On this date in 1966, the Mets traded Jim Hickman and Ron Hunt to the Dodgers for the pride of Boy’s High in Brooklyn, Tommy Davis. Davis lasted one season with the Mets as he was delt along with Jack Fisher to the White Sox for Tommie Agee and Al Weis .

I think we can now stop with all the questions of Terry Collins about the 1999 Angels and his eight year old DUI. I give Collins a lot of credit and it shows he has patients as I would have told the media to go fuck off by now.  Collins has also shown he won’t throw players under the bus as in all the stories you hear about that Angels team, the main culprit in the uprising was Mo Vaughn, one of the biggest fucking quitters in baseball history.  

Nice to see Ollie Perez is the Tom Seaver of the Mexican Winter League. Maybe Sandy Alderson can work out a deal with any team in the Mexican League for Perez. I’d take a couple of roosters (for cock fighting purposes, of course) two cases of Bohemia Beer and an enchilada to be named later.

Ed Ryan makes the case that Carlos Beltran’s contract might not be so prohibited that he could be dealt. The way Ed puts it out there, with the Mets picking up $5mil of the deferred dough in the deal that would live Beltran owed $13 mil for the season.   Would Theo Epstein be an interested buyer?

I wouldn’t be looking for John Maine Bobble Head Day on the 2011 promotional schedule.

R.I.P. Frank Drebin and don’t call me Shirley.

Joe Janish brings up a name from the past RHP Pedro Beato, that at one time had my blood boil. Beato pitched for Xaverian H.S. in Bay Ridge and was drafted by the Mets, who due to their lock step way with the Used Car Salesman, were talked out of going over slot to sign him. Beato went back into the draft the next year, and was drafted by the Orioles who had no problem going over slot to give the right handed putcher the same $1mil bonus the Mets were told they couldn’t give out. Well, Beato could be a Rule 5’er and maybe an interesting pitcher to place in the Mets bullpen for 2011.

Who has December 1 in the “When will Pat Riley take over as coach of the Heat”?

Finally an athlete figures out that God doesn’t give a shit about a sporting event.

Javier Vasquez signs a one year deal with the Fish for $7mil with a no trade clause (duh!) and a provision that the Fish cannot offer Vasquez arbitration. Not bad for a suck ass pitcher.

Tom Brady is the NFL MVP and the best QB in the game and one of the three best of all time (Johnny Unitas, Joe Montana, then Brady who is ready to move past Montana) if you want to argue this, talk to the hand.

Joe Posnanski hits another blog post out of the park, this time taking on the “closer”. I’m really, really hoping that the new Mets brain trust thinks like Posnanski and uses Frankie Rodriguez (if he’s still with the team) in the 7^th and or 8^th inning.

Tonight is hockey night as I’m headed to MSG for Rangers-Penguins. If you are not of the hockey fan persuasion, the NY Rangers are what we could hope the Mets will be in 2011. They have a lot of young, talent and dedicated players, who while learning the ropes of the NHL, grind out game after game. They have two superstars in Henrik Lundqvist  and Marian Gaborik and two young players in Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan, who are having break out seasons on the ice and in the locker room as the new leaders of this team. The team also sticks up for one and other (something that has not been seen with the Rangers in years) and are becoming a tough team to play. Cindy Crosby better have some vagina protection on tonight.

Posted under Uncategorized

Not much Mets news to report to day and besides the NY Football Giants are getting on my last nerve today, that and a request has been made for me to pull out the Christmas tree and decorations since we are “sitting around doing nothing today”  Like it’s a crime to do nothing for a day?

Ahhhhhhh more tomorrow

Posted under Uncategorized

Wally Backman has signed on to stay in the Mets organization and will mange somewhere in the minor league system. In reality, Backman didn’t have much choice. Backman is still miffed that Sandy Alderson didn’t hire him for the top job in Flushing, and the one area where I agree with Backman is on his lack of major league experience as a manager. I think the fact that Backman played 14 seasons of Major League ball should  have  had a big advantage over Terry Collins not even having a cup of coffee in the bigs. If the managerial criteria is big league experience then hands down Backman should have gotten the job over Collins.

But I see Collins getting the post as a sign that this organization will become younger, much younger and therefore hungrier than what we’ve seen from past Mets teams. Let’s face fact, the last three seasons, most Mets fans have despised the team and why? Most of us felt they were just a bunch of highly paid veterans you were more worried about there financial situations than the on the field situations. Then there is the off the field stuff like Johan Santana (who if he was healthy I’m sure Alderson & Co would have put on not only the trading block but the trading platter with an apple in his mouth but with $97 mil owed over the next 4 years we are stuck with a once upon a time Ace who if we’re lucky will be a back of the rotation starter in the next four seasons) and of course Frankie Rodriguez and Charlie Samuels. Sandy Alderson was brought in here not just to find better players but to win back the respect of Mets fans and teams around the league as well.

That’s why you are seeing, little by little that Alderson would like to rid this team of. Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran. I’m a fan of both players but it seems to me the new front office looks at both these players as part of the losing and unprofessional culture of the team. I have never had a problem with Reyes’ antics, in fact the guy plays better when he’s dancing and hand shaking but the perception around baseball is he’s immature jerk. When the Cardinals won the 2006 NLCS they were signing the Jose-Jose-Jose chant in their clubhouse and of course Reyes’ teammates just sat in their clubhouse licking their wounds listening to the mocking chants and did nothing. When it comes to doing nothing, no team takes shit better than the Mets.  I mean the guy leading the mock chanting was Bradden Looper who sucked ass when he was here and laughed in his former teams face and why? He knew no one would do anything in the Mets clubhouse.

Now this is not to blame Reyes for that not at all but what Alderson is looking at is Reyes worth a long term investment? Probably not.

Reyes will turn 28 during the 2011 season and the last two seasons have been plagued by injury and illness and maybe he does have a big season in him and especially if the Mets hire a new physical training staff that would help Reyes but if Alderson can get some pieces the Mets need for this renovation (I know you folks hate the term rebuilding so I’ll use renovation sounds less severe) I have no question he’d send Reyes off to the highest bidder.

Carlos Beltran right can be had for fifty cents on the dollar. If any team were to approach the Mets with a deal in which that team would take at least half of Beltran’ salary he’ll be an ex-Met faster than you could say “at the end of the day”.

Now I’m sure there is a large segment who disagrees with me on this and that’s fine but you can start to read between the lines here with Alderson. He’s already told you that there will be no big ticket free agent spending this off season. The best he’ll do is look over the non-tender list and hope the market of free agents will be so ample that some players, will panic and sign for under value. See, the interesting part of this new management team is it’s a patient bunch and they are dealing with a “I want it yesterday” fan base. It’s going to be fun to watch.

Posted under Uncategorized

No baseball talk today, just a Thanksgiving greeting and a thank you from me to all of you who come by this site and to those who listen to my THIS CALL TO THE BULLPEN RADIO SHOW .

I hope you are enjoying the day with family and friends and are apprecitive of what you have in life and not worry about what you don’t, becuase if you have family and friends, then what else do you really need?

And you know Thanksgiving is not complete without a trip to Alice’s Restaurant.

Posted under Uncategorized

Well hopefully the fan base as calmed a bit now that the new field boss is in place and the GM is telling you for the umpteenth time that the Mets will not be big players in the free agent game but I still think that Alderson & Co. will pull off a major trade this offseason.

I would not be shocked to see Jose Reyes playing elsewhere in 2011, with teams like the Giants, Red Sox, D-Backs (if they trade Stephen Drew) and the Rays looking for shortstop help, I’m sure the GM’s of those teams have Sandy Alderson on speed dial.  While Reyes did not have a great season in 2010, I’m sure the Giants or Red Sox would bet that he’ll bounce back and at one year and $11 mil it might be worth it for them to make an offer. If you could get a starting pitcher and some prospects for Reyes, you have to think about pulling the trigger on a deal.

Adam Rubin has the info on Ollie Perez start last night for Culiacan of the Mexican Winter League. Seems Ollie had a good night with four scoreless innings. His trade value has never been higher!

Can we forget about all this Jeter to the Mets or Jeter to the Red Sox (that would be a dream come true) or Jeter to anyplace else but the Bronx.   Jeter has two choices, sign with the Highlanders or retire. I doubt he’s ready to hang up his limited range as he nears 3,000 hits and it’s clear the message being sent is like a store saying we will beat any competitors  prices, Pee Wee Cashman has laid down the challenge if you can get better than 3yrs/$45 mil take it.  It is shocking though that a player like Jeter, who the Highlander hierarchy have built up over the years like a figure out of Greek mythology, now treat him like an aging beauty queen.

I had a great time last night talking to Doug Gladstone, author of Bitter Cup of Coffee and former Mets outfielder George Theodore , check out the show here at the show page or here at Kranepool Society on the lower right side bar.

Posted under Uncategorized

Listened to the Terry Collins presser on WFAN and the two whinny hosts, Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts who I think were more upset that the Collins intro took away from them rubbing Rex Ryan’ ample belly in worship. But a couple of observations:

WHOA!!!! Collins is a bundle of energy that’s for sure and complete opposite from Jerry Manuel. It felt like Collins picked a couple of Four Lokos at a bodega on Roosevelt Ave before hitting Citi Field.

Collins said all the right things (all the things we’ve heard in the past 10 of these pressers) about stressing fundi’s, pitching and the big one, ACCOUNTABILITY .  Like a batter spouse, we’ve heard this all before.

I understand the love for Wally Backman but why turn it to hate towards Collins? That I don’t get. As I said I would have loved to see Wally on that podium today but Alderson & Co. thought otherwise, so at this point in the first month of the new management I have to give them the benefit of the doubt .

By a show of hands (or comments) how many of you think the Mets will be Pennant contenders next year?

Don’t forget to tune into THIS CALL TO THE BULLPEN tonight on BLOG TALK RADIO as Doug Gladstone and George  “The Stork” Theodore will be my guests.

Posted under Uncategorized

Join me on Tuesday November 23^rd at 10PM ET for THIS CALL TO THE BULLPEN on BLOG TALK RADIO. My guest will be Doug Gladstone, author of the book “A Bitter Cup of Coffee, How MLB and The Players Association Threw 874 Retirees a Curve and former Mets outfielder George “The Stork” Theodore.

We will discuss MLB and the MLB Players Association not vesting players who played in the big leagues prior to 1980 to pension and medical benefits given to players now who play just one game in the big leagues. George Theodore is just one of those players affected by this injustice.

I’ll be discussing this issue with Doug and George and also talk to Theodore about his days with the NY Mets.

If you can’t join us live, you can always here the show on our show page on Blog Talk Radio or right here on Kranepool Society (lower right side bar) or download the show on iTunes.

Posted under Uncategorized

The way some Mets fans are acting toward the hiring of Terry Collins, you’d think he was taking over a contending team. Do you people realize that the NY Mets as constituted today are barely a .500 team?  I guess I have to be the myth buster around here, the Mets will not make the post season in 2011. Sorry for the smack in the face but some Mets fans need a dose of reality.

As I’ve written before there are times the Mets fan base just amazes me, Terry Collins hasn’t even put pen to contract yet and fans are ready to fire him. Can we wait at least one week into the regular season before we make up the Twitter account @FireTerryCollins?  

Am I 100% happy with the Collins hire? No not really, but I’m not screaming about it as a disaster waiting to happen either.  I look at the positives here, that Alderson and not Jeffey Skill  Sets  is making the baseball decisions. Collins was the minor league coordinator so he has knowledge of what’s worth keeping and what’s not in the Mets farm system. I watched Collins at a pre-season workout for the Brooklyn Cyclones this summer and he and Mookie Wilson were running from station to station working with players and conferring with Wally Backman, Benny DiStefano (hitting coach) and Rick Tomlin (pitching coach) so energy and instruction are definitely  Collins strong suit.     

Collins intensity can make some players uncomfortable, but isn’t that what has been sorely lacking in the Mets clubhouse? Haven’t the bunch of underachievers that reside in that room been living the high life for too long? Isn’t it about time somebody with authority dealt with these “woe is me” players and get them to man up and stop shitting in their snow white pants when the Phillies or Braves come up on the schedule?  Mets fans have been crying for a tough guy right? So here you are. Maybe for the first time in years, the players will be held accountable.

The biggest reservation I have with Collins is he quit as manager twice, with the Angels and in Japan. That scares me it’s as if the going gets tough; it seems Collins gets going, out the door. Of course Sandy Alderson brought this up during the interview session I’m sure and he was satisfied with the answer he got so I guess I should be too.  Collins has not run a team in ten years and that raises a red flag with me as well.

The Collins hire is not outrageous enough for to be well.. outraged. Sure it would have been nice to see BACKMAN 6 strutting to the plate on opening day with his first lineup card as a big league manager but that’s the Mets fan in me talking. The guy who is now in charge feels that Terry Collins gives him all that he’s looking for in a manager with an edge in personality. At this point in the Alderson Era who am I or you to question the move?   

What it tells me also is the Mets are going to get younger and there is a big premium going to be placed on home grown talent. Sandy Alderson on day one said the farm system he has inherited is in the middle of the pack and for a team like the Mets with its resources, that’s unacceptable. That’s what should be the focus of Mets fans, not who will be the manager for the next two seasons. Cliff Lee at 32 years of age with back trouble? Let the Highlanders over pay in years and money for him. Jayson Werth? Let the Tigers spend all that awful pizza money on him. If the Mets eat the Perez/Castillo dough then the off season is a success and you know now there is no way in hell either of those two slugs are coming back.

 Rejoice Mets fans that we  have guys with a clue and a plan running the baseball operations for our beloved Mets. I know it’s hard to optimistic with the all the horseshit we’ve endured the last few years but I think the new regime will get us out this mess and back on the road to winning.

Posted under Uncategorized

News was just reported by Adam Rubin. Mets will name Terry Collins manager. Let the shit storm via Wally Backman Fan Club begin.

Posted under Uncategorized

In a story today in the New York Post, Davey Johnson is quoted as saying that Terry Collins would be the right choice by the Mets to be the next manager.  As much as Johnson loves Wally Backman, it’s his opinion that Collins’ experience as the Mets Minor League Coordinator would help with the organization making a determination as to which farm hands are of immediate help to the big league club.

On the same day of this story comes word that Scouting Director Rudy Terrasas will be reassigned in the organization. So if Collins does get the job then the message sent will be that main job by this front office is to rebuild the farm system and the way they draft talent. Even if Bob Melvin gets the job I think the rebuilding of the farm system will still be the Alderson mission statement with Collins staying with the organization and working with DePo in such a capacity.

That’s why as Mets fans you need to forget about any big splash signings of free agents and unless Alderson is bowled over with a great return on a trade, the best moves you can hope for this off season would be the release of Ollie Perez (and the more he’s sucks in winter ball the better the chance that Alderson tells the Skill Sets “EAT THE CONTRACT “) and Luis Castillo. I’m fine with that.

There is a segment of Mets fans who feel the Mets should have gone after Dan Uggla. That would be fine if the Mets were a player or two away from being a contender but they’re not, so Uggla is not the answer.

This doesn’t mean the winter will be boring around here, just the opposite. This will be the most interesting hot stove since 1980 when Frank Cashen came aboard and was handed a mess to clean up and clean it up he did. Let’s hope history repeats itself.

Hojo’s Mojo at Mets Merized Online posts that the Sports Pope broke from his Pop Warner persona this morning to report that the Texas Rangers have inquired about Carlos Beltran and are willing to take on $10-$12 mil of his contract. If this is true, the Mets have to make this deal. Even if you get back a couple of prospects just the fact you’re freeing up $6-$8 mil dollars to spend on much needed pitching would push me to make this deal.

Posted under Uncategorized