Ceetar

I know we've mentioned Julia Stiles before, but I just read her almost Fire Joe Morganesque breakdown of k-rod's texts and had a laugh. Like most horribly selfish fans, I wish K Rod had thought to strike with his left hand

Edgy DC wrote: I just think there's virtually nothing to even have controversy over. It's like complainng about a guy's hat size. Personally I think Reyes wears his hat too big. he really needs to move down a size.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: If Derek Jeter was a Met I'd be as excited about his 3,000th hit as I was about Gary Sheffield's 500th home run or Tom Glavine's 300th win. Which was not at all. I was marginally excited about Glavine. He'd been building up Mets stats to being tolerable. I didn't know he was saving up so he could set it all on fire at once. There was a point I thought Delgado might get to 501 home runs faster than Sheffield. The only thing that would make me 'excited' about Jeter's 3000th hit as a Met is if it came @ Yankee Stadium off Rivera during the subway series and went through the new SS's legs to do so and win the game.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Reyes frequently gets bashed in the Philadelphia Inquirer sports section. The "Mets-hating" portion of the media seems to like to make a lot of Jose's antics, while the "Mets friendly" portion doesn't at all. It's kind of like how some stories get covered on FOX and others on MSNBC. I like that the Phillies obsess over it. Focus on Reyes dancing, and not on the meatball Hamels served up that Reyes smacked over the fence to prompt it.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Edgy DC wrote: Is Jose Reyes's behavior really an issue in 2010? Really? Just means that one print guy asked the question. Was Madden there yesterday? Klap? Francessa asked it. Based on a "player source" at some dinner saying Collins wouldn't stand for it.

Valadius wrote: Eh, due to the fact that they split the book in two, it doesn't have any kind of satisfying ending. I'm glad they split it, because it would be impossible to cram all the important plot points into two and a half hours, but they could have chosen a better spot to make the split. I actually thought it was a fairly decent place to make the split. But I haven't read the book in a while either, so maybe I'm forgetting how much still has to be done. It's certainly a stereotypical place to split a movie.

batmagadanleadoff wrote: You're proposing that they shoulda asked Francouer to hit like Castillo? I'd prefer Frenchy could've hit..period..but that's different. Just overall philosophy. Reyes and Wright would go up there hacking with a jump on the first pitch and be aggressive sorta attitude, and then Castillo would just take pitches and let the guy get away with mistakes. and on the flip side, Castillo would be patient and work a walk when a pitcher is missing the strike zone, and the guys after him would jump on the first pitch and let the pitcher get ahead or make out. It just seemed like they were reading different scouting reports.

HahnSolo wrote: ^^ Agreed, though I don't think last year was a great BB season for Luis. And there were a lot of non-walking AB from Cora and Tejada as well. really though, just a better approach at the plate, and maybe a more unified approach? I've always felt like Castillo had a different approach than the rest of the team (usually patient versus aggressive) and no one bothered try to get them on the same page at the same time.

HahnSolo wrote: I would think the Mets would improve in their walk total just by virtue of the fact that 714 PAs will not be going to Barajas and Francoeur. on the flip side, Murphy instead of Castillo probably walks less.

seawolf17 wrote: He's one year removed from finishing fourth in the Cy Young race for a key division rival, with a 1.026 WHIP and a 2.87 ERA. Take his two Yankee years out of the equation, and he's been very, very good. I put the most weight on the most recent data. and it was trending downward, and not in a good way. velocity, K/9..all the fringe stats suggest he didn't just have a bad year.

seawolf17 wrote: Valadius wrote: I think he's Javier Vazquez waiting to happen. BBR says his most similar pitcher to date is Allen Watson, which is hardly a ringing endorsement, but you have to take Colorado out of the picture. I wouldn't pay him big bucks, and especially not if it involves sacrificing draft picks, but you're referring to Vazquez as a failure, which he most certainly isn't. I'd definitely look at Javy. Two years, $16 million? One year, $9 million? He'd be a great fit. ew. I hope he accepts abitration actually.

I don't know how much to buy into what happened 15 years ago as a benchmark for next year. (I feel the same way about Alderson for that matter) I'm okay if he bunts occasionally if he feels the situation dictates it, not that he seems to get off on it. I didn't look at it last year, but I remember looking at the Mets SB statistics and i felt like Manuel's team was much less aggressive, much less "Put the pressure on the pitcher/defense" as Collins stated. Part of that could be Reyes being hurt, but in '06'07 you even had guys like Shawn Green and Orlando Hernandez being nuisances on the bases at times. I would like to see them push the envelope in this regard, as Collins stated in his interviews. First to third, second to home. It's amazing how many bad throws you see in the major leagues. Also, Hale proved himself a good reader of when to send a runner, which can help in this regard. As Collins stated 'fundamentals' i hope this means that the Mets are aggressive defensively as well, in trying to cut off that first to third type attitude. The biggest (maybe only?) thing I liked about Frenchy is that he was threatening out there. As a runner you even had to think about taking a turn at first base on a single,because he'd throw behind you. The walks thing is hopefully one they improve upon. David Wright's approach at the plate in terms of what to swing at in what counts, when to attack early and when to lay off, has seemingly gotten worse. Hopefully a new regime fixes that and they have a better idea of what they're doing at the plate.

I actually enjoyed this one, surprisingly. I thought most of the others were pretty much clip-show format, where they basically animate the scenes everyone wants to see, but did a poor job with continuity and plot. But maybe this book just has more of that, there's a lot less non-plot stuff in the book for sure. I saw it in IMAX at 9:30 AM on a Saturday. cheaper, and less squeeling teenagers.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Ceetar wrote: Unless I'm missing something, I don't see how the Yankees could lose by offering it. Well, they could end up having to pay him $20 million for 2011. If that's more than they want to spend, then they "lose." I guess that's true, they usually base it off your existing salary right? then again, it's a one time hit, he'll probably get his 3k hits and you'd think he'd command even less money and years after another poor season.

Isn't Cashman's "shop elsewhere" suggestion to Jeter an empty promise without offering arbitration? Unless I'm missing something, I don't see how the Yankees could lose by offering it. The same with Rivera.

time to set my tivo so i can finally see them all.

I'd heard about this. Actually, I think they have cans of it at the new yankee stadium. on review, I was thinking of Schafer, or Schlitz.

soupcan wrote: I really like reading Phil Mushnick's column in the Post because at least once a week he points out what an egomaniac Francesa is. His column is really the only place I ever see criticism of Francesa in the press and it makes me feel as though I am not alone in my dislike for the radio guy. The reason I bring this up is because I am presently listening to WFAN and Francesa is interviewing Collins. Francesa believes himself to be such an expert in all things sports that - as anyone who ever listens to his program knows - whenever he has a guest on, rather than ask them their opinion of things, Francesa attempts to impress them with his own superior knowledge of whatever sport they happen to be discussing. Just a few minutes ago he educated the new Mets manager by telling him which players that the Mets called up last season produced. In a way that genuinely seemed to me as if Francesa was giving Collins knowledge about things that Collins didn't know and would be grateful to learn! Then - he says 'Terry, Mets fans really wanted Backman as the manager. The rest of the candidates didn't matter at all. tell the Met fan listening someting about that you that they didn't know...' Huh? what does the Backman line have to do with anything? Then 'Terry, the DUI you have on your record - will that be a problem for you if you try to discipline a player and that player then puts that back in your face?' I mean....really? Lame, lame, lame. Brings up the Reyes dancing thing, which I don't think has been a discussion anywhere else but on his or Michael Kay's show for a while, and quotes a 'source' that's a 'player' that says Reyes won't be dancing with Collins. And gets smacked down, but sticks with it.

attgig wrote: yahoo is reporting that the yanks offered 6 years 140 mil to Cliff Lee. Meanwhile, Lee's holding out for a 7th year. http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AkSJmoSIxA2tHSY_VjkPYY8RvLYF?slug=ti-washburnhotstove112210 unfortunately, i don't see texas beating that. That seems like an appropriately iffy and dangerous contract. Let's see how high we can get this Yankee payroll.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Pelf, Green, Dickey, Maine, Pagan. Do they bother offering Green? Can't see how he'd make much anyway right? probably better just to cut ties. I wouldn't be against them negotiating a long term deal with Pelf. Lock up quality pitching. gotta offer Dickey and Pagan, that probably happens shortly. cant' see them offering Maine anything. Be surprised if he gets more than a minor league invite anywhere.

Valadius wrote: Benigno and whoever the hell they paired him with after I left the tri-state area. Beningo is the same story as always. I actually like Evan. He's about as good as you can get out of a mainstream radio host i guess. I think Joe poisons him with the negativity often. But still, they branched off into some conspiracy about the Mets 'protecting' Collins from the tough questions in the main conference.

Anyone else eligible that needs (err, not 'needs', but who's eligible?) to be offered yet? Maine?

Joe and Evan killing the press conference. Is there anything about the Mets people won't criticize? Advertising location and color, wall colors, press conference depth of questions.. what's next, the height of the stairs in the rotunda? The "METS" being off center on the uniform? Sprinkler system? How many sunflower seeds David Wright eats?

Despite the "we will still bunt" I liked the message from Collins at least. I didn't hear one maniacal laugh either. refreshing.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: "Will you bring your Asian experience to Mets to help them win more?" "Will there be more Asian players on the Mets?" I think the same reporter asked very similar questions at Sandy's conference. yup. I laughed.