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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!houxm!vax135!cornell!rossiter
From: rossiter@cornell.UUCP (David Rossiter)
Newsgroups: net.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Met musings
Message-ID: <520@cornell.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 12-Dec-84 12:39:28 EST
Article-I.D.: cornell.520
Posted: Wed Dec 12 12:39:28 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 14-Dec-84 05:59:31 EST
References: <109@rruxu.UUCP> <445@fisher.UUCP>
Reply-To: rossiter@gvax.UUCP (David Rossiter)
Distribution: net
Organization: Cornell Univ. CS Dept.
Lines: 61
Summary: 


It seems like the net is populated by loyal Mets fans... so much the better.
Anyway, we have a lot to talk about...

It's very painful to give up a proven young role player like Hubie Brooks.
This man did everything that was asked of him, and more.  And what a gun
for an arm!  Winningham looked very good in tripleA last year, and during
September (he's the answer to the trivia question: which Met made the last
out of 1984? -- it was against Montreal!), and looked to give Mookie a run
for the position, if Mookie couldn't stop swinging at bad pitches.  Fitzgerald
doesn't bother me as much, although it would be very nice to have him as
second catcher.  Now that Ortiz has gone (along with his .190) and Hodges
has been released, are we hoping for Stearns?  I think management is counting
on Clint Hurdle.  He spent last year learning to catch at Tidewater.  He's
young (about 28?), a proven big league hitter, and could spell Carter every
once in a while, play some outfield, and pinch hit.

Gary Carter.  He created clubhouse problems in Montreal (but that's a strange
place to play, by all accounts).  His huge salary won't be resented in
Winfield-town (look what Foster is making, after all).  He is one of the
best players in the majors.  But he has indicated that he doesn't want to
catch too many more years... that bothers me.  Ideally you'd want someone
to whom catching is a way of life, like Carleton Fisk.  I worry about
Carter's attitude.  But what a player!  And good in the clutch.

Now there are problems on the left side of the infield.  Knight has to
show us more at 3rd, Santana has to improve his hitting.  I hope Davey
isn't planning to start Gardenhire -- he's a utility man at best.  Howard
Johnson can't play in front of crowds!  If he didn't like it in Detroit,
what's he going to think of NYC with the merciless public and journalists?
Not to mention what happens the first time a 757 takes off from LGA right
over his head!

So here's my starting lineup (Davey, do you read this?  Rubin, maybe you
can send him a copy.  I hear he's into computers).
 
 1 - Backman (2b)
 2 - Wilson (cf)
 3 - Hernandez (1b)
 4 - Carter (c)
 5 - Strawberry (rf)
 6 - Foster (lf)
 7 - Knight (3b)
 8 - Santana (ss)
 9 - Gooden (p)

On paper (or is it magnetic media?) this looks pretty good.  To win we need:
1) Strawberry to play consistently up to his (great) ability
2) steady performances from Hernandez and Carter (real pros)
3) a respectable year during the decline of a great career from Foster
4) Mookie to get better bat control (I've got him 2nd)
5) Backman to play like he did last year
6) Knight to play decently (less need for 3rd base power now)
7) good defense by Santana, not too anemic b.a.
8) a more consistent effort from Darling & Sisk
9) Jesse to continue slamming the door
...
I don't mention Dwight because the only way he can't succeeed is to be
hit by one of those airplanes...