Frayed Knot

Well, close enough anyway as there was no official launch date for the CPF. But it was around this time of year in 2001 when things got going so a while back I sort of retroactively assigned November 1st 2001 as the CPF's official birthday. So today makes it ten years ... give or take. The original genesis of this place actually came about several months earlier but strictly as a temporary refuge from what was becoming an increasingly idiotic level of dialog on a previous (and still existing in a somewhat altered form) site. The idea was that those in the know (I wasn�t one of them - but then I never got to sit at the cool kids� lunch table either) would repair to the nascent CPF to bemoan the idiocy and/or plot strategy for dealing with the escalating �dumbth� in the fan forum section of the �Mets Online� site before going back and fighting it out. What eventually happened - right as the 9/11-delayed World Series was going on - is that it started to occur to folks that they should just stay and talk their baseball at this new place since most of the ones they were interested in talking to were here anyway. The traffic (such as it was) began to pick up right around this date -- http://thecranepoolforum.yuku.com/topic/2277/Check-out-the-rennaissance-here-in-the-Crane-Pool#.TnVfAK7s2XY -- and the place was off and running. Some historians trace the real beginning to the time when I (LF) showed up a week later -- http://thecranepoolforum.yuku.com/topic/2366/Punks-in-the-forum#.TnVfZq7s2XY -- but opinions vary on that subject. The next step was to figure out how to handle the new and, as yet, still secret place. Should it stay only for the small group already there or be thrown open to the public? The initial compromise reached was that invitations would be sent out secretly to those over at the old joint who the CPF insiders felt would add to, rather than detract from, the new digs. This sort of slow-growth policy was a bit sneaky perhaps but it did manage to steer a middle ground between staying as a totally inbred crew with maybe a dozen members and inviting an invasion from the same dopes we were trying to avoid. As I recall one objection was initially enough to shelve a potential member�s invitation so, at least at the very beginning, a nomination needed to be unanimous for an invite to be extended. What happened, of course, was word eventually leaked out and one of the more viscous board wars in the history of the internet ensued, particularly after the discovery of the thread where we were discussing whom to invite and posts like �no way do I want THAT asshole here� became a matter of public record (I can�t find that thread and I suspect it eventually got vaporized) There was even a third board involved for a time (remember GSS folks?) and there was enough shit being slung around here to fill several Congressional committees Damn that was fun while it lasted! So happy tenth Poolers, whether you were here during the inception or are one of those �newbies� who have joined since.

Pitchers: * Dickey - A slow start but clearly the best pitcher on the team thereafter. An ERA better by 1.2-1.5 runs over the rest of the starters while also leading in IPs & WHiP ***** The 2-3-4 starters had very similar ERAs (0.15 range) & WHiPs (.062) - I sorted them this way: * Capuano - A hairsplitting choice due to 3 & 6 more starts and around 30 more IP compared to the remaining starters * Gee - With near identical rates to Niese I’m going to reward Dillon for his superior W/L record. But, jeez, stop hitting so many batters will ya!! * Niese - Fewer walks but more hits allowed than Gee * Rodriguez - Not a good year for relievers, but Frankie’s half season and 3.16 ERA shined above the rest * Acosta - Didn’t show up until June, then went from ‘Why is he on this team?’ to the nominal closer as the summer wore on. ERA fell from near 10.00 on July 1st to its finish at 3.45 * Beato - Didn’t give up his first ER until late May and logged more innings than any other reliever. Wore down towards the end. * Pelfrey - 2nd most innings pitched but a lousy overall year. Too many base runners, too many runs, works too damn slow. * Isringhausen - Good first half as a setup man and for a brief time as closer before falling apart probably due to overwork. * Parnell - Sort of the anti-Acosta, his sub-3.00 ERA in early July rose steadily just as the team started to rely on him more following the KRod trade. * Byrdak - Another guy who was a tale of two halves. His near .300 BAA for Apr-Jun suddenly plummeted to under .200 from July on. Heavily relied upon as the only LH-reliever much of the year, but still just a specialist and also just 37 IPs * Young - The Ike Davis of the pitching staff. One great month and then sayonara * Batista - Just 9 games and 4 starts, most were pretty good but it was garbage time by then. * Carrasco - Mop-up man, and not a very good one at that. Buchholz - Another guy who started out OK then disappeared. Schwinden -- Stinson -- Thayer -- Misch -- O’Connor -- Boyer -- Herrera -- Not enough innings And the composite: 30 - Reyes 29 - Dickey 28 - Beltran 27 - Murphy 26 - Wright 25 - Capuano 24 - Gee 23 - Niese 22 - Pagan 21 - Bay 20 - Rodriguez 19 - Turner 18 - Duda 17 - Acosta 16 - Beato 15 - Tejada 14 - Pelfrey 13 - Thole 12 - Isringhausen 11 - Harris 10 - Parnell 9 - Paulino 8 - Byrdak 7 - Davis 6 - Young 5 - Evans 4 - Hairston 3 - Pridie 2 - Batista 1 - Carrasco

Ranked FAs Type A: Josh Willingham Kelly Johnson Prince Fielder Francisco Rodriguez Takashi Saito Octavio Dotel Albert Pujols Carlos Beltran Jose Reyes Ryan Madson Roy Oswalt Jimmy Rollins Colby Lewis Darren Oliver C.J. Wilson Kyle Farnsworth David Ortiz Jonathan Papelbon Francisco Cordero Ramon Hernandez Brandon Phillips Matt Capps Michael Cuddyer C.C. Sabathia Rafael Soriano Type B: Clint Barmes David DeJesus Shawn Camp Frank Francisco Jose Molina Jon Rauch Alex Gonzalez Yuniesky Betancourt Rafael Furcal Edwin Jackson Arthur Rhodes Carlos Pena Aramis Ramirez Kerry Wood Aaron Hill Rod Barajas Hiroki Kuroda Pat Burrell Cody Ross Vladimir Guerrero Aaron Harang Raul Ibanez Brad Lidge Ryan Doumit Derrek Lee Ryan Ludwick Chris Snyder Jason Varitek Dan Wheeler Mark Ellis Bruce Chen Wilson Betemit Magglio Ordonez Jason Kubel Mark Buehrle Jason Frasor Juan Pierre Freddy Garcia Now keep in mind that not all of the above will qualify for compensation -- 1st or 2nd round pick + supp for Type A; Supp only for Type B -- only that [u:1x49jwzm]IF[/u:1x49jwzm] they become FAs and reject arbitration and/or options that these are the ones who reached Type A (top 20% at their position) & Type B (Top 21-40%) status.

Or go back to the original big Yanqui FA: Catfish Hunter - although I suppose you could argue that he was the only FA in his year since he had become one due to a contract violation by Oakland owner Charlie Finley and not the play-out-your-option process that came up a year or three later. Still, if you are the only FA that year you're sort of by definition the biggest. Also Fisk leaving the BoSox for the ChiSox was triggered by a similar contract snafu.

Holliday was traded to StL before later signing his FA deal with them. Not sure if that mitigates the equation any.

When he could move he was a terrific defensive player. I don't know how much of that was/will-still-be compromised by his physical problems.

Obviously this thread is intended for non-NYM changes as I would hope anything the home team does is important enough to warrant its own thread. Anyway, to kick things off we have ... Derek Lowe from Atlanta to the Indians for a minor lg pitcher Braves are reportedly paying about $10 of the $15 mil owed him for 2012 and getting back 23 y/o LH reliever Chris Jones last seen toiling in high-A ball in the Cleveland system. IOW, this is mostly a salary dump as Atlanta has enough younger/better/cheaper alternatives around while the Indians get a veteran pitcher for next year at about $5mil plus the cost of what looks like a minor cog.

seriously, I just used a racist word when I really meant "Guardians" wave bye-bye to Grady Sizemore by opting for a 1/2 mil buy-out instead of picking up his $9mil option Still just 29 y/o, I thought this guy was the next Carlos Beltran when I first saw him. Unfortunately in some ways I was right, right down to the micro-fracture knee surgery he needed only at a far younger age. Then, after three AS/GG/Top-12 MVP seasons at age 23, 24, and 25, he's totaled only around 800 ABs in the three seasons since due to the knee and a variety of other injuries.

One thing that was amazing about his mgr career was not just the length but that it came virtually uninterrupted as he managed in every year starting in 1979 - certainly a rarity these days or probably in any day. I knew about the every year thing but in looking it up to check I had forgotten (or probably never knew) just how nearly perfect the run was. - After managing the ChiSox from '79 thru '85, he was fired mid-way through the '86 season following the game on June 19th when the team was 26-38 (something Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf has admitted was the worst mistake of his sports life ... not letting Phil Jackson go, but Tony LaRussa). - But unemployment didn't last long as he was then picked up by Oakland just weeks later, something that almost makes you think his sudden availability may have been what triggered Oakland to re-think the guy they had. TLR took over over on July 7th from the interim Jeff Newman (10 games) who had replaced the great Jackie Moore (yeah, I don't remember him either). The A's were 31-52 when Tony took the helm and he guided them to a 45-34 finish. So, in all, he managed 143 games that season (1986) the only year of the last 33 where he didn't manage all of them. A season and a half later Oakland began their run of three straight division championships.

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 2007SSigned 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 - first seasonSigned thru 2012 + �13 optionSame??BREWERSRon Roenicke - first seasonSigned thru 2012 + �13 optionSamePIRATESClint Hurdle - first seasonSigned thru 2013SameCARDINALSTony LaRussa - since 1996Retired???REDSDisty Baker - since 2008Signed thru 2012SameASTROSBrad Mills - since 2010Signed thru 2012 w/option for �13SameDODGERSDon Mattingly - first seasonSigned thru 2013SameDIAMONDBACKSKirk Gibson - hired Aug �10Signed thru 2013 + �13 optionSameGIANTSBruce Bochy - since 2007Signed thru 2012SamePADRESBud Black - since 2007Signed thru 2013 + options for �14 & �15SameROCKIESJim Tracy - since May �09Signed thru 2013Same

Brian Cashman quietly re-upped this weekend. I suspected that re-negotiation was going to cause a lot more friction than it did, especially considering last winter's signing of Raphael Soriano right after Cashman specifically said he had no interest.

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Wow. That was my reaction too. Quite a stunner. The big question now is who are the guys at 'Birds on the Bat' going to blame all their losses on?

Starting off with the hitters: * Reyes - Clear #1 hitter for this year. League MVP candidate until the injuries hit, still led the team in PA, AB, BA, Runs, Hits, 2Bs, 3Bs, Steals. ***** * Beltran - Topped team in HRs, RBIs, Walks, OBA, SLG despite being traded barely half-way through the season. * Murphy - .320/.362/.448 over 400+ PAs while playing three positions (even if none of them within spitting distance of GG level) * Wright - 5th in ABs despite the long absence says a lot about the competition; his steady if unspectacular production ranks him above the remaining ‘full-timers’ * Pagan - Reduced production and defense. Stays ahead of Bay due to SBs and position * Bay - Virtually identical stats to Pagan but at a corner spot * Turner - Nice surprise; streaky hitter who made the most of his hits [.350/.480/.500 w/RiSP vs .206/.270/.286 w/bases empty]. Not great range at 2B, but tough as shit on the DP * Duda - ~.310/.390/.520 hitter after July 1st. Decent at 1B even while very scary in the OF * Tejada - Much improved offense [.284/.360/.335] although still little power and surprisingly erratic defense at times * Thole - Took a step backwards both offensively and defensively * Harris - Typical bench player, gets points for versatility * Paulino - eh * Davis - A great six weeks, then missed five months with a stubbed toe (or something like that) * Evans - Picked it up nicely at the end * Hairston - 16 of his 31 hits went for extra bases * Pridie - Seemed to only hit when he started but wasn’t really good enough to start Baxter - Local boy gets some ABs in September Nickeas - Can catch, can’t hit Pascucci - The man, the myth, the legend Emaus - He was worth a look but then made us all look away. Martinez - Maybe one of these days Satin & Hu - Yeah ... no.

OK you’ve judged the rest now come rank the best. We've done the top rookie thing, sorted the best starters and relievers, and voted our choice for top IFs and OFs. Now it’s time to put it all together. Most if not all of youse know the procedure by this point. Tell us (if you choose to participate) who the best 30 Mets were for 2011 either by submitting your own list or by commenting, analyzing, suggesting changes in, or just plain ridiculing the lists of others (that last part is particularly fun). As per the usual reminder, how you construct your list is up to you but the results should be something you’re willing to defend if you think you’re right or alter if convinced otherwise. Also remember that the idea is to judge the players strictly on the basis of their contributions to the 2011 season and not grade “on a curve” by including factors such as their relative salaries, preseason expectations, or anticipated future value. The final list will be a conglomerate of all the opinions submitted and will be merged into the rankings we have for the previous 49 seasons to form the CPF All-Time NYM Rankings - 50th year edition. There were 46 wearers of the uniform this year, listed below by frequency of appearance. Position players (23) by ABs Reyes -- Pagan -- Bay -- Turner -- Wright Murphy -- Beltran -- Thole -- Tejada -- Duda Harris -- Paulino -- Pridie -- Evans -- Davis Hairston -- Nickeas -- Emaus -- Baxter -- Satin Hu -- Martinez -- Pascucci Pitchers (23) by IP Dickey -- Pelfrey -- Capuano -- Gee - Niese Beato -- Parnell -- Carrasco -- Acosta -- Isringhausen Rodriguez -- Igarashi -- Byrdak -- Batista -- Buchholz Young -- Schwinden -- Stinson -- Thayer -- Misch O’Connor -- Boyer -- Herrera

Well if that's one team then it's not a U.S.A. team. I'm still trying to figure out when Peking became Beijing

seawolf17 wrote: We really only have six pitchers? Doesn't sound like enough. I don't think that's a complete roster - and it's certainly not a U.S. roster as there are more than a few foreign-born players on it. I suspect those are the MLB players who are participating in this tourney although not on the same team.

I look at the 2011 post-season tourney this way: Of all my 'rooting interests' (some minor, others less so) in the seven individual series, I think the team I was pulling for lost in every case except one ... but that one was the important one so it more than balances out.

Yeah, but Bud shouldn't speak in public. He makes Ron Paul look charismatic.

And we put the 2011 baseball season 'in the books'.

Gwreck wrote: It wasn't a ball It was close, but even if it wasn't the other 35 that inning were. And even going back to the Cards' 2 runs in the 1st inning: 2 outs, no one on ... walk, walk, 2B -- One ball out of the infield. No one to blame but themselves.

They're going to be feeling a lot more soon if they don't get out of this. This is looking like last night: Cards can't get ball out of the IF and they're scoring anyway. Jeez, at least make them earn it ... BB, HBP, GO, IW, RBI-BB

Same start as last night in that the Cards don't retire any of the first three Texas hitters ... now it's four and the Rangers already have more runs than the 1st inning yesterday even though they handed them an out.

GAME. SEVEN. Cards: Carpenter starting although on short rest Holliday out, replaced on the roster by rookie/speedster Adron Chambers Rangers: Harrison on the hill. Both Napoli and Cruz in the lineup

metirish wrote: Interesting, who decides who gets rings with peripheral players? The players decide how to split the post-season loot with the part-timers but something like rings is a team mgmt/ownership decision. They can - and often do - award them not only to players and coaches but also to announcers and even certain office personnel beyond just the obvious ones who are connected with the on-field part of the operation.

Edgy DC wrote: It seemed Lohse's bunt was pretty analogous to the situation that Willie chose to swing away in five years ago. That the Cards prevailed would seem to lend discredit to Willie and credit to LaRussa, but (1) Tony had emptied his bench, and (2) it was a real lucky break that bunt wasn't a double play. If not a triple play!! Remind me... what was sending Jackson up there first about? He's the better hitter of the two (although Lohse can swing it as well) so I guess if it was a hitting spot he'd go with Jackson and if a bunt situation go with Lohse. Or he could have gone with Buck's suggestion to PH Jamie Garcia - also a good hitting pitcher. Joe was on that for like two innings before remembering that Garcia had started the game and therefore was no longer eligible.