Happy Opening Day finally came. We beat the snow this winter, so today is extra special.
Had a conversation with a business colleague the other day and he is a diehard Baltimore Orioles fan. We vowed that 2012 would be like 1969 - though our optimism for both teams to get to the vaunted WS is not that high, it would be great.
Santana, coming off a wash of 2011 looked great. I didnt see the game in person (darn work!) but got a chance to see the encore performance on SNY. Very encouraging performance. We need these. Naturally the Mets are pros at winning Opening Day - something like 32 of the last 42.
Good to beat the Braves...let's continue to fight hard.
I see Andre Torres is down ---- Hey Eric Byrnes --- how about coming back?
Showing posts with label Johan Santana. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Johan Santana. Show all posts
Thursday, April 05, 2012
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Santana AND Perez LOSE to the Nationals - A Tale of Two Pitchers
Dickens starts out "A Tale of Two Cities" with the line: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."
Funny how over a century later, this can be applied to two Mets pitchers. The Best (Santana) of Pitchers and the Worst (Oliver Perez). The uncommon ground is both lost to the worst team on paper - and theoretically, on the field, to the lowly Nationals.
A few bad breaks, but no excuses. The line drive with the bases loaded on Friday night and the Willingham Granny HR didn't help much.
Yeah, we can get sour after this - as a colleague called - a True Litmus Test. I think many of us are starting to turn purple.
See, Omar, you should have been more active in getting "A" quality players in the winter. Now, the Boys of Spring and Summer in Queens are on the path to playing like the boys of the ice age.
Dickens also wrote Great Expectations...which I have.
Funny how over a century later, this can be applied to two Mets pitchers. The Best (Santana) of Pitchers and the Worst (Oliver Perez). The uncommon ground is both lost to the worst team on paper - and theoretically, on the field, to the lowly Nationals.
A few bad breaks, but no excuses. The line drive with the bases loaded on Friday night and the Willingham Granny HR didn't help much.
Yeah, we can get sour after this - as a colleague called - a True Litmus Test. I think many of us are starting to turn purple.
See, Omar, you should have been more active in getting "A" quality players in the winter. Now, the Boys of Spring and Summer in Queens are on the path to playing like the boys of the ice age.
Dickens also wrote Great Expectations...which I have.
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Gettin Ready for City Field...
Good Article today in the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/05/sports/baseball/05stadium.html?_r=1&ref=sports
I was fortunate to get a ticket to the St. Johns -Georgetown game at the end of the month. It will be exciting to be at the first game at the new park, regardless who plays.
Shea was a great place. All the bashing and shortcomings people make of it, well, that's their loss.
Sure, I once sat in the last row of the loge in left field and couldn't see an outfielder (or two). Did I care? NO! I was at a baseball game.
The excitement is back. I'm worried about Santana's elbow a bit, but, let's face it, I rather he be safe and someone else pitch than to rush it for pomp and circumstance.
Before you read Belson and Sandomir's article, repeat this soothing mantra (NO, It is not "ommmmmmm" it's LET'S GO METS!
March 5, 2009
The Mets’ New Home: Call It the Anti-Shea
By KEN BELSON and RICHARD SANDOMIR
For those fans who hated Shea Stadium, fear not: Citi Field is nothing like its predecessor, the last bits of which lie in ruins a few hundreds yards away.
The Mets’ new park, which will open its doors for a Georgetown-St. John’s game March 29, is far more intimate than Shea and corrects some of the old stadium’s worst faults.
Citi Field will hold about 42,000 fans, 15,000 fewer than Shea. The park is enclosed and many seats wrap around the outfield, so it feels much cozier than Shea’s open-ended bowl, which favored watching football.
During an extensive tour of Citi Field on Tuesday, Jeff Wilpon, the team’s chief operating officer, spoke in the Acela Club, a restaurant in left field that will have 550 seats, table service, a bar and wine cabinets for frequent patrons.
“There’s all this light and air, and then you’re looking back at the field,” Wilpon said. “We want to make people feel they’re in a living room.”
The seats throughout the stadium are angled toward the center of the infield, reducing the need for fans, particularly on the field level, to crane their necks toward home plate.
Sitting in their seats, few fans will see the chop shops in Willets Point, the cars roaring past on the Van Wyck Expressway, the subway yards to the south or the U-Haul sign. They will still get a crystal-clear view of the planes on their final approach to La Guardia Airport. Some things never change.
Citi Field has many nooks and crannies that are nothing like Shea’s tired symmetry. The grandstand that hangs over right field, for instance, was inspired by the old Tiger Stadium, which Wilpon visited with his grandparents as a child. Fans in center field will get a bull’s-eye view of the bullpens, with Aaron Heilman only in the visitors’ half, which is on a slightly raised level, with some protection from fan saliva.
The 16-foot wall that rings much of the outfield means an Endy Chávez-like catch is unlikely, though.
Going for food or a bathroom break will be a lot easier. The concourses are far wider, bathrooms are more numerous and beer drinkers will not have to wander far for a microbrew. Gabila’s knishes will return thanks to convection ovens. (The old knishes were fried, which helps explain the heartburn they generated.)
The chance of a plumbing malfunction has also been reduced: the Mets have installed waterless urinals, an eco-friendly touch.
The walk from the subway station to Citi Field’s front entrance will take about as long as it took to reach Gate E at Shea, but an acre of planters, trees and other landscaping will usher fans to the new park’s brick exterior and ornate rotunda named for Jackie Robinson. Bricks embedded in the capacious plaza include inscriptions from fans who paid $195 to $345 for the privilege. Several applications were rejected because the language was deemed insulting of New York’s other baseball team.
Citi Field’s exterior is a splendid architectural response to the dullness of Shea, while the inner bowl is muted. Shea’s candy-colored plastic seats are gone (along with generations of chipped paint on the handrails) in favor of dark green seats everywhere.
“Dark green is the color of a classic ballpark,” said Dave Howard, the team’s executive vice president for business operations, as he stood ankle deep in snow. “And we thought the other team in town would use blue.”
Citi Field, with 28 different seating categories, also feels more fragmented than Shea, which had sections of box and reserved seats that stretched from one foul pole to the other. The collection of far smaller blocks of luxury suites, party rooms, restaurants and exclusive box seats spells exclusivity or exclusion, depending on your point of view.
Everything has a new name, as well. There’s the Ebbets Club, the Delta Sky360 Club and the Caesars Club. Seaver, Hodges and Stengel have their names on three of the five party suites. The name game is not done, either.
“In this economy, you don’t turn down sponsors,” Wilpon said. “Anyone who’s willing to pay. ...”
The suites, apparently, will not be just for baseball. Howard said that the club had already booked bar mitzvahs in the Caesars Club. A 150-seat auditorium could host corporate events.
While all the major construction is finished, many little touches remain. The kitchens are filled with refrigerators and even French fry baskets, but much of the equipment is unplugged, out of position and covered with layers of dust.
The much-improved sound system and scoreboards were getting a workout. A version of Johnny Nash’s “I Can See Clearly Now” played loud and clear. The LED scoreboards that line the facades were ready for June. One read: “David Wright .320 AVG 15 HR 66 RBI.”
Wilpon said the team had not decided who would throw out the first pitch on opening day April 13. But he said it would be great if President Obama did it on Jackie Robinson Day two nights later.
With the sun setting, dozens of employees were waiting in the parking lot next to the park before their orientation sessions. Gary Brown, who worked at a concession stand for two years at Shea, said he and his friend Faruk Stokes were looking forward to their new workplace.
“Any type of progress is a good thing,” said Brown, who lives in Corona, Queens. “It’s a beautiful facility. I just hope the team is more successful here.”
I was fortunate to get a ticket to the St. Johns -Georgetown game at the end of the month. It will be exciting to be at the first game at the new park, regardless who plays.
Shea was a great place. All the bashing and shortcomings people make of it, well, that's their loss.
Sure, I once sat in the last row of the loge in left field and couldn't see an outfielder (or two). Did I care? NO! I was at a baseball game.
The excitement is back. I'm worried about Santana's elbow a bit, but, let's face it, I rather he be safe and someone else pitch than to rush it for pomp and circumstance.
Before you read Belson and Sandomir's article, repeat this soothing mantra (NO, It is not "ommmmmmm" it's LET'S GO METS!
March 5, 2009
The Mets’ New Home: Call It the Anti-Shea
By KEN BELSON and RICHARD SANDOMIR
For those fans who hated Shea Stadium, fear not: Citi Field is nothing like its predecessor, the last bits of which lie in ruins a few hundreds yards away.
The Mets’ new park, which will open its doors for a Georgetown-St. John’s game March 29, is far more intimate than Shea and corrects some of the old stadium’s worst faults.
Citi Field will hold about 42,000 fans, 15,000 fewer than Shea. The park is enclosed and many seats wrap around the outfield, so it feels much cozier than Shea’s open-ended bowl, which favored watching football.
During an extensive tour of Citi Field on Tuesday, Jeff Wilpon, the team’s chief operating officer, spoke in the Acela Club, a restaurant in left field that will have 550 seats, table service, a bar and wine cabinets for frequent patrons.
“There’s all this light and air, and then you’re looking back at the field,” Wilpon said. “We want to make people feel they’re in a living room.”
The seats throughout the stadium are angled toward the center of the infield, reducing the need for fans, particularly on the field level, to crane their necks toward home plate.
Sitting in their seats, few fans will see the chop shops in Willets Point, the cars roaring past on the Van Wyck Expressway, the subway yards to the south or the U-Haul sign. They will still get a crystal-clear view of the planes on their final approach to La Guardia Airport. Some things never change.
Citi Field has many nooks and crannies that are nothing like Shea’s tired symmetry. The grandstand that hangs over right field, for instance, was inspired by the old Tiger Stadium, which Wilpon visited with his grandparents as a child. Fans in center field will get a bull’s-eye view of the bullpens, with Aaron Heilman only in the visitors’ half, which is on a slightly raised level, with some protection from fan saliva.
The 16-foot wall that rings much of the outfield means an Endy Chávez-like catch is unlikely, though.
Going for food or a bathroom break will be a lot easier. The concourses are far wider, bathrooms are more numerous and beer drinkers will not have to wander far for a microbrew. Gabila’s knishes will return thanks to convection ovens. (The old knishes were fried, which helps explain the heartburn they generated.)
The chance of a plumbing malfunction has also been reduced: the Mets have installed waterless urinals, an eco-friendly touch.
The walk from the subway station to Citi Field’s front entrance will take about as long as it took to reach Gate E at Shea, but an acre of planters, trees and other landscaping will usher fans to the new park’s brick exterior and ornate rotunda named for Jackie Robinson. Bricks embedded in the capacious plaza include inscriptions from fans who paid $195 to $345 for the privilege. Several applications were rejected because the language was deemed insulting of New York’s other baseball team.
Citi Field’s exterior is a splendid architectural response to the dullness of Shea, while the inner bowl is muted. Shea’s candy-colored plastic seats are gone (along with generations of chipped paint on the handrails) in favor of dark green seats everywhere.
“Dark green is the color of a classic ballpark,” said Dave Howard, the team’s executive vice president for business operations, as he stood ankle deep in snow. “And we thought the other team in town would use blue.”
Citi Field, with 28 different seating categories, also feels more fragmented than Shea, which had sections of box and reserved seats that stretched from one foul pole to the other. The collection of far smaller blocks of luxury suites, party rooms, restaurants and exclusive box seats spells exclusivity or exclusion, depending on your point of view.
Everything has a new name, as well. There’s the Ebbets Club, the Delta Sky360 Club and the Caesars Club. Seaver, Hodges and Stengel have their names on three of the five party suites. The name game is not done, either.
“In this economy, you don’t turn down sponsors,” Wilpon said. “Anyone who’s willing to pay. ...”
The suites, apparently, will not be just for baseball. Howard said that the club had already booked bar mitzvahs in the Caesars Club. A 150-seat auditorium could host corporate events.
While all the major construction is finished, many little touches remain. The kitchens are filled with refrigerators and even French fry baskets, but much of the equipment is unplugged, out of position and covered with layers of dust.
The much-improved sound system and scoreboards were getting a workout. A version of Johnny Nash’s “I Can See Clearly Now” played loud and clear. The LED scoreboards that line the facades were ready for June. One read: “David Wright .320 AVG 15 HR 66 RBI.”
Wilpon said the team had not decided who would throw out the first pitch on opening day April 13. But he said it would be great if President Obama did it on Jackie Robinson Day two nights later.
With the sun setting, dozens of employees were waiting in the parking lot next to the park before their orientation sessions. Gary Brown, who worked at a concession stand for two years at Shea, said he and his friend Faruk Stokes were looking forward to their new workplace.
“Any type of progress is a good thing,” said Brown, who lives in Corona, Queens. “It’s a beautiful facility. I just hope the team is more successful here.”
Friday, July 25, 2008
Looks Like the Mets Beat The Vatican Cardinals
A few weeks ago, Carlos Delgado was a Pariah in the House. An anemic .203 average (give or take- but let's be realistic and take - .201), bad fielding and just no production mixed in with Ks (forward AND backward ones). But, today is July 25 and Delgado had a hell of a month and could realistically be named Player of the Month. A solid HR - his 20th was amongst the highlights of the Mets W over the St. Louis Cardinals (Box Score). OH, but wait, there's more..
Mike Pelfrey, whom I was ready to give away for a bucket of practice balls and a fungo bat and maybe even a used batting glove (for reference, see most posts of 2007! :) ) has come into his own. The confidence is there and the batters are taking him seriously. 7 Solid innings and over his last few starts, his ERA is 2.57. That's what it USED to be after 1/3 inning!
The one area where I still get a little trepidation is that 8th inning...Duaner (HEY TAXI) Sanchez has a predisposition to put runners on. Heilman, is like, well, John Kerry. Flip-flop on whether the mound time will be good or bad.
Cardinals look beatable. In fact, Albert Pujols, arguably the best all-around player (Here's where I have to tout Jose Reyes with his triples) looked like he was an 80-year-old Cardinal from Vatican City. 0-for-5 with 3Ks. Time to light a candle. Santana goes on Sunday and my ass will be planted in the stadium. GO METS!
In the Who Gives a Rat's Ass Dept...So, the following article appears on MLB.Com "Hampton slated to make return Saturday" The sub-head says it all - He hasn't pitched in 3 years in the majors. What is so special about this guy? I thought he left the Mets for the Rockies because they had a better school system? What's he then doing in Atlanta? Why? Why? Why? A very good friend of mine who happens to reside in the same state where Hampton's employer is, summed it up. Take it away O.H. "Hampton is pitching tomorrow if he doesn't pull a muscle wiping his ass in the morning." Sadly, he's accurate. Hampton is as fragile as origami. He put many young pitcher's careers in the shredder waiting for his spot. My prediction? He will make Micah Owings recent outings look like Sandy Koufax in the early 60s.
Mike Pelfrey, whom I was ready to give away for a bucket of practice balls and a fungo bat and maybe even a used batting glove (for reference, see most posts of 2007! :) ) has come into his own. The confidence is there and the batters are taking him seriously. 7 Solid innings and over his last few starts, his ERA is 2.57. That's what it USED to be after 1/3 inning!
The one area where I still get a little trepidation is that 8th inning...Duaner (HEY TAXI) Sanchez has a predisposition to put runners on. Heilman, is like, well, John Kerry. Flip-flop on whether the mound time will be good or bad.
Cardinals look beatable. In fact, Albert Pujols, arguably the best all-around player (Here's where I have to tout Jose Reyes with his triples) looked like he was an 80-year-old Cardinal from Vatican City. 0-for-5 with 3Ks. Time to light a candle. Santana goes on Sunday and my ass will be planted in the stadium. GO METS!
In the Who Gives a Rat's Ass Dept...So, the following article appears on MLB.Com "Hampton slated to make return Saturday" The sub-head says it all - He hasn't pitched in 3 years in the majors. What is so special about this guy? I thought he left the Mets for the Rockies because they had a better school system? What's he then doing in Atlanta? Why? Why? Why? A very good friend of mine who happens to reside in the same state where Hampton's employer is, summed it up. Take it away O.H. "Hampton is pitching tomorrow if he doesn't pull a muscle wiping his ass in the morning." Sadly, he's accurate. Hampton is as fragile as origami. He put many young pitcher's careers in the shredder waiting for his spot. My prediction? He will make Micah Owings recent outings look like Sandy Koufax in the early 60s.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
X in A Reau
10 in a Row. Ten in a Rau. It all sounds the same -- GOOD.
Mets are now EARNING their wins with some hard fought come from behind victories and not laying down when an opponent has crossed the plate more than they have.
Santana pitched so-so, but the lesson here is that everyone must contribute. AND, how about that Fernando Tatis. Is he on track to becoming "Comeback Player of the Year?" Every year there is a hidden Gem and he appears to be a leading candidate.
One note I want to share is that on ESPN radio today, Peter Gammons was asked which of the two New York baseball teams he thought could go to the playoffs - without hesitation, he said the Mets as they were "the hottest team in baseball."
That, I may add is excellent kudos, considering the Mets were at the 40 degree below mark (Centigrade AND Fahrenheit -- kiddies, look up this stat and reference, you will be amazed) -- ice cold.
We'll catch up. The weekend is coming and we are tied with the Phils for first place. Did I just write that? Yes. Can I believe it? Why, uh, YES!
Mets are now EARNING their wins with some hard fought come from behind victories and not laying down when an opponent has crossed the plate more than they have.
Santana pitched so-so, but the lesson here is that everyone must contribute. AND, how about that Fernando Tatis. Is he on track to becoming "Comeback Player of the Year?" Every year there is a hidden Gem and he appears to be a leading candidate.
One note I want to share is that on ESPN radio today, Peter Gammons was asked which of the two New York baseball teams he thought could go to the playoffs - without hesitation, he said the Mets as they were "the hottest team in baseball."
That, I may add is excellent kudos, considering the Mets were at the 40 degree below mark (Centigrade AND Fahrenheit -- kiddies, look up this stat and reference, you will be amazed) -- ice cold.
We'll catch up. The weekend is coming and we are tied with the Phils for first place. Did I just write that? Yes. Can I believe it? Why, uh, YES!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Pitchers on Bad Teams Hitting Grand Slams Against Santana??? No. You Are NOT on LSD
So, if you take a close look at the box score and see Felix Hernandez' line you will note what looks to be a picket fence: 1 1 1 and then an ominous "4" at the far right.
How does something like this happen? Mariners have a bad enough record as it is, but Santana grooved on and Hernandez made him the bug while he became the windshield and chased 3 ducks off the sack.
Let's talk about irony here for a sec. The Seattle Mariners have been around since 1977 and Hernandez is the FIRST pitcher to clock an HR...This also comes on the 37th anniversary of Rick Wise pitching a no hitter AND hitting two home runs in the same game...and the LAST AL pitcher to hit a grand slam was Steve Dunning who accomplished the feat in 1971 against the A's on May 11, 1971 Box Score...Finally, in Jim Bouton's classic book, Ball Four, he talks about a pitcher that hit an inside the park grand slam home run (if I recall correctly). A reporter asked him after the game what his thoughts were and he said he didn't like it because (tongue in cheek), "it put pressure on all the rest of the pitchers on the team to hit inside the park grand slams." Oh, the pitcher in question who hit it? Mel Stottlemyre who was in the Seattle dugout tonight.
Message of Morals - Don't lose to the Mariners again
How does something like this happen? Mariners have a bad enough record as it is, but Santana grooved on and Hernandez made him the bug while he became the windshield and chased 3 ducks off the sack.
Let's talk about irony here for a sec. The Seattle Mariners have been around since 1977 and Hernandez is the FIRST pitcher to clock an HR...This also comes on the 37th anniversary of Rick Wise pitching a no hitter AND hitting two home runs in the same game...and the LAST AL pitcher to hit a grand slam was Steve Dunning who accomplished the feat in 1971 against the A's on May 11, 1971 Box Score...Finally, in Jim Bouton's classic book, Ball Four, he talks about a pitcher that hit an inside the park grand slam home run (if I recall correctly). A reporter asked him after the game what his thoughts were and he said he didn't like it because (tongue in cheek), "it put pressure on all the rest of the pitchers on the team to hit inside the park grand slams." Oh, the pitcher in question who hit it? Mel Stottlemyre who was in the Seattle dugout tonight.
Message of Morals - Don't lose to the Mariners again
Friday, June 13, 2008
A Sigh Of Relief
Short post tonight. Tired. Long work week.
But it was nice to see both Pelfrey and Perez, two guys I have been critical of (I don't dislike them) had very good games this week, as did Santana. Ironically, Perez pitched well and so did the bullpen.
There was some good hustle in the game. A routine grounder to the Texas 1B, Chris Shelton wound up as a batter reaching base rather than slogging down to first. My coaches always yelled "RUN IT OUT!!!!" and that makes sense. Box Score
Saw a crawl on the screen saying the Mets got Trot Nixon. He was a player showing tons of potential when he was a rookie. Perhaps he can be a good player and contribute. The transaction says it was for cash and a player to be named later. I will name that player I want out NOW... Aaron Heil _ _ _ (see if you can guess the missing letters, man).
Let's keep in mind, the Mets team needs to ALL play like starters, not fill-ins.
AND, on a sad note. A personal tribute to Tim Russert. As serious as he is on politics, he often called in on the NYC sports radio shows and showed a good, fun, passionate sports fan side. Tim, I'm gonna miss ya!
But it was nice to see both Pelfrey and Perez, two guys I have been critical of (I don't dislike them) had very good games this week, as did Santana. Ironically, Perez pitched well and so did the bullpen.
There was some good hustle in the game. A routine grounder to the Texas 1B, Chris Shelton wound up as a batter reaching base rather than slogging down to first. My coaches always yelled "RUN IT OUT!!!!" and that makes sense. Box Score
Saw a crawl on the screen saying the Mets got Trot Nixon. He was a player showing tons of potential when he was a rookie. Perhaps he can be a good player and contribute. The transaction says it was for cash and a player to be named later. I will name that player I want out NOW... Aaron Heil _ _ _ (see if you can guess the missing letters, man).
Let's keep in mind, the Mets team needs to ALL play like starters, not fill-ins.
AND, on a sad note. A personal tribute to Tim Russert. As serious as he is on politics, he often called in on the NYC sports radio shows and showed a good, fun, passionate sports fan side. Tim, I'm gonna miss ya!
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Can A Psychic Figure out What is Going On With the Mets?
I had the opportunity today to score two tickets to the Mets-Diamondbacks game and was all keyed up for a much needed sojourn from the office.
Beautiful day. Seats in the shade. A good friend / professional colleague who I haven't seen in awhile. Good conversation at the ready.
First seven innings is like artwork. Santana, flawless. Chalked up 10 strikes, issued only 3 hits, 3 walks and the Mets were putting a few numbers up on the board.
And then it happened. That dreaded pitch count philosophy. It is akin to saying, "we'll only make this top spin 100 times, despite the fact it may be in a groove and still look good spinning, but we don't want it to spin too much. Santana got the hook from fisherman Willie and then the chaos started. Joe Smith, a sidearmer I admire, put two runs on the board for the Diamondbacks. That was OK. Mets were still up 4-2. But, there was one point when the Mets had 3 men on, no out and could not execute the simple act of getting a human being to traverse the basepath a mere 30 yards to touch the plate for that comfy run.
So, Schoenweiss comes in for a cup of coffee, 1/3 inning and then when the ball is handed to Billy Wagner, it came apart at the seems. He imploded. The crowd was stunned. We were like Hiroshima / Nagasaki observers -- and couldn't do anything about it. Game is tied, and a bit of optimism was emoted when a few reached base. Alas. (say it as if you are reading Shakespeare), it was not to be.
So, what happens to the artwork that Santana painted? Aaron Heilman. The Flushing Queens version of Lazlo Toth (go ahead, click the link and look him up -- it makes the image more cerebral) struck and it was all over.
Heilman, who is 0-3 - before I ever finish that sentence, I want to know what/why/how he is staying here.
More fun coming up for the Mets. Now we have to figure out a way to play the Texas Rangers -- if it is tough playing teams you know, imagine what must transpire to take on Josh Hamilton, David Murphy and Milton Bradley of the Texas Rangers.
My advice? Fasten your seat-belts and have a ChAIRsick bag nearby.
Beautiful day. Seats in the shade. A good friend / professional colleague who I haven't seen in awhile. Good conversation at the ready.
First seven innings is like artwork. Santana, flawless. Chalked up 10 strikes, issued only 3 hits, 3 walks and the Mets were putting a few numbers up on the board.
And then it happened. That dreaded pitch count philosophy. It is akin to saying, "we'll only make this top spin 100 times, despite the fact it may be in a groove and still look good spinning, but we don't want it to spin too much. Santana got the hook from fisherman Willie and then the chaos started. Joe Smith, a sidearmer I admire, put two runs on the board for the Diamondbacks. That was OK. Mets were still up 4-2. But, there was one point when the Mets had 3 men on, no out and could not execute the simple act of getting a human being to traverse the basepath a mere 30 yards to touch the plate for that comfy run.
So, Schoenweiss comes in for a cup of coffee, 1/3 inning and then when the ball is handed to Billy Wagner, it came apart at the seems. He imploded. The crowd was stunned. We were like Hiroshima / Nagasaki observers -- and couldn't do anything about it. Game is tied, and a bit of optimism was emoted when a few reached base. Alas. (say it as if you are reading Shakespeare), it was not to be.
So, what happens to the artwork that Santana painted? Aaron Heilman. The Flushing Queens version of Lazlo Toth (go ahead, click the link and look him up -- it makes the image more cerebral) struck and it was all over.
Heilman, who is 0-3 - before I ever finish that sentence, I want to know what/why/how he is staying here.
More fun coming up for the Mets. Now we have to figure out a way to play the Texas Rangers -- if it is tough playing teams you know, imagine what must transpire to take on Josh Hamilton, David Murphy and Milton Bradley of the Texas Rangers.
My advice? Fasten your seat-belts and have a ChAIRsick bag nearby.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Time for TWO New Nicknames...
Jo-San (Pronounced Yo-SAN) - for good ole' # 57
OliverPariah - For Ollie Perez
OliverPariah - For Ollie Perez
Monday, June 02, 2008
Sunday Night Baseball -- In PERSON!
I was a bit miffed when they moved the Sunday afternoon game to Sunday night. Usually at that time, I'm winding down and getting ready for work the next day, but last night, all the elements came together.
The night was beautiful. Sitting in the upper deck, the wind was nice the air was clean and the Mets played some stellar baseball under Johan Santana. Box Score
It was also his 100th career Win! See AP Story
The magic was there and the team rallied with 5 runs in one inning. After Ryan Church his is dinger, the place went mad chanting "RYAN CHURCH!!! RYAN CHURCH!!!!"
Tonight, Monday, is well, not going well.
After traveling cross coasts, the Mets are under Oliver Perez who just gave up a ton of runs in 1/3 of an inning.
What is interesting, as I check it now, his ownership in the ESPN leagues is around 63% -- and its up 10% today as typical of a daily starter. But what I want to see tomorrow is what it will drop to. If any of these ESPN players are smart (full disclosure, I dumped him a LONG time ago). My prediction - a bold one - is he will dip below 40%. People have wised up.
I don't understand why Willie would leave him in after 4 runs scored, especially with 1/3 inning completed.
Here's some scary #'s for Perez Outing:
IP - 0.1
H - 5
ER - 6
BB - 2
K - 0
W - 0
SV - 0
ERA - 162.00
WHIP - 21.00
The night was beautiful. Sitting in the upper deck, the wind was nice the air was clean and the Mets played some stellar baseball under Johan Santana. Box Score
It was also his 100th career Win! See AP Story
The magic was there and the team rallied with 5 runs in one inning. After Ryan Church his is dinger, the place went mad chanting "RYAN CHURCH!!! RYAN CHURCH!!!!"
Tonight, Monday, is well, not going well.
After traveling cross coasts, the Mets are under Oliver Perez who just gave up a ton of runs in 1/3 of an inning.
What is interesting, as I check it now, his ownership in the ESPN leagues is around 63% -- and its up 10% today as typical of a daily starter. But what I want to see tomorrow is what it will drop to. If any of these ESPN players are smart (full disclosure, I dumped him a LONG time ago). My prediction - a bold one - is he will dip below 40%. People have wised up.
I don't understand why Willie would leave him in after 4 runs scored, especially with 1/3 inning completed.
Here's some scary #'s for Perez Outing:
IP - 0.1
H - 5
ER - 6
BB - 2
K - 0
W - 0
SV - 0
ERA - 162.00
WHIP - 21.00
Numbers don't lie, but in this case, I wish we could get Pinocchio to tell a fib. Box Score
Thursday, May 22, 2008
A Priest, A Rabbi a Minister and a Shaman....
Walk into the ballpark. What's the joke? The 9 Men wearing the Mets uniform.
(I'm here all week, don't forget to tip the hostess and wait staff...).
So the Mets were ahead 2-1 in the seventh and the floodgates broke open. Beltran couldn't get to a ball that was hit to his left and that spurred a rally. Santana pitched well, but only 1 K.
4 losses and swept by the Braves, 3 losses to the Nats. Where does the logic start and the insanity end?
Today we hear the Moises Alou is going back on the DL with a strained calf. OK, I like Alou, he's a good hitter and it would have been nice to have him on the Metropolitans when he was younger. Is he going to be our version of Mike Hampton? Someone to keep way past their prime - what will be the value when healed? Is it worth the time? Alou is a proven player, but at this stage of the game, as a pensioner, he should be a DH somewhere.
The obvious question is who/what do you do to replace Alou? Is the outfield ready for Endy Chavez, Beltran and Church? I think someone stronger needs to be out there.
Here are a few I propose that we get via trade. Naturally, Pelfrey, Delgado, Heilmann and Castillo would be on the trading block:
I'd be interested in hearing others who would be an asset...
(I'm here all week, don't forget to tip the hostess and wait staff...).
So the Mets were ahead 2-1 in the seventh and the floodgates broke open. Beltran couldn't get to a ball that was hit to his left and that spurred a rally. Santana pitched well, but only 1 K.
4 losses and swept by the Braves, 3 losses to the Nats. Where does the logic start and the insanity end?
Today we hear the Moises Alou is going back on the DL with a strained calf. OK, I like Alou, he's a good hitter and it would have been nice to have him on the Metropolitans when he was younger. Is he going to be our version of Mike Hampton? Someone to keep way past their prime - what will be the value when healed? Is it worth the time? Alou is a proven player, but at this stage of the game, as a pensioner, he should be a DH somewhere.
The obvious question is who/what do you do to replace Alou? Is the outfield ready for Endy Chavez, Beltran and Church? I think someone stronger needs to be out there.
Here are a few I propose that we get via trade. Naturally, Pelfrey, Delgado, Heilmann and Castillo would be on the trading block:
- David Murphy - Rangers http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?playerId=28582
- Josh Hamilton - Rangers http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/fantasy?statsId=6679&leagueId=3603
- Eric Byrnes - Diamondbacks http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4498
I'd be interested in hearing others who would be an asset...
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Booing Santana Already??? Come On NY...Let's Get Real
I saw the game this afternoon (I put off the yardwork - something about time management)...Yes. Johan wasn't as good as expected surrendering three gopherballs. Three is ordinarily 3 too many, but let's be realistic, he does have a propensity for giving up a lot of home runs as evidenced by this stint with the Twins. 33 alone last year. So there should not be any suprises.
He has a habit of grooving the ball right down in the right place in the strike zone. Something called pinpoint control.
Take a look at Peter Botte's article in the Daily News: http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/mets/2008/04/hey-mets-fans-lay-off-johan.html One line says it all about his pitching performance: "Not Cy Young, but not Anthony Young" Let's also realize, Johan doesn't deserve the Ed Whitson treatment.
Tomorrow, Sunday, April 13, I am going to my first Mets game of the year. I do hope Jose Reyes is back in the line up.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
You've Got To Change Your Evil Ways --- Whoops - Wrong Santana, No, Wait - We Got the RIGHT Santana (and I DON'T Mean Rafael)
This afternoon, my email box and IM's were all triggered by a one second blip on the atomic clock. Well, not literally, but the instant the deal for Johan Santana was announced, it would be inevitable that I weigh in.
You see, some people, their blood is red, some real rich society folks are said to have blue blood. Passionate Mets fans like me, have Blue and Orange Blood (with occasional black trim).
So, USA Today reported the deal: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2008-01-29-twins-mets-santana_N.htm and I have to say, I am happy with it.
It boils down to proven quantity vs. prospects. How many 'can't miss' guys actually did? I can name a few - Brien Taylor, Todd Van Poppel, Paul Wilson, David Clyde, Joe Charboneau, etc. It is especially tough when it comes to pitching prospects and that's what the Mets gave up. I think of it as a Deal or No Deal....Here you are offered a lot, but what's in the case? Not sure. Take a sure thing and that is what Santana is. He is going to be a catalyst player and get the wins where we fell short last year (read into this: Mike Pelfrey -- who I was very high on...the jury is out, but skeptical).
Santana's #'s are mind boggling -- AND, HE'S ONLY 29!!!!!
So, let me throw this out...how many were shocked when Glavine left? I wasn't. After that debacle of the last game of the year in '07 when he gave up like 7-8 runs in 1-2 innings (see, I'm scarred on that as I can't -- or refuse -- to remember the nightmarish specifics). Glavine would have been a pariah. Santana makes up for that and more.
Torri Hunter, a long time Twins teammate said this in the USA Today article:
"The Mets are not only getting a Cy Young winner," Hunter said, "but an absolute bulldog who's great in the clubhouse. He's going to dominate that league. They're going to absolutely love him in New York."
How cool is that?
Let's take a quick look at Santana's stats: http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/santajo02.shtml 8 years and a winning percentage of .679; Two Cy Young Awards (2004, 2006); 1381 K's in 1308 innings; etc. I don't want to get too rosy, but do want to point out a chink in the armor - he surrendered 33 HRs to place first on the list. Paradoxical if I must say so myself.
Lets dip back to what the Mets gave up -- all solid minor leaguers. I will make a prediction that 1 of the pitchers will have a stellar career. 1 will wash out and one will be average. As for Carlos Gomez, that is something to ask the Magic 8 Ball.
Thanks for reading. The sound of bats striking balls is only a few weeks away in spring training
You see, some people, their blood is red, some real rich society folks are said to have blue blood. Passionate Mets fans like me, have Blue and Orange Blood (with occasional black trim).
So, USA Today reported the deal: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2008-01-29-twins-mets-santana_N.htm and I have to say, I am happy with it.
It boils down to proven quantity vs. prospects. How many 'can't miss' guys actually did? I can name a few - Brien Taylor, Todd Van Poppel, Paul Wilson, David Clyde, Joe Charboneau, etc. It is especially tough when it comes to pitching prospects and that's what the Mets gave up. I think of it as a Deal or No Deal....Here you are offered a lot, but what's in the case? Not sure. Take a sure thing and that is what Santana is. He is going to be a catalyst player and get the wins where we fell short last year (read into this: Mike Pelfrey -- who I was very high on...the jury is out, but skeptical).
Santana's #'s are mind boggling -- AND, HE'S ONLY 29!!!!!
So, let me throw this out...how many were shocked when Glavine left? I wasn't. After that debacle of the last game of the year in '07 when he gave up like 7-8 runs in 1-2 innings (see, I'm scarred on that as I can't -- or refuse -- to remember the nightmarish specifics). Glavine would have been a pariah. Santana makes up for that and more.
Torri Hunter, a long time Twins teammate said this in the USA Today article:
"The Mets are not only getting a Cy Young winner," Hunter said, "but an absolute bulldog who's great in the clubhouse. He's going to dominate that league. They're going to absolutely love him in New York."
How cool is that?
Let's take a quick look at Santana's stats: http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/santajo02.shtml 8 years and a winning percentage of .679; Two Cy Young Awards (2004, 2006); 1381 K's in 1308 innings; etc. I don't want to get too rosy, but do want to point out a chink in the armor - he surrendered 33 HRs to place first on the list. Paradoxical if I must say so myself.
Lets dip back to what the Mets gave up -- all solid minor leaguers. I will make a prediction that 1 of the pitchers will have a stellar career. 1 will wash out and one will be average. As for Carlos Gomez, that is something to ask the Magic 8 Ball.
Thanks for reading. The sound of bats striking balls is only a few weeks away in spring training
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