Edgy MD

But exactly the kind of smug blowhard --- pedophilia aside --- with a knack for survival that the Spink Award seems to honor way too often.

Yeah, I was just going to note: Tracksuit complains about the tepid BBWAA statement and they issue a harder one.

Philly Daily News baseball writer Bill Conlin, who I remember as a veteran of epic wars with The Ed Kranepool Society (among others), has been accused of being a child molester in the rival Philly Inquirer. Conlin is the 2011 recipient of the J. Taylor Spink Award*, and the BBWAA has come weakheartedly to his defense. Conlin offered to retire and The Daily News immediately accepted. * The award usually allows people to describe the recipient as a "Hall of Fame baseball writer," though technically that's not true. And besides, Bill Madden won it last year.

Anderson Hernandez goes to the Bucs. A lot of Metly folks heading to Pittsburgh these days. A lot of Buckly folks heading to Queens.

Rangers make a trade for Luis Martinez. Onward.

Yeah, I'd want to be in the CLUB.

Ceetar wrote: The alternative of course is _not_ getting a discount. Or not being allowed to have Mr. Met at your corporate event. Or not being given the right for family and friends to have first right to buy tickets to games, home and away, all-star and postseason. They're perks, not selling points. Well, that's an alternative course. Another one is Mr. Met on call, an awesome box so tricked out that you and your guests want for nothing, seats on the team plane on all road trips, voting board membership (even if the Wilpon majority is unbreachable). Links memberships. Instant class. Ownership privileges. Not the sort of privileges you get when you join a club. But the sort of privileges you get when you join a CLUB. I agree that too much is being made of this, as is often the case when it comes to zinging the Mets. But one has to acknowledge that the itemization seems drawn up as much to make the prospect appealing as to make clear to uppity wannabes what they're not getting. Formerly treated himself as an uppity wannabe, Fred Wilpon knows this game.

Tim Bogar, reportedly set to become Bobby Valentine's bench coach in Boston. OE: Tripp F. Keister is the new manager of the Gulf Coast Nats. The new manager of the Gulf Coast Mets is, of course, nobody.

The Billy Sampling.

How embarrassing. Yeah, I hold off on my total recall threads until the guy gets signed elsewhere. That's how I roll, but others memorialize as soon as he is set free. I'll find the other thread and merge it.

Nymr83 wrote: I'm sure Prokhorav (sp?) doesn't treat JayZ this way. Sheesh, I would.

Billy Sample is a former big league outfielder, mostly with Texas. I've seen/heard him do MLB.com spring training games, but he's worked for a few teams. Genial, jocky guy. Low voice, if I remember correctly. Also has written a bit. I get the idea that MLB uses the MLB.com spring training broadcasts to showcase some broadcasting prospects to teams, and may try to focus on trying to get more non-whites some opportunities. It seems like the closest thing to a non-Caucasian presence the Mets have ever had on English-language broadcasts is the half-Polynesian Ron Darling.

When good, he was good. When bad, he seemed to be desperately clueless, and the most hittable guy out there. Certainly got his share of strikeouts. And very effective in the minors. Once the fastest pitcher in Japan, and part of the reason I wonder if the Mets need to try something new in bridging the communication gap with their Far East imports. He was in camp last year when the earthquake/tsunami/meltdown hit.

One more Omar-era signing heads Bucward. Signed Away By PittsburghRelief Pitchers =#0000FF]18 Ryota Igarashi DoB: 5/28/1979 Your Projected 2012 Mets (Orange Indicates Players Have Options) Starting Pitchers =#0000FF]43 R.A. Dickey DoB: 10/29/1974 =#FF8000]35 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 =#0000FF]40 Tim Byrdak DoB: 10/31/1973 =#FF8000]50 =#0000FF]Frank Francisco DoB:9/11/1979 =#0000FF]19 Danny Herrera DoB: 10/21/1984 =#0000FF]39 Bobby Parnell DoB: 9/8/1984Relief Pitchers Catchers Infielders =#FF8000]52 =#0000FF]Ram�n Ram�rez DoB:8/31/1981 =#FF8000]60 =#0000FF]John Rauch DoB:9/27/1978 =#FF8000]13 Mike Nickeas DoB: 2/13/1983 =#0000FF]30 Josh Thole DoB: 4/28/1986 =#FF8000]29 Ike Davis DoB: 3/22/1987 Infielders =#0000FF]28 Daniel Murphy DoB: 4/1/1985 =#0000FF]11 Ruben Tejada DoB: 10/27/1989 =#0000FF]2 Justin Turner DoB: 11/23/1984 =#FF8000]62 Jordany Valdespin DoB: 12/23/1984 =#0000FF]5 David Wright DoB: 12/20/1982 Outfielders =#0000FF]44 Jason Bay DoB: 9/20/1978 =#FF8000]21 Lucas Duda DoB: 2/3/1986 =#FF8000]26 Fernando Martinez DoB: 10/10/1988 =#FF8000]11 =#0000FF]Kirk Nieuwenhuis DoB:8/7/1987 =#FF8000]56 =#0000FF]Andr�s Torres DoB:1/26/1978 Also on 40-Man Roster Starting Pitchers =#FF8000]50 =#0000FF]Robert Carson DoB:1/23/1989 =#FF8000]46 =#0000FF]Jeurys Familia DoB:10/10/1989 =#FF8000]47 =#0000FF]Jeremy Hefner DoB:3/11/1981 =#FF8000]32 Jennry Mejia DoB: 10/11/1989 =#FF8000]66 Armando Rodriguez DoB: 1/28/1988Starting PitchersRelief Pitchers Infielders =#FF8000]63 Chris Schwinden DoB: 9/22/1986 =#FF8000]27 Pedro Beato DoB: 10/27/1986 =#0000FF]77 D.J. Carrasco DoB: 4/12/1977 =#FF8000]64 Josh Stinson DoB: 3/14/1988 =#FF8000]1 =#0000FF]Wilmer Flores DoB:8/6/1991InfieldersOutfielders =#FF8000]12 =#0000FF]Reese Havens DoB:10/20/1986 =#FF8000]65 Zach Lutz DoB: 6/3/1986 =#FF8000]3 Josh Satin DoB: 12/23/1984 =#FF8000]13 =#0000FF]Juan Lagares DoB:3/17/1989 =#FF8000]22 =#0000FF]Cesar Puello DoB:4/1/1991 Also in Camp Starting PitchersRelief Pitchers CatchersInfieldersOutfielders =#FF8000]36 =#0000FF]Garrett Olson DoB: 10/18/1983 =#FF8000]44 =#0000FF]Chuck James DoB: 11/9/1981 =#0000FF]22 =#0000FF]Lucas May DoB: 10/24/1984 =#0000FF]15 Val Pascucci DoB: 11/17/1978 =#FF8000]44 =#0000FF]Vinny Rottino DoB: 4/7/1980 Free Agents Starting PitchersRelief Pitchers Catchers Outfielders =#0000FF]47 Miguel Batista DoB: 2/19/1971 =#0000FF]55 Chris Young DoB: 5/25/1979 =#0000FF]45 Jason Isringhausen DoB: 9/7/1972 =#0000FF]9 Ronny Paulino DoB: 4/21/1988 =#0000FF]12 Scott Hairston DoB: 5/25/1980Outfielders =#0000FF]22 Willie Harris DoB: 6/22/1978

Ruby Tuesday wrote: Report: Jim Duquette, Chris Carlin, Ed Coleman, Billy Sample candidates for Howie Rose sidekick.

Well, I was certainly following Ollie before Rubin gave that summary.

Rubin wrote: In 17 relief appearances with Culiacan in Mexico, Oliver Perez has 0.00 ERA, 4 H, 7 BB, 15 K in 12 IP. Opponents hitting .103 (lefties .091).

bmfc1 wrote: With the elimination of the Gulf Coast Mets, the Mets have 8 minor league teams. They quickly remind us that most teams have 7 but that doesn't eliminate the fact that there are now 25 or so fewer minor leaguers in the organization which makes it that much tougher to find the next Wright or Reyes. Sell the team Fred. http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets/post/_/id/37292/mets-slash-gcl-team Rubin suggests that there won't be 25 fewer prospects, just 25 fewer playing rookie league ball. The same characters (again, so suggests Rubin) would be doing what many others spend their summers doing, playing intrasquad games at Port St. Lucie. As for trading Wright, gerbils, that's a turn.

BB-R.com WAR as a Met (Position Independent): Backman: 9.6 Hunt: 7.8 Millan: 6.2 Boswell: 3.9 According to Baseball-Reference, Alfonzo gets a 29.1 WAR as a Met, including approximately 13.82 as a secondbaseman, 14.56 as a thirdbaseman, 0.63 as a shortstop, and 0.02 as a DH. A fat lot to dismiss as a guy who "had a few good years, was about 5 years older then reported, and then got fat...."

Felix Millan, Ron Hunt, and Ken Boswell are certainly in the picture.

Rubin says (1) he hasn't confirmed this yet, and (2) Mets would still have the same number of prospects, but more of them would be kicking around St. Lucie playing intrasquad games. I'm expecting he'll get a yes on (1), and I'll respond with a maybe on (2).

I like the idea. Drink some coffee and finish it. Sharperson can wait.

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Mets whacking Kingsport Rookie League team in cost-cutting move. Somehow this hurts more than losing Reyes. Yeah, in a sense, I felt the same way about them gutting administrative staff. Ugh. One of my favorite minor league trips was to Kingsport to see a game called after two and a half innings. Good folks in smalltown America losing their ball team. Booooo, Mets! I think I'll go open an indy league team there.

G-Fafif wrote: Edgy DC wrote: In case you're wondering, the Marlins won't be in town, but they have a day game in Tampa and the day off the next day, giving Reyes a chance to fly up after. Actually (in the hope that Jose would take wing home for one day) I checked and time of game is TBD... Truly, we suffer the same illness.

Ceetar's terse and rude review has some merit. I like versatility a lot, but a replacement-level bat is a replacement-level bat. Short benches need versatility, but that superversatile guy also becomes your third pinch-hitter, and therefore the stooge you send up there in the ninth with the tying run on after you've exhausted all other options.