LET'S GO METS!!!!!!!

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

46 minutes ago, Another Fan said:

I like the Mets as well but I think the 2001 World Series is where baseball interest peaked for me in my lifetime to the point now I just only look at the scores for the most part.  
 

I guess I’m looking at it through a Mets fans lens but even if the Yankees win the World Series, I mean what fun is it?  Their signing of Jason Giambi in 2002 is where I think they kind of jumped the shark.  Buying players who turned out to be a steroid guy anyway.  Before then you can definitely make the case the Yankees didn’t buy their championships...  most of the players before that were home grown talent.

 

 

Plus what happened to guys like Turk Wendell in the game that actually had personality? 🤷🏼‍♂️

 

I am glad I am not alone. I think it was right in that 2002 timeframe that MLB changed for me too, and I couldn't put my finger on it. But I think you are right-- that Giambi move was a real watershed moment.  Then came the gutting of the small markets. I can't even believe teams like pittsburgh and cleveland can field teams. As a Bills' fan, I sort of had the realization too then-- do I want to be rooting for some big market team like the Mets?  The whole league just seems poorly designed. 

 

But, man, I used to love those old mets. Remember how Turk would never touch the baseline?  Gilkey would have those bugged-out eyes at the plate!  Todd Hundley was a baller. Olerud always wore his hard hat.  I even remember fondly Pat Mahomes Sr.'s stint with the Mets--real effective reliever.

 

 

[Another Fan]

20 minutes ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

 

I am glad I am not alone. I think it was right in that 2002 timeframe that MLB changed for me too, and I couldn't put my finger on it. But I think you are right-- that Giambi move was a real watershed moment.  Then came the gutting of the small markets. I can't even believe teams like pittsburgh and cleveland can field teams. As a Bills' fan, I sort of had the realization too then-- do I want to be rooting for some big market team like the Mets?  The whole league just seems poorly designed. 

 

But, man, I used to love those old mets. Remember how Turk would never touch the baseline?  Gilkey would have those bugged-out eyes at the plate!  Todd Hundley was a baller. Olerud always wore his hard hat.  I even remember fondly Pat Mahomes Sr.'s stint with the Mets--real effective reliever.

 

 

Now that I think off it that whole Money Ball approach gained popularity after As coped with life after their big bopper Giambi left.  The game is now way too analytical for my taste...takes the heart out of it.  
 

Rey Ordonez was a personal fave for his glove.  I remember he became an ego case later though.

 

I loved Todd Hundley growing up!  I remember the Yankees always had outwardly clean and proper players.  Meanwhile Hundley was this chain smoking/sleep 2 hours a night to counter that lol.

 

Only thing is her turned out to be a steroid guy as well.  That year he set the record for most hrs as a catcher.  I still contend that’s why Piazza had a hard time with the Mets fans at first...  he was replacing a beloved Met as catcher 

[ExiledInIllinois]

26 minutes ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

 

I am glad I am not alone. I think it was right in that 2002 timeframe that MLB changed for me too, and I couldn't put my finger on it. But I think you are right-- that Giambi move was a real watershed moment.  Then came the gutting of the small markets. I can't even believe teams like pittsburgh and cleveland can field teams. As a Bills' fan, I sort of had the realization too then-- do I want to be rooting for some big market team like the Mets?  The whole league just seems poorly designed. 

 

But, man, I used to love those old mets. Remember how Turk would never touch the baseline?  Gilkey would have those bugged-out eyes at the plate!  Todd Hundley was a baller. Olerud always wore his hard hat.  I even remember fondly Pat Mahomes Sr.'s stint with the Mets--real effective reliever.

 

 

Sure they can field teams.  MLB over the last 30+ years has had more different Champions than the "capped sports."

 

I am surprised small markets in other games can field competitors... Which they usually don't. 

[SinceThe70s]

22 hours ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

I was a die hard Mets fan as a kid from the 1980s. Hit my peak in the late 90s and early 2000’s. When Bobby V was the manager, I would probably watch 90% of their games in a season. I knew that team so well that I knew every move Bobby V would make (when he would hit and run; how he would work his relief pitchers, etc.).  Loved guys like Alfonzo, Ordonez, Gilkey, Olerud, Piazza, Ventura, Turk Wendell, etc. 

 

 

Right there with you. I would tell my friends who Bobby V would be warming up next let alone who we was bringing in next. One of the few times he surprised me was when he left Leiter in to face Sojo in the WS. Granted it was a million hopper that found a hole, but it was one of the few times that I thought Bobby V managed with his heart instead of his head. 

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

25 minutes ago, SinceThe70s said:

 

Right there with you. I would tell my friends who Bobby V would be warming up next let alone who we was bringing in next. One of the few times he surprised me was when he left Leiter in to face Sojo in the WS. Granted it was a million hopper that found a hole, but it was one of the few times that I thought Bobby V managed with his heart instead of his head. 

ha! That’s great. 
 

I remember that, as well.  Al Leiter though was such the heart and soul of that team! Him and Johnny Franco for the few years before that. 
 

I will say that I was such a huge fan of Bobby V. Very underrated tactician. Just how he worked his bullpen was great. It didn’t hurt having Wendell and Cook. Those guys were just ridiculous middle relievers.

 

the other fun part about those years was the hope springing eternal in the young guns, Isringhausen and Pulsipher. Those guys obviously never panned out as we all hoped they would— but there were moments. 

[SinceThe70s]

34 minutes ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

ha! That’s great. 
 

I remember that, as well.  Al Leiter though was such the heart and soul of that team! Him and Johnny Franco for the few years before that. 
 

I will say that I was such a huge fan of Bobby V. Very underrated tactician. Just how he worked his bullpen was great. It didn’t hurt having Wendell and Cook. Those guys were just ridiculous middle relievers.

 

the other fun part about those years was the hope springing eternal in the young guns, Isringhausen and Pulsipher. Those guys obviously never panned out as we all hoped they would— but there were moments. 

 

100% on Bobby V.  One of the best in game managers I've watched. Hell, he took an outfield of Jay Payton, Benny Agbayani and Timo Perez to a World Series. Not sure what market you live in, but his appearances on Mike and the Mad Dog on WFAN radio were just great.

 

You also mentioned Turk - he's a favorite of mine as well. In case you missed it, his name came up recently when he sent a care package to the second Met to wear #99:

 

https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/mlb/mets/2021/03/09/taijuan-walker-second-ny-mets-wear-no-99-turk-wendell/4640019001/

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

19 minutes ago, SinceThe70s said:

 

100% on Bobby V.  One of the best in game managers I've watched. Hell, he took an outfield of Jay Payton, Benny Agbayani and Timo Perez to a World Series. Not sure what market you live in, but his appearances on Mike and the Mad Dog on WFAN radio were just great.

 

You also mentioned Turk - he's a favorite of mine as well. In case you missed it, his name came up recently when he sent a care package to the second Met to wear #99:

 

https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/mlb/mets/2021/03/09/taijuan-walker-second-ny-mets-wear-no-99-turk-wendell/4640019001/

This is awesome! Thanks for sharing this! 

[Gordio]

10 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

The Bullpen still sucks.... who would’ve thought that? 😅

 

Haha, I said the same thing to my son the other night when they blew the lead once again for Degrom.  I said different year, different owner, different shortstop same old result as the bp can never hold a lead for that guy.  They said that was the 33rd time the bullpen blew a lead after the 7th inning for degrom in the last 3 years.  Simply mind boggling.  

 

Degrom is going to be an intersting case study for the hall of fame.  He is not going to have nowhere near the wins he should have but...he is going to have numerous cy youngs to stats.  I think he gets in but he is not even going to hit 200 wins in his career the way his luck goes.

[Gordio]

1 hour ago, ScottLaw said:

Guy threw like 75 pitches and they pulled him.... mind boggling. 

 

 

Dont get me started on that one.  I have no idea what Rojas was thinking.  

[Gugny]

On 4/7/2021 at 9:36 PM, SinceThe70s said:

 

Right there with you. I would tell my friends who Bobby V would be warming up next let alone who we was bringing in next. One of the few times he surprised me was when he left Leiter in to face Sojo in the WS. Granted it was a million hopper that found a hole, but it was one of the few times that I thought Bobby V managed with his heart instead of his head. 

 

On 4/7/2021 at 10:10 PM, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

ha! That’s great. 
 

I remember that, as well.  Al Leiter though was such the heart and soul of that team! Him and Johnny Franco for the few years before that. 
 

I will say that I was such a huge fan of Bobby V. Very underrated tactician. Just how he worked his bullpen was great. It didn’t hurt having Wendell and Cook. Those guys were just ridiculous middle relievers.

 

the other fun part about those years was the hope springing eternal in the young guns, Isringhausen and Pulsipher. Those guys obviously never panned out as we all hoped they would— but there were moments. 

 

On 4/7/2021 at 10:54 PM, SinceThe70s said:

 

100% on Bobby V.  One of the best in game managers I've watched. Hell, he took an outfield of Jay Payton, Benny Agbayani and Timo Perez to a World Series. Not sure what market you live in, but his appearances on Mike and the Mad Dog on WFAN radio were just great.

 

You also mentioned Turk - he's a favorite of mine as well. In case you missed it, his name came up recently when he sent a care package to the second Met to wear #99:

 

https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/mlb/mets/2021/03/09/taijuan-walker-second-ny-mets-wear-no-99-turk-wendell/4640019001/

 

Bobby Valentine remains my favorite manager of all time and I think he was the best the Mets ever had.

 

Letting him go was a gigantic kick in the nuts.  Watching Howe and Randolph (the worst manager in the history of the team) waste World Series rosters was painful.  Especially Randolph. My God, he sucked.

 

Valentine did much more with much less (as indicated above) and the Mets got what they wished for when he left the team.

 

I've wanted him back since the day he left.  I really liked Collins, but Bobby V., was still the better option. Howe, Randolph, Manuel, Callaway ... horrible.  Laughable.

 

At 71, I'm afraid his time has passed.  But he'd still be an upgrade over Rojas, who seems more in over his head than even Callaway did.

 

I the Mets are a talented enough team win games despite poor management, although he's already managed them into a couple losses in this very young season, so I'm not sure.

 

My hope is that he's a lame duck and there are big plans for next season that include both Theo Epstein and a manager worthy and capable of taking this team where it SHOULD be going.

 

#LFGM

 

 

[RaoulDuke79]

I need DeGrom to strike out >9.5 today.

[Gugny]

4 minutes ago, RaoulDuke79 said:

I need DeGrom to strike out >9.5 today.

 

He'll probably strike out 9 through six innings, then get taken out.

[Gugny]

50 minutes ago, RaoulDuke79 said:

I need DeGrom to strike out >9.5 today.

 

45 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

He'll probably strike out 9 through six innings, then get taken out.

 

Happy for you that I was wrong.  He just struck out his 10th batter to end the top of the 5th.

[TBBills]

 

 

[TBBills]

So are the Mets not allowed to score when deGrom pitches? Poor guy needs to be a Yankee.

[Gugny]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/31237769/new-york-mets-pitcher-marcus-stroman-unhappy-team-let-start-game-rain%3fplatform=amp
 

And another management blunder. This guy is worse than Callaway. 

[SinceThe70s]

1 hour ago, Gugny said:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/31237769/new-york-mets-pitcher-marcus-stroman-unhappy-team-let-start-game-rain%3fplatform=amp
 

And another management blunder. This guy is worse than Callaway. 

 

Do you think it was Rojas who decided they start the game? I don't know who actually makes the call but I'm skeptical it's the manager. I was wondering whether Cohen gets involved. Either way, you're right that it was a management blunder, especially since it wouldn't have been  in front of a sell-out crowd.

[Gugny]

2 hours ago, SinceThe70s said:

 

Do you think it was Rojas who decided they start the game? I don't know who actually makes the call but I'm skeptical it's the manager. I was wondering whether Cohen gets involved. Either way, you're right that it was a management blunder, especially since it wouldn't have been  in front of a sell-out crowd.

Good point. Not sure whose call it is, but at the very least, throw Familia in there to start the game. Anyone with a ***** iPhone knew it was gonna pour. 

[SinceThe70s]

1 hour ago, Gugny said:

Good point. Not sure whose call it is, but at the very least, throw Familia in there to start the game. Anyone with a ***** iPhone knew it was gonna pour. 

 

Just saw some quotes from Rojas (https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/31237769/new-york-mets-pitcher-marcus-stroman-unhappy-team-let-start-game-rain) that makes it look like along with 'ballpark operations' he was involved in the decision.

 

"Rojas said Mets ballpark operations staff consulted with weather services, and he was the one who told Stroman the game was starting on time"

 

"This is the process," the manager said. "The starting pitcher is usually not in the middle of the process of what we're looking [at] there."

 

"Maybe right now it's a wrong decision, but it's what we saw," he said.

 

 

[Beerball]

On 4/11/2021 at 2:56 PM, Gugny said:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/31237769/new-york-mets-pitcher-marcus-stroman-unhappy-team-let-start-game-rain%3fplatform=amp
 

And another management blunder. This guy is worse than Callaway. 

I’m so happy that you’ve come around and are now enjoying this thread. My cockles are warm.