LONNNNNNNG YEAR....Time to Hibernate

Where do we start?  Where do we end (well, that is summed up - below .500).

Going into 2011, there were low expectations.  Not only from this dyed-in-the-wool supporter of the orange and blue, but many others.

There were streaks.  Some capped with a W.  Many capped with an L.

A LOT of uncertainly.  Let's use these 4 words; 2 names and 2 verbs.  Wright. Reyes. Stay. Go.  Use every permutation. And, as of the last day + one of the season ending, they are still influx.


I have to say I give Terry Collins a vote of confidence.  He had a lot of junk to work with.  This gives me a good segue - glad we got rid of Oliver Perez and KRod.  Remember Ollie said he would NOT go to the minors?  I was laughing the day I saw he was picked up by the NATIONALS and then sent to their farm team in Harrisburg, PA.  Ever been to Harrisburg?  I lived there for a year.  Pure Hell.  Just desserts ya got, Ollie.

Oh, and Reyes ending the season with a bunt single and taking himself out of the game to win the batting title.  A bit strategic, yes.  But if you get paid a ton of $ and have talent, the view here is to play that last game out.  The true better player will prevail.

Where do we go from here?  Well, in 5 minutes I am going to bed.  Much like 24 (then 40) men did on the Mets roster.

Will I be back rooting next year? Hell yea.  A Mets leopard doesn't change his spots.

Not a BAD Loss....

Mets stayed close to the mountain men...that's all I could ask for.

Can't give a good honest overview of the game since I had a lot of other things to do...but it was on for background.

Caught (no pun intended) the interview with Jerry Grote which was pretty cool.  Coincidentally, on the Mets daily calendar, today's entry cited Grote caught the most games for the Mets - 1176.

The Bullpen - OR, Can you say "Fold Like an Accordian"

Parnell was brutal.  Gives up the ghost.

Reyes breaks through with 2 3 Baggers and Izzy returns.

The telltale sign of the game was Daniel Murphy's defense at second...Think we need to see more of him at the Keystone???

This Type of Loss -- TO THE NATIONALS -- (head shaking side to side - eyes looking downward)

Today is one of those losses where you just don't know where to start - but want it to end.

Washington got it together and ate up the pitching in the later innings.  I am impressed by Chris Young -- SO FAR.

Well, this is a short blog tonight.  Pick up the pieces, scrape off the residue and let's win tomorrow.

When driving today, I figured, "Hell, we are better than the 1962 Mets..."

Hope my prognostication is right.

Mets Pitchers - Gotta Have a Name Starting with C to Get a Hit

Chris Young got two hits in one inning the other day, and tonight Chris Capuano hit a double.  They seem to be doing better than Jose Reyes who was Oh-for-9 (maybe 10?) with runners in scoring position.  FINALLY got his first RBI tonight...a bit late in a contract year.

Now, as I write this, K-Rod got his first at bat (Ironic, huh, putting a weapon in his hand - whatsamatta, his fists aren't good enough?). 

Ninth inning and K-Rod walks two.  (I forgot, someone remind me - what does a closer do?)...Good thing we got Werth to hit into a DP.

Happy with the way the Amazins played and showed hustle.

SO FAR, I like Terry Collins...

Home STEEP, Home

Another year and another Opening Day at home for the Mets.

It was more of an opening of a can of worms.

Didn't get to see much of the game, (though I snuck a few at-bats here and there during the work hours).  Dickey is a good pitcher, but he imploded.  It's hard to throw the knuck in overcast, damp, dank weather.

The thing that stood out to me was the attendance.  I had to pinch myself and ask if we were at the Marlin's ball park.

Check this link and in the sixth inning, there seemed to be more Republicans at Berkeley University than Mets fans in the stands.  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/09/sports/baseball/09mets.html?_r=1

Turn the page - there's tomorrow at 7.

Halladay Has His Way

Roy Halladay.  For a young chap like me who was too young to see Koufax, I appreciate the grandeur and talent that Roy Halladay has.  Last year he had 21 wins and 9 (yeah, NINE) complete games.

What can I say about the Mets today?  When you go against Roy, you try your best.  I am impressed with the heart the Amazins have shown so far.

Turn the page - the Home Opener against the Nationals is tomorrow.  4:10 p.m....Hmmmmm...I may have to take an extended walk around the building (hiding that transistor radio of days of yore).

Don't jump off the bandwagon- LET'S GO METS!  R.A. Will Show The WAY - and get us many a K!

Is There Such Thing as a Bad Loss? Not Tonight

When you are down 7-0 and rally back, this is a nice sign.  True, the home team Phillies won, but the Mets showed a lot of heart.

THAT's What I want to see.  162x per annum plus - hopefully - playoffs and ----

Phil - Leees - WHOA~

Chris Young was a big question mark coming into tonight's game. Essentially, a reclamation project.

With that odd pitching motion, he held the Phils at bay in their own park.

The kicker to the game?  He got TWO hits in one inning...first Mets pitcher - EVER - to do so!  Then he got another!

Let's start rooting loud!

Yesterday I Spoke Toooooo Soon...

Jumped on the gripe box a bit too early yesterday, but happy to have witnessed a good game at the end and one today with a bit of hustle.

Felt like it was the 2005-7 season again - lots of optimism.  R.A. Dickey held his own today (no, not THAT way)...I think he's going to have a good season.

Stat of the day which was eye-popping - The Mets haven't hit a grand slam since August 2009 (Angel Pagan) but have allowed 17 (or 18) since.

Say, is it me, or is Willie Harris the hero of the year?  Keep in mind, the last few years, unheralded players such as Jose Valentin, Angel Pagan and Fernando Tatis made significant contributions.

Let's be Positive!

K-Rod....OY!

So, K-Rod comes into the game and looks good...then looks bad.  He was painting some nice pitches early on, then he decided to plant them and let the hitters give us fan the jitters.

Extra innings...Just hoping we can pull it out.

It was nice seeing Ike Davis hit a good pitch and Beltran running around the bases to score...

I am optimistic....at times.

Opening Day for the Mets...Titantic...Where is the Carpathia?

Pelfrey looked OK until he unraveled. 

This will be a litmus test - at least the first two weeks of the season.  Let's adapt a wait-and-see...

Opening Day - 2011

Make no bones about it.

If you are reading this blog, you are a Mets fan.

We are not going to be riding the wave of W's this year.  Too many inconsistencies and fragile players.  Today, we hear Jason Bay made the DL.  Not that I am a fan of his - I think the Mets overpaid.  When he hits, he surely hits, however that hasn't been the case since he came to CitiField.

While I am going to watch as much as I can (this statement is based on time, not stomaching the losses), I remain, as always, a loyal Mets fan.

Prediction - 78-84.  (Hope I am wrong and the number on the left hand side is higher, while the number on the right decreases).

Put the seatbelt on  - let's have fun!

Irony (AGAIN) - Oliver Perez Signs a MINOR League Contract

The man who refused to go to the minors to hone his diminishing pitching skills (AKA Beloved Ollie P) and got jettisoned by the Mets this week signed a minor league contract with the lowly Washington Nationals.

See story: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-24/nationals-sign-ex-mets-pitcher-perez-to-minor-league-deal-mlb-com-says.html

Makes all of us Mets fans laugh (with anger).

I think Ollie leaves the NY Metro area as one of the most despised players since Ed Whitson.

Hope he enjoys the rickety busrides.

Mets release Oliver Perez from contract - NYPOST.com -- OR, to quote a biblical song title...

Mets release Oliver Perez from contract - NYPOST.com

How long have I waited for that headline?

EONS.

Eons stretches back to the day when I heard the Mets traded the then beloved X-Man, aka Xavier Nady for Roberto Hernandez and this "throw in." As a matter of fact, that's the day this blog was spawned.

A friend put it in perspective on a Facebook post -- and I don't know why it took the Mets such a long time to cut bait -- but they finally did. The line was:

For everyone who thought Ollie was such a great find (read: Minaya and Co.), just remember how the Mets got him... he was a *throw-in* from *Pittsburgh*. When the Pirates don't want you, you can't be good.

Think about that for a second. OK. Makes sense, but why did Mets management award him $12m? It is still baffling. There were a few - not many - good pitchers available during that time, but why give a stratospheric number. That was more than Barry Bonds made (among others).

This is my favorite line of the whole article: "Perez said he received a fair opportunity with the Mets this spring."

And last year. And the year before that, ad infinitum. Heck, even Steve Howe would have been jealous of the chances Ollie got - and blew.

I am glad this happened before the season started. For those who know me, I am not a radical, an activist or a rabblerouser. But had Ollie not been released, I would have called for a boycott from all fan on Opening Day. Then, when the Mets would bring in Ollie, my edict would be for all fans to vacate the stands.

There are many sad things about Perez being on the Mets. One of the biggest was the fact that he pitched the last game EVER at Shea Stadium - http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN200809280.shtml I can list many others, but the 8.38+ ERA in spring training has got to be the kicker.

So, #46, in 101 starts with the Mets, 29-29, ONE complete game. No shutouts. 29 batters hit. 74 gopher balls surrendered. 1.51 WHIP and ERAs of the last two years 6.80 and 6.82.

Well, to quote a line from the old gospel song, "Hallelujah, the strife is over."

There is also another one - "RELEASE ME"

Ollie. We did. Pack that steamer trunk and ship on out. There won't be many W's or K's to pack, but you may have to stuff a lot of those L's and pack em tight.

Buh Bye!

So, Who is Your Aunt Angie??? or "Why The Next Mets GM Will Chose their Own "Boy."

Odd title.

Let me explain.

When I was a little boy, my Aunt Angie (now deceased, we won't even get into how much we miss her here) used to take me to the pool at Hudson County Park.  One day, she overheard me say to another kid, "So, which one of the ladies here is YOUR Aunt Angie?"

I always was amused by how much that delighted her and never thought much about it until a friend of mine and I were talking about the next Mets manager.  There is a lot of speculation of who it will be.  But it doesn't matter.  The next GM allegedly has the "say."

Personally I want Joe Torre.  He cut his teeth as a Mets manager in the 80s when he was in his mid 30s and was "just OK" at best in his first stint.  The folks are talking about Backman but he raises too many red flags -- to me.

No matter.  Whoever the GM is, he pulls the strings.  The guy he finally decides on will both have the same "Aunt Angie."

Leave it To Ollie -- OR, How the Last Game of the Year is Always a DUD - Right AFTER a Brilliant Game the Day Before

It would be trite to quote Charles Dickens to open up a blog post about the Mets.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.  Trite? Yeah.  Accurate - partly.

This was no ordinary season.  Far from it.  The Oliver Tolerance/Intolerance capped off what was one of the most see-sawed of emotions for a Mets fan.  The big burst of wins in April/June - with the ebb of many heartbreaking losses.

It seems to be that the day before the final season, there is a big hope. '07 - Maine almost pitched a no-no, then Glavine tanked it with that Godforsaken first inning.  In '08, Santana pitched a gem and then they lost in their final game at Shea.  Yesterday, a nice W.  Today....Typical Ollie - Walks in the winning run in the 14th.

Stan Laurel used to say, "I'm Sorry Ollie." Stan, so are we....so are we.

Rumor has it we are going to be replacing Jerry and Omar.  I want someone who will be a rainmaker and get the most from their players, much like Buck Showalter has done with the lackluster Orioles.  Minaya, well, he was a genius when he came on board and got Pedro Martinez and a few other good veterans to come to town, but he got lackadaisical -- and so did many of the players. 

There are a few bright spots for the future.  Ike Davis has shown he can play.  Lucas Duda looks like he may swing a good bat and propel the cowhide with the maple ash.  The heroes on the team, it goes without saying - Angel Pagan, R.A. Dickey and Hisanori Takahashi.  Unexpected icing.  Bring them back.  Thole looks like he will develop into a good catcher.

It remains to be seen what the lineup will look like but if the above players can mesh and get it together, they can turn a once bad nucleus into a nuclear bomb that produces Ws and gives other teams Agita.

Who should go?  Ollie.  Castillo. Beltran (yeah, I said it), Maine and a few more ignobles.  Who should come?  Well, a lot of players, but we need to jerryrig the management (and send Jerry Manuel to pasture) and get the Wilpons to open their pocketbook.  There are a lot of good players that are under the radar that would be perfect.  (Think of the Jeff Keppingers - a former Met - of the world.

It's just 107 days before catchers and pitchers report....Oh, Ollie, that doesn't include you.

K-Rod OUT! - Wanted - The Taxi Driver Who Clipped Duaner Sanchez...

According to ESPN - http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=5468863 - K-Rod injured his thumb in the altercation with the grandfather of his children and will be out all year.

In this scribe's eyes, K-Rod will only be a detriment and his value to the team has already spiraled downward.

So, I ask, with tongue-in-cheek - Where is the taxi driver who clipped Duaner Sanchez?  We need you to come back and drive up and down the street again.  Look for someone wearing a #75 on his back...take him to the airport.

14-1; Great Odds to Bet on a Horse - But the Mets STILL Nag

I admit it, I didn't see the whole debacle yesterday - you know, that 14-1 trouncing the last place Arizona Diamondbacks gave to our beloved Mets, but when I turned it on and the first swing of the bat I saw was LaRoche hitting his SECOND three-run homer of the day, that was not a good prelude of things to come.

NOTE:  For those with iron wills, here is the box score.  I warn you, this is something that may traumatize  http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=300801121&teams=arizona-diamondbacks-vs-new-york-mets 

You could expect a score like that to be in a lopsided high school sports game, but when you add up the payroll - and, let's face it, once you reach the majors, you are paid for "talent" - this is a pure crime.  Nine plus men stealing money from management, hearts and emotions from the fans and making advertisers cringe for future broadcasts.

Speaking of $, that $12 million bargain, Oliver Perez had a stellar day - (for him) - the good news he walked only 1.  The bad?  4 earned runs in two innings facing 12 batters.  OK, if management is going to pay this kind of $ for a flop, I kindly invite the Wilpons and Minaya to my next garage sale. 

The Saga of Ollie Perez (and the Trauma the Fans Face)

OOOPS! He did it again (and again, and again, ad infinitum).

Another horrific performance and this time, FINALLY, Mets management is getting wise and taking Ollie out of the rotation.

Steve Howe received fewer chances, yet, sadly, always failed.  The Mets dumped Aaron Heilman and Scott Schoenweiss who did less.  What gave Ollie immunity?

The insane $12 million (really worth $12 bucks!) salary.  The Wilpons can't admit a mistake and eat a contract.  Instead, they are exposing Ebola and it is festering.  Fans and players get hurt - in the psyche, the standings and in fantasy baseball (the last one being the most impactful!).  Opponents relish in the easy opportunity to get on base.  Often by NOT swinging the bat.  Ollie makes more walk than a miracle healer.

For some reason, he was thought of as a Masterpiece painting.  The fabric under the uniform truly reveals nothing more than a paint by number.  (The low numbers are Wins, Strikeouts.  The higher numbers are Walks, ERA, Losses...)