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Edgy MD wrote: Pete LaCock, Doobie Brothers-era firstbaseman and outfielder for the Cubs and Royals, is the son of longtime Hollywood Squares host Peter Marshall. [fimg=250]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_N0qDKRsrWVo/S7Pqke-5qmI/AAAAAAAAGXI/Qi8I4phledA/s1600/SSPC+1976+LaCock.jpg[/fimg] [fimg=250]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/Peter_Marshall_game_show_host.JPG[/fimg] I knew that - I think it was on the back of his 1974 Topps card.

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Yeah I clicked "like" but wanted "like somewhat" Same here. I would like this a lot more if it was the first of many upcoming moves.

I’m not excited, but feel a bit better about things. Let’s see what else they do.

Louis Armstrong records his 4:40 update for Sports Phone, happy to report Mets are leading Cubs at Wrigley, 7-3 in the sixth, Milner and Unser each having gone deep. "Get all the sports news instantly. Dial 976-1313."

Zvon wrote: I'll have to look into McNally. He's, quite simply, the best there is. Exhibit A: http://blog.joemcnally.com/2015/02/26/ozzie-and-the-mirrors/

Zvon wrote: Neil is the best DW. Sorry...that makes you second best Thanks, but I’m not even in the conversation. Leifer, Walter Iooss, Joe McNally are my favs

seawolf17 wrote: Edgy MD wrote: He's missing out on the newfound tolerance those labeled as juicers, but who retired later, have found. Once Bonds and Clemens get over the hump, he'll follow as some sort of vet's pick. God, I hope not. Without the Steroids, he's Dave Kingman

Benjamin Grimm wrote: No dollars, not anymore. I used to make about $400 per year on the UMDB through advertising, and had I not foolishly spent that money on women, booze, and beer I guess I'd probably be a billionaire by now. My dilemma is whether or not I want to take on the challenge of making the site responsive. I'm intrigued by the idea of it, but not, for the moment anyway, particularly motivated. So for now it will go on as it is. If you want some help making your site responsive, give me a ring.

A nice story about this Neil Leifer photograph from Sports Illustrated here: two Mets fans, their friendship and, of course, the ever camera-ready Casey Stengel. It's funny how my different interests sometimes cross the streams... This was posted yesterday in a photography group I belong to: I9_gUDvHAps

HahnSolo wrote: I believe the Doc one-hitter was the Friday night in September, their last gasp at the division. Yes, it was. I thought that was the game Greg was referring to.

G-Fafif wrote: Benjamin Grimm wrote: 1984 was a lot of fun, but the fun ended rather early that year. I know I could look it up, but I'll go on memory here. Didn't the Cubs sweep a four-game series at Shea around August 1, which allowed them to open up a pretty comfortable gap in the standings? At least in 1985, the excitement lasted into early-October regular season games. I still remember watching Darryl Strawberry's home run in St. Louis. I was sleeping over at my grandmother's house because my home was still without power from Hurricane Gloria. Mets won a Friday night game at Shea, Doc starting to become Doc; Sisk started being Sisk that Saturday in a close game that got away by a lot; and then a doubleheader sweep on Sunday at the hands of the Cubs. A little over a week later, there was a four-game sweep at Wrigley in the wrong direction. Mets scuffled to stay viable for the rest of August, but it definitely slipped through Mets hands over the course of those two series, sort of the opposite of what happened when the Mets swept the two series from the Nats in 2015. Before there was time for wounds to fester, Gary Carter was acquired, so 1984 looks nothing but golden in retrospect. Would have been nice to have held off the Cubs, though. I was at that Friday night game, a one-hitter. The only hit was a Keith Moreland slow roller up the third base line that Ray Knight charged, but couldn’t field cleanly. It was a party atmosphere that night, Doc becoming Doc, teddy bears hung in effigy off the upper deck, and the first time I saw Shea really rock in person.

Edgy MD wrote: The 1986 Mets are better than almost all athletic seasons ever. The 1969 Mets are better than almost all things ever. I agree. 1969 is iconic, and transcends baseball. To me, while the 86 post season was heart-wrenching and ultimately thrilling, the season as a whole was pretty boring. As far as seasons go, 1985 has always been my favorite. I think 1986 left a sour taste in my mouth, because I look at it as if it should have been more.

bmfc1 wrote: Keith has a pink cell phone case? Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

A great read as always, thank you for this and everything you have written this year. But... 1986 over 1969?

Ceetar wrote: the chief problems with the stadium are/were that they opened it undecorated and then decorated it in roughly the most unimaginative way because they're extremely dull people. Also that they chopped about 12k seats off because who needs cheap seats? This was a mistake Yankee Stadium made too, and failure and the recession pretty much corrected it, but I imagine both owners were imagining the cheapest seat being 50-100+ with maybe a few thousand $20 seats thrown in just to appease the masses. There also aren't enough escalators. This - the Wilponzis figured they could lessen the supply, and be able to charge what they wanted with what they thought would be an increased demand. As a former member here once said, the stadium has great views, of the advertisements. I also remember a story of Jeffrey either moving the signage along the front of the Promenade, or making it larger, where it affected the views from the front of the section. Everything about the Wilponzis is about maximizing every last cent, while only giving us the appearance of contending...

It's a reward for salary growth below MLB average, and for being a good soldier. He has basically been their shield since he arrived.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: If I had a ballot, I don't imaging that I would ever ever vote for ten people. I think the Hall of Fame should be very exclusive, and there are probably quite a few that I would remove if I had the chance. (Don Sutton is one who comes to mind.) Agreed - I'd remove Phil Rizzuto before Don Sutton, though. MFS62 wrote: I'm hoping a few more voters leave Edgar Martinez off their ballots, because I believe that silly AL rule kept him a regular in the majors long after he would have been before that rule. Same here. I don't care how good of a hitter he was. A career DH does not a hall of famer make.

I've always had the impression that Fred doesn't love the Mets, but were merely a way for him to climb socially and gain access that he wouldn't have otherwise for his real estate business.

Centerfield wrote: Ceetar wrote: Benjamin Grimm wrote: I'm sure that Fred and Jeff wouldn't like the possibility of paying David $20 million to be a reserve player who hits .180. And that could very well happen. The safer bet for them, financially, is to have them keep collecting that insurance money. I don't have much expectation/evidence that an 'on the field' Wright will hit .180. Maybe he won't be MVP Wright, but I think like worst case is he's rusty and out of practice and like, hits .240/.320/.466 with the juiced ball. There is very little chance that David Wright will be "worth" the salary they are paying him. Even the most optimistic of us can recognize that. Payroll is of central importance to the Wilpons. I can't imagine they don't want that insurance money. If you think about it, it's mind-boggling that the Mets went "over budget" last year. Considering they were still not top 10, AND they collected on Wright all year long. This. Does anyone know what the Mets' Fan cost Index was for 2017? I remember a few years ago, their payroll was ranked 23rd (IIRC), yet they were 7th in FCI.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: At the time of his death, Frank Strong Lary (what a great name, his first and middle name are adjectives that can describe character traits, and his last name sounds like a first name) just like Amos Otis. Like Ed Charles, Frank Thomas, Charley Neal, and Kevin Mitchell but not Rod Kanehl...

I don't think we'll see David Wright playing on the active roster ever again.

I don't trust them, and wouldn't believe them if they told me the sky was blue. Let's see what the Payroll is on Opening Day

This is a good read about this trade, the state of the Marlins under the owner's lead, and Jeets' place in it. The Ringer --> https://www.theringer.com/mlb/2017/12/9/16756778/giancarlo-stanton-trade-miami-marlins-new-york-yankees-bruce-sherman Seriously, who is the Marlins GM? I wonder who is/are the people that engineered this specifically? And I wonder how much Jeter's paws were all over it or not? Some of that would ring true if you switched out Sherman for Wilpon and Jeter for Alderson

The Hall has been cheapened even more. Somewhat with the inclusion of Morris, even more with the continued exclusion of Marvin Miller.

I hate baseball, and I hope this at least gets looked into by the commissioner's office..