Thursday, June 30, 2011
Mets Berzerker Barrage
...this is what the Mets offense has been lately. a thousand little cuts that eventually leads to victory. this team is suddenly fun to watch. winning tends to do that.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Lady Luck is Shining on Mets
Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good, and the Mets appear to have luck on their side. You want to argue about the talent the Mets possess? Fine, but I want to ride this lucky streak for as long as we can.
Think about it. The Mets have scored 40+ runs over the last week on only 3 home runs which all came yesterday. The Mets are without their #1 starter, Santana, and their #2 starter, Pelfrey, isn't exactly striking fear in the hearts of men. A guy by the name of Dillon Gee is potentially an All Star. Jose Reyes is having arguably the best year of any New York baseball player...in history.
The powerless Jason Bay is the man to break the 2 year grand slam drought. Injuries have abounded yet again, but minor league call ups like Tejada, Turner & Duda are contributing more than seasoned veterans Harris & Hairston. Ronnie Paulino has the second best average on the team. KRod is the best closer in the NL. And after starting 5-13, the Mets are miraculously over .500.
If you can't see some sort of good fortune in this, you're as blind as the home plate umpire in Sunday's game against the Rangers. I hope this wave continues well into the weekend series and beyond.
Think about it. The Mets have scored 40+ runs over the last week on only 3 home runs which all came yesterday. The Mets are without their #1 starter, Santana, and their #2 starter, Pelfrey, isn't exactly striking fear in the hearts of men. A guy by the name of Dillon Gee is potentially an All Star. Jose Reyes is having arguably the best year of any New York baseball player...in history.
The powerless Jason Bay is the man to break the 2 year grand slam drought. Injuries have abounded yet again, but minor league call ups like Tejada, Turner & Duda are contributing more than seasoned veterans Harris & Hairston. Ronnie Paulino has the second best average on the team. KRod is the best closer in the NL. And after starting 5-13, the Mets are miraculously over .500.
If you can't see some sort of good fortune in this, you're as blind as the home plate umpire in Sunday's game against the Rangers. I hope this wave continues well into the weekend series and beyond.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
The Mets Trading Perdicament
At the beginning of this year it was a given that the Mets would be ready for a trading bonanza come mid-July in an effort to get some value back for those expiring contracts. The picture is a bit muddier now that the Mets are overachieving and consistently find themselves floating around .500, just within reach of Wild Card dreams.
While there is much baseball to be played before the July trading deadline, the idea of the Mets unloading talent and payroll is becoming less appealing to Mets fans. Injuries have depleted the roster as it is and we have been pleasantly surprised to see those players we were ready to trade at the drop of a hat have now become the best performers on the team.
For the sake of this post I'm going to leave Jose Reyes out of it. At this point, there's no way the Mets are trading this guy in the midst of an MVP season. Just not going to happen.
But the two other popular names in trade conversation, Carlos Beltran and Francisco Rodgriguez, are now less likely to be traded in my estimation. Let's start with Beltran. He's leading the team in home runs, RBIs, and trades off every other week with Jose Reyes in leading in doubles too. If you look at the Mets lineup, he is the only thing the Mets have that even comes close to being a home run threat. If the Mets were to trade him at this point, there would be a crater in the middle of the lineup and the Mets may set the record for longest game streak without a home run.
With Bay being Bay, Davis out potentially for the season and Wright struggling to come back, the Mets can't trade Beltran. Who would replace him? Jason Pridie? Fernando Martinez? Egads! Scott Hairston? All of those options are serious downgrades from a Beltran who is having a great year. And what would the Mets get back for Beltran? Perhaps some minor league talent? Maybe a struggling middle reliever? The return for Beltran won't be much as he's simply a rental player for a few months. The Mets would be better off keeping Beltran, providing the fan base with a notable player performing at the top of his game who can potentially help win some ball games down the stretch.
So what if he leaves for free agency? The biggest thing Beltran can provide the Mets is payroll space, not minor league talent. The same goes for KRod. He's easily the best closer in the NL this year even with his recent blown saves. If you get rid of KRod, do you really think the Mets ability to close out games will improve? We know how Parnell gets. Izzy is inconsistent. Don't think Beato is ready for that role.
The vesting option for KRod is a concern for the Mets and that might be the sole reason they trade him, but if the Mets are anywhere near a Wild Card race ditching KRod would be detrimental even though he makes me incredibly nervous every time he takes the mound.
Ultimately the Mets will do what they think is best. I just hope that a chance at some entertaining, pennant related baseball and fan interest weighs into their equation.
It should.
While there is much baseball to be played before the July trading deadline, the idea of the Mets unloading talent and payroll is becoming less appealing to Mets fans. Injuries have depleted the roster as it is and we have been pleasantly surprised to see those players we were ready to trade at the drop of a hat have now become the best performers on the team.
For the sake of this post I'm going to leave Jose Reyes out of it. At this point, there's no way the Mets are trading this guy in the midst of an MVP season. Just not going to happen.
But the two other popular names in trade conversation, Carlos Beltran and Francisco Rodgriguez, are now less likely to be traded in my estimation. Let's start with Beltran. He's leading the team in home runs, RBIs, and trades off every other week with Jose Reyes in leading in doubles too. If you look at the Mets lineup, he is the only thing the Mets have that even comes close to being a home run threat. If the Mets were to trade him at this point, there would be a crater in the middle of the lineup and the Mets may set the record for longest game streak without a home run.
With Bay being Bay, Davis out potentially for the season and Wright struggling to come back, the Mets can't trade Beltran. Who would replace him? Jason Pridie? Fernando Martinez? Egads! Scott Hairston? All of those options are serious downgrades from a Beltran who is having a great year. And what would the Mets get back for Beltran? Perhaps some minor league talent? Maybe a struggling middle reliever? The return for Beltran won't be much as he's simply a rental player for a few months. The Mets would be better off keeping Beltran, providing the fan base with a notable player performing at the top of his game who can potentially help win some ball games down the stretch.
So what if he leaves for free agency? The biggest thing Beltran can provide the Mets is payroll space, not minor league talent. The same goes for KRod. He's easily the best closer in the NL this year even with his recent blown saves. If you get rid of KRod, do you really think the Mets ability to close out games will improve? We know how Parnell gets. Izzy is inconsistent. Don't think Beato is ready for that role.
The vesting option for KRod is a concern for the Mets and that might be the sole reason they trade him, but if the Mets are anywhere near a Wild Card race ditching KRod would be detrimental even though he makes me incredibly nervous every time he takes the mound.
Ultimately the Mets will do what they think is best. I just hope that a chance at some entertaining, pennant related baseball and fan interest weighs into their equation.
It should.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
A Surprising Road Series Win
22 runs later, the Mets were able to steal the back to games of the three game series with the Rangers to win an unlikely road series. Sure it took the Mets closed to 40 hits to score that many runs, but it is impressive to score 20+ runs without a single home run.
The Rangers on the other hand were shellacking Mets pitching, pounding the ball all over the ballpark but fortunately the Mets defense was in mid season form and able to keep the opponents at bay.
Gee looked awful on Sunday and was lucky to make it out of the first inning with only two earned runs. Even Niese was struggling yesterday, but for once the Mets bats were able to overcome the shortcomings of the starting pitching.
And so the Mets are back to .500. A familiar place for this team and I'll be curious to see if the hot bats in Texas suddenly cool as the team heads north to Detroit or if this hot streak can miraculously continue.
A day off tomorrow and Tuesday will be the moment we'll find out.
The Rangers on the other hand were shellacking Mets pitching, pounding the ball all over the ballpark but fortunately the Mets defense was in mid season form and able to keep the opponents at bay.
Gee looked awful on Sunday and was lucky to make it out of the first inning with only two earned runs. Even Niese was struggling yesterday, but for once the Mets bats were able to overcome the shortcomings of the starting pitching.
And so the Mets are back to .500. A familiar place for this team and I'll be curious to see if the hot bats in Texas suddenly cool as the team heads north to Detroit or if this hot streak can miraculously continue.
A day off tomorrow and Tuesday will be the moment we'll find out.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Road Ahead is a Weary One for Mets
This short home stand hasn't been a good one. Two teams that are well under .500 and the Mets could only muster a split of the 6 game series. The team sits at a game under .500 but it's the road ahead that should concern most Mets fans.
The team's struggle to breach the .500 mark and somehow tread water above it will get no easier as June turns to July. The Tigers, Rangers, Yankees, and a West Coast road trip are laid out before us. Then comes the All Star Break with an NL East lineup of opponents waiting thereafter.
Prepare to have the season decided.
Am I being overly dramatic? It's in my nature. But am I really that far off? I don't think so. If the Mets are fortunate enough to somehow split the 6 game series against the Rangers and Tigers, they then return home to face the Yankees. Let's say they win that series 2-1. That leaves them at .500 heading to the West Coast where we all know they struggle. In a 7 game series against the Dodgers & Giants, the Mets could easily go 2-5 putting them 3 games under .500 heading into the All Star Break.
Then comes the Phillies, Marlins & Cardinals. And the ditch they have dug may be too deep to climb out of.
Sure David Wright might return by then. We may even be counting the days until we see Johan Santana, but do we think our bullpen and light hitting lineup can sustain us until that point?
At some point the Mets luck is going to run out when it comes to the unbelievable production of guys like Turner, Tejada and even Murphy. We've already seen them cool down a bit. You can only win so many games when you've got Duda playing every other game, and your bench is hitting a few dozen points below the Mendoza line.
I want to have hope, but realism is starting to set in. This set of interleague games this week will be a barometer for the weeks to come.
It's a weary road and we'll soon see if this young group of replacement players is battle tested enough to travel it.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Painful Game of Chutes and Ladders
As a father of three young boys, my house possesses the torturous game that is Chutes & Ladders. It's the game that never ends. Just when you think you're close to winning, an unlucky spin forces you to fall farther than you thought was possible.
That is what the 2011 Mets are doing to us as fans.
They have carried us up ladders with the hope that this new plateau would become a path to further heights only to drop us down chutes that sink us back to the brink of obscurity. The Mets now sit 3 games under .500 and have erased everything great that happened on this road trip. Just a week ago the Mets had the opportunity to sweep Atlanta, go over .500 and head home against sub .500 American League clubs to build on their momentum.
That blown save and balk-off loss may have been the turning point. The devastation of that loss has turned into a spiral downward capped off by last night's loss. Gee has been terrific, but was horrible last night walking 6 batters and giving up 4 earned runs. Even with that performance the Mets had plenty of opportunities as they loaded the bases on 2 separate occasions but were unable to get a hit in either case.
The only good news is that Jason Bay finally got an extra base hit after 90 plate appearances. He even got 2! Just in time Jason. Another chute is about to open and send to meaningless games in July.
That is what the 2011 Mets are doing to us as fans.
They have carried us up ladders with the hope that this new plateau would become a path to further heights only to drop us down chutes that sink us back to the brink of obscurity. The Mets now sit 3 games under .500 and have erased everything great that happened on this road trip. Just a week ago the Mets had the opportunity to sweep Atlanta, go over .500 and head home against sub .500 American League clubs to build on their momentum.
That blown save and balk-off loss may have been the turning point. The devastation of that loss has turned into a spiral downward capped off by last night's loss. Gee has been terrific, but was horrible last night walking 6 batters and giving up 4 earned runs. Even with that performance the Mets had plenty of opportunities as they loaded the bases on 2 separate occasions but were unable to get a hit in either case.
The only good news is that Jason Bay finally got an extra base hit after 90 plate appearances. He even got 2! Just in time Jason. Another chute is about to open and send to meaningless games in July.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Will Mets Be Buyers or Sellers? Find Out After the 4th
Jeff Wilpon has declared that if the Mets are in contention, he will be a buyer at the trading deadline to help improve the team's chances of winning. Mr. Wilpon's statements are about a week and a half too early of being meaningful. Sure it's nice that he said that and I guess we're suppose to feel warm and fuzzy about Jeff vs. the crotchety dear old dad, but whether the Mets will be buyers or sellers will become evident after 4th of July week.
This series with Oakland that starts tonight is a big one because the games that follow are anything but a cake walk.After the A's, the Mets have a 6 game road trip to Texas & Detroit, then come home to face the Yankees for 3, and are off on a West Coast road swing for 7 games before the All Star break.
The fatal West Coast trip for the Mets last year came after the All Star break and officially slammed the door on the Mets season. This year we may have the door closed before the home run derby. The Mets do have a better record on the road than at home this year, but the teams that lie ahead are no slouches. You've got playoff contenders at every turn except for maybe the Dodgers.
Oh and after the All Star break, the first place Phillies and Cardinals come to town.
Sure Jeff Wilpon might be talking big now, but he knows that his words will soon be forgotten if the Mets slide into oblivion during the next two weeks. Without a sweep of the A's this week, I believe the Mets will find themselves due south of .500 for the better part of the time leading up to the All Star Break.
This series with Oakland that starts tonight is a big one because the games that follow are anything but a cake walk.After the A's, the Mets have a 6 game road trip to Texas & Detroit, then come home to face the Yankees for 3, and are off on a West Coast road swing for 7 games before the All Star break.
The fatal West Coast trip for the Mets last year came after the All Star break and officially slammed the door on the Mets season. This year we may have the door closed before the home run derby. The Mets do have a better record on the road than at home this year, but the teams that lie ahead are no slouches. You've got playoff contenders at every turn except for maybe the Dodgers.
Oh and after the All Star break, the first place Phillies and Cardinals come to town.
Sure Jeff Wilpon might be talking big now, but he knows that his words will soon be forgotten if the Mets slide into oblivion during the next two weeks. Without a sweep of the A's this week, I believe the Mets will find themselves due south of .500 for the better part of the time leading up to the All Star Break.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Help Ike Davis Strikeout Childhood Cancer
I received an email this morning about this great event that Ike Davis is putting together as part of the Solving Kids' Cancer charity which is a great cause. Here are the details:
He may be on the DL but he is putting his best foot forward to help two NYC charities by hosting an intimate up-close-and-personal charity dinner benefit on Sunday, July 17 at 7PM after the Phillies game.
Hosted by Linda Cohn of ESPN Sportscenter, this family friendly charity event will feature a live interview with Q&A from the guests, a full dinner, drinks, a signed baseball item from Ike, special event T-Shirt, auctions of sports experiences/unique items, photographs, gift bag and special guest appearances.
To purchase tickets and more info, visit “Striking out Childhood Cancer”: A Night with Ike
Davis
DATE: Sunday, July 17 – 7:00PM
LOCATION: Michael’s of Brooklyn – 2929 Avenue R – Brooklyn, NY
All proceeds will benefit Solving Kids’ Cancer and The Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative
Friday, June 17, 2011
Mets Have to Break the Cycle
Win 5. Lose 4. Win 2. Lose 3. And so the story goes for the 2011 Mets. What was excitement and hope about a surging team has turned into questions and doubt in less than 48 hours.
The Mets find themselves back to under .500 and with a reputation for not winning at home. This team needs to go 5-1 on this home stand in the worst way. Here's why.
They're already 2 games under .500. Another loss puts them in an almost impossible hole to get out of in the next two week as we can't expect road series wins to be a regular occurrence and then the Yanks come into Citi Field over the 4th of July. The next 5 games are against teams that aren't that great. They are winnable and would put the Mets at 3 games over .500.
A win streak like that would allow the team to buck the "can't get over .500" conversation that comes up every day. Plus it gives them some buffer as they head out on the road for interleague play before coming back home to some tougher competition.
If they don't win these next 5 games and only manage 3 wins, the Mets will be in the exact same place they were before this amazing 10 game road trip. They will be under .500 and facing an uphill battle.
The shame of this loss was the opportunities late with Reyes & Turner on base and no one out. Two bunts would have scored the tying run, but three consecutive strikeouts is just unforgivable.
Things have been going right for the Mets and the pessimist in me is waiting for the tide to shift the other way. I know the Mets can't win every game but we need a solid win streak to set the tone for the rest of this season if this team is to compete.
The Mets find themselves back to under .500 and with a reputation for not winning at home. This team needs to go 5-1 on this home stand in the worst way. Here's why.
They're already 2 games under .500. Another loss puts them in an almost impossible hole to get out of in the next two week as we can't expect road series wins to be a regular occurrence and then the Yanks come into Citi Field over the 4th of July. The next 5 games are against teams that aren't that great. They are winnable and would put the Mets at 3 games over .500.
A win streak like that would allow the team to buck the "can't get over .500" conversation that comes up every day. Plus it gives them some buffer as they head out on the road for interleague play before coming back home to some tougher competition.
If they don't win these next 5 games and only manage 3 wins, the Mets will be in the exact same place they were before this amazing 10 game road trip. They will be under .500 and facing an uphill battle.
The shame of this loss was the opportunities late with Reyes & Turner on base and no one out. Two bunts would have scored the tying run, but three consecutive strikeouts is just unforgivable.
Things have been going right for the Mets and the pessimist in me is waiting for the tide to shift the other way. I know the Mets can't win every game but we need a solid win streak to set the tone for the rest of this season if this team is to compete.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Mets Redefine the Term "Tough Loss"
Let me start by saying this loss should not ruin what the Mets did this road trip. Yes, they're back under .500. Yes, they should have won this game. But still a 6-4 road trip that included a series win against the Braves is commendable.
However, these losses are unbelievable. How many have we seen this year already? How many have Mets fans seen the past 2 or 3 seasons? It's ridiculous.
Here's what had to go wrong for the Mets to lose this. First, the most reliable closer in the majors this year had to blow not a 1 run lead but a 2 run lead. Second, a "defensive" substitution extended the game on a ludicrous error. And finally it took a balk for the final run of the game to be scored. I'm not sure if a definition of a balk has changed in recent years, but I still don't get what happened there.
The Mets came back from a 6-2 deficit turning a game that's usually over by the 4th inning into a chance to win. But losing after such a great comeback tends to be even more disappointing.
You often refer to these games as being a "tough loss." That phrase is overused in Mets fandom. I don't know what to call them.
However, these losses are unbelievable. How many have we seen this year already? How many have Mets fans seen the past 2 or 3 seasons? It's ridiculous.
Here's what had to go wrong for the Mets to lose this. First, the most reliable closer in the majors this year had to blow not a 1 run lead but a 2 run lead. Second, a "defensive" substitution extended the game on a ludicrous error. And finally it took a balk for the final run of the game to be scored. I'm not sure if a definition of a balk has changed in recent years, but I still don't get what happened there.
The Mets came back from a 6-2 deficit turning a game that's usually over by the 4th inning into a chance to win. But losing after such a great comeback tends to be even more disappointing.
You often refer to these games as being a "tough loss." That phrase is overused in Mets fandom. I don't know what to call them.
With Gee Wonders Never Cease
Dillon Gee is making a case for his appearance at the All Star Game, but even more importantly he's propelling this team to victory every time he takes the mound.
Gee made an earlier exit than he would have liked due to the extensive rain delay, but every time he takes the mound the Mets seem to rise to the occasion. Wednesday night was no different. The Mets did a couple of things they hadn't done in years. First they homered against the Braves thanks to Angel Pagan's 2-run shot. Second they actually won a series in Atlanta which hasn't been done since 2007.
Amazingly the Mets sit at .500. Sweeping the Braves would be close to unbelievable, but even if they lose on Thursday the Mets have proved themselves on this road trip with a makeshift lineup and solid pitching.
Things could start to get interesting.
Gee made an earlier exit than he would have liked due to the extensive rain delay, but every time he takes the mound the Mets seem to rise to the occasion. Wednesday night was no different. The Mets did a couple of things they hadn't done in years. First they homered against the Braves thanks to Angel Pagan's 2-run shot. Second they actually won a series in Atlanta which hasn't been done since 2007.
Amazingly the Mets sit at .500. Sweeping the Braves would be close to unbelievable, but even if they lose on Thursday the Mets have proved themselves on this road trip with a makeshift lineup and solid pitching.
Things could start to get interesting.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Link: Jason Bay still can't blend in even from seat on bench
...great article that takes an even deeper dive into the horrendous stats that Jason Bay is putting up.
...every time he gets up to bat i think "this could be the hit that breaks him out of it" but it just never comes. and there's no end in sight.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Why the Mets Loss on Monday Was Critical
The Mets lost to the Pirates on Monday night by the score of 3-1. They split the series with the Bucs, but should have taken at least 3 out of 4. So far the Mets are 4-3 on this road trip and could just as easily be 6-1.
But Monday's loss was critical for this ball club. Here's why.
With a win that would have been back to back road series win and the team would have been at .500 heading into Mordor (a.k.a. Turner Field). Even with 2 losses in Atlanta the Mets would be in good shape heading home at only a game under .500 and winning record on a tough 10 game road swing.
Instead the Mets find themselves 2 games under .500 and there's a pretty good chance they'll be 3 or 5 games under .500 after the Atlanta series. No matter how well the Mets have played of late we all know how horrendous they play in Atlanta. They haven't won a meaningful series there in years. Winning 1 of 3 would be considered a success.
So the Mets have put themselves in a hole heading into the last place they ever find success. All they had to do was beat the Pirates on Monday and regardless of what happened in Atlanta, they could feel good about coming home for interleague play. Instead we roll the dice against the Braves and hope this team continues to surprise us.
History says that's unlikely.
Which Starter Gets Bumped If Santana Returns?
An interesting question posed by our friends over at Mets360. It's been amazing how well this makeshift rotation has done over the past few weeks after getting off to a slow start. While Santana's return isn't definite, there's a feeling that we may see him before the summer is over.
So that begs the question, who stays and who goes if the rotation stays consistent? I think it's pretty simple. Dickey goes to the bullpen.
The plantar fascitis alone is reason enough to move Dickey. Capuano is proving he's back from his injuries and competing at a high level. Until Dillon Gee loses more than 2 games, I don't think you could question moving him even if he gives up 8 runs in his next start.
Niese isn't going anywhere. So that leaves Pelfrey. Oh Pelf. Our #1 starter in Santana's absence hasn't been lights out. He's still inconsistent, but has done better of late. You can't move Pelf to the bullpen. You can't send him anywhere so he's going to stay.
That leaves Dickey unless Gee implodes over the next few months. A knuckleball out of the bullpen could be an interesting matchup problem and his rubber arm should allow him to make that move without much issue.
It's still early to be counting the days until Johan Santana returns and who knows what he'll pitch like when he does. But until then Mets fans can only hope this rotation continues to overachieve.
Check out the opinion from Mets360 that sparked this debate at the link below:
Capuano makes case to stay in rotation | Mets360
Saturday, June 11, 2011
This Loss is on Terry Collins
The Mets winning ways ended Saturday night with a 3-2 loss to the Pirates. They left a ridiculous number of men on base, but I blame this game on Terry Collins.
Why on earth do you put Daniel Murphy at 3rd base? He is the worst fielder on the team and ended up being the reason the Pirates scored 3 runs. Did Lucas Duda really need to play? Why bench Justin Turner when he is ypur top RBI guy? Doesn't make any sense!
Not only that with the bases loaded and down a run with only one out Collins sends Dickey up and let's him swing away. Of course the gimpy Dickey grounded into a double play and that would be the last opportunity the Mets had to blow this game open. With Reyes on deck why is Dickey swinging? Take 3 strikes and sit down. Dickey cannot run as it is so why bother?
I am still scratching my head on that one. Hopefully the end of a winning streak does not useher in a losing streak as has been the Mets way this year. Tommorrow will let us see.
Why on earth do you put Daniel Murphy at 3rd base? He is the worst fielder on the team and ended up being the reason the Pirates scored 3 runs. Did Lucas Duda really need to play? Why bench Justin Turner when he is ypur top RBI guy? Doesn't make any sense!
Not only that with the bases loaded and down a run with only one out Collins sends Dickey up and let's him swing away. Of course the gimpy Dickey grounded into a double play and that would be the last opportunity the Mets had to blow this game open. With Reyes on deck why is Dickey swinging? Take 3 strikes and sit down. Dickey cannot run as it is so why bother?
I am still scratching my head on that one. Hopefully the end of a winning streak does not useher in a losing streak as has been the Mets way this year. Tommorrow will let us see.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Are the Mets Better than We Think?
At 2 games under .500 the Mets aren't exactly taking the NL East by storm, but this past week they have shown me that they just might be better than you think.
They are currently showing that they are full of overachievers. With a depleted lineup due to injuries, the Mets infield is made up of 3 second basemen and Reyes. Turner, Tejada anf Murphy are all hitting better than expected while Pagan has come back from the DL looking strong.
The Blowpen has forced the Mets to lose 9 games where they were winning heading into the 7th. Add that with the fact that the Mets don't have Wright or Davis and Bay has been abysmal and you have tobe shocked that they are even close to .500.
If the Mets can get healthy and solve these bullpen problems there is a chance we can be watching a relatively competitive tean this summer. The other NL teams continue to leave the door open. The Mets just need to walk through it. This road trip could be a major turning point if their play in Milwaukee carries into their trips to Pittsburgh and Atlanta.
They are currently showing that they are full of overachievers. With a depleted lineup due to injuries, the Mets infield is made up of 3 second basemen and Reyes. Turner, Tejada anf Murphy are all hitting better than expected while Pagan has come back from the DL looking strong.
The Blowpen has forced the Mets to lose 9 games where they were winning heading into the 7th. Add that with the fact that the Mets don't have Wright or Davis and Bay has been abysmal and you have tobe shocked that they are even close to .500.
If the Mets can get healthy and solve these bullpen problems there is a chance we can be watching a relatively competitive tean this summer. The other NL teams continue to leave the door open. The Mets just need to walk through it. This road trip could be a major turning point if their play in Milwaukee carries into their trips to Pittsburgh and Atlanta.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
The Mets Brutal Blowpen
Where there's a great comeback, there's a BLOWpen lurking around the bend. After putting up a 5 spot in the 8th to take a 4 run lead, the BLOWpen arrives to foul up what would have been an impressive series win against the Brewers and extend a 4 game win streak.
This is brutal. No 8th inning is safe from the clutches of the BLOWpen. Doesn't matter who's on the mound. Tonight it was Beato & Izzy. Tomorrow it will be Parnell. Friday it will be Byrdak or KRod. It's a sick cycle carousel that has been spinning round and round for the last 4 years.
No one expected the Mets to sweep the surging Brewers, but can you at least not throw a fastball over the plate to Prince Fielder? Come on. Runner on second. First base open. You walk Fielder and deal with Corey Hart. You hit Fielder in the head before you throw him a fastball. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
But that's the BLOWpen for you. Instant disappointment.
This is brutal. No 8th inning is safe from the clutches of the BLOWpen. Doesn't matter who's on the mound. Tonight it was Beato & Izzy. Tomorrow it will be Parnell. Friday it will be Byrdak or KRod. It's a sick cycle carousel that has been spinning round and round for the last 4 years.
No one expected the Mets to sweep the surging Brewers, but can you at least not throw a fastball over the plate to Prince Fielder? Come on. Runner on second. First base open. You walk Fielder and deal with Corey Hart. You hit Fielder in the head before you throw him a fastball. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
But that's the BLOWpen for you. Instant disappointment.
Jason Bay Needs a Shrink
There is something wrong with Jason Bay. Something very, very wrong. While in a previous post someone commented that Bay is our real life version of Pedro Cerrano ("bats are afraid"), I honestly think it has less to do with hardware and more to do with the wiring in his head.
Please save all concussion jokes until the end, but Bay needs some help. His struggles are not about mechanics or needing more time in the cage. It is all about mental toughness. He's on an 0 for 20 streak right now and Bay is one step away from reaching Oliver Perez territory as far as his esteem among the Mets fan base. He is quite literally the worst left fielder in the National League.
To put this in perspective, Willie Harris is one home run and 2 RBI away from matching Bay's production. Ruben Tejada who couldn't break the Mendoza line last year looks like Stan Musial compared to Bay. Bay's performance has us longing for the power bats of Corey Sullivan and Jeremy Reed of the 2009 Mets.
Send Bay to a psychiatrist. Have him curl up in the fetal position on their coach and talk about how he's not loved enough or why his bat is betraying his trust. I don't care if they use voodoo, hypnotism or hold a seance. Something has to be done before Bay digs himself into the hole of the hated where Mets fans buried Ollie P, Castillo, Guillermo Mota and Armando Benitez.
Bay seems like a nice guy, but at this point I don't care. Something has to be done and riding the pines for an extended spell might be the best thing for the Mets to consider.
Please save all concussion jokes until the end, but Bay needs some help. His struggles are not about mechanics or needing more time in the cage. It is all about mental toughness. He's on an 0 for 20 streak right now and Bay is one step away from reaching Oliver Perez territory as far as his esteem among the Mets fan base. He is quite literally the worst left fielder in the National League.
To put this in perspective, Willie Harris is one home run and 2 RBI away from matching Bay's production. Ruben Tejada who couldn't break the Mendoza line last year looks like Stan Musial compared to Bay. Bay's performance has us longing for the power bats of Corey Sullivan and Jeremy Reed of the 2009 Mets.
Send Bay to a psychiatrist. Have him curl up in the fetal position on their coach and talk about how he's not loved enough or why his bat is betraying his trust. I don't care if they use voodoo, hypnotism or hold a seance. Something has to be done before Bay digs himself into the hole of the hated where Mets fans buried Ollie P, Castillo, Guillermo Mota and Armando Benitez.
Bay seems like a nice guy, but at this point I don't care. Something has to be done and riding the pines for an extended spell might be the best thing for the Mets to consider.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
A Testing Roadtrip
The next 10 games will be a true litmus test for the Mets. Without Wright. Without Davis. With a struggling bullpen. And with a makeshift lineup of minor leaguers and replacement players, the Mets will have to survive a daunting road trip.
Brewers, Pirates & the Braves aren't exactly the Red Sox, Phillies and Indians, but it's the fact that the Mets are heading out and could come back to Flushing dead and buried. The West Coast road trip after the All Star Break last year, put an early nail in the coffin for the Mets as they only managed to win 2 games on that 10 game trip. That was July last year and an early end could come in June if the Mets repeat last year's debacle.
However a .500 or over .500 road trip could be a signal of positive things to come. Without any power and suspect pitching in the 7th, 8th & 9th, if the Mets can some how sustain their current winning percentage, there is room for hope as the season inches closer to the midway point.
I have to believe that when Wright & Davis come back there will be a renewed energy in the ball club. Beltran, Reyes & even Bay will start to see better pitches and the less Willie Harris plays has to translate into a few extra W's.
It all starts tonight. Here's to believing in meaningful games in July.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Mets Play Survivor with Braves
The Mets don't win games any more. They survive them.
No lead has felt safe of late and never has that been proven more than in the series with the Braves. Even a 5 run lead in the 9th inning is subject to some theatrics. The funny thing is this is nothing new for the Mets. These types of BLOWpen flare ups have been going on since 2007. Actually probably earlier than that.
The Mets somehow survive this homestand after debilitating losses to the Phillies & Pirates and a backbreaking late inning loss to the Braves to manage a .500 record. Nothing to boast about, but the Mets appear to like the idea of treading water.
And now a long road trip awaits.
By the way any one miss Jason Bay in the lineup tonight?
No lead has felt safe of late and never has that been proven more than in the series with the Braves. Even a 5 run lead in the 9th inning is subject to some theatrics. The funny thing is this is nothing new for the Mets. These types of BLOWpen flare ups have been going on since 2007. Actually probably earlier than that.
The Mets somehow survive this homestand after debilitating losses to the Phillies & Pirates and a backbreaking late inning loss to the Braves to manage a .500 record. Nothing to boast about, but the Mets appear to like the idea of treading water.
And now a long road trip awaits.
By the way any one miss Jason Bay in the lineup tonight?
Friday, June 3, 2011
The7Line: Don't Trade Reyes night!
...let's get the movement started. tonight is don't trade reyes night at Citi.
...details below.
The7Line: Don't Trade Reyes night!
Will the Mets Become a Real Life Major League?
Major League is easily one of the most memorable sports comedies out there. Many a person will tell you Bull Durham is the best or The Longest Yard (Reynolds version, not Sandler), but I beg to disagree. Willie Mays Hayes, Ricky Vaughn and Pedro Cerrano take the title in my book.
Sadly this Mets season has me reminiscing about Major League. As you may recall the premise of the movie was about the Indians' ownership wanting to tank the season so the team could move to Florida. They stacked the lineup with has beens and inexperienced players to make sure they had a losing season. Of course, the underdogs prevailed and happy endings abound.
While the Mets are not moving to Florida, there are some similarities here. I don't believe ownership is trying to tank the season, but there's an underlying feeling that if given the opportunity ownership may look to unload.top talent to free up payroll. The Mets roster is already chock full of has beens (Jason Isrinhausen as Eddie Harris), worthless players (Willie Harris/Scott Hairston as Roger Dorn) and unproven youngsters (Justin Turner as Willie Mays Hayes).
The real test of how close the Mets will come to Major League is if the Mets get their full roster back and make a play at inching closer to the Wild Card. What will happen if in 30 days from now the Mets are at .500 and 5 games out of the Wild Card? Let's assume Ike Davis is about to return, David Wright is back, Reyes is Reyes and Beltran is Beltran. Johan Santana could even be a week or so away from returning.
With the Wild Card in reach, what do you do? Do you leave the team intact, please the fan base and have some entertaining baseball the last few months of the year? Or do you dismantle the teams production to unload payroll and get something in return before they bolt for free agency?
These are big "ifs" as the team currently doesn't look like a Wild Car contender, but this dilemma is the last thing Sandy Alderson wants to face.
I doubt the team will have a cardboard figure of Fred Wilpon in the locker room that they rip off a piece of after every win....ok, that's not totally out of the question. But it will be quite a predicament if this scenario unfolds.
Sadly this Mets season has me reminiscing about Major League. As you may recall the premise of the movie was about the Indians' ownership wanting to tank the season so the team could move to Florida. They stacked the lineup with has beens and inexperienced players to make sure they had a losing season. Of course, the underdogs prevailed and happy endings abound.
While the Mets are not moving to Florida, there are some similarities here. I don't believe ownership is trying to tank the season, but there's an underlying feeling that if given the opportunity ownership may look to unload.top talent to free up payroll. The Mets roster is already chock full of has beens (Jason Isrinhausen as Eddie Harris), worthless players (Willie Harris/Scott Hairston as Roger Dorn) and unproven youngsters (Justin Turner as Willie Mays Hayes).
The real test of how close the Mets will come to Major League is if the Mets get their full roster back and make a play at inching closer to the Wild Card. What will happen if in 30 days from now the Mets are at .500 and 5 games out of the Wild Card? Let's assume Ike Davis is about to return, David Wright is back, Reyes is Reyes and Beltran is Beltran. Johan Santana could even be a week or so away from returning.
With the Wild Card in reach, what do you do? Do you leave the team intact, please the fan base and have some entertaining baseball the last few months of the year? Or do you dismantle the teams production to unload payroll and get something in return before they bolt for free agency?
These are big "ifs" as the team currently doesn't look like a Wild Car contender, but this dilemma is the last thing Sandy Alderson wants to face.
I doubt the team will have a cardboard figure of Fred Wilpon in the locker room that they rip off a piece of after every win....ok, that's not totally out of the question. But it will be quite a predicament if this scenario unfolds.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Terry Collins Goes Off
...Terry Collins finally lost it. while he remained positive during most interviews including one with Mike Francesa earlier in the day, not even Collins could keep his composure after the misfit Mets blew yet another lead last night.
...while most sites just have the transcript, SNY.tv has the video highlights of Collins rant.
...enjoy the video at the link below
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Trying to Stay Positive as a Mets Fan
I've noticed this blog has become a cauldron of negativity just spewing pain, venom and angst towards my beloved Mets. Wednesday nights debacle against the Pirates had me ready to tare into this team with twice the anguish as my last post. I hate this. I like to think I'm a positive guy, but the Mets just make you want to go on a rant to let out the poison.
Serenity now. Serenity now.
So I'm going to stay positive. Here are all the positive things that happened in this 9-3 bludgeoning by the Pirates:
- The Mets actually hit a home run for the first time in a century. Thank you Justin Turner
- Chris Capuano pitched well...for almost 7 innings
- No errors
- No Bobby Parnell
- The bullpen didn't blow a lead late
- Daniel Murphy had another multi-hit game
- Ruben Tejada drove in more RBI in one game than Jason Bay has home runs
- No one else was put on the DL
- At least Chin Lun Hu wasn't playing
- Tomorrow Jose Reyes returns!
- It's looking like we don't have to worry about a collapse! Whew!
The Impact of the Loss of Ike
When it comes to the Mest if something can go wrong, it will go wrong. Just before a fantastic 7 2/3 innings performance by RA Dickey was stopped by the last 1/3 of the 8th inning in a loss to the Pirates, the most devastating news reached Flushing: Ike Davis is out indefinitely.
What seemed like a freak injury has turned into a Beltran-esque recovery that leaves no timetable for Ike's return. You can argue that the loss of Ike Davis might be the most significant loss of the Mets season. Although he's only in his second year in the big leagues, Ike Davis is very much a linchpin of the Mets lineup and infield.
Davis, who had been swinging a solid bat before his injury, provides the protection in the lineup that guys like Bay, Pagan & Beltran desperately need. Look at the Mets lineup without Davis and you have no threat of the long ball once you get past Beltran. With Bay batting cleanup, he is unprotected. And the bottom of the lineup is void of any true threat. If Davis were to bat 5th, he'd provide protection for Bay and push Murphy or Pagan deeper in the lineup to add some extra significance to the bottom of the order.
On the field, Davis is potentially a gold glove first baseman. We've already seen a few games where if Davis was playing, the Mets may have been able to hold on for a win but instead allowed runs that swayed the tide in the opponent's favor.
With a boot on his foot, Ike Davis could very well be out until the end of July or beyond. While Murphy has played well of late and Turner has overachieved in legendary proportions, the Mets desperately need Ike Davis. He's an RBI guy with significant power which is exactly what the Mets are missing. And he's possibly the surest glove the Mets put in the field.
The loss of Santana is huge. Wright being out hurts. But it's the absence of Ike Davis that will kill the Mets in the long run...if the bullpen doesn't do it first.
What seemed like a freak injury has turned into a Beltran-esque recovery that leaves no timetable for Ike's return. You can argue that the loss of Ike Davis might be the most significant loss of the Mets season. Although he's only in his second year in the big leagues, Ike Davis is very much a linchpin of the Mets lineup and infield.
Davis, who had been swinging a solid bat before his injury, provides the protection in the lineup that guys like Bay, Pagan & Beltran desperately need. Look at the Mets lineup without Davis and you have no threat of the long ball once you get past Beltran. With Bay batting cleanup, he is unprotected. And the bottom of the lineup is void of any true threat. If Davis were to bat 5th, he'd provide protection for Bay and push Murphy or Pagan deeper in the lineup to add some extra significance to the bottom of the order.
On the field, Davis is potentially a gold glove first baseman. We've already seen a few games where if Davis was playing, the Mets may have been able to hold on for a win but instead allowed runs that swayed the tide in the opponent's favor.
With a boot on his foot, Ike Davis could very well be out until the end of July or beyond. While Murphy has played well of late and Turner has overachieved in legendary proportions, the Mets desperately need Ike Davis. He's an RBI guy with significant power which is exactly what the Mets are missing. And he's possibly the surest glove the Mets put in the field.
The loss of Santana is huge. Wright being out hurts. But it's the absence of Ike Davis that will kill the Mets in the long run...if the bullpen doesn't do it first.
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