Many words can be used to describe the 2009 Mets, but "joy" is sure to be missing.
When you look at this team, simply look at their faces, you'll see no youthful happiness, no excitement in playing the game of baseball for a living. Instead you'll find the weight of disappointment, off field drama and the worrying that they might be the next met to hit the DL.
Jose Reyes is known for his energy. So was Pedro Martinez. But I would venture a guess that even those fellas would have a hard time finding joy in this season.
But it's not just the players. It's weighing on the fans as well. Even with the utter and total disappointment that were 2007 & 2008, there were some memorable moments. Off the top of my head, I can remember some great moments from last season like Delgado's 30 RBI day against the Yankees, David Wright's first walk-off home run, Santana's "gangsta" performance and his undefeated streak after the All Star break, Nick Evans breakout performance against the Rockies, Damion Easley's game winning home run in Arizona, winning the season series against the Yanks, beating the Phils in back-to-back comeback wins over July 4th weekend, etc.
Now there were some painful moments mixed in there too, but those highlights are at least bright spots you can reflect on. What bright spots are there in 2009? A 5 game win streak? Will that be the sole highlight of this season? Sheffield's 500th home run? Did you even remember that happened this season?
There hasn't been a joyful moment that we'll talk about for days or weeks. This may be the most forgettable Mets season of the decade, if not for the fact that we'll remember all the injuries.
From a pennant race standpoint, the 2009 season is over. All I ask from this Mets team is to give me something to remember in this final month and a half of games left, and don't make it yet another injury.
Give Mets Lifers a reason to cheer for this team, not just follow them.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Mets on the Disabled List
Here is the list of all the Mets who have been injured or been on the disabled list this year:
Jose Reyes
Carlos Beltran
Ryan Church
Carlos Delgado
John Maine
Oliver Perez
Angel Pagan
Jon Niese
Luis Castillo
Gary Sheffield
J.J. Putz
Billy Wagner
Ramon Martinez
Fernando Nieve
Fernando Martinez
Tim Redding
Brian Schneider
Alex Cora
This is worse than an NFL injury list. No player is safe. David Wright should be wrapped in Styrofoam.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Mets Take A Walk Down Memory Lane
Ah yes. The season is starting to change. The leaves are almost ready to change colors. Night comes a little earlier than it used to and the Mets find a way to destroy a fantastic comeback.
You'd think it was September of 2008 (or 2007), but no. Unfortunately it's only the first week of August in 2009, but the Mets wanted you to remember what the last two Septembers felt like.
After taking a 7-4 lead, the Mets' bullpen imploded like it was in the middle of a pennant race ultimately losing the game 12-7. KRod got a rare chance at a save, but instead wanted to do his best Nelson Figueroa impression and gave up back to back doubles to start the inning and ended up tying the game at 7.
The Mets flirted with clutchness in the bottom of the 9th, but in September-like fashion couldn't seal the deal so in the 10th the Mets lovingly loaded the bases with Cardinals and brought in Blowenweiss wanna-be, Sean Green who on the first pitch (yes, the first pitch) plunks Mark DeRosa.
The pain of that pitch is two-fold. First it walks in the go ahead run. Second, it brings up all-universe star Albert Pujols with the bases still loaded. Of course you can guess what happens next. Bye-bye bally. On a 3-2 count, Pujols just crushed a grand slam.
Keith Hernandez even joked that it wasn't even September and this was happening. Not funny Keith. Sad, but not funny.
You think we'd be used to this by now, but it's like taking Robitussin. You've tasted the horribleness before, you expect it, but you never get used to it.
You'd think it was September of 2008 (or 2007), but no. Unfortunately it's only the first week of August in 2009, but the Mets wanted you to remember what the last two Septembers felt like.
After taking a 7-4 lead, the Mets' bullpen imploded like it was in the middle of a pennant race ultimately losing the game 12-7. KRod got a rare chance at a save, but instead wanted to do his best Nelson Figueroa impression and gave up back to back doubles to start the inning and ended up tying the game at 7.
The Mets flirted with clutchness in the bottom of the 9th, but in September-like fashion couldn't seal the deal so in the 10th the Mets lovingly loaded the bases with Cardinals and brought in Blowenweiss wanna-be, Sean Green who on the first pitch (yes, the first pitch) plunks Mark DeRosa.
The pain of that pitch is two-fold. First it walks in the go ahead run. Second, it brings up all-universe star Albert Pujols with the bases still loaded. Of course you can guess what happens next. Bye-bye bally. On a 3-2 count, Pujols just crushed a grand slam.
Keith Hernandez even joked that it wasn't even September and this was happening. Not funny Keith. Sad, but not funny.
You think we'd be used to this by now, but it's like taking Robitussin. You've tasted the horribleness before, you expect it, but you never get used to it.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Predicting the Mets Record for the 2009 Season
According to my calculations, the Mets will finish the 2009 season with a record of 79-83.It will be the first time in 5 seasons that the Mets will finish under .500.
I took a very conservative approach to these calculations and I can't find a real opening for the Mets to go on a 8+ winning streak. In my estimation the longest streak the Mets have the potential of making is a 4-5 game win streak from when they leave Arizona leading into the home series against the Giants.
Here's my breakdown of the remaining series:
Not exactly the year we all had planned for this team, but injuries, disappointment and some questionable roster moves can change the scope of a season.
For those still hoping that the Mets can make a run at the Wild Card, I'd estimate that the Mets have to win 91 games in order to do that. Here's the type of schedule the Mets would have to have to accomplish that:
Basically the Mets would have to win every series but one and then split the two series against the Phillies. As you can see that's a pretty tough scenario to consider realistic.
I took a very conservative approach to these calculations and I can't find a real opening for the Mets to go on a 8+ winning streak. In my estimation the longest streak the Mets have the potential of making is a 4-5 game win streak from when they leave Arizona leading into the home series against the Giants.
Here's my breakdown of the remaining series:
| Series | Wins | Losses |
| Cardinals | 1 | 1 |
| San Diego | 2 | 2 |
| Arizona | 2 | 1 |
| San Fran | 3 | 1 |
| Atlanta | 2 | 1 |
| Philly | 1 | 3 |
| Florida | 1 | 2 |
| Chicago | 1 | 2 |
| Colorado | 2 | 1 |
| Chicago | 1 | 2 |
| Florida | 2 | 1 |
| Philly | 1 | 3 |
| Atlanta | 1 | 2 |
| Washington | 3 | 0 |
| Atlanta | 1 | 2 |
| Florida | 1 | 2 |
| Washington | 2 | 1 |
| Houston | 2 | 1 |
| Total | 29 | 28 |
Not exactly the year we all had planned for this team, but injuries, disappointment and some questionable roster moves can change the scope of a season.
For those still hoping that the Mets can make a run at the Wild Card, I'd estimate that the Mets have to win 91 games in order to do that. Here's the type of schedule the Mets would have to have to accomplish that:
| Series | Wins | Losses |
| Cardinals | 2 | 0 |
| San Diego | 3 | 1 |
| Arizona | 3 | 0 |
| San Fran | 3 | 1 |
| Atlanta | 2 | 1 |
| Philly | 2 | 2 |
| Florida | 2 | 1 |
| Chicago | 1 | 2 |
| Colorado | 2 | 1 |
| Chicago | 2 | 1 |
| Florida | 2 | 1 |
| Philly | 2 | 2 |
| Atlanta | 2 | 1 |
| Washington | 3 | 0 |
| Atlanta | 2 | 1 |
| Florida | 2 | 1 |
| Washington | 3 | 0 |
| Houston | 3 | 0 |
| Totals | 41 | 16 |
Basically the Mets would have to win every series but one and then split the two series against the Phillies. As you can see that's a pretty tough scenario to consider realistic.
Mets Tease
At about 8 p.m. last night I wrote this post in a rage of anger/disappointment/sugar high. I was done with the Mets. As Shaquille O'Neal would say "DUN...done."
For the first time in years, I turned the game off before the first inning was over. I played some Marvel vs. Capcom 2 on my XBox. Did some bills. Watched some Law & Order: Criminal Intent.
And then I made a mistake.
I went over to the computer and opened up Yahoo! Sports to check my fantasy baseball team. Then I happened to glance at the real time scores and noticed that the Mets score was now 6-5 in the 8th inning.
What?!?!?!?!?!?!
This offensively disfunctional team came back to score 5 unanswered runs against one of the games better pitchers in Dan Haren? Impossible.
And then it happened. I turned the game one.
Like a crack addict trying to stop cold turkey, the temptation became to great for me to try and do it alone. So there I sat watching Gary Sheffield lead off of second base with only 1 out. I was fooled into thinking something would happen.
Then the 9th inning came and I was still there. Hoping. Praying. And the worst part, believing that something was going to happen.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
We all know how this story ends because we've seen it a thousand times before. But every time I find myself wanting to believe that there can be a happy ending.
Not this year.
For the first time in years, I turned the game off before the first inning was over. I played some Marvel vs. Capcom 2 on my XBox. Did some bills. Watched some Law & Order: Criminal Intent.
And then I made a mistake.
I went over to the computer and opened up Yahoo! Sports to check my fantasy baseball team. Then I happened to glance at the real time scores and noticed that the Mets score was now 6-5 in the 8th inning.
What?!?!?!?!?!?!
This offensively disfunctional team came back to score 5 unanswered runs against one of the games better pitchers in Dan Haren? Impossible.
And then it happened. I turned the game one.
Like a crack addict trying to stop cold turkey, the temptation became to great for me to try and do it alone. So there I sat watching Gary Sheffield lead off of second base with only 1 out. I was fooled into thinking something would happen.
Then the 9th inning came and I was still there. Hoping. Praying. And the worst part, believing that something was going to happen.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
We all know how this story ends because we've seen it a thousand times before. But every time I find myself wanting to believe that there can be a happy ending.
Not this year.
Monday, August 3, 2009
If You Were Still Holding Out Hope for the Mets...
...Nelson Figueroa just flushed it down the toilet with a Tom Glavine-esque performance.
In the biggest start of his career, a chance to prove he belongs in the big leagues, Figueroa couldn't even make it through the second inning against the offensively enemic Diamondbacks.
The crazy part is every ball was crushed. Even Dan Haren sent Angel Pagan within a step of the warning track against Figueroa. As I type it's now 6-0 and it's not even the end of the second inning yet.
It's over folks. This game. This season. This team.
Let's talk about getting Roy Halladay for the next two months. We've got a better shot at achieving that than this team has of finishing the season above .500.
In the biggest start of his career, a chance to prove he belongs in the big leagues, Figueroa couldn't even make it through the second inning against the offensively enemic Diamondbacks.
The crazy part is every ball was crushed. Even Dan Haren sent Angel Pagan within a step of the warning track against Figueroa. As I type it's now 6-0 and it's not even the end of the second inning yet.
It's over folks. This game. This season. This team.
Let's talk about getting Roy Halladay for the next two months. We've got a better shot at achieving that than this team has of finishing the season above .500.
Mets Fans, Prepare for More Bad News
Just when you started getting back into baseball, the Mets drop 3 out of their last 4 games to make you wonder why you ever got excited about the Wild Card.
After a heroic and improbable victory on Saturday night behind Angel Pagan's 8th inning grand slam, Mike Pelfrey waltzed out on the mound and proved why the Mets should stop worrying about trading prospects for proven big league talent.
Okay, I'm being harsh. Pelfrey is still young and can improve, but there's a hint of truth in my previous statement.
The Mets are proving to us that this is not the year, so please let go of any Wild Card aspirations and prepare for more bad news. You know all those reports about Reyes, Beltran & Delgado coming back? Yup, they're all public relations stunts.
They're not coming back this season.
Now that the Mets are pretty much out of it and will continue to head into a downward spiral, the reports of our beloved All Stars playing this year will slowly fade away. The Mets PR machine has already started. The focus is on Wagner and Putz coming back in 3 weeks.
Wow, three weeks? Won't it be Christmas by then?
There's no reason to rush Beltran, Reyes or Delgado back at this point. If the season is over, no need to have these guys come back just to reinjure themselves. The only one of the three that I'd like to see come back in the near future is Delgado because he's gone next year and he may be able to clear waivers so the Mets could trade him for some prospects.
I have zero confidence the Mets will beat Dan Haren tonight and the Cardinals are going to come into town and sweep a 2-game series before we head to the West Coast. If there's anything the Mets have taught us the last two seasons it's that the Mets can't beat low level teams after the All Star break so don't get your hopes up about a road trip to San Diego and Arizona.
Face it folks. No Beltran. No Reyes. No Delgado. No Wild Card.
See you Omar. Nice knowing ya.
After a heroic and improbable victory on Saturday night behind Angel Pagan's 8th inning grand slam, Mike Pelfrey waltzed out on the mound and proved why the Mets should stop worrying about trading prospects for proven big league talent.
Okay, I'm being harsh. Pelfrey is still young and can improve, but there's a hint of truth in my previous statement.
The Mets are proving to us that this is not the year, so please let go of any Wild Card aspirations and prepare for more bad news. You know all those reports about Reyes, Beltran & Delgado coming back? Yup, they're all public relations stunts.
They're not coming back this season.
Now that the Mets are pretty much out of it and will continue to head into a downward spiral, the reports of our beloved All Stars playing this year will slowly fade away. The Mets PR machine has already started. The focus is on Wagner and Putz coming back in 3 weeks.
Wow, three weeks? Won't it be Christmas by then?
There's no reason to rush Beltran, Reyes or Delgado back at this point. If the season is over, no need to have these guys come back just to reinjure themselves. The only one of the three that I'd like to see come back in the near future is Delgado because he's gone next year and he may be able to clear waivers so the Mets could trade him for some prospects.
I have zero confidence the Mets will beat Dan Haren tonight and the Cardinals are going to come into town and sweep a 2-game series before we head to the West Coast. If there's anything the Mets have taught us the last two seasons it's that the Mets can't beat low level teams after the All Star break so don't get your hopes up about a road trip to San Diego and Arizona.
Face it folks. No Beltran. No Reyes. No Delgado. No Wild Card.
See you Omar. Nice knowing ya.
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