Doesn’t 2006 seem like eon’s ago? Think about it, just four years ago the NY Mets were the NL East Champs and we Mets fans felt this was the beginning of a long prosperous run. Boy, were we wrong. Somehow, someway the organization has lost its focus and in turn has lost the trust of the fan base. As much as I enjoyed watching the Mets Hall of Fame induction ceremonies yesterday and the fact that the HOF and museum at Citi Field is exceptional and no one loves the history of this franchise more than I do, but it’s time to put that energy of bringing back the past, and move it towards building a solid organization for the future.

Quite frankly, I couldn’t care less who the next Mets HOF inductee will be and whose number could or should be retired or what kind of promotional days should be added to the schedule. I want the focus of ownership to be on building a minor league system that is the envy of baseball. I want the ownership to prove to me their not destitute by going over slot on draft picks they believe are worthy of such a contract. I want ownership to bring in the best and brightest executives in baseball to run this team and turn it into a perennial pennant contender. I want ownership to get rid of the deadwood on the roster.

I’ll be back at Citi Field a few more times this summer because I’m an addicted to the Mets and to baseball (Wednesday I went to Mets-Cards, Friday I was at SI Highlanders-Connecticut Tigers, tonight I’m going to Brooklyn Cyclones-Hudson Valley Renegades, Wednesday morning I leave for 10 days on Cape Cod just in time for the Cape Cod League Playoffs. If the Red Sox were home there would be a side trip to Boston for a game at Fenway as well oh yeah this on top of coaching baseball from the end of March to the end of July ) but guys like me are few and far between. It’s time for the Skill Sets to get their house in order and change the culture of this organization fast, this will be the most important off season in Flushing since the Wilpon/Doubleday ownership take over. The Skill Sets have to see a change of philosophy is needed. They can’t be that ignorant can they? Can they?

James Kannengieser at Amazin Avenue has his Five Ways to Improve The Mets and I’m sure we all agree on these each of them. What I can’t understand is this, when it comes to Toxic Ollie and The Late Luis Castillo what is the justification from ownership for not cutting both of them loose? Isn’t there anyone in these organizational meeting with a pair of balls to stand up and tell Jeffey Skill Sets it’s time to put the team ahead of the ledger sheet? Does Jeffey understand how much respect he would gain from the fan base if he came out and did a mass release of Perez, Castillo, Francoeur and Cora? Then tell the fans this is just the beginning of the organizational purge. Ah who am I kidding Jeffey Skill Sets is fucking gutless.

The Mets Police is now The A’s Police. Back in the mid 70’s when the Mets were awful, I was infatuated with the Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine. I even subscribed the Reds Alert which was a weekly fan mag. So now through the great MLB Extra Innings package, I’ve been watching the Reds as they fight the Cardinals for the top spot in the NL Central. Maybe I’ll change this site into the Ed Armbrister Society. 

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One the great mysteries of the 201 0season is the astonishing difference between the Mets playing at home and what happens to them away from Queens. At home the Mets are the best team in baseball winning 22 of 31 in the spacious confines on $iti Field but away from home they’re as homesick as a first time summer camper going 8-18. Just think, if the Mets went 12-14 on the road their record would be 34-23 and in first place in the NL East. If they went 14-12 on the road that would have put them at 36-21 and not only in first place in the NL East but the best record in the NL. Go figure?

Why is this? Well, last night I had the pleasure of joining Pat Nestor on NYB Blog Live on Blog Talk Radio and one of the subjects we discussed was why is it that the Mets are studs at home and duds on the road. Pat and I both felt that Mets batters when they go into places like Cincinnati or Philly see the smaller dimensions and feel they can get their swing on in those hitters ball parks, where as at home the batters have come to the realization that hitting to the gaps are the way to go so maybe it’s the radical change in hitting philosophy that hurts them on the road. Just a theory. 

While on the subject of radio, tomorrow night at 10PM ET on This Call To The Bullpen on Blog Talk Radio my guest will be Shannon Shark of The Mets Police. No black caps or jerseys allowed, proper Blue and Orange attire only.

You know worlds are colliding when I agree with Bill Madden who took Fredi Gonzalez to task for some curious in game managing yesterday and then pointing out that one time around the block with Hisanori Takahashi is good the second and third time not good at all, back to the pen with you Mr. T.

I have no idea who the Mets will draft tonight in the First-Year Player Draft but I just hope with the 7^th pick the club takes the best player available slotting, be damned. I’m just hoping the Skill Sets with the cozy friendship with the Used Car Salesman don’t have a deal in place where they do not go over slot in exchange for a sign off from the Commissioners Office on the Ollie Perez “injury” (ouch! Something in my eye) The consensus pick for the Mets by the way is Zack Cox a solid hitting infielder from Arkansas.

With all the talk about finding an 8^th inning reliever how about calling the Astros to deal Matt Lindstrom to the Mets?  Lindstrom’s been closing for the ‘Stros which is waste of his talent and that fastball/slider would be a fine compliment to Frankie Rodriguez and his 1,001 variations of pitches.

I spent the day at Coney Island yesterday eating food I have no business eating but the strangest sight of the day (and on Coney Island it takes a super human effort to be strange) were four people sitting next to us at Nathan’s (I need to know if they serve Nathan’s fries with cheese and bacon in heaven or hell so I know to either clean up my act if they’re served in heaven or continue my evil ways if they’re served in hell) were four the ugliest looking family of white trash decked out in Philadelphia Flyers garb. I wanted to ask them what the fuck they were doing here in Coney Island but I didn’t want to ruin my appetite.

What is it about a baseball that makes people lose their mind? I’ve been going to baseball games since I’m 6 years old and I have never caught a foul ball at a game, and I couldn’t care less if I ever did. Same thing with the stupid t-shirt toss, I have more t-shirts than an adult middle aged man should own so why would I risk breaking an arm or a leg for a t-shirt that reads Pepsi Party Patrol on it but people do.

Oh yeah, I want this with my Nathan’s Fries with cheese and bacon. I hope that goes on in hell too

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A very busy Memorial Day weekend continues, first it was a trip to the Staten Island Homeport for Fleet Week and a visit on the battleships in port, then yesterday it was chillin’ and grillin’ in the backyard and today my family is honored to march in the Staten Island Memorial Day parade as both my kids will be flag bearers and then off to another barbeque. How can anyone like winter over summer ? I dread heading to work tomorrow for the fact I have to wear real pants and a shirt, I could be extremely happy spending the rest of my life in shorts, t-shirt and flip flops.

Take time out of your busy weekend to give a thought about the brave men and women of our military who have put their lives on the line for us and for our country and if there is a parade in your area today try to get out to it and show your support for those who have given the supreme sacrifice.

I’m not happy with just one win in Milwaukee this weekend, if this Mets team would have gone 11-12 on the road, to go with that great home record of 19-9 that’s 30-21 overall just a shade under .600 ball and in 1^st place in the NL East. Now it’s on to the 1^st place SD Padres and their top ranked pitching staff, 2 out of 3 here for the Mets would be sweet.

At some point Jeffey Skill Sets has to have a sit down with Ollie Perez and Scott Boras to get Perez to go to Buffalo. I’m sure Perez’ teammates are not happy by his selfishness and me attitude but when the team comes back home this weekend, just the sight of Perez at the ballpark will set off an ugly reaction by the fans. Jerry Manuel said in so many words that it would take a disastrous situation before he calls Perez on the bullpen phone so really Ollie man up and go to Buffalo.

Fernando Tatis was in the lineup for Ike Davis yesterday and batted clean up. That’s worse that the other Manuel line up staple of whoever plays 2^nd must bat 2^nd.  Do any of the other coaches go to Jerry and say enough is enough with these ridiculous lineup he puts together ?

If my vote means anything I vote YES on brining Dontrelle Willis to the Mets.

There is nothing sadder than seeing a house without an American flag outside of it especially on a holiday like Memorial Day.

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48 hours until opening day and Mets fans are getting their finest Mets regalia ready for opening day.  The jersey’s are washed and hung, the Mets caps with a nice bend of the brim and you can almost taste the garlic-parmesan  fries . The weatherman claims it will be 70 degrees on Monday so a nice blue three quarter sleeve under your brand new egg shell pinstripe home uni may do. By the way , what will the Mets be wearing on Monday ?  I would home the new pinstripe uni’s and all blue caps. Pomp and Circumstance will be there as well (Pomp never travels without Circumstance but Circumstance has had a stellar solo career).  So the fans will there, the new uni’s will be there, the new Mets Hall of Fame will be there, the old Home Run Apple will be there, the new  and improved Mets décor of $iti Field will be there but there will be something missing on Monday ? Know what it is? OPTIMISIM. Sure there will be some in attendance who preach “My Mets Right or Wrong”? but those of us who have waited through a winter of frigid temperatures, snow storms, and record rain and flooding not seen in these parts since an ark ferried animals in pairs, know  the motto for the 2010 Mets: HOPE FOR THE BEST, EXPECT THE WORST.

I would love to be optimistic, to sit here and tell you this Mets team will contend in the NL East and come September, will be in the thick of the pennant race. I would love to tell you I feel the Mets will be a n “Aw Shit!”  team:

“Who we playin’ in our next series”

“The Mets”

“Aw Shit, there on tough team right now”

But………..I can’t.

Now that’s not to say I won’t root, root-root for the home team and it’s a damn shame if they don’t win, but looking at the 25 players coming North and the management making the decisions , I can’t make a case for the NY Mets to make it to the 2010 post season.

The biggest mistake management made this off season was not deciding to either  fire Jerry Manuel  or extend his contract for another year.  Manuel’s job status is going to become daily fodder on blogs, newspapers and most importantly sports talk radio. You know early on Manuel will make a move or non-move that will have Mets fans heads explode and odds are he’ll makes such a misstep when the next day is an off day so the angry mobs can spew and spew.  You either have confidence in the skipper or you don’t , right now the only reason Manuel was not fired is because the Skill Sets couldn’t stomach paying him $1 mil to sit on his front porch back home in Cali.

Omar Minaya is a bit of a different case. He’s still around due to money but he won’t be fired not when he is owed three more years of salary if anything he will be given a position as a high paid scout. There are no more free lunches in Flushing.

Just looking at the personnel, the best you can hope is 81 wins, and that’s without any of the medical disasters of last year.  The front office talks about confidence in the starting pitching, especially Ollie Perez and John Maine but they jettison Jon Niese ,a player who at the start of spring training it was said would be used slowly due to his surgically repaired hammy.

The bullpen will be made up of an All Star closer (Frankie Rodz) a LOOGY turned set up man (Vitamin Pedro) two pitchers from the Japanese League (Ryota Igarashi and Hisanori Takahashi) who are not the first Japanese pitchers to fling for the Mets but hopefully they are the first two to do it with some success, a middle reliever who made the team because he makes $975K (Sean Green) over a guy who is a Man of the People (Nelly Figs) who would make just over league minimum, a guy who is a long reliver in starters clothing in Fernando Neve and a twenty year old, Jenry Mejia who really should be learning his craft in the bushes but is here to save the manager from an all expenses paid summer vacation.

The offense is in disarray as well with three starters out. Carlos Beltran is working out and could be ready by sometime in May (June?) he’s on the DL because he went to a doctor to get his aching knee looked at instead of subscribing to the Mets method of handling injury by rubbing dirt on the injured body part  and having the gall to let the doctor remove twenty five bone fragments without saying “May I?” to the Jeffey Skill Sets. The other  two  starters on the shelf,  were struck by illness (Jose Reyes) and a good old fashion baseball injury (Daniel Murphy sprain knee sliding into second base) Reyes should be back by the weekend and Murphy hopefully in a few weeks , but both these injuries wreck havoc on the line up as Alex Cora and Mike Jacobs are hardly the right understudies for the jobs. Neither  is Fernando Tatis, a nice man from what I’m told but he has this nasty habit of killing rally’s by hitting into double plays at the most inopportune times and quite frankly should not be on this team over  a guy like Chris Carter who is younger and has a work ethic and intenseness that is sorely lacking on this team.

The other problem and unlike Jay-Z the Mets seem to have more than 99 problems, the biggest being that  every team in the NL East has gotten better.  Last year the only team in the division the Mets won the season series from was against the Nationals (10-8).  Against the Braves they were a woeful  5-13. The Phillies beat the Mets 12 out of 18 times and they dropped 11 of 18 to the Marlins. It wasn’t just injuries that lead to this kind of suckitude.

So where do I think our beloved Metsies will finish ?  Believe me I ‘d love to say the Mets will be a positive surprise this season but I doubt they will even be a .500 team.  The Mets and Nats will fight it out for 4^th place

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If what I’m reading in the local fish wraps is correct, it seems the Mets have been mathematically eliminated (Hey Kathy and Joe is it time for a sequel? ) for the 2010 season.

It doesn’t look like any big ticket items will be on Jeffey’s credit card this winter, so the question is why go half assed? Why not just blow the whole team up?

As it stands now, only the Nationals stand in the way of the Mets of the Mets hitting rock bottom in the NL East (for the first Stephen Strasburg-Big Pelf match up, I will be going into solitary confinement) so unless Jeffey (Omar is GM emeritus by the way, as he is earning his million a year as being the Skill Sets “Spider”) decides to empty the more bountiful than they lead us to believe, Mets coffers, the only thing we’ll have to look forward to is Alex Cora  player/interim manager bobble head day.

I leave you with this from Bill Madden’ Daily News column:

Mets? Did somebody say the Mets? They won’t spend the money for Holliday, Bay or Lackey and apparently, they’re only interested in signing low-budget Latin players, having shown little or no interest in Byrd, Figgins, DeRosa, Wolf or even Staten Island’s Jason Marquis, while waiting for their markets to come to them. At the same time, the Phillies and Braves wasted no time in addressing their needs. Sad.

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The Mets are now Team Woolworth (the original 5 & 10) now that they have lost 10 of the last 15 games. It gets worse as the last five series the Mets have played they have won just one against the Nats (up your ass Highlander fans) and to make matters worse in the last 30 games the Mets are 14-16 the picture of mediocrity. And if not for the grace of the Red Sox and Blue Jays beating up on the Phillies the Mets would be closer to last than first place and that’s the problem. Not only are the Mets just a mere 3 games out of first place in the NL East and a game and a half out of a wild card spot so what’s a very average team to do?

 

First, shut the fuck up about injuries. In public anyway.  I hate to be redundant here but does Omar and the rest of the short bus management team have a plan? If they do can we here about it or see it in action because right now I don’t if the organization is pro active or just sitting with a pat hand? Do they have a handle on the rehab of the injured players and a time table for their return? I doubt it very much. Just reading the reports from St. Lonesome on John Maine makes you shake your head and wonder what the fuck is going on here? 

 

If they are pro active it’s going to be tough to land what they need, a starting pitcher and a big bat as just about every team other than the Nats, A’s and maybe the Indians could be ready to deal right now.  So if you want Adam Dunn, Nick Johnson, Matt Holiday or Victor Martinez they could be had but ask yourself this, what do the Mets have that they can get back what they need ?

 

I tell you this if anyone wants Fernando Martinez they can have him. To say I’ve not been impressed is an understatement. F-Mart is like the girl you chased throughout high school to go out with you and when you finally land that date you find her company is underwhelming. The biggest factor in the kids favor is, he is only 20 years old and has time to blossom but after this audition in the big leagues he looks like Alex Ochoa to me.

 

So would you trade Bobby Parnell? As good as Parnell had been we have to remember he’s a reliever and it’s suspect if he will ever be more than a reliever and that’s not a knock as it take at least three pitchers to finish a game and Parnell has closer potential so I would be ready to deal Parnell. Ryan Church? Who wants him? Daniel Murphy? A little tougher to deal but if I go with my head and not my heart he’s not untouchable. In fact is there really an untouchable in the farm system? Is there a player who the Mets feel could not be used in a deal? Besides Bradley Holt I can’t see any.

 

So if I’m Omar Minaya I’d be ready to strike now that the Phillies are wounded and playing uninspiring baseball (Mets bloggers favorite Marco Scutaro walked in the 6th inning of yesterday’s Jays-Phillies game and ran to first and kept running as no one was covering 2^nd base and was credited with a stolen base. Larry Anderson on Philies radio flipped out calling out Ol’ Cholly to reams his team after the game ) before Ruben Amaro goes out and fortifies his team.

 

J-Man is a cool cat but how would I love to see him go all Dennis Green or Jim Mora during one of press conferences. I’m going to the WFAN  Breakfast with Jerry Manuel at the Hard Rock Café on Tuesday I hope to get J-Man’s ear for a minute or two. Should be fun!

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First and foremost HAPPY MOTHERS DAY

Look who is in first place in the NL East.

Welcome back Brian Stokes

My team lost a game yesterday where my two hardest throwing pitchers walked 15 (yes fifteen) batters. So back to pitching school we go. I’v tried doing wide stance drills, sifting their weight from back to front, keeping the front leg up (standing tall) for a three count then releasing the ball, and I’ve pleaded for them to keep their head up and focus on the target (set up by catcher) if anyone has any other drills or ideas I am open to any and all sugestions (tell me in the comments or by e mail at SINYMETS@aol.com  because if I go through another game of 15 walks by my pitchers they will take me out of the dugout in a straight jacket.

My blood test is back from the day I posted about dealing the two Carlos’ and it came back possitive for stupidity.

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You know what? I’m going to take credit for last nights Mets win. Yeah that’s right , if the Mets go off and rack off 15 or 17 game in a row I’m taking full credit, in fact if the Mets win the NL East and Carlos Beltran wins the NL MVP Award I want that trophy delivered to me with  a note from Beltran thanking me for my motivational push that made him the best player in baseball in 2009.  The Mets were looking for an “edge” and that’s me THE EDGE.  David Evans better get a new nickname because I earned mine.

 

Please, please people hold your applause, my work isn’t done yet as one game does not a turnaround make but I’m working on it.

 

My next pupil will be Sean Green, I have to get into his head and make him a feared warrior when he comes to the mound. My first order to him will be to grow a Fu Manchu moustache and then we are going to a hair salon on Roosevelt Ave to get him hair extensions (goin’ old school mullet here) and before every game I will beat him with a Kimbo stick.

 

Now all this I’ve done for the Mets have been at no charge, if they want Ollie P straight that will cost them as I’m THE EDGE not JESUS.

 

      

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I’m amazed how much some folks have their balls in an uproar over Gary Sheffield joining the team. Some are worried about team chemistry, how did that chemistry hold up the last two seasons? This team needs a bad ass even if it’s an over the hill one. The chemistry issued should be moot now that it’s known Sheff signed here because the “face of the franchise”, D-Wright called him and said that the Mets were the team for him.

What are you all afraid of? If Sheffield falls on his face he’ll be gone by the All Star break, if he produces, guess what? Your favorite team just might win the NL East

For all of you concerned with the psyche of Ryan Church think about this. Maybe Church needs a kick in the ass to get motivated. No, I’m not drunk, think about it. In spring training J-Man said the Dan Murphy was a better hitter and that Fernando Tatis would be Church’s partner in RF an now they bring in Sheffield as a way to put a carrot in front of Church to produce. I guess we won’t read about this from the scribes who have access to the team on a daily basis as they are too busy stuffing their faces at the Shake Shack concession at $iti.

Which brings me to Ollie Perez and it’s good thing it was cold and shity and $iti since most fans were busy trying eat their way from left field to right. You know what the season didn‘t start yet but I’m already fed up with how good he food is at $iti Field if it’s a choice of great food or a championship baseball team, I’ll eat a fucking bowl of Alpo okay!

Perez had no feel for the ball today he claimed as he not only lacked command but a clue as well but then again that’s Ollie Being Ollie.

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At some point, Omar, Tony B, or J-Man need to grab Jeffey Skill Sets by his little neck and tell him to stop being a lackey for the Used Car Salesman. If it’s not slotting players in the draft, it’s not going over payroll to pay the luxury tax and now it’s this pain in the ass WBC that the Mets have sent 15 players to including Fernando Tatis as a fill in for the Tragically Hip Alex Rodriguez. Enough! Lets do what right for the NY Mets instead of following orders of the Whacky Professor. 

 

WOW our Pro Baseball Central show from this past Wednesday night has struck up major debate in the Mets-Phillies rival as Bill Bear of  Crashburn Alley got our “Irish up” when Joe and I  went on a positions by position comparison of the two NL East front runners. Check out Bill’ site for his mathematical break down of the two teams then listen to the show as Joe and I spit tobacco juice (sorry Bill that some of it got on your shoes)   and tighten the belt on our flannel uniforms and use old school thinking. Just hearing me defend Mariano Rivera is worth listening to. Yeah, that’s right I had to defend a Highlander and I’m pissed that Bill made me do that!

 

I’m not worried about John Maine even with him not feeling comfortable on the mound yesterday. Maine feels it his mechanics that are off and being that it’s early in spring and he’s coming off surgery to his wing as ling as he’s not hurting it’s just a matter of time before he gets his feel back on the mound.   

 

Ryan Church fouled a pitch off his knee. It hurt. He put ice on it. It feels better. In other words, keep moving nothing to see here.

 

Tommy LaSorda says “You pinko, pussy, sons of bitch’s better be rootin’ for the good ol’ U S of A in the WBC or you’re a fuckin traitor” “and buy a fuckin’ shirt or cap too”

 

Who? Santana? Nah, nobody here by that name.

 

I am very very much bummed out that Life On Mars is getting booted off ABC but my mood has brightened  considerably by word that Curb Your Enthusiasm with the cast of SEINFELD making appearances on the show as well is back in production and will return to TV in the fall. Just hearing the shows theme song makes me giddy! (wish I could link it but shhhhhhhhh I’m at work)

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