Sitting On the Dock of the Bay Applesauce: Martino Sits Down With J-Bay, Single Game Tickets On Sale March 5th, Sandy on Twitter Day 3
by Steve Schreiber on Feb 12, 2012 11:44 AM EST
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Meet the Mets
Andy Martino sat down with left fielder Jason Bay in a restaurant near his home in Washington to talk about his struggles and his expectations for 2012. His performance has certainly been a massive disappointment since signing with the Mets prior to 2010 but as cliche as it is to say, it is heartening to see that he cares and that he's working hard to try to get back to his prior form. I can't say I'm optimistic that will happen but I know I'll be rooting for him to succeed. Also, his quote on ITBSOHL stories was pretty funny.
For those of you interested in putting some more money into the Wilpons' bank account buying tickets for games at Citi Field, Mets single-game tickets go on sale Monday, March 5th at 10:00 AM.
Sandy Alderson (@MetsGM) made a late night appearance on the Twitter, his fourth tweet on his third day on the social media network and he had this to say:
"Inspired by Jose & Joba, got a haircut for charity, but @MLBNetwork wasn't interested. Barber 'donated' clippings to trash can on 84th St"
You're probably wondering whether I will link to every Sandy Alderson tweet and the answer to that is a resounding YES, at least when I'm writing the Applesauce.
Around the Majors
There were some Marlins notes to pass along from Saturday. First, the fish are talking numbers with Cuban center fielder Yoenis Cespedes and one report says that the team is offering Cespedes a 6 year contract worth $40 million. Another report says that the number is under $40 million but with all of the spending by the Marlins this offseason combined with the fact that they desperately need a center fielder (because they probably don't want Emilio Bonifacio out there), I'm just going to assume that he'll land there. The other note is that the Marlins are unretiring #5 for Logan Morrison.
Alex Remington at Big League Stew wonders whether Braves righty Julio Teheran or Rays lefty Matt Moore will win their respective Rookie of the Year awards in 2012. If you're taking bets at this point, I think Moore's a pretty good one, at least this early in the season, since it looks like he will have a guaranteed rotation spot and he was just flat out dominant in the minors and majors last season. Teheran's up there as well talent-wise but assuming everybody's healthy, it looks like he's the Braves' 6th starter right now.
The Associated Press has a preview of the upcoming baseball season, in case you were in hibernation, a coma or outer space for the entire offseason.
The Pirates and Yankees are still working on an A.J. Burnett trade and Buster Olney says that they have the framework of a deal set.
And last but not least, former Mets farmhand Mike Carp is helping to pay tribute to his close friend Greg Halman, who was killed back in November, by making shirts to give out to Mariners' teammates.
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Does Sandy have a ghost writer?
Or is this another fake one? It seems weird that he’s only following members of the Mets press, not his own players.
It began as a response to the way the team's moves were being construed -
Everything they do is about the money. (Most everything is about the money, of course, but you can see how it would get annoying.)
I doubt they pay much attention to individual fans on the twitter or even blogs, whatever outreach they do. They’re poking at the reporters, because the reporters’ opinionating was irritating them.
This sounds thoroughly plausible, but are you just speculating?
"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf. "
– Tug McGraw when asked about his preference for grass or astroturf
by Terry_is_God on Feb 12, 2012 3:31 PM EST up reply actions
It might have been in the Times piece?
I don’t think I’ve read too much else about it.
Bats Blog, I think.
Got it, thanks
Wow, that makes this even MORE awesome. I <3 Sandy.
"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf. "
– Tug McGraw when asked about his preference for grass or astroturf
by Terry_is_God on Feb 12, 2012 9:23 PM EST up reply actions
I always love the anonymous scout
who says “the bat speed has slowed”. First of all, NOBODY can see if bat speed has slowed. You are talking about watching a bat fly at 90+ mph at a ball thrown 90+ mph. Second, that is the stock quote for EVERY batter who gets older and struggles. Then said slugger hits better and that scout dissapears until he struggles again, and then that quote shows up again.
technically, a bit of video analysis can easily show if bat speed has slowed
i just doubt anyone bothers to confirm their suspicions that bat speed has actually slowed.
Hey, wait! I'm having one of those things. You know? A headache with pictures?
by KeithsMoustache on Feb 12, 2012 1:43 PM EST up reply actions
Between Cashman's personal woes,
the contracts they gave out to Soriano, Feliciano, Burnett, just to name 3 in recent history – why is it that only the Mets get all negative coverage in this 2 team town?
It’s the winning, right? As in the Yankees do and the Mets haven’t.
by MetsFan4Decades on Feb 12, 2012 12:44 PM EST reply actions
It's what sells the most papers, and gets the most page hits
The masses in NY have come to expect dichotomy in their sports pieces, there can’t be any subjective writing. People want to be told one team is unequivocal perfection, and one is the realization of Major League.
I can’t help but be cynical about employed sportswriters/bloggers, but I think it is fairly obvious they only have their own interests at stake, and that is to earn the largest payday they can. Journalistic integrity is in a vastly distant second place.
"Baseball is like church. Many attend, but few understand."
-Wes Westrum
"I'm a huge advocate of pitching"
-Tom Seaver
Because the media has an agenda
If Sandy had a stalker the media would be all over it. Hell one of the panelists on Daily News Live admitted there is a media double standard for the Mets and Yankees
ESPN, Mike Francesa, NY Post, NY Daily News, Fox Sports = Propaganda
Blue and Orange, Green and White, Red and Black
Twitter: @BlueChill1123
by BlueChill on Feb 12, 2012 1:39 PM EST via Android app up reply actions
It's kind of hard to nitpick a team that wins 90 plus games every season
There is no hope.... there is no future....there is only BLUE WALLS.
The 2012 Mets: Fortune cookie says come back in 2015
The Mets averaged 89.8 wins a season from 1997-2001
Media didn’t have any qualms about ripping into Valentine no matter what he did, let alone the rest of the organization. Remember, this is a beloved period of time in Mets history, but one which writers characterize by failed prospects and a Subway Series loss.
It’s a double standard.
"Baseball is like church. Many attend, but few understand."
-Wes Westrum
"I'm a huge advocate of pitching"
-Tom Seaver
Had they one a single world series
I’d bet the tone would have changed. You win as many games as you like, just look at the Jets, even after two trips to the AFC championship games and respectable showings in both, they’ve been run through the mud after an 8-8 season. Its just 8-8! One game worse than the Giants, hell, had the game gone the other way there’s a slight possibility there’s a parade decked out in green and white!
I’ve gone off on a tangent…
Well, the Jets are the NFL's Mets
The media is just way harder on both of those teams then they are on their in-state rivals.
I don't know how Cashman...
is perceived by Yankee fans and the baseball world, but I’d guess it is favorably.
The Yankees win and that is the ultimate bottom line, but it is not exactly difficult to be a GM when you can cover up mistakes by throwing more money at other top FA’s, and then trade away the players you gave albatross contracts to.
The Yankees have had some decent prospects come up from the minor leagues, but they are known for spending, point blank.
Cashman can get away with the Kei Igawa’s and AJ Burnett’s because he is part of the Yankees, who are never placed in a negative light by the MSM, and he can easily cover up his mistakes.
I typed your symptoms into this thing up here and it says you could have network connectivity problems.
What Kills Me About the Yankees
If they’ve had a stronger minor league system than the Mets. I don’t mind cheering for the fiscally responsible team that can’t buy wins, but at least do it right. As the minors get better, I get happier. I love that we’ve had some decent home grown guys come up, and hate losing them (ie. Reyes).
by WT Economist on Feb 12, 2012 3:16 PM EST up reply actions
It's not just the winning
It definitely helps though. I wrote a long piece/rant about this on PSA, but what the Yankees offer that make them so loved by the MSM & the fanbase (ESPECIALLY the spoiled ones) is that they offer good customer service. The Pineda trade is a great example. Everyone says the Yankees continue to need pitching, even though with a decent rotation we finished 1st in the AL East. So what do the Yankees do? They manage to go out and get Pineda & Kuroda and now we have an abundance of pitching. AJ is not really liked by the MSM or the fanbase, so the Yankees are actually considering trading him to the Pirates, paying more than half of his contract, and probably only getting back C level prospects in return. I mean, the fact that we can even do this to begin with will go into an article I’m writing for tomorrow, but that’s what they do. They make their customers & the Consumer Reports (MSM) happy with their product even though they know there’s no guarantee it will work. Haha, what pisses me off is that there’s usually no pleasing these people!
With the MSM, this goes both internally & externally. I saw it first hand when I interned at SNY in 09’ and this is not Yankee fan bias talking or anything, but believe me when I tell you that the Yankees treat the media a lot better than the Mets do. The Yankee Stadium media area & access to it is a whole lot better than the Citi Field one. Hell, the treatment of the broadcast team is a whole lot better as well (if you take the Citi Field tour you might get a chance to see how tiny GKR’s booth REALLY is). Keep in mind, this is no excuse for shoddy journalism. However, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything as awkward as Minaya throwing Rubin under the bus during that press conference.
"WHO WOULD LEAD?! THE CLOWN?!"
ImNotAHRHitter
by I'mGivingYouARaise on Feb 12, 2012 7:13 PM EST up reply actions
But wouldn't you say
that it’s been a lot different post George? And I would say that’s extended almost to the point of his second suspension. Time was, George just had say or do something silly and it was all over the sports pages. Even with the winning, that tended to take over. Even more so, after 1981 when the Yankees slowly went downhill for the next decade. The MSM love to watch a train wreck.
Ralph Kiner: You've gotta change the script, I don't like the script.
Gary Cohen: What's wrong with the script?
Ralph Kiner: Well the script should be the Mets win every day.
I would say the moment it really started to change is when we got Clemens
It started to show that the Yankees were truly willing to do whatever it took to win, to continue the success of the 98’ Yankees, which is what the MSM & fans always want now. They want the Yankees to be that good always, and it’s impossible, but they continue to make moves to try to get back to that and the MSM loves them for that. piazza62 mentioned how the Mets were winning during that time too, but unfortunately it was overshadowed but what the Yankees did during that time & compounded upon by the 2000 Subway Series and then the 2001 World Series. From 96-01, the Yankees were primarily the talk of baseball and that’s what the MSM really wants, and with all these splash moves they made, it feeds the MSM Talking Heads. I mean, the AJ trade right now is a perfect example of that. I personally believe that the primary reason they want AJ gone is not just because Hughes & Garcia offer more flexibility, but for the primary reason that it will make the fans & MSM happy. I won’t lie, it’ll make me happy because it would absolutely guarantee Nova a spot in the rotation, which shouldn’t even be a question but is due to the current abundance of pitching.
You are right though that the MSM also loves a train wreck. They either like really good news or really bad news, hence why sports PR always has to be on their toes with what they do or say and why Minaya throwing Rubin under the bus like that during that press conference was seriously one of the most awkward things I’ve ever seen. The Mets are going to have to do a lot to recover from the absolute train wreck that was the Minaya Era, and the Wilpons situation is absolutely not helping with that at all. What’s sad is that I think the only thing that would really help with that is for the Mets to have one season of Yankees success. That’s what helped the MSM see Steinbrenner in a different light after many seasons of failure. It went from “embarrassment” to “does what it takes to win!”
"WHO WOULD LEAD?! THE CLOWN?!"
ImNotAHRHitter
by I'mGivingYouARaise on Feb 13, 2012 6:34 PM EST up reply actions
The only quibble I have with you
is the last 2 sentences. IMO the 2 best things that happened to the Yankees were the times George got suspended. Instead of the back pages being George vs. Billy vs. Reggie or George calls out someone who had a bad day or just firing everyone in sight or blaming My Baseball People, the FO was able to actually assemble a team. And did a good job of it. As far as the “they’ve got all the money” argument, that doesn’t stop someone from screwing up, as you would know from Ed Whitson or Kei Igawa or us from Vince Coleman or Jason Bay.
Ralph Kiner: You've gotta change the script, I don't like the script.
Gary Cohen: What's wrong with the script?
Ralph Kiner: Well the script should be the Mets win every day.
Oh, you'll get no argument from me
I 100% agree that Steinbrenner’s suspension is the reason we have the type of success we currently do. Bob Watson did such a fantastic job building a team for us. All I’m saying is that it was the success that helped the MSM see him in a different light. Haha, I never said it was a legit and honest reason. It’s just what happened. And yeah, you’re absolutely right and again we agree. Having lots of money and knowing how to spend it are two completely different things. The only real difference with the Yankees is that time and time again they’ve been able to eat mistakes that would otherwise hamper or cripple another team. The Yankees capitalized off of the success of their dynasty so well that they’ve built a baseball business structure which, as far as I’ve seen, is incapable of failing. As a Yankees fan, I’m overjoyed the team I’ve followed all my life has found such success. As a baseball fan, I sometimes feel like the man in the Twilight Zone episode in which this lowlife goes down to hell and his punishment is winning all the time.
"WHO WOULD LEAD?! THE CLOWN?!"
ImNotAHRHitter
by I'mGivingYouARaise on Feb 14, 2012 1:00 AM EST up reply actions
So,
just read Francoeur’s comments in the Bay article.
Interesting…wonder what Wright has to say about those Francoeur quotes?
I’m sure some beat writer will be asking Wright’s and Bay’s opinion on Jeff’s comments of Madoff and the dimensions being in their heads.
by MetsFan4Decades on Feb 12, 2012 12:53 PM EST reply actions
why the heck are people still asking Frenchy about Mets' related ...
never mind, that was a stupid question to post.
"Fantasy, reality, science Fiction. Which is which? Who can tell?"
by feslenraster on Feb 12, 2012 1:22 PM EST up reply actions
Probably b/c he's a nice guy and always eager to give a quote
And he’s already said much of this stuff already….so Martino probably already knew what Frenchy would say and that it would fit in with the rest of the story (if he actually did get a new quote and didnt just recycle the old stuff)
Liked the Jason Bay piece
Knocks on Wood It did seem like he had started to turn things around a little bit in September, and I will keep pulling for him to succeed
"I reject your reality and substitute my own"
-Adam Savage
by blueandorange4life on Feb 12, 2012 1:09 PM EST reply actions
Me Too
So we can trade him. Perhaps 15 dingers by the all star break will get him back to Boston. After all, they were worried about the length of his contract, but there will only be 1 1/2 years left at that point.
by WT Economist on Feb 12, 2012 3:17 PM EST up reply actions
I doubt Boston would be interested,
since they’re paying a ton of money to his replacement. But a good start might hopefully spark some interest in Bay.
"And that's why anybody who invested with Lenny Dykstra should really call that number. Lawyers are standing by."
by BobbyV_Incognito on Feb 12, 2012 7:17 PM EST up reply actions
Why is everybody so caught up with dingers?
I’d rather have Bay hitting .313 with 15 homers than .270 with 30, just like I’d rather have Wright hit .330 with 20 than .290 with 35. These guys should be thinking ‘square the ball up and drive it for a double’, not ‘loft for a homer’. They aren’t being paid to hit home runs; they’re being paid to win games. Trying to hit homers makes you less likely to win games. (Actually hitting homers makes you more likely.)
Why so caught up with batting average?
I’s rather Wright his .290 with a .410 OBP than .335 with a .380 OPB
Never judge a player off September stats playing meaningless games against inferior minor
league pitching call-ups.Always pisses me off when players say they’ve been working out all winter and are in the best shape of their lives.So what Bay has been giving us for the money was not his best effort.($18 million per).I"d feel better if he saw a shrink 3 days a week to see why he lost his ability and confidence to hit a freakin’ baseball.
by Putnan Prince on Feb 12, 2012 7:03 PM EST up reply actions
Hopefully he can be our own Greg Vaughn
He’ll rebound from two miserable years with his new team, hit 50 home runs and lead our wholly unqualified team straight to the pennant.
"Baseball is like church. Many attend, but few understand."
-Wes Westrum
"I'm a huge advocate of pitching"
-Tom Seaver
I like the way you think
"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf. "
– Tug McGraw when asked about his preference for grass or astroturf
by Terry_is_God on Feb 12, 2012 10:30 PM EST up reply actions
anything can happen!
doubtful that this scenario will actually materialize, but hey, it’s time to dream.
by BurleighGrimes on Feb 13, 2012 12:39 AM EST up reply actions
First Mets game radio broadcast
Yesterday as I drove around in Astoria, I turned to WNYC, 93.9,NPR station. Jonathan Schwartz was on. Usually he does Sinatra, show tunes, popular standards, etc. Yesterday he had the first Mets radio broadcast ever. Just the intro and first few batters. Bob Murphy doing the call (Lindsay Nelson and Kiner were also going to be on the call). Brought to you by Rheingold and Brown and Williamson tobacco. At St.Louis (Musial hitting cleanup). I didn’t know Rogers Hornsby was a Mets coach.
Although this was a couple years before I was born, it brought back memories, especially since Murph broadcast for so long. Really wild to hear it on Schwartz’s show.
Sorry for the non sequitor. I tried to pull over and let the AA crowd know it was on, but it ended so quickly. About 5 minutes.
I've been on such an NPR vibe
for like a month now. Marketplace at 6:30 is my shit.
And if not, I turn around & say forget it.
They are awesome. I have become addicted to 'wait wait... don't tell me' recently
and have been avidly wasting perfectly good hours on ‘car talk’ for years
"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf. "
– Tug McGraw when asked about his preference for grass or astroturf
by Terry_is_God on Feb 12, 2012 5:05 PM EST up reply actions
Carl Kasell
I went to UNC-ChapelHill. Recently I stayed at The Carolina Inn while visiting and there are rows of photos of famous Carolina grads. Right outside my room was a photo of Carl Kasell. It took a second to register and then I was like,Oh yeah, wait wait don’t tell me. I had no idea he was a Carolina grad.
Also saw C. Vermon Royster, who wrote the semi-famous editorials that the WSJ runs every christmas and thanksgiving, In Hoc Domini and The Desolate Wilderness (or rather the editorial that accompanies it).
audio
wonder if the audio is out there somewhere. My uncle left a message for me on my Parents answering machine about this, which I just got.. bleh.
-Ceetar, the Optimistic Mets Fan
Gotta get some tickets of Banner Day
"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!" Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.
Ryder or Riot #WWWYKI
AA Gamethread Embiggening Record Holder- 458 posts (08/24/11)
3rd Place- 2011 AAOP Contest | 1st place- 2012 AAOP Contest
by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Feb 12, 2012 4:57 PM EST reply actions
I'm hoping
Bay continues hit hot stretch from September into this season, just so we can move him & get something worthwhile back in return. If he plays well, there’s a good possibility a team in need of offense near the deadline will offer a good prospect and financial relief for Bay’s talents.
I think Moore is a good bet to win AL Rookie of the Year. The Rays made the deal of a lifetime in signing him to that extension so early. I haven’t heard anything to the contrary, but I don’t think Medlen & Cybory Hanson are back from their injuries yet.
Unless the Yankees are paying 90% of Burnett’s deal, I’m not sure why Huntington & the Pirates are interested in him. A dude who was never that good to begin with & is declining doesn’t seem like a good fit for a young team that’s trying to build to future success.
And lastly & sadly in off topic stuff, Whitney Houston passed away yesterday. Here’s my favorite song of hers
And if not, I turn around & say forget it.
there was a semi-plausible argument made on fangraphs this weekend
that a team like the Pirates, which has had so much trouble wooing free agent talent, may need an upgrade to the pitching rotation like Burnett so badly because in their effort to get to respectability paying 1/8 of the contract cost for a year and a half of Burnett is a better bet than A. Massively overpaying for a FA (see: Jayson Werth) or 2. Not getting a Burnett-type or two and treading water due to a truly awful pitching staff, thus keeping the vicious cycle of not being able to land FA talent alive for another season.
by BurleighGrimes on Feb 12, 2012 6:31 PM EST up reply actions
Also, Burnett's peripherals tell us that he's been a bit unlucky the past couple of years
perhaps getting out of the AL East and out of that little league stadium could actually help him put up a couple of semi-decent years. Then again, he may totally just fall apart a la Ollie Perez at this point, who knows…
by BurleighGrimes on Feb 12, 2012 6:32 PM EST up reply actions
Louis C.K. said he heard a comedian sing a parody of that song called
“Sitting on a c*ck cause I’m gay.” He thought that was the funniest thing he ever heard. I found it very humorous.
Wait, Bay lives in Kirkland?
Why didn’t I know this sooner!
I could hang out with him, because that is totally possible.
We could go get Dick’s (burgers).
"..."
by Thaddeus Ballpheasant on Feb 12, 2012 8:05 PM EST reply actions
I thought he lived in Larchmont?
"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!" Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.
Ryder or Riot #WWWYKI
AA Gamethread Embiggening Record Holder- 458 posts (08/24/11)
3rd Place- 2011 AAOP Contest | 1st place- 2012 AAOP Contest
by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Feb 12, 2012 8:09 PM EST up reply actions
During the season he's in Larchmont
but his family is located in Kirkland apparently
"..."
by Thaddeus Ballpheasant on Feb 12, 2012 8:54 PM EST up reply actions
Ah, to be rich and have multiple homes...
"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!" Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.
Ryder or Riot #WWWYKI
AA Gamethread Embiggening Record Holder- 458 posts (08/24/11)
3rd Place- 2011 AAOP Contest | 1st place- 2012 AAOP Contest
by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Feb 12, 2012 11:11 PM EST up reply actions
It's hilarious to me that in some deep, dark cellar of Citifield
Jason Bay has totally gone nuts on some bats and walls. Most Canadian secret freak out ever.
by BurleighGrimes on Feb 12, 2012 10:04 PM EST reply actions
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