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The Buscher

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Since starting 11-1, the Mets have gone 22-48 and they're sitting with the worst record in the NL at the halfway point.

Easily the lowest I've ever felt in my time years as a fan.  No matter how bad the team has been over the years, I must've logged 300-400 hours per season watching them.  And now I'm so disgusted with this franchise and its crooked ownership that I haven't watched a full game since May and have no interest in going to a game even though there should be great seats available for cheap.  If/when I don't go this season, it'll snap a two-decade streak for me of going to at least one game.

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8 hours ago, Buschoru Suzuki said:

Since starting 11-1, the Mets have gone 22-48 and they're sitting with the worst record in the NL at the halfway point.

Easily the lowest I've ever felt in my time years as a fan.  No matter how bad the team has been over the years, I must've logged 300-400 hours per season watching them.  And now I'm so disgusted with this franchise and its crooked ownership that I haven't watched a full game since May and have no interest in going to a game even though there should be great seats available for cheap.  If/when I don't go this season, it'll snap a two-decade streak for me of going to at least one game.

Shitty ownership has killed franchises in New York, Baltimore, and Montreal in the last 25 years. Mets fans honestly can't be far behind Expos and Orioles fans in just throwing their hands up and quitting. The Pirates would be in this same boat but their ownership got found out and had enough shame to actually fix the organization.

The Mets as an organization would honestly be better off operating like a small market team. Putting the focus on scouting, player development, etc. Fill holes with shrewd low-risk signings that you can absolve yourself of at the trade deadline or in the offseason if need-be. Instead they can't decide what they are (much like Baltimore) and have zero organizational focus.

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19 hours ago, Buschoru Suzuki said:

Since starting 11-1, the Mets have gone 22-48 and they're sitting with the worst record in the NL at the halfway point.

Easily the lowest I've ever felt in my time years as a fan.  No matter how bad the team has been over the years, I must've logged 300-400 hours per season watching them.  And now I'm so disgusted with this franchise and its crooked ownership that I haven't watched a full game since May and have no interest in going to a game even though there should be great seats available for cheap.  If/when I don't go this season, it'll snap a two-decade streak for me of going to at least one game.

Yeah, I can totally identity. I've been a Mets fan all my life and this is the closest I've come to just outright giving up on the team. They were horrendous in the 90s, and we had guys like Todd Hundley and Lance Johnson (<_<) that stood out among a whole bunch of real bad play, and then we had some good years after Piazza came to town. But honestly, the only other time I even came close to not wanting to be a Mets fan was when I wanted to jump ship and follow Ken Griffey and the Mariners. Its to the point now where, like you, I can't even watch a full game at this point. I mean, I almost got optimistic when he had a 6-1 lead the other day and of course we blew that one, too. We could do so much better. 

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I had a deal worked out with a guy in my Strat league that would've gotten me JA Happ and Giancarlo Stanton. We agreed to the deal only for him to come back and say he was going to accept another team's deal instead. I hate that. Don't agree to a deal and then backtrack. We spent pretty much all day yesterday afternoon and a little bit of this morning working out what was a pretty darn good deal for both sides. It's going to be a while before I discuss any transactions with that foo'. 

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9 hours ago, Meacxico said:

I had a deal worked out with a guy in my Strat league that would've gotten me JA Happ and Giancarlo Stanton. We agreed to the deal only for him to come back and say he was going to accept another team's deal instead. I hate that. Don't agree to a deal and then backtrack. We spent pretty much all day yesterday afternoon and a little bit of this morning working out what was a pretty darn good deal for both sides. It's going to be a while before I discuss any transactions with that foo'. 

Then today I get this trade "offer" from the guy with the best team in the league:

I send him : Matt Kemp and Eugenio Suarez

He sends me : Alex Cobb and Brian Duensing

How do people like this sleep at night? He should be arrested for attempted robbery and possibly even assault. 

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Despite how poorly this season has gone for my team, I do like my annual tradition of predicting the All Star rosters a few days before the announcement, simply because it gives me a chance to be a stat geek and look through how everyone is doing.

I'll start with the NL.

Fan Voting (8)
C Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants
1B Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves
2B Ozzie Albies, Atlanta Braves
SS Brandon Crawford, San Francisco Giants
3B Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies
OF Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals
OF Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers
OF Nick Markakis, Atlanta Braves

As usual I just roll with the current leaders as of the most recent ballot update a couple of days ago.  Posey and Albies were in the closest battles at last glance.  Harper was also getting somewhat close to losing his spot but I just can't see any way he isn't starting this game in his home park.

Player Balloting (16)
SP Jacob deGrom, New York Mets
SP Mike Foltynewicz, Atlanta Braves
SP Jon Lester, Chicago Cubs
SP Aaron Nola, Philadelphia Phillies
SP Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals
RP Sean Doolittle, Washington Nationals
RP Josh Hader, Milwaukee Brewers
RP Kenley Jansen, Los Angeles Dodgers
C Willson Contreras, Chicago Cubs
1B Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks
2B Scooter Gennett, Cincinnati Reds
SS Trevor Story, Colorado Rockies
3B Eugenio Suarez, Cincinnati Reds
OF Charlie Blackmon, Colorado Rockies
OF Odubel Herrera, Philadelphia Phillies
OF David Peralta, Arizona Diamondbacks

The players have done a pretty good job in their voting the last several years - now and then you'll get someone coasting in on reputation alone but generally everyone who makes it deserves to be going.  I could see a few close calls here at C, 1B, and 2B.  The pitching is ridiculous this year.  Obviously due to bias I'd love to see deGrom make the start but that's definitely gonna be Scherzer in DC.

Managerial Selections (7)
P Patrick Corbin, Arizona Diamondbacks
P Jeremy Jeffress, Milwaukee Brewers
P Miles Mikolas, St. Louis Cardinals
P Kirby Yates, San Diego Padres
C J.T. Realmuto, Miami Marlins
1B/3B Max Muncy, Los Angeles Dodgers
OF Corey Dickerson, Pittsburgh Pirates

Mikolas, Yates, Realmuto, and Dickerson fill up the quota of every team needing a representative, while Corbin and Jeffress bring the team up to the requirement of 12 pitchers.  Most every year you'll see a manager reward one of his own players, and if Dave Roberts does that I think he'll throw Muncy onto the team with his last pick.

Final Vote Candidates (5)
1B Jesus Aguilar, Milwaukee Brewers
1B Jose Martinez, St. Louis Cardinals
2B Javier Baez, Chicago Cubs
SS Trea Turner, Washington Nationals
3B Anthony Rendon, Washington Nationals

The last roster spot is always a shot in the dark since there are a million guys you could put on here - dropping from 34 roster spots down to 32 always means you're gonna have a few more guys left out that would've otherwise made it.  It's totally possible that Aguilar and/or Baez get in via the player ballot over Goldschmidt and/or Gennett.

Now the AL.

Fan Voting (9)
C Wilson Ramos, Tampa Bay Rays
1B Jose Abreu, Chicago White Sox
2B Jose Altuve, Houston Astros
SS Manny Machado, Baltimore Orioles
3B Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Indians
OF Mookie Betts, Boston Red Sox
OF Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
OF Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
DH J.D. Martinez, Boston Red Sox

Same thing - just stuck with the most recent update.  This could very well all change significantly as Ramos was in a tight race with Gary Sanchez while a trio of Astros were in pursuit at 1B, SS, and 3B.

Player Balloting (18)
SP Corey Kluber, Cleveland Indians
SP Chris Sale, Boston Red Sox
SP Luis Severino, New York Yankees
SP Blake Snell, Tampa Bay Rays
SP Justin Verlander, Houston Astros
RP Aroldis Chapman, New York Yankees
RP Edwin Diaz, Seattle Mariners
RP Craig Kimbrel, Boston Red Sox
C Yan Gomes, Cleveland Indians
1B Mitch Moreland, Boston Red Sox
2B Gleyber Torres, New York Yankees
SS Francisco Lindor, Cleveland Indians
3B Alex Bregman, Houston Astros
OF Nicholas Castellanos, Detroit Tigers
OF Mitch Haniger, Seattle Mariners
OF Eddie Rosario, Minnesota Twins
DH Giancarlo Stanton, New York Yankees

Not much to fuss about with this group.  No idea who the players will vote in at catcher - Sanchez hitting below the Mendoza line might bounce him out in favor of a guy with a good defensive reputation in Gomes.  You could argue Trevor Bauer getting a spot over Corey Kluber, but that's where reputation comes in a bit as Kluber's the reigning Cy Young while Bauer is known to be a bit of a dick.

Managerial Selections (5)
P J.A. Happ, Toronto Blue Jays
P Brad Keller, Kansas City Royals
P Charlie Morton, Houston Astros
P Blake Treinen, Oakland Athletics
OF Nomar Mazara, Texas Rangers

I actually kinda feel bad at how hamstrung A.J. Hinch would be in this scenario.  Dude only gets to make five selections, four of them have to be pitchers, and he has four unrepresented teams he has to account for.  If Castellanos and/or Rosario miss out on the player ballot, that'll complicate things even further.  In any event, I think he's got little choice but to just take whoever he's deemed to be the best pitcher for the remaining teams left.  Shin-Soo Choo has been the Rangers' best player but having a third DH would be silly, so Mazara gets the spot instead.  Morton gets rewarded for his strong season and World Series heroics to round it off.

Final Vote Candidates (5)
2B Jed Lowrie, Oakland Athletics
SS Carlos Correa, Houston Astros
SS Jean Segura, Seattle Mariners
SS Andrelton Simmons, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
3B Yangervis Solarte, Toronto Blue Jays

And again I'm just guessing with these last few picks.  With Gleyber Torres having just gotten hurt I'd guess Lowrie makes his way onto the team whether he wins the Final Vote or not.

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While I love the idea of us bringing in Moustakas and moving him to first base (sorry, Greg Bird, but you've easily been the weakest link.) I can't help but feel like all hands should be on deck finding us starting pitching. Buster Olney said Cashman called the Giants about Madison Bumgarner which would be great, but I can't help but feel like San Fran is going to want a crazy haul for him. I'd much rather give up a top prospect and midlevel prospect for Happ, rather than a cluster of top prospects for Bumgarner. As long as we get a deal done, because though I love Domingo German's potential, him giving up four or five runs in the first two innings of a playoff game could be deadly.

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Correa injured, Gleyber injured.  Okay, guess I need to pick up an SS.  Hmmm let me drop a center fielder, I can slot Mitch Haniger in there and then I'll pick up Tim Anderson.

THE NEXT DAY

Mitch Haniger, Day to Day.  Tim Anderson, Day to Day 

 

:bang:

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All Star Rosters announced officially.

NL Starters, Fan Vote
C Willson Contreras, Cubs
1B Freddie Freeman, Braves
2B Javier Baez, Cubs
SS Brandon Crawford, Giants
3B Nolan Arenado, Rockies
OF Bryce Harper, Nationals
OF Matt Kemp, Dodgers
OF Nick Markakis, Braves

NL Player Ballot
SP Jacob deGrom, Mets
SP Mike Foltynewicz, Braves
SP Jon Lester, Cubs
SP Aaron Nola, Phillies
SP Max Scherzer, Nationals
RP Sean Doolittle, Nationals
RP Josh Hader, Brewers
RP Brad Hand, Padres
C Buster Posey, Giants
1B Joey Votto, Reds
2B Ozzie Albies, Braves
SS Trevor Story, Rockies
3B Eugenio Suarez, Reds
OF Charlie Blackmon, Rockies
OF Lorenzo Cain, Brewers
OF Christian Yelich, Brewers

NL Commissioner's Office Picks
SP Patrick Corbin, Diamondbacks
SP Miles Mikolas, Cardinals
RP Kenley Jansen, Dodgers
RP Felipe Vazquez, Pirates
C J.T. Realmuto, Marlins
1B Paul Goldschmidt, Diamondbacks
2B Scooter Gennett, Reds

NL Final Vote
1B Jesus Aguilar, Brewers
1B Brandon Belt, Giants
1B/3B Max Muncy, Dodgers
SS Trea Turner, Nationals
3B Matt Carpenter, Cardinals

I got pretty damn close with my guesses.  But I made the same mistake in my predictions that I did last year, I forgot that the managers have zero say in the roster at all now.  The league office fills all remaining spots.  Overall though, everyone involved did a good job with this team.  The one real snub to me is Jesus Aguilar who definitely shouldn't be subjected to the Final Vote.  I love Joey Votto, but he was a reputation pick from the players.  Aguilar's been objectively way better this year.

AL Starters, Fan Vote
C Wilson Ramos, Rays
1B Jose Abreu, White Sox
2B Jose Altuve, Astros
SS Manny Machado, Orioles
3B Jose Ramirez, Indians
OF Mookie Betts, Red Sox
OF Aaron Judge, Yankees
OF Mike Trout, Angels

NL Player Ballot
SP Gerrit Cole, Astros
SP Corey Kluber, Indians
SP Chris Sale, Red Sox
SP Luis Severino, Yankees
SP Justin Verlander, Astros (will not play)
RP Aroldis Chapman, Yankees
RP Edwin Diaz, Mariners
RP Craig Kimbrel, Red Sox
C Salvador Perez, Royals
1B Mitch Moreland, Red Sox
2B Gleyber Torres, Yankees
SS Francisco Lindor, Indians
3B Alex Bregman, Astros
OF Michael Brantley, Indians
OF Mitch Haniger, Mariners
OF George Springer, Astros
DH Nelson Cruz, Mariners

AL Commissioner's Office Picks
SP Trevor Bauer, Indians (roster replacement for Justin Verlander)
SP Jose Berrios, Twins
SP J.A. Happ, Blue Jays
RP Joe Jimenez, Tigers
RP Blake Treinen, Athletics
DH Shin-Soo Choo, Rangers

AL Final Vote
OF Andrew Benintendi, Red Sox
OF Eddie Rosario, Twins
SS Jean Segura, Mariners
SS Andrelton Simmons, Angels
DH Giancarlo Stanton, Yankees

Although my predictions were pretty close here - I gotta say the players had a few head scratchers.  Specifically Salvador Perez.  I know catcher is a weak position in the AL, but Perez has been straight up trash this year.  Definite reputation pick.  Eddie Rosario really should be on this team, but on a final ballot with a Boston and New York players he's got no shot.  He and Nicholas Castellanos were the clear picks for the Twins and Tigers respectively, but since the players didn't pick either of them their teams had to be represented by pitchers.  This in turn cost Blake Snell a spot in what might be one of the biggest snubs I've seen.  Dude's leading the AL in ERA and needs to bank on someone else dropping out just to get in the game.

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Yeah, I'd rather the player ballot not include a DH.  I'm okay with the office adding a second DH to the team if it's clearly the best rep for a team (as was the case with Choo) but three is overkill, and it could well wind up four with Stanton.  At least those guys are capable of playing outfield.

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Yeah, Stanton was listed on the ballot at DH with Judge, Gardner and Hicks in the OF.

I THINK the teams themselves submit a nominee at each position.  Hilariously, this led to the Mets submitting an OF ballot of Cespedes, Conforto, and Bruce right before Brandon Nimmo got red hot and they had to start campaigning for him to be a write-in.

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