BBTF's Game Chatter Discussion :: NYM (46-28) at TOR (41-33)

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101. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 05:51 PM (#2075224)

The likes of Brazil and Argentina have that level of player on their benches.

Those two do, but no one else does. Spain, Holland -- they have more players of that level in their starting sides, but not on the bench.

Trachsel makes me ill . . . 0-2 to a pathetic walk to Wells. Ugh.

102. manchestermets Posted: June 25, 2006 at 05:52 PM (#2075225)

Now Brazil could be the best team here, but it's hard to tell because their coach seems to be the football equivalent of Dusty Baker.

103. Orange & Blue Velvet Posted: June 25, 2006 at 05:54 PM (#2075230)

It's always a tightrope with Trachsel. A ####### tightrope.

104. Old Matt Posted: June 25, 2006 at 05:55 PM (#2075231)

#### Trachsel for getting out of it. #### him.

105. Russlan thinks deGrom is da bomb Posted: June 25, 2006 at 05:56 PM (#2075233)

I hate watching Trachsel pitch. If I didn't like watching the rest of the team so much, I would never watch him.

106. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 05:56 PM (#2075234)

I call your attention to comment # 84. And I feel might lucky that (d) didn't turn out to be the correct answer. I'll give Trachsel this: this is one heck of a line-up, so I guess he's doing about as well as a mediocre pitcher could hope to, right?

107. Old Matt Posted: June 25, 2006 at 05:57 PM (#2075236)

We have our guns going for the Sox series, but the weekend in the Bronx could be disasterous.

108. Benji Posted: June 25, 2006 at 05:57 PM (#2075238)

The '86 Mets were running away with it, but they identified the one weakness that might kill them in the postseason, George Foster, and released him. I have a candidate for release. S---- T-------. And maybe we'd get real lucky and the Yankees would pick him up and he'd sink them.

109. Russlan thinks deGrom is da bomb Posted: June 25, 2006 at 05:58 PM (#2075239)

That's a rare thing. Wright with a terrible AB.

110. Orange & Blue Velvet Posted: June 25, 2006 at 05:59 PM (#2075241)

CLEAR STACHE!

111. AJMcCringleberry Posted: June 25, 2006 at 05:59 PM (#2075242)

Stache!!

112. Russlan thinks deGrom is da bomb Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:00 PM (#2075243)

A secondbaseman with power. I love it.

113. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:00 PM (#2075244)

Oh boy!!! Another run for Trachsel to give back!!!

114. Raskolnikov Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:00 PM (#2075247)

Valentin!!!

115. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:02 PM (#2075250)

Father Time™ does The Hustle, like a good '70s boy should!

116. Benji Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:03 PM (#2075252)

I wonder what the Met record would have been without those 29 (15-14) starts they gave Matsui.

117. Old Matt Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:04 PM (#2075256)

Phillies and Sox rained out. They'll make it up tomorrow at 1:05. Same starters as today (Lide and Wake).

118. manchestermets Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:04 PM (#2075257)

Oh boy!!! Another run for Trachsel to give back!!!

Trax has thrown 96 pitches now. He can be safely taken out with no loss of face.

Can't he? Please?

119. Raskolnikov Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:04 PM (#2075258)

Beyond Terry, Lampard, Gerrard and Rooney England have nobody who could be described as a great player

.

Um, isn't that the very definition of a great player, the rarity of them? Well yes, Argentina and Brazil are loaded, I assume that everyone took this to be a given point. I've stated in this chatter that this may be the best Brazil squad on paper in quite some time, which is already saying something. And I'm as impressed as everyone is with Tevez and Messi.

But how many teams can boast a top 4 that you just named besides Brazil and Argent.? Certainly not Portugal and probably not Spain. That's why I say England's loaded.

120. Old Matt Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:06 PM (#2075262)

Trachsel is done!

Yay Bradford.

121. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:07 PM (#2075264)

I wonder what the Met record would have been without those 29 (15-14) starts they gave Matsui.

Let it go, Benji. You just have to let it go . . . .

The '86 Mets were running away with it, but they identified the one weakness that might kill them in the postseason, George Foster, and released him.

That's revisionist history, by the way. Foster got himself released not because the Mets made some judgment about their post-season chances, but because he made some ugly comments in an interview about the front office after they signed Mazzilli on August 3. He saw it as a prelude to his release, and said it was racist. They denied they intended to release him, but when they saw that, he was waived four days later. Now, I guess we'll never know whether Foster would have been kept around if he'd kept his mouth shut . . . .

122. Russlan thinks deGrom is da bomb Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:08 PM (#2075266)

You know, that Valentin is hitting isn't as surprising as how good defensively he's been at second. He looks like he has been playing there for years.

123. Old Matt Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:10 PM (#2075267)

Bradford is my boy. As long as he doesn't have back problems, he's an ace middle reliever.

124. Joshemy Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:11 PM (#2075268)

Yay Chad!

125. Ska Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:12 PM (#2075270)

With as well as Valentin has played 2nd and knowing that he's a SS, with the way the Wilpon's usually operate, they would move Reyes to 2B to accommodate Valentin and put him at SS. They could perhaps move Wright to C and Ramon Castro to CF and Beltran to middle inning mop up man.
Certainly, if Valentin were Japense and being scouted by their idiot son, they would do it.
s

126. Orange & Blue Velvet Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:13 PM (#2075271)

Valentin has an .860 OPS. That's Chase Utley territory.

127. Benji Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:14 PM (#2075273)

Davey had already told Foster he wasn't playing any more though, Sam. He knew how important even one bad player could be in the postseason. He hoped Foster would blow up so they could dump him. Because by that time his teammates hated him too, for sitting in the dugout during the Knight-Davis brawl.

128. PreservedFish Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:14 PM (#2075274)

Reyes out? What?

129. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:14 PM (#2075276)

If Johnson isn't playing there, and that ball drops and gets by him, he runs forever . . . Darn.

130. Russlan thinks deGrom is da bomb Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:16 PM (#2075277)

Cotter is a riot.

131. Ska Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:16 PM (#2075278)

The George Foster of this team has already been excised, to wit, Kaz Matsui.

s

132. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:17 PM (#2075279)

Davey had already told Foster he wasn't playing any more though, Sam. He knew how important even one bad player could be in the postseason. He hoped Foster would blow up so they could dump him.

Expressed as a hope rather than a plan, I think that's right; in their heart of hearts, they certainly hoped that might happen. But they were more realistically resigned to having to have Foster around for the post-season, and Foster gave them the excuse they needed to send him packing. They were definitely delighted to do it, that's for sure. But it wasn't part of the plan.

133. Old Matt Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:18 PM (#2075280)

I like Cotter. In less than a half year, he's already infinitely better than Matt Laughlin.

134. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:20 PM (#2075284)

Bradford against a lefty . . . wow.

135. Benji Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:20 PM (#2075285)

I was stunned to hear the Rockies were going to put Matsui at shortstop. Did they ever see him there? I have still never seen a worse SS.

136. Orange & Blue Velvet Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:21 PM (#2075288)

Kaz Matsui had an MRI on his back Friday after it continually locked up on him.
Matsui will be placed on the disabled list at Triple-A Colorado Springs.
-Rotoworld

I couldn't stop laughing. I'm a bad person.

137. Old Matt Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:21 PM (#2075291)

Here's a question just for kicks: Is this the roster you would take into postseason play? If not, what specific changes?

138. Russlan thinks deGrom is da bomb Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:23 PM (#2075292)

I wonder if Matsui can improve at SS. His defense at 2nd was off the charts according to defensive metrics. It's a desperation move by the Rockies so I guess they have nothing to lose.

139. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:24 PM (#2075295)

I have still never seen a worse SS.

Forgetting the days of HoJo, Benji? They were different kinds of bad -- Matsui looked kind of like a shortstop in the way he did things -- it was just all inadequate (except going back on pop flies). HoJo was just so scattered and frantic; it was like watching Doc Brown (from Back to the Future) trying to play shortstop. But it was at least equally bad, if not worse, in its way.

140. Benji Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:25 PM (#2075296)

Specifically, no Bell (still would try to get Roberto Hernandez back). Everyone else can play, but Traschel has to be out of the postseason rotation.

141. Joshemy Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:26 PM (#2075297)

Bradford!

142. Benji Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:27 PM (#2075299)

HoJo at least had a decent arm, though. Kaz had nothing acceptable for the position.

143. Old Matt Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:27 PM (#2075300)

I have still never seen a worse SS.

Kevin Mitchell, Hubie Brooks, Howard Johnson...

144. Benji Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:29 PM (#2075303)

And, Hell, HoJo was a much worse CF than he was a SS.

145. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:29 PM (#2075304)

Specifically, no Bell (still would try to get Roberto Hernandez back). Everyone else can play, but Traschel has to be out of the postseason rotation.

Bell has plenty of time to earn his way onto the post-season roster. The way he's pitched lately, he's getting closer all the time. Trachsel has zero chance to get there; zero. Not on the roster, not on the plane, not allowed in the clubhouse or in the pressbox or in the same frigging area code. The man is Kenny Rogers waiting to happen. Rotation??? Keeping him out of the rotation is not NEARLY enough. Not close.

146. Old Matt Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:30 PM (#2075307)

still would try to get Roberto Hernandez back

Hm, that's an interesting proposition. He's walked too many batters this year, but seems like the Kool Aid is still flowing.

147. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:32 PM (#2075309)

HoJo at least had a decent arm, though.

Yes, as patrons in the first three rows on the first-base side (and their dentists and orthodontists) found out on a regular basis.

148. Benji Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:33 PM (#2075311)

Sam, I don't even want him in the same solar system when we hit the playoffs, but there is some bizarre loyalty to him for 4 years now, so sadly I see him there.

149. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:33 PM (#2075312)

Is it just me, or does the home plate umpire just look beat?

150. Benji Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:35 PM (#2075314)

I think the Pirates might take Diaz for Mr Kool Aid.

151. Old Matt Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:35 PM (#2075315)

You never know, Trachsel in the playoffs could be 2000 playoffs Bobby White Jones.

152. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:42 PM (#2075321)

Trachsel in the playoffs could be 2000 playoffs Bobby White Jones.

Or he could be the Michael Black Jordan. The two are probably equally likely. Me, I let him watch from his living room.

153. AJMcCringleberry Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:44 PM (#2075324)

Heilman in for the 8th?

154. AJMcCringleberry Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:46 PM (#2075325)

Yup. I hope it's good Aaron.

155. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:49 PM (#2075331)

See, Heilman does NOT have to keep the change-up down if he is ahead in the count. But he MUST be ahead in the count to set that up. Good K on Hillenbrand.

156. AJMcCringleberry Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:51 PM (#2075333)

Ugh. Need a groundball here.

157. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:51 PM (#2075334)

Shouldn't Nady have been removed for defense prior to this half-inning? Endy moved over from LF would have had that ball . . . .

158. Russlan thinks deGrom is da bomb Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:51 PM (#2075335)

I know this is revisionist but why isn't Milledge in right as a defensive replacement?

159. AJMcCringleberry Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:55 PM (#2075344)

Aaron!

160. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:55 PM (#2075345)

Good Aaron!!! Excellent. Despite the two hits, he looked good. Nice location, solid mixing of pitches, threw strikes.

161. Old Matt Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:56 PM (#2075346)

Sweet.

162. AJMcCringleberry Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:57 PM (#2075348)

Not that I mind of course, but with Glaus and Rios on the bench why was Zaun pinch hitting?

163. Raskolnikov Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:58 PM (#2075349)

I just want to see Reyes hit #4.

164. AJMcCringleberry Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:59 PM (#2075350)

Reyes is just unreal.

165. Ska Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:59 PM (#2075353)

Has any met ever had back to back 4 hit games?

s.

166. Raskolnikov Posted: June 25, 2006 at 06:59 PM (#2075354)

I'm surprised Frasor's got such a high ERA, he's got good stuff.

167. PreservedFish Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:00 PM (#2075357)

Holy God Jose Reyes.

When's he going to hit his next cycle? My bet ... Tuesday.

168. Raskolnikov Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:00 PM (#2075359)

And there it is, I am now content.

169. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:01 PM (#2075360)

Holy mackeral. You know what comes next: now that he's going after the first pitch so much, pitchers are going to return to the first-pitch-in-the-dirt stuff. And then we'll see the progress he's made become locked in, because he will take those pitches, I think, and dominate from ahead in the count.

Amazing. Even with that (predictable) pitch out/CS.

170. Raskolnikov Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:01 PM (#2075361)

Argh.

171. Raskolnikov Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:03 PM (#2075364)

Chavez hanging in there.

172. Raskolnikov Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:05 PM (#2075366)

Oh well, good AB.

173. Raskolnikov Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:10 PM (#2075370)

Kaz Matsui had an MRI on his back Friday after it continually locked up on him.
Matsui will be placed on the disabled list at Triple-A Colorado Springs.
-Rotoworld

I bet you that Matsui's been playing with this back problem for the last 2 years, it's the only possible explanation for precipitous decline in power.

174. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:11 PM (#2075373)

Wagner's control . . . is just not what it's ever been before. I can't help but wonder about that finger of his.

175. Raskolnikov Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:11 PM (#2075374)

At least Glaus can't tie this up with a blast. Johnson's a good hitter.

176. PreservedFish Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:13 PM (#2075378)

I can't help but wonder about that head of his.

177. Raskolnikov Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:13 PM (#2075379)

Don't walk Glaus. Not with Wells up next.

178. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:13 PM (#2075380)

THAT was the critical AB, right there. Whew. I'd have rather had Glaus hit that out of the park than walk him. No way you want to face Wells as the tying run, period.

179. Raskolnikov Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:14 PM (#2075381)

Nice recovery by Wagner.

180. Joshemy Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:14 PM (#2075383)

That pitch pretty good. Ugh.

181. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:14 PM (#2075384)

Where in the heck was ball four to Wells??? Sheesh.

182. AJMcCringleberry Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:15 PM (#2075385)

Ugh.

183. Raskolnikov Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:15 PM (#2075386)

Overbay's the man to get. Hillenbrand would be extremely dangerous.

184. PreservedFish Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:15 PM (#2075387)

What the ####. This is ridiculous.

Billy Wagner is the George Foster of this team.

185. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:16 PM (#2075388)

Finally! Strike one to a batter!

186. AJMcCringleberry Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:17 PM (#2075390)

Game over!

187. Joshemy Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:17 PM (#2075391)

So, Billy, why couldn't you pitch to everyone else like you did to Overbay?

Another series win!

188. Raskolnikov Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:17 PM (#2075392)

Billy the K still gets his SO's, but man he just needs several more pitches to do it now.

189. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:18 PM (#2075393)

Billy Wagner is the George Foster of this team.

Oh, come on. Wagner's got his issues, but that's just silly as hell.

Game over.

190. Chris Dial Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:18 PM (#2075395)

And strike three. Nice series win.

191. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:19 PM (#2075397)

And the lead, like a kid with a pituitary problem, just keeps on growing. 11.5. Gotta love it.

192. Russlan thinks deGrom is da bomb Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:21 PM (#2075399)

Wagner has allowed one run in his last 14 appearances. Obviously, he has had his issues but I think we are being a little bit harsh on him, no?

193. Raskolnikov Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:21 PM (#2075401)

I think that the division title is all wrapped. Now the Mets just have to continue playing good ball and start planning the postseason roster. I want to send the BoSox and the Yanks a message next week.

194. Raskolnikov Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:23 PM (#2075403)

Wagner's numbers to date aren't that much worse than his usual track record, and better than 80% of the closers out there.

195. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:25 PM (#2075405)

Wagner has allowed one run in his last 14 appearances.

Well, that's not quite right. He allowed two runs against Cincinnati last week in that implosion of a performance. Nevertheless, I agree that calling him the George Foster of this team is more than a little harsh.

He's got to start throwing strikes more consistently, that's all. He'll be fine if/when that starts to happen.

196. Orange & Blue Velvet Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:27 PM (#2075406)

Now the Mets just have to continue playing good ball and start planning the postseason roster.
Michael Pelfrey? Henry Owens? Anderson Hernandez? Royce Ring? Evan Maclane?

Yeah. That's all I got.

197. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 07:32 PM (#2075414)

Wagner's numbers to date aren't that much worse than his usual track record,

His walks are way up. He now has 17 in just 36.2 innings. Last year, he walked 20 in 77.2; the year before that, 6 in 48.1. In 2003, 23 in 86 innings. Etc., etc. That is the big difference: he's falling behind early in the count, and he's walking more.

That could be something mechanical, it could be an issue with his finger, it could be in his head. But if he can get his control back to his career norms, he'll be fine. If he can't, he'll continue to be good, but definitely not great.

198. Old Matt Posted: June 25, 2006 at 08:58 PM (#2075487)

Let it be known, I take back everything I said about England not winning next round. Half the of Portuguese have yellows and Deco won't play.

199. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 09:44 PM (#2075518)

Half the of Portuguese have yellows and Deco won't play.

Not just Deco; Costinha, too. And FIFA may take a look at some other players, too, including Figo, for possible suspensions. It was that ugly. And will Ronaldo be healthy??? If Scolari can find a way to put a coherent side together, it'll be amazing.

It looks like:

Argentina def. Germany
Italy def. Ukraine
England def. Portugal
Brazil def. Spain

Ultimately leading to Argentina/Brazil. But the Spain/Brazil winner wins it all.

200. Sam M. Posted: June 25, 2006 at 10:55 PM (#2075548)

I think we have our nickname for Milledge. From Mets.com:

The fun hardly ended when Billy Wagner struck out Overbay with two runners on for the 27th out. His 15th save and the obligatory handshakes preceded the annual -- if a tad early -- rookie hazing. The targets this year, Lasting Milledge and Alay Soler, were forced to dress as. ... well, women -- Milledge in a short, black leather skirt, with something that resembled a stressed sports bra, a white boa and a red wig.

One teammate suggested, "He actually looks all right in that," and called him Venus.

"Don't get mad 'cause I'm hotter that you," Milledge said as he fetched his purse.

Soler dressed in a short, pink plaid skirt and a top that neither reached nor covered his belly. It wasn't pretty. His wig was a Pocahontas model with braids. Some observers thought he displaced David Wright as the most grotesque rookie of recent vintage. Wright didn't argue.

The Mets traditionally wait until after Sept. 1 when the expanded rosters allow for more rookies and more hazing.

"But we like to have them go through customs because it's a long process and we only go through once now [with Montreal no longer in the league]," Wright explained.

There it is: Venus™ de Milledge.

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