ExWNYer

It will be interesting to see how it all shakes out but, of the three, my gut tells me that Vientos is the most likely to be used as a trade chip at some point. The Mets drive me crazy with the way they constantly try to force square pegs into round holes. In a perfect world, Mauricio would settle in at 2B, Baty would develop as a decent 3B and McNeil would float and play LF/2B/Utility. I don't have an issue with trying Baty in the outfield. I believe he has played there before but has just gotten more time at 3B. If they want him in LF, he needs to start working immediately once the season ends. Honestly, the more versatile he can be, the better chance of contributing he will have. I think his defense this year took a mental toll on his batting average. LF if a lot easier to play 'decently' than 3B is.

@Another Fan Stewart has been a fun follow the last several weeks. Every time I see he's hit another I say, "WTF?" 😁 I was out last night and tuned in on the car radio on my way home. It was the top of the 8th and the Mets were up, 3-2, when Ottavino plunked a batter to tie it and then allowed the go ahead hit. Nope...not gonna do this to myself <click>. Off went the radio. When I got home I checked my phone and said, "Let's see how badly they lost" and saw that it was now 5-5 going to the top of the 9th. "Hmmmm, okay...I'll watch the end of this." Put the game on the TV in the top of the 9th and watched to its conclusion. When Texas loaded the bases in the top of the 10th with no outs, I just knew it was over but, much to my surprise, Brigham wriggled off the hook unscathed. Then the Metropolitans loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the 10th and were promptly gifted two walks and a hit batter by Dumbassis Chapman to win it. That was a very unexpected and entertaining finish. BTW, Ronny Mauricio is finally being called up to the big club. He will be at Citi-Field on Friday for the start of the series with the Mariners. I'm anxious to see what this kid can do. Let's just hope that Buck doesn't glue RM's butt to the bench. If he's going to be a fixture next year, he's going to need to find a position whether that's 2B or 3B. It would be logical to me to try and develop him at 3B and convert Baty to LF. Baty will need to really find himself by next Spring Training or he'll either find himself back at Syracuse or part of a trade package.

Does @Gugny know?

I'm not advocating any trades but the CB attrition around the league has already started. FWIW, Denver just lost their starting nickel, K'Waun Williams, indefinitely.

I agree 100% Benford won the job, IMO. He's not going anywhere.

Let me be clear on Verlander. I do not hate him and maybe 'underachieving' was the wrong choice of words on my part. If only one of Scherzer and Verlander had to go then I was 100% for shipping the former. Cutting ties with Verlander represents a bigger picture thing for me akin to hitting the 'Reset' button. Sweep out the old, even if they are still effective, and take it in a new direction with a forward thinking philosophy. They weren't winning anything with the 40 year old Verlander and he'll only be another year older next season when this team is more than likely still retooling. What's the point? They'd probably end up shipping him at the deadline in 2024 anyway and at least at this point, they have prospects already getting acclimated to their system. Trading Verlander was a no-brainer, IMO. I realize that's not necessarily the popular view but one I stand by nonetheless. Buck...'nuff said. EEEEEEEEEEEE-NUN-CIATE, please! LGM!

- Vogelbach: He can't be on this team next year. He just can't. He's a slow, positionless player who can only DH against RHPs. That is the definition of a wasted roster spot. Thanks for the memories, Vogey. Don't let the door hit you on the way out and leave some donuts for your teammates. -Verlander: I know that none of you agree with me...and that's fine...but I'm glad he's gone. Just another in a long line of disappointing, overpaid, underachieving Met free agent acquisitions. I'm sick of 35+ year old past-their-prime acquisitions. 40 year old pitchers should not be the cornerstone/ace of the pitching staff. Your assessment of giving "the appearance of fielding a competitive team" in NYC is one that is perpetuated in large part by the media of the 'Big Apple', IMO. Part of the reason the Mets will likely never have a perpetual winner and robust farm system is the "big city mentality" of half-assing it. Too afraid to tear it down to the studs and build it right so as not to piss off their fans so they try to repair their gunshot wounds with band-aids. Rinse and repeat and here we are 62 years into a franchise that has two World Series titles to its name...the first 54 years ago and the latest 37 years ago. FYI...to be clear, I was not taking a shot at you. I'm just expressing my own frustration at the "you can't do a complete rebuild in NY" mantra. It's a big reason why this franchise is usually in some form of perpetual suck, IMO. Take the short-term hit and do it right. - Buck: The rose is definitely off the bloom in my eyes. I would be okay if they kept him and okay if they fired him. I would not be upset either way. If he is gone, I would relish not having to listen to his mumbling, 'low-talking' indirectly into the microphone style. It's maddening to have to crank up the TV and try to decipher his pressers. Open your mouth and speak clearly...and audibly...in to mic. After all, you are in fugging NY, Buck.

So sorry for the loss of your dear friend and fellow Bills fan. Hang in there.

"GunnerBill, Two Bills Drive."

@Gugny @SinceThe70s @Another Fan Not gonna lie...watching the Skanks season disintegrate before our very eyes as their whiny, entitled, and insufferable fan base chokes on the salt of it's own tears makes this Mets season slightly more tolerable for me. At least the 'Mess' traded their old but viable pieces for some good young prospects with the hopes of rebuilding the farm system with players who have a chance of contributing sooner rather than later. Meanwhile, NY American took the 'Nero approach' as they stood pat at the deadline, fiddled around, and held onto everyone while they and their fans watched the Bronx burn. It's crazy that the Mets are actually closer to the final Wild Card spot (7 games back vs 9 games back) than their crosstown rival. Met fans are far too used to losing and perpetually saying, "We'll get 'em next year!" while the fans of 'The Bronx Bummers' scream and jump off of cliffs because their team might suffer its first losing season since...wait for it...1992. Ironically enough, that was Buck Showalter's first season managing them. Cry me a river. If they never win another game, it will be too soon. F them and their fans. Note: For all the promise and immense talent that Francisco Alvarez brings, he is scuffling miserably at the moment and doesn't look like the same kid who made his debut earlier this year. He will eventually turn it around but he is completely lost at the plate right now. This is exactly why I wanted him in the majors though. He's getting invaluable experience and learning the pitchers...how to handle his own and how to face the opposing teams'...and how to handle the grind of a 162 game schedule. He'll be better for it come Spring Training 2024. We'll get 'em next year, boys! LGM!

Marty Biron & Brian Duff were choking back tears on MSG when they came on the air at noon. 'Sabres Live' will be three hours today talking, mourning, and celebrating the great RJ.

They referenced this a couple of times this morning on WGR and played the call, as well. Howie Rose is a class act and a great radio play-by-play man in his own right for the NY Mets.

I posted this in 'The Aud Club' boards over on 'SabreSpace'. I'm just going to copy and paste it here, as well: I grew up with all of the Buffalo teams as a little kid (the Bills...and the Sabres & Braves from their inception), mostly listening on the radio because every game in the world was not yet being televised back in that era. My little brother and I would lie in bed listening to RJ calling the Sabres games and Van Miller calling the Braves games, often times as we hid under the covers trying to keep as quiet as possible and contain our excitement to avoid detection by Mom & Dad. My parents are both gone now, too, and with RJ's passing I get another sobering reminder of how pieces of my youth continue to fade away into the ether. When I heard the news last night, my heart sank even though I knew he had not been in great health. When I told my 21 year old Sabre fan son, he was sad, as well. He has known RJ's voice his entire time following the Sabres and it's remarkable that RJ affected and crossed so many generations and was beloved by all. He will truly be missed and I am happy to have had him as a small piece of my world as a boy growing up in WNY and into adulthood with my own kids. Rest in peace, Rick. YOU were top shelf. Thanks for so many awesome memories. FYI...WGR is dedicating most of the morning show to RJ, playing his calls as people phone in to pay tribute and share their memories. 'Special guests' will be joining the show to do the same. I'd imagine that will be the case all day, as it should be. It's cathartic. Whether you love the station or hate it, it's been a very good listen thus far. Peace.

Isn't this the m.o. for 'Twatter' and the very reason for its existence?

Ralph is cheap...

They will both always have a special place in my heart just because of this little gem...

He enjoys his own farts after drinking all day...

Been here since the board's inception, lurking for about five years before finally signing up in February 2003. I come here for the football discussion, for the humor, and to celebrate and commiserate with fellow Bills fans. As someone who has been out of WNY since 1978, the early days of this board were about the only way to get current Bills news. There are several options now a quarter of a century later but this place is still special and sentimental and a habit I just can't...and don't want to...quit. So I keep coming back for the good, the bad, and the ugly. I will say that I rarely frequent these boards after a loss because it is just too toxic for my liking. After a day or two, I'm back for more punishment. 😁

I got married in November 1997 so I was celebrating my one year anniversary in 1998. Twenty-six years later I'm still married and have two grown boys (both Bills fans) and I'm still coming to this site. In the mid/late '90s, I used to post but mostly lurk on the old HyperBills board of the Rochester D&C under a different name. When that folded, I lurked on TBD/TSW for nearly 5 years before finally pulling the trigger and signing up in February 2003, just before the start of free agency. I got caught up in the talk about the pursuit of Takeo Spikes and wanted to join the fun/discussion. The rest is history. Many great posters have come and gone and, sadly, some we've lost but this place is like your favorite pair of comfy shoes. I love theses boards and SabreSpace/The Aud Club. Thanks, Scott.

😇

Whatcha talkin bout, teef?

@SinceThe70s The sweep at the hands of KC was a giant turd in this sh*t sandwich of a season. They lost 9-2 in the finale but their only two runs came on a two out HR by Lindor in the 9th which broke a 17 2/3 innings scoreless drought against the mighty, mighty Royals. In fairness, Nimmo and Marte weren't in the lineup. Then again, when is Marte ever in the lineup? I was all for selling off Scherzer and Verlander and anybody else on an expiring contract. I'm shocked that they got what they did for Scherzer. Kudos. If they're going to lose, I'd rather watch the young kids play the final two months to see if they may have a future in Flushing rather than watch the most bloated payroll in MLB history go down in flames like the Hindenburg. Where have you gone, Ronny Mauricio? Mets nation turns it's lonely eyes to you...(sorry, old guy reference alert). Some of the 'warm bodies' out there yesterday as fill-ins were reminiscent of bottom-feeding, penny-pinching Met teams of the past...D.J. Stewart...Danny Mendick...Rafael Ortega...Jonathan Arauz...Josh Walker. It was a regular "who's-who" of nameless, faceless, has been/never was mediocrity. Fun times. Now we just need to hope that the high end prospects they got in these trades pan out, especially Acuna's little brother. God knows Uncle Steve paid a record in salary retention in order to get them. It's a big gamble on his part for sure. The #1 thing I want to see this off-season is the hiring of former Brewers President of Baseball Ops, David Stearns, and then have him decide whether or not Bill Eppler-lectic-fit should remain as GM, stay within the organization in another capacity, or get 86'd entirely. My #2 wish is an extension for Pete Alonso. He's having a down year and maybe they can get a bit of a 'hometown discount' on him. He is on pace to own every Mets offensive record, if he finishes his career with the club. If he's not in the plans, go get a haul for the #1 HR hitter in MLB over the last four seasons. My #3 wish is to build this team by acquiring younger players, specifically pitchers, who can grow and be part of the core of a championship squad. No more shortcuts with over-aged superstars in the twilight of their careers. Build it and build it right so there are no more of these most 'Metsy' of seasons. The prospects they acquired were a nice start...now go get David Stearns and let him build and finish it for you, Cohen. Have a great weekend, fellas. LFGM

Happy 98th Birthday, Marv! 🎈 🎂 🎈 My wife's grandmother passed away last July at 98 and was still sharp as a tack and living alone in her own house. We should all be so lucky.

@SinceThe70s @Another Fan It's official...Scherzer and $35.5 million go to Texas in exchange for Ronald Acuna's little brother. That's all the Mets got so this kid had better be good. I'm sure there's a zero percent chance he ever amounts to anything half as good as Atlanta's Acuna. Because Mets...