Thursday, April 30, 2009

The Mets Have More Than One Putz

It was bound to happen. First post of the year with a really bad Putz pun, but it had to be done. This team is looking like a bunch of putzes, and here are my top culprits:

  1. JJ Putz - Putz is a putz (it's just too easy). I'm not sure what his initials stand for, but based on Wednesday's performance (and the other one two days earlier) I'm thinking his initials stand for Jerk Jerk Putz because that's what I was screaming at him. Say what you want about the offense. Say what you want about the 86 runners left on base. The Mets had a lead going into the 8th, and this guy walks the first two batters, gives up one hit, and blows the game for Santana. Haven't we been through this before?
  2. David Wright - Tell me you didn't just watch strike three cross home plate in the bottom of the ninth inning with the Mets down a run and runners on first and second? Oh you did? What are you? Carlos Beltran facing Adam Wainwright? We used to dream of Wright being up in this situation. Not so much.
  3. Jerry Manuel - I do like Jerry Manuel, purely for post game interviews, but what on earth is this guy doing? You pull Castro who has given you his best performance at the plate in a game to date for a guy who's catching in the bullpen and has a total of 10 big league at bats to replace him in the bottom of the ninth with 2 on and 2 outs? I know it was the kid's birthday, but come on? You should have had him hit for Wright.
  4. Mets management - I'll preface this with saying hindsight is always 20/20, but they missed adding one major component to this team - clutch. Nobody on this ballclub that's not named Santana is clutch. Tatis was last year, but that ship has sailed. Not Wright. Not Beltran. Not Delgado. You know who's clutch 24/7, 365? That guy playing left field for the Dodgers. You know who else is clutch and has some heart and guts and wants to be up during tough situations? That guy playing second base for the Dodgers. Coulda, woulda, shoulda.Clutch/heart/killer instinct/whatever you want to call it. That's what's missing.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Mets Bullpen Glory Days Were Back Again

The power went out in my town last night around the 5th inning. About the same time the Mets pitching lost its power too.

Inbetween getting the kids calmed down and back to sleep, I was able to watch the Mets bullpen dismantle on my BlackBerry. A painful way to spend an evening, I know.

But it did bring me back to the glory days of 2007 & 2008, when every other day I knew could have a blog post with the words BLOWpen or BLOWenweiss in it. Ah yes, the glory days of the Mets bullpen.

Now these things are bound to happen even to the best of teams. Mariano Rivera even had a blown save already this year. I don't expect it to be a regular occurence for the Mets though. This teams bullpen is much improved and I think hope pray that it's just one of those rare things that happens to a team every once in a while.

Day game today with the savior of the pitching staff on the mound.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Fixing David Wright

Move over Freud, Descartes and Dr. Phil. The doctor is in and I'm ready to put David Wright in treatment.

Sure Mr. Wright had a good showing last night going 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored and an RBI, but don't be fooled into thinking his problems are over. The man is on pace to strike out close to 200 times, and the worst part is he's striking out looking at least once a game.

I honestly don't think it has anything to do with Wright's mechanics. It's mental and he needs to see a shrink.

It's a tough economy so I'm willing to help out David Wright with some free advice. Here's what he needs to do to get back on track:

  1. Dump his girlfriend: I'm not sure about what Wright's romantic life is like, but if there's currently a girl in the picture she needs to go. Woman are like a virus. More dangerous than that swine stuff going around.
  2. Find out what drugs Luis Castillo is taking and ask to borrow some: If Castillo can turn his swing around in just a few short months there's got to be pharmaceuticals in there somewhere. Wright needs to get some.
  3. Watch Major League: Whether it's Jobu, Vaughn, that guy who used to be on L.A. Law, there's so much baseball wisdom in that movie that it's hard to know where to start. Wright should watch it at least twice over the next week. Charlie Sheen's greatest performance ever.
  4. Ditch the sniffing inside his jersey bit before he steps up to bat: I have no idea where he got this from or why he's doing it, but it has to stop. It's obviously not helping, and he can't smell that great all the time. Or can he?
  5. Start taking ballet: Isn't this what all athletes do when they hit a rough patch?
  6. Get a new girlfriend: Change starts at home. Out with the old, in with something new. Women are like a virus. Sometimes you need a different virus to get rid of the old one.
  7. Touch Johan Santana twice a day: The man is pure baseball magic. It can't possibly hurt.
  8. Talk to Beltran's mole: Beltran is on fire. His mole is the size of a small country, and it has to have some impact on Beltran's performance. Like the smoke monster on LOST, talk to the mole to find the secrets to Beltran's success.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Link: Time for Tim McCarver to Go

I can't stand Tim McCarver. Even in elementary school, I remember hating this guy and wondering why on earth he was an announcer for the Mets. He's the nails on the chalkboard of baseball commentating.

If Tim McCarver and Joe Morgan are ever in a booth together, I might throw my TV out the window.

Brad over at Bugs and Cranks has taken my distaste for Tim McCarver to a new level. He argues that it's time for Tim McCarver to go, and I can't agree with him more.

By the way, kudos to Brad for sitting through the Sox/Yanks game on Saturday. You're a better man than I.

Click here for Brad's post.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Remember When We Were Going to Get Derek Lowe?

I remember getting into arguments back in January with fellow Mets fans who were telling me the price for Derek Lowe was too high. He's too old and not worth the money. I was told we could get the same kind of pitcher in Oliver Perez for less money and a younger arm.

If by same kind of pitcher they meant a guy with an ERA over 8 and an inability to beat the worst teams in baseball, than they were correct.

Oliver Perez is making Omar Minaya look like a fool for signing him for the millions upon millions that he did this offseason. Perez looks lost. He has absolutely no control and his fastball is topping out at an intimidating 88 mph.

Makes you long for the days of Rick Peterson.

Now you have a head case who you signed for huge dollars and can't get past the 5th inning to save his life. What's a GM to do? Thankfully, Perez is starting against the Phillies this coming week. If history has shown us anything it's that Perez pitches his best against tougher opponents.

A good outing against the Phils might be just what Perez needs to get his confidence back and hopefully right his sinking ship. If Perez lays another bomb, than the Mets are in a world of hurt because I don't think they can bench a guy they're baying over $10 million a year for.

Who Is This Carlos Beltran?

There's a beast playing center field for the Mets this April. Not sure who this guy is, but the announcers keep telling me it's Carlos Beltran. Can't say I'd recognize him if they didn't say so.

Beltran, in his first few years with the Mets, has had a propensity for getting off to a slow start. This usually sparks the calls to talk radio that Beltran isn't any good, that he's soft, that his mole is dragging him down, yada, yada, yada.

But this year, Beltran is a man on fire. He's batting over .400 and leading the league in hitting. Keith Hernandez made a telling statement during yesterday's game when he remarked at how difficult it is to hit .400 for an entire month which is just what Beltran has done.

There are still times when Beltran looks like he's only half trying out there (i.e. not sliding into home), but his numbers don't show it. When Manuel moved Beltran to third in the lineup, I didn't like the move, but now I can't see any reason why you wouldn't keep him there. He's hitting the ball hard every time up and even his outs are difficult to handle.

I would like him to try and steal some more bases, but you can't have everything you want because that's just not what Mets fans get. But I can honestly say for the first time in April that Carlos Beltran looks like one of the best players in baseball.

I'm fully prepared for him to go 0 for 5 now that I've written that.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Things to Hate About the Young 2009 Season

It's not even May, but I'm already annoyed, agitated, and other adjectives that express distaste for this Mets team. Time to open the flood gates:
  1. Hate the lack of fundamentals
  2. Hate the baserunning - where are the stolen bases?
  3. Hate that the best hitter on the team so far doesn't play every other day because Sheffield needs at bats
  4. Hate the drama over Citi Field being an ode to the Dodgers. It's beautiful! Quit complaining.
  5. Hate that just when you think the Mets as an organization are turning the corner something like Doc Gooden signing a wall reminds you just how much they don't get it.
  6. Hate the pre game show
  7. Hate the fact that the second best Mets pitcher on any given day at Citi Field works in the SNY broadcast booth
  8. Hate the lack of clutchness
  9. Hate that Jerry Manuel is screwing around with the lineup already. Uh Jerry, it's pitching that's the problem
  10. Hate that we have the best reliever in the game, but he can't pitch in these games because the starting rotation is so awful
  11. Hate that Daniel Murphy is reminding me of Todd Hundley out there
  12. Hate the Marlins
  13. Hate that we paid so much money for Oliver Perez
  14. Hate that it's April and I'm already discounting this team's chances - they aren't giving me much choice!
  15. Hate the economy - sorry, that just slipped
  16. Hate that Livan Hernandez gives me more hope than Mike Pelfrey
  17. Hate that Tim Redding is the pitcher I'm looking to for some hope
  18. Hate losing games when you score 8 runs
  19. Hate the inaugural season patch - Domino's anyone?
  20. Hate the Drake
  21. Hate the fact that Mike Francesa can now legitamitely rail on the Mets for 5 hours a day with just cause
A lot of anger. A series with the Nationals should help....hopefully.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Will the 2009 Starters Be the 2008 BLOWpen?

So the Mets fixed the bullpen, but the starting rotation looks like it's in need of some repair.

Another horrible starting pitching performance for the second straight night against the Cardinals ultimately lead to yet another loss. You could blame the Mets bats if you want. I wouldn't blame you. They made a no name pitcher who's name I've already forgotten, look like the ghost of Mike Scott.

However John Maine is just looking awful. He threw 70+ pitches in the first inning including a 29 pitch first inning. Maine walked 5, gave up 7 hits and 5 runs in just 5 2/3 innings pitched. Remember when you thought Maine was our #2 starter?

Add Maine to the wonderful signing of Oliver Perez, the injured and lackluster Mike Pelfrey and you have a set of arms who may cause as much damage as the 2008 BLOWpen. No wonder the Mets can score runs. They find themselves in a 4 run deficit every night. That's got to do wonders for the players confidence that they have a shot to win.

But Dave, it's only the third week of the season! Calm down! We have Tim Redding waiting to step in.

Exactly.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Once Again Everybody, Meet the Mess...

True story: When I was a kid, I had this friend who used to slide in to any base on concrete. Concrete! And this was wiffle ball.

Tonight, we witnessed direct proof that this team just does not give 100% all of the time. We've been hearing for 2+ seasons now about how this team is missing something, how they don't have fire...very lackluster play. In the 8th inning, Carlos Beltran decided to run home on a ball that bounced away on the infield...I swear he had it easily. Yet, inexplicably, he chose not to slide into home and he was tagged out by Molina as he blogged the plate. Seriously, all Beltran had to do was slide and he was safe. Period...End of discussion! Instead, he was out and it was just another example of this team's lack of hustle, lack of drive and determination to win the game.

Another case in point was Delgado's laziness with keeping his foot on th ebag which should have been a double play. Now he had his tippy toe on it and the ump missed, but still, he had the chance to quickly smack his foot back on the bag but he didn't.

From now on, I'm going to do my best to point out every lazy play I see.

Jerry Manuel needs to go off on this team tonight. No close door meeting tomorrow...just absolutely tee off on them in the clubhouse. He needs to be direct and tell them how much they suck, how soft they are and how lazy they look. They are a pathetic-looking baseball team and I am tired of it. It's not just 13 games in to the season. It's been the same boring, uninspired brand of baseball with the same lame players for the last 2 seasons. Enough is enough already. Either they have to change, or guys need to go.

If the Mets want to learn from someone who plays hard every single night, Jerry Manuel should show them a video of the game to watch Albert Pujols. Not only is he a masher, but every pitch he's ready to make a play. Diving for balls, picking throws out of the dirt. On the last play of the game he was flat on his stomach, strethcing for a ball thrown to him to save it. That's how you play the game.

I wonder how Bobby Valentine would handle this bunch. If Manuel doesn't address this meek club immediately, we just might find out sooner than later on what Bobby V would do.

By the way, hell of a signing that Ollie Perez. What a joke, just like this team.

The Mets Leave 1,600 Men On Base

Based on some stats from ESPN.com, the Mets are on pace to average leaving 10 men on base a game this season.

10 men a game.

That's over 1,600 men being left on base for the entire season. And you wonder why we missed the playoffs? I've been a major voice in saying that the Mets issues last season were with the bullpen. Fix the bullpen and you'll fix the issues. But now I'm questioning myself.

The bullpen absolutely needed to be fixed, but the clutch hitting will hurt our chances almost as much. If you leave over 1,600 men on base over the course of the season, there's no way you're winning a division. Now I expect that average to drop as the months drag on, but the lack of timely hitting may be the Mets achilles heel this season.

You'd like to place the blame on a particular player or two, but you really can't. The whole team has issues with driving in runs with 2 outs. I don't know what the answer is to this problem. Can you really do anything to fix a lack of clutchness?

I have a feeling it's a mental issue and until there's a 3 or 4 game stretch where Mets batters start coming through in a tough spot, I think we'll see this trend continue.

Monday, April 20, 2009

METS OWNERSHIP CLUELESS YET AGAIN

If not being able to hit with men on base isn’t enough to anger Mets fans, then the decision from Mets management to remove an impromptu signature by Dwight Gooden on the wall in the Ebbets Field Club at Citi Field will absolutely infuriate them. And who could blame them?

With so much criticism levied at the Wilpons for not showing enough Mets history in the new park (not to mention a bullpen that no one can see in to or out of), you would think they would not only accept this brilliant stroke of spontaneity, but that they would wholeheartedly embrace it for its originality, authenticity. And for crying out loud, it’s Doctor “K”! It’s not like it was Jeff Innis (no offense Jeff).

Instead, much like the Mets hitters for the last 2+ seasons, the Mets brass just can’t take advantage of an opportunity when it’s right there in front of them. How cool would that have been to have Doc’s signature on that wall forever? The story alone would go down as legend. I can just picture Gary Cohen, long after his retirement, relaying this great story as a guest in the broadcast booth (with David Wright and Mike Pelfrey doing color). Rather than covering it with a felt cloth held up by four tacks like they did this weekend, they should have put a glass case around it like the freakin’ Mona Lisa! But, of course, with stupidity perpetually oozing out of their pores, they elect to erase it. Yes, erase it! I mean, you can’t make this stuff up. I wonder what Gooden thinks about it. I guarantee you if Rachel Robinson (Jackie’s wife) had signed her name on that wall, they would have been drooling all over it and hired every newspaper, TV outlet they could find to do a story about it.

"It's a brand-new building," said Jay Horwitz, the Mets' VP of media relations. "No one is supposed to write on the wall. It's going to be erased." An autograph on the wall? Absolutely not! Firing the manger in the middle of the night one game into a west coast trip? You beth’cya. Brilliant, just absolutely brilliant.

Listen, I’m not even that bent out of shape about the lack of Mets stuff in the park. I agree, there should be more, but I’m not going crazy about it like many others. I like the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, and the ball park is gorgeous, although I did sit in the upper deck for Opening Night and was very annoyed about not being able to see the right field corner. However, I was fortunate to go to the next game and sat in the field level section behind Pardres’ dugout, which was a first class experience. Ironically, I actually saw the Doctor signing autographs two sections away behind home plate.

I’m just sick and tired of this organization not getting it! Time and time again they simply fail to connect with their fan base and they wonder why we’re so angry. They just don’t have a clue.

I have a great idea for the Wilpons that I am positive they will love: Sell a sponsorship next to Gooden’s signature. Preferably that awesome clip art from that fork lift ad next to the giant scoreboard in center field…It’s so cheesy it’s perfect for them.

Adios Figueroa

Poor Nelson Figueroa has been designated for assignment. I feel bad for the guy. It's not like he's a fantastic pitcher, but he's pitched well for the Mets over the last two seasons.

So after Sunday's game, potentially a game Figueroa would have won if the Mets could hit with runners on base, he gets sent packing in favor of Triple A prospect Casey Fossum. That's gotta hurt.

I don't know anything about Fossum, but it looks as if he'll be on the roster tomorrow when the Mets visit St. Louis and may take a start for Mike Pelfrey if he misses another week.

I honestly hope Figueroa finds a spot on another ballclub. Just not in the NL because with the Mets luck he'd throw a no-hitter against them.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

The Unluckiest of Games

The Mets had their opportunities. They had some serious bad luck to go with it.

The Mets lost the finale against the Brewers on Sunday afternoon thanks mostly to a series of unfortunate events. In the 7th and 8th innings the Mets had prime oppotunity to score, but a hit a run turned into a double play and a miraculous catch by the pitcher ended a bases load chance as well.

Nelson Figueroa pitched as well as can be expected. He actually did much better than I thought he would. If Pelfrey is out for any extended period of time, we might be seeing more of him, for better or worse.

David Wright's hitting streak ended today, and although he's hit safely in 11 straight games he has not looked good at the plate. He's striking out a whole lot more than he normally does and appears to be fooled by off speed pitches. In the last few games, he's had chances to drive in runs or start a big inning only to be caught looking at strike three.

The Mets should have won this game. Call them unlucky if you want, but the Brewers kept opening the door for a comeback and the Mets couldn't execute.

Off day tomorrow, then it's off to St. Louis.

Friday, April 17, 2009

In Livan We Trust?

Does the Mets season rest on the shoulders of Livan Hernandez? Heaven help us.

The one starter I've specifically said I didn't want on the Mets for the last 3 years is now the guy that could help sustain this ballclub through the early months of the season into the summer.

Mike Pelfrey's injury is a big question mark with some comparing it potentially to what happened to Billy Wagner last season. To say John Maine and Oliver Perez are inconsistent would be an understatement.

Johan Santana is our rock, but Livan Hernandez could become Mr. Reliable. All of a sudden he's potentially our #2 guy if Pelfrey is out for any extended period of time.

Wow.

Carlos Delgado Looks Young Again

Minus the gray beard. Minus taking the final pitch of the game last night. But besides all that Carlos Delgado looks like the player the Mets need him to be.

I'm not sure if it's a mid-life, youthful burst of energy or the fact that it's a contract year, but Delgado has a new kind of swing in his step. He's fighting off pitches, taking bad ones, and even looking to hit to the opposite field.

Delgado has 12 RBIs in the first 9 games and a .657 slugging percentage. It makes you forget just how abysmal he was early on last season when we were all ready to get him on the next bus out of the city.

The season is still young and the Mets obviously have some problems to deal with, namely their defense and starting pitching. But it's nice to have that confidence back in the cleanup spot, which we were desperately missing last spring from Carlos Delgado.

Let's hope this can continue for more than a month.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

This Mets Team Can Score

No one can score from first base on a pass ball and an error that trickles merely 20 feet from home plate. No one, except for Jose Reyes.

In oneo of the most remarkable plays yet this season, Jose Reyes scored from first last night on a pass ball and a throwing error that didn't look long enough for one runner to advance an extra base let alone come around to score from first.

That play capped off an offensive night for the Mets that showed this team can score runs. There were more opportunities to score that the Mets failed to execute, but even with that they were able to muster 7 runs to support Oliver Perez in his first win of the season.

There was a lot of discussion this offseason about the need for an extra bat in right or left field, but I think we've seen in both spring training and early on that this team can get on base and score runs. The key is whether they feel like it on any given day as we do know the Mets have a propensity for not hitting with runners in scoring position in 2 outs. But the Mets are not without opportunities to score.

The first win at Citi Field is over and done with and I'm anxious to see if the John Maine we saw last week shows up again tonight because he looked really sharp against the Marlins even in the loss.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Is Luis Castillo the Key to the Mets Lineup?

We know what to expect from Reyes, Wright & Beltran. If they don't produce, the team is in a world of hurt. We even know what to expect, for the most part, from Carlos Delgado. If he doesn't produce...again, world of hurt.


So who is the key to the Mets lineup in order for them to get over the proverbial "hump?" Sadly, it might be Luis Castillo.

I've heard some say Ryan Church, which is a decent argument. If he continues to hit well and we see the same type of produciton we saw last April/May last this entire season, Church gives you a nice RBI bat in the middle of the lineup to compliment Delgado.

I don't think the key is Church because we've got a potentially adequate bat behind him in Gary Sheffield. If Church doesn't produce, Sheffield may very well step in and improve on Church's production.

I don't think it's Daniel Murphy because he's a young player sandwiched between Reyes & Wright. He's not the key when you have two MVP candidates acting as bookends for him in the batting order.

Here's why I think it might be Luis Castillo. Castillo bats 8th (as he should), but the bottom of the Mets lineup is painful. If Church struggles you potentially have automatic outs in the 6-9 spots in the order. Even if Church is on his game Schneider, Castillo and the pitcher's spot are as easy an out as you'll find in the NL East.

But if Castillo can get going, it could lead to more run production and the ability of the Mets to turn over the lineup more often so their big bats can get more chances for production. If Castillo shows he can start to get on base and draw walks, I'd even move him to the 9 spot. Pull a little Tony LaRussa.

If Castillo proves to be the same guy as last year the Mets have some serious decisions to make. The bottom of the order is abominable. Do you move Murphy down there just to break it up a bit? Do you cut ties with Castillo and bring up a minor leaguer?

So many questions, very little answers at this point in the season. I'm willing to give Castillo until May to start to show me some rays of hope that he might be an asset to the ballclub. If not, we're looking at 3 guaranteed outs at the bottom of the order.

Modell's Launches Mo's Zone Event featuring Doc Gooden

Looks like there's a pretty interesting event going on today. Modell's is launching their new "Mo's Zone" are of Citi Field and is having a kickoff event today from 3:30-4:45 p.m. that will take place at Modell¹s Sporting Goods In Times Square (42nd and 7th) with special guest Doc Gooden.

Ah the good Dr. K. Just heard him this morning with Boomer and Carton, and it's great to hear that his life is back on the right track. He is arguably the greatest pitcher I've personally seen throw a baseball and I think we as Mets fans forget what we had for those years he was with the Mets because of all the non-baseball stuff that was going on in his life.

I'd love to go to this event. Turns out the "Mo's Zone" is a section in right/right-center field at Citi Field, where there are two field-level sections of seating. The Mo¹s Zone area is led-off by a 72 foot span across the outfield  warning track where the traditional padded outfield wall is replaced by a chain link fence. Directly above this span of fence is the Mo¹s Zone fan section (specifically seating sections #101 & #102).

According to Modell's, within this area will sit  nearly 400 of the most passionate Mets fans known to mankind.  The area will be full of energy and is uniquely tucked beneath the porch overhead which
hangs 18 feet out and over the playing field. Beneath the Mo's Zone lives The Modell's Clubhouse.  The Modell's Clubhouse is set behind the chain link fence and will consist of  dugout-style benches backed by five full sized garage-style overhead doors. Those doors open up to a private fan hospitality area which can accommodate up to 70 fans.

The only thing that will separate fans in the Modell's Clubhouse from the playing field is the chain link fence. Fans attending a game inside the Modell's Clubhouse will be as close to the playing field  during the game as you can get without being one of the players!

If you're in midtown Manhattan this afternoon definitely stop in to the Modell's at Times Square to check out the kickoff event and to see Doc Gooden.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

A Game That Had Everything...But A Win

What a way to open a new stadium. Actually when you think about it, it was opened in typical Mets fashion.

The leadoff hitter for the other team gets a home run to open the game. The Mets starting pitcher struggles. Defensive errors score runs. The Mets come back but can't come back all the way. A balk drives in the winning run.

What other team does this kind of stuff happen to other than the Mets? It was a bizarre first game at Citi Field. Pelfrey struggled not only locating his pitches, but he even fell off the mound at one point. Feliciano's balk may have been the most subtle balk in major league history. I watched the replay at least 30 times and still couldn't understand why that's a balk.

There were two highlights tonight. The first being the pre-game festivities which included a ceremonial first pitch from legend Tom Seaver to future legend Mike Piazza.

The second highlight was David Wright's blast to left field. Wright was crushing the ball last night and hit another shot 405 feet to center, but the ball was caught against the wall. The best thing about Wright's homer was his reaction and intensity while running the bases. He wanted this game bad.

Many a Mets fan will comfort themselves by saying it was only one game. We can only hope it's not symbolic of how things will fare this year.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Mets Have Worst Pre Game Show Ever

Let me start by saying I'm not a huge fan of pre-game show's to begin with so I may be coming into this with a tainted view. Even so, I think the Mets have the worst pre-game show I have ever seen.
SNY decided to mix things up this year by having Chris Carlin and Bobby Ojeda replace Matt Yallof and Lee Mazilli in the pre-game show lineup.

It's not like Mazilli and Yallof we're Emmy winning hosts, but they look like Tom Brokaw and Brian Williams compared to the current two hosts.

Carlin gives you a headache within the first two minutes of listening to him. He makes Terry Bradshaw sound like Barry White. He's a great personality for a show like Loudmouths, but he's not an "anchor" for a pre-game show. 

Ojeda, who's not your notable A-list Met that you'd expect SNY to recruit as a face for their Mets programming, is as animated as wallpaper paste. Tell me what is he known for? He's got zero personality, and the most memorable thing he did as a Met was slice open his hand while trimming his bushes at home that put him on the DL for half a year. And can someone tell me if he's wearing a piece or does hair naturally go all two-tone on you after wearing a hat for all those years?

I'd almost rather have Darryl Strawberry on there with his butchering of the English language because hey, it's Darryl! 

There's got to be a better pair available than those two clowns. 

Sunday, April 12, 2009

The Johan Santana Disease

It's not just a disease. It's an epidemic.

When Johan Santana steps on the mound the Mets lineup is crippled by his mere presence. They are in such awe of the circle change that their own bats turn to rubber. Santana's fastball is so filthy that their gloves spontaneously grow holes in them and every fundamental fielding principle they ever learned flies right out the window.

That is the power of the Johan Santana disease and it plagues the Mets every time he steps on the mound.

Santana was masterful. He struck out 13 batters while only walking one, and the 2 runs scored against him were both unearned thanks the Mets fantastic play in the field.

In typical Mets fashion, they waited to the very last minute to make things interesting by scoring a run in the top of the ninth and getting the tying run on base. But it was not meant to be as Josh Johnson won the day in the end pitching the first complete game of the MLB season.

If I'm Johan Santana, I'm not talking to any of the Mets players for at least a week. It's not like this is the first time something like this has happened. It seems to happen every time he pitches. If Santana gets 2 runs of offensive support that's a lot.

The days Santana pitches should be almost automatic wins for the Mets, and today should have been one of those days. The disease continues.

Friday, April 10, 2009

The Mad World of Oliver Perez

I predict that Oliver Perez won't get a single win against the Reds, Pirates, Nationals and Padres this season. It's pretty much a guarantee. Nothing like spending a ton of money on a pitcher who can't beat the worst teams in baseball.

But we all knew this is what we were getting when the Mets signed Oliver Perez to a lucrative deal this offseason. There was the hope, way back in the recesses of our mind, that Perez had matured as a person and a pitcher, and that we might see some changes this year.

That's not the case.

The same old Oliver Perez showed up to pitch yesterday and gave up 8 runs over the course of his start. The Mets scored 6 runs to make the game interesting, but the damage was done.

Call me old school, but I'm of the mindset that if you score 6 runs in a game, you should probably win. The positive spin from yesterday's game is that the Mets keep on hitting. Outside of Castro & Cora, everyone in the starting lineup had at least one hit.

Reyes, however, did strikeout 3 times, but still was on base twice.

It's off to Florida to go see Hanley Ramirez and the Marlins. Who knows what John Maine has in store for us?

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Mets Bats Show Up on Day 2

Last night's game started out pretty painful. After Delgado stroked a bomb to right in the top of the 1st to give the Mets a 2-run lead, Pelfrey pitched a painful first inning that felt longer than an episode of American Idol.

Pelfrey is still working his way into mid-season form and it showed last night, but the amazing thing is he got the win. Delgado drove in 4 RBIs. Schneider and Beltran added an additional two a piece. And everyone in the starting lineup but Luis Castillo got a hit.

Man does Delgado look good swinging the bat or what? Can you tell he's in a contract year?

Now the bullpen held the levees last night, but it wasn't as smooth as we like to see. What is it about the Mets that forces relievers to make things interesting. Bases loaded? Long fly ball to the warning track? Tell me you didn't think that ball was gone off the bat?

Looks like KRod will follow in the footseps of Franco, Benitez, Looper & Wagner as a closer who has to at least get a few people on base before he can seal the deal. At least we've come to expect it.

Early game today that starts around noon. Who's anxious to see Alex Cora?

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Link: An Ode to Kiner

Brad Bortone over at Bugs and Cranks, who is as witty a blogger as you'll find online, has put together a fantastic post highlighting the genius of Ralph Kiner and what we've come to know as "Kinerisms."

Pretty much every Met fan that has grown up watching the Mets has listened to Kiner call a game at one time or another. He's been old for the last 30 years, but there's something endearing about the guy. I remember as a kid asking my dad who on earth this crazy guy was calling games with that other really obnoxious guy (a.k.a. Tim McCarver).

It wasn't until I knew more about baseball that I realized that this is one of the games greatest players who had the unfortunate luck of being stuck on some of the worst teams in history.

In any case, you have to read Brad's post over on Bugs and Cranks and I guarantee you it will take you back to some of those Kiner classic moments.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Johan Santana Handshake Club

Looks like Johan Santana has a special handshake for every player on the Mets. This video shows him hand jiving with pretty much every player in the dugout and no handshake is the same. Maybe that's the secret to his changeup.

Monday, April 6, 2009

New Season, New Bullpen


I had flashbacks of Scott Blowenweiss and Luis Ayala in the 7th and 8th innings of today's opening game of the 2009 season. My palms were sweating. I had shortness of breath, and I thought Johan Santana was going to miss out on a well deserved win.

But then I looked at the calendar. This is 2009 and we have a new bullpen.

Green, Putz & KRod proved that Omar made the right moves this offseason in just the first game of the year. All 3 relievers kept the 1-run lead the Mets held when Santana left to give them their first win of the season.

Although it did feel a little like 2008 on the offensive side of things as the Mets left the bases loaded twice without scoring a run. Thankfully, Daniel Murphy pulled us through with a solo shot and a productive out as he drove in both of the Mets' 2 runs.

Now what would have happened if Castillo was batting second? Hmmmmm.

Glad they got the first game in and even more pleased to see Santana get the win.

Link: Bugs and Cranks 2.0

One of our favorite baseball blogs, Bugs & Cranks, has gotten a makeover. Ok, maybe it's more like an extreme makeover, but the good kind.  Think Ty Pennington, not Joan Rivers.

Bugs and Cranks has a whole new design and structure to their blog posts, but they haven't lost the witty banter and sarcasm that bleeds from every post which makes it a highly entertaining and well written site.

Check it out when you get the chance at BugsandCranks.com.

2009 Mets: We Know Drama

It's hear folks. Like the season premiere of your favorite TV drama, the Mets are about to start the 2009 season, and like any good drama there are several interesting plotlines and story arcs for you to follow.

The main storyline which will become increasingly annoying as the season goes on is will the Mets collapse in September...again. You'll hear it on every Mets game they play on ESPN and you're bound to hear it on SportCenter and Baseball Tonight at least 83 times during the course of the season.

The bullpen is your second major plotline as the Mets basically cleaned house and just kept Feliciano and Brian Stokes. Will the money spent on Putz & K-Rod be worth the investment? I think so, but time will tell.

Finally, a minor plotline that is still worth noting is that this will be Jerry Manuel's first full season as Mets manager. It feels like it was years ago that Willie "These Are My Guys" Randolph was the helm of the ballclub. Now that Jerry has a full year to manage I think we'll see some changes in the way he manages games right from the start. I fully expect to see more hit and runs put into play, and a willingness to play the player that's on a hot streak.

It's a long season, but it all starts today at 1 p.m. I do love a good drama, and the Mets should have it in spades this season.

Let's go Mets.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

ESPN: Sheffield Could Play for Mets Next Week

This is a clip from ESPN with both Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel talking about the edition of Gary Sheffield. The interesting thing is if you go over to ESPN.com and read the full article below the video, you'll see that Sheffield credits David Wright with getting him on the Mets.

He talks about how its hard to resist when the "face of a franchise" reaches out to you and wants you on the team. I see Secretary of State in David Wright's future. Click here for the full ESPN article.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Gary Sheffield to Become a Met?

The Mets didn't get Manny Ramirez this offseason, but it looks like another attitude-prone outfielder may be headed their way by the name of Gary Sheffield according to the New York Post.

That's right, Doc Gooden's cousin may be headed to Queens and provide a much needed power bat to the lineup. That is of course if Sheffield can return to his old form which is still up for debate.

I don't think Sheffield would be inserted into the starting lineup, but may fill in as needed while becoming the power bat off the bench that the Mets lack at this point.

If Sheffield can be signed for an affordable amount, I like this move. He's a righty bat with a history of pop, but he's also such a wild card in the locker room. I'm curious to see how long he lasts as a bench player and if that will cause any issues, but if it doesn't he may very well be a contributor and be able to spell Delgado, Church and Murphy on days the need rest.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Waiting for Baseball Season to Start

Spring, unlike any other season, has the ability to get you excited about what's to come. I could dive into a Freudian rant of the effect of season change on the human psyche, but what it really comes down to is the fact that baseball season is about to start.

It begins with spring training and the anticipation that Opening Day is right around the corner, but for Mets Lifers it's different this year. We have a new stadium for the first time in a millenia that is literally one of the best baseball stadiums on the planet. That newness is bound to create even more buzz around the Mets than usual and is sure to spark a new energy in the home game crowds.

But on the negative side of the coin, there's also the anticipation of what's to come this season. The past two years have been as enjoyable as a knife to the gut. Fantastic spring and summer months have led to dismal and depressing fall season that has seen the Mets miss the playoffs by mere inches each of the last two years.

What will September hold for the Mets this year? Will we be able to enjoy a season with the dark cloud that is September baseball waiting for us?

So there you have it. Spring and the start of baseball season are bringing both the positive and negative sides of anticipation to Mets Lifers everywhere. Sports Illustrated has started the season by giving the Mets the ultimate kiss of death by picking the Mets to win the World Series.

Can the Mets break the SI curse? Can they overcome their failures the last two seasons? Will they give us something to cheer about late in the season? Will I have to write another 600 posts on the BLOWpen?

The anticipation of those answers and my love for the game of baseball are what makes the start of baseball season, and spring, such a great time of year.

Let's go Mets.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Jerry Manuel Makes First Smart Move of the Season

We haven't even seen the first pitch of the 2009 season and already Jerry Manuel has made possibly the smartest lineup move. Manuel has confirmed that he plans to bat Daniel Murphy second in the order and move the Luis "The Gimp" Castillo to the 8th spot.

No more drama about batting Castillo leadoff and Reyes third. This is the best place for Murphy. He'll see a bunch of fastballs with Reyes being on base in front of him. He's a contact hitter which is what you want in that second spot, and he'll be sandwiched between Reyes and Wright which is the best protection the Mets lineup can offer.

Also, the eighth spot in the order is the right place for Castillo. He can stay out of the spotlight and hopefully get comfortable enough to get back into the swing of things. He'll get a bunch of walks being in front of the pitcher and we're not asking him to be a serious producer in the lineup batting eighth.

This doesn't automatically guarnatee success for Murphy, Castillo or the Mets lineup, but I think it's the best use of the talent that's available to put the most optimal lineup out there to produce runs.

I truly hope Castillo can get back to his old self this season where he deserves to be a #2 hitter, but I'm not counting on it quite yet.