Fman99

I vote for Frankie Rodriguez.

I am voting for Blues Brothers. Apologies to the white-hot Lea Thompson but I am a music fan first. Plus I will penalize Back to the Future because of the subsequent infliction of BTTF II and III that was disseminated. YOU GOT MY CHEESE WHIZ, BOY?

Die Hard doesn't even have a hot chick. All apologies to Bonnie Whatshernuts and her stupid 80's poofy whitefro. Fmeat and I are going with Julie Hagerty as she services the automatic pilot (coincidentally, another nickname for Fmeat).

Fuck him and his pool filled with electric eels. The guy's a menace and he's stupid looking. Wait, who are we talking about?

="cooby":1yvq0p7i]Hey. What does blovating mean?[/quote:1yvq0p7i] I don't know. But there is a 100% chance I work it into my CPF song parody challenge play-in game. cooby Nov 17 2008 07:47 PM Fman, if you do, I promise to vote for you HahnSolo Nov 17 2008 08:04 PM ="Edgy DC":3dmxgmap]Steve tries to get support for his viewpoint at a Yankee forum --- while endorsing "hate" as long as it remains baseless --- and annoys them into closing the thread: http://forums.nyyfans.com/archive/index.php/t-97459.html[/quote:3dmxgmap] He's an equal opportunity annoyer. John Cougar Lunchbucket Nov 17 2008 08:40 PM Jeezziz. Valadius Nov 17 2008 08:56 PM Steve, I don't like the fact that you bad-mouthed me on another board. Nymr83 Nov 17 2008 09:12 PM wow board-drama. and steve can't even keep it on the board. hey steve, if this place is so bad that you have to complain about it elsewhere, why are you still here? metsguyinmichigan Nov 17 2008 09:29 PM Damn, stuck in a school board meeting all day and I missed this. 1) I hate Derek Jeter. He's Mr. Yankee 2) I like David Wright. A lot. He's Mr. Met, at least the non-costumed one. 3) Mariano Rivera is a soul-less cyborg with a dangerous pool. 4) Steve needs to keeps his beefs about the 'Pool family within the 'Pool family. All caught up. metsmarathon Nov 18 2008 07:37 AM i so wish i had seen this thread earlier yesterday... i still haven't gotten an answer on what evidence there is showing cal ripken's hatedness. and i still don't know how david wright parallels derek jeter. i also would think that the whole point of this thread, initially, was to point out what i would call special hate, not just the generic 'waah i hate XXX 'cos they're our rival and they suck and blah blah blah, and i hate YYY cos he's their best player and he sucks too!' the instances stevie seems to be pulling out about fans of other teams whining over wrights accomplishments and cheering his misaccomplishments seems more like hating on, than hating. "david wright doesn't deserve to win the mvp because YYY was a muuch better player and he didnt come through when they needed him anyways" isn't hating, its hating on, or deliberately (and perhaps intellectually dishonestly) minimizing his accomplishments and value. and of course, using sound logic and reasoning in a fact-based argument against the gross overrating of a player, well, that's not hating. that's called analyzing derek jeter. and he does a terrifically poor job of relaying the conversations of this board to other boards. i mean, jeez! Benjamin Grimm Nov 18 2008 07:51 AM ="metsmarathon":3by8ybm2]and he does a terrifically poor job of relaying the conversations of this board to other boards. i mean, jeez![/quote:3by8ybm2] Is that at all surprising? It's amazing how tenaciously he's held on to this issue, even going to other boards to try to get validation for his point of view. It's appropriate that his link back to us contained the phrase "getalifealready" Centerfield Nov 18 2008 07:56 AM For the record, I have no problem with him talking badly about us on other boards. In fact, I wish he would post on those other boards more often. Like all the time. Steve, don't go away mad... themetfairy Nov 18 2008 08:47 AM There was also the great leap of logic (if you can call it that) that Steve made. He asked, "How can you not like Mario Rivera?" I answered that I found the electrified pool to be a reason not to like him. He then extrapolated that I was blinded by irrational hatred, and posted about my obsessiveness all over the Internet. Yeah, I was the obsessed one here.... G-Fafif Nov 18 2008 09:10 AM I have to confess I barely remember the Mariano Rivera pool story and don't remember, at all, the conversation here about it. That said, fuck Mariano Rivera and fuck the Yankees. I mean, geez... soupcan Nov 18 2008 09:19 AM I didn't get much of a chance to get here yesterday and read most of this thread on my BlackBerry on the train home. "It's gold Jerry, pure gold!" Seriously, I was cracking up all the way home. Edgy DC Nov 18 2008 10:03 AM I keep Metro North moving. Kong76 Nov 18 2008 07:21 PM SJR: I'm clarifing it for you by holding up a fucking mirror <=== EDC: Don't fucking mirror me. <===

="SteveJRogers"]="Benjamin Grimm"] And your affection for Mariano Rivera is pretty irrational too. Lets see: 1) The man is a man of God, and is essentially the Roberto Clemente of Panama. Very charitable and very much a pillar of that communtiy. Even if you disagree with his religious belief system, you have to at least admire that, and no it is not "SO HE PAINTS CHURCHES" it is about doing the work and not simply giving money to charity, it is about getting your hands dirty and doing the work. 2) Other than aforementioned incident in which I've found only people on this board feel that he is culpable for, there has been not a single sliver of controversy attached to him in any sort of either wrong doing, or him being labeled a jerk during brushes of greatness. In other words, he is one of the good guys of the game. Therefore, how is ANYONE's affection for him irrational? Wow, you sound like Dennis Hopper's character in "Apocalypse Now." Time to start cutting the pills in half Jeets. I can hate Rivera - he wears a Yankee uniform. Duh. It's not rocket science or wizardry. Go play with your Giambi dolls.

="smg58":25fovtlb]Trevor could be a bargain. His year finished much better than it started. The catch is he's not more than a 50-inning pitcher at this point, but if you get a couple of innings-eaters in place, he could still be a good fit.[/quote:25fovtlb] He's beyond done. He's had numerous late season chances to earn his pay and come up empty. We already have guys who can do that. DocTee Nov 15 2008 08:46 PM I prevor Hoffman to Fuentes. My preference is Kerry Wood. Frayed Knot Nov 16 2008 06:08 AM Hoffman's numbers this season weren't as bad as I thought. Only 45 innings worth (missed some time due to injury) but a real good WHiP and his K/BB and H/IP ratios suggest he deserved a better ERA than the 3.7 he put up. On the other hand he just turned 41, had a real good pitchers park to call home, and a fastball/changeup pitcher with a diminshing fastball kinda scares you. And then there's some interesting stuff in Joel Sherman's NYPost column today - enough to suggest that they're not just going to throw money at the problem and hope for the best. There is growing belief in the industry, in fact, that Rodriguez will have to retreat from his five-year, $75 million demands and accept four years. Yet, the Mets still might prefer Fuentes. K-Rod did set the season record with 62 saves in 2008. But one Mets official had this insight: "When it comes to statistics, we are not basing this decision on save totals; at least not save totals alone." The Mets will honor, among other items, strikeout-to-walk ratio and on-base percentage against. And I came across this stat just out of curiosity: Rodriguez registered 1-2-3 frames in a career-low 29.2 percent of his innings (all figures courtesy of Elias). That ranked 151st out of 253 pitchers who worked at least 60 innings in 2008. Fuentes (41.3) was 13th, Wood (38.1) was 28th, Street (38.0), even with diminished stuff, was 29th, and another free agent, Brandon Lyon (37.7) was 31st. Rodriguez's stuff is not as electric as in the past, possibly because his high-effort delivery has robbed some life from his arm, though he is just 26. The Mets could wonder if the lack of clean 1-2-3 innings will continue to grow with age now, and if Rodriguez loses more stuff, will he be able to extract himself from difficulty with the same excellence? John Cougar Lunchbucket Nov 16 2008 06:15 AM I don;t want K-Rod because expectations that will come along with him will be nearly impossible to meet. A guy like Fuentes could exceed expectations and doesn't have such a brand name that he could be shuffled to a setup role without the world coming to an end. Frayed Knot Nov 16 2008 09:32 AM On the trade front, the scribes have a bit of disagreement on the status of ChiSox closer Bobby Jenks. The Post's Sherman declares it a virtually still-born idea citing too high an asking price (Fartinez + ?) combined with questions about decreasing K-rates and whether the Sox are making him available in the first place because they know something about him that other teams will only find out the hard way. Newsday's Davidoff, on the other hand, suggests a trade is in some ways preferable to the FA route and includes insider-ish quotes on how those plummeting K-rates are really signs of Jenks becoming a more complete pitcher. I do know Jenks had a real ass-hat rep early in his career. He came out of some trailer-park/white-trash kind of background complete with the requisite drinking problem which was at least part of what led to his release from the Angels org while still a minor-leaguer despite his ability to hit triple-digits on the radar gun. He of course then went on to anchor the Sox pen in their '05 run to the WS and I haven't heard about any problems since so maybe all that nonsense is behind him. Benjamin Grimm Nov 17 2008 09:17 AM ]Mets expected to make offers soon BY DAVID LENNON November 17, 2008 The Mets' true offseason strategy will reveal itself this week when general manager Omar Minaya finally extends offers to his top free-agent targets. A person familiar with the situation did not specify which day Minaya will deliver the numbers to Francisco Rodriguez or Brian Fuentes. He also could make an offer to starting pitchers such as Derek Lowe. That represents a significant step, considering that the Mets have talked about a number of different options - including a trade for the White Sox's Bobby Jenks - in order to fill their vacant closer slot. But now that Minaya is ready to talk years and dollars, it appears that his preference is to see where the free-agent market goes first. The Mets' plan will be much different from what the Yankees did Friday in making an offer to CC Sabathia that is said to be for six years and about $140 million. Expect Minaya to start small and work his way up the ladder in a negotiating process that should extend into the winter meetings, which begin Dec. 8 in Las Vegas. Ideally, Minaya would prefer no longer than a three-year deal for K-Rod or Fuentes, and it's realistic to think that the first to agree to that length could become the Mets' closer. Rodriguez's agent, Paul Kinzer, hinted at a five-year contract for his client, but four is more likely and three is a possibility, depending on the market. The Mets already have suggested that K-Rod, despite the best resume among the candidates, is not a slam-dunk to anchor their bullpen. But it's difficult to determine if their reservations about Rodriguez - floated publicly as concerns - are legit or merely a negotiating ploy to get him at their price. The money, it seems, is not nearly as important to the Mets as the number of years. They learned their lesson with Billy Wagner, who will collect $10.5 million on the DL next year - the final season of his four-year, $43-million contract - because of Tommy John surgery. Number 6 Nov 17 2008 12:58 PM ="Frayed Knot":1grv257o]He came out of some trailer-park/white-trash kind of background complete with the requisite drinking problem...[/quote:1grv257o] I don't know you, but I've read your posts and I generally respect your point of view. Here, though, I think you may want an opportunity to choose your words more carefully. MFS62 Nov 19 2008 08:42 AM I think that there will be help for the bullpen that is already on the roster. Duaner Sanchez. He had the kind of surgery that had never been attempted before for a pitcher. It was not TJ surgery. Doctors didn't know if he would ever pitch again. He did, and at times showed some of his prior effectiveness. Then, it appeared he experienced arm fatigue and his performance level decreased. Now, with a full winter to rest, I think he can again be a valuable contributor to the bullpen Later John Cougar Lunchbucket Nov 19 2008 08:45 AM I'd say there's a better chance Duaner Sanchez is finished than becomes a closer. Benjamin Grimm Nov 19 2008 09:03 AM He may still have something to contribute, but I certainly wouldn't want to position the Mets to where they're counting on him for 2009. Figure anything he provides is a bonus, but don't expect much. seawolf17 Nov 20 2008 11:18 AM From Jayson Stark: ]The Marlins traded Kevin Gregg but will plug in the up-and-coming Matt Lindstrom ... The Padres pushed Hoffman out their door, and they probably will stay in-house and go with Heath Bell. (sigh) smg58 Nov 20 2008 06:36 PM Bill James does all sorts of weird statistical analyses on his website, but this one jumped out at me. Duaner Sanchez in 2006: 44 shutout innings in 55.1 IP Duaner Sanchez in 2008: 46 shutout innings in 58.1 IP He clearly had an issue with blowup innings this year, but he had good outings at the same rate that he had them in 06. That gives me some reason for optimism with him. Not enough that I'd want him to close, but certainly enough to tender him a contract. I also think he's likely to be worth more than anything we could get in return. Nymr83 Nov 20 2008 06:56 PM I'd like to see Sanchez back in a middle relief role, he could regain his form now that he is further removed from his injury, and its not like he was TERRIBLE last year, just slightly below average. Edgy DC Nov 20 2008 07:44 PM But he wasn't overpowering anybody. I got the notion that any success he had was just the ball bouncing well for him. That's mostly my impression. His strikeout rate was pretty similar, and velocity can return in year two after surgery, but it's not like his surgery has a lot of precedent either. John Cougar Lunchbucket Nov 20 2008 07:46 PM ="smg58":3f37zrot] He clearly had an issue with blowup innings this year, but he had good outings at the same rate that he had them in 06. That gives me some reason for optimism with him. Not enough that I'd want him to close, but certainly enough to tender him a contract. I also think he's likely to be worth more than anything we could get in return.[/quote:3f37zrot] And get nothing for Tim Hamulack? I'm willing to be proven wrong here but I'd be very surprised if Sanchez is ever more than a fringe major leaguer from this point. He showed seriously diminished velocity from about June on and when the Mets needed someone to step up and give them some quality and durability late last year he was nowhere to be found. Benjamin Grimm Nov 27 2008 07:38 AM ="Adam Rubin"]Brian Fuentes' price Rocks Omar Minaya By ADAM RUBIN DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Thursday, November 27th 2008, 12:45 AM Brian Fuentes' agent tells Mets he's looking for three-year deal, in the $30 million-$33 million range. Brian Fuentes' representatives told the Mets the free agent closer is seeking a three-year deal worth $10 million to $11 million annually, according to a source familiar with the discussion. That price tag is a bit high for the Mets, but they are still interested in the former Rockie. GM Omar Minaya contacted the agents for Francisco Rodriguez and Fuentes on Tuesday, trying to lay the groundwork for in-person meetings. The Mets appear to be moving on parallel tracks with both free agents, content to sign either if the price is right. But a $30 million-plus commitment to Fuentes over three years is more than the what the Mets think he's worth. "Right now we're talking with the agents," Omar Minaya told Jim Duquette on XM Radio Wednesday. "But we are getting a pretty good idea as far as what terms they're looking for. Once we get an idea of the terms they're looking for, we have a better idea what we think it's going to take to get these guys done - understanding that markets do change, and they fluctuate. "Right now we're in the early stages. My understanding is a lot of clubs are reevaluating this market, more so because of the unfortunate financial strain that is going on not only in baseball but throughout the world." Signing the 33-year-old Fuentes, who made $5 million last year, over the more expensive K-Rod ($10M in 2008) would make acquiring a higher-priced set-up man - such as Colorado's Huston Street - easier to justify. Street, shipped to the Rockies this month after compiling 94 saves over the past four seasons with Oakland, may be flipped to another organization. He made $3.3 million last season and is arbitration eligible. Street won't be eligible for free agency until after the 2010 season - the same offseason Aaron Heilman becomes a free agent. Minaya also confirmed the Mets' widely reported interest in free agent outfielder Raul Iba�ez, although the GM noted that pitching is the priority for now. Minaya acknowledged trying to acquire Iba�ez from the Mariners last July. "Last year we did talk to them during the trading deadline about him," Minaya said. "Unfortunately, we were not able to get a trade done. We've heard very good reports about him - not only as a player, but as a person. I understand the Phillies, they're one of the teams that's considering him. We are also keeping an eye on that situation, even though we're focusing right now on pitching primarily. But he is a good player." As for re-signing Oliver Perez, Minaya said: "We definitely have Oliver on our radar, but I don't know what his asking price is. Sometime during the winter meetings we will probably sit down with (Perez's agent) Scott (Boras) and kind of get a better feel for what exactly he is looking for." Edgy DC Nov 27 2008 07:53 AM Not on the radar at all, it seems: Kerry Wood. bmfc1 Nov 27 2008 08:42 AM There must be a good reason why Fuentes was removed for awhile as the Rockies closer. He's way overpriced. I'd take him as the 8th inning guy but that's it. smg58 Nov 27 2008 09:21 AM Waiting might not be a bad strategy in this market. Other than the Mets and Angels, it's not clear who has both the need for a closer and the money to spend for a high-priced one. So somebody will become available for a really good price eventually. Edgy DC Nov 27 2008 10:02 PM A FOX sports report (among others) has the Mets considering Joseph Jason (J.J.) Putz. Coming off a down, injury-bitten year, but he's got a wickit splitter and enters to "Thunderstruck." The M's take the theme-song thingie a little further than usual with him, playing a bit o' the song after each out. Ah-AH-a-ah-ah-a-AH-ah. Thun-Dah! Ah-AH-a-ah-ah-a-AH-ah. Thun-Dah! TheOldMole Nov 28 2008 08:32 AM Every New York team should have a Putz. Rockin' Doc Nov 28 2008 10:46 AM I think the Yankees are owned by Putzes. dgwphotography Nov 28 2008 11:01 AM ="Rockin' Doc":s6sgsdk7]I think the Yankees are owned by Putzes.[/quote:s6sgsdk7] It is High! It is FAR! IT.... IS.... GONE!!!!!!!! John Cougar Lunchbucket Nov 28 2008 11:06 AM I got nothing against JJ Putz personally but I'd be surprised if stories like this aren't leaked so as to make free agents scared. DocTee Nov 28 2008 01:02 PM ]Not on the radar at all, it seems: Kerry Wood. I'm disappointed by the Mets' apparent lack of interest in any other than Fuentes or K-Rod. My preference is for Wood, or Arizona's Brandon Lyon (who'd come much, much cheaper than any of the aforementioned). Nymr83 Nov 28 2008 01:15 PM I don't want Wood, that injury history is way too scary. Gwreck Nov 28 2008 01:40 PM ="Edgy DC"] The M's take the theme-song thingie a little further than usual with him, playing a bit o' the song after each out. Ah-AH-a-ah-ah-a-AH-ah. Thun-Dah! Ah-AH-a-ah-ah-a-AH-ah. Thun-Dah! In fairness, the Mets were doing something similar, playing part of Enter Sandman after every Wagner K. Edgy DC Nov 28 2008 08:04 PM Well, to be honest, I'm about fed up to here with the concept of theme songs and I think it's time the Mets zagged no matter who they get. Frayed Knot Nov 29 2008 04:41 AM ="DocTee"]]Not on the radar at all, it seems: Kerry Wood. I'm disappointed by the Mets' apparent lack of interest in any other than Fuentes or K-Rod. My preference is for Wood, or Arizona's Brandon Lyon (who'd come much, much cheaper than any of the aforementioned). An article in today's NYTimes suggests just the opposite. Citing the always popular "people in baseball with knowledge of their stategy" they say that the Mets are persuing any and all options to fill their spot - or spots - in the pen. Specifically they mention not only the already held discussions with agents for Rodriguez & Fuentes but also those with other teams concerning Putz, Valverde, Street, and Jenks, as well as "evaluating" the situations with Wood & Hoffman (sounds like more as a fallback). Lyons isn't mentioned although I have no idea about his availability. MFS62 Nov 29 2008 04:31 PM On ESPN2 during the BC-Maryland game the tickert just said: "Mets believe they can sign free agent P Francisco Rodriguez to a 3-year deal because there are no other takers, ESPN's Peter Gammons reports" No link. Two comments: 1) It was Gammons 2) Don't count your chickens, etc. etc. Later Benjamin Grimm Nov 29 2008 05:05 PM As of now, my hunch is that the Mets will end up signing Rodriguez to a four-year deal. Kong76 Nov 29 2008 05:31 PM I agree. Or three years at really sick money per year. Gwreck Dec 05 2008 12:10 PM Some thoughts on this today from Buster Olney's blog at ESPN: ]� The Mets' front office believes, rightly, that it is in the driver's seat in the closers market, and part of their internal discussion has been about making offers to some relievers while informing them that the first one to jump at their proposal will be signed, and the others will be out of luck. The reason why this could be such an effective strategy for the Mets is they are the only team that appears willing to spend relatively big money on a multi-year deal for a closer. For example: It is not known exactly what the Mets intend to offer to the top-flight closers, but let's say they proposed a three-year, $36 million deal to Francisco Rodriguez; a three-year, $30 million offer to Brian Fuentes; and a two-year, $18 million offer to Kerry Wood. And then they could tell all three that the first to bite gets the contract. The Cardinals, Brewers, Indians and other teams are looking for closers, but probably won't spend at the same level as the Mets. The Indians, in fact, are willing to let the market play out, and at some point, some closer will be available at a good price, whether it be one of the free agents (like Trevor Hoffman) or perhaps a trade for J.J. Putz or Huston Street. Benjamin Grimm Dec 05 2008 12:24 PM What do we think of the speculation that the Mets could get Street from the Rockies for Heilman? If I'm Omar, I'd do that in a heartbeat. (I don't know if Street would be the answer for the ninth inning, but he'd be an upgrade for the eighth inning.) I just don't see the reason why the Rockies would do this, other than the idea that some teams see Heilman as a more viable starter than the Mets do. smg58 Dec 05 2008 12:58 PM Heilman won't be enough, but apparently the Rockies would bite if we threw in Feliciano. That still seems like a good offer to me, but I don't see the harm in waiting for a bit and seeing what our other options are. Edgy DC Dec 05 2008 01:20 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Dec 05 2008 01:21 PM Can we pronounce it Howston Street? Benjamin Grimm Dec 05 2008 01:20 PM ="Edgy DC"]Can we pronounce it Howston Street? If he comes to New York, I intend to do just that. Centerfield Dec 05 2008 01:31 PM ="smg58":2djctsow]Heilman won't be enough, but apparently the Rockies would bite if we threw in Feliciano. That still seems like a good offer to me, but I don't see the harm in waiting for a bit and seeing what our other options are.[/quote:2djctsow] Just let us know when the deal is done. Nymr and I are in the car waiting to drive them to Colorado. Benjamin Grimm Dec 05 2008 01:33 PM I don't want to drive to Denver, but I'll chip in for gas money for you guys. Frayed Knot Dec 06 2008 06:42 AM Read something in the last day or two (I forget where at this point) that Omar may try the 'first-come/first-served' approach with the group of FA closers. IOW, put out more or less simultaneous (though not identical) offers to Rodriguez, Fuentes & Wood and inform tham all that the first one to accept gets the job while those who snooze, lose. So maybe KRod gets offered 3x$14, Fuentes 2x12, and Wood 1+option in an attempt to snag a closer on what the Mets consider reasonable terms. Now this is a similar tact he tried with FA catchers Ramon Hernandez and (Benjy Molina?) a few years back although neither bit. That, in turn, caused Omar to trade for LoDuca instead. So maybe the trade route involving the Putz/Street/Valverde crowd is on the back burner in case the FA gambit falls through. Gwreck Dec 06 2008 03:14 PM ="Frayed Knot":3fkccx50]Read something in the last day or two (I forget where at this point) that Omar may try the 'first-come/first-served' approach with the group of FA closers.[/quote:3fkccx50] About 7 posts up in this thread? (It was Buster Olney at ESPN.com). Benjamin Grimm Dec 08 2008 07:46 AM According to numerous sources, Omar met with Francisco Rodriguez yesterday, and expects to come home from the winter meetings with a deal closed for a closer. Me, I'd be surprised if he got it all done in the next few days, but he might very well lay the groundwork for an announcement some time next week. I'm still expecting it will be Rodriguez. metirish Dec 08 2008 08:00 AM It should be noted that Jeff Wilpon went with Minaya and his crew(Bernazard , Ricco etc) to the meetings , took Wilpon's jet there in fact. Benjamin Grimm Dec 08 2008 08:10 AM That's not cool. They should have driven there in a hybrid vehicle. Edgy DC Dec 08 2008 08:32 AM A golf cart with a Mets hat. G-Fafif Dec 08 2008 03:20 PM Three years reportedly[/url:10qpkdcm] on the table for K-Rod from Mets, though he's not considered likely to jump at it. attgig Dec 08 2008 04:21 PM on a totally different train.... and probably more smokescreen than anything else (a la hoffman), but how about smoltz? he's coming back from injury, yeah. he's old. yeah but, we know he can close.

I am on the fence... I think Fboy would love all the Mets booty under the tree but I do not know if it's worth the cost or not. Thanks though for the post... options are always good.

="Benjamin Grimm"]Daily News reporting today that Lee Mazzilli has been dropped from the SNY studio show. Looks like Bobby Ojeda is most likely to replace him. No word yet on whether Darryl will return, or even if he wants to. Tough break for Maz. In all fairness I never felt he was particularly polished or effective in his delivery. I do like that they continue culling names from Mets lore for these jobs though. On the bright side, at least once his head does roll, the hot sauce in his hair will allow it to slide naturally down an escalator and out into Manhattan.

Any time George Lucas doesn't direct one of these things is a good time.

You wear too much makeup. My sister wears too much makeup. People think she's a whore.

While none of this comes as a surprise it doesn't make it hurt any less to read it, or contemplate it. For a fun game see if you can find my own editiorial commentary hidden within! That Awful Mets Bullpen May Return Intact[/url:qyx5cl94] By ALAN SCHWARZ Published: November 7, 2008 Most witnesses of the Mets� bullpen meltdown last season, those who can still see crucial victories squandered night after September night, would probably just as soon not see the names responsible for another missed postseason � Heilman, Schoeneweis, Ayala, Feliciano � ever take the mound at Citi Field. Justified as these fans may be in wanting a completely rebuilt bullpen, they should not hold their breath, or at least as much as they did during the playoff race. Early signs indicate that the Mets� relief corps could resemble last year�s more than any sadist would recommend. �You�re not going to just trade people for the sake of trading people,� Mets General Manager Omar Minaya said at the just-concluded general managers� meetings. �It�s not that easy. It�s got to make sense.� The only reliever sure not to be around in April is the injured closer Billy Wagner, whose elbow surgery will sideline him for most, if not all, of 2009. Wagner�s arm problems kept him from pitching after Aug. 2, forcing already suspect relievers into greater responsibility down the stretch, with disastrous results. In the season�s last two weeks, the Mets� bullpen blew a slew of leads and wheezed to a 5.63 earned run average, with Manager Jerry Manuel often trotting out several relievers just to get two or three outs. The Mets went 5-8 and finished one game behind the Milwaukee Brewers for the National League wild card. Starting over is tricky. Almost all of the Mets� other primary relievers are under the team�s contractual control for 2009. Aaron Heilman, Duaner S�nchez and Pedro Feliciano are still short of service time for free agency and could go to arbitration; Joe Smith and Bobby Parnell are renewable for low salaries; the contract of the left-hander Scott Schoeneweis has one year remaining. The only free agent is Luis Ayala, the stopgap closer acquired from Washington in mid-August and a pitcher who failed in several key moments down the stretch. As accessories to the Mets� 2008 disaster, those relievers will probably be difficult to trade, particularly if the Mets are looking for something of value in return. �Nobody�s trading relievers because a lot of teams are looking for relievers,� Minaya said. The biggest splash the Mets could make would be to outbid other clubs for the free-agent closer Francisco Rodr�guez, who broke the single-season save record with 62 last season for the Los Angeles Angels. Some executives believe that spending top dollar on closers can be unnecessary, because any number of pitchers can do the job. But Rodr�guez is only 26, has proved his postseason mettle and would instantly reduce the load on all the Mets relievers preceding him in the game. Brian Fuentes, another free-agent closer, formerly with the Colorado Rockies, is the only other marquee talent available for purchase. J. J. Putz, the closer for the rebuilding Seattle Mariners, may be available via trade. �New York can be tougher than other markets,� Minaya said, referring to the school of thought that closers can be found through experimentation among hard-throwing setup men or even failed starters. �You have to be mentally tough. I�ve taken Chad Cordero and put him out there and he�s done the job. But that was in Montreal, not New York.� Predicting any reliever�s performance through statistics can be a general manager�s toughest challenge. Earned run average is virtually meaningless for individual relievers because the inherited runners they allow to score are charged to the previous pitcher. Some clubs prefer to look at the percentage of inherited runners who score; others find greater predictive value in the rate at which balls are hit hard. But the small workload of most relievers, 60 or 70 innings, is a meager data set that encourages random fluctuations. And because managers decide when and how a reliever is used, against specific batters and in certain situations, all those statistics can be meaningless when the pitcher starts being deployed differently by another manager. The Cleveland Indians have ridden the bullpen roller coaster harder than any team. They had the American League�s best relief E.R.A. in 2005 (2.80), a poor one in 2006 (4.66), a good one in 2007 (3.73) and then last season they slipped to 5.11, the second worst in the league. �We figured that in odd years we�d be pretty good and in even years we�d be terrible,� Indians General Manager Mark Shapiro said. He said the key to building a successful bullpen was to begin by designating one pitcher as the closer and then having several others who could function in a variety of roles. �I think the key is to have flexibility and to not have a lot of guys with contracts you can�t move,� Shapiro said. �Things are not going to turn out the way you want them to turn out. There�s not a lot of predictability.� He added: �The guys that are the best get abused or overused, 70 or 80 games and warming up 100 times. For most guys that aren�t freaks of nature, there�s some lag effect the following year. The same concept works on the flip side � guys that are bad one year might get underused and might be able to bounce back the next year.� The Tampa Bay Rays reached the 2008 World Series thanks in large part to seemingly minor trades for relievers Grant Balfour, J. P. Howell, Chad Bradford and others. Good scouting can help the Mets identify undervalued arms this off-season. But if the trade market has dried up, the only new relievers the Mets could open with next year are a free-agent closer and another middle reliever, like the free agent Joe Beimel, formerly of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Minaya said that Parnell�s role could expand, and that he was willing to wait until spring training to see how his bullpen comes together. �Bullpen guys, they come into camp and you ride the hot hand,� Minaya said. �We may have our guys. They are ****s but we're already paying them. Aaron Heilman, for the past few years, he was one of the better eighth-inning guys out there. It goes hot and cold. Duaner S�nchez is one injury removed from being a guy. Do we have a closer per se? No, we don�t have a guy. But we have other guys. It�s all a matter of coming back and having good years.�

="soupcan":1jes1wmx]Always in favor of road greys with city name.[/quote:1jes1wmx] I am with Soup on this... It should be mandatory. batmagadanleadoff Nov 12 2008 02:11 PM ="Fman99":3i71qm2e]="soupcan":3i71qm2e]Always in favor of road greys with city name.[/quote:3i71qm2e] I am with Soup on this... It should be mandatory.[/quote:3i71qm2e] Me three. It would've been cool to have the Boog modeling the Orioles' new road grays. themetfairy Nov 12 2008 02:11 PM ="soupcan"]="Centerfield"]I hate the patch. But it is the state flag of MD. I like that they are connecting themselves to the region. State flag or not, it looks like a soccer logo, IMO. metsmarathon Nov 12 2008 02:25 PM the "o's" on the alternate uni hat is awful. Willets Point Nov 12 2008 02:43 PM Maryland has the best state flag, imho. HahnSolo Nov 12 2008 03:19 PM ="themetfairy"]="soupcan"]="Centerfield"]I hate the patch. But it is the state flag of MD. I like that they are connecting themselves to the region. State flag or not, it looks like a soccer logo, IMO. Don't the Ravens have this at midfield of their stadium? Zvon Nov 12 2008 08:15 PM ="metsmarathon"]the "o's" on the alternate uni hat is awful. It really is. I don't really like the real looking bird either. I really loved the old cartoon bird. I was never an Oriole fan but I did buy one of these hats around age 13. And if I played infield during sandlot games I was Brooks. If I played outfield, Met hat and I was Agee. Valadius Nov 12 2008 08:28 PM I'm partial to the real-looking bird, but then again, that's what I grew up seeing. And the "O's" thing is an absolute travesty. seawolf17 Nov 12 2008 08:30 PM I love the cartoon bird. Bring it back, fellas. Cut the ornithological crap out. Vince Coleman Firecracker Nov 13 2008 03:29 AM ="Willets Point"]Maryland has the best state flag, imho. I put it second to Tennessee. And I love the cartoon bird, too. attgig Nov 14 2008 11:29 AM ="batmagadanleadoff":3iiumgai]="Fman99":3iiumgai]="soupcan":3iiumgai]Always in favor of road greys with city name.[/quote:3iiumgai] I am with Soup on this... It should be mandatory.[/quote:3iiumgai] Me three. It would've been cool to have the Boog modeling the Orioles' new road grays.[/quote:3iiumgai] they actually had the unveiling at the inner harbor galleria mall, and Boog was there. not sure which one he was modeling, but he was modeling. So was Jim Palmer, with very short pants. all this according to a coworker who went over there to check it out. batmagadanleadoff Nov 14 2008 12:04 PM ="attgig":eejm0eox]="batmagadanleadoff":eejm0eox]="Fman99":eejm0eox]="soupcan":eejm0eox]Always in favor of road greys with city name.[/quote:eejm0eox] I am with Soup on this... It should be mandatory.[/quote:eejm0eox] Me three. It would've been cool to have the Boog modeling the Orioles' new road grays.[/quote:eejm0eox] they actually had the unveiling at the inner harbor galleria mall, and Boog was there. not sure which one he was modeling, but he was modeling. So was Jim Palmer, with very short pants. all this according to a coworker who went over there to check it out.[/quote:eejm0eox] No kidding. I did not know. Any pics? Benjamin Grimm Nov 14 2008 12:19 PM That black cap with the orange "O's" is hideous. Everything else looks okay, although I could do without the black jersey. That looks a bit amateurish. Zvon Nov 14 2008 12:24 PM What a bazaar world we live in where Boog Powell can get modeling work. attgig Nov 14 2008 03:34 PM http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/baseball/bal-orioles1112,0,3040019.story has a video, where i can't quite make out palmer's legs... the video 1/2 way down shows boog. themetfairy Nov 16 2008 05:53 AM The Dugout[/url:2f5hyry2] poked some fun at the Orioles and their new unis. attgig Nov 17 2008 09:03 AM ="themetfairy":2g1yawhc]The Dugout[/url:2g1yawhc] poked some fun at the Orioles and their new unis.[/quote:2g1yawhc] lol that chatroom is hilarious. you have to be a fan of the wire to get the jokes.

That's Not Mayo: My Secret Life with George Takei

Vaginas? Ew!

Lifes the same Im moving in stereo Lifes the same except for my shoes Lifes the same youre shakin like tremolo Lifes the same its all inside you Its so easy to blow up your problems Its so easy to play up your breakdown Its so easy to fly through a window Its so easy to fool with the sound Its so tough to get up Its so tough Its so tough to live up Its so tough on you Lifes the same Im moving in stereo Lifes the same except for my shoes Lifes the same youre shakin like tremolo Lifes the same its all inside you Lifes the same Im moving in stereo Lifes the same except for my shoes Lifes the same youre shakin like tremolo Lifes the same its all inside you

Kevin Costner is too douchey in this movie and his wife is about as hot as an old onion in my fridge. I vote for Soul Glo. Just let your SOUL GLOW!

Tiebreaker goes to Queen Elizabeth passing beers at the Angels game.

I have seen both of these movies countless times... yet I remain indifferent to both of them. So Fmeat will go with the Fwife-esque Elizabeth Shue one more time. Cheerleading, ponytail, there you go.

="John Cougar Lunchbucket"]="metirish"]="Frayed Knot"]More goofball than asshat - and reportedly very popular with the other players (for whatever that's worth). Definitely a goofball Let's get him. Hey I was wondering what happened to the stoned kid from "Dazed and Confused."

Stand by Me. I can't buy into the idea that Tim Robbins has any idea what a real pitcher should look like.

Still voting for Fletch. Still want to detowel whats-her-nuts.

According to some RSS feed I get, forgot which one, he's going to get paid $1.7 million for his 2009 service.

"Maybe later you can kiss me on the veranda..." "Lips would be fine."