Edgy MD

Maybe, but an infield depth chart where the only backups are Tejada and the starting right fielder isn't very practicable. It leaves you with one guy backing up both second and short and nobody else. Cuddyer's versatility — an outfielder who can play infield — is a great asset, but I wouldn't want to build the roster around it. I mean, they had Eric Young the last two years, but they still carried two infield backups who were infielders first and foremost.

My problem with the Rubin-Kay beef is that Francessa comes out the winner.

That's a rare Butterball win for me.

You know... I'm saying YES!

I'm trying to mentally put mustache on him and convince myself it's Mark Bomback. But that's not working.

Adam Rubin and Michael Kay, rolling around under the bus they're trying to throw each other under.

Well, THEN, here they got ahead of that, and said, "Well, we have to play Tejada every now and then anyhow, so we're thinking of maybe gearing his starts toward coinciding with Niese's." And then everybody knows where they stand, and if Tejada starts the fifth game of the season, there's no reason for Flores to say, "What's the matter? Don't they love me anymore? Look, I'm TRYING, OK?! I HATE YOU, TERRY! I HATE EVERYBODY!!!"

How exactly would playing four games in five damage a player's confidence and/or growth? It's awesome. It's pretty much what most shortstops do.

Maybe if you named some names and how they are supposed to be gotten, that would help. Gorzelanny? Because he's the only lefty with 20 innings or more (he had 21) who had a lower ERA than Edgin (27 1/3 innings).

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: NY TimesTim Rohan1 (Since 2014)Looks like Bob Seger [fimg=350]https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/476086391734956032/FJIrgUOD.jpeg[/fimg] In a just world, I'd be the one they called "Mike Puma."

That's what this thread was made for.

I realize he's J-Bone and he's made of teflon, but it's hard not to think of him as at least a little bit vulnerable here. Two private planes are out of commission? Who are you, Thurman Munson? How about pulling out a credit card and flying on a safe regulated commercial airliner like a human being? I realize he confiscates cameras and phones, but if Jeter wasn't fretting on the tarmac but was actually partying with strippers and forcing them all to eat cinnamon, it's only going take one non-compliant outlier with a timestamp on his photo to put him in a very tangible position.

You weren't looking for anything from him last season, were you? Well, you were WRONG! After kicking Las Vegas' ass to the tune of 33.1 innings over 30 games with a 2.16 ERA, he got a call from the boys in the big city. You know what he did for them? You oughta! He threw 31 more innings over 27 games, posting a 1.45 ERA. That's a bigger workload in terms outs/appearances than your standard ROOGy, isn't it? It is! The dude whiffed 28 and walked only five. And we're lucky enough to get him back on a minor-league deal? Whose lamp did we rub to get that wish to come true? I hate that shot. It looks so... Anthony Wiener. Anyhow, how do you think Carlyle will do in 2015? Come to think of it, how do you think Weiner will do?

Gotta have two infield backups. Just gotta. This ain't the American League. You can kid yourself that Cuddyer is your second infield backup, but it still leaves one guy to back up second and short. That would be un-Met-like and un-National League-like.

Well, it's not like carrying Campbell will mean there won't be anyone who can play adequate middle infield defense. There'll be two infield backups, and unless something modestly dramatic happens, one of them will be Tejada.

You don't think he'll make the team? That's some bold forecasting. Who breaks camp with his job?

Which book are we speaking of?

Part way through last season Eric replaced Josh Satin who replaced as Justin Turner in that key role: the infield reserve that's more bat than glove the infield reserve that's more corner guy than second baseman the infield reserve that's more white than pigmented the infield reserve that, if he's playing shortstop, you're probably not having a good day the infield reserve that's also your emergency catcher, because little thought goes into whether he busts up his body practicing blocking curves in the dirt, because he's expendable. And that's what he is — the expendable guy. And his job is to keep hitting and keep from being expended as long as possible. And maybe he can hang in there a little while. I mean, look at this sweet hip rotation. [fimg=450]http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Eric+Campbell+Los+Angeles+Dodgers+v+New+York+0tpS_MlEeZml.jpg[/fimg] Plus, he gives good beard. So what do you see Eric Campbell providing in 2015? How long will he be able Matt Reynolds and Rylan Sandoval at bay, before he too gets a taste from the DFA banquet, gets claimed off waivers by Los Angeles, and forever joins his fellow sons of Joe McEwing, grandsons of Bob Bailor?

In a blunder the like of which hasn't been seen since Neil Allen forgot Keith Hernandez's jersey number, I effed up in including Buddy Carlyle in this poll, even though he's a righty. I likely conflated him with his lefthanded fellow NRI superhero Dana Eveland, who has since left the fold.

The Michigan Sports HoF has a pretty prestigious membership. I notice that their site allows visitors to nominate say we raise their profile a little more by nominating a Michigan-born Met � say, Mike Marshall or perhaps... Terry Collins!

Well, I want Sandy Koufax, too, but the question is, who among those currently in the fold would you go with? It's just about the only part of the team that isn't more-or-less settled. That and whether Niuwenhuis or den Dekker is your fifth outfielder, but even that has Nieuwie as about an 80% likelihood.

He's right. That's why the 1986 Mets lost. They tried too many guys at shortstop. More seriously, Tejada (or someone like him) is going to play once a week even if everything goes great for Flores. They might as well be strategic about when that happens. When Niese is hurling? Sure.

He was the big name two years ago. And Harvey took the heat off of him. deGrom took it off him last year. It'd be a great thing if he took the heat off the two of them this year.

I like Wheeler as the most interesting guy in the rotation, if only because they won't be watching the innings like they will for Harvey and deGrom, so he'll be off the leash. Hopefully his control will be on the leash. Plus, the team has had three different astounding years in a row � A Cy Young, an All-Star starter, and a Rookie of the Year � from three different starting pitchers. Got to look to the next guy.

Branch Rickey: Baseball's Ferocious Gentleman includes interview material with Charles Hurth, Jr. Confirming that the GM sired a "Junior" definitely increases the likelihood that the buttbiter is from the line. M. Donald Grant, the stockbroker who had chief owner Joan Payson�s voting proxy, was becoming the power on the board of the directors of the Mets. When Rickey turned down any active involvement, Grant brought in George Weiss, the Yankees general manager who had been summarily fired (along with manager Casey Stengel) after the Yankees lost the 1960 World Series to the Pirates. Charles Hurth was still the nominal general manager, but it was oil and water between Weiss and Hurth. The Mets seized on the opportunity to win disgruntled Yankees fans over the National League side by hiring Stengel to manage the new team. Hurth was not privy to these moves or to Weiss�s decision to win over Brooklyn fans by signing aging first baseman Gil Hodges. Hurth believed in building a team with younger players and younger leaders. He resigned and moved to Colorado.