Edgy MD

Not at all. I was just commenting on the one play, which I thought deserved it's own thread as it speaks to the broader concern of Mr. Cespedes' enigmatic behavior.

Zvon wrote: On the up side I really like what I'm seeing from Lagares (plus Thor & Reynolds today), who I figured for the bench (& still do). Keith says it's good problem to have but not when you want Conforto playing as much as possible. This will be interesting. I want good, talented, athletic, gorgeous, high-ahieving players playing as much as possible. I'm with Keith. Good problem to have.

I guess he sawed off the limb he was sitting on with that three run shot with a 1-0 lead in the ninth the other day. We need outs, guys.

One of my favorite lineups had Alex Treviño at third and John Stearns at first. Along with Ron Hodges behind the plate, Joe Torre deployed his entire catching staff. I suppose there was a game out there where Vance Wilson caught, Bono played first, and Piazza DH'd, but that's not as fun.

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Mets are having a terrible spring training. They've lost 7 games in a row and barely scored in any of them. Harvey's pitched like shit in his last 2. deGrom has been shaky and low-velocity, Wright is increasingly looking like a Teixera type who'll be lucky to get a half-season in and I think we have to be concerned about a potential controversy in the outfield if Cespedes continues to play this shitty. Preach on.

Cespedes gives us a highlight in today's split squad exhibition with Houston.

Well, he's already on the roster, so if he gets away, it's certainly unlikely to be as a Rule V draftee.

I lost my job. I mean, I haven't lost it. I know where it is, but when I get there, there's another guy doin' it. That's an old Steven Wright joke. That's what some consider me, an old joke. I think I did alright. I hit, I out-fielded my supposedly better-fielding shortstop teammate, and I got my licks in when Tejada went down in the playoffs. I mean, yeah, I slumped through June and July (who didn't?!), and hit .059 (!!) in the World Series, and I broke my foot, but that's no reason to take a guy's job away. Ok, it's a reason. But I objectively don't think it's a DEFINITIVE reason! I don't! Hi, I'm Wilmer Flores. And I'm your right-handed hitting first baseman, second baseman, third baseman and shortstop. That might make me Kevin Mitchell or it might make me Jay Bell. YOU DECIDE! [fimg=330]http://s.newsweek.com/sites/www.newsweek.com/files/2015/08/05/wilmer-flores.jpg[/fimg] [fimg=420]http://m.mlb.com/assets/images/9/0/8/140256908/cuts/Flores1280f_nwtvnb29_aqcs2sw5.jpg[/fimg]

The Hot corner has never been hotter. Met Catchers Ranked by Games at Third Alex Treviño: 43 John Stearns: 29 Jerry Grote: 18 Johnny Stephenson: 14 Clint Hurdle: 9 Mike Kinkade: 4 Jim Tatum: 3 Gary Carter: 2 Anthony Recker: 1 Not-Really-Catchers-Anymore Guys: Joe Torre: 87 Todd Zeile: 46

d'Onkey Kong d'Oubles d'Own.

Holy crap. Who would dare hit a ball in that direction?

I am your homegrown closer. Thanks to my bearded friend getting broke and my hairy friend getting banned, sadly, but that's the way it is. I got a slider that slides and fastball that's fast, and suddenly, a splitter that splits. And Familia and Parnell out of the picture. Folks think I have to redeem myself because of three blown saves in the World Series. That's mush is what it is. The Mets have a two-run lead, and Terry Collins decides to go with me for the ninth. Matt Harvey talks him out of it, and I end up coming in after all, but not until Harvey has left me a runner on second, no out, and one run home. YOU tell ME who blew that game. Bitter? Bitter is for lemons. And arugala. And certain blends of coffee. But me? As unfair as that tag is, I'm not bitter about it. If anything, I'm bitter about no more post-game hugs from Anthony Recker. That's going to be a hole in my life. What else is in store? It's hard to say. Things have unfolded in a such a surprising manner already. Maybe you know more than me. Enlighten me. Oh, Anthony...

That's a bold predicty. I figured Mr. Alderson has him penciled in as part of the puzzle longer-term.

And this short-lived swinging game show. 8JdeRwTAI1M Sorta Tattletales meets The Newlywed Game meets Boring.

I tend to think that, for some period of my childhood, "755" was "756." Did he have a homer lopped off somewhere along the line?

Longtime catcher, legendary sportscaster, and (I believe) the guy with the grace to say absolutely nothing as Vin Scully wordpainted the magical 1986 Game Six comeback. Joe Garagiola, ladies and gentlemen, saying goodbye at the ripe age of 90. [fimg=225]http://cache2.asset-cache.net/gc/138358588-pictured-nbc-sports-announcers-joe-garagiola-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=Z0zsWpN2ukUDXYqF4boPJfVlHExuxpeY%2FR2Hd0en75NzfjLgblXgLHHWETxhRtGG[/fimg]

Eighteen games. 7.72 ERA. Somebody's got to be a non-starter every year. It may be him. I could feel different if he shaves his beard. PROVE ME A FOOL, JOSH!

I went into camp last year in a good position to be the team's top lefty out of the pen. Then my arm blew up and I missed the whole year, and, well, that sucked. The team went on to spend most of the year with a mop up guy as their only lefty out of the pen, which possibly undermines the argument that I am necessary at all. That sucked TOO! And then, they went out this offseason and signed two lefty reliever big league vets, so I'm sort of marginalized professionally as well as philosophically and medically. Triple suck!! And now Gilmartin has established himself, and there's Dario and Below and Hutchingson and Smoker and Regnault hanging around. Seriously, WTF is Regnault? FORCES! ALIGNING! AGAINST ME! But I'm still me. I've got sliders that attack and double sixes on my back. You can knock me down, but I'm always gonna... slowly... get back up... again. See you soon. May or something, maybe. June? Definitely by July... if things unfold right. What's gonna happen then? I have my thoughts. What are your'n? [fimg=250]http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.2144735.1426033143!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_400/new-york-mets.jpg[/fimg] [fimg=434]http://www3.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Josh+Edgin+New+York+Mets+v+Washington+Nationals+Ica44Z_lTKXl.jpg[/fimg]

That's something like his career line. Interesting. Maybe he's the new Muffy. Ups and downs, but at the end of the day, the back of his baseball card says what he is.

d'Kong76 wrote: Benjamin Grimm wrote: Me neither, but there's no denying his celebrity. He's definitely been good at cultivating a particular image, and a lot of people have bought into it. Agreed, but for that was a large part of the yuck for me. I'm surprised he hasn't been Gretsky'd into the HOF already. But enough about him. How long before there's an expansion team in Cuba? I'm guessing it's a while. As popular as baseball is in Puerto Rico, MLB has only daytripped there. MLB doesn't want to place their franchises where the baseball fans are, but where the Monet is.

TransMonk wrote: Man, if I've got worries, it's about the bullpen. It seems like there have been a lot of blown leads this spring. I know it's not apples-to-apples with regular season situations, but still. I'm more interested in an offense that gives that boo-pen no margin for error.

And Buddy coughs it up by giving up two hits and then a three-run shot to shortstop Ezequiel Carrera. THANKS FOR COMING EVERYBODY!!

Mets take the lead on a ninth inning solo shot by daytripping floater (and floating daytripper) Patrick Biondi. Pat, a centerfielder, most recently went .277 / .333 / .356 // .689 for former Mets South Atlantic affiliate Savannah Sand Gnats. Everybody's Buddy on for the save.

Winnie's got some tough mixed interests working for both MLB (as an ambassador, going back to 2007, when he participated in the Ghana trip) and for the MLBPA (as a special assistant to Tony Clark).

Nice to see Bart get right. Particularly against a stacked Dunedin offense. But come on, you Mets. Hit some baseballs.