THIS IS A PICTURE FROM TEN MILE RIVER CAMP SITE AND THAT IS THE SAME TYPE OF TENT I SLEPT IN THAT LAST WEEK

It’s good to be back especially with the concrete beneath my feet. A week in the wilds of Sullivan County is fine but for the life of me, I don’t get why anyone would want to live up there, especially in the winter, it’s the classic nice place to visit but I wouldn’t want to live here. So with a good wiff of the stink of the NYC Subway and a 1970’s like NYC heat wave in full swing, it’s time to look at our favorite baseball. This could be a rocky ride so as always fasten your seat belts.

All jokes aside, MLB has to be embarrassed by the umpiring crew in yesterday’s Mets-Giants game. Phil Cuzi really embarrassed himself behind the plate with his ameba strike zone and his overall unprofessionalism. His calling out Travis Ishikawa was bad but the call on Aubrey Huff’ worm killer in front of the plate that was clearly a fair ball, but 3^rd base ump Mike Easterbrook said it hit Huff’s foot. Not even close, and by the way, when did this trend of base umpires start overruling home plate umps on plays that are clearly the man behind the plates call? It’s an awful trend and Mike Port the man in charge of these inept arbiters needs to fix and fix it fast as MLB can not have another disaster of post season when it comes to its officials like it did last year.

As I stated in a Tweet last night, I am fully convinced that the role of “closer” is the most overrated position in all of sports. Unless you’re the Highlanders, paying a guy tens of millions dollars to pitch one inning is fucking ridiculous. The only difference right now between Frankie Rodriguez as a Met and Armando Benitez’ days of Metsdom is Rodriguez doesn’t run and hide after his hideous performance. As much as we scream and yell about the contracts of Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez, the Rodriguez deal is just as rancid. Frankie Rodz will make $11.5 mil in 2011 but the killer is in 2012 where Rodriguez has a $17.5 mil option ($3.5 mil buyout). The option kicks in if Rodriguez finishes 55 games in 2011 or 100 games combined in 2010 and 2011 or doctors declare him healthy in 2011. That’s $17.5 MILLION FUCKING DOLLARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For agita.

Did you ever think that the return of Luis Castillo from injury would be good news? Ruben Tejada is a nice player but he is showing he’s not ready for an everyday spot and Alex Cora shouldn’t even be in the big leagues but if he’s on the field once or twice a week tops is all he’s good for. Amazing, Castillo is now an upgrade in the lineup and in the field.

I want the Mets to win and make the playoffs but a part of me wants Oliver Perez to pick up right where he left off with the Mets so he can force the hand of Jeffey Skill Sets to finally prove to the fan base if the team is broke or not? If the team is not in monetary dire straits then when OP shits the bed, cut him and force him to go to the minors. You know and I know that Perez will still suck when he returns so why go on with this farce.

So much for Prevention and Recovery when it comes to injuries especially when Jose Reyes is concerened. Reyes will start tonight in Phoenix and I just hope he’s ready to play and this isn’t one of the Mets rush jobs we all are to familiar with.

Sure Jeff Francouer is a fabulous right fielder but instead of wondering how Jerry Manuel is going to get him at bats, it would be a better move would be to release him. I know all about the “chemistry” issues but how could you be a clear thinking Mets fan and not want Angel Pagan in the lineup everyday? The Mets can’t afford to carry Frenchy’s impotent bat as the team ranks in the bottom third of every offensive category in the National League. The only reason the team is still in shouting distance of the Braves is due to the pitching staff, but with the way this offense is stalled, Francouer’s right arm is a luxury the Mets can afford.  

It’s 11PM and I’m laying in a tent in the middle of the woods hoping that no bears or coyotes come into the camp site and rip me apart and I realize the Mets are in San Francisco. I pray my little bullshit AM/FM radio can pick up the 50, 000 watts of WFAN so I can listen to the game and keep my mind off of being becoming some savage animals midnight snack. I hit the on button and the game comes in loud and clear but there is a bit of a problem, No Howie Rose. There is Wayne Hagin and then I hear Ed (Grey Goose) Coleman but where the hell is Howie? I admit I don’t listen to many Mets games on the radio but when I do, I tolerate Hagin as I know Howie is right there for my listening pleasure. I don’t begrudge Rose of taking a bit of a vacation as he works Icelander games and folds right into Mets games but there needs to be a different voice in the booth when Howie’s not there. You can’t team up Hagin and Coleman together it doesn’t work. It’s not Sterling/Waldman bad as that is the worst tandem in the history of speaking but Hagin and Coleman are very close to unlistenable. Why can’t Kevin Burkhardt step in for Howie or Hagin when either is not available? I’m sure there is some SNY, WFAN mumbo-jumbo contract bullshit that forbids this from happening but some times the forces in charge need to think of the listener because if I’m switching off the radio then I’m not listening  to the endless ads on the broadcast and I’m sure the sponsors won’t want to here that.

From reading Bill Madden’ book he was in a loveless marriage and his daughters seemed to always find Mr. Wrong when it came to marriage.  But when it came to running a baseball team you can not denniy his success.

The Highlanders were a joke of a franchise under CBS ownership and Mike Burke’ stewardship but all that turned around when Steinbrenner took over. Give the man credit he took over NYC and the Highlanders became more important than any time in their history under Boss George.

So now what happens to the Highlanders? My guess is the Steinbrenner children sell the team. I bet James Dolan and his Cablevison bucks will come calling soon

If you are a Highlander’s fan I am sorry to give you the bad news that the Era of the Bronx Robber Baron is over. It ended after Friday night’s game when that skanky Lady GaGa paraded herself into the Highlander locker room in her underwear after a loss to the Amazin’s. I can guarantee you that not only would Pee Wee Cashman been fired on the spot but Hank and Hal would have been put up for adoption if the Boss was still in charge. For an organization that takes such pride in its uniform to have a no talent trollop like GaGa wearing the Highlander jersey must have Marilyn Monroe rolling in her grave.

John Maine has become a problem. I had Tweeted that no way Maine goes back to the rotation if or when he comes back to the big league team and should be used as a reliever. But as General Manager Candidate Howard Megdal pointed out to me, Maine is still not throwing hard and he has not shown he’s suitable for bullpen duty as he does not show the ability to get up and get warm to come into a game. As always Howard is right on the mark and that’s why he needs to be named the nest GM of the NY Mets.

Mike Silva tackles the Maine question as to DFA or trade John Maine for a reliever from a team looking to start selling off talent. I think it comes down to John Maine’ Mets career is just about done.  In fact if the Mets can’t trade Maine and they do DFA him it will show they are serious about winning, if you don’t produce then you’re gone. Its PRO baseball no one gets hot dogs after the game.

Very nice feature in todays Daily News on Big Pelf and how between embracing fatherhood and working with Harvey Dorfman on the mental side of the game. Big Pelf also talks about his estranged dad  and how that has motivated him to be a better father to his son.

Happy Fathers day to all the Dads out there I don’t know about you but everyday for me is Fathers Day

I want to revel in the Mets victory last night in the South Bronx, as the Mets looked like the more confident and aggressive team but I’m still trying to get over the confusing nature of Jerry Manuel’ managing.

Why would you have Jose Reyes sac bunt in the 8^th with Tejada on 1^st,no outs?  Reyes is so uncomfortable bunting for a sacrifice to start with then you add in he is on fire with the bat, the move made no sense. Reyes saved his managers ass by doubling down the RF line. When Reyes got to second we saw the Jose of old, clapping those hands and that intense look on his face, pointing toward teammates, vintage Reyes.  But in his post game press conference, Manuel expressed concern over Reyes getting over emotional, Hey Jerry, that’s when we know Jose is at his best when he jumping, clapping and going handshake wild. The fans love it, his teammates love it so what’s the problem? Are you afraid of pissing off the opponent?  The Highlanders? Fuck them.

Again the game of Jerry Manuel Roulette was played with the bullpen as no one, the relievers in particular can figure out how Manuel will use the pen. Why would you use Ruben Valdes in the 9^th inning of a 4-0 game, a game you said you wanted to make sure you won? Valdes is a mop up guy at best. Even your pitchers are questioning your madding methods.

Why is John Maine guaranteed a spot in the rotation when he comes back? I must have missed the years Maine won his Cy Young Awards. The way Takahashi has pitched no way Maine gets that spot now. Get ready for the Roulette wheel John .

I know our Mets are playing great baseball right now and as much as I’ve had enough of inter-league play, this weekends Mets-Highlanders series should be terrific especially with Big Pelf going tomorrow and Johan going Sunday along with D-Wright and the Mets offense locked in, it should a great three days of baseball but I need to vent here a bit about last nights Game 7 and the demise of my Celtics in the 4^th quarter last night so if you’re here for the baseball only, try back later but if you want to here a grown man bare his soul about his team failing in a Game 7 and the realization that this team of PP, KG and Jesus Shuttlesworth has made it’s last run together, then read on:

I had a bad feeling about Game 6 not just because the game was in LA but I felt this was the Celtics Game 7 for the simple reason, I  never felt the C’s were built to go seven games due to age. Age. It has been the key subject all season when talking about the Celtics. When Danny Ainge went out and got KG from the T-Wolves and added Ray Allen, he said there was a three year window to win an NBA Title. They did it in the first year. Many of us feel, if not for Garnett going down last year it would have been a repeat. This season the dynamic of the team change. Leon Powe was let go and the fat tub of goo by the name of Rasheed Wallace was signed. The old guys were tired of hearing complaints from the young guys (Rondo, Perk and Baby) about how they wanted to do things and in the middle of it all was Doc Rivers trying not to let the clubhouse turn into OZ. This weighed on Rivers so much that he let it be known he’d love to take Doug Collins’ newly vacated spot with Marv Albert on TNT next season (where I believe he’s going) This team played awful in the second half of the season to where they were barely over .500 I attribute that to age, complacency and playing in the worst division on sports, the NBA Atlantic. So how did all this negativity turn around in the post season?

Well, first Doc Rivers (so underrated as a coach) finally got the two factions of old and young together and had a sit down. In 2008 the Celtics embraced “UBUNTU” the African word for family and Doc told them how they have gotten away from that. He then gave the geezers the smack in the face they needed when he told them that this is “Rondo’s Team”. I’m not sure the old guys embraced this altogether as I observed when Paul Pierce was cutting his eyes at Rondo during the Finals when he wasn’t getting the ball, but publicly they went with it as KG said in a post game interview after a game where Rondo had one of his many triple doubles, that it was “Rondo’s Team”.

When the playoff’s started the one thing the C’s had going for them was pride, Celtics Pride. You can’t get away from it. It’s one thing that separates the Celtics from any team in pro sports, just about every night there are a few legends in the building to watch the team play. Tommy Heinsohn is there every night doing color commentary on TV. Cornbread Maxwell is on the radio side. Bob Cousy shows up most nights in the stands with some time on TV. When they are called to duty, the legends all show up, Havlicek, Cowens, Sam Jones and of the King of the Celtics, the greatest player in the history of basketball, Bill Russell. These great Celtics in the tradition of Red Auerbach, let this team know they are not the Orlando Magic or the Cleveland Cavilers but they are the Boston Celtics, Basketball Royalty. When you take to the parquet floor you not only represent the Celtics but you represent us and we do not like to lose or be embarrassed.

Between the Old Guard’ words and the motivational ways of Doc Rivers letting them know the Ubuntu was missing and that a second title from this group will put them in the Celtics Pantheon. It almost worked.

Back to last night, it’s been awhile since I watch a game on the edge of my seat and the last minutes standing up (Super Bowl 42 Giants over Pats) but I was pacing the floor pleading with Ray Allen to find some legs on offense to make a shot, for Rondo to do his Rondo act and charge to the basket with his reverse lay up, for KG to grab an offensive rebound and go up strong and slam it down and take the foul then scream FFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK into ABC’s camera’s, for Paul Pierce to burry a 3 and put a dagger into the Lakers heart (and give Jack Nicholson a heart attack) I wanted 2008 to happen one more time. Just…..one…..more….time…………………….

The problem that plagued the Celtics all season, holding a 4^th quarter lead was a problem again last night. When you look at the rebounding totals it’s easy to say the C’s got out worked and in a way they did but when you are in your mid 30’s as the Big 3 are as well as ‘Sheed, your legs are as shot as the shocks on an old Buick, there is only so much lift you’re going to get. As the team played lock down defense in Game 7, it cost them on the offensive end, especially Ray Allen and ‘Sheed who were spent. There are no Jamie Moyers in the NBA.

So now what ? Well I think Doc will move on to TV for awhile and wait for Stan Van Gundy to get fired and then take over the Magic. I’d bet that Danny Ainge hires his pal and former Celtic great, Kevin McHale as coach. Ray Allen will not be resigned and hopefully Rasheed Wallace retires as he stated after the game last night. I haven’t looked at the salary cap situation but knowing that the Celtic ownership, it is committed to winning, it make take a year or two of retooling but I’m confident the Celtics will get back to the Finals sooner than later. Thank you Celtics for a great post season and to Pau Gasol, Take a Bath you skeevy looking fuck.

I swear to Jesus Feliciano, I don’t remember when the Highlanders tried to go with an in stadium mascot but this story in the WSJ is quite ammusing on many counts, first the name of the company that created the ill fated bundle of felt, Acme Costumes has me think of this guy as it’s CEO, then the fact they made the character to remsemble Thurman Munson and right after his debut, Munson dies in a plane crash, putting the mascot in moth balls for awhile until it was determined that this was one of most ridiculous ideas in the Bronx since putting the Highlanders in track suits to work out with training coach Hopalong Cassidy.

I guess the Highlanders have learn a lesson by looking to thier neighbors in Queens as the undisupted heavyweight cahmpion of mascots resides, never mess with perfection.

Oh the name of the Highlnader mascot, DANDY as in DANDY DICKHEAD

Dear Mike Francesa,

Kiss my Blue and Orange Ass! In fact you can kiss the ass of every Mets fan as WE ARE ALL PROUD of Mike Pelfrey. From the time Big Pelf was drafted out of Wichita State in the 1^st round of the 2005 amature draft to his  rise in 2006 through the Mets minor league system we have waited for him to mature and become one of the top starting pitchers in MLB and this year looks like his coronation.

Since his May 1^st loss to the Phillies, Big Pelf has been money going 4-0 with two ND’s. with wins over the Highlanders and the Phuck Phaces.

After the misery of last season and with this seasons soap opera of Ollie Perez and waiting for Carlos Beltran to put his right foot in front of his left foot and to root that this Mets team stops the roller coaster and takes off like rocket in an all of a sudden winnable division , you can’t fault Mets fans for daydreaming that the sight of Mike Pelfrey and Johan Santana will join the tandems of Seaver/Koosman, and Gooden/Darling in the pantheon of Mets dominating one-two punches.

So much for the talk of $iti Field being a detriment to the Mets winning. Talk about ‘there’s no place like home” Welcome to Citi Field Home of Citi Ball. It’s a little bit of small ball, a dash of long ball and three parts big balls pitching.

Not only did the Mets take two series from the Taliban (Highlanders) and Al-Qeda (Phuck Phaces) of MLB they did it with the one thing that all winning Mets teams have possessed, outstanding pitching and timely hitting. Now the challenge is to do it on the road as the Mets have an NBA team like split of 19-9 at 126^th & Roosevelt Ave and an embarrassing 6-14 when the bags are packed, that has to change and change this on this road trip to show the league and Mets fans that this run of success is not a mirage.

It’s quite obvious that “as goes Jose Reyes, so goes the Mets” is not hyperbole, when it’s Jose Being Jose, hitting line drives in the gaps, running like his feet are on fire, making tremendous defensive plays, and reacting with all the animation of a Looney Tunes cartoon, the team and the fans feed off the Jose Reyes Experience and I for one am glad it’s back by popular demand.   

I could’ve done without Big Pelf doing his Dice K imitation last night with the five free passes but other than that, the continuation of the Summer of Pelf was a pleasure to watch.  Now that Big Pelf has incorporated the split-finger fastball with great success mixed in with his 90+ FB effective slider and a much better curveball and the big ingredient, maturation what we are seeing is the blossoming of a star pitcher that is quite impressive.

I like to compare Hisanori Takahashi to the late Bob Ross of the Joy of Painting, he makes pitching look so easy. Takahashi’s “happy little trees” is his fastball that he places on the inside strike zone and outside strike zone and maybe one here up in the strike zone or one here down and in. It’s like Takahashi has a baseball palette on the mound, just mix a little bit of fast ball with some slider to create at a cutter, just a little bit of slider on those bristles, oh that one is out of the strike zone ? Not a problem we can fix that it’s just a happy little accident. That’s Hisanori Takahashi pitching in his moment of Zen.

You know something, the way the Mets are treating Oliver Perez is better than just releasing him. The Mets have become Amish elders with Perez as he is shunned by management for not accepting assignment to Buffalo. Ollie has become a non-factor on this team, only to be used in blowout conditions. Here are the Mets scrambling for a starter for Saturday and the names being tossed around are Raul Valdes, or R.A. Dickey on three days rest or just let Fernando Nieve start as a resurrection of the spot starter, not one mention of letting Ollie P take the mound. I wonder if Perez is bright enough to be embarrassed about this?        

As long time readers here know, I am not a big fan of Mike Piazza. I acknowledge the he is arguably the best offensive catcher of all time and a first ballot Hall of Famer and I hope he goes in as a Met. But he always struck me as a me guy and a phony because in my opinion, he was more concerned about his personal stats than winning baseball games. However, when it comes to speculation that he was a steroid user all of those who come out and say that Piazza used PED’s , show your proof or shut the fuck up. Show the test results that separates fact from fiction and I’m looking square at you Murray Chass you old broken down fucking hack. I wish Piazza would sue you for defamation of character to expose you as the irresponsible dolt that you are. If you want to read Chass’ bullshit post, Google it, there will be no links to his site here ever!!!!!!

After reading about Dwight Gooden getting arrested for DWI, I can now say I’m done with him.

With all the screaming a yelling over steroid and HGH use, I wish all that anger went against people who drive drunk. Think about what is worse, taking something to hit a ball a bit further or to revive your muscular system, or driving a car drunk where you can kill innocent people and yourself ? According to the police report Gooden had a child in the car. UN-FUCKING-REAL.

Looks like fans, the Mets, the Highlanders, and the Newark Bears need to stop being his enablers. Every time he runs afoul with the law, he gets help by one of those teams I mentioned and adulation from both fan bases in NYC.

If these charges are true and he’s convicted, I hope the judge has the balls to throw his ass in jail and then I want the Used Car Salesman to ban him from baseball.

UPDATE: I thought Gooden was drunk but it was high on drugs just as bad THROW THE BOOK AT HIM You want to get high? You want get shit faced? STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A CAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last night’s hour long PRO BASEBALL CENTRAL show, went by in a flash thanks our own Yankee-Doodle, Michael calling in and Matt Silverman coming on to talk about the ’69 Mets. Some of the topics I wanted to get to in the opening of the show got pushed back as I went on a bit of a Fernando Martinez rant, so I guess I’ll touch on those here.

By the way I got to see F-Mart’s AB last night with the bases loaded and two out in the Dominican Republic v. Venezuela Caribbean World Series game. Martinez did not get a hit in the AB but it was an impressive turn at the plate that lasted 10 pitches until he hit a foul pop that was caught by the Venezuelan right fielder.

I’m not anti-Fernando in any way; I just want the kid to stop acing like he’s a 27 year old journeyman who has never gotten a chance and be the 20 year old who plays so well this spring that he beats out Angel Pagan to be Carlos Beltran’s understudy.

Looks like me and Orlando Hudson have something in common; we both will never play second base for the Mets. So after all the debate about second base for the Mets what’s done is done, Luis Castillo is the Mets second baseman for better or worse till death due us part (or until Reese Havens can prove he can play at the big league level) for 2010.

What is the under/over on how many times Gary Cohen or Howie Rose say “Just out of the reach of Castillo, for a base hit” this season? Let’s set the number at 75.

The last place in the world I thought I’d ever see the name Municipal Credit Union would be on a ball park marquee.  I wonder if those of us with accounts at MCU will get a discount on Cyclones tickets.

I’m very happy for Nelly Figs and his great performance the other day for DR in the Caribbean Series but it wasn’t like he was pitching against the Phillies or Highlanders, it was against Mexico and 45 year old  270 lb Vinny Castila, The Big Fajita!

Maybe things are not as bleak for the Mets as we think. FOX has the Amazin’s scheduled for broadcast 8 times this coming season and one of the games is a prime timer versus the Bronx Bastards.

Maple Street Press is coming out with it’s Mets Annual in a few weeks and there will be a section on the Mets Blogosphere, that will include yours truly.

Matt Silverman is putting out a revised paperback version of his book “100 Things Mets Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die”