Frayed Knot

Re: Ceetar's point, if the Mets (as was suggested in several spots) had traded deGrom based on the reasoning that they have "only" three years of control left on him and saw no hope of competing during that time so you might as well get what you can for him now, then THAT would have been a clear signal that they were in blow it up and start all over mode in which case JdG probably would have been just the first of several younger players auctioned off. But, again, the only players they dealt were the ones they were likely to cut ties with anyway and the only thing that changed was the timetable.

bmfc1 wrote: Howie mentioned Aoki during today's game saying only that he's a free agent. It was part of a monologue of how few call-ups the Mets will likely have on September 1. That's because if there were obvious worthy call-ups they'd have already been called up. Travis Snider has been mentioned in this thread for instance but I hardly see how that's a more worthy choice than Aoki. I mean Snider was picked up earlier in the year in essentially the same way that Aoki would be if they go that route, except that Snider has somewhat worse numbers as compared to Aoki AND he hasn't faced a big league pitch in over two years now. If it helps, folks should just think of Aoki as if he were a minor league call-up. That he has no obvious future with the Mets kind of makes him more attractive in my mind since it won't affect 40-man roster issues. He's available, he's cheap, and he should prove to be at least a somewhat useful player at a place we currently have a need.

MFS62 wrote: ... I heard a portion of Terry's presser and he had nothing but good things to say about Montero and (I paraphrase) said he'll be using him as a starter from now on. Given the (lack of) other options, Montero was going to start down the stretch pretty much no matter what. The only difference now is that the dread which had previously accompanied each of his starts has been more or less tempered. What his role (or his team) will be next year is a long way from being decided.

41Forever wrote: Frayed Knot wrote: Does it really matter how some headline writer opts to label it? The Mets were in a situation where they were going to have to replace a bunch of their position players over this winter no matter how things went, the bad season simply moved up that timetable a few months. I don't really care if one wants to call their upcoming changes this off-season as a rebuilding, a restructuring, a reloading, a re-tweaking, or a whatever. I was less concerned about the headline writer and more with our own expectations. Can we reasonably expect to contend, or should we expect several years of sucking? That's where I was going. To be determined.

Does it really matter how some headline writer opts to label it? The Mets were in a situation where they were going to have to replace a bunch of their position players over this winter no matter how things went, the bad season simply moved up that timetable a few months. I don't really care if one wants to call their upcoming changes this off-season as a rebuilding, a restructuring, a reloading, a re-tweaking, or a whatever.

Yeah, two months ago we were complaining THAT Terry was using Montero and that Sandy was allowing him to continue to pollute the roster. Kind of tough now to complain about how he's being used or act as if he's carved out a singular role for himself. What he's earned with his work over the last 4-5 starts is a chance to keep proving himself, and what we've been reminded of is that Captain Renault's warning to Rick about how wasteful it is to throw away women because some day they may be scarce applies just as much to pitchers. btw, Montero has been used just once as a reliever since the ASB (for 16 pitches over 1/3 of an inning during a double-header) and 11 of his last 13 outings have been as a starter, so it's not like Terry has been jerking him all back and forth lately.

Frayed Knot wrote: I'd like to pull for the O's but I've never believed in them. Their pitching suxx. The Orioles continue to confound me. Sub-.500 in July and seemingly drifting out of it, they're now winners of seven straight and (most importantly) have made up 5 full games on the Yanx in the last week (from -7.5 to -2.5) including a game and a half chopped off just today (Wed) alone. Still don't trust their pitching, but they're hitting enough to make that not matter as often.

MFS62 wrote: Edgy MD wrote: Come on! Should have pulled him after one baserunner. This. Now he can be the loser. Not really great for the guy's confidence (or record), Terry. And if a reliever blew the game we'd be complaining about Terry managing with stats in mind (I would anyway). I had the mindset going in that I would have pulled him after one runner but it's pretty much a coin flip at that point -- how'd he look against that particular batter for instance (dunno I'd have to look it up but I'm sure Terry had that info at hand) -- and I certainly wouldn't have based the decision on keeping Montero from being in position to get tagged with a loss

At 2:27 this was the second shortest NYM game of the season [June 12th, deGrom beats Cubs 6-1 at home so only 8-1/2 innings = 2:23] Checking back through the years: - two decades ago in 1997, there were 26 NYM games which ended in under 2:30 - one decade ago in the 2007 season it was 18 (20 really but we won't count the two that were rain-shortened) - tonight's game brought this year's total to 3 Just sayin'

BOOKS!! Nothing Ramos threw in those two ABs was anywhere near the middle of the strike zone. Great pitching!!!

Yeah, one single since the 1st inning = not good

Reyes's first steal of 3rd tonight was both meaningless and too late -- why sit there with no outs and then one out then decide to go once there are two? And his second attempt there was just plain stupid (1st & 2nd, #3 hitter up, 2 outs) particularly with maybe the best throwing catcher in the league back there.

OK, the Yanx just got smacked in the back half of their double-header after losing a tight one earlier this afternoon, all of which complete a three-game sweep by the Indians in advance of their final series of the year with the BoSox, a four-gamer in the Bronx starting Thursday. Blowing the lead in this here game would really put a damper on what so far is a great baseball day. So don't do it, OK?

Four full innings in under an hour ... is that even allowed in modern baseball?!?

It's bottom 3rd, 2 outs

Homer Bailey was, along with Phil Hughes, the top pitching prospect in all of baseball a decade ago as the 2007 season started. And while neither has had a bad career, they both kind of prove the old BP adage of TNSTAAPP: There's No Such Thing As A Pitching Prospect Bailey: 64-60; 4.44 ERA; 1.36 WHiP Hughes: 88-79; 4.47; 1.31 Bailey also winds up 6th on the list of longest active pitcher to have pitched for just one ML team, although injuries have left him with far fewer games pitched compared to the rest of that group. Bailey - Cincy, made his ML debut in 2007 - tonight is his 187th ML game Glen Perkins, Twins 2006 - 404 games pitched (although only 40 starts) Adam Wainwright, Cards 2005 (as I'm sure you remember) - 343 Matt Cain, Giants 2005 - 340 Felix Hernandez, Mariners 2005 - 372 Justin Verlander, Tigers 2005 - 379 All were 1st round draft picks except for Hernandez since he wasn't subject to the draft at all. All but Wainwright have been only with one organization. Wainwright was drafted by the Braves but traded before his reached the majors.

In limbo no more: http://m.mlb.com/news/article/251459366/astros-to-play-mets-in-houston-this-weekend/ Mets to get the day off on Friday then play the Astros in a DH in Houston on Saturday [2:10 & 8:10 EDT] and then the final game as scheduled on Sunday

Plus it's not like there are only a handful of games remaining, there are still Thirty-Fucking-One still to go and that's a long time to be faking it with two legit OFs. Nor would a potential Aoki pick-up mean that Reyes can't still get some reps out there for possible future utility purposes. Again, just a suggestion I came up with after seeing the note about him getting his release.

Also the team has been on a hot streak to coincide with his crazy streak so that, even with the loss last night, the Marlins currently sit at a game over .500 and within 5.5 games of a WC slot. While not quite the equivalent of the AL mashup, the NL WC race has recently morphed from a seemingly dull two-team race (ARZ & COL) where the only thing left to decide was which team hosted, to a legit six team derby for two slots, or seven teams for three slots if you bring the Cubs into it since the NL Central crown is hardly decided yet.

A decision as to the location of the weekend series v Houston is supposed to come down sometime today. Terry: “Our preparation is get on a plane and wherever it lands we’ll get off”

No, not some hot new dining trend. The Blue Jays have released OF Norichika 'Nori' Aoki just a few weeks after trading for him from Houston. The 35 y/o in his 6th ML season (following eight in the Japanese Leagues) is career .285/.350/.388 including a somewhat diminished .274/.319/.402 this year Big acquisition? ... of course not, but here's the thing -- HE'S AN OUTFIELDER which, considering we have just two of those right now (one fewer than the traditional compliment of three) might not be a bad thing to have over the final five weeks. At worst the lefty-hitter former Brewer/Royal/Giant/Mariner/Astro/Blue Jay swaps time with the glove-less (and so far hitless) Travis Taijeron while keeping our infielders in the actual infield. Rosters expand in two days -- no in-house solutions appear to be apparent -- pro-rated minimum salary -- fills a temporary need -- can't hurt.

Three ground balls = Zero outs

This game has been really dull ... but at least it's overly long.

When in Rome (or Washington) hit your LI'st

Four plays not made so far tonight: - Rosario's throw - Flexen's kick save - over Reyes's head - d'Arnaud not holding on to the OF throw That plus five walks is a bad combination.