gonzalez - first seasonSigned thru 2013SameMARLINSJack McKeon - since 6/20/11Not re-hired for 2012Ozzie Guillen - signed thru 2015NATIONALSDavey Johnson - took over 6/26/11Signed w/org but not as managerOption picked up for 2012 PHILLIESCharlie Manual - since 2005Signed thru 2013SameCUBSMike Quadde - signed thru 2012Fired??BREWERSRon Roenicke - first seasonSigned thru 2012 + �13 optionSamePIRATESClint Hurdle - first seasonSigned thru 2013SameCARDINALSTony LaRussa - since 1996Retired???REDSDusty Baker - since 2008Signed thru 2012SameASTROSBrad Mills - since 2010Signed thru 2012 w/option for �13SameDODGERSDon Mattingly - first seasonSigned thru 2013SameDIAMONDBACKSKirk Gibson - hired Aug �10Signed thru 2012 + �13 optionSameGIANTSBruce Bochy - since 2007Signed thru 2012SamePADRESBud Black - since 2007Signed thru 2013 + options for �14 & �15SameROCKIESJim Tracy - since May �09Signed thru 2013Same

Even if his bat is or soon will be ready (a question unto itself) the jury seems to be out on whether Nieuwenhuis can be a legit ML CF. Opinions seem to vary from 'Passable' to 'get him to a corner'

Reyes's defense has always struck me as one where he's better on his feet than most others but not as good off them as some might expect. We're long gotten used to it but I still hear out-of-town and network announcers express surprise at how big & tall he is, as if they still expect speedy SS to be wispy 5'9"-ish fellows. It's like his image is more Ozzie (Smith or Guillen) while his body-type is closer to ARod/Ripken, and that bigger body doesn't lend itself well to plays where one needs to hit the dirt and get back up. Bottom line being I think he loses out at getting to some of those types of plays while making up for it on plays where he can stay on his feet and cover ground. IOW: not bad defense but at the same time short of GG ... and obviously a great arm.

Add the name of Andrew Brackman to the FA pile as the Yanx have declined the option of a guy who many MLDBs simply assumed was destined for greatness because he was, after all, a Yanqui. The 6'10" RHP was a basketball player and only part-time baseballer at UNC when the Yanx spent a 1st round pick (30th overall) and a pile of money ($4.5 guaranteed/up to $13mil conditional) on him back in 2007 despite knowing in advance that he needed TJ surgery. That minor fact, along with the one where he really never pitched that often in college, not only set his progress back somewhat and pushed his debut into 2009 but things weren't real pretty once he started. After pitching better at times in 2010 - where he jumped up to high-A & AA ball while cutting his walks drastically - he regressed in 2011 [33 games; 13 starts; 6.00 ERA; 7 BB/9]. This is the classic example of where drafting for "upside" didn't work. No doubt the Yanx save part of that potential bonus money by releasing him now. He's 25 y/o, a flame-thrower but, just that, a thrower and not a pitcher as evidenced by the results not matching his stuff [75 K + 75 BBs in 96 IP this year]. Someone will shirley take a chance on him still for a lower amount of money. Not sure if I want it to be the Mets. He pitched 2 inning for the big club this past summer.

Is this the first time they've ever judged outfielders by specific position, rather than collectively? Yes, at least it was the first time in a long time. They made specific mention earlier this year that they were going to start doing it this way. 'Bout time!

For a change it includes nine 1st time winners* ---ALNLPMark BuehrleClayton Kershaw*CMatt Weiters*Yadier Molina1BAdrian GonzalezJoey Votto*2BDustin PedroiaBrandon Phillips3BAdrian BeltrePlacido PolancoSSErick Aybar*Troy TulowitskiLFAlex Gordon*Gerardo Parra*CFJacoby Ellsbury*Matt KempRFNick Markakis*Andre Ethier*

Grimm showed up a few months later just to yell at us .... and then hung around for 9+ years.

Carlos I (that is, of course, Beltran) prepares for his 2nd trip into FA-gency by ... dumping Scott Boras Veteran outfielder Carlos Beltran has left Scott Boras' agency and is now represented by Dan Lozano, a baseball source told ESPN.com. Beltran, 34, is a .283 hitter with 302 home runs in 14 big league seasons. He is expected to be one of the most highly pursued players on the free-agent market this off-season. San Francisco acquired Beltran in a trade with the New York Mets in July, and Beltran hit .323 with seven home runs in 44 games, but the Giants fell short in their bid to make the playoffs and repeat as the World Series champion. The source said Beltran had interviewed several agencies this summer before deciding on Lozano, who also represents Albert Pujols and Jimmy Rollins among this winter's free-agent crop.

Mostly those new seats will probably generate them some more revenue. Not quite as much say as the 'Monster Seats' in Fenway but along those lines. Now they just have to come up with a catchy name for them. The 'Endy Boxes' maybe. Or how about; 'Jason's Bay'?

Yeah, affiliation agreements have to be in two-year segments or multiples of two-year segments and those deals all come up at the end of even numbered years. In this particular case, if some Ottawa-based group buys the team I presume they buy the affiliation agreement meaning the Mets AA team would move along with it if it occurs in the midst of a contract. If such a move comes as that agreement is running out the Mets would essentially be a FA at that point able to either make a new deal with the new owners or try to hook up with one of the other AA sites. I have no idea about the state of the current Binghamton ownership situation.