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Rising Apple Report, Ep. 9 – Steve From “Kranepool” & Ted Berg Join the Report

Sam Maxwell — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 18:05:13 +0000

Being my lucky number, I was thrilled to get the chance to host Episode 9 of The Rising Apple Report, with not only Steve Keane from Kranepool Society joining us, but SNY.TV’s former Senior Editor Ted Berg, who is currently writing about baseball at USA Today (including the news that a Twin is expecting twins.) The two joined myself, Rich Sparago, Michael Lecolant and Danny Abriano for the piping-hot half hour of Mets talk, which also included some very interesting discussions regarding the blogosphere, and writing in general.

The show kicked off with Danny Abriano, for the 1st time ever in Rising Apple Report history, recapping that afternoon’s Mets Game action. With Steve on his way from a Sandy Alderson conference call, we were afforded 10 minutes to discuss tidbits from Port Saint Lucie, including Wheeler’s late scratch due to an oblique strain, Gorski’s performance in his place, the chance for power at the catching position (a refreshing potential), and the back-up infielder battle.

Then, the Society’s creator and ambassador, Steve Keane, arrived fresh from the conference call, which gave us all a lot of instant insight as to the current mood of Sandy Alderson. After the recap, Steve retraced his blogging history, which dates back to when he put that first AOL CD into his computer. He also put blogging in perspective of the grand scheme of things.

Steve is one of the Metsians who laid the groundwork for what this blog world is today, and we can’t thank him enough for coming on board last night.

With around 10 minutes left, Ted Berg arrived and got right into how the transition over to the national stage is going. After discussing how he began at SNY.TV 5 years ago, we got into talking about the 2013 Mets and his usual optimistic take on (relatively) where this team can go. Though we were not able to talk about Taco Bell, Beltran, or even Cole Hamels, we were able to discuss why facial hair in baseball is so endearing, and Ted’s writing process as well.

All of us here are huge fans of the work Ted Berg has done and look forward to all his future work at USA Today.

Much much more exists in that play button below, so take a half-hour during your afternoon of work and soak in the glory that is The Rising Apple Report.

Thanks for reading! You can visit Sam Maxwell’s personal Mets Blog here. And be sure to Like Rising Apple’s Facebook page and follow @RisingAppleBlog on Twitter to keep up with the latest news, rumors, and opinion.

Is an Actual “C” Really Necessary?

Sam Maxwell — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 19:00:53 +0000

Terry Collins has told reporters he plans on going to the front office about making David Wright the Official Captain. And while the details are not out yet on if this will include the “C” on the front of his jersey, whether or not it should be there is very much up for debate. (more…)

How to Bide Your Time Without Metsian Baseball

Sam Maxwell — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 08:57:25 +0000

While I’m sure there are many of you who find the offseason transition not at all troubling, there are others, such as me, who don’t particularly take well to the newest old feeling. We are more than used to starting the transition a month early, but then all of a sudden (because of a sweep) there is no more baseball. We are left arriving at 7:10 PM with nothing but Hurricane and Election coverage on. So, here are some things, in no particular order, us Orange and Blue fans can do to pass the offseason time away.

1. Watch too much MLB Network

For better or worse, we live in a time where we don’t even need to have an offseason if don’t want one. We can not only eat up as much speculation as we want, but can also bask in the glory days and soak up the game 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They do a great job over there, reminding us as they make excellent television just how much fun the game of baseball is.

2. Watch a lot of Netflix

Right now, after watching 17 1/2 hours of the New York Documentary, I am using the lack of a Flushing Fest to watch a bunch of docs on that streaming site, including This Film is Not Yet Rated and The People vs. George Lucas. Speaking of which…

3. Scour the internet for Mark Hamill-Episode VII information

I’m pretty caught up in the recent news. I’m sure many of you are as well. I say this much here on Converted. Waiting for the next Star Wars movie will be like waiting for Opening Day, only this time, Opening Day isn’t till the Summer of 2015.

4. Listen for Random Songs to put on your blog.

5. Read a book?

6. Watch Mets Yearbooks and Mets Classics.

Remember that there are now 51 seasons to revel in until we have a 52nd. If you haven’t entertained yourself with a Yearbook or a Classic, then please do so. Know your history, and, in doing so, better understand yourself and your fandom. And its always a thrill to watch a game you either haven’t seen in a while or never got a chance to watch intently pitch by pitch the first time around. (Plus, this is the best way to learn some more Metsian History since I’m takin’ waaay too long to write a couple Belated “This Dates.”)

I hope some of these suggestions help you move from day to day until it includes the New York Mets. There should be some offseason action in the coming weeks, as we get updated on the possible extensions and the awards are announced. But the majority of the time from now until February 13, 2013, will be Metsless, so choose wisely what you do with the months you’ve been given. You can either get that novel you’ve been workin’ on done, or you can watch Mets Yearbook 1978 for the Umpteenth time.

The choice…is up to you…

Thanks for reading! You can read Sam Maxwell’s personal Mets Blog here.