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Behind the scenes

Benjamin Grimm Feb 11 2008 08:18 AM

I don't know that this counts as "Member Promotion" but I think it's interesting stuff for those of us who have some interest in how web sites work. I subscribed to Google Alerts to look for mentions of "Ultimate Mets Database" or "ultimatemets.com" A lot of the results are just junk, like "portals" trying to emulate the old Netscape Directory; pages that list a bunch of Mets links as returned by Google or Yahoo. And sometimes I get links I already know about, like from this forum, or from FAFIF. But some stuff is somewhat intriguing. Today I was notified of a listing on Googspy.com, which seems to monitor Google search results. Here's what I learned: ultimatemets.com Ranks in the Top 10 on the following Search Terms: Rank Term Title 3 dwight gooden Ultimate Mets Database - Dwight Gooden 7 don baylor Ultimate Mets Database - Don Baylor 8 noboa Ultimate Mets Database - Junior Noboa 8 mug shot Ultimate Mets Database - Mug Shots 9 tom parsons Ultimate Mets Database - Tom Parsons I was kind of impressed to learn that the UMDB ranks third on Google for a search on a name as prominent as "Dwight Gooden." (I tested it, though, and found that the actual result is tenth, which is still pretty good.) As for the other results, I found them more odd than impressive. I hope you enjoyed this little peek under the hood. Perhaps I'll share more as I discover them. And those of you who also maintain web presences, you might want to subscribe to Google Alerts if you haven't already. It sometimes provides a fun little diversion.

Centerfield Feb 12 2008 12:04 PM

If Google had any brains, UMD would be first for anything Met-related.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Feb 12 2008 12:39 PM

I don't know anything, but what I think I know would seem to indicate that google results like that could generate some $$ in the event you wanted to lease space for google to sell on your site, and/or ca$h in bigtime by monetizing the whole magilla gorlla. I mean, plenty of shittier sites than yours, with less traffic to boot, seem to do a pretty good job selling ads. And lots of sites out there who pay to "optimize" their search results couldn't hope for much better placement than you already have. Am I making any sense?

Benjamin Grimm Feb 12 2008 12:56 PM

Yeah. I should spend more time thinking about stuff like that. I am getting enough ad revenue that the site is (very) modestly profitable, but I could probably do better. I've also toyed with the idea of a "sponsor this page" feature.

Benjamin Grimm Feb 17 2008 08:38 PM

Kris Benson is getting a huge number of hits lately, and I just discovered the reason why. Do a Google image search on "Anna Benson" and the UMDB 1973 baseball card comes up as the seventh result! http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q ... ages&gbv=2

John Cougar Lunchbucket Feb 17 2008 09:14 PM

I don't know whether they asked your permission but the popular MetsBlog used that image just recently.

Benjamin Grimm Feb 18 2008 06:52 AM

Nope, they didn't ask my permission. I've never been to MetsBlog, but I've seen the MetsBlog guy on SNY's Hot Stove Report. I guess, since his blog has led to a regular TV spot, he's one of the leading Mets bloggers?

Gwreck Feb 18 2008 09:37 AM

All depends what "leading" means. :) But yes, it's easily the most popular.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Feb 18 2008 08:44 PM

A little dispiriting that. Not that you can't admire a guy who essentially hustled his way into becoming a professional Met fan, it's that the site for all it's usefulness and popularity is so relentlessly bland the Mets' own house organ, SNY, has basically repurposed it as its home page. Yet when Peter Gammons wants his readers to know he's "tuned in" to the blogosphere technorati, that's the name he drops.

metirish Feb 18 2008 08:56 PM

I don't find it any better than hundreds of other Mets fan sites, the few times I've looked at metsblog it basically linked to newspaper articles.

Benjamin Grimm May 01 2008 01:26 PM

New feature, activated today.

John Cougar Lunchbucket May 01 2008 02:38 PM

awesome

metirish May 01 2008 05:33 PM

Truely brilliant information , versus Fernando Valenzuela with two outs , bases empty , first inning or later , 1986. 1986 Then the details link really ices it. Great work.

sharpie May 02 2008 07:25 AM

Very impressive. Why no 1999?

Benjamin Grimm May 02 2008 07:32 AM

I don't know! You'll have to ask Retrosheet. I used the play-by-play data that Retrosheet provides for download, and they don't have 1999. (They simply say, hopefully someday soon.)

AG/DC May 02 2008 07:36 AM

I say (and who cares what I say) more biographical data. I think (and who cares what I think) you should list which Mets are related to which Mets. There's only about a dozen related Mets anyhow.

Benjamin Grimm May 02 2008 08:00 AM

[quote="AG/DC":3hfonf15]I say (and who cares what I say) more biographical data. I think (and who cares what I think) you should list which Mets are related to which Mets.[/quote:3hfonf15] That's on my mental to-do list. I've been on the verge of getting started on that for about a month now, but haven't done anything yet. I'd also include Mets who are related to non-Mets. (Like Jesus Alou and his brothers, and Mike Maddux, etc.)

AG/DC May 02 2008 08:12 AM

Well, I'm just trying to keep it in the family and containable. You realize that you're on the verge of making an MLB database that rivals the big boys, except it starts in 1962. I mean, you know, who cares that Mike Maddux had a brother on some other team? If I can't be a jingoist at the UMDB, where can I be? That Pete Falcone was Joe Pignatano's nephew (which I just learned a year or two ago) --- that's good important stuff.

seawolf17 May 02 2008 08:54 AM

[quote="AG/DC"]I mean, you know, who cares that Mike Maddux had a brother on some other team? If I can't be a jingoist at the UMDB, where can I be?

Mike Maddux has a brother? In the major leagues? I wonder if he was as good as Mike was. Mike was really dynamite in 1993. Maybe we should have tried to sign his brother, Mike Glavine-like.

G-Fafif May 02 2008 03:49 PM

[quote="Benjamin Grimm"]I don't know! You'll have to ask Retrosheet. I used the play-by-play data that Retrosheet provides for download, and they don't have 1999. (They simply say, hopefully someday soon.)

FYI, baseball-reference has play-by-play for '99.

Benjamin Grimm May 22 2008 12:20 PM

Thanks, G, but if it's not in the Retrosheet format I can't really use it, at least, not without more effort than I care to expend! Anyway, the feature mentioned above is now also available for individual players: http://www.ultimatemets.com/profile.php ... 50&tabno=A

John Cougar Lunchbucket May 22 2008 12:38 PM

Awesome! I always wanted to know how Darryl Strawberry performed: In the 7th Inning and later with the Bases Loaded and a Tie score vs. Rich Gossage 0-0 with a walk/RBI in 1 PA!

Benjamin Grimm May 22 2008 12:44 PM

And that was a 10th-inning "walk-off" walk at Shea!

Benjamin Grimm Jul 07 2008 02:41 PM

Nothing major here, but here are some changes that have popped up on the Ultimate Mets Database over the last few weeks. Retrosheet has finally uploaded play-by-play data for 1999, so the UMDB now has situational stats for all seasons from 1962 through 2007. The mug shots page has been redesigned. Inspired by a recent post by Michigan, there's now a page devoted to the Mets Hall of Fame. Newly added to the UMDB, pages for Bill Shea, Jane Jarvis, and Lou Niss. (I suppose I really should do one for Jay Horwitz. I'll need to track down what his titles have been over the years.)

SteveJRogers Jul 07 2008 06:12 PM

Would you like photos of the HOF's busts to go on the page?

Benjamin Grimm Jul 07 2008 07:18 PM

Haven't thought about it. Feel free to send them to me and, if they're good, I'll consider using them. Thanks.

Frayed Knot Jul 07 2008 09:01 PM

Just remember that all the pictures also have shots of Steve's cousin in them.

metsguyinmichigan Jul 09 2008 12:50 PM

I have some shots I can send along for consideration. The lighting in that room was tough. The rescue dog statue came out nice, though! :)