Results tagged ‘ Jeff Francoeur ’

METrospections ~ Road Rage!

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These are my last three METrospections that have been sitting on my Blogspot Page.  Just a friendly reminder…If I’m not here, I am definitely there.  I do all my publishing from there and move things over to this page.  My Blogspot is just more Brooklyn intensive and that’s where I scream about my other teams.  There’s plenty of Baseball related posts that don’t make it here also.  If you should visit, Thank You for your patronage.

 

 

Friday, July 23, 2010

Two Minutes To Midnight

Two minutes to midnight?  Well…not exactly.  It’s actually 1:22a.m. and I’m still trying to formulate words that describe this Left Coast trip.  After tonight’s loss to the Dodgers and yet another shut-out to ponder, the Mets are now losers of 7 out of 8 games on this swing.  If were not for The Umpire that Giveth and Taketh and Whatever’th…Mr. Cuzzi, we’d be win-less.  Remember the gift he gave the Mets in San Francisco by blowing the call at home?  We then went to Arizona and got dusted there.  In L.A. things are starting out status-quo.  The Mets coming out of the All*Star break, are misfiring on all pistons.  But the Mets were failing before the break also.  They are losers of something like 12 of 15 lately.

Two minutes to midnight means they are two games above the .500 mark now.  That is an 800 lbs. gorilla placed squarely on Jerry Manuel’s shoulders.  Suck it up Dude!  Just like your GM said today in passing as he viewed you getting grilled by the media earlier in the morning…He said, “Welcome to New York”.  Of course he said it in jest and as he was running away with his briefcase in hand.  This was Jerry’s media time and I guess Omar didn’t want to take away from that.  Jerry was good with the jokes earlier today in the reporters circle.  I wonder if he needs a good scolding of the likes Alex Cora gave Big Pelfry and some of the beat writers the other night for laughing too much after another loss.

Jerry shook up the line-up tonight.  He’s trying what he can with what he has.  Omar was captured a short time later and endorsed Manuel very plainly.  Omar said he is happy with the job Jerry is doing and he’s the manager.  Well the manager could have put the line-up in a blender tonight but even that wouldn’t have been enough to shake the Mets out of this offensive funk.  The Mets offense has score like 4 runs in their last 1,000 innings or something.  They’ve been wasting quality starts that we’ve been fortunate to get.

Two minutes to midnight refers to the dreaded Left Coast Vote of Confidence.  Remember how the Mets fired Willie Randolph out there under the cover of NYC darkness?  I’m not saying Manuel is getting fired; any time soon.  But his clock is set at two minutes to midnight.  There is only one bright spot I can find for the Mets and Jerry right now.  That silver lining is that this road trip WILL end.  That’s it.  That’s all I can say.  They can’t stay on the Left Side for ever.  I don’t know if the results will change once they leave but at least we can’t pick on them while they’re there.  We’ll just have to do that when they get back!

That piano falling out of the sky has a Mets logo on it.  Look out!

Mike

http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/

 

 

 

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

WILPONIANISM

 
An e-mail I sent in to Bill Daughtry’s show on 1050ESPN Radio:

Let’s get right to the heart of Met Matters and WILPONIANISM shall we?

Are the Mets going to make a genuine effort to sign Cliff Lee this winter?   Are they willing to do what other clubs won’t?   Will they do enough to convince him to pitch here?

ANSWER ~ I’m leaning towards no; They won’t.

The time is coming soon when the Mets need to decide whether WRIGHT and REYES are going to anchor this team before they’re up for big money.   If the Mets don’t commit in theory one way or another now,  we’ll just continue to spin our tires in the mud when it gets to that.   If they know they are not committed to them long term for big money, Trade Them.  If they are committed in theory, hurry up and continue the re-build process we started (started out of desperation and we are still deciding whether it worked out by design or accident!).   MY OPINION?   I have no idea what the Wilpons think anymore.

So what exactly is the plan here Bill?   Have the Mets thought about these things?   I say no because they are practiced at the art of Band-aids.   They’re still a reactive ownership.

The Wilpons themselves represent the biggest problem for the Mets’ fan base.   They have NEVER been forthright, truthful, open…about the financial health of the club.   Additionally is the Mets Medical Staff that inept to still be getting (injuries in general) Reyes’ oblique injury somewhat wrong OR are the dictates of the Wilpons at work in such matters?

In business, CORRECTIONS hurt.   All business’ go through corrections.   The Mets need a correction Bill. If the Mets do not impose a correction upon themselves they will forever chase their tails in a circle.   The time is now.   It was started already.   They just need to recognize, follow through and finish the job.  Remember how the Rangers recognized they needed a correction because of the ARod contract?   Remember how Colorado recognized they had a problem on their hands with the Mike Hampton contract?  Corrections.   Look at Colorado and Texas in today’s standings after a rebuilding process and a painful correction.

Joe McDonald did it with the Mets in the 60′s.  Much of his work had a tremendous (if indirect) effect on the 1986 Mets also (after all, Hubie Brooks, Mookie, Orosco, Backman, Mazzilli and the trade return of Ron Darling…etc) .  The 80′s Mets built by Frank Cashen were the next example of harnessing a group of young players, seeing who is going to work out and building around them.  Joe McLvaine tried it also in the 90′s.  It didn’t work out but we were all on board with the plan.

These kids saved Manuel’s job.   They saved Omar’s credibility.   They kept this team in the mix.   The kids changed the whole atmosphere around the team.   The kids changed the fan’s whole perception about the Flushing Ballclub.

The Yankees used to have AURA and MYSTIQUE appearing nightly once.   Now that the Met regulars are back together again, our version ~ ANGST and ANXIETY start their summer tour through mediocrity.

The CORRECTION I speak of, of course is Beltran, Castillo, Maine, Perez, Barajas, and Francoeur.  Beltran, Castillo, Maine and Ollie need to be corrected post haste!   Find a way to rid the roster of these players or minimize their playing time and/or impact.   The money is spent!   That’s part of a correction. Within two years there’s a lot of money coming off their (Mets) books.   Those players are the OLD GUARD.   This ship needs to sail.   We need to move on.   The correction needs to be made.

If the Mets are not committed players at the trade deadline (and for what I have no idea), if they are not serious players for Lee this winter, if they are not thinking about Wright and Reyes with regards to the future…..what are they doing?  What exactly is the plan here?

Give me all the kids I can have if the Mets do nothing by the deadline.   I want Thole full time.   I want F-Mart and Tejada playing.   There’s a whole list of names I want involved on the big club between now and Opening Day next year Bill.   The rest of Baseball and the respective GM’s out there may not like our prospects but there are a handful I do like and want to see them now.   This is where the team is.   We are not a serious playoff contender.   Period.   Rebuild it now.   Complete what you started Jeff.   Do it!   So much of it has been done already.   Just finish the job.   We can then trade and use free agency to supplement, compliment and augment as needed.   Build a core and do it now.   There are players in this organization that can be somebody.

If you want to help this club right now…package Francoeur and a prospect for a right field upgrade and some bullpen help.   Oh yea…get another starter too; anyone at this point. Just do not overpay for something average if that will make Met fans happy.  Me?  I’m not interested in an average pitcher.  I’d rather give a kid a chance in our present context.

The OLD GUARD is back and so is the Met fan’s angst and anxiety.   Is it me Bill?   Do I just not get it? You know for three years I’ve been screaming for this.   And for three years all I’ve heard is people complain about the Mets and how bad this, and how bad that…..and they don’t this, and they don’t that crap.   And I was told I couldn’t have been anymore wrong than I was in 2007.   Oh Yea…I was called lost and lacking baseball acumen back then by someone.  Really Bill?   Really?   I’ll blow this horn till I die or get what I want (win or lose…just give us the chance to have a clean slate).

Bill…after all this, I can still go on about how the Johan Santana window is closing…and the ”then what” scenario; ~ About needing to replace K-Rod after next year (Parnell has stuff to be a closer). Those are more MET opportunities for applying Band-aids in the Wilponian world we live in. When will this vicious cycle end?

After that Bill….you know where my head is at. What kind of club does Jeff want his POP’s team to be? It’s all on him.

Gee I wish we had more forthright ownership.

Mike.BTB

http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/

 
 
 
 
 
Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Hey Jeff ~ Feel the Breeze

On June 25th, I posted with glee the Mets were starting 7 home grown players out of nine for that night’s game.  A short time after that the Mets set an organizational record for the most consecutive games played with the most home grown players in the line-up.

Everyone knows by now how much I’ve been snivelling about how my ship has sailed regarding this team’s old guard.  Ollie, Maine, Beltran, Castillo, and Barajas and Francoeur too; I’m DONE, and have been and you all know this!  I’ve been screaming about all of this since I moved into the Hood over the winter…haven’t I?

If the Wilpons will not permit a quality deadline transaction to improve our pitching, I don’t want the old guard wasting my time anymore.  I realize I am alone on an island with my thinking.  Just remember I kept reminding everyone how badly I wanted this team broken up in 2007.  I also realize that my wishes and the Mets’ reality are in conflict.  These players I mentioned have contracts that just don’t disappear.  I get all that.  I guess I’m just killing myself over a philosophical debate here.  But having said that, finally, three years later after me asking for the team to be gutted, the Mets embarked on transitioning this team to it’s young farm hands (I think it came about through desperation but we can argue whether the Mets did it by design or got here by accident).

What do the Mets need right now to make a playoff push?  We know.  They need a top flight number two pitcher and a slugger better than Jeff Francoeur.  Francoeur can be packaged so he doesn’t bother me too much right now.  Pitching?  There’s a large price to pay for that.  I am not willing to pay a whole lot for anyone right now considering Lee is off the market. 

ROY OSWALT?  The Astros will want too much I believe.  What will the price be and how many of my kids do they want?  And I just don’t trust Oswalt in a Met uniform in a year two or three scenario.  I will just not do it.  Oswalt to me represents another expensive Met band-aid.  If the Mets want to get Lilly on the cheap or something like that?…Whatever!  Really.  Just don’t pay with anything good OR don’t do it at all.  In other words…forget it.  Keep your Lilly’z

What I am saying is I am willing to let the chips on 2010 fall where they may.  I do not want this front office to do anything short-sighted.  I am not interested in a three month fix.

Here’s my dream of Opening Day 2011:
catcher ~ JOSH THOLE
1st base ~ IKE DAVIS
2nd base ~ REESE HAVENS (AA) ~ JON MALO (AA) ~ RUBEN TEJADA (AAA)
shortstop ~ JOSE REYES ~ (see 2nd base candidates),  WILMER FLORES
3rd base ~ DAVID WRIGHT
left field ~ Jason Bay…we have no choice.  I was warm at best over his signing.
center field ~ ANGEL PAGAN
right field ~ FERNANDO MARTINEZ

Starter ~ Johan
Starter ~ MIKE PELFREY
Starter ~ JON NIESE
Starter ~ (AAA) DYLAN OWEN
Starter ~ (AAA) DILLON GEE
Starter ~ (AAA) HENNRY MEJIA
Starter ~ FERNANDO NIEVE

closer ~ BOBBY PARNELL
bullpen ~ EDDIE KUNZ

Now, will these names I mentioned win me a Championship?  C’mon…I don’t think so.  But you assemble them together and see what you have.  See if there is a core worth building around.  Do I think we have some players like that?  Yes.  Put them together and see if they can gel.  See which ones work well together.  Keep shaking the pieces and watch them fall into slots.  Then…, I say we take the steps necessary through astute trades and using free agency to compliment, augment and supplement that core of young, joyful, gamely, hungry players.

In a more simpler posting of mine…that’s it; That’s my plan as of today.  It hasn’t really differed.  I’m still pursuing the same things I wanted in April; the same things I wanted over the winter and the same things I’ve been looking to take place since July of 2007.

Do I think the Wilpons are going to blow this for me?  Absolutely!!

I don’t think they realize what they started and where they are right now.  Take a look.  Since the All*Star Game, the Mets are 1-4 (as of 7/21 they are 1-5 since the break; and have lost 11 of their last 15).  Beltran made his return and that lone victory we have since the break is when Beltran did not start.  For the first time this season, last night against Arizona, we fielded our Type-A Line-up.  Beltran, Reyes, Castillo and the rest of the starting cast finally played in a game together.  So what happened?  The D-Backs blew us out.  We left a lot more than our hearts in San Francisco when we got shut-out twice there.  Now we haven’t been able to win a game in the desert yet.

I guess what is OLD is NEW again.  We’ve reassembled the cast of regulars and the chaos is back as well.
The Mets are already being appeasers with Beltran.  Instead of making him fit into the new context of this re-invented line-up, the Mets have acquiesced to Beltran by allowing him to play CF over Pagan because he’s “more comfortable” there.  He’s wearing a brace the size of a milk crate and he’s already back telling the team what’s good for him.  THAT’S why I have no more use for the old guard folks.  That’s why my ship has sailed.  The return of Castillo and Beltran have already caused ripples in the water and disruptions with positive efforts the young lings put forward to help keep us with-in sight of first place.  The other guys are back and we’ve stumbled out of the gate entering this 2nd half.

Is there a correlation?  Who cares.  It still doesn’t get me what I want.

Yea…the Wilpons are going to get this wrong; very very wrong.  They have no plan.  Omar MIGHT have one but it’s clear Jeff Wilpon is pulling all the strings and their end of the business is in bad and worsening shape…or so we hear.  That means the Wilpons are in somewhat in survival mode and people do desperate things when in that situation.  The lack of a plan and desperation is a horrible mix for me to fathom as it pertains to my team.

In 2011 we have expiring contracts and flexibility on the way.  Maybe the best thing the Mets can do at the trade deadline is…Nothing.(?)  That wouldn’t bother me.  Don’t do anything stupid JEFF.  Don’t over pay for OSWALT.  If there is another guy who will eat up innings and make a game of things in the 4th slot…….fine.  There’s a couple of names out there to chose from (who don’t impress me at all!)

The kids of this organization have saved Jerry Manuel’s job this season.  They also helped Omar save face.  The kids of this organization have given the fan base a whole new perspective.

Don’t blow this for us JEFF!  What is in your best interest right now is to start weaning yourself off the money siphoning players we have, cutting ties with the dead weight, promoting the players from within and signing Cliff Lee this winter.

Jeff promised us last Fall, his Father’s company was in good shape, the Mets were healthy, we would be active with trades and seeking free agents, and that payroll would not be a restrictive issue.  Oh yea, he also told us Omar is free to run this team as he sees fit.

Here’s the answer to that.  The Wilpons have never been forthright about their financial troubles.  I believe the only reason they signed Jason Bay was for appearances and fan perception.  Why? ~ Because they do things like that.  Oh yea, we got joined at the hip with Ollie Perez and Omar got lucky with R.A. Dickey.  Payroll?  Again…the Wilpons say one thing and behave a different way.  And it’s clear Omar can’t do anything unless Jeff approves it.

So…you tell me Jeff…!?  This is all up to you buddy.  Your season ticket holder’s faith lies in the balance.  Me?  The wind is picking up and I’m ready to sail Dude.  Everything is coming together.  Are we going to go full-blown re-build or what?  Most of it is here already.  Just finish the job and don’t blow it.  Feeling the Breeze Jeff?

mike.BTB

http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.mlblogs.com/

 
 
 

Seize the Moment

The following is a running post since Wednesday night.  I apologize for any repetitiveness.

Just a reminder, if I’m not posting on mlblogs, it’s usually on my Blogspot first.  I work from there.

…and away we go..

 

 Wednesday’s Thoughts:

After Wednesday night’s completion of the series sweep, for one game;- their next,

I want the Mets to seize the moment.

Coming off a 9-1 home stand and fresh from sweeping the Dodgers,

the Mets need to seize the moment Friday by defeating the Phillies in their park.

 

                                                               

Thursday’s Thoughts, Off Day:

After sweeping a good old fashioned double-header from

the L.A. in Citi Field Tuesday and then the series Wednesday,

On the morning of April 28, 2010 when you woke up, the Mets were in first place by a half game

over the Phillies who lost in San Francisco late Wednesday night.

                               Hey Met fans…Who Wudda Thunk it?! See?! Ya Gotta Believe!

Amazin’ !!  That not only means me, but many fans METropolis over.

If that seems a little bi-polar to you, it’s not.  Trust me, I still have my issues.

But we just can not pooh-pooh the moment, can we?

                    “We’ll be right back with the Happy Re-cap.”  ~  the Late Great Bob Murphy

In the series vs. L.A., David Wright collected his 1000th hit of his Met career and is now the clubs all-time leader in doubles passing Steady Eddie Kranepool on the list.

                                                                        

Friday Afternoon, April 28th:

The Mets completed a rather remarkable home stand. They recorded 9 wins versus 1 loss. They haven’t had a series like this at home since 1988 and 1969 before that. Incidentally, those were two years we won 100 games in the season. Easy there everybody…easy. John Maine put forth what appears to be his best effort this season against the Dodgers. His ball danced quite a bit and he wound up striking out his season high 9 batters versus 3 walks in 6 innings.

I’m taking this home stand in stride and not getting too giddy about a turn around from a 4-8 motley crew to a 13-9 (14-9 when I finally posted this today) team. 

After a day off they’ll be in South Philly for what amounts to a battle for first place.

Let’s Go Mets!

                                                         

Friday Night Post-Game:

Every so often in the season games present themselves as statement games.  They are singular in importance but the cumulative effect these types of games have is immeasurable; be it for better or worse.

The ‘feel-good’ we’re all experiencing right now could have suffered devastating deflation causing Met Fan optimism to fall like the Hindenburg over the fields of New Jersey.  Nine wins versus one loss could have shrunk in our rear-view mirrors very rapidly.

But No…  Instead the Metropolitans came down the turnpike and announced their arrival in Philly with authority, but thankfully better than NUKE could.  Tonight (last night) they scored early and often against the defending N.L. Champs.  They hit the ball “very hard” and some hits were just “not playable” (reference? anyone?). 

Jon Niese, the rookie, stymied the Phillies for 7 innings, albeit without Jimmy Rollins and Victorino shortening the line-up further by batting second to compensate Jimmy’s absence..  However the happy thought of the day -  We still have Pelfrey and Johan to go.

I started this post last night just as April expired and turned into May 1st, 2010.  April is officially done and the Mets finished the month in first place.  Some may call the month bizarre; some miraculous.  Me?  I call it AMAZIN’ !  When you think about it, Amazin’ is the best way to encapsulate the fan’s angst while still keeping this hot streak in perspective.

The series can still go very wrong for this Mets team.  But that’s not what tonight was all about.  Tonight was one game that stands on it’s own.  Tonight the Mets needed to keep their momentum going and stake their claim.  From where this team was earlier in the month,  having salvaged April and buffing a shine out of the situation, the Mets needed to seize the moment tonight against their biggest division rival Philadelphia Phillies…, and they did!

Last night the Mets did what they’ve often failed at over the last few years. They seized the moment. “Seize the Moment” games come along for many different reasons. Sometimes personal reasons, sometimes team reasons are the impetus to Seize the Moment. Last night was important to me. After last night’s game, a loss today I dare say will be more bearable. A loss Friday last night would have been very deflating. Somehow they managed to give April a good buffing and behold…it shines.

I couldn’t be happier with Jon Niese’s development.  He’s one of many prospects in METropolis these days.  This coming from the same farm system we all chided the organization about and accused it of being barren.  The Mets have more first and second year players on the current roster than they’ve had in a considerable time.  We all agree Tony Bernazard earned his release from his duties due to his behavior and recurring controversies.  He’s topical again because he just recently spoke about his Mets experience.  He believes he did nothing wrong last year and was scape-goated by the club for their ’09 failures.  But Omar appointed him Tsar of Minor League Operations back in the tail end of 2004 and we are now witnessing the results of his work while he maintained his job title.  With players such as Gee, Martinez, Parnell and Thole still on the way and Davis, Mejia, Nieve, Niese and Pelfrey already here, things look better health wise for this organization moving forward.  It’s some of the main-stays on this team that need addressing.  “the Kids are Alright”.

Here is Jon Niese’s line from last nights game vs. the Phillies:

7.0 innings pitched

4 hits

1 run, 1 earned

1 base on balls

7 strikeouts

3.10 season .era

Jon kept the 2,3 and 4 hitters, hit-less.

Saturday’s April Review:

The day?  April 17th.  That’s the day the Mets dueled the Cardinals for 20 innings.  That’s when this clubhouse decided they were going to get behind their embattled manager.  That’s when said manager, went toe to toe with LaRussa for 20 rounds and by tapping into his inner Buster Douglas, defeated the Great LaRussa.  Before that Saturday afternoon game started the Mets were 3-7.  Just before Saturday afternoon was about to change over to Sunday morning, the Mets won and up-ticked to 4-7.  They lost Sunday and sitting at 4-8 on April 18th wasn’t making anyone happy.  The Mets lost their 4th series in a row to start the season.  Pitchforks and torches were in hand and the angry villagers would be descending on Citi Field Monday night April 19th.

Opening Day was such a clean, efficiently played contest with a simple formula working for the Mets;   Johan pitched, David Wright hit and K-Rod closed.  But we lost 2 out 3 to the Marlins.  Then we lost the series to the Nationals; then the Rockies.  We went limping into St. Louis and only won 1 of 3 there.

But there was that 20 inning game.

During that time of perceived futility, two things became clearly evident.  The pitchers turned out to not be our biggest problem so far.  As a matter of fact they rank among Baseball’s best in early tallies.  And secondly,  the promotion of Ike Davis from AAA is paying huge dividends.  The Mets are getting production from 1st base and the middle of the line-up like they haven’t got since Delgado slugged in the 4 slot.

Jose Reyes came back to ignite this team.  He and Jeff Francoeur are in my opinion most responsible for getting these players to rally around their manager.

Getting back to April 19th and the game that started their remarkable turn-around versus the Cubs, the Mets went on to win 9 games while dropping only 1 on the home stand.  They are 11-5 at home for best in the majors and find themselves in first place as May begins with a 14-9 record, not including today’s game in which Mike Pelfrey is getting hammered after 5 innings to the tune of a 6-0 Philly lead.  But like I said earlier, because of last night this game is a little easier to reconcile.

What started out horribly wrong for the Mets this season has been reclaimed and restored.  Having achieved positive ground kind of wipes the slate clean for now.  They have this much to build upon.  Whether the strive forward or take steps backwards remains to be seen, today’s results withstanding.

As a motif, I believe in “seizing the moment”.  The Mets did that last night.  The month of April’s “Happy Re-Cap” is one for the books (a la Howie Rose).  Stay tuned for the musings of May.

                                                                     
Follow-up post after Saturday’s game:

Philly repays the favor.  They drubbed us 10-0 today.  I’m OK with that.  Just as Philly fans feel better about Friday’s results now that they’ve evened the series. The rubber game is tomorrow.  It’s not a seize the moment game.  Not this time.  It’s just a rubber game against a division rival as the two teams fight for first place.  The rest of the season is taking shape. 

One month is done and 5 remain.

Happy Baseball everybody!

 

Mets Soaked by RAIN in Colorado

(subliminal song of the day follows):

..Rocky Mountain Hiiiiiigh….Colorado   and Rain!
..Rocky Mountain Hiiiiiiigh….Colorado   and Rain!

Dear Colorado Head Grounds Keeper, on behalf of the NYM, I apologize for the large puddle of mud that used to be your mound.  I hope you can restore it in time for tomorrow’s game.

I oft wondered if fish really care if it’s Raining outside or not.  Wouldn’t that be the equivalent of making a sunny day sunnier for us?  What do they think about Rain?  Do they say, “Hey it’s raining out, don’t swim so fast today…Be careful.”  OR  “Hey it’s really raining out there, better put on some SPF-40!”

I’ve noticed in different parts of the country it Rains differently.  In South Florida, there are the obligatory random thunderstorms of the day.  They say it never Rains in California but if you watch CNN you know that aint true.  Here in the North East we usually get those blanketing steady downpours.

Native American Indians used to perform ritual dance to make it Rain.  PacMan Jones had his own methods of making it Rain too.  Yea-eeaya!  The Addams Family had a cloud constantly hovering and Raining down on their house.  And that reminds me this Gov’t is engaged in Cloud-Seeding to induce Rain.  Or so I think.  DUNn Dunn dunn!!!  Hoo Hoo hah hah hah hah hah!

Rain.  If you tune into the Weather Channel tonight and see something that looks like this on the screen:
3 innings pitched.
8 runs, 8 earned
7 hits
3 walks
4 strikeouts
1 HR
Rockies bat around in the third inning.
12.38 era in two starts
0-2 Mets’ record in games he started.

It just means there’s a lot of RAIN headed your way.  Ya might want to pack an umbrella.

There is a 25 mph wind blowing out tonight but only when the Rockies are at bat, otherwise Rain Rain Rain.  While it continues to pour in the Met dugout and on the Colorado mound, the Rockies are cruising with an 8-1 lead in the 7th.

See people?  I know this team and how it works.  I know my baseball.  I may be snarky in how I describe things, but I will not be denied.  Panic?  No!  I’m a pragmatist.  I call it as I see it.  Tonight Luis Castillo was thrown out at 2nd base trying to stretch a single into a double in the top of the 6th with one out.  When you’re down 8-0 at the time, you just don’t do that.  But he did and was promptly gunned down.  On the very next pitch and first to David Wright in his at-bat, he pulled a first pitch fastball to left for a HR.  In the top of the 7th, with one out, and Fernando Tatis at second, Tatis did not tag up and advance to third on a fly to left center that was mid-warning track!  Tatis wasn’t even on the bag.  He did some Cha-Cha step off second as if he was willing the left fielder to drop the fly ball.  Ponderous!  Matthews stranded him anyway by striking out.  Matthews?  What are Matthews and Tatis doing on this team?  Matthews does not figure into any future plans.  Tatis the Perp was stealing playing time and money tonight at 1st base.   WHY are they on this team when we don’t need them, and their replacements had fantastic springs and have not slowed down one bit since the AA and AAA season kicked off?  Fernando Martinez and Ike Davis must be called up to the club and this nonsense of Matthews and Tatis must stop.  In the bottom of the 7th Angel Pagan and Jason Bay didn’t communicate on an easy fly ball and it dropped in between them allowing another run to score making it an 11-2 game.

Panic Indeed!!! 

You can continue to question me, or just stop being contrarians and take my word for it.
Some people just need to find out for themselves.  I don’t begrudge that.  But if you needed the proof for any blanket statements I may have made….there ya go!  I submit to you today’s example of just one day in the season with our supposed #2 guy and the feeble play that seems to possess players when they don a Mets uniform these days.

Karma.  Someone in this organization upset the Great JOBU and we’re paying the price for that mis-step.

Everyone keeps pointing to the talent on this team and how it can change on the drop of a dime for us.  Don’t you know I get that?  I get it.  Why do you think I’m so discombobulated by the performance of this team over the last 3 years?  They are the ultimate under-achievers.  That’s the rub!!  We have as many stars around here as a Dean Martin Roast, and to watch them fail with such lugubriousness gives me pins and needles all over my body.

Let’s assume SLEET earns a name tomorrow and the Mets win.  The rubber game of this series will fall on Mike Pelfrey.  That’s not a bad spot to be in from my perspective.  I welcome that.  And I say that to also show I can be fair.  If we can take 2 of three the way our pitching lines up for the next two games, I’ll feel a lot better about HAIL opening the series against the Cardinals in St. Louis.  Should HAIL fail, again, I have Johan next to salvage a game for us before RAIN blows in again.  I can therefore end this road trip .500 going 3-3 and be very satisfied.  That’s the optimistic slice of pie for ya.

You know what happens when you get old?  You understand Rain doesn’t make the grass grow.  Blood makes the grass grow.  You’d have to take out your history books and deal in reality to get the meaning of that statement.  Reading between the lines help.  I know that’s a little dark for a baseball blog.  Every so often I burp out something politically uncivilized.  I’m Ok now.

Rain can have devastating effects.  Water erosion is no joke.  Rain eroded my patience a little more tonight.  Sleet goes tomorrow.  That poor Colorado Grounds Keeper.  Sorry dude!

The game is going into the bottom of the 8th.  Rockies 11 – Mets 3.  The Mets telecast team is resorting to taking calls from fans now.  This is all so very yawn inspiring if I may say so myself.  What else can they say without blurbing out the truth about what their eyes see and getting reprimanded for it.

RAIN on ME…Rain On Me…LOOOOVVVE!!!  RAIN ON ME!!!  RAIN on Me!!

The game is now final.  Rockies 11 ~ Mets 3   Jerry Manuel’s Snoozers are now 2-5.  I hope there is someone in the locker room smashing flat screens, throwing trash cans, knocking over the buffet table and screaming his head off in a rage about tonight’s game, insisting this can not happen, this can not happen again, this can not happen again this early.  I don’t mean the Ground’s Keeper either.
I’ll say it a million times if I have to.  I believe in good starts.  I believe every game matters when you loose a division by one game as this team has, surrendering division leads late in September as this team has.  You can point to any reason you want for that as long as you agree that poor play in April is as good as any reason you may have for loosing a division by a game.  You can’t win pennants in April, but you can loose them.  2007 was like that.  They came on like gangbusters after a miserable start and were in the mix till the end.  However their April and May were lethargic.  In 2008 we lost the division by a game.  Again I can point to a .500 April if you chose to blame Tom Glavine (don’t get me started on him) for offering up a stinker.  And what a stinker it was!  Having seen it all with basically this same cast, I don’t want to go thr
ough that again.  Simple.

And lastly I offer you this little tid-bid.  My right fielder Jeff Francoeur, said, “It’s probably good if we got out of town for a while”…referring to the current road trip.  I didn’t say that folks; My right fielder did.  Whose panicking now?

Rockie Mountain Hiiiiigh….Colorado   and Rain!
Rockie Mountain Hiiiiigh….Colorado    and Rain!

BTB

Congratulations to everyone who ranked in the top 50 Blogs!!!

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Spring Training: The Other Side of the Ball

Spring Training: Met’s Positional Players, My Anxiety

In no particular order, here is the Good, the Bad and the Ugly…
Mets Spring Training:  Positional Players

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CATCHER – ….has been a problem for the Mets since MIKE PIAZZA’s last game and has gone unresolved to the present.  Omar has never really found a stable solution for this position.  Omar brought in PAUL LoDUCA to replace Piazza and was servicable for a year and 1/2.  It’s been a revolving door ever since.

I would give the job outright to JOSH THOLE.  It’s easy to get caught up in the sparkle of a promising September call-up like he experienced in ’09.  Having said that, I don’t think I’m getting caught up by a sparkling Sept. call-up.

The other options are OMIR SANTOS and HENRY BLANCO.  Bengie MOLINA chose against signing with the Mets for less money to stay in S.F.  Omar tried.  I cede him that.  But by no means was Molina a solution for the catching position.  At best he would have been the latest through the revolving door.

Back to Santos and Blanco, they are considered the defensive specialists.  Problem is they are both offensively challenged.  Let’s be honest.  If you’re going to tell me one of them is the starter while we continue to look for someone else and we’re sending Thole to the farm for more seasoning…..That’s fair.  If I’m being forced to be pragmatic about this….that’s fair.  But my official stance is I would give the job to Thole.  My official opinion is Omar hasn’t been able to give this position stability entering the 5th year since Piazza last played here.  And my sarcasm asks…Santos and Blanco?  Really?  Make the arguement why one of those two should start over Thole and get back to me.

I’m going to admit, all I want from my catchers is superlative defense.  I’m a Jerry Grote guy if that gives you an idea what I’m talking about.  Having said that….gimmie Thole.

****

FIRSTBASE – I made it quite clear…I wanted Carlos Delgado back under a one-year deal…Like Jane wanted Damon back!  He is so close to 500 HR and 1600 RBI and I wanted him to do it as a Met.  If you know me by now and how I followed the Winter Leagues, even I have to admit he was not moving well and struggled in Puerto Rican League play.  I saw it for myself.  Ask me and I will tell you, in better days, it was Delgado and not J.Reyes that made the Mets’ line-up dangerous. 

A quick digression which leads me into our other options…. When Carlos Delgado was a free agent he chose to go to Florida over us.  There were rumors and speculation it was because Tony Bernazard was playing the Latino Card and it turned Delgado off.  Omar traded to get Carlos Delgado anyway.  He traded a kid of ours at the time, Mike Jacobs.  Now we just re-signed Jacobs.

DANIEL MURPHY – This is tough for me.  We need more slugging from 1B.  It’s just too hard to “hide” him in our line-up.  I like the kid and I want to be patient with him.  In 508 at-bat he only struck out 69 times and had 38 doubles, while batting .266 in his first full year.  It’s something to work with.  He makes contact and maybe he can build upon and translate those doubles into something else.  Oh yea…He’s still learning how to play the position.  He’s still raw out there, but I won’t say his glove is for self-defensive purposes only.  But this is such a tough call.  After you look at our options, we don’t have much choice.

FERNANDO TATIS – …again?  Really?  C’Mon!!  I’m all for a strict platoon at firstbase.  But are we doing this Tatis thing again?  Not happy.

MIKE JACOBS – …is very interesting.  I was sorry to see him go in the Delgado deal.  He never lived up to the promise he showed here once he left.  He topped 30 HR in his career but has struggled away from “Shea”.  I have mixed emotions about him.  I’m glad to see him back.  Maybe he can pick-up where he left off here and recapture some of that swing we saw and actually win the 1B job.  But Jacobs completes a cycle of sorts as he is here and Delgado is not.  Omar is literally back to where the 1B situation was when he arrived here for the 2005 season.

****

SECOND BASE – …Luis Castillo had a nice bounce back season.  He really got a bad rap around here for the foolish contract Omar signed him to, then offering up a stinker of a season in 2008.  But the truth is he’s always been a .300 hitter with very solid defense.  Omar was killed routinely about Luis Castillo and still is.  All the talk here in NYC is Luis Castillo is the reason why we don’t have Orlando Hudson playing 2B for us.  The Mets won’t eat Castillo’s contract.  I’m not drinking that HUDSON Kool-Aid.  I think Castillo can give us another season like he offered last year.  He was one of the few things that went right around here last year.  But he still gets a bad rap.  I myself don’t like the contract Omar gave him, but I could be more critical of this situation than I am.  Side note…There is no one worth mentioning coming up from the farm.  It’s Luis Castillo or bust Met fans.

****

SHORTSTOP – this is easy.  If Jose Reyes is fully healthy, he’s one of the most dynamic players in all of baseball.  If Jose Reyes, who has now lost two complete seasons to leg injuries that sandwich his career, is not healthy, meaning if his legs aren’t the same, he is not Jose Reyes and is no longer one of the most dynamic players in baseball.  It’s that simple.  His legs are what make him special.  If his legs are compromised, his unique skill is over.  Simple.

****

THIRD BASE – David Wright.  He waited till his 5th full year in the league to have his Sophomore Jinx.  What happened to him last year?  Ya can’t blame his lack of HRs on CitiField.  He was equally futile on the road.  His strike outs went through the roof.  Now it could have been because everyone dropped like flies around him in the line-up and it was just easier not to give David Wright a good pitch to hit.  Why would anyone have done that last year?  Maybe getting beaned in the head shook his batter’s-box confidence a little.  That’s just speculation on my part.  I expect David to bounce back and get back to what he’s done between ’05-’08.  But he needs a healthy Carlos Beltran in the line-up also.

****

INFIELDERS – ALEX CORA, can play 1B, 2B, 3B and SS.  Another one of the few bright spots for the Mets last year with his ability to step in for injured players and actually improve the defense in the absense of the starter.  His attitude and leadership were heralded throughout the clubhouse.  He is rehabbed from thumb surgeries and ready for the season.

****

LEFT FIELD – JASON BAY.  I can’t knock this signing.  As a matter of fact it’s about time.  LF has been another of Omar’s revolving door postions.  One of Omar’s fetishes is trying to capture lightning in a bottle from older players at the end of their careers and injury comebacks.  Omar, not once but twice, mistakenly signed Moises Alou for this position.  First time shame on me….second time shame on OMAR!  At least now with Jason Bay the position is settled for a few years.  There are some health concerns that scared the Red Sox away and a few other teams felt likewise.  The fact that I wouldn’t trust the Met’s Med Staff to put on a band-aid at current,  has to leave a small fraction of uncertainty in Met Minds.

****

CENTER FIELD – CARLOS BELTRAN….out till June.  Surgery-Gate.  Who knew…Who didn’t…who gave the OK?…..NON-SENSE!!  Front office buffoonery.  We just have to bide our time and wait, and that hopefully he comes back healthy and ready to contribute.  Carlos Beltran is a player who asked the Yankees to sign him for less money the Mets offered him.  He wound up here.  His first year here was a rough start especially with the fans.  The fans really got on his case his first year here.  I’d admit it, but I was not one of them.  Met fans can not get the image of him watching a curveball fall in for strike three to end the 2006 NLCS out of their minds.  And now because of this surgery snafu, I fear the Mets and Beltran are headed towards an ugly divorce.  That’s just me.  I am a Beltran fan.  He is one of the few players, as they go, who signed for the big money then performed and delivered above his career averages after signing.  Usually teams fall into the trap of paying for past performance.  Beltran had his career years here.  Yet he gets critisized at every opportunity.  The rumor is he told Bengie Molina not to sign here.

****

Until he gets back there’s ANGEL PAGAN and FERNANDO MARTINEZ

ANGEL PAGAN is someone I’ve liked since he played with the Brooklyn Cyclones (A) in 2001.  In spring training of 2008 he was winning the day and himself a LF job.  Injury ended that.  Last year was another season waisted to injury also.  He’s not a kid anymore however much Met fans thinks he still is.  But when he was on the field he always seamed in the mix, part of a rally and doing good things.  Beltran’s injury is probably Pagan’s last chance to show his worth here but he has to stay healthy.  If he can manage that he can be a good player for us.  I am pulling for him.
FERNANDO MARTINEZ, a product from the farm I claim doesn’t exist anymore.  He was MVP of the Caribbean Series for his Dominican Republic team this winter.  He is still only 21 and seems to be our only “blue chipper”.  That remains to be seen.  But I like this kid and want to see him get substantial time in CF in Beltran’s absence.

****

RIGHT FIELD – …anyone the Braves don’t want anymore I am skeptical of.  JEFF FRANCOEUR gives me the willies.  Another postion Omar has never straightened out is RF.  Remember Shawn Greene?  Remember all the other shleps we threw out there?  I bet you don’t.  That’s my point.  If the Braves gave up on him and accepted Ryan Church in return, whom they themselves did not retain, what does Omar see in Francoeur that John Schuerholz didn’t?  If Schuerholz doesn’t want him, I want everyone who reads this to ask themselves, why would I want him? I know he did well in the short time he was here last year.  Maybe a change of scenery will do him good.  Maybe we’ll get the Francoeur of 2006-07.  Bottom Line > Jeff Francoeur is a roll of the dice.  I’m hoping we don’t roll craps.

****

That about covers the impotant stuff about the Mets positional players. The Mets offense will be living a precarious existence this season if ANYTHING goes wrong. There is just no room for error on this team and I don’t see this team washing out the taste from our mouths in reference to the way the last 3 seasons have gone. I’m trying folks….I’m trying to be optimistic.

Let’s Go Mets !!
(sigh)
 
(haven’t quite come down from loosing my internet connection for the last 30 hrs)

JASON BAY? OK. …………PEREZ & MAINE, Oh The Pain!!

The Mets signed Jason Bay today to a 4 year contract worth $66 Million. Well…At least they didn’t do anything foolish like sign him for five. I’m on record as wanting to offer him a 3 year take it or leave it deal. It works out $6 million more than the Red Sox were willing to give him.

Here’s what I think. BIG WHOOOP!!! I’m not gonna say anything silly. Jason Bay is a good player. Our bench is instantly made better by having Angel Pagan sitting on it (that was not sarcasm). But he is not changing anything at Citi Field until the Mets get a pitcher that can shotgun with Johan Santana. Period.

Don’t plan on any trips down I-95 looking for success unless you’re looking to buy a PHILLY-CheezSteak. Until the Mets get that pitcher, Jason Bay is inconsequential and a year too long.

Let me make this clear also. I like John Maine and I still believe Ollie Perez is correctible as ridiculous as that sounds, I really do. His problems are simple if you ask me. Allow me to digress a moment on OLLIE.

When Ollie Perez learns how to plant his landing foot perpendicular to home plate; – When he gets his toes pointed towards his catcher, most of his problems will go away. Psychotherapy is not the answer. I can’t believe no one sees this. Any weekend pitching coaches out there? Do you concur? His landing foot falls everywhere it’s not supposed to. He consistently lands closed to the catcher and you’re always having to throw across your body. The rock rolls down the hill from there. I’m Done.

But honestly, has anyone even heard about Oliver and Maine? Hello? Realistically, what can we expect from them in 2010? C’mon, I’m a fan too. I’m just being pragmatic. We are closer to PRAY FOR RAIN vs OLLIE and MAINE than we are trusting them every fifth day.

So now I guess the Mets turn to their fan base and say ‘SEE! The winter was fruitful. We told you. – We got R.A. DICKEY to sign a minor league deal. We stole Kelvim Escobar from under every one’s noses and now we just hit a scorching line drive with Jason Bay. Bengie Molina looks close to joining as well – SEE?!

I can hear them now.

Let me ask you something…..All you Met optimists out there, are you feeling good right now? And all you Met pessimists out there, are you feeling a little grumpy right now?

Hear this. It doesn’t change anything in the N.L. East yet. We had bigger needs to fill than LF. Our outfield is now BAY-lf – BELTRAN-cf >(is he going to stay healthy?) – and FRANCOEUR-rf.

*sigh* I’ve seen worse. I’ve seen better. Funny how Jason Bay didn’t mean much to us when he was in our minor league system but now he’s worthy of over payment for services yet rendered (raising one eyebrow).

Jose Reyes’ hamstring? How’s that coming along? Will he be able to run like he used to? This is the second season he’s lost to hamstring issues. If he can’t run……(fill in the blank).

Blog ya later. I’ve spent the last two days preparing a Fred Wilpon/Mets’ General Manager rant. Sheeesh… this blogging ain’t EZ. I give you good folks credit for tsome of the things you have going on in your sites. Looking forward to checkin them out in 2010.

HAPPY NEW YEAR BLOGGERHOOD!!!

Philly Fans, I hope you’ve been enjoying your view from the top of the division. We just didn’t want to be there. I’m throwing you guys a bone. I’m in a good mood today. Here Philly….Chew on this!!!!

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