Cowtipper

Catching up on some games. This was a high-quality performance with decent levels of excitement. Diaz's K rate is down dramatically this year, but, despite his on-paper fairly mediocre performance, his WHIP is still a very solid 1.091. The Mets have the skill to be a playoff team, they just have to exhibit that skill CONSISTENTLY.

...and just like that, the Pirates released him.

Mets placed RHP Bryce Montes de Oca on the full-season injured list.

New questions: 1. Which pitcher surrendered Ventura's Grand Slam Single in 1999? --originally posted by "GiambiJuice" Hint: Solid, short-lived reliever for the Braves in 1999 and 2000. Had 2.75 ERA in 74 career games. 2. In 2000, Mike Hampton became the fourth putcher to toss a Shutout in an NLCS-clinching game. Which three pitchers did it before Hampton? --originally posted by "GiambiJuice" Hint: One was a Met in 1999, who had a long career, won over 200 games, is currently a Dodgers broadcaster and once held a record for most innings without allowing a run. Another was never a Met; he won a World Series ring in 1993 with Toronto, but spent the bulk of his career with St. Louis. The other was part of a Big Three, one of which spent a fair amount of time with New York in the 2000s. The guy in question is in the Hall of Fame, having excelled as both a starter and a closer, racking up over 3,000 career Ks. 3. Who was the last Met rookie to hit two home runs in a single World Series game? --originally posted by "jjpm74" Hint: The current answer is currently with the Giants; he was a wunderkind who—though solid—never quite lived up to the stardom expected of him. He hit over 130 homers with the Mets. 4. Through May 2016, four major league players had attended Liberty University. One of those players played for the Mets. Can you name that player? He was a short-lived reliever for the club in 1992. Since 2016, three more men from Liberty University have reached the majors, including 2020 Met Ryan Cordell. Hint: Traded for Tim Burke in 1992, he spent most of his career in the American League. The reliever debuted in 1984, last played in 1996 and spent all of 43 games with the Mets (in '92). 5. Who am I? http://i.imgur.com/VYh0rvf.jpg> Hint: Hall of Famer with 500 home runs and 3,000 hits. Part of the Worst Team Money Can Buy. Spent the bulk of his career with Baltimore. Running tally of correct guessers: Johnny Lunchbucket: 114 Edgy MD: 87 stevejrogers: 68 batmagadanleadoff: 34 DocTee: 9 metsmarathon: 9 Benjamin Grimm: 6 MFS62: 4 The Hot Corner: 3 Marshmallowmilkshake: 1 Methead: 1

Answering the unanswered: http://i.imgur.com/3NUWhY3.jpg> Who am I? Mike Phillips Holy cow, was this lame Yet another washed up name A guy with good speed and Power with a bat in hand Well, once long, long ago But with the Mets, not quite so He was Philly's big star As a Met, he fell so far Who is he? Bobby Abreu http://i.imgur.com/rLhF9Ql.jpg> Who is the guy in the front? David Aardsma Who is the guy in the back of the image in question #3? Daniel Murphy Which player, who briefly played with the Mets in 1979 and 1980, is often credited as the first to use a cupped baseball bat? Jose Cardenal

Alex Claudio, who pitched for the Mets in 2022, is 2-3 with a 4.55 ERA in 32 relief appearances for the Diablos Rojos del México in the Mexican League. Sam Clay, who pitched for the Mets in 2022, was 0-0 with a 7.15 ERA in 16 relief appearances for the Olmecas de Tabasco of the Mexican League. They got rid of him and he was signed by the Leones de Yucatan, with whom he is 1-1 with a 3.48 ERA in 11 relief appearances. All told, he is 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in 27 games. Michael Conforto, who played for the Mets from 2015 to 2021, is hitting .235/.314/.432 with 12 home runs, 50 RBI and 22 doubles in 94 games with the Giants. He hit .200 in 5 at-bats at Triple-A.

Catching up on some games. Not a great performance here, but it was exciting at the start, at least.

Inspired hope that the Mets have a fairly deep rotation. Not a rotation of aces, but one of solid pitchers. But he ended up just being another Shaun Marcum/Tom Milone.

I live a hop-skip-and-a-jump from there. I'm going! Bristol is cool because on one side of State Street you're in Tennessee, on the other side, you're in Virginia.

I hate getting stoked about a prospect who has killed it at Single-A just to have them tank once they hit Triple-A. Fool me 1,000 times, shame on me...

Excluding today, Manaea has a 2.28 ERA in 9 starts since June 14. Also, great game. Back to me thinking they might actually be a playoff-quality club. The offense has always, on paper, been postseason quality. But the pitching, oh that pitching...

Outside of a rough three-game stretch from May 13 to May 18, Diaz has actually been pretty solid. Before that stretch: 15 G, 2.30 ERA During that stretch: 3 G, 27.00 ERA After that stretch: 14 G, 1.38 ERA

Since Diaz's ERA reached its high of 5.40 on May 18, his ERA has been 1.38.

McNeil is slowly starting to redeem himself. Since July 1, he's hit .291/.337/.562. Since July 19, he's hit .353/.386/.706. The power surge is unsustainable, I think, but he could get himself up to the .280s before the season is done.

Despite being a .230-something hitter, Taylor has been a real asset for this club.

Carlos Carrasco, who pitched for the Mets from 2021 to 2023, is 3-9 with a 5.53 ERA in 20 starts for the Guardians. Miguel Castro, who pitched for the Mets in 2020 and 2021, was 0-0 with a 5.93 ERA in 11 relief appearances for the Diamondbacks. He had a 0.00 ERA in 4 minor league relief appearances. He was released July 31. Juan Centeno, who played for the Mets in 2013 and 2014, is hitting .347/.438/.438 with a home run and 22 RBI in 44 games for the Saraperos de Saltillo in Mexico.

Former MLB umpire Larry Poncino: https://www.afterall.com/obituaries/LarryPoncino

More: Nelson Chittum: https://www.legacy.com/funeral-homes/obituaries/name/nelson-chittum-obituary?pid=207280386&v=batesville Mel Held: https://www.krillfuneralservice.com/obituaries/melvin-held

Womp.

I remember Buddy Baumann.

Outside of a bad three-game run from June 25 to June 29, Danny Young has been excellent. Before June 25: 10 G, 0.87 ERA. June 25-29: 3 G, 27.00 ERA Since June 29: 8 G, 0.00 ERA

I have the sudden urge to buy some The Farmer's Dog dog food, and I don't even own a dog.

Boring game.

Recently promoted to Syracuse.

Doug Creek: https://ramblinwreck.com/georgia-tech-baseball-mourns-passing-of-doug-creek/ Reyes Moronta: https://aroundthefoghorn.com/posts/sf-giants-announce-the-passing-of-hard-throwing-reliever-reyes-moronta-01j4cnqxzn25 Gary Dotter: https://www.wileyfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Gary-Richard-Dotter?obId=32489037 Denny Lemaster: https://news.monroelocal.org/obituary-and-funeral-service-denver-clayton-denny-lemaster-85/ Mike Ferraro: https://nypost.com/2024/07/26/sports/former-yankee-player-coach-mike-ferraro-dead-at-79/