November 2007 Archives
 Milledge we hardly knew ye.
Friday, the Mets traded Lastings Milledge to the Washington Nationals for OF Ryan Church and C Brian Schneider.
Schneider will be the starting catcher. Thus probably ends the Johnny Estrada era, who is only responsible for one putout during his short Met career. But it was a big one: Mota.
As Loge13 loyalist Don Hahn Solo said to me earlier, Ryan Church is basically a replacement for a younger Shawn Green. And while the Mets don’t gain a big bat at the catcher spot, they now have someone behind the plate who can actually play defense. We haven’t seen that on a regular basis for awhile.
Still, there are those, like DepressedFan.com’s Brian, who think the Mets gave up too much for no starting pitching help. Maybe. But I think our problems go past starting pitching anyway and beyond Billy Beane, few folks were coveting Lastings.
Still, I will miss Lastings. I am fairly confident he will become a solid major leaguer somewhere. I am more confident he will never be a great hip-hop artist anywhere.
Loge13 is sad to present the first Shea Stadium Doomsday Clock.
Gather with us as we count down the days, hours, minutes and seconds until Shea Stadium is with us no more.
The clock is currently set to count down to September 28th, 2008. On that Sunday, The Mets will play their last game ever under the historic eaves of the mighty Shea.
Of course, September 28th is not technically the last day Shea Stadium will exist.
So why did we choose that date? Because September 28th is the only official “last” date on the calendar for Shea. There is no official timetable for Shea’s demise. When there is, we will adjust accordingly, thus giving Shea Stadium a temporary stay of execution and a rare reason to celebrate next year.
So if the Mets make the playoffs, we’ll adjust.
And if I win the lottery, buy the Mets and scuttle the current construction plans, this clock will be gleefully rechristened the CitiField Doomsday Clock.
So sit back and watch Shea’s time fly. And if you'd like your own version of the Shea Stadium Doomsday Clock on your site, here is the code for the widget: <script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.loge13.com/widget.js<"></script>
<script
type="text/javascript">doomsday_clock (0);</script> The clock is configured to be 155 pixels wide, but I can reformat on request. The Shea Stadium Doomsday Clock Widget renders like this:
In case you missed it, Citigroup said late Monday it would sell a 4.9% stake of itself to the Abu Dhabi government.
The cost: $7.5 billion.
The deal was necessary to help the world's largest bank avoid a dividend cut or breakup thanks to a declining capital base and continuing questions about its exposure to the troubled U.S. mortgage sector.
Citigroup has already written down $6.8 billion because of the subprime mortgage crisis. This month, the world’s largest bank announced it may have to write down $11 billion more. We’re almost talking A-Rod money here.
If Citigroup can’t pay its own mortgage debts, we may soon see this piece of real estate in Flushing:
 The Mets have posted the tentative 2008 schedule.
Among the highlights touted by the Mets:
– Opening Day, April 8 vs. Phillies
– Torre and the Dodgers, May 29-June 1
– Subway Series, June 27-29
– National League Champion Rockies, July 11-13
– Final Regular Season Game at Shea, September 28 vs. Marlins
My early observations:
– Our season ticket plan has given us opening day seats most seasons. This year, Opening Day is on a Tuesday – not a day in our plan. So Loge13 loses out on Opening Day, unless we get lucky.
– After over two decades of watching Met games from Loge13, our last game in our plan will be September 25th, against the Cubs. I have already called in sick at work for September 26th.
– No word yet on Shea celebration days. There are supposed to be announcements in the next few weeks.
 To get through the long winter months, we’re trying something new: Loge13 Speaks.
Current and former Loge13 season ticket holders (and assorted friends) gather around the virtual hot stove and ponder Met moves.
Today’s topic: Johan Santana. What Mets are you willing to give up for Johan
Santana? Would you part with Reyes? Beltran? Is Santana worth the asking
price?
Ron Hunt: I'd trade anyone but Wright and Reyes. In a blink. I'd love them to take Beltran and I'd pick up his full salary.
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Ross Jones: He seems like the real thing, but I hate giving up All Star position
players for any arm. It's a very different world pitching in New York
instead of Minnesota. Just ask Frank Viola.
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Good point. Does anyone have Viola's stats before and after he came to the Mets? It may be interesting to compare his numbers to Santana.
I read the Yanks are putting a trade around Melky and Phil Hughes. I'm guessing Milledge and Humber's not cutting it :) Can Minnesota afford Beltran.
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I'm not sure the Skanks can pull it off, unless they include 1 of their pitchers, melky and 1 other. It will cost them big. BUT, Santana would like the Skanks bcs they will give him whatever he wants in a long term contract. The Mets do not have the trade talent to land him. Wright, Reyes and Beltran are off limits. IF, and that's a big IF, they would take Delgado with one of the younger pitching talents; then maybe. But the Twins are milking this.
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Kingman: I don’t think Santana has any interest going to the National League. He’s going to use the Mets to leverage up the Angels and Yankees and make silly money. Overpaying lefties = bad idea.
Speaking of which, Mike Hampton hurt himself in his first inning of work in the Mexican League today. He is out a month.
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And there are some of us who think the Mets just got taken to the cleaners. Despite his bad rap (heh), Milledge is not yet 23. He can clean up his act, his game, cut his hair, whatever. His upside is too great to trade for a Brad Ausmus wannabe and 4th outfielder.