Master Index of Archived Threads


Brogna Thread 2020

stevejrogers Jan 31 2020 07:03 AM

Curtis Granderson announces retirement https://www.facebook.com/53927198229/posts/10157116411253230/?d=n

G-Fafif Jan 31 2020 09:23 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Tony Fernandez, 57, in critical condition from a kidney disorder. Kidney stones were an issue during his 1993 Met tenure.

Edgy MD Feb 10 2020 02:28 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

USA Today interviews Ed Lynch, who's not happy about baseball's reliance on analytics. You read it and ... he's right in some places, but where he's wrong, he's pretty damn wrong. “The game now is getting so heavily loaded with research and development. You got to remember you have to have boots on the ground, and I think maybe they overlook that. When you're dealing with human beings man, you can't go 100% science. You can't. They're human beings. They're unpredictable. You can't extrapolate their behavior and turn it into numbers. You just can't do it. “Numbers don't measure what's in a guy's soul.'' USA Today's editors, meanwhile, commit enough errors to embarrass Frank Taveras.

Johnny Lunchbucket Feb 10 2020 03:21 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Yeah, weird piece. Lynch was considered something of a cutting-edge hire as a GM in his day as he was the youngest GM in the game when the Cubs hired him. And though he speaks proudly of abusing himself for the game one of his notable GMing exploits was going after a high school coach who worked young Kerry Wood too hard. Also as a GM (groomed for such a role by Joe McIlvaine) his record in Chicago was pretty dim: He spoke of "pitching, speed and defense" but wound up getting them a bunch of veteran role-players and trading away more than a few promising minor-leaguers. That said I'd like it if the Mets hired him in Jessica Mendoza's role

G-Fafif Feb 17 2020 12:23 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Roger Craig, who threw the first pitch in Mets history, turns 90 today, the fourth Met alive to have entered a tenth decade (Dave Hillman, Frank Thomas and Joe Pignatano are already there). Nick Diunte did a nice story on him when Roger was a lad of 89. https://metsmerizedonline.com/2019/03/mmo-exclusive-roger-craig-impacted-two-new-york-baseball-dynasties.html/

Benjamin Grimm Feb 17 2020 12:44 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

In total, five Mets players have lived to be 90. In addition to those above who are alive at the present time, there's Yogi Berra. Hobie Landrith is about a month away from joining the club. (Born March 16, 1930.)

G-Fafif Feb 22 2020 10:08 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Robin Ventura: SOTA (student over traditional age). https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/ny-robin-ventura-mets-world-series-college-degree-20200222-q763m3hisfbo5lo2fu3dkjulvq-story.html Also, Doug Mientkiewicz has joined the ACC Network as an analyst.

G-Fafif Mar 16 2020 07:04 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Hobie Landrith is picked fifth in the Living Mets Nonagenarian Draft, joining Messrs. Hillman, Pignatano, Thomas and Craig in the 90-and-up club.

G-Fafif May 24 2020 01:28 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Joel Sherman revisits the fate of phenom Gregg Jefferies. His teammates sound kinda sorry they were jerkish in his direction. https://nypost.com/2020/05/23/gregg-jefferies-complicated-mets-failure-looks-different-now/amp/

Edgy MD Jun 24 2020 02:45 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Everytime i read about Ahmaud Arbery, I read about one of his killers being named "Greg McMichael," and just for a second, I think he's the ex-Met.

Johnny Lunchbucket Jun 24 2020 02:51 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

And when I think of Greg McMichael, I remember how Steve Phillips traded him away, then traded back for him, during the course of the very same season. Probably a short list of Mets on that list

G-Fafif Jun 25 2020 01:45 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Good late ‘90s times with Subway Series heroes Mlicki & Franco. https://youtu.be/DSpeWismKZw https://youtu.be/kZfNgQvIb3g

Johnny Lunchbucket Jun 25 2020 06:01 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

That was great. Franco has gone full Lebowski. Note to Howie's producer: Add footage of the plays or even stills.

Edgy MD Jun 25 2020 06:46 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Yup. But Howie's producer is probably furloughed and one of his kids is running the show. Lookit the giant monitor on Franco's exercise bike.

Johnny Lunchbucket Jun 25 2020 07:00 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

iirc the Mlicki game was a sunny weekday afternoon, like a Tuesday, as baseball was sorta softpedaling the whole interleague thing. I was in a cubicle alongside a hardheaded but funny MFY fan colleague from New Jersey. I hardly ever mention this guy but in his own way he was a big influence on my fandom for as I was discovering an online baseball community on the mofo, this guy had appointed himself a kind of enforcer at one of the early yankee fan sites. Our collective productivity was directly related to how much activity there was on the boards on any day and the Mlicki Game was a triumph for our relationship he never forgot.

G-Fafif Jun 26 2020 10:48 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Jay Hook, the man who launched a franchise's (and a song parody contest's) winning ways, joins Howie. You might say he's kept busy. https://youtu.be/qYMWNgdBoxQ https://youtu.be/49uX4rAS22I A player from 1962 chatting in 2020 ~ a player from 1904 chatting in 1962.

G-Fafif Jun 26 2020 10:56 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote: iirc the Mlicki game was a sunny weekday afternoon, like a Tuesday, as baseball was sorta softpedaling the whole interleague thing. Mlicki was a Monday night, but the first Subway Series finale, which went ten searing innings, was a Wednesday afternoon.

Johnny Lunchbucket Jun 27 2020 09:10 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

I must be conflating

G-Fafif Jun 29 2020 08:13 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Bob McClure has been sidelined as Twins bullpen coach out of an abundance of Covid caution. http://strib.mn/2NDxKCw

stevejrogers Jul 05 2020 07:41 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Wrong ex-Met infielder will be inducted the next time the Cardinals hold their HOF ceremony. [url]https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/fans/hof-vote Hernandez will have wait another year :( Herr, will be joined with John Tudor and Bill White.

G-Fafif Jul 10 2020 10:32 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Collin McHugh was and remains an interesting character. https://twitter.com/infieldchatter/status/1281619439247601665?s=21

stevejrogers Jul 12 2020 08:35 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Jose Reyes graduates to the Brognas of the world.

Edgy MD Jul 12 2020 08:58 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

That's a shame. He could have had a real useful suber-subbing second half to his career. He just couldn't find his groove, and his personality was too big to find a home on anybody's bench.

G-Fafif Jul 12 2020 10:02 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Jerry Blevins was released by the Giants in March when the world was otherwise preoccupied. Hasn't been picked up and doesn't seem to be actively seeking a post-LOOGY role.

G-Fafif Jul 14 2020 03:34 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

The Padres have announced Juan Lagares has elected free agency.

Edgy MD Jul 14 2020 08:21 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Maybe he can be the non-pitching version of Pedro Feliciano, the guy who's always leaving but never gone.

G-Fafif Jul 15 2020 02:39 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Howie and Pat Zachry (or Sam Elliott as Pat Zachry). https://youtu.be/Rc3mmuKNQl4 Laconic a Texan as he may be, he'll break your heart talking about his late wife.

G-Fafif Jul 18 2020 07:05 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Joe Smith opted out of the season, positioning Ollie Perez and Daniel Murphy as the last of the Shea Mets.

G-Fafif Jul 19 2020 03:22 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Collin McHugh opts out for 2020.

G-Fafif Jul 20 2020 09:55 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Anthony Swarzak has requested and received his unconditional release from the Phillies — a team Neil Walker has made.

Edgy MD Jul 20 2020 02:44 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Howie and Pat Zachry (or Sam Elliott as Pat Zachry). https://youtu.be/Rc3mmuKNQl4 Laconic a Texan as he may be, he'll break your heart talking about his late wife. Zach sure doesn't come across as somebody accustomed to drawing attention to himself, but Howie does a pretty good job drawing him out. There was crosstalk and I wasn't able to quite make out the apparent insult [CROSSOUT]Bob Howsham[/CROSSOUT] Dick Wagner made about his wife-to-be. It sure seems odd to think that both pitchers in the deal were motivated by anger over an affront to their spouses.

MFS62 Jul 21 2020 07:31 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Does Matt Adams count (he only appeared for the Mets in exhibition games)? He just signed with the Braves. Later

Edgy MD Jul 21 2020 08:56 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Brogna threads are usually reserved for retired exxies, rather than continuing careers of exxies. Adams, of course, is a bit of a stretch to categorize as any kind of exxy, but I'm not here to discourage.

G-Fafif Jul 29 2020 09:59 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Can't say I spent a minute missing Willie Randolph, but this is a terrific baseball and life conversation between our former 2B/Mgr and Howie Rose. https://youtu.be/tH-WkaEGKNs

G-Fafif Jul 29 2020 02:51 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Jose (Jose, Jose, Jose) officially retires. https://twitter.com/lamelaza_7/status/1288570321709260802?s=21

G-Fafif Sep 11 2020 07:41 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Tim Graham of The Athletic catches up with R.A. Dickey. More of a Blue Jays angle, but that works, too, given the knuckleball taking flight ten years ago in Buffalo. Plus there's a sweet Seaver anecdote. When I was having my Cy Young season, I met a few times. He always challenged me on my hitting, which I found pretty funny. He was always asking me if I'd hit a home run yet. “Don't talk to me until you've hit a home run.” He was great with that stuff. https://theathletic.com/2055379/2020/09/11/qa-r-a-dickey-on-his-endangered-weapon-his-home-pitching-lab-tom-seaver/

Edgy MD Sep 11 2020 08:04 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

There was an account that Gary Cohen (maybe Darling?) was giving about David Wright and Seaver being big leaguers about busting chops, and that when Seaver was mentioning a pitching teammate of Wright's, but couldn't recall his name, Wright thereafter just called Seaver, "Hall-of-Fame Guy." In retrospect, maybe busting Seaver's chops over his memory was a bad idea, but according to the booth, Seaver loved it at the time. But in my mind, it was Dickey's name that Seaver couldn't come up with. "You know ... the Knuckleball Guy."

G-Fafif Sep 11 2020 02:12 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Gelbs was relaying the Wright story.

whippoorwill Sep 11 2020 04:11 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Edgy MD wrote: Howie and Pat Zachry (or Sam Elliott as Pat Zachry). https://youtu.be/Rc3mmuKNQl4 Laconic a Texan as he may be, he'll break your heart talking about his late wife. Zach sure doesn't come across as somebody accustomed to drawing attention to himself, but Howie does a pretty good job drawing him out. There was crosstalk and I wasn't able to quite make out the apparent insult [CROSSOUT]Bob Howsham[/CROSSOUT] Dick Wagner made about his wife-to-be. It sure seems odd to think that both pitchers in the deal were motivated by anger over an affront to their spouses. God love him. Did I hear a rooster? I ask because as I was watching, the neighbors rooster was crowing

G-Fafif Sep 19 2020 04:41 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Ron Gardenhire retires from managing. Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire stepped down on Saturday, announcing his retirement after three seasons in Detroit and 16 years managing in the Major Leagues. The decision came out of a Saturday afternoon meeting with general manager Al Avila at Comerica Park, during which Gardenhire discussed his recent health issues. “This afternoon when I got here to the office, I come down and go into Gardy's office to talk baseball stuff,” Avila said in a Zoom conference. “And at that point we started talking, and he mentioned to me he was going to retire and he wasn't feeling well from a health perspective.” Gardenhire, 62, is a cancer survivor. He missed two games in Minnesota earlier this month with what was described as a stomach virus. He said he initially planned to retire at season's end, but he decided to retire immediately after talking with Avila about his issues, including shakes in his hands from the stress of the job. “The way I've been feeling since I had that bout of food poisoning in Minnesota and the stomach problems and the stress involved with this job, I told Al I'll step down right now,” Gardenhire said. Bench coach Lloyd McClendon will manage the Tigers through the rest of the season. The remainder of the coaching staff will stay on through the end of the season. https://www.mlb.com/tigers/news/ron-gardenhire-retires-as-tigers-manager

Johnny Lunchbucket Sep 19 2020 05:38 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Maybe they hire the Michigan native Terry C. Good luck to Gardy

Edgy MD Sep 19 2020 08:28 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

McClendon played bushie ball in the Mets system with Gardenhire.

G-Fafif Sep 19 2020 09:09 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

https://twitter.com/dolphan_bill/status/1307472433759354881?s=21

MFS62 Sep 20 2020 07:26 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

I thought Jesse Orosco might be pitching long after Gardenhire retired as a manager. In fact, isn't he still pitching? Somewhere? Later

Edgy MD Sep 20 2020 07:30 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

I'm still hoping we'll see some Ed Cuervo action with the big club soon.

G-Fafif Sep 20 2020 09:43 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

"I didn't have that many great moments as a player, as far as doing anything," Gardenhire said. "But that was a great moment to be a part of — to watch Tom Seaver at Shea Stadium make the walk to start that day. That was a really cool thing." https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2020/09/03/detroit-tigers-ron-gardenhire-tom-seaver-dies/5700386002/

G-Fafif Sep 20 2020 10:06 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Vance Wilson reportedly under consideration to succeed Gardenhire.

Edgy MD Sep 20 2020 10:41 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

"I didn't have that many great moments as a player, as far as doing anything," Gardenhire said. Can't forget the extra-inning walkoff shot off the Expos and Bryn Smith, though. [FIMG=700]http://ultimatemets.com/scorecard_graph.php?game=3348&font=5[/FIMG]

Johnny Lunchbucket Sep 21 2020 07:24 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

That Ownbey kid might turn out to be something

Edgy MD Sep 21 2020 07:37 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

That's some dangerous living for Frisbee Boy — walking eight batters including four in a row, but somehow getting out of there with only one run across.

G-Fafif Sep 22 2020 09:38 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Gelbs gives us 1999 Met porn, the best kind. https://sny.tv/articles/like-we-never-left-the-1999-mets-and-the-best-infield-ever

G-Fafif Oct 05 2020 01:27 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

The day Jeff Innis was Called Up. I got there, and the culture shock was just unbelievable. Nothing would have ever prepared me for it, because I'd never been to big league camp and I didn't know anybody except a couple guys. My uniform was there and I was just blown away by how regal everything was. And being in New York, it was just crazy. My head was spinning the whole time. Reporters came up to see what the new guy's about. Then, the game started, and I felt like a child among men. It was a Saturday night game, and this was the year after the Mets won the World Series. The Giants were in town and there were nearly 50,000 people there. I was down in the bullpen. In the seventh inning, the phone rings, and it's the loudest phone ring ever. The bullpen coach yells my name, and it scared me to death. I got up to warm up, and I swear, I couldn't even feel the ball in my hand. I was numb. My first throw to the catcher sailed 10 feet over his head and hit the wall behind him. I gradually started to settle down a little bit, but I didn't get in that inning. I got up the next inning and didn't get in that inning. By the time the eighth inning rolled around, I had gone from being scared to actually wanting to get into the game. It was tied, and had we gone ahead, Roger McDowell was going to pitch the top of the ninth inning. If it was still tied, I was going to go in the game. I was praying we wouldn't score because I wanted to pitch. That's how much of a metamorphosis happened in about an hour. I got into the game and what I noticed when I went out there was that the lights were so bright. It's not like the minor leagues. It's almost like a fight or flight response. You're either going to be scared or you're going to dig in and have the concentration you've never, ever had. That's what happened with me. I was really very concentrated and and my stuff was really good. The first time I ever met Gary Carter was on the mound when I was pitching. He was really cool. He was like, ‘Hey, listen, I've never caught you. I know you're a sinker slider guy, but if you need to, just shake me off, okay? You're the guy in charge.' I was like, ‘Okay, thanks.' That's how I was. I threw the pitches I wanted to throw. I didn't care who was catching. So, I was glad he said that. The first guy up was Chris Speier and he grounded out to second. I struck the second and third guys out. Three up, three down. https://www.facebook.com/104004107709626/posts/jeff-innis-in-the-seventh-inning-the-phone-rings-and-its-the-loudest-phone-ring-/353586849418016/

Johnny Lunchbucket Oct 05 2020 04:12 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

What a great story--and another great idea for a series I wanna punch myself for not thinking up sooner.

Edgy MD Oct 24 2020 08:26 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

There's nothing I can add here. https://twitter.com/ArtShamsky/status/1320103743053070337

G-Fafif Nov 16 2020 06:08 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

https://twitter.com/writersblaah/status/1328058631560986624?s=21

G-Fafif Nov 19 2020 08:18 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

The Stork! Via the Son of The Stork! https://twitter.com/boywondergolf/status/1328458980088188928?s=21

Marshmallowmilkshake Nov 19 2020 10:17 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

The Stork! Via the Son of The Stork! https://twitter.com/boywondergolf/status/1328458980088188928?s=21 YES!!!! George Theodore sighntings are the BEST!!! Get that man a marshmallow milkshake!!

G-Fafif Dec 12 2020 05:41 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Lee Mazzilli returns to his speed skating roots. Last month, Mazzilli got a chance to reconnect with speedskating and was delighted when the memories came flooding back. Bigwigs at U.S. Speedskating asked him to participate on a Zoom call with supporters to promote the sport. The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing are just over 400 days away. Blair was on the call and so was Eddy Alvarez, the Marlins infielder who won a Silver medal in speedskating at the 2014 Winter Olympics as part of the U.S. 5,000-meter relay team. Alvarez made his Major League debut last August and his story — he's the first Winter Olympics medalist ever to get an at-bat in MLB — garnered national attention for speedskating. It was natural to put Mazzilli and Alvarez together. In fact, Heiden suggested it when organizers were discussing Alvarez and his baseball background. “Lee was such a good athlete,” Heiden says. “Every once in a while, you'd see him throwing a baseball around with both arms. He was ambidextrous. It was always cool, when he was playing in the majors, to think, ‘Hey, I used to know that guy.'” It's mutual admiration. Mazzilli gushes when talking about what Heiden did at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, winning five Gold medals at distances ranging from 500 meters to 10,000 meters. Heiden was the first person to win five Gold medals in a single Olympics. “It's Jim Thorpe-ish,” Mazzilli says. “It's mind-boggling what he did from sprint to the middle to the distance. It's not talked about enough.” On the Zoom call, Mazzilli and Alvarez touched on everything from backgrounds to the not-so-plentiful similarities between baseball and skating: “Turning left all the time,” Alvarez jokes. “There's really not that much. But the competitive spirit, that was instilled in us in skating and baseball — always trying to find an edge.” https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/ny-lee-mazzillis-speedskating-olympics-20201212-kyorxlvyojhc5jvwagxsuapxyi-story.html

Edgy MD Dec 13 2020 07:59 AM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

“At that time, you couldn't be a pro in one thing and amateur in another,” Mazzilli recalls. That's just one of many insensible injustices you can chalk up to our obsession with amateurism. I kind of guessed that at least part of the reason Mazz chose baseball was because he figured the entire sport belonged to Heiden for his generation.

G-Fafif Dec 14 2020 08:45 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Deep literally random dive into the career of 1966 debut wonder Dick Rusteck from Random Former Major League Player of the Day: In February 1966 Dick signed a major league contract with the Mets and went to spring training, where manager Wes Westrum was high on him and planned to keep him, but a couple of poor outings led to the team deciding he needed more time in the minors. He was sent to the Jacksonville Suns of the Class AAA International League, where he got off to a great start, overshadowing teammate Tom Seaver; he was almost called up in early May but he got hit in the elbow by a line drive and the Mets decided to hold off. In his first six starts he had six complete game wins and an ERA of 1.13. He lost the seventh start, and then the Mets promoted him on June 9. The next night at Shea Stadium he made his major league debut, as reported by Jack Lang in the following day's Jersey Journal: Rusteck Lives Up to Westrum's Hopes It is obvious now why Wes Westrum spent the better part of a month pleading with the front office to bring up Dick Rusteck. From the first time he saw him in the Florida Instructional League last November, Westrum has been impressed with the slender, blond lefthander from Notre Dame. Last night 33,977 fans at Shea Stadium and a million or so watching on TV saw why. Rusteck, who arrived in New York only the night before following his recall from Jacksonville, made his first start against the powerful Cincinnati Reds and shut them out with four singles, 5-0. Not a single Cincy baserunner reached second base as Rusteck pitched a masterpiece in his first league start. The only walk he issued was in the first inning. He went to a 3-2 count on just three other batters and he accomplished his mission with haste, making only 95 pitches in the two hour and six minute ball game. Was Rusteck nervous pitching before the largest crowd he'd ever seen in a ball park? “Just the normal nervousness of a pitcher making his first major league start,” the cool kid admitted later. “I might have been more nervous a few years ago but I'm 24 now. All I did was to try and pitch the way I did at Jacksonville.” At Jacksonville he was 6-1 and he confessed that he had expected to be recalled earlier. “When I won my first four or five I knew there was talk about me coming up,” he said. “But then I lost my first game, 4-0, last Saturday night I forgot about it. I didn't think they'd bring me up after that.” Rusteck wasn't aware that he had a booster in Westrum. Even after the kid had been rocked in his last two appearances in spring training, Wes wanted to keep him. But the front office decided otherwise and perhaps it was for the best, because when Dick came up last night, he was ready. As Westrum said, “The magnificent thing about him is that he throws strikes.” Rusteck is Westrum's type of pitcher because he keeps the ball low. “He has a major league arm plus complete control of his fast ball and his curve,” the manager raved. “He never lets up to get a ball over.” https://rfmlbpod.blogspot.com/2020/12/dick-rusteck.html

Edgy MD Dec 14 2020 09:06 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

That's a good report, with just enough editorializing to qualify for the tabloids.

Johnny Lunchbucket Dec 14 2020 09:26 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

I was born on Dick Rusteck Day.

G-Fafif Dec 14 2020 09:28 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Dick Rusteck debuted on Johnny Lunchbucket Day.

G-Fafif Dec 14 2020 09:31 PM Re: Brogna Thread 2020

Daily News reminds us John Franco is a good guy. Could Franco play Santa Claus at the Mets' annual Christmas party? Yes, for 14 straight years, in full Kris Kringle garb. Could he visit the heroes digging through the rubble of Ground Zero? Yes, more than once. And could he answer Gov. Cuomo's call to pitch in against the pandemic? Yes — and Franco's voice, urging New Yorkers to wear their face masks, echoes through subway cars across the Big Apple. “It's part of being a New Yorker,” explains the Brooklyn-born Franco, now 60 and living in Manhattan. “And obviously, it's part of being myself. I was born and raised here. This is who I am.”