It was a move long overdue. In fact give John Ricco credit for getting a live body for Jeff Francoeur  but the organization shouldn’t have stopped there. It’s quite clear that again for the third season in a row the Mets have rolled over and died. How Jerry Manuel gets to fill out a lineup card today for the Mets is a smack in our Mets fan faces. Sure it doesn’t matter anymore this season but by firing Manuel and Omar Minaya today would send a message that a tidal wave of changes are coming. But I have absolutely no confidence that inept bullshit ownership has the balls to do this.

A real owner who owned this close to one BILLION dollar company would go into that clubhouse and rip the living shit out of this team. But that won’t happen.  The only passion comes from the fan base. It’s not just a matter of screaming and yelling in fact screaming and yelling wouldn’t have any effect on this team anyway. If the owner would just go into that clubhouse and tell this team the truth that they are an embarrassment and what has him baffled is they don’t seem to mind that they are saddled with this label. The owner would also be of the right to let them know that this little Country Club mentality that has infected the clubhouse will be dismantled. The owner should then go on about how there will be a new GM and manager next year and if this new management team says to me that (pointing at players) you, you or you need to go, then you got to go. The owner should also stress that his office is closed to any player who has a baseball related issue, all of those inquires must go through chain of command from manager to general manager. If you have a personal or family issue as the owner, he should let them know he will help him as best he can.

As fans we can talk about who to cut, who to trade for, who to sign as a free agent but all that talk is a waste of words and oxygen unless ownership either cleans out the front office and makes a concerted effort to change the perception that the organization is clueless, leaderless and headed on the fast track to nowhere.

By a show of hands, how many of you Mets fans out there are still wearing your Mets gear in public?  Not many I see. I can’t blame you as it wears you down to wear your WRIGHT 5 or REYES 7 and have to answer inane question after inane question about the team. I don’t know about you but I’m worn out from answering question after question about why this organization is so bad and can’t get out of its own way.  All I can tell them is “Blogging about the Mets ain’t easy “

All you need to know about the player’s view of the team is in this Tweet from Steve Popper. First Rod Barajas now Francoeur, if the players don’t want to be here then why should I buy a ticket or watch SNY or wear drape myself in Mets regalia? Why do I feel the chasm between the team and fan base exists because the Mets fans take this much more personally than the players do? Did you see the smile on Francoeur’ face last night when he spoke to the media about being sent to Arlington? When was the last you smiled as a Mets fan?

I’ve seen some of the Tweets of Mets fan who are actually upset that Jeff Francoeur was dealt to the Texas, are you fucking kidding me?

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So it just happens that Jeffey Wilpon en route to St Lonesome to watch some of his prized farm hands with GM in training John Ricco in tow, makes a pit stop in Atlanta maybe to watch his team play but most likely to buy a pair of high class kicks, but anyway while he was in town taking in the ball game, his manager for the next month, Jerry Manuel felt this was as good as time as ever to show Jeffey Skill Sets where is daddy’s hard earn cash is going. First J-Man inserted Luis Castillo and Jeff Francoeur in the lineup, because I don’t know if you’ve heard (come closer to the screen because this info needs to be kept on the downlow) the Mets still think they are in contention for the post season shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh don’t let the rest of the NL know shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Pat Misch made every Mets fan who wondered why he wasn’t given the call up earlier the answer to that query by getting pounded harder than an British Heavyweight . But just as Jeffey Skill Sets and Executive in Training Ricco were ready to leave, Manuel sent a note to them to hang in for another inning or two as he had a really big surprise for them. So Jeffey grabbed another cotton candy and went back to his seat.

So now it’s the bottom of the seventh inning and the Mets down five runs and Jeffey on his eighth Coca-Cola is getting antsy as he’s seen enough of this listless team and all he can think about is watching Nickelodeon on the TV of the St. Lonesome Motel 6 when all of a sudden the visitor’s bullpen gate opens and on the big screen at the Ted this video appears and the crowd let’s out a collective gasp:

“One singular sensation, every little step he takes……………….

IT’S…..IT’S……OLLIE PEREZ…………………

Welllllllll Jeffey drops his Coke, Cotton Candy and his Mets Build A Bear. Ricco drops his Baseball General Managing for Dummies book and both men stare at the Mets manager as he stands on the top step of the dugout laughing his lame duck ass off.

For the first time in a month Ollie Perez takes off his Mets Snuggie to enter a game and throw live pitches. Oh and did Ollie ever throw a live pitch to Brian McCann. McCann just missed the first offering by OP, I guess he was still startled by the Resurrection but he made sure he got a hold of the next pitch and launched it over the right field wall for a home run. Ahhhhh so good to see Ollie hasn’t lost a step in his month layoff; if he’s anything, he is consistent. Of Perez’ 29 pitches 14 were K’s not bad. With only 17 home games left in this scintillating Mets season we can only hope that J-Man uses OP in a few of those games as Perez is such a fan fave we all want to express our feeling for him.           

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Have you noticed that the Mets telecast on SNY has turned more into a sports/general interest talk show than focusing on the action on the field? Not that I have a problem with that, not at all, in fact if it weren’t for Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez, Ron Darling and Kevin Burkhardt along with Bobby Ojeda in the studio, I don’t think I’d be watching many more Mets games. As much as I love our announcing crew though, it’s a sad state of affairs when they are the main draw to watching Mets baseball.

During the game yesterday, Gary posed the question to Hernandez about dangling the names Jose Reyes and David Wright out there as pieces in trade talk. Hernandez said (paraphrasing here) “of course you would; you’d have to as a GM just to see who is interested and what kind of package you’d get in return.” Now Hernandez DID NOT say Yes dump them, get rid of them, off with them. He just said what any smart thinking Mets fan would say, you have to at least see what you can get for either or both.

I am in no way advocating the trading of Wright or Reyes, in a perfect world both players would continue their careers as Mets and retire as Mets, I would be very happy if the end of their Mets careers finished with “…and they lived happily ever after…” but as we know too well we Mets fans live in a imperfect world.

When I Tweeted that I agreed with Hernandez on this issue you would have thought I opened up a Mosques R Us on Cortlandt St. The question I posed is this, Say the Skill Sets hire a new GM like Kevin Towers, or Mark Shapiro or even promote John Ricco and they get a call from an team with a deep farm and young players who are on the Major League team already. For either player I want a at least a starting pitcher, a second baseman, an outfielder and prospects (of course the Mets will throw in a few other players as well) as you see it would take a blockbuster to have me trade Wright and or Reyes but as a GM you have to see if that blockbuster is out there.

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Think about this for a minute, the Mets have lost their closer for the remainder of the season and maybe part of next season and instead of panic and angst, Mets fan are celebrating like the team just won the NL Pennant. Francisco Rodriguez has torn ligaments in his right thumb, HOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Any other season the scramble would be on to find someone to pitch the 9^th inning, instead Mets fans are full of optimism that the team will void Rodriguez contract. Fans don’t even care if they can legally do this it’s more like the want to see Rodriguez suffer and maybe that the great legal mind of David Howard can take on the MLBPA and win, what could be the most important contest the Mets have been involved in two years. 

Speaking for myself, I don’t care if the Mets have to pay K-Rod the rest of this year and next, although I’d think if the Mets could win a case against Rodriguez a ticker tape parade down Roosevelt Ave would be appropriate, I just want to see the front office show some fight and send a message that they actually give a shit about the team and are tired of being portrayed as bungling douche bags.

Maybe the tide is turning in Flushing, as the Mets not only signed their number one pick RHP Matt Harvey but they went over slot price as well.

As another Mets season goes down the shitter, what better time to worry about next years contract right? That’s what’s on the mind of Pedro Feliciano. Daily Pedro will be a free agent after this season and is looking to re-up with the Mets and raise up his salary from this years $2.9 mil. I’m sure Feliciano will be looking for a healthy bump in pay and years but at what point do the Mets say farewell as the price in both cash and time becomes prohibited? A LOOGY on a mediocre team is a luxury you don’t really need so it’s more the Mets missed the boat at the trading deadline by not dealing Feliciano. I’m pretty sure you can find a Quadruple A or league average player to play the LOOGY role for a fraction of the price of Daily Pedro.

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My biggest problem with Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel is neither of these two challenge any of their players publicly. I’m not saying it’s the right thing to do but desperate times call for desperate measures.   The cool, calm way is just not working and Jerry trying not to throw anyone under a bus in the press isn’t working  either, so maybe it’s time for some tough love and start calling guys out by name.  If your Manuel, you know your job is on the line and if these underachievers don’t kick it in gear soon, you’ll be out of a job and maybe that’s what Manuel wants. Maybe J-Man has had it with this team and organization that he can just play out the next month and a half get released and go home?  It could be the players are taking their cue from their skipper. That’s why Jerry Manuel has got to go. Let Dave Jauss finish out the season but a message needs to be sent this isn’t a fucking country club and no one is set for life in Flushing.

Same with Minaya, how does he stay so calm? At some point shouldn’t he address the team and read the riot act? Doesn’t it bother him that just about every Mets fan thinks he’s a shit ass GM that only knows how to throw money at free agents and sign over the hill players?  Does he enjoy being in charge of a team that is made the punch line of jokes in all of baseball?

What about the owner? Does Jeffey Skill Sets enjoy be called a douchebag by me and other fans? Doesn’t get he ever get pissed that he is portrayed as a buffoon and spoiled little rich kid that evey Mets fan wants to punch in the face?

Is there anyone associated with this organization that ever gets mad? Besides Crazy Freddie? If ownership had a quarter of the passion and fight of it’s fan base, this team wouldn’t be in the sad position it’s in now.

You know what makes it worse? The Phillies and Red Sox have been decimated by injuries but both teams are still in the think of a pennant race. You know why? Because their players have boulders for balls unlike our Mets who I hate to say it, are cowards and I can call them cowards and losers and any other name I want and any of the MSM can show this post to the players, GM, or owner and they won’t do a damn thing about it.

Hey Omar, Hey Jerry, Hey Jeff, Hey David Wright any of you guys feel froggy, then leap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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So  much for the big boost that Frenchy’s home run was supposed to bring to the Mets, that was another smoke screen to hide the suck that is Jeff Francoeur. At least he’s well liked by his teammates. I’ve worked with guys like Frenchy, they are so personable and charismatic that you love being around them but when it comes to getting the actual work done they’re utter failures. I’ve worked with guys like Carlos Beltran as well, guys who have the personality of Elmers Glue, not only can’t you get a word out of them when they do speak, the words are nothing of substance. However when it comes to getting the job done they’re much more productive than the jovial good time Charley guy.  So if your job is on the line and a deadline to get your assignment done who do you want, the dull producer or the happy jack off? In this case dull wins.

A must read for you today is Greg Prince’ piece on his Faith and Fear in Flushing site where he lays it all out about this season and about who we, as Mets fans are.   Remember Mets fans, “we’ve got no place else to go” Classic Greg, Classic!

I’m in the middle of Red Sox Nation here on Cape Cod as many Bostonians are here on vacation. They are all hopped up for the four game series this weekend with the Highlanders which as a Mets fan puts me at a big disadvantage. Just a about every  reastaurant here shows Red Sox games on tv and I mean from big formal places to the fish joints on the side of the road the “Sawx” are a way of life out here. I’ve been wearing my Mr. Cap and I get some looks, some head shakes and some “we’re sorry’s” as well. I’m thinking of sitting outside a store on Main St in Hyannis with a cardboard sign that says METS FAN PLEASE HELP with my Mr. Met cap on the ground and see how much money I can make.

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I’m exhausted. After sitting through last nights game, then heading home and getting to bed about four hours before I needed to get up to go to work, I’m going to need three XL Dunkin’ Dounts coffee’s to get through the work day.

My day at Citi Field started out with a great surprise. As we were walking from the car to the front of the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, I had the great pleasure of meeting up with Ed Kranepool. Yes, THE Ed Kranepool, my FME (Favorite Met Ever). He was with a bunch of people and was busy distributing tickets to them when I went over to say hello. I reminded him that we met at a luncheon at Gallagher’s for the 69 Champs and that I run this blog named after him, he started laughing and said “Oh now I remember you” we just chatted for a minute or two before we shook hands and bid each other well.  That was my “Let It Be” moment as a Mets fan. Just when I wonder is all this worth it, as I get more and more aggravated with the ownership, front office and manager and question why I actually give a shit about this team, I hear that song in my head:

When I find myself in times of trouble,

Eddie Kranepool comes to me,

Speaking words of wisdom,

Let it be, let it be.

After my Kranepool encounter, we then took a stroll through the Mets Museum. This was just my third trip to Citi Field this season (now that my baseball season has come to a close with a second round ousting in the playoffs, I hope to make a few more trips this summer to Flushing) but the first time I had the time to go a look around the Hall of Fame. I must say, I was thoroughly impressed. I love the fact that the two World Series trophies are on displayed for us, the great unwashed, to look at and enjoy instead of the days at Shea when the swells in the suites and Diamond Club, the folks who have zero attachment to them, had them in plain view. I also like how the plaques are made just like the one’s in Cooperstown. The display of Mets uniforms of the past is a treat as well and the baseballs from the first and last games at the Polo Grounds and Shea Stadium scream of our history. I don’t say this too many times but bravo Mets management on putting together a great place for Mets fans to relive and learn Mets history.

A few thoughts on last night’s game:

This team is madding. How does Johan Santana go from throwing batting practice in the first inning to morphing back into an Ace from innings 2-5?    

We sat in seats last night that allowed us access to the Caesars Club, as my wife said we needed to splurge since it was my birthday. Our seats were great, section 326 between third and home, but I’m just not cut out to be among the people who frequent that area. We may have been the only ones in the section actually watching the action on the field.  I was not impressed with the surroundings of the Cesar’s Club either. The furnishings look like the came off the set of Mad Men, with the couches and coffee tables that looked just like the furniture in my living room when I celebrated my 6^th birthday in 1964. One very nice feature though was the air conditioning which was welcome relief on a stifling night.

I also grew weary of telling all the “Johnny Come Lately” Mets fans that life story of Mike Hessman.

I’m sure Jerry Manuel has all sorts of facts and figures in his binder that he keeps in the dugout. I am also sure that on one of those pages there shows Pedro Feliciano gets pounded by right handed hitters to the tune of .333/.446/.405 and that Raul Valdes, even though he’s a lefty, has success versus righties  .206/.322/.284 so why was Feliciano left to face El Hombre? I can accept not walking Pujols but why not go with Valdes? It’s your nightly “Gangsta’ Jerry’s Head Scratcher of the Game”.

I have really, really REALLY had enough of Luis Castillo.

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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.

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Unfortunately last night, Doug Glanville had a family emergency to tend to and had to cancel his appearance with me on This Call To The Bullpen but we are both working on finding another day for Doug to come on the program to talk about his book The Game From Where I Stand (Henry Holt/Times Books) and we hope to have that hashed out in a few days. So I had to decide, cancel the show or just go on and rant for an hour and the hour rant won out. So if you want to hear me talk about Jerry Manuel, playing games that count in Puerto Rico, Bobby Valentine and Wally Backman, then check out last nights This Call To The Bullpen.

don’t forget to check out the THIS CALL TO THE BULLPEN shop at Cafe Press

It’s game like last night that stirs the demons of my Mets soul. I want nothing more than to stand on Broadway decked out in every piece of Met clothing I own and celebrate the ticker tape parade that no other city in the world gives to his championship sports teams. What has me conflicted is, if that happens, then Jerry Manuel will be the Mets manager for a minimum of three more years. Last nights game showed just about ever deficiency in Manuel’ game. Stephen Hanks of Mets Merized Online lays each and every flaw (save maybe for number one and the author agrees that my be picking at nits as well) from not running for Rod Barajas and even the pinch hitting for Ruben Tejeda but the big one for me was using Frankie Rodriguez in the 8th inning last which goes with Manuel’ “throw a reliever against the wall and see what sticks” bullpen management.

We are starting to get inundated with Cliff Lee rumors, not just every day but just about every hour. I don’t think there is a Mets fan out there who doesn’t want Lee on the team, as his presence alone will make the Phuck Phaces and Squaws go “GULP”. But at what price would you pay for this rental Ace? At this point there is no way you can trade Angel Pagan. Saying that, when Carlos Beltran does come back, Beltran is THE CENTERFIELDER and he is the centerfielder until he shows he physically can’t play the position any longer. However, Beltran will not be out there day after day so Pagan gets say two days a week in CF, then another couple in the corners with more time in RF. Beltran is not a corner outfield and there is a huge difference between playing CF from playing a corner outfield spot as we saw with the horrific collision between Mike Cameron and Carlos Beltran back in San Diego a few years ago. Pagan has played corner outfield so the transition is easier for him.

The price on Roy Oswalt may not be too high but Drayton McClain is an Al Davis clone. He wants to shed payroll but he hates to part with his good ol’ boys like Oswalt and Lance Berkman, even when both player say it’s best for the organization to trade both of them.

The most intriguing move would be to get Carlos Zambrano as the Cubs would move the high strung Z and take players non grata, Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo. The problem is when all the contracts change hands it could cost the Mets $18 mil for Z . Ted Lilly is attractive as well after pitching a great game last night so there are some options for the Mets (Jeffey Skill Sets and John Ricco that is I still say Ricco is running the baseball ops with Jeffey and Omar has been relegated to high paid scout)

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How did you feel about Jerry Seinfeld in the booth with Gary and Keith? The best part about Seinfeld in the booth is he’s an honest to goodness Mets fan. He wasn’t there to plug a movie (looking at you Kevin James) or a TV show, he was there as a Mets fan.

I thought his line to Keith when Jose Reyes hit his home run was classic:

  ”Yes! Jose Reyes cruising around third. Keith Hernandez is not liking this. Always whining about the Reyes homers. I love ‘em! Always love a homer no matter who hits it … Boom! You have got to love this.”

Seinfeld may have gone a bit overboard gushing over Gary Cohen, to the point where it seemed Cohen was getting a bit embarrassed but he was correct when he said that Gary, Keith and Ron (and don’t forget the Great Kevin Burkhardt as well) form the best announcing team in sports.

Too me the line of the night is when he talked about Lady GaGa and how they cleaned up his suite after she soiled it with her presences:

 “Everything’s fine. We brought the bedbug dog in. What’s his name? Rusty, the beagle? Now everything’s clean.”

That made me laugh out loud.

Too bad they didn’t  take calls in the booth as I’m sure Uncle Leo would have dialed

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