Edgy MD

I think if you can make anything resembling a credible case, you always express disinterest in trading a guy right up to the time you trade him. It hurts the market to suggest otherwise and hurts the relationship with the player up until the time you find a deal, if you are able to find a deal. "We're always interest in a deal that can help the team, but we have the utmost respect for _________. Our only focus with regards to him is to get him where he needs to be by opening day.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: "He gives off a deer-in-the-headlights look,'' one A.L. scout said. I hear he's got an ugly girlfriend.

Ceetar wrote: Keith just told an interesting story about a low time early in his career when he went 0-4 and Seaver struck him out with the bases loaded on a wicked curveball and he ended up crying about it after the game. Seaver gets you on the curve, you should cry. Seaver hated to throw it and if he got you on it, he totally had you set up. Sucker.

I get the idea that they fully expect Torres and/or Hairston ready for opening day, and den Dekker isn't really there as a tryout, but just to fill the position during spring games so their pitchers have some protection for a few innings here and there. If it was a real tryout, they'd've brought back Nieuwenheis. But being as he's one step away, they'd rather him get regular time in minors camp than scraps in big league camp. So they brought back the guy who's two steps away instead.

I think, if it's worth sitting through otherwise unengaging mainstream entertainment options to get to a porn-ish element, why not just go for porn?

Kinda was hoping to see Bay or Valdespin in center today.

Since a few members seem to have seen this film despite the rental box screaming at me "Oh, God, do not see this film!" I thought I'd poll-aroid it. I'll add that every time a friend says to me, "We're like friends... with benefits," it comes out as "I'm like miserable... and self-loathing."

I hear you. I still want to get across my point of adults destroying themselves on those things, no matter where they are. Fun, fun, fun... crippling injury. But supervisors let a 260-pounder get on and mess around.

The incidence of crippling injuries related to backyard trampolines is such that someday folks are going to look back on our era and wonder why they weren't outlawed.

Somebody else start these suckers. I'm like 2-9 or some craziness.

Two more runs and we're starting to look a little pear-shaped.

Two-run homer by Uggla. BOOOOO!

You know what this outfield is missing? One more Lucas.

And, as the Scots say, 'e groonds oot. Mets have five walks on the day and we're half-way. Take that, Mike Minor. Michael the Baptist coming on for the Mets.

Two out rally has them tied at 4-4. Bases jammed for Tejada.

Minor had been untouched in 14 innings this spring before those two runs the Mets put up. Good stuff.

We have an old-time lumber battle going on. Mets have scored in each of the first two innings, with the Braves getting two in their half of the first, after leading off with back-to back triples --- which I suspect is the sort of thing that can happen if the Mets use that outfield alignment. 2-2.

Olson is an NRI. I should have noted that.

Nice boomarang action for Matt den Dekker. Looks To Open Season On Disabled List Added To Projected RosterReassigned To Minor League CampReturned From Minor League CampRelief Pitchers Infielders Outfielders =#0000FF]27 =#FF8000]Pedro Beato DoB: 10/27/1986 =#0000FF]38 Garrett Olson DoB: 10/18/1983 =#0000FF]6 Omar Quintanilla DoB: 10/24/1981 =#0000FF]68 =#FF8000]Matt den Dekker DoB: 8/10/1987 Your Projected 2012 Mets (Orange Indicates Players Have Options) Starting Pitchers =#0000FF]43 R.A. Dickey DoB: 10/29/1974 =#0000FF]35 =#FF8000]Dillon Gee DoB: 4/28/1986 =#0000FF]49 Jonathon Niese DoB: 10/27/1986 =#0000FF]34 Mike Pelfrey DoB: 1/14/1984 =#0000FF]57 Johan Santana DoB: 3/13/1979Relief Pitchers =#0000FF]46 Manny Acosta DoB: 5/1/1981 =#BF8000]. =#0000FF]48 Frank Francisco DoB: 9/11/1979 =#BF8000]. =#0000FF]19 Danny Herrera DoB: 10/21/1984 Not on Roster =#0000FF]38 Garrett Olson DoB: 10/18/1983 Not on Roster =#0000FF]39 Bobby Parnell DoB: 9/8/1984 =#BF8000].Relief Pitchers Catchers Infielders =#0000FF]52 Ram�n Ram�rez DoB:8/31/1981 =#0000FF]60 John Rauch DoB:9/27/1978 =#0000FF]4 =#FF8000]Mike Nickeas DoB: 2/13/1983 =#0000FF]30 Josh Thole DoB: 4/28/1986 =#0000FF]13 Ronny Cedeno DoB: 2/2/1983Infielders =#0000FF]29 =#FF8000]Ike Davis DoB: 3/22/1987 =#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]44 Jason Bay DoB: 9/20/1978 =#BF8000]. =#0000FF]21 =#FF8000]Lucas Duda DoB: 2/3/1986 =#BF8000]. =#0000FF]20 Adam Loewen DoB: 4/9/1984 Not on Roster =#0000FF]33 Vinny Rottino DoB: 4/7/1980 Not on Roster =#0000FF]56 Andr�s Torres DoB:1/26/1978 =#BF8000]. Also on 40-Man Roster Starting Pitchers =#0000FF]73 =#FF8000]Robert Carson DoB: 1/23/1989 =#0000FF]75 =#FF8000]Jeurys Familia DoB: 10/10/1989 =#0000FF]53 =#FF8000]Jeremy Hefner DoB: 3/11/1981 =#0000FF]32 =#FF8000]Jennry Mejia DoB: 10/11/1989 =#0000FF]66 =#FF8000]Armando Rodriguez DoB: 1/28/1988Starting PitchersRelief Pitchers =#0000FF]63 =#FF8000]Chris Schwinden DoB: 9/22/1986 =#BF8000]. . =#0000FF]27 =#FF8000]Pedro Beato DoB: 10/27/1986 Looks to Open Season On DL =#0000FF]40 Tim Byrdak DoB: 10/31/1973 Looks to Open Season On DL =#0000FF]77 D.J. Carrasco DoB: 4/12/1977 Looks to Open Season On DL =#0000FF]64 =#FF8000]Josh Stinson DoB: 3/14/1988 =#BF8000]. .Infielders =#0000FF]71 =#FF8000]Wilmer Flores DoB: 8/6/1991 =#0000FF]74 =#FF8000]Reese Havens DoB: 10/20/1986 =#0000FF]65 =#FF8000]Zach Lutz DoB: 6/3/1986 =#0000FF]3 =#FF8000]Josh Satin DoB: 12/23/1984 =#0000FF]61 =#FF8000]Jordany Valdespin DoB: 12/23/1984Outfielders =#0000FF]12 Scott Hairston DoB: 5/25/1980 Looks to Open Season On DL =#0000FF]76 =#FF8000]Juan Lagares DoB: 3/17/1989 =#BF8000]. . Also in Camp Starting PitchersRelief Pitchers Catchers =#0000FF]47 Miguel Batista DoB: 2/19/1971 =#0000FF]58 Fernando Cabrera DoB: 11/16/1981 =#0000FF]87 =#FF8000]Josh Edgin DoB: 12/17/1986 =#0000FF]36 Chuck James DoB: 11/9/1981 =#0000FF]16 Rob Johnson DoB: 7/22/1982 Catchers Outfielders =#0000FF]62 =#0000FF]Lucas May DoB: 10/24/1984 =#0000FF]23 =#FF8000]Mike Baxter DoB: 12/7/1984 =#0000FF]68 =#FF8000]Matt den Dekker DoB: 8/10/1987 Free Agents Starting Pitchers =#0000FF]55 Chris Young DoB: 5/25/1979 Coaching Staff ManagerBench CoachBatting CoachPitching CoachThird 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: 7/7/1958First Base CoachBullpen CoachBullpen CatchersHead Trainer =#0000FF]26 Tom Goodwin DoB: 8/27/1968 =#BF8000]. =#0000FF]25 Ricky Bones DoB: 4/7/1969 =#BF8000]. =#0000FF]78 Eric Langill DoB: 4/9/1979 Suspended =#0000FF]79 Dave Racaniello DoB: 10/15/1981 =#BF8000]. =#0000FF] Ray Ramirez =#BF8080]. .Assistant Trainer =#0000FF] Brian Chicklo

Beato: back to throwing the old bullpen yesterday. Carrasco: back to throwing the slightly older bullpen yesterday.

Surgery for Joba. Could be gone for the season. Can you imagine?

Yup, 1999. And in the playoffs, Valentine's staff absolutely refused to pitch to him, giving him a warped line over the series of .263 / .517 / .368 / .886. They walked him nine times in six games --- and even hit him once, during that bizarre first inning in Game Six immortalized in "Al's Diner." It's the sort of strategy tailor-made to make a hero out of the likes of Brian Jordan.

Apart from Tejada, it may be the least impressive defensive alignment in Mets history. Go, Terry! Tejada, ssMurphy, 2bTurner, 1bDuda, rfMay, lfThole, cRottino, 3bBaxter, cfNiese, spBourn, cfPrado, lfMcCann, cUggla, 2bFreeman, 1bSutton, 3bConstanza, rfSimmons, ssMinor, sp

Taking a look at Jones' record at Shea, and, well, congrats to him on a good show, but it's not that far off his career norms. It's not what you want to see, certainly, and maybe you'd certainly expect relatively depressed numbers for any guy on the road and in the home park of a generally competitive division rival (which they certainly were during his best years). But even given all that, if I looked at these numbers with no preconceptions, I'd say they fall within the range of normal variance. The two things that do stand out. 1. He stole a lot more and was caught... never. I wouldn't call that a byproduct of Shea, so much as a byproduct of who usually caught back in the years when he ran more. 2. He was never hit by a pitch at Shea. And, in fact, for an all-star slugger on a team winning a lot of division championships, he was a rare target... or a good ducker. Chipper JonesGGSPAABRH2B3BHRRBISBCSBBSOBAOBPSLGOPSTBGDPHBPSHSFIBBBAbip=#FF0000]Totals at Shea88873773236310120119551205247.313.407.557.96418080118.318=#FF0000]Shea per 162162160694595116186372351012209687.313.407.557.9643311502215.318=#FF0000]Career per 162162160690583106177363311061039992.304.402.533.9353111610612.314 It's illuminating. To the extent that it's true that the Braves "had the Mets' number" during the Valentine years (and don't kid yourself --- that's greatly exaggerated also), it was a team effort.

Hard to find a thirdbaseman and I had to choose from among a bunch of mostly corner guys for center, but man, a lot of lf/1b-type sluggers. Luzinski didn't make it. Duda, no. Moose F. Skowron? Uh-uh.