It’s good to see D-Wright is mad, I mean really, really mad:

{”I don’t like those guys,” Wright said. “I know they don’t like us. There are guys that I respect on that team. I respect them, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that I’m going to be friends with them. My whole career, I’ve tried to stay away from that. I’ll shake somebody’s hand and say hello, but I’m not going to be buddy-buddy with anyone before the game.

“I’m not a big fan of the teams in our division just because we play them so much. I would hope as a competitor that you would have that edge, that you would have a genuine interest to go out there and beat them by as much as you can}

Okay, it’s a start. I don’t figure Wright to take on my Braveheart mentality when it comes to our division rivals although I’d love it if he did but what I found interesting was the “I’ll shake somebody’s hand and say hello but I’m not going to be buddy-buddy with anyone before the game” quote. If you watch the Mets during warm ups it seems the players love to hug and kibitz with some players on the opposing team, and with the risk of being called a racist, it’s mostly the Latin players who do this. I don’t ever see D-Wright calling them out for doing that. In fact it was one of the pet peeves that Willie Randolph had when Omar and Tony B would be on the field before a game against the Nats and showing Manny Acta much love.

Saw this on Metsblog, seems Omar and Co. are not too crazy about the Brian Schneider/Ramon Castro catching tandem and an upgrade behind the plate is on the off season to do list.

New York Magazine is celebrating its 40^th Anniversary and the editors asked some sportswriters who they thought were the Top 10 NY Athletes of the last 40 years. Each writer gave some excellent choices (check out Selena Roberts who went off on a whole different tangent) I made my own list and it was very tough to limit it to 10 but here are my Top 10 NYC Athletes from 1968-2008:

1.      Tom Seaver-He is the reason why we care about the Mets

2.      Joe Namath- Even though I’m not a Jets fan I was and still am a huge Joe Willie fan. 

3.      Lawrence Taylor-The greatest defensive football player ever and second only to Jim Brown as the greatest football player ever.

4.      Willis Reed-Game 7 1970 NBA Finals I still get goose bumps when I see videos of Reed limping on to the court

5.      Walt Clyde Frazier-Always the coolest guy in the room and what gets lost in the Reed scenario is Clyde lighting up the Lakers for 36 pts and 19 dimes.

6.      Mark Messier-The Captain Always The Captain

7.      Reggie Jackson-If there was a guy born to play in NYC it was Reggie

8.      Mariano Rivera-Yes it kills me but what’s fair is fair he is the greatest reliever in history

9.      Dwight Gooden-Every home start was an event must see baseball

10.  Pele-If you weren’t around during the days of the New York Cosmos this choice may not make sense to you but think of Pele like you would of Babe Ruth.

You can add any vile and nasty words you want to that slogan as well. If Warlord Jerry and Omar Minaya have any motivational brains they will use the hatred that seems to be universal around baseball to help bond the ‘09 team.

I totally confess to be the world’s biggest sore loser. As much as I hate the NY Islanders I always admired Isles goalie Billy Smith who never joined the hand shake line during the Stanley Cup playoffs as he said “why shake hands with a guy who is trying to take bread off my table”? Well said. 

This “We Hate You” mantra that has been vented toward the Mets needs to be embraced by the owner, the GM, the Manager, the fans, and most importantly the players. What all this “hate” tells me is the NL has no respect for the Mets because the see them as a “me” and not a “we” team. J-Man touched on that when he was given the total reigns of the clubhouse and it’s up to him to drive this Bring the Hate message to his players. It’s is up to Omar to bring in players who take offense to being hated. This team of 2008 took the hate in stride. Remember the Elijah Dukes incident with Mike Pelfrey? It was good that Brian Schiender stepped between Dukes and Big Pelf but being that there is a history of disrespect between the Nats and Mets, Schiender should have Varetek-ed Dukes. By Vartek-ed I mean how Jason Vartek smacked the shit out of A-Rod as he was tired of his bullshit. That’s what a team does. Is this neanderthal macho dumb ass thinking?  Of course it is.  But this turn the other cheek bullshit ain’t working in Flushing.

So line up you fucking haters and takes us on. BRING THE HATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When Warlord Jerry addressed his shell shocked warriors yesterday I hope he let them know that every team in the division hopes they fail again. I hope he let them no that every team in the NL East just doesn’t find then unpleasing I hope he told how much they hate them. I  hope he told them that the Nationals, Marlins and Braves want the Phillies to represent the NL East in the post season. I hope he told them that the also rans sit in their clubhouses and say “yeah we’re out of it but at least we didn’t choke like the Mets” and then laugh their ass’ off.  Seriously, nothing the opposition does or says angers the Mets.. Sure David Wright has been slamming hats and bats the last couple of days but don’t they see how the Braves, Nats, Marlins and of course the Phillies all turn into  Shaq serenading Kobe with “tell me how my ass taste” every time they play against them? With every loss and every blown opportunity to put the Phillies in the rear view mirror the Mets grab the bats a little tighter and overthrow their fastballs a little more out of the strike zone and fail to come through in clutch situations. It easy to throw all the blame on the bullpen but you have to question the entire character of the organization if they fail to make the post season for the second straight season. If that happens the Skill Sets will have some major decision to make here and not just how many olives to put in the martinis at the $iti field luxury suites.

The Braves came into Shea for their last series there and after beating the Mets two of three they are led by Larry Jones with cameras in hand to take pictures of the Shea Stadium scoreboard and no one on the Mets seemed to mind. Same with the Nats. First Elijah Dukes heckles Nelson Figurora and all he can do is call the Nats a girls softball team. Then Dukes goes nuts over a Mike Pelfrey ball inside. To Big Pelf’s credit he walked right toward Dukes and if not for Manny Acta coming out of the dugout there might have been an altercation. Willie Harris has been beating the Mets ass for a couple of years now maybe someone on the pitching staff will make him eat dirt.

Not only do I feel bad for Fernando Tatis for his injury and the fact that he was writing one of the great stories of the season but with him and Damien Easley out the Mets lose two of their best clutch hitters, Tatis was hitting .392 with RISP and .286 with 2 out/RISP and Easley was hitting a robust .314 with 2 out/RISP. Two guys who are killing the Mets in that department are Ryan Church (.179 2 out/RISP) and Carlos Beltran (.183 2 out/RISP) As I said it’s very easy to kill the Aaron Heilman’s and Scott Schoenweies of the world but when you lack the killer instinct to step on your opponents necks and snuff them out this is what you get, doubt, second guessing and Mets fans holding a puke bucket while watching their team fade down the stretch for the second year in a row.

{ I wrote this post at about 9AM this morning but forgot to hit the publish button. Yes, I’m an idiot) 

The Collapse2007 is dead and buried, thanks to a couple of grave diggers named Santana and Delgado. Johan Santana did what an ace does, prevents long losing streaks and then we have Carlos Delgado who has transformed himself in mid season, the likes I don’t think has been seen in baseball ever. I don’t have the time or patience to research it but if anyone can tell me different let me know what player has gone from shit to sugar in mid-season like Delgado? I mean those were M-V-P chants I heard last night from Shea right? I wasn’t sure as my head felt like it was injected with Novocain listing to Joe Morgan’s analyisis of the game.

So the Mets are in the same spot as they were before Friday’s game two games up on the Phellatios instead of being even. If you’re the Phellatios, even with two of three weekend you’ve got to be somewhat verklempt after last nights game because you are banking on the Mets folding up like a home mortgage lender and you find out that will not happen again for two reasons, the Mets strong starting pitching and new leadership in the managers office. Now that the Mets held serve they must, MUST beat the ever loving shit out the Nats and Braves this week, as if any lesson was learned from last year it’s take no opponent for granted as these two teams hate the Mets and will be at their best to try and beat them.

Pardon me for not panicking about Billy Wags being done for the season. Of more concern is  the up and down starts by Petey as the bullpen looks to be in descent shape but the starting rotation can not have another member go down. The pressure is on Santana, OP and Big Pelf to keep up their stellar starts but if Petey is not going to give the Mets effective starts then J-Man will have to act and from what we’ve seen so far if you perform you play is the Warlord Jerry’s Golden Rule.

Now if Wags is gone for the year then I don’t want to here a word about him or out of him until spring. Now I know I’m prick for saying that but I’m of the mindset if you’re injured and can’t play then get out of the way. Cold hearted yes but it’s the only way to go. Losers make excuses for poor play due to injury (see Highlander, New York, Girardi, Joe, Clueless) Wags is out. No problem.  Luis Ayala is doing fine and I also think Al Reyes will see some significant innings as will Ricardo Rincon. The Mets have the arms what is needed is the execution.

Do you get the idea that Warlord Jerry looks at Aaron Heilman like the Jets looked at Baby John in West Side Story? What is J-Man quote? “Gangsta’s take the field, ladies take the bus”? Looks like J-Man gave Heilman an unlimited Metro Card.

Same with Gimp Castillo, by playing Damien Easley in both games it shows J-Man was true to his word that he doesn’t care about contracts he is playing his best guys.

According to ESPN MLB Schedule the match ups the next four games, the Mets will see four LH starters (Jon Lanan-Odalis Perez for the Nats Denver School Superintendent Mike Hampton and Jo-Jo Reyes of the Braves) so my question How does J-Man get Danny Boy Murphy at bats? Out of the next four Murphy has to get at least one start and if a righty comes in, then Murphy should be put in for either Tatis or Evans which ever gets the start.

Reason number 86,345 why it’s great to be a Mets fan. I go to my kitchen to get a drink and turn on the radio where I hear Howie Rose and Wayne Hagin discussing Lorne Green singing the theme of Bonanza. As they discuse it Chris Majkowski plays Green singing the tune. Take that John Sterling.

I’m out time to watch Phillies-Dodgers. You wouldn’t know it that I have to get up at 5:30AM to go to work

So far the phone calls suck. First guy said that Dan Murphy reminds him of Tony Gywnn? HUH? First it’s way to early to compare Danny Boy to a guy like TG who is one of the greatest hitters of all time. It’s great the DM is hitting the cover off the ball but we will find out what kind of player he is after he has some adversity in the bigs and how he adjusts.

Next guy Carl from Staten Island started off with the obligatory ass kissing of Gary and Mex then went on a rant about Omar not getting relief help, when Gary asked you he thought Omar should have gone after Carl punked out and hung up.

Caller asked about J-Man getting the gig as manager for long term and Gary said he was “100 % in favor of giving Manuel job permanently” From the tone of Gary’s response I don’t think he shed a tear when Willie Randolph got gassed.

Mex is also on board in lifting the “interim” tag away for J-Man

Next guy wanted to know why Reyes-Wright and Delgado are still in the game? Good question

That’s it for John Maine. 5 IP 1 h 0 R 0 ER 4 BB 6K 90 pitches 53K Great night for Maine and I agree with Mex leave Maine in the rotation if I were to move a starter to the pen it would be Big Pelf as he throws hard and is nearing a point where you have to watch his innings pitched but hopefully with the new found sacks the Pen Men will overcome.

Stokes is in and promptly gives up a base hit to Zimmerman Thank you Austin Kern’s for that DP WHEW! Mets are out of the inning.

Gary and Mex will be taking calls (212) BUZZ-SNY is the number I’m tempted to call and ask Mex to reminisce about the nights he spent at Rusty’s Restaurant I don’t think the stuffed suits at SNY would appreciate it

Did they give the AFLAC answer yet? I still didn’t look it up so I’ll stick with Lance Johnson

Hi all It took me awhile to get started but not the Amazin’s as they are giving Jason Bergman and the Nats a good old fashion ass kicking. So far it’s 10-nil Mets but we all know this game is no where near close to being over.

TV camera focused on Jason Bergman after that inning and looked like he was paralyzed. Manny Acta left Bergman out there to the point where it was embarrassing. Bergman walked 5 Mets that inning and gave up 8 runs. As much fun as it is to watch the Mets pound the ball, it does make you feel a little uneasy watching a guy get humiliated.

Someone needs to smack Charlie Samuel in the head with these black uni tops really enough all ready. The grey road uni is one of the best not only in baseball but in sports. Same with the home white pinstripe suit and  is the  solid Royal blue hat. Really enough with the fucking black why do the Mets have to look like that half pint weasel Giusepe Franco?

AFLAC trivia question What Mets player led the league in hits?

Without Googling it I’ll say Lance Johnson