Brad

They're still playing ball at CitiField, a week after the end of the World Series, Cricket Exhibition at Citi Field I lived overseas when I was a kid and played it a little when we lived in Trinidad. However, I have no idea how it's played anymore.

I've got five years on you Happy Birthday!

This is a very good version. Hadn't heard it before. Good as the Eddie Jefferson one.

Saw that. Some things are more important than money. After all, how much can you really spend.

Sounds like a great idea.

I don't blame players like Gordon trying to get as much as they can. Careers are short.

It was just idle gossip that two of the different hosts on MLB radio (on XM Sirius) mentioned. If I were the Royals, I too would keep Zobrist. I think I heard someone say that the Met pitchers said they wanted him on the team.

Yes, he did pitch more. In fact, he broke the record for most innings pitched after TJ surgery. That has to raise a lot of alarms. Terry Collins said that the starters will not start pitching until late in spring training. The amount of innings pitched by all the starters, all of whom have had TJ surgery, except for Syndergaard, has to be monitored. Let's hope they don't break down next year. On the Angels front there's a lot of chatter that Alex Gordon might go to the Angels. Zobrist will be in high demand. Would love to see him on the Mets.

I'm with Steve on this: small doses is fine but I do like Lambert Hendricks & Ross. Real talented folks.

What's not to like? I enjoy it quite a bit as I do with Carnegie Hall.

Why did Maddux leave Texas? Was it mutual or was he fired. At any rate, he will have a lot of work to do, starting with finding a closer unless they've lost their minds by keeping Papelbon.

It's impossible at this point to figure out who is the favorite, although I'd probably give the nod to KC. In the case of the Mets, for example, Cespedes and Murphy are gone and they need to rework the bullpen. Who knows how they will be next year, just as who knows how any team will be next year, not to mention you can't account for injuries.

Subject to what the Mets, Marlins and Nats do in the offseason, it could be interesting times in the NL East. Mets dominated the Nats when it counted in 2015 after being dominated for a couple of years themselves by the Nats.

TC got a two year contract worth around $3 million. Guess less than $1.6 million was ok with him.

I know, pie in the sky.

I hate shifts. Weren't they thinking of outlawing that? They also need to restrict the plays that can be reviewed.

I think if the Mets make the playoffs next year that would be an accomplishment in and of itself as, except for 2000 (after they'd gone to the NLCS in 1999), they've never gone to the playoffs in successive years. Terry, in his press conference on Sunday, said he was concerned as to how the pitchers' arms would be in spring training after having pitched an extra month this year. Bob Nightingale, who was on with Steve Phillips and Todd Hollandsworth this morning on MLB Leading Off, sounded a similar note of caution. Terry is expected to sign an extension this week. Cespedes is not expected to be back and Murphy unlikely to be resigned. Reportedly, they might be interested in Howie Kendrick, which would be a great signing.

It was pretty fluffy but a little attention is better than no attention.

Famiia wasn't supposed to be closer this year. He had been the set up man but then that rocket scientist Jennry Mejia, who was the closer, got suspended (actually got suspended again, which is why they brought in Clippard) and Familia was made the man. He had a small blip against the Cardinals right after the All Star break and then one right before the trading deadline but other than that he was very good in his first year. He developed the splitter, which got a lot of people out, but I think he fell in love with it too much and it cost him with Gordon. People aren't really talking so much about Familia today but the decision to let Harvey go out for the 9th. Ron Darling was on WFAN in NY today and he said in his day (not that long ago) when the manager said you're out, that was it. Also, the Duda throw was a topic. Terry will be back. Had he not made the playoffs, probably not. Just like a lot of teams, they have a lot of work to do. The infield defense is weak. Needs to be addressed somehow. d'Arnaud was awful at throwing runners out. Not sure how you address that. Middle relief, problems most teams have. Cespedes is gone (too expensive) so they need a bat to replace him unless they hope that Conforto will bloom.

There is no doubt that Collins had two bad games -- the Collins of 2014 and prior years showed up; I don't want to go through a litany right now. I'd rather watch paint dry. The fact of the matter is he came in and blew three saves. If you want to give him a pass on last night, fine, whatever. The other two, absolutely not. Definitely. You guys earned it. Congrats Scott. I was thinking last night of which player/pitchers I'd love to have. The ones that come to mind are Hosmer and Hochevar (really like the way he pitches).

I assume that's tongue in cheek. Until the last few years, closers came in to solve messy situations (runner on 1st and 2nd, etc.). Recently, you bring closers at the beginning of an inning. However, there's no reason why a closer shouldn't have been able to handle the situation. Trust me, Terry and Dan Warthen are very protective of their players. Unfortunately, inexplicably, Familia couldn't get it done. The Royals had something to do with that.

I don't think he did his job. It's not his fault that Murphy didn't field the ball but then he has to hold them at 3-3. More often than not, however, it seems that when something happens behinds a pitcher, it affects them. For his own peace of mind going forward, whether it's this year or next, he needs to come in and show he can do it.

Dave and Jim, thanks for pointing that out. Give all all credit to the Royals for winning the game but when you can manage only six hits and your 2-3-4-5-6 hitters go for 2 for the game, what can you expect. I'm sure we've seen the last of Cespedes, what with him messing up another ball in the outfield, setting up a run, and then being doubled off in the 9th. What is he thinking; he has nowhere to go with Murphy in front of him. Murphy reinforced why he won't be back: poor defense and a steaky hitter. From hero to goat. As an aside Murphy the goat put the hex on the Cubs in 1945 so he's gone from goat to goat. Probably a little unfair to pin the label on him as Familia didn't do his job after the game was tied. This was a poorly managed game starting with game 3. Why is Familia pitching in game 3 where you have a six run lead. Second, he only planned to use Matz for 5 but then allowed him to pitch into the 6th. At the very least, he should have been out after he gave up the first hit. Third, he uses Colon for only one batter when he could have brought him back for the 7th. I understand that you have a formula (Reed, Clippard, Familia) but Clippard hasn't been effective for a month so so you need to adjust your thinking, especially with only four games to go in the season, at the most. As soon as Clippard walks the first guy, he should have been gone. If you're going to bring Familia in for 5 outs, why not 6? And this mindless doubles witching drives me crazy, taking out Conforto and Lagares ( the only guy hitting the ball consistently!) When you have a lead, five outs to go and no one on base, you should win the game. I expect them to win today and return the series to KC but not much expectations after that. Scott, We, they, are probably as frustrated as I'm sure you were last year and both of us have been for the last 30 years.

Catesta is a fan just like you. Now, I wouldn't have made the comment he made but that's me. No one came on complaining when you said something like that's Royals baseball after they won game 1. You're allowed to gloat just like we are. As far as Noah's pitch, I'm glad he pitched inside and told them to meet him 60 feet 6 inches if they didn't like it. You have to pitch inside or batters get too comfortable. Dave Eiland said basically the same thing about Murphy and no one took umbrage. Ultimately, I'm not sure it did much good as the Royals scored runs off of him. However, it set a tone and showed that the Mets are not going to let the Royals think they're on the way to a coronation. I'm a Mets fan just as you're a Royals fan and that's nothing I'm ashamed of, no matter how well or poor they do. I admire their style of baseball as they play the game well but our pitchers aren't going to let you own both sides of the plate without a fight. The Royals had their chance to retaliate and stil do. Also, let's not forget this is supposed to be fun so there's no need to take it personal.

I love it when sore losers shoot their mouth off.