en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/480031 Comments by VCarver http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/19/news-tatis-to-start-at-2b-today/#IDComment19339248 WTF? They need to keep playing Church until he slumps. He's the best glove to play RF at Citi too. He doesn't need a rest. I don't believe Manuel would have done this on his own. He must have been given orders from Omar to play Sheff more. Stupid. Sheff already got two starts this week. That's enough. He is not the Sheff of old. He's not going to hit his weight over the long run this year. Sun, 19 Apr 2009 16:18:49 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/19/news-tatis-to-start-at-2b-today/#IDComment19339248 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/18/pepsi-refresh-pre-game-mets-vs-brewers-game-two/#IDComment19263205 You're right, tmu. Chase Utley he is not. He is slightly better than Utley. At least from an offensive standpoint. Wright for his career has a higher OPS, higher OPS+ and slightly better numbers with RISP. Utley is an overall better defensive player however. One thing to note is that Utley has played almost his entire career in a bandbox and that he is also 4 years older than Wright. Right now, I give the edge to Wright. Sun, 19 Apr 2009 01:18:51 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/18/pepsi-refresh-pre-game-mets-vs-brewers-game-two/#IDComment19263205 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/17/links-willie-citi-yankee-stadium-murph-and-sheff/#IDComment19129209 "Since Ruth, the Yankees always have been, and always will be the Broadway feature with the marquee names." "In the end, the suffering makes the success that much more meaningful. And it’s something Yankees fans will never experience, much less understand." "it would be poor to dismiss the weight of their history and success. " Toby, I actually agree with most of what you said in your original column and here, but it's statements such as the ones above that are so annoying and which I feel are false. They seem to be accepting of second class citizenry for the mets, no matter what you say. In the 80's, it was the Mets who were the "Broadway feature" with the marquee names. Not the Yankees. And you yourself admit to some of the dismal periods for the Yankees in the 60s, 80s, and now. So how can you say Yankee fans will never know failure? If they consider 2004-2008 success then they are delusional. Finally, the "weight of their history and success" means nothing in the face of a losing record or finishing in third place. I also think that their "history and success" pales in comparison to the weight of their history of spending $$$ and PEDs usage in terms of the reasons for any recent success. Bottom line, I can't buy into this history is destiny thing. Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:04:38 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/17/links-willie-citi-yankee-stadium-murph-and-sheff/#IDComment19129209 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/17/links-willie-citi-yankee-stadium-murph-and-sheff/#IDComment19121725 Mets fans do seem to be a little more appreciative of the little intricacies of baseball -- and not just the goal of a WS title -- though you might not know that if you read all the posts from the mannyacs(c) this past winter. As for this second-class-woe-is-Mets attitude, it's strongly entrenched in some Mets fans such as Benigno, and it's sickening to me. And in terms of failure, it all depends how you define "fail" but in the 60s and late 80s/early 90s, the Yankees had consecutive years of below .500 seasons and were considered second class to the Mets. Maybe, Toby, you are too young to know this. In more recent years since 2004, there is only one NY team that's gotten as far as a league championship series, and that is the Mets. For all the money the Yankees have spent recently, they've been a failure. And I don't think in this era of PEDs testing that trend will change anytime soon. Sorry, but I just hate the type of talk that paints the Mets as second class citizens. It doesn't have to be that way -- money or no money. Since 2004, the Yankees have been second class to the Red Sox, yet Boston spends as little as the Mets. Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:01:45 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/17/links-willie-citi-yankee-stadium-murph-and-sheff/#IDComment19121725 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/17/links-willie-citi-yankee-stadium-murph-and-sheff/#IDComment19117375 But I do agree that the new Yankee Stadium looks like a mausoleum and I said the same thing yesterday! The over-abundance of OF billboards and signage also makes YS look like a chintzy Vegas strip on the inside. Fri, 17 Apr 2009 16:46:47 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/17/links-willie-citi-yankee-stadium-murph-and-sheff/#IDComment19117375 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/17/links-willie-citi-yankee-stadium-murph-and-sheff/#IDComment19116877 Maybe I just read it wrong, but I hated Toby's Mets-are-second-class-citizens-and-always-will-be approach. It's like Joe Benigno's tired lame woe-is-Mets spiel he gives all the time. Suffering is NOT the Mets fans' destiny and in case Mets fans have forgotten, the Yankees were failures during many periods over the last 40 years and haven't won squat since 2000. Moreover, when they were successful over the last 15 years, it appears PEDs played a big role in their success, and that's nothing to be proud of. Toby says that Yankee fans will never understand suffering but if that franchise simply continues on the track it's been on the last 4-5 years, that's all they will know. Fri, 17 Apr 2009 16:38:20 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/17/links-willie-citi-yankee-stadium-murph-and-sheff/#IDComment19116877 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/live-blogging-from-citi-field-2/#IDComment19037003 rusty, sabermetrics has immense value in the game today, and franchises like St. Louis and the Red Sox have made heavy use of it in recent years. Is that why they've won 3 of the last 5 WS titles? I think it has something to do with it. That doesn't mean that those clubs don't also rely on traditional scouting and instincts. They do both. I think if a team totally neglects stats, then they are doomed to failure. And if they totally ignore intangibles, they will also not attain success. You need both. Thu, 16 Apr 2009 22:18:26 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/live-blogging-from-citi-field-2/#IDComment19037003 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/live-blogging-from-citi-field-2/#IDComment19034347 Each player has his own independent UZR but since fangraph's UZR incorporates errors, then an infielder's UZR is in small part dependent on the subjective opinion of the scorer and the performance of his teammates. You bring up a good point about Castillo. I think it's entirely possible that his poor defensive play last year might have contributed to a few extra errors for Jose. Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:52:28 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/live-blogging-from-citi-field-2/#IDComment19034347 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/live-blogging-from-citi-field-2/#IDComment19029770 Some might be interested to know that so far this year Murphy is fielding above average as well. Yes, small sample size, but it's a good sign. His range is pretty good. He has a strong arm. Give him time. He will prove to be a totally adequate left fielder defensively in the long run. Likely never as good as Church, but adequate. Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:32:09 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/live-blogging-from-citi-field-2/#IDComment19029770 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/live-blogging-from-citi-field-2/#IDComment19027942 Fangraph's UZR does factor in errors, unlike other ZR rating systems. So, IMO it's fair to call him a slightly above average left fielder. Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:21:55 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/live-blogging-from-citi-field-2/#IDComment19027942 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/live-blogging-from-citi-field-2/#IDComment19027344 A zero UZR just means someone played at league average. It does not mean he was bad. UZR is not an overrated stat, but you have to be aware of the way fangraphs formulates its UZR as they incorporate errors into their UZR stat unlike others. I think both Reyes and Wright might suffer a little on their fangraph UZR because of the way they include errors. IOW, their errors are a little high because a better first baseman would have been able to prevent some of these errors they got. Same with Castillo, though most of his negative UZR is deserved. Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:18:03 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/live-blogging-from-citi-field-2/#IDComment19027344 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/read-players-are-adjusting-to-citi-field/#IDComment19026297 Hey, I don't agree with how much they cut back the seats, but it is by design. Get it? It is not an error. I believe the seat dimensions and leg room at Citi are also greater than they are at Camden Yards. Camden seats only 6,000 more than Citi too. I've been at Camden. While it is a beautiful park, I don't see it as being better than Citi. And if they built Camden today, it would cost a lot more than it did 17 years ago.. Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:10:55 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/read-players-are-adjusting-to-citi-field/#IDComment19026297 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/read-players-are-adjusting-to-citi-field/#IDComment19021282 I'm guessing that the amount of obstructed seats at Citi is not substantially worse than what it is at other new stadiums today. It's the price you pay for reducing foul territory and bringing the fans closer to the field. Thu, 16 Apr 2009 20:42:33 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/read-players-are-adjusting-to-citi-field/#IDComment19021282 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/read-players-are-adjusting-to-citi-field/#IDComment19020866 You are nuts for saying stupid things like no studies were done on Citi before it was built. That's just ignorant. HOK has a rep to protect. You think they are just going to build a stadium without doing studies after having done so many others like Camden Yards successfully? Also, while more of the seats at Citi may have blind spots than Shea had, I bet you that's the case with MOST other new parks. In Citi, they decreased the amount of foul territory and that brings fans closer to the game, but it also made for some blind spots. Maybe the right thing to do is to sell those seats with the warning of blind spots. But other than that, I don't see what the big ruckus is all about. Thu, 16 Apr 2009 20:39:35 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/read-players-are-adjusting-to-citi-field/#IDComment19020866 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/read-players-are-adjusting-to-citi-field/#IDComment19004869 I bet you the obstructed seats issue is not substantially worse at Citi than it is at most other new parks -- including the new Yankee Stadium. Thu, 16 Apr 2009 20:32:40 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/read-players-are-adjusting-to-citi-field/#IDComment19004869 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/read-players-are-adjusting-to-citi-field/#IDComment19001486 Are you nuts? Your views are so extreme that it negates some of the good points you may have. For one thing, I guarantee you that plenty of engineering and other reports were done on this field before it was built. I also guarantee you that money was NOT the only consideration or they would have increased capacity. Second, the firm that built Citi -- HOK Sports -- is the SAME firm that built the new Yankee Stadium, Camden Yards, PNC, and dozens of other modern baseball and football stadiums. So do you really think they'd do studies for all other venues and not Citi? That's just an ignorant crazy idea. I have some complaints about the new Citi Field but they do not detract from the overall beauty of the new park. For you to say that it is a total disaster is irrational. Thu, 16 Apr 2009 20:17:25 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/read-players-are-adjusting-to-citi-field/#IDComment19001486 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/read-players-are-adjusting-to-citi-field/#IDComment18883280 I hope they never paint the walls there Met blue. Not only will doing that make it look ugly, IMO, but having an identity in a stadium to me doesn't mean painting the team's colors all over the place. I'd like to see more reminders there of specific players and events from their history -- not the team's colors. Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:59:19 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/read-players-are-adjusting-to-citi-field/#IDComment18883280 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/read-players-are-adjusting-to-citi-field/#IDComment18882383 From a pure aesthetic point of view, Citi is much nicer. The new Yankee Stadium reminds me of a mausoleum with the big but simple stone/granite facade. That might be appropriate for the things to come for that place! Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:48:59 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/read-players-are-adjusting-to-citi-field/#IDComment18882383 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/read-players-are-adjusting-to-citi-field/#IDComment18881686 Yes, go on. First off, we don't know for sure how many obstructed seats they really have at the new YS since today is the first real game in that stadium. Second, while the expanded capacity at first glance seems like a plus and a decided advantage over Citi, it isn't when you consider ticket prices are much higher at YS than at Citi. Third, the lack of history at Citi can and will be fixed. Here's why Citi is better -- better food, better ticket prices, more charming esthetically pleasing park. (Those billboards in the new YS outfield are damn ugly.) Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:36:25 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/read-players-are-adjusting-to-citi-field/#IDComment18881686 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/read-players-are-adjusting-to-citi-field/#IDComment18881296 Don't forget your recent history -- PEDs, $$$, PEDs, $$$, more PEDs, and more $$$ plus the biggest collapse in baseball history in '04 vs. the Red Sox. I hope the Steinbrenner boys didn't forget to incorporate that historic epic collapse into the new YS. Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:29:04 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2009/04/16/read-players-are-adjusting-to-citi-field/#IDComment18881296