Wed 30 Apr 2008
The last thing the Mets needed was an extra inning game last night with a day game today but that’s what they got after Jose Reyes ‘ throwing error set the Pirates up to tie the game in the 9th and of course no Mets game is complete with the daily Cavalcade of Relievers as it was a six reliever night for Willie’s Guys to pick up a win.
Grandpa Moises is ready to return to the active roster as the MRI he took revealed only liver spots on his ankle also Matt Wise (remember him?) is also ready to join the beleaguered bullpen and Brian Schneider is still out with a staph infection but still on the active roster because as we know you have to lose a limb before Omar Minaya puts you on the disabled list. So the question is who stays and who goes as of Friday when Grandpa Moises and Wise come back?
The thinking on the pitching situation is that Joe Smith goes to NOLA because he has options and Jorge Sosa stays because he makes a lot of money. That’s the kind of thinking that pisses fans off. Because Minaya gave a dime a dozen pitcher like Sosa $2mil for the season even though he’s been ineffective he stays over the better pitcher Smith? I call bullshit on that. I’d keep Wise on the back burner for a little while longer and try and deal Sosa. You have to figure that Nelson Figueroa is destined for bullpen duty if and when Petey or El Duque ever come back plus you have Carlos Muniz and Willie Collazo in the bushes that you can bring up if need be and maybe by some fluke the starting pitchers can go more than six innings and save the pen so Willie wouldn’t be wearing out the grass between the Mets dugout and the mound.
As for Alou doesn’t it make sense to disable Schneider retroactive to last Thursday and let him go to St Lonesome to work out for a week to get himself together? Omar acts like the guy is going to go from the Hospital for Special Surgery, hop in a cab and catch that night. And they wonder why the fans are angry.
If you saw last nights Costas Now you viewed one of the most terrifying melt downs in the history of television. Costas held a town hall type show on Media in Sports and of course part of the discussion was the obligatory Bloggers are Asshole Loser segments with a side order of Sports Talk Radio is responsible for high gas prices, the occupation of Iraq and Hannah Montana posing nude. During the Bloggers are Asshole segments noted author Buzz Bissinger was in a lather, screaming at Deadspin editor Will Leitch. Bissinger feels that the internet is the ruination of American society and that bloggers should be knee capped for using the net to give their opinions. The way Bissinger was caring on I swear to God I thought he was either going to have a stroke or a massive heart attack and I’m serious here I was fearful that this would happen to the guy. He just kept attacking Leitch who, not to blow smoke up his ass, was outstanding on the show and showed more respect and decorum than any of the MSM that was on the panels. Please check out this post that Leitch has on Deadspin about last night as it’s a must read for sure and also pray of Buzz Bissinger as he is a very troubled soul.
April 30th, 2008 at 11:34 am
not mets related but sean avery is OUT of playoffs and in hospital
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/hockey/nhl/specials/playoffs/2008/04/30/avery.cardiac.arrest/index.html?cnn=yes
April 30th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Best wishes to Sean Avery as he laid it on the line last night for the Blueshirts along with Ryan Callahan
April 30th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Couple observations last night for me on Santana. He obviously was not “on” last night which is fine because not “on” for Santana is better than most other pitchers out there when they are “on”. First thing is his velocity. This is scaring me. He threw 89 consistantly all night with a rare 90 or 91. What happened to 95 that he has been throwing forever until he got to New York? Don’t tell me its the weather because every other pitcher was throwing their normal velocity including Yates who touched 95 on a couple pitches. It’s no wonder his home runs are so high because even though he has good movement on the fastball, it’s still hittable at 89 mph and when you know you have a 50/50 shot at getting that fastball since he’s basically a 2 pitch pitcher. I’m wondering if that in his head, he still thinks he can blow that fastball by hitters now. I know that his changeup probably makes 89mph look like 99 but it seems obvious to me from watching hitters against him that they are either sitting on the fastball or the change, mostly the fastball. I can’t believe how many good changeups opposing batters are not swinging at on him. This is worrisome for me, not right now but in a year or 2 when his fastball might even get slower. I compare him to Ryan Howard. It’s either a homerun or a strikeout. Here is what I am hoping it is…I noticed everytime they do that closeup camera view on his pitch before release, he’s throwing a 2 seam fastball which gives more movement but less velocity than a 4 seamer. Maybe he can throw the 4 seamer at 95 still but ops for more movement. IMHO though, he’s still giving up tons of homeruns and should go back to whatever he was doing 2 years ago and before.
Last point: I noticed that his push off foot is always pushing off the right side of the rubber. I was always taught that a lefthander should be using the left side of the rubber as to give more of an angle at the batter. This is so the ball dosn’t come straight down the middle. It’s this same concept that gives pitchers like Feliciano more of an advantage. He has a huge angle from his release point to the plate which is why he is so good against lefties. I’m sure there is a reason he is using the wrong side of the rubber, maybe it has something to do with his changeup, I don’t know.
That’s all, I’m done blabbing for now. BTW, our offense really makes me want to cry. These guys just seem so lost at the plate. I wish someone/something would light a fire under this teams ass and get them going.
April 30th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
[...] A more colorful summary from Eddie Kranepool Society blogger (and Buzzwatch favorite), Steve Keane. (Note: mature language.) [...]