It’s late January and it’s going to be 61 degrees here today with light wind. I can’t wait to go outside with my daughter and throw batting practice. If it’s not that warm where you are or if you’re already on the DL with some mysterious arm ailment, go ahead and check out these links.
In the past few years, we have seen a proliferation of interviews with athletes. That should be a great thing but we’ve also seen two big problems. One, we have people with shaky interview skills get a great opportunity and drop the ball by asking unimportant questions. And two, we have athletes without either the verbal skills or back story to say anything interesting. But Ashley Marshall asked terrific questions and Zack Wheeler gave thoughtful answers in this Q&A that is well worth reading.
http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120122&content_id=26423426&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_milb
Matthew Callan combed YouTube to find eight different Mets promos throughout the years, including one from 1978.
http://www.amazinavenue.com/2012/1/27/2711966/lets-go-to-the-videotape-mets-promos-of-yesteryear
Mack Ade takes a look at the 2012 Draft and says, “there are 11 great players in this draft… naturally, the Mets pick 12th.” Mack veers away from conventional wisdom when suggesting who the Mets should draft in the first round this year. I’m confident the Mets will end up with a major league player from whoever they take this year with their first pick.
http://macksmets.blogspot.com/2012/01/mack-ade-draft-observations-jan-2012.html
While everyone in the blogosphere is fretting about the Mets’ lack of retired numbers, Greg Prince has a terrific proposal for how the Mets should honor Gary Carter.
http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2012/01/24/carter-a-name-not-a-number/
Perhaps you’ve heard – the Giants are in the Super Bowl! Frank Gray puts on his rose-colored glasses and points out the similarities between the Giants and the Mets. Frank’s a good guy and also has his own site and is a contributor over at Mack’s Mets. I’m always a little concerned for him though. I’m always afraid that the people over at Bleacher Report shock him with a taser each time he submits an article that’s only one page long and not a slide show that make you click on 11 or more pages.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1041781-new-york-mets-how-they-are-similar-to-the-new-york-giants-right-now
Some people just like to complain. Stephen Keane puts the latest topic of hands-wringing into proper focus when he examines the value of Cody Ross vis-à-vis Scott Hairston.
http://www.kranepoolsociety.com/2012/01/24/scott-hairston-much-better-value-signing-over-cody-ross/
OK, it’s not about the Mets but Howard Megdal talked about it on Facebook so I don’t have any problem linking to Centerfield Maz’ story on the death of Juan Epstein. Welcome Back Kotter is a show which has not aged very well but it was must-watch TV back in the day. It had a great theme song, a nice ensemble cast and it always had a good bit where Gabe Kaplan sat at a table with his wife and told a joke. The article is a nice review of Robert Hegyes’ career as an actor. However, I’m shocked that there were no Welcome Back Kotter cards among the pictures.
http://www.centerfieldmaz.com/2012/01/centerfieldmaz-remembers-actor-robert.html
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Only 23 more days until Spring Training!