Ceetar

Benjamin Grimm wrote: There's reason to be hopeful, if you're so inclined, because it's true, anything can happen. But I don't see any reason at all to be optimistic. Yeah, not really much there. Possible, but not seeming likely.

metirish wrote: I feel a nine game winning streak coming That's fine, but they're still going to need help and/or they can't have a hot streak and then screw it up at the end of the month. They played the Braves in a four game series starting August 30th. Even if they only make a little progress (say only play 1-2 games better than the Braves until then) the season won't actually be in the tank. There are so many games left, particularly against division rivals. (7 with Braves, 9 with Phillies). They certainly haven't looked like it'll matter, but that's why they play the games..

HahnSolo wrote: Took the Citi Field tour yesterday. The first thing little Solo says to me as we walk into the Rotunda. looking up at the lineup from teh last game "Dad, they still have Alex Cora's baseball card up." lol. speaking of which, I need to take the tour. i keep forgetting.

* or thereabouts - seeing as how I didn't feel like splitting game stats to get each guy on exactly his last 50 PAs, so some are at 51, 52, 53, etc. But the idea was to separate each one from his season-long stats as see how they've done most recently. The games for each player don't overlap exactly as you've got a mixture of full-timers plus those who have been sitting out at times or recently DL'd. ---Hits2BHRsBBsKsBAOBASLGIsoPREYES156036.300.340.420.120PAGAN153169.366.420.561.195BELTRAN931710.200.302.333.133WRIGHT1122410.244.300.422.178BAY810517.178.255.200.022DAVIS1221611.267.346.378.111FRANCOEUR100047.213.275.404.191THOLE111175.244.346.333.089CASTILLO123042.267.314.333.067 This actually didn't look as devastatingly bad as I thought it might when I concocted the idea over the weekend. The power from the group as a whole is down, but the BA is OK (.252) and the walk rate about average. What's really acting as an anchor on the offense lately is the middle of the order: .300-ish OBAs from the likes of Wright & Beltran, the huge vortex of suck that is/was Jason Bay, plus the relative power outage from Davis and you've got a hole in the middle big enough to dub this a 'doughnut' lineup. About the only thing you can say for Francoeur is that 3 of his HRs have been timely enough to essentially steal three wins, and if Castillo wants to complain about losing playing time to someone young enough to be his son he ought to look at his OBA. Isn't Castillo batting .300 with an over .350 OBP over the last 14 days? maybe not. He was when i looked on Saturday though. Still, Castillo was starting to hit and get on base more recently than 50PA, and if Tejada is going to be an automatic out, even if ever ball in the air or the ground between second and first was caught by him, i dont' think he'd make up the difference in offense.

I enjoyed the movie. Probably my favorite of the last couple of months. But it's right along lines of what I find most entertaining in movies, twisting plot that keeps you thinking, but does sorta make sense when you think it out. Some graphics, some Escher staircases..what's not to love?

I'll always appreciate him for not being Argenis Reyes or Wilson Valdes. Playing with two broken thumbs was kinda nice of him, sorta.

Edgy DC wrote: Alex Rodriguez Struck by Batting Practice Line Drive, Out of Lineup Yankees star Alex Rodriguez was struck by a line drive and had to be helped off the field during batting practice before Saturday's game against the Red Sox. Rodriguez was taking grounders at third base when new acquisition Lance Berkman drilled a ball that struck Rodriguez in the lower left leg. Rodriguez reportedly was talking to Fox announcer Joe Buck when he was hit. Rodriguez limped toward center field then went to the ground as his teammates waved for the Yankees' medical staff. He stayed down for about five minutes before limping off the field alongside trainer Gene Monahan and heading into the clubhouse. A short time later, Rodriguez was scratched from the starting lineup for Saturday's game, with Ramiro Pena inserted in his place. The Yankees called his injury a lower leg contusion and subsequent X-rays came back negative. Berkman has two hits in 19 at-bats since joining the Yankees last weekend. He apologized to Rodriguez on the field and later told reporters he hoped the third baseman wouldn't be out long. "It's my contribution to the Yankees so far -- not the greatest," Berkman said. I imagine there's footage. It's in Fox's contract that there can never be less than 2 cameras on A-Rod while he's in uniform. Why'd he limp towards CF? What'd he think, maybe if the balls he was too slow to catch wouldn't hurt as hard out there?

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I can see how confidence and attitude can help you win, but not nearly as much as winning can affect your confidence and attitude. More than anything else, this reads more like it was written by somebody who wants to be covering a more colorful team.

Frayed Knot wrote: The other game today that ended on a messed up situation was TB & Minn. Rays score 6 in the 8th (5 with 2 outs, the last 4 on a GS from light-hitting Jason Bartlett) to tie a game they trailed 6-0. Then in top 9, Minny got a couple on w/2 outs and popped one in the infield for a sure 3rd out ... except the ball hits off the catwalk up by the roof and falls untouched just behind the mound. Local ground rules say that ball is in play so the Twinkies got one on that play and followed with a single for another. Held on to win 8-6 Don't want that game to be the one that hands the MFYs the pennant either. You mean like the Mauer double in the playoffs that was ruled foul and may have shifted that series?

If Daniel Murphy can get out of bed as an Eastern League firstbaseman and go to bed that evening as a starting big league outfielder, then Carlos Beltran can move from center with two days of prep time. And every other player on that bench can take that lesson, if Beltran puts up with a llitte sacrifice in the name of victory, then I will to. Asked about their manager, most all players will answer, "I like him --- he gives us the best chance to win." Couldn't you argue that the Murphy thing was a bit silly, and that maybe it shouldn't happen. I'm up in the air on the Beltran thing, and I certainly don't think it's even a contributing reason we're losing games and I'm not sure I'd mess with it just yet. On this note, Bernazard and the Mets had a "fast track" program where they asessessd things like mental toughness and guys like Murphy who were part of it got special treatment.

Edgy DC wrote: Rewarding with another start I'm all for. Francouer has been starting regularly since Bay went down and had been until Beltran arrived. His good start was after 18 poor ones in the prior 20. That's not rewarding a guy for performance. That's staying loyal despite poor performance. While this may be part of the problem, I'm not sure it's all or even most of the problem. Take Frenchy. Sure, give him another start if he has a big game, but in context. If he gets a big game winning hit off a tough lefty, after going 0-2 against the Righty starter, does that justify a start? or maybe first shot at pinch hitting when a lefty is in instead? Manuel has given Bay a couple of days off this year. More than I expected out of him really. But then, sometimes you need to get a guy going. Take Castillo. (leaving aside his effectiveness or what you think of him or his paycheck for the moment) He was rushed back from the DL (4 games at St. Lucie) and shoved back in the lineup. Arguably he wasn't exactly going to have his timing down, and maybe a week long struggle doesn't neccesitate a day off, but actually keep playing to get into the speed of things. (They did the same thing with Castillo in 2008, only flipped. he filled out the 20 days of rehab play, but had a family emergency at the end of it , ended up sitting for like a week before being activated, and noticably struggled) Beltran sat for 4 days without games before being activated. These are things that concern me. It's a hard balance, loyalty, and I do agree for the most part the Mets have had too much of it. But I don't think it's a huge problem either. bullpen issues aer different. i'm not sure there is ever a correct way to use guys, although it does seem likely that he burnt out Nieve, but he's burning out Feliciano and it doens't seem to make him worse. Everyone's different. Every pitcher is different. (why the 100 pitch 'rule' is silly) It's a tough job too, balancing pushing guys versus helping them relax. The team seems to be pressing, hard, at times. Other times maybe they look too relaxed. When is it too much "staring over the shoulder" by standing on the top step for Pelfrey or threatening Maine and Perez (in April) that every start will be the last and when are you being too lax and not helping guys to push and grow?

Edgy DC wrote: I think the myth persists because it's a good perspective to help people put losses behind them. The fact is that every Met fan who knows the team's history knows that 54 wins isn't a given. Win proablllity maps on a bell curve, and going from 75 to 85 wins (or losses) is a lot easier (and more common) than going from 100 to 110, but that doesn't mean 54 losses (or wins) are inevitable by definition. I think it relates to "You're never as good as you look when you're winning and never as bad as you look when you're losing."

Edgy DC wrote: Well, Dickey has exhiibtited better control than Rodriguez also. Probably than Santana too, although I haven't actually looked.

metsguyinmichigan wrote: TheOldMole wrote: Unfortunately, it's the nature of every pitcher to lose control occasionally and give up walks, hits and home runs. Or, in Ollie's case, to HAVE control occasionally, and NOT give up walks, hits and home runs. You'd certainly take that if he could go back to striking out 10 guys a start wouldn't you? *sigh* This season is on it's head..the knuckler has more control than our second* highest paid pitcher? *I don't remember how much Frankie makes.

It's certainly growing increasingly likely that I won't be worrying about trying to get score updates during my 10/10 wedding. And David Wright WOULD able to RSVP yes..

G-Fafif wrote: The Mets need to go 1-0 in their next one. Everything else is irrelevant until further notice. Well, I'd maintain the Phillies going 0-1 tonight as relevant.

duan wrote: that's how many more we can afford I reckon, I know it might seem unusual to think about it this way round, but in my head that's how i'm loooking at. 90 wins in the NL East gets you to the playoffs 6 times out of the last 10 so i'm reckoning that we'll be in the shake up as long as we don't lose more then 72 games. Still though, 19 isn't very many when we're so good at snatching them from the jaws of victory. The problem with this is it's too much a golf approach for baseball. We have 20 games left against Phillies and Braves which really help decide how many victories it'll take. Can accept a couple more losses if they come against the Nats or the Astros, as long as most of the wins come from the Braves and Phillies.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Gwreck wrote: The Mets would have to non-tender Maine, allow him to become a free agent, assume no one else signs him, and then re-sign him to a minor league deal in May (?) of 2011. Hmmm... you have me wondering. Is that May 1 thing applicable to non-tenders? Or just for guys who have the six or more years of service? What'd he make this year? 3 or so? probably too much for what's pretty much going to be a crapshoot.

http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2010/082010/08042010/566077/index_html?page=1 Very interesting article about John Maine, and how basically he's been pitching injured this entire time since the very first DL stint. Something about the arm angle in the MRI machine. Phillies doctors caught it, he had the surgery, and theoretically should actually be 'healed' now. Still can't bring him back for anything but a minimum incentive-laden compete for a spot but might be depth type contract, but I did/do like Maine and hope he does get healthy again.

Edgy DC wrote: Redeeming Acquisition's numbers from his AAA season combined with those from his MLB season. TmWLW-L%ERAGGSGFCGSHOSVIPHRERHRBBIBBSOHBPBKWPBFWHIPH/9HR/9BB/9SO/9SO/BBBisons42.6672.2388021060.7552115380373142431.0388.20.41.25.54.63Mets74.6362.3615150000998930265283641054051.1828.10.52.55.82.29Total116.6472.3123230210159.7144514183631014196481.1278.10.52.05.72.81 Though AAA numbers are AAA numbers, as we all wait for him to collapse, it's worth reminding ourselves that he's not merely done this for a few months, but all season long, cold weather, warm weather, scorching weather. The main difference is that he's walking more in the big leagues. That could come back to bite him in the ass as quickly a three-run homer or two, but seince he doesn't give up too many of those, a few walks has been a luxury he's ben able to afford so far. The nature of a knuckler to lose contract occasionally and give up some walks and crappy hits was my worry early on. That one knuckler that doesn't knuckle to someone that's ready for it would result in home runs that would score multiple runs. He's done very well at not giving those up though to the point that I'm not worried anymore. I don't even get that worried when he lets a couple of runners on. I wonder how much that two speeds of knuckling help. Even if a guys' waiting for one that doesn't knuckle to put a good swing on, he could still be fooled.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I was watching the Mets-Braves on MLB Network last night, and they'd cut away from the game whenever Alex Rodriguez came to bat. (And I'd then switch to the backup telecast, the standard definition broadcast from the Extra Innings package.) Are there that many people who care about seeing his 600th home run? I imagine Yankees fans do, but they're watching the Yankees game; they're not watching the Mets and the Braves on MLB Network. The Daily News printed a list of the top ten all-time home run hitters, and I was a little surprised to see that I had seen nine of the ten play, either live or on television (or both). All except for Babe Ruth. It's borderline. I don't really care about the home run, I wonder if fans in Seattle/Texas that might just be happening to watch whatever's on MLB would? But I really like the way MLB Network does all the around the league type stuff. I don't know if a cheater hitting a numerical milestone is worth it, but I like the way they bring you around. It sucks when they cut away from games imo, but if you think about it, you wouldn't have had that game if not for MLB Network anyway. Now the obessesive Yankee lovefest, run by Michael Kay.. *gag*

NIP, NIPS or nip may refer to: Neural Information Processing Systems, a computational statistics conference held annually in Canada Naval Intelligence Professionals, an association of active duty, retired and reserve officers, enlisted personnel, and civilians who serve or have served within the Naval Intelligence community Network Intrusion Prevention System, appliances that monitor network and/or system activities for malicious activity Ninjas in Pyjamas, a pro gaming team National Immunization Program, a part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, located in Augusta, Georgia. Numer Identyfikacji Podatkowej, the tax identification number in Poland Nip, a unit used in alcohol measurements Nip, a word for Japanese people Short for Nipple Not the independence property, a property of theories in mathematical logic. I'm going with the alcohol measurement, referring to the amount of them we need to keep watching the team.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I know that I look a whole lot different than I did in 1986. More so than Wally. I'm probably nearly 3 feet taller than I was in '86.

Career Games Played Castillo 2B 1691 Beltran CF 1579 Wright 3B 951 Reyes SS 882 Francoeur RF 807 Pagan LF 365 Dickey SP 158 Davis 1B 93 Thole C 42