___________

Monday, December 5, 2011

Jose it Ain't So

Jose Reyes is now a Miami Marlin.

Nobody should be shocked to read those words.  Heck, more beloved players than him have bolted their adopted hometowns for South Beach (see James, Lebron).  And $106 million would entice the majority of us to relocate.

But that doesn't make it any less painful.

Like many Mets fans, Reyes was my favorite player.  He was like Rey Ordonez, my teenage self's favorite Met and the shortstop Jose replaced, except Reyes could actually hit and run in addition to flashing a great glove.  I'm not a jersey wearer, but I still have the faded Reyes t-shirt that I bought seven years ago.  He was, by far, the most exciting Mets player I've ever seen.

Reyes was always a source of debate for Mets fans.  He never walked as much as we wanted, never played as smartly as we wanted him to, and never stayed healthy enough for our liking.  To some Mets fans he was a great player, to others he was a disappointment.  At times he looked like a superstar, while at others he looked clueless.  To this day we are split on whether or not he is worth a boatload of money and a long-term contract.      

Yet despite these contradictions, Reyes has been almost unanimously considered the most exciting player in baseball since he slid into third base for his first triple.  He single-handedly won countless games for the Mets in ways that no other player could, whether it was with a walk-off balk or a diving stop in the hole at shortstop.  Watching Reyes hit a ball in the gap and dash around the bases was worth the price of admission (at least upper deck admission) even during the dark days of the past few seasons.

Reyes is the type of player that, because of a few faults and a long injury history, will never be fully appreciated until he is gone.  Well now he is gone and will be appreciated, especially when we see him play against the Mets.  And that is one of the worst parts of this whole thing: although Jose is going 1,200 miles south, he really won't be very far away at all.  He will be facing the Mets 19 times a year for the next six years, and will be announced as the opposing lead-off hitter at Citi Field in nine or ten games in each of those years.  

And in each of those games, the famed "Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose" chant will probably be replaced with "boos".  What a shame.    

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Why the 2011 World Series will haunt Mets fans

Just when I thought I could take a mental vacation from the Mets for a bit, at least until Jose Reyes officially hits the market, I turned on the World Series.  And I was reminded of the Mets immediately.

The Cardinals and Rangers rosters are sprinkled with players who evoke, at best, bitter-sweet emotions, and at worst, bad ones.  On the St. Louis side is Octavio Dotel, the now-veteran reliever who seemingly just days ago was a young flamethrower in Queens.  Dotel saved the Mets in Game 5 before Robin Ventura's walk-off grand slam ever happened, but was bypassed bypassed in favor of the immortal Kenny Rogers in crunch time of Game 6.  We all know how that worked out.  Dotel was then shipped off to Houston for Mike Hampton, who helped the Mets reach the 2000 World Series before ditching New York for the schools (read: money) of Colorado.

Matt Holliday, on the other hand, was never a Met but will forever be linked to the team.  Back in the winter of 2009, the Mets seemed to have their choice of two top free agent sluggers: Holliday and Jason Bay.  The Mets chose Bay over Holliday, words that should eventually go on Omar Minaya's gravestone.  Holliday has been an all-star for the Cardinals, while Bay has been, well, less than that for the Mets. 

Now on to the Rangers.  Nelson Cruz was originally signed by the Mets in 1998, but was traded away while still in the minors.  In a rare case of a player becoming good after leaving the (*sarcasm alert*), Cruz has blossomed into an excellent hitter.  However in this case the Mets can't really be blamed for missing out, as several teams gave up on Cruz before he finally made the major leagues in 2005

Here is where it gets really bitter-sweet: the players that remind us of 2006.  Darren Oliver, now a 41 year old lefty specialist with Texas, was a key part of the Mets 2006 world series champion team.  Or, I should say, the team that should have won the world series but didn't.  Speaking of which, that brings me to ....

Endy Chavez and Yadier Molina.  One (Chavez, now on Texas) should have been the hero of the 2006 NLCS, the other (Molina, still on St. Louis) a distant memory.  Instead, the roles were reversed.  Molina will forever be known for hitting the series clinching home run, while Chavez' seemingly game saving, miraculous catch is now only mentioned with the caveat of "but the Mets lost".

I guess it's really more bitter than sweet.  

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Mets Fans are Winners this October

  The last few weeks of the baseball season have read like a fantasy checklist for Mets fans:
  1. Colossal late-season collapse by a rival (Braves) - Check
  2. Colossal late-season collapse by another team in a major media market (Red Sox) - Check
  3. Yankees eliminated - Check
  4. Phillies eliminated - Check
  5. October baseball in Flushing - Sorry, now I'm just getting greedy
Aside from a Mets championship parade down Broadway, I can not think of a better sequence of events that could have unfolded.  Is it a bit sad to find pleasure in the choking of other teams, especially when my own team was nowhere near a position to choke?  Yes.  Does that doesn't make it any less great?  No.  

When the regular season was winding down, things looked pretty bleak.  Not only were the Mets irrelevant, but our most hated rivals (aka the Yankees, Phillies and Braves) were all on the fast-track to October.  Throw in the Red Sox, who I have grown to hate due to spending my college years with an abundance of insufferable Boston fans and that fact that Boston teams now win everything, and there seemed to be a 50% chance that a team I strongly dislike was going to win the World Series.  I was already debating who I would begrudgingly root for in another Yankees-Phillies fall classic.  

Two collapses, several A-Rod strikeouts and one crazy squirrel later, and that chance has improbably dropped to 0%.  The Braves and Red Sox, the ladder of which was picked by most to win the World Series back in April, both managed to bump the 2007 Mets from the title of "worst collapse in baseball history".  The Yankees and Phillies, seemingly on a collision course once the playoffs began, each played only five more games before wilting under the pressure of their understandably mammoth expectations.  Oh, and thanks to the Red Sox and KFC-gate, the Mets aren't even the biggest off-the-field punchline in baseball anymore.      

The end result is that I can finally watch playoff baseball stress-free.  No more trash talk and gloating from Yankees, Phillies, and Red Sox fans (and those twelve or so Braves fans out there).  And no more worrying that one of the teams I hate most will win it all.  They are all now exactly where the Mets are: on the golf course. 

No matter who takes home the trophy this October, Mets fans will be winners too. 

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Did the Mets step back or forward in 2011?

The 2011 season has mercifully come to an end for the Mets, giving way to a barrage of major questions that Mets fans are asking. Will they re-sign Reyes? Will they bring the outfield walls in closer? Will they find a way to make the Shake Shack line go faster?

While these questions all deal with the future, I have one about the past: Was the 2011 season a step in the right direction for the Mets?

The standings and several on-field performances say no. The Mets lost two more games this year than last year, duplicating their fourth place finish. Generally awful pitching was the main culprit, as one time top prospect Mike Pelfrey looked much more like a 5th starter than an aspiring ace, youngster John Niese showed little improvement, and the bullpen was downright putrid. Johan Santana, acquired to be the savior, didn't even throw a single major-league pitch.

Mets' pitchers weren't the only ones stuck in the mud this past season. Key hitters David Wright and Angel Pagan each followed up a very good 2010 season with a mediocre-at-best 2011. Supposed catcher of the future Josh Thole regressed on defense and didn't do much on offense either. And sixty-six million dollar man Jason Bay, despite teasing us at the end, showed little to make us think that the remaining two years of his contract will be any better than the first two.

I havn't even mentioned that the Mets traded away their closer (Rodriguez) and All-Star outfielder (Beltran), and may have seen the last of their best player (Reyes). In many ways you could say the Mets took a step back in 2011.

Yet despite the poor record and subpar statistical performances of several players, the season actually felt like a step forward for the Mets franchise in some ways. Dillon Gee and R.A. Dickey provided hope that they can be reliable mainstays of the rotation and Daniel Murphy emerged as an excellent hitter before being injured. Even guys with less star potential like Justin Turner, Lucas Duda and Ruben Tejada proved they can be valuable contributors to a major league team.

But more important than the improvements of some players was the shift in philosophy of the entire organization, from the front office down to the 25th man. GM Sandy Alderson showed a commitment to getting the Mets back on track by dumping albatrosses Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo before the season, and then getting a top pitching prospect for two months of Carlos Beltran. Manager Terry Collins displayed a grittiness that seemed to trickle down to his players, who despite often being overmatched talent-wise rarely gave up in games.

In the end, the 2011 Mets' season were decidedly less than mediocre. A quick glance at the standings and statistics will likely make you think the season was a wash, especially considering the possible impending defection of Jose Reyes. Even so, 2011 was a step forward if only because it felt like a different organization than the one we have followed the past 5 years. The results may not come next year or even the year after, but at least the foundation has started to take shape.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Mets September Baseball: Don't Touch that Dial

It's not easy watching the Mets these days. On the list of things to do on a weeknight, turning on SNY has fallen behind doing the dishes, constantly hitting refresh on your fantasy football waiver wire, and even watching yet another presidential debate.

But for those of us who just can't suffer enough, there are still plenty of reasons to watch the final two weeks of the Mets 2011 season. Here are just a few:

The Jose Reyes Watch
- Most Mets fans are hoping Reyes wins the NL batting title, but I'm not one of them. In fact, I'm hoping he goes hitless the rest of the year. Why, you ask? Well, a 28 year old reigning batting champion shortstop sounds way to expensive for the cash-strapped Wilpons. A 28 year old shortstop with injury concerns who goes 0 for his last 60, on the other hand, sounds right up their alley.

Bay vs. Pelfrey
- The battle for the biggest bust of 2011 comes down to the wire. Bay may be the heavy favorite because of his enormous contract and paltry stats (.245, 12 hrs, 56 rbi), but he hurt his chances by somehow capturing Player of the Week honors last week. Pelfrey has put up a strong underdog fight by going from staff "ace" to complete dud (7-11, 4.66 ERA), but he too has shot himself in the foot with a few decent outings down the stretch. Who wants it more?

Keith Hernandez
- We now basically know what to expect from each Mets players on a daily basis, but Keith is a constant wild card in the booth. The man once questioned a woman's presence in the dugout and fell asleep during a live broadcast, so who knows what he will say or do down the stretch run of another lost season. Here's hoping it's something entertaining enough to keep us watching but sane enough to keep him from getting fired.

The Battle for 3rd Place
- Don't discount the value of the Mets finishing 3rd in the NL East, ahead of the Nationals and Marlins. Pulling off this seemingly meaningless feat will go a long way in helping us argue against our friends who may belittle the Mets. After all, the Red Sox finished 3rd last year and the Rays will likely finish 3rd this year, so 3rd place can't be all that bad, right?

The First No-Hitter
- If you get really desperate for reasons to keep watching. Hey, even a Mets fan can dream.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Terry's Tonic: These Mets Won't Quit

"We're not going to stop the focus, we're not going to throw our hands up."

When Terry Collins uttered that quote on Sunday after the Mets fell 9 games back of the Wild Card and lost both Daniel Murphy and Jose Reyes to injury, most Mets fans probably just rolled their eyes.

We had seen and heard it all before the last couple of years - the Mets get our hopes up, dash them quickly with a bad series and a never ending string of injuries, and then the manager proclaims that they won't give up. But as the season comes to an end, the team seems like it is simply playing out the string on its way to a horrible record.

Well, if the past two games are any indication, the 2011 Mets are looking to change the ending to that script.

These Mets had every reason to be lifeless following that devastating loss to Atlanta, not to mention everything else that has gone wrong this year. Yet they rallied to victory on Monday after trailing by 2 in the 9th, something I can't remember happening the past couple of years. Then they did it again on Tuesday, coming back in the 8th to steal another victory.

The fact that two of the Mets most impressive wins of the season came after their worst game speaks volumes about this team and its manager. Their current roster may be lacking in star power and experience, but these Mets continue to show that they have no quit in them. Part of it is the ragtag nature of this team, as all the rejects, youngsters and no-names are playing for future jobs and don't know any better than to play their hardest. But a ton of credit has to be given to the manager; while past skippers have promised to keep the Mets fighting through adversity, Terry Collins is actually making sure it happens.

It may be too late for the 2011 Mets to put together a miracle playoff run, but that doesn't mean they are going to give up. These Mets are Amazin' in their own right.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

The Curious Case of Carlos Beltran

Carlos Beltran stands frozen at home plate, his knees buckled by a nasty curveball that ends Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS.

Ask most Mets fans what they remember most about that terrible night, and chances are that image will come to mind first. Even though Oliver Perez escaped that same fate by the skin of Endy Chavez's glove, and Aaron Heilman gave up the game winning home run, Beltran was the guy who choked in the biggest of spots.

It's really a shame, because Carlos Beltran should be remembered as one of the greatest players to put on a Mets uniform. After a rough first season Carlos rebounded with a three year stretch that was among the best in baseball, averaging 33 homers and 113 RBI while playing a superb center field. Following two more injury plagued seasons, he shocked everyone this season by regaining his All Star status AND emerging as a team leader. Perhaps only Darrell Strawberry can prevent Beltran from laying claim to the title of best Mets all around outfielder of all time.

Yet despite his stellar performance, Beltran is still thought of by many Mets fans as a disappointment. We know Game 7 stands out, but there must be other contributing factors. Maybe it's the fact that Beltran wanted to play for the Yankees, or the huge contract the huge contract the Mets gave him to convince him otherwise. Maybe it's the injuries, or the seemingly apathetic way he played the game. Perhaps it's the fact that he never led the Mets to the World Series.

Whatever it is, Beltran deserves a better Mets legacy. He helped bring the Mets back to relevance in 2005, a status that was destroyed from above by bad management. Now that he is gone, fans will likely finally realize just how great a Met he was.

Here's to hoping that Carlos helps San Francisco beat the Phillies in October and goes on to win his first ring. He certainly deserves it.

Monday, July 25, 2011

An Alternate Mets Universe

With Carlos Beltran in his final days as a New York Met, there's been a lot of talk about the last five years and the end of an era. In 2006, one year after Beltran signed, the Mets seemed destined for greatness. Beltran, Reyes, Wright, and eventually Santana in or entering their prime and poised to lead the Mets to contention for years to come. Accomplished veterans like Pedro Martinez, Glavine and Delgado would round out this potential dynasty and end their careers on top of the world. These were "the New Mets".

What we didn't realize is that the only thing "new" about these Mets would be the ways that they tormented us fans. Instead of penants and rings, we got a heartbreaking Game 7 loss, two unbelievable collapses and a couple of seasons destroyed by injuries and marked by mediocrity.

But let's go back to that fateful October night in 2006, right before Beltran stood frozen at the plate on a called strike 3 and the Cardinals rushed the field, to see what could have been...

2006: In Game 7 of the NLCS, with two outs in the bottom of the 9th, the bases loaded and the Mets trailing 3-1, Beltran hits a nasty two-strike curveball from Cardinals closer Adam Wainwright for a series winning homer. Beltran is mobbed by his teammates before can reach 2nd base. The Mets go on to sweep the Tigers in the World Series. Robin Ventura cries knowing that his own "grand slam single" will be immediately forgotten and he will only be known for getting pummeled by Nolan Ryan.

2007: The Mets, about to fall victim to the biggest collapse in baseball history, are saved when Tom Glavine shuts down the Marlins in game 162. Oliver Perez then beats the Phillies in the one game playoff, further establishing himself as a fan favorite of Mets fans. Pedro Martinez says the Yankees may be his daddy but the Red Sox are his little brother who he helps raise and then beats up.

2008: The Mets win the Wild Card and beat the 1st place Phillies in the NLCS. During the offseason, Aaron Heilman calls the Phillies "choke artists" because they've blown it the last two seasons, and they prove him right by falling into a downward cycle for the next several years thanks to horrible starting pitching. The Mets are so impressed with Oliver Perez that they sign him to a 3 year, $36 million contract.

2009: Citi Field opens with 8 foot high blue walls, enabling David Wright to hit a career high 42 home runs. The Mets capture the Subway Series when Luis Castillo drops a pop up but then throws out Derek Jeter, who wasn't hustling on the play. The loss is a major psychological blow to the Yankees, who miss the playoffs and deal the lackadaisical Jeter to the Royals in the offseason. Meanwhile, the Mets medical staff is lauded for keeping their players so healthy all year.

2010: With the core of the Mets healthy and playing great the past few years, the Mets pass on Jason Bay and instead pick up a few cheaper alternatives. The starting lineup is so good that insurance pickups Gary Matthews, Mike Jacobs and Alex Cora languish in AAA and don't see the majors all season.

Oh, what could have been.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Mets Get Smart with K-Rod Trade

Francisco Rodriguez and a boatload of cash for two players to be named later may go down as the best trade of 2011. And I don't mean for the Brewers.

Believe it or not, the Mets made a great move by dumping their star closer for basically nothing in return. With that $17 million option looming, it was a move they had to make.

Look, I liked having K-Rod on the Mets. He was a pretty stable force in the Mets bullpen, especially when he wasn't punching out his elders. But there was absolutely no reason to keep him around. If he K-Rod remained the closer, he would have easily finished the 21 more games needed to kick in that daunting option. If he became the set-up man, he would not be nearly as effective (see his performances in non-save situation) and probably would have become an angry distraction (again, the punching thing).

Unless the two players to be named later turn out to be Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo, I don't see how this trade can go wrong for the Mets. The extra $17 million can go towards paying Jose Reyes and other free agents. Heck, they could use some of the money to build another Shake Shack and I'd be happy.

And while many view this move as the Mets throwing in the towel, I disagree. Most closers are fairly interchangeable these days, and now we get to see what the younger and cheaper Bobby Parnell is made of. Unless (or until) they trade Beltran, the Mets can remain on the fringes of Wild Card contention, which is exactly where they were with Rodriguez on the team.

So the AARP members in the Mets clubhouse shoulnd't be the only people thrilled with this trade. All Mets fans should rejoice knowing that we finally have a GM willing to make the smart and necessary moves, even if they may not be totally popular.

And an extra $17 mil doesn't hurt either.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

The $140 Million Mets: A Feel Good Story

They may not be the '69 Mets, but this current crop of Amazins have pulled off their own minor miracle. Somehow, the team linked to the evil Bernie Madoff and with a recent history of countless blunders and even more overpaid underachievers on its payroll has actually become a likable and compelling underdog.

Yes, the Mets only have a .500 record, but for a team in complete disarray .500 looks pretty good. After all, they have had seemingly everything possible go wrong this year. They had a horrific start to the season (5-13), saw two of their best hitters (Wright, Davis) join their best pitcher (Santana) on the DL, and have received disappointing seasons from several key players (Bay, Pagan, Pelfrey). And that doesn't even include the off-the-field issues. Yet somehow the Mets are still treading water and keeping us fans interested, something that seemed highly unlikely just a couple months ago.

If it's possible for a mediocre New York team with a $140 payroll to be a feel good story, the 2011 Mets are it so far. The troubling complacent attitude of the last few years is long gone, thanks in large part to a group of likable no-names who have everything to prove. Career minor leaguer Justin Turner has been a huge contributor. Light hitting Daniel Murphy has held his own while batting in the cleanup spot. Unheralded rookie Dillon Gee has been the most consistent starting pitcher. A lineup full of guys who would be backups on most other teams, a rotation stocked with 4th and 5th starters, and a bullpen full of have somehow helped keep the Mets relevant.

Throw in an affable superstar like Reyes, a smooth and steady All-Star like Beltran, and resilient veterans like Dickey and Capuano, and the Mets are suddenly a compelling, appealing team. They have amazingly silenced the critics and changed their association from "Ponzi-schemers" to to "potential Wild Card contenders", even if just a little bit.

They won't be throwing any ticker tape parades for .500 teams, especially in June. But with all that's gone on this and past seasons, mediocrity is not a horrible place to be.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Confused by Wilpon's comments? Watch Major League

I really hope that Fred Wilpon is a big fan of the classic movie Major League.

In that movie, the Cleveland Indians new owner attempts to put together the worst team she can find and then constantly mistreats and disses her players. Her goal is to lose as many games as possible and minimize fan attendance, which in turn will allow her to move the team to her ideal destination. But the plan backfires when the Indian's players find out that their owner hates them and rally to win the pennant.

The only explanation I can think of for Wilpon's strange decision to belittle his own team is that he recently watched Major League and thinks the plot can happen in real life.

Think about it: Wilpon, by his own admission, puts together a "sh*tty team" with the likes of Jason Bay, Willie Harris, Chin-lung Hu, Scott Hairston, and several other outcasts. This results in a losing baseball team and a major drop in attendance at Citi Field. Then Wilpon publicly disses his three best players despite the fact that two of them (Reyes and Beltran) are carrying the team and the other (Wright) has been it's most consistently good player. And although Wilpon has not threatened to move the Mets, he does seem intent on turning them into the Dodgers.

So now Wilpon has his team right where he wants them. His players hate their employer, the fans their favorite team's owner, and the team stinks in general. And if Major League is accurate (and Fred must think it is), this is the perfect recipe for success.

Now the Mets players have a cause to rally around. They will do everything they can to win baseball games, simply to prove their non-believing owner wrong. They will band together a segregated clubhouse. They will shock the world and make the playoffs. They may even construct a cardboard cutout of Fred and remove an article of clothing after each win.

Yes, it all makes sense now. Fred watched Major League and a light bulb went off in his head. Such a great movie can't have it wrong, can it?

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

A Yankee Hater's Dream

Watching the Yankees lose almost as much as the Mets this year has been great. Watching the Yankees go through even more in-season drama than the Mets this week has been even better.

As everyone knows by now, Jorge Posada refused to play against the Red Sox after being dropped to the ninth spot of the batting order. I enjoy any bad Yankees press, so I was giddy watching the whole drama unfold. Posada wasn't cut, or even benched - he was simply moved a couple spots downi n the lineup, making his little league style freak-out hilarious. Throw in the fact that he is making making $52 million and hitting .179, and it's downright ridiculous.

While the Posada story was great in itself, even better was the fact that it showed us just how fun the next few years could be for Yankee haters.

Posada is already at the edge of the cliff, but his teammate, the icon Derek Jeter, is not too far behind. Just imagine the fallout when Jeter, already in the second year of his downfall, is demoted in the lineup and/or removed from his position. And with the Yankees "stuck" with Jeter for 3 more years, there is plenty of time for tensions to stew between Yankee management and their beloved captain.

Then there's Alex Rodriguez, who is 35 years old and signed for 7 more years. Arod may still be a great hitter, but in a couple years will be an old man (in baseball years) in a post-steroids era where old baseball players rarely succeed. Just imagine how the potential all time home run leader will react when he is batting 8th and is a full-time DH.

I know, I know, the Yankees will undoubtedly end up with a whole new batch of new stars to make the decline of their former greats a moot point. And Yankee fans will of course point to their 27 banners and remind us that the Mets only have 2. But with the Mets possibly in the midst of a few more down seasons, it's fun to think of the likes of Jeter and Arod pulling a Posada down the road and smashing another hole into the Yankees sinking ship.

I personally can't wait.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Keep Reyes, Trade Wright

With talk of a potential Jose Reyes trade trending just below Osama and the royal wedding these days, it seems like a good time for Mets Kool-Aid to address the trade issue.

Let me first say this: the Mets should NOT trade Jose Reyes if they think they can re-sign him.

Then, let me say this: if the Mets think they can re-sign Reyes, they SHOULD trade David Wright this season.

In an ideal world, Reyes and Wright, both in their primes, would obviously remain together and lead the Mets' resurgence. But the Mets world is miles away from ideal. In their world massive debt and a billion dollar lawsuit rule the day, which is why trading one of their homegrown stars seems inevitable. Reyes is the name that comes up most often, but if either of them has to go it should be Wright.

Look, I like David Wright. He is the favorite of most Mets fans, from older die-hards to teenage girls. He is a very good baseball player who is rarely injured and always does and says the right thing. He will probably be an all-star and gold glove candidate for many years ahead, and will be even better if he has a great hitter behind him to take some of the pressure off him.

Finding another David Wright will be very tough, but finding another Jose Reyes might be downright impossible. Reyes can do it all - he has hit for as many as 19 home runs, stolen as many as 78 bases, and plays excellent defense. His speed and pension for hitting the ball in the gaps makes Reyes the perfect player for Citi Field, whereas Wright is a pseudo-power hitter who seems somewhat affected by the cavernous stadium and high fences.

And almost as important as Reyes' immense talent is the excitement and energy he brings. The chance to watch Reyes leg out a triple is right up there with Ike's towering homers as reasons to buy an overpriced ticket. While Wright's stoic personality is to be admired, Reyes' fiery attitude is exactly what the Mets need in these tough times.

Here's something else to consider: with Reyes' free agency looming this offseason and reputation for being injury-prone, he might actually bring in LESS of a prospect haul than Wright, who is under a reasonable contract for another year. Yes, Reyes will likely demand $18M or more per season, but with several huge contracts coming off the books even the cash strapped Mets should be able to afford him, especially if they know they won't have to pay Wright the same going forward.

Again, I would love to see Wright and Reyes play together in Flushing for the next decade if it was possible. But if the choice is between re-building the franchise around Reyes or Wright, then Wright has to be the one to go.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Mets Kool-Aid Month in Review: April

We could dwell on yet another Mets loss, but that's just not our style. So instead, let's take a look at some of the positives from the first month of the season.

The team showed some fight.
Whether in a game or the season in general, this Mets squad has shown that it will not go down easily. Their comeback win against the Nats evoked memories of Game 6 of the '86 World Series. And when the Mets were 4-11 and tempting us to start watching hockey, they kept their heads up and rolled off enough wins to keep us from searching for the Versus channel.

The stars finally aligned.
No, not in the astrological sense, but in the sense that the Mets heavy hitters are FINALLY all healthy in the same time. We have been waiting seemingly forever to see what Reyes, Wright, Beltran and Bay can do together. The early returns were good, at least until Bay screwed it up again by having a baby. But with these four, plus Ike Davis, in the lineup at the same time, the Mets offense has a chance to be pretty good. At least until half of them are traded. Which brings us to...

Jose Reyes
. The Mets shortstop had a great April, which I guess could be considered a negative since it might expedite his departure to another team. But after all the injuries and frustrating moments, it's been fun to watch Reyes living up to the hype again. I can't decide if I want him to keep it up so that Sandy Alderson feels the need to re-sign him, or to play worse so that his trade value declines. I'm going to move on now because writing this paragraph is depressing me.

Pleasant surprises.
We all like Ike, but nobody expected him to be THIS good so soon. And several of Sandy's dollar store pickups have also exceeded expectations. Chris Young has been the staff ace, Beato and Isringhausen have been great in relief, and Chris Capuano has not been awful.

We got to watch professional caliber players play professional baseball
. If nothing else, April was good because we didn't have to watch the usual collection of scrubs. Last season we saw way too much of the likes of Perez, Castillo, Mike Jacobs, Gary Matthews, etc. This season all of them are gone, and some of the players who reminded us of them (Emaus, Boyer, etc.) were shown the door as well.

So don't lose hope yet Mets fans, it's a long way until October. April was not a great month for out team, but warmer and brighter days are ahead. Hopefully in our June review we will be talking about Johan being back on the mound, Reyes and Beltran still being on the team, and the Mets being in the thick of a playoff race.

Until then, drink it up!

Friday, April 29, 2011

Ike Davis: Man-Crushing Balls Out of the Park

Generation K, Alex Escobar, Matt Peterson, Lastings Milledge, Carlos Gomez, Fernando Martinez.  Aside from the families and friends of these guys, there is only one group of people who will recognize their names - agonized and disappointed Mets fans.  While the book is still out on FMart and I guess you can say we are getting something out of Izzy at this point, there is a strong memory of can't miss prospects that were complete misses.  Emerging from behind this list though is my favorite Met, Ike Davis, who not only consistently answered every question that scouts put up about his abilities, but is now name that fans (and pitchers for that matter) across the league have come to know.

Davis came up April of last year, and unless you're a person scouring the Mets minor league reports, he's a guy you hadn't heard much about.  He hit pretty well in the minors working his way from Brooklyn, to St. Lucie, to Binghamton.  While he had a pretty good spring in 2010, the Mets believed he'd be better suited with another season in the minors and chose a platoon approach of some veterans to start at first last season.  There was no scouts saying, "Wait until this guy gets to the show," and no one was even thinking of calling this guy the next Keith Hernandez.  It was more, well, he can hit good hard line drives and play a pretty good first base.  We're not sure on the power and this guy has the potential to be good.  As I said earlier, this doesn't invoke too much confidence on the fan who is reading this limited scouting report seeing as we have a great past of seeing our top prospects, who have been highly touted, not amount to much - at least for the Mets.  Here is a quote from Scout.com from February of last year:
Davis would benefit from another full year in the minors. However, a promotion before or after September 1 cannot be ruled out if a roster spot opens up or he simply hits the cover off the ball in Triple-A. By late summer, a strong season from Davis should entice the Mets to get a peek at Davis’ ability in the big league setting.

Ike hit pretty well in the minors and extended spring training and by the end of April, he had secured a spot as the starting first basemen for the major club.  Since then, you could argue that Ike Davis has been the Mets' most consistent player - and this is a 24 year old on a team with veteran superstars like Jason Bay and Carlos Beltran and superstars in their prime like David Wright and Jose Reyes.

It's pretty easy to talk up a young guy who's on a 10-game hit streak (and 5-game multi-hit streak) and is leading the team in RBIs, but I think that Ike Davis is going to be one of the most important players on the Mets for many years to come.  In a 2011 season that looks like it could be up and down again riding the wave of streaks, it's Davis's consistency and attitude that I believe will be the most important to this team.

We want Jose Reyes to be the spark plug to start our rallies, and he can be, when healthy and with his head in the game.  David Wright is supposed to be the team leader and superstar, and he has been, but he's also struck out a lot and been a part of teams that have had late season collapses at a time when the best player on the team should be able to put the team on his shoulders.  Jason Bay and Carlos Beltran are superstars in their own right, but we've seen instances from both that playing in New York makes them a little uneasy compared to past homes where they've seen greater successes.  Johan Santana is our crown jewel, but he's getting older and is on the shelf right now.  Mike Pelfrey can be a head case.  Jon Niese is not there yet and doesn't have the raw skill to be a superstar.  

Then you have Ike Davis. When questions were asked when he first came up if he was being rushed, he responded by hitting 19 homers and 71 RBIs in his first season (which wasn't even a full season).  He filled in as the cleanup hitter in a New York lineup for much of the season.  He played a stellar first base getting great consideration for the NL Gold Glove.  He came in 7th in the Rookie of the Year voting for the NL.  And in such a great class of rookies last year with the likes of Buster Posey and Jason Heyward and in a league that's constantly adjusting to promising rookies resulting in sophomore slumps, look who seems to be the best 2nd year player in the league right now.

At the end of such a great string of wins that coincidentally came right in the middle of Ike's hitting streak, I think it's time we all tipped our cap to Ike Davis.  Call it Kool-Aid, call it a man-crush, call it what you will - I'm excited to watch Ike Davis crush balls onto the Pepsi Porch in 2011 and for many years to come.  Drink it up.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

What a Win!

For five straight games, the Mets were a good baseball team. For one night, they were Amazin' again.

Tonight's game was one of the most thrilling Mets wins in recent memory. Making it even better was the fact that it had all the makings of so many of the excruciating losses we have seen.

Be honest: when the offense wasted a solid pitching performance by doing virtually nothing for 7 innings, you muttered "same old Mets" under your breath. When Reyes' triple was overturned by that horrible call, you remembered that the baseball Gods are surely not Mets fans. When the Nats quickly squashed the joy that Murphy's game-tying home run produced, you thought about going to bed.

And nobody would blame you if you did. After all, when was the last time the Mets came back in both the 8th AND 9th innings to win a game?

But instead of following the same tired script, the team pulled out a gutty victory that Mets fans always hope for but never expect. The best part was that almost everyone on the team was involved in the victory, from afterthoughts Turner and Hu, to former whipping boys Bay and Murphy, to youngsters Davis and Thole.

It was the type of win that makes April feel like October. It had me excitedly calling or texting every Mets fan I know. And instead of my usual corny sarcastic texts like "Who sucks? Hu sucks" that follow Mets losses, I could finally send a corny exuberant text like "Who's the man? Hu's the man".

So tonight, forget about massive debts and Ponzi schemes. It's a rare opportunity to be proud to be a Mets fan.

Drink it up!

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

What's Plaguing the Mets?

Why is this night different from all other nights? For Mets fans it certainly isn't, as our team staggered to yet another loss. Yes, you may have been reclining and eating unleavened bread during the game, but in the end the result was more of the same.

With the Mets having already lost more games (12) than plagues (10) by the second night of Passover (the annual day of regretting passing over Orlando Hudson to play second base), it seems like an appropriate time to analyze what exactly has been plaguing the Mets.

1) Water turned to blood - We thought we were getting the equivalent of Perrier in Jason Bay. Instead Bay has turned to blood (injuries), soiling the flowing river of offense that could have been.

2) Frogs - Frogs are green, which is one color the Mets are lacking as their owner remains the target of a $1 billion lawsuit and ticket sales dwindle.

3) Lice - Also known as gnats, which is fitting considering that even the lowly Nats have tortured the Mets already this season.

4) Wild beasts - The biggest beast of them all, Troy Tulowitski, feasted on Mets pitchers last week.

5) Disease on livestock - From Bay to Reyes to Santana to Beltran, our most productive livestock has been hit with disease (injuries) way to often the past few years. They haven't produced a glass of milk or a golden egg in a long time.

6) Boils -
The Mets look good from afar. But then you look closer and see all the blemishes. Whether its an all star who can't hit in the clutch, a five tool player with no baseball IQ, or a talented pitcher who is a complete headcase, the Mets are full of "boils".

7) Hail
- What's worse than watching the Mets lose in person? Watching them lose in person while sitting in horrible weather. That's been the case way to often this April.

8) Locusts -
Just as locusts destroy farms, most of our best crops have failed to grow to their potential. From Generation K to Alex Escobar to Lastings Milledge to Fernando Martinez, our farm has produced too many rotten products.

9) Darkness -
It's been a period of darkness for Mets fans ever since Adam Wainwright turned out the lights in Game 6. And if you've ever driven past Citi Field in October, you can see just how dark that place can be.

10) Death of the first born -
Johan Santana, our #1 starter who we all love like our own son, sits on the DL.

And that, kids, is the story of the Mets struggles. But now that these ten plagues have been delivered, the Mets can finally be freed from the contract of Oliver Perez and the chains of losing baseball.

After what has felt like forty years of wandering in the bottom of the standings, Sandy Alderson is finally here to hopefully lead the Mets to the promised land (a.k.a the playoffs).

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Terry's Tonic: The Fight is Still There, But Maybe We've Got to Go Old School

Another night, another tough loss based on mistakes, bad bullpen play, and a glint of fight in the Mets offense. When the Kool-aid is hard to come by we go once again for a mixer of Terry's Tonic to help explain what went wrong last night.  Let's see what he said

“Everybody is as frustrated in this room as I am, but we’ve been in every single game but one” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “The fight is still there, but we’ve got to stop making mistakes.”

 Again, Terry takes a turn from the Jerry's Juice we were used to tasting so often last year and holds the team accountable as he should.  He's right.  It's bad pitching and mistakes that have caused the Mets to allow teams to come back and eventually win.  It's pretty much been the issue all season. 

With that said, there was one bright spot in last night's game and that was the return of Jason Isringhausen back to the Mets.  Izzy made his Mets re-debut last night coming in with two on and one out in the seventh and throwing a perfect 2/3 with the game tied.  It seems Generation K is finally ready to make its mark.  Isringhausen is best remembered as the one truly successful member of the highly touted trio of Mets pitching prospects who the Mets traded away before being given a full chance.  Izzy went on to be a very successful closer for the Cardinals, and the Mets were left with another mistake in letting him go.

So what do you do when you make moves, hold your players accountable, and still see there's no one left that's not making mistakes?  Maybe you go back to some of the old mistakes we've made and correct them just like we did with Izzy.  No one good to play second base?  Maybe we should go back and give Jeff Kent a call.  Need a good fill in for Beltran on his one in every three off days?  We're already paying Bobby Bonilla still, why not give him a ring.  Who can play for Jason Bay as he inches his way back after injury?  Why, who would fit better than, well, former Mets farmhand Jason Bay.

Of course I kid here, but something's going to have to give.  It's too early in the season to get too far down, but you never want to be fighting from behind like this.  The problems seem to be apparent.  Starters need to go deeper, relievers need to stop giving it away, and everyone needs to think and perform a bit better in the field.  We saw the accountability with the move to send down Boyer and Duda like we discussed yesterday, but I'm not sure how that will help if you bring up Igarashi and he throws away a double play ball that lead to a 2-run single by Carlos Gonzalez.

The Kool-aid is that it's still early, some things are going well, and I trust the new front office enough to think that they will make the right moves to keep us competitive.  At this point, all I can do is sit back, drink my Kool-aid and hope for the best.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Can't Pitch, Hit, or Field? Goodbye!

Last season we could always count on Mets employees to put a positive spin on their losses. When Oliver Perez got shelled we were told he was in great shape and making good progress. When David Wright struck out four times, we were told that he was putting great swings on the ball and was about to break out. It was a skill that helped inspire this very blog, and led to a recurring segment called "Jerry's Juice".

This season we have renamed that segment "Terry's Tonic", but the Mets manager and his colleagues are making it hard for us to find material. That's because for the first time in a while, the Mets are holding themselves accountable for their poor play.

After today's frustrating loss to the Nationals, I looked for and expected to find the koolaid-rich quotes that were so common last season. Instead, I found the following:

"This is the big leagues, and you've got to be able to make some pitches." - Terry Collins

"It's [the bullpen] been inconsistent. Probably as positive an adjective as I can use. But it's unfortunate." - Sandy Alderson

“It’s an utter letdown. You just feel disgusted with yourself. He pitched one heck of a game, and I hate that I blew it for him.” - Blaine Boyer, who lost the game.

“The ball just beat me. I made a terrible play. It probably cost us the game.” - Lucas Duda, who misplayed a ball that led helped the Nats come back.

"It’s horrible, man" - DJ Carrasco, who gave up the tying runs.


These are all harsh words for game 9, and I must say I like it. Don't get me wrong - I love a good glass of blue and orange koolaid, and there will be plenty of it poured later on in the season. But for now it's good to see that the Mets are not taking losses and poor play lightly.

While Omar and Jerry would have publicly chalked up this loss to early season jitters or a bad pre-game meal, Sandy walked the walk by demoting Boyer and Duda to the minors. When was the last time the Mets took such strong action on an under-performing player so quickly?

The Mets have talent, and we have already seen this season that they are capable of playing well in all facets of the game. But when they don't, it's good to finally see that the players will take responsibility for their mistakes and the front office will take the necessary actions to improve.

After all, accountability breeds success. I don't know if that's a saying, but it should be.

Friday, April 8, 2011

Forget this...I'm Going Home!

After a great start to the second series of the year, the Mets have now dropped their last two games and sit at .500.  Is it time to panic?  Is Mike Pelfrey done already?  Who's the real Jon Niese?  Is this a team that's going to commit bonehead plays in the field and not allow themselves to stay in games?  Just like we said "Stay Calm and Carry On" when we won that Phillies game, we need to do the same when we've lost the last two.

The Phillies are the favorite in the National League.  Josh Johnson and Roy Halladay are two of the best pitchers in the NL.  In our other loss, the team showed some fight on the road and came back after a big lead was given up early in the game.  More importantly, we've played all 6 games on the road.  I'm not ready to panic yet.

Home field advantage.  Welcome home.  Home is where the heart is.  Home sweet home. Home run.  Root, root, root for the home team.  Well, there's a lot of little positive quotes and sayings referring to how great home is.  There's a reason for that.

Last season, the Mets were 47-34 at Citi Field and just 32-49 on the road.  Now, I'm not saying I want a repeat of last year, but if this team can play .500 baseball on the road and keep a nice winning record at home, we're going to be in it at the end.  I think the Mets can bounce back nicely this early in the season playing the Nats this weekend opening up Citi Field for 2011. 

There's going to be energy.  There's going to be excitement.  There's going to be..."everybody clap your hands!" (I know you just got the urge to clap your hands).  If you're going out to the ballpark today or at any point this weekend, have a safe, fun, and positive time.  Cheer on our boys and save the boos for later in the season when we hopefully won't need them.  We'll be back on Monday hopefully pouring you some more Koolaid on how the Mets being 6-3 means they are destined for the playoffs.  For now, DRINK IT UP!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

That Was Phun

4 games into the year and the Koolaid is flowing pretty easily.  There are a lot of things to be happy with -David Wright and Ike Davis seem to be hitting just as we need them to, Carlos Beltran seems to be easing his way back into non-injured play fairly nicely, 3 great pitching performances including one by newcomer Chris Young.  We could talk about all of these things, but what everyone needs today is how to answer the comments of Phillies fans for tomorrow because it's going to sound pretty familiar.

They'll say, "We're still 3 and 1."  You say, "You're right." and smile.

They'll say, "It's 4 games into the season, talk to me in August when your season is over." You say, "I hope we do talk in August, September even."

They'll say, "Wait til Utley comes back.  You weren't even playing our real team."  You say, "You don't have to tell me buddy, we know better than anyone how tough injuries can be."

Then they'll probably throw beer on you or vomit on you if they're a real Phillies fan, but you shouldn't do that my friends.  You should do like our good friends over at 27 Up 27 Down T-shirts, "Stay Calm and Carry On."  The fact of the matter is it is only 4 games in.  There's still a lot of baseball left.  I can tell you one thing though, if there are a lot more games this season like the last 3 the Mets have played, then this season is going to be fun. 

I could throw a lot of analysis back at you on the reasons for all the great things that have happened this season, but now I feel like I'll jinx it or realize how stupid I sound.  Instead, I sit back here enjoying the fact that baseball is back, there's already been some excitement, and there's a lot of baseball to play.  So you sit back too, take a sip of the Koolaid, because tonight, it tastes very sweet.  DRINK IT UP.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Mets 1, Yankees 0


The 2011 Mets season started with a bang. Despite experts basically predicting them to go 0-162 this year, the Mets took two of their first three at a division rival's home stadium. Beltran and Reyes made it through an entire weekend without getting hurt. Newcomer Willie Harris started molding his statue outside Citi Field.

But even more gratifying than the Mets two wins was their victory over the Yankees off the field.

In case you haven't heard, Yankees GM Brian Cashman complained that the Mets "abused" new Yankee pitcher Pedro Feliciano. Cashman is 100 percent correct. The Mets used Feliciano so much that it's amazing he still even has a left arm. Even Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen admitted as much, saying "That was part of the reason we decided to not re-sign - because we knew we had used him 270-some times in the last three years."

But Cashman being right is not the point. The point is that Cashman should have known what he was getting in Feliciano instead of whining about it afterwards. Does he not get the SNY channel at home? Does he not have a computer on which to check baseball stats? I know the economy is bad, but I'm sure the Yankees could have at least afforded an unpaid intern to look up Feliciano's Wikipedia page.

The Yankees may beat the Mets in the Subway Series, and will probably win more games overall this year. But the Yankees have one "abused" pitcher, while the Mets don't have any now. Chalk up a victory for the New York Mets.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Game 1: Mets vs. Marlins - LIVE BLOG!

7:03pm - Pregame:
Well here we are folks, the time we've all been waiting for, Opening Day.  Low Expectations and high hopes.  Thanks for joining us as we watch the first game of the season.  Since it's Friday night and happy hour here on the east coast, we'll be pouring you at least one shot of Mets Kool-Aid every half inning.  Please feel free to comment along below.  We'll check back in after the top of the first.  Drink it up and Let's Go Mets!!!!

7:25pm - Mid 1st:
No hits or runs in the first, but you gotta like how the first two Met hitters worked the count.  Didn't see much of that last year.

7:39pm - End 1st:
Well, one more Mets game without a no-no.  A few too many pitches by Pelf, but the game is decided on runs, not hits or base runners.  How do I see it?  One inning down in the 2011 season, and no runs surrendered.  Let's see what the return of Carlos Beltran gives us - my guess is something awesome.

7:49pm - Top 2nd:
Ike Davis, first base runner of the season!  An Emaus RBI would have been nice, but hey, at least he's not Luis Castillo.

7:56pm - End 2nd:
The end of the second welcomes the first comment to the comments section.  It seems TKL Research will be this season's Giuseppe Franco.  I wonder if the TKL Research money goes right to the Wilpon defense fund.  Either way, we got a 1-2-3 inning for the first time in 2011.  Let's get a run here.  I'm going to take a shot if we get a run and I encourage you to do the same. What do you guys think of Josh Thole? Let's Go Mets.

8:09pm - End 3rd:
Sorry about that, we missed a half inning to go post our URL everywhere.  We're almost to 100 visits for today, so tell your friends.  Johan Pelfrey seems to be on the mound throwing up 0's like an ace should.  I love it.  Headed into the middle part of the lineup.  Did you know David Wright has multiple opening day homers in his career?  Let's Go Mets.

8:18pm - Mid 3rd:
I will go out on a limb and say that if the Mets get no hit today, they will win the World Series

Also, Dan Warthen looks like an old Big Bird

8:31pm - First Run of the Year Given Up - Bottom 4:
Oh yeah, I forgot about this.  Wouldn't it be weird if after giving up a grand slam that Mike Pelfrey looked into the camera at 3rd base and made a weird Jim Halpert look?  4 runs isn't impossible to overcome.  What if we come back?  Ya Gotta Believe?

8:38pm - Mid 5th:
Ummm.  Only 3 hits have been given up here.  That's not too bad.  Is it possible the outcome of this game is causing the pizza we just ate to taste bad?  Something good needs to happen here.  Let's Go Mets.

8:47 - Bot 5th:
This call to the bullpen is brought to you by....the Fred Wilpon Help Me Afford a Baseball Team Foundation.

9:06pm - End 6th:
Pedro Beato with the 1-2-3 inning.  And you don't talk about a no hitter if you're superstitious, so guess what, Johnson is throwing a no hitter here.

And it worked.

Carlos Beltran, standing on second.  His knee is still between 2nd and 3rd.  Big RBI double!!!!!

9:23pm - Mid 7th:
Great inning there.  First runs of the year.  Not sure how I feel about one of our top bench players having a .170 avg as a pinch hitter.  But we saw RBIs from Beltran and Ike there.  If the Mets are going to win this year, that's going to have to happen a lot more.  That last at bat would have tied the game with a homer.  This is not impossible.  And remember, we're not going to be facing Josh Johnson everyday.

9:37pm - Top 8th:
Boyer and Beato looked pretty good.  If they can bridge the gap to K-Rod and our starters don't give up grand slams, the Mets will be alright.

9:56pm - End 8th
I kid you not, someone just put on Rock and Roll Pt 2 here.  I just switched to a rally cap.  3 more outs to go.  Or a whole season.

10:04pm - Game
This is why they play 162 games.  Remember, the last 5 years, the Mets have won on Opening Day.  And the last 5 years, we've been disappointed.  Takeaways include Willie Harris having a good game, Beltran hopefully making a nice comeback, and there's always tomorrow.  Thanks to everyone who followed along.  We'll have to do this again.  See you soon.

From the Makers of Jerry's Juice Comes Terry's Tonic!

One of our favorite features on the site last season was Jerry's Juice.  Every loss, we'd look over Jerry Manuel's reasoning behind the team's shortcomings in that game and make sure you tasted a bit of Kool-Aid with it.  Well, just because we have a new manager doesn't mean we shouldn't stop finding the positives in everything our manager has to say.  Terry Collins is already stirring the Kool-Aid with an email he sent to Mets fans- here's a little piece to get you excited for tonight:



With our 2011 opener tonight in Florida, I want to make this pledge to Mets fans: our team will play the game the right way. We will always hustle on the bases, run balls down in the outfield and never take anything for granted, no matter the score of the game. We had a great Spring Training. From day one my message has been look ahead, not backward, and not to worry about what the people outside the clubhouse are saying. If we pitch and play defense like I know we can, we will surprise a lot of people, a lot of people.


Clap...clap...clap...Let's Go Mets!....oh man am I excited!

This is what we've been asking for right?  We want to win, but even if we don't we want the team to have some fire, not just say they care but actually show it, and hustle.  If this is the case, I think all Mets fans will be happier and the wins will come.  So I guess there's just one thing to do....play ball!

Have a great season everyone and enjoy tonights' game.

PS: Stay tuned as we're planning to announce this afternoon that we will be live blogging all through the game tonight. 

DRINK IT UP!

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

A New Beginning


Mets fans, the time has finally come.

Throw away your 2010 season program. Tear up your copy of the Wilpon/Madoff complaint. Set fire to your Perez and Castillo jerseys, if you haven’t already done so.

Then kick your feet up, pour yourself a big glass of blue and orange kool-aid, and get ready for a new season of Mets baseball. Because despite a tumultuous past few years and an offseason that has led to the Mets being constantly made fun of by Yankees fans, Phillies fans, the media, Manhattan Mini Storage, and that guy in your office who doesn’t even follow baseball, there are still plenty of reasons to be excited for the 2011 season.

Here are just a few:

A Major League lineup.
Last season, the Mets opening day lineup featured the immortals Alex Cora, Luis Castillo, Mike Jacobs, Gary Matthews Jr., and Jeff Francoeur. No, I’m not referring to the AAA Mets. This season, with Reyes and Beltran back to go along with Pagan, Wright and Ike, and Bay hopefully healthy soon, the offense has a chance to be really good (Yes, I know that’s been said before).

Ollie and Luis are finally gone. Few Mets have been hated as much as these guys, and for good reason. For the first time in a while, we don’t have to worry about seeing Ollie walk the ballpark or Luis hopelessly limp to a ground ball three feet to his right, then complain about being benched. The 2011 Mets are almost entirely full of hardworking, likeable players, assuming of course that K-Rod has stopped punching old people.

The injuries bug has already come and gone.
At this point every Mets fan knows to expect at least a couple of our stars to get injured every season. With Santana already out and Bay on the DL to start the season, the Law of Averages says that no other big players will be hurt later on. Unless of course the Law of Beltran overrides it.

The Phillies will choke.
How do I know the Phillies will not win the World Series, despite already being penciled in for an NL penant? Their amazing rotation was featured on the SI cover, the kiss of death for any athlete (just ask the 2009 Mets). And if the SI jinx fails to deliver, we can bank on the fact that Werth is gone, Utley and Lidge are injured, and they were actually considering starting Luis Castillo.

You just never know.
When expectations are high the Mets always come up short. So this year, when expectations are non-existent, why can’t the opposite come true? Hey, it worked for VCU.

Let's Go Mets.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Don't Mess with Terry Collins


Last week, a friend called me from the Mets-Marlins game to tell me he had witnessed something that he had never seen in four years of going to Mets Spring Training games. Between innings, Manager Terry Collins had trotted onto the field to talk to one of the umpires. But instead of the jovial chat that you would expect between a manager and umpire this time of the year, Collins appeared to be engaged in a heated argument, at least by early March standards.

That story got me thinking that Collins is exactly what the Mets need.

I’ll be honest. When Collins was first hired as Manager, I was extremely skeptical. First of all, I had never heard of him. Secondly, I was hoping Wally Backman would get the job, and I’m usually against the hiring of older, mostly unsuccessful retreads anyway. Then I heard about how Angels players had petitioned their front office to fire Collins in 1999, which made me hate the hire even more.

But after hearing that story and seeing the words “fiery” and “intense” in just about every article I’ve read about Collins, the man has grown on me. Even in Spring Training workouts he appears to be demanding maximum effort from his players. They may just be saying it, but several players have noted how excited Collins has made them for the upcoming season with his high energy and little-league style pep talks. He seems like the type of manager that will bench a player for not running hard, and order his pitcher to brush back a hitter who is leaning over the plate.

At the very least, Collins brings a personality and attitude to the Mets dugout that they have not had in years. The last three Mets managers were about as exciting as Twitter was before Charlie Sheen signed up. Art Howe was practically asleep in the dugout at all times, Willie Randolph tried to instill the Yankees’ corporate way, and Jerry Manuel laughed and philosophized more than he ever yelled any anybody.

Of course, whether or not Collins’ fiery personality actually leads to the Mets winning remains to be seen. After all, that same intensity supposedly led to his downfall in his previous positions. But I think Collins’ managerial style is needed by this Mets team, one that is mostly devoid of outspoken, type-A personalities. Wright is the ultimate choir boy, Reyes always seems care-free, Beltran rarely talks, Bay is just a good ole’ Canadian, and Santana (golf course allegations aside) does and says all the right things. Each of these players is dedicated to winning and being great, but aside from K-Rod, none of the Mets big name players would ever be described as “fiery”.

With Collins at the helm, I think the Mets will finally show that they have life again. There will be no more tolerance for the sloppy play, or awkwardly laughing off a loss at the post-game press conference. If the Mets fail this season, it will be because of a lack of talent instead of poor fundamentals or lackadaisical attitudes.

Maybe we'll even see a Mets throw up and in at Howard or Utley for once. You just never know with the fiery, intense Terry Collins leading the way.

Monday, March 7, 2011

The Wilponzis Are Making Us MAD-off!!

A lot of our site's readers have been waiting for us to address the Wilpons' involvement in the Bernie Madoff ponzi scheme, the resulting potential effects on the Mets organization, and what it's going to do this season and beyond.  We haven't spoken up yet because this site is about positivity with our favorite team and quite frankly there is not a lot of kool-aid potential on this subject.  That being said, I was thinking about it over the weekend and this site is about pouring you a cup to try and help us get through and enjoy Mets seasons on the field.  So it's time to voice this blog's dissatisfaction with our ownership and try and give you some hope on a bad situation in Queens.

The facts are out already though they leave uncertain conclusions:
  • The Wilpons were social acquaintances of Bernie Madoff and his family.
  • The Wilpons did business with Madoff over a long period of time investing deferred player payments, health insurance premiums, and other costs to make back a sum of money on Madoff's seemingly fool-proof and high-return investing techniques.
  • The Wilpons recommended Madoff to close friends and acquaintences touting the success that they experienced with Bernie.
  • The Wilpons are involved in a lawsuit started by Irving Picard, a trustee for victims of the Madoff scandal looking to recover money. 
  • The Wilpons have said they are looking into potentially selling off as much as 25% of the Mets but would not give up controlling interest.
  • The Mets have borrowed 25 million dollars from MLB to combat a short term liquidity problems
Beyond that, there are a lot of claims.  The Wilpons said they didn't know Madoff was committing a fraudulent act and  Picard says the Wilpons knew or should have known about the illegal nature of Madoff's investments.  The Mets say this issue will not affect anything on the field for the team while everyone talks about how the team will be sold, the payroll will be slashed for next season, and how the hopes of re-signing Jose Reyes (who will be a free agent at the end of this season) are slim to none.

At the end of the day, I don't know what's true, but I do know this - when you're in charge, you're responsible.  You're responsible for the decisions you make.  You're responsible for those you put in your organization to make decisions for you.  You're responsible for the good times, and you're responsible for the bad times.  Therefore, I'm going to agree with Irving Picard and say that the Wilpons should have known what was going on.

In baseball, we blame management all the time for bad decisions.  Why did this pitcher not get pulled before giving up the game tying home run?  Why would you sign this player to so much money and so many years with a history of inconsistency?  All of these questions have answers based in research and decision-making by the appropriate leader.  Well, when these people are wrong they pay the price. 

The Wilpons are ultimately responsible for all these decisions.  Why are we paying Ollie and Castillo so much money still?  Omar Minaya made a bad decision and he was hired by the Wilpons.  Why did Willie Randolph get fired in the middle of the night?  Omar and the Wilpons made a bad decision.  Why is the Mets' minor league system ranked 20th by Baseball America?  Bad scouting hired by bad management hired by the Wilpons.  Either these guys are bad with gut decisions or they are really bad at doing research properly.  Either way, they are responsible.

When it comes to their involvement with Madoff, the same applies.  Either these guys did not take the proper diligence researching what it was about Bernie that made him so magical with his returns or they thought wrongly with their gut.  Either way, this is their fault for not making the right decision.  I think all of it ties together - I mean, it's easy to see how someone who'd invest 15 mil per year in Oliver Perez without taking a closer look wouldn't look closer into an investment situation that seemed too good to be true.  These guys are just not good at this and it's time for them to go. 

As Mets fans, we've gone through a lot of rebuilding years.  This looks to be another one.  Looking at the success rate, it makes you wonder what the problem is.  You can look at the one constant here - the ownership.  So while it's not my place to talk about the legal matters of the Wilpon family and whether it be Donald Trump, Mark Cuban, Bobby V, or someone else coming in to own the team, I'll say my kool-aid I take away from this is that maybe the jinx will be gone soon.  Maybe it's the Wilpon's karma that made Timo not run out that hit in the World Series, made Beltran miss that curve ball, made Castillo miss that popup.  And maybe we'll have a real fresh start soon.  Either way, we'll keep hoping the Mets can put together a good campaign with all this going on in the background and we'll keep pouring that kool-aid.  Drink it up.

Friday, March 4, 2011

I'll Miss You, Ollie


Mets fans love to complain about their team. I know this because I am a Mets fan who loves to complain about my team. This is not a knock on us, because we have had plenty of reason to express our frustration since 1986. Whether it is overpaid underachievers, late season collapses, un-inspiring managers, giant outfield walls, or broke owners, there is always something to draw the ire of us Mets fans.

Over the past few years, nothing has caused more complaining among Mets fans than the trials and tribulations of Oliver Perez. We all feel like Ollie stole tricked us into believing in him with a great 2006 NLCS, then proceeded to steal $36 million from our own wallets. He pitches horribly, acts like he doesn't care, and seemingly refuses to try to improve.

I don't want Ollie to be anywhere near the Citi Field, let alone in their starting rotation or bullpen. For the past four years, I have read Mets news hoping to see that he was traded, released, retired, or abducted by aliens.

So why was I happy to see that he pitched well yesterday in what was widely believed to be his last chance? With Ollie's Mets career finally on its deathbed, I realized that I will actually miss him a little bit when he's gone. Not because I think he can contribute to the team in any way other than as a waterboy, but because his terribleness has been a consistent source of conversation for Mets fans. When things have gone badly for the Mets we have always been able to make Ollie the scapegoat, either to have a laugh or because it was really true. No money to sign free agents? Blame Ollie's contract. The rotation is weak? Too bad Ollie didn't live up to his potential. No chemistry in the clubhouse? Ollie must be infecting his teammates with his bad attitude. Through thick and thicker, we could count on #46 to blame.

Soon enough Ollie will probably be released, if Collins and Alderson have half a brain and any sympathy for Mets fans. I will rejoice and call it the best Mets-related news in years. But once the dust settles and Ollie is really gone there will be a void.

Sure, the Mets have countless other major problems. But none will cause us to complain as much and for as long as Ollie did. And for that I will miss him.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Expectations Kool Aid Style: Could it happen? Why not? In fact, Count on it!

It's so good to be back after the long winter without baseball.  Every year for the past few years, I talk myself into not putting high expectations on the boys in blue and orange.  Then something happens - I smell Spring break through the winter cold, put my winter coat in the closet, catch those Spring Training games on the radio randomly in the car or flipping through the channels on television, and next thing you know I'm telling myself that this is the year.

Well this off-season was a little different...sort of different.  First off, there was a huge regime change which had me pulling out my copy of Money Ball to see if these were actually names I was recognizing.  For the first time in a long time, we didn't sign any big time free agents as the team showed some restraint in making a move that could handicap us for seasons to come (no matter if it was just because there was no money to spend).  Then, the Phillies made moves early on in the off-season to give them potentially one of the best rotations of all time to add to their already dangerous team (NOTE: It's Spring Training and we're all working off the rust - you can expect much more negative things about the Phillies from this blog as the season begins.) Finally, no one else was talking up the Mets as a contender as in years past - not even the Mets.  There was nothing to raise my expectations irrationally.

Now here we are.  Spring is starting to creep in, I didn't wear my winter coat today, yesterday I heard Steve Sommers talking about "Meet the Debts,"  I've been checking Spring Training box scores, I pulled out an old copy of MLB: The Show as I wait for the new edition to be available, and I'm starting to feel the Kool Aid start flowing through my veins.  My expectations are growing and I'm trying to keep them in check, but in the words of Harry Doyle of Major League (I and II), "Look who we've got coming back!"

At the top of the list, you've got David Wright, Ike Davis, and Angel Pagan coming back to hopefully perform as well as they did last year if not better.  They helped us see that Citi Field is not as cavernous and impossible to hit home runs out of as we may have originally thought.  If the other guys in the lineup can do their part, it should help these guys even more and we could see big production.

Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, and Jason Bay seem like they are finally healthy to start a season and are ready to play to their potential.  Reyes and Beltran are in contract years and they have more motivation than usual to have good seasons to secure a nice contract for the future.  If these guys, especially Reyes, can get back to their form, people's eyes will open pretty quickly on what this team can be.  With Jason Bay, you have to hope that he has a 2nd year with the Mets like Beltran did in '06 and that he's over the pressures of playing in the big city and the big Citi for that matter.  Do I expect this to happen? Why shouldn't I?

Pitching is the big question mark it seems for this team.  We've got a number of new-comers, some young guys that will hopefully break out, and a superstar ace on the shelf with no real timetable for return.  KRod seems like he's got his head straight a bit.  All I hear is how great Chris Young is as a leader, a hard worker, and someone who's going to thrive in Citi Field as he did in Petco Park for a number of years.  Pelfrey has to take the next step and become a top pitcher in the NL like he did for part of last season.  Niese needs to take the step that Pelfrey took last year from young hopeful to someone we need to rely on.  RA Dickey needs to play like he did last season...period.  New guys in the pen will have to step up to fill the shoes of guys like Pedro Feliciano from last year.  Do I expect all these things to go right?  Could Pelf become an ace, KRod get back to shutdown closer, and could Johan be back before the all-star break?  Why not?

It's easy to have the reflex after so many seasons of let down to say, this team is going to be terrible.  We didn't do anything this offseason, the Phillies are so great and in our division, we don't have Santana, wah wah wah.  These are the people who want to start the season believing this so that when June rolls around and the Mets may be out of it already, they can just try to ignore baseball and look towards football season already.  Where is the fun in that though?

There is potential here. This team could perform very well.  There could be guys with no expectations that break out this season.  On March 2nd last year, did we even hear the name RA Dickey anywhere?  Who's to say Mejia and FMart won't actually be here.  We're so used to everything so bad happening we don't think the same thing can happen in the other direction.  My advice to you is take that wiff of Spring, put your winter coat away, and put some stock in this team.  Because if you don't, when June rolls around and we're doing great and Johan is about to come back, I'm going to tell you, "I told you so."

I mean, why wouldn't you believe me.  I'm the one that predicted successful seasons last year for Mike Jacobs and Gary Matthews Jr..  If I didn't, would we be in a different place now?  Of course not, so take a sip of the Kool Aid and get positive folks.  We've got a long season ahead.  Drink it up!