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11/29/12

Mack Stuff – No More Dickeywright, Barry Bonds, Second Base, Jon Niese




I’m not going to write about either David Wright or RA Dickey until a deal is done. I know this will eliminate around 85% of what’s going on in Metland right now, but enough is enough. Now, it even looks like Wright is pissed about all these stores, tweets, and other shit floating around the internet. Let me be the first to step back and I welcome the rest of the Mets sports world to follow my lead. It’s November. Give it a rest.


Jonathan C. Mitchell ‏@FigureFilbert - Co-sign. RT  Barry Bonds should be a unanimous HOF selection. It's a damn shame that he probably won't make it at all…

                -my spin on Bonds and the other PED’rs that are eligible this year of the Hall of Fame is simple. Most of what they did was legal at the time. I was charged with a DUI in 1984 when I first moved to South Carolina. I blew the minimal limit at the time, 1.0. Since then, the limit has been reduced to 0.8. Let me ask you a question… should the police go back and charge me now for all the times I would have blown a 0.9 back in the day? Ballplayers have been pushing the limits since the Ty Cobb days. My generation was greenies and cortisone. Today it’s the latest still undetectable miracle drug. It’s not going to stop folks… hell, we’ve had eight major leaguers (that would make for a decent starting lineup) busted this past year. Barry Bonds broke Roger Maris’ record, who just beat out Mickey Mantle that year. Mantle played the entire year either under the influence of alcohol or pain killers. How many times did Doc Gooden pitch high? This isn’t going to change until you change the penalty, but, if you’re doing Andro when it’s not on the bad list, then it wasn’t a bad thing. It wasn’t natural, but it wasn’t banned at the time. Vote these guys in. They played the game better than 99% of the other players have played the game. Now, ban a player for six months for the first bust of an illegal substance, a year for the second time, and a lifetime ban for the third. Do that, and all this will go away.


pic by Mack Ade
Rob Castellano (amazinavenue) on second base: 

The pipeline for second baseman in the Mets' system is in a bit of flux, with its longtime headliner suddenly dropping off the map. I’m talking, of course, about 2008 first-round draft pick Reese Havens, who, as compared to his contemporaries, is turning out to be more Brad Holt than Ike Davis. The 26-year-old Havens was long considered the future of second base at Citi Field, yet myriad health problems got in the way. And if injuries harmed his chances, a disastrous showing at Double-A in 2012 nearly killed them. It’s premature to say he’s no longer a factor, but he’s certainly been passed by in the pecking order.

I don’t agree with Rob, though I am a minority here. I think Havens will bounce back big time in 2013 and will be ready to play Queens in 2014. The problem is so may Danny Muno, who’s biting up his ass a level below. Havens is also getting a little old to still be playing minor league ball, but, if I’m wrong about both these guys, you still have a guy that has a top 20 National League batting average over the past two seasons. Murphy will always make you hold your breath when a ground ball is hit to him, but put some bats around him and you’ve got quite a hitter that has to be pitched to.

pic by Mack Ade

Jon Niese delivered supplies to help repair the damaged Evangel Revival Community Church in Long Beach yesterday.

Let’s talk a little about the forgotten lefty. Oh, one thing… do you notice what recent Cy Young pitcher isn’t being used by the Mets for their charity events this off season? Getting back to Niese, the best thing that ever happened to him is, first, Matt Harvey, and second, Zack Wheeler. There will never be any pressure on him to be either an SP1 or SP2. He will be a three in 2013 (Santana out of respect, Dickey) and a three again in 2014 (Harvey, Wheeler). Don’t be surprised if he becomes the most successful Mets starter for the next two seasons. He went 13-9, 3.40, 1,17, 155-K, 49-BB in 2012 and nobody ever talks about him.


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