Zvon

He looks like a Simpsons character.

MFS62 wrote: Keeping this separate from the Free Agent thread. There have been several reports in the NY papers and elsewhere that the Rockies are looking to rebuild and Tulowitski and Gonzo might be available. But at the time of the All Star Game, I read that Sugarpants added Cuddyer to the Home Run Derby team because he and Cuddyer are old friends. Michael has one more year remaining on his contract, and with bonuses will earn about $11.5 in 2014. Maybe the Mets could pry him from the Rocks. Anyone heard any other rumors? Post them here, as well as any WATPs you can devise. (Or should that be another thread?) Later The Tulo talk has been floating around for some time. I have not heard anything as far as Cudd goes but I have thought of him for playing first and I may have mentioned it here. And he's a fine outfielder. I started thinking that because of the story at the AS break, about him and Wright. Told my bros while watching the game, it would be kool if we get rid of Davis and Duda, went and got Cudd for first and he and David could play out there days together. It was just a whimsical thought.

Did you colorize that photo? I've never seen that picture, and I've seen a lot of Mets stuff. What a find! No, I found that as is, one of a series of three photos. First one looks to be a different at-bat. I thought the last two were the same pitch but if so that guy behind the fence must have taken a dive. The great image of Mays in his prime at Shea facing Al Jackson is one thing. But to me the area behind home plate was just as exciting. I am very familiar with how Shea looked back there when I went to games, and I had never seen it like that. Just a fence. There is some padding, and that looks right, but all that open fence. They must have added padding to that or rebuilt the entire opening. And look at that thing hanging above...a loudspeaker? A lamp? And look at that TV camera! That gets me every time. Does anyone know for sure who the guy in the pic is? The caption says Ron Hunt but I don't think it looks like him. So many wrong captions on these historical photos, it's a shame

Meh, we make a stadium designed for a Reyes type of player and then we let Reyes fly away. I get stuck right there.

dinosaur jesus wrote: HahnSolo wrote: I only got 5 out of 10 on that Braves postseason quiz. I got 2. Just to prove I don't give a shit about the Braves. If I'd tried harder I could have got at least 4. But if the choice is is between David Justice, Marquis Grissom, Fred McGriff, or Chipper Jones, how long do I really want to think about it? I also got two. I don't give a shit either but I really tried. Maybe I shouldn't admit that.

Great cards as usual But the Murphy.... Totally wow moment for the most adorable card I have ever seen. The Muffy pic is priceless! Was he a school crossing guard? I had one of those things you put on with a badge when I was a school crossing guard at around 13 years old. No portable stop signs like they use these days. Good thing too. I would have gotten in all kinds of trouble with that stop sign.

batmagadanleadoff wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: Butterball doesn't strike me as the sort of pitcher who, in 1962, could demand a specific uniform from his team. The reason I'm asking for strong evidence is because I myself don't know the answer. This is a very tough question. Botz's number might be in a Spring Training roster, if the Mets printed one. Botz's photo might've appeared in newspapers when the Mets won their first game ever. But even so, the Mets didn't have uniform numbers on the front of their jerseys in 1962, so a photo of Botz might not be of any help in solving this question. Bob lives in Milwaukee. I'll call him up on the tele-phone. I'd feel really bad if he didn't remember though. You could also mail him some of those Butterball Mets cards you made, and ask him, by mail, if he remembers what his Met uni # was. He might ask you, in return, what the hell is the Sadecki Spot? And he definitely won't know about the cage, which wasn't installed until 1964. Ha. That would be a trip. I have no plans to make these cards in three dimensional form. But I did print out two on glossy paper, even taped the card back to one, and it looked pretty damn kool. That's BobWs thing. But I see what you're saying. Instead of asking for an autograph, ask his uni #. lol. I just might do that. just send him a glossy. He can just shoot me back an Email if possible. I do still accept regular mail. As far as the Sadecki Spot I could always direct him to the page I plan on doing for it at the card site. At first I was going to write it up as a novelty, fun, joke kinda thing. But I think that might be shortchanging a very interesting subject. Now I'm not sure how I'm going to approach it for the blog post.

Frayed Knot wrote: I want to clarify: I still would have liked to have seen how Doubleday would have handled the team if things happened differently and the Wilpons left the scene. I used to believe that there is no doubt that things would have been better, but from what I've learned from you guys it's very possible things wouldn't have been any better. And there's nothing wrong with wondering if, or speculating about how, things would have been better; my only beef is with those who treat it as fact and either bend of make up "facts" to bolster their case because it fits in well with their go-to rant. And the part of the Doubleday narrative I'm flat-out NOT buying is the part about him being the epitome of the baseball savvy owner. EVERYTHING I've heard (including from the inside) suggests exactly the opposite, that he was only a casual baseball fan and that owning a team was the classic rich man's toy to him. I'm like Stephen Colbert. I don't let the facts get in my way. But I really didn't have any. Back in those days I followed the Mets heavily but I felt my only connection to managment was Cashen and what he was doing. Most of the media I came in touch with didn't go any further than Cashen. I'm sure I knew the names of the owners at that time but that's about it. And that's the way I preferred it.

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Zvon wrote: I'm making a Gil Hodges card for 1968. Using two sources for info, the UMB and wikipedia. I hope everyone's checking in on Zvon's site periodically. It's a real Mets fans' treat. He's been creating some amazin' amazin' Met images since his site went up a few weeks ago. Thanks for the plug. I'm finding that I am enjoying living in the Mets past as opposed to the Mets present. I have discovered that I can pre-date entries so that when I publish them they will end up following a chronological order. I thought at some point that I would have to jump around in time with the cards but I can just insert them where I want if I wish. So there will be times that a page will be added and it will be back in the timeline, and not appear as the newest entry when you visit there. I think anyway. Im not really sure how it goes when other people view it. I added a new 1962 card page recently, and I also have added cards and text to existing pages. It's easy to get the images up there. I'm fast at that. But text will be added over time because I'm slow at that. This will always be a work in progress. At least until I make a card for every Met who ever was, which isn't my plan but it might evolve in that direction. For right now its the essentials and in many cases a result of finding a great rare photo that dictates if a card is made. Like this one. I had to use this somehow. What a freakin photo! The Gil colorization is not complete I don't think, but I'm tired of working it so I will go with what I have and update it if I improve it.

batmagadanleadoff wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: I have a question, not sure where to put it. It's research for a fake card I'm working on so I'll post it here. I'm making a Gil Hodges card for 1968. Using two sources for info, the UMB and wikipedia. The UMB says that the Mets released Hodges on May 22, 1963. Also that he managed the Washington Senators from 1963 to 1967. Wikipedia says that Gil was traded to the Washington Senators in late May for outfielder Jimmy Piersall so that he could replace Mickey Vernon as Washington's manager. Which is correct? I think they're both correct. The 5/22/63 date is correct. For some odd reason, I've always committed that date to memory as being the day the Mets sent Hodges to the Senators, who then sent Piersall to the Mets the next day. http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1915&dat=19630523&id=A6A0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=3HIFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1043,3227477 Wow, thank you very much. Now I'm dying to know who the player to be named later was, but that can wait. And John F. Kennedy. Amazin'.

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Butterball doesn't strike me as the sort of pitcher who, in 1962, could demand a specific uniform from his team. The reason I'm asking for strong evidence is because I myself don't know the answer. This is a very tough question. Botz's number might be in a Spring Training roster, if the Mets printed one. Botz's photo might've appeared in newspapers when the Mets won their first game ever. But even so, the Mets didn't have uniform numbers on the front of their jerseys in 1962, so a photo of Botz might not be of any help in solving this question. Bob lives in Milwaukee. I'll call him up on the tele-phone. I'd feel really bad if he didn't remember though.

dinosaur jesus wrote: I was going to ask about Wrigley, but I see you covered that in the blog. An interesting idea, moving to the other stadium in town for the extra seats. The Mets wouldn't do that, would they? What an awful thought. It fits right in with the Cubs curse. That's a big part of that tale that I never knew that I don't think they make mention in the story they always repeat when the Cubs compete. I particularly liked you going with The Glorious Polo Grounds and Beautiful Shea Stadium on the list.

I have a question, not sure where to put it. It's research for a fake card I'm working on so I'll post it here. I'm making a Gil Hodges card for 1968. Using two sources for info, the UMB and wikipedia. The UMB says that the Mets released Hodges on May 22, 1963. Also that he managed the Washington Senators from 1963 to 1967. Wikipedia says that Gil was traded to the Washington Senators in late May for outfielder Jimmy Piersall so that he could replace Mickey Vernon as Washington's manager. Which is correct?

Zvon wrote: [..those who tended to see things in a binary way with Fred as the devil and Nelson as the true genius who had his team swiped away from him ..]. I was one of those. But not a devil and a genius, more like a dolt and a baseball man. And I arrived at this conclusion through ignorance and wishful thinking more than anything else. I want to clarify: I still would have liked to have seen how Doubleday would have handled the team if things happened differently and the Wilpons left the scene. I used to believe that there is no doubt that things would have been better, but from what I've learned from you guys it's very possible things wouldn't have been any better.

Using that photo for Ronnies baseball card is just cruel.

Wow. Uggla dropped from the Braves post season roster.

G-Fafif wrote: [youtube]VseFNzVB0mA[/youtube] Bill Mazer, for those who didn't cut, didn't have an enlightened educator or didn't get home in time to catch the end (as I did). " They're a tough team to follow because you have to have a stomach made of cast iron and a brain with a....well, forget about the brain part." lol. The Seaver being tired stuff was interesting.

Frayed Knot wrote: Zvon wrote: I cut school for the first time ever for this game. A teacher in school (Mr. O'Sullivan IIRC) commandeered a TV - so I was able to catch at least part of this including the end. I was attending Cathedral Prep at the time, just a few blocks away from Macys, next to Newtown Field. There were some kool teachers there but not that kool. Macys looked like this in those days.

This is a great thread. I'm not good with words. Maybe I'll do one using only images.

Just the way d' is so quiet with his glove makes a big difference. Buck is moving his glove all over the place before the pitch. d' just puts his glove there and lets the ball find its way to him. If the pitch is executed correctly his glove barely moves.

batmagadanleadoff wrote: After his stint on the bike, [Jeff Wilpon'll] hit the computer and scan the net, Googling for everything related to the Mets that day, until exhausting his search to the point where he has nothing left to read anymore. I wonder if Jeff lurks here. Sounds like he would. He probably hates me if he does. (Like just about everybody else here) I sincerely hope nobody hates anybody here. At times you bring a different perspective and that's what sharing words and ideas is all about. To me, I might not agree with what you say at times, but I respect the passion with which you say it. Bottom line we all have one thing in common and it is the reason we are here. Because we care for the Mets, maybe even more than the common fan. It's that bond that brings us here. The things we say, they are all rooted in our concern for the Mets. There should be no hate here.

Frayed Knot wrote: [..those who tended to see things in a binary way with Fred as the devil and Nelson as the true genius who had his team swiped away from him ..]. I was one of those. But not a devil and a genius, more like a dolt and a baseball man. And I arrived at this conclusion through ignorance and wishful thinking more than anything else.

batmagadanleadoff wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: Okay. Here's the ultimate trivia question. I'm gonna need the answer, and good proof. What uniform number did Butterball wear with the Mets during Spring Training, 1962? Butterball!! I love this guy! bump He wore 45 on the Braves. I'll go with that but I looked pretty hard (meh, 5 minutes, but that's a lot in internet time) and I can't find Metly proof. I have Brave proof. http://mlblogsthesproutingnews.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/bob-botz-braves.jpeg

batmagadanleadoff wrote: There's more work to do at Miller-Huggins, Zvonnie. We've got to figure out the Clendenon side, where the field backs up against the neighborhood instead of the lake. Doable. Start with the water tower and the street and work our way around. I'm not sure about the Cardinal picture but I put it in my Sadecki Spot folder so I hope its Huggins.

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Great to see Byrd hit a HR in his first postseason appearance after 1250+ games. Cincy really looked bad these last few weeks, but Pitts the better team I believe. Onto St. Louis. Just watched a big chunk of this. Good game from a Buc rooters perspective, and I have put on that hat. Yea, Byrd smackin one out pulls me in emotionally. St Lou is the big test. If they get by those birds I'm gonna enjoy this post season.