Kranepool Society :: A New York Mets Blog
A daily account of the trials and tribulations of the New York Mets. Contact me at sinymets@aol.com
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On the latest edition of the Sports Media Watchdog Podcast, Mike Silva and I talk about the Manti Te’o and Lance Armstrong controversies , the NBA playing regular season game in Europe, the deaths of baseball legends Stan Musial and Earl Weaver and a look at the NFL Championship Sunday.
Taking a break from all the Mets minutia, I am proud to announce that I will joining Frankie “The Sports Guy” Maniscalco for another season of NY FOOTBALL BLOGS LIVE on Blog Talk Radio.
Our first show tonight is live at 9PM with out guests Sports Agent J.R. Rickert, Anthony DiMoro of Sportsrantz.com and a segment on Fantasy Football.
In between Frank and I will discuss the Jets, Giants and Bills after the first pre-season game and take a look at the weeks news concerning those teams.
So with no Mets baseball tonight, how about listening on some football talk at NY FOOTBALL BLOGS LIVE on Blog Talk Radio.
Who turned up the heat? Â WHEW!!!! It was a hot one at $iti Field today but leave it to Ollie Perez to turn a beautiful day to shit.
Today had to be Omar Minaya’s worst nightmare. A guy he could have been rid of in O.P.  whose contract is ready to bypass Luis Castillo’ as the worst deal signed in the Minaya Era. Daniel Murphy played LF again without a clue and it’s not all the kids fault as he has never played there so in Mets logic he’s the perfect candidate for the outfield job. Then Jesus Flores the former Mets famer who was stolen in the Rule 5 draft smacked Mets pitching around. Then after the game Casey Fosum was DFA’s and 40 year old (Omar is a cougar chaser) LHP Ken Takahashi. Oh yeah and now there is talk that OP will be skipped in his next start (vs. Philly) and banished to the pen when Tim Redding decides it’s time to earn a paycheck. But the good news is Carlos Beltran saved the Mets some money on bleach again as he pulled up at 2nd base on a steal attempt. Quite the gentleman that Beltran.
I have to say I’m not angry or disgusted in the play of this team so far in fact I’m quite intrigued on what the front office will do to get this thing in the right direction.   The players can give quotes on how they are a good team and how they will get it together and all that but we know better that it’s just bullshit right now the story here is how does Omar Minaya save his job as Mets VP and GM and that of his staff.
Minaya won’t be axed during the season but without a post season game in the House That Jeffey Built, there will be a second demolition in two years at 126th and Roosevelt Ave.    Â
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Couple of things from $iti Field today. I love the Jackie Robinson Rotunda but why does everyone think it’s the only entrance to the ball park? We entered at the Right Field Gate and there was no one on line to get in.
When it got to 8-1 we went to get something to eat and of course the lines at the Shake Shack were ridiculous. But we hung in there and got some burgers and found refuge down by the visiting bullpen where the old Apple resides. Its’ a great spot with tables and shade but one little problem, you can’t see the game from there and there are no TV’s either. Now the Field Level where you can see the game from any place you stand has more TV’s on display than P.C. Richards showroom. I think it would be wise to move a TV or two to that little picnic area by the pens.
I was very happy to see the Mets Yearbook and Media Guide was finally available. Last week they were selling neither  so there is some progress.
If today’s game was played at Shea there would have been a mass exodus to the exits by the 6th inning. The Mets were losing, the game was lousy and it was hot as hell but a game like this gives you a chance to enjoy the amenities of $iti Field. I would not be off base if I said there were more fans in the center field food court than in the seats by the 7th inning. Â
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HGH? Steroids? HA, that’s for pussies, try pitching after dropping a tab of acid and tell me how your performance was enhanced. That’s what Dock Ellis did against the San Diego Padres back in 1970 and in one of the most incredible performance in baseball history, pitched a no hitter.
Not only could Dock pitch whale trippin’ he had a kick ass attitude when it came to taking no shit from the opposition like when it came to the Big Red Machine:
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{Perhaps Ellis’ most startling act occurred on May 1, 1974, when he tied a major league record by hitting three batters in a row. In spring training that year, Ellis sensed the Pirates had lost the aggressiveness that drove them to three straight division titles from 1970 to 1972. Furthermore, the team now seemed intimidated by Cincinnati’s “Big Red Machine.” “Cincinnati will bullshit with us and kick our ass and laugh at us,” Ellis said. “They’re the only team that talk about us like a dog.” Ellis single-handedly decided to break the Pirates out of their emotional slump, announcing that “We gonna get down. We gonna do the do. I’m going to hit these motherfuckers.” True to his word, in the first inning of the first regular-season game he pitched against the Reds, Ellis hit leadoff batter Pete Rose in the ribs, then plunked Joe Morgan in the kidney, and loaded the bases by hitting Dan Driessen in the back. Tony Perez, batting cleanup, dodged a succession of Ellis’ pitches to walk and force in a run. The next hitter was Johnny Bench. “I tried to deck him twice,” Ellis recalled. “I threw at his jaw, and he moved. I threw at the back of his head, and he moved.” At this point, Pittsburgh manager Danny Murtaugh removed Ellis from the game. But his strategy worked: the Pirates snapped out of their lethargy to win a division title in 1974, while the Reds failed to win their division for the first time in three years.}
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and the man had the balls to wear hair curlersÂ
Ellis did time with the Mets back in 1979 when he was at the end of his career, too bad as his attitude would be a breath of fresh air in Flushing these days.Â
Big tip of the Blue and Orange Mets cap to BBTF for the fantastic link. Â
There is no better place on earth than New York City on the first crisp cool fall day even though we haven’t had one of those classic “Con Edison can’t handle the electrical demand summers” there is something invigorating when you step out the door and it’s 51 degrees with a chilly breeze. The afternoons are even better as the shadows of the sky scrapers bring back memories of Seaver/Cuellar and Koosman/McNally and just makes me root harder for the Mets to get into the post season as this season HAS TO KEEP GOING. Not just because fall baseball is the ultimate sporting event (made even better that my son was asked to play on a team in a fall baseball league today even though he didn’t sign up as he rather play soccer this time of year but the coach knew of him from Little League and asked him to play for his team today. Talk about your late season call up) Â but it’s only fitting that the team from the South Bronx which has looked down it’s nose at us for years closes it’s stadium doors with no post season game but a with a meaningless play out the string game tomorrow night and that Shea the old clapboard house that many an insult has been hurled at it finishes out in style with post season baseball.Â
Last night’s game was no work of art by any means but OP was great, Brain Stokes had his fastball back and Daniel Murphy will find a place to play for the Mets this post season and for many seasons to come.
Is FOX kidding by putting Cards-Cubs on in NYC with the Brewers-Reds on at the same time?
Let’s hope Petey has some magic left in that right arm tonight
I can’t say this enough please Skill Sets and Omar shut down John Maine for the season get him the surgery he needs and let the cow chips of the bullpen fall where they may.
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