The following is actually a comment I made to a post by a great author in the BloggerHood on
The Prince of New York's Baseball Blog (on Blogspot).
He makes a cogent case for the immediate hiring of Bobby Valentine as manager for the New York Mets. Visit and show him love . You'll be rewarded with a great read.
I am not averse to bringing Bobby Valentine back to METropolis and the reasons Paul touched upon pretty much explain why it looks to be the right move. Being that my comment below covers everything I wanted to get out in a post concerning the on-going Mess in Flushing, Omar, Bobby V and the Front Office anyway, I figured I'd just present things to you in it's original answer form.
as of: April 17
theBrooklynTrolleyBlogger said...
I'm not opposed to Bobby V. Here's the rub. Does Omar get to hire him and stay on as GM? I'd disagree with that.* Bobby V and Omar will not get along. They may have Texas in common but Omar is still a Phillips guy imported into the Met fold.* Their Met experiences are quite different. Bobby's personality will cause friction with Omar because he will want personnel input again, and because Valentine can verbalize much better than Omar can, I see nothing good coming from that relationship. I believe it can only get ugly. John Ricco? Bobby will eat him up too. At least Steve Phillips played in the minors. Ricco is a corporate guy and Bobby will have little respect for that. If we continue down this road Omar will hire Valentine and Omar still has to be fired. Bringing in Valentine only works if you bring in Hunsicker from T.B. to be GM in the same whacking of Manuel and Omar together. Hunsicker is the other half of the Valentine equation. They have a better working understanding of each other from their earlier Met experiences than Omar and Valentine will ever have. Then both of them can put Wilpon and his paranoia to bed and get this organization back to health. If Valentine is hired and we fire Omar and Hunsicker doesn't come here to be GM?...promote Valentine to GM and find another manager.
ALL this is if the Mets do not ask permission to talk to Larry Beinfest. You have to think if the next GM doesn't like Valentine...the Wilpons will not eat another contract for a manager they aren't employing. And I'm thinking what if Larry Beinfest doesn't like Bobby Valentine? We won't know until the Wilpons get it together and ask Jeff Loria for permission to speak with Beinfest and Mr. Wilpon compensates Mr. Loria handsomely. WAIT; Obviously not too long, but wait. See if Beinfest and Hunsicker are available. Then if you want to, whack Manuel. Acting hastily with Manuel just for the sake of hiring Valentine now, without certainty of the GM may be counter-productive. I know Valentine won't be out there forever, but that's why the Mets need to ACT quickly and see if these options are available. Again, I have mad respect for your word, but we can't act on Manuel without lining up Omar's replacement at the same time unless you can see V as our GM or, the Wilpons plan on forcing Bobby V on the new GM.*
Mike
BTB
post script ~ Bobby Valentine has a great managerial mind. But a fish rots from the head and the upper management of the NYM has my attention a little more that the field manager right now in spite of my not wanting Manuel to continue here much longer. We don't have much time because the players are starting to behave in open defiance of their manager. It's not a full-blown situation but it's getting chippy. We could use Bobby Valentine and we could use him now. But we also need to get this right and factor in a/the GM into this mess we call the Mets.
* sentence slightly modified from original comment for diction.
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Saturday, April 17, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
On Bobby Valentine
(on Bobby V)
We Know Bobby Valentine is:
*a good/brilliant manager who can lead this team. He gets the most out of players. He knows the game. He'll take loads of pressure off the players getting the media centered on him. We know his ego, tact and attitude (smugness) are tailor made for the NY media. We know his presence and changes in mood management will keep fans streaming into Citi seats until the Club gets it's act together.
*We also know when he was here last, he and Steve Phillips couldn't stand each other. Phillips was trying to save his power and Bobby wanted more of it with say in personnel matters. The Wilpons had to pick sides and they showed Bobby the door right around the same time his players were tuning him out anyway. It doesn't help today that Bobby Valentine was openly critical of the Wilpons then. Bobby wanted to know, - what about Steve? Well, he got shown the door shortly afterward also.
Question Number 1 = Does Fred Wilpon still hold a grudge? We learned from Dwight Gooden, Fred Wilpon can hold them a long time.
Question Number 2 = are we bringing Bobby Valentine in to be just a manager? Just a manager under Minaya? Under Ricco?
Question Number 3 = I ordinarily don't like to take these "steps" backward. Bobby V may be as cunning as Billy Martin was, but we aren't the Yanks and I believe in a forward marching system.
Are Met fans OK taking a page from the past to fix the present? Does this help the future of the organization beyond this season if Omar is allowed to stay on?
Here are my answers.
The Wilpons better be open minded to outside influences for any kind of success in Flushing.
No John Ricco, especially with Booby V under him. Bobby V will sense fear in him and eat him up.
If you bring in Bobby Valentine to manage I want Jerry Hunsicker as GM. Bobby Valentine is not to manage under Omar at any expense because Omar is a Steve Phillips guy. Omar and Valentine will clash and Valentine will verbalize it better than Omar can and things will get uglier from there. Omar may make the switch but then the Wilpons must make their move and accept Bobby V's stewardship and advice and either promote him to GM or bring in Hunsicker.
THIS IS ONLY A BACK UP PLAN for the Mets going out and seeking permission from the Marlins about offering Larry Beinfest the keys to METropolis.
New York Metropolitan BB Club - Go get Larry Beinfest at all costs! Loria could use the money. Bribe him. He'll do it! Get Larry Beinfest Now!
BTB
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.mlblogs.com/
We Know Bobby Valentine is:
*a good/brilliant manager who can lead this team. He gets the most out of players. He knows the game. He'll take loads of pressure off the players getting the media centered on him. We know his ego, tact and attitude (smugness) are tailor made for the NY media. We know his presence and changes in mood management will keep fans streaming into Citi seats until the Club gets it's act together.
*We also know when he was here last, he and Steve Phillips couldn't stand each other. Phillips was trying to save his power and Bobby wanted more of it with say in personnel matters. The Wilpons had to pick sides and they showed Bobby the door right around the same time his players were tuning him out anyway. It doesn't help today that Bobby Valentine was openly critical of the Wilpons then. Bobby wanted to know, - what about Steve? Well, he got shown the door shortly afterward also.
Question Number 1 = Does Fred Wilpon still hold a grudge? We learned from Dwight Gooden, Fred Wilpon can hold them a long time.
Question Number 2 = are we bringing Bobby Valentine in to be just a manager? Just a manager under Minaya? Under Ricco?
Question Number 3 = I ordinarily don't like to take these "steps" backward. Bobby V may be as cunning as Billy Martin was, but we aren't the Yanks and I believe in a forward marching system.
Are Met fans OK taking a page from the past to fix the present? Does this help the future of the organization beyond this season if Omar is allowed to stay on?
Here are my answers.
The Wilpons better be open minded to outside influences for any kind of success in Flushing.
No John Ricco, especially with Booby V under him. Bobby V will sense fear in him and eat him up.
If you bring in Bobby Valentine to manage I want Jerry Hunsicker as GM. Bobby Valentine is not to manage under Omar at any expense because Omar is a Steve Phillips guy. Omar and Valentine will clash and Valentine will verbalize it better than Omar can and things will get uglier from there. Omar may make the switch but then the Wilpons must make their move and accept Bobby V's stewardship and advice and either promote him to GM or bring in Hunsicker.
THIS IS ONLY A BACK UP PLAN for the Mets going out and seeking permission from the Marlins about offering Larry Beinfest the keys to METropolis.
New York Metropolitan BB Club - Go get Larry Beinfest at all costs! Loria could use the money. Bribe him. He'll do it! Get Larry Beinfest Now!
BTB
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.mlblogs.com/
LORD de los FLIES
Picture if you will:
A "Simon" in Adidas Spikes, trans-fixed on a pig's head mounted on a stick ninety feet away that speaks to Simon while it grips him in an hallucinatory trance.
"The Lord of the Flies" speaks to Simon of the Spikes,
"Come. Come get the "Beast". The Beast is here!"
Possessed to slay the Beast, Simon takes off! With every step of a gaining, intensifying charge, the chemicals released by his inner biology dopes him closer to the mind of "Roger - the Animal" now.
Enraged and high from the chase, newRoger of the Spikes, springs and pounces like the wild cats of the savanna at a point eighty feet from the start of his hunt. The prize lay ten feet ahead and Roger of the Adidas Spikes would savor his kill upon "Castle Rock".
The epidermis of the captured Beast was about to offer up its sweet taste of blood and the rewarding taste of conquering survival when just before glistening saliva waxed incisors made contact with prey... a startling realization snapped Roger of the Adidas Spikes out of his intoxicated Bacchic stupor;
He looked up and screamed to himself in disbelief, "Ay Caramba!! There's grown-ups on this island and they're all laughing at me!"
Well, the Beast turned out to be Jose Reyes standing on second base looking on as one of the grown-ups, second base Umpire Ron Kulpa was calling Luis Castillo out for attempting to steal second base while it was occupied by Reyes. Apparently Reyes didn't go on the front end of a double steal during Thursday night's game and Castillo never bothered to look up.
The next time you feel like your inner Roger the Animal wants to come out for some fun, take a second and think about what you're doing. And the next time you feel like you're getting rope-a-doped by your inner Simon, snap out of it before you find yourself with these expressions permanently etched on your face:
And the next time you find a pig's head on stick looking to make conversation you,
ignore it or pick up the third base coach.
Consider yourself slapped with a classic!
BTB
*******************************************
In a late developing METropoli-Gaffe:
On the upcoming series with the Cardinals,
Omar Minaya, GM of the Mets is reported to have said by SI.COM,
(paraphrasing)
'If we go into St. Louis and take two out of three I'll be very happy.
If we win one game, I'll take it.'
...and then I'm left to wonder why the Mets have been affording
Asst. GM John Ricco more room to roam.
These are comments by Minaya, GM of an organization,
whose owner declared as his mission statement more than once in the past,...
"I want to play meaningful games in September" - Fred Wilpon
My GM would be satisfied with one win in St. Louis this weekend.
My owner will like a meaningful game in September.
It's shooting kinda low if you ask me. But one thing at a time Boyz.
Ponderous
*******************************************
In a late developing METropoli-Gaffe:
On the upcoming series with the Cardinals,
Omar Minaya, GM of the Mets is reported to have said by SI.COM,
(paraphrasing)
'If we go into St. Louis and take two out of three I'll be very happy.
If we win one game, I'll take it.'
...and then I'm left to wonder why the Mets have been affording
Asst. GM John Ricco more room to roam.
These are comments by Minaya, GM of an organization,
whose owner declared as his mission statement more than once in the past,...
"I want to play meaningful games in September" - Fred Wilpon
My GM would be satisfied with one win in St. Louis this weekend.
My owner will like a meaningful game in September.
It's shooting kinda low if you ask me. But one thing at a time Boyz.
Ponderous
A Leap off the SideWalk into an OnComing Bus
The knock on Jerry Manuel in Chicago when he managed the White Sox was that as soon as things got a little bit hairy for him, he started throwing players under the bus. He pointed fingers so fast in Chicago's SouthSide that he looked like Neo in the Matrix.
: D ...don't mind me.
Fast forward to 2009. I or anybody else never understood what Ryan Church did to Jerry Manuel to get himself in Jerry's doghouse, but Church was a permanent resident. He did have a game where he failed to touch third as he rounded the bag...etc etc. The real rub stemmed from Church's post concussion syndrome. Manuel interpreted the symptoms otherwise if at all and basically viewed Ryan Church as a malingerer. If you're asking me, Church was being scape-goated for the team's troubles. Ramon Castro, back-up catcher, was also being scape-goated by Manuel, if you're asking me. He was suffering nagging injuries and it rubbed Manuel the wrong way. But in a year lost to injury all around, Church and Castro were identified by Manuel as malcontents because they showed a backbone against Jerry, who instigated Omar to trade them. Regardless of opinions about the trades, that's the way it went down.
Just in this last week alone, there are three current Mets that if they're not finding themselves under a bus, are speaking in open defiance of their manager.
A leap off the side walk into an on coming bus ~ CASE ONE:
John "RAIN" Maine; - After John Maine's performance Tuesday night, among other things broached by reporters, and offered up by Manuel, was John Maine's status in the starting rotation needed to be re-evaluated. It warranted concern and perhaps a change may be needed is the way I summarize it. He said they needed to have a discussion. Things started going terribly wrong that same night with the "He said, She said". A Mets' beat reporter, kept Manuel's comments in mind and yesterday asked John Maine if he was feeling better about Jerry Manuel's decision to keep him in the rotation. (revised decision = Jerry decided Maine should pitch when his turn comes around again. He hinted maybe a change was warranted Tuesday night, then decided Maine would stay in turn yesterday, all before or ever saying anything to John Maine since Manuel made his comments the previous night.) John Maine was taken back by the reporter's question saying he didn't even know taking him out of the rotation was even an option!
Uh - OH! A short time later on the Wednesday afternoon, John Maine was seen making a B-line into the manager's office. The team said it was a scheduled meeting. So now guess what the latest plan is? After pitching coach Dan Warthen and Maine looked over tapes and "stuff" (yea STUFF - because these guys are ponderous!) John Maine insisted he was going back to his old way of pitching and reverting to his style and abandoning the team's edict of concentrating on throwing strikes to minimize the big inning. It's their thinking folks...Not Mine! He said his style is fastballs high in the zone. John Maine must know something we don't because he needs to make up about 4 to 5 mph on his fastball to be taken seriously. Does he think those 5 mph are just going to come because he's abandoning the old plan? The team's concept is low in the zone and strikes. For a change I don't think it's the club's fault this kid is coming in at 88mph, but the lack of communication is. But John Maine has stated he is done with the Met's plan and he practically said it in those words. Me? I like the attitude, but no one is going to like the results. His 88 mph fastball looks like a grapefruit right now.
And lastly....Dan Warthen? C'mon with this guy. I wouldn't trust him to mail a letter for me. Rick Peterson was arrogant and instigated the Scott Kazmir trade, but we replaced him with Dan Warthen? And he's still here? Someone...Please?
CASE TWO: Jose Reyes ~ has stated over and over his reluctance to hit third in the line-up. Jerry Manuel has flirted with that idea for two years now has said Jose Reyes will be batting third when they open the series with the Cardinals in St. Louis. These two still have not seemed to reach a middle ground and Reyes continues to verbalize his displeasure with the idea. It appears to be item number two where a player is in open defiance of the manager.
CASE NUMBER THREE: Johan Santana ~ Monday the 12th was an off-day/travel day. Jerry Manuel flipped the rotation for the upcoming St. Louis series choosing to start HAIL (aka Oliver Perez) Friday, thereby giving Johan an added day off and not having him pitch after his normal 4 days off. Manuel said the extra day off would serve Johan well. Johan Santana responded to this move by saying, "There are times when you feel a little beat up and need the time to rest. This is not one of those times." This isn't something I would classify as an incident. It's just a drifting scent in the air of something that is turning sour.
I'm not hinting at anything. Am I? I'm just bringing you up to date on what's been going on and the reputation that followed Jerry out of Chicago. That's all. This is not a Fire Manuel Rant....is it? I think not.
Buses? Dangerous. Trolleys? Safe.
****Elsewhere in METropolis****
Remember that Great January the Mets had? Yea! Neither do I. In January the Mets signed two pitchers; Kelvim Escobar and R.A. Dickey.
R.A. Dickey. *sigh*
****The very latest in METropolis****
Sleet (aka - Jon Niese) pitched unimpressively Wednesday night to a no decision after the Mets got him off the hook by tying the game in the 9th inning. They wound up loosing the game on a walk-off HR in the 10th but what the hey... Unfortunately he did separate himself from his name a little more with this outing and the Mets ensured they'd loose their third straight series to start the season. Sorry kid. It's the WeatherBoyz (starting rotation) that concern me, not blowing Wednesday's game in extra innings.
Here's the SLEET line:
5 innings pitched
9 hits
5 runs, 5 earned
1 walk
2 strikeouts
1 home run
99 pitches
6.55 era
He's a youngster and I'm taking it easy on him. Keep at it Rook.
Today! The Colorado mound was the EAST and MIKE PELFREY was the Sun!! He was marvelous. He threw 7 shut-out innings today salvaging one game for the Mets in the last game of this series. He struck out 6 and walked none, gave up 5 hits and earned his second victory in as many tries. Atta' boy Mike!
They head to St. Louis now sporting a 3-6 record for the season. If they want to finish this road trip at .500 they need to take two of three from the Cardinals. Let me see....Next in line are HAIL, Johan and another dose of RAIN. But Rain promised he's going to be new and improved this time. I'll get back to you on that. We may have to re-name him yet again to REBEL.
****Tonight's Final Words of METrospection****
Assistant General Manager John Ricco had more to say this week and has gotten more press and face time than I care to see. He dealt in minor issues but it shows the Wilpons are forcing this guy into the mix. I am terrified by the prospect the Wilpons might be grooming this guy to be our next GM. Please JOBU No! Please tell me it isn't so.
That is all. Go back to your homes. There's nothing more to see here.
BTB
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.mlblogs.com/
: D ...don't mind me.
Fast forward to 2009. I or anybody else never understood what Ryan Church did to Jerry Manuel to get himself in Jerry's doghouse, but Church was a permanent resident. He did have a game where he failed to touch third as he rounded the bag...etc etc. The real rub stemmed from Church's post concussion syndrome. Manuel interpreted the symptoms otherwise if at all and basically viewed Ryan Church as a malingerer. If you're asking me, Church was being scape-goated for the team's troubles. Ramon Castro, back-up catcher, was also being scape-goated by Manuel, if you're asking me. He was suffering nagging injuries and it rubbed Manuel the wrong way. But in a year lost to injury all around, Church and Castro were identified by Manuel as malcontents because they showed a backbone against Jerry, who instigated Omar to trade them. Regardless of opinions about the trades, that's the way it went down.
Just in this last week alone, there are three current Mets that if they're not finding themselves under a bus, are speaking in open defiance of their manager.
A leap off the side walk into an on coming bus ~ CASE ONE:
John "RAIN" Maine; - After John Maine's performance Tuesday night, among other things broached by reporters, and offered up by Manuel, was John Maine's status in the starting rotation needed to be re-evaluated. It warranted concern and perhaps a change may be needed is the way I summarize it. He said they needed to have a discussion. Things started going terribly wrong that same night with the "He said, She said". A Mets' beat reporter, kept Manuel's comments in mind and yesterday asked John Maine if he was feeling better about Jerry Manuel's decision to keep him in the rotation. (revised decision = Jerry decided Maine should pitch when his turn comes around again. He hinted maybe a change was warranted Tuesday night, then decided Maine would stay in turn yesterday, all before or ever saying anything to John Maine since Manuel made his comments the previous night.) John Maine was taken back by the reporter's question saying he didn't even know taking him out of the rotation was even an option!
Uh - OH! A short time later on the Wednesday afternoon, John Maine was seen making a B-line into the manager's office. The team said it was a scheduled meeting. So now guess what the latest plan is? After pitching coach Dan Warthen and Maine looked over tapes and "stuff" (yea STUFF - because these guys are ponderous!) John Maine insisted he was going back to his old way of pitching and reverting to his style and abandoning the team's edict of concentrating on throwing strikes to minimize the big inning. It's their thinking folks...Not Mine! He said his style is fastballs high in the zone. John Maine must know something we don't because he needs to make up about 4 to 5 mph on his fastball to be taken seriously. Does he think those 5 mph are just going to come because he's abandoning the old plan? The team's concept is low in the zone and strikes. For a change I don't think it's the club's fault this kid is coming in at 88mph, but the lack of communication is. But John Maine has stated he is done with the Met's plan and he practically said it in those words. Me? I like the attitude, but no one is going to like the results. His 88 mph fastball looks like a grapefruit right now.
And lastly....Dan Warthen? C'mon with this guy. I wouldn't trust him to mail a letter for me. Rick Peterson was arrogant and instigated the Scott Kazmir trade, but we replaced him with Dan Warthen? And he's still here? Someone...Please?
CASE TWO: Jose Reyes ~ has stated over and over his reluctance to hit third in the line-up. Jerry Manuel has flirted with that idea for two years now has said Jose Reyes will be batting third when they open the series with the Cardinals in St. Louis. These two still have not seemed to reach a middle ground and Reyes continues to verbalize his displeasure with the idea. It appears to be item number two where a player is in open defiance of the manager.
CASE NUMBER THREE: Johan Santana ~ Monday the 12th was an off-day/travel day. Jerry Manuel flipped the rotation for the upcoming St. Louis series choosing to start HAIL (aka Oliver Perez) Friday, thereby giving Johan an added day off and not having him pitch after his normal 4 days off. Manuel said the extra day off would serve Johan well. Johan Santana responded to this move by saying, "There are times when you feel a little beat up and need the time to rest. This is not one of those times." This isn't something I would classify as an incident. It's just a drifting scent in the air of something that is turning sour.
I'm not hinting at anything. Am I? I'm just bringing you up to date on what's been going on and the reputation that followed Jerry out of Chicago. That's all. This is not a Fire Manuel Rant....is it? I think not.
Buses? Dangerous. Trolleys? Safe.
****Elsewhere in METropolis****
Remember that Great January the Mets had? Yea! Neither do I. In January the Mets signed two pitchers; Kelvim Escobar and R.A. Dickey.
R.A. Dickey. *sigh*
****The very latest in METropolis****
Sleet (aka - Jon Niese) pitched unimpressively Wednesday night to a no decision after the Mets got him off the hook by tying the game in the 9th inning. They wound up loosing the game on a walk-off HR in the 10th but what the hey... Unfortunately he did separate himself from his name a little more with this outing and the Mets ensured they'd loose their third straight series to start the season. Sorry kid. It's the WeatherBoyz (starting rotation) that concern me, not blowing Wednesday's game in extra innings.
Here's the SLEET line:
5 innings pitched
9 hits
5 runs, 5 earned
1 walk
2 strikeouts
1 home run
99 pitches
6.55 era
He's a youngster and I'm taking it easy on him. Keep at it Rook.
Today! The Colorado mound was the EAST and MIKE PELFREY was the Sun!! He was marvelous. He threw 7 shut-out innings today salvaging one game for the Mets in the last game of this series. He struck out 6 and walked none, gave up 5 hits and earned his second victory in as many tries. Atta' boy Mike!
They head to St. Louis now sporting a 3-6 record for the season. If they want to finish this road trip at .500 they need to take two of three from the Cardinals. Let me see....Next in line are HAIL, Johan and another dose of RAIN. But Rain promised he's going to be new and improved this time. I'll get back to you on that. We may have to re-name him yet again to REBEL.
****Tonight's Final Words of METrospection****
Assistant General Manager John Ricco had more to say this week and has gotten more press and face time than I care to see. He dealt in minor issues but it shows the Wilpons are forcing this guy into the mix. I am terrified by the prospect the Wilpons might be grooming this guy to be our next GM. Please JOBU No! Please tell me it isn't so.
That is all. Go back to your homes. There's nothing more to see here.
BTB
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.mlblogs.com/
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Jackie Robinson Day in MLB
Today Baseball celebrates Jackie Robinson
Today the Trolley takes you for a quick stop across the street from
where Ebbets Field used to stand.
Today's Jackie Robinson Day Celebration is brought to you by the students of
Public School - P.S. 375 Jackie Robinson and
Middle School - M.S Ebbets Field
McKeever Place between Sullivan Pl. and Montgomery Street, Brooklyn.
+public+school+and+middle+school.jpg)
.jpg)
+p.s.+375.jpg)
Modell's deserves another mention for keeping
Jackie's memory a part of our everyday lives here in Brooklyn.
Today the Trolley takes you for a quick stop across the street from
where Ebbets Field used to stand.
Today's Jackie Robinson Day Celebration is brought to you by the students of
Public School - P.S. 375 Jackie Robinson and
Middle School - M.S Ebbets Field
McKeever Place between Sullivan Pl. and Montgomery Street, Brooklyn.
+public+school+and+middle+school.jpg)
.jpg)
+p.s.+375.jpg)
Modell's deserves another mention for keeping
Jackie's memory a part of our everyday lives here in Brooklyn.
And from the archives is the plaque from the bank at Montague St. and Court St. in downtown Brooklyn where the offices of the Brooklyn Dodgers were located and where history was made.
Happy Jackie Robinson Day everyone!!
BTB
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Carlos Beltran, What's Next for Him?
Here's the Good, the Bad and the Ugly, and Reality.
I like Carlos Beltran. Let's get that out of the way. He is one of the few free agents, as they go, who signed for the big money and did better than his career averages and had his career year after signing.
He did not have a good first year here, and naturally the Boo-Birds, whom are always circling, ate him up. It affected him. I don't think he's really enjoyed himself here ever since, or ever at all. He asked the Yankees to sign him for less money than the Mets were offering him during his free agency period, but the Yanks didn't bite and he signed with the Mets.
This year he is coming off major knee surgery. The surgery itself was under contentious circumstances because the Mets and Beltran engaged in a He said, They said, I had authorization, We didn't authorize anything snafu! I'm telling you that has left a very sour taste in Beltran's mouth. One reason is because Beltran believes they've been mis-diagnosing him from the beginning, and because he believes the organization threw him under the bus over the operation itself. After that, I declared the divorce papers were being drawn up by the lawyers. His original due date was supposed to be May 2nd. THAT is not happening! He hasn't started any baseball activities yet. He hasn't even started running yet! He is in no condition to play and he will not be in any kind of condition to play by May 2nd.
After next year he will be a free agent again. After the road the Mets and Beltran have followed, do you really believe Carlos Beltran is in any hurry to come back early, any earlier than he has to, as long as that may be, when it isn't till next year he can attack his walk year with a healthy knee and a vengeance against the Mets. Remember his reluctance to come here in the first place and add in the feeling of being screwed over and you have, a vendetta. I'm sure 2011 will be a fantastic year for him. Why should he jeopardize his contract year in 2010 for the Mets? The divorce papers are being drawn up as we speak.
Now if the Mets are smart they'll do one of two things.
FIRST ~ Play dumb! Say nothing to him this year. Let him come back at his pace. Hopefully there will be time between the trade dead-line and his return, where he can show something and make a prospective trade partner interested. And if that be the case, Trade Him this year.
SECOND ~ If you can't trade him this year, hold him and let his contract expire. Offer him the arbitration, which he'll refuse and receive the compensatory picks when he goes.
It's really all they can do, so what I'm saying isn't much of a revelation. But if he can be back by June and get 45 games under his belt, the trade dead-line could be fruitful for all parties concerned.
Be sure of this much though, The divorce between Carlos Beltran and the New York Mets is as eminent as the McCourt's in L.A.
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I like Carlos Beltran. Let's get that out of the way. He is one of the few free agents, as they go, who signed for the big money and did better than his career averages and had his career year after signing.
He did not have a good first year here, and naturally the Boo-Birds, whom are always circling, ate him up. It affected him. I don't think he's really enjoyed himself here ever since, or ever at all. He asked the Yankees to sign him for less money than the Mets were offering him during his free agency period, but the Yanks didn't bite and he signed with the Mets.
This year he is coming off major knee surgery. The surgery itself was under contentious circumstances because the Mets and Beltran engaged in a He said, They said, I had authorization, We didn't authorize anything snafu! I'm telling you that has left a very sour taste in Beltran's mouth. One reason is because Beltran believes they've been mis-diagnosing him from the beginning, and because he believes the organization threw him under the bus over the operation itself. After that, I declared the divorce papers were being drawn up by the lawyers. His original due date was supposed to be May 2nd. THAT is not happening! He hasn't started any baseball activities yet. He hasn't even started running yet! He is in no condition to play and he will not be in any kind of condition to play by May 2nd.
After next year he will be a free agent again. After the road the Mets and Beltran have followed, do you really believe Carlos Beltran is in any hurry to come back early, any earlier than he has to, as long as that may be, when it isn't till next year he can attack his walk year with a healthy knee and a vengeance against the Mets. Remember his reluctance to come here in the first place and add in the feeling of being screwed over and you have, a vendetta. I'm sure 2011 will be a fantastic year for him. Why should he jeopardize his contract year in 2010 for the Mets? The divorce papers are being drawn up as we speak.
Now if the Mets are smart they'll do one of two things.
FIRST ~ Play dumb! Say nothing to him this year. Let him come back at his pace. Hopefully there will be time between the trade dead-line and his return, where he can show something and make a prospective trade partner interested. And if that be the case, Trade Him this year.
SECOND ~ If you can't trade him this year, hold him and let his contract expire. Offer him the arbitration, which he'll refuse and receive the compensatory picks when he goes.
It's really all they can do, so what I'm saying isn't much of a revelation. But if he can be back by June and get 45 games under his belt, the trade dead-line could be fruitful for all parties concerned.
Be sure of this much though, The divorce between Carlos Beltran and the New York Mets is as eminent as the McCourt's in L.A.
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.mlblogs.com/
Mets Soaked by RAIN in Colorado
(subliminal song of the day follows):
..Rocky Mountain Hiiiiiigh....Colorado and Rain!
..Rocky Mountain Hiiiiiiigh....Colorado and Rain!
Dear Colorado Head Grounds Keeper, on behalf of the NYM, I apologize for the large puddle of mud that used to be your mound. I hope you can restore it in time for tomorrow's game.
I oft wondered if fish really care if it's Raining outside or not. Wouldn't that be the equivalent of making a sunny day sunnier for us? What do they think about Rain? Do they say, "Hey it's raining out, don't swim so fast today...Be careful." OR "Hey it's really raining out there, better put on some SPF-40!"
I've noticed in different parts of the country it Rains differently. In South Florida, there are the obligatory random thunderstorms of the day. They say it never Rains in California but if you watch CNN you know that aint true. Here in the North East we usually get those blanketing steady downpours.
Native American Indians used to perform ritual dance to make it Rain. PacMan Jones had his own methods of making it Rain too. Yea-eeaya! The Addams Family had a cloud constantly hovering and Raining down on their house. And that reminds me this Gov't is engaged in Cloud-Seeding to induce Rain. Or so I think. DUNn Dunn dunn!!! Hoo Hoo hah hah hah hah hah!
Rain. If you tune into the Weather Channel tonight and see something that looks like this on the screen:
3 innings pitched.
8 runs, 8 earned
7 hits
3 walks
4 strikeouts
1 HR
Rockies bat around in the third inning.
12.38 era in two starts
0-2 record.
It just means there's a lot of RAIN headed your way. Ya might want to pack an umbrella.
There is a 25 mph wind blowing out tonight but only when the Rockies are at bat, otherwise Rain Rain Rain. While it continues to pour in the Met dugout and on the Colorado mound, the Rockies are cruising with an 8-1 lead in the 7th.
See people? I know this team and how it works. I know my baseball. I may be snarky in how I describe things, but I will not be denied. Panic? No! I'm a pragmatist. I call it as I see it. Tonight Luis Castillo was thrown out at 2nd base trying to stretch a single into a double in the top of the 6th with one out. When you're down 8-0 at the time, you just don't do that. But he did and was promptly gunned down. On the very next pitch and first to David Wright in his at-bat, he pulled a first pitch fastball to left for a HR. In the top of the 7th, with one out, and Fernando Tatis at second, Tatis did not tag up and advance to third on a fly to left center that was mid-warning track! Tatis wasn't even on the bag. He did some Cha-Cha step off second as if he was willing the left fielder to drop the fly ball. Ponderous! Matthews stranded him anyway by striking out. Matthews? What are Matthews and Tatis doing on this team? Matthews does not figure into any future plans. Tatis the Perp was stealing playing time and money tonight at 1st base. WHY are they on this team when we don't need them, and their replacements had fantastic springs and have not slowed down one bit since the AAA season kicked off? Fernando Martinez and Ike Davis must be called up to the club and this nonsense of Matthews and Tatis must stop. In the bottom of the 7th Angel Pagan and Jason Bay didn't communicate on an easy fly ball and it dropped in between them allowing another run to score making it an 11-2 game.
Panic Indeed!!!
You can continue to question me, or just stop being contrarians and take my word for it.
Some people just need to find out for themselves. I don't begrudge that. But if you needed the proof for any blanket statements I may have made....there ya go! I submit to you today's example of just one day in the season with our supposed #2 guy and the feeble play that seems to possess players when they don a Mets uniform these days.
Karma. Someone in this organization upset the Great JOBU and we're paying the price for that mis-step.
Everyone keeps pointing to the talent on this team and how it can change on the drop of a dime for us. Don't you know I get that? I get it. Why do you think I'm so discombobulated by the performance of this team over the last 3 years? They are the ultimate under-achievers. That's the rub!! We have as many stars around here as a Dean Martin Roast, and to watch them fail with such lugubriousness gives me pins and needles all over my body.
Let's assume SLEET earns a name tomorrow and the Mets win. The rubber game of this series will fall on Mike Pelfrey. That's not a bad spot to be in from my perspective. I welcome that. And I say that to also show I can be fair. If we can take 2 of three the way our pitching lines up for the next two games, I'll feel a lot better about HAIL opening the series against the Cardinals in St. Louis. Should HAIL fail, again, I have Johan next to salvage a game for us before RAIN blows in again. I can therefore end this road trip .500 going 3-3 and be very satisfied. That's the optimistic slice of pie for ya.
You know what happens when you get old? You understand Rain doesn't make the grass grow. Blood makes the grass grow. You'd have to take out your history books and deal in reality to get the meaning of that statement. Reading between the lines help. I know that's a little dark for a baseball blog. Every so often I burp out something politically uncivilized. I'm Ok now.
Rain can have devastating effects. Water erosion is no joke. Rain eroded my patience a little more tonight. Sleet goes tomorrow. That poor Colorado Grounds Keeper. Sorry dude!
The game is going into the bottom of the 8th. Rockies 11 - Mets 3. The Mets telecast team is resorting to taking calls from fans now. This is all so very yawn inspiring if I may say so myself. What else can they say without blurbing out the truth about what their eyes see and getting reprimanded for it.
RAIN on ME...Rain On Me...LOOOOVVVEEEE!!! RAIN ON ME!!! RAIN on Me!!
The game is now final. Rockies 11 ~ Mets 3 Jerry Manuel's Snoozers are now 2-5. I hope there is someone in the locker room smashing flat screens, throwing trash cans, knocking over the buffet table and screaming his head off in a rage about tonight's game, insisting this can not happen, this can not happen again, this can not happen again this early. I don't mean the Ground's Keeper either.
I'll say it a million times if I have to. I believe in good starts. I believe every game matters when you loose a division by one game as this team has, surrendering division leads late in September as this team has. You can point to any reason you want for that as long as you agree that poor play in April is as good as any reason you may have for loosing a division by a game. You can't win pennants in April, but you can loose them. 2007 was like that. They came on like gangbusters after Randolph got fired and were in the mix till the end. However their April and May were lethargic. In 2008 we lost the division by a game. Again I can point to a .500 April if you chose to blame Tom Glavine (don't get me started on him) for offering up a stinker. And what a stinker it was! Having seen it all with basically this same cast, I don't want to go through that again. Simple.
And lastly I offer you this little tid-bid. My right fielder Jeff Francoeur, said, "It's probably good if we got out of town for a while"...referring to the current road trip. I didn't say that folks. My right fielder did. Whose panicking now?
Rockie Mountain Hiiiiigh....Colorado and Rain!
Rockie Mountain Hiiiiigh....Colorado and Rain!
BTB
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.mlblogs.com/
..Rocky Mountain Hiiiiiigh....Colorado and Rain!
..Rocky Mountain Hiiiiiiigh....Colorado and Rain!
Dear Colorado Head Grounds Keeper, on behalf of the NYM, I apologize for the large puddle of mud that used to be your mound. I hope you can restore it in time for tomorrow's game.
I oft wondered if fish really care if it's Raining outside or not. Wouldn't that be the equivalent of making a sunny day sunnier for us? What do they think about Rain? Do they say, "Hey it's raining out, don't swim so fast today...Be careful." OR "Hey it's really raining out there, better put on some SPF-40!"
I've noticed in different parts of the country it Rains differently. In South Florida, there are the obligatory random thunderstorms of the day. They say it never Rains in California but if you watch CNN you know that aint true. Here in the North East we usually get those blanketing steady downpours.
Native American Indians used to perform ritual dance to make it Rain. PacMan Jones had his own methods of making it Rain too. Yea-eeaya! The Addams Family had a cloud constantly hovering and Raining down on their house. And that reminds me this Gov't is engaged in Cloud-Seeding to induce Rain. Or so I think. DUNn Dunn dunn!!! Hoo Hoo hah hah hah hah hah!
Rain. If you tune into the Weather Channel tonight and see something that looks like this on the screen:
3 innings pitched.
8 runs, 8 earned
7 hits
3 walks
4 strikeouts
1 HR
Rockies bat around in the third inning.
12.38 era in two starts
0-2 record.
It just means there's a lot of RAIN headed your way. Ya might want to pack an umbrella.
There is a 25 mph wind blowing out tonight but only when the Rockies are at bat, otherwise Rain Rain Rain. While it continues to pour in the Met dugout and on the Colorado mound, the Rockies are cruising with an 8-1 lead in the 7th.
See people? I know this team and how it works. I know my baseball. I may be snarky in how I describe things, but I will not be denied. Panic? No! I'm a pragmatist. I call it as I see it. Tonight Luis Castillo was thrown out at 2nd base trying to stretch a single into a double in the top of the 6th with one out. When you're down 8-0 at the time, you just don't do that. But he did and was promptly gunned down. On the very next pitch and first to David Wright in his at-bat, he pulled a first pitch fastball to left for a HR. In the top of the 7th, with one out, and Fernando Tatis at second, Tatis did not tag up and advance to third on a fly to left center that was mid-warning track! Tatis wasn't even on the bag. He did some Cha-Cha step off second as if he was willing the left fielder to drop the fly ball. Ponderous! Matthews stranded him anyway by striking out. Matthews? What are Matthews and Tatis doing on this team? Matthews does not figure into any future plans. Tatis the Perp was stealing playing time and money tonight at 1st base. WHY are they on this team when we don't need them, and their replacements had fantastic springs and have not slowed down one bit since the AAA season kicked off? Fernando Martinez and Ike Davis must be called up to the club and this nonsense of Matthews and Tatis must stop. In the bottom of the 7th Angel Pagan and Jason Bay didn't communicate on an easy fly ball and it dropped in between them allowing another run to score making it an 11-2 game.
Panic Indeed!!!
You can continue to question me, or just stop being contrarians and take my word for it.
Some people just need to find out for themselves. I don't begrudge that. But if you needed the proof for any blanket statements I may have made....there ya go! I submit to you today's example of just one day in the season with our supposed #2 guy and the feeble play that seems to possess players when they don a Mets uniform these days.
Karma. Someone in this organization upset the Great JOBU and we're paying the price for that mis-step.
Everyone keeps pointing to the talent on this team and how it can change on the drop of a dime for us. Don't you know I get that? I get it. Why do you think I'm so discombobulated by the performance of this team over the last 3 years? They are the ultimate under-achievers. That's the rub!! We have as many stars around here as a Dean Martin Roast, and to watch them fail with such lugubriousness gives me pins and needles all over my body.
Let's assume SLEET earns a name tomorrow and the Mets win. The rubber game of this series will fall on Mike Pelfrey. That's not a bad spot to be in from my perspective. I welcome that. And I say that to also show I can be fair. If we can take 2 of three the way our pitching lines up for the next two games, I'll feel a lot better about HAIL opening the series against the Cardinals in St. Louis. Should HAIL fail, again, I have Johan next to salvage a game for us before RAIN blows in again. I can therefore end this road trip .500 going 3-3 and be very satisfied. That's the optimistic slice of pie for ya.
You know what happens when you get old? You understand Rain doesn't make the grass grow. Blood makes the grass grow. You'd have to take out your history books and deal in reality to get the meaning of that statement. Reading between the lines help. I know that's a little dark for a baseball blog. Every so often I burp out something politically uncivilized. I'm Ok now.
Rain can have devastating effects. Water erosion is no joke. Rain eroded my patience a little more tonight. Sleet goes tomorrow. That poor Colorado Grounds Keeper. Sorry dude!
The game is going into the bottom of the 8th. Rockies 11 - Mets 3. The Mets telecast team is resorting to taking calls from fans now. This is all so very yawn inspiring if I may say so myself. What else can they say without blurbing out the truth about what their eyes see and getting reprimanded for it.
RAIN on ME...Rain On Me...LOOOOVVVEEEE!!! RAIN ON ME!!! RAIN on Me!!
The game is now final. Rockies 11 ~ Mets 3 Jerry Manuel's Snoozers are now 2-5. I hope there is someone in the locker room smashing flat screens, throwing trash cans, knocking over the buffet table and screaming his head off in a rage about tonight's game, insisting this can not happen, this can not happen again, this can not happen again this early. I don't mean the Ground's Keeper either.
I'll say it a million times if I have to. I believe in good starts. I believe every game matters when you loose a division by one game as this team has, surrendering division leads late in September as this team has. You can point to any reason you want for that as long as you agree that poor play in April is as good as any reason you may have for loosing a division by a game. You can't win pennants in April, but you can loose them. 2007 was like that. They came on like gangbusters after Randolph got fired and were in the mix till the end. However their April and May were lethargic. In 2008 we lost the division by a game. Again I can point to a .500 April if you chose to blame Tom Glavine (don't get me started on him) for offering up a stinker. And what a stinker it was! Having seen it all with basically this same cast, I don't want to go through that again. Simple.
And lastly I offer you this little tid-bid. My right fielder Jeff Francoeur, said, "It's probably good if we got out of town for a while"...referring to the current road trip. I didn't say that folks. My right fielder did. Whose panicking now?
Rockie Mountain Hiiiiigh....Colorado and Rain!
Rockie Mountain Hiiiiigh....Colorado and Rain!
BTB
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.mlblogs.com/
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Rangers' Season Finished - Now I Pick-It Apart
It took 82 games, 5 minutes and three attempts in a shoot-out for the BlueShirt season to end. But end it did with Henrik slamming his goalie stick in the corridor exiting the ice. If you were watching on TV you saw it just before they cut away. That is the lasting image I take away from this arduous season. It would have been the puck going through Henrik's pads for the shoot-out clincher that sent Philly to the play-offs, and us home. But they kept the camera on the team leaving the ice with Henrik leading the single file and caught Lundqvist in his moment of disgust and frustration. The second player behind him, Jokenen, also slammed his stick but is wasn't nearly as convincing as Henrik's slam down. As a matter of fact it looked as if he shank-ed the slam. There was a second attempt to correct and improve the stick-slam. He blew that one too, just as he didn't get off a good attempt in the shoot-out, and just kept heading towards the locker room as the telecast went to studio commentary and the Ranger's season faded to black.
You saw, you read it, I tried. I got behind them like a good fan of his team should. But with the season over without a playoff birth, it's time for an after season review and give out credit where it's due and criticize where it's warranted.
Ownership ~ Jim Dolan.
If Zeke (Isiah Thomas) didn't get embroiled in a sexual harassment suit, he'd probably still be running (ruining) the Knicks today. Dolan was befuddlingly loyal to Zeke. But that lawsuit, and Dolan's having to take the stand may have left a sour taste in Jim's mouth that he needed to act on. Glen Sather is the Rangers GM for nine years now. We didn't make the playoffs after 5 of those seasons, to include this one. Four times we made the playoffs, we reached the second round twice and lost, otherwise we didn't make it out the first round. Jim Dolan has shown unwavering loyalty for Sather, as he did with Zeke. Perhaps in Jim's view he may have already asked himself, "how do I replace a legendary Glen Sather?" At face value and based on past achievements, that's fair. But Jim Dolan seems more interested in playing in his band, than insuring his fan base is happy with the product. As long as we fill MSG, why worry? It's safe to say Jim Dolan is not a passionate sport fan. Is it? I may be assuming too much. This toy was given to him by his father, and it's different when you're emotionally invested and helped build something into your vision. The Knicks, Rangers and MSG were spun off from the parent company because for years the Dolans have been trying to make Cablevision a privately held company. Maybe they will no longer consider the teams a core asset and eventually sell the teams and MSG.
President of Operations and General Manager ~ Glen Sather.
Nine Years. No cup. Five years of no playoffs. Four years of playoff appearances. Two first round eliminations. Two second round eliminations. No stand-out star from the farm system in 9 years under Don Maloney and Gordie Clark running player development. Staal , Dubinsky and Callahan seem to be the best they've produced thus far. Signed players to horrible free agent contracts; Roszival, Redden, Gomez, Zherdev, etc. He does not speak to the media. He's allowed to operate with no accountability to the fans, season ticket holders, media or the like. He is still salary-cap challenged when many other GM's (i.e. Lou Lamoriello) have adjusted and managed it well. Jaromir Jagr and Gaborik represent the two highest end acquisitions on the offensive side. Henrik Lundqvist was procured during this administration also. Glen Sather has taken a band-aid, and fix it on the go approach as GM of this organization. In the last three years alone he's flipped the roster considerably at each season's end. That is not a plan.
Let's examine and isolate this season. Blair Betts and Colton Orr's services were not retained. The solution? Donald Brashiere, who was a complete not factor and total net zero contributor in the Rangers season. It wasn't till Sather acquired Shelley and Prust at the trade deadline that his gross oversight was addressed and corrected. By then it was too late. The middle part of the season was a horrific stretch for an out gunned, over matched, undersized cast of third line players, bar Gaborik.
The turn over rate for players in Blueshirts over the last 9 years is numbing already. If there indeed is a plan in place, I haven't been clued in yet, nor have I identified it yet. It exists in Glen Sather's mind only and if he doesn't have to talk to anybody about anything, then what are we left to think? If the imaginations and consternation's of Ranger fans run wild because of it, blame Sather the Silent.
Player Scouting and Development ~ Under Don Maloney and Gordie Clark
Even before these two gentlemen were put in place, my concerns about the draft and development philosophy already existed. It just so happens neither of these two gentlemen has done anything to change my opinion. Who was the last hulking defenseman this team drafted that made it? Who was the last big, bruising snarling forward this team has ever drafted and made it? Where at the very least is our next Nick Fotiu? We are still waiting. This team has always preferred to draft small, speedy smurphs at the forward position. This team has always drafted goalies well and we've never really had to go long without someone very competent in net; from J.D. to Beezer to Richter, to Lundqvist we've been OK in net. You can throw Montoya, our highly touted prospect in the mix too, just to be fair.
We've been through a lot of prospects and players coming through the system that are non factors today going back to the lockout. Moore, Hollweg, Ortmeyer, Tyutin, Prucca date back to then. Today we are banking on Dubinsky, Callahan, Staal and Girardi. It seems like Gordie Clark has improved the system from where Don Maloney built it up for his part. The reviews out of Hartford and his drafting have been positive. But talk to me when this team decides it time to draft big snarling skaters instead of the smaller more elusive European speed skater.
Head Coach ~ John Tortorella
OK he's crazy. We know that much. Crazy is as crazy does. Crazy got him a CUP. Crazy got another crazy coach a CUP once too; Mike Keenan. So we know you can be crazy but still win a Stanley Cup.
John Torts has a bunker mentality. He doesn't mind telling the media to stick it you know where and isn't interested in the ramifications. It got him in trouble before. He'll probably be in trouble because of it again. There's a definite bite that comes along with his bark when dealing with the media. But if you listen closely, and disregard the pompous jerk saying the words, he's not saying anything really outrageous and in the heat of the moment, such as after a bad game you're on the media carpet for....I just don't think the media has to have their every whim satisfied to their fancy. Torts just isn't hesitant to verbalize that notion.
But he does the darnedest things at the darnedest times. Benching Avery in last year's playoffs, his own actions during the playoffs that earned him a night of house arrest, pulling Henrik recently during the failed play-off push are three things that easily come to mind. He was constantly changing line combinations from game to game, period to period, and even shift to shift. More of that should fall on Sather, but Torts needed to define roles a little better. He was only working with what he had though. Henrik said it himself, and this is why you can't be too hard on Torts, - "when your forth line is your best line, you're in trouble." Spoken like a true King, Henrik. But a guy like Torts is hard to work for. He's a guy built for the short burst, the short series, the tourney, a Cup run. Over a long season, the longest of the Big Four, a guy like Torts can really wear on you and it's really easy to tune a guy like that out. Guys like Torts must find that fine line...a delicate balance between being hard but fair.
I'd be willing to go into next season with him as our Head Coach.
These are the most pressing matters facing the New York Rangers if you're asking me. The players are simply a game of who do you keep and you do you let go. We'll tackle that in the next installment of this Rangers analysis.
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/
You saw, you read it, I tried. I got behind them like a good fan of his team should. But with the season over without a playoff birth, it's time for an after season review and give out credit where it's due and criticize where it's warranted.
Ownership ~ Jim Dolan.
If Zeke (Isiah Thomas) didn't get embroiled in a sexual harassment suit, he'd probably still be running (ruining) the Knicks today. Dolan was befuddlingly loyal to Zeke. But that lawsuit, and Dolan's having to take the stand may have left a sour taste in Jim's mouth that he needed to act on. Glen Sather is the Rangers GM for nine years now. We didn't make the playoffs after 5 of those seasons, to include this one. Four times we made the playoffs, we reached the second round twice and lost, otherwise we didn't make it out the first round. Jim Dolan has shown unwavering loyalty for Sather, as he did with Zeke. Perhaps in Jim's view he may have already asked himself, "how do I replace a legendary Glen Sather?" At face value and based on past achievements, that's fair. But Jim Dolan seems more interested in playing in his band, than insuring his fan base is happy with the product. As long as we fill MSG, why worry? It's safe to say Jim Dolan is not a passionate sport fan. Is it? I may be assuming too much. This toy was given to him by his father, and it's different when you're emotionally invested and helped build something into your vision. The Knicks, Rangers and MSG were spun off from the parent company because for years the Dolans have been trying to make Cablevision a privately held company. Maybe they will no longer consider the teams a core asset and eventually sell the teams and MSG.
President of Operations and General Manager ~ Glen Sather.
Nine Years. No cup. Five years of no playoffs. Four years of playoff appearances. Two first round eliminations. Two second round eliminations. No stand-out star from the farm system in 9 years under Don Maloney and Gordie Clark running player development. Staal , Dubinsky and Callahan seem to be the best they've produced thus far. Signed players to horrible free agent contracts; Roszival, Redden, Gomez, Zherdev, etc. He does not speak to the media. He's allowed to operate with no accountability to the fans, season ticket holders, media or the like. He is still salary-cap challenged when many other GM's (i.e. Lou Lamoriello) have adjusted and managed it well. Jaromir Jagr and Gaborik represent the two highest end acquisitions on the offensive side. Henrik Lundqvist was procured during this administration also. Glen Sather has taken a band-aid, and fix it on the go approach as GM of this organization. In the last three years alone he's flipped the roster considerably at each season's end. That is not a plan.
Let's examine and isolate this season. Blair Betts and Colton Orr's services were not retained. The solution? Donald Brashiere, who was a complete not factor and total net zero contributor in the Rangers season. It wasn't till Sather acquired Shelley and Prust at the trade deadline that his gross oversight was addressed and corrected. By then it was too late. The middle part of the season was a horrific stretch for an out gunned, over matched, undersized cast of third line players, bar Gaborik.
The turn over rate for players in Blueshirts over the last 9 years is numbing already. If there indeed is a plan in place, I haven't been clued in yet, nor have I identified it yet. It exists in Glen Sather's mind only and if he doesn't have to talk to anybody about anything, then what are we left to think? If the imaginations and consternation's of Ranger fans run wild because of it, blame Sather the Silent.
Player Scouting and Development ~ Under Don Maloney and Gordie Clark
Even before these two gentlemen were put in place, my concerns about the draft and development philosophy already existed. It just so happens neither of these two gentlemen has done anything to change my opinion. Who was the last hulking defenseman this team drafted that made it? Who was the last big, bruising snarling forward this team has ever drafted and made it? Where at the very least is our next Nick Fotiu? We are still waiting. This team has always preferred to draft small, speedy smurphs at the forward position. This team has always drafted goalies well and we've never really had to go long without someone very competent in net; from J.D. to Beezer to Richter, to Lundqvist we've been OK in net. You can throw Montoya, our highly touted prospect in the mix too, just to be fair.
We've been through a lot of prospects and players coming through the system that are non factors today going back to the lockout. Moore, Hollweg, Ortmeyer, Tyutin, Prucca date back to then. Today we are banking on Dubinsky, Callahan, Staal and Girardi. It seems like Gordie Clark has improved the system from where Don Maloney built it up for his part. The reviews out of Hartford and his drafting have been positive. But talk to me when this team decides it time to draft big snarling skaters instead of the smaller more elusive European speed skater.
Head Coach ~ John Tortorella
OK he's crazy. We know that much. Crazy is as crazy does. Crazy got him a CUP. Crazy got another crazy coach a CUP once too; Mike Keenan. So we know you can be crazy but still win a Stanley Cup.
John Torts has a bunker mentality. He doesn't mind telling the media to stick it you know where and isn't interested in the ramifications. It got him in trouble before. He'll probably be in trouble because of it again. There's a definite bite that comes along with his bark when dealing with the media. But if you listen closely, and disregard the pompous jerk saying the words, he's not saying anything really outrageous and in the heat of the moment, such as after a bad game you're on the media carpet for....I just don't think the media has to have their every whim satisfied to their fancy. Torts just isn't hesitant to verbalize that notion.
But he does the darnedest things at the darnedest times. Benching Avery in last year's playoffs, his own actions during the playoffs that earned him a night of house arrest, pulling Henrik recently during the failed play-off push are three things that easily come to mind. He was constantly changing line combinations from game to game, period to period, and even shift to shift. More of that should fall on Sather, but Torts needed to define roles a little better. He was only working with what he had though. Henrik said it himself, and this is why you can't be too hard on Torts, - "when your forth line is your best line, you're in trouble." Spoken like a true King, Henrik. But a guy like Torts is hard to work for. He's a guy built for the short burst, the short series, the tourney, a Cup run. Over a long season, the longest of the Big Four, a guy like Torts can really wear on you and it's really easy to tune a guy like that out. Guys like Torts must find that fine line...a delicate balance between being hard but fair.
I'd be willing to go into next season with him as our Head Coach.
These are the most pressing matters facing the New York Rangers if you're asking me. The players are simply a game of who do you keep and you do you let go. We'll tackle that in the next installment of this Rangers analysis.
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/
Monday, April 12, 2010
Week One METrospections
Today is the one week mark of the 2010 season. If you're a Met fan, it's week 26 of the 2009 season.
It's not wrong to take this tone. The Mets lost their two opening series' of 2010 to the two teams we are hoping to finish the season ahead of in our division. We lost two of three to the Marlins and we lost two of three to the Nationals. Both times we lost the rubber game of the series. It's not necessarily the loosing that bewilders me. It's the manner of play that irks me. In the first 6 games of the season at home, I've seen way too much bad base running, poor fundamentals, lack of situational awareness, no clutch hitting and everything else you would think this team should have purged itself from the 2007 thru 2009 seasons.
Jerry Manuel questioned the team's intensity after 6 games into the season. If he can do it why can't I?
Oh, by the way.....Hey Jerry!!! That's your job!! You have one job - get your team ready to play! If you come out and say they aren't playing with intensity, are you talking to me or Omar? Because if you're talking to me, I'm telling you to update your resume. If you're talking to Omar, I'm still telling you to update your resume.
I still see the same issues that have plagued this team, injuries aside. They just have not played good fundamental baseball under Jerry Manuel. Period. I'm just saying. I'm not rushing to fire Manuel, per say. But when you continually do the things you've done wrong, wrong - I think it's time to stop the insanity already. For Manuel to say something like that, he's just indicting himself.
Two wins versus four losses, six games into the season isn't what's bothering me. Loosing to the teams you're supposed to finish ahead of in the standings isn't what's bothering me.
What's bothering me is I'm watching a continuation of the 2007, 2008, 2009 debacles. I see nothing different in this team's disposition or demeanor. The hustle isn't there. A disregard for fundamentals is!
They still aren't running balls out and it's bit them in the butt EVERY time! That's what bothers me. It's not coming from new guy KRod, it's not coming from semi-new guy Santana, it's not coming from new guy Bay.....it's coming from the players that have been here for a bit who are still committing the same mental gaffes they've been committing for 3 years.
I want to change the channel and get some new stuff to watch. Every time I channel surf though, all I see is NY Mets re-runs from the last 3 years.
Enough! Jerry, seriously, start updating your resume. I know that's still not going to help this team. Their problems are more deep rooted than just Manuel. If April 12th seems a little too early for some Spring Cleaning in Flushing....I submit to you week 26 of 2009 is too late then.
It's not short sightedness or impatience. It's called being tired of the same brown bag of burning dung on my porch. But this time I'm not going to try and stamp it out and track all that stuff in my house. NO! This time I'm scooping it up and flinging it into the fan. Let someone else be in the way this time because they're trying my patience awfully early this time around.
By the way...Don't expect the Beltran of old when he returns. It's just not going to happen.
Rain goes for the Mets tonight in the opening game of the series with Colorado. The forcast calls for 40 mph winds in Denver tonight. Wind and Rain is not a good mix. The Rockies are a good team. I hope the Mets packed their intensity for this trip. Otherwise things may get real ugly. And yes I know! It really is too early for this.
That is all. Go back to your farms now. There's nothing more to see here.
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.mlblogs.com/
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/
It's not wrong to take this tone. The Mets lost their two opening series' of 2010 to the two teams we are hoping to finish the season ahead of in our division. We lost two of three to the Marlins and we lost two of three to the Nationals. Both times we lost the rubber game of the series. It's not necessarily the loosing that bewilders me. It's the manner of play that irks me. In the first 6 games of the season at home, I've seen way too much bad base running, poor fundamentals, lack of situational awareness, no clutch hitting and everything else you would think this team should have purged itself from the 2007 thru 2009 seasons.
Jerry Manuel questioned the team's intensity after 6 games into the season. If he can do it why can't I?
Oh, by the way.....Hey Jerry!!! That's your job!! You have one job - get your team ready to play! If you come out and say they aren't playing with intensity, are you talking to me or Omar? Because if you're talking to me, I'm telling you to update your resume. If you're talking to Omar, I'm still telling you to update your resume.
I still see the same issues that have plagued this team, injuries aside. They just have not played good fundamental baseball under Jerry Manuel. Period. I'm just saying. I'm not rushing to fire Manuel, per say. But when you continually do the things you've done wrong, wrong - I think it's time to stop the insanity already. For Manuel to say something like that, he's just indicting himself.
Two wins versus four losses, six games into the season isn't what's bothering me. Loosing to the teams you're supposed to finish ahead of in the standings isn't what's bothering me.
What's bothering me is I'm watching a continuation of the 2007, 2008, 2009 debacles. I see nothing different in this team's disposition or demeanor. The hustle isn't there. A disregard for fundamentals is!
They still aren't running balls out and it's bit them in the butt EVERY time! That's what bothers me. It's not coming from new guy KRod, it's not coming from semi-new guy Santana, it's not coming from new guy Bay.....it's coming from the players that have been here for a bit who are still committing the same mental gaffes they've been committing for 3 years.
I want to change the channel and get some new stuff to watch. Every time I channel surf though, all I see is NY Mets re-runs from the last 3 years.
Enough! Jerry, seriously, start updating your resume. I know that's still not going to help this team. Their problems are more deep rooted than just Manuel. If April 12th seems a little too early for some Spring Cleaning in Flushing....I submit to you week 26 of 2009 is too late then.
It's not short sightedness or impatience. It's called being tired of the same brown bag of burning dung on my porch. But this time I'm not going to try and stamp it out and track all that stuff in my house. NO! This time I'm scooping it up and flinging it into the fan. Let someone else be in the way this time because they're trying my patience awfully early this time around.
By the way...Don't expect the Beltran of old when he returns. It's just not going to happen.
Rain goes for the Mets tonight in the opening game of the series with Colorado. The forcast calls for 40 mph winds in Denver tonight. Wind and Rain is not a good mix. The Rockies are a good team. I hope the Mets packed their intensity for this trip. Otherwise things may get real ugly. And yes I know! It really is too early for this.
That is all. Go back to your farms now. There's nothing more to see here.
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.mlblogs.com/
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/
Sunday, April 11, 2010
This Ranger Fan Taps His Stick
The Devils clinched the division tonight
with a rout over the N.Y. Islanders.
As a Rangers fan, trust me I have plenty to keep my mind occupied and focused elsewhere.
But while I have hockey on the mind, congratulations is due to Martin Brodeur for doing what's never been done...twice. He keeps adding to his own shut-out record for goalies by recording his 115th recently. In the same night he achieved win number 600.
There is no conflict. I am a Rangers fan. But since the Devils arrived here from Colorado in the early 80's, I've enjoyed having them as a neighbor. I'm sure I would feel very differently if we hadn't beaten them in 1994. But we did. And therefore I have good feelings towards Brodeur, Scott Stevens, and a host of other Devils with Big Lou running the show whom I met at MSG and he graciously signed my program.
C'mon. 600 wins! And I've basically watched at least 80% of them just being a hockey fan and watching all the games at night.
The guy is great. He goes under-appreciated as a genuine sports star because Hockey just doesn't get any air or print space large enough to be noticed. His greatness needs to be spoken about and I feel this needed to be said.
Big Lou has created a Hockey machine and it can be argued he's the best executive in the Metro area and one of the best in all of sports. I also happen to think their logo is among the best in sports also.
My vested hatred in a rival was already wrapped up in the Islanders. So when the Devils came here I was more curious and intrigued than anything else. After players like Shanahan and Verbeek, and Richer and McLean etc...they had my attention. I remember the first time they made the playoffs as Devils. I felt good for them. It's been a Hellish run for the NHL ever since. I'm glad they've been been doing Devilish things in our backyard for what is approaching 30 years soon.
Top to bottom, there's a lot you can learn from a Devil.
If esp*.com won't blog about the Devils, I guess I will!
BTB
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/
with a rout over the N.Y. Islanders.
As a Rangers fan, trust me I have plenty to keep my mind occupied and focused elsewhere.
But while I have hockey on the mind, congratulations is due to Martin Brodeur for doing what's never been done...twice. He keeps adding to his own shut-out record for goalies by recording his 115th recently. In the same night he achieved win number 600.
There is no conflict. I am a Rangers fan. But since the Devils arrived here from Colorado in the early 80's, I've enjoyed having them as a neighbor. I'm sure I would feel very differently if we hadn't beaten them in 1994. But we did. And therefore I have good feelings towards Brodeur, Scott Stevens, and a host of other Devils with Big Lou running the show whom I met at MSG and he graciously signed my program.
C'mon. 600 wins! And I've basically watched at least 80% of them just being a hockey fan and watching all the games at night.
The guy is great. He goes under-appreciated as a genuine sports star because Hockey just doesn't get any air or print space large enough to be noticed. His greatness needs to be spoken about and I feel this needed to be said.
Big Lou has created a Hockey machine and it can be argued he's the best executive in the Metro area and one of the best in all of sports. I also happen to think their logo is among the best in sports also.
My vested hatred in a rival was already wrapped up in the Islanders. So when the Devils came here I was more curious and intrigued than anything else. After players like Shanahan and Verbeek, and Richer and McLean etc...they had my attention. I remember the first time they made the playoffs as Devils. I felt good for them. It's been a Hellish run for the NHL ever since. I'm glad they've been been doing Devilish things in our backyard for what is approaching 30 years soon.
Top to bottom, there's a lot you can learn from a Devil.
If esp*.com won't blog about the Devils, I guess I will!
BTB
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/
GameDay: New York vs. Philadelphia
Sunday April 11, 2010 Philadelphia 2:00 pm
The latest: The Bruins won and with two more points the Rangers now have to win today to get into the tourney. Prior to Boston winning yesterday, The Rangers just needed one point to secure their birth into the playoffs. Today, they now need both points in regulation in order to advance. Today's looser goes home to make summer vacation plans. See you later this afternoon.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Brooklyn Bridge Park Construction: Part I
Construction at Fulton Landing January 2010
As/of March 1st, 2010
BQE, B'klyn Hieghts, Promenade
Furman Street
Johan and the WeatherBoyz
Jose Reyes started at shortstop for the Mets today! I'll get to him another time.
The Mets' Pitching Staff made it's first go 'round of the season. All four mound loiterers paid to be a part of, and start a game for the Mets this season and Johan Santana have one game under their belt. I guess you can call this the initial evaluation through the first five games for Johan and the WeatherBoyz, aka my Starting Rotation (some names with-held).
As we broke camp and headed north, the Mets Starting Rotation was named as follows:
1) - Johan Santana
2) - Rain
3) - Snow
4) - Sleet
5) - Hail
Johan Santana won his Opening Day start.
In Game Two, Rain had his chance and did nothing to change his name. He will continue to be referred to as Rain until his clouds start to break-up or BTB notifies you otherwise.
Then came Game Three started by Snow. Snow is nice. I appreciate snow while it's falling and while it's still, quiet and white. Then life takes over and makes slush. I am not disappointed with Snow's performance in Game 3. He's a rook, and he showed some good stuff. It just got slushy at the end. So I give Snow an E for Effort. Snow looks like he'll earn his stripes fairly quickly if his first start is an indication. Hang in there Rook. You'll earn your name back soon.
In Game Four, Sleet, aka, Mike Pelfrey got his first win of the season. He's got a real hard sinker that's always caught my attention. He's working hard on a third pitch. He pitched himself a good game and the BTB decided he is to be called by his rightful name. Welcome in from the weather Mike.
Ahh. Game Five and el Lancador (that's pitcher) Senor Hail. I've seen worse outings from him than the one he offered up today. We lost to the Nationals today by the way. Remember I told you we'd do squat against them?....Just like the lead Bugs Bunny had on Cecil Turtle and still lost. Ponderous! I digress.
Hail? How did we get into this situation? Omar resigned him for $36 Million! Ponderous! I wouldn't recommend driving every 5th day in NYC due to threats of HAIL coming off Flushing Bay when he's pitching.
So as for the Mets' Starting Rotation we have two hard names on the list, one push but coming on, and we still have some weather phenomena to deal with every 2nd to 5th day of the cycle.
Sometimes it Snows in April folks. If you live in the northern parts of this country, you know what I'm talkin about. The weather is always wacky in April. That's fair enough. I guess my mistake was the day I forgot to read the paper to learn the Mets signed El Nino to pitch for us. Omar, why don't you sign Global Warming and Al Gore to round out the top four? Why Omar Minaya chose to use my starting rotation to play X-Files? - I'll never know.
Johan is on the mound for us again tomorrow and then we're off to Colorado where I'm sure the weather is tropical compared to all the wintry slush we've been pitching up at Citi Field.
Mike, BTB
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/
The Mets' Pitching Staff made it's first go 'round of the season. All four mound loiterers paid to be a part of, and start a game for the Mets this season and Johan Santana have one game under their belt. I guess you can call this the initial evaluation through the first five games for Johan and the WeatherBoyz, aka my Starting Rotation (some names with-held).
As we broke camp and headed north, the Mets Starting Rotation was named as follows:
1) - Johan Santana
2) - Rain
3) - Snow
4) - Sleet
5) - Hail
Johan Santana won his Opening Day start.
In Game Two, Rain had his chance and did nothing to change his name. He will continue to be referred to as Rain until his clouds start to break-up or BTB notifies you otherwise.
Then came Game Three started by Snow. Snow is nice. I appreciate snow while it's falling and while it's still, quiet and white. Then life takes over and makes slush. I am not disappointed with Snow's performance in Game 3. He's a rook, and he showed some good stuff. It just got slushy at the end. So I give Snow an E for Effort. Snow looks like he'll earn his stripes fairly quickly if his first start is an indication. Hang in there Rook. You'll earn your name back soon.
In Game Four, Sleet, aka, Mike Pelfrey got his first win of the season. He's got a real hard sinker that's always caught my attention. He's working hard on a third pitch. He pitched himself a good game and the BTB decided he is to be called by his rightful name. Welcome in from the weather Mike.
Ahh. Game Five and el Lancador (that's pitcher) Senor Hail. I've seen worse outings from him than the one he offered up today. We lost to the Nationals today by the way. Remember I told you we'd do squat against them?....Just like the lead Bugs Bunny had on Cecil Turtle and still lost. Ponderous! I digress.
Hail? How did we get into this situation? Omar resigned him for $36 Million! Ponderous! I wouldn't recommend driving every 5th day in NYC due to threats of HAIL coming off Flushing Bay when he's pitching.
So as for the Mets' Starting Rotation we have two hard names on the list, one push but coming on, and we still have some weather phenomena to deal with every 2nd to 5th day of the cycle.
Sometimes it Snows in April folks. If you live in the northern parts of this country, you know what I'm talkin about. The weather is always wacky in April. That's fair enough. I guess my mistake was the day I forgot to read the paper to learn the Mets signed El Nino to pitch for us. Omar, why don't you sign Global Warming and Al Gore to round out the top four? Why Omar Minaya chose to use my starting rotation to play X-Files? - I'll never know.
Johan is on the mound for us again tomorrow and then we're off to Colorado where I'm sure the weather is tropical compared to all the wintry slush we've been pitching up at Citi Field.
Mike, BTB
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/
Put on Your BLUESHIRTS!!!
It's still just a game. It's a game on the road. It's a game on the road in the regular season. It's not even far. We're going to Philly 90 miles away. Keep it simple Boyz. If Philly wants to put us on the power play, fine. But the Rangers better plan on beating this team 5 on 5, and minimize their own penalties. If we let them score on the power play, we are done. We can beat these guys 5 on 5! But we can't allow a PP goal, a well earned Philly goal most likely by Richards again, a goal on a turn over and the occasional Henrik cheapie, - and expect to keep pace. Our own power play? We went Shifts, Minutes and whole PP's without a shot last game at MSG. Pathetic and lethargic are two words to describe our power play Friday night. So, if we're going to win Sunday, it's going to be even strength. Christensen, Prust, Shelley have been carrying us; amazingly Rozsival has been very steady and Redden hasn't done much wrong at all. If Girardi can stay angry at Hartnell he'll play better too! Then you can throw in Gaborik, Dubinsky and Prospal and ya know what Ranger fans...? This team deserves to be rooted for and cheered on tomorrow afternoon. If you're still apathetic down this stretch, for one day, for all the days you've ever been a Ranger fan, don your Blueshirts tomorrow and get behind your team. We'll deal with Sather at a more appropriate time.
Let's Go Rangers!!!
Friday, April 09, 2010
Friday Night Fights: NY Rangers vs. Phila Flyers
Joined in the FIRST PERIOD:
We just had a Chris Drury MOMENT!! It came in the first period during a four minute power-play, that we're still on at 11:30 left.
The Flyers scored very early on a horrible turn-over by Staal high in the slot in his own end. A fore-checking Richards batted down a pass in the high slot and put a wrister past Henrik's high left shoulder only 40 seconds into the match. It was Richard's 30th of the season.
I told my son, "Don't worry. We'll get that one back." Thank You Chris Drury, for making me look smart.
It could be very different right now though. Right after the Flyers scored, 19 seconds later Voros was whistled for a penalty to put Philly on the Power Play. The Rangers tapped into their inner Matrix/Neo and dodged a bullet; then tied it.
GOAL!!! Right off the face-off!!
From a face-off in the right circle, Shelley picked up a stray puck and scored at 10:13 from Prust and Anisimov!! Rangers 2, Flyers 1 !!!
Prust with another point and more scoring from players not named Gaborik. Nice! There's 2:02 left in the 1st period. Aside from the Staal turn-over the D is looking solid. Shelley's goal was his first as a Ranger.
..and the first period ends.
First Intermission:
The first period can be summed up with the Carsillo double minor for high sticking and the Rangers scoring on the ensuing power play courtesy of a Mr. Chris Drury. The Rangers are chasing down pucks knowing a Flyer is zeroing in on them. In a must have game, when they could have easily been deflated like the crowd was early, the BlueShirts showed some gumption. It looks like they want Sunday's game in Philly to mean something. Forty minutes to go.
(In between period Commentary - The Rangers had us scratching our heads all winter by not bring back Betts and Colton Orr. Through-out the season their absence was noticeable. Prust and Shelley were late acquisitions. They've filled their roles very nicely, and then some. They came a little too late (trade deadline acquisitions) to keep us away from a situation like we face tonight and hopefully Sunday.)
SECOND PERIOD:
We start - In the first four minutes, so far we're spending a lot of quality time possessing the puck in the Flyer zone. I've noticed the Rangers are still committed to two men in on the fore-check with the third man high. It's been effective.
Even though Carter dressed and is playing tonight, his minutes are minimal. There was speculation he might not play for Philly tonight.
Voros, aside from committing his stick infraction early in the first to put the Rangers in a precarious penalty kill, is playing inspired. He's all over the place tonight.
Rangers continue to win face-offs.
Gaborik rushes down the right side, skates towards net, PASSES BACK to Dubunsky and the Rangers SCORE!!! @ 6:58 into the 2nd the Rangers lead 3-1!! What a rush, puck handling pass the blue line! Dubinsky was trailing the rush and went straight down the slot slapping a stuffer through.
AAAHrrr!! Philly scores!!! Carsillo goes towards the net hard and draws Blueshirts with him, Briere one times a pass from Gagne and the Flyers score. There's 10:32 left in the second period with the score Rangers 3-Flyers2. One minute twenty eight seconds after the Dubinsky goal, the Flyers are back within one goal again
Alright!!! Its a Rangers/Flyers game NOW!! They took a swipe at Henrik after crashing the net and a couple of face washes and a few punches we thrown. No connections...no penalties. Yea, it's getting the feel and that vibe.
The Flyers are picking up their fore-check and are putting the pressure on. They are pushing the play. And Callahan is headed back to the dressing room with 5:30 left.
Richardson on a BREAKAWAY and he SCORES. He picked off a Rozsival pass in the neutral zone and barreled in. Looked like Henrik stopped it, but the puck trickled in off Rozsival's skate who trailed the play. So, it didn't go in on the initial shot by Richards, Henrik didn't conrol the rebound but Rozsival got in the way. Great! Game tied The assist by Pronger. Time left 4:09.
WHAT??? Rangers score?!! YES!!! Pronger shoots and a long rebound gets sent into the Philly zone and Gaborik racing up ice for it gets off an awkward shot and scores unassisted!! Rangers are back up 4-3 with 2:43 to go!! Let's go BlueShirts.
There's been a few moments tonight to give a fan reason to get down. The Rangers keep picking them up!!
Under a minute,,,10 seconds....TIME. A very wacky second period ends with the Rangers loosing their lead and forging a new one. The score after 40 minutes of ice time Rangers 4 - Flyers 3.
Second period Ends
Second Intermission:
Richards scored on his second conversion of a bad Ranger turnover. They've been taking good care of the puck tonight but both times Richards was so alone off the muff. I'm thinking if the Philly goal tending situation wasn't such a mess, how different this game might be?
There's twenty more minutes of hockey tonight. The question is will there be meaningful hockey Sunday?
By 9:45p.m. we should be able to answer that.
I just heard a nice point made. Shelley and Prust are here. Kotalik and Higgins aren't. That's a very very good point. As I wrote earlier, I referenced Orr and Betts in regards to the new Blueshirt pair.
THIRD PERIOD:
Three minutes in....a clean game. No penalties since the first period. I think even strength favors the Rangers.
Voros has worked hard all night. Gaborik just cross-ckecked Briere 3 times after the whistle without a penalty after Briere speared him pretty nicely. Pronger is doing his typical yapping.
And here we go. A hook on Coburn. Rangers are going on the power play at 14:35 left.
one minute in...no shot. C'mon ...Richards gains our zone short handed. Rangers never could set up for a shot. Two minutes over...no shots. They never actually controlled the puck. SEE!? Even strength is how the Rangers have to win this.
12:27 to go in the third.
WHAT!!!???? Boucher came out of his net to play the puck and almost put it in his own net!!! Then Shelley was there and almost scored if not for a miracle stick save by Boucher to save HIMSELF! UNBELIEVABLE.
In the mean time a penalty on Hartnell puts the Rangers on the power play again...40 seconds in no shot yet. This special teams unit is just so feeble. NO SHOTS again!
9 minutes left FIGHT!! GIRARDI DECKS HARTNELL!!!!! Girardi is angry like we don't normally see Girardi. HARNELL got the worst of that exchange.
Both get 5 for fighting.
Even strength the Rangers just put about 3 shots on net; quality shots. Penalty on NY! Voros touches. A late hit by Voros.
6:00 left to go.....one minute left in the PP. Cleared! Save and a save! Flyers with about 4 shots on goal on this PP. SAVE LUNDQVIST!! and another!
PP since over. Rangers pestering Flyer zone. Flyers gain the puck, rush down and gain the zone. Buzzing Lundqvist and Henrik stuffs the Flyers spread out on the ice. Then there's scrum to the side of the net as Henrik flings the puck in defiance up ice.!!
Face off to the right of Henrik. This game is action packed. Coming up on 3 minutes left.
Boucher makes a save on Anisimov and holds on. 2:30 left. Rangers dump for a change
Save Henrik. Minute and 1/2 to go. Boucher will be pulled at some point. He's off the ice!
ONE MINUTE....Puck in Rangers zone. Cleared...no icing. Save Lundqvist. Shot wide!!! Cleared!
5 seconds!!!! TIME!!!!
THERE"S LIFE. HEAR THAT PHILLY? WE're coming to town.
Henrik did cartwheels down the stretch.!! 7-1-1 in our last 9 games. They sputtered out of the gate tonight.
The rebounded strongly faced with some diversity and held on long enough for Henrik to keep them on the winning side. That's two more points in the standings and one step closer to the playoffs!! It doesn't matter what Boston does in Carolina now. All the Rangers have to do is win on Sunday.
The last seven months boils down to 60 minutes and about 2 and a half hours of viewing time this weekend. NHL detractors like to argue the NHL season doesn't mean much. It's watered down they say. Well put on your bathing suit then cause I'm jumpin in! Our next playoff game is in Philly Sunday at 2pm. Our trip to the playoffs starts on the New Jersey Turnpike. Let's left lane this bad boy like Smokey and the Bandit boyz and bring some more home games back to the Garden.
Cha-ching!! Consider my tease paid in full. Let's Go Rangers!!
Trolley Blogger out!
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/
We just had a Chris Drury MOMENT!! It came in the first period during a four minute power-play, that we're still on at 11:30 left.
The Flyers scored very early on a horrible turn-over by Staal high in the slot in his own end. A fore-checking Richards batted down a pass in the high slot and put a wrister past Henrik's high left shoulder only 40 seconds into the match. It was Richard's 30th of the season.
I told my son, "Don't worry. We'll get that one back." Thank You Chris Drury, for making me look smart.
It could be very different right now though. Right after the Flyers scored, 19 seconds later Voros was whistled for a penalty to put Philly on the Power Play. The Rangers tapped into their inner Matrix/Neo and dodged a bullet; then tied it.
GOAL!!! Right off the face-off!!
From a face-off in the right circle, Shelley picked up a stray puck and scored at 10:13 from Prust and Anisimov!! Rangers 2, Flyers 1 !!!
Prust with another point and more scoring from players not named Gaborik. Nice! There's 2:02 left in the 1st period. Aside from the Staal turn-over the D is looking solid. Shelley's goal was his first as a Ranger.
..and the first period ends.
First Intermission:
The first period can be summed up with the Carsillo double minor for high sticking and the Rangers scoring on the ensuing power play courtesy of a Mr. Chris Drury. The Rangers are chasing down pucks knowing a Flyer is zeroing in on them. In a must have game, when they could have easily been deflated like the crowd was early, the BlueShirts showed some gumption. It looks like they want Sunday's game in Philly to mean something. Forty minutes to go.
(In between period Commentary - The Rangers had us scratching our heads all winter by not bring back Betts and Colton Orr. Through-out the season their absence was noticeable. Prust and Shelley were late acquisitions. They've filled their roles very nicely, and then some. They came a little too late (trade deadline acquisitions) to keep us away from a situation like we face tonight and hopefully Sunday.)
SECOND PERIOD:
We start - In the first four minutes, so far we're spending a lot of quality time possessing the puck in the Flyer zone. I've noticed the Rangers are still committed to two men in on the fore-check with the third man high. It's been effective.
Even though Carter dressed and is playing tonight, his minutes are minimal. There was speculation he might not play for Philly tonight.
Voros, aside from committing his stick infraction early in the first to put the Rangers in a precarious penalty kill, is playing inspired. He's all over the place tonight.
Rangers continue to win face-offs.
Gaborik rushes down the right side, skates towards net, PASSES BACK to Dubunsky and the Rangers SCORE!!! @ 6:58 into the 2nd the Rangers lead 3-1!! What a rush, puck handling pass the blue line! Dubinsky was trailing the rush and went straight down the slot slapping a stuffer through.
AAAHrrr!! Philly scores!!! Carsillo goes towards the net hard and draws Blueshirts with him, Briere one times a pass from Gagne and the Flyers score. There's 10:32 left in the second period with the score Rangers 3-Flyers2. One minute twenty eight seconds after the Dubinsky goal, the Flyers are back within one goal again
Alright!!! Its a Rangers/Flyers game NOW!! They took a swipe at Henrik after crashing the net and a couple of face washes and a few punches we thrown. No connections...no penalties. Yea, it's getting the feel and that vibe.
The Flyers are picking up their fore-check and are putting the pressure on. They are pushing the play. And Callahan is headed back to the dressing room with 5:30 left.
Richardson on a BREAKAWAY and he SCORES. He picked off a Rozsival pass in the neutral zone and barreled in. Looked like Henrik stopped it, but the puck trickled in off Rozsival's skate who trailed the play. So, it didn't go in on the initial shot by Richards, Henrik didn't conrol the rebound but Rozsival got in the way. Great! Game tied The assist by Pronger. Time left 4:09.
WHAT??? Rangers score?!! YES!!! Pronger shoots and a long rebound gets sent into the Philly zone and Gaborik racing up ice for it gets off an awkward shot and scores unassisted!! Rangers are back up 4-3 with 2:43 to go!! Let's go BlueShirts.
There's been a few moments tonight to give a fan reason to get down. The Rangers keep picking them up!!
Under a minute,,,10 seconds....TIME. A very wacky second period ends with the Rangers loosing their lead and forging a new one. The score after 40 minutes of ice time Rangers 4 - Flyers 3.
Second period Ends
Second Intermission:
Richards scored on his second conversion of a bad Ranger turnover. They've been taking good care of the puck tonight but both times Richards was so alone off the muff. I'm thinking if the Philly goal tending situation wasn't such a mess, how different this game might be?
There's twenty more minutes of hockey tonight. The question is will there be meaningful hockey Sunday?
By 9:45p.m. we should be able to answer that.
I just heard a nice point made. Shelley and Prust are here. Kotalik and Higgins aren't. That's a very very good point. As I wrote earlier, I referenced Orr and Betts in regards to the new Blueshirt pair.
THIRD PERIOD:
Three minutes in....a clean game. No penalties since the first period. I think even strength favors the Rangers.
Voros has worked hard all night. Gaborik just cross-ckecked Briere 3 times after the whistle without a penalty after Briere speared him pretty nicely. Pronger is doing his typical yapping.
And here we go. A hook on Coburn. Rangers are going on the power play at 14:35 left.
one minute in...no shot. C'mon ...Richards gains our zone short handed. Rangers never could set up for a shot. Two minutes over...no shots. They never actually controlled the puck. SEE!? Even strength is how the Rangers have to win this.
12:27 to go in the third.
WHAT!!!???? Boucher came out of his net to play the puck and almost put it in his own net!!! Then Shelley was there and almost scored if not for a miracle stick save by Boucher to save HIMSELF! UNBELIEVABLE.
In the mean time a penalty on Hartnell puts the Rangers on the power play again...40 seconds in no shot yet. This special teams unit is just so feeble. NO SHOTS again!
9 minutes left FIGHT!! GIRARDI DECKS HARTNELL!!!!! Girardi is angry like we don't normally see Girardi. HARNELL got the worst of that exchange.
Both get 5 for fighting.
Even strength the Rangers just put about 3 shots on net; quality shots. Penalty on NY! Voros touches. A late hit by Voros.
6:00 left to go.....one minute left in the PP. Cleared! Save and a save! Flyers with about 4 shots on goal on this PP. SAVE LUNDQVIST!! and another!
PP since over. Rangers pestering Flyer zone. Flyers gain the puck, rush down and gain the zone. Buzzing Lundqvist and Henrik stuffs the Flyers spread out on the ice. Then there's scrum to the side of the net as Henrik flings the puck in defiance up ice.!!
Face off to the right of Henrik. This game is action packed. Coming up on 3 minutes left.
Boucher makes a save on Anisimov and holds on. 2:30 left. Rangers dump for a change
Save Henrik. Minute and 1/2 to go. Boucher will be pulled at some point. He's off the ice!
ONE MINUTE....Puck in Rangers zone. Cleared...no icing. Save Lundqvist. Shot wide!!! Cleared!
5 seconds!!!! TIME!!!!
THERE"S LIFE. HEAR THAT PHILLY? WE're coming to town.
Henrik did cartwheels down the stretch.!! 7-1-1 in our last 9 games. They sputtered out of the gate tonight.
The rebounded strongly faced with some diversity and held on long enough for Henrik to keep them on the winning side. That's two more points in the standings and one step closer to the playoffs!! It doesn't matter what Boston does in Carolina now. All the Rangers have to do is win on Sunday.
The last seven months boils down to 60 minutes and about 2 and a half hours of viewing time this weekend. NHL detractors like to argue the NHL season doesn't mean much. It's watered down they say. Well put on your bathing suit then cause I'm jumpin in! Our next playoff game is in Philly Sunday at 2pm. Our trip to the playoffs starts on the New Jersey Turnpike. Let's left lane this bad boy like Smokey and the Bandit boyz and bring some more home games back to the Garden.
Cha-ching!! Consider my tease paid in full. Let's Go Rangers!!
Trolley Blogger out!
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/
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