Batty31

From today's Post IMMEDIATE PLANS CALL FOR RELIEF HELP BY TRADE By JOEL SHERMAN and MARK HALE July 30, 2007 -- The Mets believe most of the available starting pitchers, such as the White Sox�s Jose Contreras, will still be on the market well beyond tomorrow�s non-waiver trade deadline. Therefore, their immediate plans remain to add to their bullpen while waiting to see if Pedro Martinez can upgrade the rotation. The Mets remained fairly confident that they could add a bullpen arm before 4 p.m. tomorrow even while they were still bemoaning the sticker price on relievers they would like to obtain such as Washington�s Chad Cordero and Jon Rauch, Kansas City�s Octavio Dotel and Texas� Eric Gagne. The Mets are not interested in Pittsburgh�s Shawn Chacon, and as for Baltimore�s Chad Bradford, an official from another club said the Mets were not likely to so soon acquire a player they decided not to retain on a three-year contract in the previous offseason. After tomorrow, a player must pass through waivers to be traded or be traded to a team that claims him on waivers. No club is going to want to potentially claim Contreras and have the White Sox simply stick the club with his exorbitant contract. So, pitchers such as Contreras and Cincinnati�s Kyle Lohse and Baltimore�s Steve Trachsel very well might get through waivers and allow the Mets to trade for them in August. Martinez is likely to make his first rehab start this week. The Mets would prefer that he bump Jorge Sosa from the rotation rather than having to use prospects or add payroll to unearth a solution. As for trying to land a second baseman, the Mets hadn�t had any substantive talks with the Royals regarding Mark Grudzielanek. They have asked about Houston�s Mark Loretta.

From the Newark Star Ledger....find it kind of surprising they'd be interested in bringing Payton back. METS BUZZ The Mets have talked with the A's about starting pitcher Joe Blanton, but Oakland wants Milledge and more, and the Mets can't deal Milledge right now with all of their outfield health issues...In fact, the outfield issues have the Mets sniffing around for available outfield bats. They like Baltimore's Jay Payton, and may have a better chance to get him now that the Cubs' interest in him seems to have waned. And yes, believe it or not, they've spoken with the Rangers about Sammy Sosa, who could platoon in right field with Shawn Green. Sosa has clobbered left-handed pitchers this year, but the Mets are wary of bringing him in because of the controversy that surrounds him...The Mets also have spoken with the Rangers about Gagne, though they would need Texas to drop its asking price.

Kid Carsey wrote: I hope Glavine and a couple of the other pitchers have spikes and fielders gloves should this go the way I feel it may go. I believe Glavine was spotted with his spikes on an inning or so ago.

Well that was a complete waste of a bench player.

And send me down there to open a can of whoop ass!

metirish wrote: If not Belliard then I could see Omar going for someone like Grudzielanek Y/N on him? Latest trade talk: Mets interested in Grudzielanek By BOB DUTTON The Kansas City Star Grudzielanek Royals veteran Mark Grudzielanek is believed to be on a short list of second basemen eyed by the New York Mets as a possible replacement for injured Jose Valentin. The Mets showed interest in Grudzielanek as a free agent after the 2005 season before opting to sign Valentin. Grudzielanek signed four days later with the Royals. Valentin, 37, is expected to miss at least six weeks because he broke his right tibia last Friday after fouling a ball off his leg. Grudzielanek dismissed the speculation. �I don�t concern myself with that,� he said, �until I get a phone call. That hasn�t happened.� Valentin�s injury elevated ex-Royal Ruben Gotay to regular duty, and Mets general manager Omar Minaya said the club feels no urgency to make a deal. �We�re ready to go with Gotay and Anderson Hernandez,� Minaya told the New York Post. �Or (Damion) Easley.� Even so, Grudzielanek would appear to represent an upgrade. He is the American League�s reigning Gold Glove winner for defensive excellence at second base and is batting .302 after going two for four in Tuesday�s 9-4 loss to the Yankees. The Royals are willing to trade Grudzielanek, 37, because they view utilityman Esteban German as a serviceable replacement. But the club wants to fill a need in doing so. �Mark Grudzielanek is an important part of our team,� general manager Dayton Moore said, �and he�s a guy who we like an awful lot.� Grudzielanek has approximately $1.5 million remaining this season on his $4 million salary, but his contract also contains a vesting clause that triggers a $4 million players� option for next season if he gets 500 plate appearances. The option increases to $4.5 million if he gets 550 plate appearances. It appeared unlikely Grudzielanek would reach the threshold when he underwent surgery last month to repair torn cartilage in his left knee. But a quick recovery has him back within range.

Nymr83 wrote: Level Nine. i hate this game. Damn....you must have edited this post, since you were on level 8 about 5 minutes ago.

Don't throw Reese's Pieces at me, but I liked this movie..saw it in the theater when it came out. Alien movies...even cutsey ones..will always have an appeal to me. I guess there is a soft sentimental spot in my otherwise black heart.

I'm stuck in level 3 hell. Dickshot's tip on the bat position enabled me to get out of level 1 after finally hitting a couple of HR's. Edgy's advice helped me get out of level 2...I crowded the plate and kept my bat straight and hit some ridiculously weak grounders...but it did the job. Now how do you master level 3??? My luck is like Willets!

I couldn't even hit a HR in the sandlot level!!

Kid Carsey wrote: The Mets Fast Forward show at 6:00 totally rocks if no one has tried it out. I don't see 6 am unless I'm coming home at that hour. LOL! Funny..I was just thinking of ambler yesterday as well.

I went with Gotay, though I'd rather see a platoon of Easley/Gotay.

Actually, I'm pretty wide awake today since I'm a night owl by nature. I still remember coming home from clubs when the sun was rising like it was yeterday. Luckily I'm working from home today so I did get to sleep in an extra half hour. I'm sure I'll make up for it by sleeping in until 2 in the afternoon this weekend.

Rockin' Doc wrote: Sele did a great job tonight. Three good innings of relief. Now it's in Heilman's hands. And that's what worries me...

Is that orange scrolling ticker tape graphic that SNY has been using tonight new??? I'm finding it to be very distracting.

And now Castro hits a home run...12-7

DocTee wrote: Edgy DC wrote: Welcome back, Marlon. Where the Hell you been? Can someone remind me why we let him go in the first place?? I think the Nats offered him a lot more $$ than we were willing to, or that he deserved. Actually it was me who asked that question. Thanks DocTee and thanks Dickshot for answering.

Edgy DC wrote: Welcome back, Marlon. Where the Hell you been? Can someone remind me why we let him go in the first place?? Crap....Glavine had to give that one up to Kent of all people.

Nice throw by Green to gun down Kent!

cleonjones11 wrote: I think you just plugged the book for him I thought some people here might be interested in the book and perhaps it would help give the CPF some publicity if we get him to pop by.

I stumbled across this website today. A new book was just released two days ago entitled "Mets Fan" by Dana Brand. He's a Mets blogger is a regular columnist for New York Baseball Online. Seems like a very interesting book. Guess what he has listed as a link on his website? Yup, the CPF (though unfortunately he has the old link up..we need to get that updated). http://metsfanbook.com/ I think we need to get the Edgster to interview him and then he can pop by and plug the book. Editing: I see he also has the Ultimate Mets Database listed.

HOLY CRAP...Wright goes kaboom!

I guess Willie is waving the white flag...

Vic Sage wrote: THE WARRIORS was David Patrick Kelly's first movie. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0446314/ Kelly was later in Walter Hill's 48 HOURS, too. He's generally a psychotic bad guy. The last i saw him doing his whacked out villain/henchman shtick was in THE CROW, which is (for my money) one of the top 5 comicbook adaptations ever made. The Warriors is one of my all time favorite movies. I was lucky enough to meet several of the cast members last year at the horror convention. David Patrick Kelly was amazing in The Crow...and I agree with you about that move, Vic! The one Eagles song I like is "In the City" since I always remember that song rolling over the credits during the final scene on the beach in The Warriors.

It's cheesy, but that Apple is ours! Plus I was always partial to the magic bit. I would like to see it back, but a bit more modernized version...the current one is looking a little over ripe.