12/29/14

The Morning Report – December 29 – Mets Blogs



Morning.

I haven’t done this in quite a while because I like to pay my respects, first to the beat press, that has consistently never acknowledged a thing I have ever said and paid me a compliment back.

Read that carefully again… I respect them for their knowledge and tenure, though none of them are old enough to say they ever attended a game in either Ebbets Fields, a Mets game at the The Polo Grounds, a New York Giants Game at the Yale Bowl or a Giants game up at Coogans Bluff.

Instead, I ignore the bloggers, trying to make a name for themselves that very few have still found the way to pay their college room dues.

So for today, let’s go around to the blog world… yes, even to a couple of one I have left part of my armour on the field of battle -  and see what’s going on there.



I have to start off with Joe D, ([i]probably (and easily) the most intelligent and hardest worker of all the Mets bloggers. Joe helped me early on to  break the NYFS grip and put me in line for making online advertisers. I was up to around $400 a month (that I split with him) and then a couple of bad New York conversations went bad. IMO, Joe was always a big fan of what I wrote, to the point of obsession. I would start a feature and name it “The Keepers”… the next day, one of his writers had a feature called… you got it… “The Keepers’. I would then tear into him on his site which resulted in a couple of very hard, personal, insulting returns about my health .

We finally had to agree to part company before one of our hearts would go out (both have bad tickers) and we lived on.

Joe has a nice piece up on Yunel Escobar, but, in my world, he’s just trying to fill pages until something gets going with this team.

Merry Christmas Joe.




Quinn Barry is a Mets writer for a new site, Grading On The Curve and he’s working though a top prospect ranking list this time of the month. [ii] Who isn’t?
I don’t know Quinn or the guys at the Curve. I know I have cut and pasted short paragraphs from their posts 20-30 times with proper endnote, never to receive a thank you or a cut and paste.

It’s a good site with some good info in it, like Sunday’s downgrade ranking on 1B Dom Smith



John Delcos, one of New York’s finest sports writers, posted his thoughts on what he would do with his Hall of Fame Ballot.[iii]

I’m never met John but I’ve respected his writings over the years. He also writes for Joe D over at Metsmorized which has a sort of North Korea/Langley Virginia relationship with me.

John’s been quite ill and had to walk away from writing (almost permanently), which would have been our loss. I did send him an email welcoming him back but I didn’t expect a kind response after intercepting a correspondence between him and Joe over about wokring with me in the future.

Anyway, hating me doesn’t make for a bad writing.




Mets 360 [iv]is being run by a friend of mine, Brian Joura, who also adds in some pretty intelligent comments onto my morning report each day.



And then there was Matt Cerrone[v], who was once my friend, then wasn’t, then was, then wasn’t, then was going to build a Mets minor league blog with me (set me to web page), then that went away, then would plug my writing, then stopped, then… here’s the bottom line here… I have never talked to him once in my entire life. I wrote a piece on my site that all the beat writers seem to have the same height and weight as all those race jockies that use to site in that hotel bar around the corner from the Public Library and a block away from Hillside Boulevard in Jamaica, Queens and he tore into me with about a 1000 word diatribe in an answer box designed to fit 500 words. – We pretty much went our separate ways after that and I currently block all the MetsBlog writers, not because they are bad writers, but because that’s how I deal with things like this. Still the most popular Mets blog and, at the same time, the most hated.

Happy Holiday Matt, if you're reading this.


Lastly, there's Mack's Mets. It started out s a place for minor leaguers to call their home, but it has grown from there. There are two great content items on the blog... the comments in the Morning Report and the content of the other writers. I really just try and get things going at this point every morning and I then let the real talent take over.

If I don't talk to any of you until 'next year' have a wonderful New Year's Eve and day. Be careful. My wife and I spend the night with Anderson Cooper so how harmful can that be?

The site will be closed on Wednesday but I'll be here again tomorrow morning trying to come up with a better Tulo trade :)          


(Tulo for C Kevin Plawecki, SP Noah Syndergaard, player TBD, player TBD)

32 comments:

Tom Brennan said...

When you see him, please tell Anderson Cooper to forget about the Arab Spring and think about the Mets' spring of 2015.

Sad to see the conflicts that can arise. Hoping for peace on earth and goodwill towards sports bloggers in 2015. Blogging for the Mets in the past few years would have been enough for anyone to break out the Excedrin. Better times are imminent.

I'm going to join the burgeoning pack and do a prospects list of my own, with a slightly different twist, starting in the days ahead, folks. Read them at your own risk. be nice :)

Ernest Dove said...

You've inspired me to start my own Mets fan website.
It will be called Mick's Mets.
I should write something every morning......I'll call it the morning report. I'll have a cool pic of a cup of coffee, sitting on a saucer plate, sitting on top of a paper..........or maybe a pic of a guy writing feverishly on a table..........

Happy New Year !!!!!!!

eraff said...

Mack---what am I supposed to DO Wednesday Morning?

Tom--

Suggested First item on your propspect blog: "Propect Ranking and Future WAR for all 135 future MLB Starting Pitchers ALREADY IN the Mets Minor League System"... ;) :0)

Joe D. said...

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Mack.

I think we are just two very passionate writers, with eyes wide open, a lifetime of baseball knowledge to draw from that sets us apart from the young ones, and the great instincts and insights that our readers look forward to.

It's unfortunate we had our schism, but looking back we were both going through some extremely trying times both personally and health-wise at the time.

Given both our passions and stubbornness it made for a very volatile combination.

I still love you brother, and wish you nothing but the best.

Here's to a better 2015 for us.

Joe

Anonymous said...

I really enjoyed MetsBlog when it first started, but it has taken significant steps backwards, particularly in the comments section. I do enjoy MMO as well for the content and commenters, but Mack's Mets remains my favorite.

Happy New Year to all and may 2015 see the Mets organization take steps out of the basement

Tom Brennan said...

Eraff

You shortchanged the list, leaving off the future elites who will be returning from injury like Luis Mateo!!

On Wednesday, you can practice your Mets' version of the New Years Countdown: TEN NINE EIGHT SEVEN SIX FIVE FOUR THREE TWO ONE (BALL DROPS) "CASTILLO!!!!!!!!!!!"

Unknown said...

Mack -

I have visited all the Mets' blogs - this has some of the most intelligent analysis I have read - which is why I am now a regular.

Cerrone is a hack and his "opinions" are some of the worst things I have ever read. Toby Hyde sullies himself by being affiliated with that crew.

Anyway - let's end the year on a positive note.

Go Mets and Happy New Year Mack and crew!

Zozo said...

My every morning starts off the same
Wake my dogs Mookie and Shea up
Go sit on my throne
click on sportsspyder mets page
Read everyone's lineup for the morning
Then immediately click on Macks Mets

It's like ground hogs day for me every morning and I love it!!! There are a great group of guys here that are passionate for our team and am happy that Mack has provided us with this, Happy New Year To everyone. Now I gotta go wipe my ass. Lol

Reese Kaplan said...

Mack invited me to write after I posted some long diatribes in the comments and I've never looked back...he's stuck with me now :)

Oh, in case anyone missed the morning news, I hope the Wilpons take some inspiration from Woody Johnson.

Tom Brennan said...

Zozo

A perfect place to start the day rooting for a team from Flushing.

Looks like Mack walked the dog named Cecchini this morning in his prospects report.

Tom Brennan said...

When it comes to Collins, Reese, you are da Terminator

Zozo said...

Lol

TP said...

Love Macks Mets, love MMO, glad Joe and Mack are as passionate as they are, and hoping their mutual respect can allow them to reconnect in the coming new year.

Herb G said...

Mack -

It is sad that emotions and egos prevail over common sense and sound judgement in the world of blogs. Perhaps it is inevitable whan brilliant minds compete with one another for the same group of fans. Personally, I am generally a peacemaker, seeking understanding and a willingness to overlook unintended slights. I think (and hope) that Joe D's comments above are a productive first step toward a reconciliation. Perhaps similar reconciliations can be found with other of the bloggers, so that your life can be more peaceful and satisfying. Mack, you are a great baseball mind and a font of wisdom when it comes to the Mets. You certainly have a great deal to offer, and should be regarded as a star in the bloggosphere by your contemporaries. It would be wonderful if you and all of your counterparts could put past transgressions behind you and make a fresh start in 2015. There is much to be gained and absolutely nothing to be lost, except perhaps, a bit of wounded pride.

Reese Kaplan said...

Hey, Woody Johnson looked at the results after a few years of losing and said, "Obviously our leaders are not doing what we want. It's time to change direction."

The Wilpons look at losing and say, "He's already under contract and we can't afford to fire him and pay someone else, so we'll just keep on losing."

Herb G said...

Mack -

Now, going to your parting thrust about coming up with a better Tulo trade, would you comment on the one I proposed yesterday. Gee, Montero, Nimmo, Reynolds, Ynoa and Urena for Tulo and Rex Brothers. As I said, if necessary, I would be reluctantly willing to sub Thor for Montero and Puello for Nimmo. Also, I would probably give them the choice of Reynolds, Cecchini or Rosario. Thats a lot to chew on, but what do you think?

Reese Kaplan said...

I would make that trade as it doesn't include anyone with significance to the 2015 team except arguably Gee. Montero has no role (though I'd rather see him than Gee every 5th day), and the rest are minor leaguers. How could you not want to do that deal as you left out your two stud pitchers in AAA and retained Conforto and Plawecki?

The same reason it's attractive to me, however, is why it would likely be unattractive to the Rockies. Yes, they'd gain two starters to use immediately but they'd be crucified in the Colorado media for taking such a deal.

Brian Joura said...

Thanks Mack! I wish you a prosperous New Year.

The Mets blogosphere is definitely a funny place. Like anyone else, I have sites I like and people I like.

For me, it's a hard line to draw as to how much to read and visit other Mets sites. Ed Leyro is probably my favorite Mets writer but I rarely go to his site. I can't put my finger on why.

I generally enjoy reading Toby Hyde but I don't ever seek him out.

The only ones I go to on a regular basis are MetsBlog and Mack's Mets. 2 Guys Talking Mets was on that level while it was around.

I enjoy Mack's take on things but honestly what keeps me coming back is the chance to hear some of his non-sports stories, whether that be his role at WKTU or his interaction with Henry Hill or his times at parties in DC.

I look forward to Mack's e-book. I just wonder if it will come out before or after Sandy Alderson's tell-all book about working for the Wilpons.

eraff said...

Reese===100% correct!!!

Tulo cannot be traded before the season, first of all...... you cannot dump your Franchise Face while/during selling season tickets!

The Mets have endured endless grief on the Reyes Situation---and he wasn't the unanimous "face of franchise" that Tulo is.

Tulo cannot be bought cheaply unless he's in a serious downturn in the middle of the season---and that doesn't make for a match, in my opinion.

Mack Ade said...

Thomas -

It will be kool to compare your list with mine

Mack Ade said...

Ernest -

Good luck with that!

Mack

Mack Ade said...

Joe D -

Back at ya, D

Mack

Mack Ade said...

Herb -

Thank you for your comment.

I did appreciate hearing from Joe today. His problems in the past were all medical. Mine were in my head.

I have no one but myself to blame for the enemies I have made and all I can do is be better to the people I surround myself with now.

Mack Ade said...

Herb -

I would do that trade, but, at this point in this negotiation, I can't see Colorado accepting any trade without a marquee player...

Anonymous said...

Mack--

I hope all is well. I know you and I only corresponded briefly, but I hope that we can continue to do so in the New Year. I have always loved your work, and I'll keep reading either way.

-Brian Mangan

Mack Ade said...

Brian Mangan -

Thank you Brian.

I ws really excited when you tried to find some time to write occasionally for MMs. I'm sorry that didn't work out.

You do good work.

Ernest Dove said...

Hey lets trade wheeler and degrom to rockies for tulo and cargo. Then trade grandy back to the yankees to get germen back and cash........... (sorry I had 5 minutes to kill and wanted to start a shitstorm)

Reese Kaplan said...

Nah, it would never work. Germen is not nearly fragile enough to join CarGo, Tulo, Cuddyer and Wright. They'll all get lonely on the DL. Maybe they could take Teixera back.

Charles said...

Time flies. I've been reading Mack's Mets for years and actually was one of about a dozen who actually subscribed to it when it was only available as a pay subscription. Still love it and love Mack.

Happy holidays Mack.

Mack Ade said...

Charles -

Yeah, I forgot. I actually made people pay for this crap once!

I re-looked over my list and I stand by the ranking. Cecchini can go out and prove me wrong with a great 2015.

One thing to Anon and the rest out there... I said going in that EVERYONE on my prospect list (IMO) has a future at some capacity at the major league level.

That's a personal vendetta?

Tom Brennan said...

Mack, i'll make sure I rank Cecchini #33 on my 1 thru 30 list, just to be more ornery than you.

Just kidding, he's in there,just not sure where yet.😁

Anonymous said...

I personally read (1) Mack'smets.blogspot.com; (2) Metsblog.com; (3) Amazinavenue.com; and (4) Metstoday.com.

I think (1) and (2) are generally too optimistic whereas (4) is a bit too pessimistic.

Amazinavenue has probably the most realistic outlook.

I also think that a website I discovered only last week, thereadzone.com by Brian Mangan, has a lot of really strong statistical insight.