Ponzi Schemes, Insurance Fraud, And Apple Martinis

So let’s review this David Wright nonsense that happened today, shall we?

Mickey Callaway said David Wright has not been cleared medically to play in Major League games. Callaway said there is a different medical threshold required to play in MLB games versus minor league games.

For the record, I've never heard anything like that before in my life.

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) August 31, 2018

The prevailing thought, for me, is that Anthony DiComo had never heard anything like that before because there has rarely been a case of an insurance clause for Wright getting in the way, as in 75% of Wright’s salary being picked up by insurance as long as Wright’s out of commission and doesn’t play in a major league game. So the sooner Wright comes back, the more the Mets have to pay. Now, would they mind paying him for the final weekend of the season as long as they can sell a bit of nostalgia by having him and Reyes on the left side of the infield (which may be why Reyes has survived this long), probably not. But paying him for even a month seems to be a sticking point until they prove me wrong and activate him.

Now I want to throw this in, and I’m toeing the line between Wright Fan Boy and Heartless Bastard: But I honestly don’t care if Wright never plays another major league game again. It really has nothing to do with Wright, I’m just sick of nostalgia. I like looking back. I’m not as fond of seeing a million posts on my Facebook timeline telling me that some mediocre show from the 90’s debuted on this day 27 years ago. Seeing one last game with Wright and Reyes on the field just doesn’t excite me when the team is a million games under .500 and it’s all we have. My one hope for Wright, whether he plays or not, is when he finally does hang up his spikes, he does so with no regrets. That’s why I hope he comes back. Not for nostalgia, but for the future … a future with no regrets for David Wright.

That said, I think David Wright is getting played a little bit. And if I’m right about that, to do that to somebody who not only is working like hell to come back but someone who signed an eight year contract at under market value to help out the Wilpons is really disgusting.

Then there’s this:

David Wright: "I have been told I need to do certain things to become activated and I’m willing to do that. I’m going to reach those things for sure."

— Mike Puma (@NYPost_Mets) September 1, 2018

Apparently, according to Gare on the SNY broadcast, those things including diving for balls where he would supposedly take it easy during a minor league game. Fine. But then why not leave him in the minor leagues until he shows that in game conditions and not try to simulate it off a fungo bat? If they had told him that during his minor league stint and left him down there and not had him travel with the team, they could have avoided this round of bad press. But the Mets head to bad press like a moth to a flame.

Arm strength remains a concern for David Wright. He says if he gets overtaxed, "The pain starts creeping up into my neck, and that really is worrisome for me. That really scares me, because that [neck] surgery was no fun. … I need to be really careful with that."

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) September 1, 2018

Then shouldn’t he not be playing in minor league games either? It’s a valid point Wright makes, but if Wright has to play careful, then why is he playing at all? Playing careful because of one body part is a great way to hurt another body part, which is probably why he completely broke down at one point.

If the Mets had a plan … if everyone trusted that the Mets had a plan, then this wouldn’t be an issue. I’m not sure they know what to do from a baseball standpoint, which tells me that they’re thinking about Wright as a marketing tool and a dollar sign and not as a human being. Maybe it’s in my head and my judgement is clouded by the millions of mistakes the Mets make. But I hope for Wright’s sake that he isn’t getting played. And if he is, I hope he has the good sense to pull a Triple H on Vince McMahon and turn on his buddy for the sake of his own dignity. If Wright wants to come back as a ballplayer, then he shouldn’t allow himself to be treated like a sideshow. He deserves better than that.

With all of this going on, no wonder why the SNY Pre Game Live crew decided to say screw it and drink themselves into a stupor.

Uhhhh why is SNY airing Gary Apple and Jim Duquesne roleplay … not that there’s anything wrong with that … it feels very private though 🙈 pic.twitter.com/GOv0bYHCrW

— NO CASINO IN FLUSHING (@GoodFundies) September 1, 2018

I’m surprised it took this long for them to lose their minds.

As for the game (yes, there was a game tonight), Zack Wheeler got the Full deGrom as he gave up one run in seven innings and the Mets somehow still lost 7-0. Three hits for the offense as Todd Frazier being put in the leadoff spot is proof that Mickey Callaway has lost his sanity and is pulling the lineup out of an apron that Rey Sanchez was wearing when he was cutting Armando Benitez’s hair. Oh, and the bullpen came in and set everything on fire including the apron as Robert Gsellman gave up a homer and a double before the rest of the bullpen did their impression of batting practice machines in the eighth inning. Meanwhile, Peter Alonso is batting .978 with 324 home runs in his last ten games. Next stop: Arizona Fall League. No way he can help at this juncture.

No wonder the SNY game crew kept trying to get shots of Oakland Alameda Coliseum where a pennant race was going on. It was longing.

Today’s Songs That I Listen To So I Can Not Be So Ornery And Hate Everybody List

1. Song H/Bruce Hornsby
2. Dear Friend/Paul McCartney
3. Healing Gregorian Chants at 432 Hz
4. Today I Sing The Blues/Aretha Franklin
5. Let The Good Times Roll/B.B. King