Edgy MD

If the Mets are at home, and therefore opening on defense, their appearance is in order of the defensive numbers. If they are on the road, and opening on the place, their appearance in the batting order should designate their debuts, until they take the field.

Probably not an issue.

OK, I'll say it. Stade Olympique has clearly become a disease-infested sewer.

"This far from being a bum." Always hits me. What is that strange grace it is that keeps one on the fortunate side of that line. Some combination of white privilege; unearned forgiveness from friends, employers, family members; and staying a half a step ahead of the bad habits. But God, it can come absolutely crashing down at any moment, and does for countless people, and Al is hanging right there and the edge of the slope with the skids greased.

New parents on a less complicated day: Victoria Murphy and hubby Daniel wearing his incandescent yarmulke.

Murphy's going to end up nicknaming that baby "Wally Pipp" if Young gets three or four hits. #accountability

G-Fafif wrote: Has anybody who's been here since the Aldersonians came in really improved as a hitter? That's a good question. It would have certainly been one that I might have tried to work into the article. If I'm Alderson, I'd guess the guys I'd point to in response are either guys no longer here (Hary, Byrdie), or guys who are still coming (Flores, Satin, Nimmo, etc.). Another question would be, considering the "we are watching" thing, why have minor leaguers who have seemingly embodied the philosiophy (I'm thinking of Satin and Dykstra, among others) nonetheless found their progress so stymied.

Lefty Specialist wrote: The primer comes, too, with fair warning � we are watching you and keeping tabs. We are counting the mindless hacks at pitches in the dirt, the swings that take you nearly out of your shoes as if you haven�t heard a word we�ve said. Fail to obey at the peril of your jobs. And yet, Ike Davis is still on this team...... I dunno. I think Ike is a big part of the story. The first baseman, Ike Davis, floundered so badly last year, he was sent back to Triple-A ball for reschooling. On his return, his on-base number soared to .429.

The Mets have always been a wish, something of the imagination in a way the pressed-suit Yankees never have been and never could be. Even the Mets� colors � purposefully blending Brooklyn Dodgers blue and New York Giants candy orange � are a vision of something gone, not attainable. The Yankees compile dynasties, the Mets wait and wait and every now and then deliver a miracle. He almost had a paragraph here.

So if things go south for the Nats defensively and/or LaRoche doesn't recover his stroke, it's perhaps a viable backup plan to return Espnosa to second, move Rendon to third, and bring Zimm across the Diamond to first where he don't have to throw so much.

Who, may I ask, is on first?

Clckbait?

I'll take the Marlins until somebody says stop.

If you throw a pitch, and it isn't batted, there's a good chance it's going to be caught before it hits the umpire in the stomach. And the man responsible for that service is Wilson Ramos, now in his fourth season as regular-ish catcher for the Nats. The problem is that "-ish" part, as his seasons don't tend to represent anything complete. The man is a survivor. An ACL tear, a pulled hammy, a second pulled hammy, and --- oh yeah --- an abduction/imprisonment/rescue by an assault team are pretty much the defining moments of his career. When he's fresh on the field, he puts up solid numbers, with an OPS north of .750. No real weaknesses to his game. No defining strengths either, at least not that has fully blossomed yet. He's got a catcher's name, a catcher's build, and ears that would make Jorge Posada proud. And if he does fully blossom, like Posada, he could could come into some middle-of-the-rotation power. He hits 'em in bunches when he's healthy. [fimg=250]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/42/Wilson_Ramos_2011.jpg/356px-Wilson_Ramos_2011.jpg[/fimg] [fimg=250]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/WilsonRamos.JPG/600px-WilsonRamos.JPG[/fimg] Backing up is Jose Lobaton, acquired from the Rays during a spring training trade (same ol' Nats, my ass). Lobaton, also Venezuealan, has a history of walkoff drama in his young career. Back in 2012, he got married at home plate at Tropicana field and then the team went out and beat the Yankees. I just think baseball weddings are the coolest thing. I think beating the Yankees is the second-coolest thing.

Edgy MD wrote: And who doesn't remember Herm Winningham 3's exploits for the Clone Expos of 1985, the team composed entirely of clones of Herm Winningham. Re-reading this thread, it took me a few beats to figure out what I meant when I wrote this post on August 29, then I remembered. Look at the creepy way everybody on the bench looks like the same player?

Last year's prove-you're-at-least-serious guy was Michael Bourn. They walked away, let him sign a two-three year deal at $13 million per, and they instead got pretty much most of what Bourn offers out of Eric Young in a trade that was almost a waiver claim. All this ink is spilled over and over, but it seems easy to see what's going on strategically: hold the line as much as possible on spending until they can build a good enough product to get in the black. They start being able to pay down organizational debts without cutting into the principle, then spending more aggressively will become more viable. It's not money lost on Madoff investments that's ever been the issue. It's the end of the lie of false income from those investments that they've always believed was covering reckless investments. They've got to spend honestly now and when they spend more, they'll have to spend that honestly too. It's refreshing in it's own stupid way. I'm just not sure how many other ways there is to honestly write it up. It's maddingly boring how folks have made this ongoing Waiting for Godot sequel out of it.

Centerfield wrote: Poor Joe Garagiola. For many years, I made fun of this guy for having nothing to say during those broadcasts. But now I realize that Joe had the sense enough to realize how gold Scully was by himself and anything he said would only take away from the masterpiece that is a Scully broadcast. I picture it as being the equivalent of being told "Hey CF, grab a roller and help Michelangelo paint that chapel. Come on, get a move on." I'd add to this, but I too know when to shut up.

Which "why" is your "because" in response to? Because I'm not following.

I like Murph and the Magictones a lot, but I like him a lot more batting sixth or seventh than second. Least until he commits to taking the occasional walk.

With this much value flying around (and yes, value due to people paying lots of $$ for their beisbol), it's amazing the independent leagues don't just say, "Fuck it" and start parking teams in these ridiculous exclusive territories MLB is declaring for themselves. When the St. Paul Saints outdrew the Twins one dark year, it should have been a rallying cry. Instead it's this quaint novelty. It in fact helped MLB soak municipalities for more free ballpark money.

I like the idea of ex-jockos on a rotation, slipping into and out of both the radio and TV booths from time to time.

metsguyinmichigan wrote: Overspending to make a point is how we get stuck with crappy players. And crippling budget shortfalls. Sing it to the rafters.

You, know, as fond as we may be of Parker's contribution in 1973, I think we're blinding ourselves here. Filling out the WARcard, we're totally over-looking the strong 1973 that Bibby himself put up once the Cards passed him on to Texas. He might have been a useful part to have around through that storied season, not just down the magical stretch. Who knows? It might have been him instead of George Stone that Berra refused to use in game six. Anyhow, it looks hard to argue that the Mets don't get slammed --- as they do on so many of their 1970s trades --- start to finish. ToCardsAndBeyond=#0000FF]To=#0000FF]Mets=#0000FF]And=#0000FF]BeyondYearShamskyFolkersBibbyHudsonTotalYearBeauchampParkerTaylorCoulterTotal1972-0.20.10.2-0.2-0.11972-0.20.0-0.219730.93.30.14.31973-0.11.10.61.619741.50.31.819741.03.44.419751.01.3-0.22.119750.00.60.61976-0.83.02.21976-0.10.10.01977-0.42.52.119770.30.319780.80.819780.019793.13.119790.0 19803.73.719800.019812.92.919810.019820.019820.01983-1.8-1.819830.019840.10.119840.0Total-0.22.319.4-0.321.2Total-0.32.34.70.06.7

Oh, boop.

Bobby's WHIP going to Hell here, but he can still get out of this.