Ceetar

This Junioir Seau story uses the bone-chilling teaser, "Within 24 months of retiring, three out of four NFL players will be one or more of the following: alcohol or drug addicted; divorced; or financially distressed/bankrupt. Junior Seau was all three." Keep up the good work, guys. NFL, NFL I'm just not buying what you sell. speaking of under-reported so much in fact I'm blanking on his name.. the baseball player that just killed himself.. Didn't he have concussions and similarities to these NFL guys?

i guess it depends on criteria, but I suspect that most of this is the circle-jerk that some of these discussions have become. the NFL draws ratings so talking about the NFL draws ratings, so talking about talking about.. and of course maybe of these people get it backwards, things are 'popular' because they're talking about them, they're not talking about them because they're popular. There are admins and bosses telling them to talk about the NFL (and Tebow) and the shear volume of it, and advertising, feeds off each other to raise the sports popularity, especially in the specific metrics they want to use. And that's all the NFL cares about. popularity and attention and the money that comes with it. Does that make it 'best run'? maybe from a business standpoint? But if you want to talk about things like integrity of the game, broadcast, length of game, amount of delays, fan relations, ..hell, player relations. The players are pawns in this buzz generating machine they've created. they WANT these players to act out and lash out. levying fines and beating them back down is good for the buzz as well. inconsistent penalty calling and 'holding on every play' only creates things to rant about during the week inbetween games.

metsguyinmichigan wrote: I love the Mr. Met cap, but I've yet to have a batting practice cap fit well. They are either way too loose, or the elastic gives me a headache. And it seems like they tend to be somewhere in the middle between a unstructured fashion cap and a traditional cap, looking kind of lumpy. If this was shaped like a traditional game cap, I'd be into it. They changed it I'm told. Will be more modeled after the 5950 instead of the 3530 or whatever it was called. i.e. the traditional game cap.

Edgy MD wrote: Back to the Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award, which only Bud Selig and I apparently care about. My pet concern is that the Mets' home stadium becomes a game-stopping coronation site for Derek Jeter. crap. Did they award one last year and the Wiki just didn't get updated?

Frayed Knot wrote: The whole finances issue and Selig's view on it are legit topics but he's merely using the site of the ASG as a taking off point to use it. a press conference at the All-Star Game is the wrong place for it anyway. It reeks of the Yankee entitlement narrative of being in New York and being blessed by the Global Standard Diety to wield the advantages of it. The game should be competitively balanced of course, with New York always on top.

@Mets: #Mets sign LHP Aaron Laffey to a minor league contract and invited him to major league Spring Training. happy? Laffey, 27, went 4-6 with a 4.56 ERA (51 earned runs/100.2 innings) in 22 games, 16 starts with the Toronto Blue Jays last season.

Collin McHugh wrote: I'm into this new BP hat design! Feels like it has some #1969magic in it

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Can I sell him a coat and a pair of pants? as long as they're blue and and orange.

Don't sell Mike Baxter short.

Nymr83 wrote: Red Sox fans who don't feel cursed?? What's next, Yankees fans who don't feel entitled??? give it 10 years

G-Fafif wrote: Josh Thole's "Screw you guys, I'm going to Canada" letter in the Post not nearly as gracious. And the reference to the mysterious M.N. that keeps following him everywhere makes him seem a little paranoid.

The inverse of this thread: The Mets gave me that chance almost exactly three years ago, and I will always be grateful to them for that. Only God could�ve written the narrative that has played out in the three years since. That is what I want to focus on, and what I want to hold in my heart. BY R.A. DICKEY / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS PUBLISHED: SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2012, 10:00 PM UPDATED: SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2012, 10:00 PM 637 116 0 Print KATHY WILLENS/AP RELATED STORIES Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher says Yankees fans got under his skin after he misplayed a line drive Saturday A Harlem friar who swung for the fences in 1966 was not inspiration for the San Diego Padres' first logo, the team says. Former Cincinnati Reds player Ryan Freel reportedly commits suicide with self-inflcted shotgun blast Yankees playoff hero Raul Ibanez signs one-year pact with Seattle Mariners A little over a year ago I was knocking around book titles with my publisher when we finally found a keeper. The minute I heard the words, �Wherever I Wind Up,� I liked the cadence of them. I liked the mystery of them. Most of all, I liked the way they captured the essence of my nomadic pitching life � which has now taken another completely unforeseen turn. I never expected to be writing a farewell �holiday card� to Mets fans. I never expected to be doing anything but celebrating the joy of the season with my wife and kids and looking toward the spring, and the start of my fourth season with an organization that gave me maybe the greatest gift an athlete can get: A chance. A chance for a fresh start. A chance to prove that maybe I could be somebody on a big league mound, an authentic and trustworthy pitcher, not just a retread with a weird name and an even weirder pitch � a man who was so in need of financial stability that he had to get talked out of taking a guaranteed contract to go pitch in Korea. The Mets gave me that chance almost exactly three years ago, and I will always be grateful to them for that. Only God could�ve written the narrative that has played out in the three years since. That is what I want to focus on, and what I want to hold in my heart. I am not going to lie to you, though. The trade was hard for me at first. This is where my heart was, where I wanted to be, where I lived out a story of redemption and felt that every one of you shared it with me in some form or fashion. I loved pitching for you. I loved your passion, the way you embraced me from the start, and the way you seemed to appreciate the effort I was putting forth. Every time I�d walk off the mound after an outing, I�d look in your faces, the people behind the dugout, and felt as if all your energy and support was pouring right into me � even when I was lousy. It gives me chill bumps thinking about it even now. Every organization has to do what it feels is in its best interest, and I have no doubt that that�s what the Mets did by trading Josh Thole, Mike Nickeas and me for two young players who, by all accounts, are terrific prospects. It doesn�t make saying goodbye any easier. From the beginning of last season to the end � when you cheered with all you had that Thursday afternoon when I won my 20th game � I felt that this was a shared journey, that we were all in it together. What a great way for an athlete to feel. There were so many special relationships I formed that made my time with the Mets so much richer. Not just in the clubhouse, either. I enjoyed talking with Bill Deacon, the head groundskeeper, about his craft, and all that went into it. The security people who helped my wife and kids get in and out of the family lounge, the policemen who helped me get out of the parking lot, the folks at the Hodges Gate � so many people went out of their way to be kind to me, and they should know how much it was, and is, appreciated. I was going to take out an advertisement to express these thank yous, but decided in the end that there was too much I wanted to say. So I am writing this instead. As I move beyond the sadness over leaving here, I know I have a tremendous amount to look forward to. The Blue Jays may need name tags on the first day of spring training, but once we get acquainted, well, this team could be something. I appreciate the welcome I�ve already gotten from them, and what they�re trying to build. We�ll see how it all unfolds. God has blessed me in so many ways. His grace and mercy are at the center of my life. I may not pitch for the home team anymore (a friend told me I now have to start calling myself a Canuckleball pitcher ) but wherever I go from here � wherever I might wind up in the future � I hope you know that I will never forget my three years in New York, and never be able to adequately thank you for everything you�ve given me. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/pens-bittersweet-farewell-mets-article-1.1225987#ixzz2Ft0nIR2b

Vic Sage wrote: The more Santana is like Santana the less likely the Mets are hopelessly terrible (hopelessly terrible seems like a long shot anyway) Santana can pitch like vintage Santana, and we could still suck enough to be out of it by July. (e.g., see Dickey, RA / Cy Young season / 2012 Mets) I didn't say that. But they DO work against each other.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Mex17 wrote: IF Santana is healthy and pitching like Santana AND the Mets are hopelessy terrible and out of it by the All-Star Break, would Sandy try to restock the farm yet again? Well, yes, if those two things happen, then looking to deal Santana would be the wise thing to do. Especially because based on what's been going on and finances (barring a WS run I guess) the Mets just simply can't afford Santana next year even if he wins the Cy Young. but those two things are working against each other. The more Santana is like Santana the less likely the Mets are hopelessly terrible (hopelessly terrible seems like a long shot anyway)

Mex17 wrote: Low-risk/high reward if we sign him up cheap? We lock him up now and then audition him in the second half to see if he is back to his former self after two microfracture surgeries on two knees? that's presumably the upside. I'd only give him the minor league deal though.

Pretty much everything the Mets release has to be viewed as a promotional item since their main focus and interest is in doing business and making money. And Dickey is not part of the 2013 sales pitch, obviously.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: seawolf17 wrote: Would Roy Oswalt take another one-year, $5 million deal? I'd do that. Not from us, I don't think. I could go as high as 1-for-$12M on Marcum, though I don't think Sandy will. I'm in. Never would've pegged Marcum as that good, but clearly he's slipped under my radar.

looks like Mike yeah. He thinks he's got it and then it tails off again and he's like "oh shit"

Saw this on Twitter.

smg58 wrote: Liriano just got two years and $14M from the Pirates. I don't mind taking a flier on upside, but that's way more than a flier.. That's a whole phone book. and maybe as much use as one.

TransMonk wrote: Edgy MD wrote: The teams that make it through without needing alternate starters are teams that win championships. I mean, look at our two championship teams --- fantastic health both times. It sucks to think about, but it takes a lot of luck in the injury department to win. You can build some insurance into the system, but it's a tough reality. The 2006 Mets are an example of how it works out the other way, IMO. 10 guys made at least 5 starts and 13 different guys made starts.

Frayed Knot wrote: Besides, who EVER goes a season without needing 6th, 7th & 8th starters every now and then, if not longer. 'Twould be nice if this were the stop where Liriano suddenly rediscovers his youthful magic although as time goes on that possibility looks increasingly unlikely. 2011 Mets. think they really only needed the 6 until way after elimination. also, two last year. Heading into the 2012 season, only seven teams in baseball history were able to get at least 30 starts out of five separate starting pitchers -- the last time being the 2006 White Sox. � 2012 Reds (Johnny Cueto, Mat Latos, Homer Bailey, Bronson Arroyo, Leake) � 2012 Giants (Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner, Tim Lincecum, Ryan Vogelsong, Barry Zito) � 2006 White Sox (Mark Buehrle, Jon Garland, Freddy Garcia, Jose Contreras, Javier Vazquez) � 2005 Indians (CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee, Jake Westbrook, Kevin Millwood, Scott Elarton) � 2005 Cardinals (Chris Carpenter, Mark Mulder, Jeff Suppan, Jason Marquis, Matt Morris) � 2003 Mariners (Jamie Moyer, Ryan Franklin, Joel Pineiro, Freddy Garcia, Gil Meche) � 1993 Dodgers (Orel Hershiser, Tom Candiotti, Ramon Martinez, Pedro Astacio, Kevin Gross) � 1980 Athletics (Mike Norris, Rick Langford, Matt Keough, Steve McCatty, Brian Kingman) � 1977 Dodgers (Tommy John, Burt Hooten, Don Sutton, Rick Rhoden, Doug Rau)

metirish wrote: Weather you believe Megdal or not to me it looks a dire situation. does it? do people in dire straits make investments? I mean, isn't that like buying stocks when you're not sure you have the cash to pay your mortgage next month? I mean, Davidoff's tweets seemed to imply they invested it anyway. I guess it's possible they just deferred the money because they simply couldn't even make payroll without doing so, and aren't tucking that money away but paying debts with it and worrying about it later. But that seems far fetched to me, especially with a bankruptcy firm or whatever those guys were called in house helping them out.

The reality has been, and continues to be, that ownership is redirecting whatever funds it can from what would otherwise go toward player salaries for their financial survival. too easy sometimes. An example of this would be the money they redirected TO the Mets buy buying minority shares? And good job and not tracking the followup conversation where Davidoff mentioned that they weren't really 'deferring' the money. They're counting it as spent against this year's budget, which is where the money is going. Presumably it's being invested, like they always did with Madoff though hopefully this time someplace that it won't get seized, so what it really means is they're making a deposit into an investment account, credit to that account, debit to Mets 2013 finances as per Accounting 101. I'm good with questioning the financial situation and outlook, but this all roads lead to my narrative stuff is tiresome.

metirish wrote: There is talk on Twitter about Grady Sizemore. been for a while. I mean, if you want to toss him a minor league contract go for it, but he had microfracture surgery and won't be around until midseason.