For myself my tears just fall into dust,
Day will dry them, night will find they are lost.
Now I find the wind is blowing time into my heart,
Let the rain fall, for we are apart.

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It’s up to Big Pelf to bail out the Mets today and gain a spilt with the “Stros. Speaking of Big Pelf, how come I couldn’t find a PELFREY 34 T-Shirt at Shea Stadium? I looked at the souvenir stands on the Upper Deck and outside the Stadium and not one PELFREY 34 shirt. I admit I didn’t ‘t go to the team store as I was hell bent to get my free sports bag as my other fifteen or so other Mets sports bags don’t get lonely. I have so many Mets bags from giveaway days that when we go on vacation my van looks like the Mets equipment truck. It’s not just sports bags either it’s coffee mugs, lunch bags, bobbleheads, pens, key chains, t shirts, seat cushions, baseball cards, 2000 NL Pennant flags and my prized possession a CD of Meet The Mets, original and 80’s version and an instrumental played  by Jane Jarvis.  That list doesn’t even count the blankets, drawstring bags and hats I have from filling out credit card applications.  Yes I am seeking help for my Mets tchotchke addiction.

I was ready to get on the bully pulpit on how the Mets need to shut down John Maine right now but Mike Silva at NY Baseball Digest saved me the venom (by the way while your at Mike’s site click on his link to his interviews which are fantastic), it is admirable that Maine has taken on pitching through pain and that he has put team before self but he really is not helping the team or himself if his signature pitch the late giddy up fastball has lost it late jump. As we witnessed on Saturday without that second wind his fastball is very hittable. If surgery is needed then do it now so he is ready for spring ’09. Maine is way too valuable to the Mets to mess around like this.

It’s not time to think about the off season I know but when it comes to focusing in on who the Mets need to go after in the free agent market the number one name on their list had better be C.C Sabathia. With all the money the Mets are making, money is no object they have to be major players for Sabathia. Forget about Texieira I WANT CC.

I wish I knew what is really going on with Gimp Castillo? Did he beg out of activation on Saturday? Did Warlord Jerry win his power play with Omar? Is he not ready for prime time physically and or mentally to play? Or is it that he sees the team playing winning baseball and is putting team before himself?

Tonight at Shea the Shea-Goodbye Countdown goes to 16 remaining games. Yesterday Mex took down number 17 as he should but tonight the man who should take down number 16 will not be in attendance and it breaks my heart. Dwight Gooden for what ever reason has be estranged from the organization that gave him his start and put up with a lot of bullshit along the way and has aligned himself as more of a Bronx Bastard than a a Met. Doc was never known for making good decisions. What makes it even sadder is today is the anniversary of Doc becoming the youngest pitcher in the modern era to win 20 games in a season when he did it as a 20 year old back in 1985. Yeah kids, those were the days

Great story by Bob Klapish in yesterday’s Bergen Record (tip of the Mets cap to Repoz and the Baseball Think Factory) on his journey back from his devastating injury while pitching in a semi pro game. Scary stuff. Get well soon Klapper.

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The idea of the slider is to fool the batter that it’s a fastball but then when it breaks the way it should (like down and away or down and in) it should it is an extremely effective pitch but it is also a high risk, high reward pitch especially when Pedro Feliciano throws it.  So today Feliciano took a risk and threw a slider to a couple of guys Brad Asmus and Darin Erstad who had five HR’s combined coming into the game and instead of just challenging both batters Feliciano goes with sliders which hung just enough over the middle of the for both batters to tee off and take him long. As the Bobby Valentine always says, Proper preparation prevents piss poor performance, that saying should be hung in Pedro Feliciano’s locker.

I have to say I love that the Shea in game staff was hip enough to play the Dropkick Murphy’s when Daniel Murphy comes to bat, I am curious if he chose that or not.

Today I was in beautiful Bay Ridge Brooklyn and as we were walking on 5th Ave I passed a sporting goods store named LEDGENDS. They had a rack on the side walk of MLB baseball jerseys on sale for 10 bucks. No bullshit these were like $200 jerseys with names and numbers sewed on for 10 bucks. The problem was most were Cardinal jerseys with Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds names on them so they were out. There were Red Sox road jersey with RAMIREZ on them so no go there either as were the Cubs, Phillies and the Mets Tom Glavine top. But there was one that caught my eye and after a lot of thinking and putting it back, picking it up, putting it back, I said “ah what the hell I got to take this for 10 bucks” it’s a home pinstripe Mets with 44 MILLEDGE on the back For a double fin I’ll represent for my boy LMILLZ.

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The Mets are rolling. Since July 1 to today the boys in Orange and Blue are 32-15 and winners of 14 of their last 18. With a 2 ½ game lead over the Phillies and a macho performance by Johan Santana last night Metsdom should be as giddy as Jeffey Skill Sets when he’s opening up the season ticket renewals. But of course there always has to be a turd in the punch bowl.

Gimp Castillo who has been a way from the team for what seems like three months has bogarted his way back into the starting lineup in what looks to be the first power struggle loss under the rule of Warlord Jerry. This is Omar Minaya pulling th “I’m the boss” card out on J-Man as Manuel knows he’ got a good thing going here and doesn’t want it disturbed. It’s not so much that Gimp is back in action, it’s more who gets the furlough to NOLA that is disturbing.

Look we can all read and the number that Gimp has over both Argenis Reyes and Damien Easley is his OBP of .365 which is superior to Reyes (.297) and Easley (.312) so if it were a question of the Mets needing an offensive shot in the arm then Gimp coming back would be greatly anticipated. But offense has not been a problem for the team since Gimp went out in fact the resurgence of Carlos Delgado and the LF platoon of the Gold Dust Twins added to the resurgence of Fernando Tatis makes the Mets offense one of the deepest and most productive in baseball. Sure the offense has helped the Mets-troliner get back on track but the biggest ingredient to the surge has been starting pitching and defense which always go hand in hand.

When you have a strong up the middle defense like the Mets have now with the Reyes-Reyes/Easley-Beltran tag team, it gives your pitching staff a little more confidence to pitch to contact because of the great faith they have in their fielders. That’s what Argenis and Easley have brought to the table that Gimp hasn’t. Gimp is shell of himself in the field and like the Visa commercial where everyone on line has a Visa check card and then one guy stops the line by writing a check that’s what Gimp will bring when he comes back. The baseball term on offense is when your down by a lot runs and you need a big inning when guys get on base you will hear from the bench”Just keep the line moving” and that’s what J-Man wants for his defense to keep the outs coming and he knows with Gimp out there that could be a problem.

But J-Man like most of us has a boss and his boss is Omar Minaya and not only is J-Man limited in his taking on the boss as he still has the”interim” tag next to his name he also has to know the burden Omar has with the albatross contract around his neck that is Gimps ridiculous deal. As bad as that signing has been for Omar and the Mets it’s unfair to kill him on it as so far Minaya has made many more positives moves than bad during his rein as Mets boss. If he could have just found a way to keep Gimp away from the team until September 1, that would have been another check maker in the positive column for him.

Meanwhile with all the bloviating I just got finished doing I will still be cheering for Gimp tonight as he is a Met and we have something very special going on here at Shea, that’s why I leave all my “hatein’” here and not at the ball park.

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I hope to make it down to Foley’s for the festivities. Check out the details below:

Tug McGraw, Mets Groundskeeper Pete Flynn, John Flaherty, Sean Casey and the Legendary Connie Mack Among Inductees in

Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame

Tues, Aug. 26, 2008

Foley’s NY Recognizes Baseball Players, Managers, Executives, Journalists and Entertainers of Irish Descent

WHAT:           Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame – Unveiling of plaques, induction of “The Starting Nine”

WHO:            

1.      Connie Mack, baseball’s winningest manager – Represented by daughter Ruth Mack Clark, age 94

2.      Sean Casey, Red Sox 1B known as “The Mayor” – ATTENDING

3.      Tug McGraw, Mets and Phillies reliever – Represented by his son, Mark

4.      Pete Flynn, Shea Stadium’s longtime groundskeeper – ATTENDING

5.      John Flaherty, YES Network announcer, former player – ATTENDING

6.      Jeff Horrigan, Red Sox beat reporter – ATTENDING

7.      Arthur “Red” Foley, Longtime official scorer and sports columnist

8.      Mark McGwire, A’s and Cardinals slugger

9.      Kevin Costner, star of Field of Dreams and Bull Durham

WHEN:          Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Noon– 1:00 p.m.

WHERE:       Foley’s NY Pub & Restaurant

18 W. 33^rd Street (near 5^th Ave, across from Empire State Bldg)

WHY:             To celebrate the contributions of Irish Americans to the game of baseball.  Immigrants and their descendants have long been an important to baseball; during the early 1900s, an estimated one-third of players were either immigrants or first generation Irish Americans.  Foley’s Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame celebrates current and former players, executives, umpires, sportswriters, and entertainers with Irish connections who have made the significant contributions to the national past time.

Foley’s, the “Irish bar with a baseball attitude,” is adorned with 1,800 autographed balls, 300+ bobbleheads, game-worn jerseys, stadium seats and other artifacts that make Foley’s New York’s best baseball bar and one of the best sports bars in America. Visit www.foleysny.com

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I guess for most of Metsfandom the turning point of last nights game was Carlos Delgado lost in the lights game winning single that scored a head first diving David Wright to give the Mets a come from behind win. But for me the turning point was the top of the 7th inning and the show of cajones by Petey. After giving up a first pitch home run to Yunel Escobar, the next five innings Petey was in control making pitch after pitch in the strike zone with marksman persicion. But then in the 6th, he got in trouble and let three runs score for the Braves to take a 4-3 lead. But Petey came out for the 7^th and this is where his cajones came into play. You can work on mechanics and arm slots and pitch selection but either you‘ve got balls or you don’t and what we know about Petey is he’s got platinum nuts. He got the Braves three up three down and the Mets in the bottom of the inning tied the score on Nick Evans double and Carlos Delgado infield single and some help from a suddenly inept Atlanta defense. At 100 pitches Petey should have been done as he did his job but he came out for the 8^th inning and after a lead off single was done for the night as Pedro Feliciano and Luis Ayala providing solid relief work. But as I say that top of 7 stands out to me as Petey being Petey and that should make all fans smile today.

Great move by SNY to put a camera in the tunnel leading to the Mets clubhouse. Just watching Fernando Tatis jump up and down like a kid greeting his teammates as they were coming off the field lends you to believe that there something special happening here. That and the site of Mets players led by Johan Santana wearing inside out rally caps shows that the fun is back in Flushing.

I love Tom Seaver like he was a member of my family but I really don’t need to hear him in the booth with Gary, Keith and Ron during a game while we are in a pennant run. If SNY wants to do an hour long interview with The Franchise I’d watched until my eye balls bled but while there is a game going on I don’t need to any convoluted bullshit in the booth .I also can do without Seaver belittling the Mets pitchers for not kissing his ring when he was talking to them about pitching, maybe if you came around more often Tom, they’d listen more closely. SNY mane up for though when they sent Mex and Darling to seats behind home plate for up close and personal analysis.

I kind of feel sad for Gimp Castillo as the Mets are hoping they can stash him away for  more 12 more days when the rosters can be expanded as J-Man really wants no part of him on the team. Even when he does come back it looks like just cameo appearances for Gimp.

Ryan Church on the other hand will be welcome back tonight with open arms and will most likely platoon (though not a strict platoon) with Fernando Tatis and the Gold Dust Twins keep their gig in LF.

I just knew that MLB and ESPN would do this to us. They have switched the September 7 Mets-Phillies game to 8:05PM Great. The next day is the first full day of school for my kids and its Johan Santana Bobble head Day (Night?) and it was supposed to be a Dyna-Mets Dash day. So thank you Skill Sets, Used Car Salesman, and the assholes in Bristol CT for fucking up a nice Sunday afternoon for me and other Mets fans.  

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I’ve been to 10 games at Shea so far this season and I’ll be back there this weekend and every time I go I look over at our new palatal playpen that is near completion and I stare at it with both eager anticipation and some sadness. I’m happy because it’s new and will have state of the art amenities that we fat cat Americans can’t live without. The sadness is, the more I hear about this Jackie Robinson Rotunda and the marble entrance and all the grandeur, I keep thinking there will be a shoe check stand at the front gate and don’t even think of putting your feet up on the new railings. Aside from the physical characteristics I worry about the “soul” of the new place. Shea has ‘soul” and last night you felt it.

The last three innings last night when Big Pelf took the mound was classic Shea. All I needed was for Gary Cohen to put on a multi color sports coat and morph into Lindsay Nelson. I though of Nelson last night during the game because he knew how to give you the feel of the crowd. I could just here him say “and “Michael Pelfrey will be out on the mound for the 9^th inning, Michael Pelfrey” . Last night’s game proved a few points. First, when Shea is packed and the Mets are rolling there is no better place in the world to be. Second,  Mets fans know pitching and love pitching as we have been a pitching first organization since Roger Craig took on the St Louis Cardinals on April 11, 1962 and when we see a guy like Big Pelf who was drafted and nurtured by the Mets and face more downs than ups and then finally finds the formula to be a big time big league pitcher we show our approval by making the stadium’s foundation rock like it was last night.  The team is rolling right now and while it’s way to early to think about October, for one night at least the team and Mike Pelfrey gave us a night that during the dead of winter you think about and anticipate spring.

No surprise that the Mets signed Al (Don’t tase me Bro) Reyes and according to Omar Minaya, Reyes passed up a chance to go right to the majors with another team to sign with the Mets and work out of Bingo for a while. Hopefully Bing pitching coach Ricky Bones can get Reyes ready for big league action soon.

The casualties of the baseball season are coming back to Flushing little by little. First it looks like Ryan Church will be back this weekend and from what Warlord Jerry is saying he will be part of a right field platoon with Fernando Tatis. They will join the left field platoon of the Gold Dust Twins Daniel Murphy and Nick Evans. Then you have the platoon at second base of Easley Reyes which J-Man is standing his ground on that Argenis does not go back to NOLA for Gimp Castillo. In fact it looks like J-Man will get his way as the Mets are ready to send Gimp back to St Lonesome to work on his bat in other words sit tight until September 1 there Gimp.

Titan Tom Glavine will have surgery on his left elbow but don’t worry he’s not devastated.

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Sorry for the late posting but I’ve been on the phone with Barack Obama as he is pleading with me to be his running mate in Novemeber. I’m taking time to contemplate what to do. Obama has promised me that when we win in Novemeber my duties as Vice President will not take away from my blogging about the Mets, in fact he assured me of being at opening day next year at $iti Field as I woud be his rep at the game. This is a very tough decison I have to make. J-Man thinks he has it tough.

I have to give credit to the Mets relievers, they are far more restrained than I could ever be if I were in their shoes. Everyday now that Billy Wags looks like he’s done for the year (you know one the inflammation in his elbow goes down an MRI will show a tear, it’s Mets luck kids) their ability, guts and talent are questioned by the fans, media and the manager and not one guy has exploded in anger. I wish I had that kind of temperament because I know if I were a Mets reliever I’d have told this whole city to go fuck itself by now.

Here is what me, you the media and the players need to get into their heads, there is no white knight on the way to close out games for the Mets. If the Mets and I mean Omar, Jeffy and Tony B even think about dealing Nick Evans, Dan Murphy, Jon Neise or the Teen Aged Hitting Machine for some ragged arm reliever off the wavier wire then the name of the blog will be changed to I Hate The Mets. No one is going to hand over a reliever to the Mets (Nick Evans for David Weathers? I will burn every piece of Mets clothing and memorabilia I have if that deal is ever made ) and the Phillies will block every wavier move that favors the Mets so forget it. The best you can hope for right now is that Al (Curly) Reyes, joins Jose (Moe) Reyes and Argenis (Larry) Reyes as the Mets have done well with guys named Reyes.

Oh and scratch Todd Jones off your wish list as he just landed on the DL with a sore shoulder.

If John Maine were healthy he would move to the closer role but with his shoulder problems you can’t ask him to pitch on an day to day basis, in fact when he does start it looks like 5 to 6 innings tops is what your going to get out of him so the four days rest he gets between starts is much needed. Forget Petey as well even though he has the mind set and heart to close he just doesn’t have the pitching arsenal to succeeded in that spot. OP? to valuable as a starter. Santana? “Nuff said. That leaves Big Pelf and if in the next two weeks that no one steps up and does the job Big Pelf would be the guy that heads to the pen. If Pelfrey were a big strike out guy the move would have been made already I think but since he’s not then the Mets brass will use him in the late innings only as a last resort. He woul dsuced there for the fact that he has mastered hitting the low strike zone and can induce double plays . If the Mets can’t find someone to step in or step up and they do make the post season more likely than not Big Plef will head to the pen.

Now I’m calling on citizens from all over the world this is Captain America calling.

Hey things could be worse, Carl Pavano could be your starting pitcher

This has to be seen to be believed.

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Al Reyes refused assginment to the minors is now a free agent.  I have a feeling that Todd Jones will be closing games for the Mets by Saturday

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Listening to Edward R Francesa from Jets camp and he just gave the bad news that Billy Wags is down and out as his elbow and forearm are still hurting and it looks like Omar and the Brain (farts) trust are looking at making John Maine the closer.  Whatever way the Mets go, hopefully they make a fast and firm decision instead of the straddle the fence way they have done things the last few years. As my Latino buddies say “Put on your belt Omar, and take charge” If it’s Maine so be it but lets get together with J-Man and Old School Dean Warthen and make a decision. This mix and match bullshit has got to go. The relievers need to know the plan of attack and so do Mets fans.

I don’t ask for much, I only want your trust and you know it don’t come easy”

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