Through all the anger and despair of another lost season in Flushing sometimes you have to step back and look at some positives, though there aren’t many but one is the resurgence of Big Pelf.  Pelfrey’s season is a microcosm of the Mets this year, more ups and downs than an elevator shaft at the Empire State Building.

Pelf had a great start to the season and then was just average in May and June and down right awful in July and now has bounced back to this April quality this month of August.  So how did Big Pelf turn his season around?

For one thing Pelfrey is back to throwing strikes and using his two seamer  with authority. It seems any problems Pelf has it always comes down to confidence in his pitches and this year it’s taken him a while to master that two seam fastball which is a new pitch added to his arsenal. It seems that pitch eluded him for the month of July and one thing we know for sure about Big Pelf is for a big strapping guy, he can be quite fragile emotionally. Maybe the July meltdown and the fact that he now realizes his problems are in his head and not his arm will be the turning point to his career. There is too much talent here for Pelfrey not to become a stud pitcher.

I watched just bits and pieces of last night’s game as I was more involved in the Red Sox-Rays game but I did see that Jerry Manuel brought Bobby Parnell in to pitch the 9^th inning last night but then let Takahashi finish the game. Parnell  K’d Hunter Pence then gave up a single to Carlos Lee who took second on Pagan’s double then after Chris Johnson singled Manuel decides it’s time to become Tony LaRussa and over manage by bringing in Takahashi. Why not see if Parnell can get out the jam ? I can see the point of not wanting to lose this game and get Pelfrey a another win but I’d would think with Parnell having been pitching well in this spot of late and with Parnell looking to fill the void at closer why not let him finish? Even if he gives up a hit and the lead and blows the save, at least you can see how he responds to that as closers have to have short memories in order to succeed. You could lose this battle but win the war if Parnell shows the guts to forget it and comeback strong in his next outing. He could also strikeout the next two batters and have his confidence sore from that experience as well. Maybe that was too much for Jerry Manuel to think about .

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No much to say about last night’s game except Big Pelf has had trouble with the Snakes for his whole career and maybe that neck of his was still stiff, but you still have to take into account that Pelfrey hasn’t pitched well in a month. No worries, because Ollie Perez is back, pass the Imodium AD.

The concern over Francoeur riding the pine still has be stupefied, as does the call fro Jason Bay to sit. Forget for a moment that Bay is being paid a shit load of dough, he also has a body of work that Francoeur could only dream about. The one good move that Jerry Manuel has made this month is telling Angel Pagan he will play day in, day out.

On top of this awful second half start, it seems like the Mets will not be players in either the Roy Oswalt or Dan Haren sweepstakes. From trying to piece together the reasons it seems a combination of not wanting to over pay in prospects, which is fine by me, and the lack of dead presidents in the Skill Sets bank account. That part worries me.    

Remember when Rod Barajas was a stud? That was when? Back in May? I know Josh Thole is up as showcase item but maybe it’s time to put young Thole on the protected list?

While most of us clicked off the television in disgust last night, Greg Prince hung in there long enough to report that Justin Turner came in to play for David Wright in the 7^th and thus, became the 141^st third baseman in the history of the NY Mets. Where have you gone, Roy Staiger?

Don’t forget to join me tonight THIS CALL TO THE BULLPEN RADIO SHOW on Blog Talk Radio 10PM ET  

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Somewhere in the city of Detroit, Armando Galarraga is wondering, why couldn’t Jim Joyce been part of Dale Scott’s umpire crew?

So now the precedent has been set, any call can now be over turned. So if there is a close pick off play at any base, the team can now ask the umpires to caucus to get a consensus on whether the runner was safe or out. Same now with ban-bang plays at first base, or close plays at the plate or on the other bases.

Let’s get one thing straight, the ball never hit Scott Rolen, so for Crew Chief Dale Scott to proclaim, it was all about getting the play right, well they failed. If anything it should have been called a ball and the count on Rolen 3 and 2. Scott should also be ashamed as should home plate ump Jerry Meals for allowing second base umpire, Dan Iassogna to be the guy to change that call, since Iassogna was 120 ft away and Meals right on top of the point of inpact. Scott threw his home plate man under the bus and Meals by not telling Iassogna to shut the fuck up loses his credibility as well.

With all that, Big Pelf was not very good last night and the reversed call and having his strike zone squeezed tighter than a fly’s ass didn’t help him either. Pelf had no command of his pitches last night as he kept falling behind in the count and if there is one team you don’t want to be at 2-0, 2-1 it’s the Reds.  It’s good thing Pelf didn’t make the All-Star team as he needs the days off to regroup and not let’s this recent slide of his turn him back into 2009 Mike Pelfrey

Patrick Flood looks at the high wire act that is Frankie Rodriguez. The fact that Flood points out that Rodriguez has converted 83 % of his saves as Mets closer is the same rate that Armando Benitez had as a Met made my acid reflux flow like a BP oil rig.

Kevin Millar nearly missed doing the Mets-Nats game on Saturday as he was delayed getting out of Texas where he makes his home due to Hurricane Alex. As a precaution, FOX asked SNY for permission to hire Ron Darling for the day as the game analyst. SNY refused saying that Darling’s contract calls for him to only work outside SNY for TBS. SNY did the same thing to Kevin Burkhart when FOX ask permission to have Burkhart do play by play on a FOX Saturday game.  Is SNY paranoid? What were they afraid of by letting Darling or Burkhart do games for FOX? I guarantee no one is calling about grabbing Gary Apple or Kirk Gimenez. In fact the only SNY personalities with any personality are the guys doing Mets games, the rest of the day on SNY they’d be better off running infomercials. If you’re ever suffering from lack of sleep just turn on SNY Sportsnite no matter whom the anchor is they’ll lull you into a coma.

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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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Is it over yet? Last night’s game will not be in the rotation of Mets Classics on SNY, between the rain delay, Big Pelf’s throwing batting practice, Jose Reyes and Angel Pagan forced out of the lineup with injuries, and Gary Cohen admitting in public he was a fan the Mama’s and the Papas, the only reason to keep watching the game telecast was to see if Keith Hernandez’ head would explode.

I can’t wait for Saturday’s Mets-Nationals game with the most bizarre pitching match up I ‘ve ever seen. R.A. Dickey for the Mets vs. The Sensational Strasburg. Just think, you could add up the velocity of three of Dickey’s pitches and that total is still lower than one Strasburg fastball. The only drawback to the game is it’s on FOX, so I’m guessing we get stuck with Doofus Joe and Tim McFullofshit UGH!!!!!

Sam Page has a great post on Amazin’ Avenue on what is a fair trade for Cliff Lee. When you look it over the Mets do have the chips to pull this off without giving up Jenry Mejia. I would hate to lose Reese Havens in a deal as well but if a package of Fernando Martinez, Josh Thole, Nick Evans and Eric Niessen brings Cliff Lee to the Mets, it’s a steal, even if Lee leaves after the season as a free agent. Ike, Niese, Mejia and Wilmer Flores would be untouchables, Mark Cohoon too, so anyone else is fair game to get dealt for a pitcher of Lee’s pedigree.

Leonard Davis of the Syracuse Chiefs was the prick who took out Daniel Murphy at second base to break up a double play that put Murph out of action for the season with a knee injury. The play was a scumbag move by Davis. Tues day night the Bison met the Chiefs and Dillon Gee was on the mound and had a 4-0 lead when Davis came up to bat. Gee proceeded to drill Davis in the back with a pitch as payback for the take out of Murphy. I hope Dillon Gee is a Met forever!

The Phuck Phaces are getting hit hard by injuries. HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!

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Some observations from last night:

The first couple of innings were rough to watch as Big Pelf was throwing and throwing and the Twins were fouling off and fouling off pitch after pitch. Pelf said after the game that it was a tough game from him as he threw 77 of his 117 pitches for strikes but the twins must have fouled off 50 of them as he has done all season, the Season of Big Pelf.

Uhh anyone still want to deal off Daivd Wright and Jose Reyes?  Anyone? Com’on you haters show your faces.

Let’s also end the hate for Carlos Beltran. If he is ready and can play center field then that’s where he’ll play. It is much easier for Angel Pagan to shift over to right field and he and Frenchy can form a nice little twosome there, plus Beltran, when he does make it back, will need maybe two days off a week to help with that knee so don’t worry all you Pagan fans, Angel will get playing time. Don’t over think this folks just enjoy the fresh bat in the lineup.

I can’t figure out Jerry Manuel. When the Mets lose his post game presser is like a night at the Laugh Factory, when they win it’s like he’s planning a wake. Strange.

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As much as I would have loved to win that game yesterday I can’t be too upset with Big Pelf, he struggled with command and he made two big mistakes to Texieria  and the killer the 2 run homer to Curtis Granderson but as the Highlanders stated after the game, they’d rather face a hard thrower like Pelf than junkballers like Jamie Moyer and Hisinori Takahashi.

If you are a Highlander’s fan I am sorry to give you the bad news that the Era of the Bronx Robber Baron is over. It ended after Friday night’s game when that skanky Lady GaGa paraded herself into the Highlander locker room in her underwear after a loss to the Amazin’s. I can guarantee you that not only would Pee Wee Cashman been fired on the spot but Hank and Hal would have been put up for adoption if the Boss was still in charge. For an organization that takes such pride in its uniform to have a no talent trollop like GaGa wearing the Highlander jersey must have Marilyn Monroe rolling in her grave.

John Maine has become a problem. I had Tweeted that no way Maine goes back to the rotation if or when he comes back to the big league team and should be used as a reliever. But as General Manager Candidate Howard Megdal pointed out to me, Maine is still not throwing hard and he has not shown he’s suitable for bullpen duty as he does not show the ability to get up and get warm to come into a game. As always Howard is right on the mark and that’s why he needs to be named the nest GM of the NY Mets.

Mike Silva tackles the Maine question as to DFA or trade John Maine for a reliever from a team looking to start selling off talent. I think it comes down to John Maine’ Mets career is just about done.  In fact if the Mets can’t trade Maine and they do DFA him it will show they are serious about winning, if you don’t produce then you’re gone. Its PRO baseball no one gets hot dogs after the game.

Very nice feature in todays Daily News on Big Pelf and how between embracing fatherhood and working with Harvey Dorfman on the mental side of the game. Big Pelf also talks about his estranged dad  and how that has motivated him to be a better father to his son.

Happy Fathers day to all the Dads out there I don’t know about you but everyday for me is Fathers Day

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I know our Mets are playing great baseball right now and as much as I’ve had enough of inter-league play, this weekends Mets-Highlanders series should be terrific especially with Big Pelf going tomorrow and Johan going Sunday along with D-Wright and the Mets offense locked in, it should a great three days of baseball but I need to vent here a bit about last nights Game 7 and the demise of my Celtics in the 4^th quarter last night so if you’re here for the baseball only, try back later but if you want to here a grown man bare his soul about his team failing in a Game 7 and the realization that this team of PP, KG and Jesus Shuttlesworth has made it’s last run together, then read on:

I had a bad feeling about Game 6 not just because the game was in LA but I felt this was the Celtics Game 7 for the simple reason, I  never felt the C’s were built to go seven games due to age. Age. It has been the key subject all season when talking about the Celtics. When Danny Ainge went out and got KG from the T-Wolves and added Ray Allen, he said there was a three year window to win an NBA Title. They did it in the first year. Many of us feel, if not for Garnett going down last year it would have been a repeat. This season the dynamic of the team change. Leon Powe was let go and the fat tub of goo by the name of Rasheed Wallace was signed. The old guys were tired of hearing complaints from the young guys (Rondo, Perk and Baby) about how they wanted to do things and in the middle of it all was Doc Rivers trying not to let the clubhouse turn into OZ. This weighed on Rivers so much that he let it be known he’d love to take Doug Collins’ newly vacated spot with Marv Albert on TNT next season (where I believe he’s going) This team played awful in the second half of the season to where they were barely over .500 I attribute that to age, complacency and playing in the worst division on sports, the NBA Atlantic. So how did all this negativity turn around in the post season?

Well, first Doc Rivers (so underrated as a coach) finally got the two factions of old and young together and had a sit down. In 2008 the Celtics embraced “UBUNTU” the African word for family and Doc told them how they have gotten away from that. He then gave the geezers the smack in the face they needed when he told them that this is “Rondo’s Team”. I’m not sure the old guys embraced this altogether as I observed when Paul Pierce was cutting his eyes at Rondo during the Finals when he wasn’t getting the ball, but publicly they went with it as KG said in a post game interview after a game where Rondo had one of his many triple doubles, that it was “Rondo’s Team”.

When the playoff’s started the one thing the C’s had going for them was pride, Celtics Pride. You can’t get away from it. It’s one thing that separates the Celtics from any team in pro sports, just about every night there are a few legends in the building to watch the team play. Tommy Heinsohn is there every night doing color commentary on TV. Cornbread Maxwell is on the radio side. Bob Cousy shows up most nights in the stands with some time on TV. When they are called to duty, the legends all show up, Havlicek, Cowens, Sam Jones and of the King of the Celtics, the greatest player in the history of basketball, Bill Russell. These great Celtics in the tradition of Red Auerbach, let this team know they are not the Orlando Magic or the Cleveland Cavilers but they are the Boston Celtics, Basketball Royalty. When you take to the parquet floor you not only represent the Celtics but you represent us and we do not like to lose or be embarrassed.

Between the Old Guard’ words and the motivational ways of Doc Rivers letting them know the Ubuntu was missing and that a second title from this group will put them in the Celtics Pantheon. It almost worked.

Back to last night, it’s been awhile since I watch a game on the edge of my seat and the last minutes standing up (Super Bowl 42 Giants over Pats) but I was pacing the floor pleading with Ray Allen to find some legs on offense to make a shot, for Rondo to do his Rondo act and charge to the basket with his reverse lay up, for KG to grab an offensive rebound and go up strong and slam it down and take the foul then scream FFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK into ABC’s camera’s, for Paul Pierce to burry a 3 and put a dagger into the Lakers heart (and give Jack Nicholson a heart attack) I wanted 2008 to happen one more time. Just…..one…..more….time…………………….

The problem that plagued the Celtics all season, holding a 4^th quarter lead was a problem again last night. When you look at the rebounding totals it’s easy to say the C’s got out worked and in a way they did but when you are in your mid 30’s as the Big 3 are as well as ‘Sheed, your legs are as shot as the shocks on an old Buick, there is only so much lift you’re going to get. As the team played lock down defense in Game 7, it cost them on the offensive end, especially Ray Allen and ‘Sheed who were spent. There are no Jamie Moyers in the NBA.

So now what ? Well I think Doc will move on to TV for awhile and wait for Stan Van Gundy to get fired and then take over the Magic. I’d bet that Danny Ainge hires his pal and former Celtic great, Kevin McHale as coach. Ray Allen will not be resigned and hopefully Rasheed Wallace retires as he stated after the game last night. I haven’t looked at the salary cap situation but knowing that the Celtic ownership, it is committed to winning, it make take a year or two of retooling but I’m confident the Celtics will get back to the Finals sooner than later. Thank you Celtics for a great post season and to Pau Gasol, Take a Bath you skeevy looking fuck.

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The Mets wrapped up a fine weekend in Baltimore with a three game sweep in front of a friendly crowd of Mets fans who made the trip down I-95 to Camden Yards, I’d love to get on the Orioles but I feel for ex-Met Juan Samuel and recently axed manager Dave Trembley because my youth baseball team is having an Oriole-like season so I just want to say misery lovers company fellas’

It’s games like today that show the huge step that Big Pelf has made this season. Last yer he would have fell apart as his command was off and he just did not look very comfortable on the mound but Pelfrey proved how important the mental side of pitching is. There are days when your physical tools are on auto-pilot and then there are days like to day where you physically misfire but you have enough savvy to make adjustments and keep yourself and your team afloat. Sure we all love those 3 hit 10K shutouts but sometimes watching a guy keep his team in a game on brains is a real museum piece as well.

I’m usually not one to vote for the All-Star Game but after the surge that David Wright is on I feel it’s my duty as a Mets fan to stuff the ballot box. David Wright deserves to be the starting 3^rd baseman for the National League in Anaheim.

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Day/Nighter today and I was sooooo ready to cut work and head to Flushing to watch Santana do his magic, but my desk is piled as high with cases as thick as Fernando Martinez’ medical folder,  So I’ll pass on going to the game to spend the afternoon with Howie, Wayne and my un-fucking-believable case load. So while you wait for Game 1 some great links to peruse:

Ed Ryan at Mets Fever feels the time is right to bring back Bobby Parnell and his high heat to bolster the bullpen. I agree as it my be time to send Ryota Igarhashi down and when John Maine comes back, stick him in the pen as well. To make room for Maine, the Mets can put Fernando Nieve on the DL saying he is suffering from exhaustion. No one will dispute that.

Nice gesture by the Mets to draft John Franco’s son JJ in the first year draft even though he is headed off to Brown University. I watched JJ play at Staten Island Little League when I was managing a team and John would come to the complex whenever the Mets were off and his son played. Another young man from Staten Island Little League, Bobby Lanigan has been very impressive pitching for the Ft. Myers Miracle of the FSL.

Ike Davis is a rare species of Met 

When David Wright can slap Big Pelf in the mush with his batting gloves and live to tell about it, then you know all is right in Metsland.

I swear the guys over at Amazin’ Avenue get up with the roosters (or they just stay up all night) and I for one am glad they do as their Daily Mets Farm Report is a must read for me every morning.

Congratulations to the Chicago Blackhawks for ending their 49 year drought by winning the Stanley Cup last night on one of the strangest goals in hockey history. Patrick Kane scored in OT but it wasn’t until the video review verified it. Kane and his teammates were celebrating but the Flyers and their fans just stood around like “now what” even the great Doc Emrick was a bit flustered. Anyway it’s nice to see an Original Six team win the cup. 

Memo to David Stern: Your thieving bastard refs are ruining the NBA Finals. When they are not gambling and throwing games or trading first class airline tickets for coach seats and pocketing the difference, they all but destroy the flow of the game and are so inconsistent with their calls that I don’t know what is and isn’t a foul anymore. And to you Mike Breen, your lucky I’m not working with you as I’d have punched you in the head by now you referee toady suck up.

Here’s your lineup for game 1:

            Reyes SS

•           Pagan CF

•           Bay LF

•           Davis 1B

•           Wright 3B

•           Francoeur RF

•           Cora 2B

•           Blanco C

•           Santana P

Will there be a Jesus sighting in game 2 ? How about the Animal?

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