Brent Mayne takes a walk down memory lane over at his site The Art of Catching. He talks about a book he received during the holidays called “The Fortress of Solitude”, which is story of a boy growing up in downtown Brooklyn in the late seventies. Part of the lore of that era was kids [...]

There is always debate about whether playing in New York is different than other places. Some scoff at the “New York type of player” since, if they produce, the city will love them. Maybe so, but how do you explain someone like Ed Whitson failing here, while Paul O’ Neill revived his career, and thrived, [...]

With Jason Bay finally in the fold, the Mets need to make a move to bolster their starting staff. Johan Santana, Mike Pelfrey, John Maine, Oliver Perez and Jon Niese are presently their top five. The club, in optimistic tones, feels this group could do the job in 2010. Perhaps that’s the case, but the [...]

Tom Tango answered Part 2 of my questions at Inside the Book. I once again want to thank Tom for engaging in what turned out to be a productive discourse. In the end, debate, opinion, and discourse is what baseball is all about. I have learned quite a bit from the last few days and [...]

The Boston sports media has long annoyed me. It probably dates back to my early days watching basketball and hearing Bob Ryan “wax poetic” about Larry Bird, Robert Parish, Kevin McHale, and those pesky leprechauns. Nothing made me happier than my Knicks beating the Celtics on their home floor during the spring of 1990. Two [...]

So I can easily weigh in on the signing of Jason Bay- he will make the team significantly better in 2010, and the combo of his age, defense and the length of deal worries me medium and long-term. But I think a better way to look at the Bay deal is through the prism of [...]

So Jason Bay, pending physical, will play left field and bat fifth for the Mets in 2010. I outlined the reasons why I think this is a good deal earlier today. What’s next for the Mets? Probably announcing the Bengie Molina deal, however I am sure we will start to hear more rumblings after the [...]

John Fennelly over at the Bleacher Report wrote a small blurb about the Mets having possible interest in Carlos Zambrano. Before we all go nuts and start the “rumor mill cries”, John never said they “will get Zambrano”, he said “they have interest in Zambrano” – big difference. During our initial “view of the offseason” [...]

So “Bay Watch” finally ended yesterday with Mike Francesa breaking the story about Jason Bay signing with the Mets. This really isn’t a surprise to anyone here at NYBD, as we have been saying all offseason that Omar Minaya wanted a big bat. Matt Holliday was the target, but it turns out Jason Bay was [...]

Bryan Hoch on MLB.com wrote recently that the Yankees might be bluffing with their left field scenario. We can debate if Brett Gardner or Jamie Hoffmann will really be in left field on Opening Day (I tend to think it’s a lot like after the ’05 season, when they insisted that Bubba Crosby would be [...]

Those who come to the site have seen some of my battles with the advanced metric community. Recently, a site called 108 Stitches posed a question about why is there a need for a new stat called wRC+. I agreed with the authors assertion that we are in a “haze of statistics” and my belief [...]

Mike Francesa just reported on WFAN the Mets have signed Jason Bay pending a physical this weekend. He also said Bengie Molina is holding to his three year contract demands. I find this strange that Francesa has this type of confidence and Ken Rosenthal, Jon Heyman, or another writer didn’t have it first. Also to [...]

Just like every other website (i.e. Dugout Central, BBTF, etc.) I want to have a Hall of Fame vote. The fast and easy way we are going to do this is to allow the listeners and readers to cast their vote. Here are the rules: 1) Poll will be open from today till next Wed [...]

Comparison: 78 Guidry vs. 85 Gooden I was talking about “All Time Staffs” yesterday and it got me into thinking about some top pitching performances by local legends. Author and former Yankees beat writer Phil Pepe has appeared on my show a few times. During those appearances he mentioned the two best seasons he ever [...]

When I talked about the Yankees need for a fifth hitter I didn’t put Jermaine Dye into the equation. With the budget, that was reiterated by Brian Cashman, I wasn’t sure he would fit into their plans. I saw more of an Austin Kearns or Reed Johnson type. Rumors have come out the Yankees are [...]