N.Y. Mets: That Nasty Four Letter Word - Cash

From the desk of:   HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

NEW YORK METS:  If Cash Is King, The Mets Are Pawns.  The 2013 Payroll Is Slated To Remain The Same.

Let's deal with Adam Rubin's story regarding the Mets 2013 payroll not straying much higher from this season's $90 million dollar figure.  The old reliable, yet infamous "baseball source" informed ESPNNewYork of next season's potential parameters on spending.



If we toy with the potential $10 to $15 million dollars (max), the article suggests the Mets will have to spend on acquisitions for next season, the first question we should ask is, should the team spend it on the outfield, or the bullpen?  It is very unlikely Sandy Alderson will be able to address both.  As the Mets at least have some questionable, along with some hopeful, in-house options to temporarily fill slots in the outfield with, it is more likely Sandy will take his allowance and concentrate on the bullpen.



With that kind of money, the Mets might be able to squeeze one somewhat good reliever, and maybe a second live body for the bullpen, in moves very similar to the discount shopping Sandy went on last season by buying two arms, and trading for another.  In the outfield, if the Mets want a player who'll have a relatively high-end impact, it may cost them most of their stack, save a few bucks left over for a bench player.  If $10 to $15 million is indeed what they are realistically working with, then the Mets options are clearly limited.



If your thinking is, the Mets are still a rebuilding team, then the dollar figure shouldn't be too concerning.  The Mets are still not in a position to bring in high end free agents until they figure out which players of this current crop, will be the ones the organization ultimately decides to build around.  Pitching prospects withstanding, and maybe save two players, (i.e. Ruben Tejada, and Ike Davis) that list of players is far from certain.  What we thought of some players back in May, we may not necessarily be thinking at present.  So organizational money woes withstanding, the team has no business spending big bucks anyway.  Unwise spending is partly to blame for the team's current condition in the first place.



With spending money clearly not high on the list of things to do, it stands to reason the Mets continue to realize the contracts of Jason Bay and Johan Santana are impediments to any real roster  maneuvering or improvement.  As Adam Ruben's article points out, between the two players, that's $50 millions dollars right there.  And that simply will not due.  It wasn't too long ago, the Colorado Rockies and Texas Rangers found themselves in similar situations involving onerous contracts and immovable players as a result.  The Colorado Rockies ate a ridiculous portion of Mike Hampton's  contract just to free themselves of him.  The Texas Rangers did likewise to rid themselves of Alex Rodriguez.  In both cases, by eating substantial amounts of money, they actually saved money, and regained exponential amounts of operational flexibility.  Within a short time of jettisoning both players and wisely utilizing their flexibility, both teams, respectively, worked their way into the World Series.



I'm not saying it would be feasible in the Mets situation to eat both contracts.  Clearly, there is still hope to recoup value out of Johan Santana.  But retiring the debt on Jason Bay should seriously be considered this off-season.



With no real money coming off next year's payroll to speak of, and the Mets alleged operating parameters staying relatively the same, I'm also compelled to read between the lines and ponder whether the Mets have any intention of extending David Wright over the winter.  As I have always maintained, the Wilpons should already know whether or not they will be committing long term to David Wright.  If all the club does is pick up next season's option, how telling will that be?



The owners are clearly still operating under dire, however stabilized, financial constraints which were well expected to bleed into the 2013 season.  Prepared or not, this news still adds to a fan base's dismay, and leaves them a little lacking in the excitement department, knowing next season is indeed set-up to play out much the same way this season has.





Mike.BTB

N.Y. Mets ~ Ike Davis' Bat is Antibiotic for Desert Fever

From the desk of:   HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

NEW YORK METS:  Ike Davis Breaks Out in a Different Kind of Fever in the Arizona Desert.


Return to Sender; Ailment Unknown....  If that sounds like it could have once been a collaboration between Elvis Presley and the Mets' medical staff, then the joke is on us.  With the team doctors' recent history of either indecision, or just plain getting things horribly wrong, then diagnosing something no one ever heard of before, then hoping for the best, seems like a new tactic in practice to me.  I'm sorry.  Was that unfair, or worse, inaccurate?  Then let's say that was just a little shot across the bow to remind the powers that be, I haven't forgotten about the guys with the stethoscopes.  I do not want to speak for the fans.


But Ike Davis' batting average still leaves fans pondering whether he is over the effects of that desert fever contracted earlier this year.  Me?  I want to convince myself his current .218 batting average is an ugly number more representative of the Mets' overall problems, and not necessarily Ike Davis' own struggles negotiating the Mendoza Line, much less an alien cache of symptoms.  He's got those long arms he must unfold before generating his swing.  So if his timing is not (even-)more in tune than the next guy's, Ike will suffer greatly.  Or did we forget his prolonged absence from the game due to that freak "pedal" injury?  If he has taught us anything now, it is when Ike has his timing down, gets extension and connects - Look Out!


Since June, he's been inching away from the infamous Mendoza Line of demarcation which separates the bad hitters from even worse hitters.  It's been a slow process for Ike.  But his power stroke is without a doubt, in full effect again.  And that makes fans forget a lot.  But if timing is everything for him at the plate, then it is Ike and the Mets who now find themselves out of sync.  The team played well in the first half largely minus any production from Ike Davis.  Now that the first baseman is cranking up his game, it is the Mets who are floundering.  Just how much a resurgent Ike Davis can compensate for the present lack of pitching which carried the Mets in the first half, desperately remains to be seen.  If Jason Bay can only, and I do mean only, put forth a representative effort, and Lucas Duda can return and contribute,  then I'd say...maybe, just maybe, outscoring teams could be one way to get Wild.  But at this point, why bother digressing into that?


Saturday night, Ike's bat scoffed over any perceived effects from an ailment that bares the Arizona desert's name.  But even before last night's personal fireworks show among the cacti, Ike Davis' season was already shaping up.  He spent all of April, May, and twenty-eight days in June batting below the .200 mark.  On June 27th, he finally broke through the Mendoza Line, and went home sporting a .201 batting average.  He dipped again.  Then on the last day of June, he went 2 for 4 to end the month with a .203 mark.  Also on that June 30th game against the Dodgers, he hit his eleventh home run of the season.  For the month of June, he batted .264, hit six home runs, and totalled a significant twenty-four RBI.


July comes to a close this Tuesday.  In this month, he is batting at a .256 clip.  His RBI are down from June.  He has fifteen so far.  But his home runs are up.  Ike has nine in July, with three monsters coming last night.  Of his twenty-one hits, twelve have been for extra-bases.  For the season, Ike now has twenty home runs, and sixty RBI, with sixty-one games left to play.  If you dabbled in the "What Ifs" in life, his numbers would astound.  And to think, the Mets (or was it the fans; or was it the Media?) thought Ike should perhaps be sent to Buffalo for a refresher course.  Again, I digress.


As the Mets are currently on the road, somewhere off in a quiet room among the empty hallways of Citi Field's offices, a doctor may lurk wiping his brow in relief for averting something his textbooks never taught him about.  Good thing for us, Ike Davis is a self-healer.  One thousand two hundred and seventy-four feet of self-administered home runs worked like a charm.  The antibiotic turned out to be Arizona itself.  Go figure.


Ike Davis became the ninth Met in history to hit three home runs in one game.  In my experience, I think only Dave Kingman (1976) can rival the cumulative distances each baseball travelled.  Although, Darryl Strawberry (1985) might have something to say about that.






Mike.BTB

SUBWAY SERIES ~ Battle In The Bronx - I

From the desks of:

HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET  and  BLAME CARLOS MAY

2012

New York City

SUBWAY SERIES

BATTLE IN THE BRONX

GAME ONE

NEW YORK METS

32-26  .552

vs.

NEW YORK YANKEES

31-25  .554

From

THE HOUSE THAT GEORGE BUILT

161st Street and River Avenue

BRONX

Bronx Bombers:  Derek Jeter Continues Along a Very Straight Line.

After fifty-five games this season, Derek Jeter is tied for the American League lead in hits with seventy-five.  That makes a total of 3,163 for his career and still climbing.  Twenty-one more will tie him with Cal Ripken for 13th all-time.

Derek Jeter is currently batting .319 this season.  That has neither enhanced nor decreased from the .313 career batting average he came into the 2012 season with.  However, he ended 2010 with a .314 batting average.

Derek Jeter started this season so unlike the manner in which he started last season, when so many wanted to write him off.  But Jeter gathered himself, and finished the 2011 season strong.  I just want him to protect his career .300 batting average.  He has two years left on his deal after this season.  I just hope he doesn't ruin it.  I wrote about this before in, Derek Jeter's Rectangular Cardboard Player Summary

Andy Pettitte:  The Swan Song.

Based on the way he is pitching this season, if Andy hadn't taken last season off, we might be having a very, very different conversation regarding Andy Pettitte's Hall of Fame credentials; very different indeed from the conversations that have already circulated over the last two season's of his career.

He now stands at three wins, with a week shy of four months left in the 2012 season.  Since his rookie season in 1995, Andy Pettitte has failed to achieve double-digit wins only once over his entire career.  In 2004 with Houston, Andy only managed to win six games while battling an injury.  He has double digit wins in every one of his seasons as a Yankee starting pitcher.  On the other side of his ledger, Andy has suffered two losses so far this season.  He has incurred double-digit losses over his career a mere five times.  Only two of those seasons came during his five prior campaigns.

NEW YORK METS:  Lucas Duda Is Cranking Up The Power.

The Dude is heating up.  Over the last week, Lucas Duda has wracked up nine RBI, and three home runs, while batting .299 over his last seven games.  He has five home runs in his last ten games. His ten home runs and thirty-five RBI lead the team.  As a matter of fact, half his RBI this season have come within the last ten days.  His six game hitting streak was stopped by Washington on Wednesday evening.  But he came back to go 2 for 4 in Thursday's game.

DH Jason Bay = Don't Hit; Not At Kirk Nieuwenhuis' Expense!

With the return of Jason Bay to active duty (maybe...), the Subway Series only offers the Mets a temporary solution to their suddenly crowded outfield situation.  Playing in Yankee Stadium gives the Mets an opportunity to utilize Bay as the DH, and ease him back into action.  But many, if not most fans, are against taking playing time away from Kirk Nieuwenhuis in order to fit Jason Bay in again. 

Demoting Ike Davis to AAA-Buffalo, and thereby creating room for Bay that way, is not exactly the ideal scenario either.  Plain and simple, we need Ike, and we need him soon.  But Jason Bay clearly represents a far costlier dilemma for this team.  And I'm hoping, like with many matters so far regarding Sandy Alderson's handling's, I hope the Mets do not base Jason Bay's playing time according to his salary.  If he warrants sitting, so be it.  If his play warrants more innings, again, so be it then.  But at this point, there is no reasonable justification to stifle Kirk Neiwenhuis' season now - not the way Kirk continues to play since being called up.

The Yankees draw Johan Santana tonight in his first game since tossing a no-hitter at Citi Field.  Johan has now tossed two consecutive complete game victories.  After tossing 134 pitches during his no-no, tonight we'll see the effects of him either over extending himself last time out, or whether giving Johan extra time off between starts was beneficial, or leaves him flat.

LET'S GO METS!

Mike.BTB

N.Y. Mets ~ Farmer Sandy Inherited Good Dirt

From the desk of:   HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

NEW YORK METS:  Outside of Jason Bay, Welcome to Omar Minaya's All Home Grown Amazin Mets.

There's Worms in Our Dirt!

The seeds of this organization planted by Farmer Alderson are still way below the dirt.  Now if you  got worms, you got good dirt.  And of you got good dirt, your seeds should grow just fine.  There should be few worries there Met Fans.  We just need to be patient, because our dirt has some good worms.

It wasn't too long ago, this club's minor league system came to a grinding halt sometime between the 2001 and 2005 seasons.  David Wright; who came to the Mets via the supplementary pick for losing Mike Hampton; Scott Kazmir; and Jose Reyes; were for all intent and purpose the last credible minor league prospects to come through our system before the dust bowl hit and blew dirt into all our gears.  A minor league system reorganized and built-up by Joe McDonald back in 1966 grew into a machine that continued to pump out prospects for thirty-five years until the Steve Phillips/Jim Duquette era brought that run to an abrupt end.

By 2006; 2007; 2008; this organization was starting to feel the effects of their prolonged dry seasons.  Of course, the Wilpons, and their adherence to the unwritten Slotting System didn't help.  And in my opinion, AA-Binghampton had additionally become a town where baseball dreams went to die.  Omar Minaya wound up taking the brunt of the heat for the drought of prospects.  Why?  Because he was the one currently in office at the time.  But make no mistake, he inherited the problem his contemporaries left behind.

Let's fast-forward through the extraneous details and histrionics of the Tony Bernazard era, because what happened prior to him, or, all the development that wasn't taking place prior to Bernazard and Minaya was the real problem.  For the B's had been well into their second decade without a playoff appearance to that point.  Ken Oberkfell was a part of all that.  And it's precisely why Sandy Alderson purged him from the circle of trust.

Let's get to the point of all this - While Omar was drafting players down below, he was spending Wilpon Dollars up above.  But those contracts; Reyes; Wright; Delgado; Beltran; K-Rod; Castillo; Perez; Maine: etc.; and all the other periphery players he signed were all designed to expire roughly in the same short window of time, precisely as all these present Mets are making their way on to the big club.

Of course Omar was operating with a different Met economy back then.  But 2010 and 2011 would have been the years when Omar would have picked and chose who to keep (Wright and Reyes) while this new crop of youngsters became his new core.

Many things that occurred outside the realm of putting a representative team on the field led to Omar's ultimate downfall.  But with regard to how Omar was going to be transitioning during these years  anyway, means his plan is still alive and well.  And I'll say this too - Low and behold, we like many of these players!

Omar Minaya didn't have the luxury that Sandy Alderson had when he assumed office.  Sandy Alderson came to a team with all these players ready to step-in like they were designed to.  In 2005, Omar Minaya had nothing to call up from the system because the machine was rusted and rendered inoperative.

Omar resuscitated it.  Although he never got the chance to see his prospects graduate.  Omar didn't have an up and coming crop of prospects to get him through a more financially sound process.  All he had to work with was a barren farm system and Mr. Wilpon's (at least then...) willingness to spend and try and fix it.  By the time of the Jason Bay signing however, all was lost for Omar's vision and the Wilpon's financial wherewithal to boot.  But we also shouldn't forget the front office also became a public relations nightmare as well.  So this isn't exactly an apology for Omar Minaya.

What Sandy Alderson, Paul DePodesta, and J.P. Riccardi are doing is completely rebuilding everything.  Team Alderson had the luxury of using Mr. Wilpon's near financial collapse to quietly give reasons for their controlled demolition.  While Omar had a mandate to make the Mets relevant again and pronto.

Two General Managers - Two totally different dynamics at work - At current, only one plan rules the field.

The Curious Case of the Foreseeable Mets' Line-Up:

ss - TEJADA  -  Omar Minaya's
2b - MURPHY  -  Omar Minaya's
3b - WRIGHT - Pre Minaya
1b - DAVIS  -  Omar Minaya's
lf - BAY  -  Omar's Signing
rf - DUDA  -  Omar Minaya's
c - THOLE  -  Omar Minaya's
cf - NIEUWENHUIS  -  Omar Minaya's

Thursday's Starter  -  SANTANA  -  Omar's Signing
Saturday's Starter  -  DICKEY  -  Omar's Signing
Sunday's Scheduled Starter  -  NIESE  -  Omar's Minaya's 
4th Starter  -  PELFREY  -  Omar Minaya's
5th Starter  -  GEE  -  Omar Minaya's





Let's Go Mets!




Mike.BTB

N.Y, Mets ~ Healthy Players Means More Slugging

From the desk of:   HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

Previous; Pitching ~ The ARMED FARCES of Flushing?

NEW YORK METS:  Swingin' for the (New) Fences.

Scoring runs wasn't necessarily the problem for this team last season.  As concerns go, Offense probably ranks fourth behind the Wilpons; the Bullpen; and the Starting Rotation.  And I'm pretty close to calling the Defense a greater concern than the Offense too.


While the Amazins lacked overall power last season, they still managed to scrap and claw their way on to the scoreboard.  They showed some spunk and displayed a lot of come back ability.  However, while last year's offensive effort was admirable, alas, it was not very formidable.  Having to piece together most of their runs meant their opponents were in almost every game.


That said, the Bullpen also asked too much of the Offense late in games.  The foot bone is connected to the ankle bone and so on..., so the real truth most likely lies some where between the plate and the pen.  But we saw for ourselves, the inability to hold a lead combined with the lack of power/slugging, short circuited the Mets' season.


After a 5-13 start to the 2011 season, the Mets battled to play .500 baseball the rest of the way.  That is not an indication of a lost cause.  The Mets are engaged in a rebuilding process as much as Sandy Alderson chooses not to call it that.  Even then, as presently constituted, the Mets are far from being lost.  With regards to last season, I've long believed, you can't win pennants in April, but you sure can lose them in April.  Would an improvement over 5-13 have helped the Mets last season?  It's a tough call.  The team that started in April was not the same team that finished in September.  But, ..maybe.  Perception wise however, a .500 season would have been more rewarding because it was realistically within reach.


Looking ahead to 2012, Met Fans are hoping the return of a healthy Ike Davis changes the team's  power potential.  And the whole organization is hoping that moving in the fences at Citi Field helps David Wright and Jason Bay with their power output as well.  Throw in Lucas Duda, and these four men, very simply, are expected to hit home runs.  Somewhere between 100-110 home runs would be nice.  I think that's a very fair bar to set.


We know Daniel Murphy is a legit .300 hitter.  And I believe there are .290 batting averages within the bats of Josh Thole and Ruben Tejada.  The only player that is a virtual unknown to us, is our replacement center fielder; Andres Torres.  Much is being made of a season he had two years ago.  Otherwise, this team is very familiar to us.




Catcher; JOSH THOLE

I know Met Fans are divided over our starting catcher.  I fall on the side of favor.  More than that, I am an unabashed supporter of his.  Thole was pressed into service a bit prematurely like many of his current team mates.  He would no doubt have been better off playing in Buffalo last season.  Instead, he played 114 games in the Bigs.  Now I hope this doesn't sound OLD of me - but when I was a kid, if a rookie catcher hit .268, that was considered a success.  His bat will progress ahead of his defensive abilities.  But I feel Josh Thole will just work and will himself into being a better catcher.  I know it sounds sappy and unscientific; call it a man-crush if you like; but I have no great want to replace Thole as the starting catcher.  Like I said above, I believe there's a .290 hitter in him.




First Base; IKE DAVIS

Is he the Freak Who Saves Flushing?  The injury he sustained in the collision with David Wright, AND contracting Valley Fever (?), can only be describes as - Freakish indeed.  If he doesn't stay healthy this season, that means he's walking around with some really bad Karma.  I'm just saying be prepared for a next potential calamity to out-stupefy the last two incidents; that's all.


When we last left Ike Davis the first baseman, he was among the N.L. RBI leaders and dropping absolute bombs onto the center field bridge at Citi Field.  Then the Mets turned him into Ike Davis the Medical Mishap.  All that is behind us now...; we hope.


We know this much about Ike Davis - He is self made.  His production has come with and without protection in the line-up.  At just 25 years old, Ike has given every reason to believe he is a legit clean-up hitter.  Those long arms of his means he can reach for any pitch on either side of the plate, and jack it out of any park.  And before he went down last season, he was hitting .300 as well.

No one knows what happened to Jason Bay.  And theories about David Wright needing more sluggers around him in order to be successful again, are increasingly moving beyond just speculation, and might starting to bare some truth.  We'll see about that.  Point is, perhaps Ike's return to the line-up will also serve to upgrade Wright's and Bay's performance at the plate as well.

David Wright may be the face of this Franchise.  But by season's end, this will become Ike Davis' team; if not sooner.




Second Base; DANIEL MURPHY

He's not an easy guy to talk about.  Once you finish discussing his hitting, his professionalism, and his great attitude, everything else sounds like criticism of a very good guy.  It's unfortunate.  He is really a man with no position.  Left Field; Right Field; Third Base; First Base; and Second Base; - He's tried them all.  On top of that, a misplay at second base landed him on the disabled list yet again.  But like Ike Davis, he's back; or so we hope.

As is with the case of Josh Thole, there is a divide among Met Fans regarding Murphy's usefulness to the team.  He is really a man with no position.  I have never agreed with the Mets' frequent, and highly unsuccessful experimentation with position changing.  The list of players is long, highlighted by giving Jose Reyes a whirl at second base in favor of Kaz Matsui playing short.   Daniel Murphy is just the latest lab rat.


The reason Daniel Murphy is such a conundrum is because he can flat out hit a baseball.  Along with Ike Davis, they can become a fearsome number three and number four hitting duo.  And I guess that says it - I like Daniel Murphy hitting third in this line-up.

However, adventures at second base lie ahead.




Shortstop; RUBEN TEJADA


Let the Post-Jose Reyes-Era begin!  If we can just put our former shortstop out of our minds, we'd feel very good about going into the season with a young kid like Ruben Tejada; that's if you don't already.  He will not steal bases like Jose did.  And doesn't possess the occasional power Jose had.  And he isn't as flamboyant as the Mets' former shortstop was.  As a matter of fact, he didn't just appear over matched, he WAS over matched during his call-up in the 2010 season.  He batted a Mendoza-like .213 in 78 games.

Last season he started changing opinions in the Ruben Tejada conversation.  While still only twenty-one years old, he played in 96 games and finished the season with a .284 batting average.  That's a .071 point increase over his prior season.  In 2011, he proved more patient at the plate than we could have hoped for.  He will take walks and seems as if he will keep his strike out totals under control.

I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do over a full season.




Third Base;  DAVID WRIGHT

To lock-up David Wright long term, or not sign him long term - That is the question.  Whether it is nobler for the Mets to retain him in the hopes they can recapture the David Wright of old - the David Wright of Shea Stadium - or by passing on the third baseman, end their time together with the David Wright who never quite seemed the same again after getting beaned in the head, and the David Wright who lost the mental battle against The Great Wall.  And then will the exit come via a trade, or will they let him walk away the way they did with Jose Reyes?

For now, he is a Met.  And for the most part, he's been one of the greatest Met players in the club's history.  But he is in dire need of a throwback season similar to the '06, '07, and '08 seasons.  We all thought 2010 was the season David Wright got back on track.  It wound up that 2010 was sandwiched between the two worst campaigns of his career.  So, David's new reality is that he now has a lot to prove all over again.

The Mets will tell you they moved in, and lowered the walls at Citi Field to make the park more neutral.  But we all feel it's because David Wright was powerless against the Flushing Fortification in left.  But even to right-center; once a wheelhouse of his at Shea; in Citi Field, many of the same David Wright flies the other way went to die in a fielder's glove.

Additionally, the 2011 season was the most angered we have ever seen our third baseman, not to mention so openly frustrated on the field.

Should David Wright stay healthy throughout the season, but only post numbers similar to 2009 and last year, he will have created more questions for himself, than he has provided answers for.  His time as a Met has indeed reached a crucible.  We all know how a player goes about erasing all shadows of doubt - Produce, and help your team win.




Left Field; JASON BAY

The Mets' 2010 free agent splash turned out to be nothing more than a drip.  I know that's harsh.  But then again, Jason Bay has been brutal.  In kinder terms, he is a shell of the player he was in Pittsburgh, and Boston.  And dare I say, he's been as mystifyingly bad as Roberto Alomar once turned out to be.  In both cases, each player has suddenly, and inexplicably lost their ability to play anywhere near their own personal standards.  And if it weren't for the money invested in Jason Bay's contract, he'd even warrant getting cut.

To his credit, even he has been at a loss for words, but has never shied away from the media.  He's stood accountable for his play the whole time.  And of course, he suffered a major concussion, and never used it as an excuse.

But Baseball is all about the numbers.  In two seasons in New York, he played in 218 games; is batting a collective .252; is yet to reach 20 home runs (18); and in almost 800 at-bats, only has 104 RBI.  That's not what the Mets had in mind when they purchased the outfielder to be a middle of the line-up player.

And sadly, the reports out of Florida do not bode well for the left fielder.  His March was largely unimpressive, and the Media is stoking the "Should he be platooned" fires.  Frankly, it wouldn't be such a bad idea if only the Mets had any reasonable quality on the bench.  But they do not.

A kid like Kirk Nieuwenhuis might not be too far away however.  He just might be ready to make the jump to the Bigs later this season.

The hopes are Jason Bay and David Wright, can both feed off having Ike Davis back in the line-up.  Then Wright and Bay can in turn feed off each other.  That's the perfect world scenario.  For the 2012 season, we just need more - more than we've been getting,  More than nothing, is something.




Center Field; ANDRES TORRES

He is a stop gap player, and finds himself in a Met uniform directly because of front office matters that trickled down and affected the club's ability to field a product more representative of New York City type financial resources.  He is a by the book Money Ball signing, and the only new face in the line-up.  He also has already been hampered with a strained calf.

Frankly, I have nothing too pressing to say about him.  Can he roam center field effectively?  Yes.  Better than Angel Pagan?  Yes.  Are we judging him based too much on a good 2010 season with little else to speak of?  Yes to that too.

Do I want him batting lead-off for the Mets?  No.  In the Mets current state, I'd sooner scour the farm to see if anyone is eager and ballsy enough to want to step forward and take a crack in the Bigs.  But even I know center field is key to being strong defensively up the middle.  I know he's a stop gap player; Torres knows it; and Alderson knows it.  But if Torres can play like his did in 2010..., then perchance to dream.

I guess I'll just have to deal with this for now.




Right Field; LUCAS DUDA

Duuuuuda!  He might move around like Frankenstein out in right field, but he's proving he can hit major leaguer pitching with consistent power.  He too, like Ruben Tejada, looked inept when called up in the 2010 season.  But like Thole, and Dillon Gee, and Tejada, Lucas Duda was pressed into early 2011 service as well.

In 100 games and 301 at-bats, the Big Dude batted a very respectable .292; hit 21 doubles; 10 home runs; had 50 rbi; and to me, walked an impressive 33 times.  That's a good number for raw power kid like Duda.  And he, like Ike Davis, can hit bombs out of any park.  But it's good to see that he isn't showing himself to be too one dimensional at the plate.

The big question would now be, is there a Sophomore Jinx in his future?  Or, can we safely project his 2012 numbers over 550 at-bats?  If he fairs well, he's going to become an even bigger crowd favorite.

*     *     *     *     *

This line-up lacks a quality lead-off batter.  And they lack overall speed.  If anything, they will be plodding base to base; first to third; and from second to home.  On the bright side, as a result, many close plays at the plate will seemingly make for more dramatic Mets' baseball..., no?


Kidding aside, I have no idea how these guys will stand up against the rest of the division.  I do find them all very likable.  But as I pointed out in my Pitching Summary, the Bullpen will largely dictate which direction this team takes.

Last season, the Mets' Offense, kept them alive in many games.  With any reliable slugging, many losses could have easily been turned into wins.  Just ask R. A. Dickey about that.  Returning this season however, will be a few key bats that can very well make a difference; at least more so than last season.  And with that, there's hope for better slugging ahead.



Let's Go Mets!




Mike.BTB

N.Y. Mets ~ What To Make of a Big Win?

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTIN MR. MET

NEW YORK METS:  Terry' Kids Come Through Again.  But Are They Changing Any Minds?

I can't tell you how many times I intended to post something real snarky and riddled with sarcasm because of old gripes and continuing beliefs I have; ...and didn't for love of team.  There are two dueling fan bases that reside inside my cranium as well as the streets of METropolis.  That's the schizophrenia that sets in when following this team in 2011.  It's an exhilarating high one day, then crushing, manic depression other days.  As of last night, the ratio works out between 51% to 49% on the side of exhilaration and glee.  But 49% percent of the time is far too long to go around talking to yourself especially when the ratio is constantly fluctuating above and below the .500 mark.


Last night, the Mets mounted another one of those comebacks that warrant big crowds at Citi Field, and loud cheers in appreciation of their fighting spirit.  And if not last night, then tonight for sure if just to thank Terry's Kids for a good time. 


But for me personally, last night's game reinforces why letting go of the past and inaugurating the future is in our best interest; and has been for some time.  The Mets have given us many refreshing nights this summer and have remained mildly relevant deeper into the season than we've gone in the last three when at the present time, in our condition, we have no business doing so.  So, schizophrenia is fine for now as long as Sandy Alderson keeps things moving along.


It's the insanity I abhor.  Insanity; some really smart old guy with white hair once postulated; is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result.... Or something like that.  That's the part that always rubbed me the wrong way about this team; upper management; ownership; and yes, us fans too.


Think about all the players involved in last night's win and how they've managed to get this team to fifty-eight wins on August 10th considering the lack of contributions from KRod and Beltran due to trades; Wright; Reyes; Ike; and Santana; due to injury; and Bay's lack of productivity.  Several of these same players (unmalicious) conspired for some bad starts in 2007 and 2008 in which they had to play like crazed dogs to recover from....and did, only to fail in the end.


Now think about all the players that were in the line-up when the team started out this season 5-13, and earning the ire of greater METropolis.  Some of the names are eerily similar.  And the complaints; rants and raves were venomous but far too repetitive.  Bad starts followed by debilitating injuries have been this teams downfall for years now.


Once again, Mets fans have been given a hard lesson in the following;  You Can't Win Pennants in April..., but You Sure as Hell Can Lose Them in April.  Does a slightly better start to this season put the Mets four or five games behind the Braves for the Wild Card instead of nine?  Absolutely.  Would the Mets have avoided a one game Gambit in 2007 and 2008 with better starts in April?  Absolutely.  Everyone chooses to ignore April and focus more on labelling those two seasons as September Chokes.  I'm not here to argue that aspect of our ruin.  I merely point to the yearly monsoon over Flushing they call April Showers and how we usually take a soaking in the opening month of the season.


Just remember who the ones still standing and wearing a Met uniform today on August 10th are.  They're a spunky group called Terry's Kids.  And now, recall the ones who have continually put us in this position.


The truth is, because the Mets were teasingly close, we fell for it (again) and didn't trade Reyes.  And the fact David Wright was injured rendered him untradeable.  In no well kept secret of this blog, I would have traded both.  It's almost fitting that David Wright has had numerous clutch at-bats this past week, yet they come in an increasingly inconsequential time of the season.  I believe the future success of the Mets no longer rests in their hands.  It's the clearest way to say I have not come to dislike them; that's farthest from the truth.  But my visions of the future of this team lie elsewhere now.  And yes, throw Johan Santana's name into this matter also.  However I realize they aren't going anywhere any time soon.


Last night's win was great.  But alas, it only put us one game over .500 and no closer to the Braves in the standings.  But there's a measure of mental health with a game like yesterday's come-from-behind win against the Braves because the faces on the field are measurable different.  And that's why the Mets have prevented apathy from setting in this season...to go along with all the other mental maladies one must endure being a Met Fan.


The kids proved something in 2010 when they rose to eleven games over .500 before a return of the regulars took hold again.  Young players have proved something again this year by keeping the Mets going without a pronounced collapse (so far) and without any discernible star player in sight.


So here's to hoping last night looks more like things to come and that change is kind.  But change we must.


In the mean time, Let's Go Mets.





Mike.BTB

N.Y.Mets ~ The Flushing Power Company

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET




NEW YORK METS:   The Roosevelt Avenue Sluggers Pound Out Four Home Runs Against The Tomahawk Chaps.

Tie Series At One Game Apiece; Rubber Game Sunday.


That was a nifty little comeback wasn't it?  The game turned into a semi-rain soaked blow-out in the end, but what the hey...  The win ties this series with the Braves at one game apiece.

You watch a game like Saturday's unfold, and you start asking yourself, what ails this team when they play Washington and Miami (or in Dan Uggla's case, former Marlin players)?  If you're R.A. Dickey, you have to be asking yourself when am I going to get treated to a game like this?  And for the Fans, this is just the other side; the prettier side; of a Jekyll and Hyde battle against games like last Wednesday in Florida.

And the Mets have been just that; a Jekyll and Hyde team.  They are good half of the time.  The other half of the time they're down right scary.  The feel-good from a game like Saturday's is transient in nature, because ultimately, it got us nowhere.  We returned to the spot we were in Friday at the start of this series, which is most likely, too far behind the Braves in the Wild Card race.  A dramatic up-tick in the Mets winning percentage, and a severe drop-off by the Braves are both needed if the Mets are to play "meaningful games in September".


....Perchance to dream.  Win one; Lose one.  Win four; Lose four.  ...Aye, there's the rub.


Did Jon Niese pitch a good game?  Um..., I don't think so.  Atlanta tagged him up for ten hits and five runs over five innings pitched.  But thanks to Justin Turner (two home runs) tapping into his inner Dave Kingman, Jon Niese won his 11th game of the season against 8 losses.


Indeed, while Justin Turner; Jason Bay; and Josh Thole all scoffed at the notion Citi Field is anti-batter, the walls of Citi Field mocked and laughed at David Wright yet again.  In the first inning, an apparent Ruthian blast to left center dropped in and bounced high off the wall for a double leaving the Face of the Franchise with a look of bewilderment on it.


Last night; as I have championed many times this season; I said I wanted Josh Thole to be left alone as the starting/full-time catcher now that this supposed race against (the trade deadline) and the Braves is over.  Tonight, he only went 3 for 4 with a home run; an RBI; and two runs scored.  Can we let the kid play every day please?  I'd appreciate it.  Thanks a lot.


There will be a rubber game on Sunday which is quite appropriate considering the Mets are still bouncing around the .500 mark.  They needed a win just to get to the break even point....again.  Catching up to the Braves is such a non-issue at this point.  Learning about the players who fit into next year's plan....is.


In that regard, Bobby Parnell tossed an inning and threw 12 strikes in 17 total pitches thrown.  He walked one batter; struck out one; and surrendered no hits in the eighth inning.


And finally, Murphy's Law remains in full effect over at first base.  Tonight, Daniel committed his latest fielding atrocity in what is becoming a crime scene over at first base.  And now that it's all but guaranteed Ike Davis is done for the year, what ever can go wrong over there most certainly will.  So prepare yourselves so as to not be so hard on him when things go awry for him in the future.


You can't be disappointed with what you don't expect.




Mike.BTB

N.Y. METS ~ Charge!!

From the desk of: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET


NEW YORK METS:  C'Mon Boys!  Take That Hill!


Getting back to .500 was more like climbing a mountain.  But there's no time to enjoy the view.  And good teams never do.  So, if Terry's Kids intend on being contenders instead of pretenders, well then, they need to start winning little two and three game packages and putting some separation between them and that symbolic line of demarcation.  If they fail to ignite any momentum in the very near future, they will surely fall back to the base of their mountain.


They have to start in Detroit.  Everything starts somewhere.  Many wonderful things were made in Detroit.  Tonight, the Mets need to make sure they start building on something before it gets too late.


R.A. Dickey will try and get us going.  He follows two wins by Niese and Gee.  Dickey has been consistent; consistently snake bitten that is.  I do think he will allow the Mets to hang around tonight against the Tigers.  But as been our problem; especially when Dickey pitches; will we score even just a few runs, to amply support his effort....for a change?


Detroit's Rick Porcello has been getting shelled lately.  So maybe the Mets can add a little more to his recent woes.  If they don't, it will be a game closer to, woe is us.



LET'S GO METS!!

TONIGHT

Game One

NEW YORK METS
vs.

Detroit Tigers

From the Motor City

POST-GAME:  10:09pm ~ Mets Final:
NEW YORK METS - 14
Detroit Tigers - 3


N.Y. METS ~ Planting A Flag In Third Place!


The mountain top is no longer out of reach.  Take a look around; yell for joy; plant a flag in the ground; and let it be known; TERRY'S KIDS WERE HERE!


The rock they've been pushing up Mt. Competitiveness didn't come rolling back at them this time.  They put their heads down; pushed; stopped; let go; and fourteen runs later; the rock stood in place.  Hah!  They didn't trip; stumble; fall; and have that rock run them over again like so many time before. 


Instead, the Mets tore up Tiger Stadium like rock stars in their own version of Detroit Rock City.


There was a game earlier this season when R.A. Dickey held the opposition to one run over eight innings and the Mets' offense came up short.  Another time, two runs after eight innings weren't good enough for him to get a win.  This time, an R.A. Dickey margin call (another good start) came knocking and the offense paid up big time with fourteen runs worth.  Jason Bay; Carlos Beltran; Josh Thole; and all Mets contributed handsomely to the pool and sent a resounding message across the bow of the National League; ~ Paid In Full.


Am I getting carried away with myself after just one game that got us over .500 for the first time since early April?  Me?  Mister Stick With the Plan?  Carried away with myself....? - No; I'm having fun being a Met Fan like you.  The Plan?  I still believe in it.  I'm a pragmatist.  Compartmentalization; remember?  So..., shall we?


This is after all June 28th; meaning the season is almost three months old; or just about half-way through.  Tonight's win lifted the Mets record to 40-39 after seventy-nine games played; three short of halftime. 


There is something to be said for playing at mid-season form.  And maybe; just maybe; these guys are coming into their own as presently constituted.  Think of the line-up as a living system and think - the shock to the system suffered when David Wright and Ike Davis has now worn off.  The body is adjusted and adapting.  As a result, the Mets are operating as a fully functioning system more so now that at any other point this season.  The hope this is the beginning of the Mets heating up as we truly begin the summer.


A game above .500 is like operating in the black, but only if you keep seizing the moment.  The Mets need games; and wins; and they started things out on the right foot when they have so little margin for error.  The Mets' starting rotation was operating on deficit pitching at times.  But Tuesday night, the bats settled all debts.  They hit two grand slams Tuesday when they hadn't hit any for years.  Jason Bay connected first, and Carlos Beltran slammed a second grand slam for the Flushing Fighters.  Josh Thole accounted for a third Met home run in the game.


So, how does third place sound to you right about now?  It's legit.  The pitching has been there all season.  And now that the bats have been together on a consistent basis, they're yielding results.  On a night when R.A. Dickey needed four runs for a win, the offense gave him fourteen.  That's bad math; but good baseball.  And bad math or not, the team with supposedly more problems than a math book is coming on strong.



Mike.BTB

N.Y. METS ~ Rain Delay Pauses A Bad Day.

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

NEW YORK METS:  There's More Than Just Rain Falling In Flushing Tonight.


In almost all places on Planet Earth, when it rains, little droplets of water fall happily from moisture saturated clouds upon the land.  But over Roosevelt Avenue in Flushing, the cumulonimbus formations overhead yield pianos that come crashing down to the ground.


Early season savior; Dillon Gee; couldn't find the strike zone last night just as the clock started ticking on the rest of the Met season in addition to the fates of several players.  Jose Reyes told the Mets to hit the mute button on any contract talks till after the season.  And today we found out Ike Davis will be out at least another three weeks and could possibly be out the rest of the year.


Dillon Gee?  No one expected that streak to last forever.  But the loss did come with some bad timing.  The Mets were coming into the game following an off-day in which Sandy Alderson was made to respond to questions and a microphone in his face.  And basically, the future of the New York Mets will be decided over the next five to six weeks.  Dillon Gee's outing just came when they were still trying to get closer to .500 and instead moved farther away by game's end.


To start the day however, Met Fans were treated to news that Jose Reyes communicated to the Mets Front Office his wishes that he and the Mets do not negotiate a new pact during the season.  It's an age-old move and should surprise no one.  But more often than not, that tact is usually the first nail in the proverbial coffin. 


But there is always hope.  Last off-season, Derek Jeter and the Yankees struck a deal to retain the shortstop.  After acquiring him in the trade with Florida, Mike Piazza was also allowed to head into the off-season without an in-season commitment from the Mets.  The Mets however, will have to ante up.  In not so many words, Jose Reyes made it known there will be no home-town discount.


The bizarre injury to Ike Davis just took a turn towards freakishly ridiculous.  In three weeks, Met Doctors will better know if Ike's ankle is getting better, or worse. 


Right!


Somehow, and someway, the Met Doctors are highly respected throughout MLB.  Now..., I myself am not a doctor; nor did I stay in a Holiday Inn last night; and I certainly don't play one on TV; but the list of players mishandled or misdiagnosed by the team is growing like a list being written to Santa Clause.  This is a phenomenon that now spans two different General Managers.


What in the name of Doctor Moreau is going on in Flushing?


Ryan Church; John Maine; Carlos Delgado; Jose Reyes; Carlos Beltran; Jason Bay; David Wright; Johan Santana; just to name a few; and now Ike Davis, have at one point or another, been on the wrong side of a diagnosis.


Are these just strange "twilight zone" type coincidences we keep reliving?  Or has this Med Staff indeed established a pattern of........you know;  I don't wanna say it.  But you know what I'm thinking.


Ponderous!






Mike.BTB

N.Y. METS ~ The Tom Seaver Trade; Then and Now

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET



NEW YORK METS:  A Happy Anniversary Out Of Left Field.

Today, Met Fans across METropolis commemorate the 34th anniversary of the day Tom Seaver was traded to the Cincinnati Reds.

In exchange for The Franchise, the Mets received Doug Flynn; Pat Zachry; Dan Norman; and a young left fielder named Steve Henderson; considered at the time to be the Reds' crown jewel.

Steve played 99 games for the Mets in 1977. 
In 350 at-bats that season:
67 ~ runs.
104 ~ hits.
16 ~ doubles.
6 ~ triples.
12 ~ home runs.
65 ~ rbi.
6 ~ stolen bases.
.480 ~ slugging avg..
.297 ~ batting avg.



Jason Bay has now played in 137 games for the New York Mets over two seasons.
In his 498 at-bats in a Met uniform:
68 ~ runs.
121 ~ hits.
24 ~ doubles.
6 ~ triples.
8 ~ home runs.
58 ~ rbi.
14 ~ stolen bases.
.338 ~ slugging avg.
.233 ~ batting avg.



Happy Anniversary everybody!





Mike.BTB

N.Y. METS ~ Dillon Gee Rolls A Seven

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

NEW YORK METS:  Gee Forces Weigh Heavy On Pittsburgh. 


FINAL:
N.Y. METS...8
PIRATES......1


I keep telling you, there's a correlation between Dillon Gee's starts and Josh Thole's bat yielding hits.  Some of Josh Thole's best days at the plate (and behind it) have come while Dillon Gee has been on the mound.  It's an odd phenomena; but hey, if the shoe fits, run with it.  Tonight, Thole was 3 for 5 with an RBI.


All I ask is patience with Josh Thole.  He won't disappoint.  I'm not predicting Johnny Bench for him.  But I am talking about a fine backstop who will hit better than you think with occasional pop.  I believe he'll develop into an effective two-hitter in time.  The two spot or seven spot will suit him fine.  But I just really want this kid around beyond next year.  When his critics say bad, I say overwhelmed.  When Media says Mets need an upgrade at catcher, I say we need patience with him.


Mentioning Dillon Gee's name in the same sentence as the All-Star Game is something that no longer can be dismissed as improbable as well as being considered wishful thinking by many.  To the contrary, if the talk about this kid in the All-Star Game isn't getting started, then I'd have to assume ignorance; as in willful dismissal and due credit for what this kid has achieved so far.


Tonight, in defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates on the road, Dillon Gee improved his record to 7-0 since his call-up to replace Chris Young.



DILLON GEE'S LINE:
8 ~ innings.
104 pitches; 73 strikes.
8 ~ hits.
1 run/earned.
0 ~ walks!
5 ~ strikeouts.
3.05 era,  and shrinking.



Dillon Gee just isn't winning games.  His starts are incrementally getting better.  Each win has been an up-tick in effectiveness from the previous start.  Where once his walks per game were a little high, tonight he walked none.  His eight innings pitched are more than his previous starts.


If you want to say this came against the Pirates who's top batter was hitting .283, you may.  But then you're selling Dillon Gee short.  He did post handsome numbers against the Braves whom are considered a better team and won.  Then when he faced a less successful team. i.e.; Pittsburgh, his effectiveness surged accordingly.  That's the way I read his win against the Pirates.


Once again, Gee's stellar outing comes on the heels of Jon Niese's continuing string of quality starts.  Last night, Niese evened his record at 5-5, and if you've been keeping tabs, that should speak for itself.  The two pitchers; Niese and Gee, have once again combined to put the Mets in a position to reach the elusive .500 mark.  The Mets' last taste was fleeting.  We've gotten close to that .500 mark of credibility before because Niese, Gee, and Dickey (now that he's rejoined the ranks of consistency) have put us there.  We just keep having problems punching through with Pelfrey and Capuano.


Tomorrow, R.A. Dickey will take the mound and we'll see if we can get back to .500 again.



Jon Niese's Line ~ a/o Thursday:
7.2 ~ innings.
99 pitches;  63 strikes.
3 ~ hits.
1 ~ run/earned.
4 ~ walks.
8 ~ strikeouts.
3.15 era; and falling.





OFF THE MOUND:

Jason Bay for the most part has escaped my wrath so far.  I just remember the miserable first year Carlos Beltran experienced here and that's why I've slacked-up.  Oh, but he's getting so close.  So it's probably best he sit a few games like Terry Collins suggested.  Then moving forward, if we've exhausted all methods of trying to get the old Jason Bay out of him, then what can you do? 


What I am confident in though, is the Front Office will do something.  Jason Bay is another big item in the Omar Minaya purge file.  So in one form or another, he will be dealt with.  We've learned thus far this Front Office and manager (don't let him go under spoken) react quickly to situations, unlike the last regime who so many times suffered paralysis by analysis.


In the mean time, welcome back Lucas Duda, who was tearing up Buffalo.  It's good to see him again.  One hit; two RBI; and a run scored ain't a bad way to fill in for the benched Jason Bay.  And Duda is certainly more about the future direction of this team than Bay is.  So any extended playing time for him is OK with me.


Rounding out the offensive highlights; - With the exception of Dillon Gee, every Met starter in tonight's line-up got at least one hit.  Jose Reyes continued tearing the cowhide off the ball.  He was 3 for 5 tonight, with a home run and two runs scored.  Angel Pagan slugged a double and a triple; had one RBI; and scored twice.





Mike.BTB

N.Y. METS ~ 'Mazins End A Bad Week With Win

From the desk of:  Head-Butting Mr. Met



NEW YORK METS:  'Mazins Rookie Snaps a Bad String of Games for the Mets.

Doctors for the New York Mets have been mismanaging these players for years now!  What's the deal with Jason Bay!?

Fog, rain, double-headers, injury, a losing streak, mockery, and finally through desperation, a win; - That's the latest week in the life of the Mets and their fans.  The team has Monday night off and I think fans needed the break more.

The Mets called on Dillon Gee to fill Chris Young's roster spot who was placed on the DL earlier in the week.  Who knows if Gee ever got his luggage back, but the Mets' AAA-Buffalo farm-hand earned a win Sunday by pitching 5.2 innings of five hit; one run baseball.  He struck out four and walked two batters while helping the Mets snap a seven game losing streak in which they dropped two double-headers within three days.  Ouch!

Let me tell you what makes me happy.  A good Egg Cream makes me happy.  Dillon Gee pitching effectively and Josh Thole getting two RBI in leading the Mets to victory makes me silly with joy.

The plan originally was to have Dillon Gee and Hennry Mejia pitch a full year at Buffalo.  Matters on the big club have already altered that plan.  The debate about when to bring up Hennry Mejia has also quietly started.  So then, how radically will Sandy Alderson alter the plan?

Burn it down!   ...sorry.

Aside from thinking responsibly (which is never fun) and keeping them both in Buffalo for the sake of development, I would have zero to no problem going with a starting rotation of Pelfrey, Niese, Dickey, Gee and Mejia. 

C'mon, who are we kidding with this rotation?  I'd welcome it.  If you keep up with me, you know where my head is.  I'm about handing over every available job to a kid.  It's just because of who and where we are as a team.  The Mets have between now and the trade deadline to experiment with.  Then..., Ka-Boom! ...Sandy Alderson blows this thing up to smithereens.  I mean think about this for a moment; - Is Terry Collins really using starting pitchers in relief appearances......during APRIL?  I don't care if it was their throw day or not.  It's embarrassing!
*sigh*

Assuming Chris Young does comes back, Dillon Gee should get sent back down - right?  I think Dillon Gee and Hennry Mejia both should be held down as long as possible this season.  There's really no reason to have them on the big club as long as I continue to think Sandy Alderson will gut the organization come July.  But I learned a long time ago from a show called The Odd Couple, what happens when you assume.

The real question is, Will Chris Young be back?  With our doctors, you never know.  And quite honestly...


** RANT ALERT **

The Met doctors' track record hasn't been pretty over the last few years.  They've done more to promote controversy than promoting wellness and health.  Bad diagnosis; misdiagnosis; or no diagnosis at all have gotten the Mets in a lot of trouble to say the least.  Jason Bay is the last example of promising out-looks and frustrating delays.  So who knows when Chris Young might be back.  You never can tell anymore with this team or these doctors who carry with them a thick file documenting mismanaged injuries.

Jason Bay?  Is he coming back or what?  He was going to start last week....Then he's being pushed back two more days!?  What are they doing? 

Chris Young?  I have two words for you - GOOD LUCK! 

I wouldn't trust the Mets doctors to put a Band-Aid on me with the way they've handled EVERYONE from Ryan Church on after.  Carlos Delgado and his hip; Jose Reyes' hamstrings or his whatever's..; Carlos Beltran's knees; John Maine's arm; an unsuccessful lobotomy on Ollie Perez; Luis Castillo's and the fan's nagging pains;  ...You name it - They've misdiagnosed it.

Oh the pain!!



So how did you spend the Mets day off?





Mike.BTB

N.Y. METS ~ Chris Young Has Phun in Philly

From the desk of:  Head-Butting Mr. Met


NEW YORK METS: A Three Game Win Streak Is Cool.  Beating Philly Is Great.  Dumping On Cole Hamels Is Even Better.  But I'm Still A Big Picture Guy.

The Mets won their Opening series of the season against the Florida Marlins by winning games two and three after dropping the Opener. Then they won game one of their series against division rival Philadelphia last night.  A three game winning streak?  Contain yourselves Met fans.  Act like we've been here before OK?

I'll say this right off the bat.  You can't win pennants in April; but you can lose them.  I believe in good starts.  Having said that, I am not fixing my mind to chase down a division title just because we have a three game win streak going.  We know what this season is supposed to be for us.  We already have a list of things to do.  And most importantly, we know what kind of financial situation our owners are currently in.  So, no; I'm not living in the moment.  I still chose to adhere to the big picture.  But if things should go our way and the Mets do good things this season, I'm going to enjoy myself right along with you.

Do I have confidence in this team as presently constituted?  Yes...absolutely.  I never thought we were that much in a state of disrepair and far off from being fixable.  But I am telling you, I willingly chose to keep my optimism level in line with the pace of our changes.  I want to ensure we close out the last era of Met Baseball properly and seal that door shut for good, before I invest myself in a more promising outlook.  I'm not being a pessimist.  I'm being a realist.  Our eventual reality still relies on shedding Carlos Beltran and Francisco Rodriguez; addressing Jose Reyes' future with the Mets; and figuring out how get Johan Santana and Jason Bay healthy again and actually getting a return on all that money we're spending on them.

Here's something I live by.  You can't be disappointed with what you do not expect.  Therefore I have no expectations of the Mets and this season.  My mindset is more concerned with Sandy Alderson's continuing reconfiguration of the Mets.  That is priority number one for me.  Number two on the list is the situation our ownership finds themselves in.  Then third, I am concerned with the players and their performances on the field.

I assure you I'm happier this year than last.  But should the Mets be in a position of contention as the trade deadline nears, we should all be prepared for the Front Office doing nothing to enhance the roster, dollar wise.  But I am a Mets fan and I will enjoy myself between now and then.  I only suggest that we do not lose focus of who we really are in the present tense.  We are a team with a lot of problems and some questions that won three games in a row.

Again, I hope it doesn't sound like I'm being negative.  To the contrary, I'm very content with the team.  I like all our young players and I like the Front Office changes.  On the positive side, I think this season can sneak up on us like 1984 did.  Although I'm not suggesting we'll win 90 games.  I actually think we'll be just a .500 team.  But the kids will be pleasant to watch grow and we'll be contented with that.  We always were before if we knew we were up-ticking.

Change is still the order of the day.  Winning can be a happy by-product for us.  But remind yourselves, some losing is on the way also.  It's a long season folks.  Just refer to, and compare the Opening Loss hysteria versus the feel-good of winning three in a row.  It's too drastic a swing to start all that in April.
But if we do win tonight against the Phillies in game two of the series,  you're damn right I'm going to be happy about it.

However, I'm still not going to allow myself to talk about player performances after just four games and the first time through the starting rotation...   But just to show you this is still fun no matter how stoic I try to make myself sound.. -   Chris Young already has more hits and more strikeouts this season than Luis Castillo, Oliver Perez and John Maine combined.  Against the Philadelphia Phillies, Chris Young was the biggest two-way threat to take the field since Babe Ruth played for the Red Sox!

See?

Other stuff, like making fun of Cole Hamels and Phillies' fans, is stuff for a different post.

On it.




Mike.BTB

Spring Training: Met's Positional Players, My Anxiety

In no particular order, here is the Good, the Bad and the Ugly...

Mets Spring Training:  Positional Players

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CATCHER - ....has been a problem for the Mets since MIKE PIAZZA's last game and has gone unresolved to the present.  Omar has never really found a stable solution for this position.  Omar brought in PAUL LoDUCA to replace Piazza and was servicable for a year and 1/2.  It's been a revolving door ever since.

I would give the job outright to JOSH THOLE.  It's easy to get caught up in the sparkle of a promising September call-up like he experienced in '09.  Having said that, I don't think I'm getting caught up by a sparkling Sept. call-up.

The other options are OMIR SANTOS and HENRY BLANCO.  Bengie MOLINA chose against signing with the Mets for less money to stay in S.F.  Omar tried.  I cede him that.  But by no means was Molina a solution for the catching position.  At best he would have been the latest through the revolving door.

Back to Santos and Blanco, they are considered the defensive specialists.  Problem is they are both offensively challenged.  Let's be honest.  If you're going to tell me one of them is the starter while we continue to look for someone else and we're sending Thole to the farm for more seasoning.....That's fair.  If I'm being forced to be pragmatic about this....that's fair.  But my official stance is I would give the job to Thole.  My official opinion is Omar hasn't been able to give this position stability entering the 5th year since Piazza last played here.  And my sarcasm asks...Santos and Blanco?  Really?  Make the arguement why one of those two should start over Thole and get back to me.

I'm going to admit, all I want from my catchers is superlative defense.  I'm a Jerry Grote guy if that gives you an idea what I'm talking about.  Having said that....gimmie Thole.

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FIRSTBASE - I made it quite clear...I wanted Carlos Delgado back under a one-year deal...Like Jane wanted Damon back!  He is so close to 500 HR and 1600 RBI and I wanted him to do it as a Met.  If you know me by now and how I followed the Winter Leagues, even I have to admit he was not moving well and struggled in Puerto Rican League play.  I saw it for myself.  Ask me and I will tell you, in better days, it was Delgado and not J.Reyes that made the Mets' line-up dangerous. 

A quick digression which leads me into our other options.... When Carlos Delgado was a free agent he chose to go to Florida over us.  There were rumors and speculation it was because Tony Bernazard was playing the Latino Card and it turned Delgado off.  Omar traded to get Carlos Delgado anyway.  He traded a kid of ours at the time, Mike Jacobs.  Now we just re-signed Jacobs.

DANIEL MURPHY - This is tough for me.  We need more slugging from 1B.  It's just too hard to "hide" him in our line-up.  I like the kid and I want to be patient with him.  In 508 at-bat he only struck out 69 times and had 38 doubles, while batting .266 in his first full year.  It's something to work with.  He makes contact and maybe he can build upon and translate those doubles into something else.  Oh yea...He's still learning how to play the position.  He's still raw out there, but I won't say his glove is for self-defensive purposes only.  But this is such a tough call.  After you look at our options, we don't have much choice.

FERNANDO TATIS - ...again?  Really?  C'Mon!!  I'm all for a strict platoon at firstbase.  But are we doing this Tatis thing again?  Not happy.

MIKE JACOBS - ...is very interesting.  I was sorry to see him go in the Delgado deal.  He never lived up to the promise he showed here once he left.  He topped 30 HR in his career but has struggled away from "Shea".  I have mixed emotions about him.  I'm glad to see him back.  Maybe he can pick-up where he left off here and recapture some of that swing we saw and actually win the 1B job.  But Jacobs completes a cycle of sorts as he is here and Delgado is not.  Omar is literally back to where the 1B situation was when he arrived here for the 2005 season.

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SECOND BASE - ...Luis Castillo had a nice bounce back season.  He really got a bad rap around here for the foolish contract Omar signed him to, then offering up a stinker of a season in 2008.  But the truth is he's always been a .300 hitter with very solid defense.  Omar was killed routinely about Luis Castillo and still is.  All the talk here in NYC is Luis Castillo is the reason why we don't have Orlando Hudson playing 2B for us.  The Mets won't eat Castillo's contract.  I'm not drinking that HUDSON Kool-Aid.  I think Castillo can give us another season like he offered last year.  He was one of the few things that went right around here last year.  But he still gets a bad rap.  I myself don't like the contract Omar gave him, but I could be more critical of this situation than I am.  Side note...There is no one worth mentioning coming up from the farm.  It's Luis Castillo or bust Met fans.

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SHORTSTOP - this is easy.  If Jose Reyes is fully healthy, he's one of the most dynamic players in all of baseball.  If Jose Reyes, who has now lost two complete seasons to leg injuries that sandwich his career, is not healthy, meaning if his legs aren't the same, he is not Jose Reyes and is no longer one of the most dynamic players in baseball.  It's that simple.  His legs are what make him special.  If his legs are compromised, his unique skill is over.  Simple.

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THIRD BASE - David Wright.  He waited till his 5th full year in the league to have his Sophomore Jinx.  What happened to him last year?  Ya can't blame his lack of HRs on CitiField.  He was equally futile on the road.  His strike outs went through the roof.  Now it could have been because everyone dropped like flies around him in the line-up and it was just easier not to give David Wright a good pitch to hit.  Why would anyone have done that last year?  Maybe getting beaned in the head shook his batter's-box confidence a little.  That's just speculation on my part.  I expect David to bounce back and get back to what he's done between '05-'08.  But he needs a healthy Carlos Beltran in the line-up also.

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INFIELDERS - ALEX CORA, can play 1B, 2B, 3B and SS.  Another one of the few bright spots for the Mets last year with his ability to step in for injured players and actually improve the defense in the absense of the starter.  His attitude and leadership were heralded throughout the clubhouse.  He is rehabbed from thumb surgeries and ready for the season.

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LEFT FIELD - JASON BAY.  I can't knock this signing.  As a matter of fact it's about time.  LF has been another of Omar's revolving door postions.  One of Omar's fetishes is trying to capture lightning in a bottle from older players at the end of their careers and injury comebacks.  Omar, not once but twice, mistakenly signed Moises Alou for this position.  First time shame on me....second time shame on OMAR!  At least now with Jason Bay the position is settled for a few years.  There are some health concerns that scared the Red Sox away and a few other teams felt likewise.  The fact that I wouldn't trust the Met's Med Staff to put on a band-aid at current,  has to leave a small fraction of uncertainty in Met Minds.

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CENTER FIELD - CARLOS BELTRAN....out till June.  Surgery-Gate.  Who knew...Who didn't...who gave the OK?.....NON-SENSE!!  Front office buffoonery.  We just have to bide our time and wait, and that hopefully he comes back healthy and ready to contribute.  Carlos Beltran is a player who asked the Yankees to sign him for less money the Mets offered him.  He wound up here.  His first year here was a rough start especially with the fans.  The fans really got on his case his first year here.  I'd admit it, but I was not one of them.  Met fans can not get the image of him watching a curveball fall in for strike three to end the 2006 NLCS out of their minds.  And now because of this surgery snafu, I fear the Mets and Beltran are headed towards an ugly divorce.  That's just me.  I am a Beltran fan.  He is one of the few players, as they go, who signed for the big money then performed and delivered above his career averages after signing.  Usually teams fall into the trap of paying for past performance.  Beltran had his career years here.  Yet he gets critisized at every opportunity.  The rumor is he told Bengie Molina not to sign here.

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Until he gets back there's ANGEL PAGAN and FERNANDO MARTINEZ

ANGEL PAGAN is someone I've liked since he played with the Brooklyn Cyclones (A) in 2001.  In spring training of 2008 he was winning the day and himself a LF job.  Injury ended that.  Last year was another season waisted to injury also.  He's not a kid anymore however much Met fans thinks he still is.  But when he was on the field he always seamed in the mix, part of a rally and doing good things.  Beltran's injury is probably Pagan's last chance to show his worth here but he has to stay healthy.  If he can manage that he can be a good player for us.  I am pulling for him.
FERNANDO MARTINEZ, a product from the farm I claim doesn't exist anymore.  He was MVP of the Caribbean Series for his Dominican Republic team this winter.  He is still only 21 and seems to be our only "blue chipper".  That remains to be seen.  But I like this kid and want to see him get substantial time in CF in Beltran's absence.

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RIGHT FIELD - ...anyone the Braves don't want anymore I am skeptical of.  JEFF FRANCOEUR gives me the willies.  Another postion Omar has never straightened out is RF.  Remember Shawn Greene?  Remember all the other shleps we threw out there?  I bet you don't.  That's my point.  If the Braves gave up on him and accepted Ryan Church in return, whom they themselves did not retain, what does Omar see in Francoeur that John Schuerholz didn't?  If Schuerholz doesn't want him, I want everyone who reads this to ask themselves, why would I want him? I know he did well in the short time he was here last year.  Maybe a change of scenery will do him good.  Maybe we'll get the Francoeur of 2006-07.  Bottom Line > Jeff Francoeur is a roll of the dice.  I'm hoping we don't roll craps.

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That about covers the impotant stuff about the Mets positional players. The Mets offense will be living a precarious existence this season if ANYTHING goes wrong. There is just no room for error on this team and I don't see this team washing out the taste from our mouths in reference to the way the last 3 seasons have gone. I'm trying folks....I'm trying to be optimistic.

Let's Go Mets !!

(sigh)

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