Vic Sage

i don't think the upgrade of Soriano over Cameron is worth Lastings Milledge and Petit, even if we get back Gonzalez, and such a move won't make a significant improvement in our offense this year. If you also consider what we'd be replacing Cameron's bat in RF with, versus what we're currently getting from 2b, and also what we'd be losing defensively, It might just be a wash. Unless, of course, Gonzalez is major-league ready to step in and be Mark Grace. I don't know that he is now, or ever will be.I'd sooner give up Petit than Milledge because i don't trust the likelihood of very young arms lasting very long. They don't much more often than they do. Position players are another matter, and Milledge has been able to use his 5 tools productively at every level. There's no reason he couldn't play a corner OF spot, maybe even next year, if FLoyd breaks down again. If it was Cameron, Heilman, Cairo + prospect (not one of our top 5), for Soriano and Gonzalez, I might take a shot. But not our top 2 prospects PLUS Cameron. no way.

]Bret: Mainly I was objecting to Vic's characterization of Heilman's failure in a starting role. my characterization of Heilman's production as a starting pitcher is based on facts. Yours is based on the wishful thinking that always looks at "could be" rather than "is". Here's Heilman's career as a SP for the Mets:2003 = 2-7 / 6.93 ERA /13 GS / 64.2 IP/ 40 BB - 50 K/ .306 baa2004 = 1-3 / 5.46 ERA / 5 GS / 28 IP / 13 BB - 22 K/.257 baa2005 = 2-3 / 4.71 ERA / 7 GS / 42 IP / 13 BB - 34K /.247 baaHis minor-league career was equally unimpressive.While he's certainly showed improvement, all i see is a guy that might eventually fulfill his predicted future of being a serviceable #3 SPer who gives you "innings". In fact, he's been more successful in the pen this year, than in the rotation. He's turning 27 in November and, outside of 2 games this year, may or may not have "turned the corner", but that corner has taken him from "bad" to "mediocre", not from "bad" to "good".Would i prefer him in the rotation over Ishii?Yeah. But thats because Ishii sucks, has sucked, and will in all likelihood continue to suck. At least Heilman has shown indications that he might not suck. This, in no way, makes him some indespensible component of our next pennant winning team, or makes him a valuable bargaining chip. And if we can get one of the more productive 2bmen in baseball for him and another young AA arm, It's hardly a deal i'd become enraged over. In fact, its one that would likely put is in serious contention for the division title.

hey, he wanted to deal Floyd for Sosa, so his eyesight is HIGHLY questionable. I'm really not advocating a deal for Soriano, because i don't believe that rumor has any validity. but i'm just not sold on Heilman or Petit. There are guys our there (like Dunn) i'd gladly part with them for. Milledge is another matter.

there is no way in hell that Petit and Heilman buys us Soriano, much less Soriano + Casey. I don't love either of those guys but, that being said, if that deal is on the table, we should grab it. It'd make us a playoff team, with solid offensive production from every spot in the lineup and a solid starting rotation. While Petit may be one of our best prospects, that doesn't make him a great prospect. I don't see him as a can't miss blue-chipper, and Heilman has blown each chance he's been given to be a SPer, and is now a barely serviceable middle-inning guy. I'd much prefer Heilman to go than Zambrano. It's a moot point, however, cuz i don't see any GM, even one with John Hart's itchy trigger finger, taking Petit + Heilman for Soriano.

]can someone make a table out of that?no, but how about a nice hat, or a broach?

I don't think the difference between our CF production and that of the league avg CF production is our problem, regardless of our expectations or Beltran's paycheck. Our problem on offense is the difference between our 1b and 2b production and the league average production at those positions.As i said at the time of the great Minky debates, there was little reason to expect Minky to hit much more than his career average, given his age, coming to a new league, playing at Shea, and limited playing time in 04. And, as i said, if a .760 OPS is the production we're going to get at 1b...well, we are good and truly fucked, and i don't care how gold his glove is. The fact that he's hitting at a .710 clip only exacerbates the problem.

Soriano has approximately a .700+ OPS away from Texas over his last 1 1/2 seasons (500+ road ABs).To put that in context, thats about what we've gotten from Kaz Matsui. Sori will probably run less and hit a few more dingers but overall production would be in a similar range, based on Sori's road numbers. How stupid do you have to be to pursue a guy like this, given that his overall career has been in steady decline, and he's a non-hustling PITA to boot?I guess we may soon find out...

liked, but did not love, the new BATMAN first the good news... the first hour is the best batman movie ever. Bale is terrific as the obsessed seeker. Liam Neeson as his mentor is excellent too. Michael Caine provides the right combination of humor and emotional complexity for Alfred. Morgan Freeman's Lucious Fox and gary oldman's Jim Gordon round out a strong supporting cast. the film captures the tone of Miller's Dark Knight books. There is not a whiff of camp or silliness. It knows its telling a story from the canon of American mythology and treats it with dignity. Also, the movie looks great and uses iconic images to great effect. The image of Bale in the bat cave in the midst of a torrent of bats, standing without fear, is incredible, as he's transformed his fear into strength and in the process has become something... more. Bale is a truly terrifying figure in a way no other screen Batman has ever been. Now for the bad news... Christopher Nolan couldn't direct a fight scene if his life depended on it. Most of the action scenes are a pointless jumble, with no interesting or dramatic effect, nor any aesthetic value either. They are just indecipherable closeups of movement. They spent an hour showing Batman's training, his expertise in the martial arts, yet we don'[t actually get to see him demonstrate that prowess. The big climax is anti-climactic. And the love interest is not of interest. if Nolan had turned over the direction of the action scenes to a 2nd unit director (John Woo? the Warchowski bros?), this would've been a classic. missed opportunity, but still very good and worth seeing.

I hear he's going to be the next Tom Terrific!I can't wait for my blue-chip baby boy to break thru!keep me posted.

I'm taking my daughter. anybody else gonna be there?

Well, i did say it was "annoying". And i didn't say it was "good".But i have some affection for it, as it depicted that time after college with your friends that i was going thru at that moment. And i was desperately in love with Demi.

the only bunt Mike will drop is one he's fielding.as for Willie...I've gone on record as unhappy about the WWSB hiring from the outset... in fact, i gave him that name. I think, PR aside, he's wrong about nearly everything, regarding his overall managerial philosophy. That being said, he seems to be handling the players pretty well.

for those unfamiliar with the works of this particular list of directors...[u:seblymvh]Verhoeven[/u:seblymvh]Hollow Man (2000) - suckedStarship Troopers (1997) - bad, but funShowgirls (1995) - awful, but funBasic Instinct (1992) - overratedTotal Recall (1990) - good Sci-fiRoboCop (1987) - GREAT Sci-fiFlesh & Blood (1985) - badThe Fourth Man (1983) - GREATSpetters (1980) - okSoldier of Orange (1977) - GREAT[u:seblymvh]Zemeckis[/u:seblymvh]The Polar Express (2004) - mediocreCast Away (2000) - overratedWhat Lies Beneath (2000) - badContact (1997) - decentForrest Gump (1994) - EXTREMELY overratedDeath Becomes Her (1992) - badBack to the Future Part III (1990) - badBack to the Future Part II (1989) - badWho Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) - GREATBack to the Future (1985) - okayRomancing the Stone (1984) - mediocreUsed Cars (1980) - goodI Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978) - mediocre[u:seblymvh]Dante [/u:seblymvh]Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003) - suckolaSmall Soldiers (1998) - amusing, but badMatinee (1993) - surprisingly not badGremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) - badThe `burbs (1989) - real badAmazon Women on the Moon (1987) - some funny bits, but badInnerspace (1987) - badExplorers (1985) - not terribleGremlins (1984) - GREATTwilight Zone: The Movie (1983) (segment 3) - goodThe Howling (1981) - GREATPiranha (1978) - badHollywood Boulevard (1976) - bad[u:seblymvh]Donner [/u:seblymvh]Timeline (2003) - badLethal Weapon 4 (1998) - suckolaConspiracy Theory (1997) - mediocreAssassins (1995) - badMaverick (1994) - badLethal Weapon 3 (1992) - mediocreRadio Flyer (1992) - badLethal Weapon 2 (1989) - mediocreScrooged (1988) - interesting messLethal Weapon (1987) - okayThe Goonies (1985) - okayLadyhawke (1985) - goodThe Toy (1982) - awfulInside Moves (1980) - okaySuperman (1978) - almost greatThe Omen (1976) - good[plus 20+ years of tv movies, series][u:seblymvh]Bay [/u:seblymvh]The Island (2005) - comes out next weekBad Boys II (2003) - awfulPearl Harbor (2001) - unspeakably awfulArmageddon (1998) - okayThe Rock (1996) - okayBad Boys (1995) - mediocre[u:seblymvh]Schumacher[/u:seblymvh]The Phantom of the Opera (2004) - disasterVeronica Guerin (2003) - badPhone Booth (2002) - badBad Company (2002) - badTigerland (2000) - badFlawless (1999) - bad8MM (1999) - badBatman & Robin (1997) - catastrophicA Time to Kill (1996) - okayBatman Forever (1995) - contemptibleThe Client (1994) - okayFalling Down (1993) - interestingDying Young (1991) - badFlatliners (1990) - real badCousins (1989) - extremely badThe Lost Boys (1987) - surprisingly goodSt. Elmo's Fire (1985) - annoying, but okD.C. Cab (1983) - badThe Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981) - disastrous

Verhoeven has made some indisputably excellent films, so he'd top the list.And Schumacher should be burned at the stake, so he's at the bottom. Zemeckis is not to my tastes, but he's at least competent. And Tom Hanks will probably be in it, so its worth taking a chance with Bobby if Paul V is too busy.Dante, Donner and Bay... sounds like a law firm, or 3 of Santa's reindeer. Donner and Dante have both had ocasion to make good films, but Donner is really a tired old hack at this point, and Dante's cartoon sensibility is more akin to my own. Bay's movies are loud and obnoxious and stupid. Still, he's not Schumacher so he has that going for him.Therefore, my list in descending order:VerhoevenZemeckisDanteDonner BaySchumacher

shut up.

somebody starts talking about movies and i just lose complete control of myself. i am so pathetic...

i give it a 6/10.As much as i like looking at Jessica Alba, and as much as enjoyed the outfits she was in (and the underwear scene on the bridge), Jessica Alba is to Sue Storm what I am to Tango dancing. Reed and Doom were all wrong too. That being said, they do capture the tone and spirit of the book pretty well. I thought the effects were perfectly fine. I would've preferred The Thing to be more than Chicklis in a foam rubber suit, but it was okay. I missed the Yancy Street boys, however.Johnny Storm was perfect. The family dynamic of the group exactly right. Grimm's tragic condition captured, along with his "tough sargeant with a soft heart" character. they didn't try to overload the plot. It was a straightforward origin story, and it was fine. the scenes with the 4 of them uniting to fight Doom gave me goosebumps of recognition, as i saw one of my favorite old comics come to life. And when Johnny makes the burning "4" in the night sky... well, lets just say i'm ready for "FF4 # II"certainly not a great film, and at times not even a good one. But better than i expected, and close enough to get the benefit of the doubt.

Thanks, widey. It's fun to see my summer movie update thread. Just for kicks, i'll finish it off:>"1) PUNISHER - still planning to catch it on cable or dvd." I finally caught up with it on DVD. Not as bad as the Dolph Lundgren version. While still not quite THE punisher, its not an awful rental, in its b-movie way. >"8 ) ZATOICHI -- in the tradition of great blind samurai flicks, actor/director Kitano has made... well, another one. I'm so there. i missed it, sadly. Still want to see it at some point. >"9) CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK -- BAD REVIEWS (what a surprise!). I missed it, but i'm going to watch PITCH BLACK on tape first, and then rent RIDDICK thereafter."saw both of them on late night cable. PITCH BLACK is a better thriller, but RIDDICK has some amazing imagery. Diesel's character is really interesting. Still, a ridiculous movie with atrocious writing.>"13) CATWOMAN -- BRUTAL REVIEWS! Still might catch it on cable, just to look at her. "I still haven't managed to make myself watch this one.>"14) THE VILLAGE -- M.Night Shamalamadingdong's new movie got mixed-to-bad reviews. I still plan to see it."i haven't seen this one yet either. i do plan to try and catch up with it since Shamalamadingdong's movies fascinate me.>"15) THUNDERBIRDS - they've done the classic BBC super-marionation series as a live-action family adventure SPYKIDS type movie. OY. wait for cable. "i plan to avoid this one, even on cable.>"16) ALIEN V PREDATOR -- it worked in the comics, it could work on the screen." haven't rented it yet. i'll catch it on late night cable. It'll suck, but i've got to see it.>"17) HERO -- Japanese war epic, with Jet Li. Yep."An absolutely BRILLIANT movie, in the "Crouching Tiger" school of serious Chinese martial arts movies. It covers the historic tale of ancient China that is shown in THE EMPEROR & THE ASSASSIN, about a great and terrible Emperor who unites all the provinces into a single nation, at a terrible cost in lives, and the assassin sent to kill him. Jet Li is terrific. It is a haunting, sad, beautiful, exciting spectacle. Director Yimou Zhang is a master. His earlier works distributed in the US (Red Sorghum, Raise the Red Lantern, Ju Dou, Shanghai Triad) were all serious, quite dramas. But this weds those films to traditional martial arts fantasy storytelling, and the results are amazing. Still, the best was yet to come when Zhang came out this past year with HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS... perhaps the best film i've ever seen in this style. >"18 ) SKY CAPTAIN & THE WORLD OF TOMORROW -- live actors in a CGI world. Looks like the Fleisher/Superman cartoons of the 1930s. Art Deco style. Could be absolutely awful, but i'm going to check it out in theaters. whatever its vices, its virtues need to be seen on a big screen."I did see it on the big screen and i'm glad i did. It starts out as a terrific movie, and i was sitting there with a big smile plastered on my face. But about 1/2 way thru, the storytelling starts to fall apart and by the end i wanted to put my foot up the director's ass. CGI can't replace a script. >"19) DAY AFTER TOMORROW - Bad reviews, and it tanked. Missed it and i'm not sad about it."still not sad about it. >"20) EXORCIST:THE BEGINNING - a WWII era prequel! Saw trailer, and it looks good. Like the underrated Exorcist II by Boorman."a disaster, so i'm told. oh well. wait for cable. >"21) AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS - Brutal reviews. Bomb. No interest. "still no interest.>"22) DEATHLOK - this is listed as an August release on IMDB, but its got no stars, no major studio behind it, so i'm dubious. Still, its one of my favorite Marvel Comics characters, so I'LL be there if HE is."He isn't there. Doesn't look like he ever will be. >"other films coming up later in the year include: - BLADE:TRINITY - third in the excellent series Haven't seen it yet. Supposedly blows. will see on cable.>"- INCREDIBLES - An over-the-hill superhero, from Pixar"Terrific film! bought the DVD.>"- CONSTANTINE - can Keanu Reeves ruin a great character? Probably, but the DC/Vertigo series HELLBLAZER is finally coming to the big screen, so i'll be there opening night."Oy. So close and yet so far. Reeves did in fact screw it up, but so did the filmmakers who thought they could improve upon the source material and blundered. Still, not terrible. Watchable, in fact. Just a missed opportunity.>"- BROTHERS GRIMM - mad genius Terry Gilliam takes on the fantasy worlds of the sibling fantasists "Didn't come out that summer, but is expected out this August. With Matt Damon and Heath Ledger as the brothers. A new Gilliam film is always worth a look.>"- POLAR EXPRESS -- CGI Christmas fantasy, with Tom Hanks"Took my kids. It was ok... nothing more. >"- PHANTOM OF THE OPERA -- hack Joel Shumacher, after destroying the BATMAN franchise, now takes on Andrew Lloyd Webber's pop opera. No one will emerge unscathed! A debacle in the making! IT WILL WORK!!!"turned out to BE a debacle, in fact! Still, i'm curious... not curious enough to SEE it, however.

... after the destruction of so much of my work, i refuse to contribute anything more than a simple response and a vote.I just couldn't take the heartbreak again

can i turn it up to 11?"why don't you just make 10 louder?""but it goes to 11..."

The missus and I watched it on dvd last month. i didn't really expect to like it much, but i did. It wasn't earth-shattering, but it was a good, little movie. Funny, touching, sad. great performances.

The "Diamond Club" is a sports bar, more or less. There is no dress code that i'm aware of, but you could call to make sure. The menu is strictly "pub food". Its strictly a nachos and burger place, so stay away from anything fancy. Not too pricey, but more $$ than its quality warrants. There are a few plaques, trophies and busts in the lobby... the "Mets Hall of Fame", such as it is. And a souvenir shop. There is another dining room where they do a buffet, but i've not been there.

Preston Wilson just homered for his new team, in a afternoon game against the Brew Crew.

MLBasballtalk:]So I don't have Mikey fans jumping down my throat. My criteria is simple. Did the guy play most of his career at a position? If yes, that is the position that his HRs should really count more towards The splits? Does it really matter? Johnny Bench finished at 389, Mike Piazza is at 387, they both played 90% of their games behind the plate, hit more HRs than anyone else who caught 90% of their games. Therefore, untill sometime in the very near future, John Bench is still the most HR hitting catcher in the history of MLBFirst of all, Bench didn't play 90% of his games behind the plate. In fact, he didn't even play 80% of his games behind the plate. He played 79.43% of his total games as a catcher (1742 games out of 2193 games played), whereas Piazza has played 93.09% of his games to date as a catcher (1429/1535). Since Bench didn't make your arbitrary90% cutoff, do his HRs not count?Some of the other great HR-hitting catchers [Yogi = 86.59%, Simmons = 87.03%] didn't make the magical 90% threshhold either. And even the ones that did [Fisk = 90.34%, Carter = 90.49%, Parrish = 91.95%] played less of their games behind the plate than Piazza. Being a catcher is all about "wear and tear". While other great hitting catchers had opportunities to play a significant amount of time at other positions, thus extending the productive period of their careers, Piazza has not. his record for HRs as a catcher is, therefore, even MORE significant an achievement. the "splits" matter. especially for a catcher. Happily, MLB recognizes the accomplishment, even if MLBasballtalk doesn't.

"Shea Stadium food" is an oxymoron.