Zack Hample: Idol or idiot?

If you don’t know who Zack Hample is, read here, here and here.

Hample caught Mike Stanton’s home run in the 8th inning of last night’s Mets/Marlins game.  He proceeded to celebrate like he’s never caught a home run ball before.

Here’s why I like him: Catching a home run ball is tough.  I’ve been to many games and never come close.  I’ve been lucky enough to have someone give me a batting practice ball from Shea Stadium as a few players tossed her one each.  But to collect over 4,000 balls is beyond luck.  It’s beyond chance.  It’s downright crazy.

I know Hample plans and begs and does everything under his power to acquire these balls, but it’s still not something to be laughed at.  It’s quite an “accomplishment” and a testament to a die-hard fan who really knows what he want to do with his life(?).

Why I don’t: Really? This is your life’s work? Collecting over 4,000 baseballs from stadiums and then celebrating like it’s your first? Come on, kid. Act like you’ve been there before.

If I managed to catch one, or anyone else for that matter, they would be allowed to dance and sing and high five everyone around them with glee.  You, you should just go sit back down and notch another stadium off your list in your notebook.

But what really irks me is that over the years you’ve been doing this, you’ve taken away that joy of catching a home run ball or being tossed a BP ball by a player from 4,000 other kids and fans. You’ve felt the joy thousands of times over that some other people never will, because of your strange and obsessive quest to obtain those little spherical objects.

Frankly, I say give it up. Let the rest of us have your fun. You’ve made your mark on baseball and society. It’s our turn now.

Manuel’s Musing

“He wanted to get out there and get a good lead, and steal a base right away. He got kind of caught up in the emotion just a little bit.”

-Jerry Manuel on Jose Reyes

Oh, by the way

Boo-yah.

Bobby V, ESPN employee

This masked man is not the Marlins next manager.

Manuel’s Musing

“We have probably taken that too far, the pitch count. We have trained the mind to think that they can only throw a certain amount of pitches. If you train to finish the game regardless of what it took, then I think the pitch count would be different. We've trained people to be somewhat limited because injury is a possibility.”

-Jerry Manuel on pitch counts

Which players would you be willing to give up for Cliff Lee?

I asked Twitter that very question.  Not necessarily which package will get it done, but who would you consider throwing in to acquire Lee. Here are some responses…

glenngiangrande: I say nobody is off limits. Mejia, F-Mart, whomever. Show the fan base something and get a deal for an ace done!

ZekeO73: Murph, Thole, Feliciano, Carter. Not an impressive list but, I don't think the Ms should be bailed out for a bad season

Ben_Yoel: Jenrry Mejia, F-Mart, Brad Holt, Josh Thole, Robert Carson, Dillon Gee just to name a few.

Jim1975: package Thole or Feliciano and a pitcher or just Beltran definitely keep Pagan

trmbonemulligan: Flores and many more. No Pagan and MAYBE Mejia

patrickboegel: Mejia, Martinez

dances_w_vowels: as a rental, some package of F-Mart and a young "second-tier" pitching prospect on the Eddie Kunz level. Not Mejia.

How about you?  Which players would you be willing to part with to land Lee this year?

Bobby V to the Fish

Many are reporting that Bobby Valentine has been hired as the new manager of the Florida Marlins.

Not really any thoughts on this.  Glad he's back in baseball, not glad he's in the NL East.

So I'll leave you with this...

Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Manuel’s Musing

“My honest feeling is that he will make a push to be in Puerto Rico. That's home. He might end up there. I don't know.”

-Jerry Manuel on Carlos Beltran returning for the series in Puerto Rico

The magic of R.A. Dickey

What a pleasant surprise he has been.

R.A. Dickey is another of Omar Minaya's scrap heap pickups that has surpassed expectations and performed admirably for the team.  If he could build a team entirely off of low-risk players a year removed from mediocrity, I think he would.  The team would probably be horrible, though.

His one pickup a year seems to do well, though.

Honestly, raise your hand if you thought Dickey would a) make a start for the Mets this season and b) actually do well.

None of you?  That's what I thought.

But I can't complain.  He's been awesome so far and there's no sign of him stopping yet.

Just waiting for the two-year, $10 million contract for Dickey at year's end.

Offense go boom

If you haven't figured it out by now, the blog is lacking a bit.  I started my first real job - eeeep! - last week and I have a fairly long commute.  The job is awesome, but I'm not used to working all day long and driving three hours every day, so I usually come home pretty exhausted.

Last night, I plopped myself in front of the television in the third inning (after listening to the first two in the car) and promptly fell asleep.  I woke up about twenty minutes before the rain delay finished up and watched the Mets pound the Tigers pitching for eight runs in one inning.

Then, I fell asleep again.

I woke up to watch Jon Niese struggle for about two minutes before my eyes fell closed once more.

Later, I woke to see the Mets push a few more across before I was out for the night.  Magically, I woke up right as the game ended and Gary Cohen sent the viewers to the post game.

So my night was filled with naps spotted by the Mets scoring runs.  Not too shabby.