I missed the first four innings of the game last night as I had practice for the All Star team I’ve be invited to join the coaching staff on (I’ve been assigned to coach the pitchers and infielders so it’s safe to assume I’m one happy sumnabitch) by the time I got home and turned on the game Johan Santana was getting smacked around. At first I was pissed that he gave up 5 runs after the Mets took a 2 run lead but then I thought the guy hasn’t thrown in like eight days and then I read this morning that he couldn’t even work out a Shea due to the Billy Joel concert (one more reason for me to despise Joel) and remember for the last three years Santana has pitched in the All Star game so at least he had work in between starts so I’ll chalk this clinker up to being stale. Give Warlord Jerry credit he yanked Santana after he labored through four innings and 98 pitches. I’m sure with Petey out for his next start and the off day Monday it all points to Santana to open the big home stand against the Phillies on Tuesday.

 

The most impressive event of last nights game aside from D-Wright with a big two run game tying opposite field HR was Carlos Delgado’s go ahead RBI single in that 9^th inning. The impressive part was he took the pitch was down and away and hit it to left field. It looks like it’s starting to click for Delgado and that’s huge for the Mets to continue this run.

 

So we get our uniforms for this All Star team I’m coaching and then I’m told the coaches have to wear khaki pants, not shorts but long pants. It’s going to be 90 plus degrees tomorrow and I have to dress like Ward Fucking Cleaver to coach a baseball game. And people want to know why I have a shity attitude.

 

I don’t know about you but the Phillies acquiring Joe Blanton doesn’t scare me but I bet the site of Big Pelf pitching like Don Drysdale forced the Phillies into this move.

 

I got to get back to work as I have to dart out early again today to throw batting practice later today and no I will not be wearing my khaki’s.

 

  

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From all reports last night’s Billy Joel concert was the event of a lifetime. I guess if you’re a Joel fan it was but as an angry young teen when Billy Joel was playing Piano Man, I was into the Sex Pistols and “Anarchy in the U.K.” and hanging out at Max’s Kansas City, CBGB and the Mud Club to name a few of the landmark clubs during the Punk era. So as much as I hate to enrage you Billy Joel fans who read this site as much as I had no use for Joel back in the day I still have no use form him today. Just not my kind of music or performer. I mean how can you compare a Billy Joel performance to Wendy O Williams and the Plasmatics at the Heat Club on North Moore St. Tell me what’s better than Williams taking apart an old Chevy on stage with a chain saw topless while the band riffs away.  

 

 

Having Billy Joel perform the last concert at Shea was a nice safe choice. See me I would have had a concert that would have rocked the living shit out of Shea. Let’s face it Shea is the dive bar of stadiums and what every good dive bar needs is an ass kicking juke box. So here is a post I did when Billy Joel was announced as the last concert at Shea act (I was not very happy as you can see)  and some of the bands I would have perform at my “Kranepoolpolooza” concert. Plus I would add the New York Dolls, Talking Heads, Blondie, Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground, The Fleshtones, Tom Verlaine and Television, Pati Smith, Black 47,  Mink DeVille, The Dictators and to close the show the Rolling Stones.   At the end of the show, female Go-Go dancers would go into each section of the stadium passing out ratchet sets and sledge hammers to let the fans start the demolition and carry out what ever they can as a souvenir of Shea

 

Santana-Cueto tonight as Jerry’s Gangsta’s go for 10 straight  Be there 7:10 PM Aloha!

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Here is the press release that came with this pic:

 

 

 

HOWARD JOHNSON TRANSITIONS FROM THE DIAMOND TO THE SAND COURT FOR THE
CUERVO BEACH CITY CHALLENGE

 

Mets Coach/Legend Competes With & Against Top AVP Pros

at South Street Seaport

 

 

 Howard “HoJo” Johnson, NY Mets legend and current team hitting coach joined Team Cuervo, 14 of the

hottest athletes on the beach this morning at the South Street Seaport bringing all the excitement of

professional beach volleyball to Manhattan with the Cuervo Beach City Challenge.  Local fans

were able to come out and set, serve and spike against AVP pros and “Hojo” at the South Street Seaport,

which was transformed with 120 tons of sand, official AVP court set-up and the players themselves.

 

 

 

  1 Attached Images

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Some quick observations on last night All Star game as I have a busy day with more baseball practice as our All Star team gets ready for our first game Saturday:

Let’s hope that’s the last save Billy Benitez blows this year, although I think that’s wishful thinking.

I was praying that both teams would run out of pitchers as because nothing makes me happier than seeing The Used Car Salesman get embarrassed.

Forget Raul Ibanez I WANT ICHIRO NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yogi Berra annoys the living shit out of me and this goes back to 1973 and his misuse of his pitching staff in the post season for the Mets (his misuse of George Stone in particular Yes I hold grudges forever) Now that Berra is old and feeble why put him on TV? The guy mumbled when he was young now he is incoherent. How many more Yogi-isms do we have to endure and to top off the embarrassment he called Doofus Joe Buck, “Jay” when he was interviewed all the while TIm Mc Fullofshit had his hand on Berra’s thigh like he wanted to give him a hand job. Very uncomfortable TV.

Speaking of uncomfortable TV Do you know how tough it is to watch a ball game and have ads for hard on pills and prostrate trouble with your soon to be 13 year old son? When the Flomax ad comes on my son asked me “how’s your prostrate dad”? Something in 100 million years I would never had asked my old man, so I tell it’s A-OK and thanks for asking. Then the Viagra ad comes on and I glance over at him and he’s looking at me and I tell him “Don’t even go there” then after a long pause I tell him as if I was under oath in front of Congress, “I have never used performance enhancing drugs” 

I hate the Highlanders but I think even after last night I hate them more, I will be rooting hard for the Red Sox to win the AL East and for Johnathan Paplebon to kick the Bronx Bastards ass.

One more Mets- less day seems like a month since J-Man boys played Bring On The Red Legs 

  

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I not usually a big fan of the Home Run Derby but I must say last nights event was astonishing. Between the life story of Josh Hamilton, who still has to have a chaperone to keep him on the straight and narrow, and his home run hitting prowess and having Clay Counsil his 71 year old batting practice pitcher was something to behold. You have to had to sit in the upper deck of that stadium in the Bronx to really appreciate how majestic those home runs were that Hamilton launched. Even the ones that were blasted into the Calcutta Section of the Stadium (a/k/a the bleachers) were one of a kind jolts. The guy I felt bad for was Justin Morneau who won due to the fact that Hamilton was exhausted. Morneau looked embarrassed to take the trophy and he even tried to get away from being interviewed by Erin Andrews and no one runs AWAY from the lovely Erin.

 

Looking back on the Mets first half it’s hard to believe that on June 24^th this team was ready to have 25 toe tags attached to thier feet. That was the night the Seattle Mariners, used Oliver Perez and Claudio Vargas as batting practice pitchers to the tune of an 11-0 win. That series deflated all of us and the Highlander series was break even as was the Cardinal series, then came the series I figured would end my summer. On July 4^th the Mets headed down to Philly with Johan Santana pitching in the game we all could not wait for since he came over in the winter. He pitched a game that was ace worthy but came out of the game after eight innings 2-2. I wanted Santana to come out for the ninth but J- Man felt he had enough and brought tin Dirty Duaner who got Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell to strike out but allowed Pedro Feliz to nail a double down the left field line and then Shane Victorino followed that with a game wining single to right and I was ready to shift into who gives a fuck mode as it pertained to the 2008 Mets season. But a funny thing happened since that loss and that’s the Mets haven’t lost a game since. All of a sudden Big Pelf (Congrats on Player of the Week Award) OP and the bullpen grew balls of steel and Fernando Taits turned back the clock, Gimp Castillo and his walker got out of the way and new Warlord Jerry/Dean of Old School Warthen way of doing business took over and the Mets looked transformed. Now remember before we all pee our pants with joy, these are New York Mets so while I love the atmosphere on Sunday night as Pelf went all Tom Seaver on the Rockies ass I keep telling myself my heart still has scars from this organization so I still need to see a bit more before I fall over myself and say THE METS ARE BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I saw today that the Mets are not planning any type of Mike Piazza Day this year not even when the Countdown to the last game at Shea gets to 31 and that’s just a really really bad move by the Mets no not just bad but embarrassing.

 

Joel Sherman in his column in the Post says Omar will not be active in the trade market. While I think that Omar is a first class sand bagger, he not only doesn’t have many trading chips but they can’t give up any more prospects as the farm system needs to be left to grow. I do believe one thing Omar said that the Mets can not do anymore of those 4 for 1 deals. Left the Teen Aged Hitting Machine go another two or three weeks at Bingo then bring him up and spot him with Tatis and Anderson or Pagan in LF and take your chances. 

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Spent the day at the Poor Man’s Rivera (Coney Island) and after strolling the Boardwalk where I saw women in bikinis who should not wear bikinis and women in bikinis that made you very happy the bikini was invented, plus Salsa music at high volume and the always popular Shoot The Freak (The Freak is a guy in body armor who runs around an alley hiding while people shoot him with paint balls, in the old days it would have been bullets) and then off to Keyspan Park (I guess they will change the name to National Grid Park soon as there is no more Keyspan or so my gas bill says) to see the Brooklyn Cyclones.

 

Not much offense out the Brooklyn Nine but there were some good points of interest. RHP and 2008 Sandwich Pick Brad Holt pitched a great game. Holt K’d 10 Spikes and walked but 2 in 7 innings of work.  In 23 innings pitched Holt has now K’d 30 and walked just 10. I was sitting in the Bleachers so I could not gauge his speed to well but from watching State College hitters look absolutely clueless on off speed and breaking balls, Holt looked like he had a grasp on how to pitch. Ike Davis just looks like a player maybe its being the son of a former Major Leaguer and growing up in the Highlander clubhouse but he has good size (6’4”) and looks like he could be a very good power hitter. Angel Pagan was in RF for Brooklyn. His right arm seems to be in fine working order as he threw a runner out at the plate from right on the fly. Pagan’s trouble is hitting from the right side due to what is now revealed as a torn labrum (Mets management has to stop bullshiting the Mets fans about injuries and start being more honest. Remember as bad as a lie is, the cover up is worse) the fans in the Bleachers starting chanting “An-gel Pa-gan” as he took his spot in RF and he gave a nice wave. Then the fans did the “Angel Wings” like wave and Pagan turned around and laughed when he saw it and proceeded to give the “Angel Wing Wave” back to the fans who were most appreciative. Oh yeah, the Cyclones won 2-0 to top off a great day in Brooklyn

 

The emergence of Big Pelf is one of the best stories this franchise has seen I years. All the angst and worry about Pelf have been put to rest as Big Pelf took his first curtain call of his career and after all the negiviative reaction to his performances he was grateful for the love. No crying about bad treatment just a cool and calm confidence that he has turned the corner from prospect to solid starter and is now looking at rotation main stay next.  

 

With all the winning and solid play the best part of last nights game was in the top of  the 8^th when the Rockies got a couple of base runners. With Joe Smith and Pedro Feliciano warming in the pen. D-Wright went to the mound followed by Castro, Delgado, Jose Reyes and Pitching Coach Dan Warthen. Wright covered his face to not show the smile on his face and Pelf looked like he was cracking a joke, Delgado had his arm around Reyes and Warthen strolled on and off the mound like he checking if the plants needed water. There is such a calm, loose feeling around the team and even though no one wants to say bad things about Willie Randolph you can tell it was a tension convention when he was in charge.

 

I went to the last All Star Game at Highlander Stadium back in 1977. I was just about to turn 19 years old and was working the summer at Century 21 Department Store on Cortland St. I built displays in the stores and did handy work and chased shoplifters. The store was owned by the Gindi family and Mr. Gindi game by our lunch room with a stack of tickets for the game and gave a bunch of us grunts tickets gratis. Now back then I was a bit of a run around and I had few beers in me so my recollection of the game is a bit fuzzy but I do remember Greg “The Bull” Luzinski putting on a home run display during batting practice (there was no Home Run Derby in the olden days kids) and Tom Seaver making his return to NYC after THE TRADE to the Reds. I think that’s why I got tanked as the sight of Seaver in a Cincinnati Reds uni broke my heart.

 

I am about ready to highjack a bulldozer and knock down Highlander Stadium myself as I am sick of the gushing over this place. When you rate ball parks to me Wrigley Field and Fenway Park are BASEBALL PARKS that make you feel like your back when men wore straw hats and you know that the greats of the game actually played there. Highlander Stadium for what it’s worth was torn down in the early 70’s and rebuilt to what you have today. There’s not much resemblance from the “old” to the “new” and if the place is so fucking revered why did they have to build another one? I usually buy a shirt of whatever Mets player makes the team but between Jose Reyes getting snubbed (a total miscarriage of justice that the main stream press in this town has failed to go in depth on as it would cut into their weeping of the last year of the House The Gambino Crime Family Made A Mint On closes) and everything has Highlander written all over it so I’ll pass and by another Mr. Mets shirt instead.

 

Howard Megdal has a column today in the New York Observer on Fernando Martinez-a/k/a The Teen Aged Hitting Machine. With this resurgence of the team the Mets (Omar Minaya) has to figure out how to add an outfielder and not give up the prize prospect in return or does Omar promote The Teen Aged Hitting Machine at the end of the month?

 

Classy move by Davey Johnson yesterday as he wore a Mets Cap as manager of the Team USA in the Futures game.

 

 

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Ahhhhh it’s great to be back in NYC with real plumbing and quality pizza and Chinese food (the two staples of my existence) and a first place (why quibble over a 1/2 game) baseball team.

8 in a row and I don’t care if it’s against the teams of the worst division in baseball , that’s what quality baseball teams do beat the shit out of the lesser lights and battle the big boys so don’t sell this streak short especially the pitching. The bullpen has been lights out and the starters have looked positively 1969-ish in fact this team looks that way lately with Tatis, Endy, Easley and Catro becoming this years Al Weiss, Rod Gaspar and J.C. Martin so maybe just maybe this is the turning point we have been waiting for.

Warlord Jerry is making his mark as Mets manager as the anti Willie as you listen to players being asked tough questions about the difference between Willie and J-Mann and each guy is trying to be as diplomatic as possible but you can tell J-Mann has gotten more respect due to his fun but firm way of doing business.

My sympathies to the family of Bobby Murcer who passed away yesterday. Murcer was THE Highlanders back in th e70′s as the Mets owned NYC. While the Mets had Tom Seaver and Highlander fans would be distraut over every great start Seaver made and especially winning the World Series in 1969, the Bronx had Murcer who was their only star in those days of decline. Highlander fans were heartbroken as was Murcer when he was shipped to the Giants in October 1974 but the fact was the Mets had one a World Series and one a Pennant as the Ya Gotta Believe Mets and attendance at the Bronx Stadium was in the very low four figures so a shake up was needed. But all in all Murcer was a very classy man and will be missed by all NY baseball fans R I P Murce.

I’m running gout to church and few errands and then I’m going to Brooklyn to see the Cyclones for the first time this season and a good look at Ike Davis and maybe Brad Holt and Angel Pagan  will playing today so it should be fun

Work tomorrow. UGH! 

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I really need to get back to civilization but if the Mets keep winning while I’m away I may have to stay, and after my work release trip to town I’d have a few places to stay. If your a male 40+ with all your own teeth and not too much of a gut hanging over your pants and your looking for female companionship Narrowsburg NY is the place for you.  As my buddy Sal and I walked through the local Wal -Mart we got smiles and winks from the local cougars. I tell you what man can resist a middle aged woman in tight short-shorts, a butterfly tattoo, over flowing mid drift, bouffant hair doo and a Pall Mall in the corner of her mouth? 

It seems the whole no smoking in public places has not reached this part of the world as we ducked into a Chinese buffet for lunch, the hostess asked us “smoking or non-smoking” and we were dumbfounded so I stuttered “non smoking” and there were three tables in the that section and the two of us were the only diners in it.

I wonder if the Giants can hang around a while longer as they seem to have become to Mets the Mets what the Washington Generals have become to the Globe Trotters. Santana went just 77 pitches with the rain delay and from reading the game story wanted to stay in but Old School Dean Warthen felt it was wise to take him out and maybe spilt the game Sunday with Big Pelf.

My only fear with the resurgent Delgado is that Omar will sign him to an extension.

Really enough of waiting for Medicaid Moises just tell Randy Winn to hang around after today’s game.

I hope Ryan Church will be okay and this episode will have baseball do more work with their medical staffs on concussions.

I’m all for Vote for D-Wright for the All Star Game but why does Jose Reyes not get any love and support?

Our camp was woken up at 4 AM today when two Coyotes were howling right at our site. When I get back to the city, I’m going to kiss the concrete I feel like Ava Gabor on Green Acres ” I get allergic smelling hay, I just adore a penthouse view, Darling I love you but give me Park Avenue”        

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I feel like the Mets know I’m away from NYC and have decided to play their best baseball of the year.

Man, I woul dhave loved to have watched last nights game with Big Pelf out pitching the Freak Lincecum (kiss my blue and orange ass Chris Russo) in fact on the way to camp there was a sports/topless bar we passed on the way up named “Johnnies” and the joke at camp is when I guy comes back from taking a shower at night everyones says “where are you going? to Johnies”? From the look I’ve had of this town (Narrowsburg NY) I think I have a better pair of tits than the dancers at Johnnies. I just figure there are a lot of supper saggers and cottage cheese thighs there.

 The best part of the surge by the Mets is it’s what we have expcted from them. Reyes and Wright have been steady all year and with the abscence of Alou and Church we Mets fans have PLEADED with the Carlos’s to step up and FINALLY they have. Also the Warlord Jerry’s bench crew especially Fernando Tatis and Damien Easley have been big time contributors. The starting pitching for the most part has been stellar all we need is a the bullpen (Billy Benitez) to step up and put out the fires. Joe Smith has been the best out there but the team needs Santana, Maine and OP to join Big Pelf in going 6, or 7 innings.

Please forgive the spelling errors as I’m ready to run as today is Wal-Mart day where I get out of camp for a couple of hours to pick up some supplies and to eat a meal off a real plate. This place is must be what it’s like to be in a Federal lock up as dinner time at our camp site is like a scene out of Goodfellas  

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Well, not really west more south east from here is Philly as I’m on the NY-Pennsylvania border but any way when it hit the bunk in my tent last night I had no knowledge of the score of last nights game. I have a radio with me but you can’t get an AM signal and all that’s on the FM dial is bad lite music or hillbilly tunes. But when I went to sleep for some reason I just had a feeling that the Mets had won. My big fear when I’m up here, besides a bear having me for a late night snack is a Mets pitcher will pitch a no hitter and won’t see it live. Yeah I know it’s stupid but dumb shit always bothers me.

Anywhoo, when I got up this morning I opened my foot locker and right on top was my Mr Met t-shirt   and my Mets socks so I knew that was an omen that all things Mets were good.  So I grab my bag (this is 6 AM) and head off for a shower and to get dressed before making the camp breakfast. I see the lodge is open and I dash in click on the IE and type in espn.com and my heart is racing.

As the site pops up I see “Mets hang on for 10-9 win” OH SHIT I goots read this game story. How devestaing would it have been to lose tha tgame My God a 9 run lead evaporating like that. Maybe it’s a good thing I neither saw or heard this game 

First things first. The NL players did the Mets and their fans a favor by not naming D-Wright and Jose Reyes to the All Star team as both players have taken this disrecpet and are taking it out on the baseball. Wright has 21 HR and 70 RBI but no berth in the All Star game Miguel Tejada goes over Reyes is a joke but this is the kicking the ass the team has needed thank you NL players.

BIlly Wags better get over this bout of Benitezitis quick and Omar Minaya needs to make a move that does not involve bringing up any more Zephrys. We need bullpen help and we need it fast.

Petey stepped up with 105 pitches through 5 but the Mets need a better from him.

Warlorad Jerry got tossed I see following a disputed HR call that’s three ejections in half a year for J-Man more than the last guy had in 3 1/4 years as bench boss   

The second half schedule favors the Mets with more home games than road and their furthest trip to Houston.

Looks like we’re back in bring on the Giants

I give all you out of town Mets fans a load of credit for following the Mets the way you do it’s not easy when you can’t watch or listen to your favorite team every night.

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