patchyfogg

In Coach Cuddy's defense, it's hard to swing with a giant fork sticking out of your back.

Since it was done on the day of his arraignment, I'll put it here: The audio of the 2-hour in-studio appearance that Mets beat reporter did with us on Thursday night is now up at http://sportstalk903.libsyn.com It's 2 hours of nothing but 100% commercial-free Mets talk. I hope you get a chance to listen and enjoy. Please tell some Mets fan friends.

As most everybody knows by now, I co-host a 100% commercial-free, no one makes a dime from it, Sports Talk radio show on Long Island. Tonight, LIVE from 9PM to 11PM on Long Island's 90.3FM and at www.sportstalk903.com, Mets beat reporter Adam Rubin will join us for 2 commercial-free hours of nothing but Mets talk. Since we're webcast now, I hope you all get a chance to tune in. As always, thanks!

I've placed the audio of the interview (in MP3 format) at http://sportstalk903.libsyn.com You can also watch the whole video of this show at http://www.justin.tv/sportstalk (It's divided into 9 segments of 15 minutes each. Segment 6 is where he apologizes for not having the chance to say goodbye via the Blog.) Some Highlights: In this interview, Adam talks about how this Mets team is the closest team he has covered in his 8 years on the beat, his very nice Spring Training dinner with Omar Minaya, how things are looking up for the farm system and that his new contract is actually longer than Omar's. In a serious moment, Adam also takes the time to thank the Daily News for all the great years that he had there, and because he was not allowed to say goodbye on his blog, gets the chance to say goodbye via our show. But, like I said, Adam's not going anywhere. We'll get to read his Mets coverage for many years to come. You know where, I just can't say it.

I can neither confirm nor deny that Adam is going anywhere. But, I can tell you that he'll be on my 100% commercial-free, no one makes a dime from it, Sports Talk radio show talking ALL METS from [u:263xn483]9PM to 11PM TONIGHT on Long Island's 90.3FM[/u:263xn483]. We will also be [u:263xn483]LIVE ON THE INTERNET (video and audio) at http://www.justin.tv/sportstalk[/u:263xn483] Please listen in, please tell some Mets fan friends and please call in with questions. As always, thanks.

Wasn't Flores left unprotected in order to protect the 800-year-old Julio Franco?

As most everyone knows by now, I co-host a 100% commercial-free Sports Talk radio show on Long Island. TONIGHT (Thursday 1/7), Daily News Mets beat reporter Adam Rubin joins us for 2 hours of 100% commercial-free Mets talk tonight from 9PM to 11PM on Long Island's 90.3FM. This will be Adam's first extended appearance anywhere since the Omar Press Conference. And, here's the newest wrinkle: You don't have to be in the listening area to tune in! You may also watch our show live on the internet during that time at http://www.justin.tv/sportstalk The audio of the interview will be up at http://sportstalk903.libsyn.com after the show. Thanks, and please tell some friends about us.

As most of you know by now, I co-host a 100% commercial-free, no one makes a dime from it, Sports Talk radio show on Long Island. In the past week, we've had 2 interviews that I think would be of interest to CPF'ers. First, before leaving for Spring Training, Daily News Mets beat reporter Adam Rubin did his annual 2-hour, in-studio Mets Preview. Second, we had Kirk Radomski (Central Figure in the Mitchell Report and ex-Mets clubhouse attendant) on with us last night. The interview contained a ton of honest steroids talk and a lot of funny stories about the goings-on of the 80's and 90's Mets. You can find the interviews at http://hosted.filefront.com/patchyfogg As always, thanks.

="soupcan":ko45fwv9]If anyone's interested - Pete Rose is going to be on WFAN with Francesa in a couple of minutes. I'm sure he'll be talking about Alex.[/quote:ko45fwv9] And, we're having Kirk Radomski live at 9:15PM tonight on LI's 90.3FM in case anyone is in the listening area. I'll put it up at http://hosted.filefront.com/patchyfogg after the show. In the meantime (at the same website), you can check out the 2 commercial-free hour Mets Preview that we did with Adam Rubin right before he left for Port St. Lucie. Nymr83 Feb 17 2009 12:12 PM ="seawolf17":3rs9xhqj]This press conference is insipid.[/quote:3rs9xhqj] What more did you want him to say? I relize the media needs to keep beating it to death because they have columns to fill, but I've heard all I need to hear already. metirish Feb 17 2009 12:52 PM It's ended.... Rodriguez ended by saying he wants "to make the world a better place" , words that would inspire Bernie Taupin. John Cougar Lunchbucket Feb 17 2009 12:57 PM John Harper in the meantime is suckered into taking Texiera's word he's never used, why he's "cleaner than Derek Jeter if that's even possible" (yes, he actually wrote that today). themetfairy Feb 17 2009 02:01 PM ="metirish":2kjyziqi]It's ended.... Rodriguez ended by saying he wants "to make the world a better place" , words that would inspire Bernie Taupin.[/quote:2kjyziqi] How does he feel about World Peace? holychicken Feb 17 2009 03:03 PM ="Ashie62":2gt1v9x0]2. Have Selig sac up and designate 1996-2003 the "live ball era" or whatever you would like to call it.[/quote:2gt1v9x0] The "small balls era" makes more sense. metirish Feb 17 2009 08:14 PM Johnny Damon - "using steroids is wrong but he didn't commit a crime or like go out their and kill someone"..... Edgy DC Feb 17 2009 08:20 PM Is that something he wrote or said? metirish Feb 17 2009 08:29 PM I was watching the news and he said it, not the exact quote from me but close . MFS62 Feb 17 2009 09:17 PM ="themetfairy":67aky83c]="metirish":67aky83c]It's ended.... Rodriguez ended by saying he wants "to make the world a better place" , words that would inspire Bernie Taupin.[/quote:67aky83c] How does he feel about World Peace?[/quote:67aky83c] It doesn't matter. He's not competing for Miss America. Later LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Feb 17 2009 09:57 PM ="metirish":cg5944xb]Johnny Damon - "using steroids is wrong but he didn't commit a crime or like go out their and kill someone".....[/quote:cg5944xb] You know, like Leyritz. /Why, yes, my tongue works fine-- why do you ask? Nymr83 Feb 18 2009 02:26 AM ="LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr":2ac33j35]="metirish":2ac33j35]Johnny Damon - "using steroids is wrong but he didn't commit a crime or like go out their and kill someone".....[/quote:2ac33j35] You know, like Leyritz. /Why, yes, my tongue works fine-- why do you ask?[/quote:2ac33j35] Sorry Johnny, whatever he took was probably illegal in the U.S. Edgy DC Feb 18 2009 05:59 AM I actually tihnk a human being must be sacrificed every time Madonna copulates. metirish Feb 18 2009 07:06 AM More from Johnny....to the print media he had this to say..... ] "It's unfortunate he made some stupid mistakes. He's a guy who definitely did not need it, and I definitely do not condone it....But there could be a lot worse things he could've been doing out there, (like) murdering someone"It's unfortunate he made some stupid mistakes. He's a guy who definitely did not need it, and I definitely do not condone it....But there could be a lot worse things he could've been doing out there, (like) murdering someone "We can go out there and support him," Damon added, "because we know we can't go out there and win a World Series without him." Rodriguez's amatuer hour defense defies logic , I didn't expect anything else from him but it couldn't have been more staged if he were on Broadway. Frayed Knot Feb 18 2009 07:06 AM ="Edgy DC":1kos7lsf]I actually tihnk a human being must be sacrificed every time Madonna copulates.[/quote:1kos7lsf] That would explain all the death and destruction in the world. Re: Damon -- His name came up in a round-table type sports discussion I was listening to and the panel was deftly using euphemisms like "an uncomplicated man" when describing him in order to keep from flat-out saying that he's basically box-of-rocks stupid. Edgy DC Feb 18 2009 07:19 AM Yes, Johnny, murder, manslaughter --- these things are worse than cheating at baseball. Thank you for your incisive analysis. For a counterpoint, here's Ambiorix Burgos.

I'm just impressed that the Orioles are making nice (not earth-shattering, but nice) moves this Winter

HahnSolo wrote: Back in the 80s, John Travolta was in the booth promoting his new movie. Ralph made a comment like, "you're in a movie with Jamie Lee Curtis and I once dated her mother." So for a while I would watch Met games with a photo of Janet Leigh on the TV. Somehow I thought this would bring the Mets luck. I might have to print one out and place it on the TV tonight. Given the urban legends about Ms. Curtis's birth, it's a good thing that Ralph went in that direction.

I'm not so sure that the timing of the firing was to avoid Father's Day, as much as it was to avoid being the 2nd Mets blunder on a June 15th.

I've long admired the self-proclaimed "Big Sexy"'s work. But, I have no idea what he was thinking (or going for) when he wrote that column.

Last night, we had Adam Rubin on live from Port St. Lucie. We're trying something a little different with regards to the interview--namely, it's at http://sportstalk903.blogspot.com as a You-Tuby-type interview with a superimposed picture of Adam. As always, thanks.

AG/DC wrote: I'm guessing that there's a lot of bullshit masquerading as informed analysis on the internet. From that Phillies fan site, it seems that Mulvey's the best prospect solely because he went to school in Philadelphia.

I would say that I saved on car insurance but that would remind me of the "a quick 15-minute call...." radio spot and that would make me sad.

Rockin' Doc wrote: ESPN offers the following details regarding the terms of Tom Glavine's contract status for the 2008 season: Glavine signed a one year contract for $10.5 mil. this season. His deal contained a $9 million player option for 2008 that became guaranteed when he passed 160 innings this season. The price of the option increases by $1 million for each additional 10 innings up to a maximum price of $13 million. Glavine pitched 200.3 innings this season, to lead the Mets staff. If the option isn't exercised, Glavine gets a $3 million buyout and he has the right to decline the option even if it becomes guaranteed. So Glavine would receive $13 mil. if he decides to exercise his guaranteed player option or he gets $ 3 mil. if he decides to retire or opts to pursue free agency. Hell, for $13 mil. I would come back for a final year if I was him, so the Mets may not really have a choice. And, here I thought today's performance would bring his pricetag down to a palatable level for the Braves.

As you all already know, I co-host a 100% commercial-free, no one makes a dime from it, Sports Talk radio show on Long Island. The other night, Mets beat reporter Adam Rubin (from the Daily News) joined us in-studio for 2 commercial-free hours of nothing but Mets talk. I'll post a list of all topics discussed, but that will take some time. You can find the interview at http://hosted.filefront.com/patchyfogg Part 1 is 70 commercial-free minutes, and Part 2 is 50 commercial-free minutes. Adam and other baseball writers will join us throughout Spring Training, so I'll be sure to post the interviews when they happen. The interview can be found at http://hosted.filefront.com/patchyfogg As always, thanks. And, I hope you enjoy.

Hopefully, this can be an hors d'oeuvres for Game 1. What was supposed to be a 30-minute spot turned out to be a 2-hour in-studio with Adam Rubin last night. If you get a chance, please give it a listen. I haven't had time to write up the topics discussed yet, but it covers tons and tons of stuff that I think you'll find interesting. We also mentioned his CPF appearance. The interview is up at http://hosted.filefront.com/patchyfogg Part 1 is 72 commercial-free minutes, and Part 2 is 48 commercial-free minutes. As always, thanks.

OK, OK, this is all my fault. I was able to book Adam Rubin for tonight's show "unless something happens at the Workout." "What could possibly happen?" says I. He just called me as I was typing this. He's still at the Stadium, nobody much has any idea what's going on and we'll have him on tonight at some point.

I will call Bob to clarify. But, my guess is that it has to do with a number of factors, such as finesse pitchers having to rely on the mercy of umpires who are on the grand stage and don't want to be Eric Gregg'ed. And, heat in the cold of October usually works.

To answer some of the questions: In all Soriano deals with those rumored teams, it would be minor leaguers involved with the lone exception of Podsednik (if a deal is done with the Chisox). With regards to Smoltz, apart from the years where he was injured/closing/the only veteran left, was he ever the Braves' #1 starter? Was he ever even their #2? (Maybe 1996, and we all know that they should have won that year)

We had on Sports Weekly's National Baseball Writer Bob Nightengale the other night as sort of a Trade Deadline Special. The interview is 30 commercial-free minutes and up at http://hosted.filefront.com/patchyfogg Here's a "mini-transcript" --�Soriano definitely being traded.� �No doubt about it.� --Tigers are the best bet, but the White Sox and Angels are in on him. --�The White Sox were never close to him, despite those reports from the other day.� --All the players in the deal would be minor leaguers, with the exception of Podsednik. Zumaya would not be in the deal. --�Smoltz not going anywhere, never was.� --Soriano will definitely test the free agent market. --Odds are �very strong� that Carlos Lee will be traded --Bob spoke with Brewers GM Doug Melvin who said that he won�t do anything �before Thursday� --�could be a Dodger by Sunday or Monday� The deal would be mainly minor leaguers, but could include Kemp --Mets not in on Carlos Lee --�Mets need a power pitcher for the Playoffs�.Livan Hernandez does not throw hard anymore.� --�Not having a power pitcher always cost the Braves, and the Mets will be subject to the same problem.� --The A�s need Zito right now. Will deal him, �only if blown away.� --Dontrelle Willis not being moved right now, maybe in the offseason. �But, they�re gonna be contenders in a year and he�s a bargaining chip for a new stadium.� --Arod not going anywhere, never even considered. --Yankees not worried about OF right now because Sheffield and Matsui are coming back. --Yankees �gonna let their pitching go� and see what it does --�They�re ready to trade Chacon� --�They�re gonna piecemeal a starting rotation.� --David Wells coming back will help the Red Sox --�There is no 1 starter out there to help teams. No #1 prize guy.� --Most Pirates are available, �not sure about lefty Mike Gonzalez, though.� --Bob thought Casey would be good for SF before they got Hillenbrand. --There is some talk about Casey and Oakland. --Jason Schmidt is staying put. --The Giants will be unloading a lot in the offseason. --Bob doesn�t think that Barry Bonds and the other $47M-making guys are coming back. --Through all the indictment talk, Bond has been calm, treating it like a parking ticket. --�The Giants have no inclination to bring Bonds back.� --The A�s and Angels are the only teams where Bonds is open to playing as a DH. But, neither team has shown any interest in him. --No one�s going to give him $15M-18M, which he wants. --Bob thinks that Bonds will fade away this Winter like Sammy Sosa because he has too much pride to take a pay cut. --Jason Grimsley showed that just as many�if not more�pitchers were on steroids as hitters. --�HR�s are up because elite pitchers are not throwing as hard as they used to.� --Amphetamine testing is done right before batting practice (like 3PM or 4PM). As a result, it hasn�t been that big a deal this year as amphetamines leave your system in 8-10 hours. �So, even if you load up, you�re clean the next day.� --�Everyone needs relief help this year, because guys are not throwing like they used to.� --�There will be a big run on relievers, with 10-12 traded before the Deadline.� --White Sox will only make 1 starter available. �They would only move Vazquez for Tom Gordon.� --�Because White Sox pitching has not been lights out like last year, they�ll go for a Latroy Hawkins or someone else.� --Padres want to do better than Joe Randa in a deal for a 3B. --Padres GM Kevin Towers told Bob that he turned down Wilson Betemit for Scott Linebrink. --Towers asked about Morgan Ensberg, but he�s hurt. --�The Padres will probably go the cheap route with a Russell Branyan.� --Regarding Lastings Milledge for Barry Zito, Bob said, �Go for it.� --�The Mets are going to win the division anyway. It�s a matter of how far they go.� --�Since the NL is so weak this year, who�s to say that they (the Mets) can�t make the World Series the way the team is comprised now. But, I don�t see them getting back the AL. You have to have a hard thrower to compete.� --Bob says that Milledge is thought of as an All-Star caliber OF, and not Alex Escobar. --�The Mets have to think hard about Zito. Since he was successful in the AL, he might be lights out in the NL.� --�The question is �Can you re-sign Zito? The Mets would not make the trade if they don�t have assurances from Zito and Boras.� --�Zito does not need to go to a big market, but he can handle New York, unlike a lot of guys who can�t.� --Phillies would love to have Abreu and Burrell taken off their hands. --No one wants to pick up Abreu�s option. --Burrell makes too much money to move. --�Yankees were willing to take on Abreu�s contract for nothing, but the Phillies wouldn�t bite.� --�Phillip Hughes is untouchable for the Yankees. I don�t think they would even move him for Zito now.� --�As far as minor leaguers go, Hughes is as close to untouchable as there are.� --Sidney Ponson is a waste. �If you can�t cut it in St. Louis in the NL, then you won�t cut it in the AL East.� --Bob thinks that Jeff Weaver can do well in St. Louis, as he just can�t pitch in the AL. --Dusty Baker stays �til the end of the year. Chris Speier�s DUI on a motorcycle �helped� Dusty as he would have been the interim manager. --Unless Dusty really turns things around, the Cubs will look for a replacement in the offseason. --Bob doesn�t think that Dusty is responsible for Wood�s and Prior�s injury troubles. --While a �great guy� and �fiery competitor,� Bob thinks that Kerry Wood is one of the most overrated guys in baseball. --Wood is out of Chicago after the season, as they�re not bringing him back next year. --�Wood�s future is closing.� --Tom Hicks could sell tickets by signing Wood, and it would �only take 3 or 4 million.� --The most prevalent �steroid-related injuries� are lower back strains, biceps being torn off of the body and calf muscles being blown out. --Bob�s surprised that Nomar has stayed healthy, but said that he doesn�t have the power of old. --Bob confirmed that Harold Reynolds was fired (the interview was conducted on the day that the firing was reported by the New York Post). --Bob spoke to Reynolds just that day. The reason won�t be made public by Harold, but Bob thinks it�s a �shame.� He called HR �a great ambassador for the game� saying �he�ll resurface� and that �he already has a couple of job offers.� �He�ll be back in the next few weeks.� �Players respected him, and the Commissioner�s Office, too.� --�Peter Gammons is much, much better. Doctors have told his wife that they don�t think that there will be any brain damage.� --There wouldn�t have been that erroneous White Sox Soriano report if Gammons was there. --Peter Gammons invented the Sunday notes column. --�There are so many good rookies this year (Liriano, Verlander, Papelbon, etc.)� --�Papelbon could win the Cy Young and come in 3rd in Rookie of the Year.� --Liriano wants to learn so much that he will sit and watch Santana�s bullpen sessions. --�Liriano was part of the best trade in Twins history, worst trade in Giants history.� --�It�s different if Pierzynski stays, but you have to seriously think that it�s the worst trade in baseball history.� (Bonser, Nathan and Liriano for Pierzynski) It was a �complete disaster,� as AJ is a catcher who hits .300, is an All Star and the Giants �got to watch him win a World Series with someone else.� --Cubs GM Jim Hendry said that if the Twins had picked Mark Prior #1, they would have taken Joe Mauer at 2. --Joe Mauer struck out only once in 4 years of high school baseball --�At one point the Twins looked like definite sellers. Now as the hottest team in baseball, they could throw their hat in the Carlos Lee Derby.�

Johnny Dickshot wrote: I guess I kinda liked Harold Reynolds as a player too, even tho as I peruse his stats, he wasn't ever as good as I mighta thought he was back in the 80s. I once read that he was best at moving the runner by hitting to the right side of the infield, which teammates love but will kill your batting average.

There has to be some kind of corporate back story on this, with the HR standing for Human Resources and not just Harold Reynolds.