I applaud LoDuca for his clubhouse leadership.

interesting. perhaps I'm clouded whenever somebody like joe buck praises his leadership, approaching levels of gush reserved only for jeter.

Ah, if you're listening to Joe Buck, you're not getting good info.

Well, the Mets have five RBIs in the game so far today against the Phillies (6-1 lead in the 5th). They are from Delgado (two-run HR); Reyes (solo HR); Castro (RBI double); and El Duque (RBI single). All Hispanic players. I guess they'll have to talk to the media today, huh?

Somewhere in the clubhouse, LoDuca (he has the first game of the double-header off) is smiling.

Sports reporters rarely call me during sex, so I would put telemarketers above them in terms of annoyingness.

The hell you doin' answering the phone during sex anyway?

I have always found a high correlation between players with great looking main squeezes and the hatred that primates feel for them

Yes, because so many major leaguers are married to dogs.

Ah, if you're listening to Joe Buck, you're not getting good info.

well, I think the issue was the perception...

Somewhere in the clubhouse, LoDuca (he has the first game of the double-header off) is scowling.

I am probably in the minority among BTF Met fans in that I actually kind of like LoDuca.

I started out hating the guy. I hated that the Mets signed him, I hated how reporters were talking about all the intangibles he was going to bring to the team, and I hated that he was batting second.

I think a lot of what LoDuca does is valuable to the Mets. He's not as flamboyant as Reyes, but I always get the impression that he cares about the game. Every team needs one guy who will bark at an umpire or speak with a little less restraint. And the one thing he's never complained about is being shifted around in the lineup.

Also, the average catcher is a poor hitter. The past 20 years or so have spoiled us, with having bookend HOFers in Carter and Piazza, with a very good hitting Hundley in between. Even Vance Wilson wasn't a brutal hitter for a catcher.

LoDuca hasn't been particularly good lately, but for his career, he's an above-average hitter in a position where offense is scarce. His defense isn't anything to write home about, but catcher defense is very overrated.

I don't want the Mets to sign LoDuca after this season, because I think his agent will make a case for him being the best FA catcher available, and I expect him to get a deal that is ugly on the backend. I've been pleasantly surprised with his play as a Met and I'm certainly not counting the days until he's gone.

In the NL, only Molina, Ruiz, Ausmus, Bard, and Martin have a better OBP than LoDuca (and LoDuca is in a horrific slump).

"Yes, because so many major leaguers are married to dogs."

Well, there are "8's", and then there are "10's". In the context of the general population, Steve Finley is amazing. But when compared to Barry Bonds, he looks so ordinary.

"Most of the Braves' fans I know think Smoltz is frequently a blowhard


interesting. perhaps I'm clouded whenever somebody like joe buck praises his leadership, approaching levels of gush reserved only for jeter."

Or perhaps the Braves fans this person knows are not a representitive sampling, because among the Braves fans i know, he is viewed as a leader; clubhouse example; and general candidate for sainthood. Dang, the guy comes here when we were crap; has a HOF career; takes a huge home-town discount; takes the mound as a 40+ guy and pitches through pain; goes to the dang bull-pen for a couple of years to help the team; and does a ton of charity work and fund-raising for charities around the city...what is there not to like?

The hell you doin' answering the phone during sex anyway?

[Phone rings..Clink of receiver being lifted]
"Hello..?"
"Yes, a collect call for Mrs. Floyd from Mr. Floyd.
Will you accept the charges from United States?"
[clunk! of phone being put down]
"Oh, He hung up! That's your residence, right? I wonder why he hung up?
Is there supposed to be someone else there besides your wife there to answer?"
[Phone rings again...clunk of receiver being picked up]
"Hello?"
"This is United States calling, are we reaching...
[interrupted by phone being put down]
"See he keeps hanging up, and it's a man answering."
[whirr of connection being closed]

Steve Finley is amazing. But when compared to Barry Bonds

I first thought you were talking about their looks, and I found the comparisons really odd.

Pleae; just their skills.

... among the Braves fans i know, he is viewed as a leader; clubhouse example; and general candidate for sainthood. Dang, the guy comes here when we were crap; has a HOF career; takes a huge home-town discount; takes the mound as a 40+ guy and pitches through pain; goes to the dang bull-pen for a couple of years to help the team; and does a ton of charity work and fund-raising for charities around the city...what is there not to like?

How about the time he compared gay marriage to bestiality?

The hell you doin' answering the phone during sex anyway?

Due to the circumstances of my job, I have to be able to at least check who is calling any time I hear it ring.

And that poll improved my view of Dusty Baker. If he could run a clubhouse that had the two least friendly guys without the team falling apart from drama, he must have done something right. But then again he failed to do that as the manager of the Cubs.