The Mets get hammered in this town for a multitude of offenses and in most instances, the bludgeoning is warranted but when it comes to the decision by J-Man to work Jose Reyes into the 3 spot of the lineup, the criticism is not only unwarranted but it’s also senseless.

In today’s NY Post, avid Mets hater Joel Sherman (there are lot’s of Mets haters in MSM, Jon Heyman, Bill Madden, Tom Verducci and of course their Emperor Mike Francesa) has a full page column today take the Met to task for batting Reyes third, even though he admits it’s out of necessity and just something Manuel pulled out of his ass:

 The shift is a reaction to Carlos Beltran’s knee surgery, which will cost him at least a month of the season. Without Beltran to hit third, Manuel fears the lineup lacks length if he simply has David Wright bat third and Jason Bay fourth. The order would dip precipitously at No. 5, likely with Daniel Murphy. In addition, Manuel wants to preserve Reyes’ legs and feels batting him third will translate to fewer steal attempts to limit the risk of having runners thrown out in front of your best RBI men, Wright and Bay.

Sherman goes on in the article to give his hypothesis on why this is bad idea, but gives no solution, which of course there isn’t any. If Carlos Beltran were of sound mind and knee, this would not even be an issue but as we know the best laid plans of mice and Mets never go as planed and so they have this situation to make the best of the lineup until Beltran gets back.

Sherman lays out the answer to the why part of Reyes hitting third when he mentions Daniel Murphy hitting fifth. Murphy is not a #5 hitter. He’s a perfect #2 but the problem is Luis Castillo is also a perfect #2. And there is the problem; the Mets have two #2 and two #1 in Reyes and Angel Pagan.

From the rumbling’s from St. Lonesome, Beltran is progressing nicely and should just miss just the first month of the season (I know, I know you’ll believe it when you see it) so when he comes back Reyes moves back to the #1 spot and Beltran back to #3 and the team will live happily ever after. I hope.

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3 days ’till pitchers and catchers

So how did you spend your Valentine’s  Day ? Me? I spent mine at Madison Square Garden with my three Valentines watching the NY Rangers play their last game before the Olympic break.

Needless to say, I had a better Valentines Day than this guy, who supposedly was proposing to his girlfriend. I’ve read where this may have been hoax, but I can tell you at the time it happened The Garden was buzzing for awhile over this rejection. Hoax or not it boosted my standing at home as my wife said to me “As bad as you are at least you proposed that right way”

In case you were wondering it was New Year’s Eve 1984 at a restaurant at the stroke of midnight on my knee in front of a bunch of strangers.

Some things  just amaze me like who gets a job sticking pimentos into olives, or how can people sit for hours watching cars make continuous left turns but what has me stuns me the most is Bob Raissman actually gets paid to write the crap he does. I’d call Raissman a horse’s but that would an insult to the horse and it’s ass.

After seeing that Forbes has ranked the Mets as the 9^th most valuable brand in sports and the 2^nd most valuable in MLB (guess who’s 1^st ?) it makes it tough to take those “the Mets are broke” stories “ seriously.

So let me get this straight, the first base job is an open competition but Luis Castillo has a strangle hold on 2^nd base. I need to lie down.

MetsGrrl makes the point that the Mets do not need some schlock character race to enthuse the Mets faithful. Of course I agree 100 % and her take on the whole $iti Field experience is right on, especially the playing of Sweet Caroline in the 8th inning, which to the Mets fans credit is booed lustfully when it’s played. If I had a say in it, I’d play Kick Out The Jams by The MC-5 as the 8^th inning song.

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  13 days until pitchers and catchers

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” 

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according to Jon Heyman, the Mets have traded for Gary Mathews Jr. Still waiting to hear who the Mets gave up, but if it’s more than two Shake Shack burgers then we wuz robbed.

Listening to Jon Heyman on WFAN he says the Angels will pick up close to $20 mil of the $23 mil owed to Mathews but Luis Castillo is NOT part of the deal. 

The only thing that sucks more than Mathews Jr coming here is that Castillo is not going to Anaheim.

Much a fucking do about nothing.

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…..cause you really ain’t that young……….. 

I have a nasty chest cold today and feel like shit so I’m hoping the Mets keep their trade hand pat as I’d hate for them to pull off a blockbuster today like getting Albert Puljos and Adam Wainright for Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez and Tony Bernazard’s wife beater, as my energy level as now at dragging ass.

One announcement before I mainline Vick’s Vapor Rub, the Mets signed Japanese RHP and Tommy John surgery survivor Ryota Igarashi. Igarashi, 30 will be given the set up tole to Frankie Rodz to lose this spring as he possesses a 90+ FB and a killer spilt/sinker (or so they say)

Igarashi will also represent the Mets at the Nathans’ Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island on July 4th.

I really need to lay down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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I don’t know about you but I’m getting a massive headache trying to decipher what the hell the Mets plan is for the off season.

Omar has gone on TV and print preaching pitching and defense and I scream at the TV YES OMAR YES! !!!  then I read the tons of minutia coming out of Indianapolis and everything about the Mets is contradictory.

The Mets are hot for Matt Holiday and John Lackey,

Then we hear, the Mets won’t be spending on big ticket free agents.

Luis Castillo has been offered to every team but Miguel’s Taqueria softball team. If you can’t move Castillo then you have to buy out his contract. I’m not a big Castillo fan and I would love to see him moved but you have to admit the way the Mets are treating him sucks. If my job treated me like this I’d at the union hall filing a fucking grievance. Either trade the man or grow a pair of balls Jeffey and buy him out you little shit.

Last night I watched Mets Hot Stove and the great Bobby Ojeda when asked by Kevin Burkhart what the Mets biggest need is this off season, Bobby O said “pitching, pitching and more pitching. Then when the cut to Indianapolis, and Chris Carlin interviewed Bobby Cox who was asked about his suplus of starting pitching. Cox said “you hate to move a starter because you never have enough pitching” Now they know that, I know that, you know that, all of baseball knows that. Do the Mets know that?

The last time I was this discouraged as a Mets fan, Lorinda de Roulet were trying to figure out how to clean baseballs and Bebe and Whitney de Roulet were strutting their debutant ass’s through out Shea trying out as ball washers.

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Cory Sullivan, cf
Luis Castillo, 2b 
Fernando Tatis, 3b 
Daniel Murphy, 1b 
Jeff Francoeur, rf 
Jeremy Reed, lf 
Alex Cora, ss 
Brian Schneider, c 
Livan Hernandez, sp

WOW What a Murderer’s Row!!!!

The biggest threat in the lineup is Livan at 9

I’ll pass thank you (after listening to Gary and Ron’s openning) and watch Dodgers-Giants

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I guess I’m not missing much from  our Mets? I see that Johan gave the Mets innings they needed due to Nelly Figs either sucking or missing so Buffalo so much he pitched like shit trying to get back there but the Mets could not hold a lead as Sean Heilman and Frankie Rods gave up the lead and the game to El Hombre and his Posse.

And now what, Luis Castillo tripped over a glve and is out with a sprained ankel? So who plays second base? Berroa? Tatis? Murph???????????????????

I’m not even thinking of the Mets right now as I’m in the happiest place on Earth or so the Disney staff keeps telling me over, and over, and over again.

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Oh those gritty, gutsy Mets. Did you ever think those words would be used to describe our favorite baseball team? Me either but yesterday’s 3-2 win over Cardinals a game Tony LaRussa managed the 8^th inning like it was Game 7 of the NLCS (but it paid off for the stinking genius) was close to baseball as it ought to be. A few observations from the day at $iti Field:

 

Johan Santana had a very difficult time in the first three innings finding the strike zone as he had neither command of his fastball or change up in the first three innings whether this was due to his mechanics or the ineptitude of home plate ump Ron Kulpa  I’m not sure but after giving up a walk to Chris Carpenter in the 4^th Santana all of a sudden got locked in and took control of the game. The mark of a great pitcher is when he can’t get his best pitches over for strikes he still finds a way to stay on top of his game and work his way through until he figures out how to get those pitches working or has a plan B and gets that to work. No panic, no fear that’s Johan Santana.

 

Ryan Church is lucky J-Man didn’t take out his blade and cut his ass after yesterday’s game. Manuel has put the challenge to Church by putting him the clean up spot while Sheffield recoups from his cortisone shot to his knee. So far the challenge not met by Church. With Daniel Murphy on second and Luis Castillo on first, D-Wright had an outstanding at bat. After looking at two called strikes, Wright bared down and then let two balls go out of the strike zone to even the count 2-2, the next pitch Wright just missed (a fastball I believe from Kyle McClellan) and then took the two more pitches for a base on balls. Outstanding at bat. Of course after that Tony LaRussa made yet another trip to the bullpen (and had me make a mess out of my score card) lefty Trever Miller to face Church.

 

Now here was Church’s time for redemption in the game as he misplayed a ball hit by Rick Ankiel in 6^th as he broke in the tried to get back and the ball sailed over his head for a double and Ankiel eventually scored the Cards second run so with the bags drunk it was Ryan Church in the spotlight (“Church bells may ring, ding –dong-ding, church bells may ring, ding-dong-ding”)  time to show the manager, the fans and his teammates the he is ready to step up.

 

Miller seems to have a bit of the yips as he can’t find the strike zone and falls behind 3-0 to Church. Ok now Ryan take a strike here, atta boy. Ok now it’s on a platter for you 3-1 and the pitch………..A CALLED STRIKE!!!!!!!!! Ryan, you are batting in the coveted clean up spot, the bases are loaded, it’s the bot of the 8^th and a 1 run game WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU TAKING ON 3 AND 1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

 

Now realizing he’s not up there to leave it up to Tatis, Church swings at the next pitch and fouls it off. Now Church is digging that back foot in the batters box determined to get a hit here but Miller just rears back and blows one by Church who took a huge swing and missed but at that point it didn’t matter this at bat was done at 3 balls 1 strike. Want to bet that Church sits tonight against Sabathia ? If he got a hit there lefty or no lefty he would have earned the start but after that at bat and the play in the 6th inning Church will sit tonight and it’s deserved.

 

The more I go to $iti Field the more I love the place (don’t worry we old timers will always have Shea in our hearts) how can you not. I know it has its faults (see Mets Police for those as he is the Elliot Ness of Mets fandom) and management (are you ready for this) seems to be listening to it’s fan base (S-H-O-C-K-I-N-G I know!) First thing I saw walking in I looked at the scoreboard in right/center and guess what? The lineups were posted ! YA-HOO!. Then in the 8^th inning no Sweet Caroline (HURAYY!!) but Meet The Mets (HURRAH!) now I do have a little bone to pick, how about playing the whole Meet The Mets song? Why do the butcher and the baker and the people on the street always get the short end of the stick all the time?

 

I was no fan of Michael Jackson’ when he was alive so I’m not mourning his death today but I was shocked that he died just for the fact that he is the same age as me. I know it’s not polite to speak ill of the dead but the guy was a walking freak show which was not the worst of his sins, those he will pay for it he hasn’t already. I do feel sorry for him in that he didn’t really have much of a life which again proves my mother theory that even if you have a lot of money that doesn’t mean you’re rich and if that’s the case Jackson died broke in more ways than one.

 

Now someone I was a fan of was Farrah Fawsett as were many young men back in the 70’s. Show of hands how many of you fella’s had this poster in your room (my hand is up) and how many of us looked to date girls with that blonde hair in a flip (hand still up)

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No I still don’t believe it although I kind of saw it coming. When Luis was drifting and crossing his feet he looked like a guy stumbling out of the Blarney Stone at 3 AM. I felt this could be bad. How bad? Not as bad as it ended.

First it pains me to do this but I have to tip my Mets cap to Mark Texiera who proved what me and every other Little League coach has preached since we had 5 year olds hitting off a tee, always bust it down the line and on two outs run like your pants are on fire and to Texiera’ credit he did. We have all killed the Mets for lack of hustle so we all have to be honest and give Texiera his due.

When the ball was dropped of course me first words were HOLY SHIT!!!!! plus a stare of disbelief but for some odd reason I wasn’t mad. I mean I should have been “throw the remote against the fucking wall mad” at Luis Castillo, for costing the Mets not only a win but a win against a team that thinks it’s superior but ain’t shit. And to all you Highlander fans out there celebrating this win let me tell you folks something you will be spending your October watching Stan Bahnsen’ and Ron Woods Highlanderorgrophy and not post season baseball. Your manager is a scared little rat that had to bring in the Most Holy Mariano to save this game in the 8th inning. Your boy Joba is the most overrated tub of shit to hit this town since that fat-pussy todt Hideki Irabu, I’ll take Big Pelf over Joba The Hut any day. Sure celebrate the gift that Looie gave you last night but remember up in Boston, the Red Sox say to you, “tell me how our ass tastes”

I can’t find anger toward Castillo. Last year I ripped him daily as he was over weight and lackadaisical and his contract was the huge burden holding the Mets back from upgrading the position.. I had wrote during the winter that the Mets couldn’t give away Castillo with millions of dollars stuff in his pocket, hell they couldn’t give this guy away for free. But the man has shown his pride. He came to camp fit and trim and out to prove he’s no bum. Castillo has been one of the more steady Mets all season both at the plate and before last night in the field. Does he have the range he once did? No and he might never get back to that but at least at 2^nd base his defense is league average. He gets on base in fact with Jose Reyes out, his .376 OBP has kept the team afloat.

If you would have bet me in the winter that on a Saturday in June I’s be writing a post defending Luis Castillo afer a disastrous error, I’d have bet my house that you were wrong. Good think that didn’t happen or my family would be living in a card board box.

The big reason that I can’t get mad at Luis is he took it like a man. He didn’t run off and hide he stood in front of the cameras and microphones and said he fucked up and just by looking at him you could see the pain. I can’t beat a guy up when he’s already hurt.

If you want to take a positive about this it’s that this Mets team may not be a championship team but it’s a all for one, one for all team. Every guy backed Luis up and had his back as did the manager. A lot of Mets fans have been after J-Man lately over his strategical moves and that’s a legit complaint but where a big league manager makes his mark is how he handles his clubhouse and after reading Ken Rosenthal’s story on how the vets on the Mets are miffed at Jerry, Rosenthal looks so clueless he must be a Highlander fan. J-Man has his players back and they have his. Joe Giradi should be so lucky.

What else is there to say? Hang with ‘em Looie and go get ‘em Fernando Nieve? UGH!

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