Cowtipper

Because no one expects much from him, I'm sure ... Craig Kimbrel.

So we do have really short memories.

Oh yes, because regrouping after the first rodeo really turned out well. I hate to get harsher, it's totally out of my character as people know me and particularly love me for being a genius (I have a very high IQ and my mom still puts my drawings on the fridge), and also very humble, easy going and never sarcastic, but dude, how short are our memories? Is there now a concerted effort to break up the gang for good? We're just going to get washed away with a complete and total rebrand if a sale takes place. And since there seems to be zero desire to seek alternative methods for more organic, less (culturally) destructive growth, it seems like the goal or at least assumed forgone conclusion is the dissolution of this website as we know it. Why? If you don't want to own it anymore, see if one of the members who actually has some love for it wants to take over. Or at least put feelers out to see if one of the other strong (independently-owned) Mets websites might want it. It seems like the powers that be have it in their heads that there are only two possible outcomes now: Ceding CPF to a third party who will totally upend it and destroy the core of what it is, or just let it die from attrition. We've already seen one of the most important and in-depth archives of all that is Mets obliterated with the stroke of a domain name transfer and now we want to see it happen again within just a couple of months? We don't post a lot and what we don't have is a lot of posters, for now, but what we do post is some good stuff. My main source of Mets news is the CPF, not Mets.com. Ben, for the sake of all that is good and holy, even if this does happen please at least maintain the UMDB archive you created. And Brock, despite my attacks, this is nothing against you personally. I bet you are a wonderful fella with a great personality, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart. "Nothing personal, strictly business."

How many times have you asked me to stop? Once? Perhaps it is those unnecessary attacks and persistent condescension from moderation, which literally happen all the time, that drives a lot of people away? (I literally only post AI biographies in the single thread. I started. And primarily post in. LOL. Quite the non-sequitur and dig considering the rather serious nature of this thread.) Maybe what this forum needs is a change in moderation? Not ownership? Anyway, these two: "I see contributions for the WHO DIED? thread being a forumites just rushing to be the first to post a name after a death is announced publicly, with no commentary, like checking a box. I put up a MEMORIES thread and folks can't be bothered to write a specific memory and just write that a player sucked. I get rid of our most toxic poster after years of malicious abuse and our best posters leave with him. That's the price we pay and that's their right, but who is going to replace their contributions?" Could possibly be because it's the offseason.

Mets sign 31-year-old minor leaguer Bryce Conley, a pitcher.

Well, RIP CPF.

No acquisition like this is ever done altruistically. The goal isn't some nice guy coming in to help some down-and-out forum. The goal is to make $$$. To make $$$, this site will have to offend the least amount of eyes possible. Which means all the quirkiness and edginess of this site (aka, the character) will have to be removed. Which means it will be watered down. Is anyone actually lending this idea credence? How many times has this played out in real life and no one likes it? "I liked Old John's Bakery until it was bought out by Megacorp, now it's just not the same." If we want more visitors, why don't we just advertise on Wordpress or Google ourselves? I was getting hundreds of extra views on some articles I was writing just by putting $5 to $10 into a 24-hour Wordpress cycle. There's better ways to improve traffic flow than selling out. "Absolutely. We work with the community, and value its input." ... but what wasn't said was "but that doesn't mean we'll actually do anything the community says because haha you don't have control anymore, we do."

Growth is good, but we don't growth that's so fast it'll lose the culture and flavor that has been fostered over the years. If you give in to centralization you lose any level of independence a site such as this has; we don't want to become too watered down we become a Reddit or a MLBTradeRumors.com comment section. And it's like clockwork, the bigger you get the more watered down you become. If we want growth we can get that while still not selling to someone who has had zero skin in this game. It's like giving up a website to the people who bought UMDB, or a dang corporate raider. They might say they're going to do this or that, until they actually get control of it and have total say. We could do journalism and writing on our own. Let the old UMDB be the ashes, let something that WE create be the phoenix. Not some guy who jumps in out of nowhere who has no idea about the flavor or feel of the site. I know I myself have only been here a few years but even I have become accustomed to the way the community maneuvers. I've seen this happen before on another forum I used to go to and though I couldn't stand the owner, he fostered a certain atmosphere that the new owner, who swept in and bought it out of the blue, just eviscerated (and I eventually left that forum). "I'm pretty zero-tolerance on mouth-breathers and loud *******s; this place survived this long for a reason while so many other places faltered. Keeping that is core to the idea." <-- see, that's what I'm talking about. Who's to define a mouth-breather? Brock? The self-anointed king who has no idea how this place interacts and communicates? He's admitting he's open to censorship. That right there is why THIS site is the one I gravitate to, because it is one of the FEW where you can actually say what you want to say without recourse. That is literally an admission he'll turn this into a Reddit. Where free speech is tolerated, oh but not really. This is a no no no from me. Control of a part of this site has already been ceded once. And we saw how that went. Have we learned nothing? Viva CPF, viva freedom, viva independence.

I remember he was fast and that the Mets had him previously in that fun, but ultimately disappointing, year of 2022. Back then they gave him too much playing time; this time maybe they didn't give him enough (4 G, 1 AB).

I remember him being a big guy who, despite his 2.35 ERA, was still very shaky (1.761 WHIP). He was the epitome of "got lucky" with that ERA. I also remember how he went away and came back, just to be let go again.

I remember he was a real strikeout ace in the minors and I kind of always wanted him to get another big league shot with the Mets, but it never happened. Even with the Mets he averaged over 16 K/9. I called him Goose Mountain.

I also remember the trade with Duda and how he was one of the few connections to those mid-2010s teams left. I remember always thinking it odd how, out of all pitchers, they stuck with Drew Smith for so long for some reason.

Mets have inked Mike Tauchman to a minor league contract. This is a good signing. He's coming off a year in which he hit .263/.356/.400 with 9 homers and 40 RBI in 335 at-bats for Chicago. Since 2023, he's hit .255/.359/.381 with 24 homers, 117 RBI and a 108 OPS+ in 310 games. Surprised the best he could muster was a minor league deal. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/02/mets-mike-tauchman-agree-to-minor-league-deal.html

Gary Sanchez, Sandy Alomar, Jr. Perhaps other teams do, too, but the Mets have really loved giving veteran catchers cups of coffees over the years. Lots of catchers kind of fit the theme of this thread. Gary Bennett, Robinson Cancel, Raul Casanova, Michael Perez, Chance Sisco, Robinson Chirinos, Jose Lobaton, Taylor Teagarden, Kelly Shoppach, Rob Johnson, Mike DiFelice, Kelly Stinnett (also a mid-90s "he was really a Met?" Met), even Devin Mesoraco, who had a bit more than a cup of coffee. And this list just goes back to 2000. Also, the 2020 team had a good number of players that one can hardly believe was ever a Met. Brian Dozier, Eduardo Nunez, Billy Hamilton, Guillermo Heredia, Rick Porcello*, Erasmo Ramirez, Hunter Strickland. *Michael Wacha, brought aboard for 2020 as well, doesn't require a double take from me, at least, because in my brain he's one of those Mets that stunk with New York but became really good elsewhere. So I'm well-aware he was a Met.

Off to the Nationals on a minor league deal. Final Mets line: 6 years, 12-13 W-L, 191 G, 3.48 ERA, 115 ERA+, 9.3 K/9 Not too shabby.

If we're talking front-end guys, even relatively, the 1990s had quite a few. David Segui, Carl Everett, Mike Remlinger, Paul Byrd, Shane Halter. The mid-1990s Mets were chock full of guys that I never ever ever ever equate with being Mets. Just look at the 1995 pitching staff. That alone had a bunch. Blas Minor...really? Doug Henry...really? Jerry DiPoto...really? The aforementioned Paul Byrd...really? And they all pitched for the club in 1996, too!

If we're mentioning Trot Nixon, might as well go with Jeff Conine. Jeff Conine was a Met? Yup, he was.

Bill Slack died. https://www.lewiscrematoryandfuneralservices.com/obituary/William-Slack Who was Bill Slack? Bill Slack (1933–2025) was a Canadian professional baseball pitcher, manager, and coach whose five-decade career was spent almost entirely in minor league baseball. Born in Petrolia, Ontario, he signed with the Boston Red Sox organization in 1952 after briefly playing minor professional hockey in the Montreal Canadiens system. Though he never reached Major League Baseball, Slack compiled a solid minor league pitching record (79–63, 3.45 ERA) and was also known as a strong-hitting pitcher in his early years. He later reached the highest minor league levels, including stints in the Pacific Coast League and American Association. Slack made his greatest impact as a manager and pitching instructor. He managed for more than two decades in the Red Sox farm system—most notably with Winston-Salem, where he won multiple league titles—and later served as a pitching coach in the Atlanta Braves organization. Over his managerial career, he won more than 1,100 games and captured five league championships. Inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002, Slack remained a respected figure in minor league baseball and in Winston-Salem, where a community service award is presented in his honor. He died in 2025 at age 92 in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina.

Takayuki Hata, a left-handed pitcher from Hita, Oita, played nine seasons in Nippon Pro Baseball with the Nishitetsu Lions and Chunichi Dragons, appearing in multiple Nippon Series and an All-Star Game. He passed away in August 2025, finishing his career with a 56-50 record, a 3.06 ERA, 731 strikeouts, and 1,002 innings pitched. Akira Kawahara, an Oita-born pitcher, played eight seasons in Nippon Pro Baseball for the Nishitetsu Lions and Taiyo Whales, logging 974⅓ innings with 597 strikeouts. He passed away on August 15, 2025, finishing his career with a 41-76 record and a 4.25 ERA. Katsutoshi Miyadera, a Tokyo-born catcher, played 11 seasons in Nippon Pro Baseball, primarily with the Nishitetsu Lions, earning All-Star selections in 1967 and 1973. He passed away on May 20, 2025, leaving a career batting line of .215/.264/.333 with 42 home runs. Keisuke Okamoto, a left-handed player from Minamiawaji, Hyogo, spent nine seasons in Nippon Pro Baseball, transitioning from pitcher to position player and finishing with 37 home runs. He passed away on December 7, 2025, leaving a career batting line of .244/.303/.389 with 288 hits. Kazutoshi Yamada, a Nagoya-born infielder, played eight seasons in Nippon Pro Baseball with the Chunichi Dragons and Hiroshima Carp, later serving as a coach in both organizations. He passed away on August 16, 2025, finishing his playing career with a .262/.341/.388 batting line, 22 home runs, and 227 hits. Fumio Yamamoto, a Hiroshima-born pitcher, briefly played for the Hiroshima Carp before retiring in 1957 and becoming a Central League umpire, officiating 3,564 games over 34 years. He passed away on August 7, 2025, leaving a legacy that included six All-Star Games and 13 Nippon Series appearances as an umpire.

Bobby Henrich died. https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=henribo01 Who was Bobby Henrich? Bobby Henrich (born December 24, 1938, Lawrence, Kansas; died February 9, 2026, La Habra, California) was an American professional baseball player who spent parts of three seasons (1957–1959) with the Cincinnati Redlegs. Signed as a “bonus baby” at age 18, Henrich was primarily a pinch runner but appeared in 48 games at four defensive positions. A standout high school athlete from Compton, California, he excelled in baseball, football, and basketball and was noted for his speed. Henrich also played winter ball in Panama and spent time in the minor leagues before retiring from professional baseball at 22. After his playing career, he built a successful career in the insurance business. He was a distant relative of Yankees star Tommy Henrich.

I remember thinking he wasn't going to do to well with New York, but was surprised at how well he did in the early-going. But even then, I thought he was riding a really lucky streak -- when the entire team was pitching above its skill level -- and that he'd regress eventually. And he did. He carried an ERA under 3 through 59 innings, but had a 6.75 mark over his final 17 1/3, bringing his season ERA to 3.77.

First one that instantly comes to mind is this guy: Joe Panik. He had a decent stint with the Mets, but he just kind of showed up and went away in 2019, and the name Joe Panik never really felt like a Mets name.

Welp, Chris Bassitt is off the list now. So are David Robertson, Justin Verlander, Rafael Montero, Paul Sewald, Griffin Canning, Jose Quintana, Gary Sanchez, Miguel Castro, Carlos Carrasco, Mark Canha, Jose Siri, Tyson Miller, Phil Bickford and Travis Blankenhorn. That leaves us with: Starling Marte Michael Conforto Frankie Montas Max Scherzer Jesse Winker Justin Turner Wilmer Flores Tommy Pham Jose Iglesias Justin Wilson Drew Smith Dominic Smith Joey Lucchesi Max Kranick Jorge Lopez Marcus Stroman And here are some minor league free agents: Omar Narvaez Erasmo Ramirez Adonis Medina Stephen Nogosek Tyler Naquin

Jacob Stallings has retired.

Candido Cuevas: Injury Undisclosed. Est. Return 3/1/2026. Francisco Lindor: Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said that Lindor will undergo right hamate bone surgery Wednesday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports. President of baseball operations David Stearns noted Tuesday that surgery for Lindor was a possibility, and it's now confirmed that the shortstop will be going under the knife. Rehab is expected to take six weeks, and while the Mets are optimistic Lindor will be ready for Opening Day, it's hardly a sure thing. If Lindor needs to miss time, the Mets could shift Bo Bichette over to shortstop and install Brett Baty at third base. Injury Hand. Est. Return 3/26/2026. Jose Marte: Injury Shoulder. Est. Return 3/1/2026. Tylor Megill: The Mets placed Megill (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Thursday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. The move frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for MJ Melendez, who signing became official Thursday. Megill will miss the entire 2026 season following September 2025 Tommy John surgery. Injury Elbow. Est. Return 2/1/2027. Dedniel Nunez: The Mets placed Nunez (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Sunday. The transaction opens up a spot on the 40-man roster for catcher Ben Rortvedt, whom the Mets claimed off waivers from the Dodgers on Sunday. The move won't affect Nunez's timeline for a return; the 29-year-old right-hander is likely to miss most, if not all, of the 2026 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery July 14. Injury Elbow. Est. Return 9/1/2026.