Posts

Showing posts from December, 2019

centerfieldmaz top albums of 2019

Image
WITHIN TEMPTATION - RESIST ********** THE STRUTS - YOUNG & DANGEROUS ********** MOTLEY CRUE - THE DIRT SOUNDTRACK ********** THE WHO - THE WHO ********** VOLBEAT - REWIND REPLAY REBOUND *********** METALLICA - HELPING HANDS (LIVE & ACOUSTIC) ********* MIRANDA LAMBERT - WILDCARD ********** RAMMSTEIN - RAMMSTEIN ********** KOBRA & THE LOTUS - EVOLUTION ********** WHITESNAKE - FLESH & BLOOD ********** LACUNA COIL - BLACK ANIMA ********** NEW YEARS DAY - UNBREAKABLE ********** ELLE KING - SHAKE THE SPIRIT ********** THE DARK ELEMENT - SONGS THE NIGHT SINGS ********** THE MURDER OF MY SWEET - BRAVE TIN WORLD ********** BARBE-Q-BARBIES - BORROWED TIME ********** KILLSWITCH ENGAGE - ATONEMENT ********** ROSY VISTA - UNBELIVEABL

Rick Porcello: New Jersey Native 2020 Mets Pitcher

Image
Frederick Alfred Porcello III was born on December 27th 1988 in Morristown, New Jersey. He grew up a die hard Mets fan, loving Mike Piazza & the 2000 NL Champions. Porcello was a star high school pitcher in West Orange, New Jersey. In his senior year he was undefeated going 10-0  with 103 strikeouts & tossed a perfect game.  He was planning to go to college but decided on going right to the big leagues instead. He was the number one ranked prospect but got selected #27 in the first round, mostly because Scott Boras was his agent & teams didn't want to deal with him representing such a young player.  Porcello was selected by the Detroit Tigers tagged aa special pitcher with the ability to be an ace of a staff. At a total of an $11 million contract, Porcello became the highest paid kid ever out of high school. He debuted with Jim Leyland's Detroit Tigers on April 9th 2009, in a game against Ricky Romero. It was the first time in MLB history that two first ro

Dellin Betances: New Mets 2020 Reliever

Image
Mets Welcome veteran Relief Pitcher Dellin Betances on Christmas Eve:

Remembering Mets History (1973): Jerry Koosman's Scoreless Innings Streak

Image
On August 24th 1973 the Mets were in last place but just 6.5 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL East. The Philadelphia Phillies were just ahead of the Mets were six out & the Montreal Expos were in fourth place 5.5 games back. Ahead of them the Chicago Cubs & Pittsburgh Pirates, making it a very tight race. On August 24th, 1973; Jerry Koosman took the mound with a 9-14 record against future Hall of Famer, Juan Marichal who was in his last season in San Francisco & winding down his career. Koosman had begun the year with a great start, going at 5-0. He then suffered two separate five game losing streaks along the way, although at this point his ERA was just at 3.15. In his 14 losses, he had allowed two runs or less five different times. The Mets struggled through injuries of an already weak offense, & were not helping him. In his last start on August 19th, against the Cincinnati Reds, Koos had allowed just one run in the fifth inning. He then shut

Jay Bell: Short Time Mets Infielder Who Scored the Winning Run of the 2001 World Series (2003)

Image
Jay Stuart Bell was born on December 11th 1965 in Pensacola Florida. The slim six foot Jay Bell was an outstanding shortstop prospect getting drafted in the first round by the Minnesota Twins (8th pick overall) in 1984. A year later he was sent to the Cleveland Indians for Bert Blyleven. He made it to the Indians big league club by 1986 but there wasn't much room for him with Julio Franco playing short stop having some big years. In 1989 he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in a steal of deal for the Steel City. He played there seven years getting to three straight post seasons (1990-1992) losing each time in the NLCS. He would lead all NL short stops in fielding twice, put outs three times assists & games played five times each. He would win a Gold Glove in 1993 & make his first All Star team that year as well. He hit a career best .310 that season with 9 HRs 32 doubles 51 RBIs & a .391 on base %. He was an excellent sacrifice hitter leading the league twic