Ceetar

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Lamest nyc fireworks show ever, btw. Macy's sucks. didn't flip it on. But that's what happens when you move it back to the East side.

TV is on mute for me, but I saw the clip of Niese being pulled and he was basically rolling his eyes and saying "I'm Fine" so perhaps it's not a huge deal.

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: The real question is how Irish's date is going. Be sure to offer her your sweatshirt if it gets chilly out there (which it probably is). according to Facebook he's doing a lot of roaming.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: It's been proven that the Astros (36-51, .414) are better at rebuilding than the Mets (37-48, .435)? Seems pretty inconclusive to me at this point. nope, confirmed.

no, the failing to catch and punish guys is simply an example of how easy it is, and why the idea that the game is clean as compared to 1998 or 2001 is just silly. But that's how I perceive MLB's drug policy, as a patch on that supposed blemish. Part of this of course, is writer-driven. They do certainly seem more apt to get something banned, like HGH, that's got a PR stigma over drugs that may actually be more damaging, like say Toradol.

Edgy MD wrote: And Alfredo Aceves gets a 50-game suspension from the league for drug use --- or so the league can look like they care. Minor league suspension for using pot is hardly about creating a level playing field or ridding the game of drugs.

Frayed Knot wrote: Ceetar wrote: ahh, I never realized there were caught by the testing process too. Some of those named in the Biogenesis records were, others were not. " Sometimes they play that stuff fairly close to the chest for best interest. (not suspending them until the did they went through the paper trails too)" -- That's not what happened. Those who were caught via testing were suspended then. Those who were caught via leaked paper trails were suspended after the processing of that evidence came out. Those named in Biogenesis who were previously suspended because of testing did not receive a second suspension. "I never understood why they don't suspend a guy immediately upon failed test." -- Because there's an appeal process if the player wants to use it. Normally you don't even hear of a positive test until after the appeal has played out, so a guy getting suspended today may have come up dirty weeks ago. In the Biogenesis situation, because the info came via a public newspaper and not from within MLB, that process was largely flipped around. "Still, A-Rod did not fail a test, and Bosch told him "You won't fail a test". -- Again, no one is claiming the the testing process is perfect. But that's hardly the same as saying it's nothing but a show pony. "Baseball really doesn't care at all about what their players are using, just that they look like they care." -- I don't believe that's even remotely true. Well, I was sarcastically exaggerating when I said it's _all_ for show. But it's not a stretch to believe that MLB's major reason behind drug testing is a public image one. Players have fought for that edge, chemically or otherwise, since the game began. And they still are. There are plenty of extremely potent things players can take perfectly legally with basically MLB's blessing, even without resorting to the myriad of Biogenesis type clinics around the world. They'll stick with the policy and punish the guys that fail, it's not like they have real incentive to care whether it's Aceves on the roster or someone else. They'll hunt down the "bad guys" like A-Rod and assign him arbitrary penalties to make themselves look tough on drugs. They've committed to having the "most comprehensive" drug testing in sports. But it's still a PR campaign, and no one even knows how much some of this stuff actually helps performance. Or is something that's even bad for the body. Is it wrong to take a substance that will take you heal and recover faster? Worse than taking (legal) stuff that numbs pain so you can play through otherwise painful injuries that you wouldn't be able to? Why is one set of drugs illegal while others aren't? What's the different? It's more about looking tough than it is trying to create some sort of safe workplace or level playing field.

Frayed Knot wrote: Ceetar wrote: ... but the bigger 'issue' I'd think is that Biogenesis was completely confident they could beat the testing system, and that they DID beat the testing system. That hadn't occurred to me previously, which probably should've been the bigger issue all along. not that A-Rod and others were taking stuff, that it was clearly very very possible to take stuff and not get caught. Well, some of them DID get caught. When the Biogenisis papers got released and named names, several of those names (including Colon) had already been nabbed by the testing process. Others were caught only via the paperwork. And this whole testing process is always going to be a game of cat and mouse. I don't believe that makes the testing system a joke, just not perfect. ahh, I never realized there were caught by the testing process too. Sometimes they play that stuff fairly close to the chest for best interest. (not suspending them until the did they went through the paper trails too) I never understood why they don't suspend a guy immediately upon failed test. This was previous CBA now, but remember Mota failed his test late in 2006 and they didn't suspend him until the offseason. Still, A-Rod did not fail a test, and Bosch told him "You won't fail a test". Baseball really doesn't care at all about what their players are using, just that they look like they care.

This might be the best game they've played in weeks.

d'Kong76 wrote: I like pool, especially nine ball at the risk of completely derailing this.. POOL. I've got a table in my basement that I got second half, but it's sorta warped a little and only and 8-footer. Still fun though. Ultimately I'll figure out how to make (how to have more money basically..) sure my basement stays dry enough to finish off that corner, hang the dart board somewhere nice, put in a bathroom and a climate controlled fridge under a bar with homebrew kegs leading to custom-carved tap handles.

Frayed Knot wrote: There are 'reports' that Alex Rodriguez was given permission by MLB to take steroids. That claim is supposedly put forth in an upcoming book: BLOOD SPORT: Alex Rodriguez, Biogenesis, and the Quest to End Baseball's Steroid Era -- Tim Elfrink & Gus Garcia-Roberts, due out next week. Don't know if these authors are pro (paid by?) one side or the other or if they claim to be objective reporters. I read the excerpt someone quoted. It seems legit and all. Very few people get the exemptions for non-Adderall substances, but a handful do every year it seems, A-Rod being one of those, though it's hard to believe the testosterone deficiency wasn't caused by previous steroid use, which is usually not enough to get an exemption according to the book. I'm sure the rest of the book goes into it more but the bigger 'issue' I'd think is that Biogenesis was completely confident they could beat the testing system, and that they DID beat the testing system. That hadn't occurred to me previously, which probably should've been the bigger issue all along. not that A-Rod and others were taking stuff, that it was clearly very very possible to take stuff and not get caught. That's one clinic. One network. How many others are there around the world? What's everyone else taking? The biggest failing of Jeter as captain is not making sure to hook up A-Rod with the more discrete guys. It's all a joke. This is like putting those stupid useless scanners in airports under the guise of security (or the impending torture MLB plans to add to stadium entry next year). Adds nothing, is all for show.

This deGrom vs. Matsuzaka who will get demoted thing isn't going so well. Maybe it's Montero.

Maybe next summer I'll look into a league. supposedly they're around North Jersey. I was a 1B/2B/P/OF in little league, but who wasn't? I think I'd be a "three true outcomes" type guy these days.

d'Kong76 wrote: Ceetar wrote: I've wanted to join a baseball league for a while, just haven't. I found that even in my early twenties, kids would come home from college and wield that aluminum weapon and the ball would be just too fast off the bat to stand there in the infield. That's when I switched to softball. Bah, abolish softball. and switch to wood bats, I dunno. One of these days.

I've wanted to join a baseball league for a while, just haven't.

I do have to wonder if LinkedIn is emailing {NAME REMOVED} with "These people just checked out your profile!" and she's looking at it with horror.

Edgy MD wrote: Vic isn't just part of their market for season tickets, but a guy who possibly holds the key to the Mets hosting industry events. "Playwrites Nite," "Dramaturge Day," "Librettist Weekend." The possibilities are endless. I'm sure if he plays his cards right, they'll show him where all the bodies are buried. Everyone knows they're buried under the Party City Deck. What, you think they moved the fences in for the fans?

Matthew Kaminski @bravesorganist #Braves vs #Mets - Hakuna Matata for Tejada Matthew Kaminski @bravesorganist #Braves vs #Mets - Grand old Flag for Granderson Matthew Kaminski @bravesorganist #Braves vs #Mets - Guantanamera for Juan Matthew Kaminski @bravesorganist #Braves vs #Mets - Forever and Ever Amen for Travis Wheels on the bus for Wheeler last night.

I'd like to see the broadcast booths and some of the behind the scenes media-type stuff but I suppose a lot of it is in that glass enclosed room you actually can see already. this is what the standard tour includes: Clubhouse Field and Dugout Productions Area (scoreboard control room) Press Box Suite Levels (Sterling and Empire) Mets Hall of Fame & Museum I don't know what this special VIP tour entails though. Is it actually a tour or more like a sales pitch? I went to a group ticket pitch at the RedBulls Arena and it was just in a conference room for 95percent of the time. I'd live to fiddle around with the scoreboard control room that you can see on the Excelsior level. Looks neat. Generally these tours are on non-game days though, which is why they include the Clubhouse. I dunno, could be interesting, or {NAME REMOVED} could be the most interesting part.

wait, cross island parkway? no.. North side of the..no..Lot G is south side, nearer Roosevelt avenue.. 36/37th avenue? no, I think that's McFaddens. [crossout:17tyj3a9]37th/38th most likely, I assume it's the "Metropolitan Hospitality" entrance.[/crossout:17tyj3a9] It's literally like she's looking at an inverted Citi Field. Actually it does look like there is a swirly door entrance between McFaddens and the Center Field gate. I'd ask her to verify which parking lot. G is the south side 'official' lot where the media parks. A is the northside lot where employees park. It's too early for Shake Shack and the players will be (almost) there so I doubt you'll get any clubhouse treatment. You'll probably wander onto the field/warning track, and then trek up to various seating locations? Almost definitely will include a walk through of some of the various clubs.

The Mets are undefeated in July so far.

Edgy MD wrote: Gotta sweep to hit the pole strongly. and the pole is a tomahawk.

G-Fafif wrote: BTW, Guys! just tweeted Frank wasn't 91 but 88, which makes the circumstances of his birth even murkier...that is assuming he was even born. Why won't Frank Cashen just show us his birth certificate? Besides the fact that he's no longer with us? this random link http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1991-09-20/features/1991263233_1_orioles-82nd-birthday-ad-club from 9/20/91 mentions celebrating his 65th birthday, though not on what date. (presumably since the last article in this column). That'd put his birth year at 26 but would mean he was 87, turning 88 later this year.

Granderson-9 Murphy-4 Wright-5 Duda-3 CYoung-7 Lagares-8 Tejada-6 d�Arnaud-2 deGrom-1

Edgy MD wrote: Maybe. But just fine for him is still not $14 million good. Not really worried about the $/win ratio.