R.A. Saves the Day

Readers of Mets Kool-Aid know that we have loved R.A. Dickey from the very start of his Mets career. In fact we surmised that the R.A. stood for "Ridiculously Awesome", only to be disappointed to later find out that it was really Robert Alan.

While Dickey was previously just a good story and seemingly destined to be a flash in the pan, he has recently developed into so much more. In the past week alone R.A. has emerged as a true leader of the 2010 Mets, in addition to being one of their best and most consistent pitchers.

That leadership began to shine through two starts ago when Dickey was unceremoniously pulled from the mound due to an alleged injury in the midst of a great performance. After years of watching the the fragile minds and bodies of Oliver Perez and John Maine, Mets fans probably expected to see Dickey walk quietly to the dugout once Manuel took the ball. But while most 35 year old journeymen with 61 career starts would have done just that, R.A. furiously plead his case to stay in the game and even won the argument for a few minutes before finally getting yanked. He knew that the Mets were struggling mightily and needed him to stay in the game. It was a fire that we have not seen from any current Met other than Johan Santana.

Fast forward to yesterday, when the Mets again needed Dickey to step up and stop the bleeding. After losing an absolute heartbreaker the night before with Santana getting shelled, it was as much of a must win game as you can have in July. All Dickey did was bounce back from his "injury" and respond with 8 innings of shutout ball and a win against a solid Cardinals lineup. On the day that the Phillies acquired Roy Oswalt, a loss would have been even more devastating, but R.A. would not let that happen.

Dickey's impact was not only limited to the mound. After the game, he made everyone think twice about giving up on the season just yet: “I’ve got to tell you, you can say a lot of things about the 2010 New York Mets, but you don’t ever say we don’t play hard. I mean, look at Angel Pagan's uniform and Jose Reyes after a 13–inning heartbreaker last night, coming off a 2–9 road trip. We don’t give up, and we’re not going to give up… These guys don’t give up and it’s an honor to be on the team.”

With those words, Dickey officially elevated himself to fan-favorite status and Mets leader. Hopefully he can be the Mets' version of Tim Wakefield for the next five or so years. If the rest of the Mets can think and play like him, they may be able to make 2010 memorable instead of just looking forward to the future.

Playoffs?!!! You're Talkin' About Playoffs?!!! I STILL Believe

Well the return to Citi Field has (after one game) ended up being exactly what Mets fans were looking for.  Not only did we see pop off the bats with the Mets but in a game where the Mets scored runs, we saw an excellent pitching performance as well.  There have only been 2 games since the beginning of July where the Mets have both given up 3 or less runs and scored 5 runs or more - and they've both come within the last 4 games.  Is this a sign of things to come? Or is this just a mild flare up in an otherwise disappointing second half?  Well, I was reading Metsblog.com yesterday and saw a post by Matt Cerrone on New York media talking points, and it was just mix I needed to brew up some more kool-aid for all of you.  That's right, I'm saying it here - despite a real down road trip - THIS SEASON IS NOT OVER.

Look at the Mets' history - while it has plenty of disappointments, it's riddled with comeback stories.  Look at our most successful teams and taglines - the Miracle Mets, "I Believe," etc.  Late season heroics and comebacks are a part of our history and this year doesn't have to be any different.  It's at this point always that Mets fans start talking about firing coaches, firing GMs, and the cheapness of the Wilpons.  We've seen this team have talent this season and we know their potential with this manager, these GMs, and these owners...this season!  Just like the Mets have lost 7 of their last 10, we've seen them this season win 9 of 10 games.  With the fire we saw in the bats last night, a comeback in the standings is not out of order.

With 30% of the season left, changing GMs or even the coaching staff isn't going to make the difference.  This is not an instance of the Mets outwardly showing they don't want to play for Jerry Manuel.  Also, getting rid of Omar may be the right move for the future, but bringing in someone right now isn't going to be the deciding factor on making a move.  Winning is.

How is this team going to win?  Getting Ted Lilly isn't going to make the Mets better every day.  Are we going to get a big bat?  Where would they play?  Unless you're getting a second baseman or a catcher, there's not much space in this lineup right now.  No, this team has a good lineup already.  This team has a rotation that can be successful.  What needs to happen is to be patient, wait for the Mets to get out of the weeds here.  The Mets are going to win if Carlos Beltran starts hitting, if David Wright and Jose Reyes get out of their funks, if K-Rod can come in an close out games, and if Mike Pelfrey can regain his confidence from the beginning of the year.  August is still a time when players can be gotten if need be, but this team needs to not only make the front office believe that 2010 isn't over.  It's not just the fans that need to believe either.  They Mets need to believe it themselves, and more games like last night will do that.

So, here we sit in limbo.  I'm not saying this team is going to make the playoffs, but I'm not going to say this season is over yet either.  I've seen too much fight and success out of this team to give it up yet with more than 2 solid months of play left to go.  As Mets fans, we've been programmed (especially after 2007-2009) to immediately give up so we don't get our hearts broken again.  It's not time for that now.  It used to be "I Believe," well I say, "I STILL Believe."  Put that in your cup and drink it!

PS - Speaking of being down and out before. In this game...it looked like a season was over too...but then this happened. (Thought this might perk everyone's Mets spirit)

Jerry's Juice: Home Cookin' Edition

In case you didn’t hear, the Mets just wrapped up an 11 game road trip that didn’t go so well.  But in times of despair we can always count on a little Jerry’s Juice to ease the pain and envision greener pastures.  Jerry Manuel had this to say before finally escaping the unforgiving west coast: 

“By the time we cross over the Mississippi, hopefully we'll leave all these bats here. Everything that we brought with us, we'll leave it right here, get home and get our stuff together."

"I feel that our ballpark -- despite what people say -- we feel that it's a hitting park.”

Don’t turn the lights out on the season just yet, Mets fans.  The Mets may have been smoked out west, but according to Jerry there is still reason to be optimistic about the season.  

First of all, as Jerry declared, the team will be leaving everything in LA.  Hopefully he was not just speaking metaphorically and will actually leave behind anything associated with hitting.  That includes bats, batting gloves, and maybe even some of the batters themselves

More importantly the Mets are now returning home to Citi Field, where they have played brilliantly all year.  You may think that Jerry is crazy for calling Citi Field a hitters park After all it is ranked 28th in ESPN.com’s Park Factors Run index (I don’t know what that means but it sounds bad) and the Mets have actually scored more runs away than home this year. 

But that is beside the point because Citi Field is indeed the perfect place for this Mets lineup to wake up from their offensive slumber.   The Mets are 30-16 at home, in large part because the hitters have adjusted so well to their home park.  As a team they are hitting .270 with a .757 OPS, compared to just .239 and .663 on the road.  We all know that as Jose Reyes goes so goes the offense, and Jose is hitting .325 at home (compared to .237 away).  Throw in Pagan’s .325, Wright’s .318, and Ike’s .298 and it’s easy to envision the Mets beginning to rake again this week.  Heck, even Jason Bay has put up respectable numbers in Flushing.  And now Carlos Beltran will get his first taste of home cooking this year.  

So while the last two weeks were dreadful, the Mets are heading home at the perfect time.  If the offense can get hot this week and stay hot heading into Atlanta and Philly, we will have an August and September to remember. 

Jerry believes, and so should you.  

To Trade or Not to Trade?

That is the question.  As the Mets have hit a pretty big slide on this road trip, a big decision is going to need to be made before the trade deadline over the next couple weeks.  Our current poll asks all of you which starter the Mets should get with a trade, but today, we need to look at whether it even makes sense for the Mets to trade for anyone at this point.  On one hand, no one wants to trade for a rental or a pitcher at the expense of prospects that can be good for the future.  On the other hand, this team could get hot at any point in a league and division where nothing is fully decided yet. Naturally, we'll pour you the kool-aid on both, because no matter what Omar decides, this team only has room for improvement.

Making a trade is something I've personally been calling for through the hot month of June and the so-so month of July as the Mets were in a position to not only win the wild card, but catch the Braves for the NL East.  Right now we find the Mets 7.5 games back of the Braves (3rd place) in the NL East and 4 games out of the Wild Card in the NL (6th place).  While this isn't an ideal situation, it's one that's definitely surmountable with a big run of wins - especially at this point in the season. 

The one thing I can't get out of my head is the Colorado Rockies in September 2007.  As much as I really don't like to remember late September 2007, the Rockies' 14-1 run to end the season starting on September 16th that put them in a position to make the playoffs and go on to make the World Series.  We know this Mets team has been streaky all year.  There have been stretches like the one this team is in right now and there have been stretches that we obviously remember where it seemed like this team can't lose.  It's hard to believe the Mets can get back to that, but I think a lot of that has to do with being at a low point right now.  With a trade for a good starter, the Mets put themselves in a position to not only have a good rotation for a run like Colorado's, but also to have success if they got into the playoffs. 

Most people will point to an ice cold offense and say that a trade for a pitcher isn't going to do anything for that, but like I said, this is a streaky team.  There is one difference between the streaks earlier this season and the potential for one now - now, everyone is healthy.  In the past, the streaks have been a result of the Mets playing above their potential.  At this point, all they have to do is be as good as they SHOULD be and a run of wins could work.  You'd hate for that to happen and have a gap in your rotation.

At the same time, everyone's always talking about prospects and not wanting to let them go for nothing.  We've gone on and on on this blog about how you can't trust prospects until they do something for you and have also cited bad trades in the past, but there's something to be said for having home grown talent in the waiting.  Guys like Jenry Mejia, Josh Thole, Fernando Martinez, and many others are doing well in the minors or even in cups of coffee chances in the majors.  When you think about the current team and how it's still young, then think about adding top prospects like those, you have to get a little giddy about the Mets' future.

Another thing to think about is expectations.  After the 2009 debacle and going into this season, everyone was calling for the Mets to be just around and maybe a bit above .500.  Even without a trade, the Mets can definitely be in the mix at the end and could compete for a record to meet those expectations.  It was just the hot streaks and the mediocre play of the NL this year that has Mets fans clamoring for a piece for the rotation.  Maybe it's time to readjust our expectations again and get excited for next year.

Speaking of next year, I've been thinking a lot of the 2005 season before the almost-magical season of 2006.  It was very similar to where we stand today.  Sparkles of being a good team, small pieces missing, low expectations, and hope for the future from the previous season's let down were all things we were feeling in 2005.  Then in 2006, it seemed like everything clicked.  Our new piece in Carlos Beltran blew up and we could see the same from a more comfortable Jason Bay next year.  We can get a key free agent like we did with Carlos Delgado, except in this off-season, we could add an arm or two to the pitching staff.  Jose Reyes and David Wright started realizing their full star potential in 2006 just like Ike Davis and Jon Niese could do next year.  Plus, in 2011, Carlos Beltran will be in a contract year and we all know how he performed down the stretch for Houston the last time he had one of those.  Combine that with the prospect talent that's expected to come up by next season and 2011 could be the season 2006 should have been.

It's hard to tell what the Mets should do.  Luckily, there are great chances for the Mets to succeed no matter what they decide.  The one thing you'll know for sure is that there will be plenty of kool-aid to go around.  Drink it up!

The Speech

In Hoosiers Gene Hackman's told his team to be the "best that you can be". Denzel urged his players to "respect each other" and "play this game like men" in Remember the Titans. Pacino compared football to life as a "game of inches" in Any Given Sunday.

Now, thanks to Alex Cora, the words "A little respect please. They stuck it up our ass!" will live on in sports motivation lore.

Cora's words of wisdom came when the Mets were laughing it up following Tuesday's brutal loss. Why is this good news for Mets fans? Because anyone who has ever seen a sports movie knows that the inspirational locker room speech ALWAYS sparks a team turnaround. And now that Cora has spoken, there is every reason to believe the Mets season will follow the same path as the teams in those movies.

With the Mets scuffling lately, Cora's outburst was a much needed wake up call. In fact, it has already begun to have it's desired effects. Unconfirmed sources reported that Mets players and coaches broke into a slow clap immediately after hearing the speech. Those same sources say the Mets came onto the field for yesterday's warm-ups chanting "We are the Metropolitans, the mighty mighty Metropolitans!" just like those Titans did.

Additionally, Mike Pelfrey stopped licking his hand and remembered how to pitch again. Oliver Perez even thought for a second about finally accepting that demotion to the minor leagues.

Even if those things didn't happen, "The Speech" will be remembered as the turning point of the 2010 Mets season. It takes a day to sink in, but look for the team to get back on track in Los Angeles. Thanks to Alex Cora, the Mets will no longer allow teams to stick anything anywhere.

P.S. We were so inspired by Cora that yesterday we bought the domain www.metskoolaid.com. Check back soon for more great changes to the blog!

Jerry's Juice

Last night's game was another disappointing loss in a string of many at this point, but Jerry Manuel is back to serve some Kool-Aid in our stead to reassure us once more that all teams lose and sometimes you can't help it.  After the game, Jerry had this to say:

“Maybe the young pitcher had something to do with it, too,” Manuel said. “He threw some sharp breaking balls for strikes that we didn’t seem to have a good feel for it. I believe that this lineup can get it done."

So not to worry Metropolitan fans, this is not an issue of under-performance by our club against a terrible ball club with a losing record, but really just an unfortunate coincidence of running into a young pitcher that they've never faced before.  To Barry Enright's credit, he's done pretty well in his 4 career starts, but last night seemed to be his breakout game going longer than 5.2 innings for the first time with a career high 8 K's.  How can you expect the Mets to win against a guy like that?

Hopefully tonight, the Mets will be able to salvage another series by preventing a road sweep as they did in San Francisco over the weekend.  Tonight they face off against Dan Haren.  While Haren is generally one of the top pitchers in the league, he's struggled a bit this season.  On top of that, the Mets should feel some confidence as, unlike the situation with Enright last night, the Mets have faced Haren 5 times (4 of which were starts).  Haren has a 1-0 record but a career 3.77 ERA against the Mets.  They should be very comfortable hitting against him and get the win before they move onto LA where a probable sweep is in store to even out the series and put the Mets on a roll before heading home...you didn't think we'd let Jerry pour the only Kool-Aid today did you?  Drink it up!

Pelf Struggles Kool-Aid: Now We Need a Trade

There is no Kool-Aid to deny, Mike Pelfrey is struggling right now, and last night's performance was a big exclamation point on that statement.  Pelfrey only lasted 1.1 innings last night against a terrible Arizona Diamondbacks team giving up 6 earned runs on 7 hits and seeing his season ERA head above 4 for the first time this season.  Earlier this season, we considered Pelf the New York Mets' ace at times, but without lasting longer than 4.2 innings in 4 consecutive starts and an era above 6 during that time, it's time for a team that's going to be on the bubble for the playoffs to make a move.  If the Mets make a move, it could be the bright side of this whole Pelfrey fall from grace.

Between his second half performances of past seasons and his recent starts, Johan Santana has shown he's ready for a great second half of 2010.  RA Dickey and Jon Niese have continued to be consistent pieces in the rotation, but can't realistically or fairly be considered #2 starters.  Pelf is the #2 right now and we've seen his potential to have that spot, but inconsistency is not something a playoff team can afford out of their 2 spot in the rotation.  Plus the luster of Hisanori Takahashi in the 5 spot has worn away long ago.  This is a rotation dynamic now begging for a trade.  Even with Cliff Lee out of the picture, the Mets have plenty of options and a true #2 pitcher would put some completion on this rotation.  Moving everyone back one spot in the rotation (aside from Johan) puts everyone in a spot they can achieve without having to overachieve.  (Anyone even thinking about Ollie Perez for this role at this point should just stop reading and put down their glass of Kool-Aid, you've drank too much).

Pushing everyone back in the rotation a spot not only allows the Mets to be in a better position by inserting a good arm in their rotation, but it can help the other pitchers too, especially Mike Pelfrey.  From sports psychologists to balking issues, we saw a lot of 2009 get into Mike Pelfrey's head.  Judging from last night's game, he's in his own head again.  Pushing Pelf back one slot in the rotation and putting a veteran who can carry some of the load in front of him will take that much pressure off Mike.  We saw earlier this season that Pelfrey can pitch at a high level and all that time, everyone talked about his new confidence.  This is a way to get some of that confidence back.

We've done articles on the Mets' win streaks this season and how they've often required excellent pitching to spark a streak.  The same will apply in the second half of the season and if the Mets want any chance at the playoffs.  Mike Pelfrey may be struggling now, but this may be a saving grace as Omar and the Wilpons won't have a leg to stand on if a good move isn't made by the deadline in the next couple weeks.  Pelf is not a legitimate #2 now and it's up to the Mets to get one.  Let's hope they do, that acquisition works out, and Pelf rights the personal ship.  There's only one way to find out - make that trade.  If you ask me, it's only a matter of days.  Drink it up.

Jerry's Juice: Ollie Edition

Jerry Manuel said the following about Ollie, who is re-joining the team today:

"Are we down on Ollie? No, we just think Ollie needs to continue to try to get better, try to find himself, try to get back to where he was.  I think Ollie could be of value to us in the 'pen."

“You probably would like to have seen the velocity and things a little better.  But I still think that as a reliever, he could offer us something -- left-on-left, kind of uncertain where he's going to pitch it. I think that's to his advantage left-on-left."

That’s a glowing endorsement if I have ever heard one.  By “value”, I assume Jerry is referring to the ability to rest other relievers in blowout games by using Ollie instead.  Otherwise there may some value Ollie provides to the bullpen that we don’t even know about, like giving K-Rod free massages or shining Feliciano’s cleats.

Now, if the Mets find themselves down by six runs in the 5^th inning, Manuel can bring in Ollie to “get better” and “find himself” for a few mop-up innings.  And who knows, maybe he can actually become a lefty specialist with Feliciano assuming more of the bullpen role.  Jerry makes a good point that lefty batters will be “uncertain where he’s going to pitch it”, because not even Ollie himself knows where any of his pitches will end up.       

So maybe the Oliver Perez cloud will end up with a silver lining.  After all, every team is dying for a $12 million per year lefty specialist, but only the Mets have one.

Now please excuse me while I re-fill my glass. 

Looking Forward to a Great Second Half

If looking forward to the the second half of the Mets 2010 season doesn't get you giddy with excitement yet, take a look back at July 16, 2009. On that day, the first game following the 2009 All Star Game, the Mets trotted out a lineup that featured these first four hitters: Pagan, Castillo, Wright, and Sheffield. Keeping in mind that was the 2009 version of Pagan and Wright and the 40 year old version of Gary Sheffield, and that Castillo was the hottest hitter of the bunch, it's easy to see why the season was basically over before July 16th even ended.

And as if that's not enough, the starting pitcher on that day was Oliver Perez.

Fast forward to today and relish the difference. The Mets open the second half of 2010 with a top of the lineup that once again includes Pagan and Wright, though this time around it's the breakout star version of Pagan and the MVP candidate version of Wright. Jose Reyes is (hopefully) back in the leadoff spot where he belongs. And then there is Carlos Beltran, who makes his triumphant return to the team and cleanup spot.

There is plenty of reason to believe that the summer and fall of 2010 will be memorable for our Mets. The revamped lineup has the potential to be lethal, especially if Reyes stays healthy, Beltran returns with a vengeance and Bay regains his form as an elite power hitter. Even if Carlos is at 80% of his normal self he can provide a huge boost, and history suggests that Bay will produce close to his career numbers when all is said and done. Bumping Ike Davis to the less-pressurized six hole makes the lineup even deeper and more intimidating.

The pitching staff has about as much potential as the lineup to dominate for the next two and a half months. Santana is one of the best second half pitchers of all time (61-19 in his career), Niese is steadily coming into his own, and the R.A. Dickey bubble has shown no signs of bursting. If Pelfrey can pitch anything like he was just a few weeks ago, and Minaya can acquire someone like Ted Lilly the Mets rotation will be one of the best in the NL. A new setup man and the return of Takahashi to the bullpen will make the games that much shorter.

Best of all, Oliver Perez is now a Buffalo Bison.

While none of this is a given, it is all very possible. So drink a glass of koolaid, gear up for an exciting second half, and be grateful that it's no longer 2009. Enjoy the ride.

Mets Kool-Aid Mid-Season Report Card: A for Amazin'

As promised, we've gone down the list of Mets that needed to perform well this year for a successful New York Mets campaign and a few others that made an impact and we like what we see.  Of course we do! This is Mets Kool-Aid!  With that, let's see who's moving to the head of the class:


Jason Bay: C+
Being a Mets Kool-Aid post, we have to get the semi-low points out of the way early so we can end on a good note.  That said, I think we all had really high expectations out of the main piece the Mets brought in during the offseason.  I mean, he did lead the AL in RBI last year.  We keep hearing how streaky of a hitter Bay can be, but the offensive upswings haven't been as great as his down ones in the first half.  That said, we've seen some unexpected speed and defensive play from Bay reflecting his adjustment to Citi Field.  Also, even though he's pricier, this team wouldn't be where it is with a Tatis/He also ended the first half with a nice run of RBIs.  This makes me believe that his second half could be explosive and he could get his grade up.  I also think Jason has the most to gain from Beltran being back in the lineup.

Francisco Rodriguez: B
I was talking to my friend the other day, who was bashing K-Rod, and asked if he thought the Mets would ever have a closer that anyone trusted.  He said he didn't know.  From a feeling standpoint, I can't give K-Rod an A, but I also look at the stats and see 21 saves, a 2.45 ERA and 4 blown saves (2 of which turned into wins for the Mets).  All in all, that's not too bad.  I also realize that while I always heard of K-Rod when he was in Anaheim, I never really saw him play consistently to see him be a shut down closer.  He hasn't wowed me like a Mariano or a Papelbon do, but maybe that's not the way he goes.  He's posting the best K/BB ratio and BB/9inn since before he started closing, he's on pace for over 40 saves which is his average if you don't count the record-breaking season, he's high energy, and if you look at it closely, he gets the job done.  I don't think we can ask for much more except giving us that safe feeling going into the 9th - he does that in the second half and he would definitely earn an A.

Jose Reyes: B+
On one hand, after being out for the greater part of last season, high expectations out of someone that predominantly uses speed and agility would be unreasonable expectations.  On the other hand, Jose is required to be the spark plug for a New York team that wins most of the games where he scores a run.  When Jose was on in the first half, so was the team.  A strained oblique has everyone worried at this point, but the book is not yet written on Jose's second half.  If he can continue to bounce back like he did in the first half and get on base, this is a lineup that will knock him in.

Johan Santana: B+

Speaking of high expectations, I think only Johan Santana could post a sub-3 ERA in the first half and have it be considered a bit of a down year for him.    That said, aside from a shaky June and one bad start in Philly, Santana has been as dominant as he has been since joining the Mets.  People look at wins are get discouraged, but only twice in Johan's career has he won more than 16 games.  Furthermore, if the Mets have a great second half, there's no reason he can't win 18-20 games building on the 7 he has now.  Especially since his last few starts have been lights out.  Johan has been as shaky as a legend can be, but that seems to be behind him at this point.

Mike Pelfrey: A
I really wanted to give Mike Pelfrey an A+ for his first half, but it's one of those situations where he hasn't been terribly consistent in the past and finished on a sour note which makes you nervous for the future.  With that said, Mike Pelfrey was one of the best surprises of the first half.  Having essentially a breakout year with his 10 wins leading the team.  Also, a 3.58 ERA doesn't even reflect how he shut down so many teams earlier in the season.  For a stretch there, he was definitely the ace of the team and was very close to being named an all-star.  Most of all, it's been his composure and command that have had everyone talking and this is what gets you excited for the future with Pelf.  With a dominant Johan and Pelf at the top of the rotation, this team not only will be a playoff contender, but a team that can win IN the playoffs.  Let's just hope the few days off does Mike some good and that the second half goes just as well as the first half started. 

David Wright: A
David Wright's first half could essentially be turned into a sports movie real easily.  The season starts great with a home run, strikeouts and doubters pop up after a season of struggles last year, people start to question whether he'll be the player everyone expected, and BOOM!.  The guy hit over .400 in June, looks better than he ever did even when he was dominating, is leading the league in RBIs, and is in line for heavy consideration for first half NL MVP let alone team MVP.  David Wright is a prototypical franchise player and this season he's cementing that notion by playing up to his potential.  The return of Beltran can only help in keeping that going.  All the issues with Citi Field, the team, and all the other distractions are in the past and David has fallen into a groove he should keep up in the second half.  Definite A+ if not for the early K's and struggles.

RA Dickey: A+
Speaking of sports movies, here's one that actually would be a great one.  Former top prospect flame-out reinvents himself as a knuckleballer that no one can touch all of the sudden.   I'd watch that movie - and I'd enjoy it just as much as I've enjoyed watching Dickey pitch this season.  Literally, he's been almost flawless.  Posting a 6-2 record and 2.77 ERA, he went from someone that I was waiting for to implode, to a trustworthy pitcher on this staff that I'd trust in any game.  Not only that, but in my opinion, he's one of the top reasons the Mets' record is what it is right now - but more on that in just a second...

Ike Davis: A+
When I look at the main reasons the Mets' record is as good as it is right now, I see a few reasons.  Of course, David Wright playing well, Mike Pelfrey's breakout, Jon Niese turning out consistent, Reyes returning, and many others are reasons.  However, before the season started, these are things that were in the plan.  This team was built hoping for and even expecting some of these things to happen in order for the Mets to contend.  RA Dickey as mentioned above and even more so, Ike Davis' emergence were too unexpected things.  And, it is successes like this that separates a team that can win if things go right to a team that should win.  The 11 HR and 40 RBIs put Ike in line to be a ROY candidate (even though it will probably go to Heyward or Strasburg), but I think what's most important is the role he played.  On top of not being expected to arrive, he filled in at the cleanup spot - something both Wright and Bay weren't able to do very successfully this season.  Most top prospects come in batting 6th or 7th.  He's also made some great plays in the field.  Think of how different this team would be if we had a Chris Carter/Fernando Tatis/Frank Cattalanotto platoon at first instead.

So there you go.  Not everyone was covered and there's a lot of others who have contributed this year.  Angel Pagan, Rod Barajas and Jon Niese are just two who come to mind.  Either way, I think this team has exceeded our expectations for the first half and the second half looks like it may be even better.  We are out of the basement and contending for a playoff spot.  Overall, I give this first half an A...for Amazin'.  See you in the second half and keep on drinking the kool-aid!

5 Reasons It's Better The New York Mets Didn't Get Cliff Lee

Mets fans were disappointed to hear that Cliff Lee was traded to Texas instead of Flushing.  But there is a kool-aid elixir for everything, and I’m here to serve it to you.  Here are the top 5 reasons why the Mets are better off WITHOUT Cliff Lee.

He can’t even handle Texas.  Lee was lit up in his Rangers debut to the tune of 6 runs.  If he can’t handle the pressure of a pennant race in Texas, where people care more about high school football than major league baseball, how could he have been counted on to perform well in New York City?   

He will be a Yankee soon anyway.  Let’s be honest, the Yankees will end up signing Cliff Lee this offseason.  After all, it’s been a whole two years since they signed a big time free agent pitcher (Sabathia and Burnett) to a massive contract.  By not signing Lee, the Mets spared us the heartbreak of watching him walk to our cross town rival in three months.

Remember Tom Glavine?  Just like Tom Glavine was obviously sent by rival Atlanta to sabotage the 2007 Mets playoff hopes, Lee could not have been trusted if on the Mets.  Sure, he only spent two months with the Phillies compared to Glavine’s 16 seasons with the Braves, but Lee was very likely brainwashed last year by his great success and playoff run in Philly.  The last thing the Mets needed was to employ another rival pitcher with ulterior motives.

The past.  The Mets have not had the best of luck trading for starting pitchers mid-season.  Kenny Rogers, Kris Benson and Oliver Perez come to mind immediately.  None of those guys will be inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame any time soon.  

The future.  The Mariners reportedly wanted Ike Davis and/or Jon Niese for Lee.  At the very least, it probably would have taken some combination of Mejia, Thole, F-Mart, and Wilmer Flores*.  Hopefully in five years we will be watching these homegrown Mets succeed while a 37 year old Lee is doing his best Kevin Brown impression for the Yankees. 

*Disclaimer: Mets Kool-Aid reserves the right to deny ever writing this post if these guys turn into anything resembling Alex Escobar or Bill Pulsipher while Cliff Lee becomes a Hall of Famer.  

This post was written by Mike Simon. 

Mets Kool-Aid at the Break: Thanks for Drinking

Stay tuned for our requisite All-Star Break report card for our boys in blue and orange, but we wanted to take a second to thank all our readers over the first half of the season.  Like the Mets, there have been ups, downs, days when we didn't want to pay attention, and days when all we wanted to do was write.  All in all, we're real excited on how this has progressed Here's a little bit of a report card since we started Mets Kool-Aid just a few months ago:

-Mets Kool-Aid has had over 2500 unique visitors since starting on over 100 posts.

-Acceptance into the Baseball Blogger's Alliance.

-Acceptance into the Yardbarker Network (in association with MSN and FoxSports)

-Sponsorship of the Rutgers University page on Baseball-Reference.com

-Mets Record since Mets Kool-Aid established: 48-40

There's lots more to come in the second half of 2010 so keep reading and drink it up!  Thanks again!

-The Mets Kool-Aid Staff

Return of the Rivalry

Ask any young Mets fan who the team’s biggest rival is, and they will say the Phillies.  But those of us who remember the old days, as in the 1990s and early 2000s, know that deep down the Atlanta Braves are our true enemy.

Let’s face it: the Braves have gotten the better of the Mets through the years.  From Chipper naming his son Shea in tribute to his success there, to the dominance of the Braves big three pitchers, to Kenny Rogers walking in the winning run, to John Rocker’s crazy talk, most of the rivalry’s memories are bad ones for Mets fans.  

Well this weekend marks another installment in this storied clash  It’s a huge series for the Mets, who are three games behind the first place Braves and need to enter the All Star break on a high note.  It’s also a chance for the Mets to begin establishing themselves as the dominant team of the rivalry in this new decade.

A series sweep would go a long way towards that goal.  With Dickey, Pelfrey and Santana taking the mound, the Mets should take at least two out of three.  In the battle of rookie phenoms, ours (Ike Davis) is steadily raking while theirs (Jason Heyward) is sitting on the DL.   

If a matchup up 2010 All-Star infielders is your thing I’ll take Wright and Reyes Omar Infante, unless you have a thing for 1 HR and 22 RBI.  And to top it off the Mets won’t have to deal with that annoying Tomahawk Chop at Citi Field, the most annoying stadium sound in the world before the vuvuzela came along.   

And if all that doesn't make this a winning series for the New York Mets, the entire Mets Kool-Aid team will be there tonight.  Mike, Dave, and I will be upstairs in Section 519 if you want to stop by and say hello.  By the way, our combined record at Citi Field this year is a scorching  6-1.

So the stars are aligned for the Mets to start making some new and improved memories against the Braves in the 2010s.  More along the lines of Ventura’s grand slam single, the 10 run comeback, and Piazza’s incredible post-9/11 blast.  Starting this weekend, let’s make sure Chipper doesn’t want to name his next kid “Citi”.        

This post was written by Mike Simon.

Jerry's Juice (with a little Alex's Ade)

Last night's loss was mildly disappointing in that the Mets need to win as many home series as possible with the way they've been playing on the road and the fact that the Braves won't back down.  At 3 back in the standings, the Mets do still have a shot to be in first by the All-Star break, after which, we get back Carlos Beltran who's been looking great in his rehab starts.  With that though, let's see what Jerry had to say about last night's performance:


"I was very satisfied with the way [Jon Niese] pitched tonight.  He had a good rhythm going, a good tempo. He pitched well. He gave up a couple home runs, but we'll take that kind of outing from a young pitcher every time."

And Jerry's right.  Jon Niese's performance was definitely the bright spot of last night's performance.  Since coming off the DL on June 5th, Niese has posted a 2.61 ERA with a 5-1 record.  I don't think anyone is asking him to be a top starter, but it would be great if the Mets had a guy in the middle to back of the rotation that is consistent.   Don't forget there is a whole second half of baseball yet to play, and if the Mets are going to contend, they'll need "this kind of out from [this] young pitcher every time."  Plus, if the Mets make a move for a top pitcher before the trade deadline and do make it into the playoffs, Niese could slide right into the pen or even get a spot start in longer series.  And the best part is, the guy is only 23 years old.


 "He just didnt get any hits" - Manuel when asked what might have been wrong with Jason Bay last night

How do you argue with an astute baseball mind like this?  It's why we always go to him for some juice after a loss!  Bay has been playing better and if not for a great play in the outfield by Chris Heisey, Bay would have potentially been the hero and knocked out Bronson Arroyo who had the New York Mets' number yet again.  The important thing to remember is Bay is quietly knocking in RBIs on a daily basis right now and once Beltran comes back, this lineup is really going to be something to reckon with top to bottom.  I predict Bay to have a great second half.  And speaking of Arroyo:

"We can't seem to solve him.  He keeps us off balance, makes big pitches in the right situations.  He did a good job...He has tremendous instincts for pitching."

And Jerry's right again! In his career, Bronson Arroyo is 7-2 against the Mets with a 3.31 ERA.  And, if you don't count his first start against them in 2000 with the Pirates in his rookie year (2.2 inn, 9 ER), that becomes 7-1 and a 2.39 ERA.  Arroyo kills right handed hitting posting the lowest average against righty's in the NL this season so far.  This takes Wright, Bay, a right-handed hitting Reyes (due to injury), and many others like Jeff Francoeur to a disadvantage.  However, the next time the Mets may see Arroyo, they will have a healthy Reyes who can hit lefty, a healthy switch-hitting Beltran, Ike Davis (and not at cleanup), and with that, more protection for all those righties mentioned earlier. 

The only time the Mets see Arroyo again this year would be in the post season, but as Alex Cora said:

"If we get to where we want to get as a team, we may have to face him in October.  Hopefully we can make the adjustments."

It's great to hear about a player thinking about the playoffs.  So many times we see the politically correctness and not looking too far ahead, but Alex Cora is showing that this clubhouse has their eyes on the prize.  This isn't just about a bounce-back year, it's a winning year, and this team can do it.  Drink it up!

Johan Is A Gamer

Yesterday as I was listening to WFAN before the game, Evan Roberts and Joe Benigno took a caller who spoke about their hopes for Johan Santana to receive run support in last night's game.  Roberts responded by saying that it wasn't the runs by the Mets, but actually Santana giving up runs that he was worried about.  While this, "What have you done for me lately?" attitude is pretty common among Mets fans and New York fans in general, I think this was a huge step in Johan showing that you should never doubt him and proving, once again, the legitimacy of this Mets team as a major threat in the NL this season. 

I wrote last week about how the Mets should make a trade now at almost any cost with one of the reasons being that you don't know how much Johan has left.  I still believe this statement, but like with Pedro, I believe Johan is also someone who rises to the occasion.  I first realized this more than ever in Santana's first year with the Mets when he pitched probably the best performance I've seen by a Met pitcher when he shut down the Marlins on the second to last day of the season.  In that must win situation, Johan went out and pitched 9 innings and gave up only 3 hits and no runs - sound familiar? 

It seems Santana can will himself to win games when it's absolutely necessary.  If the Mets are going to continue to be spotty on the road, they need to win series at home regularly.  After a rough performance by Pelf on Tuesday night and with Arroyo, who kills the Mets, on the hill tonight, last night was a must-win as far as this series goes.  He stepped up and not only put together a great pitching performance, but even hit a home run in the effort as well - the last time he did that, was in a video game according to Johan.  I guess he really is a "gamer."

Anyway, as far as the rest of this season goes, Mike Pelfrey is going to have his ups and downs, the Mets need to still trade for another pitcher to be a true playoff contender, and the bullpen may be spotty.  However, it's great to know that Johan is ready to step it up and deliver an excellent performance when the Mets need it most.  Drink it up!

Jerry's Juice: Goin' Gangsta

After last night’s loss to the Reds, Jerry Manuel said the following regarding his ejection:

"That's why you fight for them because they are fighting for the game, the team, the city.

If that quote doesn’t send chills down your spine, nothing will.  I was at the game last night and witnessed all 37,000 fans in attendance go crazy when Jerry got in the umpires face for an unprecedented call reversal and eventually got tossed.  In that moment he won the respect of his players and the fans. 

I’ll admit that I have never been a fan of Jerry as a manager.  He may or may not think there is an official MLB rule that Pedro Feliciano must pitch in every game.  He is so obsessed with the lefty-righty matchup that he would probably pinch hit for Albert Pujols if the other team brought in a righty reliever.  And when the Mets are struggling there is nothing more annoying that hearing him uncomfortably laugh at every reporter’s question.  I, along with many other Mets fans, was hoping he would be fired after last season. 

However Jerry’s “gangsta” mentality, as he calls it, has clearly rubbed off on the team this year.  Just like he fought back from the verge of being canned just weeks ago his players continue to show resiliency until the very last out, a hugely important quality of winning baseball teams.  Last night the Mets responded to Jerry’s fiery ejection by battling back from a 7-1 deficit, and although they didn’t win they made it a winnable game.  As I’ve said before, if a team comes back enough times they will eventually win some of those games.            

Seeing Jerry defend his team in person has made me a supporter.  Sure, he may not always make the best in-game decisions, but he will always fight for his players.  We never saw this many comebacks and near-comebacks under Art Howe or Willie Randolf, two managers who looked half asleep every game.

Jerry Manuel is laid back as well, but he is willing to go “gangsta” when needed.  I’ll drink (koolaid) to that.   

Post written by Mike Simon.

You Can't Go On A Roll Without Role Players

With the Summer of Lebron now officially upon is, it’s easy to forget about the little guys in sports.  But every Jordan needs a Kerr, and every Kobe needs a Fisher to win the big one.

Or, in the case of the Mets, every Wright, Bay and Santana needs a Barajas, a Tejada and a Dickey.

The Mets have a roster full of highly paid all-star caliber players, but they would not be doing nearly as well as they are if it wasn’t for the “role” players doing much better than they were supposed to.  Rod Barajas, seemingly the consolation in the Bengie Molina sweepstakes, is second on the team with 11 homers.  R.A. Dickey, embarrassingly signed after the Phillies got Roy Halladay, has been mostly lights out in his starts.  Elmer Dessens, who I thought had retired five years ago, has emerged as a valuable reliever.  Just last night we saw Jesus Feliciano and Ruben Tejada fill in for Reyes and Pagan and make sure the lineup and defense did not miss a beat.

With the season as long as it is, having role players step up can be the difference between playing and watching October baseball.  The 2006 NL East Champion Mets were littered with star players like Wright, Reyes, and Delgado, but were often carried by the heroics of guys like Jose Valentin and Endy Chavez.  In 2000 the likes of Bobby Jones, Timo Perez and Benny Agbayani helped Piazza, Ventura, and Hampton win an NL Pennant.

The 2010 Mets have their Lebrons and Wades, but they also have their Kerrs and Fishers getting the job done.  Stars like Wright, Reyes, Santana, and even Ike Davis are paid the big bucks to produce.   Guys like Barajas, Dickey, and Feliciano are paid little (relatively) but their contributions can go a long way.  If these afterthoughts keep it up, and the stars keep playing to their abilities, the Mets will be in the hunt all season.