Yesterday’s Mets-Dodgers game was so bad in so many ways. Besides the fact that David Wright is standing so far off the plate that he needs a canoe paddle to hit the ball and that he desperately needs a day off, and that Jerry Manuel has some form of Antention Decifict Disorder when it comes to writing a lineup (Luis Castillo MUST BAT 8^TH GOD DAMN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) plus watching Manuel and St. Joseph of Torre match wits with the bullpen is like watching a four hour promo of the movie Schmucks For Dinner. Then to top off the whole afternoon of suck, the game was televised on FOX. Kenny Albert is not built for baseball. He kind of drifts off like he’s so fucking bored wishing it was winter so he can call football and hockey games. When Albert works both of those sports he’s solid but  on baseball he’s god awful. Eric Karros is a moron. Plain and simple, a moron. He makes no sense at all with any of his analysis especially when he thought pitching to Andre Either with first base open and one out with the winning run on thrird was a good move. Then there is Ken Rosenthal who I ask very nicely on Twitter, to shut the fuck up. For an “information guy” he brings you nothing except for some good old fashion Mets bashing. Yes we’re spoiled as we have the finest TV crew in baseball to enjoy almost every night, but at least if I’m going to sit through Jerry Manuel botching games and some pretty bas baseball this last month, I want to be entertained somewhat and only Gary, Keith and Ron can do that for Mets fans.

I’ll be shocked, SHOCKED if Jerry Manuel is the manager of the Mets come Tuesday night. If he is still the manager, then you know for sure the Skill Sets don’t care anymore. 71/2 back will soon be 10 games back and all out attention will be on Jets and Giants camp.

It’s so easy to kill Toxic Ollie for yesterday but Ollie is what he is. The only thing I can take out Manuel bringing in Perez was this was Manuel being insubordinate. It makes me think that Manuel told management he wanted no part of Ollie on this team and management told him to shut up and sit down as we are paying this balooka a ton of dough and Manuel said well then no problem I’ll make sure he comes into a tight situation and fucks it up. Manuel has managed this road trip like a guy is tired of his job and needs a change so the Skill Sets should do the right thing for him and the team and relive him of his duty.

The kicker today will be if the Mets are up or down by a lot today and Frankie Rodriguez pitches and after the game Manuel says “Frankie hasn’t pitched in awhile so he needed the work”

Jerry Manuel didn’t get on John Maine because he was John Maine. No Jerry Manuel got on John Maine because John Maine was pitching as John Maine right shoulder needed to be surgically repaired. Jerry Manuel liked John Maine but was mad because John Maine wouldn’t tell Jerry Manuel that John Maine was hurt. John Maine wanted the ball and tried to fight off John Maine’s sore shoulder. It didn’t work out for John Maine here as John Maine’ season ending surgery is likely to be the end of John Maine’ Mets career. So now Jerry Manuel has to find another John Maine to treat like shit like he did to John Maine.

About last night:

So how many folks suffered a sprain or broken leg jumping back on the Johan Santana bandwagon?  I guess he’s back to being the Ace of the staff eh?

Funny I’m hearing any of the Carlos Beltran’ range is shot talk either ?

And how about Angel Pagan playing a mean right field? Let me help you with those bags Mr. Francoeur!

Even though Jerry Manuel was tossed from the game in the second inning, we still were treated to some “Jerry Ball” in the 8^th inning. With the Mets up 2-1, Jose Reyes leads off with a walk off Vicente (Jimmy “Super Fly” Snuka look a like) Padillia. Reyes procedes to steal 2^nd base. Luis Castillo then walks as well, so maybe the Mets are getting set for that elusive big inning we al have been waiting for. But hold on there you Earl Waever devotees, J-Man will have none of that big inning stuff, no way. From the bowels of Dodger Stadium, the Gansta’ sends word to Dave Jauss the pretend manager, to have Angel Pagan sacrifice the runners over. Pagan by the way has a .940 OPS with runners on base and an even more impressive 1.072 OPS with runners in scoring position. Some where in a retirement home in Florida, Earl Weaver lit up a Raleigh and muttered, “what a fuckin’ moron”

Not to be outdone, St Joseph of Torre decided to go reliever for batter in the inning helping the Mets and the struggling Jason Bay break the game open via Bay’s three run double. My eyes were bleeding after that inning.

Darryl Strawberry wants this current Mets team to turn back the clock and play like the 86ers. It’s a nice thought but it’ll never happen. This group is too fragile psychologically. When the going is good, they are all smiles and back slaps, but as soon as adversity rears it’s ugly head, they dive under the bed instead of meeting it head on. Part of it is the makeup of the team and part of it is the manager who plays not to lose (as we saw in last nights 8^th inning) Players are too cautious especially the relievers as the slightest slip could cost you a job. The front office takes a big brunt of this as well by telling the world that the team is solvent but still won’t pay off  or trade off non productive players. A big move for this organization is to DFA Fernando Nieve and bring up Manny Acosta. Then when Nieve clears waivers, they will resign him and send him to Buffalo and bring him back up sometime in August. So predictable.  The team mirrors it’s owner, it talks a good fight but lacks the balls to back it up.

Let’s hope Big Pelf fixed whatever was broken and pitches a gem today in LA LA Land

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.

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.

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.

Gary Mathews Jr has been DFA’d

Luis Castillo is on the DL

OLLIE PEREZ IS ON THE DL!!!!! I hope he gets moved to the GL (Get Lost)

Reese Havens is tearing up Double A

The Savannah Sand Gnats pitching staff is dominating the SAL

And I just got my invite to the Brooklyn Cyclones open practice a week from Wednesday

Time to do the Happy Baseball Dance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I want to thank Jerry Manuel and David Wright for throwing me under the bus last night. Yesterday I posted on NYB Blogs telling Mets fans to relax and not give up on this team and especially on Wright who I defended big time. So how do they repay me?

Well J-Man had a managerial night that makes you wonder just how long he has as the leader of the Mets. It’s one thing to be hard headed and not see the experiment to bat Jose Reyes third in the lineup is an out and out failure, but then to have him bunt in the 9^th inning with Luis Castillo the go ahead run on 2^nd base was just stupid baseball. If you put Reyes in that spot in the order, you’re saying you have total faith in him as a hitter as the 3 hitter is usually the teams’ best hitter. So why would you make Reyes bunt in an obvious RBI situation. Reyes barely can bunt for a base hit never mind a sac bunt but also what message are you sending him? I’m batting you 3 but I don’t have faith in you to get a big hit, just move Castillo to third and let someone else get the job done.

Wright didn’t help me either with his two K’s, the biggest one in the 9th inning. Maybe I’m just not seeing or maybe I don’t want to see the decline in David Wright but when I look at his digits they are right there with all the league leaders but it just seems like the big spot is a tough spot for DW. I’m not jumping ship though, I’m still loyal to D-Wright      

Manuel said in his post game presser that he’s thinking of making some lineup changes, gee ya think Jerry? It seems the only one who favors Reyes in the 3 spot is Manuel. As Ralph Kiner said the other day, Reyes belongs as a leadoff man. When Gary Cohen asked who should bat third, Kiner replied “The Mets don’t have a 3 hitter” He’s 100 % right. The Mets 3 hitter is jogging in St Lonesome. They have a leadoff hitter but he bats third. If Manuel doesn’t bat Reyes leadoff tonight and bench Frenchy for The Animal then he’s just telling Mets fans and management he wants to be fired.   

I didn’t watch all of this game as I spent most of my evening watching the Boston Celtics send LeBron James and the Cavs packing (more on that in a minute) but couldn’t Manuel have given Johan Santana another inning of work? I know he batted second in the top of the 8th but he seemed to be pitching his best game of the season and was far from tired (just 98 pitches) and even though Fernando Nieve got a DP to get out the 8^th how many days can Manuel go to him or Feliciano or Takahashi? Those three have become everyday players.

I still stand by my the Mets are still in this stance but I’m starting to feel a shake up in the mangers office needs to be made. The Royals, who are going no where, fired Trey Hillman so you would think a team that is in a playoff hunt should be looking around as well. Something is missing here. When the team is 0-6 in rubber games of series and the same stale lineup gets trotted out there every day and the bullpen is getting run into the ground, maybe the Mets have reached that fork in the road and as Yogi said “when you get to the fork in the road, take it” It may be time to stick the fork in Jerry Manuel.

A big tip of my Celtics cap to Bill Simmons who started a Celtics Chant account on Twitter which got that “NEW YORK KNICKS” chant going at the TD Garden was the best fan participation since the days of the C’s fans telling the 76 ers in 1982 Conference Final to “Beat LA”. Get ready Knicks fans the LeBron era is coming.

To all the Celtic haters on Twitter who right after the C’s beat the Cavs were crowing that the Celtics will be buried by the Magic. First you all can kiss my green, white and 17 NBA Champiosnship banner ass. The Celtics have done what we all say can’t be done in sports, they turn the on switch on when the playoffs started and now are in full UBUNTU mode.

Metsradamus has what is now the Post of The Year dealing with that fell off the turnip truck turd, Cholly Manuel who has dragged the Mets into this sign stealing brouhaha with the Colorado Rockies, Metstradamus also reflects on the Skill Sets looking to by the Fishsticks and moved them to the brand new Chop Shop Arena. Not only does Metstradamus invoke the New York Amerks but when was the last time you heard about Newsy Lalonde?

So all of a sudden the Skill Sets are flush with cash that they can talk about buying the Fishsticks and build a new arena in Queens but the can’t release Oliver Perez and eat his deal.

At the end of the day, you know what I mean, it is what it is, at the end of the day that is”

From the Tao of Omar

If you came here to day for an explanation on the moves made by Jerry Manuel, well, you came to the wrong place. How do you explain taking out David Wright for Fernando Tatis ? By saying Tatis is the emergency 3^rd catcher? Well, fine but how do you justify keeping GMJ in the game in left field? How do you justify GMJ being on this team?  

The shame here is the waste of good pitching by the Mets with this anemic offense, The Jose Reyes experiment as the 3 hitter should end right now. I don’t know if it’s a matter of not being comfortable in that spot or if it’s just that Reyes was rushed back, whatever it is something’s not right with Reyes. So put him back on the top of the order. I hate to go after Luis Castillo as he is the only one other than Wright who actually gets on base, but he’s not even a banjo hitter at this point, he’s more ukulele at this point, so drop him to 8^th .  Rod Barajas has the hot power bat so keep in the 7 spot. As for Jason Bay, there is no sense in benching him, this is a bad slump for sure but if you did give him a day or two off who do you replace him with ? The Mets bench sucks, except for Hank White.  So what to do, well here would be my lineup for Friday vs the Giants

Reyes

Pagan

Wright

Bay

Davis

Francoeur

Barajas

Castillo

Pelfrey

I know that Manuel likes to spilt up left/right but you don’t have personnel for that set up. By letting Davis hit 5^th that’s the best you can do to keep from tipping too much to the right.

The biggest knock I have with management is the lack of creativity. As I stated ,the Mets bench is awful. Mets fans want GMJ gone and I agree but Frank Catalanotto is just as bad and needs to go as well. Daniel Murphy is a long way from getting back to Flushing so he’s not an option right now. But Chris Carter is an option right now. Carter can’t do anymore than he’s doing in Buffalo and with GMJ proving the Angles right in giving him away, it reeks of penny pinching that GMJ is not shown the door and Carter is not given a  shot with the big league team. I have no problem keeping Tatis as he had value as a pinch hitter and can fill in any where on the field.

How about going after Matt Stairs of the Padres ? or Mark Kotsay of the White Sox or Scott Podsednik and Willie Bloomquist of the Royals. Time for Omar and Manuel to stop with all the double talk jive bullshit and shake this offense up. If neither guy is up to the job then get out and let someone in who can. No team is going to run away with the NL east nor the Wild Card, it’s time to get aggressive.

Not much to get your nuts twisted over after yesterday’ game , Roy Haliday did what he’s been doing his whole career, keeping hitters off balance and dominating. 10-0 loss mark it down to shit happens. If Jose Reyes and Alex Cora make a couple of plays (both balls hit them in the glove tough plays but it’s the big leagues ‘fellas gotta catch those) maybe the game takes a different spin.

Win the game tonight with our Ace, who has a 4-1 lifetime record against the Phuck Phaces and all is right with the Mets world again.

The thing to watch after this game is how Big Pelf responds in his next start, most likely next Friday at home against the Giants.  Will it be old Pelf, less focused or ne Pelf, confidant and secure that he is a top echelon pitcher ?  Can’t wait for Friday to find out.

Sometimes it’s the little things that tell you about a player and a team. Jerry Manuel told Jeff Francoeur he was sitting out yesterday’s game due to getting plunked on the elbow with a pitch and crashing into the wall to make a catch. When told of this decision, Frenchy respectfully told the manager, hell to the no, I’m playing. So Manuel put him in. Big props to Frenchy.

Yes I know Alex Cora is a clubhouse leader and will be a big league manager and adopts Haitian orphans, is working a cure for cancer and feeds the homeless, but he has look so bad at bat and in the field so far this season that I get pissed when he plays instead of Luis Castillo. Hard to believe but I pray for Castillo’s good health.

I’m looking forward to the HBO Broad Street Bullies presentation this Tuesday night.  I’m sure this clip will be shown prominently during the show.

If Freddi Gonzalez ever feels his job as head Fishmonger is in jeopardy, he’d better hope the Mets are on the upcoming schedule. The Marlins have now beaten the Mets 13 times in the last 24 games.

Yes, yes, yes I know the season is in its infancy stage but didn’t the last three games look as though 2009 hasn’t ended? If not for the big effort by Johan Santana on Monday the Mets might be 0 for 2010 today.

Nice work by Jon Neise last night working all his pitches and hitting the strike zone on the down low.  The way he worked his fastball and cutter was encouraging as well. Too bad the Mets couldn’t put a few crooked numbers up for him. Sure 3 runs allowed in 6 innings is an average performance but Niese did pitch to contact and after watching John Maine on Wednesday at least he threw strikes.

I keep looking and looking but I can’t find where the Mets have DFA’Mike Jacobs? By the way Ike Davis had 3 hits in 4AB’s in a losing Buffalo Bison effort last night. Just sayin’

Should SNY start Mets telecast like an episode of 24 as a count down to when Jerry Manuel gets fired, “The following occurred between 7:10PM and 10:35PM”

This weekend series against the Nationals is a “must-win” for the Mets. What? Too early?

Luis Castillo will sit out tonight’s game with calf (wink, wink) discomfort. So tonight we get Alex “Leader of Men” Cora at 2^nd base and Ruben Tejada at short, and hopefully by tomorrow Jose Reyes will be activated from the DL unless of course he eats a dozen oysters on the half shell on the plane ride from St. Lonesome. Oh and Michael Highlander, I’m wearing my doo-rag today!!!!

I’m proud to say I have not watched one second of Jersey Shore being that if I want to look at wanna be tough guys and cows who have an over inflate view of their importance I can stroll the Staten Island Mall, but the commercial for Vitamin Water D-Wright shot with this cugine (pronounced COO-Jean) The Situation was pretty amusing. D-Wright by the way had a piece of the Vitamin Water and when they were bought by Coca-Cola Wright made a nice piece of change.