NEWARK BEARS ~ Win Fifth Straight Versus N.Y. Federals

From the desk of:  GROWLINGS FROM BROOKLYN

The Trolley Went To Newark For Today's Game.

 

NEWARK BEARS:  Complete Five Game Sweep Over New York Federals In Monday Matinee.

FINAL:

New York Federals....2

Newark Bears.............8

Newark used four pitchers Monday against the New York Federals.  Bears' starter Jesse Estrada allowed the only three hits New York would get all day.


In the top of the third inning, an error by Jeff Toth and a wild pitch by Estrada led to the Feds scoring two unearned runs for an early 2-0 lead.  But that was all they'd get.  The Bears used the long ball and shut down pitching Monday afternoon to complete a five game sweep over the N.Y. Federals.

#51 - Jesse Estrada's Line:

6 ~ innings.
86 pitches; 57 strikes.
3 ~ hits.
2 ~ runs.
0 ~ earned runs.
1 ~ walk.
6 ~ strikeouts.





Kyle Morrison; TJ Hose; and Mikey Mehlich all threw an inning each in relief of Estrada.  They combined to allow no runs; no hits; one walk and two strikeouts.


The Bears decided to address New York's 2-0 lead in the home fifth.  With one out, Paddy Matera reached on an error by the first baseman.  Brandon Watson singled Matera to third base.  Number two batter, Kyle LaMotta singled, scoring Matera and advancing Watson to second.  Tim Raines singled.  Brandon Watson scored when Daryle Ward lofted a sac-fly to left tying the game at two.


After a double steal executed by Kyle LaMotta to third and Raines Jr. following to second base, Danny Santiesteban was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Danny was not at all please with the pitch and expressed his displeasure with the Fed's hurler; even pointing at him at one point.  The situation quickly diffused until the next batter, Jeff Toth, was also plunked with a pitch.  This one however forced in LaMotta from third and gave the Bears a 3-2 lead they would not relinquish.

#2 - Tim Raines Jr.

Brandon Watson had an RBI in the sixth inning.  But the Bears broke out for another four runs in the eighth frame.  Tim Raines Jr. crushed a three run home run, and two batters later, Danny Santiesteban delivered another four-bagger to give the Bears an 8-2 lead.

#28 - Danny Santiesteban

GALLERY

 

First Pitch; Lead-off batter ~ #1 - Brandon Watson

(Left) #5 - Kyle LaMotta  ~  (Right) #33 - Daryle Ward

#44 - Jeff Toth

3B - Todd Gossage

(Left) #31 - Billy Alvino  ~  (Right) #10 - Paddy Matera

 

Tim Raines Jr. is on deck as Tim Raines Sr. looks on.

Ron Karkovice and Tim Raines.

Victory.

EXTRA INNINGS:

 

Up Next for Newark:

The New Jersey Jackals come to Newark Tuesday as they resume their Essex County Executive Challenge Series.




Mike.BTB

NEWARK BEARS ~ Give The Coach His DEW!!

From the desk of:  GROWLINGS FROM BROOKLYN

NEWARK BEARS:  Feeling Like Part of the Family.

Perhaps saying, "feeling like part of the family" is a bit presumptuous of me.  So why don't I just tell you what my day at Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium was like.  I had a day off from work and the Bears were playing an 11:00am game; a perfect fit for me.  So off I went to my first game in Brick City this season.

I finally settled into a seat behind the home team's dugout after my obligatory stroll and picture taking.  For an inning, Bears' pitcher Eric Eden leaned on the railing pondering his team's' two run deficit before I impulsively asked him for a ball; politely of course.  He kindly obliged and I was happy to have a game used, official CanAm League ball; my first.

Manager Tim Raines

Being right behind the dugout obviously lent itself to get a good, close-up photo of Newark Bears' manager, Tim Raines.  I met him once before at Yankee Stadium when he was with the White Sox.  But I'd never expect him to remember the occasion.  And I never did get his autograph back then.  So there I was, within 15 feet of him, a newly gifted CanAm baseball in hand, and nothing but air and opportunity between us.


Yea; I did it.  In between innings I asked him for an autograph.  I know -  How immature of me.  I'm forty-four years old.  But baseball does that to me!  I'm just a kid when I get to the game; any game.


But I had a hook!  I asked him for his autograph, and by the way, I only want an autograph if I can have it out of the goodness and graciousness of an individual's heart.  I don't pay for them!  But I digress.  I asked and Tim Raines was more than happy to oblige.  He tossed the ball back after signing and as I thanked him, it was then I related to him we had a common acquaintance; my cousin, whom he spent many years together with on the White Sox.  So, we had our little connection; shared a respectful hand-shake and short conversation, and for me, had a nice baseball moment with a great former player.


Now prepare yourselves, because I'm going to let you in on a little secret.  Gee I hope Tim Raines doesn't get offended by me sharing this, but here it goes.  He likes Mountain Dew!  I know; scandalous!  And he asked me to go get him one!


Pffft!  Coming right up Sir!  Or so I thought.


I went to the concession stand and to my bewilderment, they didn't have any Mountain Dew; not yet anyway.  They were out and hadn't restocked yet.  Trust me, I tried all the open stands, and even told one guy it was for Tim.  The Coach needed a Dew I told him.  But not even he could find one for me.  There were two available soda machines on the premise.  Each of them was sold out also.


I looked at my son and we both laughed.  I said to him, we have to get coach a freakin' Dew, even if we have to drive all the way back to Brooklyn to find one.  We went to the front gate and told the Security Person we were going across the street to get Coach Raines a Mountain Dew.  I showed her my autographed ball and told her Coach was thirsty and that concessions were all out his beverage of choice.  She found it very amusing and said getting back in wouldn't be a problem.


Junior and I crossed Orange Street to a deli across the way.  And guess what.... No Dew!  Pepsi?  Yes.  other stuff?  Yes.  Dew?  No!  We then peeked around the corner and spotted another sandwich shop.  And yes!...they had Mountain Dew!  I didn't get into what it took to get Tim Raines his Mountain Dew.  I was just happy to get it done.  The pleasure was all mine Tim.


Before I made my own break to the lemonade stand, Bears' coach and former MLB catcher, Ron Karkovice was kind enough to also autograph my baseball.  Thank you Sir.


My lemonade was refreshing.  And now I got to thinking.... There is a room in Riverfront Stadium not usually open to the public.  I'll call it the Event Room.  Inside are two team pictures I always wanted to photograph; one of the old Newark Bears and another of the Negro League Newark Eagles.  Trying to photograph them through the window simply didn't work for me.

N.Y. Yankees farm team; Newark Bears

Negro National League ~ Newark Eagles

Little Leagues

In search of security, I bumped into the right person; the Head of Security.  He thought about my request for a second and understandably had to consider the persons currently in the room I was asking for access to.  My good Man took me through the back halls and into the room, and as you can see, allowed me to take my pictures (above).  Inside, I politely introduced myself to Tim Raines' wife and young children.  There-in lies the reason why careful consideration was needed to satisfy my request.  I related to her my Mountain Dew anecdote, and she smilingly responded by saying, "Yes, that's him." - etc.  I was grateful for having had the moment and respectful of their time and looked to exit quickly and appreciatively.

But wait.  There's more.  By now I got to thinking, because of the time I spend blogging about this team, I wondered how far "into the Bears" the organization would allow me to get?  Before long I had the pleasure of meeting Sakinah Abdul-Hakeem; Vice VP of Operations and Samantha Cetnar; Asst. General Manager of the Bears'.  I told them about my blog and about the time I spend covering the team.  I was asking for anything they might be willing to offer me in the way of Behind The Scenes access.  I was hoping to maybe get in the press box for a picture or two or something along those lines.

They introduced me to Pat Quinn; VP of Ticket Operations.  And back we went into the restricted hallways of Riverfront Stadium again.  He took us downstairs leading to the players' locker room; the Coach's room; and trainer's room.  There we ran into Brandon Watson; a pitcher for the Bears.  Shortly thereafter, we were being escorted down the corridor leading to the area behind home plate where it's organization personnel only and took in an inning from there.  Jesse Estrada, today's starting pitcher for the Bears was there watching the rest of the game and getting his arm iced up after pitching six innings of three hit baseball.

That's Pat Quinn, who was kind enough to take my son and me on a sneak peek through

the inner realms of Bears and Eagles Riverfront  Stadium

Pat Quinn and I agreed that I could e-mail him and set up an opportunity to meet and greet players and gain some more inside access.  Of course those things will have to be prearranged.  But I look forward to communicating with Pat, and hopefully one day, the Newark Bears organization will be kind and accommodating enough to allow me, nothing more than a fan of the team, to cover this team like I never thought possible before.


My utmost thanks and appreciation goes out to the Newark Bears organization who provided me with one heck of a day-off from work.  I went to Newark earlier today with the simple intention of taking in a baseball game.  But I left there with so much more.  To Samantha, Sakinah, and Pat, I thank you so much for your tremendous hospitality and for being so receptive to my baseball whims.  I was in search of a simple day today, and you provided a rather spectacular one.

I wish the new ownership group all luck in turning around the Bears' fortunes.  Baseball belongs in Newark.  And please know this blog will be a rooting supporter.




LINK:  See my game post and pictures HERE.






Sincerely,
Mike - the Brooklyn Trolley Blogger
...and Newark Bears Fan.

NEWARK BEARS ~ Monday Morning Baseball. See You There!

From the desk of:  Growlings from Brooklyn



NEWARK BEARS:  Brick City Nine Looking To Sweep Five Game Set Today Versus N.Y. Federals.

THE TROLLEY.... IS HEADED TO NEWARK TODAY!!!


Tim Raines Jr. sat out Saturday after getting hit by a pitch in Friday's second game of the series against the N.Y. Federals.  He returned to action to the delight of Newark fans for yesterday's game. 


But with and without Tim, the Newark Bears still went on to win the first four games of this five game set being played in Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium.  They'll conclude the series early in this afternoon today with an 11:00am start.


Saturday Final:
N.Y. Federals....2
NWK Bears.......5


Sunday Final:
N.Y. Federals....3
NWK Bears.......5


After this weekend's action, the Bears now find themselves in third place behind second place Quebec, and the League leading Brockton Rox club.  Leading up to this series with the Feds, the Bears found themselves precipitously close to the League's basement where the Feds currently reside.  From a 2-4 record then, they've gotten healthy playing New York and now sport a 6-4 mark and stand a mere two games out of first place.


Sunday, Newark's Kyle LaMotta took his turn at a big day in the lead-off spot for Newark.  He doubled and homered in the course of his 3 for 4 day; with an RBI and three runs scored. 


Tim Raines Jr. quietly returned Sunday with a 1 for 4 day batting in the third spot this time.  He did however pick up his league leading 12th RBI of the season.  Coach Raines has mostly penciled Jr. into the second slot.  But he's tried batting him clean-up and now took a try at batting him third.  Tim Jr. has been most effective out of the two slot.  ...Just some food for thought there.


Bears' starting pitcher Alex Smith kept things nice and easy for himself and the Bears over his seven innings pitched.  He only allowed the Feds three hits, walked two, and had four strikeouts.  He threw 86 pitches with 52 of them going for strikes.  It was Alex's first win of the season in two starts.


One first deserves another.  Victor Gonzalez pitched the ninth inning recording his first save of the season.

Game five of this series starts in about one and a half hours.  I plan on being there today to root for the Bears and take in some sun; rest; and relaxation a on a weekday off day for me.  Maybe I'll see you there.  TWEET me up.






Mike.BTB

L.I. DUCKS ~ Recapture First Place Over Weekend

From the desk of:  WADDLING THROUGH BROOKLYN




ATLANTIC LEAGUE WEEKEND RECAP;  LIBERTY DIVISION RACE:
South Maryland and Lancaster needed extra innings Saturday.

The Ducks had everything under control out in Bethpage Park Saturday making Lancaster versus the Blue Crabs as the game to keep tabs on.

In Lancaster, the Crabs put together three hits back in the second to build a 2-0 lead.   Lancaster tied it up at two each in the fourth.   In the top of the fifth, the Crabs scored on a passed ball.   And in the eighth, the Blue Crabs scored their fourth run on a sacrifice fly to give the Crabs a 4-2 lead.


South Maryland starter Virgil Vasquez was making strides towards a possible complete game.  He made it through seven innings, staying out of trouble after allowing Matt Watson of Lancaster to touch him for a two-run home run in the fourth.  But Vasquez kept the Barnstormers quiet otherwise.  It was decided he'd gone far enough while still owning a 4-2 lead in the eighth.  Blue Crab relief pitcher, Steve Palazzolo entered the game in relief of Virgil Vasquez.


And it was Crab's Steve Palazzolo who was the charitable one in relief.  He promptly relinquished the Blue Crabs' lead in the eighth inning by allowing Lancaster two runs on two hits; throw in an error by the catcher, and a walk.

They went into the ninth inning tied at four apiece.  The Blue Crabs did not score in their top half.  Charlie Manning came in to pitch for S. Maryland to end Lancaster's last licks.  Manning pitched a scoreless ninth walking one and striking out another.

While the fans in Lancaster were getting treated to extra inning free baseball, the Long Island Ducks were pounding the Somerset Partiots mercilessly in Bethpage Park Saturday night.  A Ducks win and a Crab loss would give Long Island sole possession of first place again.  But in Lancaster, the tenth inning came and went without incident as did South Maryland's top half of the eleventh inning. 

Then finally, in the bottom of  Lancaster's home eleventh inning, came the big news the Long Island Ducks wanted to hear.  Lancaster scored and defeated the South Maryland Blue Crabs 5-4 Saturday night in eleven innings.




Sunday, South Maryland Kept the Game Close, But Faired No Better.

The final score in Lancaster Sunday evening was Lancaster Barnstormers 3; South Maryland Blue Crabs 2.


But the damage was done the night prior.  The Ducks had their taste of first place; liked it; and pounced all over Somerset two nights running.  South Maryland meanwhile is realing right now while the Duck have gone full blown Mighty.  South Maryland had now dropped down to third place.




LONG ISLAND DUCKS:  Webbed Feet Gone Wild!

DUCKS SWEEP PATRIOTS
RAY NAVARRETE TOUCHES ANOTHER MILESTONE

The Long Island Ducks went hog-wild on the Somerset Patriots all weekend long.  Between Saturday and Sunday, the Ducks defeated the Patriots twice by a combined score of 31-11.


On Saturday, the Ducks went airborne.  In wave after wave, they made it rain runs all game long to the tune of a 20-8 Long Island carpet bombing of the Patriots.  Keeping score of the game would have made anyone's scorecard look like the bottom of a bird cage; in other words, a complete mess.


The Ducks smashed five home runs Saturday on their way to scoring twenty runs.  Scoring seven runs alone in the first inning should have served as a bad omen for the Somerset Patriots.   And as it played out, as suspected, it got quite ugly for the Patriots.

The Ducks enjoyed a very prosperous beginning in Saturday's game against Somerset.  There was the seven run first and after two innings of play, the Ducks had an 8-0 lead.  The Patriots scored four runs in their half of the fourth, but the Ducks came back with a pair in their half to put them up 10-4.  In the seventh inning, both teams exchanged a pair of runs again updating the score to 12-6.


Then the scorecard goes kaplooey.  The final was 20-8.  But more importantly it gave the Long Island Ducks a firmer hold on first place in the Liberty Division.


Sunday, while South Maryland was losing a close one to Lancaster, the Ducks just picked up where they left off.  They completed a three game sweep of Somerset and won their fifth game in a row all at home.


Ducks starter Ruddy Lugo got touched for 10 hits in five innings pitched.  But he limited Somerset to 3 earned runs.  Down 3-0 early, the Ducks' offense picked up their pitcher Lugo's tough start, tied the score, and gave him four more runs before handing the game over to the bullpen for the final four innings.  Somerset's Bill Pulsipher got roughed up for Long Island's seven run answer within his four innings pitched.


Ray Navarrete hit his 6th home run of the season as the Ducks continued their drubbing of the Patriots on their way to another double-digit scoring day.  This time they defeated the Patriots 11-3 in front of another packed house in Bethpage Park.  Also, Ray Nabarrete just put another dent in the Ducks' record books.  After becoming the Long Island Ducks all-time hits leader earlier this season, he ties the same player; Justin Davies; on the Ducks' all-time runs scored list with 426.


Kraig Binick crept up and away from the .400 mark and has his batting average back up to .409 again.


The Ducks indeed got healthy at home after a dismal road trip.  They've recaptured first place and are hotter than tube sox in a Fireman's boots right now.  They've managed to shake off the South Maryland Blue Crabs for the moment after running neck and neck with them for a week or so.  But with them out of the way, the Bridgeport Bluefish have now appeared to occupy second place.  They trail Long Island by only half a game as of Monday morning.


The Ducks are heading back on the road now.  Hopefully they will have a better go of it this time around.






Mike.BTB

N.Y. METS ~ New Front Office Is Officially On The Clock

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET


NEW YORK METS:  It's Time For The New Front Office To Start Earning Their Money.   For Paul DePodesta and J.P. Ricciardi,  June 6th is upon them.  That means Amateur Draft Time.  For Sandy Alderson, It Means Cracking His Knuckles In Preparation for July.


Quiet time?  Grace period?  Or what ever we call it, ...is over.  It's time to step out from behind the shadows, show themselves, and start the reconfiguration of the Mets in earnest now.  June 6th ushers in the Amateur Draft.  And for Paul DePodesta and J.P. Ricciardi, it means they're officially on the clock.  Let's see what assortment of goodies they can reap starting with tomorrow's opening rounds of the June harvest.

While tomorrow's opening of the June Draft will largely determine what Brooklyn Cyclones I'll be rooting for in Coney Island this summer, the bigger picture belongs to the parent club.  By GM Sandy Alderson's own assessment, the Mets minor league talent pool is dry.


Drafting players in Baseball isn't the science it is as in say, Football or Basketball.   In Baseball, all these kids are rough, ugly rocks.   The good talent evaluators see the jewels within.  Other speculators spend their time mining Fools Gold in these drafts.


They way DePodesta and Ricciardi were touted on their way into Flushing would have us believing they are diamond cutters.   Look..., just go out and find this organization some good shiny gems will ya?


DePodesta and Ricciardi are Sandy Alderson's hand picked henchmen and they were brought here in large part to start fixing the Mets starting tomorrow.  J.P. and Paul's record with the Mets, and the future of the Club's organizational course and philosophy, all start to get rewritten, now.

In name, this is a very high profile Front Office.  They haven't been spoken about much since the season started.  But for all the monetary compensation these gentlemen receive from the Mets since their hiring, they had better be as smart as they say they are because they haven't done anything we can talk about ...yet.  For all METropolis' intent and hopes, damn I hope they did their homework!


Yet, so much of this year's draft, and future Met drafts depends on the Wilpon's willingness to stray from the unofficial slotting policy they adhere to.  The Wilpons do not go over slot for prospects and as a result, trap themselves in mid-level mediocrity.  This organization has a verifiable history of not paying and a decade's long list of players hitting the wall once they reach Binghampton; the level most prospects start to get weeded out and separated from ball players.


That's where Sandy Alderson comes in.  How much autonomy does he really have?  And has he ever managed to convince the Wilpons they've made a matter of slotting policy one of their hugest mistakes as owners?  We know when push comes to shove -  money talks.  And the Wilpons don't have any extra cash lying around.  But when we are talking compensation at this level; maybe a $7 million dollar commitment to a high prized prospect, for a New York team, we should be far from talking about accounting nightmares. 


That was Omar's and Jeff's folly; ...too much dumb money on the big club and no smart money spent on the rookie levels.  If you need proof of that assertion, Kazmir, Wright, and Reyes, whom Omar inherited, were the last impact players developed by this system.  Over this year and last, have we finally seen promotable and contributing players but they come almosst a full eight years since the last substantial crop (Reyes, Wright, Kazmir).  So I ask you where has the impact rookie been in all these years?  The answer hasn't been anywhere near Roosevelt Avenue.


And since I brought up Omar Minaya, I think we all understand we are still looking at his team and handy-work.  Jon Niese; Pelf;  R.A. Dickey; Dillon Gee;  even Ike Davis,  ...and the rest of the Flushing Bisons and New York Mets still here are his collection.  So, there is a chance that some of my fellow Met fans have confused today's current state and related it to some kind of picture of the future.  As if this is still salvagable and just needs healthy players and tweeking.  But while some of the players currently on the roster I truly hope are part of our future, I would suggest you take your last looks around at what will soon become what things used to look like around here.


June Sixth folks; consider it the first day the Mets new Front Office officially has to report to work and start fixing this MESS from the bottom, up.  That includes Sandy Alderson, and not just Ricciardi and DePodesta.  Those two have their work to do starting tomorrow.  Sandy?  It's June so you know what that means right?  The trade deadline is one page flip of the calendar away.


Yep, yep, yep.  ...Time to get up.  Have a good stretch and grab a cup-o-java to go.  It's time for this Front Office to get to work.


Over the past two months, the Mets have played gritty baseball under Terry Collins.  It's gotten the Media to treat them less derisively and instead has them theorizing their own solutions for the Mets problems.  But so much of everything Mets these days is overshadowed by Fred Wilpon's woes.  And in a sense it's provided a calm before the storm in regards to this current roster.


Ridding the team of Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez earlier this season were no brainers.  Anyone who ever stayed in a Holiday Inn even knew that.  But that's nothing.  We haven't seen anything yet.  I believe that, and just reaffirmed it because I like to be consistent.  That's why if you've noticed, I haven't been too concerned with wins and losses.  I believe in busy hands being happy hands and micro-matters like Dillon Gee, Thole, Niese, Parnell, Ike, and a few others occupy my concerns until Sandy's renovation goes full blown.


It's time for the Front Office to get to work and June 6th is as good a date, and symbolically relevant as to why the new regime starts getting graded now.  This will be their first draft.


For the New York Mets' new deputies, partly recommended by MLB (Selig), in the form of Sandy Alderson and his hand picked lieutenants Paul DePodesta and J.P. Ricciardi, consider this Groundbreaking Day in the rebuilding of a new METropolis.


Or so I (we?) hope.






Mike.BTB

N.Y. METS ~ Dillon Gee Dazzles Again

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET


NEW YORK METS:  When is it OK to start talking about the
All-Star Game?


Dillon Gee, the bullpen, and the rest of the Mets limited the Braves to four hits and combined to shutout the Atlanta Brave 5-0 at Citi Field on Saturday.


DILLON GEE's LINE:
7 ~ innings pitched.
85 pitchers; 53 strikes.
4 ~ hits.
0 ~runs allowed.
2 ~ walks.
2 ~ strikeouts.
3.33 ~ era (season)
6-0 won/loss record


The kid turned in another superb start for the Mets while upping his record to 6-0 since being called up from Buffalo.  So now that we are in June, if Dillon Gee should gain a few more victories, why shouldn't he be an All-Star Game consideration?  Of course we'll let the following weeks decide that.  But Dillon Gee is clearly emerging as the all-star of the Mets' staff this season.


In what is now developing into a pattern, Gee's outing followed another fine start by Jon Niese (even though the game itself went sour late for the Mets).  The two have been stringing together back-to-back quality starts together for over a month now.  And that's the stuff better days are made of.


R.A. Dickey has been third-in during this emerging equation.  Even while dealing with an injured heel, his last outing was a 10-strikeout effort that his team offered no offensive support for.  But he's right there with Gee and Niese serving up quality starts for the Mets.  If the Mets offensive weren't as moribund as it's demonstrated itself to be, the conversation we'd be having about these three starting pitchers would be much louder.


Tonight, Dickey gets his shot at the Braves.

SUNDAY NIGHT BASEBALL

Atlanta Braves

(SP - Tim Hudson)

vs.

NEW YORK METS

(SP - R.A. Dickey)

CITI FIELD

Roosevelt Avenue, Flushing

SUNDAY NIGHT POST_GAME vs. ATLANTA BRAVES:


FINAL:
Atlanta Braves........4
New York Mets.......6


R.A. Dickey continued the string of quality starts being provided by Jon Niese, Dillon Gee and himself.  These starts are coming bunched together lately, in doubles and triples.  Tonight unlike Dickey's last start where he pitched a 10 strikeout gem only to have the Mets suffer a late game deflating loss, the Mets put six runs on the board tonight that stood up, even in spite of KRod surrendering a three run home run in the ninth inning in a non-save situation.


Give the Mets well deserved credit for chasing Tim Hudson out of the box early.


R.A. DICKEY's LINE:
8 ~ innings.
114 pitches; 79 strikes.
4 ~ hits.
1 ~ run/earned - home run.
1 ~ walk.
3 ~ strikeouts.


As for KRod, you have to think there will be a conversation taking place in the near future regarding his usage. Terry Collins brought him in tonight with two outs in the ninth; the Mets leading 6-1; two men on base; and in a non-save situation.


Jeff Wilpon, Fred, or both, must flip their lids everytime Terry Collins brings him into a game and creeps him closer to that darned contract extension at $17 Million Dollars!  Three run home runs are the last thing on Wilpon's mind right now.





Mike.BTB

N.Y. KNICKS ~ Dolan Shows David Stern's Guy The Door

NEW YORK KNICKS:  James Dolan Never Wanted David Stern's Henchman In The First Place.


Way back when, I did not at all criticize hiring Isiah Thomas.   The Patrick Ewing era had ended and the Knicks were gladly moving on under Zeke after having suffered through Scott Layden.   I think I remember most Knicks' fans looking forward to the changes Isiah Thomas would no doubt initiate.   Back then, that was all fine and well and not what this big point is all about.  


But since the day Donnie Walsh assumed his position with the Knicks, James Dolan has done everything an owner can do to step on another executive's toes.  Now Dolan finally got what he wanted all along; which is Donnie Walsh; David Stern's henchman; gone.


Thanks for rebuilding my organization I let Isiah Thomas destroy.  Now beat it!





Welcome To MADISON SCARE GARDEN;  The World's Most MEDIEVAL Arena!

Knick fans, say good-bye to the former GM "slash!" President, James Dolan never wanted in the first place. 


Once upon a time, the atmosphere inside Madison Scare Garden had become so polluted and wreaked of hot garbage that when Commissioner Stern caught a whiff of the sexual harassment lawsuit against Isiah Thomas and MSG, David Stern decided his New York franchise had fallen to an all-time low and instigated the replacement of Isiah Thomas with Donnie Walsh.


When you're the most powerful Commissioner in North American Sports, you get what you want.   And so, the Knicks (namely James Dolan) got Donnie Walsh.   But behind the scenes, the Knickerbockers (namely James Dolan) never got rid of Isiah Thomas entirely.  Dolan allowed Zeke to lurk in the shadows.  Now if you're James Dolan and you're favorite Teddy Bear just got taken away from you, how do you covertly take out your frustrations and seek revenge on your oppressor?   Answer - Corporate Passive Aggression.


And James Dolan, in his actions, insulted Donnie Walsh at every turn.


When Isiah Thomas was MSG's one man gang and running this franchise into the ground, his boss, James Dolan, never even so much as said Boo!  Isiah had Card Blanche.  And James Dolan blindly and loyally believed/believes everything Isiah said/says.  James Dolan assumed operating control of his Daddy's Knicks in 1999.  Once he settled on Isiah Thomas to run his operation, James Dolan pretty much disappeared from the picture, minus the time when Latrell Sprewell.....  ahhhh.  Why bother.


Dolan made one huge splash, albeit an inconspicuous public protest under the guise of MSG to block and successfully drown any chance of the West Side Stadium from being built along the Hudson River on top of the West Side Rail Yards.  That was James Dolan the entertainment mogul and capitalist protecting his business interests.  That's fair.


Other than that, and up until the sexual harassment suit brought against him, Isiah Thomas, and MSG, we never ever heard from James Dolan.  And never once did he inject himself, or intercede in Isiah Thomas' affairs as President and GM of the Knicks.  Committing the Knicks to Salary Cap high holy hell, and not to mention letting Stephon Marbury run amok, meant little if nothing to James Dolan.  Isiah Thomas was free of interference from his superiors.  For Dolan, business was still good.


But the person James Dolan trusted most; Isiah Thomas; was taken away from him by the big bad Commissioner.  And, it couldn't have come at a more worse time for James Dolan and MSG.  Up until now (in relative time) everything was fine at MSG as far as James Dolan the Capitalist was concerned.  MSG was always packed no matter the incremental destruction Zeke wrought on his team.


So why is the taking of Zeke away from Dolan at this particular junction in Knicks history so bad as I say?  It has everything to do with the Nets and their move to Brooklyn.


James Dolan the Capitalist is scrambling to fortify his defenses because he knows Mikhail Prokhorov means business.  And the closer the official move date to Brooklyn comes for the Nets, the more erratic James Dolan has become leading up to right now.  Fallout? - The scripted stepping down of a one, Donnie Walsh.


Fighting the West Side Stadium was a natural for Dolan as a business man.  But now with one of his Entertainment Empire's Jewels; MSG and the Knicks; in direct threat of competition from the Nets in Brooklyn, James Dolan finds himself fighting a two front battle against business and basketball.


For evidence that James Dolan the businessman knows how to fight a good business fight any time, anywhere, look no further than the notorious Battle of the Billboards.  That's good stuff right there.  James can fight that fight.  But when his Basketball enterprise is topic one, he always has, as he still does, run to Isiah Thomas for direction.


I'm not so sure Isiah Thomas would have been allowed to mismanage the Knicks much longer had Commissioner Stern not insisted on the change as the Nets move to Brooklyn drew closer.  James Dolan might have made a move for that very reason IF Zeke didn't have things turned around by "now"...  We are three years after David Stern saved the Knicks and their fans from Zeke AND Dolan.  And now the reality for James Dolan and the Nets in Brooklyn is officially one more season away, once the Finals conclude this month.


So when it comes to Donnie Walsh, James Dolan Did This:

* Originally wanted to retain and pay Isiah Thomas to be a team/personal consultant to James Dolan.

* Pure speculation?  Sure!  Dolan is convinced Zeke would have landed LeBron James and blames Donnie.

* Tripped all over his own Capitalist hooves in a free-agent signing frenzy trying to secure players before Mikhail Prokhorov did.  Stepped all over Donnie's toes and involved Isiah Thomas in their attempt to sign Amare Stoudemire.

* Tripped all over his own Capitalist hooves in a trading deadline frenzy trying to secure Carmelo Anthony before Mikhail Prokhorov did.  Stepped all over Donnie's toes and INVOLVED Isiah Thomas, whether directly or indirectly, in their attempt to secure Melo from Denver.  Dolan would have given Denver more had they just asked.  Walsh never had a chance to ply his negotiating craft.

* Did not allow Donnie Walsh to hire Chris Mullin on two separate requests.  James Dolan tells Walsh he'd rather re-hire Isiah Thomas instead.  The two have a concentrated disagreement over the matter.

* James Dolan concluded the Melo Trade Press Conf. by stating Donnie Walsh's contract extension would be settled in very time.  But no press conf. would have; could have; ended without at least one more mention of Isiah Thomas.



I say again, in all the years Isiah Thomas ran the Knicks, James Dolan said and did nothing to Isiah Thomas regarding the state of the Knicks.  That's when New York City was still a one team town.  If you don't think Brooklyn will have an impact on James Dolan's enterprise, you are mistaken then.  James Dolan is in full panic mode and is making his fan base pay for the renovations to keep up with the Jone's....er, Mikhail Prokhorov and Barclays Center.


Because James Dolan knew he needed those two stars badly, he practically beat down Donnie Walsh on his way to snag Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony.  And the Melo deal epitomizes my whole point.  Dolan didn't allow Donnie Walsh to negotiate a more responsible price for Melo.  But that's because James Dolan, like many execs in the NBA, is subscribing to the Two/Three Star Method, and are distancing themselves from team oriented Basketball at light speed.


Due to the plethora of players given to Denver for Melo, the Knicks were left with a roster barren of capable cagers after the third name down the list.  But James Dolan doesn't care that Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony are incompatible players or that his bench sucks.  He just cares that he has stars.  After all, he is a Media Mogul.  He knows star power and the draw they have.


The best hands this organization have been in since the days when Dave Checketts roamed the hallways of what will soon be the "Newer MSG" are now waving good-bye to the fans as he says Good Luck to us on the way out.  Because we'll need it.


If they were building a baseball only stadium in Brooklyn, do you think James Dolan would have cared?  No, he wouldn't have.  And as a result, maybe his renovation of MSG may have come farther down the line.  You know what they say; - Necessity is the Mother of all Invention.


With the NBA sporting a second team within the borders of New York City, and not just the "Metro Area" anymore, James Dolan is scrambling.  As such, he didn't let his GM do his job to the best of his ability.  Dolan never wanted Walsh, thus he never trusted him.  James Dolan continually ran back or phoned Zeke.


In spite of all Dolan's panicing because the Nets are coming, Donnie Walsh still managed to straighten out James Dolan's Basketball operation.  And this is the thanks he gets.


Donnie Walsh never had a chance.  James Dolan just wants his teddy bear back.  He did to Donnie Walsh like what the Yankees did to Joe Torre.  They insulted and made him feel unwanted enough to make him want to leave.



What comes next for the Knicks is anybody's guess.  A safe bet to take is the Knicks' near future involves a Yes Man.



To that I say,  "Oh No!"





Mike.BTB

L.I. DUCKS ~ Waddle Back Into A Tie For First Place

From the desk of:  A BROOKLYN QUACK  (Waddling Through Brooklyn)


LONG ISLAND DUCKS:

FINAL:
Somerset Patriots......2
Long Island Ducks....5


Since getting back from a near disastrous road trip, the Ducks have been fattening up at home.  After defeating the Somerset Patriots tonight in the opening game of their series and winning their third in a row, they finally regained a tie atop the Liberty Division standings as the South Maryland Blue Crabs  lost Friday night to the Lancaster Barnstormers.


Mike Parisi made the start for Long Island tonight and kept the Patriots under wraps all night.  Outside of Somerset's Wayde Lydon, who went 3 for 3 Friday, no Patriot had an answer for Parisi.  It was a highly economic game for the Duck's pitcher.  In 7.1 innings he only threw 87 pitches and 59 of them went for strikes.  He improved his record to 3-1.


Mike Parisi's Line:
7.1 ~ innings pitched.
87 Pitches ~ 59 strikes.
6 ~ hits.
2 ~ runs/earned
2 ~ walks.
3 ~ strikeouts.
1 ~ home run allowed


The Duck's bullpen shut down the Patriots over the final 1.2 innings.  Eric Wasserman got two outs; one a strikeout, while Bubbie Buzachero pitched the ninth to earn his 6th save of the season.


Long Island started the scoring in the home second inning.  Matt Padget walked with one out.  With two outs, Freddie Thon singled and Padget stood at second.  Then one of the hottest hitters in the League this season, Kraig Binick, singled, scoring Padget and sending Thon to second base.  Kennard Jones drew a walk to load the bases.  Ray Navarrete then stepped to the plate who yesterday sat out his first game off this season, and who incidentally is still struggling at the plate, and hit the second pitch he saw up the middle scoring Thon from third and Binick from second.  Kennard Jones was caught trying to steal third base and killed Long Island's two out rally cold.


Hasn't anyone ever taught him you don't make the first or third out at third base?


Moving on.


In the third inning the Ducks added more.  John Rodriguez doubled with one out.   The next batter, Lew Ford, double him home.   Then Matt Padget singled for the Duck's third consecutive hit.   Ford scored on the play giving Long Island a 5-1 lead.


The New York Federals scored one run in the third and one run in the sixth inning; but nothing else. Long Island pitching held them to six total hits Friday night.


Kraig Binick got his batting average back to .400 on the nose again after going 1 for 2 Friday night.


In Lancaster, starting in the first inning, the Barnstormers just kept tacking on runs against the Blue Crabs.  The Barnstormers scored three runs in the first; one in the second; four in the fourth; and another two in the seventh inning as they romped over South Maryland by a score of 10-4.


The Ducks win, coupled with the Crabs loss, means both teams get to share first place together for at least a day until games resume again Saturday.


a/o 6-4-2011

LIBERTY DIVISION ~ First Half Standings:
1) - Long Island Ducks.......................18-12   .600   --
2) - South Maryland Blue Crabs.......18-12   .600   --








Mike.BTB

N.Y. METS ~ Beyond the Losing; Gems Among Rocks

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET


NEW YORK METS:  The Mets' Loss to the Braves Today Was Just Another Rock in a Pile.  But crack it open and find the gem inside.

Here's what I wanted out of tonight's game as stated in my last posting.  Basically I was looking for Jon Niese tonight, and Dillon Gee (and increasingly to a lessening degree - Mike Pelfrey) to take those incremental steps towards forming a tandem (or trio) that can carry you for two and three game stretches and pitching their teams into a position to win.  I call it Loosing Streak repellent.


Yesterday, Mike Pelfrey played contrarian.  But I'm not asking for four 20 game winners like the old late 60's Baltimore Orioles once boasted.  Instead I'm asking for these young guys to stay within themselves and provide sequentially good starts.  I think they can.  Unlike Pelfrey's stinker,  tonight's loss against the Braves is the hic-up in the plan just as R.A. Dickey's 10 K start was.  That's life in Baseball sometimes and the reasons for those losses fall far from Niese and Dickey.  But the fact remains Jon Niese provided the kind of game tonight that speaks of consistency rather than about veering off course.  Forget the term quality start.   I call them winnable starts.  And Jon Niese pitched a winnable start tonight. 


If you do have any aspirations for this season, pitching is the way the Mets will make strides.  A young one-two punch has won many a division over the year.  But let's be clear.  The Mets aren't winning the East this season.  But these two; Dillon and Gee, could very well be at the start of a beautiful relationship together.


Jon Niese Line:
7.2 ~ innings pitched.
102 ~ pitches; 71 strikes.
8 ~ hits.
2 ~ runs/earned
1 ~ walk.
7 ~ strikeouts.
1 ~ home run allowed.


That's a very satisfying line.  I'll take it every time.  Jon Niese has now strung together three dynamite starts, as has Dillon Gee.  Gee takes his turn again tomorrow.  I'm not necessarily looking for wins from these guys.  I'm not expecting Dillon's 6th win of the season tomorrow.  As I repeat myself, I'm just looking for these guys to pitch as a staff and minimize the chances of losing streaks.  Pitching always gives you that chance.  But the trick here is to let these guys pitch and pitch together.  Following up on each other's starts is my pet project for the day.  Dillon Gee's record can't stay perfect forever.  But a winnable start is a realistic goal and achievable, even for this team. 


Another quick point is, now that Dillon Gee seems like he's won a place on the Big Club, they better ensure he stays here.  The days of shuttling him back and forth between Flushing and Buffalo should be for all intent and purpose, over.  I do not believe in yo-yo'ing young pitchers.


Development and incremental steps is all I'm asking.  Niese and Gee seem to be taking everything one step at a time and the results are speaking for themselves.  But Mike Pelfrey still remains the uncooperative variable in an equation in which he was supposed to be the known factor.  Right now, he remains as Pitcher-X.


In a season like this; a transition season for a team on the precipice of major changes; I'm interested in the smaller projects of this team and roster.  I'm anxious to have Josh Thole win over his overwhelming critics.  Niese and Gee have been spoken for.  Ii want Bobby Parnell to get straightened out.  And I want Ike Davis back without the Mets' doctors blowing this too.  Please help him before the Mets doctors destroy him.



My early season predictions for the Mets had them hovering around .500 baseball.  A few games shy of that mark, they are what I thought they'd be (minus another bizarre round of injuries).  So things like KRod's nightmarish outing tonight don't sweat me none.  He's one of the guys we need moved anyway.  If I do have a concern regarding Francisco Rodriguez, it's his steady march towards making his appearances clause which kicks in his monopoly money option.



But instead of other Met matters I'll be getting into, tonight was about seeing through another ugly loss and knowing Jon Niese is increasingly proving his worth.





Mike.BTB

NEWARK BEARS ~ Scratch Out Victory In Ninth Inning

From the desk of:  GROWLINGS FROM BROOKLYN



LINK:   Newark Bears

NEWARK BEARS:  After Blowout Victory Thursday, Bears Scratch Out Win In Ninth Inning Tonight.

FRIDAY FINAL:
New York Federals....7
Newark Bears.............8

A truly entertaining game in Newark on this late Friday afternoon.


The Bears were cruising again leading 3-0 after three innings played. 

In the second inning, Daryle Ward led off with a triple.  The next batter, Danny Santiesteban, promptly drove him in with a single.  After Santiesteban advanced to second on an error by N.Y. Feds' pitcher Giuseppe Granito, the struggling Todd Gossage made good with an RBI driving in Santiesteban from second with a single for a 2-0 Newark lead.  The Bears tacked on a third run when N.Y.'s Giussepe Granito was charged with his second error of the game which eventually led to an unearned run for Newark in the third inning.

In the top of the fourth frame, the Federals struck back and touched Newark starter Ryan Lobban for three runs off three hits to tie the game at three.

With the preliminaries out of the way, this game really got started with Newark's next at-bat.  In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Bears struck for four runs while sending Fed's pitcher Granito to an early shower after pitching 3.1 innings for New York.

With one out, Newark DH Burt Reynolds singled.  Todd Gossage then collected his second hit of the game.  Hot hitting Billy Alvino likewise, promptly singled to drive in Reynolds.  Paddy Matera-(2B) drew a walk to load the bases with Bears.  Then the big blow.  Brandon Watson cleared the bases with a triple putting the Bears up 7-3.

The teams traded zeroes on the scoreboard over the next three innings.

In the top of the eighth inning, the Feds mounted another comeback.  Three runs scored had the Federals within a one of the Bears.  Newark pitcher Kyle Morrison got touched up for three hits and all three runs.

The top of the ninth could have been viewed as a bad omen.  A wild pitch put a Federal runner in scoring position who was quickly driven in by an Andrew Barbaro single.  And this game was now tied an in threat of slipping away from Newark

But the Bears had last licks and made the most of their chance.  To lead off the home ninth, Tim Raines Jr. was hit by a pitch and taken out of the game.  Kyle LaMotta, pinch running for Raines advanced to second on a 3-1 FC.  Daryle Ward was intentionally walked.  Both runners advance on a Santiesteban sacrifice fly.  Burt Reynolds then singled home Kyle LaMotta from third for the Bears game winning run.

The Newark bullpen wasn't nearly up to the task this afternoon.  Kyle Morrison and Mikey Mehlich combined for three innings; six hits; and four runs allowed (one walk and two strikeouts) to let the New York Federals back into the game.  But because the Bears were able to string together a couple of hits in the ninth and win, these types of implosions often go over-looked and Mikey Mehlich earns a win.


It was good to see Todd Gossage get two RBI and a couple of hits.  He needs the confidence boost right now.

No word yet about Tim Raines Jr. leaving the game.  He was 0 for 3 today with one RBI.


The Newark Bears have now evened their record at 4-4 for the season.  Their .500 winning percentage also leap-frogs them into fourth for the moment; two and a half games back of first.


Bear lead five series vs. Federals two games to none.

Next game:   Saturday, June 4 ~ N.Y. FEDERALS @ NEWARK BEARS



Mike.BTB

L.I. DUCKS ~ Still Just A Game Out Of First

From the desk of:  WADDLING THROUGH BROOKLYN



LONG ISLAND DUCKS:  Running a Very Close Second in a Race Against Blue Crabs.

So far, both teams have flip-flopped and owned a piece of first place in the Liberty Division this season.  The South Maryland Blue Crabs currently own the spot with the Ducks only a game behind.  South Maryland was home against the York Revolution tonight, while the Ducks played host to the ever-travelling Road Warriors.


Pre-Game Standings ~ LIBERTY DIVISION:
1) - South Maryland Blue Crabs...... 17-11   .607
2) - Long Island Ducks.......................16-12   .571   ~   1 game back  


Over their last ten games, each team was 5-5 respectively.  Long Island were winners of their last game while South Maryland dropped theirs.  By 9:00pm Thursday evening, both teams had completed six innings in their respective games.  The Ducks led the Road Warriors 7-2 and the Crabs were leading 5-1 over the Revs.


Over in Long Island, the Ducks were enjoying a big six run 4th inning highlighted by a Lew Ford 2 run home run and triples by Dan Lyons and Kennard Jones.  In South Maryland, the Blue Crabs rode the wave of a big five run sixth inning on their way to a 9-2 victory.  The Crabs' Jeremy Owens hit a three run home run to seal that game for S. Maryland and keep their one game lead over the Ducks in the Liberty Division standings in tact.


The Ducks kept pace with the Crabs by beating the Road Warriors 7-2 to continue their early season race running almost neck and neck with (the) Crabs.  The teams are almost mirroring each other, but right now South Maryland is leading by a nose.  Or is it a claw?



DUCKS ~ Mike Loree Strikes-Out Ten:
6.1 ~ innings pitched.
9 ~ hits.
2 ~ runs/earned.
1 ~ walk
10 ~ Strikeouts.

Mike lowered his era to 2.40 while improving his record to 4-1 this season.  His ten strikeout performance tonight gives him 37 K's in 30 innings pitched while walking only 9 batters.

Duaner Sanchez pitched the ninth inning surrendering only a walk while striking out two.

Right fielder Kraig Binick went 1 for 4 and dropped his batting average below the .400 mark.

Ray Navarrete ~ DNP.




Mike.BTB

NEWARK BEARS ~ Brick City Nine Claw the N.Y. Feds

From the desk of:  The BRICK CITY NINE - (GROWLINGS FROM BROOKLYN)



Link:  Newark Bears

Newark Bears:  N.Y. Federals Get Clawed in Brick City.


I don't have the heart to kick a team when they're down; not when they are the New York Federals.  They are a team largely comprised of players from the New York State League; D-League of the CanAm League; formed to provide a schedule comprised of eight teams.


However, Eddie Lantigua; first baseman of the Federals, is proving to be an early season slugger.  Eddie jumped out to the season lead in home runs with 3 and has driven in a league's second best 9 RBI.  Lantigua lost his lead position for RBI this afternoon when Newark Bear's outfielder Tim Raines Jr. passed him with a now league leading tenth RBI.


Unfortunately for both teams, after the first week of the season, they both came into tonight's game holding up the rest of the League.  The Feds sat in last place sporting a 1-5 record while the Bears fared little better in seventh place with a 2-4 record.


In describing what happened between these two teams in their first ever meeting, is when this story becomes all Bears folks.  They pounded the Federals this evening 12-3 on the strength of fifteen hits.


Starting pitcher for Newark; Jacob Wild, pretty much determined what kind of day the Feds would have.  And their outlook wasn't good.  Wild kept the Feds out the the Bears hair over the 6 innings he pitched.


Jacob Wild's Line:
6 ~ innings pitched.
3 ~ hits.
0 ~ runs.
1 ~ walk.
6 ~ strikeouts.


The bullpen and defense suffered a late game brain cramp.  But otherwise, the Bears were in complete control of this contest. 


Coach Raines returned his son, Tim Raines Jr. to his more traditional two-spot in the order after batting him clean-up the game prior.  As mentioned above, Tim responded tonight by overtaking the CanAm League's lead in RBI with ten when he connected on his third home run of the season during a five run Newark fifth inning which made the score 8-0.  Four more runs in the eighth inning and the Feds were a beaten bunch. 


Raines' batting average remains above .400 (.414) after week one, which is good enough for fourth in the League.  On that note, amazingly, Newark's number nine batter and catcher; Billy Alvino, is batting .478 - good for second in the league.


Right fielder Danny Santiesteban blasted a three run home run of his own.  As a matter of fact, the Bears cracked five home runs in all Thursday.  As mentioned, Danny and Tim Raines - but Billy Alvino, Brian Nichols, and Daryle Ward all homered for the Bears tonight.


1B- Daryle Ward had himself a rather big day also, going 3 for 4; 3 RBI; and two runs scored.  He's batting .385 so far this season.


However, someone I suggested we all keep an eye on; Todd Gossage is still struggling mightily.  He suffered through an 0 for 4 tonight while lugging a .160 batting average around.  He was also the only Bear not to get a hit tonight.  He's currently hitting eighth in the order ahead of Billy Alvino.  Billy had himself another productive night going 2 for 3 with 2 RBI and a walk.  And you'd think with a little scouting after a week in the books, teams will seek to pitch to Gossage more as opposed to facing Alvino.  Let's hope.  If Coach Raines keeps the bottom of the order as is, perhaps Todd starts seeing better pitches so as to break out of this funk he's in.


By game's end, the Bear's starting nine batters left the field with a collective .333 batting average.  They might have padded their stats somewhat against the Federals tonight.  But more importantly, they skipped over Worcester in the standings to get another position away from last.  The Bears record is now 3-4 after week one; in sixth place and three games out of first.


Link:  New York State Baseball League




Mike.BTB

N.Y. METS ~ Give Terry Collins Today's Game Ball

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET


NEW YORK METS:  Can I Get a Buffet Table Please?

I wouldn't exactly use the word glib when describing Terry Collins' handling of the Media.  But if you're practiced in the art of Mad Libs, oh what fun it is super-imposing; replacing; transposing; tramping; and imagining the words we think Terry Collins really wants to use when trying to explain bizarre re-occurrences of Met Baseball such as the likes of Tuesday and Wednesday night's losses to the Pirates.


There's been more plain speak oozing out of Coach Collins than we've received from a Met manager since 2002.   In a much more broader sense, I'm tired of all managers who, when dealing with a microphone in their face, take the scenic route in telling us nothing.   Only the really good Tricknologists make themselves worth listening to.  Terry Francona is a guy like that just to name one.


Other managers have rolled their eyes towards the sky when bombarded with redundant questions after a loss and have even cost themselves jobs by not cooperating with Media interrogations when delving into the reasons for ineffectiveness and futility.  Other times, in managerial attempts to  rationalize every detail for a pack-mentality Media, they just become more ensnared by the unforgiving web of Q and A's.


The Mets?


After a couple of weeks, no one was listening to irrelevant Art Howe anymore.  He was as exciting as a yawn.  Willie Randolph kept feeding us a steady diet of "My Guys" this and "My Guys" that.  He was stone faced with the Media and it cost him.  They tripped him up so badly, Willie practically called his boss, Fred Wilpon, a racist on his own network.  Bad move Willie.  That's the real reason why the Mets whacked him in the middle of the California night.  But that's just me and my opinion.


Jerry Manuel had 'em all laughing.  He got out of sticky situations with jokes.  It paid off too - depending how you look at things.  But if you're like me, the Media took it too easy on the Mets during Jerry Manuel's days in the dugout and couldn't see the tidal wave of problems headed the Mets' way......because their eyes were too teary and they were all too busy getting rubber legged with laughter after every orgasmic witty line the Jerry Lama uttered.  So it's not until 2011 that so many of them woke-up and realized the Mets had problems.


Anyway, I like the way Terry Collins cut the Media off at the pass last night.  He just said "I'm running out of things to do!" and gave 'em the old "What do you want me to tell you?".


It's like telling someone to go....


Again, if you're like me and are just waiting around for the Sandy Alderson Trade Deadline Fire Works Extravaganza, then Terry Collins can be an maniacal as he wants to be.  I say, ...Good for him!  He's saying things that need to be said and more importantly, need to be heard!  Managers usually pay a price for speaking their minds in this manner.  But g'head Terry, I'm on your side now.  Because I wasn't always.  You're not a "Stinking Fool" Terry.  The questions the Media ask over and over again make managers look like fools if they can't negotiate them well enough.  Handle them the way you did Wednesday night, and the next writer will reconsider a stupid question.  At least it worked for a night right?  Loose lips might cost you your job down the line, but isn't being a manager transient in nature anyway?


Yea Terry!  Rip em a new one.


I think we can all see why Terry's players mutinied on him out in Anaheim.  He gets hot.  But I don't think we've really seen that Hot Terry; not by a long stretch...yet.  However, after last night's game, I thought his reaction was appropriate.  Or maybe he just got me on the right day.  But I think not, because I've liked him more and more as the season has progressed; even as the Met roster is regressing due to injury and impotence in yet another season.


I don't care much for things like, "this was the biggest comeback in 11 years"....STUFF.  It's just another needed regular season win.  Too bad the Mets couldn't get graded on a curve right?  Then you could throw out games like the last two as if they were their two worst grades in grammar school (because they play like Little Leaguers sometimes).  But we can't; and the Mets can't, and so finally a manager calls players out the way they needed to be.


Terry Collins is too old to play for them.  So he did the next best thing on The Day After;  He stole one.


Just make sure someone gives Terry today's game ball for taking it upon himself to seize a moment and a game, but not until after his players finally responded to their scolding and got him close enough to win for them; because what he spoke last night was truth.  They struggle to do it themselves.





I'm Not Breaking Out The Party Hats And Noise Makers After Today's Win.

.....Because Mike Pelfrey couldn't handle The PIRATES! 


That's why I'm only playing marbles with Jon Niese and Dillon Gee for now.  I've been talking about our young pitchers learning how to be a staff instead of just being pitchers.  I've been speaking about doubling-up and tripling-up on effective starts.  And when I mean our young staff, I speak directly to Niese, Gee and Mike Pelfrey.


R.A. Dickey, in spite of the Mets' implosion the other day, provided a stellar start within a sequence of good starts by the Mets and is starting to show more consistency himself.  If he pitched the way he did with a bad heel, break his foot and he might throw the Mets' first ever no-hitter.  But he's not part of our young staff; not of the future anyway.  But right now, yes, we'll take him, obviously; hands down.


But even in the Mets current situation, there's still a case to be made for stringing together quality starts and playing sound defense.  Timely hitting is third in the equation.  The Ol' Amazins proved that out once before.  But today, Mike Pelfrey is becoming problematic in that age old Met formula.  We have absolutely zero indication which direction his mind; pitching; season; and career will go at this point.  As if by choice, he remains an enigma.  Where are we with Mike Pelfrey?

He above all pitchers on the Mets was supposed to be taking a huge step forward this season.  There's foolish expectations; slim expectations; and then there are logical expectations.  Pelfrey fell into the latter and he's failing like a broken umbrella in a monsoon.


The Mets surged back to beat the Pirates this afternoon in dramatic fashion.  Whoo-Hoo!  But Mike Pelfrey suffered another personal mind-blowing and debilitating loss.


Ponderous.





Mike.BTB

NEWARK BEARS ~ Jackals Win First Executive Challenge Series

From the desk of:  GROWLINGS FROM BROOKLYN


NEWARK BEARS:  New Jersey Jackals Take Batting Practice Against Bears' Pitching.

Based on his torrid hitting of late, Tim Raines Jr. was dropped down in the line-up to the clean-up spot for the rubber game of the Essex County Challenge Series against the Jackals.  Meanwhile, while struggling at the plate, Todd Gossage has also been moved down to eighth in the order by Bears' skipper Tim Raines.  Both players went 1 for 3 earlier this afternoon with each scoring a run and collecting an RBI.

But the changes to Coach Tim Raines' line up did little to keep up with the New Jersey Jackals' assault on Bears' pitching today.  They pounded out 18 hits against the Brick City Bruins and scored ten runs to Newark's five. 

Newark's starting pitcher; Jesse Estrada, got hammered, only lasting 3.2 innings and getting tagged with his first loss.  In those 3.2 innings pitched, Jesse allowed 8 hits; 6 runs - 5 earned; three walks; and five strikeouts.  The bullpen managed no better against New Jersey.  In their 4.1 innings, they allowed another ten hits; another four runs; no walks and 3 strikeouts.

Newark was down 6-1 after a five run fourth inning by New Jersey.  Newark chipped away with runs in the fifth and seventh frames.  The Bears got back to within a run of the Jackals after scoring one more time in the top of the eighth.

But the Jackals stepped it again in the bottom of the eighth and put this game out of Newark's reach once and for all with another big four run inning.  And in doing so, they take the first ever Executive's Challenge Series two games to one.

The Newark Bears record now drops to 2-4 on the season.

Next up; the New York Federals come to Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium; Newark, for a four game series.





Mike.BTB

N.Y. METS ~ Dickey Shines But Bats Fizzle At Citi

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

NEW YORK METS:  The Mets' Bats Fell Asleep Early.
R.A. Dickey Lost His Grip Late.



FINAL:
Pittsburgh  5
Mets  1


This is what happens when you face a 26 year old journeyman pitcher with a 12-14 career record, and make him look like the offspring of  Cy 'freakin' Young.  No one does this better than the Mets.  It's not just these current players.  It's all time.  We make virtual nobodies look like phenoms and we've been at this for decades now.


Tonight's hurler extraordinaire was Pittsburgh's James McDonald.  Six innings; six hits; one run; two walks; and five strikeouts left this Met fan shaking his head because the Mets blew an exceptionally well pitched game by R.A. Dickey in spite of his Plantus -Whateveritus condition.  I don't want to get into a digression about Dickey's mettle.  But the guy knows how to Man-Up doesn't he?


And there will be no knocks against Terry from me for not taking Dickey out a batter or two sooner.  We lost because James McDonald turned our bats into wet noodles.  Murphy and Pagan had two hits apiece.  And Beltran and Bay were good(?) for one hit each.  I'm not exactly doing back flips over the fact the much maligned Jason Bay literally tapped in the lone Met RBI tonight.  Credit Angel Pagan on that one.  Other than that, the rest of the Flushing Bisons could do little else against an obscenely ordinary pitcher.  Or, should I say pitchers?  A double and an infield blip - that was the extent of Tuesday's offense against the Pittsburgh Pirates.



R.A. DICKEY'S Line:
7.2 ~ innings pitched.
108 pitches ~ 81 strikes (an incredible number for a knuckle ball).
5 ~ hits.
3 ~ runs/earned.
2 ~ walks.
10 ~ strikeouts.



So file this as one of those "Failure To Seize the Moment" games.  With a pitching performance like Dickey's, the Mets had a golden opportunity to string together a third straight win on the back of two very strong outings by Niese and Gee.  But they damn near got shut-out Tuesday while featuring a line-up minus Wright, Reyes, and Davis.  Tuesday's line-up left Dickey zero room for error and as a result, how damaging was that hit-by-pitch in the eighth inning?  But for seven innings, Dickey was right on point.



Nick Evans probably had the most frustrating night of all the Mets; after Dickey that is.  He was pencilled in to play first base today (as Murph played third) and proceeded to strike out three times.  Ruben Tejada's batting average dropped down into the more familiar .200's category, as he kissed his .300 batting average goodbye today with an Oh-for.  And just as I'd like to see Dillon Gee and Jon Niese string pairs of victories together, I want Josh Thole to start stringing two and three games of good at-bats together.  He did not follow through Tuesday after swinging a winning bat the night before.  I guess what I call for is more consistency my friend.




Mike.BTB