New York Sports

Angel Pagan is Jose Reyes

2010-06-24T13:03:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows the energy level that Jose Reyes brings to a baseball game. If you were to ask any manager they would say that having a player like Jose Reyes changes the dynamic of an entire team. Luckily for the Mets, they have a Jose Reyes clone in Angel Pagan.

The stat lines are very similar. Reyes has 19 stolen bases; Pagan has 14. Reyes has 6 home runs; Pagan has 4. Reyes has 81 hits while Pagan has 77. Reyes is a switch-hitter; as is Pagan.

However, there are a few statistical categories in which Pagan out performs Reyes. For example, Pagan is hitting .306, while Reyes is hitting .283. Pagan has 35 rbi's, while Reyes has 30. Pagan has a higher on-base plus slugging (.806) than Reyes does, as well (.760).

So, in a way, the Mets have a second Jose Reyes. When you say the proof is in the pudding it means seeing is believing. Pagan has proved his worth on this ball club. Many thought he had the potential and the ability to perform at a high level and he has come out this year and not only played well, but has played exceptionally well when it has counted and is leading the team in batting average with runners in scoring position.

To have two players in a batting order that can not only perform at a level this high but also can bring the level of energy that both players bring is something many teams in the Major Leagues have been looking for for a long time, and the Mets finally have a great 1-2 punch at the top of their order.

LGM

-Crofts

Maine Event Odd Man Out?

2010-06-24T12:51:00.000-07:00

I was trying to figure out a way to take the situation at hand and word it so that it would sound clever and mysterious, but the bottom line is that when John Maine comes off the disabled list, he might find himself out of a job, and for the Mets to put him back in the rotation would be flat out ridiculous.

The only way I see John Maine fitting on this roster is if the Mets were to send down Raul Valdez and let Maine be the long man out of the pen.

Ok, YES John Maine has a place in the hearts of Met fans and has become a household name in Queens. I get that. I am as sentimental as the next Met fan, and probably even more so. But where do you draw the line?

When John Maine was at his best he was throwing a mid-90's heater with wicked movement that, for a period of time, seemed untouchable. Maine seemed destined for greatness. However, over the past few years, he has battled injuries and inconsistency with mechanics. All of this has reduced him to nothing more than mediocre.

Right now, reports say that John Maine is not only still sore, but his fastball has not been topping out at higher than 87 mph. I am a big believer in not needing a mid-90's fastball to make it in the pros. See Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Jamie Moyer if you disagree.

That being said, there is a difference between always being a finesse pitcher and losing your stuff. John Maine is not Pedro Martinez. Pedro is one of the smartest minds to ever toe a rubber. He had to re-invent himself and was still, at times, great. Not that I am saying that John Maine is not smart; I am saying he is not Pedro Martinez.

Maine needs a good fastball to setup the speed differential for his change up, with the reason being that many in baseball believe he does not have good enough secondary "stuff" to be without his mid-90's fastball.

With the recent success of Hisanori Takahashi and the outstanding 6-0 start of R.A. Dickey, there is no place in the starting rotation for John Maine. This team has been performing at a very high level as of late, and, while this may sound bad, to try and fix something that isn't broken, just because of loyalty, is foolish.

Sorry, John. Your time in New York may be up.

LGM

-Crofts

Braves and Mets back atop the NL East

2010-06-23T10:01:00.000-07:00

That is what it looks like ladies and gentlemen. The Braves are sitting atop the division, with the Mets right on their heals.

Order has been restored to the universe.

Yes, I said it. The Braves on top, with the Mets nipping at their tails. All is right in the NL East.

I am a Mets fan through and through, and for the first 14 years of my life, rooting for the Mets to win the division was a lost cause, because every single year Bobby Cox and Chipper Jones would just coast to another division championship.

Tom Glavine seemingly did not through a single strike, I still do not understand why he got those calls...

However, there was always something about those pennant races

that really got your blood boiling. Whether it was the way that I hated Bobby Cox making a double switch every other inning, and ALWAYS in the 7th, no matter what, or how if it wasn't Chipper Jones and the chants of "LARRY" at Shea Stadium, it was most likely Brian Jordan or Andruw Jones, or...Keith Lockhart...or Walt Weis...or some other no-name role player like Kevin McGlinchy killing the Mets.

Dear John Rocker: You are still a psycho and I still hate you.

Bottom line: Those division races were action packed, and every game had to be played out until the last out, which was not usually the 27th because it went extra innings, was made and "put in the books" as Howie Rose would say.

Greg Maddux and his two-seamer still haunt my dreams.

Every finish was spectacular. Everyone will always remember the "Grand Slam Single." No one will ever forget the "10-run inning." Every game was just unbelievable, back and forth, real "blood baths" that no one wanted to lose, and it showed.

There is nothing Kenny Rogers will ever do to make amends for walking in the winning run in the 1999 NLCS.

These were good old fashioned baseball brawls. The Mets hated the Braves and the Braves hated to Mets. After John Rocker's comments to the press, New York hated Atlanta and Atlanta hated New York.

Little known fact: Otis Nixon was actually 67 when he played in the 1999 NLCS, and Terry Mullholand had been retired for seven years, yet somehow pitched and shut the Mets down in relief.

And did Mike Remlinger do anything after leaving the Braves? No. He didn't. But he sure killed the Mets.

Rafael Furcal should have stayed in Triple-A...it would have helped the Mets.

If the Mets had met the Braves in the 2000 NLCS, instead of the Cardinals, there would have been no 2000 Subway Series, I guarantee it. The Braves had THAT big of a mental edge on New York.

If after I am done on this earth I am sent to a place where I have to atone for my sins while I was alive, I will undoubtedly be sent to Turner Field.

All I am saying here is that with the Mets chasing the Braves it finally feels right.

No offense to the Phillies, I have utter disdain for all of you as well, don't worry. But you will never amount to the larger-than-life super villains that Chipper Jones, Brian Jordan, Greg Maddux and Bobby Cox amounted to.

Now imagine this scenario: This will be the last season of Bobby Cox and Chipper Jones killing the Mets, as they are both due to retire at the season's end. With this being the last year of a bout of good vs evil, wouldn't it be fitting for this to be the first season for the Mets to finally outlast Bobby Cox's double switches, the inevitable clutch hit and mammoth home runs of Chipper Jones that lead to his first kid being named after Shea Stadium, and to beat the Atlanta Braves down the stretch for the division?

Now, THAT would be my definition of pure baseball poetry at it's finest.

LGM

-Crofts

Pagan vs Francoeur and Beltran

2010-06-23T09:14:00.000-07:00

While he is still a few weeks away from returning to Citi Field with his newly repaired leg, it is time to start the discussion about Carlos Beltran and what his impact on the Mets will be when he is fully healthy and ready to play.

The return of Beltran will directly impact the playing time of either Angel Pagan or Jeff Francoeur. (Former) Slugger and (former) run producer Jason Bay will stay put after signing a lucrative $66m contract his off season, although one could make the case that he could see bench time, as well.

Bottom line, productivity=playing time. So the question is: Who has been the most productive?

Frenchy is one pace to hit .265 with an OBP of .320, while hitting 15 HR's with 85 RBI's, all the while striking fear in the hearts of third base coaches everywhere.

Pagan is on pace to hit around .300 with an OBP of .360, while hitting 10 HR, also with 85 RBI's. However, Pagan is also on pace to hit 30 doubles, steal 30 bases and score 100-plus runs.

This is an incredibly tough decision, even when you factor in numbers. A lot of the time when two players both have a positive impact you can project numbers, as well as look at current number, it can help your decision.

To me, it has gotta be my guy Angel Pagan. Since last year I have been saying that this guy will be a spark for this ball club; his only Achilles heal will be his baseball IQ, which has been vastly improved this season.

Did I mention that he leads the team in hits?

And did I, by chance, leave out that his .368 BA with runners on base ranks fourth in the NL?

He brings too much to the table to leave out of the lineup. It would be impossible to justify taking him out of the lineup when he has been doing such a good job of hitting behind Jose Reyes, and I have to give Matthew Cerrone of Metsblog.com credit in likening Reyes and Pagan to Juan Pierre and Luis Castill0 (yes, THAT Luis Castillo) on the 2003 World Champion Florida Marlins.

However, even with all of this, Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel have decided that Pagan will be the fourth outfielder with the return of Beltran, citing that Beltran will play CF when he comes back, and they like Frenchy's defense in RF.

I don't agree with the decision, but I don't vehemently disagree with it either, because Frenchy is a great guy to have on the field, and has a lightning bolt in place of where a right arm is supposed to attach to the shoulder.

However, to the same token, you cannot justify leaving out Pagan, either. It is just such a tough decision, and I almost take pity on Mets brass for having to make it.

As the saying goes, it is a "good problem" to have. That is what Francoeur called it, and that is what Pagan called it.

In the end, Beltran will most likely not be able to play six games a week anyway, which means that you will see Pagan at least three to four games per week, the same going for Francoeur. What works in Pagan's favor is that he can play all three outfield positions.

My personal opinion? Let Pagan play CF most of the time because Beltran will likely be a step slower than he is used to and he will also likely be a little tentative going hard after fly balls in the gap (shocker, what is different about that?). I think he should start playing some RF just because he would have less ground to cover, but, again, I am biased because Angel Pagan is my guy. Either way, that is one strong outfield, and this could boil down to another classic late-90's esque Braves Mets divison battle; and we all know how bloody those can get...

LGM

-Crofts

Reyes Batting Third?

2010-04-16T10:01:00.001-07:00

Jerry Manuel is about to take a page from Bobby Valentine's book (which is interesting considering Bobby V may be looming...) and he is considering tinkering with the lineup.

His idea is to push Jose Reyes, the most dynamic leadoff hitter in baseball, down to the three hole in favor of leading off with Angel Pagan.

I love it. I do.

All winter I had discussed this possibility, citing factors such as Pagan's success and speed, and Jose's ability to drive the ball to the gaps. Imagine if he hits 18 triples with Angel Pagan and Luis Castillo (Alex Cora) in front of him. That, alone, right there, is (check my math, I am a Communications Major) 36 RBI's alone.

This small switch could make Reyes arguably the most dynamic player in all of baseball, aside from possibly Hanley Ramirez, but that debate is for another time.

Until Carlos Beltran returns from his knee surgery, it is an idea that at least makes sense, just to toy with, because as of right now, the Mets offense is sputtering, and seriously is in need of a boost.

Starting Lineup:

Angel Pagan CF

Luis Castillo 2b

Jose Reyes SS

David Wright 3b

Jason Bay LF

Jeff Francoeur RF

Mike Jacobs 1b

Rod Barajas C

(Pitcher)

It seems pretty solid to me, and when Beltran returns there will most likely be a debate of whether Frenchy has out played Pagan, and believe me, that debate will happen; and it will be heated.

Imagine this for a lineup later in the season:

Angel Pagan RF

Luis Castillo 2b

Jose Reyes SS

Carlos Beltran CF

David Wright 3b

Jason Bay LF

Daniel Murphy/Ike Davis 1b

Rod Barajas C

(Pitcher)

Now imagine that. Top four hitters in the order have speed and are switch hitters. Jason Bay bats sixth because of the depth...can you feel it Met fans...can you feel that? That feels like run support... However there is little to no chance this lineup would ever be constructed, as I have no input to the team's roster moves, but it is always fun to think about.

Enjoy.

-Crofts

All-Time Mets: Bench

2009-10-01T09:43:00.000-07:00

Over the years the Mets have had countless bench players...wow, I cannot believe I thought of that all on my own...I really am a genius.

All kidding aside, every winning team needs to be fully rounded, that includes the bench, and on most of the Mets winning teams their bench was a key aspect to their success.

Those guys who can fill in when needed for injured starters, come in late in games and make something happen etc. are huge over the course of a 162 game season.

So, without further ado, I give you the Mets All-Time Bench.

1b/3b Lenny Harris- The leading pinch hitter in baseball history, Lenny was always a solid left-handed bat off the bench and good for a few knocks here and there, plus he could play the corner IF position, and even a little bit 2b if necessary

1b/3b Matt Franco- Franco was another great left-handed bat off the bench and just as clutch as Lenny Harris. I will always remember his walk-off pinch-hit single against the Yankees at Shea Stadium in 1999

IF/OF Kevin Mitchell-While "Mitch" never became the player the Mets had hoped he would while in blue and orange (1989 MVP with SF) he was always a great backup with incredible versatility, and he did come off the bench to get a pinch-hit single in the famous game 6 of the 1986 World Series and did score the tying run on the wild pitch

PH Rusty Staub-Good O'l Rusty. "Rusty's Ribs" were a classic, just ask Keith Hernandez! But Rusty was always a great clubhouse guy and, until Harris broke his record, held the Mets record for pinch hits

C Todd Pratt-The ULTIMATE backup catcher, Todd would play the day game-after-night game when Mike Piazza would need a rest, which was most Saturdays, Thursday afternoon day games, and the occasional Sunday game when Mike would have played on Saturday. He hit the homerun that sent the Mets to the 1999 NLCS at Shea Stadium when Steven Finley "jumped and he missed it!" to quote Gary Cohen

C/1b/2b/ss/3b/lf/cf/rf Joe McEwing-You did not think I would forget "Super Joe" did you? McEwing was never fit for the starting lineup for 162 games but boy, could you fit him in anywhere on any given day. The ultimate bench player, McEwing could do it all; and I do not exaggerate

Honorable Mention:

OF Lee Mazzilli-"Maz" was a hometown boy who also did not amount to what the Mets hoped but when they brought him back and he helped them win a championship all was forgiven (except the fact that he just got the boot from SNY)

2b/3b Tim Tueful-Who did not like Timmy Tueful? The quiet farm boy who had more pop than his tooth pick arms would let on was a solid backup in 1986 and got a ring for his efforts

OF Endy Chavez-"The Catch" will forever be remembered as two things: 1) one of the greatest catches in Met history, only third to Tommie Agee's two catches in the World Series and 2) the pinnacle of the "Los Mets" era, from that exact moment, the Mets have been going down hill ever since

All-Time Mets: Starting Rotation

2009-09-18T10:57:00.000-07:00

Over the years the Mets have had many pitchers that when they pitch they grab your attention and nothing else matters. In 1969 there was Tom Seaver, from 1984-1986 it was Dwight Gooden. In 1999 and 2000 it was Al Leiter. In 2005 and 2006 it was Pedro Martinez and now it is Johan Santana.

When these guys took the mound you tuned in, and you watched until it was over. You listened to the game on the radio, you had it on the tv, it does not matter where but you were in tune with the game some way, some how, because you knew that you could be missing something special if you weren't.

However what boggles my mind is that none of these pitchers have ever thrown a no-hitter in a Met uniform. In fact, no one has. Any Met fan can relate to when a Mets pitcher getting a 1-2-3 first inning you say to yourself..."could this be the day...?" And of course it isn't, but it is still fun to dream.

Now it is time to come up with a 5-man rotation to make the greatest Mets team of all time

Each player will be accompanied by their best year's stats while in a Met uniform and a short bio of why they are deserving.

Tom Seaver (1971) 20-10 1.76 ERA 21 CG 286.1 IP 289 K .95 WHIP

Dwight Gooden (1985) 24-4 1.53 ERA 16 CG 276.2 IP 268 K .97 WHIP

Jerry Koosman (1969) 17-9 2.28 ERA 16 CG 241 IP 180 K 106 WHIP

Ron Darling (1986) 15-6 2.81 ERA 4 CG 237 IP 184 K 1.20 WHIP

Al Leiter- Not Nominated for Stats, nominated for gutsy performances

Tom Seaver-The "Franchise" and "Tom Terrific" was arguably the greatest pitcher to ever put on a Mets uniform. He single-handedly changed the face of the Mets organization and turned them from lovable losers into champions. Tom will always be a Met in our hearts, no matter how big of a jerk he has become after retirement...

Dwight Gooden-"Doc" was the single most electric pitcher to dawn blue and orange. His stuff was just incredible, a high 90's fastball with a devastating curveball that was dubbed Lord Charles, Doctor K will forever in our hearts be one of our favorites, and it is good to see that he has finally got his life back on track

Jerry Koosman-"Kooz" was one of the best left-handed pitchers in Mets history and the perfect one-two punch with Tom Seaver and he truly loved New York

Ron Darling-Ron was one of the most solid and consistent pitchers in Met history, and really solidified the Mets rotation in the 80's he was 99-70 with a 3.50 ERA in a Mets uniform

Al Leiter-One of the gutsiest pitchers BY FAR in not only Mets history but MLB history,

Big Al would go out and throw the kitchen sink at them if need be to get the win, just look at his playoff numbers and pitches thrown. In game 1 of the 2000 World Series he threw 124 pitches and got a no decision and in game 5 he threw 146. The guy is just a gamer, and there is nothing else you can say than that.

My personal favorite of the five is Al Leiter. No one pitched with the intensity that he did. No one. He was emotional and fun to watch. His grunting when throwing a cutter will forever be immortalized by those who grew up watching him and learned to throw left-handed in order to imitate him in the backyard playing wiffle ball.

Next Season: Part 4-Fundamentals

2009-09-17T07:38:00.000-07:00

This post is about the lack of fundamental baseball that cannot continue next season.

I have literally completely admitted to myself that this is just an embarrassingly bad season with not too much coming out of it.

There are a few bright spots such as the recent play of Josh Thole, the last season hitting of Daniel Murphy and the offensive play of Angel Pagan.

That being said, there are some serious question marks right now. First and foremost, I am going to address last night's loss to the Atlanta Braves.

Let's face it, there are losses and then there are losses.

Last night, the Mets got the lead only to have Bobby Parnell show us once again why he SHOULD NOT be in the rotation next year. The guy just does not have it right now, which is such a shame because he has great stuff, mid 90's fastball with a sharp slider, and he just cannot keep the ball down.

So the Mets overcome that and eventually get the lead back, only to have their star closer blow a save, complete with Daniel Murphy making two errors on one play to allow the winning run to score from second base on a ground ball that was, go figure on this one, hit to first base by none other than Ryan Church.

Do you think that Ryan Church was a little happy that Murphy made the error, considering Murphy was the player supposedly "better" than Church during spring training...? Ryan Church is a class act and I would never suggest that, but it is fun to think about, is it not?

Little errors that are big errors. That is what we have been seeing. How many times has Angel Pagan lost track of how many outs there are? Many sources close to the team say he has also missed signs in the batters box and on the base paths.

Whenever Murphy bobbles a ball he panics and loses the play, as was the case last night

How many times has Pagan or Murphy ran right into a play happening in front of them? When do they learn? There are rookie mistakes and then there are just bad mistakes. It doesn't take five years of MLB experience to know you need to run hard, you don't run into the tag if the play is in front of you, and I am pretty sure they teach little leaguers to remember how many outs there are. These things need to be worked out, and unfortunately I do not know how to fix them at this level. If you get to the major leagues and you constantly forget how many outs there are and you miss signs I don't think there IS a way to fix that.

I am not going to even get started on another Frankie Rodriguez blown save, I would miss my next class...

All-Time Mets

2009-09-09T13:29:00.000-07:00

Recently on Mets.com you were given the opportunity to vote for your favorite starting 9 players based solely off of their offensive production. This got me thinking about my all-time Mets team, not just the starting 9, and not just based on offense, so here is my All-Mets 25 man roster, equipped with coaching staff and front office.

Ground rules and Qualifications:

They had to play for the Mets for more than half of a season
Carlos Delgado cannot be a choice
Nor can Carlos Beltran
Starters cannot become backups (i.e. starting Wally Backman with Edgardo Alfonzo as your backup will not fly)
Outfielders can be moved if a valid argument is made that they are out of position

I am going to break this down into multiple posts, t

his one being the first of five. This will be the post on the starting lineup.

I will make my lineup based on not the best player, but the best fit for the position to assemble a winner (because we Met fans know we haven't had too many of those over the years).

1. Lenny Dykstra LF-No one was tougher than nails and he is the perfect leadoff guy, that being said, there is no way he should have been a center fielder with an arm like that, so I am taking the liberty of moving him to left

2. Edgardo Alfornzo 2b-Everyone loved Fonzi, and he should have won a gold-glove in 2000, they made the mistake of giving it to ex-met Jeff Kent, Fonzi worked counts and always hit the ball to right field, the quintessential two hitter

3. Keith Hernandez 1b-This may seem like a no-brainer because of Mex's defense and

leadership ability, but I seriously toyed with the notion of putting in John Olerud and his career .330 average as a Met at 1b

4. Mike Piazza C-Now THIS was a no brainer. Best hitting catcher in the history of the game...

5. Darryl Strawberry RF-Now say what you want about Straw's attitude and his off-field struggles, it is arguable that no one has ever passed through the Mets organization with the raw talent that he had

6. David Wright 3b-Hits for power, hits for average, steals bases, has won multiple gold-gloves already, is currently the face of the franchise

7. Tommie Agee CF- Now THERE is a center fielder. Covered ground like no one else, stole bases, gritty and hard nosed, rest in piece Tommy, and always know you made the All-Time Mets on Bluesandorangesports

8. Rey Ordonez-Many would go with Jose Reyes in this situation, however I am going with Rey Rey. As I grew up watching the teams of the late 90's, I loved Ordonez. Sure he did not hit worth a lick, but he was good for one grand slam per season and maybe two homeruns. Regardless, you knew he was bringing the D. It was an automatic out if you even THOUGHT about hitting the ball on the ground to the left side, because if Ventura didn't get to it, Ordonez did.

Honorable Mention:

Mookie Wilson OF-who didn't love Mookie? Probably Bill Buckner...

Ron Swoboda OF-Never that impressive in terms of actual ability, but boy did he play hard

Gary Carter C-The Kid. 1986, enough said

Todd Hundley C-Hit 41 homeruns in 1996

Jerry Grote C-Heart of the 1969 championship team

Robin Ventura 3b-Batman, Grandslam-Single is possibly the most memorable moment in Mets history, thanks Robin

Ray Knight 3b- Hit game winning homerun in game 7 of 1986 World Series and got MVP, was not brought back by management and got a raw deal

Howard Johnson 3b-Didn't have that much of a shot with Knight, Wright and Ventura ahead of him, but he did hit 40 homeruns one year

Bud Harrelson SS-Who didn't, and still wouldn't, love Buddy Harrelson? Very few people played with his intensity.

Wally Backman 2b-Oh Wally. Hopefully you get your life back under control and get a shot at managing in the bigs, and please, bring back your mustache

John Olerud 1b-Good Ol'erud. Ol'edude. Classic nick names yes, a classic .330 batting average with the Mets as well

You may feel differently about certain positions, but feel free to comment and leave your own opinions.

Next Season: Part 3

2009-09-06T07:52:00.001-07:00

Next season I have a proposal for the Mets slogan. Come See the 2010 Mets: Medical Staff Standing By

How About This: 2010 At Citi Field: Doctors Enter Free!

I kid, I kid.

But seriously, the amount of bad luck that has stricken the Mets this season has been staggering and some of the ways have been mind boggling (Luis Castillo slipping down the dugout steps).

Right now the Mets have a core of Carlos Beltran, David Wright, Jose Reyes, Johan Santana and Frankie Rodriguez. Many officials, analysts and fans (myself included) have been calling for a shake up and I think this offseason is the perfect time to make a change.

Keep in mind the immense respect I have for his talent and ability on the ballfield, but if you want to make one change this offseason you TRADE Carlos Beltran. You can claim all you want about his power and average and how you won't find another five-tool player like him, and I honestly do not want to hear it.

You win with grinders, not All-Stars. Look at all the teams who have won in the past. They get buy with gritty play, which the Mets do not have. Carlos Beltran, while an incredible talent, is a loafer, who is more concerned with getting hurt than he is making a play. He is never 100% (just ask him, all he ever gets to is about 93% healthy, his words not mine) and just does not have the badass, dirty uniform attitude of a winner, and that the Mets need.

Can you honestly say that over the past two years the Phillies have had better players at every position than the Mets? No. You can't do that. They have guys who show more heart than the Mets, such as Jayson Werth and Shane Victorino. They have guys who don't poo-poo managerial decisions, such as Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. They have journeymen middle relievers who bare down and GET OUTS late in games when it gets tight like JC Romero and Scott Eyre.

As much as I despise the jersey all of those guys put on, it is hard to deny that they are all winners, who care a lot, maybe even too much, about not just winning but EMBARRASSING their opponents.

Jeff Francoeur is a type of player like that; a "grinder". He plays hard, and it shows. He even plays with some reckless abandon, and I like it.

Unfortunately, David Wright needs to be the face of the franchise and be a diplomat which I respect and understand. Jose Reyes is still a 12 year-old and seemingly always will be. Johan Santana is what everyone dreams about being; yes I am implying he is the perfect mix when healthy and Frankie Rodriguez is a pro's pro, end of story. Carlos Beltran is the one that needs to go.

Add John Maine, Oliver Perez, Carlos Delgado (Free Agent) and I hate to say it, but Mike Pelfrey is making his own case to be shipped out right now, as well.

That is what is wrong with the Mets, I will not overload one post but I will let you all chew on that for a while, my next post will be about what good can come of making such moves and solutions rather than problems, STAY TUNED!

-Crofts

Pat Misch: Next Year's 5th Starter?

2009-09-03T14:35:00.000-07:00

Allow me to introduce to you a 28-year old lefty by the name of Pat Misch.

While many people have completely given up on this season (rightfully so), many of you, like myself, have decided there is a reason to watch Mets baseball. My reason is that I am now in college and need filler

time in between classes and in the dorm room. The other reason someone may have is to watch the young talent they are calling up/have on the roster (i.e. Josh Thole, Angel Pagan, Daniel Murphy, Bobby Parnell) and make decisions about next season.

By the way over the next few weeks I will be doing posts about next season so stay updated!

The second post of today is concerning Pat Misch, the left-handed reliever turned starter. It is obviously early to make a statement like this and I may be jumping the gun, but wouldn't it be nice to see Pat Misch slot in as the team's 5th starter next year?

In two starts this season, Misch has pitched to a very nice 1.92 era, holding the Rockies and the Cubs to a combined three earned runs over 14 innings pitched.

I am proposing a starting rotation that looks like this:

Johan Santana

Mike Pelfrey

Jon Niese

Bobby Parnell

Pat Misch

If you want my opinion, Maine has to go, he is in a contract year, and after three straight seasons with extended time on the disabled list, he is no longer welcome in Queens.

Oliver Perez needs to literally be sent to a place with soft padded walls where he cannot hurt anyone or himself, and he needs to be left there for eternity. He cannot be in the rotation, I do not care about his contract, it's about winning!

Angel in the Outfield; Pagan for real?

2009-09-03T07:07:00.000-07:00

At this point in the Mets season, as fan, you no longer look toward the post-season; rather, you look toward the off-season and next season. You start to ask questions about who will fill what roles and what the GM needs to do to make your team a playoff contender. Obviously, as a very outspoken person, I have many suggestions and ideas, so any time the Mets front office feels they want advice they should just give me a call.

Seriously, my number is 203-984-1303, call me, Omar.

While I was thinking about next season I found myself thinking a lot about Angel Pagan. In 60 games played this season, most of which were started in CF in the absence of Carlos Beltran, Pagan has hit an admirable .297, played solid defense and shown some speed on the bases (12 SB in 18 attempts).

However, what stands out about Pagan on the stat sheet is that he is slugging .498, and of his 68 hits, 26 are extra base hits.

Not too bad for a leadoff guy, right?

What stands out about Pagan in my mind that does not show up in a stat sheet is his hustle and gritty, gutsy play. Play like this is something people constantly say the Mets lack. To be honest, it is true. The loafing of Carlos Beltran, the lack of hustle from Luis Castillo, the seemingly unchanging attitude and mood of (again) Carlos Beltran, John Maine looking a zombie no matter if he is having a good day or bad one.

Let us be honest here, and if you are a Met fan you know exactly what I am talking about, can you beat a team that thinks they are going to win every single night, and SHOWS that they think they are going to win every single night (the Phillies), when your players are seemingly content with looking past a loss and moving onto the next day, and going by the motto "we'll get 'em next time"? Can you? In my opinion, no.

Now I am not accusing the Mets of not caring, because they are all professionals and this is obviously not the case, but you cannot deny the intensity of Shane Victorino or the swagger of Jayson Werth that just says you can't beat me; even if you want to fight me, I will beat you.

Pagan strikes me as this type of player. I have seen multiple times this season where he makes something happen by just running out a pop-up or groundball (I am talking to you, Luis, take notes, same with you Carlos Beltran).

It is obvious that I think Angel Pagan should be part of this team next season, whether it is as a fourth OF or part time starter, regardless, I think he needs to be a big part of the 2010 Mets: Medical Staff Standing By.

Dirty Style and the Mets

2009-08-28T10:34:00.000-07:00

Ok, so as we all know, it is very important to have as "Dirt McGirt" or "dirty style" as possible when on a baseball field.

For example, Dustin Pedroia may have the dirtiest style in the game (the only player

that comes to mind to have arguably better style is Nick "Swish-Money" Swisher).

Pedroia is coming off an MVP-season and many believe he is the e

ngine that makes the Boston Red Sox go; let's face it, anyone would have this guy on their team.

That brings to mind other players

with insanely dirty style. Nick Swisher is a perfect example. Swisher had undeniably dirty style, however the addition of the "Swish-Hawk" put him over the top.

Some may claim that his flow looked better, however you need to take into account the fact that people legitimately refer to a

hair style as the "S

wish-Hawk". If you have a style named after you, it's filth. End of story.

Then there are players who are dirty based on their swagger. A good example is Gary Sheffield.

The thing about Gary Sheffield is that he is such a thug that many people believe he could be a professional Hit-man. I mean, think about it, he took an entire team last year, and head butted a guy after throwing another to the ground. Badass.

The guy just has incredible swagger, like he knows he is a badass, and you can't really do anything about it.

The Mets have a few players with good style but they also have a few with no style at all. For example, Daniel Murphy literally puts on his uniform and nothing else. He is all business no matter what.

Then there is Luis Castillo. Castillo's style sometimes tests the line between dirty and

ridiculous but regardless always is dirty. He changes his style decently often but you can always count on at least three sweat bands, wrist tap

e, and way too many batting gloves in his back pocket, but it still looks dirty.

Right now there is one player on the Mets that I believe gets over looked in terms of style and I am going to bring him into the spotlight now.

Angel Pagan is underrated in the dirty style department because he doesn't over do it but does just what is necessary, and backs it up with his game. His style in three quarter sleeves with a mock turtle neck and both wrists taped. It sounds like it is not that dirty but if you were to see it in a game you would understand, especially when the Mets where the pinstripes with the blues undershirts.

There are obviously so many more players with insanely dirty style in major league baseball but they could not be mentioned here just because I am a college student and don't have THAT much free time, but if you feel like you have a few players that have great style comment on the post and I will do a part two.

So Long Wags, We Barely Knew Ya

2009-08-25T11:28:00.000-07:00

Well, we really did know Billy Wagner...quite well actually. Over his three-plus years with the Mets, Wagner was in no way a disappointment, posting a 2.44 ERA with a 5-4 record and a whip consistently around one. What more can you say about Billy? He was a free spirit with an open mind and a big mouth. But he was always a fiery competitor and for thank we will remember Billy.

The Mets traded him to Boston after the Sawx claimed him on waivers

last week in return for two minor league players to be named later.

Well, at least we got something for a guy who wouldn't resign after this season. He wants to close and that is the fact of the matter. He is chasing John Franco (C) for the all-time saves leader for left-handed pitchers, no easy feat by the way. Wags needs 40 in order to pass, 39 to tie, and if his arm holds up he could conceivably pass Franco in the next season or two.

Good luck, Billy.

Another Injury, Where does it end!?

2009-08-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

So another two Mets bite the dust. Honestly where does it end? Johan Santana might have season ending elbow surgery, but don't fret Met fans, it's only "minor" surgery...Great. That makes us all feel a lot better. Really. It does. Surgery is surgery any way you look at it.

Jeff Francoeur also needs surgery on a torn ligament in his thumn which he injured on Saturday making a diving catch (which was a nice play by the way) However, Frenchy, being the gamer that he is, wants to play through the ligament damage.

While I admire his passion for the game, it is time to realize what we are dealing with a lost season, and that if he needs extra time to get healthy for next season, he should do it.

David Wright is recovering from his concussion and took ground balls at Citi Field yesterday, which is an encouraging sign, but for what? I mean there is no need to rush Wright along. I personally would just tell David to hang it up for the rest of the season to make sure he is 100% ok from the concussion because remember, those things stick with you, just ask Ryan Church...

Knicks Lose by 29 after solid Home Win

2008-11-01T09:51:00.000-07:00

After a solid five point home victory over the Heat, in which the Knicks scored 120 points, the Knicks went out and lost by 29 to the Phildelphia 76ers.

Interesting...tale of two teams...

Well, when a team that relies on jump shots is having trouble shooting, they are forced to drive the hoop.

When they are playing a team that defends the hoop well, the team that can't shoot, and can't score in the paint gets blown out, and that's what happened last night.

Jamal Crawford lead the Knicks with 14 points.

Sweet, leading scorer has 14.

Now, the biggest story of the night was disgruntled guard Stephon Marbury sitting on the bench in street clothes.

Marbury was placed on the inactive list prior to last night's game after having a conversation with Mike D'Antoni.

Marbury asked D'Antoni if he would play against the Sixers, and when D'Antoni informed him that he would not, Marbury asked to be put on the inactive list.

This, of course, coming after Eddy Curry, after not playing in the first half of the season opener, stayed in the locker room for the entire second half of the game, watching the game on a tv monitor and eating his sorrows away.

Mike D'Antoni is taking no BS from anyone, no matter how large their contract is, and that is whay needs to happen. This further proves why D'Antoni is the right man for this job. He is a hardass who takes no crap from anybody, and will bench you for poor performances and play you more for good ones, regardless of what you make.

The Knicks look to rebound from their loss next game against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Knicks Cut Ewing Jr. in favor of Jerome James

2008-10-27T17:20:00.001-07:00

Today the Knicks announced that their final roster will not include Patrick Ewing Jr. and instead will include Jerome James and Anthony Roberson.

Why Donnie, why...You had done so well up until this point...

I chose that picture of Jerome James because that is what he will look like on most nights this year. On the bench, being useless and out of shape.

In a preseason in which every player had an opportunity to show something to the new coach, even Jerome James managed to not do a single thing to catch Mike D'Antoni's eye.
You may be asking why I say this.

The answer is that James did not play a single minute, nay, SECOND in the entire preseason.

You could make a counter argument that James didn't get a fair shot, but I would make a counter argument to yours that points out had he been given time on the court there is a very good chance his heart would have stopped.

But, hey, look at it this way, why do the Knicks need defense and energy? It's overrated anyway, right? Jerome James can bring a lot to the table (6 quarter pounders with cheese, 4 large fries, 3 milkshakes, 3 apple pies, a 6-piece McNuggets and a big mac).

Like I said, a lot to the (dinner) table.

In the grand scheme of things, does it matter that much? No, because when Jared Jeffries and Danilo Gallinari get healthy, James would be in street cloths and likely so would Ewing Jr.

But still, score one for nostalgia, because I am sure there isn't one Knicks fan who wouldn't want to see the son of one of the greatest Knick's of all time put on the same jersey as his father.

Knicks Season Preview

2008-10-26T07:39:00.000-07:00

This off season, the Knicks took big steps towards becoming a professional basketball team. Not only did they fire Isiah Thomas, they also...well...yeah that's pretty much it, they fired Isiah Thomas.

All kidding aside, it needed to be done, and bringing in Donnie Walsh to run the front office (President and GM) and Mike D'Antoni to run the team on the court were great moves towards making this one-heralded franchise a contender once again.

Immediately, they went out and got Chris Duhon, a pass first point guard, which the Knicks have been so desperately lacking since Stephon Marbury came home.

Speaking of Marbury, he has looked very good in this preseason, even after saying that he is, "a starter, period." Coming off the bench, Steph has combined his instant offensive ability with his long lost passing skills, and is looking more and more like he actually could be a contributor to this team (instead of just a locker room headache).

D'Antoni has been raving about David Lee, Nate Robinson and Zach Randolph, and feels that these three will thrive in his system, with The Lard Blunder Down Under (Eddy Curry) seeing very little playing time.

D'Antoni has called out Curry on being out shape and showing a lack of effort. Curry will be hard pressed to find a spot in D'Antoni's rotation due to his inability to play well...ever...

Watch for Wilson Chandler to have a very big year. He has shown a lot of improvement on his game, and looks to be one of the focal points in Mike D'Antoni's run-and-gun offense.

Also, Patrick Ewing Jr., who was thought to be a long shot for making the team, might not be such a long shot after all...

As far as I am concerned, this Knicks team should be significantly better, winning around 35 games, which, while it will be an improvement from last year (23 wins) will still not be playoff worthy, leaving the Knicks playoff-less streak at 6 years.

On the bright side, the Knicks have some good, young talent in Wilson Chandler, David Lee and Nate Robinson, and a lot of hefty salaries will be coming off the books within the next few years. This year will at least be entertaining with the way D'Antoni runs his offense and his team.

Johan is the Dictator of the deal, and the Twins Can Decide Whether they want Draft Picks or Players

2008-01-27T08:21:00.001-08:00

Enough already. I am sick and tired of hearing possibilities of Johan Santana going to Yankees...No wait...it's the Red Sox, Johan is going to pitch in Boston next year...No no no no, It's the Mets. Yeah. The Mets are the front runners now.

Make up your minds already, everyone is tired of this. Essentially, Johan Santana is the one who can force the deal, and here is why:

He is the one who has said he wants to be traded before Spring Training. All he has to do is say to Twins GM Bill Smith, "Listen, Billy, here's the deal. You offer me one, or you trade me now, because I am not talking contract mid-season, and I don't want to be traded mid-season, so if you don't trade me now, I will veto whatever deal you make at the deadline when the Twins are in last place and then walk at the end of the year."

Even though Johan Santana would never do that, because he is regarded throughout baseball as a stand-up gentleman who shows respect for his organization, this is clearly what he is thinking.

He has, in fact, expressed the feeling that is he is to be traded, he would prefer it to be done before he has to report to Spring Training.

Now that the Yankees have taken Phil Hughes off the table, and the Red Sox have taken Jon Lester out of the equation, that leaves the Mets and their offer of the good prospects.

It has yet to be determined the exact deal, but it has been reported that is something along the lines of Kevin Mulvey, Phil Humber/Mike Pelfrey, Delios Guerra and Carlos Gomez. The Twins, all winter, have wanted to get Jose Reyes, who was deemed untouchable, however once that was shot down by the Mets brass, they started requesting Fernando Martinez; the teen-sensation that is sweeping the nation.

Personally, I would acquire Santana with a deal of Mulvey, Humber/Pelfrey, Guerra and Gomez. Those guys, especially Gomez, have careers that look promising; however Santana already has a career that is established; a pretty good one, too.

That offer, while it may not be exactly what the Twins are looking for, is MUCH better than having Santana walk after the season, and then the Twins getting two compensation draft picks.

Boy would Minnesota fans be mad if that happened.

Bill Smith keeps mentioning Major League-ready talent, however, the Mets do not have much of that to offer, and the Yankees and Red Sox took the two most intriguing pieces of their puzzle out of the deal. So it is now up to Smith to decide whether he wants to take a little heat from the media now, and acquire the prospects from the Mets or get CHASTISED once they realize they cannot afford to resign Johan Santana next off season. That is essentially what would happen.

Personally, I would love to have Johan Santana pitching Queens, and I would love to wear my #57 shirt to Shea. However, if the Twins ask too much, i.e. include Fernando Martinez, I can just wait until we sign him this off season, and watch him pitch at Citi Field for 7 years after that.

The Knicks STILL Are Embarassed by the Celtics

2008-01-23T13:28:00.000-08:00

Ok, so, with the Knicks winning four of five, you MUST have been thinking, 'wow, perfect timing, seeing as how we are playing the Celtics coming up....maybe now since we are on a hot streak, we can stick it to those jerks!'

Well you were wrong. The Knicks lost 109-93 at home.

Oh, and the best part, is Isiah Thomas, as usual, with his team getting killed at home, sitting on the bench, SMILING! I SWEAR, ISIAH, IF WE EVER MEET, I WILL HAVE SOME WORDS TO SAY TO YOU!

Kendrick Perkins went out, and just ANIHILATED Eddy Curry an Zach Randolph, scoring, not only a career high, but career high IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE GAME! KENDRICK PERKINS, WHO AVERAGES 6.8 POINTS PER GAME SCORED HSI CAREER HIGH, 22, IN THE FIRST HALF! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!

"The Lard Blunder Down Under" (Eddy Curry) got absolutely burned every single time on defense, and didn't fight over a single pick, and rarely even contested a single one of Perkins' shots.

Ok, that was bad, we can all admit that, and we all know that Eddy Curry doesn't defend well...scratch that, Eddy Curry doesn't DEFEND, PERIOD!

But the worst of everything, the absolute WORST of everything is Jared Jeffries. He is the worst professional basketball player to wear a Knicks uniform since CHRIS DUDLEY! YES, I WENT THERE, CHRIS DUDLEY LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!

I mean, my god! They RAVE about his defense, and how good it is, and maybe it is good, I won't take that away from him, but when you are a LIABILITY on the offensive end, it just doesn't balance out.

The Knicks were down by five in the second quarter, and were looking to get even closer, nearing half time. Right then and there, it became Jared Time; and THAT is when the Knicks lost the game.

Jeffries came down the court, and took a jumped, which he has yet to hit this season, and missed so short off front rim that it karimed out, and started a fast break for the Celtics. They would obviously score.

After that, Jamal Crawford dishes it to Jeffries down low, and everyone thinks it's an easy layup-to-be. No. Wrong. Not with Jared Jeffries. He dribbles, and it goes off his knee, and starts yet ANOTHER fast break!

Next possession, Jared decides "I'll toss the ball to that fan, over there, he looks like he is good at catching passes, better than I am at least." So he throws the ball, seemingly to no one on the court, and it flies into the crowd. He just stood there with a dumb look on his face, like he always does, looking like an ape.

So now the Celtics have moved their lead from five, up to 11, and you think, 'well...this is important, if they get it to 13 or 14 at half time, it's bad. We need to score here.'

Again, YET AGAIN, it was Jared Time.

Jeffries thought it to be a good idea to get a pass, not dribble, and take off from two steps in front of the free throw line. He got rejected by the rim, and it started ONE MORE fast break for the Celtics, that ended with Rajon Rondo hitting a shot at the buzzer to increase the half time lead to 14. That was it, the Knicks never REALLY recovered from that point.

They cut it to eight with four minutes to go, and then they decided to stop scoring. No big deal, we can win, especially against the Celtics, by playing 1-on-1, selfish basketball, and by taking horrible shots.

No, you can't. Morons.

Knicks suck, they are awful, end of story. I don't care how many they have won in the past 5 games, they are a dreadful team, they COULD be a good team, BUT THEY WON'T BECAUSE ISIAH THOMAS IS AN IDIOT.

I will stand by that until he is gone, Isiah Thomas, you are an idiot.

Hey Oh! That's 3 In a Row!

2008-01-17T08:56:00.000-08:00

The NEW New York Knicks look awesome. I'll say it, they are even fun to watch! These last 3 games have been by far the most entertaining of the year. First the Pistons by 24, then the Wizards, and now the Nets?

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!

Oh, I've got it: They are playing as a TEAM. A TEAM. Not 5 guys on the court, all looking to shoot the ball as soon as they get it, and are OK with the opposition scoring, because then the Knicks get another chance to shoot.

No. Not anymore.

It has even come to the point that ZACH RANDOLPH, the "black hole" of basketball, the "Stacy Patton" of this Knicks team, had a career high 4 assists in last night's victory on the road over New Jersey.

A week ago, Isiah Thomas Did what Eddie (Whoopi Goldberg) did to Stacy Patton in "Eddie". She pulled him off the floor, and sat him down on the bench until he was ready to become part of the "team."

Team...TEAM...it has a nice ring to it.

This Knicks TEAM is playing great basketball. The bench is being used perfectly, Team Energizer: Nate, Lee and Balkman, seeing significant minutes and really helping this team. They are playing hard, they are playing unselfishly and they are playing DEFENSE.

In a way, this Knicks team is exactly like the Knicks in Eddie. They have a bunch of ball hogs, with huge contracts, that aren't performing. They have a bench that can get it done, but just don't get their chances.

Instead, lately, all of that has been reversed; oh, and Jamal Crawford having back-to-back 30 point games has helped a little bit, too.

All I can say is, no matter how long this goes on, the Knicks are fun to watch, I will be tuning into every game during this streak, because you never know when they will lose another 12 in a row.

BREAKING NEWS! KNICKS TRYING SOMETHING NEW: WINNING

2008-01-16T14:27:00.001-08:00

WOW! DO MY EYES DECEIVE ME? THE KNICKS, THE NEW YORK KNICKS, STILL OF NEW YORK THAT PLAY AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, HAVE WON TWO IN A ROW! AGAINST TWO SOLID TEAMS NO LESS!?

I'm in shock. So is the rest of the NBA and world for that matter. It seems to me that the only person NOT surprised is Isiah Thomas, "The Prophet." Apparently, Zeke knew that the Knicks would somehow pull off the miracle blowout, "Fluke of 2008", 24 point victory over the Detroit Pistons, and then even win the very next night against the ailing Wizards.

Let's be frank here: Both of those teams playing their 7-12 men on the roster could beat the Knicks on any given day, which is why these 2 straight wins are so special.

Could it be the correct usage of the bench? Possibly. Could it be that the Knicks are ACTUALLY moving the ball, (except for when it is in Randolph's hands)? It could be. Could it even be the fact that they are playing defense for the first time since Van Gundy was in charge of the team?

WELL HERE'S A HINT, IT'S ALL THREE!

The Knicks are moving the ball, getting open shots, playing defense, and for the first time in a while, are not only playing hard, but could actually be referred to as a "Professional basketball team."

I mean, about freaking time! Isiah Thomas, way to utilize the bench, and guess what? I AM NOT BEING SARCASTIC! I am one of the biggest Isiah Thomas haters, but lately, he has been utilizing his bench very nicely, giving hard workers such as Renaldo Balkman and Nate Robinson playing time, and it is ACTUALLY paying dividends! Who knew!

Now, for this team to climb out of the cellar, it is going to have to do a few things, the most important of which is to keep playing tough, hard nosed, TEAM basketball.

Another is split up Randolph and Curry for good. It's gotta be done. I'm sorry, they have failed. In theory, it was a good idea, but it just hasn't worked out. When Curry is in, the other man down low should be David Lee, who continues to contribute.

The same goes for Zach Randolph. His partner down low needs to be David Lee. Lee isn't a ball hog like either of the two I just mentioned, and is OK with not being the first scoring option. Curry or Randolph have to be dealt, for something, ANYTHING! GET A WATER COOLER! All I can say is the tandem has failed, and one of them needs to go.

Starbury, Q-Rich, who is just DREADFUL, and Jared Jeffries all need to go, as well. Starbury is...well he's Starbury, which is now being written into medical books as a type of Cancer. Q-Rich is just awful...he cannot shoot the rock any worse than he has this season without becoming Jared Jeffries, bringing me to why Jeffries must go...he is even WORSE than Richardson.

The other thing I want to see is Wilson Chandler, the rookie who seemingly never sees time, and Randolph Morris, the second year man who has played a total of 9 minutes this year, also see more playing time. Assuming Randolph is traded, because Isiah is in love with Eddy Curry, a rotation should consist of Nate, Crawford, Balkman, Lee, Curry, Chandler, Morris, Freddy Jones and on occasion when all else fails, Mardy Collins.

If you were not just listed, please vacate Madison Square Garden immediately, and please leave your jersey; it costs money.

Point is, the Knicks are playing hard, and Isiah Thomas is starting to realize who goes out to win, and who goes out there to just go out there.

Biggets Fluke of this still Very Young 2008: Knicks beating the Pistons, at the Garden, by 24

2008-01-13T18:31:00.001-08:00

...Did anyone else see that? Am I imagining things? The scoreboard is upside down...They have the symbols wrong...The score for the Knicks must be backwards. These are all things that crossed my mind when I saw the score of the Knicks most recent game against the Pistons.

Seriously, I was speechless, and anyone who knows me will understand what has to happen for ME, "The Shmoozer", to be rendered speechless. The Knicks, beating a good team...ney, ANY team would do it. But beating an ELITE team? WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!

The Knicks beat the Pistons, yes, the Pistons, 89-65. Yes, the Pistons were playing 4 games in 5 nights, and yes Rip Hamilton and Tayshon Prince shot a combined 1-17 from the field, but doest that make this win any less fulfilling?

Yes...yes it does.

BUT WHO CARES! THE KNICKS WON A GAME FOR A CHANGE! CELEBRATE, IT WILL BE THE LAST ONE FOR A WHILE!

Big surprise, that the bench provided all the spark.

Oh gee, look who realized that the bench can be a little bit effective! HEY ISIAH, HERE'S AN IDEA, PLAY THAT TEAM, THE GOOD ONE, INSTEAD OF THE ONE U START EVERY NIGHT!

He quickly limited Curry's minutes tonight, after Antonio McDyess toasted him on back-to-back-to-back possessions to start the game, and about time!

Randolph was solid, as usual, and even passed the ball tonight! It was glorious! The ball left Z-Bo's hands, and DID NOT, repeat, DID NOT FLY TOWARDS THE HOOP, but towards an open Knicks player!

Renaldo Balkman. What a guy, huh? Always hustles, always works hard, always dives on the floor for looes balls, always plays defense, now if only he could make foul shots...Don't worry about it Renaldo, we still think you deserve more PT, and showed why tonight.

Only 7 points, but had 3 steals, 3 rebounds and a blocked shot, but hey, stats aren't everything, intangibles are important, too.

Oh, that's right, only the people who quite often sit on the comfy chairs wearing their warmups all game know what those are. Huh...interesting.

Anyway, I'm sorry, call me a pessimist, or whatever you want to, but this does not mean the Knicks are suddenly good, because the next game they play will most likely be a loss, and it doesn't matter who they play.

In fact, it's almost even worse if they begin to win a game here or there because with every win it makes two things happen that no Knicks fan wants:

1) Gives Isiah reason to believe he still is good for this franchise (blanent lie)

I Hate you >>>>>

2) It lowers our potential to get the lottery pick we so DESPERATELY need.

Ah well, I'm gonna enjoy it while I can, because they used 12 games worth of effort...so can't wait till we win again a month from now...

The Year That is Shea: The Nationally Adopted and Official Pre-Game Mix

2008-01-09T12:06:00.000-08:00

Once again.

Forget the discussions and debates.

It's time to celebrate.

One more time...

Song 1. MEET THE METS/Mets Originals
-Need I say more?
Song 2. BLEED IT OUT/Linkin Park
-"Yeah here we go for the hundreth time, hand grenade pins in every line. Throw 'em up and let something shine, going out of my f-ing mind." If this song doesn't get you pumped up for what's in your future, then damn it man, you have no soul!
Song 3. START ME UP/Rolling Stones
-Entrance songs for our Mets in the 2005 season. A classic song that reminds you, "Oh yeah, it's Mets baseball time."
Song 4. PARADISE CITY/Guns 'n Roses
-"Take me down to the paradise city where the grass is green and the girls are pretty. Oh please, take me home..."
Song 5. STRONGER/Kanye West
-"N-n-now th-that don't kill me, can only make me stronger. I need you to hurry up now, 'cause I can't wait much longer. I know I got to be right now, 'cause I can't get much wronger. Man I've been waitin' all night now, that's how long I've been on ya..." Try and sum up the transition from 2007 to 2008 any better than Kanye. I dare you. You know why I dare you? 'Cause i know you can't.
Song 6. HEY BABY/DJ Otiz
-Pepsi Party Patrol. End of story.
Song 7. LAZY MARY/Lou Monte
-Thank the lord for John Franco and the 7th inning stretch.
Song 8. GUERILLA RADIO/Rage Against the Machine
-"It has to start somewhere, it has to start sometime. What better place than here, what better time than now?" Forget politics, Rage was speaking straight to the Met fan with this line.
Song 9. ENTER SANDMAN/Metallica
-Billy Wagner. Stage right.
Song 10. THE BEAT KICKS/Breeze & Styles
-At this point in our trip, we are in New York and quickly approaching the cathedral of Shea Stadium. Turn up the techno, get me pumped up. The beat kicks.
Song 11. EVERYTIME WE TOUCH/Cascada
-Not only a great pump up song for Shea, it is the track the Shea stereo blasts whenever Endy "The Catch" Chavez hits a double.
Song 12. ONE MORE TIME/Daft Punk
-The Song of 2008.
Song 13. SEE THE LIGHT (SY AND UNKNOWN REMIX)/Paradise
-The Song of 2006. Simply never gets old.
Song 14. DANCE ME/Heaven-7
-Bringing back the classic from the '06 mix. Keeps your blood pumping after the 2 stalwarts of the mix.
Song 15. SANDSTORM/DJ Darude
-Cue Noise Meter.
Song 16. MANIAC/Hits of the 80's
-For John Maine. Simply put, he's a maniac on the rubber.
Song 17. WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT/Twisted Sister
-For all those doubters out there that think the Mets can't do it. Screw You.
Song 18. REMEMBER THE NAME/Fort Minor featuring Styles of Beyond
-Entrance song for '06 that still speaks volumes.

The Mix. The Mets. The Shea. 2008.

The Year That is Shea: The Nationally Adopted and Official Post-Game Mix

2008-01-09T11:19:00.000-08:00

No more changes.

No more discussions.

If there is one thing I certainly am, it's a overly-addicted Mets fan. And I will not settle for any more talk, debate, or discussion to what will be on my creation i stress over for months and months after every Mets season:

The creation of the next year's Mets pre and post-game mixes.

Now, I'm starting you all out with the post-game mix. Because, simply, the pre-game isn't finished quite yet. That's how long it takes me to make it perfect. I go to no ends to make the mix everything it is. Last year, I openly take some blame for the Mets struggling and my disappointing 20-21 Win/Loss record at Met games. I never was satisfied with one mix, and constantly changed the mix. This year, not the case. Consistency and awesome is the game. The Mets are my name.

THE MIX AND REASONS WHY: I hope you have a change of pants. This is going to get messy...

Song 1. TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS/Bachman-Turner Overdrive
-Why? Easiest question in the world. The goal is to see the Mets win. What do the Mets play after a win...
Song 2. YOU SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG/ AC/DC
-Making its second appearance on the post-game mix, this AC/DC classic is a solid representation of what Shea Stadium does to the Pinch Hitters after every Mets game.
Song 3. ROXANNE/The Police
-A simple, easy song that compliments You Shook Me All Night Long very well is also a good song to play under any circumstances that brings us back down to home.
Song 4. LIVIN' ON A PRAYER/Bon Jovi
-If you can think back to the dream year of 2006, the Mets used to alternate between Sweet Caroline and this as the 8th inning sing along. Personally, i prefer this. It's more...Mets baseball.
Song 5. DANCIN'/Morillo, Romero and Nunez
-The techno remix to Metallica's Enter Sandman, a song I and noted Mets analyst and devoted fan Ted Youngling still believe to this day should be Billy Wagner's entrance song from the 'pen.
Song 6. KING OF ROCK AND ROLL/cKy
-This song defines a car ride home with the Pinch Hitters from Shea. There's usually a huge tractor-trailer involved as well...
Song 7. TRIBUTE/Tenacious D
-"He asked us: (snort) Be you angels? And we said 'Nay. We are but men. ROCK!"
Song 8. WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN (KARL G REMIX)/Artic Monkeys
-The perfect song to keep you amped and awake after a thrilling Mets win. As Youngling would say: "The bass is just...powerful."
Song 9. SCOTTY DOESN'T KNOW/Lustra
-We dedicated this song unjustly at first to Scott Schoeneweis for his inability to record outs in the beginning part of the year. Since then, we have reformed the dedication to Scott's inability to ever seem happy on the mound...
Song 10. VIOLENT PORNOGRAPHY/System of a Down
-Maybe the funniest song of all time that also keeps the adrenaline pumping. And not the way Roger Clemens kept his adrenaline pumping...
Song 11. B.O.B./Outkast
-"Get back home, things are wrong. Well not really, it was bad all along, before you left adds up to a ball of power. Thoughts at a thousands miles per hour, hello, ghetto, let your brain breathe. Believe there's always mo', OWWWW!"
Song 12. JUMP AROUND/House of Pain
-"I'll serve your ass like John McEnroe" also, take a trip down memory lane with me. During the Clincher of the Division in September of '06, the 'Stache provided the power for the Mets with 2 home runs. Now I ask you, of all the songs the Mets could've played, which did they play after his 2nd homer...
Song 13. CRANK THAT/Soulja Boy
-Youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
Song 14. CHACARRON/La Yanta
-The greatest walk-up song ever for Jose Reyes, who desperately needs to bring this classic back.
Song 15. ROMPE'/Daddy Yankee
-We, the Pinch Hitters, continue to support Carlos Delgado. If we don't, we'll have no chance next year.
Song 16. PROMISCUOUS/Nelly Furtado & Timbaland
-The music video Shea always played in '06 along with Snow to kill time. And maybe the hottest music video of all time. A little riske on the Mets part, but I'm not complaining.
Song 17. RED ALERT/Basement Jaxx
-"And the music keeps us playing on and on..."
Song 18. HELICOPTER/Bloc Party
-Always needing that one song that connects the Mets to the other national pastime: Guitar Hero
Song 19. THE IMPERIAL MARCH/John Williams
-Where would we be without a little Ramon Castro in our lives?
Song 20. 19-2000 (SOUL CHILD RE-MIX)/Gorillaz
-"It's the music that we choose..."

Return of the 'Stache?

2008-01-08T13:12:00.000-08:00

It is being rumored around New York and various blogs that the Mets are close to bringing back Jose Valentin (and his mustache) for one more season in the Big Apple.

In November, they turned down his $4.3m option after he had season-ending knee surgery on his torn ACL in September, which was initially hurt in April.

He told the newspaper that he still not 100 percent, and may need to begin the year at Triple-A, but of all the teams he is negotiating with it is the Mets who have shown the most interest.

In 2006, after winning a starting job, in 137 games, the 'Stache hit 18 hr's, drove in 68 runs and batted a solid clip of .271, which are all solid for an againg, seemingly over the hill veteran mustache.

In 2007 however, he only played in 51 games, hitting only a clip of .241, while getting some very clutch hits. However, after hurting his knee in mid-April, never really seemed the same, and was forced the wear a brace until he finally called it a season and got the surgery to repair the knee.

Genius move by the Mets brass in my opinion, if they do bring back Valentin. He was clearly a positive influence on the younger latin players, specifically Jose Reyes.

From what I can gather, the deal is not guarenteed, but if he is healthy enough, and can still play solid defense and even hit a little, then why not? He is a great clubhouse guy, and will serve as another veteran leader on the bench, and will go nicely with Marlon Anderson, Damion Easley and Endy Chavez to form the bench Corps.

He clearly isn't the player he once was, and won't even be what he was before the knee injury. If he can contribute in any way, mostly in the clubhouse, then I say give him a shot.

I ask, WHERE IS THE BAD?!

Mets Aquire backup OF Pagan from Cubs

2008-01-05T16:15:00.001-08:00

The Mets traded two minor leaguers, OF Corey Coles and RHP Ryan Meyers, for backup OF Angel Pagan.

Pagan has a .255 batting average and nine home runs in 318 career major league at-bats.

He was originally drafted by the Mets in 1999 and spent his first six professional seasons in the Mets organization before being sold to the Cubs in January 2006.

Pagan is intriguing because he is young, fast, and a switch hitter. He should be able to fill in nicely in a backup role, and could even serve as an Endy Chaves-type-player.

Curry Back in Action; Too Bad the Knicks still lose...no surprise

2008-01-05T07:04:00.000-08:00

Well, I wanna start off by saying at the least the Knicks did not lose by 40 to reigning NBA Champs. There also a lot of positives from last night's game, such as Eddy Curry ACTUALLY playing a full, good game, not just scoring all his points in the first half, then eating for the rest of the game, like he did against Sacramento. Crawford, who single handedly cost the Knicks the game in the final minute, dropped 24. Without Zach Randolph, who was serving a suspension, the Knicks played hard! They hung in there, overcoming a 12 point fourth quarter defecit to cut the lead to three with five minutes left. That's when they fell apart.

With five minutes left, a series of unfortunate, and quite frankly, inexcusable events, took place.

First there was Jamal Crawford, on two occassions, ruining EVERYTHING. First, he came down the court, with the Knicks down by one, and tried a jumper, and had it poked away by Bruce Bowen, but Crawford tried to alter the shot, and flung the ball RIGHT INTO the open, waiting hands of Michael Finley, who then dished it back to Bowen, who would go to the line.

Oh, good idea, Bruce Bowen only shoots 57% from the line in his CAREER, and only 60% this year, this is a great idea, right? What are the chances that a terrible foul shooter like Bruce Bowen would sink both free throws?

Against the Knicks? There is ALWAYS a 100% chance. Why? Who knows, but that is what happens, bad players seem to ALWAYS be more clutch than MJ when playing the Knicks.

So of course no one was surprised when Bowen swished both free throws.

Then, with the Knicks trailing three, Isiah calls a timeout, AND HE WAS STILL SMILING! WHY DOES HE SMILE WHEN THE TEAM IS LOSING! And, ok, THIS time he gets a pass, because it's the first time in a month that the Knicks were in the 4th quarter, and not trailing by double figures.

So, whatever play he called, didn't work out, and was drawn up by an IDIOT, so...Isiah drew up the play...

Anyway, Crawford, with 10 seconds left, and the Knicks down by 3, thinks to himself, oh, I'll drive the lane...so that way we lose by one instead of three...yeah... that's what I'll do.

Well anyway, Crawford missed the runner, which to me, didn't really matter, because had it gone in, the Knicks would have been down by one with 2 seconds left, and the Spurs would have the ball...great scenario to be in.

OH WELL, THAT'S HOW THE KNICKS PLAY BASKETBALL, LIKE IDIOTS WHO JUST STEPPED ONTO A COURT FOR THE FIRST TIME

At least Eddy Curry had a good game, 25 pts, 12 rebs...OH, AND BY THE WAY, ISIAH THOMAS CHOSE TO START MALIK ROSE OVER DAVID LEE. Brilliant.

No, but seriously, to Malik's credit, he played a solid game, pulling down seven rebounds and scoring six points. I'm not averse to seeing Malik play more, I'm not, just not over David Lee.

The Knicks play to the Rockets tonight...this should be interesting...

New Year; Same team

2008-01-02T19:57:00.000-08:00

Well, where do I start? There is so much to address. Ok, I have a starting point: Knicks get killed by the Sacramento Kings, who were missing their four best players. Mike Bibby, Kevin Martin, Ron Artest and Shareef-Abdur Rahim were all injured and unavailable for the game. People ACTUALLY thought the Knicks had a chance.

Stupid US.

No one can actually expect the Knicks to beat anyone, can they? And I mean anyone, because in March, the Knicks play the Timberwolves, and THAT is a matchup to watch. My prediction: T-Wolves by 11. This knicks team is just pathetic, downright gross to watch. They are not only an embarassment to a once proud franchise; now, NOW it's a new level, they are embarassing NEW YORK CITY.

The Knicks only lost by 10 points, which is an improvement from recent games, but that was after the Kings had given up, oh, and after they had trailed multiple times by more than 20 points. The Knicks in the first half were down by as much as 18, and trailed by 14 at the half.

During half time, whatever Isiah Thomas said in the locker room clearly had no effect on the team, seeing as how they were working on DANCE moves in stead of basketball moves, which led to many fans expressing their displeasure to play-by-play commentator Mike Breen.

This happening two days after the BULLS, another team bad team, criticized the Knicks pre-game and half time shoot around, saying "they weren't serious at all, they had no intensity."

WOW BIG SURPRISE, THE KNICKS NOT BEING INTENSE ABOUT A BASKETBALL GAME!

So the second half started, and they fell behind by 20 points, so Isiah Thomas called a timeout, and of course, the boos and "fire isiah" chants started. As the Knicks walked over to the huddle, he was smiling.

SMILING? ARE YOU KIDDING ME! ISIAH THOMAS, WITH HIS TEAM DOWN BY 20 OR MORE POINTS FOR THE 21ST GAME THIS SEASON HAS SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT! Please, PLEASE tell the fans what you are smiling about, because we honestly have no idea.

Maybe he was FINALLY starting to see the joke THAT IS his team, like the rest of us view it.

Does Isiah Thomas like losing? He must, he must LOVE it, because he doesn't want to make any trades, he doesn't get intense for games, and seems content with the direction of this worthless, pathetic team. I mean come on! THE KINGS ARE AWFUL TO BEGIN WITH! AND THEY WERE MISSING THEIR FOUR BEST PLAYERS!

Knicks game plan: make John Salmons look like MJ. Salmons, to go along with 11 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals, had a career high, 32 points. As the game continued, it seemed like John Salmons was a very very good player, and that he might be a good fit for the Knicks. Few problems: doesn't make enough MONEY to play for the Knicks, and isn't selfish enough.

I would say the climax of the game was when Zach Randolph, who was having a poor game, got ejected for throwing his head band after being called for a foul. Randolph headed to the locker room, and hopefully left early to get some needed sleep, because he, and the rest of his band of losers, looked ASLEEP as the Kings penetrated effortlessly and scored at will.

Nothing to worry about though, Isiah Thomas says this team will turn it around! And that his legacy will be left here. I can honestly say I have never hated anyone more than you, Isiah.

The only legacy left by Isiah Thomas will be a losing one.

Mets Sign Another Seemingly Mediocre Reliever

2007-12-31T07:15:00.000-08:00

Joel Sherman reports that the Mets have signed Andy Cavazos to a minor-league contract, and I am assuming with an invitation to Spring Training. Cavazos has never really been good...at all...at any level really. He was with Texas from 1999-2002, but never saw any time with the big club up in Arlington.

After that, Cavazos went to the St. Louis Cardinals and has spent the rest of his career there. At age 26, Cavazos may have his best years ahead of him...or...maybe some DECENT years ahead of him. When the Mets made this signing, they were obviously hoping to catch lightning in a bottle because nothing about Cavazos is intriguing.

Last year for St. Louis, Cavazos pitched in 17 games. In that span, he walked 16 in 20 innings pitched, while allowing 25 runs.

To me, there is nothing interesting except calculating how high his ERA is, or how bad his walks:innings pitched ratio is.

However, Cavazos, a hard thrower, should most likely be given an invite to Spring Training simply to show what he can do. He is young, and at age 26 could be on the threshold of a solid season. Let's just let Dr. Jacket (Rick Peterson) take a look at his dilivery, and THEN make assumptions, because if he can fix Oliver Perez even for a LITTLE, he should be able to help out this seemingly lost kid

This will most likely be my last post of the year, so have a very Amazin' New Years eve.

We are still waiting; But what are we ACTUALLY waiting for?

2007-12-29T09:20:00.000-08:00

Ok, so, thus far, the Mets have not had the blockbuster offseason everyone has been calling for after last seasons...Ok, thus far, the Mets have not had the blockbuster offseason everyone has been hoping for, and some fans are unhappy with the fact that in their stocking, there was no Johan Santana or Erik Bedard or even Joe Blanton.

While obviously eveyone would love to have those three in their starting rotation, do Mets fans really want to give up what needs to be given to get those pitchers?

In the case of Santana or Bedard, they would have to literally mortgage to future in order to have one of them pitching in Queens. The Mets would have to part with top prospect galore to make any kind of trade for either, such as Carlos Gomez, Kevin Mulvey, Mike Pelfry, Delios Guerra, Phil Humber and Fernando Martinez were all inquired about.

But here's the catch: 5 of those names were requested in one trade. So the question remains: do the Mets make an impulsive move, and essentially get one player for a future of 5 players just to make the "sexy move" that everyone wants to see? I say no.

The reason I say no is because the Mets brass understands the value of young talent, possibly even more so than many of the other front offices in Major League Baseball, and they realize that giving 5 top prospects for one pitcher is probably not the best move.

I say probably because it is still very possible they will do the opposite, and essentially rendering everything I am saying here uselss and incorrect.

For the time being, they seem to be going along with my theory. However, would I LIKE to see some deals made? Yes I would, but not at the expense of the future, and it isn't like Omar can snap his fingers and PRESTO! Look, a shiny new left handed ace for the staff!

It doesn't work like that, however I would like to see some noise being made, but not signing pitchers such as Jon Lieber, or the shaky Kyle Lohse, just because there's no point in, today's market at least, overpaying for a back-of-the-rotation starter when you could just as easily save a bunch of money, and get your younger pitchers, such as Phil Humber, Mike Pelfrey, and possibly sooner than many think, Kevin Mulvey, some major league experience.

So far, there has not been much done by the Mets brass this offseason, but I can say this: Whatever move they make from here on out, their best on has already been made, and that was getting rid of Guillermo Mota.

New Look Knicks? THERES NOTHING NEW WHEN THEY STILL LOSE

2007-12-29T08:54:00.000-08:00

So...Isiah Thomas says he's going to make some "changes" with his team, and I cannot stress enough the part about "his team", because he assembled this band of losers that show no heart.

Those "new changes" consisted of putting Jared Jeffries in the starting lineup, only to do the usual "nothing that helps the team," keeping Q-Rich, the black hole of basketball, on the court, only moving him to the SG, and the only good move that was made is putting David Lee into the starting lineup.

ABOUT TIME LEE GOT STARTERS MINUTES, ITS ONLY BEEN TWO YEARS

Now, the one move that puzzled me was leaving Eddy Curry as a starter and moving Zach Randolph, who is averaging 18 pts and 10 rebs per game, to the bench. YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!

No fan wants Eddy Curry, and his massive man boobs, clogging the paint anymore! At 6'11, 800 pounds, you would expect anyone to be able to get more than 5 rebounds per game. Even if he can't score, which he can't, he should AT LEAST be able to smother someone with his cellulite and pull down a rebound.

But no, NOOOooOoOoOOooo, he started Eddy Curry, which pissed off Zach Randolph, who is already a ball hog, and now that means he will LITERALLY not pass the ball. He will be angry that he is coming off the bench, which means he thinks he'll get less touches on the ball, and ultimately ruin an offense unless they center it around him.

But somehow, with Jamal Crawford on the floor, I HIGHLY doubt someone else will be involved on offense.

Anyway, the "new look Knicks" gave the same result, and got blown out after keeping it close, letting Dwight Howard and Hedo Turkoglu pretty much do whatever they want. The two highlights of the game, for me, were two things said by announcers.

Gus Johnson, after watching a Q-Rich airball goes, "that's about his third airball of the night...Richardson continues to struggle shooting, and he now has more airballs than shots made tonight."

WOW

That sums up Quentin Richardson this year.

And of course, the other was Walt "Clyde" Frazier. After about the third straight possession of Dwight Howard rejecting another feeble shot attempt, "Clyde" came up with one of his patented rhymes.

"The Knicks keep trying to work inside on Howard, only to be in vein, and experiencing lots of pain, with a minute and 15 that now remain."

Walt, you never ciese to amaze us. Well, anyway, Walt Frazier may be an amazing announcer, but these Knicks could not be any farther away from amazing. As predicted by Charles Barkley, the Knicks will not get double digit wins by New Years eve.

Maybe they should play their coaching staff instead of the players...some of those guys used to be really good, and probably couldn't do much worse.

Knicks FINALLY Beat a team

2007-12-19T19:21:00.000-08:00

WOW, the Knicks, playing King James and his supporting cast of peasants came into the Garden, and I think it is safe to say everyone expect Lebron to drop between 40-60 points. After the first quarter, Lebron had 15, and was getting the rim at will, and seemed as if this would happen.

But wait, who is that...is it...is it Knicks bench players? I think that's...let me check the roster...number 4 number 4...NATE ROBINSON?!?! HE'S STILL ON THE TEAM?!?! and...DAVID LEE, MAILIK ROSE? WHOA! WHO ARE THESE GUYS!

That's right ladies and gentlmen, the Knicks do, in fact, have a bench, full of players too. They sit there, all game, with their skills deteriorating, and while that is happening, the Knicks are getting blown out by another awful team.

Isiah Thomas FINALLY acknowledged that the team needs changes. WOW ISIAH, YOU ARE SO SMART! IT ONLY TOOK A 7-17 RECORD TO MAKE YOU REALIZE IT!

DUH

So Isiah Thomas tried something new: Playing some of the players that don't just shoot, they also pass, rebound, try hard and play defesnse. Who would have known the Knicks had players like that on their bench? Not the fans, not the ones who have been CALLING for this to happen for over a month now.

So, finally, Eddy Curry, after picking up 2 fouls in the first 2 mins of the game, was taken out for David Lee. David Lee, in the first half, had 17 points and 8 rebounds. Another HUGE surprise for Knicks fans, who have been wanting David to see more floor time, instead of Eddy Curry, who just slows down the offense, and takes up space.

Well, David finished with 22 and 11, a solid game, that would most likely happen more often if David is given the right amount of PT by a coach that has more or less given HIMSELF the 2 weeks notice.

Bonds Owed Apology

2007-12-15T21:26:00.001-08:00

Barry Bonds, who was in fact on the Mitchell Report list, is owed an apology by Major League Baseball, specifically by commissioner Bud Selig. There are many out there who 'hate' Bonds for 'ruining' the game and 'tainting' the game with steroids. But if Bonds tainted the game with steroids, shouldn't every other player on the list get the same treatment as Bonds?

Bonds cheated. End of story. However, so did all of these players that were exposed in the Mitchell Report. So, doesn't that mean they should all have to go through the same things Bonds did? The harassment, the family threats, the death threats, the media trying to ruin his life inside, and out of baseball?

Bonds is owed an apology by Selig because he did made Bonds, and allowed the media to make Bonds, the face of the steroid era. Selig did not attempt to dissuade fans from throwing things at Bonds during road games, and he certainly did not try to deter the media from reaking havoc on Barry Bonds or making personal attacks.

If all of this happens to every single player on the list, then fine. However, if not, Bonds is owed a public apology by Bud Selig, just to make up for all the damage done.

Mitchell's Report Released; Some Players Got Lucky

2007-12-15T08:17:00.001-08:00

On Thursday, George Mitchell's report on performance enhancing drugs was released with the names of players who illegally used performance enhancers. The list ranged from backup catchers to startign, All-Star Shortstops, from Todd Pratt, to Miguel Tejada (speaking of which, how do the Houston Astros feel right now?).

There were players that shocked everyone, like Chuck Knoblauch or Hal Morris, players who seemingly were not effected by performance enhancers. There were players that I, personally, will never believe did anything illegal, such as Mo Vaughn, because he is way too cool to do anything like that, so Mo, I'll always think you are a legend.

However, no matter how much research Mitchell did, there is no way that he got everyone on that list. For example, let's look at Brady Anderson, who hit 54 homeruns one year, and averaged 11 for the rest of his career. Or "Pudge" Rodriguez, who, if you haven't noticed, isn't really Pudge anymore...he's more like string bean. Could it have anything to do with the fact that the year baseball started cracking down on performance enhancers, he had his best year, and has yet to come close since? No, no, of course it couldn't...

And let me laugh at Roger Clemens, and Andy Pettitte, who seemingly are in fact married, and do literally everything together, such as go to Houston, think about retiring, decide not to, go back to the Yankees, think about retiring again. They do everything together, so if one does it, the other will, too.

Many other players got lucky, and many of the players exposed didn't shock anyone; it just helped to see the names in writing.

Goggle-Tag Team of Sanchez and Padilla in jeopardy with Non-Tender Deadline

2007-12-13T04:54:00.000-08:00

It was announced early this morning, and has already been posted by Aaron, that the Mets not only non-tendered Johnny Estrada, which was to be expect, but also did not tender cotnracts to Ben Johnson and Jaun Padilla.

This, like Aaron, catches me by surprise, and I expected the Goggle-Tag Team of Juan Padilla and Duaner Sanchez to be coming out of the bullpen this year. Both are recovering from arm surgery, and while Sanchez WAS tendered a cotnract and will be back in Queens for 2008, it seems as if Padilla will not. This perplexes me, because I peronally thought Padilla, who last pitched in 2005, and had an ERA of 1.49 in 36.1 IP, has been working hard to make a comeback after elbow surgery, and I felt deserved a chance at least in Spring Training to make the club.

However, there is a possibility that the Mets will give Padilla a Minor League contract, with a Spring Training invite, which would COMPLETELY make sense, explain this situation in it's entirety, and in fact, be a very smart move by the Mets brass. All I can say is I am still holding out for the Goggle-Tag team

Mets Non-Tender Estrada, Padilla, Johnson

2007-12-12T23:05:00.000-08:00

Though the non-tender of Johnny Estrada was expect since the Mets couldn't find a partner to trade with, the non-tender of Juan Padilla catches me a little off guard. I had once hoped that Padilla would be able to recover from his elbow woes and pitch for the Mets are some point this year. There still is a chance the Mets can re-sign Padilla and Ben Johnson to minor league deals, but it seems as though the Mets are prepared to go in a different direction.

The Mets did offer 2008 contracts to Endy Chavez, Oliver Perez, Duaner Sanchez, Pedro Feliciano, Aaron Heilman, and Jorge Sosa. All will either accept the tendered contracts or work out extensions with the Mets.

A notable player non-tendered by another club, RHP Mark Prior. Prior isn't expected to be ready for Opening Day, but could become an asset to any team in need of another starting pitcher. Prior hasn't pitched in a Major League game since August of '06.

Sure, Prior has had more injuries and arm troubles than half of Fairfield County, but he is still an interesting option. He's only 27, and would, at this point, command only a one or two year deal. Would I love to see Prior wearing the Mets blue and orange? Yes. Is he the answer to the Mets problems? Probably not, since he won't be healthy for some time. At this point, it seems if the Mets are going to sign a pitcher who won't be ready until June, it will probably be Freddy Garcia.

A Good Mench?

2007-12-12T18:07:00.000-08:00

With the deadline to tender arbitration eligible players contracts passing tonight, a new question has surfaced in the minds of Mets fans: would Kevin Mench be a good fit for a RF platoon with Ryan Church?

Numbers would say it would make some sense to have a Kevin Mench/Ryan Church platoon. Mench, a right handed hitter, batted .314 in 156ABs with all 8 of his HRs coming against lefty pitchers. Church hit .287 in 352 ABs with a .506 slugging percentage and 14 of his 15 HRs coming against righty pitchers. So, on paper, it makes sense to have a combined RF hitting .292 with 22 HRs. That would be very productive coming out of the 7 spot in the Mets order. Much better than the combination of Lastings Milledge, Carlos Gomez, Endy Chavez and Shawn Green the Mets ran out with little flashes of success last year.

However nice it looks on paper, though, the question is does Mench's bat fit on the Mets bench?

Conventional thinking has the Mets carrying 12 pitchers on the club this year, especially if they don't add another starting pitcher to eat innings. That leaves 5 bench spots for the Mets to fill. Of those spots, 4 have already been filled. Ramon Castro, Marlon Anderson, Damion Easley and Endy Chavez are all guarnteed spots on the Mets bench with contracts. Considering Chavez is the Mets 4th OF (and possibly the best 4th OF in the league), Castro the back-up catcher and Easley considered the Utility IF, there is room for a 5th OF on the team. Especially since it will be unlikely for Anderson to see a lot of time in the OF, though, like Easley, has the ability to play good, quality OF. Anderson's main purpose is to come off the bench when the Mets are in a pinch, something Marlon has proven in '05 and last year he can do quite readily. Also, the Mets aren't likely to keep OF Carlos Gomez on the roster unless he's guarnteed playing time on an everyday basis. And the next realistic 5th OF from within would be Ben Johnson, but Johnson is still rehabbing a broken ankle and isn't expected to be ready by Opening Day.

Another reason why Mench would fit on the Mets bench is the Mets, even with Easley on the bench, lack genuine power from the right side of the plate. Unless the Mets elect to carry 3 catchers and use Ramon more as a pinch-hitter, the Mets would have Easley as the only righty off the bench, with Chavez and Anderson both lefties. Days when Church gets the start in the OF, Mench would provide pop to counteract Marlon's and provide quality at-bats late in the game.

In essence, would the Mets benefit from adding Kevin Mench as their platoon RF to go along with Ryan Church? It makes perfect sense. Would the Mets be crippled if they didn't add Mench? Absolutely not. Remember, Ryan Church might not have shown the homer pop playing in the spacious RFK Stadium, but Church did hit 43 doubles last year. Which, in a stadium like Shea, bodes well if you can continue to hit the ball hard to the gaps.

Malik Rose: Rendered Useless by Isiah and Knicks, but He Fits into Knicks' Plans

2007-12-12T10:03:00.000-08:00

Malik Rose realizes he is old...hell, even Isiah probably realizes he is old, but that doesn't mean he doesn't fit into the Knicks' plans for self destruction. Rose, who has seldom played this season, asked if instead of sitting on the bench, he could do a full workout during the day instead of just sitting there when he isn't going to play.

Smart

Malik Rose is one step away from asking for a trade, and honestly, he is smart. Much, MUCH smarter than Knicks Owner James Dolan and Isiah Thomas, who both agree that Jerome James and Malik Rose, both of which rarely play, still fit into the Knicks plans.

Rumor: James Dolan failed his IQ test, he spelled his name incorrectly.

Isiah Thomas he sees Malik Rose in the Knicks' plans, and has no intention of trading him.

Tough break Malik, really, tough break.

That means that Rose will have to sit on the bench, and watch a bunch of his teammates destroy this team. The sad thing is, Rose could be useful if given playing time but he cannot do anything about it. He does have a good veteran presence and plays defense...too bad it won't ever mean anything because he is never on the floor to help the younger players stay calm when they start to lose by more than 15 (so every night).

Rose, once renouned as one of the best defenders in the league, is rotting away on the bench with Isiah by his side.

Isiah: "I fight till i die"

2007-12-12T09:44:00.000-08:00

So, now Isiah Thomas has given New York fans another reason to hate him: he said he fights until he dies. SO, the already disapproving Knicks fanbase, which has been calling for Isiah's head on a platter for the better half of the season have just been challenged.

Isiah, who is finally out of people to blame, is now blaming the fans.

VERY BAD IDEA

Thomas said that the fans, and their booing, are causing the Knicks bad play. Isiah, try this: you caused the poor play, and you caused the team to quit on you, so give it a rest. In the opinion of Isiah Thomas, THE FANS, not him, assembled a team of selfish, "me-first, then the team" players, players who are more concerned with making money than playing, and aer OK with letting the other team score, so that they aren't too tired to play their own offense and shoot shoot shoot, forget passing

Passing...ball movement...for players like Jamal Crawford, who need a dictionary to learn what both of those mean, the concept is absurd. Why move the ball when I can shoot it? That's how the Knicks think.

Rumor: Knicks lost 114-93 to the Rucker Park All-Stars

Isiah Thomas, no matter what he does, will not lose his job, which again puts into question the incriminating info that he has about James Dolan, who is constantly seen laughing when around the Garden. Also, coincidently, James Dolan is a disgrace to basketball and New York in general.

Honestly, if either of these guys walk the streets of NYC, it will not end well for them.

Mitchell Reports Looming

2007-12-12T06:43:00.000-08:00

Jose Canseco, who wrote a book that incriminated steroid users, including himself started all the concern about steroid use in baseball.

Now, with the George J. Mitchell report looming over Major League Baseball, we can all thank Jose for this.

It is said that this week, the Mitchell Report will be released, incriminating 11 Free Agents, who's Agent's have allegedly already been notified by Mitchell that there are 11 Free Agents to be named.

Major League Baseball and the Player's Union have stated that they do not know how much information Mitchell's report will include. They also claim not to know whether or not anyone will, in fact, be named.

However, we can all assume that Mitchell, who was appoined by Commissioner Bud Selig in 2006, will name all of the 11 Free Agents he incriminates, otherwise is there really a point of the report itself?

We can count on, by the new year, knowing the names of 11 steroid users in Major League Baseball, because for someone to dig up dirt like Mitchell did, he is going to want praise for his work.

However, Mitchell has even stated he has decided that he is not sure of what will be in his report.

He has, however, stated that it will conclude this Thursday. The only known player to have spoken with Mitchell is Jason Gimabi of the New York Yankees.

However, Giambi only met with Mitchell under heavy pressure from Bud Selig after Giambi tacitly admitted to using steroids in a report.

Mitchell, however, has had the cooperation of Kirk Radomski, who has pleaded guilty to steroid distribution and money laundering. Radomski has said he provided performance-enhancing drugs to dozens of major leaguers from 1995 through 2005. He has been encouraged to aid Mitchell, and presumably provide names.

The names of the players right now are a mystery, but you can count on them being exposed before the new year, despite anyone's opinion that they will be concealed, because if the players are penalized, the public will find out regardless.

The only way to not expose anyone is to drop the investigation all together; and that surely will not happen

The Silver Lining

2007-12-11T17:23:00.000-08:00

In an off-season that most Mets fans have found nothing but and rumors, there has been one definite positive to Omar Minaya's off-season plan: Don't overpay for a bullpen. We all know that the bullpen was far from reliable last year, especially during the September swoon, but a bullpen is not something you can buy. As many experts have pointed out from Buster Olney to Matt Cerrone, a bullpen is something you patch together and often get lucky with.

A perfect example would be the San Diego Padres bullpen from last year, widely considered one of, if not the best bullpen in the Majors last season. Coming into the year, the Padres 'pen included a bunch of young arms with unestablished resumes ranging from Cla Meredith to the Norfolk Shuttle, Heath Bell. By the end of the year, the Padres bullpen boasted 5 relievers with ERA's below 3.50 and who appeared in a minimum of 45 games, with Bell leading the way at a stellar mark of 2.02. In contrast, the Mets managed 4, but 2 of the 4, Joe Smith and Pedro Feliciano, struggled towards the end of the year.

My point it, should the Mets cough up the $5 million a year pitchers like Scott Linebrink got from the White Sox, or David Riske got from the Brewers? Absolutely not. The one thing that has been proven through the years is the only reliable, year to year relievers are closers. Wagner has proven the last two years that he is fit to pitch in New York, regardless of the heart attacks we receive over the year. The Mets 2008 'pen has been upgraded enough through addition by subtraction. With Mota going to the Brewers, the Mets have already improved the 60+ innings he would've pitched for them this year. As of now, the Mets 'pen will rely heavily upon the health of Duaner Sanchez's shoulder and Juan Padilla's elbow. If both can come back healthy to the 'pen, the other relievers will benefit because their work loads would be decreased. I'm not saying we should expect the 2.60 ERA Sanchez gave us in 2006 and nowhere near the 1.49 ERA Padilla gave the '05 Mets. If both can maintain their ERA's around the 3.00 mark, to go along with Heilman's and Feliciano's, the Mets will be set.

The Mets rotation will rely heavily on its 'pen. Pedro and El Duque will rarely get past 6 innings, leaving 3 innings to fill. We don't have the Tag Team of '06, but the pieces to the most successful Mets bullpen are already under contract. With the return of an effective Sosa and Schoeneweis to pitch in specialty roles, along with the 4 Horsemen Padilla, Sanchez, Heilman and Feliciano plus Sandman at the end, the Mets are staged for success.

Twins, Santana and Mets doing the tango

2007-12-11T14:19:00.000-08:00

Johan Santana, who has reported that he DOES in fact want to become a New York MET, and move over to the pitcher-friendly National League, seems every day coming closer to blue and orange. If I were him, I would be ripping out my hair, however, he did give the Twins an ultimatum: trade me now, or I'll say no until the end of the year.

It was reported today that the Twins wanted four pitching prospects, yes, FOUR plus either Fernando Martinez and/or Carlos Gomez, which is ludacris. The fact that the Mets would even entertain the idea is laughable. Reports say the deal was turned down, and rightfully so, good job by Omar and the Mets brass, who, contrary to what it may have sounded like in my last post, I believe do a fantastic job assembling the best possible team. The offered deal was reported to be Kevin Mulvey, Mike Pelfrey, Phil Humber and Carlos Gomez, and Minnessota countered by asking for either Martinez or Delios Guerra. Had the Mets done that trade, no one would criticize the Mets, because they would be getting a proven cy young caliber pitcher for a bunch of prospects, however, anyone who follows the minor leagues knows how touted those prospects are, and for the Mets to give those away, and THEN have to sign Johan Santana to a 7-year deal, I think, is too risky.

Omar Minaya...If only we could read your mind...

2007-12-11T07:40:00.000-08:00

So far, this offseason, the Mets brass, looking to make everyone forget about the biggest collapse in regular season history, have been a little quiet for my personal taste, but that is why Omar Minaya is the GM, John Ricco is the assistant GM and I am at home writing on my blog. However, I am perplexed by a few of the moves made, however I do not have a crystal ball to tell me what went into the decision process, so there may be reasons beyond what we, the fans, see. For example, signing minor leaguers with ERA's over 6 and 7 to improve a bullpen that was shaky down the stretch. Now, maybe these guys have more potential than we see, but right now I do not see them fitting into our roster. The Mets have also aquired/signed 3 catchers, and traded a top prospect (Lastings Milledge). Johnny Estrada, who I was beginning to imagine in blue and orange, will most likely be non-tendered, so in essence, they GAVE AWAY Guillermo Mota, which I think, is BRILLIANT! Brain Schneider, a good defensive catcher however very much lacking at the plate, should be given most of the starts behind the dish, but do not be surpirsed to see Ramon starting the brute of the games late in September. Milledge being traded can be justified by the team trying to win now as opposed to farther along the line, however if that is the thinking, would they not do all things necessary to aquire an Cy Young candidate in Johan Santana? Like I wrote earlier, there is probably much more than meets the eye that goes in to the thinking process.

Knicks rebuilding? or just very bad

2007-12-11T07:14:00.000-08:00

The knicks, who haven't made the playoffs since the first year Stephon Marbury became a knick (coincidence?), are in for yet another disgraceful year of what they believe to be basketball. Now, teams that go through stretches like this are quote unquote "rebuilding". However, the Knicks aren't doing that, they continue to add payroll and subtract talent each year. Teams that rebuild, such as the Celtics, are bad for a few years while they develop younger talent. The Knicks are just bad a for a few years, and go out and get has-beens and never-were's like, Steve Francis, Malik Rose and Jerome James, while trading away youth that seemingly had a future in Mike "Sweetfeet" Sweetney and Trevor Ariza, or letting them go, as in the case of Demetris Nichols. While none of these players have become superstars (yet) they played well for the Knicks, and just happened to not have a place on the team they were traded to. Again, the mismanagement of the Knicks started when they traded Patrick Ewing and then traded Marcus Camby and Nene for Antonio McDyess (McDyess didn't play a full season with the Knicks due to injuries). The fact of the matter is that the Knicks, a once proud franchise, are now reduced to rubbel and need to ACTUALLY rebuild, instead of just overpaying for less talent.

Knicks embarassed again

2007-12-11T05:14:00.000-08:00

Another game, another embarassment for the New York Knicks, who have dropped all the way from that 2-1 record after 3 games down to 6-14 after 20. Isiah Thomas is still currently the coach, which quite frankly, perplexes many people. I personally think Isiah needs go, and so do many of his players

There parts of the game last night when it seemed as if the Knicks were TRYING to mess up. There was Eddy Curry, another big waste of money and space, airballing a jumped SO badly that I actually saw kids crying in the stands. The shot itself did not even reach the semi-circle that always points out how bad the Knicks defense is by making sure there is always a Knick inside of it.

There was another play when the Garden erupted...only it was with hatred an boos. The Knicks, as usual, were showing a lathargic defensive effort, and left Josh Howard, an above average shooter, WIDE open across court. By WIDE OPEN, I mean the closest Knick, Q-Rich, was inside the key, and never ventured farther out. Sufficive to say, Howard, who checked his footing two times before shooting, drained the three, sending the Garden crowd into a frenzy of boos and chants.

The Knicks only lost by 10, but that is only because Zach Randolph finished 7 of his last 8 from the field, AND because, with a 25 point lead, Avery Johnson felt sorry for the Knicks, and pulled his starters.

It almost makes you anxious to see the pictures that Isiah has of James Dolan and what they incriminate...