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.

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.

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.

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.

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.