Moves like the signing of RHP Andy Cavazos fascinate me as it tells me the Mets are looking outside the box for pitching help. After hearing all the familiar names, I’m sure most Mets fans are saying “who the hell is Andy Cavazos” but if you look up his stats and see his minor league numbers I bet you’d be as fascinates as I am.

 

Cavazos is 26 and stands 6’3”, originally a shortstop he was converted to pitching by the Rangers. The Cards picked him up as a Rule V minor leaguer and he is now with the Mets, signing as a 6yr minor league free agent.

 

I  like that the Mets are using their heads for something other than the three different caps they incorporate, as looking at these 6 yr free agents to build a pen is the way to go. Relief pitching is such a crap shoot that taking a chance on a live arm like Cavazos shows initiative.

 

In ’07 at Memphis Cavazo’s pitched 47 innings giving up 40 hits while walking 26 and striking out 48 . In 2006 also at Memphis his numbers a little better 56 IP 47 H 16/55 BB/K.

 

At best Cavazos makes a big splash in spring and takes a middle spot at worst he solidifies the ‘Nawlins pen and becomes reinforcement in case of injury.

 

Do you think I’m starving for Mets news?  45 days until pitchers and catchers boys and girls.

 

This Wednesday night at 9PM EST on SPORTSTALKNY we will have as our guests Dan Hooton president of the Taylor Hooton Foundation. You may remember Mr. Hooton from the Congressional hearings on baseball and steroids as he testified that his son Taylor a promising young student/athlete had taken his own life due to steroid abuse. John Musmacker a former collegiate player and amateur scout and manger will join us as well as host Mark Rosenman, co-host Dave Kamsler, Highlander beat reporter Rebecca Glass and yours truly will be part of a round table discussion on steroids in baseball.

 

Also on the show will be Author Brett Topel so join us at SPORTSTALKNY this Wednesday at 9PM EST on USTREAM and add to the discussion via phone at our call in number 631 615-4799 or in the chat room which will be on all throughout the show.

 

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I’ve just finished watching the New England Patriots beat the NY Giants to go 16-0 and do it the hard way as they were down 12 points in the 3^rd quarter to come back and score 22 unanswered points and as a lifelong Mets fans I can not comprehend rooting for a team like this.

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It wouldn’t be the best signing or the worst but I guess Jon Leiber for a year looks to be the best of a broken down bunch left out in the free agent wilderness. Coming off foot surgery, the 37 year old righty is a very good control pitcher who when on his game will give you innings and keep you in a game. At this point with Petey, Maine, and Perez locking up the top three spots in the rotation you could throw Lieber in there with El Duque, Pelfrey and Humber and  let them fight it out for spots 4 and 5. 

 

I was going to write about the Mets and Johan Santana but instead I went inside to lay down until that idea passed. If Santana wanted to be a Met the deal would have happened already by forcing the Twins via his no trade cause to send him to Flushing.

 

Jim Beauchamp passed away on Christmas day and if you’re a Mets fan my age or older you know Beauchamp as pretty decent pinch hitter back in 1972 and 1973. When I looked up Beauchamp’ stats I noticed how he was acquired from the Cardinals and was a little surprised by the deal:

 

 October 18, 1971: Traded by the St. Louis Cardinals with Chip Coulter, Harry Parker, and Chuck Taylor to the New York Mets for Art Shamsky, Jim Bibby, Rich Folkers, and Charlie Hudson.
Parker, Taylor and Hudson (not to be confused with Charles Hudson of Phillies, Highlanders, Tigers fame) were three non-descript right handed pitchers and Coulter was a minor league infielder but Big Jim Bibby, won 19 games for the 1980 Bucos. But Shamsky, he was a ’69 Met for God sake how did he get thrown in with this dreck?

 

The Klapper has a who’s hot who’s not column today and guess who’s not hot, Omar Minaya. No shit!:

 

 The Mets’ general manager is gambling heavily on Ryan Church and Brian Schneider to make Mets fans forget Lastings Milledge. The 22-year-old outfielder was, at times, immature, and certainly underdeveloped as a ballplayer, particularly on defense. But Milledge just might blossom in Washington under manager Manny Acta, which would serve only to embarrass the Mets’ hierarchy.
If the Mets really were convinced Milledge’s trade value had plummeted, they should’ve waited a year to try again. They would’ve done no worse than Schneider and Church.
Unless the Mets can somehow pry Johan Santana away from the Twins, they’ll go into ‘08 without significantly improving the team that blew a seven-game lead with 17 to go. Minaya loves the art of the deal, but he’s yet to work any magic this winter.
It’s staring to look like Omar can only get players if he can over pay them. He’s made some nice minor deals building the bench with Gotay, Easley, Marlon Anderson and Endy but he has not been able to make a big time deal since Oliver Perez and that one was made out of desperation. I’m not anti-Omar by any means.  I like Omar but this is a big season for him with the collapse of ‘07 weighing very heavy on the minds of Mets fans ands with three picks in the first 35 picks in the entry draft. As we will see when we get to May and June this draft could be what keeps Omar around for a long time or pushes him out the door.

 

How much would you like to bet that if Minaya could do it all over again, he’d hire Manny Acta over Willie Randolph as Mets manager?

 

Another thing Minaya needs to do is add a right handed bat to spell Delgado and Church. A few names come to my mind.  Matt Murton is a young outfielder who has been squeezed out of the Soriano/Pie/Fukedome Cubs outfield who would fit perfect as a caddy for Church and to split time with Endy when Moises takes his injury sabbatical. Andy Phillips, non-tendered by the Highlanders could play some OF and would be perfect to fill in at first base for Delgado. Delgado by the way is the guy I feel is the “X” factor in whether the 2008 Mets contend or pretend.. The Mets need a very big comeback year for Carlos D. Josh Phelps is another righty with power who would fit the first base backup plan and Robb Quinlan with the Angels could spell Delgado and Wright and come off the bench as the righty pinch hitting specialist.

      

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Back to work after two days off sucks but I just wanted to drop a line about last nights SPORTSTALKNY show. Denny McLain was the guest and I’m telling you to set aside 45 minutes of your time and click on USTREAMTV and listen to this interview. Mark Rosenman and  Dave Kamsler did a great job interviewing McLain who had no problem giving his thoughts on the current steroids brew ha ha, the inability of pitchers to throw complete games, his incarceration on three occasions, Roger Clemens and the 1968 World Series in which McLain lost games 1 and 4 but came back on two days rest to win game 6 setting up Mickey Lolich to out pitch Bob Gibson in game 7 and win the series. Click the link, listen and thank me later.

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Here is the game recap via RTE’ Again this was a great game. I’m very upset that the Sunderland-Man U match in not on TV I’m starting to fancy The Black Cats as they are manged by Roy (no-relation) Keane.  

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When I was a kid, this was a big day in my house as this is my namesakes day. In fact my parents held a gift back on Christmas to give me on St. Stephen’s day.  The verse you see on top is from a song that I still listen to today sung by the late great Tommy Makem.  It’s amazing how some things from childhood stay with you.

No Mets news around as it’s slow this time of year but by next week you figure things will start to heat up a bit.

But that doesn’t mean that there’s nothing cooking in the world of sports. I just finished watching an outstanding soccer match between Chelsea and Aston Villa. Villa had a 2 nil lead early and the Blues came back to take the lead 3-2. Villa tied it 3-3 then Chelsea took the lead 4-3 but on a last minute penalty kick Aston Villa salvaged a point at Stamford Bridge. I can’t believe I’m getting involved in watching soccer as I’ve become hooked on the Premiership.

Tonight on SPORTSTALKNY  we have a great show as the last 30 game winner in baseball Denny McLain will be a guest. Tune in tonight at 9PM EST and be a part of the show via the chat room (where I’ll be hanging out) or by phone at 631 615-4799 We will also talk about the NHL Winter Classic between the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins that will be played outdoors at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo So come in out the cold and from exchanging that ugly sweater you got for Christmas and join us at 9PM est at SPORTSTALKNY

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Jesse Spector had a Naughty and Nice list in today’s NY Daily News and that gave me an idea to do my own list so here it is:

Naughty: The 2007 New York Mets for the folding up like a cheap umbrella in a storm down the stretch and for the veterans for their lack of leadership.

Nice: David Wright for being above the fray and playing like a superstar this season. There is no need to name him the captain of the Mets because he is THE CAPTAIN. But it would be nice if Willie Randolph would show some stones and make it known that it’s Wright’s Team

Naughty: Willie Randolph. I’m glad he didn’t lose his job but I’d say the leash is short in ‘08. His use of the bullpen was the biggest drawback for me with Willie, hopefully he’s learned from his mistakes.

Nice: The trio of Pedro Feliciano, Aaron Heilman and Billy Wagner. As good as any late inning relievers in baseball. Throw in Jorge Sosa that leaves three spots in the pen to be determined. Those three spots could be the difference between a contender and pretender next season.

Naughty: The Skill Sets for rasing ticket prices 20 % Have you people no shame?

Nice: The last year of Shea Stadium

Naughty: 10,000 less seats in $iti Field

Nice: Going to Shea and seeing a more diverse fan base in the ball park than ever before

Naughty: My thoughts of the Mets screwing up this dynamic with the move to $iti Field and my fear that they will abandon the working middle class baseball fan in this area.

Nice: Gary Cohen, Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez the best game day trio not just in baseball but all of sports broadcasting

Naughty: SNY, Home of the Mets? My ass

Nice: Howie Rose on the radio

Naughty: Sports talk radio in NYC WFAN is a stale as a week old biscuit and WEPN would be better off playing infomercials all day.

Nice: SPORTSTALKNY. Thank you Mark Rosenmans for bring me on board to a sports talk show for fans by fans.

Naughty: James Dolan for desecrating Madison Square Garden with the likes of Isaiah Thomas and Slats Sather especially Thomas who is not only an awful GM and coach but a miserable human being as well

Nice: Larry Brown. Who has the last laugh now Zeke?

Naughty: The Mitchell Report. Baseball players take PED’s ? No shit!

Nice: Andy Petite. The truth shall set you free.

Naughty: Roger Clemens. Come clean you phony bastard.

Nice: The voice of Amy Winehouse. Her Back in Black CD is a classic

Naughty: The life of Amy Winehouse. She may not live long enough to make another CD

Nice: The Chesterfield Kings. Garage rock at it’s finest

Naughty: The death of CBGB and Hilly Crystal

Nice: Going to a game at Keyspan Park.

Naughty: The commercialization of Coney Island

Nice: Living in NYC. I could never live any place else in the world

Naughty: Turning Time Square into Disney World. My twisted psyche misses the old “FORTY-DUCE

Nice: The 7 train coming out of the tunnel at Hunters Pt Blvd and being in the first car straining for a look at the top of Shea Stadium

Naughty: The MTA for killing the working class of the city with it’s uncalled for fare hikes and no government leaders to stop them

Nice: Spring, Summer and Fall

Naughty: Winter

Nice: All of you nice folks, who stop by here day after day and read my postings and write to me and leave comments. When I started this site I never dreamed I’d still be at it six years later but just knowing that there are other people as crazy for the Mets as I am and share my passion makes this a labor of love.

Naughty: To all the anti-bloggers out there. Don’t be afraid we are not here to hurt you

Nice: All the great people I’ve met this past year dealing with this blog. Dana Brand who was nice enough to invite me to his book launch of Mets Fan a book you need as a Mets Fans to when you doubt yourself about rooting for this team. You read a few essay’s and you realize why you’re a Mets fan and you feel better for it. Mike of Mike’s Mets, Mike Silva of Gotham Baseball Live, and The lovely ladies of the Joan Whitney Payson Society (Coop, Metsgrrl, SNK, Zoe)  and last but certianly not least Kathy Foronjy and Joe Coburn who brought us MATHEMATICALY ALIVE: A STORY OF FANDOM a great documentry and one you as a Mets fan should own. it’s a privilege to have met you folks.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!

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So there was our new catcher Brian Schneider in a photo op with his brand new 23 uni telling the reporters just how happy he is to be in the big city and make the Mets pitching staff that much better. He then went on to opine on the PED fiasco on how happy he is that the “cheaters” were caught and maybe this will clean up the game. There was no follow up question to the effect of would Schneider join a group of “clean” players in a revolt against Fehr and Orza to make testing for PED’s mandatory and to waive their rights to let the independent testers to take blood samples for HGH testing, and support more stringent penalities for testing positive?. Nah this was just the welcome wagon coming out.

 

After his calling out the “cheaters” Schneider went on to give us a baseball lesson:

 

“It feels good to know how much they want you here,” Schneider said of the Mets from the SNY studios in Midtown. “I just think people don’t know how important defense for a catcher is and keeping guys out of scoring position, keeping that pitcher in for an extra inning or two and getting them over the hump.”
Thanks for that lesson Brian, we New York baseball fans are kind of new at this game, I mean, gee it’s only what 160 years since the New York Nine played on the pastures that are now Wall St. and now we know catching is important. Who knew? Can someone in Mets management make Mr. Schneider a little video of Jerry Grote and tell him if he can play a quarter of the defense as The Nasty Texan, the trade will be worth it.

 

Am I still pissed off that LMillz was dealt? Nah, what makes you think that?      

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Kyle Lohse? Are you shitin’ me? Kyle Lohse? I’m paying over a Grand for Mets tickets to see Kyle Lohse?
Word in that grand old dame of solid reporting the NEW YORK POST (yes the sarcasm font is on) reports today that the Phillies have told Lohse no-no-no I won’t smoke it no more, when it comes to giving a sub-.500 lifetime pitcher a 4yr deal at close to $40mil. And you people are worried about performance enhancing drugs ruining baseball? How about lousy pitching? And over paying for it? Can I get an amen from Congress?
I want to take out a Costco size of can of  whoop ass on Omar Minaya for even thinking of  signing Lohse but I thought what other options does he have? We know this is not how Minaya like to operate as we Mets fans seem to forget how he threw dead presidents (And Presidente’s )at Petey to get him to sign up as a Met. He also made shrewd deals with the Fish for LoDuca and Delgado and signed The Gossip Girl (a/k/a Billy Wagner) and we all cheered like 12 year old girls at a Hannah Montana concert over those deals.

As we are all ready to kill Minaya over not delivering the Ace we feel we deserve, he can’t because either our farm fresh prospects are not ripe for picking or their not very attractive to the rest of baseball. Of course we find that insulting because everything Mets is gorgeous to our eyes so how dare they dis our kids like that, Bastards!

But Kyle Lohse? As a stop gap okay, but four years at $10 mil per, that’s just insane.Lohse throws a 90+mph fastball and curve that is quite hittable. His strong suit is hi command as his walks/strikeout numbers are 57/122 in 192 innings pitched last year. So he gives you the innings you want doesn’t walk many but he is hittable and loses more than he wins. Why? Well, you never know what Kyle Lohse will show up on a given start . Sounds like The Zambrano Project if you ask me.

If this is the best the Mets can do then take a pass and let Pelfrey/Humber or Kevin Mulvey take the spot in the rotation. How much worse can that trio do than Lohse? Besides Minaya needs to save some dough to sign Livan Hernandez to a 7 yr/ $100 mil deal.

 

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While trying to do last minute Christmas shopping, run basketball practice and hit every Christmas party I can (Thank God I gave up drinking as I do not miss the cotton mouth and hugging the porcelain throne) I’m putting together my Mets segment for tonight’s SPORTSTALKNY. Come and join us tonight at 9PM EST at SPORTSTALKNY on USTREAM. We have Mark Littel the former MLB pitcher and now pitch man for the NUTTY BUDDY and author Ed Willes who wrote the book The Rebel League: The Story of the World Hockey Association.

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