Ceetar

Never want players to do it though, especially pitchers, although maintaining a dialogue is important. (That was low, or outside?) to get a feel for things. If you're at the game tonight, or another night, take a look at what the players do. Often Wright, and Santana, when they jog out to take their places converse with the umpires first. I find Wright talks to the third base ump pretty often. I have no idea if this has any real benefit, but being on the "good side" of an umpire can't hurt.

Centerfield wrote: The interesting part about the payroll is that there appears to be very little flexibility going into next season. Depends how you define flexibility. They're under their "budget" so that provides some room. Chances are Frenchy doesn't make the team next year, so that's $5 mill saved. (and if it's F-Mart, doesn't have to be used for RF. Actually, taht $5 probably goes to Bays contract increase.. If Davis and Thole are for real (something that's by no means a certainty), it's really only pitching to focus on. (Provided Beltran is still alive) Maine would be the most likely turnover type guy, he's not making a ton, but provides some flexibility I suppose.

Well, it's not like the Cubs play the Yankees this year. I guess this makes the most sense, though would probably have been best to go unreported. Maybe slip in a rumor of Maine for Vasquez (They both had reduced velocity, both working on changing their mechanics, arm strength mentioned as a cause of the drop in velocity for both)

Not trying to say Willie was a great manager, but from observation I was certainly more comfortable in him not blowing the game than Jerry. I don't recall Willie bunting as much as you say, but I know Manuel bunts too much. I remember the Delgado home run Jerry getting run from the dugout thing. And Willie was right. He argued the call but there was no reason to take the bait and get thrown out. There isn't really any value to that, even perceived. Also, that was after the fire willie watch started wasn't it? Jerry definitely made a point of saying he'd do the opposite of whatever Willie had been criticized for (however, he rarely actually did it). I dont' think he's shrewd enough to have purposely gotten thrown out in that game because he'd heard criticism of Willie for not getting thrown out, but it's a thought, especially considering how much often Willie at least walked out there and argued, compared to Jerry who rarely does more than yell from the dugout. I also contend that if Jerry had managed the bullpen even an iota better (or like Willie) they would've made the playoffs. It's not about run production from a team that didn't play well in the early months but rounded into form (see: Delgado) in the summer. Jerry's managing of the bullpen in 2008 was criminal, even after Wagner went down. He had a big bullpen, and he managed to keep them all tired in ineffective. in 2007, while Willie went to Mota way too much, he also didn't have as many other options to go back to. In the end, when Jerry didn't provide different results in 2008, he should've been let go, and the team should've looked towards the future and a change of attitude and influence and hired someone outside the organization. They failed to do so, and you can see the effects even today.

metsguyinmichigan wrote: Didn't MFY fans chase Eddie Whitson into his driveway and drive him out of town? The thought of Wright in an MFY uniform makes me physically ill. Agreed. I know "you root for the uniform" and all, but I seriously think my interest in the Mets and baseball would severely wane if Wright or Reyes ever left.

Edgy DC wrote: I thought it worthwhile to speculate about how well Murphy could blow him in the future. I'll leave that to the fangirls. I do agree it seems inevitable. And I hope Davis does stick, even though I like Murphy and think he has some good value in him. But that's yet to be determined and if we're talking 3 weeks from now and Davis is hitting .200.. I know people don't like Murphy in the OF, but I trust him in the infield as is, and I think I'd rather him rehab in the OF getting the instincts refined so that he could be the fourth outfielder instead of the Gary guy. He's got CI down, Cora has MI anyway. Maybe he could even replace Tatis?

I didn't see Murphy comments. At this point, lets get him healthy and ready to go and evaluate Davis/team at that point. I'm not sold yet that Davis is better for the 2010 team than Murphy yet. Yes, definitely the problem is Bay and now Frenchy (who maybe should've been hitting higher up when he was hot, maximize his hits?). If they were converted Wrights' walks into runs, it'd be less of a big deal.

The Yankees Fans caught flak for booing Vazquez. Maybe not from this writer though, that I don't know, probably not given the ignorant last comment. The people booing David Wright represent everything that pisses me of about 'our' (is it still ours at this point? ugh) fanbase.

Edgy DC wrote: I think it's true that Martinez's best position isn't center. I don't think it's true that he can't play center. I've always took "The Mets see him as a corner outfielder" to mean that they're expecting Beltran to be in Center, and they see Fernando's place on the team being in right.

soupcan wrote: It just means he'll be back 2-3 weeks later than we originally thought. Lousy, but I'm not jumping off any bridges...yet. I am hoping this doesn't become a Reyes situation like last year, where they keep telling us 'oh just a few more weeks' and then he's out all year. At least. Of course, they didn't exactly say why. I know i'm no doctor, but what was the measurement/analysis? scar tissue in the knee? what sort of tests? does it look to be 'almost' healed? So really there is no timeline or date yet. Did the Mets really announce the setback with the words "making progress"?

Ashie62 wrote: Ceetar wrote: bmfc1 wrote: Not to get too lawyerly, but getting their "blessings" is the same as getting their approval. If, as suggested, it could mean anything, then it was a poor choice of words on his part (he could have said "Minaya waited to announce the move until he informed ownership"). I hope it was nothing more than an FYI but Sherman indicated otherwise. Much like you're supposed to ask the woman's father for his blessing, it's almost always a given that he's going to give it and you're going to do it anyway. A given that a womans father will give his blessing? Ashie seems to have missed that part. Well, if you're asking to promote Mike Jacobs, say you'll be nice, play him at Catcher on odd days, that blessing might not be as automatic.

bmfc1 wrote: Not to get too lawyerly, but getting their "blessings" is the same as getting their approval. If, as suggested, it could mean anything, then it was a poor choice of words on his part (he could have said "Minaya waited to announce the move until he informed ownership"). I hope it was nothing more than an FYI but Sherman indicated otherwise. Much like you're supposed to ask the woman's father for his blessing, it's almost always a given that he's going to give it and you're going to do it anyway.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I would also think the Mets are a lot less concerned about Chris Carter's future free agency than they are Ike Davis'. At this point, anyway. Yeah, I would assume no one's hanging around the Mets front office panicking Carter might hit the open market earlier than expected.

Zambrano is 1-1 with a 9.45 ERA. 3 runs over 5innings his last start, so he's not quite rounded (haha) into form yet. Little patience, some good swings, get an early lead and into the bullpen.

Centerfield wrote: I'm happy to see Ike get the call too, but assuming Ike is good (like we hope he will be) wouldn't it benefit the Mets (and us) to hold him back another 5 days to push his free agency back one year? I mean, when our All-Star 1B is soliciting multi-year offers in 2015, are we going to think "Sure, we will have to pay lots of money to bring him back next season, but at least we had him for those 5 critical games back in April of 2010..." That depends, do we make the playoffs by one game, does Ike hit a walkoff tonight? Apparently it's a done deal, but hopefully the Mets just sign him to a long contract after his 2011 MVP to follow up his rookie of the year award and second consecutive world series ring.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Do we think he's going to be platooning? By which I mean, does anyone doubt he'll be platooned? Why wouldn't he be platooned? I mean, Tatis has the experience. no question. Gotta go with experience, Tatis, he's a guy that if we can get him going can really hit one out for us.

Centerfield wrote: Is Tejada a legitimate prospect? I assumed he was an Anderson Hernandez/Argenis Reyes type. I hear both things. Some seem to think he'll be passed by Reese Havens, others thing he can convert to 2B and do a good job. Mets must think something of him, as he was with the club the last two springs, and has played in Citi Field each of the last two Aprils ('09 was an exhibition, but he was there. )

They have things to dislike, but they have no relevance to me besides the "enemy of my enemy" thing so I still kinda like them. Could always root for the Rays to be the sole east division rep tho. Patriots day sounds like a lot of fun.

btw, I don't read.

the +1 year of arbritration or whatever is like tomorrow, so might as well at least wait until then at this point. Do we get a stop-gap Evans/Carter for a day or two, or play short? (Unlikely Manuel would use either guy if called up. Tatis is still on the team)