Don't Sweat the Sweep

Losing to the Yankees hurts.  No matter how much we downplay the Subway Series as an event gone stale, the minutes, hours, and even days after a Mets loss to our cross-town rivals are never fun.  Especially when it happens three times in one weekend.

But while most sweeps of the Mets bring on a sense of impending doom, particularly ones that come at the hands of the Yankees, this one didn't feel quite so bad. 

For one, these Mets are ridiculously over-matched by the Yankees roster.  A comparative look at the lineups for each game was almost comical; the Yankees started a current or former all-star at almost every position, while the Mets put out a number of guys that all but die-hard fans need to Google.  Nothing symbolizes this mismatch more than the words "Derek Jeter vs. Omar Quintanilla".

To make matters worse, Yankee stadium is tailor-made (literally) for the home team, and just about the  exact opposite for the Mets.  The joke of a right field porch is perfect for a Yankee team that lives and dies by home runs, Russel Martin's back breaking Yankee Stadium special in game 3 being the prime example.  For a Mets squad that that often needs three consecutive singles to produce a single run, even a little-league-sized outfield is of little use.  

Yet despite these personnel and stadium discrepancies, the Mets still could have won two of the three games.  A pitch thrown in a different spot here, a routine defensive play made there, and things could have been very different this weekend.  Yes, poor defense and even worse relief pitching are less excuses than signs of a very imperfect team, but the Mets once again showed off their solid starting pitching and ability to mount comebacks.

And that bounce-back ability is another reason why this sweep was not the end of the Mets world.  The Mets have responded well to adversity several times this season, and did so again by thrashing the tough Rays tonight.  Once NL-only play resumes, against teams who's number nine hitters are most unlikely to hit two homeruns, the Mets should be back in their element. 

Things will be different next weekend at Citi Field, where Russel Martin will look more like Rey Ordonez (or Jason Bay) than Babe Ruth.  The mighty Yankees might still win that series, and will likely be ahead of the Mets come season's end, but that won't matter much.

After all, we won't have to play them again until October.  

  

My Night at the No-Hitter

On Friday night, at around 6pm, I decided to buy a ticket to the Mets game.  It was a nice night, tickets were cheap, Santana was pitching, and my coworker, a Cardinals fan, was already going.  It was the best last minute decision I've ever made.

Every Mets game in history has provided the same fleeting moment of disappointment; the moment when that first bunt, bloop, or line drive by the opposing team falls in for a hit and we realize that history will not be made.    Amazingly, on this night, that moment never came.    

The first few innings went by with zeroes across the board, but it still felt like any other Mets game.  By the end of the 5th, with the game now official, I was secretly hoping a downpour would come and cause a rain shortened no-hitter (I later found out shortened no-hitters do not count).

The rain, fortunately, never came, but the baseball miracles did.  After Beltran's phantom foul ball and subsequent ground out in the 6th, there was a collective sigh of relief.  When Mike Baxter somehow tracked down Yadier Molina's long line drive, sacrificing his shoulder in the process, Citi Field was as loud as I've ever heard it.  The unthinkable was still possible.

When the top of the 8th rolled around, you could sense the term "no-hitter" was on mind of every fan in the stadium.  Of course, out of pure fear, no Mets fan would dare speak those words.  But that didn't stop every Cardinals fan in my section from trying to jinx it ("Did you know Santana is throwing a no-hitter?").  Still, inning over, zero hits.

The bottom of the 8th was just plain strange.  For the first time ever I was hoping the Mets would get out quickly.  Nobody in the stands seemed to really be paying attention.  When Santana came up to bat he received a less-than-overwhelming applause.  Only the ninth inning mattered to anyone.

Every moment of that final inning was full of nervous energy.  I was probably not alone in thinking, almost expecting, that the Cards would get a hit in the 9th.  The first batter hit a liner to center that looked like a hit off the bat.  The second batter hit a bloop that looked like it might fall on the infield grass.  The third batter went ahead 3-0, with Met-killer Molina waiting on deck to break the hearts of Mets fans yet again.

But three strikes later, the Citi Field crowd erupted like it was Game 7 of the World Series.  After what Mets fans have been through, it may as well have been.

You can't win 'em all

The dream of an undefeated season is over.  Reality has set in, with David Wright already falling victim to the little known but mandatory MLB rule stating that a Mets star must get injured at least once a year.

But instead of dwelling on injuries and the Mets first loss, let's take a look at the positives of this early season for the first place New York Mets.

Ike Davis, Jason Bay and Lucas Duda are a combined 6 for 51.  Why is that a positive, you ask?  Well, the Mets are 4-1 with their 4 5 6 hitters combining for a .118 average.  That is bound to change, and when it does the Mets lineup will be a force.  Ike will eventually get a hit, Duda will hit plenty more bombs, and Bay will...umm, let's just move on.

The rest of the lineup is hitting.  Most of us expected Wright to bounce back and Murphy to pick up where he left off.  But the no-names that make up the rest of the starting nine have been a pleasant surprise.  Rubensanity is taking off, with Tejada helping us forget He Who Shall Not Be Named.  Josh Thole is channeling his inner Mike Piazza.  And if Kirk Nieuwenhuis keeps this up we'll finally have to learn how to pronounce and spell his last name.

The rotation isn't half bad.  We couldn't have asked for much more after one full turn through the rotation.  Johan Santana not only pitched great in his return, but his arm didn't fall off in, or after, the process.  R.A. Dickey was his usual quality start-ing self, and Jon Niese's new nose propelled him to six hitless innings.  Even Mike Pelfrey pitched well enough to keep the Mets in the game, keeping his hands dry in the process.  If Gee can bounce back and become a reliable 5th starter, this staff will be just fine.

So THIS is what a bullpen is supposed to do.  Ramirez, Rauch and Francisco have been virtually perfect, a welcome sign following a year of 24 blown saves.  We can finally watch the final innings without a bottle of Xanax at our side.

We're still in first place.  The Phillies are 1-3, the Braves are 1-4, and the Marlins are 2-3.  Oh yeah, and the Yankees are 2-3 too.  Savor this moment.

Yes, it's very early, but at least for now it's good to be a Mets fan.  And that's something we haven't been able to say in a long time.

A Taste of Kool-Aid to Start 2012

Even though we are no longer what we once were, we couldn't let the season start today without giving everyone a little taste of Kool-Aid.  Last year, expectations were low but hopes were high.  Today, the only thing lower than the expectations and hopes are the new fences at Citi Field.  With an off-season spotted with more talk of financial crisis than free agent acquisitions, it's hard to get excited.  When that happens though, you can rely on us to let you know why you can't pay attention to any other preseason predictions and can get your good news Mets news here. 

Starting Pitching
What do a two-time Cy Young award winner, a climber of Mt. Kilimanjaro, a man with a nose job, a compulsive hand-licker and Dillon Gee have in common?  They are all part of what should be a much better than expected Mets starting rotation.

It all starts with the Johan Santana, the ace, who finally returns after missing two years of action.  Not many teams can suddenly add a future hall-of-famer to the top of the rotation, but that’s exactly what the Mets will do this year.  And in the miracle of all miracles, Santana is the only player in history to be healthy before even the Mets medical staff thought he would be.  Prediction: 17-8, 3.10 ERA.

Next up is R.A. Dickey, the ageless wonder.  Scaling an enormous mountain and publishing a memoir aren’t typical offseason strategies, but Dickey is not your typical baseball player.  The knuckle-baller is as reliable as they come, and there’s no reason to think he won’t continue to baffle hitters once again this year. Prediction: 12-9, 3.25 ERA.

Jonathan Niese is maybe the most exciting guy in this rotation.  He showed glimpses of stardom in his first two years, and at just 25 years old seems poised for a breakout season.  Plus, players always put up career years after getting a nose-job, right?  Prediction: 16-7, 3.48 ERA.

Mike Pelfrey used to be in Niese’s current shoes as an up-and-comer, before inconsistency and a propensity for hand licking set in.  But people forget that he won 15 games just two years ago.  Expect a bounce back year from Big Pelf, especially since he no longer has the pressure of being the ace.  That’s good news for Pelfrey, his psychiatrist, and germaphobic Mets fans.  Prediction: 13-11, 4.00 ERA.     

Rounding out the rotation is Dillon Gee, who came out of nowhere last season to win 13 games.  Despite having horrendous facial hair, Gee should be even better with a full season under his belt.  Not many teams get 13 wins out of their fifth starter, but that’s what he can provide this year.  They’ll be playing “Aint Nothin But a G Thing” every fifth day at Citi Field.  Prediction: 13-10, 4.15 ERA.

Bullpen
The cash-strapped Mets couldn’t afford to add much to their roster this offseason, but Sandy Alderson took advantage of the bargain bin to revamp the bullpen.  No lead was safe with last years pen, which blew 24 saves and was the biggest weakness of a team with many.  This year’s version,particularly in the back end, should prove to be a strength.  Newcomer Ramon Ramirez is one of the game’sbest middle relievers, posting ERAs under 3.00 in each of the last three seasons.  John Rauch, despite struggling last season, has had an excellent career that even includes closing experience.  Most importantly, Alderson brought in a legitimate closer, Frank Francisco, to pitch ninth innings.  For now, the days of Bobby Parnell trying to close games are gone.  And that’s a good thing for everyone. 

Infield
Last season, the Mets infield looked like it was going to be one of the best in years.  David Wright was ready to finally get over his fears of Matt Cain fastballs to the head, Ike Davis jumped into his first full season with an allstar level offensive display, Daniel Murphy was taking over yet another defensive position but was stablizing the team with a high average, and Jose Reyes was in a contract year which inevitably meant he'd finally stay healthy and play to the potential fans have always hoped for and loved watching.  All of that came tumbling down over the course of just a couple plays as David Wright, Ike Davis, and Daniel Murphy managed to get hurt and spend significant time out of the lineup with Davis not coming back.  As any Mets fan should, we're here to know that this year is going to be different.

David Wright is the defacto captain of this team and the player who should be the team's superstar.  Bad luck, deep outfield walls, and injuries have kept him from looking like that for a couple years now as fans impatience has grown.  This is the year to put up or shut up as Wright is one of the top players on people's minds to be elsewhere before the trade deadline this year.  Years ago all we could look forward to was the Wright and Reyes show and we know there is no future for that anymore - unless that show takes its talents to South Beach.  Regardless, you know Wright wants to be here, you know he has the talent, you know he's not hurt (hopefully), you know he's got a shorter fence at home now to display his superstar power.  So if you know all that, how can you not think we finally see the David Wright we grew to love from 2005-2008?  With some tricky end of contract clauses and options, there's a strong chance that he's not going anywhere, so great ready for the Wright and Ruben show!  Prediction: .305, 30 HR, 105 RBI, 20 SB

Ike Davis is my favorite player today, but as a Jewish kid whose childhood dream it was to become a Mets superstar one day, how could he not be.  Needless to say last year started like a dream and quickly ended like a nightmare.  Through his first 36 games Ike managed to go from sophomore question mark to middle of the lineup mainstay by mashing 7 homers, knocking in 25 and having an average over .300.  Then, a miscommunication with David Wright on a routine infield popup ended Davis' season though we wouldn't know that until the season was over as the Mets medical staff managed fan expectations as they usually do, 14 days at a time.  The boot was on, the boot was off, the boot was on again, and now it's off, Ike's healthy (if you don't count rare potentially career ending sicknesses), and ready to realize my dreams that ended around the time of my Bar Mitzvah.  With Pujols and Prince Fielder heading to the AL, there is a big open spot at first for the NL this year in the midseason classic.  I'd love to see Ike there, but would completely accept my Prediction: .285, 35 HR, 98 RBI

Daniel Murphy is back.  I want to like him.  The guy can hit, there's no question about it.  In all of the time he's been able to be on the field, the guy has shown expecting an average over .300 is not out of the question.  For that matter, neither is a fielding percentage under .300.  What fans don't realize here is that this year is different.  We've seen Danny come into seasons going to the outfield, going to first base, potentially being a platoon player, but here he is, your starting second baseman, Daniel Murphy.  Lets hope another year of offseason work at second will lead to stabillity for him and the team defensively and that he can put together another offensive season just like 2011 where he hit .320. Prediction: .308, 12 HR, 75 RBI

Jose Reyes is back ready to terrorize opposing pitchers and catchers for another year in 2012, unfortunately, it's in a Marlins uniform.  That's right, the Mets are following up a season with their first ever batting champion by allowing him to walk and take the money he was offered to play in a new stadium for a newly revamped team in Miami.  Who cares they are in our division?  Who cares we didn't make any discernable offer.  What Mets fans need to concentrate on is what happens when a giant hole forms at an important position on New York sports teams lately - someone comes out of nowhere to play like a superstar and flood the sports talk radio air waves for weeks to come.  Linsanity at the Garden transfers nicely to Rubensanity at Citi Field for 2012.  Ruben Tejada will step in to try to fill the void left by Reyes and what we can hope for is a good firey replacement.  What we can expect is great defense, solid hitting for a #8 hitter, and most importantly some stability at a position where he's gotten to play a lot the last few years since Reyes was always injured.  At least we know he's not going to sit himself down after 1 at bat this season to try and preserve a perfect batting average (no, I'm not bitter).  Prediction: ..265, 2 HR, 55 RBI

Outfield
The Mets boast a brand new outfield this year, one that should lead to more homeruns and scoring by the home team.  And I’m not even talking about the players yet.  The Mets brain trust, realizing that410 foot fly ball outs are the most frustrating thing ever, finally decided to move in and lower theCiti Field outfield fences. 

The men who will be roaming these new dimensions should benefit greatly from the change.  We’llstart with Jason Bay, who has joined the likes of Robbie Alomar, Carlos Baerga and Mo Vaughn as guys who seemingly lost all of their considerable talent simply by putting on a blue and orange uniform. But don’t let a horrible spring training and rumors of his benching fool you; this will be the year that Bay finally resembles the player he was in Boston.  The new walls will help Bay immensely,leading to an uptick in homers pulled to left field.  And if you don’t believe me, just ask Bay himself: "The last two or three days, I feel really, really good…once[today] starts nobody cares what you did in spring training."  Or the last two years.  Prediction: .265, 22 HR, 80 RBI.

Lucas Duda should also relish the new outfield configuration.  The monstrous rightfielder was one of the few Mets who could reach the stands last year, so just imagine what he will be able to do now.  Duda put together a solid rookie season, both hitting for average and showing glimpses of his immense power, so he should only continue to get better.  And on the defensive end he will no longer have to deal with that ridiculous MoZone in right field.  Prediction: .283, 21 HR, 82 RBI.

The one newcomer to the outfield is Andres Torres, who will take over for Angel Pagan in centerfield. Just two years ago Torres was a stud, hitting 16 home runs and stealing26 bases, so there’s no reason to think he can’t do it again in Flushing.  And to be honest, as long as Torres doesn’t fall asleep in centerfield and can run the bases at an above-little-league level, he will be an upgrade over Pagan.  Plus, Ican’t even remember the guy who batted leadoff for the Mets the past few years,so it’s not like Torres will be under much pressure to perform in that role.  Prediction: .270, 11 HR, 25 SB. 

Minors
Minors
The Mets are trying to stay competitive while letting Sandy Alderson put together the future of this team.  What that means in a market like New York is this is the equivalent of a rebuilding year.  3 of our biggest stars were shipped out in one way or another from K-Rod, to Reyes, to Beltran.  With that in mind, we need to know what we're waiting for here.  Anytime the Mets have had success in the past, it's been because of home grown talent.  Guys like Doc Gooden, Daryl Strawberry, Sid Fernandez, Edgardo Alfonso, and even Wright and Reyes all came up from within.  This is even more true for success for the Mets when this comes from their pitching.  No more are the talks of the teenage hitting machine as Fernando Martinez is gone.  That said, there are 2 potential aces ready to come up within the next couple years Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler are the future of this team.  Wheeler is really exciting as the Mets front office seemingly were able to put together a nice mid-season move sending a finally productive Carlos Beltran to San Fran where he eventually got injured and fizzled just like the Mets 2011 season, but not their future.  Others like Familia, Flores, Nimmo, Havens, and a few others are starting have us feeling like the future could be bright.  No more are the days of gutting the farm for the big arm or bat.  Sandy Alderson has ushered in a new era of building cheap from within and in my opinion that's the most fun way to win.  We're only a year away!!!

So get those blue and orange hats on (they match the outfield fences now!!!), it's Opening Day! Johan Santana is starting, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard are injured, the fences are in, Mike Pelfrey is our 4th starter, everyone is healthy, financial issues are in the past, and we're 0-0...that's right, undefeated.  So get excited, at least for today, turn on SNY, get out to Citi Field, and as always, DRINK IT UP!

Have a great season everyone!

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.    

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.  

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!