Marshmallowmilkshake

Ken Davidoff of the Post is quite the Debby Downer. First: Mets and Lindor have set themselves up for contract disaster. https://nypost.com/2021/03/31/mets-francisco-lindor-have-set-themselves-up-for-contract-disaster/%5B/url%0A%0AThis%20was%20posted%20at%205:12,%20probably%20as%20hands%20were%20being%20shaken.%0A%0AThen,%20at%20noon%20today:%20There%27s%20risk%20in%20Mets%27%20$341%20million%20Francisco%20Lindor%20contract%20%0A%5Burl%5Dhttps://nypost.com/2021/04/01/theres-risk-in-mets-341-million-francisco-lindor-contract/https://nypost.com/2021/03/31/mets-francisco-lindor-have-set-themselves-up-for-contract-disaster/[/url This was posted at 5:12, probably as hands were being shaken. Then, at noon today: There's risk in Mets' $341 million Francisco Lindor contract https://nypost.com/2021/04/01/theres-risk-in-mets-341-million-francisco-lindor-contract/ Disaster if it down't happen, then it's all about the risk once it is signed. Got it. At least he's predictable. Well, not as predictable as Ian O'Connor, still slobbering over Derek Jeter. https://nypost.com/2021/03/31/yankees-can-look-to-derek-jeter-for-world-series-start/https://nypost.com/2021/03/31/yankees-can-look-to-derek-jeter-for-world-series-start/

Edgy MD wrote: But it presumably also turns some balls in play to homeruns. If it's to keep patrons from reaching onto the field, it seemingly kind of serves to standardize the outcome of reaching onto the field. It does the reaching for them. Not to hijack the topic. [fimg=600]https://cdn1.thecomeback.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/wrigley-field-basket.jpg[/fimg] I took the Wrigley tour a few years back. It was very fun, and we got to see the inside of the visitor's clubhouse and sit in the lockers and such. When the tour guide took us to the bleachers, he told stories about bleacher creatures back in the day -- way back -- would get drunk and have races along the top of the fence. One competitor started at the left field line and other the right field line, and the winner was the first to get to dead center. After several patrons fell onto the field, the team rounded the top of the wall put up the fence. Now, this might be as truthful as the billy goat story, but it's what the guide said. It was a good tour, and it was fun hanging out in the bleachers. Side note, this video and the Sutcliffe-Gooden SI cover shows how the blue sansabelt area makes these Cubs uniforms look like pajamas. I know other teams had sansabelt pants, but I think they had a three-stripe look going, like the Cardinals. The Cubbies, with that wide elastic section, look silly.

1. The Mets record will be? 100-62 2. Where will The Mets finish in the NL East? First 3. Will The Mets make the playoffs (yes/no)? Absolutely 4. If so, how far will they advance and the number of games in their final round? World Series against the Twins, six games. 5. Who wins the World Series (can be the same answer a Q.4)? Mets (Hopefully the awesome Faith and Fear writer is already lining up a book deal for the story of the season.) 6. How many home runs will Pete Alonso hit? 46

ESPN's Buster Olney on his Baseball Tonight podcsat was making predictions. Both Buster and his guess had Jake for Cy Young, but also for MVP. They think he'll be that dominant. Tough for a pitcher to get that award, especially in a league with so many great hitters.

Edgy MD wrote: =Marshmallowmilkshake post_id=57870 time=1615683810 user_id=119]I don't mind long games. I do mind games that grind to a halt for for stupid reasons. I'm OK with a pitch clock, and enforcing the rule about getting out of the box. I agree with you that they grossly confuse the issues of pace-of-play and length-of-game, and these two concepts shouldn't be that hard to distinguish. But also among things that shouldn't be too hard is getting an ump to tell somebody to stop adjusting his uniform and throw the ball. Adding a clock is just providing cover for an ump not doing his job, and it changes the very fabric of the game. I just please ask somebody to acknowledge the obvious — allowing a manager to hold up a game while his associates in the clubhouse review a play to determine whether or not to appeal is terrible. It adds countless minutes to a game, and sucks all the drama out of any close and/or meaningful play.

Well, the networks aren't making managers use four pitchers in the seventh inning every game, or make pitchers throw eight half-hearted pickoff tosses to first everytime a semi-fast guy gets on base, or batters to step out of the box after every pitch to adjust their batting gloves. Karl Ravitch was talking about extreme steps, like making all games seven innings. That's terrible. I don't mind long games. I do mind games that grind to a halt for for stupid reasons. I'm OK with a pitch clock, and enforcing the rule about getting out of the box.

The Alonso projection was stepping in and out of the questions, so let's get right to it. Alonso and Stroman are among the players asking to bring back the black uniforms. Steve Cohen has hinted that he's not completely adverse to the idea. Where do you stand? Me? I hated that they went all in on these previously. It wasn't just an alt jersey, but became the batting practice jerseys and caps, the drop shadows on the snow white and road grays, and even the pinstripes. Not one, but two black caps. Jackets. They even messed with the sacred logo. It became dominant. The "City of Shadows" thing looked OK on the snow whites, but awful on the pinstripes, which, when untououched, I think are the best uniforms in baseball, if not all of sport. I kinda liked both of the caps, but we hardly ever saw the classic blue caps, again, the best in sports. The solid balck tops looked nice with the white pants, but awful with the gray pants. If they want to bring back one home jersey as a Friday night thing, that might be OK. But I fear it kicks open the door and lets in all the bad stuff. The Mets are not the Padres or Diamond Backs, teams that change their look regularly. We're blessed with a fantastic, instantly recognizable, beautiful look that has been around with limited tinkering since the team stepped on the field for the first time. When you have a blessing like that, you don't screw it up. My 2 cents.

=smg58 post_id=57283 time=1614788880 user_id=62] He basically had one bad month in a season that was messed up for everybody. .260/.360/.560, with 40 homers and 108 RBI.

I am a little disappointed because he is a good player, but not very disapointed because the Mets made a good offer and also because this wasn't as "safe" a signing as Springer or Realmuto would have been. On Buster Olney's podcast, he said both Springer and Realmuto expressed that they didn't want to play in New York. Mets never really had a chance at them. They're better off with Lindor, who actually seems to want to be in New York. He'd the one I'd throw bags of money at.

Lefty Specialist wrote: Well, since I started the thread they got Taijuan Walker which fixes the hole in the rotation at least. Still don't trust the bullpen, and the defense will be so-so (Lindor is obviously a huge upgrade, McCann a moderate upgrade, but 3rd and CF/LF will be interesting). Not being argumentive, but just asking. You think McCann is only a moderate upgrade over Wilson Ramos? I got the impression the Mets pitchers, given the option, would rather have thrown to a piece of plywood with a strike zone made out of electrical tape like we did when playing Wiffle Ball as a kid than throw to Ramos, who couldn't bend over.

The Mets clearly didn't have the same concerns since they offered him the contract. But after the Porter and Calloway relevations -- and knowing the other one would come to light -- the optics of signing a known cyber bully are pretty awful. An organization undergoing reputation repair shouldn't seek a player like that.

I'm glad we didn't sign Bauer. The New York media would be constantly be trying to provoke him, and he clearly can't resist taking the bait. It would be one thing after another.

Tomas Nido ends up playing more games than we expect, hits better than we expect and handles the staff well!

I got to see him play in a spring training game, then again with St. Lucie. He was a good ambassador for baseball and for the Mets.

=Centerfield post_id=56188 time=1613437379 user_id=65] I mean. I think they will do something. You don't trade Matz without replenishing the rotation in some way. How much more they do I have no idea. It's been a good winter. Not great, and it fell short of even their stated goals if it ends here. But let's see how it shakes out.

=metsmarathon post_id=55411 time=1612455740 user_id=83] also, if you're a sports journalist, you likely work with some sort of investigative journalist in your organization, who might look to break a story wide open.

He's a Southern California guy, Dodgers have a playoff run and are the World Champs. Huge media market. If the money is close, I can sure see him going there. I'd love to know if there is contract language about keeping his social media stuff under control.

Deserves to be in the Mets Hall of Fame. He would be the third Murphy in the Mets hall.

Freeing up salary space for a bigger deal to come, perhaps?

My thoughts: 1) I think Lindor was the top prize of the offseason, and he brings more things to the table, on and off the field. I'd rather have Lindor. I hope they sign him to a long-term deal and lock him up for 10 years. 2) I don't remember if it was Cohen or Sandy, but one of them telegraphed this might be the case by saying long-term contracts for players over 30 can be problem and are not the best way to be successul long term. 3) Springer is a good fielder, certainly better than Nimmo. But it's not like he's a super defender. I've read a lot of speculation that he'd need to move to a corner before too long, and one of our best guys is already in right. So we'd need another centerfielder before too long. 4) I like that he's going to make an AL East team stronger. Torment the Yankees, please. 5) I'd love to see them lock up Conforto, but the stuff said about Boras is all true. If Syndergaard resembles his former self, I'd like to see them lock him up, too. 6) The money not spent on Springer can get a decent glove-first centerfielder, another solid bullpen guy or maybe a decent starter. 7) Bauer is a stupid tweet away from being a problem.

I liked the other Seaver covers, the nice portraits with "The Franchise" and the dates. No "dementia," no "COVID." More of a tribute. This one is more like a gimmick.

https://s.abcnews.com/images/Sports/WireAP_195cb6492eeb4d59ad1b41abda6bee21_16x9_992.jpg> It's an AP photo. A hero gone, masks, cardboard fans. A lot of 2020 in there.

There's no way anyone is going to give Bauer $40 million a year. I wonder if he risks teams hearing that and moving on.

You'd think this means one less suitor for Bauer.

I like this guy so far! https://scontent.fdet1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/131390635_10157932606663481_4054295566688151247_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&ccb=2&_nc_sid=a26aad&_nc_ohc=Jf-xWO-yjikAX9rfLDr&_nc_ht=scontent.fdet1-2.fna&oh=91b476e20c836ee1751fda5ebaa6d631&oe=6006039F>