Comments on: The Mets (a.k.a. You Snooze You Lose) http://www.bronxbanterblog.com/2005/05/20/the-mets-aka-you-snooze-you-lose/ Development site for Bronx Banter Blog's upcoming look and feel Sun, 19 May 2013 22:08:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Cliff Corcoran http://www.bronxbanterblog.com/2005/05/20/the-mets-aka-you-snooze-you-lose/#comment-48108 Cliff Corcoran Fri, 20 May 2005 21:55:39 +0000 http://www.bronxbanterblog.com/2005/05/20/the-mets-aka-you-snooze-you-lose/#comment-48108 <p><b><a name="7" rel="nofollow"></a>7.</b>  Actually I called him a 31-year-old free agent because the teams were bidding for his age 31 season. He was born in Feb '72, so he's 33 now. Still, that ship has sailed. </p> 7.  Actually I called him a 31-year-old free agent because the teams were bidding for his age 31 season. He was born in Feb ’72, so he’s 33 now. Still, that ship has sailed.

]]> By: weeping for brunnhilde http://www.bronxbanterblog.com/2005/05/20/the-mets-aka-you-snooze-you-lose/#comment-48107 weeping for brunnhilde Fri, 20 May 2005 21:22:41 +0000 http://www.bronxbanterblog.com/2005/05/20/the-mets-aka-you-snooze-you-lose/#comment-48107 <p><b><a name="6" rel="nofollow"></a>6.</b>  Thanks for doing the homework, Cliff!</p> <p> Wow, 31 in 2002. That would make him...hmm, let me do the math...34 today. Man, o manichevitz, how times flies. Just yesterday he was a 28-year old flash in the pan in a fantasy season...Preserve your memories, they're all that's left you. </p> 6.  Thanks for doing the homework, Cliff!

Wow, 31 in 2002. That would make him…hmm, let me do the math…34 today. Man, o manichevitz, how times flies. Just yesterday he was a 28-year old flash in the pan in a fantasy season…Preserve your memories, they’re all that’s left you.

]]> By: Cliff Corcoran http://www.bronxbanterblog.com/2005/05/20/the-mets-aka-you-snooze-you-lose/#comment-48106 Cliff Corcoran Fri, 20 May 2005 18:06:25 +0000 http://www.bronxbanterblog.com/2005/05/20/the-mets-aka-you-snooze-you-lose/#comment-48106 <p><b><a name="5" rel="nofollow"></a>5.</b>  Exactly right, WFB, Spencer, then 28 years old and in his third season with the Yankees, had finally been given the left field job, but tore his ACL in left field at Shea in the final game of the series, the Yankees' only loss at Shea that year.</p> <p> Here's the box score:</p> <p> http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B07090NYN2000.htm</p> <p> Here's the news story:</p> <p> http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=626825&type=news</p> <p> Spencer's .282/.330/460 line at the time of the injury was actually below league average (95 OPS+), but there was hope. After the injury there was none. After failing to reach even that modest level of production over two more partial seasons with the Yankees he left following the 2002 season as a 31-year-old free agent, drifting through four organizations in the next two seasons, including both the Yankees and Mets in 2004. This year he's playing in Japan for the Hanshin Tigers.</p> <p> I always rooted for Spencer when he was with the Yankees and remember a story around that time of Spencer breaking up with a long-time girlfriend because he had recognized that he was getting what was sure to be his only real chance to stick as a major league starter and had to commit completely to the game. I didn't so much dig that decision (if the girl was worth the long term relationship she should have come first, if not, he should have cut bait earlier), but I imagine a bad break like that (droping your girl for the game only to suffer a season-ending, career-derailing injury) would drive more than a few people to the bottle, even if there was a certain karmic justice to it. </p> 5.  Exactly right, WFB, Spencer, then 28 years old and in his third season with the Yankees, had finally been given the left field job, but tore his ACL in left field at Shea in the final game of the series, the Yankees’ only loss at Shea that year.

Here’s the box score:

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B07090NYN2000.htm

Here’s the news story:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=626825&type=news

Spencer’s .282/.330/460 line at the time of the injury was actually below league average (95 OPS+), but there was hope. After the injury there was none. After failing to reach even that modest level of production over two more partial seasons with the Yankees he left following the 2002 season as a 31-year-old free agent, drifting through four organizations in the next two seasons, including both the Yankees and Mets in 2004. This year he’s playing in Japan for the Hanshin Tigers.

I always rooted for Spencer when he was with the Yankees and remember a story around that time of Spencer breaking up with a long-time girlfriend because he had recognized that he was getting what was sure to be his only real chance to stick as a major league starter and had to commit completely to the game. I didn’t so much dig that decision (if the girl was worth the long term relationship she should have come first, if not, he should have cut bait earlier), but I imagine a bad break like that (droping your girl for the game only to suffer a season-ending, career-derailing injury) would drive more than a few people to the bottle, even if there was a certain karmic justice to it.

]]> By: JohnnyC http://www.bronxbanterblog.com/2005/05/20/the-mets-aka-you-snooze-you-lose/#comment-48105 JohnnyC Fri, 20 May 2005 18:03:29 +0000 http://www.bronxbanterblog.com/2005/05/20/the-mets-aka-you-snooze-you-lose/#comment-48105 <p><b><a name="4" rel="nofollow"></a>4.</b>  Speaking of Shane, he's doing fairly well in Japan, playing rightfield mostly for the Hanshin Tigers. I don't doubt he will try to make a U.S. comeback next season and, possibly, with the Yankees as a 4th outfielder. Bit of a flake, but I always liked him. Another guy from the system they wasted while waiting for the next big name free agent to sign on. </p> 4.  Speaking of Shane, he’s doing fairly well in Japan, playing rightfield mostly for the Hanshin Tigers. I don’t doubt he will try to make a U.S. comeback next season and, possibly, with the Yankees as a 4th outfielder. Bit of a flake, but I always liked him. Another guy from the system they wasted while waiting for the next big name free agent to sign on.

]]> By: weeping for brunnhilde http://www.bronxbanterblog.com/2005/05/20/the-mets-aka-you-snooze-you-lose/#comment-48104 weeping for brunnhilde Fri, 20 May 2005 17:19:10 +0000 http://www.bronxbanterblog.com/2005/05/20/the-mets-aka-you-snooze-you-lose/#comment-48104 <p><b><a name="3" rel="nofollow"></a>3.</b>  "That turned out to be a memorable one, both for the unusual home/away double header that saw the two teams play in both stadiums on a single day, and for Roger Clemens' now infamous beaning of Mike Piazza."</p> <p> If I recall correctly, that series was also memorable (to me, anyway) because it ruined Spencer's career. Seriously, hyperbole aside, wasn't that the series when Spencer bizzarely injured himself in left, his spikes getting caught in the grass or some such?</p> <p> He had been hitting in the .280s up til that point and I thought he might have found his rhythm. Alas, it wasn't to be. </p> 3.  ”That turned out to be a memorable one, both for the unusual home/away double header that saw the two teams play in both stadiums on a single day, and for Roger Clemens’ now infamous beaning of Mike Piazza.”

If I recall correctly, that series was also memorable (to me, anyway) because it ruined Spencer’s career. Seriously, hyperbole aside, wasn’t that the series when Spencer bizzarely injured himself in left, his spikes getting caught in the grass or some such?

He had been hitting in the .280s up til that point and I thought he might have found his rhythm. Alas, it wasn’t to be.

]]> By: Cliff Corcoran http://www.bronxbanterblog.com/2005/05/20/the-mets-aka-you-snooze-you-lose/#comment-48103 Cliff Corcoran Fri, 20 May 2005 16:05:46 +0000 http://www.bronxbanterblog.com/2005/05/20/the-mets-aka-you-snooze-you-lose/#comment-48103 <p><b><a name="2" rel="nofollow"></a>2.</b>  Good memory, Alex! Last year he held them scoreless for 6 1/3 in one start. In 2003 he held them scoreless for 6 innings in one start and 8 innings in another. That said, he's had his rough times too, such that his overall numbers against the Yanks look like this:</p> <p> 5-5, 4.36 ERA from 2002 to date in 12 starts and 4 relief appearances (2001 was his rookie season and he pitched exclusively in relief). He's held the Yanks to a .233 average over that time, but has given up ten homers and walked 57 in 76 1/3 IP. Last year fit that bill: low average, high walks and homers, mid-4s ERA, even record. </p> 2.  Good memory, Alex! Last year he held them scoreless for 6 1/3 in one start. In 2003 he held them scoreless for 6 innings in one start and 8 innings in another. That said, he’s had his rough times too, such that his overall numbers against the Yanks look like this:

5-5, 4.36 ERA from 2002 to date in 12 starts and 4 relief appearances (2001 was his rookie season and he pitched exclusively in relief). He’s held the Yanks to a .233 average over that time, but has given up ten homers and walked 57 in 76 1/3 IP. Last year fit that bill: low average, high walks and homers, mid-4s ERA, even record.

]]> By: Alex Belth http://www.bronxbanterblog.com/2005/05/20/the-mets-aka-you-snooze-you-lose/#comment-48102 Alex Belth Fri, 20 May 2005 15:55:56 +0000 http://www.bronxbanterblog.com/2005/05/20/the-mets-aka-you-snooze-you-lose/#comment-48102 <p><b><a name="1" rel="nofollow"></a>1.</b>  Cliff, do you, or anyone else, know Zambrano's record against the Yanks. I recall him throwing a number of good games against them while he was with Tampa Bay. </p> 1.  Cliff, do you, or anyone else, know Zambrano’s record against the Yanks. I recall him throwing a number of good games against them while he was with Tampa Bay.

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