Trying to watch both the Mets-Pads game and Rangers-Caps Game 1 sticking mostly with the Rangers (who are up 3-2 after 2 periods and without a doubt if Alexander Ovechkin played at the 53 rd St park in Brooklyn, he’d get his ass kicked every game.

Looks like Good Ollie has made his 2009 debut tonight so far it’s 2-1 Mets after 5 hopefully Good Ollie can last until the 7th so the firm of Putz & Rodriguez can close this one out.

Long day today as my kids are still home on Easter break so we had to hit the city for the day of theatre lunch and shopping so I’m beat and broke ( a bad combination ) so after reading my e-mails I’m ready for baseball and hockey for the evening.

Back in the A.M

Posted under Uncategorized

The Nats sent Lasting Milledge to Syracuse today to unclog a logjam in the outfield and to discipline Milledge who is now in the middle of a battle between Manny Acta and GM Mike Rizzo.

Seems that the immature Milledge failed to show up for  a team meeting and new GM Rizzo wanted to optioned him on the spot to the bush league but Acta took Millz back and fought for a fine instead.  But Milledge has not responded at bat and has looked foolish in the outfield so Rizzo pulled rank on Acta and sent Milledge packing.

The question is , is this a disipline puishment for a couple of weeks or was it a just fed up with all the bullshit this talented but babyish behavior that  Milledge is known for and he spends the rest of the season Upstate NY?

Posted under Uncategorized

 

 

 

When I’m working with the kids I coach, I sometimes get a bit over enthused about pitching. I love pitching. I love watching a pitcher work. I love when a pitcher is on his game and controlling the tempo and flow of the game. I love when a pitcher doesn’t have his best stuff and tries to get by with whatever is working. I get caught up sometimes to the point I have to say to myself “too much inside baseball, keep it simple” but I can’t help it I love pitching and that’s why I love Ron Darling’s new book THE COMPLETE GAME, Reflections on Baseball, Pitching, and Life on the Mound (Published by KNOPF)

 

Darling splits the book into Innings and recounts games, some he pitched in, some he broadcast and gives the reader an education in how a pitcher goes about his business on the mound and his preparation off it as well. Darling gives us insight in what goes through a pitchers mind when it comes to pitch selection, how the pitcher keeps a Rolodex of batters in his head and how scouting reports click in during the at bat and his plan of attack.

 

You get a feel for the life a player leads in the minors to how his life changes when he gets “The Call”

 

As great as Darling is on TV with his analysis he’s even better on the printed page. This book is not just a book for Mets fans but for all baseball fans who want some good solid “Inside Baseball” reporting.   

Ron Darling will be at BORDERS  @ 100 Broadway today at 12:00PM to sign copies of his book

Posted under Uncategorized

Former Mets great Dwight Gooden will be at MODELLS at W 42 ST & 7 Ave tomorrow Wednesday April 15^th  from 3:30PM to 4:45 PM to celebrate the new MO’S ZONE and MODELLS CLUBHOUSE at Citi Field. Doc Gooden will be joined by Seth Horowitz, the President of MODELLS SPORTING GOODS and Mitchell Modell the CEO of MODELLS.

 

Here is what you get at THE MO ZONE and MODELLS CLUBHOUSE:

      The Mo¹s

Zone area of Citi Field is an exciting area in the brand new ball

park that will quickly become a fan-favorite destination for passionate fans

to cheer on their NY Mets.

* This area will be the new home for the best Mets fans in New York!

 

* In right/right-center field at Citi Field, there are two field-level

sections of seating that together make up an area which will quickly become

known as The Mo’s Zone.

 

* The Mo¹s Zone area is led-off by a 72 foot span across the outfield

warning track where the traditional padded outfield wall is replaced by a

chain link fence.

* Directly above this span of fence is the Mo¹s Zone fan section

(specifically seating sections #101 & #102). Within this area will sit

nearly 400 of the most passionate Mets fans known to mankind.  The area will

be full of energy and is uniquely tucked beneath the porch overhead which

hangs 18 feet out and over the playing field.

 

* Beneath the Mo’s Zone lives The Modell’s Clubhouse.  The Modell¹s

Clubhouse is set behind the chain link fence and will consist of

dugout-style benches backed by five full sized garage-style overhead doors.

Those doors open up to a private fan hospitality area which can accommodate

up to 70 fans.  The only thing that will separate fans in the Modell¹s

Clubhouse from the playing field is the chain link fence.  Fans attending a

game inside the Modell¹s Clubhouse will be as close to the playing field

 

during the game as you can get without being one of the players!

 

MAKING THE MO¹S ZONEŠ. THE MO¹S ZONE

 The Mo’s Zone and Modell’s Clubhouse will surely become areas in high

demand for those fans looking to experience the game in a truly memorable

way.

 

So come on out tomorrow between 3:30-4:45 at MODELLS at W 42 ST & 7 Ave to meet Doc Gooden and find at more about the MO ZONE and MODELLS CLUBHOUSE at Citi Field 

Posted under Uncategorized

So where do we begin with the First Night of $iti Field?

 

The opening was very nice I hear (I Tivo’d the pre game and I’ll watch it tonight as I ran a practice for my Babe Ruth League team last night that I wanted to do an hour and lasted two hours instead ) as The Franchise and Mike Piazza staged a sequel to the closing of Shea with the first pitch at $iti. At least The Franchise stayed for the game as Piazza I guess scared of having to answer any questions about PED’s took a powder after the ceremony. Should have brought Jerry Grote in instead, he never ducked anything.

 

You know what’s missing from $iti Field? Signage  Not enough advertising signs <eye’s rolling>

 

Okay yes I get it the food is wonderful at the new ballpark. The team can’t catch and has pitching question marks and clutch hitting is still a foreign substance but the food is really good <both eyes rolling> Maybe the team will perform as good as the Shake Shack or Box Frites some day.

 

I guess Big Pelf couldn’t build off his last start where he started like shit but finished strong. I wasn’t concerned until I heard J-Man on the post game saying he was concerned about Big Pelf so now I’m concerned and I guess you should be too.

 

Like a lot of Mets bloggers I was a Heath Bell fan and thought the Mets handled him badly but you know what Heath? Time to shut the fuck up! You too Duaner, especially you Duaner. If you put half the energy into to training that you do in running your mouth you might still be here. Sanchez has questioned why he had to prove himself in spring training as he is clueless that he never stepped up when counted on last year. Enjoy San Diego fellas’ and the dog days of August when you’re in last place.

 

I know with the novelty of the new stadium (I’m going Saturday and I’m leaving my scorebook home as I know I’ll be spending more time out of my seat than in it) and everyone is milling about but the site of ass-less seats behind home plate can not make the Skill Sets happy.

 

I love the cat running on the field last night. I didn’t get a good look at the fleet feline until this morning when I picked up the Daily News and I did a double take as the cat looks just like one of our cats (Sandy) I have to frame that back cover.

 

 

I hope Omar read the game summary of the Dodgers-Giants game last night.

 

 

  

Posted under Uncategorized

 

Long time Phillies announcer Harry Kalas died this afternoon in Washington  D.C as he was preparing for tonight’s Phillies-Nats game.

Condolence to the Kalas family and to the Phillies organization

Posted under Uncategorized

 

 

 

 

The one bright spot in Daniel Murphy’s error yesterday was it verified my rant to every Little Leaguer I’ve ever coached “CATCH THE BALL WITH TWO HANDS”!!!!!!!

 

Murphy the outfielder is a work in progress and if you just read the headline you’d think Johan Santana was looking to jack up Murphy for costing him and the Mets a win but after you read the quotes, Santana came off showing leadership qualities instead of being a finger pointer:

 

 “It’s one mistake that he made. It cost us the whole ballgame, but its part of the game,” Santana said of Murphy’s gaffe. “I know he’s in a learning process. This is not going to be the first time. I don’t think it’s going to be the last one, either. The only thing is we learn from our mistakes. That’s all I can say. I’m pretty sure he’ll be back and try to do better.”

 

“We cannot afford to make a lot of mistakes,” he continued. “We were out by one game last year. Every game is very important. We have to do the routine plays, and I’m pretty sure (Murphy) was trying his best there and it didn’t work out.”

 

I have no problem with want Santana said as it’s true. Its basic baseball, don’t give the opposition more than 3 outs. When you do, you lose and Murphy’s error was negligence. I still love you Danny Boy but next time “TWO HANDS”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Do you get the feeling that if J-Man could have one wish it would be to have someone other than Gimp Castillo playing 2^nd base?

 

How about this, on this day in 1962 the New York Mets had their inaugural home opener at the Polo Grounds losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3. The “crowd” that day was 12, 447 which will be the same amount standing in the cue at the Shake Shack concession stand tonight at the Grand Opening of $iti Field.

 

Wouldn’t have been a nice idea to incorporate the first ever home game for the Mets with the first game at the Shea and $iti? You could introduce the starting lineups from each Mets team (or a surviving member of the players family) and how about this, Shea opened on April 17^th 1964 also against the Pirates and the Pirates won that one 4-3 as well. If MLB had used their heads and made the Pirates the Mets opponent in this first series then maybe Opening Day at $iti would have been in the day time?

 

Check out Adam Rubin’s Mets-Padres preview and to all you are headed to $ti tonight, ENJOY!!!!!!!  

  

 

 

 

 

Posted under Uncategorized

Happy Easter to all even though the weather in NYC feels more like Christmas. Tomorrow morning should be the last of the 30 degree temps in the morning so says Megan Glaros the weather honey on Ch 2. I think she said that but I’m not quite sure because every time I watch her give the weather reports I fall into a daze and just picture her telling me the forecast naked. Is Glaros hot? Muy caliente muchachos, muy caliente

Livan Hernandez may be just and innings eating back of the rotation pitcher but last night he was an artist. Hernandez proved everything that is the art of pitching. It doesn’t matter how hard you throw, if you have command of your pitches that you can hit whatever spot you want, then you’re a Master.

Jerry Manuel, Ryan Church has accepted your challenge

Two things went against Marlon Anderson, he hit left-handed and he wasn’t a pitcher so the Mets had to let him go. He shouldn’t have been with the team anyway as signing him to a two year deal was another Omar folly but Anderson did leave an impression on D-Wright and it seems he was more valuable to the team than most fans (me) felt:

 

“He was probably one of the most unselfish players that I’ve ever played with,”  

said. “He was always looking out for what he thought was the best thing for the team.”

 

That’s it for today. It’s Easter and I’m dining at my in laws today and want to get a good seat at the table so I can scarf down some lasagna (you can keep the lamb and the ham) and bogart the TV to watch the Mets . Later

 

David Wright

Posted under Uncategorized

The 6^th and 7^th innings last night summed up the Mets early and I mean realllllllllll early problem of not busting a game wide open. When the opportunity comes up to administer an ass kicking, championship teams kick ass, pretenders come up short.

Top of the 6^th the Mets catch a break as they couldn’t get a sniff of a rally off Anibal Sanchez but Freddi Gonzalez went to his pen and brought in Dan Meyer who promptly gave up a lead off homer to Carlos Beltran to get the Mets on the board. Ryan Church comes up next and singles and this is where you say “here comes the big inning”. Schneider sac bunts Church to 2^nd, a good play because odds are Schneider hits in to a DP in that spot, Gimp Castillo comes up with a man in scoring position and files out. With Castillo getting lifted for a pinch hitter (Jeremy Reed) in 9^th tells you the leash on Gimp is getting shorter and shorter. With 2 outs man on 2^nd Gary Sheffield bats for John Maine who was great last night but Dan Meyer wants no part of Sheffield and throws three pitches out of the strike zone and then Gonzalez orders Meyer to walk him. Respect thy names is an intentional walk. Up steps Jose Reyes and an awful at bat.

Meyer was shook up by the sight of Sheffield and couldn’t throw a strike. The first pitch to Reyes was ball 1. On the next pitch Meyers tries to hit the corner low and away put the pitch was out of the strike zone but of course that doesn’t stop Jose from reaching over and popping it up to RF for an easy fly ball out. Ever hear of take a strike Jose?

On to the Mets 7^th where Daniel Murphy leads off with a base hit (of course!) In comes non-roster invitee Kiko Calero (this looks to be the Marlins downfall, the bullpen that and not being able to play the Mets for 162 games) who walks D-Wright and hits Carlos Delgado with a pitch and the bags are drunk with Carlos Beltran up. Smells like a big inning right ?(“here we are now, entertain us”) uhhh NO!. Beltran drives in a run (a cheap Rib Eye Steak though) hitting into an FC but then Church walks and the bags are juiced once again as Fernando Taits bats for Schieder (J-Man ain’t fooling around, if you can’t hit you will sit) and misses a Grannie bythismuch and that would have broken this one up big. Wright scores and it’s 3-3 and if you want to take a positive out of the inning it’s that the Mets scored some runs late.

Gimp Castillo came up with 2 out worked the count 3-2 and let strike 3 sail over the plate. The clock is ticking fast on Gimp.

Posted under Uncategorized

Instead of ranting here on the Bad Ollie Experience of yesterday just listen to my rant on Pro Baseball Central from last night. I think I set a record for the most times using the phrase “consistency in the mechanics” Also Ben Kabak of River Ave Blues was on to talk Highlanders.

 

Of all people The Old Grumpy Man has a positive piece on Gary Sheffield joining the Mets.

 

Darren O’Day had a very tough day dealing with the death of Nick Adenhart. The LA Times also chronicles the long list of tragedies that have struck the Angels franchise.

 

You have got to go to the Gary, Keith and Ron site and purchase the new Ralph Kiner shirt. This t-shirt should be standard uniform for all Mets fans it’s absolutely stunning.

 

Thanks a lot David Lennon for now setting of a wide spread panic through out Mets Fandom.

Posted under Uncategorized