First Shutout all Season -- Now I'm Back

Someone asked the other day, "are you still blogging your site?" (Full disclosure, it's nice to have A fan). I answered "of course, but I got slammed with time."

So, while I was a way I have a few musings which will be posted here... Let's thing of them as calculated strategy - awright...Random Thoughts....Sit back and read...

The game of May 30 was a milestone as it was the first time the Mets were shut out this year. When you think of all the woeful teams of the 1990s, a shutout per week -- or two - was considered the norm. It seems as if a few "negative events" have happened much later than expected...this shut out, Players have gotten better - to note... Carlos Gomez...Now this is what I call a bright spot in the line-up. He's the prototypical player you like to see. Hustle, runs hard, enthusiastic and has the can-do attitude. This is what we THOUGHT Lastings Milledge was going to turn out to be. Maybe he will. Who knows, but as far as I am concerned, let him have a few hits with the rap of a bat than the rap of "the beat." At this stage, he is pretty much expendable if he doesn't get his act together. His trade value is now that of a single player in double "position rank" in fantasy baseball...Speaking of Fantasy Baseball, that puts a huge dilemma on my view now. Though its more important the Mets win, I somehow feel betrayed when a Met (whom I don't own) socks an HR and sets me back a few points. Interestingly, when the Mets were getting smoked by the Brewers a few weeks ago, all hope was lost for a win. Instead, J.J. Hardy socked a grand slam to get me some RBIS. Tom Glavine seems to be struggling a bit on the way to 300 wins. I wish folks would put the figure out of mind and let him pitch to each batter...Tom, we want you at least one more year, regardless of whether you hit the 300 mark in June, July or August...Carlos Delgado went from Arctic to Hades in a week. Always nice when a player gets their groove back. Let's expect Carlos to catapult in the next few weeks as a choice player for fantasy leagues. Mike Pelfrey...Oh Lord, I am hoping he isn't the next Paul Wilson. Coming in with high expectations, Pelfrey was put in the pressure cooker early. Losing all those games surely isn't good for immediate morale, but a bit of seasoning in AAA and away from the cameras of SNY and CW-11 should help him get back on his game. He throws well and has the capacity to improve....Anyone miss Chad Bradford? I do a little, but the consolation that the original-named Joe Smith is tossing from the side is encouraging. Who would have thought he turned to the sidearming as a gag. Speaking of gags, this is what happens when I see Scott Schoenweiss pitch. 13 earned runs in 19 innings exudes a YIKES....Wasn't it comical to see Armando Benitez balk not once - but twice - and allow a run in? He gave us the creeps when he took the mound in a Mets uni, but its good to see sweet revenge...Let's hope Shawn Green comes back soon. He's a good player. Sadly, I had to drop him in my fantasy league but will look to pick him up about a week after he gets back...and we too, wish to see more of Moises Alou and Jose Valentin when they come back. I like them both, but I hope the Mets knew that Moises was a bit brittle when they signed him...

Well...I have a deadline to hit and hope all is well. Please comment and let's have fun.

PLAY BALL!

This Stat Deserves a Post of its Own...Jose Reyes and GiDP

So, I was faithfully watching the Mets snake the Diamondbacks on late Saturday night and towards the middle / end of the game, Jose Reyes gets up, hits the ball to shortstop and then a 6-4-3 DP results.

In 29 games, and 127 ABs (17 walks on top of that) -- this is the first time that Reyes hit into a DP.

I guess when you are hitting a lot of triples, these are rare occurances.

Side note: Was impressed with Sosa's first outing as a Met this year. Let's put Chan Ho Park in our memory.

Checking In...

Hello Dear Fan - ( I am hoping this is plural).

It's been awhile since I wrote and I am sure you have been waiting up all night. Relax. Your insomia will be cured by the end of the paragraph.

Been so busy with work and life that it's been tough to actually get the time to write. A lot of ideas and observations are swirling around this nogging of mine (which is covered by a Mets cap).

A few things...

I am playing in an ESPN Fantasy baseball league: http://games.espn.go.com/flb/clubhouse?leagueId=96409&teamId=3&seasonId=2007 I decided to join and let THEM do an automatic draft. I got Beltran and LoDuca and along the way picked up Glavine, El Duque and Jose Valentin (had to drop both because of their injuries) and have been getting Juan Castro every now and then. My goal is to get as many Mets as I can.

...Went to my first game on April 30. I donated blood and they gave me tickets. Apparently, the bleeding never stopped. I had to sit through Chan Ho Park. It was actually quite a site and I was thinking that some bag boy at a Krogers in the midwest could be doing a better job in the industrial beer leagues (Hey, for all you Ball Four Fans - I wonder if the Ross Eversoles need a pitcher?). The fans were skeptic of him and jeered - rightly so. He actually threw a strike at one point and Shea gave a loud approval.

...Damon Easley and his game winning heroics. To quote Rachel Ray -- "How cool is that?"

Well, as I write this, the Diamondbacks game is about to begin. Love the way the Metropolitans beat good ole Randy Johnson last night. And I saw the guy who caught the home run ball off ancient Randy off the bat of ancient Julio Franco. Some dude named Methuselah.

Until next time...

(PS Root for me in my league and give me any tips and players you think I should have)