Frayed Knot

From Phil Mushnick's NYPost column: SNY remains very close to a finished deal with Cablevision and several smaller systems. SNY claims it fully expects to be cleared on all of them, at the latest by Opening Day. As for satellite, DirecTV is a lot closer to a done deal than Dish. FWIW; a caller to WFAN yesterday claimed that Cablevision told her that they would definitely be carrying it "by the end of this month". And, as mentioned above, they've already announced that they're eliminating one channel although there's no word on what will fill the empty slot.

]it was because Team America is the HEAVY favorite to win it all, and when you've got one of the weaker (only 1 MLB player on it--fewer than anyone else in round 2) they need every run they can get. I don't think the USA was a heavy favorite at all. If you were to build an entire league along strictly nationalistic lines they would be but, with only one squad per country, there's enough depth on the DR, PR, Venz and Japanese teams to make them at least close to as good a bet in the long run as the American team. I don't get the part about Japan being one of the weaker teams? They have one major-leaguer on this side of the Pacific, but other than that their team is entirely filled with top level pros. This is hardly a David/Goliath thing we got going here. It was a bad - though very close - call, one which may or may not have altered the course of one game. It happens, let's not take it to the world court.

Edgy DC wrote: Too much rides on one game in these things, huh? As it does - as it has to - in any shortened tournament. That's like saying that "too much" rides on one game in the upcoming Hoops tourney?

Umpire Davidson's comments: - I was about to call the runner out when the 2nd base ump waved 'safe' before I could make the call. - The call was mine to make so I would have overturned the call even w/o Buck Martinez asking for it - saw 2 replays; one which shows I was right & one which shows I was wrong P.S. I also thought it was the right call upon seeing the first replay. 2nd angle showed otherwise.

I haven't seen enough of Nady to form an independant opinion but I don't think the Mets (or anyone I've heard for that matter) view him as "just as shaky"

It's probably going to be somewhere else. The batting avg looks nice and all but he doens't hit for much power, doesn't walk alot, and I don't think they're too thrilled with his overall defense. Willie's opinion aside, I don't think I've ever read a view on Kepp that doesn't tag him as a utility type player at best. And now at this point he's probably been passed by Hernandez on the pecking order.

Beltran's stinging the ball, even his outs are mostly hard. Of course the other Carlos hasn't seen the light of day yet but that's another story.

Anyone who doesn't believe that Diaz has shown that he's a very, very shaky outfielder to date hasn't been paying attention.

It was a bad call but it was also closer than some of the cries here are indicating. What I think happened is that the runner started his stride and arm pumping movement prior to the catch being made - but had yet to break contact with the base as the ball settled. That's probably what screwed the blue-crew up; that and that they didn't seem to know whose call it was as one of them went out to cover the OF play. Whatever it was, you gotta be more sure before you overturn a call like that. I like how Jeter collected that clutch HBP in the 9th. That ball in the dead center of his back misses 99% of other MLers. Whatever it takes to win ... that's why he has 1,759 rings. Buck Martinez bunts too much. The one time I agreed with his sac attempt was the one where it wasn't successful when the Jpnese got the force at 3rd. I suppose it's too much to expect to have the announcers even question whether it was a good idea but - as mentioned above - they were too busy praising Jeter for the "unselfish" plays to wonder whether or not it was even a smart one. I never really paid much attention to Sutcliffe before but I'm afraid he's got a bit of Healy in him. Not personality-wise but in the fact that he NEVER -- STOPS -- TALKING.

From Phil Mushnick's Friday column: Steiner Sports, the autograph/memorabilia firm that does exclusive work with the Yankees and Rangers ... e-mailed customers with word that with Puckett's passing, "The sports world has lost a great one," and Steiner Sports "still has five Batting Champ balls that have his signature." Only $800 apiece. The missive further noted that Steiner Sports has Puckett's autograph on a ball with 15 Hall of Famers. Those balls go for $2,000 each. With Puckett deceased only hours, one customer e-mailed back to express his disgust by such a sell. The next day, a Steiner salesman responded: "You are 100 percent correct and I apologize." That Puckett come-on, he continued, was "on a timer and wasn't supposed to be sent out until this morning." Oh, so Steiner Sports agrees that trying to take advantage of Puckett's young death the same day is crass but thinks it's OK if they wait until the next morning?

Just as I logged off after typing "Lima is cruising" he ummm ... stopped cruising. It started out innocently enough with an infield hit + a walk ... but a string of hits followed quickly after and he had coughed up a 4-spot. Maybe he started "tiring" but it's not a good sign for him either way. Hard to envision a spot/role for him on this squad. Then came the Met rally in the bottom of the inning on a booming Kaz 2B and a 3R-HR by Wright (it's only like his 3 hit of the Spring btw). Then I took one of the great 2-hour naps of all time and missed the entire rest of the game. The Mets won. I love Spring Training.

Half the team's at home playing the Marlins (it's on radio) Scoreless after 3 -- Lima cruising -- LoDuca w/2 doubles -- Matsui w/a nice play ... and then a throwing error The other half is on the road playing the Braves Maine started and is getting rocked (6 runs). Soler also sked to pitch

Edgy DC wrote: ] I tried to submit one with fewer one time and was taken out in the alley and beaten (more) senseless ... or something like that. Always mit the victim game. I got better

"I'm the only player he's ever talked about when it's come to a negotiation" Is Glavine really the only person Schurholtz talks about or the only one who was talked about in the released excerpts? Not surprised that he isn't all that happy that this is all suddenly public knowledge but when someone has to make a mega-bills, life-changing decision like that I'd be surprised if there weren't second thoughts and indecision involved. The Braves in general and Schurholtz in particular are usually very tight-lipped about things so the existance of a book kinda surprises me too. I believe both him and Cox are on the last year of deals (something that played into Mazzone's decision to get out) so maybe this is his swan song.

In retrospect, the Cubans were a hair from being eliminated in this thing. Once Panama tied the game up in the 9th the other day on a bases-loaded HBP, the next batter Rueben Rivera danced out of the way of another HBP which would have ended the game (if Craig Biggio was at bat they would have won). Now I know you could say that Cuba would have played last night's game differently had they been facing elimination - but it's tough to just explain away a mercy-rule beating merely by saying 'well, we weren't really trying all that hard'. Cuba & PR also had themselves a bit of a beanball war in their game. Is that our Santiago pitching for PR? He's the guy who took the ejection - along w/manager Oquendo - for the final HBP and got hisself a bushel of handshakes from his teammates for the act.

Willets Point wrote: Both teams advance anyway. And will play again in Round 2. I wonder why the WBC isn't set up so that each of the pools in the second round has only one team from each of the pools in the first round so there would be no rematches? Travel and attendance most likely. Their way keeps all the advancing Carribean teams in San Juan and matches the surviving N Amer teams against the Asian winners in the Southwest amid all those Mex-Americans and vacationing northerners.

As annoying as Chris Russo can be, he's right on this particular point of this issue: when NYY-fan callers start to complain about erasing records from the Bonds/McGwire-age (no doubt, in part, to restore the season HR record to Maris) he responds that we can then continue by erasing Giambi's 2 HRs off Pedro which started the NYY comeback in Game 7 '03 ALCS. That part usually doesn't go down as well. You can't start erasing the past with an eye towards "correcting" what was wrong. There's just no way to know where to start or where to end. And yes, Bonds was a pre-Steroid H-o-Fer

]if Trammell isn't in, why should Jeter be? The real answer is; that's why he's not a lock and why you wait to see how the rest of his career turns out. You want the Yanqui fan answer? 1) He's clutch 2) He's 'The Captain' 3) Four Rings!!!! In fact, all arguments as to why Jeter is better than all others are solved by those 3 statements. P.S. I wonder how many times the word "Clutch" will appear on the plaque?

Johnny Dickshot wrote: But if we all have a different idea of how many points a given game is worth, won't that completely corrupt the data? No more so than skipped votes or artificially inflated just-so-it-will-add-up-to-ten ones.

]... Everett gets short shrift because of Jeter. Everett is only the best-fielding SS in the majors. There's a new book out on defense that apparently agrees with you. In fact, there's said to be an entire Bill James-penned essay in it devoted to comparing Everett to Jeter glove-wise.

Half the room was "afraid" to vote in losses because we were told that it had to be 10 points or nothing. I tried to submit one with fewer one time and was taken out in the alley and beaten (more) senseless ... or something like that. Accepting partial scores for good performances in retched games sure cure that problem.

On his way but not a lock. He actually wasn't even eligible until last year.

Edgy DC wrote: Did I know that we had P Bascik in camp? Brief Met Mike Bascik is in the Nationals system and was just demoted to their minor league camp.

I like to compile a sort of consensus list each year combining the opinions of several of these lists; in this case BA's, BP's and also Dayn Perry's at the FoxSports site (the gang at Hardball Times usually do one also but they haven't as of yet). Milledge was 9th, 13th & 16th on the 3 lists which puts him at 11th overall. Here's this year's top 25 with how they compared to a similar consensus from last year. 1 - Delmon Young; OF Devil Rays (Last year's rank = 2) 2 - Jeremy Hermidia; OF Marlins (33) 3 - Brandon Wood; SS Angels (NEW to the list) 4 - Francisco Liriano; LHP Twins (NEW) 5 - Howie Kendrick; 2B Angels (NEW) 6 - Ryan Zimmerman; 3B Nationals (NEW) 7 - Andy Marte; 3B Indians (3) 8 - Alex Gordon; 3B Royals (NEW) 9 - Prince Fielder; 1B Brewers (9) 10 - Chris Young; OF Diamondbacks (NEW) 11 - Lastings Milledge; OF Mets (13) 12 - Matt Cain; RHP Giants (15) 13 - Ian Stewart; 3B Rockies (4) 14 - Stephen Drew; SS Diamondbacks (NEW) 15 - Chad Billingsly; RHP Dodgers (19) 16 - Justin Verlander; RHP Tigers (NEW) 17 - Joel Guzman; OF Dodgers (5) 18 - Justin Upton; SS Diamondbacks (NEW) 19 - Jarrod Saltalamacchia; C Braves (NEW) 20 - Billy Butler; OF Royals (NEW) 21 - Andy LaRoche; 3B Dodgers (NEW) 22 - Nick Markakis; OF Orioles (NEW) 23 - Jeff Clement; C Mariners (NEW) 24 - Daric Barton; 1B A's (11) 25 - Carlos Quentin; OF Diamondbacks (10) 39 - Yusmeiro Petit; RHP Marlins (21) 43 - Justin Huber; 1B Royals (59) 55 - Mike Pelfrey; RHP Mets 60 - Mike Jacobs; 1B Marlins Of those from last year's list, the biggest fall off the list (aside from those who "graduated" to the ML) ... that would be Eric Duncan; #16 last year - not in anyone's top 50 now.

Well, when we missed the opening day deadline for incorporating last year's list it's not like anything bad happened like the forum blowing up causing the loss of tons of our history or anything. Oh wait ...