Mets Minors: Backman Leading Las Vegas 51s Trio in AAA All-Star Game

From the desk of:  MR. MET MEETS THE GREAT GAZOO

CASHMAN FIELD

Las Vegas, Nevada

Mets Minors: Travis Taijeron and J.T. Rivera Set to Wield PCL Leading Bats Against International League's Best.

The Las Vegas 51s regular season will resume on July 14 against the Iowa Cubs.

In the meantime, Vegas skipper Wally Backman will manage the Pacific Coast League's top talent when they take on the International League's best in the 29th annual AAA All-Star Game this Wednesday in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Pitcher Gabriel Ynoa is tied for second most wins in the league with a 9-3 record, and tied for second with 18 starts this season.  He has also logged the third most innings in the Pacific Coast League to date and boasts a representative 4.19 ERA.

At the plate, right fielder Travis Taijeron and infielder J.T. Rivera have been pummeling Pacific Coast league pitching since the season's first call to play ball.

After 84 games and 312 at-bats, Taijeron leads the PCL with 35 doubles, is second with 176 total bases, ranks third with 69 RBI, and is fifth with both a .564 slugging average and .953 OPS.  He's otherwise batting .306 with 13 home runs.

Shortstop and third baseman J.T. Rivera leads the Pacific Coast League with a .348 batting average.   He is additionally fourth behind Taijeron with 63 RBI, tenth right behind Taijeron with a .389 OBP, and is tied with Taijeron for sixth with 96 total hits.  With eight home runs to date, he's one away from matching his single season (2014) high.

N.Y. Mets: Still No Agreement With First Round Pick Anthony Kay

From the desks of:  

HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET  and  THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

Still Waiting....

Friday, July 15

is the deadline for amateur draft picks to sign.

The New York Mets have so far agreed to terms with ten of their top eleven 2016 amateur draft picks. Seven reported to the (A-) Brooklyn Cyclones, while three others reported to the Kingsport Mets of the (R) Appalachian League:

Brooklyn

• Rd. 1 - Justin Dunn, rhp
• Rd. 2 - Peter Alonso, 1b
• Rd. 3 - Blake Tiberi, 3b
• Rd. 4 - Michael Paez, ss
• Rd. 5 - Colby Woodmansee, ss
• Rd. 7 - Austin McGeorge. rhp
• Rd. 10 - Gene Cone, of

Kingsport

• Rd. 6 - Chris Viall, rhp
• Rd. 8 - Placido Torres, rhp
• Rd. 9 - Colin Holderman, rhp

Dissecting pitching performances in particular would be premature, as they've only appeared in a handful of games to date.  First round pick (#19 overall) Justin Dunn has made just two appearances for the Cyclones so far, in which he's thrown four scoreless innings.

Of the position players, shortstop Colby Woodmansee is off to a fine start with the Cyclones.  The former Arizona State product made 82 starts at shortstop for the Sun Devils, and wrapped up his collegiate career with 44 RBI.  He is presently hitting .328 (seventh in the NYPL) through 17 games with two home runs and already has a team leading ten RBI.

There's Always One in Every Crowd

Only first round compensatory pick and the #31 overall selection, left-handed pitcher Anthony Kay, remains unsigned (among the Mets top ten round selections.  Four of their top 21 selections remain unsigned).

A University of Connecticut junior hailing from Stony Brook, Long Island, Anthony Kay started 17 games in 2016 for the Huskies posting a 9-2 record with a 2.65 ERA.  He surrendered 99 hits, walked 37 batters, and fanned 111 in 119 innings pitched.  He twice registered ten strikeouts in a game, while hitters hit just .223 against him.

Overall, Kay went 22-12 in 52 games/39 starts with a 2.64 ERA during three seasons at Connecticut, and fanned 263 batters over 286 innings pitched, with a .224 average against.

N.Y. Mets: Bartolo Colon Never More Important to Amazin's Than Now

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

Bartolo Colon's next appearance will be in the 2016 All-Star Game.

But if FIP stands for Fading Ineffective Pitcher, the Mets are in trouble.

NEW YORK METS: Was Big Sexy's latest regular season start an omen of things to come?

Prior to his arrival in Flushing, Bartolo Colon hadn't pitched 200 innings in a season since 2005 for the Los Angeles Angels.  

Despite turning 40 years old in 2013, he parlayed 30 starts and 190.1 innings pitched for the Oakland A's into a two-year pact with the Mets.

For a number of Mets fans, myself included, Bartolo Colon's price, age, and conditioning, were all immediate points of contention upon his signing here.

Colon went on to make 31 starts in 2014, and clock 202.1 innings pitched for the first time in nine years.  Last year's 33 appearances were likewise his most since the 2005 season. 

Signing another one year contract this past off-season ensured his ongoing swan song would continue playing out in Flushing.

He owns a 7-4 record so far this season, but was taken off the hook with a no decision after experiencing his worst start to date on July 7, in which he allowed the Washington Nationals six earned runs on ten hits (three home runs) in just 4.2 innings pitched.  That game caused his 2.87 ERA to spike to 3.28, which is still well below his combined 4.12 ERA during his first two seasons here.

Since 2014, Colon is 29-26 with a 3.96 ERA over 81 overall appearances and 495.2 innings pitched for the Mets.

Despite having his own professional and personal skeletons to speak of, in two and a half seasons he not only managed to flip naysayers like me, but actually became an endearing figure beyond being a consistently professional pitcher to behold.

The seemingly indefatigable Big Sexy turned 43 years old this season, and in short time will make the 500th appearance of his 19 year career.  He's presently sitting on 493 career appearances, and fast becoming the most important stud in the Mets stable.

Would the Mets be wise in regulating him to every sixth day for sake of maximizing any enduring effectiveness he has left?  I'm sure most would argue in favor of continuing along business as usual.   

In truth, Bartolo has so far made eight starts on five days rest, and eight starts on six days rest, and indeed nothing about his splits indicate a change is even warranted.  

So why do I feel Terry Collins would get a fresher, sharper Bartolo Colon, versus just some serviceable performer bridging games till the starting rotation circles back to Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard again - that pulling back just a little, will enable him to continue being a more effective work horse over a longer haul?

The Mets are in a bind with increasingly less margin for error ... or injury. 

ICYMI:

Weight of Metropolis Beginning to Fall on Jacob deGrom

For three seasons now, many fans have feared realizing Bartolo Colon's inevitable law of diminished returns.  So how much longer can this time bandit go?  Being a cult favorite is one matter ... continuing to defy conventional thinking is another.

He hasn't deviated much away from his career numbers.  There's one statistic, however, that has my attention.  After averaging a 3.65 FIP from 2011 through 2015, Colon's present 4.12 FIP is sitting at a six year high.  And after posting a +0.52 ERA/FIP differential in 2014, and a +0.32 differential last season, Colon has plummeted to a -0.84 this season, similarly a six year low.

That's all I got.  Quite obviously, there exist a great many more matters regarding what to do about the Mets suddenly plagued starting pitching than broached within this page.

Colon's next appearance will likely occur during his fourth ever All-Star game (in place of Madison Bumgarner) this upcoming Tuesday in San Diego.

After which, the season takes on much greater meaning, while play itself increases in intensity.

I once learned about the seven P's, that proper prior planning prevents piss poor performance.  

As it pertains to Bartolo Colon and the Mets, that phrase never rang more true.

N.Y. Mets: Weight of Metropolis Beginning to Fall on Jacob deGrom

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

APOCALYPSE NOW

FOUR HORSEMEN of the METROPOLIS

*    *    *    *

DARK KNIGHT  ~  THOR  ~  SUPER MATZ  ~  deGROMINATOR

NEW YORK METS: Legion of Gloom and Doom Tightening Grip on Gotham; Flushing's Super Heroes Reeling...

Friday it was decided Matt Harvey will undergo season ending surgery to address thoratic outlet syndrome in his pitching shoulder.  In other words, he is suffering from compression of nerves and tendons causing him discomfort.

The graffiti was already sprayed throughout the locker room walls.  In 17 starts, the Darkened Knight posted a 4-10 record with a career high 4.86 ERA, 1.468 WHiP, 10.8 H/9 average, and a career low 7.4 K/9 average ... all this as a result of losing one mile per hour throughout his pitching repertoire. 

Apparently, it was enough to end Matt Harvey's season yet again, just as his right arm did on August 24 2013, his last MLB start prior to undergoing Tommy John surgery.

It can be said the Mets remained in N.L. East contention through the first half of the season largely despite Harvey's efforts.  The same can not be said of Noah Syndergaard, who in demeanor and performance is the clear ace of the Mets staff this season - but not without conflicting levels of concern over his health among the fans, management, the media, and even Thor himself.

Noah Syndergaard is pitching with bone spurs in his right elbow, and was lifted from Friday's game against the Washington Nationals due to what Terry Collins interpreted as arm fatigue, and unrelated to his elbow.  With the Mets history of paranoid diagnoses, I'd categorize the latter statement as typical post-game damage control.  In other words, stay tuned for the real truth.

Steven Matz is similarly pitching with bone spurs in the back of his left elbow and is presently taking an anti-inflammatory for the condition.  Matz' condition appears a bit more worrisome - his spur/spurs are larger.  Both he and Thor will continue pitching though their discomfort that will likely require off-season surgery involving a three month recovery period.

Then there's Jacob deGrom, who perhaps more than anything else is disgruntled with himself.  After attending to family matters earlier this season, Jacob deGrom has sufficiently regained the velocity on his fastball.  However, he continues battling high pitch counts.  Jacob failed to complete seven innings in ten of his 15 starts so far this season, but appears to be turning that around as well.  He lasted eight innings for the first time on June 25, and went seven full innings in his last start.  It would appear then, he's just starting to peculate - just in time too.

As fate would have it, the weight of Metropolis is starting to fall on him.

L.I. Ducks: Open Season at the Pond

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

The Atlantic League ... Land of Opportunity,

but not without occasional, untimely, 

and certainly frustrating moments for fans.

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: Jack Snodgrass Plucked from Flock by Texas Rangers.

The Atlantic League is a fine circuit, and indeed a land of opportunity in a manner of speaking.

Just ask Ducks fans about Mickey Jannis and Mark Blackmar, to name two, who've previously pitched very effectively for the Long Island Ducks, and in turn had their respective contracts purchased by an MLB organization - Blackmar last weekend by the Nationals and Jannis last season by the Mets.

Even Mike Loree parlayed his time in Long Island several years ago into a trip overseas.

The Ducks announced on Friday the contract of southpaw Jack Snodgrass, 28, was purchased by the Texas Rangers organization.

Through July 5, Jack was 6-6 with a 3.79 ERA, and a 1.430 WHiP in 14 starts for the Ducks, with 85 strikeouts in 78.1 innings pitched.  His longest outing of the season came on June 20 in which he tossed 6.2 innings against York.  He otherwise pitched six full innings in ten other starts.  Atlantic League batters were hitting .272 against him.

Congratulations to Jack, Mark, and all who've returned to the big show via the Atlantic League.

Sometimes, however, these transactions can be a little deflating, as a fan of the team that is..

So how important was winning the first half pennant looking now?

Goes without saying ...

The onus is now on remaining starters John Brownell, Darin Downs, Bobby Blevins, and Bruce Kern, to carry an even heavier load until general manager Michael Pfaff can seek out capable mound reinforcements - yes, more than one arm is necessary, especially on the heels of clinching a first half pennant.  Literally and figuratively, the Ducks have till the playoffs to rearm their staff.

• Together, Downs, Snodgrass, and Brownell formed the top three league leaders in strikeouts.

In the meantime, on Thursday, July 7, Coach Baez implemented a pitcher by committee in Long Island's series opener at Southern Maryland.  Kevin Vance made his first start of the season, charged with pitching the first three innings of the game (after making 20 prior appearances as a reliever).   Coach Baez then matriculated six other relievers through the box en route to a 5-3 victory.

On Friday, John Brownell led the Ducks in a 6-2 victory with seven innings pitched over the Blue Crabs.  He limited Southern Maryland to just one earned run on six hits and a walk, with six strikeouts.  It was Brownell's franchise record extending 41st victory as a member of the Ducks.  He is now 6-3 this season with a 2.77 ERA in 13 starts.

Mets Continue July Surge Against Washington

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

Mets win series opener 9-7 over Washington Nationals;

close to within three games of first place.

NEW YORK METS: Amazin' bats back in the swing of things, providing more leads, which means more Jeurys Familia, in turn producing more wins.

The 2016 regular season continues its near mirror imaging of last year, statistically speaking that is.

Only major difference being Terry's Kids lacked major league quality bats last year (prior to the trade deadline), meanwhile entered this season with quality major league personnel, but remain helpless against ever mounting and ruinous injuries affecting their key personnel.

Yet, to borrow a descriptive from last season, the Mets have remained resilient throughout.

The Amazin's entered Thursday's game against the first place Nationals with a 46-38 record, four games behind in the standings.  At face value, not a bad place to be.  Then Jose Reyes and Wilmer Flores both homered to help push the Mets by Washington in their series opener at Citi Field.

Rewind just a few games, and the Mets owned a 44-37 record through 81 games, compared to last year's 43-41 record by the midway point.

For a second straight season, pitching is the Mets forte.  Similarly, look no further than the offense for what has gone both right and wrong for the Mets.

National League

• April - #7 runs scored, #7 team average (.255)
• May - #13 runs scored, #15 team average (.211)
• June - #15 runs scored, #13 team average (.235)
• July - #1 runs scored, #1 team average

Month by Month Record

• April - 2015 (15-8); 2016 (15-7)
• May - 2015 (13-15); 2016 (14-15)
• June - 2015 (12-15); 2016 (12-15)
• July - 2015 (13-12); 2016 (6-1) and counting...

The Phantom Mets Menace

It's clear as the line-up goes, so go the Mets.  But the underlying reality suggests their very strength is fast becoming a major issue.  

Matt Harvey's addition to the disabled list is merely the latest injury seemingly conspiring against the Mets' defense of their National League pennant.  Only now he's facing season ending surgery, again, meanwhile, everyone continues crossing their fingers with every anxiety riddled Steven Matz start that goes by.

They could conceivably be in need of not just one, or two, but three starting pitchers in the months to come, unless Sandy Alderson acts prior to the deadline.

This, unfortunately, is also an untimely consequence of trading pitching prospects, which, in the Mets particular instance helped build them into a contender.  That said, they do not have anything near the likes of Michael Fulmer pitching at Las Vegas ready to step in.  I mean no disrespect, but, Seth Lugo, Rafael Montero, and/or Gabriel Ynoa, simply do not satisfy the Mets potential needs as defending N.L. champs.

Worth noting, this year's non waiver trade deadline has been pushed up to Monday, Aug. 1, to avoid the more familiar July 31 cutoff from falling on a Sunday.  After a fine off-season, the Mets front office stayed reactive as injuries mounted with the acquisitions of James Loney, Kelly Johnson, and Jose Reyes.  The big question, then, over the next three weeks will be ... what more can (or will) they do?

At the same time, it's worth pondering how much the potential returns of Zack Wheeler and Josh Edgin might help the Mets in the months to come.  They could effectively become two much needed acquisitions, in a manner of speaking.  Edgin is performing well during his assignment with Las Vegas, and is closer to returning than Wheeler, whom suffered a slight setback during his rehab, and had his potential return date pushed back to at least August.

METS 2016 ALL-STARS

• Noah Syndergaard (23 years old) is the Mets ace.  That is no longer open for debate.  Thor presently sports a 9-3 record with a 2.41 ERA, 1.06 WHiP, and 1.89 FIP.  In 101 innings pitched to date, Noah has fanned 123 batters for an 11.0 K/9 average, complemented by a low 1.3 W/9 average.

• Despite needing a cool nickname, Jeurys Familia (26 years old) appears fully immersed in the role of Closer now in his second full season serving the role.  Thursday against the Nationals, Jeurys saved his franchise record extending 31st save without blowing a single opportunity all season.  That gives him 74 saves in just the last 1 1/2 seasons.

• Yoenis Cespedes (30 years old) has been worthy of ever dollar spent on the muscle.   Representing the Mets in the batting order, he'll be the National League's starting left fielder in this year's All-Star game.  Yo is presently slashing .303/.373/.585, with 21 home runs and 52 RBI, ranking him second in the circuit in slugging and fourth in home runs.

• Congratulations Terry Collins, manager of this year's National League All-Star squad.

We Are Familia..

I heard Jim Duquette a few nights ago on SNY-TV say Noah Syndergaard was the Mets first half MVP.  That's hard to debate, but I will nevertheless side with closer Jeurys Familia as the Mets first half MVP.

After splitting four games against the Braves, then getting swept by the Nationals, Familia essentially ignited this most recent string of eight victories over their last nine games, when, he closed out the Chicago Cubs during their series opener with what can be argued as the team's biggest save of the 2016 season - Familia's 27th.

The Mets went on to sweep four games from the Cubs, take two of three from the Marlins, and win Thursday's rematch opener against the Nationals, in which Familia notched his aforementioned 31st save of the season.

N.Y. Mets: Our Latest RA Podcast with author Jon Springer

Here's our latest podcast for 

RisingApple.com

Rising Apple Report #136: 

Six Wins In Seven, As D.C. Comes To Town

 Our featured guest was Mets fan extraordinaire, and author of
a comprehensive history of the Mets by uniform number,
Jon Springer, proprietor of MetsByTheNumbers.net.

Warning:  If you're a die hard fan, this episode will be an easy listen.
Otherwise, you're going to need about 2 hrs:17 minutes for listening
to this wide ranging four way conversation covering of everything Mets
new, old, in between, and other stuff too.

Oh Boy!
First half impressions / a hot Jose Reyes round table / what about Wilmer?
2016 Mets All-Stars / Team MVP / Dwayne Wade!
Mets LVP ... eh hem ... De Aza.
A Jerry Koosman love fest / retiring numbers and magic wands.
Time to recognize Joan Payson at Citi Field, damn it,
and we just may have come up with the perfect way to get it done.
John Stearns - Ed Lynch - a 1978 Mets reunion?
Never ending Al Harazin criticisms - Phil Neikro?
Yoenis Cespedes - The Darkening Knight - Should Thor pitch in ASG?
What ever happened to the unintentional intentional walk?
Willie Mays - Tug McGraw - the 1936 Brooklyn Dodgers
Players who've worn #36 in Mets history - and more.

Brooklyn Cyclones: #1 Draft Pick Justin Dunn Makes Pro Debut in Batavia

From the desk of:  THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

Brooklyn Cyclones vs. Batavia Muckdogs

I - BKN 5; BAT 1

II - BKN 5; BAT 1

Game Three

Brooklyn Cyclones

vs.

Batavia Muckdogs

FROM

Dwyer Stadium

Genesee, N.Y.

BATAVIA: Stay Team Stay!

I have noting but respect for the rich seventy-seven years of Batavia Baseball.  When the Muckdogs visit Coney Island's MCU Park, I make it my business to be there.  After all, what are the Cyclones without competition?

Historic competition at that...

Birth place of the original PONY League back in 1939, a reorganized circuit proceeded forward in 1957 as the New York-Penn League, likewise founded in Batavia - the last remaining charter member of the circuit.

This series potentially may very well be Brooklyn's last visit to Batavia and Dwyer Field.  The park itself was rechristened in 1996, but the original playing field has been in place since 1937.  All these decades later, baseball may be coming to a sad end in Batavia - relocation.

The visiting Brooklyn Cyclones so far have won two of a three game set by identical 5-1 margins, with the series finale scheduled for Wednesday.

BROOKLYN CYCLONES: Mets First Round Draft Pick (#19 overall) made a sparkling professional debut on 4th of July.

Justin Dunn, the New York Mets #1 pick (19th overall) of the recent 2016 June amateur draft made his professional debut on Independence Day in western New York against the Batavia Muckdogs.

A local product hailing out of Freeport, Long Island, Dunn, 20 years old, and is listed at 6'2" 170 pounds.  He and the Mets reached an agreement on June 21, for the full slot value of $2,378,800 million dollars.

Used primarily as a reliever during his three years at Boston College, Dunn's early season performance in 2016 earned him a promotion into the Eagles starting rotation by April.

ICYMI

Justin Dunn Has Entered The Building

He features a mature four pitch repertoire replete with a mid-90s fastball, polished curve and slider, and an effective change, and finally put them to work for the Brooklyn Cyclones.

Two things to keep in mind before discussing Justin Dunn's performance: the Mets debuted him on the road, and in a non-save situation.

Read into it what you will...

Dunn otherwise pitched his first two innings as a pro on the fourth of July, charged with protecting a 5-1 lead during the eighth and ninth innings of Saturday's victory.

The first batter to step in against him was number seven hitter, Batavia DH Isaiah White, who reached on an excuse me infield single.  Three pitches into Justin's second batter, his battery mate made his first trip to the mound.  A fielder's choice then advanced the runner to second.  Third batter in second baseman Rony Cabrera witnessed one each of Dunn's 95mph fastball, and nasty slider, but reached safely on yet another excuse me infield single, putting runners on the corners with only 1-out.  With his very next pitch, however, Dunn induced lead-off hitter Cory Bird into an inning ending 4-6-3 double-play.

With Batavia's number two, three, and four hitters, due up in the ninth, Justin Dunn provided distant Mets fans a measure of validation by retiring the Muckdogs in order, fanning the first and final batters of the inning ... game over.

L.I. Ducks: Flock Earns First Half Flag With Strong Finish

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

ATLANTIC LEAGUE

FIRST ~ HALF

LIBERTY DIVISION

CHAMPIONS

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: It's not how you start, it's how you finsh! Flock overcome Somerset Patriots' 13-0 season start to clinch Liberty Division first half pennant.

In a classic wire-to-wire pennant race against the Somerset Patriots, Long Island entered the weekend with their own destiny in hand, but not before June proved to be a month of extreme peaks and valleys.  They finished strongly, however, going 8-2 down the stretch and winning their last three games to secure a place in this Autumn's post-season.

The first half truly was a 68 game struggle ... the Ducks entered Saturday's action with a magic number of one over the Somerset Patriots, who never made things easy down to the last by defeating the Bridgeport Bluefish ensuring the Liberty Division race would remain banjo tight.

After Saturday's clincher, Ducks fans rewarded their team's pennant with a franchise record setting 7,602 in attendance during Sunday's series sweep over the Sugar Land Skeeters and first half finale.

Post-Game pic/AtlanticLeague.com 

Long Island ended the first half with a 40-30 record, two games ahead of the perennially contending Somerset Patriots, and tied with the Freedom Division champs York Revolution for the best record in the league.

Saturday's 6-1 clincher over the Skeeters featured John Brownell's franchise record setting 41st victory as a member of the Long Island Ducks.  After facing 33 batters, and throwing 125 pitches with 81 going for strikes through 8.1 innings pitched, Coach Baez removed Brownell from the game so as to let his starter walk off to a well deserved home crowd ovation.

The Ducks veteran ace allowed a lone earned run on seven hits and two walks, with six strikeouts, improving to 5-3, while lowering his ERA from 3.10 to a 2.90 mark.  Now in his fifth season with the Ducks, Brownell owns a career 41-30 record with a 3.43 ERA over 641 innings pitched.

The Long Island Ducks will begin relying on John Brownell, Jack Snodgrass, and Darin Downs, a whole lot more from here on out.   That's because MLB eyes noticed the work of starter, and Atlantic League's second best ERA leader Mark Blackmar, whose contract was purchased by the Washington Nationals.  While this is yet another Atlantic League mission accomplished story (..and good luck to him!), this is nonetheless a big blow to the Ducks.

In Blackmar's absence, John Brownell is now tied for second in league ERA behind Bridgeport's Mike Antonini.

Coney Island: 2016 Hot Dog Eating Contest

~ 100 ~

YEARS

Happy Birthday Nathan's Famous!

Congratulations on triumphantly hitting the century mark in grand New York City fashion, flair, and food!

Thanks for your unyielding resiliency through decades of good times and bad, and most recently returning from Hurricane Sandy stronger than ever, and for continuing to serve as one of the bedrocks of Coney Island - all year long, ever year since 1916.

My son and I are 2nd and 3rd generation native Nathanites.  As part of the love of Borough, we greater Brooklynites wear your very existence like a red badge of courage where ever we go.

Birthplace of the hot dog, you're among the TITANS of Brooklyn institutions.  Within every bite, an enduring freakishly historic and delicious reminder of an era when Coney Island was the preeminent vacation destination of the entire east coast ... and never apologized for nuthin'.

A modern trip to Sin City, Las Vegas, would be nothing more than adult day care compared to the hey day of Coney Island, where Six Flags met Oktoberfest and Vaudeville met Jackass at the Hotel California on the Island of Moreau.

July 4, 2016

The first hot dog contest did not take place between four immigrants 

on July 4, 1916, in order to decide who was the most patriotic among them.  

Suffice to say this tradition as we know it started in the early 1970s.

JOEY CHESTNUT

regained the title, breaking his own record,

scarfing down a new record 70 hot dogs with buns. 

Meanwhile, on the way back home...

I couldn't help myself, so I also contributed two bucks

YBR?

You Breed Raptors?

!dinosaur cloning research!

Happy Independence Day 2016

LAND of the FREE

BECAUSE of our BRAVE

DIVIDED WE FALL

L.I. Ducks: Flock Swat Skeeters; Magic Number Now One

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

FIRST~HALF

Liberty Division Flag

one more waddle away

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: Mother Nature is a Ducks Fan; Throws Change-Up at Somerset Patriots.

Thunder, lightning, torrential downpours, the inevitable delays, nor Skeeters strong starting pitching would prevent the Long Island Ducks from crossing home plate eight times in the home 7th inning against visiting Sugar Land.

Skeeters starter Sean Gallagher initially quieted Ducks hitters through six full innings of work, allowing five scattered hits and two walks, and striking out nine before exiting on the winning side of a, then, 4-0 game.

Ducks starter Mark Blackmar, meanwhile, exited on the losing side of said score after allowing four earned runs on seven hits and no walks, with four strikeouts through seven innings pitched.

Mark's team mates got him off the hook in the bottom of the frame when their previously dormant bats finally broke through against Sugar Land's bullpen, sending 11 men to the plate en route to setting their highest single inning run total of the season.  Seven Ducks hitters registered at least one RBI.

On its own merit, Friday night's dramatic reversal of fortune reduced Long Island's magic number to Two.

The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend

Before the rains came, Long Island trailed Sugar Land, while the Bridgeport Bluefish trailed the Patriots in Somerset by a 2-1 margin through seven innings of play.

After the storms cells rumbled through, the Fish jumped ahead 5-2 in the top of the seventh.   Somerset volleyed in the bottom of the frame with a pair runs to close within one.  But three more Bridgeport runs in the top of the eighth doused any Patriots hopes of a comeback.

The damage was done, and a look up at the out of town scoreboard conformed it.  The Somerset Patriots loss reduced Long Island's magic number down to one.

Any combination of a Ducks win or Patriots loss through close of business Sunday will result in a first half pennant for Long Island.

N.Y. Mets: Jeurys Familia Notches Amazin' Save Over Cubs

Here's my latest for 

RisingApple.com

Mets Closer Jeurys Familia's 27th Save Of The Season 

Was Team's Most Important To Date

Mike

senior staff writer/Rising Apple

Brooklyn Cyclones: College State Drives Final Spike Through June

From the desk of:  THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

BROOKLYN CYCLONES: June Proved a Very Taxing Month.

True to their team name, and the harrowing up and down nature of the Coney Island ride itself, the Brooklyn Cyclones continue along their roller coaster start to the 2016 regular season.

After defeating the State College Spikes 6-2 during Tuesday's series opener, the Brooks proceeded to lose their fifth extra inning game of the season (in just 14 games) on Wednesday.

Their most recent misstep came on Thursday night, in a 10-4 drubbing during their rubber game against the Spikes.  Cyclones right fielder Arnaldo Berrios was big man on campus, going 3 for 4, with a double and a pair of RBI.  However, starter Joel Huertas got hit hard, allowing eight earned runs on 12 hits and a walk, with four strikeouts, though 5.1 innings pitched.

And I'm left asking myself, why would Coach Gamboa allow such a thing?

The Cyclones are now 6-8 on the season, six games back of the McNamara Division leading Staten Island Yankees.

To date, the Cyclones are ninth in the league with a .217 team average, and rank sixth in runs scored. On the mound, their 3.55 team ERA ranks 12th, while their 1.20 WHiP ranks seventh.

Next up, the Cyclones will host the Connecticut Tigers for a three game weekend series, before traveling out to Batavia on Monday.

L.I. Ducks: Thanking Patriots for Happy First of July

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

FIRST HALF

Magic Number

3

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: Despite Missteps, Flock Hold on to First Place; First Half Division Title Still Theirs to Lose.

The Somerset Patriots can not have been any more benevolent than they've been.

Over the last week, they lost three of four road games against the Sugar Land Skeeters, then returned home only to lose three of four games against the New Britain Bees, underscored by Thursday night's cardiac arresting 8-7 loss at TD Bank Ballpark.

But the Ducks continue looking their gift horse in the mouth.

Long Island almost pulled off their own comeback during Thursday's series finale against the York Revolution, but wound up bowing to the visitors, and ultimately settling on a four game split.

York hit Ducks' starter Jack Snodgrass early and often, knocking him out of the box after just two innings of work, in which he allowed six runs (five earned) on six hits and three walks, with three strikeouts.  He faced just 15 batters, and saw his ERA inflated to a 3.98 mark.

Third baseman Matt Wessinger got the Ducks within 8-7 with a two run home run in the home sixth, but three York relievers kept Long Island scoreless the rest of the way preserving the Revs' victory.

Only by default do the Ducks retain their precarious one game lead over the Patriots, with just three games left to play before the first half expires.  Game #70 of the season is fast approaching this coming Sunday.  At this point, any combination of Ducks wins and Somerset losses totaling three gives Long Island the first half title.

Easier said than done...

The Long Island Ducks are now 15-14 in June, during which time they previously failed to stay in first place on several occasions, much less separate themselves from Somerset in the standings.

It also bares keeping in mind the Somerset Patriots own the head-to-head tie breaker over the Ducks.

That in turn makes the Ducks mission very clear - stay even with the Patriots, or win out.

Long Island will now host the Sugar Land Skeeters for three, while the Patriots host the Bridgeport Bluefish.