Frayed Knot

Back when Keith was name captain he scarcely knew how to respond as he didn't really know what a captain did or why he was being named one. 'Ummm, it's an honor ... I guess' But NYM mgmt quickly decided that by bestowing the honor on Keith they had essentially dissed Gary Carter so they quickly named Carter co-captain which effectively meant that now neither was really a captain. They should have learned from that debacle and quit while they were ahead.

Juan Lagares, who hasn't played in MLB since 2022 but has been playing in the Dominican Winter League for the last few years, has officially announced his retirement from professional baseball. The now 36 y/o originally signed with the Mets in 2006. On instagram: “Thank you so much, Águilas family, ... Thank you to the fans for your unconditional support on and off the field. I will be eternally grateful. God bless you always. With gratitude and pride.” [FIMG=600]https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/12-new-york-mets-makes-29617041.jpg?resize=1024,683&quality=75&strip=all[/FIMG] Tip of the hat, Juan.

A couple points here - to marathon's point about being driven out of the predecessor of this site by unrestrained growth in numbers and a similar loss of IQ points Sure. But that was also back in Y2K [we broke off in November of '01 ... Two Thousand and Freakin' One!!]* and the ones driving us nuts were mostly teenagers (of varying ages) and I suspect teenagers are the last ones to be signing onto baseball message boards at this point. - to the current state of UMDB A disappointment to be sure but this isn't (or at least we hope not) the final state of the new UMDB. iow: give it some time before we call it a disaster - and finally to the idea that we all want to grow in some form or another I think we all believe that we should grow, but I also think most of us realize that we haven't been particularly good at knowing how to accomplish that. So I guess my bottom line here is: - keep asking questions. It's OK to be skeptical, but our new friend here is proving himself very willing to answer them. - and don't be too afraid of change. After all, where is this place heading if we don't change? * Hell, MFS'62 was still in his eighties back then!!!

I was going to ask that too! I was going to ask if he's related to Brock Pemberton ... but, now that I think about it a little more, it's probably unlikely.

That sounds right. We had some good exchanges with those guys.

What was the Brewers forum that we had some back and forth with a bunch of years back? I don't think it was 'Brewers Fanatic' but I can't remember the specific name. They were a good group IIRC. As far as 'Ultimate Mets' goes, that was in control of one of the members here but was transferred to an outside group several months ago.

Gore's operation was an appendectomy which, while it was deemed 'an emergency' procedure, successfully removed the appendix and he came out of in good shape. But he then developed complications, possibly from the effects of anesthesia, which ultimately led to cardiac arrest.

We might have to ask one of the Bidens

New reports say that Clark had an "inappropriate relationship" with his sister in law. The S-i-L had been hired by the union at some point so I guess that leaves open the question of whether it was an inappropriate personal relationship or a business one (such as steering union funds to a family member) but this apparently comes via an "internal investigation" which suggests that the federal one is unrelated to this particular tidbit.

Don't care about baseball team captains, never did. Next topic.

While a big part of that is simply life and being older, there's also the Mets going from 11 opponents played each season to now 29 Some think this is an improvement, one might claim "a Gift to the Fans", but, y'know, your mileage may vary.

The lingering problem for hitters with damaged (or removed) hamate bones is sometimes a decrease in power. Not a permanent one necessarily but power might be slow in coming back. So there's back ... and then there's all the way back. So, yeah, he could be in the lineup in time for OD but maybe without being LINDOR! for a while.

Elroy Face - 97 One of the first 'relief specialists' (nobody called them 'closers' back then), the 5' 8"/155 lb righty was best known for his 1959 season when he put up an 18-1 W/L record w/a 2.70 ERA over 57 appearances (finished 47 games). And when he Pirates beat the Yanx in the 1960 WS, famously winning all four games by close margins while getting blown out in the other three), Face saved games 1, 4, & 5 He's also well known for being named Elroy Face. I had no idea he was still around until ... well, until he wasn't.

Former NYM Chris Bassitt, Orioles, one year deal.

I don't think we have a thread on this yet ... so Philly OF Nick Castellanos has been told by the club to NOT report to the team's ST complex this week pending either his trade or release. Castellanos is coming up on the fifth, and final, year of a $100 million contract with Philly but is also coming off a 250/294/400 [88 OPS+]/ negative (-1.0) WAR season with the Phightens and has been told that there "isn't a locker for him" at Philly's ST complex. He also clashed with Philly manager Robbie Thompson on a couple of occasions in 2025 and is considered a defensive liability.

Yabbut, Warhol wasn't a 34 y/o athlete (although, looking it up, I don't think I realized he was only 58).

The early word is that they're Not going to play Bichette at SS, presumably to give him as many reps at 3rd as possible and also to work out Mauricio and others who might get the call if Lindor can't start the season.

On the 'stress fracture' in his hamate bone. Procedure to be done today. Recovery time is around six weeks so OD availability is questionable at this point.

Merger alert! https://phpbb.cranepoolcompanion.com/viewtopic.php?p=210806&hilit=Braves#p210806 Also, I wonder if Schwellenbach's doctors traced the injury to a lack of vowels in his diet?

Also domestic violence, and not the minor kind. He's also slow, position-less (last played the field in '23) and showed a significant decline in production last season which, at 35 y/o, is increasingly unlikely to see a return to where he was in '23-'24. The Braves usually know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em and they made no attempt to keep him.

Marcell Ozuna, one yr deal w/option for second, Pittsburgh.

So if he's a good defensive catcher (I have no idea if he is) then he essentially fits the stereotype of a 3rd catcher: low BA/contact rate, good eye at the plate, and the ability to "run into one" at a decent clip. The fact that he's apparently agile enough to also play 1B or a corner OF position creates a niche for him if needed. As does only being 27 y/o.

Let's not play him in A-Ball then. And definitely give him no ABs in 2019.

When I first saw those arb figures being traded it seemed to me that maybe Detroit was trying to lose on purpose. Not that they wanted to pay him $32mil but they also didn't want him going into his FA year with a bad taste in his mouth from an arb-hearing loss so that maybe a long-term deal was still possible.

I think it wss this one If so the answer is Frank Robinson and [CROSSOUT]Pete Rose[/CROSSOUT] nobody else.