Giving Thanks

Hope everybody is getting ready to settle down to plates of turkey, ham, turkey substitute, or whatever you and yours have on tap. (Save some of the orange-and-blue cranberry sauce for us.) On this day of heads bowed, football watched, drunken uncles ignored, mischief at the kids' table and other forms of familial togetherness, I'd like to give thanks for a few things…

…Carlos Delgado taking aim at a 10th year of 30 home runs.

…Mike Jacobs for long home runs, a level swing and soft hands. Best of luck, Jakey.

…the idea that Carlos Beltran can finally exhale and just be Carlos Beltran.

…Jose Reyes' helmet heading for right-center as he heads (again) for third.

…David Wright eyeing his bat like a knight inspecting his broadsword. Heroism awaits.

…Cliff Floyd playing his heart out as always and finally reaping the rewards.

…Mike Cameron for introducing himself by sitting atop the dugout. We'll miss you, Cammy.

…Tom Glavine proving that while late may be late, it's a lot better than never.

…Jae Seo finding there is such a thing as a third act in a fifth starter's life.

…Aaron Heilman locating his inner Drysdale.

…Roberto Hernandez proving cynical bloggers don't know everything.

…the idea that Victor Diaz has potential left to tap.

…Ramon Castro watching Ugie's pitch sail into the night.

…Anderson Hernandez walking into the offseason with a hit on his resume.

…Pedro.

…the next standing ovation for Mike Piazza, whatever the uniform.

…Sarah Wagner still talking about “Phantom” as Billy carves. You two are gonna like it here. We promise.

…Lastings Milledge still in our plans.

…Tom Terrific, Rusty, Tug, Maz, Mookie and Lenny and Wally, Doc and Darryl, Mex and the Kid, Coney, Edgardo, Olerud, Robin, Mike and all those whose heroics we still think about to get us through the winter.

…Gary and Howie, whether it's in one medium or two.

…the idea that next winter we'll have a channel full of pointless Metographies and classic games. (We will, right?)

…the fact that someone, somewhere, is working on renderings of our new stadium. (Right?)

…character, makeup, the good face, BB/K ratio, OPS, VORP, park factors and every other way you can ponder this marvelous game.

…the perfectly placed hit-and-run, the caught-em-napping double steal, and the get-up-off-that-couch three-run bomb.

…how every game is inextricably bound up with every other game, for good or for bad.

…the idea of 31 up there on the wall someday next to 14 and 37 and 41 and 42.

…the I-know-it's-too-early image of Joshua coming home from college and joining me to see them put 5 on that wall as well.

…the possibility that the author of the first Met no-hitter is already on the roster. Or in the minors. Or at least born.

…everybody who's read our little blog, commented on it, linked to it, and turned our little experiment into a happy obsession.

…my co-blogger, the most-passionate baseball fan, best writer and kindest soul I know.

…how lucky I am to have a wife who loves baseball and a kid who's learning.

…that God didn't make me a Yankee fan.

…the fact that every second brings us closer to pitchers and catchers. Tick. Ah, closer still.

Happy Thanksgiving!