ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ to W

I think I figured out a simple way for the Mets to win. All I gotta do is take a nap.

This morning I did a 35 mile bike ride, ran a few errands and at about 1:28 p.m. (game time, 1:30, closed my eyes while the Mets game started. A mere 28 minutes later upon awakening, the score was 5-0. The team continued the momentum. And, I am glad for that.

We Mets fans have been suffering like the Dow...a 400 point loss, a 25 point gain, a 300 point loss, a $20 gain...etc.

Never did I ever think that beating the Washington Nationals (remember, folks, these were once known as the lowly Expos -- the place that has the ill fitting roof or such in their former stadium....(looks like it was the Mets that caved before the roof).

An anecdote I once heard about actor Wayne Knight (Newman in Seinfeld) had various jobs in his life...one was as a private investigator. What he goes on to describe, reminds me of how it feels to beat crappy teams: "One assignment I had to was to trail a man with a three-legged dog -- that's when I knew I had to do something else."

Day off tomorrow, but I heard the Mets announcers say that coming up, the Mets will be playing teams with winning records (save for the Pirates and one other) until the All-Star break. Time to get serious. AGAIN.

WasherWomanRantings (well, ME)... Don't you wish the following players were still back with the team...Mo Vaughn, Bret Saberhagen, Kenny Rogers, Mike Hampton? Aw right... I didn't mean that...

WTF? - NO, Not What You Think It Stand7-s For (But It Should)

Where are the Fundamentals?

I admit, I turned this game on late -- bottom of the first and saw a 3-0 score. I was astonished. Had the game on a bit, ran a mini errand, came back, 7-0, and their "ACE" was throwing a 1-hitter.

Is there any difference between the '62 Mets and the '09 Mets? YES....Emil Brown (whoever he is) probably makes more in one season that the entire club did then. At least with the '62 team....AHHHHH I'm just gonna bag it here and go to bed.

NY TIMES Headline: "Mets Lose Putz for 10-12 Weeks" ---OK, What I Want To Know is How Is He Going to Pee?

Some players lead the league in hits, some in home runs, others in triples. The Mets are leading the majors in an unenviable category...no, not hit batsmen, nor is it high ERA, but rather Men on the DL. For position players, it means we won't be seeing the likes of Reyes, Delgado, Church, Ramon Martinez and Angel Pagan...for pitchers, these arms are on the shelves: JJ Putz, Oliver Perez and Billy Wagner. If you are counting, that's 8.

Latest victim is the much ballyhooed JJ Putz. If you recall I did a post about pronouncing his name a mere few days ago. Last year, same thing, his season was curtailed, while in 07, he was unhittable.

Ben Shpigel chronicles the injury and adds a few good observations in his article with the headline that is going to have many a truck driver blushing, "Mets Lose Putz for 10-12 Weeks"

Ironic that tonight's win against the Nationals (interjection here - NO one seemed to be at the game tonight - looked like it was fans of the Ebola disease who showed up - uh, not many) that the Mets rallied and won.

We are all guilty of analyzing each play, each game, each win, each loss. Just glad the team showed heart.

Carlos Beltran said the other day about the loss to the Pirates, in essence, both teams put out fields of healthy men. 'Cept many of these Mets never played with each other, let alone against a bad team.

Jerry - more infield practice! Call for it!

Pirates Make Pelfrey Walk The Plank

Disgusting sloppy game.

I don't know what's up or why no one is hitting or scoring or fielding or pitching. Pelfrey looked TERRIBLE...He choked....looked like he swallowed that old mouthpiece.

How do you lose 3 games to the Pirates? My 9 credits in philosophy can't even address this. (Isn't there a school of philosophy that proves things don't exist? -- help me find it and erase these 3 losses).

Last year I went to a day game against the Bucs at Shea and the Mets lost like 13-3. Fans were leaving around the 4th inning...

NY Times Game Coverage (Barf Bags are to the left). http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/05/sports/baseball/05mets.html?hpw

No Spahn. No Sain. But Glad We Got Rain

Tonight's contest was rained out. But the landscape tomorrow afternoon should be a bit interesting as the Bucs lost some clout in McLouth who is now heading towards TedTurnerville.

I think all parties were happy for nature's way of stepping in and calling time-out.

I would love to see some of the big names come back soon. Bugs Bunny was right - you CAN'T tell the players without a scorecard. And, for some of these replacements, you can't tell em how to play baseball.

I don't want to sound old, but fundamentals should be brought back.

Pirates SHOULD Be the Pyrites

The team out in Pittsburgh is one of the weakest, EXCEPT when they play the Mets. The word Pirate conjures a tough warrior, but the term Pittsburgh in front of it conjures up Pyrite the flaky mineral.

I dunno what to say...the REAL Mets must come back....unless they were hijacked by Somali Pirates?

Meet me half way and win the next two.

Dictionary Quiz - How Do You Define and Pronounce "Putz"

Well, there are two ways. If you get everyone out and quell the opposition in the seventh, eighth, and, when needed in the ninth, it's simple...."pootz"

BUT, if you get in a game against the second to last place, oh-so-woeful Pittsburgh Pirates (no slander meant there to my good friend, D.G. who is a huge Bucs fan...by the way, D.G. who is in the insurance biz, do you have a policy for the Pirates winning?) - and give up 4 hits, three earned runs, a walk and no K and not even recording an out, then the pronunciation is like it is spelled P-U-T-Z (Check the validity here via dictionary.com)

We all knew this would happen, that J.J. would be throwing J.unk, J.unk and get pounded during one outing at some point. ALL relief pitchers implode at one juncture or another.

Going from 5-0, to 5-3 (Livan pitched good, I thought) and then 8-5, something is askew.

For those who want to work on their gagging reflex, here's the box score. Games like these come back and haunt. Mets, you gotta be Ghost (er, Pirate)-Busters. Get the next two!

F-Mart....Is He Nordstrom's Quality or Below K-Mart?

This post was in the Daily News Blogs....Before we begin, there are a lot of exciting young players and they must be brought up with the right seasoning, skill-wise and between the ears...

I hope Fernando Martinez makes it and gets the idea of hustle. When you are a fill-in, this is a good time for showcasing skills. When you think of it, EVERY ball player at one time or another is a fill in...So, good luck FM

Here's the insight from the NYDN:


Mets admit F-Mart needs work
May 31, 2009
The Mets acknowledge that Fernando Martinez is no finished product and that apparently extends to his outfield play, too. The uber-prospect needs some work as a fielder, according to Jerry Manuel, though Manuel said that's normal and that F-Mart has the potential to be a good outfielder. Here are a few of the manager's thoughts on Martinez's outfield play:

"I think as a young player, and I talked with Razor (Shines) about this, I think what we have to work with Fernando is running to a spot and then decelerating. It almost looks like he's kind of cruising and then accelerating. And maybe as he gets comfortable here in the ballpark and knows the intricacies of the ballpark, he might be able to do that. But it almost appears that he's running carefully rather than boom, making a burst to the ball and then kind of relaxing.

"As a 20-year-old guy that has played all the different positions but has not played in this type of setting, in this type of hype to a stadium, it's a little different. The wind plays different tricks on you, and so forth and so forth. But the good thing is as an outfielder, it looks as though he has soft hands. As an outfielder, it looks as though he's rhythmic in running to the ball.

"It appears as though he has a chance to be a good outfielder, but is he that right now? I would say no."

Manuel added that the Mets believe F-Mart will be a good major-league hitter, but there will be growing pains. "But obviously there's going to be a lot of things that he's going to be growing," Manuel said. "And a lot of that growth is going to be painful for us….I believe that he'll continue to get better on a daily basis, so hopefully we see that."

If Anyone Sees The Mets REAL Line Up, Let Me Know....(It Can Probably Be Found on a Milk Carton

Taking a look at the Mets line-up today, I thought Bill Veeck was back pulling a trick.



To quote Jerry Seinfeld's alleged line, "Who Are These People?" is the best way to phrase it.



Ben Shpiegel sums it up from his New York Times article...



And Redding...ugh....what a bad outing. Soon, if this keeps up, he will be known more as a distant relative of Joyce Randolph than being a ball player.

Tidbits...A good friend of mine wrote to me..."hold up, is it just me, or is Omir Santos an updated (and clutch) version of Paul LoDuca?" and I replied...."Hopefully --- but only in the era where LoDuca was relevant. (Remember, they don't build em like Jerry Grote, Duffy Dyer or...**GULP** Choo Choo Coleman any more)."

Is Baseball a Funny Game? YEAH. When a 40YO Steals a Base...

....and it is the catalyst to a win.

And, the other conundrum, the Mets regular (maybe not anymore) catcher, Brian Schneider is due back tomorrow and Omir Santos does it again.

I like this kid. Good attitude and his post game comments weren't all about bravado and slugging, but rather contribution to the team. "Putting the ball in play" was his mantra.

It seems as the come from behind wins are the gas and fire the Mets need. Marlins are always pesky - no matter how good or bad they are on paper. This time, we burned the paper.

RANDOM MET -- The Stork - George Theodore

Day off...time to pay homage to a legendary Met...a true character - the one, the only - THE STORK.

George Basil Theodore (born November 13, 1947 in Salt Lake City, Utah) is a retired Major League Baseball player. Nicknamed "The Stork," Theodore played outfield for the New York Mets in 1973 and 1974. He is probably best remembered for a brutal outfield collision with Don Hahn in a game against the Atlanta Braves at Shea Stadium in 1973, in which Theodore fractured his hip.

He is also remembered for his offbeat personality and idiosyncratic interviews. For example, on Kiner's Korner he once remarked, "I've been trying transcendental meditation, and that helps me be passive and wait on the curve. I've got to find something else to hit the slider."

Today, Theodore serves as a youth baseball coach and gives counsel to elementary school students.

On September 28, 2008, Theodore returned to Shea Stadium for the stadium's closing ceremony.

Career Stats Played in a Mere 105 games....2 HR....seemed like more....How great is this world? I mean, the guy had a signed ball on eBay for $15

You Oughta Be In Pictures....(Or At Least HR Reviews)

How BizAAAR. Remember those lyrics in a song a few years ago? That's what it is coming down to with the Mets. They are getting the breaks with the videos...when they are on the offensive, they have gotten the HR call. The opposition, flagged. (no downside!).

Tonight was another example. Daniel Murphy who was riding the slump pony got a good shot off in the RF porch -- or did he? He did!

Nice sweep of the Nats.

I am wondering, will there be a category for Most HRs Via Replay for a player?

I'm in the bottom of the 14th here spirit-wise - a shade tired. So, I'm going to my own video review room and catch a few dreams (World Series 2009---AND Beyond).

And Livan, Livan Likes Complete Games....

About time the Mets (or any team these days) had a complete game. According to a graphic, this was the first one since Johan Santana's gem on Sept. 27, 2008 - the day before Shea gave its finale.

I only saw the last inning or so on TV and heard a bit of the early game on the radio. I wanted to see the long awaited debut of Fernando Martinez (0-3).

The line-up shuffle is odd, but they are winning. Now with Reyes and Church hobbled, Manuel has to make a five course dinner out of eggs, flour, a tea spoon of oil and water. Mix. Bake. Set. Win.

Left me back pedal for a second on complete games...How rare are they? Well, Cy Young pitched 749 of em. Modern and career of active players, Randy Johnson has 100. (2 in 2008, 2 in 2006). Here's the list of active players and complete games. Astonishing...you only need "4" to get on it....Livan is 5th now with 35.

Send those get well cards to Ryan and Jose.

Walk(s) Right In, Set Right Down....

(Song from the 70s I believe...too late in the evening for me to recall who sang it)...

But tonight's game against the Nationals slinged along at a slug's velocity (that is also a subtle slam against something, but more on that offline).

16 Walks - generated by 321 pitches. Sheer monotony - against the worst team in the MLB.

Glad for the win, but something like this should have been easier. J J Putz almost sent many to the dictionary to prove that his current alleged last name is NOT pronounced "pootz."

A sweep is mandatory. You heard it here, now follow it at Citifield.

It Takes Different Stokes (Brian) (to RUIN the World)

Who the hell is Brian Stokes and what is he doing in my salad?

He has not been effective of late and today, gives up 5 runs in 1.1 innings.

Mr. Manuel, if I were to greet you on the street today after that decision, I would same it with the same tone, cadence and timbre that Newman does when he greets Signore Seinfeld.

A word of advice, Willie always went to Guillermo Mota as his "boy"...Find another on this staff and send Stokes to bail out Heilman -- wherever he is!

Short. Spicy and Sour today.

Mir Omir - Or On The Wall...Who Hit a FAIR, Homerun Ball?

When you are scraping for a topic and a third string catcher hits a dramatic homerun, don't look anywhere else.

I thought the Mets were going to let this one get away with a skinny 2-1 score. Then, BAM! Omir Santos hits a rocket that HE knew was gone when it left the bat. Where did it land/bounce? Off the red strip in the outfield. Video review - Joe West comes out, circles his index finger in the air. We are ahead.

Check out the box score...Papelbon takes home an L....Feliciano gets the W at somewhat Pelfrey's expense.

The bottom line is the Metropolitans have 2 of 2 so far and one more to go.

Muses...Big Papi hasn't been able to connect much of late and is getting a reputation for leaving men on base...Perhaps "big crappy" is more apt.

OK...I'm personally pumped for a revenge sweep.

I'll be frank here, Ramon Martinez has made me cringe every time he touches the ball and every time he steps to the plate. That last out seemed to take forever and I was following the trajectory of the ball...WHEW...it hit Murphy's glove.

Wikked - We Beat the Sawx (Hearken Back to '86)

Like Gaul, this blog post will be divided in 3 parts...As far as drawing sequiturs between them, that's up to you -- I ain't the brains of this outfit - you are! (That's why you read UltiMETFan1969 with wreckless abandon).

So, first of all, I am not a fan of the Red Sox. Only players I really admired were Ted Williams and Carl Yaz (who was a relative of a late friend of mine, BJMZ). Tonight's victory was a symbol of a long rivalry and a triumph for all mankind. Going back to (I think) '06, the Sox swept the Mets in three. I still have not forgiven that!

Interesting stats...coming into this game, the Mets had ZERO Home runs on the road trip. That's hard to believe. HR's don't WIN games, but they are a catalyst...How are we going to fill the missing folks..Reyes out, Church looks like he may be out a day or two...and, Ramon Martinez? Puh-leeese...

Now the third part...as you know a good friend of mine, ML was a Mets fan in the Casey Stengel era. He and I have an instant message conversation maybe a few times a week relating to our fave team. Today, he sent me an interesting email, which he has allowed me to post...check it out....


If I could live through 40-120 I can certainly live through being a measly game and a half out of first place in May, after sleep-walking on the west coast.

Here is exactly what happens:

Murphy gets a glove from Wilson and learns to enjoy taking infield practice again. Amazingly, he snaps out of his slump.

Luis Castillo continues at a .280 clip and is solid as the two hitter. Jose Reyes returns in June, takes a minute, then gets hot as a firecracker in July, bouncing triples off the crazy angles at Gil Hodges/ Choo Choo Coleman Field

David Wright is David Wright. He and Shef become the clubhouse leaders. Remember the hug after home run 400? That was significant.

Carlos Delgado rests.Carlos Beltran never runs into another error where the ball drops in his area.

Ryan Church never misses another base and Angel Pagan is a better hitter than people give him credit.

Oliver Perez and Brian Schneider are traded to the Texas Rangers for an insurance infielder.

Sean Greene will be Fed Ex'ed to AAA Buffalo in early July and Dillon Gee gets his minutes.

Putz and KRod do their thing. By September 3rd, Billy Wagner is pleasantly effective as a middle relief man, augmenting Pedro Feliciano from the left hand side.

The Phillies lead the division by 9.5 games in early September. The Mets, channeling 1969, catch fire and catch them at the wire... in truly amazing fashion, in a pennant drive for the ages, forty years after catching and passing the Chicago Cubs.

Jerry Manuel is suddenly a genius.

You heard it here first.

So, wisdom of many! Let's go Mets!

Uh...Murphy CAN Play First...Excuse Me While I Wipe The Egg Off My Face

Short post...

Murph looked like he handled himself well at 1B last night...did some good fielding and the double play was exemplary.

Let them play! Let them Play! (forgot what movie that was from) but the thought carries over for #28.

Big series against the Red Sox tomorrow. Don't crank me up on Interleague play...NOT a fan.

We'll catch you on Friday and hope Santana can Sock the Sawx.

POST SCRIPTS --- My good friend, ML who was cited here a few times had another gem of wisdom combined with philosophy: As the Mets are going through a rough patch (only one game out of first DESPITE all the drama) this is May. The baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint. Stop with the cheap finger pointing at Omar Minaya unless you want to give back Johan Santana and Francisco Rodriguez.

(_________) Doesn't Know Their Ass From First Base

I didn't intend for the bracket and the underline to be an "ass," but it sets up the post I have for tonight.

Based on the press, the fans, the banter, Carlos Delgado's career at first, as a Met, is, essentially, being garnished with a toe-tag. In this not so humble blogger's opinion, I think he will come back later this season, but that will be the swansong.

As I hinted a few days ago - OK, knowing me, it's not a hint, I parade around and make my opinion known - the Mets are going to more than likely seek outside help. John Heyman addressed this today in his article. Dear readers from the other day (here's hoping long term memory triumphs your short term) will remember that I cited a possible candidate as Aubrey Huff? (You ignored it here first!). On WFAN, Steve Sommers also likes Huff.

Today, Jerry Manuel said that Daniel Murphy will get the starts through the series with the Red Sox. His fielding is suspect - needs to learn a bit more of the fundamentals. Easy for me to say and you to agree...where are OUR contracts? But I think we need to give Murph an opportunity. He's patient at the plate - a key attribute.

So, will Murphy survive the experiment? Will Tatis take it? Will Delgado come back and have a great rest of '09 and play into to 2010? Is Nick Johnson? Aubrey Huff? The Professor and Mary Ann? the next ones? You, Omar, Jerry and The Wilpons know about as much as I...Is that my ass or is that first base? Its first? OH, whose going to be on First?

Sorry Bud. Sorry Lou...didn't mean to go there.

I am hearing grunts from the followers of this blog, so I will kindly depart.

See ya tomorrow. Comments welcome.

The Missed Base Debacle...

In my lifetime I have seen many key sporting events, in person, on TV and always reveled in being there. Taking home a memory (a la Robin Ventura's grand slam single) is something cherished.

However, the Man Upstairs knows how much of a devout Mets fan I am and spared me the pains of the 5 error, Ryan Church mis-step. Only saw the first two or three innings before the sandman tossed his weapon.

When I heard about the sloppiness, I was beside myself. But, listening to Jerry Manuel on today's pregame broadcast on WFAN, he said the team was mad at themselves and showed how they want to win. OK, let's use this game as a catalyst.

The lineup last night resembled a shell of the regulars...But, a team of 9 on any given day...

Aw right, the Mets are on TV now...let me go to Church (and tell him to hit the bases).