N.Y. METS ~ Mets Get Fish-Slapped

From the desk of:  HEAD BUTTING MR. MET



NEW YORK METS:  ...And The Big Shake-Up That Wasn't.


I like Sandy Alderson.  I like the Front Office shake-up.  In that respect, the Wilpons finally did something I can't criticize by going off campus for a change, and reinvigorating the organization with fresh, new minds.


As far as the Trade Deadline though, I myself had different ideas.  But it looks like Sandy Alderson will be taking the more methodical approach in rebuilding the club.  The July 31st cutoff point wasn't the fire-works extravaganza I hoped it would be.  But that's fine.  In Sandy I trust.  That in itself is already a small victory for me. 


There are always trades to be made in August after passing players through waivers.  So, more deals may still yet develop.  And the coming off season will probably be one where Sandy Alderson takes a few more liberties with his position than he did last winter after freshly being hired as GM.  The way I see things, the Mets trading window opened right away this season when they started adding by subtracting players like Castillo; Perez; etc.


My thing is, once I commit to detonation, I like to blow things up.  Disagree with me as much as you like; we're all free-range Met Fans here; but I was looking for total separation from the previous era.  Of course I realize a purge doesn't take place with one wave of the hand.  But I would have liked to have taken major steps in that direction during this trading period.  I'm not hiding from the fact I would have traded Reyes and Wright with the right deal.  I have my reasons most of which I have already shared here.  I would have tried to move Angel Pagan (one of my favorites); R.A. Dickey; Daniel Murphy; and Izzy as well.


And so, Sandy didn't detonate the team.   Francisco Rodriguez and Carlos Beltran were pretty big names to move.   However, we were prepared those, and understood the moves.


I wasn't thinking playoffs in Spring Training.  I wasn't thinking playoffs in April; May; June; or July either.  So I'm not about to start now.  I'd rather be wrong, than be a hypocrite by playing ping-pong with my opinions.  I predicted the Mets to be a .500 team; nothing more; nothing less.  So far, their record speaks for itself.  But I think I stand with many when I say these guys are likable.


However, when I sit in the Man-Cave and watch the Washington Nationals and the Florida Marlins beat-us like dirty floor rugs, year in and year out, I look for things to throw at my TV.  Then I start looking at some of the constants over that period of time for explanations.


After watching Izzy surrender a grand slam to the Marlins tonight..., I feel my blood pressure rising.  Stop.





Mike.BTB

N.Y. METS ~ The FISHing In Miami Was Amazin'

From the desk of:  Head-Butting Mr. Met



NEW YORK METS:  Opening Jeers Turned Into Series Winning Cheers.


I'm glad that we were able to win the series from the Marlins and douse the raging inferno of ridicule the Mets endured after game one.  The newspapers were especially unfair.  Some fans were downright hysterical.  But you have to admit, Opening Night was weird wasn't it?  I mean, if Jason Bay starting the season on the DL was already spicing-up this year to taste like some of the more recent seasons, then what we watched transpire in game one of 2011 was more like and entire entree and a salad.

Mike Pelfrey reminded us he has a hard time putting batters away.  Then the grand slam...well, you felt it.  You new that great big thought bubble appeared over your head just like it did me.  David Wright flashed mid-season form with two strikeouts.  I know no one really caught on to this one, but Angel Pagan over-ran second base and almost got nailed.  The first person that flashed in my mind was Jerry Manuel.  I have little explanation for that.  Then there was that every so minor matter of Ike letting a grounder eat him up by backing up on the ball.  That's a lesson we learn in Little League.  Vharge the ball and get it before the bounce.

But all of what I just just pointed out is just unfortunate minutia and bad coincidence for the Mets.  I don't think any of us were foolish enough to start judging this team after only the first 27 outs of the season.  We all have our opinions about how this season will play out.  But I think after Day One, most were just having fun at the Mets' expense and letting some anxiety channel through and find it's way to ground.

Well, that's what I was thinking.  It's best to judge a first series than a first game.  Even then it too early.  But we have to talk about something...don't we?

But then odd and strangely familiar things started happening again.

On OPENING NIGHT: TAKE TWO ~ Poor guy;  But Brad Emues kinda got exposed as did the Mets continuing struggles to rectify second base until a number of minor leaguers are ready to step in.  I'm not picking on Brad by any stretch.  We're just talking here.  He took a little too long on the Marlin's lead-off hitter allowing him to beat-out a ground ball ahead of Emues' throw.  Then he and Jose Reyes miscommunicated on an infield pop-up behind second base and let the ball fall between them.  Again, I had flashes, of you know who, and you know when.  I did.  What can I say?  And as I was breaking out in a sweat thinking about such things, I watched Carlos Beltran chase down a fly ball into foul territory and drop a basket-catch attempt at the ball.

After a Frankie Rodriguez blown save I was thinking like...Wow, this is like the Twilight Zone or something.

But that's why the joke is on...Everybody!  C'mon, we all did it.  We were almost salivating at the thought of reveling in doom and gloom again as if we're the new Red Sox fan or new Cub's fan acting as new keepers of the curse.

Well, guys like Niese, R.A. Dickey, Bobby Parnell, David Wright, Ike Davis and big man on campus Willie Harris had other plans.  OK, and I'll be fair.  I'll include Terry Collins in that list.

At the end of the day, there is only one true and tried way of getting the most critical fans to shut up and sing a different tune.  The simple formula for getting naysayers off your back is by playing hard and having guts.  To win people over you have to win your games.

The Mets won their Opening Series of the season.  Perception is everything isn't it?  They went from Opening Day recurring nightmare, to series winning Boys of Spring.  Considering they didn't win a series on the road last year till June/July(?), that's a hell of an achievement already for the Blue and Orange.

I hope they enjoyed their day off today.  It was well deserved because we feel good about the last two days.

NEXT SERIES

NEW YORK METS (2-1)

vs.

Philadelphia Phillies (3-0)

Somewhere in South Philly in a place that isn't named Shibe Park

Mike.BTB

NYM should sign JOBU to a Long Term Deal

The on-going crime scene investigation better known as Met's Spring Training continues to baffle...(obligatory cheap shot of the day).

METrospection has been in therapy working on his avoidance, displacement and denial issues regarding his Flushing Frustrations.  Going on and on about how miserably bad the Mets organization and operations are being run is an exercise in insanity.  That is why it appears, for a Mets blog, I seem to post infrequently about the Metropolitans.  There is no new dynamic to work with.  I just can not waist my time on a daily basis, nor will I waist your time with incessant Met rants.  Sometimes it's fun.  Sometimes it's not.  Whenever I do entertain my Met thoughts, be sure about this folks, I'm usually right.  I don't take myself too seriously in this blog, but as it regards the Mets I laugh and joke, but I don't play.

Back in December 2009, this young Blog posted a warning to the Mets and Met fans regarding Fernando Martinez.  He became a forgotten prospect and I warned Met fans not to forget about him.
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.mlblogs.com/2009/12/f-mart-you-forgot-him-didnt-you-were-gonna-need-him.html

Since that posting, Fernando Martinez went on to have a very good Winter League season and crowned it with a Caribbean Series MVP award.  This spring he is batting over .500 and is still only 21 years old.  Of course I know not to read too much into that stat.  But if the kid is winning the day, give the kid a shot.  Of course I know because of his Winter League he's ahead of pitchers this spring.  I get all that.  While it may be true he appeared overwhelmed at times last year, I warned Met fans none-the-less not to forget him.  If you read the linked post, you see I pretty much expected to loose Beltran to injury and my concerns about what type of outfielder is needed to roam the spacious CitiField outfield.  Yea, I'm tooting my own horn but trust me, it's not an enviable postion to be in.  He's no Jim Edmonds in the outfield but the upside is there.

As it relates to today, - Gary Matthews Jr.?  Stop it or save it.  I'm not listening to that.  Pagan or Martinez; let them battle for the job in Beltran's absence.  I believe in prospects and am usually patient with them.  Playing time = improvement.  Make sure Fernando Martinez in the mix come Opening Day and he'll be OK and make the Mets look smart.  Lord knows they need it right now.

Beltran? (See referenced therapy)  He and the Mets are staring at an ugly divorce when he gets healthy and it will be instigated by Carlos himself; the same player who asked the Yankees to sign him for less money than the Mets offered him.

I like Beltran, so don't get the wrong impression.  I just think it is what it is.  I'd entertain a trade involving Beltran for the right package this season.  I'm not lobbying for it though.  He is one of the few free agent signings, as they go, who had his better seasons and career year after signing his pact.  That's just to let you know where I stand.

And now Oliver Perez.

 

Pictures tell a thousand words (or however that saying goes).  The NY Daily News had some pics that show exactly what Ollie is doing wrong.  I know it's a little audacious of me to question why Rick Peterson, Dan Warthen or even Sandy Koufax, who spent time in Met Camp did/do not correct this very simple and obvious flaw with Perez' delivery.  I'm not trying to over simplify this considering

Sandy Koufax offered some advice.

If you know anything about pitching you know your landing foot has to be perpendicular to your catcher.  Oliver Perez' landing foot is like lightning in that it doesn't strike the same ground twice.  But you can be sure his foot will land in a closed angle and not opened up to the catcher and home plate.  When you land that way be prepared to have a miserable outing Ollie.  Why can't anyone see this?  It's not overstating the problem.  It's bad mechanics, no one will correct it and I have no clue why?  That's not in depth analysis on my part.  That's Pitching 101.

Forget the headline, look at his landing foot.

This is the genesis of a bad pitch.

In other Met Matters:

Ike Davis, 1B, son of Ron Davis, Yankee pitcher from back in the day, continues to have an impressive spring.  Righty Henrry Mejia is sparkling and catching everyone's eye.  And that concludes the good news.

 John Maine said "he just wasn't into it" when he described his last outing.

Really?  That's a pretty non-chalant attitude for someone who has a lot to prove.

Kelvim Escobar can't lift his arm to pick his nose.

Reyes' thyroid?  See Therapy Sessions.

I'm placing the over/under on K-Rod's Dead Arm at August 15th.  I just think The Classic, followed by the 2009 season, then Winter League and no discernable break between them will come back to haunt him and the Mets.

I've been on record saying you could have saved me Barajas at catcher. 

I would have given the job to Thole outright.

What ever happened to Nick Evans?

My starting pitching still looks like:

Santana

Pray for Rain instead of Maine

Uh-Oh!

Oh-No!

and Who? (not the first baseman)

If the Mets are stumblin and bumblin their way into June, Omar Minaya & Jerry Manuel are toast.

Basically, not a lot has changed in Metropolis that screams for my attention.

There is a lot of Bad Karma over at CitiField; Business as usual.

Can you see my dilemma? 

To talk about the Mets is a strainingly garulous conversation even for the sublime.

If only Buster Olney could invent an absurd rumor for my team.

Every Met could use a JOBU in their locker this year.

Anyone have Pedro Cerrano's cellie?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EpLQ5u5Ugo
to see the clip on you tube

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http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.mlblogs.com/

Pitchers and Catchers: Met's Pitching, My Angst

This shouldn't take long at all.  The Mets' starting rotation:

1 - Johan Santana
2 - pray for rain
3 - pray for snow
4 - pray for sleet
5 - pray for hale.

There is no shot gun to JOHAN SANTANA.  There is no number two guy here.  Additionally Johan is coming off injury.

JOHN MAINE is coming off two consecutive injury years.  I like the guy, I really do.  His durability is a huge question.  If he does not step up and fill the shot-gun role behind Johan this year, I'm not sure we can compete with the Phillies.

OLIVER PEREZ is slimmed down and supposedly with a repaired knee.  Even during the Baseball Classic his weight gain was noticeable.  I don't think he is the head case everyone makes him out to be.  I know that's surprising coming from me.  But I think his problems are strictly mechanical and correctable.  His landing foot is like lightning; it never strikes the same ground twice.  His landing foot is closed and not open perpendicular to his catcher.  That throws everything else off as you are throwing against your body and with nothing but arm support behind the pitch.  I can't believe for the life of me why Dan Warthen can not see this.  Ollie could be the Mets' Phantom Menace or saving grace this year but it still comes back to Maine if Ollie can even help and be a factor and give the Mets depth.

MIKE PELFREY is Omar Minaya's only hope right now of ever proving what used to be written in bold letters on his resume...: Talent Evaluator.  Pelfrey's freshman and sophomore years have produced a .500 win pct. and an era around 4.30 +/-.  The kid has ability.  I'm certainly patient with him as I am most kids.  I believe too much was demanded of him last year because of the way things went.  His hard sinker is a very miss-able pitch and if he can improve on his change-up this kid could be dangerous.  I think he's got mental toughness and he eats up innings.  If the season turns sour on the Mets this year I don't think it will have anything to do with Pelfrey.

The number 5 starter - I don't know and neither do the Mets.  JOHN NIESE is a kid I like and I would give him the job out of the box.  I believe in telling a kid "here's the ball. We're gonna give it to you every five days. Make the most of it and we'll talk after a couple of starts."  I think that way you give the kid confidence and relieve him the stress and pressure of thinking his next pitch gets him yanked and sent back down to the minors.  NELSON  FIGUEROA is a useful spot starter and good for long relief.  I'm not ready to give him the 5 spot yet in spite of a rather impressive effort in Venezuela this winter.  The only other credible option in the 5 spot is FERNANDO NIEVE.  Again, I'm not averse to give a 5 spot to a kid.  My choice is Niese.  It's the best we can do considering what we have to work with.  Does Kelvim Escobar fit into this rotation?  I dunno.  Maybe.  But it seems like he's destined to be out 8th inning guy.

To summarize the NYM starting rotation, this is my feel:

Johan
big IF
bigger IF
Maybe
and Who?...(not to be confused with Who the 1st baseman)

Can you feel my angst?

This is what we need to know about the Mets' bullpen. 

K-Rod has been pitching competitively and continuously since last February when he began preparing for the Baseball Classic.  He pitched through the season and pitched in Winter League in Venezuela right up until February 1st.  I fully expect him to have a dead arm by August.  It's just too much of a load with no recuperation time to speak of.

Kelvim Escobar, another pitcher coming off a two year recovery from injury has credible work on his resume.  That is before he got hurt.  Omar Minaya is trying to catch that lightning in a bottle that CAN be found from time to time when these players come back from injury.  Omar has said he'll begin the season as our 8th inning guy.  This has been a position with bad luck attached to it between Duaner Sanchez and JJ Putz lately.  Will Kelvim be the latest guy to suffer the 8th inning voodoo?  I guess his arm will answer that for us.

Eddie Kuntz and Bobby Parnell are two more youngsters I think can be tremendous contributors.  I like these kids a lot and sort of blows back in my face my complaints about our farm system coming to a screeching halt.  But let's see.  Time will tell who's right.

There it is, the Mets pertinent pitching information as told by me.  After Johan Santana we have two question marks, followed by Hope and a Mystery in the five spot.  Omar Minaya is putting all his eggs in the Maine and Perez basket.  He belongs in Vegas if he's such a gambler.  I will say this in his defense about the Mets' apparent lack of activity this winter, Jason Bay aside.  The free agent pool wasn't all that.  While I can't explain their head-in-the-sand approach with John Lackey knowing full well their number one need is a #2 starter, I've thought, like the Mets and Omar it's best not to have signed the other pitchers still available.  They would have commanded too much for a minimal return and cost us more in the way of a mismatched and mediocre roster with onerous contracts.  So you see, I can be fair minded and not be so narrowly focused on complaining.

The New York Metropolitan's positional players and offense with be addressed in my next posting.  Blog ya later.


Omar is in a real pickle.  I like him.  I wanted him in 2004.  I'm still on his side.  I'll complain and disagree with him.  I'm not in favor of firing him as a purely reactive measure.  I want to ensure we can get someone with some real clout first.  That requires back room wheeling and dealing.  I'm afraid that's not the Wilpon's gig.  And if the Mets idea of change is another in house move, I'd rather keep Omar.  I digressed.

The Mets starting rotation has a 65% chance of stinking like hot garbage this summer.  However if they cash in on the other 35%, they can be very good.  Maine and Ollie are former 15 game winners.  When Ollie is on he can be electric and his strikeout totals become impressive. If...only if.  If my aunt had hair on her back she'd be my uncle.

That's the Met's and Omar's idea of the 2010 Pitching Staff with my opinion about it.

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