tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12468344.post115463625412780373..comments2023-10-29T08:25:50.241-04:00Comments on The Musings and Prophecies of Metstradamus: Target Practice?Metstradamushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18023215480704948183noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12468344.post-1154780827489110002006-08-05T08:27:00.000-04:002006-08-05T08:27:00.000-04:00I'm with MD and Gadfly. Piazza was the best hitter...I'm with MD and Gadfly. Piazza was the best hitter the Mets ever had. It's not even close. Also, I think you can add 1998 (the year he was traded to NY) as a great year for Mike - he hit .328 overall (.348 as a Met), 32 HRs (23 as a Met), and 111 RBIs (76 as a Met). 2002 (.280, 33HRs, 98 RBIs) also qualifies as a pretty good year.<BR/><BR/>Plus, he's going into the HOF as a Met. How could they not retire his number?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12468344.post-1154731564929703012006-08-04T18:46:00.000-04:002006-08-04T18:46:00.000-04:00gadfly,That's interesting...that's the first time ...gadfly,<BR/><BR/>That's interesting...that's the first time I've heard anyone mention number 5 for the wall. It's a valid argument.<BR/><BR/>I'm not as huge an NBA fan as I once was (and certainly not in comparison to the other three major sports) but I actually root for the Celtics. I do like the Nets though. I have always been a Jason Kidd fan from way back in his California days.<BR/><BR/>I started off a Celtics fan as they were always on TV and I really loved watching Larry Bird play (I was a Dr. J fan too if you can believe that). I rooted for the Knicks for a while when Pitino got there because I thought I should root for the local team (and I liked Pitino), but they soured on me for a few reasons:<BR/><BR/>Traded Xavier McDaniel<BR/><BR/>Patrick Ewing went all Mark Messier and started making guarantees all over the place (I think he was 0 for 11) and then when they lost there were always a bunch of excuses...always everyone else's fault but their own.<BR/><BR/>For a team that could only get by the Bulls when Jordan wasn't there (and on the strength of Hue Hollins), they certainly acted like they were three time champs. And when they couldn't beat the Bulls, then it was time to create "rivalry-lite" with the Heat, which I thought was a cheap impersonation of Knicks/Bulls (which wasn't a rivalry) or even Knicks/Pacers (which was fairly even but Reggie's heroics always overshadowed the times the Knicks won).<BR/><BR/>The last straw was the Starks for Sprewell trade...they lost me forever after that. I decided to return to the team of my youth and root for the Celtics, especially when Pitino came back.<BR/><BR/>So that's my long NBA story.Metstradamushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18023215480704948183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12468344.post-1154729830937003722006-08-04T18:17:00.000-04:002006-08-04T18:17:00.000-04:00You're a Jets fan too!!! Don't tell me but if you ...You're a Jets fan too!!! Don't tell me but if you are a Nets fan I might have to divorce my wife & start acting like Arod! Just joshing but it's too soon to even talk J-E-T-S especially since the coach says he is only one of four possible QB's.<BR/><BR/>Plus baseball is THE game like Piazza is THE Mets...I also think Davey Johnson's number should be retired since he was definitely the most successful manager in Mets history. There was a seven-eight year period where he had the team in play every year. And if he had the wild card, the Mets would have won a whole lot more playoff games. They would have probably made the playoffs in 84,85,87,89, & in 1990.Mookie McFlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05184891435011484634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12468344.post-1154728405327286632006-08-04T17:53:00.000-04:002006-08-04T17:53:00.000-04:00"To fully protect our players to certain folks' sa..."To fully protect our players to certain folks' satisfaction, we'd have to have them hermetically sealed in a chamber receiving their food through an I/V from post-game to BP."<BR/><BR/>Whitney, you're right. I only endorse that thinking when it comes to Chad Pennington. ;)Metstradamushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18023215480704948183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12468344.post-1154727836321369272006-08-04T17:43:00.000-04:002006-08-04T17:43:00.000-04:00gadfly,I know, I know. It's a fine line. But I w...gadfly,<BR/><BR/>I know, I know. It's a fine line. But I would like to see a player, whether it's Utley or someone else, make all of the Yankee reverential pundits that say that DiMaggio's streak is unbreakable eat their words once and for all.<BR/><BR/>And Beezermess,<BR/><BR/>What Piazza did with the Dodgers is totally and completely irrelevant in any conversation about whether the Mets should retire his number. The only thing that matters is what Piazza meant to the Mets on and off the field, so "he had better numbers with the Dodgers" means absolutely nothing.<BR/><BR/>Now I agree that Carter's 8 should be up on the wall...he's a hall of famer who spent his only World Series with the Mets, like Piazza will be. And I'm a Carter guy. But here are the two big differences:<BR/><BR/>Piazza's best Mets years were 1999-2001, Carter's best years were 1985-1987. If you take the other seasons, 2002-2005 for Piazza, 1988-1989 for Carter, the seasons for Piazza were decent. Carter's off seasons were awful. In fact Carter was booed frequently during those seasons, especially 1989. (You may not have noticed selling all those ice cream cups during the 40 degree weather at Shea, but trust me I was paying attention.)By the end of '88 Carter was dropped to sixth in the lineup...whereas Piazza wasn't dropped until the last days of '05.<BR/><BR/>The other big difference is that Carter was one of many stars on those teams. During Piazza's seasons, which player or players even <I>approached</I> Piazza's stature? He was THE face of the Mets...and as such he cultivated a special relationship with Mets fans which to me make it automatic that his number should be retired. <BR/><BR/>So we review: Piazza's relationship with Met fans I think was stronger than Carter's relationship was because Piazza was THE man here, and Piazza's Met numbers were significantly better than Carter's numbers. So that's why 31 is a slam dunk while 8 is not. But I think both should be up there, along with Koosman's 36.Metstradamushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18023215480704948183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12468344.post-1154725928545945422006-08-04T17:12:00.000-04:002006-08-04T17:12:00.000-04:005. Joe DiMaggio (He beat his wife, and he was a Ya...5. Joe DiMaggio (He beat his wife, and he was a Yankee. That's why there will be a small part of me who is rooting for Chase Utley.) <BR/><BR/>Don't ever side with the Philthies, Metstra. It's bad whodo. Just to make up for it, I'm going to drive down south and beat his wife. What? He won't be the first Philthy wife to catch a beat down this summer. <BR/><BR/>Lets Go Mets!Mookie McFlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05184891435011484634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12468344.post-1154725692404388262006-08-04T17:08:00.000-04:002006-08-04T17:08:00.000-04:00I say retire #1, Mookie, a good Met then and now.....I say retire #1, Mookie, a good Met then and now...<BR/><BR/>They can't retire #17, that's Lima's number!Mookie McFlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05184891435011484634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12468344.post-1154725410839348192006-08-04T17:03:00.000-04:002006-08-04T17:03:00.000-04:00Unser.....Why is Piazza's number a "must" for reti...Unser.....<BR/><BR/>Why is Piazza's number a "must" for retirement....? He put up better numbers with the LA Dodgers than he did with the Mets....he has 3 good years here...1999 through 2001. He will always be remembered as the best offensive catcher in Mets history, but by no means does he deserve to have his number retired...<BR/>If that is the case, then he waits on line behind Jerry Grote and Gary Carter...beezermesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08734087114482403090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12468344.post-1154720885245245112006-08-04T15:48:00.000-04:002006-08-04T15:48:00.000-04:00Re: your 2005 blog - well put. The White Sox reti...Re: your 2005 blog - well put. The White Sox retiring Baines' 3 is silly, as is the Devil Rays retiring Wade Boggs' 12 - bizarre.<BR/><BR/>And Piazza's 31 is an absolute MUST.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12468344.post-1154715235927941982006-08-04T14:13:00.000-04:002006-08-04T14:13:00.000-04:00All true Unser. I actually blogged about this...h...All true Unser. I actually blogged about this...<BR/><BR/>http://metstradamus.blogspot.com/2005/05/by-numbers.html<BR/><BR/>...in the days when nobody visited. The problem is that Koosman didn't pitch in the 90's when the media explosion was prevelant and everyone discussed and dissected everything to death.Metstradamushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18023215480704948183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12468344.post-1154711790931345052006-08-04T13:16:00.000-04:002006-08-04T13:16:00.000-04:00The Mets seem to be reluctant to retire numbers, u...The Mets seem to be reluctant to retire numbers, unlike, say, the Astros who've retired Larry Dierker's, Jimmy Wynn's, Mike Scott's and Jose Cruz's numbers . . decent players, but are they really worthy of this honor?<BR/><BR/>Koose was great for so many years - could have reached at least 250 wins if he didn't play for those horrible Met teams in the 70s. And he was clutch (better than Seaver) in the post season. Plus, he started the first game I went to in 1975 when I was 5 years old - doesn't that count for anything?<BR/><BR/>I could see retiring 17 and 8 too. Someone from those 80s teams should be recognized.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12468344.post-1154711131231871502006-08-04T13:05:00.000-04:002006-08-04T13:05:00.000-04:00Ok...understand your point, even though I still do...Ok...understand your point, even though I still don't agree...<BR/>Yeah it sucks that Straw will not be there...but at least he has an opportunity to want to go, unlike Gooden who is in prison with his son...and what about Ray Knight? Is he carrying Nancy's golf clubs?<BR/><BR/>The next number that should be retired is of the first draft pick ever to play for the Mets and play his entire career in Flushing, #7, Steady Eddie Kranepool....beezermesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08734087114482403090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12468344.post-1154710126580083852006-08-04T12:48:00.000-04:002006-08-04T12:48:00.000-04:00Unser, I agree whole heartedly! (And I've only see...Unser, I agree whole heartedly! (And I've only seen him pitch with the Twins...barely.)Metstradamushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18023215480704948183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12468344.post-1154710039703350932006-08-04T12:47:00.000-04:002006-08-04T12:47:00.000-04:00The number that should be retired is 36. . . no, n...The number that should be retired is 36. . . no, not for Ed Lynch, but for the great Jerry Koosman.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12468344.post-1154707402206384622006-08-04T12:03:00.000-04:002006-08-04T12:03:00.000-04:00Re: Heilman, my fault. I missed Tuesday's game.Re: Heilman, my fault. I missed Tuesday's game.Metstradamushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18023215480704948183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12468344.post-1154707312463599632006-08-04T12:01:00.000-04:002006-08-04T12:01:00.000-04:00Beezermess,Straw has been an instructor at Mets ca...Beezermess,<BR/><BR/>Straw has been an instructor at Mets camp the last couple of years or so. So there shouldn't be any lingering bitterness as far as I'm concerned.<BR/><BR/>Before that, what else could they have done? They weren't going to reconcile with him while he was still playing, which was practically up until 1999, and soon after that they did try to bring him back. And after Straw bitched and moaned about going to LA while he was still a Met for three years, why should Mets management go out of their way to reconcile with HIM? Should have been the other way around in my humble opinion.<BR/><BR/>But the bottom line is that something like this has nothing to do with management...this has to do with Met fans. Yankee fans could care less about Darryl Strawberry being at an old timers day. Strawberry at the 20th anniversary of the only World Championship you and I have ever been alive for means a whole lot more...and he won't be there. And that sucks.Metstradamushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18023215480704948183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12468344.post-1154704408578856182006-08-04T11:13:00.000-04:002006-08-04T11:13:00.000-04:00I agree with retiring #17 for Hernandez and #8 for...I agree with retiring #17 for Hernandez and #8 for Carter and I have been saying that for years....<BR/>Even though I am not happy with Strawberry not coming to Shea to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 1986 championship, I kind of understand why...<BR/>Now let's not call me a Yankee fan...but I will say that once Strawberry left the Mets to go "home", Mets management...especially in 1990's, never tried to "reconcile" with him and even as he and fellow "drugmate" Dwight Gooden fell again and again into the depths of drug addiction, they never really tried to help. It was almost like they were shunned by the team that drafted them and nurtured them. The Mets, at that time, were in deep crap with all the Bobby Bonilla, Vince Coleman and Bret Saberhagen bull that was happening...<BR/>All of a sudden, here comes the devil himself, George Steinbrenner...extending an olive branch and giving these two players that were instrumental in winning the World Series a chance to redeem themselves in the biggest stage in the world. Though I hate what Steinbrenner has done in the past, the fact that he gave them chance after chance after chance to redeem themselves deserves some credit. Don't take it out on Strawberry because he won three cheap rings in the late 90's....don't take it out on Gooden that he pitched a no-hitter for them in 1996...Some of the blame for their demise can be pointed at the Mets and I for one have no problem admitting that the Mets contributed to their issues. All Steinbrenner and the Yankees tried to do was to help them, either by signing them to a contract or offering a job in the organization....have the Mets tried that....?<BR/>Even though Heilman blew it last night, the Mets had some chances and were robbed defensively all night...they still took 2 out of 3 and now play Chase Utley's Phillies...prediction:<BR/>Utley's streak ends at 37<BR/>Mets win 2 out of 3....beezermesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08734087114482403090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12468344.post-1154701603053624212006-08-04T10:26:00.000-04:002006-08-04T10:26:00.000-04:00For what it's worth, as "8th inning guy" since Dua...For what it's worth, as "8th inning guy" since Duaner's injury, Heilman had two good games in a row, not one. He protected a 1 run lead two nights in a row with a perfect inning. And then last night's failure. Way too early to put him and Sisk in the same sentence.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12468344.post-1154700558489768712006-08-04T10:09:00.000-04:002006-08-04T10:09:00.000-04:00Straw is dead to me. He is close to being a write ...Straw is dead to me. He is close to being a write in for the next Hate of Fame. Go back to working for George you ungrateful bastard. <BR/><BR/>As for that idiot Tien - sounds like Russo. Yeah, lets blame the victim. Moron. <BR/><BR/>Heilman pitched for the third day in a row. Plus, he pitched over the weekend. Cut him a little slack, he has been doing better of late (until last night). He should not have been in there last night, he is now useless until Sunday more than likely, since Saturday is a day game. <BR/><BR/>Intertesting Castro is hurting the same time Fidel is ailing.Ed in Westchesterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07074201896216372874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12468344.post-1154698431422266662006-08-04T09:33:00.000-04:002006-08-04T09:33:00.000-04:00The Mets should retire Carter's and Hernandez's nu...The Mets should retire Carter's and Hernandez's numbers. I also think an argument can be made to retire #45, in honor of McGraw and Franco. But Darryl and Doc's? Nope. Too much negative energy there.Mike Vhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06169923899712505328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12468344.post-1154698326946563972006-08-04T09:32:00.000-04:002006-08-04T09:32:00.000-04:00I second all of this. We already hold our athlete...I second all of this. <BR/><BR/>We already hold our athletes up to a significantly higher standard than ourselves -- "you're getting paid millions, you're not allowed to _____." To fully protect our players to certain folks' satisfaction, we'd have to have them hermetically sealed in a chamber receiving their food through an I/V from post-game to BP. Call this event dumb luck and a tragedy, and let's stop wagging our finger at the victim.Whitneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03226312371632855194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12468344.post-1154696262713226752006-08-04T08:57:00.000-04:002006-08-04T08:57:00.000-04:00Great column, Metstra. You got me to go over to t...Great column, Metstra. You got me to go over to the Gothamist and read Tien's writing. It's not only stupid, but is also racist. Tien says: <BR/><I> Note to Jose Reyes and Pedro Martinez: if you have cravings like your fellow Dominican, please don't go on a futile late-night search in a city you don't live in. </I><BR/><<BR/>I mean, come on. When I look at Pedro, I see a great, crafty veteran pitcher. When I look at Jose, I see the future of the Mets, and a player of unlimited potential. When I look at Duaner, I see the Mets closer of the future (which may come sooner than I had hoped for). Tien apparently sees a bunch of wacky Dominicans.<BR/><BR/>This is seriously bad. Please don't quote this nitwit any more.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12468344.post-1154674740521394742006-08-04T02:59:00.000-04:002006-08-04T02:59:00.000-04:00Ive been reading you for a while now Metstra and t...Ive been reading you for a while now Metstra and this is the best i've seen. Can't stop laughing. Anyone who blames Duaner is brain dead.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12468344.post-1154671264565446912006-08-04T02:01:00.000-04:002006-08-04T02:01:00.000-04:00One would hope that we got Hernandez as insurance ...One would hope that we got Hernandez as insurance for the coming Heilman meltdown. I don't think Willie will keep putting Heilman in the set up role if he keeps blowing it so I don't think the Shea faithful will give Heilman a "Sisking" - he won't be out there enough to merit it. On the other hand, a demoralised Heilman will only make the Mets bullpen that much weaker.Jaaphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14918548497554962346noreply@blogger.com