From: thf2@ellis.uchicago.edu (Ted Frank)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: NY MET ENVY
Date: 10 Apr 92 03:46:02 GMT
Reply-To: thf2@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations

"Envy," child is "resentful desire for another's advantages."  I don't
see the Mets (or your brain) having advantages that I'd desire, much
less resent.

>1)  Superior starting pitching; only the Reds have it better.  I don't
>give a sh*t what happened to Saberhagen (in fact I refuse to acknowledge
>the existance of that game).  Gooden, Saberhagen, Cone, Fernandez, and
>possibly Anthony Young make up a truly superior rotation.  Nobody else in
>the division is even three-deep in quality starters.

Gooden's washed up.  Saberhagen's averaged nine wins over the last two
years, and besides, 1992's an even-numbered year :)  Sid isn't even
the best pitcher named Fernandez any more.

>2)  Three of the top ten power hitting switch hitters of all time batting
>in 3-4-5 slots.  Bonilla and HOJO are top-notch, and Murray will probably
>knock in 90+ runs.

Ohhhhhh, they're *SWITCH* hitters.  I guess that's why Murray hit .218
against left-handers last year, HoJo has a career .236 BA against LHP,
and Bonilla consistently hits 20-30 points lower against LHP.

>3)  Pecota is GOD (just kidding-wanted to see if you were paying attention)
>3)  The most disruptive force in baseball-VINCE COLEMAN (when he's on
>base) .  Has shown improvement in OBP, taking walks, and even bunting

Two #3's, both of which point out a big Mets weakness.  Coleman is a
big disruptive force -- but only to the team that tries to build a
lineup around him leading off.  And if he's so disruptive, how come
he hasn't scored 100 runs since the rabbitball year?  (Injury last
year, nothing, he would have barely made it if he played all 162 games,
which he's never done: in fact his games played have gone 153, 145,
124, 72: hardly a sign of durability.)

>4)  Good veteran leadership: even F**N Bill Pecota has a world series ring

World series rings have been conclusively shown to cause players to hit
10-30 points higher, hunh?

>5)  a great manager in Jeff Torborg; he's the leader this club of emotional
>players needs- a no B**S** knid of guy

It's amazing how Frank Thomas can make you look like a genius.  Torborg
left Chicago because his feelings were hurt.  It'll be interesting to
see how well his feelings stand up to the New York press and the contingent
of obnoxious Mets fans with unrealistic expectations after his first
three-game losing streak.

>7)   Magadan and Randolph will both again set the table for the big boys,
>getting on base at least 40% of the time

Magadan's had a .400 OBP once in his life, and it won't do the Mets any
good on the bench, anyway.  Randolph's broke .400 three times in seventeen
years.  His 1988-91 OBP's were .322, .366, .339, and .424.  The man's
38 and has been averaging just 124 games a year in the last five years.
He's not going to repeat his 1991 season.

>8)  Excellent bullpen ace in John Franco

He might even be fourth-best in the division.  Geez, batters hit .271
against him last year.
-- 
Ted Frank          + "I would think that if God were on Arafat's side, the
1307 E 60 St, #109 +  plane wouldn't have crashed in the first place."
U o' C Law Skool   +  
Chi, IL 60637      +  					--  Daniel Frank
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball