Shea Stadium

2008 is just around the corner and like many people, I hope the new year is a good one. 2008 will bring many joys and many sorrows, as any new year does. 2008 will mark some firsts, and some lasts. We will have to wait to find out what many of those firsts and lasts are, but some we already know about.

In the world of sports, 2008 will mark the last game played at Shea Stadium. The field, which the Mets have called home since 1964, since leaving the Polo Grounds, will be replaced by a new stadium. Certainly this is the way of sports. It is amazing that the Mets have not received a new stadium in their history. So, it is with a lot of joy, but also some sorrow, I look towards Citi Field.

The first time I saw Shea Stadium, I thought it looked like a donut with a bite taken out of it. The “Horseshoe” shaped stadium was something with which I was not familiar. It is probably something with which today’s fan is even less familiar.

I also am looking forward to seeing a stadium model after Ebbets Field, as I never saw the Brooklyn Dodgers play. My dad would have probably been excited, although he never forgave the Dodgers for leaving Brooklyn and deserting their fans.

Still, it is not with pure joy that I look forward to the opening of a new stadium. Shea holds lots of memories for me. The first live baseball game I ever saw was at Shea Stadium. I have memories of leaving school early on opening day and heading out to the park, with a few friends, to watch the game. I remember being in the stadium the day Pete Rose tied Tommy Helms for the longest hitting streak in the National League (at 37 games). I remember all the fans giving him a standing ovation, but I still refused to stand for the man who got into a fight with Bud Harrelson during the 1973 playoffs.

Perhaps the greatest Shea Stadium memory I have was September 17, 1986. That was the day the Mets beat the Chicago Cubs to clinch the NL East. I was at the game and, like the rest of the fans, following the victory made my way onto the field. I still have my grass and dirt from that day. It is protected, in a glass jar.

So yes, I acknowledge it is time to get a new stadium. Yes I am excited. Still, a part of me is sad to say goodbye to Shea Stadium.

Living In The Past

As I entered my last post, talking about numbers that should be retired got me reminiscing. Many of my memories with the team are not ones of them winning. As a Met fan growing up in the mid-70’s and dearly 80’s, I suffered through many bad years with the team. Still, I enjoyed watching the games.

Yes, the Mets over the years have been known for pitching but I also remember watching pitchers like Nino Espinosa, Pete Falcone and Harry Parker. I remember watching Willie Montanez, Roy Staiger, Elliot Maddox and Alex Trevino.

I remember the Seaver trade where the Mets got pitcher Pat Zachry, second baseman Doug Flynn, and outfielders Steve Henderson and Dan Norman. Dan Norman years later was used in the Ellis Valentine trade and Steve Henderson years later was used to bring Dave Kingman back to New York.

In 1979 the Mets had Montanez at first, Flynn at second, Frank Taveras at shortstop and Richie Hebner at third. John Stearns was the catcher and the outfield was made up of Joel Youngblood, Lee Mazilli and Steve Henderson. Craig Swann was the ace of the staff. The Flushing Flash, Ed Glynn was in the bullpen and amazingly enough, I was watching as many games as I could.

I would argue with my friends as to why the Mets were going to win it all, why they were a better team than the Yankees, why we should all be Met fans.

It was frustrating, and yet, it was fun. And that team never had the chance to choke in the clutch, so maybe it was easier being a fan then, than it was this past year. I guess I still take the team we had (and even the one we will have next year) over the team of 1979.

Retiring Numbers

It is time for a post that has nothing to do with the Mitchell report; nothing to do with moves the Mets have made, or are trying to make, during the off-season, nothing to do with the Mets awful decline this past season.

Growing up, as a big baseball fan and much less interested in other sports, this time of year was tough for me. I would actually start counting down the weeks until pitchers and catchers report, then to the start of spring training games and ultimately to the start of the season. So, in that vain, this post is just one to allow fans to recall some of their greatest memories, but in a round-about way.

This past season, when the Mets brought Ricky Henderson on board, he was given the number 24 to wear. It was the first time since Willie Mays wore that number for the Mets that anyone has been given that number to wear. Of course Mays only finished his career with the Mets and his brilliant numbers were put up with the Giants (both in New York and San Francisco). Mays’ number was never retired, and it can probably be debated whether it should have been (of course it should be with the Giants, but he really did not accomplish much in a Met uniform).

Still, that brings up the fact that the Mets have only chose to retire three numbers (and four altogether). The Mets have retired Casey Stengel’s 37, Gil Hodges’ 14 and Tom Seaver’s 41. They have also retired, as has all of baseball, Jackie Robinson’s 42.

So, are there any other numbers you feel the Mets should have retired? It doesn’t mater if it is a moot point because others have worn them since. It is just your feelings about who the team SHOULD have honored by doing this. There are a few players, for me, who come to mind. Of course you are free to disagree (isn’t it nice of me to give you permission).

I would have liked the Mets to retire 36 in honor of Jerry Koosman. He was one of the best left handers of his generation. He had a great pick-off move for which he never received credit (but Steve Carlton did say he stole Koosman’s pick-off move). He played on some terrible teams and he kept his focus. He was fun to watch, and a personal favorite.

Another man I thought the Mets should have honored was Tug McGraw. Not only, as a reliever, did he have good numbers, he was the backbone of the ’73 Mets, coming up with the phrase “You gotta believe”. He also understood the importance of being a showman. So I would have retired 45 in honor of Tug!

I still debate the next two but I think it would be appropriate for the Mets to honor these next two players. One is Keith Hernandez. While, by things Hernandez has said, I don’t think he is one of the nicest human beings and I still have not forgiven him for admitting that he game up on the ’86 Mets in game 6, he had very good numbers and his leadership was crucial. As a result, I think he earned his number 17 being retired.

The final player I think deserves the honor is Mike Piazza. Number 31 should be retired because Piazza put up strong numbers, was fun to watch, understood how to play in New York and for years was the face of the team.

So there you have it, the additional numbers I think should be retired. Again, I may have left some out, but feel free to voice your opinion on the topic.

What's On The Farm

So, I am left wondering what the Mets have down in their farm system. As we ended the baseball season, I thought they looked pretty good. Carlos Gomez proved he could play at the major league level and he showed he could hit and play defense. Lastings Milledge put up some strong numbers late in the year and was one of the clubs best clutch hitters in the last month or two of the season.

I didn’t think Philip Humber and Mike Pelfrey looked great when they pitched this season, but I did not think they devalued themselves either. I thought this was, in large part, a problem of rushing them to the majors because they didn’t have the pitching the needed. In addition, I hear great things about Kevin Mulvey and I believe Carlos Muniz is supposed to be the real deal.

There is also Rueben Gotay who struggled against lefties but hit .318 against righties, certainly some impressive numbers. He seemed to play the game with a lot of flair and excitement. Once, however, the Mets picked up Luis Castillo, Gotay’s time was seriously reduced.

Still, I am clearly missing something. No one seems interested in trading with the Mets when it comes to get a pitcher. Yes, the Mets are looking at getting a special pitcher, still it seems to me they have some chips, but nothing is happening.

The Mets traded Milledge for a lot less than what they should have, as far as I am concerned. The Mets have not been able to land a pitcher either. No one seems interested in what they have to offer. I don’t know what the answer is, but I do know Omar needs to do something. This is a franchise that has been known for its pitching.

There were, of course, Seaver and Koosman. You can certainly through Nolan Ryan into that group as well, although he never put up strong numbers in New York. There was Jon Matlock and even in the terrible years of the late 70’s (and early 80’s) there was Craig Swann (not a household name but good enough to lead the league in lowest ERA for a season or two—and be in the running for a number of other ones). Of course there were Doc and Ron and Sid, Bobby O and David Cone. The history of the Mets is rich with pitching and now we cannot seem to land one.

It is ironic and more importantly, it is frustrating.

The Mitchell Report

So far, I have been strangely quiet about the Mitchell report. Perhaps there is a good reason for that. The more I think about it, the more I wish the Mitchell report never came to light, that baseball never commissioned this report and that money wasn’t wasted on it.

I will admit this was not how I felt at the time that Mitchell was first brought on board. I thought it would be good for baseball and for the fans. Hindsight being 20-20, I was wrong, it was a mistake.

What really has changed now? We know steroids and HGH have been around for a while and that some of the premier players in the game were using them. Is that a new revelation? Is baseball going to come up with new standards for testing? Probably not as they already employ one of the toughest standards. We know players who want an edge will probably find a way to stay ahead of the testing. This is not a reason to do away with it, but it is a reason to carefully consider how we want to move forward.

I have heard it suggested that the Mitchell report smacks of McCarthyism. I am not sure I agree with that, but I am not sure I disagree with it either. Is there anyone who is clean? How many? What about the hall of fame? Well, as I see it, players who are the best in the steroids generation should still get in.

First off, with so many people indulging, the field is more level than we would like to admit. Second, while steroids are illegal, dangerous and should not be used (and that must be stated), players have always looked for ways to get an advantage over the competition. Should a player who has undergone hypnosis to see the ball better be ban from the Hall of Fame because he had an edge over other players? Should a pitcher who threw a spitball be removed from the Hall because he used an illegal pitch?

The more I look at it, the more I think we would have been better off if the Mitchell report never saw the light of day. Baseball needs to address the steroids issue, they have been addressing the issue and to go back now and try and identify everyone who has indulged seems ridiculous.

Let’s keep steroids out of baseball (or do the best we can) and let’s move on and play baseball (in another 4 months)

Dealing With Frustration

This is a paid post, sponsored by http://www.docsports.com/bowl-game-schedule.html


Every day I check out the Mets website. Every day I look, hoping to see they have acquired that needed starter, the person who can be the ace of the staff. Every day I leave the site frustrated.

I know you can only trade for what is out there and you need a willing partner. I know you need to be careful of trading all your prospects in one deal. Still, I am frustrated, as a fan, waiting for my team to make the deal, waiting for Omar Minaya to find some magic and get us that pitcher. So, right now checking out the Mets website is just frustrating.

Fortunately, I have found a website that can ease some of that frustration. Doc Sports is a site that is devoted to giving in depth previews to all the different sports. They will give you picks, odds, handicapping information, scores and schedules. It is quite fascinating to look and see the information they have.

They do a nice job of covering football and you can get information about College and professional games. They will be doing an in depth preview of all 32 college bowl games. You also can find information about college bowl game schedules.

Right now, based on the time of year, they do not have much in the way of baseball, but they do a nice job covering that as well, during the season. So, whether it is baseball, football, basketball, hockey, or horseracing, Doc Sports should have something that appeals to you.

Milledge Gone But For What?

Steve Phillips, the former GM of the Mets and now sports commentator, once said of Omar Minaya, the current GM and a former Phillips understudy, “Omar feels prospects do not win you Worlds Series”. In other words, if you have the chance to trade a prospect for an established player, you do it.

Perhaps we can see why that philosophy should be applied by looking at the recent Lastings Milledge trade. In the past, before Milledge ever put on a Mets uniform, he was considered the major chip to a trade for Manny Rameriz, to a trade for Roy Oswalt, to a trade (I think) for Barry Zito, to some other trades for well known players. I don’t know if it was the Mets that balked or the other team, or a combination of both, but certainly the trade value for Milledge was high.

Now, Milledge is gone and the Mets got Brian Schneider and Ryan Church in the deal. WHAT??!!?!?! Is this really the best the Mets could do for someone expected to be a superstar and at one time able to get them a big name player?

Perhaps Minaya knows something I don’t (Okay, I’m a fan, baseball is Omar’s livelihood. I hope he knows something I don’t). Perhaps Minaya has another dealing in the works for Johnny Estrada now that Brian Schneider will be catching. Perhaps Minaya knows he can now get better pitchers because they know they will be throwing to a good defensive catcher. Certainly from his days with the Montreal Expos, Minaya knows about the two players he obtained.

And yet, I just can’t help but think he could have gotten the same thing for less. I can’t help think that if this is all Milledge lands you, keep him and wait for his value to go up. If it doesn’t what have you missed out on—Ryan Church and Brian Schneider? And, I certainly can’t help but think why Omar is addressing these issues when his biggest problem is pitching. Hopefully, I will read in the very near future about a trade Minaya made for a high quality starting pitcher.

Now Catching, Johnny Estrada

Torrealba is out and Johnny Estrada is in. I think this is an excellent move.

Let me, however, start off by saying, I have not changed my mind about LoDuca. Given the way he plays the game, his heart, drive and determination, the fire he has when he plays, I would have stayed with Paulie. Obviously that was not the Mets thinking. They wanted to get younger at that position and clearly felt LoDuca’s best days were behind him.

Given that attitude, I still was not big on Torrealba. Now, Estrada on the other hand is someone I can accept playing behind the plate. His best days may be behind him but certainly he has had some good offensive numbers. Also, given the fact that Castillo is signed and the ideal number two hiter, that spot would not be available for LoDuca and Estrada is probably a better number 6 hitter.

The best part of the deal, of course, is both what the Mets did not have to give up and perhaps even better, what they did have to give up. None of the young prospects were traded away. They kept those bargaining chips available for pitching (and once again, I do hope they truly address that need). The Mets did have to trade Guermillo Mota.

Two years ago, when Mota came to New York, he looked like he had resurrected his career. Aside from post season, when he came in, he would get the job done. Then came the steroids issue and a very professional response from Mota that endeared him more to me. Unfortunately, ultimately he came back.

I do not know if it was the steroids that made him so effective when he came over and without them he was not longer the pitcher he had been the year before, or if it was something else, but Mota clearly was not the same. Maybe he just never got in shape. Maybe he just lost his step. Whatever it was, Mota was terrible last year. Fans hated seeing him come in and Willie, apparently loved bringing him in (that one is still a mystery). Yes, towards the end of the season, no one from the pen got the job done, but even before that, Willie kept bringing Mota in, when other relievers were much more effective.

Now, not only do the Mets have a catcher (and some rumors that Estrada may actually be used in a bigger move), they also got rid of a liability. All around, I would say this is a good move.

PS A happy Thanksgiving to all and now with the Holiday season officially upon us, I wish you all the happiest, healthiest and most joyous of Holidays.

Pitching, Pitching, Pitching

So, A-Rod is still a Yankee and will remain that way for the next ten years. Personally I am thrilled, or at least glad that he did not sign with the Mets. It leaves the team money to bring in a pitcher or two. So, what do they do, they sign a catcher, in Torrealba. Well, hopefully with that “need” taken care of, they can now focus on the true need, pitching.

The Mets seem to have decided they will trade some of the young talent to bring in a pitcher. I am okay with that. The only thing is, if they trade a lot to get someone like a Johan Santana, they need to make sure they go ahead a sign him to a lengthy deal. To trade away three or four young guys (maybe more), talented guys, guys who are top prospects, will not sit well with me if they do it only to rent a player for one year and then have that player test the free agency waters. They need to keep the player.

Still, they also need to do something to fill the void. We all knew this was the problem last year, but the Mets’ front office refused to address the need. Well, it remains the need again this year. Even if Glavine were to return to the Mets, the need would be just as great, if not more so.

Oliver Perez and John Maine may turn into complete, whole season pitchers, but they are not there yet. Hopefully Pedro will be back next year for the full year, in tiptop shape, but I don’t think we can count on it. El Duque cannot be counted on to have an injury free season, and certainly not to remain available down the stretch and in post season (if the Mets get there). They need a true, bona fide number one pitcher, and I would like to see them bring in a second pitcher as well. A couple of starters along with Pedro and Maine and Perez would go a long way.

I have a dear friend who would never object to trading away prospect for the right player. The problem is he would insist they had to be the right player (and I agree). He is still ticked at the Mets for trading Scott Kasmir for Victor Zambrano (I hope I got that trade right). I heard former Mets GM Steve Phillips on a talk show last year say that Omar Minaya’s philosphy is, “Prospects don’t win you World Series”. My point here is, I don’t mind if the Mets trade a Miledge or a Gomez or a Pelfrey, or Gotay, or other young talent, as long as they are not trading them just for the sake of brining in another arm. The Mets need to bring in “The Right Arm”. Here’s hoping that happens.

Torrealba Versus LoDuca

So the Mets are considering signing free agent Yorvit Torrealba to be the catcher of the future. Honestly, I do not like the move. I am probably in the minority here, but I am a fan of Paul LoDuca. LoDuca grew up a Met fan and seems to play the game with all his soul. I have never questioned that he gives 100%.

I like LoDuca because he does not strike out that much. He is a good contact hitter, as he knows how to put the bat on the ball, and he seems to work very well with the pitchers. He proved to be a good, effective number two hitter but with Luis Castillo being traded to him last year and the Mets hopeful of resigning him, that spot in the lineup was taken away from LoDuca. Still, I say, they should try to keep both players.

Although I do not have the skills or knowledge of what truly is involved in calling a game, LoDuca seems to call a good game. When the Mets picked him up, he was classified as a catcher who can hit as opposed to a hitter who can catch (what they considered Mike Piazza). He was an upgrade defensively. Now, everyone seems to talk about how he is a defensive liability. Torrealba is considered an upgrade, yet last year 80% of would be base stealers were successful against the man the Mets want to bring in, while the National League Average was 70%. Base runners did better against Torrealba than they did against the rest of the league.

I think LoDuca is a gritty, gutsy ballplayer who has earned his stripes with the Mets. Not only did he finish up strong with them at the end of last year, I thought he had a good year overall and his two year tenure in a Met uniform has been successful and warrants a return. I know the Mets are not asking me (and I highly doubt they are checking my blog to see what I think), but I say they should resign what they have.

A-Rod, Yes Or No?

So, A-Rod is available to all teams and the Mets are certainly one of the teams that could land him. Personally, I do not think the Mets should persue him. Now, if they were to land him, I would not be disappointed, but this is not would I would focus on if I were Omar Minaya.

A-Rod certainly is one of the best players in the game. He is the favorite to break Bonds’ homerun record and it would be nice to stick it to George Steinbrenner and the Yankees. I also think you will see some strong postseason numbers from this man if he were not playing for the Yankees. So, these are all reasons why they should persue him, but again, I am not in favor of that.

First of all, where do you play him. Putting him at third is a possibility but then you need to move David Wright. I do not think you want Wright at second base. That means he either goes into an already crowded outfield or you play him at first base and look to get rid of Delgado. I do not see either of those happening. To play A-Rod at shortstop means you are moving Reyes to second, and we already tried that experiment. Then there is the possibility of moving A-Rod to second, but that is probably not fair to him, and he, one of the best players in the game, should not need to constantly switch positions.

There are other problems as well. The main issue is, if you sign him, it will tie up a lot of money and prevent the Mets from making other moves. Anyone who thinks the problems the Mets had during this year’s meltdown would not have occurred with A-Rod on the team is deceiving him/herself. The problem was pitching.

With Glavine gone (and even if he plays another season, I hope it is not in a Met uniform), with Ollie and Maine still unproven, especially as full year pitchers, with the condition of Pedro not know, with a bullpen that was far from reliable for the entire year minus the closer, and a closer who was unreliable the second half of the year, the Mets should not tie up money on an Alex Rodriguez contract. They should avoid dealing with Scott Boris (unless he represents a pitcher the Mets want to persue). The Mets should look to do the same thing the needed to do last year; address the pitching needs. If they do not, we are probably in for another long season, much like we had this previous year.

Those are my thoughts. Do you have any on the topic?

In Praise Of Joe

I have always been a fan of Joe Torre. When I was growing up, I enjoyed watching him as a player. When the Mets got him in a trade, even though he was on the downside of his career, I was thrilled. Then he went on to become the manager of the Mets, the laughing stock in baseball. I wished him well and loved the fact he was managing the Mets. He did not do great, but then again, he had little with which to work.

When Torre went to Atlanta, he was going to another cellar dweller team but he either helped turn them around, or he came in at the right time, and took them to the World Series. Perhaps the same can be said of the Yankees. Either way, he was the captain of the ship when these teams started playing well.

I have heard it said that with all the talent Torre had, he should have been as successful as he was. I felt he was able to take a bunch of good players and make them into a great, cohesive unit. He was also able to handle the egos of everyone involved. So, I feel Torre deserves a lot of the credit for the success of the Yankees.

All this being said, I do think it was time for him to leave. He had lost the ability to get the players to do what they needed to do. If you have read previous entries on my blog (about Willie Randolph), you know I am a firm believer that the most important thing a manager can do is know who needs a pat on the back and when it is needed, and who needs a kick in the ass and when it is needed, to get the most out of his players. After awhile, even the best have trouble with that and Torre was clearly having trouble.

I do think the Yankees should have been a little more honest, however. I understand that the offer on the table was still more than any other manager in baseball makes. Still, Torre’s comment that when you give someone a pay cut, it means you are not happy with the job he is doing, is accurate. Sometimes the pay cut maybe because the boss does not have enough money, but in the case of The Boss, that clearly is not the situation.

I wish Joe Torre the best. He has always been a class act and I am sure he will continue to be just that.

Still?

So, the Colorado Rockies are going to the World Series. They are playing some excellent baseball and I am starting to get concerned because, while I understand what they have just accomplished, and how well they are playing, I still have no desire to watch any of the games.

From what I can tell, the Cleveland-Boston series is also a good one and again, I still have no desire to watch. At first I knew I just needed some time away after the Mets took so much out of me down the last stretch of the season, now I am not sure what the problem is.

I had hoped the passion would have returned. I had hoped I would be able to put the Mets colossal collapse behind me, but so far, nothing. It is just a stupid game. Maybe, however, that is why I have not been able to get into these series. Taking the approach that it is just a game, makes them less meaningful.

It is hard to believe they pay players so much money for playing a stupid game and a good portion of that is passed on to us in ticket prices and other merchandise. We want winners but we object to when our team spends a lot to accomplish that. Of course, if you look at many of the teams there right now, they have not done it with a large payroll. Perhaps there is a lesson in there for the New York Mets.

True To My Word

True to my word, I have watched very little baseball this postseason and I actually feel much better. I feel like I am coming around. I did watch the last three outs made by the Cubs allowing Arizona to clinch. I think I watch about a half an inning of the Philadelphia vs. Colorado game. I believe the Rockies swept in three, but I would not even swear to that.

I know the Yankees are down two to one as they won today, but I have not seen any of either American League series. (I think the Redsox are either up two nothing, or they swept in three). I heard of the famous bug incident during game two and I know that Torre is under the gun right now. I have no idea hoiw ARod did today, but I actually hope he did well. I think it is unfortunate to see him choke every year in postseason and it is time Yankee fans got off his back.

Besides, I would like to see Rodriguez produce so next year, when he is in a Met uniform, we know he will come through. I know it is a dream, but let me dream. I do not like the idea that has been suggested about Moving David Wright to second and allowing Arod to play third. However, I could go for the idea of moving Reyes to second and putting Arod at shortstop, or even putting Rodriguez at second. Again, this is highly unlikely, but I would love to see it.
By the way, I am hoping that Cleveland wins Game four and knocks the Yankees out of contention the next time they play, but I will probably not watch that game either.

Glavine Gone?

Tom Glavine has decided not to exercise his option for next year and that means he will most likely not be pitching in a Mets uniform this coming year. Of course, the Mets could still try to sign him as a free agent. While upper brass does not expect that to happen, the indication is the would like to sign him.

I hope that does not happen. When I read on the Mets’ website that Glavine was considering whether or not to exercise his option for next year (thus ensuring he would pitch in a Met uniform next season), I was a little disgusted.

On the plus side, Glavine is a consummate professional and he has over 300 wins. I do not take that away from him. I think Glavine might make an excellent pitching coach some day. It is also important to note that I did not feel this way due to Glavine’s performance in the final Met game of 2007, at least not in total.

If you look at Glavine’s body of work for the season, it seems that many times when the Mets got him a lead, or scored a few runs to get back in a game that he was pitching, the very next half inning Glavine would give up a run or more to the opposing team. I am a big believer in the importance of getting the side in order after your team gets you a lead, or after your team scores a couple of runs to seemingly get back in a game.

If you check out this blog and look at my posts, you will see this is something I have been saying about Glavine throughout the year. Glavine was once a dominant pitcher. Dominant enough that he won 300 games in his career. He gets credit for that, but he is no longer the pitcher he once was. I, for one, will not be sorry to see Glavine NOT WEARING a Met uniform this coming year.

Sour Grapes?

Well, there is still more baseball to be played. I think the Redsox won a game yesterday, but honestly I am not sure. In the past, whether my team has been in postseason or not (and most of the time, not), I have always been interested in postseason and followed most of the games. This year is different. As I said in a previous post, maybe it is sour grapes, but honestly I do not think that is the case.

Last year, Tommy Lasorda did a series of commercials about the postseason and how we watched because we were fans and it was bigger than being a fan of any one team. I identified. I understood. I agreed.

This year it is different. This year it was our year to shine. This year it was our year to get to the World Series. This year was supposed to be the first time we finished with back-to-back division titles. This year we completely blew it. It was as it someone let the air out of our tires or as if we were punched in the stomach, knocking the wind out of us. It is not that I am no longer a baseball fan. It is not that I do not care about postseason (well, maybe right now I don’t, but I will later), it simply is that I have nothing left. I am currently not able to sit down and watch a baseball game. And, right now, I honestly do not care who moves on, or who wins the series. If you consider that sour grapes then so be it. I do not think that is the case.

I also saw on the Mets website that Tom Glavine is considering whether or not he wants to exercise his option for next year and pitch for the Mets. I will have a lot to say on that topic tomorrow.

Willie's Staying?

So, Willie Randolph is staying on as the Mets’ Manager. What? Omar Minaya says he met with ownership and the decision was his and he feels you need to look at the entire body of work as opposed to the last two weeks of the season. What? Randolph, when asked about his team losing its focus said that there is only so much that a manager or a coach could do and that he wished his players had his passion and will to win. What? Did I miss something here. Lets look at each of these things one by one.

Lets first start with Minaya’s comment that you need to examine the whole body of work, not just the last two weeks. Fine. Willie Randolph has underachieved the last two seasons. Last year the Mets, clearly the best team in the National League, failed to get to the World Series. They played well throughout the regular season but could not seal the deal. Yes, injured starting pitching was an issue, but that year the Mets had the best bullpen in the NL and had the ability to take the Cards to the seventh game of the NLCS but could not get the job done. Willie underachieved.

This year, the Mets came in with something to prove since they could not even get to the World Series last year. The Mets came in as the toast of the NL East, and probably the toast of the National League. With the exception of the last 17 games of the season, the Mets were never able to get more than a five game lead over their closest competitor. Every time it looked like the Mets could put it away, the hit a slump and let the second place team get right back in it. With 17 games to go, the Mets did put it away, holding a 7 game lead over the second place Phillies. They had more than the five game lead at the end, when it counted. The Mets could not hold it. It should not have been too difficult (made obvious by the fact no other team in history has blown a seven game lead with 17 to go). The Mets could not seal the deal. They did not even get to the World Series. For the second straight year, Willie’s team underachieved.

That means, arguably Randolph’s first season with the Mets was his best. That was a team that finished 83-79, in a third place tie with the Marlins, behind the Braves and Phillies. This was considered good because Art Howe’s Mets the previous year had finished 20 games under 500, at 71 and 91. Still that was a team playing without Beltran and Pedro. That was a team that had Kaz Matzsui at shortstop, Jose Reyes at second and Mike Piazza at first. Certainly Art Howe was not all to blame for that. I will credit Randolph with help Jose Reyes, since as a base stealing middle infielder, Randolph could identify. Still, the numbers for 2005 were not great numbers. So, looking at Randolph’s entire body of work as a manager, it does not warrant him staying on.

Now, as for Randolph, he says he wishes his players had his passion to win. Excuse me?!?! Is not the function of the manager to instill that passion in his players? Is not the manager the one who has to get his team fired up? Willie’s low key approach to managing, never arguing, never fighting, has translated to the Mets not fighting in the field (literally and figuratively). Willie was the one who told us this will all be forgotten (The Mets rough streak) when they were sipping champagne. If you make a statement like that, you damn well better ensure that you are sipping champagne at the end of the season. Clearly the Mets are not, nor are their fans.

So, If I were to get rid of Willie, who would I bring in? I do not know. Perhaps Joe Giradi would have been a possibility. Maybe Ken Oberkfell, the manager of the Zephyrs, the Mets AAA affiliate. What about Keith Hernandez coming out of the broadcasting booth. I am sure there are some former big league managers around, wanting to get back into managing.

The Mets need someone who can inspire them, who can pump them up. This was what I disliked about Bobby Valentine. He could never get them going when they went to play the Braves late in the season. I do not know who has the passion and fire, but the Mets need to find that person and make up their minds right now, that no matter what, they are going to the World Series next year.

I clearly am not thrilled that Randolph is staying, but as long as he is there, I will root for him, or at least his team.

Sunglasses

This is a paid post, sponsored by http://www.shopping.com/xDN-sunglasses

I realize as I watch baseball games now, just how old I am getting. There have been a number of changes in the game as well as a number of changes as to how I view a game. Certain things can be seen simply by watching the players and how they are so much more concerned with style. One simple example is, there was a time when there was just one type of sunglasses used by players and the only reason for wearing them was to keep the sun out of your eyes. Nowadays, players are not just concerned with that, but they also want to be stylish. It is amazing how many different types of sunglasses are available. All one has to do is check out various websites such as http://www.shopping.com/xDN-sunglasses to see this.

I am actually one of those people in the minority who does not care that much about fashion. On the other hand, I do understand the importance of being fashionable. Fashion helps create the image others have of you, it helps people in power form a more favorable viewpoint about you as an individual, which can often times lead to job opportunities or growth, and it helps us feel better about ourselves. As a result, I was both surprised and impressed to see that this site (http://www.shopping.com/xDN-sunglasses) had over 50 pages on it, all devoted to the different styles and brands of sunglasses.

Ray-ban is just one of the numerous brands listed, but a link is devoted to each of the following styles within the Ray-ban line: Aviator Sunglasses, Outsiders RB2132 Wayfarer, Aviator RB 3025 Large, Predator 4054, and those are just a few listed on the first page of the 50 pages. There are also a number of styles listed for Prada, Versace and Oakley, (including the ones I personally like the best, the Oakley Riddle Sunglasses). This is just the tip of the iceberg as they appear to have just about any brand and style one could want.

One of the things I like about the http://www.shopping.com/xDN-sunglasses website is, for each brand and style the list a number of different stores that carry them. This allows the user of this site to check and find out who has the best price available. I personally like websites that make things easier for me to check and this one does a nice job.

The Craziness That Could Have Been

There will be plenty of time for finger pointing later. We will play the blame game and we will discuss who should stay and who should go, as well as who will stay and who will go. There is a whole offseason to discuss these issues, and I will be taking advantage of the time.

Today, however, it is more of a what might have been scenario. Imagine if the Mets beat the Marlins the last day of the season. That would have left four teams in the National League with identical records. The Mets and the Phillies would have, of course, had identical records, atop the Eastern division. The Rockies and the Padres would have also finished in a tie for the wild card, with those two teams have the same record as the Mets and Phills.

If that had happened, I would have thought the Mets play the Phills in a one game play off, with the loser going home. I would have thought that the Pads and Rockies would have done the same, a one game playoff with the loser going home. To me, that makes sense.

I heard something, however, and I may have missed it, that suggested had the four teams finished with identical records it would have set up a three way playoff set for the wildcard. I certainly may have missed something, but I believe the thinking goes like this… Since the Mets and Phillies would play a one-game playoff, the loser of that game would have finished with an identical record to the other two teams, before the playoff game. If that is the case, than there would have to be a three way playoff. Now, I always thought that the playoff game was consider part of the regular season, but this would seem to suggest otherwise.

It is fun to play the what if scenarios. Unfortunately that is the only thing fans will have to play with during the last season. I guess, there is always next year.

Its Over

Well, the last two games of the season are, I think, apropos of the entire season for the Mets, it is an example of what the Mets have been doing to themselves, and worse yet, to their fans, all season. This is a team that is, as far as I am concerned, the best team in the NL east, and really the best team in the National League. They did not play like it, but I believe they are.

So, after falling out of first place with only two games left to play, after being in first place since mid-May, the Mets showed heart, they showed grit and determination. John Maine pitched the game of his life and looked absolutely brilliant. The Mets offense came to life and they kept hitting and scoring runs. What was the final? Was it 12-0, 13-0, maybe more? Actually it was 13-0. The Mets showed some determination and some fight, literally and figuratively as they were ready to brawl.

I had given up on them the day before when they fell out of first place, but they sucked me right back in. After seeing that game, and seeing the Phillies lose, I had hoped. The Mets were coming back. They should have had the momentum going into today’s game. They didn’t. Glavine flat out sucked. I actually decided I was not going to watch the game right from the beginning and came in half an hour late, only to be shocked that the Mets were already losing 5-0 and Glavine was out of the game. The Marlins scored two more times that inning and before the Mets came to bat they were trailing 7-0.

The Mets had their opportunities to get back in it, but they fell short and left a lot of men on base. When they needed the big hit, they did not get it. When they needed a big out, they did not get it. So Glavine, who was let down by the Mets in his first attempt to win 300 games as the bullpen blew the lead, returned the favor and let the team down today. Yesterday’s game gave us hope and got us back in it, but consistently, the Mets have been unable to seal the deal, to get the job done for good, and once again that happened today.

We laughed at Jimmy Rollins for his comment about the Phills being the team to beat, but they are there. Give the Phillies some credit as they played well to get in, but the bottom line is, the Mets did this to themselves. A team up by seven with two weeks to go does not lose out unless they themselves suffer a meltdown. They did and the Phills were there to take advantage.

As a Met fan, I guess the good news is we do not need to suffer through anymore heartache and heartbreak this (post)season. The Mets blew it and now it is time to speculate on the changes that will occur.

I would think Willie is let go. I do not see anyway Randolph can stay. I understand that the manager is not the one on the field, but he is making decisions and more importantly, he is the one who has to inspire players. Randolph didn’t and he doesn’t. As I see it, Randolph has managed three must win games, three elimination games. Game 6 of the NLCS last year against St. Louis, his team won, and avoided elimination. Still, they had to win the next day and the didn’t. Today they had to win and they didn’t. Randolph has seen his team loss two of three must win games.

Last year the Mets underachieved as they should have gone to the World Series, but they could not get past the Cardinals. This year the Mets underachieved as they could not even win the division. The could not even get to 90 wins. This, in part has to be the fault of the manager. You need to fire up your players. Randolph did not do this. He has got to go.

I do not know if I will even watch postseason play. Go ahead, call it sour grapes. Who knows, maybe it even is, but right now I have no interest or care as to who moves on (other than not wanting it to be the Yankees). All I can say is, it will be a long off season, but I hope that the off-season for the Met players is even longer and they reflect on what a disappointment they have been, nothing more than a bunch of screw-ups this year.

As I said before, it was a disappointing season.

An Historic Collapse

The Berlin Wall … The Fall of Communism … The 2007 New York Mets. These are among the greatest collapses of recent times. For the first time all season, the Mets no longer control their own destiny, in order to get to the Post Season, we need a Philadelphia loss- actually two of them. When they were tied, the Phills needed to lose a game, but that game could have been a head-to-head one game playoff against the Mets, hence Met wins were all that were needed. Now, we NEED the Philies to lose one of their last two games, just to finish in a tie.

As we all know by now, no team has ever had a seven game lead come September 15 and failed to get into the postseason. The Mets could be the first. Having been a Met fan for so many years, you would think I suffered through enough of this to be used to it. Still, this meltdown is of epic proportions and I do not think most fans could have braced for it.

So before the season started, Jimmy Rollins said the Phills were the team to beat and we laughed, we were even disgusted with him. The season started and the Phills got off to a terrible start and we laughed even harder. Now, we come down to the end of the season and we are not laughing. Regardless of what happens, is there anyone of else that feels right now, today, that the Mets are a better team than the Phills. The Mets have been playing heartless, as if they don’t care, finding ways to lose. The Phillies on the other hand are finding ways to win.

Yesterday’s game saw the Marlins take an early lead. Then, the Mets pecked away and actually at one point the score was 4-3. I turned off the game for a bit to take care of my son and when I turned it back on, the Marlins had gotten two more runs, for a 6-3 lead. I laughed. It was a disgusted laugh, but a laugh none the less. If I weren’t a diehard Met fan, this would be funny, it would be amusing.

So, they’ve lost seven in a row at home. When the pitching comes through on that rare occasion, such as Thursday’s game against the Cardinals, the Met bats go silent. Pedro went seven inning, probably the longest start he has made in two years. He did not look great, but certainly good, and good enough to get the win. Still, the Mets managed only a handful of hits, and no runs. When the bullpen comes through (a rarity), the starting pitching falters. It does not matter what happens, they just cannot win a game.

And, then there is Willie Randolph. I realize he is not playing, the players are screwing up, largely the pitching. Still, is there anyone right now who feels comfortable with Randolph managing? Do you have confidence in him? I have lost my confidence and I think, perhaps, so have the Met players. He has winning records with the Mets, but Randolph must go, especially if we don’t make the playoffs and even if we do. I realize you cannot do this, but part of me says they should fire him right now and see if that breathes new life into this team.

Well, I said to a friend a couple of days ago that maybe the Mets needed to fall out of first place to realize this is not a done deal, that right now they suck. Then I told that friend I wanted to see the Mets, after falling out of first place, regain the position. Now, in order for that to happen, the Phills need to lose at least one game against the lowly Washington National, and really two (which is not going to happen with only two games left).

If the Phills lose only one game (and that may not happen), and the Mets win the next two (again, that may not happen), the Mets would have to face Philadelphia in a one game playoff and the Phills have won eight in a row from the Mets.

This is baseball and anything can happen, but right now, as a Met fan, I am not confident and I am feeling absolutely disgusted.

Let’s Go Mets!

NO!

NO!!!!!

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!


I think that about says it all!

If, If, If ...

The Mets, what are we going to do with the Mets. They may well get to the post season this year but I am not sure there will be any Met fans left to enjoy it, they are going to give us all heart attacks. Yes, they did reduce their magic number to four yesterday, but that was only thanks to Atlanta. (That sounds strange, saying Thanks to Atlanta, as a Met fan, in September).

Yesterday the steady hands of Tom Glavine were supposed to right the ship. Right from the start, Glavine was in trouble. By the time the Mets came up for the first time, they were trailing four to nothing. Glavine did not have it yesterday, but then why should he be different than any other Met pitcher. The bullpen once again did not have it and they let Washington pad the lead. Washington never trailed in the game.

The Mets did try to mount a late, ninth inning comeback, but it was too little too late, not by much mind you, but not enough as they lost by one run. If Glavine pitched a little better, if the bullpen did not give up two of those runs, if the Mets had scored a couple of additional runs in an earlier inning, the outcome would have been different and the magic number would be three. If, if, if… that is the problem. The Mets need to stop playing like they think they already clinched and can take it easy. The pitching has got to come through. The bullpen has got to get itself straightened out. I hope they do.

It would be nice to see the rookie, Phil Humber, making his major league debut tonight, come through in a big way. No matter what, he cannot do any worse.

Let’s Go Mets!

Time To Turn It Around

The Mets get another crack at the Washington Nationals tonight. It is amazing that a team which the Mets had destroyed, a team that has scored the fewest amount of runs in the National League, has owned the Mets this past week and a half.

The Nationals have beaten us four straight—three in Washington DC and now one at Shea. Is it that the Nationals gear up for the Mets? Is it that Manny Acta takes pride in beating his former team? Perhaps, but I think there is one more possibility that needs to be examined. The Mets flat out suck right now. With the exception of the Marlins, the Mets have not been able to beat pennant contenders, such as the Phillies and they have not been able to beat cellar dwellers, such as the Nationals.

I really think the Mets should consider changing their name right now. Rather than be know as the New York Mets, we should just refer to them as the chokers, because right now, they are choking. Hopefully the Mets will be able to regroup. Hopefully the Mets will gear up, but as I said before, even if they make it to the playoffs, is this a team you feel comfortable with in post season? I don’t. If they get there, I see them being eliminated in the first series. I hope I am wrong, but their play of late has not exactly helped brew confidence. It would be nice if that all changes starting tonight.

Let’s Go Mets!

Now Pitching

Now pitching and batting ninth for the New York Mets, The Adjunct Professor. Yes, you read that right. With the way the Mets are playing right now, I could not do any worse than any other pitcher they have. My friends are willing to round out the starting rotation. As for the bullpen, I stopped by the cemetery and just listed some names off the headstones. Right now, the Mets pitching staff is made up of has-beens, never-will-bes, forgot-how-to-pitch pitchers and just flat out bums.

So, the win three games in a row. That third game, they tried to give to the Marlins, but Florida is just so pitiful, they could not take it. So the Mets left Florida with a three game winning streak and winning three of the four games.

Today it was back to the Nationals, this time in Shea. The lowly Nationals continue to show that they have the Mets number. Right now, it looks as if most people do. So if and when this team backs into Post Season, the heartless bunch, the team who is playing with no spirit and no spunk, will probably be eliminated early in the Post Season.

Not to worry, however, because Willie tells us we will be drinking champagne. Right now, that might only be the case if we steal it from the Phillies.

A dear friend of mine told me this team reminds him of the Met teams of the late 80’s, a lot of talent but unable to do anything with it. That really seems to be the case with this team. This team has the players that should be capable of winning. The problem right now, however, is they have no pitching.

Pedro is back and looking good, but he is on a short leash. El Duque is on the shelf. Seems he did this to us last year as well. He is too old to last a season and we probably will not see him in the post season (if we get that far). Maine has been a total screw-up for the second half of the year.

As I said, right now, I could do a better job pitching for the Mets, and that is pretty pathetic, but then again, right now, the Mets are pretty pathetic.

Met-Less

For the first time in a long time I had a 24+ hour break from the New York Mets and it felt wonderful. Friday night and Saturday marked the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar. I was in synagogue for a good portion of the time and really did not think about the Mets or follow anything about them for Friday night’s game as well as Saturday’s game. Considering all they have put me through lately, it felt good to go Metless for a day.

I did pick up the paper this morning to see if I could get a score for Friday night’s game. Due to a rain delay, the paper did not have the final. I really was fine with this. I could have asked at services today and gotten a score (I know where the Met fans sit) but I made a conscious decision not to, to focus on my prayers.

This evening, upon coming home and breaking my fast, I did check the computer and found out that the Mets won both games, Friday and Saturday. That was a nice feeling, to see that the Mets won both of the games and knocked their magic number down to seven. With eight games left, it is nice to know that the Mets still control their own destiny. They can clinch even if Philadelphia wins every game they have left.

I would prefer if it did not take that long, if the Phils helped us out and started losing some games. I really do not want to wait until the penultimate game of the season for the Mets to clinch. Still, we can do it. We control our fate.

I took a little time away and now I am reading to start following once again. Hopefully we handle the Marlins as easily tomorrow as they did today and reduce the magic number to at least six (and five if Washington wants to help us out and do to the Phillies what they did to the Mets.

Fasten your seatbelts, I have a feeling this will be a fascinating last week of the season.

Let’s Go Mets!

Do We Get To The Champagne

Pedro’s on the mound this evening. I am not sure how he will be pitching, or how far the Mets will let him go, but I hope he does well. The Mets could definitely use a boost. They still control their own destiny. In other words, with a magic number of nine and more than nine games to play (only by one), they could clinch regardless of what the Phillies do.

The problem of course is, the Mets have not been playing to win. They are finding new ways to lose. They are not getting any help from the Phillies who are finding ways to win. I do not think the Mets will go the rest of the season without winning another ballgame, nor do I think the Phillies will go the rest of the way without losing another one. Still, the Mets are making this much closer than it needs to be. They are playing like they do not want to be there. They certainly are playing like they do not deserve to be there.

Willie made a statement saying that this will all be forgotten when the Mets are sipping champagne. This is probably true. The only thing is, right now I am not convinced that they will be sipping champagne. And if they are, will they be able to do it more than once? Of course once post season starts, anything can happen, just look at the Cardinals last year, still right now one has to question if the Mets will go to the post season and if they do, how far they will get.

Hopefully they will get far.

Let’s Go Mets!

What? Again?

What? Again? What? Again? What? Again? What? Again? What? Again? What? Again? What? Again? What? Again?

I am getting too old for this nonsense. After finally stopping a five game skid and winning a game against the lowly Washington Nationals, we let one get away from us against the last place Florida Marlins.

Twice the Mets had a three run lead and twice they let the Marlins comeback. The second time they had the three run lead was heading into the bottom of the ninth inning. Was it too much to ask for, for the Mets to get three outs, three lousy, stupid outs, before allowing the Marlins to score three runs to tie? Apparently it was too much to ask for.

I do not know what is wrong with Billy Wagner and why he did not pitch the bottom of the ninth, but I really do not care. All we were asking someone to do was get three lousy outs. Wagner is not the only Met pitcher capable of doing that, although I am beginning to wonder.

Tomorrow Shawn Green is taking the game off because of the Jewish Holiday of Yom Kippur. I am following his lead. I am taking tomorrow night off from the Mets. They are just going to have to find a way to lose without me. Right now they seem quite capable of doing that.

So, I leave you with my opening words…
What? Again? What? Again? What? Again? What? Again? What? Again? What? Again? What? Again? What? Again?

A Win, Yeah!

Did my eyes and ears deceive me or did the Mets actually win a game? Did my eyes and ears deceive me or did the Mets actually play a good ballgame. Did my eyes and ears deceive me or did the Mets actually reduce their magic number to 10?

After suffering through five almost unbearable losses, it was nice to see the Mets do things right for a change. Mike Pelfrey, while not great, was certainly effective enough and did what he had to do, When Pelfrey got into a jam (in part helped by an error by Carlos Beltran in Center), Sosa looked great in bailing him out. Sosa came in with runners on first and third and no one out. He threw four pitches, recorded three outs and did not allow anyone to score. Well done.

The offense also came to life. I actually almost heaved a sigh of relief when the Mets did not score a run in the first inning. It changed things up a little. I occasionally play poker and we have this unwritten rule, belief, superstition, call it what you will, that the person who wins the first hand usually ends up losing money for the evening. After jumping out to leads of 3-0 and 4-0 after the first half inning the previous two days, today they did not score in the first. I actually took it as a good omen. The Mets went on to win. So, now the magic number is at ten and if St. Louis helps us out, it would be doen to nine.

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets As The Wildcard? Could Be!

Like many Met fans, I find myself totally disgusted with the way the Mets are playing right now. They cannot do anything right, or more appropriately, when they do something right, another facet of the game is so poor it more than offsets what they did well. The bats have come alive so either the defense or the pitching goes south, south enough to allow the opposition to score more runs then the Mets put on the board.

After seeing the Mets fall apart in DC following a sweep by the Phillies of the Mets, right now I have serious doubts that the Mets will finish in first place. Gary and Keith were talking on tonight’s broadcast about who would be the wildcard. Keith said he thought it would come out of the West. I am seriously beginning to wonder if the Mets will be the wildcard team.

Truth is, with the way the Mets are playing right now, not only do they not deserve to be in first place, they do not even deserve to get into the postseason as the wildcard team. All I can say is, “GUYS, WAKE UP, START PLAYING BASEBALL. THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR A COMPLETE COLAPSE!!! ARE YOU AROUND SOMEWHERE OR DO YOU JUST NOT CARE?”

What I would like to see right now is for the entire Met team to line up in a circle with each player kicking the person in front of him in the ass! Maybe, just maybe that will wake up this bunch (of course, with the way they have been playing, it probably won’t).

Right now I will still say it, but only half-heartedly,

Let’s Go Mets!

I Missed Something

What did I miss? I do not understand this. I watched the start of the Met game and saw the Mets jump out early. They took a 3-0 lead after a half an inning. They were up four to nothing against a subpar team when I stepped away to put my son to bed.

I was feeling pretty good. They were playing a weak team and they were beating up on the team. They were taking out their frustrations after losing three in a row to Philadelphia at Shea over the weekend (and for losing the last eight games they have played against them). All was right with the world.

After my son was in bed, I came back to the game and saw the Mets were losing 5-4. WHAT?!?!?!?! WHAT HAPPENED?!?!?!?! It is not like the Washington Nationals are a good team. They have scored the lowest number of runs in the National League. Somehow, however, not only did the Mets let them get back in the ballgame, they actually let the Nats take a 5-4 lead.

It did not stop there. The Nationals actually scored 12 unanswered runs, 12! Washington went on to win the game 12-4.

Do the Mets look like a first place team? Do they seem like a team that could get to the World Series, let alone win it? I said it a couple of times before, but once again, someone has to light a fire under them. Someone has got to lash into them so bad that the players actually fear for their safety. Someone has to get the Mets on the right track and playing good baseball.

On top of everything else, the Phillies won again, leaving the Mets magic number at 11 and closing the gap to three behind the first place Mets. Is it really possible the Mets could not finish in first place? Stanger things have happened so these guys better wake up, and fast.

The Phils did try to help the Mets out, but failed. After jumping to an 11-0 lead, the Phillies let the cards back in it but ultimately held on to win 13-11. Hey Mets, you could learn something from those guys. They did hold on afterall.

A Missed Game (Luckily)

I think it was quite serendipitous that I missed this afternoon’s Met game. I thought it was a night game. As I was getting set to put my son to bed, I flipped on the television in the bedroom so I could head in and watch the Met game after he was down for the night. I did not find the game, because, in fact, that had an afternoon game.

A check on the computer showed that once again they lost to the Philadelphia Phillies, this time 10 to 6. I do not understand this. I realize the Mets are not the dominating force that they were last year. I accept the fact that the Phills are a good team and are certain capable of winning a game from the Mets. But, I truly believe the Mets are a better team. For some reason, we just can’t find a way to beat them. If I have my facts right, the Phillies have now beaten the Mets the last eight times they have played. The last eight? That’s absurd, that even more devastating than the way the Atlanta Braves have manhandled them in previous years.

We can now put the Phills behind us and focus on other teams. I will be very surprised if the Mets do not win the division. Still, I hope the Phillies are not the wildcard team. I realize that things can change when it comes to post season, but I would be so much more comfortable facing a team from the West, or what would be really nice (but won’t happen) is for the Mets to face two teams from the Central. It is time for the boys to crank it up a notch and put this thing on ice.

Let’s Go Mets.

That's Good, No That's Bad

I remember reading a book when I was in grade school called something like, That’s Good, That’s Bad. I think I was in third or fourth grade and the book focused on a boy talking to his friend. Each time the boy would say something, the friend would say, “Oh, that’s good”. Then the boy telling the story would say no it was bad and say why. Then the friend would say, “Oh, that’s bad,” but the boy telling the story would say it was good and explain why.

Picking it up from somewhere in the middle, and it has been years since I read the book, there was a part where the boy ended up jumping out of a plane.

Friend: “Oh, that’s bad.”

Boy: “No, that’s good, I had a parachute.”

“Oh, that’s good.”

“No that’s bad, the parachute didn’t open.”

“Oh, that’s bad.”

“No, that’s good, there was a haystack below.”

“Oh, that’s good.”

“No, that’s bad, there was a pitchfork in the haystack.”

“Oh, that’s bad”

You get the idea. Well as a Met fan watching them play against the Phillies, I feel much the same way. You see, I finally got my cable hooked up at the apartment and could watch Met games.”

“Oh, that’s good.”

“No that’s bad, the Mets were playing the Phillies, who have owned the Mets of late.”

“Oh, that’s bad.”

“No that’s good. Tom Glavine pitched a great game and only walked two batters.”

“Oh, that’s good.”

“No, that’s bad, one of those batters was walked in front of a homerun that Glavine gave up, allowing the Phillies to tie the score.”

You get the idea. I do not understand how the Phillies have become the new Atlanta Braves. Yes, we should finish in first. No, we are not fighting for a playoff spot. Still, the Mets are better than the Phills and we cannot seem to beat them.
On Saturday we had a 3-1 lead and ended up blowing it. How the sharp ground ball hit to Green at first was called on error on the fielder (Green) but the ball misjudged by Beltran that allowed the Phillies to go up 5-3 was called a hit, I don’t know. Still, what I do know is the Mets have to find a way to win the finale.

“The Mets play the Phillies again tomorrow and the Phillies have owned the Mets this season.”

“Oh, that’s bad.”

“No, that’s good. The Mets get a chance for revenge and retribution”.

Let’s hope that is good.

Let’s Go Mets!

A Loss I Can Deal With

So the Mets lost a game yesterday. So they looked bad in the process. So the Braves beat them. You know what? I am not feeling bad about this (maybe it is helpful that I still don’t have cable to watch).

The Mets had their magic number reduced by one because the Phillies lost. The Mets still have handled the Braves down the stretch this season. The Mets at this point can actually lose today, be swept by the Phillies at Shea over the weekend and they still will be in first. That is actually a nice thought.

Now, just because I said they CAN do that and still be in first, does not mean that I want them to do that. They BETTER not lose the next four games. It would be nice if we take two of three from the Braves and if we took at least two of three from the Phillies. Even if they go 500 with those two teams, I will be okay. I really hope that they do at least that, otherwise you will probably hear me scream loudly and you will definitely read me bitch about the performance. I am convinced, however, I will not need to do that.

Let’s Go Mets!

A Knock Out Blow

I am still without a computer and without cable television. I am still frustrated that I need to rely just on the newspaper to follow the Mets. I am, however, thrilled with what I am reading. The Mets have now won four in a row and nine of their last 10. While they still have a better road record (I believe they are the only first place team with a better road record), they are starting to play better at home.

What has me most excited is the way we are handling the Braves. For years the shoe was on the other foot. We would go into Atlanta with a chance to get back in the race and usually get swept, or get pushed further out of contention. A week or two later, the three game set would be at Shea and this time the Braves would deliver the knock out blow.

This time we swept the Braves in Atlanta. I am sure the Braves came to Shea with revenge on their minds. I am sure the Atlanta fans were looking forward to this three game set. It is still possible that we lose two of three to the Braves, but by winning the first game of the set, it may very well have finished any hopes that Atlanta had of getting into the post season. Still, I am greedy. I want us to at least take two of three to win the series and a sweep would be real nice.

Let’s Go Mets!

Return To An Earlier Time

This past weekend felt like a throwback to a previous time. It had nothing to do with the score of the Met games or how they were played, however. We moved this past weekend and right now I do not have cable set up at the new place, nor do I have internet access. This made it very difficult to follow Met games.

When I woke up today, I actually had no idea what had happened to the Mets yesterday. I had to actually look at the paper to find out. Since I am no longer living in the metropolitan area, I only got a brief blurb about the game. This is the way it used to be years ago. At times, even living in the metropolitan area, I had to consult the paper. The first time I moved away and could not get full details of Met games, it was difficult. It was difficult again this weekend, although having been through it before I did adjust.

It was great to see Pedro pitched again and got the win. It was great to learn the Mets swept the Astros and I believe even picked up an additional game lead over the Phillies since they ONLY won two of there three game set this weekend.

I will still be without television and cable for a few days. That a story for another time. So, I will continue to monitor there success via the newspaper (and if I can sneak it in, occasionally my work computer).

Lets Go Mets!

Magic Numbers?

Today was a fun game. The pitching did not give up many runs. The Met hitters just kept hitting and scoring and doing what they are supposed to do, and the defense looked sharp as well. All around it was fun.

I thought Willie made the right move with Mike Pelfrey, in terms of when he took him out. The Mets had a 5-2 lead in the sixth and Pelfrey had one out, so it was 5 and 1/3 innings for him, enough to get the win. The Astros had the bases loaded with the one out. It would have been nice to see Pelfrey get out of it, or have the chance to do so. Still, he has been up and down all year. Although there were a couple of good games, Pelfrey had been winless until his last outing.

By taking him out when he did, Willie assured Pelfrey of not getting the loss (as he would only be responsible for the three men on base and if they all scored, it would only tie the score) and of quite possibly getting his second (straight) win. While it was likely the Astros would score, it was unlikely that all three runners would come home. As it turned out, Jorge Sosa came in and did an excellent job, in part thanks to a great play in the field by Lastings Milledge, and did not let a run score.

What I found a little surprising was after the game the Met announcers talked a little bit about the Mets magic number, I think they said it was 18. It still seems a little early to be talking magic numbers and it seems like discussing 18 as a magic number, is a high number. Usually it does not get discussed until it is in the single digits, and often five or less.

Still, as long as we are talking about the Mets magic number and not the magic number of another team, I am okay with it.

Let’s Go Mets!

MVP Thoughts

A friend of mine, who reads this blog but usually does not comment was nice enough to give me credit for the Mets five game winning streak. The logic was, I said that somebody had to go on a tear, had to go Billy Martin on these guys. After I said that, they started playing better and rattled off five wins in a row. My buddy said it was my blog entry that served as the rant the Met players needed to hear. (Thanks for the credit. I’ll take it, even if it is undeserved).

Today I got an e-mail asking for an entry about how I see the MVP shaking out in the NL this year, from the same friend. Since this individual was so nice as to credit me with the winning streak, I will return the favor and enter and entry on this.

Okay, I do not see the NL MVP coming from the Mets. Moreover, I do not personally feel a Met is deserving of the award. Now, this is not to suggest that the Mets do not have any good players, they do. Still, no one has consistently been there for the Mets.

Starting with the pitchers, I do not see anyone who has been so dominant that he should even be considered. (I do feel if there is so dominant a pitcher, it is fair to vote him as the MVP). Up until the All-Star break, maybe I would have said Wagner should be considered, but he has lost his touch down the stretch, and that is when it is most important.

Jose Reyes is a great ballplayer and a lot of fun to watch. He clearly is the catalyst that gets this team going as their winning percentage is dramatically better when he gets a hit than when he does not. Still, he has been streaking, his power numbers are down from last year and if he is not getting the homeruns, he hits entirely too many balls in the air.

David Wright is the other young stud on this team and is the future of the Mets. Still, Wright has been very streaky this year. There are times he is on a tear and other times he just can’t seem to put the bat on the ball. Last year, he was a great two strike hitter. This year, he strikes out too much.

Delgado has had a terrible year and just as he is picking it up, he gets injured. Still the numbers are not there. Beltran is another one who does not have the number. He started out on a tear and that got very cold, and now, like so many other Mets, is a streaky hitter.

Perhaps the Met who deserve some consideration is Moises Alou, as he is just money this year. Still, there is no way he has played enough (due to injuries) to even be considered (nor should he).

I do not see a Met winning the award this year. I do not think one is deserving. Still, if they continue to win, if they get into post season and then go on to win the World Series, I do not need to see a Met win.

By the way, I see the NL MVP either coming from the Brewers since they were in first for a decent amount of the year when no one expected it (Prince Fielder the likely candidate) or from the Phillies, since they did an excellent job of turning it around (Chase Utley or—and it hurts me to say this—Jimmy Rollins).

So, those are my MVP thoughts.

Lets Go For Five

It is great to see the Mets on a four game winning streak. Do you know, however, what is better than a four game winning streak? The answer to that question is easy… … A five game winning streak. It is hard to believe the Mets have not won more than four in a row this year. It would be great to see them do it tonight. Still, this is getting a little ahead of ourselves.

Pedro looked good yesterday. He was not spectacular, but than again, I do not think he needed to me and it would have been unfair to expect him to be. He was kept on a short leash, which he should have been. Still, with only throwing 76 pitches (one more than anticipated), the Mets were able to get him a win.

There were times where Pedro could have looked stronger, but it was only his first start of the season after almost a year on the Disabled List. And, when Pedro needed to bear down, he was able to do so. Hopefully having him back will give the Mets a spark and they can continue to roll.

It is amazing how they went to be so awful in Philadelphia to just looking much stronger, and like a much more capable team in Atlanta. How would have thought Atlanta would have helped right their ship.

Whatever they needed to do, they did. Now, lets just hope that the Mets keep winning.

A Measure Of Revenge

It looks like the Mets have righted their ship with a sweep over the Atlanta Braves. Of course, with this team, there is no guarantee they will not turn back around and lose three or four in a row right now. Still, it was great to see the Mets get a measure of revenge.

September and Turner Field have not been a good mix. Met fans probably still have nightmares about what it has meant over the past decade. This weekend, however, the Mets just put a serious damper on any hopes the Braves have of making it to postseason (although still not impossible).

Glavine was finally able to beat John Smoltz. Glavine has pitched well in the games where he has faced his friend and former teammate this year, but had not yet one. Yesterday (in what seems like a rare Sunday Day game), that changed.

Glavine looked good, and so did Smoltz as he only allowed three runs and if the Jose Reyes popup is caught, perhaps only two, or maybe even one (as he pitches Wright differently with no one on base). Still, the Mets scored the runs and the Bullpen was able to hold it.

The bullpen looked good yesterday, with the exception of Billy Wagner. Wagner, only needing three outs, once again let a team back into the game and he really tried to hand it away. As I have said before, this is the Wagner of last year, the guy who USUALLY got the save but did not do it easily.

This year, for quite some time, Wagner was lights out. Now, as we are in the stretch, he seems to have forgotten how to slam the door and is back to closing gently and some days not closing it at all. I do not know what Wagner has to do to “get right”, but whatever it is, he better figure it out and do it fast.

Still, it was a three game sweep in Atlanta. Still, the Mets doubled their margin on first place as the Phillies now trail by four games. Still, the Mets did slam the door on the Braves and lowered any hopes they have of making it to postseason (two years in a row with no Atlanta in postseason sounds very appealing). Still, the Mets rebounded nicely and Today it is Pedro on the mound.

Let’s Go Mets!

A Win For Pelfrey And A Met Fan Feeling Better

Mike Pelfrey got his first win and he looked good getting it. The Mets were able to hold off the Atlanta Braves and win two straight. The life of a baseball fan is crazy and the life of a Met fan is even crazier. The Mets were handled very well by the Philadelphia Phillies, who took four in a row. The Phills are a team the Mets should have been able to handle.

Following the four game sweep, the Mets had the misfortune of going to Atlanta. Atlanta, the team that with the exception of last year, has owned the Mets. Atlanta, the team that has taken two out of three games from every set the two teams had played so far this year. Atlanta, the team that would be facing Mike Pelfrey, a pitcher who had yet to get a win this year. Atlanta, the name that strikes fear into the hearts of Mets fans, even when we have a better team.

After winning the first game of the series on Friday night, I expected the Braves to win the next two. But, that did not happen. Maybe the Mets were truly embarrassed and knew they had to perform. Maybe the Braves are playing so poorly right now they cannot even beat the team they have owned. Maybe, it is a little bit of both. Maybe it is neither. Still, what did happen was the Mets won yesterday and that gives them the chance to sweep the series today.

I am not sure how I will feel if the Mets lose today. Hopefully it will not happen. Still regardless of what happens, the Mets will leave Atlanta still in sole possession of first place (something I had serious doubts Thursday night and Friday during the day). It would be great to see the Mets sweep the Braves in Atlanta during the month of September.

Let’s Go Mets!

SO WHAT!

So the Mets won a game yesterday, they beat the Atlanta Braves. Excuse me but BFD. So what? This does not change anything. They looked pitiful in Philadelphia and instead of putting distance between them and the rest of the NL East, instead of slamming the doors, they allowed the race to be re-opened.

Yes, it is true that in order to start a roll, you have to begin somewhere. Yes the Mets did beat the Braves. Still, it is only one game. Still, the Mets MO this season has been to take the first of a three game set against the Braves and drop the next two.

I am just so disgusting with the Mets play, it will take more than a one game win against the Braves, even if it was a good win, to fix my mood. The Mets need to open some distance, increase the ground they have over the Phills and the Braves. Hopefully they will be able to do that but I still have my doubts.


I still route for this team. My heart is still with this team. Still, a large portion of me hopes that when the Mets get back to Shea, the fans come out just to boo them and show their disappointment. This team is so much better than the way they have been playing all season, but they have never really woken up.

Maybe Pedro will be able to start on Monday and it will give them that lift, that drive and determination that they have seemed to lack all year. Let’s hope!

Let’s Go Mets!

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I CAN’T TAKE THIS. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS TEAM, BUT SOMETHING IS. SOMEBODY, MAYBE WILLIE, MAYBE OMAR, MAYBE A PLAYER, HAS TO GO ON A TIRADE THAT TRULY SCARES THIS TEAM! HEY GUYS WAKE UP!!!!!!!

Today’s game was a loss of the worst kind. Forget the fact that the Mets have just been swept, in a four game series, by the Philadelphia Phillies, the second team in the National League East. Forget the fact that the Mets lead is now down to just two games. Forget the fact that now that the Met bats have woken up, the pitching has gone to sleep. To me, the most frustrating thing in today’s game was, the way the Mets let Philadelphia back in this game.

First, after finding themselves down five to nothing early on and coming back to tie it, in the bottom of the same inning where the Mets tied the game, Met pitching allowed the Phillies to take the lead once again by three runs. How frustrating this must be for the Met hitters. Here they pecked away at a lead, and a decent size one and that. The Mets scored three runs in the fourth and two in the fifth to tie it at 5-5. In the bottom of the fifth, Met pitching allows the Phills to score three more runs and take an 8-5 lead.

As if this wasn’t ad enough, THEY DID IT TWICE!!! I am glad to see the Mets had some fight in them and fought back in the eighth inning. They actually scored five runs to take a 10-8 lead. Then, obviously sensing how important this game was, Willie Randolph brings in Billy Wagner for a two inning save and Wagner BLOWS IT! After scoring five runs, Wagner lets them score a run in the bottom of the eighth inning to make this a one run ballgame (10-9). Then, he gives up two more in the bottom of the ninth to blow another game, thus letting the Phills sweep.

Philadelphia showed me a lot in this four game set. So did the Mets, for that matter. The difference is, what Phillie showed me was positive. Unfortunately what the Mets showed me were things I would have rather not seen.

Now it is onto Atlanta for a weekend series against the Braves. Right now I have some concerns. I can see the Mets losing two out of three to the Braves. The possibility of the Mets finishing the weekend out of first place in the NL East, while maybe not probably, is certainly a very real possibility.

Hopefully they will rebound.

Let’s Go Mets!

25 Or Six To Three

It could have been a measure of revenge but in the end, it was just another frustrating loss by the Mets. I did not see much of the game although I did catch the ending. If I caught this correctly, the Mets jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning and then were able to tie it at two, still early on. It is great to see that they are scoring early in games. The problem is, they have not been able to add on any additional runs. It is a little ridiculous to expect two runs to hold you against a Philadelphia offense.

The Mets did hold the Phillies to just three runs which means their pitching was not bad. Still, the offense did not come through yet again. They tried to pick it up in the ninth inning. Runners at first and third with one man out and all Green needed to do was hit a fly ball to the outfield and Endy Chavez would have scored. Green tried to get the job done in a different manner.

A slow roller to short where it would have been hard to turn a double play, could have also brought in the tying run. Marlon Anderson, the runner at first, however, interfered with the play as he tried to make sure the double play was not turned. The replay showed a few things. First, it showed that Anderson did interfere. It also showed that the umpire called it immediately. Lastly, it showed how unlikely it would have been to throw Green out at first base.

I really cannot fault Marlon Anderson for doing what he felt was necessary to prevent the Phills from turning the double play. He played the game hard. Still, it cost them. It led to the fourth consecutive loss for the Mets and the third in a row to the second place Phillies. We came in to Philadelphia with a six game lead and it is now down to three. Tomorrow is the final game and I hope the Mets can pull one out, otherwise it will only be a three game lead. It is time for the Mets offense to WAKE UP!

Let’s Go Mets!

Phillies Looking Hungry

Yesterday (Monday), I indicated that I expected the Mets to do well against the Phillies. That has not happened. Right now the Phillies look hungry and the Mets look flat. I can accept Monday’s loss. The Mets were outplayed. I still think the Mets are a better team but on Monday, for that one day anyway, they clearly were not. The Phillies got the timely hit. They scored early and often. They had good pitching and the bullpen looked great. Despite how they had been playing, Monday was a game that was ALL Philadelphia and every aspect of their game looked good.

Tonight’s loss was more frustrating. On the plus side, Delgado hit a two run homer, and it was a shot. The Mets had a 2-0 lead early and Glavine made it stand up as he pitched beautifully. Even when the Phillies tied the score, Heilmann was pitching well. It was a cheap hit that plated the tying run after a stolen base and an error, allowing the runner (Victorino) to go from first to third.

The bottom line, however, is the Phillies won. They had a homerun in the eight to pull within one before Victorino entered the game as a pinch runner. The Mets, after scoring two early runs, were unable to do anything with Philadelphia pitching.

I do not like the way the first two games went but still, if the Mets leave with a split, I will be happy, or certainly that will suffice. Hopefully they can regroup, get their act together and come out playing tomorrow like they have something to prove. It would be nice.

Let’s Go Mets!

A Minor Setback

I did not watch much of last night’s game and I am glad that was the case. Whatever parts I did catch, the Mets just did not look good. They seemed to avoid getting the big hit when necessary, and it appeared as though they had opportunities to get back in the game. The pitching did not appear to do well either. John Maine did not have it again and the bullpen failed.

After looking so good the first two games of the series against the Dodgers, everything appeared to be flat for the Mets yesterday. It almost seems that every time they are on ESPN, televised on a Sunday night, they just do not look particularly good.

Still, I am not frustrated or depressed. They took two of three from the Dodgers and they have been looking much more like a playoff team of late. Things have been going well for this team. I think they will do well in the four game set in Philadelphia and if history is any indication, Atlanta will take two of three from the Mets. The truth is even with the Braves having our number, I feel we can still (and will still) finish in first in the NL East.

The one problem I have is, while I want the Mets to do well against the Phills, I would rather see the Phillies be the wildcard then the Braves (I think we can handle Philadelphia much easier than Atlanta). The problem then is, if the Mets take three out of four, or four out of four in Philadelphia (I want to see that happen and think it will happen) and they drop two of three to Atlanta, it could very well but the Braves back in second place in the NL East. That gives Atlanta a better shot of being the wildcard and as I said I would prefer that not happen.

Still, I am positive and ready for the series that starts tonight.

Let’s Go Mets!

Clicking On All Cylinders

I have watched very little baseball this weekend as there have been other things happening in my life. That is fine, but I have been keeping up with how the Mets are doing and it is great that they have taken the first two games from the Dodgers. Orlando Hernandez looked really good yesterday and Carlos Delgado finally came through. If Delgado gets on a roll right now, it would be fantastic. To see Delgado, Wright, Alou and Beltran all hot at the same time would be amazing.

Taking a look at the newspaper, I see for the first time this year the Mets have opened up more than a five game lead as they are now up by seven against both the Phillies and the Braves. More importantly, over the last ten games, the Mets have done the best out of any team in the NL east. I believe they are seven and three and all other teams in the NL east are under .500 for the past ten games.

Taking a further look, it appears as though there are only two other teams in the entire NL who have a better record than the Mets over the past ten games and ironically they are the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates (in the Central) and the last place San Francisco Giants (in the West). It appears as though the Mets have gotten on that roll I have been waiting for.

I still have some concerns, most noticeably the pitching (starting and relief). I am a little concerned about Wagner, but hopefully he knows himself better than anyone else and he just needs a short break. Still, right now things seem to be going well on all cylinders and I am excited about watching this team play. Even when they lose, you get the feeling they are still in the game. I look forward to tonight’s game.

Let’s Go Mets!

I Want Mr. Automatic Back

I can accept Wednesday’s loss. The Mets were just outclassed by an excellent pitcher who was on his game. Jake Peavy looked sharp. Yes the Mets mounted a comeback late in the game and it would have been nice to see them beat a game Peavy started after beating Carpenter the night before. Yes, there were a few bad signs for the Mets, but overall this was a game where I was perfectly comfortable tipping my cap to Peavy and the San Diego Padres. And, I figured, they still could take the series with a win on Thursday!

Thursday’s game, as far as I am concerned, however, was a COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE loss! I did not watch a lot of the game but when I turned it on, the Mets were down 6-1. I was not happy. The Padres had taken two of three from the Mets in San Diego and I did not want to see the Mets lose two of three at Shea. Still, with a 6-1 score, I could accept the fact that the Mets got outplayed (although not happily).

When I turned it back on, the Mets had tied it. They showed fight and had a lead going into the ninth inning. A couple of their relief pitcher who have been struggling (Feliciano and Shoenweis), turned it up a notch, and all looked good. Then came Wagner.

Now, I do not want to criticize Billy Wagner. To borrow a phrase from Jim Rome, he has been automatic this year. Wagner has been lights out. But now I fear Wagner is returning to the pitcher we saw last year. That was, he was good and most of the time he got the job done, but he seemed to give the opposition the chance to get back into the game and sometimes the did, he would blow the save. I understand he has only blown three saves this year (you can argue that he blew a “save” in the first game of the series as well. While it was not a save opportunity, he came in with the score tied and let the Padres take the lead—and still came away with the victory I believe). That was Wagner clearly failing to do the job).

I hope that Ron Darling was right in what he said after the game, how all relief pitchers tend to go through a stint like this during the year and it is just temporary. For as much as the Mets’ bullpen has struggled this year, we need Wagner to be automatic once again.

Hopefully we get back on track against the Dodgers tonight.

Let’s Go Mets!

Shades Of Last Year

What a great victory for the Mets yesterday, and by looking around the web at other blogs, I am clearly not the only person who feels this way. This was a team that played very well yesterday against a team that could well be there in post season, and the Mets did it at home. Even more exciting is, Carlos Beltran, who has not performed as well at Shea as he has on the road, had a monster game yesterday.

This game was shades of last year. First the Mets jumped out to an early 5-1 lead. They did this against the pitcher who has the lowest ERA in the National League. The Met pitching could not hold them, but the offense kept producing. A run off of Heath Bell to tie and two runs in the ninth off of Trevor Hoffman, the all-time save leader. This team did not care who was pitching, they did what they needed to do and you almost had a feeling watching it that they would pull it out.

What I really enjoyed about this is the Mets combined small ball with the long ball. The first five runs was more long ball than anything else. After that, they showed they can play small ball as well. To tie it off of Bell, Reyes walked, stole second and moved to third on an infield out by Luis Castillo. While a hit brought him home, the Mets were in great shape to score a run, and tie the game, even without a hit.

The ninth inning was more small ball, that let them win the game. A shot by Milledge went for a single and a sacrifice by DiFelice moved him to second. Anderson blooped a single to tie it, Reyes singled and Castillo drove in the game winner. It was great to see Castillo so pumped when he drove in the winning run. The Mets need players like that. Yesterday’s game was a great sign and hopefully they can add to it today.

On a side note, I am offering a note of praise to Heath Bell. Often times we as Met fans do not like to see players do well when they leave our team. Bell was up and down last year and never seemed to complain, but never really was given a chance. He seems, to me, like a class act. I do not want to see him hurt the Mets, but other than that, I would like to see him do well. He can resume again after this series.

Let’s Go Mets!