Fman99

="John Cougar Lunchbucket":3fa63kk3]="metirish":3fa63kk3]I suppose I didn't realize building a new apple would be such a big process , I thought Peter Flynn would just throw something together and give her a slap of paint.[/quote:3fa63kk3] That's what they did the first time. Did they say three times the size of the old one? Yeow. Thanks for the link. I'd like to peel, core and bite into that reporter by the way.[/quote:3fa63kk3] Absolutely. I'd get all up in that Red Delicious. Benjamin Grimm Jan 21 2009 09:52 AM I'm disappointed that the apple has a flat bottom, rather than a realistic apple-like bottom. I know the bottom never rises completely out of the hat, but I'd feel better knowing the apple was botanically correct. Now we have to track down the company working on the new giant magician's hat. batmagadanleadoff Jan 21 2009 09:59 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jan 21 2009 10:00 AM Has it been confirmed that the new apple will also rise out of a magician's hat? If I remember correctly, the old magician's hat was a tie-in to the "The Magic is Back" 1980 ad campaign. Perhaps Met management doesn't consider the hat as being integral to the apple. I'd guess that there'll be a new magic hat to go along with the new apple ... but you never know. Edgy DC Jan 21 2009 10:00 AM I had the same feeling about the absent apple bottom, and I'm pretty pissed at Toto for pulling that particular curtain away. I'm hoping that there's simply an unattached piece in that shot. In fact, I'm going to go ahead and assume that to be a fact, and I can return to my firmly secure illusion. soupcan Jan 21 2009 10:59 AM My opposition to the Apple is well-known here. My position being - as batmags has stated - that it was a leftover relic of a failed advertising scheme. What the hell did an apple coming out of a magician's top hat have to do with the the 2007-2008 Mets for an example ("Watch how our division leads magically disappear!")? That being said - an Apple, in and of itself, is an indisputable symbol of New York City. If the new apple were to be installed sans the top hat, then I can say that I would fully support its inclusion into CitiField. Now I want to know where the scoreboard skyline from Shea is going to go. Edgy DC Jan 21 2009 11:12 AM Well, it's not like they haven't shown us illustrations of the future home from every conceiveable angle. Here we go, apple and hat as viewed from a restaurant in leftfield, apparently affordable to only a half dozen fans. Even sadder is the empy left field seats in what appears to be the bottom of the ninth with the Mets up, I think 10-6. OE: The man with his back appears to be a waiter, and appears to be the only non-caucasian getting into Chez Shea. Nice post-racial consciousness, guys. Like the blue plates though. Willets Point Jan 21 2009 11:29 AM Wow, it's like The Sims go to a Mets game. John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 21 2009 11:35 AM I understand that left-field restaurant will be operated by the same people who do the Tribeca Grill. soupcan Jan 21 2009 11:38 AM Danny Meyer. There's also gonna be a Shake Shack somewhere in the place. metirish Jan 21 2009 11:38 AM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":ikjxu5lt]I understand that left-field restaurant will be operated by the same people who do the Tribeca Grill.[/quote:ikjxu5lt] Another place I will probably never eat at. Edgy DC Jan 21 2009 11:38 AM A few other things to notice: That's an indoor-outdoor restaurant. Each table has a monitor, so you can watch on tv the game you can't watch live, because your view is obscured by a monitor. In fairnesss, that may well be a final on the scoreboard, and this is just the lingering post-game crowd, perhaps ninety minutes after the game wrapped up. If it is 10-6, we probably didn't get a save. DAMN! This picture refers to "Mets Ballpark," so it's either from before Citi Group became the corporate namer, or is a brand new harbinger of Citi pulling out. In the future, everybody will be in shape. Another Keyspan sign in left center looks a little harder to hit than the old one. John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 21 2009 11:46 AM ="metirish":2lhjbezj]="John Cougar Lunchbucket":2lhjbezj]I understand that left-field restaurant will be operated by the same people who do the Tribeca Grill.[/quote:2lhjbezj] Another place I will probably never eat at.[/quote:2lhjbezj] Yeah, I know. One of the guys who runs it is a Met Lovin Big Shot and might be Fantasy-ing up with bfmc now. [url:2lhjbezj]http://www.grandslamgourmet.com/sportsbites/sbites3apr08.html[/url:2lhjbezj] seawolf17 Jan 21 2009 11:53 AM ="Edgy DC":1fm2wzit]Here we go, apple and hat as viewed from a restaurant in leftfield, apparently affordable to only a half dozen fans. Even sadder is the empty left field seats in what appears to be the bottom of the ninth with the Mets up, I think 10-6.[/quote:1fm2wzit] Maybe that's a post-game shot. If they've played the top of the ninth -- as evidenced by the 0 on the scoreboard -- then maybe the place has already cleared out. Nice to see they're playing some sort of old Shea highlight video on the jumbotron, though. Maybe there's nobody in the restaurant because they all had purple tickets and the line was too long, so they're just waiting outside to get in. Rockin' Doc Jan 21 2009 04:33 PM Soupcan - "I notice that there is no signage on the apple - be it 'Mets' or advertising - that we can see from that story. I'm just wondering if their will be some kind of advertising or corporate sponsorship put on the thing. Would be a shame but I wouldn't put it past them." As long as they don't slap that tacky Inaugural Season Patch emblem on it, I'll be reasonably happy. At least the apple looks a lot better than the old one which looked like an old paper mache project for a high school art class. As others have stated, it would be nice if the apple had a bottom. Maybe it's like the stem and leaf that were shown, but haven't been attached yet. Centerfield Jan 21 2009 07:17 PM ="Edgy DC":6cybcy37]Well, it's not like they haven't shown us illustrations of the future home from every conceiveable angle. Here we go, apple and hat as viewed from a restaurant in leftfield, apparently affordable to only a half dozen fans. Even sadder is the empy left field seats in what appears to be the bottom of the ninth with the Mets up, I think 10-6. OE: The man with his back appears to be a waiter, and appears to be the only non-caucasian getting into Chez Shea. Nice post-racial consciousness, guys. Like the blue plates though.[/quote:6cybcy37] And it's Opening Day too. You'd think some fans would stick around until the end. Of course, this place appears to be named Mets Ballpark... John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 21 2009 07:25 PM Everything's for sale. That restaurant is actually gonna be called "The Acela Grill" -- the great taste of being 4 hours late. I also understand the outfield is now "the Pepsi Porch" and what useta be the Strerling Club is not the Delta 360 Club. Gwreck Jan 21 2009 07:37 PM I believe that access to that restaurant is only for tickets that cost in excess of $100 per game. Edgy DC Jan 22 2009 07:37 AM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":2axtxchq]Everything's for sale. That restaurant is actually gonna be called "The Acela Grill" -- the great taste of being 4 hours late. I also understand the outfield is now "the Pepsi Porch" and what useta be the Strerling Club is not the Delta 360 Club.[/quote:2axtxchq] You're sneaking in to my house at night and murdering me. John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 22 2009 07:56 AM Also, and I read this on the Internet so don;t quote me, but what plans called The Excelsior Level is now to be called "The Caesar's Level." I think the Delta 360 Club is the one limited to $100 ticket holders. soupcan Jan 22 2009 09:18 AM More... ]Mets' new, bigger Home Run Apple for Citi Field in the works By ANTHONY McCARRON DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Giant Met Home Run Apple is ready to blossom at new park. Giant Met Home Run Apple is ready to blossom at new park. Workers in Minnesota are putting the finishing touches on the Mets' new Home Run Apple, a bigger, shinier and more advanced version of the Shea curio that inspired strong feelings among fans who either adored or hated its hokiness. The new apple will be installed at Citi Field in early February, according to Mark Silvera, who designed it along with fellow engineer Andrew Agosto. Look for the Mets to have a ceremony when the apple is unveiled, although the team declined comment Wednesday. "I guess somebody has made a giant pop-up apple before, but when we were going through the process, we wanted to have it be bigger, better and more reliable," said Silvera, an engineer at Uni-Systems, the Minneapolis engineering firm hired to build it. "It'll be exciting to see it installed and then see how fans respond to it." The fresh apple, made of fiberglass with a foam core, is 16 feet tall and 18 feet in diameter, meaning it would tower over the 9-foot-tall original. The new one weighs 4,800 pounds, but adding the hydraulics and guideframes underneath means the total weight lifted will be around 8,500 pounds. The old apple weighed 582 pounds. When a Met hits a homer, the apple will rise 15 feet. It's slated to make the trip in just three seconds, but the Mets may be able to tweak the timing once it is installed. The original apple first appeared at Shea to the right of the 410-foot sign in center field during the 1980 season as a marketing ploy to inject some excitement into a dreadful team that finished 67-95, in fifth place in the NL East. That team didn't hit many homers, either - Lee Mazzilli led the way with 16, while the Mets finished with just 61 and were mocked by a Daily News graphic that measured their homer output against Roger Maris' 1961 total. The Mets and Maris finished tied. But the apple morphed into a symbol of the franchise, its lumpy, red fiberboard frames plucking fans' heartstrings, and Met officials long wanted to have the apple represented in some way in the new park. While the apple has been famous and/or notorious in New York, depending on your point of view, Minnesotan Mark Hagelberger didn't know apple lore. Hagelberger's company, Fiberglass Fabricators, Inc., was hired to build the new apple's shell and he Googled the Met apple to learn. "Wow," he said Wednesday, "this is a big deal." To some fans, so is the final resting place of the original apple. Good news, Hagelberger says - it's likely to go on display somewhere at Citi Field. "That's the plan I heard," Hagelberger said. metirish Jan 22 2009 09:31 AM ] When a Met hits a homer, the apple will rise 15 feet. It's slated to make the trip in just three seconds I dunno but that just sounds like trouble to me , with it's expected weight and all. I'd hate to see Beltran and whoever is in RF get crushed by the apple. Gwreck Jan 22 2009 09:36 AM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":9cwh7oib]I think the Delta 360 Club is the one limited to $100 ticket holders.[/quote:9cwh7oib] Not exactly. The "Delta 360 Club" (formerly the Sterling Club) is limited to Sterling-Level seat holders. Those are the seats on the lowest level, right behind the plate. Those tickets run $175/game on the low end. The Left Field Restaurant is limited to these seating categories: Sterling Club Platinum and Gold; Ebbets Club Gold; Excelsior Club Platinum and Gold; Metropolitan Box and Field Box. Of course, all of those levels are over $100 per seat. --- And yes, if you take a look here: http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/nym/ticketing/season_plans.jsp, you'll see that the Mets have renamed the "Excelsior Level" the "Caesar's Level." Edgy DC Jan 22 2009 09:43 AM Suckers. G-Fafif Jan 22 2009 09:45 AM ]The original apple first appeared at Shea to the right of the 410-foot sign in center field during the 1980 season as a marketing ploy to inject some excitement into a dreadful team that finished 67-95, in fifth place in the NL East. That team didn't hit many homers, either - Lee Mazzilli led the way with 16, while the Mets finished with just 61 and were mocked by a Daily News graphic that measured their homer output against Roger Maris' 1961 total. The Mets and Maris finished tied. Except the Apple was planted in 1981, the year after the admittedly power-starved Mets had some success with the marketing theme "The Magic Is Back," thus the top hat and the words Mets Magic. And while I wouldn't argue the historical verdict of "dreadful" against a fifth-place, 67-95 team, those Mets were winning back fans with an impressive midseason surge (a 47-39 run that put them in contention for a time) as that Maris vs. Mets graphic was running. Home runs aren't everything. Neither is accuracy at the Snooze, apparently. Benjamin Grimm Jan 22 2009 09:47 AM ="metirish"]I dunno but that just sounds like trouble to me , with it's expected weight and all. I'd hate to see Beltran and whoever is in RF get crushed by the apple. The apple won't be rising while the Mets are in the field. It's the opposing outfielders who have to fear the apple! Edgy DC Jan 22 2009 09:49 AM Can UMDB do a quick home/road split since 1981 and tell us which Mets have lit the apple the most? metirish Jan 22 2009 09:54 AM ="Benjamin Grimm"]="metirish"]I dunno but that just sounds like trouble to me , with it's expected weight and all. I'd hate to see Beltran and whoever is in RF get crushed by the apple. The apple won't be rising while the Mets are in the field. It's the opposing outfielders who have to fear the apple! LOL....of course.... Frayed Knot Jan 22 2009 09:57 AM Fortunately for me I've always been able to make it through a 3-hour baseball game without starving to death so I can still attend a game without paying for high-priced meals in up-scale restaurants that are restricted to only those with upper-priced seats. G-Fafif Jan 22 2009 09:58 AM ="Gwreck":bglynpwb]you'll see that the Mets have renamed the "Excelsior Level" the "Caesar's Level."[/quote:bglynpwb] Will the games be renamed Bread And Circuses? Speaking of renaming, I haven't been able to find any trace of "Coogan's Landing" on the official seating chart or anywhere in the various propaganda save for the original unupdated fact sheet. I guess that one sop to NY Giants history has been quietly yet effectively disappeared. G-Fafif Jan 22 2009 09:59 AM ]I'd hate to see Beltran and whoever is in RF get crushed by the apple. ]The apple won't be rising while the Mets are in the field. It's the opposing outfielders who have to fear the apple! Beltran, Don't Fear The Apple... Gwreck Jan 22 2009 10:01 AM ="Edgy DC":2op1dcbm]Can UMDB do a quick home/road split since 1981 and tell us which Mets have lit the apple the most?[/quote:2op1dcbm] I don't think you need UMDB to tell you it's 1. Darryl 2. Mike But after that... Benjamin Grimm Jan 22 2009 10:01 AM ="Edgy DC":2raunp2q]Can UMDB do a quick home/road split since 1981 and tell us which Mets have lit the apple the most?[/quote:2raunp2q] Piece of cake! Most Shea Stadium (regular season) Mets home runs since 1981: Darryl Strawberry 127 Mike Piazza 99 Howard Johnson 90 David Wright 70 Kevin McReynolds 65 Todd Hundley 57 George Foster 53 Edgardo Alfonzo 53 Carlos Delgado 51 Carlos Beltran 47 Cliff Floyd 44 Bobby Bonilla 40 Gary Carter 40 John Olerud 39 Dave Kingman 38 Keith Hernandez 38 Robin Ventura 36 Jeff Kent 34 Jos� Reyes 30 Mookie Wilson 28 G-Fafif Jan 22 2009 10:06 AM Has anyone ever noticed whether the Apple rose on Met Inside-the-Park HRs? Or was the Apple operator too overcome with shock to get the fruit up in the air? FYI, the following ITPHRs were hit at Shea in the Apple Era: Wally Backman, 7/31/82 Mark Bradley, 8/31/83 Darryl Strawberry, 5/3/89 Marlon Anderson, 6/11/05 Jose Reyes, 9/7/06 Centerfield Jan 22 2009 10:08 AM Never would I have guessed George Foster would be on that list. Edgy DC Jan 22 2009 10:09 AM Jeff Kent, apple polisher. John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 22 2009 10:23 AM I was at the Mark Bradley ITPHR game. I don't remember if the apple went up because I was too busy razzing Dodgers RF Mike Marshall for making the poor decision to dive that led to it.

No, this isn't a post about Richard Simmons' new workout tape. NTTAWWT. It's the new Apple for CitiField, being built in Minnesota. Check out these local news wonks[/url:2ejeyr55] talking to the manufacturers and see some footage of the new 3 ton apple. It's shiny and it looks like something you'd put on the desk of your 50-ton teacher. I approve.

="G-Fafif":1q249yei]Jeff's obviously big time into Mister Koo, as evidenced by his uniform choice[/url:1q249yei].[/quote:1q249yei] I had assumed that he was a Komiyama fan. G-Fafif Jan 20 2009 04:22 PM My guess was Jerry Morales, but what do I know? G-Fafif Jan 21 2009 02:36 AM Pat Zachry salts his tongue, Lenny Randle assaults his chest and Bobby Wine gets on his case, yet you couldn't knock the smile off bmfc1's face at Mets Fantasy Camp[/url:1it3lw2s] on Tuesday. He's already better at being a Met than Bobby Bonilla. Also, see how the Mets attempt to motivate[/url:1it3lw2s] themselves. (Surprisingly, it's not with money.) metirish Jan 21 2009 06:53 AM I love reading his daily exploits down there , sounds like he is having a blast and the ex-players are a lot of fun. One thing , I for some reason thought fantasy camp was a one week thing but in reading the entry form Tuesday I see mention of 80 people at camp last week and 80 this week. So how many camps are there ? John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 21 2009 07:41 AM Great stuff. I don't think I'd ever have the courage to even pretend to play baseball with the pros. Edgy DC Jan 21 2009 08:19 AM That Pepsi machine is inspiring. That inside scoop on Duaner Sanchez may mean nothing, but it's more than any professional Mets correspondent has come up with in recent weeks. G-Fafif Jan 21 2009 09:18 AM ="metirish":2fqgi2s7]I love reading his daily exploits down there , sounds like he is having a blast and the ex-players are a lot of fun. One thing , I for some reason thought fantasy camp was a one week thing but in reading the entry form Tuesday I see mention of 80 people at camp last week and 80 this week. So how many camps are there ?[/quote:2fqgi2s7] Two per year, judging from the Mets site[/url:2fqgi2s7]. G-Fafif Jan 22 2009 04:21 AM It's every ballplayer's dream to be told how to prepare your laundry like a big-leaguer...or so bmfc1 tells us here[/url:2qnuogol]. His laundry? Here[/url:2qnuogol]. Edgy DC Jan 22 2009 07:57 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jan 23 2009 07:15 AM Can there be any doubt that the problems with the last two Septembers can be traced to a franchise afflicted with the most un-inspiring motivational rhetoric ever? http://faithandfear.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2009/1/21/4064537.html G-Fafif Jan 23 2009 02:58 AM Day Four of Fantasy Camp: bmfc1 learns the Ropes, praises the Dude; and gets edited by a former Met hurler. It's all here[/url:25pivpn6]. More inspiring rhetoric[/url:25pivpn6], too. G-Fafif Jan 24 2009 04:02 AM BMFC plans to dare Pete Schourek to stick it in his ear today. Well, maybe not, but you can read more about it here[/url:1q778t59]. G-Fafif Jan 24 2009 09:18 PM The end of the road[/url:tkncb9ai] has come for Mets fantasy campers like bmfc1. Read what it was like to face Anthony Young and say goodbye to all that here[/url:tkncb9ai]. G-Fafif Jun 01 2009 01:58 PM The logical conclusion to Fantasy Camp is a turn with the big club. FAFIF St. Lucie correspondent bmfc1 and his fellow Fantasists get to ply their skills at Santos Stadium tomorrow. Yesterday each camper was called to line up on the warning track and hear his name called. Coach Swoboda met our man before the game, pictured here. I was happily along for the ride. Photo by accident. PiggiesTomatoes Jun 01 2009 06:57 PM I had the pleasure of going with a couple of buddies in 06 and had a great time. Photos really help to supplement the memories.

"...my head is full of Mets thoughts. Here they are, in no particular order." Lazy and idiotic. Swing and a miss.

Didn't they just sign Jeremy Reed also to a major league deal to avoid arbitration? They are basically the same player. The head scratching continues...

This rumor is picking up steam. MLB.com[/url:las1k666] now quoting Newsday's story. I like.

="Willets Point":aiospm5h]Lowe five years ago would've been great. Now he would just be the second coming of Tom Glavine. We dodged a bullet.[/quote:aiospm5h] I agree. Dibble and his ass of a cohost on XM were panning the Mets for not getting Lowe, saying how any other pitcher they might sign isn't a lock for 200 innings every year the way Lowe is. But they don't really actually know anything. Just a lot of chatter.

I might end up rooting for the team affiliated with the AAA Syracuse squad. Only problem is those things change regularly. So I have no clue I guess is what I'm saying. I'd wait until I was an old Jew in Florida and become a Rays fan (Gulf coast all the way baby!).

Marty Noble has a puff piece on Doc Gooden as he prepares to tie the knot next weekend, and keep his nose clean in the interim.

I am guessing it's Pettitte. And, uh, no. Why do newspaper hacks always suggest that the Mets act in the interest of keeping up with the MFY's? Give me one reason why I should give a damn about that.

] Dave Howard, the Mets� executive vice president for business operations, said the Mets signed off on the design presented to them by Citigroup, which is paying the team $400 million over the next 20 years for naming rights to the stadium. �Everyone has their own point of view,� Howard said. �Taste is very subjective, and we understand that and appreciate the passion of Mets fans.� What an ass. They can't even admit that it's a shitty patch. This is like standing pat with a half a lineup full of duds and washed up vets. Oh wait.

More humor at the patch's expense, some entertaining 'discarded' patch ideas.[/url:f79je3a2] Oh good, it's been a few months since someone laughed at the expense of a Mets fan. Fuck.

Good. Way too much money/years for a guy who is 36 and has his head screwed on sideways. I like Sheets or Ollie at this point as a #4 guy.

="Benjamin Grimm"]Rickey, of course, deserves it without a doubt. I'm not so sure what I think about Rice. Since I don't have a vote I haven't given it much thought. Had I a vote, though, I think I would have done a "bullet ballot" with just Henderson's name on it. This is the part I'm happiest about: ] Mark McGwire 118 21.9% That's actually a decline from last year, isn't it? I think he was at around 23% his first two years. There were some flimsy rumors that McGwire might start to see a rise in vote totals, but as long as he stays far far away from 75% I'll be happy. Mac scored 128 votes each of his first two seasons, so he did lose a bit of ground this year.

="metirish"]Source: Martinez talking to Marlins By Enrique Rojas ESPNdeportes.com SANTO DOMINGO, Domican Republic -- Pedro Martinez and the Florida Marlins are believed to be in the beginning stages of negotiating a contract and could meet next week, a source told ESPNdeportes.com Saturday night. The Marlins have spoken with Martinez's agent. Martinez, 37, has won three Cy Young awards and has a career record of 214-99, with a 2.91 ERA and 3,117 strikeouts in 17 seasons with Los Angeles, Montreal, Boston and the New York Mets. Martinez struggled last season to a 5-6 record with a 5.61 ERA with the Mets, after battling injuries and dealing with the death of his father. In his first year with the Mets, Martinez won 15 games and struck out 208 batters in 217 innings. But he has been 17-15 in the last three seasons. Martinez owns a house in Miami. Pedro really looked spent in 2008, after having a respectable September prior. I don't think he has much in the tank and I would not miss all the drama.

"Hey kid, get your frisbee off my lawn, or I'll go fuck your housepets."

="soupcan"]="metsguyinmichigan"]="John Cougar Lunchbucket"]Tim Redding, possibly a douchebag: Looks like a guy who would build a hockey rink in his backyard? Yup. Douchebag if I ever saw one. That's a great "Write your own caption" picture right there. Let me try...

="themetfairy":fphmrqfk]The Dugout[/url:fphmrqfk] had some fun with this today.[/quote:fphmrqfk] Hysterical. holychicken Jan 08 2009 10:39 AM ]She finally said, 'I want you to be a Yankee.'" I didn't realize that Scott Boras is a women AND she is married to Teixeira. Frayed Knot Jan 08 2009 11:37 AM One thing I've only heard mentioned once so far (briefly by Gammons) is that Teixeira wasn't exactly a big ARod fan when the two were in Texas together. IIRC, he and Blalock (and maybe a couple of the other young players) got pretty sick of Alex's all-knowing older-bother routine. Being reminded constantly to get good secondary lead, to wait for your pitch, yadda, yadda, kinda grows old real quickly. He probably figures that Alex isn't the big dog in the NYY clubhouse these days and is more reluctant to pull that shit. Farmer Ted Jan 08 2009 01:07 PM I hope Cynthia Rodriguez shows up for some games and kicks Leigh Teixeira in the ****. Hey, Leigh, here's the wife of your husband's hero. Hope you're next in the cell with her. http://www.nypost.com/photos/galleries/gossip/celebp/20090108_wild_wives/photo15.jpg metsguyinmichigan Jan 08 2009 02:45 PM "TeixMeix: Yeah, I'll be despised by everyone who hates the Yankees. And the people that love the Yankees are those same monosyllabic extras that threw rocks at the Green Goblin to protect Spider-Man." Awesome!!! Edgy DC Jan 08 2009 02:50 PM I don't know. Why the hell would Yankee fans protect Spider-Man, or even hang out on the Queensboro Bridge under any circumstances? G-Fafif Jan 08 2009 02:54 PM ]LeighTeixGloves: Okay, pros for playing in New York. TeixMeix: I'd make more money, and I'd finish in third next year instead of fourth. Now that's what I call accuracy in media. SteveJRogers Jan 08 2009 03:22 PM ="Frayed Knot"]One thing I've only heard mentioned once so far (briefly by Gammons) is that Teixeira wasn't exactly a big ARod fan when the two were in Texas together. IIRC, he and Blalock (and maybe a couple of the other young players) got pretty sick of Alex's all-knowing older-bother routine. Being reminded constantly to get good secondary lead, to wait for your pitch, yadda, yadda, kinda grows old real quickly. He probably figures that Alex isn't the big dog in the NYY clubhouse these days and is more reluctant to pull that shit. Funny, this was brought up by Michael Kay when he had Teixeira on, and Teixeira flat out denied that there was any heat between the two, and gave props to Rodriguez for that sort of behavior, and even said that he (Teixeira) actually sought Rodriguez out to pick his brain about the game. Course it is the diplomatic thing to say, but there are ways of saying everything when saying nothing, i.e. "Well, clubhouse rumors are clubhouse rumors. I have real hatred of Alex Rodriguez, but I'd rather not bring up the past at this time. All I really can say is that I look forward to being in the same lineup with such a great talent." Frayed Knot Jan 11 2009 06:59 AM If Mark Teixeira grew up wanting to be Don Mattingly, then I grew up wanting to be Honus Wagner. -- Mike Vaccaro, NY Post Another funny is that 'Sons of Sam Horn' is the sponsor for the Mark Teixeira page on BB-Ref.com -- tacking on the subtitle that; "Arod + Giambi + Damon + Contreras + Igawa + Sheffield + Vazquez + Abreu + Matsui + Pavano + Brown + Johnson + Mussina = 0 Yankee World Series Rings" Benjamin Grimm Jan 11 2009 07:22 AM The Daily News published its list of five hottest Yankee wives today. I'd like to think that it will be the Mets' turn next week, but of course that won't happen. Edgy DC Jan 11 2009 11:53 AM And that's just fine. Frayed Knot Jan 11 2009 02:32 PM "And that's just fine." Yeah, that's our turf!! "I'd like to think that it will be the Mets' turn next week, but of course that won't happen." I usually try to avoid the charges of claiming a paper is "anti-Met", but the NYDN - with their long-time writers and their in-game sponsorship and manager-touting ads - is so in bed with the Yanx that it's not even worthy of discussion anymore. Sunday's paper features an article touting how the new YS is NOT a drain on taxpayers but is, in fact, a terrific public policy move which will increase the city coffers. It was written by Yanqui President Randy Levine. And it's not even in the op-ed section but rather displayed as a regular news article that just happens to be written by a guy who would be the main focus of the topic were it to be penned by a regular reporter. Bet Bernie Madoff would like that sort of treatment. There's a large difference in degrees of course, but it's always nice to be given the opportunity to frame the news in your own favor. HahnSolo Jan 11 2009 03:32 PM Speaking of the NYDN, Bill Madden today called the Phillies "big winners" in the hot stove this winter. Why? Because they signed Ibanez to replace Burrell (probably a step up but nothing to go crazy over) and they picked up Chan Ho Park. Seriously. Rockin' Doc Jan 11 2009 04:08 PM I view the Phillies adding Chan Ho Park to their rotation as a possible boost to the Mets. It's been quite a long time since Chan Ho Park has been an effective starter.

="John Cougar Lunchbucket":1cpmrst4]I'd like to show her my dewey decimal, if you know what I mean.[/quote:1cpmrst4] I'd knock her right in her Breeders' Circle�. Benjamin Grimm Jan 09 2009 06:00 AM Ken Rosenthal on Mets Hot Stove Report last night says that, while the Braves are now looking like competition with the Mets for Lowe, as far as he knows, nobody other than the Mets has expressed any interest in Oliver Perez. He's pretty sure that the Mets will end up with either Lowe or Perez. metirish Jan 09 2009 06:31 AM ="Benjamin Grimm":3nzbjmer] He's pretty sure that the Mets will end up with either Lowe or Perez.[/quote:3nzbjmer] Any shot at both? , I think Lowe for what is being talked about would fine in terms of money and more importantly years and Ollie for four years and $40 million would be sweet. Frayed Knot Jan 09 2009 07:33 AM "Any shot at both?" I highly doubt that. Maybe one of them plus Petey, or plus Wolfie, or plus Redding, etc., but I don't see them inking two $12-$15mil/yr hurlers in the same month, not just on account of the money but also giving up the draft picks that would go with doing that. Benjamin Grimm Jan 09 2009 07:43 AM The only way I can see "both" happening is if the Mets sign Lowe and there's really no other market for Perez. In that case Boras might be willing to have Ollie sign a one-year deal with the Mets and try the market again after the 2009 season. Not a likely scenario, I don't think, but a possible one. Edgy DC Jan 09 2009 07:45 AM Well, there may be one $12 million guy and one $11 million guy. My mind is open. Let's not cough at Ollie's return. Two interesting stats about him: He had a 3.77 ERA after Manuel and Warthan came in. Lefties slugged. .271 off of him. John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 09 2009 07:50 AM I like Ollie and the only thing that gives me any pause is the Mets seemingly casual attitude about having him back. He's obviously got great talent and some flair, and he;'s healthy as far as we know, yeah? And he's 8 -- EIGHT -- years younger than Lowe. 8! Edgy DC Jan 09 2009 07:57 AM .271! Nymr83 Jan 09 2009 08:22 AM ="Edgy DC":1qbzwli1].271![/quote:1qbzwli1] 105! * Perez's league-leading walk total Edgy DC Jan 09 2009 08:29 AM The walk rate also dropped precipitously after Manuel came in, from 5.97 to 4.21 per nine innings. Nymr83 Jan 09 2009 08:35 AM if he'd done that over his 194 innings he'd have walked 90, still good for 5th most in the leaguw. so his walks went from atrocious to merely bad. Edgy DC Jan 09 2009 09:15 AM And Lowe is old and fat and pretty dicky. Nobody's perfect. Frayed Knot Jan 09 2009 11:11 AM Petey comes out in favor[/url:nsem0o4a] of the Mets signing Lowe ... he also comes out in favor of the Mets signing Petey!! metirish Jan 09 2009 11:15 AM Hilarious from Pedro in regards to Fred and Jeff. ] "I don't go to the papers a lot, but I know what happened to [team owner] Mr. Fred Wilpon, and I feel very badly for him," Martinez said, referring to Wilpon's investments with alleged swindler Bernard Madoff. "I feel very badly for the whole organization that those things happen. I wish I could do something. I just pray that [Wilpon] bounces back and we can give him the World Series that he deserves." John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 09 2009 11:32 AM Pedro's pissed because Madoff stole more than he did from the 'pons. Nymr83 Jan 09 2009 11:32 AM ="Edgy DC":er6x240t]And Lowe is old and fat and pretty dicky. Nobody's perfect.[/quote:er6x240t] he's old and relatively fat, but he was good the last 3 years in LA, i'd take him over Perez. where did you hear he was "dicky"? metirish Jan 09 2009 11:36 AM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":3up0zjlh]Pedro's pissed because Madoff stole more than he did from the 'pons.[/quote:3up0zjlh] Exactly what I was thinking , Pedro at least got away with it. Benjamin Grimm Jan 09 2009 11:39 AM It looks like Lowe has been pretty solid. He may not be as flashy as Perez, but I'll take solid over flashy. Especially after the last two seasons. Edgy DC Jan 09 2009 11:47 AM ="Nymr83"]="Edgy DC"]And Lowe is old and fat and pretty dicky. Nobody's perfect. he's old and relatively fat, but he was good the last 3 years in LA, i'd take him over Perez. where did you hear he was "dicky"? It's all over. Say his name out loud right now, and I guarantee, if at least three persons are within earshot, one of them will respond, "That guy's a dick!" Edgy DC Jan 09 2009 11:54 AM That's ambiguous. To clarify, by dick, I mean racially exclusive pill-popping carousing boozehound: http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2006/04/lowes_double_bad_day.php metirish Jan 09 2009 11:58 AM What a dick Edgy DC Jan 09 2009 12:03 PM You hear that, Nymr? Nymr83 Jan 09 2009 02:07 PM he doesn't count, he read the hit-piece that looks like it came straight from the wife's divorce lawyer. ok, maybe he's a dick, but he pitches well and doesn't look like a distraction on the field (Ramirez-style) so whatever. the Mets need pitching, even pitching with flawed personal lives. Benjamin Grimm Jan 09 2009 02:14 PM Yeah, we're looking for a pitcher, not a brother-in-law. Zvon Jan 09 2009 02:28 PM I read they gave Scott Boros a tour of Citi Field the other day. WTF? Nymr83 Jan 09 2009 02:33 PM "...and on your right you'll see the private suite we reserve for players' agents, but only if their clients have signed with us..." Edgy DC Jan 09 2009 03:02 PM Since when are you Mr. Tolerate Personal Flaws? Nymr83 Jan 09 2009 04:13 PM since we needed the pitching Edgy DC Jan 10 2009 09:29 PM Root the Yankees. They got it all. Me, I'm definitely for the non-dickulous. Frayed Knot Jan 11 2009 09:18 AM Not exactly anything new here, but Newsday's Ken Davidoff suggests[/url:3tucfsf7] that the Mets "remain confident" that they'll wind up with either Lowe or a return engagement by Ollie Perez. He mentions the recent Braves meeting with Lowe - but that's just one team. He goes on to quote pitching-hungry Brewer GM Doug Melvin as saying that; "I haven't even talked to Scott Boras" Also the Phils recent re-upping of CH Park pretty much fills out their rotation. While the BoSox have put a retainer on the rehabbing law firm of Smoltz, Penny, & Saito. Ashie62 Jan 11 2009 09:38 AM Omar hires the law firm Trickem Dickem & Lickem to pursue a starting pitcher. Derek Lowes numbers are solid over the last 3 years. He throws strikes. Is he a dick? As said earlier ask a few people about anyone and we're all dicks. I'm a dick and have a small one to prove it. I wonder if Oliver Twist is pissed the Mets made him sing for his supper this season and is apparently likely to see his price drop. Maybe Ben Sheet's price will go down to reasonable lets take a shot territory.. metsguyinmichigan Jan 11 2009 09:08 PM If the Braves get Lowe, that makes it easier to sign Perez, no? One fewer team with money looking for a starter? John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 11 2009 09:46 PM Braves apparently have signed that Kenshin Kawakami guy. If he's a starter, maybe they're out too. Centerfield Jan 12 2009 08:16 AM Ken Rosenthal said they were "all over" Lowe in an article over the weekend. So if you follow the logic of this thread, the Braves really like dick. metirish Jan 12 2009 08:39 AM Here's a new wrinkle to the Lowe talks. Jon Heyman ] Mets: Lowe-ball pitcher needed A secret batting practice session with David Wright, Daniel Murphy and Nick Evans last September at Citifield convinced all the players that the Mets' new home won't be the pitching park Mets people expected, but rather a launching pad for home runs. And some within their hierarchy have used this inside knowledge to stump for Lowe, a groundball pitcher, suggesting he might work better than Oliver Perez, a flyball pitcher. Lowe is far from a certainty to join the Mets, however. He is in play for the Braves and quite possibly the under-the-radar Phillies. The Brewers and Angels are outside possibilities (the Red Sox have to be out now after signing Cooperstown-bound John Smoltz). At this point, Lowe appears most likely ticketed for one of those three NL East teams. The Braves still have $60 million to $80 million left over from what they didn't spend on A.J. Burnett. But if Lowe goes to the world champion Phillies, that would give them a superb five-man rotation and put them in a dominating position to win the division for the third straight year. Even so, the Mets don't appear to be all in for Lowe to this point. GM Omar Minaya, who met with Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado during their recruitment periods and plans to meet soon with Pedro Martinez, has yet to meet with Lowe, who has huddled with the Braves and Phillies already. It seems that while some Mets people have stumped hard for Lowe, Minaya prefers the young left-hander Perez, which might explain their lukewarm $36-million, three-year offer to Lowe. Unless they change their stance, maybe Minaya will get his wish and be able to go after Perez after all. I had not heard this before , I knew about the BP but not that CF might be a launching pad. Of course we won't know until actual play but still I shudder at the thoughts of that. Edgy DC Jan 12 2009 08:53 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jan 12 2009 09:42 AM ="Nymr83"]he doesn't count, he read the hit-piece that looks like it came straight from the wife's divorce lawyer. Read it again. The depositions are open public records. That he threw his wife over for the FOX chick, that's public knowledge. That he was (is?) using Adderall, prescribed by a team doctor without an exam, that comes from his deposition. That the Red Sox suspected a drinking problem, his deposition also. That he got drunk in the clubhouse after games with the clubhouse manager, that comes from Trinka. But the manager disputes only the degrees, not the facts, though the degrees are higly relevant. That he was busted after a domestic disturbance, there's no independent source, but it can't be hard for a reporter to find one, and we don't get a denial. The explicitly segregated dinners, right out of the horse's mouth.Not in that report, in March 2006, Lowe whined that "he just didn't care" and wanted to go on the disabled list with "emotional distress" because of the hard times brought on him when he was discovered to be a womanizing jock. I mean, carrying on with a TV reporter, who could have expected that to go public? smg58 Jan 12 2009 09:27 AM [url:1dwd0gfh]http://www.amazinavenue.com/2009/1/7/711009/citi-field-where-homeruns[/url:1dwd0gfh] Amazingly, it wasn't hard at all to find an article suggesting exactly the opposite of what Heyman says about Citifield. seawolf17 Jan 12 2009 09:50 AM ="smg58":27rfu7sx][url:27rfu7sx]http://www.amazinavenue.com/2009/1/7/711009/citi-field-where-homeruns[/url:27rfu7sx] Amazingly, it wasn't hard at all to find an article suggesting exactly the opposite of what Heyman says about Citifield.[/quote:27rfu7sx] That was what I remembered also, not the "launching pad" thing. Heyman's an ass. John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 12 2009 09:56 AM ="seawolf17":18o7iaxe]="smg58":18o7iaxe][url:18o7iaxe]http://www.amazinavenue.com/2009/1/7/711009/citi-field-where-homeruns[/url:18o7iaxe] Amazingly, it wasn't hard at all to find an article suggesting exactly the opposite of what Heyman says about Citifield.[/quote:18o7iaxe] That was what I remembered also, not the "launching pad" thing. Heyman's an ass.[/quote:18o7iaxe] I don't buy that linked story either, at least not all of it. I think we'll have to wait and see. I think stuff like the batter's eye and lighting has as much or more to do with it than fence heights and configurations. The Mets have also indicated the fences can go up or down if needed, I think I read somewhere. batmagadanleadoff Jan 12 2009 09:57 AM ="smg58":1lloyi2s][url:1lloyi2s]http://www.amazinavenue.com/2009/1/7/711009/citi-field-where-homeruns[/url:1lloyi2s] Amazingly, it wasn't hard at all to find an article suggesting exactly the opposite of what Heyman says about Citifield.[/quote:1lloyi2s] This was a good read. By the way, I was always under the impression that Citi Field would favor the pitcher slightly. So Heyman's piece notwithstanding, am I misremembering? metirish Jan 12 2009 09:58 AM No you are not misremembering but I think Heyman read Jeff Wilpon talking about Evens " even hitting them over the wall" and came to the logical conclusion that it must be a launching pad. Frayed Knot Jan 12 2009 10:01 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jan 12 2009 10:03 AM According to the Mets, CitiField was designed to be, at worst, neutral and hopefully favoring pitchers somewhat. But like someone said above, the proof is in the playing and all kinds of things can affect the final outcome that may not have been thought of by the planners. It's a lot more than just the numbers on the wall. Was it the new place in Philly or in Cincy (or maybe both) where open areas behind home/3rd led to wind tunnels that carried the balls out towards RF much more than anyone thought. Neither was necessarily designed as homer-happy palaces. CF is going to be more enclosed than Shea and also turned some 25-30 degrees to the north. Not sure how much/if those will factor in. I think Heyman is taking a quickie impression based on an impromptu BP session and drawing a whole lotta silly conclusions from it. batmagadanleadoff Jan 12 2009 10:03 AM ="metirish":3lsk2pws]No you are not misremembering but I think Heyman read Jeff Wilpon talking about Evens " even hitting them over the wall" and came to the logical conclusion that it must be a launching pad.[/quote:3lsk2pws] I'll say this for Heyman in fairness -- like him or not (and I'm not sure where I stand) last season, he was by far, the most accurate reporter at predicting future Mets moves ... especially during the will-they-fire-Willie and when-will-they-fire-Willie phase of the 2008 season. TransMonk Jan 12 2009 10:03 AM I don't know why anyone would think the new park will be a "launching pad". If I had to predict, I would say Citi will play similar to the new Ted in Atlanta. Similar elevation, dimensions and direction. Anything's possible depending on how the wind reacts, but I haven't seen much evidence to this point that Citi will favor HR hitters. Edgy DC Jan 12 2009 10:09 AM ="TransMonk":2hobzjr5]I don't know why anyone would think the new park will be a "launching pad".[/quote:2hobzjr5] A single batting practice session with three players, that's why! seawolf17 Jan 12 2009 10:52 AM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":wqe3qe7s]The Mets have also indicated the fences can go up or down if needed, I think I read somewhere.[/quote:wqe3qe7s] I say they put them up when we're in the field, and down when we're at the plate. Benjamin Grimm Jan 12 2009 11:24 AM Bill Veeck tried something like that in the minor leagues. He had a chain link fence installed on a track on top of the regular fence. When the home team was batting, the fence would be rolled off to the side, and when the visitors were up it would be rolled back into place. Needless to say, he didn't get away with that for long. Nymr83 Jan 12 2009 12:45 PM ="Benjamin Grimm":ips0smpy]Bill Veeck tried something like that in the minor leagues. He had a chain link fence installed on a track on top of the regular fence. When the home team was batting, the fence would be rolled off to the side, and when the visitors were up it would be rolled back into place. Needless to say, he didn't get away with that for long.[/quote:ips0smpy] yeah, but that leads to a better idea that you might get away with... having a higher "portable" fence in games started by your flyball pitchers than you do in games started by your groundballers. Gwreck Jan 12 2009 06:12 PM ="Nymr83":1gekmyvr]yeah, but that leads to a better idea that you might get away with... having a higher "portable" fence in games started by your flyball pitchers than you do in games started by your groundballers.[/quote:1gekmyvr] I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think that's actually prohibited. Edgy DC Jan 12 2009 08:02 PM Yes it is. Teams need league permission before changing ballpark dimiensions, and I'm certain they'd be intolerant of a team changing them daily on the basis of who is pitching.. Nymr83 Jan 12 2009 08:47 PM is the height of a wall included in dimensions though? or are "dimensions" just the distance from homeplate to the wall? Edgy DC Jan 12 2009 09:00 PM I guess it's a valid question, but I consider the z axis to be a dimension. John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 12 2009 09:39 PM I am sure that changing fence heights would require prior league approval. Frayed Knot Jan 13 2009 06:16 AM Yeah, something like that would almost certainly be done between seasons and only after notifying MLB and probably after waiting for permission. All Jeffy said was the OF was designed with the possibility of fine-tuning the wall height in mind (and maybe even small changes in distances in some spots) so that if minor adjustments were needed it wouldn't mean tearing out certain seats and blocking the views of others if the place started to look too hitter-friendly (or, presumably, too pitcher-friendly). MFS62 Jan 13 2009 06:46 AM Discussion about whether or not CitiField will be a launching pad is premature because the wind currents when Shea is down are not known yet. Later Nymr83 Jan 13 2009 07:18 AM but isn't shea basically behind homeplate which is closed off anyway? i'd only expect shea to significantly effect the winds there if shea was facing an open part of stadium. i have no proof of this, but i got the feeling every game i went to this year that citifield was having a huge effect on the winds inside shea Centerfield Jan 13 2009 07:54 AM Back to the original topic. Heyman has the Braves going 4 years, close to $60 million for Lowe. Vince Coleman Firecracker Jan 13 2009 08:05 AM ="Centerfield":3os7gt8v]Back to the original topic. Heyman has the Braves going 4 years, close to $60 million for Lowe.[/quote:3os7gt8v] Gak! Where's Ben Sheets? metirish Jan 13 2009 08:07 AM In that same Heyman article he says the Mets are proposing a three year $30 million deal for Ollie , I don't see that getting it done. seawolf17 Jan 13 2009 09:24 AM Lowe's a Brave: http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/braves/stories/2009/01/13/braves_lowe.html Edgy DC Jan 13 2009 09:25 AM Welcome back, Ollie! Benjamin Grimm Jan 13 2009 09:27 AM Yuck. seawolf17 Jan 13 2009 09:29 AM ="Benjamin Grimm":26lhjjuj]Yuck.[/quote:26lhjjuj] No, I'm okay with that: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=270719119 bmfc1 Jan 13 2009 09:36 AM Heyman seems to be the first to report any news about Boras's clients. Peter Gammons, on January 07, said: "A lot of general managers and those of us in the business kid about a couple of sites referred to as ScottBoras.com, and Scott will float things out there and throw it out there and people will report it...." http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2009/01/gammonss_take.html I wonder if he was referring to Heyman. John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 13 2009 09:37 AM For an xtra year and an xtra 24 million they can have him. Now let's get Ollie. metirish Jan 13 2009 09:40 AM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":3qgkl57i]For an xtra year and an xtra 24 million they can have him. Now let's get Ollie.[/quote:3qgkl57i] Exactly , the four years is bad but they also seemed to have blown the door open with the $60 million , who did they think they were competing with? attgig Jan 13 2009 09:49 AM ="metirish":27ncuko8]="John Cougar Lunchbucket":27ncuko8]For an xtra year and an xtra 24 million they can have him. Now let's get Ollie.[/quote:27ncuko8] Exactly , the four years is bad but they also seemed to have blown the door open with the $60 million , who did they think they were competing with?[/quote:27ncuko8] a mystery team. who else? Fman99 Jan 13 2009 09:52 AM Good. Way too much money/years for a guy who is 36 and has his head screwed on sideways. I like Sheets or Ollie at this point as a #4 guy. Benjamin Grimm Jan 13 2009 09:58 AM I really wanted them to get someone better than Oliver Perez. I wanted a number 2 guy. Oh well. I would have been more optimistic heading into the season with Lowe than Perez. At least Redding should be an upgrade over Pedro. metsguyinmichigan Jan 13 2009 10:02 AM I'm very OK with this. That deal is going to look horrible before too long. Ollie can be lights out. He'll probably toss our first no-hitter. A seven-walk, two hit-batsman no-hitter, granted. smg58 Jan 13 2009 11:08 AM ="smg58":3cvsi3pd]A month or so ago I thought Derek Lowe would present the best value of the free agent pitchers. But I hear more rumors about teams being interested in him than in anybody else. I no longer think he'll come that cheap. He's more consistent and durable than any other pitcher on the market besides CC, but at his age I wouldn't want to be the team that offers him a fourth year at $15M+ per.[/quote:3cvsi3pd] I said that on Nov. 5, and I'm sticking to it. A Boy Named Seo Jan 13 2009 11:13 AM Good job, Mets. I don't doubt Lowe woulda been fine this year, maybe better than Ollie, and maybe good next year, too. But they weren't gonna go four expensive years on a 36-year old guy period, and they stuck to that. MFS62 Jan 13 2009 11:42 AM From age 37-40, Curt Schilling went sometning like 51-24, with ERA+ from 80 (one year) to 150 (best during that span). Not saying Lowe can come close to that, but it can happen. Of course there are probably many examples of rapid declines, too. But Lowe reminds me of Schilling - a bulldog. I wanted him on the Mets. Later Frayed Knot Jan 13 2009 01:21 PM ="batmagadanleadoff":r9o9y1ku]I'll say this for Heyman in fairness -- like him or not (and I'm not sure where I stand) last season, he was by far, the most accurate reporter at predicting future Mets moves ... especially during the will-they-fire-Willie and when-will-they-fire-Willie phase of the 2008 season.[/quote:r9o9y1ku] Heyman has long been a first-rate baseball reporter as far as digging out the facts and getting them right more often than not and often getting them first. And he didn't always get the credit for his scoops due to the tendency of the national press to cite the big-city dailies while overlooking Heyman's suburban-based Newsday. It may have been those frequent slights that prompted him to leave the newspaper biz for the brighter lights of SI, WFAN, SNY, and now MLBTV. Heyman's columnist persona while he was still at Newsday tended to irk a few around here from time to time but that was usually separate from his regular reporter chores. Nymr83 Jan 13 2009 01:30 PM too much and too long for Lowe, i'm glad it wasn't us.

="Frayed Knot"]="Rockin' Doc"]Knot -"And you just know it's only a matter of time until the Jeter-worshipping generation starts to invade." Too late. The media and most Yankee fans already laud Capt. Intangibles as the greatest shortstop in baseball. He's only the third best shortstop in New York. What I meant was until the get the next generation of FAs start inking multi-million dollar deals with the pinstripers and citing their life-long NYY fandom as the reason, one which dates back to the Jeter posters they had on their walls as young kids. I think the younger Upton brother has already fessed up to being a Jeets fan growing up. We already know that MFY fans and the media have long been in the tank. Justin Upton is a fan of Steve J. Rogers? Wild.

="G-Fafif"]More reasons to love their new guy, from the Snooze: ]Every Friday night, Mark Teixeira and his wife, Leigh, have "date night" - dinner at their country club near their home in Texas. Two weeks before Christmas, it was more than just a chance to spend time together - it was the night Leigh Teixeira nudged her husband toward the Bronx. Throughout his free agency, Teixeira solicited his wife's opinion and she kept saying, "I just want you to be happy," Teixeira recalled. On date night, Teixeira asked, "Everything's equal, where do you want to go? She finally said, 'I want you to be a Yankee.'" I just threw up in my mouth.

What a terrific story. My favorite part...' "Breeders Circle, the proposed name of a north Toronto street on a site where horses were once kept, was changed in 2002 to Green Meadows Circle 'due to concerns from future residents of the subdivision that the street name "Breeders Circle" has derogatory connotations,' City of Toronto records note." I'd like to, uh, encounter Teixeira's wife and introduce Fmeat to her Breeders' Circle.

He looks like a big dumb galoot.

Claudio Vargas also goes to the Dodgas.

="Centerfield":2ldc2kiv]If we don't do it, we should at least start some rumors to light a fire under Derek Lowe's ass. I heard the Mets offered Sheets 2 years, $24 million. Ok Steve, go quote me on other boards.[/quote:2ldc2kiv] Oh, so this is where you heard it. Fuck. I need to read more threads. SteveJRogers Jan 06 2009 09:39 PM ="Centerfield"]If we don't do it, we should at least start some rumors to light a fire under Derek Lowe's ass. I heard the Mets offered Sheets 2 years, $24 million. Ok Steve, go quote me on other boards. Only if it came from FK. Cause then it would be from Left Field! Yeah, I'll supply my own crickets Centerfield Jan 13 2009 09:53 AM So back to Sheets. I wish we could find out why teams are so hesitant to go down this road. I mean, it's one thing if the guy is an injury risk. It's another if the guy is injured. A Boy Named Seo Jan 13 2009 11:21 AM ="Centerfield":2li7lw9t] I mean, it's one thing if the guy is an injury risk. It's another if the guy is injured.[/quote:2li7lw9t] I think peeps don't really know. Last anyone saw of him, he was walking off a mound in September with a hurt arm. If we wrangle Ollie back, and even with Redding in the fold (he could slide to the pen), I'd throw like a 1 year/$5 guaranteed deal Sheets' way like $8 million bucks worth of bonus carrots attached, including a vesting 2nd year if his arm doesn't explode and he pitches like 185 innings or something. Eh? When he's on a mound, he's pretty awesome. smg58 Jan 13 2009 11:36 AM I think it's worth pointing out that Sheets threw 198 IP last year while Perez threw 194. Plus, signing Perez would keep us from getting back our first round pick in addition to another sandwich pick. Centerfield Jan 13 2009 12:23 PM Isn't a player's current injury something you could check? Isn't that why you get medicals and ask your doctors to check him out? MFS62 Jan 13 2009 12:28 PM IIRC, Sheets' late season injury was "stiffness in the forearm". I'm not sure how the cause of that can be diagnosed. Later Frayed Knot Jan 13 2009 12:53 PM Might be instructive to note that the hardly-hard-up-for-bucks BoSox opted for fliers on Smoltz (who may not even be ready when the season starts) and Penny (also coming off an injury) while not even offering a sniff in the direction of Sheets. MFS62 Jan 13 2009 01:36 PM I'd scan Sheets' arm with every test known to mankind until it glows in the dark. And if nothing bad shows up, sign him. Later Number 6 Jan 13 2009 01:36 PM I've always thought the Brewers rode Sheets a bit too hard. He was second in the league with 5 complete games last season, and threw over 100 pitches in more than half of his starts. While that may not be troubling for an average pitcher, he probably shouldn't be treated like one given his injury history. I'm no medical expert, but it may be possible for his new team to get more out of him by instituting a more rigid pitch/inning limit. mario25 Jan 13 2009 02:07 PM I say at least bring him in and check it out. Omar is in love with Perez but he is all arm/no head. attgig Jan 13 2009 02:38 PM I want sheets. I just have no clue what it would take to sign him. metirish Jan 13 2009 02:40 PM From the Boston Globe yesterday... Ben Sheets, free agent pitcher: We're hearing more and more that a team like the Braves or Rangers could pony up a couple of years on a contract that would land the oft-injured righthander. At this stage of free agency, he seems like big-time quality for a price that has surely come down. "I think as the weeks go on, more and more teams are going to take a good, hard look at him," said a National League manager. "Given his history, he's just not going to get a big deal, and the realization might be sinking in that he and his agents know it. Things changed today I would think with the Braves. Centerfield Jan 16 2009 07:34 PM We have a Ben Sheets sighting: Martinez also remains on the Mets' radar, as does free-agent righty Ben Sheets, pending a review of his medical records. This according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. Go get Sheets! Frayed Knot Jan 17 2009 08:02 AM ]I prefer Lowe..he has been an innings eater with a low comp..Last 2 years with 147 K's each and 47 & 55 BB'ish. That ain't bad. Nice to see a pitcher that consistently throws strikes. If it's strike throwing you want Sheets is among the best bets around: a 380/95 (K/BB) ratio over the last 3 seasons. As far as a contract, it seems to me that certain players should look around at the current economic situation and think that a short-term deal might be in their interest too. Especially reasonably young guys (31 next July) like Sheets coming off injuries. Take a 2-yr deal (or maybe even one) to prove you're healthy and have the chance to go back on the market when conditions (at least theoretically) are more player friendly. At this point I'm not sure holding out for a 3rd or 4th year is really in his interest. MFS62 Jan 17 2009 10:49 AM Someone told me that they had heard a few days ago that the Mets offered Sheets a 1 year $6 million guaranteed contract. He had no other details about incentives, options, etc. Anyone else hear that? If so, what was the source? Later Benjamin Grimm Jan 17 2009 06:56 PM ="David Lennon in Newsday":24839p42]For his part, Minaya has played it cool, suggesting that he has other options if Perez falls through. Two of the most intriguing names still available are Ben Sheets and Andy Pettitte, with the Mets only recently showing interest in the former Brewers ace. A person familiar with the situation said yesterday that Sheets is now being discussed, but it's unclear what the parameters of such a deal would be.[/quote:24839p42] Edgy DC Jan 17 2009 07:33 PM I think he probably has a few fingers in the trade market. Fman99 Jan 18 2009 02:10 PM This rumor is picking up steam. MLB.com[/url:las1k666] now quoting Newsday's story. I like. Frayed Knot Jan 18 2009 06:30 PM Of course that doesn't mean the talks are picking up, only that news outlets are citing each other as sources. Meanwhile, Pedro seems to be talking to Pittsburgh. Kong76 Jan 18 2009 06:40 PM The thought of Pedro riding into the sunset in Pittsburgh makes me laugh out loud. Not lol, laugh out loud. Retire, or sign with the Mets or Sawx in some kind of limited role. metsguyinmichigan Jan 18 2009 11:16 PM Is this Sheet AND Ollie or Sheets OR Ollie? Assuming we're going after Ollie, too. If we were relying on Sheets to be "the man," I'd be against it. But basically we're filling out our rotation, with a number of other options. Johan, Pelfrey, Sheets, Ollie and Maine with Redding and Neise in the wings is a pretty damn good rotation. MFS62 Jan 19 2009 04:46 AM ="Kong76":23f3gaue]The thought of Pedro riding into the sunset in Pittsburgh makes me laugh out loud. Not lol, laugh out loud. [/quote:23f3gaue] A great player ending his career in Pitsburgh isn't that bad. He'd be in pretty good company with Hank Greenberg. Later Frayed Knot Jan 19 2009 06:15 AM ="metsguyinmichigan":va8fttx0]Is this Sheet AND Ollie or Sheets OR Ollie?[/quote:va8fttx0] I suspect one or the other but not both. Rockin' Doc Jan 19 2009 06:43 AM From what I have read in most reports, Perez is the Mets first choice now that Lowe is in Atlanta. Sheets, Wolf, Garland, etc. are potential back up plans should Perez (and Boras) play hard to get. Personally, I think I would prefer to have Sheets. Perez has a tremendous arm and great stuff, but he often leaves me wondering where his head is at. Benjamin Grimm Jan 19 2009 06:51 AM I too would prefer Sheets. Even if he misses time with an injury, we'll probably get as many good starts from Sheets as from Perez, and fewer bad starts. Vince Coleman Firecracker Jan 19 2009 10:06 AM I would rather 150 innings of Sheets and 50 of Niese than 200 of Perez, and 100/100 of those two might still be more useful than a full season of Ollie. Centerfield Jan 20 2009 08:18 AM Lots more sources picking up on the Mets interest in Sheets. Tom Verducci was talking about it on the MLB Network, there's a piece in the Daily News this morning. The more I think about it, they really have to pull the trigger on Sheets. It is the only way they can significantly improve the rotation from last year. And they need to improve the pitching if they're not going to do anything about the lineup. TransMonk Jan 20 2009 09:18 AM I'm not a big fan of Sheets...his upsides and downsides are terribly drastic. That being said, he probably has the best potential upside available for next season. His eldest son is named after Tom Seaver. That's gotta be worth something I guess. DocTee Jan 24 2009 09:57 AM According to Buster Olney, Texas mulling a two-year, $16M offer to Ben. http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/story/1162289.html That's a steal, considering: "Over the last five seasons, the 30-year-old Sheets has an ERA of 3.24; his ERA has never been higher than 3.82 in any season, and was as low as 2.70 in 2004. His strikeout-to-walk ratio has never been worse than 2.87 to 1. Hitters have never had an OPS against him, in any season, higher than .705. In 2008, Sheets made 31 starts, threw 198 1/3 innings, posted an ERA of 3.09 while pitching in Milwaukee's bandbox, held opposing hitters to a .390 slugging percentage, started for the National League in the All-Star Game, struck out 158 while walking just 47..." metsmarathon Jan 24 2009 10:32 AM grr... Frayed Knot Jan 24 2009 11:14 AM Sheets lives in Texas which may give them the inside track there. Be nice if Omar were to match that offer and convince Big Ben that staying in the NL and staying out of that hitters' haven with the daily 90+ degree heat will be better for him in the long run. Then tell Boras that he can review that offer plus this newest one we supposedly made to Ollie and tell him first one to say yes gets the job. Nymr83 Jan 24 2009 12:16 PM ]According to Buster Olney, Texas mulling a two-year, $16M offer to Ben sounds cheap, offer him a 3rd year at the same price Omar! metsmarathon Jan 24 2009 12:57 PM uh, i'd go 2x9 before i went 3x8. but i'd be happy to include a vesting option for the third. Rockin' Doc Jan 24 2009 01:33 PM I like marathon's plan. Sheets has tremendous talent, but given his injury history I don't want to see the Mets guarantee more than two years to him. Centerfield Jan 24 2009 08:25 PM Come on Omar. At least make a fucking offer. Fman99 Jan 24 2009 08:39 PM ="Centerfield":3glgv0y9]Come on Omar. At least make a fucking offer.[/quote:3glgv0y9] Do something. Jeez, pitchers and catchers report in what, 3 weeks? metirish Jan 24 2009 08:44 PM Watch the MFY's come in a sign him. Frayed Knot Jan 25 2009 06:34 PM Just a few warning signs via the Ft Worth Star-Telegram: Lingering concerns over the status of Ben Sheets� right elbow could ultimately prevent the Texas Rangers from signing the free-agent All-Star pitcher to an incentive-laden contract. The Rangers have examined Sheets� medical reports, but sources said the club wants the most recent information on his torn flexor tendon. It�s an injury the Rangers know too well. Jason Jennings lasted only six starts last season before suffering a second torn flexor tendon in nine months. In both instances � August 2007 and May 2008 � Jennings had surgery. Sheets� tear did not require surgery, and he has resumed his normal preseason throwing program. He threw twice last week at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. However, the Highland Park resident has not undergone a physical and would have to pass one performed by Rangers doctors before a deal could be completed. The likelihood that an agreement will be reached by Monday, if at all this week, is waning. Centerfield Jan 26 2009 10:16 AM Is a torn flexor tendon what knocked out Wagner? The article doesn't make it clear whether the Rangers are concerned because he had a torn flexor tendon, or whether they feel he still has a torn flexor tendon. Edgy DC Jan 26 2009 10:26 AM I'm a fan of Ben Sheets and want the Mets in the mix, but I think the fans are being too hard here on poor ol' Omar. 1) Yeah, Sheets numbers from last year make him look pretty healthy, but that's because his injury took place at the end of the season, after he logged those numbers, but it shut him down for the playoffs. And the nature of an injury at the end of your season and your contract means that nobody knows the extent of the damage or what they're getting until you take the mound somewhere and log some time. 2) Isn't Omar getting somewhat hammered for the lost gamble he took on Moises Alou? If you pressure your GM to roll the dice, be a little more forgiving when he craps out once in a while. A Texas Ranger blogger takes a close look at this injury history here: http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/01/the-ben-sheets-medical-file.html Maybe Sheets and Nolan can talk blister cures. batmagadanleadoff Jan 26 2009 10:53 AM ="Centerfield":11j9ihkf]Is a torn flexor tendon what knocked out Wagner? The article doesn't make it clear whether the Rangers are concerned because he had a torn flexor tendon, or whether they feel he still has a torn flexor tendon.[/quote:11j9ihkf] Flexor Shmexor. I'm worried that Johan Santana might've sustained some permanent and irreversible diminishment of his abilities as a result of the surgery to repair his torn left meniscus. I realize that his injury is considered minor but still, it's Johan's rear pitching leg. On the other hand, no one else seems to be making a big deal about the surgery. And Santana did pitch his best game of last season while injured. So maybe there's not much to this. Frayed Knot Jan 26 2009 10:58 AM ="Centerfield":11erg5gp]Is a torn flexor tendon what knocked out Wagner? The article doesn't make it clear whether the Rangers are concerned because he had a torn flexor tendon, or whether they feel he still has a torn flexor tendon.[/quote:11erg5gp] Wagner's was a ligament tear. That's what TJ surgery is needed to fix. Sheets' flexor tendon tear did not have surgery - probably meaning it isn't thought to be severe enough and he can still pitch with it while it heals or remains strong enough on its own. Maybe it can but that's a risk whoever signs him is going to need to consider. Edgy DC Jan 26 2009 11:17 AM He may want to pull an Astacio and do some showcase pitching in the Caribbean. smg58 Feb 05 2009 11:56 AM [url:2ctckaya]http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090205&content_id=3801488&vkey=hotstove2008&fext=.jsp[/url:2ctckaya] The poor guy just can't buy a break. Nymr83 Feb 05 2009 12:47 PM sounds like a good time to sign him for cheap and hope he can help out in the second half or even for 2010 seawolf17 Feb 05 2009 01:36 PM ="Nymr83":3bzpskk2]sounds like a good time to sign him for cheap and hope he can help out in the second half or even for 2010[/quote:3bzpskk2] Bingo! Two-year, backloaded deal. Didn't the Yankees do that with Jon Lieber? Frayed Knot Feb 05 2009 02:38 PM Re: Leiber; yes, but I think it was post-surgery and not pre. Plus you don't want to do this at a time when it'll cost you a draft pick. So maybe after the cut-n-slice sounds like it worked and after the draft is done in June and you're off the hook for compensation it may be time to look into a rehab signing. Nymr83 Feb 05 2009 02:40 PM its strange that Sheets, if he knew he might need surgery, didn't accept arbitration from the Brewers. attgig Feb 05 2009 03:03 PM perhaps he had differing opinion vs the rangers doctors. him/his doctors didn't think he needed surgery, but the rangers docs did. and once ONE team's docs blackball you, it's gonna be impossible to get anything from any other team. Ashie62 Feb 05 2009 03:50 PM Sheets out 4-6 months for partially torn flexor tendon That answers that DocTee Feb 05 2009 04:20 PM Tough break. You know who I'd like to see the Mets take a flyer on: Mark Mulder. Centerfield Feb 06 2009 08:00 AM ="Ashie62":k5uv0414]Sheets out 4-6 months for partially torn flexor tendon That answers that[/quote:k5uv0414] That makes no sense. If that was the prognosis, why not have the surgery back in October? John Cougar Lunchbucket Feb 06 2009 08:28 AM ="Centerfield":125azak8]="Ashie62":125azak8]Sheets out 4-6 months for partially torn flexor tendon That answers that[/quote:125azak8] That makes no sense. If that was the prognosis, why not have the surgery back in October?[/quote:125azak8] Apparently the injury was revealed as part of a physical examination the Rangers required as a condition of a 2-year contract offer, now revoked. There is a question as to whether the Brewers will pay the doctor bills, paper sez. Nymr83 Feb 06 2009 08:38 AM thats going to be a question for the collective bargaining agreement, his last contract, and/or worker's comp laws. this is probably a good opportunity for the brewers to sign him for 2 years backloaded for cheap, maybe with a semi-expensive option for 2011 that kicks in with 200 innings in 2010. they'll probably be paying for his rehab anyway so they might as well be able to direct it and benefit from it