Edgy MD

I thought these would be easier. If Anthony Recker went around Times Square in his undies, the amount of ensuing civil disorder would have been historic. Incorrect Answers: Anthony Recker (#1), Travis d'Arnaud (#2), Paul Lo Duca (#10).

No Duca. Incorrect Answers: Travis d'Arnaud (#2), Paul Lo Duca (#10).

Sorry, man. Incorrect Answers: Travis d'Arnaud (#2)

The following are all beloved Mets backup catchers. As they are not particularly busy these days, I've asked them to step forward and describe themselves. Please name them based on their descriptions. One guess per post, and no consecutive posts. I have spoken to the ghost of Ron Hodges, and he assures me that, if you cheat by using the Internet, he will come to your home and do unspeakable things while you sleep — and you know he will, so don't. Back when hazing rookies was a thing, my teammates made me dress up like Times Square's famed Naked Cowboy. After an indifferent start to my career as a backup, I had a massive breakthrough in my fourth season. It earned me a big contract which turned into a real boondoggle when I quickly reverted to my humdrum part-time ways. But it made me a candidate to be traded for some other team's white elephant, and the white elephant I was traded for was Matt Harvey. I was a decent enough hitter for a catcher, and I was athletic enough to play other positions. But I lost my thyroid gland due to illness, and the condition only occasionally allowed me to catch by the time I reached the Mets. I had two nephews who also were big-leaguers. I was the son of a British 13-year professional footballer, and a rare-ish skill allowed me to be part of one of the bigger trades in Mets history. A lot of backup catchers end up deployed as pitchers in blowouts, but we two count ourselves among the rare position players of any stripe to earn wins on the mound. (See 5.) I wore my name on both my back and my front. That guy above sounds weird. I don't quite get that — but I, oddly enough, wore a flapless batting helmet forward while catching, with my mask fixed below the brim and the strap running over the brim. I formed a fairytale battery when teamed with Fernando Nieve. Greater Philly was producing a lot of Italian-American catchers when I was young. Unfortunately, most of us were more Joe DePastino than Mike Piazza, if you know what I mean. But I was as MEH-TUHL!! as Mike was, as my walkup song was "You've Got Another Thing Coming — which might have been more impressive if I didn't hit .171 / .266 / .232 // .498 a Met. I would go on to manage in the Mets minor-league system and was Jacob deGrom's first professional skipper.

Curtis Mead: Future Australian Met.

Well, shit, I didn't carve it.

Are you perhaps conflating the George Foster and Tom Seaver trades? A backup catcher who got us a near (and perhaps someday actual) Hall of Famer in a trade is Ed Hearn.

There is also the best-defense-in-the-league part. I'm not sure why Christopher Morel has entered the chat, as he has appeared professionally at every position except catcher and pitcher.

He's trying to be cynical, but beneath the surface, this post is bursting with love.

First on your card is this exciting adventure of Jeff McNeil loose on the warning track in Detroit.

Acquired from the Yankees for cash. The team certainly has a history of acquiring catchers about whom we were assured that the top-tier defense clearly offset the offensive shortcomings — Charlie O'Brien, Brian Schneider, James McCann. And in most of these cases — the statistical results as well as eyeball experience quickly suggested that wasn't true. And yet there seems to be a consensus that the tradeoff is working with Torrens. Part of that may be that Luis has only occasionally been asked to be the first-stringer. During those periods, his offense become harder to bear, but still, he seems like an asset, and now that he's the backup, he is certainly a frequently deployed one — like he's #1B, rather than #2 on the depth chart, and seemingly justifiably so. The fear about getting too attached to such a figure is that the balance is delicate. If the offense falls below a certain level, it cannot be carried anymore. But even then, he becomes a #2 again, starting once a week or so and coming in for defense after a pinch-running assignment. It's a good fallback position to have, and hopefully, the modest amount of usage he gets — whether as a 1B or a 2 — helps sustain his defense over the long haul. And maybe, some of whatever makes his defense so good rubs off on the other catchers in the system. Also, acquired from the Yankees for cash.

He's gonna get one of those sweet Topps All-Rookie Team cups on his card next year. NL Rookie WAR Leaders 1) JJ Wetherholt, STL: 3.7 2) Nolan McLean, NYM: 2.6 T3) Foster Griffin, WSN: 2.0 T3) TJ Rumfield, COL: 2.0 T5) Shane Drohan, MIL: 1.9 T5) Esmerlyn Valdez, PIT: 1.9 T7) Joe Mack, MIA: 1.5 T7) Carson Benge, NYM: 1.5 T7) Sal Stewart, CIN: 1.5 8) Didier Fuentes, ATL: 1.3 9) A.J. Ewing, NYM: 1.3 10) Cole Carrigg, COL: 1.2 It would be a shame to see that cup appear on his card when he's got somebody else's hat on, even moreso since Pete Crow-Armstrong is looking like the leader in the MVP race (no matter how much Gary Cohen slobbers over Shohei Ohtani.

The Giants are at home on the West Coast against the Brewers tonight. They're only in the second inning, but in the meantime, the Mets have pulled into a virtual tie with them in the standings. (Actually, .002 ahead!) They remain 5 1/2 games behind Cincinnati and the rest of the relevant teams, but ... 13th place is 13th place!

We'll have to re-acquire David Peterson, but yeah, sure.

In the end, we get an 11-run victory. We need to redistribute those excess runs to other games! Socialism!

Crazy thought, but we may get a Dom Smith pitching appearance tonight.

Now it's gonna be Daniel Duarte, do your parte. I must be forgetting a game, but it feels like weeks since we've seen Kodai Senga.

Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy.

Two balls in a row sneaking past Albies' backhand.

Austin Riley looks more every year like a righty-hitting Daniel Murphy. He's, like, costumed up for his trip to MuffyCon.

A two-run lead is nice, but they used the A-relievers yesterday and they don't like doubling up. Today, it's Brazobán and please hold ón.

Send the valets home because Marcus Semien is parking!

Foolish take, foolish challenge there, Youngkin.

You've got to let Young bat for himself here. Polanco is a pinch-hitting option, but he's so cold.

The Mets should have a Knick throw out the first pitch the rest of the season. Good will is good will.