Trade Deadline Approaching

Friday, July 31, 2009

With the trade deadline just hours away, we all know the Mets will not be pulling off any miraculous deals in the near future. But I thought it would be fun if we can come up with outrageous rumors, or possible deals Omar can make move on.

Example #1:

The Mets will trade Sean Green and a player to be named later for Victor Martinez. Of course it’s not true, but what else do we have to look forward to? Hey they pulled off a miracle with Johan so you never know.

Example #2:

Whatever the Rays want for Kazmir to return home!

Example #3:

How about resigning Chad Bradford in 2006? Huh, what about that, Omar?

Example #4:

Omir Santos for Roy Halladay. (Why you looking at me?)

...Lets hear it from the fan base.....

Video: Mets at War with Media

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Props to Hot Foot for finding this:

Phan of the Day

As seen on an Arch Nemesis's Phillies Blog, The Fightins,

If you weren’t watching the Phillies game last night like you should’ve been, you missed out on perhaps one of the greatest foul ball catches in the history of foul ball catches.

At the start of the Fightins 2-run fifth inning last night, Carlos Ruiz led off against D-back’s ace Dan Haren and fouled a 1-1 pitch back into the stands. An attentive Arizona fan was in a great position to snag the ball, and threw up his left arm and picked it out of the air.

[...]

But what if I told you he made the catch while HOLDING A LITTLE KID IN HIS RIGHT ARM, along with a soda in his right hand (and did not spill a drop)?



...As a friend, Simcha, said, "it looks like Adam Sandler in his babysitting roll in Big Daddy"...

Tony Bernazard in Disguise

Wednesday, July 29, 2009



...That's Tony all right...

Who Would Have Thunk?

With all the hoop-la and hysteria going on with our Mets these days, we are experiencing a few rare occurrences...

1. TAKE OUT YOUR BROOMS! (And I’m not talking to you Harry Potter fans). We are about to experience a sweep of the Rockies, and for all you fans who can’t remember what that is

Baseball Sweep:
A sweep is when one team beats another team in every game of a series. You may see 2, 3, 4 game regular season sweeps depending on how many games are played in the series.


2. A potential FIVE game winning streak

3. We might even see Omar take a page out of Bobby V’s book after he gets fired.

All Omar needs to do is borrow Jerry's glasses and Willie's stach and he will be as good as new.


4. Big Mike Pelfry didn't balk last night.


5. Sean Green pitched a perfect ninth. (Way to raise your stock before the trading deadline).


...With all this going on at once, watching the Mets could get a little interesting being 4 1/2 games out of the wild card after today...... you gotta believe!...

Josh Willing-Slam!

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Nationals Outfielder Josh Willingham had the game of his life on Monday night at Miller Park, as the Nationals pounded the Brewers, 14-6.

Willingham became the 13th player in Major League history to hit two grand slams in a game. In the fifth inning, with the bases loaded and the score tied at 2, Willingham took an 0-1 pitch from Brewers right-hander Jeff Suppan and hit the ball over the left-field wall to give Washington a 6-2 lead.

An inning later, reliever Mike DiFelice was on the mound, when Willingham hit his second grand slam of the night to give Washington a 13-5 lead.

The last player to hit two grand slams in a game was Red Sox infielder Bill Mueller, who did the trick on July 29, 2003.

...Did you know Fernando Tatis is the only player ever to hit 2 grand slams in the same inning in a game....from 2 different sides of the plate?...Well, now you do....

It's Not Over Until....

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Andrew Vazzano feels this way about our season:



...It's hard to argue...And between me and you - I wouldn't argue with her anyway...

Figures... Just Our Luck!

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Take a look at who caught a perfect game today!



Need I say more about this season?

Tony the Hulk

Pictures have been released by the N.Y. Post, of Tony Bernazard seen through the peephole of his Hotel room.

The Mets are very upset over this leak, and are investigating who the pervert might be. They commented saying they don't want to have anything to do with the Post any longer after they have released this photo.

Sources from the Mets said Tony "has been grievously wronged" and pledged to help with the investigation.

"Our people and resources are in full support of him as he deals with this abhorrent act," a spokesman said yesterday.

At least one more version of the video, on YouTube, was also removed.

Meanwhile, Tony isn't talking about the horrifying incident.




Omar Believes?! Why Dont We?

ESPN.com's Rob Neyer says:

Stunning news from Shea, via MLBTradeRumors:

"Right now we do not envision [being a seller]," [Omar] Minaya said. "If
we're 6 ½ [back] in the wild card with a couple of teams in front of us, we are
still kind of trying to find out how we can improve this team, if we can improve
it through trades."Awesome quote. One of the best of this season, for sure.

Apparently, in Minaya's mind: "a couple" = seven.*

*In case you're curious: Colorado, San Francisco, Chicago, Atlanta,
Houston, Florida and Milwaukee.

Once, in the course of trying to win an argument with a woman -- and yes, I've since learned just how pointless an exercise that is -- I cracked a dictionary and was shocked to discover that the word "few" could be reasonably used to describe a number as low as two.

So I figured I had better look up "couple" just in case I'm wrong,
again. And, sure enough:

4. Informal. A few; several: a couple of days.So we know that a couple can be a few, and we know that a few (same dictionary) refers to something "more than one but indefinitely small in number."

Is seven (or thereabouts) small enough to fall under the heading of "a couple." Technically? Perhaps (though probably not).

Realistically? Stop it. Just ... stop. Optimism is one thing, and often it's a good thing. But the notion that these terribly hobbled Mets are, right now, just a couple of wins or a spare outfielder away from being in a position to leapfrog six or seven teams
and grab a brass ring ... well, I'm afraid that it borders on delusional.

As messed up as this organization is right now, someone in charge really
needs to step in and tell Minaya to start thinking about 2010 and beyond. At the
absolute least, Minaya should consult the writings of our greatest modern
philosopher
...

...If you ever drop your keys into a river of molten lava, let 'em go, because, man, they're gone...

Poor Ol' Tony

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

The 'Ropolitans reports, Tony Bernazard fights Double-A Binghamton players, without his shirt. This is one for the ages. A source tells the Daily News that Mets VP Tony Bernazard attempted to fight players from the Double-A Binghamton Mets, and removed his shirt in the process.

It’s so weird I can’t even process this, so I’ll leave it to Adam Rubin to fill you in.


Bernazard particularly went after middle infield prospect Jose Coronado, using a slang term associated with a woman's anatomy, a source indicated. The confrontation happened about 10 days before the All-Star break, according to insiders.

---

GM Omar Minaya acknowledged Bernazard spoke to the B-Mets in a "stern voice," but said he had no knowledge of the scope being portrayed.

"I know he did have a team meeting with them," Minaya told the Daily News. "It was not a 'you-guys-have-been-great meeting.' I know he spoke to them in a stern voice. But as far as what he was wearing, what kind of shoes he was wearing, I don't know anything about that."

Um…what?



Rubin goes on to note that Bernazard recently verbally attacked his deputy during a recent game at Citi Field.

For the whole story, head over to the Daily News. Prepare to shake your head in disbelief and mutter things to yourself about Bernazard and the Mets.

...Was he trying to motivate or get more players injured?...

Hernandez Plays Left Field

Livan isn't the only Hernandez who plays other positions...
In the top of the eighth inning of Sunday's game Nationals vs. Cubs game, interim manager Jim Riggleman inserted Anderson Hernandez in left field, replacing Adam Dunn.

It was the first time Hernandez, an infielder by trade, had ever played the outfield. He didn't see any action that day.

Hernandez has lost significant playing time at second base because of the emergence of Alberto Gonzalez, so Riggleman is looking for other ways to play Hernandez.

"As we look more at Gonzalez in the infield, I'm just trying to find some ways where Hernandez can not only be used in the infield but maybe go in [the outfield] as a defensive replacement," said Riggleman. "He has not really played the outfield, but his skills will tell you there is no reason he can't catch a fly ball and throw it."

How does Hernandez feel about playing a new position?

"I didn't know they were going to put me out there [so quickly], but I have to do it. I just go and try to do my job and do my best," Hernandez said. "I will do whatever they want me to do."

...What? Do you really want to read about the 4th place Mets who are 10 games out of first place...

SNY Lacks Class in a Posted Image

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Last night, SNY gave a list of all the Mets on the DL, exclaiming how they've been bombarded by injury after injury. If Ramon Martinez was watching - he was insulted.


The Mets omitted his name.

Seriously, what does Martinez think when he sees this? It's understood he's not a core player but show some respect, SNY.

...I had to check to see if the Mets had released the 36 year old utility infielder but nopes, he was on their 40 man roster...


Real classy, SNY.

Mets Turn Down Roy Halladay Trade

Monday, July 20, 2009

Jon Heyman of SI.com wrote on his Twitter account today that the Mets were offered a deal by the Toronto Blue Jays for Roy Halladay. The deal would have sent Fernando Martinez, Jon Niese, Bobby Parnell, and Ruben Tejada to the Jays.

...Personally, I would have done it...Not for 2009, but for 2010...The Mets would hopefully have a healthy Wright, Reyes, Beltran, Santana, K-Rod, another bat replacing Delgado AND Halladay for 2010? I'm there!...In the words of Steve Somers, "the future is now"...

...Minaya had no comment on the trade rejection...

Manuel & Minaya Called Safe

Jon Heyman reports,


Mets general manager Omar Minaya and manager Jerry Manuel have been reassured by club higher-ups that their jobs are not in jeopardy, league sources told SI.com.

Minaya and Manuel have come under public scrutiny and even attack during the Mets' horrific run, but both men were informed in recent weeks that they shouldn't worry about their positions in conversations with Mets COO Jeff Wilpon.

Last year Minaya signed a three-year contract extension that begins in 2010, while Manuel's contract only guarantees 2010. Their reassurances mean both will be in their current positions at the start of next year. The Wilpons have long had a strong relationship with Minaya.

People familiar with the discussions say that while Wilpon is disappointed with the season, he told both men he is committed to them and expressed his hope that they don't let any worries affect how they go about their jobs. Wilpon wanted both to understand that they were "all in this together," league sources said, and that the only thing they need to do is work even harder.


...Manuel laughed and claimed that "he wished the report was true, but...it wasn't."....Manuel also said in response to the 'You're Safe' phone call, "I never got that call."...But then David Lennon of Newsday wrote, "Not sure why Manuel denied it, but I (Lennon) was told that yes, J. Wilpon did indeed assure both Jerry and Omar that their jobs are safe."...

...I don't know what to believe...I don't know why I care...

Update - 10:49 PM:

Minaya publicly stated this report is true. In other words, Manuel lied.

Corey Sullivan; The Savior

According to my mom's great-uncle, the Mets have called up their $600,000 Minor Leauger, Corey Sullivan.


In January 2009, Sullivan agreed to a one-year contract with the New York Mets. He was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo before the start of the season. Today, Sullivan was called up from Triple-A Buffalo after Fernando Nieve was put on the disabled list.

According to Bart Hubbuch on Twitter, Sullivan will wear Number 19.

Trivia Question: Who was the last Mets player to wear #19?


Let's hope Sullivan prays harder than Church did.

Why Won't The Mets DL the Sheff?

A man by the name of Loopenark wrote in: I think there’s an overlooked reason why the Mets are underplaying Gary Sheffield’s injury: Omar Minaya knows he needs to trade him. They can’t put him on the DL now because they’d blow the July 31 Trade Deadline. They’re hoping it’s minor and he can get back on the field soon to show he can play well enough to get someone to bid. If this were earlier in the year, he might well be on the DL now…

Eli responds: You didn't technically ask a question so I don't have to answer this.

Cerrone responds: I don’t know… maybe. Regardless, I don’t know why people think Sheffield will be wanted by any one in a trade. I feel like every American League in contention must have a DH better than him at this point. At best, maybe, he brings on a low-level prospect… at best… and I suspect teams would just hold off, live with what they have, then hope to get a guy like Sheffield through waivers in August… and the same would essentially go for Livan Hernandez.

Eli responds: Did you know that Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England? Unsurprisingly, this Sheffield is also very old (est. 1297).

Redding or Not - He's Done!

According to the Daily News, according to our Blogfather Matthew Cerrone, the Mets had decided to release Tim Redding by the end of this road trip.

Cerrone says, "However, given last night’s injury to Fernando Nieve, it would seem, instead, the Mets will likely keep Redding around, since Nieve will most certainly soon end up on the disabled list. It seems most everyone believes Jon Niese, who in his last 8 starts is 5-1 with a 0.96 ERA in Triple-A, will replace Nieve in the rotation, while Redding will bump to the bullpen."

...Redding was counting his blessings a little too early... $2.2 million to suffer with us Mets fans and then he gets the easy way out... We, on the other hand, are sufferers for life...

...It's amazing to me how Redding was able to win 10 games last year with the Nationals...I've said that due to baseball inflation, a win in Washington is worth 2 in the outside world...That would make him a 20 game winner last year...This year Redding is 1-4 giving new meaning to the words, "Tiny Tim"....

We think Redding's baseball pitching problems are due to the fact that he warms up with a football but what do we know... We're just fans, right?

Jo Da Man

Sunday, July 19, 2009

MetsBlog's Michael Baron writes, "From the beginning of July through the end of the year in 2008, Johan Santana was a perfect 9-0 with a 2.09 ERA, with his signature outing coming on the final Saturday of the season against the Florida Marlins."

Baron continues, "So far this July, Santana is 2-0 with a microscopic 0.86 ERA in three starts, bouncing back from a rough June in which he went 2-4 with a 6.19 ERA as he seemed to struggle with velocity and wildness in the strike zone."

"During his career, Santana is 58-17 with a 2.70 ERA after the All-Star Break, and his best work seems to come in August as he is 27-6 with a 2.36 ERA lifetime," Baron concludes.

...It feels good to win once every 5 games, doesn't it?....

How 'Bout Playing Music Instead?

Friday, July 17, 2009

Scrabble, anyone?

When ESPN runs out of material to shoot, why do they insist on spewing junk? When Redskins Linebacker, Rocky McIntosh, came on ESPN2 on Thursday, this is one of the questions that they threw at him:


I then threw my remote at the tv, threw my cable contract out the window and proceeded to throw up on some ESPN towel I had purchased a few years back.

Informative stuff, ESPN...

...How's R-E-A-L-L-Y-N-O-T-I-N-T-E-R-E-S-T-E-D for a triple word score?

Carlos Gem-ez Update

While with the Mets in 2007, Carlos Gomez batted .232 in 125 at bats with 2 home runs. After being traded to the Minnesota Twins (in the Johan Santana deal), Gomez batted .258 in 577 at bats (153 games) in 2008. He had 7 home runs on the season.

So far, in 2009, Carlos has hit .235 in 187 at bats and has 2 home runs. Not so special, eh? Not too fast there.

Gomez is leading the American League with 27 "ESPN Web Gem" appearances. So although he might not be styling for the home crowd after hitting a deep bomb onto the I-268 in Minnesota, he sure as heck will give you your money's worth when he's tracking down balls in the outfield.


(Via a Bad Cell Phone Camera)

Enjoy him, Twins Nation!

P.S: This might be a bad time to mention this but really, thanks for Johan. He's just as advertised, especially since he's nearing the peak of his career. Sweeet.

Putting the Out in In-jury


MLB is reporting:

Jose Reyes and the Carlos Brothers are closer to returning to the Mets' regular lineup -- just as we all are closer than ever to Labor Day. Not that anyone has put it in such terms, but from what Omar Minaya, the Mets general manager and prognosis provider, said Thursday, the circumstances involving the Mets' three highest profile disabled list assignees are in only slightly sharper focus than they were last week.

In each case, it still seems that the three position players -- Reyes, Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado -- are due back later than sooner and no one can say when later might arrive. Reyes and Beltran are likely to return before Delgado, Minaya said. But that hardly was a new development. He said Delgado's return could be mid-August, but couldn't say for sure.

Reyes and Delgado are in Port St. Lucie continuing rehab work and treatment. Reyes participated in simulated game conditions with his fellow teammate on the DL, John Maine, pitching Thursday. Reyes' condition has improved significantly in the last week after he received a cortisone injection, the general manager said. But Minaya described a scenario of several things that would have to happen before Reyes would play in a rehab game and couldn't say when that scenario might begin. The most optimism Minaya expressed involved Maine and Reyes, who might be able to return by the end of the month.

At the same time, he said an MRI of Beltran's problematic right knee indicated the bruise under his knee cap remains, and Fernando Martinez, also assigned to the DL, underwent surgery during the All-Star break to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. Martinez, 20 and oft-injured, is to be unavailable until mid-September.

...We all knew the Mets would not make the playoffs with the product that they have been putting out on the field these days...We just hoped they'd stay afloat...They are sinking...Quickly...And there aren't any saviors coming anytime soon...

SNY; Sneeze, New York

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Here is an excerpt from an article in the New York Observer:


On a recent Saturday night at Citi Field, the Mets were getting killed. Down 5-0 in the top of the 9th inning, they had only one base hit, and were about to drop their third straight to the Yankees. In those three games, they had been outscored 29-1.

Late-night heroics didn’t appear to be anywhere on the horizon, but the Mets broadcasting triumvirate of Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling were on TV, and—as has often been this case during this disappointing season—were picking up the slack.

Keith: Ahh-chooo!

Gary: Bless you.

Keith: Did you hear that? I put on my cough button!

Gary: You were a little late.

Keith: I was tardy?

Ron: Were you tardy?

Gary: Your sneeze was in the catcher’s mitt.

Keith: It’s one of those sneezes that sneaks up on you!



A minute passed, and Mr. Cohen said, “Do you have something in your hand, Keith?”

The camera turned to the Mets broadcast booth above home plate. There was Mr. Hernandez, glasses pinched at his nose like a librarian, but still unmistakably the former star Mets first baseman from the 1980s—bushy mustache, a jock’s chest, dark hair, a head the size of a melon—holding a tiny silver box with a big red button in the middle.

The camera shot eventually turned back to the field. The announcers didn’t.


Keith: You know what happened to me once? I pressed the wrong button, and I thought I had the cough button on and I didn’t.

Ron: You pushed my button!

Gary: In other words, something went onto the air that wasn’t supposed to.

Keith: It wasn’t anything that got me into trouble.

Ron: On TV, Keith, you can say anything once.

Gary: Yeah, that’s true.

Keith: Are you sure?

Ron: Yeah, I’m sure!

Gary: You can say whatever you want right now! We just might not see you tomorrow.


The old adage for a good broadcast is that when things are going well, it’s like you’re having a conversation with the viewer at home.

Keith and Gary and Ron have done just that over the past four years, for 60 games a season, and about another 90 games using some combination of two of them. But the viewer they’re talking to is jaded, and cosmopolitan, and, not infrequently, a little bored with the Mets.

Keith and Gary and Ron don’t pull for their team. They remark, cruelly and accurately, on the Mets’ poor play. They voluntarily discuss the Mets’ horrific collapses of the last two Septembers. They digress.

This wouldn’t work in St. Louis, where approximately 100 percent of the supposed best fans in baseball wear red to the games, or on the North Side of Chicago, where there is a rich tradition of homerism in the booth. Nor would it work in the Bronx or in Boston, where the fans crave reinforcement of a smug certainty that their organization is different, and special, and superior.

What Keith and Gary and Ron do is something less obvious, and more difficult.

“They reflect the Mets fans’ mentality,” said Greg Prince, co-author of the excellent Mets fan blog Faith and Fear in Flushing. “Being a Mets fan is recognizing reality and accepting sometimes that things are too funny to be sad and sometimes too sad to be funny. It comes across in the three of them.”

Back in the booth, Mr. Cohen took a stab at returning to baseball.

“The Mets are trying to avoid being one-hit for the first time in nearly three years,” he said.

“We’re trying to avoid the highlight of this program being the audio-box display,” Mr. Darling responded.


For Eli's take on the SNY trio, click here.

Senior Players Create Video to Help Mets

I was watching NBC's News At Eleven when this story popped up. I immediately thought that everyone should see this. It took me a while to get the Newsday video on the site so enjoy...

NBC and Newsday report:

Pedro Martinez officially signed with the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday. If the Mets want to avoid the indignity of watching their former pitcher head to the postseason with their archrivals, they may need to get some outside help of their own. Thankfully, they've gotten just such an offer from a group of men slightly older than the 37-year-old righthander.

The Yankees weren't the only team in town to open a fancy new stadium this year. The Mets turned on the lights to their shiny new yard on April 13. And...

The Bristal All-Stars, members of a senior softball team on Long Island, are producing a video of baseball fundamentals that they plan to offer the Mets. Most teams would scoff at such an offer, but the Mets aren't really in a position to do that. When you've lost games because of balks, muffed popups and missed bases, a refresher course on the ABC's of the game might just do the trick to get you back on a winning track.

Joe Friedman, the league's commissioner, told Newsday that they aren't trying to embarrass the Mets, even though he calls himself a Yankees fan. The video, he says, is a good-natured, tongue in cheek offering for a team in need of a helping hand.

"We're not angry with the Mets, but you know everybody could use some help," said Friedman, 73, of Oceanside. "Even we could use some help as seniors and that's the whole purpose."

In addition to hitting the cutoff man and baserunning dos and don'ts, one hopes the video will also give the Mets some other life tips. Gary Sheffield is 40 and might enjoy finding out about some of the better early bird specials in the area, for example, and who wouldn't enjoy a rambling story or two about people who violate the clubhouse rules around Del Boca Vista.

Given their numerous issues with injury, the Mets would also benefit from the life experience of men who have sidestepped all manners of illness and injury to stay on the field long after their hair turned white or disappeared.

Here' a video from Newsday:



...You might think I'm nuts but...Why not throw them into a game just to see what happens?...I'm all for it...Sports Radio would love it...It would gave the players an extended vacation...and who knows? We might actually win a game...

Source: All Star Game in Citi Field in 2013

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

A reliable New York paper has Post-ed:

The Yankees had their All-Star party last year, with an All-Star farewell to Yankee Stadium. The Mets and Citi Field will be having their All-Star Summer hello in 2013.

That was the word yesterday from MLB sources. The next two All-Star Games are set, Anaheim next season and Arizona in 2011. Then it shifts back to an AL club the following year, most likely in Kansas City. That leaves 2013 all set for Citi Field and the Mets.

"That's the way it's looking," a source told The Post yesterday. "That also gives Citi Field time to get everything set. The Mets deserve to have an All-Star Game."

The Nationals also want the 2013 game, but will probably have to wait until 2015. Commissioner Bud Selig said that cities are waiting in line to host All-Star Games. "That wasn't always the case," Selig said.

Selig has made it a priority to make the All-Star Game stand out as a special event that a city can embrace. St. Louis has done just that this week in the 80th All-Star Game at Busch Stadium. New York did it last year with the All-Star goodbye to Yankee Stadium. There has to be space between two All-Star games in New York.

"Playing in New York last year was great for me," Mets third baseman David Wright said. "It was a lot of fun to play in front of the same fans that see you every day.

"New York deserves its fair share of All-Star games. I think with Citi being new and the new amenities and just how glowingly everybody else talks about the ballpark, they deserve it. Hopefully I can play at a level to make the All-Star team there."

The Mets haven't hosted an All-Star Game since 1964 at Shea Stadium. There have been seven All-Star Games in New York, dating back to the second one in 1934 at the Polo Grounds. The AL won that game, 9-7. That was the day Carl Hubbell struck out Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons and Joe Cronin in succession.

...The Home-Run derby would be a blast...I can see it now..."Howard Wins Derby with 3 Long Balls"...

...An interesting dynamic here would be if Carlos Beltran, after his last season as a Met in 2011, decides to sign with an AL team and doesn't make his next appearance in Queens until 2013's All Star game...Okay, I just got way ahead of myself and the element of time...Sorry, about that...

...Do you think anyone noticed that the picture in this post is Shea Stadium with Citi in the background?...Gosh, I miss Shea....

...No, I dont...

Have We Met Before?

Santa Claus of the North Pole is reporting that Michael Baron of MetsBlog is reporting that Kevin Kernan of the New York Post is reporting that David Wright would like to remain with the Mets for his entire career.

Wright told Kernan:

“I’ve made it very clear to those guys that I enjoy being there. I’ve been through some ups and downs and I kind of want to see it through to make sure that I get the chance to finish the job that I kind of started. . . . It means a lot to me to be able to finish the job and do what I think the New York Mets are capable of doing. I don’t think we’ve done that yet.”

…Wright, according to Michael Baron, has become the face of the franchise and if he were to leave at any time, in his opinion the impact would be similar to when the club traded Tom Seaver which was devastating to both he and the fans…

...In regards to Jose Reyes leaving the team, I think fans will be able to accept that...BUT the team needs be compensated properly (i.e. - Clay Bucholz, Jacoby Ellsbury, and at least 2 other SOLID prospects from Boston, and more)...Reyes has not grown up or produced the way we expected him to by now and along with his DL stint - I'm kinda losing focus on how good he might be....Either who, let's talk in the offseason...

Francesa Was In Prison

Well, sort of.

Mike Francesa takes a call from a guy who claimed to listen to Mike during the caller's time in prison:



Needless to say, the guy never spent time in prison, nor did he do time for pulling the wool over Francesa's eyes.

To read a few comments on this video on You Tube, click here.

Moises Alou's Superstition

The Wall Street Journal recently came out with an article titled, "The 10 Most Bizarre Athlete Superstitions" saying that, "If any group has a reason to be superstitious, it's professional athletes. Since their livelihoods rely on their abilities to consistently replicate physical motions, it's hardly surprising that they often don't want to change anything about their routines once they find success. However, some stars take these rituals beyond their logical extremes. Jumping over the baselines when taking the field in baseball? Pretty standard. Wearing the same cup from high school on through your pro career like Mark McGwire reportedly did? Now we're getting a little more peculiar..."

The article went onto state 10 players who had extremely odd superstitions. Why do I mention it here? On a Mets blog? All for #5 on that list, Moises Alou:

Most baseball players wear batting gloves to absorb some of the shock of making contact with the ball and to improve their grip on the bat. A handful eschew gloves in favor of a barehanded approach, though, most famously outfielder Alou. Alou does have a system for avoiding calluses and hardening his skin: he urinates on his hands throughout the season. New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada also employs this superstition to aid in his gloveless approach at the plate. The trick may be more gross than helpful, though: a 2004 article in Slate questioned the value of this superstition since urine contains urea, a key ingredient in moisturizers that actually soften the skin

...no comment...seriously...no comment...


UPDATE: 12:50 PM

...Okay...one comment, k?.... Alou puts the "P" in superstition...Okay, okay, I'm done....

Pedro Martinez Moves Next Door

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

37 year old Pedro Jaime Martínez, who was born in Manoguayabo, Dominican Republic, is now a Major League Baseball starting pitcher with the Philadelphia Phillies.

You know it's official when Wikipedia is telling us.

According to sources, it is a one-year deal worth $1 million and includes $1.5 million in incentives. The Mets next face the Phillies in a 4 game series from August 21st - 24th in Citi Field, in case fans want to book tickets in advance to maybe see the chicken-hating monster.

Martinez will make a couple of starts in the minors before joining Philadelphia’s rotation. The Phillies watched Martinez pitch twice last week at their baseball academy in the Dominican Republic. They came away impressed and flew Martinez to Philadelphia late Monday night to take a physical. The Phillies will have a press conference on Wednesday announcing the signing.

Either way, Don Zimmer just went back into hiding.

The Rubbish Rant

Evan Roberts, a co-host of WFAN's Midday Show, in his weekly 'Robert's Rant' recently predicted a series sweep; Mets over the Phillies, in which it would propel New York into first place by two games. We all know what occurred a couple of weekends ago.



"I wouldn't be shocked if the Mets sweep this series," Roberts said. To see the video, click here. He then went onto say how "President John McCain is doing a great job in office, the Los Angeles Clippers may repeat next year and that Eli from Brooklyn is really from Jersey."


Doctors are taking urine samples as we speak.

UPDATE: Wednesday, 12:12 AM


Guess who just responded to the post? Evan Roberts himself.


We accept Evan's apology and look forward to a budding relationship in the future.

Hmm, Will the Mets Make the Playoffs?

A devoted reader, Skeptic Al, writes in, "Would you like to know the Mets (or any other team's) chances of making the playoffs after each and every game? Well, the website, Sports Club Stats, will do that for you."


...I can explain it here but it's probably easiest for both of us if you went there to check it out....

...What? Go already!...

P.S. - Make sure to utilize the hovering device on the MLB page. It's kinda cool (and yet depressing for Mets fans).

More Changes for the Mets

A Report by Mark Hermann of Newsday:
Dave Howard, the Mets' executive vice president for business, said Citi Field has been "extremely well received," with people commenting even on their reception in the parking lot.

He did acknowledge early-season criticisms: Some seats have obstructed views and that there is less celebration of Mets history than the Brooklyn Dodgers' legacy. As much as there was a "good riddance" feeling about Shea, there was an uproar Sunday when one of its traditions, the apple, failed to pop out of the centerfield hat for the second of two home runs. "We've heard our fans," he said.

So, he said, the Mets received permission from Major League Baseball to show the live feed on video screens the instant the ball is in play, allowing fans to follow action they might not see live. Also, an additional video board will be installed in the rightfield corner after the All-Star break.

Howard added that more Mets memories will be reflected with displays in the park this summer, and that there are bigger long-term plans to give the place a Mets atmosphere.

Whether they will make it a more hitter-friendly atmosphere by bringing in the fences or lowering the walls is a decision for the offseason. Howard did say that if the Mets are healthy, the park can work to their advantage because of their gap hitters, fly ball-oriented pitchers and mobile centerfielder and rightfielder. Backup centerfielder Angel Pagan said, "I need room to gallop, so this is the right place."

...The additional video board in the rightfield corner seems, perhaps, trivial to the regular fan but for those sitting in the leftfield home run section - it is crucial...I had sat in those left field seats and I was no able to see the center field screen due to the fact that the upper bleachers hang... Good work, Wilpon.

...One would think that it's smart not to make any on-field changes during a season...It doesn't look professional...Knowing the Mets, if they did make some changes - they'd put the fences 10 feet further back...

Missed It By Inge's

Monday, July 13, 2009

After Brandon Inge's (lack of) home run performance in the 2009 Home Run Derby in St. Louis, Inge spoke to reporters saying, "My target number was 15, I was thinking. I almost got there." Nothing like making yourself the butt of a joke, huh, Brandon?

Ralph, a Long Island native, put it all into perspective tweeting, "How about a sacrifice bunt contest next year?"

Inge went 10-10 with 9 singles and a hard hit double down the right field line.

Update:

Shout out to Nick
for reminding me of this video:



Mike Francesa likes Inge. Alot.

The Wizard

Osborne Earl "Ozzie" Smith has been out of baseball for less than 13 years and you'd think it was for 30.

The speedy and body-flipping shortstop, otherwise known as 'The Wizard', is looking more like Albus Dumbledore these days, let alone owning the same title as him.



Smith threw out the first pitch before this year's Home Run Derby in St. Louis.

The man, and get this, is merely 54 years old. I guess the great ones age early.

Sorry, Julio Franco.

Rotating the Rotation

According to MetsBlog,
The Mets have set their rotation for the start of the second half on Thursday.

Oliver Perez will start Thursday night against the Braves in Atlanta, followed by Mike Pelfrey on Friday, Johan Santana on Saturday, Fernando Nieve on Sunday, and Livan Hernandez on Monday against the Nationals in Washington.

Jerry Manuel told reporters that Jonathan Niese would take the place of a starter who has “three bad outings in a row”, which seemingly would apply to Hernandez who in his last two starts is 0-2 with a 19.29 ERA, allowing 21 hits, 8 walks, and 15 earned runs in his last seven innings and has lost his last four starts.

For now, the rotation will remain in tact, with Manuel saying:

“We’ve had some success with the rotation we have, and you gotta kind of give guys the benefit of the doubt.”

…as much as I think Hernandez has been beneficial and durable, his last two games in particular have been really alarming and with Niese pitching as well as he has been in the minors, it might be wise to consider this change as the team has lost eight of his last nine starts overall…

…if the team is going to make any sort of run in the second half, then I think Manuel simply must make changes from within as he cannot rely on ownership making a deal…in reality, things couldn’t be much worse…

Rotten Apple

At one point or another, Mets fans have booed just about everyone over the years: opposing players, their own players, other fans, politicians, celebrities and the like. But booing an apple? That had to be a first.

The crowd of 40,014 at Citi Field reacted loudly Sunday when the Home Run Apple failed to rise from its cocoon behind center field after a seventh-inning home run by Fernando Tatis.


They chanted, "We want apple!" then booed when The Apple stubbornly ignored their pleas. They repeated this for several minutes until, finally, The Apple emerged from its shell at the end of the inning. The crowd erupted in cheers.

Tatis said he was puzzled upon hearing boos after hitting the home run.

"I don't know why the fans were complaining about it," Tatis said. "Somebody said the apple was not coming out. I was like, 'What?' There's nothing I can do about it."

A Mets spokesman said The Apple was not broken, but takes 2 1/2 minutes to reset after coming up for a home run. Because Brian Schneider had homered moments earlier, The Apple was unable to reemerge immediately after the home run by Tatis.

The Apple remained down and refused to comment after the game. But sources close to The Apple said it was shocked to be put into service at all, let alone twice in one game. The Mets hadn't homered at Citi Field since Gary Sheffield's solo shot against the Yankees on June 26. They have hit only 28 homers at home this year, which ranks 29th out of 30 major-league teams.

"I guess it hadn't been used in a while," right fielder Jeff Francoeur said. "It needed a little grease."

...What really happened?...The Apple came out once after Schneider took the ball deep...It saw that the only player to ever deposit a ball into the Apple Circle was nowhere to be seen...In his place a French-man...The Apple was ticked...No show....

...Also, "We want apple"?....I'd like for Omar to make another trade...How 'bout ship off half of our fanbase?...Forget salary cap space...We're dealing with 'Fruits' here...

Mr. Met and Josh Hamilton

In honor of the home run derby tonight, ESPN has been showing this commercial:



Hamilton, as you all remember, hit balls that were probably Mr. Met's cousins, friends and mere acquaintances 3,493 feet at a time.

...Don't expect the same show as last year...Don't expect to see David Wright make an appearance...Don't expect me to actually care...

Pujols to Team Up with Number 44

Sunday, July 12, 2009

MLB.com writes,

Albert Pujols is the face of the 80th Major League Baseball All-Star Game, so it's appropriate that he'll pair up with the face of the nation Tuesday night.

Pujols has been selected to catch President Barack Obama's ceremonial first pitch before the Midsummer Classic at Busch Stadium. The game will air on FOX at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

An eight-time All-Star, Pujols will be on center stage for this week's events in his home park. He was the Majors' top online and overall vote-getter in balloting for the All-Star Game, collecting 5,397,374 votes. He'll be taking part in Monday's State Farm Home Run Derby. And in advance of taking the field as the National League's starting first baseman for Tuesday's marquee event, he'll snag Obama's first pitch.

But Pujols won't be the only Cardinals hero on the field for that special moment. The six living Cardinals Hall of Famers -- Stan Musial, Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, Red Schoendienst, Bruce Sutter and Ozzie Smith -- will all be there to greet the president.

As for Obama, he'll be wearing a black glove specifically designed for him by Wilson. The glove includes "Obama #44" written in script and an American flag. Following the first pitch, the glove will be authenticated by MLB and sent to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.

The president has also received a request to appear in the FOX Sports broadcast booth during the game.

"We are discussing with FOX the prospect of him being in the booth," White House spokesperson Dan Pfeiffer told SI.com.

Former Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter will all appear in a video address as part of the ceremony honoring the All-Stars Among Us -- a group of 30 people recognized by MLB and People magazine for their outstanding community service. The video, combined with Obama's appearance, will mark the first time all of the living U.S. presidents will participate in a ceremony at a sporting event.

Pujols, of course, will be at the center of it all, keeping with the theme of the week

Church; Brave and Happy

According to ESPN, Ryan Church is grateful to the New York Mets, not angry at them.

"There's no animosity, no nothing, no bad feelings or hard feelings," Church said Saturday, a day after he was traded from the Mets to Atlanta for Jeff Francoeur.

"I'm in debt to those guys, especially [general manager] Omar Minaya. "He was the one that traded for me back in the Montreal days, he was the one that gave me the shot and the opportunity. If someone gives you a chance to play at the major league level you're always going to be grateful."

Church was in right field and batting sixth in Atlanta's game against Colorado on Saturday. He grounded out to second in his first at-bat.

Church, 30, was hitting .280 with two home runs and 22 RBIs for the Mets. He said he got along well with manager Jerry Manuel

"In New York, a lot of the media always thought there was something between me and Jerry, and there never was," he said. "If there was ever a problem he'd come to me, if I had a problem I'd go to him. Not once did we have a fallout. Like I told Jerry yesterday, I'll go to war with him any day of the week. You never know in baseball, you might run into him again."

Church seems to be happy about playing in Atlanta.

"I joked with some of the guys yesterday, 'At least I'm in third place.' It is weird when you get traded in the division, and it just so happens next week, a four-game series, we're back at it," he said. "That's one thing I told Omar and Jerry, 'Now I get to beat up on you next week.'

"It's going to work out for both of us," Church said of Francoeur. "He's going to love it there. It's the biggest stage. At times it'll be tough, but for him he's a tough player, hard player, plays hard. All you have to do in New York is play hard and they'll love you."

Church also is happy to be playing with his good friend, Atlanta third baseman Chipper Jones.

"I grew up in the '90s as a big Braves fan. I'll never tell him, but he was my favorite player," he said. "It's cool now to be playing with him."

3 Pictures from Phillie Phans

Saturday, July 11, 2009

It's not very often that I'm found on a Phillie Blog but I guess Twitter can do that to a person.

With the first half of the 2009 season drawing to a close, sports fans everywhere are questioning SI's 2009 World Series Champion prediction more than ever.

The Washington Nationals? Were they serious?

Okay, they chose the Mets and I'm sure they want retraction.

With Met fans beginning to look towards 2010 (admit it) - Phillie Peoples are wasting no time in letting us have it. Here are 3 photo's - all courtesy of some guy in his mother's basement.

A Drink:


Pick one up at any location in the NY Metropolitan area September 1st. Sometime sooner.

A Boy:


I'm not arguing with you kid but where were you from 1890-1980? Your Phils were synonymous with dirty laundry; stinky.

Double Trouble:


Do you have a third friend for next year?

Ahh, these are (so not) the days.

Mets Get Less Religious

Friday, July 10, 2009

The Mets have acquired OF Jeff Francoeur from the Braves in exchange for OF Ryan Church.

Francoeur, who is eligible for arbitration after this season, is batting .250 with 5 HR and 35 RBI this season. Francoeur had two 100 RBI seasons (2007, 2008) before tailing off offensively last year. He is said to have one of the best arms in the National League but we'll be the judge of that.

Jeff is 25 years old, young and has a promising future. Technically, if you look at it, Omar traded Lastings Milledge away in exchange for Brian Schneider and Jeff Francoeur.

Not bad but keep 'em coming, Minaya.

Power Shortage

An Orange & Blue Lover, Wario, writes in:

In hindsight, thinking back to last year this time - the Mets had hit just around 105 home runs, give or take a few.

But this year with Ghand-ster Manuel preaching his 80 pitch batting practice in spring training;

“He put an emphasis on situational hitting with a drill that required players to hit 80 consecutive balls to the opposite field in a five-minute span -- more than four times as many swings as they would normally take at a time during batting practice.”

the Muts, (as seen in picture below) have hit a mere 50 home runs this season. This number is good enough for the league‘s lowest. Even the Pirates (56) have more. The Kansas City Royals have more (76). And finally, even the Nationals, who are 162 games out of first place, have more (56)!


We understand that our core players are injured; we don’t need Mahatma Manuel telling us this after every game (A.K.A. - every loss). To add onto this absurdity, even our starters now, have a higher payroll than those teams listed above combined. Would it kill this team to hit and win a game?

When the Mets started this drill, Manuel was quoted as saying,

"It gets you doing things right. When the fatigue starts and you have to keep going, you have to use your hands. That's the idea."

Apparently, it does not get you doing things right. But one thing is for sure, the fatigue does set in.

To tire the players out in spring training, draining them of much needed energy while also teaching them to play small ball, Jerry has cost us more runs than he has given us. Granted there have been many injuries and we don't expect the long ball from Alex Cora and Luis Castillo but c'mon already. Can we hit 3 run home run at least once a week? Are we asking for too much?

Memo to Jerry: Maybe next year - hold off on the drill.

On second thought, maybe forward this message to the then Mets manager.

Living Baseball - The Wright Way

Hat Tip to The Ropolitans for finding this one:






Jerry Manuel: You play third base?
Matt Vojack: Yeah
Jerry Manuel: We might need you tonight.

Check out David Wright (and many other Mets) giving this kid the time of his life at Miller Park in Milwaukee.

The Mets Barked Up The Wrong Tree

Do the Mets have their own curse? Or is it just the Cubs?

The Billy Goat curse was supposedly placed on the Cubs in 1945 when Billy Goat Tavern owner Billy Sianis was asked to leave a World Series game at the Cubs' home ground of Wrigley Field because his pet goat's odor was bothering other fans. He was outraged and declared, "Them Cubs, they aren't gonna win no more," which has been interpreted to mean that there would never be another World Series game played at Wrigley Field.

In 2007, I, Eli, attempted to get into Shea Stadium and I had brought a good friend along (no, it wasn't Pet Day). Needless to say, this "friend" wasn't the human type. Don't get me wrong - he loves humans; he just aint one himself. I had bought two tickets for that day's game featuring the New York Mets and the Florida Marlins - one for me, and one for my dog, Oldie. I was quite giddy being that it was the last game of the season and a solid performance today would perhaps propel us into the post-season. Oldie and myself were both looking forward to it.

But something happened that day that would make Tom Seaver roll over in his grave. Wait, a second - he isn't dead. Okay, IF he was...

Shea Stadium security would not let us in.

Yeah, you heard me right. Actually, you didn't. They granted ME entry, but Oldie was a different story. They were quoted as saying, "He isn't allowed in here, those are the rules, sir" or "Can't talk? Can't walk in." It was an absolute outrage. How would they not allow a harmless pet into their park? Isn't a baseball game a family event? I swore never to return (to Shea) and shouted that the Mets would "never see post-season time again" as I walked with my best friend back to the bus stop.

Sadly, Oldie passed away last June at a young age of 56 (dog years). Those who met my tail-wagging friend know that he was a bigger fan of the game than anyone reading this Mets blog, anyone who has ever attended a baseball game and you can bet your bottom dollar, anyone guarding a stadium in Queens.

Oldie, you will be missed, and God knows you're watching every game from the best seat in the house...

Heaven.

Murphy's Law: I Rule. Period.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Warning: Lower your jaw now if your not a fan of it dropping for you.



Thanks to The Ropolitans for finding this one. Oh, and Daniel Murphy is inching ever so closely to Chuck Norris status.

Pedro Signs With Phillies

Pedro Feliz got a guaranteed $8.5M over two years from the Philadelphia Phillies on January 28th, 2008. With a third year option and incentives, the deal could reach $15 million over three years. Feliz left the Giants with some bad blood, turning down what may have been a better offer.

...What?... When did I lie?...

Solid Sentiments at Citi Field

Ken Belson of the New York Times wrote,
Some are simple, some are silly. Others are wistful and earnest. A few are even profound. But nearly all the 18,000 bricks in front of the main entrance to Citi Field have one thing in common: fans who spent hundreds of dollars to declare their devotion to the Mets in stone.


One reporter’s brick-by-brick tally found that most inscriptions were straightforward: Mets fans claiming to be the most ardent. Many sign off with, “Let’s Go Mets!” and their names or initials. Many refer to departed family and friends, including a few who died in the attacks on Sept. 11, like one of the three bricks that Evelyn and Richard Becker from Bayside bought.

“We jumped on it right away,” Evelyn Becker said one recent afternoon as she and her husband scanned the walkway for their bricks, the sale of which helped the Mets raise $3 million for charity. “We’re so proud to be part of this.”

The Mets did not edit inscriptions, which resulted in occasionally sloppy grammar. But messages that were lewd or uncomplimentary to the baseball team in the Bronx and its players were disqualified.

Some inscriptions proclaim the Mets as the “Best Team in New York,” but no bricks include the word Yankees.

A handful of fans declared their allegiance to the departed New York baseball Giants, and the Jets. Many more said that their road to Flushing began in Flatbush, where the Brooklyn Dodgers played. “CVB” wrote simply, “Dem Bums, Our Amazins.”

Many fans included seminal years in Mets history, like 1962, 1969 and 1986. A few said their love of the team began in 1961, the year before the Mets took the field for the first time. One brick thanks Joan W. Payson, the Mets’ first majority owner. It is signed, “Love, New York National League Baseball Fans.”

Payson’s daughter, Lorinda de Roulet, might have been behind the brick signed by Linda de Roulet, which read: “It Has Always Been Fun to Cheer Together.”

Many of the bricks, which are 4 inches by 8 inches or 8 inches by 8 inches, commemorate days when fans attended their first games, met future wives or started a family. Quite a few inscriptions say that Citi Field was no substitute for Shea Stadium, the last remnants of which are being cleared to make way for a parking lot.


“We were going to get one of the little bricks, but I said it was so cool because now it’s here forever,” said Karin Ritchie, standing with her husband, Brian; their infant daughter, Riley; and their beagle, Shea, near their brick: “1 Life, 1 Love, Let’s Go Mets, the Ritchies, est. 2006.”

Hidden among the hundreds of rows of dark and light brown bricks are gems that elicited a chuckle, a guffaw or a scratch on the head.

Some are clever, others are inside jokes, and a few are so obscure that they are funny.

Liz Freedman and Wendy Ellicott (librarians, perhaps?) wrote, “In Libris Scriptum Sit,” followed by the English translation, “Put It in the Books,” the signature phrase that Howie Rose, a Mets radio announcer, uses after every victory.

Some fans took stabs at poetry, like Vicki Schmidt, who wrote, “Forever a Fan, Love My Mets, Put My Ashes in the Rosin Bag & I’ll Be All Set!”

Other bricks leave readers wondering. Tony Naccarato spent $395 and tax to announce: “I Was at the 69 World Series. Lost My Hot Dog.”

Another brick raises questions: “Sheila Mandel (Mom Trusts Certain Mets).” Which Mets does she trust and why? And what does she trust them to do?

Some bricks paint a larger, perhaps more violent picture. One brick signed “M B&K Kulbacki,” reads: “Mom: Use When Dad Misbehaves.”

There are, of course, references to favorite players and managers. Casey and Gil. Tom and Tug. Cleon and Rusty. Delwyn Perez proclaimed, “Mike Piazza for President,” and Eric Singerman, who “Sold Hot Dogs & Beer in Shea’s Early Years,” said he named his son Mookie.

Another unsigned brick reads, “McDowell Was the Second Spitter,” a reference to pitcher Roger McDowell’s role on an episode of “Seinfeld.”

McDowell’s Mets teams of the 1980s, with all their flash and flair, might have been what prompted the Loshiavo Family to write, “Great Hair Wins Championships!”

P. Wakabayashi seemed to care less about the Mets and more about becoming one with baseball fans. “Me Some Peanuts & Crackerjack, I,” the brick says.

Sitting quietly amid the sea of adoration and exclamation is this understatement: “Richie Oresto. Typical Mets Fan.”

The Nicolaou Family seemed to question the wisdom of their having spent money to help pave a walkway when they wrote, “Why?”

The simplicity award, though, goes to the fan who said it all in a word: “Mine.”

We suspect though, one person did not pay the amount due, left an inscription with the wrong color ink and wrote his message on way too many bricks...


Police are now looking into this very serious matter. One of the suspect's brother is rumored to live in the Bronx and another is said to be on the West Coast. The 4th brother? In the library.