Thursday, July 30, 2009
Big Papi David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez Caught Red Handed
Mets Win Streak Hits Five
Hey, National Leauge! Here come the Mets! That's right the New York Metropolitans.
The New York Mets pounded the Colorado Rockies in game one of a day/night double header, 7-0 behind ace Johan Santana.
For one of a few times this season, Santana had a lot of run support with which to work. For most of the season, Santana has had to pitch near perfect games because the Mets struggled to score runs when he pitched. Not today.
In the second inning with two runners on, Corey Sullivan lined a single to shallow center field to drive in Dan Murphy to make it 1-0. Next, Omar Santos singled to drive in Jeff Francoeur. The hit parade of the unknowns continued as Angel Berroa (ANGEL BERROA!?!?!?!) doubled into the right center field gap to drive in Sullivan and Santos to make it 4-0.
David Wright continues to heat up. He had an RBI on a sacrifice fly in the fifth and an RBI double to deep right to drive in Alex Cora to make it 7-0. Box Score.
Santana was brilliant. He pitched seven strong innings of four hit ball without surrendering a run. After a month of struggling to strike people out, Santana fanned eight Rockies in the contest to silence one of the most potent offenses in baseball.
The Mets are 5 1/2 back of the wild card, leading San Francisco Giants. They have already knocked the Rockies off of their perch on top of the wild card standing, and, with a win tonight, could jump over the Milwaukee Brewers and be just 4 1/2 out.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Omar Minaya's Job In Jeopardy
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Thank God! Brett Favre Decides To Stay Retired
Yankees Rumored To Be Interested In Bronson Arroyo
Kazmir Shuts Down Powerful Yankees
Rejuvenated Mets Streak Hits Four Games
Monday, July 27, 2009
Tatis Lifts Himself & Mets In Emotional Victory
Mets Fire Bernazard, and Lash Out At Daily News
"Over the years he said a number of times that he would like ... he asked me personally ... to work in the front office," Minaya said. "In my front office. Not only me, but he's asked others." (SNY.TV)
Rubin denied the Minaya's claims, stating that he never asked Minaya about available positions with the organization; he only asked how one gets a job in baseball.
The New York Daily News later put out a statement in support of Rubin and his story on Tony Bernazard from last week.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Holliday Joins St. Louis Cardinals In Trade With A's
Yankees Continue To Rock & Roll
Not even a two hour rain delay could stop the Yankee Express. The Yankees continue to dominate the American League this month with, yet again, another come from behind victory.
Tonight, the Bronx Bombers were up against a kid from Jersey, Vin Mazzaro, who was looking to beat his home town team in the new Yankee Stadium. Mazzaro got off to a solid start, shutting out the Yankees through the game's first three innings, but he soon fell victim to the mighty Yankees offense in the fourth and fifth innings.
With the Yankees down 3-0, Mark Teixeira blasted a two run home run into the second deck in right field to cut the A's lead to 3-2. After Alex Rodriguez singled and stole second base, Jorge Posada drilled a double into the left center gap to drive in Rodriguez with the tying run. Eric Hinske soon followed with a single to right to bring home Posada to give the Yankees a stunning 4-3 lead.
Mazzaro never recovered and neither did the A's. Box Score.
After a rough start, C.C. Sabathia pitched seven strong innings, surrendering only three runs and scattering nine hits. Sabathia struck out four to earn his 10th victory of the season. Phil Hughes came in to the eighth and shut down Oakland, pitching two perfect innings in relief to earn his first ever career save. The A's managed only three hits after the fourth inning, which is not a formula for success.
The Yankees are now a season high 21 games over .500 and hold a 2.5 game lead over the Boston Red Sox.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Mets Reject Possible Halladay Trade
Godzilla Reigns Again! Matsui Leads Yankees To Win Over O's
Wang Suffers A Set Back In His Rehab
Mets Beat League's Worst Team
Manuel & Minaya Are Safe...For Now
"Yet Wilpon has continued to insist internally that there will be no major changes in management for the rest of this season and maybe not even for next season. However," the source said, "nothing has been assured for 2010."
The source said Wilpon would be hesitant to fire Minaya because the GM's three-year contract extension does not begin until next year and that firing him also would mean firing assistants close to Minaya who also have contracts beyond this season.
Manuel is signed through 2010, and the organization "is not displaying a strong inclination at present to sacrifice him for this disappointing season." (qtd. Mets Blog. com 7/20/09)
Clearly, we will have to wait and see how this season pans out. If the Mets totally fold, and end up losing 90 plus games this year, it will be interesting to see how patient the Wilpons will be. Keep in mind this was a team with NLCS and World Series aspirations before the season started, and have the highest payroll in the NL at $143 million.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Old Timer's Day; Why The Yankees Get It & Why The Mets Never Will
The Mets for some reason, in spite of constant pleading from their fans, refuse to retire Kieth Hernandez's 17, Mike Piazza's 31, Tommy Agee's 20, Gary Carter's 8, and Darrell Strawberry's 18. In fact, 17 is still in use on the field at this moment in time. Fernando Tatis is one of many players to wear Kieth's number since the All Star first baseman left the team in 1991.
It is time for the Mets to break tradition and start honoring their history.
The Miracle Mets of 1969; Ya Gotta Believe in 1973; 1985-1988, the best period in Mets history that included two division titles, two trips to NLCS and a World Championship; 1998-2001 when the Mets turned the corner to become one of the NL's most dangerous teams.
Are they all Hall of Famers? No; nor was everyone welcomed to Yankee Stadium this weekend possessed of a ticket to Cooperstown either.
The point of Old Timer's Day is to give back to fans, to show fans that all the cheers, the boos, the patient waits with the team through tedious rain delays, and even the near capacity park attendance when times were not so bright, are all greatly appreciated.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Billy Wagner Opens His Mouth
Yankees Expected To Sign Cuban Defector Chapman
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Pedro Martinez Is Heading To Philadelphia
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Mets Offense Wakes Up Against Reds
The Mets knocked around Red ace Aaron Harang for five runs on eight hits in a mere three innings of work. It was the most aggressive the Mets have played offensively in more than two months.
With the Mets up 1-0 heading into the bottom of the third inning, the offense exploded. Luis Castillo and David Wright got things going with back-to-back singles to set the table for Gary Sheffield. Sheffield then lined a single to center to drive in both Castillo and Wright to make it 3-0 Mets.
Dan Murphy showed signs of coming out of his two and a half months long slump when he doubled to drive in Sheffield to make it 4-0. Murphy went 2 for 5 with two RBI on the day. Murphy is hitting .333 (4 for 12) in his last three games.
In the bottom of the fourth, it appeared the Mets were putting this baby away; Sheffield singled to center to drive in Castillo, and Murphy drove in Sheffield with a line drive to right field to make it 7-0.
But the Reds came back.
In the fifth inning, Mike Pefrey ran into big trouble. He walked Ramon Hernandez, balked, and then walked Edwin Encarnacion. Adam Rosales drilled a ground rule double to right center to plate Hernandez, cutting the deficit to 7-1. Chirs Dickerson followed that with an RBI single to center, and Willy Taveras drove in Rosales to make it 7-3 Mets.
Pelfrey eventually settled down, pitching two shutout innings to complete his afternoon.
Offensively, the Mets were not finished tacking on runs. Brian Schneider smacked a solo home run off the overhang in right to give the Mets an 8-3 lead. It was the first home run for the Mets in almost two weeks. Seconds later, Fernando Tatis hit his fourth homer of the year to make it 9-3. A lead that appeared insurmountable. (Emphasis on appeared).
The Mets bullpen did what the Mets bullpen does best; it started to blow the Mets huge lead.
Sean Green started the eighth inning with a bang. He gave up singles to Taveras and Johnny Gomes, and then surrendered an RBI single to Brandon Phillips to cut the lead to 9-4. Green was pulled for Pedro Feliciano, and the results were not any better.
Lance Nix was the first batter Felicano faced, and the outfielder lined a single off Feliciano to load the bases. Feliciano was pulled immediately in favor of Bobby Parnell. Parnell gave up a single to Hernandez to drive in Gomes, making it 9-5. Jerry Hairston followed with an RBI ground out to cut the Mets lead to 9-6.
In the ninth, Francisco Rodriguez struggled once again to get through another inning. He walked Paul Janis and gave up a single to Ryan Hangin before inducing Phillips into a fielder's choice to drive home Janis, cutting the lead to two. With runners on the corners, K-Rod got Nix to strike out swinging to end the game. Box Score.
The Mets head into the All Star Break breathing, to say the very least. After a nightmarish June and Fourth of July weekend, the Mets might finally be getting things together. They stand at 42-45, 6.5 games behind Philadelphia. The Mets will have their work cut out for them for the rest of the season.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Mets Make A Rare Trade with Rival Braves
Yankees To Face Tough Test In Anaheim
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Yankees Keep Rolling Along in Minnesota
Perez Returns With Solid Outing, Mets Actually Win
Paradise Lost for 2009 Mets, Paradise Regained for 2010
Last night, before the Mets got blasted to smithereens by the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 8-0 loss, Mets GM Omar Minaya addressed the media, again, about the Mets current injury status and its affect on the club for the rest of the season and beyond.
"There is not a deal out there where I can bring in a player better than what we have," Minaya explained. "I am not going to find a shortstop better than Jose Reyes. I have to not only keep an eye on '09, but on '10, '11, and '12."
This is not exactly what Met fans want to hear from their GM, especially one who has never met a big name that he didn't like: Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, Billy Wagner, Pedro Martinez, Johan Santana, and Francisco Rodriguez to name a few of the star-quality players Minaya has brought to the organization over the past four years.
In a year when the Toronto Blue Jays are rumored to dangle their ace Roy Halladay in front of Minaya and every other GM in baseball in a proverbial carrot-and-stick game, Minaya's words were a concession of sorts for the 2009 season.
The Mets are on the precipice of an apocalypse. At 39-43, the Mets are staring into an uncertain future, lying in wait like Dante, only there is no Virgil to guide the Metropolitans through the depths of Hell then up through Purgatory to the paradise of a championship season.
Right now, paradise is lost on the Mets.
Jose Reyes had another cortisone injection in his hamstring; nobody knows when or if Reyes will return to the field in 2009.
Carlos Beltran avoided surgery on his banged-up right knee; instead, he will have to rest that bone bruise until it heels itself. Right now, Beltran is not expected back until the end of July.
What about Carlos Delgado? Well, what's the point. He's 37 years old and is rushing back from hip surgery, so don't expect last-July-and-August form from Delgado when and if he ever does return.
In a way, anyone who throws Minaya under the bus for not making a move is being unfair. The Mets are strapped by their NL-leading $143 million salary cap. Adding more salary during one of the worst economic climates since the Great Depression is not exactly a formula for success, especially with a little more than three months left to play on the season.
The depth of this 2009 roster is where Minaya has to be faulted.
He could have brought in Orlando Hudson and didn't.
He could have traded Scott Schoeneweis to Chicago for Jason Marquis and didn't.
He could have signed Derek Lowe; instead, he signed Oliver Perez.
Coulda, shoulda, woulda, to quote Bill Murray from Meatballs, "It just doesn't matter."
Minaya received a contract extension last October that will keep him in the Mets organization through 2012, and unless Fred Wilpon turns into George Steinbrenner, Minaya is not going anywhere.
Blame the injuries for the Mets' troubles in 2009.
Blame the salary cap and the economy.
The Mets will have to wait until Halloween for the contracts of Delgado, Wagner, and even ex-manager Willie Randolph to come off the books for 2010. Once that happens, the Mets will have over $30 million of cap room and the ability to sign whomever they want before the holidays.
Some have thrown manager Jerry Manuel under the bus for his erratic managing style this year, but can you blame him?
If anyone had a roster of Dan Murphy, Nick Evans, Luis Castillo, Alex Cora, Fernando Martinez, Ramon Martinez, Ryan Church, Tim Redding, Oliver Perez, Fernando Nieve, and a badly-slumping All-Star third baseman in David Wright, he would want to jump under the bus without a prompter. Not even Joe Torre, nor Bobby Valentine, nor Bobby Cox, nor Tony LaRussa could win with this roster.
The key for the Mets going forward is simply this: What to do next? Stop thinking a package of Evans, Murphy, Jon Niese, and Bobby Parnell will bring you Roy Halladay and Alex Rios from the Toronto Blue Jays. Forget about trading a similar package to the Oakland A's for Matt Holiday.
The best gift Minaya can give his fans for 2010, 2011 and 2012 is to ride the storm now and reap the benefits later. That means waiting until the offseason to make the big moves that will turn Citi Field into a party and not a funeral parlor every single night. It will start with shredding the excess salary from the cap at dawn of October 3.
This means finding a taker, i.e. the Nationals, Orioles, Rangers, for the services of "Captain Drop" Luis Castillo, who will have only two years left on his idiotic four-year contract.
That means pursuing Orlando Hudson, seriously this time around, even if the team has to give him a three-year contract to play second base.
That means taking a flier on injured Diamondbacks ace and free agent-to-be Brandon Webb, so Johan Santana can actually have a true No. 2 guy behind him.
That means signing Holiday to a huge contract by Christmas and plugging him between Beltran and Wright in the middle of the batting order.
That means forcing Fernando Martinez to learn right field A.S.A.P. for 2010.
That means going out and swinging a deal for a decent first baseman who can provide some pop and hit for a high average, i.e. Lyle Overbay, Aubrey Huff, or Mike Jacobs, until the team actually makes the effort to develop a superstar at the position.
Nobody knows what the future holds, not even the Shadow, but if the Mets want to ensure that their future will be bright after this season, they are just going to have to wait. Patience is a virtue you know.
Yankees Stay Busy Get Goldschmidt for First Base
You can cross the Yankees off the list for former Mets first baseman Pete Alonso. The Bronx Bombers came to terms on a one-year, $12.5 mil...