Edgy MD

Nice. There's something gratifying about picking up a book with the review-copy materials still tucked into it. That's an orphan book that has never had a home.

Yeah, if you want him managing the team, or part of the braintrust at all, this could only be a good thing. Better even than the Feliciano thing.

Sorry, I didn't mean to be overly cute. He wonders why the Mets would be interested in signing the player, so I noted their perspective in particular.

G-Fafif wrote: Heartwarming story of yet another fringe signing. Landon Powell converted from shortstop to catcher as a 9-year-old while playing for the Mitchell's Hair Styling-sponsored team in the Tar Heel League in Raleigh, N.C., because no one else could handle the zip on Josh Hamilton's pitches. He stuck with that position change because his father Ron, an Atlantic Coast Conference umpire and now soon-to-be inductee into the North Carolina American Legion Baseball Hall of Fame, believed catching would prove the optimal route to a professional baseball career. Sure enough, Powell became the 24th overall pick in the 2004 draft -- one of three first-round picks on that Mitchell's Hair Styling team, along with Hamilton and Paul Wilder, the first-ever selection of the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Now, after two surgeries to repair the ACL in his left knee and another to clean out cartilage, a scary ordeal during which he experienced the early stages of liver failure and may ultimately require a transplant, and career highlights such as catching Dallas Braden's perfect game, the 30-year-old Powell is the New York Mets' newest catcher. He signed a minor league deal last week, reuniting with bench coach Bob Geren, his manager for three seasons with the Oakland Athletics. The Mets promised Powell a chance to compete with Anthony Recker for the backup catcher's job behind John Buck -- at least until highly regarded prospect Travis d'Arnaud is deemed ready for the majors and Buck recedes to the backup role. Powell faces a challenge to make the Opening Day roster, since each of the other three catchers -- unlike him -- is on the 40-man roster. Powell may very well end up mentoring d'Arnaud at Triple-A Las Vegas in April. He has confronted greater obstacles. "I spoke to him the other day. He's feeling great," Geren says. "He's a tough guy. He's gone through a lot. It makes you mentally tough, too." Haven't even met Powell yet and already know too much. Apparently, he wasn't the only one with a liver condition in the family, and very sad reports are coming out that he's just lost a baby daughter.

Richard Justice of MLB.com wrote: The New York Mets have no interest in signing free-agent outfielder Michael Bourn if it means surrendering their top 2013 Draft pick, the 11th overall. He doesn't cite a source and also wonders out loud why the Mets would be interested under any circumstances. (Answer: he's an outfielder and the Mets believe they are weak in the outfield.) http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130125&content_id=41170334&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb

Yeah, I'm a real bisexual turd.

So this guy rips both Casey and Hodges, both indispensable parts of the baseball of that era, and decries his lack of opportunity decades later, despite hitting .161 in the 50 games he did get into. (And, yeah, Hodges out OPS-ed him by 214 points in about the same amount of games.) He disrespects the fans, and hated the team's portrayal while acknowledging it's accuracy. And that's leaving out the predatory pervert part of his backstory. I mean, I guess his dog thought he was OK, but... tell me something good about this guy!

On Jos� Valent�n His veteran leadership, mustache, and consistent hitting played a big part in helping the Mets to the 2006 National League Eastern Division title. The 'stache was indispensable.

Marcum deal looking even better after finding out the Mets had been simultaneously sniffing around Carl Pavano, who just ruptured his spellen shoveling snow, according to the red-hot Ken Rosenthal.

John Rocker's downfall? I think my dream of a warm consensus being possible among Mets fans died when I heard folks chanting for Miguel Cairo to be inserted into the lineup.

This just murdered me. How long has Amazin' Avenue been doing this series.

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: In the same league as Ryne Sandburg and Mark Rypien as an athlete but only one of them was arrested for indently exposing themselves. Oh, that Eddie B. If I recall correctly, he ended up getting institutionalized for his actions. Different time. Can't say for sure whether it wasn't the right way to go.

G-Fafif wrote: Nice. Rest in peace, Ed. I hope the afterlife is more comforting than retirement seems to have been. Eddie helped Ben Grimm squeak by me on the road to a championship. http://archives.cranepoolforum.net/1900/f18_t1911.shtml Uh, ain't that Eddie Bressoud? Eddie B. vs. Eddie B. Clearly, I didn't know much.

Nice. Rest in peace, Ed. I hope the afterlife is more comforting than retirement seems to have been. Eddie helped Ben Grimm squeak by me on the road to a championship: http://archives.cranepoolforum.net/1900/f18_t1911.shtml

Nice white-guy hands on Harold Baines.

Brought to you by Katz's Deli.

I apologized by PM to BML for dropping the DB word on him. So I might as well apologize publicly. I allowed myself to be provoked by "But you can orgasm to 30 post threads that deify Charlie Cogwell and his wifey if that makes you happy." Clearly, I had shared information about my orgasms privately and meant for it to stay that way. But I apologize to him and y'all for escalating.

Or take a pass on a played-out attraction and do something original for a sideshow. Ice fishing or rhythm gymnastics. Give two kids remote controls to operate giant Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots You know what would be fun? A name-that-Met contest. Do they ever do that? Put a big ol' baseball card on the scoreboard and redact the name and position. Start with a Mets Hall of Famer, or an obvious contemporary figure and then get more and more obscure. Topps could sponsor it.

Point. I can't confirm. this.

The bench is disintegrating. Runnng off and signing for birdseed. Rauch? Shoppach? How ya doin'? InfieldersSigned Away By St. Louis =#0000FF]13 Ronny Cede�o DoB: 2/2/1983 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 =#0000FF]40 Tim Byrdak DoB: 10/37/1978 =#FF8000]25 =#0000FF]Pedro Feliciano DoB: 8/25/1976Relief Pitchers Catchers Infielders =#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: 3/19/1982 =#FF8000]10 =#0000FF]Brian Bixler DoB: 10/22/1982Infielders Outfielders =#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: 9/10/1984 =#FF8000]22 =#FF8000]Matt den Dekker DoB: 8/10/1987Outfielders =#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].

I just saw Time After Time. My wife saw the guy who played Jack the Ripper and said "That guy's evill!" And I said, "Well, yeah, he's..." "No, I mean he's Evil --- capital E! Slugs! HE created slugs! They can't hear. They can't speak. They can't operate machinery. Are we not in the hands of a lunatic?" I mean, it's hard to imagine Gilliam would make a Hobbit that would be consistent enough with the universe of the LotR film trilogy, and there's always the chance that the film could get away from Gilliam, as Gilliam films do. But he'd definitely be a guy who'd go for a project as ambitious in the imagination department as Jackson was in the technical department. And maybe Jackson producing, with that studio that Jackson built, with all his team members bringing their experience from LotR --- maybe all that would protect and/or save Gilliam from the over-reach that does him in, or whatever it is that too frequently does his films in.

Bourn v. Nimmo is pretty far from an either/or question.

Black dudes can't catch a break in the hustle department.

I love eschewing pitchers, but I don't think that's the way the world is going.

The hair on the lady behind him looks like it would have looked good had it been his. Ceets was pretty derisive of his efforts when he filled in for Tejada, during an injury, mostly because he wasn't Reyes. Indeed he wasn't. As bench players named Ronny who used to start for Pittsburgh, he was better than Ronny Paulino. His crown won't be official until Ronnie Belliard joins the Mets (after he joins the Pirates first), but I hope we can just assume that one and give him the cup.