Cowtipper

Jay Payton is a good guess, but it was Escobar. One thing that got me about Payton is that, despite being such a well-regarded prospect for so long, he didn't even debut until he was 25 and he didn't get going until he was 27. As for the Hook question, you did get it right, but it had already been answered correctly earlier in the thread...I just didn't want to burst your bubble . Answering the unanswered (I'll leave a couple still open): 1. Which former Mets prospect is this describing? This is from the back of an old baseball card. Hint: He had an obscenely low batting average in his big league career ... none of which came with New York. "The New York Mets feel they have a second baseman for the future and with good reason ... This player was named the Mets' number five prospect by Baseball America in 1999, was named number seven prospect in the Gulf Coast League, and was named number two Prospect in the Appalachian League in 2000." Enrique Cruz 2. Slugging home runs with gusto and stuff I was a recent's year's gem in the rough I went from one home run the year before To a guy who managed 24 Who am I? Marlon Byrd ____________ Holdover questions and new questions: 1. Who am I? https://i.imgur.com/zeDS2Os.png> Hint: Traded for Keith Hernandez. 2. I was a Met 'til 91 Having toiled there five seasons But with Gregg I was sent away For potential Cy Young reasons Who am I? Hint: Traded for Bret Saberhagen. 3. Who am I? You might know him as a guy busted for smoking that sweet, sweet herb. http://i.imgur.com/enrdLxy.jpg> 4. From the back of a baseball card: "This guy, a 45th round selection in 2001, enjoyed a breakout season with St. Lucie (A), making the '04 Florida State League All-Star Game with a show of power previously unseen from him. The son of former Major League star Brian Harper (who now manages in the Angels system), this guy stays in touch with his father often by phone. This guy credits offseason workouts supervised by his dad for his impressive surge." Hint: He was a decent Mets prospect who never reached the majors. He played in the Mets system until 2007 but never played above Double-A. In 2006, he hit 36 home runs and had 102 RBI between St. Lucie and Binghamton. 5. I lasted only one year because Well, my last name describes what I was I was an All-Star in Seattle In Arizona I did battle With the Mets I made many faux pas Who am I? Running tally of correct guessers: Johnny Lunchbucket: 112 Edgy MD: 87 stevejrogers: 66 batmagadanleadoff: 34 DocTee: 9 metsmarathon: 9 Benjamin Grimm: 6 MFS62: 4 Marshmallowmilkshake: 1 Methead: 1 The Hot Corner: 1

A good pickup! Power, speed, OPS+...he has them all! Could end up being like Jeff Francoeur or Ryan Church, but if we can squeeze a good half-a-year out of him, I'll be satisfied. Tyler Stuart isn't a huge cost, either. He's almost 25 and still at Double A.

Womp womp. One-year wonder. Should have expected it.

What a game!

Quintanilla, Viola and Duncan are correct! Well done on Duncan. 1. Which former Mets prospect is this describing? This is from the back of an old baseball card. Hint: He had an obscenely low batting average in his big league career ... none of which came with New York. "The New York Mets feel they have a second baseman for the future and with good reason ... This player was named the Mets' number five prospect by Baseball America in 1999, was named number seven prospect in the Gulf Coast League, and was named number two Prospect in the Appalachian League in 2000." Hint: Hit .083 in the majors. Was taken by the Brewers from the Mets in the 2002 Rule 5 draft, having never played for NY. Was named Mets #5 prospect once, their #6 prospect once, and their #13 prospect once. Hint: Also played for the Reds. He was a Brewer in 2003 and a Red in 2007. 2. Slugging home runs with gusto and stuff I was a recent's year's gem in the rough I went from one home run the year before To a guy who managed 24 Who am I? 3. Who am I? https://i.imgur.com/zeDS2Os.png> 4. From a baseball card: "This guy is a 21-year old outfielder that was named by the Baseball America as the New York Mets #1 prospect. This player grades out above average in every tool and his speed and power combination is exceptional." Hint: From the early 2000s, he is another one of the great "what could have beens" that didn't pan out. 5. I was a Met 'til 91 Having toiled there five seasons But with Gregg I was sent away For potential Cy Young reasons Who am I? Running tally of correct guessers: Johnny Lunchbucket: 111 Edgy MD: 87 stevejrogers: 66 batmagadanleadoff: 34 DocTee: 9 metsmarathon: 9 Benjamin Grimm: 6 MFS62: 4 Marshmallowmilkshake: 1 Methead: 1 The Hot Corner: 1

I'm listening to Howie instead of watching the live stream. Howie is so much better than Gary Cohen.

Just watched this game. What a rout! Don't be fooled by McNeil's hot streak, he still sucks.

Ziplock and Goodwill are correct! I think some baseball cards noted Zeile had those nicknames. Kurt Abbott is correct and so is John Olerud. Easley and Milliard are incorrect. The picture came a few years after Easley; he shares the first name of a former Mets GM. The Mets prospect isn't Milliard, the correct answer is Dominican. 1. Who am I? http://i.imgur.com/AzV3HMs.jpg> Hint: Spent the first half of his career with the Rockies. Due to injuries, was the Mets' primary shortstop in 2013. Debuted with the Mets in 2012 and was brought back for 2014, as well. They loved this guy, apparently. Was once a first round pick. Hint: Also played for the Rangers and Orioles in a career that spanned from 2005 to 2014. 2. Which former Mets prospect is this describing? This is from the back of an old baseball card. Hint: He had an obscenely low batting average in his big league career ... none of which came with New York. "The New York Mets feel they have a second baseman for the future and with good reason ... This player was named the Mets' number five prospect by Baseball America in 1999, was named number seven prospect in the Gulf Coast League, and was named number two Prospect in the Appalachian League in 2000." Hint: Hit .083 in the majors. Was taken by the Brewers from the Mets in the 2002 Rule 5 draft, having never played for NY. Was named Mets #5 prospect once, their #6 prospect once, and their #13 prospect once. Hint: Also played for the Reds. He was a Brewer in 2003 and a Red in 2007. 3. Who am I? https://i.imgur.com/DdwiLoD.jpg> 4. Another "who is this describing" from the back of a baseball card: "An excellent athlete, this guy has the ability to leadoff and play center field ... The Illinois native has been successful on 90 percent (86 for 96) of his steal attempts during his minor league career, and in 2002 he compiled an amazing .373 overall average to lead all Mets minor leaguers." Who am I? 5. Slugging home runs with gusto and stuff I was a recent's year's gem in the rough I went from one home run the year before To a guy who managed 24 Who am I? Running tally of correct guessers: Johnny Lunchbucket: 108 Edgy MD: 87 stevejrogers: 66 batmagadanleadoff: 34 DocTee: 9 metsmarathon: 9 Benjamin Grimm: 6 MFS62: 4 Marshmallowmilkshake: 1 Methead: 1 The Hot Corner: 1

New day, new hints added.

Was decent once. Good defensively. Was an All-Star. Won a Gold Glove. Had power. Decent speed. Strikes out a lot. Bad average. We already have someone who somewhat fits that mold on the roster, Ben Gamel.

Frayed Knot wrote: =Cowtipper post_id=163686 time=1721787260 user_id=166] Diekman?!?!?!??! Well the Mets took your advice and released Diaz before the game.

Diekman?!?!?!??!

Finished his pro career with a 15-6 record and a 1.90 ERA.

All these years later, he's still going. Eight seasons into his pro career and he hasn't even reached Triple-A. But—he's also still just 24!

One of these days he'll make the majors. He's gotta. .306/.363/.441 in 2022. .298/.346/.425 at Triple-A in 2023. .328/.376/.428 at Triple-A this year. .294 career average. .312 Triple-A average. The fates must align at some point.

He missed all of 2023 and 2024 (so far), but supposedly he's due back pretty soon.

He's still around, currently at Triple-A. Great K rate in the minors this year (13.5 per 9) but awful ERA (10.38).

It was a horrible March/April that really hurt him. March ERA: 15.43. April ERA: 10.13. May ERA: 5.47. June ERA: 4.26. July ERA: 3.86. ERA since beginning of May: 4.59. Since beginning of June: 4.05. His season ERA has declined nearly every appearance since his first one.

There's the Tommy John we were waiting for.

Mets release RHP Joey Lancellotti and RHP Victor Castaneda. They signed free agents RHP Channing Austin, Eldridge Armstrong III and Chandler Marsh to minor league contracts. Newly acquired TJ Shook assigned to Binghamton. Jon Duplantier, released not too long ago, signed with the independent Lake Country DockHounds. Mets sign the following draftees, some were mentioned in my previous post: 07/22/24 New York Mets signed RHP Ryan Lambert. 07/22/24 New York Mets signed RHP Jace Hampson. 07/22/24 New York Mets signed RHP R.J. Gordon. 07/22/24 New York Mets signed RHP Nate Dohm. 07/22/24 New York Mets signed LHP Jonathan Santucci. 07/22/24 New York Mets signed OF Eli Serrano III. 07/22/24 New York Mets signed RHP Will Watson. 07/20/24 New York Mets signed RHP Frank Elissalt. 07/20/24 New York Mets signed RHP Hayden Cooper. 07/20/24 New York Mets signed 2B Nick Roselli. 07/20/24 New York Mets signed OF Jacoby Long. 07/20/24 New York Mets signed RHP Hoss Brewer. 07/20/24 New York Mets signed RHP Brendan Girton. 07/20/24 New York Mets signed RHP Hunter Hodges.

I'm still thinking kind of strategically. I don't see the Mets being a World Series team this year. Do we really want yet another team that is maybe Division Series quality? I don't. It's been almost a decade since our last World Series appearance and going on 40 years since our last World Series win (!!!). It's time to build a WORLD SERIES team, not a PLAYOFF team. I'm thinking value. Gotta get the value that will make them a World Series team in 2025 and beyond, and that value lies in decent prospects, which I think McNeil and Alonso could bring in.

Decent game. The bullpen is still too shaky. I've never been a huge David Peterson fan, but you have to go with what is working and he is working right now. I just hope the Mets aren't fooled by his hot streak this year and give him a big contract. Despite his recent power display, I'd still like to see McNeil gone by the trading deadline, and Alonso, too. And Stewart. How is Stewart still with this team? Reminds me of John Mayberry, holding on to him way past his usefulness. Diaz is still too inconsistent.

A fine opportunity to blow this game wide open.

Jerry Walker: https://www.theadanews.com/oklahoma/former-mlb-great-jerry-walker-passes-away/article_35410c56-4514-11ef-8182-471ede0bbed0.html

More: Moved to first post.