SinceThe70s
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Posts posted by SinceThe70s
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54 minutes ago, ExWNYer said:
I loved Bobby V. I'm not debating his managerial skills.
Didn't think you were. All I've been suggesting is that I think with the right roster you don't necessarily need to use one roster spot solely for DH. I was using Bobby V as an example of a guy who I think could get the most out of the DH position in that scenario.
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5 hours ago, ExWNYer said:
And he did it over 20 years ago. For better or worse, the game has changed. Rotations and bullpens weren't handled the same as they are now either.
Yikes. IMO bullpens these days are pretty much handled the same way he handled them - although obviously bullpens are taxed more these days. But that aside I was referring to his use of positional players. His use of the rotation and bullpen was entirely predictable (except for that time he left Leiter in an inning too long), his lineups not so much. Which is kind of how analytics treat lineups these days - put the best lineup out there each night based on matchups.
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6 minutes ago, ExWNYer said:
I actually said, "Go out and at least sign a one or two year stop gap." This year would be the one year. Two would have more than likely been a team or player option to get someone like Turner or Martinez to sign. One year would have been my preference and then reset/reassess for 2025. It's not realistic to think that they will just constantly rotate and decide on game day. Nobody has it every day but it's standard for a guy to more or less hold it down like any other position. They plan on that guy being Vientos this year whether or not we like or agree with it and I'm sure Alvarez will get some ABs there on days he's not catching, as he should.
JMO but a manager like Bobby Valentine would not only make the bolded realistic but help the team thrive. Hell, he did it without a DH.
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10 minutes ago, ExWNYer said:
"Signing an aging proven vet hitter to a high end contract" is exactly the opposite of what I meant by properly addressing the position. That is a stop gap, as were Ruf and Vogelbach. There was absolutely no excuse to have those two at DH last year on what was billed as a WS contender. None. That was a travesty and they were negligent in addressing the position. So, yeah, it was ignored. Maybe we don't actually disagree and it's just a matter of semantics, I don't know. Right now, Vientos is just Ruf and Vogelbach with position flexibility. If he turns in another near .205 year, then he is obviously not the solution. If he rakes then great, the problem may be solved. If not, it had better be fixed one way or another in 2025, if that really is the year they plan to "go all in". I said I'm fine with them using him this year, if they are retooling and don't really plan to compete but they've sent mixed messages. They don't want to go all in but they want to be competitive, whatever that means. As currently constituted, they are set up to be no more than the last WC at best if everything breaks their way. Not likely but hopefully the journey turns out to be an entertaining one. I said in my original post that my preference was Soler, a younger guy with power and the capability to hit for some average. At least someone of that ilk who can provide some lineup protection for Alonso. They are still woefully short on power.
Fair enough, you did mention Soler previously, but you also mentioned Turner as a two year stopgap, thus my question to you. I think my problem is I don't see DH as a position that needs a long term solution. And I have no interest in developing Vientos (or anyone else for that matter) as a DH. Much easier to sign a proven vet that can't field.
My preference is to not have a guy that's designated as the designated hitter. Better if we we have enough depth and positional flexibility to decide who the DH is on game day. Only way I change that opinion is for a guy like David Ortiz or Edgar Martinez. I could be wrong, but I think those guys are rare.
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1 hour ago, ExWNYer said:
It doesn't really matter how any of us feel about the DH position because it's obvious that they are going to ride or die with Vientos this year to see whether he will be part of the core going forward or whether they should move on from him. In the micro, I can live with that since this year will be about finding out what they have in the kids. This is not a 'throw away' year to me...more like a let's assess what we have and 'retool' before diving back into the expensive free agent market next year. I can live with that since they seem to be emphasizing doing things the right way. Going in with that acceptance upfront is easier, knowing that not much is expected of them and a Wild Card run would be exciting versus what they presented last year as a supposed WS run with two graybeards anchoring the rotation and disappointing everyone. Unlike in years past when they sucked, there is still plenty of talent on this team and in the organization.
Getting back to the DH topic...in the macro, I do expect them to address it properly next year, if Vientos flames out and is not the answer. He hit .205 last year so I'm not holding my breath that simply getting more ABs will be the cure all. I hope I'm wrong because I want to like him. In any event, the position is just as important as any other and has been ignored far too long.
So what would constitute addressing DH properly? Signing an aging proven vet hitter to a high end contract? If so, presumably it's someone who can hit righties and lefties? BTW, not challenging you, just picking your brain.
For the record I'm not arguing that the position is unimportant but I disagree that it's been ignored - more like poorly filled with the likes of Ruf and Vogelbach which not only didn't provide a proven vet hitter who could hit righties and lefties but also limited us defensively.
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3 hours ago, Gugny said:
@SinceThe70s @ExWNYer @Another Fan
Hey, fellas!
I feel (and have felt) like the 2024 Mets season isn’t necessarily a “throw away” season, but still a “do your best with what you’ve got” kind of season.
My expectations are around .500, hopefully above - and I’m okay with that.
I think Cohen will have a better idea of the team’s needs and will be in more of a “nobody will offer more money to any player I want on the team,” mode next offseason.
The lack of attention (again) at DH is primarily what makes me feel this way.
Time to find out if last year’s rookies/newbies are gonna be part of the long-term solution - or if it’s time to move on.
Love to see Ottavino back, personally.
But I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of our young guys and see them separate the men from the boys and the contenders from the pretenders.
#LFGM
Agree it's not a throw away season, more of a wait and see for me. If they hover around .500 it won't surprise me to see them get aggressive at the trade deadline.
Interesting that both you and @ExWNYer keyed in on DH. I gotta give that some more thought as it's not a front and center concern for me. I don't like the idea of devoting a roster spot to a one-dimensional player. I will say that if Alvarez develops into a monster hitter I'd want him to get at bats at DH on off days and double-headers. Along similar lines, I like the idea of using the DH position to give regulars a rest - but one of your bench players better be able to swing the bat.
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Looking forward to another season of talking baseball and most likely lamenting another lost season for the Mets.
With spring training a few weeks off, thought I'd lamp it up a bit. As you may know my youngest loves playing baseball. He's a good player but a cut below the top players in our area. He missed the cut as a 7th grader and had his heart set on making the middle school team the following year but Covid cancelled the season. Long story short, he's a HS senior now and trying out for the first time since middle school. I've been taking him down to the local field to hit him ground balls and get him some swings in the batting cage. Good times for both of us. There's something special about having a catch with your son.
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3-0 at Orchard Park.
Probably around .500 against the NJ Jets. It started well but my BIL had seasons in the 2000's and things went less well and probably evened out. Pretty sure my last NJ game was a Bills OT win where Mark Sanchez threw 5 INT's. Along the way there was also a chance encounter with Pinto Ron and his crew before I had any idea that was a thing. Good times.
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My most profound condolences.
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On 1/20/2024 at 11:22 PM, PromoTheRobot said:
Bravo
Gotta admit that I didn't have the 49ers tying it up by the 4th (if at all) when they were down 17 at the half.
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1 minute ago, Big Turk said:
All in all I'd rather have the guy who play his ass off in the playoffs like Allen than Lamar who had one good playoff game ever and then followed it up with another mostly stinker
Ironically I felt like Lamar was less inclined today to put matters into his own legs than Josh typically is.
Bottom line for me today was that the Ravens lost in large part due to undisciplined/stupid penalties.
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3 hours ago, Pine Barrens Mafia said:
Did coaching drop a deep shot that hit a receiver in the hands? Did coaching get manhandled back into the QB in the clutch? Did coaching get scorched by a 34 yo tight end in single coverage? Was coaching incapable of winning a pass rush battle all game?
I'm late to the party but did you really try to diminish Kelce as just a 34 yo tight end? And while I get this hindsight, who do you put the geriatric's performance on today - the coach or the GM?
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1 hour ago, Another Fan said:
Happy Belated New Year guys. The last Mets thread which went on for years on the site gave me some warning the thread was old about revising it. And you know maybe I thought it was time for a new thread.
I've heard some fans upset that Cohen/Stearns didn't do more this offseason (notably WFAN's Joe Benigno) but I think we saw last year spending money won't automatically by a World Series. Still the Stearns/Mendoza combination isbn doing much to excite me at the moment.
I think 70s posted this on the old thread
https://www.immaculategrid.com
I enjoy playing it even though if I'm lucky I only score about what the average is on the site. My favorite answer on that was Joe McEwing or Super Joe when it asked for someone who started at short stop and center field. Loved that guy when I was younger but he was the player in pro sports to make me realize why some guys are just part time players.
LOL - I put down Super Joe for SS/CF too. Couldn't agree more with the bolded - one of those guys where the more he plays the less you appreciate him.
I'm not about to hype up the Mets off season or upcoming year - missing out on the Yamamoto was disappointing and the Mauricio injury was depressing. At the same time beyond hoping for Yamamoto I didn't expect any big moves. I'm looking forward to seeing which of the young guys step up/down - and same with the vets - especially Marte.
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21 minutes ago, Jimmy Harris 69 said:
The award has traditional recognized excellence on the field, apparently no more. The NFL is so entangled in feel good, identity politics and programming that upon nomination this was fait accompli.
At its core do you think Comeback Player is anything more than a feel good award?
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On 1/25/2024 at 7:37 AM, RichStadiumGuy said:
Yeah... Farmer Vincent had that post hole auger on the back of his little farm tractor for digging the holes to plant his critters in. They had to cut their vocal chords too so none of the visitors to the factory could hear them screaming.
It was also one of John Ratzenberger's earlier roles... filmed shortly before he became well known as Cliff Clavin on Cheers. Wolfman Jack had a bit part in there too as Brother Billy. I don't think it was initially intended to be a comedy but it's certainly one of the funniest "horror" movies I've ever seen!
Wowsers on Clavin and Wolfman! But I do remember the vocal chord bit - that's my enduring memory of the movie. It was a drive-in double feature. Me and the boys were there for the beers and bongs as much as the movie.
BTW a dormant synapse fired and I'm pretty sure the other movie was Slaughter Hotel. Probably the second feature cuz I have zero recollection of the movie but google says it was a movie.
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10 hours ago, SoMAn said:
It's cumulative. How can you break it down to individual moments in a specific game and draw conclusions from that? It's like isolating a few minutes in your life and defining who you are by that.
6 playoff appearances in 7 years.
4 straight division titles.
Double digit win totals in spite of massive losses to injury.
Using the same rationale of the 'Fire McDermott' crowd, Harbaugh should be canned if his team loses this week to the Chiefs. How many times have the Ravens missed the playoffs, not made it past wildcard round? It's been what, 12 seasons since they made it to the Superbowl? Only 3 playoff wins in that period of time. Harbaugh must go, right?
Referencing the playoff wins and Championships won in a similar span of time, Tomlin, Shanahan, McCarthy, LeFleur should all be fired by that logic.
If the instant-gratification crowd ever grasps how difficult it is to get into the late rounds of the playoffs, let alone get on the tournament in the first place, maybe then they'll shut up about firing McDermott.
Nice post.
For the record I'm not completely on board with Sean, but I'm still waiting for someone to make a cogent argument against your point.
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Not sure whether the Bills have the best fans or how you even judge that, but as a life-long out-of-towner it's a unique, highly passionate and good-hearted fan base that I'm proud to have an association to.
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26 minutes ago, JimBob2232 said:
Mahomes is great....I'd love to see what he does without Mr. Swift though
He's already managed pretty well without Tyreek.
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2 hours ago, RichStadiumGuy said:
Motel Hell gets my vote featuring the one & only Rory Calhoun as Farmer Vincent and his lovely sidekick Nancy Parsons... we watch that flick at least once a year!
You will forever have the phrase etched in your mind... "it takes all kinds of critters to make Farmer Vincent's fritters!"
Wow, I hadn't heard of that movie in ages. I saw it as a double feature at a drive-in along with another movie that I think had Hotel in the name. I can't honestly say IO remember much of Motel Hell - except for people being buried up to their necks?
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6 hours ago, muppy said:
I didn't realize how badly I needed to hear this song until just this second. Get me out of this FUNK y'all
Our Tone Loc go-to was:
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11 minutes ago, Arkady Renko said:
Dunne is really on a crusade. Really seems personal to him.
He can share a beer with that long nosed dude that is on a similar crusade for clicks/subs except against 17.
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2 hours ago, SoCal Deek said:
Seems like Stafford and Elway are very similar….no?
Not to me. Elway lost 3 SB's and then won 2 - all with the same team.
NY Mets 2024 Season
in Topics
Posted
TBH, I think both approaches are fine depending on the roster make up and who's available. For this Mets team I like the DH by committee route but that may be in part because I'm scarred by Ruf/Vogie.
I never pushed the Bills on my kids, I figured since we are out of market that wasn't fair to them. I'm thrilled that they chose them anyway. But when it comes to baseball the line I used was "You can root for any baseball team you want - as long as it's the Mets".