Cowtipper

Uh oh, bottom of the ninth and the Mets are just 'angin' on to a close lead. If you've got a dodgy ticker, you might wanna look away now.

I stuck with Nimmo long enough, I'm goin' McNeil on 'im now, too. This bloke's only given us a couple of decent seasons in his entire career, '22 and '23, and he's been with us for nearly a bleedin' decade. Nearly a decade, and 'e still can't keep 'imself fit and performin' consistently. Maybe it's time to flog 'im off to someone else, eh?

Ha, the Mets can only pull it off when the Phillies start to go pear-shaped. Not 'cause they're actually doin' anythin' on their own, mind you.

Well, a hit by pitch is better than jack, innit?

Mets are gonna muck up bases loaded, no outs. Typical Mets, ain't it?

Lindor earnin' that thirty million quid, I see!

Are we gonna see a triple play to end the inning, then?

Speakin' of them overpaid stars, 'ere comes Lindor.

Cor blimey, Torrens is sportin' a .313 average and a 1.103 OPS. That's proper bonkers, innit? These lesser-known blokes are the ones keepin' this mob together, not them overpaid "stars".

Time for Torrens to add more fuel to 'is legend and bash a bleedin' homer!

And 'e comes through!

Ain't no one better to 'ave at the plate than Vientos right now, guv.

Blimey, color me shocked, but now I'm actually hopeful. Could the Mets actually not do us in for once?

Good to see Taylor's on base, but I ain't holdin' me breath, mate.

=Gwreck post_id=158481 time=1717952464 user_id=56] I would hit Iglesias for McNeil. Will Mendoza?

Oi, mate, lemme tell ya 'bout the New York Mets, eh? Blimey, their bullpen's a right dog's breakfast, can't hold a lead to save their lives! Offense? More like they couldn't hit a barn door wiv a banjo, total shambles. And the players, crikey, they're overpaid muppets, ain't worth the brass they're gettin'. The manager? Absolute tosser, couldn't manage a piss-up in a brewery!

Since his first relief appearance on May 10, Houser's ERA is 3.60 (including his six-run start on May 21). Post-May 21, he has a 0.82 ERA in 11 IP.

Answering the unanswered: 1. I'm an ex-Met who was a very very extremely big key The assistant GM from Moneyball got the job thanks to me I also spent some time as a player crosstown I got plunked by an ex-Met that made me go down Who am I? Karim Garcia 2. My Mets career was very small And ineffective, all in all I pitched for them in '93 And those few games were it for me My whole career wasn't fine - My ERA was over nine Who am I? Jeff Kaiser 3. Here's a name you remember, I bet This pitcher was an original Met He was an All-Star twice in his day But as a Met, things went not his way Who is he? Clem Labine 4. In '73, scandal was on the floor Watergate was a big deal in the Court It was on everyone's minds Well, almost everyone's, for Judge Potter Stewart got a note which bore "----- flies to right, Agnew resigns." Who am ----- ? Ed Kranepool 5. I had a nickname Describing how a vehicle could move Unfortunately the team that year Was least likely to get in a winning groove Who am I? Choo Choo Coleman New questions will be added shortly.

Edgy MD wrote: London Neighborhoods Ranked by a Guy who Has Never Been to London, but is Dimly Aware of the City, Mostly from Rock Records Are those like stone tablets or something?

Benjamin Grimm wrote: It's seeming more and more that this isn't about bringing baseball to the people of London but about bringing American baseball fans to spend money in London. They should really do these series in cities whose countries have a greater affinity for baseball and that can be ever-burgeoning sources of potential baseball talent. Australia and Brazil are the first two countries that come to mind. But there are countries in Europe that have a bigger baseball presence than the UK/England. France (Division Elite) and Italy (Serie A1/Italian Baseball League) are the two big ones—a lot of former pros in the USA go there to play. But even places like Germany (Bundesliga) and Spain (Division Honor) would be better choices than London. It seems like they chose London more because it is a name city, rather than a good city for baseball to be featured. If their goal is to introduce baseball to England/the UK, well, it was introduced. And it was very popular once. Then it became unpopular. It's not like Englanders don't know what baseball is.

I 'ope 'he me's win 'oday, bu' knowin 'hem, 'hey'll probably blah i' an' embarrass 'hemselves on 'he in'erna'ional stage.

25 years?!? that's almost a quarter of a century!

I'm sorry. :-(

LOL, I'd love to take credit for it, but I just had ChatGPT do it. Because I was told I was lecturing, I told it to form a response that started with "I'm not lecturing. But..." then proceed with a long-winded lecture. Get it? Is funny, yes? I also had it write a poem about Jeff McNeil: There once was a Met named McNeil, Whose bat had a moderate feel. He'd get on base fine, Not a star but a sign, That mediocrity's sometimes real. Anyway, long story short, McNeil, like Murphy before him, was serviceable. Just serviceable. Not the cornerstone of a consistently contending, playoff-bound team, no matter how much we like to try to endear him to us with cute "squirrel" epithets and so forth. And in all actual serious, I've kind of soured on him even more because he seems like a baby. Like a sourpuss. There's been a few times when he's been on the field and taken "umbrage" to things the other team has done. It's like, Jeff, dude, get some thicker skin, ya big palooka.

I'm not lecturing anyone. But as a lifelong baseball aficionado, I've observed something curious about New York Mets fans. It seems they've grown so accustomed to mediocrity that they've developed an almost endearing attachment to it. Let's face it, the Mets have had their moments of glory, but these moments are sporadic and often overshadowed by long stretches of underwhelming performances. This pattern has shaped the fan base in unique ways. The essence of being a Mets fan often involves celebrating minor victories and overvaluing players who, in a more successful franchise, might barely be noticed. Take, for example, the love for players like Wilmer Flores. Yes, he had his heroic moments, notably the walk-off home run after almost being traded, a moment steeped in drama and passion. But let's be honest, his overall performance was pretty average. However, Flores is lauded, almost deified by some fans, because in a sea of mediocrity, his few shining moments stand out like beacons. This attachment to mediocrity isn't just about individual players; it's about the team's performance as a whole. When the Mets make it to the postseason, it's treated like a monumental achievement, even if they quickly exit without making much of an impact. This is understandable considering the team's history, but it also means that the bar for what constitutes success has been significantly lowered. Fans celebrate a .500 season as if it's a major win, and even a slight above-average performance is heralded as greatness. Moreover, the Mets' management seems to understand and perhaps even exploit this sentiment. Over the years, there have been numerous signings and trades that bring in players who are, at best, solid contributors but are often sold to the fans as game-changers. And the fans buy into it because, in their context, these players do represent an improvement, however marginal. The cycle of hype and inevitable disappointment becomes a familiar rhythm. Then there's the narrative of the "lovable underdog," which Mets fans have embraced wholeheartedly. This identity is rooted in the early years of the franchise when the Mets were the epitome of baseball futility. The 1962 team set a record for losses in a season, yet those early teams are still fondly remembered. This historical context feeds into the modern-day psyche of the fans, who often see themselves as enduring the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, much like a Shakespearean tragic hero. What's fascinating is how this mentality affects the overall atmosphere around the team. There's a sense of camaraderie among fans, a shared understanding that being a Mets fan is about more than just winning. It's about the shared experience of frustration, the rare but sweet moments of success, and the ongoing hope that next year will be different. This culture of persistent hope and loyalty is admirable, but it also reinforces the cycle of mediocrity. In other words, Mets fans have become experts at finding joy in the journey, no matter how bumpy it may be. They've learned to celebrate the small victories and find heroes in players who might be considered ordinary elsewhere. This isn't necessarily a bad thing—it's a testament to the resilience and passion of the fan base. However, it does mean that the standards for what constitutes success have been perpetually adjusted downwards. Ultimately, while this attachment to mediocrity might seem peculiar from the outside, it's a core part of what it means to be a Mets fan. It's about hope, loyalty, and a never-ending belief in the potential for greatness, even if that greatness is often just out of reach. So, here's to the Mets fans, who manage to find joy in the struggle and maintain their unwavering support in the face of perpetual mediocrity. Hence, Jeff McNeil, despite the fervent adoration he receives from Mets fans, epitomizes the mediocrity that the fanbase has come to embrace. While McNeil is undoubtedly a versatile player, his overall performance is solid but unremarkable. His batting average hovers around respectable but not spectacular numbers, and his defensive skills, while serviceable, are far from elite. Yet, Mets fans have latched onto him, celebrating his every minor success as if it were a major victory, a testament to how deeply ingrained mediocrity has become in the culture of the team and its supporters.