RealityChuck

Duller than dishwater. Obviously, they had to add a lot of fill, but it's all fill. The wild things are about as wild as a sleeping kitten, and the entire story, such as it is, is tedious and obvious, even for a third grader. The wild things looked like those in the book, but had nothing else going for them.

G-Fafif wrote: Bing Crosby, that old crooner, turns out to have been a baseball video visionary.Not surprising -- he was part owner of the team.

Well, some of it is bad luck. If Billy Wagner doesn't blow out his arm in 2008, the team is in the postseason. Last year's injury plague would have stopped any team in the majors. The team had players in every position on the DL, including all five of their best (four of them for most of the season). Can't really blame management for that. Nor can you really blame the trainers, unless you're desperate for meaningless scapegoats. It's not like they're doing anything differently from any other team and you can't blame them for things like Bay's concussion, Wright's beaning, Reye's thyroid, Martinez hurting himself changing his uniform, Sanchez's car crash, etc. Many of the other things people whine about is pure hindsight. If Mets bloggers were the team's trainers, they'd be putting people on the DL for hangnails. As far as personnel is concerned, whenever they take a chance, it doesn't work. No one ever predicted Jason Bay would stop hitting HRs. Everyone was delighted when Beltran and Santana were signed. Oliver Perez was a risk -- that's why he was the team's second choice -- and it was a bad signing, but there was no better pitcher available at that point. The amount they paid is irrelevant: if he had signed at half the salary, the team would still have had the same problem with him. The team should have released him at the All-Star break, but, really, that was not going to make any difference. It's similar with Castillo -- and, despite everything, he did what he was expected to do with the bat, with a more than respectable .366 OBA during that time. He's not much good defensively, but Reuben Tejada would kill for a number like that. You judge a player by what he does on the field, not how much he's paid. Again, he probably should have been released in July, but that would not have improved the club all that much. The team's failure this year was due to the fact they stopped hitting in July and August. They are near the bottom in all major hitting categories and quite respectable as far as pitching is concerned. Minyana has made some bad trades (most notably, Heath Bell, who didn't need to be traded) but plenty of good ones (Ryan Church, John Maine, Delgado). He's made some bad signings (Perez, Igarashi, Matthews) and some very good ones (Martinez, Wagner, Rodriguez (whose issues are personal, not on the field*), R.A. Dickey). He also drafted Pelfrey, Davis, Murphy, Neise, Parnell, Thole, Tejada, Fmart, Duda, and Gee -- a nice crop of young players. I think that Minyana should be replaced, not because he's done a bad job, but because the fans, rightly or wrongly, blame him. Manual should go for the same reason. But too much of the problems in the paste four years were things that were beyond their control *If the team were running away with the division, people would be much more forgiving. He'd also have less time for texting.

You're right about Chaplin -- he didn't even play piano. He'd just hum the tune he had in mind and have someone take care of the scoring (IIRC, he liked 6-4-3 since it got him out of trouble). Woody Allen wrote, acted, directed, and, in at least one case, wrote the music (he's an accomplished clarinetist). Mel Brooks has done five: actor, writer, producer, director, and composer. Though he hasn't produced as much work as Eastwood.

A silly article. The MFY's sell far more merchandise than any other NY sports team (especially in the 12-30 demographics). A good reporter would have compared the percentage of random people of these ages who wear MFY logos to the percentage of criminals. I'm betting they'd be close.

I remember Friend pitching for the Mets -- he was one of only two Mets pitchers to defeat Sandy Koufax. He was also one of the few players who was traded directly from the MFYs to the Mets.

Despite the blather, the Mets pitching has been better than NL average, ranking about fifth in most categories. This is despite things like Perez, no consistent setup man, and injuries. Warthen can't be blamed. It's the hitting that dragged down the team, with it being around 14th in major categories. If the team could hit league average, they'd probably still be in the playoff chase.

The same thing I ask everyone: 1. What is your name? 2. What is your quest? 3. What is your favorite color?

Minyana, Manuel, and Johnson. Manuel because this is when you fire the manager. Minyana because new blood is needed. And Johnson because the team couldn't hit a pinata.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Wear New York City's official colors (which, as complementary colors, pop like few other combos).Wear the colors of the Dutch East India Company, which founded New Amsterdam.

Interesting point. But, then, when Manual stops using a bullpen pitcher (other than Perez) because he's being ineffective, everyone complains that he's not utilizing that player correctly and he doesn't know how to manage a bullpen. Same thing if he goes with a pitcher that's being more effective than anyone else: he's overusing that player and he doesn't know how to manage a bullpen. And if he rewards a hitter for a good game with another start, everyone complains that he's using a player whose numbers don't justify it. So it's not just the manager or the athletes; it's the fans and commentary.

G-Fafif wrote: Mets trade any possible impulse to send Davis, Niese, Tejada, Parnell packing for patience and realization there are no short-term gains to be made. Best trade of the day.Second that. There was no one out there worth mortgaging the future for (and that includes a rental of Lee).

More freeform and easier to edit if you aren't a fast typer. I'm sure they use laptops, too, actually, but anything in game is better jotted down on paper, at least until the tablet computer actually becomes useful.

Charlie Finlay is a better choice.

Some accounts indicate that the island was originally named "San Juan" and the capital "Puerto Rico," and they got accidentally switched.

77% (This doesn't count Twelve Angry Men -- I've probably seen the entire film, but in bits and pieces.)

Zvon wrote: So we have 6 home grown and 9 rooks? I'm trying to keep up over here.I'm only talking about the regular lineup. I'm sure there have been more than five if you counted bench players. From what I can see, the Mets rookies right now are Igarashi, Takahashi, Mejia, Davis, Tejada, J. Feliciano, Neise (I think) and Carter. Igarishi, Takahashi, Feliciano, and Carter aren't home-grown, though. Only Davis, Tejada, and Neise are regulars (Tejada temporarily). Wright, Pelfrey, and Reyes are home-grown, but not rookies. The current regular infield consists of four home-grown players. I was wondering if that has happened before for the Mets. I was also wondering the most home-grown players the team fielded as regulars at a time.

It occurred to me that the current starters for the Mets infield are all players who came out of the Mets organization and have only played for the Mets: Davis, Tejada, Reyes, and Wright. Has this happened before? The closest I can come up with was the '69 Mets, who had Kranepool (platooned), Boswell, and Harrelson. Also, when Pelfrey or Neise are starting, then you have five home-grown Mets as starters (with an asterisk for Angel Pagan). I don't think that's the record, but it ties some other yearsL In 1969, it was almost six: Kranepool/Swoboda (both were platooned, so didn't regularly start the same game), Boswell, Harrelson, Jones and Seaver/Koosman/Gentry. Early in 2000, you had Alfonso, Agbayani, Peyton, Ordonez and Bobby Jones as regulars. 1982 had Backman, Brooks, Mookie, Gardenhire, and Craig Swan/Mike Scott. (John Stearns was drafted by the Phillies). Did any team have six players who were drafted by the Mets and only played for the Mets?

Edgy DC wrote: Well I doubt a evidence of a broken hand presented in defense of a claim of knee tendonitis will help the Mets case very much.How about an old-fashioned kneecapping?

Nymr83 wrote: I am equally troubled (but not really caring) about the sudden and convenient "injury" Would Boras/Perez dispute it? I'm not sure. I wouldn't be shocked AT ALL if Boras and Minay talked BEFOREHAND and decided to concoct the injury as a means of letting both sides save face on the dispute over whether or not to go down.Of course they won't dispute it. One point I discovered: If Perez accepts a minor league assignment, the time doesn't count toward his pension. If he's on the DL, it does. That would have been the major financial advantage of not going to the minors. This lets Ollie have his cake and eat it, too (i.e., simultaneously, for the nitpickers who don't understand the meaning of the idiom). MLB should be all over this, in any case. It's much too convenient for everyone. Of course, if they call it a sham and demand Ollie is back on the roster, someone will just have to make sure he is >really< injured. Maybe a baseball bat accidentally falls and breaks his non-pitching hand. I'm sure there will be some Mets fans who might be willing to take care of any accident.

Wes Westrum.

Specific? Going to my first game and discovering that the center fielder was someone I had never heard of -- Sean Fitzmaurice. I loved the name.

Loved the film. Weitz's Oscar was well-deserved; I can think of only one other film villain with the combination of cruelty and unpredictability (Mark Rydell's Marty Augustine in The Long Goodbye). I also like the fact that Tarantino was willing to ignore history to make a good story. And, of course, it had great dialog. I don't think I've ever been disappointed by any of his films.

None of the above.

Rockin' Doc wrote: I think getting Saltalamacchia established with a sports psychologist would be a wise investment for the Rangers. Hoping he can work through it on his own in the minor leagues is likely an ill conceived plan. I wish him luck in overcoming the mental demons that are hindering him.Yes. This type of problem is purely psychological. You can work it out by practice, but a psychologist would work better. The issue is often caused by thinking about what you are doing instead of doing it. The player knows how to throw the ball, but when he tries to, he starts thinking about each element. It's like the old trick in golf: just before he drives, you ask your opponent if he inhales or exhales before he swings. The opponent (if he doesn't know the trick) starts thinking about it, and he can't drive worth beans all day.