Frayed Knot

Y'know this means it was YOUR fault that we lost last night -- we just didn't know our enemy well enough.

Nevin invokes no-trade protection and so the deal for Ponson is off.That's at least the 2nd or 3rd one that Nevin has rejected - remember he was dealt for Griffey a year or two back but slam-dunked that one too.So he stays in Sandy Eggo, now he just needs to find some playing time. SD has said that Xavier Nady is going to be their full-time 1st baseman and they've traded for Joe Randa to man 3rd.

Game Time = 10:40 EDT

I think someone was asking about this guy on some thread somewhere.Well a note just popped up on him in BA:Mets lefthander Evan MacLane just keeps mowing down hitters. He threw a five-hit complete-game shutout Sunday against Bowie in his Double-A debut. He struck out seven batters and walked two in a 2-0 Binghamton win. MacLane, 22 and a 25th-round pick from Feather River (Calif.) Community College in 2003, was 8-5, 3.20 with a 92-15 strikeout-walk ratio in 112 innings at high Class A St. Lucie.

I want fans who purposely interfere with live batted balls to be tied to a chair underneath the stadium someplace while large security personnel take turns beating them for a length of time to be determined by the severity of the offense.

[u:3d5e0a6a05]Rehab Thread[/u:3d5e0a6a05]For players or posters?

Reyes - 4Martinez - 2Beltran - 1Wright - 1Cameron - 1Hernandez - 0.5Looper - 0.5

]You realize, of course, that many Mets' deals begin as "absurd fan garbage that the Mets deny derisively"? Except that there's a difference between something being discussed over the airwaves that has been reported as at least a possibility via a legit source and something that some caller somewhere made up or heard as speculation from his uncle's bartender's dog that's now being mulled over as if legit since after a few hours no one can remember where it started in the first place. And you, of all people, know that it's then only a short trip from there to: "Why didn't Omar pull the trigger on the Soriano plus Teixiera for Danny Graves deal when Texas offered it last week?"As far as I know, Zambrano for Soriano has no basis other than fan speculation/wet dream and I couldn't care less if the Mets deny deals right up until the moment they're faxing in the paperwork to complete it. Virtually every team denies, or at least shades their intent on, potential deals (they practically have to) and fans that feel hurt or lied to when it eventually comes down ("Wahhhh ... Steve Phillips lied to Todd Hundley!!!!") have no one to blame but themselves if they get "deceived".My point in commenting on it was merely because I think the major league-for-major leaguer swap is the type of deal that we're likely to make this week if/when we make one, rather than the oft-proposed/always popular 'our prospects for your star', or 'our old guy for your youngsters' types.

Well, we've hit our peak of .500+4 games - a spot we've been only once before this season (31 - 27) - and after which we proceeded to lose 9 of the next 11. Hopefully, a trip to Colorado won't start us on that same path.The good news is that we're 7-3 since the A-S break while playing against 2 defending division champs and a current 1st place team (OK, so that's grossly misleading ... whatareyagonna do, shoot me?) with a RS/RA of 55/26

I think Zambrano for Soriano (and I realizing by even repeating those words I'm contributing to the concept that this is an "on the table" offer and not just some made-up by WFAN jock and/or caller speculative hot air) is the type of trade that we will make if one strikes our fancy.iow; - we don't want to be dealing top prospects a la Kazmir last year.- and we'll have a lot of difficulty and will get little back for high-priced vet talent. We're better off keeping them and riding out the deals.- But what we can do is position for position deals where we're trading off of strength for weakness, in this case excess pitching for lack of pop, Or - as mentioned elsewhere - excess CF glove/speed guys for more standard power/corner OF types.Texas might just be pitching starved enough and Buck w/exhausted patience enough for Soriano that I think they may do it.I expressed my dislike for Soriano elsewhere but I'd pull the trigger on this one.Problem is that w/Oakland streaking, Anaheim holding on, and the stRangers sinking, Texas's perceived need to make a desperation pitching deal may be slipping away they might just hold on to Soriano and try to peddle him over the winter.

Benson - 5Piazza - 3Floyd - 0.8Beltran - 1.2

The Ponson/Nevin deal is apparently contingent of Nevin waiving his no-trade.The Randa deal is done and is for 2 minor leaguers.Sean Burroughs - one of the more higly touted prospects from a few years ago - sent down to the minors.Padres have now lost 5 straight on their east coast swing. They're only in 1st because they're the only West team still above .500 - although that's quickly slipping away.

And Loopy's perfect for the save!

Bad read by MintJulip there on yet another dinky infield hit. He got far too late a break.And speaking of dinky hits - Reyes dunks another for a 2-run lead.

These announcers wondering about which pitch Willie's likely to squeeze on haven't watched him too much.And pulling down his pants on Nat TV wasn't the dumbest thing Lyons ever did on a baseball field.He was w/the BoSox one time and was the tying run on 2nd, 2 outs in the 9th, and Wade Boggs (aka: best singles hitter in the AL) up at bat. So Lyons decides to steal 3rd where he's thrown out to end the game.

Swinging the bat = GoodI can't believe he was effin' squaring w/2 strikes!

Maybe (just maybe mind you) the earlier bunt was OK, but I hate bunting for one run when down by two. We've got 11 outs left, don't start wasting them.

Except for that Saenz HR (Saenz, Saenz, everywhere there's Saenz) just about every other hit today - for both sides - have been dinky crap.We've been lucky just to get the 3 runs we got - we haven't hit this chump yet.Doesn't look like Mcvz came within a foot of tagging that runner.

Phil Nevin is gone to Baltimore for Sidney Ponson.Also reports that they've dealt for Joe Randa (professional hitter) - although not sure what the price was there.Either way it's not good news if your name is Sean Burroughs.

I just never considered Timo to be very bright.

Except that the team made it publicly clear as that season began that Reyes replacing Sanchez was merely a question of when, not if. Jose also started the year with one of his numerous (although more minor) leg inuries, didn't have a particularly good ST (IIRC) or that good a minor league start, and (once more with feeling) was a 19 y/o barely out of A-ball.It's not a case where they "preferred" Sanchez over Reyes. It was clear that Sanchez was hired as a place-keeper - just as the Braves did when signing Jordan/Mondesi/Franco and not instantly handing jobs to Johnson/Francouer/Marte.See also: Strawberry in '83, Mays in '51, etc.

Diskappointing last few innings after the near comeback.We didn't really deserve to win this one - getting outhit like 2/1 like we did - and when you have nights like that you need to capitalize on ALL the opportunities. Instead, we missed 2:- Mientky's GiDP in the 2nd inning- and Cammy's pop-up after closing to 6-5Zambrano was kinda unlucky early .... then he just sucked.Those who booed him should be whipped.One of the announcers (forgot which one - I caught half on TV & half on radio) mentioned that we don't have a comeback win this year of more than 2 runs. WOW!!]Who is it that's always saying they hate Met Fans? I'm starting to agreeUsually it's me, but basically we all do. Didn't you know that this is the Met fan site for Met fans who hate Met fans?

]I'm not sure what the difference is in level between the rookie level (Gulf Coast and Kingsport) and short-season level (the Cyclones). Not much. The NY/Penn league is just considered a partial step higher up on the pecking order. Since all are short-season leagues which get filled largely by draft picks fresh off the June cattle call, you'll stick most of them into the Kingsport & GCL teams and the slightly more advanced types (higher level HS players plus some college & Juco picks) to Brooklyn.Those lowest level teams (and the Mets are the only org w/two teams on that level) are not only HS picks but also a good chunk of the Latin ballplayers who are often signed young so they're teaching them how to live away from home and play well with the other children as much as they are drilling them in baseball skills. They also work w/the Latin kids to learn some rudimentry English so they can talk to the coaches and order from a menu and don't ruin their careers by having their first Spanglish phrase be: "Dos Big Macs por favor"

From top to bottom:AAA:- Norfolk - International LeagueAA: Binghamton - Eastern League(high) A: Port St Lucie - Florida State League(low) A: Hagerstown - South Atlantic League (Sally)Short-season: Brooklyn - NY/Penn LeagueRookie: Kingsport - Appalachian LeagueRookie: Gulf Coast Mets - Gulf Coast LeagueThe top 4 are full season, the lower 3 are 'short' season, or about June-August.

Mets righthander Gaby Hernandez continues to roll in his first full season. Promoted to the Florida State League two weeks ago, the 19-year-old fired six shutout innings in high Class A St. Lucie’s 4-2 win over Vero Beach last night, allowing four hits and no walks, while striking out four. A 2004 third-round pick out of high school in Miami, Hernandez began the year at low Class A Hagerstown, where he went 6-1, 2.43 in 18 starts.