Frayed Knot

btw ... if the ChiSox get credit for hiring the 'rough-and-tumble' Guillen do they also get demerits for rejecting Backman? Wally, IIRC, was not only passed over but was none too happy about the way it went down considering the success he had had with that organization.

I missed the Widger/Piersynski swap.

FREE BASEBALL!!!! Sox def have a deeper staff that'll help them in games like this. Houston might have a better top 3 (arguable) but in 4th starters (Backe v Garcia) and 5th (El Ducky vs Rodriguez) the Sox rool. Plus I think they have a deeper pen. One the other hand, games like these are really tough on the road team. Once you don't score in the top of the inning, you realize you have to hold them in the bottom half ... then score in yours ... then hold them again. It's very mentally draining. The home team though knows that each and every pitch could be a game winner for them ... particularly with the Crawford Boxes out there.

"You mean around standing room?...that area?" Yes. The "shell" of the stadium served as the wall in the corners where the standing room is. Later on they continued the fences and set them 3 ft in front. The orig distance was 341' to each corner - plus the line designating an HR was a few feet higher than the otherwise uniform fence.

The one thing I pray for above all else in the new Shea is that the layout doesn't lend itself to ambiguous Home Runs. 'Yellow Lines' are stupid and even moreso when they're vertical ones like they have in parts of LF in Houston. Shea actually did have lines in the corners until they adjusted the fences sometime (mid '70s ??)

I dunno, I missed the answer too. Missouri's had a bunch. Many for the Cards plus one (only one I think) for the old St Louie Browns. But I figure it's gotta be California by now. Dodgers in '59, several times in the '60s, '77 & '78, '81 & '88 (grr) Giants just twice in SF I think: '62 & '89 Padres twice: '84 & '98 Three in a row by the A's: 72, 73, 74 -- plus '89 & '90 And the Angels in '02

Two things about McCarver: 1) I still learn stuff from listening to him 2) For all the talk about 2nd-guessing announcers, Tim consistantly suggests/debates/rejects the next potential move or strategy almost immediately as it crops up: -- "I wouldn't bunt here" ... "he's too deep in left field" ... "I don't send the runner here because ...", etc. -- and by doing so he gives you an insight into how quickly a manager needs to think about that stuff in advance. Like most fans & writers, I like to think that I can dope out the plusses & minuses of most baseball situations - but we frequently do so in retrospect and have the luxury of critiquing via that viewpoint. I'd be willing to bet that Tim - right, worng or indifferent - beats most of his critics to the punch on the subject a whole lot more often than not. And again, I understand that he isn't everyone's cup of tea, but it seems like he gets blamed for every slight - perceived or real - that goes on in during a telecast and, like Dickshot says, if he disappeared tomorrow it's not like the masses are going suddenly going to embrace his replacement.

Someone - a pitcher I'm sure (Anderson?) - was dropped from the roster in favor of Elster on Aug 31. Whoever it was wasn't really dropped of course since the rosters were expanded the next day but it allowed Elster to be available for the post-season at the expense of one hurler. I heard a radio interview w/Gibbons the other day and he said that he was traveling w/the team the whole time but of course was inactive for the series. Spent most of it in the bullpen. Also mentioned that he did get awarded a partial share - 1/4 I think.

I've always liked McCarver - although this seemingly puts me in an ever shrinking minority and I understand that individual mileage certainly may vary. It's just that announcer-hating has become a cottage industry in recent years and much of it stems from the "fact" that fans believe said announcer (and usually MOST announcers) are insanely prejudiced against their team and stop at no lengths to twist facts and convey that view to the country. That's the part I don't understand and find ridiculously childish.

Clemente was a real good player, an exciting player, and a favorite of many fans - not just Latinos. But he wasn't a truly GREAT player and he simply falls short of All-Century honors in comparison to the likes of Mays, Aaron, Ruth, Cobb & Williams, etc.. He was good but he wasn't THAT good and too many get the idea into their heads that a non-inclusion like that is somehow an insult or an "embarrassment". It's not.

Yeah that's the other thing ... who qualifies as Latino? California's Keith Hernandez? Florida's Tino Martinez, Luis Gonzalez or Lou Piniella? Colorado's Tippy Martinez? Panama's Bruce Chen?

Backman managed A & AA teams for two different organizations (ChiW & Arz) not independant league teams. Or maybe he managed in indie leagues also but that wasn't the extent of his experience.

"Chicago is the second biggest market in the Country and Houston the fourth" Splitting hairs a bit here, but while they are the 3rd (Chicago) and 4th largest cities in the country, Houston only ranks as the 10th largest market (as judged by size of metropolitan area, number of TV sets available, etc.). I don't get bent out of shape over this stuff anyway. The networks' share of the total viewership goes down every year as consumer choices go up and if people (and media types) want to miss or constantly put down the series simply for it's lack of "glamour" teams then that's their problem. Also, that 30% number is just a comparison (and all these are just estimates anyway) of game 1 vs game 1 last year. The verdict on the whole series isn't in yet.

The master list changes approx once a year - namely when we get around to updating with the new season's results - and since a player's rank is based on a cumulative score it's virtually impossible for an active player NOT to improve his spot. So yes, all of you who were recently an active player stand a good chance of being that guy again in the coming months. Retired players (or those no longer Mets) can only tread water or trend downward so the only way you'd ever be one of those guys more than once is if a change or correction is made for some reason to their past scores causing him to jump up in rank. That's happened in the past on occasion but will probably become less common in the future.

Y'know, for all of Pedro's supposed "fragility", he's missed significant time in only 1 of the last 11 seasons (2001) averaging 216 IP/per in the other 10 (217 this year) and always making between 29 & 33 starts (31). Pretty durable for a fragile guy. And while these world cup games may be more intense, I'm not concerned that Pedro's season/future is going to change because he throws a partial game against Korea (or whoever) in March during the time he'd otherwise be doing the same thing in a tune-up contest against the Nationals. ]What are the contract ramifications is he hurts himself? None. Those dopes were participating in activities specifically banned in their contracts - hoops and motorcycle racing. Pedro would be pitching in team/MLB approved winter ball and/or tourney ball.

]Cuz they are team players and gamers. The game needs more players of that ilk. It's not just a question of attitude or having "team players", it's about having guys with the sort of skills that can work in different places. In a way it can be a sort of good news/bad news deal. The good is that it often gives you a bunch of versatility for late inning moves. The bad is that that versatility means you rarely have strong defensive players at any one spot; sort of a bunch of 'jack of all trades - master of none' types. - Berkman doesn't really shine anywhere he's played - Burke is a 2nd baseman playing LF and it showed today - Biggio did them a big favor moving out to first CF and then LF when they signed Kent but he was barely competent out there and really hurt him with his arm

As more "invincible" closers become anything but. The label on Jenks was certainly premature. And I could wonder if these past few weeks mean that Lidge is now "damaged goods" and someone who is "proven" to be untrustworthy for the rest of time in post-season ... but I've beat that angle into the ground too many times around here so I'll just leave it alone. On to other subjects ... I'm not sure if I can remember a team which shuffles so many players not only to different positions but between IF and OF positions. Burke, Biggio (in previous years anyway), Berkman, Vizcaino, Lamb & Bruntlett have all switched at various times - and many of them on a semi-regular basis - between the big and small gloved spots. It certainly gives Garner a bunch of choices to make.

HOLY SHIT ... POSEDNIK?!?!?!?

Previous post-season pest Jose Vizcaino keeps Houston's hopes alive - ties game w/2 out 2 run single. I thought Burke was going to be cooked at the plate. Nice move by Viz taking 2nd on the play too.

Jermaine Dye in the early running for next year's Oscars.

Without not claiming to know all the details of either case, it's safe to say it would be misleading at best to paint all domestic disturbances (or any crime or potential crime) as if there are no distinctions within the category. Part of Backman's problem involves the fact that he was on probation for one or more existing transgressions when another cropped up (DUI, tax, domestic abuse). He also wasn't forthcoming about it to the DBacks during the process (or they didn't ask). In Cox's case (IIRC) his wife called police during an argument she thought was about to get out of hand. It never did get physical and charges were never filed even though the incident became public because of the police response.

]also, its been show before that pitchers who pitch winter ball get tired/less effective/ more likely injured in the 2nd half of the following season. It has?? And can we please stop pretending that this tourney will somehow be in addition to regular spring training work? It's not like it'll be going on at a time these participating players would be otherwise sitting under mango trees strumming guitars. Assuming that there are proper pitch/inning limits in place to keep hyper managers from abusing players who aren't theirs (and there WILL BE such limits although I've not seen the specifics) the selected pitchers aren't going to be seeing increased workloads (can we give team mgmt types credit for a wee bit of brains?) merely doing their regular work in a different setting. This whole tourney is going to last only a few games for some teams and a couple more for those who last longer - and those games are to be covered by an entire staff of pitchers and spread out over several weeks time.

Piazza unlikely to return Nothing new really. Minaya and Piazza's agent have talked but all sides imply that Mike is looking (at least at this point) for something more full-time than the Mets are willing to guarantee. - Minaya: Mike "would probably be in a similar role to what it was [at the end of] last year" -Agent Lozano: "After the World Series, we'll take a look at how many teams want him to catch and how many want him to DH. We're going to move forward based on the responses we get from the teams" He goes on to claim that at least several NL teams have expressed interest in him as a catcher, in addition to the AL/DH offers he'll likely get.

The Mazzone departure not a total loss for the Braves as it turns out: From BA: Because Mazzone's contract with the Braves didn't expire until Nov. 15, the Orioles did send them some compensation. And Atlanta fans who believe in bloodlines should be excited. The Braves received righthander Moises Hernandez, whose younger brother Felix is only the most exciting young pitcher to come along in years. Moises isn't nearly as highly regarded as Felix but he does have some talent. Hernandez, 21, signed out of Venezuela in December 2001 and spent all of this season at short-season Aberdeen [NY Penn League]. In 11 games (seven starts), he went 0-4, 3.08. He had a 56-24 strikeout-walk ratio in 53 innings, and opponents hit .217 with two homers against him. Hernandez' velocity rose this year, and his fastball now resides in the low 90s and occasionally touches 95 mph. He also has a slider and a changeup. He's not a top prospect, but he's intriguing and worth keeping an eye on.

Pedro's problem at the end of this season was with the big toe on his right (push-off) foot. He has said he'd like to pitch in winter ball and the world expo if and when it's healed. I have no problem with either, particularly as how the latter is while he'd be pitching in Spring Training anyway.