A Few Thoughts Before I Put the 2006 Mets' Season to Bed

The crowd at Shea last night was fan-fucking-tastic: loud whenever the game situation called for it and on their feet for most of the rest of the game. My... M O R E »

There's Always Next Year

Yadier. Fucking. Molina. Also, Jeff Suppan. But, honestly: Yadier. Fucking. Molina. Also, Endy Chavez! Whoa, Endy Chavez! But, in the end: Yadier. Fucking. Molina.... M O R E »

Going to Game 7

I’m leaving in a few minutes to grab dinner, then hop on the 7 train with Dad. Tonight is the game of Oliver Perez’ life (like, I suppose, last night... M O R E »

On the Brink of Elimination

And so a 97-win season comes down to two must-win games at home. If the Mets manage to beat Chris Carpenter tonight, I’ll be at the game tomorrow. Win or... M O R E »

Onward! to the NLCS!

I only caught snippets of the game last night between mouthfuls of barbecue at dinner (noticed a pattern in my Mets-watching the past couple nights?), but holy crap the Mets... M O R E »

Mets 4, Dodgers 1

I didn’t see much of the game last night, what with all the sneezing and NyQuil. Floyd was absolutely robbed on his monster bomb to right field that turned into... M O R E »

Mets 6, Dodgers 5

Last night’s game really felt like a Mets game: trailing early, several lead changes, and a nail-biter of a finish. Willie handled the staff beautifully, and though I would have... M O R E »

Mmm, playoffs.

With only hours before the Mets play their first postseason game since 2001, I figure I’d better weigh in here with at least a cursory prediction. Pedro hadn’t been himself... M O R E »

The Mets' Magic Number: 0!

And with a three-game sweep of the once invincible-in-Atlanta Braves, the Mets have all but clinched the NL East. In fact, according to BP’s Playoff Odds Report, there is now... M O R E »

Baseball Season is Here!

After a long and cold (though thankfully not very snowy) winter, today is the first day of the 2006 baseball season. It’s been three years since I’ve made my predictions... M O R E »

Schilling: Unapologetic Nerd

A couple years back, Curt Schilling went on record with his Everquest addiction (which I thought I blogged at the time, but I must be mistaken). Now, he openly shuns... M O R E »

The Stretch Run

It's been months since I've written at length about baseball in this space, and I don't think I've watched a game in its entirety since April. Blame the Mets. That... M O R E »

On Pete Rose's Return

Baseball Prospectus is reporting that Pete Rose has reached a deal that would let him back into baseball. It would allow him to be employed by a team beginning in... M O R E »

At The Yankee Game (and what happened after)

Dan called me this morning with an offer of free Yankees tickets care of Sony. Though I despise the Yankees, baseball is still baseball, and I haven't been to (and... M O R E »

It's Like Christmas

Armando Benitez blew his first game for the Yankees. Perhaps there is justice in this world.... M O R E »

ATTN: Yankee Fans

To all Yankee fans, from a Mets fan (representing all Mets fans): Enjoy him. I hope he does for you as well as he did for us.... M O R E »

Dream Job

My dream job will be opening up in about three and a half years. Anybody on the inside that can get my resume to the right people?... M O R E »

Foreign Languages

I just turned on the Yankee game on ESPN, and they were relaying anecdotes from spring training relating to Hideki Matsui: "He's added some levity to the clubhouse. Derek Jeter... M O R E »

On Sliding Headfirst

Sliding headfirst is bad. This is an accepted fact in baseball circles, and those who slide headfirst are demonized for "not taking care of their bodies" or just being careless,... M O R E »

Rite of Spring

Dan was complaining about the recent proliferation of baseball-related writings in this space, but I can't help it: I love baseball. So, I'm going to continue. To satiate his technolust,... M O R E »

Derek Jeter Bites The Dust

I was watching the Yankees/Blue Jays game, and I saw the play that put Jeter out of commission for at least six weeks (but possibly as long as the entire... M O R E »

The Mets' Opening Day

Here's my attempt to subvert authority by disseminating, without express written consent, a description of the the events of the Mets-Cubs game today: The Mets sucked balls. That is all.... M O R E »

MLB Predictions: 2003

As it turns out, I know nothing about baseball (see my last year's predictions for confirmation). That's never stopped anybody from making preseason picks before, though, so here are mine.... M O R E »

Another Fantasy Baseball Team

So I'm finally in a keeper fantasy baseball league, with a group of guys I've been playing with for several years now. We have a salary structure and everything, so... M O R E »

One and Done

I'm starting a keeper league in fantasy baseball this year, and we opted for a several-week-long email draft in an auction format, and it won't be done until this weekend.... M O R E »

Stat Aggregator

I want an application that will download, store, and display baseball statistics for games as they happen. It should be generic enough that it can work with any provided source (so that, for example, my dad could publish his softball team's boxscores and they would display alongside the latest major league scores). Of course, for any of this to work, there will also need to be real-time providers of this information.

M O R E »

A Shift In Priorities

I was really excited last week about finally being able to begin Sandman, but I strangely haven't read any in the past several days. Then the UPS man came today... M O R E »

My Take On Rose

Every so often, the Pete Rose issue flares up: should he be reinstated, should he be in the Hall of Fame, should he shut up and go away... and so... M O R E »

The End of My Rope

The Mets have declined to offer Edgardo Alfonzo arbitration. Thanks to this, he and the team are not allowed to negotiate until May 1, 2003. He's gone. I wasn't alive... M O R E »

Glavine A Met

Tom Glavine has signed with the Mets for US$35 million over three years with a vested option for the fourth year. I'm worried about this deal. Tom Glavine is getting... M O R E »

MVP Controversey

Naturally, someone who isn't Alex Rodriguez won this year's MVP award. Naturally, I'm pissed off, and there are plenty of people that agree with me. Look, ARod plays for a... M O R E »

The End of Futility?

The Red Sox have hired Bill James to be their "Senior Advisor, Baseball Operations". Imagine the Oakland A's with the financial resources of one of the richest men in America... M O R E »

The Howe Era Begins

Well, the Mets finally have Commissioner Asshole's permission to announce the signing of Art Howe to be their manager for four years at over US$9 million. No matter how frustrated... M O R E »

Angels In Seven

And so Dr. Rooney's prediction came true. Meanwhile, I'm stuck with the memory of my prediction that the World Champions would finish last in their division. Once they beat the... M O R E »

One More Game

Rally Monkey! Rally Monkey! Rally Monkey! The Angels really are one of the most exciting teams I've watched in recent memory. The seventh and eighth innings tonight rocked my world.... M O R E »

The World Series

Hype Week (or two) works before the Super Bowl. It certainly does not work in baseball. I've been in playoff withdrawl for the past five days, and I'm not looking... M O R E »

Even More Shock

I went to bed early last night, so I didn't get a chance to catch the Braves/Giants game. In fact, I've been so preoccupied today, it hasn't hit me until... M O R E »

Complete Shock

My predictions for the 2002 American League Division Series [sidenote: turns out the plural of 'series' is 'series'. Who knew?] were both wrong. For the first time since 1997, there... M O R E »

Let The Search Begin

The Mets have their scapegoat. While I've always been a Bobby Valentine supporter, I can certainly understand why he's no longer the manager of my Mets. He took this team... M O R E »

A Look At the 2002 Playoffs

It's that time of year again, when a young man's fancy turns to the possibilities of the Yankees losing a playoff series. Before I go on and look at the... M O R E »

Victory!

I did it! After almost six months of toiling in the basement of my fantasy baseball league, I overtook Dad for the last time yesterday, beating him for the year... M O R E »

It All Comes Down to Today

Sundays, as you probably know, are usually devoted entirely to NFL action around here. Not so today, as today is the last day of the regular baseball season. "But AJ,"... M O R E »

Sucking And Blowing

I was at Shea Stadium today for the Mets game against the Diamondbacks. Once again, the Mets have done the impossible, managing to simultaneously suck and blow. The Mets were... M O R E »

BallBlogging

I read about the Mets online yesterday in the most unlikely of places. And he's right: we care because the Mets do break our hearts. But not this year.... M O R E »

Adam Dunn's New Position

Baseball Prospectus: "Dunn almost instantly becomes the hardest-throwing first baseman in the game. I'm sure if there are any throws to the left-field corner to start a 3-7-4-6-3-5 double-play, the... M O R E »

Hindsight

Back in April, I posted my predictions for the outcome of the baseball season. Looking back, I made some foolish choices. For example, I picked the Twins to finish third... M O R E »

Gammons So Crazy

Peter Gammons' latest column (no link, because it has since disappeared) contained an interesting typo on the last line: "The AL West features three teams with 80 wins at the... M O R E »

Mike Hampton Sucks

The Rockes/Padres game is on ESPN right now. Mike Hampton just issued a four pitch walk to the pitcher with the bases loaded. I never get tired of watching this... M O R E »

Talkin' Baseball

Why do bad things happen to good people? John Franco is a genuine good guy, and it's not wise to bet against him, but there is absolutely no reason for... M O R E »

What A Gem!

9 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K. I'm glad I was home to see this one. Now to watch the Nets kick some Indiana ass.... M O R E »

Damn It!

What's it gonna take? When will a Mets pitcher throw a no-hitter? In my lifetime, maybe?!... M O R E »

Baseball Notes

It's been a few days since I've commented on anything even vaguely related to MLB in this space, so in no particular order, here are my thoughts on baseball two... M O R E »

The Intersection of Sports and Technology

Ahh, an article about technology making athletes better legally. It's always nice to read something that combines my two loves, even if it's fairly vaucous and doesn't really have any... M O R E »

A NY Baseball Primer

There was a bit of a misunderstanding today that I want to get worked out. New York Mets New York Yankees I'm glad that's out of the way.... M O R E »

Mets Last Night

I half-watched the Mets game last night as I drafted my third and final fantasy baseball team and liked, for the most part, what I saw. D'Amico threw 99 pitches... M O R E »

Fantasy Baseball Draft #3

Final baseball draft of the year tonight. Same routine as always: roster now, analysis to follow. Roberto Alomar Tim Hudson Keith Foulke Lance Berkman Freddy Garcia Rich Aurilia J.D. Drew... M O R E »

Baseball: Day 2

Watched the Mets game; where's the offense? Huh? (Mo notwithstanding). I felt like I was watching a game from last year. Barry Bonds is a God; He's currently on pace... M O R E »

Opening Day Notes

Thoughts on Opening Day, including more Mets stuff! Jay Payton, who walked twice and hit a solo shot off Ron Villone yesterday, was quoted as saying "To me, the two... M O R E »

NY Mets: 1-0

A good start for the Mets this year. Notes from the game (I watched it on tape delay): Lots of strikeouts today from the usual suspects: Vaughn and Burnitz. Alomar... M O R E »

MLB Predictions

NL East Braves Mets (WC) Marlins Phillies Expos As much as I want the Mets to win the division, I still cannot pick them over the Braves. Had Sheffield not... M O R E »

Fantasy Baseball Draft #2

Second baseball draft of the year tonight starts at 6 PM. Live updates as it happens. This one's up against my dad, so it's more hotly contested than the last.... M O R E »

Fantasy Baseball Draft #1

Tonight is the first fantasy draft of the year for me (out of three). I am beyond psyched, and I'll be posting my roster here as I draft (8th pick... M O R E »

Around JMU

JMU's baseball Dukes are on a tear lately, running up their record to 14-4 on the season. Turns out they shutout UNC Greensboro yesterday to go to 15-4 behind a... M O R E »

You must choose...but choose wisely!

One of my favorite ESPN columnists is Bill Simmons. I've read every one of his columns for the past couple months, so much so that I got pretty caught up... M O R E »

JMU Baseball

Tuesday was the first home game of the season for the JMU Diamond Dukes. They won, in a 17-6 laugher against George Washington University. The Breeze featured a piece today... M O R E »

Joe Hardy-esque

Rob Neyer: On The Expos. "[T]he Expos are, at this moment, a franchise in name only. A team without a soul." Bud Selig hurt baseball more than anyone since the... M O R E »