Gents,
Today, 28 Oct, Art Howe was introduced to the NY media as the new manager of the NY Mets. He comes to NY with around 10 years experience as a manager in the major leagues: 7 with the Astros, 3 or so with the A's.
While I think Howe is a good manager I believe the wrong man was fired. Mets GM Steve Phillips should have been the one to have been fired, not Bobby Valentine. Admittedly Valentine had lost some respect among the players and his relationships with some on the team had become strained.
I hope Howe can get this team to work together and not tolerate any riff-raff from the players.

And while I'm on the subject I propose a trade:
Mo Vaughn to the Blue Jays for that beautiful, sweet, hot, black, latin hunk of Puerto Rican manliness Carlos Delgado. Seriously, I do propose this trade. I'd love to see Delgado here, Vaughn needs to lose some weight to let's dump him and trade for my Carlos.

Go Mets in 2003.

Alfonso

News Alert... Mike Piazza to call press conference announcing he will remain "hetrosexual" for the off - season but reserves the right to fan dance at his discretion, for areobic purposes solely of course. - GoGo Shorts and nipple ring opitonal.


OK... I'm teasing...

[quote]Originally posted by Alfonso:
And while I'm on the subject I propose a trade:
Mo Vaughn to the Blue Jays for that beautiful, sweet, hot, black, latin hunk of Puerto Rican manliness Carlos Delgado. Seriously, I do propose this trade. I'd love to see Delgado here, Vaughn needs to lose some weight to let's dump him and trade for my Carlos.

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Toronto management is having a good chuckle over that one! Why not offer Jeromy Burnitz to the Expos for Vlad Guerrerro?

[quote]Originally posted by Alfonso:
Gents,
And while I'm on the subject I propose a trade:
Mo Vaughn to the Blue Jays for that beautiful, sweet, hot, black, latin hunk of Puerto Rican manliness Carlos Delgado.

---

Please. Delgado's staying where he is: sandwiched between Eric Hinske and Josh Phelps. Mmmmm. We will take offers for Jose Cruz Jr. I saw him once on the sidewalk in Toronto and he is quite the tasty morsel. (He was with an attractive young lady, however.)

I'm sad to see daddy Art leave Oakland, and I think Howe/Mets is a bad fit. He's too laid back (indeed that may be why Beane was so glad to part with him), and that's the last thing the Mets need right now. The NY media already hates him and he hasn't even started yet -- wait 'til April!

The New York media roasted Steinbrenner for hiring Joe Torre for all the same reasons. That said, I don't think Torre himself could manage this crew. Billy Bean had as much, if not more, to do with the A's success in recent years as Art Howe. Steve Phillips is the Mets biggest problem. He put together the kind of team that the Yankees used to try to throw together in the 1980's. A bunch of past-their-prime, high-priced underachievers. There's yet to be a manager who could make this team a contender.

"The Mets named Art Howe their new manager on Monday and he's all ready come up with a great idea for New York. The Rally Rat." - Dave Letterman

Man, Letterman just slays me! He is so brutally funny on the New York teams when they suck.

Apparently the Mets are going to force Mo to drop some poundage. Good luck with that!
This from ESPN.com:

[quote] Fred Wilpon set a clear message to Mo Vaughn: lose weight, or else.

The Mets owner threatened to terminate the first baseman's remaining two-year, $32 million contract if Vaughn does not drop pounds before spring training, the Newark Star-Ledger reported Friday.

According to officials familiar to the situation, Wilpon delivered the message at a season-end meeting with Mets general manager Steve Phillips and former manager Bobby Valentine.

Vaughn did not comment on the meeting, but the newspaper reported that he is currently training in Columbus, Ohio with a physician, nutritionist and a Mets-selected personal trainer.

Citing sources close to Wilpon, the Star-Ledger also reported that Vaughn has a clause in his contract that states the first baseman is obligated to stay in shape, with the standard stating Vaughn agreed "to keep himself in first class physical condition and to obey the club's training rules."

Vaughn was listed at 275 pounds in last season's Mets media guide. He hit .259 and posted 26 homers and 72 RBI along with 145 times in 487 at-bats. Wilpon reportedly noticed how Vaughn's lack of conditioning effected his performance on the field as the first baseman made a career-high 18 errors.

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Letterman's Top Ten Things, I, Bobby Valentine, Want to Get Off My Chest:

10. When I signed my contract, I was under the impression I'd be managing the Yankees.
9. I couldn't explain the balk rule if you paid me.
8. Sometimes, I'd daydream during games about being a cowboy.
7. I was hoping there would be a one-day strike so I could get my car inspected.
6. The Rally Monkey can kiss my ass.
5. I'm not saying it affected my managing, but the chair in my office at Shea had no lumbar support.
4. Lord help me, I can't stop collecting bobblehead dolls.
3. I firmly believe Winona was just researching a movie role.
2. To save money on overseas calls, I'd use the dugout phone.
1. I had no idea there's a baseball team in Anaheim (CBS, 11/4).