I ‘m getting ready to head for the hills A/K/A my annual week long camping trip with my sons Boy Scout Troop. Our camp may resemble the prison scene in Godfella’s as we’ve decided to cook all our meals this year. So we’ve packed up cans of crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, onions, peppers, chop meat and sauseeeege (Italian sausage to you out of towners.) so as the boys go off to earn their merit badges, the dads will be over a hot burner “makin’ the gravy”

The leaders office has computers and internet access so I should be able to put up a post or two during the week when I get a little time off from cooking, cutting wood and yelling at kids plus it’s the All-Star break so I won’t be missing much as I don’t revere the All Star game like I did when I was a kid so it might be a good time to go into the woods.

I haven’t read any game stories last from last night as I have a lot of last minute things to do before we leave so I’m still a little foggy on why Jose Reyes hit second last night and is schedule to hit in that spot again today. I’ve heard a theory that he is seeing a lot of sliders in the lead off spot so by flip floping Pagan and Reyes he may see more fastballs as Jose is still plagued by the sore oblique.  After watching Reyes slide back into second last night and coming up sore, I would think management would order him to forgo the All Star game and take the three days to rest his injury.

Hard to kill R A Dickey for last night as he continues to pitch great. If anything, the Mets half of the 6^th inning is what did the team in. With Ike Davis on second and Jason Bay on first, no one out, up steps Josh Thole. Ike is not exactly fleet of foot in fact, and I say this will all due respect, Ike has Ed Kranepool speed, and Thole, a contact hitter up, how about a hit and run? Nope, Jerry Manuel decides to go with the bunt, and Bobby Cox, being the Hall of Fame manager that he is, smelled it from a mile away so he put on the wheel play (a Bobby Valentine favorite play as well) where 3^rd baseman Omar Infante and 1^st baseman Troy Glauss charge in and mentally challenged short stop Yunel Escobar covers 3^rd and 2^nd baseman mar-TEEEN Prado covering first. The play worked for the Braves beautifully. If Thole was a little bit more experienced he would have pull back the bunt and swung away. As Keith Hernandez said, “Thole might have been afraid of his manager yelling at him” if he did that. If Manuel chastised Thole for a heads up play like that, then he’d be a more clueless strategist  than I make him out to be.

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You can excuse Mets fans for not getting all wrapped up in King Narcissism’ defection to South Beach as we have the most important 3 game series of the season starting tonight against our old nemesis the Atlanta Braves. But first a few words on LeBron.

LeBron James is the basketball equivalent of Alex Rodriguez, phenomenal talent but not a leader and not the type of player to carry a team or make his teammates better. LBJ will never be put in the pantheon of players like Bill Russell, Magic, Bird, or Kareem he proved that in Game 5 of the East Semi-Finals against the Celtics.

After losing to the C’s who were supposed to be too old and too broken down to beat the Cavs, LBJ, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, plotted a way to join forces. Bosh and Wade let it be known there was no way in hell they’d play in Cleveland. Chicago could not pay all three, neither could the Knicks, the only place that could handle all three monetarily was Miami, so that’s where the three ended up.

The fans of Cleveland have a right to be pissed as LBJ was not just a Cav but he is a born and bred Ohioan but he couldn’t take the pressure of being the “Man”. Same reason why he wanted no part of NYC, too much pressure. In South Beach, the pressure is on Pat Reilly, who has three superstars and no other players. The Heat, after dealing off Michael Beasley to Minnesota has to find 10 or 11 players at bargain basement price to build around the 3 stars. That’s why calling the Heat the favorite to win the NBA Championship in 2011 is so premature.  In fact even though my Celtics are old and hurt, I can guarantee you this is the exact motivation the Celtics needed to come in to camp with the goal of kicking the living shit out of Miami.

LeBron James can never call himself “King James” ever again hell he is not even a Duke or Earl, he’s more of Surf. As much as this kills me to say, he will never be the Black Mamba either.

Looks like Cliff Lee is headed to NY but the wrong side of town and let’s face it, this is where Lee wanted to go and he’ll most like sign a long termer with the Bronx Bastards. What has me nervous is after this deal is complete the Highlanders are talking about sending Javier Vasquez to the Phuck Phaces for Jayson Werth.

Mets look like they will add a much needed right handed bat for the Braves series and he is a familiar face.

 Don’t forget to check out my THIS CALL TO THE BULLPEN store at Cafe Press

This is the statement weekend for the Mets, anything less than 2 of 3 is a failure. KICK SOME BRAVO ASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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I don’t know who I’m sick of hearing about more LeBron James or Cliff Lee? In Lee’s defense, it’s not his fault as he is no where near a self promoting Ring Leader of a media circus, that LBJ is. As much as Cliff Lee would be an injection of adrenaline to both the Mets pitching staff and it’s fan base, I feel the price for Lee will be too expensive for the Mets. Not monetarily but player wise.

I am enjoying watching the Mets this season unlike any Mets team that’s been assembled since 2006. I love watching a home grown infield and the fact that Angel Pagan a one time farm hand that returned home, and is playing All-Star caliber baseball. On the pitching side, how nice is it to see Mike Pelfrey grow up before our eyes, his lasted slump not withstanding? Jon Niese also pitching better than his scouting reports said he would.  Even Bobby Parnell coming back from a trip to Buffalo looks more grown up on the mound as well. It makes rooting for this team much more fun than when the roster is constructed of mainly mercenaries. That’s why I hope Cliff Lee goes to the Twins or Rays.

I’m sure some of you think that’s very short sighted of me to feel like that way and you may be right, maybe Josh Thole, Wilmer Flores and Jenry Mejia (the three players it would take to land Lee) never flourish in the big leagues and I know some say don’t fall in love with prospects but I guess I’m smitten by the Mets farmhands. I see Ike Davis and Jon Niese making a strong case for Rookie of Year and Ruben Tejada and his supersonic range at 2^nd base (not even his natural position) and then Josh Thole comes up and shows a productive bat (his at bats against the Second Coming of Christ a/k/a Stephen Strasburg have raised Thole stock even higher) and his handling of R.A. Dickey and his magical knuckle ball has him pushing Rod Barajas for playing time.  Then there is the financial situation of the team.

This is the great mystery that surrounds this franchise. Are the Mets broke, solvent or just keeping their heads above water? No one knows. I don’t think the Skill Sets are a bunch of brokesters but they’re not exactly livin’ large either. So even if you trade your fine farm fresh products for Cliff Lee, what’s the odds you’re going to sign him long term? Not very good if you ask me.

That’s why Ted Lilly makes the most sense to try to acquire. I’m sure the Cubs would take F-Mart and a minor league pitcher of lesser renown for Lilly.

Lilly is a perfect Citi Field pitcher as he is an extreme fly ball pitcher. His velocity has been down early in the season but like Johan Santana he is coming off injury and little by little getting some speed back on his fastball that in the second half of the season should benefit him by making his change up more effective. A rotation of Santana, Big Pelf, Lilly, Neise and Dickey looks very solid to me.

Sure Cliff Lee would be a huge score but I don’t want to pay the high price in kids. Get Lilly and a reliever either Chad Qualls or Matt Lindstrom and take your shot.

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Hot Child in the city, Hot child in the city, running wild and looking pretty

Not much from me today between running around doing errands and it being so damn hot, lots of perspiration not much inspiration today.

Loved what I saw from Johan Santana last night. I guess he got tired of of all the “what’s wrong with Santana” from the fans and media. It’s not just that he told Jerry Manuel to go sit down but he pitched a complete game shutout against a Reds team that is the best hitting team in the league.

Great post by Eric Simon on Amazin Avenue today on the educating fans on how to read saber stats and understand what the numbers tell us.  Gary Cohen got the ball rolling on this with his take on BAPIP during this past weekends telecast. Simon picked up on this and by explaining what the number tell us will hopefully convert the non-sabermetic believers .  I have to admit the one class I cut out of regularly during high school years  was math. I hate math and sometimes when I read the sabermetric sites, the charts and graphs lose me, just tell me what time it is I couldn’t give a shit how the clock was made and it seems Eric Simon is going to help me out and tell me the time of day.

Speaking of saber vs. non saber check out this video

If the Pirates take Eddie Kunz for Octavio Dotel then we have a deal

Check out my THIS CALL TO THE BULLPEN Radio show from last night as myself and Dan Epstein author of Big Hair and Plastic Grass, A Funky Ride Through Baseball and America in the Swinging 70′s

Don’t forget the polls are open at MetsGrrl and Mets Minor League Blog to vote in the primary for Howard Megdal for Mets GM

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Join me tonight at 10pm ET for THIS CALL TO THE BULLPEN on BlogTalk Radio. My guest will be Dan Epstein, author of the book “BIG HAIR AND PLASTIC GRASS, A FUNKY RIDE THROUGH BASEBALL AND AMERICA IN THE SWINGING 70′S”(Thomas Duane Books)

If you can join us live, you can hear the podcast right here at Kranepool Society (lower left side bar) or at the show page at Blog Talk Radio or download the show on iTunes.

Don’t forget to check out the THIS CALL TO THE BULLPEN store  

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Somewhere in the city of Detroit, Armando Galarraga is wondering, why couldn’t Jim Joyce been part of Dale Scott’s umpire crew?

So now the precedent has been set, any call can now be over turned. So if there is a close pick off play at any base, the team can now ask the umpires to caucus to get a consensus on whether the runner was safe or out. Same now with ban-bang plays at first base, or close plays at the plate or on the other bases.

Let’s get one thing straight, the ball never hit Scott Rolen, so for Crew Chief Dale Scott to proclaim, it was all about getting the play right, well they failed. If anything it should have been called a ball and the count on Rolen 3 and 2. Scott should also be ashamed as should home plate ump Jerry Meals for allowing second base umpire, Dan Iassogna to be the guy to change that call, since Iassogna was 120 ft away and Meals right on top of the point of inpact. Scott threw his home plate man under the bus and Meals by not telling Iassogna to shut the fuck up loses his credibility as well.

With all that, Big Pelf was not very good last night and the reversed call and having his strike zone squeezed tighter than a fly’s ass didn’t help him either. Pelf had no command of his pitches last night as he kept falling behind in the count and if there is one team you don’t want to be at 2-0, 2-1 it’s the Reds.  It’s good thing Pelf didn’t make the All-Star team as he needs the days off to regroup and not let’s this recent slide of his turn him back into 2009 Mike Pelfrey

Patrick Flood looks at the high wire act that is Frankie Rodriguez. The fact that Flood points out that Rodriguez has converted 83 % of his saves as Mets closer is the same rate that Armando Benitez had as a Met made my acid reflux flow like a BP oil rig.

Kevin Millar nearly missed doing the Mets-Nats game on Saturday as he was delayed getting out of Texas where he makes his home due to Hurricane Alex. As a precaution, FOX asked SNY for permission to hire Ron Darling for the day as the game analyst. SNY refused saying that Darling’s contract calls for him to only work outside SNY for TBS. SNY did the same thing to Kevin Burkhart when FOX ask permission to have Burkhart do play by play on a FOX Saturday game.  Is SNY paranoid? What were they afraid of by letting Darling or Burkhart do games for FOX? I guarantee no one is calling about grabbing Gary Apple or Kirk Gimenez. In fact the only SNY personalities with any personality are the guys doing Mets games, the rest of the day on SNY they’d be better off running infomercials. If you’re ever suffering from lack of sleep just turn on SNY Sportsnite no matter whom the anchor is they’ll lull you into a coma.

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How do they do it?  Mets management is not very good at many things but finding ailments for players who are of no use to the team and sending them off on an all expenses paid trip to the DL, they excel at. So now Fernando Tatis join Oliver Perez,  John Maine and Luis Castillo in Mets purgatory.  Tatis is on the DL with a shoulder (wink, wink ) ailment and Raul Valdes has been recalled.

Hummmmmmmm so Jerry Manuel moans and groans about needing another arm in his pen and a seldom used spare part comes down with a sore enough shoulder to go disabled, how convenient. It pays to be pals with the Used Car Salesman.

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So after game after game of bullpen mismanagement, Jerry Manuel is looking for more relief help because let’s face it, Manuel goes through relievers like Larry King  goes through wives (and sister in laws) as six arms in the pen is not enough for the Great Pitching Arsonist.

I have no problem adding another reliever, in fact as impressive as Josh Thole has been in his cameo appearance, a third catcher is too high end an item for the Mets to carry around and a swap of Thole for a pitcher, Pat Misch or Dillon Gee should the call over Manny Acosta, it  is the move to make.

As Manuel and the Mets fans cry out for Cliff Lee or Roy Oswalt, or a solid reliever, if you believe the story in yesterday’s NY Post, it’s not going to happen. The story in the Murdoch rag states that the Skill Sets aren’t very flush with dough. In fact after reading this story, it may be safe to say, if you’re a fan of home grown talent, you may in luck as home grown means cheap labor and that’s what the Skill sets may be all about for the

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE GREATEST COUNTRY ON EARTH!!!!!!!!!!!

Now Let’s Salute The Flag

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Jason Fry has a great post on the events of last night game in D.C. and the fact as Mets fans we are on the edge of our seats when the Mets have a late inning lead. Part of it is our paranoia over the bullpen but the bulk of our fear is the way Jerry Manuel misuses his relief core. I also find it hysterical that some of the comments on that post are chastising fans for calling our the managerial flaws of Jerry Manuel with the simplistic refrain old “hey the team is winning he must be doing something right”  but the don’t list what those “right things”. Folks the Mets are winning in spite of Manuel, it helps that D-Wright has found his game elite game and Angel Pagan has matured and that Big Pelf, Jon Niese, Ike Davis and even Ruben Tejada have mature and given this team the shot of young blood we have been craving.

By the way Manuel should be fired for even thinking of replacing Ruben Tejada at second base with Luis Castillo when Castillo comes back. Even I don’t think Manuel believes that but it’s more like another of “Jerry’s Games” to force the front office to make a move, like he did with Ollie P and John Maine, remember he is a Gangsta’

Believe it or not the Washington Nationals are on the verge of signing El Duque. I guess Luis Tiant ask for too much money.

The first primary is complete and Howard Megdal received 65 % approval vote at Amazin’ Avenue and 68 % approval at NY Baseball Digest. Proving that Met want what Howard has pledged to deliver LOGIC, TRANSPARENSY, and PASSION .  Next weeks primary is set and your voting places are at the AabFab Metsgrrl site and at Mets Minor League Blog. It’s your constitutional duty as a Mets fan to vote and remember id Howard were the Mets GM today, Ruben Tejada would play every day and Oliver Perez would be his baseball Ambassador to Mexico.

I have no baseball games this weekend so I am watching this great Germany-Argentina World Cup match then Mets-Strasburg then off to Lend Me A Tenor on Broadway. Life is Good.

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