Edgy MD

I voted dislike. I dislike trades and I generally want to see a team succeed without resorting them. Choosing "dislike" instead of hate generally means I think this has a more-or-less good chance to break well, as trades go. I'd go up to neutral if I think the guy we dealt was a real turd.

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Edgy MD wrote: I didn't do that. You asked a question and I answered it. You didn't do ... what? Your last sentence in your prior post.

I didn't do that. You asked a question and I answered it.

batmagadanleadoff wrote: I can't believe this is even a debate. Fred said that payroll was trimmed "in part" because of "debt". Does anyone here think that Fred wasn't referring to Madoff debt? The Mets sold 49% of the team a few years ago to a select group of investors, including Bill Maher. Does anyone think that the proceeds from those sales wasn't used to pay back Madoff debt -- i.e., non Mets related debt? [fimg=200]http://www.visualphotos.com/photo/2x2691603/boy-raising-hand.jpg[/fimg] Considering it was immediately reported afterwards that the team turned around and used that money to close the team's loans with MLB and Bank of America, with the balance going into then-current operating costs, and that several of the shares were bought by the family themselves, either directly or by SNY, yes, I think that money was used to cover team debt. Jeff and Saul and SNY buying new shares of the team to cover team debt is an example of them putting money into the team — not taking money out. In other words, it's an example of what you so desperately want them to do more of. http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/sources-say-mets-reap-240m-on-12-minority-shares-1.3612447 http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304636404577292142248703420 http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/ny-mets-close-deal-sell-12-minority-shares-team-repaid-25m-loan-mlb-article-1.1047096

Yeah, I know. But I'm not being unreasonable any more than I'm gloating. It's like we're speaking different languages. He in no way suggested that he's taking money from the team to cover his personal debts. Concluding that he said this is what is unreasonable. And that, among any number of reasons from that article alone, is why this writer you support, despite your better sensibilities, is without credibility. How pointing out that one line, which is so obviously and flagrantly baseless, can lead to this much parsing, is beyond me. I'm glad I didn't bother with the rest of his article but I wish I hadn't bothered responding at all.

It's probably best to not measure a team's offense against all of MLB, but only against the 15 teams in their league, as the DH advantage that the American League teams has leaves you, if not exactly comparing apples to oranges, perhaps comparing tangerines to clementines.

No, I read Fred's words as "The team had a ton of debt, and was losing money from over-investing before the crisis hit. We had to get the organization caught up on those payments, and retiring some of the more pressing loans, while trying to get the organization back into a break-even point."

Centerfield wrote: A statement that I believe was intended to be misleading. It certainly might be. I nonetheless don't see what you could be characterizing as "So Wilpon was saying that because he has all this personal debt... ." He's saying the opposite, whether it's true or not.

He actually says he has no personal debt.

Oh, I thought there was some Mets transaction I had missed. How kind of you to refer to Frenchy as the sort of player real teams sign. I'd be flattered if I were him.

What other guy?

But that's not what he said. He said: “I think there is a balance there. It wasn’t, as people have written, the reason. There was a balance there because we had to make sure that the banks got paid off all of the debt." Thank you. I assure you that you don't have to keep bolding things for me. I could read it 100 times. "... [T]he banks got paid off all of the debt" does not, by definition, equal "I've used/I'm using Mets revenues to cover my personal debt." It would be astounding for him to admit such a thing. It would put his head in a noose. But we're in tortured reading territory here. it's just one absurd thing in his absurd article. Why are you willing to torture it to convince yourself it's credible? You follow his mania, that everything said against Wilpon, no matter the basis, must be true, because Wilpon, you'll find that you're sailing with Ahab.

You really think there's a single admission in there that he has withdrawn money from the Mets organization to pay off personal debt?

Centerfield wrote: Edgy MD wrote: What's to clarify? He has an agenda and he pretends his opinions are facts that he's uncovered when they aren't. I'm embarrassed. It's middle school garbage. And he's winning. For all the wrong reasons. We've been down this road enough. It usually goes bad around here. What specifically do you think he's trying to pass off as fact that is not true? I don't have time to tear down, blow-by-blow, his opinion-stated-as-fact act. You've said as much, yourself. I'll just go with, "Fred Wilpon, in what was his most recent press conference back in February 2013, happily acknowledged having diverted revenue toward both corporate and family debt." The article he links to says nothing of the sort. Even under the most tortured reading, it's just not there. You have to be religiously committed to that conclusion to glean it from that article. Howard never even asserted this until recent months, so it's absurd that he's now claiming we've all had the smoking gun since February 2013. But now he's asserted it so much that he simply believes it has been established through repetition to be true. It may well BE true that the Wilpon family is withdrawing money from the organization to pay for personal debts, but he certainly hasn't established anything like this with the facts he's assembled, and that article sure isn't any proof. But now it's all over the internet, being asserted as a matter of fact. That's just one of the many facts he casually fudges. If that's what people want, it's what they want. I think it's embarrassing to see reposted here.

What's to clarify? He has an agenda and he pretends his opinions are facts that he's uncovered when they aren't. I'm embarrassed. It's middle school garbage. And he's winning. For all the wrong reasons. We've been down this road enough. It usually goes bad around here.

I don't want to complain about Megdal. I'm responding to what was written. With regard to payroll and market position, I haven't asserted otherwise. Also a fact!

Well, he's first string. He bumps the others down to insurance.

Again, it's not that he's redundant. It's that he's a fake journalist playing at professionalism. That he has had the Mets owners in his crosshairs has no bearing on that one way or another. It's given him a brand that has elevated his profile in a way that his professional skills could not. It is what it is. It's 2015, and the world has made it clear that they'd rather read a fake journalist that confirms their opinions than a real one that deals responsibly in facts. But I sure wish Mets fans didn't.

Rockin' Doc wrote: He would have been the Mets best hitter (not named Cespedes) last season. I'm Curtis Granderson. Damn glad to meet you.

A small pile of foreign free agent teenagers signed last month, flying under the radar. TransactionSigned To A Minor League Contract 11/13Signed To A Minor League Contract 11/10Signed To A Minor League Contract 11/10Signed To A Minor League Contract 11/16Signed To A Minor League Contract 11/10Position Group=#FF8000]Pitcher=#FF8000]Pitcher=#FF8000]Pitcher=#FF8000]Pitcher=#FF8000]Pitcher[fimg=90]http://www.milb.com/images/silhouette/180x270.jpg[/fimg][fimg=90]http://www.milb.com/images/silhouette/180x270.jpg[/fimg][fimg=90]http://www.milb.com/images/silhouette/180x270.jpg[/fimg][fimg=90]http://www.milb.com/images/silhouette/180x270.jpg[/fimg][fimg=90]http://www.milb.com/images/silhouette/180x270.jpg[/fimg]NameAngel ChalasGuillermo GrenadilloVictor IzturizChristopher MaderaEulises SanchezDoB7/6/962/12/973/8/9710/1/963/7/97HometownSan Cristobal, Dominican RepublicValencia, VenezuelaGuatire, VenezuelaLa Vega, Dominican RepublicBonao, Dominican RepublicTransactionSigned To A Minor League Contract 11/10Signed To A Minor League Contract 11/10Signed To A Minor League Contract 11/10Signed To A Minor League Contract 11/10Position Group=#FF8000]Pitcher=#FF8000] Catcher=#8000FF] Infielder=#0000FF] Outfielder[fimg=90]http://www.milb.com/images/silhouette/180x270.jpg[/fimg][fimg=90]https://metsinpeace.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/jorge-martinez.jpg[/fimg][fimg=90]http://www.milb.com/images/silhouette/180x270.jpg[/fimg][fimg=90]http://www.milb.com/images/silhouette/180x270.jpg[/fimg]NameJaison VileraJorge MartinezDavid LozanoJeison RodriguezDoB6/19/977/23/965/11/981/27/98HometownCaracas, VenezuelaBaranquillo, ColumbiaSan Pelayo, ColumbiaSan Cristobal, Dominican Republic Martinez is listed as a pitcher on the Mets' transaction page, but appears to be a catcher according to other accounts, his picture above, and the interview from October below in his hometown paper. Forgive my clumsy translation. "I Dream of Becoming a Major Leaguer and Giving a House to My Mom": Jorge Martínez On Sunday, a 19-year Barranquillero baseball player arrived at the New York farm team in the Dominican Republic. Dreams are slowly becoming a reality. Jorge Martinez already has one foot on first base: He has signed with a major league team. The Barranquilla catcher, 19, signed with the New York Mets, the same organization Cartagena's Dilson Herrera plays for. First, Jorge, born in Barrio Abajo, will head to the Dominican Republic to break in with the New York farm team. How did you get that opportunity to sign with the Mets? Thanks to scout Harold Herrera of Colombia. He told me they were going to open a some roster space around this time, because players leave. Then they held a tryout, liked my game, and I was offered a contract. How are you enjoying this great opportunity to fulfill a life-long dream? I'm happy! It is an opportunity for which I have always struggled. Thank God it has happened and I aspire to work hard to get to the big leagues. What do you think of Dilson Herrera's performance with the Mets? He is still very young. I think he will have his chance to stay on the main roster and I think he's had enough experience in the minors. Baseball runs through the veins ... (Laughs) That's right. My grandfather is Teofilo Gutierrez. He played. My mom played some softball and played for the Atlantic Team for nine years. I had to continue the dynasty. Even my sister (Laura Sofia, 9 years) is playing. Why did you choose to catching? I played catcher and third base until I was 15 years, when I began to reach the size I am now. I just feel good there. And what about your hitting? That's my main weapon. I won eight championships when I represented Atlantic in the National U-18. I was also the tournament's most valuable player. Have you been to the Dominican Republic yet? I lived there for nine months when I was training. But at that time, even though I had offers, my agent at the time and I did not accept any. What is Jorge Martinez like away from the field? Quiet, domesticated... . I don't go out much, because I'm focused my getting to the big leagues. My goal is to reach by the time I'm 25. Why 25? It's the average, normally. For prospects, it's difficult to climb fast. You have to gain a lot of experience. The truth is that you always hope that God has planned something. And when you get there? I hope so, with God's help. Well ... the house for my mom. We don't have won. We rent from somebody else. Sleep with him a house. Do you have favorite for the World Series? That's tough. Toronto has good hitting. The Mets are obvious with their pitching. Well, all I know is that the winner will be the National League.

That NBC story is just piggybacking on Megdal.

I concur that folks saying platoon should probably be saying complement.

We haven't taken the official temperature on deals this offseason. We ought. [fimg=500:1g5qbadq]http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/5/files/2013/11/7574366.jpg[/fimg:1g5qbadq]

We haven't taken the official temperature on deals this offseason. We ought. [fimg=350:zi3dga14]http://isportsweb.com/wp-content/uploads//2015/02/neil-walker.jpg[/fimg:zi3dga14] [fimg=350:zi3dga14]https://metsmlb.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/jon-niese-1-slice3.jpg[/fimg:zi3dga14]

We haven't taken the official temperature on deals this offseason. We ought. [fimg=500:7o6o3ngf]https://thenypost.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/bart.jpg?quality=100&strip=all&w=664&h=441&crop=1[/fimg:7o6o3ngf]