Edgy MD

Bad things to happen to the 2017 Mets. The list goes well past 10. This may be among the more tragic teams they've fielded without, you know, a tragedy. In no particular order: [list:3megistc]David Wright showing up, DHing a few games, works out on defense, gets a new diagnosis, disappears into a black hole. Matt Harvey gets wasted, goes golfing, fails to show up for work, gets suspended, gets embarrassed publicly for his declining career leading to declining romantic prospects. Mr. Met goes blue, gets photographed. Jeurys Familia arrested for domestic assault and suspended. Two top prospects excel at AAA, don’t get called up, leading to a minor fan rebellion. Neil Walker gets a qualifying offer, fails to get with the program and reject it, instead acceptis it, forcing the Mets to carry him for another year at an expensive rate, compromising their free-agent options, and then goes and gets hurt as the trade deadline approaches. Despite the disabled list being shortened to 10 days, the Mets at least three times haw over putting an injured player on it, carrying him for several days, and then end up bringing him back prematurely, before putting the guy on the list anyway, at least once after re-aggravating the injury and making it worse. That “at least once” was their highest-paid player, who ended up pulling a hammy when he shouldn’t have been playing, enduring a long trip to the DL and still not being 100% when he re-appeared. Losing Travis d’Arnaud to a stupid injury when the batter stepped into his path, seemingly deliberately, as our catcher threw. His hand gets hit with the bat and Terry didn’t argue for his player. d’Arnaud’s setbacks mount. Syndergaard asserting his independence all Harvey-like by refusing a medical exam, and then getting hurt in his next start. Still out. Jacob deGrom suffering through two consecutive starts where he couldn’t get anything past anybody, and seemingly being reduced to tears in the dugout. Steven Matz coming up injured out of Spring Training. Juan Lagares injures thumb, being lost in the same black hole. Matt Harvey’s abortive recovery from Thoracic Outlet Syndrome surgery. Adam Wilk being called up for an emergency start because of Harvey’s tomfoolery, getting off the plane, getting pounded, then getting claimed as the team tried to pass him through waivers, which combined with the Mets injuries to help leave the 51s rotation comically overmatched through much of the summer. The horrific starts of Reyes and Granderson. The defense. OH THE DEFENSE![/list:u:3megistc]

The tough thing is that, though I have little doubt the second string all around the diamond can do just as well or likely better, they've got to stick with this lineup as they're all on the block and so they have to be showcased. The exception is perhaps at third, where they could be trotting out Flores.

So he's pretty much a younger version of Cabrera.

In fairness, as much as I'm leery of baseball-reference's dwar, the lion's share of that dwar was compiled while he was out of position in the outfield. He's been perfectly viable as a firstbaseman most nights, by which I mean he's closer to average for his position than we are at most spots around the diamond.

Yeah, "adult." I'm not into this one-hit-into-the-sixth inning bidness.

Kidding, but I don't doubt that it can get some guys out of their rhythm to try to put on a rocket-launching show, even if that's half of what daily batting practice amounts to.

Thumbs are the worst. Unless they think there's a chance that Correa won't entirely return, there's no need for Houston to deal, as they're up by 15 1/2.

The HRD Curse strikes again.

[tweet:i3jr97co] [/tweet:i3jr97co]

John Cougar Lunchbucket's brother posting on Facebook from CitiField: Chris Christie just caught a foul ball and was mercilessly booed. So, I tuned in to Lunchie's Twitter feed: [tweet]https://twitter.com/Springer66/status/887463093734866948[/tweet]

And as I've tried to say over the last few days, Rivera isn't giving us any strides in the modest goal of improving on Flores' glove.

Early holes every night. Only winners can run from behind.

Alonso would come in handy. Somebody has to hold Duda's jockstrap.

I got nothing against the fans of the 1950s Yankees. It's not really an issue with me until the Mets come into existence, and more particularly, after the arrival of Steinbrenner. William Frawley as Cubs manager "Cap" in 1935's Alibi Ike. With Joe E. Brown in Alibi Ike Bill joined by fellow actor George Raft and Tigers batboy Joe Roggin before game one of the 1935 World Series. Everything about his face tells me Fred had a bet down. Kicking back with The Sporting News, possibly reading about his lifetime pass. As "Bill Turner," with Ralph Houk, in Safe at Home (1962) [fimg=500]http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/baseball-closeup-of-new-york-yankees-manager-ralph-houk-with-actor-picture-id511331044[/fimg] Sharing a baseball-themed birthday cake (and showing the world how to wear pants) with child actor Bryan Russell: Joining Mantle and Maris for batting instruction, Safe at Home: I feel like I've finally figured out what the Internet was invented for.

I don't think Frazier's coming, but go ahead and think big.

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Last night the Mets went down counting on two sudden recoveries from guys who have been struggling for too long. I agree with this. That's on the boss.

He was fired mid-season from My Three Sons because he was too expensive to insure. He was, like, the Robert Downey of the sixties.

Sure, but you tend to rebound from the minor league callups on what you've done lately, with teams attributing failures in your initial results to whatever bad habits got you sent down. He'd been scoreless in his previous five games, covering seven innings. But now it's back to Kaboomtown.

Headline I stumbled across wile reading an old issue of The Sporting News Angels Present Lifetime Pass to Actor Bill Frawley I know, it's the Angels, but still!

Las Vegas scored eight last night, with two hits each from Smith and Rosario. Of course, they gave up 22. TWENTY-TWO!

And what an refusal to acknowledge what Jay Bruce has given this team this year, that Céspedes hasn't, giving Yoenis the 3-0 green light.

Now, give me money.

Money time, Yo.

This game may be the Mets' all-time record-holder for Archie Bell references.

First-pitch ball to Duda, and then three strikeouts on nine pitches. Not the sort of highlight I was looking for.