Eminent Domain Applesauce - Mets keep Oberkfell, Willets Point rehabilitation, Todd Zeile for the HOF

by Joe Budd on Nov 28, 2009 8:40 AM EST in Applesauce

Hope everyone is enjoying their leftovers so far. Some pretty good stuff out there in the last few days. Take a look.

Meet the Mets

Doesn't this Jose Guillen rumor sound like exactly the sort of thing the Mets would do?

There are some strong performances to report in off-season play. Tobi Stoner is turning some heads and might be a consideration for the rotation. Josh Thole continues to rake and Lance Broadway has been strong.

Bob Klapisch thinks it'll take more than just one year to get the Mets back on track.

The Mets are keeping Ken Oberkfell in Buffalo.

The Wilpons are probably ecstatic that a federal judge just helped clear the way for development around Citi Field.

Omar has a really bad habit of using Carlos Beltran as a crutch to make up for mediocre corner outfielders.

Around the NL East

Jamie Moyer was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday in a setback from his earlier surgery.

Around MLB

There are new names on the Hall of Fame ballot: Alomar, Martinez, Larkin, McGriff, Zeile?

Yankee Stadium voice Bob Sheppard has officially retired.

Former Padres GM Kevin Towers is a hot commodity as a potential advisor.

Andruw Jones will join Omar Vizquel on the White Sox. If this were the late 90s, that would be a pretty amazing middle of the field defensively.

Mike Silva continues to look down on Florida baseball.

In a pretty amazing story, former Yankee reliever Ross Ohlendorf has become an intern at the Department of Agriculture.

Roy Halladay would waive his no-trade clause in a deal to the Yankees.

MLB Trade Rumors discusses the trades of the decade. It has to be A-Rod for Soriano, doesn't it? I mean as long as it wasn't Zambrano for Kazmir.

Sammy Sosa is facing some legal problems back in the Dominican Republic surrounding a real estate commission that Sosa has failed to pay.

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Comments

I'll take a bite of some of that Applesauce

1) Huzzah to Ohlendorf. It makes me happy to see players do something like that so they can have jobs once their careers come to an end.

2) Bob Sheppard is the Yanks’ answer to our Ralph Kiner. Seriously, these guys are how old and are still kickin’?

3) Despite his shoddy draft record, I would go after Towers in that position. Wouldn’t hurt to do so, not to mention that’ll put Omar on an even shorter leash.

4) Perhaps Sammy Sosa should send a gift basket full of that skin cream to the tax people in the DR.

5) The White Sox are slowly becoming the new Giants. I’ll give them credit for getting Vizquel, he still has it on the field.

6) Silva really has a deathwish, doesn’t he?

7) 420 and the Holy Thole on the roster? Please say it is so.

Beer is good! And stuff!

by R_Adragna on Nov 28, 2009 11:36 AM EST reply actions

Bob Sheppard

I was at a Giants game a few years ago and he came over the loudspeaker at one point and said “Can Joe DiMaggio please report to the ticket window. Joe DiMaggio to the ticket window.”

Even though it was at a football game in like 2002 and was just some guy named after Joe D., it was really cool hearing Bob Sheppard “announce” Joe DiMaggio.

"[The Giants] beat us down. We were beat by a grown-man team, a team we want to be like one day. They came in here and took it to us. Out-manned us, out-gunned us. ... It wasn't even close." - Raheem Morris, 9/27/09

by cjmulrain on Nov 28, 2009 12:23 PM EST up reply actions

I liked it when Tiki carried the ball, and then he came over the PA to announce

Bah-Bah with the carry…..or something like that.

by fxcarden on Nov 28, 2009 12:25 PM EST up reply actions

Lol, love the nickname. 420 it is.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Nov 29, 2009 8:02 PM EST up reply actions

I seriously believe that should be his number fo realz.

If not, I could be happy if a fan customized a jersey for that.

Beer is good! And stuff!

by R_Adragna on Nov 29, 2009 8:29 PM EST up reply actions

If 1/2 can be a jersey number, why not 420?

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Nov 29, 2009 8:46 PM EST up reply actions

1/2? You mean Eddie Gaedel?

He wore 1/8 actually. I suppose if he did better he might have gotten to 1/2. But think about it: never mind the perfect baserunner, this was the perfect hitter — OBP of 1.000! Some Gaedel trivia: Veeck’s auto biography tells the story of how his partner’s little son had a child size version of a Browns jersey, which Gaedel wore in his appearance. What happened to that kid? He’s Bill DeWitt, the owner of the Cardinals.

by StorkFan on Nov 29, 2009 8:52 PM EST up reply actions

1/8, excuse me.

I feel bad for him. He died in obscurity, and the only baseball person to attend his funeral was Bob Cain, the pitcher who walked him. Veeck didn’t even attend.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Nov 29, 2009 9:01 PM EST up reply actions

I didn't know Veeck didn't go the funeral

I do remember reading that got used in a few other stunts.

by StorkFan on Nov 29, 2009 9:11 PM EST up reply actions

Cain was said to be the only baseball guy to attend. I'd assume that Veeck would be lumped in as a baseball guy, though he didn't play.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Nov 29, 2009 10:06 PM EST up reply actions

Hell, if I were playing, I'd want my number to be 666, in honor of Maiden!

Or 81, give the Hells Angels homage.

Btw, did you know that Bill “Spaceman” Lee once requested his number to be 337?

Beer is good! And stuff!

by R_Adragna on Nov 30, 2009 12:03 AM EST up reply actions

If you look at the SF Giants they mirror the Marlins in quite a few ways until 1999. Since the new ballpark they have exploded and been a top 5 attendance team.

Can South Florida be the same? I have my doubts, but trading away Josh Johnson already tells me ownership isn’t committed.

Is ownerships lack of commitment because of lack of fan support or is lack of fan support because of ownership?

It’s like the chicken and the egg, but even after their 2003 title they still could only draw 23k – pathetic and the Marlins were good that year.

by MikeSilvaNYBD on Nov 28, 2009 12:00 PM EST reply actions

I'm sorry

but you’re taking your crusade against Florida way too seriously. Just because they debunked your report. Stop taking this shit seriously.

"We're investigating the investigative procedure of the investigation of Tony Bernazard"---Omar Minaya (he really didn't say it but he would"

by firejerrynow on Nov 28, 2009 1:36 PM EST up reply actions

I was born in S. Florida and was a Marlins fan

And became disinterested when ownership tore down the team a second time.

Most people from S. Florida are transplanted New Yorkers (either first or second genration), so the Marlins have to overcome allegiance to NY teams. The Marlins were popular enough when they first came into the league—but lost most fan loyalty after tearing down the team twice. Who wants to follow a joke of a franchise?

No one wants to go sit outside in the heat and humidity of South Florida summers, so an air-conditioned stadium with a roof is a good start. I don’t know the exact numbers, but I remember they did very respectably in TV ratings.

In addition, the snowbirds who have a lot of money to spend are gone in the summer—which is why the Dolphins and Heat have relatively more support.

Despite these obstacles, S. Florida is definitely a strong enough market to support a real baseball team in a real stadium.

by DoghouseBlues on Nov 28, 2009 2:24 PM EST up reply actions

Not the Marlins' fault that Johnson and his agent have ridiculous demands

How absurd of the Marlins not to want to give four years to a pitcher who had TJ surgery last year. That doesn’t tell me their ownership isn’t committed, it tells me that their ownership is intelligent about being unwilling to commit too much money/too many years to a perceived injury risk.

by JoshNY on Nov 28, 2009 4:34 PM EST up reply actions

Is Adam Rubin screwing with us?

I don’t think much of him as a report to begin with but his latest article (highlighted on AA) seems to be defending his previous article.Rubin did insinuate Guillen is coming to the Mets.

by scott from peekskill on Nov 28, 2009 2:01 PM EST reply actions

I think he's just getting revenge in a very odd way.

by Sam Page on Nov 29, 2009 1:53 AM EST up reply actions

Ohlendorf

What an awesome story. Obviously his credentials were enough to land him the job, and he seems like a very ambitious guy.

3:45 PM on 10/25/09-changed signature to "Leon Washington for President"
4:45 PM on 10/25/09-Leon Washington suffers season-ending injury

by Prince on Nov 28, 2009 2:36 PM EST reply actions

"Doesn't this Jose Guillen rumor sound like exactly the sort of thing the Mets would do?"

I can’t tell because all Rubin’s “article” says is that Guillen would approve a trade to the Mets. I know there was some previous speculation that the Royals would be interested in Angel Pagan, but that might have been just Rubin’s guess. The only way I could see this happening is if they did a Castillo for Guillen swap, which I don’t know why the Royals would do. I’m not saying that’s a good idea, but if they are really that focused on dumping Castillo they might do it.

At that point you might as well do Castillo for Bradley. Maybe it would be good to get some true crazy into the clubhouse. It would give the media something else to focus on!!

by Gland on Nov 28, 2009 4:46 PM EST reply actions

i love the idea that the only thing Alomar did to tarnish his legacy

was the spittin’.

now that’s funny.

I.M. Forme
"When you get yourself into trouble is when you feel you have to do something, and then you get yourself in trouble." --Omar Minaya

by itsmetsforme on Nov 29, 2009 2:02 AM EST reply actions

man,

i barely even remember what position tom zeal played. and now hes on the HoF ballot? craziness.

Lets hope that when gut check time comes again the Mets will pass it with flying colors.

by kendynamo on Nov 29, 2009 5:29 PM EST reply actions

plz get towers!!!!

think about it when omar is about 2 make a stupid move which he is destined 2 do towers can come in and be like DON’T!!!

by metsbaseball93 on Nov 29, 2009 11:34 PM EST reply actions

For a second, I thought you meant Kevin Towers. Because, he'd really be able to help the pitching rotation.

On a Blue Jays pitchers note, forget Halladay: I say we trade for Marc Rzepczynski, just to hear Omar introduce him, and Keith stumble over his name during broadcasts. Looking at his stats, he doesn’t seem that bad, actually.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Nov 29, 2009 11:52 PM EST up reply actions