Cowtipper

More like Bleakbum, because every time this bum pitched was bleak. Another failed David Stearns transaction. We shipped off high-quality former third round pick Kade Morris for this guy! Blackburn --> failure Montas --> failure Poche --> failure Pop --> failure Urena --> failure Carrillo --> failure Zuber --> failure Helsley --> failure Lovelady --> failure Garza --> failure Stanek --> failure David Stearns --> failure

Unfortunately, the Mets have released Keiver Garcia, whom I had pinned all our hopes on.

Mendoza's not the one making all the stupid roster moves. Stearns has got to go. He seems to think this is fantasy baseball; it's not.

69, lol

The real beauty of starting with a short-stint guy is that it’s not about gimmicks, it’s about reshaping the flow of the game from the first pitch. You’re taking control of matchups immediately, forcing the opposing manager into decisions before he’s even settled into his seat. The traditional starter role is already eroding thanks to strict pitch counts, third-time-through-the-order concerns, and a general fear of letting pitchers work deep, so this simply formalizes a trend that’s already happening. By planning your bulk pitcher for the third inning, you’re handing him a cleaner slate, fewer mismatches, and often the advantage of beginning against the bottom of the order. The opener can also bait the opponent into stacking for one hand, only to be flipped in the early innings with the opposite hand — it’s small, but it matters. From there, the bulk guy’s win probability jumps, because he’s more likely to leave with a lead, and less likely to be around when a blown save ruins his line. And yes, while wins aren’t the analytical darling they once were, they still matter for certain contracts, certain agents, and a lot of fan perception. If your opener melts down, you have the flexibility to just turn it into a bullpen game, using fringe arms to eat innings and preserving your main starter for tomorrow. Critics call it “unwieldy,” but every bullpen plan is unwieldy — this one just shifts where the uncertainty lives. The Rays already showed it works in short bursts; the real challenge is not bailing on it after the first ugly series. In fact, part of the resistance is just cultural — managers tend to fear deviating from the script unless someone else proves it successful first. Baseball has always been about adaptation, and the death of the complete game makes new adaptations inevitable. In this system, your “starter” still throws the same innings, but with fresher leverage and better matchups. The opener isn’t meant to be a stat-chaser’s tool, but if the side effect is a few more 20+ win seasons, so be it. In truth, the model shifts the focus from labels to results — a starter is just a guy who throws the most innings that day. And when the real starter gets used this way, you also control fatigue better across the season. If anything, this is less radical than it sounds; it’s just sequencing the same resources differently. The traditionalists may scoff, but then again, they once scoffed at five-man rotations, pitch framing, and defensive shifts. And somewhere in the middle of all this, someone’s going to make it work and look like a genius.

Pete Alonso is a certified Mets legend.

I hope they win.

^^ now I don't know what to believe anymore. And the other $17 million is a player option for Montas. I can't imagine he won't take it. $17 million to be an awful player is a pretty good deal.

I know, he was moved to the bullpen, but I still hope it's Dom Hamel. He got *this* close before and I want to see him actually play a big league game.

28-year-old Hunter Parsons, in the Mets system since 2019, has been released.

I hope it's Dom Hamel.

$17 million well spent.

Magic number is down to 51. Offense is hitting an anemic .239 with a .318 OBP. They have to go 27-17 now to be a 90-win team. That's better than .600 ball. How the mighty have fallen. Their current W% is .534.

Jose Iglesias, who played for the Mets in 2024, is hitting .233/.305/.272 with no homers, 25 RBI and 4 steals in 85 games for the Padres. Travis Jankowski, who played for the Mets in 2022 and 2025, hit .214 in 14 at-bats for the White Sox and .258 in 31 ABs for the Rays before joining the Mets briefly in 2025. He was originally signed by the Cubs to start the year, but was let go in March. At Triple-A, he hit .231 in 65 at-bats between three systems (including the Mets). He's currently a free agent. Tyler Jay, who played for the Mets in 2024, is 2-1 with a 3.33 ERA in 28 relief appearances for the Brewers Triple-A team in Nashville. Ariel Jurado, who pitched for the Mets in 2020, is 10-8 with a 2.64 ERA in 22 starts for the Samsung Lions in Korea.

For another team, optimally.

Mauricio, Baty, Vientos and Alvarez should all be put in a package deal during the offseason. Clean the slate. Restart with Williams, Clifford, Gilbert et al.

Verlander's the last to win 25 I think. Was gonna say Gooden, but he had 24, so probably Seaver. Without checking I'm pretty sure I'm right. EDIT: I cheated, Verlander had 24. Probably gotta go way back to Bob Welch maybe?

:-)

Every once in a while a guy gets lucky and gets surprisingly close to 25 victories despite all the modern limitations in the game today. Spencer Strider won 20 games a few years ago, despite pitching just 186 innings.

Sam Haggerty, who played for the Mets in 2019, is hitting .263/.335/.385 with 2 homers, 13 RBI and 11 steals in 60 games for the Rangers. He hit .313/.383/.398 with 1 homers, 12 RBI and 7 steals in 22 games for their Triple-A club in Round Rock. Billy Hamilton, who played for the Mets in 2020, is hitting .243/.383/.270 with 7 steals in 10 games for the Charros de Jalisco in Mexico. Donnie Hart, who played for the Mets in 2019, is 0-0 with a 4.70 ERA in 12 relief appearances (7 2/3 IP) for the Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos in Mexico. Geoff Hartlieb, who played for the Mets in 2021, has a 21.60 ERA in 4 relief appearances split between the Yankees and Tigers. At Triple-A, he had a 4-2 record and a 3.29 ERA in 28 games, striking out 46 in 41 innings. Grant Hartwig, who played for the Mets in 2023 and 2024, began 2025 in the Mets system, but was released in June. He signed with the Hanshin Tigers in Japan, posting a 0.00 ERA in 1 relief appearance for their minor league club and a 0.00 ERA in 3 appearances for the big club. Adeiny Hechavarria, who played for the Mets in 2019, is supposedly with the Olmecas de Tabasco but hasn't played for them this year. Guillermo Heredia, who played for the Mets in 2020, is hitting .314/.380/.445 with 7 home runs and 29 RBI in 62 games for SSG Landers in Korea. Rich Hill, who played for the Mets in 2021, went 0-2 with a 5.00 ERA in 2 starts at age 45 for the Royals. He was 4-4 with a 5.22 ERA in 11 starts in their minor league system. He has since been released. Colin Holderman, who played for the Mets in 2022, is 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in 14 relief appearances for the Pirates. He is 1-2 with a 6.46 ERA in 16 games in their minor league system. Adrian Houser, who played for the Mets in 2024, is 6-4 with a 2.84 ERA in 13 starts between the Rays (his current team) and White Sox. He was 2-2 with a 5.03 ERA in 9 games (8 starts) for the Triple-A Round Rock Express, having started 2025 in the Rangers system. Chin-lung Hu, who played for the Mets in 2011, is still going at 41. He is hitting .308/.373/.418 with no home runs and 17 RBI in 40 games for the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions in Korea. Joe Hudson, who played for the Mets in 2024, is hitting .114/.215/.257 with 3 home runs and 10 RBI in 21 games for Triple-A Sugar Land in the Astros system. He's currently on the 7-day IL.

Julian Merryweather has been signed away by the Broo Croo.

So far this year: 32 G, 3 GS, 5-3 W-L, 2.38 ERA, 75 2/3 IP.

They also promoted this Douglas Orellana feller to Triple-A and he's been killing it with Binghamton.

Felix Torres died. https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mlb/former-angels-third-baseman-passes-away-2111048 Who was Felix Torres? Félix Torres Sánchez (May 1, 1932 – August 8, 2025) was a Puerto Rican professional baseball player who served as the Los Angeles Angels’ regular third baseman from 1962 to 1964. Signed by the Cincinnati Redlegs in 1955, he spent several years in the minors, briefly left organized baseball, and later returned via stints in the Cincinnati and Philadelphia farm systems. Selected by the Angels in the 1961 Rule 5 Draft, Torres debuted in the majors at nearly 30 years old. In his rookie season (1962), he hit 11 home runs with 74 RBIs, following it with a career-best batting average (.261) and 32 doubles in 1963, and a personal-high 12 home runs in 1964. Before reaching MLB, Torres starred in the 1960 Caribbean Series, tying for the home run lead. Known for his power and resilience, he navigated cultural and language barriers, racial prejudice in the American South, and a late start to his big-league career. Torres retired after the 1964 season and passed away in Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico, at age 93. Other deaths of note: Shigeo Nagashima died. https://japantoday.com/category/sports/Japanese-baseball-legend-Shigeo-Nagashima-dies-at-89 Who was Shigeo Nagashima? Shigeo Nagashima (1936–2025), nicknamed “Mr. Giants” and “Mr. Pro Baseball,” was one of Japan’s most celebrated athletes and cultural icons. A star third baseman for the Yomiuri Giants from 1958 to 1974, he formed the legendary “ON Cannon” duo with Sadaharu Oh, leading the team to an unprecedented nine consecutive Japan Series championships (1965–1973). Known for both his natural talent and relentless work ethic, Nagashima won five Central League MVP awards, six batting titles, and was named to the Best Nine every year of his 17-season career. His lifetime statistics included a .305 batting average, 2,471 hits, 444 home runs, and 1,522 RBIs. After retiring as a player, Nagashima managed the Giants in two stints (1975–1980, 1993–2001), capturing Central League pennants in 1976, 1977, 1994, 1996, and 2000, and Japan Series titles in 1994 and 2000. He also led Japan to victory in the 2003 Asian Championship before a stroke in 2004 sidelined him from the Athens Olympics. Beyond the field, Nagashima was a national figure on par with postwar cultural icons like Hibari Misora, admired for his charisma, good looks, and devotion to the game. His jersey number 3 was retired by the Giants, and he received Japan’s People’s Honour Award (2013) and Order of Culture (2021). He died of pneumonia in 2025 at the age of 89, leaving behind a legacy as perhaps the most beloved player in Japanese baseball history. Enos Semore died. https://soonersports.com/news/2025/2/23/remembering-legendary-baseball-coach-enos-semore Who was Enos Semore? Enos Semore (April 28, 1931 – February 23, 2025) was a highly successful American college baseball coach best known for his 22-year tenure at the University of Oklahoma. A native of Haskell County, Oklahoma, Semore excelled in baseball and basketball at Northeastern State University before serving in the Army and embarking on a coaching career. He led Bacone Junior College from 1963 to 1967, capturing the 1967 NJCAA Baseball World Series title, then moved to Oklahoma, where his Sooners teams won 851 games, seven Big Eight Conference championships, and made five consecutive College World Series appearances in the 1970s. Known for his consistent winning record and ability to develop talent, Semore resigned shortly before the 1990 season for health reasons. He died at age 93 in Noble, Oklahoma, leaving a legacy as one of the most accomplished coaches in college baseball history. J.C. Snead died. https://www.pgatour.com/article/news/latest/2025/04/26/jc-snead-dies-at-age-84-complications-from-cancer Who was J.C. Snead? Jesse Carlyle "J.C." Snead (1940–2025) was an American professional golfer known for his consistency on the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, with 16 professional wins including eight PGA Tour titles and one senior major championship. Born in Hot Springs, Virginia, he initially pursued a baseball career in the Washington Senators' minor league system before turning to golf in 1964. He was the nephew of legendary golfer Sam Snead. J.C. Snead played on three winning Ryder Cup teams in the 1970s and had notable near-misses in major championships, finishing second at the 1973 Masters and tied for second at the 1978 U.S. Open. During his senior career, he won four tournaments including the 1995 Ford Senior Players Championship, famously defeating Jack Nicklaus in a playoff. Known for his steady play and career earnings over seven million dollars, he was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. Snead enjoyed hunting and farming outside of golf and lived primarily in Hot Springs, Virginia. He passed away from cancer at age 84 in 2025.

Better a bat shard than a bad shart.