Brian Schneider is a Reincarnated Charlie O'Brien

I don't think there was a Mets player I disliked more growing up than Charlie O'Brien. Ok, maybe Doug Sisk, Don Aase and Kevin McReynolds after 1988, but O'Brien is definitely in the top 5.

I couldn't understand how a major league baseball player could bat under .200 and be completely worthless at the plate. Every time O'Brien would get up with runners on base, it was an automatic out or a double play. How on earth did a guy like this get to play every day?

Fast forward 18 years and I give you Brian Schneider.

Schneider has become the same liability that O'Brien was back in the early 90's. Schneider is a pretty good defensive catcher, but let's not fool ourselves into thinking his woes at the plate are covered because he's got an arm like Yadier Molina. Schneider is a serviceable defensive catcher who calls a good game, but his presence in the lineup is as fearsome as Oliver Perez's.

In 2008, Schneider had arguably his best offensive year batting .257 with an OBP of .339, both career highs. This year Schneider is taking a step backward as his current average is a few notches below the Mendoza line at .192 and his OBP is a horrific .288.

Compare that to O'Brien's back to back years of batting .185 and .212 in '91 & '92 and you have a closer resemblance to Schneider than you may initially think.

I was one of those people that liked the Schneider pickup. For some reason I thought he was a decent hitter and a very good defensive catcher. The truth is he's a not-so-good hitter and a respectable defensive catcher. And in this lineup of mediocre bats, Schneider's ineptitude at the plate is all the more glaring.

What about Omir Santos you ask? Santos is the heir to Ramon Castro's throne. He's a guy who comes up big a few games a year and has you thinking he can be an everyday player. I think Santos is a solid backup or platoon catcher, but not a guy you can expect to deliver every game.

I'm starting to think that this off season after the Mets acquire ________ (insert really good starting pitcher here), they should start investigating a new catcher.

Mets Schneider out indefinitely with calf strain

According to ESPN.com Mets' catcher Brian Schneider is out indefinitely with a calf strain.

Fantastic. The one guy who didn't play in the WBC is now out for who knows how long. Ramon Castro is the easy choice to start the season behind the plate.

By the way the term "indefinitely" when associated with an injury makes it seem like such a tragic injury, when in fact it's merely that the doctors don't know how long it will take to heal.

While Schneider is not exactly the linchpin to the Mets offense, he was having a nice spring batting over .300 amidst talk that the Mets were shopping him in the offseason and potentially pursuing a better hitting catcher to add before opening day.

I really wanted Schneider to get off to a good start this season and put some of that talk behind him. I also think he calls a very good game and is one of the most sound defensive catchers in all of baseball.

You may not think the loss of Schneider is a big deal, but with Maine struggling, Perez being a mental patient and the unknown state that is the 5th starter, this injury may have a bigger impact than you would think.

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ESPN Diamond Trax Searches MLB Intro Songs

One of the more interesting looks into a player's personality is what song he chooses for his intro music to the plate or coming in from the bullpen.

ESPN.com has launched a new section of their site called Diamond Trax which lets you search by team and player to see what their current intro music is. The list is not exhaustive but they do a great job giving you the songs for the more popular players on each team.

For the Mets, they have Wright, Reyes, Beltran, Delgado, among others. I've been enamored with the music Brian Schneider chooses because I think it's in total conflict to my stereotype of what kind of person he is. When I looked him up on the site I had to laugh at the diversity in his choices which includes Wyclef Jean, Baby Bash, and then oddly enough, Phil Collins.

Diamond Trax also links you to iTunes so you can listen to cuts of each song and buy them if you want. Great job ESPN. It's about time someone thought of this.

Check out ESPN.com Diamond Trax here.

Intro Music Rundown

Our friends over at Bugs & Cranks, gave Mets Lifers a little shout out regarding our post about Brian Schneider's intro music, but took it a step further.

They put together a list of what intro songs best represent the season that some players are having so far this year. Love the Luis Castillo choice: “On Bended Knee” - Boyz II Men.

Very witty post and worth checking out. Click here to visit Bugs & Cranks.

What's the Deal with Brian Schneider's Intro Music?

Ok, I can't dwell on yesterday's game because it was a debacle and there's no use thinking about it anymore.

But I have to ask has anyone noticed Brian Schneider's intro music when he comes up to bat? Usually intro music is suppose to symbolize who you are or it's a tune that gets you geared up.

I know that Piazza used to switch his music up to various metal groups. My 3 year old can tell when Carlos Delgado comes up because he's been using the same song with that familiar Latin beat for the past three years.

So that brings me to Schneider who unless I'm totally mistaken has some type of hip hop/techno music for his intro. I don't know the name of the song, but it's probably the last song I'd envision to symbolize Brian Schneider. I pegged him as more of a classic rock kind of guy, but maybe I'm just revealing my stereotyping tendencies.

Anyway, the best intro music still goes to Ramon Castro who has "The Imperial March" from Star Wars play when he bats. That still makes me laugh.

I guess I can't knock Schneider because he's been hitting the ball, but if his average starts to dip I think the intro music should be the first thing to go.

Typical Mets Finish

Sunday's finale against the Braves was a real drag. First you had to watch Johan Santana suffer as Met after Met after marched up to the plate with a chance to give him a win only to have it fall short.

Then you had to endure yet another home run given up by Aaron "the Home Run King" Heilman to put a reachable 1-0 game turn into a 3-0 cushion.

As I was lying down on my couch fading somewhere between slumber and disappointment, the Mets of course rally in the 9th. My nap is officially ruined as I sit with anticipation as the Mets have 2 on base with a run in leaving the tying run on 1st (who by the way was Angel Pagan who is a fantastic pick up so far).

So right after Soriano basically loses total control of his command, what does Brian Schneider do? Why swing at the first pitch of course!

I will give Schneider some slack as it was a beautifully placed hit over the first base bag that Mark Texiera made a nice play on, but still swinging at the first pitch in the 9th inning with 2 on and 2 out and you're down 2????? Come on.

But that's a typical Mets finish. They tease. They toy. They ultimately disappoint. Now I've got no Sunday afternoon nap and the Mets have lost two to the Braves. Bring on the Phils because we need something to cheer against.