Trip Down Memory Lane Part III: Norm and the Shea Hot Corner

Things are slow no doubt, but that gives us time to look back on one of the greatest all time posts in the history of Mets blogging. Norm over at the now defunct Shea Hot Corner had a hysterical post about when the Yankees brought A-Rod over in a trade from the Rangers. Of course, many of you have already read this, but there are a lot of new people too that haven't enjoyed it. If you read it, read it again.

We are on A-Rod O-verload at this point. Everything that could be said about this historic trade has been. Or has it? Today the Hot Corner dives into the most critical, overlooked aspect of this trade. In all the hoopla, no one noticed that the acquisition of Alex Rodriguez establishes the New York Yankees as the most metrosexual team in the history of Major League Baseball.

Seriously. Just when you thought the Yankees were maxed out in metrosexuality, Damon becomes the poster boy. The post never gets old as laughing at the Yankees does not get old. If you are new, you are going to love it. The reason it jogged my memory was the fact that Johnny Damon went from idoit/captain caveman to nancy boy and Benny's comment about it being a prerequisite to have frosted hair to become a Yankee. Let us us all laugh in unison at the Yankees. It feels good.

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Talk about low.

The Drug Enforcement Administration arrested 22 Colombian nationals for smuggling heroin into the United States via various methods, including surgically implanting the drug into puppies, officials said Wednesday.

Fingers crossed.....

In addition, the rules are going to limit the number of security Cuba is allowed to bring to watch its players and as Mets executive Tony Bernazard said, "It is a very delicate situation because security is important for this team because Cuba spends a lot of resources training these players." So who will be monitoring the Cubans most? "There will be scouts from every major league team watching Cuba play, there is no question about that," said Nationals GM Jim Bowden, echoing the sentiments of most in his industry. This is a unique chance to see Cubans play high-level competition.

Omar likes to be aggressive and wants to hit the international market hard. Any chance Yulieski Gourriel will get to break away and defect?

Buck Martinez might have the recipe for a USA victory.

But the initial, final 30-man roster is filled with relievers Chad Cordero, Brian Fuentes, Todd Jones, Brad Lidge, Joe Nathan, Scot Shields, Huston Street and Billy Wagner. That signals Martinez will play this akin to an All-Star Game with starters going short, in part due to mandated pitch-count rules installed to try to avoid injury. But the plan also seems to be to get a lead and then let a bunch of closer types tag-team to the finish line.

Scary thought. Street setting up for Lidge, then Cordero, then Wagner...

First base is getting perplexingly crowded.

The Mets have signed Michel Abreu, a Cuban defector expected to provide some insurance at first base.

Insurance in case Delgado, Nady, and Franco go down? Originally Abreu was signed by the Red Sox last year for $450,000, but his contract was voided when it was found out he was not in fact 26 years old.