Fri 31 Aug 2007
I don’t know where to start as I overlook the carnage that will be now and forever be known as the CHEESESTEAK MASSACRE.
I guess El Duque was due for a stinker but why did it have to be yesterday in what was the biggest game the Mets have played since game 7 of the last years NLCS (no need to rehash that one) and again the Mets came up small.
I have no problem with Willie using Billy Wagner for two innings. He hasn’t pitched in a week and at this point in the Mets comeback they need 6 outs and Wagner is the best pitcher in the pen. If you want to be known as one of the best that ever played, a situation like yesterday is where you make your reputation. Yesterday’s game would have gone down not only as the best game of the year for the Mets but also it would have been an all timer. It would have been a game you would watch on a snowy winter night just to relive the thrill of the game and as the game that stamped the season. But as it stands now this game could go down as the biggest kick in the nuts we have gotten in a long time.
I don’t know what kind of relationship Willie has with Omar Minaya. I don’t think they are very close probably one that is more cordial as a supervisor and subordinate. I bring this up as I’m intrigued into how much pull Willie has over personnel moves because the bullpen is a mess and has been for most of the second half of the season. There are three guys in Aaron Sele, Scott Schoenwiess, and Guillermo Mota who have pitched like shit for most of the season. At some point as the manager don’t you ask for a meeting with your GM and voice your displeasure with him in his inability to bring in pitchers to replace these three. Mike Pelfrey has shown that for an inning or two he can be very effective. Instead of allowing Sele to languish in the pen as the long/middle man why not let Phil Humber take that spot so between appearances he could work with The Jacket and Guy Conti. What makes the pen set up a head scratcher, is Pelfrey and Humber are ready to be recalled to take over those roles and hopefully, Willie Collazo and Carlos Muniz join them and it may be too late.
The big picture with this team is for the last three month the Mets are under .500, hardly championship caliber, here’s the breakdown:
June 12-15
July 13-14
August 14-13
If that’s not bad enough here is breakdown of wins and losses against teams either in first place or in contention for a playoff spot in the NL:
Phillies 6-9
Braves 4-8
Cubs 5-2
D’Backs 4-3
Padres 2-4
Dodgers 5-5
That gives the Mets a woeful 26-31 record against the cream of the crap errr……… crop of the NL.
So while most fans vilify Willie for mishandling the pitching staff and for not so scintillating strategic moves maybe Omar Minaya and most importantly the players need to have some fire put under their seat too.
August 31st, 2007 at 4:10 pm
Did you hear Joe Benigno this afternoon?
August 31st, 2007 at 4:16 pm
ALL I
August 31st, 2007 at 4:18 pm
All I want to say is Thanks to Joe for representing us fans and finally going off on Willie. Willie is the down fall of this team and along with his boss, Omar. Maybe Fred and Jeff will open their eyes and do something about it. They need someone that is feisty and willing to light a fire under these guys asses.
Like Joe said why does Willie kiss the Veterans asses. They are part of the team and if they are failing they need to be treated the same way he treats the younger guys. I guess he doesnot want to step on toes and they might cry to Omar.
August 31st, 2007 at 5:11 pm
The cheesesteak massacre indeed. I agree with eagle, don’t miss benigno’s rant. it is priceless. I also wonder what is up with Reyes. is he well? I don’t mean injured. I mean, SICK. He’s playing so sluggish lately, it looks like he might have mono or something. Nope, I’m not even kidding. And you know, people are telling me all the time - well the Cards were less than .500 for most their season last year and won the whole thing. Well, I’m a lifelong Mets fan. And i know one thing - the Mets are NEVER on that end. Ever. They always get the shit kicked out of them by the lesser teams and they are never the lesser team giving it to the others.
September 1st, 2007 at 7:47 am
Joe Beningo was awesome yesterday. Enough with this pussy-footing around, Willie. Get pissed for once, like we all are, and get in somebody’s face. Tell Delgado he has to step it up (finally he did so last night). I loved Joe’s reference to Willie showing some balls and using Wagner Thursday to get the lefties in the eigth, then going to Heilman in the ninth to get all the righties. It is out of the norm? Of course, but good managers are creative and use players to fit the situation. I think it was unreasonable to ask Wagner for 6 for the first time since 1999. Well, maybe the cheesesteak disaster will become a wake-up call. I just bought my tickets for the Phillies series later theis month I WANT REVENGE AND I WANT TO PUT THOSE BASTARDS AWAY!