Edgy MD

For much of the winter, the Mets were staying out of the lefthanded reliever market. And that looked good for me. I mean, there was me, there was Edgin, there was Gilmartin, and somewhere in the back of the room was some guy named Roseboom. But I looked at it like, you know, there was me and there was everybody else. I figured the Mets did too. I mean ... they weren't buying. And, you know, cool name and stuff. And then, at the dawn of spring training, in comes Gorzelanny, and back come Blevins. And it was a minor reality check for me. It was, I admit. It's a competitive field, and nothing's going to be handed to you on a platter. I mean, 15 1/3 innings and a 4.70 ERA shouldn't guarantee anybody anything. I get that. But you know what's behind those numbers? In that 15 1/3, I struck out 25 guys and walked only four. You don't bury a guy like that. You don't recruit over a guy like that. I think that guy looks a little less like Royce Ring 2005 and a little more like Randy Myers 1986. He looks like a man with a future. What does he look like to you? [fimg=371]http://www2.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Josh+Smoker+New+York+Mets+v+St+Louis+Cardinals+psRi3WcXVpIl.jpg[/fimg] [fimg=349]http://metsmerizedonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/josh-smoker.jpg[/fimg] [fimg=150]http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/northwestgeorgianews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/c7/5c7a42cc-79ea-11e6-a631-cfc17033b30d/57d8571f43225.image.jpg?resize=300%2C389[/fimg] [fimg=276]http://media.nj.com/mets_main/photo/19834820-large.jpg[/fimg] [fimg=292]http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Josh+Smoker+NQQB5FPbNQum.jpg[/fimg]

He'll have his moments after a mid-summer callup but one or two bad outings will make him look worse than he was. Eleven games and a 4.48 ERA. There'll also be rumors of a personality issue. Maybe Frank Viola's tutoring on mechanics is going in one ear and out the other. (He looks like he's coming from behind his ear in those top two photos, but looks like he's bringing it from 3/4 in the bottom two.) Maybe he arrives in the bigs and raises some eyebrows by not paying proper respect to the veterans. Which is funny, because it's not like he'll be arriving with blue chip pedigree. At least, there'll be rumors if the beat guys do their jobs. There's some talk around August 30 that his abrasiveness/aloofness/10-cent-headedness/whatever will cost him a return trip in September. But the Mets, realizing that strategy makes a guy un-tradeable, deny all that and tab him for the Autumn return, but he only gets into two more games the rest of the way.

This guy has as good a chance as anybody to be the 1,027th Met. Be the first to predict his season!

No way. He opens 2017 on the roster. Backup catcher with backup catcher numbers: .244-5-22

5: Dale Murray.

6: Rusty Tillman.

10: Esix Snead.

They say there will be no new Mets, but I'm Paul Sewald, and I've been pitching well in the high minors for the last two years now, and I've added some flashy stuff in the Mexican winter league. I've got 43 saves over the last two years in Bingo and Las Vegas, and yet somehow, I haven't even cracked the 40-man roster. Don't believe the roster. There's a spot open at the back end of the bullpen, and while Goeddel, Montero, and Rowen all have their eye on it, I intend to bite down on it like Pac-Man chomping on a pair of bouncing cherries. We'll see who's not on the roster. I don't throw as hard as some. I keep the ball down. But you can't keep me down. I was born in Las Vegas, grew up in Las Vegas, and, well, I've seen enough of Las Vegas. I'm heading out. So, tell, me, how soon will I leave, and how effective do you see me becoming once I get there? Because #79 just ain't my style. [fimg=305:e0qctrg6]http://metsminors.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_METSCUBS_033116bh_027_6.jpg[/fimg:e0qctrg6] [fimg=415:e0qctrg6]http://m.mlb.com/assets/images/9/7/4/169986974/cuts/sewald1280_30nzjny5_k2pxtd0k.jpg[/fimg:e0qctrg6] [fimg=338:e0qctrg6]http://cdn.newsday.com/polopoly_fs/1.13248810.1489363585!/httpImage/image.jpeg_gen/derivatives/display_600/image.jpeg[/fimg:e0qctrg6] [fimg=382:e0qctrg6]http://metsmerizedonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/1439859305229-e1439859336630.jpg[/fimg:e0qctrg6] By the way, I think it's great that the Mets have secured the sponsorship of Terrible Herbs for First Data Park, and should immediately pursue the patronage of Inedible Spices.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: I mean, they're really good bullshit slides, to be fair. Yeah, creative, and athletic, and aggressive, but strangely failing in the fundamental of acquiring and maintaining contact with the base. I don't really think anything was wrong with Pagan's takeout slide.

It's the night of bullshit slides.

Sure, but any attendance spike most directly helps the owner of the team which, in this case, is not the Wilpons. Ya know who else is going to like this placement? The other Sally Lg owners: Two visits (six games) by T.T. coming to play YOUR _____________, get your tickets before they sell out!!!! I can see it now. By which, I mean, I can actually see it now.

The offense of this Dutch team all seems to come from the Dutch colonies in the Caribbean. The pitching staff seems half and half. I wonder if Tim Tebow would play for the Philippines National Team.

I really don't know what the call should be.

Well, let's spend 20 minutes reviewing this play, and then make up for it with an automatic no-pitch walk next week.

Hi, I ain't been around. I spend all of the offseason unemployed, and then just as the Mets give me a new contract, I got drafted by México to pitch in the WBC. How could I say no? Days pitching for my county's glory ... nights partying with Ollie Peréz ... . The only problem is work. I only got two innings of action in the tournament, and I don't think I pitched for the Mets today. (Checking ... I'm wrong! I threw 2/3 of an inning!) I need to get my innings in if I'm going to be a useful part of this bullpen. I'm scheduled to be the third or fourth righthander, but that becomes second or third if Mr. Bigstuff gets suspended. And then, well, I'm looking like I'm going to be a big part of things. How big? How effectively? Surely one of you know. ¡Viva El México! [fimg=387]https://cbsnewyork.files.wordpress.com/2017/02/salas.jpg[/fimg] [fimg=333]http://metsmerizedonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/fernando-salas-e1472867143552.png[/fimg] [fimg=330]http://cdn.newsday.com/polopoly_fs/1.12269374.1488416253!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/display_600/image.jpg[/fimg] [fimg=390]https://cbsnewyork.files.wordpress.com/2017/02/salas2.jpg[/fimg]

Man, this is something of a butt lineup for this late in Spring.

[tweet:1nvg1l1d] [/tweet:1nvg1l1d] [tweet:1nvg1l1d] [/tweet:1nvg1l1d] If he executes the way he can, he can probably operate with that as his top speed.

And on that note, Newsday hits with a quote from Alderson that T is indeed opening in Columbia.

Ceetar wrote: WOR guys are saying the radar gun is always broken in Lakeland and don't have velocities for Harvey. Great job by Mr. Spicer there.

I was wondering which minor leaguers weren't getting floated up to big league games, while Tim Tebow was, and I notice Jared King hadn't appeared. Turns out, after two lousy seasons at AA, King has turned in his spikes. This would seemingly bump John Mora up to Binghamton, Jacob Zanon up to St. Lucie, and Ricardo Céspedes joining the lefties and and switchies in Columbia, and gives the fireflies a little bit more prospect juice. It's certainly possible that the Mets open Tebow in St. Lucie. New York (MLB) Yoenis Céspedes Curtis Granderson* Jay Bruce* Michael Conforto* Juan Lagares Las Vegas (AAA) Brandon Nimmo* Travis Taijeron Victor Cruzado# Kyle Johnson Jayce Boyd Binghamton (AA) Champ Stuart Kevin Kaczmarski* [crossout]Jared King[/crossout] Patrick Biondi* Wuilmer Becerra =#008000]John Mora* St. Lucie (A+) [crossout]John Mora*[/crossout] Jeffrey Diehl Tucker Tharp Desmond Lindsay Enmanuel Zabala =#008000]Jacob Zanon Columbia (A) Tim Tebow* [crossout]Jacob Zanon[/crossout] Gene Cone* Arnaldo Berrios# Jay Jabs* =#008000]Ricardo Céspedes*

I got the Steve Henderson Game! Willets Point, I may need a quote or two from you.

1966: I don't know, but how does a guy walk that many and strike out that few and put up an ERA of only 3.52? That's some magic that even Álex Torres could envy.

Championship teams need characters. Guys with stupid haircuts? Maybe. Super strong guys with Instagram accounts underscoring their awkwardness? Why not? Guys with goofy red beards and goofy smiles and goofy pitches. Definitely. That's me. I'm Ben Rowen, and I bring it from eight o'clock. And sometimes close to 7:30. I've spoken to Terry Leach and Jeff Innis and Chad Bradford and they've all given their blessing to me to carry the standard forward. You know what none of them have done? Helped the Mets to a championship. Will I change that legacy? [fimg=304:33vwvwmf]https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t3XnUOv9Suk/WL9nNBF7zTI/AAAAAAAA-a0/QP_r9E9-Zk8taHpR1Rx0IM9s6ZCgB6UjQCLcB/s400/646019352.jpg[/fimg:33vwvwmf] [fimg=416:33vwvwmf]http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/ben-rowen-of-the-new-york-mets-throws-the-ball-against-the-detroit-picture-id650519484?s=594x594[/fimg:33vwvwmf] [fimg=256:33vwvwmf]https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/688200410595602432/Bng86ha6_400x400.jpg[/fimg:33vwvwmf] [fimg=454:33vwvwmf]http://mlb.mlb.com/images/3/0/8/218643308/030917_ben_rowen_focus_pitch_med_b9tl3j2v.gif[/fimg:33vwvwmf]

Something I missed from the front half of the game: [tweet:1vukeuns] [/tweet:1vukeuns]

The world needs lefthanded relievers, and I'm one of those. I'm one of those that puts up insanely low ERAs. 1.15 for Savannah in 2015 ... RoseBOOM! 1.87 for Bingo in 2016 ... RoseBOOM! 0.79 for Scottsdale in the 2016 Arizona Fall League. RoseKA-BOOM! Yeah, I didn't fare so well in the second half of 2015 for St. Lucie, but hiccups can happen after a promotion. I went right on up to Bingo and wiped out the Eastern League, didn't I? Listen, I'm from Troy, New York. Ninety minutes from Cooperstown. This isn't just what I do. It's my destiny. And I think I can do it in the big town, and I'm growing a dumb beard in preparation. What do you think? [fimg=300]http://www.27outsbaseball.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/SDC14294.jpg[/fimg] [fimg=420]http://cdn.chatsports.com/cache/7e/54/7e542a77b5bc4b31b15fb5e005c33dc6-original.jpg[/fimg] [fimg=356]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hV3PAFZxO4I/VTtCWqPQbSI/AAAAAAAADfw/c8osACBiunQ/s1600/Roseboom_K3(3-2).gif[/fimg] [fimg=364]http://68.media.tumblr.com/01262ab05d5c549df980dd46c2d69515/tumblr_inline_og0og82mSn1r9qiw6_1280.jpg[/fimg]