WHEW!!!! Where to start? I feel like a detective arriving at a crime scene, who found the body? Any witnesses? Ok, start canvassing the area.

I hadn’t have time to post since Wednesday morning as I’ve had a whirl wind couple of days.

Wednesday I was granted a media credential. Yes you read that right, a MEDIA credential. Never in a million years did I ever think I would walk into Shea Stadium/Citi Field press entrance and say to the receptionist “Good afternoon, I’m Steve Keane of the Eddie Kranepool Society” and have her reply “Hi Mr. Keane here is your credential, the managers press conference will be starting in few minutes, go right in to the interview room”.

It was great to have a nice showing of the Mets Blogger-ratzi as Caryn Rose, Kerel Cooper, Ed Marcus, Mike Sliva, Joe Janish and Rob Castellano on Wednesday as we were welcome to attend Terry Collins pre game press conference. The only stipulation was we weren’t allowed to ask questions which was fine as the media assigned to cover this game does this for a living and have deadlines to meet, believe me it was a kick just having the main stream media looking at us with that “ there goes the neighborhood look.

After the quickie presser, we were led out to the field to watch batting practice. It was a bit awkward at times, I’m standing right in front of R.A. Dickey and I’m like should I say hello? Ask him how his cracked nail is? What are you reading these days?  We were allowed to go into the dugout so as I entered, standing at the bat rack is Daniel Murphy, again I have to restrain myself from going all fanboy there. From attending events over the winter at Citi Field, I’ve learn (a) don’t wear any Mets gear, which is tough when three quarters of your wardrobe has either Mets or and interlocking blue and orange NY and (b) be prepared with good questions. I’m not there to swoon; I’m there to get as much information as I can. I have to say, I let my guard down for a moment though, as Josh Thole was strolling to the dugout, I was standing right at the steps as he came right next to me and I blurted out “Hey Josh how’s it goin”? And Thole put his hand out for handshake and replied “doin’ great how are you”?  I kind of felt, oh no did I break protocol? Then I thought,” Well I’ll say I made a rookie mistake” on me not Thole.  I then composed myself and went back in to investigative mode and canvassed the area for info and I got some good stuff.

Many of the folks I talked to were very surprised of course by the awful start of the season the team has had but what they found more shocking was the venom spewed by some of the fan base. A lot of the talk was about, it’s fine to boo and be pissed off by the early play of the team but the level of nastiness towards the Mets by Mets fans is unprecedented.  A few people I talked to could not believe the hate coming from what Mets fans were in the Citi Field stands.  Look, no one would say any Mets fan is wrong for being angry and disillusioned by this awful start, but some of the remarks I’ve heard on opening day and talk radio and on Twitter and Facebook have been a bit outlandish.  There is no question that the Mets have found more ways to beat themselves and have given away too many games and this start of the season has sucked more than any of us imagined but what was your best case scenario for the team before opening day? I felt, give me 82-84 wins and be in the hunt for the Wild Card spot as my best possible. Did anyone think this team was better than the Phillies or Braves? I didn’t think so.

Again please don’t take this as any excuse for the horrendous play in the field by this Mets team.  This opening home stand has been a embarrassment and every single player on this team needs to step up his game and step up fast. I’d even include the manager in that as well. I feel for Terry Collins in the fact that from talking to guys who spent all of spring training covering this team in St. Lonesome, there was more hands on instruction done in that camp than the last two put together. Collins main goal was to tighten up the fundamentals that have been lacking with the big league team and in the minor league system for years. As pissed off as you are as a Mets fan over the recent piss poor play, it’s nothing like the angst the manager is going through.  So far TC has been composed and has his player’s backs but another few games of this bullshit and I’m sure Mount Collins will erupt.

What I’d take the manger to task over and this is not earth shattering as it’s seems to be the overwhelming consensus, is not walking Troy Tulowitzki with 1^st base open and 2 outs.  In hind sight, I think Collins would love a mulligan there. What has me the most annoyed is that Tulo was never made uncomfortable in the batters box at any time in this four game series. I don’t say throw at his head but for Christ sake couldn’t someone on the pitching staff step up and dust him? This bothers me because when I first met Collins over the winter my first question was will you change the culture of this team letting the opposition come into your home ball park and do whatever they want with you. I gave him my opinion that the past couple of years the Mets have a rep for being soft and when punched they never punched back. Collins told me I wasn’t wrong in my assessment and it was something he said he would change. He even pointed out that if he had been the manager when Chase Utley took out Ruben Tejada last year, he would have led the charge out of the dugout to confront Utley.   First at bat tonight I’d like to see Larry Jones eat some Georgia clay just to send a message.

Someone in the Mets P.R. department needs to tell Collins to cease and desist with the we played hard or how proud he is that the team battled back those replies have to stop like yesterday. We have heard the Rich Kotie/Art Howe/Willie Randolph refrain more time than we ever need to hear again. When Sandy Alderson took over and hired Collins for the job, the mantra was that honesty and transparency would be  the bedrock of the new management team, well it’s time to live up to the new company motto and stop with the we battled back, tried hard line of horseshit because playing hard shouldn’t be rewarded it’s to be expected.  

Another topic of conversation around the dugout was what will be of Jose Reyes? Will he be traded mid-season if the team is out of contention? If he stays, will the Mets sign him to a long term deal? How is long is too long and how much money is too much money for the Mets? Of a bunch of us discussing this no one had a definitive answer or solution. Many of us feel, the lack of money will be a bullshit excuse. If the Skill Sets plead lack of funds then that is a flat out lie. If it’s years on the contract that would be more of a reasonable topic of debate.

As far as the Skill Sets legal woes go, word on the street is the players couldn’t give a shit about their problems as long as there are sufficient funds to cash their checks. The day the bank shouts out “insufficient funds” then they’ll care.

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With all the gloom and doom about the big club, there is some good news coming out of the Mets on the farm. Last night Dillon Gee, made his case to get the spot start necessitated by last nights rain out with a 7 inning gem on the North Pole in Buffalo.

Last years 1^st round pick Matt Harvey had another outstanding outing for the St. Lonesome Mets as well. The former Tar Heel struck out 8 in 6 inings of work and looks to be a few more A ball starts away from joining Wally Backman’s Bingo Mets

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I was asked to co-host the first hour of the BBA Baseball Talk Podcast on Blog Talk Radio tonight at 10PM ET. Since the Mets have been rained out why not join us as we will be discussing Mets baseball in the first half hour of the show.

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It’s time like these where I like to sit back and watch Mets fans devour each other and the organization. Mets fans can go from JOSE-JOSE-JOSE to YOU SUCK REYES! In a bi-polar second.  These are the same Mets fans who told us all winter that the Mets were not going to any good this season and would avoid Citi Field like it was a Japanese nuclear plant. That’s fine and I don’t blame you but what I don’t get is how some fans are killing Terry Collins and Sandy Alderson and his baseball operations for this horrendous start. What exactly would you like them to do?

Every report that came out of St Lonesome was how Collins was working this team hard on the fundamentals of the game  and how there will be no spectators on the field when the ball is put in play. Not one story came out negative of Collins camp, all you heard from players, media and fans was “it’s about time” The impression portrayed to Mets fans was this team will be ready, willing and able to play solid baseball, they seem ready and willing but the able to play solid baseball part still needs work.    

If you think the shitty play of this team is bothering you just think how Collins feels. Same for Alderson, you think he wants any part of failure or ridicule this team is going through? He has never settled and has never sat back and let shit like this fester.  Let’s not forget one tiny little fact here, he inherited a total mess and if you want to criticize him for anything it’s that maybe he underestimated what a mess this organization is.  

You could tell from listening to Terry Collins in his post game presser when asked about worrying about Bobby Parnell, he made it known he’s not concerned about Bobby Parnell his concern is the NY Mets and that should be music to Mets fans ears.  Parnell I’m sure is a fine young man but if he can’t handle the bullpen role then see ya later.  All the work he put into his drills with the players have gone for naught. It’s one thing for pitchers to be ineffective but when you can’t execute a 1-2-3 double play, you’ll pay a price.

Bobby Ojeda sees it as well. He has become a must watch on the post-game show.  Ojeda laid out the same scenario as Collins it’s time to take the diapers off some of these players such as Pelfrey and Parnell. It’s not about their feelings or their mental wellbeing; it’s about wins and loses.  Players have been coddled enough in Flushing it’s time to put up or pack a bag for Buffalo or other destinations.   

Big Pelf wasn’t great but he was better than the last two starts.  He showed more velocity but he still gave up more fly balls than ground balls and that’s not his game. His command was lacking as well. What gets me is the fans and media who ordained Pelfrey as the Ace of the Staff are the same folks who now kill him for being ineffective and not Ace worthiness.

Me and Mike Ganci of The Daily Stache  used the photo of Willie Harris on scoreboard on opening day to amuse ourselves on Twitter last night during the latest Mets meltdown.  #WILLIEHARRISFACE will scare you straight.

The one bright spot in the pen was the work of Jason Isringhausen making his return to Flushing. His curveball was working very well so maybe this is the light at the end of the Cliff Floyd Tunnel.

Please Jon Niese gives 7 innings tonight please!

I’m not crazy about this year’s model of Angel Pagan.

I’m shocked that the bullpen failures have not been pinned on Carlos Beltran.

Dear R.A. Dickey,

I will be at the game tomorrow night and I have a request, could you please throw strikes as I cannot endure a three hour plus game as I have to go to Philadelphia on Thursday morning and I have leave very early. Thank you in advance.

All the best,

Steve

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I don’t think Mike Pelfrey can be optioned to Triple A, but after seeing the swift sword of Sandy Alderson yesterday, I wouldn’t be surprised if Pelf throws another stinker today (I’m talking 3 innings getting batted around and a whole lot of hand licking) Alderson would persuade him to take a trip to Buffalo to work out his problems. I hope it doesn’t come down to that. Hopefully Pelf gives the team the quality start it desperately needs tonight but if he doesn’t maybe a two week stint with Rickey Bones who would be another set of eyes, could see something to fix Big Pelf.

It didn’t take Alderson long to show that he won’t sit back with his hands in his pockets as we saw with his moves after last night’s game.  If Alderson would have released Boyer at the end of spring training there was good chance he’d have been picked up by another team. Now, odds are much slimmer that he’d be picked up, so if he doesn’t the Mets can send him to Buffalo to raise his game.

The worst part of the week were the three bad outings by Pelf, Dickey and Niese that taxed and already shaky pen, so it’s imperative for the starters, starting with Pelfrey tonight to step up their game.

It’s too early to panic, but according to Sandy Alderson it’s not too early to send a message. The thing we have to remember here is Alderson and his staff has no allegiance to any of the players on this roster. He inherited the whole flock and I don’t think he’d have any problem dealing away or demoting anyone on this team.  

Jose Reyes has been hitting the ball and has looked like the Reyes of old especially in the field but he is also up to his free swinging ways and that is something hitting coach Dave Hudgens is looking to fix. But at this stage of his career, it will be hard for Reyes to adjust his attack, attack, attack approach at the plate.

Even with the bad bullpen and inability to get a big hit the best thing I saw this week was Rob Castellano is back with his daily Mets Daily Farm Report on Amazin’ Avenue.

 Do you think you know all there is to know about getting around Citi Field? If you had BallPark E-Guide you would. BallPark E-Guide is a nice tidy download that tells you how to get around the ball parks, where to find cheap parking and discounts on tickets. Right now there are e-guides available for Citi Field, Yankee Stadium, Citizens Bank Ballpark with Camden Yards and Nationals Park coming soon.

If you didn’t see the piece on 60 Minutes on Albert Pujols last night do yourself a favor and check it out. It’s well worth it.

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Outstanding job by Chris Capuano last night with his only flaw the three run home run he gave up to Espinosa in the second inning. 8K’s and 1 BB in 6 innings pitched with a 71/26 spilt of strikes to balls is as good as it gets.

Carlos Beltran just can win with some folks. Instead of celebrating the fact he hit 2 home runs and is looking very comfortable at the plate, there will be critics who will bash him for the off day today and those in the media saying he will be excellent trade bait. I love to see some of the critics wear a knee brace all day and say they feel great.

Ike-Ike Baby, Vanilla Ike, Ike-nstein whatever you want to call him add big time in front of that. So far so good on no sophomore jinx.

Alderson has a big decision to make as it pertains to the bullpen. Izzy is ready and able to go at the big league level, so the Mets need to decide who is cut to make room for Izzy. Tell you the truth, with the way the starting pitching has not giving many innings, I’d demote Lucas Duda, since Collins is in love with Willie Harris and Duda is rotting on the bench and buy some time with an 8 man pen until Jason Bay comes back. By that time Alderson, Collins and Warthen might have a better idea on who to keep.

Chris Young on the mound today so if Mets take this game and series that will be two out of three series the Mets have won. Take that haters.

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I think that’s the proper word to describe yesterday’s Mets home opener. The weather turned from not bad to uncomfortable rather quickly.  I know there have been reports of empty seats and there were pockets of them through the ball park but you have to understand that Citi Field was built for those who like to stroll and for those who like to remain inside.  I’m sure all the ritzy clubs were filled with sissy fans and folks at the game that could not care less that the Mets went 0 for 10 with RISP. Then there is the Shea Bridge, which has become the meeting spot for fans to meet with friends at the game. Yesterday I met up with Ed “Rusty Jr.” Marcus, Kerel Cooper, Taryn Cooper, Ed Leyro and Shannon for a pre game summit that should have been covered by SNY. That’s what SNY is missing, a Meet the Press type show with Mets bloggers in a round table setting. I bet it would beat any show on the network in ratings.

Citi Field is starting to grow on me.  There were a few issues.  I went to get a hot dog on the Concourse to enjoy while watching batting practice. The concession stand is one of the self service ones that reminds me of a rest stop on the NJ Turnpike. I get my hot dog, pay for it and then head over to the toppings island. There is a  woman stationed there who puts the onions and sauerkraut on for you. I can not believe this is the woman’s sole function. I mean, how much do you pay a person to be a condiments distributor? Is there special training needed to execute this task? Next time I have a bar-b-que at my house, I think I’m going to offer the job of condiment distributor to one of my kids,  next time I go to Citi Field I’ll ask the woman how much she makes so I know where to start my salary negotiations. By the way, by the time I put on the mustard and the fine condiment lady lathered my hot dog in onions, the frankfurter was cold. UGH!

They have added a Hot Pastrami station on the Concourse where you can get a kinish as well. I never understood why the team never put a full deli concession in the Worlds Fare Market to go along with Mama’s of Corona. Suhi. YUCK!!!

Outside the Worlds Fare Market they have added an area that makes frozen daiquiris. The drinks look very refreshing and would be great on an 85 degree day but when it’s 45 and damp, I’ll pass.

The opening day ceremonies were very good,  except for the booing of Mike Pelfrey and Frankie Rodriquez, Pelfrey gave a little smile which was good and Rodriquez stood stone faced which was good too as he must have known what to expect. M ookie Wilson got a great ovation but then again if Tim Corcoran was introduced he’d get a round of applause as well since he has a ’86 World Series ring  for the 7 at bats he had in helping the cause that season. Anyone associated with the 1986 Mets is an immortal.

(Update: What a schmuck I am for forgetting to mention Ralph Kiner tossing out the first pitch. Ralphie was a picture of sartorial splendor in his fur collared over coat. When Mets toast master general Georgie Jessel, Howie Rose announced  him to the crowd, a roar went up throughout the ballpark. Kiner then doffed the overcoat like a boxer does his robe at the start of a prize fight and headed to a spot near home plate, assisted by his daughter and son in law. He then tossed the first pitch to Mookie Wilson, who ran out to give Kiner a big hug. I guess I’m a Mets romantic because I love moments like this)

The shocker of the day for me was Alex Cora getting cheers and applause when he was introduced as a Nats bench warmer. So Mets fans boo Big Pelf and cheer Cora. Mets fans are fucked up.

So on to the game. Right away you could see R.A. Dickey was in distress after a 1-2-3 first inning. I thought it was the cold weather that was causing his grip on the knuckle ball to cause him problems, it wasn’t until after the game I found out about his split finger nail but I’ll tell you this, when the temperature is in the mid-40’s and it’s damp sitting at a game of deep counts and a tone of walks is not fun.

Jose Reyes made a spectacular play to get an inning ending double play to avert a big inning by the Nats but at the plate he was woeful.  I’m sure Sandy Alderson has that 7^th inning AB etched into his mind. I can’t put all the blame on Reyes. Angel Pagan hasn’t hit and came up short in the 7^th as well and Ike Davis, who I adore, really needs to stop contesting every strike call by the umpires. He’s going to get a bad rep and one of these days either Douche Bag Joe West or Incompetent Angel Hernandez will behind the plate  and either stick it to him with a phony strike call or toss him  from the game for just glancing over his shoulder.

I know Willie Harris has been hitting and playing real well in LF but I’d much rather see Lucas Duda out there every day until Jason Bay comes back. If you’re not playing Duda every day, then why is he here?

If I were Jason Issringhausen I’d be on the phone this morning asking to be promoted or released. As bad as the bullpen has been the starting pitching has been as bad as well. Bad pitching and the inability to drive runners in with less than two outs is a recipe for disaster.

I just wonder when does Sandy Alderson’ patients run out.  I’m not saying he needs to do anything now but after a month if the team is floundering does he shake it up with a blockbuster deal or a release of players or demotions to the minors. I guess this is what happens when you freeze your ass off at an opening day stinker  it leads your mind to Armageddon.

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Good morning you ship jumping rat bastards. I wish you’d make up your minds, are you Mets fans or just a bunch of whinny bitches? I nearly lost my mind following some Mets fans on Twitter during the game last night (I got to stop Tweeting and watching the Mets and just concentrate on the watching the game and taking notes like I did way back  in the dial up pre iPhone internet days) I understand Mike Pelfrey was horrible last night but some of you took your venom to Big Pelf like you were auditioning for a job as beat writer at the NY Daily Lupica. Get a hold of yourself for Christ sake.

Pelf morphed back into his spaceman mode last night and it will be up to him, Old School Warthen, and neophyte receiver Josh Thole to get the Big Pelf locomotive back on track. I would think that the troika I just mentioned went over their pitching game plan for last night before the game. What was most puzzling for me was the fact that young Thole was dictating to Pelfrey what to throw. We all know that Pelf’s bread and butter is the splitter that induces a plethora of ground balls when he’s right. When he adds his two seam fastball and is effective with that pitch then you get vintage Big Pelf. Sure he’s big and strong but he’s not a strikeout pitcher. He doesn’t have an overpowering pitch to get that key K, in fact the guy Pelfrey should be attached to the hip with is Chris Young.

Back to my puzzlement on the short circuited battery. Pelf has taken it on his shoulders to let it be known that even though Thole was calling for him to throw his third and fourth pitches in his arsenal (curve and slider) he could have shaken him off until he saw the finger he liked the best. In a way it’s refreshing that Old School and Terry Collins let Thole call the pitchers instead of having them called for him by Warthen but perhaps with the lack of a veteran catcher (please don’t even mention Nickeas) on the roster, Old School should institute pitch selection from the bench in Big Pelfs next start or let Thole know next time he catches Pelfrey and calls for curves an sliders, there will be a plane ticket to Buffalo waiting for him in at his locker.

Another thing that should not be overlooked in this recent Pelfrey meltdown is the death of Harvey Dorfman, the sports psychologists and the shoulder that Pelfrey has cried on in recent years. With Dorfman gone all Pelfrey has left is the advice Drofman has given him through their late night conversations and a copy of Dorfman’s The Mental ABC’s of Pitching. Hopefully the lessons and the book and whatever magic Old School has in that tool box of his will right Big Pelf.

All this drivel written this morning in the fishwraps about trading Pelfrey is just another example of Mets bashing and lazy ass journalism that has permeated the NYC main stream media. Why write a column that looks into what is causing Pelfrey’s problems and see what is being done to correct them when you can just write that Pelfrey sucks and should be traded just to embrace yourself with the lunatic fringe of Mets fans. You know what you folks in the MSM are right; leave the heavy lifting to bloggers.

By the way here was my tweet when it was 7-0 Phillies and Mets fan tweeters were jumping ship. I then tweeted that the Mets would comeback. I then went after Evan Roberts of WFAN again as he proclaimed we would be ripping Mike Pelfrey on his show.

Now that I’ve cleared the air, will all of you GET THE FUCK OFF MY LAWN!

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If the hot start by the NY Mets isn’t enough to get you to the Citi Field on Friday for opening day, maybe the chance to cheer for the last of the original Mets broadcasting team, and Hall of Fame player, Ralph Kiner as he throws out the first pitch before the Mets-Nats game.

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  Tonight at 10PM ET I will be hosting the Baseball Bloggers Alliance Baseball Talk Podcast on Blog Talk Radio. My guests will be Jonah Kerri, author of the book The Extra 2%, How Wall Street Strategies Took a Major League Baseball Team from Worst to First (published by ESPN Books/Ballantine Books) and Jerry Crasnick, baseball columnists for ESPN.com and Baseball America   

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