Edgy MD

"LaTroy Hawkins? That guy's old."

Could they have said that any more?

Is it better to roll over a little for a talented rookie, to get his confidence in gear? Or do you do like Ceetar, and hand his head to him like Tom Gavine 1988, and force him to find and make the adjustments he'll need to succeed?

This movie is probably on every other night on the All-13-Year-Old Boys Channel.

How much money did you have riding?

Oh, sure, that's why I qualify with "seemingly." Santana and Gee and Pelfrey don't all go down, maybe the season isn't lost. Maybe Harvey gets held back. Maybe Dickulous doesn't get traded.

i'm one hour and one second into this reel of shite, and I'd prefer a repeat viewing of Tuff Turf.

Pretty staggering to think that, had the seemingly trade-averse Alderson not made those two big deals he did, the Mets would (or so it seems) have been shut out of the top 100.

Ed Hearn loves ol' Jackson. He oughta. He went .312 / .363 / .492 // .855 for the Jackson Mets in 1984.

Are there any more active contracts that George Steinbrenner had a hand in? I guess A-Rod's deal is on Hank, right?

Interesting that he's retiring. He's had one lousy season after another forever, distinguishable only by its degree of lousiness, but there was always a contract waiting for him the next year. Funny that the NL East largesse for him has run out now. His 2012 was actually a good year, by Schneiderian standards.

And maybe a textbook case of players who don't end up in Bobby Valentine's doghouse by accident.

Shoppach moving on leaves a void in the Top Beard department on the Mets for 2013. Collin Cowgill, Dillon Gee... maybe Anthony Recker or somebody, the team needs you to step up. Anybody see Ike Davis recently? Four free agents remain. I tend to think Hampson will return on a minor league deal. CatchersSigned Away By Seattle =#0000FF]6 Kelly Shoppach DoB: 4/29/1984 Your Projected Opening Day 2013 Mets (Orange Indicates Players Have Options) Starting Pitchers =#0000FF]35 =#FF8000]Dillon Gee DoB: 4/28/1986 =#0000FF]33 =#FF8000]Matt Harvey DoB: 3/27/1989 =#FF8000]18 =#0000FF]Shaun Marcum DoB: 12/14/1981 =#0000FF]49 Jonathon Niese DoB: 10/27/1986 =#0000FF]57 Johan Santana DoB: 3/13/1979Relief Pitchers =#FF8000]40 =#0000FF]Greg Burke DoB: 9/21/1982 =#0000FF]73 =#FF8000]Robert Carson DoB: 1/23/1989 =#0000FF]66 =#FF8000]Josh Edgin DoB: 12/17/1986 =#0000FF]48 Frank Francisco DoB: 9/11/1979 =#0000FF]32 =#FF8000]Jenrry Mejia DoB: 10/11/1989Relief Pitchers Catchers Infielders =#0000FF]39 Bobby Parnell DoB: 9/8/1984 =#0000FF]62 Elvin Ramirez DoB: 10/10/1987 =#FF8000]34 =#0000FF]John Buck DoB: 7/7/1980 =#FF8000]20 =#0000FF]Anthony Recker DoB: 2/13/1983 =#0000FF]29 =#FF8000]Ike Davis DoB: 3/22/1987Infielders =#FF8000]18 =#0000FF]Brandon Hicks DoB: 9/14/1985 =#0000FF]28 Daniel Murphy DoB: 4/1/1985 =#0000FF]11 Ruben Tejada DoB: 10/27/1989 =#0000FF]2 Justin Turner DoB: 11/23/1984 =#0000FF]5 David Wright DoB: 12/20/1982Outfielders =#0000FF]23 =#FF8000]Mike Baxter DoB: 12/7/1984 =#FF8000]12 =#FF8000]Collin Cowgil DoB: 5/22/1986 =#0000FF]21 =#FF8000]Lucas Duda DoB: 2/3/1986 =#0000FF]9 =#FF8000]Kirk Nieuwenhuis DoB: 8/7/1987 =#0000FF]1 =#FF8000]Jordany Valdespin DoB: 12/23/1987 Also on 40-Man Roster Starting Pitchers =#0000FF]27 =#FF8000]Jeurys Familia DoB: 10/10/1989 =#FF8000]76 =#FF8000]Gonzalez Germen DoB: 9/23/1987 =#FF8000]20 =#FF8000]Darin Gorski DoB: 10/6/1987 =#0000FF]53 =#FF8000]Jeremy Hefner DoB: 3/11/1981 =#0000FF]36 =#FF8000]Collin McHugh DoB: 6/19/1987Starting Pitchers Catchers Infielders =#FF8000]72 =#FF8000]Hansel Robles DoB: 8/13/1990 =#FF8000]45 =#FF8000]Zack Wheeler DoB: 5/30/1990 =#FF8000]16 =#FF8000]Travis d'Arnaud DoB: 2/10/1989 =#0000FF]71 =#FF8000]Wilmer Flores DoB: 8/6/1991 =#0000FF]74 =#FF8000]Reese Havens DoB: 10/20/1986InfieldersOutfielders =#0000FF]65 =#FF8000]Zach Lutz DoB: 6/3/1986 =#FF8000]79 =#FF8000]Wilfredo Tovar DoB: 8/11/1991 =#0000FF]76 =#FF8000]Juan Lagares DoB: 3/17/1989 =#0000FF]67 =#FF8000]Cesar Puello DoB: 4/1/1991 Also in Camp Starting PitchersRelief Pitchers =#FF8000]32 =#0000FF]Aaron Laffey DoB: 4/15/1985 =#FF8000]44 =#FF8000]Cory Mazzoni DoB: 10/19/1989 =#FF8000]61 =#FF8000]Rafael Montero DoB: 10/17/1990 =#FF8000]58 =#0000FF]Scott Atchison DoB: 3/29/1976 =#0000FF]40 Tim Byrdak DoB: 10/37/1978Relief Pitchers Catchers =#FF8000]25 =#0000FF]Pedro Feliciano DoB: 8/25/1976 =#FF8000]67 =#FF8000]Scott Rice DoB: 9/21/1981 =#FF8000]59 =#0000FF]Carlos Torres DoB: 10/22/1982 =#FF8000]63 =#FF8000]Juan Centeno DoB: 11/16/1989 =#FF8000]38 =#0000FF]Landon Powell DoB: 3/19/1982Infielders Outfielders =#FF8000]10 =#0000FF]Brian Bixler DoB: 10/22/1982 =#FF8000]6 =#0000FF]Omar Quintanilla DoB: 10/24/1981 =#FF8000]3 =#FF8000]Josh Rodriguez DoB: 12/18/1984 =#FF8000]3 =#FF8000]Josh Satin DoB: 12/23/1984 =#FF8000]13 =#FF8000]Andrew Brown DoB: 9/10/1984Outfielders =#FF8000]22 =#FF8000]Matt den Dekker DoB: 8/10/1987 =#FF8000]55 =#FF8000]Jamie Hoffman DoB:8/20/1984 Free Agents Starting PitchersRelief Pitchers =#0000FF]55 Chris Young DoB: 5/25/1979 =#0000FF]45 =#FF8000]Justin Hampson DoB: 1/23/1989 =#0000FF]52 Ram�n Ram�rez DoB:8/31/1981 =#0000FF]60 John Rauch DoB:9/27/1978 Coaching Staff ManagerBench CoachBatting CoachPitching CoachThird Base CoachFirst Base Coach =#0000FF]10 Terry Collins DoB: 5/27/1949 =#0000FF]7 Bob Geren DoB: 9/22/1959 =#0000FF]51 Dave Hudgens DoB: 12/5/1956 =#0000FF]59 Dan Warthan DoB: 12/1/1952 =#0000FF]18 Tim Teufel DoB: 7/7/1958 =#0000FF]26 Tom Goodwin DoB: 8/27/1968 Bullpen Coach Bullpen CatcherBatting Practice Pitcher Head Trainer Assistant Trainer Mascot =#0000FF]52 Ricky Bones DoB: 4/7/1969 =#0000FF]79 Dave Racaniello DoB: 10/15/1981 =#0000FF]78 Eric Langill DoB: 4/9/1979 =#BF8080].=#0000FF] Ray Ramirez =#BF8080]. =#BF8080].=#0000FF] Brian Chicklo =#BF8080]. =#BF8080].=#0000FF] Mr. Met =#BF8080].

Seemed to have a pretty beard-shaped face under his beard. Amazin' how unimpressed they seemed with him once they got him. You'd figure a late-season waiver trade like that, they'd want to take a good, long look at you. After a week, it was like "eh."

That does seem to make sense, but I I'm not sure it actually works that way. You could actually argue just the opposite: that guys who get hit by the pitch a lot last longer than average. The players with 25 or more HBPs in at least one season post-1900 are Ron Hunt, Don Baylor, Craig Biggio, Jason Kendall, Steve Evans (in 1910), Craig Wilson, Fernando Vina, David Eckstein, Chase Utley, Kid Elberfeld, Andres Galarraga, and F. P. Santangelo. Galarraga and Utley were (are) notoriously injury-prone, Evans and Wilson were done at 30, and Santangelo was a utility player who didn't have very many full seasons. But all in all, that's a pretty long-lived group. Make no mistake, Ron Hunt was hurt and likely bruised throughout his career. Listen, if there's not much else keeping you in a big league lineup and big league money (Hunt, Vina, Santagelo, Eckstein), if you're a borderline starter just one slump from being replaced, then I guess using your body as a bat is an option you can explain to your wife and accountant as justifiable. For sluggers, though, the desire to find one more edge in your game may be admirable, but is probably counterproductive. Congratulations to Baylor for beating the odds, but I still wouldn't recommend it.

Not for nothing, but his career may at some level speak to the wisdom of using the hit-by-pitch as an offensive weapon. Obviously most of his injuries can't be directly tied to taking one for the team, but Johnson took one 104 times as a minor leaguer. That's once every 5.67 games (ouch). In 1999 alone, his hide absorbed 37 baseballs in 132 Norwich Navigator games. That's a plunk every 3.57 games. YAH!! As a major leaguer, with more consistent pitching control, Johnson curtailed his masochistic hobby to once every 11.24 games, but these things have a way of adding up.

Here's a good tweetle. Mike Axisa ?@mikeaxisa Nick Johnson drew more walks in 2010 than Ichiro did in 2012. Johnson played in 24 games in 2010. Itchy, of course, played in 162 games 2012.

This will somehow be almost exclusively a baseball story.

Mike Puma ?@NYPost_Mets wrote: Bobby Valentine is a candidate to become the new athletic director at Sacred Heart University, according to Bill Paxton of the CT Post. Homey certainly does not fear being over-extended.

Those handgrenades I bought were medically necessary. See you in court, Bub.

A-Rod has retained counsel, and denies evahthing. I like the Jeter scenario. Point to ponder: what a miserable day it'd be if Gio had won the Cy Young award.

Or the wording was the way it was because the law of unintended consequences. Nobody forsaw this. And the Mets didn't object earlier because it didn't occur to them to. Stupidity is common. Happens to me all the time.

Jay Horwitz wins bet, tweets a picture of Jeff Wilpon's check to him with account numbers showing. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/mets-pr-man-twitter-wager-pays-forde-article-1.1249680

Not sure why this guy was non-tendered after such a good season, or why he only got a minor-league dealio, but I'm glad it was with us, I guess. Maybe Bobby can clear some things up in his first broadcast. Always nice to have a 50-year-old-lookin' guy in camp. Isn't Atchison the guy who hit that half-court shot the other day and got tackled by LeBron? Relief PitchersSigned To Minor League Contract And Invited To Spring Training =#FF8000]58 =#0000FF]Scott Atchison DoB: 3/29/1976 Your Projected Opening Day 2013 Mets (Orange Indicates Players Have Options) Starting Pitchers =#0000FF]35 =#FF8000]Dillon Gee DoB: 4/28/1986 =#0000FF]33 =#FF8000]Matt Harvey DoB: 3/27/1989 =#FF8000]18 =#0000FF]Shaun Marcum DoB: 12/14/1981 =#0000FF]49 Jonathon Niese DoB: 10/27/1986 =#0000FF]57 Johan Santana DoB: 3/13/1979Relief Pitchers =#FF8000]40 =#0000FF]Greg Burke DoB: 9/21/1982 =#0000FF]73 =#FF8000]Robert Carson DoB: 1/23/1989 =#0000FF]66 =#FF8000]Josh Edgin DoB: 12/17/1986 =#0000FF]48 Frank Francisco DoB: 9/11/1979 =#0000FF]32 =#FF8000]Jenrry Mejia DoB: 10/11/1989Relief Pitchers Catchers Infielders =#0000FF]39 Bobby Parnell DoB: 9/8/1984 =#0000FF]62 Elvin Ramirez DoB: 10/10/1987 =#FF8000]34 =#0000FF]John Buck DoB: 7/7/1980 =#FF8000]20 =#0000FF]Anthony Recker DoB: 2/13/1983 =#0000FF]29 =#FF8000]Ike Davis DoB: 3/22/1987Infielders =#FF8000]18 =#0000FF]Brandon Hicks DoB: 9/14/1985 =#0000FF]28 Daniel Murphy DoB: 4/1/1985 =#0000FF]11 Ruben Tejada DoB: 10/27/1989 =#0000FF]2 Justin Turner DoB: 11/23/1984 =#0000FF]5 David Wright DoB: 12/20/1982Outfielders =#0000FF]23 =#FF8000]Mike Baxter DoB: 12/7/1984 =#FF8000]12 =#FF8000]Collin Cowgil DoB: 5/22/1986 =#0000FF]21 =#FF8000]Lucas Duda DoB: 2/3/1986 =#0000FF]9 =#FF8000]Kirk Nieuwenhuis DoB: 8/7/1987 =#0000FF]1 =#FF8000]Jordany Valdespin DoB: 12/23/1987 Also on 40-Man Roster Starting Pitchers =#0000FF]27 =#FF8000]Jeurys Familia DoB: 10/10/1989 =#FF8000]76 =#FF8000]Gonzalez Germen DoB: 9/23/1987 =#FF8000]20 =#FF8000]Darin Gorski DoB: 10/6/1987 =#0000FF]53 =#FF8000]Jeremy Hefner DoB: 3/11/1981 =#0000FF]36 =#FF8000]Collin McHugh DoB: 6/19/1987Starting Pitchers Catchers Infielders =#FF8000]72 =#FF8000]Hansel Robles DoB: 8/13/1990 =#FF8000]45 =#FF8000]Zack Wheeler DoB: 5/30/1990 =#FF8000]16 =#FF8000]Travis d'Arnaud DoB: 2/10/1989 =#0000FF]71 =#FF8000]Wilmer Flores DoB: 8/6/1991 =#0000FF]74 =#FF8000]Reese Havens DoB: 10/20/1986InfieldersOutfielders =#0000FF]65 =#FF8000]Zach Lutz DoB: 6/3/1986 =#FF8000]79 =#FF8000]Wilfredo Tovar DoB: 8/11/1991 =#0000FF]76 =#FF8000]Juan Lagares DoB: 3/17/1989 =#0000FF]67 =#FF8000]Cesar Puello DoB: 4/1/1991 Also in Camp Starting PitchersRelief Pitchers =#FF8000]32 =#0000FF]Aaron Laffey DoB: 4/15/1985 =#FF8000]44 =#FF8000]Cory Mazzoni DoB: 10/19/1989 =#FF8000]61 =#FF8000]Rafael Montero DoB: 10/17/1990 =#FF8000]58 =#0000FF]Scott Atchison DoB: 3/29/1976 =#0000FF]40 Tim Byrdak DoB: 10/37/1978Relief Pitchers Catchers =#FF8000]25 =#0000FF]Pedro Feliciano DoB: 8/25/1976 =#FF8000]67 =#FF8000]Scott Rice DoB: 9/21/1981 =#FF8000]59 =#0000FF]Carlos Torres DoB: 10/22/1982 =#FF8000]63 =#FF8000]Juan Centeno DoB: 11/16/1989 =#FF8000]38 =#0000FF]Landon Powell DoB: 3/19/1982Infielders Outfielders =#FF8000]10 =#0000FF]Brian Bixler DoB: 10/22/1982 =#FF8000]6 =#0000FF]Omar Quintanilla DoB: 10/24/1981 =#FF8000]3 =#FF8000]Josh Rodriguez DoB: 12/18/1984 =#FF8000]3 =#FF8000]Josh Satin DoB: 12/23/1984 =#FF8000]13 =#FF8000]Andrew Brown DoB: 9/10/1984Outfielders =#FF8000]22 =#FF8000]Matt den Dekker DoB: 8/10/1987 =#FF8000]55 =#FF8000]Jamie Hoffman DoB:8/20/1984 Free Agents Starting PitchersRelief PitchersCatchers =#0000FF]55 Chris Young DoB: 5/25/1979 =#0000FF]45 =#FF8000]Justin Hampson DoB: 1/23/1989 =#0000FF]52 Ram�n Ram�rez DoB:8/31/1981 =#0000FF]60 John Rauch DoB:9/27/1978 =#0000FF]6 Kelly Shoppach DoB: 4/29/1984 Coaching Staff ManagerBench CoachBatting CoachPitching CoachThird Base CoachFirst Base Coach =#0000FF]10 Terry Collins DoB: 5/27/1949 =#0000FF]7 Bob Geren DoB: 9/22/1959 =#0000FF]51 Dave Hudgens DoB: 12/5/1956 =#0000FF]59 Dan Warthan DoB: 12/1/1952 =#0000FF]18 Tim Teufel DoB: 7/7/1958 =#0000FF]26 Tom Goodwin DoB: 8/27/1968 Bullpen Coach Bullpen CatcherBatting Practice Pitcher Head Trainer Assistant Trainer Mascot =#0000FF]52 Ricky Bones DoB: 4/7/1969 =#0000FF]79 Dave Racaniello DoB: 10/15/1981 =#0000FF]78 Eric Langill DoB: 4/9/1979 =#BF8080].=#0000FF] Ray Ramirez =#BF8080]. =#BF8080].=#0000FF] Brian Chicklo =#BF8080]. =#BF8080].=#0000FF] Mr. Met =#BF8080].

Yeah, I certainly didn't let my redundancy of my pet issue keep me from cranking on it. Hats off to those who choose discretion. On the subject of Borneo. Hats of to Alderson for being cool in playing the waiting game. And if that means he occasionally walks away from the table without the bounty he wants, well then, it shows the world he's willing to do that, and sends a message to the guy across the table next time that he is willing to walk away. So if they want a deal, they better not think they can get him to roll over.