Tuesday Applesauce

by Joe Budd on Apr 21, 2009 9:55 AM EDT in Applesauce

We desperately need games to talk about. I'm terrified of the blogosphere when there's no baseball on the field; it sort of consumes itself in outrage.

Meet the Mets

The latest in off-day controversies is the story surrounding Doc Gooden's signature at Citi Field. In case you haven't heard, Gooden signed an empty gray wall at the new Ebbetts Club at the behest of an employee. Already having been criticized for the lack of Met history at the new stadium, the Met organization continued its tone-deaf PR by insisting on erasing the signature. Spurned on by the New York Post, the Met blogosphere erupted (more here, and here). I love the spontaneous nature of Gooden's act (it would be awesome to have a wall of signatures of former Met players that just happened without any planning) and the Met reaction seems a little overboard, but this outrage is a bit much. It's really the type of thing that gets talked about when there's no baseball being played and papers need to be sold and blogs visited. Although, the outcry did lead to them moving Gooden's signature, behind fiberglass, so I can't complain too much.

Wily Mo time!

The 100 men left stranded so far this season are crying out for a return of the well publicized 80 pitch drill.

Mariner blog Lookout Landing thinks they sold at a good time with JJ Putz. Meanwhile, Mets Geek is encouraged by the average pitch speed of the Met bullpen.

Bobby V talks about the 1999 Mets, the best Met team that I can remember.

Mets Minor League Blog does a less thorough job than Amazin Avenue in highlighting who's hot, and who's cold in the Met farm system.

Around the NL East

Nationals prospect and spring Met killer Jordan Zimmerman made his big league debut last night, beating the Braves 3-2. Beyond the Boxscore takes a closer look at the start. Brave catcher Brian McCann will see an eye doctor to address his blurred vision which has affected him during a 1 for 20 slump. The Braves also traded pitcher Blaine Boyer to the Cardinals for minor leaguer Brian Barton, just in time for the Mets to arrive in St. Louis.

The Pirates shut out the Marlins, 8-0, on a two hitter. Ross Ohlendorf carried the load for the Pirates for the first 7 innings. Don't look now, but Pittsburgh is 7-6. The Marlin loss snapped a 7 game winning streak.

Philly pitcher Jamie Moyer will receive an honorary doctorate from St. Joseph's University.

Around MLB

In news from the recession, MLB attendance is already down 7 percent from last year.

Is it too early to start talking about Yankee Stadium as the new Coors Field? Mets Police picks up on the story as well. The Daily News does a study.

To our Boston brethren, happy belated Patriots Day.

Everyone remember to pray for "Good Ollie" tonight, or dance our ceremonial rain dance, or whatever. Who knows. Enjoy the game tonight.

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Comments

I have no actual basis for this

But I blame all of Wright’s struggles on the 80 pitch drill. And Delgado’s double play.

by Gina on Apr 21, 2009 11:09 AM EDT reply actions

You could be (w)right.

After all, that drill preaches swinging constantly. So If he’s swinging so much, he’s not getting good pitches to hit.

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Apr 21, 2009 2:04 PM EDT up reply actions

jamie moyer will also recieve

an honorary AARP card.

OLD JOKE FTW

HELLO HELLO MR WILPON. WE WANT THE MANSION NOT THE CONDO.

by kendynamo on Apr 21, 2009 11:34 AM EDT reply actions

Regarding moving Gooden’s signature, can I assume they mean plexiglass rather than fiberglass? I actually like the idea of moving it someplace accessible to everyone rather than leaving in the Ebbets Club where only bigwigs can see it. Also like the fact that they’re cutting a big enough section for other players to sign. Since they’re the Mets and not the Yankees, I hope they let any former player sign it rather than just the big names. Tim Teufel and Mackey Sasser and Carlos Baerga and (wince) Jim Fregosi and Victor Zambrano are as much a part of Mets history as Piazza and Seaver and Koosman (the names mentioned in the article).

From the Buster Olney article (note: ESPN Insider required) linked by Mets Police:

Sure, there are a handful of problems that need to be sorted out in Citi Field, the Mets’ new ballpark. The visiting relievers can’t really see the games from their bullpen in right-center field, and their video screen operates with a delay of about 15 seconds (by the count of the Brewers’ relievers). There is little hot water and no music in the visiting clubhouse, and they need to squeegee out the whirlpool because of a drainage issue.

No music isn’t our problem, but the other ones are pretty embarrassing and I hope they can get them resolved. I don’t think I want to know who did what in the whirlpool to cause that “drainage issue” though.

by JoshNY on Apr 21, 2009 11:59 AM EDT reply actions

Drainage issue

Corey Hart’s skanky hair?

I’d blame Jayson Werth but he hasn’t visited yet.

'Oh yes, I know all about that duty-of-a-citizen stuff. It doesn't go. There are exceptions to every rule, and this was one of them. When a man risks his liberty to come and root at a ball-game, you've got to hand it to him. He isn't a crook. He's a fan.'

by Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright on Apr 21, 2009 12:02 PM EDT up reply actions

As cool as it sounds to let any former met player to sign that wall...

I would prefer to have the memorable ones sign it first, then middling guys, and then the also-rans. If someone like Bonilla signs it and because of that someone like David Cone is left off, I would not be happy.

by meigs1414 on Apr 21, 2009 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions

That's what always happens

Someone like Pete Harnisch will take up half the wall, preventing several important players from being able to sign. Same thing happened with the Declaration of Independence. John Hancock wasn’t a big part of it, but everyone always remembers him because he was a douche and made his signature really big.

by Prince on Apr 21, 2009 2:11 PM EDT up reply actions

well...

I mean, that could easily be remedied by adding another section of wall, couldn’t it?

by JoshNY on Apr 21, 2009 2:12 PM EDT up reply actions

Possibly.

by Prince on Apr 21, 2009 2:24 PM EDT up reply actions

True

But then, players might get annoyed and might refuse to sign it. It’s hard to predict in this hypotheical situation we are dreaming up here. Besides, it was like pulling teeth to get this wall up in the first place. I don’t know if management would be okay with, god forbid, another wall section devoted to players.

by meigs1414 on Apr 21, 2009 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions