Edgy MD

Greg Maddux.

One day you're a weaponized warrior in perennial contention with the Boston Red Sox. The next you can't get anybody out for the Gulf Coast Mets. Such are the jarring turns when the cruel hand of fate is at the wheel. Transactions, 1/4 DirectionGOINGTransaction=#000000]RetiredPosition Group=#FF8000]Relief Pitcher[fimg=90]http://www.milb.com/images/453268/generic/180x270/453268.jpg[/fimg]NameDaniel BardDoB6/25/85B/TR/R

Yeah, there's almost nothing bad about it. The headline isn't great, but neither is it an over-ambitious failure. The humble bowing of his teammates heads, the hat-waving tribute of the fans behind him, and bad news for the Yankees in the top bar. How about the dirt over Granderson's name on his back? He may be slugging homers, but he's all about the hustle. He's blurred out his name and become one of us. It's not a great story, or even a great action shot, but they're both good, and the News makes the most of what they have. Fine composition. Elegant execution. Dignity in a tabloid back page. Who'da thunk it?

New wave-era AL infielder Rob Picciolo has died suddenly following a heart attack. Rob, who played nine years in the bigs followed by a long (longest-ever, I believe) tenure as a Padres coach, was sort of made in the mold of Tim Foli — an infielder who managed to make up for his lack of power with a stubborn refusal to take a walk. He was Doug Flynn without the Gold Glove. Not much of an asset as a player, but somehow squeezed out a nine-year career and a long life in baseball after. [fimg=250:2douumg1]http://www.tradingcarddb.com/Images/Cards/Baseball/110/110-672Fr.jpg[/fimg:2douumg1] [fimg=250:2douumg1]http://www.tradingcarddb.com/Images/Cards/Baseball/98/98-88Fr.jpg[/fimg:2douumg1] [fimg=250:2douumg1]https://ssli.ebayimg.com/images/g/bD0AAOSw4dtXgF9v/s-l1600.jpg[/fimg:2douumg1] [fimg=250:2douumg1]https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/515tTm6aP1L.jpg[/fimg:2douumg1] [fimg=250:2douumg1]http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/pics/rob_picciolo_autograph.jpg[/fimg:2douumg1] [fimg=250:2douumg1]https://ssli.ebayimg.com/images/g/KL4AAOSwdrdZcDZ6/s-l1600.jpg[/fimg:2douumg1]

Hey, look, it's my old buddy Stephanie Courtney there at the end!

That runaway phenomenon of popular culture that is ABC's The Goldbergs featured a guest appearance by Mets first base coach Ruben Amaro, Jr., playing ... Ruben Amaro, Sr. [tweet] [/tweet]

What a mess for the Nats.

Dillon Gee, ex-Met and reportedly a pathological liar, has signed on with The Chunichi Dragons for the handsome sum of ¥120 million. Dillon says that he is excited to be part of the team and looks forward to helping the Dragons be successful.

I don't know if it's just childhood nostalgia to say "frames > bleeds," but I think frames > bleeds. The Mona Lisa has a frame. The Tabloid Cover Derby winner has a frame. Shouldn't Wilmer Flores have a frame?

He certainly is with that kind of attitude.

Centerfield wrote: I never said Harvey deserves anything. Centerfield wrote: In truth, deGrom, Noah and Familia all deserve extensions. If I was Lily Tomlin, I'd counter that Harvey deserves a social disease. But I'm not. Besides he's probably already been down that road once or twice. But you're right, Harvey isn't there.

Not reported in this space earlier, but back in October, in two waves, the Mets sent 28 young athletes packing, some following terrible showings, some following an inability to stay on the field, some unable to advance, and some just caught in the numbers. The most advanced one was Scarlyn Reyes, who had seen the most time above the Sally League. He had won a few pitcher-of-the week-type awards back in 2015, but pretty much peaked then. Sorry if anybody you know or loved was among the cuts. Transactions, 10/14 DirectionGOINGGOINGGOINGGOINGGOINGGOINGGOINGGOINGGOINGGOINGTransaction=#000000]Released=#000000]Released=#000000]Released=#000000]Released=#000000]Released=#000000]Released=#000000]Released=#000000]Released=#000000]Released=#000000]ReleasedPosition GroupStarting PitcherStarting Pitcher=#FF8000]Relief Pitcher=#FF8000]Relief Pitcher=#FF8000]Relief Pitcher=#FF8000]Relief Pitcher=#FF8000]Relief Pitcher=#FF8000]Relief Pitcher=#FF8000]Relief Pitcher=#FF8000]Relief Pitcher[fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/625559/t453/180x270/625559.jpg[/fimg][fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/622552/t506/180x270/622552.jpg[/fimg][fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/silhouette/180x270.jpg[/fimg][fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/silhouette/180x270.jpg[/fimg][fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/660424/t506/180x270/660424.jpg[/fimg][fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/silhouette/180x270.jpg[/fimg][fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/silhouette/180x270.jpg[/fimg][fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/658193/generic/180x270/658193.jpg[/fimg][fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/silhouette/180x270.jpg[/fimg][fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/silhouette/180x270.jpg[/fimg]NameJosé GeraldoAneury OlivoGregori AdvincolaYom FelipeEdwin GermanJosé GuerreroMiguel GutierrezLuis (Alberto) MateoMichael MartinezMiguel PinedoDoB7/14/9510/24/942/18/989/18/969/10/925/10/9612/3/944/7/936/30/974/17/98B/TR/RL/LR/RL/LR/RR/RL/LR/RL/LR/RLevelSS A+A+DSLRookieSS ADSLA+SS ADSLDSLStats1-2 2.33 10 BB/22 SO 27.0 IP0-1 (1 S) 2.57 514 BB/7 SO 7.0 IP1-2 (1 S) 2.16 8 BB/11 SO 16.2 IP0-0 (0 S) 10.80 7 BB/2 SO 1.2 IP1-1 (1 S) 2.45 7 BB/14 SO 14.2 IP4-1 1.04 10 BB/19 SO 26.0 IP1-0 0.00 1 BB/3 SO 5.1 IP1-3 5.30 12 BB/21 SO 18.2 IP 1-0 3.55 9 BB/8 SO 12.2 IP3-0 0.47 10 BB/19 SO 19.2 IPLevel 2SS ASS ADSLRookieRookieRookieStats3-1 4.71 14 BB/28 SO 42.0 IP1-1 5.65 150 BB/18 SO 28.2 IP0-0 (0 S) 2.25 4 BB/2 SO 4.0 IP0-0 0.00 1 BB/1 SO 1.0 IP1-2 5.91 14 BB/23 SO 21.1 IP0-0 13.50 1 BB/2 SO 2.0 IPLevel 3RookieStats1-0 3.29 6 BB/17 SO 13.2 IPDirectionGOINGGOINGGOINGGOINGGOINGGOINGGOINGGOINGGOINGTransaction=#000000]Released=#000000]Released=#000000]Released=#000000]Released=#000000]Released=#000000]Released=#000000]Released=#000000]Released=#000000]ReleasedPosition Group=#FF8000]Relief Pitcher=#FF8000]Relief Pitcher=#8000FF] Infielder=#8000FF] Infielder=#8000FF] Infielder=#8000FF] Infielder=#0000FF] Outfielder=#0000FF] Outfielder=#0000FF] Outfielder[fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/606141/t507/180x270/606141.jpg[/fimg][fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/silhouette/180x270.jpg[/fimg][fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/624643/t453/180x270/624643.jpg[/fimg][fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/645281/t506/180x270/645281.jpg[/fimg][fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/silhouette/180x270.jpg[/fimg][fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/silhouette/180x270.jpg[/fimg][fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/656113/t453/180x270/656113.jpg[/fimg][fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/silhouette/180x270.jpg[/fimg][fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/650705/t506/180x270/650705.jpg[/fimg]NameScarlyn ReyesJoel RomeroFranklin CorreaYeffry De AzaLuis MonteroRafael ValdezCecilio AybarGilberto EspinozaGrabiel JimenezDoB12/10/892/13/971/1/961/14/971/16/964/19/9711/23/9311/8/981/16/95B/TR/RR/RR/RR/RR/RR/RR/RR/RL/LLevelAADSLSS A+SS ARookieDSL 1SS A+DSL 1SS AStats2-0 4.02 13 BB/27 SO 40.1 IP5-3 2.70 10 BB/14 SO 26.2 IP.234 / .275 .298 // .573 1 HR / 12 RBI 185 PA.217 / .345 .261 // .606 0 HR / 2 RBI 56 PA.233 / .311 .327 // .638 0 HR / 15 RBI 167 PA.249 / .278 .326 // .604 1 HR / 23 RBI 199 PA.194 / .237 .236 // .473 0 HR / 1 RBI 77 PA.212 / .268 .321 // .589 3 HR / 22 RBI 137 PA.205 / .274 .270 // .545 0 HR / 10 RBI 135 PALevel 2A+DSL 2Stats1-2 5.76 10 BB/26 SO 29.2 IP.000 / .333 .000 // .333 0 HR / 0 RBI 0 PA Transactions, 10/18 DirectionGOINGGOINGGOINGGOINGGOINGGOINGGOINGGOINGGOINGTransaction=#000000]Released=#000000]Released=#000000]Released=#000000]Released=#000000]Released=#000000]Released=#000000]Released=#000000]Released=#000000]ReleasedPosition GroupStarting PitcherStarting Pitcher=#FF8000]Relief Pitcher=#FF8000]Relief Pitcher=#FF8000]Relief Pitcher=#FF8000]Relief Pitcher=#FF8000]Relief Pitcher=#8000FF] Infielder=#0000FF] Outfielder[fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/677630/generic/180x270/677630.jpg[/fimg][fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/silhouette/180x270.jpg[/fimg][fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/silhouette/180x270.jpg[/fimg][fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/642502/t453/180x270/642502.jpg[/fimg][fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/643344/t3705/180x270/643344.jpg[/fimg][fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/647238/t453/180x270/647238.jpg[/fimg][fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/669895/t453/180x270/669895.jpg[/fimg][fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/621554/t453/180x270/621554.jpg[/fimg][fimg=50]http://www.milb.com/images/642479/t507/180x270/642479.jpg[/fimg]NameMartin AndersonGunnar KinesKeaton AldridgeGregorix EstevezCameron GriffinKurtis HornePlacido TorresLeon ByrdEnmanuel ZabalaDoB1/13/937/25/937/20/924/12/946/25/918/5/965/17/932/27/949/29/94B/TR/LL/LL/RR/RR/RL/LL/LS/$R/RLevelASS A+ASS A+A+SS A+SS A+A+A+Stats0-5 6.89 16 BB/36 SO 31.1 IP2-2 3.00 5 BB/32 SO 33.0 IP1-1 6.62 4 BB/9 SO 17.2 IP3-1 (3 S) 3.77 26 BB/26 SO 31.0 IP0-3 5.94 11 BB/16 SO 16.2 IP0-0 (1 S) 11.37 4 BB/3 SO 6.1 IP0-0 3.60 7 BB/8 SO 10.0 IP.249 / .278 .326 // .604 1 HR / 23 RBI 199 PA.209 / .273 .238 // .511 0 HR / 17 RBI 229 PALevel 2SS A+SS A+A+RookieSS A+Stats0-1 2.50 8 BB/27 SO 18.0 IP1-0 (2 S) 5.63 6 BB/6 SO 8.0 IP1-2 3.05 10 BB/40 SO 41.1 IP0-0 0.00 1 BB/1 SO 1.1 IP.234 / .350 .277 // .627 0 HR / 9 RBI 164 PA

I know two things. The first is that I don't deserve anything, and the second is that Harvey deserves less. I'd sooner extend Flores. I'd sooner extend Familia. Harvey had the highest ERA in team history among pitchers that made as many starts. That's a lot of dudes over a lot of bad years. What he deserves is to sing for his supper.

Well, I think Smith is the first piece in the Votto package.

I'm not sure what I'm missing, but it seems to me that offering Matt Harvey an extension of even $1, while not offering an extension to Jacob deGrom, is Kevin Bass ackwards.

Ceetar wrote: Centerfield wrote: Offer it now. Two years, $24 million. For years 2019 and 2020. If he bounces back, the deal could be a steal. If not, well, I doubt they are contending then anyway. why would he take that? He'd basically have to think he's done and it's his last paycheck. He has every good reason to suspect as much. And $24 million is purty good last paycheck. And if he's not done, the bigger $$ waits two years down the road. Not that I'm endorsing this offer, but yeah, he'd certainly have good reason to accept it.

Sure makes that Votto deal look like a steal, huh?

The Italian word for can't miss is Votto.

If I'm going to bury or deal off Lagares and/or Nimmo, I want somebody just a leetle better. When looking for outfielders, I'm thinking either top or bottom shelf. He's a little too close to the middle for me. He probably wouldn't be a disaster, though. He's consistent enough. The team has mostly been faking it in the leadoff spot since the day Reyes bunted and walked off the field. Cain would be less fakey. I acknowledge that I have perhaps an irrational enthusiasm for Lagares and Nimmo. But Brandon out OBP'd Cain by 14 points last year, even as he batted 40 points lower. That's a tasty muffin.

Amazin' Avenue is rolling out their top prospects at a pace of two a day. 25. David Thompson: Second/third baseman piles up RBI and if everything goes perfect turns that bat into a big-league career. But that career is more likely to turn out to be of the Satin/Campbell variety than the Justin Turner type. But that was seemingly true about Turner, too, until it wasn't. 24. Drew Smith: Hard fastball, but a straight one. One of the 2017 class of right-handed relievers acquired in trades, this one for Lucas Duda. 23. Stephen Villines: Short-season reliever piled up strikeouts in Kingsport and Brooklyn. Mets went over slot on this guy and so far, so good. 22. Bryce Hutchinson: Exciting upside! Has a Syndergaardian build (on a teenager!) and like Noah, has a sideline as a slugger. But seven innings and a 4.70 ERA in the Gulf Coast League suggests that check isn't about clear any time soon. 20. Christian James: Almost everybody who the team takes seriously skips Kingsport, but every year, one or of the misfit toys there demands to be noticed, and for half of the year it was James, whose fastball-curve combo was unhittable. For half of the year, in a short-season league, isn't enough to bank on, but he turned some heads. 19. Jordan Humphreys: Starting pitcher killed it during his first half for Columbia. Absolutely murdered it. But he mostly (not entirely) missed in his second half in St. Lucie. Remains to be seen whether the higher level or competition caught up with him or his first year in full-season ball. 18. Marcos Molina: Top five prospect a few years back but has lost time and velocity to Tommy John surgery. Still youngish and got through his first post-op year without disgrace or reinjury. 17. Guerson Batista: Flame-throwing reliever nicely put it all together after coming over from Boston in the Addison Reed deal. Now has to do it over a full season.

It's winter. Sometimes the dead horses are the only ones in the corral.

I note that there are contingents out there lobbying for re-signing Bruce, Walker, Reed, and Duda too. But nobody's agitating for Granderson's return. You should start a thing.

My problem with ALL ABOARD is that there is no train. The metaphor of Subway Series is stretched. The headline doesn't really match the image. I don't like either much. I've noted earlier that I like the lightburst at the top of the ALL ABOARD photo, but that's not much. Newsday continues to leave me cold.

Centerfield wrote: This is an article about the luxury tax acting as a de facto salary cap, and how that is unfair to players. I screamingly agree. Don't let anybody tell you the luxury tax is about competitiveness. It's about cost controls. Far worse are the salary slots for the draft and the limited budgets teams are permitted on foreign bonuses.